ANTA

Corporate brand

Anta is a Chinese sportswear giant founded in 1991, now the world's third-largest sportswear company by revenue, known for performance footwear and apparel and a portfolio of global brands.

Last updated October 14, 2026

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Overview

Anta Sports Products Limited, commonly known as Anta, is a Chinese multinational sports equipment corporation headquartered in Jinjiang, Fujian. Founded in 1991 by Ding Shizhong, the company designs, develops, manufactures, and markets sportswear, footwear, apparel, and accessories under its own ANTA brand and a growing portfolio of subsidiaries. It is publicly traded on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under the ticker 2020.HK and is a constituent of the Hang Seng Index. By revenue, Anta is the world's third-largest sportswear company, behind Nike and Adidas and ahead of Li-Ning. Anta's core brand offers performance and lifestyle products across basketball, running, training, and lifestyle categories. The company has built a strong reputation in basketball through signature athlete lines, most notably with Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (the KT series) and, more recently, with Kyrie Irving (the KAI series). The official ANTA US website showcases products such as the ANTA KAI 3 basketball shoes at $135, the KT 11 at $140, and the KT 10 at $104–$130, reflecting a premium performance positioning in the basketball category. The brand also emphasizes a philosophy of "Keep Moving" and "Sport for All," aiming to make sports accessible to everyone. Beyond its core ANTA brand, the company operates a multi-brand strategy. It acquired the Fila trademark in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao in 2009 and operates Fila stores in those territories. It also manages Descente and Sprandi in China, and Kolon Sport and Kingkow in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao. In 2019, Anta led a consortium to acquire Amer Sports, the Finnish sporting goods company that owns Arc'teryx, Salomon, Wilson, and other brands. In 2023, Anta acquired a majority stake in the female athleisure brand Maia Active. In 2026, Anta acquired a 29% stake in Puma, becoming the largest shareholder. Anta has also been an official supplier of the International Olympic Committee and sponsors numerous athletes and teams, including Eileen Gu and Kyrie Irving.

History

ANTA began in 1991, when Ding Shizhong founded the business in China. The brand’s official account presents its development as a journey from a modest start toward a larger role in sports, built around perseverance, competition, and product innovation. Its “Keep Moving” message expresses the idea that sport is not only an activity but can also be part of daily life. The available company description identifies product design, development, manufacturing, and marketing as core activities, spanning sportswear, footwear, and accessories. A notable early expansion point in the supplied history is the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which gave the company an opportunity to expand its footwear marketing. The company subsequently built a broader presence through partnerships, retail, and a multi-brand corporate strategy. The supplied encyclopedia entry reports that Anta Sports Products Limited listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2007 under ticker 2020.HK. It also describes the company’s later portfolio expansion, including its 2009 acquisition of the FILA trademark for mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau, and the 2018 announcement by an investor consortium including Anta of a recommended cash tender offer for Amer Sports. Amer Sports is identified in the entry as a major subsidiary, with brands including Arc’teryx, Salomon, and Wilson. These are corporate-portfolio developments rather than ANTA-branded product launches. Athlete partnerships have been an important part of the brand’s marketing. The supplied history names basketball players Kevin Garnett and Klay Thompson as sponsored athletes, with Thompson joining in 2017. The official storefront currently associates the KT signature shoe line with Thompson, and its product pages describe the KT 11 as continuing the athlete’s signature-shoe journey. The company also announced in 2020 that freestyle skier Eileen Gu had become a brand ambassador, according to the supplied encyclopedia text. In 2024, Anta and Kyrie Irving launched their first sneaker together, while the official storefront promotes a Kyrie-related campaign and basketball products. The company’s history also includes a public controversy: the supplied entry says Anta temporarily boycotted the NBA in October 2019 following a Houston Rockets official’s repost supporting protests in Hong Kong. The same entry reports that Anta Sports acquired a 75.13% stake in women’s athleisure brand Maia Active in October 2023. Later portfolio developments stated in that source are not included here as established current facts because they are dated beyond the period independently supported by the supplied official brand pages. Today, ANTA presents itself as a sportswear brand for both sport and everyday life. Its official US site features basketball, lifestyle, and running categories and lists products such as KAI and KT basketball shoes. The brand’s own account emphasizes accessible participation and performance gear, while the broader company remains a publicly traded, multi-brand sportswear group.

2026
Acquired 29% stake in Puma for €1.5bn, becoming largest shareholder.
2024
Launched first sneaker with Kyrie Irving.
2024
First Anta–Kyrie Irving sneaker launched
2023
Acquired 75.13% stake in Maia Active.
2023
Maia Active acquisition
2020
Signed Eileen Gu as brand ambassador.
2020
Eileen Gu becomes a brand ambassador
2019
Temporarily boycotted NBA due to Houston Rockets official's retweet.
2019
Temporary NBA boycott
2018
Consortium including Anta announced tender offer for Amer Sports.
2018
Amer Sports tender offer announced
2017
Klay Thompson signed with Anta after leaving Nike.
2017
Klay Thompson partnership
2010
Kevin Garnett signed with Anta after leaving Adidas.
2009
Acquired Fila trademark in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao from Belle International.
2009
FILA trademark acquisition
2008
Beijing Olympics provided opportunity to expand footwear marketing.
2008
Beijing Olympics provide an expansion opportunity
2007
Listed on Hong Kong Stock Exchange as 2020.HK at HK$5.28 per share.
2007
Anta Sports lists in Hong Kong
1991
Anta founded by Ding Shizhong in Jinjiang, China.
1991
ANTA founded

Products and positioning

Performance sportswear brand with a focus on basketball, running, and lifestyle, offering professional-grade gear at accessible price points.

ANTA KAI 3
Basketball shoes, $135, available in multiple colorways.
ANTA KT 11
The official product page describes it as a performance-oriented basketball shoe continuing Klay Thompson’s signature-shoe journey.
ANTA KT 10
Klay Thompson signature basketball shoes, $104–$130.
ANTA KAI 2 SPEED
Basketball shoes, $110.
ANTA KAI 2 TEAM
Basketball shoes, $100.
ANTA KAI basketball shoes
A basketball footwear line featured on the official ANTA US storefront.
ANTA KT signature basketball shoes
A basketball shoe line associated with Klay Thompson; official product pages include the KT 10 and KT 11.

Controversies

2019
Muddy Waters questions distributor relationships and financial statements; company denies and explains
In July 2019, a Muddy Waters short-seller report questioned Anta's relationships with distributors and its financial information, and Anta briefly suspended trading in response. The company denied the allegations, explaining the independence of distributors and certain promotional wording. The cited reports did not provide evidence that financial fraud or manipulation of distributors had been recognized by regulators.
Source
Temporary NBA boycott amid Hong Kong-related controversy

KYRIE: THE RETURN
ALCHEMIST

Brand decisions

Development of a multi-brand sports portfolioOther

Recent events

Unconfirmed
Anta completes acquisition of 29.06% stake in PUMA SE, becoming its largest shareholder[8]安踏完成收购PUMA SE 29.06%股权，成为其最大股东mp.cnfol.com
Anta Group announced it has completed the share transfer for PUMA SE, paying 1.5055 billion euros in cash for a 29.06% stake and formally becoming the largest shareholder of PUMA SE, the company behind the global sports brand Puma. The transaction is a strategic minority investment and Anta did not obtain corporate control.
2026-10-07
Anta completes acquisition of 29.06% stake in PUMA, becoming largest shareholder[9]安踏完成收购彪马29.06%股权成为第一大股东life.caijing.com.cn
Anta Sports announced on the evening of October 7 that it had completed the acquisition of a 29.06% stake in PUMA SE for EUR 1.5055 billion in cash, buying the shares held by the Pinault family investment company Artémis SAS. The transaction passed all required regulatory approvals and closing conditions, making Anta the largest shareholder of PUMA. The same day, PUMA officially confirmed Anta Sports as its new largest shareholder. Both sides stated that PUMA will remain independently operated, that Anta has no plan to launch a takeover bid, and that Anta only plans to seek appropriate seats on PUMA's supervisory board as a shareholder and strategic partner.
2026-10-07
Anta completes acquisition of 29.06% stake in Puma for €1.5055 billion[10]安踏完成以15.055亿欧元收购彪马29.06%股权hy.stock.cnfol.com
On October 7, Anta Group announced it had completed the acquisition of a 29.06% stake in Puma for a cash consideration of €1.5055 billion, officially becoming Puma's largest shareholder. The transaction had obtained the relevant regulatory approvals and satisfied customary closing conditions. Anta said it will respect Puma's independent governance structure and brand autonomy, will seek an appropriate seat on Puma's supervisory board, and currently has no plans to launch a takeover offer.
2026-10-07
Anta completes acquisition of 29.06% stake in PUMA SE to become largest shareholder[11]安踏完成收购PUMA SE 29.06%股权成为最大股东zaobao.com.sg
Reported: 2026-10-08
Anta Group announced on the evening of October 7, 2026 that it had completed the acquisition of a 29.06% stake in PUMA SE from Artémis SAS, the Pinault family's investment company, for a cash consideration of 1.5055 billion euros, becoming Puma's largest shareholder. According to the announcement, the stake acquisition had obtained approvals from all relevant regulators and all customary closing conditions for the transaction had been met.
2026-10-07
Anta completes acquisition of 29.06% stake in PUMA, becoming largest shareholder[12]安踏完成收购彪马29.06%股权，成为第一大股东qz.fjsen.com
On October 7, 2026, Anta Sports announced it had completed the closing of its cash acquisition of a 29.06% stake in German sportswear company PUMA SE for EUR 1.5055 billion, buying the shares from Artémis SAS, the Pinault family's investment vehicle, making Anta PUMA's largest shareholder. All regulatory approvals had been obtained and all closing conditions were met. Anta said it will seek seats on PUMA's supervisory board and has no current plan to launch a full takeover offer, and that it will respect PUMA's independent governance structure and brand autonomy.
2026-01-27
Anta announces agreement to acquire 29.06% stake in Puma for 1.5055 billion euros[13]安踏公告以15.055亿欧元收购彪马29.06%股权163.com
Reported: 2026-10-12
On January 27, 2026, Anta announced it had reached a share purchase agreement with the Pinault family's Groupe Artémis to acquire a 29.06% stake in Puma for a cash consideration of 1.5055 billion euros, funded entirely from Anta's internal cash reserves. The price of 35 euros per share represented a premium of about 62% over Puma's pre-announcement closing price of 21.63 euros, and the stake makes Anta Puma's largest shareholder with board seats and influence over major decisions.
2021-12-19
Anta founder's family establishes Hemin Foundation with RMB 10 billion donation[14]安踏创始人家族捐赠100亿元成立和敏基金会fj.sina.com.cn
On Anta's 30th anniversary, the family of its founder donated RMB 10 billion in cash and shares to establish the Hemin Foundation, which will support charitable projects in medical assistance, sports, rural revitalization and environmental protection.
2021-09-28
Anta launches C202 GT marathon racing shoe[15]安踏推出C202 GT马拉松竞速跑鞋finance.sina.com.cn
Reported: 2021-09-28
Anta introduced its first C202 GT marathon racing shoe using Anta Nitrogen technology at its innovation technology conference; the shoe was priced at 999 yuan.
2021-04-29
Anta appoints Wang Yibo global chief endorser[16]安踏官宣王一博任全球首席代言人finance.sina.com.cn
Reported: 2021-04-29
Anta announced Wang Yibo as the brand's global chief endorser.
Unconfirmed
Anta announces plans to leave BCI[17]安踏宣布启动退出BCI程序china.qianlong.com
Anta said it was seriously concerned about BCI's recent statement and was initiating procedures to leave the organization. The statement also said Anta had used cotton from Chinese cotton-producing regions, including Xinjiang, and would continue to do so.

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