Return to Case Study Overview Founded in 1996, Sleep Innovations is a fast-growing, vertically integrated manufacturer and marketer of a wide range of innovative comfort, relaxation and rejuvenation products, for both the retail and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) markets. The team from Sawaya Segalas surpassed our expectations of professionalism, negotiating skill, and insight throughout the extended sale process. Despite the obstacles posed by a difficult market and skittish buyers, Sawaya Segalas helped our Board conclude a transaction representing great value to our shareholders. We were looking for an advisor who understood the essence of our Company as a dynamic consumer marketing organization. It was clear from the first meeting that they fully understood our business and our vision. Hiring Sawaya Segalas was an easy decision, and looking back at the value that they added at each stage, we know we made the right choice. The Company manufactures and markets memory foam products based on proprietary polyurethane foam technology.
Through its Advanced Urethane Technologies division, Sleep Innovations also produces polyurethane foam-based fabricated components and bulk materials sold to OEM fabricators serving the bedding, furniture, automotive, marine, medical and packaging markets. A selection of the Company’s products is highlighted below. (Click image to enlarge) In 2008, the Company encountered a “perfect storm” created by the combination of skyrocketing raw materials costs, driven by a spike in oil prices, and a sharp decline in consumer spending as the U.S. economy slid into the Great Recession. As a result, the Company was forced to file for protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in October 2008. As part of the Chapter 11 process, the Company’s lending group was granted majority ownership in the reorganized Sleep Innovations in exchange for forgiving a substantial portion of their indebtedness. In addition, a new Board of Directors was elected and a new management team was installed, under the leadership of CEO Michael Thompson and CFO Stuart Stoller.
Following its emergence from bankruptcy in March 2009, the Company implemented a number of operational initiatives as part of its 3 Year Strategic Plan which resulted in (i) a substantial increase in the number and quality of new product introductions, (ii) an overall reduction in operating costs by approximately $25 million, and (iii) an increase in revenues by approximately 50%. By 2011, the Company increased its EBITDA by over 3x. As a result of the Company’s strong financial performance, the Board of Directors decided in late 2011 to engage an investment banking firm to explore a sale of the Company. Sawaya Segalas was engaged as the Company’s exclusive financial advisor after the Board met with a number of bulge bracket and boutique investment banks. Sawaya Segalas was chosen for its ability to convincingly position Sleep Innovations as an innovative consumer products company, its relationships and access to strategic and financial buyers, its reputation for providing the highest quality advice, and its proven track record of achieving superior outcomes for its clients.
The Board of Directors' goal throughout the process was to ensure the completion of a transaction at an attractive valuation. To accomplish this goal, several parameters were established: Protect the Company’s competitive position by targeting the highest quality candidates within the universe of potential buyers that represent the best strategic fit with the Company Maximize certainty to close by vetting potential buyers for their ability to close a transaction with limited financing risk Maximize shareholder value by effectively presenting all of the key value drivers of the Company Find the ideal partner that would value the Company’s growth prospects and would be prepared to invest in the Company’s future Limit future obligations of current shareholders by maximizing cash at close and limiting post-closing liabilities of the diverse shareholder base The bedding market underwent a number of dramatic shifts leading up to and during the Sleep Innovations sale process.
First, during 2008 and 2009 the bedding industry suffered its biggest declines (over 17%) in over 30 years as a result of the housing crisis during those years. The industry emerged from the recession in 2012 with consumers continuing their long-term shift towards purchasing specialty products (memory foam and air) at the expense of traditional innerspring mattresses. While specialty products had historically been priced at a substantial premium, consumers began to seek specialty products that delivered premium benefits at a value-oriented price. Sleep Innovations and Serta benefited from this trend by introducing value-priced gel memory foam mattresses, while Tempur-Pedic suffered sales and stock market declines as consumers shifted away from its premium-priced products. These trends were the impetus for two significant M&A transactions in the industry – Serta/Simmons’ sale to Advent International in August 2012 and Tempur-Pedic’s acquisition of Sealy in September 2012. Sleep Innovations was ideally positioned to capitalize on the industry trends highlighted above.
As an innovative, value-priced, specialty products manufacturer, Sleep Innovations delivered products that were in line with consumers’ evolving preferences. With its focus on big box retailers, Sleep Innovations also had a unique channel strategy relative to traditional bedding manufacturers. In addition, the Company’s OEM division was able to capitalize on the evolving needs of traditional bedding manufacturers by supplying them with innovative specialty products. Potential buyers were impressed with the unique selling points of the Company, highlighted below. The Company solicited and received offers from multiple strategic and financial buyers. Sawaya Segalas and the Board thoughtfully explored each transaction proposal, which ultimately resulted in the consummation of a deal with an affiliate of Sun Capital Partners, a leading private investment firm. Sun Capital’s (i) strong financial capabilities paired with (ii) its deep experience in the bedding market (most notably with bedding products retailer Mattress Firm), (iii) ability to consummate a transaction quickly and with limited risks to the sellers, and (iv) favorable valuation, made the firm an ideal buyer for Sleep Innovations.