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Premium sportswear company Castore is exploring a possible sale after attracting interest from unidentified buyers, following a year of acquisitions and a recent £90 million funding facility.
The Manchester-based company is examining options that could include the sale of a majority or minority stake, a partnership, or no transaction at all, Sky News reported, with JP Morgan appointed to advise the business.
Potential buyers are understood to include businesses from China and other international markets, although no interested parties have been identified and no sales process has officially kicked off.
It is understood that Castore co-founders Tom and Phil Beahon would remain in charge following a sale.
Strategic partner could support international growth
Tom Beahon discussed the prospect of bringing a strategic partner into Castore during an interview with The Times last month, noting that such a partner could “unlock a particular geography that would be challenging to do organically” or “bring a particular expertise, whether that’s a product category, whether that’s a technology that I don’t have in-house”.
The company has been following this strategy over the last few years. With the acquisition of Belstaff in 2025 and the 160-year-old British footwear brand Grenson in June this year, Castore has strengthened its premium offering by leveraging both brands heritage and design pedigree.
In May 2026, Castore also secured a £90 million funding facility to support both its expansion in UK retail and its growth in in the Middle East and Asia. The funding is also meant to support Castore’s target of more than £300 million in sales over the next financial year.
Castore’s parent company J.Carter Sporting Club reported a 30% increase in revenue to £334.6 million in the 18 months to 3 August 2025, although losses after taxation and exceptional items widened to £40.3 million.
Another option to fund growth would be a stock market flotation. Asked whether the company was considering this option, Beahon said the company continued to see opportunities to finance its growth privately.
“It’s not on the radar at the moment. We think there’s a long runway still ahead of us to grow privately. We know from conversations that there is funding available for us privately should we need it. Any decision that you make as a founder you will measure against its next best alternative. Is it materially better for me to list versus raising more money privately?”
Castore currently operates 17 stores in the UK, four in Scotland, three in Ireland, and one in Rotterdam in the Netherlands.