sportstyle

A fter 23 years as a publicly traded retailer, 70-year-old Big 5 Sporting Goods is going private again later this year. Worldwide Golf and private equity firm Capitol Hill Group have offered $1.45 for each BGFV share. e value of the transaction, slated to close before year-end, is approximately $112.7 million and includes the assumption of $71.4 million in debt. Big 5 CEO Steven Miller hailed the pending deal as an "exciting new chapter" for the company that will allow it to continue its legacy of providing customers with a cache of quality, value-focused sporting goods. Based in El Segundo, CA near Los Angeles, more than half of Big 5's 414 doors are in the Golden State. Over the last five years, the chain has seen its so goods grow as a percentage of overall revenues to 46.2 percent from 39.8 percent in 2020. During the same period, the retailer's hard goods sales have shrunk to 53.8 percent of total from 60.2 percent. During its most recent quarterly results, Big 5 reported a 7.8 percent drop in same-store sales with all categories experiencing year- over-year declines. Footwear sales tumbled by 11.8 percent with apparel (-8.7%) and hard goods (-4.7%) also down. At the same time, the retailer reported a 6.5 percent increase in inventories due to earlier merchandise deliveries and a likely Q2 same-store sales decline due to macroeconomic challenges. e company's two suitors are a Bethesda, MD-based private equity firm with diversified holdings, including retail, and a national specialty retailer of golf equipment and so goods. Big 5 will remain an independent company within the Capitol Hill Group portfolio once the transaction is closed. —Bob McGee BIG 5 SPORTING GOODS GOING PRIVATE Big 5 CEO Steven Miller hailed the pending deal as an "exciting new chapter" for the company that will allow it to continue its legacy of providing customers with a cache of quality, value-focused sporting goods. RETAIL sportstylemag.com • sportstyle July/August 2025 • 7

• Cover