Global Apparel Markets: Business Update, 3rd Quarter 2012 Edition
This report provides an update of business news in the following categories: acquisitions, divestments and mergers; company restructuring; corporate social responsibility (CSR); events; financial results; international trade policy; investments; joint ventures, cooperation, licensing and distribution; manufacturing facilities; markets; new stores; and online retailing. Companies, other organisations, brands and events analysed in the report include Abercrombie & Fitch, Adidas Group, Aditya Birla, Arcadia Group, Arvind Lifestyle Brands, Asos, Beyond Surface Technologies, Brand Marketing India (BMI), Cherokee Group, Clariant International, Dafiti, Debenhams, Edcon, Fast Retailing, Fawaz Al Hokair, Gap, H&M (Hennes & Mauritz), the House of Busby, Hthai, Inditex, Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics, JC Penney, Lenzing, Levi Strauss & Co, Lipsy, Marks and Spencer (M&S), Max, Nautica, Next, Nordstrom, Perry Ellis International, Planet Retail, PPR, PVH Corp, the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Target, Tchibo, Teijin Limited, The University of Manchester, TJX Companies and Yoox.
SUMMARY
ACQUISITIONS, DIVESTMENTS AND MERGERS
Arvind Lifestyle Brands has acquired the franchise rights in India for Debenhams, Nautica and Next
Teijin Limited will merge its NI Teijin Shoji and Teijin Fibers Divisions and launch a new company called Teijin Frontier
COMPANY RESTRUCTURING
Levi Strauss & Co will phase out its Denizen brand in Asia
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (CSR)
Clariant International has launched a new service called One Way for textile mills, brands and retailers
Gap plans to implement a building and fire safety action plan at the factories of its suppliers in Bangladesh
H&M has called for higher wages for workers in the Bangladeshi textile and apparel industry
H&M has placed a ban on the use of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in the manufacture of its products
The Sustainable Apparel Coalition has launched the Higg Index
EVENTS
Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics was held during October 23-25, 2012, at the Shanghai
New International Exhibition Centre in Shanghai, China
FINANCIAL RESULTS
Abercrombie & Fitch: net sales increased by 4% but net income fell by 52% in the second quarter of 2012/13
Asos: group revenues rose by 31% thanks to strong international sales in the fourth quarter of 2011/12
Gap: net sales and net income increased in the second quarter of 2012/13
Gildan Activewear: net sales rose by 13.3% but net earnings fell by 10.8% in the third quarter of 2011/12
Outlook
H&M: sales and gross profit increased in the first nine months of 2011/12
Third quarter 2011/12
First nine months of 2011/12
Inditex: net income rose by 32% as net sales increased by 17% in the first half of 2012/13
JC Penney: a net loss was incurred in the second quarter of 2012/13 due to restructuring charges
Levi Strauss & Co: net income fell by 37% as net revenues declined by 4% in the second quarter of 2011/12
Marks and Spencer (M&S): sales fell by 0.7% in the first quarter of 2012/13
Perry Ellis International: total revenues declined by 2.3% in the second quarter of 2012/13
Outlook
TJX Companies: net sales and net income increased in the second quarter of 2012/13
INTERNATIONAL TRADE POLICY
The European Parliament has granted emergency trade preferences to Pakistan
The Indian government has approved a bill allowing 51% foreign ownership in multi-brand retailing
The Indian government has removed restrictions on the origin of fabric contained in duty-free imports of 5 mn ready-made garments from Sri Lanka
INVESTMENTS
JP Morgan Asset Management will invest US$45 mn in Dafiti, a Brazilian online fashion retailer
JOINT VENTURES, COOPERATION, LICENSING AND DISTRIBUTION
Arcadia Group has entered into an agreement with Nordstrom relating to its Topshop and Topman brands
Lipsy has entered into a franchise agreement with Brand Marketing India (BMI) relating to Lipsy branded apparel
PPR and Yoox have formed a joint venture company to manage online stores for five of PPR’s luxury brands
The University of Manchester and Beyond Surface Technologies have entered into a licensing agreement to commercialise a new formaldehyde-free finishing technology
The Cherokee Group and Max have signed an exclusive licensing agreement relating to the Cherokee brand in the Middle East and Africa
MANUFACTURING FACILITIES
Aditya Birla has announced plans to set up a 180,000 tons per annum viscose staple fibre plant in Turkey
Lenzing has invested in a new facility for making Tencel lyocell on the same site as its headquarters in Austria
MARKETS
EU clothing imports fell in value and volume in the first half of 2012
US clothing imports fell in value and volume in the first seven months of 2012
NEW STORES
Arcadia Group will open its first Topshop and Topman store in South Africa
Debenhams has opened a new store in Indonesia and plans to open its first store in Estonia
Fast Retailing is planning to open 1,000 stores in China over the next ten years
Fast Retailing will set up a subsidiary in Australia
H&M has opened its first stores in Malaysia and Thailand
H&M will open its first store in South America
Marks and Spencer (M&S) has opened its first store in Kazakhstan
ONLINE RETAILING
Inditex has launched an online Zara store for consumers in China
ACQUISITIONS, DIVESTMENTS AND MERGERS
Arvind Lifestyle Brands has acquired the franchise rights in India for Debenhams, Nautica and Next
Teijin Limited will merge its NI Teijin Shoji and Teijin Fibers Divisions and launch a new company called Teijin Frontier
COMPANY RESTRUCTURING
Levi Strauss & Co will phase out its Denizen brand in Asia
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (CSR)
Clariant International has launched a new service called One Way for textile mills, brands and retailers
Gap plans to implement a building and fire safety action plan at the factories of its suppliers in Bangladesh
H&M has called for higher wages for workers in the Bangladeshi textile and apparel industry
H&M has placed a ban on the use of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in the manufacture of its products
The Sustainable Apparel Coalition has launched the Higg Index
EVENTS
Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics was held during October 23-25, 2012, at the Shanghai
New International Exhibition Centre in Shanghai, China
FINANCIAL RESULTS
Abercrombie & Fitch: net sales increased by 4% but net income fell by 52% in the second quarter of 2012/13
Asos: group revenues rose by 31% thanks to strong international sales in the fourth quarter of 2011/12
Gap: net sales and net income increased in the second quarter of 2012/13
Gildan Activewear: net sales rose by 13.3% but net earnings fell by 10.8% in the third quarter of 2011/12
Outlook
H&M: sales and gross profit increased in the first nine months of 2011/12
Third quarter 2011/12
First nine months of 2011/12
Inditex: net income rose by 32% as net sales increased by 17% in the first half of 2012/13
JC Penney: a net loss was incurred in the second quarter of 2012/13 due to restructuring charges
Levi Strauss & Co: net income fell by 37% as net revenues declined by 4% in the second quarter of 2011/12
Marks and Spencer (M&S): sales fell by 0.7% in the first quarter of 2012/13
Perry Ellis International: total revenues declined by 2.3% in the second quarter of 2012/13
Outlook
TJX Companies: net sales and net income increased in the second quarter of 2012/13
INTERNATIONAL TRADE POLICY
The European Parliament has granted emergency trade preferences to Pakistan
The Indian government has approved a bill allowing 51% foreign ownership in multi-brand retailing
The Indian government has removed restrictions on the origin of fabric contained in duty-free imports of 5 mn ready-made garments from Sri Lanka
INVESTMENTS
JP Morgan Asset Management will invest US$45 mn in Dafiti, a Brazilian online fashion retailer
JOINT VENTURES, COOPERATION, LICENSING AND DISTRIBUTION
Arcadia Group has entered into an agreement with Nordstrom relating to its Topshop and Topman brands
Lipsy has entered into a franchise agreement with Brand Marketing India (BMI) relating to Lipsy branded apparel
PPR and Yoox have formed a joint venture company to manage online stores for five of PPR’s luxury brands
The University of Manchester and Beyond Surface Technologies have entered into a licensing agreement to commercialise a new formaldehyde-free finishing technology
The Cherokee Group and Max have signed an exclusive licensing agreement relating to the Cherokee brand in the Middle East and Africa
MANUFACTURING FACILITIES
Aditya Birla has announced plans to set up a 180,000 tons per annum viscose staple fibre plant in Turkey
Lenzing has invested in a new facility for making Tencel lyocell on the same site as its headquarters in Austria
MARKETS
EU clothing imports fell in value and volume in the first half of 2012
US clothing imports fell in value and volume in the first seven months of 2012
NEW STORES
Arcadia Group will open its first Topshop and Topman store in South Africa
Debenhams has opened a new store in Indonesia and plans to open its first store in Estonia
Fast Retailing is planning to open 1,000 stores in China over the next ten years
Fast Retailing will set up a subsidiary in Australia
H&M has opened its first stores in Malaysia and Thailand
H&M will open its first store in South America
Marks and Spencer (M&S) has opened its first store in Kazakhstan
ONLINE RETAILING
Inditex has launched an online Zara store for consumers in China
