D.A. Davidson & Co. announced that it served as financial advisor to Animal Adventure, LLC, a portfolio company of Spell Capital, and category leader in soft goods and plush toys, in its sale to Dan Dee International, LLC. Dan Dee is the market leader in the seasonal plush and decor category and is a portfolio company of IVEST Consumer Partners.
Founded in 1998 with headquarters in Hopkins, Minn., Animal Adventure has an extensive track record in the soft goods and plush category. The company has built its reputation by being an end-to-end solution for leading retailers through its deep in-house product expertise and significant operational capabilities. In 2014 Animal Adventure was acquired by Spell Capital, a Minneapolis-based private equity firm. Since then, Animal Adventure has achieved strong topline growth and has transformed into an all-encompassing soft goods and functional products company. Dan Dee intends to maintain Animal Adventure as a separate brand within the combined companies with Animal Adventure’s founder, Peter Gainsley, serving as its President.
“The D.A. Davidson team was instrumental in us closing this transaction,” said Peter Gainsley. “Their in-depth knowledge of the toy and juvenile products category, transaction expertise and overall tenacity resulted in us finding the right long-term partner for the Animal Adventure brand.”
“Animal Adventure is a great strategic fit with Dan Dee, a market leader in the seasonal plush and decor category. Combining the capabilities of the two companies will further strengthen their leadership position in the soft toy industry,” said Joe Schimmelpfennig, Managing Director and Head of Consumer Investment Banking at D.A. Davidson. “We really enjoyed working with Peter, Spell Capital and the rest of the Animal Adventure team and are excited to see what the company is able to accomplish as part of Dan Dee.”
D.A. Davidson & Co.’s investment banking division is a leading full-service investment bank that offers comprehensive financial advisory and capital markets expertise. The group has extensive transaction experience serving middle market clients worldwide across five industry verticals: consumer, diversified industrials, financial institutions, real estate and technology. The sale of Animal Adventure represents the fifth transaction in the Infant, Juvenile and Toy industry since December 2017 for Davidson’s Consumer Investment Banking Group.
Together with its European strategic partner, MCF Corporate Finance, D.A. Davidson originates and executes transatlantic M&A transactions under the common brand of D.A. Davidson MCF International.
About D.A. Davidson Companies
D.A. Davidson Companies is an employee-owned financial services firm offering a range of financial services and advice to individuals, corporations, institutions and municipalities nationwide. Founded in 1935 and headquartered in Montana, with corporate offices in Denver, Los Angeles, Portland and Seattle, the company has approximately 1,400 employees and offices in 26 states.
Subsidiaries include: D.A. Davidson & Co., the largest full-service investment firm headquartered in the Northwest, providing wealth management, investment banking, equity and fixed income capital markets services, and advice; Davidson Investment Advisors, a professional asset management firm; D.A. Davidson Trust Company, a trust and wealth management company; and Davidson Fixed Income Management, a registered investment adviser providing fixed income portfolio and advisory services.
For more information, visit dadavidson.com.