Cabela’s says Bass Pro deal faces new regulatory hurdles

Cabela’s Inc. suffered its worst stock decline in more than a year after warning that its $5.5 billion acquisition by Bass Pro Group faces additional review by regulators.

Cabela’s has received a second request for information from the Federal Trade Commission, according to a regulatory filing. The company also expects a delay in the completion of a separate deal to sell its credit card business to Capital One Financial Corp.

The scrutiny puts a cloud over a deal that promised an almost 20 percent premium to Cabela’s shareholders when it was announced in October. The transaction would unite two of America’s largest outdoors retailers and fulfill a wish by Elliott Associates, the activist investor that had pushed Cabela’s to put itself on the block.

The stock fell as much as 7 percent to $57.36 in New York on Friday, the biggest intraday decline since October 2015. Before the drop, Cabela’s had been up 32 percent this year.

Cabela has 85 stores, mostly in the Western U.S., and Bass Pro Shops has 99 stores mostly in the East.

But each has multiple locations in the Metroplex and Texas. Cabela’s has stores on Interstate 35W in north Fort Worth and in Allen; Bass Pro has Outdoor World stores near Grapevine Mills and in Garland.

Cabela’s has other Texas stores in Buda, League City, Lubbock and Waco, and Bass Pro has stores in San Antonio, Round Rock, Pearland, Katy and Harlingen.

Antitrust officials issue second requests to determine whether a merger would harm competition. The requests are routine and don’t necessarily signal that enforcers will challenge a deal. Cabela’s said it continues to expect the Bass Pro deal to clear in the first half of 2017; “however, no assurance can be given that clearance will be received within such time frame or at all.”

The credit card transaction faces a longer delay. Capital One no longer thinks the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency will approve the deal in the first half of next year, according to the filing.

The sale is still expected to clear, but probably not before Oct. 3, the date after which any party in the deal has the right to terminate agreements. Alternative arrangements are being considered that could let the transaction be completed in time, Cabela’s said.

This report includes material from the Star-Telegram archives.

This story was originally published December 30, 2016 at 4:58 PM with the headline "Cabela’s says Bass Pro deal faces new regulatory hurdles."