Year-over-year tone shift - average net-tone change across Risk Factors and MD&A vs the prior 10-K. This filing is -0.04pp more bearish than last year's.
Why YoY instead of absolute: the LM lexicon has ~6.6× more negative words than positive (legal/risk-disclosure language is heavy on hedging), so every 10-K reads bearish on raw tone. Year-over-year change strips that bias and surfaces the actual shift in management's framing.
Tone shift by section
The two components the gauge averages: how Risk Factors and MD&A each shifted in net tone versus last year's 10-K. The headline above is their average, so a green needle over a soft section just means the other section carried it.
Risk Factors
+0.00pp
Flat
Net-tone change vs last year's 10-K.
MD&A
-0.09pp
Flat
Net-tone change vs last year's 10-K.
Per-snippet highlights
Sentence-level sentiment highlighting with category and subcategory filters is coming once the snippet-scoring pipeline lands. For now, dig into the actual section text on the Sections tab.
Risk Factors (Item 1A)
7,998 words
Item 1A. Risk Factors
In addition to the other information in this annual report, the following factors should be considered in evaluating us and our business.
RISKS RELATED TO OUR BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY
Our Future Success Depends On Our Ability To Maintain Our Brand Name And Image With Consumers.
Our success to date has largely been due to the strength of the Skechers brand. Maintaining, promoting, and growing our brand depends on our ability to develop high-quality, innovative, and fashion forward products, as well as our ability to create fresh and relevant marketing and advertising campaigns. The inability to execute or adverse developments in these areas could negatively impact our brand. Our brand could also be negatively impacted if we or any of our products were to receive publicity. If we are to maintain, promote and grow our brand, then our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows could be materially and affected.
Language change vs prior 10-K
MD&A (Item 7) - words with the biggest YoY frequency increase
Our Future Success Depends On Our Ability To Respond To Changing Consumer Preferences, Identify And Interpret Consumer Trends, And Successfully Market New Products.
The footwear industry is subject to rapidly changing consumer preferences. The continued popularity of our footwear requires us to accurately identify changing consumer preferences and effectively respond in a timely manner. Demand for and market acceptance of existing and new products are uncertain and depend on the following factors:
substantial investment in product innovation, design and development;
execution of product quality; and
significant and sustained marketing efforts and expenditures, including with respect to the monitoring of consumer trends.
We are often required to make decisions about product designs and marketing expenditures several months in advance of when consumer acceptance can be determined. As a result, we may not be successful in responding to shifting consumer preferences with new products that achieve market acceptance. If we fail to identify and effectively respond to changing consumer preferences, we could experience excess inventories, higher than normal markdowns, returns, order cancellations or an inability to profitably sell our products, and our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected.
We Face Intense Competition, Including Competition From Companies In The Footwear Industry and With Significantly Greater Resources Than Ours.
We face intense competition from other established companies in the footwear industry in the areas of product offerings, pricing, costs of production, and advertising and marketing expenditures. Consumer demand for our products may decline significantly if we do not adequately and timely anticipate and respond to our competitors. Some of our competitors have significantly greater financial, technological, engineering, manufacturing, marketing and distribution resources than we do. Their greater capabilities in these areas may enable them to better withstand periodic downturns in the footwear industry, compete more effectively on price and production, more effectively keep up with rapid changes in footwear technology, and more quickly develop new products. New companies may also enter the markets in which we compete, further increasing competition. We may not be able to compete successfully in the future, and increased competition may result in price reductions, cost increases, reduced profit margins, loss of market share and an inability to generate cash flows that are sufficient to maintain or expand our development and marketing of new products, which would materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Our Strategies Involve A Number Of Risks That Could Prevent Or Delay The Successful Opening Of New Stores As Well As Negatively Impact The Performance Of Our Existing Stores.
Our ability to successfully open and operate new stores depends on many factors, including our ability to identify suitable store locations, the availability of which is outside of our control; negotiate acceptable lease terms, including desired tenant improvement allowances; source sufficient levels of inventory to meet the needs of new stores; hire, train and retain store personnel; successfully integrate new stores into our existing operations; and satisfy the fashion preferences in new geographic areas.
In addition, new stores could be opened in regions in which we currently have few or no stores. Any expansion into new markets may present competitive, merchandising and distribution challenges that are different from those we encounter in our existing markets. Any of these challenges could adversely affect our business and results of operations. In addition, any new store openings in existing markets could result in reduced sales in existing stores in those markets. We may decide to close stores that experience sales declines, which could result in additional costs, expenses, asset impairments or asset write-downs.
Our Global Retail Business Has Required, And Will Continue To Require, A Substantial Investment And Commitment Of Resources And Is Subject To Numerous Risks And Uncertainties.
Our global retail business has required substantial investments in leasehold improvements, inventory, and personnel. We have also made significant operating lease commitments for retail space worldwide. Due to the high fixed-cost structure associated with our global retail business, the poor performance or closure of stores could result in significant lease termination costs, write-offs or impairments of leasehold improvements, and employee-related termination costs. The success of our global retail operations also depends on our ability to identify and adapt to changes in consumer spending patterns and retail shopping preferences globally, including the shift from brick and mortar to digital and mobile channels. Our failure to successfully respond to these factors could adversely affect our retail business, as well as damage our brand and reputation, and could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Our Retail Stores Depend On The Customer Traffic Generated By Shopping And Factory Outlet Malls Or By Tourism.
We have concept stores in shopping malls and factory outlet stores in outlet malls. We depend on obtaining prominent locations and the overall success of the malls to generate customer traffic. The overall success of the malls can be negatively impacted by factors outside of our control, such as store closures by other retailers. Some of our concept stores occupy street locations that are heavily dependent on customer traffic generated by tourism. Tourism can be adversely affected by external factors such as an economic slowdown or social or political events. Any substantial decrease in customer traffic generated by malls or tourism has, and may continue to have, an adverse effect on sales in our existing stores or hinder our ability to open retail stores in new markets, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
We Depend On Key Personnel To Manage Our Business Effectively In A Rapidly Changing Market, And If We Are Unable To Retain Key Personnel, Our Business Could Be Harmed.
We depend upon the continued services of key personnel, including Robert Greenberg, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer; Michael Greenberg, President and a member of our Board of Directors; and David Weinberg, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and a member of our Board of Directors. We also depend on our ability to identify, attract and retain additional qualified personnel. Competition for employees in our industry is intense, and we may not be successful in attracting and retaining such personnel. The loss of the services of senior management and other key personnel or the failure to attract additional personnel and execute a succession plan could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
We Have A Significant Work Force And Are Subject To Risks Related To Human Capital Management.
We employ approximately 20,100 employees worldwide and a significant portion of our operating expenses relate to compensation and benefits. Although we spend a significant amount of time and expense on human capital management, we cannot ensure that we will be able to maintain a happy and productive workforce. If we are unable to offer competitive compensation and benefits, appropriate training and development, and a compelling work environment or sustain employee satisfaction, our culture may be adversely affected, our reputation may be damaged, and we may incur costs related to turnover.
RISKS RELATED TO SUPPLY CHAIN
Our Business Could Be Harmed If We Fail To Maintain Appropriate Inventory Levels.
We place orders with our manufacturers for some of our products prior to the time we receive customer orders. We do this to minimize purchasing costs, the time necessary to fill customer orders, and the risk of non-delivery. We also maintain an inventory of certain products that we anticipate will be in greater demand. Unanticipateddeclines in the popularity of Skechers footwear or other unforeseen circumstances may make it difficult for us and our customers to accurately forecast demand, and we may be unable to sell the products we have ordered in advance from manufacturers or that we have in our inventory. Inventory levels exceeding customer demand may result in inventory write-downs and the sale of excess inventory at discounted prices, which could significantly impair our brand image and have a material adverse effect on our operating results, financial condition and cash flows. Conversely, if we underestimate consumer demand for our products or if our manufacturers fail to supply products when we need them, we may experience inventory shortages. Inventory shortages might delay shipments to customers, negatively impact retailer and distributor relationships, and diminish brand loyalty.
Our International Sales And Manufacturing Operations Are Subject To The Risks Of Doing Business Abroad, Particularly In China and Vietnam, Which Could Affect Our Ability To Manufacture Or Sell Our Products, Obtain Products From Foreign Suppliers Or Control The Costs Of Our Products.
Substantially all our sales during the year ended December 31, 2024 were derived from sales of footwear manufactured in foreign countries, with most manufactured in China and Vietnam. We also sell our footwear in foreign countries and plan to increase our international sales efforts as part of our growth strategy. Foreign manufacturing and sales are subject to a number of risks, including the following: political and social unrest, including terrorism; changing economic conditions, including higher labor costs; increased costs of raw materials; currency exchange rate fluctuations; labor shortages and work stoppages, including those due to the outbreak of a disease leading to an epidemic or pandemic spread; electrical shortages; transportation delays; loss or damage to products in transit; expropriation; nationalization; the adjustment, elimination or imposition of domestic and international duties, tariffs, quotas, import and export controls and other non-tariff barriers; exposure to different legal standards (particularly with respect to intellectual property); compliance with foreign laws; changes in domestic and foreign governmental policies; and the potential for circumstances where we may have to incur premium freight charges to expedite the delivery of product to our customers. Apart from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, including supply chain constraints, we have not, to date, been materially affected by any such risks, but we cannot predict the likelihood of such developments occurring or the resulting long-term adverse impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
In particular, because most of our products are manufactured in China and Vietnam, the possibility of adverse changes in trade or political relations with China or Vietnam, political instability in China or Vietnam, increases in labor costs, the occurrence of prolongedadverse weather conditions or a natural disaster such as an earthquake or typhoon in China or Vietnam, or the outbreak of a pandemic disease in China or Vietnam could severelyinterfere with the manufacturing and/or shipment of our products and would have a material adverse effect on our operations. Our business operations may be adversely affected by the current and future political environment in China. The government of China has exercised and continues to exercise substantial control over virtually every sector of the Chinese economy through regulation and state ownership. Our ability to operate under China may be adversely affected by changes in Chinese laws and regulations, including those relating to taxation, import and export tariffs, raw materials, environmental regulations, land use rights, property and other matters. Under its current leadership, the government of China has been pursuing economic reform policies that encourage private economic activity and greater economic decentralization. There is no assurance, however, that the government of China will continue to pursue these policies, or that it will not significantly alter these policies from time to time without notice. A change in policies by the government of China could adversely affect our interests by, among other factors: changes in laws, regulations or the interpretation thereof, confiscatory taxation, restrictions on currency conversion, imports or sources of supplies, or the expropriation or nationalization of private enterprises.
We Rely On Independent Contract Manufacturers And, As A Result, Are Exposed To Disruptions In Product Supply.
Our footwear products are currently manufactured by independent contract manufacturers. During the year ended December 31, 2024, the top five manufacturers of our products produced approximately 42.4% of our total purchases. One manufacturer accounted for 20.4% of total purchases for the year ended December 31, 2024.
We compete with other footwear companies for production facilities, and we do not have long-term contracts with any of our contract manufacturers. Under our current arrangements with them, these manufacturers generally may unilaterally terminate their relationship with us at any time. If our current manufacturers cease doing business with us, we could experience an interruption in the manufacture of our products. Although we believe that we could find alternative manufacturers, we may be unable to establish relationships with alternative manufacturers that will be as favorable as the relationships we have now. For example, new manufacturers may have higher prices, less favorable payment terms, lower manufacturing capacity, lower quality standards or higher lead times for delivery. If we are unable to provide products consistent with our standards or the manufacture of our footwear is delayed or becomes more expensive, our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected.
Our Ability To Deliver Our Products To The Market Could Be Disrupted If We Encounter Problems Affecting Our Logistics And Distribution Systems.
We rely on owned or independently operated distribution facilities to transport, warehouse and ship products to our customers. Our logistics and distribution systems include computer-controlled and automated equipment, which may be subject to risks related to security or computer viruses, the proper operation of software and hardware, power interruptions or other system failures. Substantially all our products are distributed from a few locations. Therefore, our operations could be interrupted by travel restrictions, earthquakes, floods, fires or other natural disasters near our distribution centers. Our business interruption insurance may not adequately protect us from the potential adverse effects of significant disruptions to our distribution system, such as the long-term loss of customers or an erosion of brand image. In addition, our distribution capacity is dependent on the timely performance of services by third parties, including the transportation of product to and from our distribution facilities. If we encounter problems affecting our distribution system, our ability to meet customer expectations, manage inventory, complete sales and achieve operating efficiencies could be materially adversely affected.
RISKS RELATED TO ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS, AND OTHER EXTERNAL FACTORS
The Uncertainty Of Global Market Conditions.
The uncertain state of global economic and political conditions, including the impact of inflation and challenging consumer retail market, may negatively impact our business, which depends on the general economic environment and levels of consumers’ discretionary spending. If the economic situation weakens, we may not be able to maintain or increase our sales to existing customers, make sales to new customers, open and operate new retail stores, maintain sales levels at our existing stores, maintain or increase our international operations on a profitable basis, or maintain or improve our earnings from operations as a percentage of sales. Additionally, if there is an unexpecteddecline in sales, our results of operations will depend on our ability to implement a corresponding and timely reduction in our costs and manage other aspects of our operations. These challenges include (i) managing our infrastructure, (ii) hiring and maintaining, as required, the appropriate number of qualified employees, (iii) managing inventory levels and (iv) controlling other expenses.
The impact of wars, acts of war and other conflicts around the world may result in subsequent economic sanctions imposed by the U.S., NATO and other countries. Conflicts may impact global economic conditions or our ability to sell products to customers in the affected regions. Conflicts could also have broader implications on economics outside the directly impacted regions, such as the global inflationary impact of a potential boycott of Russian oil and gas by other countries. Furthermore, any unfavorable developments in global political, social and regulatory conditions, including geopolitical conflicts, political unrest, civil strife, terrorist activity, acts of war, public corruption, expropriation, nationalism and other economic or political uncertainties in the U.S. or internationally, could also impact our business. Any negative sentiment toward the U.S. as a result of any such developments could also adversely affect our business and reputation. If the uncertain global market conditions continue for a significant period or worsen, our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected.
Our Business Could Be Adversely Affected By Changes In The Business Or Financial Condition Of Our Customers Due To Global Economic Conditions.
A global financial crisis could affect the banking system and financial markets and result in a tightening in the credit markets, more stringent lending standards and terms, higher inflation, and higher volatility in fixed income, credit, currency and equity markets. In addition, our business could be adversely affected by other economic conditions, such as the insolvency of certain of our key distributors, which could impair our distribution channels, or the diminished liquidity or an inability to obtain credit to finance purchases of our product by our significant customers. Our customers may also experience weak demand for our products or other difficulties in their businesses. If economic, financial or political conditions in global markets deteriorate in the future, demand may be lower than forecasted and insufficient to achieve our anticipated financial results. Any of these events would likely materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Our Sales Are Influenced By Economic Conditions And Uncertainty That Impact Consumer Spending And Consumer Confidence.
Consumer confidence and spending on discretionary items generally declines during periods of economic uncertainty or recession. Our wholesale customers anticipate and respond to adverse changes in economic conditions and uncertainty by reducing inventories and/or increasing promotional activity. Our retail stores are also affected by these conditions and may experience declines in consumer traffic and spending. As a result, factors that diminish consumer confidence and spending, particularly deterioration in general economic conditions, consumer credit availability, consumer debt levels, inflation, the impact of foreign currency exchange fluctuations on tourism and tourist spending, volatility in investment returns, fear of unemployment, increases in energy costs or taxes or interest rates, housing market downturns, fear about and impact of pandemic illness, and other factors such as acts of war, natural disasters or terrorist or political events that impact consumer confidence, have had, and may continue to have a material adverse effect on our operations and financial condition through their negative impact on our wholesale customers as well as decreased spending in our retail stores and potentially via our e-commerce business.
Natural Disasters, The Effects Of Climate Change, Pandemics, And Other Events Beyond Our Control.
Natural disasters or other catastrophic events may cause damage or disruption to our operations, international commerce, and the global economy, and thus could have a negative effect on us. Our business operations are subject to interruption from earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fires, extreme weather events, power shortages, pandemics, telecommunications failure, vandalism, cyber-attacks, the effects of climate change, and other events beyond our control. Although we maintain disaster recovery plans, such events could disrupt our operations or those of our customers and suppliers, including through the inability of employees and contract professionals to work, destruction of facilities, loss of life, and adverse effects on supply chains, power, infrastructure and the integrity of information technology (“IT”) systems, all of which could materially increase our costs and expenses, delay or decrease revenue from our customers and disrupt our ability to maintain business continuity. We could incur significant costs to improve the climate-related resiliency of our infrastructure and otherwise prepare for, respond to, and mitigate the effects of climate changes. Our insurance may not be sufficient, or cover losses or additional expenses that we may sustain. A significant natural disaster or other event that disrupts our operations or those of our customers or suppliers could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Adverse Conditions Or Changes In California Could Increase Our Operating Expenses Or Adversely Affect Our Sales.
A substantial portion of our operations are in California, including 106 of our retail stores, our headquarters in Manhattan Beach and our North America distribution center in Rancho Belago. A decline in the economic conditions, or increase in regulations or the cost of doing business in California could have a material adverse impact on our business. Furthermore, a natural disaster or other catastrophic event in California, such as an earthquake or wildfire, could significantly disrupt our business including the operation of our only domestic distribution center. We may be more susceptible to these issues than our competitors whose operations are not as concentrated in California.
Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Fluctuations.
Foreign currency fluctuations affect our sales and profitability. Changes in currency exchange rates may impact our financial results positively or negatively in one period and not another, which may make it difficult to compare our operating results from different periods. Currency exchange rate fluctuations may also adversely impact third parties that manufacture our products by making their costs of raw materials or other production costs more expensive and more difficult to finance, thereby raising prices for us, our distributors and/or our licensees. We do not currently engage in hedging activities with respect to these currency exchange rate risks. For a more detailed discussion of the risks related to foreign currency fluctuation, see Item 7A “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.”
In addition, our foreign subsidiaries purchase products in U.S. dollars, which causes the cost of those products to vary depending on the foreign currency exchange rates and impacts the price charged to customers. Our foreign distributors also purchase products in U.S. dollars and sell in local currencies, which impacts the price to foreign consumers. As the U.S. dollar strengthens relative to foreign currencies, our sales and profits are reduced when translated into U.S. dollars and our margins may be negatively impacted by the increase in product costs due to foreign currency exchange rates. Although we typically work to mitigate the impact of exchange rate fluctuations through price increases and further actions to reduce costs, we may not be able to fully offset the impact, if at all. Our success depends, in part, on our ability to manage or mitigate these foreign currency impacts, as changes in the value of the U.S. dollar relative to other currencies could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
RISKS RELATED TO ENVIRONMENT, SOCIAL, AND GOVERNANCE
Our Environmental, Social And Governance Commitments and Disclosures May Expose Us To Reputational Risks And Legal Liability.
Our brand and reputation are associated with our public commitments to various corporate ESG initiatives, including our goals relating to sustainability and our employees. Our disclosures on these matters and any failure or perceived failure to achieve or accurately report on our commitments, could harm our reputation and adversely affect our client relationships or our recruitment and retention efforts, as well as expose us to potential legal liability. Increasing focus on ESG matters has resulted in, and is expected to continue to result in, the adoption of legal and regulatory requirements designed to mitigate the effects of climate change on the environmental, as well as legal and regulatory requirements requiring climate-related disclosures. If new laws or regulations are more stringent than current legal or regulatory requirements, we may experience increased compliance burdens and costs to meet such obligations. Our selection of voluntary disclosure frameworks and standards, and the interpretation or application of those frameworks and standards, may change from time to time or may not meet the expectations of investors or other stakeholders. Our processes and controls for reporting ESG matters across our operations and supply chain are evolving along with multiple disparate standards for identifying, measuring, and reporting ESG metrics, including ESG-related disclosures that may be required by the SEC, European and other regulators, and such standards may change over time, which could result in significant revisions to our current goals, reported progress in achieving such goals, or ability to achieve such goals in the future.
RISKS RELATED TO LEGAL AND REGULATORY MATTERS
Changes In Tax Laws Or The Potential Imposition Of Additional Duties, Quotas, Tariffs And Other Trade Restrictions.
Our products manufactured overseas and imported into the U.S., the European Union (“EU”) and other countries are subject to customs duties. We are unable to predict whether there may be unfavorable changes in tax laws in the U.S. or overseas, additional customs duties, quotas, tariffs, anti-dumping duties, safeguard measures, cargo restrictions to prevent terrorism or other trade restrictions imposed on the importation of our products in the future. Such actions could adversely affect our ability to produce and market footwear at competitive prices and might have an adverse impact on our sales and results of operations.
In addition, changes in the tax laws of foreign jurisdictions could arise as a result of the base erosion and profit shifting project that was undertaken by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (“OECD”). The OECD, which represents a coalition of member countries, recommended changes to long-standing tax principles related to transfer pricing and has developed model rules including establishing a global minimum corporate income tax tested on a jurisdictional basis (the “Pillar Two”). Many jurisdictions have adopted or announced an intention to adopt Pillar Two for tax years beginning in 2024. There can be no assurance that our effective tax rate, tax payments or conditional reduced tax rates will not be adversely affected as countries independently amend their tax laws to adopt Pillar Two. Changes in U.S. or foreign tax laws, including new or modified guidance with respect to existing tax laws, could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Changes To U.S. Or Other Countries’ Trade Policies And Import/Export Regulations Or Our Failure To Comply With Such Regulations.
Changes in laws and policies governing foreign trade, manufacturing, development and investment in the territories or countries where we currently sell our products or conduct our business could adversely affect our business. U.S. presidential administrations have instituted or proposed changes in trade policies that include the negotiation or termination of trade agreements, the imposition of higher tariffs on imports into the U.S., economic sanctions on individuals, corporations or countries, and other government regulations affecting trade between the U.S. and other countries where we conduct our business. It may be time-consuming and expensive for us to alter our business operations in order to adapt to or comply with any such changes.
In addition, changes or proposed changes in U.S. or other countries’ trade policies may result in restrictions and economic disincentives on international trade. Tariffs and other changes in U.S. trade policy have in the past and could in the future trigger retaliatory actions by affected countries, and certain foreign governments have instituted or are considering imposing retaliatory measures on certain U.S. goods. Further, any emerging protectionist or nationalist trends either in the U.S. or in other countries could affect the trade environment. The Company, similar to many other multinational corporations, does a significant amount of business that would be impacted by changes to the trade policies of the U.S. and foreign countries (including governmental action related to tariffs, international trade agreements, or economic sanctions). Such changes have the potential to adversely impact the U.S. economy or certain sectors thereof or the economy of another country in which we conduct operations, our industry and the global demand for our products, and as a result, our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected.
Our Business Could Be Harmed If Our Contract Manufacturers, Suppliers Or Licensees Violate Labor, Trade Or Other Laws.
We require our independent contract manufacturers, suppliers and licensees to operate in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Manufacturers are required to certify that neither convicted, forced or indentured labor (as defined under U.S. law) nor child labor (as defined by law in the manufacturer’s country) is used in the production process, that compensation is paid in accordance with local law and that their factories are in compliance with local safety regulations. Although we promote ethical business practices and our sourcing personnel periodically visit and monitor the operations of our independent contract manufacturers, suppliers and licensees, we do not control them or their labor practices. If one of our independent contract manufacturers, suppliers or licensees violates labor or other laws or diverges from those labor practices generally accepted as ethical in the U.S., it could result in adverse publicity for us, damage our reputation in the U.S., or render our conduct of business in a particular foreign country undesirable or impractical, any of which could harm our business.
In addition, if we, or our foreign manufacturers, violate U.S. or foreign trade laws or regulations, we may be subject to extra duties, significant monetary penalties, the seizure and the forfeiture of the products we are attempting to import, or the loss of our import privileges. Possible violations of U.S. or foreign laws or regulations could include inadequate record-keeping of our imported products, misstatements or errors as to the origin, quota category, classification, marketing or valuation of our imported products, fraudulent visas, or labor violations. The effects of these factors could render our conduct of business in a particular country undesirable or impractical, and our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected.
The Disruption, Expense And Potential Liability Associated With Existing And Unanticipated Future LitigationAgainst Us.
In addition to the legal matters included in our reserve for loss contingencies, we occasionally become involved in litigation and investigations, and we are unable to determine the extent of any liability that may arise from any such matters. We have no reason to believe that there is a reasonable possibility or that it is probable that we may incur a material loss, or a material loss in excess of a recorded accrual, with respect to any other such loss contingencies. However, the outcome of litigation and investigation is inherently uncertain and assessments and decisions on defense and settlement can change significantly in a short period of time. Therefore, although we consider the likelihood of such an outcome to be remote with respect to those matters for which we have not reserved an amount for loss contingencies, if one or more of these legal matters were resolved against us in the same reporting period for amounts in excess of our expectations, our consolidated financial statements of a particular reporting period could be materially adversely affected. Further, any unanticipatedlitigation or investigation in the future, regardless of its merits, could also significantly divert management’s attention from our operations and result in substantial legal fees being incurred. Such disruptions, legal fees and any losses resulting from these unanticipated future matters could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Our Ability To Compete Could Be Jeopardized If We Are Unable To Protect Our Intellectual Property Rights Or If We Are Sued For Intellectual Property Infringement.
We believe that our trademarks, design patents and other proprietary rights are important to our success and our competitive position. We use trademarks on nearly all our products and believe that having distinctive marks that are readily identifiable is an important factor in creating a market for our goods, in identifying us and in distinguishing our goods from the goods of others. We consider our ® , ® , ® , ® , ® , Skechers ® , Skechers Slip-ins ® , Skechers Hands Free Slip-ins ® , Skechers Performance , Skechers GOrun ® , Skechers GOwalk ® , Skechers GOgolf ® , Skechers Viper Court Pro, Ultra GO ® , Skechers on-the-GO ® , Skechers Cali ® , Skechers Street, Skechers USA ® , Skechers Active , Skechers Sport Active , Skechers Work, Skechers Outdoor, Max Cushioning ® , Massage Fit ® , Mark Nason ® , Skechers Modern Comfort ® , D’Lites ® , BOBS ® , BOBS Sport, Our Planet Matters ® , Glide Step ® , Skech-Air ® , Skechers Kids, Twinkle Toes ® , S Lights ® , Relaxed Fit ® , Arch Fit ® , Hyper Burst ® , and Air-Cooled Memory Foam ® trademarks to be among our most valuable assets, and we have registered these trademarks in many countries. In addition, we own many other trademarks that we utilize in marketing our products. We also have a number of design patents and utility patents covering components and features used in various shoes. We believe that our patents and trademarks are sufficient to permit us to carry on our business as presently conducted. While we vigorously protect our trademarks againstinfringement, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to secure patents or trademark protection for our intellectual property in the future or that protection will be adequate for future products. Further, we have been involved with litigation in the past for patent and trademark infringement and cannot be sure that our activities do not and will not infringe on the intellectual property rights of others. If we are compelled to prosecuteinfringing parties, defend our intellectual property or defend ourselves from intellectual property claims made by others, we may face significant expenses and liability as well as the diversion of management’s attention from our business, which could negatively impact our business or financial condition.
In addition, the laws of foreign countries where we source and distribute our products may not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as do the laws of the U.S. We cannot be assured that the actions we have taken to establish and protect our trademarks and other intellectual property rights outside the U.S. will be adequate to prevent imitation of our products by others or, if necessary, successfullychallenge another party’s counterfeit products or products that otherwise infringe on our intellectual property rights on the basis of trademark or patent infringement. Continued sales of counterfeit products could adversely affect our sales and our brand and result in the shift of consumer preference away from our products. We may face significant expenses and liability in connection with the protection of our intellectual property rights outside the U.S., and if we are unable to successfully protect our rights or resolve intellectual property conflicts with others, our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected.
RISKS RELATED TO INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND DATA SECUITY
Breaches Or Compromises Of Our Information Security Systems, Information Technology Systems And Our Infrastructure To Support Our Business Could Result In Disruption Of Our Business And Damage To Our Reputation.
As a routine part of our business, we utilize information security and IT systems and websites that allow for the secure storage and transmission of proprietary or private information regarding our customers, employees, vendors and others. A security breach of our network, hosted service providers, or vendor systems, may expose us to a risk of loss or misuse of this information, litigation and potential liability. Hackers and data thieves are increasingly sophisticated and operate large-scale and complex automated attacks, and the retail industry has been the target of many recent cyber-attacks. Although we take measures to safeguard this sensitive information, we may not have the resources or technical sophistication to anticipate or prevent rapidly evolving types of cyber-attacks targeted at us, our customers, or others who have entrusted us with information. Actual or anticipated attacks may cause us to incur costs, including costs to deploy additional personnel and protection technologies, train employees, and engage third-party experts and consultants.
We invest in industry standard security technology to protect personal information. Advances in computer capabilities, new technological discoveries, or other developments may result in the technology used by us to protect against transaction or other data being breached or compromised. Although we maintain insurance designed to provide coverage for cyber risks related to what we believe to be adequate and collectible insurance in the event of theft, loss, fraudulent or unlawful use of customer, employee or company data, any compromise or breach of our cyber security systems could result in private information exposure and a violation of applicable privacy and other laws, significant potential liability including legal and financial costs, and loss of confidence in our security measures by customers, which could result in damage to our brand and have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and reputation. In addition, we must comply with increasingly complex and rigorous regulatory standards enacted to protect business data. Compliance with existing and proposed laws and regulations can be costly, and any failure to comply with these regulatory standards could subject us to legal and reputational risks.
Privacy Breaches And Other Cyber Security Risks Related To Our Business Could Negatively Affect Our Reputation, Credibility And Business.
We are dependent on IT systems and networks for a significant portion of our direct-to-consumer sales, including our e-commerce sites and retail business credit card transaction authorization and processing. We are responsible for storing data relating to our customers and employees and also rely on third-party vendors for the storage, processing and transmission of personal and Company information. Consumers, lawmakers and consumer advocates alike are increasingly concerned over the security of personal information transmitted over the Internet, consumer identity theft and privacy and the retail industry, in particular, has been the target of many recent cyber-attacks. We generally require that third-party service providers implement reasonable security measures to protect our employees’ and customers’ identity and privacy, but we do not control these third-party service providers and cannot guarantee the elimination of electronic or physical computer break-ins or security breaches in the future. Cybersecurity breaches, including physical or electronic break-ins, security breaches due to employee error or misconduct, attacks by hackers, phishing scams, malicious software programs such as viruses and malware, and other breaches outside of our control, could result in unauthorized access or damage to our IT systems and the IT systems of our third-party service providers. Despite our efforts and the efforts of our third-party service providers to secure our and their IT systems, attacks on these systems do occur from time to time. As the techniques used to obtain unauthorized access to IT systems become more varied and sophisticated (as cyber criminals are finding new ways to launch their attacks) and if the occurrence of such security breaches becomes more frequent, we and our third-party service providers may be unable to adequately anticipate these techniques and implement appropriate preventative measures. There can be no assurance that our cybersecurity risk management program and processes, including our policies, controls or procedures, will be fully implemented, complied with or effective in protecting our systems and information. While we maintain cyber risk insurance to provide some coverage for certain risks associated with cybersecurity incidents, there is no assurance that such insurance would cover all or a significant portion of the costs or consequences associated with a cybersecurity incident. A significant breach of customer, employee or Company data could damage our reputation, our relationship with customers and our brands, and could result in lost sales, sizable fines, significant breach-notifications and other costs and lawsuits, as well as adversely affect our results of operations.
Additionally, we may incur increased costs and experience a significant strain on our resources to account for implementation of additional required security measures and technologies to protect personal data and confidential information or to comply with current and new state, federal and international laws governing the unauthorized disclosure of confidential information which are continuously being enacted and proposed, such as the General Data Protection Regulation in the EU, various consumer privacy and data privacy and protection acts in the U.S., including, but not limited to, the American Data Privacy and Protection Act, the California Consumer Privacy Act and the California Privacy Rights Act, the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act, the Colorado Privacy Act, the Utah Consumer Privacy Act, the Connecticut Data Privacy Act and the Iowa Consumer Data Protection Act, and the Personal Information Protection Law in China.
Increased scrutiny by federal regulators, such as the Federal Trade Commission, and state attorney generals focused on the retail industry may lead to increased privacy and cybersecurity costs such as organizational changes, deploying additional personnel, acquiring and implementing enhanced privacy and security technologies on e-commerce sites, mandatory employee training for those handling customer and employee personal data, and engaging third-party experts and consultants, and the unauthorized use of proprietary information may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.
A Material Delay Or Disruption In Our Information Technology Systems Or E-Commerce Websites Or Our Failure Or Inability To Upgrade Our Information Technology Systems Precisely And Efficiently Could Negatively Affect Our Business.
We rely extensively on our IT systems to track inventory, manage our supply chain, record and process transactions, manage customer communications, summarize results and manage our business. The failure of our IT systems to operate properly or effectively, problems with transitioning to upgraded or replacement systems, or difficulty in or failure to implement new systems, could adversely affect our business. We also operate a number of e-commerce websites throughout the world. Our IT systems and e-commerce websites may be subject to damage and/or interruption from power outages, computer, network and telecommunications failures, malicious software, such as viruses and malware, attacks by hackers, security breaches, usage errors or misconduct by our employees and bad acts by our customers and website visitors which could materially adversely affect our business.
We are undergoing a multi-year Enterprise Resource Planning (“ERP”) implementation. The implementation of the ERP will require a significant investment in human and financial resources. Implementing new systems also carries substantial risk, including failure to operate as designed, failure to properly integrate with other systems, potential loss of data or information, cost overruns, implementation delays and disruption of operations. Third-party vendors are also relied upon to design, program, maintain and service our ERP implementation program. Any failures of these vendors to properly deliver their services could similarly have a material adverse effect on our business. In addition, any disruptions or malfunctions affecting our ERP implementation plan could cause critical information upon which we rely to be delayed, defective, corrupted, inadequate, inaccessible or lost or otherwise cause delays or disruptions to our operations, and we may have to make significant investments to fix or replace impacted systems.
RISKS RELATED TO OUR STOCK AND STOCK PRICE
Our Quarterly Sales And Operating Results Fluctuate As A Result Of A Variety Of Factors, Including Fluctuations In Demand For Footwear, Delivery Delays And Potential Fluctuations In Our Estimated Annualized Tax Rate, Which May Result In Volatility Of Our Stock Price.
Our quarterly sales and operating results have varied significantly in the past and can be expected to fluctuate in the future due to a number of factors, many of which are beyond our control. Our major customers have no obligation to purchase forecasted amounts and from time to time cancel orders, change delivery schedules, or change the mix of products ordered with minimal notice and without penalty. As a result, we may not be able to accurately predict our quarterly sales. Furthermore, our expenses are partially based on our expectations of future sales, and we may be unable to adjust spending in a timely manner to compensate for any unexpected sales shifts. As a result, our expenses may be disproportionately large relative to our sales, which could have a material adverse effect on our operating results.
Our annualized tax rate is based on projections of our domestic and international operating results for the year, which we review and revise as necessary at the end of each quarter. Any quarterly fluctuations in our annualized tax rate could have a material impact on our quarterly operating results and the results for any one quarter may not be indicative of results for the full year. Any shortfall in sales or net earnings from levels expected by securities analysts and investors could cause a decrease in the trading price of our Class A Common Stock.
One Principal Stockholder Is Able To Control Substantially All Matters Requiring Approval By Our Stockholders And His Interests May Differ From The Interests Of Our Other Stockholders.
As of December 31, 2024, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Robert Greenberg, beneficially owned 92.6% of our outstanding Class B Common Stock, and members of Mr. Greenberg’s immediate family beneficially owned an additional 7.4% of our outstanding Class B Common Stock. The holders of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock have identical rights except that holders of Class A Common Stock are entitled to one vote per share while holders of Class B Common Stock are entitled to ten votes per share on all matters submitted to a vote of our stockholders. As of December 31, 2024, Mr. Greenberg beneficially owned 54.9% of the aggregate number of votes eligible to be cast by our stockholders, and together with shares beneficially owned by members of his immediate family, Mr. Greenberg and his immediate family beneficially owned 59.9% of the aggregate number of votes eligible to be cast by our stockholders. Therefore, Mr. Greenberg is able to exert significant control over all matters requiring approval by our stockholders. Matters that require the approval of our stockholders include the election of directors and the approval of mergers or other business combination transactions. Mr. Greenberg also has significant influence over our management and operations. As a result of such influence, certain transactions are not likely without the approval of Mr. Greenberg, including proxy contests, tender offers, open market purchase programs or other transactions that can give our stockholders the opportunity to realize a premium over the then-prevailing market prices for their shares of our Class A Common Stock. Because Mr. Greenberg’s interests may differ from the interests of the other stockholders, his ability to substantially control actions requiring stockholder approval, may result in our Company taking action that is not in the interests of all stockholders. The differential in the voting rights may also adversely affect the value of our Class A Common Stock to the extent that investors or any potential future purchaser view the voting rights of our Class B Common Stock to have superior value.
Our Charter Documents And Delaware Law May Inhibit A Takeover, Which May Adversely Affect The Value Of Our Stock.
Provisions of Delaware law, our certificate of incorporation or our bylaws could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire us, even if closing such a transaction would be beneficial to our stockholders. Mr. Greenberg’s substantial beneficial ownership position, together with the authorization of Preferred Stock, the disparate voting rights between our Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock, the classification of our Board of Directors and the lack of cumulative voting in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control, may discourage bids for our Class A Common Stock at a premium over the market price of the Class A Common Stock and may adversely affect the market price of our Class A Common Stock.
+1
efficiently+1
innovations+1
MD&A (Item 7)
3,544 words
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this annual report on Form 10-K. We intend for this discussion to provide the reader with information that will assist in understanding our consolidated financial statements, the changes in certain key items in those financial statements from period to period, and the primary factors that accounted for those changes, as well as how certain accounting principles affect our consolidated financial statements. The discussion also provides information about the financial results of the various segments of our business to provide a better understanding of how those segments and their results affect the financial condition and results of operations of our company as a whole.
This section of this Form 10-K generally discusses 2024 and 2023 items and year-to-year comparisons between 2024 and 2023. Discussions of 2022 items and year-to-year comparisons that are not included in this Form 10-K can be found in “ Part II—Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Results of Operations” and “ —Liquidity and Capital Resources” in our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 filed with the SEC on February 28, 2024.
OVERVIEW
When Skechers was founded in 1992, our focus was on creating a lifestyle brand centered on delivering products with comfort, style, innovation and quality at a reasonable price. Three decades later, with a diverse portfolio that includes performance product, we remain committed to our design principles and meeting the evolving footwear needs of our customers. Through the efforts of our dedicated teams globally, our strong partner relationships and loyal consumers, we believe we will continue to achieve well-managed profitable growth and ensure the longevity of both the Company and the Skechers brand.
Our financial results reflect the significant market demand for our product offerings and the value that we provide. Key highlights for 2024 include:
Sales increased 12.1%, to $8.97 billion, for the year ended December 31, 2024 when compared to the prior year, a new annual record;
Gross margin improved to 53.2% and operating margin improved to 10.1% for the year ended December 31, 2024 when compared to the prior year;
Twenty-five years as a listed company on the New York Stock Exchange;
Expanded performance product offerings to include Skechers Cricket and continued the global rollout of Skechers Football and Skechers Basketball;
Opened our first Skechers Performance store in Edmonton, Canada that features half courts for pickleball and basketball;
Continued investments in our distribution centers, including planned expansions in North America, China and Europe; and
Repurchased 5.2 million shares of our Class A common stock.
We believe brand recognition is paramount to continued success. We drive awareness and demand through comprehensive marketing campaigns. During the year, we introduced a partnership with John Deere for a range of lifestyle and work footwear and a collaboration with the Rolling Stones. Skechers Performance signed additional athletes worldwide, including Joel Embiid, gold medal winner in Paris, WNBA athlete Rickea Jackson, as well as others.
Our core product philosophy of comfort, style, innovation, and quality at the right price continues to resonate with consumers, and we remain focused on delivering our comfort technology footwear as efficiently as possible to meet consumer demand. We are committed to the following investments to execute our long-term global growth strategy:
Continue to develop new comfort innovations and deliver more value in our products;
Expand our distribution infrastructure to support growth;
Open new stores and extend our digital capabilities to drive Direct-to-Consumer growth; and
Implement market strategies to broaden our reach globally and attract new partners and consumers.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Selected information from our results of operations follows:
Year Ended December 31,
Change
(in thousands)
Sales
Cost of sales
Gross profit
Gross margin
120 bps
Operating expenses
Selling
General and administrative
Total operating expenses
As a % of sales
100 bps
Earnings from operations
Operating margin
30 bps
Other (expense) income
Earnings before income taxes
Income tax expense
Net earnings
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interest
Net earnings attributable to Skechers U.S.A., Inc.
n/m: not meaningful.
Sales
Sales increased $969.0 million, or 12.1%, to $8.97 billion as a result of a 12.1% increase in both international and domestic sales. Wholesale sales increased 13.2% and Direct-to-Consumer sales increased 10.7%. Sales increased overall due to higher sales volume, partially offset by lower average selling prices.
Gross margin
Gross margin increased 120 basis points to 53.2% primarily due to lower costs per unit, driven by lower freight.
Operating expenses
Operating expenses increased $495.6 million, or 14.7%, to $3.9 billion, and as a percentage of sales increased 100 basis points to 43.1%. Selling expenses increased $123.7 million, or 18.3%, to $800.6 million, primarily due to higher demand creation expenditures in global marketing and digital advertising. General and administrative expenses increased $371.8 million, or 13.8%, to $3.1 billion. The increased expenses were driven by increases in labor costs of $179.8 million, facility related costs of $79.8 million, including rent and depreciation, and legal costs of $22.3 million.
Other (expense) income
Other expense was $26.5 million compared to other income of $16.1 million in the prior year. The change of $42.6 million was primarily due to unfavorable foreign currency exchange rates in Europe, Middle East & Africa, partially offset by an increase in interest income.
Income taxes
Income tax expense and the effective tax rate were as follows:
Year Ended December 31,
(in thousands)
Income tax expense
Effective tax rate
Income tax expense was $148.1 million as compared to $150.9 million in 2023. Our effective tax rate was 16.9% as compared to 18.8% in the prior year. The decrease in tax rate is due to a favorable mix of earnings in lower tax jurisdictions, provision adjustments and the release of certain allowances.
Our income tax expense and effective income tax rate are significantly impacted by the mix of our domestic and foreign earnings (losses) before income taxes. In the foreign jurisdictions in which we have operations, the applicable statutory rates range from 0% to 35%, which on average are generally significantly lower than the U.S. federal and state combined statutory rate of approximately 24.9%.
The OECD has issued various proposals that would change long-standing global tax principles, namely, its Pillar Two framework, which imposes a global minimum corporate tax rate of 15% for large multinational companies. The adoption and effective dates of these rules may vary by country and could increase tax complexity and uncertainty and may adversely affect our provision for income taxes and cash tax payments in future periods. Certain countries in which we operate have already enacted the Pillar Two minimum tax regime. This did not have an impact to the tax provision and effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2024, however, certain rules begin to be effective for us in fiscal 2025 and we expect our tax rate to increase as a result. For fiscal 2025, we expect our tax rate to be between 22% and 23%. We continue to evaluate the potential impact of enacted and future legislation concerning the Pillar Two framework in the non-U.S. tax jurisdictions we operate in.
See Note 10 – Income Taxes of the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
Noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interest in net earnings of joint ventures
Noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interest represents the share of net earnings or loss that is attributable to our joint venture partners. Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interest decreased $14.0 million to $90.1 million as compared to $104.1 million in the prior year, primarily due to lower earnings by our joint ventures, predominantly in China.
RESULTS OF SEGMENT OPERATIONS
Wholesale
Year Ended December 31,
Change
(in thousands)
Sales
Gross profit
Gross margin
230 bps
Wholesale sales increased $595.7 million, or 13.2%, to $5.1 billion, due to increases in the Americas of 14.5%, Europe, Middle East & Africa of 16.7% and Asia Pacific of 5.7%. Volume increased 13.7% in the number of units sold and average selling price per unit decreased 0.4%.
Wholesale gross margin increased 230 basis points to 43.3% driven by lower cost per unit due to lower freight, and favorable channel mix.
Direct-to-Consumer
Year Ended December 31,
Change
(in thousands)
Sales
Gross profit
Gross margin
20 bps
Direct-to-Consumer sales increased $373.3 million, or 10.7%, to $3.9 billion, due to increases in Europe, Middle East & Africa of 38.3%, the Americas of 6.6% and Asia Pacific of 8.0%. Volume increased 11.2% in the number of units sold and average selling price per unit decreased 0.5%.
Direct-to-Consumer gross margin increased 20 basis points to 66.2% due to favorable channel mix and lower cost per unit, partially offset by a decrease in average selling prices.
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
Liquidity Outlook
We have cash and cash equivalents of $1,116.5 million at December 31, 2024. Amounts held outside the U.S. were $1,027.1 million, or 92.0%, and approximately $362.1 million was available for repatriation to the U.S. as of December 31, 2024 without incurring additional U.S. federal income taxes and applicable non-U.S. income and withholding taxes.
We finance our production activities in part through the use of interest-bearing open purchase arrangements with certain of our contract manufacturers. These facilities currently bear interest at a rate between 0.0% and 0.4% for 30- to 60-day financing, depending on the factory. We believe that the use of these arrangements affords us additional liquidity and flexibility. We do not have any long-term contracts with any of our manufacturers, however, we have long-standing relationships with many and believe our relationships to be positive.
At December 31, 2024, we have unused credit capacity of $745.4 million on our corporate revolving credit facility, with an additional $250.0 million available through an accordion feature. We believe that anticipated cash flows from operations, existing cash and investments balances, available borrowings under our revolving credit facility, and current financing arrangements will be sufficient to provide us with the liquidity necessary to fund our anticipated working capital and capital requirements for the next twelve months.
Cash Flows
Our working capital at December 31, 2024 was $2.2 billion, a decrease of $0.1 billion from working capital of $2.3 billion at December 31, 2023. Our cash and cash equivalents at December 31, 2024 were $1,116.5 million compared to $1,189.9 million at December 31, 2023. Our primary source of operating cash is collections from customers. Our primary uses of cash are inventory purchases, selling, general and administrative expenses and capital expenditures.
Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities was $687.4 million for 2024 and $1,231.2 million for 2023. The $543.8 million decrease in cash flows from operating activities in 2024 resulted from working capital, primarily higher inventory levels due to elevated merchandise-in-transit, resultant from the Red Sea crisis and growth in our business. These decreases were partially offset by earnings.
Investing Activities
Net cash used in investing activities was $485.4 million for 2024 as compared to $418.0 million for 2023. The $67.3 million increase was due to increased capital expenditures of $93.1 million and net investment activity of $44.6 million, partially offset by acquisitions of $70.4 million in the prior year.
Our capital investments remain focused on supporting our strategic growth priorities, growing our Direct-to-Consumer business, as well as expanding the presence of our brand internationally. Capital expenditures for the year ended December 31, 2024 were $416.8 million, which included $179.8 million for investments in our retail stores and direct-to-consumer technologies, $124.6 million for the expansion of our global distribution infrastructure and $59.1 million of investments in our new corporate offices. We expect our capital expenditures for 2025 to be approximately $600 million to $700 million, which is primarily related to expanding distribution capacity in key markets, new stores and the completion of our corporate offices. We expect to fund ongoing capital expenditures through a combination of available cash and borrowings.
Financing Activities
Net cash used in financing activities was $253.5 million during 2024 compared to $234.7 million in 2023. The increase of $18.8 million is the result of increases in repurchases of common stock of $170.0 million, net payments related to equity awards of $28.8 million, and distributions to noncontrolling interests of $22.2 million. These increases were partially offset by increased borrowings of $194.7 million.
Capital Resources and Prospective Capital Requirements
Share Repurchase Program
On July 25, 2024, the Company's Board of Directors announced a new share repurchase program, pursuant to which the Company may purchase up to $1.0 billion in shares of its Class A common stock. This repurchase program expires on July 25, 2027, does not obligate the Company to acquire any particular amount of shares and replaced the prior share repurchase program authorization. Remaining repurchase authorization under the 2022 Share Repurchase Program was terminated upon commencement of the new program. As of December 31, 2024, $789.9 million remains available under the Share Repurchase Program.
Financing Arrangements
As of December 31, 2024, outstanding short-term and long-term borrowings were $454.9 million, of which, $271.0 million relates to loans for our domestic and China distribution centers, $150.5 million relates to our operations in China and the remainder relates to our international operations. Our short-term and long-term debt obligations contain both financial and non-financial covenants, including cross-default provisions. We were in compliance with all debt covenants related to our short-term and long-term borrowings as of the date of this annual report. See Note 6 – Financial Commitments of the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
Commitments
Our material cash requirements as of December 31, 2024 which are not reflected as liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets include open purchase commitments with our foreign manufacturers of approximately $1.2 billion. Additionally, in 2024, we created a new joint venture to support the expansion of our North America distribution center and, in 2025, we will contribute the remaining $75.0 million required.
We are required to provide standby letters of credit to support certain obligations that arise in the ordinary course of business and may choose to provide letters of credit in place of posting cash collateral. Although the letters of credit are off-balance sheet, the majority of the obligations to which they relate are reflected as liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Exchange Rates
We receive U.S. dollars for substantially all of our domestic and a portion of our international product sales. Inventory purchases from offshore contract manufacturers are primarily denominated in U.S. dollars. However, purchase prices for our products may be impacted by fluctuations in the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the local currencies of the contract manufacturers, which may impact our cost of goods in the future. During 2024 and 2023, exchange rate fluctuations did not have a material impact on our inventory costs. We do not engage in hedging activities with respect to such exchange rate risk.
CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND USE OF ESTIMATES
The preparation of our consolidated financial statements requires us to make estimates that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, sales and expenses, and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. We base our estimates and judgments on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
We believe the following critical accounting estimates are affected by significant judgments used in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements.
Reserves for returns and chargebacks. Revenue is recorded net of estimates for returns from our customers and potential disputed amounts or chargebacks. We accrue a liability for product returns at the time of sale based on our historical experience. Our chargeback reserve is based on a collectability percentage based on factors such as historical trends, current economic conditions, and nature of the chargeback receivables.
Allowance for credit losses. Accounts receivable is recorded net of estimated losses from our customers’ inability to pay. To minimize the likelihood of uncollectibility, customers’ credit-worthiness is reviewed and adjusted periodically in accordance with external credit reporting services, financial statements issued by the customer and our experience with the account. We determine the amount of the reserve by analyzing known uncollectible accounts, aged receivables, historical losses and our customers’ credit-worthiness. Amounts later determined and specifically identified to be uncollectible are charged or written off against this reserve. Allowances for credit losses are recorded to general and administrative expenses. For receivables that are not specifically identified as high risk, we provide a reserve based upon our historical loss rate as a percentage of sales.
Inventory reserves . Inventory is stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Inventory reserves are recorded for excess and slow-moving inventory. Our analysis includes a review of inventory quantities on hand at period-end in relation to year-to-date sales, existing orders from customers and projections for sales in the foreseeable future. The net realizable value is determined based on historical sales experience on a style-by-style basis. The valuation of inventory could be impacted by changes in public and consumer preferences, demand for product, changes in the buying patterns of both retailers and consumers and inventory management of customers.
Litigation reserves . Estimated amounts for claims that are probable and can be reasonably estimated are recorded as liabilities in our consolidated financial statements. The likelihood of a material change in these estimated reserves would depend on additional information or new claims as they may arise as well as the favorable or unfavorable outcome of particular litigation. Both the likelihood and amount (or range of loss) on a large portion of our remaining pending litigation is uncertain. As such, we are unable to make a reasonable estimate of the liability that could result from unfavorable outcomes in our remaining pending litigation. As additional information becomes available, we will assess the potential liability related to our pending litigation and revise our estimates. Such revisions in our estimates of potential liability could materially impact our results of operations and financial position.
Tax estimates . The establishment of deferred tax assets from intra-entity transfers of certain intellectual property rights and other transactions requires management to make significant estimates and assumptions to determine the fair value of such intellectual property rights. The valuation of deferred tax assets requires significant estimates and assumptions including, but not limited to, future sales growth, discount rates and the expected life of the assets, which by their nature are inherently uncertain and may ultimately differ materially from our actual results. We record a valuation allowance when necessary to reduce our deferred tax assets to the amount that is more likely than not to be realized. The likelihood of a material change in our expected realization of our deferred tax assets depends on future taxable income and the effectiveness of our tax planning strategies amongst the various domestic and international tax jurisdictions in which we operate. We evaluate our projections of taxable income to determine the recoverability of our deferred tax assets and the need for a valuation allowance.
Business Combinations. We use the acquisition method of accounting for business combinations and recognize assets acquired and liabilities assumed measured at their fair values on the date acquired. Goodwill is measured as of the acquisition date as the excess of consideration transferred over the net acquisition date fair value of the assets acquired and the liabilities assumed. The valuation of identifiable intangible assets reflects management's estimates based on, among other factors, use of established valuation methods, including, but not limited to, the multi-period excess earnings method income approach. Further estimates within these models include, but are not limited to, future expected cash flows, including revenues and expenses, and applicable discount rates. These estimates are inherently uncertain and subject to refinement. During the measurement period, which may be up to one year from the acquisition date, adjustments to the fair value of these tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed may be recorded, with the corresponding offset to goodwill. Upon the conclusion of the measurement period or final determination of the fair value of assets
acquired and liabilities assumed, whichever comes first, any subsequent adjustments are recorded to our Consolidated Statements of Earnings and Comprehensive Income.
RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS
Refer to Note 1 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies in the accompanying Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for recently adopted and recently issued accounting standards.
