Article Excerpt:
TWST: Bob, what do you cover in the footwear and apparel manufacturing space?Mr. Drbul: We cover 13 footwear and apparel companies including NIKE (NKE), Reebok (RBK), adidas-Salomon (ADDDY), Wolverine World Wide (WWW), Foot Locker (FL), Liz Claiborne (LIZ), Jones Apparel Group (JNY), Tommy Hilfiger (TOM), Phillips-Van Heusen (PVH), Columbia Sportswear (COLM), VF Corporation (VFC), Coach (COH), and Oakley (OO).
TWST: What is going on generally from a business perspective at this
point?
Mr. Drbul: The overall apparel market was very strong in February and
weaker in March. Our expectation is for a solid recovery in April as the
weather improves and demand for seasonal product increases. Importantly,
I think inventory levels across all channels remain quite healthy.
TWST: As you say, demand has been decent. What's driving it? There don't
seem to be any hot fashion trends.
Mr. Drbul: There has been a gradual shift toward dressier, career-
oriented apparel; consumers, who haven't spent a lot of money on apparel
over the last several years, are starting to reinvest in their
wardrobes. Color and newness have become much more important and are
prominent in the offerings of all apparel manufacturers.
Tickers included in this excerpt: ADDDY, COH, COLM, E, FD, FL, JNY, KSS, LIZ, MAY, NKE, OO, PVH, RBK, TGT, TOM, VFC, WMT, WWW
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