Levi unloads Dockers to focus on core denim business

Levi Strauss & Co. is shedding its Dockers khakis from its corporate closet to focus on what it does best, for what seems like forever: Blue jeans.

The 172-year-old San Francisco-based clothier is selling its Dockers line to Authentic Brands Group for $311 million. The price could surge to $391 million depending on Dockers’ performance under Authentic, based on what’s called an earnout that’s part of the deal.

Dockers, a 40-year-old brand that has cornered the market on business casual pants, has seen its sales plunge — they were down 15% in the third quarter of 2024, spurring speculation that Levi would unload the brand.

Dockers’ annual sales were nearly $152 million in 2024, about 5% of Levi total revenue.

“We are confident that we maximized the value of the business and that Authentic is the right organization to usher in the next chapter of growth for the Dockers brand,” said Michelle Gass, president and CEO of Levi Strauss & Co. in a statement.

Authentic Brands founder, chairman and CEO Jamie Salter said Dockers was a good fit for the company, which also counts Reebok, Champion, Eddie Bauer and Van Heusen in its portfolio.

“Dockers played a key role in shaping casual workwear as we know it today, and we see significant potential to build on that legacy and grow the brand across a variety of categories,” Salter said.

Levi will be focusing on its direct-to-consumer (DTC) first approach, growing its international presence and expanding its womens wear lines, Gass said.