Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

3 Months Ended

May 02, 2015

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Receivables are reported at amounts the Company expects to be collected, net of allowance for doubtful accounts.

The Company records its allowance for doubtful accounts based upon its assessment of various factors, such as: historical experience, age of accounts receivable balances, credit quality of the Company’s licensees, current economic conditions, bankruptcy, and other factors that may affect the Company’s licensees’ ability to pay. There was no allowance for doubtful accounts as of May 2, 2015 or January 31, 2015.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the FASB issued new guidance surrounding revenue from contracts with customers noting that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. This guidance is effective for fiscal periods beginning after December 15, 2016. The anticipated impact of the adoption of this guidance on the Company is still being evaluated.

In August 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued authoritative guidance that requires an entity’s management to evaluate whether there are conditions or events, considered in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern and requires additional disclosures if certain criteria are met. This guidance is effective for fiscal periods ending after December 15, 2016. The adoption of this guidance will not impact the Company’s consolidated financial statements or related disclosures.

In February 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued authoritative guidance which modifies existing consolidation guidance for reporting organizations that are required to evaluate whether they should consolidate certain legal entities. This guidance is effective for fiscal periods beginning after December 15, 2015, and allows for either full retrospective or modified retrospective adoption, with early adoption permitted. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to impact the Company’s consolidated financial statements or related disclosures.

Use of Estimates

On an ongoing basis, the Company evaluates its estimates and assumptions, including those related to revenue recognition, allowance for doubtful accounts, valuation of long-lived assets, stock based compensation and income taxes. The Company bases its estimates on historical and anticipated results, trends and on various other assumptions that it believes are reasonable under the circumstances, including assumptions as to future events. These estimates form the basis for making assumptions about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. By their nature, estimates are subject to an inherent degree of uncertainty. Actual results could differ materially from these estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid debt instruments purchased and money market funds purchased with an original maturity date of three months or less to be cash equivalents. At May 2, 2015 and January 31, 2015, the Company’s cash and cash equivalents exceeded Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) limits.

Revenue Recognition and Deferred Revenue

The Company recognizes revenue when persuasive evidence of a sale arrangement exists, delivery has occurred or services have been rendered, the buyer’s price is fixed or determinable and collection is reasonably assured. Revenues from royalty and brand representation agreements are recognized when earned by applying contractual royalty rates to quarterly point of sale data received from the Company’s licensees.

The Company’s royalty revenue recognition policy provides for recognition of royalties in the quarter earned. The Company’s agreement with Target Corporation (“Target”) for the Cherokee brand in the U.S. accounts for the majority of the Company’s historical revenues and is structured to provide royalty rate reductions once certain cumulative levels of retail sales are achieved by Target. With respect to Target’s sales in the U.S. of Cherokee branded products other than in the school uniforms category and adult products sold on Target’s website, revenue is recognized by applying the reduced contractual royalty rates prospectively to point of sale data after defined sales thresholds are exceeded. The royalty rate reductions do not apply retroactively to sales since the beginning of the fiscal year. As a result, the Company’s royalty revenues as a percentage of Target’s retail sales in the U.S. are highest at the beginning of each fiscal year and decrease during the fiscal year as Target exceeds sales thresholds as set forth in the Company’s agreement with Target. The amount of Cherokee brand royalty revenue earned by the Company from Target in any quarter is dependent not only on Target’s retail sales of Cherokee branded products in the U.S. in each quarter, but also on the royalty rate then in effect after considering Target’s cumulative level of retail sales for Cherokee branded products in the U.S. for the fiscal year. Historically, with Target, this has caused the Company’s first quarter to be the Company’s highest revenue and most profitable quarter and the Company’s fourth quarter to be the Company’s lowest revenue and least profitable quarter. However, such historical patterns may vary in the future depending upon the terms of any new license agreements, retail sales volumes achieved in each quarter from Target and revenues the Company receives from Target or other licensees that may or may not be subject to reduced royalty rates based upon cumulative sales, including with respect to the Company’s Liz Lange and Completely Me by Liz Lange brands, Cherokee brand in the school uniforms category, Cherokee adult products sold on Target’s website, and the recently acquired Hawk and Tony Hawk brands.

In order to ensure that Cherokee’s licensees are appropriately reporting and calculating royalties owed to Cherokee, all of Cherokee’s license agreements include audit rights to allow Cherokee to validate the amount of the royalties paid. Any revenue resulting from these audits, or other audits, is recognized in the financial statement of the current reporting period.

Deferred Financing Costs and Debt Discount

Deferred financing costs and debt discounts are capitalized and amortized into interest expense over the life of the debt.

Foreign Withholding Taxes

Licensing revenue is recognized gross of withholding taxes that are remitted by the Company’s licensees directly to their local tax authorities.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment consist of the following:

	May 2, 2015			January 31, 2015
Computer Equipment	$	596		$	426
Software	62			62
Furniture and Store Fixtures	1,458			1,457
Leasehold Improvements	415			413
Less: Accumulated depreciation	(1,288		)	(1,193		)

Property and Equipment, net	$	1,243		$	1,165

Property and equipment are stated at cost, less accumulated depreciation. Maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred. The cost and related accumulated depreciation of property and equipment sold or retired are written off, and the resulting gains or losses are included in current operations. Depreciation is provided on a straight line basis over the estimated useful life of the related asset.

Computers and related equipment and software are depreciated over three years. Furniture and store fixtures are depreciated over the shorter of seven years, or the remaining term of the licensee agreement. Leasehold improvements are depreciated over the shorter of five years, or the remaining life of the lease term. Depreciation expense was $96 and $102 for the three month periods ended May 2, 2015 and May 3, 2014, respectively.

Earnings Per Share Computation

Earnings Per Share Computation (amounts in thousands, including share amounts)

The following table provides a reconciliation of the numerator and denominator of the basic and diluted per-share computations for the three month periods ended May 2, 2015 and May 3, 2014:

	Three Months Ended
	May 2, 2015		May 3, 2014
Numerator:
Net income-numerator for net income per common share and net income per common share assuming dilution	$	3,571	$	3,592


Denominator:
Denominator for net income per common share — weighted average shares	8,565		8,396
Effect of dilutive securities:
Stock options	196		27


Denominator for net income per common share, assuming dilution:
Adjusted weighted average shares and assumed exercises	8,761		8,423

The computation for diluted number of shares excludes unexercised stock options which are anti-dilutive. There were 35 and 880 anti-dilutive shares for the three month periods ended May 2, 2015 and May 3, 2014 respectively.

Basic earnings per share (“EPS”) is computed by dividing the net income attributable to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted EPS is similar to the computation for basic EPS except that the denominator is increased to include the number of additional common shares that would have been outstanding if the dilutive potential common shares had been issued. However, nonvested restricted stock awards (referred to as participating securities) are excluded from the dilutive impact of common equivalent shares outstanding in accordance with authoritative guidance under the two-class method since the nonvested restricted stockholders are entitled to participate in dividends declared on common stock as if the shares were fully vested and hence are deemed to be participating securities. Under the two-class method, earnings attributable to nonvested restricted stockholders are excluded from net earnings attributable to common stockholders for purposes of calculating basic and diluted earnings per common share. There is no material impact on the calculation under the two-class method.

Significant Contracts

The terms of the Company’s relationship with Target as of the date of this report are set forth in a restated license agreement with Target, which was entered into effective as of February 1, 2008 and amended (i) on January 31, 2013 to add the category of school uniforms, (ii) on April 3, 2013 to provide for a fixed royalty rate of 2% for sales of Cherokee branded products in the category of adult merchandise sold on Target’s website (target.com) in Fiscal 2015 and in future periods and (iii) on January 6, 2014 to reflect Target’s election to renew the agreement through January 31, 2017 and to provide that Target can renew the agreement for successive two (2) year periods, provided that it satisfies the minimum guaranteed royalty payment of $10,500 for the preceding fiscal year (the “Restated Target Agreement”). The Restated Target Agreement grants Target the exclusive right in the United States to use the Cherokee trademarks in various specified categories of merchandise. The current term of the Restated Target Agreement continues through January 31, 2017; however, the Restated Target Agreement may be renewed by Target for additional two year terms by providing written notice of renewal at least one year prior to the end of the then current extended restated term.

Under the current terms of the Restated Target Agreement, the minimum annual guaranteed royalty for Target is $10,500 and applies to all sales made by Target in the United States, other than sales of Cherokee branded products in the school uniforms category (which products are subject to a separate minimum guaranteed royalty of $800). Under the Restated Target Agreement, Target has agreed to pay royalties based on a percentage of Target’s net sales of Cherokee branded merchandise during each fiscal year which percentage varies according to the volume of sales of merchandise other than for sales of Cherokee branded products in the school uniforms category and, beginning in Fiscal 2015, other than for sales of Cherokee branded products in the adult merchandise category that are made on Target’s website. The Company assumed a separate license agreement with Target for the Liz Lange brand in connection with the Company’s acquisition of the assets in September 2012.

In connection with the acquisition of the “Hawk” and “Tony Hawk” signature apparel brands and related trademarks (the “Hawk Acquisition”), Cherokee and Kohl’s Department Stores (“Kohl’s”) entered into an amended license agreement. Pursuant to such amendment, Kohl’s is granted the exclusive right to sell Tony Hawk and Hawk branded apparel and related products in the United States and has agreed to pay Cherokee an annual royalty rate for its sales of Hawk branded signature apparel and related products in the United States subject to a minimum annual guaranteed royalty of $4,800 for four years.

Stock-Based Compensation, Stock Options, and Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units

Stock-Based Compensation

Effective July 16, 2013, the Company’s stockholders approved the 2013 Stock Incentive Award Plan (the “2013 Plan”). The 2013 Plan serves as the successor to the 2006 Incentive Award Plan (which includes the 2003 Incentive Award Plan as amended by the adoption of the 2006 Incentive Award Plan) (the “2006 Plan”). The 2013 Plan authorized to be issued (i) 700,000 additional shares of common stock, and (ii) 102,483 shares of common stock previously reserved but unissued under the 2006 Plan. No future grants will be awarded under the 2006 Plan, but outstanding awards previously granted under the 2006 Plan continue to be governed by its terms. Any such shares of common stock that are subject to outstanding awards under the 2006 Plan which are forfeited, terminate or expire unexercised and would otherwise have been returned to the share reserve under the 2006 Plan will be available for issuance as common stock under the 2013 Plan. The 2013 Plan provides for the issuance of equity-based awards to officers, other employees, and directors.

Stock Options

Stock options issued to employees are granted at the market price on the date of grant, generally vest over a three-year period, and generally expire seven to ten years from the date of grant. The Company issues new shares of common stock upon exercise of stock options. The Company has also granted non-plan options to certain executives as a material inducement for employment. The Company accounts for stock options under authoritative guidance, which requires the measurement and recognition of compensation expense for all stock-based payment awards made to employees and directors based on estimated fair values.

The Company estimates the fair value of stock-based payment awards on the date of grant using an option-pricing model. The value of the portion of the award that is ultimately expected to vest is recognized as an expense over the requisite service period in the consolidated statements of income. The compensation expense recognized for all stock-based awards is net of estimated forfeitures over the award’s service period.

Stock-based compensation expense recognized in selling, general and administrative expenses for stock options for the Three Months was $178, as compared to $164 for the comparable period in the prior year.

A summary of all activity for the Company’s stock options for the Three Months is as follows:

					Weighted
					Average
					Remaining
			Weighted		Contractual	Aggregate
			Average		Term	Intrinsic
	Shares		Price		(in years)	Value

Outstanding, at January 31, 2015	1,185,767		$	15.89	3.49	$	2,910
Granted	15,000		$	19.64
Exercised/cancellations for net settlements	(115,932	)	14.74
Expired/forfeited	(46,167	)	$	14.84


Outstanding, at May 2, 2015	1,038,668		$	16.12	3.29	$	5,826


Vested and Exercisable at May 2, 2015	680,833		$	16.96	2.43	$	3,256

As of May 2, 2015, total unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to non-vested stock options was approximately $899, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of approximately 1.64 years. The total fair value of all options which vested during the Three Months was $204.

Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units

In 2013, the Compensation Committee of the Company’s board of directors (the “Board of Directors”) granted certain performance-based equity awards to executives under the Company’s 2006 Stock Plan.

The performance metric applicable to such awards is compound stock price growth, using the closing price of the Company’s Common Stock on February 1, 2013, or $13.95, as the benchmark. The target growth rate is 10% annually, which results in an average share price target of (i) $15.35 for Fiscal 2014, (ii) $16.88 for Fiscal 2015 and (iii) $18.57 for the Company’s fiscal year ending in 2016. The average share price will be calculated as the average of all market closing prices during the January preceding fiscal year end. If a target is met at the end of a fiscal year, one third of the shares subject to the award will vest. If the stock price target is not met, the relevant portion of the shares subject to the award will not vest but will roll over to the following fiscal year. The executive must continue to be employed by the Company through the relevant vesting dates to be eligible for vesting. The target average share price was met for Fiscal 2015, which resulted in the vesting of two thirds of the shares subject to each award

Since the vesting of these performance-based equity awards are subject to market based performance conditions, the fair value of these awards were measured on the date of grant using the Monte Carlo simulation model for each vesting tranche. The Monte Carlo simulation model utilizes multiple input variables that determine the probability of satisfying the performance conditions stipulated in the award grant and calculates the fair market value for the performance units granted. The Monte Carlo simulation model also uses stock price volatility and other variables to estimate the probability of satisfying the performance conditions and the resulting fair value of the award.

Pursuant to a compensation program for non-employee directors adopted by the Compensation Committee, at the meeting of the Board of Directors held in June each year, each non-employee member of the Board of Directors must make an election regarding the percentage, up to 100%, of his annual compensation for service on the Board of Directors to be paid in equity, in the form of restricted stock units (“RSU’s”). All of the RSU’s issuable under this program in June 2014 were approved and granted on July 28, 2014. The fair value of these awards was measured on the effective date of grant using the price of the Company’s common stock.

The RSU’s awarded to the non-employee directors are subject to the terms of the 2013 Plan and RSU agreements that provide for quarterly vesting over a one year service period of August 4, 2014 through August 3, 2015, subject to acceleration of vesting upon the earlier to occur of the following: (i) a change in control of the Company, (ii) the death of the recipient or (iii) the recipient’s failure to be re-elected to the Board of Directors in any election in which the recipient stands for re-election.

In August 2014, the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors granted a sales-based performance-based equity award to an employee under the 2013 Plan, which vests in five increments dependent upon achievement of certain annual sales targets. The fair value of this award was measured on the effective date of grant using the price of the Company’s common stock.

Stock-based compensation expense for shares of restricted stock and performance stock units for the Three Months was $154 compared to $26 for the comparable period in the prior year.

	Number of Shares		Weighted Average Grant-Date Fair Value
Unvested stock at January 31, 2015	76,936		$	13.02
Granted	—		—
Vested	(6,645	)	16.67
Forfeited	—		—

Unvested stock at May 2, 2015	70,291		$	12.68

As of May 2, 2015, total unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to restricted stock and performance stock units was approximately $425, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of approximately 1.76 years.

Trademarks

The Company holds various trademarks including Cherokee®, Liz Lange®, Completely Me by Liz Lange®, Hawk®, Tony Hawk®, Sideout®, Sideout Sport®, Carole Little®, Saint Tropez-West®, Chorus Line®, All That Jazz®, and others, in connection with numerous categories of apparel and other goods. These trademarks are registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and corresponding government agencies in a number of other countries. The Company also holds trademark applications for Cherokee, Liz Lange, Completely Me by Liz Lange, Hawk, Tony Hawk, Sideout, Sideout Sport, Carole Little, Chorus Line, Saint Tropez-West, All That Jazz, and others in numerous countries. The Company intends to renew these registrations, as appropriate, prior to expiration. The Company monitors on an ongoing basis unauthorized uses of the Company’s trademarks, and relies primarily upon a combination of trademark, copyright, know-how, trade secrets, and contractual restrictions to protect the Company’s intellectual property rights both domestically and internationally.

Trademark registration and renewal fees are capitalized and are amortized on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Trademark acquisitions are capitalized and are either amortized on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the assets, or are capitalized as indefinite-lived assets, if no legal, regulatory, contractual, competitive, economic, or other factors limit its useful life to Cherokee. Trademarks are evaluated for the possibility of impairment at least annually.

Trademarks consist of the following:

	May 2, 2015			January 31, 2015
Acquired Trademarks	$	47,994		$	47,994
Other Trademarks	8,636			8,621
Accumulated amortization	(17,004		)	(16,794		)

Total	$	39,626		$	39,821

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Authoritative guidance defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The guidance establishes a fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value into three broad levels as follows:

Level 1: Observable inputs such as quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets

Level 2: Other inputs that are observable directly or indirectly, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities or market-corroborated inputs

Level 3: Unobservable inputs for which there is little or no market data, which require the owner of the assets or liabilities to develop its own assumptions about how market participants would price these assets or liabilities

The carrying amount of receivables, accounts payable and accrued liabilities approximates fair value due to the short-term nature of these instruments. Long-term debt approximates fair value due to the variable rate nature of the debt.

The realizability of long-lived assets is evaluated periodically as events or circumstances indicate a possible inability to recover the carrying amount. Long-lived assets that will no longer be used in business are written off in the period identified since they will no longer generate any positive cash flows for the Company. Periodically, long-lived assets that will continue to be used by the Company need to be evaluated for recoverability. Such evaluation is based on various analyses, including cash flow and profitability projections. The analyses involve management judgment. In the event the projected undiscounted cash flows are less than the net book value of the assets, the carrying value of the assets will be written down to their estimated fair value, in accordance with authoritative guidance. The estimated undiscounted cash flows used for this nonrecurring fair value measurement are considered a Level 3 input, which consist of unobservable inputs that reflect assumptions about what market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. These inputs would be based on the best information available, including the Company’s own data.

Income Taxes

Income tax expense of $2,043 was recognized for the First Quarter, resulting in an effective tax rate of 36.4% in the First Quarter, as compared to 27.1% in the first quarter of last year and compared to 32.4% for the full year of Fiscal 2015. The effective tax rate for the First Quarter differs from the statutory rate due to the effect of certain permanent nondeductible expenses and the apportionment of income among state jurisdictions.

The amount of unrecognized tax benefits was approximately $449 and $449, respectively, at May 2, 2015 and January 31, 2015. At May 2, 2015, approximately $296 of unrecognized tax benefits would, if recognized, affect the effective tax rate.

In accordance with authoritative guidance, interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits are included within the provision for taxes in the consolidated statements of income. The total amount of interest and penalties recognized in the consolidated statements of income for the First Quarter was $5 as compared with $(191) in the first quarter of last year. As of May 2, 2015 and January 31, 2015, respectively, the total amount of accrued interest and penalties included in the liability for unrecognized tax benefits was $89 and $84.

The Company has unrecognized tax benefits pertaining to the issue of its taxability in various state tax jurisdictions. It is reasonably possible that the amount of unrecognized tax benefits may decrease within the next 12 months as a result of the Company’s interaction with these various state tax jurisdictions. The Company anticipates that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits may decrease in the next 12 months by approximately $449.

The Company files income tax returns in the U.S. federal and California and certain other state jurisdictions. For federal income tax purposes, the fiscal 2012 and later tax years remain open for examination by the tax authorities under the normal three year statute of limitations. For state tax purposes, the fiscal 2011 and later tax years remain open for examination by the tax authorities under a four year statute of limitations.

Marketing and Advertising

Generally, the Company’s “Direct to Retail” licensees fund their own advertising programs. Cherokee’s marketing, advertising and promotional costs totaled $243 and $164 for the three month periods ended May 2, 2015 and May 3, 2014, respectively. These costs are expensed as incurred and were accounted for as selling, general and administrative expenses.

The Company provides marketing expense money to certain large licensees based upon sales criteria to help them build the Company’s licensed brands in their respective territories, thus providing an identifiable benefit to Cherokee. The amounts paid for such marketing expenses during the three month periods ended May 2, 2015 and May 3, 2014 were $218 and $49, respectively, and are included in the total marketing, advertising and promotional costs.

Deferred Rent and Lease Incentives

When a lease includes lease incentives (such as a rent abatement) or requires fixed escalations of the minimum lease payments, rental expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease and the difference between the average rental amount charged to expense and amounts payable under the lease is included in deferred rent and lease incentives in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. For leasehold allowances, the Company records a deferred lease credit on the consolidated balance sheets and amortizes the deferred lease credit as a reduction of rent expense in the consolidated statements of income over the term of the lease.

Comprehensive Income

Authoritative guidance establishes standards for reporting comprehensive income and its components in financial statements. Comprehensive income, as defined, includes all changes in equity (net assets) during a period from non-owner sources. For the three months ended May 2, 2015 and May 3, 2014, the Company has no comprehensive income components and accordingly, net income equals comprehensive income.

Treasury Stock

Repurchased shares of the Company’s common stock are held as treasury shares until they are reissued or retired. When the Company reissues treasury stock, and the proceeds from the sale exceed the average price that was paid by the Company to acquire the shares, the Company records such excess as an increase in additional paid-in capital.

Conversely, if the proceeds from the sale are less than the average price the Company paid to acquire the shares, the Company records such difference as a decrease in additional paid-in capital to the extent of increases previously recorded, with the balance recorded as a decrease in retained earnings.