You’ve probably seen the jumping cat logo a thousand times today. It’s on the feet of Olympic sprinters and the hoodies of teenagers in suburban malls. But if you try to point to one single person and say, "That’s the owner of Puma," you're going to run into a bit of a corporate maze.
The short answer? Nobody "owns" it in the way a mom-and-pop shop is owned. Puma SE is a public company. That means it’s owned by thousands of different people and huge investment firms who buy its stock on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
However, there is a massive power player behind the scenes. As of early 2026, the biggest slice of the pie belongs to the Pinault family through their private holding company, Groupe Artémis. They currently hold roughly 29% of the company. But even that is currently in a state of flux, with rumors of a total buyout swirling through the industry.
The Drama Behind Who is the Owner of Puma Company
To understand why the ownership of this brand is so messy, you have to look at the legendary family feud that started it all. Most people know that Puma and Adidas are rivals. What they don't realize is that they were founded by two brothers who absolutely hated each other.
Rudolf and Adolf "Adi" Dassler started out making shoes together in their mother's laundry room in Germany back in the 1920s. They were a dream team: Adi was the quiet craftsman, and Rudolf was the fast-talking salesman. Then, for reasons historians still argue about—ranging from wartime betrayals to simple personality clashes—they split in 1948.
Adi started Adidas. Rudolf started Puma.
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For decades, the Dassler family ran the show. But by the late 1980s, the family influence began to fade. Rudolf’s sons, Armin and Gerd, eventually sold their stakes, and Puma went public in 1986. That was the moment it stopped being a "family business" and started being a global asset.
From Luxury Overlords to Independent Players
If you’ve followed business news over the last decade, you might remember the name Kering. That’s the French luxury giant that owns Gucci and Saint Laurent. For a long time, Kering was the big boss, holding a majority stake of about 86%.
But luxury and sneakers are different beasts. In 2018, Kering decided they wanted to focus purely on high-end fashion. They basically handed out their Puma shares to their own shareholders like party favors.
This move did two things:
- It made Puma an "independent" company again.
- It left Artémis (the Pinault family’s investment arm) as the largest single shareholder.
Honestly, it’s a bit of a weird spot. Artémis isn't a sportswear company; they are investors. And lately, they’ve been looking for the exit.
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The 2026 Shift: Is a Chinese Giant Taking Over?
Right now, the headline everyone in the business world is watching involves Anta Sports.
As of January 2026, reports have surfaced that Anta—a massive Chinese sportswear group that already owns Fila and Wilson—has made a formal bid to buy the Pinault family's 29% stake. If this deal goes through, the "owner" of Puma (or at least the person calling the shots) shifts from a French luxury dynasty to a Chinese sporting powerhouse.
The Pinaults are reportedly holding out for a premium price—somewhere north of €40 per share. It’s a high-stakes game of poker. If Anta wins, they get a massive gateway into the European and American markets. If they don't, Puma remains a "free-float" company, mostly owned by institutional investors like BlackRock or the Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund.
Current Power Structure at a Glance
Since the ownership is spread out, the "control" of the company actually sits with the Board and the CEO.
- Arne Freundt (CEO): He took the reins in late 2022 and is the guy responsible for the actual "vibe" of the brand.
- Héloïse Temple-Boyer (Chair of the Supervisory Board): She represents the Artémis interests. She’s essentially the bridge between the Pinault money and the shoe designers.
- Institutional Investors: Firms like Schroder Investment Management and Vanguard hold smaller, but significant, percentages (usually between 3% and 5% each).
Why This Matters to You
You might think, "Who cares who owns the company as long as the shoes look good?"
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But ownership dictates everything. When Kering owned Puma, the brand leaned hard into "lifestyle" and fashion. Now that they are independent and facing a potential takeover by Anta, there is a massive push back toward "performance"—meaning actual running gear and football boots.
Ownership also affects where your money goes. If you buy a pair of Pumas today, a tiny fraction of that profit eventually trickles back to the Pinault family’s billions. If Anta completes their buyout, that profit moves to one of the largest conglomerates in Asia.
Actionable Insights for the Informed Consumer
If you're tracking the brand for investment or just out of curiosity, keep an eye on these three things:
- The Anta Negotiations: Watch for any "Block Trade" announcements. If the 29% stake moves, the stock price will likely swing wildly.
- The "Free Float" Percentage: Currently, about 71% of Puma is traded openly. If a single owner buys up more of that, the brand could eventually go private and disappear from the stock market entirely.
- The CEO's Vision: Arne Freundt is currently trying to make Puma "faster." This isn't just a marketing slogan; it's a strategy to prove to shareholders that the company is worth more than the current market price.
The story of who is the owner of Puma company is still being written in the boardrooms of Paris and Hong Kong. For now, it remains a public entity anchored by a French billionaire family, but don't be surprised if the cat jumps into new hands by the end of the year.