What is JCrew stock price, and are they publicly traded? Investors cannot purchase shares of J.Crew because it is a private company. Gap Inc (NYSE: GPS) and Urban Outfitters Inc (NASDAQ: URBN) are clothing companies that traders can invest in.
J. Crew has been off the public exchanges since 2010. There were rumors about them being bought out after they entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy, but that never happened. They are planning to continue to operate with a pared-down brick-and-mortar footprint. J.Crew is owned by private equity firms with no imminent plans of having J.Crew traded on the stock market.
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We’ve probably all heard of or shopped at Jcrew at some point. Going to the mall, you can’t help but see the stores there. They have an outlet, too. And you can get some great deals on clothes there! Who doesn’t love a good deal? I don’t know about you, but I sure do!
If you’ve ever been to a shopping mall or outlet mall in America, you’ve either been in or walked past a J.Crew store. The American clothing retailer is equal parts preppy and fashionable. They’ve been featured at major events like the New York Fashion Week. J. Crew was founded in 1947 in New York as a women’s clothing brand that sold affordable outfits as a retail outlet called Popular Merchandise. It wasn’t until 1983 that Popular Merchandise changed its name to J.Crew, and in 1989, it opened its first official stand-alone store in downtown Manhattan. So, can you trade Jcrew stock?
J.Crew Brand Spinoffs
J.Crew has some notable spinoff brands. Madewell is one. They make women’s clothing for a younger audience. Madewell was supposed to debut via an IPO on the public markets earlier this year.
However, the deal was scrapped as the COVID-19 pandemic began to rear its ugly head in the retail industry. The brand also has J. Crew Mercantile, J.Crew Factory, the Ludlow Shop, and crewcuts under its corporate umbrella. J.Crew is another one of these companies that has had stints as a public company in the past. In 2006, J.Crew IPO’d on the public markets. But was taken private in a deal with some private equity firms in 2010. Its short-lived life as a publicly traded stock was uneventful.
J.Crew operates over 500 stores across its various brands in North America. It once had international stores in numerous countries, such as Japan, France, and Hong Kong. So, what does that have to do with Jcrew stock?
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JCrew Stock and COVID-19
In May 2020, J.Crew filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was one of the first big retail brands to be shut down in America.
But it wasn’t the only company that we saw struggle as the year went along. While the move wasn’t completely unforeseen, it was still a shocking reminder to investors and consumers that the novel coronavirus would have lasting economic impacts that we still had not witnessed.
J.Crew admittedly had issues with debt leading up to this year. But the COVID-19 pandemic was enough to push the company over the edge.
As a result, J.Crew temporarily closed all its retail stores across the J.Crew and Madewell brands. However, they did continue to operate its website as an eCommerce option for customers.
As of December, J.Crew has re-opened many of its stores and re-hired most of its previously furloughed employees, including hiring an additional 400 positions at one of its major distribution centers in Virginia. Which would be good for Jcrew stock.
J.C. Penney
As mentioned earlier, J.Crew wasn’t the only casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic, as breakdowns in supply chains and store and mall closures caused a huge hit to retailers’ bottom lines.
Most of these brands have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, a way for companies to financially restructure themselves by paring debt and assets. Unfortunately, we may have seen some of them for the last time.
Here’s a quick list of other well-known retailers forced out of business during the pandemic.
J.C. Penney: Like with many of these brands, COVID-19 was merely the straw that broke the camel’s back when filing for bankruptcy. The 118-year-old department store brand was experiencing falling sales numbers and lower in-store visits even before the pandemic hit.
A temporary shutdown of its stores was enough to deliver the finishing blow. Executives are confident that J.C. Penney can still exist post-pandemic, albeit in a much different state than it is now.
The restructuring will result in at least a third of the current brick-and-mortar stores closing, with a lingering outside chance of the company being completely liquidated. However, you can trade $JCP, but there’s no Jcrew stock.
Neiman Marcus
Neiman Marcus: The pandemic hit the luxury brand department store hard because of store closures and an overall decline in spending on luxury goods.
The 100-year-old retailer based out of Texas filed for bankruptcy with a contingency plan already in the works. Private equity firms will be bailing Neiman Marcus out.
But how it’ll look after the restructuring is still up for debate. Neiman Marcus only has 67 stores in America. Its exclusivity is part of the allure.
The brand has been able to up the eCommerce side of the business. However, the brick-and-mortar side of Neiman Marcus may never look the same again.
GNC: The health and vitamin store that is present in nearly every mall across America filed for bankruptcy in late June. Mall closures and the overall decline in spending on non-essential products hit GNC hard.
The restructuring plan includes the closure of 1,200 stores across the country. However, some deep-pocketed firms have already stated interest in buying a stake in GNC. So this shouldn’t be the last time we see it. So you can trade $GNC, but there’s no Jcrew stock.
Brooks Brothers
Brooks Brothers: A bit of an overlap in the market with J.Crew, Brooks Brothers is a 200-year-old company that provides business and business casual wear to men.
With everyone working from home, guess what isn’t in demand? Business clothes. There are already several suitors for Brooks Brothers.
So this is another company that should barely manage to survive the pandemic. But with working from home being looked at as a new normal for companies nationwide, it’s difficult to see the demand for Brooks Brothers return shortly.
Muji USA: The home goods chain popular in Japan has been in the USA since 2006. But after waning interest from American customers and store closures, MUJI has decided to pack its bags and leave the United States for good.
MUJI USA still plans to have an online presence. However, the restructuring due to the COVID-19 pandemic will cause all 20 stores to close by early 2021—Bye-bye to both Muji and Jcrew stock.
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JCrew Stock Competitors
Yes! There are several big-name retailers that you can invest in, especially since there’s no Jcrew stock. However, given the industry’s current state, clothing retailers may not be the most lucrative investment.
Here are a few companies that you can invest in if you are looking to diversify your portfolio with some clothing retailers:
1. The Gap (NYSE: GPS)
Like many retailers, the GAP’s stock got beaten down during the bear market in March, hitting lows of $5.26 per share. Currently trading at about $20.21 per share, the GAP has mostly recovered. But that still doesn’t mean it’s an investment worth looking at. Aside from an upcoming collaboration with rapper Kanye West, the GAP also owns Banana Republic and Old Navy.
2. American Eagle (NYSE: AEO)
Another clothing company past its prime, American Eagle used to be a staple at malls across North America. The stock is trading right around its 52-week high at $19.17. So again, it is not a very tempting investment given the uncertain future of retail and malls.
3. Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN)
A department store finally recovering from the lows of March, Nordstrom has been a solid investment in years past. One of the innovators of the eCommerce space, Nordstrom, may be worth taking a look at. Their brand has shown it can flourish in the middle-class range between J.C. Penney and Neiman Marcus.
Final Thoughts: JCrew Stock
J.Crew is a popular brand that offers fashionable clothes at a reasonable price. So it’s good that they’re sticking around despite the COVID-19 pandemic forcing their hand in filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
As far as J.Crew stock goes, it’s privately owned for now. It doesn’t appear that they’ll be publicly traded anytime soon. Regarding retailers, there aren’t too many great stocks to look at right now.
Especially with so much uncertainty for the future of the industry. We suggest foundational companies like Nike (NYSE: NKE) or Lululemon (NASDAQ: LULU) if you want to invest in a clothing stock.
The shift away from going into the office will have more people reaching for casual wear. Finally, if you want to invest in retail outlets, look at the REIT Simon Property Group (NYSE: SPG) as one of the best companies that manages malls and outlet malls in America.
