Soho House Valued at $1.75 Billion as Takeover Bid Sends Shares Soaring
London-based members' club sees unprecedented stock surge following a consortium's $9 per share buyout offer, led by Ron Burkle and The Yucaipa Companies.
In a striking development for the hospitality industry, Soho House & Co has piqued the interest of a third-party consortium with a takeover bid valuing the company at $1.75 billion (£1.39 billion), causing the members' club's shares to skyrocket by more than 60% during early trading.
This move has pushed Soho House's stock to its highest level in over a year.
The consortium's offer, chiming in at $9 per share, represents a substantial 83% premium over the previous day's closing price.
Based in London but listed on the New York Stock Exchange, Soho House & Co is no stranger to the limelight.
It currently boasts a membership that expanded by 4.8% to 267,494 by the end of September, compared to the previous year, with the illustrious Soho House brand itself seeing a 13% rise in membership year-over-year.
This bid arrives at a fortuitous time for the company, which saw a marked tumble in share value recently.
Backed by Ron Burkle, the executive chair and majority shareholder of the group, as well as his investment firm, The Yucaipa Companies, this potential route to privatisation may represent a lifeline for the esteemed hospitality brand.
Burkle has reportedly been seeking to take the firm private amidst fluctuating market valuations.
Earlier in May, Soho House rebuffed a different takeover offer from an unnamed party, stating it did not properly reflect the intrinsic value of the company.
Now, with the support of an influential consortium, the narrative has changed.
Beyond membership growth, Soho House reported a 13.6% year-on-year increase in total revenues, reaching $333.4 million (£265.7 million) for the third quarter.
This financial momentum underscores what CEO Andrew Carnie describes as the company's 'strength of our membership model.'
Carnie's confidence in the business remains steadfast despite a challenging consumer environment, citing a long-term strategic focus on operational excellence and an unparalleled member experience as key drivers of performance.
The hospitality and leisure sector will be closely watching this unfolding saga as Soho House, a beacon of luxury and exclusivity, navigates its latest crossroads with the promise of new ownership on the horizon.