More investors who have been holding on to fashion companies see the getting is good on Wall Street and are looking to follow SpaceX to the moon via their own IPOs.
The latest is Tailored Brands Inc. — parent to Men’s Wearhouse, Jos. A. Bank and K&G — which filed its registration statement to go public again on Friday. The firm joins Reformation, which is also going to try its hand at the open market.
Tailored Brands, the largest men’s specialty retailer in the U.S., was founded as The Men’s Wearhouse in 1973, but picked up a pile of debt after buying Jos. A. Bank, a key competitor.
The pandemic proved to be too much and the-then public company filed for bankruptcy in August 2020, emerging that December with its former lenders in the driver’s seat.
Since then, Tailored Brands has sought to use the power of its size and its focus on a single category to sharpen its business.
The registration statement, filed with regulators, pointed to research showing that the company sells one in three pieces of tailored apparel and about one in five dress shirts in the U.S. It also has nearly a 60 percent share of the men’s rental market.
Net sales inched up 2.1 percent to $2.5 billion last year as earnings grew by 25.5 percent to $217.2 million.
Details of the offering, including how many shares will be sold and at what price, were left blank, as is typically the case. The company will now make its pitch to big investors to set its initial valuation and, after the offering, those first investors will turn around and feed the shares into the open market.
Tailored Brands said it would use the proceeds from any shares it sells direct to pay down debt and for general corporate purposes.
John Tighe, who became chief executive officer of the company five years ago, started to sketch out his take on the company and the investment thesis in a letter to prospective shareholders included with the filing.
“Our business is built on genuine human connection: customers feeling welcomed, supported and understood,” he said. “For many men, buying a suit marks a significant milestone, whether it be a prom, graduation, first job, wedding or another defining life event. Every day, customers walk into our stores seeking guidance for these occasions. Helping them feel confident and at their best is at the heart of our culture.”
From that foundation, he sees plenty of room to grow.
“We are successfully introducing our brands to new customers and deepening our relationship with millions of previous customers,” Tighe said. “Our self-funded investments in highly productive new stores, a world-class marketing engine and a deeper presence in the $33 billion polished casual category is just beginning to unlock our full potential.”
