If you've been searching who owns Skechers, you're likely trying to figure out whether it's still a family business, a publicly traded company, or something else entirely. The answer has changed recently.
Skechers is now owned by 3G Capital, a global private equity firm that completed a roughly $9.4 billion acquisition in September 2025, taking it off the New York Stock Exchange and making it a privately held business.
The Greenberg family, who founded Skechers in 1992, continues to lead day-to-day operations.
Who Founded Skechers?
Skechers was started by Robert Greenberg in 1992. Before that, he had founded LA Gear in 1983 so this wasn't his first time building a footwear brand from scratch. His son, Michael Greenberg, came on as co-founder and President.
That father-son setup wasn't just a title arrangement. Robert drove product and brand strategy; Michael handled commercial operations and expansion.
For over three decades, both remained in their roles an unusually long run of founder-led management for a company of this size.
Robert Greenberg — Founder and CEO
Robert has served as CEO since the company's founding. He also holds the position of Chairman of the Board. His background in footwear predates Skechers by nearly a decade, and that experience shaped how the brand was structured and grown.
Michael Greenberg — President and Co-Founder
Michael has been President since the early days. He played a direct role in opening Skechers' first retail store in 1994 and later led the brand's push into Asian markets. He also founded the Skechers Foundation and its annual Pier to Pier Friendship Walk.
How the Greenbergs Structured Early Ownership
Skechers didn't take venture capital money in the traditional sense. The Greenbergs kept equity tightly held within the family and a close circle of executives. That deliberate choice avoiding outside dilution early on set up a governance model they'd carry into and beyond the IPO.
Who Owns Skechers? How Ownership Worked Before 2025
Skechers went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 1999. From that point until September 2025, it operated as a publicly traded company under the ticker SKX.
But "publicly traded" doesn't automatically mean "no longer founder-controlled." That's what confuses a lot of people about how Skechers' ownership actually worked.
The 1999 IPO and What It Changed
The IPO opened Skechers up to outside investment and broadened economic ownership significantly. Institutional investors large asset managers and funds gradually accumulated the majority of shares by economic value.
In practice, by the mid-2020s, institutions like Vanguard, BlackRock, and State Street held a large portion of the publicly traded float. What that means: they owned a lot of the stock. What it didn't mean: they controlled the company.
The Dual-Class Share Structure Explained
This is the part most articles skip over or bury. Skechers operated with a dual-class share structure two types of common stock with very different voting rights.
Class A shares, which traded publicly, carried one vote per share. Class B shares, held predominantly by the Greenberg family, carried ten votes per share.
So even if institutions owned a larger portion of total shares by count, the Greenbergs' Class B holdings gave them a majority of total voting power. They controlled who sat on the board. They controlled decisions on mergers, acquisitions, and major strategic moves.
Owning most of the economic value of a company and controlling it are two different things. Before 2025, institutions had the former; the Greenbergs had the latter.
Major Institutional Shareholders (Pre-Acquisition)
Vanguard, BlackRock, and State Street were among the largest holders of Class A shares. This is standard for any S&P-listed company these firms hold large stakes across thousands of companies through index funds. Their ownership was passive in nature, not strategic.
The 2025 Acquisition — Who Owns Skechers Now?
What Was Announced in May 2025?
On May 5, 2025, Skechers announced it had agreed to be acquired by 3G Capital in a go-private deal valued at approximately $9.4 billion as reported by Bloomberg, marking a significant return to dealmaking for the investment firm.
The price was $63 per share about a 30% premium over where the stock had been trading in the weeks before the announcement.Skechers' share price had fallen roughly 26% in the months leading up to the deal, largely due to investor concerns about tariffs on imported goods.
Nearly all shoes sold in the U.S. are manufactured overseas, and Skechers sourced a significant portion of its products from China. That backdrop made the company an attractive acquisition target at a compressed valuation.
What Is 3G Capital?
3G Capital is a global investment firm and private partnership founded in 2004. It was founded by Brazilian investors Jorge Paulo Lemann, Carlos Alberto Sicupira, and Marcel Herrmann Telles.
The firm is known for acquiring large consumer-facing businesses and operating them over a long horizon. According to Wikipedia, its portfolio has included major brands such as Burger King, Tim Hortons, Kraft Heinz, and Hunter Douglas.
3G generally describes its approach as owner-operator investing partnering with management teams rather than replacing them.
It's worth noting that 3G has a publicly known history of driving cost efficiencies in businesses it acquires. That's part of its operational identity, though what specifically it plans for Skechers hasn't been detailed publicly beyond the acquisition announcement.
Deal Terms
The acquisition offered shareholders two options: $63 per share in cash, or $57 per share in cash plus one unlisted, non-transferable equity unit in the newly formed entity that became Skechers' parent company after closing.
The second option effectively gave some shareholders a small continued economic stake in the private company though those units are not tradeable.
When Did the Acquisition Close?
The deal closed and was announced as complete on September 12, 2025. As of that date, Skechers' shares stopped trading on the NYSE. The ticker SKX no longer exists as a publicly listed security.
Do the Greenbergs Still Run Skechers?
Yes. This was a condition of the deal, not an afterthought. Robert Greenberg remains CEO. Michael Greenberg remains President. David Weinberg, who has served as COO since 2006, also stayed on.
The announcement from both sides explicitly confirmed the existing management team would continue leading the company through and after the transition.
What's changed is who they ultimately answer to in terms of ownership structure now 3G Capital rather than public shareholders. What hasn't changed is who runs the brand day to day.
What Does "Going Private" Mean for Skechers?
No Longer Publicly Traded
Going private means Skechers no longer has to file quarterly earnings reports with the SEC in the same way, no longer has a public stock price, and is no longer subject to public shareholder votes. Decisions can be made without the scrutiny of public markets.
What Stays the Same
The stores remain open. Products remain the same. The headquarters stays in Manhattan Beach, California.
The brand continues operating across roughly 180 countries. None of the consumer-facing aspects of the company changed as a result of the ownership transition.
Why Did Skechers Go Private?
A few factors converged. The tariff environment in 2025 was creating real uncertainty for footwear companies heavily reliant on overseas manufacturing. Skechers' stock had dropped significantly.
From 3G's perspective, a depressed stock price relative to the company's actual sales performance made it an attractive moment to buy. From the Greenbergs' perspective, going private with a partner like 3G removed the short-term pressure of public market expectations while allowing them to retain operational leadership.
Whether that trade-off proves favorable long-term isn't something anyone can say with certainty right now.
Skechers Ownership Timeline
|
Year |
Ownership Event |
|
1992 |
Founded by Robert and Michael Greenberg; privately held |
|
1999 |
IPO on NYSE (ticker: SKX); dual-class structure retained Greenberg voting control |
|
2025 (May) |
Acquisition by 3G Capital announced at ~$9.4 billion |
|
2025 (Sept 12) |
Acquisition completed; NYSE delisting; Skechers becomes private |
Conclusion
Skechers is owned by 3G Capital as of September 2025. The Greenberg family founded it, ran it through three decades of growth, and continues leading it today. The brand is privately held, no longer traded on any stock exchange, and operating under the same management team that built it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Skechers still a family-run company?
Operationally, yes. Robert Greenberg is still CEO and Michael Greenberg is still President following the 3G Capital acquisition. Ownership has changed; leadership hasn't.
Does Nike or any other shoe brand own Skechers?
No. Skechers is not owned by Nike, Adidas, or any other footwear company. It is owned by 3G Capital, a private equity firm.
Where is Skechers headquartered?
Manhattan Beach, California. That hasn't changed as part of the 2025 acquisition.
Will Skechers go public again?
Unknown. One analyst suggested it could return to public markets eventually, but that is one opinion there has been no public statement from 3G Capital or Skechers about future IPO plans.
Is Skechers an American company?
Yes. It was founded in the U.S., is headquartered in California, and remains an American brand. Its new owner, 3G Capital, was founded by Brazilian investors but operates as a global firm.