Main Chinese language multinational sportswear firm ANTA Sports activities Merchandise Restricted (or ANTA Sports activities for brief) has acquired a 29.06 % stake within the PUMA Group for about USD 1.7 billion, making it the German sportswear model’s largest single shareholder. ANTA Sports activities is at the moment positioned because the world’s third-largest sportswear firm by income behind Nike and Adidas. Stopping wanting a full takeover, the all-cash funding for a 29 % stake in PUMA sees ANTA Sports activities set to strengthen its place throughout practically each main sporting class.
PUMA’s Regional Progress Positive aspects Momentum
PUMA at the moment has a considerable foothold in vogue, soccer and motorsports and has been actively driving regional development by a sequence of activations and model partnerships throughout Southeast and East Asia. In 2025, ANTA Malaysia launched the nation’s first-ever ANTA Superstore, stating on the time that ANTA’s in depth vary of high-performance sportswear — from progressive trainers to versatile coaching attire — was designed to satisfy the wants of each Malaysian client.
In September, PUMA unveiled an immersive international launch expertise in Shanghai for the PUMA x Rosé collaborative assortment. A celeb endorsement of this scale represents a significant win for PUMA, with Rosé rating among the many most influential figures in international popular culture. Commenting on the collaboration, Rosé stated, “Working with the PUMA crew to deliver the PUMA x Rosé assortment to life has been a satisfying journey, and celebrating its launch feels very particular. It’s an unbelievable expertise to see the marketing campaign come to actuality and to see how folks creatively model the items in their very own manner.”
Cultural Impression Meets Motorsports Credentials
In 2026 alone, PUMA introduced a multi-year international partnership with McLaren Racing, aiming to “deliver followers nearer to the motion and permit them to expertise the true spirit of racing.” As a part of the partnership, PUMA will design and produce official crew kits. The collaboration will span the whole McLaren Racing portfolio, together with the McLaren Mastercard Formulation 1 Staff, the Arrow McLaren IndyCar Staff, each McLaren Racing entries in F1 Academy, the McLaren F1 Sim Racing Staff and — as of 2027 — the McLaren United AS WEC Hypercar Staff.
One of many clearest expressions of this repositioning is PUMA’s rising presence in luxurious vogue. In June 2025, the model launched a high-profile collaboration with Balenciaga, unveiled as a part of the French home’s Winter 25 assortment. The partnership reimagined PUMA’s famed Speedcat sneaker and prolonged into luxurious ready-to-wear, underscoring PUMA’s efforts to rebuild cultural relevance past conventional sportswear classes.
PUMA’s Turning Level
Regardless of its wide selection of actions and collaborative launches, 2025 additionally proved to be a difficult yr for PUMA when it comes to sustaining revenue margins. In October, the corporate introduced plans to chop an extra 900 jobs and sharpen its concentrate on operating, soccer and coaching, because the German model seems to be to rebound from its current droop. PUMA reported third-quarter gross sales and earnings that fell wanting analyst estimates, partly because of the affect of forex fluctuations, which lowered gross sales by roughly USD 145 million. The corporate additionally famous that 2026 could be a “transition yr.” Based on studies, PUMA has already eradicated round 500 roles underneath its cost-savings programme and now plans to cut back headcount by an extra 900 white-collar positions by the top of 2026.
In recent times, PUMA has struggled to persistently resonate with customers and has misplaced floor to bigger opponents reminiscent of cross-town rival Adidas AG, in addition to fast-growing manufacturers like On Holding AG and Hoka, amid an more and more aggressive sportswear and athleisure panorama. This will partly clarify why PUMA has been cementing its presence throughout adjoining classes, increasing past its conventional sportswear roots into luxurious vogue and performance-driven motorsports.
The ANTA & PUMA Powerhouse
That is the place ANTA Sports activities enters the image. What ANTA lacks in heritage, it makes up for in technique. The group has established a powerful monitor document of management in China, supported by a particular model and retail mannequin, alongside a broader enlargement throughout Asia. PUMA, in contrast, brings greater than 75 years of heritage, with retail operations in over 120 nations and a powerful presence throughout Europe, the Americas and Africa. With the addition of PUMA to a portfolio that already spans FILA (China) and the Amer Sports activities group (Arc’teryx, Salomon, Wilson), ANTA has cemented its place throughout nearly all main international sports activities classes. ANTA’s shareholder place may subsequently allow a “single-focus, multi-brand” globalisation technique able to rivaling business leaders reminiscent of Adidas and Nike.
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