Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This report contains certain forward-looking statements with respect to the Company’s outlook for the future. These statements represent the Company's reasonable judgment with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Such statements can be identified by the use of words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “forecasts,” “intends,” “is likely,” “plans,” “predicts,” “projects,” “should,” “will,” or variations of such words, and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements, by their nature, address matters that are, to varying degrees, uncertain. Therefore, the reader is cautioned that these forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties or other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risk factors described under Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020.
GENERAL
The Company designs and markets quality and innovative footwear principally for men, but also for women and children, under a portfolio of well-recognized brand names, including: Florsheim, Nunn Bush, Stacy Adams, BOGS, and Rafters. Inventory is purchased from third-party overseas manufacturers. The majority of foreign-sourced purchases are denominated in U.S. dollars.
The Company has two reportable segments, North American wholesale operations (“wholesale”) and North American retail operations (“retail”). In the wholesale segment, the Company’s products are sold to leading footwear, department, and specialty stores, as well as e-commerce retailers, primarily in the United States and Canada. The Company also has licensing agreements with third parties who sell its branded apparel, accessories and specialty footwear in the United States, as well as its footwear in Mexico and certain markets overseas. Licensing revenues are included in the Company’s wholesale segment. The Company’s retail segment consisted of e-commerce businesses and four brick and mortar retail stores in the United States as of March 31, 2021. Retail sales are made directly to consumers on the Company’s websites, or by Company employees.
The Company’s “other” operations include the Company’s wholesale and retail businesses in Australia, South Africa, Asia Pacific (collectively, “Florsheim Australia”) and Europe (“Florsheim Europe”). In late 2020, the Company decided to close Florsheim Europe, and management is in the process of winding down this business. The majority of the Company’s operations are in the United States, and its results are primarily affected by the economic conditions and retail environment in the United States.
EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continued to adversely impact the Company’s results in the first three months of 2021. After a tough January and February, business improved in March across all of the Company’s brands, a trend that continued through April. The Company believes there are a number of factors behind the improved trajectory, including stimulus checks, pent-up demand, the gradual reopening of offices, as well as consumers planning for events, such as weddings and graduations. While the market remains hard to predict, the Company is encouraged by the current level of demand at retail for its more traditional dress and dress-casual footwear.
BOGS sales rose 32% for the quarter. Throughout the pandemic, BOGS sales have been strong, reflecting the consumer trend toward more time outdoors. BOGS benefitted from late winter weather in February, as it was one of the few weather boot brands to have adequate levels of inventory. Meanwhile, BOGS enjoyed a solid start to Spring with its lightly-insulated lifestyle and garden-oriented products. Orders for Fall 2021 are up significantly for the BOGS brand.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, demand for the Company’s legacy brands (Florsheim, Nunn Bush, and Stacy Adams) has been limited, as consumers spent discretionary dollars on more relaxed and athletic footwear and apparel. While demand improved slightly in the Fall of 2020, the Company did not anticipate significant interest in its dress or dress-casual styles until the second half of 2021, when offices were more fully reopened and consumers were likely returning to social events that required more formal or fashionable attire. However, the Company experienced rising demand across all of its legacy brands for dress and dress-casual footwear in the last month of the quarter, earlier than anticipated. The Company also saw good sell-through performance for this category in the weekly sales data provided by key retailers. While consumer demand is still not at 2019 levels, it is higher than management anticipated. Fortunately, the Company was in a strong inventory position and was able to ship a good portion of these orders. Management believes that the Company is one of the few companies to maintain significant inventory levels of more traditional footwear, and is well-positioned to pick up market share as this segment of the footwear business rebounds.