Tracked deals
11
11 tracked deals across 2020-2026.
Operating Company
Consumer
Authentic Brands Group
New York, New York, United States
Authentic Brands Group (Authentic) is a sports, media, entertainment and lifestyle platform. It acquires and invests in brands to create long-term value, operating as a digital-first, asset-light brand owner and scaling global portfolios via licensing partners and distribution networks.
- Focus Areas
- Brand licensing, Fashion & apparel brands, Sports & entertainment brands
- Website
- authentic.com
Recent pace
4
4 tracked deals announced in the last 12 months.
Deal mix
Buyout
7 buyout · 2 divestiture · 1 addon
Authentic Brands Group Acquisition Volume by Year
Last 5 years
Actual
Full-year estimate
Supporting Data
Recent Transactions
-
- Buyer
- Vince Holding Corp., Authentic Brands Group
- Target
- October's Very Own (OVO)
- Industry
- Retail
- Location
- Ontario, Canada
- Type
- Buyout
Vince Holding Corp. completed the acquisition of the operating business of October’s Very Own (OVO), adding the streetwear lifestyle brand to its multi-brand retail platform. Authentic Brands Group previously acquired a majority stake in OVO’s intellectual property (OVO IP) via a newly formed subsidiary structure, with proceeds used to strengthen OVO’s operating business balance sheet.
-
June 30, 2026
- Buyer
- Authentic Brands Group
- Target
- Care Bears (intellectual property)
- Industry
- Media & Entertainment
- Type
- Buyout
Authentic Brands Group (“Authentic”) signed a definitive agreement to acquire the intellectual property of Care Bears, expanding Authentic’s entertainment platform into character IP. The acquisition is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions.
-
- Buyer
- Authentic Brands Group
- Target
- Lee
- Seller
- Kontoor Brands, Inc.
- Industry
- Consumer Products
- Location
- North Carolina, United States
- Type
- Divestiture
Authentic Brands Group signed a definitive agreement to acquire Lee, the denim and workwear brand, from Kontoor Brands for up to $1 billion. The deal includes an initial $750 million payment and up to $250 million of potential earn-out consideration, and is expected to close in the second half of 2026 subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.
-
January 23, 2026
- Buyer
- Authentic Brands Group (Authentic)
- Target
- Guess?, Inc.
- Seller
- Maurice Marciano
- Industry
- Retail
- Location
- California, United States
- Type
- Buyout
Authentic Brands Group (Authentic) and Guess? have completed the transaction to take Guess? private. Authentic now owns 51% of substantially all Guess? intellectual property, while the Rolling Stockholders (including Maurice and Paul Marciano and CEO Carlos Alberini) own the remaining 49%; Guess? management continues to run the operating business and owns 100% of the operating company.
-
April 16, 2025
- Buyer
- Established Incorporated, ACI Licensing, Newly formed joint venture between Established Incorporated and ACI Licensing, Crosstimbers Capital Group, Ares Management, Morgan Stanley Investment Management
- Target
- Badgley Mischka, C&C California, Kay Unger, RACHEL Rachel Roy
- Industry
- Consumer Products
- Location
- New York, United States
- Type
- Buyout
Established Incorporated and ACI Licensing formed a newly created joint venture to acquire ownership stakes in four women's lifestyle brands — Badgley Mischka, C&C California, Kay Unger and RACHEL Rachel Roy — with Established holding 51% and ACI 49%. The transaction is supported by equity partners Crosstimbers Capital Group, Ares Management and Morgan Stanley Investment Management and financed with debt from Huntington Bank; additional transaction terms were not disclosed.
-
January 13, 2025
- Buyer
- JCPenney, SPARC Group, Simon Property Group, Brookfield Corporation, Authentic Brands Group, Shein
- Target
- JCPenney, SPARC Group
- Industry
- Retail
- Location
- Texas, United States
- Type
- Recapitalization
JCPenney and SPARC Group have merged in an all-equity joint venture to create Catalyst Brands, consolidating six retail banners including JCPenney, Aéropostale, Brooks Brothers, Eddie Bauer, Lucky Brand and Nautica. The new Catalyst Brands — backed by shareholders Simon Property Group, Brookfield Corporation, Authentic Brands Group and Shein — launches from JCPenney’s Plano, Texas headquarters with broad omnichannel reach, approximately $9 billion of revenue, 1,800 stores and roughly 60,000 employees.
-
September 30, 2024
- Buyer
- Authentic Brands Group, Ames Watson, Fanatics, GearCo
- Target
- Champion (global Champion business)
- Seller
- HanesBrands Inc.
- Industry
- Consumer Products
- Location
- North Carolina, United States
- Type
- Buyout
Authentic Brands Group has completed the acquisition of the Champion brand and certain operating assets from HanesBrands. As part of the deal, Authentic granted a license for Champion's U.S. collegiate apparel and teamwear business to GearCo, which will be managed by Ames Watson (with Fanatics as an investor), to drive growth in the collegiate and teamwear markets.
-
- Buyer
- Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), Saks Global, Amazon, Rhône Capital, Insight Partners, Salesforce, Authentic Brands Group, G-III Apparel Group, M. Klein & Company, Abu Dhabi Investment Council, Abrams Capital
- Target
- Neiman Marcus Group, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman
- Industry
- Retail
- Location
- Texas, United States
- Type
- Buyout
Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) — through its newly created Saks Global business — has agreed to acquire Neiman Marcus Group (NMG) to form a multi-brand luxury retail and real estate platform. The combined company will pair iconic retail brands (Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue and Saks OFF 5TH) with technology, first-party data and strategic investors (including Amazon, Rhône Capital, Insight Partners and Salesforce) to drive personalized omnichannel experiences and unlock real estate value.
-
- Buyer
- Authentic Brands Group, ALDO Group
- Target
- Sperry
- Seller
- Wolverine World Wide, Inc.
- Industry
- Consumer Products
- Location
- Massachusetts, United States
- Type
- Divestiture
Authentic Brands Group has acquired the Sperry footwear brand in a transaction that closed January 10, 2024, with the ALDO Group joining as Sperry's North American operating partner. Wolverine World Wide sold the brand for proceeds of about $130 million to strengthen its balance sheet; Authentic will convert Sperry to a licensed model while ALDO will operate Sperry's wholesale, e-commerce and store operations in North America.
-
- Buyer
- Authentic Brands Group, SPARC Group
- Target
- Eddie Bauer
- Seller
- PSEB Group, Golden Gate Capital
- Industry
- Retail
- Location
- Washington, United States
- Type
- Addon
Authentic Brands Group (ABG) and SPARC Group have agreed to purchase Eddie Bauer from PSEB Group, an operating company owned by Golden Gate Capital. ABG will own Eddie Bauer's intellectual property while the brand's core operating business will be integrated into SPARC's portfolio; Eddie Bauer will remain headquartered in the Seattle area under current President Damien Huang. The deal (expected to close by June 1, 2021) is intended to expand the brand's global reach and accelerate omnichannel and e‑commerce growth; no financial terms were disclosed.
-
- Buyer
- Authentic Brands Group, Simon Property Group, Brookfield Property Partners
- Target
- Forever 21
- Industry
- Retail
- Location
- California, United States
- Type
- Buyout
Authentic Brands Group (ABG), Simon Property Group and Brookfield Property Partners have completed the acquisition of fast-fashion retailer Forever 21. The new ownership group will retain Forever 21’s Los Angeles headquarters, continue store operations and eCommerce, and pursue brand revitalization, international licensing and sustainable supply-chain improvements.
Related Acquisition Pages
Retail Buyers & Acquisitions
6 tracked deals by Authentic Brands Group.
Consumer Products Buyers & Acquisitions
4 tracked deals by Authentic Brands Group.
Media & Entertainment Buyers & Acquisitions
1 tracked deal by Authentic Brands Group.
Acquisitions in California
2 tracked deals by Authentic Brands Group.
Acquisitions in North Carolina
2 tracked deals by Authentic Brands Group.
Acquisitions in Texas
2 tracked deals by Authentic Brands Group.
Acquisitions in Massachusetts
1 tracked deal by Authentic Brands Group.
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