VF Corporation Reports First Quarter Fiscal 2025 Results and Reiterates FY25 Free Cash Flow Guidance

VF Corporation (NYSE:VFC) today reported financial results for its first quarter (Q1'FY25) ended June 29, 2024, announcing a quarterly per share dividend of $0.09.

Bracken Darrell, President and CEO, said: "As I complete my first year at VF, I feel more energized than ever. While the business is still down, the rate of decline moderated quarter-over-quarter versus Q4 and across almost all our brands. We advanced further on the Reinvent transformation plan. We are on track to deliver our targeted cost savings and we have addressed one of our top financial priorities to strengthen the balance sheet with the announced sale of Supreme. Together with the first-class leadership team I have built, we are confident we will continue to make progress to return to growth and drive strong, sustainable value creation at VF."

Q1'FY25 Financial Review

• Revenue $1.9 billion, down 9% (down 8% in constant dollars)
  • The North Face^® down 3% (down 2% in constant dollars), with global brand DTC up 6% (up 8% in constant dollars), inclusive of broad-based DTC growth in all regions, more than offset by US wholesale
  • Vans^® down 21%, reflecting a modest improvement relative to the previous quarter
• Gross margin 52.0%, down 80 basis points
  • Gross margin contraction driven by 60 basis points of unfavorable rate, which includes foreign currency headwinds, and 20 basis points from unfavorable mix
• Operating margin (12.6)%, down 1,220 basis points; adjusted operating margin (4.0)%, down 360 basis points
  • Adjusted operating margin reflects approximately 280 basis points of deleverage and 80 basis points of unfavorable gross margin
• Loss per share $(0.67) vs. Q1'FY24 $(0.15); adjusted loss per share $(0.33) vs. Q1'FY24 $(0.15)

Balance Sheet Review

• Q1'FY25 ending inventories down 24% versus the prior year
• Net debt at the end of Q1'FY25 is $5.3 billion, down by approximately $587 million relative to last year

FY25 Outlook

• The company reiterates guidance for free cash flow plus the proceeds from non-core physical asset sales of approximately $600 million, excluding the impact of the divestiture of Supreme, which is anticipated to be completed by the end of calendar year 2024. Supreme is expected to be reported as discontinued operations beginning in Q2'FY25.

Shareholder Returns

• Return of $35 million to shareholders through cash dividends in Q1'FY25
• VF's Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.09 per share. This dividend will be payable on September 18, 2024, to shareholders of record at the close of business on September 10, 2024. Subject to approval by its Board of Directors, VF intends to continue to pay quarterly dividends.

Webcast Information

VF will host its first quarter fiscal 2025 conference call beginning at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time today. The conference call will be broadcast live via the Internet, accessible at ir.vfc.com. For those unable to listen to the live broadcast, an archived version will be available at the same location.

About VF

Founded in 1899, VF Corporation is one of the world's largest apparel, footwear and accessories companies connecting people to the lifestyles, activities and experiences they cherish most through a family of iconic outdoor, active and workwear brands including The North Face^®, Vans^®, Timberland^® and Dickies^®. Our purpose is to power movements of sustainable and active lifestyles for the betterment of people and our planet. We connect this purpose with a relentless drive to succeed to create value for all stakeholders and use our company as a force for good. For more information, please visit vfc.com.

Financial Presentation Disclosure

All per share amounts are presented on a diluted basis. This release refers to "reported" and "constant dollar" or "constant currency" amounts, terms that are described under the heading below "Constant Currency - Excluding the Impact of Foreign Currency." Unless otherwise noted, "reported" and "constant dollar" or "constant currency" amounts are the same. This release also refers to "adjusted" amounts, a term that is described under the heading below "Adjusted Amounts - Excluding Reinvent, Noncash Impairment Charges, and Transaction and Deal Related Activities." Unless otherwise noted, "reported" and "adjusted" amounts are the same.

Constant Currency - Excluding the Impact of Foreign Currency

This release refers to "reported" amounts in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"), which include translation and transactional impacts from foreign currency exchange rates. This release also refers to both "constant dollar" and "constant currency" amounts, which exclude the impact of translating foreign currencies into U.S. dollars. Reconciliations of GAAP measures to constant currency amounts are presented in the supplemental financial information included with this release, which identifies and quantifies all excluded items, and provides management's view of why this information is useful to investors.

Adjusted Amounts - Excluding Reinvent, Noncash Impairment Charges, and Transaction and Deal Related Activities

The adjusted amounts in this release exclude costs related to Reinvent, VF's transformation program. Costs, including exit costs and project-related costs, were approximately $18 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2025.

The adjusted amounts in this release exclude noncash impairment charges related to the Supreme reporting unit goodwill and indefinite-lived trademark intangible asset of approximately $145 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2025.

The adjusted amounts in this release exclude transaction and deal related activities associated with the review of strategic alternatives for the Global Packs business, consisting of the Kipling^®, Eastpak^® and JanSport^® brands. Total transaction and deal related activities include costs of approximately $0.5 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2025.

Combined, the above items negatively impacted loss per share by $0.34 during the first quarter of fiscal 2025. All adjusted amounts referenced herein exclude the effects of these amounts.

Reconciliations of measures calculated in accordance with GAAP to adjusted amounts are presented in the supplemental financial information included with this release, which identifies and quantifies all excluded items, and provides management's view of why this information is useful to investors. The company also provides guidance on a non-GAAP basis as we cannot predict certain elements which are included in reported GAAP results. VF defines free cash flow as cash flow from operations less capital expenditures and software purchases and defines net debt as short and long term borrowings less cash and cash equivalents.

Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements included in this release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are made based on our expectations and beliefs concerning future events impacting VF and therefore involve several risks and uncertainties. You can identify these statements by the fact that they use words such as "will," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "should," and "may" and other words and terms of similar meaning or use of future dates, however, the absence of these words or similar expressions does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. All statements regarding VF's plans, objectives, projections and expectations relating to VF's operations or financial performance, and assumptions related thereto are forward-looking statements. We caution that forward-looking statements are not guarantees and that actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. VF undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Potential risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results of operations or financial condition of VF to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: the level of consumer demand for apparel and footwear; disruption to VF's distribution system; changes in global economic conditions and the financial strength of VF's consumers and customers, including as a result of current inflationary pressures; fluctuations in the price, availability and quality of raw materials and finished products; disruption and volatility in the global capital and credit markets; VF's response to changing fashion trends, evolving consumer preferences and changing patterns of consumer behavior; VF's ability to maintain the image, health and equity of its brands, including through investment in brand building and product innovation; intense competition from online retailers and other direct-to-consumer business risks; increasing pressure on margins; retail industry changes and challenges; VF's ability to execute our Reinvent transformation program and other business priorities, including measures to streamline and right-size our cost base and strengthen the balance sheet while reducing leverage, including any sale of the Supreme^® brand business; VF's ability to successfully establish a global commercial organization, and identify and capture efficiencies in our business model; any inability of VF or third parties on which we rely, to maintain the strength and security of information technology systems; the fact that VF's facilities and systems, and those of third parties on which we rely, are frequent targets of cyber-attacks of varying levels of severity, and may in the future be vulnerable to such attacks, and any inability or failure by us or such third parties to anticipate or detect data or information security breaches or other cyber-attacks, including the cyber incident that was reported by VF in December 2023, could result in data or financial loss, reputational harm, business disruption, damage to our relationships with customers, consumers, employees and third parties on which we rely, litigation, regulatory investigations, enforcement actions or other negative impacts; any inability by VF or third parties on which we rely to properly collect, use, manage and secure business, consumer and employee data and comply with privacy and security regulations; VF's ability to adopt new technologies, including artificial intelligence, in a competitive and responsible manner; foreign currency fluctuations; stability of VF's vendors' manufacturing facilities and VF's ability to establish and maintain effective supply chain capabilities; continued use by VF's suppliers of ethical business practices; VF's ability to accurately forecast demand for products; actions of activist and other shareholders; VF's ability to recruit, develop or retain key executive or employee talent or successfully transition executives; continuity of members of VF's management; changes in the availability and cost of labor; VF's ability to protect trademarks and other intellectual property rights; possible goodwill and other asset impairment such as the impairment charges related to the Supreme reporting unit goodwill and indefinite-lived trademark intangible asset; maintenance by VF's licensees and distributors of the value of VF's brands; VF's ability to execute acquisitions and dispositions, integrate acquisitions and manage its brand portfolio, including the proposed sale of the Supreme^® brand business; whether and when the required regulatory approvals for the proposed sale of the Supreme^® brand business will be obtained, whether and when the closing conditions will be satisfied and whether and when the proposed sale of the Supreme^® brand business will close, if at all; our ability to execute, and realize benefits, successfully, or at all, from the proposed sale of the Supreme^® brand business; business resiliency in response to natural or man-made economic, public health, cyber, political or environmental disruptions; changes in tax laws and additional tax liabilities; legal, regulatory, political, economic, and geopolitical risks, including those related to the current conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East and tensions between the U.S. and China; changes to laws and regulations; adverse or unexpected weather conditions, including any potential effects from climate change; VF's indebtedness and its ability to obtain financing on favorable terms, if needed, could prevent VF from fulfilling its financial obligations; VF's ability to pay and declare dividends or repurchase its stock in the future; climate change and increased focus on environmental, social and governance issues; VF's ability to execute on its sustainability strategy and achieve its sustainability-related goals and targets; risks arising from the widespread outbreak of an illness or any other communicable disease, or any other public health crisis, including the coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic; and tax risks associated with the spin-off of our Jeanswear business completed in 2019. More information on potential factors that could affect VF's financial results is included from time to time in VF's public reports filed with the SEC, including VF's Annual Report on Form 10-K, and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Forms 8-K filed or furnished with the SEC.

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