PVH Corp., whose brands include Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, has agreed to buy rival clothier The Warnaco Group Inc. in a cash-and-stock deal worth about $2.9 billion. The deal would create one of the world's largest clothing companies and cement PVH's control of the Calvin Klein clothing brand.
Warnaco already sells Calvin Klein jeans and underwear, the brand's two largest categories, under a license and also sells brands such as Speedo, Warner's and Olga.
The deal is the second biggest acquisition in three years for PVH, formerly known as Phillips Van Heusen. PVH acquired Tommy Hilfiger in 2010 for $3 billion.
Both companies' stock prices got a big boost from the deal. PVH's shares jumped $17.31, or 19 per cent, to $108.81 in morning trading while Warnaco shares rose $20.01, or 39 per cent, to $70.90.
PVH said it will pay Warnaco shareholders $51.75 in cash and a portion of its stock for each Warnaco share. That puts the total per-share value at $68.43, a 34 per cent premium over the company's closing price on Friday, the last day markets were open before storms battered the East Coast.
"This is a unique opportunity to reunite the 'House of Calvin Klein' and reinforces our strategy to drive the global growth of Calvin Klein," PVH Chairman and CEO Emanuel Chirico said.
The combined companies would have more than $8 billion in annual revenue. PVH's other brands include Izod and Arrow.
The deal is expected to close early next year. The boards for both New York-based companies have unanimously approved it.
After it closes, Warnaco shareholders will own about 10 per cent of PVH's outstanding common stock. Warnaco CEO Helen McCluskey is expected to join PVH's board of directors. PVH said it expects the deal to boost earnings in the first full year after it closes, excluding one-time integration costs and transaction expenses.
