Spectrum Brands Holdings to acquire Procter & Gamble¡¯s European pet food business

Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc., a global and diversified consumer products company with market-leading brands, announced today the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire Procter & Gamble’s European pet food business, consisting of the complementary IAMS® and Eukanuba® premium brands for dogs and cats. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The business has approximately $200 million (€155 million) of annual sales and will provide Spectrum Brands’ United Pet Group division access to the $21 billion (€16 billion) European dog and cat food market which is growing at an estimated 3 to 5 percent annually.

“This acquisition will expand and further strengthen our United Pet Group’s broad companion animal product portfolio and help to achieve our objective for more balance between our two products segments of aquatics and companion animals,” said Dave Lumley, President and Chief Executive Officer of Spectrum Brands Holdings. “We already have a strong European pet supplies infrastructure in place that will enable us to leverage these well-known pet food brands in the UK and Europe. We also see important synergies in overhead, SG&A and distribution over the next few years.”

“This is a strong European pet franchise with outstanding product brand equity and room for growth and margin enhancement,” said David Maura, Chairman of Spectrum Brands. “As we continue to expand our pet division organically and by targeted acquisitions, this business will provide more global balance to our pet footprint by further building out our continental European and UK market presence. We look forward to the contributions it will make to growing our adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow.”

The acquisition, which has been approved by Spectrum Brands’ Board of Directors, is expected to close in 2015 and is subject to customary closing conditions. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP served as legal advisor to Spectrum Brands.