Michael Kors (KORS) changes name to Capri Holdings (CPRI)

• Michael Kors completes acquisition of Versace, changes name to Capri Holdings; will begin trading under symbol CPRI on January 2.
• Michael Kors bought Versace for $2.1 billion in September 2018 as part of its action plan to become a luxury fashion conglomerate to rival Kering and LVMH. Under the Capri Holdings label – the name it chose to reflect its new portfolio approach – also sits Jimmy Choo, which Kors acquired in 2017 for $1.2 billion.

     "With the acquisition of Versace, we have now created one of the leading global fashion luxury groups in the world," Chief Executive John Idol said in a statement. "The new name for our group, Capri Holdings, is inspired by the fabled island which has long been recognized as an iconic, glamorous and luxury destination." The acquisition is expected to help grow the company's revenue to $8.0 billion in the long term and to boost Versace's revenue to $2 billion. The company is aiming to grow revenue at its Jimmy Choo brand to $1.0 billion and its core Michael Kors brand to $5 billion. Versace was purchased for a total enterprise value of 1.83 billion euros ($2.1 billion). The Michael Kors brand has struggled in recent quarters to meet sales estimates, leading the company to pull back from the wholesale channel to protect it from discounting.