Gildan Activewear's board is putting the company up for sale — and the stock is jumping

Shares of the clothing company jumped by more than 10% on news of a potential sale

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Gildan has assembled a special board committee to evaluate its options.
Gildan has assembled a special board committee to evaluate its options.
Image: Bloomberg (Getty Images)

Board members at Canadian clothing company Gildan Activewear Inc. are exploring a potential sale of the clothing maker.

Shares of the Canadian manufacturer jumped by more than 10% on news of the potential buyout.

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The Montreal, Canada-based Gildan has assembled a special board committee to evaluate its options, Simon Beauchemin, a Gildan spokesperson said in a statement to Bloomberg. The company has “several” potential buyers, he added.

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While deliberations are ongoing, there is no guarantee that a deal will be made.

In the meantime, Gildan Activewear is turning to advice from firms including Goldman Sachs, RBC Capital Markets and Canaccord Genuity Group, a person with knowledge of the situation who spoke to the publication, said.

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The potential buyers remain anonymous, but a number “expressed an interest,” of a “potential friendly transaction with Gildan.”

Talks of a deal also come at a time when the company’s board has been going tit-for-tat with investors over the ousting of its chief executive officer Glenn Chamandy in December.

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On May 28, the company plans to hold its annual shareholder meeting to discuss whether it will reinstate Chamandy as CEO and replace a majority of its board members.

Gildan Activewear is the owner of once beloved North American retailer American Apparel.