Phillips-Van Heusen buys Hilfiger for $3B

Clothing maker Phillips-Van Heusen Corp. said Monday it has agreed to buy privately held Tommy Hilfiger in a cash-and-stock deal valued at about $3 billion, creating one of the world's biggest clothing companies.

Shares of Phillips-Van Heusen, a New York clothing retailer which owns and markets the Calvin Klein brand, rose more than 4 percent in premarket trading.

The deal includes about $2.6 billion in cash and $379.9 million in Phillips-Van Heusen stock.

Phillips-Van Heusen will also assume $137.6 million in liabilities.

A group led by the buyout firm Apax Partners acquired Tommy Hilfiger in May 2006 for about $1.65 billion. It said it has invested more than $550 million in the business, increased the number of employee by more than 1,000 and the number of stores to 1,002 from 574.

Phillips-Van Heusen, based in Manhattan, said the combined company's revenue will total about $4.6 billion. The combination will allow Phillips-Van Heusen to introduce some of its brands in international markets, Phillips-Van Heusen said.

Tommy Hilfiger will remain in his role as principal designer, setting the vision for the Tommy Hilfiger brand.

Fred Gehring will continue as chief executive of Tommy Hilfiger, and will become chief executive of Phillips-Van Heusen's international operations. He will also join the Phillips-Van Heusen board of directors.

PVH shares rose $1.85, or 3.9 percent, to $49.59 in premarket trading.

The sale to Phillips-Van Heusen does not require a shareholder vote and is expected to close in Phillips-Van Heusen's second quarter.

PVH said it expects the deal to immediately help earnings by 20 cents to 25 cents per share, excluding one-time items, beginning in the current fiscal year ending Jan. 30, 2011.

It said the deal will help earnings by 75 cents to $1 in the fiscal year ending Jan. 29, 2012.

Phillips-Van Heusen expects to save $40 million annually as a result of the deal.