American Eagle Outfitters
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| American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. | |
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| Type | Public (NYSE: AEO) |
| Founded | 1977 |
| Headquarters | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Area served |  Canada  United States |
| Key people | Jay L. Schottenstein (Chairman) James V. O'Donnell (CEO) Roger S. Markfield (Vice Chairman) Susan P. McGalla (President & CMO) |
| Industry | Retail |
| Products | Apparel, footwear, accessories |
| Revenue | ▲$2.8 billion USD (2006) |
| Employees | 20,600 (2005) |
| Parent | Retail Ventures |
| Website | www.ae.com |
American Eagle Outfitters (NYSE: AEO) is an American clothing and accessories retailer based in the South Side neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1977 by Sean Peters and Frank Perretta as a subsidiary of Retail Ventures Incorporated, a company which also owned and operated Silverman's Menswear. The Silvermans sold their ownership interests in 1991. At one time, it sold brands such as OshKosh in the early 1980s, similar to Gap selling Levi's.
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[edit] Other brands
In addition to its namesake brand, the company has developed and announced plans for several new brand and concept initiatives poised to drive new growth as the brand nears saturation in current markets. One already launched, being Aerie.
The company's second stand-alone lifestyle concept, Martin + Osa, launched in the fall of 2006, targets men and women from 28 to 40 years of age. MARTIN + OSA™ , a concept targeting 28 to 40 year-old women and men, offers refined casual clothing and accessories, designed to be valuable, irresistible, inspiring, authentic and adventurous. MARTIN + OSA currently operates 21 stores.
In 1999, the company acquired a Canada-based retail concept called Bluenotes, which has approximately 100 stores averaging 3,300 square feet. The concept targeted a slightly younger demographic, ages 12-25, and was positioned as a denim-driven urban/suburban lifestyle brand. Due largely to poor performance, the Bluenotes business was sold to YM Inc. in 2001.
[edit] aerie
The aerie intimate apparel sub-brand was announced in February 2006, targeting American's core 15- to 25-year-old female demographic segment. aerie has expanded and branched away from American Eagle. The products can now be found in aerie stores across the country.
[edit] 77 kids
American Eagle released plans in January 2008, to launch "77 kids," a line of clothing aimed at children from infant to 10 years. Shopping at its website will begin as early as August 2008 with physical stores planned to open in the United States in 2010.[citation needed] Currently, the brand's website [1] has an email subscription service for notification about the store's opening.
[edit] Criticism
In 2007, textile and apparel workers union UNITE HERE launched the "American Vulture" back-to-school boycott of American Eagle [2] in protest of alleged workers' rights violations at the company's Canadian distribution contractor National Logistics Services (NLS). On the 2007 second quarter conference call[3], CEO James O'Donnell clarified the American Eagle's relationship with NLS and its effect on business. He explained, "We owned NLS with the acquisition of Braemar back in 2000 and we subsequently sold off NLS in 2006, and we are currently a customer of NLS... We have really no involvement at all with Unite Here and NLS. Our only involvement with NLS is basically as a customer and there have been some allegations made I think to some of, to the public about it affecting our business. I can tell you right now it has not affected our business."
[edit] Company growth
American Eagle expanded internationally by entering into Canada. A second store is set to open in the White Oaks Mall in London, Ontario, after acquiring some Dylex divisions in 2000 (Thrifty's, Braemar, & National Logistics).
In 2006, 42 new American Eagle stores opened and 65 remodels were completed. Together with five new MARTIN + OSA stores and three new aerie stand-alone test stores, total gross square footage increased 8% for the year. In 2007, the company plans to open 45 to 50 more American Eagle, at least 15 aerie stand-alone, and approximately 12 new MARTIN + OSA stores. Additionally, approximately 45 American Eagle store remodels are planned which, combined with new store openings, will generate total 2007 square footage growth of approximately 10%.[citation needed]
