In a move some 14 months in the making, Vista Outdoor has concluded the sale of its ammo brands to the Czechoslovak Group.  

First announced last October, the deal turns over ownership of several classic American ammunition brands including CCI, Federal, Hevi, Remington, and Speer – some of which date back over a century. These are made across four factories in Minnesota and Arkansas and employ approximately 4,000 people. 

Originally a $1.9 billion offer, Vista was also actively courted by Colt CZ, an effort the American company rebuffed as it did a series of later unsolicited offers from Montreal-based MNC Capital.

The CSG-Vista deal was cleared by the government regulators earlier this year, including the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. 

That set the stage for a stockholder meeting late last month, in which Vista's board of directors urged a "for" vote to proceed with the final $2.225 billion offer from CSG. 

Also on the table to sweeten the deal for stockholders was a separate $1.125 billion sale, set to close in January 2025, to funds managed by Strategic Value Partners of Vista's non-ammo brands including Fox, Bell, CamelBak, Bushnell, Hoppe's, Tasco, Uncle Mikes, Gun Mate, Simmons, Weaver, Butler Creek, Outers, Blackhawk, and RCBS, which, bundled into a new operation named Revelyst, will begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker "GEAR." 

The combined deals put a value of $3.35 billion for Vista Outdoor and deliver an estimated $45 per share in cash to Vista Outdoor stockholders. 

The stockholder vote, held on Nov. 27, saw 97.89 percent of votes cast in favor of the CSG Transaction, representing approximately 82.57 percent of all outstanding shares. 

"We are thrilled to have received overwhelming support from our stockholders for the compelling transaction with CSG," said Michael Callahan, Chair of the Vista Outdoor Board of Directors. "The CSG transaction maximizes value for our stockholders, while also providing an ideal home for our leading ammunition brands and significant opportunities for our employees."

CSG has previously stated it intends to keep in place the ammo brands' existing leadership while investing in the business, and continuing production in the U.S. 

Before the planned acquisition of Vista's ammo lines, CSG had over 10,000 employees between its facilities in Europe and America. 

The Czech group has also pointed out that it had no ties to any American rivals, saying, "Several of our companies hold top NATO security clearances and we work with U.S. defense companies. This would not be possible if we had ties to U.S. adversaries such as Russia or China." 

Further, CSG contends they will "respect and maintain the production quality and supply of legacy brands that Americans have relied on for decades," going on to say, "Our focus will be on preserving and developing the entire product portfolio of the business and maintaining the standards that customers expect."