In addition to its lines Tom Tailor Casual and Tom Tailor Denim, the Group is exploiting a new, long-term area of growth. Bonita currently operates more than 960 of its stores under the brands Bonita and Bonita men and has around 4,500 employees.

The company, which was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in Hamminkeln, generated sales of approximately EUR 379 million, adjusted EBITDA of EUR 59 million and an  operating cash flow of EUR 50 million in the calendar year 2011. With an adjusted EBITDA margin of 15.7% and a cash conversion rate of 84.3%, Bonita is one of the industry’s most profitable and cash-generative companies.

Tom Tailor plans to operate Bonita as an independent brand within the Group. Following the acquisition, Tom Tailor Holding AG will operate more than 1,350 own retail stores, predominantly in its core markets Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Benelux countries, and have over 6,100 employees. In 2011, the new Group would have generated pro-forma sales of EUR 790 million and adjusted EBITDA of EUR 108 million.

“The takeover makes perfect sense for Tom Tailor and Bonita, from both a strategic and an operational perspective. Bonita is considered one of the best retail organisations in German and European textile trading.

“Tom Tailor is recognised for its analytical design and product development process and its ability to respond quickly and flexibly to market trends. These qualities have enabled us to grow faster than the market for several years. With the acquisition we create a new heavyweight in the European fashion industry with two strong brands, as well as core competencies and market segments which excellently complement each other,” said Dieter Holzer, Chairman of the Management Board (CEO) of Tom Tailor Holding AG.

Bonita sells its women’s and men’s collections in a highly standardised system and exclusively through its own retail stores, which are supplied with new merchandise on a daily basis. In 2010, Bonita began operating a fully automated retail logistics warehouse at its facility in Hamminkeln, which has the capacity to meet the needs of additional 1,000 stores.

The entire retail organisation is managed by using a modern, SAP-based IT platform. Bonita plans to open around 50 new stores, primarily in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, in the current financial year which runs until the end of February 2013. Bonita also operates in the Benelux countries and, like TOM TAILOR, recently opened its first stores in Poland.

Tom Tailor Holding AG