Canada Goose, the Canadian brand known for its luxury parka coats, is gearing up for its IPO today.
The public offering marks the first luxury-goods company to go for an IPO in almost three years, giving investors a chance to invest in fashion again.
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The brand is expected to raise around $237m after markets close today in New York. According to Bloomberg, at the upper end of the proposed range, Canada Goose is seeking a market value of around $1.27bn.
Canada Goose was founded in Toronto in 1957 specialising in snow gear, including raincoats and snowmobile suits. Now it is one of the biggest luxury coat brands and counts the likes of Drake, Kate Upton and Daniel Craig amongst its customers.
Despite being a celebrity favourite, the brand has been subject to much controversy over the years. Peta has criticised the company for trimming its hoods with fur from coyotes, particularly when a video surfaced a few years ago of one of the animals being killed in a graphic manner. At the time Canada Goose said the fur used in its products was “ethically, responsibly and sustainably sourced.”
In addition, goose and duck feathers are used for the linings of the coats, which can withstand temperatures of up to -30 degrees. Activists have complained the birds are raised in factories and have their throats slit when they are stunned.
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By GlobalDataCanada Goose has said it does not “condone any wilful mistreatment or neglect of animals, or acts that maliciously cause undue pain, injury or suffering.”
However, the bad press doesn’t seem to have done the brand any harm. Last year it was reported that revenues had increased by more than 450 percent since 2011.
This is set to continue as Canada Goose is expected to use its IPO to expand its presence outside North America. Less than a third of its revenue in 2016 came from outside the US and Canada. As a result, according to its IPO filing, the brand is looking to Germany, Italy and Scandinavia for expansion in Europe.
It appears the thirst for expensive outerwear has yet to be sated. Canada Goose’s rival Moncler, which recently opened a new store in London’s Regent Street, has been seeing a rise in profits and its share price is reportedly up 92 percent since its own IPO in 2013.
