Jimmy Haslam, CEO of Pilot Flying J. and Warren Buffett, Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway.
Lacy O’Toole | CNBC
The Haslam family on Tuesday said its Pilot Corporation had closed the sale of its remaining 20% ownership interest in truck-stop giant Pilot Travel Centers to Berkshire Hathaway.
The same, whose terms were not disclosed, was announced more than a week after the Haslams and Berkshire Hathaway settled a Delaware Chancery Court lawsuit over an accounting method that would depress the sale price of the family’s minority stake in Pilot Travel Centers.
That settlement avoided what was scheduled to be a two-day trial beginning Jan. 8, with testimony from Berkshire Hathaway executive Greg Abel, the designated successor to company CEO Warren Buffett.
CNBC has requested comment from Berkshire Hathaway, which in a regulatory filing last year had listed the Haslams’ noncontrolling interest at a value of around $3.2 billion.
Berkshire in separate transactions in 2017 and January 2023 spent $11 billion to buy out the majority stake in PTC owned by the Haslams.
PTC is the largest operator of travel centers in North America, with more than 750 locations under the Pilot and Flying J brands.
Under the terms of the 2023 transaction, the family had the option to compel Berkshire to buy their remaining 20% stake in PTC within a 60-day window every year.
The Haslams last year sued Berkshire in a complaint that accused the conglomerate of using so-called pushdown accounting at PTC without authorization from the family.
That form of accounting would lower the PTC’s reported net income, and thereby reduce how much Berkshire could be forced to pay for the family’s remaining stake.
“Pilot started with one gas station 65 years ago, and because of the dedicated and exceptional team members we have had throughout our history, it is now an industry leader,” said Jim Haslam II, founder of PTC in a statement announcing the sale of that stake.
“While this has certainly been an emotional decision for us, it is one we felt was right for our family at this time. We look forward to continuing to support our life-long home of Knoxville, Tennessee, and to furthering our deep commitment and philanthropy throughout the region that we all love,” he said.
In December, it was reported that federal prosecutors in New York were investigating allegations made by Berkshire that Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam III had offered payments to PTC executives in exchange for help boosting the value of the company to benefit the family in any compelled sale.
The Haslams denied Berkshire’s claims about the younger Haslam, whose brother Bill Haslam is the former governor of Tennessee.
This is breaking news. Check back for updates.