Vista Cleared To Sell Ammo Business To Czechs, Receives Additional Offer

by
posted on June 26, 2024
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
vista_1.jpg

On June 25, Vista Outdoor announced that the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) had approved of the planned sale of The Kinetic Group, Vista's ammunition brands, to Czechoslovak Group (CSG). The approval clears the final regulatory hurdle that would have halted the potential merger, and now that CFIUS has determined that there are "no unresolved security concerns," the transaction can be concluded, subject to the approval of Vista's stockholders.

“The CFIUS process involved a thorough review and investigation of the Transaction by numerous U.S. Government departments and agencies with a range of national security and other mandates,” said Michael Callahan, chairman of the Vista Outdoor board of directors. “We believe the end result supports our view that CSG—which has deep expertise in supply chain excellence and ammunition manufacturing and strong support for NATO and allied nations—will be an excellent owner of The Kinetic Group. CSG is fully committed to supporting our American workforce, American hunters and domestic and allied military and law enforcement partners.”

The CFIUS approval prompted MNC Capital, a rival bidder, to increase its offer to purchase all Vista Outdoor brands, thereby preventing the breakup between the company's ammunition and sporting goods segments, now called The Kinetic Group and Revelyst, respectively. The new MNC Capital offer bid $42 a share, or approximately $3.2 billion, up from its previous offer of $39.50 a share. The news caused Vista Outdoor's stock price to climb 11 percent.

"MNC expects that the Vista Board will move forward expeditiously to sign a merger agreement on the terms proposed. MNC believes a definitive agreement can be executed in a matter of days," the company's statement read.

A planned meeting of Vista Outdoor stockholders is scheduled for July 2, 2024, at 9 a.m. CST, where they will consider and vote on the proposal to adopt the merger agreement with CSG. The details of the transaction include a $2 billion purchase price, which represents a $90 million increase over the original offer of $1.91 billion, as well as $18 in cash consideration per share at closing, up from the original cash consideration of $12.90 per share. Following CFIUS regulatory approval, Vista's board of directors continued to recommend that stockholders vote in favor of the proposed merger agreement with CSG.

Update: Vista Outdoor announced on June 27 that it will adjourn the special meeting of stockholders originally scheduled for July 2 to July 23, 2024 at 9 a.m. CST to enable the company to engage with stockholders prior to the vote in light of recent developments. Vista also confirmed its receipt of the MNC Revised Indication and has issued a letter to MNC, requesting information, including evidence of committed financing, so the Vista Outdoor board of directors can assess the company's offer.

Latest

Gotw Wilson Combat Divison 77 Project 1 Web
Gotw Wilson Combat Divison 77 Project 1 Web

Gun Of The Week: Wilson Combat Division 77 Project 1

Join American Rifleman staff on the range in this video to get a closer look at Wilson Combat’s somewhat cryptically named “Division 77 Project 1.” 

The Armed Citizen® July 18, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Review: POF-USA LMR BASE Rifle

The Patriot Ordnance Factory LMR Base offers a .308 Win. chambering in a lightweight, AR-15-size package, which makes it a capable platform for today's new gun owner. And it comes at a fair price.

2025 Accessory Of The Year: Wyoming Sight Drifter

For each of the past 23 years, the editors of American Rifleman have convened to select our top picks for the past year’s best and most innovative products. Here are the most recent winners.

Henry Donates Rifles To Support Young Leukemia Victim

Henry Repeating Arms has donated a limited run of 50 “Team Keane” Golden Boy .22 lever-action rifles to support 13-year-old Keane Rhodes of Universal City, Texas, who is currently undergoing aggressive treatment for ALL T-cell leukemia.

Rifleman Review: Springfield Armory Echelon

Springfield Armory introduced its Echelon in 2023, bringing a modernized, chassis-style, striker-fired handgun to the market that has since seen several notable line extensions.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.