Aéropostale, Inc. (pronounced /ˌɛəroʊpoʊˈstæl/ AIR-oh-poh-STAL[5]), usually referred to as Aéropostale or Aéro, is an American clothing retailer that sells casual clothing with over 900 stores in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the United Arab Emirates.[1] Their stores tend to be located in shopping malls and large marketing areas. Aéropostale sells fashion apparel including outerwear, footwear, swimwear, tank tops, shirts, jeans, underwear, accessories and fleece. Building on the success of the Aéropostale teen brand the company has now launched a new brand, P.S. from Aéropostale, that sells clothing for children.
Aeropostale, Inc., incorporated on September 1, 1995, is a mall-based specialty retailer of casual apparel and accessories. The Company designs, markets and sells its own brand of merchandise principally targeting 14 to 17 year-old young women and young men. The Company also sells Aropostale merchandise through its e-commerce Website, www.aeropostale.com. During the fiscal year ended January 30, 2010 (fiscal 2009), the Company launched P.S. from Aeropostale, which offers casual clothing and accessories focused on elementary school children between the ages of 7 and 12. During fiscal 2009, the Company completed the closure of its 14 store Jimmy’Z concept. Jimmy’Z Surf Co., Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Aeropostale, Inc., was a contemporary lifestyle brand targeting young women and men aged 18 to 25.
As of January 30, 2010, the Company operated 938 Aeropostale stores consisting of 894 stores in 49 states and Puerto Rico, and 44 stores in Canada. As of January 30, 2010, the Company operated 14 P.S. from Aeropostale stores in five states. In addition, its international licensee operated five Aeropostale stores in the United Arab Emirates as of January 30, 2010. The Company locates its stores primarily in shopping malls, outlet centers and, to a much lesser degree, lifestyle and off-mall shopping centers.
The Company competes with Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle Outfitters, Hollister, Old Navy, Pacific Sunwear, Justice and Children’s Place.
The first Aéropostale store opened in New York City, New York by R.H. Macy & Co., Inc. on August 14th 1987.[4][6] The Aéropostale name is French for "air mail" and originated from the 1920s French/Latin-American airmail firm Compagnie Générale Aéropostale.[4]
Federated Department Stores purchased R.H. Macy & Co., Inc., Aéropostale's parent company, in 1994.[6] In 1998, MSS Delaware Inc. and Bear Stearns purchased Aéropostale and its 119 stores for approximately $15 million.[6] Aéropostale went public in 2002.[6]
Aéropostale launched its e-commerce webstore in early 2005.[7] Total net sales from the webstore for the fiscal year of 2008 was $79.1 million.[8]
International expansion
Aéropostale at Easton Town Center
In the summer of 2006, it was announced that Aéropostale would enter the Canadian market. On August 3, 2007, the first Canadian Aéropostale store opened in White Oaks Mall in London, Ontario. Aeropostale now operates 45 stores in major malls across Canada with the most recent opening November 5, 2010 in the Southgate Centre, Edmonton Alberta.
In May 2008, Aéropostale opened its first store in Puerto Rico in Plaza Carolina. The following weeks, Aéropostale opened two more stores located in Plaza Las Américas and in Puerto Rico Premium Outlets. By April 2011, Aéro has opened 4 stores, the latest being in Plaza del Norte.[9][10]
In March 2009, Aéropostale expanded its operations to the Middle East, opening its first store in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.[11] The company plans to open over 20 stores in the region over the next few years, including stores in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and another store in the United Arab Emirates.[11]
Aero is one of the most popular teenage clothing stores around the United States. Other popular stores include American Eagle, Old Navy, Hollister Co., and Gap
Promotions
In 2007, the company began doing promotions with successful figures to increase brand awareness. The first promotion was selling the Fall Out Boy album Infinity on High with a store-exclusive T-shirt. Other offers include a free beach towel with every $50 purchase and a free holiday bear with a purchase of over $100, each promotion in its respective season. These holiday bears are also donated by Aéropostale stores to local charities in their respective communities. In 2008, Aéropostale, along with not-for-profit youth organization Do Something, launched "Teens for Jeans", a campaign to raise awareness of teen homelessness. Stores would collect lightly used jeans and donate them to local charities. In return, donators received a 20% (2008) or 25% (2009) discount on a new pair of Aéropostale jeans. In 2008, the campaign raised over 125,000 pairs of jeans. In 2008 and 2009, Aéropostale donated 10,000 pairs of new jeans to the campaign.[12][13] In 2010, after the aftermath of the Earthquake in Haiti, for every pair of jeans that was donated by customers, Aéropostale sent a brand new pair to Haiti. Also they promoted the show Greek Season 1 DVD with a free T-shirt with a $50 purchase.
OVERALL
Beta: 0.95
Market Cap (Mil.): $2,076.32
Shares Outstanding (Mil.): 81.78
Annual Dividend: --
Yield (%): --
FINANCIALS
ARO Industry Sector
P/E (TTM): 10.10 18.44 14.13
EPS (TTM): 9.93 -- --
ROI: 41.77 12.45 1.20
ROE: 53.36 14.44 2.08
Name Age Since Current Position
Geiger, Julian 64 2010 Chairman of the Board
Johnson, Thomas 52 2010 Chief Executive Officer, Director
Cunningham, Michael 52 2010 President
Miller, Marc 2010 Chief Financial Officer
Pile, Mary 53 2010 Executive Vice President - Customer Engagement
Slezak, Edward 41 2006 Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Secretary
Pindar, Barbara 55 2005 Senior Vice President - Planning and Allocation
Hirtler-Garvey, Karin 54 Lead Independent Director
Arlander, Bodil 46 1998 Director
Howard, John 58 1998 Director
Beegle, Ronald 47 2003 Director
Vermylen, David 60 2003 Director
Chavez, Robert 55 2004 Director
Haugh, John 48 2007 Director
Dilsaver, Evelyn 55 2007 Director
COMPANY ADDRESS
Aeropostale Inc
112 West, 34th Street
22nd Floor
New York NY 10120
Aeropostale, Inc., incorporated on September 1, 1995, is a mall-based specialty retailer of casual apparel and accessories. The Company designs, markets and sells its own brand of merchandise principally targeting 14 to 17 year-old young women and young men. The Company also sells Aropostale merchandise through its e-commerce Website, www.aeropostale.com. During the fiscal year ended January 30, 2010 (fiscal 2009), the Company launched P.S. from Aeropostale, which offers casual clothing and accessories focused on elementary school children between the ages of 7 and 12. During fiscal 2009, the Company completed the closure of its 14 store Jimmy’Z concept. Jimmy’Z Surf Co., Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Aeropostale, Inc., was a contemporary lifestyle brand targeting young women and men aged 18 to 25.
As of January 30, 2010, the Company operated 938 Aeropostale stores consisting of 894 stores in 49 states and Puerto Rico, and 44 stores in Canada. As of January 30, 2010, the Company operated 14 P.S. from Aeropostale stores in five states. In addition, its international licensee operated five Aeropostale stores in the United Arab Emirates as of January 30, 2010. The Company locates its stores primarily in shopping malls, outlet centers and, to a much lesser degree, lifestyle and off-mall shopping centers.
The Company competes with Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle Outfitters, Hollister, Old Navy, Pacific Sunwear, Justice and Children’s Place.
The first Aéropostale store opened in New York City, New York by R.H. Macy & Co., Inc. on August 14th 1987.[4][6] The Aéropostale name is French for "air mail" and originated from the 1920s French/Latin-American airmail firm Compagnie Générale Aéropostale.[4]
Federated Department Stores purchased R.H. Macy & Co., Inc., Aéropostale's parent company, in 1994.[6] In 1998, MSS Delaware Inc. and Bear Stearns purchased Aéropostale and its 119 stores for approximately $15 million.[6] Aéropostale went public in 2002.[6]
Aéropostale launched its e-commerce webstore in early 2005.[7] Total net sales from the webstore for the fiscal year of 2008 was $79.1 million.[8]
International expansion
Aéropostale at Easton Town Center
In the summer of 2006, it was announced that Aéropostale would enter the Canadian market. On August 3, 2007, the first Canadian Aéropostale store opened in White Oaks Mall in London, Ontario. Aeropostale now operates 45 stores in major malls across Canada with the most recent opening November 5, 2010 in the Southgate Centre, Edmonton Alberta.
In May 2008, Aéropostale opened its first store in Puerto Rico in Plaza Carolina. The following weeks, Aéropostale opened two more stores located in Plaza Las Américas and in Puerto Rico Premium Outlets. By April 2011, Aéro has opened 4 stores, the latest being in Plaza del Norte.[9][10]
In March 2009, Aéropostale expanded its operations to the Middle East, opening its first store in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.[11] The company plans to open over 20 stores in the region over the next few years, including stores in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and another store in the United Arab Emirates.[11]
Aero is one of the most popular teenage clothing stores around the United States. Other popular stores include American Eagle, Old Navy, Hollister Co., and Gap
Promotions
In 2007, the company began doing promotions with successful figures to increase brand awareness. The first promotion was selling the Fall Out Boy album Infinity on High with a store-exclusive T-shirt. Other offers include a free beach towel with every $50 purchase and a free holiday bear with a purchase of over $100, each promotion in its respective season. These holiday bears are also donated by Aéropostale stores to local charities in their respective communities. In 2008, Aéropostale, along with not-for-profit youth organization Do Something, launched "Teens for Jeans", a campaign to raise awareness of teen homelessness. Stores would collect lightly used jeans and donate them to local charities. In return, donators received a 20% (2008) or 25% (2009) discount on a new pair of Aéropostale jeans. In 2008, the campaign raised over 125,000 pairs of jeans. In 2008 and 2009, Aéropostale donated 10,000 pairs of new jeans to the campaign.[12][13] In 2010, after the aftermath of the Earthquake in Haiti, for every pair of jeans that was donated by customers, Aéropostale sent a brand new pair to Haiti. Also they promoted the show Greek Season 1 DVD with a free T-shirt with a $50 purchase.
OVERALL
Beta: 0.95
Market Cap (Mil.): $2,076.32
Shares Outstanding (Mil.): 81.78
Annual Dividend: --
Yield (%): --
FINANCIALS
ARO Industry Sector
P/E (TTM): 10.10 18.44 14.13
EPS (TTM): 9.93 -- --
ROI: 41.77 12.45 1.20
ROE: 53.36 14.44 2.08
Name Age Since Current Position
Geiger, Julian 64 2010 Chairman of the Board
Johnson, Thomas 52 2010 Chief Executive Officer, Director
Cunningham, Michael 52 2010 President
Miller, Marc 2010 Chief Financial Officer
Pile, Mary 53 2010 Executive Vice President - Customer Engagement
Slezak, Edward 41 2006 Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Secretary
Pindar, Barbara 55 2005 Senior Vice President - Planning and Allocation
Hirtler-Garvey, Karin 54 Lead Independent Director
Arlander, Bodil 46 1998 Director
Howard, John 58 1998 Director
Beegle, Ronald 47 2003 Director
Vermylen, David 60 2003 Director
Chavez, Robert 55 2004 Director
Haugh, John 48 2007 Director
Dilsaver, Evelyn 55 2007 Director
COMPANY ADDRESS
Aeropostale Inc
112 West, 34th Street
22nd Floor
New York NY 10120
Last edited: