Exhibit 99

 

 

  ROCKY BRANDS, INC.  
     
  Company Contact: Mike Brooks
    Chief Executive Officer
    (740) 753-1951
     
  Investor Relations: ICR, Inc.
    Brendon Frey
    (203) 682-8200

 

 

 

THOMAS ROBERTSON APPOINTED CFO

APPROVAL OF NEW SHARE REPURCHASE PROGRAM

 

NELSONVILLE, Ohio, March 9, 2017 – Rocky Brands, Inc. (Nasdaq: RCKY) today announced that Thomas Robertson has been appointed Chief Financial Officer of the Company.

 

Mr. Robertson, a CPA (certified public accountant), has served as Senior Financial Analyst since joining the Company in September 2016. Prior to that, from July 2015 until September 2016, he was an audit manager with Deloitte & Touche LLP. From September 2008 until July 2015, he held various audit positions with Schneider Downs & Co., Inc. While practicing with Schneider Downs and Deloitte, Mr. Robertson spent the majority of his time working with publicly-traded footwear companies.

 

Mike Brooks stated, “Since joining Rocky Brands, Tom has exhibited tremendous financial leadership and business acumen. The board of directors and I are very confident that he is the right person to serve as our next chief financial officer. I look forward to working closely with Tom to successfully execute our strategic initiatives and return the Company to sustained profitable growth beginning in 2017.”

 

The Company also announced that its board of directors has approved a new share repurchase program of up to $7,500,000 of the Company’s outstanding common stock, no par value per share. The share repurchase program is expected to be completed over the next 12 months.

 

Repurchases under the Company’s new program will be made in open market or privately negotiated transactions in compliance with Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 10b-18, subject to market conditions, applicable legal requirements, and other relevant factors. This share repurchase plan does not obligate the Company to acquire any particular amount of common stock, and it may be suspended at any time at the Company’s discretion. The Company had approximately 7.4 million shares of common stock outstanding as of March 7, 2017.

 

About Rocky Brands, Inc.

 

Rocky Brands, Inc. is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of premium quality footwear and apparel marketed under a portfolio of well recognized brand names including Rocky®, Georgia Boot®, Durango®, Lehigh®, Creative Recreation®, and the licensed brand Michelin®.

 

 

 

 

Safe Harbor Language

 

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created thereby. Those statements include, but may not be limited to, all statements regarding intent, beliefs, expectations, projections, forecasts, and plans of the Company and its management. These forward-looking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, the various risks inherent in the Company’s business as set forth in periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 (filed March 8, 2017). One or more of these factors have affected historical results, and could in the future affect the Company’s businesses and financial results in future periods and could cause actual results to differ materially from plans and projections. Therefore there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements included in this press release will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included herein, the Company, or any other person should not regard the inclusion of such information as a representation that the objectives and plans of the Company will be achieved. All forward-looking statements made in this press release are based on information presently available to the management of the Company. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.