Exhibit 99.1
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jones Apparel Group, Inc.
| Contacts: | Wesley R. Card, Chief Operating and Financial Officer
Anita Britt, Executive Vice President Finance
(215) 785-4000 |
Jones Apparel Group, Inc. Completes Sale of Polo Jeans Company Business
to Polo Ralph Lauren and
Settles All Outstanding Litigation Between the Companies
New York, New York - February 3, 2006 - Jones Apparel Group, Inc. (NYSE: JNY; the "Company") today announced that it has completed the sale of its Polo Jeans Company business to Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE:RL). The Company and Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation have also settled the pending litigation between the respective parties, including a former Jones executive.
Jones Apparel Group, Inc. received an aggregate $355 million in cash at closing, subject to certain post-closing adjustments.
The Company plans to discuss the transaction in more detail on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 in conjunction with its regularly scheduled conference call to review fourth quarter and full year 2005 financial results.
Jones Apparel Group, Inc. (www.jny.com), a Fortune 500 company, is a leading designer, marketer and wholesaler of branded apparel, footwear and accessories. We also market directly to consumers through our chain of specialty retail and value-based stores, and operate the Barneys New York chain of luxury stores. Our nationally recognized brands include Jones New York, Evan-Picone, Norton McNaughton, Gloria Vanderbilt, Erika, l.e.i., Energie, Nine West, Easy Spirit, Enzo Angiolini, Bandolino, Joan & David, Mootsies Tootsies, Sam & Libby, Napier, Judith Jack, Kasper, Anne Klein, Albert Nipon, Le Suit and Barneys New York. The Company also markets costume jewelry under the Givenchy brand licensed from Givenchy Corporation and footwear under the Dockers Women brand licensed from Levi Strauss & Co. Each brand is differentiated by its own distinctive styling, pricing strategy, distribution channel and target consumer. We primarily contract for the manufacture of our products through a worldwide network of quality manufacturers. We have capitalized on our nationally known brand names by entering into various licenses for several of our trademarks, including Jones New York, Evan-Picone, Anne Klein New York, Nine West, Gloria Vanderbilt and l.e.i., with select manufacturers of women's and men's products which we do not manufacture. For more than 30 years, we have built a reputation for excellence in product quality and value, and in operational execution.
Certain statements contained herein are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements regarding the Company's expected financial position, business and financing plans are forward-looking statements. The words "believes," "expect," "plans," "intends," "anticipates" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements also include representations of the Company's expectations or beliefs concerning future events that involves risks and uncertainties, including:
- those associated with the effect of national and regional economic conditions;
- lowered levels of consumer spending resulting from a general economic downturn or lower levels of consumer confidence or generally reduced shopping activity caused by public safety concerns;
- the performance of the Company's products within the prevailing retail environment;
- customer acceptance of both new designs and newly-introduced product lines;
- the Company's reliance on a few department store groups for large portions of the Company's business;
- consolidation of the Company's retail customers;
- financial difficulties encountered by customers;
- the effects of vigorous competition in the markets in which the Company operates;
- the Company's ability to identify acquisition candidates and acquire such businesses on reasonable financial and other terms, in an increasingly competitive environment for such acquisitions;
- the integration of the organizations and operations of any acquired businesses into the Company's existing organization and operations;
- the Company's reliance on independent foreign manufacturers;
- changes in the costs of raw materials, labor and advertising;
- the general inability to obtain higher wholesale prices for the Company's products that the Company has experienced for many years;
- the uncertainties of sourcing associated with the new environment in which quota has been eliminated on apparel products while political pressure is building for the re-imposition of quotas in certain categories; and
- The Company's ability to secure and protect trademarks and other intellectual property rights.
A further description of these risks and uncertainties and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations can be found in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2004, including, but not limited to, the Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Disclosure and the information concerning trends and risk factors included in Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations therein, and in the Company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such expectations may prove to be incorrect. The Company does not undertake to publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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