Adidas AG
Acquisitions
4
Major Deals Covered
$5.5B
Disclosed Deal Value
Adidas's largest disclosed acquisition here is Reebok for $3.8B in 2006. This page covers 4 major deals from 1997 to 2015, each with its price where disclosed and the reason behind it.
| Company | Year | Price | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salomon Group | 1997 | $1.4B | Adidas acquired Salomon to add winter sports equipment and TaylorMade golf to its portfolio. |
| Reebok | 2006 | $3.8B | Adidas acquired Reebok to expand its North American presence and add a second global sportswear brand. |
| Five Ten | 2011 | $25.0M | Adidas acquired Five Ten to add specialist climbing and mountain biking footwear. |
| Runtastic | 2015 | $240.0M | Adidas acquired Runtastic to add mobile running and training applications and a digital fitness community. |
2015
$240M
Adidas acquired Runtastic to add mobile running and training applications and a digital fitness community.
Runtastic became the foundation for Adidas Running and Adidas Training applications.
The acquisition added digital fitness services to Adidas's consumer offering.
2011
$25M
Adidas acquired Five Ten to add specialist climbing and mountain biking footwear.
Five Ten became part of Adidas's outdoor footwear offering.
Five Ten continues as an Adidas outdoor footwear brand.
2006
$3.8B
Adidas acquired Reebok to expand its North American presence and add a second global sportswear brand.
Reebok remained a separate brand in the Adidas portfolio until its divestiture.
Adidas agreed to sell Reebok to Authentic Brands Group in 2021.
1997
$1.4B
Adidas acquired Salomon to add winter sports equipment and TaylorMade golf to its portfolio.
The transaction created adidas-Salomon and broadened the group beyond footwear and apparel.
The acquisition diversified Adidas into winter sports and golf before later portfolio divestitures.
Adidas is investing in football, running, training, basketball, Originals, and Sportswear while giving regional teams more authority over assortments and marketing. The company uses wholesale and direct-to-consumer channels rather than relying on one distribution model.
Adidas develops and markets footwear, apparel, and accessories while independent manufacturing partners produce most goods. It sells through wholesale partners and direct-to-consumer channels; wholesale represented 60% of 2025 sales and direct-to-consumer represented 40%.
Adidas completed its $3.8 billion Reebok acquisition in 2006. In 2021 it agreed to sell Reebok to Authentic Brands Group for total consideration of up to $2.37 billion (EUR2.1 billion); the sale was a divestiture.
Adidas acquired Salomon Group in 1997 for a reported $1.4 billion, adding winter sports equipment and TaylorMade golf. Adidas later divested Salomon.
Acquired via Salomon in 1997, TaylorMade grew into a dominant golf club brand before Adidas sold the division to private equity firm KPS Capital Partners for $425 million in 2017 to concentrate on footwear and apparel.
Adidas acquired Runtastic in August 2015 at an enterprise value of ~$249 million (EUR220 million), adding running and training applications to its digital consumer offering.
Adidas acquired Five Ten in November 2011 for a reported $25 million, adding climbing and mountain biking footwear to its outdoor product range.
Under CEO Bjørn Gulden, Adidas avoids large brand acquisitions, focusing capital expenditure on organic brand innovation, flagship store upgrades, and direct co-ventures with cultural designers.
Divesting Reebok, Rockport, and TaylorMade allowed Adidas to eliminate hundreds of millions in non-core overhead, streamline global logistics, and focus 100% of executive attention on the Adidas 3-Stripes brand.
Through its innovation teams, Adidas invests in material science startups like Spinnova (wood-based fiber) and Bolt Threads (mushroom-based Mylo leather alternative) to develop circular, biodegradable footwear.
Adidas acquired Reebok in 2005 for $3.8 billion to compete directly with Nike in the US, but eventually sold it off years later after it failed to generate expected growth.
Compare corporate acquisition records, deal values, and strategic targets
Explore Adidas
Core profile pages, founders and related research hubs for this company.