We present the largest investment rounds of brands specialising in sports equipment distribution. In addition, we analyse the alliance between JD Sports (owner of Sprinter) and Sport Zone, which has given rise to the second largest sports group on the Iberian Peninsula.
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We present the largest investment rounds of brands specialising in sports equipment distribution. In addition, we analyse the alliance between JD Sports (owner of Sprinter) and Sport Zone, which has given rise to the second largest sports group on the Iberian Peninsula.
About JD Sports
Founded in 1981 in Bury (UK), JD Sports Fashion Plc has long established itself as the UK's leading specialist retailer of own-brand fashion, sports and casual wear brands, primarily through the growth of its flagship retail subsidiary, JD Sports.
The JD Group now has more than 800 shops covering both sports equipment and branded fashion. The retail giant has taken full advantage of the growth in sales of international sports brands such as Adidas, Nike, Reebok and Puma and the trend to wear sportswear more and more in everyday life rather than just in the sports arena.
JD closed 2017 with an ebitda of £244.8M, 56% higher than the previous year (£157.1M). Over the last 3 years, its result has increased by more than 190%, providing the Group with a strong base to develop further in the future. The key to this success lies in the core Fashion Sports subsidiaries, where JD's leadership in its core markets is increasingly complemented by the momentum of its international development, with a net increase of 54 JD shops in continental Europe during 2017.
About Sport Zone
10 years ago, when it opened its first shop in Portugal, Sport Zone had a staff of less than 50 people. Today it has more than 60 shops and a team of 1,200 people, making the retailer a leading player in the sports market.
Sport Zone is the most recognised sports chain in Portugal, considered by shopping centres as a solid shop and traffic generator, as they are the sports chain that captures the highest number of visits and the highest value in sports purchases. Its founders knew that a varied range of big brand items and competitive prices was a formula for success.
Sport Zone currently has 60 establishments in Spain (19 of which are located in the Canary Islands).
JD Sports and Sport Zone create new retail giant
The European authorities have given their approval to the alliance between the British company JD Sports (majority shareholder of Alicante-based Sprinter) and the Portuguese company Sonae SGPS have signed a deal to unite their businesses in the Iberian Peninsula. This has been communicated by the companies themselves, who point out that all the agreed conditions have already been met (they have been negotiating since the first quarter of 2017) to close the deal, including permission from the European Competition Authority.
CORPORATE FINANCE EXPERTS
Thus, JD Sports Fashion Plc (JD Group), JD Sprinter Holdings (JD Sprinter) and Sonae SGPS SA (Sonae) will form a joint venture under the name Iberian Sports Retail Group. The new company will control four separate chains: Size, JD, Sprinter and Sport Zone. The resulting distribution giant will have a turnover of more than €500M, representing 11% of the Sport Retail sector in the Iberian Peninsula.
Thus, the new operator becomes the second largest sportswear distributor in the Iberian Peninsula, with a network of more than 300 shops in Portugal and Spain and more than 6,000 collaborators.
Biggest investment rounds in Sports Retail
| Company | Province | Project | Budget | Amount granted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biohope | Madrid | Cell biotechnology for prognosis and monitoring in renal transplantation. | 3.846.640€ | 3.845.140€ |
| Life Length | Madrid | A simple blood test for prognosis and monitoring of patients undergoing cancer therapy. | 3.109.949€ | 3.109.949€ |
| Amadix | Valladolid | Non-invasive kit for the early detection of colorectal cancer. | 2.817.155€ | 2.817.155€ |
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If you are looking for investors, you want to buy or sell your company or finance your R&D&I project, get in touch with our Corporate Finance experts.
If you are looking for investors, want to buy or sell your company or finance your R&D&I project, contact our Corporate Finance experts.