 Umbro makes the England kit |
Umbro, the sportswear firm which supplies the kit for the England football team as well as Chelsea and Celtic football clubs, could be sold for up to �300m ($480m). Doughty Hanson, the private equity firm which owns Umbro, is understood to be weighing up several unsolicited offers for the company ranging between �250m and �300m.
A sale within that price range would generate bumper returns for Doughty Hanson, which bought Umbro in 1999 for about �90m.
Under Doughty Hanson's ownership, Umbro has achieved a near fourfold rise in earnings by outsourcing its manufacturing operations to China and broadening its range of products to include trainers and football boots.
The Cheshire-based firm, led by former professional footballer Peter McGuigan, is currently planning to expand into the US market.
Two months ago, the company was fined about �6m for taking part in an agreement with several other companies to fix the price of replica football shirts.
Doughty Hanson's other interests include the Priory psychiatric hospitals group, and baker Rank Hovis.
One-Minute World News 
News services
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 