By Andrea Figueras
French billionaire Bernard Arnault has taken majority ownership of LVMH with a stake valued at more than $160 billion, tightening his family's control of the sprawling luxury-goods company that he founded.
A spokesperson for the company said Tuesday that Arnault now owns 50.01% of LVMH's share capital, up from 49.77% at the end of last year.
The move comes weeks after Arnault unveiled plans to acquire more shares in LVMH, the conglomerate that owns fashion houses Louis Vuitton and Dior, jewelers Tiffany and Bulgari, champagne-and-cognac group Moet Hennessy and a host of other brands across luxury and other areas.
The family group has about 50% of LVMH's capital, Arnault said in an earnings call last month. "We are entitled to acquire a bit more," he said, adding that this year the family intended to cross the 50% threshold.
"We believe in what we do and we are showing it in that way," Arnault said.
LVMH has a market valuation of approximately 280 billion euros ($330 billion) according to Refinitiv LSEG data and based on Tuesday's closing price. That makes the Arnault family stake worth around $165 billion.
Arnault has long worked to secure control of the company, which is among Europe's largest. All of his children hold positions within the group, though ultimate succession plans remain uncertain.
Like most of its rivals, LVMH--considered a sector bellwether by most investors given the size, geographic diversity and category range of its operations--has been facing tough market conditions in the past years. That is especially true in China, due to limp demand and weak sales amid a frosty economic landscape.
After a lengthy downturn, the sector was relying on a rebound in China as well as creative shifts to reinvigorate demand for high-end goods. However, the company posted in January sluggish sales growth for the key holiday quarter, leading to caution among investors.
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Write to Andrea Figueras at andrea.figueras@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
February 24, 2026 13:20 ET (18:20 GMT)
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