TRLG On the Block

Gualberto Diaz — 2006-06-09 08:58:00

This morning, TheDeal.com posted that True Religion hired Goldman Sachs to put it up for sale. Some pretty exciting stuff! Here's a brief excerpt from the article:

True Religion Apparel Inc., a publicly-traded designer jeans company,
has put itself up for sale, hoping to cash in on the new attraction of
private equity firms and apparel companies to high-priced and
fast-growing clothing brands.

The Los Angeles-based company has hired Goldman, Sachs & Co. as adviser,
according to sources.

True Religion

Gualberto Diaz — 2006-06-06 11:56:00

After speaking with the company's CFO, Charles Lesser last week, I like the groundwork that is being laid out right now and what we can expect going forward. First off, we can expect the retail roll out to come, and we can expect it in a big way in the second half of this year, and in 2007. From my understanding of product licensing and lead times, I don't think we'll see any licensing revenues in 2006, but I do expect some kind of deal signed by the end of the Summer.

Internationally, I feel much better with regards to the Japan issue, and I think with the amazing growth that is being seen in other countries, the smaller Japanese numbers will be more than made up for. Again, I LOVE the Diesel and Coach model the company is following. Create flagship stores that showcase all of its products, but also allow its customer base to purchase product from its AA partners. Even if sales aren't as good in the company's subsequent stores as they are in the first, margins will still be higher by the company's entry into retail.

This dip is causing a great buying opportunity for people who may be looking to get into a great growth company. Management had stated that 2006 is a positioning year and 2007 will be the phenomenal growth year. The additions to the management team and their experience reiterate that fact. I will continue to hold.