market folly

Dr. Michael Burry of Scion Asset Management has been busy lately.  We previously detailed how he re-built a stake in Gamestop (GME) and sent a letter to the board.  Well, he has now also just filed a 13D on shares of Tailored Brands (TLRD), which he's owned and previously also sent letters to the board.

The new filing indicates Burry has boosted his TLRD position, buying throughout August at prices of around $4.7145 and $4.8282.  In total, Scion Asset now owns 5.1% of the company with 2.6 million shares.  This is up from his previous stake of 1.85 million shares at the end of June.


Dr. Michael Burry Sends New Letter to Tailored Brands Board

Burry also sent a new letter to the board dated August 30th where he addresses rumors that Sycamore Partners had approached the company about an acquisition at around $10 per share.  Burry writes, "We do not know if any of this is true.  However, we believe you must know that $10 per share is not fair value and will not be acceptable to shareholders."

Later Burry goes on to write, "With some urgency, we stand by our letters of August 2nd and 19th. Given the quarter-century lows in the common stock and the severe undervaluation this entails, we believe the best use of funds from the corporate apparel segment sale, in good part or in full, is for a share repurchase.While management is considering asset sales, we would encourage exploring the market for Tailored’s Canadian operations. The Board and management ought to focus resources on its core 1300+ store U.S. operations. Proceeds from a sale of these remaining international operations may also be best used to accelerate debt repayment and stock buybacks."

He's previously sent two other letters to the board which you can read here and here.

Per Yahoo Finance, Tailored Brands "operates as a specialty apparel retailer the United States and Canada. It operates through two segments, Retail and Corporate Apparel. The Retail segment offers suits, suit separates, sport coats, slacks, formalwear, business casual, denim, sportswear, outerwear, dress shirts, shoes, and accessories for men. It also provides women's career and casual apparel, sportswear, and accessories; children's apparel; and alteration services. As of February 2, 2019, this segment operated 1,464 stores under the Men's Wearhouse, Men's Wearhouse and Tux, Jos. A. Bank, Moores, Joseph Abboud, and K&G brands. The Corporate Apparel segment provides corporate apparel uniforms and work wear to workforces under the Dimensions, Alexandra, Yaffy, and Twin Hill brands through various channels, including managed corporate accounts and catalogs, as well as through dimensions.co.uk, alexandra.co.uk, and twinhill.com Internet sites. This segment serves companies and organizations in the airline, retail grocery, retail, banking, quick service restaurant, car rental, distribution, travel and leisure, postal, security, healthcare, and public sectors. The company was formerly known as The Men's Wearhouse, Inc. and changed its name to Tailored Brands, Inc. in February 2016. Tailored Brands, Inc. was founded in 1973 and is based in Houston, Texas."