As the retail industry on Tuesday capped the three-day ICSC Las Vegas conference, Nordstrom confirmed news the acquisition by its founding family and Mexico-based El Puerto de Liverpool closed. The company will be removed from the New York Stock Exchange Wednesday.
The all-cash deal equates to $24.25 per share and, perhaps most importantly, gives Nordstrom the room to operate and expand without the scrutiny of Wall Street. The department store retailer’s operating in a tough segment of the industry and tripped during Covid with assortment missteps. Meanwhile, its discount chain Nordstrom Rack continued to gain ground.
The Nordstrom closing comes as other brands and retailers ponder their own futures as uncertainty clouds outlooks.
What follows is a running tally of 2025’s fashion and retail acquisitions.
Authentic Adds to Stockpile with Dockers
The same day Nordstrom announced its closing, Levi Strauss confirmed it found a taker for Dockers in Authentic Brands Group.
New York brand management firm Authentic will add the casual brand to its ever-expanding portfolio, agreeing on May 20 to pay $311 million for the business. The two companies said the closing price could jump to as high as $391 million when factoring in performance payouts.
For Levi Strauss, the sale will allow it to continue to focus on its namesake business, particularly in segments such as women’s and direct-to-consumer.
Meanwhile, Authentic will no doubt quickly plug Dockers into its licensing model, rapidly expanding the categories the brand is in to drive revenue.
Revolve on Hunt for Opportunities
While Revolve has yet to close on anything this year, we’re throwing the company in this list due to the acquisition potential.
The company appears to feed off tough times, seizing on opportunities. That led to last year’s purchase of Alexandre Vauthier out of administration. The company more recently indicated it sees general growth potential in choppy waters, whether through a new store, customer acquisition or launching in-house brands. There’s no telling what page of its playbook it pulls from, but an acquisition wouldn’t be far fetched.
“We see considerable opportunity for further gains amidst the disruption in the luxury market as evidenced by the recent bankruptcy and liquidation of Canada’s iconic, premium department store chain, Hudson’s Bay,” co-CEO and co-founder Mike Karanikolas told investors in May.
Richer Poorer Goes to DTC Swim Brand Andie
Richer Poorer didn’t get far under retail chain Francesca’s, after its 2023 sale. What’s left of its team will have to pivot once again to new ownership after being acquired by direct-to-consumer brand Andie May 13.
The strategy calls for the two brands to cross-promote select product on each other’s sites and potentially shore up backend synergies.
In a tightening market where the headlines are stacked with declining consumer sentiment, selling pricey basics may be a tough sell for a brand that’s lost some of its equity and storyline with each ownership change.
Foot Locker Sells to Dick’s
Dick’s Sporting Goods will significantly expand its footprint with its $2.4 billion acquisition of Foot Locker Inc. announced May 15.
It’s a big deal by the numbers, but it doesn’t wipe the slate clean for the challenges Foot Locker has faced in recent years. That runs the gamut from inventory shortages that chipped away at retailers and brands during the pandemic, to a glut of product that created a highly promotional marketplace.
The question is what Dick’s plans are for reviving Foot Locker and if part of that consists of rationalizing the chain’s store footprint, which sits at roughly 2,400 locations globally.
Skechers Trades to 3G for 30 Percent Premium
Private equity struck again this year with a whopper deal in early May.
In early May 3G Capital agreed to pay $9.4 billion for Manhattan Beach-based Skechers in a deal that pencils out to $63 per share. The acquisition will take the footwear company private and was seen as a strategic move to get ahead of tariffs and broader macroeconomic uncertainties.
The two companies confirmed Skechers would continue on with its multi-pronged growth path. This includes international, direct-to-consumer and U.S. wholesale expansion.
True Religion Goes to Private Equity
Private equity made the first move this year with ACON Investments’ purchase of Los Angeles denim brand True Religion.
Financial details weren’t disclosed in January. The hope for the denim brand to continue market and category expansion with stronger financial backing. The announcement on the deal mentioned SB360 Capital Partners LLC as a strategic Investor in ACON. SB360’s name is also attached to a number of retailer liquidations with American Eagle Chair and CEO Jay Schottenstein serving as its chair.
The brand’s been a tough sell in a competitive market where several premium labels have been launched since its 2002 founding. While the company can trade off a nostalgia wave for a while, what comes next for the assortment will be imperative to future sales at the cash register.
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