Ljubljana/Graz, 27 October (STA/APA) - The Slovenian private equity fund manager Advance Capital Partners and the footwear retailer Mass have agreed to acquire the Austrian footwear retailer Leder & Schuh, which operates 210 Humanic and Shoe4You stores in nine countries, Advance Capital Partners announced on Monday.
Following regulatory approvals, Leder & Schuh, which is one of Europe's oldest footwear retailers that has more than 1,700 employees and generates around EUR 300 million in annual revenue, will become part of the Mass group.
The company will continue to operate independently and will retain the headquarters in Austria's Graz, the acquirer added.
Once merged, the combined group will be among the ten largest footwear retailers in Europe, with annual revenue of more than EUR 400 million, 290 brick-and-mortar stores and ten online stores, and more than 2,300 employees.
According to Advance Capital Partners, the deal is expected to be closed in the first half of 2026.
"The merger of two companies with a strong tradition and shared ambition will create a true European giant in the footwear trade in Central and Eastern Europe," said Aleš Škerlak, the CEO of the fund manager.
He added that by 2029 the Mass group, which is in the majority ownership of Advance Capital Partners, is expected to exceed half a billion euros in annual revenue in nine markets with a total population of 150 million.
Škerla noted that, as part of the deal, all existing bank loans of Leder & Schuh will be refinanced to provide the Austrian group with a solid foundation for long-term financial stability and to create conditions for further growth.
Mass director and founder Sašo Apostolovski added that the merged group is expected to open around 60 new stores in the next five years, and continue to develop the Humanic, Shoe4You and Mass brands, and the Skechers store network.
"Mass and Leder & Schuh are natural partners who complement each other perfectly business- and geography-wise, and the partnership will further accelerate the implementation of our strategy," he said.
Apostolovski added that the goal is to become the leading multi-channel retailer of footwear and fashion accessories in Central and Eastern Europe.
Leder & Schuh CEO Armin Weger said that Mass is a strong and experienced partner who shares the company's vision, adding that Advance Capital Partners will provide the financial stability that will be key to continued growth.
The fund manager noted that the Austrian group has been one of the main players in the European footwear industry for over 150 years, currently being present in Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Czechia, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria.
