UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): November 26, 2012
THE CHILDREN’S PLACE RETAIL STORES, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrants as Specified in Their Charters)
Delaware
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
| 0-23071 | 31-1241495 |
| (Commission File Number) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) |
| 500 Plaza Drive, Secaucus, New Jersey | 07094 |
| (Address of Principal Executive Offices) | (Zip Code) |
(201) 558-2400
(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
| o | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
| o | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
| o | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
| o | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
| Item 8.01 | Other Events. |
On November 26, 2012, the Company announced that its Board of Directors has approved a $100 million share repurchase program, authorizing the Company to repurchase its common stock. Under the program, the Company may repurchase shares in the open market at current market prices at the time of purchase or in privately negotiated transactions. The timing and actual number of shares repurchased under the program will depend on a variety of factors including price, corporate and regulatory requirements, and other business and market conditions, and the Company may suspend or discontinue the program at any time, and may thereafter reinstitute purchases, all without prior announcement.
| Item 9.01 | Financial Statement and Exhibits. |
| (d) | Exhibits |
| Exhibit 99.1 | Press release, dated November 26, 2012, issued by the Company (Exhibit 99.1 is furnished as part of this Current Report on Form 8-K). |
Forward Looking Statements
This Current Report on Form 8-K, including Exhibit 99.1, contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to statements relating to the Company’s positioning, and forecasts regarding store openings and earnings per diluted share from continuing operations. Forward-looking statements typically are identified by use of terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “plan,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate” and similar words, although some forward-looking statements are expressed differently. These forward-looking statements are based upon the Company's current expectations and assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and performance to differ materially. Some of these risks and uncertainties are described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including in the “Risk Factors” section of its annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 28, 2012. Included among the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and performance to differ materially are the risk that the Company will be unsuccessful in gauging fashion trends and changing consumer preferences, the risks resulting from the highly competitive nature of the Company’s business and its dependence on consumer spending patterns, which may be affected by the continued weakness in the economy or by other factors such as increases in the cost of gasoline and food, and the uncertainty of weather patterns. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they were made. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
| 2 |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
Date: November 26, 2012
| THE CHILDREN’S PLACE RETAIL STORES, INC. | |||
| By: | /s/ Jane Elfers | ||
| Name: Jane Elfers Title: President and Chief Executive Officer |
|||
| 3 |
Exhibit 99.1
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE CHILDREN’S PLACE ANNOUNCES NEW SHARE REPURCHASE AUTHORIZATION FOR UP TO $100 MILLION OF COMMON STOCK
Secaucus, New Jersey – November 26, 2012 – The Children’s Place Retail Stores, Inc. (Nasdaq: PLCE), the largest pure-play children’s specialty apparel retailer in North America, today announced that its Board of Directors has approved an additional share repurchase program for up to $100 million of the Company’s outstanding stock.
“Our continued share repurchase program reflects the Board’s confidence in the Company’s future performance and our on-going commitment to delivering increased value to shareholders,” said Jane Elfers, President and Chief Executive Officer.
As previously reported, at the end of the third quarter of 2012, the Company had approximately $21.6 million remaining of the $50 million share repurchase program which was authorized by the Board of Directors in March 2012.
Under the new repurchase program, the Company may repurchase shares in the open market at current market
prices at the time of purchase or in privately negotiated transactions. The timing and actual number of shares repurchased under the program will depend on a variety of factors including price, corporate and regulatory requirements, and other market and business conditions. The Company may suspend or discontinue the program at any time, and may thereafter reinstitute purchases, all without prior announcement.
About The Children’s Place Retail Stores, Inc.
The Children’s Place is the largest pure-play children’s specialty apparel retailer in North America. The Company designs, contracts to manufacture and sells fashionable, high-quality merchandise at value prices, primarily under the proprietary “The Children's Place” brand name. As of October 27, 2012, the Company operated 1,102 stores and an online store at www.childrensplace.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements regarding future circumstances. These forward-looking statements are based upon the Company's current expectations and assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and performance to differ materially. Some of these risks and uncertainties are described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including in the “Risk Factors” section of its annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 28, 2012. Included among the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and performance to differ materially are the risk that the Company will be unsuccessful in gauging fashion trends and changing consumer preferences, the risks resulting from the highly competitive nature of the Company’s business and its dependence on consumer spending patterns, which may be affected by the continued weakness in the economy or by other factors such as increases in the cost of gasoline and food, and the uncertainty of weather patterns. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they were made. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. The inclusion of any statement in this release does not constitute an admission by the Company or any other person that the events or circumstances described in such statement are material.
Contact: Jane Singer, Vice President, Investor Relations, (201) 453-6955
###