Surfstitch: When an IPO ain't an IPO
Wow. And now this just came through via Google Alerts:
"Surf wear wholesaler and retailer Billabong (ASX: BBG) could be set for a boost if claims that online retailer SurfStitch — which is 51%-owned by Billabong — is readying for an initial public offering (IPO).
Tech stocks and IPOs are 'hot property' at present, which makes the potential for a successful listing of SurfStitch not only quite possible but also potentially lucrative to Billabong shareholders."
http://finance.ninemsn.com.au/newsbusiness/motley/8761314/billabong-set-to-gain-from-surfstitch-ipo
I don't watch the finance reports very much, but The Motley Fool have appeared regularly in my Google Alert feeds with commentary on many of the surfbrands over the last few years - all of which seems to have gone the opposite way that they suggested. And in this case they've only picked up one article about Surfstitch's supposed IPO, and then suggested investing in BBG might be a good thing based on these new developments.
Couple of interesting developments - Quiksilver today announced that they are selling their interest in UK-based online retailer Surfdome.com.
It's never been publicly disclosed how much equity Quik had in Surfdome, or when the transation took place, however LinkedIn has information about the sale of a 'majority stake to Quiksilver'. So, this means more than 50%. And without looking through annual reports I'm pretty sure it happened sometime around 2011.
What's interesting is that Quik's acquisition of Surfdome seem to have been reactionary to Billabong acquisition of Swell.com and SurfStitch.com in 2009. Online retailing was, and still is, seen as a shining light in an otherwise depressed retail market. And by all accounts Surfdome.com are doing really well over in Europe.
So why would Quiksilver decide to sell off their stake in online retailing?
Sounds like a bad decision to me, I'd be investing more into online rather than getting rid of it!
"So why would Quiksilver decide to sell off their stake in online retailing?"
Cash inflow to cover another whopping loss?
Possibly.
However there's another line in the WSJ article that would seem to contradict that: "Mr. Mooney also said Quiksilver used part of the proceeds from the Mervin divestiture to purchase the remaining minority interests in its joint ventures in Mexico and Brazil."
And now it looks like an IPO. From today's Australian Financial Review:
"SurfStitch will take about a dozen fund managers to its Gold Coast head office this week, as it seeks to progress plans to buy back major shareholder Billabong and pursue a $300 million ASX listing."
Added taxes or laws to online retail could change interest in owning them. I hear the aussie govt wants more taxes on online shopping not sure about UK.
I wonder if Clay Marzo is back with Quicksilver. They dropped him last year in financial trouble and everyone was shocked but he might be back with them now.
Clay is not with Quik anymore. Been a few other recent defections from Quik too; Mark Healey and Ry Craike - both of whom are now on the Depactus team (new label started by Bruce Beach and Luke Egan) along with Matt Meola.
thermalben wrote:And now it looks like an IPO. From today's Australian Financial Review:
"SurfStitch will take about a dozen fund managers to its Gold Coast head office this week, as it seeks to progress plans to buy back major shareholder Billabong and pursue a $300 million ASX listing."
This came across my LinkedIn account today:
http://www.linkedin.com/jobs2/view/17772121?trk=biz-overview-job-post
Coincidence?
Crikey. 250 staff? That is one hell of a monthly salary bill.
Yep, gotta move A LOT of product to make the gross profit to make the coin to pay 'em all ...
So, it looks like a SurfStitch IPO is now a certainty.
https://www.swellnet.com/news/surfpolitik/2013/07/17/billabong-get-throw...
Also, Quiksilver apparently decided not to sell their stake in Surfdome. So they're still in the online surf shop biz. From Quiksilver's Quarterly Report in early June:
"During the second quarter of fiscal 2014, we decided to maintain our investment in Surfdome."
Wow.. big news in the online surf shop world: SurfStitch has bought Surfdome (Europe’s biggest online action sports retailer).
“We are now the No 1 player in all the areas we operate.”
http://www.afr.com/p/business/companies/surfstitch_snaps_up_surfdome_com...
mmm, interesting ...
Did you see this Ben?
"SurfStitch has had a hectic last few months; with their buying out of major shareholder Billabong back in August and near-constant rumours of an public offering on the horizon, the company’s success is more firmly in its own hands than it has been in a while. With this in mind, remedying any possible weakness in the business model is paramount, and as rising cart abandonment rates began to become a greater problem, action was needed."
and this:
"As a result, SurfStitch has seen improved cart recovery rates, a quadrupled conversion rate and increased revenue from its range of recommended products ... The changes were soon rolled out over the brand’s European sales channels, and saw similar success there."
From here: http://www.powerretail.com.au/insights/surfstitch-barilliance-insight/
Just seems to be advertorial for Barilliance!
"Australian online clothing retailer SurfStitch aims to sell shares in a Sydney stock exchange listing that will give it an overall market value of A$218 million ($186 million), a source told Reuters."
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/27/surfstitch-listing-idUSL3N0TH0WO20141127
"SurfStitch has Alibaba potential, says investor".
http://www.smh.com.au/business/surfstitch-has-alibaba-potential-says-inv...
"Online surf and sports wear retailer Surfstitch has reaffirmed its full-year prospectus forecasts after record pre-Christmas trading underpinned a December-half net profit of $300,000, its first bottom-line profit in three years."
That's a bloody good result! Especially in the current economic environment (at least as far as Australia is concerned).
SurfStitch shares have been hovering around $1.75 for the last couple of months which is pretty impressive (the MSW/Stab acquisition mid-May arrested a brief slide in share price but otherwise didn't contribute a noticeable increase).
Interesting tidbit: SS's Market Cap ($430m) is around four times that of Quiksilver ($104m), and around 80% of Billabong ($540m - who, ironically, owned 51% of their business just 11 months ago, and who knocked back plans to undertake an IPO just seven months prior to that).
Some interesting articles about Surfstitch across the mainstream news last week:
"Co-founder Justin Cameron told Fairfax Media the business is assessing its options, with an IPO or trade sale on the cards. “It's something being considered currently,” he said."
http://www.theage.com.au/small-business/entrepreneur/surfstitch-considering-ipo-20131120-2xtxx.html
An article in the Courier Mail the next day told a different story:
"As the majority shareholder of SurfStitch, Billabong International has no plans to undertake an IPO," Gold Coast-based Billabong said on Friday.
Oh dear, this is a bit awkward...
http://www.couriermail.com.au/business/fray-in-float-talk-for-surfstitch-billabong-has-no-plans-for-ipo/story-fnihsps3-1226766426656
Of more interest - this is the first time I've seen a public acknowledgment that Billabong own 51% of the company (Billabong also own 100% of US-online retailer swell.com).