Kontoor Brands enters outdoor segment by acquiring Helly Hansen and Musto


Translated by

Nicola Mira

Published



February 19, 2025

Kontoor Brands has entered the fast-growing outdoor apparel and equipment segment. The US group, established in 2019 as a spin-off of VF Corp., has announced the acquisition of Norwegian brand Helly Hansen, specialised in performance apparel for outdoor sports, which joins the group’s portfolio of lifestyle brands, including Lee and Wrangler. Kontoor Brands has bought Helly Hansen for CAD1.276 billion (€861 million), equivalent to the brand’s EBITDA multiplied by 11.

Kontoor Brands enters outdoor segment by acquiring Helly Hansen and Musto
Helly Hansen

Helly Hansen was founded in 1877 and is based in Norway’s capital, Oslo. It was bought in 2018 by Canadian Tire for €645 million from RREO, the Ontario teachers’ pension fund.

“For six years, we have been proud to manage Helly Hansen, broadening its popularity and footprint on a wider global scale, notably by boosting its sales, brand awareness and value,” said Greg Hicks, president of Canadian Tire.

Kontoor Brands is planning to capitalise on Helly Hansen’s strong performance to further grow its presence in the outdoor apparel category. In 2024, Helly Hansen’s revenue was C$894 million (€603 million). Its new owner is forecasting a revenue of €650 million in fiscal 2025, with EBITDA of €76 million.

“The acquisition of Helly Hansen is the perfect fit for our strategy to evolve and expand our portfolio of brands, accelerate growth, and deliver long-term value for our shareholders,” said Scott Baxter, CEO of Kontoor Brands. The group, which reported a revenue of €2.4 billion in 2023, said the acquisition is aimed at “[scaling] Kontoor’s penetration in the large and growing outdoor and workwear markets globally,” while broadening the brand’s reach in terms of geographical areas and clientèle, and providing “access to an affluent, active, and younger consumer base.” Kontoor Brands also said it will be able to “double the operating margin” of Helly Hansen in due course.

Helly Hansen owns British brand Musto, specialised in sailing and water sports apparel, which it bought in 2017 and has been included in the operation with Kontoor Brands.

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