If you have spent any time researching zero-turn mowers, you already know the name Bad Boy Mowers. The brand has built one of the most loyal followings in the outdoor power equipment industry — known for heavy-duty construction, serious performance, and a no-nonsense attitude that resonates with homeowners and commercial operators alike. But who actually owns Bad Boy Mowers in 2026? The answer involves a founder who built something remarkable in a small Arkansas town, and two powerful private equity firms that are now steering the brand toward its next big chapter.
What Is Bad Boy Mowers?
Bad Boy Mowers is an American manufacturer of zero-turn radius (ZTR) riding lawn mowers, compact tractors, UTVs (Utility Task Vehicles), and handheld outdoor tools. The company is headquartered in Batesville, Arkansas, and sells its products through a wide network of independent dealers and major outdoor retail partners across the United States.
Bad Boy built its first mower in 2002 and showed it off at the Lawn and Garden Expo in Louisville, Kentucky, winning the Product of the Year award right out of the gate. From that first mower to a full lineup of residential and commercial equipment, the brand has grown into one of the most recognized names in American lawn care.
Who Owns Bad Boy Mowers in 2026?
Bad Boy Mowers is currently owned by two private equity firms — TorQuest Partners and The Sterling Group — along with CPP Investments (the investment arm of the Canada Pension Plan). The company is privately held and not publicly traded on any stock exchange.
TorQuest Partners, a Toronto-based private equity firm, and The Sterling Group, a Houston-based middle market private equity firm, co-own Bad Boy Mowers following a November 2023 transaction. CPP Investments participates as a co-investor alongside them. The current CEO of Bad Boy Mowers is Peter Ballantyne, who leads the company’s strategic growth and product expansion.
Ownership and Key Stakeholders Table
| Owner / Party | Role | Stake | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| TorQuest Partners | Co-Owner (Private Equity) | Major equity stake | Toronto-based PE firm; co-acquired Bad Boy in November 2023 |
| The Sterling Group | Co-Owner (Private Equity) | Major equity stake | Houston-based middle market PE; first invested in Bad Boy in 2019 |
| CPP Investments | Co-Investor | Significant minority stake | Investment arm of the Canada Pension Plan; major institutional backer |
| Peter Ballantyne | CEO | Management stake | Current CEO; formerly President & CEO at Stackpole International |
| Phil Pulley | Founder | Exited majority stake in 2019 | Founded Bad Boy in 1998; sold to The Sterling Group; remained involved post-sale |
| Arkansas Economic Development Commission | Minor Investor | Minimal stake | State development body; supported Bad Boy’s growth in Arkansas |
| Bad Boy Mowers (MAC Company acquisition) | Subsidiary | Fully owned | Acquired MAC Company on August 25, 2025 to expand product lineup |
The Origin Story: One Founder, One Arkansas Town
The Bad Boy Mowers story starts with Phil Pulley — a founder who built something genuinely impressive in a town most people have never heard of.
Bad Boy was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Batesville, Arkansas. Phil Pulley ran the company as a founder-owned business for more than two decades, growing it from a single innovative mower into a nationally recognized outdoor power equipment brand. The company built its reputation on producing commercial-quality machines for the residential market — giving everyday homeowners access to the kind of heavy-duty performance previously reserved for professional landscapers.
For over 20 years, Bad Boy grew purely organically under Pulley’s leadership — no outside investors, no private equity, no corporate parent. That changed in 2019, when The Sterling Group made its first investment in the company — the first time outside capital entered the Bad Boy picture.
The Private Equity Timeline: From Founder-Owned to PE-Backed
Bad Boy Mowers has gone through two key private equity transitions in the last six years — each one reflecting growing confidence in the brand’s potential.
In 2019, The Sterling Group — a Houston-based middle market private equity firm — announced its first investment in Bad Boy. At the time, Phil Pulley remained with the company as part of the deal. The Sterling Group saw a brand with massive organic growth potential, a loyal dealer network, and a product line that punched well above its weight.
Then in November 2023, a second major transaction took place. TorQuest Partners — a Toronto-based private equity firm — joined The Sterling Group in a co-ownership structure, with CPP Investments participating as a co-investor. TorQuest was specifically attracted to Bad Boy’s long history of organic revenue growth, its durable position in the outdoor power equipment category, and its large and defensible dealer network. Together, the three backers have collectively invested $184 million into Bad Boy Mowers.
The MAC Company Acquisition: Bad Boy Gets Bigger
The most recent major development in Bad Boy’s ownership story happened on August 25, 2025 — and it signals exactly where the company is headed.
Bad Boy Mowers acquired MAC Company, a manufacturer based in West Fargo, North Dakota, known for its innovative SwingSteer loader and ProSeries attachments. The acquisition expanded Bad Boy’s product lineup into light construction equipment — a new category beyond traditional lawn care. Bad Boy retained all of MAC Company’s employees and continued operations out of the West Fargo headquarters.
Peter Ballantyne, CEO of Bad Boy, said the deal made perfect sense given the company’s focus on innovative engineering. MAC Company co-founders Peter Christianson and Tom Lykken remained with the company following the acquisition, continuing to focus on the SwingSteer articulated loader business. This acquisition is part of a broader strategy to transform Bad Boy from a pure mower company into a full-spectrum outdoor and light construction equipment brand.
Who Is Peter Ballantyne? The Man Running Bad Boy Today
Peter Ballantyne is the current CEO of Bad Boy Mowers — the operational leader guiding the company under TorQuest and The Sterling Group’s ownership.
Before joining Bad Boy, Ballantyne served as President and CEO of Stackpole International, an automotive manufacturing company, and as President of Gates, a global industrial machinery firm. He holds degrees in Engineering from Queen’s University and Business from Wilfrid Laurier University. His background in industrial manufacturing and operational leadership makes him well-suited to drive the kind of aggressive product expansion and acquisition strategy that Bad Boy is currently pursuing.
What Makes Bad Boy Mowers Stand Out?
Bad Boy has always positioned itself around a simple but powerful idea: commercial-grade quality at a price residential customers can afford. Its zero-turn mowers are known for their heavy-duty steel frames, powerful engines, and fast cutting speeds — features that competing brands in the same price range often compromise on.
The brand’s product lineup now extends well beyond mowers. Bad Boy offers compact tractors, UTVs, handheld tools, and — following the MAC Company acquisition — SwingSteer loaders and ProSeries attachments for light construction work. The company sells exclusively through independent dealers and retail partners across the U.S., maintaining strong relationships with its dealer network as a core competitive advantage.
Bad Boy has also leaned into bold marketing. The company’s 2026 commercial campaign featured Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo — a high-profile endorsement that reflects the brand’s growing national ambitions and its appeal to a hardworking, no-nonsense customer base.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Who owns Bad Boy Mowers in 2026?
Bad Boy Mowers is co-owned by TorQuest Partners and The Sterling Group, two private equity firms, with CPP Investments as a co-investor.
Q2. Who founded Bad Boy Mowers?
Bad Boy Mowers was founded by Phil Pulley in 1998 in Batesville, Arkansas, where the company remains headquartered today.
Q3. When did private equity take over Bad Boy Mowers?
The Sterling Group first invested in Bad Boy in 2019, and TorQuest Partners joined as co-owner in November 2023 in a buyout transaction.
Q4. Who is the current CEO of Bad Boy Mowers?
Peter Ballantyne is the current CEO of Bad Boy Mowers, previously having served as President & CEO of Stackpole International.
Q5. Is Bad Boy Mowers publicly traded?
No. Bad Boy Mowers is a fully private company and is not listed on any stock exchange.
Q6. How much has Bad Boy Mowers raised in total funding?
Bad Boy Mowers has raised a total of $184 million from TorQuest Partners, The Sterling Group, and CPP Investments.
Q7. What was Bad Boy Mowers’ most recent acquisition?
Bad Boy acquired MAC Company of West Fargo, North Dakota on August 25, 2025, adding SwingSteer loaders and ProSeries attachments to its product lineup.
Q8. Where are Bad Boy Mowers made?
Bad Boy Mowers are manufactured and headquartered in Batesville, Arkansas, where the company has been based since its founding in 1998.
Bad Boy Mowers is a privately owned company co-owned by TorQuest Partners (Toronto) and The Sterling Group (Houston), with CPP Investments as a co-investor. Together they have invested $184 million into the brand since The Sterling Group first backed it in 2019. The company was originally founded by Phil Pulley in 1998 in Batesville, Arkansas, and operated as a founder-owned business for over two decades before private equity entered the picture.
Under CEO Peter Ballantyne, Bad Boy is executing an aggressive growth strategy — expanding its product lineup through the 2025 MAC Company acquisition, raising up to $148.6 million in new equity investment, and targeting new markets well beyond traditional lawn care. From a single prize-winning mower at a Louisville trade show in 2002 to a $184 million-backed national brand with products in over a dozen categories — Bad Boy Mowers is only getting started.
