APPENDIX A
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This document contains “forward-looking statements,” including statements regarding, our fiscal year 2021 initiatives and performance, including execution against our global growth agenda and future revenue growth, and our eCommerce revenue goal for fiscal 2021, which are statements relating to future, not past, events.events, including without limitation, statements relating to: the Company's plans to build a foundation for sustainable growth, expand operating margin, generate strong cash flow, invest in elevated brand marketing and key strategic capabilities, and improve profitability; and the benefits of the Company’s corporate structure. In this context, forward-looking statements often address management’s current beliefs, assumptions, expectations, estimates and projections about future business and financial performance, national, regional or global political, economic and market conditions, and the Company itself. Such statements often contain words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “forecasts,” “intends,” “is likely,” “plans,” “predicts,” “projects,” “should,” “will,” variations of such words, and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements, by their nature, address matters that are, to varying degrees, uncertain. Uncertainties that could cause the Company’s performance to differ materially from what is expressed in forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the following:
the potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company’s business, operations, financial results and liquidity, including the duration and magnitude of such effects, which will depend on numerous evolving factors that the Company cannot currently fully predict or assess, including: the duration and scope of the pandemic; the negative impact on global and regional markets, economies and economic activity, including the duration and magnitude of its impact on unemployment rates, consumer discretionary spending and levels of consumer confidence; actions that governments, businesses and individuals may take in response to the pandemic; and the effects of the pandemic, including all of the foregoing, on the Company's manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, joint venture partners, wholesale customers, and other counterparties. The timing and scope of recovery after the pandemic is also uncertain;
changes in general economic conditions, employment rates, business conditions, interest rates, tax policies and other factors affecting consumer spending in the markets and regions in which the Company’s products are sold;
the inability for any reason to effectively compete in global footwear, apparel and consumer-directdirect-to-consumer markets;
the inability to maintain positive brand images and anticipate, understand and respond to changing footwear and apparel trends and consumer preferences;
the inability to effectively manage inventory levels;
increases or changes in duties, tariffs, quotas or applicable assessments in countries of import and export;
foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations;
currency restrictions;
supply chain and capacity constraints, production disruptions, including reduction in operating hours, labor shortages, and facility closures resulting in production delays at the Company’s manufacturers, quality issues, price increases or other risks associated with foreign sourcing;
the cost, including the effect of inflationary pressures and availability of raw materials, inventories, services and labor for contract manufacturers;
labor disruptions;
changes in relationships with, including the loss of, significant wholesale customers;
risks related to the significant investment in, and performance of, the Company’s consumer-directdirect-to-consumer operations;
risks related to expansion into new markets and complementary product categories as well as consumer-directdirect-to-consumer operations;
the impact of seasonality and unpredictable weather conditions;
the impact of changes in general economic conditions and/or the credit markets on the Company’s manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, joint venture partners and wholesale customers;
changes in the Company’s effective tax rates;