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 lifestyle products, including apparel, footwear, accessories, and equipment.
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 by providing them with the products they need to seek inspiration and adventure. We meet the diverse needs of our customers and consumers through our four brands by designing, developing, marketing, and distributing our outdoor, active and lifestyle products, including apparel, footwear, accessories and equipment.
Columbia® | Founded in 1938, our Columbia brand's mission is to unlock the outdoors for everyone. Our Columbia brand offers authentic, high-value outdoor apparel, footwear, accessories and equipment products suited for hiking, trail running, snow, and fishing and hunting activities, as well as everyday outdoor activities.
SOREL® | Acquired in 2000, our SOREL brand has evolved from a men's utility boot brand into a contemporary lifestyle brand bringing style to the outdoors. Our SOREL brand leverages its rich heritage, innovation and style to offer distinct, compelling, and unexpected footwear to consumers around the world.
Mountain Hard Wear® | Acquired in 2003, our Mountain Hardwear brand's mission is to encourage and equip people to seek a wilder path in life. With over 30 years of wild wisdom, our Mountain Hardwear brand continues to design essential, premium apparel, accessories and equipment products for climbers, mountaineers, skiers, snowboarders, and trail athletes.
prAna® | Acquired in 2014, our prAna brand's mission is to inspire an intentional, authentic life. Energized by the culture of yoga and climbing, our prAna brand offers apparel, accessories and equipment products for consumers defining their own kind of movement.
Across our diverse portfolio of brands, our products have gained recognition for their innovation, quality, value, 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 for all seasons, activities and locations. 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 footwear for lifestyle wear.
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.
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 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.
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Our team of specialists leads both our internal research and development efforts and works 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 labor forces; therefore, we do not own, operate or manage manufacturing facilities. The majority of our finished goods are produced by contract manufacturers located outside the United States. We establish and maintain long-term relationships with key finished good manufacturing partners, but generally do not maintain formal long-term manufacturing volume commitments. The use of contract manufacturers for our finished goods 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 safe and humane working conditions, as well as to promote ethical business practices. We have programs in place to monitor manufacturer practices and assess alignment against these standards.
We maintain eight manufacturing liaison offices in seven Asia Pacific countries. Our personnel in these offices monitor production at our contract manufacturers' facilities to ensure our products are manufactured to our specifications.
In 2023, our apparel, accessories and equipment products for our wholesale and direct-to-consumer ("DTC") businesses were manufactured into finished goods in 15 countries. In 2023, finished goods manufacturers in Vietnam, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and India produced approximately 40%, 20%, 15% and 10%, respectively, of these products. Five of the largest contract finished goods manufacturers account for approximately 30% of our apparel, accessories and equipment production, with the largest manufacturer accounting for approximately 10%.
In 2023, our footwear products for our wholesale and DTC businesses were manufactured into finished goods in five countries. In 2023, finished goods manufacturers in Vietnam and China produced approximately 75% and 20%, respectively, of these products. Five of the largest contract finished goods manufacturers account for approximately 75% of our footwear production, with the two largest manufacturers accounting for approximately 20% each and three manufacturers accounting for approximately 15%, 10% and 10% individually.
Raw materials for the finished goods manufacturing of our apparel, accessories, equipment, and footwear products are primarily sourced from Asia and are purchased directly by our contract manufacturers. In addition, our trademark licensees directly contract for the manufacture of their products.
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 alignment through seasonal initiatives, builds brand equity, raises brand relevance and awareness, infuses our brands with excitement, and, most importantly, stimulates 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 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 customers by utilizing digital platforms, television, 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 also 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 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.
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SALES AND DISTRIBUTION
We sell our products in more than 100 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, development, marketing, and distribution of outdoor, active and 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, international distributors where we generally do not have our own direct operations, and certain other retailers. Our 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 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, 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 over 1,850 wholesale customers in the U.S. In 2023, our four largest U.S. wholesale customers accounted for approximately 20% of U.S. net sales, and were less than 10% individually. As of December 31, 2023, we directly operated 161 retail stores and 34 temporary clearance locations.
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 third-party logistics companies that operate distribution centers in Cincinnati, Ohio and Louisville, Kentucky and other facilities located near United States ports. 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 nearly 350 wholesale customers, including distributors, in LAAP. In 2023, our four largest LAAP wholesale customers accounted for approximately 15% of LAAP net sales, and were less than 10% individually. As of December 31, 2023, we directly operated 248 retail stores, and third-parties operated 27 concession and 47 franchise based stores.
We distribute LAAP products through third-party logistics companies that operate distribution centers near Tokyo, Seoul, and Shanghai for our Japan, Korea and China businesses, respectively. The vast majority of our products sold to LAAP 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 3,400 wholesale customers, including distributors, in EMEA. In 2023, our three largest EMEA wholesale customers accounted for approximately 15% of EMEA net sales, and were less than 10% individually. As of December 31, 2023, we directly operated 31 retail stores and third-parties operated 23 concession-based stores.
We distribute the majority of EMEA products from a distribution center that we own and operate in France for our Europe-direct business, as well as through third-party logistics companies that operate facilities located near receiving ports. The vast majority of our products sold to EMEA 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 2023, our two largest Canada wholesale customers accounted for approximately 25% of Canada net sales, and were approximately 15% and 10% individually. As of December 31, 2023, we directly operated 13 retail stores.
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We distribute the majority of Canada products from a distribution center that we own and operate in the province of Ontario in Canada, as well as through third-party logistics companies that operate facilities located near receiving ports.
See Part II, Item 7 and Item 8 in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further discussion regarding our reportable segments.
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 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, emerging brands with a large DTC presence, 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 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.
SUSTAINABILITY
Our sustainability strategy is to sustain active lifestyles through investing in initiatives that have a positive impact on the people we reach, the places we touch and the products we make through:
• empowering people;
• sustaining places; and
• maintaining responsible practices.
Each of our four brands focuses on impacts that are unique to their positioning within this strategy.
Detailed information regarding our (and our brands’) corporate responsibility priorities and progress can be found in our latest "Impact Report: Environmental, Social, Governance" at http://columbia.com/corporate-responsibility. The content of such report is not incorporated by reference.
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HUMAN CAPITAL
We believe that attracting and retaining talent strengthens our enterprise. As part of these efforts, we strive to offer a competitive compensation and benefits program and promote employee well-being.
As of December 31, 2023, our employee workforce of approximately 10,070 employees consisted of approximately 5,770 full-time and part-time retail employees, 1,150 distribution center employees and 3,150 corporate and/or office employees. From December 31, 2022 to December 31, 2023, we had an overall employee turnover rate of approximately 57%, impacted by approximately 80% and 66% turnover rates in our retail and distribution employee base, respectively. Approximately 29% of our workforce was located outside of the United States as of December 31, 2023.
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
A Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Leadership Team was formed in 2020 to focus on diversity, equity, and inclusivity in the workplace. This team focuses on supporting strategies and efforts in the following categories: listening and learning, diversifying talent, creating and sponsoring opportunities, and being a force for good.
As of December 31, 2023, our global workforce was self-disclosed as 54% female, 43% male, 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 56% White, 23% Hispanic or Latino, 7% Asian, 6% 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.
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 "Impact Report: Environmental, Social, Governance" at http://columbia.com/corporate-responsibility. The content of such report is not incorporated by reference.
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 contained on or accessible through any website referred to in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including those mentioned above, 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 74 Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
Joseph P. Boyle 43 Executive Vice President, Columbia Brand President
Peter J. Bragdon 61 Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel
Lisa A. Kulok 58 Executive Vice President, Chief Supply Chain Officer
Richelle T. Luther 55 Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Chief Human Resources Officer
Skip Potter 53 Executive Vice President, Chief Digital Information Officer
Jim A. Swanson 49 Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
Craig Zanon 64 Executive Vice President, Emerging Brands, EMEA and Asia Direct
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.
Richelle T. Luther joined the Company in 2008 as Deputy General Counsel. She was appointed Senior Vice President & Chief Human Resource Officer in September 2015 and named Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Chief Human Resources Officer in January 2023. Prior to joining the Company, she served at Northwest Natural Gas from 2002 to 2008, most recently as Corporate Secretary and Chief Governance Officer, and was an attorney at Stoel Rives LLP from 1997 to 2002.
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.
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 and was elevated to Executive Vice President, Emerging Brands, EMEA and Asia Direct in February 2024. 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.