{{Short description|French multinational retail company}} {{Use British English|date=September 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}} {{Infobox company | name = Groupe Fnac Darty | logo = Logo_Fnac_Darty.svg | logo_size = 250px | type = Public | traded_as = {{EuronextParis|FNAC|FR0011476928}}<br>CAC Small | fate = | foundation = {{Start date and age|1954}} | location = Ivry-sur-Seine, France<ref>{{cite web|url=https://annuaire-entreprises.data.gouv.fr/etablissement/91892616300018|title=Établissement FNAC DARTY 4 à IVRY-SUR-SEINE|publisher=L'Annuaire des entreprises|access-date=29 November 2025|lang=fr}}</ref> | key_people = Enrique Martinez (president) | num_employees = 25,000 | num_employees_year = 2022 | num_locations = 987 | num_locations_year = 2022 | revenue = €7.949 billion | revenue_year = 2022 | operating_income = | net_income = | industry = Retail | brands = {{ubl|Fnac|Darty|Nature & Decouvertes|WeFix|France Billet|BilletRéduc|Vanden Borre|PC.Clinic|Unieuro}} | products = White and brown goods,<br> consumer electronics,<br> personal computing,<br> digital photo processing,<br> Pre-recorded media,<br>furniture | homepage = {{URL|https://www.fnacdarty.com/en/|fnacdarty.com}} }}

'''Groupe Fnac Darty''', formerly '''Groupe Fnac S.A.''', is a multinational retail company headquartered in Ivry-sur-Seine, France. It took its current name after acquiring '''Darty plc''' (formerly '''Kesa Electricals plc''' and '''Darty Limited''') in 2016.

==History==

===Fnac=== {{Main|Fnac}}

===Darty=== In 1957, the Darty family – the father and his three sons, Natan, Marcel and Bernard – managed a small store of textiles. The Darty brothers started to sell stock and, to attract customers, they left the goods on the pavement. Within a few days, the stock was sold. In 1967, the Darty brothers transferred to a larger warehouse.

In 1988, the company proceeded with the repurchase of the business by its employees through a management buyout. The operation was a success, since 90 per cent of employees participated, taking control of 56 per cent of the capital. By the end of 1988, Darty had opened its 100th store.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dartyfrance.fr/Historique.php?1988_1992|title=History: 1988-1992|publisher=Darty|access-date=16 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160806202414/http://www.dartyfrance.fr/Historique.php?1988_1992|archive-date=6 August 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 1993, Darty was acquired by Kingfisher plc, which integrated Darty and Comet into a European entity based in Paris: Kingfisher Electricals S.A. ('Kesa').

In 1999, Darty opened up a commercial internet site. This entity increased in size through acquisitions and by the beginning of 2003 included Darty and But in France, Comet in the United Kingdom, BCC in the Netherlands, Vanden Borre in Belgium and Datart in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. In 2006, Darty launched DartyBox, an ADSL internet, television and telecommunications provider based on the network of French internet operator Completel.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.01net.com/actualites/les-offres-dartybox-adsl-soumises-a-un-an-dengagement-394924.html|title=Les offres DartyBox ADSL soumises à un an d'engagement|date=4 November 2008 |publisher=01.net|access-date=16 July 2016}}</ref>

The company was demerged from Kingfisher plc in 2003.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Simpkins|first1=Edward|title=Kingfisher profits wiped out by Kesa demerger bills|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2863152/Kingfisher-profits-wiped-out-by-Kesa-demerger-bills.html|access-date=18 March 2016|work=The Telegraph|date=14 September 2003}}</ref> In July 2007, the company bought Menaje Del Hogar, an electrical retail chain based in Spain.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://citywire.co.uk/money/kesa-electricals-to-buy-54-unit-spanish-chain-emh-for-100-million/a285467|title= Kesa Electricals to buy 54-unit Spanish chain|publisher=City Wire|date=25 July 2007|access-date=16 July 2016}}</ref> On 6 July 2009, the company sold its Swiss operation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cityam.com/article/kesa-nears-11m-swiss-sell |title=Kesa nears 11m Swiss sell-off|date=17 June 2009|publisher=City AM|access-date=16 July 2016}}</ref> In 2012, the company completed the sale of Comet, which they sold for £2 to OpCapita, and paid the purchaser a sweetener of £50&nbsp;million to take the loss-making venture away.<ref>{{cite news|title=Comet electrical stores sold by Kesa for £2|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15650763|access-date=18 March 2016|publisher=BBC News|date=9 November 2011}}</ref>

In 2012, Kesa Electricals was renamed Darty plc.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/9343543/Kesa-renames-itself-Darty-as-it-turns-in-a-loss.html|title=Kesa renames itself Darty as it turns in a loss|access-date=6 October 2012|publisher=The Telegraph|date=20 June 2012}}</ref> In March 2014, Darty launched its own marketplace (developed by Mirakl) that lists products and services from Darty and third-party vendors.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mirakl.com/case-study-darty/|title=Case study: Darty|website=Mirakl.com|access-date=2016-08-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.essentialretail.com/essential-ecommerce/article/55b64c01764f3-why-are-retailers-launching-online-marketplaces|title=Why are retailers launching online marketplaces?|website=Essentialretail.com|date=27 July 2015|author=Caroline Baldwin|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150805011259/https://www.essentialretail.com/essential-ecommerce/article/55b64c01764f3-why-are-retailers-launching-online-marketplaces|archive-date=2015-08-05|url-status=dead|access-date=2019-10-18}}</ref> In November 2015, Darty plc reached an agreement to merge with the French retailer Fnac.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Kostov|first1=Nick|title=France's Fnac and Darty Agree Merger Terms|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/frances-fnac-and-darty-agree-merger-terms-1446796348|access-date=18 March 2016|work=The Wall Street Journal|date=6 November 2015}}</ref> '''Kesa Electricals plc''', '''Darty plc''' and '''Darty Limited''' In 2016, Darty announced it had instead agreed to be purchased by Steinhoff International for £673&nbsp;million through Steinhoff's Conforama subsidiary.<ref>{{cite news|title=Steinhoff drops Home Retail bid; buys Darty|url=http://www.ft.com/fastft/2016/03/18/steinhoff-abandons-pursuit-of-home-retail/|access-date=18 March 2016|work=Financial Times|date=18 March 2016}}</ref> Fnac returned with a higher offer, resulting in a bidding war between Fnac and Conforama during April 2016.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Thomson|first1=Adam|last2=Massoudi|first2=Arash|title=Fnac and Conforama trade rapid fire bids for France's Darty|url=https://www.ft.com/content/026d09b2-078b-11e6-a70d-4e39ac32c284|access-date=22 April 2016|work=Financial Times|date=21 April 2016}}</ref> The Fnac offer was declared unconditional on 19 July 2016, thereby allowing the takeover to be completed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.morningstar.co.uk/uk/news/AN_1468928388539360300/groupe-fnac-offer-for-darty-declared-unconditional-.aspx|title=Groupe Fnac Offer For Darty Declared Unconditional|publisher=Morning Star|date=19 July 2016|access-date=25 July 2016}}</ref>

===Fnac Darty=== As of December 31, 2017, Fnac Darty, as the parent company, had 70 subsidiaries (40 in France, 1 in Monaco, and 29 abroad).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cgtfnac.com/fnac-darty-filiales/|title=Fnac-Darty (filiales)|access-date=November 29, 2025|website=La CGT Fnac|language=fr}}</ref>

In 2019, Fnac Darty acquired Natures & Decouvertes, an outdoor, nature and well-being goods specialist.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/07/31/1894919/0/en/Fnac-Darty-completes-the-acquisition-of-Nature-D%C3%A9couvertes.html|title=Fnac Darty completes the acquisition of Nature & Découvertes|publisher=Globenewswire|date=31 July 2019}}</ref>

==Operations== Darty was headquartered in London. It had sourcing offices based in Paris and Hong Kong, as well as a wholly owned wholesaler of electrical accessories, Dacem, which supplied all of Darty's European operations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dartygroup.com/about-darty/group-overview/ |title=Group Overview|publisher=Darty|access-date=16 July 2016}}</ref>

Following the takeover by Fnac, Fnac and Darty merged, the Fnac group became '''Fnac Darty''' and the Darty headquarters joined the Fnac headquarters in Ivry Sur Seine.

Its structure is as follows: *Darty: retailer in France; operating 222 stores with 321,800 square metres of selling space *Vanden Borre & Fnac Belgium: retailer in Belgium; operating 72 stores with 55,600 square metres of selling space

==Shareholders==

As of 31 December 2024, Fnac Darty's main shareholders were:<ref>{{cite web |title=Action Fnac Darty / Structure de l'actionnariat |url=https://www.fnacdarty.com/le-groupe/investisseurs/action-fnac-darty/#structure-de-lactionnariat |access-date=4 November 2025}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" |- ! Shareholder ! Stake (% of ordinary shares) |- | Vesa Equity Investment (Daniel Křetínský's holding company) | 28.28% |- | Ceconomy | 21.95% |- | GLAS SAS | 10.22% |- | Treasury shares | 2.25% |- | Employee stock ownership | 2.14% |- | Public | 35.15% |}

==References== {{reflist|30em}}

==External links== * {{official website|https://www.fnacdarty.com/en/}}

{{Video game retailers}} {{Authority control}}

Category:Companies based in Île-de-France Category:Retail companies established in 1957 Category:Companies formerly listed on the London Stock Exchange Category:Companies listed on Euronext Paris Category:Consumer electronics retailers Category:Electronics companies of France Category:Multinational companies headquartered in France Category:Video game retailers Category:Retail companies of France Category:French companies established in 1957