WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HanesBrands (NYSE: HBI), a leading worldwide marketer of underwear, intimate apparel and activewear, today announced that it has completed the acquisition of Bras N Things, a leading specialty retailer and online seller of intimate apparel in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
Bras N Things, which had net sales of approximately A$180 million (US$144 million) in 2017, will be managed as part of the Hanes Australasia business, which also includes the iconic Bonds basic apparel and underwear brand and Berlei bras.
Hanes Australasia now holds the No. 1 market positions in Australia for bras, sports bras, panties, socks, babywear and men’s underwear. Bras N Things sells proprietary bras, panties and lingerie sets through a retail network of approximately 170 stores and a fast-growing ecommerce platform (www.brasNthings.com).
“We are very excited to add Bras N Things to our strong Hanes Australasia business unit,” said Hanes Chief Executive Officer Gerald W. Evans Jr. “With its highly effective 100 percent consumer-direct business model and strong millennial following, Bras N Things is a strategic and complementary addition to our business portfolio. In addition, we are adding seasoned management depth to our already outstanding Hanes Australasia management team.”
The all-cash transaction valued at A$500 million (approximately US$400 million) on an enterprise-value basis closed Feb. 12, 2018. The purchase price is approximately 10 times 2017 EBITDA and is expected to be less than 8 times EBITDA after cost and revenue synergies. The acquisition is expected to be accretive to earnings in 2018.
Bras N Things attracts millennial consumers with on-target core products supplemented by seasonal product offerings. Bras N Things CEO George Wahby will continue to run the business and will join the Hanes Australasia management team led by President and Managing Director David Bortolussi.
Bras N Things operates 154 stores in Australia, 10 stores in New Zealand and 7 stores in South Africa and has a growing online e-commerce platform. Hanes believes the Bras N Things business model has the potential to be expanded to additional geographies.
Hanes created its Hanes Australasia business unit with the acquisition of Pacific Brands in 2016. The acquisition featured Bonds, Australia’s top brand of underwear, babywear and socks, and Berlei, the country’s No. 1 sports bra brand and leading seller of premium bras in department stores. Hanes Australasia also sells Bonds basic apparel, Playtex intimate apparel and Champion activewear in Australia.
Hanes supports its commercial business units around the world with the company’s global low-cost supply chain and manufacturing network, which primarily consists of company-owned and operated production facilities.
Hanes has made nine commercial acquisitions in the past eight years. The company now holds the No. 1 or No. 2 market share position for underwear, intimate apparel or hosiery in a dozen countries, including the United States, Australia, France, Japan, Canada, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Brazil, South Africa, and New Zealand.
Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, as defined under U.S. federal securities laws, with respect to statements about the company’s acquisition of Bras N Things and the expected impact on our financial results. These forward-looking statements are based on our current intent, beliefs, plans and expectations. Readers are cautioned not to place any undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements necessarily involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside of our control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from such statements and from our historical results and experience. These risks and uncertainties include such things as: the highly competitive and evolving nature of the industry in which we compete; the rapidly changing retail environment; any inadequacy, interruption, integration failure or security failure with respect to our information technology; the impact of significant fluctuations and volatility in various input costs, such as cotton and oil-related materials, utilities, freight and wages; our ability to properly manage strategic projects; significant fluctuations in foreign exchange rates; our ability to attract and retain a senior management team with the core competencies needed to support our growth in global markets; legal, regulatory, political and economic risks related to our international operations; our ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses; our reliance on a relatively small number of customers for a significant portion of our sales; and other risks identified from time to time in our most recent Securities and Exchange Commission reports, including our annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Since it is not possible to predict or identify all of the risks, uncertainties and other factors that may affect future results, the above list should not be considered a complete list. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made, and HanesBrands undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law.
HanesBrands
HanesBrands, based in Winston-Salem, N.C., is a socially responsible leading marketer of everyday basic innerwear and activewear apparel in the Americas, Europe, Australia and Asia-Pacific. The company sells its products under some of the world’s strongest apparel brands, including Hanes, Champion, Maidenform, DIM, Bali, Playtex, Bonds, JMS/Just My Size, Nur Die/Nur Der, L’eggs, Lovable, Wonderbra, Bras N Things, Berlei, Alternative, and Gear for Sports. The company sells T-shirts, bras, panties, shapewear, underwear, socks, hosiery, and activewear produced in the company’s low-cost global supply chain. A member of the S&P 500 stock index, Hanes has approximately 68,000 employees in more than 40 countries and is ranked No. 432 on the Fortune 500 list of America’s largest companies by sales. Hanes takes pride in its strong reputation for ethical business practices. The company is the only apparel producer to ever be honored by the Great Place to Work Institute for its workplace practices in Central America and the Caribbean, and is ranked No. 110 on the Forbes magazine list of America’s Best Large Employers. For eight consecutive years, Hanes has won the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Energy Star sustained excellence/partner of the year award – the only apparel company to earn sustained excellence honors. The company ranks No. 194 on Newsweek magazine’s green list of 500 largest U.S. companies for environmental achievement. More information about the company and its corporate social responsibility initiatives, including environmental, social compliance and community improvement achievements, may be found at www.Hanes.com/corporate. Connect with HanesBrands via social media on Twitter (@hanesbrands) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/hanesbrandsinc).
