At least 10 potential bidders are interested to acquire the assets of HMX, LLC. The data room became operational a month ago, there have been interested bidders downloading information for their due diligence on HMX. According to sources, some are firms that have been kicking the proverbial tires since trying to get the stalking-horse bid that went to Authentic Brands Group, and others are new firms taking an interest in the bankrupt assets. WL Ross and Co. LLC and The Yucaipa Companies, LLC are among interested bidders. Yucaipa signed a confidentiality agreement and is interested in bidding for all of HMX's assets, including the North American factories. The firm is proceeding with the process and is contemplating different options regarding the structure of a potential bid, said sources familiar with the due-diligence process. However, Wilbur L. Ross, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of WL Ross & Co., said, "We have great respect for some of the brand names that HMX has, but we really don't comment on potential acquisitions," WWD reported.

The Yucaipa Companies, LLC and Garcia Trujillo Holdings, LLC, announced that they have formed a new strategic partnership to pursue investment opportunities in the fast-growing marketplace of companies serving the needs of the Hispanic consumers. The new partnership will seek to employ a dedicated and disciplined approach to capture opportunities created by the emergence of the U.S. Hispanic marketplace. Over 50 million Hispanics live in the U.S. and by 2050, that number is projected to grow to over 132 million. The buying power of U.S. Hispanics is growing by $100 billion per year, projected to reach $1.5 trillion by 2015, making the Hispanic market one of the ten largest economies in the world. Hispanic consumers have attractive demographic characteristics, including a younger demographic profile, greater brand loyalty and a higher level of projected lifetime spending than non-Hispanic whites. Further, the nearly 3 million U.S. Hispanic-owned businesses generate over $500 billion in annual revenues.