(By Balaseshan) Lifetime Brands Inc. (NASDAQ: LCUT), a provider of branded housewares products, said it has agreed to buy the business and certain assets of Easy Aces Inc., which operates under the name Fred & Friends, for an undisclosed sum.
The acquisition is expected to be accretive to Lifetime Brands' earnings per share in 2013. Fred & Friends (F&F) designs and markets novelty housewares and other products under the Fred brand. F&F is located in Cumberland, Rhode Island.
Fred products include innovative and fun kitchen tools, tabletop accessories, party goods, personal accessories and desk and tech products. Fred products are primarily distributed through independent specialty stores, selected major retailers and small chains, primarily in the U.S. and Canada.
"Lifetime will benefit from F&F's strong relationships with independent specialty stores, which should enable Lifetime to increase distribution of our recently introduced Savora line of unique upscale kitchen tools and gadgets, which is targeted to this retail segment," said Jeffrey Siegel, Lifetime's Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer.
Lifetime Brands operates in two segments: the Wholesale segment, which is its primary business that designs, markets and distributes its products to retailers and distributors; and the Retail Direct segment in which it markets and sells a limited selection of its products through its Pfaltzgraff, Mikasa, Lifetime Sterling and Housewares Deals Internet Websites.
LCUT closed Thursday's regular session at $10.50. The stock has been trading between $9 and $13.31 for the past 52 weeks.