$20M | Sale of sports goods distributor

KitsWest Capital advised the shareholders of a Vancouver-based sports goods distribution business on a $20M sell-side M&A process resulting in a strategic acquisition by a North American industry consolidator. The business had built a multi-region distribution platform with established vendor relationships, anchor retail accounts, and a defensible logistics footprint. Shareholders sought a transaction that maximized value through competitive process design and ensured continuity for staff, vendors, and customers.

The mandate

The engagement covered business preparation and normalized earnings analysis, development of confidential information materials, identification of qualified strategic and financial buyers across distribution, consumer products, and sports retail, structured bid process management, negotiation of price and key non-price terms including working capital adjustments and earn-out structure, and execution through closing. The buyer pool included strategic acquirers building distribution platforms and financial sponsors with consumer products experience.

Why this transaction represents our practice

This $20M sale is representative of the sell-side M&A advisor and mid-market business broker work KitsWest performs for owner-managed businesses in distribution, wholesale trade, and consumer products across Canada. For distribution businesses at this scale, the strongest outcomes come from a structured competitive process where strategic and financial buyers are run in parallel, working capital and earn-out terms are negotiated against a real BATNA, and process management is run independently from operating management.