Contact the Editor at karina@plainlanguagemedia.com. VF Corp. names the new independent, publicly traded company that has been spun off from its jeanswear organization as Kontoor Brands. The separation will be completed in the first half of 2019 and the entity will comprise the Wrangler, Lee, and Rock & Republic brands as well as the VF Outlet business. Marquee Brands … [Read more...] about M&A & Legal: Fashion, Trade & Counterfeit
Mergers & Acquisitions
M&A: Fashion, Toys & Other Business
Contact the Editor at karina@plainlanguagemedia.com. As Levi Strauss prepares to open its largest store in the world in the form of a new Times Square flagship, it is also gearing up for an IPO that would value the company at up to $5 billion. The 145 year-old jeans manufacturer had gone public once before, in 1971, and is now privately held by the descendants of the family of … [Read more...] about M&A: Fashion, Toys & Other Business
M&A: Shakedowns in Fashion & Food
Contact the Editor at karina@plainlanguagemedia.com. Inspire Brands agrees to acquire Sonic Corp. in a $2.3 billion deal. The restauranteur's portfolio includes 4,700 Arby’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Rusty Taco locations worldwide. This deal boosts Inspire's total to 8,200 locations, making it one of the 10 largest U.S. restaurant companies by that measure. Inspire will continue … [Read more...] about M&A: Shakedowns in Fashion & Food
Roundup: M&A, Experiential & Media
Contact the Editor at karina@plainlanguagemedia.com. TLL rounds up the top news impacting licensing this week. Experiential Procter & Gamble strikes a deal with franchised house cleaning service The Maids for the use of its Mr. Clean brand in promotions, advertising, and sales materials. Omaha, Neb.-based company The Maids has locations in over 40 states and 3 Canadian … [Read more...] about Roundup: M&A, Experiential & Media
Roundup: M&A & Legal
Contact the Editor at karina@plainlanguagemedia.com. Spanish soccer league LaLiga and Relevent, a multinational media, sports and entertainment group, craft a 15 year-long, equal joint venture to promote soccer in the U.S. and Canada. LaLiga will bring the first regular season clubs match to the U.S., dubbed LaLiga North America. LaLiga North America is LaLiga's exclusive … [Read more...] about Roundup: M&A & Legal
Esports Watch: New Leagues & Expansions
Goldman Sachs reports that the esports market will see revenues hit $2.17 billion by 2023, with a compound annual growth rate of 18.6%, according to a Reuters report. The revenue total includes media rights, ticket sales, merchandise, sponsorship, publisher fees, and direct advertisement. Talent agency UTA makes two acquisitions in the esports area: Press X, an esports talent … [Read more...] about Esports Watch: New Leagues & Expansions
M&A Watch: Fashion Forward
Authentic Brands Group makes a successful $340 million bid for Nine West Holdings. Under the terms of the agreement, ABG will control all licensing partnerships and marketing plans for both the Nine West and Bandolino brands. Marc Fisher Footwear will operate the business' operations and Signal Products will oversee the handbag and SLG businesses. Perry Ellis Intl. is going … [Read more...] about M&A Watch: Fashion Forward
Experiential, Content & Alternative Initiatives
FC Barcelona is ending its 17-year partnership with Nike where it ceded its retail and licensing rights to FCBMerchandising. The football club forms a new company to manage its retail, licensing, and merchandising activity. The newly formed Barça Licensing and Merchandising will take over its rights on July 1 and oversee a $77 million merchandising business spanning three of … [Read more...] about Experiential, Content & Alternative Initiatives
M&A & Restructuring
Newell Brands continues its restructuring efforts under an expanded accelerated transformation plan, which includes the divesting of two more brands and applying all after-tax proceeds (an estimated $10 billion) from its divestitures to debt. Jostens and Pure Fishing are added to the chopping block along with non-core businesses Rubbermaid Commercial Products, Rubbermaid … [Read more...] about M&A & Restructuring
M&A & Legal
Striker Entertainment strikes a first-look television development deal with Blumhouse Television. Striker will join Blumhouse in developing franchises around existing brands, video games, and consumer products—including a potential film based on indie horror video game Five Nights at Freddy's. Adaptive Studios acquires the Zane Grey literary estate. The media venture plans to … [Read more...] about M&A & Legal