Czechoslovak Group (CSG) has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase the Sporting Products division of Vista Outdoor for $1.91 billion. The manufacturers that will change ownership include Federal, CCI, Hevi-Shot, Remington Ammo and Speer, some of the industry’s foremost ammunition manufacturers.
“We are confident that CSG is a great home for our leading ammunition brands,” said Jason Vanderbrink, CEO of Vista Sporting Products. “The company is fully committed to our iconic American brands and expanding our legacy of U.S. manufacturing, support for military and law enforcement customers, and investments in conservation and our hunting and shooting heritage. We are excited to work closely with the CSG team as we enter this next phase and position our brands for long-term success.”
Vista Outdoor is the the parent company of 41 brands that design and manufacture outdoor products for consumers around the globe. The change is another step in the company’s plan to split the into separate entities, a move announced on May 5, 2022. The Outdoor Products division, recently renamed Revelyst, will become a standalone public company upon the transaction’s close.
CSG is solely owned and led by Michal Strnad, who has transformed it into a leading Czech industrial group with a strong international footprint. It employs more than 10,000 people worldwide and owns and manages a portfolio of industrial and trade companies across the defense and civilian sectors. The holding company operates within five strategic business segments, including defense, aerospace, ammunition, mobility and business. Its stable of firms already includes the several companies that specialize in the production of munitions.
“This is an important strategic step for our company in creating value through separating our Outdoor Products and Sporting Products segments,” said Gary McArthur, interim CEO of Vista Outdoor. “The previously announced plan to separate our businesses has positioned us to execute seamlessly on this transaction, which we believe is the best path to maximize value for our stockholders, while better positioning Sporting Products and Outdoor Products for future success.”
Vanderbrink will remain CEO of the Sporting Products business after completion of the agreement and the U.S. headquarters will remain in Anoka, MN. The company’s approximately 4,000 employees—who represent four factories and the consumer brands CCI, Federal, HEVI-Shot, Remington and Speer—will continue their heritage of community and conservation support through local and national organizations.
“Jason and the Sporting Products leadership team have a strong heritage of delivering high quality products, and we are pleased to welcome them to the CSG family of companies as we partner to support their next chapter,” said Strnad, CEO of CSG. “We look forward to building on the company’s success in delivering innovative, quality products and are confident in the long-term value we can create together. We are committed to expanding their legacy of U.S. manufacturing and providing resources to accelerate their growth.”
