Kering Reaches $860 Mln Paris Real Estate Deal with Ardian

The logo of fashion house Gucci is seen outside a store in Cannes, France, May 16, 2024. (Reuters)
The logo of fashion house Gucci is seen outside a store in Cannes, France, May 16, 2024. (Reuters)
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Kering Reaches $860 Mln Paris Real Estate Deal with Ardian

The logo of fashion house Gucci is seen outside a store in Cannes, France, May 16, 2024. (Reuters)
The logo of fashion house Gucci is seen outside a store in Cannes, France, May 16, 2024. (Reuters)

Gucci owner Kering has transferred three of its Paris real estate assets to a new joint venture with French private equity firm Ardian, freeing up 837 million euros ($860.27 million) in proceeds, the company announced on Wednesday.

The portfolio of the new entity, in which Kering will keep a 40% stake, includes a building on place Vendome, famous for its jewellery boutiques, and two others on avenue Montaigne, one of Paris's main high-end shopping streets.

The transaction is part of Kering's broader real estate strategy, aimed at securing control of high-profile retail locations while also raising cash.

The company - which also owns fashion labels Saint Laurent, Balenciaga and Bottega Veneta - issued a hefty profit warning in October. It is due to report full-year results on Feb. 11.



Italian Shoemaker Geox to Invest $125 Million in 5-year Plan

FILE PHOTO: Geox shoes are seen in a shop in Rome, Italy, April 10, 2016. REUTERS/Max Rossi/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Geox shoes are seen in a shop in Rome, Italy, April 10, 2016. REUTERS/Max Rossi/File Photo
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Italian Shoemaker Geox to Invest $125 Million in 5-year Plan

FILE PHOTO: Geox shoes are seen in a shop in Rome, Italy, April 10, 2016. REUTERS/Max Rossi/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Geox shoes are seen in a shop in Rome, Italy, April 10, 2016. REUTERS/Max Rossi/File Photo

Italian shoemaker Geox plans to invest about 120 million euros ($125 million) as part of an industrial plan to 2029 and has signed a five-year deal with a leading Chinese operator to expand its presence in the country.

The maker of breathable, waterproof footwear said in November it would end direct operations in the unprofitable Chinese and US markets after posting a 9.7% yearly drop in nine-month revenue globally, Reuters reported. It said it would continue its business in the two countries through local partnerships.

In addition to the investments, announced in a statement late on Monday, the group said it would extend by 24 months the medium- to long-term debt repayment plans as part of a debt refinancing agreement with creditor banks including Monte dei Paschi and the Italian units of BNP Paribas and Credit Agricole.
Geox controlling shareholder LIR, the family holding of its chairman and founder Mario Moretti Polegato, will contribute up to 60 million euros to the industrial plan, the statement said.
The shoemaker expects yearly revenues above 850 million euros by 2029, compared with 720 million in 2023, with compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5% in the next five years, and an EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes) margin over 7% by 2029.