ANTA Sports Products Limited announced it has signed a share purchase agreement with Groupe Artémis, the Pinault family’s investment company, to acquire a 29.06% stake in PUMA SE for €1.5 billion in cash, a move the Hong Kong-listed sportswear group framed as a major step in its multi-brand globalization strategy.
The transaction, announced January 27, 2026, is expected to close by the end of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. ANTA said the equity purchase will be financed entirely with internal cash resources.
ANTA described PUMA as an “iconic global brand” with established heritage and broad international distribution, and said the two companies’ strengths are complementary across categories and geographies. PUMA has a strong presence in sports, including football, running and training, basketball, and motorsport, with significant reach in regions such as Europe, Latin America, Africa, and India, according to ANTA’s statement. ANTA, which has built a leading position in China and has expanded across markets including Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, North America, and Europe, said it expects the partnership to help broaden its global recognition and competitiveness while supporting PUMA’s growth potential, including in China.
ANTA emphasized that it intends to support PUMA’s management team and strategic transformation while preserving the German-listed company’s brand autonomy and identity. The company said it plans to seek adequate representation on PUMA’s Supervisory Board, with any representatives working alongside other shareholder and employee representatives while preserving PUMA’s brand identity and heritage. ANTA also said it will assess the potential to deepen cooperation over time, but stated it currently has no plans to make a takeover offer for PUMA.
ANTA highlighted its experience operating a portfolio of brands across mass-market and premium segments and positioned the investment as an extension of its approach to multi-brand management and brand value revitalization. The company said the deal is intended to create long-term value for consumers and shareholders of both companies.
KEY QUOTES
“This acquisition makes ANTA Sports the largest shareholder of PUMA and marks a major step forward in our ‘single-focus, multi-brand, globalization’ strategy. 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.”
“ANTA has always admired PUMA’s long-term brand value and potential. Such strong brand DNA and value heritage are rare to come by. We believe PUMA’s share price over the past few months does not fully reflect the long-term potential of the brand. We have confidence in its management team and strategic transformation. Moving forward, we hope to build strong trust, work together at arm’s length, and leverage our complementary strengths without comprising independence. We look forward to supporting the brand’s ongoing revival.”
Ding Shizhong, Board Chairman, ANTA Sports
