SECAUCUS, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Children's Place, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLCE), the largest pure-play children’s specialty apparel retailer in North America, today issued the following statement in connection with its Annual Meeting to be held on May 22, 2015.
“We have engaged extensively with our shareholders in anticipation of our annual shareholder meeting and have heard their wishes clearly. In response to shareholder feedback, the Board of Directors made a proposal to Macellum SPV II, L.P. (“Macellum”), and Barington Companies Equity Partners, L.P. (“Barington”), under which the Company committed to add Macellum and Barington nominee Robert Mettler to the Board, as well as retain a search consultant immediately to identify an additional, mutually agreeable Director to appoint to the Board that has global omni-channel expertise. The Company’s proposal also included the appointment of Mr. Mettler to the Board’s Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, so that he could participate in the process of identifying the additional appointee. Macellum and Barington have rejected this proposal, which we believe is reasonable, responsive to shareholder feedback and in the best interests of all shareholders.
“Consistent with the WITHHOLD recommendation issued by each of ISS and Glass Lewis, the Company does not believe that adding Macellum and Barington’s other nominee, Seth Johnson, would be in the best interests of shareholders given Mr. Johnson’s background and current directorship on the Board of Directors of Tilly’s, a competitor of The Children’s Place.
“It is very important that shareholders – whether they previously have voted or not – vote the Company’s WHITE card today.”
About The Children's Place, Inc.
The Children's Place is the largest pure-play children's specialty apparel retailer in North America. The Company designs, contracts to manufacture, sells and licenses to sell fashionable, high-quality merchandise at value prices, primarily under the proprietary "The Children's Place," "Place" and "Baby Place" brand names. As of January 31, 2015, the Company operated 1,097 stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, an online store at www.childrensplace.com, and had 72 international stores open and operated by its franchise partners.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements regarding future circumstances. These forward-looking statements are based upon the Company's current expectations and assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and performance to differ materially. Some of these risks and uncertainties are described in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including in the “Risk Factors” section of its annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2015. Included among the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and performance to differ materially are the risk that the Company will be unsuccessful in gauging fashion trends and changing consumer preferences, the risks resulting from the highly competitive nature of the Company’s business and its dependence on consumer spending patterns, which may be affected by the weakness in the economy that continues to affect the Company’s target customer, the risk that the Company’s strategic initiatives to increase sales and margin are delayed or do not result in anticipated improvements, the risk that the cost of raw materials or energy prices will increase beyond current expectations or that the Company is unable to offset cost increases through value engineering or price increases, and the uncertainty of weather patterns. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they were made. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. The inclusion of any statement in this release does not constitute an admission by the Company or any other person that the events or circumstances described in such statement are material.
Important Additional Information
The Company, its directors and certain of its executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from Company shareholders in connection with the matters to be considered at the Company’s 2015 Annual Meeting. The Company has filed a definitive proxy statement and form of WHITE proxy card with the SEC in connection with any such solicitation of proxies from Company shareholders. COMPANY SHAREHOLDERS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO READ THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT AND ACCOMPANYING WHITE PROXY CARD AS THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Information regarding the identity of potential participants, and their direct or indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, is set forth in the proxy statement and other materials filed by the Company with the SEC. Shareholders will be able to obtain any proxy statement, any amendments or supplements to the proxy statement and other documents filed by the Company with the SEC for no charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Copies will also be available at no charge at the Company’s website at www.childrensplace.com, by writing to The Children’s Place, Inc. at 500 Plaza Drive, Secaucus, NJ 07094, or by calling the Company’s proxy solicitor, MacKenzie Partners, toll-free at (800) 322-2885.
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If you have any questions, please call MacKenzie Partners |
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at the phone numbers listed below. |
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MacKenzie Partners, Inc. |
| 105 Madison Ave. |
| New York, NY 10016 |
| (212) 929-5500 (Call Collect) |
| Or |
| TOLL-FREE (800) 322-2885 |
