0001144204-14-024598.txt : 20140424 0001144204-14-024598.hdr.sgml : 20140424 20140424162343 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001144204-14-024598 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 8-K PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 3 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 20140424 ITEM INFORMATION: Results of Operations and Financial Condition ITEM INFORMATION: Notice of Delisting or Failure to Satisfy a Continued Listing Rule or Standard; Transfer of Listing ITEM INFORMATION: Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers: Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers ITEM INFORMATION: Financial Statements and Exhibits FILED AS OF DATE: 20140424 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20140424 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: DECKERS OUTDOOR CORP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000910521 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: RUBBER & PLASTICS FOOTWEAR [3021] IRS NUMBER: 953015862 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 8-K SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 000-22446 FILM NUMBER: 14782010 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 250 COROMAR DRIVE CITY: GOLETA STATE: CA ZIP: 93117 BUSINESS PHONE: 8059677611 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 250 COROMAR DRIVE CITY: GOLETA STATE: CA ZIP: 93117 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: DECKERS FOOTWEAR CORP DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19930811 8-K 1 v375843_8k.htm FORM 8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

_________________

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): April 24, 2014

 

DECKERS OUTDOOR CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

 

000-22446 95-3015862
(Commission File Number) (IRS Employer Identification No.)
   
250 Coromar Drive, Goleta, California 93117
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

  

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (805) 967-7611

 

 

 

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

¨Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

¨Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

¨Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

¨Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 
 

 

 

Item 2.02. Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

 

On April 24, 2014, Deckers Outdoor Corporation (the “Company”) issued a press release announcing its financial results for the three month period ended March 31, 2014 (the “Transition Period”) and held a conference call regarding these financial results.  The Company also posted supplemental financial information relating to the Transition Period on its investor website at ir.deckers.com.  A copy of the press release is furnished hereto as Exhibit 99.1. A copy of the supplemental financial information relating to the Transition Period is furnished hereto as Exhibit 99.2.

 

The information in this Form 8-K, including Exhibit 99.1 and Exhibit 99.2 attached hereto, shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

 

Item 3.01. Notice of Delisting or Failure to Satisfy a Continued Listing Rule or Standard; Transfer of Listing.

 

On April 24, 2014, the Company announced that it has applied to list its common stock on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) under the Company’s existing trading symbol “DECK”. The Company expects that its common stock will begin trading on the NYSE on May 5, 2014.

 

Also on April 24, 2014, the Company informed The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (“NASDAQ”) that the Company intends (i) to transfer the listing of its common stock to the NYSE effective as of the open of the market on May 5, 2014, and (ii) that the Company’s common stock will cease trading on the NASDAQ Global Select Market effective as of the close of the market on May 2, 2014.

 

Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Principal Officers.

 

On April 24, 2014, the Company announced that Zohar Ziv will retire as Chief Operating Officer after nearly over 8 years with the Company. In order to facilitate a smooth transition, which is expected to be concluded by the end of the calendar year, Mr. Ziv will not retire until the Company has identified and named a successor. The Company has commenced a search for his successor.

 

Item 9.01 Exhibits.

 

(d) Exhibits. The following exhibits are attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K:

 

Exhibit No.

 

 

Description

 

99.1   Press Release, dated April 24, 2014.
99.2   Supplemental financial information relating to the Transition Period

 

 
 

 

Forward Looking Statements

 

This Current Report on Form 8-K contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ substantially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements due to a number of factors. These forward-looking statements include statements that are predictive in nature and depend upon or refer to future events or conditions. These statements include, but are not limited to, information regarding the timing and progress of the transfer of the Company’s exchange listing from The NASDAQ Global Select Market to the NYSE and the search for a successor Chief Operating Officer.  These forward-looking statements are based on management's present expectations, estimates and projections, but involve risks and uncertainty. Please see the “Risk Factors” section of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013, as filed with the SEC, for a discussion of the most significant risks that may impact the Company. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any obligation, to update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

 

 
 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

Date: April 24, 2014 Deckers Outdoor Corporation
   
  /s/ Thomas A. George
  Thomas A. George, Chief Financial Officer

 

 
 

 

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit No.

 

 

Description

 

99.1   Press Release, dated April 24, 2014.
99.2   Supplemental financial information relating to the Transition Period

 

 

EX-99.1 2 v375843_ex99-1.htm EXHIBIT 99.1

Deckers Outdoor Corporation Reports Financial Results For The Three Month Transition Period Ended March 31, 2014



Three Month Transition Period Net Sales Increased 11.7% to $294.7 Million led by the UGG® Brand

Direct-to-Consumer Comparable Sales Increased 16.9% Over the Same Period a Year Ago

Company Reports Three Month Transition Period Diluted Loss Per Share of $(0.08)

Company Announces Improved Financial Outlook

GOLETA, Calif., April 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Deckers Outdoor Corporation (NASDAQ: DECK), a global leader in designing, marketing, and distributing innovative footwear, apparel and accessories, today announced financial results for the three month transition period ended March 31, 2014. Please note the Company recently changed its fiscal year from December 31 to March 31, and, as a result, throughout this press release, we refer to the three month period ended March 31, 2014 as the transition period.

Three Month Transition Period 2014 Review

  • Net sales increased 11.7% to $294.7 million compared to $263.8 million for the same period last year.
  • Gross margin improved 210 basis points to 48.9% compared to 46.8% for the same period last year.
  • Diluted loss per share was $(0.08) compared to an earnings per share of $0.03 for the same period last year.
  • UGGâ brand sales increased 15.8% to $197.6 million compared to $170.6 million for the same period last year.
  • Tevaâ brand sales decreased 9.2% to $46.8 million compared to $51.6 million for the same period last year.
  • Sanukâ brand sales decreased 0.8% to $30.7 million compared to $30.9 million for the same period last year. 
  • Direct-to-Consumer comparable sales, which include worldwide retail same store sales and worldwide comparable E-Commerce sales, increased 16.9% over the same period last year.
  • Retail sales increased 26.1% to $80.1 million compared to $63.6 million for the same period last year; same store sales increased 4.0% for the thirteen weeks ended March 30, 2014 compared to the thirteen weeks ended March 31, 2013.  
  • E-Commerce sales increased 45.0% to $38.6 million compared to $26.6 million for the same period last year.
  • Domestic sales increased 8.5% to $198.3 million compared to $182.7 million for the same period last year.
  • International sales increased 18.9% to $96.4 million compared to $81.1 million for the same period last year.

"The strength of our business early in the new calendar year underscores the power of our brand portfolio and the successful execution of our consumer centric growth strategy," commented Angel Martinez, President, Chief Executive Officer and Chair of the Board of Directors. "We believe that our diversified spring product offerings from the UGG, Teva, Sanuk and HOKA brands are resonating with a broader global audience. At the same time, we believe that our enhanced Omni-Channel capabilities are helping fuel increased demand across our wholesale and Direct-to-Consumer distribution channels. Our current momentum combined with our strong fall order book give us a heightened degree of optimism about our future prospects. We are confident we are making the right investments in our brands and operating platform to drive sustainable sales and earnings growth over the long-term."

Division Summary

UGG Brand

UGG brand net sales for the transition period increased 15.8% to $197.6 million compared to $170.6 million for the same period last year. The increase in sales was driven by sales gains across all primary channels, including an increase in global E-Commerce sales, the sales contribution from new retail store openings and an increase in same store sales, and higher domestic wholesale sales.

Teva Brand

Teva brand net sales for the transition period decreased 9.2% to $46.8 million compared to $51.6 million for the same period last year. The decrease in sales was primarily attributable to lower domestic wholesale sales.

Sanuk Brand

Sanuk brand net sales for the transition period decreased 0.8% to $30.7 million compared to $30.9 million for the same period last year. The decrease in sales was primarily attributable to lower international distributor sales, partially offset by an increase in domestic wholesale, retail and E-Commerce sales.

Other Brands

Combined net sales of the Company's other brands increased 84.3% to $19.6 million for the transition period compared to $10.6 million for the same period last year. The increase was primarily attributable to a $8.2 million increase in sales for the HOKA ONE ONEâ brand compared to the same period last year.

Retail Stores

Sales for the global retail store business, which are included in the brand sales numbers above, increased 26.1% to $80.1 million for the transition period compared to $63.6 million for the same period last year. This increase was driven by 42 new stores opened after the first quarter of 2013 and by a same store sales increase of 4.0% for the thirteen weeks ended March 30, 2014 compared to the thirteen weeks ended March 31, 2013.

E-Commerce

Sales for the global E-Commerce business, which are included in the brand sales numbers above, increased 45.0% to $38.6 million for the transition period compared to $26.6 million for the same period last year. The sales increase was driven primarily by strong domestic and international sales for the UGG brand, increased domestic sales of the Sanuk and Teva brands, plus the domestic launch of the HOKA ONE ONE brand website and the addition of new international E-Commerce websites.

Balance Sheet

At March 31, 2014, cash and cash equivalents were $245.1 million compared to $64.6 million at March 31, 2013. The Company had $6.7 million in outstanding borrowings under its credit facility at March 31, 2014 compared to $10.0 million at March 31, 2013. The increase in cash and cash equivalents and the decrease in outstanding borrowings are primarily attributable to cash provided by operations and improved inventories, partially offset by $85.4 million of cash payments for capital assets primarily related to retail expansion, the Company's new headquarters facility and the Moreno Valley distribution center.

Inventories at March 31, 2014 decreased 17.7% to $211.5 million from $257.1 million at March 31, 2013. By brand, UGG inventory decreased 25.6% to $150.0 million at March 31, 2014, Teva inventory increased 9.1% to $34.2 million at March 31, 2014, Sanuk inventory decreased 12.0% to $13.3 million at March 31, 2014, and the other brands' inventory increased 53.3% to $14.0 million at March 31, 2014.

Zohar Ziv Retirement

The Company today announced that Zohar Ziv will retire as Chief Operating Officer after over 8 years with the company. In order to facilitate a smooth transition which is expected to be concluded by the end of the year, Mr. Ziv is expected to stay until his successor is named. The Company is commencing a search for his successor.

"I want to thank Zohar for his many years of service to Deckers," commented Mr. Martinez. "His contributions to the development of our international operations, world class supply chain and infrastructure are numerous. More importantly, his influence on shaping our strong corporate culture is immeasurable. Personally, he has been a tremendous friend and trusted advisor since he joined the company eight years ago. I look forward to maintaining our close ties and continuing to benefit from his sage guidance."

Mr. Ziv said, "My time at Deckers has been the most rewarding period of my career. I am extremely proud of the terrific people I've worked with and everything we've accomplished over the past several years. I'm very confident that the company is well positioned for continued success. I look forward to watching the company continue its expansion as I pursue personal interests and spend more time with my family."

Transfer of Listing to the New York Stock Exchange

The Company is announcing that it will be transferring the listing of its common stock to the New York Stock Exchange from the NASDAQ Global Select Market. After careful consideration and deliberation, the Board of Directors of the Company determined that the proposed transfer of Deckers' common stock listing to the NYSE would be in the best interests of its stockholders, customers and partners. The Company expects that its common stock will begin trading on the NYSE on or about May 5, 2014, under its current ticker symbol, "DECK". The Company will continue to trade on NASDAQ under the symbol "DECK" until the transfer is completed.

Full Fiscal Year 2015 Outlook for the Twelve Month Period Ending March 31, 2015

  • Based upon current visibility, the Company expects fiscal year 2015 revenues to increase approximately 13.0% over the twelve month period ended March 31, 2014.
  • The Company expects fiscal year 2015 diluted earnings per share to increase approximately 13.5% over the twelve month period ended March 31, 2014.  This guidance assumes a gross profit margin of approximately 49.4% and an operating margin of approximately 13.0%. 
  • The Company expects fiscal year 2015 SG&A expenses as a percentage of sales to be approximately 36.4%.  Among other items, these expenses include increased marketing and supply chain costs, investments in IT infrastructure, expenses related to management reorganization, and operating costs associated with opening new stores in 2013 and 2014.
  • The Company expects fiscal year 2015 UGG brand revenues to increase approximately 11% over the twelve month period ended March 31, 2014.
  • The Company expects fiscal year 2015 Teva brand revenues to increase approximately 11% over the twelve month period ended March 31, 2014.
  • The Company expects fiscal year 2015 Sanuk brand revenues to increase approximately 15% over the twelve month period ended March 31, 2014.
  • Combined fiscal year 2015 net sales of the Company's other brands are expected to be approximately $82.0 million compared to $48.6 million for the twelve month period ended March 31, 2014.
  • Fiscal year 2015 guidance also assumes that the Company's effective tax rate will be approximately 29.0%.

First Quarter Fiscal Year 2015 Outlook for the Three Month Period Ending June 30, 2014

  • The Company currently expects first quarter 2015 revenues to increase approximately 12.0% over the three month period ended June 30, 2013 calendar year levels, and expects to report a first quarter fiscal year 2015 diluted loss per share of approximately $(1.33) compared to a diluted loss per share of $(0.85) reported for the three month period ended June 30, 2013.
  • As a reminder, a significant amount of our operating expenses are fixed and spread evenly on an absolute dollar basis throughout each quarter.  This includes the costs associated with the 28 new stores that were not open until the second half of 2013.  Therefore, we expect our earnings to decline in the first half of calendar 2014 as compared to the first half of 2013, which are typically our lowest volume sales quarters.  We expect the majority of our earnings increase in fiscal year 2015 to come in the second and third quarters – the three month periods ending September 30, 2014 and December 31, 2014 with the breakdown between those two periods to be similar to last year.

Conference Call Information and Prepared Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Remarks

The Company's conference call to review the results for the three month transition period ended March 31, 2014 will be broadcast live today, Thursday, April 24, 2014 at 4:30 pm Eastern Time and hosted at www.deckers.com. You can access the broadcast by clicking on the "Investors Information" tab and then clicking on the microphone icon on the right side of the screen. In combination with this press release, the Company is providing prepared remarks by its CFO, Tom George, in the investor relations section on the Company's website at www.deckers.com. These remarks are offered to provide the investment community with additional background on the Company's financial results prior to the start of the conference call.

About the Company

Deckers Outdoor Corporation is a global leader in designing, marketing and distributing innovative footwear, apparel and accessories developed for both everyday casual lifestyle use and high performance activities. The Company's portfolio of brands includes UGG® Australia, Teva®, Sanuk®, TSUBO®, Ahnu®, MOZO®, and HOKA ONE ONE®. Deckers Outdoor products are sold in more than 50 countries and territories through select department and specialty stores, 120 Company-owned and operated retail stores, and select online stores, including Company-owned websites. Deckers Outdoor has a 40-year history of building niche footwear brands into lifestyle market leaders attracting millions of loyal consumers globally. For more information, please visit www.deckers.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that concern matters that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or projected in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including statements regarding our future financial performance and business strategies, are forward-looking statements. We have attempted to identify forward-looking statements by using words such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "project," "plan", "predict", "should," "will," and similar expressions, or the negative of these expressions, as they relate to us, our management and our industry, to identify forward-looking statements. We have based our forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about trends affecting our business and industry and other future events. Although we do not make forward-looking statements unless we believe we have a reasonable basis for doing so, we cannot guarantee their accuracy. As a result, actual results may differ materially from the results stated in or implied by our forward-looking statements. Some of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions that may cause actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: changes in economic or market conditions; the financial success of our customers and the risk of losing one or more of our key customers; our ability to adequately protect our intellectual property rights and deter counterfeiting; the sensitivity of our sales to seasonality and the effect of weather conditions; the quality and price of raw materials, most notably sheepskin; our ability to realize returns on our new and existing retail stores; our ability to accurately forecast consumer demand; our ability to anticipate fashion trends; our ability to successfully implement our growth strategies, including enhancing the position of our brands and expanding our distribution channels; the impairment of our goodwill and other intangible assets; our dependence on independent manufacturers located outside of the U.S., and the challenge of maintaining a continuous supply of quality finished goods; risks of conducting business outside the U.S., including foreign currency and global liquidity risks; our ability to protect sensitive customer and company information and prevent the failure or interruption of key business processes; our ability to attract and retain key personnel; the loss of our warehouses; the international markets in which we sell our products are subject to a variety of laws and political and economic risks; risks related to international trade, import regulations and security procedures, liquidity and market risks for our cash and cash equivalents; risks associated with our revolving credit facility, including negative covenants that may restrict our ability to take certain actions; tax laws applicable to our business are very complicated and we could be subject to additional income tax liabilities; our ability to compete effectively with our competition; the effect of existing and future litigation on our business; the risks associated with the storage and transmission of sensitive customer or company information; and the volatility of the price of our common stock. Certain of these risks and uncertainties are more fully described in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013, which we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, on March 3, 2014, as well as in our other filings with the SEC. In addition, actual results may differ as a result of additional risks and uncertainties of which we are currently unaware or which we do not currently view as material to our business.

You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this press release, which speak only as of the date of this press release. You should read this press release with the understanding that our future results may be materially different from what we currently expect. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements and we expressly disclaim any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date hereof to conform such statements to actual results or to changes in our opinions or expectations, except as required by applicable law or the rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market or the New York Stock Exchange, as applicable.

(Tables to follow)

DECKERS OUTDOOR CORPORATION

AND SUBSIDIARIES

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(Unaudited)

(Amounts in thousands)

























March 31,


December 31,





Assets


2014


2013










Current assets:







Cash and cash equivalents

$

245,088


237,125



Trade accounts receivable, net


106,199


184,013



Inventories


211,519


260,791



Prepaid expenses


12,067


14,980



Other current assets


27,118


112,514



Deferred tax assets


21,871


19,881




Total current assets


623,862


829,304










Property and equipment, net


184,570


174,066

Goodwill


127,934


128,725

Other intangible assets, net


91,411


93,278

Deferred tax assets


17,062


15,751

Other assets


19,365


18,605













Total assets

$

1,064,204


1,259,729














Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity














Current liabilities:







Short-term borrowings

$

6,702


9,728



Trade accounts payable


76,139


151,037



Accrued payroll


22,927


35,725



Other accrued expenses


11,624


45,301



Income taxes payable


2,908


49,453



Value added tax (VAT) payable


1,915


29,274




Total current liabilities


122,215


320,518










Long-term liabilities


53,140


51,092










Stockholders' equity:






Deckers Outdoor Corporation stockholders' equity:







Common stock


346


346



Additional paid-in capital


146,731


143,916



Retained earnings


743,815


746,500



Accumulated other comprehensive loss


(2,043)


(2,643)




Total stockholders' equity


888,849


888,119













Total liabilities and equity

$

1,064,204


1,259,729










DECKERS OUTDOOR CORPORATION

AND SUBSIDIARIES

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive (Loss) Income

(Unaudited)

(Amounts in thousands, except for per share data)










Three-month period ended



March 31,


2014


2013






Net sales

$

294,716


263,760

Cost of sales


150,456


140,201


Gross profit


144,260


123,559






Selling, general and administrative expenses


144,668


120,907


(Loss) income from operations


(408)


2,652






Other expense, net


334


142


(Loss) income before income taxes


(742)


2,510






Income tax expense 


1,943


1,503


Net (loss) income 


(2,685)


1,007






Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax






Unrealized (loss) gain on foreign currency hedging


(273)


1,530


Foreign currency translation adjustment


873


(674)


Total other comprehensive income


600


856


Comprehensive (loss) income

$

(2,085)


1,863






Net (loss) income per share:






Basic

$

(0.08)


0.03


Diluted

$

(0.08)


0.03






Weighted-average common shares outstanding: 






Basic 


34,621


34,404


Diluted


34,621


34,788








CONTACT: Linda Pazin, VP, Investor Relations & Communications, (805) 967-7611, or Investor Relations: Brendon Frey, ICR, (203) 682-8200

EX-99.2 3 v375843_ex99-2.htm EXHIBIT 99.2

Deckers Outdoor Corporation
Supplemental Information Relating to the Three Month Transition Period Quarter Ended March 31, 2014

 

The Company has changed its fiscal year end to March 31 from December 31. This supplemental information relates to the three month transition period ended March 31, 2014.

 

Net Sales

 

Net sales for the transition period increased 11.7% to $294.7 million from $263.8 million for the same period last year. Domestic sales increased 8.5% to $198.3 million and international sales increased 18.9% to $96.4 million.

 

UGGâ brand net sales for the transition period increased 15.8% to $197.6 million compared to $170.6 million for the same period last year. The increase in sales was driven by sales gains across all primary channels, including an increase in global E-Commerce sales, the sales contribution from new retail store openings and an increase in same store sales, and higher domestic wholesale sales.

 

Tevaâ brand net sales for the transition period decreased 9.2% to $46.8 million compared to $51.6 million for the same period last year. The decrease in sales was primarily attributable to lower domestic wholesale sales.

 

Sanukâ brand net sales for the transition period decreased 0.8% to $30.7 million compared to $30.9 million for the same period last year. The decrease in sales was primarily attributable to lower international distributor sales, partially offset by an increase in domestic wholesale, retail and E-Commerce sales.

 

Combined net sales of the Company’s other brands increased 84.3% to $19.6 million for the transition period compared to $10.6 million for the same period last year. The increase was primarily attributable to a $8.2 million increase in sales for the HOKA ONE ONE® brand compared to the same period last year.

 

 
 


Total wholesale and distributor sales for the transition period increased 1.4% to $176.0 million. Domestic wholesale increased 2.2%, European wholesale and distributor sales increased 9.2%, and Asia-Pacific wholesale and distributor sales decreased 22.5%.

Global Direct-to-Consumer revenue increased 31.6% to $118.7 million with a Direct-to-Consumer comparable sales increase of 16.9%. E-Commerce sales increased 45.0% to $38.6 million. Retail sales increased 26.1% to $80.1 million driven by 42 new stores and same store sales increase of 4.0%. For all stores open at least 12 months as of March 30, 2014, the average sales per square foot was approximately $1,300 versus $1,500 for the same period in 2013.

 

Gross Margin

 

Gross margin for the transition period was 48.9% compared to 46.8% in the same period last year. The 210 basis point increase was primarily attributable to a decrease in product costs due to lower sheepskin prices, further integration of UGGpure, and a greater contribution coming from our Direct-to-Consumer division this year compared with last year.

 

SG&A

 

Total SG&A expense for the transition period was $144.7 million or 49.1% of net sales compared to $120.9 million or 45.8% of net sales a year ago. The 330 basis point increase in SG&A as a percentage of net sales was primarily attributable to additional retail and E-Commerce related expenses, partially offset by an increase in net sales.

 

Operating Loss

 

Operating loss for transition period was $(0.4) million or (0.1)% of net sales compared to operating income of $2.7 million or 1.0% of net sales last year. The change in operating margin was driven by the aforementioned increase in SG&A expenses related to the expansion of our Direct-to-Consumer operations.

 

 
 

  

Taxes

 

Deckers recorded income tax expense of $1.9 million in the transition period compared to income tax expense of $1.5 million a year ago. The Company recorded a tax expense despite an operating loss due primarily to accounting rules that apply to the transition period.

 

Net Earnings (Loss)

 

Net loss for the transition period was $(2.7) million or $(0.08) per diluted share, compared to net income of $1.0 million or $0.03 per diluted share a year ago.

 

Balance Sheet

 

As of March 31, 2014, inventory decreased 17.7% to $211.5 million from $257.1 million at March 31, 2013. Compared to March 31, 2013, UGG brand inventory decreased 25.6% to $150.0 million, Sanuk brand inventory decreased 12.0% to $13.3 million, Teva brand inventory increased 9.1% to $34.2 million, and our other brands’ inventory increased 53.3% to $14.0 million.

 

At March 31, 2014, cash and cash equivalents increased $180.5 million or 279.4% to $245.1 million compared to $64.6 million at March 31, 2013. The Company had $6.7 million in outstanding borrowings under its credit facility at March 31, 2014, compared to $10.0 million at March 31, 2013.

 

 
 

 

Capital Expenditures and Store Counts

 

For the transition period, the Company spent approximately $17.7 million on capital expenditures, most of which was for the Company’s new corporate headquarters facility and the Moreno Valley distribution center. The UGG brand also opened three retail store locations, bringing the total Company store count to 120 stores. A breakdown of the store count by region as of March 31, 2014 is included below:

 

Location   Concept    Outlet    Total 
US   23    18    41 
China   31    6    37 
Japan   15    5    20 
EMEA   11    6    17 
Canada   2    1    3 
Hong Kong   2    0    2 

Total
   84    36    120