Amer Sports

Amer Sports Oyj (formerly Amer-Yhtymä Oyj) is a Chinese-owned Finnish sporting goods company with brands including Salomon, Arc'teryx, Peak Performance, Atomic, Suunto, Wilson, Precor, Armada, ENVE Composites, Louisville Slugger, DeMarini and Sports Tracker.[1] The company is a subsidiary of Anta Sports.

Amer Sports Oyj
TypeSubsidiary
IndustrySports equipment
Founded1950 (1950)
Headquarters,
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
  • Anssi Vanjoki (Chairman)
  • Heikki Takala (President and CEO)
  • Jussi Siitonen (CFO)
ProductsSports equipment, apparel, footwear
Brands
Revenue
  • €2.622 billion (2016)
  • €2.534 billion (2015)
  • €205 million (2016)
  • €168 million (2015)
  • €127 million (2016)
  • €122 million (2015)
Total assets
  • €2.715 billion (2016)
  • €2.556 billion (2015)
Total equity
  • €1.003 billion (2016)
  • €950 million (2015)
Number of employees
8,617 (July 2017)
ParentANTA Sports (2019–present)
Websiteamersports.com
Footnotes / references
[2]

Established in 1950 as an industrial conglomerate with interests as diverse as tobacco trading, ship owning and publishing, Amer has gradually evolved into a multinational firm devoted to the production and marketing of sporting goods. The company employs over 8,000 people.

History

Industrial past

The company began life as a tobacco manufacturer and distributor, Amer-Tupakka, in 1950[3] and acquired the right to produce and sell Philip Morris cigarettes in Finland in 1961.[4] In the 1960s, the significant profits from the company's tobacco interests were invested in three commercial ships.[4] A publishing and printing division was added in 1970 with the purchase of the Finnish company Weilin+Göös, and the company listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange in 1977, four years after changing its name to Amer-Yhtymä (English: Amer Group).[3] In the 1980s, Amer moved into the vehicle import industry by acquiring the firm Korpivaara, and with it the exclusive rights to import and distribute such brands as Citroën and Toyota.[4] The decade also saw the company expand into the textiles and plastics markets.

Focus on sport

In 1986, Amer established a sports division after acquiring a majority stake in the golf equipment maker MacGregor Golf from Jack Nicklaus.[5] Despite this, the company was involved in the sports equipment market as early as 1974, when it bought the hockey gear maker then known as Koho-Tuote.[3] These interests were sold in 1986. Three years later, Amer acquired the Chicago-based Wilson Sporting Goods Company, a leading producer of golf clubs, racquets and other sporting equipment, marking a major change in strategy for the company.[6] Further acquisitions followed in the shape of the Austrian ski manufacturer Atomic in 1994[3] and the Finnish sports instrument maker Suunto in 1999.[7] The American baseball and softball bat firm Demarini was purchased a year later, falling under the Wilson division.[8] During this time, many of the business areas no longer deemed to be core were divested, although the company retained its tobacco business until 2004 when it was sold back to Philip Morris.[9] In 2005, Amer acquired the outdoor sports company Salomon from Adidas for €485 million.[10] In the same year, the company officially changed its name to Amer Sports Corporation.[11] In 2019, Amer completed its divestment of Mavic.[12] In December 2020, Amer Sport sold Precor to the American exercise equipment manufacturer Peloton.[13]

Ownership

The company shares were listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki stock exchange.[14] On December 7, 2018 Amer Sports announced buyout negotiations with a consortium led by Anta Sports.[15] The buyout was completed in 2019.

Operations

Amer divides its operations into three business units: winter and outdoor sports, ball sports (Wilson, Louisville Slugger, and DeMarini) and fitness (of which all products carry the Precor USA brand).[16] The winter and outdoor sports business segment is the largest, contributing 60% of Amer Sports' net sales in 2013. The winter and outdoor sports group includes Salomon, Atomic, Suunto, Peak Performance, Arc'teryx, Armada, Enve, and Sports Tracker.[1]

The company's global headquarters are located in Helsinki, Finland, with manufacturing and sales locations worldwide. In 2007, Amer Sports' North American headquarters were moved from Portland, Oregon to the historic American Can Company of Utah Building Complex in Ogden, Utah.[17]

On December 7, 2018, Amer Sports announced a buyout offer by a consortium led by Anta Sports of China. The company's shares were valued at €4.6 billion, 40% over their average market value. Under the terms of the offer, Amer Sports will remain a separate business entity with no immediate changes in management or workforce, while Anta Sports shall provide R&D and production resources required for expansion on the Chinese market.[15]

See also

References

  1. Brands on AmerSports website, 3 Oct 2019
  2. Nasdaq
  3. "Amer Sports history". Amer Sports. Archived from the original on 31 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-11.
  4. Cohen, M.L. (2006). "Amer Group plc". International Directory of Company Histories. The Gale Group. Archived from the original on 17 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-11.
  5. "COMPANY NEWS; MacGregor Sale". Reuters. The New York Times. 3 December 1986. Retrieved 2008-04-11.
  6. Freudenheim, Milt (21 February 1989). "Amer Group to Acquire Wilson Sporting Goods". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-04-11.
  7. "Amer's ownership in Suunto rises to 98.7 percent" (Press release). Amer Sports. 1 December 1999. Retrieved 2008-04-11.
  8. "Wilson Sporting Goods Co acquires DeMarini Sports Inc". Thomson Financial. 19 January 2000. Retrieved 2008-04-11.
  9. "Amer Group giving up tobacco business; company to concentrate on sporting goods". Helsingin Sanomat. 19 December 2003. Archived from the original on 2008-06-26. Retrieved 2008-04-11.
  10. Tomlinson, Heather (3 May 2005). "Adidas sells ski and surf group for £329m". The Guardian. Retrieved 2008-04-11.
  11. "Amer Group Plc changes name to Amer Sports Corporation". Nordic Business Report. 24 March 2005. Retrieved 2008-04-11.
  12. "Amer Sports completes Mavic divestment". Amer Sports. 2019-07-09. Retrieved 2019-08-07.
  13. "Peloton will pay $420 million to acquire fitness equipment maker Precor". Retrieved 2020-12-22.
  14. "Amer Sports Financial Review 2015 published". Amer Sports. 15 February 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-05-16. Retrieved 2016-05-16.
  15. https://www.amersports.com/2018/12/mascot-bidco-oy-announces-a-voluntary-recommended-public-cash-tender-offer-for-all-the-shares-in-amer-sports-corporation/
  16. "Amer Sports business segments". Amer Sports. Archived from the original on 2008-04-10. Retrieved 2008-04-11.
  17. "Owner of Salomon, Atomic moving U.S. HQ to Utah". Ski Racing. 16 October 2006. Archived from the original on October 18, 2006. Retrieved 2008-04-11.
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