All Brands Owned by Catalyst Brands

What is Catalyst Brands?
Catalyst Brands is a privately held American retail holding company formed on January 8, 2025, through the merger of SPARC Group and JCPenney. It operates a portfolio of six iconic retail brands: JCPenney, Aéropostale, Brooks Brothers, Eddie Bauer, Lucky Brand, and Nautica. The company launched with more than $9 billion in revenue, 1,800 store locations, and 60,000 employees.

Who owns Catalyst Brands?
Catalyst Brands is a joint venture with shareholders including Simon Property Group, Brookfield Corporation, Authentic Brands Group (ABG), and Shein. ABG owns the intellectual property for the fashion brands (Aéropostale, Brooks Brothers, Eddie Bauer, Lucky Brand, Nautica) and licenses them to Catalyst Brands for retail operation. JCPenney's IP is held within the joint venture structure.

Is JCPenney still open?
Yes. JCPenney continues to operate approximately 650 to 700 locations across the United States as part of Catalyst Brands. A proposed sale of 117 store properties to Onyx Partners for $934 million was revived in August 2026, but Catalyst Brands stated the stores operate under long-term leases and a real estate transaction would not impact operations.

What happened to Forever 21?
Forever 21's U.S. operating company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2025, entering with $1.58 billion in debt. The company announced plans to wind down domestic operations, closing approximately 350 U.S. stores and laying off nearly 700 employees. Forever 21 had lost more than $400 million over three years. ABG CEO Jamie Salter called the acquisition "probably the biggest mistake I made."

Who is Catalyst Brands' CEO?
Marc Rosen, formerly the CEO of JCPenney, serves as CEO of Catalyst Brands. Three brand CEOs report to Rosen: Michelle Wlazlo (JCPenney), Natalie Levy (Aéropostale, Lucky Brand, Nautica), and Ken Ohashi (Brooks Brothers, Eddie Bauer).

What is Authentic Brands Group?
Authentic Brands Group (ABG) is a brand development, marketing, and entertainment company that acquires and licenses intellectual property for consumer brands. ABG's portfolio includes Brooks Brothers, Aéropostale, Lucky Brand, Nautica, Eddie Bauer, Forever 21, Reebok, Sports Illustrated, and dozens of other brands. ABG owns the brand IP and licenses it to retail operators like Catalyst Brands globally.

Is Brooks Brothers part of Catalyst Brands?
Yes. Brooks Brothers is operated by Catalyst Brands under a license from Authentic Brands Group, which holds the Brooks Brothers intellectual property. Ken Ohashi serves as Brand CEO for Brooks Brothers and Eddie Bauer. See the Brooks Brothers brand profile for the full brand history and ownership details.

How is JCPenney performing?
JCPenney reported FY2025 net sales of $6 billion, down more than 5 percent year-over-year, with a $173 million net loss. Q4 2025 holiday quarter sales fell 8 percent to $1.9 billion. However, the retailer showed improvement in earlier quarters, posting profitability in Q2 and reporting a 20 percent gain in loyalty customers. Analysts describe JCPenney as at the bottom of the struggling department store sector but note that Catalyst's backing provides financial support.