Authentic Brands Group (Authentic) signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Care Bears brand of plush toys and related rights from private-equity firms at IVest Consumer Partners and Cloverlay.
“Care Bears is the gold standard of family entertainment,” said Corey Salter, CEO of Authentic’s Entertainment division. “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.”
Authentic Studios and Authentic Live, divisions of Authentic Brands Group, will play central roles in extending the Care Bears franchise with “new stories, audiences and fan experiences.”
The acquisition remains subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026.
Authentic’s roster of brands 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, Izod, Van Heusen, Dockers, Ted Baker, Hart Schaffner Marx, Vince, Barneys New York, Judith Leiber, Quiksilver, Spyder, Billabong, Volcom, Roxy, RVCA, DC Shoes, Prince, Sperry, and Hunter.
Image courtesy Care Bears
