U.S. President Donald Trump ’s trade war is helping push U.S. clothing and footwear acquisitions to all-time highs this year, with some companies merging to help offset tariff costs while others go private to weather the next 3-1/2 years of his presidency outside the public market, dealmakers say.

Popular sneaker company Skechers announced a $9.42 billion deal in early May to go private, days after it withdrew its annual earnings forecasts and sent a letter — along with 75 other footwear companies — to Trump, stating that the tariffs were an "existential threat" to the industry.

Sneaker seller Foot Locker , which also signed the letter to Trump, in May accelerated its $2.4 billion sale to Dick’s Sporting Goods. While both deals were in the works for months, bankers and analysts sai

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