This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The words "anticipate," "believe," "expect," "estimate" and "project" and similar words and expressions identify forward-looking statements which speak only as of the date hereof. Investors are cautioned that such statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical or anticipated results due to many factors, including, but not limited to, the factors discussed in "Item 1A, Risk Factors." The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.

PART I

ITEM 1. BUSINESS.

All references to "we," "us," "our," "Rocky Brands," or the "Company" in this Annual Report on Form 10-K mean Rocky Brands, Inc. and our subsidiaries. 

We are a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of premium quality footwear and apparel marketed under a portfolio of well recognized brand names including Rocky, The Original Muck Boot Company ("Muck"), Georgia Boot, Durango, XTRATUF, Lehigh, Ranger and the licensed brand Michelin. Our brands have a long history of representing high quality, comfortable, functional, and durable footwear and our products are organized around six target markets: outdoor, work, duty, commercial military, military and western. Our footwear products incorporate varying features and are positioned across a range of suggested retail price points from $45.00 for our value priced products to $655.00 for our premium products. In addition, as part of our strategy of outfitting consumers from head-to-toe, we market complementary branded apparel and accessories that we believe leverage the strength and positioning of each of our brands.

We report our segment information in accordance with provisions of the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 280, Segment Reporting and each of our reporting segments continue to employ consistent accounting policies. See Note 19 of our Consolidated Financial Statements for further information.

The Company's portfolio of brands is organized into the following reportable segments, in which our products are distributed:

Lehigh

We sell our product lines on our websites at rockyboots.com, georgiaboot.com, durangoboot.com, muckbootcompany.com, xtratuf.com, lehighoutfitters.com, lehighsafetyshoes.com and slipgrips.com, as well as through online marketplaces. We believe that our internet presence allows us to showcase the breadth and depth of our product lines in each of our target markets and enables us to educate our consumers about the unique technical features of our products. 

Outdoor Gear and Retail Store

We operate the Rocky Outdoor Gear Store in Nelsonville, Ohio. Our outdoor gear store primarily sells first quality current and discontinued products in addition to a limited amount of factory damaged goods. Related products from other manufacturers are also sold in the store. Our outdoor gear store allows us to showcase the breadth of our product lines as well as to cost-effectively sell slow-moving inventory. Our outdoor gear store also provides an opportunity to interact with consumers to better understand their needs. Additionally, Lehigh has one retail store located at the Puget Sound Naval Base where we sell select product directly to customers.

Contract Manufacturing

While we are focused on continuing to build our Wholesale and Retail business, we also actively bid, from time to time, on eligible footwear contracts with the U.S. Military. In addition to contracts with the U.S. Military, we bid on private label contracts. Our sales under such contracts are dependent on us winning the bids for these contracts.

In 2023, we fulfilled two multi-year contracts for the U.S. Military. We expect to continue to actively bid on U.S. Military contracts.

Brands and Product Lines

Our products are marketed under eight well-recognized, proprietary brands: Rocky, Muck, Georgia Boot, Durango, XTRATUF, Lehigh and Ranger, in addition to the licensed brand Michelin.

Product Lines 

Competitive Strengths

Our competitive strengths include:

Growth Strategy

We intend to increase our sales through the following strategies:

Marketing and Advertising

We believe that our brands have a reputation for high quality, comfort, functionality and durability built through their long history in the markets they serve. To further increase the strength and awareness of our brands, we have developed comprehensive marketing and advertising programs to gain national exposure and expand brand awareness for each of our brands in their target markets.

We have focused the majority of our advertising efforts on both digital advertising and consumer advertising in support of our retail partners. Digital advertising includes online brand level marketing, search engine pay-per-click, retargeting and social media targeting. A key component to supporting our retail partners includes in-store point of purchase materials that add a dramatic focus to our brands and the products our retail partners carry. We also advertise through targeted national and local cable programs, radio advertisements and print publications aimed at audiences that share the demographic profile of our typical customers. In addition, we promote through event sponsorships which provide significant national exposure for all of our brands as well as a direct connection to our target consumer. Our print advertisements and television commercials emphasize the technical features of our products as well as their high quality, comfort, functionality and durability. 

We also support independent dealers by listing their locations in our national print advertisements. In addition to our national advertising campaigns, we have developed attractive merchandising displays and store-in-store concept fixturing that are available to our retailers who purchase the breadth of our product lines. We also attend numerous tradeshows which allow us to showcase our entire product line to retail buyers and have historically been an important source of new accounts.

Product Design and Development

We believe that product innovation is a key competitive advantage for us in each of our markets. Our goal in product design and development is to continue to create and introduce new and innovative footwear and apparel products that combine our standards of quality, functionality and comfort and that meet the changing needs of our retailers and consumers. Our product design and development process is highly collaborative and is typically initiated both internally by our development staff and externally by our retailers and suppliers, whose employees are generally active users of our products and understand the needs of our consumers. Our product design and development personnel, marketing personnel and sales representatives work closely together to identify opportunities for new styles, patterns, design improvements and newer, more advanced materials. We have a dedicated group of product design and development professionals, some of whom are well recognized experts in the footwear and apparel industries, who continually interact with consumers to better understand their needs and are committed to ensuring our products reflect the most advanced designs, features and materials available in the marketplace.

Manufacturing and Sourcing

We manufacture footwear in facilities that we own and operate in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Chuzhou, China and source footwear, apparel and accessories from third-party facilities in China, Vietnam, India, Dominican Republic and Mexico. We do not have long-term contracts with any of our third-party manufacturers. We believe that operating our own facilities significantly improves our knowledge of the entire raw material sourcing and manufacturing process, which enables us to more efficiently source finished goods from third parties that are of the highest quality and at the lowest cost available, as well as reduce our lead times. In addition, our Puerto Rico facility allows us to produce footwear for the U.S. Military and other commercial businesses that require production by a U.S. manufacturer. Sourcing products from offshore third-party facilities generally enables us to lower our costs per unit while maintaining high product quality and limits the capital investment required to establish and maintain company operated manufacturing facilities. Because quality is an important part of our value proposition to our retailers and consumers, we source products from manufacturers who have demonstrated the intent and ability to maintain the high quality that has become associated with our brands.

Quality control is stressed at every stage of the manufacturing process and is monitored by trained quality assurance personnel at each of our manufacturing facilities, including our third-party factories. In addition, we utilize a team of procurement, quality control and logistics employees in our China office and a third-party quality control service provider to visit factories to conduct quality control reviews of raw materials, work in process inventory and finished goods. We also utilize quality control personnel at our finished goods distribution facilities to conduct quality control testing on incoming sourced finished goods and raw materials and inspect random samples from our finished goods inventory from each of our manufacturing facilities to ensure that all items meet our high-quality standards.

Foreign Operations and Sales Outside of the U.S.

Our products are primarily distributed in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and other international markets, mainly in Europe. We ship our products from our finished goods distribution facilities located in Ohio and Nevada. Certain of our retailers receive shipments directly from our manufacturing sources, including all of our U.S. Military sales, which are shipped directly from our manufacturing facility in Puerto Rico. Net sales to foreign countries represented approximately 5.1% of net sales in 2023 and 6.2% of net sales in 2022. 

As previously mentioned, we maintain manufacturing facilities that we operate in the Dominican Republic and Chuzhou, China. In addition, we utilize an office in China to support our contract manufacturers.

The net book value of fixed assets located outside of the U.S. totaled $11.9 million at December 31, 2023, of which approximately $3.9 million resides in the Dominican Republic and approximately $8.0 million resides in China. 

Resources and Suppliers 

We purchase raw materials from sources worldwide. We do not have any long-term supply contracts for the purchase of our raw materials, except for limited blanket purchase orders on leather to protect wholesale selling prices for an extended period of time. The principal raw materials used in the production of our products, in terms of dollar value, are leather, Gore-Tex waterproof breathable fabric, Cordura nylon fabric and soling materials. We believe these materials will continue to be available from our current suppliers. However, in the event these materials are not available from our current suppliers, we believe these products, or similar products, would be available from alternative sources.

Seasonality and Weather

Historically, we have experienced significant seasonal fluctuations in our business as many of our footwear products are used by consumers in adverse weather conditions. In order to meet these demands, we must manufacture and source footwear year-round to be in a position to ship advance and at-once orders for these products during the last two quarters of each year. Accordingly, average inventory levels have been highest during the second and third quarters of each year and sales have been highest in the last two quarters of the year. In addition, mild or dry weather conditions historically have had a material adverse effect on sales of our outdoor products, particularly if they occurred in broad geographical areas during late fall or early winter.

Backlog

The dollar amount of our order backlog as of any date may not be indicative of actual future shipments and, accordingly, is not material to an understanding of the business taken as a whole.

Intellectual Property

We rely on a combination of our trademarks, patents, trade dress, and other intellectual property rights, as well as contractual provisions to protect our brands, product designs, technology, marketing materials, and other proprietary research and development, although no such methods can afford complete protection. We own numerous design and utility patents for footwear and footwear components (such as insoles and outsoles) in the U.S. and in several countries where our products are sold or manufactured, including China. We own numerous U.S. and foreign registrations for the patents and trademarks used in our business, including our major brands Rocky, Muck, Georgia Boot, Durango, XTRATUF, Lehigh, and Ranger. In addition, we license the use of third-party trademarks, including Gore-Tex and Michelin, in order to market our products.

Our license with W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. ("Gore") permits us to use the Gore-Tex and related marks on products and styles that have been approved in advance by Gore. The license agreement has a one-year term that automatically renews each year, unless either party elects to terminate by giving advance written notice to the other party by October 1 for termination effective December 31 of that same year.

Similarly, our license with Michelin Lifestyle Limited permits us to use the Michelin brand and related marks on our products. Our license agreement with Michelin Lifestyle Limited to use the Michelin name expires on December 31, 2025, with the option to renew.

In the U.S. and China, our design patents are generally in effect for 15 years from the date of issuance. Our utility patents are generally in effect for 20 years from the date of the filing of the patent application. Our trademarks are generally valid as long as they are in use and their registrations are properly maintained.

While we have an active program to protect our intellectual property by filing for patents and trademark registrations, we do not believe that our overall business is materially dependent on any individual patent or trademark. We are not aware of any material infringement of our intellectual property rights or that we are infringing any intellectual property rights owned by third parties. Moreover, we are not aware of any material conflicts concerning our trademarks or those owned by others. We actively enforce our trademarks and patents, and pursue those who infringe upon them, whether domestically or internationally, as we deem appropriate.

Competition

We operate in a very competitive environment. Product function, design, comfort, quality, technological and material improvements, brand awareness, timeliness of product delivery and pricing are all important elements of competition in the markets for our products. We believe that the strength of our brands, the quality of our products and our long-term relationships with a broad range of retailers allow us to compete effectively in the footwear and apparel markets that we serve. However, we compete with footwear and apparel companies that have greater financial, marketing, distribution and manufacturing resources than we do. In addition, many of these competitors have strong brand name recognition in the markets they serve.

The footwear and apparel industry is also subject to rapid changes in consumer preferences. Some of our product lines are susceptible to changes in both technical innovation and fashion trends. Therefore, the success of these products and styles are more dependent on our ability to anticipate and respond to changing product, material and design innovations, as well as fashion trends and consumer demands in a timely manner. Our inability or failure to do so could adversely affect consumer acceptance of these product lines and styles and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Human Capital

At December 31, 2023, we had approximately 2,100 employees of which approximately 2,060 are full time employees. Approximately 1,600 of our employees work in our manufacturing facilities in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Chuzhou, China. We believe our relations with our employees are in good standing.

Employee Well Being

Founded from the humble beginnings of a small, family owned business, our employees have always been the key to making our Company successful. As such, we believe that fostering an environment that advocates for all areas of employee health (including physical, mental and emotional) is crucial. We offer a tuition assistance reimbursement program and an employee assistance program, which can assist employees in various aspects of their personal life and overall well-being. We also encourage our employees to take continuing education classes that will aid in their day-to-day work responsibilities and we promote a healthy lifestyle through monthly newsletters and various health focused events throughout the year.

The health and safety of our employees is one of our highest priorities. Our Health and Wellness Committee strives to educate our employees on the importance of taking care of yourself both inside and outside the workplace. Throughout the year we contract with various health and wellness professionals outside of our organization to hold educational sessions for our employees both in-person and virtually. Nothing is more fundamental than providing our employees with an environment where they feel safe, secure and supported.

Talent Recruitment, Retention and Development

Our employee culture is built on our core values of integrity, responsibility and humility. The ability to attract, retain and develop talented employees is crucial to our long-term success. We focus on attracting, developing and retaining highly talented individuals through practices that promote inclusion, diversity and equality. We recruit through a variety of outreach methods including our rockybrands.com/careers website and other online platforms, such as LinkedIn, college recruitment efforts, network relationships and direct communication with career centers. When new employment opportunities within our Company arise, we send out internal communications to inform all associates of new openings. We review internal applications for consideration before considering external applicants.

We strive to maximize engagement with our employees in a variety of ways, including scheduled meetings between employees and executive leadership within the first few months of employment, face-to-face and virtual interviews with employees following 60 days and one year of employment, annual performance evaluations, regular check-in surveys and exit surveys. We also rely on our management team to influence growth and develop a path for success with employees on each team within our organization. Quarterly, our CEO and COO hold all-employee communication meetings to keep our employees apprised of recent happenings within our organization and to allow employees a forum for their voice to be heard. 

We are committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce which is reflected in a wide range of cultures, religions, ethnicities and nationalities as well as varied professional and educational backgrounds. We believe that the inclusion of diverse perspectives results in better outcomes and policies. We aim to foster an inclusive workplace through recruitment and development efforts, and through the retention of diverse talent with a goal of expanding representation across all dimensions of equality and inclusion. We strive to provide an environment that allows our employees to bring their authentic selves to work every day, and we are committed to fostering a workplace that is free of discrimination, harassment, and which promotes allyship, advocacy and an overall sense of belonging.

Compensation and Benefits

Our compensation structure is set up to reward employees for performance. We regularly evaluate employee compensation to ensure it is competitive and in-line with market benchmarks and to reward employees who perform at a high level. We offer comprehensive benefit programs to our employees including medical, dental and vision. We also provide a 401(k) match and safe harbor contribution, paid time off, including maternal and paternal leave, life insurance and long-term and short-term disability.

Available Information

As required by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), we file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The SEC maintains a website that contains information about issuers, like us, who file electronic reports with the SEC. The address of the SEC’s website is www.sec.gov. In addition, we make available free of charge on our corporate website, www.rockybrands.com, our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and, if applicable, amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act as soon as reasonably practicable after such reports are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. Except as specifically incorporated by reference into this Annual Report on Form 10-K, information on those websites is not part of this report.

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS.

Business Risks

Expanding our brands into new footwear and apparel markets may be difficult and expensive, and if we are unable to successfully continue such expansion, our brands may be adversely affected, and we may not achieve our planned sales growth.

Our growth strategy is founded substantially on the expansion of our brands into new footwear and apparel markets. New products that we introduce may not be successful with consumers or one or more of our brands may fall out of favor with consumers. If we are unable to anticipate, identify or react appropriately to changes in consumer preferences, we may not grow as fast as we plan to grow or our sales may decline, and our brand image and operating performance may suffer.

Furthermore, achieving market acceptance for new products will likely require us to exert substantial product development and marketing efforts, which could result in a material increase in our operating expenses, and there can be no assurance that we will have the resources necessary to undertake such efforts. Material increases in our operating expenses could adversely impact our results of operations and cash flows.

We may also encounter difficulties in producing new products that we did not anticipate during the development stage. Our development schedules for new products are difficult to predict and are subject to change as a result of shifting priorities in response to consumer preferences and competing products. If we are not able to efficiently manufacture newly-developed products in quantities sufficient to support retail distribution, we may not be able to recoup our investment in the development of new products. Failure to gain market acceptance for new products that we introduce could impede our growth, reduce our profits, adversely affect the image of our brands, erode our competitive position and result in long term harm to our business.

A majority of our products are produced outside the U.S. where we are subject to the risks of international commerce and other international conditions.

A majority of our products are produced in China, the Dominican Republic, and Vietnam. Therefore, our business is subject to certain risks of doing business offshore including:

Changes in any of these factors could materially increase our costs of products or cause us to experience delays and we may not be able to recover all of our cost increases or missed sales. If any of these factors were to render the conduct of business in these countries undesirable or impracticable, we would have to manufacture or source our products elsewhere. There can be no assurance that additional sources or products would be available to us or, if available, that these sources could be relied on to provide product at terms favorable to us. The occurrence of any of these developments could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Our success depends on our ability to anticipate consumer trends.

Demand for our products may be adversely affected by changing consumer trends. Our future success will depend upon our ability to anticipate and respond to changing consumer preferences and technical design or material developments in a timely manner. The failure to adequately anticipate or respond to these changes could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

We depend on a limited number of suppliers for key production materials, and any disruption in the supply of such materials could interrupt product manufacturing and increase product costs.

We purchase raw materials from a number of domestic and foreign sources. We do not have any long-term supply contracts for the purchase of our raw materials, except for limited blanket orders on leather. The principal raw materials used in the production of our footwear, in terms of dollar value, are leather, Gore-Tex waterproof breathable fabric, Cordura nylon fabric and soling materials. Availability or change in the prices of our raw materials could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Our ability to import products in a timely and cost-effective manner may also be affected by conditions at ports or issues that otherwise affect transportation and warehousing providers, such as fluctuations in freight costs, port and shipping capacity, labor disputes or severe weather due to climate change. These issues have in the past and may in the future delay importation of products or require us to locate alternative ports or warehousing providers to avoid disruption to customers. These alternatives may not be available on short notice or could result in higher costs, which could have an adverse impact on our business and financial condition.

The emergence or persistence of geopolitical instability may disrupt the global economy, the impacts of which may negatively impact our business, financial, condition and results of operations.

The emergence or persistence of geopolitical instability creates risks for disruptions in the global economy which may negatively impact our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Factors such as shipping disruptions in the Red Sea, uncertainties related to the political environment in China, and ongoing conflicts such as the war between Russia and Ukraine have adversely affected the global economy and contributed to geopolitical instability. While we have managed to navigate impacts from these conflicts thus far, the ongoing instability resulting from these disruptions or other future disruptions could potentially harm our business, financial condition, results of operations, supply chain, intangible assets, partners, customers, or employees, should tensions escalate. Moreover, an escalation of geopolitical tensions may lead to broader impacts, including but not limited to cyberattacks, supply chain and logistics disruptions, lower consumer demand, and changes to foreign exchange rates and interest rates. Any of these factors may adversely affect our business and supply chain.

Our outdoor and insulated products are seasonal and sales of such products are sensitive to weather conditions.

We have historically experienced significant seasonal fluctuations in our business because we derive a significant portion of our revenues from sales of our outdoor products. Many of our outdoor products are used by consumers in cold or wet weather. As a result, a majority of orders for these products are placed by our retailers in January through April for delivery in July through October. In order to meet demand, we must manufacture and source outdoor footwear year-round to be in a position to ship advance orders for these products during the last two quarters of each year. Accordingly, average inventory levels have been highest during the second and third quarters of each year and sales have been highest in the last two quarters of each year. There is no assurance that we will have either sufficient inventory to satisfy demand in any particular quarter or have sufficient demand to sell substantially all of our inventory without significant markdowns. Mild or dry weather has in the past and may in the future have a material adverse effect on sales of our products, particularly if mild or dry weather conditions occur in broad geographical areas during late fall or early winter. Climate change may exacerbate these conditions.

Our business could suffer if our third-party manufacturers violate labor, environmental or other applicable laws or fail to conform to generally accepted ethical standards.

We require our third-party manufacturers to meet our standards for working conditions and other matters before we are willing to place business with them. As a result, we may not always obtain the lowest cost production. Moreover, we do not control our third-party manufacturers or their respective business practices. If one of our third-party manufacturers violates generally accepted labor standards by, for example, using forced or indentured labor or child labor, failing to pay compensation in accordance with local law, failing to operate its factories in compliance with local safety regulations or diverging from other labor practices generally accepted as ethical, we likely would cease dealing with that manufacturer, and we could suffer an interruption in our product supply. Similarly, if one or more of our third-party manufacturers violate applicable environmental or other laws and regulations, we could suffer an interruption in our product supply. In addition, such actions by a manufacturer could result in negative publicity and may damage our reputation and the value of our brand and discourage retail customers and consumers from buying our products.

The growth of our business will be dependent upon the availability of adequate capital.

The growth of our business will depend on the availability of adequate capital, which in turn will depend largely on cash flow generated by our business and the availability of equity and debt financing. We cannot assure that our operations will generate positive cash flow or that we will be able to obtain equity or debt financing on acceptable terms or at all. Our credit facilities contain provisions that restrict our ability to incur additional indebtedness or make substantial asset sales that might otherwise be used to finance our expansion. Security interests in substantially all of our assets, which may further limit our access to certain capital markets or lending sources, secure our obligations under our credit facilities. Moreover, the actual availability of funds under our credit facilities is limited to specified percentages of our eligible inventory and accounts receivable. Accordingly, opportunities for increasing our cash on hand through sales of inventory would be partially offset by reduced availability under our credit facilities. As a result, we may not be able to finance our current expansion plans.

Our current level of indebtedness could adversely affect our business by increasing our borrowing costs and decreasing our overall business flexibility.

Our current level of indebtedness could adversely affect our business by increasing our borrowing costs and decreasing our overall business flexibility. We have debt outstanding under two credit facilities, which contain customary restrictive covenants imposing operating and financial restrictions, including restrictions that may limit our ability to engage in certain actions that may be in our long-term best interests.

We must comply with the restrictive covenants contained in our credit facilities.

Our credit facilities require us to comply with certain financial restrictive covenants that impose restrictions on our operations, including our ability to incur additional indebtedness, make investments of other restricted payments, sell or otherwise dispose of assets and engage in other activities. Any failure by us to comply with the restrictive covenants could result in an event of default under those borrowing arrangements, in which case the lenders could elect to declare all amounts outstanding thereunder to be due and payable, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition. Our credit facilities contain restrictive covenants which requires us to maintain a maximum total average ratio and a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio.

Interest rate increases could adversely affect our financial results.

An increase in interest rates under our credit facilities would adversely affect our financial results, as our loan agreements provide for adjustments in our interest rates based on changes to the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) and/or the prime rate.

We face intense competition, including competition from companies with significantly greater resources than ours, and if we are unable to compete effectively with these companies, our market share may decline and our business could be harmed.

The footwear and apparel industries are intensely competitive, and we expect competition to increase in the future. A number of our competitors have significantly greater financial, technological, engineering, manufacturing, marketing and distribution resources than we do, as well as greater brand awareness in the footwear market. Our ability to succeed depends on our ability to remain competitive with respect to the quality, design, price and timely delivery of products. Competition could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Our financial success is influenced by the success of our customers, and the loss of a key customer could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Much of our financial success is directly related to the ability of our retailer and distributor partners to successfully market and sell our brands directly to consumers. If a retailer or distributor partner fails to satisfy contractual obligations or to otherwise meet our expectations, it may be difficult to locate an acceptable substitute partner. If we determine that it is necessary to make a change, we may experience increased costs, loss of customers, or increased credit or inventory risk. In addition, there is no guarantee that any replacement retailer or distributor partner will generate results that are more favorable than the terminated party. We currently do not have long-term contracts with any of our retailers. Sales to our retailers and distributors are generally on an order-by-order basis and are subject to rights of cancellation and rescheduling by our wholesale customers. We use the timing of delivery dates for our wholesale customer orders as a key factor in forecasting our sales and earnings for future periods. If any of our major customers experience a significant downturn in business or fail to remain committed to our products or brands, these customers could postpone, reduce, or discontinue purchases from us, which could result in us failing to meet our forecasted results. These risks have been exacerbated recently as our key retail customers are operating within a retail industry that continues to undergo significant structural changes fueled by technology and the internet, changes in consumer purchasing behavior and a shrinking retail footprint. We may lose key retail and wholesale customers if they fail to manage the impact of the rapidly changing retail environment. Any loss of one of these key customers, the financial collapse or bankruptcy of one of these customers, or a significant reduction in purchases from one of these customers could result in a significant decline in sales, write-downs of excess inventory, or increased discounts to our customers, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.

Certain of our larger wholesale customers may develop and manufacture competing products under their own brands and reduce purchases of our branded products.

Certain of our larger wholesale customers may develop, and in certain cases have developed, products under their own brands that compete with our branded products. Wholesale customers who increase the concentration of their own brands may result in a reduction or elimination of purchases of our branded products, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

We currently manufacture a portion of our products, and we may not be able to do so in the future, at costs that are competitive with those of competitors who source their goods.

We currently plan to retain our internal manufacturing capability in order to continue benefiting from expertise we have gained with respect to footwear manufacturing methods conducted at our manufacturing facilities. We continue to evaluate our manufacturing facilities and third-party manufacturing alternatives in order to determine the appropriate size and scope of our manufacturing facilities. There can be no assurance that the costs of products that continue to be manufactured by us can remain competitive with products sourced from third parties.

We rely on our distribution centers in Ohio and Nevada and manufacturing facilities in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and China and if there is a natural disaster or other serious disruption at any of these facilities, we may be unable to deliver merchandise effectively to our retailers and consumers.

We rely on our distribution centers located in Ohio and Nevada and our manufacturing facilities in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and China. Any natural disaster or other serious disruption at any of these facilities due to fire, tornado, flood, terrorist attack or any other cause could damage our ability to manufacture our products, a portion of our inventory, or impair our ability to use our distribution center as a docking location for merchandise. Any of these occurrences could impair our ability to adequately supply our retailers and consumers and harm our operating results.

If our efforts to establish and protect our trademarks, patents and other intellectual property are unsuccessful, the value of our brands could suffer.

We regard certain of our footwear designs as proprietary and rely on patents to protect those designs. We believe that the ownership of patents is a significant factor in our business. Existing intellectual property laws afford only limited protection of our proprietary rights, and it may be possible for unauthorized third parties to copy certain of our footwear designs or to reverse engineer or otherwise obtain and use information that we regard as proprietary. If our patents are found to be invalid, however, to the extent they have served, or would in the future serve, as a barrier to entry to our competitors, such invalidity could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

We own U.S. registrations for many our trademarks, trade names and designs, including such marks as Rocky, Muck, Georgia Boot, Durango, XTRATUF, Lehigh and Ranger. Additional trademarks, trade names and designs are the subject of pending federal applications for registration. We also use and have common law rights in certain trademarks. Over time, we have increased distribution of our goods in several foreign countries. Accordingly, we have applied for trademark registrations in a number of these countries. We intend to enforce our trademarks and trade names against unauthorized use by third parties.

An impairment of intangibles, including goodwill, could have an adverse impact to the Company’s results of operations.

The carrying value of intangibles represents the fair value of trade names and other acquired intangibles as of the acquisition date. Acquired intangibles expected to contribute indefinitely to the Company’s cash flows are not amortized but must be evaluated by the Company at least annually for impairment. If the carrying amounts of one or more of these assets are not recoverable based upon discounted cash flow and market-approach analyses, the carrying amounts of such assets are impaired by the estimated difference between the carrying value and estimated fair value. An impairment charge could adversely affect the Company’s results of operations.

Our success depends on our ability to forecast sales.

Our investments in infrastructure and product inventory are based on sales forecasts and are necessarily made in advance of actual sales. The markets in which we do business are highly competitive, and our business is affected by a variety of factors, including brand awareness, changing consumer preferences, product innovations, susceptibility to fashion trends, retail market conditions, weather conditions and economic conditions, and other factors. One of our principal challenges is to improve our ability to predict these factors in order to enable us to better match production with demand. In addition, our growth over the years has created the need to increase the investment in infrastructure and product inventory and to enhance our systems. To the extent sales forecasts are not achieved, costs associated with the infrastructure and carrying costs of product inventory would represent a higher percentage of revenue, which would adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Our dividend policy may change.

Although we have paid dividends to our shareholders, we have no obligation to continue doing so and may change our dividend policy at any time without notice to our shareholders. Holders of our common stock are only entitled to receive such cash dividends as our Board of Directors may declare out of funds legally available for such payments.

Industry Risks

Because the footwear market is sensitive to decreased consumer spending and slow economic cycles, if general economic conditions deteriorate, many of our customers may significantly reduce their purchases from us or may not be able to pay for our products in a timely manner.

The footwear industry has been subject to cyclical variation and decline in performance when consumer spending decreases or softness appears in the retail market. Many factors affect the level of consumer spending in the footwear industry, including:

Consumer purchases of discretionary items, including our products, may decline during recessionary periods and also may decline at other times when disposable income is lower. A downturn in regional economies where we sell products also reduces sales.

The continued shift in the marketplace from traditional independent retailers to large mass merchandisers may result in decreased margins.

A continued shift in the marketplace from traditional independent retailers to large mass merchandisers has increased the pressure on many footwear manufacturers to sell products to these mass merchandisers at less favorable margins. Because of competition from large discount mass merchandisers, a number of our small retailing customers have gone out of business, and in the future more of these customers may go out of business, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

If we do not effectively respond to the shift of consumer shopping moving to online retailers, including third-party marketplaces, it may negatively impact our business.

The retail industry is rapidly changing and we must ensure we are evolving both our own online e-commerce websites and third-party marketplaces. We must also provide digital assistance to our wholesale customers to support their e-commerce websites. Failure to timely identify and effectively respond to the online trends of the retail industry could negatively impact our product reach and market share. We are making technology investments in our websites and mobile applications. If we are unable to improve or develop relevant technology in a timely manner, our ability to compete and our results of operations could be adversely affected.

General Risk Factors 

The current political climate has introduced greater uncertainty with respect to trade policies, tariffs and government regulations affecting trade between the U.S. and other countries. We source products from manufacturers located outside of the U.S., primarily in China and Vietnam. Major developments in tax policy or trade relations, such as the disallowance of tax deductions for imported products or the imposition of unilateral tariffs on imported products, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and liquidity.

There are risks, including stock market volatility, inherent in owning our common stock.

The market price and volume of our common stock have been, and may continue to be, subject to significant fluctuations. These fluctuations may arise from general stock market conditions, the impact of risk factors described in this Item 1A on our results of operations and financial position, or a change in opinion in the market regarding our business prospects or other factors, many of which may be outside our immediate control. Changes in the amounts and frequency of share repurchases or dividends also could adversely affect the value of our common stock.

Disruption of our information technology systems could adversely affect our business

Our information technology systems are critical to our business operations. Any interruption, unauthorized access, impairment or loss of data integrity or malfunction of these systems could severely impact our business, including delays in product fulfillment and reduced efficiency in operations. In addition, costs and potential problems and interruptions associated with the implementation of new or upgraded systems, or with maintenance or adequate support of existing systems, could disrupt or reduce the efficiency of our operations. Disruption to our information technology systems may be caused by natural disasters, accidents, power disruptions, telecommunications failures, acts of terrorism or war, denial-of-service attacks, computer viruses, physical or electronic break-ins, or similar events or disruptions. System redundancy may be ineffective or inadequate, and our disaster recovery planning may not be sufficient for all eventualities. Such failures or disruptions could prevent access to our online services and preclude retail transactions. System failures and disruptions could also impede the manufacturing and shipping of products, transactions processing and financial reporting. Additionally, we may be adversely affected if we are unable to improve, upgrade, maintain, and expand our technology systems.

Some of our employees are working remotely which could strain our information technology systems and impact business continuity plans. Remote work could also introduce operational risk such as, but not limited to, cyber security risks. 

A cyber-security breach could have a material adverse effect on our business and reputation.

We rely heavily on digital technologies for the successful operation of our business, including electronic messaging, digital marketing efforts and the collection and retention of customer data and employee information. We also rely on third parties to process credit card transactions, perform online e-commerce and social media activities and retain data relating to our financial position and results of operations, strategic initiatives and other important information. Despite the security measures we have in place, our facilities and systems and those of our third-party service providers, may be vulnerable to cyber-security breaches, acts of vandalism, computer viruses, misplaced or lost data, programming and/or human errors or other similar events. Any misappropriation, loss or other unauthorized disclosure of confidential or personally identifiable information, whether by us or by our third-party service providers, could damage our reputation and our customers’ willingness to purchase our products, which may adversely affect our business. In addition, we could incur liabilities and remediation costs, including regulatory fines, reimbursement or other compensatory costs, additional compliance costs, and costs for providing credit monitoring or other benefits to customers or employees affected. We maintain cyber risk insurance, but this insurance may not be sufficient to cover all of our losses from any future breaches of our systems.

Compliance with data privacy and marketing laws may subject us to increased additional costs, and our ability to effectively engage customers via personalized marketing may be impacted, all of which may have a material adverse effect on our business operations.

As data privacy and marketing laws change, we may incur additional costs to ensure we remain in compliance. If applicable data privacy and marketing laws become more restrictive at the federal or state level, our compliance costs may increase, our ability to effectively engage customers via personalized marketing may decrease, opportunities for growth may be curtailed by our compliance capabilities or reputational harm and the potential liability for security breaches may increase. We are also subject to U.S. and international data privacy and cybersecurity laws and regulations, which may impose fines and penalties for noncompliance and may have an adverse effect on our operations. For example, the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (the "GDPR"), which became effective in May 2018, extends the scope of the European Union’s data protection laws to all companies processing data of European Union residents, regardless of our location, and imposes significant new requirements on how we collect, processes and transfer personal data.

In addition, California adopted the California Consumer Privacy Act ("CCPA"), which became effective January 1, 2020 and limits how we may collect and use personal data. Various other states have followed with similar laws governing the collection and use of personal data. As a result, GDPR, CCPA and other state law compliance increased our responsibility and potential liability in relation to personal data that we process, and we may be required to put in place additional mechanisms to ensure compliance with the new data protection rules. Any failure to comply with these rules and related national laws of European Union member states, could lead to government enforcement actions and significant penalties and fines against us, and could adversely affect our business, financial condition, cash flows and results of operations. Continued compliance with the foregoing laws and regulations, as well as any new laws or regulations that may be enacted in the future, can be costly.

We are subject to certain environmental and other regulations.

Some of our operations use substances regulated under various federal, state, local and international environmental and pollution laws, including those relating to the storage, use, discharge, disposal and labeling of, and human exposure to, hazardous and toxic materials. Compliance with current or future environmental laws and regulations could restrict our ability to expand our facilities or require us to acquire additional expensive equipment, modify our manufacturing processes or incur other significant expenses. In addition, we could incur costs, fines and civil or criminal sanctions, or incur liability for third-party property damage or personal injury claims, or we could be required to incur substantial investigation or remediation costs if we were to violate or become liable under any environmental laws. Liability under environmental laws can be joint and several and without regard to comparative fault. There can be no assurance that violations of environmental laws or regulations have not occurred in the past and will not occur in the future as a result of our inability to obtain permits, human error, equipment failure or other causes, and any such violations could harm our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Many governmental and regulatory bodies globally are implementing regulations to address the impacts of climate change. Compliance with these laws and regulations, whether mandated or voluntarily adopted by us, our suppliers, or third-party manufacturers, may lead to heightened costs across various aspects of our operations. These increased costs may encompass energy, production, transportation, raw materials, capital expenditures, as well as insurance premiums and deductibles. Such financial impacts have the potential to adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. We maintain an ongoing assessment and monitoring processes to gauge the impact that future climate change disclosures, regulations, or industry standards, and international treaties may have on our business and results of operations. 

We are subject to periodic litigation and other regulatory proceedings, which could result in the unexpected expenditure of time and resources. 

We are a defendant from time to time in lawsuits and regulatory actions relating to our business and to our past operations. Due to the inherent uncertainties of litigation and regulatory proceedings, we cannot accurately predict the ultimate outcome of any such proceedings. An unfavorable outcome could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, regardless of the outcome of any litigation or regulatory proceedings, such proceedings are expensive and will require that we devote substantial resources and executive time to defend, thereby diverting management’s attention and resources that are needed to successfully run our business.

Loss of services of our key personnel could adversely affect our business.

The development of our business has been, and will continue to be, dependent upon execution at all levels of our organization which requires an experienced and talented executive team. The loss of service of any of the executive officers or key employees could have an adverse effect on our business and financial condition. We have entered into employment agreements with several executive officers and key employees, and also offer compensation packages designed to attract and retain talent.

ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS.

None.

ITEM 1C. CYBERSECURITY.

Risk Management & Strategy

Rocky Brands recognizes the critical importance of developing, implementing, and maintaining a robust information security program to safeguard our information systems and protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of our data. We have established information security programs and policies, including processes for identifying, assessing, and managing risks arising from cybersecurity threats. These processes involve regular assessments of our information systems and infrastructure to identify vulnerabilities and threats. We focus on executing a centralized information technology and cybersecurity program. Our Company-wide approach is to be positioned as one security program, one posture and one roadmap for the enterprise. This platform is administered across our departments by our cybersecurity team led by our Senior Vice President of Information Technology. Our information security programs and policies are aligned with those of the Center for Internet Security (CIS), Control Objectives for Information Technologies (COBIT), and National Institute of Standards Technology (NIST). 

We are integrating our information security programs and cybersecurity risk management processes into our overall enterprise risk management (“ERM”) strategy. We are developing an entity-wide information technology ERM framework and will take steps to monitor, report on and communicate to stakeholders consistent with our ERM strategy. Recognizing the cybersecurity risk landscape is complex and ever evolving, we engage with a broad group of external experts and consultants, and auditors in evaluating and testing our information security programs. We leverage this specialized expertise to manage threat detection and response management, conduct regular audits and consult on our overall information security programs.

We are acutely aware of risks associated with third-party service providers and we incorporate cybersecurity into our third-party vendor management policy. We conduct thorough security assessment to determine the category of risk third parties pose to Rocky Brands, with a priority focus on vendors with products or services that will have access to private and sensitive information. Vendor assessments incorporate inputs, including for example, BitSight and Service Organization Control Type 2 (“SOC2”) information available for our third-party vendors. Our assessments and monitoring are designed to mitigate risks related to data breaches or other security incidents originating from third parties. 

Although no cybersecurity incidents during the year ended December 31, 2023 had a material impact on our business strategy, results of operations or financial condition, the scope and impact of any future incident cannot be predicted. See Item 1A Risk Factors for more information about our information security and cybersecurity risks.

Governance

Our Board of Directors has established governance protocol over risk management, including general oversight of information technology security and cybersecurity risk. The Audit Committee is central to the Board’s oversight of cybersecurity risks and is primarily responsible for this domain. The Audit Committee actively participates in discussions with management, external experts, and amongst themselves regarding cybersecurity risks. The Audit Committee is comprised of Board members with broad expertise, including technology, risk management and finance, enabling them to effectively oversee and govern cybersecurity risks. One Audit Committee member is certified under the National Association of Corporate Directors Certificate in Cyber-Risk Oversight Program. 

We have developed a robust organizational structure to manage and oversee our information technology and cybersecurity programs, including full-time information security associates dedicated to cybersecurity. These individuals possess relevant experience and expertise in cybersecurity and risk management. Our Senior Vice President of Information Technology leads our information security, data privacy and protection, and information technology compliance programs. Guided by management, our information technology teams maintain a detailed Cyber Incident Response Plan (“CIRP”) and hold frequent meetings to ensure the proper communication and execution of our security controls and procedures. The Senior Vice President of Information Technology regularly reports to and maintains ongoing dialog with our CEO, CFO and COO, and Board of Directors regarding our information security programs. This reporting includes updates on matters evaluated under our CIRP, the current threat landscape, cybersecurity initiatives, and the effectiveness of our cybersecurity programs. 

Our Senior Vice President of Information Technology has more than 20 years of cybersecurity experience, is an active Certified Information Systems Security Professional, and trained in assessing and managing cyber risks.

ITEM 2. PROPERTIES.

We own the following properties as of December 31, 2023:

We lease the following properties as of December 31, 2023: 

⁽¹⁾ These leases expired in 2023 and we are currently occupying the spaces on a month-to-month basis until a new agreement is reached.

ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.

We are, from time to time, a party to litigation which arises in the normal course of our business. Although the ultimate resolution of pending proceedings cannot be determined, in the opinion of management, the resolution of these proceedings in the aggregate will not have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, or liquidity. A discussion of legal matters is found in Note 21 of our Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II - Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES.

Not applicable.

PART II

ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES.

Market Information

Our common stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "RCKY."

As of February 29, 2024, there were 69 shareholders of record of our common stock.

Dividends

In 2013, our Board of Directors approved a dividend policy pursuant to which the Company intends to continue paying comparable cash dividends on its common stock.

Share Repurchases



Our previous $7,500,000 share repurchase program expired on March 4, 2022. We have not announced a new repurchase program since the prior program’s expiration and there have been no purchases of common stock since the repurchase program expired.

 Performance Graph 

The following performance graph compares our cumulative shareholder return on our common shares with the NASDAQ Composite Index and the Standard & Poor's Footwear Index, which is a published industry index. The comparison of the cumulative total return to shareholders for each of the periods assumes that $100 was invested in our common stock on December 31, 2018 and in the NASDAQ Stock Market (U.S.) Index and the Standard & Poor's Footwear Index and that all dividends were reinvested. This comparison includes the period ended December 31, 2018 through the period ended December 31, 2023.

ITEM 6. [RESERVED]

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS.

This Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations ("MD&A") describes the matters that we consider to be important to understanding the results of our operations for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, and our capital resources and liquidity as of December 31, 2023 and 2022. For the discussion of the changes in our results of operations between the years ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, refer to Item 7, "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations", of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, filed with the SEC on March 10, 2023, which is available on the SEC's website at https://www.sec.gov/edgar/search/ and our corporate website at www.rockybrands.com. We analyze the results of our operations for the last two years (including trends in the overall business), followed by a discussion of our cash flows and liquidity, our credit facilities, and our contractual commitments. We then provide a review of the critical accounting policies and estimates we have made that we believe are most important to the understanding of our MD&A and our Consolidated Financial Statements. We conclude our MD&A with information on recent accounting pronouncements which we adopted during the year, as well as those not yet adopted that are expected to have an impact on our financial accounting practices.

The following discussion should be read in conjunction with our Consolidated Financial Statements and the notes thereto, included elsewhere herein. The forward-looking statements in this section and other parts of this Annual Report on Form 10-K involve risks and uncertainties including statements regarding our plans, objectives, goals, strategies and financial performance. Our actual results could differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of factors set forth under the caption "Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995" below. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of the Company.

BUSINESS OVERVIEW

We are a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of premium quality footwear and apparel marketed under a portfolio of well recognized brand names including Rocky, Muck, Georgia Boot, Durango, XTRATUF, Lehigh, Ranger and the licensed brand Michelin. 

Our products are distributed through three distinct business segments: Wholesale, Retail and Contract Manufacturing. In our Wholesale business, we distribute our products through a wide range of distribution channels representing over 10,000 retail store locations in the U.S., Canada, U.K., and other international markets such as Europe. Our Wholesale channels vary by product line and include sporting goods stores, outdoor retailers, independent shoe retailers, hardware stores, catalogs, mass merchants, uniform stores, farm store chains, specialty safety stores, specialty retailers, and online retailers. Our Retail business includes direct sales of our products to consumers through our business-to-business web platform, e-commerce websites, third-party marketplaces and our Rocky Outdoor Gear Store. Our Contract Manufacturing segment includes sales to the U.S. Military, private label sales and any sales to customers in which we are contracted to manufacture or source a specific footwear product for a customer. 

During the first quarter of 2023, we divested the Servus brand. The gain of approximately $1.3 million on the sale of the Servus brand during the first quarter was recorded within Interest Expense and Other - net in the Consolidated Statements of Operations for the year ended December 31, 2023. The Servus brand was sold to allow us to focus on our more profitable core brands and allocate resources toward growth and development of additional opportunities with those brands moving forward. 

During the third quarter of 2023, we closed our manufacturing facility in Rock Island, Illinois. Acquired in March of 2021 as a part of our acquisition of the performance and lifestyle footwear business of Honeywell International Inc, this facility primarily manufactured product for the Servus brand. Following the sale of the Servus brand in the first quarter of 2023, the Rock Island facility was underutilized, prompting our decision to close the facility during the third quarter of 2023.

In 2023, we were also awarded a new multi-year contract with the U.S. Military pursuant to which we will produce and ship a minimum number of pairs to the U.S. Military through 2026, with an option to extend. The sales under this contract are included in our Contract Manufacturing segment.

We completed the sale of the NEOS brand during the third quarter of 2022. The sale of NEOS inventory was recorded within net sales and cost of goods sold within the Consolidated Statements of Operations for the year ended December 31, 2022. The gain on sale of the NEOS assets is recorded as a reduction of operating expenses within the Consolidated Statements of Operations for the year ended December 31, 2022.

ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND UNCERTAINTIES

Our growth strategy is founded substantially on the expansion of our brands into new footwear and apparel markets. New products that we introduce may not be successful with consumers or one or more of our brands may fall out of favor with consumers. If we are unable to anticipate, identify or react appropriately to changes in consumer preferences, we may not grow as fast as we plan to grow, or our sales may decline, and our brand image and operating performance may suffer.

Furthermore, achieving market acceptance for new products will likely require us to exert substantial product development and marketing efforts, which could result in a material increase in our operating expenses to which there can be no assurance that we will have the resources necessary to undertake such efforts. Material increases in our operating expenses could adversely impact our results of operations and cash flows.

We may also encounter difficulties in producing new products that we did not anticipate during the development stage. Our development schedules for new products are difficult to predict and are subject to change as a result of shifting priorities in response to consumer preferences and competing products. If we are not able to efficiently manufacture newly developed products in quantities sufficient to support retail distribution, we may not be able to recoup our investment in the development of new products. Failure to gain market acceptance for new products that we introduce could impede our growth, reduce our profits, adversely affect the image of our brands, erode our competitive position, and result in long term harm to our business.

As the macroeconomic environment is continuously evolving, we are aware that global trends, such as inflationary pressures, are weakening consumer sentiment, negatively impacting consumer spending, and creating differing traffic patterns across channels. These conditions have led to elevated inventory levels in certain markets and an increased promotional environment. We have also experienced higher interest rates which have resulted in increased borrowing costs. There is ongoing uncertainty surrounding the global economy and macroeconomic environment, which we expect to continue and could potentially cause disruption and near-term challenges for our business.

We continue to monitor pressures on the global supply chain, which have shifted the timing of shipments across our brands, resulting in increased inventory levels outpacing our sales growth. However, we have seen improvements in transit lead times and related freight costs compared to the prior period, which have had a positive impact on the results of our operations through 2023.

2023 FINANCIAL OVERVIEW

We experienced a decline in sales of 25.0% to $461.8 million for the year ending December 31, 2023 compared to the year ending December 31, 2022, primarily attributable to our Wholesale segment. The sales decline in our Wholesale segment was due to a challenging macroeconomic environment, coupled with our wholesale partners working through excess inventories. Additionally, distribution challenges in 2021 led to delayed delivery of Fall 2021 inventory into the first half of 2022, creating a difficult year-over-year comparison for the first nine months of 2023. While our 2023 performance was challenged by a difficult macroeconomic backdrop and a tough year-over-year comparison for our Wholesale segment, we experienced strong retail sell-through and increased performance of our own e-commerce websites, which partially offset the decrease in Wholesale sales. 

During the year ending December 31, 2023, our gross margin improved 210 basis points to 38.7%. The increase in gross margin for the year ending December 31, 2023 compared to the year ending December 31, 2022 was due to several factors. First, higher Wholesale segment gross margins resulted from the realization of pricing actions taken the second half of 2022 and a reduction in inbound logistics costs. Secondly, a greater proportion of Retail segment sales, which carry higher gross margins than our Wholesale and Contract Manufacturing segments, also contributed to the increase.

Operating income decreased to $35.4 million in 2023. As a percentage of net sales, operating income was 7.7% in 2023 compared to 7.2% in 2022. The increase in operating income as a percentage of net sales was attributed to reorganization changes made during 2023 in an effort to leverage top-line sales and decrease operating expenses. As a percentage of net sales, our gross margin increased 210 basis points year over year while operating expenses only increased 160 basis points. The overall increase in operating expenses as a percentage of net sales for full year 2023, when compared to the year ago period, was attributable to costs incurred prior to realizing the benefits from cost-savings reviews and operational efficiencies implemented by management through strategic initiatives, particularly in the first half of 2023. This was partially offset by lower variable costs associated with lower net sales. Additionally, operating expenses as a percentage of net sales decreased in the latter half of 2023 compared to the same period a year ago.

As of December 31, 2023 we held $4.5 million in cash and cash equivalents and our total indebtedness stood at $173.1 million, a reduction of $84.6 million or 32.6% when compared to December 31, 2022. Of total debt paydown, $40.8 million of this reduction in indebtedness occurred in the fourth quarter of 2023. This created a reduction in interest expense in the fourth quarter of 2023 over the prior period for the first time since incurring our debt, despite increased interest rates on both of our credit facilities. 

The reduction in indebtedness was attributable to our strategic efforts to optimize inventory levels. At the end of the fourth quarter, inventories totaled $169.2 million, reflecting a decrease of $66.2 million or 28.1% compared to $235.4 million a year ago.

Our business generated cash flows from operations of $73.6 million for the year ending December 31, 2023, an increase of 285%, from $19.1 million of cash flows from operations generated for the year ending December 31, 2022. The 2023 cash flow from operations was primarily attributable to strategic inventory management, and improved collections on outstanding accounts receivable, partially offset by payments on our accounts payable. In terms of cash flows from investing activities, we generated $17.3 million from the sale of the Servus brand, partially offset by $3.9 million in fixed assets purchases. As noted above, cash used for financing activities included an $84.6 million debt paydown and $4.6 million dividend payment to our shareholders.

Despite facing challenges in 2023 due to a challenging macroeconomic backdrop and elevated inventory levels at several Wholesale partners, we believe the underlying fundamentals of our business and brand portfolio remain robust. Operationally and financially, we believe we are well-positioned to make strategic investments in growth in future years. Throughout 2023, our reported results showed improvement, driven by strong sell-through of our products, and ongoing improvements to overall inventory levels at the majority of our wholesale accounts, positively influencing our sell-in. Our focus on product innovation, brand building, consumer connections and fulfillment capabilities, has continued to strengthen with these efforts starting to yield positive results in the second half of 2023. 

Analysis of Results of Operations 

The following table sets forth consolidated statements of operations data as percentages of total net sales:

Gross margin in 2023 was $178.6 million, or 38.7% of net sales, compared to $225.2 million, or 36.6% of net sales, in 2022. The 210-basis point improvement was driven primarily by a 150-basis point improvement in Wholesale segment gross margins combined with a higher mix of Retail segment sales, which carry higher gross margins than the Wholesale and Contract Manufacturing segments. Operating expenses were $143.2 million, or 31.0% of net sales, in 2023 compared to $181.2 million, or 29.4% of net sales, in 2022. Net sales were slightly deleveraged in 2023 due to the divestures of our Servus and NEOS brands as well as elevated inventory levels at our retail partners within our Wholesale channel, resulting in a higher percentage of operating expenses of net sales in 2023 compared to 2022. Income from operations in 2023 was $35.4 million, or 7.7% of net sales, compared to $44.0 million, or 7.2% of net sales, in 2022. This increase was due to the increases in gross margin as a percentage of net sales noted above.

The decrease in Wholesale sales for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 was due to elevated inventory levels at our retail partners within our Wholesale channel and a softer demand environment compared to the year ago period. Furthermore, the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 included only three months of net sales from the Servus brand, which was divested in the first quarter of 2023 (Note 4), compared to the year ago period including twelve months of net sales from the Servus brand and nine months of net sales from the NEOS brand, which was divested in the third quarter of 2022 (Note 5).

Retail net sales for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 increased due to strong growth in our direct-to-consumer e-commerce business. We have enhanced our targeted marketing efforts, primarily through digital marketing, allowing us to increase brand awareness and engage more directly with consumers, which led to increased traffic on our branded websites throughout the year.

The decrease in Contract Manufacturing sales for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 compared to the twelve months ended December 31, 2022 was due to the expiration of certain contracts with the U.S. Military. 

The increase in Wholesale gross margin as a percentage of net sales for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 compared to the year ago period was due to realization of pricing actions taken in 2022, as well as lower in-bound logistics costs compared to the year ago period. 

The reduction in operating expenses for the twelve months ending December 31, 2023 was driven by lower out-bound freight expense and other variable expenses stemming from decreased sales volumes. In addition, the decrease in operating expenses was primarily attributable to cost saving reviews and operational efficiencies achieved through strategic restructuring initiatives implemented over the past year.

The increase in other expenses is due to an increase in interest rates on the senior term loan and credit facility, partially offset by lower debt levels in 2023 compared with 2022. Additionally, the gain of $1.3 million on the sale of the Servus brand that occurred in the first quarter of 2023 partially offset this increase. 

The increase in our effective tax rate for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 compared to the same year ago period was driven primarily by a return to provision adjustment resulting from foreign tax credits recognized in the fourth quarter of 2023.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

Overview

Our principal sources of liquidity have been our income from operations, cash provided by operating activities and borrowings under our credit facilities.

Over the last several years, our principal uses of cash have been for working capital and capital expenditures to support our growth, as well as dividend payments. Our working capital consists primarily of trade receivables and inventory, offset by accounts payable and accrued expenses. Our working capital fluctuates throughout the year as a result of our seasonal business cycle and business expansion, and is generally lowest in the months of January through March of each year and highest during the months of May through October of each year. We historically utilize our revolving credit facility to fund our seasonal working capital requirements. As a result, balances on our revolving credit facility could fluctuate significantly throughout the year. Our working capital decreased to $186.6 million at December 31, 2023, compared to $244.8 million at the end of the prior year primarily due to a decrease in inventory and accounts receivable offset by a decrease in accounts payable.

Our capital expenditures relate primarily to projects relating to our corporate offices, property, merchandising fixtures, molds and equipment associated with our manufacturing and distribution operations and for information technology. Capital expenditures were $4.3 million for 2023 and $7.3 million in 2022. Capital expenditures for 2024 are anticipated to be approximately $5.5 million. 

We lease certain machinery, equipment, and manufacturing facilities under operating leases that generally provide for renewal options. Future minimum lease payments under non-cancelable operating leases are outlined in further detail in Note 11 of our Consolidated Financial Statements.

Cash Flows and Material Cash Requirements

Operating Activities. Cash provided by operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2023 was $73.6 million compared to $19.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. Adjusting for non-cash items, net income provided a cash in-flow of $22.3 million and $35.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The net change in working capital and other assets and liabilities resulted in an increase to cash provided by operating activities of $51.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to a decrease of $16.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2022.

During the year ended December 31, 2023, the net change in working capital was primarily impacted by a decrease in inventory and accounts receivable of $60.0 million and $18.2 million, respectively, partially offset by a decrease in accounts payable of $21.2 million. The decrease in inventory during the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the prior period was due to a concentrated effort to optimize inventory levels in 2023 through increased promotions aimed at selling discontinued inventory, lower production and purchasing. The decrease in accounts receivable was due to collection on our outstanding accounts receivables throughout the year combined with lower sales. The decrease in accounts payable was due to a decrease in our days payable outstanding year-over-year.

Investing Activities. Cash provided by investing activities for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 was primarily derived from the proceeds from sale of the Servus brand (see Note 4). The principal use of net cash in 2022 was related to investments in molds and equipment associated with our manufacturing operations, investments in information technology and improvements made to our distribution facility. 

Financing Activities. Cash used in financing activities for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 was primarily related to payments on our revolving credit facility and term loan. 

Our prior $7,500,000 share repurchase program expired on March 4, 2022. For additional information regarding this share repurchase program, see Note 14 of our Consolidated Financial Statements. We have not announced a new repurchase program since the expiration of the prior program.

Contractual Obligations and Commercial Commitments

The following table summarizes our contractual obligations at December 31, 2023 resulting from financial contracts and commitments. These amounts are generally consistent from year to year, closely reflect our levels of production, and are not long-term in nature (less than three months). The following table does not include information on our recurring purchases of materials for use in our manufacturing operations.

Contractual Obligations at December 31, 2023:

From time to time, we enter into purchase commitments with our suppliers under customary purchase order terms. Any significant losses implicit in these contracts would be recognized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. At December 31, 2023, no such losses existed.

Our ongoing business activities continue to be subject to compliance with various laws, rules and regulations as may be issued and enforced by various federal, state and local agencies. With respect to environmental matters, costs are incurred pertaining to regulatory compliance. Such costs have not been, and are not anticipated to become, material.

We are contingently liable with respect to lawsuits, taxes and various other matters that routinely arise in the normal course of business. See Note 21 of our Consolidated Financial Statements for further discussion of legal matters. We do not have off-balance sheet arrangements, financings, or other relationships with unconsolidated entities, also known as "Variable Interest Entities." Additionally, we do not have any related party transactions that materially affect the results of operations, cash flow or financial condition.

OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENTS

We have no off-balance sheet arrangements as of December 31, 2023.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES

The preparation of the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. ("U.S. GAAP"), requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. On an ongoing basis, management evaluates these estimates. Estimates are based on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgements about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Historically, actual results have not been materially different from the Company's estimates. However, actual results may differ materially from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. The Company has identified the following critical accounting policies used in determining estimates and assumptions in the amounts reported. Management believes that an understanding of these policies is important to an overall understanding of the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements. Significant accounting policies are summarized in Note 1 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements.

Revenue recognition

Revenue principally consists of sales to customers, and, to a lesser extent, license fees. See Note 1 and Note 17 of our Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information regarding revenues.

Allowance for Credit Losses

Management maintains allowances for uncollectible accounts and estimated losses resulting from the inability of our customers to make required payments. We evaluate the allowance for credit losses based on a review of current customer status and historical collection experience along with current and reasonable supportable forecasts of future economic conditions. If the financial condition of our customers were to deteriorate, resulting in an impairment of their ability to make payments, additional allowances may be required.

Sales returns and allowances

We record a reduction to gross sales based on estimated customer returns and allowances. These reductions are influenced by historical experience based on customer returns and allowances. The actual amount of sales returns and allowances realized may differ from our estimates. If we determine that sales returns or allowances should be either increased or decreased, then the adjustment would be made to net sales in the period in which such a determination is made.

Sales returns and allowances as a percentage of sales for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 were 8.4% and 6.7%, respectively.

Inventories

Management identifies slow moving inventories and estimates appropriate loss provisions related to these inventories. Historically, these loss provisions have not been significant as the vast majority of our inventories are considered saleable and we have been able to liquidate slow moving or obsolete inventories at amounts above cost through our factory outdoor gear stores or through various discounts to customers and e-commerce channels. Should management encounter difficulties liquidating slow moving or obsolete inventories, additional provisions may be necessary. Management regularly reviews the adequacy of our inventory reserves and makes adjustments as required. See Note 6 of our Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information regarding inventories.

Goodwill and Indefinite-Lived Intangibles

Goodwill and intangible assets deemed to have indefinite lives are not amortized but are evaluated for impairment annually or whenever we identify certain triggering events or circumstances that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of the assets below their carrying amount. Events or circumstances that might indicate an interim evaluation is warranted include, among other things, unexpected adverse business conditions, macro and reporting unit specific economic factors, supply costs, and unanticipated competitive activities.

We test goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment annually in the fourth quarter each fiscal year by quantitatively comparing the fair values of the Wholesale and Retail reporting units and indefinite-lived intangibles to their carrying amounts. There was no goodwill allocated to our Contract Manufacturing reporting unit.

For goodwill, we estimated the fair value of each reporting unit by weighing the results of the income and market approaches. These valuation approaches consider a number of factors that include, but are not limited to, prospective financial information, growth rates, discount rates, and comparable multiples from publicly traded companies in our industry and require us to make certain assumptions and estimates regarding industry economic factors and future profitability of our business. When performing the income approach, we utilize the present value of cash flows to estimate fair value. The future cash flows for our reporting units were projected based on our estimates, at that time, of future revenues, operating income, and other factors (such as working capital and capital expenditures). The discount rates used were based on a weighted-average cost of capital determined from relevant market comparisons and take into consideration the risk and nature of the respective reporting unit's cash flows. For the market approach, we use the guideline public company method which relies upon valuation multiples derived from stock prices and enterprise values of publicly traded companies that are comparable to the reporting unit being evaluated.

The fair value of our trade names was determined based on the Income Approach using the Relief from Royalty Method. This method requires us to estimate the future revenues for the related brands, the appropriate royalty rate, and the weighted average cost of capital.

After completing our annual impairment test for each reporting unit and our indefinite-lived intangible assets during the fourth quarter of 2023 and 2022, we concluded there was no impairment in either of these years.

We did not have any reporting units that were at risk of failing the first step of the goodwill impairment test. The estimated fair values of the Wholesale reporting unit and the Retail reporting unit exceeded their carrying amounts at the date of testing by more than 20% for both 2023 and 2022.

Income taxes

Management records a valuation allowance to reduce its deferred tax assets for a portion of state and local income tax net operating losses that it believes may not be realized. We have considered future taxable income and ongoing prudent and feasible tax planning strategies in assessing the need for a valuation allowance; however, in the event we were to determine that we would not be able to realize all or part of our net deferred tax assets in the future, an adjustment to the deferred tax assets would be charged to income in the period such determination was made. For additional information see Note 13 of our Consolidated Financial Statements.

RECENT FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

Refer to Note 2 to Consolidated Financial Statements for new accounting pronouncements adopted during the current year and the expected impact of accounting pronouncements recently issued but not yet required to be adopted. To the extent the adoption of new accounting standards materially affects financial condition, results of operations, or liquidity, the impacts are discussed in the applicable section of this MD&A and the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995

This report, including Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operations, contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, 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 our and management’s intent, belief, expectations, such as statements concerning our future profitability and our operating and growth strategy. Words such as "believe," "anticipate," "expect," "will," "may," "should," "intend," "plan," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "continue," "likely," "would," "could" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainties including, without limitations, dependence on sales forecasts, changes in consumer demand, seasonality, impact of weather, competition, reliance on suppliers, risks inherent to international trade, changing retail trends, the loss or disruption of our manufacturing and distribution operations, cyber security breaches or disruption of our digital systems, fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, economic changes, as well as other factors set forth under the caption "Item 1A, Risk Factors" in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and other factors detailed from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Although we believe that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate. Therefore, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements included herein will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by us or any other person that our objectives and plans will be achieved. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK.

In the normal course of business, our financial position and results of operations are routinely subject to a variety of risks, including market risk associated with interest rate movements on borrowings and currency rate movements on non-U.S. dollar denominated assets, liabilities and cash flows. We are also subject to commodity pricing risk via changes in the price of materials used in our manufacturing process. We regularly assess these risks and have established policies and business practices that should mitigate a portion of the adverse effect of these and other potential exposures.

Interest Rate Risk

Our primary exposure to market risk includes interest rate fluctuations in connection with our senior term facility and revolving credit facility. Our senior term and revolving credit facilities are tied to changes in applicable interest rates, including SOFR, company performance and total borrowings under our revolving credit facility.

As of December 31, 2023, we had $175.0 million of debt consisting of $77.9 million under our senior term facility and $97.1 million under our revolving credit facility. For additional information about our credit facilities see Note 10. 

We do not hold any market risk sensitive instruments for trading purposes.

We do not have any interest rate management agreements as of December 31, 2023.

Commodity Risk

We are also exposed to changes in the price of commodities used in our manufacturing operations. However, commodity price risk related to our current commodities is not material as price changes in commodities can generally be passed along to the customer.

Foreign Exchange Risk

We face market risk to the extent that changes in foreign currency exchange rates affect our foreign assets, liabilities and inventory purchase commitments. We regularly assess these risks and have established policies and business practices that should mitigate a portion of the adverse effect of these and other potential exposures.

Rocky Brands, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(In thousands, except share amounts)

See notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Rocky Brands, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Operations

(In thousands, except per share amounts)

See notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Rocky Brands, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statement of Shareholders’ Equity

(In thousands, except per share amounts)

⁽¹⁾ Quarterly dividend was increased from $0.14 per share to $0.155 per share in the third quarter of 2021.

See notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Rocky Brands, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(In thousands)