Anta showcases firm strides in global expansion, with the upcoming launch of products in the U.S. on March 6, 2024, marking a pivotal step in its international strategy. Anta aims for greater success in global markets through the listing of Amer Sports, brand expansion, and ongoing global initiatives.
Anta's CEO, Xu Yang, recently announced the brand's official product launch in the United States on March 6, 2024. This move signifies a crucial advancement in Anta's international strategy. Anta will host promotional events in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Beijing, and Shanghai, showcasing its innovation and professional spirit to a global audience.
Xu Yang expressed the desire to share Anta's excellent products and services with global consumers through this launch, highlighting Anta's determination for market expansion and brand promotion on a global scale.
In a related development, Anta's subsidiary, Amer Sports, is progressing towards the capital market. Five years ago, Anta took a significant step in international expansion by acquiring Amer Sports, a Finnish sports equipment group, for EUR 4.6 billion. The group owns high-end brands such as Salomon, Wilson, and Arc'teryx.
On January 4, 2024, Amer Sports submitted its initial public offering (IPO) prospectus to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, planning to list on the New York Stock Exchange. While the exact offering price is undisclosed, experts estimate a potential IPO target of up to USD 1 billion, with a valuation reaching USD 10 billion.
Amer Sports was previously listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange, and after being acquired by Anta in 2019, it delisted. Its return to the capital market aligns with Anta's strategic considerations for international expansion. Anta's Chairman, Ding Shizhong, stated the intention to leverage the dual-drive advantage of Anta and Amer Sports over the next decade, advancing the implementation of their global strategy. Additionally, Amer Sports' IPO provides Anta with more international management experience.
In recent years, Amer Sports has demonstrated significant sales growth in the Chinese market, with revenue increasing from USD 2.446 billion in 2020 to USD 3.549 billion in 2022. In 2023, its domestic market share grew by over 10% compared to the previous year. This success is attributed to Anta's direct retail reform, with over 330 self-operated stores and growth in wholesale and DTC channels.
Despite this, Amer Sports has not turned a profit in the past five years, with losses reaching USD237 million in 2020, USD 126 million in 2021, USD 253 million in 2022, and approximately USD 114 million in the first three quarters of 2023. Amer Sports currently faces challenges such as high sales expenses and a mismatch between gross profit margins and its high-end positioning, trailing behind Li-Ning and Anta Sports, even approaching the profit margins of mid-range brands like Pathfinder.
Despite these challenges, external voices suggest that Amer Sports' IPO could raise up to USD 1 billion, with a potential post-listing valuation of USD 10 billion (approximately CNY 70 billion), representing an increase of around CNY 34 billion from Anta's initial investment.
Simultaneously, Anta's global strategy has evolved to a corporate strategic level. Through Amer Sports' IPO and other international initiatives, Anta is gradually realizing its vision of "Not being China's Nike but becoming the world's Anta."
Earlier, Anta indicated in its three-year development plan that the group is steadily advancing the expansion of overseas business. As the first stop in its multi-brand global layout, the group has established the Southeast Asia International Business Division, conducting direct retail operations in core business districts in Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, and gradually acquiring the operating rights for FILA in Singapore and other Southeast Asian countries and regions, further expanding its international business.