Top 125 Global Licensors Account for Billions in Retail Sales

LOS ANGELES, May 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- License! Global (www.licensemag.com) today announced its annual Top 125 Global Licensors list, which ranks the world's largest owners of intellectual property by annual retail sales. Companies on the list accounted for more than $192 billion in retail sales of licensed products, worldwide, in 2011.

This year's list boasts 20 new licensors including Procter & Gamble, Weight Watchers, the National Hockey League and HGTV. Marking a significant change to this year's list, Disney Consumer Products has now merged its listing with Marvel Entertainment.

The list reveals the magnitude of the licensing industry, as well as the consumer demand for licensed products around the world. Offering a low investment, high return and revenue-driving business model, licensing is now a key growth strategy for businesses of all sizes.

For the full License! Global Top 125 Global Licensors list visit www.licensemag.com.

The top five 2011 licensors rank as follows:

• No. 1: Disney Consumer Products reported $37.5 billion in retail sales through its licensing programs, which included Mickey Mouse, Disney Princesses, Disney Fairies, Toy Story, Cars and Marvel.
• No. 2: Iconix Brand Group reported $12 billion in retail sales, driven by its core direct-to-retail programs and international expansion. Notably in China, Iconix has already opened 200 stores with hundreds more planned in the near future.
• No. 3: Phillips-Van Heusen reported $10 billion in retail sales, up from $8.7 billion in 2010, driven by international growth of its Arrow, Izod and Van Heusen brands in China, India, the Middle East, Australia, Chile, Peru and Mexico.
• No. 4: Mattel reported $7 billion in retail sales of licensed merchandise driven by new product offerings across its portfolio of iconic brands, which include Barbie, Hot Wheels, Monster High and Fisher-Price.
• No. 5: Warner Bros. Consumer Products reported $6 billion in retail sales based on its continued expansion of the DC Comics superheroes, new content for theatrical and television, as well as live events.

A majority of licensors on the list will be exhibiting at next month's Licensing Expo (www.licensingexpo.com), the licensing industry's largest annual event, held June 12-14, at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. For more than 30 years, the Licensing Expo has been the meeting place for the biggest names in the industry, attracting the world's most recognizable brands and properties every year.

Kathy Ireland, CEO and chief designer of kathy ireland Worldwide (no. 25 on this year's list), who has turned her name into a $2 billion licensing empire, will deliver the keynote address at Licensing Expo 2012, Tuesday, June 12, at 8:30 a.m.

About License! Global:

License! Global Magazine, published by Advanstar Communications, is the leading news source of the licensing industry, delivering award-winning editorial content covering trends, analysis and special reports about the global brand licensing and retail marketplace. Through its print edition, website, and daily online E-newsletter, License! Global reaches a total monthly audience of almost 90,000. Founded in 1998, License! Global's circulation is audited and verified by an independent company, Business Press Audit (BPA). Its readership is comprised of the world's leading retailers, licensors, licensees, manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors.

About Licensing Expo:

Licensing Expo (www.licensingexpo.com) is the licensing industry's largest annual event. A trade show for leveraging properties and brand equity to develop merchandise, Licensing Expo attracts more than 500 exhibitors representing more than 7,000 brands and properties in entertainment; sports; fashion and apparel; publishing; art and design; automotive; animation/anime; home and housewares; and lifestyle. Exhibitors include Fortune 500 consumer brands, film studios, publishing houses and other creative agencies. Attendees from more than 80 countries represent the world's leading retailers, manufacturers, distributors and licensing agents. The show is owned and organized by Advanstar Communications, Inc., is sponsored by the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association (LIMA), and is affiliated with License! Global magazine.

SOURCE Advanstar Communications