Authentic Brands Group

What does Authentic Brands Group own?
ABG owns over 50 brands including Reebok, Champion, Guess (majority stake acquired January 2026), Dockers (acquisition agreed May 2025), Forever 21, Juicy Couture, Nautica, Quiksilver, Billabong, DC Shoes, Roxy, RVCA, Element, Sports Illustrated, and entertainment licensing rights for Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, and Muhammad Ali, among others.

Is Authentic Brands Group publicly traded?
No. ABG is a privately held company and has not pursued a public listing as of 2026. The company has been valued at over 20 billion dollars in private funding discussions.

Who founded Authentic Brands Group?
ABG was founded in 2007 by Jamie Salter, who serves as Chairman and CEO. Salter built the company through acquisitions of heritage consumer brands and the development of a licensing-based business model.

Where is Authentic Brands Group headquartered?
ABG is headquartered in New York City, New York.

How does Authentic Brands Group make money?
ABG earns royalties from licensees who manufacture and sell products under ABG's brand names. Licensees pay royalties calculated as a percentage of net sales. ABG does not manufacture products or hold inventory directly. The company's portfolio generates an estimated 30 billion dollars or more in annual retail sales globally.

What is ABG's most recent major acquisition?
In January 2026, ABG completed the acquisition of a majority stake in Guess, valuing the brand at approximately 1.4 billion dollars. In May 2025, Levi Strauss agreed to sell the Dockers brand to ABG for 311 million dollars. In 2024, ABG acquired Champion from Hanesbrands for approximately 1.2 billion dollars.

Did Forever 21 go bankrupt again?
Yes. In 2025, Forever 21 filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy again and announced plans to close all U.S. stores. The brand was acquired by ABG, Simon Property Group, and Brookfield from bankruptcy in 2020 but continued to face headwinds from fast fashion competition and changing consumer preferences.

Jamie Salter founded Authentic Brands Group in 2007 after working in brand licensing and management. The company initially focused on acquiring heritage brands with strong consumer recognition but underperforming commercial operations.

Early acquisitions included Marilyn Monroe in 2011, Elvis Presley in 2013, and Juicy Couture in 2013. ABG acquired Sports Illustrated from Meredith Corporation in 2019 for approximately 110 million dollars. The company acquired Forever 21 out of bankruptcy in 2020 in partnership with Simon Property Group and Brookfield Asset Management.

ABG acquired the Reebok brand from Adidas in February 2022 for approximately 2.5 billion dollars, its largest acquisition to date. Reebok significantly expanded ABG's presence in athletic footwear and apparel. In 2022, ABG also acquired the Boardriders portfolio of action sports brands including Quiksilver, Billabong, Roxy, DC Shoes, RVCA, and Element.

In May 2025, Levi Strauss agreed to sell the Dockers brand to ABG for 311 million dollars. In August 2025, ABG acquired a majority stake in Guess, the American fashion brand, valuing Guess at approximately 1.4 billion dollars. The Guess transaction closed in January 2026, making Guess ABG's second-largest brand by revenue after Reebok.

In 2024, ABG acquired the Champion brand from Hanesbrands for approximately 1.2 billion dollars. Champion, known for its athletic and casual apparel, was a significant addition to ABG's sportswear portfolio. The acquisition included the global Champion brand business, though Hanesbrands retained certain rights in some markets.

ABG has also expanded its entertainment and celebrity licensing business. The company acquired the rights to the Muhammad Ali name and likeness in 2013 and has built a portfolio of celebrity estates that generates revenue through licensing deals with manufacturers, media companies, and retailers.

ABG has established a Sustainability Alliance to coordinate environmental and social initiatives across its portfolio. The company conducts annual materiality assessments surveying its global partner network on ESG topics.

ABG maintains certifications and memberships with sustainability organizations including the Responsible Down Standard, Responsible Wool Standard, Textile Exchange, Forest Stewardship Council, and the Sustainable Apparel Coalition. The company uses the Higg Index to measure sustainability performance across its licensed brands and supply chain partners.

ABG requires licensees to comply with codes of conduct addressing worker safety, fair wages, environmental protection, and ethical business practices. However, because ABG does not directly manufacture products, its ability to enforce sustainability standards depends on licensee compliance.

ABG is not a Certified B Corporation. The company publishes sustainability reports but its asset-light model means its direct environmental footprint is smaller than traditional consumer goods companies. The primary sustainability impact of ABG's portfolio comes from the manufacturing operations of its licensees, which ABG does not directly control.

ABG and its leadership have received recognition in the brand management industry.

• TIME 100 Impact Awards (2025): Jamie Salter recognized for building a multibillion-dollar brand empire through strategic acquisitions and licensing
• Licensing International Excellence Awards: Multiple recognitions for brand licensing and portfolio management
• M&A Achievement Awards: Recognition for successful acquisitions including Reebok, Champion, Guess, and the Boardriders portfolio

Sports Illustrated has faced controversy under ABG's ownership. In January 2024, The Arena Group, which licensed the Sports Illustrated brand from ABG to publish the magazine, laid off most of its editorial staff following financial difficulties. ABG subsequently terminated The Arena Group's license and sought a new licensee for the Sports Illustrated publishing rights. The situation raised questions about ABG's stewardship of media brands and the sustainability of the licensing model for journalism.

In 2024, Sports Illustrated faced criticism after it was revealed that some articles had been published under bylines of authors who did not exist, with content generated by a third-party AI platform. The controversy further damaged the brand's credibility and raised questions about ABG's oversight of its licensees' editorial practices.

Forever 21 has faced ongoing challenges as a retail brand, filing for bankruptcy in 2019 before being acquired by ABG, Simon Property Group, and Brookfield. The brand has continued to face headwinds from fast fashion competition and changing consumer preferences. In 2025, Forever 21 filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy again and announced plans to close all U.S. stores, marking a significant failure of ABG's retail brand stewardship.

The licensing model itself has drawn criticism from some brand industry observers who argue that asset-light brand management can lead to brand dilution. When multiple licensees produce products under the same brand name across different categories and markets, quality control and brand consistency can become challenging. ABG has stated that it maintains brand standards through licensing agreements and quality oversight, but the model inherently limits the company's direct control over product quality.