Everlast Worldwide Inc. manufacturer, marketer and licensor of sporting goods and apparel under the Everlast brand name, today announced the signing of three new licensing agreements:
– Peepers – Located in Hamilton, Ontario, Peepers will produce sports and
fashion bags, duffels, luggage, wallets, as well as backpacks. A second
quarter 2005 launch is expected.
– IOM Eyewear – Based in Hong Kong, IOM Eyewear will manufacture a line of Everlast eyewear which will be distributed throughout Asia as well in
Optical 88 stores in Hong Kong.
– SPRIS – Located in Seoul, South Korea, SPRIS, an existing Everlast
licensee, expands its relationship with the company to include a new
license for retail boxing equipment in South Korea. SPRIS owns the
franchise for 150 SPRIS retail stores which have enjoyed considerable
successful with Everlast apparel and footwear. Everlast Worldwide Inc.
will continue to exclusively manufacture and supply boxing gear for
professional boxers throughout the world.
George Q Horowitz, chairman and CEO of Everlast Worldwide Inc., remarked, “Momentum continues to build for our licensing program as well as for our international expansion. The Everlast brand continues to gain in stature and achieve new levels of consumer awareness as a result of movies such as the critically-acclaimed Million Dollar Baby. We expect a continuation of this trend with the debut of the forthcoming reality television series, The Contender, on NBC next month. Our agreements with these licensees underscore our commitment to the development of quality, forward-looking, and highly functional products. We have every reason to believe that these products will enhance the power of the Everlast brand. To drive future sales, we will continue to focus on signing new licensees for a variety of products in Europe, Asia and Latin America.”
About Everlast Worldwide Inc.
Everlast Worldwide Inc. manufactures markets and licenses sporting goods and apparel products under the Everlast brand name. Since 1910, Everlast has been the preeminent brand in the world of boxing and is among the most dominant brands in the overall sporting goods and apparel industries. Over the past 90 years, Everlast products have become the “Choice of Champions(TM)”, having been used for training and professional fights by many of the biggest names in the sport. Everlast is the market leader in nearly all of its product categories, responsible for leading eight of the top ten boxing equipment products in sales. Through its apparel division, Everlast men's and women's active wear products are sold to over 20,000 retail locations throughout the United States and Canada, including a variety of department stores, specialty stores, catalog operations and better mass merchandisers. In addition to producing and marketing the equipment and accessories, Everlast Worldwide Inc. licenses its brand to providers of men's and women's sportswear and active wear, children's wear, footwear, watches, cardiovascular exercise equipment and gym/duffel bags. At the retail level, Everlast's licensed products generate over $600 million in revenues. The company's Web site can be found at http://www.everlast.com.
