China’s State Administration for Market Regulation announced on September 11 that Anta Sports’ acquisition of approximately 29.06 percent of Puma’s shares received unconditional approval.
The Chinese government’s approval was seen as a major regulatory hurdle to completing the purchase. The deal is still expected to officially close before the end of 2026, pending remaining customary closing conditions.
In January of this year, Anta announced plans to acquire a 29.06 percent stake in Puma from Groupe Artémis, the investment house of the Pinault family, making Anta Puma’s largest shareholder. Artémis, led by François-Henri Pinault, chairman of the luxury group Kering, holds a 42.3 percent equity stake in Kering, which includes Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga and McQueen.
In announcing the acquisition, Anta said it is not seeking a full takeover of Puma and intends to maintain its operational independence but also indicated it will seek “adequate representation” on the company’s supervisory board.
Jinjiang-based Anta is seen as China’s largest sports brand and the third largest globally, behind Nike and Adidas. It owns the rights to the Fila brand in China, Hong Kong and Macao, as well as to the Descente brand in Mainland China. Anta is also the largest shareholder of Amer Sports, which includes Arc’teryx, Armada, ATEC, Atomic, DeMarini, EvoShield, Louisville Slugger, Peak Performance, Salomon, and Wilson.
Image courtesy Puma
