This report provides an update of business news in the following categories: acquisitions, divestments and mergers; corporate social responsibility (CSR); financial results; international trade policy; joint ventures, cooperation, licensing and distribution; market forecasts; markets; new stores; online retailing; store closures; and textile organisations.

Companies, organisations and brands analysed in the reports include Abercrombie & Fitch, Adidas, Aéropostale, American Eagle Outfitters, Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC), Arcadia Group, Asos, Benetton Group, Brandix, C&A, China National Textile and Apparel Council (CNTAC), EU TCL Skills Council, Fast Retailing, Fiba Group, Gap, Gildan Activewear, Gores Group, Greenpeace, Hang Ten, H&M, Huntsman Textile Effects, Inditex, International Finance Corporation (IFC), Itierre, JC Penney, KMJ Brand Holdings, Kohl's, Komax, Lenzing, Levi Strauss & Co, Li Ning, Li & Fung, Liz Claiborne, Marni, Marks and Spencer (M&S), MH Alshaya, Nike, Perfect Lead Investments, Pull&Bear, Puma, PVH Corp, Smartfiber, SM Investments, Superior Retail, TJX Companies, Tommy Hilfiger, Tukatech, Uniqlo and Zara.

SUMMARY

ACQUISITIONS, DIVESTMENTS AND MERGERS

• A subsidiary of Li & Fung has made a bid to acquire Hang Ten
• Liz Claiborne has sold a number of its trademark rights and brands

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (CSR)

• Adidas, C&A, H&M, Li Ning, Nike and Puma have pledged to eliminate the use of hazardous chemicals throughout their supply chains and products by 2020
• An initiative by International Finance Corporation (IFC) has helped textile factories in Bangladesh to save US$1 mn and reduce water consumption by 75 mn litres
• India’s Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) has launched a new sustainability programme

FINANCIAL RESULTS

Abercrombie & Fitch: net sales increased by 21% in the third quarter of 2011/12

Asos: group revenues rose by 49% thanks to strong international sales in the second quarter of 2011/12

• Second quarter 2011/12
• First half 2011/12

Benetton Group: revenues fell by 1.1% and operating profit by 18.4% in the first nine months of 2011

Gap: net income and net sales fell in the third quarter of 2011/12

Gildan Activewear: net sales increased by 30.6% but net earnings fell by 14.6% in the fourth quarter of 2010/11

• Fourth quarter 2010/11
• 2010/11
• Outlook

Inditex: net sales and net income rose by 10% in the first nine months of 2011/12

JC Penney: net income and net sales fell in the third quarter of 2011/12

Levi Strauss & Co: net income rose by 14% as net revenues increased by 9% in the third quarter of 2010/11

Marks and Spencer (M&S): total sales rose by 2.4% but profit before tax fell by 8.1% in the first six months of 2011/12

TJX Companies: net income rose by 9% as net sales increased by 5% in the third quarter of 2011/12

• Third quarter 2011/12
• First nine months of 2011/12

INTERNATIONAL TRADE POLICY

• The United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) has met with mixed responses from the textile and apparel industries in the USA

JOINT VENTURES, COOPERATION, LICENSING AND DISTRIBUTION

• Brandix has selected Tukatech software for digital pattern-making, grading and markermaking
• Huntsman Textile Effects has formed a strategic partnership with the China National Textile and Apparel Council (CNTAC)
• Fast Retailing has established a joint venture with SM Investments relating to its Uniqlo brand
• Lenzing has entered into an agreement with Smartfiber relating to the production of smartcel and SeaCell fibres
• Marni will develop an apparel collection for H&M
• Tommy Hilfiger has entered into a licensing agreement with Ittierre relating to Tommy Hilfiger men’s and women’s apparel

MARKET FORECASTS

• The apparel market in Eastern Europe grew by 46.0% between 2005 and 2010 and is set to grow by 68.1% between 2010 and 2015
• The apparel market in Western Europe is set to grow by 15.2% between 2010 and 2015

MARKETS

• EU clothing imports rose by 12.3% in value in the first nine months of 2011
• France’s apparel retail sales fell for the third consecutive year in 2010
• US clothing imports were up in value by 10.6% in the first ten months of 2011

NEW STORES

• Aéropostale is planning to establish around 30 stores in Turkey
• American Eagle Outfitters has opened stores in Jordan, Morocco and Egypt
• Fast Retailing has opened its first Uniqlo flagship store in South Korea, and will open two Uniqlo flagship stores in Japan in 2012
• Gap has opened its first Gap store in Chile and its first Gap and Banana Republic stores in Panama
• Gap will open its first Gap and Banana Republic stores in Colombia
• Gap has opened its first Gap store in Hong Kong
• Inditex has opened its first Zara store in South Africa
• Inditex has opened its first Zara store in Taiwan
• Pull&Bear has launched its first eco-store in the Netherlands

ONLINE RETAILING

• Inditex has launched its online Zara store for consumers in Japan

STORE CLOSURES

• Arcadia Group is planning to close around 260 stores in the UK by 2014

TEXTILE ORGANISATIONS

• The first European Sector Council on Education, Training and Employment has been launched for the textile, clothing and leather sectors

List of tables

• Table 1: Eastern Europe: apparel retail sales by type, 2005-10
• Table 2: Western Europe: market size and growth for men’s and women’s apparel, 2005-15

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Global Apparel Markets - Business update (Q4/2011)

31 pages, published 4th Quarter 2011 

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