Anta becomes Puma's largest shareholder as firm accelerates global expansion

Anta Sports Products Ltd has completed its acquisition of a 29.06 percent stake in Puma SE, becoming the German sportswear company's largest shareholder as the Chinese sportswear group accelerates its global expansion.

The Hong Kong-listed company said on Wednesday that it had completed the 1.51 billion euro ($1.69 billion) all-cash purchase of the stake from Artemis SAS, the investment company of the Pinault family, after receiving all the required regulatory approvals and satisfying customary closing conditions.

The investment marks Anta's biggest overseas strategic move in recent years and further expands the Chinese company's international footprint after a series of acquisitions transformed it into one of the world's largest multi-brand sportswear groups, in an effort to challenge brands such as Nike and Adidas.

Anta group said it plans to support Puma's long-term development by sharing its expertise in brand management, retail operations and global resource integration while respecting the German company's independent governance and brand identity.

Ding Shizhong, Anta board chairman, said the global sporting goods industry continues to offer significant growth opportunities as more consumers adopt active lifestyles.

"Anta Sports has built its success on a multi-brand strategy," Ding said. "We believe the value of a multi-brand group lies in helping each brand realize its full potential by leveraging the capabilities and resources of the broader group."

In an interview with the Shanghai-based business news outlet Yicai, Ding said Anta had followed Puma for nearly a decade before making the investment. He said Puma's strengths in football, motorsports and running complement Anta's existing portfolio and fit the group's long-term globalization strategy.

"Anta lacks a strong football presence, while Puma has deep expertise in football," Ding said. "Puma is also competitive in motorsports and running. We believe the Anta Group can help Puma unlock greater market potential."

The investment comes as Puma works to revive its financial performance despite maintaining strong visibility in key sports categories.

The sportswear brand has benefited from the revival of its Speedcat sneaker franchise, the continued global expansion of Hyrox fitness competitions and sponsorship of 11 national teams at this year's FIFA World Cup. Running, football, hybrid fitness and sports fashion remain among the industry's fastest-growing segments.

However, the stronger brand momentum has yet to translate into improved financial performance.

Puma reported revenue of 7.30 billion euros in 2025, down 8.1 percent from a year earlier, while posting a net loss of 646 million euros. Its performance showed signs of stabilization during the first half of 2026. Revenue declined 7.9 percent year-on-year to 3.55 billion euros, or 5.2 percent on a constant-currency basis, while the company's net loss narrowed by more than 80 percent to 46.3 million euros.

China remains one of Puma's healthier markets.

According to the company's interim results, its China market revenue rose 2.7 percent year-on-year to 278.3 million euros during the first six months of 2026, accounting for about 7.9 percent of group revenue.

That contrasted with continued weakness in other major regions, where second-quarter revenue fell 12.9 percent in Europe, the Middle East and Africa and 15.4 percent in the Americas.

For Anta, the Puma investment is the latest step in a globalization strategy built through acquisitions and multi-brand management.

The company acquired Finnish sporting goods group Amer Sports in 2019 alongside a consortium of investors, bringing global brands including Arc'teryx, Salomon and Wilson into its portfolio. Last year, it completed the acquisition of German outdoor brand Jack Wolfskin.

Anta now owns or manages a portfolio spanning Anta, Fila, Descente, Kolon Sport and brands held through Amer Sports.

The transaction also reflects a broader trend of Chinese companies acquiring established international sports and outdoor brands.

At the end of September, England-based Equip Outdoor Technologies UK Ltd announced it would sell the intellectual property of outdoor equipment brand Lowe Alpine to Hangzhou-based ATG Brands & Data Ltd.

The deal gives the Chinese company ownership of the Lowe Alpine trademark and related brand assets while preserving the brand's operations in Europe through a regional management partnership.

John Gearing, principal of Global Sports Advisory, appointed by ATG to lead Lowe Alpine in the UK, Europe, Scandinavia and the Middle East and North Africa region, said: "Our ambition is to build on Lowe Alpine's established reputation and strong brand loyalty in Europe, while exploring opportunities to grow its presence with outdoor consumers in Asia."

wangzhuoqiong@chinadaily.com.cn