Toys ‘R’ Us Owner WHP Global Scores a $1.6 Billion Valuation Following Ares Investment • The Toy Book

While Geoffrey the Giraffe and members of the Toys “R” Us team were announcing a U.S. Tour at The Play Date (hosted by The Toy Book and The Toy Association) in New York City on Thursday, parent company WHP Global was making some news of its own.

The global brand management firm behind Toys “R” Us, Babies “R” Us, Express, Anne Klein, Isaac Mizrahi, and more, received a $375 million equity investment from funds managed by Ares Management Corp.’s private equity group.

The transaction placed a $1.6 billion valuation on WHP Global.

“WHP Global has experienced record-setting growth since its founding in 2019, and this new significant investment from Ares gives us a powerful edge to capitalize on today’s robust mergers and acquisitions market as we chart the course for our next phase of growth,” says Yehuda Shmidman, Chairman and CEO of WHP Global.

The WHP Global shareholder base includes Ares, Oaktree Capital Management, Solus Alternative Asset Management, Platform Founder Group, and WHP employees.

According to the company, the brands in the WHP portfolio generate more than $6.5 billion in annual retail sales.