YGM Trading is the owner of the global Aquascutum brand after acquiring the UK division of the luxury British retailer out of administration last week. But who is YGM Trading?

  • YGM Trading is controlled by Yangtzekiang Garment Limited but was spun off and was separately publicly listed in 1987.
  • The Chan family is the controlling shareholder YGM Ltd and YGM Trading. Shirley Chan is chief executive.
  • The group was founded in 1949 by Dr S K Chan and is now a global business, employing more than 15,000 people. It has annual revenues of more than $200m. The group manufactures garments and textiles and sources, wholesales and retails.
  • YGM Trading is the wholesale and retail arm of the business.
  • YGM Trading has more than 800 retail outlets across Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and Mainland China, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, The Philippines, Indonesia, Europe, the US and now the UK.
  • It trades fashion labels Michel Rene, Aquascutum, Ashworth, Guy Laroche, Charles Jourdan and Hang Ten. It acquired the license for the Asian arm of Aquascutum in 2009.
  • In the half-year to September 30 2011, YGM Trading’s profit before tax hit HKD130m (£10.4m) versus the figure for the comparable period last year of HKD103m (£8.3m). Turnover increased 25.7% to HKD596m (£47.8m).
  • It has been tightening costs in what it describes as a “challenging economic environment” but its manufacturing plant in Dongguan reported a profit for the period and an increase in turnover.
  • In its half-year update YGM Trading had identified Aquascutum as an area of growth. It said: “We believe the brand has yet to reach its potential as plans for expansion in both sales outlets and product lines are still underway.”
  • YGM Trading believes it will grow steadily and is looking for expansion opportunities.

Topics