Coach parent Tapestry pulls $8.5 billion bid for Capri after FTC roadblock
10:50 am Thursday, November 14th, 2024
By Savyata Mishra and Ananya Mariam Rajesh
(Reuters) -Tapestry is terminating its $8.5 billion deal to buy Michael Kors owner Capri following a legal hurdle, the companies said on Thursday, ending their effort to create a U.S. luxury giant to compete with major European players.
The deal would have brought six brands under one roof: Tapestry’s Coach, Kate Spade and Stuart Weitzman; and Capri’s Versace, Jimmy Choo and Michael Kors. But regulators sued to block the deal earlier this year, citing anti-competition concerns.
Capri shares were down nearly 3% in early trading on Thursday. They have lost nearly half of their value since a U.S. judge blocked the deal late last month.
Tapestry’s stock, on the other hand, rose nearly 10% to a decade high of $56.50, as the company also announced a $2 billion share buyback.
The merger was blocked last month after the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) argued that it would eliminate head-to-head competition between the top two handbag makers and create a massive company with the power to unfairly raise prices.
The companies said on Thursday they mutually agreed that ending the merger agreement was in their best interest, as the outcome of the legal process was uncertain and unlikely to be resolved by Feb. 10, the deadline that was set for the deal.
Some analysts had anticipated the deal to fall through despite President-elect Donald Trump’s lenient stance on antitrust. Tapestry CFO Scott Roe told Reuters last week the election had no bearing on the judicial process.
Last week, Tapestry said it had halted its merger plans as it appealed the U.S. judge’s decision.
“This is a clear victory for the FTC. Tapestry and Capri realized that the juice wasn’t worth the squeeze given that they were unlikely to get regulatory approval before the deal expired in February,” said Emarketer analyst Zak Stambor.
Tapestry said it does not expect any acquisitions in the near term and has agreed to reimburse Capri’s expenses of about $45 million, incurred in connection with the merger.
“Tapestry likely decided it was overpaying for Capri,” Stambor said.
Capri has reported several straight quarters of sales decline since the deal was announced in August last year.
Tapestry CEO Joanne Crevoiserat said the company plans to accelerate growth for its organic business and had “significant runway ahead.” The company also raised its 2025 profit forecast last week.
Coach’s Tabby handbags have gained traction among younger consumers, helping Tapestry to post gross margin growth for eight straight quarters.
Meanwhile, Capri CEO John Idol said on Thursday the company was laying out several plans to help reverse its sales decline.
Capri plans to sell more products that appeal to a broader consumer base, while also reducing the number of Michael Kors stores to 650 over time.
(Reporting by Savyata Mishra and Ananya Mariam Rajesh in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli)
