Pepkor's R1.7bn acquisition expands its retail portfolio with Legit and Swagga

South African retailer Pepkor Holdings said on Tuesday it has completed the acquisition of several businesses from privately held Retailability, including clothing chains Legit, Swagga, Style, and homeware brand Boardmans, in a deal valued at around R1.7 billion.

The transaction, , which represents roughly 1.7% of Pepkor’s market capitalisation, received all necessary regulatory and competition approvals and became effective on November 2,  2025, the company said in a statement to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange’s Stock Exchange News Service (SENS).

Pepkor said the acquired businesses will be integrated into its Pepkor Speciality and Pepkor Lifestyle units, adding 469 stores to its existing base of 979 speciality stores and expanding its reach in adult wear, particularly women’s fashion through the Legit brand.

“The successful conclusion of this transaction marks the beginning of an exciting chapter for these businesses under Pepkor’s custodianship,” said Tyrone Vieira, the chief executive of Pepkor Emerging Businesses. “We look forward to harnessing their strengths within the broader Pepkor ecosystem.”

The group, whose retail portfolio includes Pep, Ackermans and Incredible Connection, said the deal will deliver synergistic benefits, broaden its adult wear offering and support continued growth in the homeware and financial services segments.

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