Houlihan Lokey Advises Kent Water Sports Holdings

Houlihan Lokey is pleased to announce that Kent Water Sports Holdings, LLC, and its related entities (Kent Water Sports or Kent) have been acquired by Seawall Capital, LLC (Seawall Capital). The transaction closed on December 31, 2020.

Founded in 1959 and based in New London, Ohio, Kent Water Sports is a diverse platform of action sports brands with a broad product set spanning personal flotation devices, wakeboards, water skis, towable tubes, snowboards, and more. The company’s portfolio of more than 15 iconic brands comprises industry-leading names such as HO/Hyperlite, Connelly, O’Brien, Liquid Force, Onyx, Aquaglide, Barefoot/FatSac, and Arbor Snowboards (managed by agreement with the Arbor Collective), which have all contributed to the company’s long-term success in serving a broad base of action sports participants of all ages and skill levels. As a multigeneration family-owned business, Kent has maintained a disciplined approach to achieving continued operational excellence while successfully executing both organic and acquisitive growth initiatives, all of which have contributed to the long-term success of the organization.

Seawall Capital is a middle-market private equity firm focused on making investments in companies with strong connections to their end consumers. The firm’s investment strategy centers on partnering with founder-led businesses that deliver amazing products and services to their customers. Seawall Capital’s principal investment team has a successful track record of helping founders, management teams, and partners achieve their long-term goals and objectives.

Houlihan Lokey acted as exclusive financial advisor to Kent Water Sports.