Casey’s expanding by nearly 200 stores with $1.1 billion acquisition

Casey's General Stores is concentrated in the Midwest with locations in Gretna, Nebraska, (shown above) and throughout Iowa, Illinois and other states. (CoStar)

 

We’ll soon see more of those Casey’s General Stores so familiar throughout Oklahoma.

The Iowa-based company announced a $1.145 billion acquisition of Fikes Wholesale, Inc., owner of CEFCO Convenience stores in Texas and other states.

Casey’s acquisition of Fikes will include 198 retail stores and a dealer network. The proposed transaction will increase Casey’s footprint to nearly 2,900 stores. The acquisition will bring 148 additional stores to Texas, which is a highly strategic market for Casey’s, as well as 50 stores in the southern states of Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi. In addition to the retail stores and dealer locations, the transaction includes a fuel terminal and a commissary to support the Texas stores.

“This acquisition will allow Casey’s to accelerate our unit growth plan with high-quality assets that, along with our recent 22 store acquisition in northern Texas, will provide an expanded presence in Texas and allow us to continue to expand in the state and region,” stated Darren Rebelez, Board Chair, President and CEO of Casey’s.

The company plans to finance the transaction through balance sheet cash and bank financing. The net investment of $980 million represents an approximate multiple of 11 times CEFCO’s pro forma adjusted 2023 EBITDA. The Company expects to achieve approximately $45 million in annual run-rate synergies upon the completion of kitchen installations in the acquired stores.

Fikes Wholesale, Inc. and CEFCO Convenience Stores began as a single “filling station” in Cameron, Texas in 1952 and has grown to be a respected operator with stores in multiple states.

Source: BusinessWire