SEC Form 10-K Filing Report

Company: POLO RALPH LAUREN CORP
CIK: 1037038
SIC Code: 2320
Filing Date: 2010-06-02 00:00:00
Market Capitalization: 4837942.193603516

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ITEM 1. BUSINESS
Item 1 - “Business - Recent Developments,” on December 31, 2009, we acquired our previously licensed Polo-branded apparel business in the Asia-Pacific region (excluding Japan). In Fiscal 2009, we acquired our previously licensed childrenswear and golf apparel businesses in Japan. In Fiscal 2008, we acquired a controlling interest in Impact 21 Co., Ltd. and the remaining 50% interest in Polo Ralph Lauren Japan Corporation, as well as our previously licensed belts and leather goods business.
We may have difficulty integrating acquired businesses into our operations, hiring and retaining qualified key employees, or otherwise successfully managing such expansion. Furthermore, we may not be able to successfully integrate the business of any licensee that we acquire into our own business or achieve any expected cost savings or synergies from such integration.
Implementation of our growth strategy involves the continuation and expansion of our retail distribution network, both in the U.S. and abroad, which are subject to many factors beyond our control. We may not be able to procure, purchase or lease desirable free-standing or department store locations, or renew and maintain existing free-standing store leases and department store locations on acceptable terms, or secure suitable replacement locations. The lease negotiation as well as the number and timing of new stores actually opened during any given period, and their associated contribution to net income for the period, depends on a number of factors including, but not limited, to: (i) the availability of suitable financing to us and our landlords; (ii) the timing of the delivery of the leased premises to us from our landlords in order to commence build-out construction activities; (iii) our ability and
our landlords’ ability to obtain all necessary governmental licenses and permits to construct and operate our stores on a timely basis; (iv) our ability to manage the construction and development costs of new stores; (v) the rectification of any unforeseen engineering or environmental problems with the leased premises; (vi) adverse weather during the construction period; and (vii) the hiring and training of qualified operating personnel in the local market. While we continue to explore new markets and are always evaluating new potential locations, any of the above factors could have an adverse impact on our financial operations.
In Europe, we lack the large wholesale distribution channels we have in the U.S., and we may have difficulty developing successful distribution strategies and alliances in each of the major European countries. In Asia (including Japan), our primary mode of distribution is via a network of shops located within leading department stores. We may have difficulty in successfully retaining this network, and expanding into alternate distribution channels. Additionally, macroeconomic trends may not be favorable, and could limit our ability to implement our growth strategies in select geographies where we have foreign operations, such as Europe and Asia.
Our business could suffer as a result of consolidations, liquidations, restructurings and other ownership changes in the retail industry.
Several of our department store customers, including some under common ownership, account for significant portions of our wholesale net sales. A substantial portion of sales of our licensed products by our domestic licensing partners, including sales made by our sales force of Ralph Lauren Home products, are also made to our largest department store customers. In the aggregate, our five largest department-store customers accounted for approximately 45% of our wholesale net sales during Fiscal 2010. There can be no assurance that consolidations, restructurings, reorganizations or other ownership changes in the department store sector will not have a material adverse effect on our wholesale business.
We typically do not enter into long-term agreements with our customers. Instead, we enter into a number of purchase order commitments with our customers for each of our lines every season. A decision by the controlling owner of a group of stores or any other significant customer, whether motivated by competitive conditions, financial difficulties or otherwise, to decrease or eliminate the amount of merchandise purchased from us or our licensing partners; or to change their manner of doing business with us or our licensing partners or their new strategic and operational initiatives, including their continued focus on further development of their “private label” initiatives, could have a material adverse effect on our business or financial condition.
Our profitability may decline as a result of increasing pressure on margins.
The apparel industry is subject to significant pricing pressure caused by many factors, including intense competition, consolidation in the retail industry, pressure from retailers to reduce the costs of products and changes in consumer spending patterns. These factors may cause us to reduce our sales prices to retailers and consumers, which could cause our gross margin to decline if we are unable to appropriately manage inventory levels and/or otherwise offset price reductions with comparable reductions in our operating costs. If our sales prices decline and we fail to sufficiently reduce our product costs or operating expenses, our profitability will decline. This could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, liquidity and financial condition.
Certain legal proceedings and regulatory matters could adversely impact our results of operations.
We are involved in certain legal proceedings and are subject from time to time to various claims involving alleged breach of contract claims, intellectual property and other related claims, credit card fraud, security breaches in certain of our retail store information systems, employment issues, consumer matters and other litigations. Certain of these lawsuits and claims, if decided adversely to us or settled by us, could result in material liability to the Company or have a negative impact on the Company’s reputation or relations with its employees, customers, licensees or other third parties. In addition, regardless of the outcome of any litigation or regulatory proceedings, such proceedings could result in substantial costs and may require that the Company devotes substantial time and resources to defend itself. Further, changes in governmental regulations both in the U.S. and in other countries where we conduct business operations could have an adverse impact on our results of operations. See Item 3 - “Legal Proceedings” for further discussion of the Company’s legal matters.
Our business could suffer if our computer systems and websites are disrupted or cease to operate effectively.
The Company relies heavily on its computer systems to record and process transactions and manage and operate our business. We also utilize an automated replenishment system to facilitate the processing of basic replenishment orders from our wholesale customers, the movement of goods through distribution channels, and the collection of information for planning and forecasting. In addition, we have e-commerce and other Internet websites in the U.S. Given the complexity of our business and the significant number of transactions that we engage in on an annual basis, it is imperative that we maintain constant operation of our computer hardware and software systems. Despite our preventative efforts, our systems are vulnerable from time to time to damage or interruption from, among other things, security breaches, computer viruses or power outages.
A privacy breach could damage the Company’s reputation and its relationships with its customers, expose the Company to litigation risk and adversely affect the Company’s business.
As part of the Company’s normal course of business, the Company collects, processes and retains sensitive and confidential customer information. Despite the security measures the Company has in place, the Company’s facilities and systems, and those of the Company’s third party service providers, may be vulnerable to security breaches, acts of vandalism, computer viruses, misplaced or lost data, programming and/or human errors, or other similar events. Any security breach involving the misappropriation, loss or other unauthorized disclosure of confidential information, whether by the Company or its vendors, could severely damage the Company’s reputation and its relationships with its customers, expose the Company to risks of litigation and liability and adversely affect the Company’s business.
Our business is subject to risks associated with importing products.
As of April 3, 2010, we source a significant portion of our products outside the U.S. through arrangements with over 400 foreign vendors in various countries. In Fiscal 2010, over 98%, by dollar value, of our products were produced outside the U.S., primarily in Asia, Europe and South America. Risks inherent in importing our products include:
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quotas imposed by bilateral textile agreements with China and non-WTO countries. These agreements limit the amount and type of goods that may be imported annually from these countries;
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changes in social, political and economic conditions or terrorist acts that could result in the disruption of trade from the countries in which our manufacturers or suppliers are located;
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the imposition of additional regulations relating to imports or exports;
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the imposition of additional duties, taxes and other charges on imports or exports;
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significant fluctuations of the cost of raw materials;
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significant delays in the delivery of cargo due to security considerations;
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the imposition of antidumping or countervailing duty proceedings resulting in the potential assessment of special antidumping or countervailing duties; and
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the imposition of sanctions in the form of additional duties either by the U.S. or its trading partners to remedy perceived illegal actions by national governments.
Any one of these factors could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
Our ability to conduct business in international markets may be affected by legal, regulatory, political and economic risks.
Our ability to capitalize on growth in new international markets and to maintain the current level of operations in our existing international markets is subject to risks associated with international operations. These include:
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the burdens of complying with a variety of foreign laws and regulations;
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unexpected changes in regulatory requirements; and
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new tariffs or other barriers in some international markets.
We are also subject to general political and economic risks in connection with our international operations, including:
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political instability and terrorist attacks;
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changes in diplomatic and trade relationships; and
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general economic fluctuations in specific countries or markets.
We cannot predict whether quotas, duties, taxes, or other similar restrictions will be imposed by the U.S., the European Union, Asia, or other countries upon the import or export of our products in the future, or what effect any of these actions would have on our business, financial condition or results of operations. Changes in regulatory, geopolitical, social or economic policies and other factors may have a material adverse effect on our business in the future or may require us to significantly modify our current business practices.
Our trademarks and other intellectual property rights may not be adequately protected outside the U.S.
We believe that our trademarks, intellectual property and other proprietary rights are extremely important to our success and our competitive position. We devote substantial resources to the establishment and protection of our trademarks and anti-counterfeiting activities worldwide. Significant counterfeiting of our products continues, however, and in the course of our international expansion we have experienced conflicts with various third parties that have acquired or claimed ownership rights in some trademarks that include Polo and/or a representation of a polo player astride a horse, or otherwise have contested our rights to our trademarks. We have in the past resolved certain of these conflicts through both legal action and negotiated settlements, none of which, we believe, has had a material impact on our financial condition and results of operations. We cannot guarantee that the actions we have taken to establish and protect our trademarks and other proprietary rights will be adequate to prevent counterfeiting or a material adverse effect on our business or brands arising from imitation of our products by others or to prevent others from seeking to block sales of our products as a violation of the trademarks and proprietary rights of others. Also, there can be no assurance that others will not assert rights in, or ownership of, trademarks and other proprietary rights of ours or that we will be able to successfully resolve these types of conflicts to our satisfaction or at all. In addition, the laws of certain foreign countries do not protect trademarks or other proprietary rights to the same extent as do the laws of the U.S. See Item 1 - “Business - Trademarks,” and Item 3 - “Legal Proceedings.”
Our business could suffer as a result of increases in the price of raw materials or a manufacturer’s inability to produce our goods on time and to our specifications.
We do not own or operate any manufacturing facilities and depend exclusively on independent third parties for the manufacture of all of our products. Our products are manufactured to our specifications primarily by international manufacturers. During Fiscal 2010, less than 2%, by dollar value, of our men’s and women’s products were manufactured in the U.S. and over 98%, by dollar value, of these products were manufactured in other countries. The inability of a manufacturer to ship orders of our products in a timely manner or to meet our quality standards could cause us to miss the delivery date requirements of our customers for those items, which could result in cancellation of orders, refusal to accept deliveries or a substantial reduction in purchase prices, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. Additionally, prices
of raw materials used to manufacture our products may fluctuate and increases in prices of such raw materials could have a material adverse effect on our cost of sales.
Our business could suffer if one of our manufacturers fails to use acceptable labor practices.
We require our licensing partners and independent manufacturers to operate in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. While our internal and vendor operating guidelines promote ethical business practices and our staff periodically visits and monitors the operations of our independent manufacturers, we do not control these manufacturers or their labor practices. The violation of labor or other laws by an independent manufacturer used by us or one of our licensing partners, or the divergence of an independent manufacturer’s or licensing partner’s labor practices from those generally accepted as ethical or appropriate in the U.S., could interrupt, or otherwise disrupt the shipment of finished products to us or damage our reputation. Any of these, in turn, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
Our business could suffer if we need to replace manufacturers.
We compete with other companies for the production capacity of our manufacturers and import quota capacity. Some of these competitors have greater financial and other resources than we have, and thus may have an advantage in the competition for production and import quota capacity. If we experience a significant increase in demand, or if an existing manufacturer of ours must be replaced, we may have to expand our third-party manufacturing capacity. We cannot guarantee that this additional capacity will be available when required on terms that are acceptable to us. See Item 1 - “Business - Sourcing, Production and Quality.” We enter into a number of purchase order commitments each season specifying a time for delivery, method of payment, design and quality specifications and other standard industry provisions, but do not have long-term contracts with any manufacturer. None of the manufacturers we use produce our products exclusively.
Our business is exposed to domestic and foreign currency fluctuations.
We generally purchase our products in U.S. dollars. However, we source most of our products overseas. As a result, the cost of these products may be affected by changes in the value of the relevant currencies. Changes in currency exchange rates may also affect the U.S. dollar value of the foreign currency denominated prices at which our international businesses sell products. Furthermore, our international sales and licensing revenue generally is derived from sales in foreign currencies. These foreign currencies include the Japanese Yen, the Euro and the British Pound Sterling, and this revenue could be materially affected by currency fluctuations. Although we hedge certain exposures to changes in foreign currency exchange rates arising in the ordinary course of business, we cannot assure that foreign currency fluctuations will not have a material adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations. See Item 7 - “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Market Risk Management.”
We rely on our licensing partners to preserve the value of our licenses.
The risks associated with our own products also apply to our licensed products in addition to any number of possible risks specific to a licensing partner’s business, including, for example, risks associated with a particular licensing partner’s ability to:
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obtain capital;
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manage its labor relations;
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maintain relationships with its suppliers;
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manage its credit and bankruptcy risks effectively; and
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maintain relationships with its customers.
Although a number of our license agreements prohibit licensing partners from entering into licensing arrangements with our competitors, our licensing partners generally are not precluded from offering, under other brands, the types of products covered by their license agreements with us. A substantial portion of sales of our
products by our domestic licensing partners are also made to our largest customers. While we have significant control over our licensing partners’ products and advertising, we rely on our licensing partners for, among other things, operational and financial control over their businesses. Changes in management, reduced sales of licensed products, poor execution or financial difficulties with respect to any of our licensing partners could adversely affect our revenues, both directly from reduced licensing revenue received and indirectly from reduced sales of our other products. See Item 1 - “Business - Our Licensing Segment.”
Failure to maintain licensing partners could harm our business.
Although we believe in most circumstances we could replace existing licensing partners if necessary, our inability to do so for any period of time could adversely affect our revenues, both directly from reduced licensing revenue received and indirectly from reduced sales of our other products. See Item 1 - “Our Licensing Segment.”
The voting shares of the Company’s stock are concentrated in one majority stockholder.
As of April 3, 2010, Mr. Ralph Lauren, or entities controlled by the Lauren family, owned approximately 84% of the voting power of the outstanding common stock of the Company. As a result, Mr. Lauren has the ability to exercise significant control over our business, including, without limitation, (i) the election of the Company’s Class B common stock directors, voting separately as a class, and (ii) any action requiring the approval of our stockholders, including the adoption of amendments to our certificate of incorporation and the approval of mergers or sales of all or substantially all of our assets.
The trading prices of our securities periodically may rise or fall based on the accuracy of predictions of our earnings or other financial performance.
Our business planning process is designed to maximize our long-term strength, growth and profitability, not to achieve an earnings target in any particular fiscal quarter. We believe that this longer-term focus is in the best interests of the Company and our stockholders. At the same time, however, we recognize that from time to time it may be helpful to provide investors with guidance as to our quarterly and annual forecast of net sales and earnings. While we generally expect to provide updates to our guidance when we report our results each fiscal quarter, we assume no responsibility to update any of our forward-looking statements at such times or otherwise. If and when we announce actual results that differ from those that have been predicted by us, outside analysts or others, the market price of our securities could be affected. Investors who rely on the predictions when making investment decisions with respect to our securities do so at their own risk. We take no responsibility for any losses suffered as a result of such changes in the prices of our securities.
Risks Relating to the Industry in Which We Compete
The downturn in the global economy may continue to affect consumer purchases of discretionary items and luxury retail products, which could adversely affect our sales.
The industries in which we operate are cyclical. Many economic factors outside of our control affect the level of consumer spending in the apparel, cosmetic, fragrance, accessories and home products industries, including, among others:
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general business conditions;
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economic downturns;
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employment levels;
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downturns in the stock market;
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interest rates;
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the housing market;
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consumer debt levels;
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the availability of consumer credit;
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increases in fuel prices;
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taxation; and
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consumer confidence in future economic conditions.
Consumer purchases of discretionary items and luxury retail products, including our products, may continue to decline during recessionary periods and at other times when disposable income is lower. A continuing downturn or an uncertain outlook in the economies in which we, or our licensing partners, sell our products may materially adversely affect our businesses and our revenues and profits. See Item 7 - “Overview - Our Objectives and Risks” for further discussion.
The domestic and international political situation also affects consumer confidence. The threat, outbreak or escalation of terrorism, military conflicts or other hostilities could lead to a decrease in consumer spending and may materially adversely affect our business, revenues and profits.
We face intense competition in the worldwide apparel industry.
We face a variety of intense competitive challenges from other domestic and foreign fashion-oriented apparel and casual apparel producers, some of which may be significantly larger and more diversified and have greater financial and marketing resources than we have. We compete with these companies primarily on the basis of:
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anticipating and responding to changing consumer demands in a timely manner;
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maintaining favorable brand recognition, loyalty and reputation for quality;
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developing innovative, high-quality products in sizes, colors and styles that appeal to consumers;
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appropriately pricing products;
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failure to anticipate and maintain proper inventory levels;
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providing strong and effective marketing support;
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creating an acceptable value proposition for retail customers;
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ensuring product availability and optimizing supply chain efficiencies with manufacturers and retailers; and
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obtaining sufficient retail floor space and effective presentation of our products at retail stores.
We also face increasing competition from companies selling apparel and home products through the Internet. Although we sell our products domestically through the Internet, increased competition in the worldwide apparel, accessories and home product industries from Internet-based competitors could reduce our sales, prices and margins and adversely affect our results of operations.
The success of our business depends on our ability to respond to constantly changing fashion trends and consumer demands.
Our success depends in large part on our ability to originate and define fashion product and home product trends, as well as to anticipate, gauge and react to changing consumer demands in a timely manner. Our products must appeal to a broad range of consumers worldwide whose preferences cannot be predicted with certainty and are subject to rapid change. We cannot assure that we will be able to continue to develop appealing styles or successfully meet constantly changing consumer demands in the future. In addition, we cannot assure that any new products or brands that we introduce will be successfully received by consumers. Any failure on our part to anticipate, identify and respond effectively to changing consumer demands and fashion trends could adversely affect retail and consumer acceptance of our products and leave us with a substantial amount of unsold inventory or missed opportunities. If that occurs, we may be forced to rely on markdowns or promotional sales to dispose of excess, slow-moving inventory, which may harm our business and impair the image of our brands. Conversely, if we underestimate consumer demand for our products or if manufacturers fail to supply quality products in a timely
manner, we may experience inventory shortages, which may result in unfilled orders, negatively impact customer relationships, diminish brand loyalty and result in lost revenues. See Item 1 - “Business - Sourcing, Production and Quality.”
Item 1B.
Unresolved Staff Comments.
Not applicable.
Item 2.
Properties.
We lease space for our retail and factory showrooms, and warehouse and office space in various domestic and international locations. We do not own any real property except for our distribution facility in Greensboro, North Carolina and a parcel of land adjacent to the facility, and retail stores in Southampton, New York and Nantucket, Massachusetts.
We believe that our existing facilities are well maintained, in good operating condition and are adequate for our present level of operations.
The following table sets forth information with respect to our key properties:
Approximate
Current Lease Term
Location
Use
Sq. Ft.
Expiration
Greensboro, NC
Wholesale distribution facility
1,500,000
Owned
High Point, NC
Retail distribution facility
360,000
January 31, 2023
Martinsburg, WV
Wholesale distribution facility
187,000
December 31, 2010
625 Madison Avenue, NYC
Corporate offices and home showroom
270,000
December 31, 2019
650 Madison Avenue, NYC
Executive, corporate office and design studio, Men’s showrooms
203,500
December 31, 2024
Lyndhurst, NJ
Corporate and retail administrative offices
170,000
December 31, 2019
550 7th Avenue, NYC
Corporate office, design studio and Women’s showrooms
84,000
December 31, 2018
Geneva, Switzerland
European corporate offices
60,000
March 31, 2013
London, UK
Retail flagship store
40,000
July 4, 2021
Chicago, IL
Retail flagship store
37,600
November 14, 2017
867 Madison Avenue, NYC
Retail flagship store
27,700
December 31, 2013
Paris, France
Retail flagship store
25,700
May 31, 2018
Tokyo, Japan
Retail flagship store
24,300
December 31, 2020
Beverly Hills, CA
Retail flagship store
21,600
September 30, 2023
Milan, Italy
Retail flagship store
18,300
June 30, 2015
As of April 3, 2010, we operated 350 retail stores, totaling approximately 2.6 million square feet. We anticipate that we will be able to extend our retail store leases, as well as those leases for our non-retail facilities, which expire in the near future on satisfactory terms or relocate to desirable locations.
Item 3.
Legal Proceedings.
California Class Action Litigation
On October 11, 2007 and November 2, 2007, two class action lawsuits were filed by two customers in state court in California asserting that while they were shopping at certain of the Company’s factory stores in California, the Company allegedly required them to provide certain personal information at the point-of-sale in order to complete a credit card purchase. The plaintiffs purported to represent a class of customers in California who allegedly were injured by being forced to provide their address and telephone numbers in order to use their credit
cards to purchase items from the Company’s stores, which allegedly violated Section 1747.08 of California’s Song-Beverly Act. The complaints sought an unspecified amount of statutory penalties, attorneys’ fees and injunctive relief. The Company subsequently had the actions moved to the United States District Court for the Eastern and Central Districts of California. The Company commenced mediation proceedings with respect to these lawsuits and on October 17, 2008, the Company agreed in principle to settle these claims by agreeing to issue $20 merchandise discount coupons with six month expiration dates to eligible parties and paying the plaintiffs’ attorneys’ fees. The Court granted preliminary approval of the settlement terms on July 17, 2009. In connection with this settlement, the Company recorded a $5 million reserve against its expected loss exposure during the second quarter of Fiscal 2009. As part of the required settlement process, the Company notified the relevant attorneys general regarding the potential settlement, and no objections were registered. At a hearing on December 7, 2009, the Court held that the terms of the settlement were fair, just and reasonable and provided fair compensation for class members. In addition, the Court overruled an objection that had been filed by a single customer. The Court then denied the objector’s subsequent motion for the Court to reconsider its order on the fairness of the settlement. The period within which the objector had to appeal or otherwise seek relief from the Court’s orders expired in February 2010 without an appeal and the settlement is effective. Accordingly, the coupons were issued in February with an expiration date of August 16, 2010. Based on coupon redemption experience to date, the Company reversed $1.7 million of its original $5 million reserve into income during the fourth quarter of Fiscal 2010.
Wathne Imports Litigation
On August 19, 2005, Wathne Imports, Ltd. (“Wathne”), our then domestic licensee for luggage and handbags, filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York against the Company and Ralph Lauren, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, asserting, among other things, federal trademark law violations, breach of contract, breach of obligations of good faith and fair dealing, fraud and negligent misrepresentation. The complaint sought, among other relief, injunctive relief, compensatory damages in excess of $250 million and punitive damages of not less than $750 million. On September 13, 2005, Wathne withdrew this complaint from the U.S. District Court and filed a complaint in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, New York County, making substantially the same allegations and claims (excluding the federal trademark claims), and seeking similar relief. On February 1, 2006, the Court granted our motion to dismiss all of the causes of action, including the cause of action against Mr. Lauren, except for breach of contract related claims, and denied Wathne’s motion for a preliminary injunction. Following some discovery, we moved for summary judgment on the remaining claims. Wathne cross-moved for partial summary judgment. In an April 11, 2008 Decision and Order, the Court granted Polo’s summary judgment motion to dismiss most of the claims against the Company, and denied Wathne’s cross-motion for summary judgment. Wathne appealed the dismissal of its claims to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court. Following a hearing on May 19, 2009, the Appellate Division issued a Decision and Order on June 9, 2009 which, in large part, affirmed the lower court’s ruling. Discovery on those claims that were not dismissed is ongoing and a trial date has not yet been set. We intend to continue to contest the remaining claims in this lawsuit vigorously. Management does not expect that the ultimate resolution of this matter will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s liquidity or financial position.
California Labor Litigation
On May 30, 2006, four former employees of our Ralph Lauren stores in Palo Alto and San Francisco, California filed a lawsuit in the San Francisco Superior Court alleging violations of California wage and hour laws. The plaintiffs purported to represent a class of employees who allegedly had been injured by not properly being paid commission earnings, not being paid overtime, not receiving rest breaks, being forced to work off of the clock while waiting to enter or leave stores and being falsely imprisoned while waiting to leave stores. The complaint sought an unspecified amount of compensatory damages, damages for emotional distress, disgorgement of profits, punitive damages, attorneys’ fees and injunctive and declaratory relief. Subsequent to answering the complaint, we had the action moved to the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. On July 8, 2008, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California granted plaintiffs’ motion for class certification and subsequently denied our motion to decertify the class. On November 5, 2008, the District Court stayed litigation of the rest break claims pending the resolution of a separate California Supreme Court case on the standards of class treatment for rest break claims. On January 25, 2010, the District Court granted plaintiffs’ motion to sever the rest
break claims from the rest of the case and denied our motion to decertify the waiting time claims. The District Court also ordered that a trial be held on the waiting time and overtime claims, which commenced on March 8, 2010. During trial, the parties reached an agreement to settle all of the claims in the litigation, including the rest break claims, for $4 million. The District Court held a hearing on May 14, 2010 and advised the parties that it would grant preliminary approval of the settlement. Once the Court enters an order granting preliminary approval of the settlement, the members of the class will have 60 days from the date of preliminary approval to submit claims or object to the settlement. A hearing has been scheduled for August 20, 2010 for the District Court to determine if final approval of the settlement should be granted. In connection with this settlement, the Company recorded a $4 million reserve against its expected loss exposure during the fourth quarter of Fiscal 2010.
Other Matters
We are otherwise involved, from time to time, in litigation, other legal claims and proceedings involving matters associated with or incidental to our business, including, among other things, matters involving credit card fraud, trademark and other intellectual property, licensing, and employee relations. We believe that the resolution of currently pending matters will not individually or in the aggregate have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations. However, our assessment of the current litigation or other legal claims could change in light of the discovery of facts not presently known to us or determinations by judges, juries or other finders of fact which are not in accord with management’s evaluation of the possible liability or outcome of such litigation or claims.
PART II
Item 5.
Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.
Our Class A common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the symbol “RL.” The following table sets forth the high and low sales prices per share of the Class A common stock, as reported on the NYSE Composite Tape, and the cash dividends per common share declared for each quarterly period in our two most recent fiscal years:
Since 2003, the Company has maintained a regular quarterly cash dividend program on its common stock. On November 4, 2009, the Company’s Board of Directors approved an increase to the Company’s quarterly cash dividend on its common stock from $0.05 per share to $0.10 per share. Approximately $30 million was recorded as a reduction to retained earnings during Fiscal 2010 in connection with the Company’s dividends.
As of May 21, 2010, there were 1,103 holders of record of our Class A common stock and 15 holders of record of our Class B common stock. All of our outstanding shares of Class B common stock are owned by Mr. Ralph Lauren, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, and entities controlled by the Lauren family and are
convertible at any time into shares of Class A common stock on a one-for-one basis. During Fiscal 2010, Mr. Lauren converted 1.2 million shares of Class B common stock into an equal number of shares of Class A common stock pursuant to the terms of the security.
The following table sets forth the repurchases of shares of our Class A common stock during the fiscal quarter ended April 3, 2010:
(1)
Except as noted below, these purchases were made on the open market under the Company’s Class A common stock repurchase program. On November 4, 2009, the Company’s Board of Directors approved an expansion of the Company’s existing common stock repurchase program that allows the Company to repurchase up to an additional $225 million of Class A common stock. Repurchases of shares of Class A common stock are subject to overall business and market conditions. This program does not have a fixed termination date.
On May 18, 2010, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a further expansion of the Company’s existing common stock repurchase program that allows the Company to repurchase up to an additional $275 million of Class A common stock.
(2)
Represents shares surrendered to, or withheld by, the Company in satisfaction of withholding taxes in connection with the vesting of an award under the Company’s 1997 Long-Term Stock Incentive Plan.
The following graph compares the cumulative total stockholder return (stock price appreciation plus dividends) on our Class A common stock with the cumulative total return of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, and a peer group index of companies that we believe are similar to ours (the “Peer Group”) for the period from April 1, 2005, the last trading day in the Company’s 2005 fiscal year, through April 1, 2010, the last trading day in the Company’s 2010 fiscal year. Our Peer Group consists of Coach, Estee Lauder, Jones Apparel, Kenneth Cole, Liz Claiborne, Phillips Van Heusen, Tiffany & Co., VF Corp., Warnaco, LVMH, Burberry, PPR SA, Hermes International, Richemont, Luxottica and Tod’s Group. All calculations done for foreign companies in our Peer Group are made using the local foreign issue of such companies. The returns are calculated by assuming an investment in the Class A common stock and each index of $100 on April 1, 2005, with all dividends reinvested.
COMPARISON OF 5 YEAR CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN*
Among Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation, The S&P 500 Index
And A Peer Group
*
$100 invested on 4/1/05 in stock or 3/31/05 in index, including reinvestment of dividends. Index calculated on month-end basis.
Copyright©
2010 S&P, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. All rights reserved.
Item 6.
Selected Financial Data.
See the “Index to Consolidated Financial Statements and Supplementary Information,” and specifically “Selected Financial Information” appearing at the end of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. This selected financial data should be read in conjunction with Item 7 - “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and Item 8 - “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Historical results may not be indicative of future results.
Item 7.
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
The following management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations (“MD&A”) should be read together with our audited consolidated financial statements and footnotes, which are included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for Fiscal 2010 (“Fiscal 2010 10-K”). We utilize a 52-53 week fiscal year ending on the Saturday closest to March 31. As such, fiscal year 2010 ended on April 3, 2010 and reflected a 53-week period (“Fiscal 2010”); fiscal year 2009 ended on March 28, 2009 and reflected a 52-week period (“Fiscal 2009”); and fiscal year 2008 ended on March 29, 2008 and also reflected a 52-week period (“Fiscal 2008”). The inclusion of the 53rd week
in Fiscal 2010 resulted in incremental revenues of approximately $70 million and increased net income of approximately $13 million.
INTRODUCTION
MD&A is provided as a supplement to the accompanying audited consolidated financial statements and footnotes to help provide an understanding of our financial condition and liquidity, changes in financial condition, and results of our operations. MD&A is organized as follows:
•
Overview. This section provides a general description of our business, including our objectives and risks, and a summary of financial performance for Fiscal 2010. In addition, this section includes a discussion of recent developments and transactions affecting comparability that we believe are important in understanding our results of operations and financial condition, and in anticipating future trends.
•
Results of operations. This section provides an analysis of our results of operations for Fiscal 2010, Fiscal 2009 and Fiscal 2008.
•
Financial condition and liquidity. This section provides an analysis of our cash flows for Fiscal 2010, Fiscal 2009 and Fiscal 2008, as well as a discussion of our financial condition and liquidity as of April 3, 2010. The discussion of our financial condition and liquidity includes (i) our available financial capacity under our credit facility, (ii) a summary of our key debt compliance measures and (iii) a summary of our outstanding debt and commitments as of April 3, 2010.
•
Market risk management. This section discusses how we manage our risk exposures related to interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates and our investments, as well as the underlying market conditions as of April 3, 2010.
•
Critical accounting policies. This section discusses accounting policies considered to be important to our financial condition and results of operations, which require significant judgment and estimation on the part of management in their application. In addition, all of our significant accounting policies, including our critical accounting policies, are summarized in Notes 3 and 4 to our accompanying audited consolidated financial statements.
•
Recently issued accounting standards. This section discusses the potential impact to our reported financial condition and results of operations of accounting standards that have been recently issued.
OVERVIEW
Our Business
Our Company is a global leader in the design, marketing and distribution of premium lifestyle products including men’s, women’s and children’s apparel, accessories, fragrances and home furnishings. Our long-standing
reputation and distinctive image have been consistently developed across an expanding number of products, brands and international markets. Our brand names include Polo by Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Ralph Lauren Women’s Collection, Black Label, Blue Label, Lauren by Ralph Lauren, RRL, RLX, Rugby, Ralph Lauren Childrenswear, American Living, Chaps and Club Monaco, among others.
We classify our businesses into three segments: Wholesale, Retail and Licensing. Our wholesale business (representing approximately 51% of Fiscal 2010 net revenues) consists of wholesale-channel sales made principally to major department stores, specialty stores and golf and pro shops located throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe and Asia. Our retail business (representing approximately 45% of Fiscal 2010 net revenues) consists of retail-channel sales directly to consumers through full-price and factory retail stores located throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, South America and Asia, through concessions-based shop-within-shops located primarily in Asia, and through our retail internet sites located at www.RalphLauren.com and www.Rugby.com. In addition, our licensing business (representing approximately 4% of Fiscal 2010 net revenues) consists of royalty-based arrangements under which we license the right to third parties to use our various trademarks in connection with the manufacture and sale of designated products, such as apparel, eyewear and fragrances, in specified geographical areas for specified periods. Approximately 30% of our Fiscal 2010 net revenues was earned in international regions outside of the U.S. and Canada. See Note 22 to the accompanying audited consolidated financial statements for a summary of net revenues by geographic location.
In connection with the closing of the Asia-Pacific Licensed Operations Acquisition (as defined and discussed under “Recent Developments”) at the beginning of the fourth quarter of Fiscal 2010, we restated our segment presentation to reclassify concessions-based sales arrangements to our Retail segment from our Wholesale segment. Segment information for Fiscal 2009 has been recast to conform to the current period’s presentation. In periods prior to Fiscal 2009, segment information has not been recast to conform to the current period’s presentation, as it is impracticable to do so. See Note 2 to the accompanying audited consolidated financial statements for further discussion of the restatement of our segment presentation.
Our business is typically affected by seasonal trends, with higher levels of wholesale sales in our second and fourth quarters and higher retail sales in our second and third quarters. These trends result primarily from the timing of seasonal wholesale shipments and key vacation travel, back-to-school and holiday shopping periods in the Retail segment.
Our Objectives and Risks
Our core strengths include a portfolio of global luxury lifestyle brands, a strong and experienced management team, a proven ability to develop and extend our brands distributed through multiple retail channels in global markets, a disciplined investment philosophy and a solid balance sheet. Despite the various risks associated with the current global economic environment as further discussed below, we believe our core strengths will allow us to continue to execute our strategy for long-term sustainable growth in revenue, net income and operating cash flow.
Our financial performance has been driven by the Company’s focus on six key objectives:
•
Creating unique businesses primarily centered around one core and heritage-driven brand;
•
Diversifying and expanding our products and prices, distribution channels and geographic regions;
•
Improving brand control and positioning;
•
Focusing on selective strategic partnerships;
•
Implementing infrastructure improvements that support a worldwide business; and
•
Funding our expansion through strong operating cash flow.
As our business has grown, our portfolio mix and brand control has evolved from primarily that of a mono-brand U.S. centric menswear wholesaler with a broad array of product and geographic licenses to that of a portfolio of lifestyle brands with a “direct control” model over most of our brands, products and international territories. We believe that this broader and better-diversified portfolio mix positions us for ongoing growth, offering our customers
a range of products, price points and channels of distribution, and our size and global operations favorably position us to take advantage of synergies in design, sourcing and distribution.
While balancing our long-term key strategic objectives with our near-term priorities to manage through the many risks associated with the weakened global economic environment and related reduction in consumer spending levels, we intend to continue to pursue select opportunities for growth during the course of Fiscal 2011 and beyond. These opportunities and continued investment initiatives include:
•
International Growth Opportunities
Ø
Ongoing development and integration of our recently acquired businesses in Asia-Pacific, including the continued execution of our plans to enhance our supporting organizational infrastructure and expand our retail businesses.
•
Direct-to-Consumer Growth Opportunities
Ø
Global expansion of our direct-to-consumer presence in various formats and key markets, including e-commerce operations in Europe.
•
Product Innovation and Brand Extension Growth Opportunities
Ø
Further development of a wide array of luxury accessories product offerings, including handbags, footwear, small leathergoods and watches/jewelry; and
Ø
The continued expansion of our Lauren product line in international markets.
•
Investment in Operational Infrastructure
Ø
Further systems enhancements and implementations to meet the expanding needs of our global organization.
•
Disciplined Cost Management
Ø
The ongoing evaluation of strategies to better align our cost structure with lower sales trends associated with reduced levels of consumer spending.
Global Economic Developments
The state of the global economy has continued to negatively impact the level of consumer spending for discretionary items over the course of the past year. This has affected our business as it is highly dependent on consumer demand for our products. Particularly, beginning in October 2008, our Retail segment began to experience sharp declines in comparable store sales, as did many of our traditional wholesale customers. These retail store declines continued until the second half of Fiscal 2010 when our Retail segment experienced positive comparable store sales growth due largely to the anniversarying of the lower benchmarks created in the prior year, as well as the realization of higher margins relating to improved inventory management and less promotional activity.
While recent statistics indicate that the U.S. and certain other international economies are showing some signs of stabilization, there are still significant macroeconomic risks, including high rates of unemployment and growing economic uncertainty in Europe. As such, we believe the global macroeconomic environment and the related contraction in the level of worldwide consumer spending will likely continue to have a negative effect on our sales and operating margins across all segments through at least Fiscal 2011. We also anticipate that current inflationary pressures on raw material and fuel costs will likely negatively affect the cost of our products and related gross profit percentages in Fiscal 2011.
We continue to monitor these risks and continually evaluate our operating strategies to adjust to any changes in economic conditions.
For a detailed discussion of significant risk factors that have the potential to cause our actual results to differ materially from our expectations, see Part I,

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ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS

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ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

---

ITEM 2. PROPERTIES

---

ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

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ITEM 4. RESERVED

---

ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY

---

ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

---

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

---

ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Item 7A.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk.
For a discussion of the Company’s exposure to market risk, see “Market Risk Management” in Item 7 included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
Item 8.
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
See the “Index to Consolidated Financial Statements” appearing at the end of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS
Item 9.
Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.
Not applicable.

---

ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Item 9A.
Controls and Procedures.
(a) Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Disclosure controls and procedures are the controls and other procedures of an issuer that are designed to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed by the issuer in the reports that it files or submits under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time period specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that material information required to be disclosed by an issuer in the reports that it files or submits under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is accumulated and communicated to the issuer’s management, including its principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
We have evaluated, under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures, as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as of the end of the fiscal year covered by this annual report. Based on that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective at the reasonable assurance level, as of the fiscal year end covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
(b) Management’s Report of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as defined in Securities Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(f). Internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Internal control over financial reporting includes maintaining records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect our transactions; providing reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary for preparation of our financial statements; providing reasonable assurance that receipts and expenditures of the Company’s assets are made in accordance with management authorization; and providing reasonable assurance that unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a material effect on our financial statements would be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting is not intended to provide absolute assurance that a misstatement of our financial statements would be prevented or detected. Further, the evaluation of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting was made as of a specific date, and continued effectiveness in future periods is subject to the risks that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions or that the degree of compliance with the policies and procedures may decline.
Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, we conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of the end of the fiscal year covered by this report based on the framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (“COSO”) in Internal Control-Integrated Framework. Based on this evaluation, management concluded that the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting were effective at the reasonable assurance level as of the fiscal year end covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
During the fourth quarter of Fiscal 2010, the Company acquired control of the Polo-branded apparel business in Asia-Pacific (excluding Japan) from Dickson that was formerly conducted under a licensed arrangement (the “Asia-Pacific Licensed Operations Acquisition,” as discussed in Note 5 to the accompanying audited consolidated financial statements). The Company is in the process of evaluating Dickson’s internal controls. However, as permitted by related SEC Staff interpretive guidance for newly acquired businesses, the Company excluded Dickson from management’s annual assessment of the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over
financial reporting as of April 3, 2010. In the aggregate, Dickson represented 2.8% of the total consolidated assets and 0.6% of total consolidated revenues of the Company as of and for the fiscal year ended April 3, 2010.
Ernst & Young LLP, the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, has issued an attestation report on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as included elsewhere herein.
(c) Changes in Internal Controls over Financial Reporting
Except as discussed below, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting during the fourth quarter of Fiscal 2010 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
Asia-Pacific Licensed Operations Acquisition
In connection with the Asia-Pacific Licensed Operations Acquisition, the Company has developed a supporting infrastructure covering all critical operations, including but not limited to, merchandising, sales, inventory management, customer service, distribution, store operations, real estate management, finance and other administrative areas. As part of the development of this infrastructure, the Company has implemented various processes, systems, and internal controls to support the business.

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ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
Item 9B.
Other Information.
Not applicable.
PART III

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ITEM 10. DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
Item 10.
Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance.
Information relating to our directors and corporate governance will be set forth in the Company’s proxy statement for its 2010 annual meeting of stockholders to be filed within 120 days after April 3, 2010 (the “Proxy Statement”) and is incorporated by reference herein. Information relating to our executive officers is set forth in Item I of this Annual Report on Form 10-K under the caption “Executive Officers.”
The Company has a Code of Ethics for Principal Executive Officers and Senior Financial Officers that applies to our principal executive officer, our principal operating officer, our principal financial officer, our principal accounting officer and our controller. You can find our Code of Ethics for Principal Executive Officers and Senior Financial Officers on our internet site, http://investor.ralphlauren.com. We will post any amendments to the Code of Ethics for Principal Executive Officers and Senior Financial Officers and any waivers that are required to be disclosed by the rules of either the SEC or the NYSE on our internet site.

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ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Item 11.
Executive Compensation.
Information relating to executive and director compensation will be set forth in the Proxy Statement and such information is incorporated by reference herein.

---

ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP
Item 12.
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters.
Equity Compensation Plan Information as of April 3, 2010
The following table sets forth information as of April 3, 2010 regarding compensation plans under which the Company’s equity securities are authorized for issuance:
(1)
Consists of 5,054,838 options to purchase shares of our Class A common stock and 2,088,020 restricted stock units (including 266,667 of service-based restricted stock units that have fully vested but have not yet been issued as of April 3, 2010) that are payable solely in shares of Class A common stock. Does not include 11,438 outstanding restricted shares that are subject to forfeiture.
(2)
Represents the weighted average exercise price of the outstanding stock options. No exercise price is payable with respect to the outstanding restricted stock units.
(3)
All of the securities remaining available for future issuance set forth in column (c) may be in the form of options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance awards or other stock-based awards under the Company’s Amended and Restated 1997 Long-Term Stock Incentive Plan. An additional 11,438 outstanding shares of restricted stock granted under the Company’s Amended and Restated 1997 Long-Term Stock Incentive Plan that remain subject to forfeiture are not reflected in column (c).
Other information relating to security ownership of certain beneficial owners and management will be set forth in the Proxy Statement and such information is incorporated by reference herein.

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ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
Item 13.
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.
The information required to be included by Item 13 of Form 10-K will be included in the Proxy Statement and such information is incorporated by reference herein.

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ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES
Item 14.
Principal Accounting Fees and Services.
The information required to be included by Item 14 of Form 10-K will be included in the Proxy Statement and such information is incorporated by reference herein.
PART IV

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ITEM 15. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
Item 15.
Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules.
(a) 1.,
2. Financial Statements and Financial Statement Schedules. See index on Page.
3. Exhibits
Exhibit
Number
Description
.1
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company (filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-24733) (the “S-1”))*
.2
Second Amended and Restated By-laws of the Company (filed as Exhibit 10.2 to the Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 29, 2007)*
.1
Registration Rights Agreement dated as of June 9, 1997 by and among Ralph Lauren, GS Capital Partners, L.P., GS Capital Partner PRL Holding I, L.P., GS Capital Partners PRL Holding II, L.P., Stone Street Fund 1994, L.P., Stone Street 1994 Subsidiary Corp., Bridge Street Fund 1994, L.P., and Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation (filed as Exhibit 10.3 to the S-1)*
.2
U.S.A. Design and Consulting Agreement, dated January 1, 1985, between Ralph Lauren, individually and d/b/a Ralph Lauren Design Studio, and Cosmair, Inc., and letter Agreement related thereto dated January 1, 1985** (filed as Exhibit 10.4 to the S-1)*
.3
Restated U.S.A. License Agreement, dated January 1, 1985, between Ricky Lauren and Mark N. Kaplan, as Licensor, and Cosmair, Inc., as Licensee, and letter Agreement related thereto dated January 1, 1985** (filed as Exhibit 10.5 to the S-1)*
.4
Foreign Design and Consulting Agreement, dated January 1, 1985, between Ralph Lauren, individually and d/b/a Ralph Lauren Design Studio, as Licensor, and L’Oreal S.A., as Licensee, and letter Agreements related thereto dated January 1, 1985, September 16, 1994 and October 25, 1994** (filed as Exhibit 10.6 to the S-1)*
.5
Restated Foreign License Agreement, dated January 1, 1985, between The Polo/Lauren Company, as Licensor, and L’Oreal S.A., as Licensee, Letter Agreement related thereto dated January 1, 1985, and Supplementary Agreement thereto, dated October 1, 1991** (filed as Exhibit 10.7 to the S-1)*
.6
Amendment, dated November 27, 1992, to Foreign Design and Consulting Agreement and Restated Foreign License Agreement** (filed as Exhibit 10.8 to the S-1)*
.7
Agency Agreement dated October 5, 2006, between Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation and Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch and Deutsche Bank Luxemburg S.A., as fiscal and principal paying agent (filed as Exhibit 10.2 to the Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended December 30, 2006)*
.8
Form of Indemnification Agreement between Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation and its Directors and Executive Officers (filed as Exhibit 10.26 to the S-1)*
.9
Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, effective as of October 14, 2009, between Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation and Roger N. Farah (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Form 8-K dated October 14, 2009)*
.10
Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, dated as of June 17, 2003, between Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation and Ralph Lauren (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 28, 2003)*
.11
Non-Qualified Stock Option Agreement, dated as of June 8, 2004, between Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation and Ralph Lauren (filed as Exhibit 10.14 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 2, 2005 (the “Fiscal 10-K”))*
.12
Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement, dated as of June 8, 2004, between Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation and Ralph Lauren (filed as Exhibit 10.15 to the Fiscal 2006 10-K)*
.13
Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation Executive Officer Annual Incentive Plan, as amended as of August 9, 2007 (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended December 29, 2007)*
.14
Amendment No. 1, dated March 29, 2010, to the Amended and Restated Employment Agreement between Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation and Roger N. Farah
.15
Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement, dated as of July 1, 2004, between Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation and Roger N. Farah (filed as Exhibit 10.18 to the Fiscal 2006 10-K)*
.16
Amendment No. 1, dated as of December 23, 2008, to the Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement between Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation and Roger N. Farah (filed as Exhibit 10.2 to the Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended December 27, 2008)*
Exhibit
Number
Description
.17
Restricted Stock Award Agreement, dated as of July 23, 2002, between Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation and Roger N. Farah (filed as Exhibit 10.19 to the Fiscal 2006 10-K)*
.18
Non-Qualified Stock Option Agreement, dated as of July 23, 2002, between Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation and Roger N. Farah (filed as Exhibit 10.20 to the Fiscal 2006 10-K)*
.19
Deferred Compensation Agreement, dated as of September 19, 2002, between Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation and Roger N. Farah (filed as Exhibit 10.21 to the Fiscal 2006 10-K)*
.20
Asset Purchase Agreement by and among Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation, RL Childrenswear Company, LLC and The Seller Affiliate Group (as defined therein) dated March 25, 2004 (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended July 3, 2004)*
.21
Amendment No. 1, dated as of July 2, 2004, to Asset Purchase Agreement by and among Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation, RL Childrenswear Company, LLC and The Seller Affiliate Group (as defined therein) (filed as Exhibit 10.2 to the Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended July 3, 2004)*
.22
Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation 1997 Long-Term Stock Incentive Plan, as Amended and Restated as of August 12, 2004 (filed as Exhibit 99.1 to the Form 8-K dated August 12, 2004)*
.23
Amendment, dated as of June 30, 2006, to the Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation 1997 Long-Term Stock Incentive Plan, as Amended and Restated as of August 12, 2004 (filed as Exhibit 10.4 to the Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended July 1, 2006)*
.24
Amendment No. 2, dated as of May 21, 2009, to the Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation 1997 Long-Term Stock Incentive Plan, as Amended and Restated as of August 12, 2004 (filed as Exhibit 10.26 to the Fiscal 2009 10-K)*
.25
Cliff Restricted Performance Share Unit Award Overview containing the standard terms of restricted performance share awards under the Stock Incentive Plan (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended July 1, 2006)*
.26
Pro-Rata Restricted Performance Share Unit Award Overview containing the standard terms of restriction performance share awards under the Stock Incentive Plan (filed as Exhibit 10.3 to the Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended July 1, 2006)*
.27
Stock Option Award Overview - U.S. containing the standard terms of stock option award under the Stock Incentive Plan (filed as Exhibit 10.2 to the Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended July 1, 2006)*
.28
Definitive Agreement, dated April 13, 2007, among Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation, PRL Japan Kabushiki Kaisha, Onward Kashiyama Co., Ltd and Impact 21 Co., Ltd.(filed as Exhibit 10.27 to the Fiscal 2008 10-K)*
.29
Amended and Restated Credit Agreement as of May 22, 2007 to the Credit Agreement, dated as of November 28, 2006, among Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation, Polo JP Acqui B.V., the lenders party thereto, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2007)*
.30
Amendment and Restatement Agreement, dated as of May 22, 2007, among Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation, Polo JP Acqui B.V., the lenders party thereto, The Bank of New York, Citibank, N.A., Bank of America, N.A. and Wachovia Bank National Association, as syndication agents, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and Deutsche Bank Securities, s co-agents and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent under the Credit Agreement dated as of November 28, 2006 among Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation, the lenders from time to time party thereto and the agents party thereto (filed as Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2007)*
.31
Employment Agreement, effective as of October 14, 2009, between Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation and Jackwyn Nemerov (filed as Exhibit 10.2 to the Form 8-K dated October 14, 2009)*
.32
Employment Agreement, effective as of September 28, 2009, between Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation and Tracey T. Travis (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Form 8-K dated September 28, 2009)*
.33
Employment Agreement, effective as of October 14, 2009, between Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation and Mitchell A. Kosh (filed as Exhibit 10.3 to the Form 8-K dated October 14, 2009)*
.34
Cross Default and Term Extension Agreement, dated May 11, 1998, among PRL USA, Inc., The Polo/Lauren Company, L.P., Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation, Jones Apparel Group, Inc. and Jones Investment Co., Inc. (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended December 28, 2002)*
.35
Amended and Restated Polo Ralph Lauren Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended December 31, 2005)*
.1
Code of Ethics for Principal Executive Officers and Senior Financial Officers (filed as Exhibit 14.1 to the Fiscal Form 10-K)*
Exhibit
Number
Description
.1
List of Significant Subsidiaries of the Company
.1
Consent of Ernst & Young LLP
.2
Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP
.1
Certification of Ralph Lauren required by 17 CFR 240.13a-14(a)
.2
Certification of Tracey T. Travis required by 17 CFR 240.13a-14(a)
.1
Certification of Ralph Lauren Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
.2
Certification of Tracey T. Travis Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
Exhibits 32.1 and 32.2 shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or otherwise subject to the liability of that Section. Such exhibits shall not be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
*
Incorporated herein by reference.

Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.
**
Portions of Exhibits 10.2-10.6 have been omitted pursuant to a request for confidential treatment and have been filed separately with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, on June 2, 2010.
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
By:
/s/ TRACEY T. TRAVIS
Tracey T. Travis
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated:
Signature
Title
Date
/s/ RALPH LAUREN
Ralph Lauren
Chairman of the Board, Chief
Executive Officer and Director
(Principal Executive Officer)
June 2, 2010
/s/ ROGER N. FARAH
Roger N. Farah
President, Chief Operating Officer
and Director
June 2, 2010
/s/ JACKWYN L. NEMEROV
Jackwyn L. Nemerov
Executive Vice President and Director
June 2, 2010
/s/ TRACEY T. TRAVIS
Tracey T. Travis
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial
and Accounting Officer)
June 2, 2010
/s/ JOHN R. ALCHIN
John R. Alchin
Director
June 2, 2010
/s/ ARNOLD H. ARONSON
Arnold H. Aronson
Director
June 2, 2010
/s/ FRANK A. BENNACK, JR.
Frank A. Bennack, Jr.
Director
June 2, 2010
/s/ DR. JOYCE F. BROWN
Dr. Joyce F. Brown
Director
June 2, 2010
/s/ JOEL L. FLEISHMAN
Joel L. Fleishman
Director
June 2, 2010
Signature
Title
Date
/s/ HUBERT JOLY
Hubert Joly
Director
June 2, 2010
/s/ STEVEN P. MURPHY
Steven P. Murphy
Director
June 2, 2010
/s/ ROBERT C. WRIGHT
Robert C. Wright
Director
June 2, 2010
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
Page
Consolidated Financial Statements:
Consolidated Balance Sheets
Consolidated Statements of Operations
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
Consolidated Statements of Equity
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Management’s Report on Responsibility for Financial Statements
Reports of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firms
Supplementary Information:
Selected Financial Information
Quarterly Financial Information
EX-10.14
EX-21.1
EX-23.1
EX-23.2
EX-31.1
EX-31.2
EX-32.1
EX-32.2
All schedules are omitted because they are not applicable or the required information is shown in the consolidated financial statements or notes thereto.
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
See accompanying notes.
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
See accompanying notes.
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
See accompanying notes.
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY
(a)
Includes Class A and Class B common stock. In Fiscal 2010, 1.2 million shares of Class B common stock was converted into an equal number of shares of Class A common stock pursuant to the terms of the security (see Note 18).
(b)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss).
(c)
Includes income tax benefits relating to the stock-based compensation arrangements of approximately $25 million in Fiscal 2010, $12 million in Fiscal 2009 and $34 million in Fiscal 2008.
See accompanying notes.
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
1.
Description of Business
Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation (“PRLC”) is a global leader in the design, marketing and distribution of premium lifestyle products, including men’s, women’s and children’s apparel, accessories, fragrances and home furnishings. PRLC’s long-standing reputation and distinctive image have been consistently developed across an expanding number of products, brands and international markets. PRLC’s brand names include Polo by Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Ralph Lauren Women’s Collection, Black Label, Blue Label, Lauren by Ralph Lauren, RRL, RLX, Rugby, Ralph Lauren Childrenswear, American Living, Chaps and Club Monaco, among others. PRLC and its subsidiaries are collectively referred to herein as the “Company,” “we,” “us,” “our” and “ourselves,” unless the context indicates otherwise.
The Company classifies its businesses into three segments: Wholesale, Retail and Licensing. The Company’s wholesale sales are made principally to major department and specialty stores located throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia. The Company also sells directly to consumers through full-price and factory retail stores located throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, South America and Asia, through concessions-based shop-within-shops located primarily in Asia, and through its retail internet sites located at www.RalphLauren.com and www.Rugby.com. In addition, the Company often licenses the right to unrelated third parties to use its various trademarks in connection with the manufacture and sale of designated products, such as apparel, eyewear and fragrances, in specified geographical areas for specified periods.
2.
Basis of Presentation
Basis of Consolidation
The consolidated financial statements present the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Company and all entities in which the Company has a controlling voting interest. The consolidated financial statements also include the accounts of any variable interest entities in which the Company is considered to be the primary beneficiary and such entities are required to be consolidated in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (“US GAAP”).
All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
Fiscal Year
The Company utilizes a 52-53 week fiscal year ending on the Saturday closest to March 31. As such, fiscal year 2010 ended on April 3, 2010 and reflected a 53-week period (“Fiscal 2010”); fiscal year 2009 ended on March 28, 2009 and reflected a 52-week period (“Fiscal 2009”); and fiscal year 2008 ended on March 29, 2008 and also reflected a 52-week period (“Fiscal 2008”). The inclusion of the 53rd week
in Fiscal 2010 resulted in incremental revenues of approximately $70 million and increased net income of approximately $13 million.
In April 2009, the Company performed an internal legal entity reorganization of certain of its wholly owned Japan subsidiaries. As a result of the reorganization, the Company’s former Polo Ralph Lauren Japan Corporation and Impact 21 Co., Ltd. subsidiaries were merged into a new wholly owned subsidiary named Polo Ralph Lauren Kabushiki Kaisha (“PRL KK”). The financial position and operating results of the Company’s consolidated PRL KK entity are reported on a one-month lag. Accordingly, the Company’s operating results for Fiscal 2010, Fiscal 2009 and Fiscal 2008 include the operating results of PRL KK for the twelve-month periods ended February 28, 2010, February 28, 2009 and February 29, 2008, respectively. The net effect of this reporting lag is not material to the consolidated financial statements.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with US GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and footnotes thereto. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.
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Significant estimates inherent in the preparation of the consolidated financial statements include reserves for customer returns, discounts, end-of-season markdowns and operational chargebacks; the realizability of inventory; reserves for litigation and other contingencies; useful lives and impairments of long-lived tangible and intangible assets; accounting for income taxes and related uncertain tax positions; the valuation of stock-based compensation and related expected forfeiture rates; reserves for restructuring; and accounting for business combinations.
Reclassifications
On December 31, 2009, the Company acquired certain assets from Dickson Concepts International Limited (“Dickson”), its former licensee of Polo-branded apparel in Asia-Pacific (excluding Japan), and assumed direct control of its business in that region (the “Asia-Pacific Licensed Operations Acquisition”). Dickson formerly conducted the Company’s business in Asia-Pacific (excluding Japan) through a combination of freestanding owned stores, freestanding licensed stores and shop-within-shops at department stores or malls. The terms of trade for shop-within-shops were largely conducted on a concessions basis, whereby inventory continued to be owned by the Company (not the department store) until ultimate sale to the end consumer and the salespeople involved in the sales transaction were employees of the Company. As management believes that this concessions-based sales model possesses more attributes of a retail model than a wholesale model, it was determined that all concessions-based sales arrangements (including those conducted in Japan) should be classified within the Company’s Retail segment, in contrast to the historical classification within its Wholesale segment. Accordingly, effective with the closing of the Asia-Pacific Licensed Operations Acquisition at the beginning of the fourth quarter of Fiscal 2010, the Company restated its segment presentation to reclassify concessions-based sales arrangements to its Retail segment from its Wholesale segment. There have been no changes in total revenue, total operating income or total assets as a result of this change. Segment information for Fiscal 2009 has been recast to conform to the current period’s presentation. In periods prior to Fiscal 2009, segment information has not been recast to conform to the current period’s presentation, as it is impracticable to do so. See Note 22 for further discussion of the Company’s segment information.
Certain other reclassifications have been made to the prior years’ financial information in order to conform to the current year’s presentation, including to reflect the adoption of recent accounting guidance related to noncontrolling interests.
3.
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Revenue Recognition
Revenue is recognized across all segments of the business when there is persuasive evidence of an arrangement, delivery has occurred, price has been fixed or is determinable, and collectibility is reasonably assured.
Revenue within the Company’s Wholesale segment is recognized at the time title passes and risk of loss is transferred to customers. Wholesale revenue is recorded net of estimates of returns, discounts, end-of-season markdowns, operational chargebacks and certain cooperative advertising allowances. Returns and allowances require pre-approval from management and discounts are based on trade terms. Estimates for end-of-season markdown reserves are based on historical trends, seasonal results, an evaluation of current economic and market conditions and retailer performance. Estimates for operational chargebacks are based on actual notifications of order fulfillment discrepancies and historical trends. The Company reviews and refines these estimates on a quarterly basis. The Company’s historical estimates of these costs have not differed materially from actual results.
Retail store and concessions-based shop-within-shop revenue is recognized net of estimated returns at the time of sale to consumers. E-commerce revenue from sales of products ordered through the Company’s retail internet sites at RalphLauren.com and Rugby.com is recognized upon delivery and receipt of the shipment by its customers. Such revenue also is reduced by an estimate of returns.
Gift cards issued by the Company are recorded as a liability until they are redeemed, at which point revenue is recognized. The Company recognizes income for unredeemed gift cards when the likelihood of a gift card being
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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
redeemed by a customer is remote and the Company determines that it does not have a legal obligation to remit the value of the unredeemed gift card to the relevant jurisdiction as unclaimed or abandoned property.
Revenue from licensing arrangements is recognized when earned in accordance with the terms of the underlying agreements, generally based upon the higher of (a) contractually guaranteed minimum royalty levels or (b) actual sales and royalty data, or estimates thereof, received from the Company’s licensees.
The Company accounts for sales and other related taxes on a net basis, excluding such taxes from revenue.
Cost of Goods Sold and Selling Expenses
Cost of goods sold includes the expenses incurred to acquire and produce inventory for sale, including product costs, freight-in and import costs, as well as changes in reserves for shrinkage and inventory realizability. Gains and losses associated with foreign currency exchange contracts related to the hedging of inventory purchases also are recognized within cost of goods sold when the inventory being hedged is sold. The costs of selling merchandise, including those associated with preparing the merchandise for sale, such as picking, packing, warehousing and order charges, are included in selling, general and administrative (“SG&A”) expenses.
Shipping and Handling Costs
The costs associated with shipping goods to customers are reflected as a component of SG&A expenses in the consolidated statements of operations. Shipping and handling costs incurred approximated $83 million in Fiscal 2010, $95 million in Fiscal 2009 and $108 million in Fiscal 2008. Shipping and handling charges billed to customers are included in revenue.
Advertising Costs
Advertising costs, including the costs to produce advertising, are expensed when the advertisement is first exhibited. Costs of out-of-store advertising paid to wholesale customers under cooperative advertising programs are expensed as an advertising cost if both the identified advertising benefit is sufficiently separable from the purchase of the Company’s products by customers and the fair value of such benefit is measurable. Otherwise, such costs are reflected as a reduction of revenue. Costs of in-store advertising paid to wholesale customers under cooperative advertising programs are not included in advertising costs, but are reflected as a reduction of revenues since the benefits are not sufficiently separable from the purchases of the Company’s products by customers.
Advertising expense amounted to approximately $157 million for Fiscal 2010, $171 million for Fiscal 2009 and $188 million for Fiscal 2008. Deferred advertising costs, which principally relate to advertisements that have not yet been exhibited or services that have not yet been received, were approximately $4 million and $6 million at the end of Fiscal 2010 and Fiscal 2009, respectively.
Foreign Currency Translation and Transactions
The financial position and operating results of foreign operations are primarily consolidated using the local currency as the functional currency. Local currency assets and liabilities are translated at the rates of exchange on the balance sheet date, and local currency revenue and expenses are translated at average rates of exchange during the period. Resulting translation gains or losses are included in the consolidated statements of equity as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). Gains and losses on translation of intercompany loans with foreign subsidiaries of a long-term investment nature also are included within this component of equity.
The Company also recognizes gains and losses on transactions that are denominated in a currency other than the respective entity’s functional currency. Foreign currency transaction gains and losses also include amounts realized on the settlement of intercompany loans with foreign subsidiaries that are either of a short-term investment nature or were previously of a long-term investment nature and deferred as a component of equity. Foreign currency transaction gains and losses are recognized in earnings and separately disclosed in the consolidated statements of operations.
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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Comprehensive income (loss), which is reported in the consolidated statements of equity, consists of net income (loss) and other gains and losses affecting equity that, under US GAAP, are excluded from net income (loss). The components of other comprehensive income (loss) for the Company primarily consist of foreign currency translation gains and losses; unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale investments; unrealized gains and losses related to the accounting for defined benefit plans; and deferred gains and losses on hedging instruments, such as forward foreign currency exchange contracts designated as cash flow hedges and foreign currency gains (losses) on the Company’s Euro-denominated debt designated as a hedge of its net investment in certain of its European subsidiaries.
Net Income Per Common Share
Basic net income per common share is computed by dividing the net income applicable to common shares after preferred dividend requirements, if any, by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Weighted-average common shares include shares of the Company’s Class A and Class B common stock. Diluted net income per common share adjusts basic net income per common share for the effects of outstanding stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units and any other potentially dilutive financial instruments, only in the periods in which such effect is dilutive under the treasury stock method.
The weighted-average number of common shares outstanding used to calculate basic net income per common share is reconciled to those shares used in calculating diluted net income per common share as follows:
Options to purchase shares of common stock at an exercise price greater than the average market price of the common stock during the reporting period are anti-dilutive and therefore not included in the computation of diluted net income per common share. In addition, the Company has outstanding restricted stock units that are issuable only upon the achievement of certain service and/or performance goals. Such performance-based restricted stock units are included in the computation of diluted shares only to the extent the underlying performance conditions (a) are satisfied prior to the end of the reporting period or (b) would be satisfied if the end of the reporting period were the end of the related contingency period and the result would be dilutive under the treasury stock method. As of the end of Fiscal 2010, Fiscal 2009 and Fiscal 2008, there was an aggregate of approximately 1.2 million, 3.5 million and 1.5 million, respectively, of additional shares issuable upon the exercise of anti-dilutive options and the contingent vesting of restricted stock and performance-based restricted stock units that were excluded from the diluted share calculations.
Stock-Based Compensation
The Company expenses all share-based payments to employees and non-employee directors based on the grant date fair value of the awards over the requisite service period, adjusted for estimated forfeitures. The Company uses the Black-Scholes valuation method to determine the grant date fair value of its stock option awards.
See Note 20 for further discussion of the Company’s stock-based compensation.
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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents include all highly liquid investments with original maturities of 90 days or less, including investments in debt securities. Investments in debt securities are diversified among high-credit quality securities in accordance with the Company’s risk-management policies, and primarily include commercial paper and money market funds.
Restricted Cash
From time to time, the Company is required to place cash in escrow with various banks as collateral, primarily to secure guarantees of corresponding amounts made by the banks to international tax authorities on behalf of the Company, such as to secure refunds of value-added tax payments in certain international tax jurisdictions or in the case of certain international tax audits. Such cash has been classified as restricted cash and reported as a component of either other current assets or non-current assets in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.
Short-term Investments
Short-term investments consist of investments which the Company expects to convert into cash within one year, including time deposits which have a maturity greater than three months. Short-term investments classified as available-for-sale are reported at fair value. Short-term investments classified as held-to-maturity are reported at cost, which approximates market value. Cash inflows and outflows related to the sale and purchase of short-term investments are classified as investing activities within the Company’s consolidated statements of cash flows.
Accounts Receivable
In the normal course of business, the Company extends credit to customers that satisfy defined credit criteria. Accounts receivable, net, as shown in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets, is net of certain reserves and allowances. These reserves and allowances consist of (a) reserves for returns, discounts, end-of-season markdowns and operational chargebacks and (b) allowances for doubtful accounts. These reserves and allowances are discussed in further detail below.
A reserve for sales returns is determined based on an evaluation of current market conditions and historical returns experience. Charges to increase the reserve are treated as reductions of revenue.
A reserve for trade discounts is determined based on open invoices where trade discounts have been extended to customers, and charges to increase the reserve are treated as reductions of revenue.
Estimated end-of-season markdown charges are included as reductions of revenue. The related markdown provisions are based on retail sales performance, seasonal negotiations with customers, historical deduction trends and an evaluation of current market conditions.
A reserve for operational chargebacks represents various deductions by customers relating to individual shipments. Charges to increase this reserve, net of expected recoveries, are included as reductions of revenue. The reserve is based on actual notifications of order fulfillment discrepancies and past experience.
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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
A rollforward of the activity in the Company’s reserves for returns, discounts, end-of-season markdowns and operational chargebacks is presented below:
An allowance for doubtful accounts is determined through analysis of periodic aging of accounts receivable, assessments of collectibility based on an evaluation of historic and anticipated trends, the financial condition of the Company’s customers, and an evaluation of the impact of economic conditions. A rollforward of the activity in the Company’s allowance for doubtful accounts is presented below:
(a)
Amounts charged to bad debt expense are included within SG&A expense in the consolidated statements of operations.
Concentration of Credit Risk
The Company sells its wholesale merchandise primarily to major department and specialty stores across the U.S., Canada, Europe and Asia and extends credit based on an evaluation of each customer’s financial capacity and condition, usually without requiring collateral. In its wholesale business, concentration of credit risk is relatively limited due to the large number of customers and their dispersion across many geographic areas. However, the Company has five key department-store customers that generate significant sales volume. For Fiscal 2010, these customers in the aggregate contributed approximately 45% of all wholesale revenues. Further, as of April 3, 2010, the Company’s five key department-store customers represented approximately 30% of gross accounts receivable.
Inventories
The Company holds inventory that is sold through wholesale distribution channels to major department stores and specialty retail stores, including its own retail stores. The Company also holds retail inventory that is sold in its own stores directly to consumers. Wholesale and retail inventories are stated at the lower of cost or estimated realizable value with cost primarily determined on a weighted-average cost basis.
The Company continually evaluates the composition of its inventories, assessing slow-turning product and all fashion product. Estimated realizable value of inventory is determined based on an analysis of historical sales trends of the Company’s individual product lines, the impact of market trends and economic conditions, and the value of current orders in-house relating to future sales of inventory. Estimates may differ from actual results due to quantity,
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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
quality and mix of products in inventory, consumer and retailer preferences and market conditions. The Company’s historical estimates of these costs and its provisions have not differed materially from actual results.
Reserves for inventory shrinkage, representing the risk over physical loss of inventory, are estimated based on historical experience and are adjusted based upon physical inventory counts.
Investments
Investments in companies in which the Company has significant influence, but less than a controlling voting interest, are accounted for using the equity method. This is generally presumed to exist when the Company owns between 20% and 50% of the investee. However, as a matter of policy, if the Company had a greater than 50% ownership interest in an investee and the noncontrolling shareholders held certain rights that allowed them to participate in the day-to-day operations of the business, the Company would also generally use the equity method of accounting.
Under the equity method, only the Company’s investment in and amounts due to and from the equity investee are included in the consolidated balance sheets; only the Company’s share of the investee’s earnings (losses) is included in the consolidated operating results; and only the dividends, cash distributions, loans or other cash received from the investee and additional cash investments, loan repayments or other cash paid to the investee are included in the consolidated cash flows.
Investments in companies in which the Company does not have a controlling interest, or is unable to exert significant influence, are accounted for as available-for-sale investments and, if the investments are publicly traded and there are no resale restrictions greater than one year, recorded at fair value. If resale restrictions greater than one year exist, or if the investment is not publicly traded, the investment is accounted for at cost.
Investments in debt securities are recorded at cost, adjusted for the amortization of premiums and discounts, which approximates fair value. Investments in debt securities that the Company has the intent and ability to retain until maturity are classified as held-to-maturity.
The Company evaluates investments held in unrealized loss positions for other-than-temporary impairment on a quarterly basis. Such evaluation involves a variety of considerations, including assessments of risks and uncertainties associated with general economic conditions and distinct conditions affecting specific issuers. Factors considered by the Company include (i) the length of time and the extent to which the fair value has been below cost, (ii) the financial condition, credit worthiness and near-term prospects of the issuer, (iii) the length of time to maturity, (iv) future economic conditions and market forecasts, (v) the Company’s intent and ability to retain its investment for a period of time sufficient to allow for recovery of market value, and (vi) an assessment of whether it is more-likely-than-not that the Company will be required to sell its investment before recovery of market value. The Company has not recognized any significant other-than-temporary impairment charges in any of the fiscal years presented.
Equity-method Investments
The Company’s investments include a joint venture named the Ralph Lauren Watch and Jewelry Company, S.A.R.L. (the “RL Watch Company”), formed with Financiere Richemont SA (“Richemont”), the Swiss Luxury Goods Group, in March 2007. The joint venture is a Swiss corporation, whose purpose is to design, develop, manufacture, sell and distribute luxury watches and fine jewelry through Ralph Lauren boutiques, as well as through fine independent jewelry and luxury watch retailers throughout the world. The Company accounts for its 50% interest in the RL Watch Company under the equity method of accounting, and such investment is classified in other non-current assets in the consolidated balance sheets. Royalty payments due to the Company under the related license agreement for use of certain of the Company’s trademarks are reflected as licensing revenue within the consolidated statements of operations.
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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
Property and Equipment, Net
Property and equipment, net, is stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is calculated using the straight-line method based upon the estimated useful lives of depreciable assets, which range from three to seven years for furniture, fixtures, computer software and computer equipment; from three to ten years for machinery and equipment; and from ten to forty years for buildings and improvements. Leasehold improvements are depreciated over the shorter of the estimated useful lives of the respective assets or the life of the lease.
Property and equipment, along with other long-lived assets, are evaluated for impairment periodically whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their related carrying amounts may not be recoverable. In evaluating long-lived assets for recoverability, including finite-lived intangibles as described below, the Company uses its best estimate of future cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset and its eventual disposition. To the extent that estimated future undiscounted net cash flows attributable to the asset are less than the carrying amount, an impairment loss is recognized equal to the difference between the carrying value of such asset and its fair value. Assets to be disposed of and for which there is a committed plan of disposal are reported at the lower of carrying value or fair value less costs to sell.
Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets
At acquisition, the Company estimates and records the fair value of purchased intangible assets, which primarily consist of license agreements, customer relationships, non-compete agreements and order backlog. The fair value of these intangible assets is estimated based on management’s assessment, considering independent third party appraisals, when necessary. The excess of the purchase consideration over the fair value of net assets acquired is recorded as goodwill. Goodwill, including any goodwill included in the carrying value of investments accounted for using the equity method of accounting, and certain other intangible assets deemed to have indefinite useful lives are not amortized. Rather, goodwill and such indefinite-lived intangible assets are assessed for impairment at least annually based on comparisons of their respective fair values to their carrying values. Finite-lived intangible assets are amortized over their respective estimated useful lives and, along with other long-lived assets as noted above, are evaluated for impairment periodically whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their related carrying amounts may not be recoverable. See discussion of the Company’s accounting policy for long-lived asset impairment as described earlier under the caption “Property and Equipment, Net.”
Officers’ Life Insurance Policies
The Company maintains certain split-dollar life insurance policies for select senior executives. These policies are recorded at the lesser of their cash-surrender value or aggregate premiums paid-to-date in the consolidated balance sheets. As of the end of both Fiscal 2010 and Fiscal 2009, amounts of approximately $33 million relating to officers’ split-dollar life insurance policies held by the Company were classified within other non-current assets in the consolidated balance sheets.
In May 2009, the Company liquidated all of its whole-life insurance policies held at cash-surrender value. As of the end of Fiscal 2009, the related asset balance of approximately $16 million was classified within short-term investments in the consolidated balance sheet.
Income Taxes
Income taxes are provided using the asset and liability method. Under this method, income taxes (i.e., deferred tax assets and liabilities, current taxes payable/refunds receivable and tax expense) are recorded based on amounts refundable or payable in the current year and include the results of any difference between US GAAP and tax reporting. Deferred income taxes reflect the tax effect of certain net operating loss, capital loss and general business credit carryforwards and the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amount of assets and
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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
liabilities for financial statement and income tax purposes, as determined under enacted tax laws and rates. The Company accounts for the financial effect of changes in tax laws or rates in the period of enactment.
In addition, valuation allowances are established when management determines that it is more-likely-than-not that some portion or all of a deferred tax asset will not be realized. Tax valuation allowances are analyzed periodically and adjusted as events occur, or circumstances change, that warrant adjustments to those balances.
In determining the income tax provision for financial reporting purposes, the Company establishes a reserve for uncertain tax positions. If the Company considers that a tax position is “more-likely-than-not” of being sustained upon audit, based solely on the technical merits of the position, it recognizes the tax benefit. The Company measures the tax benefit by determining the largest amount that is greater than 50% likely of being realized upon settlement, presuming that the tax position is examined by the appropriate taxing authority that has full knowledge of all relevant information. These assessments can be complex and the Company often obtains assistance from external advisors. To the extent that the Company’s estimates change or the final tax outcome of these matters is different than the amounts recorded, such differences will impact the income tax provision in the period in which such determinations are made. If the initial assessment fails to result in the recognition of a tax benefit, the Company regularly monitors its position and subsequently recognizes the tax benefit if (i) there are changes in tax law or analogous case law that sufficiently raise the likelihood of prevailing on the technical merits of the position to “more-likely-than-not,” (ii) the statute of limitations expires, or (iii) there is a completion of an audit resulting in a settlement of that tax year with the appropriate agency. Uncertain tax positions are classified as current only when the Company expects to pay cash within the next twelve months. Interest and penalties, if any, are recorded within the provision for income taxes in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations and are classified on the consolidated balance sheets with the related liability for unrecognized tax benefits.
See Note 13 for further discussion of the Company’s income taxes.
Leases
The Company leases certain facilities and equipment, including its retail stores. Certain of the Company’s leases contain renewal options, rent escalation clauses and/or landlord incentives. Rent expense for noncancelable operating leases with scheduled rent increases and/or landlord incentives is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term, beginning with the effective lease commencement date. The excess of straight-line rent expense over scheduled payment amounts and landlord incentives is recorded as a deferred rent liability. As of the end of Fiscal 2010 and Fiscal 2009, deferred rent obligations of approximately $148 million and $137 million, respectively, were classified within other non-current liabilities in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.
In certain lease arrangements the Company is involved with the construction of the building (generally on land owned by the landlord). If the Company concludes that it has substantively all of the risks of ownership during construction of a leased property and therefore is deemed the owner of the project for accounting purposes, it records an asset and related financing obligation for the amount of total project costs related to construction-in-progress and the pre-existing building. Once construction is complete, the Company considers the requirements for sale-leaseback treatment, including the transfer back of all risks of ownership and whether the Company has any continuing involvement in the leased property. If the arrangement does not qualify for sale-leaseback treatment, the Company continues to amortize the financing obligation and depreciate the building over the lease term.
Financial Instruments (including Derivatives)
The Company records all derivative instruments on the balance sheet at fair value. In addition, for derivative instruments that qualify for hedge accounting, the effective portion of changes in the fair value is either (a) offset against the changes in fair value of the hedged assets, liabilities, or firm commitments through earnings or (b) recognized in equity as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income until the hedged item is
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recognized in earnings, depending on whether the derivative is being used to hedge changes in fair value or cash flows, respectively.
Each derivative instrument entered into by the Company which qualifies for hedge accounting is considered highly effective at reducing the risk associated with the exposure being hedged. For each derivative designated as a hedge, the Company formally documents the risk management objective and strategy, including the identification of the hedging instrument, the hedged item and the risk exposure, as well as how effectiveness is to be assessed prospectively and retrospectively. To assess effectiveness, the Company uses non-statistical methods, including the dollar-offset method, which compare the change in the fair value of the derivative to the change in the fair value or cash flows of the hedged item. The extent to which a hedging instrument has been and is expected to continue to be effective at achieving offsetting changes in fair value or cash flows is assessed and documented by the Company at least on a quarterly basis. To the extent that a derivative contract designated as a hedge is not considered to be effective, any changes in fair value relating to the ineffective portion is immediately recognized in earnings within foreign currency gains (losses). If it is determined that a derivative has not been highly effective, and will continue not to be highly effective at hedging the designated exposure, hedge accounting is discontinued. If a hedge relationship is terminated, the change in fair value of the derivative previously recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income is realized when the hedged item affects earnings consistent with the original hedging strategy, unless the forecasted transaction is no longer probable of occurring in which case the accumulated amount is immediately recognized in earnings.
The Company does not enter into derivative transactions for speculative or trading purposes. All undesignated hedges of the Company are entered into to hedge specific economic risks, such as foreign currency exchange and interest rate risk. Changes in fair value relating to undesignated derivative instruments are immediately recognized in earnings.
As a result of the use of derivative instruments, the Company is exposed to the risk that counterparties to derivative contracts will fail to meet their contractual obligations. To mitigate the counterparty credit risk, the Company has a policy of only entering into contracts with carefully selected financial institutions based upon their credit ratings and certain other financial factors, adhering to established limits for credit exposure. The Company’s established policies and procedures for mitigating credit risk on derivative transactions include continually reviewing and assessing the creditworthiness of counterparties.
For cash flow reporting purposes, the Company classifies proceeds received or amounts paid upon the settlement of a derivative instrument in the same manner as the related item being hedged.
The carrying value of the Company’s financial instruments approximates fair value, except for certain differences relating to fixed-rate debt, investments in other entities accounted for using the equity method of accounting and certain other financial instruments. However, other than differences in the fair value of fixed-rate debt as disclosed in Note 14, these differences were not significant as of April 3, 2010 or March 28, 2009. The fair value of financial instruments generally is determined by reference to fair market values resulting from the trading of the instruments on a national securities exchange or an over-the-counter market. In cases where quoted market prices are not available, fair value is based on estimates derived through the use of present value or other valuation techniques.
See Note 16 for further discussion of the Company’s financial instruments, including derivatives.
4.
Recently Issued Accounting Standards
Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities
In June 2009, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued revised guidance for accounting for a variable interest entity (“VIE”) (formerly referred to as Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“FAS”) No. 167, “Amendments to FASB Interpretation No. 46(R)”), which has been codified within Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) topic 810, “Consolidation” (“ASC 810”). The revised guidance within ASC 810 changes the
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approach to determining the primary beneficiary of a VIE, replacing the quantitative-based risks and rewards approach with a qualitative approach that focuses on identifying which enterprise has (i) the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance and (ii) the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits of the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE. ASC 810 also now requires ongoing reassessment of whether an enterprise is the primary beneficiary of a VIE, as well as additional disclosures about an enterprise’s involvement in VIEs. The revised accounting guidance within ASC 810 is effective for the Company as of the beginning of fiscal year 2011 and its adoption is not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
Fair Value Measurements
In September 2006, the FASB issued ASC topic 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures” (“ASC 820”) (formerly referred to as FAS No. 157, “Fair Value Measurements,” as amended). ASC 820 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 within an identified principal or most advantageous market, establishes a framework for measuring fair value in accordance with US GAAP and expands disclosures regarding fair value measurements. The Company adopted the provisions of ASC 820 for all of its financial assets and liabilities within scope as of the beginning of Fiscal 2009 (March 30, 2008). In addition, the Company adopted the provisions of ASC 820 for all of its nonfinancial assets and liabilities within scope as of the beginning of Fiscal 2010 (March 29, 2009). The adoption of the provisions of ASC 820 did not have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. See Note 15 for further discussion of the impact of adoption on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
Business Combinations and Noncontrolling Interests
In December 2007, the FASB issued ASC topic 805, “Business Combinations” (“ASC 805”) (formerly referred to as FAS No. 141(R), “Business Combinations,” as amended, which replaces FAS No. 141). ASC 805 was issued to create greater consistency in the accounting and financial reporting of business combinations, resulting in more complete, comparable and relevant information for investors and other users of financial statements. ASC 805 establishes principles and requirements for how an acquirer in a business combination recognizes and measures in its financial statements the identifiable assets acquired, liabilities assumed, and any noncontrolling interests in the acquiree, as well as the goodwill acquired. Significant changes resulting from ASC 805 include the need for the acquirer to record 100% of all assets and liabilities of the acquired business, including goodwill, generally at fair value for all business combinations (whether partial, full or step acquisitions); the need to recognize contingent consideration at fair value on the acquisition date and, for certain arrangements, to recognize changes in fair value in earnings until settlement; and the need for acquisition-related transaction and restructuring costs to be expensed rather than treated as part of the cost of the acquisition. ASC 805 also establishes disclosure requirements to enable users to evaluate the nature and financial effects of the business combination. The Company adopted the provisions of ASC 805 as of the beginning of Fiscal 2010 (March 29, 2009). The adoption of the provisions of ASC 805 did not have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. See Note 5 for further discussion of the business combination entered into by the Company during Fiscal 2010.
In December 2007, the FASB issued revised guidance for accounting for noncontrolling interests (formerly referred to as FAS No. 160, “Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Financial Statements - an Amendment of ARB No. 51”), which has been codified within ASC 810. The revised guidance within ASC 810 establishes accounting and reporting standards for noncontrolling interests in a subsidiary (previously referred to as “minority interests”) and for the deconsolidation of a subsidiary, to ensure consistency with the requirements of ASC 805. ASC 810 states that noncontrolling interests should be classified as a separate component of equity, and establishes reporting requirements that provide sufficient disclosures that clearly identify and distinguish between the interests of the parent and the interests of the noncontrolling owners. The Company adopted the revised accounting guidance for noncontrolling interests within ASC 810 as of the beginning of Fiscal 2010 (March 29, 2009). The new guidance
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
is being applied prospectively, except for the presentation and disclosure requirements, which have been applied retrospectively. The adoption did not have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements, but could impact the accounting for future acquisitions in which the Company does not acquire 100% of an entity, the future deconsolidation of a subsidiary and a future change in the Company’s ownership percentage of a subsidiary.
Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes
In July 2006, the FASB issued revised guidance for the accounting for uncertainty in income tax positions (formerly referred to as FASB Interpretation No. 48, “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes - An Interpretation of FAS No. 109” (“FIN 48”)), which has been codified within ASC topic 740, “Income Taxes” (“ASC 740”). The revised guidance within ASC 740 prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. Additionally, it provides guidance on derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure and transition. The Company adopted the revised accounting guidance for uncertainty in income taxes within ASC 740 as of the beginning of Fiscal 2008 and recorded a related $62.5 million reduction in retained earnings as the cumulative effect to adjust its net liability for unrecognized tax benefits as of April 1, 2007. This adjustment consisted of a $99.9 million increase to the Company’s liabilities for unrecognized tax benefits, offset in part by a $37.4 million increase to the Company’s deferred tax assets principally representing the value of future tax benefits that could be realized at the U.S. federal level if the related liabilities for unrecognized tax benefits at the state and local levels ultimately are required to be settled. See Note 13 for further discussion of the Company’s income taxes.
5.
Acquisitions and Joint Ventures
Fiscal 2010 Transactions
Asia-Pacific Licensed Operations Acquisition
On December 31, 2009, in connection with the transition of the Polo-branded apparel business in Asia-Pacific (excluding Japan) from a licensed to a wholly owned operation, the Company acquired certain net assets from Dickson in exchange for an initial payment of approximately $20 million and other consideration of approximately $17 million (the “Asia-Pacific Licensed Operations Acquisition”). Dickson was the Company’s licensee for Polo-branded apparel in the Asia-Pacific region (excluding Japan), which is comprised of China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. The Company funded the Asia-Pacific Licensed Operations Acquisition with available cash on-hand.
The Company accounted for the Asia-Pacific Licensed Operations Acquisition as a business combination during the fourth quarter of Fiscal 2010. The acquisition cost of $37 million (excluding transaction costs) has been allocated on a preliminary basis to the net assets acquired based on their respective fair values as follows: inventory of $2 million; customer relationship intangible asset of $29 million; tax-deductible goodwill of $1 million and other net assets of $5 million. Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of the net tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired. Transaction costs of $4 million were expensed as incurred and classified within SG&A expense in the consolidated statement of operations.
The customer relationship intangible asset was valued using the excess earnings method. This approach discounts the estimated after tax cash flows associated with the existing base of customers as of the acquisition date, factoring in expected attrition of the existing customer base. The customer relationship intangible asset is being amortized over its estimated useful life of ten years.
The results of operations for the Polo-branded apparel business in Asia-Pacific have been consolidated in the Company’s results of operations commencing January 1, 2010.
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
Fiscal 2009 Transactions
Japanese Childrenswear and Golf Acquisition
On August 1, 2008, in connection with the transition of the Polo-branded childrenswear and golf apparel businesses in Japan from a licensed to a wholly owned operation, the Company acquired certain net assets (including inventory) from Naigai Co. Ltd. (“Naigai”) in exchange for a payment of approximately ¥2.8 billion (approximately $26 million as of the acquisition date) and certain other consideration (the “Japanese Childrenswear and Golf Acquisition”). The Company funded the Japanese Childrenswear and Golf Acquisition with available cash on-hand. Naigai was the Company’s licensee for childrenswear, golf apparel and hosiery under the Polo by Ralph Lauren and Ralph Lauren brands in Japan. In conjunction with the Japanese Childrenswear and Golf Acquisition, the Company also entered into an additional 5-year licensing and design-related agreement with Naigai for Polo and Chaps-branded hosiery in Japan and a transition services agreement for the provision of a variety of operational, human resources and information systems-related services over a period of up to eighteen months from the date of the closing of the transaction.
The Company accounted for the Japanese Childrenswear and Golf Acquisition as an asset purchase during the second quarter of Fiscal 2009. Based on the results of valuation analyses performed, the Company allocated all of the consideration exchanged in the Japanese Childrenswear and Golf Acquisition to the net assets acquired in connection with the transaction. No settlement loss associated with any pre-existing relationships was recognized. The acquisition cost of $28 million (including transaction costs of approximately $2 million) has been allocated to the net assets acquired based on their respective fair values as follows: inventory of $16 million; customer relationship intangible asset of $13 million; and other net liabilities of $1 million.
The results of operations for the Polo-branded childrenswear and golf apparel businesses in Japan have been consolidated in the Company’s results of operations commencing August 2, 2008.
Fiscal 2008 Transactions
Japanese Business Acquisitions
On May 29, 2007, the Company acquired control of certain of its Japanese businesses that were formerly conducted under licensed arrangements, consistent with the Company’s long-term strategy of international expansion. In particular, the Company acquired approximately 77% of the outstanding shares of Impact 21 that it did not previously own in a cash tender offer (the “Impact 21 Acquisition”), thereby increasing its ownership in Impact 21 from approximately 20% to approximately 97%. Impact 21 previously conducted the Company’s men’s, women’s and jeans apparel and accessories business in Japan under a pre-existing, sub-license arrangement. In addition, the Company acquired the remaining 50% interest in PRL Japan, which holds the master license to conduct Polo’s business in Japan, from Onward Kashiyama and Seibu (the “PRL Japan Minority Interest Acquisition”). Collectively, the Impact 21 Acquisition and the PRL Japan Minority Interest Acquisition are herein referred to as the “Japanese Business Acquisitions.”
The purchase price initially paid in connection with the Japanese Business Acquisitions was approximately $360 million, including transaction costs of approximately $12 million. In February 2008, the Company acquired approximately 1% of the remaining Impact 21 shares outstanding at an aggregate cost of $5 million. During the first quarter of Fiscal 2009, the Company acquired the remaining 2% of Impact 21 shares outstanding at an aggregate cost of approximately $9 million and completed the process of acquiring the remaining outstanding shares not exchanged as of the close of the tender offer period (the “minority squeeze-out”). As a result of these transactions, Impact 21 is a 100%-owned subsidiary of the Company.
The Company funded the Japanese Business Acquisitions with available cash on-hand and ¥20.5 billion of borrowings under a one-year term loan agreement pursuant to an amendment and restatement to the Company’s
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
existing credit facility. The Company repaid the borrowing by its maturity date on May 22, 2008 using $196.8 million of Impact 21’s cash on-hand acquired as part of the acquisition.
Based on the results of valuation analyses performed, the Company allocated all of the consideration exchanged to the purchase of the Japanese businesses. The acquisition cost of approximately $374 million has been allocated to the net assets acquired based on their respective fair values as follows: cash of $189 million; trade receivables of $26 million; inventory of $38 million; finite-lived intangible assets of $75 million (consisting of the re-acquired licenses of $21 million and customer relationships of $54 million); non-tax-deductible goodwill of $140 million; assumed pension liabilities of $5 million; net deferred tax liabilities of $31 million; and other net liabilities of $58 million.
The results of operations for Impact 21, which were previously accounted for using the equity method of accounting, have been consolidated in the Company’s results of operations commencing April 1, 2007. Accordingly, the Company presented the amount of Impact 21’s net income allocable to the holders of the approximate 80% of the Impact 21 shares not owned by the Company prior to the closing date of the tender offer within net income attributable to noncontrolling interest in the consolidated statement of operations. The results of operations for PRL Japan had already been consolidated by the Company in all prior periods.
Acquisition of Small Leathergoods Business
On April 13, 2007, the Company acquired from Kellwood Company (“Kellwood”) substantially all of the assets of New Campaign, Inc., the Company’s licensee for men’s and women’s belts and other small leather goods under the Ralph Lauren, Lauren and Chaps brands in the U.S. (the “Small Leathergoods Business Acquisition”). The assets acquired from Kellwood are operated under the name of “Polo Ralph Lauren Leathergoods” and allowed the Company to further expand its accessories business. The acquisition cost was $10.4 million.
The Company determined that the terms of the pre-existing licensing relationship were reflective of market. As such, the Company allocated all of the consideration exchanged to the Small Leathergoods Business Acquisition and no settlement gain or loss was recognized in connection with the transaction. The results of operations for the Polo Ralph Lauren Leathergoods business have been consolidated in the Company’s results of operations commencing April 1, 2007. In addition, the acquisition cost has been allocated as follows: inventory of $7.0 million; finite-lived intangible assets of $2.1 million (consisting of the re-acquired license of $1.3 million, customer relationships of $0.7 million and order backlog of $0.1 million); other net assets of $0.7 million; and tax-deductible goodwill of $0.6 million.
6.
Inventories
Inventories consist of the following:
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
7.
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment, net, consist of the following:
8.
Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets
As discussed in Note 3, goodwill and certain other intangible assets deemed to have indefinite useful lives are not amortized. Rather, goodwill and such indefinite-lived intangible assets are subject to annual impairment testing. Finite-lived intangible assets continue to be amortized over their respective estimated useful lives. Based on the results of the Company’s annual impairment testing of goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets in Fiscal 2010, Fiscal 2009 and Fiscal 2008, no impairment charges were deemed necessary.
Goodwill
The following analysis details the changes in goodwill for each reportable segment during Fiscal 2010 and Fiscal 2009:
(a)
Fiscal 2010 acquisition-related activity primarily includes the Asia-Pacific Licensed Operations Acquisition. Fiscal 2009 acquisition-related activity primarily includes the minority squeeze-out related to the Japanese Business Acquisitions. See Note 5 for further discussion of the Company’s acquisitions.
(b)
Fiscal 2010 other adjustments include the reallocation of approximately $65 million of goodwill in connection with the Company’s reclassification of its concessions-based sales arrangements to the Retail segment from the Wholesale segment at the beginning of the fourth quarter (see Note 2), as well as changes in foreign currency exchange rates. Fiscal 2009 other adjustments primarily include changes in foreign currency exchange rates.
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
Other Intangible Assets
Other intangible assets consist of the following:
Amortization
Based on the amount of intangible assets subject to amortization as of April 3, 2010, the expected amortization for each of the next five fiscal years and thereafter is as follows:
The expected future amortization expense above reflects weighted-average estimated useful lives of 19.3 years for re-acquired licensed trademarks, 14.5 years for customer relationships/lists and 16.6 years for the Company’s finite-lived intangible assets in total.
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
9.
Other Current and Non-Current Assets
Prepaid expenses and other current assets consist of the following:
Other non-current assets consist of the following:
10.
Other Current and Non-Current Liabilities
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities consist of the following:
Other non-current liabilities consist of the following:
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
11.
Impairments of Assets
Property and equipment, along with other long-lived assets, are evaluated for impairment periodically whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their related carrying amounts may not be recoverable. In evaluating long-lived assets for recoverability, the Company uses its best estimate of future cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset and its eventual disposition. To the extent that estimated future undiscounted net cash flows attributable to the asset are less than the carrying amount, an impairment loss is recognized equal to the difference between the carrying value of such asset and its fair value.
Fiscal 2010 Impairment
During Fiscal 2010, the Company recorded a non-cash impairment charge of $6.6 million to reduce the net carrying value of certain long-lived assets primarily in its Retail segment to their estimated fair value, which was determined based on discounted expected cash flows. This impairment charge was primarily related to the lower-than-expected operating performance of certain retail stores, largely related to the Company’s Club Monaco retail business.
Fiscal 2009 Impairment
During Fiscal 2009, the Company recorded total non-cash impairment charges of $55.4 million to reduce the net carrying value of certain long-lived assets to their estimated fair value, which was determined based on discounted expected cash flows. These impairment charges included a $52.0 million write-down of Retail store assets and a $3.4 million write-down of certain capitalized software costs (primarily in the Wholesale segment) that were determined to no longer be used over the intended service period. The Retail store asset impairment was associated with lower-than-expected operating performance for the fiscal year for certain Ralph Lauren, Club Monaco and Rugby full-price stores primarily located in the U.S. due in part to the significant contraction in consumer spending experienced during the latter half of the fiscal year and which is expected to continue to negatively impact such stores’ future operating performance.
Fiscal 2008 Impairment
During Fiscal 2008, the Company recorded non-cash impairment charges of $5.0 million to reduce the carrying value of certain long-lived assets in its Retail segment to their estimated fair value. These impairment charges were primarily recorded as a result of lower-than-expected operating cash flow performance for certain stores that, along with projections of future performance, indicated that the carrying values of the related fixed assets were not recoverable.
12.
Restructuring
The Company has recorded restructuring liabilities in recent years relating to various cost-savings initiatives, as well as certain of its acquisitions. Through Fiscal 2009, in accordance with then applicable US GAAP, restructuring costs incurred in connection with acquisitions were capitalized as part of the purchase accounting for the transaction. As of the beginning of Fiscal 2010, restructuring costs incurred in connection with acquisitions that are not obligations of the acquiree as of the acquisition date are expensed. Such acquisition-related restructuring costs were not material in any period. Liabilities for costs associated with non-acquisition-related restructuring initiatives are expensed and initially measured at fair value when incurred. A description of the nature of significant non-acquisition-related restructuring activities and related costs is presented below.
Fiscal 2010 Restructuring
During Fiscal 2010, the Company recognized $6.9 million of net restructuring charges primarily related to employee termination costs, as well as the write-down of an asset associated with exiting a retail store in Japan.
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
Fiscal 2009 Restructuring
During the fourth quarter of Fiscal 2009, the Company initiated a restructuring plan designed to better align its cost base with the slowdown in consumer spending that has been negatively affecting sales and operating margins and to improve overall operating effectiveness (the “Fiscal 2009 Restructuring Plan”). The Fiscal 2009 Restructuring Plan included the termination of approximately 500 employees and the closure of certain underperforming retail stores.
In connection with the Fiscal 2009 Restructuring Plan, the Company recorded $20.8 million in restructuring charges during the fourth quarter of Fiscal 2009. A summary of the activity in the related liability is as follows:
(a)
Primarily related to write-downs of certain fixed assets.
In addition to those restructuring charges incurred in connection with the Fiscal 2009 Restructuring Plan implemented during the fourth quarter as discussed above, the Company recognized $2.8 million of other restructuring charges earlier in the fiscal year, primarily related to severance costs associated with the transition of certain sourcing and production facilities in Asia-Pacific during Fiscal 2009.
There were no significant restructuring charges recognized by the Company during Fiscal 2008.
13.
Income Taxes
Taxes on Income
Domestic and foreign pretax income are as follows:
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
Current and deferred income taxes (tax benefits) provided are as follows:
(a)
Excludes federal, state and local tax benefits of approximately $25 million in Fiscal 2010, $12 million in Fiscal 2009 and $34 million in Fiscal 2008 resulting from the stock-based compensation arrangements. Such amounts were credited to equity.
Tax Rate Reconciliation
The differences between income taxes expected at the U.S. federal statutory income tax rate of 35% and income taxes provided are as set forth below:
The Company’s effective tax rate is lower than the statutory rate principally as a result of the proportion of earnings generated in lower taxed foreign jurisdictions versus the U.S.
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
Deferred Taxes
Significant components of the Company’s net deferred tax assets (liabilities) are as follows:
(a)
Net current deferred tax balance as of April 3, 2010 and March 28, 2009 included current deferred tax liabilities of $2.4 million and $3.6 million, respectively, included within accrued expenses and other in the consolidated balance sheet.
(b)
Net non-current deferred tax balances as of April 3, 2010 and March 28, 2009 were comprised of non-current deferred tax assets of $101.9 million and $102.8 million, respectively, included within deferred tax assets, and non-current deferred tax liabilities of $30.5 million and $22.6 million, respectively, included within other non-current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets.
The Company has available state and foreign net operating loss carryforwards of $6.3 million and $27.5 million, respectively, for tax purposes to offset future taxable income. The net operating loss carryforwards expire beginning in Fiscal 2011.
Also, the Company has available state and foreign net operating loss carryforwards of $4.2 million and $66.0 million, respectively, for which no net deferred tax asset has been recognized. A full valuation allowance has been recorded since management does not believe that the Company will more likely than not be able to utilize these carryforwards to offset future taxable income. Subsequent recognition of these deferred tax assets would result in an income tax benefit in the year of such recognition. The valuation allowance decreased by $4.4 million in Fiscal 2010 as a result of the ability to utilize certain foreign net operating loss carryforwards.
Provision has not been made for U.S. or additional foreign taxes on $1.118 billion of undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries. Those earnings have been and are expected to continue to be reinvested. These earnings could become subject to tax if they were remitted as dividends, if foreign earnings were lent to PRLC, a subsidiary or a U.S. affiliate of PRLC, or if the stock of the subsidiaries were sold. Determination of the amount of unrecognized deferred tax liability with respect to such earnings is not practical. Management believes that the amount of the additional taxes that might be payable on the earnings of foreign subsidiaries, if remitted, would be partially offset by U.S. foreign tax credits.
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
Uncertain Income Tax Benefits
Fiscal 2010 and Fiscal 2009 Activity
A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amounts of unrecognized tax benefits, excluding interest and penalties, for Fiscal 2010 and Fiscal 2009 is presented below:
The Company classifies interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as part of its provision for income taxes. A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amounts of accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits for Fiscal 2010 and Fiscal 2009 is presented below:
The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits, including interest and penalties, was $126.0 million as of April 3, 2010 and $154.8 million as of March 28, 2009 and was included within non-current liability for unrecognized tax benefits in the consolidated balance sheets. The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect the Company’s effective tax rate was $99.6 million as of April 3, 2010 and $117.1 million as of March 28, 2009.
Future Changes in Unrecognized Tax Benefits
The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits relating to the Company’s tax positions is subject to change based on future events including, but not limited to, the settlements of ongoing audits and/or the expiration of applicable statutes of limitations. Although the outcomes and timing of such events are highly uncertain, the Company does not anticipate that the balance of gross unrecognized tax benefits, excluding interest and penalties, will change significantly during the next 12 months. However, changes in the occurrence, expected outcomes and timing of those events could cause the Company’s current estimate to change materially in the future.
The Company files tax returns in the U.S. federal and various state, local and foreign jurisdictions. With few exceptions for those tax returns, the Company is no longer subject to examinations by the relevant tax authorities for years prior to Fiscal 2004.
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
14.
Debt
Debt consists of the following:
Euro Debt
As of April 3, 2010, the Company had outstanding 209.2 million principal amount of 4.5% notes due October 4, 2013 (the “Euro Debt”). The Company has the option to redeem all of the outstanding Euro Debt at any time at a redemption price equal to the principal amount plus a premium. The Company also has the option to redeem all of the outstanding Euro Debt at any time at par plus accrued interest in the event of certain developments involving U.S. tax law. Partial redemption of the Euro Debt is not permitted in either instance. In the event of a change of control of the Company, each holder of the Euro Debt has the option to require the Company to redeem the Euro Debt at its principal amount plus accrued interest. The indenture governing the Euro Debt (the “Indenture”) contains certain limited covenants that restrict the Company’s ability, subject to specified exceptions, to incur liens or enter into a sale and leaseback transaction for any principal property. The Indenture does not contain any financial covenants.
In July 2009, the Company completed a cash tender offer and used $121.0 million to repurchase 90.8 million of principal amount of its then outstanding 300 million principal amount of 4.5% notes due October 4, 2013 at a discounted purchase price of approximately 95%. A net pretax gain of $4.1 million related to this extinguishment of debt was recorded during the second quarter of Fiscal 2010 and has been classified as a component of interest and other income, net, in the Company’s consolidated statement of operations. The Company used its cash on hand to fund the debt extinguishment.
Refer to Note 16 for discussion of the designation of the Company’s Euro Debt as a hedge of its net investment in certain of its European subsidiaries.
Revolving Credit Facility and Term Loan
The Company has a credit facility that provides for a $450 million unsecured revolving line of credit through November 2011 (the “Credit Facility”). The Credit Facility also is used to support the issuance of letters of credit. As of April 3, 2010, there were no borrowings outstanding under the Credit Facility and the Company was contingently liable for $13.9 million of outstanding letters of credit (primarily relating to inventory purchase commitments). The Company has the ability to expand its borrowing availability to $600 million subject to the agreement of one or more new or existing lenders under the facility to increase their commitments. There are no mandatory reductions in borrowing ability throughout the term of the Credit Facility.
Borrowings under the Credit Facility bear interest, at the Company’s option, either at (a) a base rate determined by reference to the higher of (i) the prime commercial lending rate of JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. in effect from time to time and (ii) the weighted-average overnight Federal funds rate (as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York) plus 50 basis points or (b) a LIBOR rate in effect from time to time, as adjusted for the Federal Reserve Board’s Euro currency liabilities maximum reserve percentage plus a margin defined in the Credit Facility (“the applicable margin”). The applicable margin of 35 basis points is subject to adjustment based on the Company’s credit ratings.
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
In addition to paying interest on any outstanding borrowings under the Credit Facility, the Company is required to pay a commitment fee to the lenders under the Credit Facility in respect of the unutilized commitments. The commitment fee rate of 8 basis points under the terms of the Credit Facility also is subject to adjustment based on the Company’s credit ratings.
The Credit Facility contains a number of covenants that, among other things, restrict the Company’s ability, subject to specified exceptions, to incur additional debt; incur liens and contingent liabilities; sell or dispose of assets, including equity interests; merge with or acquire other companies; liquidate or dissolve itself; engage in businesses that are not in a related line of business; make loans, advances or guarantees; engage in transactions with affiliates; and make investments. The Credit Facility also requires the Company to maintain a maximum ratio of Adjusted Debt to Consolidated EBITDAR (the “leverage ratio”) of no greater than 3.75 as of the date of measurement for four consecutive quarters. Adjusted Debt is defined generally as consolidated debt outstanding plus 8 times consolidated rent expense for the last twelve months. EBITDAR is defined generally as consolidated net income plus (i) income tax expense, (ii) net interest expense, (iii) depreciation and amortization expense and (iv) consolidated rent expense. As of April 3, 2010, no Event of Default (as such term is defined pursuant to the Credit Facility) has occurred under the Company’s Credit Facility.
Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default under the Credit Facility, the lenders may cease making loans, terminate the Credit Facility, and declare all amounts outstanding to be immediately due and payable. The Credit Facility specifies a number of events of default (many of which are subject to applicable grace periods), including, among others, the failure to make timely principal and interest payments or to satisfy the covenants, including the financial covenant described above. Additionally, the Credit Facility provides that an Event of Default will occur if Mr. Ralph Lauren, the Company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and entities controlled by the Lauren family fail to maintain a specified minimum percentage of the voting power of the Company’s common stock.
The Credit Facility was amended and restated as of May 22, 2007 to provide for the addition of a ¥20.5 billion loan (the “Term Loan”), made to Polo JP Acqui B.V., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. The proceeds of the Term Loan were used to finance the Company’s acquisition of certain of its formerly-licensed Japanese businesses. The Company repaid the Term Loan by its maturity date on May 22, 2008 using $196.8 million of the cash on-hand acquired as part of the acquisition. See Note 5 for further discussion of the Japanese Business Acquisitions.
Fair Value of Debt
Based on the prevailing level of market interest rates as of April 3, 2010, the fair value of the Company’s Euro Debt exceeded its carrying value by approximately $10 million. As of March 28, 2009, the carrying value of the Euro Debt exceeded its fair value by approximately $86 million. Unrealized gains or losses on debt do not result in the realization or expenditure of cash, unless the debt is retired prior to its maturity.
15.
Fair Value Measurements
US GAAP establishes a three-level valuation hierarchy for disclosure of fair value measurements. The determination of the applicable level within the hierarchy of a particular asset or liability depends on the inputs used in valuation as of the measurement date, notably the extent to which the inputs are market-based (observable) or internally derived (unobservable). The three levels are defined as follows:
•
Level 1 - inputs to the valuation methodology based on quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities in active markets.
•
Level 2 - inputs to the valuation methodology based on quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets for substantially the full term of the financial instrument; quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active for substantially the full term of the financial instrument; and model-derived valuations whose inputs or significant value drivers are observable.
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
•
Level 3 - inputs to the valuation methodology based on unobservable prices or valuation techniques that are significant to the fair value measurement.
A financial instrument’s categorization within the valuation hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.
The following table summarizes the Company’s financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis:
(a)
Based on Level 1 measurements.
(b)
Based on Level 2 measurements.
Derivative financial instruments are recorded at fair value in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets. To the extent these instruments are designated as cash flow hedges and highly effective at reducing the risk associated with the exposure being hedged, the related unrealized gains or losses are deferred in equity as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income. The Company’s derivative financial instruments are valued using a pricing model, primarily based on market observable external inputs including forward and spot rates for foreign currencies, which considers the impact of the Company’s own credit risk, if any. The Company mitigates the impact of counterparty credit risk by entering into contracts with select financial institutions based on credit ratings and other factors, adhering to established limits for credit exposure and continually assessing the creditworthiness of its counterparties. Changes in counterparty credit risk are considered in the valuation of derivative financial instruments.
The Company’s variable rate municipal securities (“VRMS”) are classified as available-for-sale securities and are recorded at fair value in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet based upon quoted market prices, with unrealized gains or losses deferred in equity as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income.
The Company’s auction rate securities are classified as available-for-sale securities and are recorded at fair value in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets, with unrealized gains or losses deferred in equity as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income. Third-party pricing institutions may value auction rate securities at par, which may not necessarily reflect prices that would be obtained in the current market. When quoted market prices are unobservable, fair value is estimated based on a number of known factors and external pricing data, including known maturity dates, the coupon rate based upon the most recent reset market clearing rate, the price/yield representing the average rate of recently successful traded securities, and the total principal balance of each security.
Cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, short-term and non-current investments held-to-maturity, and accounts receivable are recorded at carrying value, which approximates fair value. The Company’s Euro Debt, which is adjusted for foreign currency fluctuations, is also reported at carrying value.
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
The Company’s non-financial instruments, which primarily consist of goodwill, intangible assets, and property and equipment, are not required to be measured at fair value on a recurring basis and are reported at carrying value. However, on a periodic basis whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying value may not be recoverable (and at least annually for goodwill), non-financial instruments are assessed for impairment and, if applicable, written-down to and recorded at fair value.
16.
Financial Instruments
Derivative Financial Instruments
The Company primarily has exposure to changes in foreign currency exchange rates relating to certain anticipated cash flows from its international operations and possible declines in the fair value of reported net assets of certain of its foreign operations, as well as changes in the fair value of its fixed-rate debt relating to changes in interest rates. Consequently, the Company periodically uses derivative financial instruments to manage such risks.
The following table summarizes the Company’s outstanding derivative instruments on a gross basis as recorded in the consolidated balance sheets as of April 3, 2010 and March 28, 2009:
(a)
FC = Forward exchange contracts for the sale or purchase of foreign currencies; NI = Net Investment; Euro Debt = Euro-denominated 4.5% notes due October 2013.
(b)
PP = Prepaid expenses and other; OA = Other assets; AE = Accrued expenses and other; ONCL = Other non-current liabilities; LTD = Long-term debt.
(c)
$1.1 million included within PP and $1.0 million included within OA.
(d)
$2.6 million included within PP and $1.3 million included within OA.
(e)
The Company’s Euro Debt is reported at carrying value in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets. The carrying value of the Euro Debt was $282.1 million as of April 3, 2010 and $406.4 million as of March 28, 2009.
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
The following tables summarize the impact of the Company’s derivative instruments on its consolidated financial statements for the fiscal years presented:
(a)
FC = Forward exchange contracts for the sale or purchase of foreign currencies; Euro Debt = Euro-denominated 4.5% notes due October 2013.
(b)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”), including the respective fiscal year’s other comprehensive income (“OCI”), is classified as a component of total equity.
(c)
Principally recorded within foreign currency gains (losses).
(d)
To the extent applicable, to be recognized as a gain (loss) on the sale or liquidation of the hedged net investment.
Over the next twelve months, it is expected that approximately $12 million of net gains deferred in accumulated other comprehensive income related to derivative financial instruments outstanding as of April 3, 2010 will be recognized in earnings. No material gains or losses relating to ineffective hedges were recognized during any of the fiscal years presented.
The following is a summary of the Company’s risk management strategies and the effect of those strategies on the consolidated financial statements.
Foreign Currency Risk Management
Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts
The Company primarily enters into forward foreign currency exchange contracts as hedges to reduce its risk from exchange rate fluctuations on inventory purchases, intercompany royalty payments made by certain of its international operations, intercompany contributions made to fund certain marketing efforts of its international operations, interest payments made in connection with outstanding debt, other foreign currency-denominated
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
operational obligations including payroll, rent, insurance and benefit payments, and foreign currency-denominated revenues. As part of its overall strategy to manage the level of exposure to the risk of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, primarily to changes in the value of the Euro, the Japanese Yen, the Swiss Franc, and the British Pound Sterling, the Company hedges a portion of its foreign currency exposures anticipated over the ensuing twelve-month to two-year periods. In doing so, the Company uses foreign currency exchange forward contracts that generally have maturities of three months to two years to provide continuing coverage throughout the hedging period.
The Company records its foreign currency exchange contracts at fair value in its consolidated balance sheets. To the extent foreign currency exchange contracts designated as cash flow hedges at hedge inception are highly effective in offsetting the change in the value of the hedged item, the related gains (losses) are deferred in equity as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income. These deferred gains (losses) are then recognized in our consolidated statements of operations as follows:
•
Forecasted Inventory Purchases - Recognized as part of the cost of the inventory being hedged within cost of goods sold when the related inventory is sold.
•
Intercompany Royalty Payments and Marketing Contributions - Recognized within foreign currency gains (losses) in the period in which the related royalties or marketing contributions being hedged are received or paid.
•
Operational Obligations - Recognized primarily within SG&A expenses in the period in which the hedged forecasted transaction affects earnings.
•
Interest Payments on Euro Debt - Recognized within foreign currency gains (losses) in the period in which the recorded liability impacts earnings due to foreign currency exchange remeasurement.
During the first quarter of Fiscal 2010, the Company entered into two foreign currency exchange contracts to mitigate the foreign exchange cash flow variability associated with the then forecasted repurchase of a portion of the Company’s outstanding Euro-denominated 4.5% notes in July 2009. The exchange contracts had an aggregate notional value of $123.0 million and were designated as cash flow hedges. Refer to Note 14 for further discussion of the Company’s partial repurchase of its Euro-denominated 4.5% notes.
Hedge of a Net Investment in Certain European Subsidiaries
The Company designated the entire principal amount of its outstanding Euro Debt as a hedge of its net investment in certain of its European subsidiaries. The changes in fair value of a derivative instrument or changes in a non-derivative financial instrument (such as debt) that is designated as a hedge of a net investment in a foreign operation are reported in the same manner as a translation adjustment, to the extent it is effective as a hedge. As such, changes in the fair value of the Euro Debt resulting from changes in the Euro exchange rate have been, and continue to be, reported in equity as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income.
In assessing effectiveness, the Company uses the spot rate method of accounting to value foreign currency exchange rate changes in both its foreign subsidiaries and the derivative designated as a hedge of a net investment. If the notional amount of the derivative designated as a hedge of a net investment is greater than the portion of the net investment being hedged, hedge ineffectiveness is recognized immediately in earnings. Changes in the fair value of the hedging instrument are recorded in equity as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income until the sale or liquidation of the hedged net investment.
Investments
The Company classifies its investments in securities at the time of purchase as either held-to-maturity, available-for-sale or trading, and re-evaluates such classifications on a quarterly basis.
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
Held-to-maturity investments consist of debt securities that the Company has the intent and ability to retain until maturity. These securities are recorded at cost, adjusted for the amortization of premiums and discounts, which approximates fair value.
Available-for-sale investments primarily consist of VRMS and auction rate securities. VRMS represent long-term municipal bonds with interest rates that reset at pre-determined short-term intervals, and can typically be put to the issuer and redeemed for cash upon demand, or shortly thereafter. Auction rate securities also have characteristics similar to short-term investments. However, the Company has classified these securities as non-current investments in its consolidated balance sheet as current market conditions call into question its ability to redeem these investments for cash within the next twelve months. Available-for-sale investments are recorded at fair value with unrealized gains or losses classified as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in the consolidated balance sheets, and related realized gains or losses classified as a component of interest and other income, net, in the consolidated statements of operations. No material unrealized or realized gains or losses on available-for-sale investments were recognized during any of the fiscal years presented.
Cash inflows and outflows related to the sale and purchase of investments are classified as investing activities in the Company’s consolidated statements of cash flows.
The following table summarizes the Company’s short-term and non-current investments recorded in the consolidated balance sheets as of April 3, 2010 and March 28, 2009:
17.
Commitments and Contingencies
Leases
The Company operates its retail stores under various leasing arrangements. The Company also occupies various office and warehouse facilities and uses certain equipment under numerous lease agreements. Such leasing arrangements are accounted for as either operating leases or capital leases. In this context, capital leases include leases whereby the Company is considered to have the substantive risks of ownership during construction of a leased property. Information on the Company’s operating and capital leasing activities is set forth below.
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
Operating Leases
The Company is typically required to make minimum rental payments, and often contingent rental payments, under its operating leases. Substantially all factory and full-price retail store leases provide for contingent rentals based upon sales, and certain rental agreements require payment based solely on a percentage of sales. Terms of the Company’s leases generally contain renewal options, rent escalation clauses and landlord incentives. Rent expense, net of sublease income which was not significant, was approximately $267 million in Fiscal 2010, $237 million in Fiscal 2009 and $208 million in Fiscal 2008. Such amounts include contingent rental charges of approximately $39 million for Fiscal 2010, $33 million for Fiscal 2009 and $14 million for Fiscal 2008. In addition to such amounts, the Company is normally required to pay taxes, insurance and occupancy costs relating to the leased real estate properties.
As of April 3, 2010, future minimum rental payments under noncancelable operating leases with lease terms in excess of one year were as follows:
(a)
Net of sublease income, which is not significant in any period.
Capital Leases
Assets under capital leases amounted to approximately $39 million at the end of Fiscal 2010 and $38 million at the end of Fiscal 2009. Such assets are classified within property and equipment in the consolidated balance sheets. As of April 3, 2010, future minimum rental payments under noncancelable capital leases with lease terms in excess of one year were as follows:
(a)
Net of sublease income, which is not significant in any period.
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
Employment Agreements
The Company has employment agreements with certain executives in the normal course of business which provide for compensation and certain other benefits. These agreements also provide for severance payments under certain circumstances.
Other Commitments
Other off-balance sheet firm commitments, which include inventory purchase commitments, outstanding letters of credit and minimum funding commitments to investees, amounted to approximately $776 million as of April 3, 2010.
Litigation
California Class Action Litigation
On October 11, 2007 and November 2, 2007, two class action lawsuits were filed by two customers in state court in California asserting that while they were shopping at certain of the Company’s factory stores in California, the Company allegedly required them to provide certain personal information at the point-of-sale in order to complete a credit card purchase. The plaintiffs purported to represent a class of customers in California who allegedly were injured by being forced to provide their address and telephone numbers in order to use their credit cards to purchase items from the Company’s stores, which allegedly violated Section 1747.08 of California’s Song-Beverly Act. The complaints sought an unspecified amount of statutory penalties, attorneys’ fees and injunctive relief. The Company subsequently had the actions moved to the United States District Court for the Eastern and Central Districts of California. The Company commenced mediation proceedings with respect to these lawsuits and on October 17, 2008, the Company agreed in principle to settle these claims by agreeing to issue $20 merchandise discount coupons with six month expiration dates to eligible parties and paying the plaintiffs’ attorneys’ fees. The court granted preliminary approval of the settlement terms on July 17, 2009. In connection with this settlement, the Company recorded a $5 million reserve against its expected loss exposure during the second quarter of Fiscal 2009. As part of the required settlement process, the Company notified the relevant attorneys general regarding the potential settlement, and no objections were registered. At a hearing on December 7, 2009, the Court held that the terms of the settlement were fair, just and reasonable and provided fair compensation for class members. In addition, the Court overruled an objection that had been filed by a single customer. The Court then denied the objector’s subsequent motion for the Court to reconsider its order on the fairness of the settlement. The period within which the objector had to appeal or otherwise seek relief from the Court’s orders expired in February 2010 without an appeal and the settlement is effective. Accordingly, the coupons were issued in February with an expiration date of August 16, 2010. Based on coupon redemption experience to date, the Company reversed $1.7 million of its original $5 million reserve into income during the fourth quarter of Fiscal 2010.
Wathne Imports Litigation
On August 19, 2005, Wathne Imports, Ltd. (“Wathne”), our then domestic licensee for luggage and handbags, filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York against the Company and Ralph Lauren, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, asserting, among other things, federal trademark law violations, breach of contract, breach of obligations of good faith and fair dealing, fraud and negligent misrepresentation. The complaint sought, among other relief, injunctive relief, compensatory damages in excess of $250 million and punitive damages of not less than $750 million. On September 13, 2005, Wathne withdrew this complaint from the U.S. District Court and filed a complaint in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, New York County, making substantially the same allegations and claims (excluding the federal trademark claims), and seeking similar relief. On February 1, 2006, the court granted our motion to dismiss all of the causes of action, including the cause of action against Mr. Lauren, except for breach of contract related claims, and denied Wathne’s motion for a preliminary injunction. Following some discovery, we moved for summary judgment on the remaining
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
claims. Wathne cross-moved for partial summary judgment. In an April 11, 2008 Decision and Order, the court granted Polo’s summary judgment motion to dismiss most of the claims against the Company, and denied Wathne’s cross-motion for summary judgment. Wathne appealed the dismissal of its claims to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court. Following a hearing on May 19, 2009, the Appellate Division issued a Decision and Order on June 9, 2009 which, in large part, affirmed the lower court’s ruling. Discovery on those claims that were not dismissed is ongoing and a trial date has not yet been set. We intend to continue to contest the remaining claims in this lawsuit vigorously. Management does not expect that the ultimate resolution of this matter will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s liquidity or financial position.
California Labor Litigation
On May 30, 2006, four former employees of our Ralph Lauren stores in Palo Alto and San Francisco, California filed a lawsuit in the San Francisco Superior Court alleging violations of California wage and hour laws. The plaintiffs purported to represent a class of employees who allegedly had been injured by not properly being paid commission earnings, not being paid overtime, not receiving rest breaks, being forced to work off of the clock while waiting to enter or leave stores and being falsely imprisoned while waiting to leave stores. The complaint sought an unspecified amount of compensatory damages, damages for emotional distress, disgorgement of profits, punitive damages, attorneys’ fees and injunctive and declaratory relief. Subsequent to answering the complaint, we had the action moved to the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. On July 8, 2008, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California granted plaintiffs’ motion for class certification and subsequently denied our motion to decertify the class. On November 5, 2008, the District Court stayed litigation of the rest break claims pending the resolution of a separate California Supreme Court case on the standards of class treatment for rest break claims. On January 25, 2010, the District Court granted plaintiffs’ motion to sever the rest break claims from the rest of the case and denied our motion to decertify the waiting time claims. The District Court also ordered that a trial be held on the waiting time and overtime claims, which commenced on March 8, 2010. During trial, the parties reached an agreement to settle all of the claims in the litigation, including the rest break claims, for $4 million. The District Court held a hearing on May 14, 2010 and advised the parties that it would grant preliminary approval of the settlement. Once the Court enters an order granting preliminary approval of the settlement, the members of the class will have 60 days from the date of preliminary approval to submit claims or object to the settlement. A hearing has been scheduled for August 20, 2010 for the District Court to determine if final approval of the settlement should be granted. In connection with this settlement, the Company recorded a $4 million reserve against its expected loss exposure during the fourth quarter of Fiscal 2010.
Other Matters
We are otherwise involved, from time to time, in litigation, other legal claims and proceedings involving matters associated with or incidental to our business, including, among other things, matters involving credit card fraud, trademark and other intellectual property, licensing, and employee relations. We believe that the resolution of currently pending matters will not individually or in the aggregate have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations. However, our assessment of the current litigation or other legal claims could change in light of the discovery of facts not presently known to us or determinations by judges, juries or other finders of fact which are not in accord with management’s evaluation of the possible liability or outcome of such litigation or claims.
18.
Equity
Capital Stock
The Company’s capital stock consists of two classes of common stock. There are 500 million shares of Class A common stock and 100 million shares of Class B common stock authorized to be issued. Shares of Class A and Class B common stock have substantially identical rights, except with respect to voting rights. Holders of Class A
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
common stock are entitled to one vote per share and holders of Class B common stock are entitled to ten votes per share. Holders of both classes of stock vote together as a single class on all matters presented to the stockholders for their approval, except with respect to the election and removal of directors or as otherwise required by applicable law. All outstanding shares of Class B common stock are owned by Mr. Ralph Lauren, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, and entities controlled by the Lauren family and are convertible at any time into shares of Class A common stock on a one-for-one basis.
Class B Common Stock Conversion
During Fiscal 2010, Mr. Ralph Lauren converted 1.2 million shares of Class B common stock into an equal number of shares of Class A common stock pursuant to the terms of the security. This transaction resulted in a reclassification within equity, and had no net effect on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet for the fiscal year ended April 3, 2010.
Common Stock Repurchase Program
On November 4, 2009, the Company’s Board of Directors approved an expansion of the Company’s existing common stock repurchase program that allows the Company to repurchase up to an additional $225 million of Class A common stock. Repurchases of shares of Class A common stock are subject to overall business and market conditions.
In Fiscal 2010, 2.9 million shares of Class A common stock were repurchased by the Company at a cost of $215.9 million under its repurchase program. The remaining availability under the Company’s common stock repurchase program was approximately $275 million as of April 3, 2010. In addition, in Fiscal 2010, 0.3 million shares of Class A common stock at a cost of $15.1 million were surrendered to, or withheld by, the Company in satisfaction of withholding taxes in connection with the vesting of awards under the Company’s 1997 Long-Term Stock Incentive Plan, as amended (the “1997 Plan”).
In Fiscal 2009, 1.8 million shares of Class A common stock were repurchased by the Company at a cost of $126.2 million. Also, during the first quarter of Fiscal 2009, 0.4 million shares traded prior to the end of Fiscal 2008 were settled at a cost of $24.0 million. In addition, in Fiscal 2009, 0.3 million shares of Class A common stock at a cost of $19.6 million were surrendered to, or withheld by, the Company in satisfaction of withholding taxes in connection with the vesting of awards under the 1997 Plan.
In Fiscal 2008, share repurchases amounted to 6.1 million shares of Class A common stock at a cost of $476.4 million, including $24.0 million (0.4 million shares) that was traded prior to the end of the fiscal year for which settlement occurred in April 2008. In addition, in Fiscal 2008, 0.3 million shares of Class A common stock at a cost of $23.0 million were surrendered to, or withheld by, the Company in satisfaction of withholding taxes in connection with the vesting of awards under the 1997 Plan.
Repurchased and surrendered shares are accounted for as treasury stock at cost and will be held in treasury for future use.
On May 18, 2010, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a further expansion of the Company’s existing common stock repurchase program that allows the Company to repurchase up to an additional $275 million of Class A common stock.
Dividends
Since 2003, the Company has maintained a regular quarterly cash dividend program on its common stock. On November 4, 2009, the Company’s Board of Directors approved an increase to the Company’s quarterly cash dividend on its common stock from $0.05 per share to $0.10 per share. Dividends paid amounted to $24.7 million in Fiscal 2010, $19.9 million in Fiscal 2009 and $20.5 million in Fiscal 2008.
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
19.
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income
The following summary sets forth the components of other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax, accumulated in equity:
(a)
Includes deferred gains and losses on hedging instruments, such as foreign currency exchange contracts designated as cash flow hedges and changes in the fair value of the Company’s Euro-denominated debt designated as a hedge of changes in the fair value of the Company’s net investment in certain of its European subsidiaries.
(b)
Includes a net reclassification adjustment of $6.6 million (net of $1.2 million tax effect) for realized derivative financial instrument losses in the current period that were included as an unrealized loss in comprehensive income in a prior period.
(c)
Includes a net reclassification adjustment of $20.3 million (net of $1.1 million tax effect) for realized derivative financial instrument losses in the current period that were included as an unrealized loss in comprehensive income in a prior period.
(d)
Includes a net reclassification adjustment of $22.6 million (net of $2.3 million tax effect) for realized derivative financial instrument gains in the current period that were included as an unrealized gain in comprehensive income in a prior period.
20.
Stock-Based Compensation
Long-term Stock Incentive Plan
The Company’s 1997 Plan authorizes the grant of awards to participants with respect to a maximum of 26.0 million shares of the Company’s Class A common stock; however, there are limits as to the number of shares available for certain awards and to any one participant. Equity awards that may be made under the 1997 Plan include (a) stock options, (b) restricted stock and (c) restricted stock units (“RSUs”).
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
Impact on Results
A summary of the total compensation expense recorded within SG&A expense and associated income tax benefits recognized related to stock-based compensation arrangements is as follows:
Fiscal Years Ended
April 3,
March 28,
March 29,
(millions)
Compensation expense
$
(59.7
)
$
(49.7
)
$
(70.7
)
Income tax benefit
$
21.8
$
18.5
$
20.2
Stock Options
Stock options are granted to employees and non-employee directors with exercise prices equal to fair market value at the date of grant. Generally, the options become exercisable ratably (a graded-vesting schedule), over a three-year vesting period. Stock options generally expire seven years from the date of grant. The Company recognizes compensation expense for share-based awards that have graded vesting and no performance conditions on an accelerated basis. The Company uses the Black-Scholes option-pricing model to estimate the fair value of stock options granted, which requires the input of both subjective and objective assumptions as follows:
Expected Term - The estimate of expected term is based on the historical exercise behavior of employees and non-employee directors, as well as the contractual life of the option grants.
Expected Volatility - The expected volatility factor is based on the historical volatility of the Company’s common stock for a period equal to the stock option’s expected term.
Expected Dividend Yield - The expected dividend yield is based on the Company’s quarterly cash dividend of (a) $0.05 per share for grants made prior to the third quarter of Fiscal 2010 and (b) $0.10 per share for grants made during and after the third quarter of Fiscal 2010.
Risk-free Interest Rate - The risk-free interest rate is determined using the implied yield for a traded zero-coupon U.S. Treasury bond with a term equal to the option’s expected term.
The Company’s weighted-average assumptions used to estimate the fair value of stock options granted during the fiscal years presented were as follows:
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
A summary of the stock option activity under all plans during Fiscal 2010 is as follows:
(a)
The intrinsic value is the amount by which the market price at the end of the period of the underlying share of stock exceeds the exercise price of the stock option.
(b)
The number of options expected to vest takes into consideration estimated expected forfeitures.
Additional information pertaining to the Company’s stock option plans is as follows:
(a)
The intrinsic value is the amount by which the average market price during the period exceeded the exercise price of the stock option exercised.
As of April 3, 2010, there was $16.0 million of total unrecognized compensation expense related to nonvested stock options granted, expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.5 years.
Restricted Stock and RSUs
The Company grants restricted shares of Class A common stock and service-based RSUs to certain of its senior executives and non-employee directors. In addition, the Company grants performance-based RSUs to such senior executives and other key executives, and certain other employees of the Company.
Restricted shares of Class A common stock, which entitle the holder to receive a specified number of shares of Class A common stock at the end of a vesting period, are accounted for at fair value at the date of grant. In addition, holders of restricted shares are entitled to receive cash dividends in connection with the payments of dividends on the Company’s Class A common stock. Generally, restricted stock grants vest over a five-year period of time, subject to the executive’s continuing employment. Restricted stock shares granted to non-employee directors vest over a three-year period of time.
RSUs entitle the grantee to receive shares of Class A common stock at the end of a vesting period. Service-based RSUs are payable in shares of Class A common stock and generally vest over a five-year period of time, subject to the executive’s continuing employment. Performance-based RSUs also are payable in shares of Class A common stock and generally vest (a) upon the completion of a three-year period of time (cliff vesting), subject to the
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
employee’s continuing employment and the Company’s achievement of certain performance goals over the three-year period or (b) ratably, over a three-year period of time (graded vesting), subject to the employee’s continuing employment during the applicable vesting period and the achievement by the Company of certain performance goals either (i) in each year of the three-year vesting period for grants made prior to Fiscal 2008 or (ii) solely in the initial year of the three-year vesting period for grants made during and after Fiscal 2008. In addition, holders of certain RSUs are entitled to receive dividend equivalents in the form of additional RSUs in connection with the payment of dividends on the Company’s Class A common stock. RSUs, including shares resulting from dividend equivalents paid on such units, are accounted for at fair value at the date of grant. The fair value of a restricted security is based on the fair value of unrestricted Class A common stock, as adjusted to reflect the absence of dividends for those restricted securities that are not entitled to dividend equivalents. Compensation expense for performance-based RSUs is recognized over the related service period when attainment of the performance goals is deemed probable.
A summary of the restricted stock and RSU activity during Fiscal 2010 is as follows:
Restricted
Service-based
Performance-based
Stock
RSUs
RSUs
Total unrecognized compensation at April 3, 2010 (millions)
$
0.5
$
6.1
$
43.3
Weighted-average years expected to be recognized over (years)
1.8
2.6
1.8
Additional information pertaining to the restricted stock and RSU activity is as follows:
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
21.
Employee Benefit Plans
Profit Sharing Retirement Savings Plans
The Company sponsors two defined contribution benefit plans covering substantially all eligible U.S. employees not covered by a collective bargaining agreement. The plans include a savings plan feature under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Company makes discretionary contributions to the plans and contributes an amount equal to 50% of the first 6% of salary contributed by an employee.
Under the terms of the plans, a participant is 100% vested in Company matching and discretionary contributions after five years of credited service. Contributions made by the Company under these plans approximated $6 million in each of the three fiscal years presented.
Supplemental Retirement Plan
The Company has a non-qualified supplemental retirement plan for certain highly compensated employees whose benefits under the 401(k) profit sharing retirement savings plans are expected to be constrained by the operation of certain Internal Revenue Code limitations. These supplemental benefits vest over time and the related compensation expense is recognized over the vesting period.
In August 2008, the Company amended its non-qualified supplemental retirement plan. The amendments included a suspension of the annual contributions for substantially all plan participants effective for Fiscal 2009. Further, affected participants were provided with a one-time election to either withdraw all benefits vested in the plan in a lump sum amount or remain in the plan and receive future distributions of benefits vested over a 5-year period. In connection with this one-time election, the Company paid out approximately $18 million to affected participants during the first quarter of Fiscal 2010.
Notwithstanding amounts accrued for the one-time withdrawal payout noted above, amounts accrued under this plan totaled $11 million as of March 28, 2009 and were classified within other non-current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet. The amounts accrued under this plan totaled $10 million as of April 3, 2010 and were classified within other non-current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet. Total compensation expense recognized related to these benefits was $0.2 million, $2 million and $4 million in Fiscal 2010, Fiscal 2009 and Fiscal 2008, respectively.
Deferred Compensation Plans
The Company has deferred compensation arrangements for certain key executives which generally provide for payments upon retirement, death or termination of employment. The amounts accrued under these plans were approximately $1 million as of April 3, 2010 and $2 million as of March 28, 2009, and were classified within other non-current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets. Total compensation expense related to these compensation arrangements was $0.3 million in each of the three fiscal years presented. The Company funds a portion of these obligations through the establishment of trust accounts on behalf of the executives participating in the plans. The trust accounts are classified within other assets in the consolidated balance sheets.
Union Pension Plan
The Company participates in a multi-employer pension plan and is required to make contributions to the UNITE HERE (which was previously known as the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees, prior to its merger with the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union) (“Union”) for dues based on wages paid to union employees. A portion of these dues is allocated by the Union to a retirement fund which provides defined benefits to substantially all unionized workers. The Company does not participate in the management of the plan and has not been furnished with information with respect to the type of benefits provided, vested and non-vested benefits or assets.
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
Under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, an employer, upon withdrawal from or termination of a multi-employer plan, is required to continue funding its proportionate share of the plan’s unfunded vested benefits. Such withdrawal liability was assumed in conjunction with the acquisition of certain assets from a non-affiliated licensee. The Company has no current intention of withdrawing from the plan.
International Defined Benefit Plans
The Company sponsors certain single-employer defined benefit plans at international locations which are not considered to be material individually or in the aggregate. Pension benefits under these plans are based on formulas that reflect the employees’ years of service and compensation levels during their employment period. The aggregate funded status of the single-employer defined benefit plans were net liabilities of $5.1 million and $7.3 million as of April 3, 2010 and March 28, 2009, respectively, primarily recorded within other non-current liabilities in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets. These single-employer defined benefit plans had aggregate projected benefit obligations of $25.4 million and aggregate fair values of plan assets of $22.5 million as of April 3, 2010, compared to projected benefit obligations of $26.9 million and aggregate fair values of plan assets of $22.9 million as of March 28, 2009. The asset portfolio of the single-employer defined benefit plans primarily consists of debt securities, which have been measured at fair value largely using Level 2 inputs, as defined in Note 15. Pension expense for these plans, recorded within SG&A expenses in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations, was $4.2 million in Fiscal 2010, $4.0 million in Fiscal 2009 and $3.6 million in Fiscal 2008.
On March 31, 2009, the Company withdrew from the remaining multi-employer defined benefit plan assumed in the Japanese Business Acquisitions. A related withdrawal liability of approximately $4 million was classified within other non-current liabilities in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet as of March 28, 2009. Total contributions to the multi-employer plan were $0.1 million in Fiscal 2010, $0.6 million in Fiscal 2009 and $0.5 million in Fiscal 2008.
On April 1, 2009, the Company integrated all of its Japanese single-employer defined benefit plans into one defined contribution and cash balance plan (the “Integrated Japan Pension Plan”). As a result of this integration, certain of the Company’s pre-existing Japanese single-employer defined benefit plans were settled. The Company recorded a related settlement charge of approximately $0.2 million in the consolidated statement of operations during Fiscal 2010.
22.
Segment Information
The Company has three reportable segments based on its business activities and organization: Wholesale, Retail and Licensing. Such segments offer a variety of products through different channels of distribution. The Wholesale segment consists of women’s, men’s and children’s apparel, accessories and related products which are sold to major department stores, specialty stores, golf and pro shops and the Company’s owned and licensed retail stores in the U.S. and overseas. The Retail segment consists of the Company’s worldwide retail operations, which sell products through its full-price and factory stores, its concessions-based shop-within-shops, as well as RalphLauren.com and Rugby.com, its e-commerce websites. The stores, concessions-based shop-within-shops and websites sell products purchased from the Company’s licensees, suppliers and Wholesale segment. The Licensing segment generates revenues from royalties earned on the sale of the Company’s apparel, home and other products internationally and domestically through licensing alliances. The licensing agreements grant the licensees rights to use the Company’s various trademarks in connection with the manufacture and sale of designated products in specified geographical areas for specified periods.
The accounting policies of the Company’s segments are consistent with those described in Note 2 and Note 3. Sales and transfers between segments generally are recorded at cost and treated as transfers of inventory. All intercompany revenues are eliminated in consolidation and are not reviewed when evaluating segment performance. Each segment’s performance is evaluated based upon operating income before restructuring charges and certain other one-time items, such as legal charges, if any. Corporate overhead expenses (exclusive of certain
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
expenses for senior management, overall branding-related expenses and certain other corporate-related expenses) are allocated to the segments based upon specific usage or other allocation methods.
Due to changes in the Company’s segment presentation as discussed in Note 2, segment information for Fiscal 2009 has been recast to conform to the current period’s presentation. These changes entirely related to reclassifications between the Company’s Wholesale and Retail segments, and had no impact on total net revenues, total operating income or total assets. In addition, these changes had no impact on net revenues by geographic location. Segment information for Fiscal 2008 has not been recast to conform to the current period’s presentation, as it is impracticable to do so.
Net revenues and operating income for each segment under the Company’s new (recasted) basis of reporting are as follows:
Net revenues and operating income for each segment under the Company’s historical basis of reporting are as follows:
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
(a)
Fiscal years presented included certain asset impairment charges. Fiscal 2010 included asset impairment charges of $6.6 million related to the write-down of certain long-lived assets, primarily in the Retail segment. Fiscal 2009 included asset impairment charges of $55.4 million, of which $52.0 million related to the write-down of certain Retail store assets, and $2.8 million in the Wholesale segment and $0.6 million in the Corporate office related to the write-down of certain capitalized software costs. Fiscal 2008 included asset impairment charges of $5.0 million related to the write-down of certain Retail store assets (see Note 11).
(b)
Fiscal years presented included certain unallocated restructuring charges and legal-related activity. Restructuring charges, net for Fiscal 2010 consisted of $6.9 million, of which $5.4 million related to the Wholesale segment, $2.0 million related to the Retail segment and $0.5 million represented the reversal of an excess reserve related to Corporate operations. Restructuring charges for Fiscal 2009 consisted of $23.6 million, of which $12.7 million related to the Retail segment, $7.3 million related to the Wholesale segment and $3.6 million related to Corporate operations (see Note 12). Legal-related activity for Fiscal 2010 consisted of legal charges of $4.8 million primarily related to the Company’s California Labor Litigation matter, offset in part by the reversal of an excess legal reserve of $1.7 million (see Note 17). Legal-related activity for Fiscal 2009 and Fiscal 2008 consisted of the reversal of excess legal reserves in the amounts of $0.5 million and $4.1 million, respectively.
Depreciation and amortization expense and capital expenditures for each segment under the Company’s new (recasted) basis of reporting are as follows:
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
Depreciation and amortization expense and capital expenditures for each segment under the Company’s historical basis of reporting are as follows:
Total assets for each segment under the Company’s new (recasted) basis of reporting are as follows:
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
Net revenues and long-lived assets by geographic location of the reporting subsidiary are as follows:
(a)
Includes Japan, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand.
23.
Related Party Transactions
In the ordinary course of conducting its business, the Company periodically enters into transactions with other entities or people that are considered related parties.
In connection with the launch of the RL Watch Company business, the Company receives royalty payments pursuant to a related licensing agreement that allows the RL Watch Company to sell luxury watches and fine jewelry throughout the world using certain of the Company’s trademarks. The Company has a 50% interest in the RL Watch Company, which is accounted for under the equity method of accounting. Royalty payments received under this arrangement were approximately $0.1 million in Fiscal 2010. No related payments were received in Fiscal 2009 or Fiscal 2008. See Note 3 for further discussion of the Company’s investment in the RL Watch Company.
In addition, during Fiscal 2008, Mr. Ralph Lauren, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, sometimes used the services of certain employees of the Company for non-Company related purposes. Mr. Lauren reimbursed the Company for the direct expenses incurred in connection with those services, including an allocation of such employees’ salaries and benefits. Such aggregate costs and related reimbursements were less than $1 million in Fiscal 2008. No related services were provided by the Company to Mr. Lauren in Fiscal 2010 or Fiscal 2009.
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - (Continued)
24.
Additional Financial Information
Cash Interest and Taxes
Fiscal Years Ended
April 3,
March 28,
March 29,
(millions)
Cash paid for interest
$
24.4
$
25.1
$
22.9
Cash paid for income taxes
$
196.4
$
165.0
$
248.8
Non-cash Transactions
Significant non-cash investing activities included the capitalization of fixed assets and recognition of related obligations in the net amount of $22.5 million for Fiscal 2010 and $13.0 million for Fiscal 2009. Significant non-cash investing activities also included the non-cash allocation of the fair value of the net assets acquired in connection with the Asia-Pacific Licensed Operations Acquisition in Fiscal 2010, the Japanese Childrenswear and Golf Acquisition in Fiscal 2009, and the Japanese Business Acquisitions and the Small Leathergoods Business Acquisition in Fiscal 2008. See Note 5 for further discussion of the Company’s acquisitions.
In Fiscal 2010, significant non-cash financing activities included the conversion of 1.2 million shares of Class B common stock into an equal number of shares of Class A common stock, as described further in Note 18. In Fiscal 2008, significant non-cash financing activities included the repurchase of 0.4 million shares of Class A common stock at a cost of $24.0 million that was traded prior to the end of the fiscal year for which settlement occurred in April 2008. In addition, as a result of the adoption of FIN 48, the Company recognized a non-cash reduction in retained earnings of $62.5 million as the cumulative effect to adjust its net liability for unrecognized tax benefits as of April 1, 2007.
There were no other significant non-cash investing or financing activities for the three fiscal years presented.
MANAGEMENT’S RESPONSIBILITY FOR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The management of Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation is responsible for the preparation, objectivity and integrity of the consolidated financial statements and other information contained in this Annual Report. The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and include some amounts that are based on management’s informed judgments and best estimates.
These consolidated financial statements have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP in Fiscal 2010 and Fiscal 2009 and by Deloitte & Touche LLP in Fiscal 2008, both of which are independent registered public accounting firms. They conducted their audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and have expressed herein their unqualified opinions on those financial statements.
The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors, which oversees all of the Company’s financial reporting process on behalf of the Board of Directors, consists solely of independent directors, meets with the independent registered accountants, internal auditors and management periodically to review their respective activities and the discharge of their respective responsibilities. Both the independent registered public accountants and the internal auditors have unrestricted access to the Audit Committee, with or without management, to discuss the scope and results of their audits and any recommendations regarding the system of internal controls.
June 2, 2010
/S/ RALPH LAUREN
/S/ TRACEY T. TRAVIS
Ralph Lauren
Tracey T. Travis
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of
Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation and subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of April 3, 2010 and March 28, 2009, and the related consolidated statements of operations, equity, and cash flows for the fiscal years then ended. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the financial statements based on our audit.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company at April 3, 2010 and March 28, 2009, and the consolidated results of its operations and its cash flows for the fiscal years then ended, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of April 3, 2010, based on the criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission and our report dated June 2, 2010 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.
/s/ ERNST & YOUNG LLP
New York, New York
June 2, 2010
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of
Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation
New York, New York
We have audited the accompanying consolidated statements of operations, equity, and cash flows of Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation and subsidiaries (the “Company”) for the fiscal year ended March 29, 2008. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, such Fiscal 2008 consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the results of the Company’s operations, its cash flows and its equity for the fiscal year ended March 29, 2008, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
As discussed in Note 4 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company adopted ASC 740-10 (formerly referred to as Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 48, “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes”), effective April 1, 2007.
As discussed in Note 4 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company changed the manner in which noncontrolling interests are identified, presented and disclosed.
/s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
New York, New York
May 28, 2008
(June 2, 2010 as to the effect of the noncontrolling interests as discussed in Note 4)
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of
Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation
We have audited Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation and subsidiaries’ (the “Company’s”) internal control over financial reporting as of April 3, 2010, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (the “COSO criteria”). The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management’s Report of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that the controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
In our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of April 3, 2010, based on the COSO criteria.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated balance sheets of the Company as of April 3, 2010 and March 28, 2009, and the related consolidated statements of operations, equity, and cash flows for the fiscal years then ended and our report dated June 2, 2010 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.
/s/ ERNST & YOUNG LLP
New York, New York
June 2, 2010
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
SELECTED FINANCIAL INFORMATION
The following table sets forth selected historical financial information as of the dates and for the periods indicated.
The consolidated statement of operations data for each of the three fiscal years in the period ended April 3, 2010 as well as the consolidated balance sheet data as of April 3, 2010 and March 28, 2009 have been derived from, and should be read in conjunction with, the audited financial statements and other financial information presented elsewhere herein. The consolidated statement of operations data for each of the two fiscal years in the period ended March 31, 2007 and the consolidated balance sheet data at March 29, 2008, March 31, 2007 and April 1, 2006 have been derived from audited financial statements not included herein. Capitalized terms are as defined and described in the consolidated financial statements or elsewhere herein. The historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected in any future period.
The selected financial information for the fiscal year ended April 3, 2010 reflects the Asia-Pacific Licensed Operations Acquisition effective in January 2010. The selected financial information for the fiscal year ended March 28, 2009 reflects the Japanese Childrenswear and Golf Acquisition effective in August 2008. The selected financial information for the fiscal year ended March 29, 2008 reflects the acquisition of the Small Leathergoods Business effective in April 2007, the Japanese Business Acquisitions effective in May 2007, and the adoption of FIN 48. The selected financial information for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2007 reflects the acquisition of the remaining 50% equity interest of Ralph Lauren Media, LLC effective in March 2007 and the adoption of FAS No. 123R, “Share-Based Payment.” The selected financial information for the fiscal year ended April 1, 2006 reflects the acquisition of the formerly-licensed Polo Jeans business effective in February 2006 and the acquisition of the formerly-licensed footwear business effective in July 2005.
(a)
Fiscal 2010 consisted of 53 weeks. All other fiscal years presented consisted of 52 weeks.
(b)
Operating income included legal-related charges, net of approximately $3 million in Fiscal 2010; reversals of excess legal reserves in the amounts of $0.5 million in Fiscal 2009 and approximately $4 million in Fiscal 2008; and litigation and credit card contingency-related charges of approximately $3 million in Fiscal 2007 and $7 million in Fiscal 2006.
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION SELECTED FINANCIAL INFORMATION - (Continued)
POLO RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
QUARTERLY FINANCIAL INFORMATION (UNAUDITED)
The following table sets forth the quarterly financial information of the Company:
(a)
Fourth quarter of Fiscal 2010 consisted of 14 weeks. All other fiscal quarters presented consisted of 13 weeks.
(b)
Per common share amounts for the quarters and full years have been calculated separately. Accordingly, quarterly amounts may not add to the annual amount because of differences in the average common shares outstanding during each period.
(c)
The inclusion of the 14th week in the fourth quarter of Fiscal 2010 resulted in incremental revenues of approximately $70 million and increased net income of approximately $13 million.
(d)
Net income and net income per common share for the fourth quarter of Fiscal 2009 have been affected by approximately $69 million of pretax charges related to asset impairments and restructurings.

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