SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Nature of Operations

Levi Strauss & Co. (the "Company") is one of the world’s largest brand-name apparel companies. The Company designs, markets and sells – directly or through third parties and licensees – products that include jeans, casual and dress pants, tops, shorts, skirts, jackets, footwear and related accessories for men, women and children around the world under the Levi’s^®, Dockers^®, Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ and Denizen^® brands. The Company operates its business through three geographic regions: Americas, Europe and Asia.

Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation

The unaudited consolidated financial statements of the Company and its wholly-owned and majority-owned foreign and domestic subsidiaries are prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States ("U.S. GAAP") for interim financial information. In the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary for a fair statement of the financial position and the results of operations for the periods presented have been included. The unaudited consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements of the Company for the year ended November 25, 2018, included in the Company's final prospectus related to its initial public offering ("IPO"), dated March 20, 2019 (File No. 333-229630) (the "Prospectus"), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

The unaudited consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. All significant intercompany transactions have been eliminated. Management believes the disclosures are adequate to make the information presented in the unaudited consolidated financial statements not misleading. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended August 25, 2019 may not be indicative of the results to be expected for any other interim period or the year ending November 24, 2019.

The Company’s fiscal year ends on the last Sunday of November in each year, although the fiscal years of certain foreign subsidiaries end on November 30. Each quarter of both fiscal years 2019 and 2018 consists of 13 weeks. All references to years and quarters relate to fiscal years and quarters rather than calendar years and quarters.

Reclassification

Certain insignificant amounts on the consolidated statements of cash flows have been conformed to the August 25, 2019 presentation.

Stock Split

On February 12, 2019, the Company’s stockholders approved an amendment to the Company’s certificate of incorporation (the "Amendment") to effect a ten-for-one stock split of shares of the Company’s outstanding common stock, such that each share of common stock, $0.01 par value, became ten shares of common stock, $0.001 par value per share. In addition, the Amendment increased the number of authorized shares of the Company's common stock by 930,000,000 to 1,200,000,000. The Amendment became effective on March 4, 2019 when filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. All share and per-share data in the unaudited consolidated financial statements and notes has been retroactively adjusted to reflect the stock split for all periods presented.

Initial Public Offering

In March 2019, the Company completed its IPO in which it issued and sold 14,960,557 shares of Class A common stock at a public offering price of $17.00 per share. The Company received net proceeds of $234.6 million after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions of $13.6 million and other direct and incremental offering expenses of $6.1 million. The Company agreed to pay all underwriting discounts and commissions applicable to the sales of shares of Class A common stock by the selling stockholders. This amount, $24.9 million, was paid at completion of the IPO in March 2019 and was recorded as non-operating expense in the second quarter of 2019. Additionally, the Company incurred $3.5 million of other costs associated with the IPO that were recorded in selling, general and administrative expenses ("SG&A").

In connection with the IPO, on March 19, 2019 the Company's Board of Directors approved the cancellation of the majority of the outstanding unvested cash-settled restricted stock units ("RSU's") and their concurrent replacement with similar equity-settled RSUs ("Replacement Awards"), pursuant to the Company's 2016 Equity Incentive Plan (the "2016 Plan"). RSUs for certain foreign affiliates will continue to be cash-settled. Other than the form of settlement, all other terms of the awards (including their vesting schedules) are the same. Prior to this modification, the cash-settled awards were classified as liabilities and stock-based compensation expense was measured using the fair value at the end of each reporting period. After the modification, the stock-based compensation expense for these awards was measured using the modification date fair value. As a result of the modification, accrued stock-based compensation expense of $45.8 million and $10.3 million were reclassified on the Company's consolidated balance sheets from accrued salaries, wages and employee benefits and other long-term liabilities, respectively, to additional paid in capital. Refer to Note 6 for more information.

Prior to the IPO, the holders of shares issued under the 2016 Plan could require the Company to repurchase such shares at the then-current market value pursuant to a contractual put right. Equity-classified stock-based awards that may be settled in cash at the option of the holder were presented on the Company's consolidated balance sheets outside of permanent equity. Accordingly, temporary equity on the Company's consolidated balance sheets included the redemption value of these awards generally related to the elapsed service period since the grant date reflecting patterns of compensation cost recognition, as well as the fair value of the Company's common stock issued pursuant to the 2016 Plan. Upon the completion of the IPO in the second quarter of 2019, this contractual put right was terminated and these awards are no longer presented as temporary equity. As a result, the balance in temporary equity as of immediately prior to the IPO of $351.2 million was reclassified to additional paid in capital. Refer to Note 6 for more information.

On February 12, 2019, the Company’s stockholders also approved the adoption of an amended and restated certificate of incorporation (the "IPO Certificate") and amended and restated bylaws. The IPO Certificate provides for two classes of common stock: Class A common stock, par value $0.001 per share, and Class B common stock, par value $0.001 per share. All common stock outstanding at the time of the IPO converted automatically into Class B common stock, each having ten votes per share. Shares of Class A common stock, each having one vote per share, were sold in the IPO. Shares of Class B common stock sold by selling stockholders in the IPO automatically converted into shares of Class A common stock in connection with such sale. Holders of Class B common stock can voluntarily convert their shares into Class A common stock if and when they wish to do so in order to sell their shares to the public.

On February 12, 2019, the Company’s stockholders approved the Company's 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (the "2019 Plan") and the Company's 2019 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "2019 ESPP"), each of which became effective on March 20, 2019, the effective date of the IPO registration statement. The maximum number of shares of the Company’s Class A common stock that may be issued under the 2019 Plan is 40,000,000. The 2019 ESPP authorizes the issuance of 12,000,000 shares of the Company’s Class A common stock and is subject to automatic annual increases.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and the related notes to the consolidated financial statements. Estimates are based upon historical factors, current circumstances and the experience and judgment of the Company’s management. Management evaluates its estimates and assumptions on an ongoing basis and may employ outside experts to assist in its evaluations. Changes in such estimates, based on more accurate future information, or different assumptions or conditions, may affect amounts reported in future periods.

Changes in Accounting Principles

•

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standard Update ("ASU") 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). ASU 2014-09 outlines a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers. Under the new standard and its related amendments (collectively known as Accounting Standards Codification 606 ("ASC 606")), an entity recognizes revenue when its customer obtains control of promised goods or services, in an amount that reflects the consideration which the entity expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. Enhanced disclosures are required regarding the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers.

The Company has identified certain changes in balance sheet classification under ASC 606. Allowances for estimated returns, discounts and retailer promotions and other similar incentives are presented as other accrued liabilities rather than netted within accounts receivable and the estimated cost of inventory associated with allowances for estimated returns are included as other current assets rather than inventories. The Company adopted the standard as of November 26, 2018 using the modified retrospective approach and determined there is no impact to retained earnings upon adoption. Refer to Note 10 for more information.

The following table presents the related effect of the adoption of Topic 606 on the Consolidated Balance Sheets:



	August 25, 2019
	As Reported		Remove Effect of Adoption			Balances Without Adoption of Topic 606
	(Dollars in thousands)
Trade receivables, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	$	722,001	$	176,740		$	545,261
Inventories: Finished goods	927,243		(17,352		)	944,595
Other current assets	212,116		17,352			194,764
Total current assets	2,813,667		176,740			2,636,927
Total assets	4,138,997		176,740			3,962,257
Accrued sales allowances	125,456		125,456			—
Other accrued liabilities	417,342		51,284			366,058
Total current liabilities	1,186,023		176,740			1,009,283
Total liabilities, temporary equity and stockholders' equity	$	4,138,997	$	176,740		$	3,962,257

•

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash, which requires that restricted cash be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown in the statement of cash flows. Restricted cash is reported in Other non-current assets in the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company adopted this standard in the first quarter of 2019, and other than the change in presentation within the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, the adoption of ASU 2016-18 did not have an impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

•

In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-07, Compensation-Retirement Benefits (Topic 715) Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost. ASU 2017-07 changes the income statement presentation of net periodic benefit costs requiring separation between operating expense (service cost component) and non-operating expense (all other components, including interest cost, expected return on plan assets, amortization of prior service costs or credits, curtailments and settlements, actuarial gains and losses, etc.). Accordingly, the Company determined this impacts the Company's Consolidated Statements of Income, as the service cost components of net periodic benefit costs are reported within operating income and the other components of net periodic benefit costs are reported in the Other Expense, Net line item. The presentation change in the Consolidated Statements of Income requires application on a retrospective basis. A practical expedient is permitted under the guidance which allows the Company to use information previously disclosed in the pension and other postretirement benefit plans footnote as the basis to apply the retrospective presentation requirements. As a result of the Company's adoption of this standard, other components of net periodic benefit costs, primarily interest costs and investment earnings, of $4.0 million and $0.8 million for the three months ended August 25, 2019 and August 26, 2018, respectively, and $12.0 million and $2.4 million for the nine months ended August 25, 2019 and August 26, 2018, respectively, were included in Other Expense, Net line item rather than SG&A expenses in the Company's Consolidated Statements of Income. This reclassified amount is $3.4 million for the year ended November 25, 2018.

•

In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815) Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities. ASU 2017-12 refines and expands hedge accounting for both financial and commodity risks. This ASU creates more transparency around how economic results are presented, both on the face of the financial statements and in the footnotes. In addition, this ASU makes certain targeted improvements to simplify the application of hedge accounting guidance. The Company adopted this standard during the first quarter of 2019 upon entering into foreign exchange risk contracts designated as hedges.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

There have been no developments to recently issued accounting standards, including the expected dates of adoption and estimated effects on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and footnote disclosures, from those disclosed in the Prospectus, except for the following:

First Quarter of 2020

•

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which requires the identification of arrangements that should be accounted for as leases by lessees. In general, for operating or financing lease arrangements exceeding a 12-month term, a right-of-use asset and a lease obligation will be recognized on the balance sheet of the lessee while the income statement will reflect lease expense for operating leases and amortization and interest expense for financing leases. The Company has identified leases for real estate, personal property and other arrangements. The new standard is required to be applied using a modified retrospective approach with two adoption methods permissible. The Company expects to elect the transition method that applies the new lease standard at the adoption date instead of the earliest period presented. The Company plans to elect the practical expedient to not separate lease components from nonlease components for all leases. Additionally, the Company plans to make an accounting policy election to keep leases with an initial 12-month term or less off of the balance sheet and recognize these lease payments within the consolidated statements of income on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease. The Company continues to assess whether to elect the package of transition practical expedients which would allow the Company to carry forward prior conclusions related to: (i) whether any expired or existing contracts contain leases, (ii) the lease classification for any expired or existing leases and (iii) initial direct costs for existing leases. Given the significant number of leases, the Company anticipates the new guidance will have a material impact on the consolidated balance sheets.