Apr 4, 2019

April 4, 2019 Japanese private equity firm Advantage Partners will sell its entire stake in ICI Ishii Sports to electronics retailer Yodobashi Holdings, per an official announcement. The value of the transaction was not disclosed. Established in 1964, ICI Ishii Sports specialises in skiing, mountain climbing and other outdoor goods. Advantage Partners invested in the company in 2016. Since the investment, the PE firm claims to have helped Ishii Sports enhance its mid- to long-term earnings, including refreshing Ishii Sports’ logo, enhancement of private branded goods, and renewing Ishii Sports’ loyalty programme and online storefront. In addition to reinforcing the existing skiing and mountain climbing business lines, Advantage Partners also assisted Ishii Sports’ expansion into running and fitness-related products through its acquisition of running specialty goods retailer Art Sports in May 2017. Advantage Partners recently announced the acquisitions of Elise, a Vietnam-based women fashion retailer, and Material Inc, a Tokyo-based public relations and staffing agency. Established in 1992, Advantage Partners has deployed five buyout funds and closed its first Asia fund last year with $380 million in commitments to make investments outside of Japan. Also Read: