Houlihan Lokey Advises Charlesbank Capital Partners

Houlihan Lokey is pleased to announce that Charlesbank Capital Partners, LLC, (Charlesbank) has acquired Galls, LLC, from CI Capital Partners, LLC (CI Capital). The transaction closed on January 31, 2018. Houlihan Lokey served as the buyside financial advisor to Charlesbank.

Houlihan Lokey's Specialty Distribution team has earned a reputation for working with premier specialty distribution clients, providing superior client service and delivering outstanding results. This transaction highlights our deep sector expertise and continued success advising leading buyers and sellers in the value-added distribution space, including our ability to deliver significant value to sophisticated private equity clients on the buyside.

Based in Boston and New York, Charlesbank is a middle-market private equity investment firm managing more than $5 billion in capital. Charlesbank focuses on management-led buyouts and growth capital financings, generally investing in companies with enterprise values of $150 million to $1.5 billion, and also engages in opportunistic credit investments. The firm seeks to partner with strong management teams to build companies with sustainable competitive advantage and excellent prospects for growth.

Galls is “proud to serve America’s public safety professionals.” Together with its subsidiaries, Galls represents the largest distributor of uniforms and equipment to postal workers and public safety personnel, including police, fire, EMS, private security, corrections, and federal/military workers. Each year, more than one million men and women in the public safety, postal, and public transportation industries depend on Galls for their essential and robust selection of equipment and apparel, ranging from customized uniforms, sunglasses, and boots/shoes to body armor, handcuffs, medical kits, and light bars. Founded in 1967, Galls is a trusted resource for fast, convenient, and reliable public safety equipment, supplies, and gear. Galls is headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky, and boasts an associate team of more than 1000 based throughout the United States, servicing customers through an award-winning national catalog, its convenient eCommerce site, more than 50 dedicated sales reps, 80 locations, and the eQuip agency online solution.

CI Capital, a leading North American private equity investment firm with approximately $2.4 billion in assets under management, has been investing in middle-market companies since 1993. CI Capital forms partnerships with experienced management teams and entrepreneurs to build substantial businesses through add-on acquisitions, organic growth, and operational improvements. Since inception, CI Capital and its portfolio companies have made more than 260 acquisitions representing over $9 billion in enterprise value.