First, there was Donald Trump. Then, word came that Virgin rich-guy Richard Branson was interested. And, not to be outdone, Mark Cuban decided that it was time for him to give it a go.
I'm talking about the fad of business tycoons climbing aboard the bandwagon of reality shows. Networks such as Fox
Tommy Hilfiger, the style icon whose name became a fashion brand unto itself and begat the Tommy Hilfiger
If I were a shareholder of Tommy Hilfiger, I'd be pleased at this bit of publicity, especially considering the lackluster time Tommy has had as of late. I don't like this chart. Considering that the stock doesn't carry a yield, such volatility doesn't do me any good, and the fact that the S&P 500 held rather steady throughout Tommy's turmoil (with arguably much less risk involved) only hammers the point home further.
Seth Jayson took a look at the latest earnings report and noted something that Wall Street finds unfashionable at any time: declining revenues accompanied by a net loss. Not good. And checking the Investors Business Daily rating on the quality of the company's sales, margins, and ROE, I see a grim letter D. I don't think I'll be buying any Tommy stock off the rack at this time.
Tommy, I hope you can hear me: You've got to raise the profile of your brand. It's tough to do, but maybe this reality show gimmick can help if it becomes a catalyst. I'll be honest, though, I'm not counting on it. The climate for execs-turned-network-stars can go out of style at any moment.
Fool contributor Steven Mallas owns shares of Disney but none of the other companies mentioned.