Sat Jan 02 10:43:00 -0500 2010

Financial Times (United Kingdom)

- There is a ritual at the end of every Ralph Lauren fashion show. After the final model parade, Mr Lauren appears on the runway to take his bow, and his family – wife Ricky, sons David and Andrew, daughter Dylan, David’s girlfriend Lauren Bush, who used to model for the brand – rise to their feet in a standing ovation, followed by hugs and kisses.

“They ended 2009 with a very strong balance sheet, with liquidity of about $1bn, and a very small debt,” says Dana Telsey, chief executive of the Telsey Advisory Group. Operating profit for the second quarter of last year was almost $250m.

To view the full article, download the PDF here: Financial Times, January 2, 2010