Businessweek

Hot Topic, Inc. operates as a mall and Web-based specialty retailer of apparel, accessories, music, and gift items for young men and women. Concepts Hot Topic: The company, at its Hot Topic stores and on Website hottopic.com, sells a selection of licensed and non-licensed apparel, accessories and gift items that are influenced by music artists and pop culture trends. It also sells a limited assortment of music CDs/vinyl LPs and DVDs. Torrid: The company, at its Torrid stores and on Website torrid.com, sells on-trend fashion apparel, lingerie and accessories designed to fit the young, voluptuous woman who wears a size 12 and up. Blackheart: The company, at its Blackheart stores and on its Website blackheartlingerie.com, sells a collection of edgy bras, panties, corsets, hosiery, sleepwear, rock apparel, accessories and beauty products. Blackheart targets women aged between 18 and 30. Merchandising Hot Topic Merchandise: Hot Topic’s music/pop culture-licensed merchandise includes tee shirts, hoodies, hats, jewelry, novelty items and a limited assortment of CDs/vinyl LPs and DVDs. Its selection includes denim, shorts, jewelry, sunglasses, belts, bags and beauty products. Torrid Merchandise: Torrid sells primarily private label merchandise that includes casual and dressy jeans and pants, fashion and novelty tops, intimate apparel, dresses, and fashion accessories. Stores As of February 2, 2013, the company operated 618, 190 and 5 primarily mall-based Hot Topic, Torrid and Blackheart stores, respectively, in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada. Seasonality The company’s business, particularly at Hot Topic, is subject to seasonal influences, with heavier concentrations of sales during the back-to-school, Halloween and holiday (defined as the week of Thanksgiving through the first few days of January) seasons and other periods when schools are not in session. The holiday season has been the company’s single most important selling season. History Hot Topic, Inc. was founded in 1988.