Buckle (clothing retailer)

The Buckle, Inc. (NYSE: BKE) is an upscale retailer selling apparel, footwear, and accessories for fashion-conscious young men and women.

The Buckle, Inc.

Type	Public (NYSE: BKE)
Industry	Retail
Founded	1948
Headquarters	Kearney, Nebraska
Number of locations	428 (October 2011)
Area served	Domestic
Key people	Daniel Hirschfeld, Founder and Chairman Dennis Nelson, President and CEO
Products	Apparel, footwear, accessories
Services	clothing retail, free alterations, layaway, free gift wrap (physical store)
Revenue	US$898 Million (FY 2009)
Operating income	US$199 Million (FY 2009)
Net income	US$127 Million (FY 2009)
Total assets	US$489 Million (FY 2009)
Total equity	US$354 Million (FY 2009)
Employees	6,700(2007)
Website	www.buckle.com

History

Buckle began as a men's clothing store in 1948 in Kearney, Nebraska. The first store was founded by David Hirschfeld and operated under the name "Mills Clothing". His son, Dan, took over the operations in 1965. In 1967, a second store was purchased and operated under the name "Brass Buckle". At that point, the Company began selling more casual men's clothing and by the early 1970s Brass Buckle had developed into a denim-based store. In 1977 the Company introduced women's apparel and has since evolved into the store you shop today. In 1991, Brass Buckle changed its name to The Buckle, and in 1992 the Company went public on the NASDAQ and traded as BKLE. In 1997, The Buckle moved to the New York Stock Exchange where it now trades under the symbol, BKE.

• BKE Jeans are made in Mexico.

Buckle Executive Officers

• Dan Hirschfeld leads the Company as Chairman of the Board, he has been with the Company since 1965.
• Dennis Nelson, President and Chief Executive Officer, has been with the Company for over 30 years.
• Karen Rhoads, Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer, has been with the Company for 24 years.
• Brett Milkie, Vice President of Leasing, has been with the Company for 19 years.
• Kari Smith, Vice President of Sales, has been with the Company for over 30 years.
• Patricia (Pat) Whisler, Vice President of Women's Merchandising, has been with the Company for 28 years.
• Robert Carlberg, Vice President of Men's Merchandising, has been full-time with the merchandising team since 2001.
• Kyle Hanson, Corporate Secretary and General Counsel, has been with the Company since 1998.
• Thomas Heacock, Treasurer and Corporate Controller, has been with the Company since 2003.

Buckle Board of Directors

• Dan Hirschfeld has been with the Company since 1965 and leads the company as Chairman of the Board.
• Dennis Nelson, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Buckle, Inc.
• Karen Rhoads, Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer, The Buckle, Inc.
• John Peetz, III, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Crete Carrier Corporation
• James Shada
• Bill Fairfield
• Robert Campbell, President and Operating Manager, Miller & Paine, LLC and Director of Development, Madonna Foundation
• Bruce Hobermon, Chief Executive Officer, Proxibid, Inc.
• Michael Huss, General Counsel, Mutual of Omaha Bank and Deputy General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Mutual of Omaha Companies

2010 Highlights

• Opened 21 new stores and completed 25 substantial remodels; closed 2 stores post-holiday to end the fiscal year with 420 stores in 41 states.
• Achieved average sales per store of $2.1 million, up from $1.67 million in fiscal 2007.
• Average sales per square foot were $428, up from $335 in fiscal 2007.
• Total denim sales increased for the eleventh consecutive year, with the category representing approximately 45% of fiscal 2010 net sales.
• Improved merchandise margins for the tenth consecutive year and achieved gross margins of 44.1%, as a percentage of net sales.
• Average transaction value increased 4.6% to $98.20 and average price point increased 1.9% to $45.90.

Merchandise

Buckle markets a wide selection of brand names and private label casual apparel, including denims, other casual bottoms, fashion tops, sportswear, outerwear, accessories and footwear.

Men's and women's brands found at Buckle include: BKE, BKE Boutique, BKE Sole, Buckle Black, Big Star, Big Star Vintage, Reclaim, Daytrip, Guess?, !It Jeans, Lucky Brand Jeans, MEK Denim, Miss Me, Jack B.B. Dakota, Gossip, See Thru Soul, Zoo York, 7 Diamonds, Truth, Manchester, Silver, Roxy, BC Ethic, Bullboxer, Dr. Martens, Billabong, Mia, O'Neill, Hurley, Obey, Fossil, Rocket Dog, Rampage, Report, Puma, Steve Madden, Yellow Box, Raisins, Reef, Becca, Sinful, Jedidiah, Volcom, Flojos, Sanuk, Filter, Naughty Monkey, Affliction Clothing, Von Zipper, Ed Hardy, Archaic, DC, Division E, Marc Ecko, Pop Icon, Projek Raw, RVCA, RZST, Converse, K-Swiss, Rock Revival, Bed Stu, Bullboxer, Diesel, English Laundry, Kenneth Cole, Roar, Zoo York, Antique Rivet, Xtreme Couture, Aqua VI, Throwdown, American Customs, American Fighter, Buffalo, Crash & Burn, Nike 6.0, Nixon, Fox and Xzavier.

Service

The company emphasizes personalized attention to its guests (customers) and provides individual customer services such as free alterations, free gift–wrapping, layaways and a frequent shopper program. Employee Commission is 3 percent. Most stores are located in upscale malls across the country and have an online store at buckle.com.

Screen Printing Service

Buckle screen printing is a full-service solution offering a selection of promotional merchandise to outside athletic teams, organizations, clubs and individuals.

Sources

• Buckle 2010 Annual Report
• Buckle Corporate Website, www.buckle.com
• Buckle Corporate Office, Lydia Pierson and Callie Erickson

External links

• Official website
• Buckle Locations