ANTA to Become Major Shareholder in PUMA

China's ANTA Sports has announced the motion to become a major shareholder in PUMA, the storied German sportswear institution. An agreement has been reached to purchase 29.06% of the brand at a value of €1.5 billion in cash ($1.79 billion).

Over the last year, the European company had been linked to financial struggles despite the success of franchises like Speedcat, Mostro, and Deviate NITRO™. Although speculation posited that PUMA would be bought by adidas, ANTA's announcement puts that to rest.

"This acquisition makes ANTA Sports the largest shareholder of PUMA and marks a major step forward in our ‘single-focus, multi-brand, globalization’ strategy," shared Ding Shizhong, Board Chairman of ANTA Sports. "PUMA is an iconic global brand with substantial heritage. Working with PUMA, we look forward to learning from each other and joining hands to fully unlock the brand’s full potential. This will further accelerate ANTA Sports’ globalization, and help drive the next chapter of growth for the global sports markets including China – creating lasting value for both companies’ consumers and shareholders worldwide."

For PUMA, the deal could reinstate it as a Top Three sportswear brand in the world.

According to PUMA CEO Arthur Hoeld: "PUMA’s strategic priorities are clear. We are focused on strengthening our global brand, delivering compelling products, and engaging consumers worldwide...ANTA aims to empower PUMA to fully [realize] its brand potential and its heritage to create long-term value for global consumers and stakeholders. We see this as a vote of confidence in PUMA and its strategic direction."

The move is expected to be finalized by the end of 2026. A first order of business is unknown, but it's possible there will be a focus on basketball given ANTA's successes with the likes of Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson. On the Big Cat Brand side of things, LaMelo Ball continues being a force, especially amongst younger athletes.

Stay tuned for more details.

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