Der Spiegel reports that Jack Wolfskin could be taken over by hedge funds, as Blackstone is preparing to pull out of the German outdoor company. The U.S. private equity firm acquired Jack Wolfskin in a leveraged buy-out of an estimated €650 million in 2011 but it reportedly had to inject more resources into the company to help finance substantial financial costs. Der Spiegel reports that Jack Wolfskin could be acquired by a consortium of investors and hedge funds. It adds that Melody Harris-Jensbach, the company's chief executive, broached the issue with employees in March, reassuring them that a change of ownership would not affect the brand or its employees. As previously reported, Blackstone has been holding talks with creditors for several months, and Der Spiegel indicates that some of the company's debt could be swapped for shares. Jack Wolfskin raised its sales by 12 percent to €351 million for the last full fiscal year and it managed a profit from an operating standpoint. More in The Outdoor Industry Compass.

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