Kaye Scholer Represents J.W. Childs in Cycle Gear Acquisition

Kaye Scholer represented Boston-based private equity firm J.W. Childs (JWC), a long-standing client focused on middle-market growth companies, in connection with its acquisition of Cycle Gear Inc., a California-based omni-channel retailer specializing in the motorcycle and accessories market. Financial terms for the deal, which closed on January 7, 2015, were not announced.

The deal took less than a month to close. On December 19, 2014, Cycle Gear Holding LLC and CG Acquisition Corp. (two indirect subsidiaries of JWC) entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger with Cycle Gear Inc. and Harvest Partners LP, the majority shareholder of Cycle Gear Inc. and the shareholders’ representative under the Agreement, pursuant to which Cycle Gear Holding LLC would acquire Cycle Gear Inc. via merger.

JWC sees significant market opportunity in the deal, saying in part that the “investment  is a perfect fit with J.W. Childs’ long-term strategy of investing in leading specialty retailers and we look forward to helping guide this next phase of Cycle Gear’s growth.”

The Kaye Scholer team was led by Stephen Koval (above left) and William Lonergan (right), and included Shay Soltani, Marisa Silver, Alan Glantz, Roxanne Mintz, Anna Smith, Laurie Abramowitz, Jeffrey London, Nicolas O’Keefe, Glenn Pogust, Irv Hepner, John Rynkiewicz, Connie Ericson, Amanda Myers, Sarah Soloveichik, Jeremy White and Brian Witkowski.

>Client’s press release