Merger Notification - Announcement according to § 10 Cartel Act
Authentic Brands Group LLC; JV IPCos
BWB/Z-7073
On 17.09.2025 the Austrian Federal Competition Authority was notified of the following merger:
Planned purchase process
Planned acquisition of a 51% majority stake in substantially most of the intellectual property assets of GUESS?, Inc., Switzerland by Authentic Brands Group, LLC, USA.
C - MANUFACTURING C 14 - Manufacture of wearing apparel, G - WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE, G 47.7 - Retail sale of other goods, except motor vehicles and motorcycles, G 47.9 - Intermediation service activities for retail sale, O - ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPPORT SERVICE ACTIVITIES, O 77.4 - Leasing of intellectual property and similar products, except copyrighted works
Deadline for bringing in an application pursuant to § 11(1) Cartel Act will end on 15.10.2025.
Entrepreneurs whose legal or economic interests are affected by the merger can bring in a written statement at the Federal Competition Authority or the Federal Cartel Prosecutor within 14 days from publication date.
Note: The intervening party has no right to a certain treatment of the statement and will not gain a party position.
Non-prohibition of the merger
The Federal Competition Authority and the Federal Cartel Prosecutor have not applied for examination of the merger by the Cartel Court. The standstill obligation (§ 17 (1) Cartel Act) ends with effect from 16.10.2025 .