Skip to main content
BoF Logo

The Business of Fashion

Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.

Puma Lifts Guidance As Sales Growth Accelerates

The German sportswear brand nudged up its sales and profit guidance for 2018, but warned of volatile currencies and the threat of a US-China trade war.
Source: Shutterstock
By
  • Reuters

BERLIN, Germany — German sportswear brand Puma nudged up its 2018 forecasts on Thursday after a jump in first-quarter results but the sportswear maker cautioned on volatile currencies and the threat of a U.S.-China trade war.

Puma reported a first-quarter operating profit of 112 million euros, up 60 percent, on currency-adjusted sales up 21 percent to 1.13 billion euros ($1.40 billion).

The advance in sales outpaced growth of 14.5 percent in the previous quarter.

Puma, which still lags German rival Adidas and market leader Nike, has revived its fortunes in recent years by spending heavily on sponsoring top soccer teams and partnering with celebrities such as singer Rihanna.

ADVERTISEMENT

Puma shares were up 1.8 percent by 1048 GMT after the unscheduled announcement, making it one of the biggest gainers among German small-caps. Adidas was up 0.5 percent.

Puma said it now expects a 2018 operating profit of 310 million to 330 million euros, up from previous guidance of 305 to 325 million.

It sees sales at constant currencies rates rising by 10 and 12 percent, up from a previous target of 10 percent.

Puma also flagged new risks, however, citing volatile currency developments, political instability and trade tensions between China and the United States.

Last month, Puma announced plans to rejoin the basketball market as it makes a push to grow in the United States and China and bring its profitability closer to Adidas and Nike.

Puma is due to publish full results on April 24.

By Caroline Copley and Emma Thomasson; editors: Maria Sheahan and Jason Neely.

In This Article

© 2024 The Business of Fashion. All rights reserved. For more information read our Terms & Conditions

More from Financial Markets
A financial lens on the fast-changing fashion sector, including markets, investors and deals.

The Best of BoF 2023: Diversity’s Litmus Test

In 2020, like many companies, the $50 billion yoga apparel brand created a new department to improve internal diversity and inclusion, and to create a more equitable playing field for minorities. In interviews with BoF, 14 current and former employees said things only got worse.


The Year Ahead: The Future of Fashion Deal-Making

For fashion’s private market investors, deal-making may provide less-than-ideal returns and raise questions about the long-term value creation opportunities across parts of the fashion industry, reports The State of Fashion 2024.


The Investment Giant Behind Some of Fashion’s Biggest Deals

L Catterton, the private-equity firm with close ties to LVMH and Bernard Arnault that’s preparing to take Birkenstock public, has become an investment giant in the consumer-goods space, with stakes in companies selling everything from fashion to pet food to tacos.


view more

Subscribe to the BoF Daily Digest

The essential daily round-up of fashion news, analysis, and breaking news alerts.

The Business of Fashion

Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
CONNECT WITH US ON
The Business of Beauty Global Awards - Deadline 30 April 2024
© 2024 The Business of Fashion. All rights reserved. For more information read our Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy and Accessibility Statement.
The Business of Beauty Global Awards - Deadline 30 April 2024