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Bare Escentuals Could Start Feeling The Heat
By: Justin Kuepper   Tuesday, August 11, 2009 12:10 PM

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Bare Escentuals, Inc. (NASD: BARE) management could experience a bit of a shake-up after Sandler Capital Management took a 5% stake in the company and demanded changes in a Schedule 13D filing with the SEC. In a letter, the activist hedge fund outlined several changes that it would like to see made, including a share buyback and an exploration of strategic alternatives.

Here is a complete copy of the letter:
Ladies and Gentlemen:

Today, Sandler Capital Management and related persons (“Sandler Capital” or “we”) will file a Schedule 13D with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission indicating that we beneficially own in the aggregate over 5% of the outstanding common stock of Bare Escentuals, Inc. (the “Company”). Sandler Capital, a Registered Investment Advisor since 1988, is an alternative asset management firm managing both hedge funds and private equity funds.  Sandler Capital currently manages approximately $850 million in assets including approximately $500 million within our hedge fund portfolios.

We are writing to you to express our concern regarding what we believe to be a great disconnect between the value of the Company and its brand, on the one hand, and the price at which the Company’s Common Stock currently trades, on the other hand. Since the Company’s initial public offering on September 28, 2006 at a price of $22.00 per share, the market price of the Company’s Common Stock has fallen approximately 60%.(1)  During the same period, the S&P 500 Index was down approximately 25% and the Russell 2000 Index was down approximately 20%. During the same period, the stock price of two of the Company’s peers, L’Oreal SA (“L’Oreal”) and The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (“Estée Lauder”), fell approximately 26% and 10%, respectively.  The Company’s underperformance relative to the overall market and to its peers is similar on a trailing two year basis. In addition, based on analysts’ current consensus earnings estimates for both calendar years 2009 and 2010, the Company is currently trading at substantial discount to Estée Lauder and L’Oreal.  Compared to Estée Lauder, the Common Stock is trading at nearly a 60% discount on 2009 estimates and close to a 50% discount on 2010 estimates. Compared to L’Oreal, the Common Stock is trading at over a 40% discount to both 2009 and 2010 estimates.

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The above story is the opinion of the author only and it does not reflect iStockAnalyst opinion. Further, the author is not personally advising you regarding the suitability of the story for your investment needs. In no event iStockAnalyst will be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from or arising out of, or in connection with the use of this information. Please consult your investment advisor before making any investment decision.
  
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