Women’s clothing boutique Francesca’s has filed for bankruptcy and is now beginning nationwide store-closing sales. The Houston-based retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey on Feb. 5, per court documents obtained by USA TODAY. The company announced its store-closing sale the following day in a press release, noting that items on sale include blouses, skirts, loungewear and more. One of the companies advising Francesca’s on the bankruptcy fili ...

Core Insights - Aritzia's U.S. business is the primary growth driver, with a 54% increase in U.S. net revenue to CAD 621 million in Q3, supported by nearly 60% traffic growth in U.S. e-commerce and approximately 30% square footage growth [1][5] - The company reported a total net revenue of CAD 1.04 billion in Q3, a 43% year-over-year increase, with comparable sales up 34%, exceeding prior guidance [2][3] - Aritzia achieved its first-ever billion-dollar quarter, driven by strong demand for its "everyday luxury" products and effective execution in retail and e-commerce [3][5] Financial Performance - Adjusted EBITDA rose 52% to CAD 208 million, with a margin of 20%, despite facing approximately 410 basis points of headwinds from tariffs and de minimis changes [4][14] - Gross profit increased 44% year-over-year to CAD 479 million, with a gross margin of 46%, benefiting from fixed-cost leverage and improved markdowns [13] - The company ended the quarter with CAD 620 million in cash, no debt, and plans for opportunistic share repurchases [15] Growth Strategies - Aritzia plans to open 12–14 new boutiques annually in the U.S., targeting a long-term goal of 180–200 stores [5][7] - E-commerce net revenue grew 58% in Q3 to CAD 383 million, attributed to brand demand, marketing, and the successful launch of a mobile app that has reached 1.4 million downloads [8][9] - The international e-commerce website saw sales more than double compared to Q3 last year, with expectations to triple in two years [12] Outlook - For Q4, Aritzia guided net revenue of CAD 1.1 billion to CAD 1.125 billion, representing growth of 23%–26%, driven by double-digit comparable sales growth and boutique openings [16] - The full-year fiscal 2026 net revenue forecast was raised to CAD 3.615 billion to CAD 3.64 billion, reflecting a growth of 32%–33% [17]