Authentic Brands Group announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the intellectual property of Care Bears. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The acquisition expands Authentic’s entertainment platform into family entertainment and character IP.
Care Bears is one of the world’s most recognized family entertainment franchises, with global awareness, multigenerational fandom, and broad commercial reach.
The franchise was originally introduced in the early 1980s as a greeting card concept and has since grown into a global entertainment brand.
Care Bears has generated more than $12 billion in lifetime retail sales.
The brand includes more than 100 bears, each representing a distinct emotion or expression, including Cheer Bear, Funshine Bear, and Grumpy Bear.
Care Bears reaches consumers in more than 190 countries, appears in 26 languages, and is distributed across major platforms worldwide.
The franchise also has a growing slate across short-form content, gaming, live experiences, and film.
Authentic said Care Bears fits within its asset-rich platform, which is designed to accelerate intellectual property through content, experiences, and global commerce.
Authentic Studios and Authentic Live are expected to play central roles in extending the Care Bears universe through new stories, audiences, and fan experiences.
Authentic Studios develops and produces content across film, television, commercial, live stage, and audio.
Authentic Live connects brands with major moments in sports, culture, and entertainment through more than 60 annual events, including ticketed experiences, VIP gatherings, and thought leadership programming.
The acquisition is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions.
Authentic is a global sports, media, entertainment, and lifestyle platform with a portfolio spanning more than 50 brands.
The company works with more than 1,700 licensing partners across 150 countries and said its brands generate more than $36 billion in annual systemwide retail sales worldwide.
Authentic’s portfolio includes Reebok, Champion, Shaquille O’Neal, David Beckham, Kevin Hart, Sports Illustrated, Elvis Presley, Muhammad Ali, Marilyn Monroe, GUESS, Aéropostale, Nautica, Eddie Bauer, Lucky Brand, Nine West, Brooks Brothers, Juicy Couture, Vince Camuto, and several other brands.
KEY QUOTE:
“Care Bears is the gold standard of family entertainment. It arrives with a nearly 45-year history of genuine emotional connection, an active content pipeline, a vast network of more than 500 licensing partners and a devoted fanbase that keeps growing. Our opportunity is not simply to steward the brand and its message of positivity; it’s to bring Care Bears into Authentic’s powerful platform and write the next great chapter in one of entertainment’s most enduring franchises.”
Corey Salter, CEO of Authentic’s Entertainment Division
