DODGEVILLE, Wis., March 21, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lands’ End, Inc. (NASDAQ:LE) today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended January 27, 2017.

Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2016 Highlights:

  • Net revenue for fourth quarter 2016 was $458.8 million as compared to $473.5 million in the fourth quarter last year. Direct segment net revenue decreased 2.6% to $398.5 million, as compared to the same period last year. Retail segment net revenue decreased 6.3% to $60.3 million, as compared to the same period last year, primarily due to fewer Lands’ End Shops at Sears and a 1.7% decrease in same store sales.
  • Gross margin for fourth quarter 2016 was 38.6% as compared to 42.0% in the fourth quarter last year. During the quarter, the Company wrote down $2.3 million of prior-season inventory from the Company’s Canvas by Lands’ End brand, which had a 50 basis point negative impact on gross margin.
  • Net loss for fourth quarter 2016 was $94.8 million, or $2.96 per share, compared to a net loss of $39.5 million, or $1.23 per share in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2015.
  • Adjusted net income(1) for fourth quarter 2016, excluding a $173.0 million ($107.8 million after-tax) non-cash impairment charge related to the write-down of the Lands’ End trade name, an indefinite-lived intangible asset, was $13.0 million, or $0.41 per share. For the fourth quarter of fiscal 2015, Adjusted net income(1), excluding a $98.3 million ($62.0 million after-tax) non-cash impairment charge related to the write-down of the Lands’ End trade name was $22.6 million, or $0.71 per share.
  • Adjusted EBITDA(2) was $30.7 million for fourth quarter 2016 compared to $48.1 million for fourth quarter fiscal 2015.

Full Year Fiscal 2016 Highlights:

  • Net revenue for fiscal 2016 was $1.34 billion as compared to $1.42 billion in fiscal 2015. Direct segment net revenue decreased 5.4% to $1.15 billion. Retail segment net revenue decreased 8.9% to $186.4 million due to a 6.0% decrease in same store sales and a reduction in the number of Lands’ End Shops at Sears.
  • Gross margin for fiscal 2016 was 43.2% this year as compared to 46.0% last year. During the third and fourth quarters of fiscal 2016, the Company wrote down a total of $6.7 million of prior-season inventory from the Company’s Canvas by Lands’ End brand, which had a 50 basis point negative impact on gross margin.
  • Net loss for fiscal 2016 was $109.8 million, or $3.43 per share, as compared to net loss of $19.5 million, or $0.61 per share, for the same period last year. Net loss for fiscal 2016 also included $1.2 million in non-recurring personnel costs, net of reversals, primarily related to the departure of the Company’s former Chief Executive Officer.
  • Adjusted net loss(1) for fiscal 2016, excluding a $173.0 million ($107.8 million after-tax) non-cash impairment charge related to the Lands’ End trade name and the final reversal of the product recall accrual ($0.2 million), was $2.1 million, or $0.06 per share. Adjusted net income(1), excluding a $98.3 million ($62.0 million after-tax) non-cash impairment charge related to the write-down of the Lands’ End trade name and the $3.4 million ($2.1 million after-tax) benefit from the reversal of a product recall accrual, was $40.4 million, or $1.26 per share for fiscal 2015.
  • Adjusted EBITDA(2) for fiscal 2016 was $39.8 million compared to $107.3 million in fiscal 2015.

Jerome Griffith, Chief Executive Officer, stated, “We saw sequential improvement in our fourth quarter results, attributable to recent initiatives across merchandising, marketing and e-commerce. In order to drive long-term success, we need to strengthen our competitive position and develop and execute a strategic plan that leverages our iconic brand heritage, as well as our well-established e-commerce platform. To that end, we will create enhanced product assortments, develop and communicate a clear and consistent brand identity across channels, and better leverage our distribution channels. Overall, we will be focused on enhancing the business in ways that will drive growth, profitability and shareholder value over the long-term.”

Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Highlights

Cash and cash equivalents were $213.1 million as of January 27, 2017, compared to $228.4 million as of January 29, 2016. Net cash provided by operations was $23.7 million for fiscal 2016, compared to net cash provided by operations of $35.9 million for the same period last year.

Inventory decreased 1.2% to $325.3 million as of January 27, 2017, from $329.2 million as of January 29, 2016.

The Company had $155.3 million of availability under its asset-based senior secured credit facility and had $490.0 million of Long-term debt, net as of January 27, 2017.

Conference Call

The company will host a conference call on Tuesday, March 21, 2017 at 8:00 a.m. ET to review its fourth quarter and fiscal year financial results and related matters. The call may be accessed through the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at http://investors.landsend.com.

About Lands’ End, Inc.

Lands’ End, Inc. (NASDAQ:LE) is a leading multi-channel retailer of clothing, accessories, footwear and home products. We offer products through catalogs, online at www.landsend.com and affiliated specialty and international websites, and through retail locations, primarily at Lands’ End Shops at Sears® and standalone Lands’ End Stores. We are a classic American lifestyle brand with a passion for quality, legendary service and real value, and seek to deliver timeless style for men, women, kids and the home.

Forward-Looking Statements

Results are unaudited. This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements about our strategies and our opportunities for growth. Forward-looking statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of our management and are subject to assumptions, uncertainties and significant risks that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, information concerning our future financial performance, business strategy, plans, goals and objectives. There can be no assurance that any of our initiatives will be successful. The following additional factors, among others, could cause our actual results, performance, and achievements to differ from those described in the forward-looking statements: our ability to offer merchandise and services that customers want to purchase, including a product assortment with improved fit and quality, changes in customer preference from our branded merchandise; customers’ use of our digital platform, including customer acceptance of our efforts to enhance our e-commerce websites; customer response to direct mail catalogs and digital/social media marketing efforts; the success of our efforts to improve catalog quality and optimize catalog productivity; the success of our overall marketing strategies, some of which, if successful, may not produce positive results in the short term; the success of our efforts to optimize promotions to drive sales and maximize gross margin dollars; our maintenance of a robust customer list; our dependence on information technology and a failure of information technology systems, including with respect to our e-commerce operations, or an inability to upgrade or adapt our systems; the success of our ERP implementation; the success of our efforts to grow and expand into new markets and channels; fluctuations and increases in costs of raw materials; impairment of our relationships with our vendors; our failure to maintain the security of customer, employee or company information; our failure to compete effectively in the apparel industry; the performance of our “store within a store” business; if Sears Holdings Corporation (“Sears Holdings”) sells or disposes of its retail stores, including pursuant to the recapture rights granted to Seritage Growth Properties and other parties or if its retail business does not attract customers or does not adequately provide services to the Lands’ End Shops at Sears; legal, regulatory, economic and political risks associated with international trade and those markets in which we conduct business and source our merchandise; our failure to protect or preserve the image of our brands and our intellectual property rights; increases in postage, paper and printing costs; failure by third parties who provide us with services in connection with certain aspects of our business to perform their obligations; our failure to timely and effectively obtain shipments of products from our vendors and deliver merchandise to our customers; reliance on promotions and markdowns to encourage customer purchases; our failure to efficiently manage inventory levels; unseasonal or severe weather conditions; the seasonal nature of our business; the adverse effect on our reputation if our independent vendors do not use ethical business practices or comply with applicable laws and regulations; assessments for additional state taxes; our exposure to periodic litigation and other regulatory proceedings, including with respect to product liability claims; incurrence of charges due to impairment of goodwill, other intangible assets and long-lived assets; our failure to retain our executive management team and to attract qualified new personnel; the impact on our business of adverse worldwide economic and market conditions, including economic factors that negatively impact consumer spending on discretionary items; the inability of our past performance generally, as reflected on our historical financial statements, to be indicative of our future performance; the impact of increased costs due to a decrease in our purchasing power following our separation from Sears Holdings (“Separation”) and other losses of benefits associated with being a subsidiary of Sears Holdings; the failure of Sears Holdings or its subsidiaries to perform under various transaction agreements or our failure to have necessary systems and services in place when certain of the transaction agreements expire; potential indemnification liabilities to Sears Holdings pursuant to the separation and distribution agreement; our agreements related to the Separation and certain agreements related to our continuing relationship with Sears Holdings were negotiated while we were a subsidiary of Sears Holdings and we may have received better terms from an unaffiliated third party; our inability to engage in certain corporate transactions after the Separation; the ability of our principal shareholders to exert substantial influence over us; adverse effects of the Separation on our business; potential liabilities under fraudulent conveyance and transfer laws and legal capital requirements; declines in our stock price due to the eligibility of a number of our shares of common stock for future sale; our inability to pay dividends; stockholders’ percentage ownership in Lands’ End may be diluted in the future and other risks, uncertainties and factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 29, 2016 and other filings with the SEC. We intend the forward-looking statements to speak only as of the time made and do not undertake to update or revise them as more information becomes available, except as required by law.

-Financial Tables Follow-

LANDS’ END, INC.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Unaudited)
 
(in thousands, except share data)   January 27,
 2017
  January 29,
 2016
ASSETS        
Current assets        
Cash and cash equivalents   $ 213,108     $ 228,368  
Restricted cash   3,300     3,300  
Accounts receivable, net   39,284     32,061  
Inventories, net   325,314     329,203  
Prepaid expenses and other current assets   26,394     23,618  
Total current assets   607,400     616,550  
Property and equipment, net   122,836     109,831  
Goodwill   110,000     110,000  
Intangible asset, net   257,000     430,000  
Other assets   17,155     15,145  
Total assets   $ 1,114,391     $ 1,281,526  
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY        
Current liabilities        
Accounts payable   $ 162,408     $ 146,097  
Other current liabilities   86,446     83,992  
Total current liabilities   248,854     230,089  
Long-term debt, net   490,043     493,838  
Long-term deferred tax liabilities   90,467     157,252  
Other liabilities   13,615     15,838  
Total liabilities   842,979     897,017  
Commitments and contingencies        
Stockholders’ equity        
Common stock, par value $0.01- authorized: 480,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding: 32,029,359, 31,991,668, respectively   320     320  
Additional paid-in capital   343,971     344,244  
Retained earnings   (60,453 )   49,329  
Accumulated other comprehensive loss   (12,426 )   (9,384 )
Total stockholders’ equity   271,412     384,509  
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY   $ 1,114,391     $ 1,281,526  
                 

LANDS’ END, INC.
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(Unaudited)
 
    13 Weeks Ended   52 Weeks Ended
(in thousands except per share data)   January 27,
2017
  January 29,
2016
  January 27,
2017
  January 29,
2016
REVENUES                
Net revenue   $ 458,841     $ 473,543     $ 1,335,760     $ 1,419,778  
Cost of sales (excluding depreciation and amortization)   281,906     274,433     759,352     767,189  
Gross profit   176,935     199,110     576,408     652,589  
                 
Selling and administrative   146,285     151,040     536,576     545,301  
Depreciation and amortization   5,584     4,525     19,003     17,399  
Intangible asset impairment   173,000     98,300     173,000     98,300  
Other operating expense (income), net   500     39     460     (3,327 )
Operating loss   (148,434 )   (54,794 )   (152,631 )   (5,084 )
Interest expense   6,137     6,211     24,630     24,826  
Other expense (income), net   3,032     (461 )   1,619     (671 )
Loss before income taxes   (157,603 )   (60,544 )   (178,880 )   (29,239 )
Income tax benefit   (62,782 )   (21,086 )   (69,098 )   (9,691 )
NET LOSS   $ (94,821 )   $ (39,458 )   $ (109,782 )   $ (19,548 )
NET LOSS PER COMMON SHARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO STOCKHOLDERS                
Basic:   $ (2.96 )   $ (1.23 )   $ (3.43 )   $ (0.61 )
Diluted:   $ (2.96 )   $ (1.23 )   $ (3.43 )   $ (0.61 )
                 
Basic weighted average common shares outstanding   32,029     31,992     32,021     31,979  
Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding   32,029     31,992     32,021     31,979  
                         

Use and Definition of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

1Adjusted net income (loss) and Adjusted earnings per share – As a result of the intangible asset impairment and the impacts of product recall, the Company is presenting a reconciliation of Net income and Earnings per share determined in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) to Adjusted Net income and Adjusted Earnings per share which excludes the impact of the intangible asset impairment and the product recall.

2Adjusted EBITDA – In addition to our Net income, for purposes of evaluating operating performance, we use an Adjusted Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (“Adjusted EBITDA”), which is adjusted to exclude certain significant items as set forth below. Our management uses Adjusted EBITDA to evaluate the operating performance of our business, as well as for executive compensation metrics, for comparable periods. Adjusted EBITDA should not be used by investors or other third parties as the sole basis for formulating investment decisions as it excludes a number of important cash and non-cash recurring items.

3The sum of net income (loss) and adjustments per diluted common share may not equal the Adjusted earnings per share due to rounding.

While Adjusted net income (loss)1, Adjusted earnings (loss) per share1 and Adjusted EBITDA2 are non-GAAP measurements, management believes that they are important indicators of operating performance, and useful to investors, because:

•  EBITDA excludes the effects of financings, investing activities and tax structure by eliminating the effects of interest, depreciation and income tax costs, and

  • For the 13 and 52 weeks ended January 27, 2017 and January 29, 2016, we exclude the loss on disposal of property and equipment as management considers the gains or losses on disposal of assets to result from investing decisions rather than ongoing operations.

•  Other significant items, while periodically affecting our results, may vary significantly from period to period and have a disproportionate effect in a given period, which affects comparability of results. We have adjusted our results for these items to make our statements more comparable and therefore more useful to investors as the items are not representative of our ongoing operations.

  • For the 13 and 52 weeks ended January 27, 2017 and January 29, 2016 we exclude the impairment of our indefinite-lived trade name asset as this is a non-cash charge that is an unusual event that affects the comparability of our financial results.
  • For the 52 weeks ended January 27, 2017 and January 29, 2016, an amount of a previously recorded recall was reversed due to lower than estimated customer return rates for the recalled products despite our efforts to contact impacted customers. These are unusual events that affect the comparability of our financial results.
 
Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Information to GAAP
(Unaudited)
 
    13 Weeks Ended
(in thousands except per share data)   January 27, 2017   January 29, 2016
    Amount   per Common
Share
  Amount   per Common
Share
Net loss   $ (94,821 )   $ (2.96 )   $ (39,458 )   $ (1.23 )
Intangible asset impairment, net of tax   107,831     3.37     62,017     1.94  
Adjusted net income and earnings per share (1)   $ 13,010     $ 0.41     $ 22,559     $ 0.71  

    52 Weeks Ended
(in thousands except per share data)   January 27, 2017   January 29, 2016
    Amount   per Common
Share
  Amount   per Common
Share
Net loss   $ (109,782 )   $ (3.43 )   $ (19,548 )   $ (0.61 )
Intangible asset impairment, net of tax   107,831     3.37     62,017     1.94  
Product recall, net of tax   (125 )       (2,063 )   (0.06 )
Adjusted net (loss) income and (loss) earnings per share (1)(3)   $ (2,076 )   $ (0.06 )   $ 40,406     $ 1.26  

  13 Weeks Ended
  January 27, 2017   January 29, 2016
(in thousands) $’s   % of
Net Sales
  $’s   % of
Net Sales
Net loss $ (94,821 )   (20.7 )%   $ (39,458 )   (8.3 )%
Income tax benefit (62,782 )   (13.7 )%   (21,086 )   (4.5 )%
Other expense (income), net 3,032     0.7 %   (461 )   (0.1 )%
Interest expense 6,137     1.3 %   6,211     1.3 %
Operating loss (148,434 )   (32.3 )%   (54,794 )   (11.6 )%
Intangible asset impairment 173,000     37.7 %   98,300     20.8 %
Depreciation and amortization 5,584     1.2 %   4,525     1.0 %
Loss on disposal of property and equipment 500     0.1 %   39     %
Adjusted EBITDA (2) $ 30,650     6.7 %   $ 48,070     10.2 %

  52 Weeks Ended
  January 27, 2017   January 29, 2016
(in thousands) $’s   % of
Net Sales
  $’s   % of
Net Sales
Net loss $ (109,782 )   (8.2 )%   $ (19,548 )   (1.4 )%
Income tax benefit (69,098 )   (5.2 )%   (9,691 )   (0.7 )%
Other expense (income), net 1,619     0.1 %   (671 )   %
Interest expense 24,630     1.8 %   24,826     1.7 %
Operating loss (152,631 )   (11.4 )%   (5,084 )   (0.4 )%
Intangible asset impairment 173,000     13.0 %   98,300     6.9 %
Depreciation and amortization 19,003     1.4 %   17,399     1.2 %
Product recall (212 )   %   (3,371 )   (0.2 )%
Loss on disposal of property and equipment 672     0.1 %   44     %
Adjusted EBITDA (2) $ 39,832     3.0 %   $ 107,288     7.4 %
                           

                                                                                      

LANDS’ END, INC.
Consolidated and Combined Statements of Cash Flows
for Fiscal Years Ended
(Unaudited)
 
(in thousands)   January 27,
2017
  January 29,
2016
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES        
Net loss   $ (109,782 )   $ (19,548 )
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities:        
Depreciation and amortization   19,003     17,399  
Intangible asset impairment   173,000     98,300  
Product recall   (212 )   (3,371 )
Amortization of debt issuance costs   1,712     1,741  
Loss on disposal of property and equipment   672     44  
Stock-based compensation   2,230     2,395  
Deferred income taxes   (67,253 )   (22,670 )
Change in operating assets and liabilities:        
Inventories   755     (29,819 )
Accounts payable   16,951     10,005  
Other operating assets   (12,356 )   3,462  
Other operating liabilities   (1,027 )   (22,047 )
Net cash provided by operating activities   23,693     35,891  
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES        
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment   47      
Purchases of property and equipment   (33,319 )   (22,224 )
Net cash used in investing activities   (33,272 )   (22,224 )
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES        
Payments on term loan facility   (5,150 )   (5,150 )
Net cash used in financing activities   (5,150 )   (5,150 )
Effects of exchange rate changes on cash   (531 )   (1,603 )
NET (DECREASE) INCREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS   (15,260 )   6,914  
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, BEGINNING OF YEAR   228,368     221,454  
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, END OF YEAR   $ 213,108     $ 228,368  
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:        
Supplemental Cash Flow Data:        
Unpaid liability to acquire property and equipment   $ 8,419     $ 8,182  
Income taxes paid   $ 3,653     $ 23,991  
Interest paid   $ 22,484     $ 22,690  
                 

Financial information by segment is presented in the following tables for the 13 and 52 weeks ended January 27, 2017 and January 29, 2016.

    13 Weeks Ended   52 Weeks Ended
(in thousands)   January 27, 2017   January 29, 2016   January 27, 2017   January 29, 2016
Net revenue                
Direct   $ 398,489     $ 409,107     $ 1,149,149     $ 1,214,993  
Retail   60,314     64,400     186,390     204,566  
Corporate/ other   38     36     221     219  
Total Net revenue   $ 458,841     $ 473,543     $ 1,335,760     $ 1,419,778  

    13 Weeks Ended   52 Weeks Ended
(in thousands)   January 27, 2017   January 29, 2016   January 27, 2017   January 29, 2016
Adjusted EBITDA(2):                
Direct   $ 37,065     $ 56,620     $ 78,582     $ 141,936  
Retail   1,503     387     (5,560 )   (520 )
Corporate/ other   (7,918 )   (8,937 )   (33,190 )   (34,128 )
Total Adjusted EBITDA(2)   $ 30,650     $ 48,070     $ 39,832     $ 107,288  

CONTACT: CONTACTS

Lands' End, Inc.
James Gooch
Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer
(608) 935-9341

Investor Relations:
ICR, Inc.
Jean Fontana
(646) 277-1214
[email protected]