It’s about as anti-climatic as a corporate announcement can be. However, on Tuesday the shareholders of holding company formerly known as  PPR approved its name change to Kering at its annual meeting in Paris.

PARIS/FRANKFURT, June 18 (Reuters) - PPR turned the page on its retail past and started a new life as a luxury and sports brands group by renaming itself Kering at its annual general meeting on...

PARIS/FRANKFURT, June 18 (Reuters) - PPR turnedthe page on its retail past and started a new life as a luxuryand sports brands group by renaming itself Kering at its annualgeneral meeting on Tuesday.

PARIS/FRANKFURT, June 18 (Reuters) - PPR seeks to turn the page on its retail past and start a new life as a luxury and sports brands group by renaming itself Kering at its annual general meeting...

* Transaction unlikely to close before early 2014 (Adds details, quotes from analyst and other sources)

* Transaction unlikely to close before early 2014 (Adds details, quotes from analyst and other sources)

* Transaction unlikely to close before early 2014 (Adds detail)

The group known as Pinault-Printemps-Redoute will mark its transformation from conglomerate to a luxury and lifestyle retailer by changing its name to Kering

Luxury goods companies such as Hermès, LVMH and PPR are snapping up crocodile farms and tanneries as demand for exclusive handbags escalates

* Shares down 0.7 pct (Recasts, adds comments from CFO, PPR, analyst comment)

* Shares down 0.7 pct (Recasts, adds comments from CFO, PPR, analyst comment)

PARIS, April 26 (Reuters) - PPR's disappointing first-quarter sales have reinforced fears that the luxury goods sector has run out of steam and reached a turning point.

PARIS, April 26 (Reuters) - PPR's disappointing first-quarter sales have reinforced fears that the luxury goods sector has run out of steam and reached a turning point.

PARIS, April 26 (Reuters) - PPR's disappointingfirst-quarter sales have reinforced fears that the luxury goodssector has run out of steam and reached a turning point.

PPR, the parent company of Gucci, on Thursday became the latest luxury-goods conglomerate to signal a drastic slowdown in China, the industry's most important growth market.

* Puma Q1 sales down 2.5 pct (Adds CFO comments, details, context)

* Puma Q1 sales down 2.5 pct (Adds CFO comments, details, context)

* Puma Q1 sales down 2.3 pct (Adds comments by CFO, background)

French luxury company PPR SA (PP.FR) said Wednesday that it is on the look out for further acquisition targets in the watches and jewelry business, following the announcement of the purchase of Italian jeweler Pomellato SpA.

PPR sees off rival talks with Prada and the Italian state investment fund to buy a majority stake in the Milanese jeweller Pomellato

PARIS, April 24 (Reuters) - PPR is buying Milanese jeweller Pomellato with the aim of developing it into a global brand and expanding the French luxury and sports group's presence in the jewellery...

PARIS, April 24 (Reuters) - PPR is buying Milanesejeweller Pomellato with the aim of developing it into a globalbrand and expanding the French luxury and sports group'spresence in the jewellery market.

PARIS, April 24 (Reuters) - PPR is buying Milanese jeweller Pomellato with the aim of developing it into a global brand and expanding the French luxury and sports group's presence in the jewellery market.

The rumors have been swirling for some time but now they are verified.  PPR, which will soon officially change its name to Kering, has acquired Italian jewelry company Pomellato.

French luxury-goods group PPR SA (PP.FR) Wednesday said it has bought Italian jeweler Pomellato for an undisclosed amount.

French group behind Gucci expected to see off competition from Prada for Italian jeweller Pomellato after buying Tuscan ceramics maker Richard Ginori

French luxury-goods group PPR is set to acquire Italian jeweler Pomellato, according to a person familiar with the matter, a sign that small independent brands are finding it increasingly difficult to compete against the industry's heavyweights.

The Paris luxury house, whose brands include Gucci, Balenciaga and Puma, said it was changing its name to Kering, a word based on the Breton for "home."

PARIS, March 22 (Reuters) - France's No. 2 luxury group PPRis changing its name to "Kering" to herald its exit from massmarket retail brands like Printemps and La Redoute, though thenew moniker left some observers mystified.

PARIS, March 22 (Reuters) - France's No. 2 luxury group PPR is changing its name to "Kering" to signal its exit from mass market retail brands like Printemps and La Redoute, though the new moniker left some observers mystified.

French family-controlled group changes name to ‘Kering’ in attempt to make industry aware of its new direction as a luxury and sports wear specialist

PPR, home to labels such as Gucci and Puma, will change its name to Kering in June, reflecting its transformation from a French conglomerate to an internationally focused sportswear and luxury-goods group.

With its transformation from a retail and home shopping company to an international luxury, sports and lifestyle organization nearly complete, French holding group PPR said Friday that it will change its name and brand messaging to reflect its new id

* Damiani family intends to keep a minority stake -source

* Damiani family intends to keep a minority stake - source

French fashion giant PPR is close to reaching an agreement to buy a majority stake in Pomellato, a midsize Italian jeweler known for its colored stones, in a deal that could value the house at about $459 million.

MILAN/PARIS, March 7 (Reuters) - PPR is close tosnapping up Milanese jeweller Pomellato in a deal that wouldallow the French luxury and sports brand group to expand in asector in which it has a small presence, sources close to thematter said.

(Corrects 4th graf to specify brand partially owned by PPR)

* Sale to be completed in the coming months (Adds background, advisors, PPR comment, share price)

PARIS, Feb 25 (Reuters) - French luxury and sports brand PPR is in exclusive talks to sell Ellos, the Scandinavianunit of its Redcats business, to Nordic Capital for anenterprise value of 300...

Paris-based holdings company, PPR, said net profit in 2012 increased 28.2 percent to €1.27 billion ($1.7 billion). Revenue increased 20.8 percent to €9.73 billion ($13 billion).

With M&A in the air, bankers could make a case for French consumer group as a target – but Pinault is unlikely to cede control easily

The company, whose brands include Gucci, Bottega Veneta and Balenciaga, said its profit increased 28 percent last year.

* PPR says to look at outdoor acquisitions once Puma isfixed

Shares in the French luxury goods firm, PPR, rise to their highest level in 12 years after strong earnings.

Gucci owner PPR said it is confident of its prospects in 2013, after posting a rise in net profit for 2012 thanks to strong sales of high-end products.

Retail conglomerate says it will complete its transformation to a company focused on luxury and sports and lifestyle apparel this year