Move over, Gap
According to Swedish business daily Affarsvarlden, there are now 1,569 stores under the H&M name worldwide, passing former world leader Gap. The Yankees still command greater sales, with $15.4 billion in trailing revenue versus the Swedes' $13.8 billion. And if you add in auxiliaries like Old Navy and Banana Republic, the Gap comes out on top again in terms of store count. But H&M is coming on strong, no matter how you slice it.
While Gap closed 55 stores last quarter, H&M is growing. The company expects to grow its store network by 10% a year for the foreseeable future, and that includes moving into exciting new markets like China and Russia, where the Swedes have been scarce so far.
While the 13% sales growth the company experienced over the last 12 months might not quite put H&M in the same hypergrowth league as Guess?
The Pink Sheets stigma keeps H&M out of the limelight, despite its massive bulk and growth prospects. But the Swedish stock market requires high-quality financial reports, and the big guys publish them in English as well. If you were thinking about investing in Guess? or Aeropostale
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