SHOE STATION GROUP INC 10-Q

ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS Factors That May Affect Future Results This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause our actual results, performance, achievements or industry results to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to: our ability to control costs and meet our labor needs in a rising wage, inflationary, and/or supply chain constrained environment; the impact of competition and pricing, including our ability to maintain current promotional intensity levels; the effects and duration of economic downturns and unemployment rates; our ability to achieve expected operating results from, and planned growth of, our Shoe Station banner, which includes the recently acquired stores and operations of Rogan’s, within expected time frames, or at all; the potential impact of national and international security concerns, including those caused by war and terrorism, on the retail environment; general economic conditions in the areas of the continental United States and Puerto Rico where our stores are located; changes in the overall retail environment and more specifically in the apparel and footwear retail sectors; our ability to successfully utilize e-commerce sales channels and the impact on traffic and transactions in our physical stores; the success of the open-air shopping centers where many of our stores are located and the impact on our ability to attract customers to our stores; our ability to attract customers to our e-commerce sales channels and to successfully grow our omnichannel sales; the effectiveness of our inventory management, including our ability to manage key merchandise vendor relationships and direct-to-consumer initiatives; changes in our relationships with other key suppliers; changes in the political and economic environments in, the status of trade relations with, and the impact of changes in trade policies and tariffs impacting, China and other countries which are the major manufacturers of footwear; our ability to successfully manage and execute our marketing initiatives and maintain positive brand perception and recognition; our ability to successfully manage our current real estate portfolio and leasing obligations; changes in weather, including patterns impacted by climate change; changes in consumer buying trends and our ability to identify and respond to emerging fashion trends; the impact of disruptions in our distribution or information technology operations, including at our distribution center located in Evansville, IN; the impact of natural disasters, public health and political crises, civil unrest, and other catastrophic events on our operations and the operations of our suppliers, as well as on consumer confidence and purchasing in general; the duration and spread of a public health crisis and the mitigating efforts deployed, including the effects of government stimulus on consumer spending; risks associated with the seasonality of the retail industry; the impact of unauthorized disclosure or misuse of personal and confidential information about our customers, vendors and employees, including as a result of a cybersecurity breach; our ability to effectively integrate Rogan’s, retain Rogan’s employees, and achieve the expected operating results, synergies, efficiencies and other benefits from the Rogan’s acquisition within the expected time frames, or at all; risks that the Rogan’s acquisition may disrupt our current plans and operations or negatively impact our relationship with our vendors and other suppliers; our ability to successfully execute our business strategy, including the availability of desirable store locations at acceptable lease terms, our ability to identify, consummate or effectively integrate future acquisitions, our ability to implement and adapt to new technology and systems, our ability to open new stores in a timely and profitable manner, including our entry into major new markets, and the availability of sufficient funds to implement our business plans; higher than anticipated costs associated with the closing of underperforming stores; the inability of manufacturers to deliver products in a timely manner; an increase in the cost, or a disruption in the flow, of imported goods; the impact of regulatory changes in the United States, including minimum wage laws and regulations, and the countries where our manufacturers are located; the resolution of litigation or regulatory proceedings in which we are or may become involved; continued volatility and disruption in the capital and credit markets; future stock repurchases under our stock repurchase program and future dividend payments. For a more detailed discussion of risk factors impacting us, see the “Risk Factors” section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 3, 2024. General Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations is intended to provide information to assist the reader in better understanding and evaluating our financial condition and results of operations. We encourage you to read this in conjunction with our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and the notes thereto included in PART I, ITEM 1 of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as well as our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 3, 2024 as filed with the SEC. This section of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q generally discusses our results for second quarter 2024 and second quarter 2023 and year-over-year comparisons between second quarter 2024 and second quarter 2023, as well as year-to-date results for, and comparisons between, the two periods. Referred to herein, second quarter 2024 is the thirteen weeks ended August 3, 2024 and second quarter 2023 is the thirteen weeks ended July 29, 2023. Also referred to herein, year-to-date 2024 is the twenty-six weeks ended August 3, 2024 and year-to-date 2023 is the twenty-six weeks ended July 29, 2023. 15 Overview of Our Business Shoe Carnival, Inc. is one of the nation’s largest omnichannel family footwear retailers. On December 3, 2021, we began operating under two banners: Shoe Carnival and Shoe Station. On February 13, 2024, we furthered our acquisition strategy by acquiring all of the stock of Rogan Shoes, Incorporated (“Rogan’s”). The acquisition of Rogan’s added 28 physical stores (25 in Wisconsin, 2 in Minnesota, and 1 in Illinois) to our portfolio, positioned us as the market leader in Wisconsin and established a store base in Minnesota, creating additional expansion opportunities. Rogan’s is being integrated into our Shoe Station banner and our current plan is to brand and operate these stores using both the Rogan’s and Shoe Station trade names. More information about the acquisition of Rogan’s can be found in Note 2 — “Acquisition of Rogan Shoes” to our Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements contained in PART I, ITEM 1 of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Our objective is to be the nation’s leading family footwear retailer. Our product assortment, whether shopping in a physical store or through our e-commerce sales channels, is primarily branded footwear and includes dress and casual shoes, sandals, boots and a wide assortment of athletic shoes. Our typical physical store carries shoes in two general categories – athletics and non-athletics with subcategories for men’s, women’s and children’s, as well as a broad range of accessories. In addition to our physical stores, through our e-commerce sales channels, customers can purchase the same assortment of merchandise in all categories of footwear with expanded options in certain instances. Our stores under the Shoe Carnival banner combine competitive pricing with a high-energy in-store environment that encourages customer participation. Footwear in our Shoe Carnival physical stores is organized by category and brand, creating strong brand statements within the aisles. These brand statements are underscored by branded signage on endcaps and in-line signage throughout the store. Our signage may highlight a vendor’s product offerings or sales promotions, or may highlight seasonal or lifestyle statements by grouping similar footwear from multiple vendors. The Shoe Station banner and retail locations, including Rogan’s locations, are a complementary retail platform for us to serve a broader base of family footwear customers in both urban and suburban demographics. The Shoe Station concept targets a more affluent family footwear customer and has a strong track record of capitalizing on emerging footwear fashion trends and introducing new brands. Due to the larger average size of our Shoe Station stores and the targeted, more affluent customer, these locations provide a primary destination shopping experience. We believe our distinctive shopping experiences give us various competitive advantages, including increased multiple unit sales; the building of a loyal, repeat customer base; the creation of word-of-mouth advertising; and enhanced sell-through of in-season goods. Critical Accounting Policies We use judgment in reporting our financial results. This judgment involves estimates based in part on our historical experience and incorporates the impact of the current general economic climate and company-specific circumstances. However, because future events and economic conditions are inherently uncertain, our actual results could differ materially from these estimates. Our accounting policies that require more significant judgments include those with respect to Merchandise Inventories, valuation of long-lived assets, valuation of Goodwill and Intangible Assets, leases and income taxes. The accounting policies that require more significant judgment are discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 3, 2024, and there have been no material changes to those critical accounting policies. Results of Operations Summary Information Number of Stores Store Square Footage Beginning Permanently End of Net End Comparable Quarter Ended of Period Opened Acquired Closed Period Change of Period Store Sales (1) May 4, 2024 400 2 28 0 430 377,000 4,946,000 (3.4 )% August 3, 2024 430 1 0 1 430 2,000 4,948,000 (2.1 )% Year-to-date 400 3 28 1 430 379,000 4,948,000 (2.8 )% April 29, 2023 397 1 0 1 397 5,000 4,510,000 (11.9 )% July 29, 2023 397 2 0 0 399 32,000 4,542,000 (6.5 )% Year-to-date 397 3 0 1 399 37,000 4,542,000 (9.3 )% (1) Comparable stores Net Sales is a key performance indicator for us. Comparable stores Net Sales include stores that have been open for 13 full months after such stores’ grand opening or acquisition prior to the beginning of the period, including those stores that have been relocated, remodeled or rebannered. Therefore, stores recently opened, acquired or permanently closed 16 are not included in comparable stores Net Sales. We generally include e-commerce sales in our comparable stores Net Sales as a result of our omnichannel retailer strategy. Due to our omnichannel retailer strategy, we view e-commerce sales as an extension of our physical stores. E-commerce sales channels associated with a physical store acquisition will not be included in comparable stores Net Sales until the initial physical stores are included. The 21 original Shoe Station stores acquired and the www.shoestation.com e-commerce site that went live in early February 2023 were included in comparable stores Net Sales calculations beginning in first quarter 2023. All Rogan’s sales (physical stores and e-commerce) are excluded from our comparable stores Net Sales. Our fiscal year is a 52/53 week year ending on the Saturday closest to January 31. Fiscal 2023 consisted of the 53 weeks ended February 3, 2023, while Fiscal 2024 consists of the 52 weeks ending February 1, 2025. The 53rd week in Fiscal 2023 caused a one-week shift in our fiscal calendar. As a result, each of our first three quarters in Fiscal 2024 is shifted one week later compared to Fiscal 2023. This one-week shift impacts our year-over-year sales comparisons when there are seasonal sales influences that fall near the respective quarter-end dates. To minimize the effect of this fiscal calendar shift on comparable stores Net Sales, our reported comparable stores Net Sales results for second quarter 2024 in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and our other public disclosures compare the thirteen-week and twenty-six week periods ended August 3, 2024 to the thirteen-week and twenty-six week periods ended August 5, 2023. As such, changes in comparable stores Net Sales may not be consistent with changes in Net Sales reported for the fiscal period. The following table sets forth our results of operations expressed as a percentage of Net Sales for the periods indicated: Thirteen Weeks Ended August 3, 2024 Thirteen Weeks Ended July 29, 2023 Twenty-six Weeks Ended August 3, 2024 Twenty-six Weeks Ended July 29, 2023 Net sales 100.0 % 100.0 % 100.0 % 100.0 % Cost of sales (including buying, distribution and occupancy costs) 63.9 64.2 64.2 64.6 Gross profit 36.1 35.8 35.8 35.4 Selling, general and administrative expenses 27.1 27.4 27.5 27.5 Operating income 9.0 8.4 8.3 7.9 Interest income, net (0.2 ) (0.1 ) (0.2 ) (0.2 ) Income tax expense 2.4 1.9 2.2 1.8 Net income 6.8 % 6.6 % 6.3 % 6.3 % Executive Summary for Second Quarter Ended August 3, 2024 During second quarter 2024, Net Sales grew 12.9% compared to second quarter 2023, to $332.7 million, a record level of second quarter Net Sales. The increase was led by the following key drivers: • Rogan’s, which was acquired on February 13, 2024, delivered second quarter Net Sales of $22.0 million; • Shoe Station banner Net Sales grew in the mid-teens, inclusive of e-commerce and new store growth; and • Trends continued to improve at our Shoe Carnival banner, with Net Sales up mid-singles, driven by our digital-first marketing campaign and product assortment. Due to the calendar shift described above, an important week of the back-to-school season moved into second quarter 2024 that was included in third quarter 2023. The net effect of this shift increased Net Sales in second quarter 2024 by approximately $20 million compared to second quarter 2023. On a comparable stores basis, as impacted by this calendar shift, Net Sales were down 2.1%, representing continued improvement from first quarter 2024 when comparable stores Net Sales were down 3.4% and second quarter 2023 when comparable stores Net Sales were down 6.5%. The improvement in comparable stores Net Sales in second quarter 2024 included increased Net Sales in the sandal and women’s athletics categories. Long-term gross profit margin expansion has been a key driver of our profit transformation, led by our targeted promotional plans, buying strategies and growth of our Shoe Perks membership. During second quarter 2024, our gross profit margin was above 35% for the 14 th consecutive quarter at 36.1%, an increase of 30 basis points compared to second quarter 2023. Second quarter 2024 Operating Income totaled $30.1 million and increased 22.0% versus second quarter 2023, driven by higher Net Sales and higher gross profit margin. 17 Operating Income in second quarter 2024 included $430,000 in merger and integration expenses related to the Rogan’s acquisition, of which $333,000 were in Cost of Sales and $97,000 were in Selling, General and Administrative Expenses (“SG&A”). Second quarter 2024 Net Income was $22.6 million, or $0.82 per diluted share, compared to second quarter 2023 Net Income of $19.4 million, or $0.71 per diluted share. The increase reflected the higher Operating Income, partially offset by a higher effective tax rate. Second quarter 2024 ranked as the third best second quarter Diluted Net Income per Share in our history and was in the top ten of any historical quarter. Merchandise Inventories totaled $425.5 million at the end of second quarter 2024, an increase of approximately $16.1 million compared to the end of second quarter 2023. The increase reflected Rogan’s inventory, which was approximately $40 million when acquired in February 2024, partially offset by continued inventory efficiencies as part of our ongoing inventory optimization improvement plan. Excluding the inventory acquired in the Rogan’s acquisition, Merchandise Inventories at the end of second quarter 2024 were approximately 7% lower on a dollar basis compared to the end of second quarter 2023. At the end of second quarter 2024, we had total Cash, Cash Equivalents and Marketable Securities of $84.5 million. Cash and Cash Equivalents increased $37.1 million compared to the end of second quarter 2023, and Cash Flows from Operations in year-to-date 2024 increased $18.4 million compared to year-to-date 2023. Fiscal 2023 year end marked the 19 th consecutive year we ended the fiscal year with no debt, and in year-to-date 2024, we continued to fund our operations and growth investments, including the purchase of Rogan’s, from operating cash flows and without incurring debt. In year-to-date 2024, we have paid $44.4 million for Rogan’s and, based on the current preliminary purchase price adjustment estimates, we will owe another $445,000 in the near term. Up to $5.0 million more in consideration will be due in 2027 if three-year performance targets are met. Results of Operations for Second Quarter Ended August 3, 2024 Compared to Second Quarter Ended July 29, 2023 Net Sales Net Sales were $332.7 million during second quarter 2024 and increased 12.9% compared to second quarter 2023. The increase was due to the acquisition of Rogan’s, which added Net Sales of $22.0 million, the effect of the calendar shift adding approximately $20 million of Net Sales to second quarter 2024 and new store growth in the Shoe Station banner, partially offset by a 2.1% decrease in comparable stores Net Sales. E-commerce sales were approximately 9% of merchandise sales in both second quarter 2024 and second quarter 2023. Gross Profit Gross Profit was $119.9 million during second quarter 2024, an increase of $14.5 million compared to second quarter 2023. Gross profit margin in second quarter 2024 was 36.1% compared to 35.8% in second quarter 2023. The increase in gross profit margin was primarily due to improved leverage of Buying, distribution and occupancy (“BDO”) costs due to the higher Net Sales in second quarter 2024. BDO costs were higher in second quarter 2024 compared to second quarter 2023 due primarily to occupancy costs associated with operating more stores. The increase in gross profit margin was partially offset by a 50 basis point decrease in merchandise margin in second quarter 2024 compared to second quarter 2023 due to competitive intensity. Selling, General and Administrative Expenses SG&A increased $9.1 million in second quarter 2024 to $89.9 million compared to $80.8 million in second quarter 2023. The increase was primarily due to higher compensation-related costs, including compensation costs related to Rogan’s, and other Rogan’s-related operating expenses. As a percentage of Net Sales, SG&A were 27.1% in second quarter 2024 compared to 27.4% in second quarter 2023. Income Taxes The effective income tax rate for second quarter 2024 was 26.3% compared to 22.3% for second quarter 2023. Our provision for income taxes is based on the current estimate of our annual effective tax rate and is adjusted as necessary for quarterly events. The higher effective tax rate in second quarter 2024 compared to second quarter 2023 was due to the decrease in tax benefits from share-settled equity awards in second quarter 2024 and a state deferred tax benefit included in second quarter 2023 that did not recur in Fiscal 2024. For the full 2024 fiscal year, we expect our tax rate to be between 25.5% and 26.0% compared to the 23.7% effective tax rate recognized during the full 2023 fiscal year. 18 Results of Operations Year-to-Date Through August 3, 2024 Compared to Year-to-Date Through July 29, 2023 Net Sales Net Sales were $633.1 million during year-to-date 2024 and increased 9.9% compared to year-to-date 2023. The increase was due to the acquisition of Rogan’s, which added Net Sales of $41.6 million, the effect of the calendar shift adding approximately $25 million of Net Sales to year-to-date 2024 results and new store growth in the Shoe Station banner, partially offset by a 2.8% decrease in comparable stores Net Sales. E-commerce sales were approximately 9% of merchandise sales in year-to-date 2024, compared to 8% in year-to-date 2023. Year-to-date 2024 e-commerce sales were favorably impacted by the relaunch of www.shoecarnival.com in third quarter 2023 and the launch of www.shoestation.com in first quarter 2023. Gross Profit Gross Profit was $226.7 million during year-to-date 2024, an increase of $22.8 million compared to year-to-date 2023. Gross profit margin in year-to-date 2024 was 35.8% compared to 35.4% in year-to-date 2023. BDO costs were higher in year-to-date 2024 compared to year-to-date 2023 due to occupancy costs associated with operating more stores; however, BDO costs increased gross profit margin by 50 basis points due to the higher Net Sales in year-to-date 2024. Merchandise margin decreased 10 basis points. Selling, General and Administrative Expenses SG&A increased $15.8 million, or 10.0%, in year-to-date 2024 to $174.2 million compared to $158.4 million in year-to-date 2023. The increase was due to higher compensation-related costs, including compensation costs related to Rogan’s, and other Rogan’s-related operating expenses and increased marketing investment in year-to-date 2024. As a percentage of Net Sales, SG&A were 27.5% in both year-to-date 2024 and year-to-date 2023. Interest Income and Interest Expense Changes in our interest income and expense increased our income before taxes by $428,000 in year-to-date 2024 compared to year-to-date 2023. This increase was primarily due to higher interest earned on invested cash balances. Income Taxes The effective income tax rate for year-to-date 2024 was 25.9% compared to 22.4% for year-to-date 2023. The higher effective tax rate in year-to-date 2024 compared to year-to-date 2023 was due to the decrease in tax benefits from share-settled equity awards in year-to-date 2024 and a state deferred tax benefit included in second quarter 2023 that did not recur in Fiscal 2024. Liquidity and Capital Resources Our primary sources of liquidity are $84.5 million of Cash, Cash Equivalents and Marketable Securities on hand at the end of second quarter 2024, cash generated from operations and availability under our $100 million Credit Agreement. We believe our resources will be sufficient to fund our cash needs, as they arise, for at least the next 12 months. Our primary uses of cash are normally for working capital, which are principally inventory purchases, investments in our stores, such as new stores, modernization/remodels, relocations, rebannered stores, distribution center initiatives, lease payments associated with our real estate leases, potential dividend payments, potential share repurchases under our share repurchase program and the financing of capital projects, including investments in new systems. As part of our growth strategy, we have also pursued strategic acquisitions of other footwear retailers. Cash Flow - Operating Activities Net cash generated from operating activities was $40.7 million in year-to-date 2024 compared to $22.4 million in year-to-date 2023. The change in operating cash flow was primarily driven by the timing of inventory, tax and prepaid contracts payments and higher earnings. Working capital increased on a year-over-year basis and totaled $377.1 million at August 3, 2024 compared to $330.6 million at July 29, 2023. The increase was primarily attributable to a higher cash balance and higher Merchandise Inventories levels due to the acquisition of Rogan’s. Our current ratio was 3.4 as of August 3, 2024 compared to 3.1 as of July 29, 2023. 19 Cash Flow – Investing Activities Our cash outflows for investing activities are normally for capital expenditures. During year-to-date 2024 and 2023, we expended $15.7 million and $30.6 million, respectively, for the purchase of Property and Equipment, primarily related to store modernization and opening new Shoe Station stores. Our Rogan’s acquisition in first quarter 2024 resulted in the payment of initial cash consideration of $44.4 million, net of cash acquired, during year-to-date 2024. Additional information regarding the Rogan’s acquisition, including information on the additional contingent consideration of up to $5.0 million, can be found in Note 2 — “Acquisition of Rogan Shoes” to our Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements contained in PART I, ITEM 1 of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. We invest in publicly traded mutual funds designed to mitigate income statement volatility associated with our non-qualified deferred compensation plan. The balance of these Marketable Securities was $12.8 million at August 3, 2024, compared to $12.2 million at February 3, 2024 and July 29, 2023. Additional information can be found in Note 5 — “Fair Value Measurements” to our Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements contained in PART I, ITEM 1 of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Cash Flow – Financing Activities Our cash outflows for financing activities are typically for cash dividend payments, share repurchases or payments on our Credit Agreement. Shares of our common stock can be either acquired as part of a publicly announced repurchase program or withheld by us in connection with employee payroll tax withholding upon the vesting of stock-based compensation awards that are settled in shares. Our cash inflows from financing activities generally reflect stock issuances to employees under our Employee Stock Purchase Plan and borrowings under our Credit Agreement. During year-to-date 2024, net cash used in financing activities was $8.0 million compared to $8.5 million during year-to-date 2023. The decrease in net cash used in financing activities was primarily due to the decrease in shares surrendered by employees to pay taxes on stock-based compensation awards, partially offset by increased dividend payments. Credit Agreement On March 23, 2022, we entered into a $100 million Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (the “Credit Agreement”). The Credit Agreement is collateralized by our inventory, expires on March 23, 2027, and uses a Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) as quoted by The Federal Reserve Bank of New York as the basis for financing charges. Material covenants associated with the Credit Agreement require that we maintain a minimum net worth of $250 million and a consolidated interest coverage ratio of not less than 3.0 to 1.0. We were in compliance with these covenants as of August 3, 2024. The Credit Agreement contains certain restrictions. However, as long as our consolidated EBITDA is positive and there are either no or low borrowings outstanding, we expect these restrictions would have no impact on our ability to pay cash dividends, execute share repurchases or facilitate acquisitions from cash on hand. The Credit Agreement stipulates that cash dividends and share repurchases of $15 million or less per fiscal year can be made without restriction as long as there is no default or event of default before and immediately after such distributions. We are also permitted to make acquisitions and pay cash dividends or repurchase shares in excess of $15 million in a fiscal year provided that (a) no default or event of default exists before and immediately after the transaction and (b) on a proforma basis, the ratio of (i) the sum of (A) our consolidated funded indebtedness plus (B) three times our consolidated rental expense to (ii) the sum of (A) our consolidated EBITDA plus (B) our consolidated rental expense is less than 3.5 to 1.0. Among other restrictions, the Credit Agreement also limits our ability to incur additional secured or unsecured debt to $20 million. The Credit Agreement bears interest, at our option, at (1) the agent bank’s base rate plus 0.0% to 1.0% or (2) Adjusted Term SOFR plus 0.9% to 1.9%, depending on our achievement of certain performance criteria. A commitment fee is charged at 0.2% to 0.3% per annum, depending on our achievement of certain performance criteria, on the unused portion of the lenders’ commitment. During year-to-date 2024, we did not borrow or repay funds under the Credit Agreement. Letters of credit outstanding were $1.0 million at August 3, 2024 and our borrowing capacity was $99.0 million. The terms “net worth”, “consolidated interest coverage ratio”, “consolidated funded indebtedness”, “consolidated rental expense”, “consolidated EBITDA”, “base rate” and “Adjusted Term SOFR” are defined in the Credit Agreement. See Note 9 – “Debt” in our Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements contained in PART II, ITEM 8 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 3, 2024 for a further discussion of our Credit Agreement and its covenants. 20 Capital Expenditures Capital expenditures for Fiscal 2024, including actual expenditures in year-to-date 2024, are expected to be between $30 million and $35 million, with approximately $20 million to $25 million to be used for new and rebannered stores and modernization and approximately $10 million to $15 million for upgrades to our Evansville distribution center and e-commerce sales channels, various other store improvements, continued investments in technology and normal asset replacement activities. The resources allocated to projects are subject to near-term changes depending on the supply chain and potential inflationary and other macroeconomic impacts. Furthermore, the actual amount of cash required for capital expenditures for store operations depends in part on the number of stores opened, relocated, and remodeled, and the amount of lease incentives, if any, received from landlords. The number of new store openings and relocations will be dependent upon, among other things, the availability of desirable locations, the negotiation of acceptable lease terms and general economic and business conditions affecting consumer spending. Store Portfolio We opened three new Shoe Station branded stores, permanently closed one Shoe Carnival branded store, and acquired 28 Rogan’s stores, which are being integrated into our Shoe Station banner, in year-to-date 2024. Increasing market penetration by adding new stores is a key component of our growth strategy. We currently have 430 stores and are targeting operating over 500 stores in 2028. We believe our current store footprint provides for growth in new markets within the United States as well as fill-in opportunities within existing markets. We aim to grow the Shoe Station banner to over 100 stores over the same time period. Since our acquisition of Shoe Station in December 2021, we have gained insights about the Shoe Station customer base and have defined markets where we believe a Shoe Station bannered store may outperform our current Shoe Carnival bannered store located in those markets. In year-to-date 2024, we have closed a Shoe Carnival bannered store and opened a Shoe Station bannered store in three test markets, and each test market has grown comparable stores Net Sales since transition. To further test and learn, we plan to close five to ten additional Shoe Carnival bannered stores in the second half of Fiscal 2024 and open Shoe Station bannered stores in those markets. Future store growth may continue to be impacted by macroeconomic uncertainty and our ability to identify desirable locations and/or acquisition partners. Dividends and Share Repurchases On June 25, 2024, the Board of Directors approved the payment of a second quarter 2024 cash dividend paid to our shareholders. The quarterly cash dividend of $0.135 per share was paid on July 22, 2024 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on July 8, 2024. In second quarter 2023, the dividend paid was $0.100 per share. During year-to-date 2024 and 2023, we returned $7.4 million and $5.7 million, respectively, to our shareholders through our quarterly cash dividends. The declaration and payment of any future dividends are at the discretion of the Board of Directors and will depend on our results of operations, financial condition, business conditions and other factors deemed relevant by our Board of Directors. On December 14, 2023, our Board of Directors authorized a share repurchase program for up to $50.0 million of our outstanding common stock, effective January 1, 2024 (the “2024 Share Repurchase Program”). The purchases may be made in the open market or through privately negotiated transactions from time-to-time through December 31, 2024 and in accordance with applicable laws, rules and regulations. The 2024 Share Repurchase Program may be amended, suspended, or discontinued at any time and does not commit us to repurchase shares of our common stock. We have funded, and intend to continue to fund, share repurchases from cash on hand, and any shares acquired will be available for stock-based compensation awards and other corporate purposes. The actual number and value of the shares to be purchased will depend on the performance of our stock price and other market and economic factors. No share repurchases have been made to date in Fiscal 2024 and no share repurchases were made during year-to-date 2023. Our Credit Agreement permits the payment of dividends and repurchase of shares, subject to certain covenants and restrictions. See “Credit Agreement” above and Note 9 — “Debt” to our Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements contained in PART II, ITEM 8 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 3, 2024 for a further discussion of the Credit Agreement, its covenants and restrictions regarding dividends and share repurchases and other matters. The Credit Agreement’s covenants and restrictions did not change during year-to-date 2024. Seasonality We have three distinct peak selling periods: Easter, back-to-school and Christmas. Our operating results depend significantly upon the sales generated during these periods. To prepare for our peak shopping seasons, we must order and keep in stock significantly more merchandise than we would carry during other periods of the year. Any unanticipated decrease in demand for our products or a supply chain disruption that reduces inventory availability during these peak shopping seasons could reduce our Net Sales and Gross Profit and negatively affect our profitability. 21 Recent Accounting Pronouncements See Note 4 — “Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements” to our Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements contained in PART I, ITEM 1 of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for a description of recent accounting pronouncements that may have an impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements when adopted . ITEM 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATI VE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK We are exposed to market risk in that the interest payable under the Credit Agreement is based on variable interest rates and therefore is affected by changes in market rates. We do not use interest rate derivative instruments to manage exposure to changes in market interest rates. We had no borrowings outstanding during year-to-date 2024.