Quarterlytics / Consumer Cyclical / Apparel - Footwear & Accessories / Adidas AG

Adidas AG

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FY2019 Annual Report · Adidas AG
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ANNUAL REPORT

OUR CORE BELIEF

THROUGH
WE HAVE

SPORT,

THE

POWER
CHANGE LIVES

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OUR MISSION
TO BE THE BEST  
SPORTS COMPANY IN THE WORLD

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TARGETS – RESULTS – OUTLOOK 

Targets 2019 1

Currency-neutral sales 
increase at a rate between 5% and 8%

Results 2019 

Currency-neutral sales 
increase of 6% 
Sales of  
€ 23.640 billion

Gross margin 
increase to a level of around 52.0%

Gross margin  
increase of 0.2pp to 52.0%

Operating margin 
increase between 0.5pp and 0.7pp  
to a level between 11.3% and 11.5%

Operating margin  
increase of 0.4pp to 11.3%

Net income from continuing operations 3 
increase at a rate between 8% and 12%  
to a level between € 1.845 billion and € 1.915 billion

Net income from continuing operations 3 
increase of 12% to € 1.918 billion

Outlook 2020 2

Currency-neutral sales 
increase at a rate between 6% and 8%

Gross margin 
slight decrease compared to the prior year 
level of 52.0%

Operating margin 
increase between 0.2pp and 0.5pp  
to a level between 11.5% and 11.8%

Net income from continuing operations 
increase at a rate between 10% and 13%  
to a level between € 2.100 billion and € 2.160 billion

Average operating working capital in % of net sales 
slight increase

Average operating working capital in % of net sales 
decrease of 0.9pp to 18.1%

Average operating working capital in % of net sales 
slight increase

Capital expenditure 4 
increase to a level of up to € 900 million

Capital expenditure 4 
€ 711 million

Capital expenditure 4  
increase to a level of around € 800 million

1 As published on March 13, 2019.
2 Subject to change due to coronavirus outbreak in China.
3 2019 including negative impact from accounting change according to IFRS 16; excluding this impact, net income from continuing operations was expected to increase at a rate between 10% and 14% to a level between € 1.880 billion and € 1.950 billion.
4  Excluding acquisitions and leases.

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Financial Highlights (IFRS)

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 2019 (IFRS)

2019

2018 1

Change

Operating Highlights (€ in millions)

Net sales

Gross profit

Other operating expenses

EBITDA

Operating profit

Net income from continuing operations

Net income attributable to shareholders 2

Key Ratios

Gross margin

Other operating expenses in % of net sales

Operating margin

Effective tax rate

Net income attributable to shareholders in % of net sales 2

Average operating working capital in % of net sales

Equity ratio3

Net borrowings/EBITDA

Financial leverage 3

Return on equity 2, 3

Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Data (€ in millions)

Total assets

Inventories

Receivables and other current assets

Operating working capital

Net cash

Shareholders’ equity

Capital expenditure

Net cash generated from operating activities 2

Per Share of Common Stock (€)

Basic earnings

Diluted earnings

Net cash generated from operating activities 2

Dividend

Share price at year-end

Other (at year-end)

Number of employees

Number of shares outstanding

Average number of shares

1 First-time application of IFRS 16 as of January 1, 2019. Prior year figures are not restated with the exception of the presentation of interest paid in the consolidated statement of cash flows, p. 139.
2 Includes continuing and discontinued operations.
3 Based on shareholders’ equity.
4 Subject to Annual General Meeting approval. 

23,640

12,293

9,843

3,845

2,660

1,918

1,976

52.0%

41.6%

11.3%

25.0%

8.4%

18.1%

32.9%

(0.2)

(12.8%)

29.1%

20,680

4,085

4,338

4,007

873

6,796

711

2,819

9.70

9.70

14.26

3.854

289.80

21,915

11,363

9,172

2,882

2,368

1,709

1,702

51.8%

41.9%

10.8%

28.1%

7.8%

19.0%

40.8%

(0.3)

(15.0%)

26.7%

15,612

3,445

3,734

3,563

959

6,377

794

2,686

8.46

8.45

13.31

3.35

182.40

59,533

195,969,387

197,606,107

57,016

199,171,345

201,759,012

8%

8%

7%

33%

12%

12%

16%

0.2pp

(0.2pp)

0.4pp

(3.1pp)

0.6pp

(0.9pp)

(8.0pp)

n. a.

2.2pp

2.4pp

32%

19%

16%

12%

(9%)

7%

(11%)

5%

15%

15%

7%

15%

59%

4%

(2%)

(2%)

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20191    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

ABOUT THIS REPORT

With the Annual Report 2019, adidas communicates financial 
and non-financial information in a combined publication. The 
report  provides  a  comprehensive  overview  of  the  financial, 
environmental and social performance of adidas in the 2019 
financial year.

We publish our Annual Report exclusively in a digital format. It 
is available as a PDF and online version. 

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 2019

 PDF

ADIDAS ONLINE ANNUAL REPORT 2019 

↗ REPORT.ADIDAS-GROUP.COM

THE FOLLOWING SYMBOLS INDICATE 
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
↗   There is more information online.

There is more information in a related table or diagram.

  There is more information within the report.

 These are parts of the non-financial statement that are 
covered by a separate limited assurance engagement. 

 SEE NON-FINANCIAL STATEMENT, P. 90

DATA AND FINANCIAL REPORTING STANDARDS
The  reporting  period  is  the  financial  year  from  January  1  to 
December  31,  2019.  To  ensure  this  report  is  as  current  as 
possible,  it  includes  all  relevant  information  available  up  to 
the date of the Responsibility Statement, February 25, 2020.

The  consolidated  financial  statements  and  the  Group 
Manage ment  Report  are  prepared  in  accordance  with  the 
principles of the International Financial Reporting Standards 
(IFRS), as adopted by the European Union (EU), and additional 
requirements  pursuant  to  the  German  Commercial  Code 
(Handelsgesetzbuch – HGB). 

Internal  Control  over  Financial  Reporting  (ICoFR)  provides 
reasonable  assurance  regarding  the  reliability  of  financial 
reporting  and  compliance  with  applicable  laws  and  regu-
lations.  To  monitor  the  effectiveness  of  ICoFR,  accounting-
related processes are regularly reviewed.

To  enhance  readability,  registered  trademarks  as  well  as 
references  to  rounding  differences,  which  may  arise  in 
percentages  and  totals,  are  omitted  in  this  publication.  In 
addition,  we  have  used  the  masculine  form  throughout, 
although all such references are not intended to be gender-
specific.  The  adidas  Annual  Report  2019  is  available  in 
English and German.

INDEPENDENT ASSURANCE
The consolidated financial statements prepared by adidas AG, 
including the statement of financial position, income statement, 
statement of comprehensive income, statement of changes in 
equity, statement of cash flows, and the notes as well as the 
Group  Management  Report  have  been  audited  by  KPMG  AG 
Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft. 

 SEE  REPRODUCTION  OF  THE 

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT, P. 214

In  addition,  this  report  contains  a  combined  non-financial 
statement  for   adidas  AG  and  the  Group.  The  content  of  the 
non-financial  statement  is  covered  by  a  separate  limited 
assurance  engagement  of  KPMG  AG  Wirtschaftsprüfungs-
gesellschaft. 
 SEE  NON-FINANCIAL  STATEMENT,  P.  90  The  assurance 
was conducted using the International Standard on Assurance 
Engagements  ISAE  3000  (Revised). 
REPORT,  P.  219  The  content  of  the  non-financial  statement 
combined with further information in this report and on our 
corporate  website  fulfills  the  Global  Reporting  Initiative’s 
(GRI)  Standards  ‘Core’  option.  The  GRI  content  index  can  be 
found in our Online Report.  ↗ REPORT.ADIDAS-GROUP.COM

 SEE  LIMITED  ASSURANCE 

It  was  not  part  of  KPMG’s  engagement  to  review  the  Online 
Report or references to external sources such as our corporate 
website.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Our  Group  Management  Report  contains  forward-looking 
statements  that  reflect  Management’s  current  view  with 
respect to the future development of our company. The outlook 
is based on estimates that we have made on the basis of all the 
information  available  to  us  at  the  time  of  completion  of  this 
Annual  Report.  In  addition,  such  forward-looking  statements 
are subject to uncertainties which are beyond the control of the 
company. 
 SEE  RISK  AND  OPPORTUNITY  REPORT,  P.  120  In  case  the 
underlying assumptions turn out to be incorrect or described 
risks  or  opportunities  materialize,  actual  results  and 
developments may materially deviate (negatively or positively) 
from  those  expressed  by  such  statements.  adidas  does  not 
assume  any  obligation  to  update  any  forward-looking 
statements  made  in  the  Group  Management  Report  beyond 
statutory disclosure obligations. 

 SEE OUTLOOK, P. 117

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 2019 
 
 
ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 2019

1

TO OUR 
SHAREHOLDERS

3

GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT 
FINANCIAL REVIEW

4

CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL 
STATEMENTS

Letter from the CEO  

Executive Board  

Supervisory Board  

Supervisory Board Report  

Declaration on Corporate Governance and Corporate 
Governance Report  

Compensation Report  

Our Share  

2

GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT 
OUR COMPANY

Corporate Strategy  
adidas Brand Strategy  
Reebok Brand Strategy  
Sales and Distribution Strategy  

Global Operations  

Innovation  

People and Culture  

Sustainability  

Non-Financial Statement  

 008

Internal Management System  

 092

Consolidated Statement of Financial Position  

Business Performance  
Economic and Sector Development  
Income Statement  

Statement of Financial Position and  
Statement of Cash Flows  
Treasury  

Financial Statements and Management Report  
of adidas AG  

Disclosures pursuant to § 315a Section 1 and  
§ 289a Section 1 of the German Commercial Code and 
Explanatory Report  

Business Performance by Segment  
Europe  
North America   
Asia-Pacific  
Russia/CIS  
Latin America  
Emerging Markets  

Outlook  

Risk and Opportunity Report  
Illustration of Risks  
Illustration of Opportunities  

Management Assessment of Performance,  
Risks and Opportunities, and Outlook  

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Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income  

Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity  

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows  

Notes  
Notes to the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position  
Notes to the Consolidated Income Statement  
Additional Information  

Shareholdings  

Responsibility Statement  

Reproduction of the Independent Auditor’s Report  

Limited Assurance Report  

5

ADDITIONAL  
INFORMATION

Ten-Year Overview  

Glossary  

Declaration of Support  

Financial Calendar  

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Group Management Report: This report contains the Group Management Report of the adidas Group, 
comprising adidas AG and its consolidated subsidiaries, and the Management Report of adidas AG.

 
 
 
TO OUR 
SHARE-
HOLDERS

1

Letter from the CEO  

Executive Board  

Supervisory Board  

Supervisory Board Report  

Declaration on Corporate Governance  
and Corporate Governance Report  

Compensation Report  

Our Share  

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ACCELERATION >> CREATING THE NEW >> BRING HOME >> FINISH >> CREATING THE NEW >> BRING HOME  >>

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1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

LETTER FROM THE CEO

LETTER 

FROM THE CEO

»2019 MARKED A SPECIAL 
YEAR FOR ADIDAS. 
WE ARE STRONGER 
THAN EVER BEFORE. « 
KASPER RORSTED 

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20191 
 
 
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

LETTER FROM THE CEO

DEAR SHAREHOLDERS,

2019 marked a special year for adidas as we celebrated the 70th anniversary of the company 
and the completion of our modern workplace, ‘World of Sports’, our company headquarters. 
What  our  founder  Adi  Dassler  started  officially  as  a  Franconian  crafts  business  with 
47 employees in 1949 is now a truly global brand and international company that has almost 
60,000 employees and a presence on all continents. 

As we aspire to be the best sports company in the world, we are immensely proud of our history 
and our roots in Germany. To this day, we live up to the philosophy of Adi Dassler, who always 
wanted to create the best product for the athlete. Numerous sporting highlights, such as the 
first world title for the German national football team in 1954, will remain forever connected 
with  the  3-Stripes  brand.  Timeless  products  like  the  adidas  Superstar  have  an  established 
place in fashion. 

It was an emotional moment for all employees, including myself, to celebrate our company’s 
birthday together with Adi Dassler’s daughter Siggi and other members of the Dassler family, 
our creative partner Pharrell Williams, tennis icon Stan Smith, football world champion Philipp 
Lahm, Olympic champions Laura Dahlmeier, Magdalena Neuner and Kristina Vogel, as well as 
Run DMC, who had a worldwide hit with ‘My adidas’. 

2019 FINANCIAL RESULTS
In terms of business, top-line growth and another strong profitability improvement in 2019 put 
us in a position to complete our strategic cycle ‘Creating the New’ successfully. Although held 
back  by  supply  chain  shortages,  we  increased  sales  to  €  23.6  billion,  reflecting  currency-
neutral growth of 6% and nominal growth of 8%. Our gross margin climbed 20 basis points to 
52%. Our operating margin improved 40 basis points to a level of 11.3%, the highest operating 
margin in the history of our company. Our net income from continuing operations again grew 
significantly faster than our top line, up 12% to a record € 1.9 billion.  

ATTRACTIVE CASH RETURN TO SHAREHOLDERS
Our strategy ‘Creating the New’ includes a strong commitment to returning cash to you, our 
shareholders, through both dividends and share buybacks. In 2019, we continued to deliver on 
this  promise.  We  completed  the  second  tranche  of  our  current  multi-year  share  buyback 
program,  repurchasing  3.2  million  shares  for  a  consideration  of  €  815  million.  Taking  into 
account the dividend payment of € 664 million for the financial year 2018, which was paid out 
in May 2019, the total amount of cash the company returned to its shareholders in 2019 was 
again € 1.5 billion.

FOCUS ON STRATEGIC GROWTH DRIVERS PAYS OFF
Our  strategic  growth  drivers  adidas  North  America,  Greater  China  and  E-commerce  all 
contributed  over-proportionally  to  our  currency-neutral  growth.  E-com  was  our  fastest-
growing channel with a 34% increase year-over-year, confirming the strategic importance of 
building the perfect store for our consumers online with adidas.com and reebok.com. Greater 
China  grew  at  a  double-digit  rate  for  the  fifth  year  in  a  row,  up  15%,  as  we  capitalized  on 
important brand and shopping moments such as Singles’ Day and an early Chinese New Year. 
adidas North America was impacted the most by our supply chain shortages, but still grew 7%. 
This means we continued to gain market share in the largest sporting goods market in the world. 

Our top line was driven by growth in all market segments. Our home market Europe returned 
to  growth  with  a  3%  sales  increase.  Latin  America  grew  7%,  Emerging  Markets  13%  and 
Russia/CIS 8%.

CLEAR COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY
adidas’ commitment to sustainability started way before the topic gained global attention. For 
20 years, we have been a change leader in our industry, as evidenced by our inclusion for the 
20th  time  in  the  Dow  Jones  Sustainability  Indices,  a  family  of  benchmarks  evaluating  the 
sustainability performance of the largest 2,500 companies listed in the Dow Jones Global Total 
Stock Market Index. 

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201911    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

LETTER FROM THE CEO

In terms of integrating sustainability in our business model, we produced a record more than 
eleven  million  pairs  of  shoes  containing  plastic  waste  collected  from  beaches  and  coastal 
regions in 2019, more than double the amount produced the year before. From 2024 onward, 
we are committed to using only recycled polyester. Our fight to end plastic waste is the best 
expression  of  our  purpose  that,  through  sport,  we  have  the  power  to  change  lives.  The 
increasing  use  of  recycled  materials  is  just  one  example  of  our  sustainability  activities.  The 
spectrum  ranges  from  waste  prevention  and  new  types  of  take-back  programs  for  used 
products, to climate protection. This will contribute to our ultimate goal of climate neutrality in 
all our activities as well as our supply chain by 2050. 

2020 OUTLOOK
2020 is the last year of our five-year strategy cycle ‘Creating the New’. We have come a long 
way since we embarked on this journey at the beginning of 2016. We added almost € 7 billion 
to our top line, drove operating margin up nearly 500 basis points and increased net income by 
€ 1.2 billion. Already today, adidas is a much better and stronger company than ever before. 
But we will not stop here. Like every athlete, we train and work hard to up our game season 
after season, year after year. For 2020, we are targeting a currency-neutral sales increase of 
between  6%  and  8%.  By  further  leveraging  our  scalable  operating  model,  net  income  is 
expected to once again grow at a double-digit rate to a level of more than € 2.1 billion. Operating 
margin is expected to come in between 11.5% and 11.8%. These figures will enable us to fully 
achieve our 2020 financial ambition.  

The company’s outlook for 2020 as outlined in this report is subject to change depending on the 
further developments related to the coronavirus outbreak. 

IN CLOSING
Together  with  all  adidas  employees,  I  am  very  much  looking  forward  to  2020.  It  will  be  an 
exciting year for our company. We will continue on our international growth track, accelerate 
our  digital  transformation  and  make  our  product  range  at  adidas  and  Reebok  even  more 
sustainable. Through high-performing athletes, innovative products and inspiring marketing 
campaigns, adidas will take center-stage at the two major sport events of the year, the UEFA 
EURO 2020 and the Tokyo Olympics, and other important moments in sport and culture. We will 
finish  our  ‘Creating  the  New’  strategy  with  excellence  before  presenting  our  new  strategy 
beyond 2020 in November. We are operating in an attractive industry and are well positioned for 
the future. Success is in our own hands.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Sincerely yours,

K A S P E R   R O R S T E D
C E O

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201911    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

EXECUTIVE BOARD

EXECUTIVE 
BOARD

OUR EXECUTIVE BOARD IS COMPRISED   
OF SIX MEMBERS. EACH BOARD MEMBER   
IS RESPONSIBLE FOR AT LEAST ONE   
MAJOR FUNCTION WITHIN THE COMPANY.

Harm Ohlmeyer
Chief Financial  Officer

Martin Shankland
Global Operations

Roland Auschel
Global Sales

Brian Grevy
Global Brands

Kasper Rorsted
Chief Executive Officer

Karen Parkin
Global Human Resources

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1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

EXECUTIVE BOARD

KASPER RORSTED 
CHIEF EXECUTIVE 
OFFICER

Kasper Rorsted was born in Aarhus, Denmark, in 

1962 and is a Danish national. He holds a  degree 

in Business Studies from the International Business 

School,  Denmark,  and  completed  a  series  of 

Executive Programs at Harvard Business School, 

USA.  Kasper  Rorsted  then  gained  valuable 

 experience  within  the  IT  sector  through  various 

management  positions  at  Oracle,  Compaq  and 

Hewlett Packard. In 2005, Kasper Rorsted joined 

consumer goods manufacturer Henkel as Executive 

Vice  President  Human  Resour ces,  Purchasing, 

Information  Technologies  and 

Infra structure 

Services.  Three  years  after   joining  Henkel,  he 

was  appointed  Chief   Executive   Officer.  In  2016, 

Kasper  Rorsted  was  appointed  to  the  Executive 

Board  of  adidas.  After  two  months  as  a  Board 

member, he became Chief Executive Officer.  

Mandates:

 — Member of the Board of Directors,  

Nestlé S.A., Vevey, Switzerland

 — Member of the Supervisory Board,  

Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA / Bertelsmann 

Management SE, Gütersloh, Germany 1

1  Until March 31, 2019.

FOR MORE 
INFORMATION ON 
THE ADIDAS AG 
EXECUTIVE BOARD

↗  ADIDAS-GROUP.COM/EXECUTIVE-BOARD

ROLAND AUSCHEL 
GLOBAL SALES

Roland Auschel was born in Bad Waldsee, Germany, 

in  1963  and  is  a  German  citizen.  After  obtaining 

a Bachelor’s degree in European Business Studies 

from the Münster University of Applied Sciences, 

Germany, and the University of Hull, UK, as well 

as an MBA from the University of Miami, USA, he 

joined the adidas team as a Strategic Planner in 

1989.  During  his  career  with  the  company,  he 

has  held  many  senior  management  positions, 

 including  Business  Unit  Manager,  Key  Account 

Manager  Europe  and  Head  of  Region  Europe, 

Middle East and Africa. In 2009, he became Chief 

Sales  Officer  Multichannel  Markets.  In  2013, 

 Roland  Auschel  was  appointed  to  the  Executive 

Board and is respon sible for Global Sales. 

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1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

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STATEMENTS

EXECUTIVE BOARD

HARM OHLMEYER
CHIEF FINANCIAL 
OFFICER

Harm Ohlmeyer was born in Hoya, Germany, in 

1968  and  is  a  German  national.  He  holds  a 

 degree in Business Studies from the University 

of  Regensburg,  Germany,  as  well  as  an  MBA 

from  Murray  State  University,  USA.  Harm 

Ohlmeyer  started  his  career  with  adidas  in 

1998  and  gained  extensive  experience  in  the 

areas  of  Finance  and  Sales, 

including 

 responsibility as Senior Vice President Finance 

 TaylorMade-adidas  Golf 

in  

  Carlsbad,  USA, 

 Senior  Vice  President  Finance  adidas  Brand 

and  Senior  Vice  President  Finance  for  Global 

Sales (adidas and Reebok). From 2011, he led 

the company’s e-commerce business as  Senior 

Vice President Digital Brand Commerce. From 

2014 to 2016, he held additional responsibility 

as  Senior  Vice  President  Sales  Strategy  and 

Excellence.  In  2017,  Harm  Ohlmeyer  was 

 appointed  to  the  Executive  Board  and  subse-

quently  became  Chief  Financial  Officer  and 

Labor Director.  

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BRIAN GREVY 2
GLOBAL BRANDS

Brian  Grevy  was  born  in  Kolding,  Denmark,  in 

1971 and is a  Danish citizen. After his studies at 

the  Business  School  in  Vejle,  Denmark,  he  held 

various 

leadership  positions  at  adidas  and 

 Reebok Nordics between 1998 and 2006. In 2006, 

he  transferred  to  the  adidas  headquarters  in 

Herzogenaurach,  Germany,  to  become  Director 

Men’s  Training  and,  as  of  2010,  Senior  Vice 

President Training & Regional Sports. From 2012 

to  2014,  Brian  Grevy  acted  as  General  Manager 

adidas Nordics in Stockholm, Sweden. During the 

years  2014  to  2016,  he  led  the  adidas   Business 

Unit  Training  as  General  Manager 

in 

Herzogenaurach,  Germany.  He  then  joined  Gant 

in Stockholm, Sweden, as Chief Marketing Officer, 

where he became Chief Executive Officer in 2018. 

In 2020, Brian Grevy was appointed to the adidas 

Executive  Board  and  is   responsible  for  Global 

Brands.

Mandates:

 — Member of the Board of Directors,  

Pitzner Gruppen Holding A/S, Copenhagen, 

Denmark  

2  Since February 1, 2020.

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KAREN PARKIN
GLOBAL HUMAN 
 RESOURCES

Karen Parkin was born in Bowden, UK, in 1965, is 

a British  national and also holds a US passport. 

She  obtained  a  Bachelor’s  degree  in  Education 

from  Sheffield  Hallam  University,  UK.  Karen 

 Parkin  joined  adidas  in  1997  as  Sales  Director 

adidas  UK,  where  she  was  Head  of  Customer 

Service  from  2000  to  2001  and 

 Business 

 Development Director from 2001 to 2004. In 2004, 

she relocated to adidas America as Vice  President 

Business  Development,  subsequently  taking  on 

responsibility  for  the  supply  chain  function  at 

 adidas  America 

in  2007  as  Vice  President 

 Logistics  and  Supply  Chain  North  America.  In 

2013, she was  appointed as Senior Vice President 

Global Supply Chain  Management, based both at 

the company’s headquarters in  Herzogenaurach 

and  at  the  adidas  America  headquarters  in 

 Portland,  USA.  Since  2014,  she  has  held  the 

 position of Chief HR Officer. In 2017, Karen Parkin 

was  appointed  to  the  Executive  Board  and  is 

 responsible for Global Human Resources.   

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MARTIN 
SHANKLAND 3
GLOBAL OPERATIONS

Martin Shankland was born in Sydney, Australia, 

in 1971 and is an Australian national. He holds a 

Bachelor  of  Commerce  degree 

from 

the 

University  of  New  South  Wales,  Australia,  and 

 completed the Professional Year Program at the 

Australian  Institute of Chartered Accountants. He 

joined  adidas  in  1997  as  Finance  Director  for 

adidas  Russia/CIS  and  was  Managing   Director 

from  2000  to  2017.  From  2017  to  2019,  he  led 

adidas Emerging Markets as Managing Director. 

In 2019, Martin Shankland was  appointed to the 

Executive  Board  and  is   responsible  for  Global 

Operations.  

3  Since March 4, 2019.

Member of the   Executive Board until February 26, 2019:
GIL STEYAERT 
GLOBAL OPERATIONS

Member of the   Executive Board until December 31, 2019:

ERIC LIEDTKE 
GLOBAL BRANDS

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Mandates:
 — Member of the Supervisory Board, Fashion for Good 

B.V., Amsterdam, the Netherlands4

Mandates:
 — Member of the Board of Directors, Carbon, Inc., Redwood City, USA
 — Member of the Supervisory Board, Fashion for Good B.V., Amsterdam, 

4 Until February 26, 2019.

The Netherlands5

5 From April 25, 2019 until December 31, 2019.

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STATEMENTS

SUPERVISORY BOARD

SUPERVISORY BOARD

IGOR LANDAU
CHAIRMAN
residing in Lugano, Switzerland
born on July 13, 1944
Member of the Supervisory Board since  
May 13, 2004
Pensioner

UDO MÜLLER*
DEPUTY CHAIRMAN4
residing in Herzogenaurach, Germany
born on April 14, 1960
Member of the Supervisory Board since 
October 6, 2016
Director Communication, Herzogenaurach, 
adidas AG, Herzogenaurach, Germany

THOMAS RABE
DEPUTY CHAIRMAN1
residing in Berlin, Germany
born on August 6, 1965
Member of the Supervisory Board since  
May 9, 2019
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, 
Bertelsmann Management SE, Gütersloh, 
Germany
Chief Executive Officer, RTL Group S.A., 
Luxembourg, Luxembourg
 — Member of the Supervisory Board, 
Symrise AG, Holzminden, Germany 2
Membership in comparable domestic and 
foreign controlling bodies of commercial 
enterprises
Mandates held in foreign subsidiaries of 
Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA:
 — Chairman of the Board of Directors, 

Penguin Random House LLC, New York, 
USA

 — Member of the Supervisory Board, 
Majorel Group Luxembourg S.A., 
Luxembourg, Luxembourg3

PETRA AUERBACHER*
residing in Emskirchen, Germany
born on December 27, 1969
Member of the Supervisory Board since  
May 9, 2019
Project Manager Creative Direction, 
adidas AG, Herzogenaurach, Germany

IAN GALLIENNE
residing in Gerpinnes, Belgium
born on January 23, 1971
Member of the Supervisory Board since  
June 15, 2016
Chief Executive Officer, Groupe Bruxelles 
Lambert, Brussels, Belgium
 — Member of the Board of Directors, 
Pernod Ricard SA, Paris, France
 — Member of the Board of Directors, 
SGS SA, Geneva, Switzerland

Mandates within the Groupe Bruxelles 
Lambert or in entities under common 
control with the Groupe Bruxelles Lambert:

 — Member of the Board of Directors, 

Imerys SA, Paris, France

 — Member of the Board of Directors, 
Sienna Capital S.à r.l., Strassen, 
Luxembourg

 — Member of the Board of Directors, 

Compagnie Nationale à Portefeuille SA, 
Loverval, Belgium 

 — Member of the Board of Directors, Frère-

Bourgeois SA, Loverval, Belgium 
 — Member of the Board of Directors, 

Château Cheval Blanc, Société Civile, 
Saint-Émilion, France 

 — Member of the Board of Directors, GBL 
Advisors Ltd., London, United Kingdom 

 — Member of the Board of Directors, 

GBL Development Ltd., London, United 
Kingdom

 — Member of the Supervisory Board, 

Marnix French ParentCo SAS (Webhelp 
Group), Paris, France5

ROSWITHA HERMANN*
residing in Erlangen, Germany
born on December 27, 1962
Member of the Supervisory Board since  
May 9, 2019
Full-time member of the Works Council 
Herzogenaurach, adidas AG, 
Herzogenaurach, Germany
Deputy Chairwoman of the Works Council 
Herzogenaurach, adidas AG, 
Herzogenaurach, Germany

* Employee representative.
1 Since May 9, 2019.
2 Until December 31, 2019; chairmanship until August 7, 2019.

3  Since January 4, 2019; formerly known as ACR – Advanced Customer 

Relation S.à.r.l.
4 Since May 9, 2019.

5 Since November 19, 2019.
6  Until resigning the Executive Board mandate at  

Henkel AG & Co. KGaA on April 9, 2019.

HERBERT KAUFFMANN
residing in Stuttgart, Germany
born on April 20, 1951
Member of the Supervisory Board since  
May 7, 2009
Independent Management Consultant, 
Stuttgart, Germany

KATHRIN MENGES
residing in Großenbrode, Germany
born on October 16, 1964
Member of the Supervisory Board since 
 May 8, 2014
Self-employed entrepreneur
Mandates held within the Henkel Group6: 
 — Member of the Supervisory Board, 

Henkel Central Eastern Europe GmbH, 
Vienna, Austria

 — Member of the Supervisory Board, 

Henkel Nederland B.V., Nieuwegein, The 
Netherlands

 — Member of the Board of Directors, 

Henkel Norden AB, Stockholm, Sweden

 — Member of the Board of Directors, 
Henkel Finland Oy, Vantaa, Finland

BIOGRAPHICAL 
INFORMATION ON OUR 
SUPERVISORY BOARD 
MEMBERS IS AVAILABLE 
ONLINE
↗ ADIDAS-GROUP.COM/SUPERVISORY-BOARD

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STATEMENTS

SUPERVISORY BOARD

ROLAND NOSKO*
residing in Wolnzach, Germany
born on August 19, 1958
Member of the Supervisory Board since  
May 13, 2004
District Manager of the Industrial Union IG 
Bergbau, Chemie, Energie (IG BCE), District 
of Nuremberg, Nuremberg, Germany
 — Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board, 
CeramTec GmbH, Plochingen, Germany
 — Member of the Supervisory Board, Plastic 
Omnium Automotive Exteriors GmbH, 
Munich, Germany 

BEATE ROHRIG*
residing in Glashütten, Germany
born on March 24, 1965
Member of the Supervisory Board since  
May 9, 2019
State District Manager of the Industrial 
Union IG Bergbau, Chemie, Energie (IG BCE), 
State District Bavaria, Munich, Germany
 — Member of the Supervisory Board, Evonik 
Nutrition & Care GmbH, Essen, Germany

 — Member of the Supervisory Board, 
Heraeus Holding GmbH, Hanau, 
Germany7

 — Member of the Supervisory Board, 

Wacker Chemie AG, Munich, Germany8

NASSEF SAWIRIS
residing in London, United Kingdom
born on January 19, 1961
Member of the Supervisory Board since  
June 15, 2016
Chief Executive Officer and Member of the 
Board of Directors, OCI N.V., Amsterdam, 
The Netherlands
 — Member of the Board of Directors, 

LafargeHolcim Ltd., Jona, Switzerland 9

FRANK SCHEIDERER*
residing in Wilhelmsdorf, Germany
born on April 16, 1977
Member of the Supervisory Board since  
May 9, 2019
Director Head Office – Brand & Sales Finance, 
adidas AG, Herzogenaurach, Germany

MICHAEL STORL*
residing in Oberreichenbach, Germany
born on July 3, 1959
Member of the Supervisory Board since  
May 9, 2019
Full-time member of the Works Council 
Herzogenaurach, adidas AG, 
Herzogenaurach, Germany

GÜNTER WEIGL*
residing in Oberreichenbach, Germany
born on April 14, 1965
Member of the Supervisory Board since  
May 9, 2019
Senior Vice President Global Sports 
Marketing & Brand Relations, adidas AG, 
Herzogenaurach, Germany

STANDING COMMITTEES  
AS OF MAY 9, 2019
Steering Committee:  
Igor Landau (Chairman),  
Udo Müller*, Thomas Rabe
General Committee:  
Igor Landau (Chairman), Udo Müller*, 
Roland Nosko*, Thomas Rabe
Audit Committee:  
Herbert Kauffmann (Chairman), Frank 
Scheiderer*, Bodo Uebber12, Günter Weigl*
Nomination Committee:  
Igor Landau (Chairman), Kathrin Menges, 
Thomas Rabe
Mediation Committee pursuant to § 27 
section 3 Co-Determination Act (MitbestG): 
Igor Landau (Chairman), Roswitha Hermann*, 
Udo Müller*, Thomas Rabe

BODO UEBBER
residing in Stuttgart, Germany
born on August 18, 1959
Member of the Supervisory Board since  
May 9, 2019
Independent Management Consultant
 — Member of the Supervisory Board, 
Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA/
Bertelsmann Management SE, 
Gütersloh, Germany

 — Chairman of the Supervisory Board, 

Daimler Financial Services AG, Stuttgart, 
Germany 10 

Membership in comparable domestic and 
foreign controlling bodies of commercial 
enterprises11: 
 — Member of the Board of Directors, BAIC 
Motor Corporation Ltd., Beijing, China

 — Member of the Board of Directors, 
Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd., 
Brackley, United Kingdom

 — Member of the Board of Directors, Delta 
Topco Ltd., St Helier, Jersey, United 
Kingdom

JING ULRICH
residing in Hong Kong, China
born on June 28, 1967
Member of the Supervisory Board since  
May 9, 2019
Vice Chairman of Global Banking and Asia 
Pacific, JPMorgan Chase & Co., New York, 
USA

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* Employee representative.
7 Until December 31, 2019. 
8 Since July 18, 2019.

9  Until May 15, 2019.
10 Until May 22, 2019.
11 Until resigning the Executive Board mandate at Daimler AG on May 22, 2019.

12 Since January 1, 2020; Ian Gallienne until December 31, 2019.

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MEMBERS OF THE SUPERVISORY BOARD UNTIL MAY 9, 2019:

SABINE BAUER*
DEPUTY CHAIRWOMAN
Full-time member of the Works Council 
Herzogenaurach, adidas AG
Chairwoman of the European Works Council, 
adidas AG

WILLI SCHWERDTLE
DEPUTY CHAIRMAN
Independent Management Consultant as 
well as Partner, WP Force Solutions GmbH, 
Bad Homburg v. d. Höhe, Germany
 — Member of the Supervisory Board, 
Eckes AG, Nieder-Olm, Germany
 — Chairman of the Supervisory Board, 
Windeln.de SE, Munich, Germany

DR. FRANK APPEL
Chief Executive Officer, Deutsche Post AG, 
Bonn, Germany

KATJA KRAUS
Author/Managing Partner, Jung von Matt/
sports GmbH, Hamburg, Germany

KURT WITTMANN*
Full-time member of the Works Council 
Herzogenaurach, adidas AG

DIETER HAUENSTEIN*
Specialist for job safety, adidas AG

HANS RUPRECHT*
Vice President Customer Service Central, 
adidas AG

DR. WOLFGANG JÄGER*
Research Fellow at the Institute for Social 
Movements at the Ruhr Universität Bochum, 
Expert Commission ‘Cultures of 
remembrance of social democracy’ of Hans-
Böckler-Stiftung, Bochum, Germany 

HEIDI THALER-VEH*
Full-time member of the Works Council 
Uffenheim, adidas AG
Chairwoman of the Works Council 
Uffenheim, adidas AG
Deputy Chairwoman of the Central Works 
Council, adidas AG

STANDING COMMITTEES UNTIL MAY 9, 2019
Steering Committee: Igor Landau (Chairman), Sabine Bauer*, Willi Schwerdtle
General Committee: Igor Landau (Chairman), Sabine Bauer*, Roland Nosko*, Willi Schwerdtle
Audit Committee: Herbert Kauffmann (Chairman), Ian Gallienne, Dr. Wolfgang Jäger*, Hans Ruprecht*
Finance and Investment Committee: Igor Landau (Chairman), Sabine Bauer*, Dr. Wolfgang Jäger*, Herbert Kauffmann
Nomination Committee: Igor Landau (Chairman), Kathrin Menges, Willi Schwerdtle
Mediation Committee pursuant to § 27 section 3 Co-Determination Act (MitbestG): Igor Landau (Chairman), Sabine Bauer*, Willi Schwerdtle, Heidi Thaler-Veh*

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* Employee representative.

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SUPERVISORY BOARD REPORT

SUPERVISORY BOARD REPORT

DEAR SHAREHOLDERS,

Last  year,  the  company’s  success  story  from  the  foundation  in  1949  up  until  today  was 
highlighted  in  an  impressive  manner  by  a  successful  70th  anniversary  celebration  and  the 
completion of the extension of the headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany. From a financial 
point of view, too, we look back on 2019 as another successful year. Thanks to a sharp focus on 
our consumers’ needs as part of the stringent execution of our strategic business plan ‘Creating 
the New’, the company was once again able to increase sales and achieve strong bottom-line 
growth  in  the  2019  financial  year.  While  double-digit  growth  in  the  key  e-commerce  sales 
channel as well as in our focus market Greater China merit special mention, the company’s 
growth as a whole was broad-based, with top-line increases in all regions, including our home 
market Europe. Supply chain shortages which slowed the company’s growth, mainly in North 
America in the first half of the year, were quickly and permanently mitigated. In light of this 
sales momentum as well as the continuing high investments into our brands and the scalability 
of the business, the company is in an excellent position to successfully conclude the strategy 
cycle 2015-2020 in the current financial year. We continue to ensure that we share the positive 
development of the company with our shareholders, as underscored by the total cash return 
from the dividend payout and share buyback of € 1.5 billion in 2019.

SUPERVISION AND ADVICE IN DIALOGUE   
WITH THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
In  the  year  under  review,  we  performed  all  of  our  tasks  laid  down  by  law,  the  Articles  of 
Association,  the  German  Corporate  Governance  Code  (‘Code’)  and  the  Rules  of  Procedure 
carefully and conscientiously, as in previous years. We regularly advised the Executive Board on 
the management of the company and diligently and continuously supervised its management 
activities, assuring ourselves of the legality, expediency and regularity thereof. The Executive 
Board involved us directly and in a timely and comprehensive manner in all of the company’s 
fundamental decisions.

The Executive Board informed us extensively and regularly through written and oral reports. 
This  information  covered  all  relevant  aspects  of  the  company’s  business  strategy,  business 
planning (including finance, investment and personnel planning), the course of business and 
the  company’s  financial  position  and  profitability.  We  were  also  kept  up  to  date  on  matters 
relating to accounting processes, the risk situation and the effectiveness of the internal control 
and risk management systems and compliance as well as all major decisions and business 
transactions. The Executive Board always explained immediately and in a detailed manner any 
deviations  in  business  performance  from  the  established  plans,  and  we  discussed  these 
matters in depth.

The  Executive  Board  regularly  provided  us  with  comprehensive  written  reports  for  the 
preparation  of  our  meetings.  We  thus  always  had  the  opportunity  to  critically  analyze  the 
Executive  Board’s  reports  and  resolution  proposals  within  the  committees  and  within  the 
Supervisory Board as a whole and to put forward suggestions before passing resolutions after 
in-depth  examination  and  extensive  consultation.  At  the  Supervisory  Board  meetings,  the 
Executive Board was available to discuss and answer our questions. In the periods between our 
meetings, the Executive Board also provided us with extensive, timely monthly reports on the 
current business situation. We critically examined and specifically challenged the information 
provided to us by the Executive Board.

In  the  past  financial  year,  the  Supervisory  Board  primarily  exercised  its  duties  in  plenary 
sessions. We held eight regular meetings of the entire Supervisory Board, one of which was a 
constituent meeting and one which took place outside Germany. Moreover, one resolution was 
passed by way of a circular resolution.

As  in  previous  years,  we  were  able  to  record  a  constantly  high  participation  rate  in  our 
consultations  despite  a  high  number  of  meetings  in  the  year  under  review.  The  overall 
attendance rate of the members at the meetings of the Supervisory Board and its committees 
was  around  96%  in  the  year  under  review.  Members  who  were  unable  to  participate  in  the 
meetings took part in the resolutions by submitting their vote in writing. 

 SEE TABLE 1

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SUPERVISORY BOARD REPORT

Individual meeting participation of the Supervisory Board members
in meetings of the Supervisory Board in the 2019 financial year

1

Members of the Supervisory Board as at December 31, 2019

Igor Landau, Chairman of the Supervisory Board

Udo Müller, Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board 1

Thomas Rabe, Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board 2

Petra Auerbacher 2

Ian Gallienne

Roswitha Hermann 2

Herbert Kauffmann

Kathrin Menges

Roland Nosko

Beate Rohrig 2

Nassef Sawiris

Frank Scheiderer 2

Michael Storl 2

Bodo Uebber 2

Jing Ulrich 2

Günter Weigl 2

Members of the Supervisory Board until the end of the  
Annual General Meeting on May 9, 2019

Sabine Bauer, Deputy Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board

Willi Schwerdtle, Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board

Dr. Frank Appel

Dieter Hauenstein

Dr. Wolfgang Jäger

Katja Kraus

Hans Ruprecht

Heidi Thaler-Veh

Kurt Wittmann

Number of 

meetings Participation

Participation 
in %

16

12

9

4

13

4

13

10

14

4

8

7

4

4

4

7

6

7

4

4

6

4

6

4

4

16

11

8

4

12

3

13

10

14

3

8

7

4

4

3

7

6

7

4

4

6

4

6

4

4

100

92

89

100

92

75

100

100

100

75

100

100

100

100

75

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

1 Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board from the end of the Annual General Meeting on May 9, 2019
2 Member of the Supervisory Board from the end of the Annual General Meeting on May 9, 2019

The external auditor, KPMG AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft, Berlin, (KPMG) attended all 
regular meetings of the Supervisory Board, with the exception of the meeting which took place 
outside Germany, insofar as no Executive Board matters or internal matters of the Supervisory 
Board were dealt with. KPMG also attended all meetings of the Audit Committee.

In the periods between meetings, the Supervisory Board Chairman and the Audit Committee 
Chairman maintained regular contact with the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial 
Officer, conferring on matters such as corporate strategy, business planning and development, 
the  risk  situation  and  risk  management  as  well  as  compliance.  In  addition,  the  Supervisory 
Board Chairman was informed about events of fundamental importance for the management and 
for evaluating the situation and development of the company, when necessary also at short notice.

The Supervisory Board also regularly conferred on, in particular, Supervisory Board matters 
and personnel matters of the Executive Board without the Executive Board.

TOPICS FOR THE ENTIRE SUPERVISORY BOARD
Our consultations and examinations focused on the following topics:

SITUATION AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
The  development  of  sales  and  earnings,  the  employment  situation  as  well  as  the  financial 
position of the company and the business development of the company’s individual business 
areas and markets were presented to us in detail by the Executive Board at every Supervisory 
Board meeting and were discussed regularly. Moreover, we discussed the company’s business 
strategy  and  the  annual  and  multi-year  business  planning  of  the  Executive  Board.  In  this 
context, we were particularly informed on a regular basis about the progress made in mitigating 
the  supply  chain  shortages  in  North  America.  Further  topics  which  were  always  discussed 
were the possible impact of global economic developments as well as the development of the 
individual brands and markets.

The  Executive  Board  outlined  the  company’s  situation  and  retail  strategy  at  the  February 
meeting.  We  also  discussed  important  potential  and  pending  legal  disputes.  The  Executive 
Board reported on the financial figures for the 2018 financial year at the balance sheet meeting 
in  March.  After  in-depth  examination  of  the  financial  statements,  the  Supervisory  Board 
approved the annual financial statements and consolidated financial statements as well as the 
combined Management Report, including the non-financial statement for adidas AG and the 
Group as at December 31, 2018. The annual financial statements were thus adopted. Prior to 
the passing of the resolution, the auditor reported on the material results of the audit, including 
the results of the examination of the content of the non-financial statement commissioned by 
the Supervisory Board in accordance with § 111 section 2 sentence 4 German Stock Corporation 
Act (Aktiengesetz – AktG). Furthermore, the Supervisory Board Report to the Annual General 
Meeting for the 2018 financial year was approved. Finally, we discussed, inter alia, the business 
development of Reebok and innovation at adidas. At the May meeting, we primarily dealt with 

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201911    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

SUPERVISORY BOARD REPORT

the results for the first quarter of the year under review. Particular topics of the August meeting 
were the financial results for the second quarter and the first half year. We also discussed the 
business  development  in  Emerging  Markets  and  dealt  in  detail  with  the  main  sustainability 
initiatives. At our annual strategy meeting in October, we discussed the details presented by 
the Executive Board regarding the strategic business plan ‘Creating the New’. Another focal 
point of the October meeting was the development of business in Asia-Pacific. Finally, topics of 
our December meeting were the 2020 Budget and Investment Plan as well as the marketing 
and sponsorship agreements concluded in the year under review.

TRANSACTIONS REQUIRING SUPERVISORY BOARD APPROVAL
In accordance with statutory regulations or the Rules of Procedure of the Supervisory Board, 
certain  transactions  and  measures  require  the  prior  approval  of  the  Supervisory  Board.  We 
approved the following measures in the period under review:

In March, we approved the resolutions proposed to the Annual General Meeting on May 9, 2019 
(‘2019 Annual General Meeting’), including the proposal regarding the appropriation of retained 
earnings for the 2018 financial year. At the May meeting, we approved the adjusted resolution 
proposal of the Executive Board on the appropriation of retained earnings. The adjustment was 
necessary as the number of dividend-entitled shares had decreased since the publication of 
the  invitation  to  the  Annual  General  Meeting,  due  to  the  ongoing  share  buyback  program. 
Furthermore, we approved Eric Liedtke taking over a supervisory board mandate at Fashion for 
Good B.V. At our December meeting, after comprehensive consultation, we approved the 2020 
Budget and Investment Plan of the Executive Board.

COMPOSITION OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
In the year under review, we dealt extensively with personnel matters of the Executive Board.

We  appointed  Martin  Shankland  as  a  new  member  of  the  Executive  Board,  responsible  for 
Global Operations, with effect from March 2019. Martin Shankland succeeded Gil Steyaert. As 
successor  to  Eric  Liedtke,  we  appointed  Brian  Grevy  as  a  member  of  the  Executive  Board, 
responsible for Global Brands, with effect from February 1, 2020. Moreover, we extended the 
Executive  Board  mandates  of  Karen  Parkin,  responsible  for  Global  Human  Resources,  and 
Harm Ohlmeyer, responsible for Finance, for another five years until 2025, respectively.

In  this  respect  and  after  in-depth  examination,  we  approved  the  newly  concluded  Executive 
Board  service  contracts  with  Martin  Shankland  and  Brian  Grevy  as  well  as  the  amended 
Executive Board contracts of Karen Parkin and Harm Ohlmeyer as part of the extension of their 

mandates.  We  also  discussed  the  long-term  succession  planning  for  the  Executive  Board 
based on the General Committee’s preparations.

EXECUTIVE BOARD COMPENSATION
Another focal point of our work was Executive Board compensation. After an in-depth review of 
the individual performance of the Executive Board members and the achievement of the targets 
set for the 2018 Performance Bonus and the 2018 tranche for the Long-Term Incentive Plan 
2018/2020 (‘LTIP 2018/2020’), we resolved upon the performance-related compensation to be 
paid  to  the  Executive  Board  members  for  the  2018  Performance  Bonus  and  the  2018  LTIP 
tranche  at  our  meetings 
in  February.  The  Supervisory  Board  also  determined  the 
appropriateness  of  the  Executive  Board  compensation.  Furthermore,  after  comprehensive 
consultation, we set the criteria and targets decisive for the 2019 Performance Bonus and the 
2019 tranche for the LTIP 2018/2020 along with the individual bonus target amounts for each 
Executive Board member at our meetings in February and March.

Further  detailed  information  on  the  Executive  Board  compensation  can  be  found  in  the 
Compensation Report. 

 SEE COMPENSATION REPORT, P. 30

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
The  Supervisory  Board  regularly  monitors  the  application  and  further  development  of  the 
corporate governance regulations within the company, in particular the implementation of the 
recommendations  of  the  Code.  The  General  Committee  and  the  entire  Supervisory  Board 
proactively discussed in depth the changed requirements of the German Stock Corporation Act 
and the Code in regard to corporate governance at their meetings in October and December. 
Further detailed information on corporate governance within the company can be found in the 
Declaration on Corporate Governance and Corporate Governance Report. 

 SEE DECLARATION ON 

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE REPORT, P. 24

Following an in-depth discussion, the current Declaration of Compliance pursuant to § 161 AktG 
was resolved upon by the Executive Board and Supervisory Board of adidas AG in December 2019 
and was made permanently available on our website.  ↗ ADIDAS-GROUP.COM/S/CORPORATE-GOVERNANCE

During our consultations regarding the Declaration of Compliance, we particularly discussed 
the independence of the members of the Supervisory Board as per the respective independence 
criteria. In the Supervisory Board’s assessment, all Supervisory Board members representing 
the shareholders were independent within the meaning of section 5.4.2 of the Code in the year 
under review.

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201911    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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SUPERVISORY BOARD REPORT

In  the  year  under  review,  no  conflicts  of  interest  arose  in  regard  to  the  Executive  Board 
members.  There  were  also  no  conflicts  of  interest  within  the  Supervisory  Board.  It  must  be 
pointed out that the company concluded a contract with a company in which one Supervisory 
Board  member  in  office  until  the  end  of  the  2019  Annual  General  meeting  is  involved.  The 
Supervisory Board had already approved this contract and the business volume stipulated in 
this contract in December 2018. In the view of the Supervisory Board, there was no conflict of 
interest. Nevertheless, as in previous years, the Supervisory Board member concerned did not 
participate in the voting on the respective resolution.

Both the Supervisory Board and the Audit Committee reviewed the efficiency of their work in 
the 2018 financial year. The members of the Supervisory Board assessed the work in the entire 
Supervisory  Board  and  in  the  Audit  Committee  as  efficient  in  both  cases  and  resolved  upon 
individual  improvements  regarding  the  organization  of  the  Supervisory  Board’s  work.  These 
improvements were implemented in the year under review. The next efficiency examination of 
the Supervisory Board and Audit Committee is scheduled for the 2020 financial year in light of, 
inter alia, the changed composition of the Supervisory Board as a result of the new election of 
the shareholder and employee representatives in 2019.

The  members  of  the  Supervisory  Board  are  individually  responsible  for  undertaking  any 
necessary training and further education measures required for their tasks. In the year under 
review, the company offered the newly elected members of the Supervisory Board an onboarding 
program relating to the work of the Supervisory Board at adidas AG in order to facilitate the 
exercise  of  their  mandates.  Furthermore,  in  the  context  of  the  Supervisory  Board  meeting 
outside Germany, the company enabled members of the Supervisory Board to visit key suppliers 
in Vietnam.

EFFICIENT COMMITTEE WORK
In order to perform our tasks in an efficient manner, we have established a total of five standing 
Supervisory  Board  committees. 
 SEE  SUPERVISORY  BOARD,  P.  15  The  newly  elected  Supervisory 
Board  resolved  at  its  constituent  meeting  in  May  to  no  longer  constitute  the  Finance  and 
Investment Committee.

The  committees  prepare  resolutions  and  topics  for  the  meetings  of  the  entire  Supervisory 
Board. Within the legally permissible framework and in appropriate cases, we have furthermore 
delegated  the  Supervisory  Board’s  authority  to  pass  certain  resolutions  to  individual 
committees. With the exception of the Audit Committee, the Supervisory Board Chairman also 
chairs all the standing committees. Herbert Kauffmann is the Chairman of the Audit Committee. 

The respective committee chairmen report to the Supervisory Board on the content and results 
of the committee meetings on a regular and comprehensive basis.

 — The Steering Committee did not meet in the year under review.
 — The General Committee held six meetings in the year under review. 

The main focus was the preparation of the resolutions of the entire Supervisory Board 
regarding personnel matters of the Executive Board and Executive Board compensation. The 
General Committee particularly discussed the resignation of Gil Steyaert and Eric Liedtke, the 
appointment of Martin Shankland and Brian Grevy as well as the extension of the mandates 
of Karen Parkin and Harm Ohlmeyer. With reference to the Executive Board compensation, 
the primary focus was on preparation of the resolutions relating to target achievement 
for the 2018 Performance Bonus and the 2018 LTIP tranche and the targets for the 2019 
Performance Bonus and the 2019 LTIP tranche, as well as on the establishment of the 
appropriateness of the Executive Board compensation. Furthermore, the General Committee 
dealt intensively with long-term succession planning for the Executive Board as well as with 
the changed requirements of the German Stock Corporation Act and the Code in regard to 
corporate governance.

 — The Audit Committee held five meetings in the year under review. One resolution was passed 
by way of a circular resolution. The Chief Financial Officer and the auditor were present at 
all meetings and reported to the committee members in detail.
In addition to the supervision of the accounting process, the committee’s work also focused on 
the examination of the annual financial statements and the consolidated financial statements 
for 2018, including the combined Management Report and the non-financial statement of 
adidas AG and the Group, as well as the Executive Board’s proposal regarding the appropriation 
of retained earnings. Following an in-depth review of the audit reports on the annual financial 
statements and consolidated financial statements with the auditor, the committee decided 
to recommend that the Supervisory Board approve the 2018 annual financial statements and 
consolidated financial statements. Furthermore, the audit of the non-financial statement, 
including the selection and commissioning of the external auditor by the Supervisory Board, 
was prepared. In addition, the Audit Committee resolved to recommend that the Supervisory 
Board commission KPMG with the examination of the content of the non-financial statement 
with limited assurance pursuant to § 111 section 2 sentence 4 AktG. Following in-depth 
discussions, the Audit Committee also made a recommendation to the Supervisory Board 
regarding the proposal to the Annual General Meeting 2019 for the appointment of the auditor. 
The Audit Committee declared to the Supervisory Board that the recommendation is free 
from undue influence by a third party and that no clause of the kind referred to in Article 16 
section 6 of the EU Regulation No. 537/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201911    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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STATEMENTS

SUPERVISORY BOARD REPORT

April 16, 2014 on specific requirements regarding the statutory audit of public-interest entities 
has been imposed upon it. A further subject of in-depth discussions was the assignment of the 
audit mandate to the auditor for the 2019 financial year, the determination of the focus points 
of the audit, the supervision of the independence and qualification of the auditor as well as 
the quality of the audit of annual accounts, the determination of the audit fees and ultimately 
the discussion of the quarterly financial figures and the half year report. The Audit Committee 
dealt intensively with the monitoring of the effectiveness of the Risk Management System, the 
Internal Control System and Audit System as well as with the Compliance Management System. 
Moreover, the committee addressed the findings of Internal Audit and the audit plan. Potential 
and pending important legal disputes were also discussed. In addition, at every meeting of 
the Audit Committee, the Chief Compliance Officer gave regular reports on the Compliance 
Management System and the main compliance cases in the year under review.
In the year under review, the Audit Committee also discussed in depth the financing of the 
existing pension plans for the Executive Board and employees. Finally, the Audit Committee 
discussed the regulations for related party transactions which were recently added to the 
German Stock Corporation Act. According to these regulations, if the value of the transaction 
exceeds a defined threshold, listed stock corporations may only engage in related party 
transactions with the approval of the Supervisory Board. The Audit Committee recommended 
that the Supervisory Board delegate the authorization to approve related party transactions 
to the Audit Committee. The Supervisory Board approved the respective resolution proposal 
at its October meeting.

 — The Nomination Committee held two meetings in the year under review. It particularly 
prepared  the  recommendations  of  the  Supervisory  Board  regarding  the  shareholder 
representative election to the 2019 and 2020 Annual General Meeting. In this respect, taking 
the statutory requirements into account, the suitability and independence of the candidates 
were discussed. Furthermore, taking into consideration the competency profile for the 
members of the Supervisory Board defined by the Supervisory Board, a qualification profile 
was developed. Based on this, the Nomination Committee dealt with suitable candidates 
for the mandates to be filled within the Supervisory Board.

 — The Mediation Committee to be established in accordance with the German Co-Determination 
Act (Mitbestimmungsgesetz — MitbestG) did not have to be convened in the year under review.

ELECTION AND COMPOSITION OF THE NEW SUPERVISORY BOARD
The terms of office of all members of the Supervisory Board ended upon conclusion of the 2019 
Annual General Meeting.

The  shareholder  representatives  on  the  Supervisory  Board  were  newly  elected  at  the  2019 
Annual General Meeting. In light of the expiry of the one-year term of office of Igor Landau, a 
new  Supervisory  Board  member  will  be  elected  in  the  context  of  the  2020  Annual  General 
Meeting. For every new election taking place, the Supervisory Board submits its proposals to 
the  Annual  General  Meeting.  Prior  to  submitting  an  election  proposal,  there  is  a  diligent 
selection process for suitable candidates. The selection criteria for the candidates are based 
on a pre-defined qualification profile. These selection criteria are based on the objectives of the 
Supervisory Board regarding its composition, as defined by the Supervisory Board, and take 
into  account  the  competency  profile  as  well  as  statutory  provisions  and  the  applicable 
recommendations of the Code.

With the exception of Igor Landau and Herbert Kauffmann, the Supervisory Board proposed that 
the new Supervisory Board members be appointed for the period from the end of the 2019 Annual 
General Meeting to the end of the 2024 Annual General Meeting. The Supervisory Board proposed 
that  Igor  Landau  be  appointed  until  the  end  of  the  2020  Annual  General  Meeting.  The 
reappointment of Igor Landau for a term of office of only one year serves the purpose of ensuring 
a  smooth  handover  of  the  chairmanship  of  the  Supervisory  Board.  The  Supervisory  Board 
proposed that Herbert Kauffmann be appointed until the end of the 2021 Annual General Meeting. 
The proposal to appoint Herbert Kauffmann for a term of office of only two years is based on the 
fact that he will then have served as a Supervisory Board member of adidas AG for twelve years. 
While  the  Supervisory  Board  has  no  doubts  about  Herbert  Kauffmann’s  independence,  the 
Supervisory Board is already following the recommendations of the new version of the Code as 
amended  on  December  16,  2019.  According  to  the  Code,  as  a  rule,  a  member  is  no  longer 
considered independent after a twelve-year term of office on the Supervisory Board. As set 
forth in the new version of the Code, the Audit Committee shall always be chaired by an 
independent member.

The 2019 Annual General meeting approved all election proposals with a large majority.

The employee representatives on the Supervisory Board were newly elected in March 2019. For 
the  first  time,  the  employee  representatives  were  elected  by  delegates.  In  this  regard,  all 
adidas  AG  employees  eligible  to  vote  elected  delegates,  who  subsequently  elected  the 
Supervisory  Board  members  at  the  assembly  of  delegates.  The  candidates  thereby  elected, 

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201911    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

SUPERVISORY BOARD REPORT

together  with  the  trade  union  representatives,  form  the  employee  representation  on  the 
Supervisory Board since the end of the 2019 Annual General Meeting.

The Chairman and his two Deputies as well as the committee members were elected at the 
constituent meeting of the Supervisory Board. With regard to the representation of women and 
men,  the  Supervisory  Board  complies  with  the  statutory  minimum  quota  pursuant  to  §  96 
section 2 sentence 1 AktG. Prior to the resolution on the election proposals in accordance with 
§  96  section  2  sentence  3  AktG,  both  the  shareholder  representatives  and  the  employee 
representatives  resolved  that  the  minimum  quota  of  30%  women  and  30%  men  on  the 
Supervisory  Board  shall  be  fulfilled  separately  for  the  shareholder  representatives  and  the 
employee representatives.

EXAMINATION OF THE 2019 ANNUAL FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND 
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
KPMG audited the 2019 consolidated financial statements prepared by the Executive Board in 
accordance with § 315e German Commercial Code (Handelsgesetzbuch – HGB) in compliance 
with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), as they are to be applied in the EU, 
and issued an unqualified opinion thereon. The auditor also approved without qualification the 
2019 annual financial statements of adidas AG, prepared in accordance with the requirements 
of the German Commercial Code, and the combined Management Report of adidas AG and the 
adidas Group. Furthermore, at the request of the Supervisory Board, KPMG audited the non-
financial statement. KPMG has been acting as auditor and Group auditor for adidas AG since 
the 1995 financial year. On the basis of the transitional periods of Article 41 Regulation (EU) 
No 537/2014, KPMG must not be reappointed after June 17, 2023 and it is mandatory to carry 
out an external rotation. As the responsible audit partners, auditor Haiko Schmidt has been 
signing  the  financial  statements  since  the  2017  financial  year  and  auditor  Prof.  Dr.  Kai 
Andrejewski since the 2019 financial year. The 2019 Annual General Meeting elected KPMG as 
auditor  and  Group  auditor  upon  proposal  of  the  Supervisory  Board,  corresponding  with  a 
recommendation  of  the  Audit  Committee.  Prior  to  this,  KPMG  had  confirmed  to  both  the 
Supervisory Board and Audit Committee that there are no circumstances which could prejudice 
their  independence  as  auditor  or  which  could  cast  doubt  on  KPMG’s  independence.  In  this 
respect, KPMG also declared to which extent non-audit services were rendered for the company 
in  the  previous  financial  year  or  are  contractually  agreed  upon  for  the  following  year.  The 
financial  statements,  the  proposal  put  forward  by  the  Executive  Board  regarding  the 
appropriation of retained earnings and the auditor’s reports were distributed by the Executive 
Board to all Supervisory Board members in a timely manner.

We examined the documents in depth, with a particular focus on legality and regularity, in the 
presence  of  the  auditor  at  the  Audit  Committee  meeting  held  on  March  9,  2020  and  at  the 
Supervisory  Board’s  March  10,  2020  financial  statements  meeting,  during  which  the  Executive 
Board explained the financial statements in detail. At both meetings, the auditor reported on the 
material results of the audit, inter alia with regard to the priority topics agreed and the key audit 
matters and was available for questions and the provision of additional information. The auditor 
did not report any significant weaknesses with respect to the internal control and risk management 
system  relating  to  the  accounting  process.  We  also  discussed  in  depth  the  Executive  Board’s 
proposal concerning the appropriation of retained earnings, which provides for a dividend of € 3.85 
per dividend-entitled share, and adopted this increase in the dividend to € 3.85 compared with the 
previous year, also taking into consideration the good financial situation and business development 
in the 2019 financial year as well as the company’s positive future prospects.

Based on our own examinations of the annual and consolidated financial statements (including 
the  non-financial  statement),  we  came  to  the  conclusion  that  there  are  no  objections  to  be 
raised. At our financial statements meeting, therefore, following the recommendation of the 
Audit  Committee,  we  approved  the  audit  results  and  the  financial  statements  including  the 
non-financial statement prepared by the Executive Board. The 2019 annual financial statements 
of adidas AG were thus approved.

EXPRESSION OF THANKS
On behalf of the entire Supervisory Board, I would like to thank the members of the Supervisory 
Board  who  left  in  the  year  under  review  for  their  commitment  for  the  benefit  of  the  company. 
Furthermore, I wish to thank the current Executive Board, the departing Executive Board members 
Gil Steyaert and Eric Liedtke as well as all employees around the world for their great personal 
dedication and their ongoing commitment. I would also like to express my thanks for the trusting 
cooperation between the employee and shareholder representatives on the Supervisory Board.

For the Supervisory Board 

I G O R   L A N DA U 
CHAIRMAN OF THE SUPERVISORY BOARD

March 2020

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201911    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

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OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

DECLARATION ON CORPORATE 
 GOVERNANCE AND CORPORATE 
 GOVERNANCE REPORT

DECLARATION ON 
CORPORATE 
GOVERNANCE AND 
CORPORATE 
GOVERNANCE REPORT 1

for 

Corporate  Governance  stands 
responsible  and 
transparent  management  and  corporate  control  oriented 
toward  a  sustainable  increase  in  value.  We  are  convinced 
that  good  corporate  governance  is  an  essential  foundation 
for  sustainable  corporate  success  and  enhances  the 
confidence  placed  in  our  company  by  our  shareholders, 
business  partners,  employees  and  the  financial  markets. 
The following report includes the Declaration on Corporate 
Governance  and  the  Corporate  Governance  Report  and  is 
issued  by  the  Executive  Board  and  Supervisory  Board  in 
accordance  with  the  German  Corporate  Governance  Code 
(‘Code’)  as  amended  on  February  7,  2017,  which  was 
published  in  the  Federal  Gazette  on  April  24,  2017  and 
May 19, 2017 (corrected version).

DECLARATION BY THE EXECUTIVE BOARD AND 
SUPERVISORY BOARD OF ADIDAS AG ON THE 
GERMAN CORPORATE GOVERNANCE CODE 
PURSUANT TO § 161 GERMAN STOCK 
CORPORATION ACT (AKTIENGESETZ – AKTG)
The  Executive  Board  and  Supervisory  Board  of  adidas  AG 
issued  their  last  Declaration  of  Compliance  pursuant  to 
§  161  AktG  in  February  2019.  For  the  period  from  the 
publication of the last Declaration of Compliance, the following 
Declaration refers to the German Corporate Governance Code 
(‘Code’) as amended on February 7, 2017, which was published 
in  the  Federal  Gazette  on  April  24,  2017  and  May  19,  2017 
(corrected version).

The  Executive  Board  and  Supervisory  Board  of  adidas  AG 
declare  that  the  recommendations  of  the  Government 
Commission German Corporate Governance Code have been 
and are met with the following deviation:

Maximum number of non-group mandates held by members of the 
Supervisory Board (section 5.4.5 subsection 1 sentence 2)
One  member  of  the  Supervisory  Board,  Ian  Gallienne,  holds 
more than three mandates in supervisory bodies of non-group 
companies  which  are  listed  at  a  stock  exchange  or  have 
similar requirements. Ian Gallienne is Chief Executive Officer 
of Groupe Bruxelles Lambert (GBL). GBL is a holding company 
and, in its capacity as an institutional investor represented by, 
inter alia, its Chief Executive Officer, regularly holds mandates 
in  supervisory  bodies  of  portfolio  companies.  All  companies 
(apart from adidas AG) in which Ian Gallienne holds mandates 
in supervisory bodies are portfolio companies or subsidiaries 
of GBL or are under common control with it and thus belong 
to the same group of companies. They have to be attributed to 
his  main  occupation  as  Chief  Executive  Officer  of  GBL. 
Therefore, we are of the opinion that, as regards its intent and 
purpose,  the  recommendation  of  section  5.4.5  subsection  1 
sentence  2  is  not  applicable  to  Ian  Gallienne.  However,  as  a 
precaution, we declare a deviation. Moreover, the Supervisory 
Board has assured itself that Ian Gallienne has sufficient time 
to perform his Supervisory Board mandate at adidas AG. 

The  aforementioned  Declaration  of  Compliance  has  been 
published  on  and  can  be  downloaded  from  our  website. 

↗ ADIDAS-GROUP.COM/S/CORPORATE-GOVERNANCE

SUGGESTIONS OF THE GERMAN CORPORATE 
GOVERNANCE CODE LARGELY FULFILLED
In  addition  to  the  recommendations,  the  Code  contains  a 
number  of  suggestions  for  good  and  responsible  corporate 
governance,  compliance  with  which  is  not  required  to  be 
disclosed  separately  by  law.  adidas  is  compliant  with  the 
suggestions of the Code except for the suggestion outlined in 
section 4.2.3 subsection 2 sentence 9 of the Code according to 
which  early  disbursements  of  multiple-year,  variable 
remuneration components should not be permitted.

DUAL BOARD SYSTEM
As  a  globally  operating  public  listed  company  with  its 
registered  seat  in  Herzogenaurach,  Germany,  adidas  AG  is 
inter  alia,  the  provisions  of  German  stock 
subject  to, 
corporation  law.  A  dual  board  system,  which  assigns  the 
management  of  the  company  to  the  Executive  Board  and 
advice  and  supervision  of  the  Executive  Board  to  the 
Supervisory  Board,  is  one  of  the  fundamental  principles  of 
German stock corporation law. These two boards are strictly 
separated  both  in  terms  of  members  and  competencies.  In 
the interest of the company, both Boards cooperate closely.

Herzogenaurach, December 2019

For the Executive Board 
KASPER RORSTED 
Chief Executive Officer 

For the Supervisory Board
IGOR LANDAU
Chairman of the Supervisory Board

COMPOSITION AND WORKING METHODS OF 
THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
The composition of our Executive Board, which consists of six 
members, reflects the international character of our company. 
The  Executive  Board 
independently 
managing  the  company,  determining  the  Group’s  strategic 
orientation,  agreeing  this  with  the  Supervisory  Board  and 
ensuring  its  implementation.  Further,  it  defines  business 

is  responsible  for 

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1  The Declaration on Corporate Governance and the Corporate Governance Report is an unaudited section of the combined Management Report.

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201911    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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DECLARATION ON CORPORATE 
 GOVERNANCE AND CORPORATE 
 GOVERNANCE REPORT

targets,  company  policy  and  the  organization  of  the  Group. 
The  Executive  Board  is  in  charge  of  preparing  the  quarterly 
statements,  the  company’s  half  year  report  as  well  as  the 
annual  financial  statements  and  consolidated  financial 
statements  and  the  combined  Management  Report  of 
adidas AG and the Group. Moreover, it prepares a combined 
non-financial  statement  for  the  company  and  the  Group. 
Additionally,  the  Executive  Board  ensures  appropriate  risk 
management and risk controlling as well as compliance with 
statutory regulations and internal guidelines. In this regard, 
the  Executive  Board  is  responsible  for  implementing  an 
adequate compliance management system which meets the 
requirements  of  the  company’s  risk  situation.  It  is  bound  to 
the company’s interest and obligated to strive for a sustainable 
increase in company value.

Notwithstanding the Executive Board’s overall responsibility, 
its members are individually responsible for managing their 
respective  business  areas  in  accordance  with  the  Business 
Allocation Plan for the Executive Board. There are no Executive 
Board committees. The Chief Executive Officer is responsible 
for  lead  management  and  development  of  the  company, 
including the coordination of the business areas, brands and 
markets.  The  members  of  the  Executive  Board  keep  each 
other  informed  regularly  and  comprehensively  about  all 
significant developments in their business areas and align on 
all  cross-functional  measures.  Collaboration  within  the 
Executive Board is further governed by the Rules of Procedure 
of  the  Executive  Board  and  the  Business  Allocation  Plan. 
These  documents  specifically  stipulate  requirements  for 
meetings and resolutions as well as for cooperation with the 
Supervisory Board. 

The Executive Board and Supervisory Board cooperate closely 
for the benefit of the company. The Executive Board reports to 
the  Supervisory  Board  regularly,  extensively  and  in  a  timely 
manner  on  all  matters  relevant  for  the  company’s  strategy, 

planning,  business  development,  financial  position  and 
compliance  as  well  as  on  essential  business  risks. 
Fundamental questions related to the corporate strategy and 
its implementation are thoroughly discussed and agreed with 
the  Supervisory  Board.  When  filling  leadership  positions  in 
the company, the Executive Board takes diversity into account 
and aims for, in particular, adequate consideration of women. 

No member of the Executive Board has accepted more than a 
total of three supervisory board mandates in non-group listed 
companies or in supervisory bodies of non-group companies 
with comparable requirements. 

 SEE EXECUTIVE BOARD, P. 11

 SEE  SUPERVISORY 

COMPOSITION AND WORKING METHODS OF 
THE SUPERVISORY BOARD
Our Supervisory Board consists of 16 members. It comprises 
eight shareholder representatives and eight employee repre-
sentatives in accordance with the German Co-Determination 
Act  (Mitbestimmungsgesetz  –  MitbestG). 
BOARD, P. 15 The shareholder representatives are elected by the 
shareholders  at  the  Annual  General  Meeting,  and  the 
 employee representatives by the employees. The most recent 
regular  elections  took  place  in  the  2019  financial  year.  The 
term  of   office  of  all  current  members  of  the  Supervisory 
Board  commenced at the end of the Annual General Meeting 
on May 9, 2019 and will, in principle, expire at the end of the 
2024  Annual  General  Meeting.  The  term  of  office  of  Igor 
 Landau  expires at the end of the 2020 Annual General Meeting 
and the term of office of Herbert Kauffmann at the end of the 
2021  Annual General Meeting.  

Objectives for the composition of the Supervisory Board
Due to the Supervisory Board elections in the 2019 financial 
year,  the  Supervisory  Board  confirmed  at  its  meeting  in 
December  2019  the  objectives  regarding  its  composition 
(including  the  profile  of  skills  and  expertise  [competency 
profile]  for  the  full  Supervisory  Board)  which  had  last  been 

includes, 

in  particular, 

resolved  upon  in  October  2018,  taking  into  account  the 
recommendations of the Code. These objectives are published 
on  our  website.  ↗ ADIDAS-GROUP.COM/S/BODIES  According  to  these 
objectives,  the  Supervisory  Board  should  be  composed  in 
such  a  way  that  qualified  supervision  of  and  advice  to  the 
Executive  Board  are  ensured.  Its  members  as  a  whole  are 
expected  to  have  the  knowledge,  skills  and  professional 
experience  required  to  properly  perform  the  tasks  of  a 
supervisory board in a capital market-oriented, international 
company  in  the  sporting  goods  industry.  To  this  end,  it  is 
ensured that the Supervisory Board as a whole possesses the 
competencies considered essential in view of adidas’ activities. 
This 
in-depth  knowledge  and 
experience in the sporting goods and sports- and leisurewear 
industry,  in  the  business  of  fast-moving  consumer-oriented 
goods  and  in  the  areas  of  technology,  digitalization  and 
information  technology  (including  IT  security),  production, 
marketing  and  sales,  in  particular  in  the  e-commerce  and 
retail sector. Moreover, the Supervisory Board is expected to 
possess  knowledge  and  experience  in  the  markets  relevant 
for adidas, in particular the Asian and US markets, and in the 
management of a large international company. Furthermore, 
the  Supervisory  Board  as  a  whole  must  possess  knowledge 
and experience in the areas of business strategy development 
and  implementation,  personnel  planning  and  management, 
accounting 
controlling/risk 
management,  governance/compliance  as  well  as  corporate 
social responsibility. At least one member of the Supervisory 
Board  must  have  expertise  in  the  areas  of  accounting  or 
auditing  of  annual  accounts.  Additionally,  the  Supervisory 
Board members as a whole are expected to be familiar with 
the sporting goods industry.

reporting, 

financial 

and 

More  than  two  thirds  of  the  Supervisory  Board  members 
should  be  independent  within  the  meaning  of  the  Code. 
Moreover, with regard to diversity, it is the Supervisory Board’s 
aim  to  take  into  account  origin,  diverse  professional  and 

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in  particular,  adequate 
international  experience  and, 
representation  of  both  genders 
its  composition. 
Furthermore,  an  adequate  number  of  the  shareholder 
representatives  should  have  long-standing 
international 
experience.

for 

In  addition,  each  Supervisory  Board  member  must  ensure 
that  they  have  sufficient  time  to  properly  perform  the  tasks 
associated with the mandate. An age limit of, in general, 72 
years at the time of election should be taken into account. As 
a  rule,  the  length  of  membership  in  the  Supervisory  Board 
should not exceed 15 years or three terms of office.

In  the  Supervisory  Board’s  assessment,  the  Supervisory 
Board  as  a  whole  fulfills  the  objectives  stated  and  the 
competency profile. Together, the members of the Supervisory 
Board have the knowledge, skills and professional expertise 
required  to  properly  perform  their  duties.  All  of  them  are 
familiar  with  the  sector  in  which  the  company  operates.  As 
they  furthermore  have  extensive  knowledge  of  various 
professional fields and many years of international experience, 
they  bring  a  broad  spectrum  of  expertise  and  experience  to 
the  performance  of  the  Supervisory  Board’s  function. 
Moreover, with Herbert Kauffmann, the Chairman of the Audit 
Committee,  at  least  one  member  of  the  Supervisory  Board 
has proven expertise in the areas of accounting or auditing of 
annual  accounts.  The  number  of  female  Supervisory  Board 
members  currently  amounts  to  five;  thus,  the  statutory 
minimum  quota  regarding  the  composition,  namely  at  least 
30%  female  and  at  least  30%  male  members,  is  fulfilled. 
Further information on the fulfillment of the quota stipulated 
in § 96 section 2 sentence 1 AktG is contained in this report. 

 SEE  SECTION  ‘COMMITMENT  TO  THE  PROMOTION  OF  EQUAL  PARTICIPATION  OF 

WOMEN  AND  MEN  IN  LEADERSHIP  POSITIONS’,  P.  27  The  members  of  our 
Supervisory  Board  do  not  exercise  directorships  or  similar 
positions or advisory tasks for key competitors of the company. 
Further, they do not have business or personal relations with 

adidas  AG,  its  Executive  Board  and  Supervisory  Board  or  a 
controlling  shareholder  which  may  cause  a  substantial  and 
not merely temporary conflict of interest. No members of the 
Supervisory Board are former Executive Board members. In 
the  Supervisory  Board’s  assessment,  all  eight  shareholder 
representatives were independent within the meaning of the 
Code  in  the  year  under  review.  In  accordance  with  the 
objectives  resolved  upon  regarding  its  composition,  the 
Supervisory Board deems this to be an appropriate number. 
The  names  of  the  independent  shareholder  representatives 
are set out in the overview of all Supervisory Board members 
in  this  Annual  Report. 
 SEE  SUPERVISORY  BOARD,  P.  15  Assuming 
that all of the employee representatives also in principle meet 
the  independence  criteria  as  defined  by  the  Code,  in  the 
Supervisory  Board’s  assessment,  all  of  its  members  were 
independent 
in  the  year  under  review.  Regarding  the 
Supervisory Board’s composition, the age limit of, in general, 
72 years at the time of election as well as the regular length of 
membership in the Supervisory Board of, in general, 15 years 
or  three  terms  of  office,  was  taken  into  account.  The 
reappointment of Igor Landau, who exceeds both the age limit 
and the regular length of membership, for a term of office of 
only  one  year  allows  for  transfer  of  the  Supervisory  Board 
chairmanship to a new Chairman. The orderly handover to a 
successor is highly important in particular in view of the fact 
that we are in the final implementation phase of the strategic 
business plan ‘Creating the New’. This is furthermore in the 
interest  of  the  company  because  the  company  can  benefit 
from  Igor  Landau’s  extensive  expertise  as  he  will  see  the 
strategic business plan through to its completion in the 2020 
financial  year,  thus  ensuring  a  smooth  handover  to  a  new 
Supervisory Board Chairman. Furthermore, Roland Nosko, a 
union  representative  on  the  employee  representative  side, 
belonged  to  the  Supervisory  Board  for  more  than  15  years 
upon his reappointment. 

The  Supervisory  Board’s  election  proposals  to  the  Annual 
General Meeting are prepared by the Nomination Committee. 
They take into account the objectives regarding the Supervisory 
Board’s  composition  in  accordance  with  section  5.4.1  of  the 
Code resolved upon by the Supervisory Board and are aimed at 
fulfilling the competency profile developed by the Supervisory 
Board  for  the  Board  as  a  whole.  The  Supervisory  Board  pays 
attention to a balanced composition to ensure that the required 
know-how  is  represented  on  as  broad  a  scale  as  possible. 
Moreover, the Supervisory Board ascertains that each proposed 
candidate has sufficient time to perform their mandates.

implementation  with 

Tasks of the Supervisory Board
The Supervisory Board supervises and advises the Executive 
Board  in  questions  relating  to  the  management  of  the 
company.  The  Executive  Board  regularly,  expeditiously  and 
comprehensively  reports  on  business  development  and 
planning as well as on the company’s risk situation including 
compliance and coordinates the strategy of the company and 
its 
the  Supervisory  Board.  The 
Supervisory  Board  examines  and  approves  the  annual 
financial statements and consolidated financial statements as 
well as the combined Management Report of adidas AG and 
the Group, taking into consideration the auditor’s reports, and 
resolves  upon  the  proposal  of  the  Executive  Board  on  the 
appropriation  of  retained  earnings.  Additionally,  it  resolves 
upon  the  Supervisory  Board’s  resolution  proposals  to  be 
presented  to  the  Annual  General  Meeting.  Moreover,  the 
Supervisory  Board  examines  the  combined  non-financial 
statement for the company and the Group. Certain business 
transactions  and  measures  of  the  Executive  Board  with 
fundamental significance are subject to prior approval by the 
Supervisory Board or by a Supervisory Board committee. The 
respective details are set out in § 9 of the Rules of Procedure 
of  the  Supervisory  Board  of  adidas  AG.  Furthermore,  the 
requirement of prior Supervisory Board approval is stipulated 
in some resolutions by the Annual General Meeting. 

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2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

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4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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The Supervisory Board is also responsible for the appointment 
and dismissal of the Executive Board members as well as for 
the allocation of their areas of responsibility. The respective 
proposals  are  prepared  by  the  General  Committee.  When 
appointing  new  Executive  Board  members,  the  Supervisory 
Board  aims  to  select  candidates  with  a  wide  range  of 
complementary  skills  to  ensure  the  best  possible  Executive 
Board  composition  for  the  company,  keeping  long-term 
succession planning in mind. Inter alia, experience, industry 
knowledge as well as professional and personal qualifications 
play an important role in this regard. In addition, taking into 
account  the  international  structure  of  the  company,  the 
Supervisory  Board  considers  diversity.  This  applies, 
in 
particular,  also  with  regard  to  age,  gender,  internationality 
and  further  important  personal  qualities.  Considering  all 
circumstances of the individual case, the company’s interest 
is  always  key  when  deciding  who  to  appoint  to  a  specific 
Executive  Board  position.  Furthermore,  the  Supervisory 
Board determines the Executive Board compensation system, 
examines  it  regularly  and  decides  on  the  individual  overall 
compensation  of  each  Executive  Board  member.  Further 
information on Executive Board compensation is compiled in 
the Compensation Report. 

 SEE COMPENSATION REPORT, P. 30

Further information on Corporate Governance

More information on topics covered in this report can be found on our website
↗ ADIDAS-GROUP.COM/S/CORPORATE-GOVERNANCE
including:

 — Articles of Association
 — Rules of Procedure of the Executive Board
 — Rules of Procedure of the Supervisory Board
 — Rules of Procedure of the Audit Committee
 — Supervisory Board committees (composition and tasks)
 — CVs of Executive Board members and Supervisory Board members
 — Objectives of the Supervisory Board regarding its composition (including 

competency profile for the full Supervisory Board)

In order to increase the efficiency of its work and to deal with 
complex  topics,  the  Supervisory  Board  has  formed  five 
permanent  expert  committees  from  within  its  members, 
which, inter alia, prepare its resolutions and, in certain cases, 
pass  resolutions  on  its  behalf.  These  committees  are  the 
Steering  Committee,  the  General  Committee,  the  Audit 
Committee, the Mediation Committee in accordance with § 27 
section 3 MitbestG and the Nomination Committee. The tasks, 
responsibilities and work processes of the committees are in 
line with the requirements of the German Stock Corporation 
Act and the Code. The chairmen of the committees report to 
the entire Supervisory Board on the results of the committee 
work  on  a  regular  basis.  Further 
information  on  the 
committees’  composition  and  tasks  is  available  on  our 
website. ↗ ADIDAS-GROUP.COM/S/SUPERVISORY-BOARD-COMMITTEES

Apart from the individual skills expected of the members, the 
Rules of Procedure of the Supervisory Board and of the Audit 
Committee also set out the tasks and responsibilities as well 
as the procedure for meetings and passing resolutions. These 
Rules  of  Procedure  are  available  on  our  website.  The 
Supervisory  Board  Report  provides 
information  on  the 
activities of the Supervisory Board and its committees in the 
year under review. 

 SEE SUPERVISORY BOARD REPORT, P. 18

The  members  of  the  Supervisory  Board  are  individually 
responsible  for  undertaking  any  necessary  training  and 
professional development measures required for their tasks 
and,  in  doing  so,  are  supported  by  adidas  AG.  The  company 
informs  the  Supervisory  Board  regularly  about  current 
legislative  changes  as  well  as  opportunities  for  external 
training,  and  provides  the  Supervisory  Board  with  relevant 
specialist  literature.  In  this  regard,  the  Supervisory  Board 
also  obtained 
latest  corporate 
governance  developments  and  dealt  extensively  with  the 
revised version of the Code. 

information  about 

the 

Furthermore, the Supervisory Board and the Audit Committee 
examine the efficiency of their work on a regular basis. The 
most  recent  efficiency  examination  took  place  in  the  2018 
financial year.

The compensation of the Supervisory Board members is set 
out in the Compensation Report. 

 SEE COMPENSATION REPORT, P. 30

COMMITMENT TO THE PROMOTION OF EQUAL 
PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN AND MEN IN 
LEADERSHIP POSITIONS
When filling leadership positions in the company, the Executive 
Board  takes  diversity  into  account  and  especially  aims  for 
appropriate consideration of women. The Supervisory Board 
is also convinced that an increase in the number of women in 
leadership  positions  within  the  company  is  necessary  to 
ensure that, in the future, a larger number of suitable female 
candidates  are  available  for  Executive  Board  positions.  The 
Supervisory Board thus supports the company’s initiatives to 
foster  diversity  and 
in 
leadership positions. 

inclusion  and  promote  women 

 SEE PEOPLE AND CULTURE, P. 70

Pursuant  to  the  Law  on  Equal  Participation  of  Women  and 
Men in Leadership Positions in the Private and Public Sector, 
the  Supervisory  Board  determined  target  figures  for  the 
percentage of female representation on the Executive Board, 
including corresponding deadlines for their achievement, and 
the  Executive  Board  determined  such  target  figures  for  the 
first  two  management  levels,  including  deadlines  for  their 
achievement, for adidas AG.

The target figure for the Executive Board is 1/7 or 14.29%. The 
deadline for achieving this target figure is June 30, 2022.

The deadline for achieving the target figures for the first and 
second management levels expired on December 31, 2019. On 

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the  first  management  level  below  the  Executive  Board,  the 
percentage share of women amounted to 20% at the deadline. 
The  target  figure  of  24%  was  thus  not  achieved.  This  is 
attributable to, in particular, unplanned departures from the 
company in the year under review as well as an increase in the 
total number of senior executives on this management level. 
In  this  respect,  it  must  be  noted  that  adidas  AG  has  only  a 
small  number  of  leadership  positions  on  this  management 
level; therefore, minor changes already result in considerable 
changes in percentage numbers. On the second management 
level  below  the  Executive  Board,  the  percentage  share  of 
women amounted to 28.8% at the deadline. The target figure 
of 30% was thus not achieved. This target figure was only just 
missed, mainly because of the reorganization of departments 
which  led  to  the  elimination  of  a  number  of  leadership 
positions  partly  held  by  women.  As  at  December  31,  2019, 
female  representation  in  leadership  positions  amounted  to 
34%  on  a  global  level.  The  target  figure  of  32%  for  the  year 
2020  has  thus  already  been  exceeded.  The  company  will 
continue  to  intensify  its  efforts  to  remain  an  attractive 
employer in the future, with a particular focus on a long-term 
approach for equal participation in leadership positions.

The Executive Board has once again determined target figures 
and  implementation  deadlines  for  the  percentage  of  female 
representation  on  the  first  and  second  management  levels 
below the Executive Board. These target figures are as follows:

The  target  figure  for  the  first  management  level  below  the 
Executive Board is 24.2% and 30% for the second management 
level below the Executive Board. The implementation period 
for both targets expires on December 31, 2021.

In  accordance  with  §  96  section  2  sentence  1  AktG,  at  least 
30%  of  the  members  of  the  Supervisory  Board  have  to  be 
female  and  at  least  30%  have  to  be  male.  Prior  to  the 
Supervisory Board election in 2019 and also for the Supervisory 
Board election in 2020, the shareholder representatives and 
the  employee  representatives  each  resolved  in  accordance 
with § 96 section 2 sentence 3 AktG that this minimum quota 
shall be fulfilled separately for the shareholder representatives 
and the employee representatives. As at December 31, 2019, 
altogether five of the 16 Supervisory Board mandates of the 
company  were  held  by  women,  two  on  the  shareholder 
representative side and three on the employee representative 
side. The minimum quota required is thus fulfilled on both sides.

AVOIDING CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
The members of the Executive Board and Supervisory Board 
are  obligated  to  disclose  any  conflicts  of  interest  to  the 
Supervisory  Board  without  delay.  Substantial  transactions 
between the company and members of the Executive Board or 
related  parties  of  the  Executive  Board  require  Supervisory 
Board  approval.  Contracts  between  the  company  and 
members of the Supervisory Board also require Supervisory 
Board approval. The Supervisory Board reports any conflicts 
of  interest,  as  well  as  the  handling  thereof,  to  the  Annual 
General  Meeting.  In  the  year  under  review,  the  members  of 
the  Executive  Board  and  the  members  of  the  Supervisory 
Board  did  not  face  any  conflicts  of  interest. 

 SEE  SUPERVISORY 

BOARD REPORT, P. 18

SHARE TRANSACTIONS CONDUCTED BY THE 
EXECUTIVE BOARD AND SUPERVISORY BOARD
An overview of the transactions of the Executive Board and the 
Supervisory  Board  pursuant  to  Article  19  of  the  Regulation 
(EU)  No  596/2014  (Market  Abuse  Regulation)  notified  to 
adidas AG in 2019 is published on our website. ↗ ADIDAS-GROUP.

COM/S/MANAGERS-TRANSACTIONS

RELEVANT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
Our business activities are oriented toward the legal systems 
in  the  various  countries  and  markets  in  which  we  operate. 
This  implies  a  high  level  of  social  and  environmental 
information  on  company-specific 
responsibility.  Further 
practices  which  are  applied 
to  statutory 
requirements,  such  as  our  Code  of  Conduct  (‘Fair  Play’),  on 
compliance  with  working  and  social  standards  within  our 
supply chain, environmentally friendly resource management 
in our manufacturing processes and our social commitment, 
is  available  in  this  Annual  Report  and  on  our  website. 

in  addition 

 SEE 

PEOPLE  AND  CULTURE  P.  70, 

 SEE  SUSTAINABILITY,  P.  78,  ↗ ADIDAS-GROUP.

COM/S/SUSTAINABILITY

system 

establishes 

COMPLIANCE AND RISK MANAGEMENT 
Compliance  with  laws,  internal  and  external  provisions  and 
responsible  risk  management  are  part  of  corporate 
governance at adidas. Our compliance management system is 
linked  to  the  company’s  risk  and  opportunity  management 
system.  As  part  of  our  global  ‘Fair  Play  Concept’,  the 
compliance  management 
the 
organizational  framework  for  company-wide  awareness  of 
our internal rules and guidelines and for the legally compliant 
It  underscores  our  strong 
conduct  of  our  business. 
commitment  to  ethical  and  fair  behavior 
in  our  own 
organization  and  also  sets  the  parameters  for  how  we  deal 
with  others.  The  principles  of  our  compliance  management 
system  are  set  out  in  the  Risk  and  Opportunity  Report.  The 
risk  and  opportunity  management  system  ensures  risk-
aware,  opportunity-oriented  and 
in  a 
dynamic  business  environment  in  order  to  guarantee  the 
competitiveness and sustainable success of adidas. 

informed  actions 

 SEE RISK 

AND OPPORTUNITY REPORT, P. 120

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201911    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

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Further information on the principles of our management 

More information on topics covered in this report can be found on our website 
↗  ADIDAS-GROUP.COM/EN
including:

 — Code of Conduct 
 — Sustainability
 — Social commitment
 — Risk and opportunity management and compliance
 — Information and documents on the Annual General Meeting
 — Managers’ transactions
 — Accounting and annual audit

TRANSPARENCY AND PROTECTION OF 
SHAREHOLDERS’ INTERESTS
It  is  our  goal  to  inform  all  institutional  investors,  private 
shareholders, 
financial  analysts,  business  partners, 
employees  and  the  interested  public  about  the  company’s 
situation,  at  the  same  time  and  to  an  equal  extent,  through 
regular,  transparent  and  up-to-date  communication.  We 
publish all essential information, such as press releases, ad 
hoc announcements and voting rights notifications as well as 
all  presentations  from  roadshows  and  conferences,  all 
financial  reports  and  the  financial  calendar  on  our  website. 
With our Investor Relations activities, we maintain close and 
continuous  contact  with  our  current  and  potential 
shareholders.  ↗ ADIDAS-GROUP.COM/S/INVESTORS, 

 SEE OUR SHARE, P. 46

In addition, we provide all documents and information on our 
Annual General Meeting on our website. The shareholders of 
adidas  AG  exercise  their  shareholders’  rights  at  the  Annual 
General  Meeting.  Each  share  grants  one  vote.  Our 
shareholders are involved in all fundamental decisions at the 
Annual General Meeting through their participation rights. It 
is  our  intention  to  support  our  shareholders  in  exercising 
their voting rights at the Annual General Meeting. At our next 
Annual General Meeting, taking place in Fuerth (Bavaria) on 
May 14, 2020, we will again provide our shareholders with the 
best possible service. Shareholders have the possibility, inter 
alia, to electronically register for the Annual General Meeting 
through our shareholder portal or to participate in voting by 
granting  powers  of  representation  and  voting  instructions 
online to the proxies appointed by the company.

SHARE-BASED PROGRAMS
A long-term incentive plan, which is part of the remuneration 
for senior executives of adidas, applies. Based on this plan, the 
plan participants receive virtual shares (Restricted Stock Units).

 SEE NOTE 28, P. 176, 

 SEE PEOPLE AND CULTURE, P. 70

As per their contracts, each member of the Executive Board is 
entitled to participate in a Long-Term Incentive Plan (LTIP) set 
up  for  the  Executive  Board  members.  The  LTIP  2018/2020 
links the long-term compensation of the Executive Board to 
the  company’s  performance  and  thus  to  the  interests  of  the 
shareholders. The decisive assessment factors are designed 
in  a  transparent  manner  and  are  linked  to  the  long-term 
profitability  targets  externally  communicated.  Moreover,  the 
long-term compensation of the Executive Board and the long-
term  compensation  of  senior  management  are  aligned.  The 
LTIP 2018/2020 is share-based. The adidas shares purchased 
are subject to a multi-year lock-up period. 

 SEE COMPENSATION 

REPORT, P. 30

Employees of adidas AG and its affiliated companies are able 
to  participate  in  an  employee  stock  purchase  plan,  under 
which they can acquire adidas AG shares with a discount and 
benefit, on a prorated basis, from free matching shares. 

 SEE 

NOTE 28, P. 176

ACCOUNTING AND ANNUAL AUDIT
adidas  AG  prepares  the  annual  financial  statements  in 
accordance  with  the  provisions  of  the  German  Commercial 
Code (Handelsgesetzbuch – HGB) and the Stock Corporation 
Act.  The  annual  consolidated  financial  statements  are 
prepared in accordance with the principles of the International 
Financial  Reporting  Standards  (IFRS),  as  adopted  by  the 
European Union (EU).  

KPMG  AG  Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft,  Berlin,  was 
appointed as auditor for the 2019 annual financial statements 
and consolidated financial statements by the Annual General 
Meeting. The Supervisory Board had previously assured itself of 
the auditor’s independence. 

 SEE INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT, P. 214

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COMPENSATION SYSTEM

For  adidas,  transparent  and  comprehensible  reporting  on 
the  compensation  of  the  Executive  Board  and  Supervisory 
Board is an essential element of good corporate governance. 
The Compensation Report is a component of the combined 
Management  Report  and  outlines  the  principles  of  the 
compensation  system  for  the  members  of  the  Executive 
Board  and  Supervisory  Board  as  well  as  the  level  and 
structure of the compensation in accordance with the legal 
requirements  and  the  recommendations  of  the  German 
Corporate  Governance  Code  (‘Code‘)  as  amended  on 
February  7,  2017,  which  was  published  in  the  Federal 
Gazette  on  April  24,  2017  and  May  19,  2017  (corrected 
version).

COMPENSATION OF THE EXECUTIVE 
BOARD MEMBERS

Following  preparation  by  the  Supervisory  Board’s  General 
Committee, the compensation system for the Executive Board 
and the total compensation of each member of the Executive 
Board  is  determined  and  regularly  reviewed  by  the  entire 
Supervisory  Board.  The  compensation  and  personnel  topics 
dealt with by the Supervisory Board and General Committee 
in  the  year  under  review  are  described  in  the  Supervisory 
Board Report. 

 SEE SUPERVISORY BOARD REPORT, P. 18

the  performance-related 

PRINCIPLES OF THE COMPENSATION SYSTEM
The  compensation  system  is  geared  toward  creating  an 
incentive for successful, sustainable and long-term corporate 
management  and  development.  The  compensation  is  thus 
structured with an appropriate balance of non-performance-
related  and  performance-related  components.  More  than 
50%  of 
target  compensation 
components  are  based  on  mainly  future-related,  multi-year 
performance  criteria.  They  are  designed  in  such  a  way  that 
both  positive  and  negative  developments  are  considered. 
Moreover,  the  incentive  to  achieve  the  long-term  targets 
decisive for the multi-year performance-related compensation 
component is higher than the incentive to achieve the targets 
decisive for being granted the one-year performance-related 
compensation component. Execution of the corporate strategy 
is promoted by selecting suitable performance targets for the 
performance-related  compensation.  Therefore,  at  least  80% 
of the performance-related compensation is directly linked to 
the  short-  and  long-term  sales  and  profitability  targets 
externally communicated, thus bringing the compensation of 
the Executive Board members directly in line with the interests 
of the shareholders. 

 SEE SECTION ‘VARIABLE PERFORMANCE-RELATED 

COMPONENTS’, P. 33

When  designing  the  compensation  system  and  determining 
the  Executive  Board  compensation,  the  Supervisory  Board 
takes  into  account  the  size  and  global  orientation,  the 
economic  situation,  the  success  and  the  outlook  of  the 
company. Furthermore, the Supervisory Board considers the 
common  level  of  compensation  in  particular  by  taking  into 
account the compensation level of the DAX 30 companies and 
the relation between the Executive Board compensation and 

long-term. 

that  of  senior  management  and  employees  overall,  also  in 
terms  of 
its  development  over  time.  Compared  with 
competitors, the compensation should be attractive, offering 
incentives  to  attract  qualified  members  for  the  Executive 
Board  and  retain  them 
In  addition,  when 
determining  the  compensation,  the  tasks  of  the  respective 
Executive  Board  member  and  their  contribution  to  the 
company’s  success  are  taken 
into  consideration.  The 
performance-related  compensation  is  measured  based  on 
the achievement of ambitious, pre-agreed targets; subsequent 
changes  to  performance  targets  or  comparison  parameters 
are  not  permitted.  The  compensation  system  aims  to 
appropriately  remunerate  exceptional  performance,  while 
diminishing performance-related compensation when targets 
are  not  met.  Thus,  in  the  Supervisory  Board’s  opinion,  an 
appropriate level of compensation, which is reviewed regularly 
by the Supervisory Board and adjusted if required, is ensured.

The compensation system which has been applicable for the 
members of the Executive Board since the 2018 financial year 
was  adopted  by  the  shareholders  at  the  Annual  General 
Meeting on May 9, 2018. In view of the Act on the Implementation 
of  the  Second  Shareholders’  Rights  Directive  (Gesetz  zur 
Umsetzung der zweiten Aktionärsrechterichtlinie – ‘ARUG II’) 
and the coming into force of the new version of the German 
Corporate  Governance  Code,  structural  changes  to  the 
compensation system for the Executive Board members will 
become  necessary.  Furthermore,  in  late  2020,  adidas  will 
present the new long-term strategic business plan applicable 
from the 2021 financial year and the associated targets. In this 
context,  it  is  intended  to  present  the  revised  compensation 
system to the Annual General Meeting for approval in 2021 in 
accordance with the provisions of ARUG II. In this way, the new 
short-term and long-term performance-related compensation 
components for the Executive Board members can be aligned 
with  the  company’s  new  long-term  targets  applicable  from 
the 2021 financial year.

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Compensation system for the Executive Board members

2

Fixed compensation
35% of target direct compensation.

The fixed compensation is paid out 
monthly in twelve equal installments.

2019 Performance Bonus
25% of target direct 
compensation.

For the performance criteria 
determined at the beginning 
of the 2019 financial year, 
see the section ‘2019 Perfor-
mance Bonus’ on page 36.

The bonus amount is 
payable following approval 
of the consolidated financial 
statements for the past 
financial year.

LTIP 2018/2020
40% of target direct compensation.

For the performance criterion ‘absolute 
increase in net income from continuing 
operations’ determined in the 2019 financial 
year, see the section ‘LTIP 2018/2020: Perfor-
mance year 2019’ on page 37.

The Grant Amount for the respective annual 
LTIP tranche is payable following approval of 
the consolidated financial statements for the 
respective performance year. 1

Target direct 
compensation 
(in case of 100%  
target achievement)

Cap of overall 
compensation
(maximum
compensation)

Fixed compensation

2019 Performance Bonus
The Performance Bonus is capped at a 
maximum of 150% of the individual bonus 
target amount. If the overall degree 
of target achievement lies at or below 
50%, the Executive Board member is not 
entitled to the Performance Bonus.

LTIP 2018/2020
If the annual increase in net income is below the threshold 
value defined in advance (€ 140 million), the Executive Board 
member is not entitled to a Grant Amount for the respective 
performance year. 2

Even if the increase in net income exceeds the threshold 
value defined in advance (€ 280 million) in the respective 
performance year, the degree of target achievement is capped 
at a maximum of 150%.

  Fixed compensation

  One-year performance-related compensation

  Multi-year performance-related compensation

1 The LTIP Payout Amount must be invested by the Executive Board members in the acquisition of adidas AG shares which are subject to a lock-up period.
2  If the increase in net income from continuing operations is below € 210 million in the performance year, the target value for 100% target achievement is increased correspondingly for the following performance year. 

However, if the increase in net income is higher than € 210 million in a performance year, the target for the following performance years remains unaffected.

The  total  annual  compensation  of  the  Executive  Board 
members  is  composed  of  a  fixed  compensation  component, 
an  annual  cash  bonus  (‘Performance  Bonus’),  a  long-term 
share-based bonus (Long-Term Incentive Plan – ‘LTIP Bonus’) 
as  well  as  pension  benefits  and  other  benefits.  In  case  of 
100%  target  achievement,  the  target  direct  compensation 
(total  annual  compensation  without  pension  benefits  and 
other benefits) is composed of
 — 35% fixed compensation,
 — 25% Performance Bonus and
 — 40% LTIP Bonus. 

 SEE DIAGRAM 2

Overall, the Supervisory Board believes that the compensation 
system  is  clear  and  easy  to  understand  and  makes  use  of 
transparent  performance  criteria.  Due  to  the  fact  that  the 
target direct compensation consists predominantly of variable 
components which are directly linked to the short- and long-
term objectives of the company and due to the share-based 
long-term  compensation  of  the  Executive  Board  members, 
the  interests  of  the  Executive  Board  are  aligned  with  the 
interests of the shareholders.

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widow,  the  widower  or  the  registered  civil  partner  and  the 
children entitled to pension benefits as joint creditors.

At the option of the Executive Board member or the surviving 
dependents, the payout of all pension benefits is made either 
as  a  one-time  payment  or  in  up  to  ten  equal  annual 
installments.  If  no  choice  is  made  by  the  Executive  Board 
member or by the surviving dependents, the pension benefits 
are paid out in three equal annual installments. As a rule, in 
case of a payout in annual installments, the installments are 
due in January of the respective year. 3 

FIXED NON-PERFORMANCE-RELATED 
COMPONENTS
Fixed compensation
The fixed compensation consists of an annual fixed salary. 
In  principle,  it  is  paid  in  twelve  equal  monthly  installments 
and  generally  remains  unchanged  during  the  term  of  the 
service contract.

Other benefits
Other  benefits  for  the  Executive  Board  members  primarily 
consist of paying for, or providing the monetary value of, non-
cash benefits such as premiums or contributions to insurance 
schemes  in  line  with  market  practice,  the  provision  of  a 
company  car  or  the  payment  of  a  car  allowance  and,  if 
Executive Board members are also subject to taxation abroad, 
the costs for the tax consultant selected by adidas. The total 
amount of other benefits is capped at 5% of the total amount 
of  the  fixed  compensation  and  a  (possible)  Performance 
Bonus granted in the respective financial year (‘Benefit Cap’). 
Moreover, if an Executive Board member has to relocate upon 
initial  appointment  to  the  Executive  Board,  adidas  pays 
reasonable  expenses  incurred  for  international  relocations 
for  the  Executive  Board  member  and  their  family;  the 
expenses paid are capped on an individual basis.

Defined contribution pension plans
The  current  members  of  the  Executive  Board  have  defined 
contribution pension plans. Each year, as part of the pension 
commitments, the virtual pension account of each Executive 
Board  member  is  credited  with  an  amount  which  equals  a 
percentage determined by the Supervisory Board and which is 
related  to  the  Executive  Board  member’s  individual  annual 

fixed compensation. The appropriateness of the percentage is 
regularly  assessed  by  the  Supervisory  Board.  When  making 
its  decision,  the  Supervisory  Board  takes  into  account  the 
targeted individual pension level – also based on the length of 
service on the Executive Board – and the resulting annual and 
long-term  expenses  for  the  company.  The  percentage  most 
recently  determined  by  the  Supervisory  Board  amounts  to 
50%. The pension assets on the virtual pension account at the 
beginning of the respective calendar year yield a fixed interest 
rate of 3% p.a., however for no longer than until the pension 
benefits first become due. As a rule, interest is credited as at 
the close of December 31 in each calendar year, and on the 
due  date  in  the  year  in  which  the  pension  benefits  are  first 
due.  Entitlement  to  the  pension  benefits  becomes  vested 
immediately. 1 

Entitlements  to  pension  benefits  comprise  pensions  to  be 
received upon reaching the age of 65, or, on application, early 
retirement pensions to be received upon reaching the age of 
62 or invalidity and survivors’ benefits. 2 

On  occurrence  of  the  pension-triggering  event,  the  pension 
benefits  generally  correspond  to  the  balance  of  the  pension 
account including accumulated interest on that date. In case 
of invalidity or death prior to reaching the age of 62, for the 
minimum  coverage,  the  Executive  Board  member’s  virtual 
pension account will be credited with the outstanding pension 
contributions for the time until the Executive Board member 
would have reached the age of 62, but no longer than for 120 
months  (without  interest  accrual).  The  pension  benefits  due 
upon death of the Executive Board member are payable to the 

1   The pension plan for Gil Steyaert, who resigned as a member of the Executive Board in the year under review, deviates from the above: Until the end of his mandate, annual pension contributions were paid for Gil Steyaert into a special account at a financial institute which is subject to access restrictions. The special 

account and the access restrictions are maintained until occurrence of the pension-triggering event. The rules for this pension plan generally correspond to the rules of the defined contribution pension plans of the current Executive Board members, except that there are no ongoing interest payments and no credited 
contributions in the case of invalidity or death. The respective annual pension contributions to be determined by the Supervisory Board were therefore increased for Gil Steyaert by an amount determined based on actuarial principles.

2   The provisions for Karen Parkin and the departed Executive Board member Eric Liedtke deviate from the above: The pension plans for Karen Parkin and Eric Liedtke do not provide for early retirement pensions upon reaching the age of 62.
3   The provisions for Karen Parkin and the departed Executive Board members Eric Liedtke and Gil Steyaert deviate from the above: The pension plans for Karen Parkin and Eric Liedtke stipulate that the pension benefits are paid out in three equal installments payable in January of the three calendar years following the 
occurrence of the pension-triggering event. Moreover, under US law, there may be certain waiting periods regarding the payout of the first annual installment. The pension plan for Gil Steyaert stipulates that on occurrence of the pension-triggering event, the access restrictions no longer apply and the amount on the 
special account at the respective point in time becomes available to him.

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VARIABLE PERFORMANCE-RELATED 
COMPONENTS
Performance Bonus
As the annual variable performance-related component, the 
Performance Bonus serves as compensation for the Executive 
Board’s performance in the past financial year in line with the 
short-term development of the company. At the beginning of 
the  financial  year,  the  Supervisory  Board  establishes  the 
respective  weighted  performance  criteria.  In  case  of  100% 
target  achievement,  the  target  amount  of  the  Performance 
Bonus corresponds to 25% of the target direct compensation 
of the respective Executive Board member.

The amount of the Performance Bonus is determined based 
on the achievement of, generally, four weighted criteria. Two 
of these criteria are the same for all Executive Board members 
and  are  overall  weighted  at  60%.  These  criteria  are  directly 
linked to the annual guidance externally communicated and, 
at  the  same  time,  follow  directly  from  the  –  also  externally 
communicated  –  long-term  growth  targets  of  adidas.  The 
other two criteria, which are also in line with the company’s 
short-  and  long-term  targets  and  reflect  priorities  of  the 
respective Executive Board function also taking into account 
non-financial aspects, are determined on an individual basis 
for  the  respective  Executive  Board  member  and  are  overall 
weighted at 40%. All criteria are designed in such a way that 
target achievement may also be zero. When targets are clearly 
not  met,  the  Performance  Bonus  may  consequently  be 
forfeited entirely. 

 SEE TABLE 3

At the end of the financial year, the precise target achievement 
of each Executive Board member, which is, in principle, based 
on  a  comparison  of  the  predefined  target  values  with  the 
values achieved in the year under review, is assessed by the 
Supervisory  Board.  The  Supervisory  Board  determines  the 
factor  by  which  the  Performance  Bonus  target  amount  is 
multiplied by adding up these degrees of target achievement 
(‘overall  degree  of  target  achievement’).  The  result  is  the 
individual  amount  of  the  Performance  Bonus  to  be  paid 
(‘Performance  Bonus  Amount’).  When  determining  the 
degrees  of  target  achievement  and  thus  when  determining 
the Performance Bonus Amount, the Supervisory Board may, 
at  its  equitable  discretion,  take  into  account  extraordinary 
positive and negative developments which are not related to 
the performance of the Executive Board.

Even  in  case  of  an  overall  degree  of  target  achievement  of 
more than 150%, the Performance Bonus Amount is capped 
at a maximum of 150% of the individual Performance Bonus 
target amount. If the overall degree of target achievement lies 
at or below 50%, the Executive Board member is not entitled 
to the Performance Bonus.

If an Executive Board member takes or leaves office during a 
financial year, the Performance Bonus is generally calculated 
pro  rata  temporis  based  on  the  overall  degree  of  target 
achievement  determined  at  the  end  of  the  financial  year.  In 
certain  cases  defined  in  the  terms  and  conditions  of  the 
Performance  Bonus,  entitlement 
the  payout  of  a 
Performance Bonus is generally forfeited.

to 

The  Performance  Bonus  Amount 
is  payable  following 
approval of the consolidated financial statements of the past 
financial year. 

Performance Bonus

3

Performance criteria

–  two shared criteria (60% weighting): 

directly linked to the annual guidance 
externally communicated and, at the same 
time, following directly from the – also 
externally communicated – long-term 
growth targets of adidas

–  two individual criteria: related to the 

respective Executive Board function (40% 
weighting), both financial and non-financial 
targets are considered

–  two shared criteria are transparent and, in 

case of 100% target achievement, are in line 
with the guidance externally communiated

– capped at a maximum of 150% 
–  no payout if overall degree of target 
achievement lies at or below 50%

Transparency of the  
performance criteria

Cap

Long-Term Incentive Plan 2018/2020 (‘LTIP 2018/2020’)
The LTIP 2018/2020 aims to link the long-term performance-
related compensation of the Executive Board to the company’s 
performance  and  thus  to  the  interests  of  the  shareholders. 
Therefore,  the  LTIP  2018/2020  is  share-based.  It  consists  of 
three annual tranches (2018, 2019 and 2020) and each tranche 
is assessed based on a period of approximately four and a half 
years.  Each  of  the  three  annual  LTIP  tranches  consists  of  a 
performance year and a subsequent lock-up period of slightly 
more than three years. 

 SEE TABLE 4

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LTIP 2018/2020

4

LTIP 2018/2020: Growth targets

5

Performance criterion

Transparency of the  
performance criterion

Cap

–  one shared criterion: absolute 
increase in net income from 
continuing operations

–  criterion for the respective perfor-
mance year is transparent and, in 
case of 100% target achievement, 
is in line with the long-term 
growth targets externally 
communicated

–  externally communicated 

threshold values which are 
defined in advance

–  capped at a maximum value of 

150%

–  no payout in case of result below 
the threshold value defined in 
advance

Clawback/malus

Share-based

Time period

yes

yes

approx. 4.5 years

Compensation of Executive Board 
and senior management aligned

yes

increase 

At the beginning of 2018, the Supervisory Board determined 
for each of the three performance years (2018, 2019 and 2020) 
the  absolute 
income  from  continuing 
in  net 
operations  compared  to  the  respective  previous  year  as 
performance criterion. The target values for the annual LTIP 
tranches  follow  directly  from  the  externally  published  long-
term net income growth targets of the company. For instance, 
if net income from continuing operations increased by a total 
of € 630 million (100% target achievement) in the three-year 
period  from  2018  to  2020,  net  income  from  continuing 
operations would amount to € 2,060 million in 2020. Compared 
to  2015  (basis  of  adidas’  corporate  strategy),  this  would 
correspond to an average increase in net income of 23% per 
year, which would be within the target corridor of 22% to 24%, 
as  defined  by  adidas  in  its  current  strategic  business  plan. 

 SEE TABLE 5

Performance year

2018 (compared to 2017 1)

2019 (compared to 2018)

2020 (compared to 2019)

Growth target for net income from 
continuing operations

+ € 210 million

+ € 210 million

+ € 210 million

1  The basis for 2017 is net income from continuing operations in the amount of € 1,430 million  

(without the negative tax-related one-time effect in the 2017 financial year).

If  the  increase  in  net  income  from  continuing  operations  is 
below € 210 million in the respective performance year, the 
target  value  for  100%  target  achievement  is  increased 
correspondingly  for  the  following  performance  year,  unless 
the  Supervisory  Board  decides  otherwise  at  its  equitable 
discretion.  For  instance,  if  net  income  increased  by  only 
€ 180 million in the past performance year, net income in the 
following performance year must be increased by € 240 million 
for 100% target achievement. However, if the increase in net 
income is higher than € 210 million in a performance year, the 
target for the following performance year remains unaffected. 
So  despite  a  net  income  increase  in  2019  of  €  263  million 
(2018: € 279 million), reflecting a target achievement of 138% 
(2018:  149%),  net  income  in  the  following  performance 
year 2020 must still be increased by € 210 million for a target 
achievement of 100%.

In case of 100% target achievement, the LTIP target amount 
for each of the LTIP tranches corresponds to 40% of the target 
direct compensation of the respective Executive Board member.

The precise target achievement is determined on the basis of 
the  approved  consolidated  financial  statements  for  the 
respective performance year. In this respect, the Supervisory 
Board  may,  at  its  equitable  discretion,  take  into  account 
extraordinary  positive  and  negative  developments  which  are 
not  related  to  the  performance  of  the  Executive  Board.  The 
degree of target achievement by which the annual LTIP target 

amount  determined  for  the  respective  Executive  Board 
member is multiplied is derived from the amount of the actual 
increase  in  net  income  from  continuing  operations  for  the 
respective performance year. 

 SEE TABLE 6

LTIP 2018/2020: Calculation of target achievement

6

Increase in net income from 
continuing operations compared to 
the previous year

≥ + € 280 million

   + € 210 million

   + € 140 million

< + € 140 million

Degree of target  
achievement

150%

100%

50%

0%

If the actual increase in net income from continuing operations 
compared  to  the  previous  year  is  between  the  predefined 
threshold  values,  the  degree  of  target  achievement 
is 
determined based on a sliding scale. If the annual increase in 
net  income  is  below  €  140  million,  the  degree  of  target 
achievement  is  zero.  Consequently,  the  LTIP  Bonus  for  the 
respective LTIP tranche is forfeited completely. Furthermore, 
the degree of target achievement is capped at 150%, even if 
the increase in net income exceeds € 280 million.

By  multiplying  the  degree  of  target  achievement  thus 
calculated with the annual LTIP target amount determined for 
the respective Executive Board member based on 100% target 
achievement, the Grant Amount is determined, which is paid 
out to the Executive Board member for the respective annual 
LTIP  tranche  following  the  approval  of  the  consolidated 
financial statements of adidas for the performance year. The 
Executive  Board  members  have  to  invest  the  full  Grant 
Amount which remains after deducting applicable taxes and 
social security contributions (‘LTIP Payout Amount’) into the 
acquisition  of  adidas  AG  shares  (‘Share  Ownership’).  The 
shares purchased are subject to a lock-up period. The lock-up 

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STATEMENTS

COMPENSATION REPORT

LTIP 2018/2020: Annual LTIP tranches

7

LTIP tranche

2018

2019

2020

2018

1

2019

2

1

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

3

2

1

4

3

2

5

4

3

5

4

5

Performance year

Lock-up period

1 Performance year: Determination of LTIP target amount in case of 100% target achievement.
2 Determination of the degree of target achievement, Grant Amount payable following approval of the consolidated financial statements for the past performance year and investment of LTIP Payout Amount in adidas AG shares. Start of lock-up period.
3 Lock-up period.
4 Lock-up period.
5 End of lock-up period upon expiry of the month in which the Annual General Meeting of adidas AG takes place.

period ends in the third financial year after the acquisition of 
the  shares  upon  expiry  of  the  month  in  which  the  Annual 
General  Meeting  of  adidas  AG  takes  place.  The  Executive 
Board members may only dispose of the shares after expiry of 
the lock-up period. 

 SEE DIAGRAM 7 

LTIP  2018/2020  are generally forfeited and adidas AG shares 
already  purchased,  for  which  the  lock-up  period  has  not  yet 
expired, must be transferred to adidas without compensation 
payments.

Due to this mechanism, the compensation which the Executive 
Board  members  eventually  receive  from  each  of  the  LTIP 
tranches is directly dependent on the share price performance 
during  the  respective  lock-up  period  of  slightly  more  than 
three  years  and 
is  thus  dependent  on  the  long-term 
performance of the company. The Executive Board members 
are  entitled  to  any  dividends  distributed  in  connection  with 
these shares during the lock-up period. If an Executive Board 
member takes or leaves office during a performance year, the 
Grant  Amount  for  the  respective  annual  LTIP  tranche  is 
generally  calculated  on  a  pro  rata  basis.  The  departed 
Executive  Board  member  does  not  participate  in  the  annual 
LTIP  tranches  for  which  the  performance  year  begins  after 
the  respective  Executive  Board  member’s  departure.  In 
certain  cases  defined  in  the  terms  and  conditions  of  the 
the 
LTIP  2018/2020,  any  claims 

in  connection  with 

Furthermore,  to  ensure  sustainable  management  and 
development of the company, the terms and conditions of the 
LTIP 2018/2020 contain malus and clawback provisions; until 
expiry  of  the  lock-up  period  (malus)  and  beyond  (clawback), 
these provisions allow the Supervisory Board at its equitable 
discretion,  under  certain  circumstances,  to  partially  or 
completely reduce the compensation from the LTIP 2018/2020 
already paid. Such circumstances are, for instance, material 
misstatements  in  the  financial  reports,  serious  compliance 
violations  and  violations  of  duty  as  well  as  breaches  of  the 
company-internal  rules  of  conduct  by  the  Executive  Board 
member which, in any such case, would lead to an unjustified 
bonus payment in the context of the LTIP 2018/2020. Moreover, 
in the event of violations of duty by Executive Board members, 
the  respective  claims  for  damages  under  stock  corporation 
law are applicable.

its  equitable  discretion  and 

The compensation system for the Executive Board allows the 
Supervisory  Board,  at 
in 
exceptional  cases,  to  grant  a  special  bonus  in  case  of 
extraordinary  performance  by  an  Executive  Board  member 
which is not related to performance criteria that were already 
decisive  for  granting  the  Performance  Bonus  or  the 
LTIP Bonus. If such special bonus is granted, it is capped at a 
maximum  of  100%  of  the  annual  fixed  compensation  of  the 
financial  year  for  which  the  special  bonus  is  granted.  If  a 
special bonus is granted, the reasons for such granting will be 
disclosed  in  the  Compensation  Report  on  the  financial  year 
concerned.

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SHARE OWNERSHIP
40% of the target direct compensation of the Executive Board 
members  is  granted  based  on  the  long-term  performance-
related compensation component LTIP 2018/2020. To promote 
sustainable development of the company, the Executive Board 
members are obligated in the context of the LTIP 2018/2020 to 
invest the full Payout Amount into the acquisition of adidas AG 
shares. The shares purchased are subject to a lock-up period 
of slightly more than three years – as a result, the number of 
adidas  AG  shares  directly  held  by  the  Executive  Board 
members increases on an annual basis. 

 SEE TABLE 10

COMMITMENTS TO EXECUTIVE BOARD 
MEMBERS UPON TERMINATION OF TENURE
Unless otherwise agreed in the individual case, if the service 
contract ends upon the Executive Board member reaching the 
age  of  65  or  upon  non-renewal  of  the  service  contract,  the 
Executive  Board  member  is  entitled  to  receive  annual  fixed 
compensation on a pro rata basis up to the date on which they 
leave  office  as  well  as  a  potential  prorated  Performance 
Bonus and a potential prorated LTIP Bonus. Further, Executive 
Board members are subject to a post-contractual competition 
prohibition of two years. As consideration, for the duration of 
the  competition  prohibition,  the  Executive  Board  members 
generally  receive  a  monthly  compensation  amount  totaling 
50% of the monthly fixed compensation last received, subject 
to  offsetting  (e.g.  of  income  from  other  use  of  their  work 
capacity).  If  the  departed  Executive  Board  member  receives 
pension  payments  from  the  company,  this  compensation  is 
offset  against  any  pension  benefits  owed  by  the  company 
during the period of the competition prohibition.

Under certain circumstances, the departing Executive Board 
member  also  receives  a  follow-up  bonus.  As  regards  the 
current  members  of  the  Executive  Board,  such  a  follow-up 
bonus is agreed with Roland Auschel in the amount of 75% of 
the  Performance  Bonus  granted  to  him  for  the  last  full 
financial year. This follow-up bonus is payable in two tranches, 
twelve and 24 months following the end of the contract.

In case of premature termination of tenure in the absence of 
good  cause,  the  Executive  Board  service  contracts  cap 
potential severance payments at a maximum of twice the total 
annual compensation, not exceeding payment claims for the 
remaining period of the service contract (‘Severance Payment 
Cap’). If the service contract is terminated due to a change of 
control,  a  possible  severance  payment  is  limited  to  150%  of 
the  Severance  Payment  Cap.  The  Executive  Board  member 
does not receive a severance payment if they terminate tenure 
prematurely at their own request or if there is good cause for 
the company to terminate the employment relationship. The 
service  contracts  concluded  with  Executive  Board  members 
newly  appointed  with  effect  from  January  1,  2020,  generally 
stipulate  that  compensation  for  periods  of  competition 
prohibition  possibly  paid  on  a  monthly  basis  to  departing 
Executive  Board  members  is  offset  against  any  severance 
payments potentially paid by adidas.

If an Executive Board member dies during their term of office, 
their  spouse  or  partner  receives  or,  alternatively,  any 
dependent  children  receive,  in  addition  to  pension  benefits, 
the pro rata annual fixed salary for the month of death and the 
following  three  months,  but  no  longer  than  until  the  agreed 
end date of the service contract.

SIDELINE ACTIVITIES OF EXECUTIVE 
BOARD MEMBERS
Executive Board members may only take on sideline activities 
with or without remuneration, in particular supervisory board 
mandates 
in  group-external  companies,  with  the  prior 
approval of the Supervisory Board. Group-internal mandates 
are  deemed  covered  by  the  contractually  agreed  Executive 
Board compensation. The Supervisory Board decides whether 
or not compensation for group-external mandates is credited 
to  the  Executive  Board  compensation.  In  accordance  with  a 
Supervisory Board resolution, the compensation received by 
Kasper  Rorsted  for  his  Board  of  Directors  mandate  at 
Nestlé S.A. is not credited to his Executive Board compensation. 

 SEE EXECUTIVE BOARD, P. 11 

EXECUTIVE BOARD COMPENSATION 2019

2019 PERFORMANCE BONUS
For the 2019 financial year, the Supervisory Board determined
 — currency-neutral sales growth,
 — an increase in the operating margin and
 — two criteria relating to the individual performance of the 

Executive Board members 

as performance criteria.

for 

toward 

the  guidance  communicated 

The  targets  determined  for  the  Performance  Bonus  are 
oriented 
the 
2019 financial year, namely ‘currency-neutral sales increase 
between 5% and 8%’ and an ‘increase in the operating margin 
to a level between 11.3% and 11.5%’. When determining the 
degree of target achievement for the criterion ‘increase in the 
operating margin’, the positive effect of the accounting change 
pursuant  to  IFRS  16  in  the  amount  of  €  24  million  was 
excluded. 

 SEE TABLE 8

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2019 Performance Bonus: Target achievement

8

LTIP 2018/2020: Target achievement in the performance year 2019

9

Performance 
criterion

Weighting

100% 
target value

Actual 
value 2019

Currency-neutral 
sales growth

Operating margin 
increase

Individual  
criterion 1

Individual  
criterion 2

30%

30%

20%

20%

increase 
by 7.5%

increase 
to 11.5%

6.1%

11.2% 1

individual

individual

Degree 
of target 
achievement

69%

50%

1  Without the positive effect of the accounting change pursuant to IFRS 16 in the amount of 

approximately € 24 million.

In the 2019 financial year, the individual criteria relating to the 
individual Executive Board function focused on, for instance, 
execution of the corporate strategy, succession planning and 
performance  management  within  the  company,  business 
success  in  the  individual  markets,  product  innovations, 
digitalization  and  operating  efficiency.  Based  on  the  targets 
actually  achieved,  this  results  in  an  overall  degree  of  target 
achievement  between  75%  and  107%  (2018:  67%-118%)  for 
the  individual  Executive  Board  members  for  the  year  under 
review.  As  in  prior  years,  when  determining  the  respective 
individual  overall  degrees  of  target  achievement,  the 
Supervisory Board did not take into account any extraordinary 
positive or negative developments which are not related to the 
performance of the Executive Board.

LTIP 2018/2020: PERFORMANCE YEAR 2019
In the 2018 financial year, the Supervisory Board determined 
as  performance  criterion  for  each  of  the  three  performance 
years  (2018,  2019  and  2020)  the  absolute  increase  in  net 
income from continuing operations compared to the respective 
previous year. 

  SEE TABLE 9

.

Performance criterion

Increase in net income from continuing operations compared 
to the previous year

0% target value

100% 
target value

150% 
target value

Actual 
value 2019

Degree of target 
achievement

< + € 140 million

+ € 210 million ≥ + € 280 million + € 263 million 1

138%

1  Without the negative effect of the accounting change pursuant to IFRS 16 in the amount of approximately € 54 million.

Based on the actual target achievement, this results in a degree 
of target achievement of 138% (2018: 149%) for each Executive 
Board  member  for  the  performance  year  2019.  When 
determining  the  degree  of  target  achievement,  the  negative 
effect  of  the  accounting  change  pursuant  to  IFRS  16  in  the 
amount  of  €  54  million  was  excluded.  Apart  from  this,  as  in 
prior years, the Supervisory Board did not take into account any 
extraordinary positive or negative developments which are not 
related  to  the  performance  of  the  Executive  Board.  The 
Executive Board members have to invest the full Grant Amount 
which  remains  after  deducting  applicable  taxes  and  social 
security  contributions 
into  the 
acquisition of adidas AG shares (‘Share Ownership’). The shares 
purchased  will  be  subject  to  a  lock-up  period  ending  upon 
expiry  of  the  month  in  which  the  Annual  General  Meeting  of 
adidas AG takes place in the 2023 financial year. 

(‘LTIP  Payout  Amount’) 

 SEE SECTION 

As at December 31, 2019, the total number of adidas AG shares 
which  are  held  by  Executive  Board  members  active  in  the 
2019 financial year and which are subject to a lock-up period 
amounts to 21,451 shares with a total value of € 6.217 million. 
The lock-up period for the adidas AG shares purchased in the 
2018 LTIP tranche expires on May 31, 2022 and for the adidas AG 
shares  purchased  in  the  2019  LTIP  tranche  on  May  31,  2023. 
The  number  and  performance  of  the  adidas  AG  shares 
purchased  so  far  by  the  Executive  Board  members  in  the 
context  of  the  LTIP  2018/2020  are  set  out  individually  in  the 
following. 

  SEE TABLE 10

The Executive Board was not granted a special bonus, as in 
prior years.

‘LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN 2018/2020 (LTIP 2018/2020)’, P. 33

LTIP 2018/2020: Acquisition of shares in the 2018 LTIP tranche in €

10

Kasper Rorsted

Roland Auschel

Eric Liedtke

Harm Ohlmeyer

Karen Parkin

Martin Shankland 1

Total

Grant Amount

 3,405,714   

 1,566,629   

 1,702,857   

 1,170,246   

 1,170,246   

–

LTIP Payout 
Amount

 1,788,851   

 822,873   

 894,425   

 614,670   

 581,974   

–

 9,015,692   

 4,702,793   

Purchase 
price as at 
April 1, 2019

Number of 
shares as at 
December 31, 2019

Share price as at 
December 31, 2019

Total value of  
adidas AG shares

 219.20   

 219.20   

 219.20   

 219.20   

 219.20   

–

 8,160   

 3,753   

 4,080   

 2,804   

 2,654   

–

 21,451   

 289.80   

 289.80   

 289.80   

 289.80   

 289.80   

–

 2,364,768   

 1,087,619   

 1,182,384   

 812,599   

 769,129   

–

 6,216,500  

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1  Executive Board member with effect from March 4, 2019. First-time participation in the LTIP 2018/2020 in the 2019 financial year (2019 LTIP tranche).

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201911    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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PENSION COMMITMENTS
The service costs for the pension commitments granted to the 
Executive Board members and the cash values of the vested 
rights in the 2019 financial year are set out individually in the 
following. 

 SEE TABLE 11 

OVERALL COMPENSATION FOR 2019 IN 
ACCORDANCE WITH THE CODE
the  Supervisory  Board’s  aforementioned 
Based  on 
determination,  the  overall  compensation  of  the  Executive 
Board for the 2019 financial year amounts to € 22.361 million. 

This 
represents  a  decrease  of  approximately  6% 
(2018:  €  23.912  million).  Of  this  overall  compensation, 
€ 3.574 million (2018: € 4.431 million) was attributable to the 
one-year and € 9.245 million (2018: € 10.186 million) to the 
multi-year performance-related compensation.

Pension commitments in the 2019 financial year in €

Executive Board members incumbent as at December 31, 2019

Kasper Rorsted

Roland Auschel

Eric Liedtke

Harm Ohlmeyer

Karen Parkin

Martin Shankland (since March 4, 2019)

Total

Executive Board members departed in the 2019 financial year

Gil Steyaert (until February 26, 2019) 1

Total

Service costs

Accumulated pension  
obligation for the pension

11

The recommendations of the Code to individually disclose the 
compensation components for each Executive Board member 
and  to  use  the  sample  tables  attached  to  the  Code  are 
implemented in the following.

2019

2018

2019

2018

856,807

321,247

345,945

395,186

 374,370 

355,518

 1,052,993   

 402,742   

 447,154   

 386,523   

 375,785   

–

3,872,421

2,874,476

2,836,852

1,444,973

 1,247,607

355,518

 2,114,236   

 1,622,119   

 1,587,967   

 741,407   

 644,177   

–

2,649,073

 2,665,197  

12,631,847

 6,709,906   

 672,276   

 672,276   

 528,998   

 528,998   

 1,498,021   

 1,498,021   

 825,745   

 825,745   

BENEFITS GRANTED IN ACCORDANCE  
WITH THE CODE
In the following table, the individual compensation components 
in  case  of  100%  target  achievement  of  the  performance-
related compensation are disclosed for each Executive Board 
member  individually,  including  other  benefits  and  service 
costs,  and  also  including  the  maximum  and  minimum 
achievable compensation. 

 SEE TABLE 12

1  Due to the adjustment of Gil Steyaert’s pension commitment in the 2018 financial year, the service costs correspond to the gross contribution credited by adidas AG for the respective financial year to the special 
account opened for him. For Gil Steyaert, the service costs 2019 comprise the gross contribution contractually agreed due to his departure which was granted to Gil Steyaert as pension benefits payable until 
May 31, 2020 for early termination of the Executive Board mandate. The accumulated pension obligation for Gil Steyaert’s pension commitment corresponds to the gross contribution credited by adidas AG during 
the time of his Executive Board mandate to the special account opened for him. 

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Benefits granted in €

12

Fixed compensation

Other benefits

Total

One-year variable compensation 

Multi-year variable compensation

LTIP 2018/2020 (2019 tranche) 

LTIP 2018/2020 (2018 tranche)

Total

Service costs 

Overall compensation

Fixed compensation

Other benefits

Total

One-year variable compensation 

Multi-year variable compensation

LTIP 2018/2020 (2019 tranche) 

LTIP 2018/2020 (2018 tranche)

Total

Service costs 

Overall compensation

Kasper Rorsted
Chief Executive Officer

2019

2019 (min.)

2019 (max.)

2,000,000

26,417

2,026,417

1,428,571

2,285,714

2,285,714

–

5,740,702

856,807

6,597,509

2,000,000

26,417

2,026,417

0

0

0

–

2,026,417

856,807

2,883,224

2,000,000

26,417

2,026,417

2,142,857

3,428,571

3,428,571

–

7,597,844

856,807

8,454,651

Eric Liedtke 1
Global Brands  
until December 31, 2019

2019

2019 (min.)

2019 (max.)

1,000,000

26,935

1,026,935

714,286

1,142,857

1,142,857

–

2,884,078

345,945

3,230,023

1,000,000

26,935

1,026,935

0

0

0

–

1,026,935

345,945

1,372,880

1,000,000

26,935

1,026,935

1,071,429

1,714,286

1,714,286

–

3,812,649

345,945

4,158,594

2018

2,000,000

19,314

2,019,314

1,428,571

2,285,714

–

2,285,714

5,733,599

1,052,993

6,786,592

2018

1,000,000

24,475

1,024,475

714,286

1,142,857

–

1,142,857

2,881,618

447,154

3,328,772

Roland Auschel 
Global Sales

2019

2019 (min.)

2019 (max.)

920,000

19,165

939,165

657,143

1,051,429

1,051,429

–

2,647,737

321,247

2,968,984

920,000

19,165

939,165

0

0

0

–

939,165

321,247

1,260,412

920,000

19,165

939,165

985,715

1,577,144

1,577,144

–

3,502,023

321,247

3,823,270

Harm Ohlmeyer
Chief Financial Officer

2019

2019 (min.)

2019 (max.)

687,225

19,684

706,909

490,875

785,400

785,400

–

1,983,184

395,186

2,378,370

687,225

19,684

706,909

0

0

0

–

706,909

395,186

1,102,095

687,225

19,684

706,909

736,313

1,178,100

1,178,100

–

2,621,322

395,186

3,016,508

2018

920,000

17,943

937,943

657,143

1,051,429

–

1,051,429

2,646,515

402,742

3,049,257

2018

687,225

17,826

705,051

490,875

785,400

–

785,400

1,981,326

386,523

2,367,849

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Benefits granted in €

12

Fixed compensation

Other benefits

Total

One-year variable compensation 

Multi-year variable compensation

LTIP 2018/2020 (2019 tranche) 

LTIP 2018/2020 (2018 tranche)

Total

Service costs 

Overall compensation

Fixed compensation

Other benefits

Total

One-year variable compensation 

Multi-year variable compensation

LTIP 2018/2020 (2019 tranche) 

LTIP 2018/2020 (2018 tranche)

Total

Service costs 

Overall compensation

Karen Parkin
Global Human Resources

Martin Shankland 2
Global Operations  
since March 4, 2019

2019

2019 (min.)

2019 (max.)

2018

2019

2019 (min.)

2019 (max.)

687,225

18,692

705,917

490,875

785,400

785,400

–

1,982,192

374,370

2,356,562

687,225

18,692

705,917

0

0

0

–

705,917

374,370

1,080,287

687,225

18,692

705,917

736,313

1,178,100

1,178,100

–

2,620,330

374,370

2,994,700

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

567,145

118,164

685,309

405,104

648,166

648,166

–

1,738,579

355,518

2,094,097

567,145

118,164

685,309

0

0

0

–

685,309

355,518

1,040,827

567,145

118,164

685,309

607,656

972,249

972,249

–

2,265,214

355,518

2,620,732

2018

687,225

18,692

705,917

490,875

785,400

–

785,400

1,982,192

375,785

2,357,977

Gil Steyaert 3
Global Operations  
until February 26, 2019

2019

2019 (min.)

2019 (max.)

114,538

15,146

129,683

–

–

–

–

129,683

672,276

801,959

114,538

15,146

129,683

–

–

–

–

129,683

672,276

801,959

114,538

15,146

129,683

–

–

–

–

129,683

672,276

801,959

2018

687,225

20,904

708,129

490,875

785,400

–

785,400

1,984,404

528,998

2,513,402

1 Due to his departure, Eric Liedtke receives a contractually agreed severance payment in the amount of € 5,428,572 in addition to the overall compensation set out. This payment is set out in the Compensation Report in the overall payments to former Executive Board members. 
2 Contractually agreed Performance Bonus target amount 2019 and LTIP bonus target amount 2018/2020 (2019 tranche) due to intra-year appointment of Martin Shankland (with effect from March 4, 2019) to the Executive Board. Service costs 2019 stated pro rata temporis. 
3  Executive Board compensation stated pro rata temporis due to the intra-year termination of Gil Steyaert’s Executive Board mandate. Gil Steyaert’s service contract terminated with effect from February 28, 2019. Until that date, Gil Steyaert was paid his full monthly fixed salary. Due to his departure, Gil Steyaert additionally 

received a contractually agreed severance payment in the amount of € 3,422,316. This compensation also comprises the service costs stated herein and is set out in the Compensation Report in the overall payments to former Executive Board members. For Gil Steyaert, the service costs 2019 comprise the gross contribution 
contractually agreed due to his departure which was granted to Gil Steyaert as pension benefits payable until May 31, 2020 for early termination of the Executive Board mandate. Due to the adjustment of Gil Steyaert’s pension commitment in the 2018 financial year, the service costs correspond to the gross contribution 
credited by adidas AG for the respective financial year to the special account opened for him.

0
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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20191  
  
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

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COMPENSATION REPORT

ALLOCATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CODE
Pursuant  to  the  recommendations  of  the  Code,  the  annual 
fixed compensation, other benefits, the Performance Bonus, 
the LTIP Bonus as well as the service costs are disclosed as 

an allocation for the financial year in which the compensation 
was granted, with the service costs not constituting an actual 
allocation to the Executive Board members. 

 SEE TABLE 13 

Allocation in €

Fixed compensation

Other benefits

Total

One–year variable compensation 

Multi–year variable compensation 1

LTIP 2018/2020 (2019 tranche)

LTIP 2018/2020 (2018 tranche) 

Other

Total 2

Service costs 

Overall compensation

Fixed compensation

Other benefits

Total

One-year variable compensation 

Multi-year variable compensation 1

LTIP 2018/2020 (2019 tranche)

LTIP 2018/2020 (2018 tranche) 

Other

Total 2

Service costs 

Overall compensation

Kasper Rorsted 
Chief Executive Officer

Roland Auschel
Global Sales

Eric Liedtke 3
Global Brands  
until December 31, 2019

2019

2,000,000

26,417

2,026,417

1,200,000

3,154,285

3,154,285

–

–

6,380,702

856,807

7,237,509

2018

2,000,000

19,314

2,019,314

1,685,714

3,405,714

–

3,405,714

–

7,110,741

1,052,993

8,163,734

2019

920,000

19,165

939,165

492,857

1,450,972

1,450,972

–

–

2,882,994

321,247

3,204,241

2018

920,000

17,943

937,943

624,286

1,566,629

–

1,566,629

–

3,128,858

402,742

3,531,600

2019

1,000,000

26,935

1,026,935

642,857

1,577,143

1,577,143

–

–

3,246,935

345,945

3,592,880

Harm Ohlmeyer
Chief Financial Officer

Karen Parkin
Global Human Resources

Martin Shankland 4 
Global Operations  
since March 4, 2019

2019

687,225

19,684

706,909

373,065

1,083,852

1,083,852

–

–

2,163,826

395,186

2,559,012

2018

687,225

17,826

705,051

559,598

1,170,246

–

1,170,246

–

2,434,895

386,523

2,821,418

2019

687,225

18,692

705,917

525,236

1,083,852

1,083,852

–

–

2,315,005

374,370

2,689,375

2018

687,225

18,692

705,917

525,236

1,170,246

–

1,170,246

–

2,401,399

375,785

2,777,184

2019

567,145

118,164

685,309

340,287

894,469

894,469

–

–

1,920,065

355,518

2,275,583

13

2018

1,000,000

24,475

1,024,475

707,143

1,702,857

–

1,702,857

–

3,434,476

447,154

3,881,630

2018

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

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1

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201911    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

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FINANCIAL REVIEW

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COMPENSATION REPORT

Allocation in €

Fixed compensation

Other benefits

Total

One-year variable compensation 

Multi-year variable compensation 1

LTIP 2018/2020 (2019 tranche)

LTIP 2018/2020 (2018 tranche) 

Other

Total 2

Service costs 

Overall compensation

13

2018

687,225

20,904

708,129

328,886

1,170,246

–

1,170,246

–

2,207,261

528,998

2,736,259

Gil Steyaert 5
Global Operations  
until February 26, 2019

2019

114,538

15,146

129,683

–

–

–

–

–

129,683

672,276

801,959

1  The Grant Amount which remains for the respective annual LTIP tranche after deduction of applicable taxes and social security contributions (‘LTIP Payout Amount’) must be invested in the acquisition of adidas AG shares. These shares are subject to a lock-up period which ends in the third financial year after the acquisition 

of the shares upon expiry of the month in which the Annual General Meeting of adidas AG takes place. The LTIP Payout Amount is considered earned only after expiry of the lock-up period and only then can the Executive Board members dispose of the shares at their own discretion. By contrast, the amount deducted for 
income tax and social security contributions is already fully earned at the time of payout following the adoption of the consolidated financial statements by the Supervisory Board.

2 The compensation components outlined above constitute the overall payments to be set out individually in accordance with commercial law both in the 2019 financial year and in the previous year. 
3 Due to his departure, Eric Liedtke receives a contractually agreed severance payment in the amount of € 5,428,572 in addition to the overall compensation set out. This payment is set out in the Compensation Report in the overall payments to former Executive Board members.
4 Contractually agreed Performance Bonus target amount 2019 and LTIP bonus target amount 2018/2020 (2019 tranche) due to intra-year appointment of Martin Shankland (with effect from March 4, 2019) to the Executive Board. Service costs 2019 stated pro rata temporis.
5  Executive Board compensation stated pro rata temporis due to the intra-year termination of Gil Steyaert’s Executive Board mandate. Gil Steyaert’s service contract terminated with effect from February 28, 2019. Until that date, Gil Steyaert was paid his full monthly fixed salary. Due to his departure, Gil Steyaert additionally 

received a contractually agreed severance payment in the amount of € 3,422,316. This compensation also comprises the service costs stated herein and is set out in the Compensation Report in the overall payments to former Executive Board members. For Gil Steyaert, the service costs 2019 comprise the gross contribution 
contractually agreed due to his departure which was granted to Gil Steyaert as pension benefits payable until May 31, 2020 for early termination of the Executive Board mandate. Due to the adjustment of Gil Steyaert’s pension commitment in the 2018 financial year, the service costs correspond to the gross contribution 
credited by adidas AG for the respective financial year to the special account opened for him. 

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2

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201911    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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COMMITMENTS TO EXECUTIVE BOARD 
MEMBERS UPON TERMINATION OF TENURE
Termination of Gil Steyaert’s tenure effective February 26, 2019
In  connection  with  the  termination  of  his  Executive  Board 
mandate,  Gil  Steyaert  received  a  severance  payment  of 
€  3,422,316. 4  Furthermore,  it  was  contractually  agreed  to 
dispense with the obligation to invest the LTIP Bonus granted 
to Gil Steyaert for the 2018 financial year into adidas AG shares.

As  regards  the  post-contractual  competition  prohibition, 
Gil Steyaert has received monthly compensation in the amount 
of € 28,634 since March 1, 2019, payable for a total period of 
24 months. This corresponds to 50% of the last fixed monthly 
salary.  If  the  compensation  paid  for  the  post-contractual 
competition prohibition and any potential income from other 
employment  in  total  exceed  the  monthly  fixed  salary  last 
received by Gil Steyaert before his departure, any income from 
other  employment  will  be  offset  against  the  compensation 
paid  for  the  post-contractual  competition  prohibition.  The 
overall  maximum  compensation  for  the  post-contractual 
competition  prohibition  payable  to  Gil  Steyaert  therefore 
amounts to € 687,225.

Termination of Eric Liedtke’s tenure effective December 31, 2019
In  connection  with  the  termination  of  his  Executive  Board 
mandate at the end of December 31, 2019, Eric Liedtke was 
granted a severance payment of € 5,428,572.

As  regards  the  post-contractual  competition  prohibition, 
Eric Liedtke will receive monthly compensation in the amount 
of € 41,667 for a period of 24 months from January 1, 2020. 
This corresponds to 50% of the last fixed monthly salary. If the 
compensation  paid  for  the  post-contractual  competition 
prohibition and any potential income from other employment 
in  total  exceed  the  monthly  fixed  salary  last  received  by 

MISCELLANEOUS
The Executive Board members do not receive any additional 
compensation  for  mandates  within  adidas.  The  Executive 
Board  members  have  not  received  any  loans  or  advance 
payments from adidas AG. Furthermore, no Executive Board 
member  received  any  payments  or  promises  of  payments 
from third parties with regard to their work at adidas.

Eric  Liedtke  before  his  departure,  any  income  from  other 
employment will be offset against the compensation paid for 
the  post-contractual  competition  prohibition.  The  overall 
maximum compensation for the post-contractual competition 
prohibition  payable  to  Eric  Liedtke  therefore  amounts  to 
€ 1,000,000.

OVERALL PAYMENTS TO FORMER MEMBERS OF 
THE EXECUTIVE BOARD AND THEIR SURVIVING 
DEPENDENTS
In  the  2019  financial  year,  overall  payments  to  former 
members  of  the  Executive  Board  and  their  surviving 
dependents  amounted 
(2018: 
€  3.746  million).  The  increase  in  the  overall  payments 
compared to the previous year is attributable to the severance 
payments granted to Eric Liedtke and Gil Steyaert due to their 
departure from the Executive Board in the year under review.

to  €  14.567  million 

Provisions were created for pension entitlements for former 
members of the Executive Board who resigned on or before 
December 31, 2005 and their surviving dependents, amounting 
to  €  46.326  million  (2018:  €  43.904  million)  in  total  as  at 
December 31, 2019. There are pension commitments toward 
six  former  Executive  Board  members  who  resigned  after 
December 31, 2005, which are covered by a pension fund or a 
pension  fund  in  combination  with  a  reinsured  pension  trust 
to 
fund.  From 
€ 46.216 million (2018: € 40.969 million) arise for adidas AG, 
for which no provisions were created due to financing through 
the pension fund and pension trust fund.

indirect  obligations  amounting 

this, 

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3

4   Until the termination of his service contract on February 28, 2019, Gil Steyaert was paid his full monthly fixed compensation.

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201911    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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COMPENSATION OF THE SUPERVISORY 
BOARD MEMBERS

The compensation system which has been applicable for the 
members  of  the  Supervisory  Board  since  July  1,  2017  was 
adopted by the shareholders at the Annual General Meeting 
on May 11, 2017. The compensation system is set out in § 18 
of the Articles of Association of adidas AG.

COMPENSATION SYSTEM

The compensation of the Supervisory Board members takes 
into  account  the  responsibility  and  scope  of  activities  of  the 
Supervisory Board members and consists of two components: 
fixed  compensation  and  additional  compensation 
for 
membership in committees. The Supervisory Board members 
are  not  granted  performance-related 
compensation. 
Furthermore,  the  Supervisory  Board  members  receive 
attendance fees and are reimbursed for expenses they incur.

COMPENSATION FOR SUPERVISORY BOARD 
FUNCTION
Each  member  receives  fixed  compensation  which  is  paid 
following  the  end  of  the  respective  financial  year.  The 
Chairman  of  the  Supervisory  Board  and  his  two  deputies 
receive higher fixed compensation. 

 SEE TABLE 14

Compensation for Supervisory Board function

14

Supervisory Board 
member

€ 80,000 

Base amount

Deputy Chairman

€ 160,000 

200% of the  
base amount

Chairman

€ 240,000 

300% of the 
base amount

for  membership 

ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION FOR MEMBERSHIP 
IN A COMMITTEE
Furthermore,  the  Supervisory  Board  members  receive 
additional  compensation 
in  certain 
committees; in this regard, too, compensation is increased if 
the chairmanship of a committee is assumed. The amount of 
the respective additional compensation is based on the fixed 
compensation (‘Base Amount’) determined for the Supervisory 
Board members by the Annual General Meeting and depends 
on the tasks and responsibilities connected with the respective 
committee membership. 

 SEE TABLE 15

Compensation for membership in a committee

15

REDUCED COMPENSATION IN CASE OF 
MEMBERSHIP FOR PART OF FINANCIAL YEAR
If a member belongs to the Supervisory Board or a committee 
for  only  part  of  a  financial  year,  the  fixed  compensation  and 
additional compensation for membership in a committee are 
reduced accordingly on a pro rata temporis basis.

ATTENDANCE FEE
For each personal attendance of meetings requiring personal 
attendance, the Supervisory Board members are also granted 
an  attendance  fee  in  the  amount  of  €  1,000.  Members  of 
committees that are formed on an ad hoc basis do not receive 
an attendance fee. If several meetings take place on one day, 
the attendance fee is only paid once.

General Committee

Audit Committee

Member

€ 40,000

Chairman

€ 80,000

Member

€ 80,000

Chairman

€ 160,000

50% of the 
base amount

100% of the base 
amount

100% of the base 
amount

200% of the  
base amount

EXPENSES
for 
The  Supervisory  Board  members  are  reimbursed 
necessary  expenses  and 
in 
incurred 
connection with their mandates as well as for the VAT payable 
on their compensation.

travel  expenses 

The  compensation  paid  for  a  committee  chairmanship  also 
covers the membership in such committee. The members of 
the  Steering  Committee,  the  Mediation  Committee,  the 
Nomination Committee and committees which are established 
ad hoc do not receive additional compensation. If a Supervisory 
Board member is a member of more than one committee, the 
member  only  receives  compensation  for  their  task  in  the 
committee with the highest compensation.

SUPERVISORY BOARD 
COMPENSATION 2019

FIXED COMPENSATION AND ATTENDANCE FEE
The total compensation paid to the Supervisory Board in the 
2019  financial  year  amounted  to  €  2.20  million  (2018: 
€ 2.20 million). In addition, attendance fees totaling € 167,000 
(2018: € 129,000) were paid. 

 SEE TABLE 16

MISCELLANEOUS
The Supervisory Board members have not received any loans 
or advance payments from adidas AG.

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201911    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

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COMPENSATION REPORT

Compensation of Supervisory Board members in €

16

Supervisory Board members incumbent as at December 31, 2019

Igor Landau, Chairman of the Supervisory Board

Udo Müller, Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board 1

Thomas Rabe, Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board 2

Petra Auerbacher 2

Ian Gallienne 

Roswitha Hermann 2

Herbert Kauffmann

Kathrin Menges

Roland Nosko

Beate Rohrig 2

Nassef Sawiris

Frank Scheiderer 2

Michael Storl 2

Bodo Uebber 2

Jing Ulrich 2

Günter Weigl 2

Supervisory Board members until the end of the Annual General Meeting on May 9, 2019

Sabine Bauer, Deputy Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board

Willi Schwerdtle, Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board

Dr. Frank Appel 3

Dieter Hauenstein

Dr. Wolfgang Jäger

Katja Kraus

Hans Ruprecht

Heidi Thaler-Veh

Kurt Wittmann

Supervisory Board member until the end of the Annual General Meeting on May 9, 2018

Dr. Stefan Jentzsch

Total

2019

2018

Fixed 
compensation

Compensation 
committee work

Attendance fee

Total

Fixed 
compensation

Compensation 
committee work

Attendance fee

Total

240,000

131,726

103,452

51,726

80,000

51,726

80,000

80,000

80,000

51,726

80,000

51,726

51,726

51,726

51,726

51,726

56,548

56,548

28,274

28,274

28,274

28,274

28,274

28,274

28,274

–

80,000

25,863

25,863

–

80,000

–

160,000

–

40,000

–

–

51,726

–

–

–

51,726

14,137

14,137

–

–

28,274

–

28,274

–

–

–

14,000

11,000

8,000

6,000

11,000

3,000

14,000

8,000

14,000

5,000

9,000

9,000

6,000

3,000

5,000

9,000

5,000

5,000

1,000

3,000

5,000

2,000

5,000

3,000

3,000

334,000

168,589

137,315

57,726

171,000

54,726

254,000

88,000

134,000

56,726

89,000

112,452

57,726

54,726

56,726

112,452

75,685

75,685

29,274

31,274

61,548

30,274

61,548

31,274

31,274

–

–

1,600,000

600,000

167,000

2,367,000

240,000

80,000

–

–

80,000

–

80,000

80,000

80,000

–

80,000

–

–

–

–

–

160,000

160,000

51,398

80,000

80,000

80,000

80,000

80,000

80,000

28,602

1,600,000

80,000

–

–

–

80,000

–

160,000

–

40,000

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

40,000

40,000

–

–

80,000

–

80,000

–

–

–

600,000

9,000

7,000

–

–

9,000

–

12,000

6,000

9,000

–

7,000

–

–

–

–

–

9,000

9,000

4,000

6,000

12,000

6,000

10,000

5,000

6,000

329,000

87,000

–

–

169,000

–

252,000

86,000

129,000

–

87,000

–

–

–

–

–

209,000

209,000

55,398

86,000

172,000

86,000

170,000

85,000

86,000

3,000

129,000

31,602

2,329,000

0
4
5

1 Deputy Chairman from the end of the Annual General Meeting on May 9, 2019.
2 Supervisory Board member from the end of the Annual General Meeting on May 9, 2019.
3 Supervisory Board member from the end of the Annual General Meeting on May 9, 2018 until the end of the Annual General Meeting on May 9, 2019.

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201911    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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OUR SHARE

OUR SHARE

Global stock markets were volatile throughout the year but 
ended  2019  on  a  positive  note.  The  DAX-30  and  the  EURO 
STOXX  50  both  increased  by  25%  while  the  MSCI  World 
Textiles,  Apparel  &  Luxury  Goods  Index  was  up  37%.  The 
 adidas  AG  share  outperformed  the  broader  stock  market 
and  ended  2019  with  an  increase  of  59%  compared  to  the 
prior year. As a result of the strong operational and financial 
performance in 2019 as well as Management’s confidence in 
the  strength  of  the  company’s  financial  position  and  long-
term  growth  aspirations,  we  intend  to  propose  a  dividend 
per share of € 3.85 at our 2020 Annual General Meeting.

ADIDAS AG SHARE RISES AND OUTPERFORMS 
BROADER STOCK MARKET IN 2019
In 2019, global stock markets ended a volatile year on a positive 
note,  as  greater  optimism  regarding  the  US-China  trade 
situation  and  low  unemployment  gave  capital  markets  strong 
impetus. In addition, interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve 
benefited markets further. As a result, the DAX-30 as well as 

Five-year share price development 1

the  EURO  STOXX  50  increased  25%  in  2019.  The  MSCI  World 
Textiles, Apparel & Luxury Goods Index closed the year with a 
37%  increase. 
 SEE  TABLE  17  Our  financial  results  helped  to 
further build investors’ confidence in the successful execution 
of  our  strategic  business  plan  ‘Creating  the  New’  and  the 
company’s  ability  to  sustainably  grow  revenues  and  improve 
margins  in  the  years  to  come.  Consequently,  the   adidas  AG 
share closed the year at € 289.80 and thus 59% above the prior 
year-end  level,  making  it  the  second  best  performer  in  the 
DAX-30. 

 SEE DIAGRAM 18

Performance of the adidas AG share and important indices 
at year-end 2019  in %

 17

1 year

3 years

5 years  10 years

adidas AG

DAX-30

EURO STOXX 50

MSCI World Textiles,  
Apparel & Luxury Goods 

Source: Bloomberg.

59

25

25

37

93

15

14

72

403

35

19

64

667

122

26

242

18

| Dec. 31, 2014

Dec. 31, 2019 |

500

400

300

200

100

1 Index: December 31, 2014 = 100.
Source: Bloomberg.

  adidas AG 

  DAX-30 

  EURO STOXX 50 

  MSCI World Textiles, Apparel & Luxury Goods Index

LEVEL 1 ADR PERFORMS IN LINE WITH   
COMMON STOCK
Our Level 1 ADR closed 2019 at US $ 162.80, representing 
an  increase  of  56%  versus  the  prior  year  level  (2018: 
US $ 104.34).  The  slightly  less  pronounced  increase  of  the 
Level 1 ADR price compared to the ordinary share price was 
due to the appreciation of the US dollar versus the euro in 2019. 
The  number  of  Level  1  ADRs  outstanding  increased  to 
10.4  million  at  year-end  2019  compared  to  9.0 million  at  the 
end  of  2018.  The  average  daily  trading  volume  decreased  to 
around  43,000  ADRs  in  2019  (2018:  around  51,400).  Further 
information  on  our  ADR  program  can  be  found  on  our 
website.  ↗ ADIDAS-GROUP.COM/ADR

ADIDAS AG SHARE MEMBER OF   
IMPORTANT INDICES
The   adidas  AG  share  is  included  in  a  variety  of  high-quality 
indices  around  the  world,  most  importantly  the  DAX-30,  the 
EURO  STOXX  50  Index  as  well  as  the  MSCI  World  Textiles, 
Apparel  &  Luxury  Goods  Index,  which  comprises  our  major 
competitors.  At  December  31,  2019,  our  weighting  in  the    
DAX-30, which is calculated on the basis of free float market 
capitalization  and  twelve-month  share  turnover,  improved 
to 4.99% (2018: 3.94%). Our higher weighting compared to the 
prior year was due to the increase in market capitalization 
of   adidas  AG.  Within  the  DAX-30,  we  ranked  7  on  market 
capitalization (2018: 9) and 9 on turnover (2018: 11) at year-
end 2019. For the 20th consecutive time, adidas was selected 
to  join  the  Dow  Jones  Sustainability  Indices  (DJSI),  and  was 
assessed  to  be  among  the  global  10%  best-performing 
companies  in  its  industry  in  economic,  environmental  and 
social criteria. 

 SEE TABLE 19

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201911    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

OUR SHARE

in  our 

Dividend proposal

€3.85

DIVIDEND PROPOSAL OF € 3.85 PER SHARE
As a result of the strong operational and financial performance 
in  2019,  the  company’s  robust  financial  position  as  well  as 
long-term  growth 
Manage ment’s  confidence 
aspirations, the  adidas AG Executive 
and 
Supervisory  Boards  will 
recommend  paying  a  dividend  of 
€ 3.85 per dividend-entitled share to 
shareholders  at  the  Annual  General  Meeting  (AGM)  on 
May 14, 2020. This represents an increase of 15% compared to 
the prior year dividend (2018: € 3.35). Subject to the meeting’s 
approval, the dividend will be paid on May 19, 2020. The total 
payout of € 752 million (2018: € 664 million) reflects a payout 
ratio of 39.2% of net income from continuing operations (2018: 
38.9%), based on the number of shares outstanding as at the 
date of preparation of the consolidated financial statements. 
 SEE  TABLE  19 This  is  within  the  target  range  of  between  30% 
and 50% of net income from continuing operations as defined 
in our dividend policy.

SECOND TRANCHE OF SHARE BUYBACK 
PROGRAM  COMPLETED
On March 13, 2018,  adidas AG announced the launch of a multi-
year share buyback program of up to € 3.0 billion in total until 
May 11, 2021. The program is executed by buying back shares 
via the stock exchange under the authorization granted by the 
Annual  General  Meeting  on  May  12,  2016.  The  authorization 
covers  the  repurchase  of  up  to  10%  of  the  company’s  share 
capital on the stock exchange. The vast majority of the share 
buyback program will be financed through the company’s net 
cash  position  as  well  as  the  expected  strong  operating  cash 
flow generation in the years ahead. Following the first tranche 
in 2018, in which the company bought back 5.1 million shares 
for  a  total  consideration  of  €  1.0  billion,  on  January  7,  2019 
adidas  AG  announced  the  commencement  of  the  second 
tranche  of  the  share  buyback  program.  Between  January  7, 
2019,  and  December  18,  2019,  the  company  bought  back 

3.2  million  shares,  corresponding  to  1.6%  of  the  company’s 
stock capital, for a consideration of € 815 million. The average 
purchase price per share was € 252.80. A total of 8.8 million 
treasury  shares  have  been  canceled  since  the  start  of  the 
current  program,  reducing  the  company’s  share  count  and 
stock capital correspondingly.

STRONG INTERNATIONAL INVESTOR BASE
Based  on  our  share  register,  we  estimate  that   adidas  AG 
currently has more than 90,000 shareholders (2018: 80,000). In 
our latest ownership analysis conducted in January 2020, we 
identified almost 100% of our shares outstanding. Institutional 

(2018:  92%).  Private 

investors represent the largest investor group, holding 89% of 
shares  outstanding 
investors  and 
undisclosed  holdings  account  for  9%  (2018:  8%).  Lastly, 
 adidas  AG  currently  holds  2%  of  the  company’s  shares  as 
treasury shares (2018: 1%); this increase versus the prior year 
mainly  reflects  the  shares  resulting  from  our  share  buyback 
activities which have not been canceled yet. 

 SEE DIAGRAM 21

In  terms  of  geographical  distribution,  the  North  American 
market  currently  accounts  for  43%  of  institutional  share-
holdings  (2018:  43%),  followed  by  the  UK  with  21%  (2018: 
21%).  Identified  German  institutional  investors  hold  10%  of 

The adidas AG share

 19

Number of shares outstanding at year-end 2

shares

195,969,387

199,171,345 — DAX-30 

2019

2018 1 Important indices

Basic earnings per share 3

Diluted earnings per share 3

Year-end price

Year high

Year low

Market capitalization 4

Dividend per share

Dividend payout

Dividend payout ratio 3

Dividend yield

Shareholders’ equity per share 4

Price-earnings ratio at year-end 7

— EURO STOXX 50 
—  MSCI World Textiles, Apparel & 

Luxury Goods

— Deutsche Börse Prime Consumer 
—  Dow Jones Sustainability Indices 

(World and Europe)

— FTSE4Good Index Series 
— MSCI World ESG Leaders Index 

€

€

€

€

€

€ in millions

€

€ in millions

%

%

€

x

9.70

9.70

289.80

296.35

183.95

56,792

3.85 5

752 6

39.2 6

1.3

34.68

29.9

8.46

8.45

182.40

216.00

166.40

36,329

3.35

664

38.9

1.8

32.02

21.6

Average trading volume per trading day 8

shares

638,854

824,045

1 First-time application of IFRS 16 as of January 1, 2019. Prior year figures are not restated.
2 All shares carry full dividend rights, excluding treasury shares.
3 Based on net income from continuing operations.
4 Based on number of shares outstanding at year-end, excluding treasury shares.
5 Subject to Annual General Meeting approval.
6 Based on the number of shares outstanding at the date of preparation of the Consolidated Financial Statements.
7 Based on basic EPS from continuing operations.
8 Based on number of shares traded on all German stock exchanges.

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201911    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

OUR SHARE

adidas AG high and low share prices per month 1 in €

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

Jun.

Jul.

Aug.

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

20

shares outstanding (2018: 10%). Institutional investors  from 
Belgium  account  for  8%  (2018:  9%)  and  18%  of  institutional 
shareholders  were  identified  in  other  regions  of  the  world 
(2018: 17%). 

 SEE DIAGRAM 22

330

290

250

210

170

5
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 30-day moving average 

 High and low share prices

1 Based on daily Xetra closing prices. 

Source: Bloomberg.

Shareholder structure by investor group 1

21

Shareholder structure by region 1, 2

22

9% Private investors 
and undisclosed 
holdings

1 As of January 2020.

2% Treasury shares

8% Belgium

10% Germany

89% Institutional 
investors

18% Rest of world

1 As of January 2020.
2 Reflects institutional investors only.

43% North America

21% United Kingdom

MAJORITY OF ANALYSTS WITH A NEUTRAL 
RATING OF ADIDAS AG SHARE
Around  40  analysts  from  investment  banks  and  brokerage 
firms  regularly  publish  research  reports  on  adidas.  Given 
the strong performance of the adidas AG share in 2019, the 
majority of analysts now have a neutral view on our share. 
This  is  reflected  i n  the recommendation split for our share 
as  at  December  31,  2019.  33%  of  analysts  recommended 
investors to ‘buy’ our share (2018: 59%). 57% advised to ‘hold’ 
our share (2018: 36%) and 10% of the analysts recommended to 
‘sell’ our share (2018: 5%).

VOTING RIGHTS NOTIFICATIONS PUBLISHED
All voting rights notifications received in 2019 in accordance 
with  §§  33  et  seq.  of  the  German  Securities  Trading  Act 
(Wertpapierhandelsgesetz  –  WpHG)  (§§  21  et  seq.  German 
Securities  Trading  Act  old  version)  are  published  on  our 
corporate  website.  ↗ ADIDAS-GROUP.COM/S/VOTING_RIGHTS_NOTIFICATIONS 
Information  on  reportable  shareholdings  that  currently 
exceed or fall below a certain threshold can also be found in 
the Notes section of this Annual Report. 

 SEE NOTE 27, P. 171

MANAGERS’ TRANSACTIONS REPORTED ON 
CORPORATE WEBSITE
Managers’  transactions  involving   adidas  AG  shares  (ISIN 
DE000A1EWWW0) or related financial instruments, as defined 
by Article 19 of the European Market Abuse Regulation (MAR), 
conducted  by  members  of  our  Executive  or  Supervisory 
Boards,  or  by  any  person  in  close  relationship  with  these 
persons,  are  reported  on  our  website.  ↗ ADIDAS-GROUP.COM/S/

MANAGERS-TRANSACTIONS

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GROUP 
 MANAGEMENT 
REPORT 
OUR COMPANY

Corporate Strategy  
adidas Brand Strategy  
Reebok Brand Strategy  
Sales and Distribution Strategy  

Global Operations  

Innovation  

People and Culture  

Sustainability  

Non-Financial Statement  

Group Management Report: This report contains the 
Group Management Report of the adidas Group, 
comprising adidas AG and its consolidated subsidiaries, 
and the Management Report of adidas AG.

 050

 055
 059
 061

 063

 067

 070

 078

 090

References to external sources, such as our website, in the Group Management Report  
were not part of the scope of KPMG’s audit.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

CORPORATE STRATEGY

CORPORATE STRATEGY

Everything  we  do  is  rooted  in  sport.  With  sport  playing  an 
increasingly important role in more and more people’s lives, 
on and off the field of play, we operate in a highly attractive 
industry. Through our authentic sports brands, we push the 
boundaries  of  products,  experiences  and  services  to  drive 
brand  desire  and  capitalize  on  the  growth  opportunities  in 
sport, as well as in sports-inspired casual wear. 

OUR CORE BELIEF: THROUGH SPORT, WE HAVE 
THE POWER TO CHANGE LIVES
The importance of sport, however, goes far beyond that. Sport 
is  central  to  every  culture  and  society  and  is  core  to  an 
individual’s health and happiness. Therefore, we believe that, 
through  sport,  we  have  the  power  to  change  lives.  And  we 
work  every  day  to  inspire  and  enable  people  to  harness  the 
power of sport in their lives.

OUR MISSION: TO BE THE BEST SPORTS 
COMPANY IN THE WORLD
It is our mission to be the best sports company in the world. 
Best  means  that  we  design,  build  and  sell  the  best  sports 
products in the world, with the best service and experience, 
and  that  we  do  so  in  a  sustainable  way.  Best  is  what  our 
consumers, athletes, teams, partners, media and shareholders 
will  say  about  us.  We  are  confident  that  we  will  see 
improvements  with  regard  to  market  share,  leadership  and 
profitability once people are saying that we are the best.

STRATEGIC BUSINESS PLAN: ‘CREATING THE NEW’
‘Creating  the  New’  is  our  strategic  business  plan  until  the 
year 2020. Our ambition to further drive top- and bottom-line 
growth by significantly increasing brand desirability builds the 
core  of  ‘Creating  the  New’.  The  strategic  business  plan 
therefore focuses on our brands as they connect and engage 
with  our  consumers.  This  consumer-centric  approach  is 

driving  significant  improvements  in  the  desirability  of  our 
brands  and  has  increased  our  relevance  with  consumers 
around the globe. As a result, we have gained market share in 
those categories, markets and cities that we have identified as 
future growth drivers for our company. 

 SEE DIAGRAM 23 

STRATEGIC CHOICES
Our strategic business plan has a powerful foundation in our 
unique  corporate  culture  and  is  built  around  three  strategic 
choices  that  support  us  in  intensifying  our  focus  on  our 
consumers  and  will  drive  brand  desirability:  Speed,  Cities, 
and Open Source.

Culture
We  have  great  talents  in  our  organization  who  work  with 
passion  for  sports  and  our  brands.  Our  people  bring  our 
strategy  to  life  and  our  culture  makes  the  difference  in 
achieving  our  long-term  goals.  We  are  convinced  that  a 
culture  of  Creativity,  Collaboration  and  Confidence  (the  3Cs 

 SEE GLOSSARY) is a key enabler for us to ‘Create the New’.

Our  leaders  role-model  this  behavior.  To  enhance  our 
leadership  structure,  we  established  the  Core  Leadership 
Group (CLG). This group of senior leaders, selected from the 
most  critical  roles  across  the  company,  are  responsible  for 
leading  the  execution  of  our  strategic  business  plan,  with  a 
particular focus on improving cross-functional collaboration 

Our strategic business plan: ‘Creating the New’

23

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DESIRE

TOP LINE &
MARKET  SHARE
GROWTH

GROSS MARGIN
EXPANSION

OPERATING
LEVERAGE

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20192 
 
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STATEMENTS

CORPORATE STRATEGY

and decision-making. We continued to sharpen our leadership 
structure  by  adding  an  Extended  Leadership  Group  (ELG), 
which supports the Core Leadership Group in implementing 
our strategy. The Leadership Framework unites all leaders in 
our  company  through  a  clear  definition  of  what  strong 
leadership looks like at adidas and commitment to enhance 
performance  and  culture.  In  addition,  the  Global  High 
Potential Group (GHIPO) was formed in 2018 to develop high 
potentials  who  have  the  ability  to  take  on  more  complex, 
demanding and higher-level responsibilities at a global senior 
management  level.  In  2019,  we  launched  a  Local  High 
Potential  Group  (LHIPO)  who  are  being  developed  for  more 
complex  roles  at  a  local  senior  management  level.  Each 
leadership group creates a succession pool to the one above it 
to  ensure  ongoing  internal  talent  development,  as  well  as 
being leadership role models across the organization. 

We  believe  that  a  performance  culture  is  essential  to 
successfully  executing  our  strategy.  To  further  promote  a 
performance culture within our company, we have finalized a 
new  way  of  developing  our  people  and  evaluating  their 
performance. In addition, we have made significant progress 
in recalibrating our approach to evaluating performance and 
have evolved the link to performance and rewards through our 
compensation and benefits. Long-term remuneration for our 
senior  management,  for  instance,  has  been  simplified  and 
linked to the development of the company’s bottom line and 
our share price in order to further align the interests of our 
senior leaders with the interests of our shareholders. 

As  a  company,  we  value  diversity  and  promote  inclusivity. 
Today, our employee base is already very diverse in terms of 
gender,  generation  and  global  representation.  We  are 
dedicated  to  continuously  increasing  the  representation  of 
female  leadership  across  the  organization.  We  have  made 
further progress in this regard and representation of women 

globally 
in  management  positions  across  the  company 
increased to 34% in 2019 compared to 29% in 2015. Our GHIPO 
and LHIPO leadership groups have an almost balanced gender 
splitto  ensure  greater  female  representation  for  succession 
into  senior  roles.  Furthermore,  we  are  offering  gender 
intelligence  training  globally  to  promote  a  more  inclusive 
workplace. 

 SEE PEOPLE AND CULTURE, P. 70

Speed 
Driving brand desirability begins with putting our consumers 
at the heart of everything we do and serving them in the best 
possible  way.  This  involves  ensuring  that  consumers  always 
find fresh and desirable products where and when they want 
them  and  with  an  unrivaled  brand  experience.  This,  in  turn, 
means  being  able  to  anticipate  what  consumers  want  and 
reacting accordingly in a timely manner. Being fast will give us 
a decisive competitive advantage. The benefits include higher 
product  availability,  reduced  inventory  risk,  incremental  net 
sales  and  higher  margins.  Speed  is  therefore  a  critical  and 
powerful lever for us.

We are using our industry-leading experience to further evolve 
our entire business model end-to-end, from range planning to 
product  creation,  sourcing,  supply  chain,  go-to-market  and 
sales. In 2019, we further developed and sharpened ‘Speed’. 
With  the  revised  approaches 
‘fast 
replenishment’,  we  are  able  to  increase  the  share  of  short 
lead-time  ranges.  Together  with  our  customers,  we  define 
which  of  our  product  ranges  qualify  for  these  approaches. 
Through this, we are enabling our brands to ensure constant 
freshness  in  store  for  our  consumers,  resulting  in  higher-
quality sales and more productive inventory.

‘fast  creation’  and 

benefits of the Speed programs. Over the last years, the net 
sales  share  of  speed-enabled  products  has  continuously 
increased to a level of 47% in 2019, which is fully in line with 
our overall ambition to increase the share of speed-enabled 
products to at least 50% by 2020. 

footwear  and 

In addition to focusing on Speed in our existing supply chain 
and  production  processes,  we  also  explore  new,  disruptive 
business models and technologies to make us faster. Together 
with  Oechsler  AG,  adidas  had  opened  two  Speedfactories 
 SEE  GLOSSARY  in  2017  to  test  new  processes  for  faster 
production  of  athletic 
to  develop  new 
manufacturing technologies with the ultimate goal to transfer 
them  to  the  company’s  global  supply  chain.  In  2019,  we 
decided to discontinue production at the two Speedfactories 
in Ansbach, Germany, and Atlanta, USA, by April 2020, and 
to  deploy  the  Speedfactory  technology  at  Asian  suppliers. 
The  company  will  continue  to  develop,  improve  and  test 
manufacturing processes in the ‘adiLab’ at the adidas production 
site in Scheinfeld, Germany. 

 SEE GLOBAL OPERATIONS, P. 63, 

 SEE 

INNOVATION, P. 67

Cities
Urbanization continues to be a global megatrend. Most of the 
global  population  lives  in  cities  and  already  today  cities 
account  for  around  80%  of  global  GDP.  Cities  are  shaping 
global  trends  and  consumers’  perception,  perspectives  and 
buying decisions. To be successful in the future, we therefore 
need  to  win  the  consumer  in  the  world’s  most  influential 
cities.  We  have  identified  six  global  megacities  in  which  we 
want  to  over-proportionally  invest  to  grow  share  of  mind, 
share  of  market,  share  of  trend:  London,  Los  Angeles,  New 
York, Paris, Shanghai and Tokyo.

0
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1

Since  the  launch  of  the  strategic  priority  Speed,  we  have 
steadily  expanded  its  coverage.  All  categories  and  markets 
have now been fully onboarded and started to capitalize on the 

We aim to deliver extraordinary experiences to consumers in 
these cities across all touchpoints by engaging more deeply 

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20192 
 
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

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4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

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STATEMENTS

CORPORATE STRATEGY

with them in communities where they live, places where they 
work,  fields,  courts  and  streets  where  they  play,  and  doors 
where they shop. At the same time, we strive to create high 
synergies  between  our  activation  and  commercial  efforts. 
This also includes aligning our initiatives with similar activities 
of key retail partners.

It is our goal to create an end-to-end ecosystem in these cities 
which  connects  consumers  to  relevant  products,  through 
bottom-up activation and holistic retail experiences:
 — Activation: Our global key cities offer our brands a unique 
platform. Over the year, we conducted individual city-led 
activations  together  with  some  of  our  most  important 
assets such as Pharrell Williams in London, and James 
Harden at the ‘Republic of Sports’ event in Shanghai. On 
top, we continued to deliver day-to-day brand experiences 
for our communities such as the adidas Runners, Tango 
League and Versatile Female Athlete to engage with our 
consumers. 

 — Products: We continue to drive a multi-pronged strategy 
of  product  introductions,  focused  across  all  six  cities, 
including  global  campaign  launches  and  exclusive 
collections, for example when we launched Futurecraft 
Loop in New York City to the world’s media. In 2019, we 
utilized  our  Speedfactory  concept  to  create  shoes  with 
and for consumers in all six key cities, e.g. with e-gaming 
partner Team Vitality in Paris. 

 SEE INNOVATION, P. 67

 — Experiences:  We  are  committed  to  providing  premium 
retail experiences to our consumers with executions that 
connect, engage and inspire them. 2019 saw the opening 
of our new four-storied adidas brand flagship store on 
London’s Oxford Street, which was created to be our most 
digital store ever. With more than 100 digital touchpoints, 
which are powered by green energy, and immersive fitting 
rooms, the entire experience is curated for our consumers 
through innovative digital storytelling tools and interactive 
experiences, such as the ‘bring it to me’ feature in the 
adidas app that personalizes the shopping experience.

The  2019  results  for  specific  KPIs  (NPS  and  market  share) 
signal  we  are  well  on  track  to  achieve  our  target  to  double 
revenues in our global key cities by the end of 2020 compared 
to 2015.

Open Source 
Open Source is a collaboration-based innovation model that 
aims to build brand advocacy by opening the brands’ doors to 
the  consumer  and  by  inviting  him  or  her  to  co-create  the 
future of sport and sports culture with us. It is about learning 
and sharing, about starting conversations between the brand, 
external experts and consumers, and about giving them the 
chance to have an impact on what we do. We provide access 
for externals to tools and resources we use to create, thereby 
acquiring  and  nurturing  creative  capital,  and  explore  new 
territories so as to create unprecedented brand value for the 
consumer beyond mere transactional businesses.

We have defined three strategic initiatives for Open Source:
 — Athlete collaborations: Through athlete collaborations we 
aim to build communities of athletes that help shape the 
future of their sport together with us. Such collaborations 
include relationships with the world’s best athletes and 
teams, but they also take place on a local level. To directly 
engage and interact with a broader consumer community, 
we  have  expanded  our  efforts  in  digital  and  physical 
spaces. For instance, in 2019 our investment in running 
communities  through  grassroots  activations  of  ‘adidas 
Runners’ covered more than 60 cities in 30 countries on 
all  continents.  Our  adidas  Running  communities  drove 
the surge for around 2.2 million runners to step up for 
the Run for the Oceans campaign with many events taking 
place across the globe. In total, participants logged over 
twelve million kilometers, tracking their runs on the adidas 
Running by Runtastic app (and Joyrun app for those based 
in China). 

 SEE ADIDAS BRAND STRATEGY, P. 55

 — Creative collaborations: Creative collaborations increase 
our creative capital through new tools, new environments 
and  new  perspectives  from  outside  creative  thinkers. 
They are intended to give creativity a platform and provide 
the  right  tools  for  ideas  to  blossom.  The  most  notable 
addition to our Creator Network roster was our landmark 
collaboration with Beyoncé, as a brand ambassador and 
co-creator. In addition, we launched a partnership with 
the world’s most influential gamer, Ninja, to broaden our 
reach into the expanding e-gaming world. Furthermore in 
2019, we continued our collaborations with Kanye West, 
Pharrell Williams, Yohji Yamamoto, Stella McCartney, Raf 
Simons and Alexander Wang. 

 SEE ADIDAS BRAND STRATEGY, P. 55

 — Partner collaborations: The strategic initiatives in this area 
intend to open up our knowledge of sport by working with 
the best in other fields. By exchanging core competencies, 
we will create unique value for our brands and ultimately 
also for our consumers. Our partnership with Parley for 
the Oceans 
 SEE GLOSSARY serves as a prime example. As a 
founding member of the organization, our support goes far 
beyond financial aid to fund beach clean-ups. In 2019, we 
expanded our efforts through partnerships with start-up 
incubators such as Fashion for Good, who will help us to 
accelerate sustainable innovation in the apparel industry, 
and Station F to create the best digital innovations in sport. 

 SEE INNOVATION, P. 67, 

 SEE SUSTAINABILITY, P. 78

We remain committed to embedding external creative capital 
in  our  processes  to  extend  our  possibilities  in  creating  the 
future  of  sport.  To  ensure  that  we  are  at  the  pulse  of  the 
consumer  journey  at  key  moments  and  touchpoints  in  their 
lives,  we  want  to  grow  the  number  of  users  in  our  digital 
ecosystem. We have made significant progress in this regard 
and  are  now  connected  with  more  than  500  million  users 
through  our  different  platforms  and  social  media  channels. 
With  the  insights  generated  through  Open  Source,  we  craft 
better products and services for our consumers, driving brand 
desire, sales, market share and profitability. 

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20192 
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

CORPORATE STRATEGY

‘CREATING THE NEW’ ACCELERATION PLAN
In March 2017, we introduced a number of initiatives to foster 
brand momentum and accelerate top- and bottom-line growth:

Portfolio
Every entity must contribute to the success of our company, 
be it a brand, a channel or a market. We constantly revisit the 
performance  and  strategic  fit  of  our  portfolio.  After  the 
completion  of  the  sale  of  the  TaylorMade,  Adams  Golf  and 
Ashworth  brands  as  well  as  our  CCM  Hockey  business  in 
2017, we are now operating with a narrowed focus on our core 
strength  areas  of  athletic  footwear  and  apparel.  This  will 
allow us to reduce complexity and pursue our target consumer 
more aggressively with both the adidas and the Reebok brand. 
We have continued to execute upon Reebok’s turnaround plan 
‘Muscle  Up’,  aimed  at  accelerating 
top-line  growth, 
particularly  in  North  America,  and  improving  the  brand’s 
overall  profitability.  After  returning  to  profitability  in  2018, 
Reebok  achieved  currency-neutral  growth  of  2%  in  2019. 

 SEE REEBOK BRAND STRATEGY, P. 59

adidas North America
North America represents the biggest market in the sporting 
goods industry with a total share of approximately 40%. At the 
same time, from a geographical perspective, North America 
represents the biggest opportunity for the adidas brand, given 
our  relatively  small  market  share  here  compared  to  other 
regions. To improve the adidas brand’s overall positioning in 
the region, we have made North America a strategic priority 
and  started  to  significantly  increase  our  investments  into 
North America in order to be more relevant and always visible 
to the consumer. In this context, over the last years, we have 
increased 
into  our  organizational  set-up, 
including  the  further  expansion  of  our  US  headquarters  in 
Portland,  elevated  our  marketing  efforts  and  upgraded  our 
distribution 
infrastructure  with  the  opening  of  a  new 
distribution center in Pennsylvania. We are pleased with the 

investments 

progress  we  have  been  making  in  recent  years,  as  we  have 
more than doubled our business in North America since the 
launch of ‘Creating the New’ in 2015. However, we are still not 
satisfied  with  our  current  position,  which  leaves  significant 
upside  for  the  years  to  come.  Therefore,  going  forward,  we 
will continue to execute our game plan for North America in 
order to continue to increase our market share and reach our 
target of € 5 billion in revenues for the adidas brand by 2020.

ONE adidas
We continuously strive for operational excellence. ONE adidas 
encompasses a set of initiatives that will enable our company 
to work smarter, more efficiently and in a more aligned way. 
After having successfully operationalized the initiatives under 
the Brand Leadership  pillar 
 SEE GLOSSARY in 2018, we are now 
focusing  on  the  remaining  two  pillars  –  Operating  and 
Marketing  Efficiency.  In  order  to  create  a  more  scalable 
business model, we will therefore focus on those opportunities 
that  enable  us  to  standardize  and  harmonize  current 
processes  and  procedures.  In  this  context,  2019  saw  the 
continuation  of  several 
initiatives  which  are  aimed  at 
significantly improving our operating efficiency in the years to 
come.  Our  disciplined  execution  has  already  led  to  initial 
positive results in terms of generating incremental profits. We 
decided to use these benefits to reinvest into the business and 
continue  our  investment  efforts  into  our  scalable  business 
model.  In  2019,  we  focused  on  the  expansion  of  Global 
Business  Services,  where  we  continue  to  work  on  the 
standardization and harmonization of processes in areas such 
as Accounting and HR Services. Furthermore, in the last year 
we  saw  the  Non-Trade  Procurement  initiative 
 SEE  GLOSSARY 
deliver  considerable  savings  as  a  result  of  successfully 
operationalizing the approach. These and other initiatives are 
designed  to  enable  scalability  and  operating  leverage.  They 
are  generating  benefits  already  now  and  are  expected  to 
deliver further positive impact in the future.

Digital
The digital transformation is fundamentally changing the way 
our consumers behave and the way we work. Technology has 
enabled us to accelerate building direct relationships with our 
consumer.  Improving  digital  capabilities  along  the  entire 
value chain enables us not only to interact with the consumer, 
but also to become faster, better and more efficient in every 
part of the organization. We continue to make strong progress 
in  multiple  digital  accelerators.  After  the  initial  launch  in 
2017,  we  expanded  the  reach  of  the  adidas  app  to  over  30 
countries across all major markets. Our membership program 
Creators Club 
 SEE GLOSSARY introduced in 2018 as well as the 
relaunch of the Runtastic app as ‘adidas Running by Runtastic’ 
and  ‘adidas  Training  by  Runtastic’,  respectively,  emphasize 
the  importance  of  our  investments  in  customer  relationship 
management to allow a deeper consumer understanding. By 
providing  consumers  with  a  premium,  connected  and 
personalized  shopping  experience,  we  progress  toward  our 
2020 own e-commerce revenue target of € 4 billion. In 2019, 
our  own  e-commerce  platform  was  our  fastest-growing 
channel with a currency-neutral revenue increase of 34%.

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20192 
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

CORPORATE STRATEGY

 — deliver  on  our  commitment  to  increase  shareholder 
returns: ‘Creating the New’ includes a strong commitment 
to  generating  increasing  returns  for  our  shareholders. 
Given our firm confidence in the strength of the company’s 
financial position and future growth ambitions, we target 
a consistent dividend payout ratio in a range between 30% 
and 50% of net income from continuing operations. Our 
dividend policy is complemented by a multi-year share 
buyback program announced in March 2018. Under the 
current program, we plan to buy back own shares for up 
to € 3 billion in total until May 2021, of which € 1.8 billion 
was utilized by the end of 2019. 

FINANCIAL AMBITION UNTIL 2020
Creating  long-term  value  for  our  shareholders  drives  our 
overall  decision-making  process.  Therefore,  we  are  focused 
on  rigorously  managing  those  factors  under  our  control, 
making strategic choices that will drive sustainable revenue 
and earnings growth and, ultimately, operating cash flow. We 
are  committed  to  increasing  returns  to  shareholders  with 
above-industry-average share price performance and dividends. 

 SEE INTERNAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, P. 92

Our unique corporate culture and the three strategic choices 
will  continue  to  be  step-changers  with  regard  to  brand 
desirability  and  brand  advocacy.  In  combination  with  the 
initiatives  that  are  part  of  our  acceleration  plan,  this  will 
enable us to:
 — achieve  top-line  growth  significantly  above  industry 
average: We aim to increase currency-neutral revenues 
annually between 2015 and 2020 at a rate between 10% 
and 12% on average (initially, in March 2015: high-single-
digit currency-neutral increase).

 — win significant market share across key categories and 
markets: We have defined key categories within the adidas 
and Reebok brands that will spur our growth going forward. 
From a market perspective, we have defined clear roles for 
each of our markets, depending on macroeconomic trends, 
the competitive environment and our brand strength in the 
respective markets.

 — improve  our  profitability  sustainably:  We  plan  to 
substantially improve the company’s profitability, growing 
our net income from continuing operations by an average 
of between 22% and 24% per year between 2015 and 2020 
(initially, in March 2015: increase of around 15%; updated 
in March 2017: increase between 20% and 22%).

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20192 
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

CORPORATE STRATEGY
adidas Brand Strategy

ADIDAS BRAND STRATEGY

MISSION: TO BE THE BEST SPORTS BRAND  
IN THE WORLD
The  adidas  brand  has  a  long  history  and  deep-rooted 
connection with sport. Its broad and diverse sports portfolio, 
from  major  global  sports  such  as  football  and  running,  to 
regional  heartbeat  sports  such  as  American  football  and 
rugby,  has  enabled  the  brand  to  transcend  cultures  and 
become one of the most recognized and iconic global brands, 
on and off the field of play. The adidas brand’s mission is to be 
the best sports brand in the world, by designing, building and 
selling  the  best  sports  products  in  the  world,  with  the  best 
service and experience, in a sustainable way. 

Driven by a relentless pursuit of innovation as well as decades 
of  accumulating  sports  science  expertise,  the  adidas  brand 
has  developed  a  truly  unique  and  comprehensive  sports 
offering. Spanning footwear, apparel, equipment and services, 
the brand caters for all, from elite professional athletes and 
teams to any individual who wants to make sport part of their 
lives. We help athletes of all levels to make a difference – in 
their  game,  in  their  life,  in  their  world.  This  is  anchored  in 
our  core  belief  that,  through  sport,  we  have  the  power  to 
change lives.

CONSUMER OBSESSION:  
CREATING FOR THE CREATORS
The consumer is at the heart of everything the adidas brand 
does.  By  constantly  developing  desirable  products  and 
inspiring  experiences,  the  brand  strives  to  build  a  strong 
image,  trust  and  loyalty  with  consumers.  Through  ‘Creating 
the New’, the adidas brand has refined its strategic direction, 
operational  processes  and  incentive  systems,  to  foster  a 
culture of consumer obsession across its entire organization.

 — Operating  model:  To  ensure  long-term  success,  it  is 
important that we continue to challenge ourselves to learn 
and grow. We must constantly iterate to become faster and 
stronger. Therefore, the adidas brand’s operating model 
is directed by the guiding principles of Brand Leadership. 
 SEE GLOSSARY The aim of Brand Leadership is to provide 
an organizational structure which enables a ‘consumer-
obsessed’  culture  that  can  act  with  speed,  agility  and 
empowerment.

 — Creator archetype: Owing to the rapid evolution of sport 
and sports culture, the adidas brand targets key consumer 
groups and influencers to create brand desirability and 
momentum through a well-defined consumer segmentation 
strategy. The consumer grid comprises six key quadrants 
(Male Athlete, Female Athlete, Young Creator, Streetwear 
Hound,  Amplifier,  and  Value  Consumer),  which  are  not 
mutually exclusive. Within this grid, it is key to win the most 
influential consumers, defined as the creator archetype. 
True to the brand’s values, these influential consumers 
define themselves as a work in progress – are all doers and 
makers, first to adopt, focused on what’s new and what’s 
next. A large portion of creators live, play and work in the 
world’s most influential and aspirational cities, a key reason 
for the company’s Cities strategic choice.

 — Consumer centricity: Companies that put the consumer’s 
voice as a centerpiece of their decision-making process 
have higher levels of success in creating brand advocacy. 
Therefore, we implemented a global Net Promoter Score 
(NPS) 
 SEE  GLOSSARY ecosystem  in  order  to  drive  brand 
momentum in a measurable and objective manner. NPS has 
become an important part of the adidas brand’s advocacy 
program. Through this program, we strive to understand 
consumers’ perception (positive and negative) of the brand 
and the key drivers which motivate them to recommend the 
brand to their friends. 

 SEE INTERNAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, P. 92

PRODUCT FRANCHISES: CREATE THE MOST 
DESIRED SYMBOLS OF SPORT IN THE WORLD
We are convinced that footwear has the highest influence on 
brand perception among product categories. Footwear is also 
the  most  powerful  driver  of  NPS,  which  in  turn  translates 
directly  into  consumer  purchase  intent  and  our  potential  to 
grow market share. The adidas brand is relentlessly focused 
on  innovation  and  newness  in  footwear,  delivering  cutting-
edge  technologies  that  help  athletes  make  a  difference  in 
their  game,  life  and  world.  Unparalleled    access  to  athlete 
data and an archive that is unrivaled in the industry provide 
deep  insights  and  ample  opportunity  to  add  chapters  to  the 
brand’s rich heritage. At the same time, the brand has a clear 
strategy to reduce the number of footwear models, putting a 
stronger  focus  on  key  franchises  that  can  really  make  a 
difference  for  the  brand.  These  footwear  franchises  are 
managed  carefully  and  long  term  with  the  aim  of  shaping 
sport and influencing culture. They are built to create trends, 
rather than follow. Through uncompromised function, iconic 
design  and  unique  stories,  they  directly  root  from  and  are 
targeted at the athlete, and have the potential to be iterated 
and expanded over time. Their lifecycles are tightly managed, 
to ensure longevity and relevance. In addition, franchises are 
prioritized  throughout  the  value  chain,  building  on  the 
company’s strategic choices of Speed, Cities and Open Source. 
The  adidas  brand  expects  its  top  footwear  franchises  to 
represent  at  least  30%  of  the  brand’s  footwear  business  by 
2020.  In  2019,  this  included,  amongst  others,  the  adidas 
UltraBoost 19, Continental 80, Predator, and Nite Jogger. On 
the apparel side, the brand continued to build out franchises 
on  the  success  of  the  Tiro  Pant,  Z.N.E.  Hoodie  and,  more 
recently, the MyShelter Jacket and VRCT Jacket. 

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201921    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

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CORPORATE STRATEGY
adidas Brand Strategy

WOMEN’S: A NEW DIMENSION  
TO DRIVE GROWTH
Winning the female consumer continues to be a key focus as 
it  offers  one  of  the  largest  business  opportunities  for  the 
adidas brand, with the women’s category leading the growth 
in the sportswear industry. In 2019, the adidas brand further 
invested resources in expanding a cross-functional women’s 
organization  and  support  infrastructure  to  set  direction  for 
creative, ranging, merchandising and marketing as well as to 
steer  cross-category  planning.  When  it  comes  to  winning 
the  female  consumer,  the  brand  has  focused  its  initiatives 
across  product,  retail,  and  activation.  Highlights  from  these 
initiatives include:
 — Product:  adidas  has  been  investing  in  key  product 
areas that are critical to winning the trust of the female 
consumer, including bras, tights and running footwear, 
as  well  as  improving  overall  apparel  fit  for  the  female 
consumer. In 2019, the adidas brand introduced its first 
inclusive sizing collection that spans from sizes XXS-4X in 
partnership with Universal Standard. Additionally, adidas 
and Stella McCartney created a post-mastectomy sports 
bra designed to help women who have undergone surgery 
for breast cancer bring sport and fitness back into their 
lives. Two adidas by Stella McCartney proof-of-concepts 
were  unveiled  as  the  latest  step  in  adidas’  continued 
long-standing  commitment  to  reducing  the  industry’s 
environmental impact – a 100% recyclable hoodie and a tennis 
dress created with Microsilk and cellulose blended yarn. 
 — Retail:  adidas  has  taken  steps  toward  enhanced 
merchandising and storytelling across the brand, building 
off  female  consumer  shopping  insights,  to  enable  a 
seamless shopping experience for her to mix and match 
product. The brand has also rolled out a bra fitting program 
in adidas own-retail stores across the globe, covering our 
key  cities  and  important  commercial  trade  zones,  with 
continued  investment  planned.  In  this  context,  we  are 

training our retail staff to help customers to find the 
right product.

 — Activation: One of the cornerstones of the adidas Women’s 
approach continues to be the Creator Network: powered 
by sport, fueled by culture, and fostered by collaboration. 
The most notable addition to the Creator Network was the 
announcement of a landmark collaboration with Beyoncé 
as a brand ambassador and co-creator. Additionally, the 
brand expanded the Creator Network in 2019 by adding 
new athletes and influencers, including Mikaela Shiffrin, 
Jessamyn Stanley and Nadya Okamoto. The brand also 
continued the She Breaks Barriers initiative focused on 
removing  barriers  to  sport  for  girls  and  elevating  the 
conversation around equality in sport across genders.

MARKETING INVESTMENTS:  
MEAN MORE BY DOING LESS
adidas  is  focused  on  creating  inspirational  and  innovative 
marketing concepts that drive consumer advocacy and build 
brand equity. While the brand historically spent almost half of 
its  marketing  investments  on  partnership  assets,  with  the 
remainder  on  brand  marketing  activities  such  as  digital, 
advertising, point-of-sale and grassroots activations, we will 
decrease  the  ratio  of  marketing  investments  spent  on 
promotion  partnerships. 
 SEE  GLOSSARY  In  addition,  the  brand 
will consolidate and focus resources to achieve a great focus 
and  impact  on  the  Creator  and  the  brand’s  key  franchises. 
This will be achieved by focusing on three priorities:
 — Reason  to  believe:  By  harnessing  the  brand’s  creator 
positioning, the emotion of sport, and the power of sport 
to  change  lives,  the  adidas  brand  will  communicate  a 
reason to believe in the brand, letting the world know what 
distinguishes adidas from the competition.

 — Reason to buy: The second priority is to harmonize and 
deliver globally consistent and impactful communication 
around the brand’s key franchises that represent the best 
of adidas sport, style and innovation. By investing more 

money against fewer items, the adidas brand will strive to 
elevate and maintain the iconic status of its key franchises, 
giving the consumer clear and compelling reasons to buy 
our product.

 — Sports  communities:  This  is  where  loyalty  is  built  and 
earned. The adidas brand defines sports communities as 
those places where athletes are fully immersed in their 
sport with peers and friends. It’s the football cage, the run 
base or the street court. Until 2020, the brand will therefore 
step up its grassroots and local activation efforts, led by 
initiatives in the world’s most influential cities.

In  terms  of  partnership  assets,  while  reducing  the  ratio  of 
marketing spend and the number of partnerships, the adidas 
brand  will  nonetheless  continue  to  bring  its  products  to  the 
biggest stages in the world through:
 — Events with global reach: such as the FIFA Women’s World 
Cup, the Rugby World Cup, the UEFA Champions League, 
and the Boston and Berlin Marathons.

 — High-profile  teams:  such  as  the  national  association 
football  teams  of  Germany,  Spain,  Argentina,  Mexico, 
Colombia, Belgium and Japan, as well as top clubs such as 
Manchester United, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Juventus, 
and Flamengo Rio de Janeiro in football, the New Zealand 
All Blacks in rugby, and American universities such as 
Miami, Arizona State and Texas A&M. In 2019, the brand 
celebrated its new partnership with one of the most globally 
recognized football clubs in the world: Arsenal Football 
Club.

 — High-profile  individuals:  such  as  football  stars  Lionel 
Messi, Toni Kroos, Mohamed Salah, Paul Pogba, Paulo 
Dybala, Son Heung-min, Vivianne Miedema and Wendie 
Renard, basketball stars James Harden, Candace Parker, 
Damian  Lillard,  Liz  Cambage  and  Donovan  Mitchell, 
American  football  players  Aaron  Rodgers,  Patrick 
Mahomes  and  JuJu  Smith-Schuster,  baseball  athletes 
Aaron Judge and Carlos Correa, as well as tennis stars 

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adidas Brand Strategy

Garbiñe Muguruza, Angelique Kerber, Stefanos Tsitsipas, 
Alexander Zverev and Dominic Thiem as well as alpine skier 
Mikaela Shiffrin.

In addition, the adidas brand also has a number of strategic 
partnerships  and  creative  collaborations 
in  place.  The 
strategic partnership with Kanye West is the most significant 
one ever created between the adidas brand and a non-athlete, 
while the collaboration between adidas Originals and Pharrell 
Williams remains highly influential. Top designers and design 
studios the brand works with include Yohji Yamamoto, Stella 
McCartney,  Raf  Simons  and  Alexander  Wang.  In  2019,  the 
adidas brand entered new partnerships with Beyoncé, Ninja, 
the International Space Station ISS and Prada.

SUSTAINABILITY
The adidas brand is committed to sustainability and aspires to 
create lasting change in our industry through eco-innovation, 
eco-activation, and by scaling its actions to end plastic waste. 

 SEE SUSTAINABILITY, P. 78 

The  brand’s  innovations  aim  to  reduce  the  amount  of  virgin 
plastic added to the world and clean up the already existing 
plastic.  As  such,  the  adidas  brand  more  than  doubled  the 
number  of  products  made  with  recycled  ocean  plastic  from 
seven  million  in  2018  to  more  than  14  million  in  2019.  The 
brand  also  created  fully  recyclable  products  such  as  the 
Futurecraft  Loop  performance  footwear  and  the  adidas  by 
Stella  McCartney Infinite  Hoodie,  in  line with its ambition to 
move toward circular business models. 
The adidas brand has a wide reach, and believes it is essential 
to  drive  eco-activation  through  its  employees  and  with  its 
consumers.  The  brand’s  global  movement,  Run  For  The 
Oceans, in its third year doubled in size, with around 2.2 million 
participants logging over twelve million kilometers for Parley 
Ocean Schools. In its direct-to-consumer business, the adidas 
brand installed dedicated spaces for sustainability, which are 

 SEE INNOVATION, P. 67 

best  exemplified  in  its  flagship  stores  and  on  adidas.com/
sustainability. In addition, the brand launched the Infinite Play 
program in the UK, to reward adidas Creators Club members 
for  turning  in  their  used  adidas  gear  and  helping  give  it  a 
second life.

We  continue  to  push  our  industry  forward,  both  as  a  leader 
and alongside key partners who help us to become better. May 
it  be  as  one  of  the  founding  signatories  of  the  UN  Fashion 
Industry Charter for Climate Action or through our open source 
partnerships with start-up incubators such as Fashion for Good 
and Station F. 

 SEE INNOVATION, P. 67, 

 SEE SUSTAINABILITY, P. 78

ROLE OF CATEGORIES
The  adidas  brand  has  assigned  each  category  a  role  and 
ambition until 2020, allowing the brand to exploit short- and 
medium-term  potential,  while  at  the  same  time  incubating 
long-term  opportunities  for  the  brand.  There  are  three 
overarching roles: ‘Lead’, ‘Grow’, and ‘Authenticate’.

Lead
 — To lead in the sporting goods industry, we believe it is a 
must to lead in the world’s most popular sport, football. 
As  such,  the  adidas  brand  aspires  to  be  the  number 
one football brand in every market by 2020. This will be 
driven by focusing on winning the football creator in key 
cities as well as investing in the brand’s football footwear 
franchises.  In  2019,  the  adidas  brand  implemented 
innovations across its football footwear business with the 
continued focus on the Predator, ‘X’, Nemeziz and Copa 
franchises. Endorsement by a globally renowned portfolio 
of player partners and further amplification via a wider 
portfolio of partners, such as the FIFA Women’s World Cup, 
ensured global reach and exceptional engagement from 
creators, especially during key consumption periods. In 
addition, 2019 marked the launch of the Arsenal Football 
Club partnership. Reinterpreting the brand’s shared history 

for today’s creator, the club represents a key partnership 
within the key city London approach.

 — The adidas brand also strives for leadership in lifestyle in 
every market with Originals. Not only is adidas the original 
sports brand, it also was the first brand to bring sport to 
the street. Brand credibility and heritage is an important 
prerequisite  to  win  the  discerning  streetwear  hound 
consumer. These consumers are looking for substance 
and craft and are inspired by stories and design.  

 — The brand continued to actively manage the lifecycles of 
existing classic franchises such as Superstar and Stan 
Smith while also launching and incubating future icons 
like Ozweego and Supercourt to create a balanced portfolio 
with healthy sell-through rates and inventory levels across 
footwear and apparel. In 2019, the adidas brand continued 
to pioneer the future of fashion and streetwear culture by 
partnering with influential brands such as Beyoncé’s Ivy 
Park, as well as Prada and Palace.

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CORPORATE STRATEGY
adidas Brand Strategy

specific sports, and through Athletics, which is geared to 
capturing the sports mindset of every athlete off the pitch. 
Given the high visibility of its products in all markets, this 
category plays a central role in amplifying the brand.

Authenticate
 — In  order  to  be  the  best  sports  brand  in  the  world,  the 
adidas brand also needs to be true to sports on a local 
level. As such, the brand will continue to cater to a wide 
range of sports such as golf, basketball, American football, 
baseball, rugby, tennis, volleyball, swimming and boxing. 
To maximize impact and resources, in key markets and 
cities, the adidas brand will prioritize those sports that are 
most significant in terms of local culture, participation and 
national pride.

Grow
 — The running category has been one of the adidas brand’s 
biggest growth opportunities across all genders and price 
points. The brand’s goal is to double sales in the category 
by 2020 compared to the 2015 financial year. The brand 
has  introduced  breakthrough  innovations  in  materials 
such as BOOST, pioneered new manufacturing processes 
through  Speedfactory,  and  significantly  scaled  up  3D 
printing together with its partner Carbon. To spur growth, 
amongst other things, adidas Running has significantly 
refined and evolved its franchise strategy for the male and 
female athlete across price points. The category will also 
continue to increase its investment in running communities 
and grassroots activations through the adidas Runners 
communities in over 100 cities around the world, as well 
as drive the future of sport through digital experience and 
the relaunch of the Runtastic app as the ‘adidas Running 
by Runtastic’ app. It will also keep playing a major part in 
sustainability through the Run For the Oceans activation and 
the commitment to recycled polyester programs together 
with Parley. In 2019, the brand launched Futurecraft Loop, 
the first fully recyclable running shoe that was made to 
be remade. 

 — The second category where the adidas brand is focused 
on driving significant market share gains is adidas Core. 
adidas Core targets a value-minded consumer, offering 
entry-price-point styles across all categories. To ensure 
success, the adidas Core formula employs a ‘fast fashion’ 
business model. This means quick reaction to emerging 
trends through shorter lead times and excellence in retail 
execution. 

 — The  Training  category  is  the  adidas  brand’s  largest 
performance category and is also the apparel engine of 
the brand. Led by cutting-edge innovation in fabrics and 
materials, the adidas brand aims to significantly increase 
its  apparel  footprint  through  Training,  which  provides 
products  for  general  training  purposes  as  well  as  for 

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STATEMENTS

CORPORATE STRATEGY
Reebok Brand Strategy

REEBOK BRAND STRATEGY

MISSION: TO BE THE BEST FITNESS BRAND  
IN THE WORLD
Reebok  is  an  American-inspired  global  brand  with  a  deep 
fitness heritage and the mission to be the best fitness brand 
in the world. To realize this mission, Reebok has gone through 
a  transformation  from  traditional  sports  to  a  focus  on  the 
sport of fitness. On this journey, Reebok continues to merge 
its  iconic  past  with  the  new  technologies  that  revolutionize 
both performance and lifestyle products. Reebok is positioned 
at  the  intersection  of  fitness  and  fashion,  meeting  the 
consumer where they are, as the consumer continues to blur 
boundaries.  Reebok  established  a  ‘Sport’  unit  in  2018  that 
started  its  work  in  2019.  This  Sport  category  combines 
product divisions focused on specialized fitness activities and 
functional  innovation  with  a  focus  on  style  innovation  for 
these products. These products are at the forefront of fitness 
and  true  to  the  culture  and  communities  that  Reebok 
consumers train, run, and live in. Reebok’s second category, 
Classics, reinforces the brand’s deep roots in fitness and pop 
culture  across  multiple  iconic  silhouettes  and  trend-right 
lifestyle products. 

ONE VOICE, ONE BRAND TO THE CONSUMER 
In the fourth quarter of 2019, Reebok unified its brand under 
one logo and wordmark across both Classics and Sport. The 
vector  and  drop-R  wordmark  each  represent  Reebok 
unmistakably, connecting Reebok’s rich legacy to its exciting 
future. The brand exudes pride in its rich brand heritage and 
the  vector  logo,  introduced  nearly  30  years  ago.  The  logo 
remains  the  most  recognizable  and  beloved  symbol  of  the 
Reebok brand and is linked to some of Reebok’s most iconic 
products,  marketing  and  cultural  moments.  This  evolution 
allows the brand to connect fitness, fashion and pop culture in 
one powerful Reebok voice across all products.

CONSUMER OBSESSION: THE GAME CHANGERS
Reebok’s  consumer  obsession  focuses  on  being  distinctive, 
relevant, and authentic with its focus consumers – the Game 
Changers. For the Game Changers, fitness is the vehicle they 
use  to  explore  life’s  edges.  The  Game  Changers  don’t  shy 
away from the unexpected. They are constantly evolving and 
looking to try new things – across all facets of their world in 
fitness  and  in  life.  They  are  truly  changing  the  game  and 
seeking to broaden their horizons. Reebok inspires and equips 
them to do just that. 

The female consumer is at the forefront of Reebok’s consumer 
obsession.  Rooted  in  Reebok’s  heritage,  this  female-centric 
approach  is  reflected  in  content  strategy,  product  creation, 
marketing activation and distribution. In 2019 alone, Reebok 
introduced  extended  sizing  in  its  apparel  as  well  as  its  first 
maternity collection to connect with women.

footwear 

PRODUCT FRANCHISES:  
LEVERAGING THE BRAND’S FITNESS DNA
Reebok recognizes the importance of building strong apparel 
and 
innovative  but 
franchises,  establishing 
repeatable product lines that become annuities for the brand 
and essential items for the consumer. This is not only crucial 
for enhancing consumer perception and brand consideration, 
but for the efficiency of the Reebok brand.

In footwear, Reebok is further growing its iconic models that 
have  authenticated  their  position  in  fitness  and  in  their 
respective  communities,  such  as  the  Nano  in  the  CrossFit 
community  and  the  Forever  Floatride  Energy  in  running.  In 
2019,  the  new  Nano  9  was  co-created  with  the  CrossFit 
community.  In  the  running  category,  Reebok  won  its  fourth 
consecutive  Runner’s  World  award,  ‘Gear  of  the  Year’.  2019 
was also an exciting year for the Instapump Fury silhouette, 
as 
its  25th  anniversary  with  activations 
throughout the Asia-Pacific region and the release of the Fury 

it  celebrated 

Boost,  a  collaboration  with  the  adidas  brand.  In  addition, 
Reebok leverages its unique fitness DNA through iconic styles 
such as the Classic Leather and the Club C.

In  2019,  Reebok  set  out  to  integrate  footwear  and  apparel, 
leveraging the brand DNA, blending fitness and lifestyle looks 
to create the new uniform of fitness for consumers. In addition 
to  innovative  performance  products,  such  as  the  award-
winning PureMove Bra and the LuxTight 2.0, Reebok expanded 
the  offering,  creating  apparel  to  support  consumers  at  all 
stages of their fitness journey.

Reebok also puts a strong emphasis on innovation. The brand 
is  committed  to  maintaining  a  full  and  innovative  product 
pipeline, bringing new technologies, styles and processes to 
life.  In  this  context,  2019  saw  the  launch  of  Zig,  one-of-its-
kind  footwear  built  with  a  distinct  zig-zag-shaped  midsole, 
which provides maximum energy return to the consumer. At 
the end of 2019, Reebok announced Forever Floatride Grow – 
the brand’s first plant-based performance running shoe and 
latest example of sustainability innovation. The shoe is made 
with castor beans, algae, eucalyptus trees and natural rubber 
and thus builds on Reebok’s Cotton + Corn lifestyle collection 
of footwear. 

 SEE INNOVATION, P. 67

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CORPORATE STRATEGY
Reebok Brand Strategy

on continuing to optimize the digital customer experience, 
driving  commercial  results  and  delivering  unexpected 
stories for the consumer.  

 — Authentic and influential fitness and fashion assets: To 
amplify the brand and increase its authentic connection 
with the Game Changer consumer, Reebok has partnered 
with  some  of  the  world’s  most  influential  validators  in 
the  lifestyle  and  fitness  space:  fashion  partners  such 
as  fashion  icon  Victoria  Beckham  and  up-and-coming 
designer Kerby Jean-Raymond of Pyer Moss, artists such 
as  female  rapper  Cardi  B.,  and  rapper  and  songwriter 
Future, and athletes such as American football pro bowler 
J. J. Watt and UFC superstar Conor McGregor. Partnering 
with powerful women such as Gal Gadot, Gigi Hadid and 
Nathalie Emmanuel rounds out Reebok’s strong roster of 
brand ambassadors. In addition, to validate its authenticity 
as the best fitness brand in the world, Reebok continues 
its  partnerships  with  some  of  the  fastest-growing  and 
most innovative organizations in the fitness world, such 
as  CrossFit,  Les  Mills,  and  Midnight  Runners.  Reebok 
continues to invest in the Boston Track Club, a professional 
running club with elite runners. Finally, continuing to build 
relationships with fitness instructors remains a crucial 
component of Reebok’s goal of connecting with the global 
fitness community. With over 220,000 fitness instructors 
currently being part of its global network, Reebok has made 
major progress toward its goal to be the brand of choice for 
instructors around the world. 

MARKETING INVESTMENTS:  
SPORT THE UNEXPECTED
In the industry, Reebok finds its strength in being a challenger 
brand. Reebok has always separated from the pack with bold 
product, personalities and moments. Through the new unified 
branding,  Reebok  can  reach  its  consumer  with  a  brand 
presence  that  is  consistent  across  the  products  and  the 
stories  it  tells.  The  Reebok  brand  is  focused  on  connecting 
with the consumer in an authentic and unique way, creating 
inspirational  marketing  capabilities  that  build  brand  equity 
and  consumer  advocacy,  while  unleashing  powerful  brand 
messages. Reebok has always done things differently, and by 
combining the Digital and Marketing divisions in 2019, Reebok 
has been able to create award-winning breakthroughs.
 — Sport  the  Unexpected  campaign:  Launched  in  2019, 
Reebok’s  ‘Sport  the  Unexpected’  campaign  is  one  of 
the most recognized marketing campaigns Reebok has 
executed in recent years. The campaign celebrates Reebok 
as a historically known challenger brand, one that has 
always done the unexpected. Reebok’s short film ‘Storm the 
Court’ showed just how Reebok’s truly unexpected and witty 
nature can connect to consumers by winning 15 awards 
from Clio, Hatch (including a 2019 Best in Show Hatch 
Award), and a Cannes Lion. The campaign also featured one 
of the most high-profile personalities in the rap industry – 
Cardi B. In the short film ‘Nails’, Reebok broke convention 
and put the star in an everyday-type situation that shifts 
in an unexpected manner, spotlighting the iconic Reebok 
Club C in a completely unique way. 

 — Winning  through  digital:  In  2019,  Reebok  sharpened 
its focus on the storytelling and product experience by 
completely re-designing reebok.com to resonate better 
with consumers. The tighter integration of marketing and 
digital drove some unexpected consumer moments – such 
as being the first brand to drop a new sneaker on Amazon 
Alexa or launching Reebok Unlocked, a first-of-its-kind 
membership program on reebok.com. Reebok is focused 

MUSCLE UP: REEBOK TRANSFORMATION  
STRENGTHENS BRAND FUNDAMENTALS
Reebok  announced  a  turnaround  plan  called  ‘Muscle  Up’  in 
2016  aimed  at  accelerating  Reebok’s  top-line  growth, 
particularly  in  North  America,  and  improving  the  brand’s 
overall  profitability.  With  efficient  and  effective  distribution 
being  key  to  Reebok’s  future  success  in  the  all-important 
North  American  market,  the  company  has  significantly 
reduced its store base in the market. The company has closed 
nearly 50% of its own stores in the US market – both concept 
stores and factory outlets – since the introduction of Muscle 
Up. In addition, the brand has also streamlined its wholesale 
business, putting a clear focus on elevating brand equity and 
driving profitable growth.

the  brand. 

to  enhance 

In addition to progressing on the brand’s turnaround efforts in 
its  home  market,  Reebok  continues  to  execute  on  several 
transformational  Muscle  Up  projects 
the 
Initiatives  span  marketing 
profitability  of 
effectiveness,  organizational  efficiency  and  measures  to 
improve product margins. Consequently, Reebok returned to 
profitability in 2018. In 2019, new initiatives were launched to 
further  accelerate  the  transformation.  They  include  re-
branding  and  driving  clarity  with  Reebok’s  consumer  on  the 
brand’s  positioning,  shortening  go-to-market  timelines, 
strengthening  go-to-market  readiness,  and  building  new 
platforms to drive e-commerce growth. In 2020, there will be 
enhanced  focus  on  reducing  complexity,  increasing  sales 
efficiency, and digital creation.

Through Muscle Up, Reebok will continue to drive relentless 
execution and discipline, build organizational capabilities, and 
accelerate  the  pace  of  change  in  order  to  drive  sustainable 
profitable growth by the end of 2020.

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STATEMENTS

CORPORATE STRATEGY
Sales and Distribution Strategy

SALES AND DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY

TRANSFORMING THE MARKETPLACE
Our Global Sales function drives the commercial performance 
of the company by converting brand desire into profitable and 
sustainable business growth. It is our ambition to deliver the 
best shopping experience within the sporting goods industry 
across all consumer touchpoints. We strive to transform the 
marketplace by actively shaping and accelerating the growth 
of our profitable and integrated trade network. Our objective 
is to establish scalable business solutions in order to deliver 
premium  experiences,  thereby  meeting  and  surpassing 
consumer expectations with an integrated brand offering.

DRIVING OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE ACROSS  
OUR GLOBAL MARKETS
Our sales strategy is crafted by a centralized and integrated 
marketplace  team  which  supports  the  flawless  execution  of 
our brand strategies and drives operational excellence across 
the  globe.  In  this  context,  we  continued  to  execute  our 
strategic  business  plan,  ‘Creating  the  New’,  across  our  six 
global markets during 2019. In a changing global landscape, 
our  diverse  market  portfolio  is  an  important  asset  in 
maximizing the business, elevating our competitiveness and 
achieving our ambitions for 2020.

SEAMLESS CONSUMER JOURNEY ACROSS   
OUR CHANNELS
 With  more  than  2,500  own-retail  stores,  more  than  15,000 
mono-branded  franchise  stores  and  more  than  150,000 
wholesale doors, we have an unrivaled network of consumer 
touchpoints within our industry. In addition, through our own 
e-commerce  channel,  our  single  biggest  store  available  to 
consumers in over 40 countries, we are leveraging a consistent 
global framework. 

We  are  also  seeing  considerable  success  in  leveraging  our 
strong  cross-functional  partnerships  with  key  wholesale 
partners,  which  is  critical  for  ensuring  a  holistic  consumer 
journey.  By  seamlessly  integrating  the  channels  within  our 
market  portfolio,  we  are  uniquely  positioned  to  pursue  and 
succeed 
in  strategies  that  deliver  premium  consumer 
experiences and increase the productivity of our distribution 
footprint.  We  replicate  this  model  to  capitalize  on  new 
consumer  opportunities  through  own-retail  destinations 
(own-retail stores and own e-commerce sites) as well as our 
wholesale partner doors (wholesale managed spaces online 
and brick & mortar). This is how we aim to create halo effects 
across  all  consumer  touchpoints,  resulting 
in  further 
marketplace expansion. 

In 2019, we advanced our sales strategy with several initiatives 
focused, amongst others, on premium consumer experiences, 
digital, marketplace transformation, cities and trade zones as 
well as productivity and efficiency of the sales platform.

Premium consumer experiences
We aim to be ‘omni-present’ along the consumer journey and 
strive  to  capture  the  full  sales  potential  on  the  platforms 
available  to  our  consumers.  We  also  strive  to  minimize 
occasions  when  consumer  demand  is  not  met,  by  offering 
innovative solutions. Based on these objectives, we continue 
to focus on the following omni-channel initiatives:
 — ‘Inventory Check’ allows online shoppers to view in-store 

product availability.

 — ‘Click & Collect’ allows consumers to order online and 
purchase or reserve items for pick-up in a local store.
 — ‘Ship from Store’ allows us to service consumers faster than 
before by turning our stores into mini distribution centers.
 — ‘Buy Online, Return to Store’ not only provides consumers 
with a convenient way to return product purchases but also 
offers new buying opportunities.

 — ‘Partner Program’ enables us to expand our online offering 
to a larger group of consumers by making it available to 
selected key wholesale partners.

 — ‘Endless Aisle’ provides in-store visitors with access to our 
full range of products through our e-commerce platform.
 — Our adidas app is an always-on connection to the adidas 

brand and offers premium shopping experiences.

Digital focus
In  2019,  we  continued  our  focus  on  and  investments  into 
digital partners. As part of our Partner Program initiative that 
was  launched  in  2016,  we  successfully  onboarded  partners 
across Europe, North America, Emerging Markets and Asia-
Pacific,  allowing  us  to  deliver  incremental  sales  growth  and 
learnings that will be leveraged to evolve and further grow the 
program in the future.

In  addition,  2019  saw  a  further  expansion  of  the  adidas  app, 
currently reaching over 30 countries across all major markets, 
thereby becoming an important new consumer touchpoint in the 
adidas digital ecosystem. The app is directly linked to the adidas 
e-commerce  store  and  provides  consumers  with  personal 
conversations, the chance to buy our most exclusive products, a 
frictionless  checkout,  seamless  order  tracking  as  well  as 
personalized content and access to our membership program – 
the  Creators  Club. 
 SEE  GLOSSARY  The  success  of  the  app  is 
significantly  enhanced  by  continued  investments  in  Customer 
Relationship Management (CRM), which will enable us to develop 
an even deeper consumer understanding and connection.

Furthermore,  we  drove  forward  development  and  roll-out  of 
our B2B order platform Click to allow for impactful and efficient 
interaction with our wholesale customers. Click is now live in 
41  countries.  Latest  feature  additions 
improved 
orderbook  management,  Net  Promoter  Score  (NPS) 
GLOSSARY measurement and digital customer service capabilities 
such as web chat to digitalize customer touchpoints.

include 

 SEE 

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20192 
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

CORPORATE STRATEGY
Sales and Distribution Strategy

Marketplace transformation 
Our goal is to leverage and scale the success of our initiatives 
across  our  channels  to  better  serve  consumers.  The  key 
contributor to this approach is controlled space. 
 SEE GLOSSARY 
Whenever  we  can  actively  manage  the  way  our  brands  and 
products are presented at the point of sale, the impact on the 
consumer experience, and ultimately on our operational and 
financial performance, is significant. We have the power to do 
so  in  own  retail  (including  e-commerce)  and  in  wholesale 
(franchise stores, wholesale managed space online and brick 
& mortar). By 2020, we aim to generate more than 60% of our 
revenues through controlled space.

Cities and trade zones
In the last couple of years, we saw continued success in our 
key  cities  New  York,  Los  Angeles,  Paris,  London,  Shanghai 
and Tokyo. Our collective market share further improved year 
on  year  in  our  key  cities  during  2019.  We  are  on  track  to 
achieve our target to double revenues in our key cities by 2020 
compared to the 2015 level. We will continue to focus on trade 
zones within the cities, specifically on how we deploy product, 
retail and activation initiatives. Our intention is to create one 
holistic brand experience for our consumers within these key 
commercial  areas  across  all  shopping  channels  and 
platforms.

For  us,  own  retail  acts  as  a  catalyst  to  our  controlled  space 
ambition. We amplify our success by translating key learnings 
from own retail to franchise stores and expanding franchising 
as  a  business  model  in  existing  as  well  as  into  new 
geographies.  In  2019,  we  made  significant  investments  in 
remodeling our stores and sharpening the top of the pyramid 
of our store fleet. By doing so, we have strengthened our own-
retail presence in key cities and key trade zones. We extended 
our  flagship  fleet  by  opening  flagship  stores  on  Champs-
Élysées in Paris and on London’s Oxford Street, which is our 
most digital store with more than 100 digital touchpoints. We 
expect  these  flagships  to  set  new  standards  in  terms  of 
product  presentation,  execution  and  service  that  will  be 
replicated across all other channels. We expect e-commerce 
to continue to be the fastest-growing channel that we operate, 
with  revenues  targeted  to  grow  to  €  4  billion  in  2020.  In 
wholesale,  we  will  continue  to  expand  our  footprint  with  a 
important 
focus  on  prioritized  key  accounts,  targeting 
consumer hotspots and trade zones, especially those that are 
part of our Cities initiative. Strategic partnerships to operate 
controlled space remain an important thrust of this expansion. 
In that regard, we will continue to support our key wholesale 
partners, ensuring that we have premium space in their new 
flagship stores.

Productivity and efficiency of sales platform
We are committed to further driving productivity improvements 
across our sales platform through a multi-faceted approach:
 — Premium presentation: Our physical selling spaces are an 
important factor in driving Net Promoter Score (NPS) 
GLOSSARY and full-price sell-through. We further evolved 
the brand experience through the launch and expansion 
of premium store concepts such as Stadium 
 SEE GLOSSARY, 
 SEE GLOSSARY and Neighbourhood 
Originals the Collection 

 SEE 

 SEE GLOSSARY for the adidas brand as well as FitHub 

 SEE 

GLOSSARY  and  Vector  Style 
 SEE  GLOSSARY  for  the  Reebok 
brand. Our own-retail concepts are designed for scalability. 
Consequently, we will continue to roll them out across our 
store base, which yields benefits across channels.

 — Consumer  service  excellence:  Our  Sales  Academy 
program continues to help us to transform the culture and 
effectiveness of our sales teams. As a result, consumers 
enjoy  significantly  elevated  service  levels  which  have 
proven commercially rewarding through higher conversion 
rates 

 SEE GLOSSARY and net sales.

 — Personalized  interaction:  Our  commitment  to  deliver 
a  premium  shopping  experience  is  reflected  online 
through our digital brand flagship stores, adidas.com and 
reebok. com, as well as our adidas app. E-commerce and 

digital communication are powerful tools for our brands to 
engage with consumers. 

 — Insight-driven decision-making: We continue to invest 
in our analytical capabilities and technical infrastructure 
to  become  faster  and  more  insight-driven  in  decision-
making. Leveraging data such as cross-channel product 
sell-through and consumer purchasing behaviors delivers 
actionable insights in areas such as assortment planning 
and product life cycle management.

 — Distribution channel mix: Based on a thorough analysis 
of the profitability of our distribution channels in each of 
our markets, in 2019 we continued with our optimization 
program to shift focus and resources to our most profitable 
channels. By doing so, we have improved the distribution 
mix  of  our  company  and  consequently  increased  our 
profitability. 

We are confident that our sales strategy will help us realize 
significant improvements in brand desirability (as measured 
by our NPS), market share, net sales, and profitability. 

 SEE INTERNAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, P. 92

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GLOBAL OPERATIONS

GLOBAL OPERATIONS

 Global  Operations  manages  the  development,  production 
planning, sourcing, and distribution of our company’s products. 
The  function  strives  to  increase  efficiency  throughout  the 
company’s supply chain and ensures the highest standards 
in  product  quality,  availability,  and  delivery.  With  the 
consumer in mind, we deliver competitively priced products 
in a sustainable manner, when and where they are wanted. 

CLEARLY DEFINED PRIORITIES   
FOR GLOBAL OPERATIONS
Global Operations delivers upon our company’s mission to be 
the  best  sports  company  in  the  world.  First,  the  function 
creates  the  best  products  by  establishing  state-of-the-art 
infrastructure,  processes,  and  systems  that  enable  us  to 
focus on innovative materials and manufacturing capabilities. 
Second,  Global  Operations  is  focused  on  delivering  best 
innovative  distribution  capabilities  by 
services  through 
enabling  product  availability  through  the  omni-channel 
approach  to  supply  chain  agility.  Third,  Global  Operations 
strives  to  deliver  the  best  experience  to  our  customers  and 
consumers in a sustainable way. 

 SEE DIAGRAM 24

Best product: Global Operations is driving innovation in new 
materials,  such  as  recycled  polyester,  Parley  materials 
derived from ocean plastic, or PFC-free materials, as well as 
new  product  constructions,  and  new  ways  of  manufacturing 
(e.g.  3D  technology,  or  direct-to-textile  digital  printing 
 SEE 
GLOSSARY) that deliver consumer value and enable competitive 
advantage.  By  investing  in  tools  that  more  directly  connect 
design and factory production, Global Operations is changing 
traditional  models  of  development  to  deliver  constant 
newness  and  increased  speed-to-market  capabilities.  The 
function  also  plays  a  critical  role  in  driving  operational 
efficiency  to  support  the  company’s  growth  ambition.  To 
mitigate  material  and  labor  costs  for  the  company,  Global 

Operations 
is  continuously  reducing  complexity  through 
process improvements and consolidation of legacy structures.

OTIF 2019

Best service: Global Operations strives to develop, produce, 
source,  and  distribute  ordered  articles  on  time  and  in  full. 
Therefore,  a  non-financial  KPI  ‘On-Time  In-Full’  (OTIF) 
measures on-time delivery of our products to wholesale and 
franchise customers as well as own-retail 
stores toward the desired customer date. 
 SEE  INTERNAL  MANAGEMENT  SYSTEM,  P.  92  In 
2019,  adidas  delivered  79%  of  its  adidas 
and Reebok brand products on time and in full (2018: 78%), 
which  is  broadly  in  line  with  the  overall  target  of  80%.  In 
Greater  China  and  Russia/CIS,  OTIF  levels  reached  again 
above 90% of our order quantities.

79%

Best experience: Global Operations contributes to the adidas 
strategic business plan ‘Creating the New’ to accomplish our 
mission.  The  function  strengthens  brand  desire  by  creating 
and  providing  the  right  product  to  consumers  –  in  the  right 
quality, size, color and style in the right place and at the right 
time, across the entire range of the company’s channels and 
brands.  Global  Operations  builds  capabilities  that  further 
improve  supply  chain  efficiencies,  while  mitigating  costs, 
thereby ensuring a continuously sustainable and competitive 
supply chain. 

Global Operations in go-to-market process

STRATEGIC COMPANY PRIORITY ‘SPEED’
‘Speed’ is a strategic priority for the company. Our ambition is 
to  be  the  first  fast  sports  company  in  the  sporting  goods 
industry.  We  are  consumer  obsessed;  thus,  we  want  to 
respond quicker to consumer demand. We want to make our 
products  available  when  and  where  they  are  wanted  across 
our wholesale, retail, and e-commerce channels. Our aim is 
to always be on trend and always in stock. In 2019, we made 
further  progress  around  our  strategic  priority  with  fast 
creation  and  fast  replenishment,  increasing  the  share  of 
customer-defined  short  lead-time  ranges,  which  allows 
fulfillment  of  an 
increasingly  large  share  of  quarterly 
business.

Fast  creation:  We  are  moving  away  from  predominantly 
developing  products  in  advance  of  seasonal  merchandising 
calendars  and  are  getting  closer  to  responding  quickly  to 
consumer  demands  with  in-season  development  and  rapid 
replenishment  manufacturing.  We  aim  to  ensure  creation 
timelines of eight months or less. Bringing products to market 
faster allows our customers and direct-to-consumer channel 
to  place  orders  closer  to  the  actual  time  of  sale,  facilitating 
buying decisions that are based on better market knowledge. 

Fast replenishment: To increase ‘Speed’ also on production 
timelines, in 2019 Global Operations continued to expand its 

Marketing

Design

Product
development

Sourcing

Supply chain
management

Global Sales

Briefing

Concept

Product creation

Manufacturing

Distribution

Sales

Global Operations

24

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efforts to enable later ordering and further reduced production 
lead  times.  The  function  succeeded  in  providing  60  days  or 
less  production  lead  times  for  the  vast  majority  of  our 
footwear,  apparel  and  hardware  products.  In  addition  to 
shortening  our  overall  production 
times,  Global 
Operations  has  scaled  its  fast  replenishment  capabilities  of 
best-selling articles and established 30-day production lead 
times  for  20%  of  all  articles  across  our  product  categories. 
Through this, we are enabling our brands to ensure constant 
freshness  in  store  for  our  consumers,  resulting  in  higher-
quality  sales  and  more  productive  inventory. 
STRATEGY, P. 50 

 SEE  CORPORATE 

lead 

Speedfactory: Together with Oechsler AG, adidas had opened 
two Speedfactories 
 SEE GLOSSARY in 2017 to test new processes 
for faster production of athletic footwear and to develop new 
manufacturing technologies with the ultimate goal to transfer 
them  to  the  company’s  global  supply  chain.  In  the  future, 
adidas  will  focus  its  resources  and  capacities  even  more  on 
the  modernization  of  its  other  suppliers  and  the  use  of  3D 
technology  in  footwear  production.  Production  at  the  two 
Speedfactories  in  Ansbach,  Germany,  and  Atlanta,  USA,  will 
be  discontinued  by  April  2020.  However,  the  Speedfactory 
technology will be deployed at Asian suppliers going forward. 
This will enable adidas to continue to respond to short-term 
trends  in  demand  while  using  production  capacities  more 
flexibly and economically, and expanding the range of products 
with short production times faster. The company will continue 
to develop, improve and test manufacturing processes in the 
‘adiLab’ at the adidas production site in Scheinfeld, Germany. 

 SEE CORPORATE STRATEGY, P. 50, 

 SEE INNOVATION, P. 67 

DIGITALIZING THE END-TO-END CREATION-TO-
SHELF VALUE CHAIN
In recent years Global Operations has focused on digitalizing 
the  product  creation  process,  leveraging  digital  capabilities 
and  technologies  across  design  and  development  teams.  In 
2019,  we  further  expanded  these  efforts  toward  digitalizing 
the end-to-end creation-to-shelf value chain. Within a defined 
scope, the first two seasons of footwear and apparel products 
have been digitally designed, developed, sourced and sold into 
key  accounts.  End-to-end  digital  creation  is  a  key  strategic 
initiative  of  the  digital  pillar  of  our  ‘Creating  the  New’ 
Acceleration Plan. 

We aim to scale up our new way of working with one of our 
business  units  by  the  end  of  2020.  With  digitally  created 
products  we  support  a  more  efficient  creation  process 
internally  enabling  a  ‘right  first-time’  approach.  Externally, 
digital products will become more prominent in the interaction 
and  communication  with  our  partners,  allowing  us  to  make 
faster product iterations and take better decisions earlier in 
the  process.  This  new  way  of  working  will  enable  a  faster 
time-to-market  and  create  a  holistic  and  immersive  digital 
sell-in experience for our key customers. Our ambition is to 
continue  building  the  digital  infrastructure  for  the  future, 
gradually  rolling  out  the  new  capabilities,  broadening  the 
involved  supply  base  and  working  closer  with  our  key 
customers during the product creation process.

FUTURE OF MATERIAL SOURCING
Global Operations constantly looks for the next generation of 
materials  by  focusing,  amongst  others,  on  knitted  footwear, 
direct-to-textile  digital  printing,  and  sustainable  materials. 
Building  on  our  partnership  with  Parley  for  the  Oceans 
GLOSSARY, in 2019, we continued to roll out Parley Ocean Plastic 
 SEE  GLOSSARY  across  our  key  categories.  The  demand  for 
Parley  Ocean  Plastic  and  other  sustainable  materials 
continues  to  increase.  Therefore,  our  dedicated  sourcing 

 SEE 

operation  working  together  with  Parley  for  the  Oceans 
ensures  a  steady  and  transparent  supply  chain.  In  2019,  we 
added  the  Philippines  to  the  group  of  countries  where  we 
source ocean plastic to produce yarns. We also continued to 
expand  sourcing  from  Small  Island  Developing  States  by 
onboarding the Dominican Republic. 

 SEE SUSTAINABILITY, P. 78

AUTOMATION TO IMPROVE PRODUCTION 
EFFICIENCY
Driving the level of automation in our supply chain remains of 
overriding importance for Global Operations. In this context, 
automation technologies such as auto cutting, computerized 
stitching,  robotic  adhesive  spray  system,  and  auto-packing 
solutions  are  important  focus  areas,  as  they  allow  us  to 
reduce  our  dependency  on  manual  labor  while  ensuring 
consistent and highest quality standards. To further improve 
our production efficiency in all categories, we will continue to 
increase  the  level  of  automation  in  our  supply  chain  in  the 
years to come.

MAJORITY OF PRODUCTION THROUGH 
INDEPENDENT MANUFACTURING PARTNERS
 To  keep  our  production  costs  competitive,  we  outsource 
almost  100%  of  production  to  independent  manufacturing 
partners. 
In  2019,  we  worked  with  138 
independent  manufacturing  partners  (2018:  130)  that  were 
producing in 336 manufacturing facilities (2018: 289). 

 SEE  GLOSSARY 

independent  manufacturing 
The  majority  (73%)  of  our 
partners are located in Asia (2018: 71%). 
 SEE DIAGRAM 25 While 
we  provide  our  manufacturing  partners  with  detailed 
specifications  for  production  and  delivery,  they  possess 
excellent expertise in cost-efficient, high-volume production 
of footwear, apparel, and hardware. 

 SEE GLOSSARY

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GLOBAL OPERATIONS

Independent manufacturing 
partners by region 1

25

9% Europe 2

17% Americas

73% Asia

1  Figures include independent manufacturing partners of the adidas and Reebok brands, but exclude 

local sourcing partners, sourcing agents, subcontractors, second-tier suppliers and licensee 
factories.

2 Includes Middle East and Africa.

Key strategic partner relationships

 26

Number of key strategic 
partners

Average years as key 
strategic partner

Share of all production 
volume

Share of all production 
value

Strategic relationships 
< 10 years

Strategic relationships 
10 – 20 years

Strategic relationships 
> 20 years

Total Footwear

Apparel Hardware

45

11

22

17.0

16.8

16.2

90%

92%

88%

89%

90%

88%

16%

27%

14%

49%

36%

59%

36%

36%

27%

12

18.6

93%

93%

8%

42%

50%

Key strategic partner 
relationships > 20 years

36%

In 2019, 45 of the 138 independent manufacturing  partners 
(2018:  26  of  130)  were  considered  key  strategic  partners, 
the  majority  of  our 
producing 
products 
in  156  manufacturing 
facilities  worldwide  (2018: 82).  This 
increase    was  due  to  the  addition  of 
new  apparel  suppliers  in  order  to 
create more capacity and better meet the demand for 2019. 
We value long-term relationships: 85% (2018: 84%) of our key 
strategic partners have worked with adidas for more than ten 
years  and  36%  (2018:  42%)  have  a  tenure  of  more  than  
20 years. 

 SEE TABLE 26

All our suppliers are subject to specific performance criteria 
which  are  regularly  measured  and  reviewed  by  Global 
Operations. To ensure the high quality that consumers expect 
from  our  products,  we  enforce  strict  control  and  inspection 
procedures  of  our  manufacturing  partners  and  in  our  own 
is 
factories.  Effectiveness  of  product-related  standards 
constantly  measured  through  quality  and  material  claim 
procedures.  In  addition,  we  track  social  and  environmental 
performance  criteria  of  our  suppliers  through  the  C-  and 
E-KPI tracking system. Adherence to social and environmental 
is  promoted  throughout  our  supply  chain.  
standards 
 SEE  SUSTAINABILITY,  P.  78 The  current  supplier  lists  can  be 
found on our website.    ↗ ADIDAS-GROUP.COM/SUSTAINABILITY/S/SUPPLY-

CHAIN-APPROACH

VIETNAM REMAINS LARGEST FOOTWEAR 
SOURCING COUNTRY
98% of our total 2019 footwear volume was produced in Asia 
(2018:  97%). 
 SEE  DIAGRAM  27 Vietnam  represents  our  largest 
sourcing  country  with  43%  of  the  total  volume  (2018:  42%), 
followed  by  Indonesia  with  28%  (2018:  28%)  and  China  with 
16%  (2018:  18%).  In  2019,  our  footwear  manufacturing 
partners  produced  approximately  448  million  pairs  of  shoes 
(2018: 409 million pairs). 
 SEE DIAGRAM 28  Our largest footwear 
factory located in Vietnam produced approximately 8% of the 
footwear sourcing volume (2018: 11%).

Footwear production by region 1

27

2% Americas

1% Europe 2

98% Asia

1 Figures include the adidas and Reebok brands.
2 Includes Middle East and Africa.

Footwear production 1 in million pairs

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

1 Figures include the adidas and Reebok brands.

28

448

409

403

360

301

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GLOBAL OPERATIONS

CAMBODIA REMAINS LARGEST SOURCE 
COUNTRY FOR APPAREL
In 2019, we sourced 91% of the total apparel volume from Asia 
(2018: 91%). 
 SEE DIAGRAM 29 Cambodia is the largest sourcing 
country,  representing  23%  of  the  produced  volume  (2018: 
24%),  followed  by  China  with  19%  (2018:  19%)  and  Vietnam 
with  19%  (2018:  18%).  In  total,  our  manufacturing  partners 
produced approximately 528 million units of apparel in 2019 
(2018: 457 million units). 
 SEE DIAGRAM 30 The largest apparel 
factory, which is located in China, produced approximately 9% 
of this apparel volume (2018: 9%).

CHINA REMAINS MAIN SOURCE OF HARDWARE 
PRODUCTS
In  2019,  81%  of  our  hardware  products,  such  as  balls  and 
bags, were produced in Asia (2018: 79%). 
 SEE DIAGRAM 31 China 
remained our largest sourcing country, accounting for 37% of 
the  sourced  volume  (2018:  38%),  followed  by  Pakistan  with 
22% and Turkey with 18% (2018: 18% each). The total hardware 
sourcing  volume  was  approximately  127  million  units  (2018: 
113 million units), with the largest factory accounting for 16% 
of production (2018: 18%) located in Turkey. 

 SEE DIAGRAM 32

Apparel production by region 1

29

Hardware production by region 1

31

3% Europe 2

6% Americas

19% Europe 2

91% Asia

81% Asia

1 Figures include the adidas and Reebok brands.
2 Includes Middle East and Africa.

1 Figures include the adidas and Reebok brands.
2 Includes Middle East and Africa.

Apparel production 1 in million units

30

Hardware production 1 in million units

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

528

457

404

382

364

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

1 Figures include the adidas and Reebok brands.

1 Figures include the adidas and Reebok brands.

32

127

113

110

109

113

OPTIMIZING DISTRIBUTION CENTER NETWORK 
AND SUPPLY CHAIN ORGANIZATION
By creating a higher specialization of our distribution center 
landscape focused on the specifics of our products across the 
various channels, Global Operations ensures higher flexibility 
at each consumer touchpoint. This, in turn, enables a broader 
range of products to be available at the point of sale, including 
online orders for pick-up in our own-retail stores. 

 SEE SALES 

AND DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY, P. 61

In  2019,  Global  Operations  focused  on  further  optimizing  its 
distribution center network, while at the same time preparing 
it  for  future  consumer  demand.  In  this  context,  we  mainly 
focused on our distribution centers in the US. We built a new 
distribution center in Pennsylvania, and expanded our existing 
West Coast third-party facility, aimed at supporting our future 
growth  expectations  for  North  America,  in  particular  around 
the  company’s  e-commerce  and  own-retail  businesses.  Our 
new  distribution  center  in  Suzhou  and  the  extension  of  our 
distribution center in Rieste have been successfully integrated. 
Our  newly  added  e-commerce  facility  in  the  UK  has  been 
created  to  improve  our  consumer  experience  there  and 
prepare us for Brexit scenarios.

In addition, in our continuous effort to operate a best-in-class 
supply  chain  that  is  responsive  to  the  consumer  needs  of 
today  and  tomorrow,  we  consolidated  and  centralized  our 
planning  and  trading  teams  in  one  location  to  ensure  the 
highest level of alignment and operational efficiency. 

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INNOVATION

Creating innovative concepts to meet the needs of athletes 
and  consumers  is  a  prerequisite  to  strengthening  our 
market position in the sporting goods industry and a premise 
to being the best sports company in the world. We therefore 
remain highly committed to maintaining a full and innovative 
concept pipeline, bringing new groundbreaking technologies 
and  processes  to  life,  investing  into  sustainable  enablers 
and  exploring  the  possibilities  of  digitalization  across  our 
entire value chain. True to the vision of creative collaboration, 
our innovation approach is widely based on our Open Source 
mindset.

MEETING THE NEEDS AND EXPECTATIONS OF 
OUR CONSUMER
The  modern  innovation  landscape  extends  beyond  product 
and  increasingly  requires  innovation  teams  to  consider  the 
development  of  experiences  and  services,  as  well  as  the 
provision  of  greater  levels  of  transparency  and  direct 
integration of our consumer through co-creation.

In  partnership  with  our  trend  and  cultural  insights  teams, 
foresight and trend analysis are shared on an ongoing basis, 
documenting  shifts  in  society  and  culture.  This  provides  the 
starting point to build concepts of relevance.

The  FUTURE  team  at  adidas  is  tasked  to  develop  a  strong 
portfolio  of  innovation  capabilities  such  as  new  materials, 
production  processes  and  consumer-centric  scientific 
research  to  provide  a  platform  for  meaningful  concept 
development. Projects are incubated within the company and 
aligned  to  the  broader  sourcing,  marketing,  creative  and 
strategic functions across the organization, ensuring a robust 
and impactful innovation pipeline.

INNOVATION APPROACH BASED ON OPEN 
SOURCE MINDSET
Our  approach  to  innovation  reflects  our  commitment  to  the 
Open Source mindset, where we seek to build value together 
with  athletes  and  consumers,  universities  and  innovative 
companies as well as national and international governments 
and  research  organizations.  In  addition  to  opening  up  our 
doors to valuable feedback, we also get inspired by the input 
from knowledgeable partners: 
 — BASF: Together with BASF, we manage and enhance BOOST, 
a  cushioning  technology  designed  to  deliver  maximum 
energy return, responsiveness and comfort to athletes.
 — Carbon:  Together  with  Carbon,  a  Silicon  Valley-based 
tech  company,  we  are  revolutionizing  product  creation 
through hardware, software and molecular science, and 
have enabled mass production of additively manufactured 
components, coming to life with adidas 4D.

 — Fashion for Good: Together with Fashion for Good, a global 
cross-brand initiative to make all fashion sustainable, we 
are  accelerating  sustainable  innovation  in  the  apparel 
industry through, among other things, mentorship of and 
collaboration with circular start-ups.

 — Oechsler: Together with Oechsler, an expert in high-tech 
automated manufacturing of technical components and 
assemblies, we operated our Speedfactories in Ansbach, 
Germany, and Atlanta, USA. However, in 2019 we decided 
to deploy the Speedfactory technology at Asian suppliers. 
Our  collaboration  with  Oechsler  will  continue  in  other 
manufacturing areas.

 — Parley for the Oceans: Together with Parley for the Oceans, 
we are developing products partially created from upcycled 
plastic waste, intercepted before it reaches the ocean from 
beaches and coastal communities.

 — Platform A at Station F: In January 2019, we launched our 
global sports accelerator program Platform A. Station F 
is the biggest start-up campus in the world, based in our 
key city Paris, France. The accelerator aims to use the 

innovative power of the global start-up scene to create the 
best digital innovations in sport. The first generation of 
start-ups started the program in January and presented 
their digital pilots in September 2019. In the meantime, 
adidas onboarded a second generation that will develop new 
concepts and identify opportunities in the areas of women 
empowerment, sustainability, retail and e-commerce. 

FIVE PILLARS OF INNOVATION
Within  our  innovation  principles,  we  identified  five  strategic 
pillars  which  enable  us  to  develop  the  best  products  and 
experiences  for  athletes  and  consumers,  while  at  the  same 
time  drive  game-changing 
in  the  fields  of 
innovations 
manufacturing, digital and sustainability. 

Athlete innovation
Our  clear  focus  is  to  produce  the  best  and  most  innovative 
products for athletes to enable them to perform at their very 
best. To achieve this, we work closely together with athletes 
and  teams  as  well  as  numerous  universities  and  innovative 
companies,  to  deliver  against  the  needs  of  our  target 
consumer. 

Manufacturing innovation
To  simplify  manufacturing,  enable  product  innovation  and 
increase  speed-to-market  capabilities, 
the  company’s 
innovation activities are also focused on new manufacturing 
technologies.  Our  goal 
is  to  combine  state-of-the-art 
information  technology  with  new  manufacturing  processes 
and innovative products. For this reason, we commit ourselves 
to  long-term  cooperation  with  innovative  companies  and 
organizations  to  take  a  leading  role 
in  manufacturing 
innovation.

Digital and experience innovation 
The  adidas  brand  was  amongst  the  first  in  the  industry  to 
comprehensively  bring  data  analytics  to  the  athlete.  With 

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decades  of  continuous  investment  in  sports  science,  sensor 
technology and digital communication platforms, adidas has 
already taken a leading role in terms of changing the sporting 
goods industry through technology. With the increasing speed 
of digitalization, this field will remain one of our core areas. 

Sustainability innovation
Our  commitment  to  manage  our  business  in  a  responsible 
way has long been one of the company’s principles. To stay at 
the  forefront  of  sustainable  innovation,  adidas  is  pursuing  a 
proactive  approach  to  establish  internationally  recognized 
best practices and achieve scalable improvements. As part of 
our sustainability roadmap, we have set ourselves the target 
for  2020  to  invest  in  materials,  processes  and  innovative 
machinery  which  will  allow  us  to  upcycle  materials  into 
products  and  reduce  waste.  In  2019,  we  further  focused  on 
taking  responsibility  for  the  entire  product  life  cycle  and 
established  a  clear  game  plan  for  moving  toward  a  circular 
business model. 

 SEE SUSTAINABILITY, P. 78

Female athlete innovation
Our long-term commitment to the female athlete continues to 
be a focus for the company. To fuel the growth of our women’s 
business, we have taken a holistic approach to understanding 
the  female  athlete’s  performance  and  non-performance 
needs  throughout  her  active  life.  We  therefore  look  at  this 
target group as an integrated part of our business but from a 
separate  and  unique  angle.  With  a  focus  on  the  female 
consumer, it is crucial to fully understand the specific product 
needs of the female athlete to help unlock her full potential. 
To enable this, we are working to establish a robust network 
of  industry  leaders  and  academic  experts  with  our  ‘Path  to 
Expert’ approach, which will help to accelerate the building of 
insights and foresights that keep us at the forefront of product 
innovation. 

important 

COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS
We  believe  developing  industry-leading  technologies  and 
consumer  experiences  is  only  one  aspect  of  being  an 
innovation  leader.  Equally 
is  the  successful 
commercialization of those innovative concepts:
 — Parley Ocean Plastic: Products made of Parley Ocean Plastic 
 SEE GLOSSARY  focus both on the needs of our athletes, by 
living up to their performance promise, and on the needs 
of the world, by helping to protect our oceans from marine 
plastic pollution. We have taken sustainability to the product 
level and continue to roll it out across our product portfolio. 
In 2019, we made more than eleven million pairs of shoes 
containing Parley Ocean Plastic, across various footwear 
franchises in both Sport Performance and Sport Inspired. 
In addition, nearly three million pieces of our 2019 apparel 
offering featured Parley Ocean Plastic, including jerseys for 
high-profile teams such as Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, 
Juventus Turin and Manchester United.

 — Futurecraft  Loop:  Futurecraft  Loop  is  our  first  100% 
recyclable  performance  shoe  made  entirely  from  one 
material  (TPU),  using  no  glue  or  solvent.  The  first 
generation of the shoe was rolled out in April 2019 as part 
of a global beta program with consumers from across the 
world’s major cities. They were asked to test and return the 
shoes to start the recycling process. In November 2019, we 
introduced the second generation of Futurecraft Loop. We 
will take the learnings from the recycling process to further 
develop the concept and to prepare for the commercial 
release in 2021. Futurecraft Loop was recognized by Time 
Magazine as one of the ‘Best Inventions 2019’.

 — adidas  4D:  The  high-performance  footwear  produced 
under the adidas 4D concept features midsoles crafted 
with light and oxygen using Digital Light Synthesis, a unique 
technology developed by Carbon. The midsole pioneers a 
digital footwear component creation process that eliminates 
the necessity of traditional prototyping or molding. With 
the new technology, adidas brings additive manufacturing 

in the sports industry into a new dimension. After having 
produced more than 100,000 pairs of this high-performance 
footwear in 2018, we continued to increase volumes in 2019 
and intend to further expand production in the future. In 
the past two years, adidas 4D has gone from a conceptual  
innovation to a running shoe that has been made available 
in larger quantities and multiple variations.

 — Creators Club: This new digitally enabled membership 
program  rewards  loyal  consumers  with  invitations  to 
exclusive events and access to limited-edition products. In 
addition, it enhances the e-commerce shopping experience 
for members through an even faster checkout process 
and new order-tracking options. The program allows us 
to  deepen  the  relationship  with  our  consumers  and  to 
gain valuable insights into their expectations and needs. 
Creators Club 
 SEE GLOSSARY launched in the US toward the 
end of 2018, and is now live in France, Germany, Japan, the 
UK and Singapore.

 — adidas by Stella McCartney Infinite Hoodie and Biofabric 
Tennis  Dress:  With  the  adidas  by  Stella  McCartney 
Infinite  Hoodie,  we  presented  the  first  commercially 
produced 100% recyclable performance garment made 
of 60% NuCycl lyocell and 40% organic cotton, which are 
completely recyclable fabrics. We have also already taken 
the first steps toward exploring solutions to create products 
that are made with nature, and can, at some point, also 
return to nature. The adidas by Stella McCartney Biofabric 
Tennis Dress is a prototype concept made with a cellulose 
blended yarn and certified Microsilk, a protein-based yarn 
that is made of completely renewable inputs, which has 
the ability to fully biodegrade at the end of its life. 
SUSTAINABILITY, P. 78, 

 SEE ADIDAS BRAND STRATEGY, P. 55 

 SEE 

 — Forever  Floatride  Grow:  At  the  end  of  2019,  Reebok 
announced Forever Floatride Grow – the brand’s first plant-
based performance running shoe and latest example of 
sustainability innovation. The shoe is made with castor 
beans,  algae,  eucalyptus  trees  and  natural  rubber  and 

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thus builds on Reebok’s successful Cotton + Corn lifestyle 
collection of footwear.

 — Infinite Play: Building on learnings from take-back pilots 
in Brazil, Canada, and some of our key cities in Europe 
and the US, adidas is exploring infrastructure for product 
bring-back and recycling, with partners, governments and 
regulatory bodies. 2019 saw the launch of ‘Infinite Play’ 
in the UK to extend the useful life of products by passing 
them on to new users, thus avoiding waste. The initiative 
engages consumers in returning used items by rewarding 
them with gift cards and Creators Club points. 

 — AM4 Series: The ‘adidas made for’ (AM4) products were 
created at the adidas Speedfactory facilities in Ansbach and 
Atlanta. In 2019, we continued to deliver launches jointly 
with  creators  supporting  moments  that  matter  for  our 
consumers, e.g. limited editions around the Marvel universe 
and for Bayern Munich. The concept was included into the 
adidas  offerings  to  Footlocker  and  exclusive  launches 
with  our  Creators  Club.  Going  forward,  Speedfactory 
technologies will be used at two of our suppliers in Asia 
that will allow for more variations of Speedfactory footwear 
models in the future.

NEW PRODUCT LAUNCHES GENERATE THE 
MAJORITY OF SALES
As in prior years, the majority of sales were generated with 
products newly introduced in the course of 2019. New products 
tend  to  have  a  higher  gross  margin  compared  to  products 
which have been in the market for more than one season.

In 2019, brand adidas and Reebok sales were again driven by 
the  latest  product  offerings.  At  brand  adidas,  products 
launched during the course of the year accounted for 77% of 
brand sales (2018: 74%), while only 3% of sales were generated 
with products introduced three or more years ago (2018: 3%). 
At Reebok, 67% of footwear sales were generated by products 
launched in 2019 (2018: 67%), while 11% of footwear product 
sales relate to products introduced three or more years ago 
(2018: 11%).

R&D EXPENSES DECREASE 1%
Expenses  for  research  and  development  (R&D)  include 
expenses for personnel and administration, but exclude other 
costs, for example costs associated with the design aspect 
of  the  product  creation  process  or  the  majority  of  costs 
related 
to  company-wide  Open 
Source initiatives. In 2019, as in prior 
years, all R&D costs were expensed 
as  incurred.  The  company’s  R&D 
expenses decreased 1% to € 152 million from € 153 million in 
the prior year.

€152m

R&D expenses

In 2019, R&D expenses as a percentage of sales equated to 
0.6%  (2018:  0.7%).  The  number  of  people  employed  in  R&D 
activities at December 31, 2019, was 1,007 (2018: 1,041). 

 SEE 

TABLE 33

Key R&D metrics 1, 2

R&D expenses (€ in millions)

R&D expenses (in % of net sales)

R&D employees

2019

152

0.6

1,007

2018

153

0.7

1,041

2017

187

0.9

1,062

2016

149

0.8

1,021

1 2019, 2018, 2017 and 2016 figures reflect continuing operations as a result of the divestiture of the Rockport, TaylorMade, Adams Golf, Ashworth and CCM Hockey businesses.
2 2015 figures reflect continuing operations as a result of the divestiture of the Rockport business.

 33

2015

139

0.8

993

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PEOPLE AND CULTURE

PEOPLE AND CULTURE

At  adidas,  we  believe  that  our  people  are  the  key  to  the 
company’s  success.  Their  performance,  well-being  and 
knowledge  have  a  significant  impact  on  brand  desire, 
consumer  satisfaction  and,  ultimately,  our 
financial 
performance. Through the delivery of our People Strategy, 
we  focus  our  efforts  on  four  fundamentals:  the  attraction 
and  retention  of  the  right  talents,  role  model  leadership, 
diversity and inclusion, as well as the creation of a unique 
corporate culture.

PEOPLE STRATEGY ENABLES A CULTURE FOR 
DELIVERING ‘CREATING THE NEW’
 As an integral part of our corporate strategy ‘Creating the 
New’, the People Strategy is a testament to thinking that our 
strategic  business  plan  can  only  be  executed  if  we  speak  to 
our people on all levels and win both their hearts and minds. 
The  People  Strategy  consists  of  four  pillars  that  serve  as  a 

basis for creating the culture and environment for our people 
in  order  to  successfully  support  ‘Creating  the  New’. 
DIAGRAM  34  These  four  pillars  also  serve  as  a  tool  for 
prioritization, sense-checking and measuring our HR actions 
and initiatives. The People Strategy is implemented through a 
portfolio of projects which will directly deliver into each of the 
four  pillars.  In  2019,  we  made  good  progress  in  all  of  these 
pillars. 

 SEE 

ATTRACTION AND RETENTION OF TALENTS
  Our  ‘employer  of  choice’  status  continues  to  garner 
worldwide  recognition  and  helps  us  to  attract,  retain  and 
engage  industry-leading  talent  to  sustain  the  company’s 
success  and  growth.  In  2019,  adidas  locations  around  the 
world leveraged our employer value proposition for attraction, 
retention and engagement strategies. Amongst professionals, 
this  work  contributed  to  several  top  rankings  worldwide, 
including  the  Glassdoor  ‘Best  places  to  work’  awarded  for 
2019,  the  LinkedIn  ‘Top  companies  to  work  for’  as  well  as 

The four pillars of our People Strategy

34

People Strategy
Defines and inspires the right organizational culture for ‘Creating the New’

Attraction and retention  
of the right talents

Meaningful reasons to join
and stay

Attract and retain great talent 
by offering personal 
 experiences, choices and 
individual careers.

Role model leadership

Diversity and inclusion

Culture

Role models who inspire us

Bring forward fresh and 
 diverse perspectives

A creative climate to make 
a difference

Inspire and nurture role 
model leadership.

Represent and live the 
 diversity of our consumers 
in our people.

It is our goal to develop a 
culture that cherishes 
 creativity, collaboration and 
confidence – three behaviors 
we deem crucial to the 
 successful delivery of our 
corporate strategy.

various  Universum 
‘World’s  most  attractive  employers’ 
rankings among business and IT students worldwide. adidas 
offices  across  Europe,  Asia  and  the  Emerging  Markets 
qualified  for  the  certification  by  Top  Employer  Institute  for 
their efforts to provide an exceptional work environment for 
our  people.  Among  others,  the  certification  recognized  the 
company’s  Learning  and  Development  framework,  which 
encourages  different  kinds  of  learning  and  the  career 
management model.

We offer a range of programs at entry level to ensure future 
employees can have the best possible start, choose between a 
wide variety of learning opportunities, build on their strengths 
and improve their professional skills:
 — Apprenticeship  and  Dual  Study  Program:  The  adidas 
Apprenticeship Program offers young pupils who want to 
join our company directly out of school the opportunity to 
gain business experience in a two- to three-year rotation 
program.  It  includes  vocational  training  in  retail,  shoe 
technology, IT or other areas. In cooperation with various 
universities,  the  Dual  Study  Program  for  young  school 
graduates offers theoretical and practical experience at 
adidas in fields such as digital commerce, finance or IT 
including at least one three- to six-month international 
rotation. At the end of 2019, we employed 50 apprentices 
in Germany (2018: 55) and 49 Dual Study Program students 
(2018: 45). 

 — Global  Trainee  Program:  The  Functional,  Digital  and 
Design Trainee Program is an 18- to 24-month program 
providing graduates with an international background and 
excellent educational credentials the opportunity to start 
a functional career within adidas. The program comprises 
assignments in various functional and cross-functional 
departments. At least one of these assignments takes place 
abroad. At year-end 2019, we employed 67 participants in 
our Global Trainee Program (2018: 61).

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PEOPLE AND CULTURE

 — Internships: Our global internship program offers students 
three to six months of work experience within adidas. In line 
with our ambition to optimize the experience for interns, 
we  enhanced  the  overall  recruiting  process  and  added 
interactive collaborative exercises such as hackathons to 
the program in order to further enrich the cross-company 
experience.  Consequently,  we  offered  fewer  but  more 
focused  internships  in  2019,  employing  216  interns  in 
Germany (2018: 447). 

ROLE MODEL LEADERSHIP 
 The quality of current and future talent and leadership is key 
to  our  success.  We  want  to  inspire  and  nurture  role  model 
leadership.  With  specifically  designed  talent  management 
tools, we identify talents at all levels of our company who have 
the potential to become future leaders or key players within 
the organization. In order to prepare them for more complex 
future roles, they have tailored individual development plans 
and  participate  in  targeted  development  programs.  In  2019, 
we made further progress with this People Strategy pillar. 

Leadership and development groups
We  now  have  four  active  groups  of  selected  leaders  and 
talents within the company: 
 — The Core Leadership Group (CLG) is the most senior group, 
made up of around 20 members from our senior leadership 
population. Members of this group jointly represent critical 
positions and roles across our company worldwide. This 
group partners with the Executive Board in leading the 
execution of the ‘Creating the New’ strategy, accelerating 
its delivery across functions, as well as developing and 
inspiring  the  next  generation  of  leaders.  The  CLG  also 
serves as the succession pool for the Executive Board.
 — The Extended Leadership Group (ELG) has around 120 
members.  The  ELG  collaborates  across  markets  and 
functions to lead the execution of the strategic initiatives 
that  form  the  ‘Creating  the  New’  portfolio  and  drives 

continuous  improvement  and  consistency  across  the 
organization.  The  ELG  also  mentors  and  sponsors  the 
Global High Potential Group and serves as a succession 
pool for the CLG.

 — The Global High Potential Group (GHIPO) is composed 
of around 50 members and was formed in 2018 with a 
balanced gender split. It enables us to identify and develop 
high  potentials  who  have  the  ability  to  take  on  more 
complex,  demanding  and  higher-level  responsibilities 
at a global senior management level. In 2019, the first 
GHIPO generation finished their 18-month development 
experience, with nearly three quarters having made positive 
career movements through either a promotion to the next 
level (more than 50%) or through lateral, cross-cultural 
or cross-functional moves. In 2019, we also launched the 
second generation of GHIPO with around 40 members and 
a balanced gender split, and have seen more than 40% 
already moving into new roles at the end of the year.
 — The Local High Potential Group (LHIPO) was formed in 
2019 and enables us to identify and develop high potentials 
who have the ability to take on more complex, demanding 
and  higher-level  responsibilities  at  a  local  senior 
management level in our regions. The program is designed 
to build peer relationships and to give participants cross-
functional and cross-cultural exposure, amongst others 
through immersion in a different country and function. The 
diverse group consists of around 130 leaders of 32 different 
nationalities with an almost balanced gender split.

Together  with  the  Executive  Board,  we  hold  two  physical-
presence CLG and ELG events per year to ensure these groups 
interact and align on the execution of ‘Creating the New’ as 
well  as  our  People  Strategy.  The  GHIPO  group  meets  up  to 
three times per year for an on-site learning experience in our 
key markets and the LHIPO group meets regionally once per 
year.  Throughout  the  year,  all  groups  remain  in  touch  via 

virtual  experiences,  meetings,  calls  and  cross-cultural 
immersions. 

 SEE CORPORATE STRATEGY, P. 50

Leadership Framework and leadership development experiences
To  drive  clarity  and  accountability,  leaders  at  adidas  were 
engaged to further activate our global Leadership Framework 
 SEE  GLOSSARY  in  2019.  The  Leadership  Framework  is  based 
on  the  three  company  behaviors  creativity,  collaboration 
and  confidence  (the  ‘3Cs’ 
 SEE  GLOSSARY)  and  articulates  the 
particular  behaviors  that  are  expected  of  leaders  at  adidas. 
jointly  with  employees 
The  framework  was  developed 
worldwide  who  provided  feedback  on  what  great  leadership 
within  adidas  looks  like  to  them.  It  provides  a  global  and 
universal  language  that  is  inclusive,  reduces  the  need  for 
local  interpretations,  and  outlines  concrete  behaviors  that 
serve as a measure of leadership effectiveness. It is built into 
the way we hire and promote as well as rate performance. The 
framework  was  first  activated  and  cascaded  to  employees 
globally through the CLG and ELG groups. 

We offer a portfolio of leadership development programs for 
corporate office employees for various grades and levels:
 — Executive Development Experience: We are partnering 
with  Harvard  Business  School  in  delivering  a  tailored 
learning  experience  for  our  most  senior  population.  In 
2019, the CLG and ELG attended the in-residence Executive 
Development Experience at Harvard Business School.
 — Director  Development  Experience  (DDE):  In  2019,  we 
introduced the Director Development Experience which 
is  based  on  the  Leadership  Framework  at  its  core  and 
allows a customizable learning experience for our middle 
management level employees. DDE is currently offered in 
16 of our locations and we will continue to expand the offer. 
Since its launch, almost all places offered were taken up.
 — Manager Development Experience (MDE): The Manager 
Development Experience supports the leadership skills and 
abilities of our lower management level employees. Just 

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like the DDE, MDE is designed to provide a customizable 
learning experience that uses the Leadership Framework 
as its foundation and drives the development of personal 
and team mastery. We currently offer MDE at almost 40 
locations worldwide and also recorded for this program 
that almost all offered places were taken up. 

 — Talent Carousel: Our internal career development program 
Talent Carousel has entered its fifth and final year, with 
the  third  generation  graduating  in  2019.  The  program 
encouraged employees from all over the world to apply to 
take a cross-functional and international career step by 
starting a new role in a new location. The learnings from 
Talent Carousel helped design and launch LHIPO and now 
enable us to scale the experience toward a larger audience. 

Succession management
Our  succession  management  approach  aims  to  ensure 
stability  and  certainty  in  business  continuity  through  the 
development  of  strong  internal  pipelines  for  our  critical 
leadership  positions.  We  achieve  this  through  a  globally 
consistent succession process that identifies these important 
leadership  positions  within  the  organization,  and  matches 
these  roles. 
identified 
Furthermore, we ensure that succession planning translates 
into realizable development plans to prepare successors for 
their next steps. The leadership groups we have established 
serve  as  succession  pools  for  the  highest  levels  of  our 
organization. 

talent  as  successors 

top 

for 

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
  We  believe  it  is  crucial  for  the  success  of  our  company  to 
have  a  diverse  workforce  comprised  of  individuals  with 
different ideas, strengths, interests and backgrounds. We see 
a great benefit in the diversity of our employees, as this helps 
us to better fulfill the wishes and multi-faceted demands of 
our  consumers  around  the  world  and  provides  a  higher-
performing  workplace.  We  strive  to  create  an  environment 
where  all  our  employees  are  heard  and  appreciated  – 
regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic origin, religion, world 
view, different abilities, age, sexual orientation or identity.

As part of our global diversity approach, we proactively pursue 
a  portfolio  of  internal  and  external  activities  that  welcome 
diversity  and  champion  inclusion.  Throughout  the  company 
we  continue  to  support  and  grow  our  Employee  Resource 
Groups  (ERG)  –  these  are  specific  networks  that  give 
employees  from  various  walks  of  life  a  voice,  including 
networks  for  women,  LGBTQ+,  experienced  generations, 
and  North  American  people  of  color.  Our  global  women’s 
network  in  Germany  counts  almost  900  active  participants, 
supported by 14 mentoring circles to foster the professional 
development  of  junior  colleagues.  In  North  America,  we 
doubled  the  number  of  ERGs  to  ensure  they  represent  the 
diversity of our employees and our consumer base. In 2019, 
we  focused  on  education  about  different  cultures  and 
heritages by, among others, celebrating Black History Month, 
Lunar New Year, International Women’s Day, Pride, Hispanic 
Heritage Month and Diwali internally across North America. 
In Europe, we activated on key moments in our main offices 
to  raise  awareness  on  the  topics  of  female  leadership,  the 
LGBTQ+ community, and mental health. Globally, we aimed 
to ensure that our leadership development programs are 
a  fair representation of employees in terms of gender, race, 
and nations. 

To  inspire  action  outside  of  our  company,  we  are  active 
members in both ‘Charta der Vielfalt’ (‘Diversity Charter’) and 
the Diversity and Inclusion in Asia Network (DIAN), that allow 
us  to  promote  communication  and  the  sharing  of  best 
practices and insights. 

Diversity and inclusion training
Our gender intelligence training follows a holistic concept for 
the topic of diversity and inclusion. It upskills our employees 
on the importance of diversity and on the value of inclusion. 
By  the  end  of  2019,  a  total  of  more  than  4,300  employees 
across  all  markets  participated  in  this  training  and  were 
challenged to re-visit and think critically about their thoughts 
and  beliefs  around  diversity,  stereotyping,  bias 
in  the 
inclusion  and  belonging.  In  Europe,  senior 
workplace, 
leadership teams started to participate in 2019 and will seek 
to further roll out the training within their areas of expertise. 
The extended roll-out of the gender intelligence training is a 
result  of  both  the  commitment  of  our  leadership  teams  to 
creating  an  inclusive  and  diverse  workplace  as  well  as  our 
effort to increase the number of internal trainers. In addition, 
we  created  a  virtual  version  of  the  training  to  also  reach 
employees in retail, distribution centers and remote locations, 
that was piloted in North America in 2019 and will be extended 
to all other regions in 2020. 

Mixed leadership teams
We  believe  in  mixed  leadership  teams  as  a  competitive 
advantage and driver of success. A prerequisite for increasing 
the number of women at the highest levels of management is 
the  general  promotion  of  women  within  the  company 
worldwide  at  all  levels  of  management.  We  have  various 
initiatives in place, e.g. with members of the Executive Board 
agreeing to mentor female talents as well as an equal gender 
split  in  our  Global  and  Local  High  Potential  programs  to 
guarantee that our succession pipeline is balanced. 

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PEOPLE AND CULTURE

Women in 
management positions

Already  in  2011,  adidas  proactively  set  itself  the  goal  of 
increasing  the  number  of  women  in  management  positions 
globally.  By  the  end  of  2019,  the  company  had  recorded  a 
total  of  34%  of  women  globally  in  management  positions 
(2018: 33%), exceeding the 2020 target of 32%.  ↗ ADIDAS-GROUP.
COM/S/EMPLOYEES Pursuant to the German 
Law  on  Equal  Participation  of  Women 
and Men in Leadership Positions in the 
Private  and  Public  Sector,  the  adidas 
AG  Supervisory  Board  determined 
target figures for the percentage of female representation on 
the  Executive  Board,  including  corresponding  deadlines  for 
their achievement, and the Executive Board determined such 
target figures for the first two management levels below the 
Executive  Board,  including  deadlines  for  their  achievement, 
for  adidas  AG. 

34%

 SEE  DECLARATION  ON  CORPORATE  GOVERNANCE  AND 

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE REPORT, P. 24

CULTURE
 It is our goal to develop a culture that cherishes creativity, 
collaboration  and  confidence  as  well  as  high  performance,  
the  behaviors  we  deem  crucial  to  the  successful  delivery  of 
our corporate strategy. In fact, our culture and people serve 
as the foundation and a key enabler of the ‘Creating the New’ 
strategy.

Activating our Core Belief
Responding to an increasing desire of employees, consumers 
and partners to become directly involved in activating our core 
belief ‘through sport, we have the power to change lives’, and 
their asking for ways they can make a difference, we focus our 
activation  efforts  on  three  pillars:  ‘She  Breaks  Barriers’, 
which is aimed at getting girls to join and stay in sport, ‘One 
Starting Line’, which is aimed at increasing inclusivity for all 
in sport and sports culture, and ‘End Plastic Waste, which is 
aimed at protecting the world’s oceans for future generations. 
 SEE ADIDAS BRAND STRATEGY, P. 55 To maximize impact, we leverage 

brand  moments  to  raise  awareness  for  these  topics  and 
create opportunities for engagement. In 2019, these included 
opportunities  for  our  employees  to  volunteer  their  time  and 
expertise, and we collaborated with our athlete ambassadors 
at moments such as the Women’s World Cup, the Super Bowl, 
as  well  as  key  cultural  moments  such  as  Earth  Day, 
International Day of the Girl, Black History Month and Pride.

For the Women’s World Cup, partnering with the NGO Equal 
Playing  Field,  adidas  organized  multiple  football  camps 
around the world and brought together over 3,500 women and 
girls from all across the globe to play football, share skills and 
make connections at the Festival of Football in Lyon, France.  
In partnership with Amazon, we sponsored Girls on the Run 
races with a distance of five kilometers and enabled 600 girls 
to  have  access  who  would  otherwise  not  have  been  able  to 
participate.  Additional  money  raised  will  equip  coaches  to 
make program adaptations to better serve and include girls 
with  disabilities.  We  also  launched  @3stripelive,  which  was 
the  first-ever  livestreamed  high  school  girls’  soccer  and 
volleyball games on Twitter with over 14.5 million livestream 
views.  This  was  done  in  partnership  with  the  US  Soccer 
Foundation and United for Girls, with the objective to double the 
number of girls who have access to soccer. Working with Up2Us 
Sports,  we  developed  the  digital  coaching  curriculum  ‘Keep 
Girls in Sport’ to educate coaches on the specific training needs 
of young girls, aiming at removing the potential barriers they 
face.  In  Germany,  adidas  partnered  with  the  network  Impact 
Hub to host a series of initiatives to enable the next generation 
of female athletes, creators and leaders. Twelve venture teams 
were  given  access  to  peer  networking,  adidas  mentors  and 
business  clinics  on  business  strategy,  finance  and  digital 
marketing with adidas experts over a period of three months. 
Three  selected  ventures  can  earn  a  monetary  grant  to  scale 
their ideas further.

Work-life integration
We aim to harmonize the commercial interests of the company 
with  the  professional,  private  and  family  needs  of  our 
employees. Our Work-Life Integration initiatives and programs 
include  the  provision  of  flexible  working  times  and  place, 
people  development  and  leadership  competence  related  to 
work-life integration, as well as family-oriented services: 
 — Childcare:  In  addition  to  providing  flexible  working 
opportunities such as teleworking and sabbaticals, we cater 
for a family-friendly environment and infrastructure. At our 
headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany, we extended 
the number of parent-child offices from two to four, and 
expanded  our  childcare  facility  ‘World  of  Kids’.  It  now 
provides space for 270 children in two buildings. In 2019, 
we also introduced an ad-hoc childcare service to support 
parents  in  emergency  situations  or  during  transition 
phases and short-term assignments. At various locations 
across the globe, adidas offers a variety of holiday camps 
for children, with more than 450 participants benefiting 
in 2019. Other global locations also offer various forms of 
benefits and support services to ensure that our employees 
are able to access and secure quality childcare. With the 
ongoing  expansion  of  our  infrastructure  and  childcare 
offering, we as a company emphasize our commitment to 
a family-friendly environment to integrate work and private 
life – and enable balanced careers.

 — Parental leave: For parental leave and re-entry, programs 
are  in  place  to  provide  employees  with  advice  early  on 
and  options  for  their  return  to  work,  also  taking  into 
consideration flexible working hours and work locations. 
In  Germany,  we  guarantee  our  employees  on  parental 
leave  their  positions,  which  are  only  filled  temporarily. 
In the US, in addition to regular parental leave for new 
parents (up to 10 weeks at home, 70% of their salary), 
adidas offers an extra two weeks’ paid parental leave for 
parents. Furthermore, adidas’ special parental bonding 
leave provides parents with the possibility to stay home 

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20192 
 
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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for up to six months within the first twelve months after 
the  child’s  birth  or  placement.  While  unpaid,  it  offers 
parents the opportunity to stay home longer and take care 
of their new arrival and new life together. Latin America 
has made significant amendments to improve work-life 
integration across the market. This includes an extended 
parental leave approach where mothers will be provided 
24 paid weeks in total to spend with their children, and 
fathers/partners will be provided 20 paid days in total. On 
top, mothers are allowed to work fewer hours one month 
before and after their maternity leave period.

 — Flexible  work:  Continuing  in  Germany  in  2019,  every 
employee with an adidas AG contract whose working tasks 
can  be  carried  out  independently  of  campus  facilities, 
campus  equipment  or  personal  interaction  on-site  is 
eligible to work 20% of their total working time off-campus. 
This  policy  and  agreement  is  based  on  our  belief  that 
results can be achieved in the same quality and quantity, 
regardless of people’s location. Positive feedback motivated 
us to roll out the approach globally. Our North America 
market implemented the concept in 2018, Latin America 
and partly Europe followed in 2019, to be continued in 2020.
 — Expansion  of  workplaces:  In  line  with  the  efforts  to 
centralize all local employees at the headquarters campus 
‘World of Sports’ in Herzogenaurach, in 2019 we opened 
a new main office building called ‘Arena’. It has capacity 
for  around  2,000  employees  and  applies  an  activity-
based  working  concept  in  which  employees  no  longer 
have assigned desks and instead choose from a variety 
of rooms and spaces, dependent on their needs. To make 
work-life balance as easy as possible for our employees 
on campus, we offer, in addition to two childcare facilities, 
other services such as dry-cleaning, grocery delivery and 
the  possibility  to  receive  private  deliveries.  In  Asia,  we 
moved our new Asia-Pacific and Greater China Head Office 
to the IFC tower in downtown Shanghai offering easy access 
to commercial facilities. It combines a comfortable and 

1  Employees in Germany continue to have four evaluations based on the current company agreement.

green working environment with an agile and convenient 
working  experience,  including  a  staff  canteen,  gym, 
showrooms as well as collaborative open areas. Lastly, 
we are also centralizing most of our workforce in Portland 
in one location. The ongoing expansion of adidas enables 
capacity for 2,800 employees with the build-out of two office 
buildings that include parking garages, an expansion of 
the on-site employee restaurant, and further extended 
employee services. With this expansion, we are also rolling 
out the activity-based working concept already in place at 
most of our local headquarter locations worldwide.

including 

Health management
We  support  our  employees  by  aiming  to  provide  the  best 
possible  conditions  to  ensure  that  they  feel  good  and  stay 
healthy.  Our  holistic  approach  includes  people’s  physical, 
mental  and  social  well-being,  and  focuses  on  four  pillars: 
mindset, nutrition, movement and medical services. In 2019, 
for  example,  we  pursued  global  activations  around  World 
Mental  Health  Day 
information 
in  October, 
campaigns,  prominent  speakers  who  shared  their  personal 
story,  an  open  dialogue  with  senior  leaders  as  well  as 
exercises  for  stress  relief.  We  also  saw  great  progress  in 
providing employees access to sports facilities. Employees in 
Herzogenaurach,  Portland,  Boston,  Moscow,  Gurgaon  and 
Manchester,  and  at  other  locations  across  the  globe,  have 
access to a corporate gym. In 2019, construction work started 
to extend the gym at our German headquarters, and with its 
completion in 2020 it will offer significantly more space and 
training opportunities for more than 3,000 members as well 
as  integrate  physiotherapy  with  extended  offerings.  Lockers 
and showers in office buildings allow people to run or cycle to 
work.  In  2019,  adidas  UK  received  Britain’s  Healthiest 
Company Award in the category medium-sized company.

Learning
We believe a continuous focus on learning and development of 
our employees is a key enabler of driving a high-performance 
culture. To support this, we offer employees access to a wide 
range  of  in-person  and  digital  opportunities.  Our  Learning 
Management System is now globally available to almost half 
of  all  employees,  75%  of  whom  have  accessed  available 
training  and  development  offers  to  support  their  current 
performance  and  future  career  development. 
In  2019, 
compared to 2018, we saw a more than 20% increase in the 
number of employees who participated in in-person learning 
activities.  Within  our  online  platform,  we  provide  two  digital 
offerings to all corporate employees: LinkedIn Learning and 
Leadership Library, a service which curates and summarizes 
industry  articles,  media  and  university  courses  based  on 
company  or  learner  needs.  These  offerings  continue  to 
provide  employees  access  to  content  across  subjects  in 
business, creative and technology areas. In 2019, an average 
of  more  than  1,900  content  pieces  were  consumed  monthly 
within the Leadership Library, while the number of employees 
registering for LinkedIn Learning accounts more than doubled. 

In  2019,  we  expanded  our  global  core  learning  programs  to 
ensure  we  continue  to  support  strategic  business  initiatives, 
build capabilities connected to our 3Cs and support development 
of future cross-functional organizational capabilities. Input into 
the  program  offer  is  managed  through  a  business  needs 
assessment supported by our HR organization.

Performance management
#MYBEST is the global performance development approach 
in  adidas  and  is  a  key  enabler  of  a  high-performance 
culture.  The  four  elements  encourage  regular  high-quality 
conversations  between  the  employee  and  the  line  manager, 
provide  a  framework  for  regular  upward  and  peer  feedback 
exchange,  and  ensure  goals  are  set  and  reviewed  quarterly. 
Formal  performance  evaluation  takes  place  twice  a  year1, 

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201921    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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development being in the focus of every monthly ‘Touch Base’ 
conversation. The voice of employees is critical in the evolution 
of #MYBEST. The global #MYBEST survey is run on an annual 
basis  and  is  a  key  source  of  information  when  making 
decisions regarding improvements. In 2019, we made several 
improvements,  including  the  simplification  of  quality  and 
actionable  peer  and  upward  feedback,  the  reduction  of 
performance evaluations from 4 to 21 to bring more simplicity 
and efficiency into the process as well as the clarification of 
various levels of performances, providing further clarity to all 
employees to identify their area of strength and development. 
The  definitions  also  ensure  that  employee  performance  is 
evaluated consistently across the organization.

Wages, benefits and incentives
We  are  committed  to  rewarding  our  employees  with 
compensation,  benefit  and  incentive  programs  that  are 
competitive  in  the  marketplace  and  are  aligned  with  our 
performance culture. Remuneration throughout the company 
comprises  fixed  and  variable  monetary  compensation,  non-
monetary  rewards  as  well  as  other  intangible  benefits.  The 
cornerstone  of  our  rewards  program  is  our  Global  Salary 
Management System which is used as a basis for establishing 
and evaluating the value of employees’ positions and salaries 
in a market-driven and performance-oriented way.

The various variable compensation and benefits components 
we offer our employees include:
—  Bonus program – Short Term Incentive (STI) program
—  Profit participation program – ‘Champions Bonus’ (Germany)
—  Long-Term Incentive (LTI) Plan for senior management
—  401-K Retirement Plan (USA) and adidas Pension Plan 

(Germany)

—  adidas Stock Purchase Plan

importantly, 

We  are  continuously  improving  our  remuneration  approach 
and  are  therefore  investing  in  a  number  of  projects  and 
initiatives  to  increase  the  significance  of  our  remuneration 
programs, as well as to ensure we are investing in the right 
people at the right level. One of the improvements we made 
was an overhaul of our benefits offer in Germany and the US 
throughout the last three years, which is designed to minimize 
salary  differences  and,  more 
inequity  of 
employees on the same positions and grades. It is based on a 
higher level of detail for external market data and addresses 
internal pay gaps – also helping to ensure that we pay fairly at 
the same level for female and male employees. Furthermore, 
we developed a monitoring approach to identify potential pay 
gaps and work continuously to improve and close these gaps 
on a country-by-country basis. To further enhance our efforts 
and transparency on this topic we support initiatives such as 
‘Lean  In’  and  will  also  in  2020  put  a  strong  emphasis  on 
continuously closing potential gaps. The latest internal report 
regarding  the  Equal  Pay  Gap  shows  an  overall  balanced 
picture on pay between female and male employees, based on a 
weighted average calculation between the salary grade levels.

In addition, we further improved transparency and governance 
for  senior  management  remuneration,  and  created  higher 
transparency  about  remuneration  as  well  as  internal  and 
external positioning of compensation and benefits packages. 
The  aim  was  to  ensure  objective  decision-making  for 
management remuneration, and to continue standardizing our 
pay  structures.  We  rolled  out  a  global  Long-Term  Incentive 
Plan 
for  senior  management.  This  program  provides 
Restricted  Stock  Units  (RSUs),  linked  to  our  earnings  per 
share  (EPS)  targets  and  to  our  share  price  performance.  It 
closely links the goals of our senior management with those 
of  our  shareholders  –  sustainable  success  and  long-term 
growth – and fosters a company ownership mentality. In 2019, 
we were able to complete the roll-out of the LTI Plan to the 
director level globally. 

 SEE NOTE 28, P. 176

Our subsidiaries also grant a variety of benefits to employees, 
depending upon locally defined practices and country-specific 
regulations and norms.

Stock Purchase Plan
Participation  in  the  Stock  Purchase  Plan  is  provided  to 
employees in Germany, the US, the Netherlands and Greater 
China  (China  mainland,  Taiwan  and  Hong  Kong),  offering 
almost  half  of  our  employees  globally  (excluding  retail)  the 
possibility to participate. On average, around 5,000 employees 
participated in the program in 2019 (2018: 4,800). 

MEASURING THE SUCCESS OF OUR 
PEOPLE STRATEGY
 Our HR function measures the success and the effectiveness 
of  the  company’s  efforts  with  regard  to  its  people  initiatives 
through  a  set  of  chosen  KPIs.  We  use  two  people  KPIs: 
employee  experience  as  an  internal  measure  and  employer 
rankings as an external measure.

Employee engagement
We have set ourselves the goal of becoming the best sports 
company in the world by becoming a truly consumer-centric 
organization and putting our people at the heart of everything 
we do. When it comes to measuring whether we are living up 
to  these  ambitions,  our  consumers  and  people  are  the  best 
data sources. We are convinced that our employees’ feedback 
will play a crucial role in our pursuit of creating a desirable 
employee experience and continuing to attract and retain top 
talent.  We  can  only  tell  if  we  are  successful  by  asking  our 
people and hence empower them to share their feedback on a 
regular basis. In support of this thinking, we launched ‘People 
Pulse’ – our approach and system platform for measuring the 
level  of  employee  satisfaction  with  the  experience  adidas 
provides  as  an  employer  –  for  all  office  employees  with  an 
email account. 

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201921    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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We  not  only  leverage  People  Pulse  for  general  feedback  on 
the employee experience at adidas, but also as a tool to gather 
employee  insights  regarding  important  elements  of  our 
strategy, such as consumer obsession. 

HR FOUNDATIONS FOR OUR PEOPLE STRATEGY
  In  2019,  we  continued  to  roll  out  a  new  HR  cloud-based 
system platform that aims to further enhance the HR system 
landscape  by  driving  standardization,  digitization  and 
automation of currently potentially time-consuming processes 
across all HR areas. We are convinced that this will allow the 
HR  function  to  pro-actively  manage  the  workforce,  improve 
the employee experience, and enable the entire organization 
to make more data-driven decisions. 

After  successful  consolidation  of  our  HR  Shared  Services  in 
2019  into  a  cross-functional  global  business  service,  Global 
Business Services (GBS), operation centers are currently set 
up in Porto, Dalian and Portland. All employee queries related 
to topics of an administrative nature, such as compensation, 
benefits,  time  management  and  HR  systems,  are  centrally 
channeled  and  managed  through  GBS.  As  a  result,  our  HR 
Partners  are  enabled  to  fully  focus  on  their  core  business, 
supporting  line  managers  and  employees  on  strategic  topics 
such as career counseling, people management and coaching. 

People  Pulse  allows  for  the  measurement  of  employee  Net 
Promoter  Score  (eNPS). 
 SEE  INTERNAL  MANAGEMENT  SYSTEM,  P.  92 
The calculation logic of the eNPS score is identical with brand 
NPS:  Based  on  the  main  question  ‘On  a  scale  of  0–10,  how 
likely are you to recommend adidas as a place to work?’, the 
total share of detractors (responses below 7) is deducted from 
the  total  share  of  promoters  (responses  scoring  9  and  10), 
producing the eNPS score. This approach as well as a focus 
on collecting open-comment feedback from employees on a 
regular basis allowed the reduction of the questionnaire to a 
short  pulse  check  of  seven  questions  maximum,  with  the 
eNPS question at the center.

The People Pulse cadence is made up of two components:
 — The eNPS question, which is asked in every survey to allow 

for tracking of the results over time.

 — Changing focus topics which are directly derived from the 
company’s  strategic  agenda  as  well  as  the  Leadership 
Framework and the 3Cs.

In  2019,  we  saw  the  quarterly  People  Pulse  continue  to  be 
leveraged as an important feedback channel from corporate 
employees  to  the  company.  In  March,  we  reached  similar 
levels to the all-time high response rate of the previous year, 
with  67%  of  employees  responding.  On  average,  our  eNPS 
remained  stable  in  2019  compared  to  the  previous  year. 
Reports  with  detailed  results  and  scores  were  provided  to 
the  Executive  Board  and  leaders  down  to  Board  –4  level. 
Employees have access to the overall company results via our 
global intranet. Result recipients continued to review, cascade 
and openly discuss the results and drive action on identified 
areas of improvement. 

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20192 
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 SEE  TABLE  35, 

Number of employees

GLOBAL EMPLOYEE POPULATION
 On December 31, 2019, the company had 59,533 employees 
(2018:  57,016). 
 SEE  TEN-YEAR  OVERVIEW,  P.  222 
Thereof,  7,703  were  employed  at  adidas  AG.  On  a  full-time 
our 
equivalent 
company 
53,218 
employees  (thereof  7,033 
adidas AG) on December 31, 
2019  (2018:  49,563  ). 
 SEE  TABLE  36  Personnel  expenses 
increased  to  € 2.720 billion  in  2019  (2018:  € 2.481 billion), 
representing 12% of sales (2018: 11%). 

59,533

 SEE NOTE 33, P. 196 

basis, 

had 

Employee statistics 1

 35

Employee split 1

Total number of employees 2

Total employees

Male

Female

Management positions 

Male

Female

Average age of employees (in years)

Average length of service (in years)

1 At year-end.
2 Number of employees on a headcount basis.

2019

59,533

2018

57,016

48%

52%

66%

34%

31

4

24% Group functions

6% Emerging Markets

7% Latin America 

14% Russia/CIS

51%

49%

67%

33%

31

4

1 At year-end.

37

11% Europe

15% North America

23% Asia-Pacific

Number of employees by function 1

 36

Employees by function 1

38

Employees 2

Full-time equivalents

2019

32,948

3,680

8,170

5,945

5,624

621

1,007

1,538

59,533

2018

2019

32,297

27,654

3,857

6,175

5,764

5,574

888

1,041

1,420

3,586

7,874

5,737

5,323

608

940

1,496

57,016

53,218

2018

25,880

3,742

5,976

5,565

5,251

803

971

1,377

49,563

Own retail

Sales

Logistics

Marketing

Central 
administration

Production

Research and 
development

IT

Total

1 At year-end.
2 Number of employees on a headcount basis.

3% IT

1% Production

6% Sales

10% Marketing 

9% Central 
administration

1 At year-end.

2% Research and development

55% Own retail

14% Logistics

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20192 
 
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in decisions that shape our day-to-day-operations. In addition, 
we regularly conduct formal materiality exercises to confirm 
the  selection  of  our  material  topics.  We  use  insights  gained 
from past assessments, categorize potential new topics and 
seek  to  validate  these  through  in-depth  discussions  with 
experts  across  the  entire  business.  Ultimately,  we  want  to 
better understand the importance a topic has for our business 
performance  and  stakeholders  but  also  gain  more  visibility 
about the impact we have on these topics.  As a result of this 
ongoing  exercise,  employee  diversity  has  emerged  as  an 
addition to this list of topics. 
 SEE NON-FINANCIAL STATEMENT, P. 90 
We also make use of external frameworks to help support the 
selection of material topics. One of these frameworks is the 
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which represent a 
global  call  for  action  to  promote  prosperity  for  all  while 
protecting  the  planet.  Although  our  current  roadmap  and 
underlying targets were implemented prior to the adoption of 
the SDGs, we see a clear correlation between the SDGs and our 
own  commitment  to  sustainable  development.  Consequently, 
we  have  been  able  to  link  prioritized  SDGs  with  both  the 
environmental priorities related to the selection of materials, 
manufacturing,  use  and  disposal  of  our  products,  and  the 
needs and concerns of people in the adidas value chain. 

CORRELATION BETWEEN UN SDGS AND OUR 
SUSTAINABILITY ROADMAP

SUSTAINABILITY

Being  a  sustainable  business  is  about  striking  the  balance 
between  shareholder  expectations  and  the  needs  and 
concerns of our employees and consumers, the workers in 
our  supply  chain  and  the  environment.  We  believe  that 
acting  as  a  responsible  company  will  contribute  to  lasting 
economic success. 

OUR APPROACH 

 Our  commitment  to  sustainable  practices  rests  on  the 
company’s  mission:  To  be  the  best  sports  company  in  the 
world.  Best  means  that  we  design,  build  and  sell  the  best 
sports  products  in  the  world,  with  the  best  service  and 
experience and in a sustainable way. We have a clear roadmap 
for 2020 and beyond, which is a direct outcome of our strategic 
business  plan  ‘Creating  the  New’.  We  believe  that,  through 
sport, we have the power to change lives. But sport needs a 
space to exist. These spaces are increasingly endangered due 
to  man-made  issues,  including  human  rights  violations, 
pollution, growing energy consumption and waste. Our holistic 
approach  to  sustainability  responds  to  the  challenges  that 
endanger the spaces of sport and simultaneously our planet 
and  people.  Building  on  existing  programs,  it  tackles  these 
subjects  that  are  most  material  to  our  business  and  our 
stakeholders, and translates our overall sustainability efforts 
into  tangible  goals  for  2020  and  beyond  that  have  a  direct 
impact on the world of sport we operate in. 
  ↗ ADIDAS-GROUP.

COM/SUSTAINABILITY

MATERIAL TOPICS
 We seek to ensure that we address the topics that are most 
salient  to  our  business,  our  stakeholders  as  well  as  the 
challenges ahead. To identify these topics, we openly engage 
with our stakeholders and consider their views and opinions 

STAKEHOLDER DIALOGUE AND TRANSPARENCY 
 Engaging openly with stakeholders  and establishing ways to 
increase transparency and disclosure has long been central 
to  our  approach.  Our  stakeholders  are  those  people  or 
organizations  who  affect  or  are  affected  by  our  operations, 
including  our  employees,  consumers,  suppliers  and  their 
workers,  customers,  investors,  media,  governments  and 
NGOs.  The  adidas  Stakeholder  Relations  Guideline  specifies 
key  principles  for  the  development  of  stakeholder  relations 
and  details  the  different  forms  of  stakeholder  engagement. 
Through active participation in, for example, the Better Cotton 
Initiative  (BCI),  the  Zero  Discharge  of  Hazardous  Chemicals 
(ZDHC)  working  group,  the  Sustainable  Apparel  Coalition 
(SAC), the Leather Working Group (LWG) and the Apparel and 
Footwear  International  RSL  Management  (AFIRM)  Working 
Group, we work closely with leading companies from a variety 
of sectors to develop sustainable business approaches and to 
debate social and environmental topics on a global level. This 
is also supported by our active membership in organizations 
such as the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry 
(WFSGI),  the  Fair  Factories  Clearinghouse  (FFC),  the  Fair 
Labor Association (FLA), the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and 
Building Safety and the German government-led Partnership 
on  Sustainable  Textiles  (‘Textilbündnis’)  as  well  as  our 
assistance for the newly established RMG Sustainable Council 
(RSC). 
In  addition,  we  build  awareness,  capacity  and 
knowledge  of  laws  and  rights  among  factory  management 
and workers by partnering with leading providers such as the 
International  Labour  Organization’s  (ILO)  Better  Factories 
program  in  Cambodia.  As  an  active  participant  in  the  Bali 
Process  Government  and  Business  Forum  we  have  formally 
endorsed our commitment to the ‘Acknowledge, Act, Advance’ 
recommendations, that outline actions to advance long-term 
efforts to improve supply chain transparency, the treatment of 
recruitment.  ↗ ADIDAS-GROUP.COM/S/
workers, 

ethical 

and 

PARTNERSHIPS

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20192 
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

SUSTAINABILITY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

In this spirit of collaboration, we also established a Hackathon 
series  together  with  our  partner  Zalando  back  in  2018. 
Motivated by the ambition to better understand stakeholders’ 
expectations  about  supply  chain  transparency  and  find 
solutions  using  digital  technologies,  we  support  start-ups 
with  our  expertise  so  they  can  develop  ideas  and  test  their 
potential  for  scalability.  In  2019  alone,  we  held  three  events 
supporting more than 30 ventures.

We believe transparent communication to our stakeholders is 
critical.  For  that  reason,  we  regularly  disclose  important 
sustainability updates about our work throughout the year on 
our  corporate  channels  including  our  corporate  website.  A 
key element is the publication of our global supplier factory 
lists. The lists are updated twice a year and complemented by 
lists  of  the  factories  that  manufacture  products  for  major 
sports events such as the FIFA World Cup or Olympic Games. 
In  addition,  we  disclose  the  names  of  factories  of  suppliers 
for  our  primary  suppliers  or 
who  process  materials 
subcontractors,  where  the  majority  of  wet  processes 
GLOSSARY  are  carried  out. 

  ↗ ADIDAS-GROUP.COM/S/SUPPLY-CHAIN-

 SEE 

STRUCTURE

GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE
 A  robust  governance  structure  ensures  timely  and  direct 
execution  of  programs  that  drive  achievement  of  our 
voluntarily  set  goals  for  2020  and  beyond.  The  Head  of 
Sustainability is responsible for the development, coordination 
and execution of our sustainability strategy and reports to the 
member  of  the  Executive  Board  responsible  for  Global 
Operations. He will also lead the sustainability Sponsor Board 
that  is  composed  of  senior  representatives  from  Global 
Operations  (GOPS),  Social  and  Environmental  Affairs  (SEA), 
Global  Brands,  and  other  relevant  functions  across  the 
company.  The  Sponsor  Board  ensures  cross-functional 
alignment, transparent end-to-end management and execution 

of  agreed  sustainability  goals  within  their  functions.  This 
includes the review and sign-off of policies as required. 

OUR PROGRESS

EXTERNAL RECOGNITION
 adidas  continuously  receives  positive  recognition  from 
international institutions, rating agencies, NGOs and socially 
its  sustainability 
responsible 
initiatives. In 2019, the company was again represented in a 
variety  of  high-profile  sustainability  indices  and  subject  to 
comprehensive  corporate  sustainability  assessments. 

investment  analysts 

for 

 SEE 

OUR SHARE, P. 46 

For the 20th consecutive time, adidas was selected to join the 
Dow  Jones  Sustainability  Indices  (DJSI)  in  2019,  and  was 
assessed  to  be  among  the  global  top  10%  best-performing 
companies  in  its  industry  in  economic,  environmental  and 
social  criteria.  In  the  annual  assessment  of  the  Carbon 
Disclosure Project, adidas was again awarded with a B score 
for its Climate Change approach (2018: B), and improved to a 
B  score for its approach to water management (2018: B-). The 
company  managed  to  improve  its  rating  considerably  in  the 
annual  Green  Supply  Chain  Corporate 
Information 
Transparency  Index  (CITI),  advancing  from  tenth  to  second 
place in 2019 in the textile industry. adidas further maintained 
its  leadership  position  in  the  Corporate  Human  Rights 
Benchmark (CHRB) evaluation in 2019, coming in first overall 
across all industries assessed, and was placed in the Leader 
category in the first Children’s Rights Benchmark conducted 
by  the  Global  Child  Forum  in  collaboration  with  the  Boston 
Consulting Group. 

  ↗ ADIDAS-GROUP.COM/S/RECOGNITION

Following its ambition to be transparent toward stakeholders, 
for years, adidas has regularly reported about its sustainability 
performance by measuring and disclosing the progress made 
toward its targets. The following presents the list of material 
topics within our programs and details the progress made and 
challenges faced in 2019. 

PRODUCT SAFETY AND TRANSPARENCY
 Product  safety  is  an  imperative.  As  a  company  we  have  to 
manage the risk of selling defective products that may result 
in injury to consumers or impair our image. To mitigate this 
risk, we have company-wide product safety policies in place 
that  ensure  we  consistently  apply  physical  and  chemical 
product safety and conformity standards.  ↗ ADIDAS-GROUP.COM/S/

PRODUCT-SAFETY

One of these policies is the Restricted Substances Policy (‘A-
01’  Policy)  that  we  pioneered  in  1998.  It  covers  the  strictest 
applicable  local  requirements  and  includes  best-practice 
standards as recommended by consumer organizations. The 
policy  is  updated  and  published  internally  and  externally  at 
least once a year based on findings in our ongoing dialogue 
with  scientific  organizations,  and  it  is  mandatory  for  all 
business  partners.  To  ensure  successful  application  of  the 
policy  across  the  business,  we  have  established  a  Product 
Safety and Compliance workspace that serves as a platform 
for  all  employees  involved  in  product  creation  by  providing 
them with the necessary information and guidance to develop, 
produce  and  distribute  products  according  to  international 
regulations and best-practice standards. Both our own quality 
laboratories  and  external  institutes  are  used  to  constantly 
monitor  material  samples 
for  compliance  with  our 
requirements. Materials that do not meet our standards and 
specifications are rejected. As a result of our ongoing efforts, 
we did not record any product recalls in 2019. 

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20192 
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2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

SUSTAINABILITY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

Over the last years, we have substantially contributed to the 
AFIRM Restricted Substances List that harmonizes Restricted 
Substances  Lists  across  the  industry.  In  2019,  the  list  was 
further developed to include a corresponding test matrix that 
will help to establish the list as the globally accepted standard 
in our industry. We also continued our participation in several 
major public stakeholder consultation processes initiated by 
the European Commission (e.g. European Chemicals Agency) 
and  US  state  legislative  initiatives  to  inform  governmental 
entities  on 
implications  and  opportunities  of  drafted 
legislation.    

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
 Managing the environmental impacts at our own sites and 
along  the  value  chain  is  a  key  focus  of  our  work.  We  have 
developed an approach to address water efficiency and quality 
and  are  committed  to  steadily  increasing  the  use  of  more 
sustainable materials in our production, products and stores 
while  driving  toward  circular  business  solutions.  We  are 
committed to reducing our absolute energy consumption and 
CO2 emissions, transitioning to clean energy and looking into 
energy-harvesting opportunities. 

Based on results from a pilot assessment of our environmental 
impacts  along  our  value  chain,  we  recently  focused  our 
attention  on  creating  an  internal  tool  to  calculate  our 
organizational  footprint  along  the  entire  value  chain  and 
simulate reduction options on a more regular basis, using as 
much primary data as possible and breaking down results. We 
aim to use the results of this impact valuation tool for steering 
business decisions, tracking performance over the years and 
further driving integration of sustainability into the business.

Measuring  and  optimally  managing  our  environmental 
footprint in our own operations and across our supply chain is 
only one way to respond to climate change. In addition, we are 
proactively  addressing  the  impacts  of  climate  change  by 

Mitigating climate change: Impactful targets for 2020 and beyond

39

2020

2030

2050

Own operations

Strategic supplier facilities

Value chain (from raw material production to own 
operations)

3% absolute annual CO2 reduction
20% reduction in energy use    
30% reduction of CO2 emissions 
Climate neutral 

(baseline 2015)

(baseline 2014)

(baseline 2017)

Reduction of CO2  
emissions by 2030

30%

supporting global initiatives that aim to drive change for our 
industry.  adidas  reiterated  its  commitment  to  mitigating 
climate change by signing the Fashion Pact 
presented at the G7 Summit in 2019. In the 
prior  year,  the  company  signed  the  UN 
Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action 
and committed to reducing emissions in its 
supply chain by 30% by 2030 (baseline 2017), thus paving the 
way for climate neutrality by 2050. 
 SEE TABLE 39 Back in 2015, 
adidas  joined  the  UN  Climate  Neutral  Now  initiative  and 
committed  to  the  continued  estimation  and  reduction  of  its 
emissions.

Own operations
Back  in  2008,  adidas  introduced  a  program  called  ‘Green 
Company’  to  drive  continuous  improvement  and  savings  in 
water, waste and energy at its own sites globally. The program 
covers  administrative  offices,  production 
facilities  and 
distribution  centers,  equaling  more  than  90%  of  our  global 

Own operations: Progress toward 2020 targets 

employee  base  (excluding  own  retail)  in  2019.  In  2015,  we 
presented targets to be achieved by 2020, including targets for 
carbon emissions reduction that were calculated considering 
a science-based methodology and context-based targets for 
water reduction. 

for  key 

locations 

is  the 
One  essential  driver  to  achieve  these  targets 
implementation  of  environmental  standards  at  our  highest-
consuming  locations.  adidas  has  successfully  applied  an 
Integrated Management System (IMS) which helps us to gain 
for  their  environmental 
certification 
management  (ISO  14001),  energy  management  (ISO  50001), 
as  well  as  health  and  safety  management  (ISO  45001). 
Building  on  a  group-wide  IMS  policy,  adidas  aims  to  further 
expand  these  certifications  to  key  sites  every  year,  through 
both external and internal audits. By the end of 2019, 37 sites 
globally  held  ISO  14001  certification,  and  30  locations  were 
recognized  with  ISO  45001  certification.  After  implementing 
IMS across key corporate locations in Europe, North America, 

2020 Targets

Emissions

Water

3% absolute annual reduction in CO2 Scope 1  
and Scope 2 net emissions 1 (baseline 2015) 

35% reduction in water consumption per employee 
(baseline 2008)

2019

(52%)

(37%)

2018

(24%)

(31%)

2017

(29%)

(27%)

1  Scope 1: Emissions that arise directly from sources that are owned or controlled by adidas entities, such as fuels used in our boilers; Scope 2: Emissions generated by purchased electricity consumed by adidas entities. 

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40

2016

(11%)

(23%)

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20192 
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FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

Asia-Pacific and Latin America, we will focus on Russia/CIS 
and the Emerging Markets in 2020. 

In 2019, we achieved an accumulated reduction of more than 
half  of  all  emissions  (52%)  compared  to  2015  in  combined 
carbon  net  emissions. 
 SEE  TABLE  40  Alongside  energy 
efficiency  initiatives,  carbon  offsetting  for  key  locations  and 
the  implementation  of  a  company-wide  energy  monitoring 
system,  we  equipped  facilities  with  photovoltaic  panels, 
including our biggest distribution center in Rieste and the new 
corporate  office  building  at  our  German  headquarters.  This 
resulted  in  the  production  of  green  electricity  that  accounts 
for  around  5%  of  the  electricity  usage  of  the  distribution 
center,  and  for  around  13%  of  the  electricity  usage  of  our 
German  headquarters.  Overall,  we  will  continue  to  drive 
renewable energy projects at key sites over the next years. It 
is  our  ambition  to  continuously  add  more  of  our  own  retail 
stores to the scope of Green Company. We closely collaborated 
with  our  facilities  to  continue  to  drive  water  efficiency 
initiatives and raise employee awareness for the importance 
of  their  contribution.  As  a  result,  we  achieved  accumulated 
water savings of 37% per employee between 2008 and 2019.  

 SEE TABLE 40  

The  progress  toward  all  Green  Company  targets  is  tracked 
through  an  environmental  data  reporting  system  and  is 
disclosed in detail in our annual Green Company Report that 
will  be  available  on  our  corporate  website  as  of  April  2020. 

↗ ADIDAS-GROUP.COM/S/ENVIRONMENTAL-APPROACH

Supply chain
As  almost  all  of  our  production  is  outsourced,  a  significant 
part  of  our  environmental 
impact  occurs,  at  different 
intensities, throughout the supply chain. Therefore, for adidas, 
sourcing is not only about ensuring high product quality and 
timely  delivery,  it  also  means  working  with  our  suppliers  to 
their 
ensure 

to  continuously  reduce 

they  are  able 

environmental  footprint.  We  do  so  by  providing  them  with 
policies  and  best-practice  guidance 
for  environmental 
management,  by  offering  training  sessions  tailored  to  their 
needs,  and  by  measuring  their  progress  toward  clear 
reduction targets for energy, water and waste that we expect 
them to achieve by 2020. 

In 2019, adidas strengthened its environmental supply chain 
program  through  ongoing  efforts  to  advance  suppliers’ 
capacity for managing resource efficiency. After the release of 
the  Environmental  Good  Practice  Guideline  and  Toolkit  in 
2018, we updated and issued our Environmental Guidelines in 
2019  for  all  strategic  suppliers,  along  with  an  efficiency 
calculator so they can better understand their environmental 
impacts.  We  continued  to  support  the  Energy  and  Water 
Investment  Plan  and,  by  the  end  of  2019,  we  had  mobilized 
more than 40 strategic suppliers located in five of our main 
sourcing locations (Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Vietnam and 
Taiwan)  who  successfully  identified  more  than  400  saving 
opportunities that will be implemented with projected annual 
savings  estimated  at  350  million  MJ  of  energy  and  four 
million m3 of water. 

We  also  support  our  suppliers  to  gradually  increase  the 
generation and use of renewable energy in our supply chain 

and  help  connect  our  suppliers  with  experienced  solar 
companies so they can jointly work toward the development 
and implementation of projects. As of 2019, more than 20% of 
our  strategic  suppliers  are  already  also  adopting  renewable 
energy, including rooftop solar photovoltaic and biomass. As 
an  example,  two  of  our  major  suppliers  in  Vietnam  initiated 
rooftop  solar  projects  with  the  potential  for  huge  estimated 
savings of almost one million kg CO2e annually. 

We  co-hosted  a  supplier  training  event  with  Deutsche 
Gesellschaft  für  Internationale  Zusammenarbeit  (GIZ)  and 
VITAS (Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association) for more than 
180 participants, among them suppliers, in Vietnam.  The aim 
was  to  upskill  suppliers  on  the  commitment  to  reduce  our 
carbon footprint by 30% by 2030 in accordance with the United 
Nations  Framework  Convention  on  Climate  Change  (UN 
FCCC),  how  it  relates  to  supplier  production  facilities,  clean 
energy  opportunities  in  Vietnam,  incentives  and  financing 
options.  As  a  result  of  our  collective  efforts,  suppliers  have 
already met most of the efficiency targets across all categories 
(footwear, apparel, and accessories and gear) ahead of time. 
 SEE  TABLE  41  A  tool  called  ‘E-KPI’  helps  us  to  measure 
suppliers’ environmental compliance overall and assess their 
performance  and  progress  toward  the  2020  targets.  We  will 

Supply chain: Progress toward 2020 targets

2020 Targets 1

Water 

Energy 

Waste

20% reduction in water consumption at strategic Tier 1 supplier facilities

35% reduction in water consumption at strategic Tier 2 apparel material 
supplier facilities

20% reduction in energy consumption at strategic Tier 1 supplier 
 facilities and strategic Tier 2 apparel material supplier facilities

20% reduction in waste volume at strategic Tier 1 supplier facilities and 
strategic Tier 2 apparel material supplier facilities

2019

(29%)

2018

(24%)

2017

(15%)

(34%)

(27%)

(24%)

(22%)

(15%)

(7%)

(30%)

(22%)

(10%)

1 Table shows aggregated reduction results for all categories (apparel, footwear and accessories and gear). Baseline year 2014. Results show externally verified data for the previous year.

41

2016

(11%)

(7%)

(9%)

(4%)

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20192 
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FINANCIAL REVIEW

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continue  to  support  suppliers  to  identify  resource  efficiency 
measures and roll-out in our supply chain. 

An  additional  way  we  try  to  minimize  our  suppliers’ 
environmental  impacts  at  their  manufacturing  plants  is  by 
helping  them  establish  sound  environmental  management 
systems. The majority of our footwear sourcing volume, 98% 
(2018:  98%),  is  produced  in  factories  which  are  certified  in 
accordance  with  the  International  Environmental  Standards 
ISO  14001  and/or 
the  Workplace  Health  and  Safety 
Management Standards OHSAS 18001. 

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), which are typically found 
in solvents used in our manufacturing process, can – in high 
concentration – cause breathing difficulties and other health 
problems  for  production  workers.  By  applying  innovative  as 
well  as  environmentally  sound  bonding  and  priming 
technologies while following the adidas guidelines on the use 
of chemicals, our athletic footwear suppliers have been able 
to  significantly reduce the use of VOCs, from above 100 grams 
per pair in 1999 to around 11 grams in 2019. The share of VOC 
emissions has now remained stable at a very low level for the 
past three years. 

Chemical management 
The management of chemicals in multi-tiered supply chains 
is a complex challenge and requires many actors contributing 
to the achievement of effective and sustainable solutions. For 
years,  adidas  has  been  running  leadership  programs  in 
chemical  management  within  its  area  of  direct  influence.  In 
consultation  with  external  stakeholders  including  chemical 
experts, 
industry 
federations,  adidas  has  defined  an  end-to-end-approach 
spanning  the  management  of  chemical  input,  monitoring 
supplier  progress  and  reporting  supplier  data  publicly  to 
controlling  the  finished  end  product.  ↗ ADIDAS-GROUP.COM/S/

environmental 

organizations 

and 

CHEMICAL-FOOTPRINT

We  further  improved  our  chemical  input  management, 
recording  81%  of  auxiliaries  and  91%  of  dyestuffs  from  our 
strategic apparel suppliers as bluesign-approved in 2019. We 
also  continued  to  be  99%  free  of  poly-  and  perfluorinated 
substances  (PFCs)  in  our  products  for  the  fall/winter  2020 
season.  We  contributed  to  the  latest  update  of  the  ZDHC 
Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (MRSL) and made 
it part of the welcome kits with guidelines for our suppliers. 
As we believe that strengthening the monitoring approach in 
our supply chain will further contribute to the elimination of 
hazardous  chemicals  from  the  production  process,  we  also 
contributed  to  the  latest  update  of  the  ZDHC  Wastewater 
Guidelines,  an  international  wastewater  standard  for  our 
industry.  Using  these  guidelines,  our  strategic  suppliers 
accounting  for  more  than  80%  of  the  wet  processes  have 
tested  and  publicly  reported  their  wastewater  test  results 
twice  a  year  since  2018.  According  to  the  latest  results,  the 
majority  of  our  facilities  meet  the  local  legislation  or  the 
requirements of the wastewater treatment plant.

Transportation
We  regularly  track  the  environmental  impact  related  to  the 
transport  of  our  goods.  Compared  to  the  previous  year, 
performance  remained  relatively  stable.  The  vast  majority 
takes  place  via  sea  freight.  In  2019,  we  recorded  a  slight 
increase in air freight due to the mitigation of the supply chain 
shortages. 

 SEE DIAGRAM 42 

Freight types used to ship adidas and Reebok 
products 1 in % of products shipped

42

Apparel

Truck

Sea freight

Air freight

Footwear

Truck

Sea freight

Air freight

Hardware

Truck

Sea freight

Air freight

2019

2018

8

84

8

7

87

6

2019

2018

1

92

6

1

97

2

2019

2018

18

80

2

19

78

3

  2019 

  2018

1  Figures are expressed as a percentage of the total number of products transported. Data covers 

products sourced through Global Operations, excluding local sourcing.

SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS AND PROCESSES
 We  are  committed  to  steadily  increasing  the  use  of  more 
sustainable materials in our production, products and stores. 
We push toward sustainable innovation and continue to drive 
toward closed-loop recycling systems.

Synthetic  fibers  are  widely  used  in  our  industry  due  to  their 
unique performance properties such as elasticity, light weight, 
and high durability. We are aware that products made out of 
synthetic  fibers  can  cause  negative  environmental  impact 
during their use phase and acknowledge microfiber pollution 
as  a  complex  challenge  for  our  industry  –  one  we  are 
proactively  addressing.  We  have  established  a  cross-
functional  working  group  and  closely  collaborate  with  our 
suppliers and research institutes to raise awareness for the 
issue  and  drive  joint  solutions  toward  a  global  testing 

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20192 
 
 
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standard. adidas is co-founder of the Microfibre Consortium 
(TMC),  which  is  operational  as  of  2019,  and  among  others 
develops tools to minimize shedding and release of microfibers 
into  the  environment,  for  example  via  a  testing  method  that 
enables us to obtain results about the shedding potential of 
our materials.  ↗ ADIDAS-GROUP.COM/S/PRODUCT-MATERIALS

Sustainable cotton 
adidas has steadily increased the sourcing of cotton according 
to the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) throughout the last years 
and already managed to source 100% sustainable cotton 
GLOSSARY  by  the  end  of  2018.  Also  in  2019,  we  continued  to 
source all cotton globally as sustainable cotton. The BCI aims 
to  reduce  the  use  of  pesticides, 
promotes efficient water use, crop 
rotation and fair working conditions, 
and  strives  to  transform  cotton 
production  worldwide  by  developing  Better  Cotton  as  a 
sustainable mainstream commodity.

100%

Sustainable cotton sourced

 SEE 

Share of recycled 
polyester

Recycled polyester
Using more recycled polyester is yet another way we seek to 
improve our environmental footprint while still making high-
performance  products  for  the  athlete.  Polyester  is  the  most 
single-used material in adidas products and, by 2024, we aim 
to replace all virgin polyester with recycled 
polyester in all products where a solution 
exists. We set clear internal milestones for 
product  creation  teams  and  have  seen 
last 
great  progress 
seasons.  In  2019,  50%  of  all  polyester  used  for  our  apparel 
and footwear ranges was already recycled polyester. Moreover, 
almost two thirds of the polyester used for our apparel range 
for the spring/summer season 2020 was recycled polyester.

50%

throughout 

the 

Shoes containing 
Parley Ocean Plastic

 SEE GLOSSARY, and uses Parley Ocean Plastic 

>11m

Parley Ocean Plastic
Since 2015, adidas has partnered up with Parley for the Oceans 
 SEE GLOSSARY as 
an eco-innovative replacement for virgin plastic. We continued 
to  roll  out  Parley  Ocean  Plastic  across  key  categories  and 
were able to exceed our target for 2019, 
with  more  than  eleven  million  pairs  of 
shoes and almost three million pieces of 
apparel  made  containing  Parley  Ocean 
Plastic. To facilitate the growing demand 
for Parley Ocean Plastic and other sustainable materials, we 
have  built  a  dedicated  sourcing  operation  with  the  aim  to 
ensure a steady and transparent supply chain. We expanded 
our sourcing countries for ocean plastic and developed a code 
of conduct specific to the collection and processing of plastic 
that is now applied by our partners. In 2019, our focus was to 
further  expand  the  audit  scope  to  lower  tiers  of  the  plastic 
supply  chain.  In  addition,  we  used  our  expertise  to  upskill 
Parley  for  the  Oceans  to  optimize  their  own  policies  and 
procedures. 
 SEE  ADIDAS  BRAND  STRATEGY,  P  .  55, 
OPERATIONS,  P.  63, 

INNOVATION,  P.  67,  ↗ ADIDAS-GROUP.COM/S/

 SEE  GLOBAL 

 SEE 

SUSTAINABILITY-INNOVATION

Waste and packaging
We  are  committed  to  reducing  our  plastic  footprint  globally 
and  are  proud  of  the  success  we  have  seen  in  recent  years, 
such as the phase-out of plastic bags in our own retail stores 
globally  in  2016  and  the  elimination  of  single-use  plastics 
across the majority of adidas locations worldwide as of 2018. 
Where the use of plastics – for example in transport packaging – 
is  still  unavoidable,  adidas  is  relying  on  counterbalancing 
measures and promoting sustainable alternatives. For example, 
in 2018, the company supported the global innovation platform 
Fashion for Good with a donation of € 1.5 million which also  
enables  us  to  explore  innovative  recycling  processes  for 
polybags  as  well  as  the  development  of  infrastructure  for 
used polybags. In addition, the company aims to reduce virgin 

plastic, with the goal to transition to the use of 100% recycled 
LDPE polybags 

 SEE GLOSSARY by 2021.

Circular business solutions
adidas takes responsibility for the entire life cycle of a product 
and  follows  a  clear  game  plan  for  moving  toward  a  circular 
business model. Throughout 2019, we successfully showcased 
proof-of-concept  products  against  circular  and  regenerative 
loops by presenting our first fully recyclable and biodegradable 
products.  Futurecraft  Loop  is  our  first  100%  recyclable 
performance  shoe  made  entirely  from  one  material  (TPU), 
using no glue or solvent. Other prototype concepts include the 
adidas by Stella McCartney Infinite Hoodie and  the adidas by 
Stella McCartney Biofabric Tennis Dress. In addition, adidas is 
exploring infrastructure for product bring-back and recycling, 
with  partners  and  governmental  bodies. 
STRATEGY,  P.  55, 

 SEE  INNOVATION,  P.  67,  ↗ ADIDAS-GROUP.COM/S/PRODUCT-

 SEE  ADIDAS  BRAND 

END-OF-LIFE 

APPROACH TO HUMAN RIGHTS
 adidas recognizes its responsibility to respect human rights 
and the importance of managing the appropriate due diligence 
to fulfill this obligation as a business. We do this by striving to 
operate  responsibly  along  the  entire  value  chain,  by 
safeguarding  the  rights  of  our  own  employees  and  those  of 
the  workers  who  manufacture  our  products  through  our 
Workplace Standards, and by applying our influence to affect 
change  wherever  human  rights  issues  are  linked  to  our 
business activities. Since its inception in 1997, our human and 
labor rights program for our supply chain has been built on 
the  back  of  intense  stakeholder  outreach  and  engagement, 
seeking to understand and define the most salient issues to 
address as a company. 

Throughout  2019,  we  engaged  with  a  broad  spectrum  of 
human  and 
labor  rights  advocacy  groups,  working 
collaboratively  with  the  FLA  and  calling  on  the  Cambodian 

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government  to  address  ongoing  human  rights  topics,  which  
ultimately triggered a review of the EU’s trade preferences for 
the  country.  Together  with  other  stakeholders,  we  have 
maintained  a  seat  on  FIFA’s  Independent  Advisor  Board  on 
Human Rights, providing input and recommendations to FIFA 
on  the  hosting  of  the  2022  Qatar  World  Cup.  We  undertook 
investigations  to  address  allegations  of  forced  labor  in  the 
cotton supply chain in Xinjiang in Northwest China and have 
been working diligently, in partnership with other brands and 
the  Better  Cotton  Initiative  (BCI),  to  strengthen  BCI’s 
performance  standard  for  forced  labor.  Finally,  we  have 
continued to support UNICEF in its effort to develop a practical 
tool  for  integrating  child  rights  into  a  responsible  sourcing 
framework and published our own approach to incorporating 
children’s rights across our business operations.

↗ ADIDAS-GROUP.COM/S/HUMAN-RIGHTS

As  part  of  its  human  rights  efforts,  back  in  2016,  adidas 
that 
developed  a  modern  slavery  outreach  program 
particularly looks beyond strategic suppliers at a Tier 1 level 
to  gain  greater  transparency  in  its  supply  chain.  A  set  of 
policies,  including  a  Modern  Slavery  Policy,  a  Responsible 
Recruitment  Policy  and  a  Responsible  Sourcing  and 
Purchasing Policy, drive our practices in this area. In 2019, we 
continued to address modern slavery risks at those suppliers 
that  fall  outside  of  our  mainstream  auditing  activities  and 
added  Tier  2  suppliers  in  the  United  Kingdom,  a  country 
previously deemed low risk, to our audit coverage. We further 
supported  multi-stakeholder  initiatives  aimed  at  uncovering 
potential  threats  in  raw  material  sourcing,  e.g.  in  cotton 
sourcing in Turkey or rubber sourcing in Vietnam. adidas has 
become  a  signatory  to  the  American  Apparel  Footwear 
Association and FLA pledge on responsible recruitment and is 
testing  current  practices  in  high-risk  migrant  corridors, 
working  closely  with  suppliers  in  receiving  countries  and 

recruitment  agencies  in  sending  countries.  In  2019,  adidas 
communicated  its  zero  recruitment  fee  directive  to  all 
business  partners  globally.  Lastly,  our  due-diligence  efforts 
have expanded to include risk assessment training programs 
for our licensees. 

fair 

to  ensuring 

labor  practices, 

WORKING CONDITIONS IN OUR SUPPLY CHAIN 
 Core  to  the  human  rights  approach  of  adidas  is  its 
commitment 
fair 
compensation  and  safe  working  conditions 
in  factories 
throughout  its  global  supply  chain.  Our  active  efforts  are 
guided by the adidas Workplace Standards, our supply chain 
code of conduct. The standards form a contractual obligation 
under  the  manufacturing  agreements  adidas  signs  with  its 
main business partners to ensure workers’ health and safety 
and  environmentally  sound  factory  operations  by  following 
International  Labour  Organization  (ILO)  and  United  Nations 
(UN)  conventions  relating  to  human  rights  and  employment 
practices, as well as the model code of conduct of the World 
Federation  of  the  Sporting  Goods  Industry  (WFSGI).  Specific 
reference  to  the  code  provisions  of  the  ILO  conventions  is 
provided in the adidas Guidelines on Employment Standards. 
The Sourcing and Social & Environmental Affairs (SEA) senior 
management  reviews  and  approves  all  policies  and 
implementation processes of the labor rights program.

adidas regularly rates factories on their ability to provide fair, 
healthy  and  environmentally  sound  workplace  conditions  by 
means  of  conducting  announced  and  unannounced  audits 
through adidas personnel or an approved external auditor. We 
use  a  KPI  rating  system  for  social  compliance  (C-KPI)  and 
attach scores between 1 and 5, with one being the worst and 
five being the best. According to the results, our sourcing and 
SEA  teams  jointly  decide  the  course  of  action,  ranging  from 
the definition of training needs or other improvements at the 

factories  to  enforcement  mechanisms  such  as  sending 
warning letters or even termination of contracts. 

Any  cases  of  non-compliance  identified  during  audits  are 
given  a  certain  time  frame  for  remediation.  Potential  new 
factories are assessed in a similar way and orders can only be 
placed if approval by the SEA team has been granted. adidas 
operates  several  grievance  channels  allowing  workers  or 
third  parties  to  submit  complaints  about  violations  of  the 
Workplace  Standards  or  human  rights  generally.  All 
complaints are reviewed and investigated, and the outcome is 
reported  on  our  corporate  website.  Factory  conditions  are 
also 
through  our 
participation in the Fair Labor Association, which we joined as 
a founding member in 1999, demonstrating our commitment 
to  independent  and  unannounced  factory  inspections  and 
external verification of our programs.

independent  auditors 

inspected  by 

At  the  end  of  2019,  adidas  worked  with  631  independent 
factories1  (2018:  684)  that  manufacture  products  for  our 
company in 52 countries (2018: 51). The decrease is due to our 
overall  ambition  to  further  consolidate  our  supply  chain 
(mostly in Japan in 2019). Our intention is to work with fewer 
factories  and  provide  them  with  more  orders.  69%  of  our 
suppliers’ factories are located in the Asia-Pacific region. The 
number  of  licensees  we  worked  with  remained  relatively 
stable compared to 2018, with 62 licensees that manufactured 
products in 372 factories across 38 countries. 

Onboarding
In  2019,  we  conducted  initial  assessments  (IA),  the  first 
approval  stage  for  new  entry  into  our  supply  chain,  in  189 
factories  (2018:  221),  a  decrease  of  14%  compared  to  2018, 
mainly due to our decision to grow in existing factories rather 
than  onboarding  new  ones.  49  factories  (2018:  55  factories) 

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1   Independent supplier facilities refer to individual Tier 1 facilities (factories) of our manufacturing partners (suppliers) that adidas has a manufacturing agreement with, and their Tier 1 subcontractor facilities, excluding own factories and licensee facilities. Facilities that work with our licensees are reported separately. 

Some of these facilities may produce both for adidas directly and for licensees.

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were  either  rejected  directly  after  the  initial  assessment 
identified  zero-tolerance  issues,  or  were  ‘rejected  with  a 
second  visit’  due  to  identification  of  one  or  more  threshold 
issues, which means they were rejected but given the chance 
to  remediate  the  non-compliance  issues  within  a  specific 
timeframe. 
 SEE TABLE 43  The vast majority (84%) of all initial 
assessments were undertaken in Asia (2018: 90%), with China 
accounting for 38% of these assessments (2018: 41%). 

Worldwide rejections after initial 
assessment due to compliance problems

Total number of first-time 
rejections 1

First-time rejection rate

Total number of final rejections 2

Final rejection rate

2019

49

34%

6

4%

 43

2018

55

30%

5

3%

1  Factories that were directly rejected after first visit, i.e. with no chance of being visited a second time, 
and factories that were rejected after initial assessments but which were given a chance for a second visit.
2  Factories that were directly rejected after first visit, i.e. with no chance of  being visited a second time, 

and factories that were rejected after being visited a second time.

Overall,  at  the  end  of  2019,  the  ‘first-time  rejection  rate’  of 
34% of all new factories visited was slightly higher than in the 
previous  year  (2018:  30%),  as  was  the  ‘final  rejection  rate’, 
which increased to 4% in 2019. The latter was due to the rigor 
applied to the initial assessments. The remediation of factory 
issues is beneficial for workers as it raises the bar in terms of 
better  and  timelier  pay,  improved  benefits,  reduced  hours, 
and the legal protection of formal employment contracts, and 
it  results  in  significant  improvements  in  basic  health  and 
safety  within  the  workplace.  Suppliers  who  have  threshold 
issues  are  normally  given  three  months  to  remediate  those 
issues before being re-audited for final acceptance.

Factory visits and training sessions
During 2019, 426 factory visits (2018: 546) were undertaken. 
This represents a decrease of 22%, due in part to a reduction 
in the intake of new factories into the supply chain, which led 
to  a  decline  in  the  number  of  fundamental  or  introductory 
training sessions. There was also a reduction in the number of 
advisory visits to individual factories, with a preference given 
to group learning through adidas hosted workshops. In total, 
we  conducted  123  training  sessions  and  workshops  for 
suppliers,  licensees,  workers  and  adidas  employees  (2018: 
143),  reaching  a  total  of  1,697  people  (2018:  1,282). 

 SEE 

TABLE 44

Number of training sessions by region and type 1

 44

Region

Asia

Americas

EMEA

Total

In % 

Type and number of training sessions

Fundamental 2

Performance 3

Sustainability  4

Total

2019

2018

2019

2018

2019

2018

2019

2018

33

37

9

79

64

31

55

12

98

69

16

3

0

19

15

13

2

4

19

13

17

7

1

25

20

15

10

1

26

18

66

47

10

123

100

59

67

17

143

100

1 Training sessions conducted for factory management, workers, licensees, agents and adidas employees.
2 Fundamental training covers Workplace Standards and SEA introduction, FFC training as well as SEA policies and standard operating procedures. 
3 Performance training covers specific labor, health, safety and environmental issues.
4 Sustainability training covers management systems and KPI improvements as well as factories’ internal monitoring programs. 

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local 

Worker empowerment
In  parallel  to  our  existing  grievance  systems  such  as 
language-based  worker  hotlines,  we 
anonymous 
implemented  additional  digital  tools  that  enable  workers  to 
ask  questions  and  raise  concerns  directly  with  their 
employers.  Following  the  successful  piloting  of  an  ‘SMS 
Worker Hotline’ back in 2012, we have progressively improved 
the operational grievance mechanisms at our factories into an 
application-based ‘Workers Voice’ platform that was available 
and  used  at  98%  of  our  strategic  factories  across  eleven 
countries by the end of 2019. 
 SEE TABLE 45  The top three types 
of  complaints  in  2019  were  related  to  the  categories  of 
benefits,  general  facilities  and  communication.  Responses 
received through this platform are carefully tracked and help 
us understand the main challenges and worker rights issues 
in  the  factories,  ultimately  allowing  us  to  monitor  how  the 
factory management teams find solutions and communicate 
back to their workers.   

Grievance application

45

2020 Target 

2019

2018

2017

Implementation of ‘Workers’ 
Voice’ grievance platform at 
strategic suppliers: 100% 

98% 

97% 

63% 

Complementing the various grievance channels, we measure 
the  level  of  worker  satisfaction  through  annual  in-factory 
surveys. The survey results are shared with auditors and the 
factory management and offer insights into worker concerns, 
as  well  as  potential  areas  for  workplace  improvement. 
Throughout  2019,  we  expanded  this  exercise,  completing 
follow-up surveys but also adding newly onboarded factories 

to  the  scope.  Upon  completing  the  survey,  factories  are 
required  to  develop  improvement  plans  for  the  top  three 
issues  and  then  track  progress  regularly.  Since  the  start  of 
these surveys in 2016, we have engaged and secured feedback 
from around 35,000 workers. In 2019, more than 8,500 workers 
in more than 50 factories across twelve countries participated 
in these surveys.

Alongside factory-led training, adidas has also offered tailored 
training for supervisors since 2016. Up until the end of 2019, 
more  than  2,200  supervisors    completed  such  training.  In 
2019 alone, more than 1,300 supervisors in almost 70 factories 
across  six  countries  participated.  Throughout  2019,  we 
expanded the activities to also strengthen the ability of female 
supervisors  to  pass  on  their  knowledge  to  their  peers  in 
dedicated sessions. We initiated a Women Supervisor Forum, 
a platform for female supervisors to upgrade their knowledge, 
learn best practices, get exposure to inspiring guest speakers 
and also gain support, information and guidance on a range of 
topics  to  improve  their  ability  as  a  female  supervisor.  This 
forum has been established in Indonesia and Vietnam and will 
be rolled out to the remainder of countries in scope  from 2020 
onward.  As  part  of  our  wider  efforts  to  empower  female 
workers 
initiated  a  Women’s 
Empowerment Program in Pakistan to train women on how to 
secure better career opportunities in the workplace. Since its 
start in 2015, the program has benefited more than 420 on-job 
women and women workers who were laid off from jobs in the 
football  manufacturing  sector.  Results  were  very  positive, 
showing  that  the  program  helped  redundant  women  to 
succeed in getting new jobs, and it supported women on the 
job 
their 
professional performance.  

to  secure  on-job  promotions  by 

in  our  supply  chain,  we 

improving 

Monitoring
We  audit  our  suppliers  regularly  against  our  Workplace 
Standards. In 2019, a total of 1,191 social compliance audits 
and  environmental  assessments 
(2018:  1,207)  were 
conducted. This included 234 test assessments according to 
the  ZDHC  Wastewater  Guidelines  (2018:  233)  as  part  of  our 
environmental  assessments. 
 SEE  TABLE  46  As  in  2018,  102 
self-governance  audits  and  collaboration  audits  were 
conducted  in  2019.  When  a  factory  reaches  a  compliance 
maturity level of 4C and above, we empower the supplier to 
conduct  their  own  self-governance  audits  and  develop 
appropriate remediation plans, which we periodically review. 
Collaboration audits are conducted in partnership with other 
brands, or as part of joint remediation exercises. The number 
of  audits  in  factories  manufacturing  goods  for  licensees 
decreased slightly from 323 in 2018 to 317 in 2019, in line with 
the overall reduction in the number of licensee factories.  

The number of audits using in-house technical staff decreased 
to  299  (2018:  354),  while  audits  conducted  by  third-party 
monitors  commissioned  by  suppliers  and  adidas  business 
entities increased to 658 at the end of 2019 (2018: 620). The 
decline  in  internal  audits  shows  the  increased  focus  on 
additional  advisory  consultancy  and  empowerment  projects 
that go beyond our regular audit routine.
 — Audit coverage: A total of 49% (2018: 47%) of all direct 
and licensee facilities were audited in 2019. ‘High-risk’  
locations2 in Asia, which is the major sourcing region of 
adidas, again received extensive monitoring in 2019 with 
an audit coverage that was close to 75% (2018: 65%). As a 
general principle, factories located in high-risk countries 
are 100% covered in our auditing scope, which means they 
receive audits annually or every two years while low-risk 
countries (i.e. with strong government enforcement and 

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2    High-risk locations in Asia include China, Hong Kong, Macao, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

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inspectorate systems) are considered out of scope for our 
audit coverage.

 — Audit  results:  In  2019,  68%  of  our  strategic  factories  
achieved a rating of 4C or better, compared to 37% in all 
direct factories, indicating that strategic factories have 
achieved much more advanced compliance levels. While 
this is yet again significant progress compared to 2018, it 
still falls short of our 2020 target to reach 4C or above in 
80% of our strategic suppliers. For the first time, 12% of 
our strategic factories achieved a 5C rating, indicating that 
they have mature social compliance systems and practices 
in place.   SEE DIAGRAM 47  Of our strategic licensee factories, 
86% successfully embedded governance systems, supply 
chain  management,  purchasing  practices  and  product 
safety  compliance  requirements  into  their  business 
practices. 14% achieved a ‘Sustainability Leadership’ level, 
signaling that, in addition to achieving high scores in other 
sections, they also scored above 80% in the sustainability 
section of the Report Card, which measures the existence 
of policies and implementation, stakeholder engagement, 
public reporting and communication. 

 SEE TABLE 48

Our audits help us rate our suppliers according to their social 
and environmental compliance performance with a C-KPI and 
E-KPI  rating  tool,  respectively.  An  evaluation  of  E-KPI  is 
contained in the description of the environmental performance 
of our supply chain.

Number of audits by region and type

Region

Asia

Americas

EMEA

Total 4

Initial assessment 1

Performance audit 2

Environmental 
assessment 3 

2019

159

20

10

189

2018

198

14

9

221

2019

511

38

35

584

2018

479

64

43

586

2019

384

19

15

418

2018

379

16

5

400

 46

2018

1,056

94

57

Total

2019

1,054

77

60

1,191

1,207

1 Every new factory has to pass an initial assessment to prove compliance with the Workplace Standards before an order is placed. The data includes both initial assessments and initial assessment follow-ups.
2 Audits conducted in approved factories that have passed the initial assessment.
3 Includes environmental assessments, SAC HIGG data verification and wastewater test assessments according to the ZDHC Wastewater Guidelines.
4 Includes audits done in licensee factories. 

Supply chain: Progress toward 2020 targets

2020 Targets

Strategic Tier 1 suppliers 1

Strategic licensees

80% to reach at least 4C rating 

10% to reach 5C rating

80% to achieve 80% or above in Score Card reports

10% to achieve Sustainability Leadership

2019

68%

12%

86%

14%

2018

62%

7%

80%

20%

1 Strategic factories are responsible for around 90% of our global production volume.

Social compliance performance rating of strategic supplier 
factories by C-KPI rating

48

1C

2C

3C

4C

5C

56 55

51

39

33

28

10

55

12

7

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

  2019 

  2018 

  2017

47

2017

50%

0%

55%

0%

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Shortcomings identified in active factories
Our  suppliers’  factories  are  evaluated  against  a  number  of 
critical compliance issues. While threshold issues are serious 
but correctable non-compliances that can be addressed in a 
specified timeframe through remedial action, zero-tolerance 
issues – such as forced labor, child labor practices and critical 
life-threatening  health,  safety  and  environment  conditions  – 
immediately  trigger  a  warning  and  potential  disqualification 
of  a  supplier.  We  report  these  non-compliance  findings  that 
were  identified  through  performance  audits,  collaboration 
audits  and  self-governance  assessments  in  2019.  We  follow 
up  on  all  cases  of  non-compliance  and  seek  to  remediate 
them  within  a  given  timeframe.  As  can  be  seen  below,  the 
identified issues in 2019 remained largely the same as those 
in 2018.
 — Shortcomings in the area of labor: Besides identifying 
non-compliances with our Workplace Standards, the adidas 
compliance team focuses on the use and effectiveness of 
the  factories’  HR  management  systems  and  identifies 
any gaps in policies and procedures related to specific 
risk areas, such as forced labor, child labor, freedom of 
association or discrimination. As a result, the percentages 
shown  indicate  the  systemic  shortcomings  of  active 
factories, rather than the confirmed presence of a specific 
case of non-compliance. 

 SEE DIAGRAM 49

 — Shortcomings  in  the  area  of  health  and  safety:  Fire, 
electrical  and  machine  safety  are  critical  areas  for 
existing factories and together accounted for 33% of the 
non-compliances identified in 2019. The way chemicals 
were stored and used, including the presence of banned 
chemicals,  accounted  for  11%  of  non-compliance 
findings  reported.  A  further  7%  of  the  findings  related 
to management systems, policies and procedures, and 
specifically  a  lack  of  compliance  with  our  Workplace 

Top 10 shortcomings in the area of labor 
identified during audits in 2019

49

Top 10 shortcomings in the area of health and safety 
identified during audits in 2019

50

3% Post-hiring

4% Communication 

systems

4% Social and medical 

insurance

4% Wage payment – amount

31% Other 1

14% Management systems

for working hours

13% Management

4% Material storage 

areas and ladder safety 

 systems for fair wages

4% Chemical storage

9% No standardized 

filing system 2

4% Sanitation and 

hygiene

6% Company policy/

staff handbook

5% Personal 

protective equipment

5% Annual leave/public holidays

5% Excessive hours

5% Electricity and 

electrical hazards

24% Other 1

18% Fire safety

11% Architectural 

considerations

10% Machine safety

7% Hazardous chemicals in 

production

7% Management systems for 

health and safety

1  ‘Other’ includes, for example, freedom of association issues, and management system for disciplinary 

1  ‘Other’ includes, for example, housekeeping, occupational hazard risk assessment, and ergonomics.

practices.

2  ‘No standardized filing system’ indicates a factory does not keep relevant information/documents and 

records which demonstrate compliance with laws and regulations.

Standards and expectation for effective health and safety 
systems,  including  the  recruitment  and  retention  of 
 SEE DIAGRAM 50
qualified safety staff. 

Independent FLA audits
In  2019,  the  FLA  deprioritized  factory  assessments  and 
remediation  verification  under  its  Sustainable  Compliance 
Initiative  (SCI),  in  favor  of  other  impact  areas,  including  fair 
wage compensation and factory training3. Consequently, adidas 
received only one SCI verification, compared to three in 2018. 

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3 In 2019, FLA focused on: (1) improving its work toward the progressive realization of fair compensation, including a new online fair compensation dashboard to provide affiliates with the ability to compare wages and measure progress in wage increases over time; (2) improving the accreditation process by further aligning 
the FLA’s program with international standards; (3) affiliates’ disclosure practices; (4) developing responsible licensing principles; (5) responsible recruitment and forced labor trainings and the development of a forced labor toolkit; (6) audit coverage and capacity-building activities in partnership with brands and governments.

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20192 
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

SUSTAINABILITY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

 SEE TABLE 52 While terminations happen at our existing 
factories, we pre-screen all new factories and if our initial 
assessments uncover zero-tolerance or threshold issues 
factories are rejected. 

Number of warning letters by region 1

 51

Region

Asia

Americas

EMEA

Total

1st warning 

2nd warning 

3rd and final warning

Total warning letters

2019

2018

2019

2018

2019

2018

2019

2018

27

4

3

34

30

5

2

37

5

0

1

6

1

0

0

1

1

0

0

1

1

0

0

1

33

4

4

41

32

5

2

39

1  Includes warning letters issued by licensees and agents, but excluding warnings to factories for the non-disclosure of subcontractors, which are either issued directly through business entities, or by the adidas 

Legal department where there is a breach of contract obligations under a manufacturing agreement. A third and final warning results in a recommended termination.

Number of business relationship terminations 
due to compliance problems

 52

Region

Asia

Americas

EMEA

Global

2019

2018

2

0

0

2

1

0

0

1

Enforcement
Warning  letters  are  an  essential  part  of  our  enforcement 
efforts and are triggered when we find ongoing serious non-
compliance issues that need to be addressed by our suppliers’ 
factories.  We  work  closely  with  our  suppliers  to  help  them 
improve their performance. However, where we face situations 
of  severe  or  repeated  non-compliance,  we  do  terminate 
business relationships with factories.
 — Warning letters: In 2019, we had a total of 41 active warning 
letters (2018: 39) across 14 countries. The largest number 
of warning letters continues to be issued in Asia. Compared 
to  the  previous  year,  the  overall  number  of  active  first 
warning letters decreased slightly; the total number of 
second warnings increased from one in 2018 to six in 2019. 
Factories that receive second warning letters are only one 
step away from being notified of possible termination of the 
manufacturing agreement and receive focused monitoring 
by the SEA team. The number of third warning letters issued 
to business partners (which result in factory terminations) 
remained stable in 2019 (2018: 1). 
 SEE TABLE 51 It is difficult 
to generalize about the grounds for a warning letter as it 
may be issued for a single unresolved non-conformance 
or for multiple breaches of our standards. The range of 
issues  that  resulted  in  warning  letters  in  2019  due  to 
non-compliance regarding fire safety practices, receipt of 
wages, social and medical insurance, hazardous chemicals 
management, overtime, deductions, transparency or safety 
controls in high-risk areas remained the same compared 
to the previous year.

 — Terminations: In 2019, we terminated agreements with 
two suppliers for compliance reasons (2018: 1). In one 
case  there  was  inadequate  progress  in  remediating 
serious migrant labor issues and in the other the supplier 
refused to grant the SEA team access to audit the factory. 

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20192  
 
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NON-FINANCIAL STATEMENT

NON-FINANCIAL STATEMENT

In accordance with §§ 315b, 315c HGB in combination with §§ 289b to 289e HGB, adidas publishes a combined non-financial statement for adidas AG and the Group in this combined Management 
Report. The content of the non-financial state ment can be found throughout the entire combined Management Report, with relevant parts being indicated by this symbol 
 . These parts are not 
covered by the Audit of the Consolidated Financial Statements and of the Group Management Report, as they were subject to a separate limited assurance engagement of KPMG AG Wirtschafts-
prüfungs gesellschaft. 

 SEE LIMITED ASSURANCE REPORT, P. 219 Links and references are not part of the non-financial statement and have not been assessed. 

adidas applied the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines as an external reporting framework. The content of the non-financial statement combined with further information in this report 
and on our corporate website fulfills the GRI Standard ‘Core’ option. The GRI content index can be found online.  ↗ REPORT.ADIDAS-GROUP.COM

Description of business model

 SEE SALES AND DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY, P. 61 

 SEE GLOBAL OPERATIONS, P. 63

Environmental approach
 —  Sustainable materials and processes

 SEE SUSTAINABILITY, P. 78

People and Culture
 — Wages and benefits

 SEE PEOPLE AND CULTURE, P. 70

 —  Water consumption (supply chain)

 SEE SUSTAINABILITY, P. 78

 — Development and training

 SEE PEOPLE AND CULTURE, P. 70

Consumer matters
 — Consumer satisfaction

 SEE INTERNAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, P. 92  

  SEE MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT OF PERFORMANCE, RISKS AND 

OPPORTUNITIES, AND OUTLOOK, P. 130

Human Rights
 — Fair labor conditions 

 SEE SUSTAINABILITY, P. 78

 — Carbon footprint (supply chain)

 SEE SUSTAINABILITY, P. 78

 —  Waste volume (supply chain)

 SEE SUSTAINABILITY, P. 78

Product responsibility
 — Product safety and transparency 

 SEE SUSTAINABILITY, P. 78

 — Employee engagement

 SEE PEOPLE AND CULTURE, P. 70    

 SEE INTERNAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, P. 92

  SEE MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT OF PERFORMANCE, RISKS AND 

 — Fair labor conditions (supply chain)

OPPORTUNITIES, AND OUTLOOK, P. 130

 SEE SUSTAINABILITY, P. 78

 — Diversity

 SEE PEOPLE AND CULTURE, P. 70

 — Supplier relationships

 SEE GLOBAL OPERATIONS, P. 63

Anti-bribery and corruption
 — Ethical business practices

 SEE RISK AND OPPORTUNITY REPORT, P. 120

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 REVIEW3

GROUP 
MANAGE MENT 
REPORT 
FINANCIAL 

Internal Management System  

Business Performance  
Economic and Sector Development  
Income Statement  

Statement of Financial Position and  
Statement of Cash Flows  
Treasury  

Financial Statements and Management Report  
of adidas AG  

Disclosures pursuant to § 315a Section 1 and § 289a Section 1  
of the German Commercial Code and Explanatory Report  

Business Performance by Segment  
Europe  
North America  
Asia-Pacific  
Russia/CIS  
Latin America  
Emerging Markets  

Outlook  

Risk and Opportunity Report  
Illustration of Risks  
Illustration of Opportunities  

Management Assessment of Performance,  
Risks and Opportunities, and Outlook  

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References to external sources, such as our website, in the Group Management Report  
were not part of the scope of KPMG’s audit.

3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

INTERNAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

INTERNAL MANAGEMENT 
SYSTEM

We  are  committed  to  increasing  shareholder  value.  We 
strive  to  create  value  by  converting  sales  and  operating 
profit  growth  into  strong  operating  cash  flow,  while  at  the 
same  time  managing  our  asset  base  proactively.  Our 
company’s  planning  and  controlling  system  is  therefore 
designed to provide a variety of tools to assess our current 
performance  and  to  align  future  strategic  and  investment 
decisions  to  best  utilize  commercial  and  organizational 
opportunities in the interest of our shareholders.

INTERNAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM DESIGNED 
TO DRIVE SHAREHOLDER VALUE
In order to drive and steer creation of shareholder value, the 
company’s  Management  focuses  on  a  set  of  major  financial 
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Sales and operating profit 
growth,  paired  with  a  focus  on  management  of  operating 
working capital, are the main contributors to operating cash 
flow  improvements.  At  the  same  time,  value-enhancing 
capital expenditure benefits future operating profit and cash 
flow  development.  In  addition,  the  development  of  the 
company’s net income position, as well as earnings per share 
(EPS), is of high importance as it directly drives returns in the 
interest of our shareholders. 
 SEE DIAGRAM 53 Our strong focus 
on shareholder value creation is reflected in the fact that our 
Management’s variable compensation is closely linked to the 
company’s growth in sales, profitability and net income. 

 SEE 

COMPENSATION REPORT, P. 30

OPERATING MARGIN AS MAJOR KPI FOR 
OPERATIONAL PROGRESS
Operating margin (defined as operating profit as a percentage 
of net sales) is one of our company’s major KPIs to drive and 
improve our operational performance. It highlights the quality 

of our top line and operational efficiency. The primary drivers 
to enhance operating margin are as follows:
 — Sales  and  gross  margin  development:  Management 
focuses on identifying and exploiting growth opportunities 
that not only provide for future top-line improvements, but 
also have potential to increase our gross margin. Major 
levers for enhancing our sales and gross margin include:
 — Planning pricing and clearance activities according to 

market realities.

 — Optimizing our product mix.
 — Improving the quality of distribution, with a particular 

focus on e-commerce and controlled space. 

 SEE GLOSSARY

 — Operating  expense  control:  Management  puts  high 
emphasis  on  tightly  controlling  operating  expenses  to 
leverage sales growth through to the bottom line. This 
requires a particular focus on ensuring flexibility in the 
company’s cost base. Marketing expenditure 
 SEE GLOSSARY 
is one of our largest operating expenses and at the same 
time one of the most important mechanisms for driving 
brand  desirability  and  top-line  growth  sustainably. 
Therefore, we are committed to improving the efficiency 

of our marketing investments. This includes concentrating 
our communication efforts on key global brand initiatives 
and  focusing  our  promotion  spend  on  well-selected 
partnerships with top events, leagues, clubs, federations, 
athletes and artists. We also aim to increase operational 
efficiency by tightly managing operating overhead expenses.
 SEE  GLOSSARY  In  this  respect,  we  regularly  review  our 
operational structure – harmonizing business processes, 
standardizing  systems,  eliminating  redundancies  and 
leveraging the scale of our organization. 

TIGHT OPERATING WORKING CAPITAL 
MANAGEMENT
Due to a comparatively low level of fixed assets required in our 
business,  the  efficiency  of  the  balance  sheet  depends  to  a 
large degree on our operating working capital management. 
Operating  working  capital  comprises  accounts  receivable 
plus  inventories  minus  accounts  payable. 
FINANCIAL POSITION AND STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS, P. 100 

 SEE  STATEMENT  OF 

Net sales

Operating margin

Operating working capital

Capital expenditure

Operating cash flow

Shareholder value

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Net income

Shareholder return

Major financial Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)53ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20193 
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

INTERNAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

In this context, our key metric is average operating working 
capital  as  a  percentage  of  net  sales.  Monitoring  the 
development of this metric facilitates the measurement of our 
progress in improving the efficiency of our business cycle.

budget are monitored on a monthly basis throughout the course 
of the project. In addition to optimizing return on investments, 
we  evaluate  larger  projects  upon  completion  and  document 
learnings for future capital expenditure decisions.

We strive to proactively manage our inventory levels to meet 
market  demand  and  ensure  fast  replenishment.  Inventory 
aging is controlled carefully to reduce inventory obsolescence 
and  to  minimize  clearance  activities.  As  a  result,  Inventory 
Days Lasting (IDL) is monitored and assessed regularly as it 
measures  the  average  number  of  days  goods  remain  in 
inventory  before  being  sold,  highlighting  the  efficiency  of 
capital  locked  up  in  products.  To  optimize  capital  tied  up  in 
accounts receivable, we strive to improve collection efforts in 
order  to  reduce  the  Days  of  Sales  Outstanding  (DSO)  and 
improve the aging of accounts receivable. Likewise, we strive 
to optimize payment terms with our suppliers to best manage 
our accounts payable.

CAPITAL EXPENDITURE TARGETED TO  
MAXIMIZE FUTURE RETURNS
Improving the effectiveness of capital expenditure is another 
major lever to maximize our operating cash flow. We control 
capital expenditure with a top-down, bottom-up approach.  In 
a  first  step,  Management  defines  focus  areas  within  the 
framework of our strategic business plan ‘Creating the New’ 
and  an  overall  investment  budget  based  on  investment 
requests from various functions within the organization. Then, 
in a second step, our operating segments align their initiatives 
within the scope of assigned priorities and available budget. 
We evaluate potential return on planned investments utilizing 
the net present value method. Risk is accounted for, adding a 
risk  premium  to  the  cost  of  capital  and  thus  reducing  our 
estimated  future  earnings  streams  where  appropriate.  By 
means  of  scenario  planning,  the  sensitivity  of  investment 
returns is tested against changes in initial assumptions. For 
large  investment  projects,  timelines  and  deviations  versus 

FOCUS ON NET INCOME IN THE INTEREST OF 
OUR SHAREHOLDERS
Beyond our ambition to maximize operating cash flow, we are 
committed  to  a  continuous  improvement  in  the  company’s 
bottom line. We are convinced that, by doing so, we place an 
even  stronger  focus  on  the  interests  of  our  shareholders. 
Consequently, Management closely monitors the development 
of both net income and earnings per share (EPS) and executes 
against these two KPIs.   SEE DIAGRAM 53 Our strong focus on 
 driving  sustainable  expansion  to  the  company’s  bottom 
line  is  also  reflected  in  the  fact  that,  as  part  of  the  Long-
Term Incentive Plan 2019/2020, the variable compensation for 
our  Management  is  directly  linked  to  the  company’s  net 
income growth.

NON-FINANCIAL KEY PERFORMANCE 
INDICATORS
In  addition  to  the  major  financial  KPIs  to  assess  the 
performance  and  operational  success  of  our  company,  as 
outlined  above,  we  have  identified  a  set  of  non-financial 
KPIs that help us track our progress in areas that are critical 
for  our  long-term  success  but  are  not  directly  reflected  in 
the  financial  statements.  These  non-financial  KPIs  are 
assessed on a regular basis and managed by the respective 
business functions. Non-financial KPIs which we are closely 
monitoring  include,  amongst  others,  Net  Promoter  Score 
(NPS) 
 SEE GLOSSARY, market share, backlogs and sell-through 
data as well as our customer delivery performance (On-Time 
In-Full), employee engagement and a set of KPIs in the area 
of our sustainability performance.

 Maintaining  and  enhancing 
Net  Promoter  Score  (NPS): 
brand  desirability  through  the  creation  of  strong  brand 
identities  is  crucial  for  sustaining  and  driving  profitable 
growth. Therefore, mainly on a market and category level, we 
invest in primary qualitative and quantitative research such as 
trend  scouting  and  consumer  surveys  to  determine  brand 
loyalty and brand strength. Measures that are tracked include 
brand awareness, likeability and purchase intent.

Furthermore, within the framework of ‘Creating the New’, we 
implemented  an  NPS  system,  which  strengthens  our 
capabilities to more carefully review brand advocacy as NPS 
tells  us  how  likely  it  is  that  consumers  will  recommend  our 
brands. NPS is a key pillar in transforming our company into 
a consumer-centric organization. It represents a holistic and 
transparent  measure  of  brand  performance  and  has  been 
successfully applied in other industries and organizations. 

Our efforts around NPS (both our own NPS as well as the NPS 
of  our  major  competitors)  are  driven  by  an  independent 
agency  and  monitored  by  our  internal  global  consumer 
insights  teams  on  a  regular  basis.  In  addition,  NPS  is 
measured across many of our own-retail stores as well as our 
own  e-commerce  platform.  We  firmly  believe  that  advocacy 
will create sustained growth for our brands, underpinned by 
the fact that brand advocates on average buy more than non-
advocates. In addition, a large part of our consumers rely on 
referrals  by  friends  or  family  when  making  purchase 
decisions. 

Market share: To measure the operational performance of our 
brands  relative  to  our  major  competitors,  we  continuously 
collect,  on  a  market  and  category  level,  market  share  data.   
The  findings  provide  detailed 
insights  for  our  senior 
management team regarding in which markets and categories 
we have been able to gain market share relative to our peers, 
enabling us to leverage those insights across the organization. 

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20193 
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

INTERNAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

 SEE MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT OF PERFORMANCE, RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES, 

AND OUTLOOK, P. 130 In addition, the results help us to define clear 
roles  and  responsibilities  for  each  of  our  markets  and 
categories within our long-term strategic aspirations, based 
on their overall positioning within the sporting goods industry.

Backlogs and sell-through data: To manage demand planning 
and  better  anticipate  our  future  performance,  backlogs 
comprising orders received up to nine months in advance of 
the  actual  sale  are  monitored  closely.  However,  due  to  the 
growing share of own retail (including our own e-commerce 
channel)  in  our  business  mix,  fluctuating  order  patterns 
among  our  customers  as  well  as  an  increasing  part  of  our 
business  being  realized  under  significantly  shortened  lead 
times,  orders  received  from  our  retail  partners  are  less 
indicative of anticipated revenues for adidas compared to the 
past. Therefore, qualitative feedback from our retail partners 
on  the  sell-through  success  of  our  products  at  the  point  of 
sale  as  well  as  such  data  received  from  our  own-retail 
activities is becoming increasingly important.

On-Time  In-Full  (OTIF):  OTIF  measures  the  company’s 
delivery  performance  toward  customers  and  our  own-retail 
stores.  Managed  by  our  Global  Operations  function,  OTIF 
assesses to what degree customers received what they ordered 
and  if  they  received  it  on  time. 
 SEE  GLOBAL  OPERATIONS,  P.  63 
It helps us to investigate improvement potential in the area of 
order book management and logistics processes. It therefore 
also helps us to improve our delivery performance, which is a 
major  aspect  when  it  comes  to  customer  satisfaction.  The 
OTIF assessment covers both the adidas and Reebok brands 
in most of our key markets. 

Employee  engagement: 
 To  measure  the  level  of  engage-
ment  and  motivation  of  our  employees,  adidas  carries  out 
employee engagement surveys. These surveys aim to provide 
key  insights  into  how  well  we,  as  an  employer,  are  doing  in 

focus  and 

engaging our employees. They thus enable us to develop the 
right 
future  people  strategies  across  our 
organization,  helping  us  to  create  a  world-class  employee 
experience  and  continue  to  attract  and  retain  top  talent.  In 
2019,  we  continued  to  fine-tune  our  approach  and  system 
platform for measuring the level of employee engagement that 
was implemented in 2017.   

 SEE PEOPLE AND CULTURE, P. 70 

Sustainability performance: 
 We have a strong commitment 
to enhance the social and environmental performance of our 
company.  By  doing  so,  we  firmly  believe  we  will  not  only 
improve  the  company’s  overall  reputation,  but  also  increase 
its  economic  value.  We  therefore  follow  a  comprehensive 
roadmap with clear targets and regularly track our progress 
toward these targets. 
RISKS  AND  OPPORTUNITIES,  AND  OUTLOOK,  P.  130  A  major  focus  lies  on 
measuring  the  environmental  footprint  of  our  own  sites 
globally as well as monitoring and rating our supplier factories 
with regard to social and environmental compliance with our 
Workplace Standards. 
 SEE SUSTAINABILITY, P. 78  We have a strong 
track  record  in  sustainability  disclosure,  providing  regular 
updates about our sustainability performance in this Annual 
Report as well as on our corporate website. 

 SEE MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT OF PERFORMANCE, 

↗ ADIDAS-GROUP.COM/S/SUSTAINABILITY-REPORTS

STRUCTURED PERFORMANCE   
MEASUREMENT SYSTEM
We have developed an extensive performance measurement 
system,  which  utilizes  a  variety  of  tools  to  measure  the 
company’s performance. Key performance indicators as well 
as other important financial metrics are regularly monitored 
and  compared  against  initial  targets  as  well  as  rolling 
forecasts  on a monthly basis. When negative deviations exist 
between  actual  and  target  numbers,  we  perform  a  detailed 
analysis to identify and address the cause. If necessary, action 
plans  are  implemented  to  optimize  the  development  of  our 
operating  performance.  To  assess  current  sales  and 

profitability development, Management continuously analyzes 
the  performance  of  our  operating  segments.  We  also 
benchmark  our  financial  results  with  those  of  our  major 
competitors on a regular basis.

Taking  into  account  year-to-date  performance  as  well  as 
opportunities  and  risks,  the  company’s  expected  full  year 
financial performance is assessed on a monthly basis. In this 
respect,  also  backlogs  and  sell-through  data  as  well  as 
feedback from customers and own-retail stores are assessed 
as  available.  Finally,  as  a  further  early  indicator  for  future 
performance,  the  results  of  any  relevant  recent  market  and 
consumer research are assessed as available.

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20193 
 
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

BUSINESS PERFORMANCE
Economic and Sector Development

BUSINESS PERFORMANCE

In  2019,  adidas  recorded  strong  operational  and  financial 
improvements. Revenues increased 6% on a currency-neutral 
basis, reflecting high-single-digit growth at the adidas brand 
and  a  low-single-digit  sales  increase  at  Reebok.  All  major 
market segments recorded currency-neutral sales increases. 
The gross margin increased 0.2 percentage points to 52.0%. 
Other operating expenses as a percentage of sales were down 
0.2  percentage  points  to  41.6%,  predominantly  driven  by 
lower  marketing  expenditure  as  a  percentage  of  sales.  The 
company’s operating margin increased 0.4 percentage points 
to 11.3%, reflecting both the gross margin increase and the 
decrease  in  other  operating  expenses  as  a  percentage  of 
sales.  Net  income  from  continuing  operations  increased 
12% to € 1.918 billion, including the negative impact from 
the  first-time  application  of  IFRS  16.  This  translates  into 
basic EPS from continuing operations of € 9.70, representing 
an increase of 15% versus the prior year period. 

ECONOMIC AND SECTOR DEVELOPMENT

GLOBAL ECONOMIC GROWTH SLOWS IN 20191
The global economy slowed down in 2019, with global gross 
domestic product (GDP) growing at 2.4%. Despite recent de-
escalation,  an  overall  increase  in  the  level  of  tariffs  and 
heightened  policy  uncertainty  weakened  both  international 
trade  and 
investment.  Global  manufacturing  activity 
moderated, while monetary policy accommodation increased. 
Developed economies grew 1.6% in 2019, supported by robust 
labor  markets  and  some 
fiscal  stimuli. 
Nevertheless, trade tensions and associated policy uncertainty 
such as the Brexit negotiations remained a political overhang 
and  a  drag  on  economic  activity.  Developing  economies  in 
aggregate  grew  3.5%,  as  resilient  consumption  somewhat 

remaining 

1 Source: World Bank Global Economic Prospects.

cushioned subdued productivity growth. Furthermore, growth 
in both commodity exporters and importers decelerated last 
year.  Across  the  globe,  risks  of  re-escalating  geopolitical 
tensions, in particular around trade and tariffs, remain.

ROBUST GROWTH IN THE SPORTING GOODS 
INDUSTRY CONTINUES
The  global  sporting  goods  industry  continued  to  grow  at 
robust rates in 2019. China outgrew the global industry again, 
while  North  America  posted  robust  growth  rates.  Europe 
maintained  its  moderate  pace  of  expansion.  Most  other 
markets also grew, driven by continued global trends such as 
increasing  penetration  of  sportswear 
GLOSSARY),  increasing  sports  participation  rates  and  rising 
awareness for health and wellness. Moreover, the evolution of 

(‘athleisure’ 

 SEE 

interest 

increasing 

digital  offerings  such  as  social  fitness  or  membership 
programs  with  seamless  personal  experiences  remained  a 
in  focus,  as 
predominant  theme.  Sustainability  stayed 
consumers  showed 
in  sustainable 
companies  and  products.  The  e-commerce  channel  saw 
further  expansion  amid  growing  investments  into  consumer 
insights  generation  and  brand  building.  From  a  category 
perspective,  athletic  footwear  continued  to  be  a  significant 
growth driver for the industry in 2019, as various casual and 
running  styles  remained  in  high  demand.  Growth  in  athletic 
apparel  remained  robust,  as  consumers  continued  to 
purchase  sports-inspired  fashion.  For  the  sporting  goods 
industry,  too,  risks  of  re-escalating  geopolitical  tensions,  in 
particular around trade and tariffs, remain.

Regional GDP development 1, 2 in %

54

Global

Euro area

Eastern Europe 3

USA

Asia 4

Latin America

3.2

3.0

2.4

2.5

1.9

1.1

4.1

3.2

2.0

2.9

2.4

2.3

6.3

6.5

5.8

1.7

1.9

0.8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

  2019 

  2018 

  2017

1 Real change in percent versus prior year; 2018 and 2017 figures restated compared to prior year.
2 Source: World Bank.
3 Includes Emerging Europe and Central Asia.
4 Includes East Asia and Pacific.

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201931    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

BUSINESS PERFORMANCE
Income Statement

INCOME STATEMENT

Net sales 1 € in millions

55

Net sales by segment in % of net sales

57

The income statement for the financial year 2019 reflects the 
first-time  application  of  IFRS  16.  Prior  year  figures  are  not 
restated, leading to limited comparability of certain items. 

Net sales

ADIDAS DELIVERS STRONG PERFORMANCE IN 
2019
In 2019, revenues increased 6% on a currency-neutral basis. 
In  euro  terms,  revenues  grew  8%  to  € 23.640  billion  from 
€ 21.915 billion in 2018. 
 SEE DIAGRAM 55  From 
a market perspective, revenues increased in 
all  segments.  Currency-neutral  sales  were 
up at double-digit rates in Asia-Pacific and 
Emerging Markets, while increasing at high-
single-digit  rates  in  North  America,  Russia/CIS  and  Latin 
America.  Currency-neutral  sales  in  Europe  grew  at  a  low-
single-digit rate. 

+6%

 SEE BUSINESS PERFORMANCE BY SEGMENT, P. 114

C.N.

€ 23.640 bn

€ 21.505 bn

C.N.

adidas brand net sales

+7%

ADIDAS BRAND REVENUES GROW AT A HIGH-
SINGLE-DIGIT RATE
Currency-neutral  revenues  for  the  adidas  brand  increased 
7%,  with  high-single-digit  sales 
growth in Sport Inspired 
 SEE GLOSSARY 
as  well  as  a  mid-single- digit  gain  in 
Sport  Performance. 
In 
euro terms, adidas brand revenues grew 
8%  to  €  21.505  billion  compared  to  €  19.851  billion  in  2018. 
Currency-neutral Reebok brand sales were up 2% versus the 
prior  year,  as  a  decline  in  Sport  was 
more  than  offset  by  low-single-digit 
sales growth in Classics. In euro terms, 
Reebok  sales 
to 
€ 1.748 billion (2018: € 1.687 billion). 

+2%

Reebok brand net sales

increased  4% 

 SEE  GLOSSARY 

C.N.

€ 1.748 bn

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

 23,640   

 21,915   

 21,218   

 18,483   

 16,915   

6% Emerging Markets

3% Other Businesses

7% Latin America

3% Russia/CIS

26% Europe

1  2015 figure still includes the TaylorMade, Adams Golf, Ashworth and CCM Hockey businesses, which 

have been reported as discontinued operations since 2016.

34% Asia-Pacific

22% North America

Net sales by segment € in millions

 56

Europe

North America

Asia-Pacific

Russia/CIS

Latin America

Emerging Markets

Other Businesses

2019

6,071

5,313

8,032

658

1,660

1,302

605

2018

5,885

4,689

7,141

595

1,634

1,144

829

Total

23,640

21,915

Change 
(currency- 
neutral)

Change

3%

13%

12%

11%

2%

14%

(27%)

8%

3%

8%

10%

8%

7%

13%

(28%)

6%

SALES GROW IN FOOTWEAR AND APPAREL
Currency-neutral footwear sales grew 4% in 2019 as a result of 
mid-single-digit sales growth in both Sport Inspired and Sport 
Performance. Apparel revenues grew 7% on a currency-neutral 
basis  reflecting  double-digit  increases  in  Sport  Inspired  and 
high-single-digit sales growth in Sport Performance. Currency-
neutral hardware sales were up 25%. 

 SEE DIAGRAM 58

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201931    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

BUSINESS PERFORMANCE
Income Statement

Net sales by product category € in millions

 58

2019

13,521

8,963

1,156

23,640

2018

Change

12,783

8,223

910

21,915

6%

9%

27%

8%

Change 
(currency- 
neutral)

4%

7%

25%

6%

Footwear

Apparel

Hardware

Total

GROSS MARGIN IMPROVES 0.2 PERCENTAGE 
POINTS 
In  2019,  gross  profit  increased  8%  to  € 12.293 billion  from 
€ 11.363 billion in 2018, representing a gross margin increase 
of 0.2 percentage points to 52.0% (2018: 51.8%). 
 SEE DIAGRAM 60 
Higher air freight costs to mitigate the supply chain shortages 
and  a  less  favorable  pricing  mix  were  more  than  offset  by 
positive effects from lower sourcing costs, positive currency 
developments as well as a better product and channel mix.

Net sales by product category in % of net sales

59

Gross margin 1, 2 in %

5% Hardware

38% Apparel

57% Footwear

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

60

52.0

51.8

50.4

49.2

48.3

1  Gross margin = (gross profit / net sales) × 100.
2  2015 figure still includes the TaylorMade, Adams Golf, Ashworth and CCM Hockey businesses, which 

have been reported as discontinued operations since 2016.

expenses.  In  2019,  other  operating  expenses  were  up  7%  to 
€ 9.843 billion  (2018:  € 9.172 billion). 
 SEE  NOTE  32,  P.  196  As  a 
percentage  of  sales,  other  operating  expenses  decreased 
0.2 percentage  points  to  41.6%  from  41.9%  in  2018. 
 SEE 
DIAGRAM 61  Marketing and point-of-sale expenses amounted to 
€ 3.042 billion in 2019 compared to € 3.001 billion in the prior 
year,  representing  an  increase  of  1%  compared  to  the  2018 
level. As a percentage of sales, marketing and point-of-sale 
expenses  decreased  0.8  percentage  points  to  12.9%  (2018: 
13.7%). 
 SEE  DIAGRAM  62  Distribution  and  selling  expenses 
increased 12% to € 4.997 billion in 2019 from € 4.450 billion 
in  the  prior  year,  driven  by  overproportionate  growth  in  the 
direct-to-consumer  channel.  As  a  percentage  of  sales, 
distribution  and  selling  expenses  increased  0.8  percentage 
points to 21.1% from 20.3% in 2018. General and administration 
expenses were up 5% to € 1.652 billion (2018: € 1.576 billion), 
as  the  positive  effects  of  overheads  cost  control  were  more 
than offset by continued investments into the scalability of the 
company’s business model. As a percentage of sales, general 
and administration expenses decreased 0.2 percentage points 
to 7.0% (2018: 7.2%). 

COST OF SALES INCREASES IN LINE WITH  
NET SALES
Cost of sales is defined as the amount we pay to third parties 
for  expenses  associated  with  producing  and  delivering  our 
products.  In  addition,  own-production  expenses  are  also 
included  in  the  cost  of  sales.  However,  these  expenses 
represent  only  a  very  small  portion  of  total  cost  of  sales.  In 
2019,  cost  of  sales  was  € 11.347 billion,  representing  an 
increase of 8% compared to the prior year level of € 10.552 billion. 
This development mainly reflects the growth of our business.

ROYALTY AND COMMISSION INCOME 
AND OTHER OPERATING INCOME INCREASE
In  2019,  royalty  and  commission  income  increased  19%  to 
€ 154 million  (2018:  € 129 million).  Other  operating  income 
was up 17% to € 56 million from € 48 million in 2018.

OTHER OPERATING EXPENSES AS A 
PERCENTAGE OF SALES DOWN 
0.2 PERCENTAGE POINTS
Other  operating  expenses, 
including  depreciation  and 
amortization,  mainly  consist  of  marketing  and  point-of-sale, 
distribution and selling as well as general and administration 

Other operating expenses 1, 2 in % of net sales

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

61

41.6

41.9

41.3

41.9

42.6

1  First-time application of IFRS 16 as of January 1, 2019. Prior year figures are not restated.
2  2015 figure still includes the TaylorMade, Adams Golf, Ashworth and CCM Hockey businesses, which 

have been reported as discontinued operations since 2016.

0
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7

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201931    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

BUSINESS PERFORMANCE
Income Statement

Marketing and point-of-sale expenses 1, 2 in % of net sales

62

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

12.9

13.7

12.8

13.0

13.9

1  First-time application of IFRS 16 as of January 1, 2019. Prior year figures are not restated.
2  2015 figure still includes the TaylorMade, Adams Golf, Ashworth and CCM Hockey businesses, which 

have been reported as discontinued operations since 2016.

EBITDA INCREASES 33%
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization 
as well as impairment losses/reversal of impairment losses 
on property, plant and equipment, right-of-use and intangible 
assets (EBITDA) increased 33% to € 3.845 billion in 2019 versus 
€ 2.882 billion in 2018. 
 SEE DIAGRAM 63 Total depreciation and 
amortization  as  well  as  impairment  losses/reversal  of 
impairment 
intangible  assets 
for  tangible  and 
increased 142% to € 1.177 billion in 2019 (2018: € 486 million). 
This development is mainly due to the depreciation of right-
of-use assets related to the first-time application of IFRS 16 
in the amount of € 664 million.

losses 

in  2018. 

Operating margin

 SEE  DIAGRAM  64  The 

OPERATING MARGIN INCREASES TO 11.3%
Operating profit grew 12% to € 2.660 billion in 2019 versus 
€ 2.368 billion 
first-time 
application  of  IFRS  16  had  a  positive 
impact on operating profit of € 24 million. 
The operating margin increased 0.4 per-
centage points to 11.3% compared to the 
prior year level of 10.8%. 
 SEE DIAGRAM 65 
This development was due to the gross margin increase and 
the decrease in other operating expenses as a percentage 
of sales. 

11.3%

+0.4 PP

Operating profit 1, 2, 3 € in millions

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

64

2,660

2,368

2,070

1,582

1,094

1  First-time application of IFRS 16 as of January 1, 2019. Prior year figures are not restated.
2  2015 figure still includes the TaylorMade, Adams Golf, Ashworth and CCM Hockey businesses, which 

have been reported as discontinued operations since 2016.

3  2015 excluding goodwill impairment of € 34 million. 

EBITDA 1, 2, 3 € in millions

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

Operating margin 1, 2, 3, 4 in %

63

3,845

2,882

2,511

1,953

1,475

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

65

11.3

10.8

9.8

8.6

6.5

1  EBITDA = income before taxes (IBT) + net interest expenses + depreciation and amortization + 

impairment losses - reversal of impairment losses.

2  First-time application of IFRS 16 as of January 1, 2019. Prior year figures are not restated.
3  2015 figure still includes the TaylorMade, Adams Golf, Ashworth and CCM Hockey businesses, which 

have been reported as discontinued operations since 2016.

1  Operating margin = (operating profit / net sales) × 100.
2  First-time application of IFRS 16 as of January 1, 2019. Prior year figures are not restated.
3  2015 figure still includes the TaylorMade, Adams Golf, Ashworth and CCM Hockey businesses, which 

have been reported as discontinued operations since 2016.

4  2015 excluding goodwill impairment of € 34 million. 

NET FINANCIAL RESULT DECREASES
Financial income increased 11% to € 64 million in 2019 (2018: 
€ 57 million),  while  financial  expenses  were  up  253%  to 
€ 166 million  compared 
in  2018.  This 
development was mainly due to higher interest expenses related 
to the first-time application of IFRS 16. As a result, the company 
recorded  a  net  financial  result  of  negative  € 102 million, 
compared to positive € 10 million in 2018. 

to  € 47 million 

 SEE DIAGRAM 66, 

 SEE 

NOTE 34, P. 197

Net financial result 1 € in millions

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

66

(102)

 10

 (47)

 (46)

 (21)

1  First-time application of IFRS 16 as of January 1, 2019. Prior year figures are not restated.

TAX RATE DECREASES 3.1 PERCENTAGE POINTS 
TO 25.0%
The  company’s  tax  rate  decreased  3.1  percentage  points  to 
25.0% in 2019 (2018: 28.1%). 

 SEE NOTE 36, P. 197

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201931    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

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4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

Net income from 
 continuing operations

NET INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS 
UP 12% TO € 1.918 BILLION
Including the negative impact from the first-time application 
of  IFRS  16  in  the  amount  of  €  54  million,  net  income  from 
continuing operations increased 12% to 
€ 1.918 billion versus € 1.709 billion in 
the  prior  year. 
 SEE  DIAGRAM  67  Basic 
earnings  per  share 
from 
(EPS) 
continuing operations increased 15% to 
€ 9.70 
 SEE 
DIAGRAM  68  Diluted  EPS  from  continuing  operations  was  up 
15% to € 9.70 in 2019 (2018: € 8.45). The adoption of IFRS 16 
reduced  year-over-year  net  income  and  EPS  growth  by 
approximately 3 percentage points in 2019. 

+12%

from  € 8.46 

in  2018. 

€ 1.918 bn

Net income from continuing operations 1, 2, 3
€ in millions

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

67

1,918

1,709

1,430

1,082

720

1 First-time application of IFRS 16 as of January 1, 2019. Prior year figures are not restated.
2 2017 excluding negative one-time tax impact of € 76 million.
3 2015 excluding goodwill impairment of € 34 million. 

BUSINESS PERFORMANCE
Income Statement

Basic earnings per share 1, 2, 3, 4 in €

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

68

9.70

8.46

7.05

5.39

3.54

GAINS FROM DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS 
AMOUNT TO € 59 MILLION
In 2019, adidas incurred gains from discontinued operations 
of € 59 million, net of tax, mainly related to the remeasurement 
of  outstanding  earn-out  components  in  connection  with  the 
divestiture of the TaylorMade business in 2017 (2018: losses 
of € 5 million).

1 First-time application of IFRS 16 as of January 1, 2019. Prior year figures are not restated.
2 Figures reflect continuing operations.
3 2017 excluding negative one-time tax impact of € 76 million. 
4 2015 excluding goodwill impairment of € 34 million. 

The  total  number  of  shares  outstanding  decreased  by 
3,201,958  shares  to  195,969,387  at  the  end  of  2019.  This 
development was a result of shares repurchased as part of 
the  company’s  share  buyback  program. 
 SEE TABLE ‘FINANCIAL 
HIGHLIGHTS’,  P.  4  Consequently,  the  average  number  of  shares 
used in the calculation of basic earnings per share (EPS) was 
197,606,107 (2018: 201,759,012).

NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO 
SHAREHOLDERS INCREASES 16% TO 
€ 1.976 BILLION
The  company’s  net  income  attributable  to  shareholders, 
which  in  addition  to  net  income  from  continuing  operations 
includes the gains from discontinued operations, grew 16% 
to  € 1.976 billion  (2018:  € 1.702 billion).  As  a  result,  basic 
EPS  from  continuing  and  discontinued  operations  increased 
19%  to  € 10.00  versus  € 8.44  in  2018.  Diluted  EPS  from 
continuing and discontinued operations grew 19% to € 10.00 
(2018: € 8.42).

0
9
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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20193 
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

BUSINESS PERFORMANCE
Statement of Financial Position and 
Statement of Cash Flows

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION 
AND STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

Inventories € in millions

ASSETS
At  the  end  of  December  2019,  total  assets  were  up  32%  to 
€ 20.680 billion  versus  € 15.612 billion  in  the  prior  year, 
mainly driven by an increase in non-current assets due to the 
first-time application of IFRS 16. 

 SEE TABLE 69

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

70

4,085

3,445

3,692

3,763

3,113

Structure of statement of financial position 1, 2 in % of 
total assets

Assets (€ in millions)

Cash and cash equivalents

Accounts receivable

Inventories

Fixed assets 3

Right-of-use assets (IFRS 16) 4 

Other assets

2019

20,680

10.7%

12.7%

19.8%

39.2%

36.2%

17.7%

 69

2018

15,612

16.8%

15.5%

22.1%

30.7%

–

14.9%

1 For absolute figures see adidas AG Consolidated Statement of Financial Position, p. 134.
2 First-time application of IFRS 16 as of January 1, 2019. Prior year figures are not restated. 
3  Fixed assets = property, plant and equipment + right-of-use assets + goodwill + trademarks + other 

intangible assets + long-term financial assets.

4 As a percentage of fixed assets. 

On  a  currency-neutral  basis,  inventories  increased  18%, 
reflecting lower inventories in the prior year and the timing of 
inbound and outbound product deliveries. Accounts receivable 
increased 9% to € 2.625 billion at the end of December 2019 
(2018: € 2.418 billion). 
 SEE NOTE 07, P. 156,   SEE DIAGRAM 71 On a 
currency-neutral  basis,  receivables  were  up  8%.  Other 
current  financial  assets  remained  virtually  unchanged  at 
€ 544 million  (2018:  € 542 million). 
 SEE  NOTE  08,  P.  156  Other 
current  assets  were  up  48%  to  € 1.076 billion  at  the  end  of 
December  2019  (2018:  € 725 million),  mainly  due  to  an 
increase  in  tax  receivables  other  than  income  taxes. 
NOTE 36, P. 197 

 SEE 

Accounts receivable € in millions

Total current assets increased 11% to € 10.934 billion at the 
end  of  December  2019  compared  to  € 9.813 billion  in  2018. 
Cash and cash equivalents were down 16% to € 2.220 billion 
at the end of December 2019 from € 2.629 billion in the prior 
year,  as  net  cash  generated  from  operating  activities  was 
more than offset by net cash used in investing and financing 
activities. Currency effects had a negative impact on cash and 
cash  equivalents  in  an  amount  of  €  30  million.  Inventories 
increased 19% to € 4.085 billion at the end of December 2019 
from € 3.445 billion in 2018. 
 SEE DIAGRAM 70 

 SEE NOTE 09, P. 157, 

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

Total non-current assets increased 68% to € 9.746 billion at 
the end of December 2019 from € 5.799 billion in 2018, mainly 
related to the first-time application of IFRS 16. Fixed assets 
increased 69% to € 8.100 billion at the end of December 2019 
versus € 4.798 billion in 2018. The application of IFRS 16 led 
to  the  recognition  of  right-of-use  assets  in  the  amount  of 
€ 2.931 billion at the end of December 2019 (including already 
existing  IAS  17  leases  from  the  prior  year  in  the  amount  of 
€ 82  million).  Furthermore,  additions  of  €  711  million, 
primarily  related  to  own-retail  activities  were  only  partly 
offset by depreciation and amortization, impairment losses/
reversal of impairment losses of € 522 million. Other non-
current financial assets increased 76% to € 450 million from 
€ 256 million  at  the  end  of  2018. 
 SEE  NOTE  16,  P.  164  This 
development  was  mainly  due  to  an  increase  in  derivatives 
used  to  fully  hedge  the  economic  exposure  related  to  the 
equity-neutral convertible bond. Deferred tax assets  were up 
68%  to  € 1.093 billion  from  € 651 million  in  2018,  due  to  an 
increase in the tax base of non-current assets during 2019. 

LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Total current liabilities increased 28% to € 8.754 billion at the 
end  of  December  2019  from  € 6.834 billion  in  2018.  Short-
term  borrowings  declined  35%  to  € 43 million  at  the  end  of 
December  2019  (2018:  € 66 million),  mainly  reflecting  a 
decrease  in  bank  loans.  Accounts  payable  were  up  18%  to 
€ 2.703  billion  at  the  end  of  December  2019  versus 
€ 2.300 billion  in  2018,  mainly  reflecting  improved  payment 
terms  with  the  company’s  vendors. 
 SEE  TABLE  72  On  a 
currency-neutral  basis,  accounts  payable  increased  17%. 
Current lease liabilities amounted to € 733 million at the end 
of December 2019, due to the first-time application of IFRS 16. 
Other current financial liabilities were up 26% to € 235 million 
from € 186 million in 2018, mainly as a result of an increase in 
the fair value of financial instruments. 
 SEE NOTE 08, P. 156 Other 
current provisions increased 17% to € 1.446 billion at the end 
of December 2019 versus € 1.232 billion in 2018, mainly due 

1

0
0

71

2,625

2,418

2,315

2,200

2,049

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201931    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

BUSINESS PERFORMANCE
Statement of Financial Position and 
Statement of Cash Flows

Total non-current liabilities increased 102% to € 4.868 billion 
at the end of December 2019 from € 2.414 billion in the prior 
year,  mainly  related  to  the  first-time  application  of  IFRS  16. 
Long-term borrowings were down 1% to € 1.595 billion at the 
end of December 2019 from € 1.609 billion in the prior year. 
  SEE  NOTE  18,  P.  164  Non-current  lease  liabilities  amounted  to  
€ 2.399 billion at the end of December 2019, due to the first-
time  application  of  IFRS  16.  Other  non-current  financial 
liabilities  were  down  10%  to  €  92  million  at  the  end  of 
December  2019  from  €  103  million  in  the  prior  year  (2018: 
thereof € 81 million for liabilities relating to finance leases). 
Other non-current provisions increased 100% to € 257 million 
at the end of December 2019 from € 128 million in the prior 
year,  mainly  as  a  result  of  an  increase  in  provisions  for 
personnel. Non-current accrued liabilities decreased 54% to 
€ 9 million from € 19 million in 2018. 

 SEE NOTE 22, P. 166

Shareholders’  equity  increased  7%  to  € 6.796 billion  at  the 
end of December 2019 versus € 6.377 billion in 2018, mainly 
driven  by  the  net  income  generated  during  the  year.  This 
development was partly offset by the repurchase of adidas AG 
shares  for  a  consideration  of  € 815 million,  the  dividend  of 
€ 664 million paid to shareholders for the 2018 financial year, 
and  a  decrease  in  hedging  reserves  of  €  147  million.  The 
equity  ratio  decreased  to  32.9%  compared  to  40.8%  in  the 
prior  year,  as  the  increase  in  shareholders’  equity  was  more 
than offset by the balance sheet extension due to the first-time 
application of IFRS 16. 

 SEE NOTE 27, P. 171, 

 SEE DIAGRAM 74

to  an  increase  in  the  provision  for  returns.  Current  accrued 
liabilities grew 6% to € 2.437 billion at the end of December 
2019  from  € 2.305 billion  in  2018,  mainly  as  a  result  of  an 
increase  in  accruals  for  customer  discounts  as  well  as 
accruals for invoices not yet received. Other current liabilities 
were  up  13%  to  € 538 million  at  the  end  of  December  2019 
from € 477 million in 2018. 

 SEE NOTE 23, P. 167

Structure of statement of financial position 1, 2 in % of 
total liabilities and equity

Liabilities and equity (€ in millions)

Short-term borrowings

Accounts payable

Long-term borrowings

Other liabilities

Current and non-current lease liabilities 
(IFRS 16) 3 

Total equity

2019

20,680

0.2%

13.1%

7.7%

44.9%

33.8%

34.1%

1 For absolute figures see adidas AG Consolidated Statement of Financial Position, p. 134.
2 First-time application of IFRS 16 as of January 1, 2019. Prior year figures are not restated. 
3 As a percentage of other liabilities. 

Accounts payable € in millions

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

 72

2018

15,612

0.4%

14.7%

10.3%

33.8%

–

40.8%

73

2,703

2,300

1,975

2,496

2,024

Equity ratio1, 2 in % 

2019

2018 

2017

2016

2015

74

32.9

40.8

43.0

42.6

42.5

1 First-time application of IFRS 16 as of January 1, 2019. Prior year figures are not restated. 
2 Based on shareholders’ equity.

OPERATING WORKING CAPITAL
Operating  working  capital increased  12%  to  € 4.007 billion 
at  the  end  of  December  2019  compared  to  € 3.563 billion  in 
2018. On a currency-neutral basis, operating working capital 
was  up  11%.  Average  operating  working  capital  as  a 
percentage of sales decreased 0.9 percentage points to 18.1% 
(2018: 19.0%). This development mainly reflects an increase 
in  payables,  which  is  a  direct  result  of  improved  payment 
terms with our vendors. 

 SEE DIAGRAM 75

Average operating working capital 1, 2 in % of net sales

75

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

18.1

19.0

20.4

21.1

20.5

1  Average operating working capital = sum of operating working capital at quarter-end/4. 

Operating working capital = accounts receivable + inventories – accounts payable.

2  2015 figure still includes the TaylorMade, Adams Golf, Ashworth and CCM Hockey businesses, which 

have been reported as discontinued operations since 2016.

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STATEMENTS

INVESTMENT ANALYSIS
Capital  expenditure  is  defined  as  the  total  cash  expenditure 
for the purchase of tangible and intangible assets (excluding 
acquisitions  and  right-of-use  assets  according  to  IFRS  16). 
Capital  expenditure  decreased  11%  to  €  711  million  (2018: 
€ 794  million).  Capital  expenditure  for  property,  plant  and 
equipment  was  down  14%  to  € 599 million  compared  to 
€ 699 million 
invested 
€ 112 million 
intangible  assets,  representing  a  17% 
increase  compared  to  the  prior  year  (2018:  € 96 million). 
Depreciation and amortization excluding impairment losses/
reversal  of  impairment  losses  of  tangible  and  intangible 
assets 
(2018: 
€ 470 million).

in  the  prior  year.  The  company 
in 

increased  9%  to  € 511 million 

in  2019 

Controlled  space  initiatives,  which  comprise  investments  in 
new or remodeled own-retail and franchise stores as well as 
in shop-in-shop presentations of our brands and products in 
our  customers’  stores,  accounted  for  47%  of  total  capital 
expenditure  (2018:  32%).  Expenditure  for  IT  and  logistics 
represented  13%  and  6%,  respectively  (2018:  13%  and  12%, 
respectively).  In  addition,  expenditure  for  administration 
accounted  for  7%  (2018:  7%).  Other  investments  mainly 
reflected  the  further  development  of  our  major  corporate 
facilities  in  Herzogenaurach,  Portland  and  Shanghai.  These 
represented  26%  of  total  capital  expenditure  (2018:  36%). 
 SEE DIAGRAM 76 From a segmental perspective, the majority of 
the capital expenditure was recorded centrally at headquarter 
level,  which  accounted  for  44%  (2018:  60%).  In  addition, 
capital expenditure in Asia-Pacific accounted for 24% (2018: 
20%) of the total capital expenditure, followed by Europe with 
12%  (2018:  9%),  North  America  with  9%  (2018:  7%),  Latin 
America and Emerging Markets with 5% and 3%, respectively 
(2018:  2%  each)  as  well  as  Russia/CIS  with  2%  (2018:  1%). 

 SEE DIAGRAM 77

BUSINESS PERFORMANCE
Statement of Financial Position and 
Statement of Cash Flows

Capital expenditure by type in % of total CAPEX

76

6% Logistics

7% Administration

13% IT

26% Other

47% Controlled space

Capital expenditure by segments in % of total CAPEX

77

2% Russia/CIS

3% Emerging Markets

5% Latin America

9% North America

12% Europe

1% Other Businesses

44% Headquarter

24% Asia-Pacific

LIQUIDITY ANALYSIS
In 2019, net cash generated from operating activities increased 
to  € 2.819 billion  (2018:  € 2.686 billion).   SEE  TABLE  ‘FINANCIAL 
HIGHLIGHTS’,  P.  4  Net  cash  generated  from  continuing  operating 
activities  rose  to  € 2.828  billion  (2018:  € 2.706 billion).  This 
increase  was  driven  by  higher  income  before  taxes  and  lower 
income  taxes  paid,  and  the  different  treatment  of  operating 
leases  related  to  the  first-time  application  of  IFRS  16,  partly 
offset by higher operating working capital requirements. 

There was a change in the presentation of interest paid in the 
consolidated  statement  of  cash  flows  in  the  financial  year. 
Due to the first-time application of IFRS 16, adidas has applied 
the option to show the interest paid within the net cash used 
in financing activities instead of the net cash generated from 
operating activities and, to enhance comparability, figures for 
the prior year were also adjusted.

Net  cash  used  in  investing  activities  and  net  cash  used  in 
continuing  investing  activities  increased  to  € 925 million  each 
(2018:  € 636 million).  The  majority  of  continuing  investing 
activities in 2019 was related to expenditure for property, plant 
and  equipment,  such  as  investments  in  controlled  space 
initiatives, and IT systems as well as the further development of 
our major corporate facilities in Herzogenaurach, Portland and 
Shanghai. Net cash used in financing activities and net cash used 
in  continuing  financing  activities  grew  to  € 2.273 billion  each 
(2018: € 991 million each). This development was mainly due to 
the  repurchase  of  adidas  AG  shares,  the  dividend  paid  to 
shareholders  as  well  as  repayments  of  lease  liabilities  and 
interest  payments  for  lease  liabilities  related  to  the  first-time 
application of IFRS 16.

Under  IFRS  16,  payments  for  operating  leases  formerly 
disclosed under IAS 17 are no longer recognized on a straight-
line basis and also not reported as cash flow from operating 
activities. Instead, repayments and interest payments for the 

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201931    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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BUSINESS PERFORMANCE
Statement of Financial Position and 
Statement of Cash Flows

lease liabilities are recognized in the cash flow from financing 
activities.  This  resulted  in  a  decline  in  cash  flows  from 
financing  activities  in  the  amount  of  €  692  million  and  an 
improvement  in  cash  flows  from  operating  activities  in  the 
amount of € 684 million. 

 SEE NOTE 39, P. 204

Exchange rate effects negatively impacted the company’s cash 
position  by  € 30 million  (2018:  €  29  million).  As  a  result  of  all 
these  developments,  cash  and  cash  equivalents  decreased  by 
€ 410 million  to  € 2.220 billion  at  the  end  of  December  2019 
compared to € 2.629 billion at the end of December 2018. 
 SEE 

DIAGRAM 79

Net  cash  at  December  31,  2019  amounted  to  € 873 million, 
compared to net cash of € 959 million in 2018, representing a 
decline  of  € 86 million  compared  to  the  prior  year.  The 
increase  in  cash  generated  from  operating  activities  was 
more than offset by the utilization of cash for the purchase of 
fixed assets, the repurchase of adidas AG shares as well as 
the  dividend  paid  to  shareholders. 
 SEE  TREASURY,  P.  104  The 
company’s ratio of net borrowings over EBITDA amounted to 
–0.2 at the end of December 2019 (2018: –0.3).   SEE DIAGRAM 78

Change in cash and cash equivalents € in millions

79

Cash and cash 
equivalents
at the end of
2018

Net cash generated
from operating
activities

2,819 

Net cash used in
investing activities

Net cash used in
financing activities

Effect of exchange
rates

Cash and cash 
equivalents
at the end of
2019

(925)

2,629 

(2,273)

(30)

2,220

Net borrowings/EBITDA 1, 2 € in millions

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

78

(0.2)

(0.3)

(0.2)

0.1

0.3

1  First-time application of IFRS 16 as of January 1, 2019. Prior year figures are not restated. 
2  2015 figure still includes the TaylorMade, Adams Golf, Ashworth and CCM Hockey businesses, which 

have been reported as discontinued operations since 2016.

OFF-BALANCE-SHEET ITEMS
The company’s most significant off-balance-sheet items are 
commitments for promotion and advertising as well as other 
contracts.  These  contracts  are  related  to  short-term  leases 
as well as leases for offices and warehouses, which are not 
yet  considered  according  to  IFRS  16.  Minimum  future 
for  other  contracts  were  € 318 million  at 
payments 
December 31, 2019, compared to € 2.984 billion at the end of 
December  2018,  representing  a  decrease  of  89%.  This 
development  is  due  to  the  first-time  application  of  IFRS  16. 
 SEE  NOTE  21,  P.  166  At  the  end  of  December  2019,  financial 
commitments for promotion and advertising increased 17% to 
€ 6.808 billion in 2019 (2018: € 5.828 billion). 
 SEE NOTE 40, P. 205

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STATEMENTS

BUSINESS PERFORMANCE
Treasury

TREASURY

CORPORATE FINANCING POLICY
In  order  to  be  able  to  meet  the  company’s  payment 
commitments  at  all  times,  the  major  goal  of  our  financing 
policy  is  to  ensure  sufficient  liquidity  reserves,  while  at  the 
same time minimizing our financial expenses. The operating 
activities  of  our  segments  and  the  resulting  cash  inflows 
represent the company’s main source of liquidity. Liquidity is 
planned  on  a  rolling  quarterly  basis  under  a  multi-year 
financial  and  liquidity  plan.  This  comprises  all  consolidated 
companies.  Our  in-house  bank  concept  takes  advantage  of 
any  surplus  funds  of  individual  companies  to  cover  the 
financial  requirements  of  others,  thus  reducing  external 
financing  needs  and  optimizing  our  net  interest  expenses. 
Furthermore,  by  settling 
intercompany  transactions  via 
intercompany  financial  accounts,  we  are  able  to  reduce 
external bank account transactions and thus bank charges. 

TREASURY POLICY AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Our  Treasury  Policy  governs  all  treasury-related  issues, 
including banking policy and approval of bank relationships, 
financing  arrangements  and  liquidity/asset  management, 
currency, interest, commodity and equity risk management as 
well  as  the  management  of 
intercompany  cash  flows. 
Responsibilities are arranged in a three-tiered approach:
 — The  Treasury  Committee  consists  of  members  of  the 
Executive Board and other senior executives who decide 
on the Treasury Policy and provide strategic guidance for 
managing treasury-related topics. Major changes to our 
Treasury Policy are subject to the prior approval of the 
Treasury Committee.

 — The  Treasury  department  is  responsible  for  specific 
centralized  treasury  transactions  and  for  the  global 
implementation of our Treasury Policy.

 — On a subsidiary level, where applicable and economically 
reasonable, local managing directors and finance directors 

are responsible for managing treasury matters in their 
respective subsidiaries. Controlling functions on a corporate 
level ensure that the transactions of the individual business 
units are in compliance with our Treasury Policy.

CENTRALIZED TREASURY FUNCTION
In  accordance  with  our  Treasury  Policy,  all  worldwide  credit 
lines  are  directly  or  indirectly  managed  by  the  Treasury 
department.  Portions  of  those  lines  are  allocated  to  our 
subsidiaries and sometimes backed by adidas AG guarantees. 
As  a  result  of  this  centralized  liquidity  management,  the 
company  is  well  positioned  to  allocate  resources  efficiently 
throughout the organization. The company’s debt is generally 
unsecured  and  may  include  standard  covenants,  which  are 
reviewed  on  a  quarterly  basis.  We  maintain  good  relations 
with  numerous  partner  banks,  thereby  avoiding  a  high 
dependency  on  any  single  financial  institution.  Banking 
partners of the company and our subsidiaries are required to 
have  at  least  a  BBB+  long-term  investment  grade  rating  by 
Standard & Poor’s or an equivalent rating by another leading 
rating agency. 
 SEE NOTE 02, P. 143 We authorize our companies 
to work with banks with a lower rating only in very exceptional 
cases.  To  ensure  optimal  allocation  of  the  company’s  liquid 
financial resources, subsidiaries transfer excess cash to our 
headquarters 
is  legally  and 
economically feasible. In this regard, the standardization and 
consolidation  of  our  global  cash  management  and  payment 
processes,  including  automated  domestic  and  cross-border 
cash  pools 
 SEE  GLOSSARY,  is  a  key  priority  for  our  centrally 
managed Treasury department. Effective management of our 
currency exposure and interest rate risks are additional goals 
and responsibilities of the department. 

instances  where 

in  all 

it 

STANDARD COVENANTS
In the case of our committed credit facilities, we have entered 
into  various  legal  covenants.  These  legal  covenants  may 
include limits on the disposal of fixed assets, the amount of 
debt secured by liens, cross-default provisions and change of 
control. However, our financial arrangements do not contain 
any financial covenants. If we failed to meet any covenant and 
were unable to obtain a waiver, borrowings would become due 
and payable immediately. As at December 31, 2019, we were 
in full compliance with all our covenants. We are fully confident 
we will continue to be compliant with these covenants going 
forward.  We  believe  that  cash  generated  from  operating 
activities,  together  with  access  to  internal  and  external 
sources of funds, will be sufficient to meet our future operating 
and capital needs.

FINANCIAL FLEXIBILITY
The company’s financial flexibility is ensured by the availability 
of credit facilities, consisting of committed and uncommitted 
bilateral credit lines at different banks with a remaining time 
to maturity of up to eight years. In addition, we have an unused 
multi-currency commercial paper program in the amount of 
€ 2.0 billion available (2018: € 2.0 billion). At the end of 2019, 
committed and uncommitted bilateral credit lines amounted 
to € 2.105 billion (2018: € 2.215 billion), of which € 1.940 billion 
was  unutilized  (2018:  €  2.008 billion).  Committed  and 
uncommitted  credit  lines  represent  approximately  46%  and 
54%  of  total  short-term  bilateral  credit  lines,  respectively 
(2018:  45%  and  55%,  respectively).  We  monitor  the  ongoing 
need  for  available  credit  lines  based  on  the  current  level  of 
debt as well as future financing requirements. 
 SEE DIAGRAM 80, 
 SEE DIAGRAM 82 

 SEE DIAGRAM 81, 

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Treasury

Total credit facilities € in millions

80

Bilateral credit lines

Eurobonds

Equity-neutral  
convertible bond

Total

  2019 

  2018

2019

2018

2,105

2,215

986

984

487

484

3,578

3,683

OUTSTANDING BONDS
The company has two outstanding eurobonds, both issued in 
2014,  and  one  outstanding  equity-neutral  convertible  bond, 
which  was  issued  in  2018.  The  seven-year  eurobond  of 
€ 600 million matures on October 8, 2021 and has a coupon of 
1.25%. The twelve-year eurobond of € 400 million matures on 
October 8, 2026 and has a coupon of 2.25%. The equity-neutral 
convertible bond of € 500 million was issued on September 5, 
2018,  with  a  coupon  of  0.05%  and  is  due  on  September  12, 
2023. 

 SEE OUR SHARE, P. 46, 

 SEE NOTE 18, P. 164, 

 SEE TABLE 83

GROSS BORROWINGS DECREASE
The company’s gross borrowings, the vast majority of which 
are denominated in euro, are composed of bank borrowings 
as well as the outstanding eurobonds and the equity-neutral 
convertible  bond.  Gross  borrowings  decreased  2%  to 
€ 1.638 billion at the end of 2019 from € 1.676 billion in the 
prior year. The total amount of bonds outstanding at the end of 
(2018:  € 1.469 billion).  Bank 
2019  was  € 1.473 billion 
borrowings  amounted 
to 
€ 207 million in the prior year. 

to  € 165 million  compared 

 SEE TABLE 84

Remaining time to maturity of available facilities € in millions

81

Issued bonds at a glance € in millions

 83

Financing structure € in millions

< 1 year

1 to 3 years

3 to 5 years

> 5 years

Total

  2019 

  2018

Volume

Coupon

Maturity

2019

2018

1,738

1,475

Eurobond

Eurobond

€ 600

€ 400

Equity-neutral convertible bond € 500

785

621

434

980

771

457

3,578

3,683

fixed

fixed

fixed

2021

2026

2023

Cash and short-term financial assets

Bank borrowings 

Eurobonds

Equity-neutral convertible bond

Gross total borrowings

Net cash

Bilateral credit lines € in millions

82

Committed

Uncommitted

Total

  2019 

  2018

2019

2018

972

987

1,133

1,228

2,105

2,215

 84

2018

2,635

207

984

484

1,676

959

2019

2,511

165

986

487

1,638

873

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STABLE DEBT MATURITY PROFILE
Over  the  course  of  2019,  the  company’s  financing  maturity 
profile  remained  stable.  In  2020,  assuming  unchanged 
maturities, debt instruments of € 43 million will mature. This 
compares to € 66 million which matured during the course of 
2019. 

 SEE DIAGRAM 85

NET CASH POSITION OF € 873 MILLION
Net  cash  at  December  31,  2019  amounted  to  € 873 million, 
compared to net cash of € 959 million in 2018, representing a 
decrease  of  € 86 million  versus  the  prior  year. 
 SEE  DIAGRAM 
86  The  increase  in  cash  generated  from  operating  activities 
was more than offset by the utilization of cash for the purchase 
of fixed assets, the repurchase of adidas AG shares as well as 
the dividend paid to shareholders. 

Interest rate development 1 in %

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

Remaining time to maturity of gross borrowings € in millions

85

1 Weighted average interest rate of gross borrowings.

87

1.5

2.1

2.7

2.3

2.4

< 1 year

1 to 3 years

3 to 5 years

> 5 years

Total

  2019 

  2018

Net cash/(net borrowings) 1 € in millions

2019

2018

43

636

525

434

66

635

522

453

1,638

1,676

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

86

873

959

484

(103)

(460)

1  Net cash/(net borrowings) = short-term borrowings + long-term borrowings – cash and cash 

equivalents – short-term financial assets.

INTEREST RATE DECREASES
The  weighted  average  interest  rate  on  the  company’s  gross 
borrowings  decreased  to  1.5%  in  2019  (2018:  2.1%). 
 SEE 
DIAGRAM  87  This  development  was  mainly  due 
the 
to 
€ 500 million  equity-neutral  convertible  bond  with  a  coupon 
of  0.05%  and  a  reduction  of  interest  rates  of  short-term 
borrowings.  Fixed-rate  financing  represented  99%  of  total 
gross  borrowings  at  the  end  of  2019  (2018:  97%).  Variable-
rate financing accounted for 1% of total gross borrowings at 
the end of the year (2018: 3%).

EFFECTIVE FOREIGN EXCHANGE MANAGEMENT  
A KEY PRIORITY
As a globally operating company, adidas is exposed to currency 
risks.  Therefore,  effective  currency  management  is  a  key 
focus  of  our  Treasury  department,  with  the  aim  of  reducing 
the impact of currency fluctuations on non-euro-denominated 
net future cash flows. In this regard, hedging US dollars is a 
central  part  of  our  program.  This  is  a  direct  result  of  our 
Asian-dominated  sourcing,  which  is  largely  denominated  in 
US  dollars. 
 SEE  GLOBAL  OPERATIONS,  P.  63  In  2019,  our  Treasury 
department managed a net deficit of around US $ 7.1 billion 
related  to  operational  activities  (2018:  US  $  6.0 billion). 
Thereof, around US $ 4.7 billion was against the euro (2018: 
US $ 3.8 billion). As governed by our Treasury Policy, we have 
established  a  hedging  system  on  a  rolling  basis  up  to  24 
months  in  advance,  under  which  the  vast  majority  of  the 
anticipated seasonal hedging volume is secured approximately 
six  months  prior  to  the  start  of  a  season.  In  rare  instances, 
hedges are contracted beyond the 24-month horizon. We had 
largely covered our anticipated hedging needs for 2020 as at 
year-end  2019.  At  the  same  time,  we  have  already  started 
hedging  our  exposure  for  2021.  The  use  or  combination  of 
different  hedging  instruments,  such  as  forward  exchange 
contracts,  currency  options  and  swaps,  protects  us  against 
unfavorable currency movements. 

 SEE NOTE 30, P. 180

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Financial Statements and  
Management Report of adidas AG

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND 
MANAGEMENT REPORT OF ADIDAS AG

adidas AG  is  the  parent  company  of  the  adidas  Group.  It 
includes  operating  business  functions,  primarily  for  the 
German market, as well as corporate headquarter functions 
such  as  Marketing,  IT,  Treasury,  Taxes,  Legal  and  Finance. 
adidas AG also administers the company’s shareholdings.

OPERATING ACTIVITIES AND CAPITAL 
STRUCTURE OF ADIDAS AG
The majority of the operating business of adidas AG consists 
of  the  sale  of  merchandise  to  wholesale  partners  and  own-
retail activities.

In addition to its own trading activities, the results of adidas AG 
are  significantly  influenced  by  its  holding  function  for  the 
company  as  a  whole.  This  is  reflected  primarily  in  currency 
effects, transfer of costs for services provided, interest result 
and income from investments in related companies.

The opportunities and risks as well as the future development 
of adidas AG largely reflect those of the company as a whole.   

 SEE OUTLOOK, P. 117, 

 SEE RISK AND OPPORTUNITY REPORT, P. 120

The  asset  and  capital  structure  of  adidas AG  is  significantly 
impacted  by  its  holding  and  financing  function  for  the 
company.  For  example,  44%  of  total  assets  as  at  December 
31,  2019  related  to  financial  assets  (2018:  46%),  which 
primarily  consist  of  shares 
in  affiliated  companies. 
Intercompany accounts, through which transactions between 
affiliated  companies  are  settled,  represent  another  32%  of 
total assets (2018: 26%) and 42% of total equity and liabilities 
as at December 31, 2019 (2018: 45%).

the 

PREPARATION OF ACCOUNTS
Unlike  the  consolidated  financial  statements,  which  are  in 
International  Financial  Reporting 
conformity  with 
Standards  (IFRS),  as  adopted  by  the  European  Union  as  at 
December  31,  2019,  the  following  financial  statements  of 
adidas AG  have  been  prepared  in  accordance  with  the  rules 
set out in the German Commercial Code (Handelsgesetzbuch 
– HGB). 

adidas AG net sales € in millions

Royalty and commission income

adidas Germany

Foreign subsidiaries

Central distribution

Other revenues

Total

 89

2018

1,900

1,157

60

319

692

2019

2,209

1,275

48

191

721

4,444

4,128

INCOME STATEMENT

Statement of income in accordance with 
HGB (Condensed) € in millions

Net sales

Total output

Other operating income

Cost of materials

Personnel expenses

Depreciation and amortization

Other operating expenses

Operating profit

Financial result

Taxes

Net income

Retained earnings brought forward

Allocation to other revenue reserves

Allocation to capital reserves

Utilization for the repurchase of adidas AG 
shares

Retained earnings

 88

2018

4,128

4,128

516

2019

4,444

4,444

590

(1,611)

(1,538)

(796)

(120)

(731)

(98)

(2,337)

(2,282)

170

1,938

(161)

1,947

41

(750)

0

(410)

828

(5)

1,542

(113)

1,424

45

(400)

(9)

(355)

705

NET SALES INCREASE 8%
Sales of adidas AG comprise external revenues generated by 
adidas  Germany  with  products  of  the  adidas  and  Reebok 
brands  as  well  as  revenues  from  foreign  subsidiaries. 
Revenues of adidas AG also include royalty and commission 
income,  mainly  from  affiliated  companies,  revenues  from 
central  distribution,  and  other  revenues.  In  2019,  adidas AG 
net sales grew 8% to € 4.444 billion compared to € 4.128 billion 
in the prior year. This growth was mainly due to higher royalty 
and  commission  income  and  an  increase  in  revenues  from 
adidas Germany. 

 SEE TABLE 88, 

 SEE TABLE 89

OTHER OPERATING INCOME UP 14%
In 2019, other operating income of adidas AG increased 14% 
to € 590 million (2018: € 516 million). This development was 
primarily due to positive currency effects. 

OTHER OPERATING EXPENSES INCREASE 2%
In  2019,  other  operating  expenses  for  adidas  AG  rose  2%  to 
€ 2.337 billion (2018: € 2.282 billion). 
 SEE TABLE 88 This was 
largely  attributable  to  higher  currency  losses  as  well  as  an 
increase  in  IT  and  maintenance  costs,  partly  offset  by  a 
decrease  in  expenses  for  advertising  and  promotion  and 
allowances for doubtful accounts.

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20193 
  
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

BUSINESS PERFORMANCE
Financial Statements and  
Management Report of adidas AG

DEPRECIATION AND AMORTIZATION UP 22%
Depreciation  and  amortization  for  adidas  AG  rose  22%  to 
€ 120 million in 2019 (2018: € 98 million), mainly as a result of 
an increase in depreciation and amortization of software and 
buildings.

OPERATING RESULT INCREASES
In  2019,  adidas  AG  generated  an  operating  profit  of 
€  170  million  due  to  higher  sales  (2018:  operating  loss  of 
€ 5 million). 

 SEE TABLE 88 

FINANCIAL RESULT IMPROVES
The 
to 
financial  result  of  adidas AG 
€ 1.938 billion  in  2019  (2018:  €  1.542  billion).  The  increase 
was  attributable  to  higher  income  from  dividends,  partly 
offset  by  lower  profit  transfers  from  affiliated  companies 
under profit and loss transfer agreements.

improved  26% 

NET INCOME INCREASES SIGNIFICANTLY
Net income, after taxes of € 161 million (2018: € 113 million), 
amounted to € 1.947 billion in 2019 and was thus 37% above 
the prior year level (2018: € 1.424 billion). 

 SEE TABLE 88

BALANCE SHEET

Balance sheet in accordance with HGB 
(Condensed) € in millions

 90

TOTAL ASSETS ABOVE PRIOR YEAR
At the end of December 2019, total assets grew 6% to € 10.070 
billion  compared  to  €  9.496  billion  in  the  prior  year.  This 
development was mainly a result of increases in receivables 
and other assets as well as financial assets, partly offset by 
the decline in cash and cash equivalents as well as securities. 

Dec. 31, 
2019

Dec. 31, 
2018

 SEE TABLE 90

Assets

Intangible assets

Property, plant and equipment

Financial assets

Fixed assets

Inventories

Receivables and other assets

Cash and cash equivalents, securities

Current assets

Prepaid expenses

Active difference from asset allocation

Total assets

Equity and liabilities

Shareholders’ equity

Provisions

Liabilities and other items

Total equity and liabilities

SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY UP 18%
Shareholders’ equity rose 18% to € 3.107 billion at the end of 
2019  (2018:  €  2.634  billion). 
 SEE  TABLE  90  The  equity  ratio 
increased to 30.9% (2018: 27.7%). 

PROVISIONS INCREASE 4%
Provisions  were  up  4%  to  € 728 million  at  the  end  of  2019 
(2018:  €  699  million). 
 SEE  TABLE  90  The  increase  primarily 
resulted from higher provisions for personnel.

LIABILITIES AND OTHER ITEMS UP 1%
At  the  end  of  December  2019,  liabilities  and  other  items 
remained  virtually  unchanged  at  €  6.235  billion,  up  1% 
compared to the prior year (2018: € 6.163 billion). 
 SEE TABLE 90 

188

706

4,427

5,321

37

3,365

1,197

4,599

150

0

10,070

3,107

728

6,235

10,070

162

688

4,361

5,211

47

2,655

1,478

4,180

100

5

9,496

2,634

699

6,163

9,496

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201931    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

CASH INFLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES 
REFLECTS CHANGE IN CASH AND CASH 
EQUIVALENTS
adidas AG  generated  a  positive  cash  flow  from  operating 
activities of € 1.473 billion (2018: € 1.696 billion). The change 
versus  the  prior  year  was  a  result  of  the  increase  in  net 
income,  partly  offset  by  higher  receivables  from  affiliated 
companies. Net cash outflow from investment activities was 
€ 233 million  (2018:  €  270  million).  This  was  primarily 
attributable to capital expenditure for tangible fixed assets in 
an  amount  of  € 167 million  and  capital  expenditure  for 
financial  assets  in  an  amount  of  € 66 million.  Financing 
activities  resulted  in  a  net  cash  outflow  of  € 1.478 billion 
(2018:  €  889  million).  The  net  cash  outflow  from  financing 
activities mainly relates to the repurchase of adidas AG shares 
in the amount of € 815 million (for which € 410 million was 
utilized from 2019 net income) and the dividend payment in an 
amount of € 664 million. As a result of all these developments, 
cash  and  cash  equivalents  of  adidas  AG  decreased  to 
€ 636 million  at  the  end  of  December  2019  compared  to 
€ 874 million at the end of the prior year. 

adidas AG has bilateral credit lines of € 1.3 billion. In addition, 
the company has a multi-currency commercial paper program 
in an amount of € 2.0 billion. 

 SEE TREASURY, P. 104

adidas AG is able to meet its financial commitments at all times. 

BUSINESS PERFORMANCE
Disclosures pursuant to § 315a Section 1 
and § 289a Section 1 of the German 
Commercial Code and Explanatory Report

DISCLOSURES PURSUANT TO § 315A 
SECTION 1 AND § 289A SECTION 1 OF 
THE GERMAN COMMERCIAL CODE AND 
EXPLANATORY REPORT

COMPOSITION OF SUBSCRIBED CAPITAL
The  nominal  capital  of  adidas  AG  amounts  to  € 200,416,186 
(as at December 31, 2019) and is divided into the same number 
of  registered  no-par-value  shares  with  a  notional  pro  rata 
amount  in  the  nominal  capital  of  € 1  each  (‘shares’).  The 
nominal capital and the number of shares did not change in 
the 2019 financial year. The shares are fully paid in. Any claim 
on the part of the shareholders to the issuance of individual 
share  certificates  is  generally  excluded  pursuant  to  §  4 
section 9 of the Articles of Association unless such issuance is 
required  in  accordance  with  the  regulations  applicable  at  a 
stock exchange where the shares are admitted. Pursuant to 
§ 67 section 2 German Stock Corporation Act (Aktiengesetz – 
AktG), in relation to adidas AG, only a person who is registered 
as such in the share register shall be deemed a shareholder. 
Each  share  grants  one  vote  at  the  Annual  General  Meeting 
and  determines  the  shareholders’  share  in  the  company’s 
profit. All shares carry the same rights and obligations. The 
shareholders’ individual rights and obligations follow from the 
provisions of the German Stock Corporation Act, in particular 
from  §§  12,  53a  et  seq.,  118  et  seq.  and  186  AktG.  As  at 
December 31, 2019, adidas AG held 4,446,799 treasury shares, 
which do not confer any rights to the company in accordance 
with § 71b AktG. 

 SEE NOTE 27, P. 171

In  the  USA,  adidas  AG  has  issued  American  Depositary 
Receipts  (ADRs).  ADRs  are  deposit  certificates  of  non-US 
shares  that  are  traded  instead  of  the  original  shares  on  US 
stock exchanges. Two ADRs equal one adidas AG share. 

 SEE OUR SHARE, P. 46

RESTRICTIONS ON VOTING RIGHTS OR 
TRANSFER OF SHARES
We  are  not  aware  of  any  contractual  agreements  with 
adidas AG or other agreements restricting voting rights or the 
transfer of shares. Based on the Code of Conduct and internal 
guidelines of adidas AG and based on Article 19 section 11 of 
the Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 (Market Abuse Regulation), 
however,  particular  trade  prohibitions  do  exist  for  Executive 
Board  members  with  regard  to  the  purchase  and  sale  of 
adidas AG shares, in connection with the (time of) publication 
of half-year or year-end financial reports. 

In addition, restrictions of voting rights may exist pursuant to, 
inter  alia,  § 136  AktG  or  for  treasury  shares  pursuant  to 
§ 71b  AktG  as  well  as  due  to  capital  market  regulations,  in 
particular pursuant to §§ 33 et seq. German Securities Trading 
Act (Wertpapierhandelsgesetz – WpHG).

The  shares  that  were  issued  in  the  context  of  the  Stock 
Purchase Plan to employees of adidas AG and employees of 
subsidiaries participating in the Stock Purchase Plan are not 
subject to any lock-up periods, unless such a waiting period is 
stipulated  in  locally  applicable  regulations.  Employees  who 
hold the shares which they purchased themselves (investment 
shares)  for  at  least  one  year  will  subsequently  receive  one 
share  for  every  six  investment  shares  without  having  to  pay 
for  such  share  (so-called  matching  share)  if  they  are  still 
adidas employees at that point in time. If employees transfer, 
pledge  or  hypothecate  investment  shares  in  any  way  during 
the  one-year  vesting  period,  the  right  to  receive  matching 
shares ceases.

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201931    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

BUSINESS PERFORMANCE
Disclosures pursuant to § 315a Section 1 
and § 289a Section 1 of the German 
Commercial Code and Explanatory Report

SHAREHOLDINGS IN SHARE CAPITAL 
EXCEEDING 10% OF VOTING RIGHTS
We have not been notified of, and are not aware of, any direct 
or  indirect  shareholdings  in  the  share  capital  of  adidas  AG 
reaching or exceeding 10% of the voting rights.

SHARES WITH SPECIAL RIGHTS
There are no shares bearing special rights. In particular, there 
are no shares with rights conferring powers of control. 

VOTING RIGHT CONTROL IF EMPLOYEES   
HAVE A SHARE IN THE CAPITAL
Like  all  other  shareholders,  employees  who  hold  adidas  AG 
shares  exercise  their  control  rights  directly  in  accordance 
with statutory provisions and the Articles of Association. The 
shares  which  employees  acquire  in  the  context  of  the  Stock 
Purchase Plan are held in trust centrally by a service provider 
on  behalf  of  the  participating  employees.  As  long  as  the 
shares  are  held  in  trust,  the  trustee  shall  take  reasonable 
measures  to  enable  participating  employees  to  directly  or 
indirectly exercise their voting rights in respect of the shares 
held in trust.

EXECUTIVE BOARD APPOINTMENT AND 
DISMISSAL
Pursuant to § 6 of the Articles of Association and § 84  AktG, 
the  Supervisory  Board  is  responsible  for  determining  the 
exact  number  of  members  of  the  Executive  Board,  for  their 
appointment and dismissal as well as for the appointment of 
the  Chief  Executive  Officer  (CEO).  The  adidas    AG  Executive 
Board,  which,  as  a  basic  principle,  comprises  at  least  two 
members,  currently  consists  of  the  CEO  and  five  further 
members. Executive Board members may be appointed for a 
maximum  period  of  five  years.  Such  appointments  may  be 
renewed  and  the  terms  of  office  may  be  extended,  provided 
that no term exceeds five years. 

 SEE EXECUTIVE BOARD, P. 11

The  Supervisory  Board  may  revoke  the  appointment  of  an 
individual as member of the Executive Board or CEO if there is 
good cause, such as gross negligence of duties or a vote of no 
confidence by the Annual General Meeting.

wording,  the  Supervisory  Board  is  authorized  to  make 
these  modifications  in  accordance  with  § 179  section  1 
sentence 2 AktG in conjunction with § 10 section 1 sentence 2 
of the Articles of Association. 

As adidas AG is subject to the regulations of the German Co-
Determination  Act  (Mitbestimmungsgesetz  –  MitbestG),  the 
appointment  of  Executive  Board  members  and  also  their 
dismissal  require  a  majority  of  at  least  two  thirds  of  the 
Supervisory Board members (§ 31 MitbestG). If such a majority 
is not established in the first vote by the Supervisory Board, 
the  Mediation  Committee  has  to  present  a  proposal  which, 
however, does not exclude other proposals. The appointment or 
dismissal is then made in a second vote with a simple majority 
of  the  votes  cast  by  the  Supervisory  Board  members.  Should 
the required majority not be established in this case either, a 
third vote, again requiring a simple majority, must be held in 
which the Chairman of the Supervisory Board has two votes.

If the Executive Board does not have the required number of 
members, the competent court must, in urgent cases, make the 
necessary appointment upon application (§ 85 section 1 AktG).

AMENDMENTS TO THE ARTICLES OF 
ASSOCIATION
Pursuant  to  §§  119  section  1  number  5, 179  section 1 
sentence 1 AktG, the Articles of Association of adidas AG can, 
in  principle,  only  be  amended  by  a  resolution  passed  by  the 
Annual  General  Meeting.  Pursuant  to  § 21  section 3  of  the 
Articles  of  Association  in  conjunction  with  § 179  section 2 
sentence 2  AktG,  the  Annual  General  Meeting  of  adidas  AG 
principally  resolves  upon  amendments  to  the  Articles  of 
Association with a simple majority of the votes cast and with a 
simple  majority  of  the  nominal  capital  represented  when 
passing the resolution. If mandatory legal provisions stipulate 
a larger majority of voting rights or capital, this is applicable. 
When  it  comes  to  amendments  solely  relating  to  the 

AUTHORIZATIONS OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
The  authorizations  of  the  Executive  Board  are  regulated  by 
§§ 76 et seq. AktG in conjunction with §§ 7 and 8 of the Articles 
of  Association.  The  Executive  Board 
in 
particular,  for  managing  the  company  and  represents  the 
company judicially and extra-judicially.

is  responsible, 

AUTHORIZATION OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD 
TO ISSUE SHARES
The  authorization  of  the  Executive  Board  to  issue  shares  is 
regulated by § 4 of the Articles of Association and by statutory 
provisions:

Authorized Capital
 — Until June 14, 2021, the Executive Board is authorized to 
increase the nominal capital, subject to Supervisory Board 
approval, by issuing new shares against contributions in 
cash once or several times by no more than € 4,000,000 
altogether  (Authorized  Capital  2016).  Any  repurchased 
treasury shares of the company which are used by the 
company  for  employee  stock  purchase  plans  during 
the term of this authorization shall be attributed to the 
maximum  number  of  4,000,000  shares.  Shareholders’ 
subscription  rights  shall  be  excluded.  The  new  shares 
may only be issued to (current and former) employees 
of the company and its affiliated companies as well as to 
(current and former) members of management bodies of 
the company’s affiliated companies (‘eligible persons’).

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201931    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

BUSINESS PERFORMANCE
Disclosures pursuant to § 315a Section 1 
and § 289a Section 1 of the German 
Commercial Code and Explanatory Report

 — Until June 7, 2022, the Executive Board is authorized to 
increase the nominal capital, subject to Supervisory Board 
approval, by issuing new shares against contributions in 
cash once or several times by no more than € 50,000,000 
altogether  (Authorized  Capital  2017/I).  The  Executive 
Board may, subject to Supervisory Board approval, exclude 
residual amounts from shareholders’ subscription rights.
 — Until June 7, 2022, the Executive Board is authorized to 
increase the nominal capital, subject to Supervisory Board 
approval, by issuing new shares against contributions in 
cash once or several times by no more than € 20,000,000 
altogether  (Authorized  Capital  2017/III).  The  Executive 
Board may, subject to Supervisory Board approval, exclude 
residual amounts from shareholders’ subscription rights. 
Additionally, the Executive Board may, subject to Supervisory 
Board approval, exclude shareholders’ subscription rights 
when issuing the new shares at a price not significantly 
below  the  stock  market  price  of  the  company’s  shares 
already quoted on the stock exchange at the point in time 
when the issue price is ultimately determined, which should 
be as close as possible to the placement of the shares; 
this exclusion of subscription rights can also be associated 
with the listing of the company’s shares on a foreign stock 
exchange. The authorization to exclude subscription rights 
pursuant to the previous sentence may, however, only be 
used to the extent that the pro rata amount of the new 
shares in the nominal capital together with the pro rata 
amount in the nominal capital of other shares which have 
been  issued  by  adidas AG  since  May 11,  2017,  subject 
to the exclusion of subscription rights pursuant to or in 
accordance with § 186 section 3 sentence 4 AktG on the 
basis of an authorized capital or following a repurchase, 
or  for  which  subscription  or  conversion  rights  or 
subscription or conversion obligations have been granted 
since May 11, 2017, through the issuance of convertible 
bonds and/or bonds with warrants, with subscription rights 
excluded pursuant to § 186 section 3 sentence 4 AktG, does 

not exceed 10% of the nominal capital existing on the date of 
the entry of this authorization into the commercial register 
or – if this amount is lower – as at the respective date on 
which the resolution on utilization of the authorization is 
adopted. The overall volume of the shares issued based 
on this authorization with the exclusion of subscription 
rights – together with shares issued against contributions 
in  kind  with  the  exclusion  of  subscription  rights  from 
the Authorized Capital 2017/II – must not exceed 10% of 
the nominal capital existing at the date of the respective 
issuance. This deduction clause shall not apply if residual 
amounts of shares are excluded from subscription rights.
 — Until June 13, 2024, the Executive Board is authorized to 
increase the nominal capital, subject to Supervisory Board 
approval, by issuing new shares against contributions in 
kind once or several times by no more than € 16,000,000 
altogether (Authorized Capital 2019). The Executive Board 
may,  subject  to  Supervisory  Board  approval,  exclude 
shareholders’ subscription rights. The overall volume of 
the shares issued with the exclusion of subscription rights 
based on this authorization must not exceed 10% of the 
nominal  capital  existing  at  the  point  in  time  when  this 
authorization becomes effective or, in case this amount is 
lower, at the date of the respective issuance. The nominal 
capital which is attributed to the shares to be issued to 
service option or conversion rights or option or conversion 
obligations from bonds, debt securities or participation 
rights to the extent that they are issued during the term of 
the authorization until the date of the respective exercise 
of  this  authorization  with  the  exclusion  of  subscription 
rights, or which is attributed to shares which are issued 
or sold during the term of the authorization until the date 
of the respective exercise of this authorization with the 
exclusion of subscription rights, has to be included in the 
aforementioned limit of 10%. This deduction clause shall 
not apply if residual amounts of shares are excluded from 
subscription rights. The Authorized Capital 2019 must not 

be used to issue shares within the scope of compensation 
or participation programs for Executive Board members or 
employees or for members of the management bodies or 
employees of subsidiaries.  SEE NOTE 27, P. 171

Contingent Capital
The nominal capital of the company is conditionally increased 
by  up  to  € 12,500,000  (Contingent  Capital  2018).  The 
Contingent Capital serves the purpose of granting holders or 
creditors of bonds that were issued based on the resolution of 
the  Annual  General  Meeting  on  May  9,  2018  subscription  or 
conversion rights relating to no more than a total of 12,500,000 
shares in compliance with the corresponding conditions of the 
bonds.  Based  on  the  authorization  granted  by  the  Annual 
General  Meeting  on  May  9,  2018,  the  Executive  Board  is 
authorized  to  issue  bonds  with  warrants  and/or  convertible 
bonds in an aggregate nominal value of up to € 2,500,000,000 
with  or  without  a  limited  term  against  contributions  in  cash 
once  or  several  times  until  May  8,  2023,  and  to  guarantee 
bonds 
issued  by  subordinated  Group  companies.  The 
Executive  Board  is  also  authorized,  subject  to  Supervisory 
Board approval, to exclude shareholders’ subscription rights 
to  exclude  shareholders’ 
for  residual  amounts  and 
subscription  rights  insofar  as  this  is  necessary  for  granting 
subscription rights to which holders or creditors of previously 
issued  bonds  are  entitled.  Finally,  the  Executive  Board  is 
authorized,  subject  to  Supervisory  Board  approval,  to  also 
exclude shareholders’ subscription rights if the issue price of 
the  bonds  is  not  significantly  below  the  hypothetical  market 
value of these bonds and the number of shares to be issued 
does not  exceed 10% of the nominal capital. Treasury shares 
which  are  or  will  be  sold  with  the  exclusion  of  subscription 
rights in accordance with § 71 section 1 no. 8 in conjunction 
with  §  186  section  3  sentence  4  AktG  between  the  starting 
date of the term of this authorization and the issuance of the 
respective  bonds  shall  be  attributed  to  the  aforementioned 
limit of 10%. Shares which are or will be issued, subject to the 

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201931    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

BUSINESS PERFORMANCE
Disclosures pursuant to § 315a Section 1 
and § 289a Section 1 of the German 
Commercial Code and Explanatory Report

exclusion  of  subscription  rights  pursuant  to  § 186  section 3 
sentence 4 AktG or pursuant to § 203 section 1 in conjunction 
with  § 186  section 3  sentence 4 AktG  between  the  starting 
date of the term of this authorization and the issuance of the 
respective bonds in the context of a cash capital increase shall 
also be attributed to the aforementioned limit of 10%. Finally, 
shares  for  which  there  are  option  or  conversion  rights  or 
obligations or a right to  delivery of shares of the company in 
favor of the company due to bonds with warrants or convertible 
bonds  issued  by  the  company  or  its  subordinated  Group 
companies, subject to the exclusion of subscription rights in 
accordance  with  § 221  section 4  sentence 2  in  conjunction 
with § 186 section 3 sentence 4 AktG during the term of this 
authorization based on other authorizations shall be attributed 
to  the  aforementioned  limit  of  10%.  Notwithstanding  the 
Supervisory  Board’s  right  to  determine  further  approval 
requirements,  the  Executive  Board  requires  the  Supervisory 
Board’s approval for the issuance of bonds with warrants and/
or convertible bonds based on this authorization of the Annual 
General  Meeting  on  May  9,  2018  with  the  exclusion  of 
shareholders’ subscription rights.

The Executive Board has so far not utilized the authorization 
to  issue  bonds  with  warrants  and/or  convertible  bonds 
granted by the Annual General Meeting on May 9, 2018.

AUTHORIZATION OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD 
TO REPURCHASE SHARES
The  authorizations  of  the  Executive  Board  to  repurchase 
adidas AG shares arise from §§ 71 et seq. AktG and, as at the 
balance  sheet  date,  from  the  authorization  granted  by  the 
Annual General Meeting on May 12, 2016.

Until  May  11,  2021,  the  Executive  Board  is  authorized  to 
repurchase adidas AG shares in an amount totaling up to 10% 
of the nominal capital at the date of the resolution (or, as the 
case may be, a lower amount of nominal capital at the date of 

utilization  of  the  authorization)  for  any  lawful  purpose  and 
within the legal framework. The authorization may be used by 
the company but also by its subordinated Group companies or 
by third parties on account of the company or its subordinated 
Group companies or third parties assigned by the company or 
one of its subordinated Group companies.

The  repurchase  can  be  carried  out  via  the  stock  exchange, 
through a public invitation to submit sale offers, through a public 
repurchase  offer,  or  through  granting  tender  rights  to 
shareholders. The authorization furthermore sets out the lowest 
and highest nominal value that may be granted in each case. 

The  purposes  for  which  treasury  shares  repurchased  based 
on this authorization may be used are set out in the resolution 
on Item 9 of the Agenda for the Annual General Meeting held on 
May 12, 2016. The shares may in particular be used as follows:

 —  They may be sold on the stock exchange or through 
a  public  offer  to  all  shareholders  in  relation  to 
their  shareholding  quota;  in  case  of  an  offer  to  all 
shareholders, subscription rights for residual amounts 
are excluded. The shares may also be sold differently, 
provided the shares are sold in exchange for a cash 
payment and at a price that, at the time of the sale, is 
not significantly below the stock market price of the 
company’s shares with the same features; the prorated 
amount  of  the  nominal  capital  which  is  attributable 
to  the  aggregate  number  of  shares  sold  under  this 
authorization may not exceed 10% of the nominal capital. 
The prorated amount of the nominal capital attributable 
to new shares issued between May 12, 2016 and the sale 
of the shares based on an authorized capital with the 
exclusion of shareholders’ subscription rights pursuant 
to § 203 section 1 in conjunction with § 186 section 3 
sentence 4 AktG shall be attributed to the limit of 10%. 
Likewise, the prorated amount of the nominal capital 

that  is  attributable  to  shares  which  may  be  issued 
due to bonds with warrants and/or convertible bonds 
which are linked to subscription or conversion rights 
or  obligations  or  the  company’s  right  to  delivery  of 
shares, provided these bonds are issued on the basis 
of  authorizations  pursuant  to  §§  221  section  4,  186 
section 3 sentence 4 AktG between May 12, 2016 and 
the sale of the shares, shall also be attributed to the 
limit of 10%.

 —  They may be offered and assigned as consideration 
for  the  direct  or  indirect  acquisition  of  companies, 
parts  of  companies,  participations  in  companies  or 
other economic assets or within the scope of company 
mergers.

 —  They may be offered and sold as consideration for the 
acquisition of industrial property rights or intangible 
property rights or for the acquisition of licenses relating to 
such rights, also through subordinated Group companies.
 —  They  may  be  used  for  purposes  of  meeting  the 
subscription  or  conversion  rights  or  obligations  or 
the company’s right to delivery of shares arising from 
bonds with warrants and/or convertible bonds issued 
by the company or its subordinated Group companies.
 —  In connection with employee stock purchase plans, up 
to 4,000,000 shares may be issued in favor of (current 
and former) employees of the company and its affiliated 
companies as well as in favor of (current and former) 
management  bodies  of  the  company’s  affiliated 
companies. The number of shares the company issues 
to eligible persons by partially utilizing the Authorized 
Capital 2016 shall be attributed to the maximum number 
of 4,000,000 shares.

 —  They may be canceled without such cancelation requiring 
an additional resolution of the Annual General Meeting.

Furthermore,  the  shares  may  be  promised  or  assigned  to 
members of the Executive Board as compensation by way of a 

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201931    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

stock  bonus  subject  to  the  provision  that  resale  by  the 
Executive Board members shall only be permitted following a 
retention  period  of  at  least  three  years  from  the  date  of 
assignment.  Responsibility 
lies  with  the 
Supervisory Board.

in  this  case 

In  case  of  utilization  of  shares  for  the  aforementioned 
purposes, except for the cancelation of shares, shareholders’ 
subscription rights are excluded.

The  Supervisory  Board  may  determine  that  transactions 
based on this authorization may only be carried out subject to 
the approval of the Supervisory Board or one of its committees.

In  the  2018  and  2019  financial  years,  the  Executive  Board 
partly  utilized  the  authorization  to  repurchase  adidas  AG 
shares  in  the  context  of  the  share  buyback  program  2018 -
2021. In a first tranche (total period from March 22, 2018 up to 
and  including  December  4,  2018)  of  this  share  buyback 
program, adidas AG bought back 5,089,879 adidas AG shares 
via the stock exchange. In a second tranche (total period from 
January  7,  2019  up  to  and  including  December  18,  2019), 
adidas  AG  bought  back  3,223,214  adidas  AG  shares  via  the 
stock exchange in the year under review. 

 SEE NOTE 27, P. 171

BUSINESS PERFORMANCE
Disclosures pursuant to § 315a Section 1 
and § 289a Section 1 of the German 
Commercial Code and Explanatory Report

In the scope of the authorization resolved upon by the Annual 
General  Meeting  on  May  12,  2016,  the  Executive  Board  is 
furthermore authorized to conduct the share buyback also by 
using  equity  derivatives  which  are  arranged  with  a  credit 
institution or financial services institution in close conformity 
with  market  conditions.  adidas  AG  may  acquire  call  options 
issued  for  physical  delivery  and/or  sell  put  options  or  use  a 
combination of call and put options or other equity derivatives 
if  the  option  conditions  ensure  that  the  shares  delivered  for 
these  equity  derivatives  were  purchased  in  compliance  with 
the  principle  of  equal  treatment.  All  share  purchases  using 
the  aforementioned  equity  derivatives  are  limited  to  a 
maximum value of 5% of the nominal capital existing at the 
date  on  which  the  resolution  was  adopted  by  the  Annual 
General Meeting (or, as the case may be, a lower amount of 
nominal capital at the date of utilization of the authorization). 
The term of the options may not exceed 18 months and must 
furthermore  be  chosen  in  such  a  way  that  the  shares  are 
acquired  upon  the  exercise  of  the  options  no  later  than 
May  11,  2021.  The  authorization  furthermore  sets  out  the 
lowest  and  highest  nominal  value  that  may  be  granted  in 
each case.

For excluding subscription rights, the use and cancelation of 
shares  purchased  using  equity  derivatives,  the  general 
provisions  adopted  by  the  Annual  General  Meeting  (set  out 
above) are applicable accordingly.

CHANGE OF CONTROL/COMPENSATION 
AGREEMENTS
into  by  adidas  AG 
Substantial  agreements  entered 
containing a change-of-control clause relate to the material 
financing  agreements.  In  the  case  of  a  change  of  control, 
these  agreements,  in  accordance  with  common  practice, 
entitle  the  creditor  to  termination  and  early  calling-in  of 
any outstanding amounts.

No compensation agreements exist between adidas AG and 
members of the Executive Board or employees relating to 
the event of a takeover bid.

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201931    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

BUSINESS PERFORMANCE BY SEGMENT

BUSINESS PERFORMANCE 
BY SEGMENT

adidas has divided its operating activities into the following 
operating  segments:  Europe,  North  America  adidas,  North 
America  Reebok,  Asia-Pacific,  Russia/CIS,  Latin  America, 
Emerging  Markets,  adidas  Golf,  Runtastic  and  Other 
centrally  managed  businesses.  While 
the  operating 
segments  Europe,  Asia-Pacific,  Russia/CIS,  Latin  America 
and  Emerging  Markets  are  reported  separately,  North 
America adidas and North America Reebok are combined to 
the  reportable  segment  North  America.  Each  reportable 
segment  comprises  all  wholesale,  retail  and  e-commerce 
business  activities  relating  to  the  distribution  and  sale  of 
products of the adidas and Reebok brands to retail customers 
and end consumers. The remaining operating segments are 
aggregated  under  Other  Businesses  due  to  their  only 
subordinate materiality.

Net sales in Europe

EUROPE
In 2019, sales in Europe increased 3% on a currency-neutral 
basis  as  well  as  in  euro  terms  to  € 6.071 billion  from 
€ 5.885 billion  in  2018.  adidas  brand 
revenues  were  up  4%  on  a  currency-
neutral  basis.  This  was  driven  by  low-
single-digit  sales  growth 
in  Sport 
Inspired  and  mid-single-digit  sales 
growth  in  Sport  Performance.  Reebok  brand  revenues  in 
Europe  decreased  2%  on  a  currency-neutral  basis,  due  to 
declines in both Sport and Classics. 

+3%

 SEE TABLE 91

C.N.

€ 6.071 bn

Europe at a glance € in millions

 91

2019

6,071

5,599

471

51.5%

2018

5,885

5,405

480

47.7%

Change

3%

4%

(2%)

3.9pp

1,408

1,176

20%

23.2%

20.0%

3.2pp

Change 
(currency- 
neutral)

3%

4%

(2%)

–

–

–

Net sales

adidas brand

Reebok brand

Gross margin

Segmental 
operating profit 

Segmental 
operating margin

Gross  margin  in  Europe  increased  3.9  percentage  points  to 
51.5% from 47.7% in 2018, as positive currency effects, lower 
sourcing costs and a favorable channel mix more than offset 
an unfavorable product and pricing mix. Operating expenses 
were  up  6%  to  € 1.722 billion  versus  € 1.628 billion  in  2018, 
mainly  reflecting  an  increase  in  operating  overhead  costs. 
Operating  expenses  as  a  percentage  of  sales  were  up 
0.7 percentage points to 28.4% (2018: 27.7%). As a result of 
the  increase  in  gross  margin,  which  more  than  offset  the 
negative effect of higher operating expenses as a percentage 
of  sales,  operating  margin  was  up  3.2  percentage  points  to 
23.2%  (2018:  20.0%).  Operating  profit  in  Europe  increased 
20% to € 1.408 billion versus € 1.176 billion in the prior year. 

 SEE TABLE 91

Net sales in North America

NORTH AMERICA
Revenues  in  North  America  grew  8%  on  a  currency-neutral 
in  euro  terms  to  € 5.313 billion  from 
basis  and  13% 
€ 4.689 billion 
in  2018.  adidas 
brand  sales  increased  7%  on  a 
currency-neutral basis, with mid-
single-digit sales growth in Sport 
low-single-digit 
Inspired 
sales growth in Sport Performance. Reebok brand revenues 
in  North  America  grew  12%  on  a  currency-neutral  basis, 
driven by increases in both Sport and Classics. 

+8%

 SEE TABLE 92

C.N.

€ 5.313 bn

and 

North America at a glance € in millions

 92

2019

5,313

4,828

485

40.0%

2018

4,689

4,277

411

Change

13%

13%

18%

41.2%

(1.2pp)

715

698

2%

13.5%

14.9%

(1.4pp)

Change 
(currency- 
neutral)

8%

7%

12%

–

–

–

Net sales

adidas brand

Reebok brand

Gross margin

Segmental 
operating profit 

Segmental 
operating margin

Gross  margin  in  North  America  decreased  1.2  percentage 
points  to  40.0%  (2018:  41.2%).  Higher  air  freight  costs  to 
mitigate  the  supply  chain  shortages  and  an  unfavorable 
pricing mix were only partly offset by lower sourcing costs as 
well as a better product and channel mix. Operating expenses 
were up 14% to € 1.493 billion versus € 1.305 billion in 2018, 
mainly  reflecting  an  increase  in  operating  overhead  costs. 
Operating  expenses  as  a  percentage  of  sales  increased 
0.3 percentage points to 28.1% (2018: 27.8%). As a result of 
the lower gross margin and higher operating expenses as a 

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20193 
 
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

BUSINESS PERFORMANCE BY SEGMENT

percentage of sales, operating margin declined 1.4 percentage 
points to 13.5% from 14.9% in 2018. Operating profit in North 
America increased 2% to € 715 million from € 698 million in 
2018. 

 SEE TABLE 92

Net sales in Asia-Pacific

ASIA-PACIFIC
Sales in Asia-Pacific grew 10% on a currency-neutral basis. In 
euro terms, sales in Asia-Pacific were up 12% to € 8.032 billion 
from € 7.141 billion in 2018. adidas 
brand revenues increased 11% on a 
This 
currency-neutral 
development  was  due  to  double-
digit  sales  growth  in  both  Sport 
Inspired and Sport Performance. Reebok brand sales in Asia-
Pacific  decreased  15%  on  a  currency-neutral  basis,  due  to 
declines in both Sport and Classics. 

+10%

 SEE TABLE 93

C.N.

€ 8.032 bn

basis. 

Asia-Pacific at a glance € in millions

 93

2019

8,032

7,736

296

57.0%

2018

7,141

6,805

336

56.2%

Change

12%

14%

(12%)

0.8pp

2,703

2,339

16%

33.7%

32.7%

0.9pp

Change 
(currency- 
neutral)

10%

11%

(15%)

–

–

–

Net sales

adidas brand

Reebok brand

Gross margin

Segmental 
operating profit 

Segmental 
operating margin

Gross margin in Asia-Pacific increased 0.8 percentage points 
to  57.0%  (2018:  56.2%),  reflecting  lower  sourcing  costs, 
positive  currency  effects  and  an  improved  product  and 
channel  mix,  partly  offset  by  an  unfavorable  pricing  mix. 
Operating  expenses  were  up  12%  to  € 1.891 billion  versus 
€ 1.688 billion  in  2018,  mainly  driven  by  higher  operating 
overhead costs. Operating expenses as a percentage of sales 
were down 0.1 percentage points to 23.5% (2018: 23.6%). As a 
result of the gross margin increase as well as lower operating 
expenses as a percentage of sales, operating margin was up 
0.9  percentage  points  to  33.7%  versus  32.7%  in  2018. 
Operating profit in Asia-Pacific increased 16% to € 2.703 billion 
from € 2.339 billion in 2018. 

 SEE TABLE 93

Russia/CIS at a glance € in millions

 94

2019

658

490

168

2018

Change

595

446

149

11%

10%

13%

61.7%

65.8%

(4.2pp)

167

146

14%

25.4%

24.6%

0.8pp

Change 
(currency- 
neutral)

8%

7%

11%

–

–

–

Net sales

adidas brand

Reebok brand

Gross margin

Segmental 
operating profit 

Segmental 
operating margin

Net sales in Russia/CIS

+8%

RUSSIA/CIS
Sales  in  Russia/CIS  increased  8%  on  a  currency-neutral 
basis.  In  euro  terms,  sales  in  Russia/CIS  grew  11%  to 
€ 658 million  from  € 595 million  in 
2018. adidas brand revenues were up 
7%  on  a  currency-neutral  basis. 
While sales in Sport Inspired grew at 
a double-digit rate, revenues in Sport 
Performance  increased  at  a  mid-single-digit  rate.  Reebok 
brand revenues in Russia/CIS increased 11% on a currency-
neutral basis, driven by mid-single-digit growth in Sport and 
double-digit growth in Classics. 

 SEE TABLE 94

C.N.

€ 658 m

Gross margin in Russia/CIS decreased 4.2 percentage points 
to  61.7%  from  65.8%  in  2018,  as  an  unfavorable  pricing  and 
channel  mix  more  than  offset  lower  sourcing  costs  and 
positive currency effects. Operating expenses were down 3% 
to  € 239 million  (2018:  € 245 million),  reflecting  a  decline  in 
both  operating  overhead  costs  and  marketing  expenditure. 
Operating  expenses  as  a  percentage  of  sales  decreased 
4.9 percentage points to 36.3% versus 41.2% in the prior year. 
As  the  lower  gross  margin  was  more  than  offset  by  lower 
operating  expenses  as  a  percentage  of  sales,  operating 
margin improved 0.8 percentage points to 25.4% from 24.6% 
in  2018.  Operating  profit  in  Russia/CIS  increased  14%  to 
€ 167 million versus € 146 million in 2018.   SEE TABLE 94

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20193 
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

BUSINESS PERFORMANCE BY SEGMENT

to  € 1.660 billion 

Net sales in Latin America

+7%

LATIN AMERICA
Revenues  in  Latin  America  increased  7%  on  a  currency-
neutral  basis.  In  euro  terms,  sales  in  Latin  America  grew 
from 
2% 
€ 1.634  billion 
in  2018.  adidas 
brand  sales  were  up  8%  on  a 
currency-neutral  basis.  Double-
digit growth in Sport Inspired was 
partly  offset  by  a  low-single-digit  sales  decline  in  Sport 
Performance. Reebok brand sales in Latin America grew 3% 
on a currency-neutral basis, as a high-single-digit decline in 
Sport was more than offset by double-digit growth in Classics. 

C.N.

€ 1.660 bn

 SEE TABLE 95

Latin America at a glance € in millions

 95

2019

1,660

1,490

170

44.5%

2018

1,634

1,463

171

Change

2%

2%

(1%)

44.9%

(0.4pp)

295

279

6%

17.8%

17.1%

0.7pp

Change 
(currency- 
neutral)

7%

8%

3%

–

–

–

Net sales

adidas brand

Reebok brand

Gross margin

Segmental 
operating profit 

Segmental 
operating margin

Gross  margin  in  Latin  America  decreased  0.4  percentage 
points  to  44.5%  (2018:  44.9%),  as  negative  currency  effects 
and an unfavorable product and channel mix were only partly 
offset  by  lower  sourcing  costs  and  a  favorable  pricing  mix. 
Operating  expenses  were  down  2%  to  € 444 million  from 
€ 454 million  in  2018,  reflecting  a  decrease  in  operating 
overhead costs. Operating expenses as a percentage of sales 
declined 1.1 percentage points to 26.7% (2018: 27.8%). As the 
lower gross margin was more than offset by lower operating 
expenses as a percentage of sales, operating margin improved 
0.7 percentage points to 17.8% from 17.1% in 2018. Operating 
profit in Latin America increased 6% to € 295 million versus 
€ 279 million in 2018. 

 SEE TABLE 95

Emerging Markets at a glance € in millions

 96

2019

1,302

1,146

156

52.3%

2018

1,144

1,010

134

Change

14%

13%

16%

52.8%

(0.5pp)

367

318

15%

28.2%

27.8%

0.4pp

Change 
(currency- 
neutral)

13%

12%

14%

–

–

–

Net sales

adidas brand

Reebok brand

Gross margin

Segmental 
operating profit 

Segmental 
operating margin

Net sales in Emerging Markets

+13%

EMERGING MARKETS
Revenues in Emerging Markets were up 13% on a currency-
neutral basis. In euro terms, sales in Emerging Markets grew 
14%  to  € 1.302 billion  from 
€ 1.144 billion in 2018. adidas 
brand 
increased 
12%  on  a  currency-neutral 
basis,  driven  by  double-digit 
growth in Sport Inspired and high-single-digit growth in Sport 
Performance.  Reebok  brand  revenues  in  Emerging  Markets 
grew  14%  on  a  currency-neutral  basis,  driven  by  a  high-
single-digit  increase  in  Sport  and  double-digit  growth  in 
Classics. 

 SEE TABLE 96

C.N.

revenues 

€ 1.302 bn

Gross margin in Emerging Markets decreased 0.5 percentage 
points  to  52.3%  (2018:  52.8%),  as  negative  currency  effects 
and  an  unfavorable  channel  mix  more  than  offset  lower 
sourcing  costs  and  a  favorable  product  and  pricing  mix. 
Operating  expenses  were  up  10%  to  € 314 million  versus 
€ 286 million  in  2018,  reflecting  an  increase  in  marketing 
expenditure as well as higher operating overhead costs. As a 
percentage  of  sales,  operating  expenses  decreased 
0.8  percentage  points  to  24.2%  from  25.0%  in  2018.  As  the 
lower gross margin was more than offset by lower operating 
expenses as a percentage of sales, operating margin was up 
0.4 percentage points to 28.2% (2018: 27.8%). Operating profit 
in  Emerging  Markets  increased  15%  to  € 367 million  versus 
€ 318 million in 2018. 

 SEE TABLE 96

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20193 
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

OUTLOOK

OUTLOOK

In  2020,  we  expect  growth  of  the  global  economy  and 
consumer spending to reaccelerate only slightly in light of 
various  uncertainties,  yet  still  to  provide  a  supportive 
backdrop  for  robust  expansion  of  the  sporting  goods 
industry.  Through  our  extensive  pipeline  of  innovative 
products,  powerful  brand-building  activities  and  tight 
control  of  both  our  inventory  levels  and  our  cost  base,  we 
project  significant  revenue  growth  and  strong  bottom-line 
improvements  in  2020.  We  forecast  sales  to  increase  at  a 
rate between 6% and 8% on a currency-neutral basis. Gross 
margin is projected to decline slightly compared to the prior 
year  level  of  52.0%,  which  is  expected  to  be  more  than 
leverage.  Consequently, 
compensated  by  operating 
operating  margin 
increase  between 
0.2  percentage  points  and  0.5  percentage  points  to  a  level 
between  11.5%  and  11.8%.  As  a  result,  net  income  from 
continuing  operations  is  forecast  to  increase  between  10% 
and 13% to a level between € 2.100 billion and € 2.160 billion. 
The company’s outlook for 2020 does not reflect any impact 
from  the  coronavirus  outbreak  and  is  subject  to  change 
depending on further developments in this regard.

is  expected 

to 

contains 

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This  Management  Report 
forward-looking 
statements  that  reflect  Management’s  current  view  with 
respect  to  the  future  development  of  our  company.  The 
outlook is based on estimates that we have made on the basis 
of all the information available to us at the time of completion 
of  this  Annual  Report.  In  addition,  such  forward-looking 
statements are subject to uncertainties which are beyond the 
control of the company. 
 SEE RISK AND OPPORTUNITY REPORT, P. 120 In 
case the underlying assumptions turn out to be incorrect or 
described  risks  or  opportunities  materialize,  actual  results 
and  developments  may  materially  deviate  (negatively  or 

1 Source: World Bank Global Economic Prospects.

positively) from those expressed by such statements. adidas 
does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking 
statements made in this Management Report beyond statutory 
disclosure obligations.

is  expected 

GLOBAL ECONOMIC GROWTH TO STABILIZE IN 
20201
Global  GDP  growth  is  projected  to  reaccelerate  slightly  to 
2.5%  in  2020.  Amid  recent  de-escalation  of  trade  tensions, 
investment and trade are forecast to gradually improve, while 
to  stay  accommodative. 
monetary  policy 
Nevertheless,  moderating  activity  in  major  economies  and 
financial market turbulences remain existing downside risks. 
In  addition,  differences  between  the  pace  of  growth  in 
developed  and  developing  economies  affect  the  global  GDP 
projection.  Developing  economies  are  forecast  to  see  an 
increase of growth at 4.1%, underlined by continued monetary 
policy support and a stabilization of oil and other commodity 
is 
prices.  In  contrast,  growth 
projected  to  slow  to  1.4%,  reflecting  continued  weakness  in 
manufacturing  and  limited  room  for  additional  monetary 
policy accommodation. On a global level, additional downside 
risks include an escalation of trade tensions and geopolitical 
conflicts  as  well  as  a  lasting  outbreak  of  the  coronavirus. 
Associated uncertainty might dampen consumer confidence, 
trade and growth.

in  developed  economies 

SPORTING GOODS INDUSTRY EXPANSION TO 
CONTINUE IN 2020
In  the  absence  of  any  major  macroeconomic  shocks,  we 
expect  the  global  sporting  goods  industry  to  grow  at  a  mid-
single-digit rate in 2020. Industry growth will continue to be 
driven by North America and Asia-Pacific, the biggest markets 
by size globally. Most other markets also look set to continue 
their  expansion  at  robust  rates,  contributing  to  a  growing 
industry.  Growth  in  developing  economies  is  predicted  to  be 

footwear 

(‘athleisure’ 

further supported by a growing middle class and progressing 
urbanization. In developed economies, robust labor markets 
should  fuel  resilient  consumption  and  support  consumer 
spending  on  sporting  goods.  Globally,  demand  for  athletic 
performance  products  should  be  continuously  supported  by 
increasing sports participation rates and rising awareness for 
health and wellness. In addition, demand for athletic casual 
and  activewear  products  is  expected  to  be  further  driven  by 
increasing  sportswear  penetration  rates,  as  sports-inspired 
apparel  and 
 SEE  GLOSSARY)  keeps 
evolving  as  a  structural  component  of  the  broader  fashion 
landscape.  Sustainability  is  expected  to  further  gain  in 
importance,  as  consumers  show  increasing  demand  for 
sustainable companies and products. Collaborations between 
sportswear  brands  and  non-athlete  influencers  will  remain 
an industry growth driver. Within the supply chain, increased 
efficiency in manufacturing and speed-to-market capabilities 
should  further  benefit  sales  growth  and  inventory  levels,  as 
consumers’ demands can be met faster and more precisely. 
On  the  distribution  side,  the  significant  expansion  of  the 
e-commerce  channel 
is  set  to  continue  amid  further 
investments  into  consumer  insights  generation  and  the 
creation of premium shopping experiences. Last but not least, 
major sporting events such as the UEFA EURO 2020 and the 
2020  Olympic  Games  in  Tokyo  will  support  industry  growth. 
For the sporting goods sector too, risks related to escalating 
trade  tensions  and  geopolitical  conflicts  as  well  as  the 
coronavirus outbreak remain. 

OUTLOOK FOR 2020 SUBJECT TO CHANGE DUE 
TO CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK IN CHINA
The company’s outlook for 2020 as outlined in this report is 
subject  to  change  depending  on  the  further  developments 
related to the coronavirus outbreak. In the first three weeks of 
2020,  our  business  in  Greater  China  –  which  represents 
around  two-thirds  of  our  Asia-Pacific  revenues  and  has  a 

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slightly higher profitability level than the segment’s average – 
performed  strongly.  However,  since  then  we  have  been 
experiencing a material negative impact on our operations in 
China. We have a dedicated task force team in place to assess 
the  situation,  develop  mitigation  actions  and  ensure  the 
personal safety as well as financial security of our employees 
and  their  families,  which  is  the  company’s  number  one 
priority.  Since  the  start  of  the  crisis,  we  have  been  working 
closely  with  the  Chinese  authorities  to  take  measures  to 
contain the epidemic and show our solidarity with the people 
directly affected. As a result of a significant number of store 
closures  –  both  own-  and  partner-operated  –  and  a 
pronounced traffic reduction within the remaining store fleet, 
business activity in Greater China has been around 85% below 
the  prior  year  level  since  Chinese  New  Year  on  January  25, 

with  a  corresponding  revenue  and  bottom-line  impact.  In 
addition, the company’s supply chain in China has been facing 
disruptions. adidas’ global sourcing activities, however, have 
not  been  materially  impacted  so  far,  as  production  in  the 
country is predominantly for the local market. Similarly, while 
we  have  seen  some  traffic  declines  in  other  markets  – 
predominantly  Japan  and  South  Korea  –  we  have  not  yet 
observed any major business impact outside of Greater China. 

As the situation keeps evolving, the magnitude of the overall 
impact on our business in 2020 cannot be quantified reliably 
at  this  point  in  time.  Accordingly,  the  company’s  outlook  for 
2020 as follows and outlined in this report does not reflect any 
impact of the coronavirus outbreak.

2020 Outlook 1

 97

Currency-neutral sales development (in %):

  adidas

Europe 2

North America 2

Asia-Pacific 2

Russia/CIS 2

Latin America 2

Emerging Markets 2

Gross margin

Operating margin

to increase at a rate between 6% and 8%

mid-single-digit increase

low-double-digit increase

high-single-digit increase

low-double-digit increase

mid-single-digit increase

high-single-digit increase

to decrease slightly compared to the prior year level of 52.0%

to increase between 0.2pp and 0.5pp to a level between 11.5% and 11.8%

Net income from continuing operations

to increase at a rate between 10% and 13% to a level between € 2.100 billion and € 2.160 billion 

Average operating working capital in % of sales

to increase slightly

Capital expenditure

to increase to a level of around € 800 million

1 Subject to change due to coronavirus outbreak in China.
2 Combined sales of the adidas and Reebok brands.

in  2020. 

CURRENCY-NEUTRAL SALES TO INCREASE 
BETWEEN 6% AND 8% IN 2020
We expect sales to increase at a rate between 6% and 8% on 
a  currency-neutral  basis 
 SEE  TABLE  97 Despite 
continued  uncertainties  regarding  the  global  economic 
outlook,  the  company’s  sales  development  will  be  favorably 
impacted by rising consumer spending, increasing penetration 
of sportswear (‘athleisure’) and growing health awareness in 
most  geographical  areas.  In  addition,  the  further  expansion 
and  improvement  of  our  controlled  space  initiatives,  in 
particular through our own e-commerce channel, is expected 
to contribute to sales growth.

CURRENCY-NEUTRAL REVENUES TO INCREASE 
IN ALL MARKET SEGMENTS
In  2020,  we  expect  currency-neutral  revenues  to  again 
increase  in  all  market  segments.  While  currency-neutral 
sales are projected to grow at a low-double-digit rate in North 
America and Russia/CIS, currency-neutral revenues in Asia-
Pacific and Emerging Markets are expected to grow at a high-
single-digit  rate.  Sales  in  Europe  and  Latin  America  are 
forecast  to  improve  at  a  mid-single-digit  rate  in  currency-
neutral terms. 

 SEE TABLE 97

GROSS MARGIN EXPECTED TO DECLINE 
SLIGHTLY
In  2020,  the  gross  margin  is  forecast  to  decline  slightly 
compared to the prior year level of 52.0%. 
 SEE TABLE 97 The 
gross  margin  development  will  be  significantly  burdened  by 
the adverse impact from unfavorable currency developments 
as well as negative effects from higher sourcing costs. These 
headwinds  will  largely  be  compensated  by  a  better  channel 
mix as well as normalized use of air freight after last year’s 
supply chain shortages were successfully mitigated.

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OPERATING MARGIN TO EXPAND TO A LEVEL 
BETWEEN 11.5% AND 11.8%
In 2020, the operating margin is projected to increase between 
0.2  percentage  points  and  0.5  percentage  points  to  a  level 
between  11.5%  and  11.8%.  The  anticipated  slight  decline  in 
gross margin is expected to be more than offset by leverage 
on other operating expenses. This, together with the continued 
top-line  growth,  is  expected  to  drive  a  double-digit-rate 
improvement of the bottom line. Net income from continuing 
operations  is  projected  to  increase  to  a  level  between 
€ 2.100 billion  and  € 2.160 billion,  reflecting  an  increase  of 
between  10%  and  13%  compared  to  the  prior  year  level  of 
€ 1.918 billion. 

 SEE TABLE 97

AVERAGE OPERATING WORKING CAPITAL AS A 
PERCENTAGE OF SALES TO INCREASE SLIGHTLY
In 2020, average operating working capital as a percentage of 
sales  is  projected  to  increase  slightly  compared  to  the 
significantly  better-than-expected  prior  year  level  of  18.1%. 

 SEE TABLE 97

MANAGEMENT TO PROPOSE DIVIDEND OF € 3.85
As a result of the strong operational and financial performance 
in 2019, our robust financial position as well as Management’s 
confidence  in  our  short-  and  long-term  growth  aspirations, 
the  adidas AG  Executive  and  Supervisory  Boards  will 
recommend paying a dividend of € 3.85 per dividend-entitled 
share  for  2019  (2018:  € 3.35)  to  shareholders  at  the  Annual 
General Meeting (AGM) on May 14, 2020. The total payout of 
€ 752 million  (2018:  € 664 million)  reflects  a  payout  ratio  of 
39.2% of net income from continuing operations (2018: 38.9%), 
based on the number of shares outstanding as at the date of 
preparation  of  the  consolidated  financial  statements. This  is 
within the target range of between 30% and 50% of net income 
from continuing operations as defined in our dividend policy. 

SEE OUR SHARE, P. 46

CAPITAL EXPENDITURE TO INCREASE TO 
AROUND € 800 MILLION
In 2020, capital expenditure is expected to increase to around 
€ 800 million  (2019:  € 711 million).  Investments  will  mainly 
focus on controlled space initiatives of the adidas and Reebok 
brands in both physical retail and e-commerce, the company’s 
infrastructure  as  well  as  the  further 
IT  and  logistics 
development  of  state-of-the-art  corporate 
in 
Herzogenaurach and Portland. 

 SEE TABLE 97

facilities 

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RISK AND OPPORTUNITY 
REPORT

In  order  to  remain  competitive  and  ensure  sustainable 
success,  adidas  consciously  takes  risks  and  continuously 
explores  and  develops  opportunities.  Our  risk  and 
opportunity management principles and system provide the 
framework for our company to conduct business in a well-
controlled environment.

RISK AND OPPORTUNITY MANAGEMENT 
PRINCIPLES
We define risk as the potential occurrence of an external or 
internal event (or series of events) that may negatively impact 
our  ability  to  achieve  the  company’s  business  objectives  or 
financial  goals.  Opportunity  is  defined  as  the  potential 
occurrence  of  an  external  or  internal  event  (or  series  of 
events)  that  can  positively  impact  the  company’s  ability  to 
achieve its business objectives or financial goals.

RISK AND OPPORTUNITY MANAGEMENT 
SYSTEM
The Executive Board has overall responsibility for establishing 
an  effective  risk  and  opportunity  management  system  that 
ensures  comprehensive  and  consistent  management  of  all 
material  risks  and  opportunities. 
 SEE  DIAGRAM  98  The  Risk 
Management department governs, operates and develops the 
company’s  risk  and  opportunity  management  system  and  is 
the  owner  of  the  centrally  managed  risk  and  opportunity 
management process on behalf  of  the Executive Board. The 
the 
is  responsible 
Supervisory  Board 
effectiveness  of  the  risk  management  system.  These  duties 
are undertaken by the Supervisory Board’s Audit Committee. 
Working 
the 
Internal  Audit  department  provides 
organizations, 
objective  assurance  to  the  Executive  Board  and  the  Audit 
Committee  regarding  the  adequacy  and  effectiveness  of  the 

independently  of  all  other 

for  monitoring 

functions  of 

the 

company’s  risk  and  opportunity  management  system  on  a 
regular  basis.  In  addition,  the  Internal  Audit  department 
includes an assessment of the effectiveness of risk manage-
ment  processes  and  compliance  with  the  company’s  Risk 
Management  Policy  as  part  of  its  regular  auditing  activities 
with selected adidas subsidiaries or functions each year.

Our  risk  and  opportunity  management  system  is  based  on  
frameworks  for  enterprise  risk  management  and  internal 
controls  developed  and  published  by  the  Committee  of 
Sponsoring  Organizations  of  the  Treadway  Commission 
(COSO). Additionally, we have adapted our risk and opportunity 
management  system  to  more  appropriately  reflect  the 
structure as well as the culture of the company. This system 
focuses on the identification, evaluation, handling, monitoring 
and systematic reporting of risks and opportunities. The key 
objective of the risk and opportunity management system is to 
support business success and protect the company as a going 
concern  through  an  opportunity-focused  but  risk-aware 
decision-making  framework.  Our  Risk  Management  Policy 

adidas risk and opportunity management system

98

Supervisory and Executive Boards

Risk Management
Risk Management Policy and Methodology / Support

Monitoring  
and reporting

Identification

Risk Owners

Handling

Evaluation

outlines  the  principles,  processes,  tools,  risk  areas,  key 
responsibilities,  reporting  requirements  and  communication 
timelines within our company.

Risk and opportunity management is a company-wide activity 
which utilizes key insights from the members of the Executive 
Board  as  well  as  from  global  and  local  business  units  and 
functions. 

Our risk and opportunity management process comprises the 
following steps:
 — Risk and opportunity identification: adidas continuously 
monitors  the  macroeconomic  environment  and 
developments in the sporting goods industry, as well as 
internal  processes,  to  identify  risks  and  opportunities 
as early as possible. Our company-wide network of Risk 
Owners  (at  least  all  leaders  reporting  directly  to  the 
Executive Board, including the Managing Directors of our 
markets) ensures an effective bottom-up identification of 
risks and opportunities. Risk Management has defined 25 
categories to assist Risk Owners in identifying risks and 
opportunities. The Risk Owners use various instruments 
in the risk and opportunity identification process, such as 
primary qualitative and quantitative research including 
trend scouting and consumer surveys as well as feedback 
from our business partners and controlled space network. 
These efforts are supported by global market research 
and competitor analysis. Through this process, we seek to 
identify the markets, categories, consumer target groups 
and product styles which show most potential for future 
growth at a local and global level. Equally, our analysis 
focuses on those areas that are at risk of saturation or 
exposed to increased competition or changing consumer 
tastes. However, our risk and opportunity identification 
process  is  not  only  limited  to  external  risk  factors  or 
opportunities; it also includes an internal perspective that 

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considers company culture, processes, projects, human 
resources and compliance aspects.

 — Risk  and  opportunity  evaluation:  We  assess  identified 
risks  and  opportunities  individually  according  to  a 
systematic evaluation methodology, which allows adequate 
prioritization as well as allocation of resources. Risk and 
opportunity evaluation is also part of the Risk Owners’ 
responsibility. The Risk Management department supports 
and guides the Risk Owners in the evaluation process. 
According  to  our  methodology,  risks  and  opportunities 
are evaluated by looking at two dimensions: the potential 
impact and the likelihood that this impact materializes. 
Based on this evaluation, we classify risks and opportunities 
into three categories: minor, moderate and major. 

The potential impact is evaluated using five categories: 
marginal,  low,  medium,  high  and  significant.  These 
categories represent financial or equivalent non-financial 
measurements. The financial measurements are based 
on  the  potential  effect  on  the  company’s  net  income. 
Non-financial measurements used are the degree of media 
exposure affecting the company’s reputation, brand image 
and employer value proposition, the degree of damage to 
people’s health and safety, and the degree of legal and 
judicial consequences at the corporate and personal level. 
Likelihood represents the possibility that a given risk or 
opportunity may materialize with the specific impact. The 
likelihood of individual risks and opportunities is evaluated 
on a percentage scale divided into five categories: below 
15%, 15% – 30%, 30% – 50%, 50% – 85% and above 85%.

 SEE DIAGRAM 99 

When  evaluating  risks  and  opportunities,  we  also 
consider  the  earliest  time  period  when  the  company’s 
target achievement may be impacted, in order to provide 
a broad perspective and ensure early identification and 
mitigation. Short-term risks and opportunities may affect 

Risk evaluation categories

99

Material Risks

Likelihood

>85%

50% – 85%

30% – 50%

15% – 30%

<15%

Marginal

Low

Medium

High

Significant

Financial 
equivalent 1

€ 1 million –  
€ 10 million

€ 10 million –  
€ 35 million

€ 35 million –  
€ 60 million

€ 60 million –  
€ 100 million

> € 100 million

Qualitative 
equivalent

Almost no media 
coverage. 

Limited local media 
coverage. 

Local and limited national 
media coverage. 

Minor harm to employees 
or third parties such as 
consumers, customers, 
vendors, athletes that 
does not require medical 
treatment. 

Minor harm to employees 
or third parties such as 
consumers, customers, 
vendors, athletes 
that requires medical 
treatment. 

Internal corrective 
actions required.

Judicial investigations 
leading to no direct 
sanctions but requiring 
internal corrective actions, 
including dismissal of 
employees.

Harm to employees or 
third parties such as 
consumers, customers, 
vendors, athletes that 
leads to hospitalization. 

Judicial investigations 
leading to imprisonment 
of employees and/or 
business interruption.

Several weeks of national 
media coverage and 
some international media 
coverage. 

More than a month of 
extensive international 
media coverage. 

Serious, life-changing 
harm to employees or 
third parties such as 
consumers, customers, 
vendors, athletes. 

Judicial investigations 
leading to imprisonment 
of senior leadership and/
or significant business 
interruption including due 
to ongoing investigations.

Fatalities of employees 
or third parties such as 
consumers, customers, 
vendors, athletes. 

Litigation (including class 
action), imprisonment 
of Board member(s), 
monitorship and/or 
cessation of business 
operations due to court 
order.

Risk classification: 

 Minor 

 Moderate 

 Major

1 Based on net income.

Potential impact

1

2

1

the achievement of the company’s objectives already in the 
current financial year, mid-term risks and opportunities 
would impact the company’s target achievement in the 

next financial year, while long-term risks and opportunities 
might  only  have  an  effect  on  the  achievement  of  the 
company’s objectives after the next financial year. 

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We  consider  both  gross  and  net  risks  in  our  risk 
assessments. While the gross risk reflects the inherent 
risk before any mitigating action, the net risk reflects the 
residual risk after all mitigating action. On the one hand, 
this  approach  allows  for  a  good  understanding  of  the 
impact of mitigating action taken; on the other hand, it 
provides the basis for scenario analysis. Our assessment 
of risks presented in this report only reflects the net risk 
perspective. We measure the actual financial impact of the 
most relevant risks that materialized against the original 
assessment  on  a  yearly  basis.  In  this  way,  we  ensure 
continuous monitoring of the accuracy of risk evaluations 
across  the  company,  which  enables  us  to  continuously 
improve evaluation methodology based on our findings. 

In  assessing  the  potential  effect  from  opportunities, 
each  opportunity  is  appraised  with  respect  to  viability, 
commerciality and potential risks. This approach is applied 
to longer-term strategic prospects but also to shorter-term 
tactical and opportunistic initiatives at the corporate level 
as well as at the market and brand level. In contrast to 
the  risk  evaluation,  only  the  net  perspective  exists  for 
assessing opportunities.

 — Risk and opportunity handling: Risks and opportunities 
are  treated  in  accordance  with  the  company’s  risk  and 
opportunity management principles as described in the 
Risk Management Policy. Risk Owners are in charge of 
developing and implementing appropriate risk-mitigating 
action  and  exploiting  opportunities  within  their  area 
of  responsibility.  In  addition,  the  Risk  Owners  need  to 
determine a general risk-handling strategy for the identified 
risks, which is either risk avoidance, risk reduction with 
the objective to minimize impact and/or likelihood, risk 
transfer to a third party or risk acceptance. The decision 
on  the  implementation  of  the  respective  risk-handling 
strategy also takes into account the costs in relation to the 
effectiveness of any planned mitigating action if applicable. 

The  Risk  Management  department  works  closely  with 
the Risk Owners to monitor the continuous progress of 
planned mitigating action and assess the viability of already 
implemented  mitigating  action.  In  2019,  we  introduced 
a formalized risk acceptance process linked to the risk 
classification.  Depending  on  the  risk  class  determined 
by the risk and opportunity evaluation, the authority to 
make decisions to accept risks resides with the Executive 
Board, the Risk Owners and operational management. The 
decision to accept material risks without taking additional 
mitigating action can only be made by the entire Executive 
Board.

 — Risk and opportunity monitoring and reporting: Our risk 
and opportunity management system aims to increase the 
transparency of risks and opportunities. As both risks and 
opportunities are subject to constant change, Risk Owners 
not only monitor developments but also the adequacy and 
effectiveness of the current risk-handling strategy on an 
ongoing basis.

Regular risk reporting takes place half-yearly and consists 
of  a  five-step  reporting  stream  that  is  supported  and 
facilitated by a globally used company-wide IT solution:

1.  Risk Owners are required to report to Risk Management 
risks and opportunities that have a possible net impact 
of € 1 million and above, regardless of the likelihood of 
materializing.  

her  individual  area  of  responsibility,  adding  his  or  her 
own assessment of risks and opportunities if necessary.

3.  Risk Management provides a consolidated report to all 
members of the Executive Board that includes both the 
assessment  of  each  member  of  the  Executive  Board 
and the major risks and opportunities reported by Risk 
Owners. The Executive Board reviews the report, jointly 
agrees  on  a  final  company  assessment  of  risks  and 
opportunities and decides if Risk Owners are required 
to take further action.

4.  Based  on 

the  Executive  Board’s  decision,  Risk 
Management  creates  the  final  risk  and  opportunity 
report  that  is  also  shared  with  the  Core  Leadership 
Group (CLG). 
 SEE PEOPLE AND CULTURE, P. 70 

5.  The Executive Board in collaboration with Risk Manage-
ment presents the final risk and opportunity assessment 
results to the Audit Committee of the Supervisory Board. 

reported 

in  previously 

Material  changes 
risks  and 
opportunities and/or newly identified risks and opportunities 
that are classified as moderate or major as well as any issues 
identified  which,  due  to  their  material  nature,  require 
immediate  reporting,  are  also  reported  outside  the  regular 
half-yearly  reporting  stream  on  an  ad  hoc  basis  to  the  Risk 
Management department and the Executive Board.

2.  Risk  Management  consolidates  and  aggregates  the 
reported  risks  and  opportunities  and  provides  a 
consolidated report based on the Risk Owners’ input to 
each member of the Executive Board concerning his or 
her 
individual  area  of  responsibility.  Each  report 
specifically  highlights  substantial  individual  risks  and 
opportunities.  Each  member  of  the  Executive  Board 
reviews  the  reported  risks  and  opportunities  of  his  or 

COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM  
(ADIDAS FAIR PLAY COMPLIANCE 
FRAMEWORK)
 We consider compliance with the law as well as with external 
and  internal  regulations  to  be  imperative.  The  Executive 
Board  sets  the  tone  right  from  the  top  –  every  employee  is 
required  to  act  ethically  and  in  compliance  with  the  law  as 
well as with external and internal regulations while executing 

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STATEMENTS

RISK AND OPPORTUNITY REPORT

the company’s business. Violations must be avoided under all 
circumstances.  However,  we  realize  that  it  will  never  be 
possible  to  exclude  compliance  violations  with  absolute 
certainty. 

The adidas Fair Play Compliance Framework is overseen by 
the company’s Chief Compliance Officer. We see compliance 
as  all-encompassing,  spanning  all  business 
functions 
throughout  the  entire  value  chain.  Our  central  Compliance 
team works closely with Regional Compliance Managers and 
Local Compliance Officers to conduct a systematic assessment 
of  key  compliance  risks  on  a  yearly  basis.  In  addition,  the 
central  Compliance  team  regularly  conducts  compliance 
reviews within selected entities. 

The  company’s  Compliance  Management  System  (CMS)  is 
based  on  the  OECD  Principles  of  Corporate  Governance.  It 
refers to the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, 
and is designed to:
 — support the achievement of qualitative and sustainable 

growth through good corporate governance;

 — reduce and mitigate the risk of financial losses or damage 

caused by non-compliant conduct;

 — protect and further enhance the value and reputation of the 
company and its brands through compliant conduct; and

 — preserve  diversity  by 

fighting  harassment  and 

discrimination.

The Code of Conduct and our CMS are organized around three 
pillars: prevent, detect and respond.
 — Prevention: The foundation of our CMS is the adoption 
and  implementation  of  our  Fair  Play  Code  of  Conduct, 
the  Compliance  Policy,  and  the  Privacy  Policy.  adidas 
issues  targeted  compliance-related  communication 
by  management  and  the  Compliance  department  and 
provides  mandatory  training  to  all  employees  globally 
during  onboarding  and  in  regular,  repeated  cycles.  In 
2019,  more  than  3,500  employees  completed  online 
compliance training. Furthermore, we conducted targeted 
in-person  compliance  training  as  appropriate  with 
senior management and newly promoted or hired senior 
executives across the globe in order to further enhance 
the compliance ‘tone from the top’, as well as the ‘tone 
from the middle’. We closely monitor the completion rates 
for these training measures and continuously update our 
web-based training. 

 — Detection: adidas has whistleblowing procedures to ensure 
timely detection of potential infringements of statutory 
regulations or internal guidelines. Employees can report 

compliance concerns internally to their supervisor, the 
Chief Compliance Officer, Regional Compliance Managers 
or Local Compliance Officers, the relevant HR manager or 
the Works Council. Employees can also report externally via 
an independent, confidential reporting hotline and website, 
and can choose to do so anonymously through the Fair 
Play hotline. The hotline is available at all times worldwide.
 — Response: Appropriate and timely response to compliance 
violations is essential. The Chief Compliance Officer leads 
all investigations in cooperation with an established team 
of Regional Compliance Managers and a global network of 
Local Compliance Officers. We track, monitor, and report 
potential incidents of non-compliance worldwide. In 2019, 
we recorded 514 potential compliance violations (2018: 
 SEE DIAGRAM 101 Most importantly, 
410). 
insights gained from the investigation of past violations are 
used to continuously improve the CMS. Where necessary, 
we  react  promptly  to  confirmed  compliance  violations, 
through appropriate and effective sanctions ranging from 
warnings to termination of employment contracts.  

 SEE DIAGRAM 100, 

Potential compliance violations

100

The adidas Fair Play Code of Conduct stipulates guidelines for 
behavior in everyday work, which all employees are obliged to 
comply  with.  It  is  applicable  globally  and  for  all  business 
areas, accessible on our website and on our intranet. In 2019, 
we revised the Code of Conduct to ensure it remains up-to-
date  and  reflects  our  business  environment.  ↗ ADIDAS-GROUP.
COM/S/CODE-OF-CONDUCT 

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0

Financial,
including theft

Malfeasance, including
conflicts of interest
and corruption

Competition

Behavioral

348

Other 1

59

44

63

0

1

2
3

1 Includes payroll issues, intellectual property and leaks of confidential information, inter alia.

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20193 
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

RISK AND OPPORTUNITY REPORT

In  2019,  we  continued  to  reinforce  the  adidas  compliance 
organization  and  activities  and  enhance  cooperation  with 
other  governance  functions,  e.g.    Internal  Audit,  Internal 
Controls, and Risk Management. 

Reporting of potential compliance violations in %

101

20% Compliance Officer

35% Named call to hotline

44% Anonymous call 

to hotline

The company’s Chief Compliance Officer regularly reports to 
the  Executive  Board  on  the  further  development  of  the 
compliance  program  and  on  major  compliance  cases.  In 
addition,  the  Chief  Compliance  Officer  reports  to  the  Audit 
Committee on a regular basis. In 2019, the Chief Compliance 
Officer attended five meetings of the Audit Committee of the 
Supervisory Board to report on the further development of the 
compliance  program,  major  compliance  cases  and  other 
relevant compliance topics. 

DESCRIPTION OF THE MAIN FEATURES OF THE 
INTERNAL CONTROL AND RISK MANAGEMENT 
SYSTEM RELATING TO THE CONSOLIDATED 
FINANCIAL REPORTING PROCESS PURSUANT 
TO § 315 SECTION 4 GERMAN COMMERCIAL 
CODE (HANDELSGESETZBUCH – HGB)
The internal control and risk management system relating to 
the consolidated financial reporting process of the company 
represents  a  process  embedded  within  the  company-wide 
corporate governance system. It aims to provide reasonable 
assurance regarding the reliability of the company’s external 
financial  reporting  by  ensuring  company-wide  compliance 
with  statutory  accounting  regulations,  in  particular  the 
International  Financial  Reporting  Standards  (IFRS)  and 
internal  consolidated  financial  reporting  policies  (Finance 
Manual). We regard the internal control and risk management 
system as a process based on the principle of segregation of 
duties, encompassing various sub-processes in the areas of 
Accounting, Controlling, Taxes, Treasury, Planning, Reporting 
and  Legal,  focusing  on  the 
identification,  assessment, 
mitigation,  monitoring  and  reporting  of  financial  reporting 
risks.  Clearly  defined  responsibilities  are  assigned  to  each 
distinct sub-process. In a first step, the internal control and 
risk management system serves to identify, assess, limit and 
control risks identified in the consolidated financial reporting 
process  which  might  result  in  the  consolidated  financial 
statements  not  being  compliant  with  internal  and  external 
regulations.

Internal  Control  over  Financial  Reporting  (ICoFR)  serves  to 
provide  reasonable  assurance  regarding  the  reliability  of 
financial reporting and compliance with applicable laws and 
regulations.  To  monitor  the  effectiveness  of  ICoFR,  the 
Policies  and  Internal  Controls  department  and  the  Internal 
Audit  department  regularly  review  accounting-related 
processes.  Additionally,  as  part  of  the  year-end  audit,  the 
external  auditor  assesses  the  effectiveness  of  selected 

internal controls, including IT controls. The Audit Committee 
of  the  Supervisory  Board  also  monitors  the  effectiveness  of 
ICoFR.  However,  due  to  the  limitations  of  ICoFR,  even  with 
appropriate and functional systems absolute certainty about 
the effectiveness of ICoFR cannot be guaranteed.

All  adidas  companies  are  required  to  comply  with  the 
consolidated  financial  reporting  policies  (Finance  Manual), 
which are available to all employees involved in the financial 
reporting  process  through  the  company-wide  intranet.  We 
update the Finance Manual on a regular basis, dependent on 
regulatory  changes  and  internal  developments.  Changes  to 
the Finance Manual are promptly communicated to all adidas 
companies. Clear policies serve to limit employees’ scope of 
discretion with regard to recognition and valuation of assets 
and 
inconsistent 
accounting  practices  within  the  company.  We  aim  to  ensure 
compliance  with  the  Finance  Manual  through  continuous 
adherence  to  the  four-eyes  principle  in  accounting-related 
processes. In addition, the local manager responsible for the 
accounting  process  within  the  respective  company  and  the 
respective local Managing Director confirm adherence to the 
Finance Manual and to IFRS in a signed representation letter 
to the Accounting department semi-annually.

liabilities,  thus  reducing  the  risk  of 

The  accounting  for  adidas  companies  is  conducted  either 
locally or by our Global Business Services. Virtually all of the 
IT  Enterprise  Resource  Planning  (ERP)  systems  used  are 
based on a company-wide standardized SAP system. Following 
approval  by  the  Finance  Director  of  the  respective  adidas 
company, the local financial statements are transferred to a 
central consolidation system based on SAP SEM-BCS. At the 
corporate  level,  the  regularity  and  reliability  of  the  financial 
statements  prepared  by  adidas  companies  are  reviewed  by 
the  Accounting  and  Controlling  departments.  These  reviews 
include  automated  validations  in  the  system  as  well  as  the 
creation of reports and analyses to ensure data integrity and 

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20193 
 
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

RISK AND OPPORTUNITY REPORT

adherence  to  the  reporting  logic.  In  addition,  differences 
between current-year and prior-year financial data as well as 
budget  figures  are  analyzed  on  a  market  level.  If  necessary, 
adidas  seeks  the  opinion  of  independent  experts  to  review 
business transactions that occur infrequently and on a non-
routine  basis.  After  ensuring  data  plausibility,  the  centrally 
coordinated  and  monitored  consolidation  process  begins, 
running automatically on SAP SEM-BCS. Controls within the 
individual  consolidation  steps,  such  as  those  relating  to  the 
consolidation  of  debt  or  of  income  and  expenses,  are 
conducted  both  manually  and  system-based,  using 
automatically  created  consolidation  logs.  Any  inadequacies 
are  remedied  manually  by  systematically  processing  the 
individual errors as well as differences and are reported back 
to the adidas companies. After finalization of all consolidation 
steps, all items in the consolidated income statement and in 
the consolidated statement of financial position are analyzed 
with respect to trends and variances. Unless already otherwise 
clarified,  the  adidas  companies  are  asked  to  explain  any 
identified material deviations.

All financial systems used are protected against malpractice 
by  means  of  appropriate  authorization  concepts,  approval 
concepts  and  access  restrictions.  Access  authorizations  are 
reviewed on a regular basis and updated if required. The risk 
of  data  loss  or  outage  of  accounting-related  IT  systems  is 
minimized through central control and monitoring of virtually 
all IT systems, centralized management of change processes 
and regular data backups.

ILLUSTRATION OF RISKS

to the competitive and retail environment and risks related to 
consumer  demand  and  product  offering  are  considered 
material.  Our  presentation  of  risks  in  this  year’s  Annual 
Report  differs  from  the  2018  Annual  Report  as  we  changed 
risk  categories  and  therefore  consolidated  individual  risks 
based  on  these  updated  categories.  Changes 
in  risk 
assessments  are  shown  on  a  comparable  basis.  The  risks 
overview  table 
illustrates  the  assessment  of  all  risks 
described below. 

 SEE TABLE 102

in  the  competitive 

impact  the  company’s  success, 

Risks related to the competitive and retail environment
landscape  and  the  retail 
Changes 
environment  could 
in 
particular  in  the  medium  to  long  term.  Strategic  alliances 
in 
amongst  competitors  and/or  retailers,  the 
retailers’  own  private 
intense 
competition 
for  consumers,  production  capacity  and 
promotion  partnerships  between  well-established  industry 
peers  and  new  market  entrants  pose  a  substantial  risk  to 
adidas. This could lead to harmful competitive behavior, such 

label  businesses  and 

increase 

as  sustained  periods  of  discounting  in  the  marketplace  or 
intense  bidding  for  promotion  partnerships.  Failure  to 
recognize and respond to consolidation in the retail industry 
could  lead  to  increased  dependency  on  particular  retail 
partners,  reduced  bargaining  power  and,  consequently, 
margin  erosion.  Sustained  pricing  pressure  in  key  markets 
could threaten the company’s financial performance and the 
competitiveness  of  our  brands.  Aggressive  competitive 
practices  could  also  drive  increases  in  marketing  costs  and 
market share losses, thus hurting the company’s profitability 
and  market  position.  The  inability  to  adjust  our  distribution 
strategy  in  a  timely  manner  to  a  changing  retail  industry, 
which is experiencing increasing substitution of physical retail 
stores  by  digital  commerce  platforms  as  well  as  increasing 
connectivity between physical and digital retail, could result in 
sales and profit shortfalls. A decline in the attractiveness of 
particular  shopping  locations  such  as  shopping  malls  could 
lead to sales shortfalls in our customers’ and our own stores, 
higher  inventory  in  the  marketplace,  increased  clearance 
activity and margin pressure. 

Corporate risks overview 

 102

Risk categories 2019

Risk categories 2018

Potential 
impact

Change  
(2018 rating) 1

Likelihood

Change  
(2018 rating) 1

Risks related to the competitive and retail 
environment

Competition risks; Risks related 
to distribution strategy

High ↑ (Medium)

30% – 50%

Consumer demand risks

High

15% – 30%

Risks related to consumer demand and  
product offering

Macroeconomic, sociopolitical, regulatory and 
currency risks

Macroeconomic, sociopolitical, 
and regulatory risks;  
Currency risks

Significant

IT and cyber security risks

IT and cyber security risks

Significant

This  report  includes  an  explanation  of  financial  and  non-
financial  risks  that  we  deem  to  be  most  relevant  to  the 
achievement of the company’s objectives in 2020 and beyond. 
According to our risk assessment methodology, risks related 

Risks related to tax and customs regulations

Compliance risks

Risks related to customs and 
tax regulations

Fraud and corruption risks; 
Data privacy risks

Significant

↑ (High)

<15% ↓ (15% – 30%)

Significant

<15%

Risks related to organizational structure and change

–

Medium

30% – 50% ↑ (15% – 30%)

1 2018 rating on comparable basis reflecting evaluation of risks as if updated risk categories had been applied in 2018.

<15%

<15%

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20193 
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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in 

To mitigate these risks, we continuously monitor and analyze 
information on our competitors and markets in order to be able 
the  competitive 
to  anticipate  unfavorable  changes 
environment rather than merely reacting to such changes. This 
enables  us  to  proactively  adjust  our  marketing  and  sales 
activities (e.g. product launches, selective pricing adjustments) 
when  needed.  We  also  continuously  and  closely  monitor 
numerous indicators (e.g. order placement, sell-through rates 
at  the  point  of  sale,  average  selling  prices,  discounts,  store 
traffic) that help us identify changes in the retail environment 
and  quickly  take  appropriate  action  such  as  closing  or 
remodeling own stores. We constantly adjust our segmentation 
strategies to ensure that the right product is sold at the right 
point  of  sale  to  the  right  consumer  at  an  appropriate  price. 
Continuous investment in research and development ensures 
that we remain innovative and distinct from competitors. 
INNOVATION, P. 67 We also pursue a strategy of entering into long-
term  agreements  with  key  promotion  partners  such  as  Real 
Madrid  or  James  Harden,  as  well  as  adding  new  partners  to 
refresh and diversify our portfolio, e.g. Mikaela Shiffrin or Boca 
Juniors. In addition, our product and communication initiatives 
are  designed  to  increase  brand  desire,  drive  market  share 
growth and strengthen our brands’ market position.

 SEE 

Risks related to consumer demand and product offering
Our  success  largely  depends  on  our  ability  to  continuously 
innovative  footwear  and  apparel  products. 
create  new, 
Consumer demand changes can be sudden and unexpected, 
particularly when it comes to the more fashion-related part of 
our business. Therefore, we face a risk of short-term revenue 
loss  in  cases  where  we  are  unable  to  anticipate  consumer 
demand or respond quickly to changes. In addition, creating 
and  offering  products  that  do  not  resonate  with  consumers 
and our retail partners is a critical risk to the success of our 
brands,  especially  considering  our  strategy  to  focus  on  key 
product franchises. 
 SEE ADIDAS BRAND STRATEGY, P. 55 In the short 
term, we consider this risk most relevant in our key markets 

Asia-Pacific and North America. Even more critical in the long 
term, however, are the risks of continuously overlooking new 
consumer trends, failing to introduce new product innovation 
and  failing  to  continuously  generate  consumer  excitement 
with our product offering and marketing activities.

To mitigate these risks, identifying and responding to shifts in 
consumer demand as early as possible is a key responsibility 
of our brand and sales organizations and, in particular, of the 
respective  Risk  Owners.  Therefore,  we  utilize  extensive 
primary and secondary research tools as outlined in our risk 
and  opportunity 
identification  process.  By  putting  the 
consumer at the center of our decision-making we intend to 
create  higher  brand  advocacy.  As  part  of  our  adidas  brand 
advocacy program, we continuously monitor the Net Promoter 
Score (NPS) 
 SEE GLOSSARY and strive to understand consumers’ 
perception. 
 SEE  ADIDAS  BRAND  STRATEGY,  P.  55  We  continuously 
expand  our  consumer  analytics  efforts  to  read  and  quickly 
react to changes in demand or trend shifts. In addition, direct 
touchpoints with consumers via our own digital channels and 
direct  communication  with  consumers  on  social  media 
platforms  strengthen  our  understanding  of  consumer 
preferences and behavior and, as a result, help us to reduce 
our vulnerability to changes in demand. Through continuous 
monitoring  of  sell-through  data  and  disciplined  product 
lifecycle  management,  in  particular  for  our  major  product 
franchises, we are able to better detect demand patterns and 
prevent  overexposure.  Our  Speed  programs  also  help  us 
mitigate  the  risk  as  they  enable  us  to  be  faster  in  case  of 
demand shifts. By leveraging our promotion partnerships for 
franchises  and  by  carefully 
launches  of  key  product 
orchestrating launch events across markets and channels, we 
intend to maintain brand desire and consumer demand at a 
constantly  high  level.  Open  Source  also  helps  us  utilize 
external  insights  and  capabilities  in  product  creation  and  to 
drive  consumer  demand,  brand  desire,  market  share  and 
profitability. 

 SEE CORPORATE STRATEGY, P. 50 

Macroeconomic, sociopolitical, regulatory and currency risks
Growth in the sporting goods industry is highly dependent on 
consumer  spending  and  consumer  confidence.  Economic 
downturns,  financial  market  turbulence,  currency  exchange 
rate  fluctuations  and  sociopolitical  factors  such  as  military 
conflicts,  changes  of  government,  civil  unrest,  pandemics, 
nationalization or expropriation, in particular in regions where 
adidas  is  strongly  represented,  therefore  could  negatively 
impact the company’s business activities and top- and bottom-
line  performance.  Currency  risks,  for  example,  are  a  direct 
result  of  multi-currency  cash  flows  within  the  company,  in 
particular  the  mismatch  of  the  currencies  required  for 
sourcing our products versus the denominations of our sales. 
Furthermore, translation impacts from the conversion of non-
euro-denominated  results  into  the  company’s  functional 
currency, the euro, might lead to a material negative impact 
on our company’s financial performance. 
 SEE NOTE 30, P. 180 In 
addition,  substantial  changes  in  the  regulatory  environment 
(e.g.  trade  restrictions,  economic  and  political  sanctions, 
regulations  concerning  product  compliance,  environmental 
regulations)  could  lead  to  potential  sales  shortfalls  or  cost 
increases. 

To  mitigate 
these  macroeconomic,  sociopolitical  and 
regulatory  risks,  adidas  strives  to  balance  sales  across  key 
regions and also between developed and emerging markets. 
We  continuously  monitor  the  macroeconomic,  political  and 
regulatory  landscape  in  all  our  key  markets  to  anticipate 
potential problem areas, so that we are able to quickly adjust 
our  business  activities  accordingly  upon  any  change  in 
conditions.  Potential  adjustments  may  be  a  reallocation  of 
manufacturing  of  our  products  to  alternative  countries,  a 
reallocation  of  investments  to  alternative,  more  attractive 
markets,  changes  in  product  prices,  closure  of  own-retail 
stores, more conservative product purchasing, tight working 
capital management and an increased focus on cost control. 
To  mitigate  the  risk  related  to  fluctuations  in  currency 

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20193 
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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exchange  rates,  we  utilize  a  centralized  currency  risk 
management system and hedge currency needs for projected 
sourcing requirements on a rolling basis up to 24 months in 
advance. In rare instances, hedges are contracted beyond the 
24-months  horizon. 
 SEE  TREASURY,  P.  104  By  building  on  our 
leading position within the sporting goods industry, we actively 
engage  in  supporting  policymakers  and  regulators  in  their 
efforts to liberalize global trade and curtail trade barriers and 
also in order to proactively adapt to significant changes in the 
regulatory environment

IT and cyber security risks
Theft, 
leakage,  corruption  or  unavailability  of  critical 
information  (e.g.  consumer  data,  employee  data,  product 
data)  and  systems  could  lead  to  reputational  damage, 
regulatory penalties or the inability to perform key business 
processes.  Key  business  processes, 
including  product 
marketing,  order  management,  warehouse  management, 
invoice processing, customer support and financial reporting, 
are  all  dependent  on  IT  systems.  Significant  outages, 
application 
failures  or  cyber  security  threats  to  our 
infrastructure,  or  that  of  our  business  partners,  could 
therefore result in considerable business disruption or impact 
to business-critical data. 

To  mitigate  these  risks,  our  IT  organization  proactively 
engages in system preventive maintenance, service continuity 
planning,  adherence  to  IT  policies  and  maintenance  of  a 
comprehensive  information  security  program.  Information 
security  governance,  data  security,  security  architecture 
design,  continuity  management  and  employee  awareness 
programs help us to protect the company adequately. We have 
also secured limited insurance coverage for damage resulting 
from cyber security incidents.

Risks related to tax and customs regulations
Numerous laws and regulations regarding customs and taxes as 
well  as  changes  in  such  laws  and  regulations  affect  the 
company’s business practices worldwide. Non-compliance with 
regulations concerning product imports (including calculation of 
customs  values),  intercompany  transactions  or  income  taxes 
could lead to substantial financial penalties and additional costs 
as well as negative media coverage and therefore reputational 
damage,  for  example 
in  case  of  understatements  or 
underpayments  of  corporate  income  taxes  or  customs  duties. 
Changes in regulations regarding customs and taxes may also 
have  a  substantial  impact  on  the  company’s  sourcing  costs  or 
income taxes. Therefore, we also create provisions in accordance 
with the relevant accounting regulations to account for potential 
disputes  with  customs  or  tax  authorities.  The  increase  in  the 
potential impact of risks relating to tax and customs regulations 
in 2019 reflects the increasingly aggressive positions being taken 
by customs and tax authorities in audits.

To proactively manage such risks, we constantly seek expert 
advice from specialized law and tax advisory firms. We closely 
monitor  changes  in  legislation  in  order  to  properly  adopt 
regulatory  requirements  regarding  customs  and  taxes.  In 
addition,  our  internal  legal,  customs  and  tax  departments 
advise  our  operational  management  teams  to  ensure 
appropriate and compliant business practices. Furthermore, 
we  work  closely  with  customs  authorities  and  governments 
worldwide  to  make  sure  we  adhere  to  customs  and  import 
regulations and obtain the required clearance of products to 
fulfill sales demand.

Compliance risks
As a globally operating company, adidas is subject to various 
laws  and  regulations.  Non-compliance  with  such  laws  and 
regulations  could  lead  to  penalties  and  fines  and  cause 
significant 
reputational  damage.  For  example,  non-
compliance  with  laws  and  regulations  concerning  data 

protection and privacy, such as the EU General Data Protection 
Regulation,  may  result  in  substantial  fines.  In  addition, 
publication  of  failure  to  comply  with  data  protection  and 
privacy  regulations  could  cause  significant  reputational 
damage and result in a loss of consumer trust in our brands.  
We  also  face  the  risk  that  members  of  top  management  as 
well as our employees breach rules and standards that guide 
appropriate and responsible business behavior. This includes 
the  risks  of  fraud,  financial  misstatements  or  manipulation, 
anti-competitive  business  practices,  bribery,  corruption, 
discrimination and harassment at the workplace.

Our  Fair  Play  Compliance  Framework  helps  us  to  prevent, 
detect  and  adequately  respond  to  these  risks.  Our  Global 
Policy Manual provides a framework for basic work procedures 
and processes and our Fair Play Code of Conduct stipulates 
that  every  employee  and  our  business  partners  shall  act 
ethically  in  compliance  with  the  laws  and  regulations  of  the 
legal  systems  where  they  conduct  company  business.  In 
addition,  our  regional  compliance  managers  and  local 
compliance officers guide and advise our operating managers 
regarding  fraud  and  corruption  topics.  Furthermore,  we 
utilize  controls  such  as  segregation  of  duties  in  IT  systems 
and data analytics technology to prevent or detect fraudulent 
activities. We are also working with external partners and law 
firms  to  ensure  we  are  informed  about  legal  requirements 
across  the  globe,  and  we  take  appropriate  action  to  ensure 
compliance. To mitigate the risk of non-compliance with laws 
and  regulations  concerning  data  protection  and  privacy,  we 
have developed a global privacy management framework that 
introduces  the  company’s  privacy  principles  and  provides 
guidance  for  the  use  and  deletion  of  personal  information. 
This  framework  applies  to  all  adidas  businesses  worldwide 
and  also  sets  our  expectations  of  third-party  business 
partners for managing personal information for or on behalf 
of  adidas.  Our  global  privacy  officer  and  the  global  privacy 
department  are  establishing    both  the  framework  and 

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monitoring capabilities to track and report its implementation. 
In  addition, 
further 
implementation guidance and training.

they  are  continuously  providing 

and  identify  potential  challenges  related  to  organizational 
structure  and  change,  which  allows  us  to  take  appropriate 
action as early as possible. 

 SEE PEOPLE AND CULTURE, P. 70 

Risks related to organizational structure and change
Operating 
fast-moving  competitive 
in  a  dynamic  and 
environment,  the  company  needs  to  cope  with  constantly 
changing  requirements  in  respect  of  the  workforce  (e.g. 
adaptability, 
learning,  skillsets,  mobility,  diversity)  and 
workplace (e.g. flexibility and space management). Improper 
inadequate  or  untimely  execution  of 
planning  and 
reorganization  and  transformation  initiatives  may  reduce 
employee  engagement,  cause  business  disruption  and 
inefficiencies,  and  negatively  affect  business  performance. 
Frequent organizational changes could cause fatigue among 
the workforce and lead to reduced efficiency and productivity. 
A  complex  organizational  structure  and  unclear  roles  and 
responsibilities can lead to delayed or sub-optimal decision-
making, as well as inefficient and ineffective processes. 

We  mitigate  these  risks  through  continuous,  open  and 
transparent  communication  with  our  employees.  Our 
Executive Board members as well as the senior management 
team  across  the  company  regularly  update  employees  on 
organizational  changes  and  openly  explain  the  reasons  for 
change. To adequately manage change and to ensure clarity 
about roles and responsibilities throughout the organization, 
we  also  utilize  internal  and  external  experts  in  project 
management, change management and communication, who 
actively  educate  and  engage  the  workforce  to  embrace  and 
support  new  organizational  structures  and  processes.  To 
increase  flexibility  and  adaptability  in  the  workforce  and 
workplace and thereby reduce risks related to organizational 
change, we implement various mitigating measures such as 
strategic  workforce  planning,  tailored  on-the-job  learning 
programs and development plans for our employees. Through 
People Pulse we continuously monitor employee satisfaction 

ILLUSTRATION OF OPPORTUNITIES

In  this  report,  we  illustrate  opportunities  considered  most 
relevant  in  2020  and  beyond.  According  to  our  assessment 
methodology,  macroeconomic,  sociopolitical,  regulatory  and 
currency  opportunities  as  well  as  opportunities  related  to 
sustainability  are  considered  material.  Our  presentation  of 
opportunities in this year’s Annual Report differs slightly from 
the 2018 Annual Report as we changed risk and opportunity 
categories and therefore consolidated individual opportunities 
in  risk 
based  on  these  updated  categories.  Changes 
assessment  are  shown  on  a  comparable  basis.  The 
assessment is illustrated in the opportunities overview table.

 SEE TABLE 103

Macroeconomic, sociopolitical, regulatory and currency opportunities
Legislative and regulatory changes such as the elimination of 
trade barriers due to free trade agreements (e.g. between the 
European  Union  and  Vietnam)  can  create  cost  savings  or 

potentially  open  up  new  channels  of  distribution  and,  as  a 
result, positively impact profitability. Changes in local tax or 
customs  regulations  (e.g.  reduction  of  tax  rates  on  private 
incomes, reduction of import duties) could lead to increased 
consumer  spending  and  consequently  positively  affect  our 
sales or result in additional cost savings. Favorable exchange 
rate developments can potentially have a positive impact on 
the company’s financial results. Translation effects from the 
conversion  of  non-euro-denominated  results 
into  our 
company’s functional currency, the euro, might also positively 
impact  our  company’s  financial  performance. 

 SEE  TREASURY, 

P. 104

Opportunities related to sustainability
We believe that a continued focus on sustainability represents 
an opportunity for the company, in particular in the medium to 
long term. While we have already been very successful with 
our  sustainability  efforts,  we  see  further  upside  potential 
leveraging  our  leadership  position. 
Consumers are increasingly looking for products composed of 
more sustainable materials and manufactured in an innovative 
and  yet  socially  and  environmentally  responsible  way.  By 
further strengthening our sustainability focus in our marketing 

 SEE  SUSTAINABILITY,  P.  78  

Corporate opportunities overview 

 103

Opportunity categories 2019

Opportunity categories 2018

Macroeconomic, sociopolitical, regulatory and 
currency opportunities

Macroeconomic, sociopolitical and 
regulatory opportunities; Favorable 
financial market changes

Potential 
impact

Change  
(2018 rating) 1

Likelihood

Change  
(2018 rating) 1

Significant

15% – 30% ↓ (30% – 50%)

Opportunities related to sustainability

Organic growth opportunities

High ↑ (Medium)

30% – 50%

Opportunities related to distribution strategy

Organic growth opportunities

Medium

Opportunities related to tax regulations

Opportunities related to data analytics

Opportunities related to process optimization

–

Significant

Opportunities related to organi- 
zational and process improvements

Opportunities related to organi- 
zational and process improvements

Low

Low

↓ (High)

↑ (Low)

↓ (High)

30% – 50% ↑ (15% – 30%)

< 15% ↓ (50% – 85%)

50% – 85% ↑ (15% – 30%)

50% – 85% ↑ (30% – 50%)

1 2018 rating on comparable basis reflecting evaluation of opportunities as if updated opportunity categories had been applied in 2018.

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and  product  creation  activities,  for  example  in  the  Outdoor 
category, we may generate additional sales growth and drive 
profitability improvements.

Opportunities related to distribution strategy
The sporting goods retail environment is changing constantly. 
We therefore continue to adapt our distribution strategy and 
have made controlled space 
 SEE GLOSSARY initiatives a priority. 
This includes the further expansion of our own e-commerce 
activities,  the  optimization  of  our  network  of  wholesale 
partners with a clear focus on partners that provide consumers 
with  the  best  shopping  experience  and  customer  service, 
retail space management with key accounts (online and brick 
&  mortar),  as  well  as  the  introduction  and  roll-out  of  new 
own-retail  store  formats.  Successful  results  from  these 
initiatives could enable us to accelerate top- and bottom-line 
growth. 

 SEE SALES AND DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY, P. 61 

Opportunities related to tax regulations
The potential release of valuation allowances on deferred tax 
assets, for example in the US, could result in an increase of 
deferred tax assets and positively impact income tax expense. 
In  addition,  changes  in  local  tax  regulations  may  offer  the 
company the option to realize benefits that could result in a 
reduction of tax expenses and higher net income. 

Opportunities related to data analytics
Data and analytics play a crucial role in enabling fact-based 
decision-making.  Therefore,  we  have  a  dedicated  Data  & 
Analytics  team  to  drive  business  decision-making  by 
leveraging the power of data. The continuous enhancement of 
our existing capabilities to build and scale insights-driven use 
cases and the use of the latest technology could bring value to 
our  business  operations  across  the  entire  company.  As  a 
result,  we  see  the  opportunity  to  become  faster  and  more 
efficient  in  our  operations.  We  may  increase  visibility  and 
understanding  of  consumer  preferences,  increase  full-price 
sales, reduce discounts and optimize order book management, 
inventory  management  and  purchasing.  This  could  result  in 
improved financial performance.

Opportunities related to process optimization 
Continued optimization of key business processes and strict 
cost control are vital to achieving high profitability and return 
on  invested  capital.  We  are  confident  that  there  is  still  a 
substantial  opportunity  to  improve  process  efficiency  and 
effectiveness  and 
further  streamline  cost  structures 
throughout  our  company.  Consequently,  we  will  continue  to 
focus  on  driving  the  standardization  and  harmonization  of 
processes,  as  reflected  by  the  company’s  ‘ONE  adidas’ 
initiative. 

 SEE CORPORATE STRATEGY, P. 50  

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MANAGEMENT 
ASSESSMENT OF 
PERFORMANCE, RISKS  
AND OPPORTUNITIES, 
AND OUTLOOK

ASSESSMENT OF PERFORMANCE VERSUS TARGETS
We communicate our financial targets on an annual basis. We 
also  provide  updates  throughout  the  year  as  appropriate.  In 
2019, the company delivered a strong operational and financial 
performance. Sales  development  was  favorably impacted by 
rising  consumer  spending  on  sporting  goods,  supported  by 
global  trends  such  as  increasing  penetration  of  sportswear 
(‘athleisure’), increasing health awareness and rising sports 
participation  rates. 
The  continued  brand  momentum,  supported  by  innovative 
product launches and inspiring marketing campaigns, as well 
as  the  successful  execution  of  the  company’s  strategic 
business plan ‘Creating the New’ drove robust sales growth 
and  strong  profitability  improvements.  We  maintained  our 
full-year outlook throughout the year and delivered top- and 
bottom-line  results  within  the  respective  guidance  ranges. 

 SEE  ECONOMIC  AND  SECTOR  DEVELOPMENT,  P.  95 

 SEE TABLE 104

In 2019, revenues increased 6% on a currency-neutral basis, 
in line with our guidance of 5%-8% growth. This development 
was driven by increases across all market segments including 
Europe,  which  returned  to  growth  in  the  second  half  of  the 
year. Our direct-to-consumer business grew at a double-digit 
rate, with e-commerce recording another year of exceptional 
growth.  Supply  chain  shortages,  which  we  had  experienced 
following a strong increase in demand for mid-priced apparel, 
weighed on our top-line growth, particularly in the first half of 
the  year.  Consequently,  revenues  grew  4%  on  a  currency-
neutral basis in the first six months of 2019 before accelerating 

MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT OF 
 PERFORMANCE, RISKS AND 
 OPPORTUNITIES, AND OUTLOOK

Company targets versus actual key metrics

Currency-neutral sales development

Gross margin

Operating margin

Net income from continuing  
operations 3 (€ in millions)

Average operating working 
capital in % of net sales

Capital expenditure 4 (€ in millions)

2018 
Results

8%

51.8%

2019 
Targets 1

to increase at a rate between  
5% and 8%

to increase to a level of  
around 52.0%

2019 
Results

6%

52.0%

0.2pp

 104

2020 
Outlook 2

to increase at a rate between  
6% and 8%

to decrease slightly compared to 
the prior year level of 52.0%

10.8% to increase between 0.5pp and 0.7pp  
to a level between  
11.3% and 11.5%

11.3% to increase between 0.2pp and 0.5pp  
to a level between  
11.5% and 11.8%

0.4pp

1,709

19.0%

794

to increase at a rate between 
8% and 12% to a level between 
€ 1.845 billion and € 1.915 billion

slight increase

to increase to a level of  
up to € 900 million

1,918

12%

18.1%

(0.9pp)

711

(11%)

to increase at a rate between 
10% and 13% to a level between 
€ 2.100 billion and € 2.160 billion

slight increase

to increase to a level of  
around € 800 million

1 As published on March 13, 2019. 
2 Subject to change due to coronavirus outbreak in China.
3  2019 including negative impact from accounting change according to IFRS 16; excluding this impact, net income from continuing operations was expected to increase at a rate between 10% and 14% to a level 

between € 1.880 billion and € 1.950 billion.

4 Excluding acquisitions and leases. 

in the second half of the year as our mitigating actions showed 
the  planned  effect  and  we  resolved  the  issue.  The  gross 
margin  ended  the  year  at  52.0%,  as  expected,  reflecting  an 
increase  of  0.2  percentage  points.  Lower  sourcing  costs, 
positive  currency  developments  as  well  as  a  better  product 
and channel mix more than offset higher air freight costs to 
mitigate supply chain shortages and a less favorable pricing 
mix. The operating margin also developed as anticipated. At 
the beginning of the year we guided for an increase to 11.3%-
11.5%  and  achieved  a  level  of  11.3%.  On  top  of  the  gross 
margin  increase,  lower  other  operating  expenses  as  a 
percentage of sales supported this development. Net income 
from continuing operations increased 12% to € 1.918 billion, 
including the negative impact from the first-time application 
of IFRS 16, and as such reached the upper end of our guidance 
of 8%-12% growth. 

 SEE INCOME STATEMENT, P. 96

In 2019, average operating working capital as a percentage of 
sales ended the year at a level of 18.1%, which reflects a year-
over-year improvement of 0.9 percentage points. Our guidance 
for  operating  working  capital  was  for  a  slight  increase.  The 
better-than-expected development mainly reflects an increase 
in payables, which is a direct result of improved payment terms 
with our vendors. Capital expenditure amounted to € 711 million 
in  2019,  compared  to  our  guidance  of  up  to  € 900  million. 
Investments were mainly focused on controlled space initiatives 
of the adidas and Reebok brands, aimed at further strengthening 
our  own-retail  activities  in  our  own  stores  and  e-commerce, 
franchise  store  presence  and  shop-in-shop  presentations. 
Other areas of investment included logistics infrastructure and 
IT  systems  as  well  as  the  further  development  of  our  major 
corporate facilities in Herzogenaurach, Portland and Shanghai. 

 SEE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AND STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS, P. 100

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Beyond  our  financial  performance,  we  also  actively  monitor 
non-financial KPIs. 

 SEE INTERNAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, P. 92 

 In 2019, our Net Promoter Score (NPS) stayed on high levels, 
reflecting  the  strength  of  our  brands. 
  Also  from  a  market 
share perspective, we continue to be very encouraged by our 
strong  performance  in  key  categories  and  key  markets,  as 
defined in the company’s strategic business plan. In our two 
strategic growth markets, North America and Greater China, 
 Our diligence and 
we once again saw market share gains. 
discipline  in  sustainability  matters  continues  to  yield  strong 
recognition  for  our  company.  In  2019,  adidas  was  again 
represented in a variety of high-profile sustainability indices. 
For  the  20th  consecutive  time,  we  were  selected  to  join  the 
Dow  Jones  Sustainability  Indices  (DJSI),  the  world’s  first 
global sustainability index family tracking the performance of 
the 
leading  sustainability-driven  companies  worldwide. 
adidas  was  assessed  to  be  among  the  global  top  10%  best-
in  economic, 
performing  companies 
environmental and social criteria, and received industry-best 
scores in criteria including Brand Management, Environmental 
Policy  &  Management  Systems,  Operational  Eco-Efficiency 
and  Social  Reporting. 
 SEE  SUSTAINABILITY,  P.  78  As  we  are 
convinced that our employees’ feedback plays a crucial role in 
our  pursuit  of  creating  a  desirable  work  environment,  we 
continued  to  leverage  insights  that  we  gain  from  ‘People 
Pulse’, our global approach and system platform for quarterly 
measurement of the  level of employee  satisfaction. In 2019, 
People Pulse saw again high response rates. On average, our 
employee  Net  Promoter  Score  (eNPS)  remained  stable  in 
2019 compared to the previous year. People Pulse results are 
not  only  leveraged  for  general  feedback  on  the  employee 
experience  at  adidas,  but  also  as  a  tool  to  gather  employee 
insights regarding important elements of our strategy. 
PEOPLE AND CULTURE, P. 70 

industry 

its 

 SEE 

in 

MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT OF 
 PERFORMANCE, RISKS AND 
 OPPORTUNITIES, AND OUTLOOK

Finally, we continue to enjoy an overall strong level of on-time 
in-full  (OTIF)  deliveries  to  our  customers  and  own-retail 
stores. In 2019, OTIF remained stable compared to the prior 
year level. 

 SEE GLOBAL OPERATIONS, P. 63

 SEE  RISK  AND  OPPORTUNITY 

ASSESSMENT OF OVERALL RISKS AND 
OPPORTUNITIES
Our  Risk  Management  team  aggregates  all  risks  and 
opportunities  reported  by  Risk  Owners  and  Executive  Board 
members  through  the  half-yearly  risk  and  opportunity 
assessment process. Results from this process are analyzed 
and reported to the Executive Board accordingly. In addition, 
the  Executive  Board  discusses  and  assesses  risks  and 
opportunities  on  a  regular  basis. 
REPORT, P. 120 Taking into account the potential financial impact 
as well as the likelihood of the risks explained in this report 
materializing,  and  considering  the  strong  balance  sheet  as 
well as the current business outlook, we do not foresee any 
material  jeopardy  to  the  viability  of  the  company  as  a  going 
concern. This assessment is also supported by the historical 
response to our financing demands. adidas therefore has not 
sought an official rating by any of the leading rating agencies. 
We remain confident that our earnings strength forms a solid 
basis  for  our  future  business  development  and  provides  the 
resources necessary to pursue the opportunities available to 
the company. Compared to the prior year, our assessment of 
certain risks has changed in terms of likelihood of occurrence 
and/or  potential  financial  impact.  The  changes  in  risks  and 
opportunities  balance  out,  leaving  the  overall  adidas  risk 
profile largely unchanged compared to the prior year.

ASSESSMENT OF FINANCIAL OUTLOOK
In March 2015, adidas unveiled ‘Creating the New’, our 2020 
strategic business plan, which defines strategic priorities and 
objectives for the period up to 2020. The strategy is designed 
to drive brand desirability which, in turn, is expected to spur 
top- and bottom-line growth. 

In  March  2017,  ‘Creating  the  New’  was  updated  with 
complementary initiatives in order to grow the top and bottom 
line even faster than initially projected. Consequently, we had 
increased our financial targets for 2020. We project currency-
neutral  revenues  to  increase  at  a  rate  of  10%  to  12%  on 
average per year until 2020 compared to the 2015 results. Net 
income  from  continuing  operations  is  expected  to  grow  at  a 
higher rate than the top line. While in March 2017 we projected 
net income from continuing operations to expand by 20% to 
22% on average per year during the five-year period, we once 
again  upgraded  our  long-term  profitability  target  in  March 
financial 
2018 
performance in 2017. As a result, we expect net income from 
continuing operations to grow by 22% to 24% on average per 
year  in  the  period  between  2015  and  2020. 

the  strong  operational  and 

following 

 SEE  CORPORATE 

STRATEGY, P. 50 

Our successes since initiating ‘Creating the New’, as measured 
by  financial  as  well  as  non-financial  KPIs,  are  a  direct 
consequence  of  our  relentless  execution  and  focus  on  this 
strategy.  Throughout  2020,  the  whole  organization  will  stay 
focused  on  successfully  completing  our  current  strategic 
business  plan,  before  we  announce  details  on  the  next 
strategic cycle in November 2020. 

Against  the  background  of  rising  consumer  spending, 
increasing  penetration  of  sportswear  (‘athleisure’)  and 
growing  health  awareness  in  most  geographical  areas,  we 
project further significant top-line improvements in 2020. The 
revenue increase is to be driven by our extensive pipeline of 

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new product launches paired with brand-building activities. In 
addition,  the  further  expansion  and  improvement  of  our 
controlled  space  initiatives,  in  particular  through  our  own 
e-commerce  channel,  is  expected  to  contribute  to  the  sales 
growth. Last but not least, major sporting events such as the 
UEFA EURO 2020 and the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo will 
support this positive development. In combination with tight 
control  of  both  our  inventory  levels  and  our  cost  base,  we 
expect  to  generate  strong  profitability  improvements  also  in 
2020. Supported by further operating margin expansion, our 
bottom  line  is  again  expected  to  increase  at  a  double-digit 
rate in 2020. 

 SEE OUTLOOK, P. 117

We  believe  our  outlook  for  2020  realistically  describes  the 
underlying development of the company. However, the outlook 
for  2020  as  outlined  in  this  report  is  subject  to  change 
depending  on  the  further  developments  related  to  the 
coronavirus  outbreak.  Our  business 
in  Greater  China 
performed strongly in the first three weeks of 2020. However, 
since  then  we  have  been  experiencing  a  material  negative 
impact  on  our  operations  in  China.  As  the  situation  keeps 
evolving, the magnitude of the overall impact on our business 
in  2020  cannot  be  quantified  reliably  at  this  point  in  time. 
Accordingly, the company’s outlook for 2020 as outlined in this 
report does not reflect any impact of the coronavirus outbreak. 

 SEE OUTLOOK, P. 117

In  addition,  ongoing  uncertainties  regarding  the  economic 
outlook  and  consumer  sentiment  in  both  developed  and 
emerging  economies  as  well  as  persisting  high  levels  of 
currency volatility represent risks to the achievement of our 
stated financial goals and aspirations. 
DEVELOPMENT,  P.  95 No  other  material  event  between  the  end  of 
2019 and the publication of this report has altered our view.

 SEE ECONOMIC AND SECTOR 

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20193CONSOLIDATED 
FINANCIAL  
STATEMENTS 

4

Consolidated Statement of Financial Position  

Consolidated Income Statement  

Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income  

Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity  

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows  

Notes  
Notes to the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position  
Notes to the Consolidated Income Statement  
Additional Information  

Shareholdings  

Responsibility Statement  

Reproduction of the Independent Auditor’s Report  

Limited Assurance Report  

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STATEMENTS

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT  
OF  FINANCIAL POSITION

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION

adidas AG Consolidated Statement of Financial Position (IFRS) € in millions

Assets

Cash and cash equivalents

Short-term financial assets

Accounts receivable

Other current financial assets

Inventories

Income tax receivables

Other current assets

Total current assets

Property, plant and equipment

Right-of-use assets

Goodwill

Trademarks

Other intangible assets

Long-term financial assets

Other non-current financial assets

Deferred tax assets

Other non-current assets

Total non-current assets

Total assets

1 First-time application of IFRS 16 as of January 1, 2019. Prior year figures are not restated. 
The accompanying Notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

Note

Dec. 31, 2019

Dec. 31, 2018 1

Change in %

05

06

07

08

09

36

10

11

12

13

14

14

15

16

36

17

2,220

292

2,625

544

4,085

94

1,076

10,934

2,380

2,931

1,257

859

305

367

450

1,093

103

9,746

20,680

2,629

6

2,418

542

3,445

48

725

9,813

2,237

–

1,245

844

196

276

256

651

94

5,799

15,612

(15.6)

5,105.6

8.5

0.2

18.6

93.9

48.4

11.4

6.4

n. a.

0.9

1.8

55.9

33.0

75.9

67.8

10.5

68.1

32.5

1

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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT  
OF  FINANCIAL POSITION

adidas AG Consolidated Statement of Financial Position (IFRS) € in millions

Note

Dec. 31, 2019

Dec. 31, 2018 1

Change in %

Liabilities and equity

Short-term borrowings

Accounts payable

Current lease liabilities

Other current financial liabilities

Income taxes

Other current provisions

Current accrued liabilities

Other current liabilities

Total current liabilities

Long-term borrowings

Non-current lease liabilities

Other non-current financial liabilities

Pensions and similar obligations

Deferred tax liabilities

Other non-current provisions

Non-current accrued liabilities

Other non-current liabilities

Total non-current liabilities

Share capital

Reserves

Retained earnings

Shareholders’ equity

Non-controlling interests

Total equity

Total liabilities and equity

1 First-time application of IFRS 16 as of January 1, 2019. Prior year figures are not restated. 
The accompanying Notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

18

21

19

36

20

21

23

18

21

24

25

36

20

21

26

27

29

43

2,703

733

235

618

1,446

2,437

538

8,754

1,595

2,399

92

229

280

257

9

7

4,868

196

45

6,555

6,796

261

7,058

66

2,300

–

186

268

1,232

2,305

477

6,834

1,609

–

103

246

241

128

19

68

2,414

199

123

6,054

6,377

(13)

6,364

20,680

15,612

(34.7)

17.5

n. a.

26.2

131.1

17.4

5.7

12.9

28.1

(0.9)

n. a.

(10.2)

(6.9)

16.3

100.1

(54.5)

(90.4)

101.6

(1.6)

(63.1)

8.3

6.6

n. a.

10.9

32.5

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CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENT

CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENT

adidas AG Consolidated Income Statement (IFRS) € in millions

Net sales
Cost of sales
Gross profit

(% of net sales)

Royalty and commission income
Other operating income
Other operating expenses

(% of net sales)
Marketing and point-of-sale expenses

(% of net sales)

Distribution and selling expenses

(% of net sales)

General and administration expenses

(% of net sales)
Sundry expenses
(% of net sales)

Impairment losses (net) on accounts receivable and contract assets

Operating profit
(% of net sales)
Financial income
Financial expenses
Income before taxes
(% of net sales)

Income taxes

(% of income before taxes)

Net income from continuing operations

(% of net sales)

Gains / (losses) from discontinued operations, net of tax
Net income

(% of net sales)

Net income attributable to shareholders

(% of net sales)

Net income attributable to non-controlling interests

Basic earnings per share from continuing operations (in €)
Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations (in €)

Basic earnings per share from continuing and discontinued operations (in €)
Diluted earnings per share from continuing and discontinued operations (in €)

1 First-time application of IFRS 16 as of January 1, 2019. Prior year figures are not restated. 
The accompanying Notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

Note

38

31
11, 14, 33

34
34

36

03

37
37

37
37

Year ending 
 Dec. 31, 2019

Year ending 
 Dec. 31, 2018 1

 Change 

23,640
11,347
12,293
52.0%
154
56
9,843
41.6%
3,042
12.9%
4,997
21.1%
1,652
7.0%
134
0.6%
18
2,660
11.3%
64
166
2,558
10.8%
640
25.0%
1,918
8.1%
59
1,977
8.4%
1,976
8.4%
2

9.70
9.70

10.00
10.00

21,915
10,552
11,363
51.8%
129
48
9,172
41.9%
3,001
13.7%
4,450
20.3%
1,576
7.2%
105
0.5%
41
2,368
10.8%
57
47
2,378
10.9%
669
28.1%
1,709
7.8%
(5)
1,704
7.8%
1,702
7.8%
3

8.46
8.45

8.44
8.42

7.9%
7.5%
8.2%
0.2pp
19.5%
16.6%
7.3%
(0.2pp)
1.4%
(0.8pp)
12.3%
0.8pp
4.8%
(0.2pp)
28.3%
0.1pp
(57.2%)
12.4%
0.4pp
11.2%
253.2%
7.6%
(0.0pp)
(4.3%)
(3.1pp)
12.2%
0.3pp
n. a.
16.0%
0.6pp
16.1%
0.6pp
(35.1%)

14.7%
14.8%

18.5%
18.7%

1

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT  
OF  COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

adidas AG Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income (IFRS) € in millions

Net income after taxes

Items of other comprehensive income that will not be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss

Remeasurements of defined benefit plans (IAS 19), net of tax 2

Net gain / (loss) on other equity investments (IFRS 9), net of tax

Subtotal of items of other comprehensive income that will not be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss

Items of other comprehensive income that will be reclassified to profit or loss when specific conditions are met

Net (loss) / gain on cash flow hedges and net foreign investment hedges, net of tax

Net (loss) / gain on cost of hedging reserve – options, net of tax 

Net gain / (loss) on cost of hedging reserve – forward contracts, net of tax

Reclassification of foreign currency differences due to dissolution of subsidiaries

Currency translation differences

Subtotal of items of other comprehensive income that will be reclassified to profit or loss when specific conditions are met 

Other comprehensive income

Total comprehensive income

Attributable to shareholders of adidas AG

Attributable to non-controlling interests

1 First-time application of IFRS 16 as of January 1, 2019. Prior year figures are not restated. 
2 Includes actuarial gains or losses relating to defined benefit obligations, return on plan assets (excluding interest income) and the asset ceiling effect.
The accompanying Notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

Note

25

30

30

30

30

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 2019

1,977

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 2018 1

1,704

(50)

12

(38)

(148)

(7)

11

0

98

(46)

(84)

1,894

1,898

(4)

(13)

(8)

(21)

232

3

(10)

(4)

(49)

171

150

1,855

1,851

4

1

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT  
OF  CHANGES IN EQUITY

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY

adidas AG Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity (IFRS) € in millions

Balance at January 1, 2018

Other comprehensive income

Net income

Total comprehensive income

Reissuance of treasury shares due to the conversion of convertible bonds

Repurchase of adidas AG shares

Repurchase of adidas AG shares due to equity-settled share-based payment

Reissuance of treasury shares due to equity-settled share-based payment

Dividend payment

Equity-settled share-based payment

Balance at December 31, 2018 1 / January 1, 2019

Other comprehensive income

Net income

Total comprehensive income

Repurchase of adidas AG shares

Repurchase of adidas AG shares due to equity-settled share-based payment

Reissuance of treasury shares due to equity-settled share-based payment

Dividend payment

Equity-settled share-based payment

First-time consolidation due to obtaining control in accordance with IFRS 10

Note

Share 
capital

Capital 
reserve

204

884

Cumulative 
currency 
translation 
differences

(520)

(54)

Hedging 
reserve

(234)

231

(54)

231

3

0

(5)

(0)

0

199

887

(574)

104

(3)

(147)

104

(147)

(3)

(0)

0

27

27

27

27

28

27

27

27

28

04

Cost of 
hedging 
reserve - 
 options

Cost of 
hedging 
reserve - 
forward 
contracts

Other 
reserves

Retained 
earnings

(5)

3

3

(3)

(7)

(7)

6

(10)

(10)

(5)

11

11

(159)

(21)

(21)

(180)

(38)

(38)

5,836

1,702

1,702

27

(996)

(19)

22

(528)

11

6,054

1,976

1,976

(806)

(28)

32

(664)

(10)

Balance at December 31, 2019

196

887

(470)

(150)

(10)

6

(218)

6,555

1 First-time application of IFRS 16 as of January 1, 2019. Prior year figures are not restated.
The accompanying Notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

Share-
holders’ 
equity

6,011

149

1,702

1,851

30

(1,001)

(19)

23

(528)

11

6,377

(78)

1,976

1,898

(809)

(28)

32

(664)

(10)

–

6,796

Non- 
controlling 

interests Total equity

(15)

1

3

4

(1)

(13)

(6)

2

(4)

(2)

280

261

5,996

150

1,704

1,855

30

(1,001)

(19)

23

(530)

11

6,364

(84)

1,977

1,894

(809)

(28)

32

(666)

(10)

280

7,058

1

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT  
OF CASH FLOWS

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

adidas AG Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows (IFRS) € in millions

Operating activities:

Income before taxes 

Adjustments for:

Depreciation, amortization and impairment losses

Reversals of impairment losses

Unrealized foreign exchange gains, net

Interest income

Interest expense

Losses on sale of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets, net

Other non-cash effects from operating activities 

Payment for external funding of pension obligations (CTA)  

Operating profit before working capital changes

Increase in receivables and other assets

(Increase) / decrease in inventories

Increase in accounts payable and other liabilities

Cash generated from operations before taxes

Income taxes paid

Net cash generated from operating activities – continuing operations

Net cash used in operating activities – discontinued operations

Net cash generated from operating activities

1 First-time application of IFRS 16 as of January 1, 2019. Prior year figures are not restated with the exception of the presentation of interest paid.
The accompanying Notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

Note

Year ending  
Dec. 31, 2019

Year ending  
Dec. 31, 20181

11, 12, 13, 14, 32, 34

31

34

34

31, 32

2,558

1,214

(8)

(1)

(50)

160

11

(12)

(105)

3,767

(694)

(505)

951

3,519

(692)

2,828

(9)

2,819

2,378

490

(3)

(10)

(24)

42

9

17

(90)

2,808

(209)

180

741

3,521

(815)

2,706

(20)

2,686

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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT  
OF CASH FLOWS

adidas AG Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows (IFRS) € in millions

Investing activities:

Purchase of trademarks and other intangible assets

Proceeds from sale of trademarks and other intangible assets

Purchase of property, plant and equipment

Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment

Proceeds from sale of assets held for sale

Proceeds from sale of a disposal group

Proceeds due to business combinations

Proceeds from disposal of discontinued operations, net of cash disposed

Purchase of short-term financial assets

Purchase of investments and other long-term assets

Interest received

Net cash used in investing activities – continuing operations

Net cash generated from investing activities – discontinued operations

Net cash used in investing activities

Financing activities:

Proceeds from long-term borrowings

Proceeds from issuance of a convertible bond

Payments for options related to a convertible bond

Interest paid

Repayments of lease liabilities / finance lease obligations

Dividend paid to shareholders of adidas AG 

Dividend paid to non-controlling interest shareholders

Repurchase of adidas AG shares

Repurchase of adidas AG shares due to share-based payments

Proceeds from reissuance of treasury shares due to share-based payments

Proceeds from short-term borrowings

Repayments of short-term borrowings

Net cash used in financing activities – continuing operations

Net cash generated from financing activities – discontinued operations

Net cash used in financing activities

Effect of exchange rates on cash 

(Decrease) / increase in cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

1 First-time application of IFRS 16 as of January 1, 2019. Prior year figures are not restated with the exception of the presentation of interest paid.
The accompanying Notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

Note

Year ending  
Dec. 31, 2019

Year ending  
Dec. 31, 20181

(110)

0

(598)

13

–

8

54

20

(284)

(80)

50

(925)

–

(925)

–

–

–

(156)

(597)

(664)

(2)

(809)

(28)

24

–

(42)

(2,273)

–

(2,273)

(30)

(410)

2,629

2,220

03

04

18

18

27

27

18

18

05

05

(96)

2

(611)

13

71

18

–

–

(0)

(56)

24

(636)

–

(636)

141

518

(35)

(40)

(2)

(528)

(1)

(1,000)

(22)

19

9

(49)

(991)

–

(991)

(29)

1,031

1,598

2,629

1

4
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NOTES

NOTES

adidas AG is a listed German stock corporation and parent 
of  the  adidas  Group  located  at  Adi-Dassler-Str. 1,  91074 
Herzogenaurach, Germany, and is entered into the commercial 
register  at  the  Local  Court  of  Fürth  (HRB  3868).  adidas AG 
and  its  subsidiaries  (collectively  ‘adidas’,  ‘the  Group’  or  ‘the 
company’) design, develop, produce and market a broad range 
of athletic and sports lifestyle products.

01 » GENERAL 
The  consolidated  financial  statements  of  adidas AG  as  at 
December 31, 2019  comprise  adidas AG  and  its  subsidiaries 
and are prepared in compliance with International Financial 
Reporting  Standards  (IFRS),  as  to  be  applied  in  the 
European  Union  (EU)  as  at  December 31, 2019,  and  the 
additional requirements pursuant to § 315e section 1 German 
Commercial Code (Handelsgesetzbuch – HGB). 

following  new  standards  and 

The 
interpretations  and 
amendments  to  existing  standards  and  interpretations  are 
effective for financial years beginning on January 1, 2019 and 
have  been  applied  for  the  first  time  to  these  consolidated 
financial statements:
 — IFRS 16 Leases (EU effective date: January 1, 2019): The 
new standard replaces the guidance in IAS 17 ‘Leases’ 
and the respective interpretations IFRIC 4 ‘Determining 
Whether  an  Arrangement  Contains  a  Lease’,  SIC-15 
‘Operating  Leases  –  Incentives’  and  SIC-27  ‘Evaluating 
the Substance of Transactions Involving the Legal Form 
of a Lease’. For lessees, IFRS 16 eliminates the required 
classification of leases into operating and finance leases 
in  accordance  with  IAS 17,  replacing  it  with  a  single 
accounting model requiring lessees to recognize a right-
of-use asset and a corresponding lease liability for leases 
with a lease term of more than twelve months. In contrast, 
IFRS 16 substantially carries forward the lessor accounting 

requirements in IAS 17. The new standard had a significant 
impact  on  the  company’s  consolidated  statement  of 
financial  position  upon  initial  application.  adidas  has  a 
significant  number  of  rental  arrangements  and  leases 
worldwide which were classified as leases under IAS 17 
– mainly pertaining to more than 2,500 rented own-retail 
stores as well as rented offices and warehouses.
adidas applied IFRS 16 as of January 1, 2019 and transitioned 
to IFRS 16 in accordance with the modified retrospective 
approach with no adjustments to the 2018 comparative 
financial  information,  using  practical  expedients  as 
described below. The reclassifications and the adjustments 
arising from the implementation of IFRS 16 are therefore 
recognized in the opening statement of financial position 
on January 1, 2019.
adidas elected not to reassess whether a contract is or 
contains a lease at the date of initial application. Instead, 
for contracts entered into before the transition date, adidas 
relied on its assessment made applying IAS 17 and IFRIC 4 
‘Determining Whether an Arrangement Contains a Lease’. 
Therefore, the definition of a lease under IFRS 16 has been 
applied only to contracts entered into or changed on or 
after January 1, 2019.
The  company  collected  real  estate  lease  contracts  in 
its global real estate lease management system, which 
captures the relevant information from real estate lease 
contracts. Additionally, adidas implemented a technical 
system  to  ensure  the  administration  of  data  from 
non-real  estate  lease  contracts  and  a  lease  engine  to 
guarantee IFRS 16-compliant accounting valuations and 
measurements.
Amounts paid for software licensing and leases are not 
within  the  scope  of  IFRS  16  and  are  accounted  for  in 
accordance with IAS 38.
At initial application of IFRS 16, adidas elected to use the 
following practical expedients permitted by the standard:

 — the accounting for operating leases with a remaining 
lease term of less than twelve months as at January 1, 
2019, as short-term leases;

 — the exclusion of initial direct costs for the measurement 

of the right-of-use asset as at January 1, 2019;

 — the  use  of  hindsight  in  determining  the  lease  term 
where  the  contract  contains  options  to  extend  or 
terminate the lease; and

 — no adjustments at January 1, 2019, for leases for which 

the underlying asset is of low value.

Until December 31, 2018, adidas as a lessee classified 
leases as operating leases or finance leases under IAS 17. 
The vast majority of the company’s lease contracts were 
classified as operating lease contracts and the respective 
rent expense was expensed on a straight-line basis over the 
lease term. At transition, for leases classified as operating 
leases under IAS 17, lease liabilities were recognized and 
measured  at  the  present  value  of  the  remaining  lease 
payments, discounted at the incremental borrowing rate 
of adidas as at January 1, 2019. Right-of-use assets were 
initially measured at an amount equal to the lease liability, 
adjusted by the amount of any prepaid or accrued lease 
payments  recognized  at  December  31,  2018,  for  that 
specific lease. For leases previously classified as finance 
leases, adidas recognized the carrying amount of the lease 
asset and lease liability according to IAS 17 at December 31, 
2018, as the carrying amount of the right-of-use asset and 
the lease liability according to IFRS 16 at January 1, 2019.
Under  IFRS  16,  lease  expenses  are  presented  by 
straight-line  depreciation  charges  on  the  right-of-use 
assets and interest expenses due to the compounding of 
the lease liabilities in accordance with the effective interest 
method. Fixed payments on operating leases which were 
expensed under IAS 17 are eliminated under IFRS 16. These 
changes resulted in a negative impact on the company’s 
net income from continuing operations in the amount of 
€ 54 million for the year ended December 31, 2019.

1

4

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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NOTES

Due to the presentation of lease payments as financing 
activities under IFRS 16, the cash flows from operating 
activities increased while the cash flows from financing 
activities declined accordingly. This resulted in a decline 
in cash flows from financing activities in the amount of 
€  692  million  and  an  improvement  in  cash  flows  from 
operating activities in the amount of € 684 million. No 
adjustments result from the first-time application of IFRS 
16 in retained earnings.
Further information about current accounting methods 
under IFRS 16 and the impact of IFRS 16 initial application 
at adidas is provided in these Notes. 
IFRS 9 Amendment – Prepayment Features with Negative 
Compensation (EU effective date: January 1, 2019): The 
amendment offers additional guidance on how to classify 
prepayable  financial  assets  according  to  IFRS 9  and  it 
clarifies the accounting for financial liabilities following 
a modification. adidas does not have any financial assets 
with prepayment features. Additionally, the company did 
not modify financial liabilities. Therefore, this amendment 
did not have any impact on the company’s consolidated 
financial statements.

 SEE NOTES 02, 12 AND 21

 — IAS  19  Amendment  –  Plan  Amendment,  Curtailment 
or  Settlement  (EU  effective  date:  January  1,  2019): 
The  amendment  makes  it  mandatory  to  determine  the 
current service cost and net interest for the period using 
the assumptions used for remeasurement when a plan 
amendment,  curtailment  or  settlement  occurs.  This 
amendment  did  not  have  any  material  impact  on  the 
consolidated financial statements.

 — IAS 28 Amendment – Long-term Interests in Associates 
and Joint Ventures (EU effective date: January 1, 2019):  
The  amendment  clarifies  that  IFRS  9  ‘Financial 
Instruments’ – including the impairment requirements – 
should be applied to long-term interests in an associate 
or joint venture forming part of a net investment but for 
which the equity method is not applied. adidas does not 

have long-term interests in an associate or joint venture 
forming part of a net investment but for which the equity 
method is not applied, and which was not already accounted 
for according to IFRS 9. Therefore, the amendment did not 
have any impact on the consolidated financial statements.
 — IFRIC 23 – Uncertainty over Income Tax Treatments (EU 
effective date: January 1, 2019): This new interpretation 
applies to income taxes within the scope of IAS 12 ‘Income 
Taxes’  and  clarifies  the  accounting  for  uncertainties  in 
income  taxes.  In  the  case  of  uncertainty  regarding  the 
determination of taxable profit/tax loss, tax bases, unused 
tax losses, unused tax credits and tax rates under IAS 12, 
this interpretation must be applied. This interpretation has 
no impact on the consolidated financial statements.

 — Improvements  to  IFRS  (2015–2017)  –  Amendments 
to  IFRS 3,  IFRS 11,  IAS 12  and  IAS 23  (EU  effective 
date:  January 1,  2019):  These  improvements  include 
amendments to IFRS 3 which clarify that when an entity 
obtains control of a business that was previously a joint 
operation the entity must remeasure its previously held 
interests in that business. The amendments to IFRS 11 
clarify that an entity does not remeasure previously held 
interests in a business when it assumes joint control of a 
joint operation. The amendments to IFRS 3 and IFRS 11 
did not have an impact as the aforementioned transactions 
did not take place during the year ending December 31, 
2019. The amendments to IAS 12 clarify that the income 
tax effects resulting from dividend payments should be 
presented in the same manner as the income from which 
the dividends are derived. In other words, the income tax 
consequences from dividends should be shown in profit 
or  loss  unless  the  dividend  relates  to  income  which  is 
recorded in equity or other comprehensive income. These 
amendments did not have any impact on the consolidated 
financial statements. The amendments to IAS 23 specify 
that  when  a  qualifying  asset  has  become  ready  for  its 
intended sale or use, any outstanding borrowed amount is 

no longer used in the calculation of the capitalization rate 
for the specific qualifying asset, but instead used in the 
general capitalization rate for borrowings. adidas currently 
capitalizes the borrowing costs for one qualifying asset. The 
amendments to IAS 23 did not have a material impact on 
the consolidated financial statements.

New standards and interpretations as well as amendments to 
existing standards and interpretations are usually not applied 
by adidas before the EU effective date.

issued  by 

interpretations 

New  standards  and  interpretations  and  amendments  to 
existing  standards  and 
the 
International  Accounting  Standards  Board 
(IASB)  and 
endorsed  by  the  EU  which  are  effective  for  financial  years 
beginning  after  January  1,  2019,  and  which  have  not  been 
applied in preparing these consolidated financial statements 
are:
 — IFRS 9, IFRS 7 and IAS 39 Amendments – Interest Rate 
Benchmark Reform (EU effective date: January 1, 2020): 
The  amendments  modify  specific  hedge  accounting 
requirements, so that entities would apply those hedge 
accounting requirements assuming that the interest rate 
benchmark on which the hedged cash flows and cash flows 
from the hedging instrument are based will not be altered 
as a result of the interest rate benchmark reform. The 
amendments apply for all hedging relationships that are 
directly affected by the interest rate benchmark reform. 
During the last financial year adidas did not conclude or 
possess any hedge instruments which were affected by 
the changes. Therefore, this amendment is not expected to 
have any impact on the consolidated financial statements.
 — IAS 1 and IAS 8 Amendment – Definition of Material (EU 
effective date: January 1, 2020): The amendment clarifies 
the definition of ‘material’. and aligns the definition used in 
the Conceptual Framework with the accounting standards 

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

themselves. This amendment is not expected to have any 
material impact on the consolidated financial statements.
 — General Amendments – References to the Conceptual 
Framework  (EU  effective  date:  January  1,  2020):  The 
amendments  update  references  to  the  Conceptual 
Framework in individual standards. This amendment is not 
expected to have an impact on the consolidated financial 
statements.

The  following  new  standards  and  interpretations  as  well  as 
amendments  to  existing  standards  and  interpretations  were 
issued by the IASB. These are not yet endorsed by the EU and 
hence have not been applied in preparing these consolidated 
financial statements:
 — IFRS 3  Amendment  –  Definition  of  a  Business  (IASB 
effective date: January 1, 2020): The amendment adds 
additional guidance in order to help entities determine 
whether they have acquired a business or a group of assets. 
This  amendment  is  not  expected  to  have  any  material 
impact on the consolidated financial statements. 

 — IFRS 17  –  Insurance  Contracts  (IASB  effective  date: 
January 1,  2021):  The  new  standard  regulates  the 
recognition, measurement, presentation, and disclosure 
of certain insurance contracts that influence the entity’s 
financial position, financial performance and cash flows. 
Insurance contracts which the entity issues, reinsurance 
contracts the entity holds, and investment contracts with 
discretionary participation features issued by the entity 
are all within the scope of the standard. IFRS 17 replaces 
IFRS 4 ‘Insurance Contracts’, which is currently not applied 
by the company. Therefore, the standard is not expected to 
have any impact on the consolidated financial statements.
 — IAS 1 Amendment – Presentation of Financial Statements: 
Classification of Liabilities as Current or Non-current 
(IASB effective date: January 1, 2022): The amendment 
clarifies  the  classification  of  current  and  non-current 
liabilities when presenting amounts in the statement of 

financial  position.  This  amendment  is  not  expected  to 
have any material impact on the consolidated financial 
statements.

The consolidated financial statements have in principle been 
prepared  on  the  historical  cost  basis  with  the  exception  of 
certain  items  in  the  statement  of  financial  position  such  as 
financial  instruments,  derivative  financial  instruments  and 
plan assets, which are measured at fair value.

The consolidated financial statements are presented in euro 
(€) and, unless otherwise stated, all values are presented in 
millions  of  euro  (€ in millions).  Due  to  rounding  principles, 
numbers presented may not exactly sum up to totals provided. 
This can lead to individual amounts rounded to zero.  

02 »  SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING 

POLICIES

The  consolidated  financial  statements  are  prepared 
in 
accordance with the consolidation, accounting and valuation 
principles described below.

Principles of consolidation
The  consolidated  financial  statements  include  the  financial 
statements  of  adidas AG  and  all  its  direct  and  indirect 
subsidiaries, which are prepared in accordance with uniform 
accounting principles. An entity is considered a subsidiary if it 
is  controlled  by  adidas AG.  Control  exists  when  adidas  is 
exposed  to,  or  has  rights  to,  variable  returns  from  its 
involvement  with  the  investee  and  has  the  ability  to  affect 
those returns through its power over the investee.

The number of consolidated subsidiaries developed as follows 
in 2019 and 2018, respectively:

Number of consolidated subsidiaries

January 1

First-time consolidated subsidiaries

Thereof: newly founded

Thereof: control obtained in accordance 
with IFRS 10

Deconsolidated/divested subsidiaries

Intercompany mergers

December 31

2019

128

4

3

1

(5)

(2)

125

2018

129

–

–

–

(1)

–

128

The subsidiaries are held either directly by adidas AG or indirectly 
via the two holding companies adidas Beteiligungsgesellschaft 
mbH in Germany or adidas International B.V. in the Netherlands.

A  schedule  of  the  shareholdings  of  adidas AG  is  shown  in 
Attachment I to the consolidated financial statements. 
SHAREHOLDINGS, P. 208 This schedule comprises information about 
the  name,  domicile,  currency  and  equity  of  all  consolidated 
subsidiaries as well as the respective share held in the capital 
of  these  subsidiaries.  Furthermore,  the  schedule  of  the 
shareholdings  of  adidas AG  is  published  on  the  electronic 
platform of the German Federal Gazette.

 SEE 

Within the scope of the first-time consolidation, all acquired 
assets  and  liabilities  are  recognized  in  the  statement  of 
financial position at fair value at the acquisition date. A debit 
difference between the acquisition cost and the proportionate 
fair  value  of  assets,  liabilities  and  contingent  liabilities  is 
recognized as goodwill. A credit difference is recorded in the 
income statement after a reassessment of the fair value of the 
assets, liabilities and contingent liabilities has been performed. 
In  cases  where  not  all  of  the  shares  in  the  investment  in  a 
subsidiary are acquired, a non-controlling interest measured 

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194 
  
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5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

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STATEMENTS

NOTES

Overview of selected subsequent measurement principles

Assets

Cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents (investments in certain money market funds)
Short-term financial assets 
Accounts receivable
Contract assets
Inventories
Assets classified as held for sale
Property, plant and equipment
Right-of-use assets
Goodwill
Intangible assets (except goodwill):

With definite useful life
With indefinite useful life

Financial assets

Liabilities

Subsequent measurement principle

Nominal amount
Fair value through profit or loss
Fair value through profit or loss
Amortized cost
Impairment-only approach
Lower of cost and net realizable value
Lower of carrying amount and fair value less costs to sell
Amortized cost
Amortized cost
Impairment-only approach

Amortized cost
Impairment-only approach
See separate table

Borrowings
Accounts payable
Liabilities/provisions for cash-settled share-based payment arrangements Fair value
Contract liabilities
Other financial liabilities
Provisions:
Pensions
Other provisions

Amortized cost
Amortized cost

Expected settlement amount
Amortized cost

Projected unit credit method
Expected settlement amount
Amortized cost

Amortized cost

Accrued liabilities

Lease liabilities

initially as a proportionate share of net assets is recognized at 
the date of the first-time consolidation.

carrying  amount  of  the  net  assets  at  the  acquisition  date  is 
recorded directly in shareholders’ equity.

Acquisitions  of  additional  investments  in  subsidiaries  which 
are  already  controlled  are  recorded  as  equity  transactions. 
Therefore,  neither  fair  value  adjustments  of  assets  and 
liabilities nor gains or losses are recognized. Any difference 
between  the  cost  for  such  an  additional  investment  and  the 

The financial effects of intercompany transactions as well as 
any  unrealized  gains  and  losses  arising  from  intercompany 
business  relations  are  eliminated 
the 
consolidated financial statements.

in  preparing 

Principles of measurement
The  table  includes  an  overview  of  selected  subsequent 
measurement  principles  used  in  the  preparation  of  the 
consolidated financial statements.

their 

Financial  assets  are  classified  and  measured  according  to 
IFRS 9. All purchases and sales of financial assets, with the 
exception  of  trade  receivables,  are  recognized  on  the  trade 
date and initially measured at fair value. At initial recognition, 
trade  receivables  that  do  not  have  a  significant  financing 
transaction  price. 
component  are  measured  at 
Subsequently,  a  financial  asset  is  measured  at  amortized 
cost,  fair  value  through  other  comprehensive  income  (debt 
instrument), fair value through other comprehensive income 
(equity  instrument)  or  fair  value  through  profit  or  loss.  A 
financial asset is measured at amortized cost if it meets both 
of  the  following  conditions  and  is  not  designated  as  at  fair 
value  through  profit  or  loss:  a  financial  asset  which  is  held 
within a business model whose objective is to hold assets to 
collect  contractual  cash  flows  (business  model  ‘Hold  to 
collect’) and the financial asset’s contractual terms give rise 
on specified dates to cash flows that are solely payments of 
principal and interest on the principal amount outstanding.

A  debt  security  is  measured  at  fair  value  through  other 
comprehensive  income  if  it  meets  both  of  the  following 
conditions and is not designated as at fair value through profit 
or loss: financial asset which is held within a business model 
whose  objective  is  achieved  by  both  collecting  contractual 
cash flows and selling financial assets (business model ‘Hold 
to  collect  and  sell’)  and  its  contractual  terms  give  rise  on 
specified  dates  to  cash  flows  that  are  solely  payments  of 
principal and interest on the principal amount outstanding.

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In  principle,  all  investments  in  equity  instruments  are 
measured  at  fair  value  through  profit  or  loss.  At  initial 
recognition,  an  entity  may  make  an  irrevocable  election  to 

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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STATEMENTS

NOTES

present in other comprehensive income subsequent changes 
in the fair value of an investment in an equity instrument that 
is  neither  held  for  trading  nor  a  contingent  consideration 
acquired  by  a  purchaser  in  a  business  combination.  This 
election is made on an investment-by-investment basis.

All  financial  assets  which  are  not  classified  as  measured  at 
amortized cost or at fair value through other comprehensive 
income as described above are measured at fair value through 
profit or loss. 

Financial  assets  are  only  reclassified  when  the  business 
model  for  managing  financial  assets  is  changed,  in  which 
case all affected financial assets are reclassified.

The subsequent measurement of financial assets is as follows:

Overview of financial asset subsequent measurement principles according to IFRS 9

IFRS 9 category

Subsequent measurement principle

Subsequent measurement

Fair value through profit or loss

Amortized cost

Fair value through other comprehensive income 
(debt instrument)

Fair value through other comprehensive income 
(equity instrument)

These assets are subsequently measured at fair value.  
Net gains and losses, including any interest or dividend 
income, are recognized in profit or loss.

These assets are subsequently measured at amortized  
cost using the effective interest method. The amortized  
cost is reduced by impairment losses. Interest income, 
foreign exchange gains and losses and impairment losses 
are recognized in profit or loss. Any gain or loss on  
derecognition is recognized in profit or loss.

These assets are subsequently measured at fair value. 
Interest income calculated using the effective interest 
method, foreign exchange gains and losses and  
impairment losses are recognized in profit or loss.  
Other net gains and losses are recognized in other  
comprehensive income. On derecognition, accumulated 
gains and losses are reclassified to profit or loss. 

These assets are subsequently measured at fair value. 
Dividends are recognized as income in profit or loss  
unless the dividend clearly represents a recovery of  
part of the cost of the investment. Other gains and 
losses are recognized in other comprehensive income  
and are never reclassified to profit or loss.

Fair value through profit or loss

Amortized cost

Fair value through other comprehensive 
income

Fair value through other comprehensive 
income

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194  
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

Currency translation
Transactions in foreign currencies are initially recorded in the 
respective functional currency by applying the spot exchange 
rate  valid  at  the  transaction  date  to  the  foreign  currency 
amount.

In the individual financial statements of subsidiaries, monetary 
items  denominated  in  non-functional  currencies  of  the 
subsidiaries  are  generally  translated  into  the  functional 
currency at closing exchange rates at the balance sheet date. 
The resulting currency gains and losses are recorded directly 
in the income statement.

Assets  and  liabilities  of  the  company’s  non-euro  functional 
currency subsidiaries are translated using closing exchange 
rates at the balance sheet date into the presentation currency, 
the euro, which is also the functional currency of adidas AG. 
For practical reasons, revenues and expenses are translated 
at  average  rates  for  the  period  which  approximate  the 
exchange  rates  on  the  transaction  dates.  All  cumulative 
differences 
foreign 
subsidiaries  resulting  from  changes  in  exchange  rates  are 
included  in  a  separate  item  within  shareholders’  equity 
without affecting the income statement.

from  the  translation  of  equity  of 

A summary of exchange rates to the euro for major currencies 
in which the Group operates is as follows:

Exchange rates 

€ 1 equals

Average rates for the 
year ending Dec. 31,

Spot rates at Dec. 31,

USD

GBP

JPY

CNY

RUB

2019

1.1196

0.8773

2018

1.1813

0.8847

2019

1.1234

0.8508

2018

1.1450

0.8945

122.0868

130.4030

121.9400

125.8500

7.7393

72.5070

7.8051

7.8057

73.9202

69.5449

7.8584

79.5438

Hyperinflation
To reflect changes in purchasing power at the balance sheet 
date,  the  carrying  amounts  of  non-monetary  assets  and 
liabilities, shareholders’ equity and comprehensive income at 
subsidiaries  in  hyperinflationary  economies  are  restated  in 
terms of a measuring unit current at the balance sheet date.
 SEE  NOTE  35  These  are  indexed  using  a  general  price  index 
in  accordance  with  IAS 29  ‘Financial  Reporting  in  Hyper-
inflationary Economies’. However, no restatement is required 
for monetary assets and liabilities carried at amounts current 
at the end of the balance sheet date (such as net realizable 
value  or  fair  value  as  well  as  for  monetary  items),  because 
they represent money held, to be received or to be paid.

Gains  and  losses  from  hyperinflation  are  included  in  the 
financial result.

Non-monetary  assets  that  have  been  restated  following  the 
guidance in IAS 29 are still subject to impairment assessment 
in accordance with the guidance in the relevant IFRSs.

Discontinued operations
A  component  of  the  company’s  business  whose  operations 
and cash flows can be clearly distinguished operationally and 
for financial reporting purposes from the rest of the company 
is  classified  as  a  discontinued  operation  if  the  component 
either has been disposed of or is classified as held for sale, 
and: 
 — represents a separate major line of business or geographic 

area of operations,

 — is part of a single coordinated plan to dispose of a separate 
major line of business or geographic area of operations, or

 — is a subsidiary acquired exclusively with a view to resale.

When an operation is classified as a discontinued operation, 
income  statement  and 
the  comparative  consolidated 
consolidated  statement  of  cash  flows  are  restated  and 
presented as if the operation had been classified as such from 
the start of the comparative year.

Derivative financial instruments
adidas uses derivative financial instruments, such as currency 
options,  forward  exchange  contracts,  stock  price  options  as 
well  as  forward  stock  transactions  and  currency  swaps,  to 
hedge its exposure to foreign exchange and stock price risks. 
In accordance with its Treasury Policy, the company does not 
enter  into  transactions  with  derivative  financial  instruments 
for trading purposes.

Derivative financial instruments are initially recognized in the 
statement of financial position at fair value, and subsequently 
also measured at their fair value. The method of recognizing 
the resulting gains or losses is dependent on the nature of the 
hedge. On the date a derivative contract is entered into, adidas 
designates  derivatives  as  either  a  hedge  of  a  forecast 
transaction (cash flow hedge) or a hedge of a net investment 
in a foreign operation. In applying cash flow hedge accounting 
only  the  spot  element  of  foreign  exchange  deals  and  the 

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194 
  
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STATEMENTS

NOTES

intrinsic  value  of  currency  options  are  designated  (spot-to-
spot designation).

Changes  in  the  fair  value  of  derivatives  that  are  designated 
and qualify as cash flow hedges or net investments that are 
effective as defined in IFRS 9 are recognized in equity.

adidas  applies  the  ‘cost  of  hedging’  approach  for  dedicated 
cash flow hedges. Changes in the fair value of the time value 
component  of  options,  as  well  as  the  forward  element  in 
forward contracts are recognized separately in equity. When 
the  effectiveness  is  not  100%,  the  ineffective  portion  of  the 
change in the fair value is recognized in the income statement. 
Accumulated gains and losses in equity are transferred to the 
income  statement  in  the  same  periods  during  which  the 
hedged forecast transaction affects the income statement. 

Hedges  of  net  investments  in  foreign  entities  are  accounted 
for in a similar way to cash flow hedges. The effective currency 
gains  and  losses  in  the  derivative  and  all  gains  and  losses 
arising on the translation of the borrowing are recognized in 
equity with the exception of the cross-currency basis spread.

Certain  derivative  transactions,  while  providing  effective 
economic  hedges  under  the  company’s  risk  management 
policies, do not qualify for hedge accounting under the specific 
rules of IFRS 9. 

adidas  documents 
the  relationship  between  hedging 
instruments and hedge objects as well as the risk management 
objectives  and  strategies  for  undertaking  various  hedge 
transactions  at  transaction  inception.  This  process  includes 
linking  all  derivatives  designated  as  hedges  to  specific  firm 
commitments and forecast transactions. adidas also assesses 
the  effectiveness  and  possible  ineffectiveness  of  its  hedged 
derivatives  by  using  generally  accepted  methods  of 
effectiveness  testing,  such  as  the  ‘hypothetical  derivative 

method’  or  the 
‘dollar  offset  method’.  The  economic 
relationship  between  the  hedging  instrument  and  hedged 
item is qualitative and quantitative ascertainable and adidas 
judges the effectiveness of the hedging relationship with the 
hypothetical derivative method. The main sources of expected 
ineffectiveness are due to changes in the credit risk and in the 
timing of the hedged transactions.

The  fair  values  of  currency  options,  forward  exchange 
contracts and forward stock transactions are determined on 
the basis of market conditions on the reporting date. The fair 
value  of  a  currency  option  is  determined  using  generally 
accepted models. The fair value of an option is influenced not 
only by the remaining term of the option but also by additional 
factors,  such  as  the  actual  foreign  exchange  rate  and  the 
volatility of the underlying foreign currency base. The company 
determines  fair  values  taking  the  counterparty  risk  into 
consideration.

Cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents represent cash at banks, cash on 
hand and short-term deposits with maturities of three months 
or  less  from  the  date  of  acquisition  such  as  commercial 
papers and investments in money market funds.

Cash  equivalents  are  short-term,  highly  liquid  investments 
that  are  readily  convertible  to  known  amounts  of  cash  and 
which are subject to an insignificant risk of changes in value. 
Part  of  cash  equivalents  includes  investments  in  money 
market funds. Classification and measurement under IFRS 9 
are  performed  based  on  the  company’s  business  model  for 
managing  these  financial  assets  and  the  contractual  cash 
flow  characteristics.  Investments  in  money  market  funds 
contain cash flows other than those of principal and interest 
on principal. As a result, those investments are measured at 
fair value through profit or loss.

Short-term financial assets
Investments  in  money  market  funds  which  do  not  fulfill  the 
criteria  of  cash  equivalents  are  shown  under  short-term 
financial  assets.  These  are  classified  at  fair  value  through 
profit or loss. Changes in the fair value are recognized in the 
consolidated income statement as they occur.

Accounts receivable
Accounts receivable are recognized at the transaction price, 
which  represents  the  amount  of  consideration  to  which  the 
company expects to be entitled in exchange for transferring 
promised goods or services to a customer, excluding amounts 
collected on behalf of third parties. Subsequently, these are 
measured at amortized cost.

Other financial assets
Other  financial  assets  are  classified  and  measured  under 
IFRS 9 based on the company’s business model for managing 
these  assets  and  the  contractual  cash  flow  characteristics. 
Those  other  financial  assets  that  give  rise  to  cash  flows 
consisting only of payments of principal and interest and are 
assigned to the business model ‘Hold to collect’ are measured 
at  amortized  cost.  adidas  mainly  has  security  deposits  and 
receivables  from  credit  card  companies  and  electronic 
marketplaces which fall under this category.

Other financial assets which are neither within the business 
model  ‘Hold  to  collect’  nor  ‘Hold  to  collect  and  sell’  are 
measured  at  fair  value  through  profit  or  loss.  This  category 
mainly  includes  secured  promissory  notes  and  earn-out 
components.

Long-term financial assets
Long-term  financial  assets  are  distinguished  between  debt 
and equity instruments and classified according to IFRS 9 
as follows:

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Debt instruments are measured depending on the company’s 
business  model  for  managing  financial  assets  and  the 
contractual  cash  flows.  Only  financial  assets  that  are  held 
within the business model ‘Hold to collect’ with the objective 
to  collect  the  contractual  cash  flows  which  represent  solely 
payments  of  principal  and  interest  on  the  principal  amount 
outstanding  on  a  specific  date  are  measured  at  amortized 
cost.  adidas  classifies  certain  loans  within  this  category.  All 
other financial assets which do not fulfill one of these criteria 
are measured at fair value – either at fair value through profit 
or loss or at fair value through other comprehensive income 
(debt).  adidas  has  no  long-term  financial  assets  in  the 
category  fair  value  through  comprehensive  income  (debt 
instrument)  and  shows  loans  which  do  not  fulfill  the 
contractual cash flow characteristics in the category fair value 
through profit or loss.

Generally, all investments in equity instruments are measured 
at fair value through profit or loss. 

adidas has designated certain investments as equity securities 
as at fair value through other comprehensive income (equity), 
because  these  investments  represent  investments  that  the 
company  intends  to  hold  for  long-term  strategic  purposes. 
The  designation  of  certain  equity  instruments  at  fair  value 
through  other  comprehensive  income  (equity)  is  based  on  a 
strategic Management decision.

Inventories
Finished  goods  and  merchandise  are  valued  at  the  lower  of 
cost  or  net  realizable  value,  which  is  the  estimated  selling 
price  in  the  ordinary  course  of  business  less  the  estimated 
costs  of  completion  and  the  estimated  costs  necessary  to 
make  the  sale.  Costs  are  determined  using  a  standard 
valuation method, the ‘average cost method’. Costs of finished 
goods  include  cost  of  raw  materials,  direct  labor  and  the 

components  of  the  manufacturing  overheads  which  can  be 
reasonably  attributed  to  finished  goods.  The  allocation  of 
overheads  is  based  on  the  planned  average  utilization.  The 
net  realizable  value  allowances  are  computed  consistently 
throughout  the  company  based  on  the  age  and  expected 
future sales of the items on hand.

Assets/liabilities and disposal groups classified as held for sale 
Assets/liabilities and disposal groups classified as held for sale 
are primarily non-current assets and liabilities expected to be 
realized  principally  through  a  sale  rather  than  through 
continuing  use.  These  are  measured  at  the  lower  of  their 
carrying  amount  and  fair  value  less  costs  to  sell.  Assets 
classified as held for sale are not depreciated on a straight-
line basis. 

Property, plant and equipment
Property,  plant  and  equipment  are  measured  at  amortized 
cost. This comprises all costs directly attributable to bringing 
the  asset  to  the  condition  necessary  for  it  to  be  capable  of 
operating  in  the  manner  intended  by  Management  less  any 
accumulated  depreciation  and  accumulated 
impairment 
losses. Depreciation is recognized for those assets, with the 
exception  of  land  and  construction  in  progress,  over  the 
estimated  useful  life  utilizing  the  ‘straight-line  method’  and 
taking into account any potential residual value, except where 
the ‘declining-balance method’ is more appropriate in light of 
the  actual  utilization  pattern.  Parts  of  an  item  of  property, 
plant and equipment with a cost that is significant in relation 
to the total cost of the item are depreciated separately.

Estimated useful lives are as follows:

Estimated useful lives of property, plant and equipment

Land

Buildings and leasehold improvements

Furniture and fixtures

Technical equipment and machinery as well as 
other equipment 

Years

indefinite

20 – 50 

3 – 5

2 – 10 

Expenditure  for  repairs  and  maintenance  is  expensed  as 
incurred.  Renewals  and  improvements  are  capitalized  and 
depreciated separately, if the recognition criteria are met.

Impairment losses on non-financial assets
If  facts  and  circumstances  indicate  that  non-current  assets 
(e.g.  property,  plant  and  equipment  and  intangible  assets 
including  goodwill)  might  be  impaired,  the  recoverable 
amount is determined. This is measured at the higher of fair 
value less costs of disposal (net disposal price) and value in 
use. Non-financial items measured at the recoverable amount 
primarily  relate  to  impaired  property,  plant  and  equipment 
being measured based on value in use or on fair value taking 
unobservable  inputs  (e.g.  profit  or  cash  flow  planning)  into 
account.  The  fair  value  is  measured  at  Level 3  according  to 
IFRS 13 ‘Fair Value Measurement’.

An impairment loss is recognized in other operating expenses 
or  reported  in  goodwill  impairment  losses  if  the  carrying 
amount exceeds the recoverable amount.

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The  impairment  test  for  goodwill  is  performed  based  on 
groups of cash-generating units which represent the lowest 
level  within  the  company  at  which  goodwill  is  monitored  for 

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internal management purposes. If there is an impairment loss 
for a group of cash-generating units, first the carrying amount 
of any goodwill allocated to the group of cash-generating units 
is reduced. Subsequently, provided that the recoverable amount 
is  lower  than  the  carrying  amount,  the  other  non-current 
assets of the group of cash-generating units are reduced pro 
rata on the basis of the carrying amount of each asset in the 
group  of  cash-generating  units.  In  allocating  an  impairment 
loss, the carrying amount of an individual asset is not reduced 
below  its  fair  value.  The  amount  of  the  impairment  loss  that 
would otherwise have been allocated to the asset is allocated 
pro  rata  to  the  other  assets  of  the  cash-generating  unit  and 
groups of cash-generating units.

The impairment test for trademarks with indefinite useful lives 
is performed on the relevant level of cash-generating units.

Irrespective  of  whether  there  is  an  impairment  indication, 
intangible  assets  with  an  indefinite  useful  life  (in  particular 
trademarks) and goodwill acquired in business combinations 
are tested annually on September 30 for impairment.

An impairment loss recognized in goodwill is not reversible. 
With respect to all other impaired assets, an impairment loss 
recognized  in  prior  periods  is  only  reversed  affecting  the 
income statement if there has been a change in the estimates 
used  to  determine  the  recoverable  amount.  An  impairment 
loss  is  reversed  only  to  the  extent  that  the  asset’s  carrying 
amount does not exceed the carrying amount that would have 
been  determined  (net  of  depreciation  or  amortization)  if  no 
impairment loss had been recognized.

Impairment losses on financial assets
Impairment losses for financial assets measured at amortized 
cost  or  at  fair  value  through  other  comprehensive  income 
(debt  instrument)  are  recognized  in  accordance  with  IFRS  9 
‘Financial  Instruments’.  The  standard  requires  that  not  only 

historical  data,  but  also  future  expectations  and  projections 
are taken into consideration when accounting for impairment 
losses (‘expected credit loss’ model).

adidas  consistently  applies  the  simplified  approach  and 
recognizes  lifetime  expected  credit  losses  for  all  accounts 
receivable. In order to calculate a collective loss allowance, all 
accounts receivable sharing similar credit risk characteristics 
are  allocated  into  several  portfolios  based  on  geographical 
regions  and  macroeconomic  indicators.  Historical  payment 
and  aging  patterns  for  accounts  receivable  are  analyzed 
individually  for  each  of  the  portfolios  to  determine  the 
probability  of  default  which  is  further  adjusted  by  forward-
looking factors derived primarily from the Credit Default Swap 
(CDS)  spreads  of  the  countries  where  adidas  runs  its 
operations. The adjusted probability of default is then applied 
in  combination  with  a  loss  given  default  and  exposure  at 
default as a percentage rate to calculate the expected credit 
loss for each portfolio and aging bucket. The percentage rates 
are  reviewed  on  a  regular  basis  to  ensure  that  they  reflect 
latest data on credit risk. In case objective evidence of credit 
impairment  is  observed  for  accounts  receivable  from  a 
specific  customer,  a  detailed  analysis  of  the  credit  risk  is 
performed  and  an  appropriate  individual  loss  allowance  is 
recognized  for  this  customer.  Accounts  receivable  are 
considered to be in default when it is expected that the debtor 
will not fulfill its credit obligations toward adidas.

Cash  and  cash  equivalents  measured  at  amortized  cost  are 
subject  to  a  general  impairment  approach  under  IFRS 9. 
adidas applies the low credit risk exemption for the majority 
of  such  instruments  due  to  the  low  credit  risk  for  these 
investments,  which  is  based  upon  the  investment  grade  of 
their counterparties (defined by the company as equivalent of 
BBB+  or  higher).  A  significant  increase  of  credit  risk  is 
assumed for cash and cash equivalents when the instruments 
are  more  than  30  days  past  due.  adidas  monitors  the  credit 

risk  associated  with  cash  and  cash  equivalents  taking  into 
consideration  the  economic  environment,  external  credit 
ratings  and/or  CDS  spreads  of  counterparty  financial 
institutions and using established exposure limits. Expected 
credit loss of cash and cash equivalents is calculated based 
on the probability of default and recovery rates derived from 
CDS spreads or external credit ratings of the counterparties. 
Cash  and  cash  equivalents  are  considered  to  be  in  default 
when they are more than 90 days past due.

Other financial assets within the scope of IFRS 9 impairment 
analysis include mainly security deposits as well as accounts 
receivable  regarding  credit  card  companies  and  electronic 
marketplaces. 

Objective evidence that credit impairment of financial assets 
has  occurred  includes,  for  instance,  significant  financial 
difficulty  of  the  debtor/issuer,  indications  of  their  potential 
bankruptcy, the deterioration of the market for their products 
and  general  macroeconomic  problems.  The  gross  carrying 
amount of financial assets is written off when adidas, based 
on a case-by-case assessment, assumes that their recovery 
is no longer possible.

Impairment  losses  on  accounts  receivable  are  presented  in 
the line item ‘Impairment losses (net) on accounts receivable 
and  contract  assets’  while  impairment  losses  on  all  other 
financial assets are shown in the line item ‘Financial expenses’ 
in the consolidated income statement.

Leases
adidas  assesses  whether  a  contract  is  or  contains  a  lease 
according to IFRS 16 ‘Leases’ at the inception of the contract. 
IFRS 16 defines a lease as a contract that conveys the right to 
control  the  use  of  an  identified  asset  for  a  period  of  time  in 
exchange  for  consideration.  A  contract  conveys  the  right  to 
control the use of an identified asset if the lessee has the right 

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to obtain substantially all the economic benefits from the use 
of the identified asset (e.g. by having the exclusive right to use 
the asset throughout that period) and the right to direct the 
use of the identified asset throughout the period of use.

technical  equipment  and  machinery 

In its role as a lessee, adidas leases various types of assets, 
particularly buildings (retail stores, offices, warehouses, etc.), 
land, 
(warehouse 
equipment,  production  machines,  etc.),  motor  vehicles, 
computer  hardware  as  well  as  furniture  and  fixtures.  Lease 
contracts are typically negotiated for fixed periods of up to 99 
years but may include extension or termination options. Lease 
terms  are  negotiated  individually  and  may  contain  a  wide 
range of different terms and conditions.

adidas makes use of the recognition exemption in IFRS 16 to 
not  recognize  right-of-use  assets  and  lease  liabilities  for 
leases of low-value assets (i.e. value of the underlying asset, 
when new, is € 5,000 or less) and short-term leases (shorter 
than  twelve  months  and  the  agreement  does  not  include  a 
purchase option). The lease payments associated with these 
leases are recognized as an expense on a straight-line basis 
over  the  lease  term.  Real  estate  and  automobile  leases  are 
excluded from the classification as low-value assets.  

Furthermore,  adidas  exercises  the  option  for  lessees  to 
combine  lease  payments  with  payments  for  non-lease 
components in the calculation of the lease liability and right-
of-use asset for all lease asset classes except for real estate.

adidas  recognizes  a  right-of-use  asset  and  a  corresponding 
lease  liability  at  the  lease  commencement  date.  At  the 
commencement  date,  adidas  initially  measures  the  lease 
liability at the present value of the lease payments that are not 
paid at that date. This includes fixed payments (including in-
substance 
incentives 
receivable,  variable  lease  payments  based  on  an  index  or  a 

fixed  payments), 

less  any 

lease 

rate, amounts expected to be payable by adidas under residual 
value  guarantees,  the  exercise  price  of  a  purchase  option  if 
adidas  is  reasonably  certain  to  exercise  that  option,  and 
payments of penalties for terminating the lease, if the lease 
term reflects the lessee exercising that option. Variable lease 
payments  are  excluded  from  the  measurement  of  the  lease 
liability. The lease payments are discounted using the interest 
rate  implicit  in  the  lease.  If  this  rate  cannot  be  readily 
determined,  adidas  uses  its  incremental  borrowing  rate. 
Generally, adidas uses the incremental borrowing rate as the 
discount rate, adjusted to reflect the country-specific risk, the 
contract currency-specific risk and the lease term.

After the commencement date, lease payments are split into 
redemption  payments  and  interest  payments.  The  lease 
liability is subsequently measured by increasing the carrying 
amount to reflect interest cost on the lease liability using the 
effective  interest  rate  and  reducing  the  carrying  amount  to 
reflect the lease payments made. The carrying amount of the 
lease  liability  is  remeasured  provided  any  reassessments/
lease  modifications  occur 
the 
assessment of whether an extension or termination option is 
reasonably certain to be exercised). 

(including  changes 

in 

At the commencement date, the right-of-use asset is initially 
measured  at  cost,  which  is  comprised  of  the  amount  of  the 
initial measurement of the lease liability, any lease payments 
made  at  or  before  the  commencement  date,  less  any  lease 
incentives  received,  any  initial  direct  costs  incurred  by  the 
lessee  and  an  estimate  of  costs  to  be  incurred  by  adidas  in 
dismantling and removing the underlying asset, restoring the 
site on which it is located or restoring the underlying asset to 
the  condition  required  by  the  terms  and  conditions  of  the 
lease.  The  right-of-use  asset  is  subsequently  measured  at 
cost  less  any  accumulated  depreciation  and  impairment 
losses and adjusted for certain remeasurements of the lease 
liability. In principle, the right-of-use asset is depreciated on a 

straight-line basis over the lease term or the useful life of the 
leased asset, whichever is shorter.

adidas applies judgement in determining the lease term for 
lease  contracts  including  extension  or  termination  options. 
The assessment of whether the options are reasonably certain 
to be exercised has an impact on the lease term and therefore 
may  significantly  affect  the  measurement  of  lease  liabilities 
and right-of-use assets, respectively.

In rare cases, adidas acts as a lessor when the company signs 
sub-leasing  contracts  for  real  estate  properties  with  third 
parties.  These  contracts  are  not  material  to  the  company’s 
consolidated financial statements.

adidas does not own any investment property.

Goodwill 
Goodwill is an asset representing the future economic benefits 
arising from assets acquired in a business combination that 
are  not  individually  identified  and  separately  recognized. 
This results when the purchase cost exceeds the fair value 
of  acquired  identifiable  assets,  liabilities  and  contingent 
liabilities.  Goodwill  arising  from  the  acquisition  of  a  foreign 
entity and any fair value adjustments to the carrying amounts 
of  assets  received,  liabilities  and  contingent  liabilities  are 
treated  as  assets,  liabilities  and  contingent  liabilities  of  the 
respective  reporting  entity,  and  are  translated  at  exchange 
rates prevailing at the date of the initial consolidation. 

Goodwill is carried in the functional currency of the acquired 
foreign entity.

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Intangible assets (except goodwill)
Intangible  assets  with  indefinite  useful  lives  (in  particular 
trademarks) are recognized at purchase cost and are subject 
to an impairment test at least on an annual basis (‘impairment-
only’ approach).

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Intangible  assets  with  definite  useful  lives  are  valued  at 
amortized cost. Amortization is calculated on a straight-line 
basis  over  the  estimated  useful  life,  taking  into  account  any 
potential residual value.

Expenditure  during  the  development  phase  of  internally 
generated  intangible  assets  is  capitalized  as  incurred  if  it 
fulfills the recognition criteria under IAS 38 ‘Intangible Assets’.

Estimated useful lives are as follows:

Estimated useful lives of intangible assets

Trademarks

Software

Patents, trademarks and licenses

Websites

1 For exceptions   SEE NOTE 14.

Years

 indefinite 1

 5 – 7

 5 – 15

2

Research and development
Research costs are expensed in full as incurred. Development 
costs  for  internally  generated  intangible  assets  are  also 
expensed  as  incurred  if  they  do  not  meet  the  recognition 
criteria of IAS 38 ‘Intangible Assets’, paragraph 57.

(e. g.  eurobonds)  and  other 

Borrowings and other liabilities 
Borrowings 
liabilities  are 
recognized at fair value using the ‘effective interest method’, 
net  of  transaction  costs  incurred.  In  subsequent  periods, 
long-term borrowings are stated at amortized cost using the 
‘effective interest method’. Any difference between proceeds 
(net of transaction costs) and the redemption value is recognized 
in the income statement over the term of the borrowing.

Compound  financial  instruments  (e.g.  convertible  bonds)  are 
divided into a liability component shown under borrowings and 
into an equity component resulting from conversion rights. The 
equity  component  is  included  in  the  capital  reserve.  The  fair 
value  of  the  liability  component  is  determined  by  discounting 
the  interest  and  principal  payments  of  a  comparable  liability 
without conversion rights, applying risk-adjusted interest rates. 
The liability component is subsequently measured at amortized 
cost using the ‘effective interest method’. The equity component 
is determined as the difference between the fair value of the 
total compound financial instrument and the fair value of the 
liability  component  and  is  reported  within  equity.  There  is  no 
subsequent  measurement  of  the  equity  component.  At  initial 
recognition, directly attributable transaction costs are assigned 
to the equity and liability component pro rata on the basis of the 
respective carrying amounts.

Provisions and accrued liabilities
Provisions are recognized where a present obligation (legal or 
constructive) to third parties has been incurred as a result of 
a past event which can be estimated reliably and is likely to 
lead  to  an  outflow  of  resources,  and  where  the  timing  or 
amount is uncertain. Non-current provisions are discounted if 
the effect of discounting is material. 

Accrued liabilities are liabilities to pay for goods or services 
that have been received or supplied but have not been paid, 
invoiced  or  formally  agreed  with  the  supplier,  including 
amounts  due  to  employees.  Here,  however,  the  timing  and 
amount of an outflow of resources is not uncertain.

Pensions and similar obligations 
Provisions and expenses for pensions and similar obligations 
relate  to  the  company’s  obligations  for  defined  benefit  and 
defined  contribution  plans.  The  obligations  under  defined 
benefit  plans  are  determined  separately  for  each  plan  by 
valuing  the  employee  benefits  accrued  in  return  for  their 

service  during  the  current  and  prior  periods.  These  benefit 
accruals are discounted to calculate their present value, and 
the  fair  value  of  any  plan  assets  is  deducted  in  order  to 
determine  the  net  liability.  The  discount  rate  is  set  on  the 
basis  of  yields  of  high-quality  fixed-rate  corporate  bonds  at 
the balance sheet date provided there is a deep market for 
such  corporate  bonds  in  a  given  currency.  Otherwise, 
government bond yields are used as a reference. Calculations 
are performed by qualified actuaries using the ‘projected unit 
credit method’ in accordance with IAS 19 ‘Employee Benefits’. 
Obligations for contributions to defined contribution plans are 
recognized as an expense in the income statement as incurred.

Contingent liabilities 
Contingent liabilities are possible obligations that arise from 
past events and whose existence will be confirmed only by the 
occurrence of one or more uncertain future events not wholly 
within the control of adidas. Additionally, contingent liabilities 
may  be  present  obligations  that  arise  from  past  events  but 
which  are  not  recognized  because  it  is  not  probable  that  an 
outflow of resources will be required to settle the obligation or 
the  amount  of  the  obligation  cannot  be  measured  with 
sufficient reliability. Contingent liabilities are not recognized 
in  the  consolidated  statement  of  financial  position  but  are 
disclosed and explained in the Notes. 

  SEE NOTE 40

Treasury shares
When  adidas  AG  shares  are  repurchased  and  recognized  as 
treasury shares, the amount of the consideration paid, which 
includes  directly  attributable  costs,  net  of  any  tax  effects,  is 
recognized as a deduction from equity. The nominal value of 
€ 1  per  treasury  share  is  debited  to  share  capital.  Any 
premium  or  discount  to  the  nominal  value  is  shown  as  an 
adjustment to the capital reserve. If treasury shares are sold 
or re-issued, the nominal value of the shares will be credited 
to share capital and the amount exceeding the nominal value 
will be added to the capital reserve.

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194 
  
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Contract assets and contract liabilities
Contract  assets  and  liabilities  are  recognized  in  connection 
with  revenues  arising  from  the  licensing-out  of  the  right  to 
use the adidas and Reebok brands to third parties. Contract 
assets  represent  the  company’s  right  to  consideration  in 
exchange  for  rights  that  adidas  has  transferred  to  a  third 
liabilities  represent  the  company’s 
party  and  contract 
obligation to transfer rights to a third party for which adidas 
has already received consideration from the third party. The 
subsequent  measurement  of  contract  assets  follows  the 
impairment-only  approach  for  financial  assets  within  the 
scope  of  IFRS 9.  Contract  liabilities  are  measured  at  the 
expected settlement amount.

Provided  that  the  customers  meet  certain  predefined 
conditions,  adidas  grants  its  customers  different  types  of 
globally  aligned  performance-based  rebates.  Examples  are 
rebates for customers’ sales growth for adidas products, and 
loyalty as well as sell-out support, e. g. through retail space/
franchise store management. As soon as it is assumed that 
the customer fulfills the require ments for being granted the 
rebate, this amount is accrued by means of an accrued liability 
for marketing and sales. Customer incentives which were not 
contractually  agreed  upon  as  well  as  promises  that  were 
implied  by  adidas’  customary  business  practice  and  did  not 
bear  the  characteristics  of  a  discount  are  accounted  for  as 
marketing and point-of-sale expenses.

Customer incentives and options as well as any obligation for 
adidas to pay for the delivery of goods to the customer do not 
create separate performance obligations under IFRS 15 and 
are separated from revenue.

In addition, adidas generates revenue from the licensing-out of 
the right to use the adidas and Reebok brands to third parties. 
The resulting sales-based royalty and commission income is 
recognized based on the contract terms on an accrual basis. 
Contracts with guaranteed minimum income result in contract 
assets  and  contract  liabilities  depending  on  the  timing  of 
yearly  payments  received  from  customers.  The  performance 
obligation  related  to  these  contract  assets  and  liabilities  is 
satisfied over the life of  the contract,  whereby payments are 
recorded as arranged in the contract with the customer.

Revenue
Revenue  derived  from  the  sale  of  goods  is  recognized  when 
adidas has satisfied the respective performance obligation by 
transferring the promised goods to the customer. The goods 
are transferred at the point in time when the customer obtains 
control of the respective goods. The timing of the transfer of 
control  depends  on  the 
individual  terms  of  the  sales 
agreement (terms of delivery).

The amount of recognizable revenue is measured at the fair 
value  of  the  consideration  received  or  receivable,  net  of 
returns, early payment discounts and rebates.

Under certain conditions and in accordance with contractual 
agreements,  the  company’s  customers  have  the  right  to 
return  products  and  to  either  exchange  them  for  similar  or 
other products or to return the products against the issuance 
of  a  credit  note.  Amounts  for  estimated  returns  related  to 
revenues  are  accrued  based  on  past  experience  of  average 
return rates and average actual return periods by means of a 
refund liability. The return assets are measured at the former 
carrying  amount  of  the 
inventories/products,  less  any 
handling costs and any potential impairment.

Promotional expenses including one-time up-front payments 
for promotion contracts are principally expensed on a straight-
line basis over the term of the agreement.

Interest 
Interest is recognized as income or expense as incurred using 
the  ‘effective  interest  method’  with  the  exception  of  interest 
that is directly attributable to the acquisition, construction or 
production of a qualifying asset. This interest is capitalized as 
part of the cost of the qualifying asset.

Government grants
adidas receives performance-based government grants in the 
form  of  subsidies,  subventions  or  premiums  from  local, 
national  or  international  government  authorities  such  as 
those  of  the  Free  State  of  Bavaria,  the  Federal  Republic  of 
Germany and the European Union. 

Performance-based  government  grants  are  recognized  if 
there is reasonable assurance that the grants will be received 
and that the company satisfies the conditions attached.

Performance-based  grants  are  reported  in  the  consolidated 
income statement as a deduction from the related expenses.

Income taxes 
Current  income  taxes  are  computed  in  accordance  with  the 
applicable taxation rules established in the countries in which 
adidas operates. 

Advertising and promotional expenditure
Advance  payments  for  media  campaigns  are  included  in 
prepaid expenses within other current and non-current assets 
until the services are received, and upon receipt expensed in 
full. Significant costs for media campaigns are expensed on a 
straight-line basis over the duration of the media campaign.

adidas computes deferred taxes for all temporary differences 
between  the  carrying  amount  and  the  tax  base  of  its  assets 
and liabilities as well as for tax loss carry-forwards. As it is 
not permitted to recognize a deferred tax liability for the initial 
recognition of goodwill, adidas does not compute any deferred 
taxes thereon. 

1

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

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4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

Deferred  tax  assets  arising  from  deductible  temporary 
differences and tax loss carry-forwards which exceed taxable 
temporary differences are only recognized to the extent that it 
is probable that the entity concerned will generate sufficient 
taxable income to realize the associated benefit.

Income  tax  is  recognized  in  the  income  statement  except 
unless  it  relates  to  items  recognized  directly  in  equity,  in 
which case it is recognized in equity. 

When there is uncertainty over income tax treatments, adidas 
recognizes  and  measures  current  or  deferred  tax  assets  or 
liabilities applying the requirements of IAS 12 and IFRIC 23. 
On  a  case-by-case  basis,  adidas  determines  whether  to 
consider each uncertain tax treatment separately or together 
with one or more other uncertain tax treatments, depending on 
which approach better predicts the resolution of the uncertainty. 

Where it is not considered probable that the tax authority will 
accept an uncertain tax treatment, adidas reflects the effects 
of  the  uncertainty  by  using  one  of  the  following  methods, 
depending on which method better predicts the resolution of 
the uncertainty:
 — the single most likely amount
 — the expected value based on the sum of the probability-

weighted amounts. 

In  assessing  whether  and  how  an  uncertain  tax  treatment 
affects  the  determination  of  taxable  profits  (tax  losses),  tax 
bases,  unused  tax  losses,  unused  tax  credits  and  tax  rates, 
adidas  assumes  that  a  taxation  authority  will  examine 
amounts it has a right to examine and will have full knowledge 
of all relevant information when making those examinations. 

Share-based payment
The cost of equity-settled share-based payment transactions 
with  employees  is  determined  by  the  fair  value  at  the  grant 
date using an appropriate valuation model. 
 SEE NOTE 28 That 
cost  is  recognized  in  personnel  expenses,  together  with  a 
corresponding increase in equity (retained earnings), over the 
period  in  which  the  service  and,  where  applicable,  the 
performance conditions are fulfilled (the vesting period). The 
cumulative expense recognized for equity-settled transactions 
at each reporting date until the vesting date reflects the extent 
to  which  the  vesting  period  has  expired  and  the  company’s 
best  estimate  of  the  number  of  equity  instruments  that  will 
ultimately vest.

Service  and  non-market  performance  conditions  are  not 
taken into account when determining the fair value of awards 
at  the  grant  date,  but  the  likelihood  of  the  conditions  being 
met is assessed as part of the company’s best estimate of the 
number of equity instruments that will ultimately vest. If the 
estimate is changed, even a credit in the income statement 
for  the  period  can  be  possible  as  it  reflects  the  movement 
in  cumulative  expenses  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of 
that period.

No expense is recognized for awards that do not ultimately vest 
because non-market performance and/or service conditions 
have not been met.

Equity-settled share-based payment transactions with parties 
other  than  employees  are  generally  measured  at  the  fair 
value of the goods or services received, except where the fair 
value  cannot  be  estimated  reliably,  in  which  case  they  are 
measured at the fair value of the equity instruments granted, 
measured  at  the  date  the  entity  obtains  the  goods  or  the 
counterparty renders the service.

For  cash-settled  share-based  payment  transactions,  the 
goods  or  services  acquired  and  the  liability  incurred  are 
measured at the fair value of the liability. Until the liability is 
settled, the fair value of the liability is remeasured at the end 
of each reporting period and at the date of settlement, with all 
changes in fair value recognized in profit or loss for the period.

Change of presentation
There was a change in the presentation of interest paid in the 
consolidated  statement  of  cash  flows  in  the  financial  year. 
Due to the first-time application of IFRS 16, adidas has applied 
the option to show the interest paid within the net cash used 
in financing activities instead of the net cash generated from 
operating  activities  and,  to  enhance  comparability,  the  prior 
year was also adjusted.

Estimation uncertainties and judgments
The  preparation  of  financial  statements  in  conformity  with 
IFRS  requires  the  use  of  assumptions  and  estimates  that 
affect  reported  amounts  and  related  disclosures.  Although 
such  estimates are based on the best knowledge of current 
events and actions, actual results may ultimately differ from 
these estimates.

The  key  assumptions  concerning  the  future  and  other  key 
sources  of  estimation  uncertainty  at  the  balance  sheet  date 
which have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment 
to  the  carrying  amounts  of  assets  and  liabilities  within  the 
next financial year are outlined in the respective Notes, which 
include  in  particular  goodwill 
 SEE  NOTE  13,  trademarks 
 SEE NOTE 25, 
 SEE NOTE 36, as well as 

 SEE NOTE 14, other provisions 

 SEE NOTE 30, income taxes 

 SEE NOTE 20, pensions 

derivatives 
litigation and other legal risks 

 SEE NOTE 40.

1

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

Judgments  have  also  been  used  in  determining  the  lease 
term  for  lease  contracts  as  well  as  valuation  methods  for 
intangible assets. 

 SEE NOTES 12, 21

04 »  FIRST-TIME CONSOLIDATION/DISPOSAL 

OF SUBSIDIARIES AS WELL AS ASSETS 
AND LIABILITIES

03 » DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS
The  results  of  the  Rockport,  TaylorMade  and  CCM  Hockey 
operations  that  were  sold  in  previous  periods  are  shown  as 
discontinued operations in the consolidated income statement.

for 

income  statement 

The  net  result  of  discontinued  operations  presented  in  the 
the  year  ending 
consolidated 
December 31, 2019 mainly relates to a fair value adjustment 
of the earn-out component as well as actual earn-out received 
related to the sale of the TaylorMade business. The increase 
in  fair  value  is  attributable  to  adjusted  future  EBITDA-value 
estimates.  In  2019,  adidas  received  a  cash  consideration  of 
US $ 25 million. In addition, the promissory note, which was 
part of the initial purchase price, increased by US $ 25 million. 
The fair value of the earn-out component at December  31, 2019 
amounts to US $ 50 million (2018: US $ 24 million).

Gains  from  discontinued  operations  for  the  year  ending 
December 31, 2019 in an amount of € 59 million (2018: losses 
of € 5 million) are entirely attributable to the shareholders 
of  adidas  AG.  The  tax  benefit  in  respect  of  discontinued 
operations is € 4 million (2018: € 4 million).

Effective  as  of  December  2019,  an  amendment  to  the 
contractual  arrangements  existing  between  Agron,  Inc.  and 
adidas entered into force granting adidas the power to approve 
key  financial  and  operational  targets  as  well  as  the 
organizational structure of Agron, Inc. adidas has the right to, 
and is exposed to, the returns from its contractual business 
relations with Agron, Inc., which are dependent on the level of 
its  net  sales  and  overall  profitability.  As  a  result  of  the 
extended power, adidas has the ability to directly influence the 
amount of these variable returns and consequently obtained 
control  over  Agron,  Inc.  Therefore,  a  fair  value  of  its  assets 
and  liabilities  was  consolidated  for  the  first  time  into  the 
company’s consolidated statement of financial position as at 
December 31, 2019. In addition, starting from January 1, 2020, 
income  and  expenses  of  Agron,  Inc.  will  be  included  in  the 
company’s  consolidated  income  statement.  As  adidas  holds 
no equity interests of Agron, Inc., both net assets as well as 
income  and  expenses  are  attributable  entirely  to  the  non-
controlling 
transferred  any 
consideration  to  the  owners  of  Agron,  Inc.  in  relation  to  the 
amendment  of  the  contractual  arrangements.  The  effect  of 
the first-time consolidation was reflected entirely within the 
equity and neither goodwill nor a gain from a bargain purchase 
has been recognized.

interest.  adidas  has  not 

Agron,  Inc.  is  engaged  in  the  design,  development  and 
distribution  of  sports  accessories,  primarily  under  licenses 
from adidas America, Inc. These products are sold directly by 
Agron, Inc. to retailers in the USA.

The  following  assets  and  liabilities  of  Agron,  Inc.  were 
recognized  at  the  date  of  first-time  consolidation  in  the 
company’s consolidated statement of financial position based 
on the preliminary fair value calculation: 

Net assets of Agron, Inc. at the first-time consolidation date  
€ in millions

Pre-control 
carrying 
amounts

Fair value 
adjustments

Recognized 
values due 
to obtaining 
control

Cash and cash equivalents

Accounts receivable

Inventories

Other current assets

Property, plant and 
equipment

Other intangible assets

Accounts payable

Current provisions

Other current liabilities

Deferred tax liabilities

Net assets

Consideration settled in cash

Cash and cash equivalents 
acquired

Net cash inflow due to 
obtaining control

54

54

82

3

41

–

(1)

(2)

(54)

–

178

21

83

(2)

103

54

54

103

3

41

83

(1)

(2)

(54)

(2)

280

–

54

54

Loss allowance recognized for accounts receivable amounted 
to € 3 million.

1

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

Financial statements of Agron, Inc. as at December 31, 2019 
(adidas  reporting  date)  were  not  available  by  the  time  the 
consolidated  financial  statements  of  adidas  were  prepared. 
Therefore, financial statements of Agron, Inc. as at November 
30, 2019 were used instead. Those statements were adjusted 
for  the  effects  of  significant  transactions  that  occurred 
between November 30, 2019 and December 31, 2019.

As  at  April  15,  2019  (closing  date),  the  company  formally 
completed  the  divestiture  of  its  Global  Merchandising,  S.L. 
subsidiary. The final purchase price amounted to € 3 million 
in total, received in cash. All contractually agreed closing net 
assets were transferred by adidas at the closing date. In 2019, 
a  resulting  loss  from  this  transaction  in  an  amount  of 
€ 4 million was accounted for as other operating expenses.

The  following  assets  and  liabilities  were  derecognized  from 
the consolidated statement of financial position as a result of 
the completed divestiture of Global Merchandising, S.L.:

Impact of divestiture on items in the consolidated statement of 
financial position  € in millions

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED 
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION

05 » CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash at banks, cash on 
hand and short-term deposits.

Short-term deposits are only shown as cash and cash equivalents 
if they are readily convertible to a known amount of cash and are 
subject to an insignificant risk of changes in value. The credit risk 
of  cash  and  cash  equivalents  measured  at  amortized  cost  is 
insignificant  due  to  their  short-term  maturity,  counterparties’ 
investment grade credit ratings and established exposure limits. 
Therefore,  adidas  does  not  recognize  any  credit  impairment 
losses for these financial assets.

The  following  valuation  methods  for  the  recognized  assets 
were applied:
 — Inventories: The fair value of inventory was measured using 
the cost approach. Realized margins were added to the 
book values to calculate the selling price. Marketing and 
logistic costs were then deducted from the selling price.
 — Other  intangible  assets:  The  fair  value  of  the  license 
agreement between Agron, Inc. and adidas America, Inc. 
was determined by discounting future profits after taxes 
until the end of the contract term on December 31, 2024. 

For the year ending December 31, 2019 no net sales as well 
as no income and expenses of Agron, Inc. were included in 
the  company’s  consolidated  income  statement.  If  the  first-
time  consolidation  had  occurred  on  January  1,  2019,  the 
company’s total net sales would have been € 24,055 million 
while  net  income  attributable  to  shareholders  would  have 
remained  unchanged  at  €  1,976  million  for  the  year  ending 
December 31, 2019.

Cash and cash equivalents

Current assets

Non-current assets

Liabilities

Net assets

Consideration received in cash

Less: cash and cash equivalents disposed of

Net cash inflow

April 15, 2019

1

8

1

(3)

6

3

(1)

2

Further  information  about  cash  and  cash  equivalents  is 
presented in these Notes. 

 SEE NOTE 30

06 » SHORT-TERM FINANCIAL ASSETS
Short-term financial assets are classified at fair value through 
profit or loss. Changes in the fair value are recognized in the 
consolidated income statement as they occur. The majority of 
short-term financial assets are marketable securities which 
are mainly investments in money market funds.

1

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194  
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

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4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

07 » ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE
Accounts  receivable  consist  mainly  of  the  currencies  US 
dollar, euro as well as Chinese renminbi and are as follows:

Accounts receivable € in millions

Collective loss allowance

Individual loss 
allowance

Total

Not yet  
due

Past due 
31 – 90 days

Not credit- 
impaired

Not credit- 
impaired

Not credit- 
impaired

Past due  
> 90 days

Credit- 
impaired

Credit- 
impaired

There are no material balances of accounts receivable written 
off but subject to enforcement activity.

Further  information  about  credit  risks  is  contained  in  these 
Notes. 

 SEE NOTE 30

08 » OTHER CURRENT FINANCIAL ASSETS
Other current financial assets consist of the following:

Other current financial assets € in millions

Dec. 31, 2019

Accounts receivable, gross

Weighted average loss rate

Loss allowance

Accounts receivable, net

Dec. 31, 2018

Accounts receivable, gross

Weighted average loss rate

Loss allowance

Accounts receivable, net

2,329

0.7%

(17)

2,312

2,069

0.8%

(17)

2,052

286

4.3%

(12)

274

341

3.6%

(12)

328

25

39.1%

(10)

15

32

31.2%

(10)

22

34

59.5%

(20)

14

32

64.7%

(21)

11

139

92.9%

(129)

10

138

96.5%

(133)

5

2,814

6.7%

(189)

2,625

2,612

7.4%

(193)

2,418

Currency options

Forward exchange contracts

Revaluation of total return swap

Security deposits

Receivables from credit cards and 
similar receivables

Promissory notes

Earn-out components

Sundry

Other current financial assets, gross

Less: accumulated allowances

Other current financial assets, net

Dec. 31, 
2019

Dec. 31, 
2018

18

118

30

28

165

34

9

152

554

11

544

19

200

–

58

154

27

–

87

545

3

542

Movement in loss allowances for accounts receivable € in millions

Loss allowances at January 1

Net remeasurement of loss allowances

Write-offs charged against the loss 
allowance accounts

Currency translation differences

Other changes

Loss allowances at December 31

2019

2018

193

0

(7)

1

1

189

174

25

(4)

(1)

(0)

193

As at December 31, 2019, the loss allowance for not credit-
impaired accounts receivable in the amount of € 345 million 
and  credit-impaired  accounts  receivable  in  the  amount 
€ 5 million  was  not  recognized  as  adidas  holds  credit 
enhancement  instruments,  mainly  in  the  form  of  credit 
insurance and bank guarantees, which mitigate the credit risk 
of those financial assets.

In  2019,  the  line  item  ‘Other  changes’  relates  mainly  to  the 
first-time consolidation of Agron, Inc. and to the divestiture of 
Global Merchandising, S.L. 

 SEE NOTE 04

The  line  item  ‘Sundry’  mainly  relates  to  receivables  from 
retail  business  of  €  43  million  and  customs  claims  of 
€ 53 million.

Further  information  about  currency  options  and  forward 
exchange contracts is contained in these Notes. 

 SEE NOTE 30

1

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194 
 
 
 
  
  
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

09 » INVENTORIES 
Inventories by major classification are as follows:

10 » OTHER CURRENT ASSETS 
Other current assets consist of the following:

Inventories € in millions

Other current assets € in millions

Merchandise and finished goods on hand

Goods in transit

Raw materials

Work in progress

Inventories

Goods in transit mainly relate to shipments of finished goods 
and  merchandise  from  suppliers  in  Asia  to  subsidiaries  in 
Europe, North America, Asia and Latin America.

 Dec. 31, 2019

 Dec. 31, 2018

Allowance 
for 
obsoles-
cence

(80)

–

–

–

Gross 
value

2,984

1,175

6

0

 Net 
value

2,904

1,175

6

0

Allowance 
for 
obsoles-
cence

(117)

–

–

–

Gross 
value

2,588

966

7

0

 Net 
value

2,471

966

7

0

4,165

(80)

4,085

3,562

(117)

3,445

Prepaid expenses

Return assets

Tax receivables other than income taxes

Contract assets

Sundry

Other current assets, gross

Less: accumulated allowances

Other current assets, net

Dec. 31, 
2019

Dec. 31, 
2018

290

305

343

17

125

1,080

(5)

1,076

242

258

124

10

97

731

(6)

725

Prepaid  expenses  mainly  relate  to  promotion  and  service 
contracts. The increase in the line item ‘Tax receivables other 
than income taxes’ relates mainly to value-added tax. 

11 » PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
The  following  table  presents  a  reconciliation  of  the  carrying 
amount of property, plant and equipment:

1

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194  
  
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

Property, plant and equipment € in millions

Acquisition cost 
January 1, 2018
Additions 
Disposals 
Transfers
Currency translation differences
December 31, 2018
Transfer to right-of-use assets due to first-time application of IFRS 16
January 1, 2019
Additions 
Disposals 
Transfers
Increase in companies consolidated
Decrease in companies consolidated
Currency translation differences
December 31, 2019

Accumulated depreciation and impairment 
January 1, 2018
Depreciation
Impairment losses 
Reversals of impairment losses 
Disposals 
Transfers
Currency translation differences
December 31, 2018
Transfer to right-of-use assets due to first-time application of IFRS 16
January 1, 2019
Depreciation
Impairment losses 
Reversals of impairment losses 
Disposals 
Transfers
Decrease in companies consolidated
Currency translation differences
December 31, 2019

Net carrying amount 
January 1, 2018
December 31, 2018
January 1, 2019
December 31, 2019

 Land and buildings

 Technical 
equipment and 
machinery 

 Other equipment, 
furniture and 
fixtures 

 Construction in 
progress 

Property, plant and 
equipment

1,242
137
(36)
62
3
1,408
(84)
1,324
144
(42)
347
40
–
28
1,842

362
71
3
(0)
(30)
4
4
414
(1)
412
105
3
(2)
(36)
31
–
6
520

880
994
912
1,322

288
22
(7)
57
(3)
357
–
357
31
(9)
43
1
–
9
432

154
32
1
–
(6)
–
(1)
180
–
180
39
1
–
(9)
(5)
–
7
214

134
177
177
219

1,721
240
(203)
70
(11)
1,817
(9)
1,808
303
(219)
(15)
0
(2)
35
1,910

1,112
306
15
(3)
(191)
(4)
(5)
1,230
(9)
1,221
288
0
(7)
(207)
(28)
(2)
25
1,291

609
587
587
618

378
299
(2)
(198)
2
480
–
480
121
(3)
(380)
–
–
4
221

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–

378
480
480
221

3,629
699
(248)
(9)
(9)
4,061
(93)
3,969
599
(272)
(6)
41
(2)
76
4,405

1,628
409
19
(3)
(227)
0
(3)
1,824
(10)
1,814
432
5
(8)
(252)
(3)
(2)
39
2,025

2,000
2,237
2,155
2,380

1

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194  
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

As a general principle, it is regularly assessed whether there 
are any indications that property, plant and equipment might 
be impaired. Irrespective of the existence of such indications, 
furniture and fixtures in own-retail stores are tested annually 
for impairment whereby the recoverable amount is calculated 
using the ‘discounted cash flow method’ as part of determining 
the profitability of the respective own-retail stores. 

Impairment  losses  recognized  in  the  presented  periods 
mainly relate to the company’s own-retail activities, for which 
contrary  to  expectations  there  will  be  an  insufficient  flow  of 
future economic benefits. 

12 » RIGHT-OF-USE ASSETS
As  a  result  of  the  first-time  application  of  IFRS 16,  the 
company  recognized  right-of-use  assets  in  an  amount  of 
€ 2.9 billion  in  relation  to  leases  previously  classified  as 
operating leases. The following table presents a reconciliation 
of the carrying amount of right-of-use assets:

Right-of-use assets € in millions

Further  information  on  total  depreciation  and  amortization 
expenses,  impairment  losses  and  reversals  of  impairment 
losses is provided in these Notes. 

 SEE NOTE 33

December 31, 2018

Recognition of right-of-use assets on first-time application of IFRS 16

Transfer from property, plant and equipment due to first-time application of 
IFRS 16

The  decrease  in  the  line  item  ‘Construction  in  progress’ 
mainly relates to the finalized investments in the company’s 
headquarters in Herzogenaurach.

Additionally,  borrowing  costs  in  an  amount  of  € 1  million 
(2018:  € 3 million)  related  to  the  construction  of  qualifying 
assets  at  adidas AG  were  capitalized  using  a  capitalization 
rate of 1.3 % (2018: 1.3%).

January 1, 2019

Additions 

Depreciation

Impairment losses 

Other changes

December 31, 2019

 Land and 
buildings

 Technical 
equipment and 
machinery

 Other 
equipment, 
furniture and 
fixtures 

Right-of-use 
assets

–

2,669

82

2,751

672

(596)

(13)

(29)

2,785

–

126

–

126

4

(30)

–

0

100

–

61

–

61

10

(25)

–

(0)

46

–

2,856

82

2,938

686

(651)

(13)

(29)

2,931

As a general principle, it is regularly assessed whether there 
are any indications that right-of-use assets might be impaired. 
Irrespective of the existence of such indications, right-of-use 
assets in own-retail stores are tested annually for impairment 
where  the  recoverable  amount  is  calculated  using  the 
‘discounted  cash  flow  method’  as  part  of  determining  the 
profitability of the respective own-retail stores.

Income from sub-leasing of right-of-use assets recognized in 
the  consolidated  income  statement  in  2019  amounted  to 
€ 3.3 million. 

Further  information  on  total  depreciation  and  amortization 
expenses,  impairment  losses  and  reversals  of  impairment 
losses is provided in these Notes. 

 SEE NOTE 33

Impairment  losses  recognized  in  the  presented  periods 
mainly relate to the company’s own-retail activities for which 
contrary  to  expectations  there  will  be  an  insufficient  flow  of 
future economic benefits.

1

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194 
  
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

13 » GOODWILL 
Goodwill  primarily  relates  to  the  acquisitions  of  the  Reebok 
and  Runtastic  businesses  as  well  as  acquisitions  of 
subsidiaries,  primarily  in  the  USA,  Australia,  New  Zealand, 
the Netherlands, Denmark and Italy.

Goodwill € in millions

groups  of  cash-generating  units  to  which  the  goodwill  is 
allocated.  The  recoverable  amount  of  a  group  of  cash-
generating  units  is  determined  based  on  its  value  in  use. 
Estimating  the  value  in  use  requires  adidas  to  make  an 
estimate of the expected future cash flows from the groups of 
cash-generating units and also to choose a suitable discount 
rate to calculate the present value of those cash flows.

Discount rates are based on a weighted average cost of capital 
calculation considering a five-year average market-weighted 
debt/equity  structure  and  financing  costs  referencing  major 
competitors  for  the  respective  group  of  cash-generating 
units. The discount rates used are after-tax rates and reflect 
the specific equity and country risk of the respective group of 
cash-generating units.

Goodwill, gross

Less: accumulated impairment losses

Goodwill, net

Dec. 31, 
2019

Dec. 31, 
2018

1,659

(402)

1,257

1,642

(396)

1,245

The  majority  of  goodwill,  which  primarily  relates  to  the 
acquisition of the Reebok business in 2006, is denominated in 
US  dollars.  A  currency  translation  effect  of  positive 
€ 12 million  and  positive  € 25 million  was  recorded  for  the 
years ending December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

adidas determines whether goodwill impairment is necessary 
at least on an annual basis. The impairment test for goodwill 
is performed based on groups of cash-generating units which 
represent  the  lowest  level  within  the  company  at  which 
goodwill  is  monitored  for  internal  management  purposes. 
This requires an estimation of the recoverable amount of the 

This  calculation  uses  cash  flow  projections  based  on  the 
financial  planning  covering  a  six-year  period  in  total.  The 
planning is based on long-term expectations of the company 
and reflects in total for the groups of cash-generating units an 
average annual low-single- to low-double-digit sales increase 
with  varying  forecast  growth  prospects  for  the  different 
groups of cash-generating units. Furthermore, adidas expects 
the  operating  margin  to  expand,  primarily  driven  by  an 
improvement in the gross margin as well as lower operating 
expenses  as  a  percentage  of  sales.  The  planning  for  capital 
expenditure  and  working  capital  is  primarily  based  on  past 
experience. The planning for future tax payments is based on 
current statutory corporate tax rates of the individual groups 
of  cash-generating  units.  Cash  flows  beyond  this  six-year 
period  are  extrapolated  using  steady  growth  rates  of  1.7% 
(2018: 1.7%). According to the company’s expectations, these 
growth rates do not exceed the long-term average growth rate 
of the business sector in which the respective group of cash-
generating units operates.

The  groups  of  cash-generating  units  are  defined  as  the 
regional  markets  which  are  responsible  for  the 
joint 
distribution of the adidas and Reebok brands as well as the 
other  operating  segments  adidas  Golf  and  Runtastic.  The 
regional  markets  are  Europe,  North  America  adidas,  North 
America Reebok, Asia-Pacific, Russia/CIS, Latin America, and 
Emerging Markets. The number of groups of cash-generating 
units amounted to a total of nine at the end of 2019 and 2018, 
respectively.

In the course of the annual impairment test, adidas assessed 
whether  goodwill  impairment  was  required.  In  this  context, 
there  was  no  need  for  goodwill  impairment  for  the  years 
ending December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

1

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194 
  
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STATEMENTS

NOTES

The  carrying  amounts  of  acquired  goodwill  allocated  to  the 
respective groups of cash-generating units and the respective 
discount  rates  applied  to  the  cash  flow  projections  are  as 
follows:

The reconciliation of goodwill is as follows:

Reconciliation of goodwill, net € in millions

Allocation of goodwill

Goodwill  
(€ in millions)

Discount rate  
(after taxes) 

Currency translation differences

December 31, 2019

January 1, 2019

Europe

Asia-Pacific

adidas Golf

614

7

620

375

4

379

178

0

179

Emerging 
Markets

78

1

79

Total

1,245

12

1,257

Dec. 31, 
2019

Dec. 31, 
2018

Dec. 31, 
2019

Dec. 31, 
2018

Europe

Asia-Pacific

adidas Golf

Emerging Markets

620

379

179

79

614

375

178

78

7.4%

7.4%

7.0%

9.0%

7.9%

7.9%

7.6%

9.1%

Total

1,257

1,245

A  change  in  the  discount  rate  by  up  to  approximately 
9.5 percentage  points  or  a  reduction  of  planned  free  cash 
inflows  by  up  to  approximately  65%  would  not  result  in  any 
impairment requirement.

Future changes in expected cash flows and discount rates may 
lead to impairments of the reported goodwill in the future.

1

6

1

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194 
  
  
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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STATEMENTS

NOTES

14 »  TRADEMARKS AND OTHER INTANGIBLE 

Trademarks and other intangible assets € in millions

ASSETS

Trademarks  and  other  intangible  assets  consist  of  the 
following:

Trademarks 

Other intan-
gible assets

Acquisition cost 

January 1, 2018

Additions 

Disposals 

Transfers

Currency translation differences

1,332

2

(1)

–

62

December 31, 2018/January 1, 2019

1,394

Additions 

Disposals 

Transfers

Increase in companies consolidated

Decrease in companies consolidated

Currency translation differences

December 31, 2019

Accumulated amortization and impairment 

January 1, 2018

Amortization

Impairment losses 

Reversals of impairment losses 

Disposals 

Transfers

Currency translation differences

December 31, 2018/January 1, 2019

Amortization

Impairment losses 

Disposals 

Transfers

Decrease in companies consolidated

Currency translation differences

December 31, 2019

Net carrying amount 

January 1, 2018

December 31, 2018/January 1, 2019

December 31, 2019

–

(9)

–

–

–

26

1,412

526

0

(0)

–

–

–

24

550

0

–

(9)

–

–

10

553

806

844

859

839

94

(40)

9

9

912

112

(26)

3

83

(1)

4

1,086

685

61

–

(0)

(39)

(0)

9

716

78

6

(26)

2

(0)

5

781

154

196

305

At  December 31,  2019,  trademarks,  mainly  related  to  the 
acquisition  of  Reebok  International  Ltd.  (USA)  in  2006  and 
runtastic GmbH in 2015, have indefinite useful lives, with the 
exception of the definite useful life of the Five Ten trademark. 
This is due to the expectation of permanent use of the acquired 
trademarks  Reebok  and  Runtastic  and  of  the  limited  use  of 
the Five Ten trademark.

Trademarks € in millions

Reebok

Other

Trademarks, gross

Less: accumulated amortization and 
impairment losses

Trademarks, net

Dec. 31, 
2019

Dec. 31. 
2018

1,379

34

1,412

(553)

859

1,353

41

1,394

(550)

844

adidas tests at least on an annual basis whether trademarks 
with indefinite useful lives are impaired based on the value-
in-use concept on the basis of the relevant cash-generating 
units.  In  2019,  there  was  no  impairment  identified  for  any 
trademarks with indefinite useful lives.

The impairment test for the Reebok trademark is performed 
based  on  Reebok  cash-generating  units  in  the  individual 
markets. This requires an estimate of the recoverable amount 
of  the  Reebok  groups  of  cash-generating  units  to  which  the 
Reebok  brand  as  a  corporate  asset  is  allocated  based  on 
planned  revenues  of  the  respective  Reebok  markets.  The 
recoverable  amount  of  the  respective  Reebok  markets  was 
determined on the basis of value in use based on the present 
value of the expected future cash flows. The individual Reebok 
markets  are  defined  as  the  regional  markets  which  are 
responsible  for  the  distribution  of  the  Reebok  brand.  The 

1

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2

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194  
  
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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STATEMENTS

NOTES

regional  Reebok  markets  are  Europe,  North  America,    Asia-
Pacific,  Russia/CIS,  Latin  America  and  Emerging  Markets. 
The  number  of  cash-generating  Reebok  business  units 
amounted to a total of six at the end of 2019 (2018: six).  

for 

This  calculation  uses  cash  flow  projections  based  on  the 
financial  planning  covering  a  six-year  period  in  total.  The 
planning is based on long-term expectations of the company 
and reflects in total for the Reebok markets an average annual 
mid-to-high-single-digit sales increase with varying forecast 
the  different  Reebok  markets. 
growth  prospects 
Furthermore, adidas expects the operating margin to expand, 
primarily  driven  by  an  improvement  in  the  gross  margin  as 
well  as  lower  operating  expenses  as  a  percentage  of  sales. 
The  planning  of  capital  expenditure  and  working  capital  is 
primarily  based  on  past  experience.  The  planning  for  future 
tax  payments  is  based  on  current  statutory  corporate  tax 
rates  of  the  individual  Reebok  markets.  Cash  flows  beyond 
the  detailed  planning  period  of  the  respective  Reebok 
markets are extrapolated using a steady growth rate of 1.7% 
(2018:  1.7%).  According  to  the  company’s  expectations,  this 
growth  rate  does  not  exceed  the  long-term  average  growth 
rate of the business sector in the individual markets in which 
Reebok operates.

Discount rates are based on a weighted average cost of capital 
calculation considering a five-year average market weighted 
debt/equity  structure  and  financing  costs  referencing  major 
competitors for each Reebok market. The discount rates used 
are after-tax rates and reflect the specific equity and country 
risk of the relevant Reebok markets. The respective discount 
rates  applied  to  the  cash  flow  projections  of  the  respective 
cash-generating  Reebok  business  units  range  from  6.6%  to 
9.9% (2018: 7.2% to 10.2%).

A change in the discount rate by approximately 0.3 percentage 
points  or  a  reduction  of  planned  free  cash  inflows  by 
approximately  5%  would  not  result  in  any  impairment 
requirement. However, future changes in expected cash flows 
and discount rates may lead to impairments and reversals of 
impairment losses of the Reebok trademark.

As part of the impairment tests, the Reebok and the Five Ten 
trademarks are allocated on a pro rata basis to the groups of 
cash-generating  units.  Thereof,  the  major  shares  relate  to 
Europe (€ 325 million), Asia-Pacific (€ 222 million), Emerging 
Markets (€ 101 million), North America Reebok (€ 98 million) 
and Russia/CIS (€ 97 million). All other trademarks are part of 
the respective groups of cash-generating units.

Further  information  on  total  depreciation  and  amortization 
expenses,  impairment  losses  and  reversals  of  impairment 
losses is provided in these Notes. 

 SEE NOTE 33

15 » LONG-TERM FINANCIAL ASSETS
Long-term financial assets primarily include an 8.33% invest-
ment in FC Bayern München AG (2018: 8.33%) of € 84 million 
(2018: € 83 million). This investment is classified as fair value 
through profit or loss and recorded at fair value. This equity 
security  does  not  have  a  quoted  market  price  in  an  active 
market.  Therefore,  existing  contractual  arrangements  are 
used in order to calculate the fair value as at December 31, 2019.

Other  equity  investments  include  minority  shareholdings. 
These shares are unlisted and do not have any active market 
price.  There  is  currently  no  intention  to  sell  these  shares. 
Other  minority  shareholdings  include  positive  fair  value 
adjustments  in  an  amount  of  € 12 million  in  2019  (2018: 
negative € 8 million).

The  line  item  ‘Other  investments’  comprises  investments 
which  are  mainly  invested  in  insurance  products,  which  are 
measured at fair value, and securities for long-term variable 
compensation components. Other investments include positive 
fair  value  adjustments  in  an  amount  of  € 2 million  in  2019 
(2018: positive € 2 million).

Long-term financial assets € in millions

Investment in FC Bayern München AG

Other equity investments

Other investments

Loans

Long-term financial assets

Dec. 31, 
2019

Dec. 31, 
2018

84

81

201

1

367

83

61

131

1

276

1

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194 
  
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2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

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NOTES

16 » OTHER NON-CURRENT FINANCIAL ASSETS
Other non-current financial assets consist of the following:

17 » OTHER NON-CURRENT ASSETS 
Other non-current assets consist of the following: 

The  amounts  reported  as  gross  borrowings  represent 
outstanding  borrowings  under  the  following  arrangements 
with aggregated expiration dates as follows:

Other non-current financial assets € in millions

Other non-current assets € in millions

Gross borrowings as at December 31, 2019 € in millions

Currency options

Forward exchange contracts

Revaluation of total return swap

Options

Security deposits

Earn-out components

Promissory notes

Sundry

Other non-current financial assets

Dec. 31, 
2019

Dec. 31, 
2018

10

2

59

86

110

36

149

0

450

8

8

3

20

74

21

122

0

256

Options  are  related  to  the  hedging  of  the  equity-neutral 
convertible bond which was issued on September 5, 2018.

Further  information  about  currency  options  and  forward 
exchange contracts is contained in these Notes. 

 SEE NOTE 30

Further  information  about  promissory  notes  and  earn-out 
components is provided in these Notes. 

 SEE NOTE 03

Prepaid expenses

Sundry

Other non-current assets

Dec. 31, 
2019

Dec. 31, 
2018

101

3

103

87

7

94

Prepaid  expenses  mainly  relate  to  long-term  promotion 
contracts. 

 SEE NOTE 40

18 » BORROWINGS AND CREDIT LINES
Borrowings  are  denominated  in  a  variety  of  currencies  in 
which  adidas  conducts  its  business.  The  largest  portions  of 
effective  gross  borrowings  (before  liquidity  swaps  for  cash 
management  purposes)  as  at  December 31,  2019  are 
denominated in euro (2019: 99%; 2018: 97%).

The  weighted  average  interest  rate  on  the  Group’s  gross 
borrowings decreased to 1.5% in 2019 (2018: 2.1%).

As  at  December 31,  2019,  adidas  had  cash  credit  lines  and 
other long-term financing arrangements totaling € 3.6 billion 
(2018:  € 3.7 billion);  thereof  unused  credit  lines  accounted 
for  € 1.9 billion  (2018:  € 2.0 billion).  In  addition,  as  at 
December 31, 2019, adidas had separate lines for the issuance 
in  an  amount  of 
of  letters  of  credit  and  guarantees 
approximately € 0.5 billion (2018: € 0.5 billion). 

Between 
1 and 3 
years 

Between  
3 and 5 
years 

More 
than  
5 years

 Up to 
1 year 

43

–

–

43

38

598

–

636

38

–

487

525

46

388

–

434

Bank borrowings incl. 
commercial paper

Eurobond

Equity-neutral 
convertible bond

Total

Gross borrowings as at December 31, 2018 € in millions

Between 
1 and 3 
years 

Between  
3 and 5 
years 

More 
than  
5 years

 Up to 
1 year 

66

–

–

66

38

597

–

635

38

–

484

522

66

387

–

453

Bank borrowings incl. 
commercial paper

Eurobond

Equity-neutral 
convertible bond

Total

Total

165

986

487

1,638

Total

207

984

484

1,676

The  above  table  includes  two  Eurobonds  amounting  to 
€ 1 billion in total issued on October 1, 2014. The seven-year 
Eurobond  of  € 600 million  matures  on  October 8,  2021  and 
has  a  coupon  of  1.25%.  The  twelve-year  Eurobond  of 
€ 400 million matures on October 8, 2026 and has a coupon 
of 2.25%. The Eurobonds have denominations of € 1,000 each 
and were priced with a spread of 68 basis points and 100 basis 
points, respectively, above the corresponding euro mid-swap 
rate.  The  issue  price  was  fixed  at  99.145%  and  99.357%, 
respectively. 

1

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
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NOTES

On  September  5,  2018,  adidas AG  issued  a  € 500 million 
equity-neutral  convertible  bond  with  a  coupon  of  0.05%  due 
on September 12, 2023. The issue price was fixed at 104% of 
the  notional  amount,  corresponding  to  an  annual  yield  to 
maturity  of  negative  0.73%.  The  initial  conversion  price  was 
determined to be € 291.84, a conversion premium of 40% over 
the  reference  share  price  of  €  208.46.  The  economic  risk 
exposure of share price movements was hedged by purchased 
call options on ordinary adidas AG shares.

Further  details  on  future  cash  outflows  are  provided  in  this 
Annual Report. 

 SEE RISK AND OPPORTUNITY REPORT, P. 120

19 » OTHER CURRENT FINANCIAL LIABILITIES
Other current financial liabilities consist of the following:

Other current financial liabilities € in millions

Forward exchange contracts

Finance lease obligations

Earn-out components

Sundry

Other current financial liabilities

Dec. 31, 
2019

Dec. 31, 
2018

169

–

–

66

235

94

10

15

68

186

The  line  item  ‘Sundry’  mainly  relates  to  payables  due  to 
customs duties.

Further  information  about  forward  exchange  contracts  is 
contained in these Notes. 

 SEE NOTE 30

In  2019,  lease  liabilities  according  to  IFRS 16  are  shown 
separately in the consolidated statement of financial position. 
A  reclassification  for  lease  liabilities  accounted  for  under 
IAS 17 was not made for 2018.

20 » OTHER PROVISIONS
Other provisions consist of the following:

Other provisions € in millions

Marketing

Personnel

Returns and warranty

Taxes, other than income 
taxes

Customs

Sundry

Jan. 1,  
2019

28

188

608

28

190

318

Other provisions

1,360

Additions

Usage

Reversals

16

310

674

20

21

160

1,201

(27)

(71)

(523)

(8)

(12)

(137)

(778)

(0)

(16)

(40)

(1)

(11)

(22)

(90)

Increase/
decrease in 
companies 
consolidated

 Currency 
translation 
differences 

Transfers

Dec. 31, 
2019

Thereof 
non-current

–

–

–

–

–

2

2

–

(0)

(0)

–

–

0

(0)

(0)

2

6

2

(3)

2

9

16

413

725

42

184

323

1,703

–

182

–

2

13

60

257

Marketing  provisions  mainly  consist  of  provisions 
for 
promotion  contracts,  which  are  comprised  of  obligations  to 
clubs and athletes.

Provisions  for  personnel  mainly  consist  of  provisions  for 
short- and long-term variable compensation components as 
well as of provisions for social plans relating to restructuring 
measures.

Provisions for returns and warranty primarily arise due to the 
obligation  of  fulfilling  customer  claims  with  regard  to  the 
return of products sold by adidas. The amount of the provision 
follows the historical development of returns and warranty as 
well as current agreements. 

Provisions for taxes other than income taxes mainly relate to 
value added tax, real estate tax and motor vehicle tax.

Sundry  provisions  mainly  include  provisions  for  onerous 
contracts as well as for dismantling and restoration costs.

Management 
from  similar 
follows  past  experience 
transactions  when  assessing  the  recognition  and  the 
measurement  of  provisions;  in  particular  external  legal 
opinions are considered for provisions for customs risks and 
for  litigation  and  other  legal  risks.  All  evidence  from  events 
until the preparation of the consolidated financial statements 
is taken into account. 

1

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194  
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NOTES

Lease liabilities recognized as at January 1, 2019 € in millions

Interest  recognized  on  lease  liabilities  in  2019  amounted  to 
€ 101 million.

21 » LEASE LIABILITIES
As  a  result  of  initially  applying  IFRS  16,  the  company 
recognized  lease  liabilities  in  an  amount  of  €  3.0  billion  in 
relation  to  leases  previously  classified  as  operating  leases. 
adidas’  weighted  average  borrowing  rate  applied  to  lease 
liabilities recognized in the statement of financial position on 
January 1, 2019 was 3.5%.

Lease liabilities € in millions

Operating lease commitments as at December 31, 2018

2,984

Less: short-term leases recognized on a  
straight-line basis as expense

Less: low-value leases recognized on a  
straight-line basis as expense

Adjustments as a result of a different treatment  
of extension and termination options

Adjustments: Other

Gross lease liabilities as at January 1, 2019

Dec. 31, 2019

Jan. 1, 2019

Discounting

Land and buildings

Technical equipment and machinery

Other equipment, furniture and fixtures 

Lease liabilities

2,985

101

47

3,132

2,874

135

61

3,070

Discounted lease liabilities as at January 1, 2019

Plus: Finance lease liabilities recognized as at 
December 31, 2018

Lease liabilities recognized as at January 1, 2019

The  difference  between  operating 
lease  commitments 
disclosed applying IAS 17 as reported at December 31, 2018, 
and  the  lease  liabilities  recognized  at  the  date  of  first-time 
application  of  IFRS  16  on  January  1,  2019,  is  shown  in  the 
following table:

The lease liabilities held by adidas as at December 31, 2019 
mature as follows:

Contractual payments for lease liabilities 

Within 1 year

Between 1 and 5 years

After 5 years

Total

Dec. 31, 2019

723

2,110

732

3,566

(36)

(14)

314

32

3,280

(301)

2,979

91

3,070

Expenses from leases classified as short-term or low-value 
or variable are excluded from the measurement of the lease 
liability.  Further  information  on  total  expenses  relating  to 
short-term,  low-value,  and  variable  leases  is  provided  in 
these Notes. 

 SEE NOTE 33

In  2019,  the  total  cash  outflows  for  leases,  including  the 
above-mentioned leases not included in the calculation of the 
lease liability, amounted to € 874 million.

22 » ACCRUED LIABILITIES
Accrued liabilities consist of the following:

Accrued liabilities € in millions

Dec. 31, 
2019

Thereof: 
non-current

Dec. 31, 
2018

Thereof: 
non-current

Goods and services 
not yet invoiced

Marketing and sales

Personnel

Sundry

Accrued liabilities

1,011

1,018

387

31

2,446

1

3

0

4

9

917

893

488

25

2,324

1

3

10

5

19

1

6
6

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

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STATEMENTS

NOTES

Accrued liabilities for marketing and sales mainly consist of 
accruals for distribution, such as discounts, rebates and sales 
commissions.

24 »  OTHER NON-CURRENT FINANCIAL 

LIABILITIES

Other non-current financial liabilities consist of the following:

Accrued liabilities for personnel mainly consist of accruals for 
outstanding salary payments, such as bonuses and overtime, 
as well as outstanding vacation. 

Other non-current financial liabilities € in millions

Sundry accrued liabilities include accruals for interest.

23 » OTHER CURRENT LIABILITIES
Other current liabilities consist of the following: 

Forward exchange contracts

Embedded derivatives

Finance lease obligations 

Other non-current financial liabilities

Dec. 31, 
2019

Dec. 31, 
2018

7

86

–

92

2

20

81

103

Other current liabilities € in millions

Tax liabilities other than income taxes

Liabilities due to personnel

Liabilities due to social security

Deferred income

Contract liabilities

Sundry

Other current liabilities

Dec. 31, 
2019

Dec. 31, 
2018

296

49

23

63

0

107

538

178

49

23

73

1

154

477

Embedded derivatives relate to the equity-neutral convertible 
bond which was issued on September 5, 2018. In 2018, finance 
lease  obligations  are  mainly  related  to  two  buildings  at  the 
adidas headquarters in Herzogenaurach. 

Further  information  about  forward  exchange  contracts  is 
provided in these Notes. 

 SEE NOTE 30

In  2019,  lease  liabilities  according  to  IFRS 16  are  shown 
separately in the consolidated statement of financial position. 
A  reclassification  of  lease  liabilities  accounted  for  under 
IAS 17 was not made for 2018.

The increase in the line item ‘Tax liabilities other than income 
taxes’ relates mainly to value-added tax.

25 » PENSIONS AND SIMILAR OBLIGATIONS 
adidas  has  recognized  post-employment  benefit  obligations 
arising from defined benefit plans. The benefits are provided 
pursuant to the legal, fiscal and economic conditions in each 
respective  country  and  mainly  depend  on  the  employees’ 
years of service and remuneration.

Pensions and similar obligations € in millions

Liability arising from defined benefit pension 
plans

Similar obligations

Pensions and similar obligations

Dec. 31, 
2019

Dec. 31, 
2018

223

2

225

244

2

246

Defined contribution pension plans 
The total expense for defined contribution plans amounted to 
€ 74 million in 2019 (2018: € 74 million).

Defined benefit pension plans 
Given  the  company’s  diverse  structure,  different  defined 
benefit  pension  plans  exist,  comprising  a  variety  of  post-
employment  benefit  arrangements.  The  company’s  major 
defined  benefit  pension  plans  relate  to  adidas AG  and  its 
subsidiaries in the UK and South Korea. The defined benefit 
pension  plans  generally  provide  payments  in  case  of  death, 
disability  or  retirement  to  former  employees  and  their 
survivors.  The  obligations  arising  from  defined  benefit 
pension plans are partly covered by plan assets.

1

6
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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194 
  
  
  
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

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5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

In  Germany,  adidas AG  grants  its  employees  contribution-
based  and  final  salary  defined  benefit  pension  schemes, 
which  provide  employees  with  entitlements  in  the  event  of 
retirement,  disability  and  death.  German  pension  plans 
operate under the legal framework of the German Company 
Pensions  Act  (‘Betriebsrentengesetz’)  and  under  general 
German labor legislation. From 2020 onwards, active existing 
employees  and  new  entrants  are  entitled  to  benefits  in 
accordance  with  the  general  company  agreement  ‘Core 
Benefits:  adidas  company  pension  plan’.  This  is  a  pension 
plan  with  a  basic  employer  contribution,  possible  salary 
sacrifice  and  additional  matching  contribution.  Thus,  the 
contributions  to  this  pension  plan  are  partly  paid  by  the 
employee and partly paid by the employer. The contributions 
are  transferred  into  benefit  components.  The  benefits  are 
paid out in the form of a pension, a lump sum or installments. 
The  pension  plans  in  Germany  are  financed  using  book 
reserves, a contractual trust arrangement (CTA) and a pension 
in  combination  with  a  reinsured 
fund  (‘Pensionsfonds’) 
provident  fund  (‘Unterstützungskasse’)  for  certain  former 
members of the Executive Board of adidas AG. Further details 
about the pension entitlements of members of the Executive 
Board of adidas AG are provided in this Annual Report. 

 SEE 

COMPENSATION REPORT, P. 30

The final salary defined benefit pension scheme in the UK is 
closed to new entrants and to future accrual. The benefits are 
mainly paid out in the form of pensions. The scheme operates 
under UK trust law as well as under the jurisdiction of the UK 
Pensions  Regulator  and  therefore  is  subject  to  a  minimum 
funding  requirement.  The  Trustee  Board  is  responsible  for 
setting 
the 
contributions  with  the  company  and  determining  the 
investment strategy of the scheme. 

funding  objective,  agreeing 

the  scheme’s 

In  South  Korea,  adidas  grants  a  final  pay  pension  plan  to 
certain  employees.  This  plan  is  closed  to  new  entrants.  The 
benefits are paid out in the form of a lump sum. The pension 
plan  operates  under  the  Employee  Retirement  Benefit 
Security  Act  (ERSA).  This  regulation  requires  a  minimum 
funding amounting to 90% of the present value of the vested 
benefit  obligation.  The  annual  contribution  includes  at  least 
the  minimum  amount 
in  order  to  meet  the  funding 
requirements.

Breakdown of the present value of the obligation arising from defined  
benefit pension plans in the major countries € in millions

Active members

Former employees with vested rights

Pensioners

Total

 Dec. 31, 2019

 Dec. 31, 2018

Germany

UK South Korea

Germany

UK South Korea

281

140

101

522

–

57

8

64

19

–

–

19

231

114

78

424

–

45

6

51

22

–

–

22

The Group’s pension plans are subject to risks from changes 
in  actuarial  assumptions,  such  as  the  discount  rate,  salary 
and  pension  increase  rates,  and  risks  from  changes  in 
longevity.  A  lower  discount  rate  results  in  a  higher  defined 
benefit  obligation  and/or  in  higher  contributions  to  the 
pension funds. Lower than expected performance of the plan 
assets could lead to an increase in required contributions or 
to a decline of the funded status.

The  tables  analyze  the  defined  benefit  plans,  plan  assets, 
present values of the defined benefit pension plans, expenses 
recognized  in  the  consolidated  income  statement,  actuarial 
assumptions and further information.

Amounts for defined benefit pension plans recognized in the 
consolidated statement of financial position € in millions

Present value of funded obligation from 
defined benefit pension plans

Fair value of plan assets

Funded status

Present value of unfunded obligation from 
defined benefit pension plans

Asset ceiling effect

Net defined benefit liability 

Thereof: liability

Thereof: adidas AG

Thereof: asset

Thereof: adidas AG

Dec. 31, 
2019

Dec. 31, 
2018

626

(442)

184

39

–

223

227

178

(4)

–

515

(303)

212

32

–

244

244

202

(0)

–

1

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194 
  
  
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

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FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

The determination of assets and liabilities for defined benefit 
plans  is  based  upon  statistical  and  actuarial  valuations.  In 
particular, the present value of the defined benefit obligation 
is driven by financial variables (such as the discount rates 
or  future  increases  in  salaries)  and  demographic  variables 
(such  as  mortality  and  employee  turnover).  The  actuarial 
the  actual 
assumptions  may  differ  significantly 
circumstances and could lead to different cash flows. 

from 

Remeasurements,  such  as  gains  or  losses  arising  from 
changes  in  the  actuarial  assumptions  for  defined  benefit 
pension plans during the financial year or a return on the plan 
assets  exceeding  the  interest  income,  are  immediately 
recognized outside the income statement as a change in other 
reserves  in  the  consolidated  statement  of  comprehensive 
income.

Of  the  total  pension  expenses  recorded  in  the  consolidated 
income statement, an amount of € 25 million (2018: € 24 million) 
relates  to  employees  of  adidas AG  and  € 4 million  (2018: 
€ 4 million) relates to employees in South Korea. The pension 
expense is mainly recorded within other operating expenses. 
The  production-related  part  of  the  pension  expenses  is 
recognized within cost of sales.

Weighted average actuarial assumptions in %

Pension expenses for defined benefit pension plans 
€ in millions

Present value of the defined benefit obligation  
€ in millions

Discount rate

Expected rate of salary increases

Expected pension increases

Dec. 31, 
2019

Dec. 31, 
2018

1.6

3.8

1.6

2.3

3.6

1.7

The weighted average actuarial assumptions as at the balance 
sheet date are used to determine the defined benefit liability 
at  that  date  and  the  pension  expense  for  the  upcoming 
financial year.

The actuarial assumptions for withdrawal and mortality rates 
are  based  on  statistical  information  available  in  the  various 
countries. In Germany, the Heubeck 2018 G mortality tables 
are used. In the UK, assumptions are based on the S2PA base 
table  with  modified  improvement  of  the  life  expectancy 
mortality tables. In South Korea, the KIDI 2019 tables from the 
Korea Insurance Development Institute are used.

As in the previous year, the calculation of the pension liabilities 
in Germany is based on a discount rate determined using the 
‘Mercer Yield Curve (MYC)’ approach. 

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2019

 Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2018

Current service cost

Net interest expense

Thereof: interest cost

Thereof: interest income

Past service credit/cost

Loss on plan settlements

Expenses for defined benefit pension plans 
(recognized in the consolidated income 
statement)

Actuarial losses

Thereof: due to changes in financial 
assumptions

Thereof: due to changes in demographic 
assumptions

Thereof: due to experience adjustments

(Return)/loss on plan assets (not included in 
net interest income)

Asset ceiling effect

Remeasurements for defined benefit pension 
plans (recognized as decrease in other 
reserves in the consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income)

Total

30

6

12

(7)

(0)

–

35

89

75

(1)

15

(21)

–

68

103

26

6

11

(5)

1

0

33

10

(18)

(0)

28

11

(0)

20

54

Present value of the obligation from defined 
benefit pension plans as at January 1

Currency translation differences

Current service cost

Interest cost

Contribution by plan participants

Pensions paid

Payments for plan settlements

Actuarial losses

Thereof: due to changes in financial 
assumptions

Thereof: due to changes in demographic 
assumptions

Thereof: due to experience adjustments

Past service (credit)/cost

Loss on plan settlements

Business combinations/transfers/divestitures

Present value of the obligation from defined 
benefit pension plans as at December 31

2019

 2018

547

4

30

12

0

(17)

–

89

75

(1)

15

(0)

–

–

513

1

26

11

0

(15)

(0)

10

(18)

(0)

28

1

0

0

665

547

In  the  following  table,  the  effects  of  reasonably  conceivable 
changes in the actuarial assumptions on the present value of 
the obligation from defined benefit pension plans are analyzed 
for Germany, the UK and South Korea. In addition, the average 
duration of the obligation is shown.

1

6
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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194 
 
 
  
  
  
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

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STATEMENTS

NOTES

Sensitivity analysis of the obligation from defined benefit pension plans € in millions

Present value of the obligation from defined benefit pension plans

Increase in the discount rate by 0.5%

Reduction in the discount rate by 0.5%

Average duration of the obligations (in years)

 Dec. 31, 2019

 Dec. 31, 2018

UK

64

56

74

27

South 
Korea

19

18

20

11

Germany

UK South Korea

424

390

462

17

51

45

59

26

22

21

23

7

Germany

522

479

572

18

Since  many  pension  plans  are  closed  to  future  accrual,  the 
salary  trend  plays  a  minor  role  in  determining  pension 
obligations. Due to the fact that about half of the benefits of 
the  German  pension  plans  are  paid  as  lump  sums  or 
installment  payments,  the  pension  increase  rate  and  the 
mortality assumption have significantly less impact than the 
discount rate when calculating the pension obligations.

Fair value of plan assets € in millions

Fair value of plan assets as at January 1

Currency translation differences

Pensions paid

Contributions by the employer

Contributions paid by plan participants

Interest income from plan assets

(Loss)/return on plan assets (not included in 
net interest income)

Fair value of plan assets as at December 31

2019

303

3

(8)

115

0

7

21

442

 2018

218

(0)

(6)

97

0

5

(11)

303

Approximately  96%  (2018:  95%)  of  the  total  plan  assets  are 
allocated to plan assets in the three major countries: Germany 
(2019: 78%, 2018: 73%), UK (2019: 13%, 2018: 16%) and South 
Korea (2019: 5%, 2018: 6%). 

Part of the plan assets in Germany is held by a trustee under 
a  Contractual  Trust  Arrangement  (CTA)  for  the  purpose  of 
funding  the  pension  obligations  of  adidas AG  and  insolvency 
insurance  with  regard  to  part  of  the  pension  obligations  of 
adidas AG.  The  trustee  is  the  registered  association  adidas 
Pension  Trust  e.V.  The  investment  committee  of  the  adidas 
Pension  Trust  determines  the  investment  strategy  with  the 
goal to match the pension liabilities as far as possible and to 
generate  a  sustainable  return.  In  2019,  an  amount  of 
€ 105 million in cash was transferred to the trustee. The plan 
assets in the registered association are mainly invested in real 
estate,  cash  and  cash  equivalents,  equity  index  funds  and 
hybrid bonds. Another part of the plan assets in Germany is 
invested  in  insurance  contracts  via  a  pension  fund  and  a 
provident  fund.  For  this  portion,  an  insurance  entity  is 
responsible for the determination and the implementation of 
the investment strategy.

In  the  UK,  the  plan  assets  are  held  under  trust  within  the 
pension  fund.  The  investment  strategy  is  aligned  with  the 
structure of the pension obligations in these countries. In the 
rest  of  the  world,  the  plan  assets  consist  predominantly  of 
insurance contracts.

The expected payments for the 2020 financial year amount to 
€ 25 million. Thereof, € 12 million relates to benefits directly 
paid  to  pensioners  by  the  subsidiaries  and  € 13 million  to 
employer contributions paid into the plan assets. In 2019, the 
actual return on plan assets (including interest income) was 
€ 28 million (2018: loss of € 6 million).

Composition of plan assets € in millions

Cash and cash equivalents

Equity instruments

Bonds

Real estate

Pension plan reinsurance

Investment funds

Other assets

Dec. 31, 
2019

Dec. 31, 
2018

85

59

98

90

50

60

0

58

30

33

85

48

50

0

Fair value of plan assets

442

303

All  equities  and  bonds  are  traded  freely  and  have  a  quoted 
market price in an active market.

At each balance sheet date, the company analyzes the over- 
or  underfunding  and,  where  appropriate,  adjusts  the 
composition of plan assets. 

1

7
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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194 
 
  
  
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

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NOTES

26 » OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES
Other non-current liabilities consist of the following: 

Annual General Meeting on May 9, 2019, which had also not 
been utilized up to and including May 9, 2019. 

Other non-current liabilities € in millions

Deferred income

Liabilities due to personnel

Sundry

Other non-current liabilities

Dec. 31, 
2019

Dec. 31, 
2018

4

2

0

7

64

2

2

68

27 » SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY 
The  nominal  capital  of  adidas  AG  has  remained  unchanged 
since  December  31,  2018.  As  at  the  balance  sheet  date,  it 
amounted to a total of € 200,416,186 divided into 200,416,186 
registered no-par-value shares and was fully paid in. 

Each share grants one vote and is entitled to dividends starting 
from the commencement of the year in which it was issued. 
Treasury shares held directly or indirectly are not entitled to 
dividend  payment  in  accordance  with  § 71b  German  Stock 
Corporation Act (Aktiengesetz – AktG). As at the balance sheet 
date, adidas AG held 4,446,799 treasury shares, corresponding 
to a notional amount of € 4,449,799 in the nominal capital and 
consequently to 2.22% of the nominal capital.

Authorized Capital
The Executive Board of adidas AG did not utilize the existing 
amount of authorized capital of up to € 90 million in the 2019 
financial year.

The following overview of the existing authorized capital does 
not  include  the  Authorized  Capital  2017/II  canceled  by  the 

The  authorized  capital  of  adidas AG,  which  is  set  out  in  §  4 
sections 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the Articles of Association as at the 
balance  sheet  date,  entitles  the  Executive  Board,  subject  to 
Supervisory Board approval, to increase the nominal capital

based on the authorization granted by resolution of the Annual 
General Meeting of May 11, 2017 until June 7, 2022
 — by  issuing  new  shares  against  contributions  in  cash 
once  or  several  times  by  no  more  than  € 50 million 
and, subject to Supervisory Board approval, to exclude 
residual amounts from shareholders’ subscription rights 
(Authorized Capital 2017/I);

based on the authorization granted by resolution of the Annual 
General Meeting of May 9, 2019 until June 13, 2024
 — by issuing new shares against contributions in kind once 
or several times by no more than € 16 million and, subject 
to Supervisory Board approval, to exclude shareholders’ 
subscription rights (Authorized Capital 2019);

the  overall  volume  of  the  shares  issued  based  on  this 
authorization  with  the  exclusion  of  subscription  rights 
must not exceed 10% of the nominal capital existing at the 
point in time when this authorization becomes effective or, 
in case this amount is lower, at the date of the respective 
issuance. The nominal capital which is attributed to the 
shares to be issued to service option or conversion rights 
or  option  or  conversion  obligations  from  bonds,  debt 
securities or participation rights to the extent that they 
are issued during the term of the authorization up to the 
date of the respective exercise of this authorization with 
the exclusion of subscription rights, or which is attributed 
to shares which are issued or sold during the term of the 
authorization  up  to  the  date  of  the  respective  exercise 

of  this  authorization  with  the  exclusion  of  subscription 
rights,  has  to  be  included  in  the  aforementioned  limit 
of 10%. This deduction clause shall not apply if residual 
amounts of shares are excluded from subscription rights. 
The Authorized Capital 2019 must not be used to issue 
shares within the scope of compensation or participation 
programs for Executive Board members or employees or 
for members of the management bodies or employees of 
subsidiaries;

based on the authorization granted by resolution of the Annual 
General Meeting of May 11, 2017 until June 7, 2022
 — by  issuing  new  shares  against  contributions  in  cash 
once or several times by no more than € 20 million and, 
subject to Supervisory Board approval, to exclude residual 
amounts from shareholders’ subscription rights and to 
exclude shareholders’ subscription rights when issuing 
the new shares at a value not essentially below the stock 
market price of the adidas AG shares already listed on 
the stock exchange at the point in time when the issue 
price is ultimately determined, which should be as close 
as possible to the placement of the shares; this exclusion 
of  subscription  rights  can  also  be  associated  with  the 
listing of the adidas AG shares on a foreign stock exchange 
(Authorized Capital 2017/III). The authorization to exclude 
subscription rights pursuant to the previous sentence may, 
however, only be used to the extent that the pro rata amount 
of the new shares in the nominal capital together with the 
pro rata amount in the nominal capital of other shares 
which have been issued by adidas AG since May 11, 2017, 
subject to the exclusion of subscription rights pursuant to 
or in accordance with § 186 section 3 sentence 4 AktG on 
the basis of an authorized capital or following a repurchase, 
or  for  which  subscription  or  conversion  rights  or 
subscription or conversion obligations have been granted 
since May 11, 2017, through the issuance of convertible 
bonds and/or bonds with warrants, with subscription rights 

1

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194  
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

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STATEMENTS

NOTES

excluded pursuant to § 186 section 3 sentence 4 AktG, does 
not exceed 10% of the nominal capital existing on the date of 
the entry of this authorization into the commercial register 
or – if this amount is lower – as of the respective date on 
which the resolution on utilization of the authorization is 
adopted;

the  overall  volume  of  the  shares  issued  based  on  this 
authorization  with  the  exclusion  of  subscription  rights  – 
together  with  shares  issued  against  contributions  in 
kind with the exclusion of subscription rights from the 
Authorized Capital 2017/II (§ 4 section 3 of the Articles 
of  Association)  –  must  not  exceed  10%  of  the  nominal 
capital existing at the date of the respective issuance. This 
deduction clause shall not apply if residual amounts of 
shares are excluded from subscription rights;

based on the authorization granted by resolution of the Annual 
General Meeting of May 12, 2016 until June 14, 2021
 — by issuing up to 4,000,000 new shares against contributions 
in cash once or several times by no more than € 4 million 
and, subject to Supervisory Board approval, to determine 
the further content of the rights embodied in the shares and 
the terms and conditions of the share issuance (Authorized 
Capital 2016). Shareholders’ subscription rights shall be 
excluded. Any repurchased treasury shares of adidas AG 
which are used by adidas AG for employee stock purchase 
plans  during  the  term  of  this  authorization  shall  be 
attributed to the maximum number of 4,000,000 shares. 
The new shares may only be issued to (current and former) 
employees of adidas AG and its affiliated companies as well 
as to (current and former) members of management bodies 
of adidas AG’s affiliated companies.

Contingent Capital
The following overview of the Contingent Capital is based on 
§ 4 section 6 of the Articles of Association of adidas AG as well 
as on the underlying resolution of the Annual General Meeting 
held on May 9, 2018. It does not include the Contingent Capital 
2010 canceled by the Annual General Meeting on May 9, 2019, 
which had not been utilized up to and including May 9, 2019. 
Additional contingent capital does not exist.

Contingent Capital 2018
The  nominal  capital  is  conditionally  increased  by  up  to 
€ 12.5 million divided into not more than 12,500,000 registered 
no-par-value shares (Contingent Capital 2018). The contingent 
capital  increase  serves  the  issuance  of  registered  no-par-
value shares when exercising option or conversion rights or 
fulfilling the respective option and/or conversion obligations 
or when exercising the company’s right to choose to partially 
or  in  total  deliver  registered  no-par-value  shares  of  the 
company instead of paying the due amount to the holders or 
creditors of bonds issued by the company or a subordinated 
Group  company  up  to  May 8, 2023  on  the  basis  of  the 
authorization  resolution  adopted  by  the  Annual  General 
Meeting on May 9, 2018. The new shares will be issued at the 
respective  option  or  conversion  price  to  be  established  in 
accordance with the aforementioned authorization resolution. 
The  contingent  capital  increase  will  be  implemented  only  to 
the  extent  that  holders  or  creditors  of  option  or  conversion 
rights  or  the  persons  obligated  to  exercise  the  option  or 
conversion obligations based on bonds issued by the company 
or  a  subordinated  Group  company,  pursuant 
the 
authorization of the Executive Board granted by the resolution 
adopted  by  the  Annual  General  Meeting  on  May  9,  2018 
(Agenda  Item  8),  up  to  May  8,  2023  and  guaranteed  by  the 
company, exercise their option or conversion rights or, if they 
are obligated to exercise the option or conversion obligations, 
fulfill their obligations to exercise the warrant or convert the 
bond, or to the extent that the company exercises its rights to 

to 

choose to deliver adidas AG shares for the total amount or a 
part amount instead of payment of the amount due and insofar 
as no cash settlement, treasury shares or shares of another 
public  listed  company  are  used  to  service  these  rights.  The 
new shares will carry dividend rights from the commencement 
of  the  financial  year  in  which  the  shares  are  issued.  The 
Executive  Board  is  authorized,  subject  to  Supervisory  Board 
approval,  to  stipulate  any  additional  details  concerning  the 
implementation of the contingent capital increase.

The Executive Board is also authorized, subject to Supervisory 
Board approval, to exclude shareholders’ subscription rights 
for  residual  amounts  and 
to  exclude  shareholders’ 
subscription  rights  insofar  as  this  is  necessary  for  granting 
subscription rights to which holders or creditors of previously 
issued  bonds  are  entitled.  Finally,  the  Executive  Board  is 
authorized,  subject  to  Supervisory  Board  approval,  to  also 
exclude shareholders’ subscription rights if the issue price of 
the  bonds  is  not  significantly  below  the  hypothetical  market 
value of these bonds and the number of shares to be issued 
does not exceed 10% of the nominal capital. Treasury shares 
which  are  or  will  be  sold  with  the  exclusion  of  subscription 
rights  in  accordance  with  § 71  section 1  no. 8  in  conjunction 
with  § 186  section 3  sentence 4 AktG  between  the  starting 
date of the term of this authorization and the issuance of the 
respective bonds are attributed to the aforementioned limit 
of  10%.  Shares  which  are  or  will  be  issued,  subject  to  the 
exclusion  of  subscription  rights  pursuant  to  § 186  section 3 
sentence 4 AktG or pursuant to § 203 section 1 in conjunction 
with  § 186  section 3  sentence 4 AktG,  between  the  starting 
date of the term of this authorization and the issuance of the 
respective bonds in the context of a cash capital increase are 
also  attributed  to  the  aforementioned  limit  of  10%.  Finally, 
shares  for  which  there  are  option  or  conversion  rights  or 
obligations or a right to delivery of shares of the company in 
favor of the company due to bonds with warrants or convertible 
bonds  issued  by  adidas  AG  or  its  subordinated  Group 

1

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

companies, subject to the exclusion of subscription rights in 
accordance  with  § 221  section 4  sentence 2  in  conjunction 
with § 186 section 3 sentence 4 AktG during the term of this 
authorization based on other authorizations are attributed to 
the aforementioned limit of 10%.

under € 815 million shown in the table and the cash outflow 
from  the  repurchase  of  adidas  AG  shares  in  the  amount  of 
€ 809 million shown in the consolidated statement of changes 
in equity as well as the consolidated statement of cash flows 
results from reimbursements of incidental purchasing cost.

In  the  period  up  until  the  balance  sheet  date,  the  Executive 
Board  of  adidas AG  did  not  issue  any  bonds  based  on  the 
authorization  granted  on  May 9, 2018  and  consequently  did 
not issue any shares from the Contingent Capital 2018.

Repurchase of adidas AG shares and use of treasury shares
The  Annual  General  Meeting  on  May 12, 2016  granted  the 
Executive  Board  an  authorization  to  repurchase  adidas  AG 
shares up to an amount totaling 10% of the nominal capital 
until  May 11, 2021.  The  authorization  may  be  used  by 
adidas AG but also by its subordinated Group companies or by 
third  parties  on  account  of  adidas AG  or  its  subordinated 
Group  companies  or  third  parties  assigned  by  adidas AG  or 
one of its subordinated Group companies.

Based  on  the  above-mentioned  authorization,  the  Executive 
Board of adidas AG commenced a share buyback program on 
March 22, 2018.  Under  the  authorization  granted,  adidas  AG 
repurchased  a  total  of  5,089,879  shares  for  a  total  price  of 
€ 999,885,165 (excluding incidental purchasing costs), i.e. for 
an  average  price  of  €  196.45  per  share,  in  a  first  tranche 
between March 22, 2018 and December 4, 2018 inclusive. This 
corresponded  to  a  notional  amount  of  €  5,089,879  in  the 
nominal  capital  which  was  reduced  from  €  209,216,186  to 
€ 200,416,186  with  legal  effect  from  October  22,  2018  and 
consequently 
the  nominal  capital.  On 
January 7, 2019, the share buyback program was resumed in 
the  form  of  a  second  tranche.  More  information  on  the 
adidas AG shares repurchased in the 2019 financial year is set 
out in the table ‘Repurchase of adidas AG shares in the 2019 
financial year’. The difference between the total price of just 

to  2.54%  of 

Repurchase of adidas AG shares in the 2019 financial year

Month

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Total price in 
€ (excluding 
incidental 
purchasing costs)

Number of 
shares

Average 
purchase price 
per share in €

Amount in the 
nominal capital 
in €

Amount in the 
nominal capital 
in %

256,198

230,796

255,544

226,764

10,452

351,375

367,521

535,047

307,043

268,406

413,931

137

51,333,852.75

46,661,131.62

54,356,363.81

51,344,626.29

2,683,046.50

94,364,958.64

103,024,730.93

141,607,505.60

83,861,030.42

74,038,194.34

111,512,903.94

37,939.95

200.37

202.17

212.71

226.42

256.70

268.56

280.32

264.66

273.12

275.84

269.40

276.93

252.80

256,198

230,796

255,544

226,764

10,452

351,375

367,521

535,047

307,043

268,406

413,931

137

3,223,214

0.13

0.12

0.13

0.11

0.01

0.18

0.18

0.27

0.15

0.13

0.21

0.00007

1.61

2019 financial year total 1

3,223,214

814,826,284.79

1  In the period from January 7, 2019 up to and including December 18, 2019. 

While  the  company  may  use  the  repurchased  shares  for  all 
purposes  admissible  under  the  authorization  granted  on 
May 12, 2016 with the exception of the transfer of shares as a 
compensation  component  for  its  Executive  Board  members, 
adidas AG  plans  to  cancel  the  majority  of  the  repurchased 
shares.  adidas  AG  reserves  the  right  to  continue  the  share 
buyback program in the future in alignment with the published 
parameters. 

 SEE DISCLOSURES PURSUANT TO § 315A SECTION 1 AND § 289A 

SECTION 1 OF THE GERMAN COMMERCIAL CODE AND EXPLANATORY REPORT, P. 109

In  the  2019  financial  year,  a  total  of  21,256  treasury  shares 
were  used  as  consideration  for,  inter  alia,  the  transfer  or 
licensing  of 
intangible 
property rights due to contractual obligations. 

intellectual  property  rights  and 

1

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3

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194 
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

Repurchase of adidas AG shares and use of treasury shares in the context of the employee stock purchase plan 2019

Purchase date

January 8, 2019

April 5, 2019

July 5, 2019

October 8, 2019

Number of 
shares

Total price in € 
(excluding incidental 
purchasing costs)

Average 
purchase price 
per share in €

Amount in the 
nominal capital 
in €

Amount in the 
nominal capital 
in %

Issuance date to 
employees

29,328

23,924

20,694

20,655

5,740,076.16

5,409,934.12

5,757,898.56

5,647,283.55

195.72

226.13

278.24

273.41

29,328

23,924

20,694

20,655

0.01 January 10, 2019

0.01

0.01

April 9, 2019

July 9, 2019

0.01 October 10, 2019

Repurchase of adidas AG shares and use of treasury shares in the context of the employee stock purchase plan 2019/Matching shares

Purchase date

January 8, 2019

April 5, 2019

July 5, 2019

October 8, 2019

Number of 
shares

Total price in € 
(excluding incidental 
purchasing costs)

Average 
purchase price 
per share in €

Amount in the 
nominal capital 
in €

Amount in the 
nominal capital 
in %

Issuance date to 
employees

3,349

3,195

4,020

3,323

655,466.28

722,485.35

1,118,524.80

908,541.43

195.72

226.13

278.24

273.41

3,349

3,195

4,020

3,323

0.002 January 10, 2019

0.002

0.002

April 9, 2019

July 9, 2019

0.002 October 10, 2019

Employee stock purchase plan
In the 2016 financial year, adidas AG introduced an employee 
stock purchase plan in favor of employees of adidas AG and its 
affiliated companies.

use  of  treasury  shares  in  the  context  of  the  employee  stock 
purchase plan 2019/Matching shares’ 

 SEE DISCLOSURES PURSUANT 

TO § 315A SECTION 1 AND § 289A SECTION 1 OF THE GERMAN COMMERCIAL CODE 

AND EXPLANATORY REPORT, P. 109, 

 SEE NOTES 02 AND 28

Outside  the  share  buyback  program  initiated  in  March  2018 
and  continued  from  January  2019,  adidas AG  purchased 
adidas AG  shares  in  connection  with  this  employee  stock 
purchase plan. More details on the repurchase of adidas AG 
shares  and  use  of  treasury  shares  in  connection  with  the 
employee stock purchase plan in the 2019 financial year are 
set out in the tables ‘Repurchase of adidas AG shares and use 
of  treasury  shares  in  the  context  of  the  employee  stock 
purchase plan 2019’ and ‘Repurchase of adidas AG shares and 

1

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194  
  
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

Notified reportable shareholdings

Notifying party

Date of reaching, 
exceeding or 
falling below

Reporting 
threshold

BlackRock, Inc., Wilmington, DE, USA 2

FMR LLC, Wilmington, DE, USA 2

Ségolène Gallienne

Gérald Frère

December 17, 2019

Exceeding 5%

November 27, 2019

Exceeding 5%

December 3, 2018

Exceeding 5%

December 3, 2018

Exceeding 5%

The Desmarais Family Residuary Trust, Montreal, Canada 2 November 19, 2018

Exceeding 5%

Elian Corporate Trustee (Cayman) Limited, Grand 
Cayman, Cayman Islands 2

Capital Research and Management Company, Los 
Angeles, CA, USA

December 16, 2016

Exceeding 5%

July 22, 2015

Exceeding 3%

The Capital Group Companies, Inc., Los Angeles, CA, USA

July 22, 2015

Exceeding 3% 

Notification 
obligations and 
attributions in 
accordance with 
WpHG 1

§§ 34, 38 sec. 1 
no. 1, 38 sec. 1 
no. 2 

§ 34

§ 34

§ 34

§ 34

§§ 21, 25 sec. 1 
no. 2

§ 22 sec. 1 sent. 
1 no. 6

§ 22 sec. 1 
sent. 1 no. 6 in 
conjunction with 
§ 22 sec. 1 sent. 
2 and 3

Shareholdings 
in %

Number of 
voting rights

6.34

5.14

7.83

7.83

8.09

5.71

3.02

12,708,562

10,306,397

15,694,711

15,694,711

16,214,074

11,950,482

6,325,110

3.02

6,325,110

1 The provisions of the WpHG stated refer to the version applicable at the time of publication of the respective individual voting rights notification.
2 Voluntary group notification due to crossing a threshold on subsidiary level.

Changes in the percentage of voting rights
Pursuant to § 160 section 1 no. 8 AktG, existing shareholdings 
which have been notified to adidas AG in accordance with § 33 
section 1  or  section 2  German  Securities  Trading  Act 
(Wertpapierhandelsgesetz – WpHG) need to be disclosed.

The table ‘Notified reportable shareholdings’ reflects reportable 
shareholdings in adidas AG, Herzogenaurach, as at the balance 
sheet date which have each been notified to adidas AG. In each 
case,  the  details  relate  to  the  most  recent  voting  rights 
notification received by adidas AG from the parties obligated to 
notify. All voting rights notifications disclosed by adidas AG in 
the  year  under  review  are  available  on  the  corporate 
website.  ↗ ADIDAS-GROUP.COM/S/VOTING-RIGHTS-NOTIFICATIONS

The  details  on  the  percentage  of  shareholdings  and  voting 
rights may no longer be up to date.

Capital management
The company’s policy is to maintain a strong capital base so 
as to uphold investor, creditor and market confidence and to 
sustain future development of the business.

adidas seeks to maintain a balance between a higher return 
on  equity  that  might  be  possible  with  higher  levels  of 
borrowings  and  the  advantages  and  security  afforded  by  a 
sound capital position. The company further aims to maintain 
net debt below two times EBITDA over the long term.

Financial leverage amounts to negative 12.8% (2018: negative 
15.0%)  and  is  defined  as  the  ratio  between  net  borrowings 
(short-  and  long-term  borrowings  less  cash  and  cash 
equivalents  as  well  as  short-term  financial  assets)  in  an 
amount of negative € 873 million (2018: negative € 959 million) 
and shareholders’ equity in an amount of € 6.796 billion (2018: 
€ 6.377  billion).  EBITDA  amounted  to  € 3.845  billion  for  the 
financial 
(2018: 
ending  December 31, 
€ 2.882 billion). The ratio between net borrowings and EBITDA 
amounted to –0.2 for the 2019 financial year (2018: –0.3).

2019 

year 

1

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

Reserves 
Reserves within shareholders’ equity are as follows:
 — Capital reserve: primarily comprises the paid premium 
for  the  issuance  of  share  capital  as  well  as  the  equity 
component of the issued convertible bond.

 — Cumulative currency translation differences: comprises 
all foreign currency differences arising from the translation 
of the financial statements of foreign operations.

 — Hedging reserve: comprises the effective portion of the 
cumulative net change in the fair value of cash flow hedges 
(intrinsic value for options and spot component for forward 
contracts) related to hedged transactions that have not yet 
occurred, hedges of net investments in foreign subsidiaries 
as well as the effective portion of the cumulative net change 
in the fair value of the total return swap.

 — Cost of hedging reserve – options: comprises the effective 
portion of the cumulative net change in the fair value of 
cash flow hedges reflecting cost of hedging of options (time 
value and premium).

 — Cost of hedging reserve – forward contracts: comprises 
the effective portion of the cumulative net change in the 
fair value of cash flow hedges reflecting cost of hedging of 
forward contracts (forward component).

 — Other reserves: comprises the remeasurements of defined 
benefit plans consisting of the cumulative net change of 
actuarial gains or losses relating to the defined benefit 
obligations, the return on plan assets (excluding interest 
income) and the asset ceiling effect, the remeasurement 
of the fair value of the equity investments measured at 
fair value through other comprehensive income, expenses 
recognized  for  share  option  plans,  effects  from  the 
acquisition of non-controlling interests, as well as reserves 
required by law.

 — Retained earnings: comprises both amounts which are 
required  by  the  Articles  of  Association  and  voluntary 
amounts that have been set aside by adidas. The reserve 
includes  the  unappropriated  accumulated  profits  less 

dividends paid and consideration paid for the repurchase 
of  adidas  AG  shares  exceeding  the  nominal  value.  In 
addition, the item includes the effects of the employee 
stock  purchase  plan  and  the  transition  effects  of  the 
implementation of new IFRS. 

28 » SHARE-BASED PAYMENT
Equity-settled share-based payment transactions with employees 
In 2016, adidas announced the introduction of an open-ended 
employee  stock  purchase  plan  (the  ‘plan’).  The  plan  is 
operated  on  a  quarterly  basis,  with  each  calendar  quarter 
referred to as an ‘investment quarter’.

The capital reserve includes restricted capital in an amount of 
€ 4 million (2018: € 4 million). Furthermore, other reserves 
include  additional  restricted  capital 
in  an  amount  of 
€ 69 million (2018: € 52 million).

Distributable profits and dividends
Profits  distributable  to  shareholders  are  determined  by 
reference to the retained earnings of adidas AG and calculated 
under German Commercial Law.

Based on the resolution of the 2019 Annual General Meeting, 
the  dividend  for  2018  was  € 3.35  per  share  (total  amount: 
€ 664 million). The Executive Board of adidas AG will propose 
to  use  retained  earnings  of  adidas AG  in  an  amount  of 
€ 828 million as reported in the 2019 financial statements of 
adidas AG for a dividend payment of € 3.85 per share and to 
carry forward the subsequent remaining amount.

As at February 25, 2020, 195,433,799 dividend-entitled shares 
exist, resulting in a dividend payment of € 752 million.

The  plan  enables  employees  to  purchase  adidas AG  shares 
with a 15% discount (‘investment shares’) and to benefit from 
free  matching  shares.  Currently,  eligible  employees  of 
adidas AG and seventeen other subsidiaries can participate in 
the plan. Up to two weeks before the start of an investment 
quarter  each  eligible  employee  can  enroll  for  the  plan.  The 
company accepts enrolment requests on the first day of the 
relevant  investment  quarter.  This  is  the  grant  date  for  the 
investment and matching shares. The fair value at the vesting 
date  is  equivalent  to  the  fair  value  of  the  granted  equity 
instruments at this date. The employees invest an amount up 
to 10% of their gross base salary per quarter in the plan. A few 
days after the end of the investment quarter the shares are 
purchased on the market at fair market value and transferred 
to  the  employees.  Thereby  the  amount  invested  during  the 
quarter plus the top-up from adidas is used. These shares can 
be sold at any time by the employee. If the shares are held for 
a period of one year after the last day of an investment quarter, 
employees  will  receive  one-time  free  matching  shares  (one 
matching share for every six adidas AG shares acquired). This 
plan  currently  constitutes  an  equity-settled  share-based 
payment  for  both  elements.  For  the  component  of  the 
matching shares relating to the specific period of service an 
appropriate  discount  is  taken  into  account.  The  effects  are 
presented in the following table:

1

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6

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

Equity-settled share-based payment transactions with employees

As at December 
31, 2018

As at December 31, 2019

9th investment 
quarter

9th investment 
quarter

10th investment 
quarter

11th investment 
quarter

12th investment 
quarter

13th investment 
quarter

The  first  part  of  the  agreement  grants  a  transfer  of  basic 
shares  over  five  years  which  correspond  to  a  value  of 
US $ 5million each year. Based on the contractual terms, the 
third  transfer  in  2019  equated  to  21,256  shares.  The  shares 
from the fifth tranche of repurchased shares with an average 
price  of  €  198.91  per  share  were  used  as  a  consideration. 

Grant date

Oct. 1, 2018

Oct. 1, 2018

Jan. 2, 2019

April 1, 2019

July 1, 2019

Oct. 1, 2019

 SEE NOTE 27

Share price at grant date (in €)

Share price at December 31 (in €)

Number of granted investment  
shares based on the share price as  
at December 31

Number of actually purchased 
investment shares

Number of actually purchased matching 
shares

Outstanding granted matching shares 
based on the share price as at  
December 31 or actually purchased 
investment shares

Average remaining vesting period in 
months as at December 31 (in months)

213.80

182.40

31,481

–

–

5,247

12

213.80

184.40

219.20

274.35

29,328

23,924

20,694

20,655

3,771

–

–

–

–

0

3,987

3,449

3,442

3

6

9

282.20

289.80

21,507

–

–

3,585

12

The  number  of  forfeited  matching  shares  during  the  period 
amounted to 4,059 (2018: 3,473).

end  of  December  2019.  Therefore,  this  amount  has  been 
included in ‘Other current financial liabilities’. 

 SEE NOTE 19

As  at  December 31, 2019,  the  total  expenses  recognized 
relating  to  investment  shares  amounted  to  € 3.1 million 
(2018: € 3.2 million). 

Further  information  about  the  purchase  of  shares  for  the 
employee  stock  purchase  plan  is  provided  in  these  Notes.

 SEE NOTE 27

Expenses  recognized  relating  to  vesting  of  matching  shares 
amounted to € 2.8 million in 2019 (2018: € 2.5 million).

As at December 31, 2019, a total amount of € 5 million (2018: 
€ 5 million)  was  invested  by  the  participants  in  the  stock 
purchase plan and was not yet transferred into shares by the 

Equity-settled share-based payment transactions with third parties
In  2016,  adidas  entered  into  a  promotion  and  advertising 
contract  which  includes  a  share-based  payment  transaction 
with  third  parties.  The  contract  has  a  duration  of  five  years 
and will end in 2021.

As at January 1, 2019 (grant date), an amount of US $ 5 million 
was recognized as expenses for basic shares over the vesting 
period of twelve months.

The  second  part  of  the  agreement  grants  bonus  shares  of 
US $ 5  million  if  certain  conditions  are  fulfilled.  This  option 
can be granted twice. As at December 31, 2019, it was likely 
that  the  bonus  shares  will  be  issued.  Therefore,  expenses 
recognized  for  bonus  shares  amounting  to  € 2 million  were 
accrued in 2019 (2018: € 5 million).

Cash-settled share-based payment transactions with employees
In  2017,  adidas  implemented  a  Long-Term  Incentive  (LTI) 
Plan, which is a share-based remuneration scheme with cash 
settlement. RSUs (Restricted Stock Units) are granted on the 
condition  that  the  beneficiary  is  employed  for  three  or  four 
years  by  adidas AG  or  one  of  its  subsidiaries  in  a  position 
where he or she is not under notice during that period. This 
minimum period of employment pertains to the calendar year 
in  which  the  RSUs  are  granted  and  the  three  subsequent 
calendar years.

The  total  value  of  the  cash  remuneration  payable  to  senior 
management  is  recalculated  on  each  reporting  date  and  on 
the settlement date, based on the fair value of the RSUs, and 
recognized  through  an  appropriate  increase  in  the  provision 
as  personnel  expenses  that  are  spread  over  the  period  of 
service  of  the  beneficiary.  Furthermore,  social  security 
contributions  are  considered  in  the  calculation  of  the  fair 

1

7
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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194  
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value,  if  appropriate  for  the  respective  country  regulations 
and  the  seniority  of  the  participants.  All  changes  to  the 
subsequent  measurement  of  this  provision  are  reported 
under personnel expenses.

The fair value is based on the closing price of the adidas AG 
share  on  December  31,  2019,  adjusted  for  future  dividend 
payments.

29 » NON-CONTROLLING INTERESTS
This  line  item  within  equity  comprises  the  non-controlling 
interests  in  subsidiaries  which  are  not  directly  or  indirectly 
attributable to adidas AG.

In  2019,  this  resulted  in  an  expense  of  € 170 million  (2018: 
€  53  million).  The  corresponding  provision  amounted  to 
€ 254 million (2018: € 84 million).

Once a year, one tranche with a three-year term and another 
with a four-year term are issued. The number of RSUs granted 
depends on the seniority of the beneficiaries. In addition, for 
the four-year plan, the number of RSUs also depends on the 
achievement of a target figure which is based on the growth of 
the diluted earnings per share from continuing operations.

The  value  of  one  RSU  is  the  average  price  of  the  adidas AG 
share as quoted for the first 20 stock exchange trading days in 
January  of  the  respective  financial  year.  The  effects  are 
presented in the following table:

Cash-settled share-based payment transactions with employees

Plan year

Tranche

Share price as at December 31 
(in €)

Number of granted RSUs  
based on the share price as at 
December 31 (in €)

Average risk-free interest rate 
based on the share price as at 
December 31 (in %)

Average remaining vesting period 
as at December 31 (in months)

As at December 31, 2018

As at December 31, 2019

2017

2018

2017

2018

2019

4-year 
tranche

3-year 
tranche

4-year 
tranche

3-year 
tranche

4-year 
tranche

3-year 
tranche

4-year 
tranche

3-year 
tranche

4-year 
tranche

3-year 
tranche

175.89

179.22

172.08

175.89

286.09

289.80

281.30

286.09

276.23

281.30

277,998

336,099

295,114

160,518

249,632

300,365

262,940

143,933

212,225

236,158

0.73%

0.83%

0.70%

0.73%

0.70%

24

12

36

24

12

–

–

0.64%

0.70%

0.60%

0.64%

24

12

36

24

Non-controlling  interests  are  assigned  to  three  subsidiaries 
both as at December 31, 2019 and as at December 31, 2018.  

 SEE SHAREHOLDINGS, P. 208

As a result of obtaining control over Agron, Inc., its net assets, 
which are attributable entirely to the non-controlling interest, 
were  consolidated  for  the  first-time  into  the  company’s 
consolidated statement of financial position as at December 
31, 2019. 

 SEE NOTE 04

A  merger  of  Reebok  Israel  Ltd.  with  adidas  Israel  Ltd. 
(formerly: Life Sport Ltd.) was completed in 2019.

Reebok  India  Company  was  acquired  in  connection  with  the 
acquisition of Reebok in 2006.

1

7
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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194  
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

For the following subsidiaries with non-controlling interests 
the main financial information is presented combined.

The following table presents the main financial information on 
subsidiaries with non-controlling interests. 

Subsidiaries with non-controlling interests

Financial information on subsidiaries with  
non-controlling interests € in millions

Legal entity name

Agron, Inc.

adidas Israel Ltd.  
(formerly: Life Sport Ltd.)

Reebok Israel Ltd.

Reebok India Company

Principal 
place of 
business

Ownership interests 
held by non-controlling 
interests (in %)

Dec. 31, 
2019

Dec. 31, 
2018

USA

100%

–

Israel

Israel

India

15%

–

6.85%

15%

15%

6.85%

Non-controlling interests

Dec. 31, 2019

Dec. 31, 2018

Total

Thereof: Agron, Inc.

Net sales (third parties)

Net income

Net income attributable to  
non-controlling interests

Other comprehensive income 

Total comprehensive income

Total comprehensive income attributable to non-controlling interests

Current assets

Non-current assets

Current liabilities

Non-current liabilities

Net assets

Net assets attributable to non-controlling interests according to the consolidated 
statement of financial position

Net cash generated from operating activities

Net cash generated from/(used in) investing activities

Net cash used in financing activities

Net increase/(decrease) of cash and cash equivalents

Dividends paid to non-controlling interests during the year 1

1 Included in net cash used in financing activities.

222

14

2

(8)

6

(4)

361

195

(174)

(42)

340

261

14

0

(11)

3

2

–

–

–

(6)

(6)

(6)

209

122

(55)

(2)

274

274

–

–

–

–

–

200

19

3

15

33

4

114

21

(70)

(2)

63

(13)

31

(11)

(20)

(0)

1

1

7
9

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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30 » FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS 
Additional disclosures on financial instruments

Carrying amounts of financial instruments and their fair values including hierarchy according to IFRS 13 € in millions

Category

December 31, 2019

December 31, 2018

Carrying 
amount

Fair value

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Carrying 
amount

Fair value

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Financial assets

Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents

Cash equivalents

Short-term financial assets

Accounts receivable

Other current financial assets

Derivatives used in hedge accounting

Derivatives not used in hedge accounting

Promissory notes

Earn-out components

Other financial assets

Long-term financial assets

Other equity investments

Other equity investments

Other investments

Other investments

Loans

Amortized cost

1,636

Fair value through 
profit or loss

Fair value through 
profit or loss

Amortized cost

Hedge accounting

Fair value through 
profit or loss

Fair value through 
profit or loss

Fair value through 
profit or loss

Amortized cost

Fair value through 
profit or loss

Fair value through 
other compre-
hensive income

Fair value through 
profit or loss

Amortized cost

Amortized cost

584

292

2,625

141

25

33

9

336

87

79

35

167

1

584

292

141

25

33

9

87

79

37

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

584

292

–

141

25

–

–

–

–

–

371

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

33

9

–

87

79

–

–

–

2,180

449

6

2,418

172

46

26

–

297

86

58

25

104

1

449

6

172

46

26

–

86

58

27

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

449

6

–

172

46

–

–

–

–

–

27 2

–

–

1 Net gains in the amount of € 2 million and gains in the amount of € 0 million due to currency translation differences were recognized in equity in 2019.
2 Net gains in the amount of € 2 million and losses in the amount of € 1 million due to currency translation differences were recognized in equity in 2018.
3 Lease liabilities are measured in accordance with IFRS 16 and finance lease obligations are measured in accordance with IAS 17.

Level 1 is based on quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
Level 2 is based on inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the assets or liabilities, either directly (i.e. as prices) or indirectly (i.e. derived from prices).
Level 3 is based on inputs for the assets or liabilities that are not based on observable market data (unobservable inputs).

–

–

–

–

–

–

26

–

–

86

58

–

–

–

1

8
0

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194    
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

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STATEMENTS

NOTES

Carrying amounts of financial instruments and their fair values including hierarchy according to IFRS 13 € in millions

Category

December 31, 2019

December 31, 2018

Carrying 
amount

Fair value

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Carrying 
amount

Fair value

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Other non-current financial assets

Derivatives used in hedge accounting

Derivatives not used in hedge accounting

Promissory notes

Earn-out components

Other financial assets

Financial assets per level

Financial liabilities

Short-term borrowings

Bank borrowings 

Accounts payable

Current accrued liabilities

Current accrued liabilities for customer discounts

Other current financial liabilities

Derivatives used in hedge accounting

Derivatives not used in hedge accounting

Earn-out components

Other financial liabilities

Lease liabilities/finance lease obligations 3

Long-term borrowings

Bank borrowings 

Eurobond

Convertible bond

Non-current accrued liabilities

Hedge accounting

Fair value through 
profit or loss

Fair value through 
profit or loss

Fair value through 
profit or loss

Amortized cost

Amortized cost

Amortized cost

Amortized cost

Amortized cost

Hedge accounting

Fair value through 
profit or loss

Fair value through 
profit or loss

Amortized cost

n.a.

Amortized cost

Amortized cost

Amortized cost

Amortized cost

62

95

149

36

110

43

2,703

1,017

740

138

31

–

66

733

122

986

487

0

62

95

149

36

138

31

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

1,044

615

1,044

615

–

62

95

–

–

–

1,236

–

–

–

–

138

31

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

149

36

–

392

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

11

28

122

21

74

66

2,300

922

619

65

29

15

68

10

141

984

484

1

11

28

122

21

65

29

15

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

1,030

520

1,030

520

–

11

28

–

–

–

740

–

–

–

–

–

65

29

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

122

21

–

313

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

15

–

–

–

–

–

–

1 Net gains in the amount of € 2 million and gains in the amount of € 0 million due to currency translation differences were recognized in equity in 2019.
2 Net gains in the amount of € 2 million and losses in the amount of € 1 million due to currency translation differences were recognized in equity in 2018.
3 Lease liabilities are measured in accordance with IFRS 16 and finance lease obligations are measured in accordance with IAS 17.

Level 1 is based on quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
Level 2 is based on inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the assets or liabilities, either directly (i.e. as prices) or indirectly (i.e. derived from prices).
Level 3 is based on inputs for the assets or liabilities that are not based on observable market data (unobservable inputs).

1

8

1

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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STATEMENTS

NOTES

Carrying amounts of financial instruments and their fair values including hierarchy according to IFRS 13 € in millions

Category

December 31, 2019

December 31, 2018

Other non-current financial liabilities

Derivatives used in hedge accounting

Derivatives not used in hedge accounting

Other financial liabilities

Hedge accounting

Fair value through 
profit or loss

Amortized cost

Carrying 
amount

7

86

0

Lease liabilities/finance lease obligations 3

n.a.

2,399

Financial liabilities per level

Thereof: aggregated by category according to  IFRS 9

Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss 
(FVTPL)

Thereof: designated as such upon initial recognition 
(Fair Value Option – FVO)

Thereof: held for trading (FAHfT)

Financial assets at fair value through other  
comprehensive income (FVOCI)

Thereof: debt instruments

Thereof: equity investments (without recycling to 
profit and loss) 

Financial assets at amortized cost (AC)

Financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss 
(FVTPL)

Thereof: held for trading (FLHfT)

Financial liabilities at amortized cost (AC)

1,345

–

84

79

–

79

4,873

117

–

6,165

Fair value

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Carrying 
amount

Fair value

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

2

20

–

–

–

–

1,550

2

20

–

–

116

–

–

–

–

15

7

86

–

–

–

–

1,659

7

86

–

–

262

–

–

–

–

–

2

20

0

81

809

–

83

58

–

58

5,074

63

–

5,585

1 Net gains in the amount of € 2 million and gains in the amount of € 0 million due to currency translation differences were recognized in equity in 2019.
2 Net gains in the amount of € 2 million and losses in the amount of € 1 million due to currency translation differences were recognized in equity in 2018.
3 Lease liabilities are measured in accordance with IFRS 16 and finance lease obligations are measured in accordance with IAS 17.

Level 1 is based on quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
Level 2 is based on inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the assets or liabilities, either directly (i.e. as prices) or indirectly (i.e. derived from prices).
Level 3 is based on inputs for the assets or liabilities that are not based on observable market data (unobservable inputs).

1

8
2

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Reconciliation of fair value hierarchy Level 3 in 2019 € in millions

Investments in other equity instruments held for trading (FAHfT)

Investments in other equity instruments (FVTPL)

Investments in other equity instruments (FVOCI)

Promissory notes (FVTPL)

Earn-out components – assets (FVTPL)

Earn-out components – liabilities (FVTPL)

Reconciliation of fair value hierarchy Level 3 in 2018 € in millions

Investments in other equity instruments held for trading (FAHfT)

Investments in other equity instruments (FVTPL)

Investments in other equity instruments (FVOCI)

Promissory notes (FVTPL)

Earn-out components – assets (FVTPL)

Earn-out components – liabilities (FVTPL)

Fair value 
Jan. 1, 2019

83

2

58

147

21

15

Fair value 
Jan. 1, 2018

82

8

64

149

19

25

Realized

Unrealized

Additions

Disposals

Gains

Losses

Gains

Losses

–

–

8

22

–

–

–

–

–

(5)

(45)

(15)

–

–

–

1

45

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

1

–

15

14

24

–

–

–

(3)

–

–

–

Currency 
translation

Fair value 
Dec. 31, 2019

–

–

–

3

0

–

84

2

78

182

45

–

Realized

Unrealized

Additions

Disposals

Gains

Losses

Gains

Losses

–

–

3

–

–

–

–

(6)

–

(9)

–

(25)

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

1

–

–

1

1

–

–

–

8

–

–

15

Currency 
translation

Fair value 
Dec. 31, 2018

–

–

–

5

–

–

83

2

58

147

21

15

1

8
3

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194  
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Due to the short-term maturities of cash and cash equivalents, 
short-term financial assets, accounts receivable and payable 
as  well  as  other  current  financial  receivables  and  payables, 
their respective fair values equal their carrying amount. 

Fair values of long-term financial assets are based on quoted 
market prices in an active market or are calculated as present 
values of expected future cash flows.

In  accordance  with  IFRS 13,  the  following  tables  show  the 
valuation  methods  used  in  measuring  Level 1,  Level 2  and 
Level 3  fair  values,  as  well  as  the  significant  unobservable 
inputs used.

The fair values of non-current financial assets and liabilities 
are estimated by discounting expected future cash flows using 
current interest rates for debt of similar terms and remaining 
maturities  and  adjusted  by  a  company-specific  credit  risk 
premium.

adidas designated certain investments as equity securities as 
at  fair  value  through  other  comprehensive  income  (equity), 
because the company intends to hold those investments for the 
long  term  in  order  to  gain  insights  into  innovative  production 
technologies  and  trends.  The  designation  of  certain  equity 
instruments  as  at  fair  value  through  other  comprehensive 
income (equity) is based on a strategic Management decision.

During the course of 2019, significant unobservable inputs did 
not  significantly  change  and  there  were  no  reclassifications 
between levels.

Financial instruments Level 1 measured at fair value

Type

Convertible bond

Eurobond

Valuation method

The fair value is based on the market price of the convertible bond as at December 31, 2019.

The fair value is based on the market price of the Eurobond as at December 31, 2019.

Significant unobservable inputs

Category

Not applicable

Not applicable

Amortized cost

Amortized cost

Financial instruments Level 2 measured at fair value

Type

Valuation method

Cash equivalents and  
short-term financial assets  
(money market funds)

Long-term financial assets 
(investment securities)

Forward exchange contracts

The discounted cash flow method is applied, which considers the present value of expected payments, discounted  
using a risk-adjusted discount rate. Due to their short-term maturities, it is assumed that their respective fair value  
is equal to the notional amount.

The fair value is based on the market price of the assets as at December 31, 2019.

Not applicable

Fair value through profit or loss

Significant unobservable inputs

Category

Not applicable

Fair value through profit or loss

In 2019, adidas applied the par method (forward NPV) for all currency pairs to calculate the fair value, implying  
actively traded forward curves. 

Not applicable

Currency options

adidas applies the Garman-Kohlhagen model, which is an extended version of the Black-Scholes model.

Not applicable

Share option (cash settled)

adidas applies the Black-Scholes model.

Not applicable

Hedge accounting/fair value 
through profit or loss

Hedge accounting/fair value 
through profit or loss

Hedge accounting/fair value 
through profit or loss

1

8
4

Total return swap (for own shares)

The fair value is based on the market price of the adidas AG share as at December 31, 2019, minus accrued interest.

Not applicable

Hedge accounting

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194  
  
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STATEMENTS

NOTES

Financial instruments Level 3 measured at fair value

 Type

Valuation method

Investment in FC Bayern 
München AG

Earn-out components (assets)

Promissory notes

Investments in other  
equity instruments  
(fair value through profit or loss)

Investments in other  
equity instruments  
(fair value through other  
comprehensive income)

Earn-out components (liabilities)

This equity security does not have a quoted market price in an active market.  
Existing contractual arrangements (based on the externally observable dividend 
policy of FC Bayern München AG) are used in order to calculate the fair value as at 
December 31, 2019. These dividends are recognized in other financial income.

The valuation follows an option price model based on the Monte Carlo method to 
simulate future EBITDA values. The derived earn-out payments are discounted using 
a risk-adjusted discount rate. The fair value adjustment is recognized in discontinued 
operations.

The discounted cash flow method is applied, which considers the present value  
of expected payments discounted using a risk-adjusted discount rate. Fair value 
adjustments regarding TaylorMade and CCM promissory notes are recognized in 
discontinued operations. Fair value adjustments regarding the Mitchell & Ness 
promissory note are recognized in financial result.

The significant inputs (financing rounds) used to measure fair value include one or 
more events where objective evidence of any changes was identified, considering 
expectations regarding future business development. The fair value adjustment is 
recognized in other financial result.

The option to measure equity instruments at fair value through other comprehensive 
income upon implementation of IFRS 9 has been exercised. The significant inputs 
(financing rounds) used to measure fair value include one or more events where 
objective evidence of any changes was identified, considering expectations regarding 
future business development. The fair value adjustment is recognized in other 
reserves.

The discounted cash flow method is applied, which considers the present value of 
expected payments, discounted using a risk-adjusted discount rate. The fair value 
adjustment refers to accretion and is recognized in interest result.

Significant unobservable inputs

See column ‘Valuation method’

Inter-relationship between significant 
unobservable inputs and fair value measurement Category 

Fair value through 
profit or loss

Risk-adjusted maturity-specific  
discount rate (1.7% – 2.0%), EBITDA 
values, confidence level

The estimated fair value would increase 
(decrease) if EBITDA values were higher (lower) or 
the risk-adjusted discount rate was lower (higher).

Fair value through 
profit or loss

Risk-adjusted maturity-specific 
discount rate (2.3% – 3.1%)

The estimated fair value would increase 
(decrease) if the risk-adjusted discount rate was 
lower (higher).

Fair value through 
profit or loss

See column ‘Valuation method’

See column ‘Valuation method’

Risk-adjusted discount rate (1.75%) The estimated fair value would increase 

(decrease) if the target ratio achievement was 
higher (lower) or the risk-adjusted discount rate 
was lower (higher).

Fair value through 
profit or loss

Fair value through 
other compre-
hensive income

Fair value through 
profit or loss

1

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194  
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STATEMENTS

NOTES

Net gains/(losses) on financial instruments recognized 
in the consolidated income statement € in millions

Financial assets classified at amortized 
cost (AC)

Financial assets at fair value through profit 
or loss (FVTPL)

Thereof: designated as such upon initial 
recognition

Thereof: classified as held for trading 

Equity instruments at fair value through 
profit or loss (FVTPL)

Equity instruments at fair value through 
other comprehensive income (FVOCI)

Financial liabilities at amortized cost (AC)

Financial liabilities at fair value through 
profit or loss (FVTPL)

Thereof: designated as such upon initial 
recognition

Thereof: classified as held for trading 

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 2019

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 2018

(18)

90

–

1

–

–

29

–

–

–

(42)

7

–

1

(1)

–

36

(15)

–

–

Net gains or losses on equity instruments at fair value through 
profit or loss mainly include fair value adjustments based 
on  the  respective  valuation  method. 
 SEE  TABLE  ‘FINANCIAL 

INSTRUMENTS LEVEL 3 MEASURED AT FAIR VALUE’

Fair values € in millions

During 2019, no dividends regarding equity instruments at fair 
value through other comprehensive income were recognized. 
Net  gains  or  losses  on  financial  liabilities  measured  at 
amortized  cost  include  effects  from  early  settlement  and 
reversals of accrued liabilities and refund liabilities.

Forward exchange 
contracts

Currency options

Total

Net  gains  or  losses  on  financial  liabilities  measured  at 
amortized  cost  include  effects  from  early  settlement  and 
reversals of accrued liabilities and refund liabilities.

Notional amounts of all outstanding currency hedging instruments 
€ in millions

Dec. 31, 2019

Dec. 31, 2018

Positive 
fair value

Negative 
fair value

Positive 
fair value

Negative 
fair value

120

17

137

(175)

–

(175)

208

15

223

(96)

–

(96)

Net gains or losses on financial assets measured at amortized 
cost comprise mainly impairment losses and reversals.

Forward exchange contracts

Currency options

Total

Dec. 31, 
2019

Dec. 31, 
2018

14,697

920

15,617

10,784

476

11,260

Net gains or losses on financial assets or financial liabilities 
classified  as  fair  value  through  profit  or  loss  include  the 
effects from fair value measurements of the derivatives that 
are not part of a hedging relationship, and changes in the fair 
value  of  other  financial  instruments  as  well  as  interest 
expenses. 

Notional amounts of outstanding US dollar hedging instruments 
€ in millions

Forward exchange contracts

Currency options

Total

Dec. 31, 
2019

Dec. 31, 
2018

4,590

844

5,434

4,767

319

5,086

1

8
6

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194 
  
  
  
  
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

FINANCIAL RISKS
Currency risks
Currency risks for adidas are a direct result of multi-currency 
cash  flows  within  the  company.  The  vast  majority  of  the 
transactional risk arises from product sourcing in US dollars, 
while  sales  are  typically  denominated  in  the  functional 
currency  of  the  respective  companies.  The  currencies  in 
which  these  transactions  are  mainly  denominated  are 
US dollar, British pound, Japanese yen and Chinese renminbi. 

As  governed  by  the  company’s  Treasury  Policy,  adidas  has 
established  a  hedging  system  on  a  rolling  basis  up  to 
24 months  in  advance,  under  which  the  vast  majority  of  the 
anticipated seasonal hedging volume is secured approximately 
six  months  prior  to  the  start  of  a  season.  In  rare  instances, 
hedges are contracted beyond the 24-month horizon.

adidas uses a combination of different hedging instruments, 
such  as  forward  exchange  contracts,  currency  options  and 
swaps,  to  protect 
itself  against  unfavorable  currency 
movements.  These  contracts  are  generally  designated  as 
cash flow hedges. 

Furthermore, translation impacts from the conversion of non-
euro-denominated  results  into  the  company’s  functional 
currency, the euro, might lead to a material negative impact 
on the company’s financial performance.

information  about  the  accounting  and  hedge 

Further 
accounting treatment is included in these Notes. 

 SEE NOTE 02

Exposures are presented in the following table:

Exposure to foreign exchange risk based on notional amounts € in millions

As at December 31, 2019

Exposure from firm commitments and forecast transactions

Balance sheet exposure including intercompany exposure

Total gross exposure

Hedged with currency options

Hedged with forward contracts

Net exposure

As at December 31, 2018

Exposure from firm commitments and forecast transactions

Balance sheet exposure including intercompany exposure

Total gross exposure

Hedged with currency options

Hedged with forward contracts

Net exposure

USD

GBP

(6,522)

(274)

(6,796)

844

4,243

(1,709)

(5,322)

(93)

(5,415)

319

4,298

(798)

1,061

(31)

1,030

(23)

(936)

71

1,079

0

1,079

(94)

(919)

66

JPY

796

(7)

789

(53)

(607)

129

731

(12)

719

(48)

(607)

64

CNY

1,497

310

1,807

0

(1,681)

126

1,088

(84)

1,004

(18)

(906)

80

The exposure from firm commitments and forecast transactions 
was calculated on a one-year basis.

In line with IFRS 7 requirements, the company has calculated 
the impact on net income and shareholders’ equity based on 
changes in the most important currency exchange rates. The 
calculated  impacts  mainly  result  from  changes  in  the  fair 
value  of  the  hedging  instruments.  The  analysis  does  not 
include effects that arise from the translation of the company’s 
foreign  entities’  financial  statements  into  the  company’s 
reporting currency, the euro. The sensitivity analysis is based 

on  the  net  balance  sheet  exposure,  including  intercompany 
balances from monetary assets and liabilities denominated in 
foreign  currencies.  Moreover,  all  outstanding  currency 
derivatives  were  re-evaluated  using  hypothetical  foreign 
exchange  rates  to  determine  the  effects  on  net  income  and 
equity. The analysis was performed on the same basis for both 
2019 and 2018.

Based on this analysis, a 10% increase in the euro versus the 
US dollar at December 31, 2019 would have led to a € 6 million 
increase in net income.

1

8
7

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194 
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OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

Sensitivity analysis of foreign exchange rate changes € in millions

As at December 31, 2019

Equity

Net income

Equity

Net income

As at December 31, 2018

Equity

Net income

Equity

Net income

USD

GBP

JPY

CNY

EUR + 10%

EUR + 10%

EUR + 10%

EUR + 10%

(328)

6

86

3

59

1

99

(26)

EUR – 10%

EUR – 10%

EUR – 10%

EUR – 10%

465

(8)

(104)

(3)

(71)

(2)

(122)

32

EUR + 10%

EUR + 10%

EUR + 10%

USD + 10%

(269)

11

89

0

58

1

79

(9)

EUR – 10%

EUR – 10%

EUR – 10%

USD – 10%

342

(9)

(104)

0

(72)

(1)

(79)

1

 — The underlying forecast cash flow exposure (which the 
hedge instrument mainly relates to) is not required to be 
revalued in this analysis.

 — Operational issues, such as potential discounts for key 
accounts,  which  have  high  transparency  regarding  the 
impacts of currency on our sourcing activities (due to their 
own private label sourcing efforts), are also excluded from 
this analysis.

 — The credit risk is not considered as part of this analysis.

The company also largely hedges balance sheet risks. Due to 
its strong global position, adidas is able to partly minimize the 
currency  risk  by  utilizing  natural  hedges.  The  company’s 
gross US dollar cash flow exposure calculated for 2020 was 
around  € 6.8 billion  at  year-end  2019,  which  was  hedged 
using  forward  exchange  contracts,  currency  options  and 
currency swaps.

The  more  negative  market  values  of  the  US  dollar  hedges 
would have decreased shareholders’ equity by € 328 million. 
A 10% weaker euro at December 31, 2019 would have led to 
a  €  8  million  decrease  in  net  income.  Shareholders’  equity 
would  have  increased  by  € 465 million.  The  impacts  of 
fluctuations  of  the  euro  against  the  British  pound,  the 
Japanese  yen  and  the  Chinese  renminbi  on  net  income  and 
shareholders’  equity  are  also  included  in  accordance  with 
IFRS requirements. 

However, many other financial and operational variables that 
could potentially reduce the effect of currency fluctuations are 
excluded from the analysis. For instance:
 — Interest rates, commodity prices and all other exchange 

rates are assumed constant.

 — Exchange rates are assumed at a year-end value instead 
of the more relevant sales-weighted average figure, which 
the  company  utilizes  internally  to  better  reflect  both 
the seasonality of its business and intra-year currency 
fluctuations.

fails 

to  meet 

instrument 

is  exposed  to  credit  risks  from 

Credit risks
A credit risk arises if a customer or other counterparty to a 
its  contractual 
financial 
obligations.  adidas 
its 
operating  activities  and  from  certain  financing  activities. 
Credit risks arise principally from accounts receivable and, to 
a  lesser  extent,  from  other  third-party  contractual  financial 
obligations  such  as  other  financial  assets,  short-term  bank 
deposits and derivative financial instruments. Without taking 
into account any collateral or other credit enhancements, the 
carrying amount of financial assets and accounts receivable 
represents the maximum exposure to credit risk.

1

8
8

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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NOTES

At  the  end  of  2019,  there  was  no  relevant  concentration  of 
credit risk by type of customer or geography. The company’s 
credit  risk  exposure  is  mainly  influenced  by  individual 
customer characteristics. Under the company’s credit policy, 
new  customers  are  analyzed  for  creditworthiness  before 
standard  payment  and  delivery  terms  and  conditions  are 
offered.  Tolerance  limits  for  accounts  receivable  are  also 
established  for  each  customer.  Both  creditworthiness  and 
accounts receivable limits are monitored on an ongoing basis. 
Customers  that  fail  to  meet  the  company’s  minimum 
in  general,  allowed  to  purchase 
creditworthiness  are, 
products only on a prepayment basis.

Other  activities  to  mitigate  credit  risks  include  retention  of 
title clauses as well as, on a selective basis, credit insurance, 
the  sale  of  accounts  receivable  without  recourse,  and  bank 
guarantees. Further quantitative information on the extent to 
which  credit  enhancements  mitigate  the  credit  risk  of 
accounts receivable is included in these Notes.  

 SEE NOTE 07

At the end of 2019, no customer accounted for more than 10% 
of accounts receivable.

The  Treasury  department  arranges  currency,  commodity 
interest rate and equity hedges and invests cash with major 
banks of a high credit standing throughout the world. adidas 
subsidiaries are authorized to work with banks rated BBB+ or 
higher. Only in exceptional cases are subsidiaries authorized 
to work with banks rated lower than BBB+. 
 SEE TREASURY, P. 104 
To limit risk in these cases, restrictions are clearly stipulated, 
such as maximum cash deposit levels. In addition, the credit 
default swap premiums of the company’s partner banks are 
monitored  on  a  monthly  basis.  In  the  event  that  the  defined 
threshold  is  exceeded,  credit  balances  are  shifted  to  banks 
compliant with the limit.

adidas  furthermore  believes  that  the  risk  concentration  is 
limited  due  to  the  broad  distribution  of  the  investment 
business of the company with more than 20 globally operating 
banks.  At  December  31,  2019,  no  bank  accounted  for  more 
than 10% of the investments of adidas. Including subsidiaries’ 
short-term deposits in local banks, the average concentration 
was 2%. This leads to a maximum exposure of € 118 million 
in  the  event  of  default  of  any  single  bank.  The  investment 
exposure was further diversified by investing into AAA-rated 
money market funds.

In  addition,  in  2019,  adidas  held  derivatives  of  foreign 
exchange with a positive fair market value in the amount of 
€ 137 million.  The  maximum  exposure  to  any  single  bank 
resulting from these assets amounted to € 66 million and the 
average concentration was 9%.

In accordance with IFRS 7, the following table includes further 
information  about  set-off  possibilities  of  derivative  financial 
assets  and  liabilities.  The  majority  of  agreements  between 
financial  institutions  and  adidas  include  a  mutual  right  to 
set  off. However, these agreements do not meet the criteria 
for offsetting in the statement of financial position, because 
the  right  to  set  off  is  enforceable  only  in  the  event  of 
counterparty defaults.

The  carrying  amounts  of  recognized  derivative  financial 
instruments, which are subject to the mentioned agreements, 
are also presented in the following table:

Set-off possibilities of derivative financial assets and liabilities 
€ in millions

2019

2018

Assets

Gross amounts of recognized financial assets

Financial instruments which qualify for set-off 
in the statement of financial position

Net amounts of financial assets presented in 
the statement of financial position

Set-off possible due to master agreements

Total net amount of financial assets

Liabilities

Gross amounts of recognized financial 
liabilities

Financial instruments which qualify for set-off 
in the statement of financial position

Net amounts of financial liabilities presented 
in the statement of financial position

Set-off possible due to master agreements

Total net amount of financial liabilities

322

0

322

(160)

162

(262)

0

(262)

160

(102)

249

0

249

(94)

155

(97)

0

(97)

94

(3)

1

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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NOTES

Interest rate risks
Changes in global market interest rates affect future interest 
payments for variable-interest liabilities. As adidas does not 
have  material  variable-interest  liabilities,  even  a  significant 
increase  in  interest  rates  should  have  only  slight  adverse 
effects  on  the  company’s  profitability,  liquidity  and  financial 
position.

To reduce interest rate risks and maintain financial flexibility, 
a core tenet of the company’s financial strategy is to continue 
to  use  surplus  cash  flow  from  operations  to  reduce  gross 
borrowings.  Beyond  that,  adidas  may  consider  adequate 
hedging strategies through interest rate derivatives in order 
to mitigate interest rate risks. 

 SEE TREASURY, P. 104

Share price risks
Share price risks arise due to the Long-Term Incentive Plan 
(LTIP),  which  is  a  share-based  remuneration  scheme  with 
cash settlement, and the equity-neutral convertible bond with 
cash  settlement.  In  order  to  mitigate  share  price  risks,  it  is 
company strategy to use swaps and options to hedge against 
share price fluctuations. Swaps are used to hedge the Long-
Term Incentive Plan and are classified as cash flow hedges. 
The  embedded  cash  option  in  the  convertible  bond  is  fully 
offset with a call option to mitigate the cash settlement.

In  line  with  IFRS  7  requirements,  adidas  has  calculated  the 
impact  on  net  income  based  on  changes  in  the  company’s 
share  price.  A  10%  increase  in  the  adidas  AG  share  price 
versus  the  closing  share  price  at  December  31,  2019  would 
have led to a € 79.5 million increase in net income whereas a 
10% decrease in the adidas AG share price versus the closing 
share  price  at  December  31,  2019  would  only  have  led  to  a 
€ 45.7 million increase in net income.

Financing and liquidity risks
Liquidity risks arise from not having the necessary resources 
available  to  meet  maturing  liabilities  with  regard  to  timing, 
volume  and  currency  structure.  In  addition,  the  company 
faces the risk of having to accept unfavorable financing terms 
due to liquidity restraints. The Treasury department uses an 
efficient  cash  management  system  to  manage  liquidity  risk. 
At  December  31,  2019,  cash  and  cash  equivalents  together 
with  marketable  securities  amounted  to  € 2.511 billion 
(2018:  € 2.635 billion).  Moreover,  the  company  maintains 
€ 2.105 billion (2018: € 2.215 billion) in bilateral credit lines, 

which are designed to ensure sufficient liquidity at all times. 
Of these, € 600 million consists of core committed lines. 

 SEE TREASURY, P. 104

Future cash outflows arising from financial liabilities that are 
recognized in the consolidated statement of financial position 
are presented in the table.

This includes payments to settle obligations from borrowings 
as  well  as  cash  outflows  from  cash-settled  derivatives  with 
negative  market  values.  Financial  liabilities  that  may  be 

Future cash outflows € in millions

As at December 31, 2019

Bank borrowings 

Eurobond 1

Equity-neutral convertible bond

Accounts payable

Other financial liabilities

Accrued liabilities 2

Derivative financial liabilities

Total

As at December 31, 2018

Bank borrowings

Eurobond 1

Equity-neutral convertible bond

Accounts payable

Other financial liabilities

Accrued liabilities 2

Derivative financial liabilities

Total

1 Including interest payments.
2 Accrued interest excluded.

Up to 
1 year 

Up to  
2 years

Up to  
3 years

Up to  
4 years

Up to  
5 years

More than  
5 years

43

17

2,703

66

1,016

7,497

11,342

66

16

2,300

83

921

3,373

6,759

19

616

0

712

1,347

19

17

378

414

19

9

5

33

19

616

7

642

19

9

487

503

1,018

19

9

4

32

19

9

3

31

19

9

484

503

1,015

46

407

1

15

469

66

416

1

13

496

Total

165

1,067

487

2,703

66

1,017

8,735

14,240

208

1,083

484

2,300

83

922

4,278

9,358

1

9
0

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

Average hedge rates 

As at December 31, 2018

short-term long-term

Maturity

settled in advance without penalty are included on the basis of 
the  earliest  date  of  potential  repayment.  Cash  flows  for 
variable-interest  liabilities  are determined with reference to 
the conditions at the balance sheet date. 

adidas  ended  the  year  2019  with  net  cash  of  € 873 million 
(2018: net cash of € 959 million).

Financial instruments for the hedging of foreign exchange risk
As at December 31, 2019, adidas held the following instruments 
to hedge exposure to changes in foreign currency:

Average hedge rates 

Maturity

Foreign currency risk

Net exposure (€ in millions)

Forward exchange contracts

Average EUR/USD forward rate

Average EUR/GBP forward rate

Average EUR/JPY forward rate

Average USD/CNY forward rate

Option exchange contracts

Average EUR/USD forward rate

Average EUR/GBP forward rate

Average EUR/JPY forward rate

Average USD/CNY forward rate

As at December 31, 2019

short-term long-term

Equity risk

Net exposure (€ in millions)

Total return swap

Average hedge rate

Foreign currency risk

Net exposure (€ in millions)

Forward exchange contracts

Average EUR/USD forward rate

Average EUR/GBP forward rate

Average EUR/JPY forward rate

Average EUR/CNY forward rate

Option exchange contracts

Average EUR/USD forward rate

Average EUR/GBP forward rate

Average EUR/JPY forward rate

Average USD/CNY forward rate

Equity risk

Net exposure (€ in millions)

Total return swap

Average hedge rate

853

360

1.167

0.899

1.142

0.869

123.132

117.975

7.961

8.079

1.143

0.862

124.650

–

49

–

0.863

–

–

118

179.980

190.215

(90)

873

1.223

0.896

1.207

0.897

130.737

127.577

6.687

6.872

1.189

0.933

131.221

6.901

–

–

–

–

–

–

104

177.060

1

9

1

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194  
  
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

The amounts at the reporting date relating to items designated 
as hedged items were as follows:

Designated hedged items as at December 31, 2019 € in millions

Change in value used for  
calculating hedge ineffectiveness

Hedging 
reserve

Cost of hedging  
reserve

Balances remaining in the cash 
flow hedging reserve from hedge 
relationships for which hedge 
accounting is no longer applied

Foreign currency risk

Sales

Inventory purchases

Net foreign investment risk

Equity risk

Long-Term Incentive Plans

Designated hedged items as at December 31, 2018 € in millions

(59)

(42)

(44)

(85)

(49)

8

(182)

26

(47)

59

–

–

–

–

–

–

Foreign currency risk

Sales

Inventory purchases

Net foreign investment risk

Equity risk

Long-Term Incentive Plans

Change in value used for  
calculating hedge ineffectiveness

Hedging 
reserve

Cost of hedging  
reserve

Balances remaining in the cash 
flow hedging reserve from hedge 
relationships for which hedge 
accounting is no longer applied

4

(112)

(1)

(5)

119

(138)

(2)

2

(30)

19

–

–

–

–

–

–

1

9
2

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194  
  
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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STATEMENTS

NOTES

The  amounts  relating  to 
instruments and hedge ineffectiveness were as follows:

items  designated  as  hedging 

Designated hedge instruments € in millions

Carrying amount

2019

Line item in 
statement 
of financial 
position where 
the hedging 
instrument is 
included

Changes in 
the value of 
the hedging 
instrument 
recognized 
in hedging 
reserve

Changes in 
the value of 
the hedging 
instrument 
recognized 
in cost of 
hedging 
reserve

Hedge 
ineffec-
tiveness 
recognized 
in profit or 
loss

Assets Liabilities

21

40

–

88

Other financial 
assets/liabilities

Other financial 
assets/liabilities

(70)

(32)

Other financial 
assets/liabilities

(2)

Other financial 
assets/liabilities

–

59

42

44

85

(126)

(30)

–

–

–

–

–

–

Line item 
in income 
statement 
which 
includes 
hedge 
ineffec-
tiveness

Cost of 
sales

Cost of 
sales

Financial 
result

Financial 
result

During the period 2019

Amount 
from 
hedging 
reserve 
transferred 
to inventory

Amount 
from cost 
of hedging 
reserve 
trans-
ferred to 
inventory

Amount 
reclas-
sified from 
hedging 
reserve to 
profit or 
loss

Amount 
reclas-
sified from 
cost of 
hedging 
reserve to 
profit or 
loss

Line item 
in income 
statement 
affected by 
the reclassi-
fication

–

105

–

–

–

117

–

–

(160)

54

Cost of sales

–

–

61

–

–

–

Cost of sales

Financial 
result

Other 
operating 
expenses

Foreign exchange contracts – sales

Nominal 
amount

4,606

Foreign exchange contracts – inventory purchases

4,960

Foreign exchange contracts – net foreign 
investments

Total return swap – Long-Term Incentive Plans

503

167

1

9
3

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194  
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

Designated hedge instruments € in millions

Carrying amount

2018

Line item in 
statement 
of financial 
position where 
the hedging 
instrument is 
included

Changes in 
the value of 
the hedging 
instrument 
recognized 
in hedging 
reserve

Changes in 
the value of 
the hedging 
instrument 
recognized 
in cost of 
hedging 
reserve

Hedge 
ineffec-
tiveness 
recognized 
in profit 
and loss

Assets Liabilities

23

151

6

3

Other financial 
assets/liabilities

(54)

Other financial 
assets/liabilities

Other financial 
assets/liabilities

(7)

(5)

Other financial 
assets/liabilities

–

318

(27)

(16)

2

25

(35)

–

–

–

–

–

–

Line item 
in income 
statement 
which 
includes 
hedge 
ineffec-
tiveness

Cost of 
sales

Cost of 
sales

Financial 
result

Financial 
result

During the period 2018

Amount 
from 
hedging 
reserve 
transferred 
to inventory

Amount 
from cost 
of hedging 
reserve 
trans-
ferred to 
inventory

Amount 
reclas-
sified from 
hedging 
reserve to 
profit or 
loss

Amount 
reclas-
sified from 
cost of 
hedging 
reserve to 
profit or 
loss

Line item 
in income 
statement 
affected by 
the reclassi-
fication

–

(46)

–

–

–

30

–

–

(26)

(33)

Cost of sales

–

–

1

–

–

–

Cost of sales

Financial 
result

Other 
operating 
expenses

Foreign exchange contracts – sales

Nominal 
amount

3,256

Foreign exchange contracts – inventory purchases

4,282

Foreign exchange contracts – net foreign 
investments

Total return swap – Long-Term Incentive Plans

486

104

1

9
4

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194  
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

Due  to  changes  in  exposure,  some  of  the  currency  hedges 
were  terminated  and  consequently  an  amount  of  negative 
€  35  million  was  reclassified  from  hedging  reserves  to  the 
income statement in 2019.

In order to determine the fair values of its derivatives that are 
not  publicly 
traded,  adidas  uses  generally  accepted 
quantitative  financial  models  based  on  market  conditions 
prevailing at the balance sheet date.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED INCOME 
STATEMENT

All figures related to the 2019 and 2018 financial years in the 
‘Notes  to  the  consolidated  income  statement’  refer  to  the 
company’s continuing operations unless otherwise stated.

The following table provides a reconciliation by risk category 
of components of equity and analysis of OCI items, net of tax, 
resulting from cash flow hedge accounting.

Changes of reserves by risk category € in millions

Balance at January 1, 2019

Cash flow hedges

Changes in fair value:

Foreign currency risk – sales

Foreign currency risk – inventory 
purchases

Foreign currency risk – net foreign 
investment

Amount no longer recognized in OCI:

Foreign currency risk 

Contracts during the year

Amount included in the cost of non-financial 
items:

Foreign currency risk – inventory 
purchases

Tax on movements of reserves during  
the year

Equity hedges

Changes in fair value:

Amount reclassified to profit or loss

Balance at December 31, 2019

Hedging 
reserve

Cost of 
hedging 
reserve

(20)

(11)

(158)

(33)

(44)

54

(18)

–

44

85

(61)

(150)

32

99

–

(172)

46

–

3

–

–

(3)

Changes of reserves by risk category € in millions

Balance at January 1, 2018

Cash flow hedges

Changes in fair value:

Foreign currency risk – sales

Foreign currency risk – inventory 
purchases

Foreign currency risk – net foreign 
investment

Amount reclassified to profit or loss:

Foreign currency risk 

Contracts during the year

Amount included in the cost of non-financial 
items:

Foreign currency risk – inventory 
purchases

Tax on movements on reserves during  
the year

Equity hedges

Changes in fair value:

Amount reclassified to profit or loss

Balance at December 31, 2018

Hedging 
reserve

(295)

Cost of 
hedging 
reserve

(1)

31 » OTHER OPERATING INCOME
Other operating income consists of the following:

Other operating income € in millions

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2019

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2018

Income from release of accrued liabilities and 
other provisions

Gains from disposal of fixed assets

Sundry income

Other operating income

9

5

42

56

6

10

32

48

Sundry income mainly relates to income from reimbursements 
of indirect taxes.

292

55

(16)

(73)

16

0

17

3

(1)

(3)

40

(40)

–

30

(39)

1

4

–

(7)

1

9
5

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194 
  
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

32 »  OTHER OPERATING EXPENSES
Expenses are presented by function according to the ‘cost of 
sales method’ in the income statement with the exception of 
impairment losses (net) on accounts receivable and contract 
assets which are disclosed in a separate line item as required 
by IFRS 9 ‘Financial Instruments’.

Other  operating  expenses  presented  by  functions  include 
marketing  and  point-of-sale  expenses,  distribution  and 
selling  expenses,  general  and  administration  expenses  as 
well  as  sundry  expenses  less  any  income  from  government 
grants, if applicable. 

Marketing  and  point-of-sale  expenses  consist  of  promotion 
and  communication  spending  such  as  promotion  contracts, 
advertising,  events  and  other  communication  activities. 
However, they do not include marketing overhead expenses, 
which are presented in distribution and selling expenses.

Further  information  on  expenses  by  nature  is  provided  in 
these Notes. 

 SEE NOTE 33

Expenses by nature € in millions

33 » COST BY NATURE 
Supplementary  information  on  the  expenses  by  nature  is 
detailed below.

Cost  of  materials  represents  the  amount  of  inventories 
recognized as an expense during the period. 

Depreciation of tangible and right-of-use assets, amortization 
of  intangible  assets  as  well  as  impairment  losses  and 
reversals of impairment losses on those assets are primarily 
included  within  other  operating  expenses  unless  they  are 
directly attributable to the production costs, in which case the 
expenses  are  included  within  the  cost  of  sales.  Impairment 
losses  and  reversals  of  impairment  losses  on  goodwill  (if 
applicable)  are  presented  as  a  separate  line  item  in  the 
consolidated income statement.

Cost of materials

Depreciation and amortization

Thereof: included within the cost of sales

Thereof: included within personnel 
expenses

Impairment losses

Reversals of impairment losses

Wages and salaries

Social security contributions

Pension expenses

Personnel expenses

Expense relating to short-term leases

Expense relating to leases of low-value 
assets

Expense relating to variable lease payments

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2019

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2018

11,296

1,162

10,507

470

31

11

24

(8)

2,382

228

109

2,720

38

1

140

3

–

19

(3)

2,156

218

107

2,481

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

The  distribution  and  selling  expenses  consist  of  sales  force 
and  sales  administration  costs,  direct  and  indirect  supply 
chain  costs,  marketing  overhead  expenses,  as  well  as 
expenses for research and development, which amounted to 
€ 152 million in 2019 (2018: € 153 million). 

Personnel  expenses  are  primarily  included  within  other 
operating expenses unless they are directly attributable to the 
production  costs,  in  which  case  the  expenses  are  included 
within the cost of sales.

General and administration expenses include the functions IT, 
Finance,  Legal,  Human  Resources,  Facilities & Services  as 
well as General Management.

Expenses  relating  to  leases  of  low-value  assets  exclude 
short-term leases of low-value assets.

Further  information  on  expenses  by  function  is  provided  in 
these Notes. 

 SEE NOTE 32

Sundry expenses consist mainly of costs for one-time effects 
as well as losses from disposal of fixed assets.

Income  from  government  grants  is  reported  as  a  deduction 
from  the  related  expenses  and  amounted  to  € 34 million  in 
2019 (2018: €27 million).

1

9
6

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194  
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

34 » FINANCIAL INCOME/FINANCIAL EXPENSES
Financial result consists of the following:

Interest  income  from  financial  instruments,  measured  at 
amortized cost, mainly consists of interest income from bank 
deposits and loans.

Financial income € in millions

Interest income from financial instruments 
measured at amortized cost

Interest income from financial instruments  
at fair value through profit or loss

Interest income from non-financial assets

Net foreign exchange gains

Other

Financial income

Financial expenses € in millions

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2019

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2018

50

0

0

–

14

64

24

0

0

26

7

57

Interest expense on financial instruments 
measured at amortized cost

Thereof: interest expense on lease liabilities

Interest expense on financial instruments  
at fair value through profit or loss

Interest expense on other provisions and 
non-financial liabilities

Net foreign exchange losses

Other

Financial expenses

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2019

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2018

160

101

0

0

5

1

42

2

0

0

–

5

166

47

Interest  income/expense  from  financial  instruments  at  fair 
value through profit or loss mainly includes interest payments 
from investment funds as well as net interest payments from 
interest derivatives not being part of a hedging relationship. 
Unrealized  gains/losses  from  fair  value  measurement  of 
such financial assets are shown in other financial income 
or expenses.

35 » HYPERINFLATION
Due to the rapid devaluation of the Argentinian peso, Argentina 
is  considered  as  hyperinflationary  and  as  a  result  the 
application of IAS 29 was adopted for the first time in the third 
quarter  of  2018.  The  financial  statements  of  2018  for  those 
subsidiaries  that  have  the  Argentinian  peso  as  a  functional 
currency  had  been  restated  for  the  change  in  the  general 
purchasing power retrospectively since January 1, 2018. The 
financial statements are based on a historical cost approach. 
The  prior  year  figures  are  stated  in  terms  of  the  measuring 
unit current at December 31, 2018. 

Interest  expense  on  financial  instruments  measured  at 
amortized cost mainly includes interest on lease liabilities as 
well  as  interest  on  borrowings  and  effects  from  using  the 
‘effective interest method’.

For translation into the presentation currency (euro), all amounts 
were  translated  at  the  closing  rate  at  December  31,  2019. 
The net assets in the subsidiary’s local financial statements 
were adjusted for changes in the price level.

Interest  expense  on  other  provisions  and  non-financial 
liabilities particularly includes effects from measurement of 
other provisions at present value and interest on non-financial 
liabilities such as tax payables.

Information regarding investments, borrowings and financial 
instruments is also included in these Notes. 

 SEE NOTES 06, 15, 

18 AND 30

The  price  index  at  December  31,  2019  was  3,767.12  (2018: 
2,450.15). 

36 » INCOME TAXES 
adidas AG and its German subsidiaries are subject to German 
corporate and trade taxes. For the years ending December 31, 
2019 and 2018, the statutory corporate income tax rate of 15% 
plus a surcharge of 5.5% thereon is applied to earnings. The 
municipal trade tax is approximately 11.4% of taxable income.

For non-German subsidiaries, deferred taxes are calculated 
based  on  tax  rates  that  have  been  enacted  or  substantively 
enacted by the closing date.

Deferred tax assets and liabilities 
Deferred tax assets and liabilities are offset if they relate to 
the  same  fiscal  authority.  The  following  deferred  tax  assets 
and  liabilities,  determined  after  appropriate  offsetting,  are 
presented in the consolidated statement of financial position:

1

9
7

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194  
  
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

Movement of deferred taxes € in millions

Accumulated tax loss carry-forwards

Deferred tax assets/liabilities € in millions

Deferred tax assets

Deferred tax liabilities

Deferred tax assets, net

Dec. 31, 
2019

Dec. 31, 
2018

1,093

(280)

813

651

(241)

410

The movement of deferred taxes is as follows:

Deferred tax assets, net as at January 1

Deferred tax income

Change in consolidated companies 1

Change in deferred taxes attributable to 
remeasurements of defined benefit plans 
recorded in other comprehensive income 2

Change in deferred taxes attributable to the 
change in the effective portion of the fair value 
of qualifying hedging instruments recorded in 
other comprehensive income 3

Change in deferred taxes attributable to the 
implementation of IFRS 9

Change in deferred taxes attributable to the 
implementation of IFRS 15

Currency translation differences

2019

410

355

(2)

18

27

–

–

5

Deferred tax assets, net as at December 31

813

1 See Note 04.
2 See Note 25.
3 See Note 30.

2018

440

4

–

6

(43)

1

8

(6)

410

Gross  company  deferred  tax  assets  and  liabilities  after 
valuation allowances, but before appropriate offsettings, are 
attributable to the items detailed in the table below: 

Deferred tax assets for which the realization of the related tax 
benefits  is  not  probable  decreased  from  € 554 million  to 
€ 488 million  for  the  year  ending  December 31, 2019.  These 
amounts  mainly  relate  to  tax  losses  carried  forward  and 
unused foreign tax credits of the US tax group, which begin to 
expire  in  2028.  The  remaining  unrecognized  deferred  tax 
assets relate to subsidiaries operating in markets where the 
realization  of  the  related  tax  benefit  is  not  considered 
probable.

liabilities  for 
adidas  does  not  recognize  deferred  tax 
unremitted earnings of non-German subsidiaries to the extent 
that  they  are  expected  to  be  permanently  invested  in 
international  operations.  These  earnings,  the  amount  of 
which cannot be practicably computed, could become subject 
to  additional  tax  if  they  were  remitted  as  dividends  or  if  the 
company were to sell its shareholdings in the subsidiaries.

Dec. 31, 
2019

Dec. 31, 
2018

462

292

1,018

80

1,852

888

69

82

1,039

813

182

182

311

14

689

206

49

24

279

410

Deferred taxes € in millions

Non-current assets 

Current assets

Liabilities and provisions

Deferred tax assets

Non-current assets

Current assets

Liabilities and provisions

Deferred tax liabilities

Deferred tax assets, net

Deferred tax assets are recognized only to the extent that the 
realization  of  the  related  benefit 
is  probable.  For  the 
assessment  of  probability,  in  addition  to  past  performance 
and  the  respective  prospects  for  the  foreseeable  future, 
appropriate  tax  structuring  measures  are  also  taken  into 
consideration.

Deferred tax assets on liabilities and provisions, and deferred 
tax liabilities on non-current assets increased significantly in 
2019  due  to  the  initial  application  of  IFRS  16.  Deferred  tax 
assets on non-current assets increased significantly due to an 
increase in the tax base of non-current assets relating to an 
internal reorganization.

1

9
8

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194 
 
 
 
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

Tax expenses
Tax expenses are split as follows:

The  company’s  effective  tax  rate  differs  from  the  applicable 
tax rate of 27.4% as follows:

Income tax expenses € in millions

Tax rate reconciliation

Current tax expenses

Deferred tax income

Income tax expenses

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2019

 Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2018

996

(355)

640

673

(4)

669

The deferred tax income includes tax income of € 388 million 
in  total  (2018:  € 52 million)  related  to  the  origination  and 
reversal of temporary differences. 

In  2019,  current  and  deferred  tax  expense/income  includes 
impacts relating to an internal reorganization.

The company’s applicable tax rate is 27.4% (2018: 30%), being 
the applicable income tax rate of adidas AG. The comparative 
information  for  2018  in  the  table  below  has  been  restated 
based on the applicable tax rate of 27.4%.

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 2019

 Year ending 
Dec. 31, 2018

Expected income tax 
expenses

Tax rate differentials

Non-deductible 
expenses

Losses for which 
benefits were not 
recognizable and 
changes in valuation 
allowances

Changes in tax rates

Other, net

Withholding tax 
expenses

Income tax expenses

 € in 
millions

700

(119)

26

(53)

3

1

557

83

640

 in %

27.4

(4.6)

1.0

(2.1)

0.1

0.0

21.8

3.2

25.0

 € in 
millions

651

(116)

27

(29)

3

0

537

132

669

 in %

27.4

(4.9)

1.2

(1.2)

0.1

0.0

22.6

5.6

28.1

For  2019,  the  line  item  ‘Losses  for  which  benefits  were  not 
recognizable  and  changes  in  valuation  allowances’  mainly 
relates to the release of valuation allowances in respect of the 
US, Canada, and Brazil (€ 56 million), and an increase in the 
valuation allowance in Argentina (€ 3 million). For 2018, this 
line  item  mainly  related  to  changes  in  valuation  allowances 
for the US, Canada, and Argentina.

For  2019,  the  total  tax  benefit  arising  from  previously 
unrecognized tax losses, credits or temporary differences in 
prior  years  that  is  used  to  reduce  current  tax  expense  was 
€  26  million,  mainly  relating  to  the  US,  Canada  and  Brazil 
(2018: € 39 million).

For 2019, the line item ‘Changes in tax rates’ mainly reflects 
tax rate reductions in India and Greece. For 2018, this line item 
mainly reflected tax rate reductions in France and Argentina.

In 2019, the effective tax rate was 25.0%. The effective tax rate 
in 2018 was 28.1%.

The line item ‘Non-deductible expenses’ includes tax expense/
benefits relating to tax-free income, movements in provisions 
for  uncertain  tax  positions,  tax  expense  relating  to  prior 
periods and tax expense relating to an internal reorganization. 

In  2019,  the  tax  expense  relating  to  prior  periods 
€ 134 million (2018: benefit of € 69 million). 

is 

1

9
9

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194  
  
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

37 » EARNINGS PER SHARE
Basic  earnings  per  share  are  calculated  by  dividing  the  net 
to 
income 
shareholders  by  the  weighted  average  number  of  shares 
outstanding  during  the  year,  excluding  ordinary  shares 
purchased by adidas and held as treasury shares.

continuing  operations  attributable 

from 

The convertible bond issued in March 2012 was fully converted 
in  2018,  therefore  it  is  not  necessary  to  include  potential 
dilutive  shares  arising  from  the  convertible  bond  in  the 
calculation  of  diluted  earnings  per  share  in  2019.  Dilutive 
effects  result  out  of  the  share-based  payment  transactions 
with employees. 

 SEE NOTE 28

Earnings per share

Net income from continuing 
operations (€ in millions)

Net income attributable to 
non-controlling interests 
(€ in millions) 

Net income attributable to 
shareholders (€ in millions)

Weighted average number 
of shares 

Continuing operations

Discontinued operations

Total

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 2019

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 2018

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 2019

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 2018

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 2019

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 2018

1,918

1,709

2

1,917

3

1,707

–

–

59

–

–

(5)

–

–

–

–

1,976

1,702

197,606,107

201,759,012

197,606,107

201,759,012

197,606,107

201,759,012

Basic earnings per share (€) 

9.70

8.46

0.30

(0.02)

10.00

8.44

Net income attributable to 
shareholders (€ in millions)

Interest expense on convertible 
bond, net of taxes  
(€ in millions)

Net income used to determine 
diluted earnings per share  
(€ in millions)

Weighted average number of 
shares

Weighted assumed conversion 
of the convertible bond

Dilutive effect of share-based 
payments

Weighted average number of 
shares for diluted earnings 
per share

1,917

1,707

–

0

1,917

1,707

59

–

59

(5)

–

(5)

1,976

1,702

–

0

1,976

1,702

197,606,107

201,759,012

197,606,107

201,759,012

197,606,107

201,759,012

–

280,100

–

280,100

–

280,100

6,426

5,855

6,426

5,855

6,426

5,855

197,612,533

202,044,967

197,612,533

202,044,967

197,612,533

202,044,967

Diluted earnings per share (€) 

9.70

8.45

0.30

(0.02)

10.00

8.42

2
0
0

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194  
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

38 » SEGMENTAL INFORMATION
adidas operates predominantly in one industry segment – the 
design,  distribution  and  marketing  of  athletic  and  sports 
lifestyle products.

As  at  December  31,  2019,  following  the  company’s  internal 
management reporting by markets and in accordance with the 
definition  of  IFRS  8  ‘Operating  Segments’,  ten  operating 
segments  were  identified:  Europe,  North  America  adidas, 
North America Reebok, Asia-Pacific, Russia/CIS, Latin America, 
Emerging Markets, adidas Golf, Runtastic and Other centrally 
managed businesses.

Runtastic operates in the digital health and fitness space. The 
company  provides  a  comprehensive  ecosystem  for  tracking 
and managing health and fitness data.

Other  centrally  managed  businesses  primarily  includes  the 
business activities of the Y-3 label.

Certain  centralized  corporate  functions  do  not  meet  the 
definition of IFRS 8 for an operating segment. This includes, 
in  particular,  functions  such  as  Global  Brands  and  Global 
Sales  (central  brand  and  distribution  management  for  the 
adidas and Reebok brands), central treasury, global sourcing 
as  well  as  other  headquarter  functions.  Assets,  liabilities, 
income  and  expenses  relating  to  these  corporate  functions 
are presented in the reconciliations.

Due to the completed divestiture, income and expenses of the 
former  TaylorMade  operating  segment  are  reported  as 
discontinued operations in 2018. 

 SEE NOTE 03

The  chief  operating  decision  maker  for  adidas  has  been 
defined as the entire Executive Board of adidas AG.

The  operating  segments  North  America  adidas  and  North 
America  Reebok  have  been  aggregated  to  segment  North 
America.

According to the criteria of IFRS 8 for  reportable segments, 
the operating segments Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific, 
Russia/CIS,  Latin  America  and  Emerging  Markets  are 
reported  separately.  The  remaining  operating  segments  are 
aggregated  under  Other  Businesses  due  to  their  only 
subordinate materiality. 

Each market comprises all wholesale, retail and e-commerce 
business  activities  relating  to  the  distribution  and  sale  of 
products of the adidas and Reebok brands to retail customers 
and end consumers.

adidas Golf comprises the distribution and sale of adidas Golf 
branded products.

Net sales represents revenue from contracts with customers. 
There  are  no  intersegment  sales  between  the  reportable 
segments.  Accounting  and  valuation  policies  applied  for 
reporting segmental information are the same as those used 
for adidas. 

 SEE NOTE 02

The results of the operating segments are reported in the line 
item  ‘Segmental  operating  profit’.  This  is  defined  as  gross 
profit  minus  other  operating  expenses  plus  royalty  and 
commission income and other operating income attributable 
to  the  segment  or  group  of  segments,  however  without 
considering  headquarter  costs  and  central  expenditure  for 
marketing.

Segmental  assets  include  accounts  receivable  as  well  as 
inventories.  Only  these  items  are  reported  to  the  chief 
operating  decision  maker  on  a  regular  basis.  Depreciation, 
amortization,  impairment  losses  (except  for  goodwill)  and 

reversals of impairment losses as well as capital expenditure 
for tangible and intangible assets are part of the segmental 
reporting,  even  though  segmental  assets  do  not  contain 
tangible and intangible assets. Depreciation and amortization 
as  well  as  impairment  losses  and  reversals  of  impairment 
losses  not  directly  attributable  to  a  segment  or  a  group  of 
‘HQ’  and 
segments  are  presented  under 
‘Consolidation’ in the reconciliations.

items 

line 

Segmental  liabilities  only  contain  accounts  payable  from 
operating  activities  as  there  are  no  other  liability  items 
reported regularly to the chief operating decision maker.

Interest  income  and  interest  expenses  as  well  as  income 
taxes  are  not  allocated  to  the  reportable  segments  and  are 
not reported separately to the chief operating decision maker.

2
0

1

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

NOTES

Segmental information I € in millions

Net sales 
(third parties) 1

Thereof:  
adidas brand 1

Thereof: 
Reebok brand 1

Segmental 
operating 
profit 1

Segmental 
assets 2

Segmental 
liabilities 2

2019

2018

2019

2018

2019

2018

2019

2018

2019

2018

2019

2018

Europe

North America

Asia-Pacific

Russia/CIS

Latin America

Emerging Markets

Reportable segments

6,071

5,313

8,032

658

1,660

1,302

5,885

4,689

7,141

595

1,634

1,144

5,599

4,828

7,736

490

1,490

1,146

5,405

4,277

6,805

446

1,463

1,010

471

485

296

168

170

156

480

411

336

149

171

134

1,408

1,176

715

698

2,703

2,339

167

295

367

146

279

318

1,671

1,692

1,735

215

656

480

1,511

1,474

1,417

157

617

391

23,035

21,086 21,288

19,405

1,747

1,681

5,655

4,956

6,449

5,568

Other Businesses (continuing operations)

605

829

217

446

–

605

48

877

–

217

–

446

1

–

1

6

–

6

68

–

68

163

191

280

(4)

159

–

191

–

280

23,640

21,963 21,505

19,851

1,748

1,687

5,723

5,114

6,640

5,848

128

101

340

5

111

55

740

15

–

15

755

115

98

333

5

85

41

676

18

–

18

693

Reconciliations
The  following  tables  include  reconciliations  of  segmental 
information  to  the  aggregate  numbers  of  the  consolidated 
financial statements, taking into account items which are not 
directly attributable to a segment or a group of segments.

Net sales (third parties) € in millions

Reportable segments

Other Businesses

Reclassification to discontinued operations

Total

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2019

 Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2018

23,035

21,086

605

–

877

(48)

23,640

21,915

Operating profit € in millions

Capital 
expenditure 1

Depreciation and 
amortization 1

Impairment losses 
and reversals of 
impairment losses 1

2019

2018

2019

2018

2019

2018

Operating profit for reportable segments

Operating profit for Other Businesses

Segmental operating profit

Reclassification to discontinued operations

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2019

 Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2018

5,655

68

5,723

–

4,956

159

5,114

4

HQ

(1,997)

(1,755)

3

2

2

Central expenditure for marketing 

Consolidation

83

62

172

17

35

22

391

4

–

4

69

53

157

7

15

14

315

5

–

5

395

321

161

129

329

77

53

60

809

14

–

14

824

55

40

133

23

25

16

291

7

1

8

299

3

6

5

(0)

(0)

1

14

6

–

6

20

(1)

Operating profit

Financial income

Financial expenses

Income before taxes

1

0

7

8

0

8

16

(925)

(141)

2,660

64

(166)

2,558

(958)

(38)

2,368

57

(47)

2,378

2
0
2

Other Businesses (discontinued 
operations)

Other Businesses

Total

1 Year ending December 31.
2 At December 31.

Segmental information II € in millions

Europe

North America

Asia-Pacific

Russia/CIS

Latin America

Emerging Markets

Reportable segments

Other Businesses (continuing operations)

Other Businesses (discontinued operations)

Other Businesses

Total

1 Year ending December 31.

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194 
  
  
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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STATEMENTS

NOTES

Capital expenditure € in millions

Impairment losses and reversals of impairment losses 
€ in millions

Liabilities € in millions

Reportable segments

Other Businesses

HQ

Consolidation

Total

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2019

 Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2018

391

4

316

–

711

315

5

473

–

794

Depreciation and amortization € in millions

Reportable segments

Other Businesses

Reclassification to discontinued operations

HQ

Consolidation

Total

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2019

 Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2018

809

14

–

338

–

1,162

291

8

(1)

171

–

470

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2019

 Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2018

14

6

–

2

(7)

15

7

8

(0)

2

(2)

16

Accounts payable of reportable segments 

Accounts payable of Other Businesses

Segmental liabilities

Non-segmental accounts payable 

Current financial liabilities

Other current liabilities

Non-current liabilities

Total

Dec. 31, 
2019

 Dec. 31, 
2018

740

15

755

1,947

1,012

5,040

4,868

13,622

676

18

693

1,607

253

4,281

2,414

9,248

Reportable segments

Other Businesses

Reclassification to discontinued operations

HQ

Consolidation

Total

Assets € in millions

Accounts receivable and inventories of 
reportable segments

Accounts receivable and inventories of Other 
Businesses

Segmental assets

Non-segmental accounts receivable and 
inventories

Current financial assets 

Other current assets

Non-current assets

Total

Dec. 31, 
2019

 Dec. 31, 
2018

6,449

5,568

191

6,640

70

3,055

1,169

9,746

280

5,848

15

3,177

773

5,799

20,680

15,612

Product information

Net sales (third parties) € in millions

Footwear

Apparel

Hardware

Reclassification to discontinued operations

Total

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2019

 Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2018

13,521

8,963

1,156

–

12,783

8,223

958

(48)

23,640

21,915

2
0
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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194 
  
  
  
  
  
  
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STATEMENTS

NOTES

Geographical information
Net sales (third parties) are shown in the geographic market 
in  which  the  net  sales  are  realized.  Non-current  assets  are 
allocated to the geographic market based on the domicile of 
the  respective  subsidiary  independent  of  the  segmental 
structure and consist of tangible assets, goodwill, trademarks, 
other intangible assets and other non-current assets.

Geographical information by market € in millions

Net sales (third parties)

Non-current assets

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2019

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2018

Dec. 31, 
2019

Dec. 31, 
2018

Europe

North America

Asia-Pacific

Russia/CIS

Latin America

Emerging Markets

Reclassification 
to discontinued 
operations

Total

6,321

5,501

8,192

658

1,662

1,306

6,372

4,869

7,334

595

1,638

1,155

–

23,640

(48)

21,915

3,244

1,601

1,917

505

183

385

–

7,836

2,354

718

1,077

189

79

198

–

4,615

Geographical information by country € in millions

Net sales (third parties) – 
continuing operations

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2019

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2018

Non-current assets

Dec. 31, 
2019

Dec. 31, 
2018

Germany, Europe

China, Asia-Pacific

1,298

5,278

1,260

4,546

1,431

1,175

1,275

582

USA, North 
America

5,089

4,485

1,475

640

Net cash used in investing activities in 2019 mainly related to 
spending  for  property,  plant  and  equipment  such  as 
investments in the furnishing and fitting of own-retail stores, 
in  new  office  buildings  and  IT  systems  and  investments  in 
money market funds. 

Net  cash  used  in  financing  activities  mainly  related  to  the 
repurchase  of  adidas  AG  shares,  the  dividend  paid  to 
shareholders  of  adidas  AG  and  the  repayments  of  lease 
liabilities.

39 » ADDITIONAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION
In  2019,  the  increase  in  cash  generated  from  operating 
activities compared to the prior year was primarily due to an 
increase in income before taxes, a decrease in income taxes 
paid  and  the  different  treatment  for  operating  leases  which 
was partly offset by a decrease in operating working capital 
requirements. 

Under  IFRS  16,  payments  for  operating  leases  formerly 
disclosed under IAS 17, are no longer recognized on a straight-
line basis and also not reported as cash flow from operating 
activities. Instead, repayments and interest payments for the 
lease  liabilities  will  be  recognized  in  the  cash  flow  from 
financing  activities.  This  results  in  a  decline  in  cash  flows 
from financing activities in the amount of € 692 million and an 
improvement  in  cash  flows  from  operating  activities  in  the 
amount of € 684 million.

There was a change in the presentation of interest paid in the 
consolidated  statement  of  cash  flows  in  the  financial  year. 
Due to the first-time application of IFRS 16, the option to show 
the interest paid within the net cash used in financing activities 
was  chosen,  instead  of  net  cash  generated  from  operating 
activities.  To  enhance  comparability,  the  prior  year  was 
also adjusted.

Net cash (used in)/generated from discontinued operations  
€ in millions

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2019

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2018

Net cash (used in)/generated from operating 
activities

Net cash (used in) investing activities

Net cash (used in) financing activities

Net cash (used in)/generated from 
discontinued operations

(9)

–

–

(9)

(20)

–

–

(20)

In 2019, the following changes in financial liabilities impacted 
the net cash used in financing activities:

2
0
4

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194  
  
  
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STATEMENTS

NOTES

Impact of change in financial liabilities on net cash used in financing activities € in millions

Net 
(payments)/ 
proceeds in 
the period

(42)

–

(597)

(638)

Jan. 1, 2019

66

1,609

91

1,766

IFRS 16 lease 
obligations 

Fair value 
adjustments

–

–

3,639

3,639

–

–

–

–

Non-cash effects

Effect of 
exchange 
rates

(1)

–

–

(1)

Other

19

(14)

–

5

Dec. 31, 
2019

43

1,595

3,133

4,771

Short-term borrowings

Long-term borrowings

Lease liabilities 1

Total

The decline in leasing rental obligations from € 2.984 million 
to  €  318  million  compared  to  2018  reflects  the  first-time 
application of IFRS 16. 

Service arrangements
adidas  has  outsourced  certain  logistics  and  information 
technology functions, for which it has entered into long-term 
contracts.  Financial  commitments  under  these  contracts 
mature as follows:

1  The lease liabilities were included in the other non-current financial liabilities as of December 31, 2018. Due to the implementation of IFRS 16 the lease liabilities are shown separately as of  

December 31, 2019 in the balance sheet.

Financial commitments for service arrangements    
€ in millions

Further information about lease liabilities is provided in these 
Notes. 

 SEE NOTE 21

Commitments  with  respect  to  promotion  and  advertising 
contracts maturing after five years have remaining terms of 
up to eleven years from December 31, 2019.

40 »  OTHER FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS AND 

CONTINGENCIES

Other financial commitments
adidas  has  other  financial  commitments  for  promotion  and 
advertising contracts, which mature as follows:

Compared to December 31, 2018, commitments for promotion 
and  advertising  contracts  mainly  increased  due  to  the 
extension of the existing partnership with Real Madrid.

adidas has other financial commitments for leasing and other 
rental obligations which mature as follows:

Financial commitments for promotion and advertising  
€ in millions

Financial commitments for other contracts 
€ in millions

Within 1 year

Between 1 and 5 years 

After 5 years

Total 

Dec. 31, 
2019

Dec. 31, 
2018

1,236

3,671

1,901

6,808

1,015

3,050

1,763

5,828

Within 1 year

Between 1 and 5 years

After 5 years

Total

Dec. 31, 
2019

Dec. 31, 
2018

83

161

74

318

676

1,596

712

2,984

The contracts regarding these leases with expiration dates of 
between one and eleven years partly include renewal options 
and escalation clauses.

Within 1 year

Between 1 and 5 years

After 5 years

Total

Dec. 31, 
2019

Dec. 31, 
2018

242

190

6

439

204

210

0

414

Litigation and other legal risks
The  company  is  currently  engaged  in  various  lawsuits 
resulting  from  the  normal  course  of  business,  mainly  in 
connection with distribution agreements as well as intellectual 
property  rights.  The  risks  regarding  these  lawsuits  are 
covered by provisions when a reliable estimate of the amount 
of the obligation can be made. 
 SEE NOTE 20 In the opinion of 
Management,  the  ultimate  liabilities  resulting  from  such 
claims will not materially affect the assets, liabilities, financial 
position and profit or loss of the Group.

The company is in dispute with the local revenue authorities in 
South  Africa  (SARS)  with  regard  to  the  customs  value  of 
imported  products.  In  June  2018,  SARS  issued  a  ruling 
claiming a customs payment including interest and penalties 
for the years 2007 to 2013 in an amount of ZAR 1.871 million 

2
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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194 
 
 
  
  
  
1    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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STATEMENTS

NOTES

(€  119  million).  adidas  has  applied  for  a  suspension  of  the 
payment demand and in 2019 instituted legal action against 
the decision before the High Court in South Africa. In case the 
court  rules  in  favor  of  SARS,  adidas  will  appeal  against  the 
decision  to  the  Supreme  Court  of  South  Africa.  Based  on 
external legal opinions, Management currently believes that it 
is  more  likely  than  not  that  the  claim  made  by  SARS  will 
eventually not result in an outflow of resources. Therefore, a 
provision was not recognized in the consolidated statement of 
financial position. 

In connection with the financial irregularities at Reebok India 
Company in 2012, various legal uncertainties were identified. 
The  respective  remaining  risks  cannot  be  assessed 
conclusively.  However,  based  on  legal  opinions  and  internal 
assessments, Management assumes that the effects will not 
have any material influence on the assets, liabilities, financial 
position and profit or loss of the company.

In  October  2018,  a  former  employee  of  the  company’s  US 
subsidiary  was  convicted  of  wire  fraud  in  connection  with 
unauthorized payments to certain college basketball players 
or their families during the former employee’s time at the US 
subsidiary. The company’s US subsidiary, with the full support 
of  the  company,  has  cooperated  and  continues  to  cooperate 
with  the  prosecutors,  including  by  conducting  an  internal 
investigation  with  the  assistance  of  outside  counsel.  While 
Management currently believes that the actions of its former 
employee will not have any material influence on the assets, 
liabilities, financial position and profit or loss of the company, 
actual  results  may  ultimately  differ  from  the  current 
Management  assessment.  Any  additional  statements  about 
these  matters  by  the  company  could  compromise  the 
company’s  position  in  these  proceedings  and  hence  further 
information is not disclosed.

41 » RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES
According  to  the  definitions  of 
‘Related  Party 
IAS 24 
Disclosures’, the Supervisory Board and the Executive Board 
of  adidas AG  have  been  identified  as  related  parties  who 
receive  remuneration  solely 
in  connection  with  their 
function as key management personnel. This Annual Report 
contains detailed information about the remuneration of the 
Supervisory  Board  and  the  Executive  Board  of  adidas AG. 

Accountant service fees for the auditor of the financial statements
The  expenses  for  the  audit  fees  comprise  the  expenses  of 
adidas AG,  Herzogenaurach,  as  well  as  all  German 
subsidiaries  of  adidas AG.  In  2019,  the  expenses  for  the 
professional  audit  service  fees  for  the  auditor  KPMG AG 
Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft  amounted  to  € 1.9 million 
(2018: € 1.7 million) thereof related to the prior year € 0.2 million 
(2018: € 0.1 million).

 SEE COMPENSATION REPORT, P. 30, 

 SEE NOTE 42

In addition, adidas Pension Trust e.V., a registered association, 
is regarded as a related party. Based on a Contractual Trust 
Arrangement,  adidas  Pension  Trust  e.V.  manages  the  plan 
assets in the form of an administrative trust to fund and protect 
part  of  the  pension  obligations  of  adidas AG. 
 SEE  NOTE  25 
Employees, senior executives and members of the Executive 
Board  of  adidas AG  can  be  members  of  the  registered 
association. adidas AG has the right to claim a refund of pension 
payments  from  adidas  Pension  Trust  e.V.  under  specific 
contractually agreed conditions.

42 » OTHER INFORMATION 
Employees 
The average numbers of employees are as follows:

Employees

Own retail 

Sales 

Logistics 

Marketing 

Central administration 

Production

Research and development 

Information technology 

Total 

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2019

Year ending 
Dec. 31, 
2018

32,109

32,033

3,757

7,100

5,933

5,617

645

998

1,499

57,659

3,855

5,990

5,835

5,339

988

1,045

1,354

56,438

Expenses for tax consultancy services provided by the auditor, 
for other confirmation services provided by the auditor and for 
other services provided by the auditor amounted to € 0.1 million 
(2018:  € 0.1 million),  € 0.8 million  (2018:  €  0.9 million)  and 
€ 0.2 million (2018: € 0.2 million), respectively.

Expenses for the audit fees of KPMG AG Wirtschafts prüfungs-
gesellschaft  were  mainly  related  to  the  audits  of  both  the 
consolidated 
financial 
financial  statements  and 
statements of adidas AG, as well as the audit of the financial 
statements  of  its  subsidiary,  adidas  CDC  Immobilieninvest 
GmbH. Integrated IT project audits were also conducted.

the 

Other confirmation services consist of audits which are either 
required by law or contractually agreed, such as the audit of 
the  Compliance  Management  System  (IDW  AssS  980), 
European  Market  Infrastructure  Regulation  (EMIR)  audits 
according  to  § 20  WpHG,  audits  according  to  the  German 
Packaging  Ordinance  (Verpackungsverordnung  –  VerpackV), 
audits  of  the  utilization  of  funds,  and  other  contractually 
agreed-upon confirmation services.

The  tax  consultancy  services  include  support  services  for 
transfer pricing and consulting for sales taxes on a case-by-
case basis.

2
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STATEMENTS

NOTES

Other services provided by the auditor consist of supporting 
services to provide certificates for sales transactions and for 
legal consultancy services.

Pension  obligations  relating  to  former  members  of  the 
Executive  Board  and  their  survivors  amount  in  total  to 
€ 92.5 million (2018: € 84.9 million).

Remuneration of the Supervisory Board and the Executive Board of 
adidas AG
Supervisory Board
Pursuant  to  the  Articles  of  Association  of  adidas  AG,  the 
Supervisory Board members’ fixed annual payment amounted 
to € 2.2 million (2018: € 2.2 million). In addition, the members 
of  the  Supervisory  Board  received  attendance  fees  of 
€ 0.2 million (2018: € 0.1 million). 

Members  of  the  Supervisory  Board  were  not  granted  any 
loans or advance payments in 2019.

Executive Board
In  2019,  the  overall  compensation  of  the  members  of  the 
Executive Board totaled € 19.0 million (2018:  € 20.7 million), 
€  9.8  million  thereof  relates  to  short-term  benefits  (2018: 
€ 10.5 million)  and  €  9.2  million  to  share-based  payment 
(2018:  €  10.2  million).  Post-employment  benefits  (costs  for 
accrued pension entitlements for members of the Executive 
Board as well as follow-up bonuses for resigned members of 
the Executive Board) totaled € 2.6 million (2018: € 3.2 million).

In  2019,  payments  including  pension  payments  to  former 
members of the Executive Board and their survivors totaling 
€ 14.6 million (2018: € 3.7 million).

Current  members  of  the  Executive  Board  were  not  granted 
any loans or advance payments in 2019.

Further information on disclosures according to § 314 section 1 
no. 6a HGB is provided in this Annual Report. 

 SEE COMPENSATION REPORT, P. 30

subsidiary  adidas  CDC 

Companies opting for exemption under section 264 (3) HGB
The 
Imobilieninvest  GmbH, 
Herzogenaurach,  is  opting  for  exemption  under  section  264 
(3) HGB.

43 »  INFORMATION RELATING TO THE GERMAN 

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE CODE 
Information pursuant to § 161 German Stock Corporation Act 
(Aktiengesetz – AktG)
In  December 2019,  the  Executive  Board  and  Supervisory 
Board  of  adidas AG 
issued  an  updated  Declaration  of 
Compliance  in  accordance  with  § 161 AktG  and  made  it 
permanently available to the shareholders. The full text of the 
Declaration  of  Compliance  is  available  on  the  company’s 
corporate website.

44 » EVENTS AFTER THE BALANCE SHEET DATE
Company-specific subsequent events
No  company-specific  subsequent  events  are  known  which 
might  have  a  material  influence  on  the  assets,  liabilities, 
financial position and profit or loss of the company.

Date of preparation
The Executive Board of adidas AG prepared and approved the 
consolidated  financial  statements  for  submission  to  the 
Supervisory Board on February 25, 2020. It is the Supervisory 
Board’s task to examine the consolidated financial statements 
and give their approval and authorization for issue.

Herzogenaurach, February 25, 2020

The Executive Board of adidas AG

Kasper Rorsted 

Roland Auschel 

Brian Grevy 

Harm Ohlmeyer 

Karen Parkin 

Martin Shankland

2
0
7

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

SHAREHOLDINGS

SHAREHOLDINGS

Shareholdings of adidas AG, Herzogenaurach, as at December 31, 2019

Company and domicile

Germany

adidas Insurance & Risk Consultants GmbH 2 

adidas Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH 2 

adidas CDC Immobilieninvest GmbH  

adidas Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH 3

adidas anticipation GmbH 2 

adidas Business Services GmbH  

Europe (incl. Middle East and Africa)

adidas sport gmbh  

adidas Austria GmbH  

runtastic GmbH  

adidas France S.a.r.l.  

adidas International B.V.  

adidas International Trading AG  

adidas International Marketing B.V.  

adidas International Property Holding B.V.  

adidas Infrastructure Holding B.V.  

adidas Benelux B.V.  

adidas Ventures B.V.   

adidas (UK) Limited  

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19 Reebok International Limited 4

20

Trafford Park DC Limited  

21 Reebok Pensions Management Limited 3, 4

22 Reebok Europe Holdings 3

23

24

Luta Limited 3, 4

adidas (Ireland) Limited  

1 The number refers to the number of the company.
2 Profit and loss transfer agreement.
3 Company with no active business.
4 Sub-group Reebok International Limited.
5 Sub-group Reebok International Ltd.

Herzogenaurach (Germany)

Herzogenaurach (Germany)

Herzogenaurach (Germany)

Herzogenaurach (Germany)

Herzogenaurach (Germany)

Herzogenaurach (Germany)

Cham (Switzerland)

Klagenfurt (Austria)

Pasching (Austria)

Strasbourg (France)

Amsterdam (Netherlands)

Lucerne (Switzerland)

Amsterdam (Netherlands)

Amsterdam (Netherlands)

Amsterdam (Netherlands)

Amsterdam (Netherlands)

Amsterdam (Netherlands)

Stockport (Great Britain)

London (Great Britain)

London (Great Britain)             

London (Great Britain)             

London (Great Britain)             

London (Great Britain)

Dublin (Ireland)

Currency

Equity 
(currency units 
in thousands)

Share in capital 
held by 1

EUR

EUR

EUR

EUR

EUR

EUR

CHF

EUR

EUR

EUR

EUR

EUR

EUR

EUR

EUR

EUR

EUR

GBP

EUR

GBP

GBP

GBP

GBP

EUR

26

681,990

7,168

4,250

25

341

6,504

6,979

4,950

365,880

6,402,257

2,474,737

46,329

53,741

(53)

4,592

(31,485)

30,607

328,765

1,743

–

21,052

–

2,776

directly

directly

14

71

directly

directly

directly

directly

7

11

directly

directly

10

11

11

81

11

directly

11

11

71

15

19

19

19

11

in %

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

95.89

4.11

100

100

93.97

6.03

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

2
0
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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

SHAREHOLDINGS

Shareholdings of adidas AG, Herzogenaurach, as at December 31, 2019

Company and domicile

25

adidas International Re DAC  

26 Reebok Ireland Limited 3

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

Five Ten Europe NV 3

adidas España S.A.U.  

adidas Finance Spain S.A.U.  

adidas Italy S.p.A.  

adidas Portugal – Artigos de Desporto, S.A.  

adidas Business Services Lda.  

adidas Norge AS  

adidas Sverige AB  

adidas Finance Sverige AB  

adidas Suomi Oy  

adidas Danmark A/S  

adidas CR s.r.o.  

adidas Budapest Kft.  

adidas Bulgaria EAD  

LLC ‘adidas, Ltd.’  

adidas Poland Sp. z o.o.  

adidas Finance Poland S.A.  

adidas Romania S.R.L.  

adidas Baltics SIA  

adidas Slovakia s.r.o.  

adidas Trgovina d.o.o.  

SC ‘adidas-Ukraine’  

adidas LLP  

adidas Serbia d.o.o.  

adidas Croatia d.o.o.  

adidas Hellas A.E.  

adidas (Cyprus) Limited  

adidas Spor Malzemeleri Satis ve Pazarlama A.S.  

adidas Emerging Markets L.L.C  

1 The number refers to the number of the company.
2 Profit and loss transfer agreement.
3 Company with no active business.
4 Sub-group Reebok International Limited.
5 Sub-group Reebok International Ltd.

Dublin (Ireland)

Dublin (Ireland)

Lasne (Belgium)

Zaragoza (Spain)

Zaragoza (Spain)

Monza (Italy)

Lisbon (Portugal)

Morea de Maia (Portugal)

Oslo (Norway)

Solna (Sweden)

Solna (Sweden)

Helsinki (Finland)

Copenhagen (Denmark)

Prague (Czech Republic)

Budapest (Hungary)

Sofia (Bulgaria)

Moscow (Russia)

Warsaw (Poland)

Warsaw (Poland)

Bucharest (Romania)

Riga (Latvia)

Bratislava (Slovak Republic)

Ljubljana (Slovenia)

Kiev (Ukraine)

Almaty (Republic of Kazakhstan)

Belgrade (Serbia)

Zagreb (Croatia)

Athens (Greece)

Nicosia (Cyprus)

Istanbul (Turkey)

Dubai (United Arab Emirates)

Currency

Equity 
(currency units 
in thousands)

Share in capital 
held by 1

EUR

EUR

EUR

EUR

EUR

EUR

EUR

EUR

NOK

SEK

SEK

EUR

DKK

CZK

HUF

BGN

RUB

PLN

PLN

RON

EUR

EUR

EUR

UAH

KZT

RSD

HRK

EUR

EUR

TRY

USD

26,536

56

138

42,591

36,575

57,457

7,050

1,702

31,051

101,705

271,392

1,729

18,379

108,354

1,052,993

6,106

29,906,146

73,373

100,849

16,983

1,979

1,191

648

896,051

5,677,900

761,892

52,573

24,094

995

421,070

20,542

11

24

73

2

71

11

11

11

directly

directly

directly

71

11

11

directly

directly

directly

8

directly

71

11

11

directly

directly

directly

directly

11

11

directly

directly

11

indirectly

10

in %

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

98

2

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

51

49

2
0
9

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

SHAREHOLDINGS

Shareholdings of adidas AG, Herzogenaurach, as at December 31, 2019

Company and domicile

56

57

58

59

adidas Emerging Markets FZE  

adidas Levant Limited  

adidas Levant Limited – Jordan  

adidas Imports & Exports Ltd.  

60

adidas Sporting Goods Ltd.  

61

adidas Egypt Ltd.3

62

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

adidas Israel Ltd.  (formerly: Life Sport Ltd.)

adidas Morocco LLC  

adidas (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd.  

North America

adidas North America, Inc.  

adidas America, Inc.  

adidas International, Inc.  

adidas Team, Inc.3

The Reebok Worldwide Trading Company, LLC  

70 Reebok Securities Holdings LLC 3, 5

71 Reebok International Ltd.4 

72

adidas Indy, LLC  

73

74

75

76

77

78

Stone Age Equipment, Inc.3

Spartanburg DC, Inc.  

adidas Canada Limited  

Asia

adidas Sourcing Limited  

adidas Services Limited  

adidas Hong Kong Limited  

79 Reebok Trading (Far East) Limited 3 

80

adidas (Suzhou) Co. Ltd.  

1 The number refers to the number of the company.
2 Profit and loss transfer agreement.
3 Company with no active business.
4 Sub-group Reebok International Limited.
5 Sub-group Reebok International Ltd.

Dubai (United Arab Emirates)

Dubai (United Arab Emirates)

Amman (Jordan)

Cairo (Egypt)

Cairo (Egypt)

Cairo (Egypt)

Holon (Israel)

Casablanca (Morocco)

Cape Town (South Africa)

Portland, Oregon (USA)

Portland, Oregon (USA)

Portland, Oregon (USA)

Des Moines, Iowa (USA)

Wilmington, Delaware (USA)

Wilmington, Delaware (USA)        

Boston, Massachusetts (USA)

Wilmington, Delaware (USA)

Redlands, California (USA)

Spartanburg, South Carolina (USA)

Woodbridge, Ontario (Canada)

Hong Kong (China)

Hong Kong (China)

Hong Kong (China)

Hong Kong (China)

Suzhou (China)

Currency

Equity 
(currency units 
in thousands)

Share in capital 
held by 1

USD

JOD

JOD

EGP

EGP

USD

ILS

MAD

ZAR

USD

USD

USD

USD

USD

USD

USD

USD

USD

USD

CAD

USD

USD

HKD

USD

CNY

83,778

3,265

1,657

(19,738)

299,211

11

56

57

60

11

11

6

(1,831)

directly

145,195

(14,996)

392,083

4,918,948

334,916

88,036

(1,013)

19,551

–

(1,386,509)

(124)

3,425

17,680

206,404

298,310

15,305

170,781

32,658

247,614

10

11

directly

directly

11

65

65

65

71

71

65

71

70

66

66

11

12

11

2

71

2

in %

100

100

100

99.98

0.02

90

10

99.13

0.87

85

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

99

1

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

1

2
0

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

SHAREHOLDINGS

Shareholdings of adidas AG, Herzogenaurach, as at December 31, 2019

Company and domicile

adidas Sports (China) Co. Ltd.  

adidas (China) Ltd.  

adidas Sports Goods (Shanghai) Co., Ltd  

81

82

83

84 Runtastic Software Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.  

85

86

87

88

89

90

91

Zhuhai adidas Technical Services Limited 3 

adidas Logistics (Tianjin) Co., Ltd.  

adidas Business Services (Dalian) Limited  

adidas Japan K.K.  

adidas Korea LLC.  

adidas Korea Technical Services Limited  

adidas India Private Limited  

92

adidas India Marketing Private Limited  

93

adidas Technical Services Private Limited  

94 Reebok India Company  

95 PT adidas Indonesia  

96

adidas (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd.  

97

98

99

adidas Philippines Inc.  

adidas Singapore Pte. Ltd.  

adidas Taiwan Limited  

100 adidas (Thailand) Co., Ltd.  

101 adidas Australia Pty Limited  

102 adidas New Zealand Limited  

103 adidas Vietnam Company Limited  

104 Reebok (Mauritius) Company Limited  

1 The number refers to the number of the company.
2 Profit and loss transfer agreement.
3 Company with no active business.
4 Sub-group Reebok International Limited.
5 Sub-group Reebok International Ltd.

Suzhou (China)

Shanghai (China)

Shanghai (China)

Shanghai (China)

Zhuhai (China)

Tianjin (China)

Dalian (China)

Tokyo (Japan)

Seoul (Korea)

Busan (Korea)

New Delhi (India)

New Delhi (India)

New Delhi (India)

New Delhi (India)

Jakarta (Indonesia)

Petaling Jaya (Malaysia)

Pasig City (Philippines)

Singapore (Singapore)

Taipei (Taiwan)

Bangkok (Thailand)

Mulgrave (Australia)

Auckland (New Zealand)

Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam)

Port Louis (Mauritius)

Currency

Equity 
(currency units 
in thousands)

Share in capital 
held by 1

CNY

CNY

CNY

CNY

CNY

CNY

CNY

JPY

KRW

KRW

INR

INR

INR

INR

IDR

MYR

PHP

SGD

TWD

THB

AUD

NZD

VND

USD

11,268,823

594,947

29,748

7,012

43,922

175,061

22,669

6,849,691

275,549,295

4,447,478

4,647,752

9,638,920

214,483

(20,861,731)

578,047,649

77,600

828,481

26,454

1,234,009

1,299,952

84,145

8,734

91,645,267

2,204

2

11

82

11

76

15

11

11

directly

76

directly

11

91

11

directly

76

104

11

directly

directly

11

directly

directly

11

directly

11

directly

11

71

69

in %

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

10.67

89.33

98.62

1

0.37

100.00

93.15

99.67

0.33

60

40

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

99.07

0.93

2

1
1

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

SHAREHOLDINGS

Shareholdings of adidas AG, Herzogenaurach, as at December 31, 2019

Company and domicile

Latin America

105 adidas Argentina S.A.  

106 Reebok Argentina S.A.3 

107 adidas do Brasil Ltda.  

108 adidas Franchise Brasil Servicos Ltda.  

109 Reebok Produtos Esportivos Brasil Ltda.3 

110 adidas Chile Limitada  

111 adidas Colombia Ltda.  

112 adidas Perú S.A.C.  

113 adidas de Mexico, S.A. de C.V.  

114 adidas Industrial, S.A. de C.V.  

115 Reebok de Mexico, S.A. de C.V.3 

116 adidas Latin America, S.A.  

117 Concept Sport, S.A.  

118 3 Stripes S.A.3

119 Tafibal S.A.  

120 Raelit S.A.3

Buenos Aires (Argentina)

Buenos Aires (Argentina)

São Paulo (Brazil)

São Paulo (Brazil)

São Paulo (Brazil)

Santiago de Chile (Chile)

Bogotá (Colombia)

Lima (Peru)

Mexico City (Mexico)

Mexico City (Mexico)

Mexico City (Mexico)

Panama City (Panama)

Panama City (Panama)

Montevideo (Uruguay)

Montevideo (Uruguay)

Montevideo (Uruguay)

121 adidas Sourcing Honduras, S.A.5 

San Pedro Sula (Honduras)

122 adidas Corporation de Venezuela, S.A.3

123 adisport Corporation  

124 adidas Sourcing El Salvador, S.A. de C.V.  

1 The number refers to the number of the company.
2 Profit and loss transfer agreement.
3 Company with no active business.
4 Sub-group Reebok International Limited.
5 Sub-group Reebok International Ltd.

Caracas (Venezuela) 

San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Antiguo Cuscatlán (El Salvador)

Currency

Equity 
(currency units 
in thousands)

Share in capital 
held by 1

ARS

ARS

BRL

BRL

BRL

CLP

COP

PEN

MXN

MXN

MXN

USD

USD

UYU

UYU

UYU

HNL

VEF

USD

USD

2,143,690

(129,359)

650,725

32,078

12,476

82,987,446

24,340,366

123,237

1,440,626

466,822

(579,341)

(54,085)

3,069

(436)

(38,065)

58,678

–

(17)

(733)

8

11

2

6

11

2

107

directly

11

directly

1

directly

directly

110

directly

directly

directly

directly

11

directly

directly

directly

71

69

directly

11

11

directly

in %

76.96

23.04

96.25

3.75

100

99.99

0.01

100

99

1

100

99.21

0.79

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

99.6

0.4

100

100

99.95

0.05

1

2
2

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

RESPONSIBILITY STATEMENT

RESPONSIBILITY STATEMENT

To the best of our knowledge, and in accordance with the applicable reporting principles, the 
consolidated financial statements give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial 
position and profit or loss of the Group, and the Group Management Report, which has been 
combined with the Management Report of adidas AG, includes a fair review of the development 
and performance of the business and the position of the Group, together with a description of 
the material opportunities and risks associated with the expected development of the Group.

Herzogenaurach, February 25, 2020

KASPER RORSTED 
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

ROLAND AUSCHEL 
GLOBAL SALES

BRIAN GREVY 
GLOBAL BRANDS

HARM OHLMEYER 
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

KAREN PARKIN 
GLOBAL HUMAN RESOURCES

MARTIN SHANKLAND 
GLOBAL OPERATIONS

1

2
3

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

REPRODUCTION OF THE  
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT

REPRODUCTION OF THE 
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S 
REPORT

Based on the results of our audit, we have issued the following 
unqualified audit opinion:

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT

To adidas AG, Herzogenaurach

REPORT ON THE AUDIT OF THE 
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL 
STATEMENTS AND OF THE GROUP 
MANAGEMENT REPORT

OPINIONS 
We  have  audited  the  consolidated  financial  statements  of 
adidas AG, Herzogenaurach, and its subsidiaries (hereinafter 
“adidas”  or  the  “Group”),  which  comprise  the  consolidated 
statement of financial position as of December 31, 2019, the 
consolidated income statement, the consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income, the consolidated statement of changes 
in equity and the consolidated statement of cash flows for the 
financial  year  from  January  1,  2019,  to  December  31,  2019, 
and notes to the consolidated financial statements, including 
a summary of significant accounting policies. In addition, we 
have  audited  the  combined  management  report  (“group 
management report”) of adidas AG, Herzogenaurach, for the 
financial year from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2019. In 
accordance  with  German  legal  requirements,  we  have  not 
audited  the  content  of  those  components  of  the  group 
management  report  specified  in  the  “Other  Information” 
section of our auditor’s report.

The group management report contains cross-references that 
are not required by law and which are marked as unaudited. In 
accordance  with  German  legal  requirements,  we  have  not 
audited the cross-references and the information to which the 
cross-references refer. 

In our opinion, on the basis of the knowledge obtained in the 
audit,

 — the  accompanying  consolidated  financial  statements 
comply,  in  all  material  respects,  with  the  IFRSs  as 
adopted  by  the  EU,  and  the  additional  requirements  of 
German  commercial  law  pursuant  to  Section  315e  (1) 
HGB  [Handelsgesetzbuch:  German  Commercial  Code] 
and, in compliance with these requirements, give a true 
and fair view of the assets, liabilities, and financial position 
of the Group as of December 31, 2019, and of its financial 
performance for the financial year from January 1, 2019, 
to December 31, 2019, and 

 — the accompanying group management report as a whole 
provides an appropriate view of the Group’s position. In 
all material respects, this group management report is 
consistent  with  the  consolidated  financial  statements, 
complies with German legal requirements and appropriately 
presents the opportunities and risks of future development. 
Our opinion on the group management report does not 
cover the content of those components of the management 
report specified in the “Other Information” section of the 
auditor’s report. The management report contains cross-
references, marked as not audited, that are not provided for 
by law. Our opinion does not cover these cross-references 
and the information to which the cross-reference refer. 
Pursuant to Section 322 (3) sentence 1 HGB, we declare that 
our audit has not led to any reservations relating to the legal 
compliance  of  the  consolidated  financial  statements  and  of 
the group management report.

BASIS FOR THE OPINIONS
We  conducted  our  audit  of  the  consolidated  financial 
in 
statements  and  of  the  group  management  report 
accordance  with  Section  317  HGB  and  EU  Audit  Regulation 
No.  537/2014  (referred  to  subsequently  as  “EU  Audit 
Regulation”)  and  in  compliance  with  German  Generally 
for  Financial  Statement  Audits 
Accepted  Standards 
promulgated by the Institut der Wirtschaftsprüfer [Institute of 
Public Auditors in Germany] (IDW). Our responsibilities under 
those  requirements  and  principles  are  further  described  in 
the “Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Consolidated 
Financial Statements and of the Group Management Report” 
section  of  our  auditor’s  report.  We  are  independent  of  the 
group  entities  in  accordance  with  the  requirements  of 
European law and German commercial and professional law, 
and  we  have  fulfilled  our  other  German  professional 
responsibilities  in  accordance  with  these  requirements.  In 
addition,  in  accordance  with  Article  10  (2)(f)  of  the  EU  Audit 
Regulation,  we  declare  that  we  have  not  provided  non-audit 
services prohibited under Article 5 (1) of the EU Audit Regulation. 

We  believe  that  the  evidence  we  have  obtained  is  sufficient 
and  appropriate  to  provide  a  basis  for  our  opinions  on  the 
consolidated 
the  group 
financial  statements  and  on 
management report.

KEY AUDIT MATTERS IN THE AUDIT OF THE 
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional 
judgment,  were  of  most  significance  in  our  audit  of  the 
consolidated financial statements for the financial year from 
January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2019. These matters were 
addressed  in  the  context  of  our  audit  of  the  consolidated 
financial statements as a whole, and in forming our opinion 
thereon, we do not provide a separate opinion on these matters.

1

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

REPRODUCTION OF THE  
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT

IMPAIRMENT TESTING OF THE REEBOK BRAND

For the accounting policies used and the disclosures on the 
judgments applied by management and sources of estimation 
uncertainties please refer to Note 2 and for the disclosures on 
the measurement of the Reebok brand please refer to Note 14 
in the notes to the consolidated financial statements.

THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT RISK
The Reebok brand was recognized as of December 31, 2019, in 
the amount of EUR 842 million.

The Reebok brand is to be tested for impairment at least once 
a  year.  To  this  end,  the  brand  is  allocated  as  a  “corporate 
asset”  pursuant  to  IAS  36  to  the  cash-generating  Reebok 
business units at the level of the markets and the value in use 
of these cash-generating units is compared with the carrying 
amount of these units. The valuation model used to determine 
the  value  in  use  is  complex;  the  result  of  this  valuation  is 
heavily  dependent  on  the  estimate  of  future  net  cash  flows 
(taking  into  account  future  revenue  growth,  profit  margins, 
exchange rates and long-term growth rates) and the discount 
factor used, and is thus subject to considerable uncertainty.

There is the risk for the financial statements that any existing 
impairment of the Reebok brand as of the reporting date was 
not  identified  or  that  a  required  reversal  of  an  impairment 
loss on the brand was not carried out.

OUR AUDIT APPROACH
With  the  involvement  of  our  valuation  experts,  we  assessed 
the  appropriateness  of  the  key  assumptions  and  calculation 
methods  of  the  Company,  among  other  things.  For  this 
purpose,  we  discussed  the  expected  business  and  earnings 
development  at  the  level  of  the  cash-generating  Reebok 
business  units  to  which  the  brand  as  corporate  asset  is 
allocated and the assumed long-term growth rates with those 
responsible for planning. We also reconciled this information 

with  other  internally  available  forecasts,  e.g.  the  financial 
forecast for the following 6 years. Furthermore, we evaluated 
the  consistency  of  the  growth  rates  used  in  the  financial 
forecast using external market assessments.

We  also  confirmed  the  accuracy  of  the  Company’s  previous 
forecasts  by  comparing  the  budgets  of  previous  financial 
years  with  actual  results  and  by  analyzing  deviations.  Since 
even small changes to the discount rate can have a significant 
impact on the results of impairment testing, we compared the 
assumptions and parameters underlying the discount rate, in 
particular the risk-free rate, the market risk premium and the 
beta  coefficient,  with  our  own  assumptions  and  publicly 
available data. 

To ensure the computational accuracy of the valuation model 
used, we verified the Company’s calculations on the basis of 
selected risk-based elements.

In order to take forecast uncertainty into account, we examined 
the impact of potential changes in the discount rate, earnings 
performance and long-term growth rate on the value in use 
(sensitivity analysis) by calculating alternative scenarios and 
comparing these with the values stated by the Company.

THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT RISK
As  of  December  31,  2019,  right-of-use  assets  of 
EUR  2,931  million  and  lease  liabilities  of  EUR  3,132  million 
are  recognized  in  the  consolidated  financial  statements  of 
adidas AG. Lease liabilities or right-of-use assets account for 
15.2% or 14.2% of total equity and the accounting treatment of 
the rights of use or lease liabilities therefore has a material 
impact  on  the  assets,  liabilities,  financial  position,  and 
financial performance of the Company.

The first-time application of “IFRS 16 Leases” had a material 
effect on the opening balance sheet figures for the financial 
year  and  how  they  were  updated  as  of  the  reporting  date. 
adidas AG applies the modified retrospective method for the 
new standard without adjustment of comparative figures.

The determination of the lease term, the amount of the lease 
payments  and  the  incremental  borrowing  rate  used  as  the 
discount  rate  may  require  judgment  and  be  based  on 
estimates.  Furthermore, 
first-time 
application effect of IFRS 16 and the updated lease liabilities 
and  right-of-use  assets  in  accordance  with  the  standard 
requires  the  recording  of  extensive  data  from  the  lease 
agreements.

determining 

the 

OUR OBSERVATIONS
The  calculation  method  used  for  impairment  testing  of  the 
Reebok brand is appropriate and in line with the accounting 
policies to be applied. The assumptions and parameters used 
by management are balanced overall.

There  is  the  risk  for  the  consolidated  financial  statements 
that  the  right-of-use  assets  and  lease  liabilities  are  not 
recorded  in  full  in  the  consolidated  statement  of  financial 
position.  There  is  also  the  risk  that  the  right-of-use  assets 
and lease liabilities have not been appropriately measured.

FIRST-TIME APPLICATION OF “IFRS 16 LEASES”

For the accounting policies used and the disclosures on the 
judgments applied by management and sources of estimation 
uncertainties please refer to Note 2 and for the disclosures on 
the accounting of leases please refer to Notes 1, 12, 21 and 39 
in the notes to the consolidated financial statements.

OUR AUDIT APPROACH
In an initial step, we gained an understanding of the process 
used  by  adidas  Group  to  implement  the  new  IFRS  16 
accounting standard. We then analyzed the functional design 
and the accounting instructions underlying the implementation 
in terms of compliance with IFRS 16.

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

REPRODUCTION OF THE  
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT

We  assessed  the  appropriateness  and  setup  of  the  controls 
established  by  adidas  Group  to  ensure  the  full  and  correct 
determination of the data to measure the lease liabilities and 
right-of-use assets from leases. Where IT processing systems 
were used to determine and collect relevant data, we tested 
the  effectiveness  of  the  rules  and  procedures  of  the 
underlying accounting-related IT system, with the involvement 
of our IT experts. 

For  some  lease  agreements  selected  as  a  representative 
sample and some selected based on risk criteria, we assessed 
whether the relevant data was correctly and fully determined. 
To  the  extent  that  accounting  judgments  were  made  for 
determining the lease term, we examined whether – in light of 
the  business  model  of  adidas,  prevailing  market  conditions 
and  risks  in  the  industry  –  the  underlying  assumptions  are 
comprehensible and consistent with other assumptions made 
in the financial statements. 

With the involvement of our valuation experts, we compared 
the assumptions and parameters underlying the incremental 
borrowing  rates  with  our  own  assumptions  and  publicly 
available data. We also assessed the calculation model for the 
interest rate in terms of appropriateness. 

For  the  lease  agreements  in  the  sample  detailed  above,  we 
verified the computational accuracy of the values of the lease 
liabilities and right-of-use assets determined by the IT system 
SAP RE-FX of adidas AG.

OUR OBSERVATIONS
adidas  has  established  appropriate  procedures  to  record 
leases  for  the  purposes  of  IFRS  16.  The  assumptions  and 
parameters used to measure the lease liabilities and right-of-
use assets are appropriate overall.

In  accordance  with  our  engagement  letter,  we  conducted  a 
separate  assurance  engagement  of  the  consolidated  non-
financial  statement.  Please  refer  to  our  assurance  report 
dated February 27, 2020, for information on the nature, scope 
and findings of this assurance engagement.

OTHER INFORMATION
Management or the supervisory board is responsible for the 
other  information.  The  other  information  comprises  the 
following not audited parts of the management report:
 — the integrated combined non-financial statement which is 

marked as unaudited, 

 — and the corporate governance statement with the corporate 

governance report.

The other information comprises furthermore the remaining 
parts of the annual report.

The other information does not comprise the audited financial 
statement  and  the  management  report  information  audited 
for content and our auditor’s report.

Our  opinions  on  the  annual  financial  statements  and  on  the 
group management report do not cover the other information, 
and consequently we do not express an opinion or any other 
form of assurance conclusion thereon. 

In connection with our audit, our responsibility is to read the 
other  information  and,  in  so  doing,  to  consider  whether  the 
other information
 — is materially inconsistent  with the group management 
report information audited for content or our knowledge 
obtained in the audit, or

 — otherwise appears to be materially misstated. 

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD 
AND THE SUPERVISORY BOARD FOR THE 
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND 
THE GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT
The  Executive  Board  is  responsible  for  the  preparation  of 
consolidated financial statements that comply, in all material 
respects, with IFRSs as adopted by the EU and the additional 
requirements of German commercial law pursuant to Section 
315e (1) HGB and that the consolidated financial statements, 
in  compliance  with  these  requirements,  give  a  true  and  fair 
view of the assets, liabilities, financial position, and financial 
performance of the Group. In addition, the Executive Board is 
responsible for such internal control as they have determined 
necessary to enable the preparation of consolidated financial 
statements  that  are  free  from  material  misstatement, 
whether due to fraud or error.

In  preparing  the  consolidated  financial  statements,  the 
Executive  Board  is  responsible  for  assessing  the  Group’s 
ability  to  continue  as  a  going  concern.  It  also  has  the 
responsibility for disclosing, as applicable, matters related to 
going concern. In addition, they are responsible for financial 
reporting  based  on  the  going  concern  basis  of  accounting 
unless there is an intention to liquidate the Group or to cease 
operations, or there is no realistic alternative but to do so.

Furthermore,  the  Executive  Board  is  responsible  for  the 
preparation of the group management report that, as a whole, 
provides an appropriate view of the Group’s position and is, in 
all  material  respects,  consistent  with  the  consolidated 
legal 
financial 

complies  with  German 

statements, 

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6

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

REPRODUCTION OF THE  
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT

requirements,  and  appropriately  presents  the  opportunities 
and  risks  of  future  development.  In  addition,  the  Executive 
Board  is  responsible  for  such  arrangements  and  measures 
(systems)  as  it  has  considered  necessary  to  enable  the 
preparation  of  a  group  management  report  that  is  in 
accordance  with  the  applicable  German  legal  requirements, 
and to be able to provide sufficient appropriate evidence for 
the assertions in the group management report.

The  Supervisory  Board  is  responsible  for  overseeing  the 
Group’s financial reporting process for the preparation of the 
consolidated 
the  group 
financial  statements  and  of 
management report.

AUDITOR’S RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE AUDIT 
OF THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL 
STATEMENTS AND OF THE GROUP 
MANAGEMENT REPORT
Our  objectives  are  to  obtain  reasonable  assurance  about 
whether the consolidated financial statements as a whole are 
free  from  material  misstatement,  whether  due  to  fraud  or 
error, and whether the group management report as a whole 
provides an appropriate view of the Group’s position and, in all 
material respects, is consistent with the consolidated financial 
statements and the knowledge obtained in the audit, complies 
with  the  German  legal  requirements  and  appropriately 
presents  the  opportunities  and  risks  of  future  development, 
as  well  as  to  issue  an  auditor’s  report  that  includes  our 
opinions on the consolidated financial statements and on the 
group management report. 

Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not 
a  guarantee  that  an  audit  conducted  in  accordance  with 
Section  317  HGB  and  the  EU  Audit  Regulation  and  in 
compliance  with  German  Generally  Accepted  Standards  for 
Financial  Statement  Audits  promulgated  by  the  Institut  der 
(IDW)  will  always  detect  a  material 
Wirtschaftsprüfer 

misstatement.  Misstatements  can  arise  from  fraud  or  error 
and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, 
they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic 
decisions  of  users  taken  on  the  basis  of  these  consolidated 
financial statements and this group management report.

or,  if  such  disclosures  are  inadequate,  to  modify  our 
respective opinions. Our conclusions are based on the audit 
evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor’s report. 
However, future events or conditions may cause the Group 
to cease to be able to continue as a going concern.

We exercise professional judgment and maintain professional 
skepticism throughout the audit. We also:
 — Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of 
the consolidated financial statements and of the group 
management report, whether due to fraud or error, design 
and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, 
and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate 
to provide a basis for our opinions. The risk of not detecting 
a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than 
for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, 
forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the 
override of internal controls.

 — Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to 
the audit of the consolidated financial statements and of 
arrangements  and  measures  (systems)  relevant  to  the 
audit of the group management report in order to design 
audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, 
but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the 
effectiveness of these systems.

 — Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used by 
the Executive Board and the reasonableness of estimates 
made by the Executive Board and related disclosures.
 — Conclude on the appropriateness of the Executive Board’s 
use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based 
on  the  audit  evidence  obtained,  whether  a  material 
uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may 
cast significant doubt on the Group’s ability to continue as 
a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty 
exists, we are required to draw attention in the auditor’s 
report  to  the  related  disclosures  in  the  consolidated 
financial statements and in the group management report 

 — Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content 
of  the  consolidated  financial  statements,  including  the 
disclosures,  and  whether  the  consolidated  financial 
statements present the underlying transactions and events 
in a manner that the consolidated financial statements 
give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial 
position  and  financial  performance  of  the  Group  in 
compliance  with  IFRSs  as  adopted  by  the  EU  and  the 
additional  requirements  of  German  commercial  law 
pursuant to Section 315e (1) HGB.

 — Obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the 
financial information of the entities or business activities 
within the Group to express opinions on the consolidated 
financial  statements  and  on  the  group  management 
report. We are responsible for the direction, supervision 
and  performance  of  the  group  audit.  We  remain  solely 
responsible for our opinions.

 — Evaluate the consistency of the group management report 
with the consolidated financial statements, its conformity 
with [German] law, and the view of the Group’s position it 
provides.

 — Perform audit procedures on the prospective information 
presented by the Executive Board in the group management 
report. On the basis of sufficient appropriate audit evidence 
we  evaluate,  in  particular,  the  significant  assumptions 
used by the Executive Board as a basis for the prospective 
information,  and  evaluate  the  proper  derivation  of  the 
prospective information from these assumptions. We do not 
express a separate opinion on the prospective information 
and  on  the  assumptions  used  as  a  basis.  There  is  a 
substantial unavoidable risk that future events will differ 
materially from the prospective information.

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1

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

REPRODUCTION OF THE  
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT

We  communicate  with  those  charged  with  governance 
regarding,  among  other  matters,  the  planned  scope  and 
timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any 
significant  deficiencies  in  internal  control  that  we  identify 
during our audit.

We  also  provide  those  charged  with  governance  with  a 
statement  that  we  have  complied  with  the  relevant  ethical 
requirements  regarding  independence,  and  communicate 
with  them  all  relationships  and  other  matters  that  may 
reasonably  be  thought  to  bear  on  our  independence,  and 
where applicable, related safeguards.

From  the  matters  communicated  with  those  charged  with 
governance,  we  determine  those  matters  that  were  of  most 
significance 
in  the  audit  of  the  consolidated  financial 
statements  of  the  current  period  and  are  therefore  the  key 
audit  matters.  We  describe  these  matters  in  our  auditor’s 
report  unless  law  or  regulation  precludes  public  disclosure 
about the matter.

OTHER LEGAL AND REGULATORY 
REQUIREMENTS

GERMAN PUBLIC AUDITOR 
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ENGAGEMENT

FURTHER INFORMATION PURSUANT TO 
ARTICLE 10 OF THE EU AUDIT REGULATION
We  were  elected  as  group  auditor  at  the  Annual  General 
Meeting on May 9, 2019. We were engaged by the Supervisory 
Board on August 7, 2019. We have been the group auditor of 
adidas AG without interruption since financial year 1995.

We declare that the opinions expressed in this auditor’s report 
are consistent with the additional report to the audit committee 
pursuant to Article 11 of the EU Audit Regulation (long-form 
audit report).

The German Public Auditor responsible for the engagement is 
Haiko Schmidt. 

Munich, February 27, 2020

KPMG AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft
[Original German version signed by:]

Andrejewski 
Wirtschaftsprüfer 
[German Public Auditor] 

Schmidt
Wirtschaftsprüfer
[German Public Auditor]

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

LIMITED ASSURANCE REPORT

LIMITED ASSURANCE 
REPORT OF THE 
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR 
REGARDING THE 
COMBINED NON-
FINANCIAL STATEMENT 1

To the Supervisory Board of adidas AG, Herzogenaurach

We  have  performed  an 
independent  limited  assurance 
engagement  on  the  Combined  Non-Financial  Statement  of 
adidas AG, Herzogenaurach, (further the “Company” or “adidas”) 
and  the  adidas  Group  according  to  §§  315b,  315c  German 
Commercial Code (HGB) in conjunction with §§ 289b to 289e 
HGB  (further  the  “Report“)  for  the  year  from  January  1  to 
December 31, 2019. 

in 

As described in the section “Working conditions in our supply 
chain” 
the  Report,  1,191  social  compliance  and 
environmental  audits  at  suppliers  were  performed  by  in-
house technical staff as well as external third-party monitors 
commissioned by adidas business entities and licensees. The 
reasonableness  and  accuracy  of  the  conclusions  from  the 
performed audit work were not part of our limited assurance 
engagement.

MANAGEMENT’S RESPONSIBILITY
The  management  board  of  adidas  is  responsible  for  the 
preparation of the Report in accordance with §§ 315b, 315c HGB 
in conjunction with §§ 289b to 289e HGB. 

This  responsibility  of  the  management  board  includes  the 
selection and application of appropriate methods to prepare 
the  Report  and  the  use  of  assumptions  and  estimates  for 

individual disclosures which are reasonable under the given 
circumstances.  Furthermore,  the  responsibility 
includes 
implementing  and  maintaining  systems  and 
designing, 
processes relevant for the preparation of the Report in a way 
that is free of – intended or unintended – material misstatements.

INDEPENDENCE AND QUALITY ASSURANCE ON 
THE PART OF THE AUDITING FIRM 
We are independent from the Company in accordance with the 
requirements of independence and quality assurance set out 
in  legal  provisions  and  professional  pronouncements  and 
have  fulfilled  our  additional  professional  obligations 
in 
accordance with these requirements.

Our  audit  firm  applies  the  legal  provisions  and  professional 
pronouncements  for  quality  assurance,  in  particular  the 
professional code for German Public Auditors and Chartered 
Accountants (in Germany) and the quality assurance standard of 
the German Institute of Public Auditors (Institut der Wirtschafts-
prüfer, IDW) regarding quality assurance requirements in audit 
practice (IDW QS 1).

PRACTITIONER’S RESPONSIBILITY
Our responsibility is to express a conclusion based on our work 
performed of the Report within a limited assurance engagement. 

We conducted our work in accordance with the International 
Standard on Assurance Engagements (ISAE) 3000 (Revised): 
“Assurance  Engagements  other  than  Audits  or  Reviews  of 
Historical  Financial  Information”  published  by  IAASB.  This 
Standard  requires  that  we  plan  and  perform  the  assurance 
engagement to obtain limited assurance whether any matters 
have come to our attention that cause us to believe that the 
Report for the period from January 1 to December 31, 2019, 
has not been prepared, in all material respects, in accordance 
with §§ 315b, 315c HGB in conjunction with §§ 289b to 289e HGB. 

1 Our engagement applied to the German version of the Annual Report 2019. This text is a translation of the Limited Assurance Report issued in German, whereby the German text is authoritative.

We  do  not,  however,  issue  a  separate  conclusion  for  each 
disclosure.  In  a  limited  assurance  engagement  the  evidence 
gathering  procedures  are  more  limited  than  in  a  reasonable 
assurance engagement and therefore less assurance is obtained 
than  in  a  reasonable  assurance  engagement.  The  choice  of 
audit procedures is subject to the auditor’s own judgement. 

Within the scope of our engagement, we performed amongst 
others the following procedures: 
 — Inquiries of personnel on group level who are responsible 
for the materiality analysis to get an understanding of the 
process for identifying material topics and respective report 
boundaries for adidas

 — A risk assessment, including media research, of relevant 
information about the sustainability performance of adidas 
in the reporting period

 — Evaluation of the design and implementation of systems 
and processes for the collection, processing and monitoring 
of  disclosures  on  environmental,  employee  and  social 
matters, human rights, corruption and bribery, including 
data consolidation

 — Inquiries of personnel on group level who are responsible 
for determining disclosures on  concepts, due diligence 
processes, results and risks, the conducting of internal 
controls and consolidation of the disclosures

 — Evaluation of selected internal and external documents
 — Analytical evaluation of data and trends of quantitative 
disclosures which are reported by all sites on group level
 — Assessment of local data collection and reporting processes 
and reliability of reported data via a sampling survey in 
Herzogenaurach (Germany) and a video conference with 
the distribution center Moscow (Russia)

 — Evaluation of data collection and reporting processes and 
reliability of reported E-KPI and C-KPI data via a sampling 
survey for the two most relevant suppliers (by production 
volume, tier 1) conducted via video conferences with the 
sites in Vietnam and Indonesia

1

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9

ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201941    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

LIMITED ASSURANCE REPORT

 — Evaluation of the methodology for supplier assessment 

(E-KPI, C-KPI)

 — Assessment of the overall presentation of the disclosures

CONCLUSION
Based on the procedures performed and the evidence received 
to  obtain  assurance,  nothing  has  come  to  our  attention  that 
causes us to believe that the Report of adidas for the business 
year from January 1 to December 31, 2019 is not prepared, in 
all material respects, in accordance with §§ 315b, 315c HGB 
in conjunction with §§ 289b to 289e HGB. 

RESTRICTION OF USE / CLAUSE ON GENERAL 
ENGAGEMENT TERMS
This report is issued for purposes of the Supervisory Board of 
adidas AG, Herzogenaurach, only. We assume no responsibility 
with regard to any third parties.

Our  assignment  for  the  Supervisory  Board  of  adidas  AG, 
Herzogenaurach,  and  professional  liability  is  governed  by 
the  General  Engagement  Terms  for  Wirtschaftsprüfer  and 
Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaften 
(Allgemeine  Auftrags-
für  Wirtschaftsprüfer  und  Wirtschafts-
bedingungen 
prüfungsgesellschaften) in the version dated January 1, 2017 
(HTTPS://WWW.KPMG.DE/BESCHEINIGUNGEN/LIB/AAB_ENGLISH.PDF). By reading 
and using the information contained in this report, each recipient 
confirms  notice  of  provisions  of  the  General  Engagement 
Terms (including the limitation of our liability for negligence 
to EUR 4 million as stipulated in No. 9) and accepts the validity 
of the General Engagement Terms with respect to us.

Munich, February 27, 2020

KPMG AG
Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft 
[Original German version signed by:]

Andrejewski 

Hell

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20194 
5

Ten-Year Overview  

Glossary  

Declaration of Support  

Financial Calendar  

ADDITIONAL 
INFORMATION

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51    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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STATEMENTS

TEN-YEAR OVERVIEW

TEN-YEAR OVERVIEW

Ten-year overview

Income Statement Data (€ in millions)

Net sales 3, 4

Gross profit3, 4

Royalty and commission income 3, 4

Other operating income 3, 4, 5

Other operating expenses 3, 4, 5

EBITDA 3, 4

Operating profit 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9

Net financial result 3, 4

Income before taxes 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9

Income taxes 3, 4, 10

Net income attributable to non-controlling interests

Net income attributable to shareholders 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

Income Statement Ratios

Gross margin 3, 4

Operating margin 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9

Interest coverage 3, 4

Effective tax rate 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Net income attributable to shareholders in % of net sales 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

Net Sales by Brand (€ in millions)

adidas brand

Reebok brand

2019

2018

2017 1

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011 2

2010

23,640

12,293

21,915

11,363

21,218

10,703

18,483

9,100

16,915

8,168

154

56

9,843

3,845

2,660

(102)

2,558

640

2

1,976

52.0%

11.3%

24.3

25.0%

8.4%

129

48

9,172

2,882

2,368

10

2,378

669

3

1,702

51.8%

10.8%

131.6

28.1%

7.8%

115

17

8,766

2,511

2,070

(47)

2,023

668

3

1,173

50.4%

9.8%

55.6

29.3%

5.5%

105

119

7,741

1,953

1,582

(46)

1,536

454

2

1,017

49.2%

8.6%

32.7

29.6%

5.5%

119

8

7,201

1,475

1,094

(21)

1,073

353

6

668

48.3%

6.5%

23.8

32.9%

4.0%

14,534

6,924

102

37

6,102

1,283

961

(48)

913

271

6

568

47.6%

6.6%

19.3

29.7%

3.9%

14,203

7,001

14,883

7,103

103

12

5,883

1,496

1,233

(68)

1,165

340

3

839

49.3%

8.7%

24.0

29.2%

5.9%

105

15

6,038

1,445

1,185

(69)

1,116

327

(2)

791

47.7%

8.0%

14.6

29.3%

5.3%

21,505

1,748

19,851

1,687

18,993

1,843

16,334

1,770

13,939

1,751

11,774

1,578

11,059

1,599

11,344

1,667

13,322

6,329

93

9

5,478

1,199

953

(84)

869

261

(5)

613

47.5%

7.2%

12.2

30.0%

4.6%

9,867

1,940

11,990

5,730

100

45

4,981

1,159

894

(88)

806

238

(1)

567

47.8%

7.5%

10.1

29.5%

4.7%

8,714

1,913

  1 2017 restated according to IAS 8 in the 2018 consolidated financial statements.
  2 2011 restated according to IAS 8 in the 2012 consolidated financial statements.
  3 2019, 2018, 2017 and 2016 figures reflect continuing operations as a result of the divestiture of the Rockport, TaylorMade, Adams Golf, Ashworth and CCM Hockey businesses.
  4 2015, 2014 and 2013 figures reflect continuing operations as a result of the divestiture of the Rockport business.
  5 Figures reflect the adjusted consolidated income statement structure introduced in 2018.
  6 2015 excluding goodwill impairment of € 34 million.
  7 2014 excluding goodwill impairment of € 78 million.
  8 2013 excluding goodwill impairment of € 52 million.
  9 2012 excluding goodwill impairment of € 265 million.
10 2017 excluding negative one-time tax impact of € 76 million.
11 Includes continuing and discontinued operations.
12 Based on shareholders’ equity.
13 2019 and 2018 figures reflect presentation of interest paid within cash flows from financing activities. Prior year figures are not restated.
14 Subject to Annual General Meeting approval.
15 Based on net income from continuing operations.
16 Based on number of shares outstanding at the date of preparation of the Consolidated Financial Statements.

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201951    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

TEN-YEAR OVERVIEW

Ten-year overview

Net Sales by Product Category (€ in millions)

Footwear 3, 4

Apparel 3, 4

Hardware 3, 4

Balance Sheet Data (€ in millions)

Total assets

Inventories          

Receivables and other current assets

Working capital          

Net cash/(net borrowings)

Shareholders’ equity

Balance Sheet Ratios

Net borrowings/EBITDA 3, 4

Average operating working capital in % of net sales 3, 4

Financial leverage 12

Equity ratio 12

Equity-to-fixed-assets ratio 12

Asset coverage I 12

Asset coverage II 12

Fixed asset intensity of investments

Current asset intensity of investments

Liquidity I

Liquidity II

Liquidity III

Working capital turnover 3, 4

Return on equity 11, 12

Return on capital employed 11

2019

2018

2017 1

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011 2

2010

13,521

8,963

1,156

12,783

8,223

910

12,427

7,747

1,044

10,132

7,352

999

8,360

6,970

1,585

6,658

6,279

1,597

6,587

5,811

1,806

6,922

6,290

1,671

6,242

5,733

1,347

5,389

5,380

1,221

20,680

15,612

14,019

15,176

13,343

12,417

11,599

11,651

11,237

10,618

4,085

4,338

2,179

873

6,796

(0.2)

18.1%

(12.8%)

32.9%

69.7%

119.7%

84.3%

47.1%

52.9%

28.7%

58.7%

3,445

3,734

2,979

959

6,377

(0.3)

19.0%

(15.0%)

40.8%

110.0%

151.6%

95.1%

37.1%

62.9%

38.6%

73.9%

3,692

3,277

2,354

484

6,032

(0.2)

20.4%

(8.0%)

43.0%

112.2%

144.1%

85.4%

38.3%

61.7%

25.5%

62.3%

3,763

3,607

2,121

(103)

6,472

0.1

21.1%

1.6%

42.6%

102.9%

134.0%

83.8%

41.4%

58.6%

22.4%

54.9%

3,113

3,003

2,133

(460)

5,666

0.3

20.5%

8.1%

42.5%

96.9%

136.8%

89.3%

43.8%

56.2%

25.5%

63.7%

2,526

2,861

2,970

(185)

5,624

0.1

22.4%

3.3%

45.3%

110.9%

158.7%

105.9%

40.8%

59.2%

38.6%

83.0%

2,634

2,583

2,125

295

5,489

(0.2)

21.3%

(5.4%)

47.3%

115.8%

145.0%

93.2%

40.9%

59.1%

34.4%

72.6%

2,486

2,444

2,504

448

5,304

(0.3)

20.0%

(8.5%)

45.5%

111.1%

152.7%

100.4%

41.0%

59.0%

44.3%

82.9%

2,502

2,431

1,990

90

5,137

(0.1)

20.4%

(1.8%)

45.7%

104.6%

140.7%

93.2%

43.7%

56.3%

31.6%

68.3%

2,119

2,324

1,972

(221)

4,616

0.2

20.8%

4.8%

43.5%

97.4%

141.5%

97.7%

44.6%

55.4%

35.5%

78.2%

105.3%

124.4%

121.0%

110.6%

121.8%

140.7%

128.3%

139.7%

126.0%

132.4%

10.8

29.1%

45.4%

7.4

26.7%

45.1%

9.0

18.2%

41.2%

8.7

15.7%

24.2%

7.9

11.2%

16.5%

4.9

8.7%

13.8%

6.7

14.3%

23.6%

5.9

9.9%

19.3%

6.7

11.9%

19.9%

6.1

12.3%

20.2%

  1 2017 restated according to IAS 8 in the 2018 consolidated financial statements.
  2 2011 restated according to IAS 8 in the 2012 consolidated financial statements.
  3 2019, 2018, 2017 and 2016 figures reflect continuing operations as a result of the divestiture of the Rockport, TaylorMade, Adams Golf, Ashworth and CCM Hockey businesses.
  4 2015, 2014 and 2013 figures reflect continuing operations as a result of the divestiture of the Rockport business.
  5 Figures reflect the adjusted consolidated income statement structure introduced in 2018.
  6 2015 excluding goodwill impairment of € 34 million.
  7 2014 excluding goodwill impairment of € 78 million.
  8 2013 excluding goodwill impairment of € 52 million.
  9 2012 excluding goodwill impairment of € 265 million.
10 2017 excluding negative one-time tax impact of € 76 million.
11 Includes continuing and discontinued operations.
12 Based on shareholders’ equity.
13 2019 and 2018 figures reflect presentation of interest paid within cash flows from financing activities. Prior year figures are not restated.
14 Subject to Annual General Meeting approval.
15 Based on net income from continuing operations.
16 Based on number of shares outstanding at the date of preparation of the Consolidated Financial Statements.

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201951    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

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STATEMENTS

TEN-YEAR OVERVIEW

Ten-year overview

Data per Share

Share price at year-end (in €)          

Basic earnings 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 (in €)          

Diluted earnings 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 (in €)

Price/earnings ratio at year-end 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Market capitalization at year-end (€ in millions)

Net cash generated from operating activities 11, 13 (in €)

Dividend (in €)          

Dividend payout ratio 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15 (in %)          

2019

2018

2017 1

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011 2

2010

289.80

182.40

167.15

150.15

9.70

9.70

29.9

56,792

14.26

3.85 14

39.2 16

8.46

8.45

21.6

36,329

13.31

3.35

38.9

7.05

7.00

23.7

5.39

5.29

27.8

89.91

3.54

3.54

25.4

57.62

3.05

3.05

18.9

92.64

3.93

3.93

23.6

67.33

3.78

3.78

17.8

50.26

2.93

2.93

17.1

48.89

2.71

2.71

18.0

34,075

30,254

18,000

11,773

19,382

14,087

10,515

10,229

8.14

2.60

37.0

6.73

2.00

37.4

5.41

1.60

44.5

3.36

1.50

47.2

3.03

1.50

38.0

4.50

1.35

35.8

3.86

1.00

34.4

4.28

0.80

29.5

Number of shares outstanding at year-end (in thousands)          

195,969

199,171

203,861

201,489

200,197

204,327

209,216

209,216

209,216

209,216

Employees

Number of employees at year-end 3, 4

Personnel expenses 3, 4 (€ in millions)

59,533

2,720

57,016

2,481

56,888

2,549

58,902

2,373

55,555

2,184

53,731

1,842

49,808

1,833

46,306

1,872

46,824

1,646

42,541

1,521

  1 2017 restated according to IAS 8 in the 2018 consolidated financial statements.
  2 2011 restated according to IAS 8 in the 2012 consolidated financial statements.
  3 2019, 2018, 2017 and 2016 figures reflect continuing operations as a result of the divestiture of the Rockport, TaylorMade, Adams Golf, Ashworth and CCM Hockey businesses.
  4 2015, 2014 and 2013 figures reflect continuing operations as a result of the divestiture of the Rockport business.
  5 Figures reflect the adjusted consolidated income statement structure introduced in 2018.
  6 2015 excluding goodwill impairment of € 34 million.
  7 2014 excluding goodwill impairment of € 78 million.
  8 2013 excluding goodwill impairment of € 52 million.
  9 2012 excluding goodwill impairment of € 265 million.
10 2017 excluding negative one-time tax impact of € 76 million.
11 Includes continuing and discontinued operations.
12 Based on shareholders’ equity.
13 2019 and 2018 figures reflect presentation of interest paid within cash flows from financing activities. Prior year figures are not restated.
14 Subject to Annual General Meeting approval.
15 Based on net income from continuing operations.
16 Based on number of shares outstanding at the date of preparation of the Consolidated Financial Statements.

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201951    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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GLOSSARY

/ A

ATHLEISURE  
The  term  is  composed  of  the  words  athletic  and  leisure.  It 
describes a fashion trend of sportswear no longer being just 
meant for training but increasingly shaping everyday clothing.

/ B

BRAND LEADERSHIP
adidas’ operating model that aims at providing an organizational 
structure  which  enables  a  ‘consumer-obsessed’  culture  that 
can act with speed, agility and empowerment.

/ C

3Cs
The ‘3Cs’ stand for creativity, collaboration and confidence. It 
is adidas’ goal to develop a culture that cherishes creativity, 
collaboration and confidence as well as high performance – 
the  behaviors  we  deem  crucial  to  the  successful  delivery  of 
our corporate strategy. In fact, our culture and people serve 
as the foundation and a key enabler of the ‘Creating the New’ 
strategy.

Running by Runtastic’ or ‘adidas Training by Runtastic’ apps. 
Depending  on  the  number  of  points,  exclusive  benefits  are 
unlocked, including access to hype sneaker and apparel drops 
or invitations to special events.

CASH POOLING 
A cash management technique for physical concentration of 
cash. Cash pooling allows adidas to combine credit and debit 
positions from various accounts and several subsidiaries into 
one  central  account.  This  technique  supports  our  in-house 
bank concept where advantage is taken of any surplus funds 
of  subsidiaries  to  cover  cash  requirements  of  other 
subsidiaries,  thus  reducing  external  financing  needs  and 
optimizing our net interest expenses. 

CONTROLLED SPACE 
Includes  own-retail  business,  mono-branded 
franchise 
stores, shop-in-shops, joint ventures with retail partners and 
co-branded  stores.  Controlled  space  offers  a  high  level  of 
brand  control  and  ensures  optimal  product  offering  and 
presentation according to brand requirements. 

CONVERSION RATE 
A key ratio in retail business describing the number of buying 
customers compared to those who entered the store without 
buying something; i.e. a 25% conversion rate means that 100 
persons entered a store with 25 of them buying something. 

/ D

CREATORS CLUB
Creators Club is a membership program that helps us deepen 
the relationship with our consumers. Linking all adidas apps, 
events, communities and channels into one single profile, the 
program  rewards  members  with  points  for  interacting  with 
the brand, e.g. when making a purchase or using the ‘adidas 

DIRECT-TO-TEXTILE DIGITAL PRINTING
An ink-jet-based method of full colorant graphic printing onto 
fabric.  Most  notably,  digital  textile  printing  involves  either 
printing  smaller  designs  onto  garments  (e.g.  T-shirts)  or 
printing larger designs onto large-format rolls of fabric (e.g. 
flags, banners).  

GLOSSARY

/ F

FITHUB 
FitHub  is  Reebok’s  own-retail  store  concept,  inspired  by 
CrossFit  gyms  and  fitness  studios.  Each  FitHub  offers  a 
selection of Reebok’s best product assortment, from footwear 
to apparel and accessories. Also, it inspires people to move, to 
train,  to  get  fit  and  have  fun  doing  it  with  innovative  fitness 
products,  trusted  advice  from  trained  staff  and  community-
based events.  

/ H

HARDWARE  
A product category which comprises equipment that is used 
rather  than  worn  by  the  consumer,  such  as  bags,  balls,  or 
fitness equipment.  

/ I

INDEPENDENT MANUFACTURING PARTNERS 
We  outsource  almost  100%  of  production  to  independent 
manufacturing partners. They are defined on a supplier group 
level,  which  means  one  independent  manufacturing  partner 
in  several  manufacturing  facilities.  The 
might  produce 
majority  of  our  independent  manufacturing  partners  are 
located in Asia.

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201951    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

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/ L

LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK 
The  Leadership  Framework  is  based  on  the  three  company 
behaviors creativity, collaboration, confidence (the ‘3Cs’) and 
articulates  the  particular  behaviors  that  are  expected  of 
leaders at adidas. The framework was developed jointly with 
employees  worldwide  who  provided  feedback  on  what  great 
leadership  within  adidas  looks  like  to  them.  It  provides  a 
global  and  universal  language  that  is  inclusive,  reduces  the 
need for local interpretations and outlines concrete behaviors 
that serve as a measure of leadership effectiveness. It is built 
into the way we hire and promote as well as rate performance. 

/ M

investments 

MARKETING EXPENDITURE 
Expenditure  that  relates  to  point-of-sale  and  marketing 
investments.  While  point-of-sale 
include 
expenses for advertising and promotion initiatives at the point 
of  sale  as  well  as  store  fittings  and  furniture,  marketing 
investments relate to sponsorship contracts with teams and 
individual athletes as well as to advertising, events and other 
communication  activities.  Marketing  overhead  expenses  are 
not included in marketing expenditure. 

/ N

NEIGHBOURHOOD
Neighbourhood is adidas Originals’ premium own-retail store 
concept  which  brings  the  style  and  spirit  of  sport  to  the 
streets. The aim is to turn Originals stores into a local cultural 
epicenter.  The  store  environment  takes  its  inspiration  from 
the neighborhood, which is at the heart of Originals. 

NET PROMOTER SCORE (NPS)
A  survey-based  measure  of  how  likely  people  are  to 
recommend  a  brand.  The  survey  is  based  on  one  single 
question to consumers: ‘How likely are you to recommend this 
brand to your friends?’, which can be answered within a scale 
from 0 to 10. Promoters are consumers giving the brand a 9 or 
10 rating, while detractors are those between a 0 and 6 rating. 
The NPS is the difference between promoters and detractors 
measured in percentage points. 

NON-TRADE PROCUREMENT ACTIVITIES
Non-trade procurement is the sourcing of goods and services 
which  are  not  linked  or  indirectly  linked  to  regular  trade 
products  sold  to  customers.  The  goods  and  services  are 
classified  as  consumption  by  internal  stakeholders  and 
include  things  such  as  repairing  equipment  and  purchasing 
office supplies.

/ O

OPERATING OVERHEAD EXPENSES 
Expenses which are not directly attributable to the products 
or  services  sold,  such  as  distribution  and  selling  as  well  as 
general and administration costs, but not including marketing 
and point-of-sale expenses.

ORIGINALS THE COLLECTION 
This retail concept for adidas Originals is visually inspired by 
the  adidas  brand  archive.  It  is  designed  to  create  spaces  as 
platforms  to  respond  to  an  ever-changing  culture,  to  the 
community, to our world and the collective memory of sport. 
Its  design  language  is  functional  and  flexible,  iconic  and 
relevant.  The  fluid,  open-plan  design  highlights  products  in 
new and elevated ways. 

GLOSSARY

/ P

PARLEY FOR THE OCEANS 
Parley  for  the  Oceans  is  an  environmental  organization  and 
global collaboration network. Founded in 2012, Parley aims to 
raise awareness for the beauty and fragility of the oceans, and 
to  inspire  and  empower  diverse  groups  such  as  pacesetting 
companies,  brands,  organizations,  governments,  artists, 
designers, scientists, innovators and environmentalists in the 
exploration of new ways of creating, thinking and living on our 
finite, blue planet.

PARLEY OCEAN PLASTIC
Parley  Ocean  Plastic  is  a  material  created  from  upcycled 
plastic waste that was intercepted from beaches and coastal 
communities before reaching the ocean. Parley for the Oceans 
works  with  its  partners  to  collect,  sort  and  transport  the 
recovered  raw  material  (mainly  PET  bottles)  to  our  supplier 
who  produces  the  yarn,  which  is  legally  trademarked.  It  is 
used  as  a  replacement  for  virgin  plastic  in  the  making  of 
adidas x Parley products.

PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS 
In the sporting goods industry, performance products relate to 
technical footwear and apparel used primarily in sports.

PROMOTION PARTNERSHIPS 
Partnerships  with  events,  associations,  leagues,  clubs  and 
individual athletes. In exchange for the services of promoting 
the  company’s  brands,  the  party  is  provided  with  products 
and/or cash and/or promotional materials.

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201951    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

/ R

RECYCLED LDPE POLYBAGS
A type of product transport packaging made of recycled low-
density  polyethylene  (LDPE)  that  offers  a  more  sustainable 
option  to  virgin  plastic  polybags,  as  they  have  a  lower 
environmental  footprint  than  conventional  bags  and  most 
alternatives.  Recycled  LDPE  polybags  meet  our  quality  and 
performance  standards  to  effectively  protect  our  products 
during shipping and handling, are available globally and can 
be recycled via existing waste streams.

/ S

SINGLE-SOURCING MODEL 
Supply chain activities limited to one specific supplier. Due to 
the  dependency  on  only  one  supplier,  a  company  can  face 
disadvantages during the sourcing process. 

SPEEDFACTORY 
Speedfactory  stands  for  an  accelerated  manufacturing 
process of high-performance sports shoes enabled by latest 
manufacturing  technology  that  was  tested  at  the  adidas 
Speedfactories  in  Ansbach,  Germany,  and  Atlanta,  USA. 
adidas opened both factories together with Oechsler in 2017. 
At the end of 2019, adidas started to deploy its Speedfactory 
technologies  to  produce  athletic  footwear  at  two  of  its 
suppliers  in  Asia.  Production  at  the  Ansbach  and  Atlanta 
Speedfactories  will  be  discontinued  by  April  2020.  This  will 
enable adidas to continue to respond to short-term trends in 
demand while using production capacities more flexibly and 
economically and expanding the range of products with short 
production  times 
faster.  Manufacturing  processes  will 
continue to be developed, improved and tested in the adiLab at 
the adidas production site in Scheinfeld. 

SPORT INSPIRED 
‘Sport  Inspired’  stands  for  fashion  inspired  by  sport  –  also 
known  as  ‘sports  lifestyle’.  It  draws  inspiration  from  adidas’ 
rich archives and legacy. Sport Inspired stands for Originals, 
Y-3, Statement and Yeezy.  

SPORT PERFORMANCE 
‘Sport  Performance’  stands  for  the  categories  training, 
running,  football,  basketball  and  heartbeat  sports  such  as 
outdoor, swim, tennis and US sports.

STADIUM
Stadium is an own-retail store concept for the adidas brand, 
inspired  by  high  school  stadiums.  It  aims  to  create  a  sports 
stadium-like atmosphere to enhance the in-store experience, 
such  as  a  tunnel  entrance,  stands  for  live-game  viewing  on 
big  screens,  locker  rooms  instead  of  dressing  rooms  and 
track  and  field  areas  where  consumers  can  test  and 
experience products.

SUSTAINABLE COTTON
For adidas, sustainable cotton means certified organic cotton 
or  any  other  form  of  sustainably  produced  cotton  that  is 
currently available or might be in future, and Better Cotton. 

/ V

VECTOR STYLE
Exclusively  for  the  Asia-Pacific  market,  the  Reebok  Vector 
Style retail concept incorporates color, textures, and shapes 
within the space in order to convey a sense of movement and 
style.  Capturing  a  more  hip  and  modern  pace,  the  design  is 
meant  to  present  the  Reebok  lifestyle  product  in  a  cool  and 
interesting  way.  Architectural  features  within  the  store 
emulate the angles of Reebok’s Vector logo, so that the sense 
of action is reinforced throughout the space.

GLOSSARY

/ W

WET PROCESSES 
Wet processes are defined as water-intense processes, such 
as dyeing and finishing of materials. 

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 201951    TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

2    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

3    GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT –  

4    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL  

5    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OUR COMPANY

FINANCIAL REVIEW

STATEMENTS

DECLARATION OF SUPPORT

DECLARATION 
OF SUPPORT

adidas  AG  declares  support,  except  in  the  case  of  political 
risk,  that  the  below-mentioned  companies  are  able  to  meet 
their  contractual  liabilities.  This  declaration  replaces  the 
declaration dated February 27, 2019, which is no longer valid. 
The  declaration  of  support  automatically  ceases  from  the 
time that a company no longer is a subsidiary of adidas AG.

adidas (China) Ltd., Shanghai, China
adidas (Cyprus) Limited, Nicosia, Cyprus
adidas (Ireland) Limited, Dublin, Ireland
adidas (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
adidas (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd., Cape Town, South Africa
adidas (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Suzhou, China
adidas (Thailand) Co., Ltd., Bangkok, Thailand
adidas (UK) Limited, Stockport, Great Britain
adidas America, Inc., Portland, Oregon, USA
adidas Argentina S.A., Buenos Aires, Argentina
adidas Australia Pty Limited, Mulgrave, Australia
adidas Austria GmbH, Klagenfurt, Austria
adidas Baltics SIA, Riga, Latvia
adidas Benelux B.V., Amsterdam, Netherlands
adidas Budapest Kft., Budapest, Hungary
adidas Bulgaria EAD, Sofia, Bulgaria
adidas Business Services (Dalian) Limited, Dalian, China
adidas Business Services Lda., Morea de Maia, Portugal
adidas Business Services GmbH, Herzogenaurach, Germany
adidas Canada Limited, Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada
adidas CDC Immobilieninvest GmbH, Herzogenaurach, 

Germany

adidas Chile Limitada, Santiago de Chile, Chile
adidas Colombia Ltda., Bogotá, Colombia
adidas CR s.r.o., Prague, Czech Republic

adidas Croatia d.o.o., Zagreb, Croatia
adidas Danmark A/S, Copenhagen, Denmark
adidas de Mexico, S.A. de C.V., Mexico City, Mexico
adidas do Brasil Ltda., São Paulo, Brazil
adidas Emerging Markets FZE, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
adidas Emerging Markets L.L.C, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
adidas España S.A.U., Zaragoza, Spain
adidas France S.a.r.l., Strasbourg, France
adidas Hellas A.E., Athens, Greece
adidas Hong Kong Limited, Hong Kong, China
adidas Imports & Exports Ltd., Cairo, Egypt
adidas India Marketing Private Limited, New Delhi, India
adidas Industrial, S.A. de C.V., Mexico City, Mexico
adidas Indy, LLC, Wilmington, Delaware, USA
adidas Insurance & Risk Consultants GmbH, 

Herzogenaurach, Germany

adidas International B.V., Amsterdam, Netherlands
adidas International Marketing B.V., Amsterdam, Netherlands
adidas International Property Holding B.V., Amsterdam, 

Netherlands

adidas International Re DAC, Dublin, Ireland
adidas International Trading AG, Lucerne, Switzerland
adidas International, Inc., Portland, Oregon, USA
adidas Italy S.p.A., Monza, Italy
adidas Japan K.K., Tokyo, Japan
adidas Korea LLC., Seoul, South Korea
adidas Latin America, S.A., Panama City, Panama
adidas LLP, Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan
adidas Logistics (Tianjin) Co., Ltd., Tianjin, China
adidas Morocco LLC, Casablanca, Morocco 
adidas New Zealand Limited, Auckland, New Zealand
adidas Norge AS, Oslo, Norway
adidas North America, Inc., Portland, Oregon, USA
adidas Perú S.A.C., Lima, Peru
adidas Philippines Inc., Pasig City, Philippines
adidas Poland Sp.z o.o., Warsaw, Poland
adidas Portugal - Artigos de Desporto, S.A., Lisbon, Portugal

adidas Romania S.R.L., Bucharest, Romania
adidas Serbia d.o.o., Belgrade, Serbia
adidas Services Limited, Hong Kong, China
adidas Singapore Pte. Ltd., Singapore, Singapore
adidas Slovakia s.r.o., Bratislava, Slovak Republic
adidas Sourcing El Salvador, S.A. de C.V., Antiguo Cuscatlán, 

El Salvador

adidas Sourcing Limited, Hong Kong, China
adidas Spor Malzemeleri Satis ve Pazarlama A.S., Istanbul, 

Turkey

adidas sport gmbh, Cham, Switzerland
adidas Sporting Goods Ltd., Cairo, Egypt
adidas Sports Goods (Shanghai) Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China  
adidas Sports (China) Co. Ltd., Suzhou, China
adidas Suomi Oy, Helsinki, Finland
adidas Sverige AB, Solna, Sweden
adidas Taiwan Limited, Taipei, Taiwan
adidas Trgovina d.o.o., Ljubljana, Slovenia
adidas Ventures B.V., Amsterdam, Netherlands
adidas Vietnam Company Limited, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
adisport Corporation, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Concept Sport, S.A., Panama City, Panama
LLC ‘adidas, Ltd.’, Moscow, Russia
PT adidas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
Reebok India Company, New Delhi, India  
Reebok International Limited, London, Great Britain
Reebok International Ltd., Boston, Massachusetts, USA
SC ‘adidas-Ukraine’, Kiev, Ukraine
Spartanburg DC, Inc., Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA
Stone Age Equipment, Inc., Redlands, California, USA
Tafibal S.A., Montevideo, Uruguay
Trafford Park DC Limited, London, Great Britain

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ADIDAS ANNUAL REPORT 20195FINANCIAL
CALENDAR
2020

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MAR 11

FULL YEAR 2019 RESULTS 

MAY 8

FIRST QUARTER 2020 RESULTS

MAY 14

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 

MAY 19

DIVIDEND PAYMENT
(subject to Annual General Meeting approval)

AUG 6

FIRST HALF 2020 RESULTS

NOV 10

NINE MONTHS 2020 RESULTS

& INVESTOR AND MEDIA DAY

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CONTACT

ADI-DASSLER-STR. 1
91074 HERZOGENAURACH
GERMANY

Tel + 49 (0) 91 32 84 – 0
↗ adidas-group.com

adidas is a member of DIRK

(German Investor Relations 
Association)

® 2020 ADIDAS AG

INVESTOR RELATIONS

investor.relations@adidas.com
↗ adidas–group.com⁄investors

PHOTO CREDITS
adidas

CONCEPT

nexxar, Vienna

DESIGN AND REALIZATION

MPM Corporate Communication Solutions,  
Mainz and Düsseldorf

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