Frasers Group has acquired a roughly 6% stake in Puma, making it the company’s second-largest shareholder. The move gives Frasers a significant equity position in the sportswear firm and could influence Puma’s shareholder dynamics and strategic decisions.
Business of Brands 2 min read Mike Ashley's Frasers takes near 6% stake in struggling sportswear brand Puma Frasers has acquired a nearly 6% stake in sportswear brand Puma. This makes Frasers the second-largest shareholder. Puma faces strong competition from rivals like Nike and Adidas. Frasers has a history of influencing companies where it holds stakes. Puma is a significant supplier to Frasers' Sports Direct business. BE Staff ETBrandEquity Published On Mar 6, 2026 at 11:28 AM IST Select ETBrandEquity as Preferred Choice on Google Copy Link Share on WhatsApp Share on Linkedin Share on X Share on Telegram Share on Facebook Frasers Group has become the second-largest shareholder in Puma , disclosing a 5.77 per cent stake in the German sportswear manufacturer as it navigates its most significant financial crisis in a decade. The investment by the Mike Ashley-controlled retailer comes just days after Puma suspended its dividend and reported an adjusted operating loss of 357 million euros for 2025, a year the company has characterized as a strategic "reset." NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - MARCH 04: Kieran Trippier of Newcastle places the Puma matchball for a corner kick during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Manchester United at St James Park on March 04, 2026 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) The stake, built primarily through financial instruments, marks a deepening of Frasers’ strategy to gain leverage over its key suppliers. Puma is a top-tier brand for Frasers’ Sports Direct division, which accounts for the vast majority of the group’s profits. By securing a meaningful holding, Frasers gains a seat at the table during a period of intense competitive pressure from Nike , Adidas , and high-growth challenger brands such as On Holding. Advt Puma’s current distress follows an 8 per cent slide in sales last year to 7.3 billion euros, largely driven by a sharp downturn in its North American wholesale business. The entry of Frasers adds a new layer of complexity to Puma’s shareholder registry, which was upended in January when China’s Anta Sports agreed to buy a 29 per cent stake from the Pinault family’s Artemis for 1.5 billion euros. While Anta has focused on Puma’s growth in China, Frasers’ expertise lies in the European retail ecosystem, where it has previously used minority stakes in brands like Hugo Boss and ASOS to influence product allocation. Shares in Puma rose 7 per cent in Frankfurt following the disclosure, as markets weighed the potential for a takeover or a more aggressive turnaround led by its new institutional backers. Under chief executive Arthur Hoeld, Puma is currently attempting to cut 900 jobs by 2026 to stabilize its margins. Neither Frasers nor Puma has provided a formal comment on the investment. (With inputs from Reuters) By BE Staff , --> By BE Staff , ETBrandEquity Updated On Mar 6, 2026 at 11:28 AM IST --> Published On Mar 6, 2026 at 11:28 AM IST 2 min read --> See more on: Puma , Mike Ashley , Frasers Group , sportswear brand , 5.77% stake , Nike , Adidas , Anta Sports , Hugo Boss , ASOS Telegram Facebook Copy Link Comments What are your thoughts? Comment Now --> Comment Now Read Comment (1) All Comments By commenting, you agree to the Prohibited Content Policy Post By commenting, you agree to the Prohibited Content Policy Post Find this Comment Offensive? Choose your reason below and click on the submit button. This will alert our moderators to take actions REASONS FOR REPORTING Foul Language Defamatory Inciting hatred against a certain community Out of Context / Spam Others Report Join the community of 2M+ industry professionals. Subscribe to Newsletter to get latest insights & analysis in your inbox. --> All about ETBrandEquity industry right on your smartphone! Download the ETBrandEquity App and get the Realtime updates and Save your favourite articles. --> Scan to download App --> --> Home News Business of Brands Mike Ashley's Frasers takes near 6% stake in struggling sportswear brand Puma -->
Curated by Taleb Kabbara · Source: brandequity.economictimes.indiatimes.com
Frasers Group, Puma, Modaes
Frasers Group: Frasers Group is a retail and brand group that acquired a 6% stake to become Puma's second largest shareholder.
Puma: Puma is a global sportswear and footwear company that received a 6% equity investment resulting in Frasers Group becoming its second largest shareholder.
Modaes: Modaes is the publication that produced the headline and article content covering Frasers Group's acquisition of a 6% stake in Puma.
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