Hypermarcas has nearly US$ 1.1 billion for acquisitions
Valor Econômico
Hypermarcas never had so much in cash to invest in new acquisitions, and in the integration and expansion of its businesses, after the company went public, in 2008. The sum of the amount available gets to nearly R$ 1.9 billion (US$ 1.1 billion) - an amount that includes the cash of the company (R$ 641.9 million/US$ 366.8 million) and the volume raised a month ago on the issuance of shares, which got to R$ 1.23 billion (US$ 702.9 million). The financial capacity of the company was calculated yesterday by analysts with the presentation of the results of the group in the first quarter of the year. With the positive expectations, the ordinary shares of Hypermarcas went 11% up yesterday.
It is not by mere chance that there has been information on the market regarding new purchases of the company this year. According to sources of the sector, the next target are the assets of the Bertin group in the area of hygiene and beauty, besides the recent interest in the Johnson & Jonhson diapers - a negotiation that would have cooled down in recent times. As it was verified by Valor, in relation to the Bertin group, the main interest is in the portfolio of brands of the company that includes Phytoderm, Neutrox, Karina, Kolene and Francis.
As there were so many operations lately Hypermarcas is already bigger than the Unilever group in Brazil in number of brands. Since the company went public, nearly R$ 4.8 billion (US$ 2.74 billion) have been invested in the purchase of assets and there are 135 brands in the group. Jontex, Pom Pom, Niasi and Bozzano are some of them. From that total, one hundred are considered "top brands", with high growth potential. From January to March, Hypermarcas registered an increase of 71% in the net income, which reached R$ 656.8 million (US$ 375.3 million). The assets acquired in 2009 contributed with an increase of 46% in the income of the period.
A company this size demanded the company to create a model of integration of the operations acquired. Data published by the group in February, and updated yesterday, show that nine of the sixteen companies acquired since 2007 are still in the first phase of integration. It is there that the first step of the merger is taken, with minimum synergy gains. In phase two, in which there are operational adjustments, there are only three companies and another four are in the last step of the merger of assets - which includes launchings and remodeling of lines of product.