Last year, puma sales rose by a good 4% to EUR 8.8 billion. Especially in the running and football segment, the company was able to score, the Handelsblatt quotes the Intersport Germany boss Alexander von Preen.
In an interview with the newspaper, Puma CEO Arne Freundt comments on the current situation: he is “totally dissatisfied with the development of the share price,” says the manager. It is also not satisfactory that the profit only stagnates. However, one has grown faster than the market and plan 2025 to create the foundation for sustainable and profitable growth. “We are currently focusing on strengthening the brand and sales quality and growing especially in the right segments,” says Freundt.
Puma will turn away “from a age in which we have only focused on maximizing sales. This was at the expense of our sales quality. Our average prices are not where the competition is ”. The goal is now a “brand elevation strategy” with which the brand is to be positioned higher. It was not sufficiently invested in the brand for ten years, says Freundt. Now the brand core should be sharpened and the identity of the brand is to be highlighted. A new campaign should start at the end of March.
Puma also wants to invest more in performance products. The third pillar is the trend area. Puma currently does not have the “one” best in the level of shoes such as adidas gazelle or samba. Freundt says that the Low-Pro-sneaker Speedcat, the revival is currently being discussed, says that this could “become one of the Hottest shoes in summer.” The Speedcat was consistently built up on trendsetters and influencers. “In the past, we always went directly into commercialization. That can work, but doesn’t have to, ”says Freundt.
The Puma boss sees clear evidence for the fact that the turn is also successful on the stock exchange. For example, the market shares in Mexico are twice as high as the global market shares. The CEO announces that he also wants to achieve such a strong position in other markets. In order to become more competitive, the company also starts an efficiency program: “A lot of complexity has resulted from the fast growth of the past few years. We have to become easier and more efficient again, for example with the purchase processes ”.
So Puma wants to grow faster
