Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Oct. 31, 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 October 31, 2015 or January 31, 2015.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued new guidance relating to revenue from contracts with customers that requires an entity to 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. In August 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board deferred the effective date of this guidance for all entities by one year. As a result, this guidance is effective for fiscal periods beginning after December 15, 2017. 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 and deferred revenue, 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 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 October 31, 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 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 statements of the current reporting period.

Franchise revenues includes royalties and franchise fees. Royalties from franchisees are based on a percentage of net sales of the franchisee and are recognized as earned. Initial franchise fees are recorded as deferred revenue when received and are recognized as revenue when a franchised location is opened as all material services and conditions related to the franchise fee have been substantially performed upon the opening. Renewal franchise fees are recognized as revenue when the franchise agreements are signed and the fee is paid since there are no material services and conditions related to the franchise fees.

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:


(amounts in thousands)	October 31, 2015		January 31, 2015
Computer Equipment	$	553	$	426
Software		79		62
Furniture and Fixtures		1,644		1,457
Leasehold Improvements		416		413
Less: Accumulated depreciation		(1,515)		(1,193)
Property and Equipment, net	$	1,177	$	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 $115 and $322 for the three and nine month periods ended October 31, 2015 and $152 and $361 for the three and nine month periods ended November 1, 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 and nine month periods ended October 31, 2015 and November 1, 2014:


	Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
	October 31, 2015		November 1, 2014		October 31, 2015		November 1, 2014
Numerator:
Net income-numerator for net income per common share and net income per common share assuming dilution	$	1,546	$	2,316	$	7,048	$	8,160

Denominator:
Denominator for net income per common share — weighted average shares		8,713		8,424		8,659		8,411
Effect of dilutive securities:
Stock options		178		142		217		79

Denominator for net income per common share, assuming dilution:
Adjusted weighted average shares and assumed exercises		8,891		8,566		8,876		8,490

The computation for the diluted number of shares excludes unexercised stock options that are anti-dilutive. There were 335 and 198 shares underlying anti-dilutive stock options for the three and nine month periods ended October 31, 2015, respectively, and 502 and 917 shares underlying anti-dilutive stock options for each of the three and nine months periods ended November 1, 2014.

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.

Significant Contracts

The terms of the Company’s relationship with Target 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. On September 3, 2015, Target orally informed the Company that the Restated Target Agreement would not be renewed and will terminate at the end of its current term, which expires January 31, 2017. The non-renewal was confirmed in writing on September 4, 2015. The Restated Target Agreement, including the existing royalty obligations, will remain in effect and continue to generate revenues to Cherokee in Fiscal 2016 and Fiscal 2017 through its expiration. The Cherokee branded products in the school uniforms category will expire at the end of its current term on January 31, 2018, and Target will continue to pay the minimum guarantee through that period.

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 sales of Cherokee branded products in the school uniforms category and, beginning in Fiscal 2015, other than 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 applicable assets in September 2012.

In connection with the acquisition of the “Hawk” and “Tony Hawk” signature apparel brands and related trademarks in January 2014, , Cherokee and Kohl’s entered into an amended license agreement. Pursuant to the license agreement, Kohl’s is granted the exclusive right to sell Tony Hawk and Hawk branded apparel and related products in the United States for a four-year term 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.

Stock-Based Compensation, Stock Options, and Performance Stock Units 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 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 stock 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 nine months was $1,607, as compared to $780 for the comparable period in the prior year.

A summary of all activity for the Company’s stock options for the Nine 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	335,000	$	22.79
Exercised	(261,097)	$	17.06
Canceled/forfeited	(146,667)	$	17.33
Outstanding, at October 31, 2015	1,113,003	$	17.50	4.31	2,075
Vested and Exercisable at October 31, 2015	570,828	$	15.38	3.00	1,443

As of October 31, 2015, total unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to non-vested stock options was approximately $2,346, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of approximately 2.29 years. The total fair value of all options which vested during the Nine Months was $677.

Performance Stock Units 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 2006 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 Fiscal 2016. The average share price will be calculated as the average of all market closing prices during the January preceding the applicable 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 is subject to market based performance conditions, the fair value of these awards was 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.

In June 2015, the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors granted RSUs and stock options to each member of the Board of Directors and to each of the Company’s executive officers under the 2013 Plan. All of the equity awards approved at that meeting vest in equal annual installments over three years, such that the full grants shall be vested on the third anniversary of the grant date. The fair value of the RSU awards was measured on the effective date of grant using the price of the Company’s common stock.

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 restricted stock and performance stock units for the Nine Months was $833 compared to $244 for the comparable period in the prior year.

A summary of all activity for the Company’s restricted stock and performance stock units for the Nine Months is as follows:


		Weighted
		Average
	Number of	Grant-Date
	Shares	Fair Value
Unvested stock at January 31, 2015	76,936	$	13.02
Granted	166,000	$	22.71
Vested	(27,435)		15.74
Forfeited	—		—
Unvested stock at October 31, 2015	215,501	$	20.14

As of October 31, 2015, total unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to restricted stock and performance stock units was approximately $3,516, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of approximately 2.58 years.

Intangible Assets

The Company holds various trademarks including Cherokee®, Liz Lange®, Completely Me by Liz Lange®, Hawk®, Tony Hawk®, Everyday California®, Flip Flop Shops®, 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, Flip Flop Shops, 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.

During the Nine Months, the Company has acquired various intangible assets related to the Everyday California lifestyle brand and related trademarks and the Flip Flop Shops brand and related trademarks. The consideration for the Everyday Lifestyle brand and assets consisted of an initial cash payment and contingent cash payments dependent upon performance of the assets during Fiscal 2017 and the fiscal year ending January 27, 2018. The consideration for the Flip Flop Shops brand and assets consisted of a cash payment of $12,000. See Note 3 of these consolidated financial statements for further information about the acquisition of the Flip Flop Shops brand and related assets.

Intangible assets consist of the following:


(amounts in thousands)	October 31, 2015		January 31, 2015
Acquired Trademarks	$	54,955	$	47,994
Other Trademarks		8,687		8,621
Franchise Agreements		1,300		—
Accumulated amortization		(17,427)		(16,794)
Total	$	47,515	$	39,821

Amortization expense of intangible assets was $633 and $699 for the nine month periods ended October 31, 2015 and November 1, 2014, respectively. Expected amortization of intangible assets for fiscal years 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 is approximately $900, $600, $300, $300 and $200, respectively. Certain acquired trademarks are indefinite lived and not amortized. The weighted average amortization period for other trademarks and franchise agreements was 9.4 and 11 years and 9.4 years as of October 31, 2015 and 9.4 years for trademarks as of January 31, 2015.

Trademark registration and renewal fees capitalized during the Nine Months totaled approximately $67. Trademark acquisition, registration, and renewal fees capitalized during the nine month periods ended November 1, 2014 totaled $59.

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 how market participants would price 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 $802 was recognized for the Third Quarter, resulting in an effective tax rate of 34.2% in the Third Quarter, as compared to 35.8% in the third quarter of last year and compared to 32.4% for the full year of Fiscal 2015. The effective tax rate for the Third Quarter differs from the statutory rate due to the effect of certain permanent nondeductible expenses, the apportionment of income among state jurisdictions, and the benefit of certain tax credits.

The amount of unrecognized tax benefits was approximately $230 and $449, respectively, at October 31, 2015 and January 31, 2015. At October 31, 2015, approximately $152 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 Third Quarter was $(36) as compared with $4 in the third quarter of last year. As of October 31, 2015 and January 31, 2015, respectively, the total amount of accrued interest and penalties included in the liability for unrecognized tax benefits was $51 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 $230.

The Company files income tax returns in the U.S. federal and California and certain other state jurisdictions. For federal income tax purposes, the year ended February 2, 2013 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 year ended January 28, 2012 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 $858 and $876 for the nine month periods ended October 31, 2015 and November 1, 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 nine month periods ended October 31, 2015 and November 1, 2014 were $396 and $168, respectively, and are included in the total marketing, advertising and promotional costs, based upon authoritative guidance.

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 October 31, 2015 and November 1, 2014, the Company has no comprehensive income components and accordingly, net income equals comprehensive income.