A private equity firm has made an investment in Neff Inc., Neff Founder Shaun Neff confirmed for me this morning.
Los Angeles-based Marlin Equity Partners has $1 billion under management in many sectors including technology, healthcare, consumer goods, manufacturing and services.
Shaun said he is excited about his new partners – I plan to talk to him more about this new development today at Agenda.
Rich Anderson and Geoff Haydon of Moss Adams Capital represented Neff during the process.
Terms of the investment were not disclosed.
On its website, this is how Marlin lists its criteria for investment:
• $20 million to $1 billion in revenue (current profitability not a requirement)
• Strong management team with track record of success
• Strong installed customer base with recurring revenue streams
• Operating in a fragmented industry with opportunities for consolidation
• Experiencing some form of financial, operational or market-related transition
• Underutilized or non-core assets
• Scalable business model
• Defensible market position with barriers to entry
• Solid brand equity with established channel relationships and/or significant marketing powe
Below is the press release from the Marlin website:
Los Angeles, CA: Marlin Equity Partners (“Marlin”) is pleased to announce that it has made an investment in Neff, Inc. (“Neff”), a leading accessories and apparel company focused on the active youth lifestyle market. Founded in 2002, Neff is firmly established as a premier brand for action sports accessories. Neff designs and markets beanies, hats, tees, gloves and other products to the snow, skate, surf and lifestyle segments.
“We are thrilled with our success over the past few years and the future has never looked brighter,” stated Shaun Neff, CEO and founder of Neff. “Partnering with Marlin will allow us to leverage their operational expertise and capital, while building a world-class organization. It is an exciting time for Neff and we look forward to collaborating with our new partners and enhancing our current product offering. We want to thank our customers for their loyal support of the brand and promise exciting things to come!”
Nathan Pingelton, principal at Marlin, said “The Neff brand is well-positioned for growth and maintains strong relationships with the top retailers targeting the action sports segment. We are ecstatic to partner with the Neff family and look forward to working together in the years ahead.”
“Behind Shaun’s unique style and vision, the Neff brand has become one of the most exciting brands in the action sports market,” added Jeff Streader, retail and apparel operating partner at Marlin. “With a devoted and rapidly growing customer base, we believe the brand is well positioned for growth across multiple product categories both in North America and internationally. We look forward to partnering with Shaun and the management team as we enter the next phase of the company’s growth.”
About Marlin Equity Partners
Marlin Equity Partners is a global private investment firm with over $1 billion of capital under management. The firm is focused on providing corporate parents, shareholders and other stakeholders with tailored solutions that meet their business and liquidity needs. Marlin invests in businesses across multiple industries where its capital base, industry relationships and extensive network of operational resources significantly strengthens a company’s outlook and enhances value. Since its inception, Marlin, through its group of funds and related companies, has successfully completed over 60 acquisitions. The firm is headquartered in Los Angeles, California with an additional office in London. For more information, please visit www.marlinequity.com.
About Neff
Launched in 2002 by Shaun and Joe Neff in Southern California, Neff was the first authentic core snow and skate headwear company in the world. Neff is an active youth accessory brand supported by some of the biggest action sports athletes in the world, as well as key entertainment personalities across the globe. Neff sells to leading retailers who serve the youth-oriented, action sports lifestyle market and is sold in over 35 countries. Neff is headquartered in Camarillo, California. For more information, please visit www.neffheadwear.com.
