Key Takeaways JCPenney has agreed to merge with SPARC Group, which owns brands including Aéropostale, Brooks Brothers, and Lucky Brand.The combined company, Catalyst Brands, has a combined $9 billion in annual revenue and 1,

JCPenney has merged with the owner of several retail brands to create a brand new company. On Jan. 8, JCPenney merged with SPARC Group, the owner of the following companies: Through the merger, JCPenney and SPARC Group created Catalyst Brands.

The department store chain said that the all-equity merger brings its banner and various exclusive private brands under the same umbrella as Sparc’s portfolio, which includes Eddie Bauer, Lucky Brand and Nautica.

Sparc Group, the parent company of Forever 21 and Aéropostale, announced it merged with JCPenney to create a new company called Catalyst Brands.

Catalyst Brands has its headquarters within JCPenney’s corporate headquarters in Plano, TX. It also has offices in New York, Los Angeles, and Seattle. JCPenney has 50,000 employees, with over 650 stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. In 2022, the retailer celebrated its 120th Anniversary.

JCPenney is merging with a company that owns several other retailers that have also struggled as malls have declined in popularity across the U.S. The 123-year-old department store chain and SPARC Group have combined to form Catalyst Brands,