We have been getting all kinds of news related to the USANA bid to go private. Here is what we have learned so far:
- Gull Holding’s, an investors’ group assembled and controlled by the CEO of USANA (Dr. Wentz) is offering to take it private in a deal that values the vitamin company at about $426 million (a 25% premium to the stock’s closing price Monday).
- Dr. Myron Wentz, USANA’s majority shareholder, said he had assembled the group holding 68% of the company’s shares and would offer $26 a share, or about $136 million, for the shares the group didn’t already own
- The tender offer, subject to financing, represents approximately $240 million with the assumption of $28 million in debt
- Offer is proposed to be made through an acquisition vehicle called, Unity Acquisition Corp which is controlled by Gull Holdings.
- The Board has formed a special committee to evaluate the fairness of the offer
- There is some speculation that while the offer is a 25%+ premium to the current trading of the stock, it may not be enough and the bid may have to be increased
- Completion of a deal would be subject to, among other things:
(i) closing of the necessary debt financing to complete the offer
(ii) the holders of at least the majority of the publicly-held shares tendering their shares in the offer, and
(iii) the acquisition entity holding at least 90 percent of the outstanding shares of USANA common stock at the completion of the offer, including the shares held by Gull Holdings and the other participants in the offer.
- Following successful completion of the tender offer, Gull Holdings will effect a short-form merger of Unity Acquisition Corp. with and into USANA, in which USANA shares held by the remaining public shareholders will be converted into the same consideration paid in the tender offer.
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