UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

Form 10-K

 

(Mark One)

For the fiscal year ended January 30, 2016

or

 

 

J.CREW GROUP, INC.

(Incorporated in Delaware)

 

770 Broadway

New York, New York 10003

Telephone: (212) 209 2500

Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(b) and 12(g) of the Act: None

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.    Yes  ¨    No  x

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.    Yes  x    No  ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes  ¨    No  x

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).    Yes  x    No  ¨

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. x

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).    Yes  ¨    No  x

As of August 1, 2015, the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, there was no established public trading market for the common stock of the registrant and therefore, an aggregate market value of the registrant’s common stock is not determinable.

There were 1,000 shares of the Company’s $0.01 par value common stock outstanding on March 17, 2016.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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DISCLOSURE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This report contains “forward-looking statements,” which include information concerning our plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events, future revenues or performance, capital expenditures, financing needs and other information that is not historical information. Many of these statements appear under the headings “Business” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” particularly under the sub-heading “Outlook.” When used in this report, the words “estimate,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “plan,” “intend,” “believe” and variations of such words or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, our examination of operating trends, are based upon our current expectations and various assumptions. We believe there is a reasonable basis for our expectations and beliefs, but there can be no assurance that we will realize our expectations or that our beliefs will prove correct.

There are a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this report. Important factors that could cause our actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, our substantial indebtedness and the indebtedness of our indirect parent, our substantial lease obligations, the strength of the global economy, declines in consumer spending or changes in seasonal consumer spending patterns, competitive market conditions, our ability to anticipate and timely respond to changes in trends and consumer preferences, our ability to successfully develop, launch and grow our newer concepts and execute on strategic initiatives, product offerings, sales channels and businesses, adverse or unseasonable weather, material disruption to our information systems, our ability to implement our real estate strategy, our ability to implement our international expansion strategy, our ability to attract and retain key personnel, interruptions in our foreign sourcing operations, and other factors which are set forth under the heading “Risk Factors.” There may be other factors of which we are currently unaware or deem immaterial that may cause our actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements.

All forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf apply only as of the date they are made and are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements included in this report. Except as may be required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date they were made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

 

 

 

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PART I

 

“J.Crew,” the “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to J.Crew Group, Inc. (“Group”) and its wholly owned subsidiaries, including J.Crew Operating Corp. (“Operating”). “Parent” refers to Group’s ultimate parent, Chinos Holdings, Inc.

Overview

J.Crew is an internationally recognized multi-brand apparel and accessories retailer that differentiates itself through high standards of quality, style, design and fabrics. We are a vertically-integrated omni-channel specialty retailer that operates stores and websites both domestically and internationally. We design, market and sell our products, including those under the J.Crew^® and Madewell^® brands, offering complete assortments of women’s, men’s and children’s apparel and accessories. We believe our customer base consists primarily of affluent, college-educated, professional and fashion-conscious women and men.  

We sell our J.Crew and Madewell merchandise through our retail and factory stores, our websites and our catalogs. As of January 30, 2016, we operated 287 J.Crew retail stores, 161 J.Crew factory stores (including 10 J.Crew Mercantile stores), and 103 Madewell stores throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong and France; compared to 280 J.Crew retail stores, 139 J.Crew factory stores, and 85 Madewell stores as of January 31, 2015.

Our fiscal year ends on the Saturday closest to January 31, typically resulting in a 52-week year, but occasionally includes an additional week, resulting in a 53-week year. All references to fiscal 2015 reflect the results of the 52-week period ended January 30, 2016; all references to fiscal 2014 reflect the results of the 52-week period ended January 31, 2015; and all references to fiscal 2013 reflect the results of the 52-week period ended February 1, 2014. In addition, all references to fiscal 2016 reflect the 52-week period ending January 28, 2017.

We were incorporated in the State of New York in 1988 and reincorporated in the State of Delaware in October 2005. Our principal executive offices are located at 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003, and our telephone number is (212) 209-2500.

On March 7, 2011, J.Crew Group, Inc. was acquired by affiliates of TPG Capital, L.P. (together with such affiliates, “TPG”) and Leonard Green & Partners, L.P. (“LGP” and together with TPG, the “Sponsors”) in a transaction, referred to as the “Acquisition,” valued at approximately $3.1 billion, including the incurrence of $1.6 billion of debt. As a result of the Acquisition, our stock is no longer publicly traded. Currently, the issued and outstanding shares of J.Crew Group, Inc. are indirectly owned by affiliates of the Sponsors, certain co-investors and members of management.

Brands and Merchandise

We project our brand image through consistent creative messaging in our store environments, websites and catalogs and with our superior customer service. We maintain our brand image by exercising substantial control over the design, production, presentation and pricing of our merchandise and primarily by selling our products ourselves. Senior management is extensively involved in all phases of our business including product design and sourcing, assortment planning, store selection and design, website experience and the selection of photography for each catalog.

J.Crew. Introduced in 1983, J.Crew offers a complete assortment of women’s and men’s apparel and accessories, including outerwear, suiting, casual attire, wedding and bridesmaids dresses, swimwear, shoes, handbags, belts, socks, jewelry and more. J.Crew offers products ranging from casual t-shirts and denim to limited edition “collection” items, such as hand-embellished sweaters and coats, Italian cashmere, limited edition prints and patterns, and vintage inspired details. We also offer a curated selection of other brands that we have partnered with offering unique, hard-to-find items consistent with our brand philosophy. J.Crew products are sold primarily through our J.Crew retail and factory stores and our J.Crew and factory websites. Our J.Crew catalog provides a branding and traffic-driving vehicle that supports all channels of distribution.

Introduced in 2006, crewcuts reflects the same high standard of quality, style and design that we offer under the J.Crew brand. Crewcuts offers a product assortment of apparel and accessories for the children’s market from infant to children’s size 14. Crewcuts products are sold through stand-alone retail and factory stores, shop-in-shops in our J.Crew retail and factory stores and our J.Crew and factory websites.

In fiscal 2015, we announced the J.Crew Mercantile store concept, which features a collection of value-driven merchandise with classic J.Crew style for women, men and children. The collection, previously available in our J.Crew factory stores and online, is now available at J.Crew Mercantile stores. Located in retail centers, J.Crew Mercantile stores make our factory assortment more accessible to customers.

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Madewell. Introduced in 2006, Madewell is a modern-day interpretation of a denim based clothing label originally founded in 1937. Madewell offers products exclusively for women, including perfect-fitting, heritage-inspired jeans and all the “downtown-cool” pieces to wear with them, from vintage-influenced tees, cardigans and blazers, to boots and jewelry. Madewell products are sold primarily through Madewell retail stores and our Madewell website.

A summary of our revenues by brand is as follows:

 

 

Stores

J.Crew Retail. Our J.Crew retail stores are located in upscale regional malls, lifestyle centers and street locations. Our retail stores are designed and fixtured with the goal of creating a distinctive, sophisticated and inviting atmosphere, with displays and information about product quality. We believe situating our stores in desirable locations is critical to the success of our business, and we determine store locations, as well as individual store sizes, based on geographic location, demographic information, presence of anchor tenants in mall locations and proximity to other high-end specialty retail stores. As of January 30, 2016, we operated 287 J.Crew retail stores (including eight crewcuts stores) throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and France.

Our J.Crew retail stores averaged approximately 6,200 total square feet as of January 30, 2016, but are “sized to the market,” which means that we adjust the size of a particular retail store based on the projected revenues from that particular store. Our retail stores range in size from a 21,000 square foot store in New York City to small crewcuts and men’s shops of approximately 900 square feet.

J.Crew Factory. Our J.Crew factory stores are located primarily in large outlet malls and are designed with simple, volume driving visuals to maximize the sale of key items. In fiscal 2015, we launched our J.Crew Mercantile store concept, which are located in traditionally full price retail malls and hybrid centers, and therefore make our factory assortment more accessible to customers. We design and develop a dedicated line of value-driven merchandise for our J.Crew factory stores, J.Crew Mercantile stores and jcrewfactory.com, inspired by classic J.Crew style. As of January 30, 2016, we operated 161 J.Crew factory stores (including three crewcuts factory stores and 10 J.Crew Mercantile stores) throughout the United States and Canada.

Our J.Crew factory stores averaged approximately 5,700 total square feet as of January 30, 2016, and are also “sized to the market.” Our factory stores range in size from a 10,300 square foot store in New York to a 1,500 square foot store in Florida.

Madewell. Our Madewell stores are located in upscale regional malls, lifestyle centers and street locations. Our Madewell store environments are carefully designed with the goal of capturing the look and feel of a downtown boutique, while reflecting high quality and sophistication. As of January 30, 2016, we operated 103 Madewell stores throughout the United States.

Our Madewell stores averaged approximately 3,500 total square feet as of January 30, 2016. Our Madewell stores range in size from a 9,600 square foot store in Washington, D.C. to a 2,500 square foot store in New York City.

 

 

 

 

 

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A summary of the number of stores that we operated over the past three fiscal years is as follows:

 

 

E-commerce

We also serve customers through our e-commerce business, which includes websites for the J.Crew, factory and Madewell brands. Our websites allow customers to purchase our merchandise over the Internet and include jcrew.com, jcrewfactory.com and madewell.com. We also use our websites to sell exclusive styles not available in stores, introduce and test new product offerings, offer extended sizes and colors on various products, and drive targeted marketing campaigns. Additionally, we utilize a third party to accept and fulfill website orders from customers in over 100 countries outside of the United States.

Financial Information about Segments

We have determined our operating segments on the same basis that we use to internally evaluate performance and allocate resources. Our operating segments align with our brands, J.Crew and Madewell, which have been aggregated into one reportable segment because they have similar class of consumers, economic characteristics, nature of products, nature of production and distribution methods.

Shared Resources That Support Our Brands

Design and Merchandising

On the basis of data collected from customers through our e-commerce business, we believe our customer base consists primarily of affluent, college-educated, professional and fashion-conscious women and men. We seek to appeal to our customers by creating high quality products that reflect our customers’ affluent and active lifestyles across a broad range of price points.

We believe one of our key strengths is our design team, which designs merchandise that reinforces our constantly evolving brands. Our collections are designed to reflect a clean and fashionable aesthetic that incorporates high quality fabrics and construction as well as consistent fits and detailing.

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Our products are developed in four seasonal collections and are rolled-out for monthly product introductions in our stores, on our websites and in our catalogs. The design process begins with our designers developing seasonal collections eight to 12 months in advance. Our designers regularly travel domestically and internationally to develop color and design ideas. Once the design team has developed a season’s color palette and design concepts, they order a sample assortment in order to evaluate the details of the collection, such as how color takes to a particular fabric. The design team then presents the collection to senior management. The presentation reflects the design team’s vision, from color direction and flow, to styling and silhouette evolution.

Our teams work closely with each other in order to leverage market data, ensure the quality of our products and remain true to our unified brand aesthetic and voice. Our technical design team develops construction and fit specifications for every product, ensuring quality workmanship and consistency across product lines.

Because our product offerings originate from a single concept assortment, we believe that we are able to efficiently offer an assortment of styles within each season’s line while still maintaining a unified vision. As a final step that is intended to ensure image consistency, our senior management reviews the full line of products for each season before they are manufactured.

Marketing and Advertising

As part of our omni-strategy, we communicate a consistent brand message across our stores, our websites, our catalogs, email marketing, online advertising, and our social media presence. Our core marketing objectives are structured to drive awareness and differentiation of our brands, increase new customer acquisition, maintain and build customer retention and loyalty, and build brand awareness globally. Our catalogs serve as an important branding vehicle to communicate to our customers. In fiscal 2015, we circulated approximately 2.9 billion catalog pages.

Digital marketing and social media have played an important part of our strategy in our recent history and are among our most effective marketing tools. Additionally, we have launched a redesigned and upgraded mobile responsive site, which features a more intuitive and user-friendly experience for shoppable content.  This launch supports our ongoing initiative to serve our customers with an integrated omni-channel shopping experience.

We offer a private-label credit card in our J.Crew brand which is issued and serviced by a third-party provider. In fiscal 2015, sales on the J.Crew credit card made up approximately 15% of our net sales. We believe that our credit card program encourages frequent store and website visits and promotes multiple-item purchases, thereby cultivating customer loyalty to the J.Crew brand and increasing sales. The J.Crew credit card offers rewards based on customer spend.

Sourcing

We source our merchandise in two ways: (i) through the use of buying agents, and (ii) by purchasing merchandise directly from trading companies and manufacturers. We have no long-term merchandise supply contracts, and we typically transact business on an order-by-order basis. In fiscal 2015, we worked with 11 buying agents, who supported our relationships with vendors that supplied approximately 63% of our merchandise, with one of these buying agents supporting our relationships with vendors that supplied approximately 49% of our merchandise. In exchange for a commission, our buying agents identify suitable vendors and coordinate our purchasing requirements with the vendors by placing orders for merchandise on our behalf, ensuring the timely delivery of goods to us, obtaining samples of merchandise produced in the factories, inspecting finished merchandise and carrying out other administrative communications on our behalf. In fiscal 2015, we worked with a number of trading companies, through which we purchased approximately 22% of our merchandise. Trading companies control factories that manufacture merchandise and also handle certain other shipping and customs matters related to importing the merchandise into the United States. We sourced the remaining 15% of our merchandise directly from manufacturers within the United States and overseas, the majority of whom we have long-term, and in our opinion, stable relationships.

Our sourcing base currently consists of 223 vendors who operate 381 factories in 25 countries. Our top 10 vendors supply 40% of our merchandise. Each of our top 10 vendors uses multiple factories to produce its merchandise, which we believe gives us a high degree of flexibility in placing production of our merchandise. We believe we have developed strong relationships with our vendors, some of which rely upon us for a significant portion of their business.

In fiscal 2015, approximately 87% of our merchandise was sourced in Asia (with 65% of our products sourced from China and Hong Kong), 11% was sourced in Europe and other regions, and 2% was sourced in the United States. Substantially all of our foreign purchases are negotiated and paid for in U.S. dollars.

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Distribution

We own a 282,000 square foot facility in Asheville, North Carolina that houses our distribution operations for our stores. This facility employs approximately 390 full and part-time associates during our non-peak season and approximately 30 additional associates during our peak season. Merchandise is transported from this distribution center to our stores by independent trucking companies, with a transit time of approximately two to five days.

We also own two facilities in Lynchburg, Virginia, including a 425,000 square foot facility and a 63,700 square foot facility. These facilities contain a customer call center and order fulfillment operations for our e-commerce business. The Lynchburg facilities employ approximately 1,290 full and part-time associates during our non-peak season and approximately 260 additional associates during our peak season. Merchandise sold through our e-commerce business is sent directly to customers from this distribution center or our stores via the United States Postal Service or UPS.

We lease a 45,800 square foot customer call center in San Antonio, Texas. This facility employs approximately 330 full and part-time associates during our non-peak season and approximately 70 additional associates during our peak season.

We also utilize a third party distribution center to support our international e-commerce business.

Management Information Systems

Our management information systems are designed to provide comprehensive order processing, production, accounting and management information for the marketing, manufacturing, importing, distribution and financial reporting functions of our business. We also have point-of-sale systems in our stores that enable us to track inventory from store receipt to final sale on a real-time basis. We have an agreement with a third party to provide hosting services and administrative support for portions of our infrastructure. In addition, our websites are hosted by a third party at its data center.

We believe our merchandising and financial systems, coupled with our point-of-sale systems and software programs, allow for item-level stock replenishment, merchandise planning and real-time inventory accounting practices. Our telephone and telemarketing systems, warehouse package sorting systems, automated warehouse locator and inventory bar coding systems use current technology, and are designed with our highest-volume periods in mind, which results in substantial flexibility and ample capacity in our lower-volume periods. We also subject our systems to stress tests during low-volume periods to ensure optimal performance during our peak season. We are investing significantly in expanding and upgrading our information systems including our omni-channel capabilities, networks and infrastructure to support future growth.

Pricing

We offer our customers a mix of select designer-quality products and more casual items at various price points, consistent with our signature styling strategy of pairing luxury items with more casual items. We offer limited edition “collection” items such as hand-embellished sweaters and coats, Italian cashmere, limited edition prints and patterns and vintage inspired details, which we believe elevates the overall perception of our brand. We believe offering a broad range of price points maintains a more accessible, less intimidating atmosphere.

Cyclicality and Seasonality

Our industry is cyclical and our revenues are affected by general economic conditions. Purchases of apparel and accessories are sensitive to a number of factors that influence the levels of consumer spending, including economic conditions and the level of disposable consumer income, consumer debt, interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates and consumer confidence.

Our business is seasonal and as a result, our revenues fluctuate from quarter to quarter. We have four distinct selling seasons that align with our four fiscal quarters. Revenues are usually higher in our fourth fiscal quarter, particularly December when customers make holiday purchases. In fiscal 2015, we realized approximately 28% of our revenues in the fourth fiscal quarter.

Competition

The specialty retail industry is highly competitive. We compete primarily with specialty retailers, department stores, catalog retailers and e-commerce businesses that engage in the sale of women’s, men’s and children’s apparel, accessories, shoes and similar merchandise. We compete on quality, design, customer service and price. We believe that our primary competitive advantages are consumer recognition of our brands, as well as our omni-channel strategy which focuses on a seamless approach to the customer experience through all available sales channels. We believe that we also differentiate ourselves from competitors on the basis of our signature product design, our ability to offer both designer-quality products at higher price points and more casual items at lower price

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points, our focus on the quality of our product offerings and our customer-service oriented culture. We believe our success depends in substantial part on our ability to originate and define product and fashion trends as well as to timely anticipate, gauge and react to changing consumer demands.

Associates

As of January 30, 2016, we had approximately 15,300 associates, of whom approximately 5,600 were full-time associates and 9,700 were part-time associates. Approximately 1,340 of these associates are employed in our customer call center and order fulfillment operations facilities in Lynchburg, Virginia; approximately 410 of these associates work in our store distribution center in Asheville, North Carolina; and approximately 350 of these associates work in our call center in San Antonio, Texas. In addition, approximately 3,900 associates are hired on a seasonal basis in these facilities and our stores to meet demand during the peak season. None of our associates are represented by a union. We have had no labor-related work stoppages and we believe our relationship with our associates is good.

Trademarks and Licensing

The J.Crew and Madewell trademarks and variations thereon, such as crewcuts and J.Crew Mercantile, are registered or are subject to pending trademark applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and with the registries of many foreign countries. We believe our trademarks have significant value and we intend to continue to vigorously protect them against infringement.

Government Regulation

We are subject to customs, truth-in-advertising, consumer protection, employment, data privacy, product safety and other laws, including zoning and occupancy ordinances that regulate retailers and/or govern the promotion and sale of merchandise and the operation of retail stores and warehouse facilities. We monitor changes in these laws and believe that we are in material compliance with applicable laws.

A substantial portion of our products are manufactured outside the United States. These products are imported and are subject to U.S. customs laws, which impose tariffs as well as import quota restrictions for textiles and apparel. Some of our imported products are eligible for duty-advantaged programs. While importation of goods from foreign countries from which we buy our products may be subject to embargo by U.S. Customs authorities if shipments exceed quota limits, we closely monitor import quotas and believe we have the sourcing network to efficiently shift production to factories located in countries with available quotas. The existence of import quotas has, therefore, not had a material adverse effect on our business.

Available Information

We make available free of charge on our website, www.jcrew.com, copies of our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and all amendments to these reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), as soon as reasonably practicable after filing such material electronically with, or otherwise furnishing it to, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The reference to our website address does not constitute incorporation by reference of the information contained on the website, and the information contained on the website is not part of this document.

Copies of the reports and other information we file with the SEC may also be examined by the public without charge at 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549, or at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of all or a portion of such materials can be obtained from the SEC upon payment of prescribed fees. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information.

 

We face a variety of risks that are substantial and inherent in our business. The following are some of the more important risk factors that could affect our business.

Risks Related to Our Business and Our Industry

Unfavorable economic conditions could materially adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

Economic conditions around the world can impact our customers and affect the general business environment in which we operate and compete. Our results can be impacted by a number of macroeconomic factors, including, but not limited to, consumer

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confidence and spending levels, employment rates, consumer credit availability, fuel and energy costs, raw materials costs, global factory production, commercial real estate market conditions, credit market conditions, foreign currency exchange rates, interest rates, taxation, the level of customer traffic in malls and shopping centers and changing demographic patterns.

Demand for our merchandise is significantly impacted by negative trends in consumer confidence and other economic factors affecting consumer spending behavior. Because apparel and accessories generally are discretionary purchases, consumer purchases of our products may decline during recessionary periods or when disposable income is lower. As a result, our sales, growth and profitability may be adversely affected by unfavorable economic conditions at a regional, national or international level. In addition, unfavorable economic conditions abroad may impact our ability to meet quality and production goals.

Periods of economic uncertainty or volatility make it difficult to plan, budget and forecast our business. Incorrect assumptions concerning economic trends, customer requirements, distribution models, demand forecasts, interest rate trends and availability of resources may result in our failure to accurately forecast results and to achieve forecasted results or budget targets.

We believe that our current cash balance, cash flow from operations and availability under our senior secured credit facilities, provide us with sufficient liquidity. However, a decrease in liquidity of our customers and suppliers could have a material adverse effect on our cash flows, results of operations and liquidity.

The specialty retail industry is cyclical, and a decline in consumer spending on apparel and accessories could reduce our sales and slow our growth.

The industry in which we operate is cyclical. Purchases of apparel and accessories are sensitive to a number of factors that influence the levels of consumer spending, including general economic conditions and the level of disposable consumer income, the availability of consumer credit, interest rates, foreign exchange rates, taxation, consumer confidence in future economic conditions and demographic patterns. Because apparel and accessories generally are discretionary purchases, declines in consumer spending patterns may impact us more negatively as a specialty retailer. Therefore, we may not be able to grow revenues or increase profitability if there is a decline in consumer spending patterns or we decide to slow or alter our growth plans in anticipation of or in response to a decline in consumer spending.

We operate in the highly competitive specialty retail industry, and the size and resources of some of our competitors may allow them to compete more effectively than we can, which could result in loss of our market share.

We face intense competition in the specialty retail industry. We compete primarily with specialty retailers, department stores, catalog retailers and e-commerce businesses that engage in the sale of women’s, men’s and children’s apparel, accessories, and similar merchandise. We compete on quality, design, customer service and price. We are not in the “fast fashion” business but it appears that an increasing number of customers are attracted to the aggressive pricing strategies of those retailers.  Many of our competitors are, and many of our potential competitors may be, larger and have greater financial, marketing and other resources, devote greater resources to the marketing and sale of their products, generate greater international brand recognition or adopt more aggressive pricing policies than we can. A number of our competitors are continuing to operate a more promotional business than in the past, both in-store and online.  This promotional environment has negatively impacted our revenues and gross profit and may continue to do so in the future.  In addition, consumers are increasingly seeking retail experiences which emphasize value, personalization and an omni-channel environment where the store, mobile and online shopping experience is tightly integrated.  While we are working to meet these evolving customer expectations, there can be no assurance that we will do so effectively or without incurring substantial expense, which could impact our results of operations and liquidity.

The rapid pace of technological change may require us to incur costs to implement new systems and platforms in order to meet customer demand and to provide a desirable omni-channel shopping experience for our customers.

If we are unable to gauge fashion trends or react to changing consumer preferences in a timely manner, our sales will decrease.

We believe our success depends in substantial part on our ability to:

Because we enter into agreements for the manufacture and purchase of merchandise well in advance of the season in which merchandise will be sold, we are vulnerable to changes in consumer demand, pricing shifts and suboptimal merchandise selection and

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timing of merchandise purchases. We attempt to mitigate the risks of changing fashion trends and product acceptance in part by devoting a portion of our product line to classic styles that are not significantly modified from year to year. Nevertheless, if we misjudge the market for our products or overall level of consumer demand, we may be faced with significant excess inventories for some products and missed opportunities for others.  Our brands’ images may also suffer if customers believe we are no longer able to offer the latest fashions or if we fail to address and respond to customer feedback or complaints. The occurrence of these events, among others, could hurt our financial results and liquidity by decreasing sales. We may respond by increasing markdowns or initiating marketing promotions to reduce excess inventory, which would further decrease our gross profits and net income.

We rely on the experience and skills of key personnel, the loss of whom could damage our brands’ images and our ability to sell our merchandise.

We believe we have benefited substantially from the leadership and strategic guidance of our chief executive officer, as well as other key executives and members of our creative team, who are primarily responsible for executing our strategy. The loss, for any reason, of the services of any of these individuals and any negative market or industry perception arising from such loss could damage our brands’ images. Our executive and creative teams have substantial experience and expertise in the specialty retail industry and have made significant contributions to our growth and success. The unexpected loss of one or more of these individuals could delay the development and introduction of, and harm our ability to sell, our merchandise. In addition, products we develop without the guidance and direction of these key personnel may not receive the same level of acceptance.

Our success depends in part on our ability to attract and retain key personnel. Competition for this experienced talent is intense, and we may not be able to attract and retain a sufficient number of qualified personnel in the future.

Our expanded product offerings, new sales channels, new brands and concepts and plans to expand internationally may not be successful, and implementation of these strategies may divert our operational, managerial, financial and administrative resources, which could impact our competitive position.

We have grown our business in recent years by expanding our product offerings and sales channels, including by marketing our Madewell brand of women’s apparel and accessories and launching J.Crew Mercantile. Since 2011, we have opened stores in Canada, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong and France and expanded our international shipping. In fiscal 2015, we launched our J.Crew Mercantile store concept, which are located in traditionally full price retail malls and hybrid centers, and therefore make our factory assortment more accessible to customers. These strategies to expand new brands and concepts and to expand internationally involve various risks discussed elsewhere in these risk factors, including:

In addition, our new product offerings, new brands and concepts, new sales channels and international expansion may be affected by, among other things, economic, demographic and competitive conditions, changes in consumer spending patterns and changes in consumer preferences and style trends. Further rollout of these strategies could be delayed or abandoned, could cost more than anticipated and could divert resources from other areas of our business, any of which could impact our competitive position and reduce our revenue and profitability.

Our growth strategy depends on the successful execution of our efforts to grow our brands, develop our omni-channel shopping experience and expand internationally.

Our customers are seeking an omni-channel shopping experience through the integration of store and digital shopping channels.  We have implemented systems that allow us to manage our inventory efficiently across all channels and to ship merchandise from stores to customers. We have enhanced our mobile experience and we continue to explore additional capabilities that will broaden our omni-channel experience, including order online and pick up in the store, and various capacity and efficiency enhancements. However, these initiatives involve significant investments in IT systems and significant operational changes.  In addition, our competitors are also investing in omni-channel capabilities, some of which may be more successful than our initiatives.  If we do not implement and expand our omni-channel initiatives successfully or we do not realize our anticipated return on these investments, then our operating results could be negatively impacted and we could fail to meet our strategic and financial goals.

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Our growth strategy also includes international expansion. Since 2011, we opened stores in Canada, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong and France and expanded our online presence to over 100 countries. We may open stores in additional countries in the future, including other locations in Asia and Europe, where brand recognition may be limited. We do not have experience operating in these regions and we will face established competition in most of these markets. Many of these countries have different operational and legal requirements, including, but not limited to, employment and labor, transportation, logistics, real estate, product labelling, product safety, consumer protection, data privacy and local reporting requirements. Consumer tastes, sizes and trends may differ from country to country and there may be seasonal differences, which, if we do not anticipate, may result in lower sales and/or margins for our products. Our success internationally could also be adversely impacted by the global economy, fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, changes in diplomatic or trade relationships, political instability and foreign government regulation.

In addition, as we continue to expand our overseas operations, we are subject to certain U.S. laws, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, in addition to the laws of the foreign countries in which we operate. We must use all commercially reasonable efforts to ensure our associates and agents comply with these laws. If any of our associates or agents violate such laws we could become subject to sanctions or other penalties that could negatively affect our reputation, business and operating results.

As we execute our growth strategies, we may not adequately manage the related organizational changes needed for successful execution.  In addition, we may distract key resources related to our core business as a result of the focus on omni-channel growth and international expansion.

Any material disruption of our information systems could disrupt our business and reduce our sales.

We are increasingly dependent on information systems to operate our websites, process transactions, respond to customer inquiries, manage inventory, purchase, sell and ship goods on a timely basis and maintain cost-efficient operations. Previously, we have experienced interruptions resulting from upgrades to certain of our information systems which temporarily impaired our ability to capture, process and ship customer orders, and transfer product between channels. We may experience operational problems with our information systems as a result of system failures, viruses, computer “hackers” or other causes. Any material disruption or slowdown of our systems, including a disruption or slowdown caused by our failure to successfully upgrade our systems, could cause information, including data related to customer orders, to be lost or delayed which could—especially if the disruption or slowdown occurred during the holiday season—result in delays in the delivery of merchandise to our stores and customers or lost sales, which could reduce demand for our merchandise and cause our sales to decline. Moreover, we may not be successful in developing or acquiring technology that is competitive and responsive to the needs of our customers and might lack sufficient resources to make the necessary investments in technology to compete with our competitors. Accordingly, if changes in technology cause our information systems to become obsolete, or if our information systems are inadequate to handle our growth, we could lose customers.

We devote substantial resources to online marketing. In addition to changing consumer preferences and buying trends relating to online usage, we are vulnerable to certain additional risks and uncertainties associated with the Internet, including changes in required technology interfaces, website downtime and other technical failures, security breaches, and consumer privacy concerns. Our failure to successfully respond to these risks and uncertainties could reduce sales, increase costs and damage the reputation of our brands. Data privacy and information security is regulated at the international, federal and state levels, and compliance with any changes in the laws and regulations enacted by these governments will likely increase the cost of doing business.

Management uses information systems to support decision making and to monitor business performance. We may fail to generate accurate and complete financial and operational reports essential for making decisions at various levels of management, which could lead to decisions being made that have adverse results. Failure to adopt systematic procedures to initiate change requests, test changes, document changes, and authorize changes to systems and processes prior to deployment may result in unsuccessful changes and could disrupt our business and reduce sales. In addition, if we do not maintain adequate controls such as reconciliations, segregation of duties and verification to prevent errors or incomplete information, our ability to operate our business could be limited.

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Compromises of our data security could cause us to incur unexpected expenses and loss of revenues and may materially harm our reputation and business.

In the ordinary course of our business, we collect and store certain personal information from individuals, such as our customers and employees, and we process customer payment card and check information.  We rely on commercially available systems, software, tools and monitoring to provide security for processing, transmission and storage of confidential information. There can be no assurance that we will not suffer a data compromise, that unauthorized parties will not gain access to personal information, or that any such data compromise or access will be discovered in a timely way. Further, the systems currently used for transmission and approval of payment card transactions, and the technology utilized in payment cards themselves, all of which can put payment card data at risk, are determined and controlled by the payment card industry, not by us. Computer hackers may attempt to penetrate our computer system and, if successful, misappropriate personal information, payment card or check information or confidential business information of our Company. In addition, there may be non-technical issues, such as our employees, contractors or third parties with whom we do business or to whom we outsource business operations may attempt to circumvent our security measures in order to misappropriate such information, and may purposefully or inadvertently cause a breach involving such information. Advances in computer and software capabilities, new tools and other developments may increase the risk of such a breach.

Compromise of our data security or of third parties with whom we do business, failure to prevent or mitigate the loss of personal or business information and delays in detecting or providing prompt notice of any such compromise or loss could disrupt our operations, damage our reputation and customers’ willingness to shop in our stores, violate applicable laws, regulations, orders and agreements, and subject us to litigation and additional costs and liabilities which could be material.

If we fail to maintain the value of our brands and protect our trademarks, our sales are likely to decline.

Our success depends on the value of the J.Crew and Madewell brands and our corporate reputation. The J.Crew and Madewell names are integral to our business as well as to the implementation of our strategies for expanding our business. Maintaining, promoting and positioning our brands will depend largely on the success of our marketing and merchandising efforts and our ability to provide a consistent, high quality customer experience. Our brands could be adversely affected if we fail to achieve these objectives or if our public image or reputation were to be tarnished by negative publicity. Any of these events could result in decreases in sales.

The J.Crew and Madewell trademarks and variations thereon, such as crewcuts and J.Crew Mercantile, are valuable assets that are critical to our success. We intend to continue to vigorously protect our trademarks against infringement, but we may not be successful in doing so. The unauthorized reproduction or other misappropriation of our trademarks would diminish the value of our brands, which could reduce demand for our products or the prices at which we can sell our products.

Our real estate strategy may not be successful, and new store locations may fail to produce desired results, which could impact our competitive position and profitability.

We expanded our store base by 47 net new stores in fiscal 2015. We regularly evaluate our existing store base and seek to identify opportunities, where available, to renegotiate the terms of those leases. The success of our business depends, in part, on our ability to open new stores and renew our existing store leases on terms that meet our financial targets. Our ability to open new stores on schedule or at all, to renew our existing store leases on favorable terms or to operate them on a profitable basis will depend on various factors, including our ability to:

New stores and stores with renewed lease terms may not produce anticipated levels of revenue even though they increase our costs. As a result, our expenses as a percentage of sales would increase and our profitability would be adversely affected.

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Reductions in the volume of mall traffic or closing of shopping malls as a result of unfavorable economic conditions or changing demographic patterns could significantly reduce our sales and leave us with excess inventory.

Most of our stores are located in shopping malls or outlet centers. Sales at these stores are derived, in part, from the volume of traffic in those locations. Our stores benefit from the ability of the malls’ “anchor” tenants, generally large department stores and other area attractions, to generate consumer traffic in the vicinity of our stores and the continuing popularity of the malls as shopping destinations. Unfavorable economic conditions, particularly in certain regions, have adversely affected mall traffic and resulted in the closing of certain anchor stores and has threatened the viability of certain commercial real estate firms which operate major shopping malls. A continuation of this trend, including failure of a large commercial landlord or continued declines in the popularity of mall shopping generally among our customers, would reduce our sales and leave us with excess inventory. We may respond by increasing markdowns or initiating marketing promotions to reduce excess inventory, which would further decrease our gross profits and net income.

Our inability to maintain or increase levels of comparable company sales could cause our earnings to decline.

If our future comparable company sales fail to meet expectations, our earnings could decline. In addition, our results have significantly fluctuated in the past and can be expected to continue to fluctuate in the future. For example, in the previous three fiscal years, our quarterly comparable company sales changes have ranged from an increase of 5.5% to a decrease of 11.4%. A variety of factors affect comparable company sales, including fashion trends, competition, current economic conditions, pricing, inflation, the timing of the release of new merchandise and promotional events, changes in our merchandise mix, the success of marketing programs, timing and level of markdowns and weather conditions.

In addition, the economic environment and the resulting softening apparel demand has led to a more promotional environment across the specialty retail industry, which has impacted our promotional posture and our gross margins. In addition, this promotional pricing may have a negative effect on our brands’ images, which may be difficult to counteract even as the economy improves.

Over the past several years, various regions of the country have experienced extreme weather patterns.  Significant amounts of snow, wind, ice, flooding and other weather elements have caused and may continue to cause a greater number of store closures or lost revenue than we have historically experienced.

All of these factors may cause our comparable company sales to be materially lower than previous periods and our expectations, which could impact our ability to leverage fixed expenses, such as store rent and store asset depreciation, which may adversely affect our financial condition or results of operations.

Interruption in our foreign sourcing operations could disrupt production, shipment or receipt of our merchandise, which would result in lost sales and could increase our costs.

We do not own or operate any manufacturing facilities and therefore depend upon independent third party vendors for the manufacture of all of our products. Our products are manufactured to our specifications primarily by factories outside of the United States. We cannot control all of the various factors, which include inclement weather, natural disasters, political and financial instability, strikes, health concerns regarding infectious diseases, and acts of terrorism that might affect a manufacturer’s ability to ship orders of our products in a timely manner or to meet our quality standards. Inadequate labor conditions, health or safety issues in the factories where goods are produced can negatively impact our brands reputations. Late delivery of products or delivery of products that do not meet our quality standards could cause us to miss the delivery date requirements of our customers or delay timely delivery of merchandise to our stores for those items. These events could cause us to fail to meet customer expectations, cause our customers to cancel orders or cause us to be unable to deliver merchandise in sufficient quantities or of sufficient quality to our stores, which could result in lost sales.

In fiscal 2015, approximately 98% of our merchandise was sourced from foreign factories. In particular, approximately 65% of our merchandise was sourced from China and Hong Kong. Any event causing a sudden disruption of manufacturing or imports from Asia or elsewhere, including the imposition of additional import restrictions, could materially harm our operations. We have no long-term merchandise supply contracts, and many of our imports are subject to existing or potential duties, tariffs or quotas that may limit the quantity of certain types of goods that may be imported into the United States from countries in Asia or elsewhere. We compete with other companies for production facilities and import quota capacity. While substantially all of our foreign purchases of our products are negotiated and paid for in U.S. dollars, the cost of our products may be affected by fluctuations in the value of relevant foreign currencies. Our business is also subject to a variety of other risks generally associated with doing business abroad, such as political instability, economic conditions, disruption of imports by labor disputes and local business practices.

In addition, to the manufacturing in China, we are also engaging in growing the amount of production in other developing countries. These other countries may present greater risks than China with regards to infrastructure to support manufacturing, labor

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and employee relations, political and economic stability, corruption, environmental, health and safety compliance. While we endeavor to monitor and audit facilities where our production is done, any significant events with factories we use can adversely impact our reputation, brand, and product delivery.

Increases in the demand for, or the price of, raw materials used to manufacture our products or other fluctuations in sourcing or distribution costs could increase our costs and hurt our profitability.

The raw materials used to manufacture our products are subject to availability constraints and price volatility caused by high demand for fabrics, weather, supply conditions, government regulations, economic climate and other unpredictable factors. In addition, our sourcing costs may also fluctuate due to labor conditions, transportation or freight costs, energy prices, currency fluctuations or other unpredictable factors. Further, the cost of labor at many of our third party manufacturers and the cost of transportation have been increasing and it is unlikely that such cost pressures will abate.

Most of our products are shipped from our vendors by ocean.  If a disruption occurs in the operation of ports through which our products are imported, we may incur increased costs related to air freight or to alternative ports.  Shipping by air is significantly more expensive than shipping by ocean and our margins and profitability could be reduced.  Shipping to alternative ports could also lead to delays in receipt of our products.

We believe that we have strong vendor relationships and we are working with our suppliers to manage cost increases. Our overall profitability depends, in part, on the success of our ability to mitigate rising costs or shortages of raw materials used to manufacture our products.

Any significant interruption in the operations of our customer call, order fulfillment and distribution facilities could disrupt our ability to process customer orders and to deliver our merchandise in a timely manner.

A substantial portion of our e-commerce order fulfillment operations are housed in a single facility along with one of our customer call centers, while distribution operations for our stores are housed in another single facility. Although we maintain back-up systems for these facilities and have a contract with a third party distribution center for our international e-commerce business, we may not be able to prevent a significant interruption in our operations if one or both of these facilities were impacted by a natural disaster, accident, failure of the inventory locator or automated packing and shipping systems we use or other events. We have experienced some interruptions in the past in connection with our website systems and while we have stabilized these systems, there can be no assurance that future interruptions will not occur. Any significant interruption in the operation of these facilities, including an interruption caused by our failure to successfully expand or upgrade our systems or manage our transition to utilizing the expansions or upgrades, could reduce our ability to receive and process orders and provide products and services to our stores and customers, which could result in lost sales, cancelled sales and a loss of loyalty to our brand.

Third party failure to deliver merchandise to our distribution centers, stores and customers or a disruption or adverse condition affecting our distribution centers could result in lost sales or reduced demand for our merchandise.

Our success depends on the timely receipt of merchandise from our vendors to our distribution centers, and timely delivery of merchandise from our distribution facilities to stores and customers. Independent third party transportation companies deliver our merchandise to our distribution centers, stores and customers. Some of these third parties employ personnel represented by labor unions. Disruptions in the delivery of merchandise or work stoppages by employees of these third parties could delay the timely receipt of merchandise, which could result in cancelled sales, a loss of loyalty to our brands, increased logistics costs and excess inventory.

We currently operate two of our own distribution centers in North Carolina and Virginia. Timely receipt of merchandise by our distribution centers, stores and customers may also be affected by factors such as inclement weather, natural disasters, accidents, system failures and acts of terrorism. We may respond by increasing markdowns or initiating marketing promotions, which would decrease our gross profits and net income. Inability to recover from a business interruption and return to normal operations within a reasonable period of time could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations and damage our brand reputation.

Our ability to source our merchandise profitably or at all could be hurt if new trade restrictions are imposed, existing trade restrictions become more burdensome or disruption occur at our suppliers or at the ports.

Trade restrictions, including increased tariffs, safeguards or quotas, on apparel and accessories could increase the cost or reduce the supply of merchandise available to us. We source our merchandise through buying agents and by purchasing directly from trading companies and manufacturers, predominately in Asia. There are quotas and trade restrictions on certain categories of goods and apparel from China and countries that are not subject to the World Trade Organization Agreement, which could have a significant impact on our sourcing patterns in the future. New initiatives may be proposed that may have an impact on our sourcing from certain

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countries and may include retaliatory duties or other trade sanctions that, if enacted, would increase the cost of products we purchase. We cannot predict whether any of the countries in which our merchandise is currently manufactured or may be manufactured in the future will be subject to additional trade restrictions imposed by the U.S. and foreign governments, nor can we predict the likelihood, type or effect of any such restrictions. Trade restrictions, including increased tariffs or quotas, embargoes, safeguards and customs restrictions against apparel items could increase the cost, delay shipping or reduce the supply of apparel available to us or may require us to modify our current business practices, any of which could hurt our profitability.

We rely on our suppliers to manufacture and ship the products they produce for us in a timely manner.  We also rely on the free flow of goods through open and operational ports worldwide.  Labor disputes at various ports or at our suppliers could increase costs for us and delay our receipt of merchandise, particularly if these disputes result in work slowdowns, lockouts, strikes or other disruptions.

If our independent manufacturers do not use ethical business practices or comply with applicable laws and regulations, our brands could be harmed due to negative publicity.

While our internal and vendor operating guidelines, as outlined in our Vendor Code of Conduct, promote ethical business practices and we, along with third parties that we retain for this purpose, monitor compliance with those guidelines, we do not control our independent manufacturers. Accordingly, we cannot guarantee their compliance with our guidelines. Our Vendor Code of Conduct is designed to ensure that each of our suppliers’ operations is conducted in a legal, ethical, and responsible manner. Our Vendor Code of Conduct requires that each of our suppliers operates in compliance with applicable wage benefit, working hours and other local laws, and forbids the use of practices such as child labor or forced labor.

Violation of labor or other laws by our independent manufacturers, or the divergence of an independent manufacturer’s practices from those generally accepted as ethical in the United States could diminish the value of the J.Crew and Madewell brands and reduce demand for our merchandise if, as a result of such violation, we were to attract negative publicity.

We are subject to customs, advertising, consumer protection, data privacy, product safety, zoning and occupancy and labor and employment laws that could require us to modify our current business practices, incur increased costs or harm our reputation if we do not comply.

We are subject to numerous laws and regulations, including customs, truth-in-advertising, consumer protection, general data privacy, health information privacy, identity theft, online privacy, product safety, unsolicited commercial communication and zoning and occupancy laws and ordinances that regulate retailers generally and/or govern the importation, promotion and sale of merchandise and the operation of retail stores and warehouse facilities. If these regulations were to change or were violated by our management, associates, suppliers, buying agents or trading companies, the costs of certain goods could increase, or we could experience delays in shipments of our goods, be subject to fines or penalties, or suffer reputational harm, which could reduce demand for our merchandise and hurt our business and results of operations. Failure to protect personally identifiable information of our customers or associates could subject us to considerable reputational harm as well as significant fines, penalties and sanctions. In addition, changes in federal and state minimum wage laws and other laws relating to employee benefits could cause us to incur additional wage and benefits costs, which could hurt our profitability.

Legal requirements frequently change and are subject to interpretation, and we are unable to predict the ultimate cost of compliance with these requirements or their effect on our operations. Failure to define clear roles and responsibilities or to regularly communicate with and train our associates may result in noncompliance with applicable laws and regulations. We may be required to make significant expenditures or modify our business practices to comply with existing or future laws and regulations, which may increase our costs and materially limit our ability to operate our business. We expect the costs of compliance and risks to our business in this area to increase as we expand our international and e-commerce business.

Our financial results could be adversely impacted by currency exchange rate fluctuations.

Although our international revenues are a small percentage of our business, we expect they will increase as we execute our long-term strategy.  As a result, our future revenues and results of operations could be impacted by changes in foreign currency exchange rates.  Revenues and certain expenses in markets outside the United States are recognized in local foreign currencies, and we are exposed to potential gains or losses from the translation of those amounts into U.S. dollars for consolidation into our financial statements.  In addition, our international subsidiaries transact in currencies other than their functional currency, primarily in respect of inventory purchases denominated in U.S. dollars, which could result in foreign currency transaction gains or losses.  Finally, our vendors and suppliers may also be impacted by currency exchange rate fluctuations with respect to the purchase of fabric and other raw materials.

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Fluctuations in our results of operations for the fourth fiscal quarter would have a disproportionate effect on our overall financial condition and results of operations.

Our revenues are generally lower during the first and second fiscal quarters. In addition, any factors that harm our fourth fiscal quarter operating results, including adverse weather or unfavorable economic conditions, could have a disproportionate effect on our results of operations for the entire fiscal year.

In order to prepare for our peak shopping season, we must order and keep in stock significantly more merchandise than we would carry at other times of the year. Any unanticipated decrease in demand for our products during our peak shopping season could require us to sell excess inventory at a substantial markdown, which could reduce our net sales and gross profit. Additional unplanned decreases in demand for our products could produce further reductions to our net sales and gross profit.

Our quarterly results of operations may also fluctuate significantly as a result of a variety of other factors, including the timing of new store openings and of catalog mailings and the revenues contributed by new stores, merchandise mix and the timing and level of inventory markdowns. As a result, historical period-to-period comparisons of our revenues and operating results are not necessarily indicative of future period-to-period results.

We have recognized substantial goodwill and intangible asset impairment losses in the current fiscal year and may be required to recognize additional non-cash impairment losses in the future.

During fiscal 2015, we recorded non-cash impairment charges of $1,382 million related to goodwill allocated to our J.Crew reporting unit, the intangible asset for our J.Crew trade name and certain long-lived assets. After recording the impairment losses in fiscal 2015, the carrying value of our goodwill and the intangible asset for the J.Crew trade name is $108 million and $380 million, respectively. Certain factors, including consumer spending levels, industry and macroeconomic conditions, and the future profitability of our businesses, might have a negative impact on the carrying value of our goodwill, intangible assets and fixed assets. We could experience material impairment losses in the future. Although an impairment charge would be a non-cash expense, any impairment charges could materially increase our expenses and reduce our profitability. The process of testing goodwill and intangible assets for impairment involves numerous judgments, assumptions and estimates made by management including expected future profitability, cash flows and the fair values of assets and liabilities, which inherently reflect a high degree of uncertainty and may be affected by significant variability.  If the business climate deteriorates, then actual results may not be consistent with these judgments, assumptions and estimates, and our goodwill and intangible assets may become impaired in future periods.  This would in turn have an adverse impact on our financial position and results of operations.

We may be a party to legal proceedings in the future that could adversely affect our business.

From time to time, like others in the retail industry, we are a party to legal proceedings, including matters involving personnel and employment issues, personal injury, intellectual property, consumer protection, consumer accessibility and other proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. In addition, there are an increasing number of cases being filed in the retail industry, including those that we have been subject to or may be subject to in the future, that contain class and representative action allegations, such as those relating to data privacy and wage and hour laws. We evaluate our exposure to these legal proceedings and establish reserves for the estimated liabilities in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Assessing and predicting the outcome of these matters involves substantial uncertainties. Although not currently anticipated by management, unexpected outcomes in these legal proceedings, or changes in management’s evaluations or predictions and accompanying changes in established reserves, could have a material adverse impact on our financial results.

We could be subject to changes in our tax rates and the adoption of new U.S. or international tax legislation or exposed to additional tax liabilities in connection with our international expansion, which could negatively impact our financial results.

We are subject to taxes in the U.S. and with our international expansion we have become subject to taxes in foreign jurisdictions where our international subsidiaries are organized. Due to economic and political conditions, tax rates in various jurisdictions may be subject to significant change. Our future effective tax rates could be affected by changes in the mix of earnings in countries with differing statutory tax rates, changes in the valuation of deferred tax assets and liabilities, or changes in tax laws or their interpretation, including in the U.S. We are also subject to the examination of our tax returns and other tax matters by the Internal Revenue Service and other tax authorities and governmental bodies. We regularly assess the likelihood of an adverse outcome resulting from these examinations to determine the adequacy of our provision for taxes. There can be no assurance as to the outcome of these examinations. If our effective tax rates were to increase, particularly in the U.S., or if the ultimate determination of our taxes owed is for an amount in excess of amounts previously accrued, then our operating results, cash flows, and financial condition could be adversely affected.

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Risks Related to Our Indebtedness and Certain Other Obligations

Our substantial indebtedness and lease obligations could adversely affect our ability to raise additional capital to fund our operations and make strategic investments, limit our ability to react to changes in the economy or our industry, expose us to interest rate risk to the extent of our variable rate debt and prevent us from meeting our obligations under our indebtedness.

We are highly leveraged. The total indebtedness of J.Crew and its subsidiaries at January 30, 2016 was $1,540 million, consisting of borrowings under our term loan credit facility, as amended and restated on March 5, 2014 (the “Term Loan Facility”). We can also borrow up to $350 million under our senior secured asset-based revolving line of credit, dated as of March 7, 2011 (as amended through and including December 17, 2015, the “ABL Facility”, and together with our Term Loan Facility, the “Senior Credit Facilities”), subject to a borrowing base limitation. As of January 30, 2016, our Senior Credit Facilities also allowed uncommitted incremental facilities in an aggregate amount of $225 million consisting of $200 million available as incremental term loan facilities and $25 million available as increased commitments under our ABL Facility. Additional incremental term loan facilities are permitted subject to our meeting certain conditions, including a pro forma total senior secured leverage ratio of less than or equal to 3.75 to 1.00.

 

On November 4, 2013, Chinos Intermediate Holdings A, Inc. (the “Issuer”), an indirect parent holding company of Group, issued $500 million aggregate principal of 7.75/8.50% Senior PIK Toggle Notes due May 1, 2019 (the “PIK Notes”).  The PIK Notes are (i) senior unsecured obligations of the Issuer, (ii) structurally subordinated to all of the liabilities of the Issuer’s subsidiaries, and (iii) not guaranteed by any of the Issuer’s subsidiaries, and therefore are not recorded in our financial statements. In fiscal 2015, we paid dividends of $38 million in the aggregate to the Issuer to fund the semi-annual interest payments due May 1, 2015 and November 1, 2015.

 

On October 30, 2015, the Issuer delivered notice to U.S. Bank N.A., as trustee, under the indenture governing the PIK Notes, that with respect to the interest that will be due on such notes on the May 2, 2016 interest payment date, the Issuer will make such interest payment by paying in kind at the PIK interest rate of 8.50% instead of paying in cash.  The PIK election will increase the outstanding principal balance of the PIK Notes by $21.3 million to $521.3 million. Therefore, we will not pay a dividend to the Issuer in the first quarter of fiscal 2016. Pursuant to the terms of the indenture governing the PIK Notes, the Issuer intends to evaluate this option prior to the beginning of each interest period based on relevant factors at that time.

 

We and our subsidiaries, affiliates, Parent, Sponsors or affiliates of our Sponsors may from time to time seek to retire or purchase, directly or indirectly, our outstanding indebtedness, including the PIK Notes, through cash purchases and/or exchanges, in open market purchases, privately negotiated transactions, by tender offer or otherwise. Such purchases and/or exchanges, if any, will depend on prevailing market conditions, liquidity requirements, contractual restrictions and other factors. The amounts involved may be material, which could impact our capital structure, the market for our debt securities, the price of the indebtedness being purchased and/or exchanged and affect our liquidity.

We also have, and will continue to have, significant lease obligations. As of January 30, 2016, our minimum annual rental obligations under long-term operating leases for fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2017 are $183 million and $177 million, respectively.

Our high degree of leverage and significant lease obligations could have important consequences for our creditors. For example, they could:

We expect to pay interest of approximately $73 million in fiscal 2016, excluding any payments of dividends to the Issuer to fund debt service obligations.

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Our debt agreements contain restrictions that limit our flexibility in operating our business.

The Senior Credit Facilities contain various covenants that limit the ability of J.Crew and our other subsidiaries to engage in specified types of transactions. These covenants limit our ability and the ability of J.Crew, Chinos Intermediate Holdings B, Inc. (“Intermediate Holdings B”) and our restricted subsidiaries to, among other things:

In addition, under our Senior Credit Facilities, we are required to meet specified financial ratios in order to undertake certain actions, and under the ABL Facility in certain circumstances, we may be required to maintain certain levels of excess availability or meet a specified fixed charge coverage ratio. Our ability to meet those tests can be affected by events beyond our control, and we cannot assure you that we will meet them. A breach of any of these covenants could result in a default under the Senior Credit Facilities. Upon the occurrence of an event of default under the Senior Credit Facilities, the lenders could elect to declare all amounts outstanding under the Senior Credit Facilities to be immediately due and payable and terminate all commitments to extend further credit. If we were unable to repay those amounts, the lenders under the Senior Credit Facilities could proceed against the collateral granted to them to secure such indebtedness. Intermediate Holdings B, J.Crew and certain of J.Crew’s subsidiaries have pledged substantially all of their assets, including, in the case of Intermediate Holdings B, a pledge of the capital stock of J.Crew, as collateral under the Senior Credit Facilities. If the lenders under the Senior Secured Credit Facilities accelerate the repayment of borrowings, we may not have sufficient assets to repay the Senior Credit Facilities, as well as our other secured and unsecured indebtedness.

To service our indebtedness, we will require a significant amount of cash and our ability to generate cash depends on many factors beyond our control.

Our ability to make cash payments on and to refinance our indebtedness and to fund working capital and planned capital expenditures will depend on our ability to generate sufficient operating cash flow in the future. This ability is, to a significant extent, subject to general economic, financial, competitive, legislative, regulatory and other factors that are beyond our control.

Our business may not generate sufficient cash flow from operations, and future borrowings may not be available under our Senior Credit Facilities, in an amount sufficient to enable us to pay our indebtedness, or to fund our other liquidity needs. In any such circumstance, we may need to refinance all or a portion of our indebtedness. We may not be able to refinance any of our indebtedness, including our Senior Credit Facilities, on commercially reasonable terms or at all. If we cannot service our indebtedness, we may have to take actions such as selling assets, seeking additional equity or reducing or delaying capital expenditures, strategic acquisitions and investments. Any such action, if necessary, may not be effected on commercially reasonable terms or at all. The credit agreements governing our Senior Credit Facilities contain restrictions on our ability to sell certain assets and limit the use of the proceeds from such sales.

If we are unable to generate sufficient cash flow or are otherwise unable to obtain funds necessary to meet required payments of principal, premium, if any, and interest on our indebtedness, or if we otherwise fail to comply with the various covenants in the instruments governing our indebtedness (including covenants in our Senior Credit Facilities), we could be in default under the terms of the agreements governing such indebtedness. In the event of such default, the holders of such indebtedness could elect to declare all the funds borrowed thereunder to be due and payable, together with accrued and unpaid interest, the lenders under our Senior Credit Facilities could elect to terminate their commitments thereunder, cease making further loans and institute foreclosure proceedings against our assets, and we could be forced into bankruptcy or liquidation. If we breach our covenants under the credit agreements governing our Senior Credit Facilities and are required to seek a waiver, we may not be able to obtain a waiver from the required lenders on acceptable terms, or at all. If this occurs, we would be in default under our Senior Credit Facilities, the lenders could exercise their rights, as described above, and we could be forced into bankruptcy or liquidation.

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Our variable rate indebtedness subjects us to interest rate risk, which could cause our debt service obligations to increase significantly.

Borrowings pursuant to our Term Loan Facility bear interest at floating rates based on LIBOR, but in no event less than the floor rate of 1.00%, plus the applicable margin. Accordingly, fluctuations in market interest rates may increase or decrease our interest expense which will in turn, increase or decrease our net income and cash flow. We manage a portion of our interest rate risk related to floating rate indebtedness by entering into interest rate swaps and caps. While limiting exposure to interest rate increases, these instruments may not fully mitigate our risk or may not be effective. For more information on our interest rate swaps and caps, see note 8 in the consolidated financial statements.

 

None.

 

We are headquartered in New York City. Our headquarter offices are leased under a lease agreement expiring in 2022, with an option to renew thereafter. We own three facilities, including: (i) a 425,000 square foot customer call center, order fulfillment and distribution center in Lynchburg, Virginia, (ii) a 282,000 square foot distribution center in Asheville, North Carolina and (iii) a 63,700 square foot facility in Lynchburg, Virginia. We also lease a 45,800 square foot customer call center in San Antonio, Texas under a lease agreement expiring in October 2021. We also lease small corporate office spaces in the United States and internationally.

As of January 30, 2016, we operated 287 J.Crew retail stores, 161 J.Crew factory stores (including 10 J.Crew Mercantile stores), and 103 Madewell stores in 44 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and France. All of our stores are leased from third parties with terms, in most cases, of 5 to 10 years. A portion of our leases have options to renew for a period of 5 years. Generally, the leases contain standard provisions concerning the payment of rent, events of default and the rights and obligations of each party. Rent due under the leases is generally comprised of annual base rent plus a contingent rent payment based on the store’s sales in excess of a specified threshold. Some of the leases also contain early termination options, which can be exercised by us or the landlord under certain conditions. The leases also generally require us to pay real estate taxes, insurance and certain common area costs. We renegotiate with landlords to obtain more favorable terms as opportunities arise. We consider these properties to be in good condition and believe that our facilities are adequate for operations and provide sufficient capacity to meet our anticipated future requirements.

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A summary of the number of J.Crew and Madewell stores in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and France as of January 30, 2016 is as follows:

 

 

 

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We are subject to various other legal proceedings and claims arising in the ordinary course of business. Management does not expect that the results of any of these other legal proceedings, either individually or in the aggregate, would have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

 

Not applicable.

 

 

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PART II

 

Prior to the Acquisition, our Common Stock was traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “JCG.” Subsequent to the Acquisition, our outstanding Common Stock is privately held and therefore there is no established public trading market.

Record Holders

As of March 17, 2016, Intermediate Holdings B (our direct owner and an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of our Parent) was the only holder of record of our Common Stock.

Dividends

On December 21, 2012, the Company paid, from cash on hand, a dividend of $197.5 million to stockholders of record of the Parent on December 17, 2012.

On November 4, 2013 the Issuer, our indirect parent holding company, issued $500 million aggregate principal of the PIK Notes. The PIK Notes are: (i) senior unsecured obligations of the Issuer, (ii) structurally subordinated to all of the liabilities of the Issuers’ subsidiaries, and (iii) not guaranteed by any of the Issuers’ subsidiaries, and therefore are not recorded in our financial statements. In fiscal 2014 and fiscal 2015, we paid dividends of $28 million and $38 million, respectively, to the Issuer to fund the semi-annual interest payments.

On October 30, 2015, the Issuer delivered notice to U.S. Bank N.A., as trustee, under the indenture governing the PIK Notes, that with respect to the interest that will be due on such notes on the May 2, 2016 interest payment date, the Issuer will make such interest payment by paying in kind at the PIK interest rate of 8.50% instead of paying in cash.  The PIK election will increase the outstanding principal balance of the PIK Notes by $21.3 million to $521.3 million. Therefore, we will not pay a dividend to the Issuer in the first quarter of fiscal 2016. Pursuant to the terms of the indenture governing the PIK Notes, the Issuer intends to evaluate this option prior to the beginning of each interest period based on relevant factors at that time.

 

 

The selected historical consolidated financial data for the fiscal year ended January 30, 2016, January 31, 2015, and February 1, 2014 and as of January 30, 2016 and January 31, 2015 have been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this annual report on Form 10-K. The selected historical consolidated financial data for the fiscal year ended February 2, 2013 and the periods March 8, 2011 to January 28, 2012 and January 30, 2011 to March 7, 2011 and as of February 1, 2014, February 2, 2013 and January 28, 2012 have been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements which are not included in this annual report on Form 10-K. Although, the Company continued as the same legal entity after the Acquisition in fiscal 2011, we refer to the periods subsequent to the Acquisition on March 7, 2011 as “Successor” periods and the periods prior to the Acquisition on March 7, 2011 as “Predecessor” periods.

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The historical results presented below are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for any future period. The information should be read in conjunction with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our financial statements and the related notes included herein.

 

 

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This discussion summarizes our consolidated operating results, financial condition and liquidity during each of the years in a three-year period ended January 30, 2016. Our fiscal year ends on the Saturday closest to January 31. Fiscal years 2015, 2014 and 2013 ended on January 30, 2016, January 31, 2015 and February 1, 2014, respectively. Each fiscal year consisted of 52 weeks. The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this annual report on Form 10-K.

Executive Overview

J.Crew is an internationally recognized multi-brand apparel and accessories retailer that differentiates itself through high standards of quality, style, design and fabrics. We are a vertically-integrated, omni-channel specialty retailer that operates stores and websites both domestically and internationally. We design, market and sell our products, including those under the J.Crew^® and Madewell^® brands, offering complete assortments of women’s, men’s and children’s apparel and accessories.

A summary of our revenues by brand is as follows:

 

 

As of January 30, 2016, we operated 287 J.Crew retail stores, 161 J.Crew factory stores (including 10 J.Crew Mercantile stores), and 103 Madewell stores throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and France; compared to 280 J.Crew retail stores, 139 J.Crew factory stores, and 85 Madewell stores as of January 31, 2015.

A summary of highlights for fiscal 2015 is as follows:

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How We Assess the Performance of Our Business

In assessing the performance of our business, we consider a variety of performance and financial measures. A key measure used in evaluating our business is comparable company sales. We also consider gross profit and selling, general and administrative expenses in assessing the performance of our business.

Net Sales

Net sales reflect our revenues from the sale of our merchandise less returns and discounts. We aggregate our merchandise into four sales categories: (i) women’s apparel, (ii) men’s apparel, (iii) children’s apparel, and (iv) accessories, which include shoes, socks, jewelry, handbags, belts and hair accessories. The approximate percentage of our sales by these four categories is as follows:

 

Comparable Company Sales

Comparable company sales reflect: (i) net sales at stores that have been open for at least 12 months, (ii) e-commerce net sales, and (iii) shipping and handling fees, which are recorded as other revenues on our statements of operations. Comparable company sales exclude net sales from: (i) new stores that have not been open for 12 months, (ii) the 53^rd week, if applicable, (iii) stores that experience a square footage change of at least 15 percent, (iv) stores that have been temporarily closed for at least 30 consecutive days, (v) permanently closed stores, (vi) temporary “pop up” stores and (vii) revenue from third party resellers.

Measuring the change in year-over-year comparable company sales allows us to evaluate the performance of our business. Various factors affect comparable company sales, including:

Cyclicality and Seasonality

Our industry is cyclical and our revenues are affected by general economic conditions. Purchases of apparel and accessories are sensitive to a number of factors that influence the levels of consumer spending, including economic conditions and the level of disposable consumer income, consumer debt, interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates and consumer confidence.

Our business is seasonal and as a result, our revenues fluctuate from quarter to quarter. We have four distinct selling seasons that align with our four fiscal quarters. Revenues are usually higher in our fourth fiscal quarter, particularly in December when customers make holiday purchases. In fiscal 2015, we realized approximately 28% of our revenues in the fourth fiscal quarter.

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Gross Profit

Gross profit is determined by subtracting our cost of goods sold from our revenues. Cost of goods sold includes the direct cost of purchased merchandise, freight, design, buying and production costs, occupancy costs related to store operations (such as rent and utilities) and all shipping costs associated with our e-commerce business. Cost of goods sold varies directly with revenues, and therefore, is usually higher in our fourth fiscal quarter. Cost of goods sold also changes as we expand or contract our store base and incur higher or lower store occupancy costs. The primary drivers of the costs of individual goods are the costs of raw materials and labor in the countries where we source our merchandise. Gross margin measures gross profit as a percentage of our revenues.

Our gross profit may not be comparable to other specialty retailers, as some companies include all of the costs related to their distribution network in cost of goods sold while others, like us, exclude all or a portion of them from cost of goods sold and include them in selling, general and administrative expenses.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

Selling, general and administrative expenses include all operating expenses not included in cost of goods sold, primarily catalog production and mailing costs, certain warehousing expenses, administrative payroll, store expenses other than occupancy costs, depreciation and amortization, and credit card fees. These expenses do not necessarily vary proportionally with net sales.

Results of Operations

The following table presents our operating results as a percentage of revenues as well as selected store data:

 

 

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Results of Operations—Fiscal 2015 compared to Fiscal 2014

 

Revenues

Total revenues decreased $73.9 million, or 2.9%, to $2,505.8 million from $2,579.7 million last year, driven primarily by a decrease in sales of J.Crew women’s apparel, specifically knits, sweaters, and shorts. Comparable company sales decreased 8.2% following a decrease of 0.7% last year.

J.Crew sales decreased $148.4 million, or 6.5%, to $2,146.7 million from $2,295.1 million last year. J.Crew comparable sales decreased 9.9% following a decrease of 1.9% last year. In fiscal 2015, we saw a continuing softening of the sales trend in our J.Crew women’s apparel.

Madewell sales increased $55.7 million, or 22.7%, to $301.0 million from $245.3 million last year. Madewell comparable sales increased 7.8% following an increase of 14.1% last year.

Other revenues increased $18.8 million, or 48.1%, to $58.1 million in fiscal 2015 from $39.3 million last year, primarily a result of revenue from third party resellers.

Gross Profit

Gross profit decreased $75.3 million to $895.6 million in fiscal 2015 from $970.9 million last year. This decrease resulted from the following factors:

 

Gross margin decreased to 35.7% in fiscal 2015 from 37.6% last year. The decrease in gross margin was driven by: (i) a 110 basis point deterioration in merchandise margin due to increased markdowns and (ii) an 80 basis point increase in buying and occupancy costs as a percentage of revenues, primarily driven by 47 net new stores.

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Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased $11.9 million, or 1.4%, to $834.1 million in fiscal 2015 from $846.0 million last year. This decrease primarily resulted from the following:

 

As a percentage of revenues, selling, general and administrative expenses increased to 33.3% in fiscal 2015 from 32.8% last year.

Impairment Losses

 

During fiscal 2015, we experienced a reduction in the profitability of our J.Crew reporting unit. As a result of current and expected future operating results, we concluded that the carrying value of the J.Crew reporting unit exceeded its fair value. Therefore, we recorded non-cash impairment charges of (i) $1,017 million related to goodwill and (ii) $360 million related to the intangible asset for the J.Crew trade name.

 

After recording the impairment charges, the carrying value of goodwill is $108 million, which entirely relates to the Madewell reporting unit. There is no remaining goodwill attributable to the J.Crew reporting unit. The carrying value of the intangible asset for the J.Crew trade name is $380.0 million at January 30, 2016. If operating results continue to decline below our expectations, additional impairment charges may be recorded in the future.

A summary of the aggregate impairment losses is as follows:

 

These impairment charges do not have an effect on our operations, liquidity or financial covenants, and do not change management’s long-term strategy, which includes its plans to drive disciplined growth across our brands.

Interest Expense, Net

Interest expense, net of interest income, decreased $4.6 million to $69.8 million in fiscal 2015 from $74.4 million last year driven primarily by the redemption of our 8.125% senior notes due 2019 (the “Senior Notes”), which occurred in the first quarter of last year. A summary of interest expense is as follows:

 

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Benefit for Income Taxes

The effective tax rate was 11% and 8% for fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2014, respectively. The difference between the U.S. federal statutory rate of 35% and the effective rate in each fiscal year was driven primarily by the non-cash impairment charges related to the write off of goodwill, which is not tax deductible, and therefore has no tax benefit. Other items impacting the effective rates include state and local income taxes, benefits of lower rates in foreign jurisdictions, offset by the recognition of certain foreign valuation allowances.

Net Loss

Net loss increased $584.9 million to $1,242.7 million in fiscal 2015 from $657.8 million last year. This increase was due to: (i) an increase in impairment losses of $671.6 million, (ii) a decrease in gross profit of $75.3 million, offset by (iii) an increase in the benefit for income taxes of $86.7 million, (iv) a loss on refinancing in the prior year of $59.0 million, (v) a decrease in selling, general and administrative expenses of $11.9 million and (vi) a decrease in interest expense of $4.6 million.

Results of Operations—Fiscal 2014 compared to Fiscal 2013

 

Revenues

Total revenues increased $151.4 million, or 6.2%, to $2,579.7 million in fiscal 2014 from $2,428.3 million in fiscal 2013, driven primarily by an increase in sales of (i) men’s apparel, specifically shirts, suiting, and knits and (ii) women’s apparel, specifically knits, jackets, and pants. Comparable company sales decreased 0.7% in fiscal 2014 following an increase of 3.1% in fiscal 2013.

J.Crew sales increased $82.4 million, or 3.7%, to $2,295.1 million in fiscal 2014 from $2,212.7 million in fiscal 2013. J.Crew comparable sales decreased 1.9% following an increase of 2.7% last year.

Madewell sales increased $63.9 million, or 35.2%, to $245.3 million in fiscal 2014 from $181.4 million in fiscal 2013. Madewell comparable sales increased 14.1% in fiscal 2014 following an increase of 9.1% in fiscal 2013.

Other revenues, which consisted primarily of shipping and handling fees, increased $5.1 million, or 14.8%, to $39.3 million in fiscal 2014 from $34.2 million in fiscal 2013.

Gross Profit

Gross profit decreased $35.2 million to $970.9 million in fiscal 2014 from $1,006.1 million in fiscal 2013. This decrease resulted from the following factors:

 

Gross margin decreased to 37.6% in fiscal 2014 from 41.4% in fiscal 2013. The decrease in gross margin was driven by: (i) a 330 basis point deterioration in merchandise margin due to increased markdowns and (ii) a 50 basis point increase in buying and occupancy costs as a percentage of revenues.

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Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

Selling, general and administrative expenses increased $91.7 million, or 12.1%, to $846.0 million in fiscal 2014 from $754.3 million in fiscal 2013. This increase primarily resulted from the following:

 

As a percentage of revenues, selling, general and administrative expenses increased to 32.8% in fiscal 2014 from 31.1% in fiscal 2013.

Impairment Losses

The impairment losses recorded in fiscal 2014 and fiscal 2013 were the result of the write-down of the following assets:

 

In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014, we changed our operating segments and reporting units to align with our omni-channel strategy, which focuses on providing a seamless approach to the customer experience through all available sales channels. Prior to such change, as a multi-channel retailer, we allocated resources to our channels, Stores and Direct. As an omni-channel retailer, we allocate resources to our brands. Accordingly, we changed our operating segments to J.Crew and Madewell, which have been aggregated into one reportable segment. At the end of fiscal 2014, the goodwill allocated to the J.Crew and Madewell reporting units was $1,017 million and $108 million, respectively.  

Interest Expense, Net

Interest expense, net of interest income, decreased $29.8 million to $74.4 million in fiscal 2014 from $104.2 million in fiscal 2013 driven primarily by the redemption of our Senior Notes. A summary of interest expense is as follows:

 

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Loss on Refinancings

In fiscal 2014, we refinanced our Term Loan Facility and ABL Facility and redeemed our Senior Notes. In connection with these refinancings, we recorded a loss of $59.0 million, the components of which are as follows:

 

Income Taxes

The effective tax rate for fiscal 2014 was 8.4%. The difference between the U.S. federal statutory rate of 35% and the effective rate was driven primarily by the non-cash impairment charge related to the write off of goodwill, which is not tax deductible, and therefore has no tax benefit. Other items impacting the effective rate include state and local income taxes, benefits of lower rates in foreign jurisdictions, offset by the recognition of certain foreign valuation allowances.

The effective tax rate for fiscal 2013 was 39.4%. The difference between the U.S. federal statutory rate of 35% and the effective rate was driven primarily by state and local income taxes, offset by certain federal tax credits.

Net Income (Loss)

Net income (loss) decreased $745.9 million to a net loss of $657.8 million in fiscal 2014 from net income of $88.1 million in fiscal 2013. This decrease was due to: (i) impairment losses of $708.1 million, (ii) an increase in selling, general and administrative expenses of $91.7 million, (iii) the loss on refinancings of $59.0 million, and (iv) a decrease in gross profit of $35.2 million, partially offset by (v) a decrease in the provision for income taxes of $118.2 million and (vi) a decrease in interest expense of $29.8 million.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Our primary sources of liquidity are our current balances of cash and cash equivalents, cash flows from operations and borrowings available under the ABL Facility. Our primary cash needs are (i) capital expenditures in connection with opening new stores and remodeling our existing stores, investments in our distribution network, making information technology system enhancements, (ii) meeting debt service requirements (including paying dividends to an indirect parent company, when required, for the purposes of servicing debt – see note 7 to the consolidated financial statements) and (iii) funding working capital requirements. The most significant components of our working capital are cash and cash equivalents, merchandise inventories, accounts payable and other current liabilities. See “—Outlook” below.

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Operating Activities

 

Cash provided by operating activities of $135.6 million in fiscal 2015 resulted from: (i) non-cash adjustments of $1,359.7 million and (ii) changes in operating assets and liabilities of $18.6 million due to seasonal working capital fluctuations, offset by (ii) net loss of $1,242.7 million.

Cash provided by operating activities of $158.1 million in fiscal 2014 resulted from: (i) non-cash adjustments, including impairment losses and the loss on refinancings of $820.6 million, offset by (ii) net loss of $657.8 million and (iii) changes in operating assets and liabilities of $4.7 million due primarily to seasonal working capital fluctuations, primarily increased merchandise inventories and reduced accrued interest as a result of the redemption of our Senior Notes in March 2014.

Cash provided by operating activities of $232.5 million in fiscal 2013 resulted from: (i) net income of $88.1 million, (ii) adjustments to net income of $119.5 million, and (iii) changes in operating assets and liabilities of $24.9 million due primarily to an increase in accounts payable, as a result of working capital management, offset by an increase in merchandise inventories.

Investing Activities

 

 

Capital expenditures are planned at approximately $95 to $105 million for fiscal 2016, including $40 to $45 million for new stores, $35 to $40 million for information technology enhancements, $10 to $15 million for warehouse and corporate office expansion, and the remainder for store renovations and general corporate purposes.

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Financing Activities

 

Cash used in financing activities was $54.0 million in fiscal 2015 resulting from (i) the payment of dividends to an indirect parent company to fund debt service obligations and (ii) principal repayments of the Term Loan Facility.

Cash used in financing activities was $69.5 million in fiscal 2014 resulting from (i) costs paid in connection with the refinancings of debt, (ii) the payment of dividends to an indirect parent company to fund debt service obligations, and (iii) principal repayments.

Cash used in financing activities was $12.0 million in fiscal 2013 resulting primarily from the repayment of debt.

Financing Arrangements

ABL Facility

We have an ABL Facility, which is governed by a credit agreement with Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent and the other agents and lenders, which provides for a $350 million senior secured asset-based revolving line of credit (which may be increased by up to $25 million in certain circumstances), subject to a borrowing base limitation. On December 17, 2015, we amended the ABL Facility to increase the revolving credit commitments from $300 million to $350 million. The borrowing base under the ABL Facility equals the sum of : 90% of the eligible credit card receivables; plus, 85% of eligible accounts; plus, 90% (or 92.5% for the period of August 1 through December 31 of any fiscal year) of the net recovery percentage of eligible inventory multiplied by the cost of eligible inventory; plus, 85% of the net recovery percentage of eligible letters of credit inventory, multiplied by the cost of eligible letter of credit inventory; plus, 85% of the net recovery percentage of eligible in-transit inventory, multiplied by the cost of eligible in-transit inventory; plus, 100% of qualified cash; minus, all availability and inventory reserves. The ABL Facility includes borrowing capacity in the forms of letters of credit up to $300 million, and up to $25 million in U.S. dollars for loans on same-day notice, referred to as swingline loans, and is available in U.S. dollars, Canadian dollars and Euros. Any amounts outstanding under the ABL Facility are due and payable in full on the maturity date of December 10, 2019.

On January 30, 2016, standby letters of credit were $18.7 million, excess availability, as defined, was $331.3 million, and there were no borrowings outstanding. Average short-term borrowings under the ABL Facility were $17.5 million and $1.7 million in fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2014, respectively.

See note 7 to the consolidated financial statements for a further description of the terms of the ABL Facility.

Demand Letter of Credit Facilities

We have unsecured, demand letter of credit facilities with HSBC and Bank of America which provide for the issuance of up to $50 million and $20 million, respectively, of documentary letters of credit on a no fee basis. On January 30, 2016, outstanding documentary letters of credit were $12.4 million and aggregate availability under these facilities was $57.6 million.

Term Loan

On March 5, 2014, we refinanced our Term Loan Facility, the proceeds of which were used to (i) refinance amounts outstanding under the former term loan facility of $1,167 million and (ii) together with cash on hand, redeem in full the outstanding Senior Notes of $400 million, and to pay fees, call premiums and accrued interest to the date of redemption, pursuant to the indenture governing the Senior Notes. The maturity date of the Term Loan Facility is March 5, 2021.

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We are required to make principal repayments equal to 0.25% of the original principal amount of the Term Loan Facility, or $3.9 million, on the last business day of January, April, July, and October, which commenced in July 2014. We are also required to repay the term loan based on annual excess cash flow, as defined in the agreement beginning in fiscal 2014.

The interest rate on the $1,540 million outstanding under the Term Loan Facility was 4.00% on January 30, 2016.

See note 7 to the consolidated financial statements for a further description of the terms of the Term Loan Facility.

PIK Notes

 

On November 4, 2013, Chinos Intermediate Holdings A, Inc. (the “Issuer”), an indirect parent holding company of Group, issued $500 million aggregate principal of 7.75/8.50% Senior PIK Toggle Notes due May 1, 2019 (the “PIK Notes”).  The PIK Notes are (i) senior unsecured obligations of the Issuer, (ii) structurally subordinated to all of the liabilities of the Issuer’s subsidiaries, and (iii) not guaranteed by any of the Issuer’s subsidiaries, and therefore are not recorded in our financial statements. In fiscal 2015, we paid dividends of $38 million in the aggregate to the Issuer to fund the semi-annual interest payments due May 1, 2015 and November 1, 2015.

 

On October 30, 2015, the Issuer delivered notice to U.S. Bank N.A., as trustee, under the indenture governing the PIK Notes, that with respect to the interest that will be due on such notes on the May 2, 2016 interest payment date, the Issuer will make such interest payment by paying in kind at the PIK interest rate of 8.50% instead of paying in cash.  The PIK election will increase the outstanding principal balance of the PIK Notes by $21.3 million to $521.3 million. Therefore, we will not pay a dividend to the Issuer in the first quarter of fiscal 2016. Pursuant to the terms of the indenture governing the PIK Notes, the Issuer intends to evaluate this option prior to the beginning of each interest period based on relevant factors at that time.

Outlook

Our short-term and long-term liquidity needs arise primarily from (i) capital expenditures, (ii) debt service requirements, including required (a) quarterly principal repayments, (b) repayments, if any, based on annual excess cash flows, if any, as defined and (c) dividends to the Issuer, when required, for the purposes of servicing debt, and (iii) working capital. Management anticipates that capital expenditures in fiscal 2016 will be approximately $95 to $105 million, including $40 to $45 million for new stores, $35 to $40 million for information technology enhancements, $10 to $15 million for warehouse and corporate office improvements, and the remainder for store renovations and general corporate purposes. Management expects to pay interest of approximately $73 million in fiscal 2016, excluding any payments of dividends to the Issuer to fund debt service obligations. Management believes that our current balances of cash and cash equivalents, projected cash flow from operations and amounts available under the ABL Facility will be adequate to fund our primary short-term and long-term liquidity needs. Our ability to satisfy these obligations and to remain in compliance with the financial covenants under our financing arrangements, depends on our future operating performance, which in turn, may be impacted by prevailing economic conditions and other financial and business factors, some of which are beyond our control. See Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in part II of this report.

 

We may from time to time seek to retire or purchase, directly or indirectly, our outstanding indebtedness, including the PIK Notes, through cash purchases and/or exchanges, in open market purchases, privately negotiated transactions, by tender offer or otherwise. Such purchases and/or exchanges, if any, will depend on prevailing market conditions, liquidity requirements, contractual restrictions and other factors. The amounts involved may be material, which could impact our capital structure, the market for our debt securities, the price of the indebtedness being purchased and/or exchanged and affect our liquidity.

Off Balance Sheet Arrangements

We enter into documentary letters of credit to facilitate a portion of our international purchase of merchandise. We also enter into standby letters of credit to secure reimbursement obligations under certain insurance and import programs and lease obligations. As of January 30, 2016, we had the following obligations under letters of credit in future periods.

 

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Contractual Obligations

The following table summarizes our contractual obligations as of January 30, 2016 and the effect such obligations are expected to have on our liquidity and cash flows in future periods:

 

 

Impact of Inflation

Our results of operations and financial condition are presented based on historical cost. While it is difficult to accurately measure the impact of inflation due to the imprecise nature of the estimates required, we believe the effects of inflation, if any, on our results of operations and financial condition have not been significant.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In November 2015, a pronouncement was issued that requires entities to present all deferred tax assets and liabilities as noncurrent on the balance sheet. We adopted this pronouncement on January 30, 2016. The adoption of this guidance required changes in presentation only and therefore did not have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements. The adoption resulted in the reclassification of $19,280 from current assets to long-term liabilities on our consolidated balance sheet at January 31, 2015.

In May 2014, a pronouncement was issued that clarified the principles of revenue recognition, which standardizes a comprehensive model for recognizing revenue arising from contracts with customers. The pronouncement is effective for fiscal years

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beginning after December 15, 2017. We are currently evaluating the impact of the new pronouncement on our consolidated financial statements.

In April 2015, a pronouncement was issued that requires certain debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability to be presented in the balance sheet as a reduction of the carrying amount of that debt liability. The pronouncement is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015. The adoption of this pronouncement will not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In July 2015, a pronouncement was issued that more closely aligns the measurement of inventory in U.S. GAAP with International Financial Reporting Standards by requiring companies using the first-in, first-out and average costs methods to measure inventory using the lower of cost and net realizable value. The pronouncement is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016. We are currently evaluating the impact of the new pronouncement on our consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, a pronouncement was issued that requires lessees to recognize assets and liabilities on the balance sheet for leases with accounting lease terms of more than 12 months. The pronouncement is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018. While we are currently evaluating the impact of the new pronouncement on our consolidated financial statements, the adoption is expected to have a significant impact on our consolidated statement of operations and consolidated balance sheet.

Critical Accounting Policies

Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations is based upon our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The preparation of these financial statements requires estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of our assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses. Management bases estimates on historical experience and other assumptions it believes to be reasonable under the circumstances and evaluates these estimates on an on-going basis. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.

The following critical accounting policies reflect the significant estimates and judgments used in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements. With respect to critical accounting policies, even a relatively minor variance between actual and expected experience can potentially have a materially favorable or unfavorable impact on subsequent consolidated results of operations. For more information on our accounting policies, please refer to the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in this annual report on Form 10-K.

Revenue Recognition

Inventory Valuation

Merchandise inventories are carried at the lower of average cost or market value. We capitalize certain design, purchasing and warehousing costs in inventory. We evaluate all of our inventories to determine excess inventories based on estimated future sales. Excess inventories may be disposed of through our e-commerce business, factory stores and other liquidation methods. Based on historical results experienced through various methods of disposition, we write down the carrying value of inventories that are not expected to be sold at or above cost. Additionally, we reduce the cost of inventories based on an estimate of lost or stolen items each period.

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Deferred Catalog Costs

The costs associated with direct response advertising, which consist primarily of catalog production and mailing costs, are capitalized and amortized over the expected future revenue stream of the catalog mailings, which we currently estimate to be two months. The expected future revenue stream is determined based on historical revenue trends developed over an extended period of time. If the current revenue streams were to diverge from the expected trend, our amortization of deferred catalog costs would be adjusted accordingly.

Goodwill and Intangible Assets

Indefinite-lived intangible assets, such as the J.Crew trade name and goodwill, are not subject to amortization. The Company assesses the recoverability of indefinite-lived intangibles whenever there are indicators of impairment, or at least annually in the fourth quarter. If the recorded carrying value of an intangible asset exceeds its estimated fair value, the Company records a charge to write the intangible asset down to its fair value. Definite-lived intangibles, such as the Madewell trade name, loyalty program, customer lists and favorable lease commitments, are amortized on a straight line basis over their useful life or remaining lease term.

We assess the recoverability of goodwill at the reporting unit level, which consists of our operating segments, J.Crew and Madewell. In this assessment, we first compare the estimated enterprise fair value of each of our reporting units to its recorded carrying value. We estimate the enterprise fair value based on a combination of an income approach, specifically the discounted cash flow, a market approach, and a transaction approach.  If the recorded carrying value of a reporting unit exceeds its estimated enterprise fair value in the first step, a second step is performed in which we allocate the enterprise fair value to the fair value of the reporting unit’s net assets. The second step of the impairment testing process requires, among other things, estimates of fair values of substantially all of our tangible and intangible assets. Any enterprise fair value in excess of amounts allocated to such net assets represents the implied fair value of goodwill for that reporting unit. If the recorded goodwill balance for a reporting unit exceeds the implied fair value of goodwill, an impairment charge is recorded to write goodwill down to its fair value.

In fiscal 2015, we recorded non-cash impairment charges of (i) $1,017 million related to goodwill and (ii) $360 million related to the intangible asset for the J.Crew trade name. The remaining goodwill of $108 million on our balance sheet at January 30, 2016 relates entirely to the Madewell reporting unit. There is no remaining goodwill attributable to the J.Crew reporting unit. The carrying value of the intangible asset for the J.Crew trade name is $380.0 million at January 30, 2016. If operating results continue to decline below the Company’s expectations, additional impairment charges may be recorded in the future.

Fixed Asset Impairment

We are exposed to potential impairment if the book value of our assets exceeds their expected undiscounted future cash flows. The major components of our long-lived assets are store fixtures, equipment and leasehold improvements. We test for impairment at the store level and the net book value is reduced to fair value if it is determined that the sum of expected discounted future net cash flows is less than net book value.

In fiscal 2015, we recorded non-cash impairment charges of $4,522 related to certain long-lived assets.

Income Taxes

An asset and liability method is used to account for income taxes. Deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities are recognized based on the difference between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred taxes are measured using current enacted tax rates in effect in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to reverse. Inherent in the measurement of deferred taxes are certain judgments and interpretations of enacted tax law and published guidance.

Management believes it is more likely than not that forecasted income, together with the tax effects of the deferred tax liabilities, will be sufficient to fully recover the net deferred tax assets. In the event that all or part of the net deferred tax assets are determined not to be realizable in the future, a valuation allowance would be charged to earnings in the period such determination is made. Similarly, if we subsequently realize deferred tax assets that were previously determined unrealizable, any valuation allowance would be reversed into income in the period such determination is made. In addition, the calculation of current and deferred taxes involves significant judgment in estimating the impact of uncertainties in the application of complex tax laws. Resolution of these uncertainties in a manner inconsistent with management’s expectation could have a material impact on our results of operations and financial position.

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With respect to uncertain tax positions that we have taken or expect to take on a tax return, we recognize in our financial statements the impact of tax positions that meet a “more likely than not” threshold, based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized from uncertain positions are measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than fifty percent likelihood of being realized upon effective settlement.

It is our intention to permanently reinvest undistributed earnings and profits from our foreign operations that have been generated through January 30, 2016. Future plans do not demonstrate a need to repatriate the foreign amounts to fund U.S. operations. Cumulative undistributed earnings of international subsidiaries were $46.4 million at January 30, 2016. No deferred federal income taxes were provided for the undistributed earnings as they are permanently reinvested in our international operations. Cash held by our foreign subsidiaries is $22.7 million, valued in U.S. dollars, at January 30, 2016.

Share-Based Compensation

The fair value of employee share-based awards is recognized as compensation expense in the statement of operations. Determining the fair value of options at the grant date requires judgment, including estimating the expected term that stock options will be outstanding prior to exercise, the associated volatility and the expected dividend yield. Upon grant of awards, we also estimate an amount of forfeitures that will occur prior to vesting. If actual forfeitures differ significantly from the estimates, share-based compensation expense could be materially impacted.

Foreign Currency Translation

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 revenue and expense 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 stockholders’ equity.

Derivative Financial Instruments

The Company enters into interest rate swap and cap agreements to manage a portion of our interest rate risk related to floating rate indebtedness. As cash flow hedges, unrealized gains are recognized as assets while unrealized losses are recognized as liabilities. The interest rate swap agreements are highly correlated to the changes in interest rates to which the Company is exposed. Unrealized gains and losses on this instrument are designated as effective or ineffective. The effective portion of such gains or losses is recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income or loss, while the ineffective portion of such gains or losses is recorded as a component of interest expense. Future realized gains and losses in connection with each required interest payment are reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income or loss to interest expense.

 

Interest Rates

We are exposed to interest rate risk arising from changes in interest rates on the floating rate indebtedness under our Senior Credit Facilities. Borrowings pursuant to our Term Loan Facility bear interest at floating rates based on LIBOR, but in no event less than the floor rate of 1.00%, plus the applicable margin. Borrowings pursuant to our ABL Facility bear interest at floating rates based on LIBOR and the prime rate, plus the applicable margin. Accordingly, fluctuations in market interest rates may increase or decrease our interest expense which will in turn, increase or decrease our net income and cash flow.

We manage a portion of our interest rate risk related to floating rate indebtedness by entering into interest rate swaps whereby we receive floating rate payments based on the greater of LIBOR and the floor rate and make payments based on a fixed rate. As of January 30, 2016, we had interest rate swaps covering a notional amount of $400 million. Under the terms of these agreements, the Company’s effective fixed interest rate on the notional amount of indebtedness is 3.56% plus the applicable margin.

In August 2014, the Company entered into interest rate cap and swap agreements, which together with existing interest rate swaps, limit exposure to interest rate increases on a portion of the Company’s floating rate indebtedness. The interest rate cap agreements cover a notional amount of $400 million and cap LIBOR at 2.00% from March 2015 to March 2016. The interest rate swap agreements cover a notional amount of $800 million from March 2016 to March 2019. Under the terms of these agreements, the Company’s effective fixed interest rate on the notional amount of indebtedness is 2.56% plus the applicable margin.

As a result of the floor rate described above, we estimate that a 1% increase in LIBOR would not impact our interest expense in the current fiscal year.

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Foreign Currency

Foreign currency exposures arise from transactions denominated in a currency other than the entity’s functional currency.  Although our inventory is primarily purchased from foreign vendors, such purchases are denominated in U.S. dollars; and are therefore not subject to foreign currency exchange risk.   However, we operate in foreign countries, which exposes the Company to market risk associated with exchange rate fluctuations.  The Company is exposed to foreign currency exchange risk resulting from its foreign operating subsidiaries’ U.S. dollar denominated transactions.   

 

See “Index to Financial Statements”, which is located on page F-1 of this report.

 

None.

 

Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Our management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) as of the end of the period covered by this report. Based on that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of the end of the period covered by this report to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in SEC rules and forms.

Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

The Company’s management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal controls over financial reporting. The Company’s internal control system was designed to provide reasonable assurance to the Company’s management and board of directors regarding the preparation and fair presentation of published financial statements. Management evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting using the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO) of the Treadway Commission in Internal Control-Integrated Framework (2013). Management, under the supervision and with the participation of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, assessed the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of January 30, 2016 and concluded that it is effective.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There were no changes in internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the fourth fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

None.

 

 

 

 

 

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PART III

 

ITEM  10.DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE OF THE REGISTRANT.

DIRECTORS

Our current Board consists of six members, who have been elected pursuant to a stockholders’ agreement between our Sponsors and Mr. Drexler. All of the directors, except Mr. Drexler, who is an employee of the Company, and Mr. Squeri, are employees of our Sponsors and are therefore deemed to be affiliates. The names of our current directors, along with their present positions and qualifications, their principal occupations and directorships held with public corporations during the past five years, their ages and the year first elected as a director are set forth below.

 

James Coulter (56). Mr. Coulter has been a director since 1997. Mr. Coulter is a TPG Founding Partner. Mr. Coulter serves as a member on numerous corporate and charitable boards including Chobani, Creative Artists Agency and the Vincraft Group. He previously served on the boards of The Neiman Marcus Group, Inc., Alltel Corporation, IMS Health Inc., Lenovo Group Limited, and Zhone Technologies, Inc. We believe Mr. Coulter’s qualifications to sit on our Board include his experience in finance and extensive and diverse experience in domestic and international business.

John Danhakl (59). Mr. Danhakl has been a director since 2011. Mr. Danhakl has been a Managing Partner of Leonard Green & Partners, L.P. since 1995. He also serves on the board of directors of Advantage Solutions, Inc., CCC Information Services, Inc., IMS Health, Inc., Leslie’s Poolmart, Inc., Lifetime Fitness, Inc., Mister Car Wash Holdings, Inc., Packers Sanitation Services, Inc., and Savers, Inc. He previously served on the boards of Air Lease Corp., Animal Health, Inc., Arden Group, Inc., AsianMedia Group LLC, Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation, Communications and Power Industries, Inc., Diamond Triumph Auto Glass, Inc., HITS, Inc., Liberty Group Publishing, Inc., MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc., The Neiman Marcus Group, Inc., Petco Animal Supplies, Inc., Phoenix Scientific, Inc., Rite Aid Corporation, Sagittarius Brands, The Tire Rack, Inc and VCA Antech, Inc. We believe Mr. Danhakl’s qualifications to sit on our Board include his experience as a private equity investor and his experience as a director of numerous privately-held and publicly-held companies.

Millard Drexler (71). Mr. Drexler has been our Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Board and a director since 2003. Before joining J.Crew, Mr. Drexler was Chief Executive Officer of The Gap, Inc. from 1995 until 2002, and was President of The Gap, Inc. from 1987 to 1995. Mr. Drexler served on the board of directors and compensation and nominating and corporate governance committees of Apple, Inc. until March 10, 2015. We believe Mr. Drexler’s qualifications to sit on our Board include his extensive experience as a CEO in the retail industry, his executive leadership and management experience, and his experience as a board member of a leading consumer products company.

Jonathan Sokoloff (58). Mr. Sokoloff has been a director since 2011. Mr. Sokoloff is a Managing Partner of Leonard Green & Partners, L.P., which he joined in 1990. Mr. Sokoloff serves on the boards of directors of Advantage Solutions, Inc., BJ’s Wholesale Club Inc., the Container Store Group, Inc., Jetro Cash & Carry Inc., Jo-Ann Stores Inc., the Pure Group, Shake Shack, Inc., Tire Rack Inc., Topshop/Top Man Limited, Union Square Hospitality Group, and Whole Foods Market, Inc. and served on the boards of numerous companies, including Rite Aid Corporation until May 2011. We believe Mr. Sokoloff’s qualifications to sit on our Board include his experience as a private equity investor and his experience as a director of other retail companies.

Stephen Squeri (57). Mr. Squeri was a director of J.Crew Group, Inc. from September 2010 until March 2011 and he rejoined the Company’s board of directors in June 2012. Mr. Squeri has been Vice Chairman of American Express Company since July 2015 and has led the Business-to-Business Group since October 2015.  Previously, he had been Group President, Global Corporate Services since November 2011. Prior to that, he was Group President, Global Services since 2009. In addition, from July 2008 to September 2010, he was the head of Corporate Development, overseeing mergers and acquisitions for American Express. Mr. Squeri joined American Express in 1985. Prior to joining American Express, Mr. Squeri was a management consultant at Arthur Andersen and Company from 1982 to 1985.

Carrie Wheeler (44). Ms. Wheeler has been a director since 2011. Ms. Wheeler is a TPG Partner, which she joined in 1996. Prior to TPG, she was with Goldman, Sachs & Co. from 1993 to 1996. Ms. Wheeler also serves on the board of directors of

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Arden Group, Inc.  She previously served on the board of The Neiman Marcus Group, Inc. and Petco Animal Supplies, Inc. We believe Ms. Wheeler’s qualifications to sit on our Board include her financial expertise as well as her experience as a director of two other retail companies.

See “Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions, and Director Independence” below for a discussion of certain arrangements and understandings regarding the nomination and selection of certain of our directors.

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

The names and ages of our executive officers as of January 30, 2016, along with their positions and qualifications, are set forth below.

 

Millard Drexler. Mr. Drexler has been our Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Board and a director since 2003. Before joining J.Crew, Mr. Drexler was Chief Executive Officer of The Gap, Inc. from 1995 until 2002, and was President of The Gap, Inc. from 1987 to 1995. Mr. Drexler served on the board of directors and compensation and nominating and corporate governance committees of Apple, Inc. until March 10, 2015.

 

Michael Nicholson.  Mr. Nicholson has been the Company’s President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer since he joined the Company on January 11, 2016. Before joining J.Crew, he was Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of ANN, Inc. from December 2012 until August 2015. Previously, from 2007 to 2012, he served as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of ANN, Inc. Prior to that, he spent seven years at Limited Brands, Inc. holding various executive positions including Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer for Victoria’s Secret Beauty Company.  Earlier in his career, Mr. Nicholson held senior positions at Colgate Palmolive and Altria Group, Inc.

Jenna Lyons. Ms. Lyons has been the Company’s President, Executive Creative Director since July 2010, and before that served as Executive Creative Director since April 2010. Prior to that, she was Creative Director since 2007 and, before that, was Senior Vice President of Women’s Design since 2005. Ms. Lyons joined J.Crew in 1990 as an Assistant Designer and has held a variety of positions within the Company, including Designer from 1994 to 1995, Design Director from 1996 to 1998, Senior Design Director in 1999, and Vice President of Women’s Design from 1999 to 2005.

Lynda Markoe. Ms. Markoe has been the Company’s Executive Vice President, Human Resources since 2007 and was previously Vice President and then Senior Vice President, Human Resources since 2003. Before joining J.Crew, Ms. Markoe worked at The Gap, Inc. where she held a variety of positions over 15 years.

Libby Wadle. Ms. Wadle has been the Company’s President – J.Crew Brand since April 2013.  Before that, she was the Executive Vice President—J.Crew from 2011 to 2013, and Executive Vice President—Retail and Factory from 2010 to 2011, and was Executive Vice President—Factory and Madewell from 2007 to 2010. Before that Ms. Wadle served as Vice President and then Senior Vice President of J.Crew Factory since 2004. Prior to joining J.Crew, Ms. Wadle was Division Vice President of Women’s Merchandising at Coach, Inc. from 2003 to 2004 and held various merchandising positions at The Gap, Inc. from 1995 to 2003.

Joan Durkin.  Joan Durkin is our Senior Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and also served as Interim Chief Financial Officer from January 22, 2015 until January 11, 2016. She joined the Company in January 2013 as a Senior Vice President and leads the accounting, financial reporting, accounts payable, payroll, inventory control, sales audit, tax and internal audit functions for the Company. Before joining the Company, Ms. Durkin was Chief Financial Officer of Loehmann’s from 2011 to 2013; and Vice President of Finance of Brown Shoe Company from 2009 to 2011.

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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Election of Members to the Board of Directors

As a private company, members of the Board of Directors are nominated and elected in accordance with the provisions of the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as filed with the Delaware Secretary of State, the Company’s Amended and Restated Bylaws and the stockholders agreement with the Sponsors.

Code of Ethics and Business Practices

The Company has a Code of Ethics and Business Practices that applies to all Company associates, including its Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, principal accounting officer and controller, as well as members of the Board. The Code of Ethics and Business Practices is available free of charge on the investor relations section of our website at www.jcrew.com or upon written request to the Secretary of the Company, J.Crew Group, Inc., 770 Broadway, New York, New York 10003. Any updates or amendments to the Code of Ethics and Business Practices, and any waiver that applies to the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, principal accounting officer or controller will also be posted on the website.

Board Committees

Our Board has established an audit committee and a compensation committee. Ms. Wheeler and Mr. Squeri are currently the members of our audit committee. The audit committee recommends the annual appointment of auditors with whom the audit committee reviews the scope of audit and non-audit assignments and related fees, accounting principles we use in financial reporting, internal auditing procedures and the adequacy of our internal control procedures. Though not formally considered by our Board given that our securities are not traded on any national securities exchange, based upon the listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange, the national securities exchange upon which our common stock was previously listed, we believe that Mr. Squeri would be considered independent but Ms. Wheeler would not be considered independent because of her employment by one of the Sponsors. The members of our compensation committee are Mr. Coulter, Mr. Sokoloff, Mr. Squeri and Ms. Wheeler. The compensation committee reviews and approves the compensation of our executive officers, authorizes and ratifies stock option and/or restricted stock grants and other incentive arrangements, and authorizes employment agreements with our executive officers.

Each of the Sponsors has the right to have at least one of its directors sit on each committee of the Board of Directors, to the extent permitted by applicable laws and regulation.

Director Independence

Because of our status as a voluntary filer and because our securities are not traded on any national securities exchange, the Board has not formally reviewed whether Mr. Squeri can be considered independent under the independence standards of the New York Stock Exchange. Messrs. Coulter, Danhakl and Sokoloff and Ms. Wheeler are employees of our Sponsors and therefore would not be considered independent under these standards. In addition, Mr. Drexler, who is an employee of the Company, would also not be considered independent.

Audit Committee Financial Expert

In light of our status as a privately held company and the absence of a public listing or trading market for our common stock, we are not required to have an “audit committee financial expert;” however, we have determined that neither Ms. Wheeler nor Mr. Squeri would qualify for this designation.

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

In light of our status as a privately held company, Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, does not apply to our directors, executive officers and significant stockholders.

 

 

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

In general, this section focuses on, and provides a description of, our executive compensation process and a detailed discussion of each of the key elements of our compensation program for fiscal 2015 as they apply to the individuals named in the Summary Compensation Table (the “Named Executive Officers”). Our compensation committee (the “Committee”) consists of representatives

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from our Sponsors and Mr. Squeri. The following is a discussion of the current compensation philosophy and programs applicable to our executive officers in fiscal 2015.

2015 Compensation Philosophy and Compensation Program Objectives

We place high value on attracting and retaining our executives and associates since their talent and performance are essential to our long-term success. Our compensation philosophy places high value on performance-based and discretionary compensation. Accordingly, our compensation program is designed to be both competitive and fiscally responsible and seeks to:

We seek to achieve the objectives of our executive compensation program by offering a compensation package that utilizes three key elements: (1) base salary, (2) annual cash incentives, and (3) long-term incentives. We believe that together these elements support the objectives of our compensation program without encouraging unnecessary or excessive risk taking on the part of the Company’s associates.

The 2015 Executive Compensation Process

The Compensation Committee

The Committee oversees our executive compensation program. The Committee meets regularly, both with and without management. The Committee’s responsibilities are detailed in its charter, which can be found on the investor relations section of our website at www.jcrew.com. These responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

The Committee is responsible for making all decisions with respect to the compensation of the executive officers. With respect to the executive officers other than the CEO, the Committee’s compensation decisions involve the review of recommendations made by our CEO and Executive Vice President of Human Resources (“EVP—HR”). The CEO and EVP—HR attend the Committee’s meetings and provide input to the Committee regarding the effectiveness of the compensation program in attracting and retaining key talent. They make recommendations to the Committee regarding executive merit increases, short-term and long-term incentive awards and compensation packages for executives being hired or promoted. The Committee also considers the CEO’s evaluation of the performance of the executive officers (other than himself), each of whom report to him.

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The compensation of the CEO is determined by the Committee independently of management. The Committee makes decisions about the CEO’s compensation during executive session outside the presence of the CEO. Annually, outside directors of the Board evaluate the performance of the CEO and that evaluation is then communicated to the CEO by the Chairman of the Committee.

The Committee’s process for determining executive compensation is straightforward. In the first quarter of each fiscal year, the Committee’s primary focus is to review base salaries, determine payout amounts for annual cash incentives in respect of the prior fiscal year for the executive officers, and review long-term equity for the senior officers and certain other key associates. At this time, the Committee also generally reviews and establishes performance metrics for the current fiscal year’s annual cash incentive plan.

The Committee considers both external and internal factors when making decisions about executive compensation. External factors include the competitiveness of each element of our compensation program relative to peer companies and the market demand for executives with specific skills or experience in the specialty apparel industry. Internal factors include an executive’s level of responsibility, level of performance, long-term potential and previous levels of compensation, including outstanding equity awards. While all of these factors provide useful data points in setting compensation levels, we take into account the fact that external data typically reflects pay decisions made during a prior year. We also consider the state of the overall retail industry, the economy and general business conditions.

Outside Compensation Consultant

No independent executive compensation consultants were retained by the Committee during fiscal 2015.

Benchmarking Process

In making compensation decisions for fiscal 2015, the Committee considered the competitive market for executives and compensation levels provided by comparable companies. The comparative group used to benchmark compensation with respect to our executive officers and other key associates is composed of specialty retailers with highly visible brands that we view as competitors for customers and/or executive talent. For fiscal 2015, the peer companies were Abercrombie & Fitch Co., Aéropostale Inc., American Eagle Outfitters, Inc., Ascena Retail Group, Inc., Chico’s FAS, Inc., Coach, Inc., The Gap, Inc., Guess, Inc., Kate Spade & Company, L Brands, Inc., Michael Kors Holdings Ltd., Nordstrom, Inc., Ralph Lauren Corp., Under Armour, Inc. and Urban Outfitters, Inc. In addition, we monitor the marketplace for innovative and creative compensation programs of those companies that we view as leading their industry. Though the Company generally targets salary levels at the median of our peer group, total compensation may exceed or fall below the median for certain of our executive officers and other key associates since one of the objectives of our compensation program is to consistently reward and retain top performers and to differentiate compensation based upon individual and Company performance.

We also consider compensation survey data from surveys in which we participate or purchase from a variety of publishers which may incorporate data from other industries.  

CEO Compensation

At the time Mr. Drexler joined the Company in 2003, he invested $10 million of his own funds to purchase a substantial equity ownership interest in the Company. He also paid us $1 million as consideration for a grant of stock options and a grant of restricted stock. His annual base salary was set at $200,000 in 2003 and has not increased.

In connection with the Acquisition, Mr. Drexler contributed an aggregate amount of 2,287,545 shares worth approximately $99.5 million in exchange for an ownership interest in Parent following the Acquisition. Following the Acquisition, in accordance with his new employment agreement, Mr. Drexler was awarded 32,109,219 non-qualified stock options, a portion of which vest over time and a portion of which are subject to performance-based vesting conditions.  In 2013, Mr. Drexler acquired an additional 12,040,957 shares in Parent through the exercise of a portion of these stock options.

Mr. Drexler’s substantial investment in the Company and the size of his equity incentive awards are consistent with his role as an owner-manager and are designed to ensure his commitment to the long-term future of the Company. Details regarding Mr. Drexler’s compensation package are contained in tables that follow. In addition, a description of his employment agreement, originally entered into in connection with the consummation of the Acquisition is contained in a section that follows. We intend to continue to evaluate the components and level of our CEO’s compensation on an ongoing basis.

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Components of the Executive Compensation Program

We believe that a substantial portion of executive compensation should be performance-based. We also believe it is essential for executives to have a meaningful equity stake linked to the long-term performance of the Company and; therefore, we have created compensation packages that aim to foster an owner-operator culture. As such, other than base salary, compensation of our executive officers is largely comprised of variable or “at-risk” incentive pay linked to the Company’s financial performance and individual contributions. Other factors we consider in evaluating executive compensation include internal pay equity, external market and competitive information, assessment of individual performance, level of responsibility, and the overall expense of the program. In addition, we also strive to offer benefits competitive with those of our peer group and appropriate perquisites.

Base Salary

Base salary represents the fixed component of our executive officers’ compensation. The Committee sets base salary levels based upon experience and skills, position, level of responsibility, the ability to replace the individual, and market practices. The Committee reviews base salaries of the executive officers annually and approves all salary increases for the executive officers, including Mr. Drexler. Increases are based on several factors, including the Committee’s assessment of individual performance and contribution, promotions, level of responsibility, scope of position, competitive market data, and general economic, retail and business industry conditions, as well as, with respect to our executive officers other than Mr. Drexler, input from Mr. Drexler and the EVP—HR.

In spring 2015, in conjunction with its annual review process, the Committee reviewed base salaries for the Named Executive Officers. The Committee decided that Mr. Drexler’s base salary was to remain at $200,000 given his role as owner-manager. This salary is well below the salary level normally provided to a Chief Executive Officer of a company of comparable size, complexity, and performance and below the median level of our peer group.  The Committee also determined that Ms. Lyons’; Ms. Wadle’s and Ms. Markoe’s base salaries would remain at $1,000,000; $750,000; and $550,000, respectively. Ms. Durkin received an 8% salary increase in connection with her additional responsibilities as Interim Chief Financial Officer, resulting in a base salary for fiscal 2015 of $335,000.

Mr. Nicholson joined the Company in January 2016 as President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer.  His base salary was set at $800,000, based upon his level of responsibility, scope of position and competitive market data.

Annual Cash Incentives

Our Named Executive Officers typically have the opportunity to earn cash incentives for meeting annual performance goals. Historically, before the end of the first quarter of the relevant fiscal year, the Committee establishes financial and performance targets and opportunities for such year, which are based upon the Company’s goals for Earnings Before Interest Taxes Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA).

The Company’s goals for EBITDA are linked to our budget and plan for long-term success. These EBITDA performance targets are the key measures used to determine whether an incentive award will be paid for the fiscal year and, to the extent achieved, determine the range of the incentive award opportunity for the Named Executive Officers. We calculate EBITDA using the net income recorded for the Company in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), adding back interest, depreciation, amortization and income tax expenses for the applicable fiscal year. We also adjust for items such as non-cash share-based compensation, the impact of purchase accounting resulting from the Acquisition, non-cash impairment losses and charges related to a workforce reduction (as so calculated, “Adjusted EBITDA”).

Annual incentive awards to our Named Executive Officers are paid from the same incentive pool used for all of our eligible associates. For fiscal 2015, the potential size of the total pool was determined by the Company’s performance against pre-established Adjusted EBITDA goals for the fiscal year ended January 30, 2016, which were approved by the Committee on April 15, 2015 as follows:  for Adjusted EBITDA of $266.7 million, the pool would be funded at 33% of the target amount; for Adjusted EBITDA of $345.5 million, the pool would be funded at 100% of the target amount, for Adjusted EBITDA of $390.0 million, the pool would be funded at 200% of the target amount and for Adjusted EBITDA of $420.0 million, the pool would be funded at 250% of the target amount.

The target amount of the incentive pool is determined by calculating the sum of the target incentive award amount assigned to each plan participant. Mr. Drexler’s target award for fiscal 2015 would have been $1,200,000, as defined in his employment agreement, with a range of potential payment from $0 to $3,000,000. Target awards of the Named Executive Officers, other than Mr. Drexler, are expressed as a percentage of salary for the relevant fiscal year. The target award for Ms. Lyons and Ms. Wadle for fiscal 2015 was 100%, with a range of potential payments from 0% to 250% of annual base salary. The target award for Ms. Markoe was 75%, with a range of potential payments from 0% to 187.5% of annual base salary. The target award for Ms. Durkin was 35%,

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with a range of potential payments from 0% to 87.5% of annual base salary. Mr. Nicholson’s employment agreement provided that his annual bonus for fiscal 2015 would be not less than $800,000, pro-rated to reflect the number of days he was employed by the Company in the fiscal year, which was 20 days.  

If the Company does not meet the threshold Adjusted EBITDA target, then no payments are made to the Named Executive Officers with respect to the annual incentive awards plan.

The Committee determines the amount of Mr. Drexler’s annual incentive award independently of management, with no fixed or specific mathematical weighting applied to the performance metrics or any element of his individual performance. The Committee approves his incentive award based upon the Adjusted EBITDA results and achievement of the performance metrics and other business performance factors they deem relevant.

The Committee determines the amount of the annual incentive awards for the other Named Executive Officers using its discretion, subject to the maximum specified in the plan. In making this determination, the Committee takes into account the recommendations of Mr. Drexler. Each of the other Named Executive Officers reports directly to Mr. Drexler, except for Ms. Durkin who reported to Mr. Drexler on an interim basis but now reports to Mr. Nicholson. Mr. Drexler takes significant time to review both the quantitative and qualitative performance results of each such executive and recommends to the Committee an incentive award amount for each of them. Provided the threshold Adjusted EBITDA target is achieved, Mr. Drexler then considers whether to recommend payouts for individuals at the level established by Adjusted EBITDA results and within the range established by each Named Executive Officer’s target incentive. Final annual incentive awards are established based on the overall judgment of the Committee, taking into account the recommendations made by Mr. Drexler, with no fixed or specific mathematical weighting applied to any element of individual performance.

The Committee remains committed to a pay for performance compensation program. As a result of the difficult operating environment in fiscal 2015, the threshold Adjusted EBITDA target was not achieved, the annual incentive pool was not funded and  no annual cash incentive awards will be paid on that basis. However, the Committee may consider whether to award discretionary bonuses for retention purposes or in recognition of significant achievements in the difficult operating environment. If the Committee determines that such awards are appropriate during the course of the current fiscal year, the Company will file a current report on Form 8-K at such time.  

As noted above, Mr. Nicholson was entitled to an annual cash incentive for fiscal 2015 pursuant to his employment agreement, which provides for an annual cash incentive for fiscal 2015 of not less than $800,000, pro-rated to reflect the number of days he was employed by the Company in the fiscal year, which was 20 days. For fiscal 2016, pursuant to his employment agreement, Mr. Nicholson’s minimum annual cash incentive will be $600,000. In addition, in May 2015, the Committee awarded Ms. Durkin a long-term incentive bonus of $200,000 payable 50% in May 2015 and 50% in May 2016 as recognition of her additional responsibilities during fiscal 2015 as Interim Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Markoe received a $125,000 payment in fiscal 2015 with respect to a long-term incentive award made in June 2014.

Long-Term Equity Incentives

Our Named Executive Officers’ compensation is heavily weighted in long-term equity as we believe stockholder value is achieved through an ownership culture that encourages a focus on long-term performance by our Named Executive Officers and other key associates. By providing our executives with an equity stake in the Company, we are better able to align the interests of our Named Executive Officers and our Sponsors. In establishing long-term equity incentive grants for our Named Executive Officers, the Committee reviews certain factors, including the outstanding equity investment and grants held both by the individual and by our executives as a group, total compensation, performance, vesting dates of outstanding grants, tax and accounting costs, potential dilution and other factors.

In 2011, our Named Executive Officers and certain key members of management were provided the opportunity to roll over on a tax deferred basis, shares of J.Crew Group, Inc. stock and stock options they held into shares or stock options, as applicable, of the Parent in connection with the consummation of the Acquisition. They were also provided the opportunity to purchase shares of the Parent. As a result, Mr. Drexler contributed an aggregate amount of 2,287,545 shares worth approximately $99.5 million in exchange for an ownership interest in Parent following the Acquisition. Ms. Lyons contributed 30,651 shares and 218,401 stock options in exchange for an ownership interest of approximately $4 million. Ms. Wadle contributed 100,590 stock options, 6,804 shares and $370,692 cash in exchange for an ownership interest of approximately $2 million. Ms. Markoe contributed 7,663 shares and 45,129 stock options in exchange for an ownership interest of approximately $1 million.  Mr. Nicholson and Ms. Durkin were not employed by the Company at the time of the Acquisition.

The Committee has approved stock option awards to each of the Named Executive Officers, consistent with its view that long-term equity incentives are an important part of an ownership culture that encourages a focus on long-term performance by our Named

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Executive Officers and other key associates.   On January 11, 2016, Mr. Nicholson received the following equity awards in connection with the commencement of his employment with the Company:  (i) 2.5 million restricted shares of Class A common stock with time-based vesting, (ii) 1.5 million restricted shares of Class A common stock with performance-based vesting, and (iii) non-qualified stock options with time-based vesting representing the right to acquire 2 million shares of Class A common stock.  No other equity awards were granted to our Named Executive Officers in fiscal 2015.

Equity Ownership. We believe that Company executives should have a meaningful ownership stake in the Company to underscore the importance of linking executive and investor interests, and to encourage an owner-manager and long-term perspective in managing the business. This ownership stake has been achieved through the roll-over of shares and stock options, the opportunity for cash investment and the award of stock options.

Benefits and Perquisites. Benefits are provided to our Named Executive Officers in the same manner that they are provided to all other associates. Our Named Executive Officers are eligible to participate in the Company’s 401(k) plan (which includes a Company match component) and receive the same health, life, and disability benefits available to our associates generally.

We offer all of our associates (including the Named Executive Officers) and directors a discount on most merchandise in our stores, and through our e-commerce business. We offer this discount because it is beneficial to our Company to encourage associates and directors to shop in our stores and online. Additionally, this discount represents common practice in the retail industry. This discount is extended to IRS qualified dependents and spouses.

We do not offer a defined benefit pension, supplemental executive retirement plan (SERP) or a non-qualified deferred compensation plan to our associates or Named Executive Officers.

In addition, from time to time the Company agrees to provide certain executives with perquisites. The Company provides these perquisites on a limited basis in order to attract key talent and to enhance business efficiency. We believe these perquisites are in line with market practice. For fiscal 2015, we provided certain Named Executive Officers with the following perquisites:

Driver. We provide Mr. Drexler with a driver for all business needs. Mr. Drexler reimburses the Company for his personal use of the driver, including commuting to and from work.

Medical Concierge Service. We provide Mr. Drexler with 24/7, on-call worldwide medical care for himself and his immediate family members, up to a maximum of $50,000 per year.

The cost incurred by the Company for certain of these perquisites is detailed in the Summary Compensation Table.

Tax Gross-ups. Pursuant to the terms of Mr. Drexler’s employment agreement, Mr. Drexler is entitled to receive a gross up in the event that any payment or benefit provided to him in connection with a change in control (as defined in Section 280G of the Code) occurring after our equity securities once again are publicly traded is subject to the excise taxes imposed by Section 4999 of the Code. If a change in control occurs while the Company is private, the Company and Mr. Drexler will use their reasonable best efforts to seek shareholder approval of any parachute payments. These provisions were negotiated as a part of Mr. Drexler’s employment agreement in connection with the Acquisition. While other executive officers may also have excess parachute payments that are subject to the excise taxes, no such other executive officer is entitled to a tax gross up from the Company.

Employment Agreements

From time to time, the Company enters into employment agreements in order to attract and retain key executives. Each of Messrs. Drexler and Nicholson and Mss. Lyons and Wadle are party to an employment agreement with the Company. Ms. Durkin is party to a Non-Disclosure, Non-Solicitation, Non-Competition and Dispute Resolution Agreement. As described in a section that follows, the employment agreements generally define the executive’s position, specify a minimum base salary, and provide for participation in our annual and long-term incentive plans, as well as other benefits. Most of the agreements contain covenants that limit the executives’ ability to compete with us or solicit our associates or customers for a specified period following termination. The agreements also provide for various benefits under certain termination scenarios. In general, these benefits consist of salary continuation for periods ranging from 12 to 18 months, a pro-rata or full cash incentive award for the year in which termination occurred, and in some cases, the acceleration or continued vesting (in accordance with the original vesting schedule) of a portion of unvested equity. The agreements provide for automatic renewal upon the same terms and conditions, unless either party gives written notice of its intent not to renew. The provisions vary by executive because each agreement is negotiated by the Company and the Named Executive Officer on an individual basis at the time of hire or renewal, as applicable. We believe that these agreements enhance our ability to recruit and retain the Named Executive Officers, offer them a degree of security in the very dynamic

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environment of the retail industry, and protect us competitively through non-competition and non-solicitation requirements if the executives terminate their employment with us.

The section below contains information, both narrative and tabular, regarding the types of compensation paid to (i) our principal executive officer, (ii) our principal financial officer and former interim principal financial officer,  and (iii) our other three most highly compensated executive officers as of the end of fiscal 2015 (collectively, the “Named Executive Officers”). The Summary Compensation Table contains an overview of the amounts paid to our Named Executive Officers for fiscal years 2015, 2014 and 2013, as applicable. The tables following the Summary Compensation Table—the Grants of Plan-Based Awards, Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End, and Option Exercises and Stock Vested—contain details of our Named Executive Officers’ recent non-equity incentive and equity grants, past equity awards, general equity holdings, and option exercises. Finally, we have included a table showing potential severance payments to our Named Executive Officers pursuant to their individual employment agreements and certain of our equity incentive plans, assuming, for these purposes that the relevant triggering event occurred on January 29, 2016.  

Summary Compensation Table

The following table sets forth the compensation paid to or earned during fiscal years 2015, 2014 and 2013 by our Named Executive Officers:

 

 

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Named Executive Officer Employment Agreements

Millard Drexler

Mr. Drexler entered into an employment agreement with us, effective March 7, 2011, pursuant to which Mr. Drexler serves as our Chief Executive Officer and as the Chairman of our Board. The agreement provides for an initial term of employment through March 7, 2015, subject to automatic renewal for successive one-year periods thereafter unless either Mr. Drexler or the Company provides a notice of non-renewal at least 90 days before the expiration of the then current term. Pursuant to the employment agreement, Mr. Drexler receives a base salary of $200,000 and has an opportunity to earn an annual bonus award, with a target opportunity of $1,200,000, based on the achievement of certain performance metrics determined by the Board or a committee thereof. Mr. Drexler is eligible to participate in the Company’s employee benefit plans and the Company will pay or reimburse Mr. Drexler for an amount of up to $50,000 per year for the cost of maintaining the benefits provided under one or more concierge medical services arrangements to be selected by Mr. Drexler. In the event that Mr. Drexler’s employment is terminated prior to the end of the initial four-year term or any subsequent one-year extension of the term without cause or by Mr. Drexler for good reason (each as defined in the agreement), Mr. Drexler will receive, among other things (i) a payment equal to any accrued but unpaid base salary as of the date of termination, the value of any accrued vacation pay, and the amount of any expenses properly incurred by Mr. Drexler prior to the termination date and not yet reimbursed, (ii) a payment equal to one year’s base salary plus Mr. Drexler’s target bonus, (iii) a payment equal to the pro-rated annual bonus that Mr. Drexler would have earned for the year in which his termination occurs, based on the actual achievement of applicable performance objectives in the performance year in which the termination date occurs; and (iv) the immediate vesting of all equity awards previously granted to Mr. Drexler that remain outstanding as of the termination date. The agreement also provides that Mr. Drexler is entitled to a full gross up for excise taxes incurred under Sections 280G and 4999 of the Code in connection with any change in control occurring after our equity securities once again become publicly traded.

 

As described above, pursuant to the terms of the agreement Mr. Drexler received an option grant under Parent’s 2011 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2011 Equity Incentive Plan”) in fiscal year 2011. These options will vest upon meeting certain time- and performance-based vesting conditions and will vest in full upon, as described above, a termination of his employment without cause or by him for good reason. Mr. Drexler’s time-vesting options will vest in full upon the occurrence of a change in control. The agreement also provides that Mr. Drexler will be subject to non-solicitation and non-competition covenants during his employment and for a period of two years and one year, respectively, following the termination of his employment, regardless of the reason for such termination.

 

Michael Nicholson

 

Mr. Nicholson entered in an employment agreement with us in December 2015 pursuant to which he agreed to serve as our President and Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer.  The agreement provides for an initial base salary of $800,000, with a target bonus opportunity under the Company’s annual bonus plan of 100% of base salary based upon the achievement of certain performance objectives to be determined each year.  For fiscal year 2015, the agreement provides that Mr. Nicholson’s annual bonus will not be less than $800,000, pro-rated to reflect the number of days he is actually employed by the Company in fiscal year 2015, which was 20 days.  For fiscal year 2016, the agreement provides that Mr. Nicholson’s annual bonus will not be less than $600,000, provided he remains employed through the payment date.  Under the agreement Mr. Nicholson is subject to non-competition and non-solicitation covenants during his employment and for a period of 12 and 18 months, respectively, following termination of employment for any reason, provided that the non-competition covenants will not apply following termination of Mr. Nicholson’s employment by the Company without cause or by him for good reason. In the event his employment is terminated without cause, for

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good reason or due to his death or disability, Mr. Nicholson is entitled under the agreement to certain post-employment compensation, as detailed in a section that follows.

 

As described in a previous section, pursuant to the terms of the agreement, Mr. Nicholson received restricted stock and stock option grants under the 2011 Equity Incentive Plan in January 2016.  We granted Mr. Nicholson 2.5 million shares of restricted Class A common stock that vests periodically based on continued employment over five years.  In addition, we granted Mr. Nicholson 1.5 million shares of restricted Class A common stock that vests based on the achievement of performance goals, within a term of ten years, generally subject to his continued employment prior to the vesting date.  In the event that the performance conditions are satisfied or a change in control of the Company occurs within six months following the termination of Mr. Nicholson’s employment by the Company without cause or by Mr. Nicholson for good reason, Mr. Nicholson’s performance-based restricted stock will vest to the same extent that it would have vested had Mr. Nicholson remained employed through the satisfaction of the performance conditions or the occurrence of the change in control.  In addition, with respect to both the time and performance-based vesting restricted stock grants, in the event that a change in control of the Company occurs while Mr. Nicholson remains employed, any unvested outstanding restricted stock will vest in full, unless the administrator provides for a cash-out of the award, or the acquirer assumes or substitutes the award.  

 

We also granted Mr. Nicholson nonqualified stock options to acquire 2 million shares of Class A common stock, with an exercise price of $.10 per share.  The stock options are subject to time-based vesting over five years.  In the event that Mr. Nicholson’s employment ceases within two years following a change in control as a result of a termination by the Company without cause or by Mr. Nicholson for good reason, the unvested outstanding stock options, or any deferred cash or property granted in substitution for such options, will vest in full.  In the event of Mr. Nicholson’s termination of employment by the Company without cause or a resignation by Mr. Nicholson for good reason, he will receive an additional 12 months service credit toward vesting of his time-based vesting restricted stock and stock options.

Jenna Lyons

Ms. Lyons entered into a second amended and restated employment agreement with us in July 2010 pursuant to which she has agreed to serve as Creative Director for five years beginning in December 2007, subject to automatic one-year renewals unless we or Ms. Lyons provide four months’ written notice prior to the expiration of the current term. The agreement provides for a minimum annual base salary of $675,000, which will be reviewed from time to time by us, and an annual cash incentive award with a target of 50% and a maximum of 100%, in each case, of base salary. In addition, the agreement provided for payment by the Company of a cash contract supplement of $2,000,000 which was paid to Ms. Lyons in January 2008. The agreement also subjects Ms. Lyons to non-competition and non-solicitation covenants during her employment and for a period of 12 months following termination of employment for any reason (except that the non-competition covenant will not apply in the event Ms. Lyons’ employment is terminated by the Company without cause, by Ms. Lyons for good reason or because the Company provides Ms. Lyons with written notice of our intention not to renew the employment agreement). In the event her employment is terminated without cause or for good reason, Ms. Lyons is entitled under the agreement to certain post-employment compensation, as detailed in a section that follows.

Ms. Lyons also entered into a special bonus agreement with us in April 2013, pursuant to which she received a cash bonus of $1,500,000, payable upon execution of the agreement, in recognition of her prior and continued service as President and Executive Creative Director of the Company.  Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, in the event Ms. Lyons’ employment with the Company is terminated for any reason other than by the Company without cause or by Ms. Lyons for good reason (as each such term is defined in the employment agreement described above), Ms. Lyons is required to reimburse immediately the Company for the full amount of the special bonus if such termination occurs prior to the third anniversary of the agreement.

Libby Wadle

Ms. Wadle entered into an employment agreement with us pursuant to which she has agreed to serve as Executive Vice President—J.Crew for three years beginning in November 2011, subject to automatic one-year renewals unless we provide two months’ written notice or Ms. Wadle provides four months’ written notice, in each case, prior to the expiration of the current term. The agreement provides for a minimum annual base salary of $700,000, which will be reviewed annually by us, and an annual cash incentive award with a target of 75% and a maximum of 187.5%, in each case, of base salary. The agreement also subjects Ms. Wadle to non-competition and non-solicitation covenants during her employment and for a period of 12 months following termination of employment for any reason (except that the non-competition covenant will not apply in the event Ms. Wadle’s employment is terminated by the Company without cause or by Ms. Wadle for good reason). In the event her employment is terminated without cause, for good reason, or as a result of the Company’s non-renewal of the agreement, Ms. Wadle is entitled under the agreement to certain post-employment compensation, as detailed in a section that follows.

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Lynda Markoe

 

Ms. Markoe entered into a long-term incentive agreement with us in June 2014, pursuant to which she received a long-term cash incentive award provided she remains employed with us through the payment dates of each award. The agreement provides for a First Cash Incentive award of $125,000 which was paid on June 10, 2014 and a Second Cash Incentive award of $125,000 which was paid on June 1, 2015.  If Ms. Markoe is terminated for cause or resigns from employment for any reason on or before May 31, 2016, she is obligated to repay us the full gross amount of the Second Cash Incentive.  For purposes of the agreement, “cause” means, without limitation, unsatisfactory job performance, failure to comply with the Company’s policies and handbook, including but not limited to the Code of Ethics and Business Practices; indictment, conviction or admission of any crime involving dishonesty or moral turpitude; participation in any act of misconduct, insubordination or fraud against the Company; use of alcohol or drugs which interferes with her performance of her duties or compromises our integrity or reputation; and excessive absences from work other than as a result of disability.

Joan Durkin

Ms. Durkin entered into a Non-Disclosure, Non-Solicitation, Non-Competition and Dispute Resolution Agreement with us for three years beginning on January 22, 2013, subject to automatic renewal for successive one-year periods thereafter unless either Ms. Durkin or the Company provides a notice of non-renewal at least 30 days before the expiration of the then current term.  The agreement subjects Ms. Durkin to non-solicitation and non-competition covenants during her employment and for a period of 12 and six months, respectively, following termination of employment for any reason.  In the event her employment is terminated without cause, Ms. Durkin is entitled under the agreement to certain post-employment compensation, as detailed in a section that follows.  The agreement has not been amended or replaced in connection with Ms. Durkin’s role as Interim Chief Financial Officer.

Ms. Durkin also entered into a long-term incentive agreement with us in May 2015, pursuant to which she received a long-term cash incentive award in recognition of her additional responsibilities during fiscal 2015 as Interim Chief Financial Officer, provided she remains employed with us through each payment date. The agreement provides for a First Cash Incentive award of $100,000 which was paid on May 5, 2015 and a Second Cash Incentive award of $100,000 which will be paid on or about May 5, 2016.  If Ms. Durkin is terminated for cause (as defined in the agreement referenced above) or resigns from employment for any reason on or before May 5, 2016, she is obligated to repay us the full gross amount of the First Cash Incentive.  If Ms. Durkin is terminated for cause or resigns from employment for any reason on or before May 5, 2017, she is obligated to repay us the full gross amount of the Second Cash Incentive.

Grants of Plan-Based Awards—Fiscal 2015

The following table sets forth the non-equity and equity incentive awards and other equity awards granted to our Named Executive Officers for fiscal 2015. For fiscal 2015, the Company did not fund a target incentive pool for the year and therefore no payouts were made under the annual cash incentive plan.

 

 

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OUTSTANDING EQUITY AWARDS AT FISCAL 2015 YEAR-END

The following table sets forth information regarding the outstanding awards under our long-term equity incentive plans held by our Named Executive Officers at the end of fiscal 2015.

 

 

 

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The options granted on March 12, 2013 have an exercise price of $0.57 per share and vest as follows:

 

The options granted on April 11, 2013 have an exercise price of $0.57 per share and vest as follows:

 

The options granted on January 11, 2016 have an exercise price of $0.10 per share and vest as follows:

 

 

Option Exercises and Stock Vested—Fiscal 2015

There were no option exercises or vesting of stock for the Named Executive Officers during fiscal 2015.

Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change of Control

As described above under Employment Agreements, we have employment agreements with Mr. Drexler, Mr. Nicholson, Ms. Lyons and Ms. Wadle and a Non-Disclosure, Non-Solicitation, Non-Competition and Dispute Resolution Agreement with Ms.

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Durkin under which we are required to pay severance benefits in connection with certain terminations of employment.  Mr. Drexler’s stock option award agreement also provides for accelerated vesting of all his options in connection with a termination of his employment at any time by us without cause (as defined in the award agreement) or by Mr. Drexler for good reason (as defined in the award agreement) and accelerated vesting of a portion of his options in connection with a termination of his employment by us by reason of his death or disability (as defined in the award agreement). In addition, the stock option award agreements held by our other Named Executive Officers provide for the accelerated vesting of their time-based options in connection with a termination of employment by us without cause (as defined in the award agreement) or by the executive for good reason (as defined in the award agreement) within two years following a change in control. Mr. Drexler’s stock option award agreement also provides for accelerated vesting of his time-based options in connection with a change in control. Mr. Nicholson’s restricted stock awards provide for accelerated vesting in connection with a change in control, provided that the acquirer does not assume or substitute such awards. Ms. Markoe is not party to an employment agreement with us, but we may agree to pay severance benefits in connection with a termination of her employment. The following is a description of the severance, termination and change in control benefits payable to each of our Named Executive Officers pursuant to their respective agreements and our equity incentive plans as in effect during fiscal 2015. This disclosure assumes the applicable triggering date occurred on January 29, 2016, the last business day of our 2015 fiscal year.

For these purposes, “change in control” is generally defined as (a) any change in the ownership of the capital stock of Parent if, immediately after giving effect thereto, any person (or group of persons acting in concert) other than TPG and LGP and their affiliates will have the direct or indirect power to elect a majority of the members of the board of directors of Parent; (b) any change in the ownership of the capital stock of Parent if, immediately after giving effect thereto, TPG and LGP and their affiliates own less than 25% (33% in the case of Mr. Drexler) of the outstanding shares of Parent (taking into account options, warrants or convertible securities which may be exercised, converted or exchanged into shares), or (c) the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Parent and its subsidiaries.

Millard Drexler

Pursuant to the employment agreement between us and Mr. Drexler, executed on March 7, 2011 (the “Drexler Agreement”), the payments and/or benefits we agreed to pay or provide to Mr. Drexler upon a termination of his employment vary depending on the reason for such termination.

We may terminate Mr. Drexler’s employment with us upon his disability, which is generally defined in the Drexler Agreement as Mr. Drexler’s inability to perform his duties for a period of six consecutive months or for 180 days within any 365 day period as a result of his incapacity due to physical or mental illness. In addition, we may terminate Mr. Drexler’s employment for cause or at any time without cause. For these purposes, “cause” is generally defined under the Drexler Agreement as Mr. Drexler’s (a) willful and continued failure to substantially perform his duties, after written demand for substantial performance by our Board; (b) willful engagement in illegal conduct or gross misconduct which is materially and demonstrably injurious to us; or (c) breach of the non-solicitation, non-competition and confidential information obligations described below.

Mr. Drexler may terminate his employment with us with good reason or at any time, upon at least three months’ advance written notice, without good reason. For these purposes, “good reason” is generally defined under the Drexler Agreement as (a) the diminution of, or appointment of anyone other than Mr. Drexler to serve in or handle, his positions, authority, duties, and responsibilities without his consent; (b) any purported termination of his employment by us for a reason or in a manner not expressly permitted by the Drexler Agreement; (c) relocation of more than 50 miles of Mr. Drexler’s principal work location; (d) material breach of the Drexler Agreement by us; or (e) removal of Mr. Drexler from the Board.

In addition, Mr. Drexler’s employment will terminate upon his death or in the event either party provides notice to the other party not to renew the Drexler Agreement at least 90 days prior to the expiration of its term.

If Mr. Drexler’s employment with us is terminated (i) as a result of his death, disability or either party’s failure to renew the term, (ii) by us for cause, or (iii) by Mr. Drexler without good reason, then Mr. Drexler will only be entitled to any accrued but unpaid salary, accrued but unused vacation, and any un-reimbursed expenses, in each case through the date of his termination.

If we terminate Mr. Drexler’s employment without cause or he terminates his employment with good reason, Mr. Drexler will be entitled to receive (i) a payment of his earned but unpaid annual base salary through the termination date, any accrued vacation pay and any un-reimbursed expenses, and (ii) subject to Mr. Drexler’s execution of a valid general release and waiver of claims against us, as well as his compliance with the non-competition, non-solicitation and confidential information restrictions described below, (a) a payment equal to his annual base salary and target cash incentive award, one-half of such payment to be paid on the first business day that is six months and one day following the termination date and the remaining one-half of such payment to be paid in six equal monthly installments commencing on the first business day of the seventh calendar month following the termination date, (b) a payment equal to the pro-rated amount of any annual cash incentive award that he would have otherwise received, based on actual

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performance, for the fiscal year in which he was terminated, such amount to be paid when annual bonuses are generally paid but in any event no later than the date that is 2.5 months following the end of the year in which the termination date occurs, and (c) the immediate vesting of all then outstanding equity awards previously granted to Mr. Drexler.

In addition, upon any termination of Mr. Drexler’s employment with us, Mr. Drexler will be entitled to any benefit or right under the Company employee benefit plans in which he is vested (except for any additional severance or termination payments). At this time, Mr. Drexler is not vested in any benefits or rights under our employee benefit plans.

In addition, pursuant to the Drexler Agreement, in the event that any payment or benefit provided to Mr. Drexler under the Drexler Agreement or under any other plan, program or arrangement of ours in connection with a change in control (as defined in Section 280G of the Code) becomes subject to the excise taxes imposed by Section 4999 of the Code, Mr. Drexler will be entitled to receive a “gross-up” payment in connection with any such excise taxes. We have also agreed to purchase and maintain, at our own expense, directors and officers liability insurance providing coverage for Mr. Drexler for the six year period following his termination of employment in the same amount as our other executive officers and directors.

Pursuant to the Drexler Agreement, for the two year period following the termination of Mr. Drexler’s employment, Mr. Drexler has agreed not to solicit or hire any of our associates. In addition, Mr. Drexler has agreed that, for the one year period following his termination of employment, he will not compete with us in the retail apparel business in any geographic area in which we are engaged in such business. Mr. Drexler is also subject to standard non-disclosure of confidential information restrictions.

Michael Nicholson

Pursuant to the employment agreement between us and Mr. Nicholson, dated December 3, 2015 (the “Nicholson Agreement”), the payments and/or benefits we have agreed to pay or provide Mr. Nicholson on a termination of his employment vary depending on the reason for such termination.

 

Pursuant to the Nicholson Agreement, we may terminate Mr. Nicholson’s employment upon his disability, which is generally defined in the Nicholson Agreement as Mr. Nicholson’s inability to perform his duties for a 90 day period as a result of his incapacity due to physical or mental illness.  The Nicholson Agreement provides that if Mr. Nicholson’s employment is terminated due to death or disability, he will be entitled to (i) the annual bonus earned for the fiscal year immediately prior to his termination date (to the extent not yet paid), (ii) the annual bonus, if any, to which he would otherwise have been entitled for the fiscal year of his death or disability based on actual performance, pro-rated for the period completed as of the date of his death or disability, and (iii) full vesting of time-based equity awards, pro-rated for the period completed as of the date of his death or disability.

In addition, we may terminate Mr. Nicholson’s employment for cause or at any time without cause.  For these purposes, “cause” is generally defined under the Nicholson Agreement as Mr. Nicholson’s (a) indictment for a felony or any crime involving moral turpitude or being charged or sanctioned by the federal or state government or governmental authority or agency with violations of securities laws, or having been found by any court or governmental authority or agency to have committed any such violation except in the event that Mr. Nicholson is found  to be “not guilty” by a court or the charges are dismissed or reduced to a misdemeanor; (b) willful misconduct or gross negligence in connection with his performance of duties; (c) willful and material breach of the Nicholson Agreement, including without limitation, his failure to perform his duties and responsibilities (provided that he be given written notice and has 30 days to cure to the extent such violation is reasonably susceptible to cure); (d) fraudulent act or omission by Mr. Nicholson adverse to our reputation; (e) disclosure of any confidential information to persons not authorized to know such information; or (f) his violation of or failure to comply with any material Company policy or any legal or regulatory obligations or requirements, including without limitation, our Code of Ethics and Business Practices or any legal or regulatory obligations or requirements (provided that he has 30 days to cure to the extent such violation is reasonably susceptible to cure). Furthermore, if subsequent to the termination of Mr. Nicholson’s employment it is determined that he could have been terminated for cause, Mr. Nicholson’s employment, at our election, shall be deemed to have been terminated for cause, in which event we would be entitled to immediately cease providing any severance benefits described below and to recover any severance benefits previously paid to Mr. Nicholson.

Pursuant to the Nicholson Agreement, Mr. Nicholson may terminate his employment with us for good reason, or without good reason upon at least two months’ advance notice.  For these purposes, “good reason” is generally defined under the Nicholson Agreement as either (a) any action by us that results in a material and continuing diminution of Mr. Nicholson’s duties or responsibilities as President and Chief Operating Officer, including a change such that he will no longer report directly to the Chief Executive Officer or have the Chief Financial Officer of the Company report to him; or (b) a reduction of more than 10% by us of Mr. Nicholson’s base salary or annual cash incentive award opportunity as in effect from time to time,  (c) a relocation of more than 25 miles of his principal place of employment, or  (d) a change in control, provided Mr. Nicholson must remain employed for up to 12

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months if requested by the acquirer following a change in control; in each case without Mr. Nicholson’s written consent. Mr. Nicholson’s employment will also terminate upon his death.

Pursuant to the Nicholson Agreement, if Mr. Nicholson’s employment with us is terminated (i) by us without cause or (ii) by Mr. Nicholson for good reason, then Mr. Nicholson will be entitled to, subject to his execution of a valid general release and waiver of any claims he may have against us, (a) continued payment of base salary and continued medical benefits for a period of one year, (b) the annual bonus earned for the fiscal year immediately prior to his termination date (to the extent not yet paid), (c) an amount equal to his target annual bonus, (d) the annual bonus, if any, to which he would otherwise have been entitled for the fiscal year of his employment termination based on actual performance, pro-rated for the period completed prior to such employment termination, (e) an additional 12 months’ service credit with respect to vesting of time-based equity awards, and (f) in the event that the applicable performance conditions are satisfied or a change in control transaction occurs within six months following termination, performance-based equity awards shall vest to the extent they would have if Mr. Nicholson had remained employed with the Company through the satisfaction of such performance conditions or the date of the change in control, as applicable.  In addition, following termination of Mr. Nicholson’s employment by the Company without cause or for good reason within two years following a change in control transaction, all of the outstanding stock options awards subject to time-based vesting conditions shall vest.

Amounts payable to Mr. Nicholson as a result of termination by us without cause or by Mr. Nicholson with good reason, may be deferred and accumulated for six months, then paid in a lump-sum on the first day of the seventh month following termination, if required for compliance with the deferred compensation rules under Section 409A of the Code.

Pursuant to the Nicholson Agreement, Mr. Nicholson has agreed that, for the 12 month period following termination of his employment (other than a termination by us without cause or by Mr. Nicholson for good reason), he will not engage in or perform services for certain competitive entities in the retail, mail order and Internet apparel and accessories business or solicit any of our customers or suppliers. In addition, for the 18 month period following the termination of his employment for any reason, Mr. Nicholson has agreed not to solicit or hire any of our associates.  Mr. Nicholson is also subject to standard non-disclosure of confidential information and non-disparagement restrictions.

Jenna Lyons

Pursuant to the second amended and restated employment agreement between us and Ms. Lyons, dated July 1, 2010 (the “Lyons Agreement”), the payments and/or benefits we have agreed to pay or provide Ms. Lyons on a termination of her employment vary depending on the reason for such termination.

Pursuant to the Lyons Agreement, we may terminate Ms. Lyons’ employment with us upon her disability, which is generally defined in the Lyons Agreement as Ms. Lyons’ inability to perform her duties for a 90 day period as a result of her incapacity due to physical or mental illness and failure to return to work within 30 days of notice by the Company. In addition, we may terminate Ms. Lyons’ employment for cause or at any time without cause. For these purposes, “cause” is generally defined under the Lyons Agreement as Ms. Lyons’ (a) indictment for a felony or any crime involving moral turpitude or being charged or sanctioned by the federal or state government or governmental authority or agency with violations of securities laws, or having been found by any court or governmental authority or agency to have committed any such violation; (b) willful misconduct or gross negligence in connection with her performance of duties; (c) willful and material breach of the Lyons Agreement, including without limitation, her failure to perform her duties and responsibilities (provided that she be given written notice and has 30 days to cure to the extent such violation is reasonably susceptible to cure); (d) fraudulent act or omission by Ms. Lyons adverse to our reputation; (e) disclosure of any confidential information to persons not authorized to know such information; or (f) her violation of or failure to comply with any material Company policy or any legal or regulatory obligations or requirements, including without limitation, our Code of Ethics and Business Practices or any legal or regulatory obligations or requirements (provided that she has 30 days to cure to the extent such violation is reasonably susceptible to cure). Furthermore, if subsequent to the termination of Ms. Lyons’ employment it is determined that she could have been terminated for cause, Ms. Lyons’ employment, at our election, shall be deemed to have been terminated for cause, in which event we would be entitled to immediately cease providing any severance benefits described below and to recover any severance benefits previously paid to Ms. Lyons.

Pursuant to the Lyons Agreement, Ms. Lyons may terminate her employment with us with good reason or at any time, upon at least two months’ advance notice, without good reason. For these purposes, “good reason” is generally defined under the Lyons Agreement as either (a) any action by us that results in a material and continuing diminution of Ms. Lyons’ duties or responsibilities, including an adverse change in her title from Creative Director or a change such that she will no longer report directly to the Chief Executive Officer; or (b) a material reduction by us of Ms. Lyons’ base salary or annual cash incentive award opportunity as in effect from time to time, or (c) a relocation of more than 50 miles of her principal place of employment, in each case without Ms. Lyons’ written consent. Ms. Lyons’ employment will also terminate upon her death.

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Pursuant to the Lyons Agreement, if Ms. Lyons’ employment with us is terminated (i) by us without cause or (ii) by Ms. Lyons with good reason, then Ms. Lyons will be entitled to, subject to her execution of a valid general release and waiver of any claims she may have against us and her continued compliance with the post-employment restrictive covenants to which she is subject, (a) continued payment of base salary and continued medical benefits for a period of one year following her termination date and (b) a lump sum in an amount equal to the annual cash incentive award that she received for the fiscal year prior to her termination. However, Ms. Lyons’ right to the continuation of her base salary and medical benefits for one year following the termination of her employment will cease, respectively, upon the date that she becomes employed by a new employer or otherwise begins providing services for another entity and the date she becomes eligible for coverage under another group health plan; provided that if the cash compensation she receives from her new employer or otherwise is less than her base salary in effect immediately prior to her termination date, she will be entitled to receive the difference between her base salary and her new amount of cash compensation during the remainder of the severance period. In addition, if Ms. Lyons’ employment with us is terminated for any reason, Ms. Lyons will also be entitled to any earned but unpaid base salary.

Amounts payable to Ms. Lyons as a result of termination by us without cause or by Ms. Lyons with good reason, may be deferred and accumulated for six months, then paid in a lump-sum on the first day of the seventh month following termination, if required for compliance with the deferred compensation rules under Section 409A of the Code.

Pursuant to the Lyons Agreement, Ms. Lyons has agreed that, for the 12 month period following the termination of her employment (other than a termination by us without cause, by Ms. Lyons with good reason, or as a result of our election not to renew the employment period), she will not engage in or perform services for certain competitive entities in the retail, mail order and Internet apparel and accessories business within a 100 mile radius of any of our store locations or in the same area as we direct our mail order operations or solicit any of our customers or suppliers. In addition, for the 12 month period following the termination of her employment for any reason, Ms. Lyons has agreed not to solicit or hire any of our associates. Ms. Lyons is also subject to standard non-disclosure of confidential information and non-disparagement restrictions.

Libby Wadle

Pursuant to the Letter Agreement between us and Ms. Wadle, dated November 28, 2011 (the “Wadle Agreement”), the payments and/or benefits we have agreed to pay or provide Ms. Wadle on a termination of her employment vary depending on the reason for such termination.

Pursuant to the Wadle Agreement, we may terminate Ms. Wadle’s employment with us upon her disability, which is generally defined in the Wadle Agreement as Ms. Wadle’s inability to perform her duties for a 90 day period as a result of her incapacity due to physical or mental illness or injury and failure to return to work within 30 days of receiving notice from the Company. In addition, we may terminate Ms. Wadle’s employment for cause or at any time without cause. For these purposes, “cause” is generally defined under the Wadle Agreement as Ms. Wadle’s (a) indictment for a felony or any crime involving moral turpitude or being charged or sanctioned by the federal or state government or governmental authority or agency with violations of applicable laws, or having been found by any court or governmental authority or agency to have committed any such violation; (b) willful misconduct or gross negligence in connection with her performance of duties; (c) willful and material breach of the Wadle Agreement, including without limitation, her failure to perform her duties and responsibilities thereunder (provided that she be given written notice and has 30 days to cure to the extent such violation is reasonably susceptible to cure); (d) fraudulent act or omission adverse to our reputation; (e) willful disclosure of any confidential information to persons not authorized to know such information; or (f) her violation of or failure to comply with any material Company policy or any legal or regulatory obligations or requirements, including without limitation, our Code of Ethics and Business Practices or any legal or regulatory obligations or requirements (provided that she has 30 days to cure to the extent such violation is reasonably susceptible to cure). Furthermore, if subsequent to the termination of Ms. Wadle’s employment it is determined that she could have been terminated for cause, Ms. Wadle’s employment, at our election, shall be deemed to have been terminated for cause, in which event we would be entitled to immediately cease providing any severance benefits described below and to recover any severance benefits previously paid to Ms. Wadle.

Pursuant to the Wadle Agreement, Ms. Wadle may terminate her employment with us with good reason or at any time, upon at least two months’ advance notice, without good reason. For these purposes, “good reason” is generally defined under the Wadle Agreement as (a) any action by us that results in a material and continuing diminution of Ms. Wadle’s duties or responsibilities (including, without limitation, an adverse change in Ms. Wadle’s title or a change such that she no longer reports directly to the CEO), (b) a reduction by us of Ms. Wadle’s base salary or annual cash incentive award opportunity as in effect from time to time, or (iii) a relocation of more than 50 miles of her principal place of employment, in each case without Ms. Wadle’s written consent. Ms. Wadle’s employment will also terminate upon her death.

Pursuant to the Wadle Agreement, if Ms. Wadle’s employment with us is terminated (i) by us without cause (ii) by Ms. Wadle with good reason or (iii) by us as a result of non-renewal of the agreement, then Ms. Wadle will be entitled to, subject to her execution of a valid general release and waiver of any claims she may have against us and her continued compliance with the post-employment

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restrictive covenants to which she is subject, (a) continued payment of base salary and continued medical benefits (which may consist of our reimbursement of COBRA payments) for a period of 12 months following her termination date; (b) her annual bonus for the preceding year to the extent not yet paid; and (c) a lump sum in an amount equal to the pro-rated amount of any annual cash incentive award that she would have otherwise received, based on actual performance, for the fiscal year in which she was terminated. However, except in the event Ms. Wadle is terminated in the 24 months following a change in control, Ms. Wadle’s right to the continuation of her base salary and medical benefits for 12 months following the termination of her employment will cease, respectively, upon the date that she becomes employed by a new employer or otherwise begins providing services for another entity and the date she becomes eligible for coverage under another group health plan, provided that if the cash compensation she receives from her new employer or otherwise is less than her base salary in effect immediately prior to her termination date, she will be entitled to receive the difference between her base salary and her new amount of cash compensation during the remainder of the severance period. In addition, if Ms. Wadle’s employment with us is terminated for any reason, Ms. Wadle will also be entitled to any earned but unpaid salary.

Amounts payable to Ms. Wadle as a result of termination by us without cause or by Ms. Wadle with good reason, may be deferred and accumulated for six months, then paid in a lump-sum on the first day of the seventh month following termination, if required for compliance with the deferred compensation rules under Section 409A of the Code.

Pursuant to the Wadle Agreement, Ms. Wadle has agreed that, for the 12 month period following the termination of her employment (other than a termination by us without cause, by Ms. Wadle with good reason or as a result of our election not to renew the employment period), she will not engage in or perform services for any entity in the retail, mail order and Internet specialty apparel and accessories business within a 100 mile radius of any of our store locations or in the same area as we direct our mail order operations or solicit any of our customers or suppliers. In addition, for the 12 month period following the termination of her employment for any reason, Ms. Wadle has agreed not to solicit or hire any of our associates. Ms. Wadle is also subject to standard non-disclosure of confidential information restrictions.

Lynda Markoe

We have not entered into a written employment agreement with Ms. Markoe.  In the event of her termination of employment by the Company, it will be within the Company’s sole discretion whether to pay any severance benefits.  The Company may choose to pay Ms. Markoe severance taking into account her level and tenure with the Company, based on practices that may be in effect with respect to senior executives from time to time.  In that regard, if the Company had terminated Ms. Markoe’s employment at the end of fiscal 2015, it is likely that she would have received (a) continued payment of base salary for a period of up to 48 weeks (but ceasing if she became employed by or provided services to any other entity), (b) a COBRA subsidy during the severance period (terminating if she obtains other coverage), (c) 50% of her actual bonus, if any, for the 2015 fiscal year,  and (d) if so elected by Ms. Markoe, outplacement assistance.  The provision of such payments and benefits would be subject to the requirement that Ms. Markoe execute (and not revoke) a general release of claims in favor of the Company.

Joan Durkin

Pursuant to the Non-Disclosure, Non-Solicitation, Non-Competition and Dispute Resolution Agreement between us and Joan Durkin, dated January 22, 2013 (the “Durkin Agreement”), we have agreed to provide certain payments and benefits to Ms. Durkin on a termination of her employment without cause provided that (i) we do not waive any of the post-employment restrictions in the Durkin Agreement and (ii) Ms. Durkin executes and delivers to us a separation agreement and release in a form acceptable to us and does not revoke such separation agreement and release.

Pursuant to the Durkin Agreement, we may terminate Ms. Durkin’s employment with us for cause or at any time without cause.  For these purposes, “cause” is defined under the Durkin Agreement as gross incompetence; failure to comply with the Company’s policies including, but not limited to, those contained in the Company’s Associate Handbook or Code of Ethics and Business Practices; indictment, conviction or admission of any crime involving dishonesty or moral turpitude; falsification of employment applications, records, or any work product for the Company; participation in any act of misconduct, insubordination or fraud against the Company; use of alcohol or drugs which interferes with performance of her duties or compromises the integrity or reputation of the Company; or unauthorized absence from work other than as a result of disability.

Pursuant to the Durkin Agreement, if Ms. Durkin’s employment with us is terminated by us without cause, then Ms. Durkin will be entitled to, subject to her execution of an irrevocable separation agreement and release, (a) a pro-rata portion of the cash incentive award, if any, to which she would have otherwise been entitled, based on actual performance, as of the date of termination, and (b) continued payment of base salary and continued medical benefits for a period of six months following her termination date.  However Ms. Durkin’s right to the continuation of her base salary and medical benefits for six months following the termination of her employment will cease upon the date that she becomes employed by another entity as an employee, consultant or otherwise.  In

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addition, if Ms. Durkin’s employment with us is terminated for any reason, Ms. Durkin will also be entitled to any unearned by unpaid base salary.   

Amounts payable to Ms. Durkin as a result of termination by us without cause may be deferred and accumulated for six months, then paid in a lump-sum on the first day of the seventh month following termination, if required for compliance with the deferred compensation rules under Section 409A of the Code.

Pursuant to the Durkin Agreement, Ms. Durkin has agreed that, for the six month period following the termination of her employment for any reason, she will not engage in perform services for certain competitive entities in the retail, mail order and Internet and apparel and accessories business.  In addition, for the 12 month period following the termination of her employment for any reason, Ms. Durkin has agreed not to solicit or hire any of our associates.  Ms. Durkin is also subject to standard non-disclosure of confidential information restrictions and she has agreed that any claims or dispute arising out of her employment with the Company shall be subject to mandatory arbitration.  

Equity Plan

None of the options to purchase shares of our common stock held by our Named Executive Officers and granted under our 2011 Equity Incentive Plan will vest solely because of a “change in control.” However, stock options and/or, except with respect to Mr. Nicholson, restricted shares granted to our Named Executive Officers under the plan may provide for the acceleration of the vesting schedule in the event of the termination by us of a Named Executive Officer’s employment without cause or the termination by the Named Executive Officer for good reason within two years following a change in control. Unvested shares of restricted stock held by Mr. Nicholson will fully vest upon a change in control.

In addition, in the event of (i) a consolidation, merger or similar transaction or series of related transactions, including a sale or disposition of stock, in which Parent is not the surviving corporation or which results in the acquisition of all or substantially all of Parent’s then outstanding common stock by a single person or entity or by a group of persons and/or entities acting in concert, (ii) a sale of all or substantially all of Parent’s assets, (iii) a change in control as defined in the Management Stockholders Agreement, or (iv) a dissolution or liquidation of Parent, the compensation committee of Parent has the right, in its discretion, to cancel all outstanding equity awards (whether vested or unvested) and, in full consideration of such cancellation, pay to the holder of such award an amount in cash, for each share of common stock subject to the award, equal to, (A) with respect to an option, the excess of (x) the value, as determined by the Committee, of securities and property (including cash) received by ordinary stockholders as a result of such event over (y) the exercise price of such option or (B) with respect to restricted shares, the value, as determined by the Committee, of securities and property (including cash) received by the ordinary stockholders as a result of such event.

If any of the events described above had occurred on January 29, 2016 and the Committee exercised its discretion to cash-out each outstanding and unvested equity award (including performance-based awards) held by the Named Executive Officers as of such date, then each Named Executive Officer would have received an amount equal to the amount disclosed with respect to such Named Executive Officer in “Equity-Based Incentive Compensation” row of the tables below. For purposes of this calculation, we have assumed that the value per share received in connection with such event would be equal to $0.00 per share for Class A common stock, which was the valuation of this class of stock on the last business day of our fiscal year 2015.

The following tables estimate the amounts that would be payable to our Named Executive Officers if their employment terminated on January 29, 2016 and a change in control occurred on such date.

Millard Drexler

 

 

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Michael Nicholson

 

 

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Jenna Lyons

 

 

Libby Wadle

 

 

62

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Lynda Markoe

 

 

Joan Durkin

 

 

 

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Director Compensation

The following table sets forth information regarding compensation for each of the Company’s non-management directors for fiscal 2015. Messrs. Coulter, Danhakl and Sokoloff and Ms. Wheeler are representatives of our Sponsors. As a result, these directors are not individually compensated by the Company.

 

 

 

Compensation of Directors for Fiscal 2015

Neither Mr. Drexler nor the representatives of our Sponsors receive individual compensation from us for serving on the Board.  Mr. Drexler received no additional compensation for his service as a director. The compensation received by Mr. Drexler for his service as our Chief Executive Officer during fiscal 2015 is included in the Summary Compensation Table included in this Form 10-K. In exchange for his services as a director in 2015, Mr. Squeri received an annual cash retainer of $40,000.  In fiscal 2016, the Compensation Committee granted to Mr. Squeri restricted stock awards with respect to 26,667 shares of Class A common stock and 13,333 shares of Class L common stock for his service as a member of the Board during fiscal 2015.

Each of our directors receives a discount on most merchandise in our stores and through our e-commerce business, which we believe is a common practice in the retail industry.

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

The members of the compensation committee of the Board of the Company are Mr. Coulter, Mr. Sokoloff, Mr. Squeri and Ms. Wheeler. None of these committee members were officers or employees of the Company during fiscal year 2015, were formerly Company officers or had any relationship otherwise requiring disclosure. There were no interlocks or insider participation between any member of the Board or compensation committee and any member of the Board or compensation committee of another company.

report of the compensation committee

The compensation committee of our Board has reviewed and discussed the “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” section with management. Based on the review and discussions, the compensation committee recommended that the Board include the “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” in this annual report on Form 10-K.

COMPENSATION COMMITTEE

James Coulter, Chairman

Jonathan Sokoloff

Stephen Squeri

Carrie Wheeler

 

 

 

 

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All of the outstanding shares of common stock of J.Crew Group, Inc. are held indirectly by Parent.

 

The following table describes the beneficial ownership of Parent’s common stock, consisting of both Class A common stock and Class L common stock, as of March 17, 2016 by each person known to the Company to beneficially own more than five percent of Parent’s common stock, each director, each executive officer named in the “Summary Compensation Table,” and all directors and executive officers as a group. The number of shares of common stock outstanding used in calculating the percentage for each listed person includes the shares of Class A common stock underlying options beneficially owned by that person that are exercisable within 60 days following March 17, 2016. The beneficial ownership percentages reflected in the table below are based on 91,121,995 shares of Parent’s Class L common stock and 836,598,253 shares of Parent’s Class A common stock outstanding as of March 17, 2016.

 

 

*  Indicates less than one percent of common stock.

 

Except as described in the agreements mentioned above or as otherwise indicated in a footnote, each of the beneficial owners listed has, to our knowledge, sole voting, dispositive and investment power with respect to the indicated shares of common stock beneficially owned by them. Unless otherwise indicated in a footnote, the address for each individual listed below is c/o J.Crew Group, Inc. 770 Broadway, New York NY 10003.

 

 

 

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ITEM  13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE.

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Stockholders Agreements

The Company has entered into each of a Principal Investors Stockholders’ Agreement and a Management Stockholders’ Agreement with the Sponsors, certain parent companies of the Company (including Parent), certain other stockholders of Parent party thereto and, with respect to the Management Stockholders’ Agreement, certain members of management party thereto including but not limited to Mss. Lyons, Durkin, Markoe and Wadle and Mr. Nicholson (collectively, the “Stockholders Agreements”). These agreements contain arrangements among the parties thereto with respect to the business and affairs of the Company and the ownership of securities of Parent, including with respect to election of the Company’s directors and the directors of its parent companies, restrictions on the issuance or transfer of interests in the Company and its parent entities and other corporate governance provisions (including the right to approve various corporate actions).

Pursuant to the Stockholders Agreements, (i) the LGP Funds have the right to nominate, and have nominated, two directors to the Company’s Board, (ii) Millard S. Drexler has been nominated to the Board and will serve so long as he is the chief executive officer of the Company and (iii) TPG has the right to set the size of the Board and nominate the remaining directors. At the closing of the Acquisition in March 2011, TPG nominated two directors to the Company’s Board. In May 2012, Stephen Squeri was unanimously appointed to the Board, such that the Board is currently comprised of six directors. Pursuant to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company as well as the Stockholders Agreements, each director nominated by TPG has four votes for purposes of any Board action and each other director has one vote for purposes of any Board action. All decisions of the Board require the approval of a majority of the voting power held by the directors appointed in accordance with the Stockholders Agreements. In addition, the Stockholders Agreements provide that certain significant transactions regarding the Company and its parent companies require the consent of the LGP Funds.

The Stockholders Agreements contain customary agreements with respect to restrictions on the issuance or transfer of shares of common stock in the Company and its parent entities, including preemptive rights, rights of first offer upon a disposition of shares, tag along rights and drag along rights.

The Principal Investors Stockholders’ Agreement contains customary demand and piggyback registration rights in favor of the Sponsors and the other stockholders party thereto. The Management Stockholders’ Agreement also contains call rights allowing Parent and, in certain circumstances, the Sponsors, to purchase shares of Parent held by members of management party thereto in the event of a termination of employment of such member of management.

Agreements with the Sponsors

In connection with the Transactions, we entered into a management services agreement with the Sponsors, and/or affiliates of the Sponsors if the Sponsors so choose (the “Managers”), pursuant to which the Managers will provide us with certain management services until December 31, 2021, with evergreen one year extensions thereafter. The management services agreement provides that the Managers will receive an aggregate annual retainer fee equal to the greater of 40 basis points of annual revenue and $8 million to be allocated between the Managers as set forth in the management agreement. The management services agreement provides that the Managers will be entitled to receive fees in connection with certain subsequent financing, acquisition, disposition and change of control transactions equal to customary fees charged by internationally-recognized investment banks for serving as financial advisor in similar transactions. The management agreement also provides for reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Managers or their designees after the consummation of the Acquisition.

The management services agreement includes customary exculpation and indemnification provisions in favor of the Managers, their designees and each of their respective affiliates. The management services agreement may be terminated by TPG, the board of directors of Parent or upon an initial public offering or change of control unless TPG determines otherwise. In the event the management services agreement is terminated, we expect to pay the Managers or their designees all unpaid fees plus the sum of the net present values of the aggregate annual retainer fees that would have been payable with respect to the period from the date of termination until the expiration date in effect immediately prior to such termination.

Pursuant to the management services agreement, the Managers received on the closing date of the Acquisition an aggregate transaction fee of $35 million. Additionally, in connection with the Acquisition, the Managers incurred certain costs, aggregating to $19.9 million, which were either (i) paid for on behalf of the Managers or (ii) reimbursed to the Managers by the Company.

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Indemnification of Directors and Officers; Directors’ and Officers’ Insurance

The current directors and officers of J.Crew and its subsidiaries are entitled under the Merger Agreement relating to the Acquisition to continued indemnification and insurance coverage.

Certain Charter and Bylaws Provisions

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws contain provisions limiting directors’ obligations in respect of corporate opportunities. In addition, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law will not apply to the Company. Section 203 restricts “business combinations” between a corporation and “interested stockholders,” generally defined as stockholders owning 15% or more of the voting stock of a corporation.

Private Aircraft

Mr. Drexler travels extensively for Company business, including for purposes of site visitations to the Company’s stores. For purposes of business efficiency, Mr. Drexler uses his private airplane. Mr. Drexler’s airplane is owned by an entity which he controls. We pay an established charter rate to a third-party commercial aircraft operator for business use of his airplane. Mr. Drexler also has a fractional interest in a helicopter and we reimburse him for business use of the helicopter at an established rate. The audit committee has reviewed the terms of these arrangements to ensure they are at, or below, market and in the best interests of the Company. During fiscal 2015, we paid $1,224,700 pursuant to these arrangements.

Review, Approval or Ratification of Transactions with Related Persons

The Board has adopted a written policy regarding the approval or ratification of all transactions required to be reported under the SEC’s rules regarding transactions with related persons. In accordance with this policy, the audit committee of the Board will evaluate each related person transaction for the purpose of recommending to the disinterested members of the Board that the transactions are fair, reasonable and within Company policy, and should be ratified and approved by the Board. At least annually, management will provide the audit committee with information pertaining to related person transactions. The audit committee will consider each related person transaction in light of all relevant factors and the controls implemented to protect the interests of the Company and its stockholders. Relevant factors will include:

Approval by the Board of any related person transaction involving a director will also be made in accordance with applicable law and the Company’s organizational documents as from time to time in effect. Where a vote of the disinterested directors is required, such vote will be called only following full disclosure to such directors of the facts and circumstances of the relevant related person transaction. Related person transactions entered into, but not approved or ratified as required by the Board’s policy, will be subject to termination by the Company (or any relevant subsidiary), if so directed by the audit committee or the Board, as applicable, taking into account such factors as such body deems appropriate and relevant.

 

 

During fiscal years 2015, 2014 and 2013, KPMG LLP served as our independent registered public accounting firm and in that capacity rendered an unqualified opinion on our consolidated financial statements as of and for the three years ended January 30, 2016.

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The following table sets forth the aggregate fees billed or expected to be billed to us by our independent registered public accounting firm in each of the last two fiscal years:

 

Audit Fees

These amounts represent fees billed or expected to be billed by KPMG LLP for professional services rendered for the audits of the Company’s annual financial statements for fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2014 and the reviews of the financial statements included in the Company’s quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.

Audit-Related Fees

This amount represents fees billed by KPMG LLP for professional services rendered that were not included under “Audit Fees.”

Tax Fees

This amount represents fees billed or expected to be billed by KPMG LLP for professional services rendered in connection with sales and use tax compliance.

Auditor Independence

KPMG LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm, provides audit, tax and advisory services to various affiliates of TPG. KPMG informed our management and Audit Committee that it had provided certain services to an affiliated entity during 2014 and 2015 for total fees of $350,000 and financial information system implementation services to a portfolio company of a TPG affiliate during 2013 and 2014 for total fees of $143,000, both of which were determined to be impermissible under the independence rules of the SEC.  In addition, KPMG informed us it had a business relationship between a member firm of KPMG International Cooperative and a portfolio company of certain TPG affiliates during 2014 and 2015 for total fees of $91,000 that was also determined to be impermissible under the independence rules of the SEC.  None of the services and business relationships were provided to, paid for by, or involved J.Crew Group, Inc.  

KPMG considered whether the matters noted above impacted its objectivity and ability to exercise impartial judgment with regard to its engagement as our auditors and has concluded that there has been no impairment of KPMG’s objectivity and ability to exercise impartial judgment. After taking into consideration the facts and circumstances of the above matters and KPMG’s determination, our Audit Committee also has concluded that KPMG’s objectivity and ability to exercise impartial judgment has not been impaired.

The Audit Committee has considered whether the provision of the services set forth in the table above is compatible with maintaining the auditor’s independence and has determined that the provision of such services has not adversely affected the auditor’s independence.

Policy on Audit Committee Pre-Approval of Audit and Permitted Non-Audit Services

The audit committee has established policies and procedures regarding the pre-approval of audit and other services that our independent auditor may perform for us. Under the policy, the audit committee has pre-approved the engagement of our independent auditors to perform specific audit, audit related, tax and other non-audit services, subject to the fee limits established from time to time by the Audit Committee, as being consistent with auditor independence.  The provision of all other services, and all generally pre-approved services in excess of the applicable fee limits, by the independent registered public accounting firm must be specifically pre-approved by the Audit Committee on a case-by-case basis.  Management updates the Audit Committee at regularly scheduled meetings about the pre-approved services performed by the independent registered public accounting firm since the last Audit Committee meeting.  Requests to provide services that require separate approval by the Audit Committee  must be submitted to the Audit Committee by both the independent registered public accounting firm and the Chief Financial Officer and must include a joint statement as to whether, in their view, the request is consistent with the SEC’s and the PCAOB’s rules on auditor independence.  The Audit Committee may delegate pre-approval authority to one of its members and has currently delegated such authority to the Audit

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Committee’s Chair.  All pre-approved decisions made by the Chair must be reported to the full Audit Committee at its next scheduled meeting.

For fiscal 2015, the Audit Committee established fee limits on pre-approved services outside the scope of the pre-approved annual audit engagement of up to $150,000 in the aggregate for statutory audits or financial audits for subsidiaries of the Company; up to $20,000 for audits of the Company’s 401(k) Savings Plan; up to $110,000 for sales and use tax compliance; up to $50,000 in the aggregate for VAT compliance and indirect tax advice for certain foreign subsidiaries; and up to $250,000 for services associated with SEC registration statements, periodic reports and other documents filed with the SEC or other documents issued in connection with securities offerings and assistance in responding to SEC comment letters.

The audit committee is governed by a written charter, which is available free of charge on the investor relations section of our website at www.jcrew.com or upon written request to the Secretary of the Company, J.Crew Group, Inc., 770 Broadway, New York, New York 10003. The audit committee held 6 meetings in fiscal 2015.

 

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PART IV

 

 

 

 

71

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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.

 

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 indicated, on March 10, 2016.

 

 

 

 

 

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J.Crew Group, Inc.

INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

 

 

 

F-1

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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

The Board of Directors and Stockholders

J.Crew Group, Inc.:

 

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of J.Crew Group, Inc. and subsidiaries as of January 30, 2016 and January 31, 2015, and the related consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss), changes in stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three‑year period ended January 30, 2016. In connection with our audits of the consolidated financial statements, we also have audited financial statement schedule II. These consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedule are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedule based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of J.Crew Group, Inc. and subsidiaries as of January 30, 2016 and January 31, 2015, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the years in the three‑year period ended January 30, 2016, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.  Also, in our opinion, the related financial statement schedule, when considered in relation to the consolidated financial statements taken as a whole, present fairly, in all material respects, the information set forth therein.  

/s/ KPMG LLP

New York, New York

March 17, 2016

 

 

 

F-2

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J.CREW GROUP, INC.

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(in thousands, except share data)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

 

F-3

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J.CREW GROUP, INC.

Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss)

(in thousands)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

 

 

F-4

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J.CREW GROUP, INC.

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity

(in thousands, except shares)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

 

 

F-5

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J.CREW GROUP, INC.

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(in thousands)

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

 

F-6

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J.CREW GROUP, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the Years Ended January 30, 2016, January 31, 2015 and February 1, 2014

(Dollars in thousands, unless otherwise indicated)

 

1. Nature of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

(a) Basis of Presentation

J.Crew Group, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries (the “Company” or “Group”) was acquired (the “Acquisition”) on March 7, 2011 through a merger with a subsidiary of Chinos Holdings, Inc. (the “Parent”). The Parent was formed by investment funds affiliated with TPG Capital, L.P. (“TPG”) and Leonard Green & Partners, L.P. (“LGP” and together with TPG, the “Sponsors”). Subsequent to the Acquisition, Group became an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Parent, which is owned by affiliates of the Sponsors, co-investors and members of management. Prior to March 7, 2011, the Company operated as a public company with its common stock traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

All significant intercompany balances and transactions within Group are eliminated in consolidation.

(b) Business

The Company designs, contracts for the manufacture of, markets and sells women’s, men’s and children’s apparel, shoes and accessories under the J.Crew and Madewell brand names. The Company’s products are marketed primarily in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong and France through its retail and factory stores, and its websites and catalogs.

The Company is subject to seasonal fluctuations in its merchandise sales and results of operations. The Company expects its revenues generally to be lower in the first and second quarters than in the third and fourth quarters (which includes the holiday season) of each fiscal year.

A significant amount of the Company’s products are produced in Asia through arrangements with independent contractors. As a result, the Company’s operations could be adversely affected by political instability resulting in the disruption of trade from the countries in which these contractors are located or by the imposition of additional duties or regulations relating to imports or by the contractor’s inability to meet the Company’s production requirements.

(c) Fiscal Year

The Company’s fiscal year ends on the Saturday closest to January 31. The fiscal years 2015, 2014, and 2013, ended on January 30, 2016, January 31, 2015, and February 1, 2014, respectively, and each consisted of 52 weeks.

(d) Use of Estimates in the Preparation of Financial Statements

Management is required to make estimates and assumptions about future events in preparing financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). These estimates and assumptions affect the amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and the disclosure of loss contingencies at the date of the consolidated financial statements. While management believes that past estimates and assumptions have been materially accurate, current estimates are subject to change if different assumptions as to the outcome of future events are made. Management evaluates estimates and judgments on an ongoing basis and predicates those estimates and judgments on historical experience and on reasonable factors. Since future events and their effects cannot be determined with absolute certainty, actual results may differ from the estimates used in preparing the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

(e) Revenue Recognition

Revenue is recognized at the point of sale in the stores, and at an estimated date of receipt by the customer in the e-commerce business. Prices for all merchandise are listed in the Company’s websites and catalogs and are confirmed with the customer upon order. The customer has no cancellation privileges other than customary rights of return. The Company accrues a sales return allowance for estimated returns of merchandise that will occur subsequent to the balance sheet date, but relate to sales prior to the balance sheet date. The Company presents taxes collected from customers and remitted to governmental authorities on a net basis on the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss).

F-7

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J.CREW GROUP, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

For the Years Ended January 30, 2016, January 31, 2015 and February 1, 2014

(Dollars in thousands, unless otherwise indicated)

 

A liability is recognized at the time a gift card is sold, and revenue is recognized at the time the gift card is redeemed for merchandise. Revenue is deferred and a liability is recognized for gift cards issued in connection with the Company’s customer loyalty program. Any unredeemed loyalty gift cards are recognized as income in the period in which they expire.

Amounts billed to customers for shipping and handling fees are recorded in other revenues. Other revenues also include (i) income from unredeemed gift cards, estimated based on Company specific historical trends, which amounted to $4,539 in fiscal 2015, $4,101 in fiscal 2014, and $3,663 in fiscal 2013, and (ii) revenues from third party resellers, which amounted to $24,088 in fiscal 2015, $9,012 in fiscal 2014, and $8,565 in fiscal 2013.

(f) Merchandise Inventories

Merchandise inventories are stated at the lower of average cost or market. The Company capitalizes certain design, purchasing and warehousing costs in inventory and these costs are included in cost of goods sold as the inventories are sold.

(g) Advertising and Catalog Costs

Direct response advertising, which consists primarily of catalog production and mailing costs, are capitalized and amortized over the expected future revenue stream. Amortization of capitalized advertising costs is computed using the ratio of current period revenues for the catalog cost pool to the total of current and estimated future period revenues for that catalog cost pool. The capitalized costs of direct response advertising are amortized, commencing with the date catalogs are mailed, over the duration of the expected revenue stream, which is approximately two months. Deferred catalog costs, included in prepaid expenses and other current assets, as of January 30, 2016 and January 31, 2015 were $6,452 and $8,566, respectively. Catalog costs, which are reflected in selling, general and administrative expenses, were $48,533 in fiscal 2015, $47,372 in fiscal 2014, and $51,607 in fiscal 2013.

All other advertising costs, which are expensed as incurred, were $71,095 in fiscal 2015, $63,278 in fiscal 2014, and $51,545 in fiscal 2013.

(h) Lease-Related Deferred Credits

Rental payments under operating leases are charged to expense on a straight-line basis after consideration of rent holidays, step rent provisions and escalation clauses. Differences between rental expense (recognized from the date of possession) and actual rental payments are recorded as deferred rent and included in deferred credits.

The Company receives construction allowances upon entering into certain store leases. These construction allowances are recorded as deferred credits and are amortized as a reduction of rent expense over the term of the related lease. Deferred construction allowances were $83,347 and $67,485 at January 30, 2016 and January 31, 2015, respectively.

Additionally, in connection with the Acquisition, the Company recorded liabilities for unfavorable lease commitments, which are amortized on a straight-line basis over the remaining lease life, which aggregated to $7,478 and $13,264 at January 30, 2016 and January 31, 2015, respectively.

(k) Share-Based Compensation

The fair value of time-based employee awards is recognized as compensation expense on a straight line basis over the requisite service period of the award. The fair value of the options exercisable when certain owners of the Parent receive a specified level of cash proceeds from the sale of their initial investment will not be recognized until such event is deemed probable. Determining the fair value of options at the grant date requires judgment, including estimating the expected term that stock options will be outstanding prior to exercise, the associated volatility and the expected dividend yield. Upon grant of awards, the Company also estimates an amount of forfeitures that will occur prior to vesting. See note 4 for more information regarding share-based awards.

F-8

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J.CREW GROUP, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

For the Years Ended January 30, 2016, January 31, 2015 and February 1, 2014

(Dollars in thousands, unless otherwise indicated)

 

(j) Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost and are depreciated over the estimated useful lives using the straight-line method. Buildings and improvements are depreciated over estimated useful lives of twenty years. Furniture, fixtures and equipment are depreciated over estimated useful lives, ranging from three to ten years. Leasehold improvements are depreciated over the shorter of their useful lives or related lease terms (without consideration of optional renewal periods).

The Company capitalizes certain costs (included in fixtures and equipment) related to the acquisition and development of software and amortizes these costs using the straight line method over the estimated useful life of the software, which is three to five years. Certain development costs not meeting the criteria for capitalization are expensed as incurred.

(k) Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

The Company reviews long-lived assets and certain identifiable intangibles for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. The Company assesses the recoverability of such assets based upon estimated cash flow forecasts. Charges for impairment of long-lived assets were $4,522 in fiscal 2015, $2,785 in fiscal 2014, and $1,874 in fiscal 2013. See notes 3 and 9 for more information regarding impairment of long-lived assets.

(l) Income Taxes

The Company accounts for income taxes using an asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities are recognized based on the difference between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred taxes are measured using current enacted tax rates in effect in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to reverse. The provision for income taxes includes taxes currently payable and deferred taxes resulting from the tax effects of temporary differences between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities.

The Company maintains valuation allowances where it is more likely than not that all or a portion of a deferred tax asset will not be realized. Changes in the valuation allowances are included in the Company’s tax provision in the period of change. In determining whether a valuation allowance is warranted, the Company evaluates factors such as prior earnings history, expected future earnings, carry-back and carry-forward periods and tax strategies that could potentially enhance the likelihood of the realization of a deferred tax asset.

With respect to uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken on a tax return, the Company recognizes in its financial statements the impact of tax positions that meet a “more likely than not” threshold, based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized from uncertain positions are measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon effective settlement.

The Company recognizes interest expense and income related to income taxes as a component of interest expense, and penalties as a component of selling, general and administrative expenses.

(m) Segment Information

The Company has two operating segments, J.Crew and Madewell, which are aggregated into one reportable segment. The Company’s identifiable assets are located primarily in the United States. Export sales are not material.

(n) Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid marketable securities, with maturities of 90 days or less when purchased, to be cash equivalents. Cash equivalents, which were $50,103 and $83,401 at January 30, 2016 and January 31, 2015, respectively, are stated at cost, which approximates market value.

(o) Operating Expenses

Cost of goods sold (including buying and occupancy costs) includes the direct cost of purchased merchandise, freight, design, buying and production costs, occupancy costs related to store operations, and all shipping and handling and delivery costs.

F-9

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J.CREW GROUP, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

For the Years Ended January 30, 2016, January 31, 2015 and February 1, 2014

(Dollars in thousands, unless otherwise indicated)

 

Selling, general and administrative expenses include all operating expenses not included in cost of goods sold, primarily catalog production and mailing costs, administrative payroll, store expenses other than occupancy costs, depreciation and amortization, certain warehousing expenses (aggregating to $44,164 in fiscal 2015, $43,442 in fiscal 2014 and $36,149 in fiscal 2013) and credit card fees.

(p) Deferred Financing Costs

Deferred financing costs are amortized over the term of the related debt agreements. The amortization is included in interest expense, net.

(q) Store Pre-opening Costs

Costs associated with the opening of new stores are expensed as incurred.

(r) Goodwill and Intangible Assets

The Acquisition of the Company was accounted for as a purchase business combination, whereby the purchase price paid was allocated to recognize the acquired assets and liabilities at fair value. In connection with the purchase price allocation, intangible assets were established for the J.Crew and Madewell trade names, loyalty program, customer lists and favorable lease commitments. The purchase price in excess of the fair value of assets and liabilities was recorded as goodwill, which consists primarily of intangible assets related to the knowhow, design and merchandising of the Company’s brands that do not qualify for separate recognition.

Indefinite-lived intangible assets, such as the J.Crew trade name and goodwill, are not subject to amortization. The Company assesses the recoverability of indefinite-lived intangibles whenever there are indicators of impairment, or at least annually in the fourth quarter. If the recorded carrying value of an intangible asset exceeds its estimated fair value, the Company records a charge to write the intangible asset down to its fair value. Definite-lived intangibles, such as the Madewell trade name, loyalty program, customer lists and favorable lease commitments, are amortized on a straight line basis over their useful life or remaining lease term. See note 3 for more information regarding goodwill and intangible assets of the Company.

The Company assesses the recoverability of goodwill at the reporting unit level, which consists of its operating segments, J.Crew and Madewell. In this assessment, the Company first compares the estimated enterprise fair value of each of the reporting units to its recorded carrying value. The Company estimates the enterprise fair value based on a combination of an income approach, specifically the discounted cash flow, a market approach, and a transaction approach. If the recorded carrying value of a reporting unit exceeds its estimated enterprise fair value in the first step, a second step is performed in which the Company allocates the enterprise fair value to the fair value of the reporting unit’s net assets. The second step of the impairment testing process requires, among other things, estimates of fair values of substantially all of the Company’s tangible and intangible assets. Any enterprise fair value in excess of amounts allocated to such net assets represents the implied fair value of goodwill for that reporting unit. If the recorded goodwill balance for a reporting unit exceeds the implied fair value of goodwill, an impairment charge is recorded to write goodwill down to its fair value.

The Company recorded impairment losses of $1,382 million and $710 million in fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2014, respectively. See note 3 for more information regarding impairment of goodwill and intangible assets.

(s) Dividends

Dividends are recorded at the declaration date as a reduction of retained earnings included in stockholders’ equity. If the amount of the dividend exceeds retained earnings, the dividend is recorded as a reduction of additional paid-in capital.

F-10

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J.CREW GROUP, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

For the Years Ended January 30, 2016, January 31, 2015 and February 1, 2014

(Dollars in thousands, unless otherwise indicated)

 

(t) Foreign Currency Translation

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 revenue and expense 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 stockholders’ equity. As of January 30, 2016 and January 31, 2015, foreign currency translation adjustments resulted in accumulated gains of $200 and $2,113, respectively. Foreign currency transaction losses included in operating results were $2.0 million in fiscal 2015, $5.5 million in fiscal 2014 and $0.4 in fiscal 2013.

(u) Derivative Financial Instruments

The Company enters into interest rate swap and cap agreements to manage a portion of its interest rate risk related to floating rate indebtedness. As cash flow hedges, unrealized gains are recognized as assets while unrealized losses are recognized as liabilities. The interest rate swap agreements are highly correlated to the changes in interest rates to which the Company is exposed. Unrealized gains and losses on these instruments are designated as effective or ineffective. The effective portion of such gains or losses is recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income or loss, while the ineffective portion of such gains or losses is recorded as a component of interest expense. Future realized gains and losses in connection with each required interest payment will be reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income or loss to interest expense.

(v) Reclassification

Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year’s presentation. Specifically, the Company adopted an accounting standard which requires that deferred income taxes are presented as non-current assets and liabilities. The adoption of this accounting standard resulted in the reclassification of $19,280 from current assets to long-term liabilities on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet at January 31, 2015.  

 

 

2. Management Services Agreement

Pursuant to a management services agreement entered into in connection with the Acquisition, and in exchange for on-going consulting and management advisory services, the Sponsors receive an aggregate annual monitoring fee prepaid quarterly equal to the greater of (i) 40 basis points of consolidated annual revenues or (ii) $8 million. The Sponsors also receive reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with services provided pursuant to the agreement. The Company recorded an expense of $10.3 million in fiscal 2015, $10.4 million in fiscal 2014, and $9.9 million in fiscal 2013 for monitoring fees and out-of-pocket expenses, included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss).

 

3. Goodwill and Intangible Assets

A summary of the components of intangible assets is as follows:

 

F-11

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J.CREW GROUP, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

For the Years Ended January 30, 2016, January 31, 2015 and February 1, 2014

(Dollars in thousands, unless otherwise indicated)

 

Estimated amortization expense of intangible assets for the next five fiscal years is as follows: $11 million in fiscal 2016, $9 million in fiscal 2017, $8 million in fiscal 2018, $5 million in fiscal 2019, and $5 million in fiscal 2020.

A summary of goodwill is as follows:

 

 

During fiscal 2015, the Company experienced a reduction in the profitability of its J.Crew reporting unit. As a result of current and expected future operating results, the Company concluded that the carrying value of the J.Crew reporting unit exceeded its fair value. Therefore, the Company recorded non-cash impairment charges of (i) $1,017 million related to goodwill and (ii) $360 million related to the intangible asset for the J.Crew trade name.

 

After recording the impairment charges, the carrying value of goodwill is $108 million, which entirely relates to the Madewell reporting unit. There is no remaining goodwill attributable to the J.Crew reporting unit. The carrying value of the intangible asset for the J.Crew trade name is $380.0 million at January 30, 2016. If operating results continue to decline below the Company’s expectations, additional impairment charges may be recorded in the future.

 

A summary of the aggregate impairment losses is as follows:

 

 

 

4. Share-Based Compensation

Chinos Holdings, Inc. 2011 Equity Incentive Plan

On March 4, 2011, the Parent adopted the Chinos Holdings, Inc. 2011 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2011 Plan”), which authorizes equity awards to be granted for up to 91,740,627 shares of the common stock of the Parent. The types of equity awards issued from the 2011 Plan include: (i) stock options that become exercisable over the requisite service period, (ii) stock options that only become exercisable when certain owners of the Parent receive a specified level of cash proceeds, as defined in the equity incentive plan, from the sale of their initial investment, (iii) restricted stock that vests over the requisite service period, and (iv) restricted stock that vests when certain performance conditions are met.  

A summary of the shares available for grant as equity awards under the 2011 Plan is as follows:

 

 

 

F-12

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J.CREW GROUP, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

For the Years Ended January 30, 2016, January 31, 2015 and February 1, 2014

(Dollars in thousands, unless otherwise indicated)

 

Stock Options

 

In fiscal 2015, the Company granted 4,295,000 stock option awards. The fair value of stock options was estimated at the date of grant using an option pricing model with the following weighted average assumptions:

 

 

 

The weighted-average grant-date fair value of options granted was $0.01, $0.37, and $0.49 in fiscal 2015, fiscal 2014 and fiscal 2013, respectively.

 

As of January 30, 2016, there was $2.4 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested options that is expected to be recognized over the remaining weighted-average vesting period of 1.8 years. Expense associated with the options exercisable when certain owners of the Parent receive a specified level of cash proceeds will not be recognized until that event is probable.

A summary of stock option activity under the 2011 Plan is as follows:

 

A summary of stock option vesting activity under the 2011 Plan is as follows:

 

 

F-13

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J.CREW GROUP, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

For the Years Ended January 30, 2016, January 31, 2015 and February 1, 2014

(Dollars in thousands, unless otherwise indicated)

 

A summary of stock option activity for awards rolled over by management during the Acquisition is as follows:

 

The aggregate intrinsic value of options exercised during fiscal 2015, fiscal 2014 and fiscal 2013 was $0, $261 and $11,505. The total fair value of stock options vested during fiscal 2015, fiscal 2014 and fiscal 2013 was $1,031, $5,848 and $9,915.

Restricted Stock

In fiscal 2015, the Company issued 4,000,000 shares of restricted stock, of which 2,500,000 shares vest over the requisite service period of five years and 1,500,000 shares vest when certain performance conditions are met. The fair value of the restricted stock grant was zero.

As of January 30, 2016, there was $29 of unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested restricted stock that is expected to be recognized over the remaining weighted-average vesting period of 0.7 years. The total intrinsic value of restricted shares vested during fiscal 2015 was $1.

A summary of restricted stock activity under the 2011 Plan is as follows:

 

 

 

5. Property and Equipment

A summary of property and equipment, net is as follows:

 

 

F-14

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J.CREW GROUP, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

For the Years Ended January 30, 2016, January 31, 2015 and February 1, 2014

(Dollars in thousands, unless otherwise indicated)

 

6. Other Current Liabilities

A summary of other current liabilities is as follows:

 

 

7. Long-term Debt and Credit Agreements

A summary of long-term debt is as follows:

 

ABL Facility

The Company has an ABL Facility, which is governed by an asset-based credit agreement with Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent and the other agents and lenders party thereto, that provides for a $350 million senior secured asset-based revolving line of credit (which may be increased by up to $25 million in certain circumstances), subject to a borrowing base limitation. The ABL Facility includes borrowing capacity in the form of letters of credit up to $300 million, and up to $25 million in U.S. dollars for loans on same-day notice, referred to as swingline loans, and is available in U.S. dollars, Canadian dollars and Euros. On December 17, 2015, the ABL Facility was amended to increase the revolving credit commitments from $300 million to $350 million. Any amounts outstanding under the ABL Facility are due and payable in full on December 10, 2019.

Loans drawn under the ABL Facility bear interest at a rate per annum equal to, at Group’s option, any of the following, plus, in each case, an applicable margin: (a) in the case of loans in U.S. dollars, a base rate determined by reference to the highest of (1) the prime rate of Bank of America, N.A., (2) the federal funds effective rate plus 0.50% and (3) a LIBOR determined by reference to the costs of funds for U.S. dollar deposits for an interest period of one month adjusted for certain additional costs, plus 1.00%; (b) in the case of loans in U.S. dollars or in Euros, a LIBOR determined by reference to the costs of funds for deposits in the relevant currency for the interest period relevant to such loan adjusted for certain additional costs; (c) in the case of loans in Canadian dollars, the average offered rate for Canadian dollar bankers’ acceptances having an identical term of the applicable loan; and (d) in the case of loans in Canadian dollars, a fluctuating rate determined by reference to the higher of (1) the average offered rate for 30 day Canadian dollar bankers’ acceptances plus 0.50% and (2) the prime rate of Bank of America, N.A. for loans in Canadian dollars. The applicable margin for loans under the ABL Facility varies based on Group’s average historical excess availability and ranges from 0.25% to 0.75% with respect to base rate loans and loans in Canadian dollars bearing interest at the rate described in the immediately preceding clause (d), and from 1.25% to 1.75% with respect to LIBOR loans and loans in Canadian dollars bearing interest at the rate described in the immediately preceding clause (c). In addition, Group is required to pay a commitment fee of 0.25% per annum, in respect of the unutilized commitments under the ABL Facility, as well as customary letter of credit and agency fees.

All obligations under the ABL Facility are unconditionally guaranteed by Group’s immediate parent and certain of Group’s existing and future wholly owned domestic subsidiaries (referred to herein as the subsidiary guarantors) and are secured, subject to

F-15

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J.CREW GROUP, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

For the Years Ended January 30, 2016, January 31, 2015 and February 1, 2014

(Dollars in thousands, unless otherwise indicated)

 

certain exceptions, by substantially all of Group’s assets and the assets of Group’s immediate parent and the subsidiary guarantors, including, in each case subject to customary exceptions and exclusions:

The ABL Facility includes restrictions on Group’s ability and the ability of certain of its subsidiaries to, among other things, incur or guarantee additional indebtedness, pay dividends (including to the Parent) on, or redeem or repurchase, capital stock, make certain acquisitions or investments, materially change its business, incur or permit to exist certain liens, enter into transactions with affiliates or sell its assets to, or merge or consolidate with or into, another company. In addition, from the time when excess availability under the ABL Facility is less than the greater of (a) 10.0% of the lesser of (1) the commitment amount and (2) the borrowing base and (b) $20 million, until the time when Group has excess availability under the ABL Facility equal to or greater than the greater of (a) 10.0% of the lesser of (1) the commitment amount and (2) the borrowing base and (b) $20 million for 30 consecutive days, the credit agreement governing the ABL Facility requires Group to maintain a Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio (as defined in the ABL Facility) tested as of the last day of each fiscal quarter, of not less than 1.0 to 1.0.

Although Group’s immediate parent is not generally subject to the negative covenants under the ABL Facility, such parent is subject to a holding company covenant that limits its ability to engage in certain activities.

The credit agreement governing the ABL Facility additionally contains certain customary representations and warranties, affirmative covenants and provisions relating to events of default, including without limitation, a cross-default according to the terms of any indebtedness with an aggregate principal amount of $35 million or more. If an event of default occurs under the ABL Facility, the lenders may declare all amounts outstanding under the ABL Facility immediately due and payable. In such event, the lenders may exercise any rights and remedies they may have by law or agreement, including the ability to cause all or any part of the collateral securing the ABL Facility to be sold.

On January 30, 2016, standby letters of credit were $18.7 million, excess availability, as defined, was $331.3 million, and there were no borrowings outstanding. Average short-term borrowings under the ABL Facility were $17.5 million and $1.7 million in fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2014, respectively.

Demand Letter of Credit Facilities

The Company has unsecured, demand letter of credit facilities with HSBC and Bank of America which provide for the issuance of up to $50 million and $20 million, respectively, of documentary letters of credit on a no fee basis. On January 30, 2016, outstanding documentary letters of credit were $12.4 million and aggregate availability under these facilities was $57.6 million.

Term Loan Facility

On March 5, 2014, the Company refinanced its Term Loan Facility, the proceeds of which were used to (i) refinance amounts outstanding under the former term loan facility of $1,167 million and (ii) together with cash on hand, redeem in full $400 million of 8.125% senior notes due 2019 (the “Senior Notes”), and to pay fees, call premiums and accrued interest to the date of redemption, pursuant to the indenture governing the Senior Notes. The maturity date of the Term Loan Facility is March 5, 2021.

F-16

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J.CREW GROUP, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

For the Years Ended January 30, 2016, January 31, 2015 and February 1, 2014

(Dollars in thousands, unless otherwise indicated)

 

Borrowings under the Term Loan Facility bear interest at a rate per annum equal to an applicable margin plus, at Group’s option, either (a) LIBOR determined by reference to the costs of funds for U.S. dollar deposits for an interest period of one month adjusted for certain additional costs (subject to a floor) or (b) a base rate determined by reference to the highest of (1) the prime rate of Bank of America, N.A., (2) the federal funds effective rate plus 0.50% and (3) a LIBOR determined by reference to the costs of funds for U.S. dollar deposits for an interest period of one month adjusted for certain additional costs, plus 1.00%.

The Company is required to make principal repayments equal to 0.25% of the original principal amount of the Term Loan Facility, or $3.9 million, on the last day of January, April, July, and October. The Company is also required to repay the term loan based on an annual calculation of excess cash flow, as defined in the agreement.

All obligations under the Term Loan Facility are unconditionally guaranteed by Group’s immediate parent and the subsidiary guarantors and are secured, subject to certain exceptions, by substantially all of Group’s assets and the assets of Group’s immediate parent and the subsidiary guarantors, including, in each case subject to customary exceptions and exclusions:

The Term Loan Facility includes restrictions on Group’s ability and the ability of Group’s immediate parent and certain of Group’s subsidiaries to, among other things, incur or guarantee additional indebtedness, pay dividends (including to the Parent) on, or redeem or repurchase, capital stock, make certain acquisitions or investments, materially change the business of the Company, incur or permit to exist certain liens, enter into transactions with affiliates or sell the Company’s assets to, or merge or consolidate with or into, another company.

The credit agreement governing the Term Loan Facility does not require the Company to comply with any financial maintenance covenants, but contains certain customary representations and warranties, affirmative covenants and provisions relating to events of default, including without limitation, a cross-default according to the terms of any indebtedness with an aggregate principal amount of $35 million or more. If an event of default occurs under the Term Loan Facility, the lenders may declare all amounts outstanding under the Term Loan Facility immediately due and payable. In such event, the lenders may exercise any rights and remedies they may have by law or agreement, including the ability to cause all or any part of the collateral securing the Term Loan Facility to be sold.

The interest rate on the $1,540 million outstanding under the Term Loan Facility was 4.00% on January 30, 2016. The applicable margin in effect for base rate borrowings was 2.00% and the LIBOR Floor and applicable margin with respect to LIBOR borrowings were 1.00% and 3.00%, respectively, at January 30, 2016.

 

The Company has been in compliance with its covenants under the terms of the agreement.

 

F-17

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J.CREW GROUP, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

For the Years Ended January 30, 2016, January 31, 2015 and February 1, 2014

(Dollars in thousands, unless otherwise indicated)

 

Interest Expense

A summary of the components of interest expense is as follows:

 

Loss on Refinancings

A summary of the components of the loss on refinancings, in fiscal 2014, is as follows:

 

 

 

8. Derivative Financial Instruments

August 2014 Interest Rate Caps and Swaps

In August 2014, the Company entered into interest rate cap and swap agreements, which together with the existing interest rate swaps, limit exposure to interest rate increases on a portion of the Company’s floating rate indebtedness. The interest rate cap agreements cover notional amounts of $400 million and cap LIBOR at 2.00% from March 2015 to March 2016. The interest rate swap agreements cover a notional amount of $800 million from March 2016 to March 2019 and carry a fixed rate of 2.56% plus the applicable margin.

The Company designated the interest rate cap and swap agreements as cash flow hedges. As cash flow hedges, unrealized gains are recognized as assets while unrealized losses are recognized as liabilities. The effective portion of such gains or losses is recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income or loss, while the ineffective portion of such gains or losses is recorded as a component of interest expense. Future realized gains and losses in connection with each required interest payment will be reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income or loss to interest expense.

April 2011 Interest Rate Swaps

In April 2011, the Company entered into floating-to-fixed interest rate swap agreements effective in March 2013 for an aggregate notional amount of $600 million, which reduces by $100 million annually for the term of its agreements. As of January 30, 2016, the Company has interest rate swaps covering a notional amount of $400 million. These instruments limit exposure to interest rate increases on a portion of the Company’s floating rate indebtedness through the expiration of the agreements in March 2016. Under the terms of these agreements, the Company’s effective fixed interest rate on the notional amount of indebtedness is 3.56% plus the applicable margin.

Fair Value

As of January 30, 2016 and January 31, 2015, the Company designated the August 2014 interest rate cap and swap agreements as cash flow hedges. As cash flow hedges, unrealized gains are recognized as assets while unrealized losses are recognized as

F-18

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J.CREW GROUP, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

For the Years Ended January 30, 2016, January 31, 2015 and February 1, 2014

(Dollars in thousands, unless otherwise indicated)

 

liabilities. The interest rate swap agreements are highly correlated to the changes in interest rates to which the Company is exposed. Unrealized gains and losses on this instrument are designated as effective or ineffective. The effective portion of such gains or losses is recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income or loss, while the ineffective portion of such gains or losses will be recorded as a component of interest expense. Future realized gains and losses in connection with each required interest payment will be reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income or loss to interest expense.

On March 5, 2014, the Company refinanced its Term Loan Facility, which resulted in the discontinuance of the designation of the 2011 Interest Rate Swaps as a cash flow hedge. Prior unrealized losses of $22 million, recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income, were reclassified to earnings in the first quarter of fiscal 2014 as a component of loss on refinancing. Subsequent unrealized gains and losses were recorded as interest expense.

The fair values of the interest rate cap and swap agreements are estimated using industry standard valuation models using market-based observable inputs, including interest rate curves (level 2). A summary of the recorded assets (liabilities) included in the consolidated balance sheet is as follows:

 

 

9. Fair Value Measurements

The Company uses a three-level fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value. This hierarchy requires entities to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. The three levels of inputs used to measure fair value are as follows:

Financial assets and liabilities

The fair value of the Company’s debt is estimated to be $1,051 million and $1,411 million at January 30, 2016 and January 31, 2015 based on quoted market prices of the debt (level 1 inputs).

The Company’s interest rate cap and swap agreements are measured in the financial statements at fair value on a recurring basis. See note 8 for more information regarding the fair value of this financial liability.

The carrying amounts reported in the consolidated balance sheets for cash and cash equivalents, accounts payable and other current liabilities approximate fair value because of their short-term nature.

Non-financial assets and liabilities

Certain non-financial assets, including goodwill, the intangible asset for the J.Crew trade name, and certain long-lived assets, have been written down and measured in the financial statements at fair value. The Company does not have any other non-financial assets or liabilities as of January 30, 2016 or January 31, 2015 that are measured on a recurring basis in the financial statements at fair value.

The Company assesses the recoverability of goodwill and intangibles whenever there are indicators of impairment, or at least annually in the fourth quarter. If the recorded carrying value of an intangible asset exceeds its fair value, the Company records a charge to write down the intangible asset to its fair value. Impairment charges of goodwill are based on fair value measurements

F-19

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J.CREW GROUP, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

For the Years Ended January 30, 2016, January 31, 2015 and February 1, 2014

(Dollars in thousands, unless otherwise indicated)

 

derived using a combination of an income approach, specifically the discounted cash flow, a market approach, and a transaction approach. Impairment charges of intangible assets are based on fair value measurements derived using an income approach, specifically relief from royalty method; a revenue and royalty rate approach. The valuation methodologies incorporate unobservable inputs reflecting significant estimates and assumptions made by management (level 3 inputs). For more information related to goodwill and intangible asset impairment charges, see note 3.

The Company performs impairment tests of certain long-lived assets whenever there are indicators of impairment. These tests typically contemplate assets at a store level (e.g. leasehold improvements). The Company recognizes an impairment loss when the carrying value of a long-lived asset is not recoverable in light of the undiscounted future cash flows and measures an impairment loss as the difference between the carrying amount and fair value of the asset based on discounted future cash flows. The Company has determined that the future cash flow approach (level 3 inputs) provides the most relevant and reliable means by which to determine fair value in this circumstance.

A summary of the impairment losses of certain long-lived assets on the consolidated financial statements is as follows:

 

 

 

10. Commitments and Contingencies

Operating Leases

As of January 30, 2016, the Company was obligated under various long-term operating leases, which require minimum annual rent for retail and factory stores, warehouses, office space and equipment.

These operating leases expire on varying dates through 2028. A summary of aggregate minimum rent at January 30, 2016 is as follows:

 

Certain of these leases include renewal options and escalation clauses and provide for contingent rent based upon sales and require the lessee to pay taxes, insurance and other occupancy costs.

Rent expense was $185,866 in fiscal 2015, $174,411 in fiscal 2014, and $157,941 in fiscal 2013 (including contingent rent, based on store sales, of $4,510, $5,193, and $5,714, respectively).

Employment Agreements

The Company is party to employment agreements with certain executives, which provide for compensation and certain other benefits. The agreements also provide for severance payments under certain circumstances.

F-20

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J.CREW GROUP, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

For the Years Ended January 30, 2016, January 31, 2015 and February 1, 2014

(Dollars in thousands, unless otherwise indicated)

 

Litigation

The Company is subject to various legal proceedings and claims that arise in the ordinary conduct of its business. Management does not expect that the results of any of these other legal proceedings, either individually or in the aggregate, would have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

 

11. Employee Benefit Plan

The Company has a 401(K) Savings Plan pursuant to Section 401 of the Internal Revenue Code whereby all eligible associates may contribute up to 25% of their annual base salaries subject to certain limitations. The Company’s contribution is based on a percentage formula set forth in the plan agreement. Company contributions to the 401(K) Savings Plan were $5,720 in fiscal 2015, $5,714 in fiscal 2014, and $4,598 in fiscal 2013.

 

12. Other Revenues

A summary of the components of other revenues is as follows:

 

 

F-21

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J.CREW GROUP, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

For the Years Ended January 30, 2016, January 31, 2015 and February 1, 2014

(Dollars in thousands, unless otherwise indicated)

 

13. Income Taxes

Group is included in the consolidated federal income tax return of its Parent, which includes all of its wholly owned subsidiaries. Pursuant to its tax sharing policy, Group calculates its tax liabilities on a standalone basis and provides accordingly in its consolidated financial statements. Each subsidiary files separate, or combined where required, state tax returns in required jurisdictions. Group and its subsidiaries have entered into a tax sharing agreement providing that each of the subsidiaries will reimburse Group for its share of income taxes based on the proportion of such subsidiaries’ tax liability on a separate return basis to the total tax liability of Group.

A summary of the components of the provision (benefit) for income taxes is as follows:

 

A reconciliation between the effective tax and the U.S. federal statutory income tax rate is as follows:

 

F-22

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J.CREW GROUP, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

For the Years Ended January 30, 2016, January 31, 2015 and February 1, 2014

(Dollars in thousands, unless otherwise indicated)

 

A summary of the tax effect of temporary differences which give rise to deferred tax assets and liabilities is as follows:

 

The Company believes it is more likely than not that forecasted income, together with the tax effects of the deferred tax liabilities, will be sufficient to fully recover the net deferred tax assets of $105.1 million as of January 30, 2016. In the event that all or part of the net deferred tax assets are determined not to be realizable in the future, a valuation allowance would be charged to earnings in the period such determination is made. Similarly, if the Company subsequently realizes deferred tax assets that were previously determined unrealizable, any valuation allowance would be reversed into income in the period such determination is made. In addition, the calculation of current and deferred taxes involves significant judgment in estimating the impact of uncertainties in the application of complex tax laws. Resolution of these uncertainties in a manner inconsistent with the Company’s expectation could have a material impact on our results of operations and financial position.

It is the Company’s intention to permanently reinvest undistributed earnings and profits from the Company’s foreign operations that have been generated through January 30, 2016. Future plans do not demonstrate a need to repatriate the foreign amounts to fund U.S. operations. Cumulative undistributed earnings of international subsidiaries were $46.4 million at January 30, 2016. No deferred federal income taxes were provided for the undistributed earnings as they are permanently reinvested in the Company’s international operations. Cash held by the Company’s foreign subsidiaries is $22.7 million, valued in U.S. dollars, at January 30, 2016.

As of January 30, 2016, the Company has $21.1 million in liabilities associated with uncertain tax positions (including interest and penalties of $2.0 million) reflected in other liabilities. The amount, if recognized, that would affect the effective tax rate is $17.6 million. While the Company expects the amount of unrecognized tax benefits to change in the next 12 months, the change is not expected to have a significant effect on the estimated effective annual tax rate, the results of operations or financial position. However, the outcome of tax matters is uncertain and unforeseen results can occur.

F-23

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J.CREW GROUP, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

For the Years Ended January 30, 2016, January 31, 2015 and February 1, 2014

(Dollars in thousands, unless otherwise indicated)

 

A roll-forward of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows:

 

The federal income tax returns for the periods ended January 2012 and January 2013 are currently under examination. Various state and local jurisdiction tax authorities are in the process of examining income tax returns for certain tax years ranging from 2009 to 2013. The results of these audits and appeals are not expected to have a significant effect on the results of operations or financial position.

As of January 30, 2016, the Company has state and local net operating loss carryovers, net of unrecognized tax benefits, of approximately $25.4 million. These carryovers are available to offset future taxable income for state and local tax purposes and expire primarily in May 2028.

14. Workforce Reduction

On June 10, 2015, the Company eliminated approximately 175 open and filled full time positions, as part of a cost reduction program. As a result, the Company incurred a pre-tax charge of $4.5 million for severance and related costs, included in selling, general and administrative expenses. At January 30, 2016, accrued and unpaid severance and related costs were $0.8 million.

 

15. Related Party Transactions

Madewell Trademark

On October 20, 2005, the Company, Millard Drexler, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer and Millard S. Drexler, Inc. entered into a Trademark License Agreement whereby Mr. Drexler granted the Company a thirty-year exclusive, worldwide license to use the Madewell trademark and associated intellectual property rights owned by him (the “Properties”). In consideration for the license, the Company reimbursed Mr. Drexler’s actual costs expended in acquiring and developing the Properties (which amounted to $242,300) and agreed to pay royalties of $1 per year during the term of the license. In January 2007, the Company provided notice to Mr. Drexler that the Company had met certain conditions outlined in the agreement, and Mr. Drexler assigned to the Company all of his residual rights in the Properties. The Company also agreed that it would not assign or spin off ownership of the Properties during the term of Mr. Drexler’s employment without his consent other than as part of a sale of the entire Company (except that the Company may pledge or hypothecate its interest in the Properties as part of a bank or other financings).

Chinos Intermediate Holdings A, Inc. Senior PIK Toggle Note

On November 4, 2013 in a private transaction, Chinos Intermediate Holdings A, Inc. (the “Issuer”), an indirect parent holding company of Group, issued $500 million aggregate principal of 7.75/8.50% Senior PIK Toggle Notes due May 1, 2019 (the “PIK Notes”).  The PIK Notes pay interest semi-annually on May 1 and November 1 of each year.  Interest for the first and final interest periods is required to be paid in cash at the cash interest rate of 7.75%.  For each other interest period, the Issuer is required to pay interest in cash, unless certain conditions are satisfied, in which case the Issuer may elect to pay PIK interest either by increasing the principal amount or issuing new notes.  The PIK interest rate is equal to the cash interest rate plus 75 basis points, or 8.50%.      

The net proceeds of $490 million from this offering were used by the Issuer to fund a cash dividend of $484 million to equity holders, and dividend equivalent compensation payments of $6.1 million to certain equity-award holders.

F-24

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J.CREW GROUP, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

For the Years Ended January 30, 2016, January 31, 2015 and February 1, 2014

(Dollars in thousands, unless otherwise indicated)

 

The PIK Notes are: (i) senior unsecured obligations of the Issuer, (ii) structurally subordinated to all of the liabilities of the Issuer’s subsidiaries, and (iii) not guaranteed by any of the Issuer’s subsidiaries, including Group, and therefore are not recorded in the financial statements of the Company.  The PIK Notes provide for redemption at certain prices, including with respect to a change in control or equity offering.  In fiscal 2015, the Company paid dividends of $38 million in the aggregate to the Issuer to fund the semi-annual interest payments due May 1, 2015 and November 1, 2015.

 

On October 30, 2015, the Issuer delivered notice to U.S. Bank N.A., as trustee, under the indenture governing the PIK Notes, that with respect to the interest that will be due on such notes on the May 2, 2016 interest payment date, the Issuer will make such interest payment by paying in kind at the PIK interest rate of 8.50% instead of paying in cash.  The PIK election will increase the outstanding principal balance of the PIK Notes by $21.3 million to $521.3 million. Therefore, the Company will not pay a dividend to the Issuer in the first quarter of fiscal 2016. Pursuant to the terms of the indenture governing the PIK Notes, the Issuer intends to evaluate this option prior to the beginning of each interest period based on relevant factors at that time.            

 

 

16. Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited)

A summary of quarterly financial results for fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2014 is as follows:

 

 

 

17. Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In November 2015, a pronouncement was issued that requires entities to present all deferred tax assets and liabilities as noncurrent on the balance sheet. The Company adopted this pronouncement on January 30, 2016. The adoption of this guidance required changes in presentation only and therefore did not have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. The adoption resulted in the reclassification of $19,280 from current assets to long-term liabilities on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet at January 31, 2015.  

In May 2014, a pronouncement was issued that clarified the principles of revenue recognition, which standardizes a comprehensive model for recognizing revenue arising from contracts with customers. The pronouncement is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the new pronouncement on its consolidated financial statements.

In April 2015, a pronouncement was issued that requires certain debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability to be presented in the balance sheet as a reduction of the carrying amount of that debt liability. The pronouncement is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015. The adoption of this pronouncement will not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

F-25

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J.CREW GROUP, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

For the Years Ended January 30, 2016, January 31, 2015 and February 1, 2014

(Dollars in thousands, unless otherwise indicated)

 

In July 2015, a pronouncement was issued that more closely aligns the measurement of inventory in U.S. GAAP with International Financial Reporting Standards by requiring companies using the first-in, first-out and average costs methods to measure inventory using the lower of cost and net realizable value. The pronouncement is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the new pronouncement on its consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, a pronouncement was issued that requires lessees to recognize assets and liabilities on the balance sheet for leases with accounting lease terms of more than 12 months. The pronouncement is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018. While he Company is currently evaluating the impact of the new pronouncement on its consolidated financial statements, the adoption is expected to have a significant impact on its consolidated statement of operations and consolidated balance sheet.

 

 

 

 

F-26

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SCHEDULE II VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS

 

 

 

 

 

F-27

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EXHIBIT INDEX

 

 

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Exhibit 10.20

Execution Version

 

Letter Agreement

December 3, 2015

Mr. Michael J. Nicholson

 

Dear Mike:

Pursuant to our discussions regarding your employment with J. Crew Group, Inc. (the “Company”), we thought it would be useful to lay out the terms and conditions of our agreement in this letter agreement (this “Agreement”) for all parties to sign.  This Agreement will be effective as of the date hereof, with your employment to commence on January 11, 2016 (the “Commencement Date”).

In consideration of the premises and mutual covenants herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, you and the Company hereby agree as follows:

1.  Employment.

(a)The Company hereby agrees to employ you during the “Employment Period” (as defined below) as its President and Chief Operating Officer and, until a successor is appointed, its Chief Financial Officer and you hereby agree to serve the Company in such capacities. You will report directly to the Chief Executive Officer.  You shall discharge the duties and responsibilities of your position and such other duties and responsibilities as are specified by the Chief Executive Officer reasonably consistent with such position.  Your employment shall be located at the Company’s headquarters in New York, New York.

(b)During the Employment Period (as defined below), you shall devote substantially all of your business time and energy, attention, skills and ability to the performance of your duties and responsibilities hereunder and shall faithfully and diligently endeavor to promote the business and best interests of the Company and its Affiliates (as defined below). Accordingly, you may not, directly or indirectly, without the prior written consent of the Company, operate, participate in the management, operations or control of, or act as an employee, officer, consultant, agent or representative of, any type of business or service (other than as an employee of the Company), provided that it shall not be a violation of the foregoing for you to (i) act or serve as a director, trustee or committee member of any civic or charitable organization, (ii) manage your personal, financial and legal affairs, or (iii) sit on up to two industry trade or for-profit corporate boards with the prior written consent of the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”), which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, so long as such activities (described in clauses (i), (ii), or (iii)) do not interfere with the performance of your duties and responsibilities to the Company and its Affiliates as provided hereunder.  For purposes of this Agreement, except as otherwise expressly provided herein, “Affiliate” means any entity or person directly or indirectly controlled by or in common control with either the Company or Chinos Holdings, Inc. (“Parent”).  For the avoidance of doubt, except with respect to Section 4(c) of this Agreement, “Affiliate” does not include any other portfolio company or investment

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fund associated with TPG or LGP (each, as defined in the Stockholders Agreement (as defined below)) other than Parent and its subsidiaries.

2.  Employment Period.

(a)The Company shall employ you on the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement commencing effective as of the Commencement Date and ending on the date that your employment is terminated pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof (the “Employment Period”).  

(b)Your employment with the Company hereunder may be terminated upon the earliest to occur of the following events: (i) your death or Disability (as defined below), (ii) voluntary termination of employment by you without Good Reason (as defined below) on at least two (2) months’ prior notice, unless waived by the Company, (iii) voluntary termination of employment by you for Good Reason in accordance with the procedure outlined in Section 2(f) below, (iv) termination of employment by the Company without Cause (as defined below) or (v) termination of employment by the Company for Cause.  The date on which your employment is terminated hereunder for any reason shall be referred to as the “Termination Date”.

(c)

i.Upon termination of the Employment Period for any reason, (A) the Company shall provide you (or your estate, as the case may be) any earned but unpaid Base Salary (as defined below) as of the Termination Date, any reimbursements owed to you under applicable Company policy and any vested amounts arising from your participation in, or vested benefits under, any employee benefit plans, programs or arrangements, which amounts shall be payable in accordance with the terms and conditions of such benefit plans, programs, or arrangements (such amounts or benefits to be provided within 30 days following your Termination Date or on such later date as may be required pursuant to the applicable employee benefit plans, programs or arrangements), and (B) with respect to any equity grants outstanding as of the Termination Date, except as provided herein, the treatment of such equity grants shall be determined in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable grant agreement pursuant to which such equity awards were granted to you.  

ii.If the Company terminates the Employment Period without Cause or you terminate the Employment Period for Good Reason, the Company shall provide you with the following severance benefits (the “Severance Benefits”) (it being understood that the payment of such Severance Benefits shall only commence, in accordance with the timing provisions set forth below, upon your “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any regulations thereunder (the “Code”)): (i) continuation of your Base Salary as in effect immediately prior to such termination (your “Ending Base Salary”, and such continuation of your Ending Base Salary being referred to herein as the “Continuation Severance Payment”) in accordance with the regular payroll practices of the Company and your medical benefits (including those of your spouse and dependents, if applicable), which medical benefits the Company may elect to provide by making a payment to you on a monthly basis equal to an amount that, after all applicable taxes are paid, is equal to the amount of the monthly COBRA premiums incurred by you (including your spouse and dependents, if applicable), if any (the “Continuation Medical Benefit”), for a period of

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twelve (12) months (the “Severance Period”) after the Termination Date; (ii) the Annual Bonus (as defined below) earned for the fiscal year immediately prior to the fiscal year that includes the Termination Date, to the extent not yet paid, payable when bonuses are generally paid to employees of the Company, but in no event later than the date that is two and a half (2-1/2) months following the end of the fiscal year with respect to which such Annual Bonus is paid, (iii) an amount equal to your target Annual Bonus, payable in equal monthly installments over the Severance Period, (iv) the Annual Bonus for the fiscal year in which your Termination Date occurs that you actually would have been entitled to receive had your employment not been terminated multiplied by a fraction the numerator of which was the number of days that you were employed during such fiscal year, and the denominator of which is 365 (“Pro-Rata Bonus”) payable when bonuses are generally paid to employees of the Company, but in no event later than the date that is two and a half (2-1/2) months following the end of the fiscal year with respect to which such Pro-Rata Bonus was earned, (v) an additional twelve (12) months’ service credit with respect to management equity, such as stock options or restricted stock units, granted to you whose vesting is based solely on continued employment (i.e., time vesting); and (vi) in the event that the applicable performance conditions are satisfied or a Change of Control occurs within six (6) months following your Termination Date, your management equity that vests based on satisfaction of performance conditions shall then vest to the extent such management equity would have vested had you remained employed by the Company through the satisfaction of the applicable performance conditions or the date of the Change of Control, as applicable; provided that the Severance Benefits are subject to and conditioned upon your execution of a valid general release and waiver within sixty (60) days after your termination of employment (and any payment that otherwise would be made within such sixty (60)-day period pursuant to this paragraph shall be paid at the expiration of such sixty (60)-day period) in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A and your compliance with the provisions set forth in Section 4(b) and in all material respects with the provisions of Section 4(c) through (f).  For purposes of this Agreement, “Change of Control” shall have the same definition provided under the Stockholders Agreement by and among Parent and certain stockholders of Parent dated March 7, 2011 (as may be amended from time to time, the “Stockholders Agreement”). 

iii.Your right to receive the Continuation Medical Benefit shall cease immediately upon your being eligible for coverage under another group health plan with a new employer.  You shall immediately notify the Company upon obtaining new employment and provide all information regarding medical coverage reasonably requested by the Company.  Except as set forth herein, or in any applicable equity grant documentation, the Company shall have no additional obligations to pay you any severance, termination pay or other similar compensation or benefits.

 

iv.Notwithstanding the foregoing paragraph, in the event the Company terminates the Employment Period without Cause or you terminate the Employment Period for Good Reason, and you are a “specified employee” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code (as determined in accordance with the methodology established by the Company as in effect on the Termination Date), any amounts payable to you on account of your termination of employment during the six (6)-month period immediately following the date of your “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code (not including any accrued but unpaid Base Salary as of your Termination Date) that constitute the payment of nonqualified deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code shall be deferred and

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accumulated for a period of six (6) months from the date of separation from service and paid in a lump sum on the first day of the seventh month following such separation from service (or, if earlier, the date of your death).  In addition, for purposes of clarification, each amount payable to you under this Section 2(c) shall constitute a “separately identified amount” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(2). 

v.Upon termination of your employment for death or Disability (as defined below), you (or your estate, as the case may be) will be entitled receive (1) the Annual Bonus earned for the fiscal year immediately prior to the fiscal year that includes the Termination Date, to the extent not yet paid, payable when bonuses are generally paid to employees of the Company, but in no event later than the date that is two and a half (2-1/2) months following the end of the fiscal year with respect to which such Annual Bonus is paid, (2) the Pro-Rata Annual Bonus, payable when bonuses are generally paid to employees of the Company, but in no event later than the date that is two and a half (2-1/2) months following the end of the fiscal year with respect to which such Pro-Rata Bonus was earned, and (3) all of the outstanding management equity granted to you by the Company that is subject solely to service-based vesting conditions shall be treated as fully satisfying such conditions and shall be pro-rated for the portion of the vesting period completed as of the date of your death or Disability.  

vi.Upon a termination of your employment without Cause or for Good Reason within two years following a Change of Control, all of the outstanding management equity granted to you by the Company that is subject solely to service-based vesting conditions shall be treated as fully satisfying such conditions.  

For the avoidance of doubt, for purposes of any vesting of management equity under this Section 2(c), management equity that is subject to performance-based vesting conditions will become vested only to the extent (except as specifically provided in Section 2(c)(ii) hereof) that the performance conditions have been satisfied prior to the termination of employment as set forth in the applicable grant agreement.

(d)For purposes of this Agreement, the term “Cause” shall mean (i) the indictment for a felony or any crime involving moral turpitude or being charged or sanctioned by a federal or state government or governmental authority or agency with violations of federal or state securities laws in any judicial or administrative process or proceeding, or having been found by any court or governmental authority or agency to have committed any such violation (except that in the event (x) you are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be “not guilty,” (y) such indictment or sanction is dismissed or (z) such indictment is reduced to a misdemeanor, in which case you will be deemed to have been involuntarily terminated without “Cause” as of the date you were terminated by the Company and entitled to the Severance Benefits pursuant to Section 2(c)(ii) hereof following such determination, and your requirement to provide a release within sixty (60) days of your employment termination date shall be deemed to commence as of the date of such dismissal or reduction), (ii) willful misconduct or gross negligence in connection with the performance of your duties as an employee of the Company, (iii) a willful and material breach of this Agreement, including without limitation, your failure to perform your duties and responsibilities hereunder, after you have been given written notice specifying such breach and at least thirty (30) days to cure such breach, to the extent reasonably susceptible to cure, (iv) a fraudulent act or omission by you adverse to the reputation of the Company or any Affiliate, (v)

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the willful disclosure by you of any Confidential Information (as defined below) to persons not authorized to know same, and (vi) your willful violation of or failure to comply with (A) any material Company policy, including, without limitation, the Code of Ethics and Business Practices, or (B) any legal or regulatory obligations or requirements, including, without limitation, failure to provide any certifications as may be required by law, provided that with respect to this Section 2(d)(vi), you shall be given thirty (30) days to cure such violation to the extent such violation is reasonably susceptible to cure.  If subsequent to the termination of your employment, it is discovered that your employment could have been terminated for Cause pursuant to sections (i) or (iv) of this Section 2(d), your employment shall, at the election of the Company, in its sole discretion, be deemed to have been terminated for Cause in which event the Company shall be entitled to immediately cease providing any Severance Benefits to you or on your behalf and recover any payments previously made to you or on your behalf in the form of Severance Benefits.   For purposes of this provision, no act or omission on your part shall be considered “willful” unless it is done, or omitted to be done, by you in bad faith or without reasonable belief that your action or omission was in the best interests of the Company.  Any act, or failure to act, based upon authority given pursuant to a resolution duly adopted by the Board or of the Board of Directors of the Parent or by the written direction of counsel to the Company or the Parent shall be conclusively presumed to be done, or omitted to be done, by you in good faith and in the best interests of the Company.   

(e)For purposes of this Agreement, the term “Disability” shall mean, as determined by a mutually agreed upon physician, your incapacity due to physical or mental illness or injury, which results in your being unable to perform your duties hereunder for a period of ninety (90) working days within a 180-day period.

(f)For purposes of this Agreement, the term “Good Reason” shall mean (i) any action by the Company that results in a material and continuing diminution in your position, authority, duties or responsibilities as President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company or any subsequent parent operating company of the Company (including without limitation the Company’s failure to have you report directly to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, but not including, for the avoidance of doubt, the appointment of a successor Chief Financial Officer of the Company); (ii)  a failure by the Company to have the Chief Financial Officer of the Company report directly to you (iii) a reduction by the Company in your Base Salary as in effect on the Commencement Date if such reduction is by more than ten percent (10%) in the aggregate (taking into account any other preceding reductions) or otherwise not in accordance with Section 3(a) hereof, a reduction in your Annual Bonus opportunity, or a material failure by the Company to pay you any such amounts when due; (iv) a relocation of your principal place of employment to more than twenty-five (25) miles from the Company’s corporate headquarters (determined at the Commencement Date), (v) a Change of Control, provided that if the acquirer requests that you remain employed following the Change of Control, you must remain employed for the period requested (but not to exceed 12 months from the closing date of the Change of Control) and if you voluntarily terminate prior to the end of that period without the consent of the acquirer, Good Reason shall not exist solely as a result of this clause (v), provided, however, that you may, for the avoidance of doubt, terminate employment for Good Reason upon the occurrence of any other circumstance that would otherwise qualify as Good Reason under this Section 2(f) (whether before or after the end of the requested period, and subject to the notice and cure periods set forth below), and (vi) a material breach of this Agreement, in each case

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(other than with respect to clause (v) above) without your written consent.  Termination of your employment for “Good Reason” shall not be effective (other than with respect to clause (v) above) until you deliver to the Board a written notice specifically identifying the conduct of the Company which you believe constitutes “Good Reason” in accordance with this Section 2(f) within ninety (90) days of your knowledge of the initial occurrence of each specific event constituting Good Reason and you provide the Board and/or Company at least thirty (30) days to remedy such conduct after receipt of such written notice, and to the extent not cured, you must terminate your employment within thirty (30) days after such failure to cure.   With respect to clause (v) above, you may terminate employment for Good Reason following the period that you are requested by the acquirer to remain in employment following the Change of Control by providing the Board and/or Company at least thirty (30) days’ advance notice prior to the end of such period (as such period may be extended or shortened by mutual agreement of the acquirer and you).   For the avoidance of doubt, nothing herein shall preclude you from voluntarily terminating employment during the period that the acquirer has requested that you remain employed following the occurrence of a Change of Control, provided that such termination shall not be for Good Reason unless the basis for your termination satisfies clauses (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) or (vi) above.  

3.  Compensation and Benefits.

(a)Base Salary. During the Employment Period, your annual base salary shall not be less than $800,000 (“Base Salary”); provided that your annual base salary may be reduced to less than the Base Salary if the annual base salaries in effect for all or the majority of other senior executive officers of the Company are similarly reduced (for this purpose of determining similarly reduced, the reduction shall be measured as a percentage of their base salary prior to such reduction). The Base Salary shall be paid pursuant to regular Company payroll practices for the senior executives of the Company and shall be reviewed annually by the Company.  For all purposes herein, Base Salary shall mean Base Salary as adjusted pursuant to this Section 3(a).

(b)Annual Bonus.  In addition to the Base Salary, for each fiscal year during the Employment Period, you will have the opportunity to earn an annual bonus (“Annual Bonus”) at the following percentages of your Base Salary if both the Company achieves certain performance objectives (which will be determined by the Company for each such fiscal year in accordance with the Company’s bonus plan) and you achieve your performance goals established by the Company: target bonus of 100%, up to a maximum bonus based upon the terms of the bonus plan as in effect from time to time.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) for fiscal year 2015, your Annual Bonus will not be less than $800,000, multiplied by the number of days beginning with the Commencement Date and ending on the last day of fiscal year 2015, and divided by 365, and (ii) for fiscal year 2016, your Annual Bonus will not be less than $600,000.  Any Annual Bonus will be paid only if you are actively employed with the Company and not in breach of this Agreement on the date of actual payment, except that such requirement of continued employment shall not apply to the payment of any Pro-Rata Bonus or any accrued but unpaid Annual Bonus payable pursuant to Section 2(c) hereof.

(c)Employee Benefits. During the Employment Period, you will be entitled to participate in the Company’s benefit package made generally available to other senior executive officers of the Company, subject to the applicable terms of each benefit plan. Currently, the

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Company’s benefit package includes paid time off days, holidays, life insurance, medical insurance, a matching 401(k) tax deferred savings plan, a flexible spending account, and the associate discount. The Company reserves the right to change these benefits at any time in its sole discretion. 

(d)Business Expense Reimbursement. The Company shall promptly reimburse you for all reasonable business expenses incurred by you in connection with the performance of your duties and responsibilities hereunder upon the presentation of statements of such expenses in accordance with the Company’s policies and procedures as may be in effect from time to time; provided that such reimbursement shall occur no later than the last day of the calendar year following the calendar year in which you incurred the reimbursable expense.

(e)Equity.  In accordance with the Chinos Holdings, Inc. 2011 Equity Incentive Plan (as amended from time to time, the “Plan”), you will be granted (i) 2.5 million restricted shares of Class A common stock of Parent (“Parent Stock”), subject to time-based vesting the service period of which shall commence as of your Commencement Date notwithstanding that the grant may be made at a later date; (ii) 1.5 million restricted shares of Parent Stock subject to performance-based vesting; and (iii) an option to purchase 2 million shares of Parent Stock, subject to time-based vesting and with an exercise price of $0.10 or, if higher, the fair market value of a share of Parent Stock on the date of grant (collectively, the “Equity Awards”).  Except as provided in Section 7(b), the Equity Awards are subject to the Plan, the terms of the award agreements evidencing such Equity Awards (the forms and terms of which have been previously provided to you), the terms of the Stockholders Agreement and other restrictions and limitations generally applicable to common stock of Parent or equity awards held by Company executives or otherwise imposed by law.

(f)Director and Officer Insurance.  During the Employment Period, and at all times thereafter during which you remain an executive officer of the Company, the Company or its Affiliates will provide you with directors’ and officers’ insurance liability coverage to cover claims arising from your activities on behalf of the Company and its Affiliates, in the same manner as such insurance is provided to other similarly-situated executive officers or directors of the Company and its Affiliates.

4.  Additional Agreements; Confidentiality.

(a)As additional consideration for the Company entering into this Agreement, you agree that for a period of twelve (12) months following the Termination Date, you shall not, directly or indirectly, (i) engage (either as owner, investor, partner, employer, employee, consultant or director) in or otherwise perform services for any Competitive Business (as defined below), provided that the foregoing restriction shall not prohibit you from owning a passive investment of (x) not more than five percent (5%) of the total outstanding securities of any publicly-traded company or (y) not more than two percent (2%) of any non-publicly traded entity through mutual funds, private equity funds, hedge funds or similar passive investment vehicles, or (ii) solicit or cause another person or entity to solicit any customers or suppliers of the Company to terminate or otherwise adversely modify their relationship with the Company. The term “Competitive Business” means each of the companies listed on Exhibit B (including their subsidiaries), as it may be amended from time to time by mutual agreement of the parties.  For

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purposes of this Section 4, the term “Company” means the Company and/or its Affiliates.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, you shall not be in violation of this Section 4(a) if your employer merges into, acquires or is acquired by a Competitive Business or a subsidiary or parent of such Competitive Business, provided that you did not know, or have reason to know, of any pending or actual transaction that resulted in such merger or acquisition on or before the date on which you commenced working for such employer.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the provisions of this Section 4(a) shall not apply in any of the following circumstances:  (i) the Company terminates the Employment Period without Cause or (ii) you terminate the Employment Period for Good Reason.  

(b)During the Employment Period and for a period of eighteen (18) months following the Termination Date, you shall not, directly or indirectly, solicit, hire, or seek to influence the employment decisions of, any employee of the Company on behalf of any person or entity other than the Company.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, this provision shall not be violated by your providing a personal reference or by you posting a general advertisement not directly specifically at employees of the Company.

(c)You agree that during the Employment Period and thereafter you will hold in strict confidence any proprietary or Confidential Information (as defined below) related to the Company, except to the extent that such Confidential Information (i) becomes a matter of public record or is published in a newspaper, magazine or other periodical available to the general public, other than as a result of your act or omission, (ii) is required to be disclosed by any law, regulation or order of any court, other tribunal, regulatory commission or administrative agency,  provided that, to the extent legally permitted, you give prompt notice of such requirement to the Company to enable the Company to seek an appropriate protective order prior to such disclosure, (iii) is required to be used or disclosed by you to perform properly your duties under this Agreement or (iv) or is reasonably necessary to be disclosed in connection with any litigation between you and the Company.  For purposes of this Agreement, the term “Confidential Information” shall mean all information of the Company in whatever form which is not generally known to the public, including without limitation, customer lists, trade practices, marketing techniques, fit specifications, design, pricing structures and practices, research, trade secrets, processes, systems, programs, methods, software, merchandising, distribution, planning, inventory and financial control, store design and staffing.  Upon termination of your employment, you shall not take, without the prior written consent of the Company, any drawing, specification or other document or computer record (in whatever form) of the Company embodying any Confidential Information and will return any such information (in whatever form) then in your possession.

(d)You agree to deliver promptly to the Company upon termination of the Employment Period for any reason, or at any other time that the Company may so request, all documents (and all copies thereof), whether written, electronic, or in any other form, relating to the business of the Company and all property associated therewith, which you may then possess or have under your control; provided, that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, you may retain your calendar, contacts, personal correspondence, compensation documents and all information reasonably needed for tax return preparation. You agree that all sketches, drawings, samples, design samples, designs, patterns, methods, processes, techniques, themes, layouts, mechanicals, trade secrets, copyrights, trademarks, patents, ideas, specifications, business or

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marketing practices, concepts, strategies and techniques and other material or work product (“Intellectual Property”) created, developed or assembled, whether or not by you, during and in connection with your employment with the Company, shall become the permanent and exclusive property of the Company to be used in any manner it sees fit, in its sole discretion and that all rights to Intellectual Property are vested in the Company. You shall not communicate to the Company any ideas, concepts, or information of any kind (i) which were earlier communicated to you in confidence by any third party, or (ii) which you know or have reason to know is the proprietary information of any third party, or (iii) which is subject to any claim of proprietary interest by any third party. Further, you shall adhere to and comply with the Company’s Code of Ethics and Business Practices.  All Intellectual Property created or assembled, whether or not by you, in connection with your employment with the Company shall be the permanent and exclusive property of the Company.  You and the Company mutually agree that all Intellectual Property and work product created in connection with this Agreement, which is subject to copyright, shall be deemed to be “work made for hire,” and that all rights to copyrights shall be vested in the Company.  If for any reason the Company cannot be deemed to have commissioned “work made for hire,” and its rights to copyright are thereby in doubt, then you agree not to claim to be the proprietor of the work prepared for the Company, and to irrevocably assign to the Company, at the Company’s expense, all rights in the copyright of the work prepared for the Company.  You further agree to execute any documentation reasonably necessary to assign over or vest any Intellectual Property in the Company. 

(e)You agree that during the Employment Period and thereafter you shall not defame or disparage the Company or any of its Affiliates or their respective officers, directors, members, executives or associates; provided, however, that this Section 4(e) shall not prevent you from having any communications with your immediate family or your financial and tax advisors, accountants or attorneys or from giving testimony that may be required before any court, other tribunal, regulatory commission or administrative agency or pursuant to compulsory process of law or other applicable law or as may be reasonably necessary in connection with any litigation with the Company or any of its Affiliates. The Company agrees that, during the Employment Period and thereafter, it shall not, and it shall cause its executive officers and directors not to, defame or disparage you.

(f)You agree that during the Employment Period and thereafter, in the event that you are served with legal process or other request purporting to require you to testify, plead, respond or defend and/or produce documents in connection with any legal or governmental proceeding, threatened proceeding, investigation or inquiry involving the Company or any of its Affiliates or their respective officers, directors, members, executives or associates, you will, if legally permitted: (1) provide testimony or Company documents only if served with a subpoena, court order or similar process from a regulatory agency or with the prior written consent of the Company; (2) within three (3) business days or as soon thereafter as practical, provide oral notification to the Company’s General Counsel of your receipt of such process or request to testify or produce documents; and (3) provide the Company’s General Counsel by overnight delivery service a copy of all legal papers and documents served upon you. You further agree that in the event you are served with such process, you will meet and confer with the Company’s designee(s) in advance of giving such testimony or information. You also agree to reasonably cooperate with the Company and/or, at the Company’s written request, any of its Affiliates and their respective officers, directors, members, executives or associates in connection with any

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existing, future or threatened litigation or governmental proceeding, investigation or inquiry involving the foregoing parties, whether administrative, civil or criminal in nature, in which and to the extent the Company deems your cooperation reasonably necessary. Any such cooperation shall be subject to your reasonable work and personal commitments and you shall not be required to cooperate against your own legal interests. The Company agrees to promptly reimburse you for your reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with the performance of your obligations under this Section 4(f) (including, to the extent permitted by applicable law, reasonable attorneys’ fees incurred in the event you and the Company mutually agree that independent counsel is appropriate) upon the presentation of statements of such expenses in accordance with the Company’s policies and procedures as may be in effect from time to time for its active employees; provided that such reimbursement shall be paid to you no later than the end of the calendar year immediately following the calendar year in which such expenses were incurred. 

(g)You also agree that breach of the provisions provided in this Section 4 would cause the Company to suffer irreparable harm for which money damages would not be an adequate remedy and therefore, if you breach any of the provisions in this Section 4, the Company will be entitled to seek an injunction restraining you from violating such provision without the posting of any bond.  If the Company shall institute any action or proceeding to enforce the terms of any such provision, you hereby waive the claim or defense that the Company has an adequate remedy at law and you agree not to assert in any such action or proceeding the claim or defense that the Company has an adequate remedy at law.  The foregoing shall not prejudice the Company’s right to require you to account for and pay over to the Company, and you hereby agree to account for and pay over, the compensation, profits, monies, accruals and other benefits derived or received by you as a result of any transaction constituting a breach of any of the provisions set forth in this Section 4.  Without limiting the foregoing, you further agree that, in the event your employment is terminated and you fail to comply with Section 4(a) or 4(b) of this Agreement, the Company shall have the immediate right to cease making any severance payments under Section 2(c) of this Agreement and shall have the right to require you to repay any severance payments that had been paid to you prior to the date of such breach.

5.  Representations.

The parties hereto hereby represent and warrant that they have the authority to enter into this Agreement and perform their respective obligations hereunder. You hereby represent and warrant to the Company that (i) the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the performance of your duties hereunder shall not constitute a breach of or otherwise violate any other agreements, arrangements or commitments with any other party to which you are a party or by which you are bound, and (ii) you will not use or disclose any confidential and/or proprietary information or trade secrets obtained by you in connection with your former employments with respect to your duties and responsibilities hereunder. You further represent that you are not aware of any facts or circumstances that would adversely affect your ability to serve as the Company’s President, Chief Operating Officer or Chief Financial Officer.

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6.  Indemnification.

The Company agrees that if you are made a party or threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “Proceeding”), other than any Proceeding related to any contest or dispute between you and the Company or any of its Affiliates with respect to this Agreement or the services described hereunder, by reason of the fact that you are or were an officer or a director of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company or are or were serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, member, employee or agent of another corporation or a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, the Company shall indemnify you for, and hold you harmless against, all expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by you to the fullest extent authorized by the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws (including, without limitation, the advancement of expenses in accordance with the Company’s Bylaws).

7.  Miscellaneous.

(a)Any notice or other communication required or permitted under this Agreement shall be effective only if it is in writing and shall be deemed to be given when delivered personally or four days after it is mailed by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested or one day after it is sent by a reputable overnight courier service and, in each case, addressed as follows:

If to the Company:

J. Crew Group, Inc.

770 Broadway

New York, NY  10003
Attention: General Counsel

 

If to you:

To the address on file with the Company.

or to such other address as any party may designate by notice to the other.

(b)This Agreement and any other agreement specifically referred to herein constitute the entire agreement between you and the Company with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof, and supersede and are in full substitution for any and all prior understandings or agreements with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof.  In the event that any provision of this Agreement conflicts with the respective provisions of the Plan, the terms of any of the award agreements evidencing the Equity Awards, or the Stockholders Agreement, the relevant provision contained in this Agreement shall govern.   In addition, notwithstanding the terms of the Stockholders Agreement, the Plan, the award agreements evidencing the Equity Awards or any other agreement or policy relating to your employment with the Company, (x) you shall not be subject to any restrictive covenants contained therein to the extent that they are not also contained in this Agreement, and (y) any dispute involving such Plan or the Equity Awards shall

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be adjudicated in the State of New York in accordance with Section 7(j) hereof except that, in accordance with such Equity Award agreements, Delaware law shall apply.      

(c)This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be an obligation of the Company’s assigns and Successors (as defined below), provided that, in connection with and notwithstanding any assignment to an Affiliate of the Company, the Company shall continue to be liable and responsible for all of its obligations hereunder, as stated herein, without termination or modification (unless mutually agreed by you and the Company); however you may not assign any of your rights or duties hereunder to any other party other than the assignment to your beneficiaries (or estate) of any amounts due to you following your death.  The term “Successor” shall mean, with respect to the Company, any other business entity that, by merger, consolidation, purchase of the assets, or otherwise, acquires all or a material part of its assets.  Any assignment by the Company of its rights or obligations hereunder to any Affiliate of or Successor to the Company shall not be a termination of the Employment Period for purposes of this Agreement.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in the event of any transaction that results in a Successor (other than a transaction in which the Company survives following the transaction), the Company shall require such Successor to assume its obligations under this Agreement in connection with such transaction.

(d)No provision of this Agreement may be amended or waived, unless such amendment or waiver is specifically agreed to in writing and signed by you and an officer of the Company duly authorized to execute such amendment. The failure by either you or the Company at any time to require the performance by the other of any provision hereof shall in no way affect the full right to require such performance at any time thereafter, nor shall the waiver by you or the Company of a breach of any provision hereof be taken or held to be a waiver of any succeeding breach of such provision or a waiver of the provision itself or a waiver of any other provision of this Agreement.

(e)You and the Company acknowledge and agree that each of you has reviewed and negotiated the terms and provisions of this Agreement and has had the opportunity to contribute to its revision. Accordingly, the rule of construction to the effect that ambiguities are resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of this Agreement. Rather, the terms of this Agreement shall be construed fairly as to both parties and not in favor or against either party.

(f)Any provision of this Agreement (or portion thereof) which is deemed invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to that jurisdiction and subject to this Section, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability, without affecting in any way the remaining provisions thereof in such jurisdiction or rendering that or any other provisions of this Agreement invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any other jurisdiction. If any covenant should be deemed invalid, illegal or unenforceable because its scope is considered excessive, such covenant shall be modified so that the scope of the covenant is reduced only to the minimum extent necessary to render the modified covenant valid, legal and enforceable.

(g)The Company may withhold from any amounts payable to you hereunder all federal, state, city or other taxes that the Company may reasonably determine are required to be

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withheld pursuant to any applicable law or regulation (it being understood, that you shall be responsible for payment of all taxes in respect of the payments and benefits provided herein). 

(h)This Agreement may be executed in two counterparts, both of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which shall constitute one and the same instrument.

(i)The headings in this Agreement are inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be a part of or control or affect the meaning of any provision hereof.

(j)This Agreement and all amendments thereof shall, in all respects, be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws (without regard to principles of conflicts of law) of the State of New York. Each party hereto hereby agrees to and accepts the exclusive jurisdiction of any court in New York County or the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in respect of any action or proceeding relating to the subject matter hereof, expressly waiving any defense relating to jurisdiction or forum non conveniens, and consents to service of process by U.S. certified or registered mail in any action or proceeding with respect to this Agreement.

(k)If all, or any portion, of the payments provided under this Agreement, either alone or together with other payments or benefits that you receive or are entitled to receive from the Company or an Affiliate (the “Total Payments”), would constitute an “excess parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of Code (“Section 280G”), then the Company, its Affiliates and you shall use customary, reasonable and good faith efforts to avoid all, or any portion, of the Total Payments constituting an “excess parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G, including by seeking a vote of stockholders of the Company or an Affiliate, as applicable, in a manner and form that is intended to comply with the stockholder approval procedures set forth in Section 280G(b)(5)(B) of the Code and the regulations thereunder.

(l)It is the intent of the parties that this Agreement be interpreted in a manner that complies with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code. If any provision of this Agreement (or any award of compensation or benefits provided under this Agreement) would cause you to incur any additional tax or interest under Section 409A of the Code, the Company and you shall reasonably cooperate to reform such provision to comply with Section 409A of the Code and the Company agrees to maintain, to the maximum extent practicable without violating Section 409A of the Code, the original intent and economic benefit to you of the applicable provision; provided that nothing herein shall require the Company to provide you with any gross-up for any tax, interest or penalty incurred by you under Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, any amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement pursuant to this Agreement during a calendar year shall not affect the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement during any other calendar year. In addition, the right to reimbursement pursuant to this Agreement shall not be subject to liquidation or exchange for any other benefit. All rights to payments and benefits under this Agreement shall be treated as rights to receive a series of separate payments and benefits to the fullest extent allowed by Section 409A of the Code.

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If the terms of this Agreement meet with your approval, please sign and return one copy to me.

Sincerely,

/s/ MILLARD S. DREXLER

Millard S. Drexler
Chief Executive Officer

AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED:

/s/ MICHAEL J. NICHOLSON

Michael J. Nicholson

 

Dated: December 3, 2015

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EXHIBIT A

 

General Release

 

 

1.General Release of All Claims:  In exchange for the Company’s payment of the benefits described in Section 2(c) of your employment agreement with the Company dated December 3, 2015 (the “Employment Agreement”), as amended from time to time, you voluntarily, fully and unconditionally release and forever discharge the Company and its past and present parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, predecessors, successors, assigns, and their respective officers, directors, employees, agents and plan administrators, in their individual and corporate capacities (hereinafter collectively referred to as “Releasees”) from any and all charges, actions, causes of action, demands, debts, dues, bonds, accounts, covenants, contracts, liabilities, or damages of any nature whatsoever, whether now known or unknown, to whomever made, which you have or may have against any or all of the Releasees for or by reason of any cause, nature or thing whatsoever arising out of or related to your employment with the Company, or the termination of such employment, from the beginning of time up to and including the date on which you sign this Agreement, except as otherwise specifically stated in this Agreement.

 

Such claims, obligations, or liabilities include, but are not limited to: claims for compensation allegedly due or owing; claims sounding in contract or implied contract; claims for wrongful dismissal; claims sounding in tort; claims arising under common law, civil law, equity, or federal, state, or local statutes or ordinances, including but not limited to, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, as amended; Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; the Civil Rights Act of 1991; Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866; the Equal Pay Act; the Americans with Disabilities Act and/or the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; the Employee Retirement Income Security Act; the WARN Act; the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act; the Family Medical Leave Act, as amended; the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008; state statutes governing the payment of wages, discrimination in the workplace, or any other statute or laws governing the employer-employee relationship, including but not limited to, the New York State Human Rights Law, the New York Labor Law, the New York State Constitution, the New York Civil Rights Law, the New York wage-hour laws, the New York City Human Rights Law; the Virginia Human Rights Act; the North Carolina Equal Employment Practices Act, the North Carolina Persons with Disabilities Protection Act, the North Carolina Retaliatory Employment Discrimination Act, the North Carolina Wage & Hour Act; any other claim pursuant to any other federal, state or local employment laws, statutes, standards or human rights legislation; or any claim for severance pay, notice, pay in lieu of notice, salary, bonus, incentive or additional compensation, vacation pay, insurance, other benefits, interest, and/or attorney’s fees.  You acknowledge that this general release is not made in connection with any exit incentive or other employment termination program offered to a group or class of employees.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Agreement waives your right to (a) pursue a claim that cannot be released by private agreement, including, workers compensation claims, claims arising after the date on which you sign this Agreement, and your right to file administrative charges with certain government agencies;(b) challenge the Company’s failure to comply with its

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obligation in Paragraph 1 above; (c) your vested and accrued rights under Company qualified retirement, health, or welfare plans; and (d) any rights you may have to indemnification or the protection of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance.  

 

2.No Claims Filed:  You represent that you have not filed or permitted to be filed against the Releasees, individually or collectively, any lawsuits, actions or claims, and you covenant and agree that you will not do so at any time hereafter with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement and claims released pursuant to this Agreement (including, without limitation, any claims relating to your employment and/or the termination of your employment).

 

You understand that nothing in this Agreement shall limit you from filing a charge with, or participating in any investigation or proceeding conducted by, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, National Labor Relations Board, the Securities and Exchange Commission and/or any other federal, state or local agency.  However, by signing this Agreement, you hereby waive any and all rights to recover monetary damages in any charge, complaint or lawsuit filed by you or by anyone else on your behalf.  

 

3.Waiver:  By signing this Agreement, you acknowledge that:

 

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4.Return of Signed Agreement:  You should return this signed Agreement to [•], Human Resources, 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003 by no later than [DATE].

 

5.Effective Date:  You will not receive the benefits identified in Section 2(c) of the Employment Agreement until after the revocation period has expired and this Agreement becomes effective.  You have seven (7) days from the date that you sign this Agreement to change your mind.  Any revocation within this period must be (a) submitted in writing to the Company; (b) state “I hereby revoke my execution of the General Release”; and (c) be personally delivered to the Company’s Executive Vice President, Human Resources, or mailed to their attention at J. Crew, 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003 within seven (7) days of the execution of this Agreement.

 

 

  Very truly yours,

 

J. CREW

 

 

By______________________________

    [Name / Title]

 

Received, Read, Understood and Agreed:

 

___________________________

Michael J. Nicholson

 

Dated: _______________, 20__

 

 

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Acknowledgement of Receipt of

General Release

 

 

I acknowledge receiving today a General Release in connection with the termination of my employment with J. Crew.  I have been informed of the time periods for my consideration of the Agreement and for its revocation after I sign it if I later change my mind.

 

 

Date ___________________________________________________

Michael J. Nicholson

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EXHIBIT B

Competitive Businesses

Abercrombie and Fitch

Aeropostale

American Eagle

Ascena

Bonobos

Everlane

Fast Retailing

Gap

Kate Spade

Land’s End

PVH

Ralph Lauren

Steven Alan

Tory Burch

Urban Outfitters

Vince

Vineyard Vines

 

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Exhibit 21.1

Subsidiaries of J.Crew Group, Inc.

 

 

Exhibit 24.1

POWER OF ATTORNEY

I hereby appoint Millard Drexler, Michael Nicholson, Joan Durkin and Maria Di Lorenzo my true and lawful attorneys-in-fact, each with full power to act without the other and each with full power of substitution, to sign on my behalf, as an individual and in the capacity stated below, and to file the Annual Report on Form 10-K of J.Crew Group, Inc. for its fiscal year ended January 30, 2016 and any amendment that such attorney-in-fact may deem appropriate or necessary. I further grant unto such attorneys and each of them full power and authority to perform each and every act necessary to be done in order to accomplish the foregoing as fully as I might do.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have executed this power of attorney as of the 10th day of March, 2016.

 

 

Exhibit 31.1

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 302

OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

I, Millard Drexler, certify that:

Date: March 17, 2016

 

 

Exhibit 31.2

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 302

OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

I, Michael J. Nicholson, certify that:

Date: March 17, 2016

 

 

Exhibit 32.1

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 906

OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

In connection with the Annual Report of J.Crew Group, Inc. (the “Company”) on Form 10-K for the period ended January 30, 2016 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), we, Millard Drexler, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, and Michael J. Nicholson, Chief Financial Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:

Date: March 17, 2016

 

The foregoing certification is being furnished solely pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (18 U.S.C. Section 1350) and is not being filed as part of the Report or as a separate disclosure document.

A signed original of this written statement required by Section 906 has been provided to the Company and will be retained by the Company and furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff upon request.