Negotiations for sale of Pepe Jeans and Hackett to begin this week?

By

Olivier Guyot

Published
Oct 26, 2014

Rumors have been circulating in the sector since summer about the possible sale of the group Pepe Jeans and its brands Pepe and Hackett.

According to the French financial newspaper les Echos, the company’s shareholders (the investment firms Torreal at 31%, Artá Capital at 16,4%, L Capital at 11,5% and members of the company’s management) may enter into negotiations for the sale of the group.

The company generated more than 700 millions euros, with an estimated Ebitda of 60 millions euros over its last fiscal year. The group is present in 60 or so countries, Pepe Jeans London with strong business in particular on the Indian market. Taken together, both brands have more than 300 stores and distribution through 6000 points of sale.

According to initial reports by Bloomberg, there are four parties interested: KKR, which has a stake in SMCP; Permira, which has stakes in Dr Martens and Hugo Boss; CVC, an international player in capital investment that has shares in Cortefiel since 2005; and PAI, the European investment funds based in France that has either had or currently has investments in companies including Vivarte, Coin and Cortefiel.