CUE & CASE SALES, INC.
Cue & Case Sales Inc.
Cue & Case Sales Inc. of St. Augustine, FL has been acquired by Escalade Inc. (NASDAQ:ESCA) of Evansville, IN. Sperry, Mitchell & Company initiated this transaction, assisted in the negotiations, and served as exclusive financial advisor to Cue & Case Sales.
Overview
Cue & Case Sales Inc. (www.cueandcase.com) is a leading designer, marketer, and distributor of billiard products and related accessories. The company’s product offering includes cues, cases, racks, balls, lights, and related accessories. Cue & Case owns and markets a range of leading branded product lines, including Lucasi®, Players®, Rage®, and PureX®, in addition to distributing other prominent billiards brands. The company is renowned for providing superior products and excellent service to its customer base of specialty billiards dealers.
Escalade, Inc. (NASDAQ:ESCA www.escaladeinc.com) is a global consumer products company. Its largest division, Escalade Sports, is a leading manufacturer and distributor of sporting goods and outdoor products. Escalade Sports’ brands include STIGA® and Ping-Pong® table tennis; Accudart® and Unicorn® darting; Goalrilla®, Goaliath®, and Silverback® sports training equipment & basketball goal systems; and Bear Archery®, Trophy Ridge®, and Cajun® hunting products. Escalade Sports’ products are available at sporting goods retailers and independent dealers nationwide.
Situation
- Cue & Case was founded by a married couple in 1991. Their goal was to provide quality billiard cues for regular players at affordable prices.
- After running the business for nearly 20 years, the founders appointed their daughter as President. In addition to taking over day-to-day operating responsibilities, the daughter received a minority ownership stake in the business.
- With the daughter at the helm, the company substantially increased its revenues and profits by overhauling and expanding its product line.
- After the successful repositioning of the company, the founding parents were eager to achieve liquidity by selling to the highest bidder. However, their daughter was not keen to sell, as she wanted to continue to grow the company by expanding the product line and pursuing international growth opportunities.
Sperry Mitchell Solution
- We provide options for our clients. Given the opposing goals of the parents and the daughter, we advised the family to approach a range of potential financial and strategic acquirers to solicit an array of deal terms and structures. We received strong interest from a wide range of suitors, which allowed the family to choose the partner that offered the optimal mix of liquidity and strategic fit. Escalade provided a competitive valuation and an existing international footprint, enabling the daughter to accelerate Cue & Case’s global expansion.
- We help reconcile corporate cultures. The buyer and seller had substantially different compensation schemes and organizational structures. We worked to develop employment agreements and reporting expectations that satisfied both parties.
