New Wave Group has signed an agreement to acquire 100 percent of the shares in the Austrian textile wholesaler Cotton Classics Handels GmbH.
New Wave Group is acquiring Cotton Classics for a purchase price of €47.6 million.
Founded 25 years ago, Cotton Classics is headquartered in Schwadorf, just outside Vienna, and operates its logistics center there. It is one of the largest wholesale distributors in its sector in several Central and Eastern European countries, with subsidiaries in Germany, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Italy. Cotton Classics represents around 50 leading international apparel brands, like Helly Hansen Wokwear, Fruit of the Loom and Jack & Jones, and has developed one of the most advanced B2B e-commerce platforms in the industry.
In 2024, Cotton Classics’ revenue was €96.7 million, and its equity as of July 1, 2025, is guaranteed to be no less than €31.5 million. The acquisition will positively contribute to New Wave Group’s earnings this year, New Wave communicated. However, it will have a dilutive effect on the Group’s gross and operating margins (the expected impact on operating margin is approximately minus one percentage point), as Cotton Classics currently operates with lower margins than New Wave Group. Over time, the introduction of New Wave Group’s proprietary brands into Cotton Classics’ portfolio will significantly improve both gross and operating margins. The ambition is to gradually increase Cotton Classics’ margins from 2027 onwards, with the goal of reaching New Wave Group’s average margins by 2030.
Completion of the transaction is subject to approval by the relevant competition authorities.
Through this acquisition, New Wave Group will strengthen its presence in several Central and Eastern European countries, particularly in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and the Czech Republic.
