Authentic Brands Group takes majority stake in Guess

Authentic Brands Group completed the take-private of Guess on 22 January 2026, in a transaction agreed on 20 August 2025 valuing the company at an enterprise value of $1–10bn including debt. Shareholders other than the rolling stockholders received 16.75 dollars per share in cash, a premium of approximately 73% to the closing price of 14 March 2025, the last trading day before the company disclosed an unsolicited approach from a third party. The structure separates the brand from the business. Authentic acquired 51% of substantially all the Guess intellectual property, the remaining 49% staying with Maurice, Paul and Nicolai Marciano, chief executive Carlos Alberini and their affiliated entities, while that management retained the whole of the operating company and continued to run it. The Swiss operations remained the centre directing design, creative and commercial matters worldwide. Founded in Los Angeles in 1981, Guess designs, markets and distributes clothing, denim, handbags, watches, eyewear and footwear, selling through its own stores and through department and specialty retailers. It operated 1,058 shops across Europe, the Americas and Asia, with partners and distributors running a further 507, across roughly a hundred countries. Revenue reached $1–10bn over the preceding twelve months, with retail-equivalent sales of around 6 billion dollars across the brand as a whole. That difference between the two figures is what Authentic acquired. Much of what reaches consumers under the Guess name is made and sold by licensees, who report their own revenue and pay royalties on it, and the brand owner collects those royalties without carrying inventory or operating shops. The transaction made Guess the second largest brand in Authentic’s portfolio, taking its systemwide retail sales to around 38 billion dollars. Solomon Partners advised the special committee of the Guess board, with Willkie Farr & Gallagher and Young Conaway as legal counsel, while O’Melveny & Myers and Morris Nichols advised the company, The Sage Group advised the rolling stockholders with Jones Day and Ropes & Gray, and J.P. Morgan advised Authentic with Latham & Watkins.

By taking control of Guess, Authentic Brands Group continues its expansion strategy. Previously, the group had completed 2 acquisitions, including Dockers in 2025.