Charming explores options for non-core assets

BENSALEM, Pa. Charming Shoppes announced that its board of directors is exploring a broad range of operating and strategic alternatives for its non-core misses apparel catalog titles in order to provide a greater focus on its core brands, Lane Bryant, Catherines and Fashion Bug, and to enhance shareholder value.

Dorrit Bern, chairman, ceo and president of Charming Shoppes, stated, "Our commitment to our multi-brand, multi-channel strategy remains a key element of our long term strategy. Our core plus apparel brands possess leading market positions and strong long-term growth opportunities, and we will continue to utilize our direct-to-consumer infrastructure to further develop these core brands. We have received a number of inquiries from qualified third parties and are evaluating several alternatives for our non-core apparel catalog titles which would allow us to focus exclusively on and accelerate the growth of our core plus apparel businesses, with the goal of enhancing shareholder value."