The ONE Group Hospitality, Inc. to Acquires Benihana for $365 Million
The ONE Group Hospitality, Inc. (Nasdaq: STKS), today announced it will acquire Safflower Holdings Corp., the owner of Benihana Inc., an operator of highly differentiated experiential brands that owns the only national teppanyaki brand in the U.S. and owns RA Sushi.
The ONE Group Hospitality, Inc. (Nasdaq: STKS), today announced it will acquire Safflower Holdings Corp., the owner of Benihana Inc., an operator of highly differentiated experiential brands that owns the only national teppanyaki brand in the U.S. and owns RA Sushi.
The transaction is valued at $365 million and will be financed with $160 million in preferred equity and a portion of a new $390 million term loan and credit facility. Upon closing of the transaction, which is expected by the end of the second quarter of 2024, The ONE Group will have a global footprint of 168 venues, across full-service entertainment and grill restaurants across its four distinctive experiential, and complementary brands.
Founded in 1964, Benihana has a tremendous legacy in the U.S. as it pioneered two unique, complementary restaurant brands focusing on providing high-quality food and unparalleled guest service. Its flagship brand, BENIHANA®, is a category-defining brand and American cultural icon that pioneered interactive teppanyaki dining in the U.S. Benihana’s RA SUSHI® predicates itself on delivering creative sushi and Japanese dishes in a bar-forward, upbeat, and vibrant dining atmosphere and fun-filled, high-energy environment.
Currently Benihana operates 88 company-owned restaurants and franchises or licenses an additional 17 venues in the Americas. Once closed, the acquisition is expected to add approximately $575 million in annualized system-wide revenue and approximately $70 million in annual run-rate EBITDA before synergies, which are estimated to be $20 million annually. The Company expects that it will take 24 months to realize synergies post-closing. This is expected to bring the Company’s pro forma annualized run-rate EBITDA with synergies to more than $135 million. The transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to earnings per diluted share.
“We are delighted to welcome Benihana, an American cultural icon with timeless appeal that transcends generations and offers unparalleled guest experiences, to The ONE Group family,” said Emanuel “Manny” Hilario, President and CEO of The ONE Group. “The strategic acquisition of a one-of-a-kind restaurant platform with a compelling financial profile supports our broader strategy to fortify and diversify our leading portfolio of best-in-class experiential VIBE restaurant concepts. With Benihana joining The ONE Group’s platform, our combined annualized EBITDA enhances our ability to continue to fully fund our expansion while delivering meaningful free cash flow enabling debt reduction and shareholder friendly capital allocation to drive long-term value for shareholders.”