Browning West Contends That Gildan Activewear’s Reactionary Sale Process Underscores Why Immediate Board Reconstitution is Required
March 20 2024 - 7:00AM
Business Wire
Browning West, LP (together with its affiliates, “Browning West”
or “we”), which is a long-term shareholder of Gildan Activewear
Inc. (NYSE: GIL) (TSX: GIL) (“Gildan” or the “Company”) and
beneficially owns approximately 5.0% of the Company’s outstanding
shares, today issued the below statement regarding Gildan’s
confirmation that it has initiated a sale process.
“Since the onset of our campaign, we have maintained that Gildan
is a high-quality business with significant latent earnings power
and strong value creation potential under the right Board and
management. We are naturally concerned that the Board has initiated
a sale process in order to avoid accountability following
continuous and growing support for Browning West’s calls for
significant Board reconstitution. Based on unsolicited feedback we
have received from fellow shareholders, we believe that the
Company’s owners would be dismayed at the rumored $42 USD per share
indication from a potential buyer, which effectively represents no
premium. To put this low price in context, if Glenn Chamandy had
not been terminated and the stock had simply performed in line with
the most relevant index, it would be worth approximately $42 USD
per share today. We believe that the stock will recover to at least
this level after our experienced and credible slate is elected in
May, and it could, in our view, be worth multiples of that level
over the long term.
The Board’s reactionary sale process underscores our message to
shareholders last week that a meaningful reconstitution of the
Board is immediately required, even before the Annual Meeting in
May. Our slate clearly has substantial shareholder backing and is
focused on maximizing long-term shareholder value, compared to the
current ‘lame duck’ Board which is poorly positioned to evaluate
any offers for the Company because: (i) it has already revealed its
lack of competence due to its botched CEO succession process, (ii)
its standalone plan under weak leadership is likely substantially
inferior to any plan executed by our highly qualified slate, and
(iii) the Board is entirely focused on avoiding personal
accountability at the May 28th meeting rather than strong
shareholder outcomes. Under no circumstances can the current Board
be trusted to oversee a sale process.”
Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information
Certain information in this news release may constitute
“forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable
securities legislation. Forward-looking statements and information
generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking
terminology such as “outlook,” “objective,” “may,” “will,”
“expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “should,”
“plans,” “continue,” or similar expressions suggesting future
outcomes or events. Forward-looking information in this news
release may include, but is not limited to, statements of Browning
West regarding (i) how Browning West intends to exercise its legal
rights as a shareholder of the Company, and (ii) its plans to make
changes at the Board and management of the Company.
Although Browning West believes that the expectations reflected
in any such forward-looking information are reasonable, there can
be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct.
Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and
uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or
developments to differ materially from those contained in the
statements including, without limitation, the risks that (i) the
Company may use tactics to thwart the rights of Browning West as a
shareholder and (ii) the actions being proposed and the changes
being demanded by Browning West, may not take place for any reason
whatsoever. Except as required by law, Browning West does not
intend to update these forward-looking statements.
Advisors
Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP is serving as legal counsel, Goodmans
LLP is serving as Canadian legal counsel, and IMK is serving as
Quebec legal counsel. Longacre Square Partners is serving as
strategic advisor and Pelican PR is serving as public relations
advisor. Carson Proxy is serving as proxy advisor.
About Browning West, LP
Browning West is an independent investment partnership based in
Los Angeles, California. The partnership employs a concentrated,
long-term, and fundamental approach to investing and focuses
primarily on investments in North America and Western Europe.
Browning West seeks to identify and invest in a limited number
of high-quality businesses and to hold these investments for
multiple years. Backed by a select group of leading foundations,
family offices, and university endowments, Browning West’s unique
capital base allows it to focus on long-term value creation at its
portfolio companies.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240320419876/en/
Browning West info@browningwest.com 310-984-7600
Longacre Square Partners Charlotte Kiaie / Scott Deveau,
646-386-0091 browningwest@longacresquare.com
Pelican PR Lyla Radmanovich / Mélanie Tardif, 514-845-8763
media@rppelican.ca
Carson Proxy Christine Carson, 416-804-0825
christine@carsonproxy.com
Gildan Activewear (NYSE:GIL)
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