Cabela's Stock Falls After Bass Pro Shops Merger Hits Some Uncertainty

Shares of Cabelas Inc CAB plunged more than 5.5 percent on concerns that its merger with Bass Pro Shops would be delayed as the Federal Trade Commission sought additional information from the companies regarding the transaction.

A “second request” is generally sent when the FTC and the Antitrust Division of the Justice Department believes a merger may impede competition in a relevant market.

However, Cabela’s clarified in a regulatory filing that the issuance of such a “second request” does not indicate that the FTC has concluded that the transaction raises competition concerns.

Though Cabela's still expects the merger to close in the first half of 2017, the company said “no assurance can be given that clearance will be received within such timeframe or at all.”

Meanwhile, the filing says Capital One Financial Corp. COF, which was set for a multi-year credit card partnership with Bass Pro Shops upon close of the deal, told Cabela’s it expects a delay in the final approval of the merger.

Capital One said it still expects the banking regulator, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), to eventually approve the deal, but not earlier than October 3, 2017. The October 3 is the date after which any party to the deal would have the right to terminate the merger which would combine two legendary outdoor brands.

In addition, Cabela’s said it's evaluating potential alternative structures for the deal to close before October 3, 2017.

The past October, Bass Pro Shops agreed to acquire Cabela’s for $65.50 per share in cash, representing an aggregate transaction value of about $5.5 billion.

Upon consummation of the deal, Bass Pro Shops said it will sign a multi-year credit card partnership with Capital One, which would service the Cabela’s CLUB co-branded credit card. Capital One will purchase $5.2 billion in credit card receivables from Cabela’s and also assume $5 billion in liabilities.

Shares of Cabela’s closed Thursday’s trading at $61.68.