J.Jill, Inc. - Quarter Report: 2019 November (Form 10-Q)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

(Mark One)

For the quarterly period ended November 2, 2019

OR

For the transition period from _____________________ to _____________________

Commission File Number: 001-38026

J.Jill, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (617) 376-4300

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

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 such filing requirements for 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, 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 is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).    Yes  ☐    No  ☒

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

As of December 12, 2019, the registrant had 44,034,608 shares of common stock, $0.01 par value per share, outstanding.

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PART I—FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1. Financial Statements

J.Jill, Inc.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (UNAUDITED)

(in thousands, except share data)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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J.Jill, Inc.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND

COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) (UNAUDITED)

(in thousands, except share and per share data)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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J.Jill, Inc.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY (UNAUDITED)

(in thousands, except common share data)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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J.Jill, Inc.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (UNAUDITED)

(in thousands)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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J.Jill, Inc.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

1. Description of Business

J.Jill, Inc., “J.Jill” or the “Company”, is a premier omnichannel retailer and nationally recognized women’s apparel brand committed to delighting customers with great wear-now product. The brand represents an easy, thoughtful and inspired style that reflects the confidence of remarkable women who live life with joy, passion and purpose. J.Jill offers a guiding customer experience through more than 280 stores nationwide and a robust E-commerce platform. J.Jill is headquartered outside Boston.

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

Our interim consolidated financial statements are unaudited. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) have been omitted, in accordance with the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). In the opinion of management, these interim consolidated financial statements contain all normal and recurring adjustments necessary to state fairly the financial position and results of operations of the Company. The consolidated balance sheet as of February 2, 2019 is derived from the audited consolidated balance sheet as of that date. The unaudited results of operations for the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019 are not necessarily indicative of future results or results to be expected for the full year ending February 1, 2020 (“Fiscal Year 2019”). You should read these statements in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended February 2, 2019.

Significant changes to our accounting policies as a result of adopting Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-02 – Leases (Topic 842) are discussed below in “Significant Accounting Policies Update” and Note 10.

Recently Adopted Accounting Policies

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02 – Leases (Topic 842), which supersedes FASB Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 840 – Leases. The core principle of Topic 842 is that a lessee should recognize the assets and liabilities that arise from leases. The standard was adopted using the modified retrospective approach as of February 3, 2019 with an immaterial cumulative adjustment to retained earnings. See “Significant Accounting Policies Update” and Note 13 for a discussion of our updated policies related to leases and disclosures related to the impact of this standard.

In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-09 – Codification Improvements, which facilitates amendments to a variety of topics to clarify, correct errors in, or make minor improvements to the accounting standards codification. The effective date of the standard is dependent on the facts and circumstances of each amendment. Some amendments do not require transition guidance and will be effective upon the issuance of this standard. The standard was adopted as of February 3, 2019, and it had no material impact on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-07 – Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which expands the scope of Topic 718 to include share-based payment transactions for acquiring goods and services from nonemployees. The Company adopted the standard as of February 3, 2019, and it had no impact on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In November 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-18 – Collaborative Arrangements (Topic 808), which clarifies the interaction between Topic 808 and Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The provisions of ASU 2018-18 are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company will be required to adopt this standard in the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2020. This standard is not expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

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In September 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15 – Intangibles—Goodwill and Other—Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract. The amendment is intended to address aspects of the guidance issued in the amendments in ASU 2015-05 – Intangibles – Goodwill and Other – Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Fees Paid in a Cloud Computing Arrangement. ASU 2018-15 intends to improve an entities ability to evaluate the accounting for fees paid by a customer in a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract. The provisions of ASU 2018-15 are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. The Company plans to adopt these standards using a prospective approach and is evaluating the impact that adopting ASU 2018-15 will have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

Significant Accounting Policies Update

Adoption of ASC Topic 842: Leases

The Company adopted ASU 2016-02- Leases (Topic 842) and related amendments, as of February 3, 2019, using the modified retrospective approach. The modified retrospective approach provides a method for recording existing leases at adoption with a cumulative adjustment to retained earnings. The Company elected the package of practical expedients which permits the Company to not reassess (1) whether any expired or existing contracts are or contain leases, (2) the lease classification for any expired or existing leases, and (3) any initial direct costs for any expired or existing leases as of the effective date.

The Company applied a portfolio approach to effectively account for the operating lease liabilities and operating lease assets; the Company did not have financing leases. The Company excludes leases with an initial term of 12 months or less from the application of Topic 842. The Company did not elect the hindsight practical expedient; therefore, upon adoption, the Company used the remaining lease term of the current lease, option or extension.

Adoption of the new standard resulted in the recording of operating lease assets and operating lease liabilities of $223.3 million and $250.5 million, respectively, on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet as of February 3, 2019. The difference between the approximate value of the operating lease assets and liabilities is attributable to deferred rent, deferred rent incentives, leasehold interests and prepaid rent. There was no material impact on the Company’s consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive income or consolidated statements cash flows. The Company’s comparative periods continue to be presented and disclosed in accordance with legacy guidance in Topic 840.

Operating Leases

The Company determines if an arrangement is a lease at inception. Lease agreements will typically exist with lease and non-lease components, which are generally accounted for separately.

The Company recognizes operating lease liabilities equal to the present value of the lease payments and operating lease assets representing the right to use the underlying asset for the lease term. The lease expense for lease payments is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

As the Company’s leases do not provide an implicit rate, the Company will use an incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at lease commencement in determining the present value of lease payments. The operating lease assets include any lease payments made prior to lease commencement and are reduced by any lease incentives.

Under Topic 842, for any new leases entered into, the Company will assess if it is reasonably certain to exercise lease options to extend or terminate the lease for inclusion (or exclusion) in the lease term when the Company measures the lease liability. The depreciable life of any assets and leasehold improvements are limited by the expected lease term.

Certain of the Company’s retail operating leases include variable rental payments based on a percentage of retail sales over contractual levels. Variable rental payments are recognized in the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive income in the period in which the obligation for those payments are incurred. If such variable operating leases arise that include incentives from landlords in the form of cash, the Company will record the full amount of the incentive when specific performance criteria are met as a deferred liability. The deferred liability is amortized into income as a reduction of rent expense over the term of the applicable lease, including options to extend if they are reasonably certain to be exercised. The Company recognized those liabilities to be amortized within a year as a current liability and those greater than a year as a long-term liability. For purposes of recognizing these incentives and rental expenses on a straight-line basis, the Company uses the date it obtains the legal right to use and control the lease asset to begin amortization, which is generally when the Company takes possession of the asset.

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3. Revenues

Disaggregation of Revenue

The Company sells its products directly to consumers and the Company earns royalties under its credit card agreement. The following table presents disaggregated revenues by source (in thousands):

Contract Liabilities

The Company recognizes a contract liability when it has received consideration from the customer and has a future obligation to the customer. Total contract liabilities consisted of the following (in thousands):

For the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019, the Company recognized approximately $2.0 million and $8.5 million of revenue related to gift card redemptions and breakage, respectively. For the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended November 3, 2018, the Company recognized approximately $2.1 million and $8.2 million of revenue related to gift card redemptions and breakage, respectively. Revenue recognized consists of gift cards that were part of the unredeemed gift card balance at the beginning of the period as well as gift cards that were issued during the period.

Performance Obligations

The Company has a remaining performance obligation of $0.5 million for a signing bonus related to the private label credit card agreement. The Company will recognize revenue over the remaining life of the contract as follows (in thousands):

This disclosure does not include revenue related to performance obligations from unredeemed gift cards, as substantially all gift cards are redeemed in the first year of issuance.

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4. Other Income

The Company filed an insurance claim as a result of a cargo vessel fire on or about January 8, 2019, where contents of two containers carried J.Jill inventory. In July 2019, it was determined that the inventory onboard the cargo vessel was nonsalable and the insurance claim was settled for $3.3 million. The Company recorded a gain of $2.4 million on insurance proceeds in selling, general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive income (loss) for the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019.  

5. Asset Impairments

Long-lived Asset Impairments

In the second quarter of Fiscal Year 2019, the Company reduced the net carrying value of certain long-lived assets to their estimated fair value, determined using a discounted cash flows method. These impairment charges arose from the Company’s decision to vacate and sublease one floor of the corporate headquarters located in Quincy, Massachusetts. The Company incurred impairment charges of $0.3 million on leasehold improvements and $1.8 million on the right-of-use asset. The impairment charges were recorded in selling, general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive income (loss).

Goodwill and Other Indefinite-lived Intangible Asset Impairments

In the second quarter of Fiscal Year 2019, the Company reduced comparable sales outlook for the second quarter that led to a reduced full year forecast of earnings for Fiscal Year 2019. The Company concluded that these factors, as well as the decrease in stock price represented indicators of impairment and required the Company to test goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment during the second quarter of Fiscal Year 2019 (the “Impairment Test”).

The Company performed the Impairment Test using a quantitative approach with the assistance of an independent valuation firm. The Impairment Test was performed using the income approach (or discounted cash flows method) for goodwill and the relief-from-royalty method for indefinite-lived intangible assets. The estimated fair values of goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible asset were below carrying values resulting in an $88.4 million impairment of goodwill and a $7.0 million impairment of the Company’s tradename (indefinite-lived intangible asset). The Company will perform their annual impairment assessment during the fourth quarter of Fiscal Year 2019 and may incur further impairments based on the results of that assessment which may be material.

6. Restructuring Costs

In July 2019, the Company implemented a restructuring plan (the “2019 Restructuring Plan”) focused on cost reduction initiatives designed to execute against long-term strategies. The 2019 Restructuring Plan included headcount reductions primarily at the Company’s corporate headquarters in Quincy, Massachusetts and at the facility in Tilton, New Hampshire.

As a result of the 2019 Restructuring Plan, the Company recorded $1.6 million of restructuring costs in selling, general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income. All restructuring costs have been incurred in the second quarter of Fiscal Year 2019 and payments are anticipated to be complete in the fourth quarter of Fiscal Year 2020, ending on January 30, 2021.

The following table summarizes the activity of the restructuring costs discussed above and related accruals recorded in accrued other and other current liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet (in thousands):

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7. Debt

The components of the Company’s outstanding Term Loan were as follows (in thousands):

The Company was in compliance with all financial covenants as of November 2, 2019.

8. Income Taxes

The Company recorded an income tax expense of $1.8 million and $0.1 million for the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019, respectively, and income tax expense of $2.5 million and $10.4 million during the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended November 3, 2018, respectively. The effective tax rates were 42.5% and (0.1)% in the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019, respectively, and 27.1% and 26.8% in the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended November 3, 2018, respectively.

The effective tax rate for the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019 differs from the federal statutory rate of 21% primarily due to the impact of recurring items including §162(m) officer compensation limitation, stock compensation and state income taxes. The effective tax rate for the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019 was also impacted by the goodwill impairment charge of $88.4 million. The effective tax rate for the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended November 3, 2018 exceeded the federal statutory rate of 21.0% primarily due to §162(m) officer compensation limitation, stock compensation and state income taxes.

9. Earnings Per Share

The following table summarizes the computation of basic and diluted net income per share attributable to common shareholders (in thousands, except share and per share data):

The weighted average common shares for the diluted earnings per share calculation exclude the impact of outstanding equity awards if the assumed proceeds per share of the award is in excess of the related fiscal period’s average price of the Company’s common stock. Such awards are excluded because they would have an antidilutive effect. There were 4,000,014 and 3,183,761 for the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019, and 1,083,876 and 847,600 for the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended November 3, 2018, such awards excluded.

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10. Equity-Based Compensation

Equity-based compensation expense was $1.1 million and $3.5 million for the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019, and $1.1 million and $2.9 million for the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended November 3, 2018.

Special Dividend

On March 6, 2019, the Company’s Board of Directors declared a special cash dividend (the “Special Dividend”) of $1.15 per share payable to shareholders of record as of March 19, 2019, of which $50.2 million was paid on April 1, 2019 to shareholders.

In connection with the Special Dividend, pursuant to anti-dilution provisions in the 2017 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (the “2017 Plan”), the Company adjusted outstanding equity awards in order to prevent dilution of such awards. Accordingly, the Company adjusted the number of outstanding unvested restricted stock units (“RSUs”) as of the payment date of the dividend with an additional number of RSUs (“Dividend Equivalent Units” or “DEUs”) equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of unvested RSUs as of the record date by the amount of the dividend per share, by (y) the fair market value of share on the payment date of the Special Dividend. The DEUs will follow the same vesting pattern as the RSUs. For holders of outstanding options as of March 19, 2019, the option strike price on such options was reduced by the per share amount of the Special Dividend. Holders of unvested Restricted Stock Awards (“RSAs”) received a forfeitable $1.15 per share dividend on unvested RSAs as of March 19, 2019.

11. Related Party Transactions

For both the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019 and November 3, 2018, the Company incurred an immaterial amount of related party transactions.

12. Commitments and Contingencies

Legal Proceedings

The Company is subject to various legal proceedings that arise in the ordinary course of business. Although the outcome of such proceedings cannot be predicted with certainty, management does not believe that the Company is presently party to any legal proceedings the resolution of which management believes would have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, operating results or cash flows. The Company establishes reserves for specific legal matters when the Company determines that the likelihood of an unfavorable outcome is probable and the loss is reasonably estimable.

13. Operating Leases

As of November 2, 2019, the Company leased certain retail stores, a distribution center, and office space. As of that same date, the Company did not have any financing leases and no operating leases contained any material residual value guarantees or material restrictive covenants. Certain of the Company’s retail operating leases include variable rental payments based on a percentage of retail sales over contractual levels.

Some retail leases include one or more options to renew, with renewal terms that can extend the lease term from one to fifteen years. The Company’s distribution center has renewal terms that can extend the lease term up to twenty years. The exercise of lease renewal options is at the Company’s sole discretion. As of November 2, 2019, the Company included options to renew that are reasonably certain to be exercised in the operating lease assets and liabilities.

As described in Note 2, the Company adopted Topic 842 as of February 3, 2019. Under this guidance the Company did not record any deferred lease liabilities as of November 2, 2019. The Company maintained a tenant incentive liability of $1.3 million as of November 2, 2019, related to certain variable retail leases. Under legacy guidance, Topic 840, the Company recorded a deferred lease liability of $11.9 million and maintained a tenant improvement incentive liability of $19.1 million as of February 2, 2019.

The components of lease expense were as follows (in thousands):

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For the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019, total common area maintenance expense was $3.6 million and $10.7 million, respectively. For the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended November 3, 2018, total rental expense was $11.6 million and $35.2 million, respectively, and common area maintenance expense was $3.6 million and $10.6 million, respectively, exclusive of contingent rental expense recorded of $0.4 million and $1.0 million, respectively.

The Company used an incremental borrowing rate on February 3, 2019, for operating leases that commenced prior to that date. The incremental borrowing rate is estimated based upon (1) the financial condition and credit rating of the Company and its peers, (2) the term of the lease, (3) the nature of the underlying asset, and (4) the relative economic environment.

For the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019, operating lease liabilities arising from obtaining operating lease assets was $9.6 million and $19.2 million, respectively.

For the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019, the total cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of operating lease liabilities was $12.1 million and $35.8 million, respectively.

Maturities of lease liabilities as of November 2, 2019 were as follows (in thousands):

Under Topic 840, future minimum rental payments required under all non-cancellable operating lease obligations as of February 2, 2019 were as follows (in thousands):

14. Barter Arrangement

The Company entered into a bartering arrangement with Evergreen Trading, a vendor, where the Company provided inventory in exchange for media credits. During Q3 of fiscal 2019, the Company exchanged $3.3 million of inventory for certain media credits. To account for the exchange, the Company recorded the transfer of the inventory asset as a reduction of inventory offset by a $2.5 million decrease in reserves and an increase to a prepaid media asset of $2.0 million which is included in “Prepaid and other current assets” and “Other assets” on the accompanying consolidated balance sheet. A gain of $1.3 million was recorded upon shipment of the inventory. The Company had $2.0 million of unused media credits remaining as of November 2, 2019 that will be used over five years.

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The Company accounted for this barter transactions under ASC Topic No. 606 “Revenue from Contract with Customers.” Barter transactions with commercial substance are recorded at the estimated fair value of the products exchanged, unless the products received have a more readily determinable estimated fair value. Revenue associated with barter transaction is recorded at the time of the exchange of the related assets.

15. Subsequent Event

On December 5, 2019, the Company announced the departure of President, CEO and Director, Linda Heasley effective immediately, after serving over a year and a half in the role. Ms. Heasley will be succeeded as Chief Executive Officer on an interim basis by James Scully, who currently serves on the Board of Directors of J.Jill, Inc., effective December 5, 2019.

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Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and related notes thereto included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. The following discussion contains forward-looking statements that reflect our plans, estimates and assumptions. Our actual results could differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause such differences are discussed in the sections of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q titled “Risk Factors” and “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements”.

We operate on a 52- or 53-week fiscal year that ends on the Saturday that is closest to January 31. Each fiscal year generally is comprised of four 13-week fiscal quarters, although in the years with 53 weeks, the fourth quarter represents a 14-week period. The fiscal years ending February 1, 2020 (“Fiscal Year 2019”) and fiscal year ended February 2, 2019 (“Fiscal Year 2018”) are both comprised of 52 weeks.

Overview

J.Jill is a premier omnichannel retailer and nationally recognized women’s apparel brand committed to delighting customers with great wear-now product. The brand represents an easy, thoughtful and inspired style that reflects the confidence of remarkable women who live life with joy, passion and purpose. J.Jill offers a guiding customer experience through more than 280 stores nationwide and a robust E-commerce platform. J.Jill is headquartered outside Boston.

Factors Affecting Our Operating Results

Various factors are expected to continue to affect our results of operations going forward, including the following:

Overall Economic Trends. Consumer purchases of clothing and other merchandise generally decline during recessionary periods and other periods when disposable income is adversely affected, and consequently our results of operations may be affected by general economic conditions. For example, reduced consumer confidence and lower availability and higher cost of consumer credit may reduce demand for our merchandise and may limit our ability to increase or sustain prices. The growth rate of the market could be affected by macroeconomic conditions in the United States.

Consumer Preferences and Fashion Trends. Our ability to maintain our appeal to existing customers and attract new customers depends on our ability to anticipate fashion trends. During periods in which we have successfully anticipated fashion trends, we have generally had more favorable results.

Competition. The retail industry is highly competitive and retailers compete based on a variety of factors, including design, quality, price and customer service. Levels of competition and the ability of our competitors to more accurately predict fashion trends and otherwise attract customers through competitive pricing or other factors may impact our results of operations.

Our Strategic Initiatives. The ongoing implementation of strategic initiatives will continue to have an impact on our results of operations.  These initiatives include our E-commerce site, which was re-platformed in Fiscal Year 2017, and our initiative to upgrade and enhance our information systems. Although initiatives of this nature are designed to create growth in our business and continuing improvement in our operating results, the timing of expenditures related to these initiatives, as well as the achievement of returns on our investments, may affect our results of operation in future periods.

Pricing and Changes in Our Merchandise Mix. Our product offering changes from period to period, as do the prices at which goods are sold and the margins we are able to earn from the sales of those goods. The levels at which we are able to price our merchandise are influenced by a variety of factors, including the quality of our products, cost of production, prices at which our competitors are selling similar products and the willingness of our customers to pay for products.

Potential Changes in Tax Laws and/or Regulations.  Changes in tax laws in any of the multiple jurisdictions in which we operate, or adverse outcomes from tax audits that we may be subject to in any of the jurisdictions in which we operate, could adversely affect our business, financial condition and operating results.  Additionally, any potential changes with respect to tax and trade policies, tariffs and government regulations affecting trade between the U.S. and other countries could adversely affect our business, as we source the majority of our merchandise from manufacturers located outside of the U.S.

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How We Assess the Performance of Our Business

In assessing the performance of our business, we consider a variety of financial and operating metrics, including GAAP and non-GAAP measures, including the following:

Net sales consists primarily of revenues, net of merchandise returns and discounts, generated from the sale of apparel and accessory merchandise through our retail channel and direct channel. Net sales also include shipping and handling fees collected from customers and royalty revenues and marketing reimbursements related to our private label credit card agreement. Revenue from our retail channel is recognized at the time of sale and revenue from our direct channel is recognized upon shipment of merchandise to the customer.

Net sales are impacted by the size of our active customer base, product assortment and availability, marketing and promotional activities and the spending habits of our customers. Net sales are also impacted by the migration of single-channel customers to omnichannel customers who, on average, spend nearly three times more than single-channel customers.

Total company comparable sales includes net sales from our full-price stores that have been open for more than 52 weeks and from our direct channel. This measure highlights the performance of existing stores open during the period, while excluding the impact of new store openings and closures. When a store in the total company comparable store base is temporarily closed for remodeling or other reasons, it is included in total company comparable sales only using the full weeks it was open. Certain of our competitors and other retailers may calculate total company comparable sales differently than we do. As a result, the reporting of our total company comparable sales may not be comparable to sales data made available by other companies.

Number of stores reflects all stores open at the end of a reporting period. In connection with opening new stores, we incur pre-opening costs. Pre-opening costs include expenses incurred prior to opening a new store and primarily consist of payroll, travel, training, marketing, initial opening supplies and costs of transporting initial inventory and fixtures to store locations, as well as occupancy costs incurred from the time of possession of a store site to the opening of that store. These pre-opening costs are included in selling, general and administrative expenses and are generally incurred and expensed within 30 days of opening a new store.

Gross profit is equal to our net sales less costs of goods sold. Gross profit as a percentage of our net sales is referred to as gross margin.

Costs of goods sold includes the direct costs of sold merchandise, inventory shrinkage, and adjustments and reserves for excess, aged and obsolete inventory. We review our inventory levels on an ongoing basis to identify slow-moving merchandise and use product markdowns to liquidate these products. Changes in the assortment of our products may also impact our gross profit. The timing and level of markdowns are driven by customer acceptance of our merchandise. Certain of our competitors and other retailers may report costs of goods sold differently than we do. As a result, the reporting of our gross profit and gross margin may not be comparable to other companies.

The primary drivers of the costs of goods sold are raw materials, which fluctuate based on certain factors beyond our control, including labor conditions, transportation or freight costs, energy prices, currency fluctuations and commodity prices. We place orders with merchandise suppliers in United States dollars and, as a result, are not exposed to significant foreign currency exchange risk.

Selling, general and administrative expenses include all operating costs not included in costs of goods sold. These expenses include all payroll and related expenses, occupancy costs, information systems costs and other operating expenses related to our stores and to our operations at our headquarters, including utilities, depreciation and amortization. These expenses also include marketing expense, including catalog production and mailing costs, warehousing, distribution and shipping costs, customer service operations, consulting and software services, professional services and other administrative costs.

Our historical revenue growth has been accompanied by increased selling, general and administrative expenses. The most significant increases were in occupancy costs associated with retail store expansion, and in marketing and payroll investments.

Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin. Adjusted EBITDA represents net income plus net interest expense, provision (benefit) for income taxes, depreciation and amortization, equity-based compensation expense, write-off of property and equipment, and other non-recurring expenses, primarily consisting of outside legal and professional fees associated with certain non-recurring transactions and events. We present Adjusted EBITDA on a consolidated basis because management uses it as a supplemental measure in assessing our operating performance, and we believe that it is helpful to investors, securities analysts and other interested parties as a measure of our comparative operating performance from period to period. We also use Adjusted EBITDA as one of the primary methods for planning and forecasting overall expected performance of our business and for evaluating on a quarterly and annual basis actual results against such expectations. Further, we recognize Adjusted EBITDA as a commonly used measure in determining business value and as such, use it internally to report results. Adjusted EBITDA margin represents, for any period, Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of net sales.

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While we believe that Adjusted EBITDA is useful in evaluating our business, Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure that has limitations as an analytical tool. Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered an alternative to, or substitute for, net income (loss), which is calculated in accordance with GAAP. In addition, other companies, including companies in our industry, may calculate Adjusted EBITDA differently or not at all, which reduces the usefulness of Adjusted EBITDA as a tool for comparison. We recommend that you review the reconciliation and calculation of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin to net income, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, below and not rely solely on Adjusted EBITDA or any single financial measure to evaluate our business.

Reconciliation of Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA and Calculation of Adjusted EBITDA Margin

The following table provides a reconciliation of net income to Adjusted EBITDA and the calculation of Adjusted EBITDA margin for the periods presented.

Items Affecting Comparability of Financial Results

Impairment losses. Our Fiscal Year 2019 year to date results reflect goodwill and intangible asset impairment losses of $95.4 million. We had no impairment losses in Fiscal Year 2018. See Note 5, Asset Impairments, in Item I, Financial Statements, for additional information on these impairment losses.

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Results of Operations

Thirteen weeks ended November 2, 2019 Compared to Thirteen weeks ended November 3, 2018

The following table summarizes our consolidated results of operations for the periods indicated:

Net Sales

Net sales for the thirteen weeks ended November 2, 2019 decreased $8.0 million, or 4.6%, to $166.1 from $174.1 million for the thirteen weeks ended November 3, 2018.  At the end of those same periods, we operated 290 and 275 retail stores, respectively. The decrease in total net sales versus the prior year was driven by a decrease in retail comparable store sales of -7.0% .

Our retail channel contributed 57.0% of our net sales in the thirteen weeks ended November 2, 2019 and 60.2% in the thirteen weeks ended November 3, 2018. Our direct channel contributed 43.0% of our net sales in the thirteen weeks ended November 2, 2019 and 39.8% in the thirteen weeks ended November 3, 2018.

Gross Profit and Costs of Goods Sold

Gross profit for the thirteen weeks ended November 2, 2019 decreased $8.5 million, or 7.4%, to $106.9 from $115.5 million for the thirteen weeks ended November 3, 2018. The gross margin for the thirteen weeks ended November 2, 2019 was 64.4% compared to 66.3% for the thirteen weeks ended November 3, 2018, driven by added promotions, markdowns and liquidation actions to clear certain goods in the thirteen weeks ended November 2, 2019.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

Selling, general and administrative expenses for the thirteen weeks ended November 2, 2019 decreased $3.6 million, or 3.6%, to $98.0 from $101.6 million for the thirteen weeks ended November 3, 2018. The decrease was primarily driven by expense reduction actions taken in the second quarter ended August 3, 2019, which included a reduction in headcount, lower management incentive costs, and lower marketing costs.

As a percentage of net sales, selling, general and administrative expenses were 59.0% for the thirteen weeks ended November 2, 2019 compared to 58.3% for the thirteen weeks ended November 3, 2018.  

Interest Expense, Net

Interest expense, net, consists of interest expense on the Term Loan, partially offset by interest earned on cash. Interest expense for the thirteen weeks ended November 2, 2019 increased $0.1 million, or 2.7%, to $4.8 million from $4.7 million for the thirteen weeks ended November 3, 2018.

Provision for Income Taxes

The provision for income taxes was $1.8 million for the thirteen weeks ended November 2, 2019 compared to $2.5 million for the thirteen weeks ended November 3, 2018. Our effective tax rates for the same periods were 42.5% and 27.1%, respectively. The higher tax rate was driven by the impact of recurring items including §162(m) officer compensation limitation, stock compensation and state income taxes.

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Thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019 Compared to Thirty-nine weeks ended November 3, 2018

The following table summarizes our consolidated results of operations for the periods indicated:

Net Sales

Net sales for the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019 decreased $12.1 million, or 2.3%, to $523.3 from $535.4 million for the thirty-nine weeks ended November 3, 2018.  At the end of both of those same periods, we operated 290 and 275 retail stores, respectively. The decrease in net sales was due to total company comparable sales of -3.8%.

Our retail channel contributed 57.5% of our net sales in the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019 and 59.6% in the thirty-nine weeks ended November 3, 2018. Our direct channel contributed 42.5% of our net sales in the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019 and 40.4% in the thirty-nine weeks ended November 3, 2018.

Gross Profit and Costs of Goods Sold

Gross profit for the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019 decreased $24.0 million, or 6.8%, to $328.5 from $352.5 million for the thirty-nine weeks ended November 3, 2018. The gross margin for the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019 was 62.8% compared to 65.8% for the thirty-nine weeks ended November 3, 2018, largely driven by added promotions, markdowns, and liquidation actions to clear certain goods.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

Selling, general and administrative expenses for the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019 increased $8.9 million, or 3.0%, to $308.1 million from $299.2 million for the thirty-nine weeks ended November 3, 2018. The increase was driven by (a) a $5.5 million increase in sales related expenses with higher distribution and store expenses partially offset by lower marketing expense, and (b) $4.6 million for technology initiatives the majority of which was related to a specific technology initiative which was paused in the second quarter of Fiscal Year 2019 ended August 3, 2019. The increases were offset by a $1.2 million reduction in general and administrative expenses driven by the expense reduction actions taken in the second quarter of Fiscal Year 2019 and $0.9 from lower management compensation and recruiting expense.

As a percentage of net sales, selling, general and administrative expenses were 58.9% for the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019 compared to 55.9% for the thirty-nine weeks ended November 3, 2018.  

Interest Expense, Net

Interest expense, net, consists of interest expense on the Term Loan, partially offset by interest earned on cash. Interest expense for the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019 increased $0.5 million, or 3.4%, to $14.9 from $14.4 million for the thirty-nine weeks ended November 3, 2018. The increase was driven by higher interest rates and a reduction of interest earned on cash.

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Provision for Income Taxes

The provision for income taxes was a provision of $0.1 million for the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019 compared to a provision of $10.4 million for the thirty-nine weeks ended November 3, 2018. Our effective tax rates for the same periods were         -0.1% and 26.8%, respectively. The tax provision in the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019 was driven by the treatment of the impairment of goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

General

Our primary sources of liquidity and capital resources are cash generated from operating activities and availability under our ABL credit agreement, dated as of May 8, 2015, by and among Jill Holdings LLC, Jill Acquisition LLC, certain subsidiaries from time to time party thereto, the lenders party thereto and CIT Finance LLC as the administrative agent and collateral agent, as amended on May 27, 2016 by Amendment No. 1 thereto (the “ABL Facility”) and subsequently amended by Amendment No. 3 on June 12, 2019 to extend the maturity of the agreement. Our primary requirements for liquidity and capital are working capital and general corporate needs, including merchandise inventories, marketing, including catalog production and distribution, payroll, store occupancy costs and capital expenditures associated with opening new stores, remodeling existing stores and upgrading information systems and the costs of operating as a public company. We believe that our current sources of liquidity and capital will be sufficient to finance our continued operations for at least the next 12 months. There can be no assurance, however, that our business will generate sufficient cash flows from operations or that future borrowings will be available under our ABL Facility or otherwise to enable us to service our indebtedness, or to make capital expenditures in the future. Our future operating performance and our ability to service or extend our indebtedness will be subject to future economic conditions and to financial, business, and other factors, many of which are beyond our control.

Capital expenditures were $13.5 million for the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019 compared to $14.0 million for the thirty-nine weeks ended November 3, 2018.  The decrease in capital expenditures in Fiscal Year 2019 was due primarily to a decrease in technology projects, partially offset by an increase in spending on store investments.

Cash Flow Analysis

The following table shows our cash flows information for the periods presented: