US fashion brand Michael Kors buying Jimmy Choo
Luxury shoe brand Jimmy Choo is to be acquired by US fashion brand Michael Kors in a €1bn deal.
London-listed Jimmy Choo put itself up for sale as part of a strategic review in April and on Tuesday Michael Kors said it is "the ideal partner" for the firm.
The group said in a statement that it will support the growth of Jimmy Choo through "retail store openings and further development of its online presence", adding that the shoe firm will operate under its existing management team, including chief executive Pierre Denis.
Under the terms of the deal, Jimmy Choo shareholders will receive 230p in cash for each share, a premium of 36.5% on the firm's share price of 168.5p on April 21.
John Idol, chairman and chief executive of Michael Kors, said: "We believe that Jimmy Choo is poised for meaningful growth in the future and we are committed to supporting the strong brand equity that Jimmy Choo has built over the last 20 years."
In March, Jimmy Choo cheered record revenues and profits thanks to a boost from the Brexit-hit pound and strong sales across Asia.
The designer firm saw annual revenues climb 15% to €406m in the year to the end of December, while earnings lifted 16% to €66m over the period.
Jimmy Choo counts Jennifer Lopez, the Duchess of Cambridge and Beyonce among its fans.
Chairman Peter Harf said: "A combination with Michael Kors will allow Jimmy Choo to embark on its next phase of growth and provide opportunities for the benefit of Jimmy Choo customers, employees, shareholders and other stakeholders."
