An expanded selection of merchandise will be introduced at Sportsman’s Warehouse in Lewiston and the chain’s other 111 locations as the retailer joins the Great American Outdoors Group, the parent company of Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, White River Marine Group and a collection of nature-based resorts.
Sportsman’s is being acquired for $18 per share in cash as part of a deal announced just before Christmas. The deal is expected to be finalized in the second half of 2021 after approval by regulators and Sportsman’s Warehouse shareholders, according to a news release on the Sportsman’s Warehouse website about the transaction.
The businesses will continue to operate independently until the transaction closes. The combining of the companies follows what has been a strong year for Sportsman’s Warehouse. The retailer earned $61.8 million in its first nine months of the year, compared to $10.5 million for the same time last year, according to results released by the company in December.
After the ventures are combined, Sportsman’s will continue to carry the products it does now plus items such as hunting gear from the Cabela’s brand as well as Tracker and Nitro Boats, and Ascend Kayaks, according to a news release about the transaction.
Customers also can expect to receive products faster, since the merger will leverage the combined company’s extensive network of distribution centers and stores.
Sportsman’s still will provide weather reports and conditions for hunting and fishing in the areas its stores serve, as well as photo brag boards.
The businesses in the Great American Outdoors Group all cater to individuals who participate in outdoor recreation. Bass Pro Shops, which were founded by Johnny Morris, united with Cabela’s in 2017 and combined operate 169 stores.
White River Marine Group is the world’s largest manufacturer of boats and launched Tracker Off Road with Textron in 2019, which offers all-terrain vehicles and side-by-sides, according to the news release. The nature resorts include Big Cedar Lodge in the Missouri Ozarks, which was founded by Morris.
Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261.
