Sporting goods manufacturer is implementing a strategic reset
Sporting goods manufacturer Puma is responding to declining sales and increasing competitive pressure with a comprehensive restructuring program. Around 900 administrative positions worldwide are to be eliminated by the end of 2026. As early as spring 2025, 500 jobs had already been cut, including 170 at the company headquarters in Herzogenaurach.
In the first nine months of 2025, revenue fell by 8,5 percent to €5,97 billion. Net income plummeted by around half a billion euros; after three quarters, the company posted a loss of €257 million. The third quarter was particularly hard hit, with revenue declining by over ten percent to just under €2 billion and a quarterly loss of €62 million.
Strategic realignment
Under new CEO Arthur Hoeld, Puma is implementing a strategic reset. The focus will be on its core areas of football, running, training, and sportswear. The company plans to strengthen its direct-to-consumer business through its own stores and e-commerce, and reduce its reliance on wholesale, particularly with large retailers in North America who sell products at rock-bottom prices. Hoeld describes 2026 as a transition year; Puma is expected to return to a growth trajectory from 2027 onward.
Puma plans to streamline its product portfolio to reduce the number of seasonal new releases and lower its cost base through operational efficiency improvements. The company employs approximately 7.000 administrative staff, of whom 900 will be affected by the planned job cuts.
The aim of these measures is to make the brand more desirable again and, in the long term, return it to the top three global sporting goods manufacturers. Hoeld emphasizes: “I firmly believe that the Puma brand is intact and has incredible potential. We can get the big cat back on track.”
