Premier Investments Ltd., the ASX-listed operator of Just Jeans, Jay Jays and Jacqui E brand stores, is to close 50 loss-making stores in Australia and New Zealand at the end of their leases.
The Melbourne-based company hasn't identified where the cuts will come, though the New Zealand business will be in view after Premier Investments said it expects sales on this side of the Tasman to fall 1.5% in the six months ended July 31, lagging behind forecast growth in Australia of 3.6% over the same period.
The closures, which will see staff laid off, will cost the business between A$14 million and A$16 million.
Once that's complete, Premier Investments will switch its focus to the Peter Alexander and Smiggle brands in a bid to gain some traction in a tepid retail environment.
In the next three years, it plans to open 15 to 30 Peter Alexander stores in Australia, and 30 to 50 Smiggle stores on both sides of the Tasman. It is also looking at between 12 and 20 more Smiggle stores in Singapore, with a view to expanding deeper into Asia.