The speculation that has been circulating for some time about a takeover of the German sporting goods manufacturer Puma could become more intense again on Thursday, according to a report by the Bloomberg news agency. According to information from the Bloomberg news agency, the Chinese group Anta Sports, which already owns the sporting goods brand Fila and the outdoor specialist Jack Wolfskin, is considering an offer for the Adidas rival.
The Chinese Anta competitor Lin Ning and the Japanese sporting goods manufacturer Asics are also interested. According to the report, the biggest hurdle for an offer is likely to be the valuation expectations of the French billionaire Pinault family. According to Puma, this holds almost 30 percent of the shares.
Puma is in a deep crisis. The share price has fallen by just over 60 percent this year. Since the share’s record high of just over 115 euros four years ago, losses have been around 85 percent. Because of the price drop, Puma is only worth 2.5 billion euros on the stock market. The price of the Anta share listed in Hong Kong, however, rose by around ten percent this year. The company is valued at the equivalent of around 27 billion euros.
Despite the ongoing takeover rumors, the Puma price was recently at around 17 euros, only slightly above the multi-year low of 15.30 euros reached just a few days ago. In addition, many investors are currently betting on further losses through so-called short sales.
The Bloomberg report, which the companies involved did not want to comment on, could therefore lead to a so-called short squeeze and thus a sharp rise in prices. If a share price suddenly rises sharply, speculators who have bet on falling prices can come under pressure and be forced to buy shares.
In August, the Bloomberg news agency reported that the Pinault family was considering selling its stake. Since then, there has been repeated speculation about a bid for Puma. Anta and Li Ning have already been named as possible buyers. Pinault has also sounded out interest from sporting goods manufacturers in the USA and sovereign wealth funds from the Middle East.
After the Bloomberg report, there were repeated reports about possible offers for Puma.