Supply Chain Research

Kids apparel retailer Gymboree may soon declare chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for the second time in under two years. Industry-wide sales of children’s apparel were weak ahead of the previous chapter 11 period. That’s not the case this time around given industry-wide seaborne imports of kids apparel to the U.S. rose 4.4% in 4Q following an average 3.1% in the previous three quarters. Gymboree’s imports dropped to negligible levels in December – which may reflect reporting as much as activity – though the firm’s imports had already dropped 31.4% year over year in the first nine months ...