Nike and Adidas are set to face a challenger after China’s Anta Sports acquired a 29 per cent stake in Germany’s Puma for $1.8 billion
Nike and Adidas are set to face a challenger after China’s Anta Sports acquired a 29 per cent stake in Germany’s Puma for $1.8 billion, sharpening its push into the global big league of sportswear.
The Fujian-based company now leads China’s sportswear market with a 23 per cent share, ahead of its Western rivals, and carries a market capitalisation of about $28 billion.
Over the past decade, Anta has steadily assembled a diversified portfolio across price points and categories. Its brands include Fila in China and parts of Southeast Asia, Descente, Kolon Sport, MAIA Active, Jack Wolfskin and Amer Sports, the Finnish group it acquired for $6.29 billion in 2018 and relisted in 2024.
Amer’s stable—which includes Arc’teryx, Salomon and Wilson—has delivered strong growth in Greater China, supported by premium store expansion and a direct-to-consumer strategy. That track record is widely seen as a template for what Anta could attempt with Puma, particularly in China where the German brand remains underpenetrated.
Puma generates only a small portion of its revenue from China, the world’s second-largest consumer market, leaving room for expansion.
For Anta, Puma brings a crucial missing piece: a globally recognised mass-market brand with established scale in the United States and Europe. While Anta operates roughly 13,000 stores in China and is expanding into Southeast Asia, its homegrown label has limited traction in Western markets.
With inputs from agencies.
End of Article
Leave a Reply