Item 1. Business
ITEM 1. BUSINESS
GENERAL
Founded in 1938 in Portland, Oregon, as a small, family-owned, regional hat distributor and incorporated in Oregon in 1961, Columbia Sportswear Company has grown to become a global leader in designing, developing, marketing, and distributing outdoor, active and everyday lifestyle apparel, footwear, accessories, and equipment products.
Unless the context indicates otherwise, the terms "we," "us," "our," "the Company," and "Columbia" refer to Columbia Sportswear Company, together with its wholly owned subsidiaries and entities in which it maintained a controlling financial interest.
BRANDS AND PRODUCTS
We connect active people with their passions through our four well-known brands by designing, developing, marketing, and distributing our outdoor, active and everyday lifestyle apparel, footwear, accessories and equipment products to meet the diverse needs of our customers and consumers.
Columbia® | Founded in 1938, our Columbia brand unlocks the outdoors for everyone. Our Columbia brand is known for authentic, high-value outdoor apparel, footwear, accessories and equipment products designed with innovation, function, and quality suited for all seasons, activities and locations.
SOREL® | Acquired in 2000, our SOREL brand creates powerful footwear for unstoppable individuals. Our SOREL brand provides premium, durable and design-driven footwear and accessories primarily to fashion-forward savvy women, as well as to men and youth consumers.
Mountain Hard Wear® | Acquired in 2003, our Mountain Hardwear brand exists to make gear that works, because out in the mountains, it matters for climbers. Our Mountain Hardwear brand offers premium apparel, accessories and equipment designed to meet the high-performance needs of climbing enthusiasts and to satisfy climbers' everyday lifestyles.
prAna® | Acquired in 2014, our prAna brand focuses on clothing for positive change, in an effort to positively impact the planet and its people. Our prAna brand provides consumers with clothes that tell a story. From city streets to mountain peaks, prAna outfits adventurous spirits in stylish, sustainable and versatile gear.
Across our diverse portfolio of brands, our products have gained recognition for their innovation, quality and performance. Our products incorporate the cumulative design, fabrication, fit, and construction technologies that we have pioneered over several decades and continue to innovate. Our apparel, accessories and equipment products are designed to be used during a wide variety of activities, such as skiing, snowboarding, hiking, climbing, mountaineering, camping, hunting, fishing, trail running, water sports, yoga, golf, and adventure travel. Our footwear products include durable, lightweight hiking boots, trail running shoes, rugged cold weather boots for activities on snow and ice, sandals and shoes for use in water activities, and function-first fashion footwear and casual shoes for everyday use.
SALES AND DISTRIBUTION
We sell our products in approximately 90 countries and operate in four geographic segments: United States ("U.S."), Latin America and Asia Pacific ("LAAP"), Europe, Middle East and Africa ("EMEA"), and Canada. Each geographic segment operates predominantly in one industry: the design, sourcing, marketing, and distribution of outdoor, active and everyday lifestyle apparel, footwear, accessories, and equipment products.
We sell our products through a mix of distribution channels. Our wholesale distribution channel consists of small, independently operated specialty outdoor and sporting goods stores, regional, national and international sporting goods chains, large regional, national and international department store chains, internet retailers, and international distributors where we generally do not have our own direct operations. Our direct-to-consumer ("DTC") distribution channel consists of our own network of branded and outlet retail stores, brand-specific e-commerce sites, and concession or franchise based arrangements with third-parties at branded, outlet and shop-in-shop retail
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locations in the LAAP and EMEA regions. In addition, we earn revenue through licensing certain of our trademarks across a range of apparel, accessories, equipment, footwear, and home products.
U.S.
U.S. is our largest segment and provides apparel, accessories and equipment products through our Columbia, Mountain Hardwear, and prAna brands and footwear products through our Columbia and SOREL brands. These products are sold by our U.S. wholesale and DTC businesses. We have nearly 2,200 wholesale customers in the U.S. In 2021, our two largest U.S. wholesale customers accounted for approximately 12% of U.S. net sales, or less than 10% individually. At December 31, 2021, we directly operated 142 retail stores.
We distribute the majority of our U.S. products from distribution centers that we own and operate in Portland, Oregon and Robards, Kentucky, as well as through a third-party logistics company that operates a distribution center in Louisville, Kentucky. We also arrange to have products directly shipped from contract manufacturers to wholesale customer-designated facilities in the United States.
LAAP
LAAP provides apparel, accessories and equipment products through our Columbia, Mountain Hardwear and prAna brands and footwear products through our Columbia and SOREL brands. These products are sold by our wholly-owned subsidiaries in Japan, Korea and China, and through distributors in other LAAP markets. We have over 300 wholesale customers, including distributors, in LAAP. In 2021, our five largest LAAP wholesale customers accounted for approximately 10% of LAAP net sales, or less than 10% individually. At December 31, 2021, we directly operated 277 retail stores, and maintained 29 concession and 69 franchise based arrangements with third-parties.
We distribute LAAP products through third-party logistics companies that operate distribution centers near Tokyo, Seoul, and Shanghai. In addition, we utilize various distributors in the LAAP region. The vast majority of our products sold to distributors are shipped directly to the distributors from the contract manufacturers from which we source our products.
EMEA
EMEA provides apparel, accessories and equipment products through our Columbia, Mountain Hardwear and prAna brands and footwear products through our Columbia and SOREL brands. These products are sold by our Europe-direct and EMEA distributor businesses. We have over 3,450 wholesale customers, including distributors, in EMEA. In 2021, our largest EMEA wholesale customer accounted for approximately 17% of EMEA net sales. At December 31, 2021, we directly operated 26 retail stores and maintained 21 concession-based arrangements with third-parties.
We distribute the majority of EMEA products from a distribution center that we own and operate in France. In addition, we utilize various distributors in the EMEA region. The vast majority of our products sold to distributors are shipped directly to the distributors from the contract manufacturers from which we source our products.
CANADA
Canada provides apparel, accessories and equipment products through our Columbia, Mountain Hardwear and prAna brands and footwear products through our Columbia and SOREL brands. These products are sold by our Canada wholesale and DTC businesses. We have nearly 550 wholesale customers in Canada. In 2021, our two largest Canada wholesale customers accounted for approximately 24% of Canada net sales, or approximately 14% and 10% individually. At December 31, 2021, we directly operated 10 retail stores.
We distribute the majority of Canada products from a distribution center that we own and operate in Ontario.
See Item 7 and Item 8 in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further discussion regarding our reportable segments.
SEASONALITY AND VARIABILITY OF BUSINESS
Our business is affected by the general seasonal trends common to the industry, including seasonal weather and discretionary consumer shopping and spending patterns. Our products are marketed on a seasonal basis, and our sales are weighted substantially toward the third and fourth quarters, while our operating costs are more equally distributed throughout the year.
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PRODUCT DESIGN AND INNOVATION
We are committed to designing innovative and functional products for consumers who participate in a wide range of outdoor, active and everyday lifestyle activities, enabling them to enjoy those activities longer and in greater comfort. We distinguish our products in the marketplace by placing significant value in the design and fit, including the overall appearance and image, and technical performance features of our products.
Our team of specialists both lead our internal research and development efforts and work closely with independent suppliers to conceive, develop and commercialize innovative technologies and products to provide the unique performance benefits desired by consumers. We utilize our working relationships with specialists in the fields of chemistry, biochemistry, engineering, industrial design, materials research, graphic design, and other related fields, along with consumer insights and feedback, to develop and test innovative performance products, processes, packaging, and displays. These efforts, coupled with our drive for continuous improvement, represent key factors in the ongoing success of our products.
MANUFACTURING AND SOURCING
We seek to substantially limit our invested capital and avoid the costs and risks associated with large production facilities and the associated large labor forces; therefore, we do not own, operate or manage manufacturing facilities. The majority of our products are manufactured by contract manufacturers located outside the United States. We establish and maintain long-term relationships with key manufacturing partners, but generally do not maintain formal long-term manufacturing volume commitments. The use of contract manufacturers greatly increases our production capacity, maximizes our flexibility and improves our product pricing.
We value legal, ethical and fair treatment of people involved in manufacturing our products. Independent contractors manufacturing our products are subject to our standards of manufacturing practices to facilitate decent, safe and humane working conditions, as well as promote ethical business practices. We have programs in place to monitor manufacturer practices and assess alignment against these standards.
We maintain seven manufacturing liaison offices in six Asia Pacific countries. Our personnel in these offices monitor production at our contract manufacturers' facilities to ensure our products are manufactured to our specifications. The physical location of our employees in these regional offices enhances our ability to monitor contract manufacturers for compliance with our policies, procedures and standards regarding quality, delivery, pricing, and labor practices. The design of our quality assurance process seeks to ensure that our products meet and maintain our quality standards and product reputation.
In 2021, our apparel, accessories and equipment products were manufactured in 13 countries. In 2021, manufacturers in Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Indonesia produced approximately 45%, 15% and 15%, respectively, of these products. Five of the largest contract manufacturers account for approximately 35% of our apparel, accessories and equipment production, with the largest manufacturer accounting for nearly 10%.
In 2021, our footwear products were manufactured in six countries. In 2021, manufacturers in Vietnam and China produced approximately 85% and 10%, respectively, of these products. Five of the largest contract manufacturers account for approximately 85% of our footwear production, with the largest manufacturer accounting for approximately 30%, three manufacturers accounting for approximately 15% each and one manufacturer accounting for approximately 10%.
Raw materials for the manufacturing of our apparel, accessories, equipment, and footwear products are primarily sourced from Asia and are purchased directly by our contract manufacturers.
MARKETING
Our portfolio of brands enables us to target a wide range of consumers with differentiated products. Our marketing supports and enhances our competitive position in the marketplace, drives global alignment through seasonal initiatives, builds brand equity, raises global brand relevance and awareness, infuses our brands with excitement, and, most importantly, stimulates worldwide consumer demand for our products.
Our integrated marketing efforts deliver consistent messages about the performance benefits, features and styles of our products within each of our brands and their different target consumers. We utilize a variety of means to deliver our marketing messages, including digital marketing, social media interactions, television and print publications, experiential events, brand ambassadors, enhanced product store displays, and consumer focused public relations efforts. In addition, we reinforce our brands' marketing messages with our key wholesale
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customers by utilizing digital platforms, television, radio, print and advertising campaigns, as well as in-store branded visual merchandising display tools and favorable product presentation.
We operate branded e-commerce and marketing sites and maintain an active presence on a variety of global social media platforms. We authorize and encourage our international distributors to connect with consumers by operating e-commerce and marketing sites and maintaining a presence on social media platforms. Digital marketing and social media engagement increase our brands' global ability to build strong emotional connections with consumers through consistent, brand-enhancing content. Our digital media connects our consumers to brand content and products, while facilitating their direct product purchases or directing them to nearby retail locations.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Our trademarks create a market for our products, identify our company and differentiate our products from competitors' products. We own many trademarks, including Columbia Sportswear Company®, Columbia®, SOREL®, Mountain Hard Wear®, prAna®, the Columbia diamond shaped logo, the Mountain Hardwear nut logo, the SOREL polar bear logo, and the prAna sitting pose logo, as well as many other trademarks relating to our brands, products, styles, and technologies.
Our design and utility patents describe the technologies, processes and designs incorporated into many of our most important products. We file applications for United States and foreign patents to protect inventions, designs and enhancements that we deem to have commercial value. We have design and utility patents, which expire at various times, as well as pending patent applications in the United States and other countries.
We vigorously protect these proprietary rights against counterfeit reproductions and other infringing activities.
COMPETITION
The markets for outdoor, active and everyday lifestyle apparel, footwear, accessories, and equipment products are highly competitive and we face significant competition from numerous companies. Our competition includes large companies with significant financial, marketing and operational resources, small companies with limited resources but deep entrenchment in their local markets, and other branded competitors. We also face competition from our wholesale customers who, under their own private brand names, produce and distribute similar products to our target consumers through their own retail stores and e-commerce businesses. We identify our primary competitive factors in the markets for outdoor, active and everyday lifestyle products to be brand strength, product innovation, design, functionality, durability, and price, as well as effective marketing and delivery of product in alignment with consumer expectations.
GOVERNMENT REGULATION
As a company with global operations, we are, and our products are, subject to the laws of the United States and multiple foreign jurisdictions in which we operate and the rules and regulations of various governing bodies, which may differ among jurisdictions, including laws and regulations concerning product safety, environmental standards, trade, information security, privacy, labor and employment, health, marketing, competition, and safety.
See Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for more information of risks relating to these laws, rules, and regulations.
HUMAN CAPITAL
We believe that attracting and retaining exceptional talent strengthens our enterprise and propels us as a leader in product innovation. As part of these efforts, we strive to offer a competitive compensation and benefits program, foster a community where everyone feels included and empowered to do their best work and promote employee well-being.
At December 31, 2021, our employee workforce of approximately 8,325 employees was comprised of approximately 4,500 full-time and part-time retail employees, 925 distribution center employees and 2,900 corporate employees. From December 31, 2020 to December 31, 2021, we had an overall employee turnover rate of approximately 58%, impacted by approximately 87% and 61% turnover rate in our retail and distribution employee base, respectively. Approximately 31% of our workforce was located outside of the United States at December 31, 2021.
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Compensation and Benefits
Our compensation plans aim to reward performance. We offer competitive wages and, to align the interest of our management with those of our shareholders, shares of our common stock through a stock incentive plan. Globally, we offer employees affordable, competitive and comprehensive benefit programs. In the United States, for our largest employee base, we sponsor comprehensive medical, dental, vision and health savings or flexible spending account plans. We also provide 401(k) plan matching of employee contributions, paid time off, an employee assistance plan, life insurance, and short-term and long-term disability insurance.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
At December 31, 2021, our global workforce was self-disclosed as 42% male, 55% female, less than 1% non-binary and 2% undisclosed or chose not to identify. In the United States, the self-disclosed ethnicity of our workforce, including retail and distribution employees, was 60% White, 7% Asian, 19% Hispanic or Latino, 7% Black, less than 1% American Indian or Alaskan Native, less than 1% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, 4% two or more races and 2% undisclosed or chose not to identify. A Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Leadership Team was formed in 2020 to lead our efforts toward a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. This team focuses on supporting strategies and efforts to advance progress in the following categories: listening and learning, diversifying talent, creating and sponsoring opportunities, and being a force for good.
Employee Well-Being
We align our employee programs to the five elements of well-being: physical health, career, social and emotional health, financial, and community.
For more information on our efforts to support our workforce, see our latest Corporate Responsibility Report at http://columbia.com/corporate-responsibility.
AVAILABLE INFORMATION
We make available free of charge on or through the investor relations section on our website at http://investor.columbia.com/sec-filings our proxy statements, annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to these reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act as soon as reasonably practicable after we file these materials with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").
The content on any website referred to in this Annual Report on Form 10-K is not incorporated by reference in this annual report unless expressly noted.
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INFORMATION ABOUT OUR EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
The following table sets forth information about our executive officers. All information is as of the date of the filing of this report.
Name Age Position
Timothy P. Boyle 72 Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
Joseph P. Boyle 41 Executive Vice President, Columbia Brand President
Peter J. Bragdon 59 Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer, General Counsel, and Secretary
Lisa A. Kulok 56 Executive Vice President, Chief Supply Chain Officer
Skip Potter 51 Executive Vice President, Chief Digital Information Officer
Tim Sheerin 57 Senior Vice President, Global Wholesale
Jim A. Swanson 47 Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
Craig Zanon 62 Senior Vice President, Emerging Brands
Timothy P. Boyle joined the Company in 1971 as General Manager, served as the Company's President from 1988 to 2015 and reassumed the role in 2017. Mr. Boyle has served as Chief Executive Officer since 1988. He has served as a member of the Board of Directors since 1978, and as Interim Chairman of the Board of Directors from November 2019 until his appointment as Chairman of the Board of Directors in January 2020. Mr. Boyle is also a member of the Board of Directors of Northwest Natural Holding Company (NYSE: NWN), and its subsidiary, Northwest Natural Gas Company. Mr. Boyle is a third-generation member of the Company's founding Boyle family, the father of Joseph P. Boyle, and the son of Gertrude Boyle, who served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors from 1970 until her death in 2019.
Joseph P. Boyle joined the Company in 2005 and has served in numerous roles of increasing leadership and responsibility, including General Merchandising Manager of Outerwear, Accessories, Equipment, Collegiate and Licensing, Vice President of Apparel Merchandising, and Senior Vice President of Columbia Brand Merchandising & Design. He was promoted to Executive Vice President, Columbia Brand President in 2017. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Boyle served in a business development role for Robert Trent Jones II Golf Course Architects. Mr. Boyle is a fourth-generation member of the Company's founding Boyle family, and the son of Timothy P. Boyle.
Peter J. Bragdon joined the Company in 1999 and served as Senior Counsel and Director of Intellectual Property until January 2003. From 2003 to 2004, Mr. Bragdon served as Chief of Staff in the Oregon Governor's office. Mr. Bragdon returned to Columbia in 2004 as Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, was named Senior Vice President of Legal and Corporate Affairs, General Counsel and Secretary in 2010 and Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer, General Counsel and Secretary in 2015. In 2017, he assumed oversight of the Company's international distributor business. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Bragdon served as an attorney in the corporate securities and finance group at Stoel Rives LLP, and Special Assistant Attorney General for the Oregon Department of Justice.
Lisa A. Kulok joined the Company in 2008 as Senior Director of Global Planning. She was promoted to Senior Vice President of Global Supply Chain Operations in 2015, was named Senior Vice President of Global Supply Chain Operations and Manufacturing in July 2020 and Executive Vice President, Chief Supply Chain Officer in November 2020. Prior to joining the Company, Ms. Kulok held various leadership positions at Nike, Inc, including USA Apparel Marketplace Planning Director and Director of Regional Planning.
Skip Potter joined the Company in 2021 as Executive Vice President, Chief Digital Information Officer. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Potter held various leadership positions, including Chief Technology Officer and Managing Vice President of Engineering with Nike, Inc., as well as Vice President of Technology Innovation with Capital One, and CIO/CTO for British Telecommunication's Enterprise Group.
Tim Sheerin joined the Company in January 2021 as Senior Vice President, US Wholesale Sales. He was promoted to Senior Vice President, Global Wholesale in October 2021. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Sheerin held various leadership positions at Nike, Inc., including Vice President, North America Sales, Vice President of Global Sales, Nike Sportswear and Managing Director/General Manager of Nike Korea.
Jim A. Swanson joined the Company in 2003 and has served in numerous roles of increasing responsibility during his tenure, being named Vice President of Finance in 2015 and promoted to Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer in 2017 and to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in 2020. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Swanson served in a variety of financial planning and analysis, tax, and accounting roles, including senior financial analyst at Freightliner Corporation and at Tality Corporation, and as a senior tax and business advisory associate at Arthur Andersen.
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Craig Zanon joined the Company in 2021 as Senior Vice President, Emerging Brands. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Zanon spent more than 20 years with Nike, Inc. and held various leadership roles, including Vice President and General Manager of Global Basketball, as well as Vice President of U.S. Footwear and General Manager for the Americas.