JH Partners, a San Francisco-based private equity firm, has completed the sale of Australian skin care company Jurlique International to Pola Orbis for an enterprise value of AUD335m (USD358m), which represents approximately 3.8x Jurlique’s annual sales.
JH Partners acquired Jurlique in mid-2006. JH Partners manages approximately USD1 billion in private equity commitments across three funds.
JH Partners’ Managing Partner John Hansen, says: "JH Partners was honoured to be invited in 2006 to participate in the business development of Jurlique, which was a direct result of our long-standing success in beauty. We are enthusiastic supporters of this important global skin care brand and proud of the growth and profitability the company has delivered under our watch."
Over the past five years, Jurlique grew from a niche Australian brand into a proven global beauty brand, with significant traction and high growth in key geographies, particularly in Asia. With the help of JH professionals and a new management team, the company improved its operational structure, brand messaging, packaging, and product development.
Hansen says: "This has been a solid investment for JH Partners, as well as our management and co-investor partners. We’re delighted with the outcome of our five years of work with Jurlique’s exceptionally talented management team. We feel especially good about Jurlique’s future growth potential with Pola Orbis."
Jurlique International President & CEO Sam McKay, says: "I am very grateful to JH Partners for their profound and long-lasting contribution and support to Jurlique. JH Partners drove the repositioning of the brand, the recruitment of a world class global management team and the transition from an Australian focus to a truly global platform."
JH Partners invests in and supports well-known beauty brands with growth potential in the US and international markets. Over the years, it has invested in such well-known brands as: Bare Escentuals, Kate Somerville, Design Within Reach, Peet’s Coffee & Tea, Frette, and La Perla. GLC Advisors & Co. advised JH Partners on the sale of Jurlique. Goldman Sachs served as advisor to Jurlique.