Anta Sports sets out to conquer America: a flagship store in Beverly Hills and a strategic offensive

Anta Sports is attempting to conquer the American market. The Chinese sportswear giant, now the world's third-largest player in the sector in terms of market capitalization, has opened its first Anta-branded store in North America, in Beverly Hills. This is a historic turning point, as highlighted in a company press release, marking a break with the traditional wholesale model strategy in the United States. It is a real gamble, given that the American market has historically been dominated by giants such as Nike and Adidas.

A new "Brand + Retail" model

Officially inaugurated on February 13, the new store makes no secret of the group's ambitions: a space of around 3,000 square meters and Anta's transition to what the company defines as the "brand + retail" model, designed to strengthen the brand's independence. The long-term goal is clear: "The Beverly Hills flagship store represents Anta's first permanent retail presence in the United States and will serve as a base for the brand's future expansion, partnerships with athletes (already consolidated with NBA stars such as Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson, editor's note) and engagement with consumers across the country," the company explains in a note.

Designed to be more than just a retail destination, the store aims to be a community and cultural hub. Future programs will include running clubs, athlete-led activations, and initiatives celebrating the intersection of Chinese-American heritage, sports, and performance innovation. This opening is part of a major global expansion, with Anta now boasting more than 12,000 stores across China, consolidating its reach, credibility, and long-term commitment to the US market.

"Opening our first flagship store in the United States in Beverly Hills is a defining moment for Anta," said Samuel Tsui, CEO of Anta Brand. "This store represents our commitment to the U.S. market and our belief that sports, culture, and innovation in performance have a place on the world's biggest stages. Beverly Hills is the perfect location for this vision."

The rise to prominence thanks to Salomon and Arc’teryx

The group's recent success outside Asia—and certainly in Europe—has also been fueled by the performance of brands such as Salomon and Arc'teryx (which have already expanded in Milan with several retail outlets). These brands have experienced explosive growth in recent years, becoming popular even with customers far removed from Anta's core business. According to data from DeepMarketInsight, Anta Sports is now the third-largest group by capitalization in the sportswear sector, with a market value of $32.66 billion (approximately €30.37 billion).

In mid-2025, the global sportswear sector remained dominated by Nike ($107.03 billion market capitalization) and Adidas ($43.42 billion), followed by Lululemon ($27.5 billion) and Asics ($17.3 billion). Despite this, Anta's growing strength is evident from its results for the first six months of 2025: the group recorded revenue of 38.5 billion yuan (approximately $5 billion) and growth of 14.3%, exceeding analysts' estimates of 38.1 billion yuan.

As indicated in the financial report, this is the twelfth consecutive year of growth for the group, consolidating its leadership in the Chinese market. There, the growth of the brands in the portfolio (Arc'teryx, Salomon, Wilson) was even more pronounced, with revenues up 23% in the first quarter of 2025. Specifically, the Anta brand generated 16.95 billion yuan, an increase of 5.4%, which is above the industry average.

The strategic acquisition of a stake in Puma

The group's rise will now be driven not only by the growth of its brands, but also by the ambitious acquisition of a 29.06% stake in Puma, further strengthening its competitive position globally. Here too, the challenge remains considerable, given the German group's continuing decline in sales. However, the deal—valued at around €1.5 billion—should help Puma increase its sales in the lucrative mainland Chinese market, while Anta expands its multi-brand strategy.

"Working with Puma, we look forward to learning from each other and collaborating to fully leverage the brand's potential. This will further accelerate the globalization of Anta Sports and help drive the next chapter of growth for global sports markets, including China, creating lasting value for consumers and shareholders of both companies worldwide," commented Ding Shizhong, Chairman of Anta Sports.

It is now up to the Asian giant to turn around Puma, which has been struggling for some time (in the third quarter of the year, the company posted revenues of €1.9 billion, down 15.3% at current exchange rates). But in the meantime, its intention to shake up Nike and Adidas—its future direct competitors—seems crystal clear.