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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)
January 20, 1999
MERKERT AMERICAN CORPORATION
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(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)
DELAWARE 0-24667 04-3411833
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(State or other (Commission file number) (IRS employer
jurisdiction of identification no.)
incorporation)
500 Turnpike Street, Canton, MA 02021
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(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (781) 828-4800
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Item 5 - Other Events
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Merkert American Corporation (the "Company") announced its acquisition of
Sell, Inc. ("Sell"), a full service food brokerage firm, pursuant to a Stock
Purchase Agreement, dated January 20, 1999. A copy of the Company's press
release is attached hereto and incorporated herein in its entirety.
Item 7 - Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits
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(c) Exhibits
Exhibit 99.1 - Press Release of Merkert American Corporation, dated
January 20, 1999.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
MERKERT AMERICAN CORPORATION
Date: February 4, 1999 By: /s/ Gerald R. Leonard
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Gerald R. Leonard
Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief
Executive Officer and President
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EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit No. Description
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Exhibit 99.1 - Press Release of Merkert American Corporation, dated
January 20, 1999.
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Exhibit 99.1
NEWS RELEASE
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Gerald R. Leonard, Chairman
Joseph Casey, CFO
781-828-4800
MERKERT AMERICAN CORPORATION ACQUIRES SELL, INC.
CANTON, MA (JANUARY 20, 1999) -- Merkert American Corporation (NASDAQ:MERK), a
leading food broker in the United States has acquired Sell, Inc. ("Sell"). The
consideration paid was in the form of cash and notes. Sell, a full service food
brokerage firm, operates in the Midwest region of the United States with offices
in Cincinnati (headquarters) and Columbus, Ohio, Louisville, Kentucky and
Evansville, Indiana. Sell has operated under an alliance known as "the Sell
Group" with affiliates located throughout the Midwest.
Gerald R. Leonard, Chairman and CEO of Merkert American, stated "The acquisition
of Sell establishes an additional link in our geographic retail coverage and we
believe it enhances out access to The Kroger Company, one of the largest food
retail chains in the United States, also headquartered in Cincinnati. This
acquisition is consistent with our strategic efforts to provide our principals
with more extensive retail coverage, to increase the effectiveness of marketing
programs and to reduce the costs associated with managing a brokerage network."
Merkert American completed an initial public offering in December of 4.4 million
shares priced at $15 per share. Concurrent with the IPO, Merkert American also
obtained a $75 million senior credit facility from First Union National Bank.
Merkert American, based in Canton, Massachusetts, provides outsourced sales,
marketing and merchandising services to manufacturers of food and other consumer
products.
