Defense Contractor Textron Buys Arctic Cat

In some pretty big industry news, defense contractor Textron is buying the UTV, ATV and snowmobile manufacturer Arctic Cat in a deal valued at about $247 million.

Textron announced that it will pay $18.50 per Arctic Cat share, a transaction that also includes debt, though exact figures have yet to be released.

Arctic Cat Inc. will be folded into Textron’s Specialty Vehicles Group, but the brand, as well as its manufacturing, distribution and operational facilities, will be maintained. The Minneapolis company employs around 1,600 people.

Within Textron Specialty Vehicles group is another company that has been similarly absorbed back in 2010: Bad Boy Off-Road. We’re curious to see how much co-development will appear between the brands now that they share a corporate umbrella.

Textron isn’t just a UTV conglomerate however, having already taken over companies like including Bell Helicopters, Cessna, Beechcraft, Cushman and EZ-GO Golf Carts to mention a few. Arctic Cat Wild Cats for military defense contracts? Stranger things have happened!