Germany's Birkenstock debuts on New York stock market
October 11, 2023
German footwear brand Birkenstock has begun trading stock in New York in a milestone move. Shares opened at $41, about 11% lower than what the company aimed for in its initial public offering.
The opening share price was about 11% lower than its initial price of $46 set Tuesday, and below the range of $44 to $49 expected just a week ago.
Founded in 1774, the company was run by the same family until 2013 and the stock flotation marks a new departure.
What we know about the sale
The floatation comes two years after the Birkenstock heirs sold a majority stake to a private equity group linked to luxury conglomerate LVMH and its billionaire boss Bernard Arnault.
The conglomerate will retain control of Birkenstock after the Initial Public Offering (IPO), which raised just under $1.5 billion.
A total of 32.26 million ordinary shares were being made available in the company's initial public offering, trading under the symbol BIRK.
The overall valuation for the company stood at $8.6 billion.
What we know about Birkenstock
The footwear maker has shed its unfashionable image, to become such a firm fashion favorite that it featured in the recent runaway blockbuster movie "Barbie."
The company started its life with just one shoemaker — Johannes Birkenstock — in the German village of Langen-Bergheim in 1774, eventually becoming a shoemaker dynasty.
Birkenstock: How the German sandal became cult
The image of the Birkenstock as a health shoe is long gone; today it has cult status. Now the German company is debuting on the New York stock market. A look back at the sandal's success story.
Image: Carl-Olof Zimmerman/TT/picture alliance
From fashion faux-pas to bestseller
Birkenstock sandals have long sparked derision. Years ago, these eco-friendly, ergonomic sandals were seen as practical but not fashionable. German tourists wearing them abroad were often ridiculed. Today, Birkenstock is setting records in sales, not just in Germany but globally.
Image: Soeren Stache/picture alliance/dpa
Cameo in 'Barbie'
The iconic Birkenstock sandals also made a star apparition in Greta Gerwig's hit movie "Barbie," when Stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie) ditches her high heels for a pair of brown Birkenstocks to explore the "real world" beyond Barbieland. The scene gave an incredible boost to the sales of Birkenstock sandals.
Image: Warner Bro./ASSOCIATED PRESS/picture alliance
A traditional German company
The German company that produces Birkenstocks is more than 200 years old, tracing its roots to the skilled shoemaker Johann Adam Birkenstock, who founded the company in 1774. The shoe manufacturer had a pivotal moment when Konrad Birkenstock invented the first contoured insole in 1897. But it would take a while for the shoe to gain in popularity.
Image: Arno Burgi/dpa/picture alliance
Practicality first
The turning point arrived through his grandson, Karl Birkenstock. In 1963, he began selling an orthopedic sandal that prioritized functionality and high quality over aesthetics. Healthcare professionals made up the main market for the shoe, which then found a home in clinics and doctors' offices.
Image: Frank Rumpenhorst/dpa/picture-alliance
Peace, love and Birkenstocks
After the German-American Margot Fraser discovered the shoe during a stay in Germany in 1966, she set up distribution in the USA from California. From the 1970s onwards, hippies adopted the sandals. The clunky Birkenstocks became a symbol of counterculture and non-conformism.
Image: Otto/dpa/picture-alliance
A punk tribute to the sandal
The German shoes were also immortalized in a punk song. In 1994, US punk rock band NOFX released "Jeff Wears Birkenstocks," which refers to Jeff Abarta, who wore the sandals as an intern for the band's label. NOFX frontman Fat Mike wrote the song to tease Jeff about his "hippie sandals," which he felt had no place in punk rock.
Apple founder Steve Jobs was an early Birkenstock fan. The late businessman's worn-out sandals — the Arizona model — went under the hammer at an auction in 2022, fetching nearly $220,000 (€207,000).
Image: AP Photo/picture alliance
Can Birkenstocks be sexy?
Since the 1990s, Birkenstock has increasingly established itself in the fashion world. Partnerships with luxury brands like Dior, Rick Owens and Valentino contributed to the image change. A picture of supermodel Kate Moss wearing them in a carefree style also turned the sandals into a fashion statement. Heidi Klum designed her own Birkenstock collection in 2003 (photo).
Image: Matt Mc Cabe/dpa/picture-alliance
Birkenstock, a luxury brand?
At the beginning of 2021, L Catterton, a private investment company in which Bernard Arnault and his luxury conglomerate LVMH also hold shares, took a stake in Birkenstock. The value of Birkenstock was estimated at around €4 billion at the time.
Image: Chen Yichen/Photoshot/picture alliance
Made in Germany
Experts estimate the value of the initial public offering at more than €8 billion. This is likely to change a few things, such as the ownership structure of the family business. What will remain, however, is the manufacturer's home in Germany, where 95% of production takes place.
Image: Levine-Roberts/IMAGO
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Birkenstock prides itself as the inventor of the comfortable "footbed," making cork-soled sandals that were once associated with hippies and sock-and-sandal-wearing Germans.
However, it has increasingly grown into a fashion accessory, collaborating with high-end brands such as Dior and Manolo Blahnik.