YORK, Pa., Nov. 3, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ: BONT ) today announced it has extended its private label credit card program agreement with Alliance Data Systems Corporation 's (NYSE: ADS ) Ohio-based card services business , a premier provider of branded private label, co-brand, and commercial credit programs. The agreement provides that the original term is extended three years to July 2022.
"We are very pleased to extend our relationship with Alliance Data, an industry leader in the private label credit card business. Their partnership has greatly assisted us in building our customer base and growing customer loyalty, and we look forward to continued growth through our collaboration," said Kathryn Bufano, president and chief executive officer of The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc.
The Bon-Ton Your Rewards Credit Card program has experienced significant growth in recent years, and the new agreement allows for further investment in the marketing and promotion of the loyalty-driven credit card program. Customers in the program are rewarded with exclusive discounts based on use of their Your Rewards Credit Card at all Bon-Ton, Bergner's, Boston Store, Carson's, Elder-Beerman, Herberger's and Younkers department stores. In addition, customers have the opportunity to double rewards, get free shipping and birthday offers, and gain special access to events.
Bon-Ton uses Alliance Data's advanced suite of digital and mobile solutions to create an engaging, compelling cardmember experience, allowing customers to manage their account and pay with a digital credit card from the convenience of their smartphone. In addition, Alliance Data's Conversant and Epsilon businesses already partner extensively with Bon-Ton, further driving growth through data-driven loyalty and marketing.
"We are pleased to further our relationship with a like-minded partner such as Bon-Ton and to have the opportunity to continue to grow this successful program," said Melisa Miller, president of Alliance Data's card services business. "This extension is a testament to the strong partnership we've built together, and we look forward to working with Bon-Ton to welcome more customers to the brand and driving top-line sales."
About Bon-Ton
The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc., with corporate headquarters in York, Pennsylvania and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, operates 270 stores, which includes nine furniture galleries and four clearance centers, in 26 states in the Northeast, Midwest and upper Great Plains under the Bon-Ton, Bergner's, Boston Store, Carson's, Elder-Beerman, Herberger's and Younkers nameplates. The stores offer a broad assortment of national and private brand fashion apparel and accessories for women, men and children, as well as cosmetics and home furnishings. For further information, please visit the investor relations section of the Company's website at http://investors.bonton.com .
About Alliance Data's card services business
Alliance Data's card services business is a leading provider of tailored marketing and loyalty solutions, delivered through branded credit programs that drive more profitable relationships between our brand partners and their cardmembers. We offer private label, co-brand, and commercial products to many of the world's most recognizable brands across a multitude of channels.
We uphold our Know more. Sell more ®. promise by leveraging unmatched customer insights, advanced analytics, and broad-reaching innovative capabilities. It's how we deliver increased sales to our partners, build enduring loyalty to their brands, and provide more value to our cardmembers. Alliance Data's card services business is a proud part of the Alliance Data enterprise. To learn more, visit www.knowmoresellmore.com or follow us on Twitter @ADRetail .
About Alliance Data
Alliance Data ® (NYSE: ADS ) is a leading global provider of data-driven marketing and loyalty solutions serving large, consumer-based industries. The Company creates and deploys customized solutions, enhancing the critical customer marketing experience; the result is measurably changing consumer behavior while driving business growth and profitability for some of today's most recognizable brands. Alliance Data helps its clients create and increase customer loyalty through solutions that engage millions of customers each day across multiple touch points using traditional, digital, mobile and emerging technologies. An S&P 500 and Fortune 500 company headquartered in Plano, Texas, Alliance Data consists of three businesses that together employ more than 15,000 associates at approximately 100 locations worldwide.
Alliance Data's card services business is a leading provider of marketing-driven branded credit card programs. Epsilon ® is a leading provider of multichannel, data-driven technologies and marketing services, and also includes Conversant ® , the leader in personalized digital marketing. LoyaltyOne ® owns and operates the AIR MILES ® Reward Program, Canada's premier coalition loyalty program, and holds a majority interest in Netherlands-based BrandLoyalty , a global provider of tailor-made loyalty programs for grocers.
Follow Alliance Data on Twitter, Facebook , Linked In and You Tube .
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain information included in this press release contains statements that are forward-looking within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements, which may be identified by words such as "may," "could," "will," "plan," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "project," "intend" or other similar expressions and include the Company's fiscal 2015 guidance, involve important risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect results in the future and, accordingly, such results may differ from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of the Company. Factors that could cause such differences include, but are not limited to: risks related to retail businesses generally; a significant and prolonged deterioration of general economic conditions which could negatively impact the Company in a number of ways, including the potential write-down of the current valuation of intangible assets and deferred taxes; risks related to the Company's proprietary credit card program; potential increases in pension obligations; consumer spending patterns, debt levels, and the availability and cost of consumer credit; additional competition from existing and new competitors; inflation; deflation; changes in the costs of fuel and other energy and transportation costs; weather conditions that could negatively impact sales; uncertainties associated with expanding or remodeling existing stores; the ability to attract and retain qualified management; the dependence upon relationships with vendors and their factors; a data security breach or system failure; the ability to reduce or control SG&A expenses, including initiatives to reduce expenses and improve efficiency; operational disruptions; unsuccessful marketing initiatives; the ability to expand our capacity and improve efficiency through our new eCommerce fulfillment center; changes in, or the failure to successfully implement, our key strategies, including initiatives to improve our merchandising, marketing and operations; adverse outcomes in litigation; the incurrence of unplanned capital expenditures; the ability to obtain financing for working capital, capital expenditures and general corporate purposes; the impact of regulatory requirements including the Health Care Reform Act and the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act; the inability or limitations on the Company's ability to favorably adjust the valuation allowance on deferred tax assets; and the financial condition of mall operators. Additional factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ from those contained in these forward-looking statements are discussed in greater detail under Item 1A of the Company's Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Alliance Data's Safe Harbor Statement/Forward Looking Statements
This release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such statements may use words such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue, " "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend, " "may, " "predict," "project," "would," and similar expressions as they relate to us or our management. When we make forward-looking statements, we are basing them on our management's beliefs and assumptions, using information currently available to us. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, these forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
If one or more of these or other risks or uncertainties materialize, or if our underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may vary materially from what we projected. Any forward-looking statements contained in this presentation reflect our current views with respect to future events and are subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. We have no intention, and disclaim any obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future results or otherwise, except as required by law.
"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this presentation regarding Alliance Data Systems Corporation's business which are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year. Risk factors may be updated in Item 1A in each of the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for each quarterly period subsequent to the Company's most recent Form 10-K.
Bon-Ton Kim George Divisional Vice President Investor Relations 717.751.3071 Alliance Data Tiffany Louder - Investor Relations 214-494-3048 Steve Calk FTI Consulting 212-850-5611 Shelley Whiddon - Media 214-494-3811
