Polo Ralph Lauren buys back its jeans license

Polo Ralph Lauren on Monday said it agreed to buy back its U.S. Polo Jeans business from Jones Apparel Group Inc. for $355 million, as part of a strategy to take direct control of its brands. "We already have a strong denim business in Asia and Europe, and with direct ownership of the Polo Jeans business in the United States we will continue to invest in design and infrastructure to leverage our global jeans and denim capabilities," Roger Farah, president and chief operating officer, said in a statement.

Shares of Polo closed up 1.4% at $53.73, after hitting a session high of $54.31 on the New York Stock Exchange, Jones shares closed up fractionally at $30.89. Polo, known for its iconic shirts decorated with a polo-player logo, has found recent success by focusing on its luxury brands, which have performed well despite weakness in department stores. The company also sells some brands at mid-priced and discount retailers.

Polo's brands include Polo by Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Black Label, Blue Label, RRL, RLX, Chaps, and Club Monaco . In a separate statement, Jones Apparel said the Polo Jeans license imposed certain operating restrictions on the company, including the sale of certain competing products. Jones said the 2005 revenues for Polo Jeans Co. were about $300 million, and the business contributed about $42 million of pre-tax profit in 2005. The transaction is expected to close in early February.

24 January 2006

Creative with Polo

With the launch of its new ‘Create Your Own' service, Polo Ralph Lauren is responding to the wishes of the consumer. The service lets you design your own polo shirt between now and 10 September.

Available at the concession on the ground floor of Harrods and in the New Bond Street store, customers are able to choose from a selection of seven shirt colours and 14 threads for the logo. A touch of individuality is added by the inclusion of the vintage year embroidered on the bottom left hem, for example RL05. The shirt is sold in its own ‘create your own' gift bag, which includes a certificate of authenticity.

www.polo.com
23 August 2005

Size matters

Ralph Lauren knows that when it comes to high profile marketing, bigger is better. As the official sponsor of the US Open, the iconic American designer has issued a limited edition of polo shirt with an enlarged logo emblazoned on the front, where the tiny polo player usually features. The large version is five times the size of the original.

The new line of tenniswear will be worn by all the on-court officials, including the ball people and the line judges during the event. The polo shirts will also be available for consumers via the company's website and in select Ralph Lauren stores from this week. The women's shirt will not feature as the official uniform.

www.polo.com
4 August 2005

Polo completes shoe acquisition

The Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation has completed the acquisition of Ralph Lauren Footwear Co Inc from sporting goods giant Reebok International Ltd, in a bid to take moe direct control of its core brands. Ralph Lauren footwear is the company's global licensee for men's, women's and children's footwear. The deal, which is valued at $110 million (£ 62.9 million), is expected to to mildly dilute the company's earnings in fiscal 2006.

www.polo.com
18 July 2005

Polo increases earnings projections

Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. raised earnings projections for the first quarter of fiscal 2006 last week. As a result shares in the compay leapt 8.9 per cent. Polo said that the amendment in expectations was in response to improved operating margins. The company said that operating margins for the quarter ended 2 July 2005 are now expected to increase between 500 and 550 basis points. Revenue projections, however, remain stable at more than 20 per cent.

During the posting of the fourth quarter and full year results for fiscal 2005 on 10 June, Polo said that it expected "consolidated revenues to increase more than 20 per cent, reflecting more than 25 per cent growth in wholesale sales, 10 per cent growth in retail sales including Ralph Lauren Media and a slight decrease in licensing royalty. Operating income (was) expected to increase significantly with operating margin almost doubling last year's".

www.polo.com
11 July 2005

Polo buys footwear unit

Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. is purchasing its Ralph Lauren Footwear Co. Inc. unit from Reebok International Ltd. for $110 million (GBP 60 million). The footwear company, which has been a Polo Ralph Lauren licensee since 1996, is being bought in an all-cash deal. It is expected to close at the end of June at the latest, according to the American City Business Journals.

The company is buying the footwear unit in order to increase control over the design and production of its brand items. Last year Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. bought its children's clothing licensee for $230 million. Reebok's chief executive responded by saying that the sale would allow Reebok to focus on its core business.

www.polo.com
25 May 2005

Polo announces quarterly dividend

The US fashion house Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation has announced a regular quarterly dividend of $0.05 per share on Polo Ralph Lauren common stock. The company's Board of Directors decided that the quarterly dividend should be made payable on 15 April 2005 to shareholders of record at the close of business on 1 April 2005.

Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation designs, markets and distributes apparel, home products, accessories and fragrances. The company's brand names include, among others, Polo by Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Ralph Lauren, Black Label, Lauren by Ralph Lauren, Polo Jeans Co, Rugby, RL Childrenswear, Chaps and Club Monaco.

www.polo.com
22 March 2005

Ralph Lauren Polo to sponsor tennis association

Polo Ralph Lauren today is expected to announce that it has secured a partnership deal with the United States Tennis Association, the national governing body for tennis. Polo will be the official apparel sponsor of the U.S. Open tennis tournament for the next four years, taking over from Fila, which recently ended its investment after more than 20 years.

The tennis sponsorship will catapult the Ralph Lauren name to even more people worldwide in markets in which he may not have strong representation. Typically the tournament attracts over 600,000 visitors, and last year's was watched on television by over 86 million viewers worldwide.

www.ralphlauren.com
14 March 2005

New CFO for Polo

Luxury goods and clothing retailer Polo Ralph Lauren announced the appointment last week of Tracey Travis as senior vice president and chief financial officer. The appointment will be effective 3 January. Travis will replace Gerald Chaney, who is leaving the company to pursue other interests, according to the company.

Prior to joining Polo, Travis worked in senior financial positions at the Limited Brands. At Polo she will be responsible for corporate finance, financial planning and analysis, treasury, tax and corporate compliance. She will report directly to president and chief operating officer Roger Farah.

www.ralphlauren.com
23 November 2004

Polo Reports Profits

Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. yesterday posted a 49 percent jump in profit for its latest quarter as sales of women's clothing and children's wear helped results. The New York-based clothing company reported net income of $80.4 million, or 78 cents a share, for the second quarter ended Oct. 2, compared with $54 million, or 54 cents a share, a year ago.

The wholesale business had a particularly strong second quarter, as revenue soared 49 percent to $502.6 million. Operating income in that business more than tripled to $82 million, Murray said. Shares of Polo Ralph Lauren rose $1.40, or 3.7 percent, to close at $38.91 on the New York Stock Exchange.

www.polo.com
4 November 2004

Ralph Lauren Launches New Rugby Line

Ralph Lauren's latest designs didn't debut on catwalks in New York or Paris but inside a narrow storefront on Newbury Street. The legendary apparel designer is using Boston's college town status to launch his new "Rugby" line and store, which are Lauren's attempt to capture a greater piece of the $27.5 billion 18-to-24-year-old apparel market in the United States.

Rugby, which opened last weekend, furthers Lauren's push to control where his merchandise is sold and how it is presented to customers by operating the stores himself. It also makes Boston the launch pad for Lauren's first brand created exclusively for sale in his own stores, as opposed to offering pieces through department stores or other channels.

Next year, the company plans to offer the Rugby label through its Polo.com website. The company is unequivocal about its plans to use the preppy-chic Rugby to get into the wallets of well-heeled college kids and newly minted young workers, a segment where it admittedly has a gap. To woo college kids, the company will advertise heavily in campus papers.

That positions the collection squarely in the faces of one of the most free-spending apparel consumer groups. Shoppers between the ages of 18 and 24 spent $27.5 billion on clothes in the last 12 months, according to research firm NPD Fashionworld, of Port Washington, N.Y. That represents 16.2 percent of total apparel sales over the same period.

www.polo.com
27 October 2004

Ralph does Rugby

The American designer Ralph Lauren has launched a new line called Rugby. This new line targets college fans with a smaller bank account. Lauren opened the first Rugby stand-alone store in Boston last weekend and plans to open approximately 40 more stores over the next five years. The new label consists of typical collegiate fare such as corduroy trousers, rugby shirts, crew neck sweaters, tweed jacket, mini-skirts, toggle coats, puffy vests and dresses. Lauren dubbed Rugby "the new Polo".

The new line does not mean that Lauren is neglicting his other lines. He told reporters that he is operating from strength, and believes that Polo is stronger than ever. Furthermore he feels that his other lines such as Black Label Collection and Blue Label are major growth areas.

www.polo.com
27 October 2004

Ralph Lauren Prefers Chic Hollywood

Ralph Lauren closed New York Fashion Week with one of him most subtle and elegant collections to date. Satin-looks, almost all in ivory, came down the runway in an ode to sophisticated Hollywood. Lauren, himself, described the collection as "romantic silhouettes in soft feminine fabrics to creat an alluring display of ethereal elegance with an emphasis on fine tailoring." In other words, languid luxury.

www.polo.com
16 September 2004

Ralph Lauren Reports Net Income Rise

US fashion conglomerate Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. have reported a net income rise of 4.5 percent in the latest quarter, boosted by improved sales and the re-launch of a product line. The New York-based company said it agreed to buy certain assets of RL Childrenswear Co. for about USD230 million. RL Childrenswear, of Cumberland, Md., is Polo's North American licensee for childrenswear.

Polo stated its net income for its fiscal fourth quarter ended April 3 climbed to USD76.5 million, or 75 cents a share, from USD73.2 million, or 74 cents a share, in the same quarter a year ago. Excluding restructuring charges and foreign exchange, the company said it would have reported fourth-quarter earnings of USD80.4 million, or 79 cents a share, compared with USD76.1 million, or 77 cents a share, a year ago. Revenue for the latest quarter rose to USD818.8 million from USD692.3 million, driven by the re-launch of the Lauren by Ralph Lauren Line and by a 10 percent improvement in sales at stores open at least a year, also known as same-store sales.

www.polo.com
26 May 2004

Ralph Lauren To Launch New Fragrance

Ralph Lauren is to introduce a new fragrance later this year. Simply called Lauren Style, the scent has been described as a "sueded floral" containing hints of Moroccan orange flower. The fragrance will be launched in the US followed by an international roll-out in 2005. Bruce Weber has signed up to create the print and television advertising, so expect a sexy and stylish campaign.

www.polo.com
6 April 2004

Earnings Drop at Polo

Upscale clothing designer and retailer Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. reported lower quarterly earnings this week. The pressure to cut prices in the competitive men's sportswear market hurt the company. Income was $5.1 million for the fiscal first quarter ended June 28, down from $6.5 million for the same period of the prior year. The company, which markets several versions of the Polo and Ralph Lauren labels and operates the Club Monaco retail chain, said revenue edged up 2.3 percent to $477.7 million from $467.0 million a year earlier.

August 6, 2003
www.polo.com

Polo aiming for Growth

Polo Ralph Lauren is looking to double its business in Europe over the next five years. The company will aim to develop the distribution of its kidswear and menswear lines in the UK.

Brian Duffy, the new president and chief operating officer of Polo Europe said: "there is lots of opportunity in the UK with brands that are underdeveloped. For, example, kidswear sales in the UK represent less than 20 per cent of those in France and in Spain, and mesnwear sales are half that of France, Italy and Spain." He further stated sales growth would come through existing partners rather than a new account base.

Polo Europe has relocated to new headquarter in Geneva from holding offices in Paris, Bologna and the UK. Duffy said that the consolidated offices and a new warehouse in Parma would cut lead times "dramatically."

Ralph Lauren has three stores in the UK in London's Bond Street, Birmingham and Glasgow in addition to their 375 UK stockists.

14 July 2003
www.polo.com

Ralph Lauren Ventures into Haircare

Not just content with designing clothes, US fashion designer brand Ralph Lauren, whose beauty license is held by L'Oréal, has revealed its first haircare line, Good Hair Day. The range comprises three shampoos and one conditioner, appropriately named "Knot Now, Knot Ever."

The products, infused with the Ralph fragrance, are targeting consumers aged 15 to 25 and will be available from August from Polo.com and in the UK from next Spring. According to a L'Oréal spokesperson, the brand could expand the offer if this initial range is successful. Ralph Lauren plans to add a hairspray and gel to the line next spring.

8 July 2003
www.polo.com

Ralph Lauren Gets License

Jones Apparel Group, the former licensee of Polo Ralph Lauren, has unexpectedly thrown its license back to Polo earlier this month. Now Polo needs to design, sell, manufacture and be ready to ship millions of pounds worth of spring/summer 04 goods by January.

Sceptics on Wall Street say the task is so big that Polo is bound to come up short, predicting the company will wind up with a poor quality end result collection. Polo has resorted to using the same factories that Jones Apparel used to to produce Lauren's men's line. American department stores are likely to be cautious making no commitments about space should deliveries not happen.

When Polo regained its license it prompted investors to sell its shares, and stocks fell by $1.08 on June 3. Polo brought in $2.4 billion last year, and has a variety of lines, from catwalk to homewear.

For Polo, getting back the Lauren business is a great opportunity. Industry executives said the line was one of the most profitable in the fashion industry. Roger Farah, Polo's president, knows there is little room for error to fulfil the spring/summer order books. On Monday he wilfully stated: "It's a big challenge to start and deliver product at this scale, but we're absolute on track. We're ready to roll."

26 June 2003
www.polo.com

Polo Ralph Lauren Sales Rise Overall

Polo Ralph Lauren saw sales up 3 per cent for the year to March 29 to GBP 1.4bn. Net profits were up to GBP 106.5m. Despite seeing a slight sales decrease in its wholesale business, US retail managed a sales increase. The brand´s European business was down, said to be due to the disruptive impact of buying its European licenses back last year.

6 June 2003
www.polo.com

Polo increases management in Japan

Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation on Tuesday announced that it has completed a previously announced series of transactions to increase the direct management of its growing business in Japan.

Since 1978, Polo's Japanese business had been licensed to Seibu Department Stores. On February 28, 2003, Polo completed its acquisition of a fifty per cent interest in its Japanese Master License and an eighteen per cent equity interest in a company that will hold the sublicenses for Polo's men's, women's and Polo Jeans businesses in Japan.

Polo's total investment in the transactions was approximately 70 USD million and was funded through Polo's available cash. The transactions are expected to be accretive to earnings in fiscal year 2004.

www.polo.com
March 6, 2003

Polo Ralph Lauren net down on restructuring charge

Classy clothing designer and retailer Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. on Thursday reported a six percent drop in quarterly net income on costs to restructure its European operations, and it forecast earnings below most Wall Street estimates for the coming fiscal year.

According to the company, net income fell to 42.8 million USD compared to 45.6 million USD a year earlier. Excluding such items as the restructuring charge and gains on currency exchange, earnings rose to 47.1 million USD, from 23.1 million USD last year.

Since acquiring its two major European licensees, Polo Europe and Polo Italy in 2000 and 2001, respectively, Polo has maintained operations in London, Watford, Paris, Bologna and Milan. The restructuring charge for the third quarter was related to Polo's Italian and British operations, and the headquarters consolidation in Geneva. Polo expects to take a fourth-quarter restructuring charge of about 3 million to 7 million USD to complete relocation portions of the overall European consolidation plan.

February 8, 2003
www.polo.com

Jones and Ralph Lauren disagree over license

Jones Apparel Group announced on Tuesday that renewal of its license discussions with Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation (PRLC) has reached an impasse now that the two companies are in disagreement over current licenses.

The two apparel companies are in dispute over the interpretation of the separate Lauren Ralph Lauren (Lauren) license and in what way it relates to the license agreement for Ralph apparel. The question of interpretation arose during discussions at the end of 2002, Jones Apparel said, when both companies were discussing the extension of the Jones license for Ralph apparel, which is scheduled to end on December 31, 2003.

During the course of the discussions concerning the Ralph brand, PRLC asserted that the expiration of the Ralph contract in 2003 will cause the Lauren license to end on December 31, 2003 as well, instead of December 31, 2006. Jones said in a statement released this week; it believes that this is an improper interpretation and that the expiration of the Ralph license does not cause the Lauren license to end.

"We disagree strongly with Polo's belief that the two licenses are linked in this way," said Peter Boneparth, Jones' chief executive officer. Jones Apparel stresses that, if the Lauren license were to end there would be a material adverse impact on Jones' results of operations after 2003. However, it would not materially adversely impact Jones Apparel Group's liquidity, and Jones would continue to have a strong financial position in the event the Lauren license were to end. The expiration of the Ralph license would not be material to Jones Apparel Group in any respect.

Net sales of Lauren were $548 million and net sales of Ralph were $37 million for the year ended December 31, 2002. The dispute between Jones Apparel Group and PRLC does not relate to the Polo Jeans license and an expiration of the Lauren and the Ralph licenses would not end Jones's longer term Polo Jeans license or otherwise adversely affect the Polo Jeans license in the United States.

5 februari 2003
www.polo.com

New Lauren swimwear licensee

Clothing giant Polo Ralph Lauren has signed a global licensing deal with Apparel Ventures for women's and girl's swimwear. Apparel Ventures will manufacture and distribute swimwear for Ralph Lauren Collection, Ralph Lauren Sport, Ralph Lauren (girls 7-16), Lauren Ralph Lauren and RALPH Ralph Lauren.

The company said the deal will start in July and follows the expiration of the term of the women's and girl's swimwear license held by Authentic Fitness Corporation since 1998. Financial terms were not disclosed. "This new licensing relationship will allow us to capitalise on our combined strengths - Polo Ralph Lauren's creativity and design expertise, and AVI's ability to consistently manufacture and distribute quality fashion swimwear," said Douglas Williams, group president, Polo Ralph Lauren.

December 13, 2002
www.polo.com

Ralph Lauren doing better than expected

Polo Ralph Lauren reported higher second-quarter profits, helped by its European wholesale and worldwide retail businesses, and backed its full-year earnings forecast. Polo said it is conducting a strategic review of its European business with a view to cutting costs. A proposal currently under consideration calls for the establishment of a headquarters in Geneva, where back-office functions would be consolidated.

Since acquiring its two major European licensees, Polo Europe and Polo Italy in 2000 and 2001, respectively, Polo has maintained operations in London, Watford, Paris, Bologna and Milan. Second-quarter income before foreign currency gains or losses was USD 51.9 million, or 52 cents per diluted share, for the quarter ended Sept. 28. That compared with USD 51.4 million, or 52 cents per share, for the second quarter a year ago.

Second-quarter net income was USD 51.7 million, or 52 cents per share, up from USD 47.8 million, or 49 cents per share, a year earlier. The company, which markets several variations of the Polo and Ralph Lauren brands and operates the Club Monaco retail chain, said revenue was USD 640.8 million, down 2.4 percent from USD 656.4 million a year earlier. Revenue in the second quarter was driven by increases in both the European wholesale and worldwide retail businesses, which were offset by a planned decrease in sales in the men's domestic wholesale business and the elimination of the women's Ralph Lauren Sport and the Lauren for men lines.

At the end of the quarter, the company operated 243 stores, 6 more than a year earlier. The group consists of Polo Ralph Lauren stores, Club Monaco stores and outlets.

November 7, 2002
www.polo.com

Ralph Lauren to buy stake in Japan licence

Polo Ralph Lauren Corp this week reaffirmed its second quarter earnings outlook and announced plans to buy a 50 per cent stake in its Japanese master licence to boost its direct management in that market.The firm that is based in New York revealed the deal will see it acquire a 18 per cent equity in a company that will hold the sub-licenses for Polo's men's, women's and Polo Jeans businesses in Japan.

Since 1978, Polo's Japanese business had been licensed to Seibu Department Stores but its total investment in the transactions will be approximately $70 million and will be funded through Polo's available cash.The deal is scheduled for completion in March 2003, with the US company then holding 50 per cent of the licence, leading Japanese wholesaler Onward Kashiyama 45 per cent and Seibu the outstanding five per cent.President and COO, Roger Farah, said: “Our Japanese business continues to grow and we are experiencing strong demand for our products there. With Seibu, we have enjoyed 25 successful years in building a strong business. When completed, this arrangement will allow Polo to accelerate the development of our brands and to more actively participate in the financial impact of this business.”

www.polo.com
October 17, 2002

New label for Ralph Lauren

This autumn Polo launches a new women's sportswear label called Blue Label in Europe and the US. This way the company hopes to reverse it's declining sales and profit trend. Blue Label replaces the Polo Sport collection which was discontinued with this year's spring/summer season, and will retail at lower prices than Black Label products.

Ralph Lauren reported a heavy decline in first-quarter profit this year, but said it was "confident to deliver profitable growth in the coming year". In
the three months to 30 June 2002, net profit plunged 79.2 per cent to $ 6.5m (EUR 6.6m) from $ 31.1m in the year-earlier period. Total sales declined by 9.3 per cent to $ 467m. Wholesale was hardest hit with sales declining to $ 187m from $ 245m.

According to the New York-based company, the results included a rule change regarding the consolidation of the accounts of its European business. Excluding this change, sales and net profit would have declined by 1 and 58 per cent respectively.

Designer and company owner Ralph Lauren sees strong growth potential for the brand in Europe, where the company generates some 9.8 per cent of total wholesale revenues. Sales at the company's domestic and international stores rose by 5.5 per cent to $ 227m in the period.

www.polo.com
08-08-02

Polo Ralph Lauren sees weaker results

Polo Ralph Lauren has warned that fiscal second-quarter and full-year earnings will fall short of previous estimates. The New York-based fashion house blamed weak consumer spending amid economic uncertainty and the fallout from the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE: RL) provided the following Earnings Per Share ("EPS") guidance for the second fiscal quarter ended September 29, 2001 and for the fiscal year ending March 30, 2002.

The impact of the September 11th tragedy and the resulting economic down turn have negatively affected the performance of both full-price retail stores and department store customers' business. As a result, the Company now expects to report EPS in the range of $0.50 - $0.54, which is down slightly from previous guidance of $0.54 - $0.58. Prior to the events of September 11th, the Company anticipated meeting its previous guidance.

Also in response to ongoing economic uncertainty, Polo Ralph Lauren is assuming a more conservative outlook for the remainder of Fiscal 2002. As a result, the Company is planning for a 2-3% increase in overall annual sales and, as such, is expecting to report Fiscal 2002 EPS in the range of $1.65 - $1.75 for Fiscal 2002.

"Clearly, the events of Sept. 11th have forced every American to re-evaluate his or her priorities, with one of the results being much more guarded discretionary spending," said Ralph Lauren, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Furthermore, our country's current situation has created ongoing uncertainty among consumers. In light of our customers' restraint, we must adjust our expectations to better reflect both their current and foreseeable spending."

"Despite the near term uncertainty, we will continue to implement our long-term strategies," continued Mr. Lauren. "We have one of the most experienced and proven management teams in the industry and, most importantly, one of the strongest and most resilient collections of global brands. Inevitably, the economy will recover and with the initiatives we have taken over the past year - accelerating our international expansion, focusing on luxury merchandising, realigning our management team and increasing our operating efficiency - we are poised to excel."

Commenting on the balance of the year, Roger Farah, president and chief operating officer, said, "We have all become more apprehensive, both economically and emotionally, over the uncertainties we now face in our every day lives. Therefore, forecasting precise business trends is very difficult. We had planned our business conservatively this year, and we will continue with that plan over the next six to 12 months.

"We have already implemented initiatives to help offset a more modest sales forecast and ongoing gross margin pressures. We are executing our tax strategy that reduces our rate by one percent, we are tightening our inventory levels and we are undertaking appropriate expense management measures. In addition, we began this fiscal year with 12% less debt than the prior year, which has reduced our interest expense. Our balance sheet remains healthy with reduced debt and strong cash flow," said Mr. Farah. "Our goal remains to produce year-over-year earnings growth while continuing to build the company's business for the long term. I believe our revised expectations support our focused business plan and strategy for future growth," Mr. Farah concluded.

Polo Ralph Lauren will release detailed results for its second fiscal quarter ended September 29, 2001 shortly after close of market on Tuesday, November 6, 2001. The Company also will host a conference call at approximately 5 p.m. to discuss its performance during its second fiscal quarter. To access the conference call, listeners should dial in by 4:45 P.M. Eastern on November 6, 2001 and request to be connected to the Polo Ralph Lauren Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2002 conference call. The domestic call-in number is 1-888-209-3791. For international participants, the number is 1-212-271-4781. Alternatively, individuals are invited to listen to a live online broadcast of the conference call by accessing the investor relations page through http://investor.polo.com on the Internet. A telephone replay of the call will be available from 7:30 P.M. Eastern, Tuesday, November 6, 2001 through 7:30 P.M. Eastern, Thursday, November 8, 2001 by dialing 1-800-633-8284 for domestic callers and 1-858-812-6440 for international callers. All callers will need to enter reservation number 19854871. An online archive of the broadcast will also be available through 7:30 P.M Eastern, Thursday, November 8, 2001.

Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation is a leader in the design, marketing and distribution of premium lifestyle products in four categories: apparel, home, accessories and fragrances. For more than 30 years, Polo's reputation and distinctive image have been consistently developed across an expanding number of products, brands and international markets. The Company's brand names, which include "Polo", "Polo by Ralph Lauren", "Polo Sport", "Ralph Lauren", "RALPH", "Lauren", "Polo Jeans Co.", "Chaps", and "Club Monaco" among others, constitute one of the world's most widely recognized families of consumer brands.

Certain statements including, without limitation, the statements made by Ralph Lauren and Roger Farah and the statements relating to the earnings outlook for fiscal 2002 contained herein constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and involve certain risks and uncertainties. Actual results might differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Among the factors that could cause actual results to materially differ are the following: risks associated with implementing the Company's plans to enhance its worldwide luxury retail business, inventory management program and operating efficiency initiatives; risks associated with changes in the competitive marketplace, including the introduction of new products or pricing changes by the Company's competitors; changes in global economic conditions; risks associated with the Company's dependence on sales to a limited number of large department store customers, including risks related to extending credit to customers; risks associated with the Company's dependence on its licensing partners for a substantial portion of its net income and risks associated with a lack of operational and financial control over licensed businesses; risks associated with consolidations, restructurings and other ownership changes in the retail industry; risks associated with competition in the segments of the fashion and consumer product industries in which the Company operates, including the Company's ability to shape, stimulate and respond to changing consumer tastes and demands by producing attractive products, brands and marketing, and its ability to remain competitive in the areas of quality and price; risks associated with uncertainty relating to the Company's ability to implement its growth strategies; risks associated with the Company's entry into new markets either through internal development activities or through acquisitions; risks associated with the possible adverse impact of the Company's unaffiliated manufacturers' inability to manufacture in a timely manner, to meet quality standards or to use acceptable labor practices and other factors detailed in the filings made by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

www.polo.com
Comtexnews.net
NEW YORK, Oct 22, 2001 Polo Ralph Lauren (NYSE:RL)

Anticipates Reporting Second Quarter EPS of $0.50 - $0.54 on Nov. 6th

Sees Fiscal Year 2002 EPS of $1.65 - $1.75