A Possible Acquisition Between LVMH And Ralph Lauren - 2 minutes read
Image: Dino Sabic
The French luxury conglomerate LVMH is rumored to be interested in acquiring American fashion label Ralph Lauren. According to the news website Axio, LVMH has been in talks about acquiring Ralph Laurent for the past two years, and if the offer is successful, it is expected to be one of the largest in the market. LVMH acquired Tiffany & Co. in January of last year for US$ 15.8 billion. Ralph Laurent founded the US brand name in 1967, and it has since grown to become one of the country’s leading high-end fashion companies. Laurent is currently the Chief Creative Officer as well as the Exec Chairman. He is now 82 years old and contemplating a succession strategy.
Image: Ralph Lauren
LVMH can lead Ralph Laurent because it is the parent company of major fashion brands such as Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Celine, and Fendi. Tiffany’s inclusion, as well as its smooth transition, boosted the French luxury conglomerate’s confidence. Since the requisition, and also under the management of Alexandre Arnault, the American jeweller has undergone a significant rebranding in order to attract more youthful customers. Ralph Laurent has been reaching out to a younger demographic. To appeal to digital natives, Ralph Lauren launched new digital services such as the holiday-themed digital apparel collection on the Metaverse.
According to Forbes, Ralph Laurent “costs a multiple of EBITDA of less than 9x, while LVMH costs simply under 16x.” Adding Ralph Laurent’s earnings to LVMH will only increase the latter’s stock costs, implying that the acquisition will be accretive. If the deal goes through, it will further solidify LVMH’s position in the US market. It has already begun to make inroads into this crucial market with Tiffany, and also the addition of Ralph Laurent will allow LVMH to take point in two crucial classifications: Jewellery and also Fashion. This will help the group’s positioning in comparison to competitors like Kering and Richemont.