Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Overview
We operate under three reportable segments – Retail, Wholesale and Nuuly. Our Retail segment includes our Anthropologie, Free People, FP Movement and Urban Outfitters brands. Our Retail segment consumer products and services are sold directly to our customers through our retail locations, websites, mobile applications, social media and third-party digital platforms, catalogs, customer contact centers and franchisee-owned stores. Our Wholesale segment includes our Free People, FP Movement and Urban Outfitters brands that sell through department and specialty stores worldwide, digital businesses and our Retail segment. Our Wholesale segment primarily designs, develops and markets apparel, intimates, activewear and shoes. Our Nuuly segment includes the Nuuly brand, which offers customers a more sustainable way to explore fashion through a monthly women’s apparel subscription rental service.
Our fiscal year ends on January 31. All references to our fiscal years refer to the fiscal years ended on January 31 in those years. For example, our fiscal year 2024 ended on January 31, 2024, our fiscal year 2023 ended on January 31, 2023, and our fiscal year 2022 ended on January 31, 2022.
As used in this document, unless otherwise defined, "Anthropologie" refers to our Anthropologie and Terrain brands and "Free People" refers to our Free People and FP Movement brands.
Retail Segment
Our Retail segment omni-channel strategy enhances our customers’ brand experience by providing a seamless approach to the customer shopping experience. All available Company-owned Retail segment shopping channels are fully integrated, including retail locations, websites, mobile applications, catalogs and customer contact centers. Our investments in areas such as marketing campaigns and technology advancements are designed to generate demand for the Retail segment omni-channel and not the separate store or digital channels. We manage and analyze our performance based on a single Retail segment omni-channel rather than separate channels and believe that the Retail segment omni-channel results present the most meaningful and appropriate measure of our performance.
Our comparable Retail segment net sales data is equal to the sum of our comparable store and comparable digital channel net sales. A store is considered to be comparable if it has been open at least 12 full months, unless it was materially expanded or remodeled within that year or was not otherwise operating at its full capacity within that year due to store specific closures from events such as damage from fire, flood and natural weather events. The Company did not remove stores that were closed or operating for an extended period of time at a reduced capacity due to the COVID-19 pandemic from the comparable stores net sales calculations. A digital channel is considered to be comparable if it has been operational for at least 12 full months. Sales from stores and digital channels that do not fall within the definition of comparable store or channel are considered to be non-comparable. Franchise net sales and the effects of foreign currency translation are also considered non-comparable.
We monitor Retail segment metrics including customer traffic, conversion rates, average units per transaction at our stores and on our websites and mobile applications. We also monitor average unit selling price and transactions at our stores and average order value on our websites and mobile applications. We believe that changes in any of these metrics may be caused by a response to our brands’ fashion offerings, our marketing campaigns, circulation of our catalogs and an overall growth in brand recognition.
Urban Outfitters targets young adults aged 18 to 28 through a unique merchandise mix, compelling store environment, social media and third-party digital platforms, websites and mobile applications and a product offering that includes women’s and men’s fashion apparel, activewear, intimates, footwear, accessories, home goods, electronics and beauty. A large portion of our merchandise is exclusive to Urban Outfitters, consisting of an assortment of products designed internally or designed in collaboration with third-party brands. Urban Outfitters stores are in street locations in large metropolitan areas and select university communities, specialty centers and enclosed malls that accommodate our customers’ propensity not only to shop, but also to congregate with their peers. Urban Outfitters operates websites and mobile applications in North America and Europe that capture the spirit of the brand by offering a similar yet broader selection of merchandise as found in its stores and sells merchandise through franchisee-owned stores in the Middle East. Urban Outfitters’ North American Retail segment net sales accounted for approximately 17.7%of consolidated net sales for fiscal 2024, compared to 23.0% for fiscal 2023. European Retail segment net sales accounted for approximately 8.2% of consolidated net sales for fiscal 2024, compared to approximately 8.9% for fiscal 2023.
The Anthropologie brand tailors its merchandise to sophisticated and contemporary women aged 28 to 45. The internally designed and third-party branded product assortment includes women’s apparel, accessories, intimates, shoes, home furnishings, a diverse array of gifts and decorative items and beauty and wellness. The brand also has a wedding collection consisting of wedding, bridesmaid and party dresses, bridal accessories and decor. The Terrain brand is designed to appeal to women and men interested in a creative and sophisticated outdoor living and gardening experience. Merchandise includes lifestyle home, garden and outdoor living products, antiques, live plants, flowers, wellness products and accessories. Anthropologie stores are located in specialty centers, upscale street locations and enclosed malls. Anthropologie operates websites and mobile applications in North America and Europe that capture the spirit of its brands by offering a similar yet broader selection of merchandise as found in its stores, offers a catalog in North America
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that markets select merchandise, most of which is also available in Anthropologie brand stores and sells merchandise through franchisee-owned stores in the Middle East. Anthropologie's North American Retail segment net sales accounted for approximately 41.7% of consolidated net sales for fiscal 2024, compared to 39.6% for fiscal 2023. European Retail segment net sales accounted for approximately 1.6% of consolidated net sales for fiscal 2024, compared to approximately 1.8% for fiscal 2023.
The Free People brand focuses its product offering on private label merchandise targeted to young contemporary women aged 25 to 30 and provides a unique merchandise mix of casual women’s apparel, intimates, activewear, shoes, accessories, home products, gifts and beauty and wellness. The FP Movement brand offers performance-ready activewear, beyond-the-gym staples and wellness essentials. Free People stores are located in enclosed malls, upscale street locations and specialty centers. Free People operates websites and mobile applications in North America and Europe that capture the spirit of its brands by offering a similar yet broader selection of merchandise as found in its stores, as well as substantially all of the Free People and FP Movement wholesale offerings. Free People also offers catalogs that market select merchandise, most of which is also available in our Free People stores. Free People's North American Retail segment net sales accounted for approximately 20.1% of consolidated net sales for fiscal 2024, compared to approximately 17.5% for fiscal 2023. European Retail segment net sales accounted for less than 1.0% of consolidated net sales for fiscal 2024 and fiscal 2023.
Net sales from the Retail segment accounted for approximately 90.8%, 92.1% and 93.4% of total consolidated net sales for fiscal 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Store data for fiscal 2024 was as follows:
Urban Outfitters
Urban Outfitters Global Total 263 7 (8 ) 262
Anthropologie
Anthropologie Global Total 238 7 (8 ) 237
Free People
Canada 3 — — 3
Menus & Venues (2)
Menus & Venues Total 11 1 (3 ) 9
Franchisee-Owned Stores (3) 8 1 — 9
(1)
Seven FP Movement stores were opened during the year ended January 31, 2024. Thirty-eight FP Movement stores were open as of January 31, 2024.
(2)
Menus & Venues includes various casual restaurants and event venues.
(3)
Franchisee-owned stores are located in the Middle East.
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Selling square footage by brand as of January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2023 was as follows:
Selling square footage (in thousands):
(1)
Selling square footage for FP Movement was 48 and 40 as of January 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
(2)
Menus & Venues restaurants and franchisee-owned stores are not included in selling square footage.
We plan for future store growth for our brands to come from expansion domestically and internationally, which may include opening stores in new and existing markets or entering into additional franchise or joint venture agreements. We plan for future digital channel growth to come from expansion domestically and internationally.
Projected openings and closings for fiscal 2025 are as follows:
January 31,2024 ProjectedOpenings ProjectedClosings January 31,2025
Menus & Venues 9 — — 9
Franchisee-Owned Stores 9 — — 9
(1)
Includes 25 FP Movement projected store openings.
Wholesale Segment
Our Wholesale segment includes the Free People, FP Movement and Urban Outfitters brands that sell through department and specialty stores worldwide, third-party digital businesses and our Retail segment. The Wholesale segment primarily designs, develops and markets young women’s contemporary casual apparel, intimates, FP Movement activewear and shoes under the Free People and FP Movement brands and the BDG and “iets frans” apparel collections under the Urban Outfitters brand. Net sales from the Wholesale segment accounted for approximately 4.6%, 5.2% and 5.5% of total consolidated net sales for fiscal 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Nuuly Segment
Our Nuuly segment includes the Nuuly brand, which is a monthly women’s apparel subscription rental service. For a monthly fee, Nuuly subscribers can rent product from a wide selection of the Company’s own brands, third-party brands and one-of-a-kind vintage pieces via a custom-built, digital platform. Subscribers select their products each month, wear them as often as they like and then swap into new products the following month. Subscribers are also able to purchase the rented product. Our Nuuly segment net sales accounted for approximately 4.6%, 2.7%, and 1.1% of consolidated net sales for fiscal 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
Our Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States. These generally accepted accounting principles require management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, net sales and expenses during the reporting period.
Our significant accounting policies are described in Note 2, “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies,” in the Notes to our Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We believe that the following discussion addresses our critical accounting policies, which are those that are most important to the portrayal of our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows and require management’s most difficult, subjective and complex judgments, often as a result of the need to make estimates about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain. If actual results were to differ significantly from estimates made, the reported results could be materially affected. We are not currently aware of any reasonably likely events or circumstances that would cause our actual results to be materially different from our estimates.
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Revenue Recognition
Merchandise: Merchandise is sold through retail stores, catalogs and the digital sales channel, as well as to wholesale customers, franchise partners and Nuuly customers. Revenue is recognized when control of the promised goods is transferred to the customer. We have elected to treat shipping and handling as fulfillment activities and not a separate performance obligation. Accordingly, we will recognize merchandise revenue for the Retail segment for our single performance obligation at the point of sale, when furniture is delivered or at the time of shipment for non-furniture merchandise, which is when transfer of control to the customer occurs. A Nuuly Rent customer may purchase merchandise in her possession that was included in the order that was delivered as part of the monthly subscription rental service. We recognize merchandise revenue for Nuuly Rent for our single performance obligation when the customer purchases the merchandise through the website or mobile application. Revenue does not include taxes assessed by governmental authorities, including value-added and other sales-related taxes, that are imposed on and concurrent with revenue-producing activities. Revenue is recognized net of estimated customer returns. Retail segment return policies vary by brand, but generally provide for no time limit on returns and the refund to be issued in either the form of original payment or as a gift card. Uncollectible accounts receivable in the Retail and Nuuly segments primarily results from unauthorized credit card transactions. We maintain an allowance for doubtful accounts for our Wholesale segment accounts receivable, which we review on a regular basis and believe is sufficient to cover potential credit losses and billing adjustments. Payment terms in our Wholesale segment vary by customer.
Subscription Fees: Revenue for Nuuly Rent is primarily generated through monthly subscription fees. The monthly subscription rental fee is recognized over the monthly period over which the customer's monthly subscription fee pertains. The subscription automatically renews on a monthly basis until cancelled or paused by the customer at which point the customer will not be billed for future months until the subscription is no longer on hold.
Gift Cards: We account for a gift card transaction by recording a liability at the time the gift card is issued to the customer in exchange for consideration from the customer. At the time of issuance, we have an open performance obligation for the future delivery of promised goods or services. The liability remains outstanding until the card is redeemed by the customer, at which time we recognize revenue. Over time, a portion of the outstanding gift cards will not be redeemed by the customer which we refer to as “breakage”. Revenue is recognized from breakage over time in proportion to gift card redemptions. Judgment is used in determining the amount of breakage revenue to be recognized and is based on historical gift card redemption patterns. Gift card breakage revenue is included in net sales and is not material. Our gift cards do not expire.
Sales Return Reserve
We record a sales return reserve for estimated product returns where the sale has occurred during the period reported, but the return is likely to occur subsequent to the period reported. The reserve for estimated product returns is based on our most recent historical return trends. If the actual return rate is materially different than our estimate, sales returns would be adjusted in the future. The costs of returns are recorded as a current asset rather than net with the sales return reserve. As of January 31, 2024 and 2023, reserves for estimated sales returns totaled $80.5million and $70.1 million, representing 4.0% and 3.7% of total liabilities, respectively.
Inventory
We value our inventory, which consists primarily of general consumer merchandise held for sale, at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Cost is determined on the first-in, first-out method and includes the cost of merchandise and import-related costs, including freight, import duties and taxes and agent commissions. A periodic review of inventory is performed in order to determine if inventory is properly stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Factors we consider in our review, such as future expected consumer demand and fashion trends, current aging, current and anticipated retail markdowns or wholesale discounts and class or type of inventory, are analyzed to determine estimated net realizable value. Criteria that we consider in our review of aging trends include average selling cycle and seasonality of merchandise, the historical rate at which merchandise has sold below cost during the prior 12 months and the value and nature of merchandise currently held in inventory and priced below original cost. A provision is recorded to reduce the cost of inventory to its estimated net realizable value, if appropriate. Any significant unanticipated changes in the factors noted above could have a significant impact on the value of our inventory and our reported operating results. Our estimates generally have been accurate, and our reserve methods have been applied on a consistent basis. The majority of inventory at January 31, 2024 and 2023 consisted of finished goods. Raw materials and work-in-process were not material to the overall inventory value. Inventory as of January 31, 2024 and 2023 totaled $550.2million and $587.5 million, representing 13.4% and 16.0% of total assets, respectively.
Rental Product
The cost of our Nuuly segment rental product is amortized to cost of sales over the subscription period based on the cost of each unit rented, which is estimated based on the number of times the unit is expected to be rented and the cost of the rental product. Lost, damaged and retired rental product is also charged to cost of sales. We make assumptions as to the number of times each unit can be rented. If the actual number of times a unit can be rented were to vary significantly from our estimates, it could materially affect the amount of rental product amortization included in cost of sales. Rental product is included in "Deferred income taxes and other assets"
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in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Purchases of rental product were $150.7 million, $103.3 million, and $37.3 million for fiscal 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Rental product as of January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2023 totaled $163.1 million and $90.9 million, representing 4.0% and 2.5% of total assets, respectively.
Impairment of Long-lived Assets
We review the carrying values of our definite-lived, long-lived assets whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. Events that result in an impairment review include plans to close a retail location, distribution or fulfillment center, a significant decrease in the operating results of a long-lived asset or significant adverse changes in the business climate. Our retail locations are reviewed for impairment at the retail location level, which is the lowest level at which individual cash flows can be identified. Newly opened retail locations may take time to generate positive operating and cash flow results. Factors such as store type (e.g., mall versus free-standing), location (e.g., urban area versus college campus or suburb), current marketplace awareness of our brands, local customer demographic data and current fashion trends are all considered in determining the time frame required for a retail location to achieve positive financial results. When events indicate that an asset may be impaired and the estimated undiscounted cash flows (based on forecasts of sales and gross profit) are less than the carrying amount of the asset, the impaired asset is adjusted to its estimated fair value and an impairment loss is recorded. The estimated fair value of the asset or asset group is based on future cash flows of the asset or asset group. For lease right-of-use assets, the Company determines the estimated fair value of the assets by comparing the discounted contractual rent payments to estimated market rent using an acceptable valuation methodology. During fiscal 2024, we recorded impairment charges for 15 retail locations, totaling $3.6 million, with a carrying value after impairment of $41.0 million related to the right-of-use assets. During fiscal 2023, we recorded impairment charges for 19 retail locations, totaling $6.4 million, with a carrying value after impairment of $49.0 million related to the right-of-use assets. Additionally, during fiscal 2024 we recorded an asset impairment charge of $6.4 million related to the write-off of "Property and Equipment, net" of the Nuuly Thrift marketplace which the Company has decided to wind down in fiscal 2025.
Leases
We have operating leases for stores, distribution and fulfillment centers, corporate offices and equipment that are recognized as right-of-use assets and lease liabilities. We sublease certain properties to third parties. We have elected not to record a lease liability and right-of-use asset for leases with original terms of 12 months or less. We have elected the practical expedient to not separate non-lease components from lease components as it pertains to real estate leases.
Store leases generally have initial lease terms that range from 5 to 15 years, some of which contain options to extend the lease for one or two 5-year periods. Payments related to a renewal period are included in the lease liability and right-of-use asset only when we are reasonably certain that we will exercise the option to renew the lease for an extended period of time. Certain leases may contain variable lease payments such as rent based on a percentage of net sales. Variable lease payments may be subject to a breakpoint threshold of fixed rent. Variable lease payments, other than those that depend on an index or a rate, are not included in the measurement of the lease liability. The lease liability is calculated at the present value of certain future payments, discounted using our incremental borrowing rate, which approximates the rate of interest we would pay to borrow an amount equal to the lease payments on a fully collateralized basis over a similar term. Significant judgment is used in determining the incremental borrowing rate related to estimates for credit rating, credit spread and the impact of collateral. We developed incremental borrowing rates at a lease portfolio level. The right-of-use asset is initially equal to the value of the lease liability less any amounts received from the landlord as incentives or tenant improvement allowances.
Accounting for Income Taxes
As part of the process of preparing our Consolidated Financial Statements, we are required to estimate our income taxes in each of the tax jurisdictions in which we operate. This process involves estimating our actual current tax obligations together with assessing temporary differences resulting from differing treatment of certain items for tax and accounting purposes, such as depreciation of property and equipment and valuation of inventories. These temporary differences result in deferred tax assets and liabilities, which are included within our Consolidated Balance Sheets. We then assess the likelihood that our deferred tax assets will be recovered from future taxable income. A valuation allowance is recognized if, based on the weight of available evidence, it is more-likely-than-not that some portion, or all, of the deferred tax asset will not be realized. In making such a determination, we consider all material available positive and negative evidence, including future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, projected future taxable income, tax-planning strategies and results of recent operations. Actual results could differ from this assessment if adequate taxable income is not generated in future periods. Net deferred tax assets as of January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2023 totaled $46.2million and $70.9 million, respectively, representing 1.1% and 1.9% of total assets, respectively.
To the extent we believe that recovery of a deferred tax asset is at risk, we establish valuation allowances. To the extent we establish valuation allowances or increase the allowances in a period, we record additional income tax expense in the Consolidated Statements of Income. Valuation allowances were $32.0million as of January 31, 2024 and $33.1 million as of January 31, 2023. Valuation allowances are based on evidence of our ability to generate sufficient taxable income in certain foreign and state jurisdictions.
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In the future, if enough evidence of our ability to generate sufficient future taxable income in these jurisdictions becomes apparent, we would be required to reduce our valuation allowances, resulting in a reduction in “Income tax expense” in the Consolidated Statements of Income. On a quarterly basis, management evaluates the likelihood that we will realize the deferred tax assets and adjusts the valuation allowances, if appropriate.
We record uncertain tax positions on the basis of a two-step process whereby (1) we determine whether it is more-likely-than-not that the tax positions will be sustained on the basis of the technical merits of the position and (2) for those tax positions that meet the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold, we recognize the largest amount of tax benefit that is more than 50% likely to be realized upon ultimate settlement with the related tax authority.
Our tax liability for uncertain tax positions contains uncertainties because we are required to make assumptions and to apply judgment to estimate the exposures associated with our various filing positions. Although we believe that the judgments and estimates discussed herein are reasonable, actual results may differ, and we may be exposed to income tax expenses or benefits that could be material.
We consider certain earnings of non-U.S. subsidiaries to be indefinitely invested outside the United States on the basis of estimates that future United States cash generation will be sufficient to meet future United States cash needs and our specific plans for reinvestment of those subsidiaries’ earnings. Should we decide to repatriate the foreign earnings, we would need to adjust our income tax provision in the period we determined that the earnings will no longer be indefinitely invested outside the United States.
Accounting for Contingencies
From time to time, we are named as a defendant in legal actions arising from our normal business activities. We are required to record a reserve for estimated losses when information available prior to issuance of our financial statements indicates that it is probable that a liability has been incurred at the date of the financial statements and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. Accounting for contingencies arising from contractual disputes or legal proceedings requires management to use its best judgment when estimating an accrual related to such contingencies. As additional information becomes known, our reserves for loss contingencies could fluctuate, thereby creating variability in our results of operations from period to period. Likewise, an actual loss arising from a loss contingency which significantly exceeds our reserve could have a material adverse impact on our operating results for the period in which such actual loss becomes known. We believe that our reserves adequately reflect the anticipated final outcome of any matter currently pending against us and the ultimate settlement of such matters will not materially affect our financial position or results of operations.
Share-Based Compensation
Accounting for share-based compensation requires measurement of compensation cost for all share-based awards at fair value on the date of grant and recognition of compensation over the service period. The fair value of the performance stock units and restricted stock units granted during fiscal 2024, 2023 and 2022 equaled the stock price on the date of the grant. Additionally, we make certain estimates about the number of awards that will become vested under performance-based incentive plans. We record expense for performance-based awards based on our current expectations of the probable number of awards that will ultimately vest. The estimation of awards that will ultimately vest requires judgment, and to the extent actual results or updated estimates differ from our current estimates, such amounts will be recorded as a cumulative adjustment in the period estimates are revised and could be materially different from share-based compensation expense recorded in prior periods. We elect to account for forfeitures as they occur rather than estimate the expected forfeitures.
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Results of Operations
As a Percentage of Net Sales
The tables below set forth, for the periods indicated, the results of operations and the percentage of our net sales represented by certain statement of operations data. The tables should be read in conjunction with the discussions that follow.
(amounts in millions)
Fiscal Year EndedJanuary 31,
Store impairment and lease abandonment charges (1) 11.9 6.4 —
Asset impairment (2) 6.4 — —
Interest expense (7.7 ) (1.3 ) (1.1 )
Other expense (4.1 ) (6.0 ) (5.2 )
AS A PERCENTAGE OF NET SALES
Store impairment and lease abandonment charges (1) 0.2 0.1 —
Selling, general and administrative expenses 26.0 25.1 23.8
Asset impairment (2) 0.1 — —
Income from operations 7.2 4.7 9.0
Interest expense (0.2) (0.0) (0.0)
Other expense (0.1) (0.1) (0.2)
Income before income taxes 7.4 4.6 8.9
Period over Period Change:
Income from operations 63.2 % (44.5 )% n-m*
Net income 80.1 % (48.6 )% n-m*
(1)
During fiscal 2024, we recorded store impairment charges for 15 retail locations and lease abandonment charges for 2 retail locations, totaling $11.9 million. During fiscal 2023, we recorded store impairment charges for 19 retail locations, totaling $6.4 million.
(2)
During fiscal 2024, we recorded a charge of $6.4 million related to the write-off of "Property and equipment, net" of the Nuuly Thrift marketplace which the Company has decided to wind down in fiscal 2025.
* Not meaningful.
Fiscal 2024 Compared to Fiscal 2023
Net sales in fiscal 2024 increased by 7.5% to $5.15 billion, from $4.80 billion in fiscal 2023. The $358.0 million increase was attributable to a $263.4 million, or 6.0%, increase in Retail segment net sales and an increase in Nuuly segment net sales of $106.2 million, or 81.9%, partially offset by a $11.6 million, or 4.6%, decrease in Wholesale segment net sales.
The increase in our Retail segment net sales during fiscal 2024 was due to an increase of $214.7 million, or 5.0%, in Retail segment comparable net sales and an increase of $48.7 million in non-comparable net sales. Retail segment comparable net sales increased 21.4%
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at Free People and 12.3% at Anthropologie and decreased 13.8% at Urban Outfitters. Retail segment comparable net sales increased in North America and decreased in Europe. The overall increase in Retail segment comparable net sales was driven by mid single-digit positive growth in both digital channel sales and retail store sales. The digital channel net sales increase was driven by increases in sessions and average order value, while conversion rate and units per transaction decreased. Comparable store net sales increased as a result of higher store traffic, average unit retail price and an increase in transactions, which were partially offset by decreases in conversion rate and units per transaction. The increase in non-comparable net sales during fiscal 2024 was due to the impact of the 24 net new Company-owned stores and restaurants opened since the prior comparable period and the positive impact of foreign currency translation.
The increase in Nuuly segment net sales was primarily driven by an 81.6% increase in average active subscribers in the current year versus the prior year period. The decrease in Wholesale segment net sales in fiscal 2024 as compared to fiscal 2023 was driven by an $11.1 million, or 4.8%, decrease in Free People wholesale sales primarily due to decreases in sales to department stores and closeout account partners.
Gross profit percentage for fiscal 2024 increased to 33.3% of net sales, from 29.8% of net sales in fiscal 2023. Gross profit increased to $1.72 billion for fiscal 2024 from $1.43 billion in fiscal 2023. The increase in gross profit rate was primarily due to higher initial merchandise markups and lower merchandise markdowns in the Retail segment at Anthropologie, Free People and Urban Outfitters. The improvement in initial merchandise markups was primarily driven by lower inbound transportation costs. The increase in gross profit dollars was due to the improved gross profit rate and higher net sales. Additionally, the Company recorded $11.9 million of store impairment and lease abandonment charges during fiscal 2024, and $6.4 million of store impairment charges during fiscal 2023.
Total inventory at January 31, 2024 decreased by $37.3 million, or 6.3%, to $550.2 million from $587.5 million at January 31, 2023. Total Retail segment inventory decreased by 4.6%, with Retail segment comparable inventory decreasing by 1.9%. Wholesale segment inventory decreased by 22.0% due to improved inventory control.
Selling, general and administrative expenses increased by $138.6 million, or 11.5%, compared to the prior year’s comparable period, and expressed as a percentage of net sales, deleveraged 95 basis points. The deleverage in selling, general and administrative expenses as a rate to sales was primarily related to increased marketing and creative expenses to support increased sales and customer growth and higher incentive-based compensation costs due to improved Company performance. The dollar growth in selling, general and administrative expenses was primarily related to increased marketing and creative expenses to support increased sales and customer growth, increased store payroll expenses to support retail store comparable net sales growth and the net growth in retail store count and higher incentive-based compensation costs due to improved Company performance. Additionally, during fiscal 2024, the Company recorded an asset impairment charge of $6.4 million related to the write-off of "Property and equipment, net" of the Nuuly Thrift marketplace which the Company has decided to wind down in fiscal 2025.
Income from operations for fiscal 2024 was 7.2% of net sales, or $369.8 million, compared to 4.7% of net sales, or $226.6 million, for fiscal 2023. The increase in operating income dollars was primarily driven by the increase in gross profit. The increase in operating income rate was primarily due to the higher gross profit rate.
Our effective tax rate for fiscal 2024 was 24.6% compared to 27.8% in fiscal 2023. See Note 10, “Income Taxes,” in the Notes to our Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, for a reconciliation of the statutory U.S. federal income tax rate to our effective tax rate.
Fiscal 2023 Compared to Fiscal 2022
Net sales in fiscal 2023 increased by 5.4% to $4.80 billion, from $4.55 billion in fiscal 2022. The $246.5 million increase was attributable to a $166.7 million, or 3.9%, increase in Retail segment net sales and an increase in Nuuly segment net sales of $81.9 million, or 171.6%, partially offset by a $2.1 million, or 0.8%, decrease in Wholesale segment net sales.
The increase in our Retail segment net sales during fiscal 2023 was due to an increase of $171.4 million, or 4.2%, in Retail segment comparable net sales, partially offset by a decrease of $4.7 million in non-comparable net sales. Retail segment comparable net sales increased 11.5% at Free People and 11.3% at Anthropologie and decreased 7.1% at Urban Outfitters. Retail segment comparable net sales increased in North America and Europe. The relative proportion of Retail segment sales attributable to store and digital channels changed in large part due to the temporary global store closures and occupancy restrictions during fiscal 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With those restrictions lifted in fiscal 2023, Retail segment comparable net sales increased due to high single-digit growth in retail store sales driven by higher traffic and transactions as well as an increase in average unit selling price, partially offset by a decrease in units per transaction and a decrease in conversion rate. The increase in digital channel net sales was low single-digit positive as an increase in average order value was offset by decreases in sessions, units per transaction and conversion rate. The decrease in
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non-comparable net sales during fiscal 2023 was due to the negative impact of foreign currency translation, partially offset by the 56 net new Company-owned stores and restaurants opened since the prior comparable period.
The increase in Nuuly segment net sales was primarily driven by a 177.5% increase in average active subscribers in fiscal 2023 versus fiscal 2022. The decrease in Wholesale segment net sales in fiscal 2023 as compared to fiscal 2022 was primarily due to a $3.0 million, or 1.3%, decrease in Free People wholesale sales, which was primarily driven by a decrease in sales to department stores, partially offset by an increase in sales to specialty accounts. Urban Outfitters wholesale sales increased by $0.9 million.
Gross profit percentage for fiscal 2023 decreased to 29.8% of net sales, from 32.8% of net sales in fiscal 2022. Gross profit decreased to $1.43 billion for fiscal 2023 from $1.49 billion in fiscal 2022. The decrease in gross profit rate and dollars was primarily due to higher markdowns by the Urban Outfitters and Free People brands in the Retail segment as compared to record low markdown rates in the prior year. Additionally, during fiscal 2023, the Company recorded a $6.4 million store impairment charge.
Total inventory at January 31, 2023 increased by $17.8 million, or 3.1%, to $587.5 million from $569.7 million at January 31, 2022. Total Retail segment inventory increased by 4.4% and Wholesale segment inventory decreased by 7.3%.
Selling, general and administrative expenses increased by $115.2 million, or 10.6%, compared to the prior year’s comparable period, and expressed as a percentage of net sales, deleveraged 118 basis points. The deleverage in selling, general and administrative expenses as a rate to sales and growth in selling, general and administrative expenses in dollars was primarily related to higher store payroll primarily due to increased store associate hours to support increased customer traffic and higher average wages in order to attract and retain employees. Additionally, marketing expenses increased to support sales and customer growth.
Income from operations for fiscal 2023 was 4.7% of net sales, or $226.6 million, compared to 9.0% of net sales, or $408.6 million, for fiscal 2022. The decrease in dollars was primarily due to the increase in selling, general and administrative expenses and the decrease in gross profit margin noted above. The decrease in operating income rate was primarily due to lower gross profit rate and a deleverage in selling, general and administrative expenses during fiscal 2023.
Our effective tax rate for fiscal 2023 was 27.8% compared to 23.2% in fiscal 2022. See Note 10, “Income Taxes,” in the Notes to our Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, for a reconciliation of the statutory U.S. federal income tax rate to our effective tax rate.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
The following tables set forth certain balance sheet and cash flow data for the periods indicated. These tables should be read in conjunction with the discussion that follows:
(amounts in millions)
January 31,
Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities $ 779.2 $ 485.5 $ 669.6
Fiscal Year Ended
January 31,
Net cash provided by operating activities $ 509.4 $ 142.7 $ 359.3
Net cash used in investing activities (521.6 ) (32.0 ) (487.7 )
Net cash used in financing activities (12.1 ) (118.4 ) (60.3 )
The decrease in working capital at January 31, 2024, as compared to January 31, 2023, and January 31, 2022, was primarily due to the timing of disbursements and the decrease in inventory, partially offset by the net increase in cash, cash equivalents and current marketable securities.
During the last three years, we have satisfied our cash requirements primarily through our cash flow from operating activities, and additionally, during fiscal 2023, through the sales and maturities of marketable securities. Our primary uses of cash have been to fund business operations, purchase inventory and rental product, expand and improve our fulfillment centers, open new stores and repurchase our common shares.
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Cash Flows from Operating Activities
For all periods, our major source of cash from operations was merchandise sales and our primary outflow of cash from operations was for the payment of operational costs. The increase in cash flows from operations for fiscal 2024 compared to fiscal 2023 was primarily due to higher net income, the timing of disbursements and lower inventory purchases in fiscal 2024. The decrease in cash flows from operations for fiscal 2023 compared to fiscal 2022 was primarily due to lower net income and an investment in additional Nuuly rental product to support the growth in the business.
Cash Flows from Investing Activities
For all periods, cash used in investing activities was primarily related to the purchases of marketable securities and property and equipment, partially offset by the sales and maturities of marketable securities. Cash paid for property and equipment for fiscal 2024, 2023 and 2022 was $199.6 million, $199.5 million and $262.4 million, respectively, which was primarily used to expand our fulfillment center network in all fiscal years.
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Cash used in financing activities in fiscal 2024 was primarily related to repurchases of our common shares from employees to meet payroll tax withholding requirements on vested share-based awards. Cash used in financing activities in 2023 and 2022 was primarily related to $112.0 million and $55.8 million, respectively, of repurchases of our common shares under our share repurchase programs during each of those years.
Credit Facilities
See Note 8, "Debt," in the Notes to our Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for certain financial information regarding the Company's debt.
Capital and Operating Expenditures
During fiscal 2025, we plan to open approximately 58 new Company-owned retail locations, expand or relocate certain existing retail locations, complete construction on an additional Nuuly fulfillment center in Raymore, Missouri in response to the growth in the number of Nuuly subscribers, invest in new products, markets and brands, purchase inventory and rental product for our operating segments at levels appropriate to maintain our planned sales, upgrade our systems, improve and expand our digital capabilities and invest in omni-channel marketing when appropriate. We may also repurchase our common shares. We believe that our new brand initiatives, new store openings, merchandise expansion programs, international growth opportunities and our marketing, social media, website and mobile initiatives are significant contributors to our sales. During fiscal 2025, we plan to continue our investment in these initiatives for all brands. We anticipate our capital expenditures during fiscal 2025 to be approximately $210 million, primarily to support new store openings and new and expanded fulfillment and distribution centers. All fiscal 2025 capital expenditures are expected to be financed by cash flow from operating activities and existing cash and cash equivalents. We believe that our new store investments generally have the potential to generate positive cash flow within a year. We may also enter into one or more acquisitions or transactions related to the expansion of our brand offerings, including additional franchise and joint venture agreements. We believe that our existing cash and cash equivalents, availability under our current credit facilities and future cash flows provided by operations will be sufficient to fund these initiatives.
Share Repurchases
See Note 12, “Shareholders’ Equity,” in the Notes to our Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for certain financial information regarding the Company’s share repurchases.
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Contractual Obligations
The following table summarizes our contractual obligations as of January 31, 2024:
Payments Due by Period(in thousands)
Description TotalObligations Less ThanOneYear More ThanOneYear
(1)
Refer to Note 9, “Leases,” in the Notes to our Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
(2)
Refer to Note 15, “Commitments and Contingencies,” in the Notes to our Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
(3)
Represents one-time transition tax payable related to cash taxes payable in future years as a result of the Tax Act. Excluded from the above table are tax contingencies of $24,876because we cannot reasonably estimate in which future periods these amounts will ultimately be settled. As a result, the $24,876 liability was classified as a non-current liability in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets as of January 31, 2024.
(4)
Refer to Note 10, "Income Taxes," in the Notes to our Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
(5)
Refer to Note 15, “Commitments and Contingencies,” in the Notes to our Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Commercial Commitments
The following table summarizes our commercial commitments as of January 31, 2024:
Amount of Commitment Per Period(in thousands)
Description TotalAmountsCommitted Less ThanOneYear More ThanOneYear
(1)
Consists primarily of outstanding letter of credit commitments in connection with import inventory purchases. Refer to Note 15, “Commitments and Contingencies,” in the Notes to our Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
(2)
Consists primarily of stand-by letters of credit for customs, construction, lease guarantees and insurance. Refer to Note 8, “Debt,” in the Notes to our Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Other Matters
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
See Note 2, “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies—Recent Accounting Pronouncements,” in the Notes to our Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a description of recently adopted and issued accounting pronouncements.
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Seasonality
Our business experiences seasonal fluctuations in net sales and net income, with a more significant portion of net sales typically realized in the second half of each year predominantly due to the year-end holiday period. Historically, and consistent with the retail industry, the seasonality also impacts our working capital requirements, particularly with regard to inventory.
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
We are exposed to the following types of market risks—fluctuations in the purchase price of merchandise, as well as other goods and services, the value of foreign currencies in relation to the U.S. dollar and changes in interest rates. Due to our inventory turnover rate and our historical ability to pass through the impact of any generalized changes in our cost of goods to our customers through pricing adjustments, commodity and other product risks are not expected to be material. We purchase the majority of our merchandise in U.S. dollars, including a majority of the goods for our stores located in Canada and a portion of the goods for our stores located in Europe.
Our exposure to market risk for changes in foreign currencies is due to our financial statements being presented in U.S. dollars and our international subsidiaries transacting in currencies other than U.S. dollars. Fluctuations in exchange rates in effect during or at the end of the reporting period may affect the value of the reported amounts of revenues, expenses, assets and liabilities. As we expand our international operations, the potential impact of currency fluctuations increases.
Our exposure to market risk for changes in interest rates relates to our cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities and the Credit Facility. As of January 31, 2024 and 2023, our cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities consisted primarily of cash on hand and in banks, money market accounts, municipal and pre-refunded municipal bonds rated “BBB” or better, corporate bonds rated “BBB” or better, certificates of deposit and mutual funds. Due to the short average maturity and conservative nature of our investment portfolio, we believe a 100 basis point change in interest rates would not have a material effect on the Consolidated Financial Statements. As the interest rates on a material portion of our cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities are variable, a change in interest rates earned on the cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities would impact interest income along with cash flows, but would not impact the fair market value of the related underlying instruments.
We are exposed to market risks relating to changes in interest rates on outstanding borrowings under our Credit Facility because these borrowings bear interest at variable rates. A 100 basis point change in our applicable interest rate would not have a material impact to interest expense for the year ended January 31, 2024.
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
The information required by this Item is incorporated by reference from Item 7: Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Seasonality and from our Consolidated Financial Statements and related notes thereto.
Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
None.
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Based on this review, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of January 31, 2024.
Management’s Annual Report on Internal Controls Over Financial Reporting
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as defined in the Securities Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(f). Our system of internal control is designed to provide reasonable, not absolute, assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, we conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our system of internal control over financial reporting based on the framework in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued in 2013 by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Based on this evaluation, our management concluded that the Company’s internal control over financial reporting was effective as of January 31, 2024.
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The effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of January 31, 2024 was audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report that is included within this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
There have been no changes in our internal controls over financial reporting during the fiscal quarter ended January 31, 2024 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal controls over financial reporting.
Item 9B. Other Information
During the fiscal quarter ended January 31, 2024, no director or officer of the Company adopted or terminated a "Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement" or a "non-Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement," as each term is defined in Item 408(a) of Regulation S-K.
34
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the shareholders and the Board of Directors of Urban Outfitters, Inc.
Opinion on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
We have audited the internal control over financial reporting of Urban Outfitters, Inc. and subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of January 31, 2024, based on criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). In our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of January 31, 2024, based on criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013) issued by COSO.
We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the consolidated balance sheet of the Company as of January 31, 2024, and the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, shareholders' equity, and cash flows for the year ended January 31, 2024, and our report dated April 1, 2024, expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial statements.
Basis for Opinion
The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management's Annual Report on Internal Controls over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
Definition and Limitations of Internal Control over Financial Reporting
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
April 1, 2024
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PART III
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
The following table sets forth the name, age and position of each of our executive officers and directors:
Name Age Position
Richard A. Hayne 76 Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
Melanie Marein-Efron 54 Chief Financial Officer
Francis J. Conforti 48 Co-President and Chief Operating Officer, URBN
Azeez Hayne 47 Chief Administrative Officer, URBN
Edward N. Antoian (1) 68 Director
Kelly Campbell (2) 46 Director
Harry S. Cherken, Jr. 74 Director
Mary C. Egan (3) 56 Director
Amin N. Maredia (2)(3) 51 Director
Wesley McDonald (1)(2) 61 Director
Todd R. Morgenfeld (1)(2) 52 Director
John C. Mulliken (3) 51 Director
(1)
Member of the Audit Committee.
(2)
Member of the Compensation and Leadership Development Committee.
(3)
Member of the Nominating and Governance Committee.
Mr. R. Hayne co-founded Urban Outfitters in 1970. He has been Chairman of the Board of Directors since the Company’s incorporation in 1976 and, until February 2016, also served as the Company’s President. Mr. R. Hayne served as the Company’s principal executive officer until 2007 and again beginning in January 2012. Margaret A. Hayne, Co-President and Chief Creative Officer of the Company, is Mr. R. Hayne’s spouse. Azeez Hayne, Chief Administrative Officer of the Company, is Mr. R. Hayne’s nephew. Mr. R. Hayne’s long tenure leading the Company as Chairman of the Board of Directors, his tenure as principal executive officer and his exceptional leadership skills make him uniquely qualified to serve as a director.
Ms. Marein-Efron joined the Company in January 2013 as Director of Financial, Planning & Analysis, was subsequently promoted to Executive Director Finance & Corporate Development, and in November 2020 was promoted to Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining the Company, Ms. Marein-Efron worked at Campbell Soup Company, Godiva Chocolate and General Motors in various senior finance roles. She began her career at Arthur Andersen in 1991 in the financial advisory consulting practice. Ms. Marein-Efron has served on the board of directors of Bloomin' Brands (NASDAQ: BLMN) since August 2022. Ms. Marein-Efron holds a B.S. in Economics and M.B.A in Finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Mr. Conforti joined the Company in March 2007 as Director of Finance and SEC Reporting. After being promoted to Controller and then to Chief Accounting Officer, he was appointed Chief Financial Officer in April 2012, and Co-President and Chief Operating Officer in October 2020. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Conforti, a Certified Public Accountant, worked for AlliedBarton Security Services, LLC for five years, serving as Controller for three years. Mr. Conforti began his career at KPMG in 1998 where he held various audit roles.
Ms. Harrington has served as Chief Executive Officer of the Urban Outfitters Group since January 2021 and as Chief Executive Officer of the Free People Group since October 2020. Prior to that, Ms. Harrington served as President of the Free People Group beginning in August 2016 and Chief Merchandising Officer of the Free People Group from February 2015 to August 2016 and Merchandise Director of the Free People Group from March 2010 to February 2015. Ms. Harrington joined the Free People brand in 2002 to help launch the first store. Prior to joining Free People, Ms. Harrington spent time within the merchant organizations of Bloomingdales and The Gap. Ms. Harrington has a BS in Psychology from Queen’s University.
Mr. A. Hayne joined the Company in February 2015 as Associate General Counsel and was appointed General Counsel and Corporate Secretary in June 2015, and Chief Administrative Officer in October 2020. Before joining the Company, Mr. A. Hayne worked for Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP, serving as a partner in their Labor & Employment Practice Group from October 2010 through January 2015. After graduating from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2001, Mr. A. Hayne began his legal career in Pepper Hamilton LLP’s Commercial Litigation department before moving to Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP in July 2003. Richard A. Hayne, the Company’s current Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, is Mr. A. Hayne’s uncle, and Margaret A. Hayne, the Company’s current Co-President and Chief Creative Officer, is Mr. A. Hayne’s aunt.
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Ms. Hayne joined the Company in August 1982. She is an over 40-year veteran of the retail and wholesale industry. She has served as Co-President of the Company since October 2020 and as Chief Creative Officer of the Company since November 2013. Ms. Hayne previously served as Chief Executive Officer of Free People from August 2015 until October 2020 and President of Free People from March 2007 until August 2016. Richard A. Hayne, the Company’s current Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, is Ms. Hayne’s spouse. Azeez Hayne, Chief Administrative Officer of the Company, is Ms. Hayne’s nephew. As an employee of the Company for over 40 years and a director since 2013, Ms. Hayne brings a wealth of both Company-specific and industry-wide knowledge and experience to the Board of Directors.
Ms. Smith joined the Company in April 2021 as the Global Chief Executive Officer of the Anthropologie Group. Prior to joining the Company, she was the Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer at Tilly’s from October 2019 through April 2021. Ms. Smith began her career on the sales floor at Nordstrom in Southern California that eventually led her to the role of Executive Vice President & General Merchandise Manager of Women’s, Young Contemporary, Designer, and Specialized Apparel, which she held from October 2016 to September 2019, and was an instrumental leader for a variety of significant merchandise management roles over her 25 year career.
Mr. Antoian has served as Principal, Senior Strategic Advisor with Sequoia Financial Group, a financial advisory firm since March 2023. From March 2019 to February 2023, Mr. Antoian was a partner at Zeke Capital Advisors. From 1997 until March 2019, Mr. Antoian was a partner and Senior Portfolio Manager at Chartwell Investment Partners. Prior to that, Mr. Antoian worked at Delaware Management Co. as a Senior Portfolio Manager and at E.F. Hutton in Institutional Sales and as a certified public accountant for Price Waterhouse. Mr. Antoian holds an MBA in Finance and has financial and investment experience as a result of his experience as a CFA, CPA, financial advisor and portfolio manager. Mr. Antoian serves as a director of a not-for-profit entity and three private companies. As an independent director, Mr. Antoian brings his in-depth understanding of, and expertise in, finance and accounting to the Board of Directors.
Ms. Campbell has served as President of Peacock, NBCUniversal’s streaming service, since November 1, 2021. Prior to joining Peacock, Ms. Campbell served as President of Hulu from February 2020 to October 2021 and as Chief Marketing Officer of Hulu from August 2017 to February 2020. From 2005 to 2017, Ms. Campbell held a variety of roles at Google across the Google Ads and Google Cloud businesses. Ms. Campbell brings a wealth of knowledge and experience about marketing and subscription businesses to the Board of Directors.
Mr. Cherken retired from the law firm of Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on December 31, 2022. Mr. Cherken was a partner of that firm from November 1984 to January 2020 and Senior Counsel from January 2020 to December 2022. Mr. Cherken also formerly served as managing partner of the firm and as either Chair or Co-Chair of its Real Estate Group for 18 years. As a real estate lawyer for over 45 years representing public and private companies in the acquisition, construction, development, financing, leasing, management, consolidation and disposition of commercial real estate, he has extensive experience with various types of real estate transactions and retail leases, including negotiating real estate transactions and leases on behalf of the Company nearly from its inception. He also holds a Masters in Liberal Arts degree and serves as a trustee of various not-for-profit entities and academic institutions. In 2021, Mr. Cherken was appointed Honorary Consul for Philadelphia of the Republic of Armenia.
Ms. Egan has been advising consumer brand, primarily high growth private equity and venture-capital backed, companies since 2018, currently as principal of Egan Advisory Group. In 2013, Ms. Egan founded Gatheredtable, a consumer software as a service company offering customized meal planning, and served as its Chief Executive Officer until Gatheredtable was sold to a strategic buyer in 2018. From 2010 to 2012, Ms. Egan served as head of global strategy and corporate development for Starbucks Corporation and in 2012 led Starbucks’ food category in the Americas. From 1996 to 2010, Ms. Egan was a management consultant and Managing Director at The Boston Consulting Group, where she partnered with several leading consumer and retail brands to develop and successfully implement aggressive growth strategies. Ms. Egan previously served as a director of American Campus Communities (ACC) from 2018 until the company was purchased by Blackstone in 2022; she presently serves as a director of Noodles & Company (NDLS). Ms. Egan’s decades of experience partnering with management teams to develop and implement consumer-centric strategies for high growth omni-channel consumer brands, as well as working extensively with founders and entrepreneurs, gives her a unique set of skills to contribute to the Board of Directors.
Mr. Maredia is a Co-founder of, and Managing Partner at Meaningful Partners, a consumer fund that invests in purpose-driven and highly consumer relevant growth businesses. Prior to co-founding Meaningful Partners in 2018, Mr. Maredia served as the Chief Executive Officer of Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc (“Sprouts”), the second largest healthy grocer in the United States, from 2015 to 2018 and also served as Chief Financial Officer from 2011 to 2015. Before Sprouts, Mr. Maredia served in key global strategic roles at Burger King Corporation including strategy, global business development and finance. Mr. Maredia attended the Harvard Business School management program and has an undergraduate degree in Accounting from the University of Houston. Mr. Maredia’s in-depth experience in the consumer sector, including high growth omni-channel businesses, as well as his public company experience as Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and board member brings valuable expertise to serve as a director.
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Mr. McDonald has been retired since 2017. Previously, he served as Chief Financial Officer of Kohl’s Corporation from 2003 to 2017. Before joining Kohl’s, Mr. McDonald served as Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Earlier in his career, he held several positions of increasing responsibility at Target Corporation. Mr. McDonald currently serves as a director of Wingstop Inc., which operates and franchises over 2,000 restaurants worldwide, and he previously served as a director of The Children’s Place, Inc. from 2023 to 2024, an omni-channel clothing retailer with approximately 500 stores. Mr. McDonald’s experience as a chief financial officer and in other senior executive leadership roles working with publicly traded consumer products companies provides him with a distinctive set of qualifications and skills to serve as a director.
Mr. Morgenfeld was most recently the Chief Financial Officer and Head of Business Operations of Pinterest, Inc., a position he held from 2019 to 2023. On February 1, 2023, Mr. Morgenfeld announced his plan to step down from his position at Pinterest, Inc., effective as of July 1, 2023. From 2016 to 2019, he served as Chief Financial Officer of Pinterest, Inc. Before joining Pinterest, Mr. Morgenfeld served as Vice President of Finance at Twitter from 2015 to 2016 and Treasurer and Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and Corporate Financial Analytics for Hewlett-Packard Company from 2013 to 2015. Prior to his role at Hewlett-Packard, Mr. Morgenfeld was an investment partner at Silver Lake Partners from 2004 to 2013. Mr. Morgenfeld graduated first in his class from the United States Military Academy and also holds an MBA degree from Stanford University. Mr. Morgenfeld also serves on the board of directors of AppLovin Corporation, a public company delivering a software platform for mobile application developers to improve the marketing and monetization of their products. His significant finance and consumer internet experience provides valuable expertise to the Board of Directors.
Mr. Mulliken currently serves as a Senior Advisor with The Boston Consulting Group (“BCG”), a global management consulting firm where Mr. Mulliken previously served as a management consultant on topics of retail, consumer goods and technology, and a frequent advisor to high growth technology companies. Prior to re-joining BCG in 2020, Mr. Mulliken served on the executive team at Wayfair Inc. for a decade, serving as Chief Technology Officer and Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives. Mr. Mulliken founded and led several lifestyle brands including Joss & Main and Birch Lane. He also led the acquisition and integration of DwellStudio as well as the ground-up creation of a proprietary ad tech business and tech stack. Mr. Mulliken previously served as the Chief Integrated Product Officer at IndigoAg, an agricultural technology company. Mr. Mulliken also serves on the board at Bombas, a direct-to-consumer apparel company. Mr. Mulliken has a 25-year track record of leading innovation and growth as a technology executive and management consultant. Mr. Mulliken earned his undergraduate degree in Mathematics from Reed College and his MBA in Corporate Finance from London Business School. Mr. Mulliken’s decades of experience in ecommerce and multichannel retail as Chief Technology Officer and member of the executive team of a publicly traded company, as well as a strategy consultant and independent director, provides him valuable perspective as a director.
Code of Conduct and Ethics
We have a written Code of Conduct and Ethics (the “Code”) that applies to our directors and employees, including our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer. The Code includes guidelines relating to compliance with laws, including anti-bribery and illegal payment laws, the ethical handling of actual or potential conflicts of interest, the use of corporate opportunities, protection and use of our confidential information, accepting gifts and business courtesies, accurate financial reporting and procedures for promoting compliance with, and reporting violations of, the Code. The Code is available on our website at www.urbn.com. We intend to post any amendments to the Code and also to disclose any waivers (to the extent applicable to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer or Principal Accounting Officer) on our website.
Other Information
Other information required by Item 10 relating to the Company’s directors is incorporated herein by reference from the Company’s Proxy Statement for the 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.
Item 11. Executive Compensation
Information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference from the Company’s Proxy Statement for the 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.
Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Shareholder Matters
Information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference from the Company’s Proxy Statement for the 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.
Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence
Information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference from the Company’s Proxy Statement for the 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.
38
Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services
Our independent registered public accounting firm is Deloitte & Touche LLP (PCAOB ID No. 34). Information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference from the Company’s Proxy Statement for the 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.
39
PART IV
Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules
(a) The following documents are filed as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K:
(1) Financial Statements
Consolidated Financial Statements filed herewith are listed in the accompanying index on page F-1.
(2) Financial Statement Schedule
None
All other schedules are omitted because they are not applicable or not required, or because the required information is included in the Consolidated Financial Statements or notes thereto.
(3) Exhibits
The Exhibits listed below are filed as part of, or incorporated by reference into, this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
ExhibitNumber Description
40
ExhibitNumber Description
19.1* Urban Outfitters, Inc. Insider Trading Policy
21.1* List of Subsidiaries.
23.1* Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.
41
ExhibitNumber Description
32.1** Section 1350 Certification of the Company’s Principal Executive Officer.
32.2** Section 1350 Certification of the Company’s Principal Financial Officer.
97.1* Urban Outfitters, Inc. Compensation Recovery Policy
101.INS* Inline XBRL Instance Document
101.SCH* Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema With Embedded Linkbase Documents
* Filed herewith
** Furnished herewith
+ Compensatory plan
P Paper filing
Item 16. Form 10-K Summary
None.
42
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
URBAN OUTFITTERS, INC.
April 1, 2024 By: /s/ RICHARD A. HAYNE
Richard A. Hayne
Chief Executive Officer(Principal Executive Officer)
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature Title Date
/ S / EDWARD N. ANTOIAN Edward N. Antoian Director April 1, 2024
/ S / MARY C. EGAN Mary C. Egan Director April 1, 2024
/ S / MARGARET A. HAYNE Margaret A. Hayne Director April 1, 2024
/ S / AMIN N. MAREDIA Amin N. Maredia Director April 1, 2024
/ S / WESLEY MCDONALD Wesley McDonald Director April 1, 2024
/ S / TODD R. MORGENFELD Todd R. Morgenfeld Director April 1, 2024
/ S / JOHN C. MULLIKEN John C. Mulliken Director April 1, 2024
43
URBAN OUTFITTERS, INC.
INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Page
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2023 F-4
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements F-9
F-1
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of Urban Outfitters, Inc.
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Urban Outfitters, Inc. and subsidiaries (the "Company") as of January 31, 2024 and 2023, the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, shareholders' equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended January 31, 2024, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the "financial statements"). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of January 31, 2024 and 2023, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended January 31, 2024, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of January 31, 2024, based on criteria established in lnternal Control - lntegrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission and our report dated April 1, 2024, expressed an unqualified opinion on the Company's internal control over financial reporting.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
Critical Audit Matter
The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current-period audit of the financial statements that was communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that (1) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which it relates.
Retail Location Asset Impairment — Refer to Note 2 to the financial statements
Critical Audit Matter Description
The Company evaluates retail location assets for impairment when events or changes in circumstances exist that may indicate that the carrying amounts of retail location assets may not be recoverable. Events that result in an impairment review include plans to close a retail location, a significant decrease in the operating results of the retail location or significant adverse changes in the business climate. When such events or changes in circumstances occur, the Company evaluates its retail location assets for impairment by comparing the undiscounted future cash flows expected to be generated by the location to the location assets’ carrying amount. If the carrying amount of the location assets exceed the estimated undiscounted future cash flows, an analysis is performed to estimate the fair value of the assets. An impairment charge is recorded if the fair value of the retail location assets is less than the carrying amount. Retail location asset impairment charges of $3.64 million are included in the Company's Store Impairment and Lease Abandonment Charges for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2024.
The Company makes significant assumptions to evaluate retail location assets for possible indications of impairment. When an
F-2
indication of impairment is identified, management makes significant assumptions to estimate cash flows from forecasts of sales and gross profit for retail locations and, when the carrying amount of the location assets exceed those cash flows, to determine the fair value of the Company’s lease right-of-use assets.
Given the Company’s evaluation of retail location asset impairment requires management to make significant assumptions, performing audit procedures to evaluate whether management appropriately identified events or changes in circumstances indicating that the carrying amounts of retail location assets may not be recoverable, and, when applicable, developed reasonable forecasts of sales and gross profit and fair value estimates for lease right-of-use assets, including the methodology applied and the measurement inputs of market rent, required a high degree of auditor judgment and an increased extent of effort, including the assistance of our fair value specialists.
How the Critical Audit Matter Was Addressed in the Audit
Our audit procedures to evaluate whether management appropriately identified events or changes in circumstances indicating that the carrying amounts of retail location assets may not be recoverable, and, when applicable, developed reasonable forecasts of sales and gross profit and determined fair value estimates for lease right-of-use assets, included the following, among others:
•
We tested the effectiveness of the controls over management’s identification of events or changes in circumstances that indicate that the carrying amounts of retail location assets may not be recoverable, the review of forecasts of sales and gross profit and the review of the methodology and the measurement inputs of market rent, underlying the fair value estimates for lease right-of-use assets.
•
We evaluated management’s impairment analysis by:
-
Testing retail location assets for possible indications of impairment, including searching for locations with a current period loss and a history of losses.
-
Evaluating whether the events or changes in circumstances that may have existed were identified by management, consistent with evidence obtained in other areas of the audit.
•
We evaluated management’s ability to accurately estimate cash flow from forecasts of sales and gross profit for retail locations and the reasonableness of the forecasts by comparing them to:
-
Historical sales and gross profit.
-
Internal communications to management and the board of directors.
-
External communications made by management to analysts and investors.
-
External information regarding retail industry growth and trends.
•
With the assistance of our fair value specialists, we evaluated the reasonableness of the valuation methodology applied and fair value determined for the lease right-of-use assets by:
-
Testing the methodology applied and measurement inputs of market rent, underlying the determination of the fair value and the mathematical accuracy of the calculation.
-
Developing a range of independent estimates and comparing those to the fair value determined by management.
/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
April 1, 2024
We have served as the Company's auditor since 2005.
F-3
URBAN OUTFITTERS, INC.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(in thousands, except share and per share data)
January 31, January 31,
ASSETS
Current assets:
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Current portion of operating lease liabilities 226,645 232,672
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 391,510 322,577
Non-current portion of operating lease liabilities 851,853 884,696
Commitments and contingencies (see Note 15)
Shareholders’ equity:
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (39,147 ) (48,635 )
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F-4
URBAN OUTFITTERS, INC.
Consolidated Statements of Income
(in thousands, except share and per share data)
Fiscal Year Ended January 31,
Store impairment and lease abandonment charges 11,875 6,417 —
Asset impairment 6,404 — —
Net income per common share:
Weighted-average common shares outstanding:
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F-5
URBAN OUTFITTERS, INC.
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income
(in thousands)
Fiscal Year Ended January 31,
Other comprehensive income (loss):
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F-6
URBAN OUTFITTERS, INC.
Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity
(in thousands, except share data)
Number ofShares ParValue
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F-7
URBAN OUTFITTERS, INC.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(in thousands)
Fiscal Year Ended January 31,
Cash flows from operating activities:
Provision (benefit) for deferred income taxes 24,711 (2,577 ) (2,695 )
Amortization of tax credit investment 15,906 — —
Store impairment and lease abandonment charges 11,875 6,417 —
Asset impairment 6,404 — —
Loss on disposition of property and equipment, net 309 982 1
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Cash flows from investing activities:
Initial cash payment for tax credit investment (20,000 ) — —
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from the exercise of share-based awards 594 376 3,290
Share repurchases related to share repurchase program — (112,016 ) (55,765 )
Tax credit investment liability payments (4,319 ) — —
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents 1,430 2,367 (450 )
Supplemental cash flow information:
Cash paid during the year for:
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F-8
URBAN OUTFITTERS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(in thousands, except share and per share data)
1. Nature of Business
Urban Outfitters, Inc. (the “Company” or “Urban Outfitters”), which was founded in 1970, was incorporated in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1976. The principal business activity of the Company is the operation of a general consumer product retail, wholesale and subscription business selling to customers through various channels including retail locations, websites, catalogs and mobile applications. As of January 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company operated 706 and 700 stores, respectively. Stores located in the United States totaled 580 as of January 31, 2024 and 575 as of January 31, 2023. Operations in Europe and Canada included 97 stores and 29 stores as of January 31, 2024, respectively, and 94 stores and 31 stores as of January 31, 2023, respectively. In addition, the Company’s Wholesale segment sold and distributed apparel to department and specialty stores worldwide, digital businesses and to the Company’s Retail segment. The Company’s Nuuly segment consists of the Nuuly brand, which is a monthly women’s apparel subscription rental service.
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Fiscal Year-End
The Company operates on a fiscal year ending January 31 of each year. All references to fiscal years of the Company refer to the fiscal years ended on January 31 in those years. For example, the Company’s fiscal 2024 ended on January 31, 2024.
Principles of Consolidation
The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of the Company and all of its subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated in consolidation.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”), requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, net sales and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents are defined as cash and short-term highly liquid investments with maturities of less than three months at the time of purchase. These short-term highly liquid investments are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates. As of January 31, 2024 and 2023, cash and cash equivalents included cash on hand, cash in banks, money market accounts and marketable securities with maturities of less than three months at the time of purchase.
Marketable Securities
All of the Company’s marketable securities as of January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2023 are classified as available-for-sale and are carried at fair value. Interest on these securities, as well as the amortization of discounts and premiums, is included in “Interest income” in the Consolidated Statements of Income. The Company records unrealized gains and losses on these securities (other than mutual funds held in the rabbi trust for the Urban Outfitters, Inc. Non-qualified Deferred Compensation Plan (See Note 4, “Marketable Securities”)) as a component of “Other comprehensive income (loss)” in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income and in “Accumulated other comprehensive loss” within “Shareholders’ equity” in the Consolidated Balance Sheets until realized, except when the Company considers declines in value to be other than temporary. Other than temporary impairment losses related to credit losses are considered to be realized losses. Mutual funds held in the rabbi trust have been accounted for under the fair value option, which results in all unrealized gains and losses being recorded in “Interest income” in the Consolidated Statements of Income. When available-for-sale securities are sold, the cost of the securities is specifically identified and is used to determine the realized gain or loss. Securities classified as current assets have maturity dates of less than or equal to one year from the balance sheet date. Securities classified as non-current assets have maturity dates greater than one year from the balance sheet date.
F-9
URBAN OUTFITTERS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)
(in thousands, except share and per share data)
Accounts Receivable
Accounts receivable primarily consists of amounts due from the Company’s wholesale customers as well as credit card receivables outstanding with third-party credit card vendors. The activity of the allowance for doubtful accounts for the years ended January 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 was as follows:
Balance atbeginning ofyear Additions Deductions Balance atend ofyear
Inventory
Inventory, which consists primarily of general consumer merchandise held for sale, is valued at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Cost is determined on the first-in, first-out method and includes the cost of merchandise and import-related costs, including freight, import duties and taxes and agent commissions. A periodic review of inventory is performed in order to determine if inventory is properly stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Factors the Company considers in its review, such as future expected consumer demand and fashion trends, current aging, current and anticipated retail markdowns or wholesale discounts and class or type of inventory, are analyzed to determine estimated net realizable value. Criteria that the Company considers in its review of aging trends include average selling cycle and seasonality of merchandise, the historical rate at which merchandise has sold below cost during the prior 12 months and the value and nature of merchandise currently held in inventory and priced below original cost. A provision is recorded to reduce the cost of inventory to its estimated net realizable value, if appropriate. The majority of inventory at January 31, 2024 and 2023 consisted of finished goods. Raw materials and work-in-process were not material to the overall inventory value.
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment are stated at cost and primarily consist of store leasehold improvements, furniture and fixtures, buildings and other operating equipment. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the lesser of the lease term or useful life for leasehold improvements, five years for furniture and fixtures, 39 years for buildings and three to 15 years for other operating equipment. Major renovations or improvements that extend the service lives of our assets are capitalized over the lesser of the extension period, life of the improvement, or the remaining term of the lease.
Rental Product
The cost of Nuuly Rent rental product is amortized to cost of sales over the subscription period based on the cost of each unit rented, which is estimated based on the number of times the unit is expected to be rented and the cost of the rental product. Lost, damaged and retired rental product is also charged to cost of sales. Purchases of rental product were $150,668, $103,260, and $37,315 for fiscal 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Impairment of Long-lived Assets
The Company reviews the carrying values of its definite-lived, long-lived assets whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. Events that result in an impairment review include plans to close a retail location, distribution or fulfillment center, a significant decrease in the operating results of a long-lived asset or significant adverse changes in the business climate. The Company’s retail locations are reviewed for impairment at the retail location level, which is the lowest level at which individual cash flows can be identified. Newly opened retail locations may take time to generate positive operating and cash flow results. Factors such as store type (e.g., mall versus free-standing), location (e.g., urban area versus college campus or suburb), current marketplace awareness of our brands, local customer demographic data and current fashion trends are all considered in determining the time frame required for a retail location to achieve positive financial results. When events indicate that an asset may be impaired and the estimated undiscounted cash flows (based on forecasts of sales and gross profit) are less than the carrying amount of the asset, the impaired asset is adjusted to its estimated fair value and an impairment loss is recorded. The estimated fair value of the asset or asset group is based on future cash flows of the asset or asset group. For lease right-of-use assets, the Company determines the estimated fair value of the assets by comparing the discounted contractual rent payments to estimated market rent using an acceptable valuation methodology. During fiscal 2024, the Company recorded impairment charges for 15 locations, totaling $3,644, with a carrying value after impairment of $41,046 related to the right-of-use assets. During fiscal 2023, the Company recorded impairment charges for 19 locations, totaling $6,417, with a carrying value after impairment of $48,970 related to the right-of-use assets. Additionally, during
F-10
URBAN OUTFITTERS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)
(in thousands, except share and per share data)
fiscal 2024 the Company recorded an asset impairment charge of $6,404 related to the write-off of "Property and Equipment, net" of the Nuuly Thrift marketplace.
Leases
The Company has operating leases for stores, distribution and fulfillment centers, corporate offices and equipment that are recognized as right-of-use assets and lease liabilities. The Company subleases certain properties to third parties. The Company has elected not to record a lease liability and right-of-use asset for leases with original terms of 12 months or less. The Company has elected the practical expedient to not separate non-lease components from lease components as it pertains to real estate leases.
Store leases generally have initial lease terms that range from 5 to 15 years, some of which contain options to extend the lease for one or two 5-year periods. Payments related to a renewal period are included in the lease liability and right-of-use asset only when the Company is reasonably certain that it will exercise the option to renew the lease for an extended period of time. Certain leases may contain variable lease payments such as rent based on a percentage of net sales. Variable lease payments may be subject to a breakpoint threshold of fixed rent. Variable lease payments, other than those that depend on an index or a rate, are not included in the measurement of the lease liability. The lease liability is calculated at the present value of certain future payments, discounted using the Company’s incremental borrowing rate, which approximates the rate of interest the Company would pay to borrow an amount equal to the lease payments on a fully collateralized basis over a similar term. Significant judgment is used in determining the incremental borrowing rate related to estimates for credit rating, credit spread and the impact of collateral. The Company developed incremental borrowing rates at a lease portfolio level. The right-of-use asset is initially equal to the value of the lease liability less any amounts received from the landlord as incentives or tenant improvement allowances.
Revenue Recognition
Merchandise: Merchandise is sold through retail stores, catalogs and the digital sales channel, as well as to wholesale customers, franchise partners and Nuuly customers. Revenue is recognized when control of the promised goods is transferred to the customer. The Company has elected to treat shipping and handling as fulfillment activities and not a separate performance obligation. Accordingly, the Company will recognize merchandise revenue for the Retail segment for its single performance obligation at the point of sale, when furniture is delivered or at the time of shipment for non-furniture merchandise, which is when transfer of control to the customer occurs. A Nuuly Rent customer may purchase merchandise in her possession that was included in the order that was delivered as part of the monthly subscription rental service. The Company recognizes merchandise revenue for Nuuly Rent for its single performance obligation when the customer purchases the merchandise through the website or mobile application. Revenue does not include taxes assessed by governmental authorities, including value-added and other sales-related taxes, that are imposed on and concurrent with revenue-producing activities. Revenue is recognized net of estimated customer returns. Retail segment return policies vary by brand, but generally provide for no time limit on returns and the refund to be issued in either the form of original payment or as a gift card. Uncollectible accounts receivable in the Retail and Nuuly segments primarily results from unauthorized credit card transactions. The Company maintains an allowance for doubtful accounts for its Wholesale segment accounts receivable, which management reviews on a regular basis and believes is sufficient to cover potential credit losses and billing adjustments. Payment terms in the Wholesale segment vary by customer.
Subscription Fees: Revenue for Nuuly Rent is primarily generated through monthly subscription fees. The monthly subscription rental fee is recognized over the monthly period over which the customer's monthly subscription fee pertains. The subscription automatically renews on a monthly basis until cancelled or paused by the customer at which point the customer will not be billed for future months until the subscription is no longer on hold.
Gift Cards: The Company accounts for a gift card transaction by recording a liability at the time the gift card is issued to the customer in exchange for consideration from the customer. At the time of issuance, the Company has an open performance obligation for the future delivery of promised goods or services. The liability remains outstanding until the card is redeemed by the customer, at which time the Company recognizes revenue. Over time, a portion of the outstanding gift cards will not be redeemed by the customer which we refer to as “breakage”. Revenue is recognized from breakage over time in proportion to gift card redemptions. Judgment is used in determining the amount of breakage revenue to be recognized and is based on historical gift card redemption patterns. Gift card breakage revenue is included in net sales and is not material. The Company’s gift cards do not expire.
Sales Return Reserve
The Company records a sales return reserve for estimated product returns where the sale has occurred during the period reported, but the return is likely to occur subsequent to the period reported. The reserve for estimated product returns is based on the Company’s
F-11
URBAN OUTFITTERS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)
(in thousands, except share and per share data)
most recent historical return trends. If the actual return rate is materially different than the Company’s estimate, sales returns would be adjusted in the future. The costs of returns are recorded as a current asset rather than net with the sales return reserve. As of January 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, the sales return reserve was $80,512, $70,147 and $69,817, respectively.
Cost of Sales
Cost of sales includes the following: the cost of merchandise; merchandise markdowns; obsolescence and shrink provisions; store and fulfillment center occupancy costs, including rent, depreciation, common area maintenance costs and real estate taxes; delivery expense; inbound and outbound freight; customs related taxes and duties; inventory acquisition and purchasing costs; design costs; warehousing and handling costs; the amortization of rental product; the net unamortized cost of rental product at time of purchase by a customer; and other inventory and rental product acquisition related costs.
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses
Selling, general and administrative expenses includes expenses such as direct selling and selling supervisory expenses; marketing and web creative expenses; various corporate expenses such as information technology, finance, loss prevention, talent acquisition, home office and executive management expenses; share-based compensation expense; and other associated general expenses.
Shipping and Handling Revenues and Costs
The Company includes shipping and handling revenues in net sales and shipping and handling costs in cost of sales. The Company’s shipping and handling revenues consist of amounts billed to customers for shipping and handling merchandise. Shipping and handling costs include shipping supplies, related labor costs and third-party shipping costs.
Advertising
The Company expenses the costs of advertising when the advertising occurs, except for certain digital channel advertising, which is capitalized and expensed when the catalog is mailed or the content is published on the Company’s websites and mobile applications. Advertising costs primarily relate to Retail segment marketing expenses which are comprised of web marketing, catalog printing, paper, postage and other costs related to production of photographic images used in the Company’s catalogs, websites, mobile applications and social media campaigns. If there is no expected future benefit, the cost of advertising is expensed when incurred. Advertising costs reported as prepaid expenses were $1,384 and $1,740 as of January 31, 2024, and 2023, respectively, and are included in “Prepaid expenses and other current assets” in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.Advertising expenses were $322,252, $279,174 and $254,073 for fiscal 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. In addition, the Company incurred web creative expenses of $79,684, $65,474 and $59,746 for fiscal 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Advertising expenses and web creative expenses are both included in “Selling, general and administrative expenses” in the Consolidated Statements of Income.
Store Opening Costs
The Company expenses all store opening and organization costs as incurred, including travel, training, recruiting, salaries and other operating costs, and all such costs are included in “Selling, general and administrative expenses” in the Consolidated Statements of Income.
Website Development Costs
The Company capitalizes applicable costs incurred during the application and infrastructure development stage and expenses costs incurred during the planning and operating stage. During fiscal 2024, 2023 and 2022, capitalized costs related to internally generated internal-use software were not material.
Income Taxes
The Company utilizes a balance sheet approach to provide for income taxes. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the expected future tax consequences of net operating loss carryforwards and temporary differences between the carrying amounts and the tax bases of assets and liabilities. Investment tax credits or grants are accounted for in the period earned. The Company files a consolidated United States federal income tax return (see Note 10, “Income Taxes,” for a further discussion of income taxes). The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date.
F-12
URBAN OUTFITTERS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)
(in thousands, except share and per share data)
Net Income Per Common Share
Basic net income per common share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding. Diluted net income per common share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted-average number of common shares and common share equivalents outstanding. Common share equivalents include the effect of stock options, stock appreciation rights (“SAR’s”), restricted stock units (“RSU’s”) and performance stock units (“PSU’s”).
Comprehensive Income and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
Comprehensive income is comprised of two subsets—net income and other comprehensive income (loss). Amounts included in accumulated other comprehensive loss relate to foreign currency translation adjustments and unrealized gains or losses on marketable securities. The foreign currency translation adjustments are not adjusted for income taxes because these adjustments relate to non-U.S. subsidiaries for which foreign earnings have been designated as permanently reinvested. Accumulated other comprehensive loss consisted of foreign currency translation losses of $38,376 and $42,824 as of January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2023, respectively, and unrealized losses, net of tax, on marketable securities of $771 and $5,811 as of January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2023, respectively. The tax effect of the unrealized gains (losses) on marketable securities recorded in comprehensive income was $49, $1,054 and ($1,249) during fiscal 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Gross realized gains and losses are included in “Interest income” in the Consolidated Statements of Income and were not material to the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements for all three years presented.
Foreign Currency
The financial statements of the Company’s foreign operations are translated into U.S. dollars. Assets and liabilities are translated at current exchange rates as of the balance sheet date, equity accounts at historical exchange rates, while income statement accounts are translated at the average rates in effect during the year. Translation adjustments are not included in determining net income, but are included in “Accumulated other comprehensive loss” within “Shareholders’ equity.” Remeasurement gains and losses included in operating results for fiscal years 2024, 2023 and 2022 were not material.
Concentration of Credit Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist principally of cash, cash equivalents, marketable securities and accounts receivable. The Company manages the credit risk associated with cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities by investing in high-quality securities held with reputable trustees and, by policy, limiting the amount of credit exposure to any one issuer or issue, as well as providing limitations on investment duration. The Company’s investment policy requires that its cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities are invested in corporate and municipal bonds rated “BBB” or better, commercial paper and federally insured or guaranteed investment vehicles such as certificates of deposit, United States treasury bills and federal government agencies. Receivables from third-party credit cards are processed by financial institutions, which are monitored for financial stability. The Company regularly evaluates the financial condition of its Wholesale segment customers. The Company’s allowance for doubtful accounts reflects current market conditions and management’s assessment regarding the collectability of its accounts receivable. The Company maintains cash accounts that, at times, may exceed federally insured limits. The Company has not experienced any losses from maintaining cash accounts in excess of such limits. Management believes that it is not exposed to any significant risks related to its cash accounts.
Commitments and Contingencies
From time to time, the Company is named as a defendant in legal actions arising from normal business activities. The Company records a reserve for estimated losses when information available prior to issuance of the financial statements indicates that it is probable that a liability has been incurred at the date of the financial statements and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In December 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued an accounting standards update which includes amendments that further enhance income tax disclosures. The update requires disaggregated information about an entity's effective tax rate reconciliation and income taxes paid by jurisdiction, among other changes. The update will be effective for the Company in its annual consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ending January 31, 2026, with early adoption permitted, and can be applied prospectively or retrospectively. The Company is currently assessing this update and the additional disclosures that will be required within the notes to its consolidated financial statements.
F-13
URBAN OUTFITTERS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)
(in thousands, except share and per share data)
In November 2023, the FASB issued an accounting standards update that introduces additional segment disclosure requirements. The update requires entities to quantitatively disclose significant segment expenses that are regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker for each reportable segment as well as an amount for other segment items for each reportable segment and a description of their composition. Entities are also required to disclose how reported measures of segment profit or loss are used in assessing segment performance and deciding how to allocate resources. The update will be effective for the Company in its annual consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ending January 31, 2025, and interim periods thereafter. The Company is currently assessing this update and expects adoption of this update to result in additional disclosures in the notes to its consolidated financial statements. The update will be applied retrospectively to all prior periods presented.
3. Revenue from Contracts with Customers
Contract receivables occur when the Company satisfies all of its performance obligations under a contract and recognizes revenue prior to billing or receiving consideration from a customer for which it has an unconditional right to payment. Contract receivables arise from credit card and other electronic payment transactions and sales to the Company’s Wholesale segment customers and franchisees. For the year ended January 31, 2024, the opening and closing balance of contract receivables, net of allowance for doubtful accounts, was $70,339 and $67,008, respectively. For the year ended January 31, 2023, the opening and closing balance of contract receivables, net of allowance for doubtful accounts, was $63,760 and $70,339, respectively. Contract receivables are included in “Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts” in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Contract liabilities represent unearned revenue and result from the Company receiving consideration in a contract with a customer for which it has not satisfied all of its performance obligations. The Company’s contract liabilities result from the issuance of gift cards, customer deposits, Nuuly Rent deferred subscription fee revenue and customer loyalty programs. Gift cards are expected to be redeemed within two years of issuance, with the majority of redemptions occurring in the first year. For the year ended January 31, 2024, the opening and closing balance of contract liabilities was $82,867 and $91,408, respectively. For the year ended January 31, 2023, the opening and closing balance of contract liabilities was $78,717 and $82,867, respectively. Contract liabilities are included in “Accrued expenses and other current liabilities” in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. During the year ended January 31, 2024, the Company recognized $37,751 of revenue that was included in the contract liability balance at the beginning of the period. During the year ended January 31, 2023, the Company recognized $36,850 of revenue that was included in the contract liability balance at the beginning of the period.
See Note 17, “Segment Reporting,” for additional information including net sales recorded by reportable segment and net sales from contracts with customers by merchandise category.
F-14
URBAN OUTFITTERS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)
(in thousands, except share and per share data)
4. Marketable Securities
During all periods shown, marketable securities are classified as available-for-sale. The amortized cost, gross unrealized gains (losses) and fair values of available-for-sale securities by major security type and class of security as of January 31, 2024 and 2023 are as follows:
AmortizedCost UnrealizedGains Unrealized(Losses) FairValue
Short-term Investments:
Long-term Investments:
Short-term Investments:
Federal government agencies 6,501 — (1 ) 6,500
Long-term Investments:
Certificates of deposit 249 — — 249
Proceeds from the sales and maturities of available-for-sale securities were $347,366, $276,650 and $280,701 in fiscal 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The Company included in “Interest income,” in the Consolidated Statements of Income, a net realized loss of $4 during fiscal 2024, a net realized loss of $1,465 during fiscal 2023 and a net realized gain of $11 during fiscal 2022. Amortization of discounts and premiums, net, resulted in a benefit included in "Interest income" of $4,338in fiscal 2024 and a reduction included in “Interest income” of $4,512 and $6,614 for fiscal 2023 and 2022, respectively. Mutual funds represent assets held in an irrevocable rabbi trust for the Company’s Non-qualified Deferred Compensation Plan (“NQDC”). These assets are a source of funds to match the funding obligations to participants in the NQDC but are subject to the Company’s general creditors. The Company elected the fair value option for financial assets for the mutual funds held in the rabbi trust resulting in all unrealized gains and losses being recorded in “Interest income” in the Consolidated Statements of Income.
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URBAN OUTFITTERS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)
(in thousands, except share and per share data)
The following tables show the gross unrealized losses and fair value of the Company’s marketable securities with unrealized losses that are not deemed to have credit losses, aggregated by the length of time that individual securities have been in a continuous unrealized loss position, at January 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
Less Than 12 Months 12 Months or Greater Total
Mutual funds, held in rabbi trust 1,059 (93 ) — — 1,059 (93 )
Less Than 12 Months 12 Months or Greater Total
Federal government agencies 9,517 (3 ) — — 9,517 (3 )
As of January 31, 2024 and 2023, there were a total of 267 and 262 securities with unrealized loss positions within the Company’s portfolio, respectively.
5. Fair Value
The Company utilizes a hierarchy that prioritizes fair value measurements based on the types of inputs used for the various valuation techniques (market approach, income approach and cost approach that relate to its financial assets and financial liabilities). The levels of the hierarchy are described as follows:
•
Level 1: Observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
•
Level 2: Inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly; these include quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets and quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active.
•
Level 3: Unobservable inputs that reflect the Company’s own assumptions.
Management’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement requires judgment and may affect the valuation of financial assets and liabilities and their placement within the fair value hierarchy. The Company’s financial assets that are accounted for at fair value on a recurring basis are presented in the tables below:
Marketable Securities Fair Value as ofJanuary 31, 2024
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total
Assets:
Municipal and pre-refunded municipal bonds — 86,878 — 86,878
Mutual funds, held in rabbi trust 15,068 — — 15,068
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URBAN OUTFITTERS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)
(in thousands, except share and per share data)
Marketable Securities Fair Value as ofJanuary 31, 2023
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total
Assets:
Municipal and pre-refunded municipal bonds — 69,741 — 69,741
Certificates of deposit — 249 — 249
Mutual funds, held in rabbi trust 11,978 — — 11,978
Financial assets
Level 1 assets consist of financial instruments whose value has been based on inputs that use, as their basis, readily observable market data that are actively quoted and are validated through external sources, including third-party pricing services and brokers.
Level 2 assets consist of financial instruments whose value has been based on quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets as well as quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active.
Level 3 assets consist of financial instruments where there has been no active market. The Company held no Level 3 financial instruments as of January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2023.
The fair value of cash and cash equivalents (Level 1) approximates carrying value since cash and cash equivalents consist of short-term highly liquid investments with maturities of less than three months at the time of purchase. As of January 31, 2024 and 2023, cash and cash equivalents included cash on hand, cash in banks, money market accounts and marketable securities with maturities of less than three months at the time of purchase.
Non-financial assets
The Company’s non-financial assets, primarily consisting of property and equipment and lease-related right-of-use assets, are tested for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable.
The fair value of property and equipment was determined using a discounted cash-flow model that utilized Level 3 inputs. The Company’s retail locations are reviewed for impairment at the retail location level, which is the lowest level at which individual cash flows can be identified. In calculating future cash flows, the Company makes estimates regarding future operating results based on its experience and knowledge of market factors in its retail locations. Right-of-use assets are tested for impairment in the same manner as property and equipment. For lease right-of-use assets, the Company determines the estimated fair value of the assets by comparing the discounted contractual rent payments to estimated market rent using an acceptable valuation methodology. During fiscal 2024 and 2023, the Company determined that certain long-lived assets at the Company’s retail locations were unable to recover their carrying value. These assets were written down to their fair values resulting in impairment charges of $3,644 and $6,417 in fiscal 2024 and 2023, respectively. Additionally, during fiscal 2024 the Company recorded an asset impairment charge of $6,404 related to the write-off of "Property and Equipment, net" of the Nuuly Thrift marketplace.
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URBAN OUTFITTERS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)
(in thousands, except share and per share data)
6. Property and Equipment
Property and equipment is summarized as follows:
January 31,
Depreciation expense for property and equipment in fiscal 2024, 2023 and 2022 was $106,825, $97,827 and $99,058, respectively.
7. Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities consist of the following:
January 31,
Federal, state and foreign income taxes 9,815 6,878
Current portion of low-income housing tax credit liability 10,507 —
8. Debt
On February 10, 2023, the Company and certain of its subsidiaries entered into the fourth amendment (the "Fourth Amendment") to the Company's amended and restated credit agreement (the "Amended Credit Agreement"), amending the Company's asset-based revolving credit facility with its lenders, including JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, joint lead arranger and co-book managers along with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (the "Amended Credit Facility"). The Fourth Amendment permits the Company to purchase an equity membership interest in a federal low-income housing tax credit entity. See Note 10, "Income Taxes," for further discussion of the investment.
The Amended Credit Facility provides for loans and letters of credit up to $350,000, subject to a borrowing base that is comprised of the Company’s eligible accounts receivable and inventory and includes a swing-line sub-facility, a multicurrency sub-facility and the option to expand the facility by up to $150,000. Borrowings under the Amended Credit Facility may be used for working capital and other general corporate purposes. The Amended Credit Facility matures in June 2027.
The Amended Credit Facility provides for interest on borrowings, at the Company’s option, at either (i) adjusted SOFR, CDOR, SONIA or EURIBOR plus an applicable margin ranging from 1.125% to 1.375%, or (ii) an adjusted ABR plus an applicable margin ranging from 0.125% to 0.375%, each such applicable margin depending on the level of availability under the Amended Credit Facility. Depending on the type of borrowing, interest on the Amended Credit Facility is payable monthly, quarterly or at the end of the applicable interest period. A commitment fee of 0.20% is payable quarterly on the unused portion of the Amended Credit Facility.
All obligations under the Amended Credit Facility are unconditionally guaranteed by the Company and certain of its U.S. subsidiaries. The obligations under the Amended Credit Facility are secured by a first-priority security interest in inventory, accounts receivable and certain other assets of the Company and certain of its U.S. subsidiaries. The obligations of URBN Canada Retail, Inc. are secured by a first-priority security interest in its inventory, accounts receivable and certain other assets. The Amended Credit
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URBAN OUTFITTERS, INC.