Equistone Partners Europe (Equistone), one of Europe’s most established mid-market private equity investors, has completed its €520m sale of Groupe Courir (Courir), a leading French retailer of sports shoes, to JD Sports Fashion.
Completion follows receipt of conditional clearance from the European Commission on 22 October 2024 and the satisfaction of all other outstanding conditions.
With over 320 stores across Europe, including one of the largest store networks in France, and a growing omnichannel approach, Courir has rapidly established itself as a leading retailer in trainers, particularly amongst women.
According to a press statement, since carving out the company from Groupe Go Sport in 2019, Equistone has worked closely with the Courir management team on realising an ambitious growth strategy. During the investment period, Courir continued to expand its footprint across Europe and, with Equistone’s support, acquired Denmark-based online retailer Naked in July 2021. Since 2019, the business has significantly developed its revenue from €390m to €735m in 2023.
