NEW YORK, Nov. 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Xcel Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ: XELB) ("Xcel" or the "Company"), a leading media and consumer products company specializing in creator or influencer-led brands, social commerce, and livestream shopping, today announced that its Board of Directors has initiated a process to explore strategic alternatives for certain of its non-core legacy assets. The strategic initiative aims to streamline the Company’s operational focus while strengthening its balance sheet.

As part of this process, the Company intends to evaluate a range of potential transactions, including but not limited to the sale or divestiture of select legacy consumer brands and related intellectual property that fall outside of its core, focus on digital-first, creator or influencer-led live commerce partnerships.

Robert W. D’Loren, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Xcel Brands, commented: "Over the past several quarters, Xcel has successfully pivoted toward a highly scalable, asset-light social commerce model powered by category expert creators or influencers and advanced digital platforms. As we accelerate momentum behind our newest co-brands, optimizing our capital structure becomes a top priority. By exploring strategic alternatives for these non-core legacy assets, we believe we may be able to enhance our financial flexibility and position Xcel to maximize long-term value for our shareholders."

The Company has not set a definitive timetable for completion of the evaluation process. There can be no assurance that this exploration process will result in any transaction or other strategic alternative being successfully concluded. Xcel does not intend to disclose developments with respect to this process unless and until its Board of Directors has approved a specific transaction or otherwise determines that disclosure is necessary or appropriate.

About Xcel Brands

Xcel Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ: XELB) is a media and consumer products company engaged in the design, licensing, marketing, live streaming, and social commerce sales of branded apparel, footwear, accessories, fine jewelry, home goods, pet products and other consumer products, and the acquisition of dynamic consumer lifestyle brands. Xcel was founded in 2011 with a vision to reimagine shopping, entertainment, and social media as social commerce. Xcel is an industry leader in developing influencer led brands and owns the Halston and C. Wonder brands, as well as the co-branded influencer led brands Tower Hill by Christie Brinkley, Trust. Respect. Love by Cesar Millan, GemmaMade by Gemma Stafford and OFF/DUTY by Coco Rocha brand and holds a long-term license agreement in Mesa Mia by Jenny Martinez. Xcel also owns and manages the Longaberger by Shannon Doherty brand through its controlling interest in Longaberger Licensing, LLC. Xcel is pioneering a modern consumer products sales strategy which includes the promotion and sale of products under its brands through interactive television, digital live-stream shopping, social commerce, brick-and-mortar retailers, and e-commerce channels to be everywhere its customers’ shop. The company’s previously owned and current brands have generated more than $5 billion in retail sales via livestreaming in interactive television and digital channels alone and have over 20,000 hours of content production time in live-stream and social commerce. The brand portfolio reaches more than 46 million social media followers with broadcast reaching 200 million households. Headquartered in New York City, Xcel Brands is led by an executive team with significant live streaming, production, merchandising, design, marketing, retailing, and licensing experience, and a proven track record of success in elevating branded consumer products companies. For more information, visit www.xcelbrands.com.

For further information please contact:

Xcel Brands

media@xcelbrands.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including statements regarding future events, our future financial performance, business strategy and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. We have attempted to identify forward-looking statements by terminology including "anticipates," "believes," "can," "continue," "ongoing," "could," "estimates," "expects," "intends," "may," "appears," "suggests," "future," "likely," "goal," "plans," "potential," "projects," "predicts," "seeks," "should," "would," "guidance," "confident" or "will" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our anticipated revenue, expenses, profitability, strategic plans and capital needs. These statements are based on information available to us on the date hereof and our current expectations, estimates and projections and are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors, including, without limitation, the risks discussed in the "Risk Factors" section and elsewhere in the Company's Annual Report on form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and its other filings with the SEC, which may cause our or our industry's actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Moreover, we operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all risk factors, nor can we address the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause our actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Except as expressly required by the federal securities laws, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or any other reason.

Investor Relations Contact:
Xcel Brands, Inc.
Investor Relations Team
Email: ir@xcelbrands.com