HELE Stock On Track For Best Day In Over 25 Years After Rejecting $37 Per Share Takeover Bid

• The company’s board argued that continuing to execute its multi-year strategic plan would create greater long-term value than accepting the “opportunistic” bid.
• The board pointed to progress under CEO G. Scott Uzzell, who was appointed in September 2025.
• Empower Brands, meanwhile, has framed its offer as providing immediate cash certainty at a premium to recent trading levels, with no financing contingency.

Shares of Helen of Troy Limited (HELE) jumped as much as 27% on Wednesday after the consumer products company confirmed it had unanimously rejected an unsolicited $37-per-share all-cash takeover proposal.

The stock climbed from a prior close near $29.54 to trade around $37, putting it on track for its best day since July 2001, if the gains hold.

Helen of Troy, a global consumer products company that owns or licenses brands including OXO, Hydro Flask, Osprey, Vicks, Braun, Honeywell, PUR, Hot Tools, Drybar, Curlsmith, Revlon and Olive & June, said its board determined the proposal from Empower Brands Holdings Group “substantially undervalues” the company. Empower Brands is owned by Spectrum Brands and Oaktree Capital Management. The board argued that continuing to execute its multi-year strategic plan would create greater long-term value than accepting the “opportunistic” bid.

Helen’s Rationale For Rejecting Bid

Helen of Troy said the board, after reviewing the proposal with financial and legal advisers, concluded it was not in the best interests of the company or its shareholders. The firm noted that Empower Brands first submitted a $34-per-share proposal in August 2026, which was rejected, then raised the offer to $37 in October. The company said Empower Brands declined to enter a standard non-disclosure agreement that would have allowed further diligence, which Helen of Troy characterized as underscoring the opportunistic nature of the approach. The proposal came amid a period of stock-price dislocation linked in part to tariff-related disruption, the company added.

The board pointed to progress under CEO G. Scott Uzzell, who was appointed in September 2025. Helen of Troy recently reported strong second-quarter fiscal 2027 results, raised guidance, and is reinvesting $66.5 million to $70.5 million of tariff refunds into the business, it noted. The company outlined a three-phase roadmap in April that targets low-to-mid-single-digit sales growth, high-single-digit adjusted core profit growth, mid-to-high-teens adjusted earnings per share growth, and free cash flow conversion approaching 75% by year five of the plan.

“The Board remains open to opportunities that are in the best interest of Helen of Troy and its shareholders and will appropriately consider opportunities consistent with its fiduciary duties,” the company said.

Empower’s Rationale

Empower Brands, meanwhile, has framed its offer as providing immediate cash certainty at a premium to recent trading levels, with no financing contingency.

“We believe our all-cash proposal offers Helen of Troy’s shareholders compelling and certain value at an attractive premium. As Helen of Troy is currently comprised, it does not have the scale or the financial ability to acquire or achieve the scale to compete in a landscape that we know well,” Spectrum Brands CEO David Maura said. The firm also highlighted the near 87% decline in HELE’s share price over the past five years, the company’s repeated earnings disappointments, and its changing leadership, with three CEOs in the past three years.

How Did HELE Retail Traders React?

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment around HELE stock jumped from ‘neutral’ to ‘extremely bullish’ territory over the past 24 hours, while message volume jumped from ‘extremely low’ to ‘high’ levels.

A Stocktwits user noted that the shares are undervalued and have significant potential upside.

HELE stock has gained 73% year-to-date. 

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