Authentic will hold a 51% stake in the newly formed entity, which will own and license most of Guess?’s intellectual property and take over most of its product licensing agreements. Guess? Co-founders Maurice and Paul Marciano, Nicolai Marciano and CEO Carlos Alberini will own the remaining 49%.

In this all-cash deal, Guess? is valued at approximately 1.4 billion US dollars, including debt. Shareholders (excluding Rolling Stockholders) will receive 16.75 US dollars per share, representing a 73% premium to the stock’s closing price on the 14^th of March 2025 – the last trading day before the company announced it had received a non-binding acquisition proposal from a third party.

With an estimated global retail equivalent sales figure of around 6 billion US dollars, Guess? will become Authentic’s second-largest brand. This will bring the company’s total annual retail sales across its entire portfolio to 38 billion US dollars worldwide.

As part of the deal, the operating entity of Guess? and its subsidiaries will become private companies, wholly owned by the current management team. The operating company will continue to operate under its existing leadership and structure.

“Guess? is a powerhouse brand that has defined style and culture for over 40 years. We have tremendous respect for the Marcianos and their team, who have built an innovative, heritage-rich brand with incredible global reach and an established ecosystem of partners. We are excited to build on this legacy in partnership with them as Guess? enters its next chapter within our platform”, said Jamie Salter, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Authentic.

Guess? Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer Paul Marciano commented: “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”.

Going forward, Authentic intends to leverage its global platform to expand Guess?'s presence into new categories and markets, breathe new life into its archives, bolster its European footprint, and stimulate cross-portfolio growth via its retail network.

“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”, highlighted Carlos Alberini, Guess? Chief Executive Officer.

Subject to regulatory approvals, the deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of Guess?’s 2026 fiscal year.

Image Credits: bloomberg.com