Exhibit 99.1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
XCEL BRANDS, INC. ANNOUNCES
THIRD QUARTER 2020 RESULTS
| · | Third quarter total revenues of $7.4 million rebounding 46% from the second quarter |
| · | Continued expense reduction actions; third quarter operating costs decreased more than $1 million year-over-year and product sale margins improved by 6% |
| · | GAAP net loss of $0.5 million, ($0.02) per share |
| · | Non-GAAP net income of $0.8 million, $0.04 per share |
| · | Adjusted EBITDA of $1.4 million |
NEW YORK, NY (November 12, 2020) – Xcel Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ: XELB) (“Xcel” or the “Company”), a media and consumer products company, today announced its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2020.
Robert W. D'Loren, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Xcel commented, “Despite the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our top and bottom line results, we are very pleased with our third quarter results and the rapid recovery of our Interactive TV business and improvement in our wholesale businesses.”
Third Quarter 2020 Financial Results
Total revenue was $7.4 million, a decrease of $3.5 million compared to the prior year period, driven by lower product sales and lower licensing revenues of $2.3 million and $1.2 million, respectively. Our revenues primarily reflect lower sales by our licensees and retail partners as a result of an overall slowdown in economic activity related to the ongoing the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the decrease in revenues and gross profit on an absolute dollar basis, overall gross profit margins increased from 73% in the prior year quarter to 83% in the current quarter.
GAAP net loss was approximately $0.5 million, or ($0.02) per diluted share, compared with a GAAP net loss of $0.1 million, or ($0.01) per diluted share, for the prior year quarter. After adjusting for certain cash and non-cash items, non-GAAP net income for the quarters ended September 30, 2020 and September 30, 2019, was approximately $0.8 million, or $0.04 per diluted share and approximately $1.2 million, or $0.06 per diluted share, respectively. Adjusted EBITDA was approximately $1.4 million and $1.8 million for the current quarter and the prior year quarter, respectively.
Nine Month 2020 Financial Results
Total revenue was $22.0 million, a decrease of $8.4 million, driven by lower licensing revenues and lower product sales of $5.7 million and $2.7 million, respectively. Gross profit decreased by $5.8 million to $18.0 million from $23.8 million in the prior year nine months, but gross profit margins increased year-over-year. As with the quarter’s results, the decrease in our revenues was primarily caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which included government ordered stay-at-home policies and retail store closures during the second quarter, as well as the continued overall slowdown in economic activity related to the pandemic.
GAAP net loss was approximately $2.6 million, or ($0.13) per diluted share, compared with GAAP net income of $1.9 million, or $0.10 per diluted share, for the prior year nine months. The prior year nine month’s GAAP net income notably included a $2.9 million gain on the reduction of contingent obligations.