C&D’s management expects the firm has what it takes to continue acquiring brands even as special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) proliferate and with brand owners more likely to take their companies public.

“We have an ability to pay more typically because of the synergies that we can generate. … when it's a down-the-middle acquisition, that's always a great benefit,” said Dierker.

The market for potential acquisitions doesn’t appear to be thinning, either.

“There's no question that there are other destinations like SPACs that companies looking to monetize their investment can take. But based on what we're looking at right now about what's coming to market and will be an auction, we think we'll have plenty to look at, at least in the next six months,” said Farrell.

SPACs are publicly traded shell companies looking for a target business to take public; they’ve recently grown as alternatives for traditional initial public offerings. Still, IPOs also are attractive for startups that find widespread investor interest in addition to potential takeover offers from venture capital or other equity groups.

The COVID-19 pandemic also hasn't impeded C&D's acquisitions. In tts latest addition, in December it extended its lines into the homeopathic market by acquiring the marketer of the Zicam brand in a $530m deal. (Also see "Church & Dwight Takes Homeopathic Turn For OTC Sales Driver, Acquires Zicam Marketer Matrixx" - HBW Insight, 2 December, 2020.)

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