| CALLAWAY
GOLF AND ASHWORTH INC. ANNOUNCE STRATEGIC ALLIANCE
Callaway Golf Company (NYSE:ELY), the largest premium golf club manufacturer
in the world, and Ashworth Inc. (Nasdaq:ASHW), a leading designer and distributor
of golf sportswear, announced today the signing of an exclusive licensing agreement
between the two companies for the creation of a complete line of men's and women's
Callaway Golf Apparel. The Companies believe that this strategic alliance
represents one of the largest and most significant partnerships in the golf industry.
The new Fall 2002 Men's Callaway Golf Apparel line will debut in selected
golf retail pro shops and department stores in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia,
New Zealand and South Africa beginning in early Fall of 2002. Retailers will be
given a preview of the line at the Callaway Golf Partnership Event this October.
"We are very excited about the opportunity to partner with the leading golf
apparel designer and manufacturer in the industry," said Mick McCormick, Executive
Vice President of Global Sales for Callaway Golf. "This is an outstanding opportunity
for us to expand our brand by utilizing the varied channels of distribution that
Ashworth has built through the years." Ashworth Inc. President and CEO
Randy Herrel said, "Ashworth will build a design, development and sales organization
dedicated to the Callaway Golf Apparel brand that is separate from the Ashworth
brand." Mr. Herrel added, "Callaway Golf is the brand leader in the golf
industry and we are pleased and proud to be partnering with Callaway Golf. Ashworth
and Callaway Golf are true golf brands, and the worldwide identity that Callaway
Golf has built in clubs and balls combined with the strong identity Ashworth has
built in golf sportswear makes this a very powerful strategic alliance. We believe
combining these two great brands will enable us both to further expand our leadership
positions." Callaway Golf and Ashworth Inc. both showed solid revenue
growth in the first quarter of 2001. Callaway Golf reported sales of $261 million
for the quarter, an increase of 32 percent over the same period in 2000, while
Ashworth reported sales of $27.7 million, an increase of 23.1 percent over the
first quarter of 2000.
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