Who will take Playboy home to mom? Stock soars on rumors of $300 million sale, potential suitors

November 17, 10:07 AMSex & Relationships ExaminerSarah Estrella

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Hef sizes up some bunnies in a sample image from Hugh Hefner's Playboy 1953-1979

This month a new six-volume set from Taschen Books relives the glory days of Hugh Hefner's Playboy 1953-1979, and investors in Sexy Biz who've been hanging on to some Playboy stock are reliving the glory days themselves this week, with shares in Playboy Enterprises rising more than 75 percent on rumors of a potential sale.

Playboy Enterprises is valued at appoximately $300 million, maybe more: It's recently overhauled Playboy.com website has helped remind fans of adult entertainment that the brand is still kicking, and December cover girl Joanna Krupa's staggering success on Dancing With The Stars is a reminder that Playboy still has some moves on the dance floor, too. Even old man Hef himself was on the scene last night for the show's semi-finals, looking like a million bucks ($300 million?) and surrounded by his buxom bunnies to cheer Krupa on (and put a nice face on it all for potential suitors?).

Hefner still owns 70 percent of the stock in the company he founded and will have to approve any acquisition or partnership, but he apparently is interested in selling. This year a number of companies have reportedly heard a Playboy sales pitch, including Virgin Media, Apollo Capital Partners, Providence Equity Partners, and, this week, Golden Gate Capital and Iconix – hence the skyrocketing price of Playboy stock.

The questions that remain: Who will get into bed with Hugh Hefner? Who will take Playboy home to mom?

After speculation earlier this week that it was planning to go in on a partnership, the Golden Gate Capital firm released a statement on that "it is not and will not be involved in any way with any potential acquisition of Playboy Enterprises." Earlier this year, Virgin similarly distanced itself from the company – see my previous article and my favorite headline of the year: Contrary to media buzz, Virgin not giving it up for Playboy

But there are plenty of others who are happy to be associated with the brand. A Chicago Tribune report this week quotes Vivid Entertainment co-owner (and former Playboy exec) Bill Asher, who says he's personally bought more that 1 million Playboy shares this year in anticipation of a sale.

Via ChicagoTribune.com:

No question, the sex appeal that generates perennial takeover rumors about Playboy resides outside the balance sheet.

It's all about potential, according to Bill Asher, a former Playboy executive who said he has bought more than a million shares in the past year.

Until recently, the famous rabbit-head logo has been among the "worst-managed" icons anywhere, he said. "I really do believe this is the most undervalued brand in the universe.... It would take very little to make it the hottest brand in the world, as it was 30 years ago."