Williams-Sonoma 10-Q 2023-07-30

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

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FORM 10-Q

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(Mark One)

☒			QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended July 30, 2023.

or

☐			TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from to

Commission File Number: 001-14077

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WILLIAMS-SONOMA, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

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Delaware

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

3250 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA

(Address of principal executive offices)

94-2203880

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

94109

(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (415) 421-7900

(Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report)

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

Title of each class:									Trading Symbol(s):						Name of each exchange on which registered:
Common Stock, par value $.01 per share									WSM						New York Stock Exchange, Inc.

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

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

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, 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.

Large accelerated filer			☒			Accelerated filer			¨
Non-accelerated filer			¨			Smaller reporting company			☐
Emerging growth company			☐

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

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

As of August 27, 2023, 64,144,950 shares of the registrant’s Common Stock were outstanding.

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WILLIAMS-SONOMA, INC.

REPORT ON FORM 10-Q

FOR THE QUARTER ENDED JULY 30, 2023

TABLE OF CONTENTS

			PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
						PAGE
Item 1.			Financial Statements (Unaudited)			1
Item 2.			Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations			15
Item 3.			Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk			21
Item 4.			Controls and Procedures			21
			PART II. OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1.			Legal Proceedings			22
Item 1A.			Risk Factors			22
Item 2.			Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds			22
Item 3.			Defaults Upon Senior Securities			22
Item 4.			Mine Safety Disclosures			22
Item 5.			Other Information			22
Item 6.			Exhibits			23

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WILLIAMS-SONOMA, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS

(Unaudited)

			For the Thirteen Weeks Ended												For the Twenty-six Weeks Ended
(In thousands, except per share amounts)			July 30, 2023						July 31, 2022						July 30, 2023						July 31, 2022
Net revenues			$	1,862,614					$	2,137,537					$	3,618,065					$	4,028,764
Cost of goods sold			1,105,047						1,208,728						2,185,439						2,271,407
Gross profit			757,567						928,809						1,432,626						1,757,357
Selling, general and administrative expenses			486,019						563,288						961,601						1,068,355
Operating income			271,548						365,521						471,025						689,002
Interest expense (income), net			(3,335)						(344)						(8,833)						(507)
Earnings before income taxes			274,883						365,865						479,858						689,509
Income taxes			73,376						98,790						121,820						168,321
Net earnings			$	201,507					$	267,075					$	358,038					$	521,188
Basic earnings per share			$	3.14					$	3.92					$	5.51					$	7.50
Diluted earnings per share			$	3.12					$	3.87					$	5.46					$	7.36
Shares used in calculation of earnings per share:
Basic			64,163						68,180						65,006						69,516
Diluted			64,526						69,081						65,586						70,844

See Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

WILLIAMS-SONOMA, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(Unaudited)

			For the Thirteen Weeks Ended												For the Twenty-six Weeks Ended
(In thousands)			July 30, 2023						July 31, 2022						July 30, 2023						July 31, 2022
Net earnings			$	201,507					$	267,075					$	358,038					$	521,188
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustments			2,171						(1,385)						(34)						(2,899)
Change in fair value of derivative financial instruments, net of tax of $(56), $9, $30, and $42			(157)						26						85						119
Reclassification adjustment for realized gains on derivative financial instruments, net of tax of $104, $2, $276, and $8			(296)						(5)						(782)						(23)
Comprehensive income			$	203,225					$	265,711					$	357,307					$	518,385

See Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

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WILLIAMS-SONOMA, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(Unaudited)

			As of
(In thousands, except per share amounts)			July 30, 2023						January 29, 2023						July 31, 2022
ASSETS
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents			$	514,435					$	367,344					$	124,944
Accounts receivable, net			117,045						115,685						133,500
Merchandise inventories, net			1,300,838						1,456,123						1,542,428
Prepaid expenses			73,521						64,961						102,312
Other current assets			26,293						31,967						25,537
Total current assets			2,032,132						2,036,080						1,928,721
Property and equipment, net			1,036,407						1,065,381						973,676
Operating lease right-of-use assets			1,232,925						1,286,452						1,174,354
Deferred income taxes, net			73,610						81,389						52,897
Goodwill			77,322						77,307						85,269
Other long-term assets, net			119,415						116,407						104,257
Total assets			$	4,571,811					$	4,663,016					$	4,319,174
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Current liabilities
Accounts payable			$	597,104					$	508,321					$	680,097
Accrued expenses			184,996						247,594						244,559
Gift card and other deferred revenue			435,369						479,229						498,354
Income taxes payable			127,581						61,204						87,159
Operating lease liabilities			222,155						231,965						206,931
Other current liabilities			96,645						108,138						93,945
Total current liabilities			1,663,850						1,636,451						1,811,045
Long-term operating lease liabilities			1,168,221						1,211,693						1,115,501
Other long-term liabilities			118,785						113,821						114,349
Total liabilities			2,950,856						2,961,965						3,040,895
Commitments and contingencies – See Note F
Stockholders’ equity
Preferred stock: $0.01 par value; 7,500 shares authorized; none issued			—						—						—
Common stock: $0.01 par value; 253,125 shares authorized; 64,145, 66,226 and 67,057 shares issued and outstanding at July 30, 2023, January 29, 2023 and July 31, 2022, respectively			642						663						671
Additional paid-in capital			551,507						573,117						541,895
Retained earnings			1,084,772						1,141,819

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions that, if they do not fully materialize or are proven incorrect, could cause our business and results of operations to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include statements related to: gross margin pressures, supply chain challenges; product, freight and distribution center costs; the macroeconomic environment; our operating model; our revenue growth; expanding our sales and operating margin; inflationary pressures; our strategic initiatives; our beliefs regarding customer behavior and industry trends; our merchandise strategies; our growth strategies for our brands; our beliefs regarding the resolution of current lawsuits, claims and proceedings; our stock repurchase program; our expectations regarding our cash flow hedges and foreign currency risks; our planned use of cash, including our commitment to continue or increase quarterly dividend payments; our future compliance with the financial covenants contained in our credit facility; our belief that our cash on-hand, in addition to our available credit facility, will provide adequate liquidity for our business operations over the next 12 months; our beliefs regarding our exposure to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; and our beliefs regarding seasonal patterns associated with our business, as well as statements of belief and statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. You can identify these and other forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “may,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “intends,” “potential,” “continue,” or the negative of such terms, or other comparable terminology. The risks, uncertainties and assumptions referred to above that could cause our results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in this document and our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 29, 2023, and the risks, uncertainties and assumptions discussed from time to time in our other public filings and public announcements. All forward-looking statements included in this document are based on information available to us as of the date hereof, and we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

OVERVIEW

Williams-Sonoma, Inc. ("Company", "we", or "us") is a specialty retailer of high-quality sustainable products for the home. Our products in our portfolio of nine brands – Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, Pottery Barn Teen, West Elm, Williams Sonoma Home, Rejuvenation, Mark and Graham and GreenRow – are marketed through e-commerce websites, at our retail stores and through our direct-mail catalogs. These brands are also part of The Key Rewards, our loyalty and credit card program that offers members exclusive benefits across the Williams-Sonoma family of brands. We operate in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom, offer international shipping to customers worldwide, and have unaffiliated franchisees that operate stores in the Middle East, the Philippines, Mexico, South Korea, and India as well as e-commerce websites in certain locations. We are also proud to be a leader in our industry with our values-based culture and commitment to achieving our sustainability goals.

The following discussion and analysis of financial condition, results of operations, and liquidity and capital resources for the thirteen weeks ended July 30, 2023 (“second quarter of fiscal 2023”), as compared to the thirteen weeks ended July 31, 2022 (“second quarter of fiscal 2022”) and twenty-six weeks ended July 30, 2023 (“first half of fiscal 2023”), as compared to the twenty-six weeks ended July 31, 2022 (“first half of fiscal 2022”), should be read in conjunction with our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and the notes thereto. All explanations of changes in operational results are discussed in order of magnitude.

Second Quarter of Fiscal 2023 Financial Results

Net revenues in the second quarter of fiscal 2023 decreased $274.9 million or 12.9%, with company comparable brand revenue ("company comp") decline of 11.9%. This was driven by lower consumer demand for high-ticket discretionary items, partially offset by relative strength in certain other categories. Company comp decreased 0.6% on a two-year basis and increased 39.7% on a four-year basis.

In the second quarter of fiscal 2023, Pottery Barn, our largest brand, saw 10.6% comparable brand revenue ("brand comp") decline, but delivered 10.9% brand comp growth on a two-year basis and 48.6% brand comp growth on a four-year basis. The second quarter decline was driven by reduced furniture demand, partially offset by better results in our decorating, frames, pillows, throws and table linens categories. The Pottery Barn Kids and Teen brands saw 9.0% brand comp decline in the second quarter of fiscal 2023 and 3.7% brand comp decline on a two-year basis, but saw 19.1% brand comp growth on a four-year basis. The second quarter decline resulted from pressure in certain of our children's furniture categories, but saw relative strength in our dorm and baby categories.

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West Elm saw 20.8% brand comp decline in the second quarter of fiscal 2023 and 14.7% brand comp decline on a two-year basis, but saw 43.4% brand comp growth on a four-year basis. West Elm continued to be the brand most affected by the customer pull back in furniture as a result of the brand's high percentage of its assortment in the furniture category.

The Williams Sonoma brand saw 0.7% brand comp decline in the second quarter of fiscal 2023 and 0.2% brand comp decline on a two-year basis, but saw 35.6% brand comp growth on a four-year basis. The second quarter decline resulted from our home business, partially offset by strength in the kitchen business driven by high-end electrics and storage and organization.

For the second quarter of fiscal 2023, diluted earnings per share was $3.12, compared to $3.87 in the second quarter of fiscal 2022.

As of July 30, 2023, we had $514.4 million in cash and cash equivalents and generated operating cash flow of $715.0 million in the first half of fiscal 2023. In addition to our cash balance, we also ended the quarter with no outstanding borrowings under our revolving line of credit. Our liquidity position allowed us to fund the operations of the business by investing $92.9 million in capital expenditures in the first half of fiscal 2023, and to provide stockholder returns of $426.6 million in the first half of fiscal 2023 through stock repurchases and dividends.

Looking Ahead

As we look forward to the balance of the year, we believe our key differentiators – our in-house design, our digital-first channel strategy, and our values, our growth initiatives and our unique operating model will set us apart from our competition and allow us to drive long-term growth and profitability. However, the current uncertain macroeconomic environment with the weak housing market, layoffs and inflationary pressure may continue to impact our results in the near term. In the back half of fiscal 2023, we believe gross margin pressures resulting from supply chain costs incurred in the past several quarters, including higher product costs, higher freight and incremental distribution center costs for additional space to support our overall growth, may become tailwinds that support our profitability. Additionally, we expect our exit and reduction-in-force initiatives to result in approximate pre-tax annualized savings of $42 million, primarily in selling, general and administrative ("SG&A") expenses. We believe our key differentiators, our growth initiatives and our unique operating model leave us well-positioned to mitigate these challenges in both the short- and long-term. For information on risks, please see “Risk Factors” in Part II, Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 29, 2023.

NET REVENUES

Net revenues primarily consist of sales of merchandise to our customers through our e-commerce websites, retail stores and direct-mail catalogs, and include shipping fees received from customers for delivery of merchandise to their homes. Our revenues also include sales to our business-to-business customers and franchisees, incentives received from credit card issuers in connection with our private label and co-branded credit cards and breakage income related to our stored-value cards. Revenue from the sale of merchandise is reported net of sales returns.

Second Quarter of Fiscal 2023 vs. Second Quarter of Fiscal 2022

Net revenues in the second quarter of fiscal 2023 decreased $274.9 million or 12.9%, with company comp decline of 11.9%. This was driven by lower consumer demand for high-ticket discretionary items, partially offset by relative strength in certain other categories. Company comp decreased 0.6% on a two-year basis and increased 39.7% on a four-year basis.

First Half of Fiscal 2023 vs. First Half of Fiscal 2022

Net revenues for the first half of fiscal 2023 decreased by $410.7 million, or 10.2%, with company comp decline of 9.1%. This was driven by lower consumer demand for high-ticket discretionary items, partially offset by fewer undelivered furniture orders. Company comp increased 1.4% on a two-year basis and 42.7% on a four-year basis.

Comparable Brand Revenue

Comparable brand revenue includes comparable e-commerce sales, including through our direct-mail catalog, and store sales, as well as shipping fees, sales returns and other discounts associated with current period sales. Comparable stores are defined as permanent stores where gross square footage did not change by more than 20% in the previous 12 months, and which have been open for at least 12 consecutive months without closure for more than seven days within the same fiscal month. Comparable stores that were temporarily closed during fiscal 2021 due to the pandemic were not excluded from the comparable brand revenue calculation. Outlet comparable store net revenues are included in their respective brands. Business-to-business revenues are included in comparable brand revenue for each of our brands. Sales to our international franchisees are excluded from comparable brand revenue as their stores and e-commerce websites are not operated by us. Sales from certain operations are also excluded until such time that we believe those sales are meaningful to evaluating their performance. Additionally, comparable brand revenue for newer concepts is not separately disclosed until such time that we believe those sales are meaningful to evaluating the performance of the brand.

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			For the Thirteen Weeks Ended 1									For the Twenty-six Weeks Ended 1
Comparable brand revenue growth (decline)			July 30, 2023			July 31, 2022						July 30, 2023			July 31, 2022
Pottery Barn			(10.6)		%	21.5		%				(5.8)		%	18.2		%
West Elm			(20.8)			6.1						(18.4)			9.1
Williams Sonoma			(0.7)			0.5						(2.5)			(0.9)
Pottery Barn Kids and Teen			(9.0)			5.3						(6.5)			1.4
Total 2			(11.9)		%	11.3		%				(9.1)		%	10.5		%
1 Comparable brand revenue includes business-to-business revenues within each brand.
2 Total comparable brand revenue growth includes the results of Rejuvenation and Mark and Graham.

STORE DATA

			Store Count																														Average Leased Square Footage Per Store
			April 30, 2023						Openings						Closings						July 30, 2023						July 31, 2022						July 30, 2023						July 31, 2022
Pottery Barn			188						3						(1)						190						189						15,000						14,600
Williams Sonoma			165						—						(1)						164						175						6,900						6,800
West Elm			123						1						(1)						123						121						13,200						13,200
Pottery Barn Kids			46						—						—						46						52						7,700						7,700
Rejuvenation			9						—						—						9						9						8,000						9,400
Total			531						4						(3)						532						546						11,300						11,100
Store selling square footage at period-end																																	3,886,000						3,856,000
Store leased square footage at period-end																																	6,036,000						6,044,000

COST OF GOODS SOLD

			For the Thirteen Weeks Ended																								For the Twenty-six Weeks Ended
(In thousands)			July 30, 2023						% Net Revenues						July 31, 2022						% Net Revenues						July 30, 2023						% Net Revenues						July 31, 2022						% Net Revenues
Cost of goods sold 1			$	1,105,047					59.3		%				$	1,208,728					56.5		%				$	2,185,439					60.4		%				$	2,271,407					56.4		%

1**Includes occupancy expenses of $203.3 million and $193.0 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2023 and the second quarter of fiscal 2022, respectively, and $405.9 million and $379.4 million for the first half of fiscal 2023 and the first half of fiscal 2022, respectively.

Cost of goods sold includes cost of goods, occupancy expenses and shipping costs. Cost of goods consists of cost of merchandise, inbound freight expenses, freight-to-store expenses and other inventory related costs such as replacements, damages, obsolescence and shrinkage. Occupancy expenses consist of rent, other occupancy costs (including property taxes, common area maintenance and utilities) and depreciation. Shipping costs consist of third-party delivery services and shipping materials.

Our classification of expenses in cost of goods sold may not be comparable to other public companies, as we do not include non-occupancy-related costs associated with our distribution network in cost of goods sold. These costs, which include distribution network employment, third-party warehouse management and other distribution-related administrative expenses, are recorded in SG&A expenses.

Second Quarter of Fiscal 2023 vs. Second Quarter of Fiscal 2022

Cost of goods sold decreased $103.7 million, or 8.6%, compared to the second quarter of fiscal 2022. Cost of goods sold as a percentage of net revenues increased to 59.3% from 56.5% in the second quarter of fiscal 2022. This increase in rate was primarily driven by (i) higher input costs as we absorbed higher product costs, ocean freight, detention and demurrage due to the impact of supply chain disruption and global inflation pressures, (ii) higher outbound customer shipping costs due to out-of-market shipping and shipping multiple times for multi-unit orders, and (iii) higher occupancy costs resulting from incremental costs from our new distribution centers on the East and West Coasts to support our long-term growth, which was partially offset by the higher pricing power of our proprietary products, our ongoing commitment to forgo site wide promotions and our retail store optimization initiatives.

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First Half of Fiscal 2023 vs. First Half of Fiscal 2022

Cost of goods sold decreased $86.0 million, or 3.8%, compared to the first half of fiscal 2022. Cost of goods sold as a percentage of net revenues increased to 60.4% from 56.4% for the first half of fiscal 2022. This increase in rate was primarily driven by (i) higher input costs as we absorbed higher product costs, ocean freight, detention and demurrage due to the impact of supply chain disruption and global inflation pressures, (ii) higher outbound customer shipping costs due to out-of-market shipping and shipping multiple times for multi-unit orders, and (iii) higher occupancy costs resulting from incremental costs from our new distribution centers on the East and West Coasts to support our long-term growth, which was partially offset by the higher pricing power of our proprietary products, our ongoing commitment to forgo site wide promotions and our retail store optimization initiatives.

SELLING, GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES

			For the Thirteen Weeks Ended																								For the Twenty-six Weeks Ended
(In thousands)			July 30, 2023						% Net Revenues						July 31, 2022						% Net Revenues						July 30, 2023						% Net Revenues						July 31, 2022						% Net Revenues
Selling, general and administrative expenses			$	486,019					26.1		%				$	563,288					26.4		%				$	961,601					26.6		%				$	1,068,355					26.5		%

SG&A expenses consists of non-occupancy related costs associated with our retail stores, distribution and manufacturing facilities, customer care centers, supply chain operations (buying, receiving and inspection) and corporate administrative functions. These costs include employment, advertising, third party credit card processing, impairment and other general expenses.

Second Quarter of Fiscal 2023 vs. Second Quarter of Fiscal 2022

SG&A expenses decreased $77.3 million, or 13.7%, compared to the second quarter of fiscal 2022. SG&A expenses as a percentage of net revenues decreased to 26.1% from 26.4% in the second quarter of fiscal 2022. This decrease was primarily driven by (i) the leverage of employment expenses due to managed variable employment costs and the cost savings from reduction-in-force actions taken in the first and second quarters of fiscal 2023 and (ii) the leverage of advertising expenses driven by efficient spend aligned with business trends.

First Half of Fiscal 2023 vs. First Half of Fiscal 2022

SG&A expenses decreased $106.8 million, or 10.0%, compared to the first half of fiscal 2022. SG&A expenses as a percentage of net revenues increased to 26.6% from 26.5% for the first half of fiscal 2022. This increase in rate was primarily driven by deleverage due to lower sales as well as exit and reduction-in-force initiatives in the first quarter of fiscal 2023 of $15.8 million and $8.3 million, respectively, totaling $24.1 million, partially offset by (i) the leverage of employment expenses due to managed variable employment costs and the cost savings from reduction-in-force actions taken in the first and second quarters of fiscal 2023 and (ii) the leverage of advertising expenses driven by efficient spend aligned with business trends.

INCOME TAXES

The effective tax rate was 25.4% for the first half of fiscal 2023 compared to 24.4% for the first half of fiscal 2022. The increase in the effective tax rate is primarily due to less excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation in fiscal 2023, the tax effect of earnings mix change, partially offset by the expiration of the statutes of limitation related to uncertain tax positions in fiscal 2023. We expect our fiscal year 2023 effective tax rate to be approximately 26.0%.

The Inflation Reduction Act, enacted on August 16, 2022, includes a new 15% minimum tax on “adjusted financial statement income” beginning with the Company’s fiscal year 2023. We do not expect to be subject to the minimum tax for fiscal year 2023.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

Material Cash Requirements

There were no material changes during the quarter to the Company’s material cash requirements, commitments and contingencies that are described in Part II, Item 7 of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 29, 2023, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Stock Repurchase Program and Dividends

See Note G to our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, Stock Repurchase Program and Dividends, within Item 1 of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for further information.

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Liquidity Outlook

For the remainder of fiscal 2023, we plan to use our cash resources to fund our inventory and inventory-related purchases, employment-related costs, advertising and marketing initiatives, the payment of income taxes, property and equipment purchases, rental payments on our leases, dividend payments and stock repurchases.

We believe our cash on hand, cash flows from operations, and our available credit facilities will provide adequate liquidity for our business operations as well as capital expenditures, dividends, stock repurchases and other liquidity requirements associated with our business operations over the next 12 months. We are currently not aware of any other trends or demands, commitments, events or uncertainties that will result in, or that are reasonably likely to result in, our liquidity increasing or decreasing in any material way that will impact our capital needs during or beyond the next 12 months.

Sources of Liquidity

As of July 30, 2023, we held $514.4 million in cash and cash equivalents, the majority of which was held in interest-bearing demand deposit accounts, and of which $68.0 million was held by our international subsidiaries. As is consistent within our industry, our cash balances are seasonal in nature, with the fourth quarter historically representing a significantly higher level of cash than other periods.

In addition to our cash balances on hand, we have a credit facility (the "Credit Facility") which provides for a $500 million unsecured revolving line of credit (the “Revolver”). Our Revolver may be used to borrow revolving loans or request the issuance of letters of credit. We may, upon notice to the administrative agent, request existing or new lenders, at such lenders’ option, to increase the Revolver by up to $250 million to provide for a total of $750 million of unsecured revolving credit.

During the thirteen and twenty-six weeks ended July 30, 2023 and July 31, 2022, we had no borrowings under our Revolver. Additionally, as of July 30, 2023, issued but undrawn standby letters of credit of $11.2 million were outstanding under our Revolver. The standby letters of credit were primarily issued to secure the liabilities associated with workers’ compensation and other insurance programs.

Our Credit Facility contains certain restrictive loan covenants, including, among others, a financial covenant requiring a maximum leverage ratio (funded debt adjusted for operating lease liabilities to earnings before interest, income tax, depreciation, amortization and rent expense), and covenants limiting our ability to incur indebtedness, grant liens, make acquisitions, merge or consolidate, and dispose of assets. As of July 30, 2023, we were in compliance with our financial covenants under our Credit Facility and, based on current projections, we expect to remain in compliance throughout the next 12 months.

Letter of Credit Facilities

We have three unsecured letter of credit reimbursement facilities for a total of $35 million. Our letter of credit facilities contain covenants that are consistent with our Credit Facility. Interest on unreimbursed amounts under our letter of credit facilities accrues at a base rate as defined in our Credit Facility, plus an applicable margin based on our leverage ratio. As of July 30, 2023, the aggregate amount outstanding under our letter of credit facilities was $1.4 million, which represents a future commitment to fund inventory purchases to which we had not taken legal title. On August 18, 2023, we renewed two of the letter of credit facilities totaling $30 million on substantially similar terms. The two letter of credit facilities mature on August 18, 2024, and the latest expiration date possible for future letters of credit issued under these facilities is January 15, 2025. One of the letter of credit facilities totaling $5 million matures on September 30, 2026, which is also the latest expiration date possible for future letters of credit issued under the facility.

Cash Flows from Operating Activities

For the first half of fiscal 2023, net cash provided by operating activities was $715.0 million compared to $383.6 million for the first half of fiscal 2022. For the first half of fiscal 2023, net cash provided by operating activities was primarily attributable to net earnings adjusted for non-cash items, merchandise inventories (as a result of weak customer demand), accounts payable and income taxes payable (as a result of federal and state filing extensions), partially offset by accrued expenses and other liabilities. Net cash provided by operating activities compared to the first half of fiscal 2022 increased primarily due to lower spending on merchandise inventories and an increase in income taxes payable, partially offset by decreases in net earnings adjusted for non-cash items and gift card and other deferred revenue.

Cash Flows from Investing Activities

For the first half of fiscal 2023, net cash used in investing activities was $92.7 million compared to $148.5 million for the first half of fiscal 2022, and was primarily attributable to purchases of property and equipment related to technology and supply chain enhancements.

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Cash Flows from Financing Activities

For the first half of fiscal 2023, net cash used in financing activities was $476.6 million compared to $958.4 million for the first half of fiscal 2022, primarily driven by repurchases of common stock and payment of dividends. Net cash used in financing activities for the first half of fiscal 2023 decreased compared to the first half of fiscal 2022, primarily due to a decrease in repurchases of common stock.

Seasonality

Our business is subject to substantial seasonal variations in demand. Historically, a significant portion of our revenues and net earnings have been realized during the period from October through January, and levels of net revenues and net earnings have typically been lower during the period from February through September. We believe this is the general pattern associated with the retail industry. In preparation for and during our holiday selling season, we hire a substantial number of additional temporary employees, primarily in our retail stores, distribution facilities and customer care centers.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations is based on our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, which have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The preparation of these Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and related disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities. These estimates and assumptions are evaluated on an ongoing basis and are based on historical experience and various other factors that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results could differ significantly from these estimates. During the second quarter of fiscal 2023, there were no significant changes to the critical accounting estimates discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 29, 2023.

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We are exposed to market risks, which include significant deterioration of the U.S. and foreign markets, changes in U.S. interest rates, foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, and the effects of economic uncertainty which may affect the prices we pay our vendors in the foreign countries in which we do business. We do not engage in financial transactions for trading or speculative purposes.

Interest Rate Risk

Our Revolver has a variable interest rate which, when drawn upon, subjects us to risks associated with changes in that interest rate. During the second quarter of fiscal 2023, we had no borrowings under our Revolver.

In addition, we have fixed and variable income investments consisting of short-term investments classified as cash and cash equivalents, which are also affected by changes in market interest rates. As of July 30, 2023, our investments, made primarily in interest-bearing demand deposit accounts, are stated at cost and approximate their fair values.

Foreign Currency Risks

We purchase the majority of our inventory from vendors outside of the U.S. in transactions that are primarily denominated in U.S. dollars and, as such, any foreign currency impact related to our international purchase transactions was not significant to us during the second quarter of fiscal 2023 or the second quarter of fiscal 2022. Since we pay for the majority of our international purchases in U.S. dollars, however, a decline in the U.S. dollar relative to other foreign currencies would subject us to risks associated with increased purchasing costs from our vendors in their effort to offset any lost profits associated with any currency devaluation. We cannot predict with certainty the effect these increased costs may have on our financial statements or results of operations.

In addition, our businesses in Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom, and our operations throughout Asia and Europe, expose us to market risk associated with foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations. Substantially all of our purchases and sales are denominated in U.S. dollars, which limits our exposure to this risk. However, some of our foreign operations have a functional currency other than the U.S. dollar. While the impact of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations was not material to us in the second quarter of fiscal 2023 or the second quarter of fiscal 2022, we have continued to see volatility in the exchange rates in the countries in which we do business. Additionally, the effect of a hypothetical 10% change in foreign currency exchange rates applicable to our business would not have a material impact on our historical or current consolidated financial statements. As we continue to expand globally, the foreign currency exchange risk related to our foreign operations may increase. To mitigate this risk, we hedge a portion of our foreign currency exposure with foreign currency forward contracts in accordance with our risk management policies (see Note H to our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements).

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

As of July 30, 2023, an evaluation was performed by management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) and our Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”), of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures. Based on that evaluation, our management, including our CEO and CFO, concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are effective to ensure that information we are required to disclose in reports that we file or submit under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our CEO and CFO, as appropriate, to allow for timely discussions regarding required disclosures, and that such information is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the second quarter of fiscal 2023, that materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

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PART II – OTHER INFORMATION

ITEM 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

Information required by this Item is contained in Note F to our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements within Part I of this Form 10-Q.

See Part II, Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 29, 2023 for a description of the risks and uncertainties associated with our business. There were no material changes to such risk factors in the current quarterly reporting period.

ITEM 2. UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS

The following table provides information as of July 30, 2023 with respect to shares of common stock we repurchased during the second quarter of fiscal 2023. For additional information, please see Note G to our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements within Part I of this Form 10-Q.

Fiscal Period			Total Number of Shares Purchased 1						Average Price Paid Per Share						Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of a Publicly Announced Program 1						Maximum Dollar Value of Shares That May Yet Be Purchased Under the Program
May 1, 2023 - May 28, 2023			89,709						$	111.47					89,709						$	690,000,000
May 29, 2023 - June 25, 2023			—						$	—					—						$	690,000,000
June 26, 2023 - July 30, 2023			—						$	—					—						$	690,000,000
Total			89,709						$	111.47					89,709						$	690,000,000

1 Excludes shares withheld for employee taxes upon vesting of stock-based awards.

Stock repurchases under our program may be made through open market and privately negotiated transactions at times and in such amounts as management deems appropriate. The timing and actual number of shares repurchased will depend on a variety of factors including price, corporate and regulatory requirements, capital availability and other market conditions. The stock repurchase program does not have an expiration date and may be limited or terminated at any time without prior notice.

ITEM 3. DEFAULTS UPON SENIOR SECURITIES

Not applicable.

ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

Not applicable.

Insider Adoption or Termination of Trading Arrangements

During the second quarter of fiscal 2023, none of our directors or officers adopted or terminated a “Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement” or “non-Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement,” as those terms are defined in Regulation S-K, Item 408.

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(a) Exhibits

Exhibit Number						Exhibit Description
3.1						Amended and Restated Bylaws of Williams-Sonoma, Inc., effective May 31, 2023 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K as filed with the Commission on June 5, 2023, File No. 001-14077)
31.1*						Certification of Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) and Rule 15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act, as amended
31.2*						Certification of Chief Financial Officer, pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) and Rule 15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act, as amended
32.1*						Certification of Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
32.2*						Certification of Chief Financial Officer, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
101*						The following financial statements from the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended July 30, 2023, formatted in Inline XBRL: (i) Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings, (ii) Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income, (iii) Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, (iv) Condensed Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity, (v) Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows and (vi) Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, tagged as blocks of text and including detailed tags
104*						Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in the Interactive Data Files submitted under Exhibit 101).

*			Filed herewith

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SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

WILLIAMS-SONOMA, INC.
By:						/s/ Jeffrey E. Howie
						Jeffrey E. Howie
						Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
						(Principal Financial Officer)

By:						/s/ Jeremy Brooks
						Jeremy Brooks
						Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer
						(Principal Accounting Officer)

Date: September 1, 2023