Authentic Brands Group to acquire Quiksilver and Billabong owner

Continuing on its path of acquisitions, Authentic Brands Group has now announced that it has entered into a period of exclusivity and made a binding offer to purchase sports and lifestyle group Boardriders.

Through the takeover, for which funds are being managed by Oaktree Capital Management, Authentic would be adding the company’s extensive portfolio of board sports brands to its line up, including the likes of Quiksilver, Billabong, Roxy, DC Shoes, RVCA, Element, VonZipper and Honolua.

The move will also cover Australia-based lifestyle retailer Surf Dive ‘n Ski, which operates more than 80 locations and an e-commerce platform.

In a release, founder, chairman and CEO of Authentic, Jamie Salter, said: “As an early believer in the global and commercial appeal of action sports, this brings me back to the roots of my early career.

“Along with the great brands and impressive global reach that will come with this acquisition, we see Boardriders’ potential as a thriving online marketplace under Authentic’s ownership.

“With Boardriders’ proven retail playbook, we also see tremendous opportunities to accelerate the expansion of its shop-in-shops, branded retail stores, wholesale and e-commerce worldwide.”

To finalise in Q3

Since being established over 50 years ago, Boardriders has grown into a global business, operating a multichannel distribution network of 500 plus owned retail stores and 7,000 wholesale accounts and e-commerce across 35 countries.

According to Authentic, the portfolio generates 2.9 billion dollars in retail sales annually.

Speaking on the acquisition, Boardriders CEO Arne Arens, said: “We are proud of our deep connection to the global action sports community, industry-leading brands and world-class teams.

“Under Authentic’s ownership, Boardriders will be uniquely positioned to expand the reach of our iconic brands to millions of consumers, capture market share in our core categories and grow white spaces, including premium athleisure, training and lifestyle.”

The acquisition is subject to the consultation of Boardriders representatives, and if approved, is expected to finalise in Q3 of 2023.