Care Bears, Beloved Children’s Property, Acquired by Authentic Brands Group (EXCLUSIVE)
Authentic Brands Group has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the intellectual property of Care Bears, the cuddly residents of Care-a-Lot that became a merchandising and retail juggernaut and beloved children’s property. Financial terms of the pact were not disclosed.
The Care Bears were originally introduced in the early 1980s as a greeting card concept, before evolving into a global entertainment franchise that consists of plush toys and animated shows, movies and games. It has generated more than $12 billion in lifetime retail sales. The brand includes more than 100 bears, each representing a distinct emotion or expression which are illustrated by their belly badges, including Cheer Bear, Bedtime Bear, Tenderheart Bear, Birthday Bear, Funshine Bear and Grumpy Bear.
The sale expands Authentic’s reach into family entertainment and marks its first character-based franchise. Authentic is the owner of a portfolio of intellectual property that includes Elvis Presley, Muhammad Ali and Marilyn Monroe. In 2023, the company launched Authentic Studios to develop and produce premium films, television, commercials, live stage experiences and audio. It is comprised of four labels: Shaquille O’Neal’s Jersey Legends, David Beckham’s Studio 99, Sports Illustrated Studios and Authentic Productions. Authentic Studios and Authentic Live will play central roles in extending the Care Bears universe through new stories, audiences and fan experiences.
The company notes that the Care Bears has reached consumers in more than 190 countries, appearing in 26 languages and is distributed across leading platforms worldwide, with a growing slate including short-form content, gaming, live experiences and film. The brand has been relaunched several times over its more than 40-year history and is currently owned by IVEST Consumer Partners and Cloverlay. Raine Group advised the Care Bears owners on the sale.
“Care Bears is the gold standard of family entertainment,” said Corey Salter, CEO of Authentic’s Entertainment division. “It arrives with a nearly 45-year history of genuine emotional connection, an active content pipeline, a vast network of more than 500 licensing partners and a devoted fanbase that keeps growing. Our opportunity is not simply to steward the brand and its message of positivity; it’s to bring Care Bears into Authentic’s powerful platform and write the next great chapter in one of entertainment’s most enduring franchises.”
Authentic Studios recent output includes the Jersey Legends’ Netflix docuseries “Power Moves,”the Emmy-nominated HBO documentary “Shaq,” and Studio 99’s Emmy-winning Netflix docuseries “Beckham.” It also released Baz Luhrmann’s film “EPiC Elvis Presley” and the live musical special “Christmas at Graceland” on NBC/Peacock,
The acquisition of Care Bears is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026. It marks a busy time for Authentic, which has already announced four acquisitions this year, including the purchase of the clothing brands Lee and Guess.