Trendy outerwear brand Canada Goose flaps its way into China — and a $3.4B market cap

Successful Toronto-based winter coat brand Canada Goose has managed to fly under the radar with a massive market cap. Now they have eyes for 2 new nests in China.

Just 2 years after opening its first retail store, Toronto-based (and family-owned) goose down arctic wear company Canada Goose has its sights set on making China their 8th and 9th storefronts and an e-commerce partnership with Alibaba’s online Tmall.

Trendy outerwear brand Canada Goose flaps its way into China — and a $3.4B market cap

9 stores? What are we just reporting on anything now?

Before you get your feathers in a ruffle, consider: We’re talking about  jackets that retail at $1k — and a company with a multi-billion-dollar market cap.

What the flock is Canada Goose?

Founded in a Toronto warehouse in 1957 by Sam Tick, the brand has been under the leadership of Tick’s son-in-law David Reiss since 2001.

In that time, the Goose has increased their annual revenue from less than $3.5m to $283m. Last year, it hit the Toronto Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange and today it has a market cap of $3.4B.

Yeah.

They were low key one of the best retail IPOs of 2017

In a year with a relatively short list of IPOs, the dark horse retailer stole the show, with stock up about 150% from its 2017 IPO price to its closing price at the end of the year.

2018 has been a hot year for the winter-coat company as well. Through the first 6 months of fiscal 2018, Canada Goose expanded its top line by 40% over the prior-year period.

Rugged-gone-bougie

Canada Goose’s understated success comes at a time when blue-collar wear has become the cool duds on campus. Especially with, dare we say it, hipsters.

These days, a pair of Red Wing Boots seem more authentic on an indie rock guitarist than a roofer. It all arguably started with a little marketing twist from the canvas-forward Nike of workmen (and hipster fave for beanies and coveralls): Dearborn, Michigan-based Carhartt.

According to Canada Goose, Chinese consumers are starting to show interest in legacy cold-weather brands. In other words, ‘outdoor’ is ‘in style.’

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