MIRA INFORM REPORT

 

 

Report No. :

340822

Report Date :

22.09.2015

 

IDENTIFICATION DETAILS

 

Name :

FOX-WIZEL LTD.

 

 

Formerly Known As :

WIESEL TEXTILE MARKETING LTD.

 

 

Registered Office :

P.O. Box 76, Airport City, 6 Hermon Street, AirPort City Park, Airport City 7019900

 

 

Country :

Israel

 

 

Financials (as on) :

30.06.2015 [Consolidated]

 

 

Date of Incorporation :

1990

 

 

Legal Form :

Public Limited Company

 

 

Line of Business :

Designers, importers, manufacturers, marketers, exporters and retailers of apparel and fashion accessories

 

 

No. of Employees :

3,769

 

 

RATING & COMMENTS

 

MIRA’s Rating :

A

 

RATING

STATUS

PROPOSED CREDIT LINE

56-70

A

Financial & operational base are regarded healthy. General unfavourable factors will not cause fatal effect. Satisfactory capability for payment of interest and principal sums

Fairly Large

 

Status :

Good

Payment Behaviour :

Regular

Litigation :

Clear

 

NOTES:

Any query related to this report can be made on e-mail: infodept@mirainform.com while quoting report number, name and date.

 

 

ECGC Country Risk Classification List – March 31, 2015

 

Country Name

Previous Rating

(31.12.2014)

Current Rating

(31.03.2015)

Israel

B1

B1

 

Risk Category

ECGC Classification

Insignificant

 

A1

Low

 

A2

Moderate

 

B1

High

 

B2

Very High

 

C1

Restricted

 

C2

Off-credit

 

D

 

Company name & address

                                                                                                  

FOX-WIZEL LTD.

Telephone    972 3 905 01 00

 Fax             972 3 905 02 06; 905 02 00

P.O. Box 76, Airport City

6 Hermon Street

AirPort City Park

AIRPORT CITY 7019900 ISRAEL

 

 

HISTORY & LEGAL FORMATION

 

Originally incorporated as a sole proprietorship in 1990. Converted into a private limited company, registered as per file No. 51-215760-3 on the 01.06.1995. Originally registered under the name WIESEL TEXTILE MARKETING LTD., which changed to the present name on 23.01.2002.

 

On 15.04.2002 published a prospectus offering shares to the public on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (raising a sum of NIS 48 million) and on 1.8.2002 converted into a public limited company (Registration number remain as before).

 

 

SHARE CAPITAL

 

Authorized share capital NIS 150,000.00, divided into -

              15,000,000 ordinary shares of NIS 0.01 each,

of which 13,476,211 shares amounting to NIS 134,762.11 were issued.

 

 

SHAREHOLDERS

 

1.      WIESEL HOLDINGS A.I.H LTD., 25.43%, equally owned by Harel Eliezer Wiesel, Iftach Wiesel and Assaf Wiesel,

2.      Avraham Dov Fuchs (through TRICO FOX LTD.), 25.03%,

3.      MIGDAL Group and YELIN LAPIDOT Group, - 2 institutional investors, holding 11.28% and 6.49% respectively,

4.      Shares are also traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.

 

 

DIRECTORS

 

1.      Avraham Zeldman, Chairman,

2.      Harel Wiesel, General Manager,

3.      Avraham Dov Fuchs,

4.      Israel Maimon,

5.      Alon Cohen,

6.      Ms. Osnat Ronen.

 

 

BUSINESS

 

Designers, importers, manufacturers, marketers, exporters and retailers of apparel and fashion accessories under the brand name “Fox”, under 4 categories: "Fox Men", "Fox Women", "Fox Kids" and "Fox Baby", as well as stores under brand names "American Eagle" and "Aerie" ("AE" Brand), "The Children's Place", "Yanga", "Charles & Keith" and "Marsha" shoe brand.

In addition, operating NIKE and MANGO brand stores.

Also importers and marketers of household product branded "Fox Home".

Sales are to subject's shops, to wholesalers, institutional organs, as well as to subject’s concessionaires overseas.

Manufacturing is carried out through some 20 suppliers and subcontractors abroad (though working mostly with 2 large subcontractors).

Major foreign supplier: WINGSRICH, Hong Kong/ China.

 

As of 30.06.2015, operating 285 branches in Israel of which 171 "Fox" brands including 36 stores of "Fox Home" brand and 16 combined "Fox" apparel and "Fox Home" stores, as well as 41 branches of "American Eagle" apparel and "Aerie" lingerie brand. Also operating 32 "The Children's Place" retail stores, as well as 4 NIKE retail stores, 11 Charles & Keith shops as well as 30 MANGO retail stores and 11 NIKE stores.

operating via concessionaires through 228 retail stores and Points of Sale abroad under the name "Fox" and "F&X" in 15 countries.

 

Subject, via its subsidiaries, also marketers clothes and fashion accessories under the brand name “Sacks” – 16 branches, "Billabong" – 36 branches, "Yanga" – 8 stores, and home care and body care products under the name "Lalin" – 97 branches (plus 21 "Lalin" concessionaire stores abroad). Also operating 8 points of sales in local malls of "Marsha" + 11 points of sale abroad.

 

Advertising agency: GITAM BBDO.

 

Operating from rented premises (headquarters and offices, warehouse and logistics center), on an area of 15,680 sq. meters (12,600 sq. meters built), in 6 Hermon Street, Fox House, Airport City Park (near Ben Gurion Airport, Lod), from Logistics center in Modi'in, and from shops nationwide (as of 31.12.2014 rents 230 active shops, situated mainly in shopping malls and centers).

Note: some stores are combined stores which are considered 2 stores.

Landlord in Airport City: TNUVOT KESHET.

 

There are 3,769 employees in FOX – WIZEL Group as of end of 2014 (had 3,940 employees in the end of 2013).

 

 

MEANS

 

In June 2006 subject issued bonds to the public through the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, raising a sum of NIS 70 million. In December 2008 subject announced on self purchase of its bonds (issued May 2006) up to total of NIS 10 million.

 

Consolidated B/S shows:

                                                                                              NIS (thousands)

ASSETS                                                                     31.12.2014              30.06.2015

Current assets:

  Cash and cash equivalents                                              195,787                      72,571

  Sort term investments & financial assets                          136,846                    114,072

  Customers                                                                      116,879                    108,857

  Other debtors                                                                   58,361                    118,950

  Stock                                                                             253,764                    230,884

                                                                                        761,637                    645,334

 

Non-current assets:

  Investments in affiliated companies                                 125,963                    179,104

  Fixed assets (net)                                                           220,216                    199,494

  Other non-current assets                                                   85,928                    106,172

                                                                                        432,107                    484,770

                                                                                     1,193,744                 1,130,104

                                                                                   ========                ========

 

LIABILITIES

Current liabilities                                                                242,727                    214,438

Non-current liabilities                                                         391,600                    377,218

Equity                                                                              559,417                    538,448

                                                                                     1,193,744                 1,130,104

                                                                                   ========                ========

 

Current market value US$ 249.2 million.

 

There are 8 charges for unlimited amounts, as well as 2 charges for the total sum of US$ 16,100,000 registered on the company's assets, in favor of Bank Leumi Le’Israel Ltd., HSBC Bank Plc. and Bank Hapoalim Ltd. (last 2 charges placed July-November 2013).

 

 

REVENUES

 

                                                             Consolidated Statement of Income

                                                                             NIS (thousands)

                                                                           Year ended in 31.12

                                                               2012                2013                2014

Sales                                                    1,064,614         1,047,700         1,119,575

 

Gross profit                                             610,881            619,733            665,652

 

Operating income                                     118,053            135,343              84,189

 

Pre-tax income                                         107,468            120,689              99,848

 

Net income                                                82,037              94,190              76,653

                                                             =======         =======         =======

 

Consolidated sales for the first 6 months of 2015 were NIS 640,879,000 (25% decrease comparing to the parallel period in 2014), making a gross profit of

NIS 366,582,000, an operating profit of NIS 31,205,000 and a net profit of NIS 16,480,000 (47% decrease from parallel period in 2014).

 

 

OTHER COMPANIES

 

FOX - WIZEL CHINA LTD., 100%, a subsidiary in China.

FOX - WIZEL CYPRUS LTD., 50%, Cyprus, operating branches in Europe.

FOX-LEVIEV LLC, 50%, Russia, inactive.

BILLY HOUSE LTD. ("Billabong Israel"), 50%, agents and marketers of Billabong surfing apparel and goods. Holds 66.7% of MARSHA BALERINA LTD., import and marketing of shoes.

A.H. FASHION MANUFACTURE AND MARKETING 3020 LTD. (known as "Sack's"), 50%.

LALIN CANDLES AND SOAPS LTD., 50%, manufacturers and marketers of home care and body care products and accessories, including soaps, candles, body care items, toiletries, ambiance products, etc.

LALIN INTERNATIONAL LTD., 50%.

FOX WIZEL (BVI) LTD., 100%.

YANGA LTD., 50%, operating a retail fashion chain.

RETAILORS LTD., 90%, operating 5 NIKE stores (see more in CHARACTER).

FWS RETAIL LTD., 50%, operating the AE brand shops (see CHARACTER).

WIESEL REAL ESTATE A.I.H. (1999) LTD.

TRICO FOX LTD., leasers of real estate.

 

 

BANKERS

 

Bank Leumi Le’Israel Ltd., Principal Branch Tel Aviv (No. 800), Tel Aviv.

 

Also known to work with:

HSBC Bank Plc., Main Branch (No. 101), Tel Aviv, account No. 500494.

A check with the Central Banks' database did not reveal anything detrimental regarding subject a/m accounts.

 

 

CHARACTER AND REPUTATION

 

In February 2010 a motion was submitted to the court for the approval as a class action lawsuit against LALIN, for NIS 109 million, which ended in compromise in September 2014 in which LALIN will provide compensation (via discount and increased package size) in volume of NIS 2.5 million.

 

In December 2014, a motion was submitted for the approval as a class action lawsuit against subject for the sum of NIS 3.5 million.

In May 2015 a motion was submitted for the approval as a class action lawsuit against subject for the sum of NIS 50 million, claiming subject violated his privacy by installing CCTV without notification.

 It should be noted that the procedure for such claims to be approved are usually long and in most cases eventually turned down. We found no further information regarding this matter.

 

Apart from that, nothing unfavorable learned.

 

FOX – WIZEL is a leading vendor in fashion wear for women, men and kids in Israel, with impressive growth rates over the last years, including expansion to overseas markets.

 

Since 2005/6 subject (via concessionaires) also began expansion into the Eastern and Central European markets, starting with Bulgaria and Romania, as well as to the Far East (Singapore, Thailand). Since 2007/8 also expanded to Panama and Canada. Subject signed concession agreement with Canadian SHERSON Group. In September 2009 the Canadian activities were closed.

Since 2009 subject opened stores in Puerto Rico and expanded to other countries – to-date operating in 11 countries, plus sells via local distributors in 8 countries.

 

In 2006 subject acquired 50% of BILLY HOUSE LTD. ("Billabong Israel"), agents and marketers of "Billabong" and "Rif" surfing apparel and goods in Israel since 1999, in consideration of NIS 19.5 million, in cash.

 

In March 2007, subject completed the acquisition of 50% of LALIN CANDLES AND SOAPS LTD. and LALIN INTERNATIONAL LTD., manufacturers and marketers of candles and soaps, in consideration of NIS 12.87 million, in cash.

 

In June 2007, subject acquired 50% of fashion retail store in chain (then, 4 boutiques) Sack's (company name is A.H. FASHION MANUFACTURE AND MARKETING 3020 LTD.), for NIS 24.6 million. Sack's manufactures and markets women fashion to wholesalers, on top of the retail stores.

 

In 2010 subject entered a new segment under the brand name “Fox Home” for home textile and accessories. The household products market is estimated at NIS 1 billion annually and is considered saturated and highly competitive. Total investment in 2010-2011 in this segment was estimated at NIS 22 million.

 

In July 2010 subject signed an agreement with American AEO MANAGEMENT CO. to be the sole local representatives of "American Eagle" and "Aerie" brands.

In April 2015 FOX-WIZEL established FWS RETAIL, to which it transferred its AE brand activities. In May 2015 FOX-WIZEL sold 50% of FWS to AMERICAN EAGLE for US$ 12.6 million.

In May 2015, 4 AE retail stores were opened with an investment of NIS 5 million

 

In March 2013 subject started operating the "Marsha" shoe pointy of sale in malls throughout Israel, and in August 2013 opened 2 points of sale in London.

 

In July 2013 subject received the franchise of the children's apparel brand "The Children's Place", intending to open 10 shops, investing NIS 2 million in each shop.

 

In December 2013 it was reported that subject will operate 3 stores of the cosmetic and makeup company MAYBELLINE (part of LOREAL Group – though subject is not the local representative of LOREAL and MAYBELLINE).

 

In May 2014 subject reported it received the representation of CHARLES & KEITH INTERNATIONAL (C&K) to open a retail chain store for women's shoes, bags and accessories. Estimated investment for the first 8 years is NIS 30 million, all from subject's own resurces. In February 2015 subject launced the first 2 shops, intending to reach 40 branchess in the next 3 years.

According to a report from February 2015, NIS 20 million is intended to be invested in the brand launching.

 

In August 2014 subject acquired 50% of YANGA LTD., operating a retail fashion chain of 7 branches for NIS 9 million.

 

In August 2014 subject received from NIKE a non-exclusive representation, to open NIKE chain store. According to a report from December 2014, subject intends to invest NIS 30 million, of which NIS 20 million from acquisition of stores of current franchisers (in December 2014 subject acquired 4 shops for NIS 8.9 million + payment for stock from franchiser VENDOME FASHION). Additional NIS 10 million will be from opening new stores.

In March 2015 subject purchased 90% of RETAILORS, which owns 5 NIKE shops.

 

In September 2014 subject signed an agreement to acuire the fashion chain MANGO (operating 29 shops) from ELBIT IMAGING, for NIS 35 million, following an agereement with PUNTO of Spain (owner of MANGO brand) paying it NIS 3 million for the franchise. Deal was completed in January 2015.

 

In November 2014 it was reported that subject intends to open 119 new stors in next 2 years: MANGO – 15 shops, CHARLES & KEITH – opening first 13 shops in March 2015, and reaching 24 shops, Fox Home – 19 shops, The children's Place – 11 shops, American Eagle – 9 shops, Sacks – 6 shops, LALIN – 5 shops and Billabong – 4 shops.

 

In August 2015 subject's Board approved a structural reorganization (mainly in managerial level) following receiving new brand representation.

 

Reportedly, total revenues of the local fashion market in 2013 reached NIS 12 billion per annum. In 2012 sales reached NIS 11 billion. 40% of sales are in the large fashion chains, 34% in other smaller chains, and the rest in private shops.

Based on surveys, around 50% and more is women's fashion. Moreover, 40% of fashion stores in Israel belong to fashion chains, the rest being private shops.

 

According to the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), import of Clothing and Footwear in 2014 increased by 8.3% (in NIS terms, rose by 9.5% in $ terms), summing up to NIS 7,421.6 million. This comes after in 2013 import rose by mere 0.9% from 2012, after climbing by 13% in 2012. Import rose by 5.6% (fell by 6% in $ terms) in the first half of 2015 (comparing to the 1st half 2014).

Most import comes from China. Main other countries of origin for textile goods are France, Italy, Hong Kong and Turkey, Spain and the U.S.A.

 

The local fashion market has been significantly influenced by the entrance of new international fashion players to the already highly competitive local market.

To many players in the branch, the fierce competition, coupled with the slow-down in local economy resulted in stagnation in sales and drop in revenues. There have been also few collapses of veteran and big retailers in some niches, including in the ladies fashion and children's apparel.

 

From RIS data, a firm that measures revenues from sales of 2,600 shops in Israel, in 2014 local consumers reduced their purchasing in the apparel branches, witnessed in 1.5% reduction in revenues per meter in commercial centers (after 2013 ended in freeze compared to 2012).

 

From the CBS National Accounts for 2014, it turns that private consumption expenditure, in fixed prices, grew by 4% from 2013 (rose 3.3% in 2013 and 3.1% in 2012). Consumption expenditure by households on semi-durable goods rose in 2014 by 7.6% from 2013 (after 1.8% rise in 2013, and 7.4% in 2012), of which expenditure on Clothing and Footwear in 2014 rose by 10.7% from 2013 (after 2.2% rise in 2013 and by 8.5% in 2012).

The CBS first estimate for the first half of 2015 points on 4.8% rise in private consumption in annual calculation, after rise of 6.4% in the previous half and 0.6% rise in the parallel half in 2014. Consumption expenditure by households on semi-durable goods fell in this period by 4%, reflecting a 10.7% decrease in expenditure on Clothing and Footwear.

Per-capita expenditure in 2014 rose by 2% (after rise of 1.4% in 2013 and 1.2% in 2012), and by 2.8% (in annual calculation) in the 1st half of 2015.

 

 

SUMMARY

 

Good for trade engagements.

 

FOREIGN EXCHANGE RATES

 

Currency

Unit

Indian Rupees

US Dollar

1

Rs.65.75

UK Pound

1

Rs.102.17

Euro

1

Rs.74.37

 

 

INFORMATION DETAILS

 

Analysis Done by :

DIV

 

 

Report Prepared by :

TPT

 

               

RATING EXPLANATIONS

 

RATING

STATUS

PROPOSED CREDIT LINE

 

>86

Aaa

Possesses an extremely sound financial base with the strongest capability for timely payment of interest and principal sums

 

Unlimited

 

71-85

Aa

Possesses adequate working capital. No caution needed for credit transaction. It has above average (strong) capability for payment of interest and principal sums

 

Large

 

56-70

A

Financial & operational base are regarded healthy. General unfavourable factors will not cause fatal effect. Satisfactory capability for payment of interest and principal sums

 

Fairly Large

 

41-55

Ba

Overall operation is considered normal. Capable to meet normal commitments.

 

Satisfactory

 

26-40

B

Capability to overcome financial difficulties seems comparatively below average.

 

Small

 

11-25

Ca

Adverse factors are apparent. Repayment of interest and principal sums in default or expected to be in default upon maturity

 

Limited with full security

 

<10

C

Absolute credit risk exists. Caution needed to be exercised

 

Credit not recommended

 

--

NB

New Business

--

 

This score serves as a reference to assess SC’s credit risk and to set the amount of credit to be extended. It is calculated from a composite of weighted scores obtained from each of the major sections of this report. The assessed factors and their relative weights (as indicated through %) are as follows:

 

Financial condition (40%)            Ownership background (20%)                  Payment record (10%)

Credit history (10%)                   Market trend (10%)                                Operational size (10%)

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This report is issued at your request without any risk and responsibility on the part of MIRA INFORM PRIVATE LIMITED (MIPL) or its officials.