From PVH CEO: Retailers must 'plan for the worst and hope for the best' · · CNBC Television
“Retail companies are not built to have their stores closed for extended periods of time and unfortunately we need to really plan for the worst and hope for the best. So you know we clearly have a balance sheet they can withstand this for extended period of time but it's a question of how long that time would be and how cautious we need to be to make sure we come out on the other side healthy competitively strong and in a good position to move forward.”
On , Emanuel Chirico, Former Chairman & Chief Executive Officer at PVH CORP, spoke about retail industry impact during PVH CEO: Retailers must 'plan for the worst and hope for the best' on CNBC Television.
Emanuel Chirico, former chairman and CEO of PVH, discussed the company's response to the coronavirus pandemic and social justice issues in a June 2020 CNBC interview. He described the U.S. as being "ripped apart by systemic racism" and said PVH needed to improve in recruiting, training, and representation at leadership levels, stating the company would set "meaningful targets" within three months. Chirico also addressed inventory challenges, noting that 2020 would be "a mess" and that the company aimed to manage cash and inventory to be competitive in 2021. He mentioned that PVH had $1.8 billion in liquidity but had implemented furloughs and salary reductions due to shareholder pain. In earlier appearances, Chirico commented on trade policy and business performance. In December 2019, he said tariffs on apparel would result in higher costs for consumers and criticized the uncertainty of U.S.-China trade policy, noting that PVH had reduced its China sourcing for the U.S. from 35-40% to 10-15% over five years. In 2018, he described the business as the strongest he had seen in 25 years, with strong online growth and robust European performance. At a 2019 Concordia College event, Chirico said profitability was necessary for sustainability and that "made in America" was not practical for the apparel industry, arguing the U.S. should compete in high-tech robotics rather than labor-intensive garment production.