Ares Management Doubles Down on Alternative Assets: From Football Clubs to Personal Care Giant

In a bold demonstration of its expanding ambitions, global alternative investment manager Ares Management (NYSE: ARES) is making waves far from Wall Street. The firm has recently executed two high-stakes deals that see it taking the driver's seat in the worlds of professional sports and consumer goods, leveraging its private credit prowess to secure influential positions.

The first move involves Eagle Football Holdings, the owner of several European football clubs including Olympique Lyonnais. After Eagle missed financial obligations, Ares—as a major creditor—has assumed operational control. This grants the investment firm a direct hand in steering a multi-club football group, a complex and highly visible asset class.

Concurrently, Ares led a massive $1.6 billion credit financing package to back the merger of Suave Brands Company and Unilever's Elida Beauty. The newly formed entity, Evermark, is poised to become a significant global platform in the personal care sector. This deal underscores Ares's capability to structure large-scale debt for corporate carve-outs and mergers in the resilient consumer staples arena.

These transactions arrive as Ares's stock, currently at $149.67, faces recent headwinds, down approximately 7.4% over the past month. Analysts suggest this pressure reflects broader market sentiment toward alternative asset managers rather than a direct critique of these specific deals. The firm's longer-term track record remains strong, following significant gains over the past five years.

Strategic Implications and Industry Context

Industry observers note that Ares is strategically deploying capital where it can exert control and command premium fees, moving beyond passive lending. The Eagle Football situation highlights the firm's willingness to use creditor rights to take charge in the lucrative but operationally intensive sports ecosystem. The Evermark financing, meanwhile, reinforces its direct lending leadership in the consumer sector, competing directly with giants like Blackstone and Apollo Global Management.

"This is classic Ares," says Michael Thorne, a financial analyst at Veritas Insights. "They're using their credit platform as a wedge to gain control and influence in non-traditional assets. It diversifies their fee income but introduces executional complexity. The success hinges entirely on their operational oversight—running football clubs is very different from restructuring corporate debt."

The deals are seen as a logical extension of Ares's stated strategy to diversify across asset classes and geographies, with private credit as its core engine. However, they also raise questions about resource allocation and sector expertise at a time when economic uncertainty prompts caution among some peers.

Community Voices: A Mix of Optimism and Skepticism

David Chen, Portfolio Manager: "This is forward-thinking capital allocation. Sports media rights and branded consumer goods are sectors with durable cash flows. Ares isn't just providing loans; they're building equity-like stakes through strategic credit. This could be a blueprint for the next decade of private credit."

Sarah Gibson, Retail Investor: "I find the football club move particularly fascinating. If they can turn around the club's finances and performance, it could massively increase the asset's value. It's a high-risk, high-reward play that shows confidence."

Marcus Reeves, Editor at 'The Critical Investor' Blog: "This reeks of empire-building over shareholder value. What does Ares know about running football clubs? This is a distraction from their core competency. They're chasing headlines and trophy assets while the stock sinks. Shareholders should be asking hard questions about fees being spent on these managerial adventures."

Priya Sharma, Debt Market Strategist: "The Evermark deal is the more conventional and arguably smarter play. It's a large-scale financing in a stable sector. It shows they can win mandates against the biggest players. The football deal is the headline-grabber, but the consumer credit deal is the steady workhorse."

Investors will likely scrutinize Ares's upcoming earnings call for details on fee structures, credit quality, and long-term exit plans for these positions. The firm's ability to navigate the operational challenges of football club management while successfully integrating the Evermark platform will be critical in determining whether these bold bets pay off.