AMERICAN EAGLE OUTFITTERS INC [AEO] Filings

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

For the fiscal year ended February 3, 2024

OR

Commission file number: 1-33338a

AMERICAN EAGLE OUTFITTERS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (412) 432-3300

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

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

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Sections 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to the filing requirements for at the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report ☒

If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes ☐ No ☒

The aggregate market value of voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of July 29, 2023 was $2,550,643,168.

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the registrant’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date: 197,156,524 Common Shares were outstanding at March 11, 2024.

AMERICAN EAGLE OUTFITTERS, INC.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Annual Report on Form 10-K ("Annual Report") contains “forward‑looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended ("Exchange Act”) that are based on the views and beliefs of management, as well as assumptions and estimates made by management. Actual results could differ materially from such forward‑looking statements as a result of various risk factors, including those that may not be in the control of management. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this Annual Report are forward-looking statements. Words such as “estimate,” “project,” “plan,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “potential,” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about:

Because these forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, there are important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Potential risk factors include the risk factors discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” under Part I, Item 1A of this Annual Report. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made, and we do not intend to correct or update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

PART I

Item 1. Business.

Company Overview

American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (the “Company,” "AEO," “we,”, "us," and “our”) is a leading global specialty retailer. We operate and license nearly 1,500 retail stores worldwide and are online at www.ae.com and www.aerie.com in the United States ("U.S.") and internationally. Our brands are connected under the core tenet of REAL, which is inclusive, optimistic, and empowering and celebrates self-expression. Our purpose is to show the world that there's REAL power of optimism.

We offer a broad assortment of high-quality, on-trend apparel, accessories, and personal care products at affordable prices for men and women under the American Eagle ("AE") brand, and intimates, apparel, activewear, and swim collections under the Aerie and OFFLINE by Aerie brands. We sell directly to consumers through our retail channel, which includes our stores and concession-based shops-within-shops. We operate stores in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Hong Kong. We also have license agreements with third parties to operate American Eagle and Aerie stores and online marketplace businesses throughout Asia (including India), Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East.

We also operate Todd Snyder New York (“Todd Snyder”), a premium menswear brand; Unsubscribed, which focuses on consciously made, slow fashion; and Quiet Platforms, which is a regionalized fulfillment center network.

Operating Segments

The Company has identified two operating segments (American Eagle brand and Aerie brand) that also represent our reportable segments and reflect the Chief Operating Decision Maker's (defined as our CEO) internal view of analyzing results and allocating resources. Additionally, our Todd Snyder and Unsubscribed brands and Quiet Platforms have been identified as separate operating segments; however, as they do not meet the quantitative thresholds for separate disclosure they are presented under the Other caption. See Note 15. “Segment Reporting,” of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included herein for additional information.

Fiscal Year

Our fiscal year is a 52- or 53-week year that ends on the Saturday nearest to January 31. As used herein, "Fiscal 2024" refers to the 52-week period that will end on February 1, 2025, “Fiscal 2023” refers to the 53-week period ended February 3, 2024, “Fiscal 2022” refers to the 52-week period ended January 28, 2023, and "Fiscal 2021" refers to the 52-week period ended January 29, 2022.

Brands

American Eagle

American Eagle is a leading American jeans and apparel brand, the go-to destination for casual style, embraced by generations since 1977. We are rooted in authenticity, powered by positivity and inspired by our community. Our collections are designed to inspire self-expression and empower our customers to celebrate their own uniqueness.

Our brands are expanding products under our Real Good label, which reflects higher environmental standards compared to conventional methods and integrates more sustainable raw materials. Today, nearly all AE jeans are made under the Real Good label.

As of February 3, 2024, we operated 851 AE stores. We offer American Eagle products online at www.ae.com.

Aerie

Built on a platform of power, positivity and no photo retouching - inspiring people to love their real selves, Aerie is a fast-growing lifestyle brand offering intimates, apparel, activewear, and swim collections. With the #AerieREAL™ movement, we celebrate our community by advocating for body positivity and the empowerment of all people. As part of our Real Good promise, we create swimsuits, bras, and underwear with materials made from recycled polyester, recycled nylon fabric or sustainably sourced cotton.

OFFLINE by Aerie offers a complete collection of activewear and accessories made for real movement and real comfort. Built on the success of Aerie's leggings and sports bras, OFFLINE's unique take on an active lifestyle celebrates real life - when some days you feel like you can take on the world and other days you need that extra push to get off the couch. Our Real Good promise extends to the OFFLINE collections with some of our best-selling fleece, leggings and tees made with the planet in mind.

As of February 3, 2024, we operated 310 Aerie brand stand-alone stores, inclusive of 39 OFFLINE stand-alone stores and 33 OFFLINE side-by-side stores connected to an Aerie brand location. Included in the 851 AE brand store count described above, we also operated 187 Aerie side-by-side stores connected to an AE brand location, five locations with an AE brand location, Aerie brand location and OFFLINE connected as one store, and two OFFLINE side-by-side stores connected to an AE brand location. These locations are included within the 851 AE store count described above.

In addition, Aerie brand merchandise is sold online at www.aerie.com and certain items are sold in AE brand stores.

Todd Snyder New York

A premium menswear brand informed by heritage, yet updated for today, with an emphasis on versatility and comfort. Todd Snyder offers signature essentials, statement pieces, custom suiting and iconic accessories reflective of quintessential American style. From bespoke tailoring to innovative capsule collections - good style can be attainable and playful.

As of February 3, 2024, we operated 16 Todd Snyder stores. We offer Todd Snyder products online at www.ToddSnyder.com.

Unsubscribed

A truly unique brand offering consciously-made, slow fashion with timeless clothing and accessories, Unsubscribed offers one-of-a-kind vintage pieces that represent socially conscious and ethically produced practices. Each store is a unique experience that respects and highlights the heritage of the space and the surrounding community. We are making wise choices through plant-first practices, emphasizing local makers, natural fibers, and a desire to produce pieces that stand the test of time in both style and quality.

As of February 3, 2024, we operated five Unsubscribed stores. We offer Unsubscribed products online at www.unsubscribed.com.

Key Business Priorities & Strategy

In Fiscal 2024 we are focused on our "Powering Profitable Growth" plan with the following strategic priorities:

The Company will leverage customer-focused capabilities and continue to strengthen its return on investment ("ROI") discipline, while building on the power of AEO’s people, culture and purpose.

During Fiscal 2023 we were focused on our “Real Power. Real Growth.” value creation. AEO had the following strategic priorities:

Real Estate

We ended Fiscal 2023 with 1,182 Company-owned stores, and 310 licensed store locations. Our AE brand stores average approximately 6,800 gross square feet and our Aerie brand stand-alone stores, inclusive of OFFLINE stand-alone stores, average approximately 5,900 gross square feet. The gross square footage of our Company-owned stores decreased by 1% to 7.2 million during Fiscal 2023.

Company-Owned Stores

Our Company-owned retail stores are located in shopping malls, lifestyle centers, and street locations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Hong Kong.

Refer to Note 16. “Impairment, Restructuring and Other Charges,” to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report for additional information regarding impairment charges related to our Company-owned stores.

The following table provides the number of our Company-owned stores in operation as of February 3, 2024 and January 28, 2023.

(1) Includes 187 Aerie side-by-side stores connected to an AE brand location, five locations with AE brand, Aerie brand and OFFLINE connected as one store, and two OFFLINE side-by-side stores connected to an AE brand location.

The following table provides the changes in the number of our Company-owned stores for the past five fiscal years:

Licensed Operations

Our international licensing partners acquire the right to sell, promote, market, and/or distribute various categories of our products in a given geographic area and to source products from us. International licensees' rights include the right to own and operate retail stores and may include rights to sell in wholesale markets and shop-in-shop concessions and operate online marketplace businesses. As of February 3, 2024, our international licensing partners operated in 310 licensed retail stores and concessions, as well as wholesale markets, online brand sites, and online marketplaces in approximately 30 countries.

We plan to continue to increase the number of locations under license agreements or similar arrangements as part of our disciplined approach to global expansion.

AEO Direct

We sell merchandise through our digital channels, www.ae.com, www.aerie.com, and our AEO apps, both domestically and internationally in approximately 80 countries. We also sell AE and Aerie brand merchandise on various international online marketplaces. We offer Todd Snyder and Unsubscribed brand products online at www.toddsnyder.com and www.unsubscribed.com, respectively. The digital channels reinforce each particular brand platform and are designed to complement the in-store experience.

Over the past several years, we have invested in building our technologies and digital capabilities. We focused our investments in three key areas: making significant advances in mobile technology, investing in digital marketing to drive qualified traffic to our site and improving the digital customer experience to drive increased conversion.

Omni-Channel

In addition to our investments in technology, we have invested in building omni-channel capabilities to better serve customers and gain operational efficiencies. These upgraded technologies provide a single view of inventory across channels, connecting physical stores directly to our digital store and providing our customers with a more convenient and improved shopping experience. Our United States and Canadian distribution centers and our edge fulfillment distribution centers are fully omni-channel and service both stores and digital businesses. We offer the ability for customers to return products seamlessly via any channel regardless of where the products were originally purchased. We also offer a variety of channels to fulfill customer orders. These include “ship to home,” which can be fulfilled either through our distribution center or our store sites (buy online, ship from stores) when purchased online or through our apps; “store pick-up,” which consists of online orders being fulfilled either in store or curbside, and “store-to-door” where customers order within our store, and the goods are shipped directly to their home. We are currently evaluating our digital capabilities by using cloud-based technology infrastructure and will enhance these channels with appropriate and reliable machine learning models intended to improve our customer experience.

Customer Loyalty Program

Real Rewards by American Eagle and Aerie™ (the “Program”) is a highly digitized loyalty program. The Program features a variety of benefits for loyalty members and credit card members.

Real Rewards by American Eagle and Aerie™ highlights include:

Under the Program, members accumulate points based on purchase activity and earn rewards by reaching certain point thresholds. Members earn dollar rewards in the form of discount savings certificates. Rewards earned are valid through the stated expiration date, which is 60 days from the issuance date of the reward. Rewards not redeemed during the 60-day redemption period are forfeited.

Merchandise Suppliers

We design our merchandise, which is manufactured by third-party factories. During Fiscal 2023, we purchased substantially all of our merchandise from non-North American suppliers. We sourced merchandise through approximately 356 vendors located throughout the world, primarily in Asia, and did not source more than 10% of our merchandise from any single factory or supplier. Although we purchase a significant portion of our merchandise through a single international buying agent, we do not maintain any exclusive commitments to purchase from any one vendor.

We maintain quality control departments at our distribution centers to inspect incoming merchandise shipments for overall quality of manufacturing. Inspections are also made by our employees and agents at manufacturing facilities to identify quality issues prior to shipment of merchandise.

We maintain an extensive factory inspection program to monitor compliance with our Supplier Code of Conduct. New garment factories must pass an initial inspection in order to do business with us and we continue to review their performance against our guidelines regarding working conditions, employment practices, and compliance with local laws through internal audits by our compliance team and the use of third-party monitors. We strive to partner with suppliers who respect local

laws and share our dedication to utilize best practices in human rights, labor rights, environmental practices, and workplace safety. We are a certified, validated member of the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism program (“CTPAT”), a designation we have held since 2004. CTPAT is a voluntary program offered by United States Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) in which an importer agrees to work with CBP to strengthen overall supply chain security. In 2016, we were accepted into the Apparel, Footwear, and Textiles Center, one of CBP’s Centers of Excellence and Expertise (“CEE”). The CEEs were created to ensure uniformity, create efficiencies, reduce redundancies, enhance industry expertise, and facilitate trade, all with a final goal of reduced costs at the border and allowing CBP to focus on high-risk shipments.

Inventory and Distribution

Merchandise is shipped directly from our vendors and deconsolidated to our Company-owned distribution centers in Hazleton, Pennsylvania and Ottawa, Kansas, our regional distribution centers strategically located throughout the United States, or our Canadian distribution center in Mississauga, Ontario. Additionally, some products are shipped directly to stores, which reduces transit times and lowers operating costs. We contract with third-party distribution centers in Mexico and Hong Kong to service our Company-owned stores and e-commerce operations in those regions.

Regulation

We and our products are subject to regulation by various federal, state, local, and foreign regulatory authorities. Substantially all of our products are manufactured by foreign suppliers and imported by us, and we are subject to a variety of trade laws, customs regulations, and international trade agreements. Apparel and other products sold by us are under the jurisdiction of multiple governmental agencies and regulations, including, in the United States, the Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Products Safety Commission. These regulations relate principally to product labeling, marketing, licensing requirements, and consumer product safety requirements and regulatory testing. We are also subject to regulations governing our employees both globally and in the United States, and by disclosure and reporting requirements for publicly traded companies established under existing or new federal or state laws, including the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”).

Our licensing partners, buying/sourcing agents, and the vendors and factories with which we contract for the manufacture and distribution of our products are also subject to regulation. Our agreements require our licensing partners, buying/sourcing agents, vendors, and factories to operate in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations including the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act ("UFLPA"), and we are not aware of any violations that could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on our consolidated business or operating results.

Human Capital Management

Our people come first. As of February 3, 2024, we employed approximately 43,100 associates throughout the world, of whom approximately 32,800 were part-time or seasonal associates. We employed approximately 36,000 associates in the United States, of whom approximately 27,700 were part-time or seasonal associates.

Our values of People, Innovation, Passion, Integrity, and Teamwork are the backbone of our Company and are at the center of every decision, every product and every interaction - they represent the foundation of our REAL culture. We all have a vital role to play in creating an environment where everyone feels respected and empowered while we continue to grow as a community that promotes individuality and difference. We celebrate the diversity of one through the inclusion of many.

To evaluate our REAL culture, we look holistically at all the beliefs, values and behaviors that reflect how our best work is done. We aim to ensure there is alignment between what is espoused and what is practiced. We believe that our consistently strong internal employee satisfaction scores, corporate exit survey data, and other ratings demonstrate the achievement of this goal.

Our culture model is composed of Listening, Observing, Supporting, and Informing:

Our Board of Directors (our “Board”) plays an important role in the oversight of our talent and culture and devotes time each quarter to receiving updates from senior management on employee engagement, turnover and retention rates, inclusion and diversity, talent development, leadership, and succession planning initiatives.

During Fiscal 2023, we prioritized growth through developing our people, our brands, and our operations. Our growth of people focused on supporting the health and well-being of our associates, customers and communities while also supporting connection and collaboration and remaining diligent in the execution of our corporate social responsibility objectives.

TALENT MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS

We utilize an integrated set of talent management tools and programs, rooted in our values, that thread through the entire talent lifecycle. Consistent talent reviews, performance evaluations, equitable pay practices and succession planning have contributed to a full-time voluntary and mutual turnover rate of approximately 27% for Fiscal 2023, which includes our store associates, as compared to our 26% five year Company average. We support associate development through numerous programs, including AEO Academy, an online training platform that provides eligible associates with continuous learning opportunities. AEO Academy has over 2,900 modules, which in the aggregate were completed 600,000 times during Fiscal 2023, with over 14.9 million views on the platform since it was launched in late Fiscal 2019. Our focus on associate development led to a full-time promotion rate of approximately 25% for Fiscal 2023 compared to our 24% five year Company average.

INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, EQUITY & ACCESS

At AEO, we believe our success is the result of our focus on being an inclusive, diverse, equitable and accessible Company. It is about more than simply bringing together people who are different; it is about celebrating what makes us REAL.

We believe in embedding Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Access (“IDEA”) into everything we do. Our mission is to achieve sustainable progress in the pillars of hiring, community, and development through strategic, data-supported, and people-centric action. Our values are at the center of every decision, product, and interaction. This means making sure that all people are respected and feel that being their authentic selves will not be a barrier to personal or professional fulfillment and growth.

We are a global company with people from many different backgrounds. In the U.S. alone, as of February 3, 2024, approximately 47% of our associates self-identified as people of color (“POC”). Specifically, our U.S. population is approximately 52% White, 27.5% Hispanic, 10.5% Black, 4% Asian, 1% American Indian or Native Hawaiian, 4% two or more races or other, and 1% not reported. Globally, approximately 80% of our associates self-identified as women.

We have three IDEA Pillars: Hiring, Community and Development.

Hiring. AEO believes that a diverse workforce makes us stronger as an organization. We do so by attracting and converting top talent through continual and inclusive improvement of hiring processes and the strategic expansion of where we find and cultivate candidates.

Community. Our associates have the freedom to be themselves, uniquely helping to create a vibrant community. We believe that AEO is a place where our people are excited to come to work, believe in the work that they do, feel valued, and are appreciated for their contributions. At AEO we also know we not only have the power to touch lives within our Company but also can make a lasting impact in the communities in which we operate. We know that living our values of People, Innovation, Passion, Integrity and Teamwork will allow us to enrich our internal and external communities and sustain our inclusive culture.

Development. We believe in equipping our leaders and our associates with the necessary resources to create and maintain an inclusive and equitable workplace, investing in the career progression of associates, and developing a pipeline of future and emerging leaders.

During Fiscal 2023 we believe that we made significant progress on our IDEA initiatives at AEO, including:

TOTAL REWARDS

Our compensation programs are designed to attract and retain highly skilled, performance-oriented associates who live our brands and embody the spirit of authenticity and innovation we cultivate. We focus on delivering simple, straightforward compensation programs that our associates can easily understand. Ensuring that our teams are rewarded for delivering results is a key priority.

We strive to make compensation decisions that are fair and equitable, consistently evaluating compensation through both an internal and external lens. We focus on internal pay equity and conduct regular benchmarking to ensure competitiveness to the external market.

Our compensation programs are composed of three key elements:

We recognize that benefits are highly personal, and we offer a broad suite of inclusive plans and programs to our workforce, understanding that their needs and priorities vary. Subject to the satisfaction of certain eligibility requirements, our full-time associates have access to a variety of medical, dental and vision plan offerings. In the U.S., our largest market, we also offer holistic well-being programs, a 401(k), Employee Stock Purchase Plan, student loan debt support, onsite health care centers in key locations, and paid parental and caregiver leave.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

The health, safety, and security of our employees, customers, and partners stands at the forefront of our company values and operational priorities. With steadfast dedication to a people-first philosophy, we commit ourselves to comprehensive health and safety programs that permeate every level of our organization.

Our Health and Safety Management Program is engineered to employ proactive strategies in community health monitoring, accident prevention, and thorough employee training, thus ensuring swift and effective responses to any arising issues. This program ingrains safety as a collective responsibility, where management is not only responsible but fully accountable for upholding the high standards established by our company.

By concentrating our efforts on the analysis of leading health and safety-related indicators, we proactively address potential risks, aiming to preempt accidents before they have a chance to take place. This is achieved through observation and coaching of our associates' work practices, to ensure any unsafe behavior is promptly corrected.

AEO's commitment to excellence is underscored by an annual benchmarking and auditing process, the results of which are reviewed by our executive management team. From there, we implement any necessary corrective actions to amend identified deficiencies, thus reinforcing our safety framework.

The foundational principle that creates an optimal working and shopping environment at AEO is our embrace of groundbreaking security technologies. By employing sophisticated screening techniques for personnel and vehicles and the incorporation of AI and advanced analytics, we enhance situational awareness and early detection capabilities to identify any security deviations deserving prompt attention.

Our multi-layered approach to security, bolstered by technology, training regimes, and vigilance, has in our view positioned AEO as a benchmark for safety in our industry.

Additionally, AEO's investment in global risk & threat intelligence reflects our proactive stance on identifying and mitigating potential threats from a variety of arenas, including health pandemics, geopolitical shifts, and global conflicts. Our focused risk analysis strategies continue to effectively safeguard our people, product, and property worldwide.

Competition

The global retail apparel industry is highly competitive both in stores and online. We compete with various local, national, and global apparel retailers, as well as the casual apparel and footwear departments of department stores and discount retailers, primarily on the basis of quality, fashion, service, selection, and price.

Trademarks and Service Marks

We have registered AMERICAN EAGLE OUTFITTERS®, AMERICAN EAGLE®, AE®, AEO®, LIVE YOUR LIFE®, AERIE®, OFFLINE BY AERIE® and various eagle designs with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. We also have registered or have applied to register substantially all of these trademarks with the registries of the foreign countries in which our stores, e-commerce sites, and/or manufacturers are located and/or where our product is shipped.

We have registered AMERICAN EAGLE OUTFITTERS®, AMERICAN EAGLE®, AE®, AEO®, LIVE YOUR LIFE®, AERIE®, and various eagle designs with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office. We also have applied to register OFFLINE BY AERIE™ for a variety of products including clothing and apparel.

In the United States and in other countries around the world, we also have registered, or have applied to register, a number of other marks used in our business, including TODD SNYDER®, UNSUBSCRIBED®, AE77®, and AE 24/7™, and our pocket stitch designs also have been registered as protected marks and/or have been adjudicated by courts in the U.S. as protected marks.

Our registered trademarks are renewable indefinitely, and their registrations are properly maintained in accordance with the laws of the country in which they are registered. We intend to use, renew, and enforce our trademarks in accordance with our business plans.

Seasonality

Historically, our operations have been seasonal, with a large portion of total net revenue and operating income occurring in the third and fourth fiscal quarters, reflecting increased demand during the back-to-school and year-end holiday selling seasons, respectively. Our quarterly results of operations also may fluctuate based upon such factors as the timing of certain holiday seasons, the number and timing of new store openings, the acceptability of seasonal merchandise offerings, the timing and level of markdowns, store closings and remodels, competitive factors, weather and general economic and political conditions.

Information About our Executive Officers

Marisa A. Baldwin, age 53, has served as our Chief Human Resources Officer since September 2021. Prior to joining us, Ms. Baldwin served as Chief Human Resources Officer at Ascena Retail Group/ANN Inc. from November 2019 to May 2021; as Senior Vice President, Human Resources & Corporate Communications (ANN INC.) from 2015 to 2019; and as Vice President, Human Resources, ANN INC. from 2011 to 2015. Prior thereto, Ms. Baldwin served in human resources leadership roles focused on the growth and expansion of Starbucks Corporation and building a culture of inclusion at Diageo North America, Inc.

Jennifer M. Foyle, age 57, has served as our President, Executive Creative Officer – AE and Aerie since June 2021 and as Chief Creative Officer, AEO Inc. and Global Brand President – Aerie from September 2020 to June 2021. Prior thereto she served as our Global Brand President - Aerie since 2015. Ms. Foyle served as Executive Vice President, Chief Merchandising Officer - Aerie from February 2014 to January 2015 and Senior Vice President, Chief Merchandising Officer – Aerie from August 2010 to February 2014. Prior to joining us, Ms. Foyle was President of Calypso St. Barth from 2009 to 2010. In addition, she was the Chief Merchandising Officer at J. Crew Group, Inc., from 2003 to 2009. Early in her career, Ms. Foyle was the Women’s Divisional Merchandise Manager for Gap Inc. from 1999 to 2003 and held various roles at Bloomingdales from 1988 to 1999.

Michael A. Mathias, age 49, has served as our Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since April 2020. Prior thereto, he served as Senior Vice President, Financial Planning & Analysis from October 2017 to April 2020, and in various key financial and operational roles since joining us in 1998 through 2014. From 2016 to 2017, Mr. Mathias served as Vice President, Financial Planning and Strategy at General Nutrition Centers, Inc. From 2014 to 2016, he served as President and Managing Partner of SY Ventures.

Jay L. Schottenstein, age 69, has served as our Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer since December 2015. Prior thereto, Mr. Schottenstein served as our Executive Chairman, Interim Chief Executive Officer from January 2014 to December 2015. He has also served as the Chairman of the Company and its predecessors since March 1992. He served as our Chief Executive Officer from March 1992 until December 2002 and prior to that time, he served as a Vice President and Director of our predecessors since 1980. He has also served as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Schottenstein Stores Corporation (“SSC”) since March 1992 and as President since 2001. Prior thereto, Mr. Schottenstein served as Vice Chairman of SSC from 1986 to 1992. He has been a Director of SSC since 1982. Mr. Schottenstein also has served since March 2005 as Executive Chairman of the Board of Designer Brands Inc. (f/k/a DSW Inc.) (NYSE: DBI) and formerly served as that company’s Chief Executive Officer from March 2005 to April 2009. He has also served as a member of the Board of Directors for Albertsons Companies, Inc. (NYSE: ACI) since 2006 to 2022. He has also served as an officer and director of various other entities owned or controlled by members of his family since 1976.

Available Information

Our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to those reports, that we electronically file with or furnish to the SEC, pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act, as well as our definitive proxy materials filed with the SEC pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act, are all available under the Investor Relations section of our website at www.aeo-inc.com. These reports and materials are made available as soon as reasonably practicable, free of charge, after such reports and materials are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. Alternatively, you may access these reports at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

Our corporate governance materials, including our corporate governance guidelines: the charters of our audit, compensation, and nominating governance and corporate social responsibility committees; and our code of ethics may also be found under the Investor Relations section of our website at www.aeo-inc.com. Copies of these corporate governance materials are also available upon written request.

Additionally, our investor presentations are available under the Investor Relations section of our website at www.aeo-inc.com. These materials are available no later than the time they are presented at investor conferences.

We have included the above website addresses and other website addresses throughout this report as inactive textual references only. The information contained on or accessible through any of our websites or any other websites is not incorporated by reference in this Annual Report and should not be considered part of this Annual Report.

Item 1A. Risk Factors

Macroeconomic and Industry Risks

Global economic conditions and the effect of economic pressures and other business factors on discretionary consumer spending and changes in consumer preferences have had and could continue to have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

The uncertain state of the global economy continues to impact businesses around the world, including ours. Inflation and other macroeconomic pressures in the United States and the global economy such as rising interest rates, energy prices and recession fears are creating a complex and challenging retail environment for us and our customers, and consumers may reduce discretionary spending.

If global economic and financial market conditions deteriorate, the following factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition:

In uncertain economic environments, we cannot predict whether or when such circumstances may improve or worsen, or what impact, if any, such circumstances could have on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial position.

Our inability to anticipate and respond to changing consumer preferences and fashion trends and fluctuations in consumer demand in a timely manner could adversely impact our business and results of operations.

The specialty retail apparel business fluctuates according to changes in the economy and consumer preferences and trends, which are dictated by fashion trends and season and may shift quickly. These fluctuations can materially impact our sales and gross margins and are exacerbated by the fact that merchandise is typically ordered well in advance of a selling season. While we work to identify trends and consumer preferences on an ongoing basis and offer inventory and shopping experiences that meet such trends and preferences, we may not do so effectively and/or on a timely basis. As a result, we are vulnerable to changes in consumer demand, pricing shifts and the timing and selection of merchandise purchases.

Our future success depends, in part, upon our ability to identify and respond to fashion trends and changing consumer preferences in a timely manner. Lead times for many of our design and purchasing decisions may make it more difficult for us to respond rapidly to new or changing apparel trends or consumer acceptance of our products. Our failure to enter into agreements for the manufacture and purchase of merchandise in a timely manner could, among other things, lead to a shortage of inventory and lower sales. Changes in fashion trends, if unsuccessfully identified, forecasted or responded to markdowns or write-offs, could negatively impact our ability to achieve or maintain profitability and have a material adverse effect on our business partners. In particular, unanticipated changes such as those that resulted from events beyond our control, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, could also negatively impact our brand image with our customers and result in diminished brand loyalty.

Seasonality may cause sales to fluctuate and negatively impact our results of operations.

Historically, our operations have been seasonal, with a large portion of total net revenue and operating income occurring in the third and fourth fiscal quarters, reflecting increased demand during the back-to-school and year-end holiday selling seasons, respectively. Because of this seasonality, factors negatively affecting us during the third and fourth fiscal quarters of any year, including adverse weather or unfavorable economic conditions, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations for the entire year. As a result, we may not be able to accurately predict our quarterly sales. Accordingly, our results of operations are likely to fluctuate significantly from period to period. Our quarterly results of operations also may fluctuate based upon such factors as the timing of certain holiday seasons, the number and timing of new store openings, the acceptability of seasonal merchandise offerings, the timing and level of markdowns, store closings and remodels, competitive factors, weather, and general economic and political conditions.

This seasonality, along with other factors that are beyond our control, including public health events, social or political unrest, general economic conditions, changes in consumer preferences, weather conditions, including the effects of climate change, the availability of import quotas, transportation disruptions and foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, could adversely affect our business and cause our results of operations to fluctuate.

We operate in a highly competitive industry, and we face significant pricing pressures from existing and new competitors.

The sale of apparel, accessories, intimates, and personal care products is a highly competitive business with numerous participants, including individual and chain specialty apparel retailers, fast-fashion retailers, local, regional, national, and international department stores; discount stores and online businesses. Competition in the apparel industry is particularly enhanced in the digital marketplace, where there are new entrants in the market, greater pricing pressure and heightened customer expectations and competitive pressure related to, among other things, customer engagement, delivery speed, shipping charges and return privileges. In addition, fast fashion, value fashion and off-price retailers have shifted customer expectations of pricing for well-known brands and have contributed to additional promotional and pricing pressure in recent years. Changing consumer preferences has resulted and may continue to result in new competition for our products. The substantial sales growth in the digital channel within the last several years has increased competition due to new entrants and established competitors, particularly in terms of customer engagement, delivery speed, shipping charges and return privileges. Some of these competitors have robust digital consumer experiences and highly efficient delivery systems. Furthermore, the decrease in mall traffic is putting a greater reliance on the digital channel and thus increasing the competitive threat.

We face a variety of competitive challenges, including:

In light of the competitive challenges we face, we may not be able to compete successfully in the future, which may result in lower market share. Additionally, increases in the number of our competitors could reduce our sales, which in turn could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

Our results could be adversely affected by events beyond our control, such as natural disasters, public health crises, political crises and results of elections, negative global climate patterns, or other catastrophic events.

Our operations, those of our licensees, our suppliers, or our customers, could be negatively impacted by various events beyond our control, including, without limitation, natural disasters, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, extreme cold events and other adverse weather conditions; public health crises, such as pandemics and epidemics; political crises, such as terrorist attacks, war, U.S. and foreign election uncertainty, labor unrest, and other political instability (including, without limitation, the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and the war between Israel and Hamas); negative global climate patterns, especially in water-stressed regions; or other catastrophic events, such as fires or other disasters occurring at our distribution centers or our vendors' manufacturing facilities, whether occurring in the United States or internationally. In particular, these types of events could impact our supply chain from or to the impacted region and could impact our ability or the ability of our licensees or other third parties to operate our stores or websites, or could impact our business as a whole if the impacted region includes our corporate offices. In addition, these types of events could negatively impact consumer spending in the impacted regions or, depending upon the severity, globally. Disasters occurring at our vendors’ manufacturing facilities could impact our reputation and consumers’ perception of our brands. To the extent that any of these events occur, our operations and financial results could be adversely affected. In addition, the impacts of climate change could result in changes in regulations or consumer preferences, which could in turn affect our business, operating results, and financial condition.

Impairment to goodwill, intangible assets, and other long-lived assets could adversely impact our profitability.

Significant negative industry or general economic trends, changes in customer demand for our product, disruptions to our business, and unexpected significant changes or planned changes in our operating results or use of long-lived assets may result in impairments to goodwill, intangible assets, and other long-lived assets.

Strategic Risks

Our inability to grow and optimize our digital channels and leverage omni-channel capabilities could adversely impact our business.

We have made and expect to continue to make significant investments in building our technologies and digital capabilities in three key areas: mobile technology, digital marketing, and the digital customer experience. We have made significant capital investments in these areas but there is no assurance that we will realize expected returns on those investments or be successful in growing and optimizing digital channels.

In addition, digital operations are subject to numerous risks, including reliance on third-party computer hardware/software and service providers, data breaches, violations of evolving laws and regulations, including those relating to online privacy, credit card fraud, telecommunication failures, electronic break-ins and similar compromises, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and disruption of internet service. Changes in U.S. and foreign governmental regulations may also negatively impact our ability to deliver products to our customers through our digital channels. Failure to successfully respond to these risks may adversely affect sales as well as damage the reputation of our brands.

As omni-channel retailing continues to evolve, our customers are increasingly more likely to shop across multiple channels that work in tandem to meet their needs. In addition, our competitors are also investing in omni-channel initiatives, some of which may be more successful than our initiatives. Our inability to respond to changes in consumer behavior and our competitive environment, or to successfully maintain and expand our omni-channel business may have an adverse impact on our results of operations. See “— Operational Risks — Our failure to manage growth in our omni-channel operations and the resulting impact on our distribution and fulfillment networks may have an adverse effect on our results of operations.”

Failure to define, launch and communicate a brand-relevant customer experience could have a negative impact on our growth and profitability.

We strive to build strong emotional connections with our customers and to enrich the customer experience. If our marketing and customer experience programs, including our loyalty program, are unsuccessful, or if our competitors are more effective with their programs than we are, our growth and profitability may be negatively affected.

Our inability to execute on our key business priorities could have a negative impact on our growth and profitability.

Our success depends on our ability to execute on our key priorities. Achieving these key business priorities depends on us executing our strategies successfully, and the initiatives that we implement in connection with these goals may not resonate with our customers, or be successful in achieving their intended goals. It may take longer than anticipated to generate the expected benefits of our initiatives, and there can be no guarantee that pursuing these key priorities will result in improved operating results or achievement of a given priority. Misalignment and competing initiatives could result in inefficiencies, erroneously prioritized efforts, and resource dilution. Failure to implement our key business priorities successfully could have a negative impact on our growth and profitability.

Our current international operations and efforts to further expand internationally expose us to risks inherent in operating in other countries.

We are actively pursuing additional international expansion initiatives, which include Company-owned stores and stores operated by third parties through licensing arrangements in select international markets. The effect of international expansion arrangements on our business and results of operations is uncertain and will depend upon various factors, including the demand for our products in new markets internationally. Furthermore, although we provide store operation training, literature and support, to the extent that a licensee does not operate its stores in a manner consistent with our requirements regarding our brand and customer experience standards, our business results and the value of our brand could be negatively impacted.

As we pursue our international expansion initiatives, we are subject to certain laws, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, as well as the laws of the foreign countries in which we operate, which may impose new or changing regulatory restrictions and requirements, including in the areas of data privacy, sustainability and responses to climate change. Violations of these laws could subject us to actions of government regulatory authorities, including sanctions, import restrictions, and tariffs, or other penalties that could have an adverse effect on our reputation, operating results and financial condition.

A failure to implement our expansion initiatives properly, or the adverse impact of political or economic risks in our current or new international markets, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. In certain international markets we have limited prior experience operating our Company-owned stores, and in all international markets we face established local and international competitors. In many of these locations, the real estate, labor and employment, transportation and logistics and other operating requirements differ dramatically from those in the locations where we have more experience. Consumer demand and behavior, as well as tastes and purchasing trends, may differ substantially, and, as a result, sales of our products may not be successful, or the margins on those sales may not be in line with those we currently anticipate. Our potential inability to anticipate and address differences that we encounter as we expand internationally may divert financial, operational, and managerial resources from our existing operations, which could adversely impact our financial condition and results of operations. In addition, we are increasingly exposed to foreign currency exchange rate risk with respect to our revenue, profits, assets, and liabilities denominated in currencies other than the United States dollar. The instruments we may use to hedge certain foreign currency risks in the future may not succeed in offsetting all of the negative impact of foreign currency rate movements on our business and results of operations.

Operational Risks

Our failure to protect our reputation could have a material adverse effect on our brands.

Our business depends on the value and reputation of our brands and our ability to anticipate, identify, and respond to consumer demands and preferences, and to fashion trends. In addition, the increasing use of social media platforms allows for rapid communication and any negative publicity related to the aforementioned concerns may reduce demand for our merchandise. Public perception about our products or our stores, whether justified or not, could impair our reputation, involve us in litigation, damage our brands and may adversely impact our business, results of operations, and financial condition.

The appeal of our brands may also depend on the success of our environmental, social and governance ("ESG") initiatives, which require company-wide coordination and alignment. We are working to manage risks and costs to us, our licensees and our supply chain that are exposed to the effects of climate change as well as diminishing fossil fuel and water resources. These risks include any increased public focus, including by governmental and non-governmental organizations, on climate change and other environmental sustainability matters, including packaging and waste, animal welfare, and land use. We may receive increased pressure to expand our disclosures in these areas, make commitments, set targets or establish additional goals and take actions to meet them, which could expose us to market, operational and execution costs or risks. The metrics we disclose in our ESG report, such as emissions and water usage, whether they be based on the standards we set for ourselves or those set by others, may influence our reputation and the value of our brand. Our failure to achieve progress on our metrics on a timely basis, or at all, could adversely affect our business, financial performance, and growth. By electing to publicly set and share these metrics and expand upon our disclosures, we may also face increased scrutiny related to ESG activities. As a result, we could experience damage to our reputation and the value of our brands if we fail to act responsibly in the areas in which we report. Any such harm to our reputation or any failure or perceived failure by us to adequately address ESG-related activities, including setting of metrics or enhancing disclosures, could adversely affect our business, financial performance, and growth.

Our failure to manage growth in our omni-channel operations and the resulting impact on our distribution and fulfillment networks may have an adverse effect on our results of operations.

Increasingly, consumers are using mobile-based devices and applications to shop online with us and with our competitors, and to do comparison shopping, as well as to engage with us and our competitors through digital services and experiences that are offered on mobile platforms. In Fiscal 2023, digital sales represented 39% of our total revenue. In order to grow and remain competitive, we will need to continue to adapt to future changes in technology, including the development of artificial intelligence, to address the changing demands of consumers. Any failure on our part to provide attractive, effective, reliable, secure, user-friendly digital commerce platforms that offer a wide assortment of merchandise with rapid delivery options and that continually meet the changing expectations of online shoppers or any failure to provide attractive digital experiences to our customers could place us at a competitive disadvantage, result in the loss of digital commerce and other sales, harm our reputation with consumers, have a material adverse impact on the growth of our digital commerce business globally and have a material adverse impact on our business and results of operations.

Our omni-channel operations are subject to numerous risks that could have a material adverse effect on our results. Risks include, but are not limited to, the difficulty in recreating the in-store experience; our ability to anticipate and implement innovations in technology and logistics in order to appeal to existing and potential consumers who increasingly rely on multiple channels to meet their shopping needs; and the failure of and risks related to the systems that operate our web infrastructure, websites and the related support systems, including computer viruses, theft of consumer information, privacy concerns, telecommunication failures and electronic break-ins and similar disruptions.

Our failure to maintain efficient and uninterrupted fulfillment operations could also have a material adverse effect on our results. The satisfaction of consumers who shop online depends on their timely receipt of merchandise. If we encounter difficulties with our distribution facilities, or if the facilities were to shut down for any reason, including as a result of fire, natural disaster or work stoppage, we could face shortages of inventory, incur significantly higher costs and longer lead times associated with distributing our products to consumers, and cause consumer dissatisfaction. Any of these issues could have a material adverse effect on our operations, financial condition and cash flows.

Our inability to implement and sustain adequate information technology systems could adversely impact our profitability and the loss of disruption of information technology systems could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Our information technology systems are an integral part of our strategies in efficiently operating our business, in managing operations and protecting against security risks related to our electronic processing and transmitting of confidential consumer and associate data. The requirements to keep our information technology systems operating at peak performance may be higher than anticipated and could strain our capital resources, management of any system upgrades, implementation of new systems and the related change management processes required with new systems and our ability to prevent any future information security breaches. We regularly evaluate our information technology systems and are currently implementing modifications and/or upgrades to the information technology systems that support our business. Modifications include replacing legacy systems with successor systems, making changes to legacy systems, or acquiring new systems with new functionality. We are aware of the inherent risks associated with operating, replacing, and modifying these systems, including inaccurate system information and system disruptions. There is a risk that information technology

system disruptions and inaccurate system information, if not anticipated and/or promptly and appropriately mitigated, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations. Additionally, there can be no guarantee that, if any information technology system failure, cyberattack, or security breach occurs, it will be timely detected or sufficiently remediated.

Any significant disruption of our data center could have a material adverse effect on those operations dependent on those systems, specifically our store and e-commerce operations, our distribution and fulfillment centers and our merchandising team. While we maintain business interruption and property insurance, in the event of a data center shutdown, our insurance may not be sufficient to cover the impact to the business.

Furthermore, if our information technology systems are damaged, breached or cease to properly function for any reason, including the poor performance of, failure of, or cyber-attack on third-party service providers, catastrophic events, power outages, cybersecurity breaches, network outages, failed upgrades or similar events, and if our disaster recovery and business continuity plans do not effectively resolve such issues, we may suffer interruptions in our ability to manage or conduct business, as well as reputational harm, and we may be subject to governmental investigations and litigation, any of which may adversely impact our business, results of operations, and financial condition.

In addition, most of our corporate office associates are working on a hybrid schedule (in office/telework). If our associates are unable to work because of ineffective remote work arrangements or technology failures or limitations, our operations would be adversely impacted. Further, remote work arrangements may increase the risk of security incidents, data breaches or cyberattacks, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations, due to, among other things, the loss of proprietary data, interruptions or delays in the operation of our business, damage to our reputation and any government-imposed penalty.

We face risks related to our electronic processing of sensitive and confidential personal and business data. If such data are lost or disclosed in an unauthorized manner, or if we or our third-party vendors are subject to cyberattacks, data breaches, other security incidents, or disruption of information technology systems or software, such events could expose us to liability, damage our reputation, and have a material adverse effect on our business.

Given the nature of our business, we, together with third parties acting on our behalf, receive, collect, process, use, and retain sensitive and confidential consumer and associate data, in addition to proprietary business information. Our business relies on information technology networks and systems to market and sell our products, process financial and personal information, manage a variety of business processes and comply with regulatory, legal and tax requirements. We also depend on a variety of information systems to effectively process consumer orders and other data and for digital marketing activities and for electronic communications among our associates, consumers, prospective consumers, and vendors. Some of our third-party service providers, such as identity verification and payment processing providers, also regularly have access to consumer data. Additionally, we maintain other confidential, proprietary, or otherwise sensitive information relating to our business and from third parties.

The information technology networks and systems owned, operated, controlled or used by us or our vendors may be vulnerable to damage, disruptions or shutdowns, software or hardware vulnerabilities, data breaches, security incidents, supply-side attacks, failures during the process of upgrading or replacing software, databases or components, power outages, natural disasters, hardware failures, attacks by computer hackers, telecommunication failures, user errors, user malfeasance, computer viruses, unauthorized access, phishing or social engineering attacks, ransomware attacks, denial-of-service attacks and other real or perceived cyber-attacks or catastrophic events, all of which may not be prevented by our efforts to secure our information technology systems. Any of these incidents could lead to interruptions or shutdowns of our platform, disruptions in our ability to process consumer orders or to track, record or analyze the sale of our products, loss or corruption of data or unauthorized access to or acquisition of personal information or other sensitive information, such as our intellectual property. In addition, certain new technologies, including AI, present new and significant cybersecurity safety risks that much be analyzed and addressed before implementation.

We utilize security tools and controls and also rely on our third-party vendors to use sufficient security measures, including encryption and authentication technology, in an effort to protect personal and other sensitive information. However, advances in information technology capabilities (including AI), increasingly sophisticated tools and methods used by hackers and cyber terrorists, new discoveries in the field of cryptography or other developments may result in our failure or inability, or the failure or inability of our vendors, to adequately protect personal or other sensitive information and there can be no assurance that we or our vendors will not suffer a cyberattack, that hackers or other unauthorized parties will not gain access to or exfiltrate personal information or other sensitive data (including input into a third-party generative AI platform), or that any such data compromise or unauthorized access will be discovered or remediated in a timely fashion.

We rely on associates, contractors and other third parties who may attempt to circumvent our security measures in order to obtain such information and may purposefully or inadvertently cause a breach involving such information. Actual or anticipated attacks may cause us to incur increasing costs, including costs to deploy additional personnel and protection technologies, train associates, pay higher insurance premiums, and engage third-party specialists for additional services. An information security breach involving confidential and personal data could damage our reputation and our customers' willingness to purchase from us. In addition, we may incur material liabilities and remediation costs as a result of an information security breach, including potential liability for stolen consumer or associate data, repairing system damage or providing credit monitoring or other benefits to consumers or associates affected by the breach. In the event we experience an information security breach, our insurance may not be sufficient to cover the impact to the business. Although we have developed mitigating security controls to reduce our cyber risk and protect our data from loss or disclosure due to a security breach, including processes designed to reduce the impact of a security breach at a third-party vendor, such measures cannot provide absolute security.

We and our third-party vendors regularly experience cyber-attacks aimed at disrupting services. Our third-party vendors have been and may be the victim of cyber related attacks that could lead to operational disruptions that could have an adverse effect on our ability to fulfill consumer orders. Security incidents such as ransomware attacks are becoming increasingly prevalent and severe, as well as increasingly difficult to detect. We, and our third-party vendors, have been subject to cyber, phishing and social engineering attacks and other security incidents in the past and may continue to be subject to such attacks in the future. We and our third-party vendors may not anticipate, detect, or prevent all types of attacks until after they have already been launched because the techniques used to obtain unauthorized access are increasingly sophisticated, constantly evolving and may not be known in the market. For example, as artificial intelligence continues to evolve, cyber-attackers could also use artificial intelligence to develop malicious code and sophisticated phishing attempts. Security breaches can also occur as a result of non-technical issues, including intentional or inadvertent actions by our associates, our third-party vendors or their personnel or other parties. If we or our third-party service providers experience security breaches that result in marketplace performance problems, availability problems, or the loss, corruption of, unauthorized access to, or disclosure of personal data or confidential information, people may become unwilling to provide us the information necessary to make purchases on our sites, and our reputation and market position could be harmed. Existing consumers may also decrease their purchases or close their accounts altogether. We could also face potential claims, investigations, regulatory proceedings, liability and litigation, and bear other substantial costs in connection with remediating and otherwise responding to any data security breach, all of which may not be adequately covered by insurance, and which may result in an increase in our costs for insurance or insurance not being available to us on economically feasible terms, or at all. Insurers may also deny us coverage as to any future claim. Any of these results could harm our growth prospects, financial condition, business, and reputation.

Our international merchandise sourcing strategy subjects us to risks that could adversely impact our business and results of operations.

We design our merchandise, which is manufactured by third-party suppliers worldwide. Because we have a global supply chain, any event that causes the disruption of imports, including the insolvency of a significant supplier, global health crisis, or a major labor dispute including any such actions involving ports, trans loaders, consolidators, or shippers, could have an adverse effect on our operations. Given the volatility and risk in the current markets, our reliance on external vendors leaves us subject to certain risks should one or more of these external vendors become insolvent. The financial failure of a key vendor could disrupt our operations and have an adverse effect on our cash flows, results of operations and financial condition.

Trade matters may disrupt our supply chain. Trade restrictions, including increased tariffs or quotas, embargoes, safeguards, and customs restrictions against apparel items, as well as United States or foreign labor strikes, work stoppages, or boycotts, could increase the cost or reduce the supply of apparel available to us and adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

We have a Supplier Code of Conduct that provides guidelines for our vendors regarding working conditions, employment practices, and compliance with local laws. A copy of the Supplier Code of Conduct is posted on our website, www.aeo-inc.com, and is included in our vendor manual in English and multiple other languages. There can be no assurance that all violations can be eliminated in our supply chain. Publicity regarding violation of our Supplier Code of Conduct or other social responsibility standards by any of our vendor factories could adversely affect our reputation, sales, and financial performance.

There is a risk of terrorist activity on a global basis. Such activity might take the form of a physical act that impedes the flow of imported goods or the insertion of a harmful or injurious agent into an imported shipment. We cannot predict the likelihood of any such activities or the extent of their adverse impact on our operations.

We are also exposed to risks caused by new or ongoing armed conflicts. For example, the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and the war between Israel and Hamas have caused and continue to cause disruption, instability and volatility in global markets. These conflicts have caused and may continue to cause adverse global economic conditions resulting from escalating geopolitical tensions and inflationary pressures, among other factors.

Our product costs may be adversely affected by foreign trade issues, including import tariffs and other trade restrictions with China, increasing prices for raw materials, political instability, or other reasons, which could impact our profitability.

A significant portion of the products that we purchase is manufactured abroad. Foreign imports subject us to risks relating to changes in import duties, quotas, the introduction of United States taxes on imported goods or the extension of United States income taxes on our foreign suppliers' sales of imported goods through the adoption of destination-based income tax jurisdiction, loss of "most favored nation" status with the United States, shipment delays and shipping port constraints, labor strikes, work stoppages or other disruptions, freight cost increases and economic uncertainties. Furthermore, we could face significantly higher United States income and similar taxes with respect to sales of products purchased from foreign suppliers if the United States were to adopt a system of taxation, such as a border adjustment tax, under which the cost of imported products was not deductible in determining such products' tax base. If such a tax system were adopted, we could also face higher prices for products manufactured or produced abroad that we purchase from our domestic suppliers if they were subject to such a tax.

In addition, the United States government periodically considers other restrictions on the importation of products obtained by our vendors and us. General trade tensions between the United States and China have been high, with multiple rounds of United States tariffs on Chinese goods implemented in 2018 and 2019. Furthermore, China or other countries have and may institute future retaliatory trade measures in response to existing or future tariffs imposed by the United States that could have a negative impact on our business. If any of these events continue as described, we may need to seek alternative suppliers or vendors, raise prices, or make changes to our operations, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our sales and profitability, results of operations and financial condition. If any of these or other factors were to cause a disruption of trade from the countries in which our vendors' suppliers or our products' manufacturers are located, our inventory levels may be reduced or the cost of our products may increase.

Our suppliers may be impacted by economic conditions and cycles and changing laws and regulatory requirements that could impact their ability to do business with us or cause us to terminate our relationship with them and require us to find replacements, which we may have difficulty doing.

Our suppliers are subject to the fluctuations in general economic cycles, and global economic conditions may impact their ability to operate their businesses. They may also be impacted by the increasing costs or availability of raw materials due to inflationary pressures or rising labor and distribution costs, among other reasons, potentially resulting in demands for less attractive contract terms or an inability for them to meet our requirements or conduct their own businesses. The performance and financial condition of a supplier may cause us to alter our business terms or to cease doing business with a particular supplier, or change our sourcing practices generally, which could in turn adversely affect our business and financial condition.

In addition, we require our suppliers to comply with applicable laws, including labor, safety, anti-corruption, human rights, and environmental laws, and to otherwise meet our Vendor Code of Conduct and other industry standards. Our ability to find qualified suppliers who uphold our standards and provide access to products in a timely and efficient manner in the volume we may demand, in compliance with applicable laws, can present a significant challenge, especially with respect to suppliers located and goods sourced outside the United States. Further, United States foreign trade policies, tariffs, and other impositions on imported goods, trade sanctions imposed on certain countries and entities, the limitation on the importation of goods containing certain materials from other countries and other factors relating to foreign trade policy are beyond our control and uncertain given the pending elections.

Our inability to achieve planned store performance, gain market share in the face of declining shopping center traffic or attract customers to our stores could adversely impact our profitability and our results of operations.

The results achieved by our stores may not be indicative of long-term performance or the potential performance of stores in other locations. Part of our future growth is dependent on our ability to operate stores in desirable locations with capital investment and lease costs providing the opportunity to earn a reasonable return. We cannot be sure as to when or whether

such desirable locations will become available at reasonable costs. The failure of our stores to achieve acceptable results could result in store asset impairment charges, which could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

Additionally, our real estate strategy may not be successful, and store locations may fail to produce desired results, which could impact our competitive position and profitability. Customer shopping patterns have been evolving from brick-and-mortar locations to, increasingly, digital channels. We have Company-owned stores in shopping centers that have experienced declining traffic trends while our digital channels continue to grow. Our ability to grow revenue and acquire new customers is contingent on our ability to drive traffic to both store locations and digital channels so that we are accessible to our customers when and where they want to shop.

We seek to locate our brick-and-mortar stores in prominent locations within successful shopping malls or street locations. Our stores benefit from the ability of the malls’ “anchor” tenants, which generally are large department stores and other area attractions, to generate consumer traffic near our stores. We cannot control the increasing impact of digital channels on shopping center traffic, the loss of an anchor or other significant tenant in a shopping mall in which we have a store, the development of new shopping malls in the United States or around the world, the availability or cost of appropriate locations, competition with other retailers for prominent locations, or the success of individual shopping malls. All of these factors may impact our ability to meet our sales targets and could have a material adverse effect on our financial results. In addition, some malls and shopping centers that were in prominent locations when we opened our stores may cease to be viewed as prominent. If this trend away from brick-and-mortar retail continues or if the popularity of mall shopping continues to decline generally among our customers, our sales may decline, which would impact our results of operations and financial condition.

Failure to properly manage and allocate our inventory could have an adverse effect on our business, sales, margins, financial condition, and results of operations

In order to better serve our customers and maximize sales, we must properly execute our inventory management strategies by appropriately allocating merchandise among our stores, timely and efficiently distributing inventory to such locations, maintaining an appropriate mix and level of inventory in such locations, and effectively managing pricing and markdowns, and there is no assurance we will be able to do so. In addition, as we continue to take actions to right-size our inventory, there could be disruptions in inventory flow and placement. Failure to effectively execute our inventory management strategies could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We base our purchases of inventory, in part, on our sales forecasts. If our sales forecasts do not match customer demand, we may experience higher inventory levels and need to markdown excess or slow-moving inventory, leading to decreased profit margins, or we may have insufficient inventory to meet customer demand, leading to lost sales, either of which could adversely affect our financial performance.

We have significant lease obligations and are subject to risks associated with leasing substantial amounts of space, including future increases in occupancy costs and the need to generate significant cash flow to meet our lease obligations.

Operating lease obligations, which consist primarily of future minimum lease commitments related to store operating leases, represent a significant contractual commitment. All of our stores are leased and generally have initial terms of 5-10 years. In the future, we may not be able to negotiate favorable lease terms for the most desired store locations. Our inability to do so may cause our occupancy costs to be higher in future years or may force us to close stores in desirable locations.

Certain leases have early termination options, which can be exercised under certain specific conditions. In addition to future minimum lease payments, some of our store leases provide for additional rental payments based on a percentage of net sales, or “percentage rent,” if sales at the respective stores exceed specified levels, as well as the payment of tenant occupancy costs, including maintenance costs, common area charges, real estate taxes and certain other expenses. Many of our lease agreements have defined escalating rent provisions over the initial term and any extensions.

We depend on cash flow from operations to pay our lease expenses. If our business does not generate sufficient cash flow from operating activities to fund these expenses, due to continued decreases in mall traffic, the highly competitive and promotional retail environment, or other factors, we may not be able to service our lease expenses, or may need to incur additional indebtedness, which could materially harm our business. Furthermore, the significant cash flow required to satisfy our obligations under the leases increases our vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry, and competitive conditions, and could limit our ability to fund working capital, incur indebtedness, and make capital expenditures or other investments in our business.

We rely on key personnel, the loss of whom could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Our success depends to a significant extent upon our ability to attract and retain qualified key personnel, including senior management, and, in particular, Jay Schottenstein, our Executive Chairman and CEO as well as Jennifer Foyle, our President, Executive Creative Officer - AE and Aerie. Collective or individual changes in our senior management and other key personnel could have an adverse effect on our ability to determine and execute our strategies, which could adversely affect our business and results of operations. There is a high level of competition for senior management and other key personnel, and we cannot be assured we will be able to attract, retain, and develop a sufficient number of qualified senior managers and other key personnel.

We must also attract, develop, and retain a sufficient number of qualified field and distribution center personnel. Competition for talent is intense and the turnover rate in the retail industry is generally high, and we cannot be sure that we will be able to attract and retain a sufficient number of qualified personnel in future periods. Our ability to meet our labor needs while controlling costs is subject to external factors such as unemployment levels, prevailing wage rates, minimum wage legislation, and overtime regulations. If we are unable to retain, attract, and motivate talented employees with the appropriate skill sets, or if changes to our organizational structure, operating results, or business model adversely affect morale or retention, we may not achieve our objectives and our results of operations could be adversely impacted. In addition, the loss of one or more of our key personnel or the inability to effectively identify a suitable successor to a key role could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Increases in labor costs, including wages, could adversely impact our operational results, financial condition and results of operations

Our store and distribution center operations are subject to laws governing such matters as minimum wages, working conditions and overtime pay. As minimum wage rates increase or related laws and regulations change, we may need to increase not only the wage rates of our minimum wage employees, but also the wages paid to our other hourly or salaried employees. Any increase in the cost of our labor could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. In addition, we operate in a competitive labor market, in which wage actions by other retailers and companies may require us to increase salary and wage rates, bonuses and other incentives in order to attract and retain talented employees across all of our retail store, distribution and fulfillment center, and home office operations. Labor shortages and increased employee turnover could also increase our labor costs. This in turn could lead us to increase prices, which could adversely impact our sales. We are also subject to risks related to other store and distribution center expenses and operational costs. Conversely, if competitive pressures or other factors prevent us from offsetting increased labor costs by increases in prices, our profitability may decline.

We cannot provide assurance that we will pay dividends, or if paid, that dividend payments will be consistent with historical levels.

We have generally paid quarterly dividends, which are funded through cash flow from operations and available cash on hand. The declaration of dividends is subject to the discretion of our Board and is limited by applicable state law concepts of available funds for distribution, as well as contractual restrictions. As a result, the amount, if any, of the dividends to be paid in the future will depend upon a number of factors, including our available cash on hand, anticipated cash needs, overall financial condition, any future contractual restrictions, future prospects for earnings and cash flows, as well as other factors considered relevant by our Board. In addition, our Board may also suspend the payment of dividends at any time if it deems such action to be in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.

There can be no assurance that the Company will pay dividends in the future on a regular basis or otherwise. In the event our financial condition or other factors necessitate, our Board may choose to delay or suspend the payment of our dividends again in the future.

Legal, Tax, and Regulatory Risks

We are subject to stringent and changing laws, regulations, and standards, related to data privacy, protection, and security. Our failure to comply with privacy laws and regulations could have a material adverse effect on our business.

State, federal, and foreign governments are increasingly enacting laws and regulations governing the collection, use, retention, sharing, transfer, and security of personally identifiable information and data. A variety of federal, state, local, and foreign laws and regulations, orders, rules, codes, regulatory guidance and certain industry standards regarding privacy,

data protection, consumer protection, information security and the processing of personal information and other data apply to our business. The state and federal legislative and regulatory activity in this area may result in new or amended regulation or guidance that may hinder our business, for example, by restricting use or sharing of consumer data (including for marketing and advertising) or otherwise regulating AI (including the use of algorithms and automated processing) which could materially affect our business or significantly increase the cost of compliance.

We are also subject to other consumer data and protection/privacy laws, including California's Consumer Legal Remedies Act and unfair competition and false advertising laws, the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, and Canada's Anti-Spam Law. Additionally, the regulatory environment is increasingly demanding with frequent new and changing requirements concerning cybersecurity, information security and privacy, which may be inconsistent from one jurisdiction to another. Any failure by us or any of our business partners to comply with applicable laws, rules, and regulations may result in investigations or actions against us by governmental entities, private claims and litigation, fines, penalties or other liabilities. Such events may increase our expenses, expose us to liabilities and impair our reputation, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

While we aim to comply with applicable privacy and data protection laws and obligations in all material respects, there is no assurance that we will not be subject to claims that we have violated such laws and obligations, will be able to successfully defend against such claims, or will not be subject to significant fines and penalties in the event of non-compliance. Additionally, to the extent that multiple state-level laws are introduced with inconsistent or conflicting standards and there is no federal law to preempt such laws, compliance with such laws could be difficult and costly to achieve, or impossible to achieve, and we could be subject to fines and penalties in the event of non-compliance.

The Company’s amended and restated bylaws (“Bylaws”) provide, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the exclusive forum for certain legal actions between the Company and its stockholders, which could increase costs to bring a claim, discourage claims or limit the ability of the Company’s stockholders to bring a claim in a judicial forum viewed by the stockholders as more favorable for disputes with the Company or the Company’s directors, officers or other employees.

Our Bylaws provide, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that unless the Company consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the sole and exclusive forum for any (i) derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Company; (ii) action asserting a claim for or based on a breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any current or former director or officer or other employee or agent of the Company to the Company or the Company’s stockholders, including a claim alleging the aiding and abetting of such a breach of fiduciary duty; (iii) action asserting a claim against the Company or any current or former director or officer or other employee or agent of the Company arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”), or the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws; (iv) action asserting a claim related to or involving the Company or any current or former director or officer or other employee or agent of the Company that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine of the State of Delaware or (v) action asserting an “internal corporate claim,” as that term is defined in Section 115 of the DGCL shall, in each case, be the Delaware Court of Chancery located within the State of Delaware (or, if the Delaware Court of Chancery located within the State of Delaware lacks jurisdiction over any such action or proceeding, the sole and exclusive forum for such action or proceeding shall be another state or federal court located within the State of Delaware). Additionally, our Bylaws provide that unless the Company consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the sole and exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act. The choice of forum provisions may increase costs to bring a claim, discourage claims or limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with the Company or the Company’s directors, officers or other employees, which may discourage such lawsuits against the Company or the Company’s directors, officers and other employees. Alternatively, if a court were to find the choice-of-forum provisions contained in the Company’s Bylaws to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, the Company may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions. The exclusive forum provisions in the Company’s Bylaws will not preclude or contract the scope of exclusive federal or concurrent jurisdiction for actions brought under the federal securities laws including the Exchange Act or the Securities Act, as amended, or the respective rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

We may be unable to protect our trademarks and other intellectual property rights.

We believe that our trademarks and service marks, as described in Part I, Item 1, Business, are important to our success and our competitive position due to their name recognition with our customers. We devote substantial resources to

establishing and protecting our trademarks and service marks. We are not aware of any material claims of infringement or material challenges to our right to use any of our trademarks. Nevertheless, the actions we have taken, including to establish and protect our trademarks and service marks, may not be adequate to prevent others from imitating our products or seeking to block sales of our products. Other parties may also claim that some of our products infringe on their trademarks, copyrights or other intellectual property rights. In addition, the laws of certain foreign countries may not protect our proprietary rights to the same extent as do the laws of the United States Litigation regarding our trademarks, copyrights and other intellectual property rights could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

The legal and regulatory environment could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

We are subject to numerous domestic and foreign laws and regulations affecting our business, including those related to labor, employment, worker health and safety, taxes, tariffs, competition, privacy, data security, artificial intelligence, consumer protection, import/export, marketing, pricing, anti-corruption, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and climate change. Additional legal and regulatory requirements have increased the complexity of the regulatory environment and the cost of compliance. If we fail to comply with these laws, we could become subject to enforcement actions or the imposition of significant fines or penalties, which could harm our operations, our ability to conduct the business and/or our reputation. Laws and regulations at the local, state, federal, and international levels frequently change, and the ultimate cost of compliance cannot be precisely estimated. In addition, we cannot predict the impact that may result from changes in the regulatory or administrative landscape. If these laws change without our knowledge, or are violated by importers, designers, manufacturers, distributors, contractors, vendors, suppliers, or employees, we could experience delays in shipments or receipt of goods or be subject to fines or other penalties, any of which could adversely affect our business, our financial condition and the mark price of our common stock. Also, changes in laws and regulations could make operating our business more expensive or require us to change the way we do business.

We also face the risk of legal actions being filed against us including class actions, and we may be impacted by litigation trends, including class action lawsuits involving current/former employees, consumers and shareholders, which could make a material adverse effect on our reputation, the market price of our common stock and our results of operation, financial condition and/or cash flows.

Fluctuations in our tax obligations and effective tax rate could adversely affect us.

We are subject to income taxes in many United States and certain foreign jurisdictions. We record tax expense based on our estimates of future payments, which include reserves for uncertain tax positions in multiple tax jurisdictions. At any time, multiple tax years are subject to audit by various taxing authorities. The results of these audits and negotiations with taxing authorities may affect the ultimate settlement of these issues. In addition, the tax laws and regulations in the countries where we operate may change or there may be changes in interpretation and enforcement of existing tax laws. As a result, we expect that throughout the year there could be ongoing variability in our quarterly tax rates as events occur and exposures are evaluated. Our effective tax rate in a given financial statement period may be materially impacted by changes in the mix and level of earnings by jurisdiction or by changes to existing accounting rules or regulations.

The unfavorable outcome of pending or future litigation could have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

From time to time, we are party to several legal proceedings arising out of various aspects of our business. The outcome of these proceedings may not be favorable, and one or more unfavorable outcomes could have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

General Risk Factors

Additionally, other factors could adversely affect our financial performance, including factors such as our ability to successfully acquire and integrate other businesses; any interruption of our key infrastructure systems, including exceeding capacity in our distribution centers; any disaster or casualty resulting in the interruption of service from our distribution centers or in a large number of our stores; any interruption of our business related to an outbreak of a pandemic disease in a country where we source or market our merchandise; extreme weather conditions or changes in climate conditions or weather patterns; activist investors; and the effects of changes in interest rates.

The impact of any of the previously discussed factors, some of which are beyond our control, and others which we are not aware of or which we do not currently consider material, may cause our actual results to differ materially from our expectations expressed elsewhere in this Form 10-K and other forward-looking statements we may make from time to time.

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments.

Not applicable.

Item 1C. Cybersecurity

Risk Management and Strategy

The Board as a whole has the responsibility for the Company’s risk oversight and management, which includes a focus on cybersecurity risks. To oversee cybersecurity risk at the management level, we employ a Chief Information Security Officer (“CISO”) whose team is responsible for leading our company-wide cybersecurity strategies, policies, standards, architectures, operations, and processes. We have established an Information Security Program, which is integrated into our overall enterprise risk management system and processes, to assess, identify, and manage material risks from cybersecurity threats. This program is based and built upon, informed by and responsive to industry best practice frameworks such as ISO, NIST, and the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. Our program undergoes an internal annual review, conducted by our CISO and internal auditors, as well as third party external review. Additionally, we are a member of an industry cybersecurity intelligence and risk-sharing organization, which enables us to stay informed about developments, trends, and risks in the cybersecurity threat landscape.

As an important component of our overall cybersecurity strategy, we leverage a diverse array of third-party cybersecurity vendors and security firms in different capacities to implement or operate various aspects of our Information Security Program. Such third parties include a managed security service provider who conducts 24/7/365 “eyes-on-glass” cybersecurity monitoring and alerting. We also engage independent security professionals from industry leading firms to perform penetration testing and other security testing and have an array of external experts on retainer (including but not limited to cybersecurity breach counsel, experts in incident response, cyber forensics, and threat intelligence). Additionally, we collaborate with various cybersecurity vendors to conduct annual tabletop exercises and trainings to help fortify our Information Security Program. Our associates are our first line of defense; therefore, we and our third-party cybersecurity vendors educate them on how to make good, sound security decisions through annual security awareness training, quarterly phishing exercises, and various security refreshers and reminders throughout the year.

The vendor risk management program is built upon, informed by and responsive to industry best practices, incorporating methodologies such as Standardized Information Gathering (SIG), third-party cyber/privacy attestations (e.g., Systems and Organization Controls (SOC), ISO 27001, and HITRUST), penetration tests conducted by independent security professionals, and integrating appropriate cybersecurity language into legal contracts. This program is designed to conduct appropriate due diligence upon onboarding third-party vendors.

Board Governance and Management

The CISO and designated direct reports meet with our Chief Technology Officer and Chief Information Officer on a regular basis to discuss pertinent risks, mitigation factors, remediation status, and risk acceptance. Our CISO also serves as our Vice President of Information Security, Disaster Recovery, and Asset Management. He has decades of experience across information technology, information security, and disaster recovery and has received relevant certifications including Certified Information System Auditor (CISA), GIAC Certified Intrusion Analyst (GCIA), GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH), and GIAC Certified Forensic Analyst (GCFA).

Our CISO helps ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information that we possess through our Cyber Incident Response Plan (“CIRP”). We have assembled a cross-functional Incident Response Team with representation from a multitude of internal teams along with an array of third-party experts having specialized skills to support all aspects of incident response, recovery, and reporting. The CIRP outlines processes to evaluate and respond to various cybersecurity threats, assess the severity of potential and actual incidents and their impacts, and procedures around who should be notified and involved in the Company’s responses thereto. For example, cybersecurity incidents that surpass a certain level of severity require updates to executive leadership and our Board. The CIRP is reviewed annually and has been reviewed by industry-leading incident response providers, internal/external auditors, and others. The CIRP is tested annually at a minimum through tabletop exercises facilitated by an outside expert. These proactive exercises are of paramount importance in helping to refine and optimize our incident response capabilities and minimize the impact of any cybersecurity incident.

Additionally, we have established a Cyber Incident Materiality Assessment Committee (“C-MAC”) that is primarily responsible for conducting a materiality assessment of cybersecurity incidents and determining whether it is material for disclosure and reporting purposes in accordance with applicable rules and regulations. This assessment and determination are separate and distinct from evaluating the cyber severity of an incident, which remains within the purview of the CIRP. The C-MAC is composed of various cross-functional senior members of management, including our Chief Financial Officer, Controller and Chief Accounting Officer, Chief Technology Officer, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, CISO, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications and Investor Relations, Vice President of Internal Audit, Senior Director of Tax and certain key outside advisors. The C-MAC will coordinate with our Disclosure Committee in connection with any requisite disclosures.

The Audit Committee receives regular reports from the CISO on pertinent cyber risks exposures, the status of projects designed to fortify our Information Security Program, metrics on the effectiveness of this program, and the emerging threats in this area. Cyber insurance coverage is reviewed annually with the Audit Committee, as part of our overall risk management process. Furthermore, on at least a quarterly basis or more often as needed, the CISO provides pertinent cybersecurity risk exposures and updates along with various other business units as part of the enterprise risk management report to the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee is responsible for the review and assessment of cybersecurity risk exposures and the steps taken to monitor and control those exposures. Our senior officers have ongoing engagement with the Audit Committee on cybersecurity issues.

Although the risks from cybersecurity threats have not materially affected our business strategy, results of operations, or financial condition to date, they may in the future, and we continue to closely monitor cyber risk. Overall, the Company has implemented tactical processes for assessing, identifying, and managing material risks from cybersecurity threats to the company including governance at the Board level and accountability in our executive management for the execution of our cyber risk management strategy and the controls designed to protect our operations. See “Risk Factors—Operational Risks” in Part I, Item 1A of this Annual Report, which should be read in conjunction with this Item 1C, for additional information regarding the Company’s cybersecurity risks.

Item 2. Properties.

We own two buildings in urban Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that house our corporate headquarters, totaling 336,000 square feet.

We own distribution facilities in Ottawa, Kansas and Hazleton, Pennsylvania consisting of approximately 1.2 million and 1.0 million square feet, respectively.

We lease approximately 200,000 square feet of office space in New York, New York for our designers and sourcing and production teams. The leases for this space expire through 2026.

We lease a building in Mississauga, Ontario with approximately 294,000 square feet, which houses our Canadian distribution center. The lease expires in 2028.

Each of the above identified properties is shared by certain of our reportable and operating segments, including American Eagle, Aerie, Todd Snyder and Unsubscribed brands.

We lease regional distribution facilities in six cities throughout the United States totaling 2.1 million square feet, with varying terms expiring through 2030. These facilities are used by our Quiet Platforms operating segment.

As for our stores, all are leased and generally have initial terms of 5-10 years. Certain leases also include early termination options, which can be exercised under specific conditions. Most of these leases provide for base rent and require the

payment of a percentage of sales as additional contingent rent when sales reach specified levels. Under our store leases, we are typically responsible for tenant occupancy costs, including maintenance and common area charges, real estate taxes and certain other expenses. We have generally been successful in negotiating renewals as leases near expiration.

Item 3. Legal Proceedings.

We are involved, from time to time, in actions associated with or incidental to our business, including, among other things, matters involving consumer privacy, trademark and other intellectual property, licensing, importation of products, taxation, and employee relations. We believe at present that the resolution of currently pending matters will not individually or in the aggregate have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position or results of operations. However, our assessment of any litigation or other legal claims could potentially change in light of the discovery of facts not presently known or determinations by judges, juries, or other finders of fact that are not in accord with management's evaluation of the possible liability or outcome of such litigation or claims. Consistent with Item 103 of Regulation S-K, we have elected to disclose those environmental proceedings with a governmental entity as a party where the Company reasonably believes that such proceeding would result in monetary sanctions, exclusive of interest and costs, of $1.0 million or more. Applying this threshold, there are no environmental matters to disclose for Fiscal 2023.

Refer to Note 2. “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies – Legal Proceedings and Claims” of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included herein for additional information.

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 and Holders

Our common stock is traded on the NYSE under the symbol “AEO.” As of March 8, 2024, there were 447 stockholders of record. However, when including associates who own shares through our employee stock purchase plan, and others holding shares in broker accounts under street name, we estimate the stockholder base at approximately 160,000.

Dividends

A quarterly cash dividend of $0.10 per share was paid in the first, second, and third quarters of Fiscal 2023. A quarterly cash dividend of $0.125 was paid in the fourth quarter of Fiscal 2023 resulting in a dividend yield of 2.7%.

A dividend of $0.18 per share was paid in the first and second quarters of Fiscal 2022 resulting in a dividend yield of 2.5%. During the third quarter of Fiscal 2022, the Company announced that, given ongoing external uncertainties and in order to increase financial flexibility, it was temporarily suspending its quarterly cash dividends.

Subsequent to the fourth quarter of Fiscal 2023, our Board declared a $0.125 per share dividend, payable on April 26, 2024 to stockholders of record at the close of business on April 12, 2024.

The Company maintains the right to defer the record and payment dates of any declared dividends, depending upon, among other factors, business performance, and the macroeconomic environment. The payment of future dividends is at the discretion of our Board and is based on future earnings, cash flow, financial condition, capital requirements, changes in United States taxation, and other relevant factors.

Performance Graph

The following performance graph and related information shall not be deemed “soliciting material” or to be filed with the SEC, nor shall such information be incorporated by reference into any future filing under the Securities Act or Exchange Act, except to the extent that we specifically incorporate it by reference into such filing.

The following graph compares the changes in the cumulative total return to holders of our common stock with that of the S&P Midcap 400 and our peer group as described below. The comparison of the cumulative total returns for each investment assumes that $100 was invested in our common stock and the respective index on February 2, 2019 and includes reinvestment of all dividends. The plotted points are based on the closing price on the last trading day of the fiscal year indicated.

We compared our cumulative total return to a custom peer group that aligns with our compensation peer group, as disclosed in our Proxy Statement for the 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. As of the end of Fiscal 2023, this group consisted of the following companies: Abercrombie & Fitch Co.; Burberry Group PLC; Capri Holdings Limited; Chico’s FAS, Inc.; Express, Inc.; The Gap, Inc.; Guess?, Inc.; Hanesbrands Inc.; Kontoor Brands; Levi Strauss & Co.; lululemon athletica, inc.; PVH CORP.; Ralph Lauren Corporation; Tapestry, Inc.; Under Armour Inc.; Urban Outfitters, Inc; and Victoria's Secret & Co.

Our peer group was updated for Fiscal 2023 to remove Bath & Body Works, Inc., and Fossil Group, Inc.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

The following table provides information regarding our repurchases of common stock during the 14 weeks ended February 3, 2024.

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

The following Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations ("MD&A") is intended to help the reader understand the Company, our operations and our present business environment. MD&A is provided as a supplement to — and should be read in conjunction with — our consolidated financial statements and the accompanying Notes thereto contained in Part II, Item 8 – Financial Statements and Supplementary Data " — of this report.

This MD&A generally discusses Fiscal 2023 and Fiscal 2022 and provides year-to-year comparisons between Fiscal 2023 and Fiscal 2022. Discussions of Fiscal 2021 and year-to-year comparisons between Fiscal 2022 and Fiscal 2021 that are not included in this Annual Report can be found in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Part II. Item 7 of our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 28, 2023.

Introduction

This MD&A is organized as follows:

Executive Overview

We are a leading global specialty retailer offering high-quality, on-trend clothing, accessories and personal care products at affordable prices under our American Eagle® and Aerie® brands.

We have two reportable segments, American Eagle and Aerie. Our Chief Operating Decision Maker (defined as our CEO) analyzes segment results and allocates resources between segments based on adjusted operating income, which is a non-GAAP financial measure. See "Non-GAAP Information" within Part II. Item 7- Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and Note 15. “Segment Reporting,” of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included herein for additional information.

Key Performance Indicators

Our management evaluates the following items, which are considered key performance indicators, in assessing our performance:

Comparable Sales — Comparable sales and comparable sales changes provide a measure of sales growth for stores and channels open at least one year over the comparable prior year period. In fiscal years following those with 53 weeks, the prior year period is shifted by one week to compare similar calendar weeks. A store is included in comparable sales in the 13th month of operation. However, stores that have a gross square footage change of 25% or greater due to a remodel are removed from the comparable sales base, but are included in total sales. These stores are returned to the comparable sales base in the 13th month following the remodel. Sales from American Eagle, Aerie, Todd Snyder, and Unsubscribed stores, as well as sales from AEO Direct and other digital channels, are included in total comparable sales. Sales from licensed stores are not included in comparable sales. Individual American Eagle and Aerie brand comparable sales disclosures include sales from stores and AEO Direct.

Omni-Channel Sales Performance — Our management utilizes the following quality of sales metrics in evaluating our omni-channel sales performance: comparable sales, average unit retail price, total transactions, units per transaction, and consolidated comparable traffic. We include these metrics in our discussion within this MD&A when we believe that they

enhance the understanding of the matter being discussed. Investors may find them useful as such. Each of these metrics is defined as follows (except comparable sales, which is defined separately above):

Gross Profit — Gross profit measures whether we are optimizing the profitability of our sales. Gross profit is the difference between total net revenue and cost of sales. Cost of sales consists of merchandise costs, including design, sourcing, importing, and inbound freight costs, as well as markdowns, shrinkage and certain promotional costs, Quiet Platforms costs to service our customers and buying, occupancy and warehousing costs and services. Design costs consist of compensation, rent, depreciation, travel, supplies, and samples.

Buying, occupancy and warehousing costs and services consists of compensation, employee benefit expenses and travel for our buyers and certain senior merchandising executives; rent and utilities related to our stores, corporate headquarters, distribution centers and other office space; freight from our distribution centers to the stores; compensation and supplies for our distribution centers, including purchasing, receiving and inspection costs; and shipping and handling costs related to our e-commerce operations.

The inability to obtain acceptable levels of sales, initial markups or any significant increase in our use of markdowns could have an adverse effect on our consolidated gross profit and results of operations.

Operating Income — Our management views operating income as a key indicator of our performance. The key drivers of operating income are net revenue, gross profit, our ability to control SG&A expenses, and our level of capital expenditures.

Cash Flow and Liquidity — Our management evaluates cash flow from operations and investing and financing activities in determining the sufficiency of our cash position and capital allocation strategies. Cash flow has historically been sufficient to cover our uses of cash. Our management believes that cash flow and liquidity will be sufficient to fund anticipated capital expenditures and working capital requirements for the next 12 months and beyond.

Current Trends and Outlook

Macroeconomic Conditions and Inflation

During Fiscal 2022 and Fiscal 2023, our results were negatively impacted by macro-economic challenges and global inflationary pressures impacting consumer spending behavior, which constrained revenue and increased margin pressure to clear through excess inventory. Given ongoing external uncertainties, we have taken additional actions to improve financial performance, including more operating efficiency initiatives. For further information about the risks associated with global economic conditions and the effect of economic pressures on our business, see “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A of this Annual Report.

Omni-Channel and Digital Capabilities

We sell merchandise through our digital channels, www.ae.com, www.aerie.com, and our AEO apps, both domestically and internationally in approximately 80 countries. We also sell AE and Aerie brand merchandise on various international online marketplaces. We offer Todd Snyder and Unsubscribed brand products online at www.toddsnyder.com and www.unsubscribed.com, respectively. The digital channels reinforce each particular brand and are designed to complement the in-store experience.

Over the past several years, we have invested in building our technologies and digital capabilities. We focused our investments in three key areas: making significant advances in mobile technology, investing in digital marketing and improving the digital customer experience.

Shifting Strategy

As e-commerce penetration and growth has normalized coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, the supply chain landscape has continued to evolve. In Fiscal 2023, as part of our profit improvement initiative, we began to streamline and shift the operations of Quiet Platforms to better align with AEO's long term strategy. As a result of these changes, Quiet Platforms has refined its focus on its core capabilities as a regionalized fulfillment center network. The network has been updated to reflect this refined focus. The impact of the Quiet Platforms business changes resulted in $119.6 million impairment, restructuring and other charges in Fiscal 2023.

Our international business has also experienced changes in market conditions as a result of unbalanced recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Company has made the decision to exit the Japan market fully as of the end of Fiscal 2023. Relative to Hong Kong, the Company has implemented a strategy to right-size our presence in the market given a slower than anticipated recovery. The impact of the change to our international strategy resulted in $21.8 million of impairment, restructuring and other charges recorded in Fiscal 2023.

Profit Improvement Program

We launched our profit improvement program during Fiscal 2023, which focused on a comprehensive review of our cost structure. Early actions have been focused on the components of gross margin and contributed to margin expansion in Fiscal 2023. Other significant work streams have been identified, actioned and incorporated into our Fiscal 2024 plans. The results of these initiatives are expected to yield gross margin expansion, as well as SG&A and depreciation leverage, resulting in an improved operating profit rate.

Results of Operations

Overview

Fiscal 2023 showed continued progress on our strategic priorities to grow our brands and drive improved profit flow-through. Additionally, actions taken on our profit improvement initiatives resulted in improved gross margins year over year.

The following table shows, for the periods indicated, the percentage relationship to total net revenue of the listed items included in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Comparison of Fiscal 2023 to Fiscal 2022

Total Net Revenue

Total net revenue for Fiscal 2023 increased $272 million this year to $5.262 billion compared to $4.990 billion for Fiscal 2022. The increase this year included $57 million from the 53rd week in Fiscal 2023. For Fiscal 2023, total comparable sales increased 3% compared to a 7% decrease for Fiscal 2022. Additionally, last year included an incremental $41 million of

revenue from excess end-of-season selloffs, which we did not anniversary this year, impacting revenue growth across brands and channels for the current year. Traffic and transactions both increased in the mid-single digits, with average unit retail increasing in the low-single digits, partially offset by lower units per transaction. Both digital and store revenue increased 6%, reflecting strong traffic across channels.

American Eagle. The increase in net revenue was driven by increased traffic and transactions across channels. This increase was partially offset by $23 million of incremental revenue from excess end-of-season selloffs last year, which we did not anniversary this year. Total comparable sales increased 1% year-over-year, primarily due to digital traffic and transactions increasing in the mid-single digits year-over-year.

Aerie. The increase in net revenue was primarily due to 54 net new store openings since Fiscal 2021, as well as a 8% comparable sales increase. These amounts were partially offset by $17 million of incremental revenue from excess end-of-season selloffs in the prior year, which we did not anniversary this year.

Other. Net revenue increased compared to Fiscal 2022 due to an increase in Todd Snyder brand revenue of $31 million, partially offset by lower revenue from Quiet Platforms.

Gross Profit

The increase in gross profit was primarily driven by:

The increase was partially offset by increased incentive compensation of approximately $40 million and rent of $10 million primarily related to new store openings. Incentive compensation increased as we accrued performance-based incentives this year based on improvements in profitability compared to no accrual last year.

Our gross profit may not be comparable to that of other retailers, as some retailers include all costs related to their distribution network, as well as design costs, in cost of sales, and others may exclude a portion of these costs from cost of sales, including them in a line item such as selling, general, and administrative expenses. Refer to Note 2 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for a description of our accounting policy regarding cost of sales, including certain buying, occupancy and warehousing expenses.

Selling, General, and Administrative Expenses

The increase in expenses was primarily related to:

Impairment, Restructuring and Other Charges

The following footnotes relate to the impairment, restructuring and other charges in Fiscal 2023 and Fiscal 2022:

For Fiscal 2022, we recorded impairment of $2.8 million consisting of $2.3 million of of property and equipment and $0.5 million of ROU assets related to the closure of the Jacksonville, FL distribution center and severance of $1.0 million related to employees of that distribution center. The Jacksonville distribution center was replaced with a higher productivity location in Atlanta, GA.

For Fiscal 2022, we recorded $7.5 million of store impairment due to insufficient cash flows to support the asset value and $0.5 million of employee severance related to downsizing our Hong Kong retail operations.

Refer to Note 16. "Impairment, Restructuring and Other Charges," to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report for additional information.

Depreciation and Amortization Expense