Football Business Desk
full acquisition · France · Ligue 2

AS Saint-Étienne

Kilmer Sports Ventures acquisition · 13 May 2024

Buyer
Kilmer Sports Ventures
Seller
Roland Romeyer & Bernard Caïazzo
Stake acquired
100%
Control
Yes
Reported consideration
~€20m
Implied equity value
~€20m
League
Ligue 2
Country
France
Confidence
MEDIUM
Transaction overview

Kilmer Sports Ventures acquired 100% of AS Saint-Étienne from Roland Romeyer & Bernard Caïazzo, announced 13 May 2024, closing 3 Jun 2024.

Reported consideration was ~€20m. That implies a 100% equity value of ~€20m (calculated by us). ~€30m of debt was assumed or restructured.

Nearest pre-acquisition revenue was €28.7m (FY 2022/23), an equity value / revenue multiple of 0.70x.

Announced
13 May 2024
Closed
3 Jun 2024
Stake after transaction
100%
Status
completed
Valuation

Reported consideration

What the buyer reportedly paid for the stake

REPORTED

Implied 100% equity value

Calculated: consideration ÷ stake acquired

CALCULATED

Reported club valuation

UNAVAILABLE

Enterprise value

Only shown when debt/cash near the transaction date is established

UNAVAILABLE

Debt assumed / restructured

ESTIMATED

Primary capital injection

UNAVAILABLE

Total announced investment commitment

Commitments are not purchase price and not valuation

UNAVAILABLE
Equity value / revenue:
CALCULATED
Club at acquisition

Nearest pre-acquisition financial year: 2022/23

Revenue

REPORTED

Wages

UNAVAILABLE

EBITDA

UNAVAILABLE

Net debt

UNAVAILABLE

Net income

REPORTED
Analyst noteWhat is known, what is uncertain, and how figures were derived

Kilmer Sports Ventures (backed by Larry Tanenbaum, chairman of Toronto's Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment) acquired 100% of AS Saint-Étienne from long-time co-presidents Roland Romeyer and Bernard Caïazzo, with the deal announced as exclusive negotiations on 13 May 2024 and completed on 3 June 2024 — the day after ASSE won promotion back to Ligue 1 via the playoffs.

Sources (6)
  1. 2024-06-03 · fr — “Confirms Kilmer Sports became sole shareholder ('l'unique actionnaire') of ASSE on 3 June 2024, buying out Roland Romeyer and Bernard Caïazzo; Ivan Gazidis named club president. No price disclosed.”

  2. 2024-05-13 — “Kilmer Sports Ventures announces exclusive negotiations with Caïazzo and Romeyer to acquire ASSE; no price given.”

  3. 2024-06-04 — “Reports the deal price was 'estimated at around €20 million ($21.6m) for the shares'; deal closed the day after ASSE's promotion to Ligue 1.”

  4. 2024-05-16 · fr — “Citing 20 Minutes, reports a proposed €25m purchase price, and cites economist David Gluzmann arguing the real value is closer to a symbolic €1 given ~€30m of incompressible club debt.”

  5. n.d. · fr — “Registry-sourced financial data showing SASP AS Saint-Étienne revenue of €28,747,000 for the fiscal year corresponding to 2022/23, and a net loss for the following year.”

  6. 2023-07-28 · fr — “DNCG cleared ASSE's finances without restriction for 2023/24 season, budget presented at €27m; references the 2022/23 net result of +€151,000 driven by player sales.”