NEW YORK, May 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Iconix Brand Group, Inc.
(Nasdaq: ICON) ("Iconix" or the "Company") today announced that it has entered
into a definitive agreement to form an equal joint venture with Novel Fashion
Holdings Limited ("Novel"), a Hong Kong based company, owned and run by Silas
Chou and family. The joint venture company, "Iconix China", will be based in
Hong Kong and overseen by a board of directors comprised of equal delegates
from Iconix and Novel. In connection with the transaction, Novel will commit
to contribute $20 million and Iconix will commit to contribute $5 million and
substantially all rights to its brands for the territories of China, Hong
Kong, Taiwan and Macao.
The strategy behind Iconix China will be to identify local operating
companies with the potential to go public and provide them with one of the
Iconix brands, and marketing and brand management support, in exchange for an
equity stake in their companies. The joint venture company will also
potentially acquire interests in other Chinese or Asian brands. Iconix China
will also receive royalties from the existing Iconix license agreements in the
territory including OP, which is licensed to Wal-Mart, London Fog, which is
licensed to New Foundations and Cannon and Royal Velvet, which are licensed to
Li & Fung.
Neil Cole, Chairman and CEO of Iconix commented "Silas Chou is a highly
respected and successful entrepreneur in both the United States and China and
will be a terrific partner for Iconix in this venture. Silas has a vision and
business model for China that is as innovative for that market as the Iconix
model has been in the United States. Our goal in developing Iconix China will
be to become a powerful platform, not just for the brands we own today, but
hopefully many new brands in the future. We believe Iconix China has the
potential to deliver compelling returns to our shareholders and one day could
become larger than our U.S. business."
Silas Chou, Chairman and CEO of Novel commented, "The opportunity for
these brands in China is enormous. China has a rapidly developing middle class
of consumers that could number as many as seven hundred million people in the
near future. China is already saturated with luxury brands, but there is a
large void for brands to serve this new emerging middle class and that is the
most lucrative opportunity in this exciting market. Neil and his team have
assembled a world class portfolio of brands that is ideally suited to own this
market in China and we will be pairing them with the best operators to realize
their full potential."
About Iconix Brand Group:
Iconix Brand Group Inc. (Nasdaq: ICON) owns, licenses and markets a
growing portfolio of consumer brands including CANDIE'S (R), BONGO (R),
BADGLEY MISCHKA (R), JOE BOXER (R) RAMPAGE (R) MUDD (R), LONDON FOG (R),
MOSSIMO (R) OCEAN PACIFIC (R), DANSKIN (R) ROCA WEAR(R), CANNON (R), ROYAL
VELVET (R), FIELDCREST (R), CHARISMA (R) and STARTER (R). The Company licenses
it brands to a network of leading retailers and manufacturers that touch every
major segment of retail distribution from the luxury market to the mass market
in both the U.S. and around the world. Iconix, through its in-house
advertising, promotion and public relations agency, markets its brands to
continually drive greater consumer awareness and equity.
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995. The statements that are not historical facts contained in this press
release are forward looking statements that involve a number of known and
unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, all of which are difficult or
impossible to predict and many of which are beyond the control of the Company,
which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company
to be materially different from any future results, performance or
achievements expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. Such
factors include, but are not limited to, the satisfaction of the conditions of
the joint venture, uncertainty regarding the results of the Company's
acquisition of additional licenses, continued market acceptance of current
products and the ability to successfully develop and market new products
particularly in light of rapidly changing fashion trends, the impact of supply
and manufacturing constraints or difficulties relating to the Company's
licensees' dependence on foreign manufacturers and suppliers, uncertainties
relating to customer plans and commitments, the ability of licensees to
successfully market and sell branded products, competition, uncertainties
relating to economic conditions in the markets in which the Company operates,
the ability to hire and retain key personnel, the ability to obtain capital if
required, the risks of litigation and regulatory proceedings, the risks of
uncertainty of trademark protection, the uncertainty of marketing and
licensing acquired trademarks and other risks detailed in the Company's SEC
filings. The words "will", "should", "believe", "anticipate," "expect",
"confident", "project", provide "guidance" and similar expressions identify
forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance
on these forward looking statements, which speak only as of the date the
statement was made.
Contact: David Conn
Executive Vice President
Iconix Brand Group
212.730.0030
Joseph Teklits
ICR
203.682.8200
SOURCE Iconix Brand Group, Inc.
-0- 05/01/2008
/CONTACT: David Conn, Executive Vice President, Iconix Brand Group,
+1-212-730-0030; or Joseph Teklits, ICR, +1-203-682-8200/
/Web site: http://www.iconixbrand.com /
(ICON)
CO: Iconix Brand Group, Inc.; Novel Fashion Holdings; Iconix China
ST: New York, China
IN: FAS REA
SU: JVN
DK-AA
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5259 05/01/2008 07:00 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com