Guess? has partnered with Authentic Brands Group to go private in a transaction that values the apparel brand at approximately $1.4 billion. Authentic, which owns 50+ global brands generating approximately $32 billion in annual revenues, will acquire 51% of “substantially all” of the Guess? intellectual property, while a group of “Rolling Stockholders” that includes Co-founders Maurice and Paul Marciano as well as CEO Carlos Alberini will own the remaining 49% of the brand’s IP. Current Guess? management will continue to run the business and own 100% of the operating company.
The remaining Guess? shareholders will receive $16.76 per share in cash, higher than the $13 per share offered in March 2025 by WHP Global in a non-binding offer for the brand. In February 2024 Guess? and WHP Global had teamed up to buy Rag & Bone.
Guess? directly operates nearly 1,100 stores in Europe, the Americas and Asia, and its partners and distributors operated an additional 527 stores worldwide.
“Over our 44-year history, Guess? has established itself as a global leader in the fashion industry, and today marks another significant milestone on our journey,” said Paul Marciano, Guess? Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer in a statement. “Guess? has always worked to create a strong network of licensing partners, and joining forces with Authentic – the world’s second-largest licensor with a powerful lifestyle and entertainment platform – will enable us to build on this foundation and expand our reach as a global lifestyle brand.”
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“As a private company benefiting from the perspectives of a globally recognized licensing partner, Guess? will have enhanced flexibility to navigate today’s complex operating environment and execute on a more targeted, long-term strategy, enabling us to even better serve customers around the world,” said Alberini in statement.
