Fashion
Luxury: mergers and acquisitions slow in 2024 but still appeal to investment funds, says Deloitte
Published
September 17, 2025
After the post-Covid recovery, mergers and acquisitions in the fashion and high-end sectors have slowed over the past two years. Even so, despite the economic climate, the sector continues to attract nine out of ten investors in 2025, although most are concerned about customs duties.
These are the findings of Deloitte‘s latest report, “Fashion & Luxury Private Equity and Investors Survey 2025″, which previews the main trends ahead of its publication on September 25.
The survey was conducted worldwide across a panel of 60 private equity investors and more than 114 companies active in the fields of Clothing & Accessories, Watches & Jewellery, Cosmetics & Fragrances, luxury automobiles, luxury hotels, private jets, cruises, furnishings, yachts and luxury restaurants.
In 2024, the high-end segment recorded 308 deals, compared with 333 in 2023, that is 25 fewer year on year. Notably, last year saw the acquisition of luxury platform YNAP by German e-commerce firm Mytheresa from Swiss luxury group Richemont, while the planned merger between US giants Capri, owner of Michael Kors, and Tapestry, owner of Coach, fell through. The first half of 2025, marked by the acquisition of Versace by the Prada Group for €1.25 billion, confirms the general slowdown, with only 162 transactions compared with 188 a year earlier, a decline of 14%.
In the luxury goods segment alone, which accounts for 40.2% of total transactions, the number of deals closed last year fell by 6.3%. Breaking it down: clothing & accessories, the most attractive M&A sector, totalled 85 transactions in 2024, 20 fewer than the previous year. Similarly, watches & jewellery saw 15 deals in 2024, compared with 17 a year earlier. Only cosmetics & fragrances bucked the trend, jumping from 21 to 34 deals in one year (+13).
Leading the overall ranking for 2024, as usual, are luxury hotels, with 145 transactions (+1), followed by clothing & accessories (an industry that remains attractive nonetheless), then furnishings with 23 deals (+10), and yachts and automobiles with 11 each (-5 for the former and -13 for the latter between 2023 and 2024).

For 2025, “despite a macroeconomic and geopolitical context that remains marked by high uncertainty, the fashion and luxury sector continues to attract investor interest. 92% of funds are considering transactions in this sector, albeit more cautiously than last year,” said Elio Milantoni, a partner at Deloitte, in a press release.
“More than half are directing their strategies towards medium-sized companies, with the aim of encouraging a process of consolidation in the sector. At the same time, we are seeing a shift in investment preferences towards segments complementary to the world of fashion and luxury goods”, he continued.
In terms of size, the average value of M&A deals completed in 2024 is around €260 million, slightly down on 2023 (-4%), with an ever-greater focus on medium-sized targets, confirming the growing interest in medium-sized transactions.
Another trend identified by the consultancy is the concern around customs duties. Eight out of ten investors surveyed believe this issue will have a negative impact on the market, with North America (35%), Europe (33%) and Asia (29%) seen as the regions most exposed to rising trade barriers.
Geographically, investors still see Europe (75%) as the region with the greatest potential for luxury transactions, followed by North America (23%). In 2024, Europe accounted for the highest number of deals (210), 14 more than in 2023, while North America recorded only 54 (-23) and Asia-Pacific just 33 (-29).
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Canada’s Roots posts 6.8% sales growth in Q3 FY25 on strong DTC demand
The direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales increased 4.8 per cent to $56.8 million, driven by comparable sales growth of 6.3 per cent, reflecting enhancements to the omnichannel customer experience and stronger engagement with curated product assortments.
Canadian outdoor lifestyle brand Roots has reported solid Q3 FY25 results, with sales rising 6.8 per cent to $71.5 million, driven by DTC growth and stronger wholesale demand.
Gross margin improved to 60.8 per cent, while Adjusted EBITDA increased 5.3 per cent to $7.5 million.
Net income stood at $2.3 million, and net debt declined 5.9 per cent, reflecting disciplined execution.
The gross profit of the company increased 8.1 per cent to $43.4 million, while gross margin improved by 80 basis points (bps) to 60.8 per cent. DTC gross margin rose 140 bps to 65.4 per cent, benefiting from improved product costing and lower discounting, which offset unfavourable foreign exchange impacts on US dollar purchases, Roots said in a press release.
Partners & Other (P&O) sales grew 15.3 per cent to $14.6 million, supported by earlier wholesale orders from Roots’ operating partner in Taiwan for upcoming holiday and spring seasons, along with higher domestic wholesale sales of custom Roots-branded products.
Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses increased 10.6 per cent to $38.2 million, largely due to higher variable costs linked to sales growth, strategic investments in marketing and personnel, incremental US duties on e-commerce sales, and higher share-based compensation expenses.
The net income stood at $2.3 million, or $0.06 per share during the period under review, compared with $2.4 million a year earlier. Excluding the impact of revaluation of cash-settled instruments under the share-based compensation plan, net income would have been $2.4 million, representing a 1.5 per cent improvement YoY. Adjusted EBITDA rose 5.3 per cent to $7.5 million, or 7.3 per cent on an adjusted basis excluding revaluation impacts.
“Roots delivered strong third-quarter results, with growth driven by consumers’ positive response to our products, enhanced marketing efforts, and improved in-store execution,” said Meghan Roach, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Roots Corporation. “Even in a dynamic retail environment, our heritage, quality, and focus on comfort continued to differentiate the brand and drive engagement across our omnichannel platform. We remain disciplined in execution and committed to strengthening the foundations of the brand to support long-term value creation. While early in the fourth quarter, we continue to experience positive trends.”
“Our disciplined approach to investing in strategic growth continues to deliver results,” said Leon Wu, chief financial officer (CFO) at Roots. “We have sustained positive sales momentum and maintained the underlying margins of those sales, supporting a stronger balance sheet with year-over-year reductions in net debt.”
Net debt declined 5.9 per cent YoY to $44.1 million, while the company also repurchased 415,200 common shares for $1.3 million under its normal course issuer bid.
For the first nine months of FY25, total sales increased 6.6 per cent to $162.2 million, with DTC sales rising 8.6 per cent and comparable sales growth reaching 11.5 per cent. The gross margin expanded to 60.9 per cent, while net loss narrowed to $10 million from $11.7 million a year earlier. Adjusted EBITDA improved to a loss of $1.7 million, reflecting continued progress towards profitability.
At the end of Q3 FY25, inventory stood at $66.6 million, reflecting preparations for peak holiday demand and higher in-transit stock. Free cash flow improved to a loss of $4.6 million, while total liquidity amounted to $34.5 million, providing financial flexibility heading into the final quarter.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SG)
Fashion
Australia’s NAB expects RBA to raise policy rate by 25 bps in Feb
The economy is already at trend growth, and private final demand is running stronger than the RBA anticipated.
The NAB business survey shows that capacity utilisation is elevated and that there is breadth to this dynamic at an industry level. Businesses reported less pressure on margins over recent months.
The National Australia Bank expects the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to raise the policy rate by 25 bps in February, followed by another likely 25-bps hike in May, taking the cash rate to 4.1 per cent.
The economy is already at trend growth, and private final demand is running stronger than RBA’s anticipation.
Inflation accelerated in Q3 2025, and NAB forecast a 0.9-per cent QoQ for trimmed-mean in Q4.
Inflation accelerated in the third quarter (Q3), and NAB has forecast a 0.9-per cent quarter on quarter (QoQ) for trimmed-mean in Q4, suggesting inflationary pressures have persisted.
If realised, this will imply a period of five quarters in which the annual rate of core inflation runs at 3 per cent or higher. Moreover, it would represent a 15 basis points surprise relative to the RBA’s most recent forecast for the Q4 outcome.
Taken in conjunction with stronger growth outcomes and evidence of capacity constraints starting to bind, the bank believes an inflation outcome of this magnitude will force the RBA to execute a modest recalibration of monetary policy in the first half next year, an NAB release said.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
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