Oxbow is a leading brand in outdoor clothing and accessories, specialized in board sports (surf, snowboard…), one of the most dynamic segments in the steadily growing sports market. The Company's positioning relies on the strength of the brand and its reputation for quality.

When the Company was put up for sale in 2003, Argos Soditic's past experience and reputation in the sporting goods sector allowed the Argos team to quickly identify the strengths and strong value creation potential of the Company, giving the vendors the opportunity to secure the transaction very quickly compared to usual standards. Argos' deep knowledge of the sporting goods sector also permitted to quickly create a healthy climate between the Argos professionals and Oxbow's management team.

In order to accelerate the implementation of Oxbow's growth strategy, the Management proposed to organize an IPO a few months after the closing of the transaction. In July 2004, the Company was successfully floated on Paris' Euronext market allowing for additional resources to implement the Company's development potential:

diversification of product range with new collections and accessories for women as well as for collections inspired by new sports (motocross, mountain bike)   development of owned stores in France in order to complement the current (indirect) distribution network, benefit from direct access to customers and reinforce the brand's visibility   acceleration of the brand's international expansion, mainly in Spain, Great Britain and the Netherlands

In May 2005, the stake in Oxbow is sold to French outdoor leader Lafuma, thus completing its outdoor offering with a new Boardriding division.