- In deal with Tradewinds Universal, Peppermint Hippo could become publicly traded gentlemen’s club stock
- Peppermint Hippo operates two Las Vegas gentlemen’s clubs
In a unique deal that could make another cabaret operator available to public investors, Tradewinds Universal, Inc. (OTCID: TRWD) said Tuesday it inked a letter of intent with Peppermint Hippo to create a unit focusing on “premier nightlife and hospitality venues” in the US.
That includes the possibility of acquiring as many as eight adult entertainment venues, including one in Las Vegas, bearing the Peppermint Hippo brand. Under the terms of the transaction, Tradewinds will acquire the Peppermint Hippo in Toledo, Ohio, the first in what could be a series of purchases.
This division taps into the broader $36 billion-$39 billion U.S. bars and nightclubs market, while building unique scale within the smaller but high-margin gentlemen’s club niche (estimated at $8 billion annually),” according to a statement issued by Tradewinds.
The Peppermint Hippo in Las Vegas, which opened in July 2019, is located near Resorts World at the north end of the Strip and not far from Wynn and Encore.
Peppermint Hippo Testing Appetite for Strip Club Stocks
Tradewinds and Peppermint Hippo could test investors’ appetite for gentlemen’s club equities — a segment that’s long been limited to a single name: RCI Hospitality Holdings (NASDAQ: RICK), also known as Rick’s Cabaret.
Rick’s, which has had flirtations with the casino business, is a small-cap stock that’s tumbled 36.16% year to date. That performance may be more of a commentary on consumer spending trends than anything else. Recent data indicate insiders have been buying the stock, and the company recently delivered its 38th straight quarterly dividend.
Tradewinds acknowledges that cabaret operators have often lacked access to public markets due to slack compliance and lumpy accounting practices, but the holding company is looking to solve those issues by embracing Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) standards.
“By applying its PCAOB-audited, SEC-reporting structure to these acquisitions, TRWD, along with the Peppermint Hippo intends to professionalize financial reporting and create one of the only publicly traded platforms in this sector,” according to the statement.
Peppermint Hippo Gaming Ties
Though indirect, Peppermint Hippo has ties to the casino gaming industry by way of location. In addition to the flagship venue on the Las Vegas Strip, the company runs Las Toxícas in Las Vegas — a Latin-themed adult establishment. There’s also a Peppermint Hippo in Reno, the casino center of Northern Nevada.
Tradewinds, which is a holding company currently focusing on health and wellness, believes increased social acceptance of activities previously viewed as vices and the economic resiliency of cabarets could be appealing traits to prospective investors. In fact, Caesars Entertainment (NASDAQ: CZR), DraftKings (NASDAQ: DKNG), and MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) were mentioned in the press release.
“These businesses highlight the growing investor appetite for sectors that were once considered unconventional, yet now offer scale, recurring revenues, and consumer demand resilience,” added Tradewinds.
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