Guess will go private in $1.4 billion deal with Authentic

Guess management will continue to run the business and own the operating company, the company said, while Authentic Brands will acquire a majority stake in Guess’s intellectual property

Guess Inc. is going private in a $1.4 billion deal with Authentic Brands Group LLC in partnership with co-founders Maurice and Paul Marciano and Chief Executive Officer Carlos Alberini.

Shareholders will get $16.75 a share in cash, a 26% premium to the stock’s closing price on Tuesday. The deal’s valuation includes debt, the company said in a statement. The shares jumped to near the offer price in New York trading on Wednesday.

Guess management will continue to run the business and own the operating company, the company said, while Authentic Brands will acquire a majority stake in Guess’s intellectual property.

Authentic Brands, run by Chief Executive Officer Jamie Salter, has built a portfolio of more than 50 fashion, celebrity and media brands through acquisitions. Those deals have included the purchase of Dockers from Levi Strauss & Co., Champion Brands from Hanesbrands Inc., and Reebok from Adidas AG. Salter has said he’s considering taking the company public in 2026.

Guess, founded in 1981 by the Marciano brothers with a focus on denim, formed a special committee this year to evaluate a takeover offer from WHP Global, another brand owner. Authentic Brands later lobbed a rival bid, Bloomberg News reported.

Guess executives have been restructuring the retailer’s operations in an effort to boost productivity and integrate Rag & Bone, the fashion brand it acquired with WHP Global in 2024. The reorganization included store closures in the US and investments in direct-to-consumer sales.

In June, Guess reported quarterly revenue that surpassed analysts’ expectations, despite shrinking comparable store sales in Europe, Asia and the Americas. Alberini said he expects growth to be driven by the expansion of Rag & Bone and the Guess denim line.