Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis
ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS.
This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains or may contain forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to statements relating to the Company’s strategic initiatives and results of operations, including adjusted net income (loss) per diluted share. Forward-looking statements typically are identified by use of terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “plan,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “believe,” and similar words, although some forward-looking statements are expressed differently. These forward-looking statements are based upon the Company’s current expectations and assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and performance to differ materially. Some of these risks and uncertainties are described in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including in the "Risk Factors" section of its annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 1, 2025. Included among the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and performance to differ materially are the risk that the Company will be unable to achieve operating results at levels sufficient to fund and/or finance the Company’s current level of operations and repayment of indebtedness, the risk that changes in trade policy and tariff regimes, including newly imposed U.S. tariffs and any responsive non-U.S. tariffs, may impact the Company’s international manufacturing and operations or customers’ discretionary spending habits, the risk that the Company will be unsuccessful in gauging fashion trends and changing consumer preferences, the risks resulting from the highly competitive nature of the Company’s business and its dependence on consumer spending patterns, which may be affected by changes in economic conditions (including inflation), the risk that changes in the Company’s plans and strategies with respect to pricing, capital allocation, capital structure, investor communications and/or operations may have a negative effect on the Company’s business, the risk that the Company’s strategic initiatives to increase sales and margin, improve operational efficiencies, enhance operating controls, decentralize operational authority and reshape the Company’s culture are delayed or do not result in anticipated improvements, the risk of delays, interruptions, disruptions and higher costs in the Company’s global supply chain, including resulting from disease outbreaks, foreign sources of supply in less developed countries, more politically unstable countries, or countries where vendors fail to comply with industry standards or ethical business practices, including the use of forced, indentured or child labor, the risk that the cost of raw materials or energy prices will increase beyond current expectations or that the Company is unable to offset cost increases through value engineering or price increases, various types of litigation, including class action litigation brought under securities, consumer protection, employment, and privacy and information security laws and regulations, risks related to the existence of a controlling stockholder, and the uncertainty of weather patterns, as well as other risks discussed in the Company’s filings with the SEC from time to time. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they were made. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
As used in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, references to the “Company”, “The Children’s Place”, “we”, “us”, “our”, and similar terms refer to The Children’s Place, Inc. and its subsidiaries.
The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the Company ’ s unaudited financial statements and notes thereto included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and the annual audited financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company ’ s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended February 1, 2025.
Terms that are commonly used in our Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations are defined as follows:
• First Quarter 2025 — The thirteen weeks ended May 3, 2025
• First Quarter 2024 — The thirteen weeks ended May 4, 2024
• Fiscal 2025 — The fifty-two weeks ending January 31, 2026
• Fiscal 2024 — The fifty-two weeks ended February 1, 2025
• SEC — U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
• U.S. GAAP — Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the United States
• FASB — Financial Accounting Standards Board
• FASB ASC — FASB Accounting Standards Codification, which serves as the source for authoritative U.S. GAAP, except that rules and interpretive releases by the SEC are also sources of authoritative U.S. GAAP for SEC registrants
• AUR — Average unit retail price
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• Comparable Retail Sales — Net sales from stores that have been open for at least 14 consecutive months and from our e-commerce store, excluding postage and handling fees. Store closures in the current fiscal year will be excluded from Comparable Retail Sales beginning in the fiscal quarter in which the store closes. A store that is closed for a substantial remodel, relocation, or material change in size will be excluded from Comparable Retail Sales for at least 14 months beginning in the fiscal quarter in which the closure occurred. However, stores that temporarily close will be excluded from Comparable Retail Sales until the store is reopened for a full fiscal month.
• Cost of Sales — Cost of inventory sold, including certain buying, design, and distribution expenses, and shipping and handling costs on merchandise sold, and all occupancy costs, except for administrative office buildings
• Gross Margin — Gross profit expressed as a percentage of Net sales
• SG&A — Selling, general, and administrative expenses
OVERVIEW
Our Business
We are the largest pure-play children’s specialty retailer in North America with an omni-channel portfolio of brands and an industry-leading digital-first model. We design, contract to manufacture, and sell fashionable, high quality apparel, accessories and footwear predominantly at value prices, primarily under our proprietary brands: “The Children’s Place”, “Gymboree”, “Sugar & Jade”, and “PJ Place”. Our global retail and wholesale network includes two digital storefronts, 495 stores in North America, wholesale marketplaces, 228 international points of distribution in 12 countries through our seven franchise partners, and social media channels on Instagram, Facebook, X, formerly known as Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest. Our digital storefronts are at www.childrensplace.com and www.gymboree.com , where our customers are able to shop online for the same merchandise available in our physical stores, but also certain exclusive merchandise only available at our e-commerce sites.
Segment Reporting
In accordance with FASB ASC 280— Segment Reporting , we report segment data based on geography: The Children’s Place U.S. and The Children’s Place International. Each segment includes an e-commerce business located at www.childrensplace.com and www.gymboree.com . Included in The Children’s Place U.S. segment are our U.S. and Puerto Rico-based stores and net sales from our U.S.-based wholesale business. Included in The Children’s Place International segment are our Canadian-based stores and net sales from international franchisees. We measure our segment profitability based on operating income (loss), defined as income (loss) before interest and taxes. Net sales and direct costs are recorded by each segment. Certain inventory procurement functions such as production and design, as well as corporate overhead, including executive management, finance, real estate, human resources, legal, and information technology services, are managed by The Children’s Place U.S. segment. Expenses related to these functions, including depreciation and amortization, are allocated to The Children’s Place International segment based primarily on net sales. The assets related to these functions are not allocated. We periodically review these allocations and adjust them based upon changes in business circumstances. Net sales to external customers are derived from merchandise sales, and we have one U.S. wholesale customer that individually accounted for more than 10% of our net sales for the First Quarter 2025.
Recent Developments
Macroeconomic conditions, including inflationary pressures, higher interest rates, and other domestic and geopolitical factors, continued to adversely affect our core customer. While some of these inflationary pressures, including freight input costs and product input costs, improved in Fiscal 2024, we may continue to experience inflationary pressures on our product input costs and distribution costs in Fiscal 2025. During the First Quarter 2025, these pressures contributed to a decrease in consumer discretionary apparel purchases. We expect these macroeconomic conditions, including but not limited to increased product input costs, transportation costs, distribution costs, and geopolitical conditions like changes in foreign policies of the United States, and other inflationary pressures, to continue to have an adverse impact during the remainder of Fiscal 2025.
During the First Quarter 2025, the U.S. government announced the intention to impose tariffs on certain goods imported from Canada, Mexico and China. It was further announced that tariffs would be applied to all countries importing goods to the United States. Since then, subsequent developments have put the certainty and the extent of these tariffs into question. We will continue to monitor the impact of any of these tariffs that become effective, as well as potential retaliatory tariffs imposed by other countries. These tariffs could have a material adverse impact on the global retail industry, supply chains worldwide, and other political and macroeconomic conditions, which could also affect customer sentiment in deciding whether to purchase U.S. goods as opposed to other alternatives. In the meantime, we are benefiting from our diversified sourcing strategies, with no single country representing more than 20% of our total sourcing capacity, including limited exposure to China in the mid-single digit range.
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Pillar Two Model Rules
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (“OECD”) has introduced a global minimum corporate tax rate of 15% under its Pillar Two initiative (“Pillar Two”), effective for tax years beginning in January 2024. Although the U.S. has not yet implemented the Pillar Two rules, other regions where we conduct business, primarily Hong Kong and Canada, have enacted such legislation. The implementation of the Pillar Two rules in each jurisdiction in which it operates is not expected to have a material impact on our effective tax rate. We are closely monitoring legislative developments globally to evaluate potential impacts on our financial statements, as more regions implement Pillar Two rules.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
We believe that our e-commerce and brick-and-mortar retail store operations are highly interdependent, with both sharing common customers purchasing from a common pool of product inventory. Accordingly, we believe that consolidated omni-channel reporting presents the most meaningful and appropriate measure of our performance, including Net sales.
The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, selected data from our Consolidated Statements of Operations expressed as a percentage of Net sales. We primarily evaluate the results of our operations as a percentage of Net sales rather than in terms of absolute dollar increases or decreases by analyzing the year over year change in our business expressed as a percentage of Net sales (i.e., “basis points”).
Thirteen Weeks Ended Thirteen Weeks Ended Variance
May 3,
2025 % of Net Sales May 4,
2024 % of Net Sales $ % % of Net Sales
(amounts in thousands)
Net sales $ 242,125 100.0 % $ 267,878 100.0 % $ (25,753) (9.6) % — %
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation and amortization) 171,342 70.8 % 175,137 65.4 % (3,795) (2.2) % 5.4 %
Gross profit 70,783 29.2 % 92,741 34.6 % (21,958) (23.7) % (5.4) %
Selling, general, and administrative expenses 86,670 35.8 % 109,094 40.7 % (22,424) (20.6) % 4.9 %
Depreciation and amortization 8,230 3.4 % 11,635 4.3 % (3,405) (29.3) % 0.9 %
Operating loss (24,117) (10.0) % (27,988) (10.4) % 3,871 13.8 % 0.4 %
Related party interest expense (1,871) (0.8) % (389) (0.1) % (1,482) 381.0 % (0.7) %
Other interest expense, net (6,691) (2.8) % (7,332) (2.7) % 641 8.7 % 0.1 %
Loss before provision for income taxes (32,679) (13.5) % (35,709) (13.3) % 3,030 8.5 % (0.2) %
Provision for income taxes 1,344 0.6 % 2,086 0.8 % (742) (35.6) % (0.2) %
Net loss $ (34,023) (14.1) % $ (37,795) (14.1) % $ 3,772 10.0 % — %
Non-GAAP Reconciliation
We have presented certain measures on a non-GAAP basis. Adjusted net loss, adjusted net loss per diluted share, adjusted selling, general, and administrative expenses, and adjusted operating loss are non-GAAP measures. These measures are not intended to replace GAAP financial information, and may be different from non-GAAP measures reported by other companies. The most comparable GAAP measures are net loss, net loss per diluted share, selling, general, and administrative expenses, and operating loss, respectively. We believe the income and expense items excluded as non-GAAP adjustments are not reflective of the performance of our core business, and that providing this supplemental disclosure to investors will facilitate comparisons of the past and present performance of our core business.
First Quarter 2025 Compared to First Quarter 2024
Net sales decreased $25.8 million, or 9.6%, to $242.1 million during the First Quarter 2025 from $267.9 million during the First Quarter 2024, driven by a decrease in e-commerce sales due to an increase in shipping minimum thresholds to $40 from $20 in the prior year period as we continue to focus on profitable top-line sales, combined with lower traffic and conversion. We also experienced a decrease in brick-and-mortar revenue due to a lower store count and lower sales volume due to lower traffic. Our stores and e-commerce sales were both negatively impacted by the current macroeconomic environment, including uncertainty around potential tariffs, which has decreased consumer sentiment. The decrease in net sales was partially offset by an increase in wholesale revenue. Comparable retail sales decreased 13.6% for the First Quarter 2025, largely driven by the decrease in e-commerce revenue.
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Gross profit decreased $21.9 million to $70.8 million during the First Quarter 2025, compared to $92.7 million during the First Quarter 2024. Gross margin decreased 540 basis points to 29.2% of Net sales in the First Quarter 2025, compared to 34.6% of Net sales in the First Quarter 2024. The decrease in gross margin was caused by a combination of factors, including channel mix from the higher penetration of wholesale sales and a higher mix of markdown versus full price product sales, partially offset by favorability from higher shipping minimum thresholds compared to the First Quarter 2024.
Gross profit is calculated as consolidated net sales less cost of goods sold. Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by consolidated net sales. Gross profit as a percentage of net sales is dependent upon a variety of factors, including changes in the relative sales mix among distribution channels, changes in the mix of products sold, the timing and level of promotional activities, changes in foreign currency exchange rates, and fluctuations in input costs. These factors, among others, may cause gross profit as a percentage of net sales to fluctuate from period to period.
Selling, general, and administrative expenses were $86.7 million during the First Quarter 2025, compared to $109.1 million during the First Quarter 2024 . The decrease was due to a reduction in one-time costs incurred during the First Quarter 2024, primarily associated with the change of control and broken financing deal costs. The First Quarter 2025 results included incremental operating expenses of $0.1 million, including restructuring costs of $0.9 million, partially offset by the reversal of a legal settlement accrual of $0.8 million. The First Quarter 2024 results included incremental operating expenses of $20.4 million, including non-cash equity compensation charges of $9.9 million and other fees of $3.8 million associated with the change of control, broken financing and restructuring fees of $6.7 million, costs to close our Canada distribution center of $0.8 million, fees associated with our credit agreement of $0.8 million, fleet optimization costs of $0.6 million, and restructuring costs of $0.3 million, partially offset by the reversal of a legal settlement accrual of $2.3 million. Excluding the impact of these incremental charges, Adjusted SG&A expenses were $86.5 million during the First Quarter 2025, compared to $88.6 million during the First Quarter 2024, and deleveraged 260 basis points to 35.7% of Net sales, due to lower sales combined with incremental marketing spend as a percentage of net sales. As we reinvest in marketing and focus on content, we are beginning to see initial promising indicators, as Google search interest has grown, along with an acceleration of TikTok followers. We have continued to control our costs well, as this represents the lowest level of Adjusted selling, general, and administrative expenses in more than 15 years for the first quarter of a fiscal year and we continue to evaluate opportunities to further optimize our operating model.
Depreciation and amortization was $8.2 million during the First Quarter 2025, compared to $11.6 million during the First Quarter 2024. The decrease was primarily driven by reduced depreciation of capitalized software and the permanent closure of 24 stores during the past twelve months.
Operating loss was $(24.1) million during the First Quarter 2025, compared to $(28.0) million during the First Quarter 2024. The First Quarter 2025 results were impacted by incremental operating expenses of $0.1 million, as described within SG&A expenses above. The First Quarter 2024 results were impacted by incremental operating expenses of $22.9 million, including SG&A expenses of $20.4 million, as described above, accelerated depreciation of $1.6 million, and additional change in control charges impacting gross margin of $0.9 million. Excluding the impact of these incremental charges, Adjusted operating loss was $(24.0) million in the First Quarter 2025, compared to $(5.1) million in the First Quarter 2024, and deleveraged 800 basis points to (9.9)% of Net sales.
Related party interest expense was $1.9 million during the First Quarter 2025, compared to $0.4 million during the First Quarter 2024. The increase was driven by a full quarter of interest-equivalent charges from loans entered into with Mithaq Capital SPC, a Cayman segregated portfolio company (“Mithaq”), which is a controlling stockholder of the Company, during the First Quarter 2024, compared to a partial period in the prior year.
Other interest expense, net was $6.7 million during the First Quarter 2025, compared to $7.3 million during the First Quarter 2024. The decrease in interest expense was primarily driven by lower average interest rates associated with our asset-based revolving credit facility (the “ABL Credit Facility”) and the paydown of a prior $50.0 million term loan under our credit agreement with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (“Wells Fargo”) and other lenders, partially offset by higher borrowings on our ABL Credit Facility, and the write-off of deferred financing costs associated with the partial paydown of our first term loan entered into with Mithaq as a result of the completion of our rights offering in the First Quarter 2025 (the “Rights Offering”). For more information about our ABL Credit Facility and our term loans with Mithaq, see “Liquidity and Capital Resources — ABL Credit Facility” and “— Mithaq Term Loans” below.
Provision for income taxes was $1.3 million during the First Quarter 2025, compared to $2.1 million during the First Quarter 2024. Our effective tax rate was a provision of (4.1)% and (5.8)% in the First Quarter 2025 and First Quarter 2024, respectively. We continue to adjust our valuation allowance based on ongoing operating results.
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Net loss was $(34.0) million, or $(1.57) per diluted share, during the First Quarter 2025, compared to $(37.8) million, or $(2.98) per diluted share, during the First Quarter 2024, due to the factors discussed above. Adjusted net loss was $(32.8) million, or $(1.52) per diluted share during the First Quarter 2025, compared to $(14.9) million, or $(1.18) per diluted share, during the First Quarter 2024, due to the factors described above, in addition to the loss on extinguishment of debt of $1.0 million during the First Quarter 2025, due to the partial prepayment of our first term loan entered into with Mithaq.
The following table sets forth Net sales and Operating loss, respectively, by segment, for the periods indicated:
Thirteen Weeks Ended
May 3,
2025 May 4,
2024
(in thousands)
The Children’s Place U.S. $ 221,767 $ 246,188
The Children’s Place International (1)
20,358 21,690
Total net sales $ 242,125 $ 267,878
The Children’s Place U.S. $ (19,715) $ (23,979)
The Children’s Place International (4,402) (4,009)
Total segment operating loss $ (24,117) $ (27,988)
The Children’s Place U.S. (8.9) % (9.7) %
The Children’s Place International (21.6) % (18.5) %
Total segment operating loss as a percentage of net sales (10.0) % (10.4) %
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(1) The Company’s foreign subsidiaries, primarily in Canada, have operating results based in foreign currencies and are thus subject to the fluctuations of the corresponding translation rates into U.S dollars.
The Children’s Place U.S. Net sales decreased $24.4 million, or 9.9%, to $221.8 million during the First Quarter 2025, compared to $246.2 million during the First Quarter 2024 , driven by a decrease in e-commerce sales due to a higher shipping threshold, combined with lower traffic and conversion. We also experienced a decrease in brick-and-mortar revenue due to a lower store count and lower sales volume due to lower traffic. Our stores and e-commerce sales were both negatively impacted by the current macroeconomic environment, including uncertainty around potential tariffs, which has decreased consumer sentiment. The decrease in net sales was partially offset by an increase in wholesale revenue.
The Children’s Place International Net sales decreased $1.3 million, or 6.1%, to $20.4 million during the First Quarter 2025, compared to $21.7 million during the First Quarter 2024 , driven by a decrease in e-commerce sales due to a higher shipping threshold, combined with lower conversion. We also experienced a decrease in brick-and-mortar revenue due to a lower store count and lower sales volume due to lower traffic.
The Children’s Place U.S. Operating loss was $(19.7) million during the First Quarter 2025, compared to $(24.0) million during the First Quarter 2024 . The Children’s Place U.S. operating margin improved during the First Quarter 2025, primarily due to a reduction in one-time costs incurred in the prior year associated with the Company’s change of control and broken financing deal costs.
The Children’s Place International Operating loss was $(4.4) million during the First Quarter 2025, compared to $(4.0) million during the First Quarter 2024 . The Children’s Place International operating margin decreased during the First Quarter 2025 due to shifts in our supply chain, which resulted in increased freight, duty and commission costs to transfer inventory from the U.S. into Canada, partially offset by occupancy cost savings achieved due to the closure of our distribution center in Toronto, Canada.
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
Liquidity
Our working capital needs typically follow a seasonal pattern, peaking during the third fiscal quarter based on seasonal inventory purchases. Our primary uses of cash are for working capital requirements, which consist primarily of inventory purchases, rent and marketing expenses; the payment of interest expense on our ABL Credit Facility and interest-equivalent expense on our New Mithaq Term Loan as described below, and the financing of capital projects.
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During Fiscal 2024, we entered into an interest-free, unsecured and subordinated promissory note with Mithaq for a $78.6 million term loan (the “Initial Mithaq Term Loan”), and a separate unsecured and subordinated promissory note for a $90.0 million term loan (the “New Mithaq Term Loan”; and together with the Initial Mithaq Term Loan, collectively, the “Mithaq Term Loans”). As of February 6, 2025, $60.2 million under the Initial Mithaq Term Loan was repaid pursuant to the completion of the Rights Offering, leaving an aggregate of $108.4 million outstanding under the Mithaq Term Loans as of May 3, 2025.
As of May 3, 2025, we had $258.6 million of outstanding borrowings under our $433.0 million ABL Credit Facility and no borrowings under our $40.0 million senior unsecured credit facility with Mithaq (the “Mithaq Credit Facility”).
Our working capital deficit decreased $20.6 million to $43.0 million as of May 3, 2025, compared to $63.6 million as of May 4, 2024, primarily reflecting a decrease in our accounts payable balances as we paid down past due vendors, partially offset by an increase in outstanding borrowings under our ABL Credit Facility.
As of May 3, 2025, we had total liquidity of $84.4 million, including $38.7 million of availability under our ABL Credit Facility, $40.0 million of availability under our Mithaq Credit Facility, and $5.7 million of cash on hand. As of May 3, 2025, we had $18.2 million of outstanding letters of credit, with an additional $6.8 million available for issuing letters of credit under our ABL Credit Facility.
We expect to be able to meet our working capital and capital expenditure requirements for at least the next twelve months from the date that our consolidated financial statements for the First Quarter 2025 were issued, by using our cash on hand, cash flows from operations, and availability under our ABL Credit Facility and Mithaq Credit Facility.
Share Repurchase Program
In November 2021, our Board of Directors (the “Board”) authorized a $250.0 million share repurchase program (the “Share Repurchase Program”). Currently, given the terms of our credit agreement with Wells Fargo and other lenders, as amended by its seventh amendment, the repurchase of any shares would require fulfilling the heightened payment conditions under that credit agreement, except that repurchases of shares as described in “Note 8. Stockholders’ Equity (Deficit)” of the consolidated financial statements, pursuant to our practice as a result of our insider trading policy, are expressly permitted. As of May 3, 2025, there was $156.5 million remaining availability under the Share Repurchase Program.
Cash Flows and Capital Expenditures
Cash used in operating activities was $43.0 million during the First Quarter 2025, compared to $110.8 million during the First Quarter 2024. The decrease in cash used in operating activities during the First Quarter 2025 was primarily the result of a smaller increase in our inventory balance compared to the First Quarter 2024, as we continue to scale our inventory levels, in addition to the paydown of past due accounts payable balances in the prior year that existed at the end of fiscal year 2023.
Cash used in investing activities was $3.4 million during the First Quarter 2025, compared to $4.7 million during the First Quarter 2024, driven by lower capital expenditures.
Cash provided by financing activities was $42.3 million during the First Quarter 2025, compared to $114.9 million during the First Quarter 2024. The decrease primarily resulted from proceeds received from the Mithaq Term Loans during the First Quarter 2024, partially offset by the net cash proceeds received from the Rights Offering completed during the First Quarter 2025.
Our ability to continue to meet our capital requirements in Fiscal 2025 depends on our cash on hand, our ability to generate cash flows from operations, and available borrowings under our ABL Credit Facility and Mithaq Credit Facility. Cash flows generated from operations depends on our ability to achieve our financial plans. We believe that our cash on hand, cash generated from operations, and funds available to us through our ABL Credit Facility and Mithaq Credit Facility will be sufficient to fund our capital and other cash requirements for the foreseeable future.
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Selected Consolidated Balance Sheets Data
Certain components of our Consolidated Balance Sheets as of May 3, 2025, February 1, 2025, and May 4, 2024 were as follows:
May 3,
2025 February 1,
2025 May 4,
2024
(in thousands)
Accounts receivable $ 41,337 $ 42,701 $ 28,286
Inventories 422,204 399,602 425,156
Accounts payable 131,392 126,716 193,100
Accounts receivable were $41.3 million as of May 3, 2025, compared to $28.3 million as of May 4, 2024 and $42.7 million as of February 1, 2025. The increase of $13.1 million, or 46.1%, compared to May 4, 2024 was primarily driven by an increase in wholesale revenue during the First Quarter 2025. There was no significant change in balance compared to February 1, 2025.
Inventories were $422.2 million as of May 3, 2025, compared to $425.2 million as of May 4, 2024 and $399.6 million as of February 1, 2025, representing a decrease of $3.0 million, or 0.7% compared to May 4, 2024 and an increase of $22.6 million, or 5.7%, compared to February 1, 2025, as a result of a shift in our product strategy, as we better balance the mix of fashion and basic product, combined with the impacts of lower conversion.
Accounts payable were $131.4 million as of May 3, 2025, compared to $193.1 million as of May 4, 2024 and $126.7 million as of February 1, 2025. The decrease of $61.7 million, or 32.0%, compared to May 4, 2024 was primarily the result of paying down past due vendors that existed at the end of the First Quarter 2024. There was no significant change in balance compared to February 1, 2025.
ABL Credit Facility
The Company and certain subsidiaries maintain the $433.0 million ABL Credit Facility under our Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated May 9, 2019 (as amended from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (“Wells Fargo”), Bank of America, N.A., JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Truist Bank, HSBC Bank (USA), N.A., and PNC Bank, National Association, as the lenders party thereto and Wells Fargo, as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, and Swing Line Lender. The ABL Credit Facility will mature in November 2026.
As of April 18, 2024, which is the effective date of the seventh amendment to the Credit Agreement (the “Seventh Amendment”), the ABL Credit Facility includes a $25.0 million Canadian sublimit and a $25.0 million sublimit for standby and documentary letters of credit.
Under the ABL Credit Facility, prior to February 4, 2025, borrowings outstanding bore interest, at our option, at:
(i) the prime rate per annum, plus a margin of 2.000%; or
(ii) the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) per annum, plus 0.100%, plus a margin of 3.000%.
From and after February 4, 2025 and on the first day of each fiscal quarter thereafter, based on the amount of our average daily excess availability under the facility, borrowings outstanding under the ABL Credit Facility bear interest, at our option, at:
(i) the prime rate per annum, plus a margin of 1.750% or 2.000%; or
(ii) the SOFR per annum, plus 0.100%, plus a margin of 2.750% or 3.000%.
As of April 18, 2024, based on the size of the unused portion of the commitments, we are charged a fee ranging from 0.250% to 0.375%.
Prior to February 4, 2025, letter of credit fees were at 1.125% for commercial letters of credit and 1.750% for standby letters of credit. As of February 4, 2025, letter of credit fees range from 1.000% to 1.125% for commercial letters of credit and range from 1.500% to 1.750% for standby letters of credit. These fees are determined based on the amount of our average daily excess availability under the facility. The amount available for loans and letters of credit under the ABL Credit Facility is determined by a borrowing base consisting of certain credit card receivables, certain trade receivables, certain inventory, and the fair market value of certain real estate, subject to certain reserves and an availability block.
For the First Quarter 2025 and First Quarter 2024, we recognized $4.8 million and $5.7 million, respectively, in interest expense related to the ABL Credit Facility.
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As of April 18, 2024, credit extended under the ABL Credit Facility is secured by a first priority security interest in substantially all of our U.S. and Canadian assets, including our intellectual property, certain furniture, fixtures, equipment, and pledges of subsidiary capital stock.
The outstanding obligations under the ABL Credit Facility may be accelerated upon the occurrence of certain customary events of default, as described below. We are not subject to any early termination fees.
The ABL Credit Facility contains covenants, which include conditions on stock buybacks and the payment of cash dividends or similar payments. These covenants also limit our ability and our subsidiaries’ ability to incur certain liens, to incur certain indebtedness, to make certain investments, acquisitions, or dispositions or to change the nature of our business. Pursuant to the Seventh Amendment, the requisite payment condition thresholds for some of these covenants have been heightened, resulting in certain actions such as the repurchase of shares and payment of cash dividends becoming more difficult to perform. Additionally, if we are unable to maintain a certain amount of excess availability for borrowings (the “excess availability threshold”), we may be subject to cash dominion.
The ABL Credit Facility contains customary events of default, which include (subject in certain cases to customary grace and cure periods) nonpayment of principal or interest, breach of covenants, failure to pay certain other indebtedness, and certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, such as a change of control.
As of May 3, 2025, February 1, 2025, and May 4, 2024, unamortized deferred financing costs amounted to $3.3 million, $3.8 million, and $2.9 million, related to our ABL Credit Facility.
The tables below present the components of our ABL Credit Facility:
May 3,
2025 February 1,
2025 May 4,
2024
(in millions)
Total borrowing base availability
$ 315.5 $ 301.9 $ 286.0
Credit facility availability
433.0 433.0 433.0
Maximum borrowing availability (1)
315.5 301.9 286.0
Outstanding borrowings 258.6 245.7 226.1
Letters of credit outstanding—standby 18.2 16.0 12.2
Utilization of credit facility at end of period 276.8 261.7 238.3
Availability (2)
$ 38.7 $ 40.2 $ 47.7
Interest rate at end of period 7.7% 7.6% 9.9%
Average end-of-day loan balance during the period $ 247.2 $ 284.5 $ 228.2
Highest end-of-day loan balance during the period $ 262.3 $ 366.9 $ 251.6
Average interest rate 7.7% 8.7% 9.6%
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(1) The lower of the credit facility availability and the total borrowing base availability.
(2) The sub-limit availability for letters of credit was $6.8 million as of May 3, 2025, $9.0 million at February 1, 2025, and $12.8 million as of May 4, 2024.
Mithaq Term Loans
Mithaq is a controlling stockholder of the Company. The Company and certain subsidiaries maintain the interest-free, unsecured and subordinated promissory note for a $78.6 million Initial Mithaq Term Loan, dated February 29, 2024, by and among us, certain of our subsidiaries, and Mithaq. During the First Quarter 2025, $60.2 million under the Initial Mithaq Term Loan was repaid pursuant to the completion of our rights offering on February 6, 2025 (“Rights Offering”), leaving $18.4 million outstanding under the Initial Mithaq Term Loan as of May 3, 2025. We recorded a loss on extinguishment of debt of $1.0 million during the First Quarter 2025, due to this partial prepayment of the Initial Mithaq Term Loan, which is recorded within Other interest expense.
The Initial Mithaq Term Loan matures on February 15, 2027 and is guaranteed by each of our subsidiaries that guarantee our ABL Credit Facility.
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The Company and certain subsidiaries also maintain the unsecured and subordinated promissory note for a $90.0 million New Mithaq Term Loan, dated April 16, 2024, by and among us, certain of our subsidiaries, and Mithaq.
The New Mithaq Term Loan matures on April 16, 2027, and requires monthly payments equivalent to interest charged at the SOFR plus 4.000% per annum, with the first year’s monthly payments to Mithaq deferred until April 30, 2025. On April 28, 2025, the Company and Mithaq entered into Amendment No. 1 to the New Mithaq Term Loan promissory note, which subjected these deferred monthly payments due as of April 30, 2025 to a payment plan, payable in installments prior to the end of Fiscal 2025. The New Mithaq Term Loan is guaranteed by each of our subsidiaries that guarantee our ABL Credit Facility. For the First Quarter 2025 and First Quarter 2024, we recognized $1.9 million and $0.4 million, respectively, in interest-equivalent expense related to the New Mithaq Term Loan. As of May 3, 2025 and May 4, 2024, interest-equivalent expense payable to Mithaq was $8.4 million and $0.4 million, respectively, which is recorded within Accrued expenses and other current liabilities.
The Mithaq Term Loans are subject to an amended and restated subordination agreement (as amended from time to time, the “Subordination Agreement”), dated as of April 16, 2024, by and among the Company and certain subsidiaries, Wells Fargo and Mithaq, pursuant to which the Mithaq Term Loans are subordinated in payment priority to our obligations and our subsidiaries’ obligations under the Credit Agreement. Subject to such subordination terms, the Mithaq Term Loans are prepayable at any time and from time to time without penalty and do not require any mandatory prepayments.
The Mithaq Term Loans contain customary affirmative and negative covenants substantially similar to a subset of the covenants set forth in the Credit Agreement, including limits on our ability and our subsidiaries’ ability to incur certain liens, to incur certain indebtedness, to make certain investments, acquisitions, dispositions or restricted payments, or to change the nature of our business. The Mithaq Term Loans, however, do not provide for any closing, prepayment or exit fees, or other fees typical for transactions of this nature, do not impose additional reserves on borrowings under the Credit Agreement, and do not contain certain other restrictive covenants.
The Mithaq Term Loans contain certain customary events of default, which include (subject in certain cases to customary grace periods), nonpayment of principal, breach of other covenants of the Mithaq Term Loans, inaccuracy in representations or warranties, acceleration of certain other indebtedness (including under the Credit Agreement), certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, such as a change of control, and invalidity of any part of the Mithaq Term Loans.
As of May 3, 2025, February 1, 2025, and May 4, 2024, unamortized deferred financing costs amounted to $1.4 million, $2.6 million, and $2.0 million, respectively, related to the Mithaq Term Loans.
Maturities of our principal debt payments on the Mithaq Term Loans as of May 3, 2025 are as follows:
May 3, 2025
(in thousands)
Remainder of 2025
$ —
2026 —
2027 108,400
Thereafter —
Total related party debt
$ 108,400
Mithaq Commitment Letter
On May 2, 2024, we entered into a commitment letter (the “Commitment Letter”) with Mithaq for a $40.0 million Mithaq Credit Facility. Under the Mithaq Credit Facility, we had the ability to request for advances at any time prior to July 1, 2025. On September 10, 2024, we entered into an Amendment No. 1 to the Commitment Letter with Mithaq, that extended the deadline for requesting advances until July 1, 2026.
If any debt is incurred under the Mithaq Credit Facility, it shall require monthly payments equivalent to interest charged at the SOFR plus 5.000% per annum. Such debt shall be unsecured and shall be guaranteed by each of our subsidiaries that guarantee our ABL Credit Facility. Similar to the Mithaq Term Loans, such debt shall also be subject to the Subordination Agreement, contain customary affirmative and negative covenants substantially similar to a subset of the covenants set forth in the Credit Agreement, and contain certain customary events of default. Additionally, such debt shall require no mandatory prepayments and shall mature no earlier than July 1, 2026. As of May 3, 2025, no debt had been incurred under the Mithaq Credit Facility.
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SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND CRITICAL ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES
We describe our significant accounting policies in “Note 1. Basis of Preparation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” of the consolidated financial statements included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 1, 2025. There have been no significant changes in our accounting policies from those described in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K.
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the amounts of revenues and expenses reported during the period. We continuously review the appropriateness of the estimates used in preparing our financial statements; however, estimates routinely require adjustment based on changing circumstances and the receipt of new or better information. Consequently, actual results could differ materially from our estimates.
Our critical accounting estimates are described under the heading “Critical Accounting Estimates” in Item 7 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 1, 2025. Our critical accounting estimates include impairment of long-lived assets, impairment of indefinite-lived intangible assets, income taxes, stock-based compensation, and inventory valuation. There have been no material changes in these critical accounting estimates from those described in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Recent Accounting Standards Updates
Refer to “Note 1. Basis of Presentation” of the accompanying consolidated financial statements for discussion regarding the impact of recently issued accounting standards on our consolidated financial statements.
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