Myer Holdings Limited → Just Group (Apparel Brands division of Premier Investments — Just Jeans, Jay Jays, Portmans, Dotti, Jacqui E)
completedMyer Holdings entered a binding Share Sale and Implementation Agreement to acquire Premier Investments' Apparel Brands division (Just Jeans, Jay Jays, Portmans, Dotti and Jacqui E) in a quasi-merger structured as Myer issuing approximately 890.5 million new shares to Premier (valued at approximately A$863.785 million at signing), alongside an approximately A$82 million cash contribution from Premier into the combined business. Shareholders of both companies overwhelmingly approved the deal, which completed in January 2025, creating a combined group with roughly A$4 billion in pro forma revenue.
Myer sought to diversify beyond department stores into higher-growth specialty apparel brands with strong digital and landlord relationships, aiming for at least A$30 million in annual pre-tax synergies and a larger, more resilient combined retail platform.
Premier Investments (chaired by Solomon Lew, already ~31% owner of Myer) sought to simplify its corporate structure by demerging its lower-margin apparel brands into a combined listed entity where it would hold a substantially larger stake, allowing it to focus capital and management attention on higher-margin brands like Peter Alexander and Smiggle while still benefiting from apparel-brand upside through its enlarged Myer shareholding.
On the morning of the announcement, Myer shares rose approximately 5% to A$1.02, while Premier Investments shares jumped approximately 15% to A$35.67, reflecting investor approval of the deal terms and expected synergies for both companies.
Analysts (Morningstar, Capital Brief) raised fair-value estimates for Premier and Myer on the news, and commentary (Ragtrader, Forbes Australia) framed the deal as cementing Solomon Lew's influence over Myer while giving Myer a much larger, younger- skewing specialty-retail footprint; some coverage noted the transaction was structured as a novel corporate carve-out under Australia's "equity funded dividend" tax integrity rules.
Deal mechanics
Reverse-merger-style scrip transaction: Myer issued approximately 890.5 million new shares to Premier Investments (valued at approximately A$863.785 million based on Myer's share price at signing), with Premier also injecting approximately A$82 million cash into the combined business, taking Premier's stake in the enlarged Myer to approximately 52-54%.
Subject to Myer and Premier shareholder approval (both obtained by large majorities — 99.84% of Premier votes and over 95% of Myer votes in favour) rather than mandatory competition-regulator clearance; no ACCC opposition was reported.
Comparable deals in Retail
Learn more
- Myer to join forces with billionaire Solomon Lew's Premier in $864m deal - Forbes Australia
- Premier Investments shareholders approve $800 million Apparel Brands transfer to Myer
- Premier Investments, Myer merger deal gets shareholder nod - Business News Australia
- Myer will buy Just Jeans, Jay Jays, Portmans, Dotti and Jacqui E - Wilson Asset Management
- Myer and Premier Investments shares jump on huge merger news
- Myer snaps up Just Group, Solomon Lew gets new job - Ragtrader