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Retail ETFs Set to Gain on Dick's $2.4B Foot Locker Buyout

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Dick’s Sporting Goods (DKS - Free Report) , the nation’s leading sporting goods retailer, is set to acquire struggling shoe chain Foot Locker (FL - Free Report) for $2.4 billion. The acquisition will be funded through a mix of existing cash and newly raised debt.

The Dick’s–Foot Locker acquisition could mark a crucial shift in the global athletic retail landscape and could benefit retail ETFs like SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT - Free Report) , VanEck Vectors Retail ETF (RTH - Free Report) , Amplify Online Retail ETF (IBUY - Free Report) and ProShares Online Retail ETF (ONLN - Free Report) .

Deal in Focus

Under the terms of the deal, Foot Locker shareholders will receive either $24 per share in cash or 0.1168 shares of DKS stock per Foot Locker share. 

The combined company will be a dominant player in the global athletic retail space and capture a greater share of the highly lucrative Nike (NKE - Free Report) wholesale market. The acquisition will provide Dick’s access to international markets via Foot Locker’s global footprint of 2,400 stores across 20 countries. It will diversify Dick’s customer base, tapping into a younger, urban demographic core sneaker culture.

The transaction, expected to be closed in the second half of 2025, is pending approval from Foot Locker shareholders. It is expected to be accretive to earnings in the first full fiscal year following the close and is estimated to generate annual cost synergies of $100–$125 million.

The deal follows a sharp decline in Foot Locker’s share price this year. The multi-brand retailer, which sells footwear from Nike, Adidas, Vans, and others, has been under pressure along with other retailers after President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs last month. Although some tariffs have been paused and trade negotiations are ongoing, Foot Locker’s stock has lost 40% year to date (read: 3 ETF Areas to Win Amid Slowing Retail Sales in April).

The company had already projected lower sales for the year, citing the impact of tariffs and recent pricing changes by Nike aimed at boosting its direct sales. If completed, the deal would mark the largest acquisition for Dick’s Sporting Goods.

ETFs to Tap

Let’s delve into each ETF below:

SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT - Free Report)

SPDR S&P Retail ETF tracks the S&P Retail Select Industry Index, which provides exposure across large, mid and small-cap stocks. It holds 76 well-diversified stocks in its basket, with a double-digit allocation each in apparel retail, specialty retail, automotive retail, and broadline retail. SPDR S&P Retail ETF is the largest and most popular in the retail space, with AUM of $479.2 million and an average trading volume of 6 million shares. It charges 35 bps in annual fees and has a Zacks ETF Rank #3 (Hold) with a Medium risk outlook (read: Oil Slumps to Below $60: ETFs to Gain).

VanEck Vectors Retail ETF (RTH - Free Report)

VanEck Vectors Retail ETF provides exposure to the 26 largest retail firms by tracking the MVIS US Listed Retail 25 Index, which measures the performance of the companies involved in retail distribution, wholesalers, online, direct mail and TV retailers, multi-line retailers, specialty retailers and food and other staples retailers. VanEck Vectors Retail ETF has amassed $244.9 million in its asset base and charges 35 bps in annual fees. It trades in a lower volume of 5,000 shares a day on average. VanEck Vectors Retail ETF has a Zacks ETF Rank #3 with a Medium risk outlook.

Amplify Online Retail ETF (IBUY - Free Report)  

Amplify Online Retail ETF offers global exposure to publicly traded companies with significant revenues from the online retail business, traditional online retail, online travel, online marketplace and omni-channel retail by tracking the EQM Online Retail Index. IBUY holds 83 stocks in its basket, with the largest allocation going to online marketplace at 40.3% and online retail at 36.1%. Amplify Online Retail ETF has attracted $148.1 million in its asset base and charges 65 bps in annual fees. IBUY trades in an average daily volume of 13,000 shares. 

ProShares Online Retail ETF (ONLN - Free Report)

ProShares Online Retail ETF offers exposure to companies that principally sell online or through other non-store channels and then zeroes in on companies reshaping the retail space. It tracks the ProShares Online Retail Index, holding 19 stocks in its basket. American firms make up 75.7% of the portfolio, while Chinese firms account for an 8.1% share. ProShares Online Retail ETF has accumulated $75.6 million in its asset base and charges 58 bps in annual fees. ONLN trades in an average daily volume of 12,000 shares.

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