| Company type | Public (HKSE |
|---|---|
| Industry | Footwear |
| Headquarters |  Beijing, China |
Key people | Yiu Tang—who (Chairman) |
| Products | Women's Shoes |
| Website | chalco.com.cn |
Belle International Holdings Ltd. is China's No. 1 woman's shoe retailer, with a 22% domestic market share[1]. In September 2008, Belle was named No. 8 in the BusinessWeek Asia 50, Businessweek's annual ranking of top Asian companies[2].
Belle was started in 1991 in Shenzhen by Hong Kong businessman Yiu Tang—who, who is still chairman. Initially it was a shoe wholesale manufacturer, and only expanded into domestic retail in China in 2004. It attracted private equity investors including Morgan Stanley and CDH. In May 2007 Belle raised $1.1 billion in an IPO on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The company raised an additional $775 million in two secondary listings in November 2007 and April 2008, which it used to buy several competing brands[3].
In 2007, Belle reported profits of $291 million (up 102% over 2006) on sales of $1.7 billion (up 89% over 2006). Non-sports shoes account for 67% of sales, and licensing agreements with companies such as Adidas, Nike, and others make up the remainder. Its three women's brands—-Staccato, Millie's, and Joy&Peace—-account for about a 50% share of the $90-$150 shoe segment in China[4].
References
edit- ^ "Shoe Seller Belle Conquers China". BusinessWeek.com, September 5, 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-02.
- ^ "BusinessWeek Asia 50 Interactive Scoreboard". BusinessWeek.com, September 4, 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-02.
- ^ "Shoe Seller Belle Conquers China". BusinessWeek.com, September 5, 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-02.
- ^ "Shoe Seller Belle Conquers China". BusinessWeek.com, September 5, 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-02.