UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

For the fiscal year ended January 30, 202129, 2022

OR

Commission file number: 1-33338

AMERICAN EAGLE OUTFITTERS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (412) (412) 432-3300

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes☒No☐

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Sections 15(d) of the Act. Yes☐No☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to the filing requirements for at the past 90 days. Yes☒No☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes☒No☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes☐No☒

The aggregate market value of voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of August 1, 2020July 31, 2021 was $1,506,799,360.$5,276,744,054.

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the registrant’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date: 166,700,832168,842,420 Common Shares were outstanding at March 8, 2021.10, 2022.

AMERICAN EAGLE OUTFITTERS, INC.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Annual Report on Form 10-K ("Annual Report") contains “forward‑“forward‑looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended by the (‘("Exchange Act”) that are based on the views and beliefs of management, as well as assumptions and estimates made by management. Actual results could differ materially from such forward‑forward‑looking statements as a result of various risk factors, including those that may not be in the control of management. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this Annual Report are forward-looking statements. Words such as “estimate,” “project,” “plan,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “potential,” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about:

Because these forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, there are important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Potential risk factors include the risk factors discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” under Part I, Item 1A of this Annual ReportReport. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on Form 10-K.which such statement is made, and we do not intend to correct or update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

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PART I

Item 1. Business.

Company Overview

American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (” the(the “Company,” "AEO," “we,” and “our”) is a leading global specialty retailer. We operate and license over 1,300 retail stores worldwide and are online at www.ae.comand www.aerie.comin the U.S. and internationally. Our brands are connected under the core tenet of REAL, which is inclusive, optimistic, empowering and celebrates self-expression. Our purpose is to show the world that there's REAL power in the optimism of youth.

We offer a broad assortment of high quality, on-trend apparel, accessories, and personal care products at affordable prices for men and women under the American Eagle (or “AE”) brand, and intimates, apparel, active wear, and swim collections under the Aerie brand. We sell directly to consumers through our retail channel, which includes our stores and concession-based shop-within-shops. We operate stores in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Hong Kong. We also have license agreements with third parties to operate American Eagle and Aerie stores throughout Asia, Europe, India, Latin America, and the Middle East.

We also operate Todd Snyder New York (“Todd Snyder”), a premium menswear brand.brand, and Unsubscribed, a new brand with a focus on consciously-made, slow fashion.

Operating Segments

Effective January 30,In Fiscal 2021, we revisedacquired AirTerra, Inc. ("AirTerra") and Quiet Logistics, Inc. ("Quiet Logistics"), which together form the foundation of our "Supply Chain Platform". Quiet Logistics is a leading logistics company that operates a network of in-market fulfillment centers in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, St. Louis and Jacksonville, locating products closer to need, creating inventory efficiencies, cost benefits and affordable same-day and next-day delivery options to customers and stores. AirTerra is a logistics and supply chain platform that solves ecommerce fulfillment and shipping challenges in a unique and innovative way for retailers and brands of all sizes. Both acquisitions represent an important step in building our supply chain platform, as part of our ongoing supply chain transformation strategy of leveraging scale and innovation to help us manage costs and improve service. See Note 3, "Acquisitions," of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included herein for additional information.

Operating Segments

The Company has identified two operating segments (American Eagle brand and Aerie brand) that also represent our reportable segment structuresegments and reflect the Chief Operating Decision Maker’s (defined as our CEO) internal view of analyzing results and allocating resources. Additionally, our Todd Snyder and Unsubscribed brands and our Supply Chain Platform have two reportable segments, American Eaglebeen identified as separate operating segments; however, as they do not meet the quantitative thresholds for separate disclosure they have been included in the Corporate and Aerie.  While our strategy, organizational structure and day-to-day operations remain largely unchanged, we believe the new segment reporting structure provides additional and helpful transparency into our operations.Other category. See Note 15.16. “Segment Reporting,” of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included herein for additional information.

Fiscal Year

Our fiscal year is a 52- or 53-week year that ends on the Saturday nearest to January 31. As used herein, “Fiscal 2021”"Fiscal 2022" refers to the 52-week period that will end on January 28, 2023. “Fiscal 2021” refers to the 52-week period ended January 29, 2022.2022, “Fiscal 2020” refers to the 52-week period ended January 30, 2021, and “Fiscal 2019” refers to the 52-week period ended February 1, 2020, and “Fiscal 2018” refers to the 52-week period ended February 2, 2019.2020.

Brands

American Eagle

American Eagle is an American brand rooted in our denim heritage and passionate about providing the highest-quality products. Since 1977, American Eagle has offered an assortment of specialty apparel and accessories for women and men that enables self-expression and empowers our customers to celebrate their individuality. The AEAmerican Eagle brand has broadened its leadership in jeans by producing innovative fabric with options for all styles and fits at a value. We aren’tare not just passionate about making great clothing; we’rewe are passionate about making real connections with the people who wear them.

Our AE brand includes Tailgate, our vintage, sports-inspired apparel clothing brand.

As of January 30, 2021,29, 2022, we operated 901880 AE stores. We offer AEAmerican Eagle products online at www.ae.comwww.ae.com..

Aerie5

Aerie

Aerie is a lifestyle brand offering intimates, apparel, active wear, and swim collections. With the #AerieREAL™ movement, Aerie celebrates its community by advocating for body positivity and the empowerment of all women. Aerie believes in inspiring customers to love their real selves, inside and out.

OFFLINE™ by Aerie is a new sub-brand offering a complete collection of activewear and accessories built for REAL movement and REAL comfort launched in Fiscal 2020.comfort.

As of January 30, 2021,29, 2022, we operated 175244 Aerie brand stand-alone stores, inclusive of 20 OFFLINE™ stand-alone stores and 17912 OFFLINE™ side-by-side stores connected to AEan Aerie brand stores, inclusive of four Offline stores, one Offlinelocation. We also operated 183 Aerie side-by-side storestores connected to an AE brand store,location and one Unsubscribed store (a new sub-brand with a focus on consciously-made, slow fashion launched in Fiscal 2020).two OFFLINE™ side-by-side stores connected to an AE brand location. In addition, Aerie brand merchandise is sold online at www.aerie.com and certain items are sold in AE brand stores.

Todd Snyder New York

Todd Snyder New York is a premium menswear brand. The Todd Snyder collections are informed by heritage yet updated for today, with an emphasis on versatility and comfort. As of January 30, 2021,29, 2022, we operated twofive Todd Snyder stores. We offer Todd Snyder products online at www.ToddSnyder.com.

Unsubscribed

Unsubscribed is a brand with a focus on consciously-made slow fashion. As of January 29, 2022, we operated four Unsubscribed stores. We offer Unsubscribed products online at www.unsubscribed.com.

Key Business Priorities & Strategy

We are focused on our “Real Power. Real Growth.” value creation plan to achieve our long-term financial outlook. To achieve our goals, AEO has the following strategic priorities:

As part of the plan, the Company will leverage customer-focused capabilities and continue to strengthen its ROIreturn on investment ("ROI") discipline, while building on the power of AEO’s people, culture and purpose.

Real Estate

We ended Fiscal 20202021 with 1,307 stores, consisting of 1,0781,133 Company-owned stores and 229248 licensed store locations. Our AE brand stores average approximately 6,7006,800 gross square feet and approximately 5,400 on a selling square foot basis. Our Aerie brand stand-alone stores, inclusive of OFFLINE™ stand-alone stores, average approximately 3,900 gross square feet and approximately 3,100 on a selling square foot basis. The gross square footage of our Company-owned stores decreasedincreased by 1.9%3.5% to 6.76.9 million during Fiscal 2020.2021.

COVID-19

Impacts related to the novel coronavirus globalongoing COVID-19 pandemic (“COVID-19”) have been significantly negative for the retail industry, our Company, our customers, and our associates. We have experienced and may continue to experience significant disruptions to our business due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the related suggested and mandated social distancing and shelter-in-place orders, which initially resulted in the temporary closure of a number ofall our stores and furlough of our associates.associates during the first half of Fiscal 2020. During Fiscal 2021 and Fiscal 2020, aswhile stores were impacted by negative mall traffic, we focused on our omnichannelomni-channel capabilities. As of January 30, 2021, the vast majority29, 2022, all of our stores had re-opened,have reopened and remain open, although we continue to see residual impacts on foot traffic and in-store revenues.

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business are discussed in further detail throughout this Business section, Part I, Item 1A - Risk Factors, and Part II - Item 7 - Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of this Form 10-K.Annual Report.

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Company-Owned Stores

Our Company-owned retail stores are located in shopping malls, lifestyle centers, and street locations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Hong Kong.

Refer to Note 16,17. “Impairment, Restructuring and COVID-19 related charges,Related Charges,” to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Form 10-KAnnual Report for additional information regarding impairment and restructuring charges related to our Company-owned stores.

The following table provides the number of our Company-owned stores in operation as of January 29, 2022 and January 30, 2021 and February 1, 2020.2021.

The following table provides the changes in the number of our Company-owned stores for the past five fiscal years:

Licensed StoresOperations

In addition

Our international licensing partners acquire the right to sell, promote, market, and/or distribute various categories of our Company-ownedproducts in a given geographic area and to source products from us. International licensees' rights include the right to own and operate retail stores our merchandise is sold at American Eagle and Aerie stores ownedmay include rights to sell in wholesale markets, shop-in-shop concessions and operated by third-party licensees. Revenue recognized under license agreements generally consists of royalties earned and recognized upon sale of merchandise by license partners to retail customers.

operate online marketplace businesses. As of January 30, 2021,29, 2022, our products were soldinternational licensing partners operated in 229 locations operated by licensees248 licensed retail stores and concessions, as well as wholesale markets, online brand sites, and online marketplaces in 28 countries as provided in the following table. 25 countries.

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We plan to continue to increase the number of locations under license agreements or similar arrangements as part of our disciplined approach to global expansion.

AEO Direct

We sell merchandise through our digital channels, www.ae.com, www.aerie.com, www.toddsnyder.com, www.unsubscribed.com, and our AEO apps, both domestically and internationally in 81 countries. We also sell merchandise on various international online marketplaces. The digital channels which we refer to as “AEO Direct” reinforce each particular brand platform and are designed to complement the in-store experience.

Over the past several years, we have invested in building our technologies and digital capabilities. We focused our investments in three key areas: making significant advances in mobile technology, investing in digital marketing and improving the digital customer experience.

Omni-Channel

In addition to our investments in technology, we have invested in building omni-channel capabilities to better serve customers and gain operational efficiencies. These upgraded technologies provide a single view of inventory across channels, connecting physical stores directly to our digital store and providing our customers with a more convenient and improved shopping experience. Our U.S. and Canadian distribution centers and our Quiet Logistics regional distribution centers are fully omni-channel and service both stores and digital businesses. We offer the ability for customers to return products seamlessly via any channel regardless of where it was originally purchased. We also offer a variety of channels to fulfill customer orders. These include “ship to home”,home,” which can be fulfilled either through our distribution center or our store sites (buy online, ship from stores) when purchased online or through our app; “store pick-up”, which consists of online orders being fulfilled either in store or curbside, and we offer “store-to-door” capability where customers order within our store, and the goods are shipped directly to their home.

Customer Loyalty Program

In June 2020, the Company launched a highly-digitized loyalty program called Real Rewards by American Eagle and Aerie™ (the “Program”). This is a highly-digitized loyalty program that launched in June 2020. The Program features both new and uniquea variety of benefits for loyalty members and credit card members.

Real Rewards by American Eagle and Aerie™ highlights include:

Under the Program, members accumulate points based on purchase activity and earn rewards by reaching certain point thresholds. Members earn dollar rewards in the form of discount savings certificates.  Prior to the launch of the Program in June 2020, under our previous program, AEO Connected™, we also offered additional rewards for key items including jeans and bras. Rewards earned are valid through the stated expiration date, which is 60 days from the issuance date of the reward. Rewards not redeemed during the 60-day redemption period are forfeited.

Merchandise Suppliers

We design our merchandise, which is manufactured by third-party factories. During Fiscal 2020,2021, we purchased substantially all of our merchandise from non-North American suppliers. We sourced merchandise through approximately 350260 vendors located throughout the world, primarily in Asia, and did not source more than 10% of our merchandise from any single factory or supplier. Although we purchase a significant portion of our merchandise through a single international buying agent, we do not maintain any exclusive commitments to purchase from any one vendor.

We maintain a quality control department at our distribution centers to inspect incoming merchandise shipments for overall quality of manufacturing. Inspections are also made by our employees and agents at manufacturing facilities to identify quality issues prior to shipment of merchandise.

We uphold an extensive factory inspection program to monitor compliance with our Supplier Code of Conduct. New garment factories must pass an initial inspection in order to do business with us and we continue to review their performance against

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our guidelines regarding working conditions, employment practices, and compliance with local laws through internal audits by our compliance team and the use of third-party monitors. We strive to partner with suppliers who respect local laws and share our dedication to utilize best practices in human rights, labor rights, environmental practices, and workplace safety. We are a certified, validated member of the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism program (“CTPAT”), a designation we have held since 2004. CTPAT is a voluntary program offered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) in which an importer agrees to work with CBP to strengthen overall supply chain security. As of September 2016, we were accepted into the Apparel, Footwear, and Textiles Center, one of CBP’s Centers of Excellence and Expertise (“CEE”). The CEEs were created to ensure uniformity, create efficiencies, reduce redundancies, enhance industry expertise, and facilitate trade, all with a final goal of reduced costs at the border and allowing CBP to focus on high-risk shipments.

Inventory and Distribution

Merchandise is shipped directly from our vendors, and deconsolidated through trans loaders to our Company-owned distribution centers in Hazleton, Pennsylvania and Ottawa, Kansas, to our third party logisticssix Quiet Logistics regional distribution centers strategically located throughout the U.S., or to our Canadian distribution center in Mississauga, Ontario. Additionally, product is shipped directly to stores, which reduces transit times and lowers operating costs. We contract with third-party distribution centers in Mexico and Hong Kong to service our Company-owned stores and e-commerce operations in those regions.

During Fiscal 2020,2021, we competed inventory optimization initiatives, reflecting reductions in AE, streamlining of assortments, and increasing alignment with sales plans. Aerie inventory increased during the year in line with customer demand.

Regulation

We and our products are subject to regulation by various federal, state, local, and foreign regulatory authorities. Substantially all of our products are manufactured by foreign suppliers and imported by us, and we are subject to a variety of trade laws, customs regulations, and international trade agreements. Apparel and other products sold by us are under the jurisdiction of multiple governmental agencies and regulations, including, in the U.S., the Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Products Safety Commission. These regulations relate principally to product labeling, marketing, licensing requirements, and consumer product safety requirements and regulatory testing. We are also subject to regulations governing our employees both globally and in the U.S., and by disclosure and reporting requirements for publicly traded companies established under existing or new federal or state laws, including the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”).

Our licensing partners, buying/sourcing agents, and the vendors and factories with which we contract for the manufacture and distribution of our products are also subject to regulation. Our agreements require our licensing partners, buying/sourcing agents, vendors, and factories to operate in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, and we are not aware of any violations that could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on our consolidated business or operating results.

Human Capital Management

Our people come first. As of January 30, 2021,29, 2022, we employed approximately 37,00040,800 associates throughout the world, of whom approximately 30,50033,600 were part-time or seasonal associates. We employed 32,00034,900 associates in the U.S,U.S., of whom approximately 26,00028,800 were part-time or seasonal associates.

Our values of People, Innovation, Passion, Integrity, and Teamwork are the backbone of our Company and are at the center of every decision, every product and every interaction - they represent the foundation of our REAL culture. We all have a vital role to play in creating an environment where everyone feels respected and empowered while we continue to grow as a community that promotes individuality and difference. We celebrate the diversity of one through the inclusion of many.

To evaluate our REAL culture, we look holistically at all the beliefs, values and behaviors that reflect how our best work is done. We aim to ensure there is alignment between what is espoused and what is practiced. Our consistently positivestrong internal employee satisfaction scores, corporate exit survey data, and external Glassdoor ratings demonstrate the achievement of this goal.

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Our culture model is comprisedcomposed of Listening, Observing, Supporting, and Informing:

Our Board of Directors (our “Board”) plays an important role in the oversight of our talent and culture and devotes time each quarter to receiving updates from senior management on employee engagement, turnover and retention rates, inclusion and diversity, talent development, leadership, and succession planning initiatives.

During Fiscal 2020,2021, we included inclusion and diversity and health and safety objectives in our corporate annual incentive compensation goals, reinforcing the Company’s priorities to protect our people.corporate social responsibility priorities.

TALENT MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS

We utilize an integrated set of talent management tools and programs, rooted in our values, that thread through the entire talent lifecycle. Consistent talent reviews, performance evaluations, equitable pay practices and succession planning have contributed to a full-time voluntary turnover rate, including our Storestore associates, of approximately 19%30% for Fiscal 2020,2021, which is consistent with our retail peer group and compares to a 24%25% five year AEOCompany average. We also have a full-time promotion rate of approximately 15% for Fiscal 2020. Associate development is supported through numerous programs, including AEO Academy, an online training platform that provides eligible associates with continuous learning opportunities. Over 1,300AEO Academy has over 1,000 modules, gainedwhich aggregate were completed over 2.71.1 million times during Fiscal 2021, with a total of 8.9 million views through thison the platform duringsince it was launched in late Fiscal 2020.2019. Our focus on associate development led to a full-time promotion rate of approximately 28% for Fiscal 2021 and compares to a 23% five year Company average.

INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, EQUITY & DIVERSITYACCESS

WeAt AEO, we believe that a truly diverse workplaceour success is athe result of our focus on being an inclusive, culture.diverse, equitable and accessible Company. It is about more than simply bringing together people who are different; it is about celebrating what makes us real.REAL.

In January 2022, we officially transitioned from Inclusion & Diversity (I&D) to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Access (“IDEA”). The transition to IDEA more accurately reflects the breadth of our priorities but also will drive our strategies moving forward. The transition will help to ensure all of our actions are viewed through a lens that prioritizes fairness in policies, practices, opportunities, and outcomes. Additionally, we will promote access by identifying and removing barriers (both physical and non-physical) that may impede our stakeholders from participating in, and realizing, all that AEO has to offer. Our values are at the center of every decision, product, and interaction. This means making sure that all people are respected and feel that being their authentic selves will not be a barrier to personal or professional fulfillment and growth.

We are a global company with people from many different backgrounds. In the U.S. alone, as of January 30, 2021,29, 2022, approximately 40%43% of our associates self-identified as a Personpeople of Colorcolor (“POC”). Specifically, our U.S. population is approximately 59%55% White, 23%25% Hispanic, 9% Black, 4% Asian, 1% American Indian or Native Hawaiian, 4% two or more races or other, and 1%2% not reported. Globally, 78%79% of our associates self-identified as women.

These numbers reflect a year-over-year increase of 3% in the representation of POC across the organization. These gains were achieved through increased rates of POC hiring in each of the Company’s business units (Corporate, Stores and Distribution Centers), with respective increases of 4%, 3% and 3%.

We have three I&D Pillars:IDEA Pillars. Our newest pillar is Community. It represents an evolution from our previous pillar of culture.

During Fiscal 2020,2021, in addition to increasing the representation of POC throughout the organization, we believe that we made significant strides in inclusionprogress on our IDEA initiatives at AEO, including:

TOTAL REWARDS

Our compensation programs are designed to attract and retain highly skilled, performance-oriented associates who live our brands and embody the spirit of authenticity and innovation we cultivate. We focus on delivering simple, straightforward compensation programs that our associates can easily understand. Ensuring that our teams are rewarded for delivering results is a key priority.

We reinforce the importance of each individual’s contributions towards achieving our larger company goals and share in our success as a team.

We aspirestrive to make compensation decisions that are fair and equitable, consistently evaluating compensation through both an internal and external lens. We focus on internal pay equity and conduct regular benchmarking to ensure competitiveness to the external marketmarket.

Our compensation programs are composed of three key elements:

We recognize that benefits are highly personal, and we offer a broad suite of benefitsofferings to our workforce, recognizing the varied needs and priorities of our associates. Our full-time associates have access to a variety of medical, dental and vision

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plan offerings, ensuring that associatesthey can select plans that satisfy their individual and family needs. In the U.S., our largest market, we also offer the following benefits to our workforce:

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2020 we introduced additional caregiver benefits to support those working at home and/or trying to support children attending school virtually by providing access to subsidized back-up care, through calendarwhich has continued into 2021.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

The health and safety of our workforce and customers is deeply rooted incritical to our culture and business. Our response to the COVID-19 pandemic was immediate and deliberate. We continue to put our people first and we implemented the following health and safety measures to care for our associates, customers and partners:

Competition

The global retail apparel industry is highly competitive both in stores and online. We compete with various local, national, and global apparel retailers, as well as the casual apparel and footwear departments of department stores and discount retailers, primarily on the basis of quality, fashion, service, selection, and price.

Trademarks and Service Marks

We have registered AMERICAN EAGLE OUTFITTERS^®OUTFITTERS®, AMERICAN EAGLE^®EAGLE®, AE^®AE®, AEO^®AEO®, LIVE YOUR LIFE^®LIFE®, AERIE^®AERIE®, and the Flying Eagle Designvarious eagle designs with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. We also have registered or have applied to register substantially all of these trademarks with the registries of the foreign countries in which our stores and/or manufacturers are located and/or where our product is shipped.

We have registered AMERICAN EAGLE OUTFITTERS^®OUTFITTERS®, AMERICAN EAGLE^®EAGLE®, AEO^®AEO®, LIVE YOUR LIFE^®LIFE®, AERIE^®AERIE®, and the Flying Eagle Designvarious eagle designs with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office. In addition, we have acquired rights in AETM for clothing products and registered AE^®AE® in connection with certain non-clothing products.

In the U.S. and in other countries around the world, we also have registered, or have applied to register, a number of other marks used in our business, including TODD SNYDER^®SNYDER®, TAILGATE^®,MOOD CHILL MIND & BODY™TAILGATE®, UNSUBSCRIBED™UNSUBSCRIBED®, OFFLINE BY AERIE™, Bald Eagle Design,AE77™, AIRTERRA™, QUIET LOGISTICS®, and our pocket stitch designs.

Our registered trademarks are renewable indefinitely, and their registrations are properly maintained in accordance with the laws of the country in which they are registered. We believe that the recognition associated with these trademarks makes them extremely valuable and, therefore, we intend to use, renew, and enforce our trademarks in accordance with our business plans.

Seasonality

Historically, our operations have been seasonal, with a large portion of total net revenue and operating income occurring in the third and fourth fiscal quarters, reflecting increased demand during the back-to-school and year-end holiday selling seasons, respectively. Our quarterly results of operations also may fluctuate based upon such factors as the timing of certain holiday seasons, the number and timing of new store openings, the acceptability of seasonal merchandise offerings, the timing and level of markdowns, store closings and remodels, competitive factors, weather and general economic and political conditions.  During Fiscal 2020, historic seasonal trends were impacted by consumer behavior due to COVID-19.

Information about our Executive Officers

Jennifer M. Foyle, 

Marisa A. Baldwin, age 54,51, has served as our Chief Human Resources Officer since September 2021. Prior to joining us, Ms. Baldwin served as Chief Human Resources Officer at Ascena Retail Group/ANN Inc. from November 2019 to May 2021; as Senior Vice President, Human Resources & Corporate Communications (ANN INC.) from 2015 to 2019; and as Vice President, Human Resources, ANN INC. from 2011 to 2015. Prior thereto, Ms. Baldwin served in human resources leadership roles focused on the growth and expansion of Starbucks Corporation and building a culture of inclusion at Diageo North America Inc.

Jennifer M. Foyle, age 55, has served as our President, Executive Creative Officer – AE and Aerie since June 2021 and as Chief Creative Officer, AEO Inc. and Global Brand President – Aerie sincefrom September 2020.2020 to June 2021. Prior thereto she served as our Global Brand President - Aerie since 2015. Ms. Foyle served as Executive Vice President, Chief Merchandising Officer –- Aerie from February 2014 to January 2015 and Senior Vice

President, Chief Merchandising Officer – Aerie from August 2010 to February 2014. Prior to joining us, Ms. Foyle was President of Calypso St. Barth from 2009 to 2010. In addition, she was the Chief Merchandising Officer at J. Crew Group, Inc., from 2003 to 2009. Early in her career, Ms. Foyle was the Women’s Divisional Merchandise Manager for Gap Inc. from 1999 to 2003 and held various roles at Bloomingdales from 1988 to 1999.

Charles F. Kessler

Michael A. Mathias, age 48, has served as our Global Brand President – American Eagle since January 2015. Prior thereto, he served as our Executive Vice President, Chief Merchandising and Design Officer – American Eagle from February 2014 to January 2015. Prior to joining us, Mr. Kessler served as Chief Merchandising Officer at Urban Outfitters, Inc. from October 2011 to November 2013 and as Senior Vice President, Corporate Merchandising at Coach, Inc. from July 2010 to October 2011. Prior to that time, Mr. Kessler held various positions with Abercrombie & Fitch Co. from 1994 to 2010, including Executive Vice President, Female Merchandising from 2008 to 2010.

Michael A. Mathias, age 46,47, has served as our Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since April 2020. Prior thereto, he served as Senior Vice President, Financial Planning & Analysis from October 2017 to April 2020, and in various key financial and operational roles since joining us in 1998 through 2014. From 2016 to 2017, Mr. Mathias served as Vice President, Financial Planning and Strategy at General Nutrition Centers, Inc. From 2014 to 2016, he served as President and Managing Partner of SY Ventures.

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Andrew J. McLean, age 52,53, has served as our Executive Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer since April 2017. His responsibilities include oversight of our global retail operations. Prior thereto, he served as our Executive Vice President, International since October 2016. Prior to joining us, Mr. McLean served as Chief Operating Officer and Head of International of Urban Outfitters, Inc. from 2014 to October 2016 and as Chief Operating Officer from 2008 to 2014. In addition, he held various positions at Liz Claiborne, Inc., including President, Outlet Division, from 2003 to 2008. Prior thereto, Mr. McLean held various roles at Gap, Inc. from 2000 to 2003 and served as a management consultant early in his career.

Michael R. Rempell, age 47,48, has served as our Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer since June 2012. His current responsibilities include oversight of our technology, supply-chain, production and sourcing, and sustainability teams. Prior thereto, he served as our Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, New York Design Center, from April 2009 to June 2012, as Senior Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer from May 2006 to April 2009, and in various other positions since joining us in February 2000.

Jay L. Schottenstein, age 66,67, has served as our Executive Chairman, Chief Executive Officer since December 2015. Prior thereto, Mr. Schottenstein served as our Executive Chairman, Interim Chief Executive Officer from January 2014 to December 2015. He has also served as the Chairman of the Company and its predecessors since March 1992. He served as our Chief Executive Officer from March 1992 until December 2002 and prior to that time, he served as a Vice President and Director of our predecessors since 1980. He has also served as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Schottenstein Stores Corporation (“SSC”) since March 1992 and as President since 2001. Prior thereto, Mr. Schottenstein served as Vice Chairman of SSC from 1986 to 1992. He has been a Director of SSC since 1982. Mr. Schottenstein also has served since March 2005 as Executive Chairman of the Board of Designer Brands Inc. (f/k/a DSW Inc.) (NYSE: DBI) and formerly served as that company’s Chief Executive Officer from March 2005 to April 2009. He has also served as a member of the Board of Directors for Albertsons Companies, Inc. (NYSE: ACI) since 2006. He has also served as an officer and director of various other entities owned or controlled by members of his family since 1976.

Stacy B. Siegal, age 54,55, has served as our Executive Vice President, General Counsel since March 2018. Ms. Siegal also serves as President and Chair of the AEO Foundation and is also responsible for our people, culture,ESG and corporate social responsibility and internal communication teams.programs. Prior thereto, she served as our Senior Vice President and General Counsel since November 2016. Prior to joining us, Ms. Siegal served as Senior Vice President, Chief Legal and Administrative Officer at rue21, Inc. from March 2013 to November 2016; as Vice President, General Counsel from 2010 to 2013; and as Corporate Counsel since 2006. Prior to that time, Ms. Siegal served as a consultant providing legal and human resource guidance to retail companies and boards of directors and as Corporate Counsel at General Nutrition Companies, Inc. since 1996.

Available Information

Our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports, as well as other information that we file with or furnish to the SEC, are available under the Investor Relations section of our website at www.aeo-inc.com. These reports are available as soon as reasonably practicable, free of charge, after such material is electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. Alternatively, you may access these reports at the SEC’s Internet website at www.sec.gov.

Our corporate governance materials, including our corporate governance guidelines, the charters of our audit, compensation, and nominating and corporate governance committees, and our code of ethics may also be found under the Investor Relations section of our website at www.aeo-inc.com. A copy of the corporate governance materials is also available upon written request.

Additionally, our investor presentations are available under the Investor Relations section of our website at www.aeo-inc.com. These materials are available no later than the time they are presented at investor conferences. Unless expressly noted, theWe have included our website addresses throughout this report as inactive textual references only. The information on our website or any other websitewebsites is not incorporated by reference in this Form 10-KAnnual Report and should not be considered part of this Form 10-K or any other filing that we make with the SEC.Annual Report.

Item 1A. Risk Factors

Macroeconomic and Industry Risks

Our inability to anticipate and respond to changing consumer preferences and fashion trends and fluctuations in customerconsumer demand in a timely manner could adversely impact our profitability.business and results of operations.

The specialty retail apparel business fluctuates according to changes in the economy and consumer preferences and trends, which are dictated by fashion trends and season and may shift quickly. These fluctuations can materially impact our sales and gross margins and are exacerbated by the fact that merchandise is typically ordered well in advance of a selling season.

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While we work to identify trends and consumer preferences on an ongoing basis and offer inventory and shopping experiences that meet such trends and preferences, we may not do so effectively and/or on a timely basis. As a result, we are vulnerable to changes in consumer demand, pricing shifts and the timing and selection of merchandise purchases.

Our future success depends, in part, upon our ability to identify and respond to fashion trends and changing consumer preferences in a timely manner. The specialty retail apparel business fluctuates according to changes in the economy and customer preferences, dictated by fashion and season. These fluctuations can materially impact our sales and gross margins which is exacerbated by the fact that merchandise is typically ordered well in advance of the selling season. As a result, we are susceptible to changing fashion trends and fluctuations in customer demands.

Lead times for many of our design and purchasing decisions may make it more difficult for us to respond rapidly to new or changing apparel trends or consumer acceptance of our products. As a result, we are vulnerable to changes in consumer demand, pricing shifts and the timing and selection of merchandise purchases. Our failure to enter into agreements for the manufacture and purchase of merchandise in a timely manner could, among other things, lead to a shortage of inventory and lower sales. Changes in fashion trends, if unsuccessfully identified, forecasted or responded to by us, could, among other matters, lead to lower sales, missed opportunities, excess inventories, inventory shortages, and higher markdowns or write-offs, all of which in turn could have a material adverse effect onnegatively impact our results of operationsability to achieve or maintain profitability and financial condition.

Our business is highly competitive, and we face significant pricing pressures from existing and new competitors.

The sale of apparel, accessories, intimates, and personal care products is a highly competitive business with numerous participants, including individual and chain specialty apparel retailers, local, regional, national, and international department stores, discount stores and online businesses. Changing consumer preferences has and may continue to result in new competition for our products. The substantial sales growth in the digital channel within the last several years has increased competition due to new entrants in the market and has resulted in pricing pressures from new entrants and established competitors. Some of these competitors have robust digital customer experiences and highly efficient delivery systems. Furthermore, the decrease in mall traffic is putting a greater reliance on the digital channel and thus increasing the competitive threat.

We face a variety of competitive challenges, including:

In light of the competitive challenges we face, we may not be able to compete successfully in the future and have lower market share. Additionally, increases in competition could reduce our sales, which in turn could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

The effect of economic pressures and other business factors on discretionary consumer spending and changes in consumer preferences could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations and liquidity.

The success of our operations is highly dependent onoperations. Failure to respond to changing consumer spending, which can be negatively impacted by economic conditions as well as factors affecting disposable consumer incomepreferences, particularly unanticipated changes such as income taxes, payroll taxes,

employment, consumer debt, interest rates, increases in energy costs and consumer confidence. We may be negatively impacted by changes in consumer preferences and discretionary spending habits such as consumer behavior reallocating to non-retail discretionary consumer spending.

Seasonality may cause sales to fluctuate andthose that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic, could also negatively impact our results of operations.brand image with our customers and result in diminished brand loyalty.

Historically, our operations have been seasonal, with a large portion of total net revenue and operating income occurring in the third and fourth fiscal quarters, reflecting increased demand during the back-to-school and year-end holiday selling seasons, respectively. Because of this seasonality, factors negatively affecting us during the third and fourth fiscal quarters of any year, including adverse weather or unfavorable economic conditions, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations for the entire year. Our quarterly results of operations also may fluctuate based upon such factors as the timing of certain holiday seasons, the number and timing of new store openings, the acceptability of seasonal merchandise offerings, the timing and level of markdowns, store closings and remodeling’s, competitive factors, weather and general economic and political conditions.

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19)ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has had, and is expected to continue to have, an adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

In late 2019,The COVID-19 was first detected in Wuhan, China. In March 2020,pandemic has negatively impacted the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic,economy, disrupted consumer spending and governmental authorities around the world have implemented measures to reduce the spreadglobal supply chains, created significant volatility and disruption of COVID-19. These measures have adversely affected workforces, customers, consumer sentiment, economies, and financial markets, and along with decreased consumer spending have ledhas had an adverse impact on our business and financial performance, particularly in Fiscal 2020. For example, during Fiscal 2020 we experienced a 13% reduction in net revenue compared to Fiscal 2019 due to the impacts of the pandemic on our business. Additionally, an economic downturnoverall increase in manyshipping demands, as consumers gravitated toward e-commerce, resulted in higher shipping costs due to capacity constraint and competitive wage pressure among third-party logistics service providers during Fiscal 2020 and 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic also has impacted and may continue to impact the financial viability or business operations of some of our markets. We continuethird-party vendors and transportation or logistics providers and may in the future interrupt and further increase costs for our supply chain and could require additional changes to operate our e-commerce business, and had to temporarily close our corporate offices and American Eagle and Aerie physical stores.  We have since reopened nearly all of our stores, but have had to operate at lower capacities than normal.operations.

The COVID-19 pandemic also directly threatens the health of our associates and customers.consumers. The operation of all of our stores is critically dependent on our associates who staff these locations. In the event that an associate tests positive for COVID-19, we have had to, and may in the future have to, temporarily close one or more stores, offices or distribution centers for cleaning and/or quarantine of one or more associates, or due to the unavailability of impacted associates, which could negatively impact our financial results.

We are unable to accurately predict the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic will have on our operations going forward due to uncertainties that will be dictated by the length of time that such disruptions continue, which will, in turn, depend on the currently unknowable duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, any resurgences of COVID-19 or its variants in areas where our stores, customers,consumers, or associates are located, and the impact of governmental regulations that might be imposed in response to the pandemic, which could, among other things, require that we close our distribution and fulfillment centers or otherwise make it difficult or impossible to operate our e-commerce business. Numerous state and local jurisdictions have imposed, and others in the future may impose, shelter-in-place orders, quarantines, executive orders and similar government orders and restrictions for their residents to control the spread of COVID-19. Such orders and restrictions have resulted in temporary store closures, work stoppages, slowdowns and delays, travel restrictions and cancellations of events, among other effects, thereby negatively impacting our operations. In addition, we expect tocould be impacted by a deterioration of economic conditions in the United States, which potentially could have an impact on discretionary consumer spending. ToThe extent of the extent that our target customer demographic is disproportionately impacted by unemployment or otherwise as a resultimpact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business may be further adversely affected.  The ultimate impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak to our business remain highly uncertain and will depend on future developments, which remain highly uncertain and difficult to predict, including the duration, severity and sustained geographic spread of the pandemic, additional waves of increased infections, the virulence and spread of different strains of the virus, and the extent to which associated prevention, containment, remediation and treatment efforts, including global vaccination programs and vaccine acceptance, are successful.

Vaccine mandates and other governmental regulations relating to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial conditions and results of operations

On September 9, 2021, President Biden announced a proposed new rule requiring that all employers with at least 100 employees require that their employees be fully vaccinated or tested weekly. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) issued an emergency temporary standard (“ETS”) regulation to carry out this mandate. On November 6, 2021, the Unites States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit granted a stay of the ETS, and on November 12, 2021, the Court upheld its stay and barred OSHA from enforcing the mandate “pending adequate judicial

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review” of a motion for permanent injunction. On January 26, 2022, OSHA withdrew the ETS regulation, ending the mandate. At this time, it remains unclear whether there will be future efforts by OSHA to enact similar regulations.

As a company with over 40,000 employees globally, it is anticipated that, should the ETS or similar regulations go into effect, we would be subject to COVID-19 vaccination and/or testing mandates. Should the mandates apply to us, we may be required to implement a requirement that all of our employees get vaccinated or be frequently tested, subject to limited exceptions. At this time, it is not possible to predict the impact that a vaccine and testing mandate, or a vaccine requirement should we adopt one, will have on us or on our workforce. Any vaccine requirement or vaccine mandate, if implemented, may result in disruptions to our retail store operations, distribution operations, employee attrition and increased labor costs, which could materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations.

Although we cannot predict with certainty the impact that the vaccine mandate and any other related measures will have on our workforce and operations, these requirements and any future requirements may result in attrition and impede our ability to recruit and retain our workforce. These measures also may further disrupt the national supply chain, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects.

Global economic conditions and the effect of economic pressures and other business factors on discretionary consumer spending and changes in consumer preferences could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

The uncertain state of the global economy, including the economic impacts of the pandemic and recent inflationary pressures, continues to impact businesses around the world. If global economic and financial market conditions deteriorate, the following factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition:

In uncertain economic environments, we cannot predict whether or recommended by governmentwhen such circumstances may improve or health officials,worsen, or what impact, if any, such circumstances could have on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial position.

Seasonality may cause sales to fluctuate and negatively impact our results of operations.

Historically, our operations have been seasonal, with a large portion of total net revenue and operating income occurring in the widespread availability usethird and effectivenessfourth fiscal quarters, reflecting increased demand during the back-to-school and year-end holiday selling seasons, respectively. Because of vaccines, which are highly uncertainthis seasonality, factors negatively affecting us during the third and cannotfourth fiscal quarters of any year, including adverse weather or unfavorable economic conditions, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations for the entire year. As a result, we may not be predicted.  While it is prematureable to accurately predict the ultimate impact of these developments, we expectour quarterly sales. Accordingly, our results forof operations are likely to fluctuate significantly from period to period. Our quarterly results of operations also may fluctuate based upon such factors as the remaindertiming of certain holiday seasons, the number and timing of new store openings, the acceptability of seasonal merchandise offerings, the timing and level of markdowns, store closings and remodels, competitive factors, weather and general economic and political conditions.

This seasonality, along with other factors that are beyond our control, including the COVID-19 pandemic, social or political unrest, general economic conditions, changes in consumer preferences, weather conditions, including the effects of climate change, the availability of import quotas, transportation disruptions and foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, could adversely affect our business and cause our results of operations to be adversely impactedfluctuate.

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We operate in a highly competitive industry, and we face significant manner.pricing pressures from existing and new competitors.

The sale of apparel, accessories, intimates, and personal care products is a highly competitive business with numerous participants, including individual and chain specialty apparel retailers, local, regional, national, and international department stores, discount stores and online businesses. Changing consumer preferences has resulted and may continue to result in new competition for our products. The substantial sales growth in the digital channel within the last several years has increased competition due to new entrants in the market and has resulted in pricing pressures from new entrants and established competitors. Some of these competitors have robust digital consumer experiences and highly efficient delivery systems. Furthermore, the decrease in mall traffic is putting a greater reliance on the digital channel and thus increasing the competitive threat.

We face a variety of competitive challenges, including:

In light of the competitive challenges we face, we may not be able to compete successfully in the future, resulting in lower market share. Additionally, increases in competition could reduce our sales, which in turn could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

Our results could be adversely affected by events beyond our control, such as natural disasters, public health crises, political crises, negative global climate patterns, or other catastrophic events.

Natural disasters, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, extreme cold events and other adverse weather conditions; public health crises, such as pandemics and epidemics (including, without limitation, the recent coronavirus outbreak), such as pandemics and epidemics;ongoing COVID-19 pandemic); political crises, such as terrorist attacks, war, labor unrest, and other political instability; negative global climate patterns, especially in water stressed regions; or other catastrophic events, such as fires or other disasters occurring at our distribution centers or our vendors' manufacturing facilities, whether occurring in the United States or internationally, could disrupt our operations, including the operations of our licensees, or the operations of one or more of our vendors. In

particular, these types of events could impact our supply chain from or to the impacted region and could impact our ability or the ability of our licensees or other third parties to operate our stores or websites. In addition, these types of events could negatively impact consumer spending in the impacted regions or, depending upon the severity, globally. Disasters occurring at our vendors’ manufacturing facilities could impact our reputation and our customers’consumers’ perception of our brands. To the extent any of these events occur, our operations and financial results could be adversely affected. Further, the frequency and severity of extreme weather conditions and natural disasters may affect our business operations, either in a particular region or globally, as well as the activities of our third-party vendors and other suppliers, manufacturers, and customers. In addition, the physical changes prompted by climate change could result inchanges in regulations or consumer preferences, which could in turn affect our business, operating results, and financial condition.

Impairment to goodwill, intangible assets, and other long-lived assets could adversely impact our profitability.

Significant negative industry or general economic trends, changes in customer demand for our product, disruptions to our business, and unexpected significant changes or planned changes in our operating results or use of long-lived assets may result in impairments to goodwill, intangible assets, and other long-lived assets.

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Strategic Risks

Our inability to grow our digital channels and leverage omni-channel capabilities could adversely impact our business.

We have made and expect to continue to make significant investments in building our technologies and digital capabilities in three key areas: mobile technology, digital marketing, and the digital customer experience. We have made significant capital investments in these areas but there is no assurance that we will realize a return on those investments or be successful in growing our digital channels.

As omni-channel retailing continues to evolve, our customers are increasingly more likely to shop across multiple channels that work in tandem to meet their needs. In addition, our competitors are also investing in omni-channel initiatives, some of which may be more successful than our initiatives. Our inability to respond to these changes and successfully maintain and expand our omni-channel business may have an adverse impact on our results of operations.

Failure to define, launch and communicate a brand relevant customer experience could have a negative impact on our growth and profitability.

We strive to build strong emotional connections with our customers and to enrich the customer experience. If our marketing and customer experience programs, including our loyalty program, are unsuccessful, or if our competitors are more effective with their programs than we are, our growth and profitability may be negatively affected.

Our efforts to execute on our key business priorities could have a negative impact on our growth and profitability.

Our success depends on our ability to execute on our key priorities, which are centered on driving our brands forward and delivering an exceptional customer experience across channels, including:

As part of the plan, the Company will leverage customer-focused capabilities and continue to strengthen its ROI discipline, while building on the power of AEO’s people, culture and purpose.

Achieving these key business priorities depends on us executing our strategies successfully, and the initiatives that we implement in connection with these goals may not resonate with our customers.customers, or be successful in their intended goals. It may take longer than anticipated to generate the expected benefits of our initiatives, and there can be no guarantee that pursuing these key priorities will result in improved operating results or achievement of a given priority. Misalignment and competing initiatives could result in inefficiencies, erroneously prioritized efforts, and resource dilution. Failure to implement our key business priorities successfully could have a negative impact on our growth and profitability.

Our efforts to expand internationally expose us to risks inherent in operating in new countries.

We are actively pursuing additional international expansion initiatives, which include Company-owned stores and stores operated by third parties through licensing arrangements in select international markets. The effect of international expansion arrangements on our business and results of operations is uncertain and will depend upon various factors, including the demand for our products in new markets internationally. Furthermore, although we provide store operation training, literature and support, to the extent that a licensee does not operate its stores in a manner consistent with our

requirements regarding our brand and customer experience standards, our business results and the value of our brand could be negatively impacted.

As we pursue our international expansion initiatives, we are subject to certain laws, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, as well as the laws of the foreign countries in which we operate. Violations of these laws could subject us to sanctions or other penalties that could have an adverse effect on our reputation, operating results and financial condition.

A failure to implement our expansion initiatives properly, or the adverse impact of political or economic risks in these international markets, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. We have limited prior experience operating internationally where we face established competitors. In many of these locations, the real estate, labor and employment, transportation and logistics and other operating requirements differ dramatically from those in the locations where we have more experience. Consumer demand and behavior, as well as tastes and purchasing

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trends, may differ substantially, and as a result, sales of our products may not be successful, or the margins on those sales may not be in line with those we currently anticipate. Any differences that we encounter as we expand internationally may divert financial, operational, and managerial resources from our existing operations, which could adversely impact our financial condition and results of operations. In addition, we are increasingly exposed to foreign currency exchange rate risk with respect to our revenue, profits, assets, and liabilities denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. The instruments we may use to hedge certain foreign currency risks in the future may not succeed in offsetting all of the negative impact of foreign currency rate movements on our business and results of operations.

As we pursue our international expansion initiatives, we are subject to certain laws, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, as well as the laws of the foreign countries in which we operate. Violations of these laws could subject us to sanctions or other penalties that could have an adverse effect on our reputation, operating results and financial condition.

Operational Risks

Our failure to protect our reputation could have a material adverse effect on our brands.

Our business depends on the value and reputation of our brands and our ability to anticipate, identify, and respond to customers’ demands and preferences, and to fashion trends. In addition, the increasing use of social media platforms allows for rapid communication and any negative publicity related to the aforementioned concerns may reduce demand for our merchandise. Public perception about our products or our stores, whether justified or not, could impair our reputation, involve us in litigation, damage our brands and may adversely impact our business, results of operations, and financial condition.

The appeal of our brand may also depend on the success of our ESG initiatives, which require company-wide coordination and alignment. We are working to manage risks and costs to us, our licensees and our supply chain of any effects of climate change as well as diminishing fossil fuel and water resources. These risks include any increased public focus, including by governmental and nongovernmental organizations, on these and other environmental sustainability matters, including packaging and waste, animal welfare, and land use. We may receive increased pressure to expand our disclosures in these areas, make commitments, set targets or establish additional goals and take actions to meet them, which could expose us to market, operational and execution costs or risks. The metrics we disclose, such as emissions and water usage, whether they be based on the standards we set for ourselves or those set by others, may influence our reputation and the value of our brand. Our failure to achieve progress on our metrics on a timely basis, or at all, could adversely affect our business, financial performance, and growth. By electing to set and share publicly these metrics and expand upon our disclosures, we may also face increased scrutiny related to ESG activities. As a result, we could experience damage to our reputation and the value of our brands if we fail to act responsibly in the areas in which we report. Any such harm to our reputation or any failure or perceived failure by us to adequately address ESG-related activities, including setting of metrics or enhancing disclosures, could adversely affect our business, financial performance, and growth.

Our failure to manage growth in our omni-channel operations and the resulting impact on our distribution and fulfillment networks may have an adverse effect on our results of operations.

Increasingly, consumers are using mobile-based devices and applications to shop online with us and with our competitors, and to do comparison shopping, as well as to engage with us and our competitors through digital services and experiences that are offered on mobile platforms. In Fiscal 2021, digital sales represented 36% of our total revenue. In order to grow and remain competitive, we will need to continue to adapt to future changes in technology to address the changing demands of consumers. Any failure on our part to provide attractive, effective, reliable, secure, user-friendly digital commerce platforms that offer a wide assortment of merchandise with rapid delivery options and that continually meet the changing expectations of online shoppers or any failure to provide attractive digital experiences to our customers could place us at a competitive disadvantage, result in the loss of digital commerce and other sales, harm our reputation with consumers, have a material adverse impact on the growth of our digital commerce business globally and have a material adverse impact on our business and results of operations.

Our omni-channel operations are subject to numerous risks that could have a material adverse effect on our results. Risks include, but are not limited to, the difficulty in recreating the in-store experience; our ability to anticipate and implement innovations in technology and logistics in order to appeal to existing and potential consumers who increasingly rely on multiple channels to meet their shopping needs; and the failure of and risks related to the systems that operate our web infrastructure, websites and the related support systems, including computer viruses, theft of consumer information, privacy concerns, telecommunication failures and electronic break-ins and similar disruptions.

Our failure to maintain efficient and uninterrupted fulfillment operations could also have a material adverse effect on our results. The satisfaction of consumers who shop online depends on their timely receipt of merchandise. If we encounter difficulties with our distribution facilities, or if the facilities were to shut down for any reason, including as a result of fire, natural disaster or work stoppage, we could face shortages of inventory; incur significantly higher costs and longer lead

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times associated with distributing our products to consumers; and cause consumer dissatisfaction. Any of these issues could have a material adverse effect on our operations, financial condition and cash flows.

Our inability to implement and sustain adequate information technology systems could adversely impact our profitability.

We regularly evaluate our information technology systems and are currently implementing modifications and/or upgrades to the information technology systems that support our business. Modifications include replacing legacy systems with successor systems, making changes to legacy systems, or acquiring new systems with new functionality. We are aware of the inherent risks associated with operating, replacing, and modifying these systems, including inaccurate system information and system disruptions. There is a risk that information technology system disruptions and inaccurate system information, if not anticipated and/or promptly and appropriately mitigated, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations. Additionally, there can be no guarantee that, if any computer system failure, cyber-attack, or security breach occurs, it will be timely detected or sufficiently remediated. Furthermore, if our information technology systems are damaged, breached or cease to properly function for any reason, including the poor performance of, failure of, or cyber-attack on third-party service providers, catastrophic events, power outages, cyber-security breaches, network outages, failed upgrades or similar events, and if our disaster recovery and business continuity plans do not effectively resolve such issues, we may suffer interruptions in our ability to manage or conduct business, as well as reputational harm, and we may be subject to governmental investigations and litigation, any of which may adversely impact our business, results of operations, and financial condition.

Measures

The loss or disruption of information technology services could affect our ability to implement our strategies and have a material adverse effect on our business.

Our information technology systems are an integral part of our strategies in efficiently operating our business, in managing operations and protecting against security risks related to our electronic processing and transmitting of confidential consumer and associate data. The requirements to keep our information technology systems operating at peak performance may be higher than anticipated and could strain our capital resources, management of any system upgrades, implementation of new systems and the related change management processes required with new systems and our ability to prevent any future information security breaches. In addition, any significant disruption of our data center could have a material adverse effect on those operations dependent on those systems, specifically, our store and e-commerce operations, our distribution and fulfillment centers and our merchandising team. While we maintain business interruption and property insurance, in the event of a data center shutdown, our insurance may not be sufficient to cover the impact to the business.

Our e-commerce operations are vital to our business and are subject to various risks of operating online and mobile selling capabilities such as the failure of our information technology infrastructure, including any third-party hardware or software, resulting in downtime or other technical issues; reliance on third-party logistics providers to deliver our products to consumers; inability to respond to technological changes; violations of state or federal laws; credit card fraud; or other information security breaches. Failure to mitigate these risks could reduce e-commerce sales, damage our reputation, and have a material adverse effect on our business.

We face risks related to our electronic processing of sensitive and confidential personal and business data. If such data are lost or disclosed in an unauthorized manner, or if we or our third-party vendors are subject to cyberattacks, data breaches, other security incidents, or disruption of information technology systems or software, such events could expose us to liability, damage our reputation, and have a material adverse effect on our business.

Given the nature of our business, we, together with third parties acting on our behalf, receive, collect, process, use, and retain sensitive and confidential consumer and associate data, in addition to proprietary business information. Our business relies on information technology networks and systems to market and sell our products, process financial and personal information, manage a variety of business processes and comply with regulatory, legal and tax requirements. We also depend on a variety of information systems to effectively process consumer orders and other data and for digital marketing activities and for electronic communications among our associates, consumers, prospective consumers, and vendors. Some of our third-party service providers, such as identity verification and payment processing providers, also regularly have access to consumer data. Additionally, we maintain other confidential, proprietary, or otherwise sensitive information relating to our business and from third parties.

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The information technology networks and systems owned, operated, controlled or used by us or our vendors may be vulnerable to damage, disruptions or shutdowns, software or hardware vulnerabilities, data breaches, security incidents, supply-side attacks, failures during the process of upgrading or replacing software, databases or components, power outages, natural disasters, hardware failures, attacks by computer hackers, telecommunication failures, user errors, user malfeasance, computer viruses, unauthorized access, phishing or social engineering attacks, ransomware attacks, denial-of-service attacks and other real or perceived cyberattacks or catastrophic events, all of which may not be prevented by our efforts to secure our computer systems. Any of these incidents could lead to interruptions or shutdowns of our platform, disruptions in our ability to process consumer orders or to track, record or analyze the sale of our products, loss or corruption of data or unauthorized access to or acquisition of personal information or other sensitive information, such as our intellectual property. We utilize security tools and controls and also rely on our third-party vendors to use sufficient security measures, including encryption and authentication technology, in an effort to protect personal and other sensitive information. However, advances in computer capabilities, increasingly sophisticated tools and methods used by hackers and cyber terrorists, new discoveries in the field of cryptography or other developments may result in our failure or inability, or the failure or inability of our vendors, to adequately protect personal or other sensitive information and there can be no assurance that we or our vendors will not suffer a cyberattack, that hackers or other unauthorized parties will not gain access to or exfiltrate personal information or other sensitive data, or that any such data compromise or unauthorized access will be discovered in a timely fashion.

We rely on associates, contractors and other third parties who may attempt to circumvent our security measures in order to obtain such information and may purposefully or inadvertently cause a breach involving such information. Actual or anticipated attacks may cause us to incur increasing costs, including costs to deploy additional personnel and protection technologies, train associates, pay higher insurance premiums, and engage third-party specialists for additional services. An information security breach involving confidential and personal data could damage our reputation and our customers' willingness to purchase from us. In addition, we may incur material liabilities and remediation costs as a result of an information security breach, including potential liability for stolen consumer or associate data, repairing system damage or providing credit monitoring or other benefits to consumers or associates affected by the breach. In the event we experience an information security breach, our insurance may not be sufficient to cover the impact to the business. Although we have developed mitigating security controls to reduce our cyber risk and protect our data from loss or disclosure due to a security breach, including processes designed to reduce the impact of a security breach at a third-party vendor, such measures cannot provide absolute security.

We and our third-party vendors regularly experience cyberattacks aimed at disrupting services. Our third-party vendors have been and may be the victim of cyber-related attacks that could lead to operational disruptions that could have an adverse effect on our ability to fulfill consumer orders. Security incidents such as ransomware attacks are becoming increasingly prevalent and severe, as well as increasingly difficult to detect. We, and our third-party vendors, have been subject to cyber, phishing and social engineering attacks and other security incidents in the past and may continue to be subject to such attacks in the future. Security breaches can also occur as a result of non-technical issues, including intentional or inadvertent actions by our associates, our third-party vendors or their personnel or other parties. If we or our third-party service providers experience security breaches that result in marketplace performance problems, availability problems, or the loss, corruption of, unauthorized access to, or disclosure of personal data or confidential information, people may become unwilling to provide us the information necessary to make purchases on our sites, and our reputation and market position could be harmed. Existing consumers may also decrease their purchases or close their accounts altogether. We could also face potential claims, investigations, regulatory proceedings, liability and litigation, and bear other substantial costs in connection with remediating and otherwise responding to any data security breach, all of which may not be adequately covered by insurance, and which may result in an increase in our costs for insurance or insurance not being available to us on economically feasible terms, or at all. Insurers may also deny us coverage as to any future claim. Any of these results could harm our growth prospects, financial condition, business, and reputation.

Telework measures intended to prevent the spread of COVID-19 may negatively impact our operations.operations or increase our risk exposures.

In response to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak and the government mandates implemented to control its spread,pandemic, most of our corporate office associates are working remotely. If our associates are unable to work effectively as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, including because of illness, quarantines, office closures, ineffective remote work arrangements or technology failures or limitations, our operations would be adversely impacted. Further, remote work arrangements may increase the risk of security incidents, data breaches or cyber-attacks, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations, due to, among other things, the loss of proprietary data, interruptions or delays in the operation of our business, damage to our reputation and any government-imposed penalty.

Our inability to safeguard against security incidents with respect to our information technology systems could damage our reputation and adversely impact our profitability.

Our business employs systems and websites that allow for the storage and transmission of proprietary or confidential information regarding our business, customers, and employees including credit card information, street addresses, and

email addresses. Attackers continuously enhance and evolve in their efforts to compromise our systems and websites. Such security incidents could expose us to a risk of loss or misuse of this proprietary or confidential information, random demands and potential liability. We have experienced cyber incidents, which have not had a material adverse impact on our business or required external notification and for which we have taken measures to prevent from reoccurring. However, we may experience security incidents in the future, potentially with more frequency and/or sophistication. We may not be able to anticipate or prevent rapidly evolving types of cyber-attacks. Actual or anticipated attacks may cause us to incur increasing costs including costs to deploy additional personnel and protection technologies, train employees, and engage third-party experts and consultants. Advances in computer capabilities, new technological discoveries, or other developments may result in the technology we use to protect transaction or other data being breached or compromised. Security breaches can also occur as a result of non-technical issues including intentional or inadvertent action or inaction of our employees or persons with whom we have commercial relationships that result in security incident.  Any security incident could result in a violation of applicable privacy and other laws, significant financial exposure and a loss of confidence in our security measures, which could have an adverse effect on our results of operations and our reputation.21

We may be exposed to risks and costs associated with the loss of customer information that would cause us to incur unexpected expenses and loss of revenues.

We collect customer data, including encrypted credit card information, in our stores, at special events and online. For our sales channels to function successfully, we and third parties involved in processing customer transactions for us must be able to transmit confidential information, including credit card information, securely over public networks. We cannot guarantee that any of our security measures or the security measures of third parties with whom we work will effectively prevent others from obtaining unauthorized access to our customers’ information. If such a breach were to occur, customers could lose confidence in our ability to secure their information and choose not to purchase from us. Any unauthorized access to customer information could expose us to data loss or manipulation, litigation and legal liability, and could seriously disrupt operations, negatively impact our marketing capabilities, cause us to incur significant expenses to notify customers of the breach and for other remediation activities, and harm our reputation and brand, any of which could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

In addition, state, federal, and foreign governments are increasingly enacting laws and regulations protecting consumers’ privacy and personal information against identity theft and unwanted exposure. These laws and regulations likely will increase the costs of doing business. If we fail to implement appropriate security measures or fail to detect and provide applicable notice of unauthorized access (as required by some of these laws and regulations), we could be subject to potential governmental investigations, claims for damages, or other remedies, which could adversely affect our business and operations.

Our failure to manage growth in our omni-channel operations and the resulting impact on our distribution and fulfillment networks may have an adverse effect on our results of operations.

In Fiscal 2020, digital sales represented 45% of our total revenue, a 36% increase compared to Fiscal 2019. In order to grow and remain competitive, we will need to continue to adapt to future changes in technology to address the changing demands of our customers.

Our omni-channel operations are subject to numerous risks that could have a material adverse effect on our results. Risks include, but are not limited to, the difficulty in recreating the in-store experience; our ability to anticipate and implement innovations in technology and logistics in order to appeal to existing and potential customers who increasingly rely on multiple channels to meet their shopping needs; and the failure of and risks related to the systems that operate our web infrastructure, websites and the related support systems, including computer viruses, theft of customer information, privacy concerns, telecommunication failures and electronic break-ins and similar disruptions.

Our failure to maintain efficient and uninterrupted fulfillment operations could also have a material adverse effect on our results. The satisfaction of our customers who shop online depends on their timely receipt of merchandise. If we encounter difficulties with our distribution facilities, or if the facilities were to shut down for any reason, including as a result of fire, natural disaster or work stoppage, we could face shortages of inventory; incur significantly higher costs and longer lead times associated with distributing our products to our customers; and cause customer dissatisfaction.

Any of these issues could have a material adverse effect on our operations, financial condition and cash flows.

Our international merchandise sourcing strategy subjects us to risks that could adversely impact our business and results of operations.

 of operations.

OurWe design our merchandise, which is manufactured by third-party suppliers worldwide. We purchase a significant portion of our merchandise through a single international buying agent. Because we have a global supply chain, any event that causes the disruption of imports, including the insolvency of a significant supplier, global health crisis, or a major labor dispute including any such actions involving ports, trans loaders, consolidators,, or shippers, could have an adverse effect on our operations. Given the volatility and risk in the current markets, our reliance on external vendors leaves us subject to certain risks should one or more of these external vendors become insolvent. The financial failure of a key vendor could disrupt our operations and have an adverse effect on our cash flows, results of operations and financial condition.

Trade matters may disrupt our supply chain. Trade restrictions, including increased tariffs or quotas, embargoes, safeguards, and customs restrictions against apparel items, as well as U.S. or foreign labor strikes, work stoppages, or boycotts, could increase the cost or reduce the supply of apparel available to us and adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

We have a Supplier Code of Conduct that provides guidelines for our vendors regarding working conditions, employment practices, and compliance with local laws. A copy of the Supplier Code of Conduct is posted on our website, www.aeo-inc.com, and is included in our vendor manual in English and multiple other languages. There can be no assurance that all violations can be eliminated in our supply chain. Publicity regarding violation of our Supplier Code of Conduct or other social responsibility standards by any of our vendor factories could adversely affect our reputation, sales, and financial performance.

There is a risk of terrorist activity on a global basis. Such activity might take the form of a physical act that impedes the flow of imported goods or the insertion of a harmful or injurious agent into an imported shipment. We cannot predict the likelihood of any such activities or the extent of their adverse impact on our operations.

Our product costs may be adversely affected by foreign trade issues (including import tariffs and other trade restrictions with China), currency exchange rate fluctuations, increasing prices for raw materials, political instability, or other reasons, which could impact our profitability.

A significant portion of the products that we purchase, including those purchased from domestic suppliers, as well as most of our private brand merchandise, is manufactured abroad. Foreign imports subject us to risks relating to changes in import duties, quotas, the introduction of U.S. taxes on imported goods or the extension of U.S. income taxes on our foreign suppliers' sales of imported goods through the adoption of destination-based income tax jurisdiction, loss of "most favored nation" status with the U.S., shipment delays and shipping port constraints, labor strikes, work stoppages or other disruptions, freight cost increases and economic uncertainties. Furthermore, we could face significantly higher U.S. income and similar taxes with respect to sales of products purchased from foreign suppliers if the U.S. were to adopt a system of taxation, such as a border adjustment tax, under which the cost of imported products was not deductible in determining such products' tax base. If such a tax system were adopted, we could also face higher prices for products manufactured or produced abroad that we purchase from our domestic suppliers if they were subject to such a tax. In addition, the U.S. government periodically considers other restrictions on the importation of products obtained by our vendors and us. General trade tensions between the U.S. and China have been high, with multiple rounds of U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods implemented in 2018 and 2019. Furthermore, China or other countries may institute retaliatory trade measures in response to existing or future tariffs imposed by the U.S. that could have a negative impact on our business. If any of these events continue as described, we may need to seek alternative suppliers or vendors, raise prices, or make changes to our operations, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our sales and profitability, results of operations and financial condition. If any of these or other factors were to cause a disruption of trade from the countries in which our vendors' suppliers or our private brand products' manufacturers are located, our inventory levels may be reduced or the cost of our products may increase. Additionally, we could be impacted by negative publicity or, in some cases, face potential liability to the extent that any foreign manufacturers from which we directly or indirectly purchase products utilize labor, environmental, workplace safety and other practices that vary from those commonly accepted in the U.S. or elsewhere. Also, the prices charged by foreign manufacturers may be affected by the fluctuation of their local currency against the U.S. dollar and the price of raw materials, including as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which could cause the cost of our products to increase and negatively impact our sales or profitability.

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Our suppliers may be impacted by economic conditions and cycles and changing laws and regulatory requirements which could impact their ability to do business with us or cause us to terminate our relationship with them and require us to find replacements, which we may have difficulty doing.

Our suppliers are subject to the fluctuations in general economic cycles, and global economic conditions may impact their ability to operate their businesses. They may also be impacted by the increasing costs or availability of raw materials due to inflationary pressures or rising labor and distribution costs, among other reasons, potentially resulting in demands for less attractive contract terms or an inability for them to meet our requirements or conduct their own businesses. The performance and financial condition of a supplier may cause us to alter our business terms or to cease doing business with a particular supplier, or change our sourcing practices generally, which could in turn adversely affect our business and financial condition.

In addition, regulatory developments such as reporting requirements on the use of "conflict" minerals mined from the Democratic Republic of Congo and adjoining countries, or compliance with the recent sanctions and customs trade orders issued by the U.S. government related to raw materials, entities and individuals who are connected to a region of China, could affect the sourcing and availability of raw materials used by our suppliers in the manufacturing of certain of our products. We have been and may continue to be subject to costs associated with regulations, including for the diligence pertaining to these matters and the cost of remediation and other changes to products, processes, or sources of supply as a consequence of such verification activities. The impact of such regulations may result in a limited pool of acceptable suppliers, and we cannot be assured that we will be able to obtain products in sufficient quantities or at competitive prices. Also, because our supply chain is complex, we may face regulatory challenges in complying with applicable sanctions and trade regulations and reputational challenges with our customers and other stakeholders if we are unable to sufficiently verify the origins for the material used in the products we sell.

Our international operations subject us to risks relating to foreign laws and regulations.

As we pursue our international expansion initiatives, we are subject to certain laws, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, as well as the laws of the foreign countries in which we operate. Violations of these laws could subject us to sanctions or other penalties that could have an adverse effect on our reputation, operating results and financial condition.

Changes in tax policy or trade regulations or the imposition of new tariffs on imported products could have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

In 2018, the U.S. government announced tariffs on steel and aluminum imported into the United States, which has resulted in reciprocal tariffs from the European Union on goods, including denim products, imported from the United States. The U.S government also imposed tariffs on goods imported from China in connection with China’s intellectual property practices and forced technology transfer, which have not been lifted or changed by the Biden administration. Additional tariffs or trade restrictions are implemented by the United States or other countries in connection with a global trade war, the cost of our products manufactured in China or other countries and imported into the United States or other countries could increase, which in turn could adversely affect the demand for these products and have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

Our inability to achieve planned store performance, gain market share in the face of declining shopping center traffic orattract customers to our stores could adversely impact our profitability and our results of operations.

The results achieved by our stores may not be indicative of long-term performance or the potential performance of stores in other locations. Part of our future growth is dependent on our ability to operate stores in desirable locations with capital investment and lease costs providing the opportunity to earn a reasonable return. We cannot be sure as to when or whether such desirable locations will become available at reasonable costs. The failure of our stores to achieve acceptable results could result in store asset impairment charges, which could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

Additionally, our real estate strategy may not be successful, and store locations may fail to produce desired results, which could impact our competitive position and profitability. Customer shopping patterns have been evolving from brick-and-mortar locations to, increasingly, digital channels. We have Company-owned stores in shopping centers that have experienced declining traffic trends while our digital channels continue to grow. Our ability to grow revenue and acquire new customers is contingent on our ability to drive traffic to both store locations and digital channels so that we are accessible to our customers when and where they want to shop.

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We seek to locate our brick and mortarbrick-and-mortar stores in prominent locations within successful shopping malls or street locations. Our stores benefit from the ability of the malls’ “anchor” tenants, which generally are large department stores and other area attractions, to generate consumer traffic near our stores. We cannot control the increasing impact of digital channels on shopping center traffic, the loss of an anchor or other significant tenant in a shopping mall in which we have a store, the development of new shopping malls in the U.S. or around the world, the availability or cost of appropriate locations, competition with other retailers for prominent locations, or the success of individual shopping malls. All of these factors may

impact our ability to meet our productivity targets and could have a material adverse effect on our financial results. In addition, some malls and shopping centers that were in prominent locations when we opened our stores may cease to be viewed as prominent. If this trend away from brick and mortarbrick-and-mortar retail continues or if the popularity of mall shopping continues to decline generally among our customers, our sales may decline, which would impact our results of operations and financial condition.

We have significant lease obligations and are subject to risks associated with leasing substantial amounts of space, including future increases in occupancy costs and the need to generate significant cash flow to meet our lease obligations.

Operating lease obligations, which consist primarily of future minimum lease commitments related to store operating leases, represent a significant contractual commitment. All of our stores are leased and generally have initial terms of 5-10 years. In the future, we may not be able to negotiate favorable lease terms for the most desired store locations. Our inability to do so may cause our occupancy costs to be higher in future years or may force us to close stores in desirable locations.

Certain leases have early termination options, which can be exercised under certain specific conditions. In addition to future minimum lease payments, some of our store leases provide for additional rental payments based on a percentage of net sales, or “percentage rent,” if sales at the respective stores exceed specified levels, as well as the payment of tenant occupancy costs, including maintenance costs, common area charges, real estate taxes and certain other expenses. Many of our lease agreements have defined escalating rent provisions over the initial term and any extensions.

We depend on cash flow from operations to pay our lease expenses. If our business does not generate sufficient cash flow from operating activities to fund these expenses, due to continued decreases in mall traffic, the highly competitive and promotional retail environment, or other factors, we may not be able to service our lease expenses, which could materially harm our business. Furthermore, the significant cash flow required to satisfy our obligations under the leases increases our vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry, and competitive conditions, and could limit our ability to fund working capital, incur indebtedness, and make capital expenditures or other investments in our business.

Our inability to successfully integrate Quiet Logistics’ business and operations may adversely affect the combined company’s future results.

We believe the acquisition of Quiet Logistics will result in certain anticipated benefits, including inventory efficiencies, affordable same-day and next-day delivery options, and other cost-effective in-market fulfillment services for the Company by utilizing state-of-the-art technology and robotics. The combined company may fail to realize these anticipated benefits for a variety of reasons, including the following:

The actual integration of Quiet Logistics may result in additional and unforeseen expenses or delays. If the combined company is not able to successfully leverage Quiet Logistics’ business and operations, these anticipated benefits may not be realized fully or at all or may take longer to realize than expected. Additionally, if these benefits do not meet the expectations of investors or securities analysts, the market price of our common stock may decline.

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The integration of Quiet Logistics may result in significant accounting charges that adversely affect the results of the combined company.

The financial results of the combined company may be adversely affected by cash expenses and non-cash accounting charges incurred in connection with the combination. In addition to the anticipated cash charges, non-cash costs associated with the amortization of intangible assets are expected. The failure of Quiet Logistics to achieve acceptable financial results could result in impairment charges, which could materially affect our consolidated results of operations and financial condition.

We rely on key personnel, the loss of whom could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Our success depends to a significant extent upon our ability to attract and retain qualified key personnel, including senior management, and, in particular, Jay Schottenstein, our Executive Chairman and CEO as well as Jennifer Foyle, our Chief Creative Officer. Collective or individual changes in our senior management and other key personnel could have an adverse effect on our ability to determine and execute our strategies, which could adversely affect our business and results of operations. There is a high level of competition for senior management and other key personnel, and we cannot be assured we will be able to attract, retain, and develop a sufficient number of qualified senior managers and other key personnel.

We must also attract, develop, and retain a sufficient number of qualified field and distribution center personnel. Competition for talent is intense and the turnover rate in the retail industry is generally high, and we cannot be sure that we will be able to attract and retain a sufficient number of qualified personnel in future periods. Our ability to meet our labor needs while controlling costs is subject to external factors such as unemployment levels, prevailing wage rates, minimum wage legislation, and overtime regulations. If we are unable to retain, attract, and motivate talented employees with the appropriate skill sets, or if changes to our organizational structure, operating results, or business model adversely affect morale or retention, we may not achieve our objectives and our results of operations could be adversely impacted. In addition, the loss of one or more of our key personnel or the inability to effectively identify a suitable successor to a key role could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Legal, Tax, and Regulatory Risks

We are subject to stringent and changing privacy laws, regulations, and standards as well as policies, contracts, and other obligations related to data privacy and security. Our failure to comply with privacy laws and regulations, as well as other legal obligations, could have a material adverse effect on our business.

State, federal, and foreign governments are increasingly enacting laws and regulations governing the collection, use, retention, sharing, transfer, and security of personally identifiable information and data. A variety of federal, state, local, and foreign laws and regulations, orders, rules, codes, regulatory guidance and certain industry standards regarding privacy, data protection, consumer protection, information security and the processing of personal information and other data apply to our business. For example, the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 ("CCPA"), which took effect on January 1, 2020, imposes certain restrictions and disclosure obligations on businesses that collect personal information about California residents and provides for a private right of action, as well as penalties for noncompliance. The CCPA provides for civil penalties for violations and creates a private right of action for certain data breaches that is expected to increase data breach litigation. It remains unclear how various provisions of the CCPA will be interpreted and enforced. The California Privacy Rights Act ("CPRA"), which was passed in November 2020 and will take effect in January 2023 (with a look-back for certain requirements to January 2022), amends and expands the CCPA and places additional restrictions on the "sharing" of personal information for purposes of cross-context behavioral advertising. We may be subject to additional privacy regulations in the future, including the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act and the Colorado Privacy Act, both of which regulate the processing of "personal data" regarding their respective residents and grants residents certain rights with respect to their personal data. State laws are changing rapidly, and new legislation proposed or enacted in a number of other states imposes, or has the potential to impose, additional obligations on companies that process confidential, sensitive and personal information, and will continue to shape the data privacy environment nationally. The U.S. federal government is also significantly focused on privacy matters.

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We are subject to other consumer protection laws, including California's Consumer Legal Remedies Act and unfair competition and false advertising laws, the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, Canada's Anti-Spam Law, the CCPA, CPRA and other recently enacted consumer data protection laws. Additionally, the regulatory environment is increasingly demanding with frequent new and changing requirements concerning cybersecurity, information security and privacy, which may be inconsistent from one jurisdiction to another. Any failure by us or any of our business partners to comply with applicable laws, rules, and regulations may result in investigations or actions against us by governmental entities, private claims and litigation, fines, penalties or other liabilities. Such events may increase our expenses, expose us to liabilities and impair our reputation, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

While we aim to comply with applicable data protection laws and obligations in all material respects, there is no assurance that we will not be subject to claims that we have violated such laws and obligations, will be able to successfully defend against such claims, or will not be subject to significant fines and penalties in the event of non-compliance. Additionally, to the extent multiple state-level laws are introduced with inconsistent or conflicting standards and there is no federal law to preempt such laws, compliance with such laws could be difficult and costly to achieve, or impossible to achieve, and we could be subject to fines and penalties in the event of non-compliance.

The Company’s amended and restated bylaws (“Bylaws”) provide, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the exclusive forum for certain legal actions between the Company and its stockholders, which could increase costs to bring a claim, discourage claims or limit the ability of the Company’s stockholders to bring a claim in a judicial forum viewed by the stockholders as more favorable for disputes with the Company or the Company’s directors, officers or other employees.

Our Bylaws provide, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that unless the Company consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the sole and exclusive forum for any (i) derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Company, (ii) any action asserting a claim for or based on a breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any current or former director or officer or other employee or agent of the Company to the Company or the Company’s stockholders, including a claim alleging the aiding and abetting of such a breach of fiduciary duty, (iii) any action asserting a claim against the Company or any current or former director or officer or other employee or agent of the Company arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”), or the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, (iv) any action asserting a claim related to or involving the Company or any current or former director or officer or other employee or agent of the Company that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine of the State of Delaware or (v) any action asserting an “internal corporate claim,” as that term is defined in Section 115 of the DGCL shall, in each case, be the Delaware Court of Chancery located within the State of Delaware (or, if the Delaware Court of Chancery located within the State of Delaware lacks jurisdiction over any such action or proceeding, the sole and exclusive forum for such action or proceeding shall be another state or federal court located within the State of Delaware).

The choice of forum provision may increase costs to bring a claim, discourage claims or limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with the Company or the Company’s directors, officers or other employees, which may discourage such lawsuits against the Company or the Company’s directors, officers and other employees. Alternatively, if a court were to find the choice of forum provision contained in the Company’s Bylaws to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, the Company may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions. The exclusive forum provision in the Company’s Bylaws will not preclude or contract the scope of exclusive federal or concurrent jurisdiction for actions brought under the federal securities laws including the Exchange Act or the Securities Act, as amended, or the respective rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

We may be unable to protect our trademarks and other intellectual property rights.

We believe that our trademarks and service marks, as described in Part 1,I, Item 1,1-, Business, are important to our success and our competitive position due to their name recognition with our customers. We devote substantial resources to establishing and protecting our trademarks and service marks. We are not aware of any material claims of infringement or material challenges to our right to use any of our trademarks. Nevertheless, the actions we have taken, including to establish and protect our trademarks and service marks, may not be adequate to prevent others from imitating our products or to prevent others from seeking to block sales of our products. Other parties may also claim that some of our products infringe on their trademarks, copyrights or other intellectual property rights. In addition, the laws of certain foreign countries may not protect our proprietary rights to the same extent as do the laws of the U.S. Litigation regarding our trademarks and other intellectual property rights could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

A complex

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Changes in the regulatory compliance and legal environmentor administrative landscape could adversely affect us.our financial condition and results of operations.

We are subject to numerous domestic and foreign laws and regulations affecting our business, including those related to labor, employment, worker health and safety, competition, privacy, consumer protection, import/export and anti-corruption, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Additional legal and regulatory requirements have increased the complexity of the regulatory environment and the cost of compliance. Laws and regulations at the local, state, federal, and international levels frequently change, and the ultimate cost of compliance cannot be precisely estimated. In addition, we cannot predict the impact that may result from changes in the regulatory or administrative landscape. If these laws change without our knowledge, or are violated by importers, designers, manufacturers, distributors or employees, we could experience delays in shipments or receipt of goods or be subject to fines or other penalties, any of which could adversely affect our business. Also, changes in laws and regulations could make operating our business more expensive or require us to change the way we do business. Our employees, subcontractors, vendors and suppliers could take actions that violate our policies and procedures which could have a material adverse effect on our reputation, financial condition and on the market price of our common stock.

We also are both directly and indirectly (through our suppliers) subject to the risks of doing business outside the United States, including regulatory restrictions on our ability to operate in our preferred manner and rapidly changing regulatory restrictions and requirements, including in the areas of data privacy, sustainability and responses to climate change, which could result in regulatory uncertainty as well as potential significant increases in compliance costs.

Fluctuations in our tax obligations and effective tax rate could adversely affect us.

We are subject to income taxes in many U.S. and certain foreign jurisdictions. We record tax expense based on our estimates of future payments, which include reserves for uncertain tax positions in multiple tax jurisdictions. At any one time, multiple tax years are subject to audit by various taxing authorities. The results of these audits and negotiations with taxing authorities may affect the ultimate settlement of these issues. In addition, the tax laws and regulations in the countries where we operate may change or there may be changes in interpretation and enforcement of existing tax laws. As a result, we expect that throughout the year there could be ongoing variability in our quarterly tax rates as events occur and exposures are evaluated. Our effective tax rate in a given financial statement period may be materially impacted by changes in the mix and level of earnings by jurisdiction or by changes to existing accounting rules or regulations.

Impact

The unfavorable outcome of various legal proceedings, lawsuits, disputes, and claimspending or future litigation could have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

As a multinational company,

From time to time, we are subjectparty to several legal proceedings arising out of various proceedings, lawsuits, disputes, and claims (“Actions”) arising in the ordinary courseaspects of our business. ManyThe outcome of these Actions raise complex factualproceedings may not be favorable, and legal issues and are subject to uncertainties. Actions filed against us from time to time include commercial, intellectual property, customer, employment, and data privacy claims, including class action lawsuits. Actions are in various procedural stages and some are covered only in part by insurance. We cannot predict with assurance the outcome of Actions brought against us. Accordingly, developments, settlements,one or resolutions may occur and impact income in the quarter of such development, settlement, or resolution. Anmore unfavorable outcomeoutcomes could have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

General Risk Factors

Additionally, other factors could adversely affect our financial performance, including factors such as: our ability to successfully acquire and integrate other businesses; any interruption of our key infrastructure systems, including exceeding capacity in our distribution centers; any disaster or casualty resulting in the interruption of service from our distribution centers or in a large number of our stores; any interruption of our business related to an outbreak of a pandemic disease in a country where we source or market our merchandise; extreme weather conditions or changes in climate conditions or weather patterns; and the effects of changes in interest rates.

The impact of any of the previously discussed factors, some of which are beyond our control, and others which we are not aware of or which we do not currently consider material, may cause our actual results to differ materially from our expectations expressed elsewhere in this Form 10-K and other forward-looking statements we may make from time-to-time.

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Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments.

Not applicable.

Item 2. Properties.

We own two buildings in urban Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that house our corporate headquarters. These buildings total 186,000headquarters, totaling 336,000 square feet and 150,000 square feet, respectively.feet.

We own distribution facilities in Ottawa, Kansas and Hazleton, Pennsylvania consisting of approximately 1.2 million and 1.0 million square feet, respectively.

We lease approximately 200,000 square feet of office space in New York, New York for our designers and sourcing and production teams. The lease for this space expires in 2026.

We lease a building in Mississauga, Ontario with approximately 294,000 square feet, which houses our Canadian distribution center. The lease expires in 2028.

AllEach of the above-notedabove identified properties are shared by all of our reportable and operating business segments.

Upon the acquisition of Quiet Logistics, we acquired leases for distribution facilities in six cities throughout the United States totaling 2.2 million square feet, with varying terms expiring through 2030. These facilities are used by our Supply Chain Platform operating segment.

As for our stores, all are leased and generally have initial terms of 5 – 10 years. Certain leases also include early termination options, which can be exercised under specific conditions. Most of these leases provide for base rent and require the payment of a percentage of sales as additional contingent rent when sales reach specified levels. Under our store leases, we are typically responsible for tenant occupancy costs, including maintenance and common area charges, real estate taxes and certain other expenses. We have generally been successful in negotiating renewals as leases near expiration.

Item 3. Legal Proceedings.

We are involved, from time to time, in actions associated with or incidental to our business, including, among other things, matters involving consumer privacy, trademark and other intellectual property, licensing, importation of products, taxation, and employee relations. We believe at present that the resolution of currently pending matters will not individually or in the aggregate have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position or results of operations. However, our assessment of any litigation or other legal claims could potentially change in light of the discovery of facts not presently known or determinations by judges, juries, or other finders of fact that are not in accord with management's evaluation of the possible liability or outcome of such litigation or claims. Consistent with SEC Regulation S-K Item 103, we have elected to disclose those environmental proceedings with a governmental entity as a party where the companyCompany reasonably believes such proceeding would result in monetary sanctions, exclusive of interest and costs, of $1.0 million or more.

Refer to Note 2. “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies – Legal Proceedings and Claims” of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included herein for additional information.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.

Not Applicable.

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PART II

Item 5. Market for the Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters, and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.

Market Information and Holders

Our common stock is traded on the NYSE under the symbol “AEO”.“AEO.” As of March 1, 2021,10, 2022, there were 465453 stockholders of record. However, when including associates who own shares through our employee stock purchase plan, and others holding shares in broker accounts under street name, we estimate the stockholder base at approximately 50,000.

Dividends

OurA $0.1375 per share dividend was paid in the first quarter of Fiscal 2021 and a $0.18 per share dividend was paid in the second, third, and fourth quarters of Fiscal 2021 resulting in a dividend yield of 2.3% for Fiscal 2021.

Subsequent to the fourth quarter of Fiscal 2021, our Board declared a $0.18 per share dividend, payable on March 24, 2022 to the stockholders of record at the close of business on March 11, 2022.

A quarterly cash dividend of $0.1375 per share was declared on March 26, 2020 for the first quarter of 2020, whichbut was subsequently deferred as part of our efforts to carefully manage the impact of the COVID-19 on our liquidity.pandemic. It was originally payable on May 14, 2020 to stockholders of record at the close of business on April 30, 2020, and was deferred to be paid on April 23, 2021, to stockholders of record at the close of business on April 9, 2021.

Due to positive results and improved financial liquidity, our Board updated the record and payment dates of the previously deferred first quarter 2020 cash dividend. A $0.1375 per share cash dividend was paid on December 30, 2020 to stockholders of record at the close of business on December 16, 2020, resulting in a dividend yield of 1.0% for Fiscal 2020. To preserve liquidity, the Company suspended its second, third, and fourth quarter dividends.

Subsequent to the fourth quarter of Fiscal 2020 our Board declared a $0.1375 per share dividend, payable on March 26, 2021 to the stockholders of record at the close of business on March 12, 2021.dividends.

A $0.1375 per share cash dividend was paid for each quarter of Fiscal 2019, resulting in a dividend yield of 3.1% for Fiscal 2019.

The Company maintains the right to defer the record and payment dates of its dividends, depending upon, among other factors, the progression of the COVID-19 outbreak,pandemic, business performance and the macroeconomic environment. The payment of future dividends is at the discretion of our Board and is based on future earnings, cash flow, financial condition, capital requirements, changes in U.S. taxation and other relevant factors.

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Performance Graph

The following performance graph and related information shall not be deemed “soliciting material” or to be filed with the SEC, nor shall such information be incorporated by reference into any future filing under the Securities Act or Securities Exchange Act, each as amended, except to the extent that we specifically incorporate it by reference into such filing.

The following graph compares the changes in the cumulative total return to holders of our common stock with that of the S&P Midcap 400 and our peer group as described below. The comparison of the cumulative total returns for each investment assumes that $100 was invested in our common stock and the respective index on January 30, 201628, 2017 and includes reinvestment of all dividends. The plotted points are based on the closing price on the last trading day of the fiscal year indicated.

We compared our cumulative total return to a custom peer group that aligns with our compensation peer group, as disclosed in our Proxy Statement for the 20202021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. ThisAs of the end of Fiscal 2021, this group consisted of the following companies: Abercrombie & Fitch Co., Ascena Retail Group. Inc., Burberry Group PLC, Capri Holdings Limited, Chico’s FAS, Inc., Express, Inc., Fossil Group, Inc., The Gap, Inc., Guess?, Inc., Hanesbrands Inc., Kontoor Brands, L Brands Inc., Levi Strauss & Co., lululemon athletica, inc., PVH CORP., Ralph Lauren Corporation, Tailored Brands, Inc., Tapestry, Inc., Under Armour Inc., and Urban Outfitters, Inc.

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Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

The following table provides information regarding our repurchases of common stock during the three monthsthirteen weeks ended January 30, 2021.29, 2022.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Item 6. Reserved

Part II, Item 6 is no longer required as the Company has adopted certain provisions within the amendments to Regulation S-K that eliminate Item 301.

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

This section

The following Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations ("MD&A") is intended to help the reader understand the Company, our operations and our present business environment. MD&A is provided as a supplement to — and should be read in conjunction with — our consolidated financial statements and the accompanying Notes thereto contained in Part II, Item 8 – Financial Statements and Supplementary Data -" of this Form 10-Kreport.

This MD&A generally discusses Fiscal 2021 and Fiscal 2020 and provides year-to-year comparisons between Fiscal 2021 and Fiscal 2020. Discussions of Fiscal 2019 and year-to-year comparisons between Fiscal 2020 and 2019. Discussions of Fiscal 2018 and year-to-year comparisons between Fiscal 2019 and Fiscal 2018 that are not included in this Form 10-KAnnual Report can be found in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Part II. Item 7 of our Annual Reportannual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 1, 2020.January 30, 2021.

Introduction

This MD&A is organized as follows:

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Executive Overview and Key Performance Indicators

We are a leading global specialty retailer offering high-quality, on-trend clothing, accessories and personal care products at affordable prices under our American Eagle® and Aerie® brands.

In the fourth quarter of Fiscal 2020, we revised our reportable segment structure and have two reportable segments, American Eagle and Aerie. Our Chief Operating Decision Maker (defined as our CEO) analyzes segment results and allocates resources based on adjusted operating income (loss)., which is a non-GAAP financial measure. See "Non-GAAP Information" within Part II. Item 7- Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and Note 15.16. “Segment Reporting,” of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included herein for additional information.

Key Performance Indicators

Our management evaluates the following items, which are considered key performance indicators, in assessing our performance:

Comparable Sales — Comparable sales and comparable sales changes provide a measure of sales growth for stores and channels open at least one year over the comparable prior year period. In light of store closures and related disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic, we have not disclosed comparable sales for Fiscal 2021 or Fiscal 2020, as Fiscal 2020 isthey are not comparable with prior periods.

A store is included in comparable sales in its thirteenth month of operation. When stores have a gross square footage increase of 25% or greater due to a remodel, they are removed from the comparable sales base, but are included in total sales. These stores are returned to the comparable sales base in the thirteenth month following the remodel.

Sales from company-owned stores, as well as sales from AEO Direct, are included in total comparable sales. Sales from licensed stores are not included in comparable sales. Individual American Eagle and Aerie brand comparable sales disclosures represent sales from stores and AEO Direct. AEO Direct sales are included in the individual American Eagle and Aerie brand comparable sales metric for the following reasons:

Our management considers comparable sales to be an important indicator of our current performance, and investors may find it useful as such. Comparable sales results are important to achieve leveraging of our costs, including store payroll, store supplies, rent, etc. Comparable sales also have a direct impact on our total net revenue, cash, and working capital.

Omni-Channel Sales Performance — Our management utilizes the following quality of sales metrics in evaluating our omni-channel sales performance: comparable sales, average unit retail price, total transactions, units per transaction, and consolidated comparable traffic. We include these metrics within this MD&A when we believe they enhance the understanding of the matter being discussed. Investors may find them useful as such. Each of these metrics is defined as follows (except comparable sales, which is defined separately above):

Gross Profit — Gross profit measures whether we are optimizing the profitability of our sales. Gross profit is the difference between total net revenue and cost of sales. Cost of sales consists of merchandise costs, including design, sourcing, importing, and inbound freight costs, as well as markdowns, shrinkage and certain promotional costs (collectively “merchandise costs”) and buying, occupancy and warehousing costs. Design costs consist of compensation, rent, depreciation, travel, supplies, and samples.

Buying, occupancy and warehousing costs consist of: compensation, employee benefit expenses and travel for our buyers and certain senior merchandising executives; rent and utilities related to our stores, corporate headquarters, distribution centers and other office space; freight from our distribution centers to the stores; compensation and supplies for our distribution centers, including purchasing, receiving and inspection costs; and shipping and handling costs related to our e-commerce operations.

The inability to obtain acceptable levels of sales, initial markups or any significant increase in our use of markdowns could have an adverse effect on our gross profit and results of operations.

Operating Income(Loss) — Our management views operating income as a key indicator of our performance. The key drivers of operating (loss) income are net revenue, gross profit, our ability to control selling, general, and administrative expenses, and our level of capital expenditures for a reasonable period of time. In light of store closures and disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic, our operating income may not be comparable this yearfor Fiscal 2021 versus last year.Fiscal 2020.

Cash Flow and Liquidity — Our management evaluates cash flow from operations, investing and financing activities in determining the sufficiency of our cash position and capital allocation strategies. Cash flow has historically been sufficient to cover our uses of cash. Our management believes that cash flow will be sufficient to fund anticipated capital expenditures, dividends, and working capital requirements for the next twelve months.months and beyond.

COVID-1933

Current Trends and Outlook

COVID-19

The spread of COVID-19, which was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020, caused state and municipal public officials to mandate jurisdiction-wide curfews, including “shelter-in-place” and closures of most non-essential businesses, as well as other measures to mitigate the spread of the virus. Theongoing COVID-19 pandemic remains highly volatile and continues to evolve on a daily basis. See Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors herein for additional discussion regarding risksbasis, and we continue to see disruptions and volatility in our business associated withcaused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Commencing in early March 2020, we experienced a significant reduction in customer traffic and demand resulting from the continued spread of COVID-19 and government actions to combat it.  In response, we closed our stores to the public after the close of business on March 17, 2020; however, we continued to operate our digital business.  These actions significantly impacted our consolidated results for Fiscal 2020.  Beginning May 2, 2020, we started to re-open stores and call back furloughed employees where state and local governments had lifted stay-at-home orders.  As of January 30, 2021, nearly29, 2022, all of our stores have re-openedreopened and remain open.  However, our consolidated resultsopen as of operations continued to be significantly impacted bythe date of this Annual Report. Our stores are operating with restrictive and precautionary measures in place, such as reduced customer traffic in re-opened store locations, partially offset by continued growth in e-commerce.

Since the first day that stores were closed to the public, our digital sales growth has accelerated, significantly exceeding our expectations. In order to support online demand and utilize in-store inventory, we continued to leverage our store network for buy-online/ship-from-store capabilities, where possible.  Online sales represented 45% of our revenues for Fiscal 2020.  Despite our strength in digital sales, we have historically generated the majority of our revenue through stores.  As a result, we do not believe that our results for Fiscal 2020 are directly comparable to the same period in Fiscal 2019.  

The safety and health of our associates and customers remains a paramount concern.  In March 2020, we hired a medical consultant to advise us on health and safety and to ensure we are following Centers for Disease Control guidance and market practice for associate and customer in all of our locations.  We instituted a work-from-home plan in mid-March 2020 ahead of stay-at-home orders.  We continue to take various precautions in our stores, which include sanitation stations and masks for all customers to provide a safe and secure environment.  Plexiglas health guard partitions have also been installed at the registers along with the implementation ofoperating hours, physical distancing, enhanced cleaning routines and protocols.sanitation, and limited occupancy levels.

Further, we continue to take precautionary measures and adjust our operational needs due to the impact of COVID-19. Since March 2020, the Company has taken the following actions to preserve our financial strength:

In addition, we have had productive discussions with our vendors to reduce purchases and extend payment terms, as well as with our landlords regarding the extension of payment terms and rent concessions.

As of January 30, 2021, we had approximately $850.5 million in cash and cash equivalents, which includes the proceeds from our convertible notes issuance, discussed in greater detail below and in Note 9 to the Consolidated Financial Statements. We expect to be able to fund our future cash requirements through current cash holdings and available liquidity.  Taking into account the measures described above, we believe that our current liquidity would enable us to continue operations beyond Fiscal 2021, if necessary, even if the majority of our retail locations were forced to close during the duration of that period.

The unpredictability of the trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly diminished visibility into the future operating environment, and we are unablebelieve that the Company may continue to accurately predictexperience degrees of volatility and business disruptions and remain at risk for periods of closure of our stores, distribution centers, and corporate facilities. While trends improved during Fiscal 2021, we cannot reasonably estimate the impact thatextent to which our business will continue to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and to what extent the recent improved trends will continue. Past and future impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic also have onthe ability to disrupt the operations of our consolidated operationspartners, suppliers, and financial results going forward.vendors, which could lead to supply chain disruption, shipping delays, and freight cost increases. We are monitoring the ongoing developments as the COVID-19 vaccines are being distributed and administered, and we will take further actions that are in the best interests of our associates and customers, as needed. For further information about the risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, see “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A of this Form 10-K.Annual Report.

Quiet Logistics Acquisition and Supply Chain Platform

On December 29, 2021, the Company completed the acquisition of Quiet Logistics. With this acquisition, the Company expects to be able to execute on operational efficiencies to create a supply chain platform with significant long-term growth potential.

Omni-Channel and Digital Capabilities

We sell merchandise through our digital channels, www.ae.com, www.aerie.com, www.toddsnyder.com, www.unsubscribed.com, and our AEO apps, both domestically and internationally in 81 countries. We also sell merchandise on various international online marketplaces. The digital channels reinforce each particular brand platform and are designed to complement the in-store experience.

Over the past several years, we have invested in building our technologies and digital capabilities. We focused our investments in three key areas: making significant advances in mobile technology, investing in digital marketing and improving the digital customer experience.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

Our Consolidated Financial Statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”), which require us to make estimates and assumptions that may affect the reported consolidated financial condition and results of operations should actual results differ from these estimates and assumptions. We base our estimates and assumptions on the best available information and believe them to be reasonable for the circumstances. We believe that of our significant accounting policies, the following involve a higher degree of judgment and complexity. Refer to Note 2 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for a complete discussion of our significant accounting policies. Management has reviewed these critical accounting policies and estimates with the Audit Committee of our Board of Directors.Board.

Revenue Recognition. In accordance with Accounting Standard Codification (“ASC”) Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”), we record revenue for store sales upon the purchase of merchandise by customers. The Company’s e-commerce operation records revenue upon the estimated customer receipt date of the merchandise. Shipping and handling revenues are included in total net revenue. Sales tax collected from customers is excluded from revenue and is included as part of accrued income and other taxes on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Revenue is recorded net of estimated and actual sales returns and deductions for coupon redemptions and other promotions. The Company records the impact of adjustments to its sales return reserve quarterly within total net revenue and cost of sales. The sales return reserve reflects an estimate of sales returns based on projected merchandise returns determined using historical average return percentages.

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Revenue is not recorded on the issuance of gift cards. A current liability is recorded upon issuance, and revenue is recognized when the gift card is redeemed for merchandise. Additionally, the Company recognizes revenue on unredeemed gift cards based on an estimate of the amounts that will not be redeemed (“gift card breakage”), determined through historical redemption trends. Gift card breakage revenue is recognized in proportion to actual gift card redemptions as a component of total net revenue.

The Company recognizes royalty revenue generated from its license or franchise agreements based upon a percentage of merchandise sales by the licensee/franchisee. This revenue is recorded as a component of total net revenue when earned.

Merchandise Inventory. Merchandise inventory is valued at the lower of average cost or net realizable value, utilizing the retail method. Average cost includes merchandise design and sourcing costs and related expenses. The Company records merchandise receipts when control of the merchandise has transferred to the Company.

We review our inventory in order to identify slow-moving merchandise and generally use markdowns to clear merchandise. Additionally, we estimate a markdown reserve for future planned markdowns related to current inventory. If inventory exceeds customer demand for reasons of style, seasonal adaptation, changes in customer preference, lack of consumer acceptance of fashion items, competition, or if it is determined that the inventory in stock will not sell at its currently ticketed price, additional markdowns may be necessary. These markdowns may have a material adverse impact on earnings, depending on the extent and amount of inventory affected.

We estimate an inventory shrinkage reserve for anticipated losses for the period between the last physical count and the balance sheet date. The estimate for the shrinkage reserve is calculated based on historical percentages and can be affected by changes in merchandise mix and changes in actual shrinkage trends. We do not believe there is a reasonable likelihood that there will be a material change in the future estimates or assumptions we use to calculate our inventory shrinkage reserve. However, if actual physical inventory losses differ significantly from our estimate, our operating results could be adversely affected.

During Fiscal 2020,2021, the Company focused on inventory optimization, which remains an ongoing priority.

Asset Impairment.Impairment of long-lived assets. In accordance with ASC 360, Property, Plant, and Equipment (“ASC 360”), we evaluate the value of leasehold improvements, store fixtures, and operating lease right-of-use ("ROU") assets associated with retail stores. We evaluate long-lived assets for impairment at the individual retail store level, which is the lowest level at which individual cash flows can be identified. Impairment losses are recorded on long-lived assets used in operations when events and circumstances indicate that the assets might be impaired and the projected undiscounted cash flows estimated to be generated by those assets are less than the carrying amounts. When events such as these occur, the impaired assets are adjusted to their estimated fair value and an impairment loss is recorded separately as a component of operating (loss) income.

Our impairment loss calculations require management to make assumptions and to apply judgment to estimate future cash flows and asset fair values. The significant assumption used in our projected undiscounted cash flows analyses is revenue growth rates. Additionally, significant assumptions utilized in our fair value analyses include the aforementioned assumption, as well as market participant real estate assumptions and discount rate. We do not believe there is a reasonable likelihood that there will be a material change in the estimates or assumptions we use to calculate long-lived asset impairment losses. However, if actual results are not consistent with our estimates and assumptions, our consolidated operating results could be adversely affected.

In the first and fourth quartersImpairment of Fiscal 2020, developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic, among other things, triggered the need to perform impairment assessments of our long-lived assets, goodwill and other intangible assets. See “ComparisonDefinite-lived intangible assets are initially recorded at fair value, with amortization computed utilizing the straight-line method over the assets’ estimated useful lives. The Company’s definite-lived intangible assets, which consist primarily of Fiscal 2020trademark assets, are generally amortized over 10 to Fiscal 201915 years. The Company evaluates definite-lived intangible assets for impairment in accordance with ASC 360 when events or circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the asset may not be recoverable. Such an evaluation includes the estimation of undiscounted future cash flows to be generated by those assets. If the sum of the estimated future undiscounted cash flows is less than the carrying amounts of the assets, then the assets are impaired and are adjusted to their estimated fair value. No definite-lived intangible asset impairment charges were recorded for all periods presented.

In accordance with ASC 350, Intangibles – Impairment, RestructuringGoodwill and COVID-19 Related ChargesOther”, the Company evaluates goodwill for possible impairment at least annually as of the last day of the fiscal year and upon occurrence of certain triggering events or substantive changes in circumstances that indicate that the fair value of a reporting unit may be below as well as Note 16 toit's carrying value. If the Consolidated Financial Statements for more information.carrying value of the reporting unit exceeds the fair value, an impairment charge is recorded in the period of the evaluation based on that difference.

Share-Based Payments. We account for share-based payments in accordance with ASC 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation (“ASC 718”). To determine the fair value of our stock option awards, we use the Black-Scholes option-pricing model, which requires management to apply judgment and make assumptions to determine the fair value of our awards. These

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assumptions include estimating the length of time employees will retain their vested stock options before exercising them (the “expected term”) and the estimated volatility of the price of our common stock over the expected term.

We calculate a weighted-average expected term based on historical experience. Expected stock price volatility is based on historical volatility of our common stock. Changes in these assumptions can materially affect the estimate of the fair value of our share-based payments and the related amount recognized in our Consolidated Financial Statements.

Income Taxes. We calculate income taxes in accordance with ASC 740, Income Taxes (“ASC 740”), which requires the use of the asset and liability method. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized based on the difference between the Consolidated Financial StatementStatements carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases as computed pursuant to ASC 740. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using the tax rates, based on certain judgments regarding enacted tax laws and published guidance, in effect in the years when those temporary differences are expected to reverse. A valuation allowance is established against the deferred tax assets when it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred taxes may not be realized. Changes in our level and composition of earnings, tax laws or the deferred tax valuation allowance, as well as the results of tax audits, may materially impact the effective income tax rate.

We evaluate our income tax positions in accordance with ASC 740, which prescribes a comprehensive model for recognizing, measuring, presenting, and disclosing in the financial statements tax positions taken or expected to be taken on a tax return, including a decision whether to file or not to file in a particular jurisdiction. Under ASC 740, a tax benefit from an uncertain position may be recognized only if it is more likely than not that the position is sustainable based on its technical merits.

The calculation of the deferred tax assets and liabilities, as well as the decision to recognize a tax benefit from an uncertain position and to establish a valuation allowance require management to make estimates and assumptions. We believe that our assumptions and estimates are reasonable, although actual results may have a positive or negative material impact on the balances of deferred tax assets and liabilities, valuation allowances or net income (loss).

Results of Operations

Overview

Our business is affected byFiscal 2021 represented a year of strong execution across our "Real Power. Real Growth." value creation plan, surpassing our Fiscal 2023 operating income and margin goals two years ahead of schedule. The work on our value creation plan drove meaningful improvements to our profitability through real estate and inventory optimization, omni-channel and customer focus, and our supply chain initiatives. Total net revenue for the pattern of seasonality commonyear increased 33% to most retail apparel businesses. Additionally, during$5.011 billion, compared to $3.759 billion last year, and we exceeded $600 million in adjusted operating income.

For Fiscal 2020, our consolidated results of operations were materially impacted by the effects of COVID-19.

Commencing in March 2020, we experienced a significant reduction in customer traffic and demand resulting from the continued spread of COVID-19 and government actions to combat it. In response, we closed our stores to the public after the close of business on March 17, 2020; however, we continued to operate our digital business. Subsequent to May 1, 2020, we began to reopen our stores, and as of January 30, 2021, nearly all of our stores had reopened; however, we continued to experience reduced customer traffic in reopened store locations. Accordingly, our results for Fiscal 2020 represented a challenging year; however, revenue strengthened as stores successfully reopened,were significantly impacted.

Absent the digital channel continuedimpacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, our business is affected by the pattern of seasonality common to accelerate, and Aerie posted strong growth.  Operational disciplines, inventory optimization and reduced spending resulted in sequential improvement in operating earnings and positive cash flow, fortifying our financial position, ending the fiscal year with $850.5 million in cash and cash equivalents.most retail apparel businesses. The results for the current and prior periods are not necessarily indicative of future financial results.

Net income (loss) was $2.03 per diluted share this year, compared to a loss of ($1.26) per diluted share last year. On an adjusted basis, net income (loss) per diluted share this year was $2.19, compared to last year at ($0.00). Adjusted net income per diluted share this year excludes $0.07 of amortization of the non-cash discount on our convertible notes, $0.04 of asset impairment charges, and $0.04 of reorganization charges related to our European Union ("EU") license operations. Adjusted net income (loss) per diluted share last year excludes $1.20 of impairment, restructuring, and COVID-19 related charges and $0.06 of amortization of the non-cash discount on our convertible notes. Adjusted net income (loss) per diluted share is a non-GAAP financial measure. Please see “Non-GAAP Information” below.

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The following table shows, for the periods indicated, the percentage relationship to total net revenue of the listed items included in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.