The Body Shop sold to Aurelius in $254 mln deal

Brazilian cosmetics maker Natura & Co said on Tuesday it has signed a binding agreement to sell subsidiary The Body Shop to private investor Aurelius Group in a deal with an enterprise value of 207 million UK pounds ($254.32 million).

The move represents the second major divestment by Natura this year as part of a broader organizational shakeup, following a deal announced in April to sell luxury brand Aesop to L’Oreal at an enterprise value of $2.53 billion.

Shares of the cosmetics maker jumped as much as 8% in Sao Paulo morning trading on the news before paring some gains, making it one of the top performers on Brazil’s benchmark stock index Bovespa, which was up nearly 2%.

Natura said the agreement included a potential earn-out of 90 million pounds, adding that both the sale price and the earn-out would be paid within five years of the transaction closing, which is expected by year-end.

The sale of The Body Shop was “another important step in Natura &Co’s new development cycle to unlock significant value,” the firm’s Chief Executive Fabio Barbosa said in a statement.

“Refocused, deleveraged and leaner, Natura &Co will now be able to fully concentrate on its core relationship selling expertise in Latin America while also continuing the optimization of Avon International’s footprint,” Barbosa said.

Natura announced in August that its board of directors had authorized it to search for “strategic alternatives” for The Body Shop, including a potential sale six years after buying it from L’Oreal.

The company entered into exclusive talks with Aurelius last month.

JPMorgan analysts led by Joseph Giordano said that although expected, the announcement was positive for Natura, dubbing The Body Shop’s valuation “good” as the potential value to be received exceeded their estimated range of $200-300 million.

“The proceeds are likely to trigger extraordinary dividends,” the analysts added.

Natura rapidly grew through high-profile acquisitions in recent years, including the purchases of The Body Shop, Aesop and Avon International, but ended up struggling with profitability.

That led it to launch a quest for “discipline” and deleveraging last year in order to return to profit.

In the third quarter, Natura &Co reported a net profit of 7 billion reais ($1.43 billion), swinging back from a 560 million-real loss a year earlier, boosted by the sale of Aesop.

Without that divestiture, Natura said, third quarter net profit would have been 745 million reais.