• Investing
  • Stock
Round Table Thoughts
  • Economy
  • Editor’s Pick
Home Editor's Pick How Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger got caught in Trump’s trade war with China
Editor's Pick

How Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger got caught in Trump’s trade war with China

by February 6, 2025
by February 6, 2025 0 comment
Share
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsapp

China has blacklisted the owner of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, which could force the company to shut down stores and manufacturing in an early repercussion of President Donald Trump’s trade war. 

China added PVH Corp. to its “unreliable entities” list on Tuesday, which allows the Chinese government to fine the retailer, prohibit import and export activities, revoke work permits, and deny employees the ability to enter the country, among other deliberately vague powers. 

While China’s Ministry of Commerce began investigating PVH in September for allegedly refusing to source cotton from the Xinjiang region, which has become notorious for its Uyghur detention camps, Beijing officially placed the company on its blacklist on Tuesday. The announcement came just days after Trump slapped a 10% tariff on imports from China, and came along with a slew of other retaliatory measures against the U.S., including new duties on energy imports and farm gear. 

“There’s this tit-for-tat trade war going on, and [China] wants to show the United States that it’s going to take action to hurt either big U.S. companies or companies with significant interests in the U.S.,” said Michael Kaye, a partner at Squire Patton Boggs, who has been practicing international trade law for more than 30 years. “They’re being made an example. … My guess is, [China] wanted to pick somebody and they wanted it to be somebody that was high visibility.”

Now that PVH is on the unreliable entities list, China could force the company to shut down the dozens of stores that it operates in the region and forbid it from selling its wares to Chinese consumers online, said Kaye. Its staff — including those who’ve built lives in China — could be effectively deported and sent home, Kaye added.

It is unclear if China would try to enforce actions against PVH in the autonomous region of Hong Kong, where the company’s Asia-Pacific headquarters are. In 2020, China passed a law that gave it more power to enforce national laws in Hong Kong, and that is “particularly the case with laws applicable to national security,” which could include the unreliable entities list, said Kaye.

As of Thursday morning Eastern time, the company appeared to be operating its business as usual in China.

China could even prohibit PVH from manufacturing in the region altogether, which could force it to move production to other countries and struggle to meet customer orders. 

It’s unclear which steps exactly China will take, or if the Trump administration will try to convince China not to punish the company.

In a statement, PVH said that it was “surprised and deeply disappointed to learn of the decision from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.”

“In our 20 years of operating in China and proudly serving our consumers, as a matter of policy, PVH maintains strict compliance with all relevant laws and regulations and operates in line with established industry standards and practices. We will continue our engagement with relevant authorities and look forward to a positive resolution,” the company said.

China represented 6% of PVH’s sales and 16% of its earnings before interest and taxes in 2023, but it relies more heavily on the country for manufacturing, which is the bigger risk to its business. PVH has more factories and suppliers in China than in any other region, representing about 18% of production, according to a disclosure it issued in December. 

“This has the potential to be very, very disruptive for PVH,” said GlobalData managing director and retail analyst Neil Saunders. “They would certainly have to scramble to find new capacity. They’d be able to do that in time, of course, but the two things that are at issue are that, because a lot of supply chains are just in time, they would probably find that they did get short on inventory whilst they made the transition. The other issue, of course, is quality.” 

PVH has operated in China for more than 20 years, and while it works with suppliers and factories in more than 30 other countries, the higher-end goods that it makes can be difficult to manufacture elsewhere because of the skill level needed, said Saunders. 

“While you can shift manufacturing capacity reasonably easily, it’s not so easy to guarantee the quality, guarantee the production processes. Those things take time to upskill,” said Saunders. “China has that capacity and has those skills, because PVH has been operating there for ages. Another country, another manufacturing facility, may not have those skills immediately.” 

Plus, PVH has viewed China as a growth market and it will now have to look for new strategies to increase sales and profitability as demand falls for its high-end dresses, intimate apparel and sweaters. 

China’s unreliable entities list is a relatively new law in the country, and experts say it’s deliberately opaque. The government has wide latitude to take action against PVH, but it remains unclear what exactly it will do. Typically, guidance comes within a few days of a company’s placement on the blacklist, said Kaye. 

China could add PVH to the list and do nothing to the company, but Kaye said the chances of that are “very slim” because the government will want to avoid the perception that it’s backing down. China will more likely use PVH as a bargaining chip at the negotiating table with Trump, and use it as an example to show the power it has to inflict pain on other U.S. businesses with major operations and customer bases in China, such as Nike, Apple, General Motors, Starbucks and others. 

“There’s a sort of sword of Damocles hanging over [PVH’s] head, and that is exactly what this is, because this isn’t really about PVH at all. This is about PVH being caught in the spat between China and the U.S.,” said Saunders. “China is using PVH as an example to say, look, if tariffs go ahead, if other restrictions are put in place on China, we can make life difficult for U.S. companies in the country. That’s really what this is about.”

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS
You Might Also Like
  • ONE announces project with Sony Network Communications Europe to create a smart container solution
  • Blue-collar hiring and pay gains stay hot in a cooling job market
  • Are fears of a shoplifting surge running away from the facts?
  • Federal prosecutors are examining financial transactions at Block, owner of Cash App and Square
Share
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsapp

previous post
Some tariff concessions from Canada and Mexico touted by Trump lack substance, experts say
next post
All Quiksilver, Billabong and Volcom stores to close in U.S.

You may also like

Federal Trade Commission accuses three drug middlemen of inflating insulin...

September 23, 2024

Social Security advocates brace for U.S. debt default: Seniors should...

May 15, 2023

Clorox warns cyberattack and product shortages will drag sales downward

October 11, 2023

Largest U.S. sportsbooks join forces to tackle problem gambling

March 28, 2024

Visa and MasterCard settle long-running antitrust suit over swipe fees...

March 28, 2024

Why the United Auto Workers want big raises

September 15, 2023

If you faced a tax penalty during the pandemic, the...

December 21, 2023

Dow tumbles 475 points, S&P 500 suffers worst day since...

April 15, 2024

Treasury Dept. will not enforce ownership information reporting for millions...

March 4, 2025

Boeing, Alaska Airlines point fingers at each other in lawsuit...

March 14, 2024

    Stay updated with the latest news, exclusive offers, and special promotions. Sign up now and be the first to know! As a member, you'll receive curated content, insider tips, and invitations to exclusive events. Don't miss out on being part of something special.


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Recent Posts

    • Nvidia results spark global chip rally

      May 30, 2025
    • Boeing to resume airplane deliveries to China next month, ramp up Max production, CEO says

      May 29, 2025
    • Nuclear Power Trio: OKLO, SMR, and CCJ in Focus

      May 29, 2025
    • Analyzing SIL, USO, and NVDA: Could These Bullish Patterns Trigger?

      May 29, 2025
    • E.l.f. Beauty to acquire Hailey Bieber skin care brand Rhode in up to $1 billion deal

      May 29, 2025

    Popular Posts

    • 1

      Trump-era China sanctions ended by Biden may be...

      June 27, 2024 2,763 views
    • 2

      Walz’s honeymoon with China gets fresh scrutiny as...

      August 9, 2024 2,470 views
    • 3

      Biden appointee played key role in recruiting Chinese...

      June 25, 2024 2,449 views
    • 4

      Shein’s global ambitions leaves some cybersecurity experts fearful...

      July 10, 2024 2,428 views
    • 5

      Harris VP pick spent years promoting research facility...

      August 29, 2024 2,306 views

    Categories

    • Economy (7,009)
    • Editor's Pick (2,104)
    • Investing (538)
    • Stock (2,578)

    Popular Posts

    • 1

      Trump-era China sanctions ended by Biden may be revived under new House GOP bill

      June 27, 2024
    • 2

      Walz’s honeymoon with China gets fresh scrutiny as Harris camp blasts ‘lying’ critics

      August 9, 2024
    • 3

      Biden appointee played key role in recruiting Chinese businesses to Delaware: ‘Longtime friends’

      June 25, 2024
    • 4

      Shein’s global ambitions leaves some cybersecurity experts fearful of Chinese spy threats

      July 10, 2024
    • 5

      Harris VP pick spent years promoting research facility that collaborated with ‘Chinese military company’

      August 29, 2024

    Latest News

    • Nvidia results spark global chip rally

      May 30, 2025
    • Boeing to resume airplane deliveries to China next month, ramp...

      May 29, 2025
    • Nuclear Power Trio: OKLO, SMR, and CCJ in Focus

      May 29, 2025

    Categories

    • Economy (7,009)
    • Editor's Pick (2,104)
    • Investing (538)
    • Stock (2,578)

    Disclaimer: RoundTableThoughts.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2024 RoundTableThoughts.com. All Rights Reserved.

    Round Table Thoughts
    • Investing
    • Stock
    Round Table Thoughts
    • Economy
    • Editor’s Pick

    Read alsox

    BuzzFeed News is shutting down

    April 22, 2023

    Starbucks is giving incoming CEO Brian...

    August 16, 2024

    Bad economic news has been good...

    June 6, 2024
    Sign In

    Keep me signed in until I sign out

    Forgot your password?

    Password Recovery

    A new password will be emailed to you.

    Have received a new password? Login here