Warner Music to Sell Merch Business EMP

Warner Music Group (WMG) is planning to sell its EMP business, having acquired the rock and metal merchandise e-retailer in 2018 for $180 million.

The details:

• Music Business Worldwide reports that the plan is outlined in WMG’s latest quarterly SEC filing.

• It expects to complete the sale in the second quarter of fiscal 2026, which is calendar Q1.

• The sale is in line with CEO Robert Kyncl’s announcement in July 2025 that the company would be divesting non-core assets as part of a $300 million cost cutting exercise.

Backstory:

• EMP was founded in Germany in 1986 and sells merchandise from artists including Twenty One Pilots, Metallica, Guns N’Roses, Nirvana, AC/DC and more.

• It also distributes products from brands such as Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, Nintendo, PlayStation and Vans.