PVH FORMS JOINT VENTURE WITH GRUPO AXO TO ENTER MEXICO

PVH Corp. has entered into an agreement to form a joint venture with Grupo Axo to license the rights to operate and manage the distribution of Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Warner’s, Olga and Speedo brand products in Mexico.

The joint venture will be formed by merging PVH México, S.A. de C.V., a wholly owned subsidiary of PVH and the operator of its Calvin Klein and Heritage Brands businesses in Mexico, with Baseco, S.A. de C.V., a wholly owned subsidiary of Axo and a distributor in Mexico of PVH’s Tommy Hilfiger brand products.

The closing, which is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approval, is expected to occur early in the third quarter of 2016. Terms of the joint venture were not disclosed.

“This strategic move allows us to maintain a direct ownership interest in our Calvin Klein and Heritage Brands businesses in Mexico, while gaining more control over our Tommy Hilfiger business in the region,” said Emanuel Chirico, Chairman and CEO of PVH. “Grupo Axo, which will oversee the joint venture’s day-to-day operations, is an experienced multi-channel distributor, including successfully managing our Tommy Hilfiger business in Mexico for the last 22 years. We believe that leveraging Grupo Axo’s in region expertise across our brand portfolio should ensure the long-term potential in Mexico of our brands.”

Andres Gomez, Co-CEO of Grupo Axo, added, “We have a long and successful relationship with Tommy Hilfiger and PVH. We are excited about the opportunity to expand our relationship to include the global megabrand, Calvin Klein, as well as the Warner’s, Olga and Speedo heritage brands. We believe all these brands have huge potential for growth in Mexico and we look forward to partnering with PVH to make that potential a reality.”

As of 2016, Grupo Axo operates more than 2,200 points of sale within major department stores and over 400 free-standing stores in both Mexico and Chile. Within its portfolio, Grupo Axo represents Abercrombie & Fitch, Brooks Brothers, Brunello Cucinelli, Coach, Emporio Armani, Guess, Theory, and Thomas Pink, just to name a few.