Stout Advises The HC Companies and Platinum Equity on the Acquisition of Classic Home & Garden

Stout advised The HC Companies (“HC”), a portfolio company of Platinum Equity (“Platinum”), in its acquisition of Classic Home & Garden (“CHG”). The transaction closed in May 2024. Stout served as the exclusive buy-side financial advisor to HC in connection with the transaction.

The combination of HC and CHG creates one of the leading horticultural container businesses in the United States, offering a diverse portfolio of products to the nursery, greenhouse, retail, and commercial end markets.

Headquartered in Shelton, Connecticut, CHG designs, sources, and sells decorative garden pots and an array of backyard décor products to greenhouse, nursery, and retail customers. In recent years, CHG has introduced new product lines focused on water conservation, eco-friendly products and packaging, and optimized transport.

The HC Companies is a leading brand in the horticultural industry, known for its innovative manufacturing, comprehensive product portfolio, and transformative leadership, with offerings tailored for greenhouse, nursery, retail, and commercial markets. Based in Twinsburg, Ohio, with facilities across North America, HC employs the latest technologies such as injection mold, thermoform, co-extrusion, and blow mold formed production methods to create various horticultural containers and other sustainably sourced solutions.

Kevin Manning led the Stout team’s efforts on the transaction, and commented, “I am excited to see the range of value-added products and services the combined HC and CHG management teams will now be able to offer their customer base and the broader industry. Platinum has taken another step to create a truly differentiated business with this acquisition, and we are eager to support the company’s continued success.”

Stout’s John Stakes, Brett Kornblatt, Mike Knoblock, Jack Dunsire, and Evan Theros assisted Kevin Manning in his execution of the transaction.

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