UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) February 16, 2025
CALERES, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
New York |
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1-2191 |
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43-0197190 |
(State or other jurisdiction of |
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incorporation or organization) |
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(Commission File Number) |
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(IRS Employer Identification Number) |
8300 Maryland Avenue St. Louis, Missouri |
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63105 |
(Address of principal executive offices) |
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(Zip Code) |
(314) 854-4000
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
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Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
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Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class |
Trading Symbol(s) |
Name of each exchange on which registered |
Common Stock - par value of $0.01 per share |
CAL |
New York Stock Exchange |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement
On February 16, 2025, Caleres, Inc. (the “Company”) entered into a Sale and Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) with Tapestry, Inc., a Maryland corporation (“Seller”), pursuant to which the Company will acquire the Stuart Weitzman business for an aggregate purchase price of $105 million in cash, subject to certain adjustments in respect of cash, debt and working capital as provided for in the Purchase Agreement.
The Purchase Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and covenants for a transaction of this nature. The Company also purchased a representations and warranties insurance policy, under which it may seek coverage for breaches of Seller’s representations and warranties, subject to customary exclusions and retention amounts. Except with respect to claims of fraud, such representations and warranties insurance policy will be the sole recourse for breaches of Seller’s representations and warranties. With respect to certain other claims specified in the Purchase Agreement, the parties have agreed to customary indemnification provisions, subject to certain customary exclusions and caps. The Purchase Agreement also contains nonsolicitation and confidentiality provisions. The transaction is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of customary closing conditions. The parties will also enter into a customary transition services agreement pursuant to which the Seller will provide certain ongoing services for a specified period in support of the ongoing operations of the business.
The foregoing description is only a summary and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Purchase Agreement, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 2.1 and incorporated herein by reference.
The Purchase Agreement has been included in this report to provide investors with information regarding its terms. It is not intended to provide any other factual information about the Company or the Seller. The representations, warranties and covenants contained in the Purchase Agreement were made only for purposes of the Purchase Agreement as of the specific dates therein, were solely for the benefit of the parties to the Purchase Agreement, may be subject to limitations agreed upon by the contracting parties, including being qualified by confidential disclosures made for the purposes of allocating contractual risk between the parties to the Purchase Agreement instead of establishing these matters as facts, and may be subject to standards of materiality applicable to the contracting parties that differ from those applicable to investors. Investors are not third-party beneficiaries under the Purchase Agreement and should not rely on the representations, warranties and covenants or any descriptions thereof as characterizations of the actual state of facts or condition of the parties thereto or any of their respective subsidiaries or affiliates. Moreover, information concerning the subject matter of representations and warranties may change after the date of the Purchase Agreement, which subsequent information may or may not be fully reflected in the Company’s public disclosures.
Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure
On February 19, 2025, the Company issued a press release (the “Press Release”) announcing the Stuart Weitzman acquisition pursuant to the Purchase Agreement described in Item 1.01 above. A copy of the Press Release is being filed as Exhibit 99.1 hereto, and the statements contained therein are incorporated by reference herein.
The information in Item 7.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K and Exhibit 99.1 attached hereto shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of such section, nor shall such information or exhibit be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits
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Exhibits |
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Exhibit Number |
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Description |
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2.1 |
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99.1 |
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Press Release Issued February 19, 2025, announcing the Stuart Weitzman acquisition. |
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104 |
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Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) |
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The Company has omitted the schedules and exhibits pursuant to Item 601(a)(5) of Regulation S-K. The Company agrees to furnish to the Securities and Exchange Commission a copy of any omitted schedule or exhibit upon request. |
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
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CALERES, INC. |
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(Registrant) |
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Date: February 19, 2025 |
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/s/ Thomas C. Burke |
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Thomas C. Burke |
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Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary |
EXHIBIT 2.1
SALE AND PURCHASE AGREEMENT
by and between
Caleres, Inc.
and
Tapestry, Inc.
Dated as of February 16, 2025
THIS DOCUMENT SHALL BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL PURSUANT TO THE TERMS
OF THE CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT ENTERED INTO BY THE RECIPIENT
HEREOF OR, IF APPLICABLE, ITS AFFILIATE, WITH RESPECT TO THE SUBJECT
MATTER HEREOF
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS
ARTICLE II PURCHASE AND SALE
ARTICLE III REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE SELLER
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ARTICLE IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PURCHASER
ARTICLE V ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS
ARTICLE VI SEPARATION MATTERS
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ARTICLE VII EMPLOYEE MATTERS
ARTICLE VIII TAX MATTERS
ARTICLE IX CONDITIONS TO CLOSING
ARTICLE X SURVIVAL AND INDEMNIFICATION
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ARTICLE XI TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER
ARTICLE XII GENERAL PROVISIONS
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Disclosure Schedules
Schedules |
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Schedule A-1 |
Dedicated Contracts |
Schedule A-2 |
Dedicated Leases |
Schedule A-3 |
Other Transferred Assets |
Schedule B |
Certain Excluded Assets |
Schedule C |
Certain Excluded Liabilities |
Schedule D-1 |
Included Business Employees |
Schedule D-2 |
Excluded Business Employees |
Schedule E |
Transferred Entities |
Schedule F |
Certain Transferred Liabilities |
Exhibits |
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Exhibit A |
Accounting Principles and Reference Statement |
Exhibit B |
R&W Insurance Policy |
Exhibit C |
Transition Services Agreement |
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SALE AND PURCHASE AGREEMENT
PreambleThis SALE AND PURCHASE AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of February 16, 2025, is entered into by and between Tapestry, Inc., a Maryland corporation (“Seller”), and Caleres, Inc., a New York corporation (“Purchaser”). All capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings specified in Article I.
RECITALS
WHEREAS, Seller operates the Business (as defined below) directly and indirectly through its Controlled Affiliates;
WHEREAS, Seller desires to sell, and Purchaser desires to acquire, the Business;
WHEREAS, the parties desire that (a) Seller sell and transfer to Purchaser or one of its Affiliates all of the Transferred Equity Interests and Transferred Assets and (b) Purchaser or one of its Affiliates assume the Transferred Liabilities (as defined below), in each case, upon the terms and conditions set forth herein;
WHEREAS, Purchaser acknowledges that the Business is currently operated as a business unit of Seller, and relies in part upon resources of the Remaining Seller Group that will not be transferred to Purchaser in connection with this Agreement; and
WHEREAS, the parties desire to make certain representations, warranties, covenants and agreements in connection with this Agreement.
AGREEMENT
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the respective representations, warranties, covenants and agreements set forth herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, and intending to be legally bound, the parties hereto agree as follows:
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“Excluded Assets” shall mean the Remaining Seller Group’s right, title and interest in, to and under the following:
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“Transfer Regulations” means, a)with respect to any country implementing the Acquired Rights Directive (as defined below), the Council Directive 2001/23/EEC of 12 March 2001 on the approximation of the Laws of the Member States relating to the safeguarding of employees’ rights, in the event of transfers of undertakings, businesses or parts of businesses (the “Acquired Rights Directive”) and the legislation and regulations of any EU Member State implementing such Acquired Rights Directive; and b) any other automatic transfer, employer substitution and similar Laws and regulations in jurisdictions with Business Employees.
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Preamble |
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Section 8.07(a) |
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Section 7.02(c) |
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Section 2.06 |
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Section 2.02 |
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Section 2.04(b) |
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Section 2.02 |
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Section 2.04(b) |
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Section 2.04(b) |
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Section 6.03(a) |
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Section 6.03(a) |
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Section 5.05(a) |
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Section 5.05(b) |
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Section 2.04(e)(ii) |
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Section 12.17(a) |
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Section 2.04(d) |
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Section 3.05(c) |
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Section 2.04(a) |
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Section 2.04(a) |
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Section 2.04(a) |
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Section 2.04(a) |
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Section 2.04(e)(i) |
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Section 12.17(a) |
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Section 2.04(b) |
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Section 3.07 |
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Section 7.02(b) |
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Section 10.04(a) |
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Section 10.04(a) |
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Section 3.20 |
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Section 3.18(a) |
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Section 2.06(a) |
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Section 5.05(c) |
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Section 6.02 |
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Section 12.17(b) |
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Section 12.17(a) |
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Section 12.17(b) |
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Section 12.17(a) |
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Section 12.17(c) |
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Section 2.04(c) |
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Preamble |
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Section 7.04(c) |
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Section 10.02 |
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Section 7.03 |
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Section 10.06(b) |
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Section 10.06(a) |
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Section 10.06(a) |
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Section 7.02(c) |
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Section 3.07 |
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Section 3.01(b) |
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Section 5.08(b) |
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Section 5.08(a) |
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Preamble |
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Section 10.03 |
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Section 10.01(a) |
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Section 10.06(b) |
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Section 10.06(b) |
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Section 10.04(e) |
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Section 10.01(b) |
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Section 5.05(b) |
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Section 10.04(a) |
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Section 8.03 |
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Section 7.02(a) |
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Section 7.02(a) |
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Except as disclosed in the Disclosure Schedule, Seller hereby represents and warrants to Purchaser the following:
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Purchaser hereby represents and warrants to Seller, the following:
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Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, nothing contained in this Agreement is intended to give Purchaser or its Affiliates, directly or indirectly, the right to control or direct the Business prior to the Closing.
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For the avoidance of doubt, nothing contained in this Section 5.07 shall restrict Purchaser, its Affiliates and its and their representatives from contacting or communicating with any such customers, potential customers, suppliers, distributors or licensors in the ordinary course unrelated to the Transaction.
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Purchaser acknowledges that the Business currently receives or benefits from certain shared management and administrative and corporate services and benefits provided by Seller or another member of the Remaining Seller Group, including management, operations and information technology (including information technology support and website hosting and data center services), customer service, finance, accounting and payroll and back office services and processing, financial systems, treasury services (including banking, insurance, administration, taxation and internal audit), office space, facilities and office management services, business development and marketing services, product support services, procurement services, risk management, corporate communications, general administrative services, executive and management services, legal services, human resources and personnel services and travel services. Other than as may be provided pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or an Ancillary Agreement or in respect of Non-Transferable Assets, Purchaser further acknowledges that all such services and benefits shall cease, and any agreement in respect thereof shall terminate with respect to the Business, as of the Closing Date, and thereafter, Seller’s and its respective Affiliates’ sole obligation with respect to the provision of any services with respect to the Business shall be as set forth in this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements.
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Any condition specified in this Section 9.01 that shall not have been satisfied or waived at or prior to the Closing shall be deemed to have been waived by Seller if the Closing occurs, notwithstanding the failure of such condition to have been satisfied or waived in writing.
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Any condition specified in this Section 9.02 that shall not have been satisfied or waived at or prior to the Closing shall be deemed to have been waived by Purchaser if the Closing occurs, notwithstanding the failure of such condition to have been satisfied or waived in writing.
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Tapestry, Inc.
10 Hudson Yards
New York, New York 10001
Email:dhoward@tapestry.com
Attention:David E. Howard
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Latham & Watkins LLP
1271 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10020
Email: |
Charles.Ruck@lw.com |
Attention: |
Charles Ruck |
Caleres, Inc.
156 W. 56th Street, Floors 14-16
New York, New York 10019
Attention:Liz Dunn
Email:ldunn@caleres.com
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Caleres, Inc.
8300 Maryland Ave.
St. Louis, Missouri 63105
Attention:General Counsel
E-mail:tburke@caleres.com
and
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP
211 N Broadway #3600
St. Louis, Missouri 63102
Attention:Stephanie M. Hosler
Email:stephanie.hosler@bclplaw.com
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No party to this Agreement shall make, or cause to be made, any press release or public announcement in respect of this Agreement or the Transaction or otherwise communicate with any news media without the prior written consent of the other parties; provided that the parties may disclose such matters to their respective employees, accountants, auditors, advisors, consultants and other representatives as necessary in connection with the ordinary conduct of their respective businesses (so long as such Persons agree to, or are bound by contract or professional or fiduciary obligations to, keep the terms of this Agreement confidential and so long as the parties shall be responsible to the other parties hereto for breach of this Section 12.03 or such confidentiality obligations by the recipients of its disclosure); provided, further, that Seller may disclose such matters from time to time to its employees, customers, suppliers, vendors, landlords, service providers and any other Person as it may reasonably determine is advisable or Required by Law or the requirements of any Contract to which the Seller Group is a party; provided, further, that each party and their respective Affiliates may make statements that are consistent with previous press releases, public disclosures or public statements made by a party to this Agreement in compliance with this Section 12.03 or make statements regarding the actual or expected financial impact (including earnings guidance) of this Agreement or the Transactions on such party.
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(Signature Pages Follow)
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been signed by or on behalf of each of the parties as of the date first above written.
PURCHASER:
Caleres, Inc.
By: /s/ John W. Schmidt
Name: John W. Schmidt
Title: Chief Executive Officer
SELLER:
Tapestry, Inc.
By: /s/ Joanne Crevoiserat Name: Joanne Crevoiserat Title: Chief Executive Officer Caleres Announces Definitive Agreement to Acquire Stuart Weitzman from Tapestry
Signature Page to Sale and Purchase Agreement
Exhibit 99.1
Advances Caleres’ Strategic Objectives in Brand Portfolio Segment
ST. LOUIS, February 19, 2025 - Caleres, (NYSE: CAL), a market-leading portfolio of consumer-driven footwear brands, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Stuart Weitzman from Tapestry , Inc. (NYSE: TPR), a house of iconic accessories and lifestyle brands, for $105 million, subject to customary adjustments. The acquisition cements Caleres’ leadership position in women’s fashion footwear, particularly in the contemporary segment of the market.
“I have long admired Stuart Weitzman for the brand’s pivotal role in shaping the footwear industry. As we bring this iconic brand into the Caleres portfolio, we are committed to preserve its legacy of craftsmanship, quality and fit while driving it forward,” said Jay Schmidt, president and CEO of Caleres. “The acquisition of Stuart Weitzman advances our strategic agenda to grow our Brand Portfolio segment with more global and direct-to-consumer reach. Stuart Weitzman will be a lead brand for Caleres, and with this combination the Brand Portfolio segment will generate nearly half of our total revenue and will continue to generate over half of our operating profit. We will leverage our demonstrated, best-in-class footwear capabilities while pursuing category and channel growth. We expect to operate the brand profitably post-integration, and I look forward to partnering with both the Tapestry and Stuart Weitzman teams for a seamless and successful transition.”
Joanne Crevoiserat, Chief Executive Officer of Tapestry, Inc., added, “Stuart Weitzman is an iconic global footwear brand, whose teams have added to the passion, creativity, and craftsmanship of our organization over the last decade. Importantly, as diligent stewards of our portfolio and disciplined allocators of capital, this transaction ensures that all our brands are positioned for long-term success and that we maintain a sharp focus on our largest value creation opportunities. At Tapestry, this means harnessing our position of strength to sustain Coach’s leadership and momentum while reinvigorating Kate Spade to drive durable organic growth and shareholder value. At the same time, we are pleased that we found Stuart Weitzman a home in Caleres – an ideal owner to guide its next chapter of growth.”
The transaction is expected to close in the summer of 2025, and Caleres will fund the acquisition through the company’s revolving credit agreement. The company will provide more details regarding its integration plans and the financial impact of the acquisition after the transaction closes.
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Advisors
BofA Securities is serving as Caleres’s financial advisor and BCLP (Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner) is its legal advisor. Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC is serving as Tapestry, Inc.’s financial advisor and Latham & Watkins LLP is its legal advisor.
Caleres Business Update
Due to the timing of this announcement, Caleres is providing a business update for the year ending February 1, 2025. Caleres expects to report consolidated net sales and earnings per diluted share in line with its most recent guidance. Caleres plans to report earnings on March 19, 2025, before the market opens.
About Caleres
Caleres is a market-leading portfolio of global footwear brands that includes Famous Footwear, Sam Edelman, Allen Edmonds, Naturalizer, Vionic, and more. Our products are available virtually everywhere - in the nearly 1,000 retail stores we operate, in hundreds of major department and specialty stores, on our 15 branded e-commerce sites, and on many additional third-party retail websites. Combined, these brands make Caleres a company with both a legacy and a mission.
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Our legacy is our more than 140 years of craftsmanship and our passion for fit, while our mission is to continue to inspire people to feel great… feet first. Visit caleres.com to learn more about us.
About Stuart Weitzman
Since 1986, New York City-based global luxury footwear brand Stuart Weitzman has combined its signature artisanal craftsmanship and precise engineering to empower women to stand strong. Having perfected the art of shoemaking for over 35 years, the brand continues to expand its assortment to feature handbags and men’s footwear, all the while staying true to its ethos of inspiring strength and confidence with every step.
About Tapestry, Inc.
Our global house of brands unites the magic of Coach, kate spade new york and Stuart Weitzman. Each of our brands are unique and independent, while sharing a commitment to innovation and authenticity defined by distinctive products and differentiated customer experiences across channels and geographies. We use our collective strengths to move our customers and empower our communities, to make the fashion industry more sustainable, and to build a company that’s equitable, inclusive, and diverse. Individually, our brands are iconic. Together, we can stretch what’s possible. To learn more about Tapestry, please visit www.tapestry.com. For important news and information regarding Tapestry, visit the Investor Relations section of our website at www.tapestry.com/investors. In addition, investors should continue to review our news releases and filings with the SEC. We use each of these channels of distribution as primary channels for publishing key information to our investors, some of which may contain material and previously non-public information. The Company’s common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TPR.
Safe Harbor Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements and expectations regarding the company’s future performance and the performance of its brands. Such statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These risks include (i) changing consumer demands, which may be influenced by general economic conditions and other factors; (ii) inflationary pressures and supply chain disruptions (iii) rapidly changing consumer preferences and purchasing patterns and fashion trends; (iv) supplier concentration, customer concentration and increased consolidation in the retail industry; (v) intense competition within the footwear industry; (vi) foreign currency fluctuations; (vii) political and economic conditions or other threats to the continued and uninterrupted flow of inventory from China and other countries, where the company relies heavily on third-party manufacturing facilities for a significant amount of its inventory; (viii) cybersecurity threats or other major disruption to the company’s information technology systems including those related to our ERP upgrade; (ix) the ability to accurately forecast sales and manage inventory levels; (x) a disruption in the company’s distribution centers; (xi) the ability to recruit and retain senior management and other key associates; (xii) the ability to secure/exit leases on favorable terms; (xiii) the ability to maintain relationships with current suppliers; (xiv) transitional challenges with acquisitions and divestitures; (xiv) changes to tax laws, policies and treaties; (xvi) our commitments and shareholder expectations related to environmental, social and governance considerations; (xvii) compliance with applicable laws and standards with respect to labor, trade and product safety issues; and (xvii) the ability to attract, retain, and maintain good relationships with licensors and protect our intellectual property rights. The company's reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission contain detailed information relating to such factors, including, without limitation, the information under the caption Risk Factors in Item 1A of the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended February 3, 2024, which information is incorporated by reference herein and updated by the company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. The company does not undertake any obligation or plan to update these forward-looking statements, even though its situation may change.
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Caleres Investor Contact
Liz Dunn
ldunn@caleres.com
Caleres Media Contact
Kelly Malone
kmalone@caleres.com
Tapestry Investor Contact
Christina Colone
ccolone@tapestry.com
Tapestry Media Contact
Jennifer Leemann
jleemann@tapestry.com
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