Distribution costs are reflective of outbound freight to transfer goods to the Debtors’ wholesale customers.
Occupancy costs are related to Retail, Wholesale, and manufacturing operations and include items such as rent, common area maintenance, taxes, utilities, repairs, and depreciation. Occupancy costs are forecasted on a GAAP rent basis and reflect assumed closures in the Debtors’ Retail business. Rent/CAM/Taxes are assumed to grow at 3.0% per year through the Projection Period. Forecasted rent includes estimated savings from the lease restructuring process.
Consolidated gross margin improvement is related to reduced freight and raw materials costs, rent savings from the lease restructuring process, increased operating leverage, and “next generation” or NXTGEN remodels, relocations, and new stores.
Operating Expenses: Operating expenses include selling expenses, retail operating expenses, franchise expenses, general and administrative expenses, and art and development costs. Selling expenses primarily include the Wholesale sales function which supports third-party sales efforts. Retail operating expenses principally consist of employee compensation and benefits, advertising, supplies expense and credit card fees. Franchise expenses include costs associated with supporting and delivering goods to the Debtors’ franchised stores. General and administrative expenses include corporate level expenses such as payroll, travel and entertainment, non-Retail occupancy costs, supplies, and other operating costs. Art and development costs are primarily internal costs that are not easily associated with specific designs, some of which may not reach commercial production. Accordingly, the Debtors expense these costs as incurred.
Retail payroll and fringe as a percentage of sales is assumed to increase by approximately 50 bps year-over-year in 2023 due to negative comparable store sales, increase approximately 10 bps year-over-year in 2024 due to a return to a normalized store bonus, decrease approximately 20 bps year-over-year in 2025 due to a strong rebound in comparable store sales, and remain flat as a percentage of sales year-over-year in 2026 and beyond. Other Retail store operating expenses are projected to grow at 2.0% per year, except for advertising and credit card fees which are assumed to be variable with store level revenues.
Franchise expenses are projected to be flat through the projection period, similar to franchise revenues/fees.
Adjusted EBITDA: Adjusted EBITDA reflects earnings from operations and excludes costs related to non-recurring expenses, costs associated with the restructuring, and bankruptcy costs.
Adjusted EBITDA is projected to steadily improve from $91 million in 2023 to $257 million in 2027 due to increased revenues, reduced input costs, closing of unprofitable stores, lease restructuring savings, benefits of operational leverage, and the impact of transforming a significant portion of the Retail business’ traditional store fleet to NXTGEN.
Adjustments to operating income to bridge to Adjusted EBITDA include interest income of a minimal amount assumed in 2023, depreciation and amortization of PP&E/fixed assets and amortization of intangible assets, and other adjustments which are primarily comprised of stock-based compensation expense each year and restructuring related items in 2023.