Monday, July 21, 2014

Scholl Non-Americas Rights "Mystery", Clarified: Thanks To A Commenter!


It is truly. . . a gift that so many smart, well-informed, long tenured insiders read this goofy little corner of the pharma/life sciences sector chronicle. Within minutes of my mentioning the Scholl/Reckitt deal, a commenter had provided the whole back-story.

I just couldn't get to it until now, due to other responsibilities. [And, perhaps immodestly, I wanted to honor the commenter's effort, with a custom graphic. Check!] So, the Scholls ex-Americas shoe rights went out of Schering-Plough in the 1980s, per my erstwhile commenter. Nice catch!

Specifically, per my truly-enlightened help: The Reckitt purchase was not recent. Bob Luciano, Chairman of SPG at the time, divested the Scholl business outside North America in 1987 to Seton Healthcare which became Seton Scholl Ltd and the SSL International. Schering-Plough later bought back a small piece of the international footcare (non shoe) business in Latin America and maybe another market. Reckitt bought SSL International in 2010. I had thought their Scholl international business and desire to globalize it might have been a significant driver in their chase of the Merck Consumer Care business at the higher prices. -- /s/ Anonymous @ July 21, 2014 at 11:45 AM. . . .

That fills in all the gaps, nicely! Thanks so much. I had no idea -- just started following SGP around 2007. From a July 2010 Wall Street Journal blog posting then -- that Reckitt 2010 deal -- acquiring SSL International PLC:

. . . .It’s no secret that consumer health care is hot, but Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC’s proposed £2.5 billion offer for SSL International PLC has just slapped a massive 18.6x Ebitda multiple on the sector. . . .


So, now you know. Thanks Anon.! G'night, all.

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