Levi Strauss & Co to sell Dockers to Authentic Brands for $311 million

Levi Strauss & Co is parting ways with Dockers. The American denim giant, which had been signaling plans to divest the brand for several months, has found a buyer for the California-born label known for its chinos: Authentic Brands Group. The company plans to acquire Dockers for $311 million.

The deal may include performance-based bonuses, potentially earning Levi Strauss an additional $80 million in the coming years.

In 2024, Dockers generated more than $323 million in revenue, marking a 4% decline from 2023. The brand represented roughly 5% of Levi Strauss & Co’s total revenue, which reached $6.4 billion last year.

“The sale of Dockers allows us to further align our portfolio with our strategic priorities—focusing on our direct-to-consumer (DTC) approach, growing our international presence, and investing in opportunities in women’s and denim categories,” said Michelle Gass, president and CEO of Levi Strauss & Co, in a press release.

As part of its Project Fuel transformation plan, Levi Strauss has made several changes, including discontinuing its Denizen brand, mainly distributed in Asia; closing its Plock factory in Poland; and ending its footwear line. The company is also reducing its workforce and concentrating efforts on its flagship Levi’s label and its athleisure brand, Beyond Yoga.

“Following a rigorous process, we are confident that we have maximized the company’s value and that Authentic is the right organization to write the next chapter in Dockers’ growth story,” Gass added.

Dockers will join Authentic Brands Group’s extensive portfolio, which typically operates through licensing agreements with third-party manufacturers and distributors. ABG’s holdings include Ted Baker, Jones New York, and shirt brands such as Van Heusen and Arrow. The group also owns preppy staple Izod and major U.S. casualwear names like Nautica and Eddie Bauer.

“Dockers is a natural fit for the Authentic model,” said Jamie Salter, founder, chairman, and CEO of Authentic. “It’s a brand with deep roots, high awareness, and a strong licensing foundation—exactly the attributes we look for when acquiring new brands. Dockers played a key role in shaping the casual workplace look we know today, and we see strong potential to build on that legacy across multiple categories.”

The transaction remains subject to closing conditions and is expected to be finalized around July 31, 2025, for Dockers’ intellectual property and operations in the United States and Canada. The rest of the brand’s operations—including its presence in Europe and Asia, where Dockers maintains several stores and retail partnerships—are expected to transfer by January 31, 2026.

During the transition period, Dockers will continue operating under Levi Strauss & Co’s existing infrastructure.