RISK FACTORS
Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. These risks include, but are not limited to, those described below, each of which may be relevant to an investment decision. You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described below, together with all of the other information contained in this prospectus, including the section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus, before deciding whether to invest in shares of our common stock. If any of the following risks or other risks actually occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations and future prospects could be materially harmed. In that event, the market price of our common stock could decline, and you could lose part or all of your investment.
Risks related to our business and industry
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant adverse impact on our business and could continue to adversely impact our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
As a result of reduced consumer traffic at our retail locations in fiscal years 2020 and 2021, due to store or concession closures, government-imposed restrictions to contain the spread of COVID-19 and public health concern generally, the Company’s sales in those periods were significantly adversely impacted. Though we cannot estimate the precise impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our results of operations, we note that net sales, gross profit and operating income (loss) were $1,394.7 million, $809.1 million, and $170.7 million, respectively, in fiscal year 2021, compared to $910.3 million, $444.2 million and $(9.4) million, respectively, in fiscal year 2020, compared to $1,284.5 million, $690.2 million and $148.4 million, respectively, in fiscal year 2019. In addition, segment net sales for North America and Europe were $1,107.1 million and $377.6 million, respectively, in fiscal year 2021, compared to $621.9 million and $288.4 million, respectively, in fiscal year 2020, compared to $831.5 million and $453.0 million, respectively, in fiscal year 2019. Segment operating income (loss) for North America and Europe were $160.0 million and $10.7 million, respectively, in fiscal year 2021, compared to $20.8 million and $(30.2) million, respectively, in fiscal year 2020, compared to $110.9 million and $37.4 million, respectively, in fiscal year 2019. We believe that these reductions in net sales, gross profit, operating income (loss) and segment operating income (loss) during fiscal year 2020 were largely attributable to the impact of COVID-19, in particular due to the temporary closure of all of our stores during March 2020 to May 2020, which resulted in no revenues generated at our stores during such period. We also believe our net sales, gross profit, operating income (loss) and segment operating income (loss) continued to be adversely affected by COVID-19, particularly in Europe, in fiscal year 2021. For example, as of January 30, 2021, 53 and 568 of our stores were still temporarily closed in North America and Europe, respectively. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—COVID-19.”
Although we have re-opened all of our stores (including store-in-store locations), consistent with government guidelines, and have resumed sales at all of our concessions locations, there remains uncertainty around expected consumer traffic generally, as a result of new information that may emerge concerning the severity of COVID-19, the impact of new variants and sub-variants of COVID-19, the adoption of vaccines, the effectiveness of vaccines against new variants and sub-variants of COVID-19, the potential for renewed government restrictions (for example, relating to social distancing, which could affect consumer traffic and our ability to provide piercing services) and general consumer behavior. Further, while we have implemented strict safety protocols in stores, there is no assurance that such protocols will be effective or be perceived as effective, and any virus-related illnesses linked or alleged to be linked to our stores, whether accurate or not, may negatively affect the willingness of consumers to visit our stores. If consumer traffic fails to return to pre-pandemic levels or there are fluctuations in consumer traffic, our sales may be negatively affected. Such negative impacts may be exacerbated during traditionally peak consumer traffic periods such as the holiday shopping season.
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