Quarterlytics / Consumer Cyclical / Specialty Retail / Kirkland's

Kirkland's

kirk · NASDAQ Consumer Cyclical
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Ticker kirk
Exchange NASDAQ
Sector Consumer Cyclical
Industry Specialty Retail
Employees 5001-10,000
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FY2016 Annual Report · Kirkland's
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ANNUAL REPORT 2016

Financial Highlights

(In thousands, except per share data and performance metrics) 

STATEMENT OF INCOME DATA

Total revenue 

Gross profit  

Operating income 

Pretax income 

Net income 

Diluted earnings per share 

Dividends declared per share 

BALANCE SHEET DATA

Cash and cash equivalents 

Inventories, net  

Total assets  

Total shareholders’ equity  

OTHER FINANCIAL DATA

Comparable store sales increase (decrease) 

Number of stores at year end  

Gross profit margin  

Return on assets  

Return on equity  

2

2

5

9

65

4

26

1

5

16

2

This map indicates the states where our 
stores are located and the number of 
stores within each state as of January 
28, 2017.

Fiscal 
2016 
(52 Weeks) 

Fiscal 
2015 
(52 Weeks) 

Fiscal
2014
(52 Weeks)

$  594,328 

$  561,807 

$  507,621

221,471 

16,999 

16,975 

11,046 

0.68 

— 

$ 

218,794 

26,191 

26,097 

16,573 

0.94 

1.50 

$ 

$ 

202,897 

28,641

28,820 

17,814 

1.00

—

$ 

$ 

63,937 

$ 

44,352 

$ 

99,138

75,447 

270,146 

133,813 

68,222 

235,256 

119,695 

55,775 

256,949

151,062

6.1%

344

40.0%

7.3%

12.4%

5

2
2

2.9% 

376 

38.9% 

6.7% 

12.2% 

4

9

5

(2.9)% 

404 

37.3% 

4.4% 

8.7% 

5

2

9

10

9

1

9

18

11

16

24

10

8

15

9

13

24

9

38

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Dear Shareholder

For over 50 years, Kirkland’s has served as your doorway to 
home, a destination for those special items that make your home 
uniquely yours, always providing great style at a great price.  
That’s true more than ever today as we serve a growing home 
furnishings market with a dynamic shopping experience that 
encompasses stores, kirklands.com and an array of digital and 
social media.  

In today’s rapidly evolving retail environment, ensuring 
Kirkland’s “doorway” spans a best-in-class omni-channel 
platform is just one of the ways we’re working toward our goal 
to transform the company into a high-performing, nationally 
recognized home décor brand of choice. We believe our strategy 
can drive significant long-term sales and earnings growth, and 
we’re making important progress to support those plans.

Consider that during 2016, Kirkland’s:

n  Achieved record revenues. Total sales increased 6% to  
$594 million in 2016. E-commerce growth was strong with 
sales rising 22% to account for 8% of total revenues.

n  Strengthened the management team. We added, among 

others, a Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of 
Planning and Allocation, which are both new positions. We 
entered 2017 with a talented balance of senior leaders with a 
deep knowledge of home décor and experience operating in 
national omni-channel organizations. 

n  Improved the supply chain. We expanded our West Coast 

supply chain capabilities and added an e-Commerce fulfillment 
center in Jackson, Tennessee. Both investments are driving 
better product flow and reducing operating costs. We expect 
further benefits as we move forward.   

n  Geared the assortment to support innovation. We began 
a significant refresh of our core assortment during 2016 with a 
goal to eliminate down-trending products, right-size categories 
and upgrade our assortments. 

n  Positively impacted the communities we serve. Our team 
was recognized as the top fundraiser for the Nashville area’s 
Susan G. Komen “Race for the Cure,” and we expanded our 
relationship with Habitat for Humanity.

n  Maintained a strong balance sheet. We ended the year 
with no debt and $64 million in cash. Our solid financial 
position provides us ample flexibility to support our long-term 
objectives.  

For 2017, our goal is to build upon this foundation and expand 
our market share. We’ve begun a broad effort to increase sales 
and margin productivity by improving the product assortment, 

sharpening our pricing 
and promotional 
strategies, and 
enhancing the brand 
experience. Tactical 
initiatives support 
these priorities to 
improve e-Commerce 
profitability, enhance 
marketing to increase 
traffic and differentiate 
the brand, and continue 
our efforts to expand 
our supply chain 
capabilities to support 
future store unit growth, 
and better, faster 
e-Commerce fulfillment.

IMPROVING 
THE PRODUCT 
ASSORTMENT
We believe we can 
increase productivity 
with a more optimal 
product assortment and 
use of space in our stores. The work we accomplished to refresh 
the core assortment in 2016 paved the way for our merchants 
to introduce newness while eliminating non-productive SKUs. 
We are also implementing process improvements and taking 
aggressive action to adjust category penetration. For example, we 
are replacing impulse product around the registers with key items 
geared to home décor and home comfort. We are also increasing 
our relevancy in categories related to entertaining and gifting 
during the holidays.

The assortment refresh is sharpening our overall shopping 
experience with a clearer point of view, something we’ve heard 
loud and clear from our customers. Over the long term, the effort 
should reduce out-of-stocks, cut excess inventory, and drive 
higher customer satisfaction.

ADDRESSING PRICING & PROMOTION
A second area of focus for 2017 is pricing and promotion. 
Kirkland’s has a well-established value message, but we believe 
we can increase the merchandise margin without compromising 
that aspect of the brand. We are a high-margin specialty retailer 
with frequent promotional activity and discounts. That will not 

Ensuring Kirkland’s “doorway” spans a best-in-class omni-
channel platform is just one of the ways we’re working toward 
our goal of transforming the company into a high-performing, 
-
nationally recognized home decor brand of choice.

For 2017 we’ve begun a broad effort to increase sales and margin 
productivity by improving the product assortment, sharpening  
our pricing and promotional strategies, and enhancing the  
brand experience. 

change. However, we will reduce promotions that have a diminishing 
return for traffic and an unsatisfactory return on investment. 

This effort naturally involves tests around price elasticity. Reducing 
the overuse and overlapping nature of coupons, instilling a better 
“clearance” discipline, and taking credit for pricing power are all 
areas we are addressing.

ENHANCING THE BRAND EXPERIENCE
We’re pleased with the continued development of our e-Commerce 
channel. Revenues from kirklands.com exceeded expectations in 
2016 and investments in the supply chain are reducing costs and 
removing stress on our organization. We made improvements in our 
online user experience during the second half of 2016 and believe 
there are near-term opportunities to 
improve conversion, expand vendor 
direct shipments, and add specific 
on-line assortments for our seasonal 
periods. An upgrade of the fulfillment 
platform will be in place for the peak 
seasonal period, and is expected to 
improve our speed of delivery, order 
accuracy and labor efficiency.

We also intend to improve our 
marketing, which included a significant 
shift to digital spend in the second half 
of 2016. We’ve learned a lot about the 
medium, and our media mix will be 
much better positioned for the back 
half of 2017. As shopping behavior 
continues to evolve, effective marketing 
is crucial to drive traffic and differentiate the brand. Our objective 
is to increase our investment in marketing as we determine the 
appropriate media mix.

We are also establishing test stores to experiment with expanded 
service offerings; all designed to further differentiate our brand and 
provide an exceptional customer experience. 

PRIORITIZING MARKET EXPANSION 
With 404 stores in 36 states at the end of fiscal 2016, Kirkland’s 
is well-positioned to evolve with changes in consumer shopping 
patterns. We’ve significantly improved the site selection process over 
the last two years, and the recent classes of new stores are performing 
well and generating favorable returns.

Stores are the anchor to our omni-channel experience. Most online 
sales are picked up in the stores, and customers typically spend time 
on the site before coming to the store. Our seasonal and inspirational 
product sets are best experienced up close and personal. While 
we continue to believe that the Kirkland’s concept has growth 
potential to over 500 stores, we’re comfortable with a lower rate 
of unit expansion in the near-term given the strong rate of growth 
for kirklands.com and the significant opportunities underway 
to improve store productivity. For 2017, we’re focused on further 
penetration in high density markets and executing more relocations, 
which have demonstrated attractive return on investment.

Overall, we’re confident about the long-term outlook for the business. 
We have a more capable team, and I’m pleased with the cohesion we 
are building. The openness to change and fresh ideas should benefit 
Kirkland’s in 2017 and beyond, and we’re shifting investment dollars 
to customer centric initiatives to support our omni-channel growth. 
Some of our investments will impact 2017, and all have the potential 
to drive revenue and earnings growth over the longer term. 

Thank you for your support, and we hope to see you in our stores 
and online.

W. Michael Madden 
President and Chief Executive Officer

In Memoriam, Robert E. Alderson 

We lost a long-time member of  
the Kirkland’s family with the 
passing of Robert E. Alderson in 
November 2016. 

Robert had been a director of 
Kirkland’s since 1986 and served 
as the Company’s Chief Executive 
Officer two separate times 

between 2001 and 2015. He also served in numerous 
roles for Kirkland’s since joining the Company in 1986, 
including President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief 
Administrative Officer, Senior Vice President and Vice 
President. He was a driving force behind the Company’s 
transformation from a regional retailer to a national 
chain and successfully led the Company through an 
initial public offering in 2002. 

Robert was truly one-of-a-kind and leaves an indelible 
mark on our culture. His determination, spirit, passion 
and commitment to Kirkland’s will inspire and stay with 
us always. He is greatly missed. 

 
UNITED STATES  
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION  
Washington, D.C. 20549  

(Mark One)  
x  ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934  

Form 10-K  

For the fiscal year ended January 28, 2017 

or  

¨ 

TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE ACT OF 
1934  
For the transition period from              to               

Commission file number 000-49885  

Kirkland’s, Inc.  

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)  

Tennessee 
(State or other jurisdiction of 
incorporation or organization) 

5310 Maryland Way, Brentwood, TN 
(Address of principal executive offices) 

62-1287151 
(I.R.S. Employer 
Identification No.) 

37027 
(Zip Code) 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:  
(615) 872-4800  
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:  

Title of each class 
Common Stock, no par value per share 

Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered 
The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC 

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  x  
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.    Yes  ¨    No  x  
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  x    No  ¨  

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data 

File required to be submitted and posted 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 and post such files).    Yes  x    No  ¨  

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§ 229.405 of this chapter) is not contained 

herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in 
Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.    ¨  

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

Large accelerated filer  ¨ 

Accelerated filer 

x 

Non-accelerated filer  ¨   (Do not check if a smaller reporting company) 

Smaller reporting company  ¨ 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).    Yes  ¨    No  x  
The aggregate market value of the common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of July 29, 2016, the last business day of the 
registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, was approximately $224 million based on the last sale price of the common stock as 
reported by The Nasdaq Stock Market.  

As of March 16, 2017, there were 15,916,563 shares of the registrant’s common stock outstanding.  

Portions of the definitive Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Kirkland’s, Inc. to be held June 2, 2017, are incorporated 

by reference into Part III of this Form 10-K.  

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE  

  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
TABLE OF CONTENTS  
FORM 10-K  

Forward-Looking Statements  

Item 1. 
Item 1A.  
Item 1B.  
Item 2. 
Item 3. 
Item 4. 

Item 5. 
Item 6. 
Item 7. 
Item 7A.  
Item 8. 
Item 9. 
Item 9A.  
Item 9B.  

Item 10. 
Item 11. 
Item 12. 
Item 13. 
Item 14. 

Business  
Risk Factors 
Unresolved Staff Comments 
Properties 
Legal Proceedings 
Mine Safety Disclosures  

PART I 

PART II 

Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities   
Selected Financial Data 
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations 
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure About Market Risk 
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data 
Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure 
Controls and Procedures 
Other Information 

PART III 

Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance 
Executive Compensation 
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters 
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence 
Principal Accounting Fees and Services 

Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules 
Form 10-K Summary 

Item 15.  
Item 16. 
Signatures 
Index of Exhibits Filed with this Annual Report on Form 10-K 

PART IV 

Page 

3  

4  
10  
20  
20  
21  
21  

22  
23  
24  
33  
33  
33  
33  
34  

35  
35  
35  
35  
35  

36  
54 
55  
56  

2 

 
  
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS  

This  Annual  Report  on  Form  10-K  for  the  fiscal  year  ended  January  28,  2017  (“Form 10-K”)  contains  forward-looking 
statements  within  the  meaning  of  the  federal  securities  laws  and  the  Private  Securities  Litigation  Reform  Act  of  1995.  These 
statements may be found throughout this Form 10-K, particularly under the headings “Business” and “Management’s Discussion and 
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” among others. Forward-looking statements typically are identified by the 
use of terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “intend” and similar words, although some 
forward-looking statements are expressed differently. You should consider statements that contain these words carefully because they 
describe our expectations, plans, strategies and goals and our beliefs concerning future business conditions, our results of operations, 
financial position and our business outlook or state other “forward-looking” information based on currently available information. The 
factors listed in Item 1A. Risk Factors and in the other sections of this Form 10-K provide examples of risks, uncertainties and events 
that could cause our actual results to differ materially from the expectations expressed in our forward-looking statements.  

The forward-looking statements made in this Form 10-K relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. 
We  undertake  no  obligation  to  update  any  forward-looking  statement  to  reflect  events  or  circumstances  after  the  date  on  which  the 
statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.  

The terms “Kirkland’s,” “we,” “us,” and “our” as used in this Form 10-K refer to Kirkland’s, Inc.  

3 

 
  
Business  

Item 1. 
General  

PART I  

We are a specialty retailer of home décor and gifts in the United States, operating 404 stores in 36 states as of January 28, 2017, 
as  well  as  an  e-Commerce  enabled  website,  www.kirklands.com.  Our  stores  present  a  broad  selection  of  distinctive  merchandise, 
including framed art, mirrors, wall décor, candles and related items, lamps, decorative accessories, accent furniture, textiles, garden-
related accessories and artificial floral products. Our stores also offer an extensive assortment of holiday merchandise during seasonal 
periods as well as items carried throughout the year suitable for gift-giving. In addition, we use innovative design and packaging to 
market  home  décor  items  as  gifts.  We  provide  our  customers  an  engaging  shopping  experience  characterized  by  a  diverse,  ever-
changing merchandise selection reflecting current styles at prices which provide discernible value. This combination of ever-changing 
and  stylish  merchandise,  value  pricing  and  a  stimulating  online  and  store  experience  has  led  to  our  emergence  as  a  leader  in  home 
décor and enabled us to develop a strong customer base.  

Business Strategy  

Our goal is to be the leading specialty retailer of home décor and accessories in each of our markets. We believe the following 

elements of our business strategy both differentiate us from our competitors and position us for growth:  

Product mix differentiation.  While our stores contain items covering a broad range of complementary product categories, we 
emphasize  traditionally-styled,  quality  merchandise  within  each  category,  striving  to  combine  steady-selling,  everyday  “core”  items 
with trend-appropriate fashion and seasonal items.  Our buyers work closely with our merchandise vendors to identify and develop 
stylish products that appeal to a broad base of customers while reflecting the latest trends.  These products are often proprietary, the 
result  of  the  development  and  collaboration  between  our  buyers  and  our  vendors.    In  most  cases,  this  exclusive  merchandise  is  the 
result  of  our  buying  team’s  experience  in  interpreting  market  and  merchandise  trends  in  a  way  that  appeals  to  our  customers.   For 
these reasons, we believe our buying process yields a merchandise assortment that is differentiated from our competition.  We also 
test-market products where appropriate and monitor individual item sales, which enables us to identify and quickly reorder bestselling 
items in order to maximize sales.  

Ever-changing  merchandise  mix. We  believe  our  ever-changing  merchandise  mix  creates  an  inviting  store  environment, 
encouraging strong customer loyalty and frequent return visits to our stores. The merchandise in our stores is traditionally-styled for 
broad market appeal, yet it reflects an understanding of our customer’s desire for fashion and novelty. Our information systems permit 
close  tracking  of  individual  item  sales,  enabling  us  to  react  quickly  to  both  fast-selling  and  slow-moving  items.  Accordingly,  our 
inventory  turns  rapidly  and  we  actively  change  our  merchandise assortment  throughout  the  year  in  response  to  market  trends,  sales 
results and changes in seasons. We also strategically increase selling space devoted to gifts and seasonal merchandise in advance of 
holidays.  

Stimulating  store  experience.   Through  our  in-store  visual  presentation,  marketing  and  promotions,  and  customer  service,  we 
seek to make customers feel welcome and “at home.”  Our merchandise presentation effort is geared toward helping our customers 
visualize  our  products  in  their  own  homes  and  inspire  decorating  and  gift-giving  ideas.    We  creatively  group  complementary 
merchandise throughout the store.  We believe this cross-category merchandising encourages customers to browse for longer periods 
of time, promoting add-on sales.  We adjust our visual presentation frequently to take advantage of sales trends, enhance our ever-
changing  merchandise  mix,  and  support  our  promotional  strategies.    Our  store  associates  support  this  environment  through  their 
engagement with our customers, knowledge of our products, and passion for customer service. 

Strong value proposition. Our customers regularly experience the satisfaction of paying noticeably less for items similar to those 
sold by other retail stores or through other retail channels. This strategy of providing a combination of style, quality and value is an 
important  element  in  making  Kirkland’s  a  destination  store.  While  we  carry  some  items  in  our  stores  that  sell  for  several  hundred 
dollars, most items sell for under $20 and are perceived by our customers as very affordable home décor, accessories and gifts. Our 
longstanding relationships with vendors and our ability to place and sell-through large orders of a single item enhance our ability to 
attain favorable product pricing from vendors.  

Broad  market  appeal. Our  stores  operate  successfully  across  different  geographic  regions  and  market  sizes.  The  flexibility  of 
our concept enables us to select the most promising real estate opportunities that meet requisite economic and demographic criteria 
within  the  target  markets  where  our  customers  live  and  shop.  In  addition  to  our  stores,  we  sell  direct-to-customer  (“DTC”)  and 
facilitate orders for in-store pickup (“ISP”) through our website at www.kirklands.com. We view our e-Commerce channel as a crucial 
part of our overall business strategy, allowing us to introduce our concept to new customers and complement our “brick-and-mortar” 
business for a true omni-channel brand experience.  

4 

 
Brick-and-mortar  store  growth.    With  only  404  stores  in  36  states  as  of  the  end  of  fiscal  2016,  we  view  expansion  of  our 
physical  store  locations  as  an  opportunity  for  growth.    During  fiscal  2017,  we  expect  to  increase  our  total  retail  square  footage  by 
approximately 2% to 3%.  We will focus on infill opportunities in some of our core markets, as well as expansion opportunities in 
under-penetrated markets in the United States such as the Mid-Atlantic states, the Midwest, portions of the Northeast, and California.  
We expect to open 25 to 30 new locations during fiscal 2017, and expect to close approximately 20 locations.  The new store openings 
during fiscal 2017 are expected to be weighted towards the second and third quarters of the year, while closings during fiscal 2017 are 
expected to be weighted towards the first half of the year. Longer-term, we see an opportunity for meaningful annual square footage 
growth in both existing and new markets. 

e-Commerce  growth.    As  customers  increasingly  turn  to  the  web  for  their  shopping,  we  expect  our  e-Commerce  channel  to 
provide  another  growth  opportunity.    We  are  continuing  to  capture  additional  market  share  by  attracting  new  customers  via  the 
website. We launched third-party drop shipping in fiscal 2015 to give our customers a wider assortment of product offerings. We plan 
on continued expansion of our third-party drop shipping product offerings in fiscal 2017. Additionally, we are continuing to use the e-
Commerce channel to enrich the brick-and-mortar store experience, and have plans to improve our ship to store options to support the 
blending of the channels into one omni-channel experience. For fiscal 2016, our e-Commerce channel accounted for approximately 
$47.3 million in revenue, or about 8.0% of our total revenue, a 22.4% increase over fiscal 2015. We expect our e-Commerce business 
to  continue  to  grow  at  a  pace  greater  than  brick-and-mortar  for  the  foreseeable  future,  with  an  interim  goal  of  10%  of  the  overall 
business.  

Merchandising  

Merchandising strategy. Our merchandising strategy is to (i) offer unique, distinctive and often exclusive, quality home décor 
products  and  gifts  at  affordable  prices  representing  great  value  to  our  customers,  (ii) maintain  a  breadth  of  productive  merchandise 
categories, (iii) provide a carefully edited selection of core items within targeted categories, (iv) emphasize new and fresh-to-market 
merchandise by continually updating our merchandise mix, and (v) present merchandise in a visually appealing manner to create an 
inviting atmosphere which inspires decorating and gift-giving ideas and encourages frequent store visits.  

Our information systems permit close tracking of individual item sales, which enables us to react quickly to market trends and 
best or slow sellers. This daily sales and product margin information helps us to maximize the productivity of successful products and 
categories,  and  minimize  the  accumulation  of  slow-moving  inventory. The  composition  of  our  merchandise  assortment  is  relatively 
consistent across the chain. We address regional differences where applicable by tailoring inventories to geographic considerations by 
reviewing specific store sales results in selected categories and classes of product. Our flexible store design and display fixtures allow 
us to adjust our selling space as needed to capitalize on sales trends.  

Our average store generally carries approximately 5,200 Stock Keeping Units (“SKUs”). Online we carry approximately 4,100 
SKUs, of which 1,400 are exclusively online. We regularly monitor the sell-through on each item; therefore, the number and make-up 
of our active SKUs is continuously changing based on changes in selling trends. We purchase merchandise from approximately 200 
vendors, and our buying team works closely with vendors to differentiate Kirkland’s merchandise from that of our competitors. For 
products  that  are  not  manufactured  specifically  for  Kirkland’s,  we  may  create  custom  packaging  as  a  way  to  differentiate  our 
merchandise  offering  and  reinforce  our  brand.  Exclusive  or  proprietary  products  distinguish  us  from  our  competition,  enhance  the 
value of our merchandise and provide the opportunity to improve our net sales and gross margin.  

Product  assortment. Our  major  merchandise  categories  include  wall  décor,  art,  mirrors,  lamps,  decorative  accessories,  accent 
furniture, textiles, fragrance and accessories, frames, housewares, impulse and personal accessories, outdoor living, and artificial floral 
products. Our stores also offer an extensive assortment of holiday merchandise, as well as items carried throughout the year suitable 
for gift-giving.  

5 

 
 
 
The  following  table  presents  the  percentage  of  net  sales  contributed  by  our  major  merchandise  categories  over  the  last  three 

fiscal years:  

Merchandise Category 
Holiday 
Art 
Wall Décor 
Accent Furniture 
Fragrance and Accessories 
Mirrors 
Textiles 
Lamps 
Decorative Accessories 
Housewares 
Impulse 
Floral 
Frames 
Clocks 
Personal Accessories 
Outdoor Living 
Total 

                                     % of Net Sales                                      
Fiscal 2015  
   13% 
14  
11  
9  
9  
7  
7 
6  
6  
5 
2 
3 
             3 
2 
2 
1  
          100% 

Fiscal 2014  
          12% 
14 
11 
10 
8 
7 
7 
7 
7 
4 
2 
3 
3 
1 
2 
2 
          100% 

Fiscal 2016  
             14% 
12 
11 
10  
9  
7  
7  
6  
6  
5 
                 3 
3  
             2 
             2 
             2 
             1 
          100% 

Value  proposition. We  continually  strive  to  increase  the  perceived  value  of  Kirkland’s  products  to  our  customers  through  our 
distinctive merchandising, carefully coordinated in-store signage, visual presentation and product packaging. Our shoppers regularly 
experience the satisfaction of paying noticeably less for items similar to those sold by other retail stores, through catalogs, or on the 
Internet.  Our  stores  typically  have  two  major  semi-annual  sale  events,  one  in  January  and  one  in  July.  We  also  use  temporary 
promotions throughout the year featuring specific items or categories of merchandise. We believe our value-oriented pricing strategy, 
coupled with an adherence to high quality standards, is an important element in establishing our distinct brand identity and solidifying 
our connection with our customers.  

Buying and Inventory Management  

Merchandise  sourcing  and  product  development. Our  merchandise  team  purchases  inventory  on  a  centralized  basis  to  take 
advantage  of  our  consolidated  buying  power  and  our  technology  to  closely  control  the  merchandise  mix  in  our  stores.  Our  buying 
team selects all of our products, negotiates with vendors and works closely with our planning and allocation team to optimize store-
level merchandise quantity and mix by category, classification and item.  

Approximately 84% of our total purchases are from importers of merchandise manufactured primarily in China and other South-
Asian  countries,  with  the  balance  purchased  from  domestic  manufacturers  and  wholesalers.  For  our  purchases  of  merchandise 
manufactured abroad, we have historically bought from importers or U.S.-based representatives of foreign manufacturers rather than 
dealing directly with foreign manufacturers. This process has enabled us to maximize flexibility and minimize product liability and 
credit risks.  

Planning and allocation. Our merchandise planning and allocation team works closely with our buying team, field management 
and store personnel to meet the requirements of individual stores for appropriate merchandise in sufficient quantities. This team also 
manages  inventory  levels,  allocates  merchandise  to  stores  and  replenishes  inventory  based  upon  information  generated  by  our 
information systems. Our inventory control systems monitor current inventory levels at each store, by operating district, and for the 
total Company. We also continually monitor recent selling history within each store by category, classification and item to properly 
allocate future purchases to maximize sales and gross margin.  

Each  of  our  stores  is  internally  classified  for  merchandising  purposes  based  on  certain  criteria  including  sales  volume,  size, 
location and historical performance. Although our stores carry similar merchandise, the variety and depth of products in a given store 
may  vary  depending  on  the  store’s  rank  and  classification.  Where  applicable,  inventory  purchases  and  allocation  are  also  tailored 
based on regional or demographic differences between stores in selected categories.  

Store Operations  

General. In  addition  to  corporate  management  and  three  Regional  Directors,  approximately  30  Multi-Unit  Managers  (who 
generally have responsibility for an average of 14 stores within a geographic district) manage store operations. A Store Manager and 
one to three Assistant Managers manage individual stores. The Store Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the store, 

6 

 
  
 
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
including sales, customer service, merchandise display, human resource functions and store security. A typical store operates  seven 
days  a  week  with  an  average  of  12  to  16 employees,  including  a  combination  of  full  and  part-time  employees,  depending  on  the 
volume of the store and the season. Additional part-time employees are typically hired to assist with increased traffic and sales volume 
in the fourth quarter of the calendar year.  

Merchandise presentation. Merchandise is generally displayed according to guidelines and directives given to each store from 
the Merchandise Presentation team with input from Store Operations. This procedure promotes somewhat uniform display standards 
throughout  the  chain  depending  upon  store  configuration.  Using  multiple  types  of  fixtures,  we  group  complementary  merchandise 
creatively throughout the store, and also display certain products strictly by category or product type.  

Because  of  the  nature  of  our  merchandise  and  our  focus  on  identifying  and  developing  best-selling  items,  we  emphasize  our 
merchandise presentation standards. Our Merchandise Presentation team provides Store Managers with recommended directives such 
as  photographs,  diagrams  and  placement  guides.  Augmenting  this  centralized  approach,  each  Store  Manager  has  flexibility  to 
creatively  highlight  those  products  that  are  expected  to  have  the  greatest  appeal  to  local  shoppers.  Effective  and  consistent  visual 
merchandising enhances a store’s ability to reach its full sales potential.  

Personnel recruitment and training. We believe our continued success is dependent in part on our ability to attract, retain and 
motivate quality employees. In particular, our success depends on our ability to promote and/or recruit qualified Multi-Unit and Store 
Managers and maintain quality full-time and part-time employees. Multi-Unit Managers are primarily responsible for recruiting new 
Store Managers. Store Managers are responsible for the hiring and training of new associates, assisted where appropriate by a Human 
Resources Manager. We constantly look for motivated and talented people to promote from within Kirkland’s, in addition to recruiting 
outside  Kirkland’s.  All  employees  are  trained  utilizing  the  “K  University”  training  program.  Store  Managers  train  at  a  designated 
“training  store”  where  they  work  directly  with  a  qualified  Training  Store  Manager.  Multi-Unit  Managers  onboard  at  our  Corporate 
office in addition to spending time with designated Senior Multi-Unit Manager Trainers. 

Compensation and incentives. Multi-Unit and Store Managers are compensated with a base salary plus periodic bonuses based 
on performance. Sales associates are compensated on an hourly basis. In addition, we periodically run a variety of contests that reward 
associates for outstanding achievement in sales and other corporate initiatives.  

Real Estate  

Strategy. Our  real  estate  strategy  is  to  identify  dominant  retail  properties  that  are  convenient  and  attractive  to  our  target 
customer. The flexibility and broad appeal of our stores and our merchandise allow us to operate successfully in major metropolitan 
markets such as Houston, Texas and Atlanta, Georgia; middle markets such as Nashville, Tennessee and Kansas City, Missouri; and 
smaller markets such as Palmdale, California and Amarillo, Texas. As we execute our store growth strategy, we are focused on infill 
opportunities in some of our existing markets as well as expansion opportunities in under-penetrated markets in the United States such 
as the Mid-Atlantic states, the Midwest, portions of the Northeast, and California to provide us with the unit growth to achieve our 
goals.  

Formats. We operate stores in a variety of off-mall venues and enclosed malls. As of January 28, 2017, we operated 27 stores in 
enclosed malls, of which 16 were outward-facing, and 377 stores in off-mall venues. Off-mall stores included 333 in “power” strip 
centers  and  “lifestyle”  centers,  14  in  outlet  centers  and  30  freestanding  locations.  The  average  size  of  the  new  stores  we  opened  in 
fiscal  2016  was  approximately  8,200 square  feet,  and  we  currently  expect  our  fiscal  2017  new  stores  to  be  primarily  in  off-mall 
shopping centers of similar average size.  

Site selection. Our site selection strategy is to locate our stores in venues which are destinations for large numbers of shoppers 
and  which  reinforce  our  image  and  brand.  To  assess  potential  new  locations,  we  review  financial  and  demographic  criteria  and 
infrastructure  for  access.  We  also  analyze  the  quality  and  relative  location  of  co-tenants  and  competitive  factors,  square  footage 
availability,  frontage  space  and  other  relevant  criteria  to  determine  the  overall  acceptability  of  a  property  and  the  optimal  locations 
within it.  

The following table provides a history of our store openings and closings for the last five fiscal years: 

Stores open at beginning of period 
Store openings 
Store closings 
Stores open at end of period 

Fiscal 
2016 
376    
42    

Fiscal 
2015 
344    
43    

Fiscal 
2014 
324    
34    

(14) 
404 

(11) 
376 

(14) 
344 

Fiscal 
2013  
323    
24    

(23) 
324    

Fiscal 
2012  
309  
42  
(28) 
323  

7 

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
  
  
Distribution and Logistics  

We  have  implemented  a  comprehensive  approach  to  the  management  of  our  merchandise  supply  chain.  This  approach 
encompasses  all  parts  of  the  supply  chain,  from  the  manufacturer  overseas  to  the  store  selling  floor.  Our  771,000  square-foot 
distribution center in Jackson, Tennessee has a warehouse management system and material handling equipment that streamline the 
flow of goods within the distribution center. To support our e-Commerce growth, we entered into a three-year lease in March 2015 for 
an  additional  303,000  square-foot  facility  in  Jackson,  Tennessee  which  began  serving  as  the  fulfillment  center  for  e-Commerce  in 
March  2016.  We  continue  to  evaluate  the  impact  of  our  omni-channel  strategies  on  our  business,  and  are  currently  implementing 
enhancements to our supply chain infrastructure and warehouse management system to support our store unit growth and e-Commerce 
goals.  

In fiscal 2016, we implemented a new west coast distribution operation, which provides for better flow of merchandise through 
our supply chain network. By virtue of this operation, we also gain control of inventory earlier, which expands our options for future 
store and e-Commerce fulfillment capabilities. 

We currently utilize third-party carriers to transport merchandise from our distribution center to our stores. Approximately 97% 
of our stores utilize direct, full truckload deliveries, which results in lower distribution costs and allows our field personnel to better 
schedule store associates for the receiving process. The optimal delivery method for a given store depends on the store’s sales volume, 
square footage, geographic location and other factors.  

Information Systems  

We  have  invested  considerable  resources  in  our  management  information  systems  to  manage  the  purchase,  pricing  and 
distribution of our merchandise, improve our operating efficiencies and support online operations. Our key management information 
systems  include  a  merchandise  management  system,  point-of-sale  system,  an  e-Commerce  platform,  an  e-Commerce  order 
management  system,  a  warehouse  management  system,  a  financial  system  and  a  labor  management  tool.  Our  merchandise 
management  system  provides  us  with  tools  to  manage  aspects  of  our  merchandise  assortment  and  integrates  all  merchandising  and 
inventory  management  applications  including  inventory  tracking,  purchase  order  management,  merchandise  financial  planning, 
allocation, and replenishment and sales audit and ultimately interfaces with our financial system. 

We  continue  to  evaluate  and  improve  the  functionality  of  our  systems  to  maximize  their  effectiveness.  Such  efforts  include 
ongoing  hardware  and  software  evaluations,  refreshes  and  upgrades  to  support  optimal  software  configurations  and  application 
performance.  We plan to continue to invest in information technology and implement efficiency-driving system enhancements.  We 
continue to strengthen the security of our information systems and invest in technology to support store, distribution facility and omni-
channel expansion.  These efforts are directed toward improving business processes, maintaining secure, efficient and stable systems, 
and enabling the continued growth and success of our business. 

Marketing  

Although our overall marketing efforts encompass various techniques, in recent years, we have had a significant focus on e-mail 
communication.  We  now  manage  a  database  of  approximately  3.2 million  active  e-mail  addresses  that  have  been  provided  by  our 
customers, primarily through in-store collection processes and various contests and initiatives designed to drive e-mail sign-ups. We 
use this database to communicate frequently with our loyal customer base about new products, in-store events and special offers. We 
are continuously evaluating other forms of advertising as we seek to further enhance the visibility of our products and our brands. Our 
marketing  efforts  inside  the  store  emphasize  signage,  store  and  window  banners,  displays  and  other  techniques  to  attract  customers 
and provide an exciting shopping experience.  The growth of our e-Commerce business has also increased our investment in online 
marketing channels such as paid search and affiliate marketing. 

We have a customer loyalty program, K Club, which allows us to reward customers based on dollars spent on eligible purchases 
with certificates towards future purchases. In addition to the K Club, we provide our customers with the option to utilize Kirkland’s 
private-label  credit  card.  This  program  is  administered  by  a  third-party,  who  bears  the  credit  risk  associated  with  the  card  program 
without  recourse  to  us.    Customers  using  the  Kirkland’s  private-label  credit  card  visit  our  stores  and  purchase  merchandise  more 
frequently, as well as spend more money per visit, than our customers not using the card. 

Internet and Social Media  

We believe the Internet offers opportunities to complement our “brick-and-mortar” stores, increase sales and increase consumer 
brand awareness of our products. Our website at www.kirklands.com provides our customers with the ability to purchase Kirkland’s 
merchandise online and have it delivered directly to their homes or their nearest Kirkland’s store. Customers may also use the website 
as  a  resource  to  locate  a  store,  preview  our  merchandise,  join  our  K  Club  loyalty  program,  apply  for  a  Kirkland’s  credit  card,  and 
purchase  gift  cards  online.  We  are  also  very  active  in  social  media  and  maintain  a  presence  on  Facebook,  Twitter,  Pinterest  and 
Instagram. 

8 

 
The information contained or incorporated in our website is not a part of this Form 10-K.  

Trademarks  

All  of  our  stores  operate  under  the  names  “Kirkland’s”,  “Kirkland’s  Home”,  “Kirkland’s  Home  Outlet”,  “Kirkland’s  Outlet,” 

and “The Kirkland Collection.”  

We have registered several trademarks with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on the Principal Register that are 
used  in  connection  with  the  Kirkland’s  stores,  including  KIRKLAND’S® logo  design,  KIRKLAND’S®, THE  KIRKLAND 
COLLECTION®,  KIRKLAND’S  OUTLET®,  KIRKLAND’S  HOME®,  MARKET  AND  VINEtm  and  LOVE  THE  POSSIBILITIES, 
LOVE THE PRICE®. These marks have historically been important components in our merchandising and marketing strategy. We are 
not aware of any claims of infringement or other challenges to our right to use our marks in the United States. 

Competition  

The retail market for home décor and gifts is highly competitive. Accordingly, we compete against a diverse group of retailers, 
including  specialty  stores,  department  stores,  discount  stores,  catalog  and  Internet-based  retailers,  which  sell  similar  lines  of 
merchandise  to  those  carried  by  us.  Some  of  our  main  competitors  include  HomeGoods,  Bed,  Bath &  Beyond,  Cost  Plus  World 
Market, Hobby Lobby, Pier 1 Imports, Target, Ebay, Amazon and Wayfair. Department stores typically have higher prices than our 
stores  for  similar  merchandise.  Specialty  retailers  tend  to  have  higher  prices  and  a  narrower  assortment  of  home  décor  products. 
Wholesale  clubs  may  have  lower  prices  than  our  stores,  but  the  product  assortment  is  generally  more  limited.  We  believe  that  the 
principal  competitive  factors  influencing  our  business  are  merchandise  selection,  price,  customer  service,  visual  appeal  of  the 
merchandise and the store, and the convenience of our store locations. The number of companies offering a selection of home décor 
products  that  overlaps  generally  with  our  product  assortment  has  increased  over  the  last  10  to  15 years.  We  believe  we  compete 
effectively  with  other  retailers  due  to  our  experience  in  identifying  a  broad  collection  of  distinctive  merchandise,  pricing  it  to  be 
attractive to the target Kirkland’s customer, presenting it in a visually appealing manner, and providing a quality shopping experience.  

In addition to competing for customers, we compete with other retailers for suitable store locations and qualified management 

personnel and sales associates. Many of our competitors are larger and have substantially greater financial, marketing and other 
resources than we do. See Item 1A of this Form 10-K, captioned “Risk Factors.”  

Employees  

We employed approximately 7,900 employees as of January 28, 2017. The number of employees fluctuates with seasonal needs. 
None of our employees are covered by a collective bargaining agreement. We believe that we maintain a positive relationship with our 
employees.  

Seasonality 

We have experienced, and expect to continue to experience, substantial seasonal fluctuations in our net sales and operating 
results, which are typical of many specialty retailers and common to most retailers generally. Due to the importance of the fall selling 
season, which includes Thanksgiving and Christmas, the last quarter of our fiscal year has historically contributed, and is expected to 
continue to contribute, a disproportionate amount of our net sales, net income and cash flow for the entire fiscal year. 

Availability of SEC Reports  

We file annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K and other information 
with the Securities Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Members of the public may read and copy materials that we file with the SEC at 
the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Members of the public may also obtain information 
on  the  Public  Reference  Room  by  calling  the  SEC  at  1-800-SEC-0330.  The  SEC  also  maintains  an  Internet  web  site  that  contains 
reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers, including Kirkland’s, that file electronically with 
the SEC. The address of that site is http://www.sec.gov. Our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current 
reports  on  Form 8-K  and  amendments  to  those  documents  and  other  information  filed  by  us  with  the  SEC  are  available,  without 
charge, on our Internet web site, http://www.kirklands.com, as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed electronically with 
the  SEC.  Copies  are  also  available,  without  charge,  by  written  request  to:  Secretary,  Kirkland’s,  Inc.,  5310  Maryland  Way, 
Brentwood, Tennessee 37027.  

9 

 
Executive Officers of Kirkland’s  

The name, age and position of each of our executive officers as of March 31, 2017 are as follows:  

W. Michael  Madden,  47,  has  been  a  Director  of  Kirkland’s  and  President  and  Chief  Executive  Officer  since  February  2015. 
Prior to his appointment as Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Madden served as President and Chief Operating Officer since August 2014. 
He  also  served  as  Senior  Vice  President  and  Chief  Financial  Officer  from  January  2008  to  July  2014,  Vice  President  and  Chief 
Financial Officer from May 2006 to December 2007, and Vice President of Finance from May 2005 to April 2006. From July 2000 to 
May 2005, he served as Director of Finance. Prior to joining Kirkland’s, Mr. Madden served as Assistant Controller with Trammell 
Crow  Company,  a  real  estate  development,  investment,  and  operations  company,  and  was  with  PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP.  At 
PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP,  he  served  in  positions  of  increasing  responsibility  over  six  years  culminating  as  Manager-Assurance 
and  Business  Advisory  Services  where  he  worked  with  various  clients,  public  and  private,  in  the  retail  and  consumer  products 
industries.  

Michael  Cairnes,  57,  has  been  Executive  Vice  President  and  Chief  Operating  Officer  since  November  2016.  Prior  to  his 
appointment  as  Chief  Operating  Officer,  Mr. Cairnes  was  with  Michael’s  Stores,  where  he  served  concurrently  as  President  of  its 
Aaron’s  Brothers  retail  business,  since  2015,  and  President  of  its  Artistree  framing  business,  since  2007.  Prior  to  Michael’s, 
Mr. Cairnes  held  senior  leadership  positions  at  Brushstrokes,  a  publisher  of  art  canvases,  and  Larson-Juhl,  a  manufacturer  of  home 
décor products. He also has served as a board and strategy advisor to Bain Capital and Blackstone. 

Michelle  R.  Graul,  51,  has  been  Executive  Vice  President  of  Stores  and  Real  Estate  since  November  2016.  Prior  to  her 
appointment  as  Executive  Vice  President  of  Stores  and  Real  Estate,  Mrs.  Graul  served  as  Executive  Vice  President  of  Stores  and 
Merchandising from August 2014 to November 2016, Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Stores from January 2010 to 
August  2014,  Senior  Vice  President  of  Human  Resources  from  August  2008  to  December  2009,  and  Vice  President  of  Human 
Resources from March 2005 to July 2008. Prior to joining Kirkland’s, Mrs. Graul was employed with Pier 1 Imports and served in 
various  positions  of  increasing  responsibility  over  13 years  culminating  as  Zone  Human  Resources  Director.  Prior  to  joining  Pier  1 
Imports, Mrs. Graul had positions with four other retailers serving in various store operational roles and as a buyer.  

Adam  C.  Holland,  38,  has  been  Vice  President  and  Chief  Financial  Officer  since  February  2015.  Prior  to  his  appointment  as 
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Holland served as Chief Accounting Officer from August 2014 to January 2015 and 
Vice President of Finance from August 2008 to July 2014. He also served as Director of Finance from June 2006 to July 2008 and 
Manager  of  Financial  Reporting  from  May  2005  to  June  2006.  Prior  to  joining  Kirkland’s,  Mr.  Holland  served  as  Manager  of 
Corporate Accounting with Walter Industries, Inc., a holding company that owned home building, natural resources development, and 
industrial manufacturing companies, and prior to that was a senior auditor with Ernst & Young LLP.   

No family relationships exist among any of the above-listed executive officers, and there are no arrangements or understandings 
between any of the above-listed officers and any other person pursuant to which they serve as an officer. All executive officers are 
elected to hold office for one year or until their successors are elected and qualified.  

Item 1A. 

Risk Factors  

Investing in our common stock involves risk. You should carefully consider the risks described below and the other information 
contained in this report and other filings that we make from time to time with the SEC, including our consolidated financial statements 
and accompanying notes before investing in our common stock. Any of the following risks could materially and adversely affect our 
business,  financial  condition,  results  of  operations  or  liquidity.  These  risks  are  not  the  only  risks  we  face.  Our  business,  financial 
condition,  results  of  operations  or  liquidity  could  also  be  adversely  affected  by  additional  factors  that  apply  to  all  companies 
generally or by risks not currently known to us or that we currently view to be immaterial. We can provide no assurance and make no 
representation that our risk mitigation efforts, although we believe they are reasonable, will be successful.  

Risks Related to Strategy and Strategy Execution 

If We Do Not Generate Sufficient Cash Flow, We May Not Be Able to Implement Our Growth Strategy.  

The rate of our expansion will depend on, among other factors, the availability of adequate capital, which in turn will depend in 
large  part  on  cash  flow  generated  by  our  business  and  the  availability  of  equity  and  debt  capital.  The  cost  of  opening  new  stores, 
expanding, remodeling and relocating existing stores — which is part of our growth strategy — may increase in the future compared 
to  historical  costs.  There  can  be  no  assurance  that  our  business  will  generate  adequate  cash  flow  or  that  we  will  be  able  to  obtain 
equity or debt capital on acceptable terms, or at all. Moreover, our senior credit facility contains provisions that restrict the amount of 
debt we may incur in the future. If we are not successful in obtaining sufficient capital, we may be unable to open additional stores or 
expand, remodel and relocate existing stores as planned, which may adversely affect our growth strategy resulting in a decrease in net 
sales. There can be no assurances that we will be able to achieve our current plans for the opening of new stores and the expansion, 
remodeling or relocation of existing stores.  

10 

 
If We Are Unable to Profitably Open and Operate New Stores at a Rate that Exceeds Planned Store Closings, We May Not Be Able 
to Adequately Execute Our Growth Strategy, Resulting in a Decrease in Net Sales and Net Income.  

A key element of our growth strategy is to open new stores, both in existing markets and in new geographic markets that we 
select based on customer data and demographics. Our future operating results will depend to a substantial extent on whether we are 
able to continue to open and operate new stores successfully at a rate that exceeds our planned store closings.  

Our  ability  to  open  new  stores  and  to  expand,  remodel  and  relocate  existing  stores  depends  on  a  number  of  factors,  including  the 
prevailing conditions in the commercial real estate market and our ability to:  

locate and obtain favorable store sites and negotiate acceptable lease terms;  
construct or refurbish store sites;  
obtain and distribute adequate product supplies to our stores;  

• 
• 
• 
•  maintain adequate warehousing and distribution capability at acceptable costs;  
• 
• 

hire, train and retain skilled managers and personnel; and  
continue  to  upgrade  our  information  and  other  operating  systems  to  control  the  anticipated  growth  and  expanded 
operations.  

There also can be no assurance that we will be able to open, expand, remodel and relocate stores at the anticipated rate, if at all. 
Furthermore,  there  is  no  assurance  that  new  stores  that  we  open  will  generate  net  sales  levels  necessary  to  achieve  store-level 
profitability. New stores that we open in our existing markets may draw customers away from our existing stores resulting in lower net 
sales growth compared to stores opened in new markets. 

Every year we decide to close certain stores based on a number of factors, including but not limited to planned location of new 
stores nearby, excessive rent or other operating cost increases, inadequate profitability, short term leases, or the landlord’s ability to 
replace us with another tenant at more favorable terms to the landlord.  Store closings have the effect of reducing net sales. We may 
choose to close underperforming stores before lease expiration and incur termination costs associated with those closings. If we are 
not able to open new stores at a pace that exceeds the closing of existing stores we may not achieve our planned revenue growth. 

New stores also may face greater competition and have lower anticipated net sales volumes relative to previously opened stores 
during their comparable years of operations. New stores opened in new markets, where we are less well known and where we are less 
familiar with the target customer, may face different or additional risks and increased costs compared to stores operated in  existing 
markets.  Also,  stores  opened  in  off-mall  locations  may  require  greater  marketing  costs  in  order  to  attract  customer  traffic.  These 
factors,  together  with  increased  pre-opening  expenses  at  our  new  stores,  may  reduce  our  average  store  contribution  and  operating 
margins.  If  we  are  unable  to  profitably  open  and  operate  new  stores  and  maintain  the  profitability  of  our  existing  stores,  our  net 
income could suffer.  

The success of our growth plan will be dependent on our ability to promote and/or recruit a sufficient number of qualified Multi-
Unit Managers, Store Managers and sales associates to support the expected growth in the number of our stores. In addition, the time 
and effort required to train and supervise a large number of new managers and associates may divert resources from our existing stores 
and adversely affect our operating and financial performance. 

Our  Success  Depends  Upon  our  Marketing,  Advertising  and  Promotional  Efforts.  If  We  are  Unable  to  Implement  them 
Successfully, or if Our Competitors Market, Advertise or Promote More Effectively than We Do, Our Revenue May Be Adversely 
Affected.  

We use marketing and promotional programs to attract customers to our stores and to encourage purchases by our customers. 
We  use  various  media  for  our  promotional  efforts,  including  print,  database  marketing,  email  communications  and  other  electronic 
communications  such  as  paid  search  advertising  and  online  social  networks.  If  we  fail  to  choose  the  appropriate  medium  for  our 
efforts, or fail to implement and execute new marketing opportunities, our competitors may be able to attract some of our customers.  

If  our  competitors  increase  their  spending  on  advertising  and  promotions,  if  our  advertising,  media  or  marketing  expenses 
increase, if our advertising and promotions become less effective than those of our competitors, or if we do not adequately leverage 
technology and data analytic capabilities needed to generate concise competitive insight, we could experience a material adverse effect 
on  our  results  of  operations.  A  failure  to  sufficiently  innovate,  develop  customer  relationship  initiatives,  or  maintain  adequate  and 
effective advertising could inhibit our ability to maintain brand relevance and drive increased sales. 

We  May  Not  Be  Able  to  Successfully  Anticipate  Consumer  Trends,  and  Our  Failure  to  Do  So  May  Lead  to  Loss  of  Consumer 
Acceptance of Our Products Resulting in Reduced Net Sales.  

Our  success  depends  on  our  ability  to  anticipate  and  respond  to  changing  merchandise  trends  and  consumer  demands  in  a 
timely manner. While we devote considerable effort and resources to shape, analyze and respond to consumer preferences, consumer 
spending patterns and preferences cannot be predicted with certainty and can change rapidly. Our product introductions and product 

11 

 
 
improvements,  along  with  our  other  marketplace  initiatives,  are  designed  to  capitalize  on  consumer  trends.  In  order  to  remain 
successful, we must anticipate and react to these trends and develop new products or processes to address them. If we fail to identify 
and  respond  to  emerging  trends,  consumer  acceptance  of  the  merchandise  in  our  stores  and  our  image  with  our  customers  may  be 
harmed, which could reduce customer traffic in our stores and materially adversely affect our net sales.  

Additionally, if we misjudge market trends, we may significantly overstock unpopular products and be forced to take significant 
inventory  markdowns,  which  would  have  a  negative  impact  on  our  gross  profit  and  cash  flow.  Conversely,  shortages  of  items  that 
prove  popular  could  reduce  our  net  sales.  In  addition,  a  major  shift  in  consumer  demand  away  from  home  décor  could  also  have  a 
material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.  

We May Not Be Able to Successfully Respond to Technological Change, Our Website Could Become Obsolete and Our Financial 
Results and Conditions Could be Adversely Affected. 

We  maintain  a  corporate  website  through  which  we  market  and  sell  our  products  to  customers  and  publicize  Company 
information  to  customers,  investors  and  other  constituencies.    Maintenance  of  our  website  requires  substantial  development  and 
maintenance  efforts,  and  entails  significant  technical  and  business  risks.  To  remain  competitive,  we  must  continue  to  enhance  and 
improve the responsiveness, functionality and features of our website.  The sale of products through e-Commerce is characterized by 
rapid  technological  change,  the  emergence  of  new  industry  standards  and  practices  and  changes  in  customer  requirements  and 
preferences. Therefore, we may be required to license emerging technologies, enhance our existing website, develop new services and 
technology  that  address  the  increasingly  sophisticated  and  varied  needs  of  our  current  and  prospective  customers,  and  adapt  to 
technological  advances  and  emerging  industry  and  regulatory  standards  and  practices  in  a  cost-effective  and  timely  manner.  Our 
ability to remain technologically competitive may require substantial expenditures and lead time, and our failure to do so may harm 
our business and results of operations. 

Risks Related to Profitability 

Inventory Loss and Theft and the Inability to Anticipate Inventory Needs may Result in Reduced Net Sales. 

We  are  subject  to  the risk of  inventory  loss  and  theft.  We  have  experienced  inventory  shrinkage  in  the  past,  and  we  cannot 
assure that incidences of inventory loss and theft will decrease in the future or that the measures we are taking will effectively reduce 
the problem of inventory shrinkage. Although some level of inventory shrinkage is an unavoidable cost of doing business, if we were 
to experience higher rates of inventory shrinkage or incur increased security costs to combat inventory theft, our financial condition 
could be affected adversely. 

Efficient  inventory  management  is  a  key  component  of  our  business  success  and  profitability.  To  be  successful,  we  must 
maintain sufficient inventory levels to meet our customers’ demands without allowing those levels to increase to such an extent that 
the costs to store and hold the goods unduly impacts our financial results. If our buying decisions do not accurately predict customer 
trends  or  purchasing  actions,  we  may  have  to  take  unanticipated  markdowns  to  dispose  of  the  excess  inventory,  which  also  can 
adversely  impact  our  financial  results.  Though  we  attempt  to  reduce  these  risks,  we  cannot  assure  you  that  we  will  continue  to  be 
successful in our inventory management, which may negatively impact our cash flows and results of operations. 

Inability  to  Successfully  Develop  and  Maintain  a  Relevant  and  Reliable  Omni-channel  Experience  for  Our  Customers  Could 
Adversely Affect Our Sales, Results of Operations and Reputation. 

Our business has evolved from an in-store experience to interactions with customers across multiple channels (in-store, online, 
mobile and social media, among others). Our customers are using computers, tablets, mobile phones and other devices to shop on our 
website and provide feedback and public commentary about all aspects of our business. Omni-channel retailing is rapidly evolving, 
and we must keep pace with changing customer expectations and new developments and technology investments by our competitors.  

Successful  operation  of  our  e-Commerce  initiatives  are  dependent  on  our  ability  to  maintain  uninterrupted  availability  of  the 
Company’s  website  and  supporting  applications,  adequate  inventory  levels,  timely  fulfillment  of  customer  orders,  and  accurate 
shipping of undamaged products. In addition, the Company’s call center must maintain a high standard of customer care. Failure to 
successfully manage this process may negatively impact sales, result in the loss of customers, and damage our reputation. 

If we are unable to attract and retain team members or contract with third parties having the specialized skills needed to support 
our  omni-channel  efforts,  implement  improvements  to  our  customer-facing technology in a timely manner, or provide  a  convenient 
and  consistent  experience  for  our  customers  regardless  of  the  ultimate  sales  channel,  our  ability  to  compete  and  our  results  of 
operations could be adversely affected. In addition, if www.kirklands.com and our other customer-facing technology systems do not 
appeal to our customers or reliably function as designed, we may experience a loss of customer confidence, lost sales or be exposed to 
fraudulent purchases, which, if significant, could adversely affect our reputation and results of operations. 

12 

 
Our Results Could be Negatively Impacted if our Merchandise Offering Suffers a Substantial Impediment to its Reputation Due to 
Real or Perceived Quality Issues.  

Maintaining, promoting and growing our merchandise offering will depend largely on the success of our design, merchandising, 
and marketing efforts and our ability to provide a consistent, high quality customer experience. If we fail to achieve these objectives, 
our public image and reputation could be tarnished by negative publicity.   

If  our  merchandise  offerings  do  not  meet  applicable  safety  standards  or  customer  expectations  regarding  safety,  we  could 
experience lost sales and increased costs and be exposed to legal and reputational risk. All of our vendors must comply with applicable 
product safety laws, and we are dependent on them to ensure that the products we buy comply with all safety standards. Events that 
give  rise  to  actual,  potential  or  perceived  product  safety  concerns  with  respect  to  our  products  could  expose  us  to  government 
enforcement  action  or  private  litigation  and  result  in  costly  product  recalls  and  other  liabilities.  In  addition,  negative  customer 
perceptions regarding the safety of the products we sell could cause our customers to seek alternative sources for their needs, resulting 
in lost sales. In those circumstances, it may be difficult and costly for us to regain customer confidence.   

We Face an Extremely Competitive Specialty Retail Business Market, and Such Competition Could Result in a Reduction of Our 
Prices and a Loss of Our Market Share.  

The  retail  market  is  a  highly  competitive  market.  We  compete  against  a  diverse  group  of  retailers,  including  specialty  stores, 
department stores, discount stores, catalog and Internet-based retailers, which sell similar lines of merchandise to those carried by us. 
Our competitors, many of which are larger and have substantially greater financial and other resources than us, include HomeGoods, 
Bed, Bath & Beyond, Cost Plus World Market, Hobby Lobby, Pier 1 Imports, Target, Ebay, Amazon and Wayfair. Our “brick-and-
mortar” stores and our www.kirklands.com website also compete with the ever-increasing number of Internet retail websites offering 
home décor and gift merchandise. The availability of home décor and gift merchandise from various competitors on the Internet could 
result in increased price competition as our customers are more readily able to comparison shop, which could reduce our sales, prices 
and margins and adversely affect our results of operations.  

Competitors may have greater financial, distribution, logistics, marketing and other resources available to them and may be able 
to adapt to changes in customer requirements more quickly, devote greater resources to the design, sourcing, distribution, marketing 
and sale of their products, generate greater national brand recognition or adopt more aggressive pricing policies. Our competitors may 
also be able to increase sales in their new and existing markets faster than we do by emphasizing different distribution channels than 
we  do.  If  we  are  unable  to  overcome  these  potential  competitive  disadvantages,  such  factors  could  have  an  adverse  effect  on  our 
business, financial condition and results of operations.  

Weather Conditions Could Adversely Affect Our Sales and/or Profitability by Affecting Consumer Shopping Patterns.  

Our  operating  results  may  be  adversely  affected  by  severe  or  unexpected  weather  conditions.    Adverse  weather  conditions  or 
other  extreme  changes  in  the  weather,  including  resulting  electrical  and  technological  failures,  may  disrupt  our  business  and  may 
adversely  affect  our  ability  to  sell  and  distribute  products.    Frequent  or  unusual  snow,  ice  or  rain  storms  or  extended  periods  of 
unseasonable  temperatures  in  our  markets  could  adversely  affect  our  performance  by  affecting  customer  shopping  patterns  or 
diminishing demand for seasonal merchandise.  For example, extended periods of unseasonably warm temperatures during the winter 
season or cool weather during the summer season could reduce demand for a portion of our inventory and thereby reduce our sales and 
profitability. 

We are Exposed to the Risk of Natural Disasters, Pandemic Outbreaks, Global Political Events, War and Terrorism That Could 
Disrupt Our Business and Result in Lower Sales, Increased Operating Costs and Capital Expenditures. 

Our  headquarters,  store  locations,  distribution  center  and  warehouses,  as  well  as  certain  of  our  vendors  and  customers,  are 
located in areas which have been and could be subject to natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, fires or earthquakes. 
In  addition,  we  operate  in  markets  that  may  be  susceptible  to  pandemic  outbreaks,  war,  terrorist  acts  or  disruptive  global  political 
events, such as civil unrest in countries in which our vendors are located or products are manufactured. Our business may be harmed if 
our ability to sell and distribute products is impacted by any such events, any of which could influence customer trends and purchases 
and may negatively impact our net sales, properties or operations. Such events could result in physical damage to one or more of our 
properties, the temporary closure of some or all of our stores or distribution center, the temporary lack of an adequate work force in a 
market, temporary or long-term disruption in the transport of goods, delay in the delivery of goods to our distribution center or stores, 
disruption of our technology support or information systems, or fuel shortages or dramatic increases in fuel prices, which increase the 
cost of doing business. These events also can have indirect consequences such as increases in the costs of insurance if they result in 
significant  loss  of  property  or  other  insurable  damage.  Any  of  these  factors,  or  combination  thereof,  could  adversely  affect  our 
operations.  

13 

 
Our Performance May be Affected by General Economic Conditions.  

Our performance is subject to worldwide economic conditions and their impact on levels of consumer spending. Some of the 
factors that have had, and may in the future have, an impact on discretionary consumer spending include national or global economic 
downturns, an increase in consumer debt (and a corresponding decrease in the availability of affordable consumer credit), reductions 
in net worth based on recent severe market declines, softness in the residential real estate and mortgage markets, changes in taxation, 
increases in fuel and energy prices, fluctuation in interest rates, low consumer confidence and other macroeconomic factors.  

Specialty retail is a cyclical industry that is heavily dependent upon the overall level of consumer spending. Purchases of home 
décor and gifts tend to be highly correlated with cycles in consumers’ disposable income and trends in the housing market. A weak 
retail environment could impact customer traffic in our stores and also adversely affect our net sales. Because of the seasonality of our 
business,  economic  downturns,  increased  sourcing  costs,  or  scarcity  in  equipment  during  the  last  quarter  of  our  fiscal  year  could 
adversely affect us to a greater extent than if such downturns occurred at other times of the year. As purchases of home décor items 
may  decline  during  recessionary  periods,  a  prolonged  recession,  including  any  related  decrease  in  consumers’  disposable  incomes, 
may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.  

Should  credit  markets  tighten  or  turmoil  in  the  financial  markets  develop,  our  ability  to  access  funds,  refinance  our  existing 
indebtedness, enter into agreements for new indebtedness or obtain funding through the issuance of our securities would be adversely 
impacted.  

The impact of any such credit crisis or market turmoil on our major suppliers cannot be accurately predicted. The inability of 
key suppliers to access liquidity, or the insolvency of key suppliers, could lead to their failure to deliver our merchandise. Worsening 
economic conditions could also result in difficulties for financial institutions (including bank failures) and other parties with whom we 
do  business,  which  could  potentially  impair  our  ability  to  access  financing  under  existing  arrangements  or  to  otherwise  recover 
amounts as they become due under our other contractual arrangements.  

Our Profitability is Vulnerable to Inflation and Cost Increases. 

Future increases in costs such as the cost of merchandise, shipping rates, freight costs, fuel costs and store occupancy costs may 
reduce  our  profitability.  These  cost  increases  may  be  the  result  of  inflationary  pressures  that  could  further  reduce  our  sales  or 
profitability.  Increases  in  other  operating  costs,  including  changes  in  energy  prices,  wage  rates  and  lease  and  utility  costs,  may 
increase  our  cost  of  goods  sold  or  operating  expenses.  Competitive  pressures  in  our  industry  may  have  the  effect  of  inhibiting  our 
ability to reflect these increased costs in the prices of our products and therefore reduce our profitability. 

Our Business Is Highly Seasonal and Our Fourth Quarter Contributes a Disproportionate Amount of Our Net Sales, Net Income 
and Cash Flow, and Any Factors Negatively Impacting Us During Our Fourth Quarter Could Reduce Our Net Sales, Net Income 
and Cash Flow, Leaving Us with Excess Inventory and Making It More Difficult for Us to Finance Our Capital Requirements.  

We  have  experienced,  and  expect  to  continue  to  experience,  substantial  seasonal  fluctuations  in  our  net  sales  and  operating 
results, which are typical of many specialty retailers and common to most retailers generally. Due to the importance of the fall selling 
season, which includes Thanksgiving and Christmas, the last quarter of our fiscal year has historically contributed, and is expected to 
continue  to  contribute,  a  disproportionate  amount  of  our  net  sales,  net  income  and  cash  flow  for  the  entire  fiscal  year.  Any  factors 
negatively affecting us during the last quarter of our fiscal year, including unfavorable economic or weather conditions, could have a 
material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations, reducing our cash flow, leaving us with excess inventory 
and making it more difficult for us to finance our capital requirements.  

Failure to Control Merchandise Returns Could Negatively Impact the Business. 

We have established a provision for estimated merchandise returns based upon historical experience and other known factors. If 
actual returns are greater than those projected by management, additional reductions of revenue could be recorded in the future. Also, 
to the extent that returned merchandise is damaged, we may not receive full retail value from the resale of the returned merchandise. 
Introductions of new merchandise, changes in merchandise mix, associate selling behavior, merchandise quality issues, changes to our 
return policy, e-Commerce return behavior, changes in consumer confidence, or other competitive and general economic conditions 
may cause actual returns to exceed the provision for estimated merchandise returns. An increase in merchandise returns that exceeds 
our current provision could negatively impact the business and financial results. 

14 

 
We May Experience Significant Variations in Our Quarterly Results.  

Our quarterly results of operations may also fluctuate significantly based upon such factors as the timing of new store openings, 
pre-opening expenses associated with new stores, the relative proportion of new stores to mature stores, net sales contributed by new 
stores, increases or decreases in comparable store net sales, adverse weather conditions, shifts in the timing of holidays, the timing and 
level  of  markdowns,  changes  in  fuel  and  other  shipping  costs,  changes  in  our  product  mix  and  actions  taken  by  our  competitors. 
Consequently,  comparisons  between  quarters  are  not  necessarily  meaningful  and  the  results  for  any  quarter  are  not  necessarily 
indicative of future results. 

Our Comparable Store Net Sales Fluctuate Due to a Variety of Factors.  

Numerous  factors  affect  our  comparable  store  net  sales  results,  including  among  others,  weather  conditions,  retail  trends,  the 
retail sales environment, economic conditions, the impact of competition and our ability to execute our business strategy efficiently. 
Our  comparable  store  net  sales  results  have  historically  experienced  fluctuations,  including  declines  in  some  fiscal  periods.  Our 
comparable  store  net  sales  may  not  increase  from  quarter  to  quarter,  or  may  decline.  As  a  result,  the  unpredictability  of  our 
comparable  store  net  sales  may  cause  our  revenues  and  operating  results  to  vary  quarter  to  quarter,  and  an  unanticipated  decline in 
revenues or comparable store net sales may cause the price of our common stock to fluctuate significantly.  

Our Freight Costs and thus Our Cost of Goods Sold are Impacted by Changes in Fuel Prices.  

Our freight cost is impacted by changes in fuel prices through surcharges. Fuel prices and surcharges affect freight costs with 
respect to both inbound freight from vendors to our distribution center and outbound freight from our distribution center to our stores. 
Increased fuel prices or surcharges may increase freight costs and thereby increase our cost of goods sold.  

Risks Related to New Legislation, Regulation and Litigation 

New Tax Policies Could Adversely Affect Our Operating Results 

Proposed  changes  to  the  corporate  tax  code  by  the  new  Presidential  Administration  and  Congress  could  have  a  significant 
impact on our profitability.  Specifically, the proposed “Border Adjusted Tax”, which is designed to encourage companies like ours 
not to sell imported goods, could eliminate all or part of the deduction for the cost of goods sold if those goods were imported.  Since 
most of our merchandise is purchased through vendors in the United States who import the merchandise from foreign countries, the 
proposed  Border  Adjusted  Tax  could  have  a  profound  negative  effect  on  us.    These  proposed  tax  changes  might  also  provide  a 
significant advantage to our competitors in the home décor industry that sell primarily domestically-produced goods.  There is some 
chance  that  the  proposed  tax  changes  could  result  in  the  strengthening  of  the  U.S.  dollar  thereby  offsetting  the  impact  of  non-
deductibility of cost of goods sold by making imports less expensive, but there is a risk that currency valuation adjustments could lag 
significantly after the adoption of any new tax legislation. Companies like ours could raise the prices of their products to offset the 
impact of the tax changes, but our industry is highly competitive and customers tend to be price sensitive. The impact of proposed tax 
legislation cannot be determined with certainty at this time. 

New Legal Requirements Could Adversely Affect Our Operating Results.  

Our business is subject to numerous federal, state and local laws and regulations. We routinely incur costs in complying with 
these  laws  and  regulations.  We  are  exposed  to  the  risk  that  federal,  state  or  local  legislation  may  negatively  impact  our  operations. 
Changes  in  product  regulations  (including  changes  in  labeling  or  disclosure  requirements),  federal  or  state  wage  requirements, 
employee  rights  (including  changes  in  the  process  for  our  employees  to  join  a  union),  health  care,  social  welfare  or  entitlement 
programs such as health insurance, paid leave programs, or other changes in workplace regulation or tax laws could adversely impact 
our  ability  to  achieve  our  financial  targets.  Changes  in  other  regulatory  areas,  such  as  consumer  credit,  privacy  and  information 
security, or environmental regulation may result in significant added expenses or may require extensive system and operating changes 
that  may  be  difficult  to  implement  and/or  could  materially  increase  our  costs  of  doing  business.  Untimely  compliance  or 
noncompliance  with  applicable  laws  and  regulations  may  subject  us  to  legal  risk,  including  government  enforcement  action, 
significant fines and penalties and class action litigation, as well as reputational damage, which could adversely affect our results of 
operations. 

Concern  over  climate  change,  including  global  warming,  has  led  to  legislative  and  regulatory  initiatives  directed  at  limiting 
greenhouse  gas  (“GHG”)  emissions.  If  domestic  or  international  laws  or  regulations  were  expanded  to  require  GHG  emission 
reporting or reduction by us or our third-party manufacturers, or if we engage third-party contract manufacturers in countries that have 
existing GHG emission reporting or reduction laws or regulations, we would need to expend financial and other resources to comply 
with  such  regulations  and/or  to  monitor  our  third-party  manufacturers’  compliance  with  such  regulations.  In  addition,  we  cannot 
control the actions of our third-party manufacturers or the public’s perceptions of them, nor can we assure that these manufacturers 
will conduct their businesses using climate change proactive or sustainable practices. Violations of climate change laws or regulations 
by third parties with whom we do business could result in negative public perception of us and/or delays in shipments and receipt of 

15 

 
 
goods,  and  could  subject  us  to  fines  or  other  penalties,  any  of  which  could  restrict  our  business  activities,  increase  our  operating 
expenses or cause our sales to decline.  

The  costs  and  other  effects  of  new  legal  requirements  cannot  be  determined  with  certainty.  Additional  laws  may  directly  or 
indirectly affect our production, distribution, packaging, cost of raw materials, fuel, ingredients or water, any of which could impact 
our business and financial results. In addition, our efforts to comply with new legislation or regulations may increase our costs.  

Litigation May Adversely Affect Our Business, Financial Condition, Results of Operations or Liquidity. 

Our  business  is  subject  to  the  risk  of  litigation  by  employees,  consumers,  vendors,  competitors,  intellectual  property  rights 
holders,  shareholders,  government  agencies  and  others  through  private  actions,  class  actions,  administrative  proceedings,  regulatory 
actions  or  other  litigation  means.  The  outcome  of  litigation,  particularly  class  action  lawsuits,  regulatory  actions  and  intellectual 
property claims, is difficult to assess or quantify. Plaintiffs in these types of lawsuits may seek recovery of very large or indeterminate 
amounts,  and  the  magnitude  of  the  potential  loss  relating  to  these  lawsuits  may  remain  unknown  for  substantial  periods  of  time.  In 
addition,  certain  of  these  lawsuits,  if  decided  adversely  to  us  or  settled  by  us,  may  result  in  liability  material  to  our  consolidated 
financial statements as a whole or may negatively affect our operating results if changes to our business operation are required. The 
cost to defend future litigation may be significant. There also may be adverse publicity associated with litigation that could negatively 
affect customer perception of our business, regardless of whether the allegations are valid or whether we are ultimately found liable. 
As a result, litigation may adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. 

Product Liability Claims Could Adversely Affect Our Reputation.  

Despite our best efforts to ensure the quality and safety of the products we sell, we may be subject to product liability claims 
from  customers  or  penalties  from  government  agencies  relating  to  allegations  that  the  products  sold  by  us  are  misbranded,  contain 
contaminants  or  impermissible  ingredients,  provide  inadequate  instructions  regarding  their  use  or  misuse,  or  include  inadequate 
warnings concerning flammability or interactions with other substances. Such claims may result from tampering by unauthorized third 
parties, product contamination or spoilage, including the presence of foreign objects, substances, chemicals, other agents, or residues 
introduced during the growing, storage, handling and transportation phases. All of our vendors and their products must comply with 
applicable  product  and  safety  laws.  We  generally  seek  contractual  indemnification  and  insurance  coverage  from  our  suppliers. 
However, if we do not have adequate insurance or contractual indemnification available, such claims could have a material adverse 
effect on our business, financial condition and results of operation. Our ability to obtain indemnification from foreign suppliers may 
be  hindered  by  the  manufacturer's  lack  of  understanding  of  United  States  product  liability  or  other  laws,  which  may  make  it  more 
likely that we be required to respond to claims or complaints from customers as if we were the manufacturer of the products. Even 
with adequate insurance and indemnification, such claims could significantly damage our reputation and consumer confidence in our 
products.  Our  litigation  expenses  could  increase  as  well,  which  also  could  have  a  materially  negative  impact  on  our  results  of 
operations even if a product liability claim is unsuccessful or is not fully pursued. 

If We Fail to Protect Our Brand Name, Competitors May Adopt Trade Names that Dilute the Value of Our Brand Name. 

We may be unable or unwilling to strictly enforce our trademarks in each jurisdiction in which we do business. Also, we may 
not  always  be  able  to  successfully  enforce  our  trademarks  against  competitors  or  against  challenges  by  others.  Our  failure  to 
successfully  protect  our  trademarks  could  diminish  the  value  and  efficacy  of  our  brand  recognition  and  could  cause  customer 
confusion, which could, in turn, adversely affect our sales and profitability. 

Risks Related to Dependence on Technology 

Failure to Protect the Integrity and Security of Individually Identifiable Data of Our Customers and Employees Could Expose Us 
to Litigation and Damage Our Reputation; The Expansion of Our e-Commerce Business Has Inherent Cybersecurity Risks That 
May Result in Business Disruptions.  

We receive and maintain certain personal information about our customers and employees in the ordinary course of business. 
Our use of this information is regulated at the international, federal and state levels, as well as by certain third-parties with whom we 
contract  for  such  services.  If  our  security  and  information  systems  are  compromised  or  our  business  associates  fail  to  comply  with 
these laws and regulations and this information is obtained by unauthorized persons or used inappropriately, it could adversely affect 
our reputation, as well as operations, results of operations, and financial condition and could result in litigation or the imposition of 
penalties.  As  privacy  and  information  security  laws  and  regulations  change,  we  may  incur  additional  costs  to  ensure  we  remain  in 
compliance. Our business requires collection of large volumes of internal and customer data, including credit card numbers and other 
personally identifiable information of our customers in various information systems and those of our service providers. The integrity 
and  protection  of  customer,  employee,  and  company  data  is  critical  to  us.  If  that  data  is  inaccurate  or  incomplete,  we  or  the  store 
managers could make faulty decisions. Customers and employees also have a high expectation that we and our service providers will 
adequately  protect  their  personal  information.  The  regulatory  environment  surrounding  information,  security  and  privacy  is  also 

16 

 
increasingly demanding. Our existing systems may be unable to satisfy changing regulatory requirements and employee and customer 
expectations, or may require significant additional investments or time to do so. Despite implementation of various measures designed 
to protect our information systems and records, including those we maintain with our service providers, we or the store managers may 
be  subject  to  security  breaches,  system  failures,  viruses,  operator  error  or  inadvertent  releases  of  data.  A  significant  theft,  loss,  or 
fraudulent use of customer, employee, or company data maintained by us or by a service provider or failure to comply with the various 
United  States  and  international  laws  and  regulations  applicable  to  the  protection  of  such  data  or  with  Payment  Card  Industry  data 
security standards, could adversely impact our reputation and could result in remedial and other expenses, fines, or litigation. A breach 
in  the  security  of  our  information  systems  or  those  of  our  service  providers  could  lead  to  an  interruption  in  the  operation  of  our 
systems, resulting in operational inefficiencies and a loss of profits.  

Certain aspects of the business, particularly our website, heavily depend on consumers entrusting personal financial information 
to be transmitted securely over public networks. We have experienced increasing e-Commerce sales over the past several years, which 
increases  our  exposure  to  cybersecurity  risks.  We  invest  considerable  resources  in  protecting  the  personal  information  of  our 
customers but are still subject to the risks of security breaches and cyber incidents resulting in unauthorized access to stored personal 
information.  Any  breach  of  our  cybersecurity  measures  could  result  in  violation  of  privacy  laws,  potential  litigation,  and  a  loss  of 
confidence in our security measures, all of which could have a negative impact on our financial results and our reputation. In addition, 
a privacy breach could cause us to incur significant costs to restore the integrity of our system and could result in significant costs in 
government penalties and private litigation.  

Our Hardware and Software Systems Are Vulnerable to Damage that Could Harm Our Business.  

We rely upon our existing information systems for operating and monitoring all major aspects of our business, including sales, 
warehousing,  distribution,  purchasing,  inventory  control,  merchandise  planning  and  replenishment,  as  well  as  various  financial 
functions. These systems and our operations are vulnerable to damage or interruption from:  

• 
• 

• 

fire, flood and other natural disasters;  
power  loss,  computer  systems  failures,  internet  and  telecommunications  or  data  network  failure,  operator  negligence, 
improper  operation  by  or  supervision  of  employees,  physical  and  electronic  loss  of  data  or  security  breaches, 
misappropriation and similar events; and  
computer viruses and malicious attacks and security breaches.  

Any  disruption  in  the  operation  of  our  information  systems,  the  loss  of  employees  knowledgeable  about  such  systems  or  our 
failure to continue to effectively modify such systems could interrupt our operations or interfere with our ability to monitor inventory, 
which could result in reduced net sales and affect our operations and financial performance. We also need to ensure that our systems 
are consistently adequate to handle our anticipated store growth and are upgraded as necessary to meet our needs. The cost of any such 
system  upgrades  or  enhancements  would  be  significant.  If  our  systems  are  damaged  or  fail  to  function  properly,  we  may  incur 
substantial costs to repair or replace them, and may experience loss of critical data and interruptions or delays in our ability to manage 
inventories or process customer transactions, which could adversely affect our results of operations.  

We also rely heavily on our information technology staff. Failure to meet these staffing needs may negatively affect our ability 
to  fulfill  our  technology  initiatives  while  continuing  to  provide  maintenance  on  existing  systems.  We  rely  on  certain  vendors  to 
maintain and periodically upgrade many of these systems so that they can continue to support our business. The software programs 
supporting many of our systems were licensed to us by independent software developers. The inability of these developers or us to 
continue  to  maintain  and  upgrade  these  information  systems  and  software  programs  would  disrupt  or  reduce  the  efficiency  of  our 
operations if we are unable to convert to alternate systems in an efficient and timely manner. In addition, costs and potential problems 
and interruptions associated with the implementation of new or upgraded systems and technology, or with maintenance or adequate 
support of existing systems could also disrupt or reduce the efficiency of our operations. 

Risks Associated with Vendors and Distribution 

We Depend on a Number of Vendors to Supply Our Merchandise, and Any Delay in Merchandise Deliveries from Certain Vendors 
May Lead to a Decline in Inventory Which Could Result in a Loss of Net Sales.  

Any disruption in the supply or increase in pricing of our merchandise could negatively impact our ability to achieve anticipated 
operating  results. We  purchase  our  products  from  approximately  200  vendors  with  which  we  have  no  long-term  purchase 
commitments or exclusivity contracts. Historically, we have retained our vendors and we have generally not experienced difficulty in 
obtaining desired merchandise from vendors on acceptable terms. However, our arrangements with these vendors do not guarantee the 
availability  of  merchandise,  establish  guaranteed  prices  or  provide  for  the  continuation  of  particular  pricing  practices.  Our  current 
vendors may not continue to sell products to us on current terms or at all, and we may not be able to establish relationships with new 
vendors to ensure delivery of products in a timely manner or on terms acceptable to us. In addition, a period of unfavorable financial 
performance may make it difficult for some of our vendors to arrange for the financing or factoring of their orders with manufacturers, 
which could result in our inability to obtain desired merchandise from those vendors. 

17 

 
Our largest vendor is deemed to be a related party because its principal owner is the spouse of the Company’s Vice President of 
Merchandising.  During fiscal 2016, the Company’s purchases from this related party vendor totaled approximately $44.7 million, or 
17.6% of total merchandise purchases.  While this relationship has been approved by the Company’s Audit Committee, any disruption 
in the relationship could negatively impact our ability to achieve anticipated operating results.   

We  may  not  be  able  to  acquire  desired  merchandise  in  sufficient  quantities  on  terms  acceptable  to  us  in  the  future. Also, our 
business  would  be  adversely  affected  if  there  were  delays  in  product  shipments  to  us  due  to  freight  difficulties,  strikes  or  other 
difficulties at our principal transport providers or otherwise. We have from time to time experienced delays of this nature. We are also 
dependent  on  vendors  for  assuring  the  quality  of  merchandise  supplied  to  us.  Our  inability  to  acquire  suitable  merchandise  in  the 
future or the loss of one or more of our vendors and our failure to replace any one or more of them may harm our relationship with our 
customers resulting in a loss of net sales.  

We Are Dependent on Foreign Imports for a Significant Portion of Our Merchandise, and Any Changes in the Trading Relations 
and Conditions Between the United States and the Relevant Foreign Countries May Lead to a Decline in Inventory Resulting in a 
Decline in Net Sales, or an Increase in the Cost of Sales Resulting in Reduced Gross Profit.  

Most of our merchandise is purchased through vendors in the United States who import the merchandise from foreign countries, 
primarily China. Our vendors are subject to the risks involved with relying on products manufactured abroad, and we remain subject 
to those risks to the extent that their effects are passed through to us by our vendors or cause disruptions in supply. These risks include 
changes in import duties, quotas, loss of “most favored nation” trading status with the United States for a particular foreign country, 
work  stoppages,  delays  in  shipments,  first  cost  price  increases,  freight  cost  increases,  exchange  rate  fluctuations,  terrorism,  war, 
economic  uncertainties  (including  inflation,  foreign  government  regulations  and  political  unrest),  trade  restrictions  (including  the 
United States imposing antidumping or countervailing duty orders, safeguards, remedies or compensation and retaliation due to illegal 
foreign trade practices) and other factors relating to foreign trade, including costs and uncertainties associated with efforts to identify 
and disclose sources of "conflict minerals" used in products that the Company causes to be manufactured and potential sell-through 
difficulties  and  reputational  damage  that  may  be  associated  with  the  inability  of  the  Company  to  determine  that  such  products  are 
classified as "DRC conflict-free." If any of these or other factors were to cause a disruption of trade from the countries in which the 
suppliers of our vendors are located, our inventory levels may be reduced or the cost of our products may increase.  

Historically, instability in the political and economic environments of the countries in which our vendors obtain our products 
has  not  had  a  material  adverse  effect  on  our  operations.  However,  we  cannot  predict  the  effect  that  future  changes  in  economic  or 
political  conditions  in  such  foreign  countries  may  have  on  our  operations.  Although  we  believe  that  we  could  access  alternative 
sources  in  the  event  of  disruptions  or  delays  in  supply  due  to  economic,  political  or  health  conditions  in  foreign  countries,  such 
disruptions or delays may adversely affect our results of operations unless and until alternative supply arrangements can be made. In 
addition,  merchandise  purchased  from  alternative  sources  may  be  of  lesser  quality  or  more  expensive  than  the  merchandise  we 
currently purchase abroad.  

Countries  from  which  our  vendors  obtain  these  products  may,  from  time  to  time,  impose  new  or  adjust  prevailing  quotas  or 
other  restrictions  on  exported  products,  and  the  United  States  may  impose  new  duties,  quotas  and  other  restrictions  on  imported 
products.  This  could  disrupt  the  supply  of  such  products  to  us  and  adversely  affect  our  operations.  The  United  States  Congress 
periodically  considers  other  restrictions  on  the  importation  of  products  obtained  for  us  by  vendors.  The  cost  of  such  products  may 
increase for us if applicable duties are raised or import quotas with respect to such products are imposed or made more restrictive.  

We  are  also  subject  to  the  risk  that  the  manufacturers  abroad  who  ultimately  manufacture  our  products  may  employ  labor 
practices  that  are  not  consistent  with  acceptable  practices  in  the  United  States.  In  any  such  event  we  could  be  hurt  by  negative 
publicity with respect to those practices and, in some cases, face liability for those practices.  

Our  Success  Is  Highly  Dependent  on  Our  Planning  and  Control  Processes  and  Our  Supply  Chain,  and  Any  Disruption  in  or 
Failure to Continue to Improve These Processes May Result in a Loss of Net Sales and Net Income.  

An important part of our efforts to achieve efficiencies, cost reductions and net sales growth is the continued identification and 
implementation  of  improvements  to  our  planning,  logistical  and  distribution  infrastructure  and  our  supply  chain,  including 
merchandise  ordering,  transportation  and  receipt  processing.  In  addition,  recent  increases  in  energy  prices  have  resulted,  and  are 
expected  to  continue  to  result,  in  increased  merchandise  and  freight  costs,  which  cannot  readily  be  offset  through  higher  prices 
because of competitive factors.  

A  significant  portion  of  the  distribution  of  products  to  our  stores  is  coordinated  through  our  distribution  facility  in  Jackson, 
Tennessee. We have also recently opened an e-Commerce distribution center, also in Jackson, Tennessee. We depend on the orderly 
operation of these receiving and distribution facilities, which rely on adherence to shipping schedules and effective management. We 
are  also  currently  exploring  alternative  distribution  methods  and  from  time  to  time  we  make  significant  upgrades  to  our  warehouse 
management  software.  If  these  changes  or  upgrades  do  not  go  smoothly,  then  we  could  face  significant  disruptions  with  our 
distribution process. In addition, we cannot assure that events beyond our control, such as disruptions due to fire or other catastrophic 

18 

 
events, labor disagreements or shipping problems, will not result in delays in the delivery of merchandise to our stores. We also cannot 
guarantee that our insurance will be sufficient, or that insurance proceeds will be timely paid to us, in the event our distribution center 
is shut down for any reason. Any significant disruption in the operations of our distribution facilities would have a material adverse 
effect on our ability to maintain proper inventory levels in our stores and satisfy our e-Commerce customers, which could result in a 
loss of net sales and net income.  

Risks Related to Company Governance and Ownership 

We Depend on Key Personnel, and, if We Lose the Services of Any Member of Our Senior Management Team, We May Not Be 
Able to Run Our Business Effectively.  

We have benefited substantially from the leadership and performance of our senior management team. Our success will depend 
on our ability to retain our current senior management members and to attract and retain qualified personnel in the future. Competition 
for senior management personnel is intense, and there can be no assurances that we will be able to retain our personnel. The loss of a 
member of senior management would require the remaining executive officers to divert immediate and substantial attention to seeking 
a replacement.   

Our Charter and Bylaw Provisions and Certain Provisions of Tennessee Law May Make It Difficult in Some Respects to Cause a 
Change in Control of Kirkland’s and Replace Incumbent Management.  

Our charter authorizes the issuance of “blank check” preferred stock with such designations, rights and preferences as may be 
determined  from  time  to  time  by  our  Board  of  Directors.  Accordingly,  the  Board  of  Directors  is  empowered,  without  shareholder 
approval, to issue preferred stock with dividend, liquidation, conversion, voting or other rights that could materially adversely affect 
the voting power or other rights of the holders of our common stock. Holders of the common stock do not have preemptive rights to 
subscribe for a pro rata portion of any capital stock which may be issued by us. In the event of issuance, such preferred stock could be 
utilized, under certain circumstances, as a method of discouraging, delaying or preventing a change in control of Kirkland’s. 

Our  charter  and  bylaws  contain  certain  corporate  governance  provisions  that  may  make  it  more  difficult  to  challenge 
management,  deter  and  inhibit  unsolicited  changes  in  control  of  Kirkland’s  and  have  the  effect  of  depriving  our  shareholders  of  an 
opportunity to receive a premium over the prevailing market price of our common stock in the event of an attempted hostile takeover. 
First, the charter provides for a classified Board of Directors, with directors (after the expiration of the terms of the initial classified 
board of directors) serving three year terms from the year of their respective elections and being subject to removal only for cause and 
upon the vote of 80% of the voting power of all outstanding capital stock entitled to vote (the “Voting Power”). Second, our charter 
and bylaws do not generally permit shareholders to call, or require that the Board of Directors call, a special meeting of shareholders. 
The  charter  and  bylaws  also  limit  the  business  permitted  to  be  conducted  at  any  such  special  meeting.  In  addition,  Tennessee  law 
permits action to be taken by the shareholders by written consent only if the action is consented to by holders of the number of shares 
required  to  authorize  shareholder  action  and  if  all  shareholders  entitled  to  vote  are  parties  to  the  written  consent.  Third, the  bylaws 
establish  an  advance  notice  procedure  for  shareholders  to  nominate  candidates  for  election  as  directors  or  to  bring  other  business 
before  meetings  of  the  shareholders.  Only  those  shareholder  nominees  who  are  nominated  in  accordance  with  this  procedure  are 
eligible for election as directors of Kirkland’s, and only such shareholder proposals may be considered at a meeting of shareholders as 
have been presented to Kirkland’s in accordance with the procedure. Finally, the charter provides that the amendment or repeal of any 
of the foregoing provisions of the charter mentioned previously in this paragraph requires the affirmative vote of at least 80% of the 
Voting  Power.  In  addition,  the  bylaws  provide  that  the  amendment  or  repeal  by  shareholders  of  any  bylaws  made  by  our  Board  of 
Directors requires the affirmative vote of at least 80% of the Voting Power.  

Furthermore, Kirkland’s is subject to certain provisions of Tennessee law, including certain Tennessee corporate takeover acts 
that  are,  or  may  be,  applicable  to  us.  These  acts,  which  include  the  Investor  Protection  Act,  the  Business  Combination  Act  and  the 
Tennessee  Greenmail  Act,  seek  to  limit  the  parameters  in  which  certain  business  combinations  and  share  exchanges  occur.  The 
charter,  bylaws  and  Tennessee  law  provisions  may  have  an  anti-takeover  effect,  including  possibly  discouraging  takeover  attempts 
that might result in a premium over the market price for our common stock.  

If We Fail to Maintain an Effective System of Internal Control, We May Not be Able to Accurately Report Our Financial Results.  
As a public company, we are required to document and test our internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 
of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 so that our management can certify the effectiveness of our internal controls and our independent 
registered  public  accounting  firm  can  render  an  opinion  on  the  effectiveness  of  our  internal  control  over  financial  reporting.  As  a 
result, we may incur substantial expenses to test our systems, to make any necessary improvements, and to hire additional personnel.  

We maintain a system of internal control over financial reporting, but there are limitations inherent in internal control systems. 
If we are unable to maintain adequate and effective internal control over financial reporting, our financial reporting could be adversely 
affected. A control system, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the 

19 

 
objectives  of  the  control  system  are  met.  In  addition,  the  design  of  a  control  system  must  reflect  the  fact  that  there  are  resource 
constraints and the benefit of controls must be appropriate relative to their costs.  

If  our  management  is  unable  to  certify  the  effectiveness  of  our  internal  controls  or  if  our  independent  registered  public 
accounting  firm  cannot  render  an  opinion  on  the  effectiveness  of  our  internal  control  over  financial  reporting,  or  if  material 
weaknesses in our internal controls are identified, we could be subject to regulatory scrutiny and a loss of public confidence, which 
could  harm  our  business  and  cause  a  decline  in  our  common  stock  price.  In  addition,  if  we  do  not  maintain  adequate  financial  and 
management personnel, processes and controls, we may not be able to accurately report our financial performance on a timely basis, 
which could cause a decline in our common stock price and harm our ability to raise capital. Failure to accurately report our financial 
performance  on  a  timely  basis  could  also  jeopardize  our  continued  listing  on  The  NASDAQ  Stock  Market  LLC  or  any  other  stock 
exchange on which our common stock may be listed. Delisting of our common stock on any exchange could reduce the liquidity of the 
market for our common stock, which could reduce the price of our common stock and increase the volatility of our common stock 
price. 

The Market Price for Our Common Stock Might Be Volatile and Could Result in a Decline in the Value of Your Investment.  

The  price  at  which  our  common  stock  trades  may  be  volatile.  The  market  price  of  our  common  stock  could  be  subject  to 
significant fluctuations in response to our operating results, general trends and prospects for the retail industry, announcements by our 
competitors, analyst recommendations, our ability to meet or exceed analysts’ or investors’ expectations, the condition of the financial 
markets and other factors. In addition, the stock market in recent years has experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that 
often  have  been  unrelated  or  disproportionate  to  the  operating  performance  of  companies.  These  fluctuations,  as  well  as  general 
economic  and  market  conditions,  may  adversely  affect  the  market  price  of  our  common  stock  notwithstanding  our  actual  operating 
performance.  

 Item 1B. 

Unresolved Staff Comments  

None.  

Item 2. 

Properties  

We  lease  all  of  our  store  locations  and  expect  to  continue  our  practice  of  leasing  rather  than  owning.  Our  leases  typically 
provide for 5 to 10 year initial terms, many with the ability for us (or the landlord) to terminate the lease at specified points during the 
term if net sales at the leased premises do not reach a certain annual level. Many of our leases provide for payment of percentage rent 
(i.e., a percentage of net sales in excess of a specified level), and the rate of increase in key ancillary charges is generally capped.  

As current leases expire, we believe we have the option to obtain favorable lease renewals for present store locations or obtain 
new leases for equivalent or better locations in the same general area. To date, we have not experienced unusual difficulty in either 
renewing or extending leases for existing locations or securing leases for suitable locations for new stores.  

We currently lease one central distribution facility, consisting of 771,000 square feet, located in Jackson, Tennessee. We also 
lease 303,000 square feet of additional warehouse space at a second location in Jackson, Tennessee, which services our e-Commerce 
fulfillment, and we lease additional overflow warehouse space in Jackson, Tennessee on a month to month basis. We currently lease 
76,000 square feet of office space in Brentwood, Tennessee. 

20 

 
 
 
 
The following table indicates the states where our stores are located and the number of stores within each state as of January 

28, 2017:  

    State 

Texas  
Florida  
California  
Georgia  
North Carolina  
Tennessee  
Alabama  
Arizona  
Louisiana  
Virginia  
Mississippi 
Indiana 
Missouri 
Illinois 
Kentucky 
Michigan  
Ohio  
Oklahoma 

  Number 

of 
Stores 

65 
38 
26 
24 
24 
18 
16 
16 
15 
13 
11 
10 
10 
9 
9 
9 
9 
9 

    State 

Pennsylvania  
South Carolina 
Arkansas 
Colorado  
Kansas  
Minnesota  
New Jersey 
New York 
Nevada 
Wisconsin 
Delaware  
Iowa 
Maryland 
North Dakota 
Nebraska 
New Mexico 
Wyoming  
    West Virginia 
    Total 

  Number 

of 
Stores 

9 
9 
8 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
4 
4 
2 
2 
2 
2 
2 
2 
1 
    1 
404 

Item 3. 

Legal Proceedings  

We are involved in various routine legal proceedings incidental to the conduct of our business. We believe any resulting liability 
from existing legal proceedings, individually or in the aggregate, will not have a material adverse effect on our operations or financial 
condition. Although the outcome of such proceedings and claims cannot be determined with certainty, we believe that it is unlikely 
that these proceedings and claims in excess of insurance coverage will have a material effect on our operations, financial condition or 
cash flows.  

Item 4. 

Mine Safety Disclosures  

Not applicable.  

21 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
PART II  

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities  

Our common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC (“Nasdaq”) under the symbol “KIRK”. We commenced trading 
on Nasdaq on July 11, 2002. On March 16, 2017, there were approximately 46 holders of record and approximately 3,271 beneficial 
owners of our common stock. The following table sets forth the high and low last sale prices of our common stock for the periods 
indicated.  

First Quarter 
Second Quarter 
Third Quarter 
Fourth Quarter 

Dividend Policy  

Fiscal 2016 

4 

Fiscal 2015  

High  
17.51   $ 
16.41   $ 
15.51   $ 
17.22   $ 

Low  
11.57   $ 
13.02  $ 
11.90   $ 
11.66  $ 

High  
26.49   $ 
28.72   $ 
27.97   $ 
24.11   $ 

Low  
22.47  
23.97 
21.03  
11.39 

$ 
$ 
$ 
$ 

There have been no dividends declared on any class of our common stock during the past three fiscal years, except on May 21, 
2015, the Company announced that its Board of Directors authorized a special cash dividend of $1.50 per share on its common stock. 
The special dividend of $26.0 million was paid on June 19, 2015 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on June 5, 2015. 
Our senior credit facility restricts our ability to pay cash dividends. See “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial 
Condition and Results of Operations – Liquidity and Capital Resources – Revolving Credit Facility.” Future cash dividends, if any, 
will  be  determined  by  our  Board  of  Directors  and  will  be  based  upon  our  earnings,  capital  requirements,  financial  condition,  debt 
covenants and other factors deemed relevant by our Board of Directors.  

Stock Price Performance Graph  

This graph shows changes in the value of Kirkland’s stock as compared to the NASDAQ Composite Index and the NASDAQ 
Retail Trade Index from January 28, 2012 to January 28, 2017 (the Company’s fiscal year-end).  The comparison assumes that $100 
was  invested  on  January  28,  2012  in  the  Company’s  common  stock  and  in  each  of  the  foregoing  indices  and  in  each  case  assumes 
reinvestment of dividends. 

COMPARISON OF 5 YEAR CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN 
Among Kirkland's, Inc., the NASDAQ Composite Index  
and the NASDAQ Retail Trade Index 

$300 

$250 

$200 

$150 

$100 

$50 

$0 
1/28/12 

2/2/13 

2/1/14 

1/31/15 

1/30/16 

1/28/17 

Kirkland's, Inc. 

NASDAQ Composite 

NASDAQ Retail Trade 

22 

 
  
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
On  May  22,  2014,  the  Company  announced  that  its  Board  of  Directors  authorized  a  stock  repurchase  plan  providing  for  the 
purchase in the aggregate of up to $30 million of the Company’s outstanding common stock from time to time until May 2016. The 
Company  completed  this  $30  million  share  repurchase  plan  during  the  year  ended  January  30,  2016  by  repurchasing  and  retiring  a 
total of 1,921,423 shares at a weighted average cost of $15.61 per share. The Company’s Board of Directors has not authorized any 
additional repurchase plan as of the date of this filing.  

Item 6. 

Selected Financial Data  

The following selected financial data is derived from our consolidated financial statements. The data below should be read in 
conjunction  with  Item 7.  “Management’s  Discussion  and  Analysis  of  Financial  Condition  and  Results  of  Operations”  and  our 
consolidated financial statements and notes thereto.  

Summary of Operations 

Total revenue (2) 
Gross profit 
Operating expenses, excluding depreciation 
Depreciation 
Operating income 
Income before income taxes 
Net income 
GAAP diluted earnings per share 
Dividends declared per common share 

outstanding 

Other Financial Data 

Fiscal Year (1) 
2016 
2014  
(Numbers in thousands, except store, square footage data and per share amounts) 

2015  

2013  

2012  

$     594,328 
221,471 
179,150 
25,322 
16,999 
16,975 
11,046 
$           0.68 

$    561,807 
218,794 
170,421 
22,182 
26,191 
26,097 
16,573 
$          0.94 

$    507,621 
202,897 
155,617 
18,639 
28,641 
28,820 
17,814 
$          1.00 

$  460,563  
180,816  
140,877  
15,947  
23,992  
23,959  
14,530  
$          0.82 

$    448,365  
168,616  
133,913  
13,175  
       21,528   
21,494  
13,795  
0.77  

$ 

$ 

-  

$          1.50 

$ 

-  

$ 

-  

$ 

-  

Comparable store sales increase (decrease) (3) 
Number of stores at year end 
Average net sales per store (4) 
Average net sales per gross square foot (5) 
Average net sales per selling square foot (6) 
Average gross square footage per store at fiscal 

year end 

(2.9)% 
404 
$         1,385 
$            179 
$            241 

2.9% 
376 
$        1,454 
$           191 
$           257 

6.1% 
344 
$        1,441 
$           191 
$           257 

           0.5% 
324  
1,383  
186  
251  

$ 
$ 
$ 

$ 
$ 
$ 

(3.0)% 
323  
1,408  
201  
271  

7,798 

7,666 

7,550 

7,464  

   7,263 

Merchandise margin as a percentage of total 

Gross profit as a percentage of total revenue 
Compensation and benefits as a percentage of 

revenue (7) 

total revenue 

Other operating expenses as a percentage of 

total revenue 
Effective tax rate 
Inventory yield (8) 
Return on assets (ROA) (9) (10) 
Return on equity (ROE) (11) 

Balance Sheet Data 

Current assets (10) 
Current liabilities 
Working capital (10) 
Total assets (10) 
Total liabilities (10) 
Total shareholders’ equity 

54.5% 
37.3% 

54.7% 
         38.9% 

55.4% 
         40.0% 

54.5% 
         39.3% 

18.5% 

18.2% 

18.7% 

18.8% 

11.6% 
34.9% 
278.0% 
4.4% 
8.7% 

12.1% 
36.5% 
304.0% 
6.7% 
         12.2% 

12.0% 
38.2% 
336.3% 
7.3% 
         12.4% 

11.8% 
         39.4% 
       323.8% 
           6.6% 
11.5% 

52.7% 
37.6% 

18.6% 

11.3% 
35.8% 
319.6% 
6.7% 
11.7% 

$  153,040  
74,441  
$ 
$ 
78,599  
$  270,146  
$  136,333  
$  133,813  

$  127,780  
59,495  
$ 
$ 
68,285  
$  235,256  
$  115,561  
$  119,695  

$   163,791 
$     57,380 
$   106,411 
$   256,949 
$   105,887 
$   151,062 

$  150,504  
52,647  
$ 
$ 
97,857  
$  232,671  
$ 
97,442  
$  135,229  

$  127,576  
44,003  
$ 
$ 
83,573  
$  207,634  
$ 
89,759  
$  117,875  

(1) 
(2) 

Fiscal 2012 includes 53 weeks. Other fiscal years presented include 52 weeks. 
Total revenue includes gift card breakage revenue of approximately $1.1 million in fiscal 2016, as compared to approximately 
$994,000, $853,000, $1.1 million, and $970,000 in fiscal years 2015, 2014, 2013, and 2012, respectively.  

23 

 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
(3) 

(4) 

(5) 
(6) 

Comparable store sales are calculated by including new stores in the comparable store sales base on the first day of the month 
following  the  13th  full  fiscal  month  of  sales.  Stores  closed  during  the  year  are  included  in  the  comparable  store  sales 
calculation only for the full fiscal months of the year in which the stores were open. Relocated stores are removed from the 
comparable store base and treated as a new store for comparable store sales purposes.  The e-Commerce store is included in 
comparable store sales. The fiscal 2012 comparable store sales decrease is shown on a 52-week basis. 
Based  on  the  average  net  sales  of  all  stores  that  were  open  at  both  the  beginning  and  end  of  the  period  and  excludes  e-
Commerce store sales and gift card breakage revenue. 
Calculated using the gross square footage of all stores open at both the beginning and the end of the period.  
Calculated using the selling square footage (excluding storage, receiving and office space square footage) of all stores open at 
both the beginning and the end of the period.  

(7)  Merchandise  margin  is  calculated  as  net  sales  minus  product  cost  of  sales  (including  inbound  freight),  shrink  expense  and 
discounts  associated  with  our  loyalty  program.  Merchandise  margin  excludes  outbound  freight,  store  occupancy  and  central 
distribution costs.  
Inventory yield is defined as gross profit divided by average inventory for each of the preceding four quarters.  
Return on assets equals net income divided by average total assets.  
Prior  periods  have  been  adjusted  for  deferred  taxes  being  reclassified  from  current  assets  to  noncurrent  liabilities  in  the 
consolidated  balance  sheets.    Amounts  related  to  deferred  taxes  that  were  reclassified  from  current  assets  to  noncurrent 
liabilities are $3,329,000, $3,538,000, $2,777,000 and $1,602,000 for fiscal 2015, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively. 

(8) 
(9) 
(10) 

(11)  Return on equity equals net income divided by average total shareholders’ equity.  

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

The following discussion should be read with our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this 
Form 10-K. A number of the matters and subject areas discussed in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition 
and Results of Operations”, “Business” and elsewhere in this Form 10-K are not limited to historical or current facts and deal with 
potential  future  circumstances  and  developments  and  are  accordingly  “forward-looking  statements.”  You  are  cautioned  that  such 
forward-looking statements, which may be identified by words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan” 
and similar expressions, are only predictions and that actual events or results may differ materially.  

Our fiscal year is comprised of the 52 or 53-week period ending on the Saturday closest to January 31. Accordingly, fiscal 2016 
represented the 52 weeks ended on January 28, 2017. Fiscal 2015 represented the 52 weeks ended on January 30, 2016. Fiscal 2014 
represented the 52 weeks ended on January 31, 2015. 

Introduction  

We are a specialty retailer of home décor and gifts in the United States, operating 404 stores in 36 states as of January 28, 2017. 
Our  stores  present  a  broad  selection  of  distinctive  merchandise,  including  framed  art,  mirrors,  ornamental  wall  décor,  candles  and 
related  items,  lamps,  decorative  accessories,  accent  furniture,  textiles,  garden-related  accessories  and  artificial  floral  products.  Our 
stores  also  offer  an  extensive  assortment  of  holiday  and  other  seasonal  merchandise,  as  well  as  items  carried  throughout  the  year 
suitable for gift-giving. We provide our customers with a unique combination of style and value that has led to our emergence as a 
leader  in  home  décor  and  has  enabled  us  to  develop  a  strong  customer  franchise.  As  a  result,  we  have  achieved  substantial  growth 
during our 50-year history and have expanded our store base into different regions of the country.  

Overview of Key Financial Measures  

Total  revenue  and  gross  profit  are  the  most  significant  drivers  to  our  operating  performance.  Total  revenue  consists  of  all 
merchandise sales to customers, gift card breakage and shipping revenue associated with internet sales, net of returns and exclusive of 
sales taxes. Our total revenue for fiscal 2016 increased by 5.8% to $594.3 million from $561.8 million in fiscal 2015. The net sales 
increase in fiscal 2016 resulted primarily from the net growth in the store base of 28 stores and increased e-Commerce sales, partially 
offset by a decrease in brick-and-mortar comparable store sales. Comparable store sales, including the increase in e-Commerce sales, 
decreased 2.9% for fiscal 2016. We use comparable store sales to measure our ability to achieve sales increases from stores that have 
been open for at least 13 full fiscal months. Stores closed during the year are included in the comparable store sales calculation only 
for the full fiscal months of the year the stores were open. Relocated stores are removed from the comparable store base and treated as 
a  new  store  for  comparable  store  sales  purposes.  Increases  in  comparable  store  sales  are  an  important  factor  in  maintaining  or 
increasing the profitability of existing stores.  

Gross  profit  is  the  difference  between  total  revenue  and  cost  of  sales  (exclusive  of  depreciation).  Cost  of  sales  (exclusive  of 
depreciation)  has  various  distinct  components  including:  product  cost  of  sales  (including  inbound  freight,  inventory  shrinkage  and 
loyalty  reward  program  charges),  store  occupancy  costs,  outbound  freight  costs  (including  e-Commerce  shipping)  and  central 
distribution  costs.  Product  and  outbound  freight  costs  are  variable,  while  occupancy  and  central  distribution  costs  are  largely  fixed. 

24 

 
 
Accordingly,  gross  profit  expressed  as  a  percentage  of  total  revenue  can  be  influenced  by  many  factors  including  overall  sales 
performance.  For  fiscal  2016,  gross  profit  increased  1.2%  to  $221.5 million  from  $218.8  million  for  fiscal  2015.  Gross  profit 
percentage for fiscal 2016 decreased to 37.3% of total revenue from 38.9% of total revenue for fiscal 2015, due primarily to higher 
store occupancy, central distribution and outbound freight costs as well as lower merchandise margins. 

Operating expenses, including the costs of operating our stores and corporate headquarters, are also an important component of 
our operating performance. Compensation and benefits comprise the majority of our operating expenses. Operating expenses contain 
fixed and variable costs, and managing the operating expense ratio (operating expenses expressed as a percentage of net sales) is an 
important focus of management as we seek to increase our overall profitability. Operating expenses include cash costs as well as non-
cash costs such as depreciation and amortization. Because many operating expenses are fixed costs, and because operating costs tend 
to rise over time, increases in comparable store sales typically are necessary to prevent meaningful increases in the operating expense 
ratio.  Operating  expenses  can  also  include  certain  costs  that  are  of  a  one-time  or  non-recurring  nature.  While  these  costs  must  be 
considered  to  understand  fully  our  operating  performance,  we  typically  identify  such  costs  separately  where  significant  in  the 
consolidated statements of income so that we can evaluate comparable expense data across different periods.  

Strategic Areas of Emphasis  

For fiscal 2016, we ended the year with 404 stores versus 376 stores at the end of fiscal 2015, representing a 7.4% increase in 
store  units  and  a  9.3%  increase  in  store  square  footage.  In  the  near  term,  we  will  focus  on  infill  opportunities  in  some  of  our  core 
markets,  as  well  as  expansion  opportunities  in  under-penetrated  markets  in  the  United  States  such  as  the  Mid-Atlantic  states,  the 
Midwest, portions of the Northeast, and California.  We expect to open 25 to 30 new locations during fiscal 2017 and expect to close 
approximately  20  locations.    The  new  store  openings  during  fiscal  2017  are  expected  to  be  weighted  towards  the  second  and  third 
quarters of the year, while closings during fiscal 2017 are expected to be weighted towards the first half of the year.   

The following table summarizes our stores in terms of size as of January 28, 2017 and January 30, 2016:  

Number of stores 
Square footage 
Average square footage per store 

As of 
January 28, 
2017 

404 
3,150,311 
7,798 

As of 
January 30, 
2016  

376 
2,882,402 
7,666 

An  important  part  of  our  growth  strategy  includes  investing  in  technology  to  provide  the  infrastructure  to  support  our  future 
needs. Looking forward, we are focusing on process improvements as well as improving our supply chain and advancing our omni-
channel model.  We plan to upgrade our warehouse management system and plan to further develop our e-Commerce capabilities by 
adding numerous new features and functions, including expanding our vendor “drop-ship” product offerings and improving our ship 
to store options, allowing us to further expand our product assortment on the website. We continue to make other investments in our e-
Commerce  store  with  functionality  enhancements  designed  to  drive  sales  and  conversion.  We  view  these  projects  as  essential  and 
supportive to the execution of our omni-channel growth strategy.  

Our  cash  balances  increased  from  $44.4 million  at  January  30,  2016  to  $63.9 million  at  January  28,  2017  reflecting  our 
operating performance and changes in working capital. No common stock repurchases or cash dividends occurred during fiscal 2016. 
Our objective is to finance all of our operating and investing activities for fiscal 2017 with cash provided by operations as we have 
done in fiscal 2016. We expect that capital expenditures for fiscal 2017 will range from $23 million to $27 million, before landlord 
construction  allowances  for  new  stores,  and  estimate  $13  million  to  $16  million  of  the  total  capital  expenditures  will  relate  to  new 
store  construction,  $4  million  to  $6  million  will  relate  to  omni-channel  capabilities  and  information  technology,  $1  million  to  $2 
million will relate to the distribution center and supply chain, with the balance of our capital expenditures relating to visual displays 
and fixtures for stores and maintenance items.  

25 

 
  
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
 
Fiscal 2016 Compared to Fiscal 2015  

Results  of  operations. The  table  below  sets  forth  selected  results  of  our  operations  both  in  dollars  (in  thousands)  and  as  a 

percentage of total revenue for the periods indicated:  

Net sales 
Gift card breakage revenue 
                  Total revenue 
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation) 

Gross profit 

Operating expenses: 

Compensation and benefits 
Other operating expenses 
Depreciation 

Operating income 

Interest expense 
Other income, net 
Income before income taxes 
Income tax expense 
Net income 

Fiscal 2016  

Fiscal 2015  

Change  

$  
$    593,221 
1,107 
594,328 
372,857 
221,471 

110,277 
68,873 
25,322 
16,999 
276 
(252) 
16,975 
5,929 
$      11,046 

%  
99.8% 
0.2% 
100.0% 
62.7% 
37.3% 

18.5% 
11.6% 
4.3% 
2.9% 
-% 
-% 
2.9% 
1.0% 
1.9% 

$  
$    560,813 
994 
561,807 
343,013 
218,794 

102,471 
67,950 
22,182 
26,191 
346 
(252) 
26,097 
9,524 
$      16,573 

%  
99.8% 
0.2% 
100.0% 
61.1% 
38.9% 

18.2% 
12.1% 
3.9% 
4.7% 
0.1% 
-% 
4.6% 
1.7% 
2.9% 

$  
$     32,408 
113 

32,521 
29,844 

2,677 

7,806 
923 
3,140 

(9,192) 
(70) 
- 

(9,122) 
(3,595) 

$     (5,527) 

%  
5.8% 
11.4% 
5.8% 
8.7% 
1.2% 

7.6% 
1.4% 
14.2% 
(35.1)% 
(20.2)% 
-% 
(35.0)% 
(37.7)% 
(33.3)% 

Total revenue. Total revenue increased by 5.8% to $594.3 million for fiscal 2016 from $561.8 million for fiscal 2015. The total 
revenue increase of $32.5 million in fiscal 2016 resulted primarily from net-new store sales growth of approximately of $47.8 million, 
partially offset by a decrease in total comparable store sales of approximately $15.3 million. We opened 42 new stores and closed 14 
stores in fiscal 2016 compared to 43 new store openings and 11 store closures in fiscal 2015. 

Comparable store sales decreased 2.9% for fiscal 2016 compared to an increase of 2.9% for fiscal 2015. The comparable store 
sales decrease was comprised of a 4.7% decrease in brick-and-mortar comparable store sales, partially offset by a 21.7% increase in e-
Commerce  sales,  which  excludes  shipping  revenue.  The  decrease  in  brick-and-mortar  comparable  stores  sales  was  driven  by  a 
decrease in transactions resulting from lower traffic, partially offset by higher conversion.  Average ticket also decreased slightly year-
over-year  due  to  lower  items  per  transaction,  partially  offset  by  a  higher  average  unit  retail  price.  The  increase  in  e-Commerce 
comparable  sales  was  due  to  an  increase  in  website  traffic  coupled  with  an  increase  in  conversion,  slightly  offset  by  a  decrease  in 
average  order  size.  Merchandise  categories  performing  below  last  year’s  level  were  art  and  textiles.  Merchandise  categories  that 
contributed positively to fiscal 2016 comparable store sales included holiday and furniture.  

Gross profit. Gross profit increased $2.7 million or 1.2% to $221.5 million for fiscal 2016 from $218.8 million for fiscal 2015. 
Gross  profit  expressed  as  a  percentage  of  total  revenue  decreased  to  37.3%  for  fiscal  2016  from  38.9%  for  fiscal  2015  due  to 
deleveraging of store occupancy, central distribution and outbound freight costs, as well as lower merchandise margins. Merchandise 
margin is calculated as total revenue minus product cost of sales including inbound freight, inventory shrinkage, and loyalty reward 
program charges. Merchandise margin excludes outbound freight, store occupancy and central distribution costs. 

Merchandise margin decreased to 54.5% of total revenue in fiscal 2016 from 54.7% of total revenue in fiscal 2015. The decrease 
as a percentage of total revenue was primarily driven from increased promotional activity to stimulate traffic and manage inventory 
levels, partially offset by lower inbound freight costs as compared to fiscal 2015. 

Store occupancy costs increased to $59.9 million, or 10.1% of total revenue, in fiscal 2016 from $51.5 million, or 9.2% of total 
revenue, in fiscal 2015. The increase in dollars year-over-year was mainly due to store growth.  The increase as a percentage of total 
revenue was due to a combination of deleverage from lower comparable store sales and higher new store occupancy costs. 

Our central distribution costs increased to $18.8 million, or 3.2% of total revenue, in fiscal 2016 from $15.0 million, or 2.7% of 
total revenue, in fiscal 2015.  The increase in fiscal 2016 was mainly due to the addition of a 303,000 square-foot fulfillment facility in 
Jackson,  Tennessee.  We  began fulfilling  e-Commerce  orders  out  of  this  facility  in  the  first  quarter  of  2016,  which  resulted  in 
additional startup, labor and operating costs. 

Outbound freight costs, which include e-Commerce shipping expense, increased to $23.7 million, or 4.0% of total revenue, in 
fiscal 2016 from $21.8 million, or 3.9% of total revenue, in fiscal 2015. Increases in e-Commerce shipping expenses were driven by 

26 

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
both increased e-Commerce sales and a shift in our e-Commerce business to more ship-to-home sales, which carry a higher fulfillment 
cost.  These increases were partially offset by lower outbound-to-store shipping expense. 

Compensation  and  benefits. Compensation  and  benefits  expenses,  including  both  store  and  corporate  personnel,  were 
$110.3 million, or 18.5% of total revenue, for fiscal 2016 compared to $102.5 million, or 18.2% of total revenue, for fiscal 2015. The 
year-over-year dollar increase in fiscal 2016 was mainly due to store growth. The increase as a percentage of total revenue in fiscal 
2016 was primarily due to deleverage from lower comparable store sales and higher employee benefit expenses.  

Other operating expenses. Other operating expenses, including both store and corporate costs, were $68.9 million, or 11.6% of 
total revenue, for fiscal 2016 compared to $68.0 million, or 12.1% of total revenue, for fiscal 2015. Operating expenses at the store 
level  were  down  as  a  percentage  of  sales  due  to  lower  workers’  compensation  and  general  liability  expense  as  well  as  lower 
advertising costs.  At the corporate level, professional and legal fees, as well as travel and insurance costs were down as a percentage 
of total revenue.  

Depreciation. Depreciation expense was $25.3 million, or 4.3% of total revenue, for fiscal 2016 as compared to $22.2 million, 
or  3.9%  of  total  revenue,  for  fiscal  2015.  The  increase  in  depreciation  expense  reflects  the  impact  of  the  increase  in  capital 
expenditures in recent fiscal years, including new store growth and the implementation of major technology initiatives.  

Income tax expense. We recorded income tax expense of $5.9 million, or 34.9% of pre-tax income, during fiscal 2016 compared 
to income tax expense of $9.5 million, or 36.5% of pre-tax income, during the prior year period. The decrease in the tax rate reflects 
the reversal of unrecognized tax benefits due to the lapse of the statute of limitations in Q4 2016. 

Net income. As a result of the foregoing, we reported net income of $11.0 million, or $0.68 per diluted share, for fiscal 2016 

compared to net income of $16.6 million, or $0.94 per diluted share, for fiscal 2015.  

Fiscal 2015 Compared to Fiscal 2014  

Results  of  operations. The  table  below  sets  forth  selected  results  of  our  operations  both  in  dollars  (in  thousands)  and  as  a 

percentage of total revenue for the periods indicated:  

Net sales 
Gift card breakage revenue 
                  Total revenue 
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation) 

Gross profit 

Operating expenses: 

Compensation and benefits 
Other operating expenses 
Depreciation 

Operating income 

Interest expense 
Other income, net 
Income before income taxes 
Income tax expense 
Net income 

Fiscal 2015  

Fiscal 2014  

Change  

$  
$    560,813 
994 
561,807 
343,013 
218,794 

102,471 
67,950 
22,182 
26,191 
346 
(252) 
26,097 
9,524 
$      16,573 

%  
99.8% 
0.2% 
100.0% 
61.1% 
38.9% 

18.2% 
12.1% 
3.9% 
4.7% 
0.1% 
-% 
4.6% 
1.7% 
2.9% 

$  
$    506,768 
853 
507,621 
304,724 
202,897 

94,738 
60,879 
18,639 
28,641 
275 
(454) 
28,820 
11,006 
$      17,814 

%  
99.8% 
0.2% 
100.0% 
60.0% 
40.0% 

18.7% 
12.0% 
3.7% 
5.6% 
-% 
(0.1)% 
5.7% 
2.2% 
3.5% 

$  
$     54,045 
141 

54,186 
38,289 

15,897 

7,733 
7,071 
3,543 

(2,450) 
71 
202 

(2,723) 
(1,482) 

$     (1,241) 

%  
10.7% 
16.5% 
10.7% 
12.6% 
7.8% 

8.2% 
11.6% 
19.0% 
(8.6)% 
25.8% 
(44.5)% 
(9.4)% 
(13.5)% 
(7.0)% 

Total revenue. Total revenue increased by 10.7% to $561.8 million for fiscal 2015 from $507.6 million for fiscal 2014. The total 
revenue increase in fiscal 2015 resulted primarily from the comparable brick-and-mortar store sales increase, new store sales and an 
increase in e-Commerce sales, partially offset by store closings. We opened 43 new stores in fiscal 2015 and 34 new stores in fiscal 
2014,  and  we  closed  11  stores  in  fiscal  2015  and  14  stores  in  fiscal  2014.  Comparable  store  sales  increased  2.9%  for  fiscal  2015. 
During  fiscal  2014,  comparable  store  sales  increased  6.1%.  The  comparable  store  sales  increase  in  fiscal  2015  accounted  for  a 
$14.0 million  increase  in  overall  sales,  while  the  net  growth  of  the  store  base  accounted  for  a  $40.2 million  increase  in  sales.  The 
comparable store sales increase was comprised of a 0.7% increase in brick-and-mortar comparable store sales and a 41.1% increase in 
e-Commerce  sales,  which  excludes  shipping  revenue.  The  increase  in  brick-and-mortar  comparable  stores  sales  was  driven  by  an 
increase  in  transactions  resulting  from  higher  conversion,  partially  offset  by  lower  traffic.    Average  ticket  decreased  slightly  year-
over-year due to lower items per transaction, partially offset by a higher average unit retail. Merchandise categories that performed the 

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strongest in fiscal 2015 were holiday, fragrance and accessories, housewares, frames, and personal accessories. Categories performing 
below fiscal 2014 levels were art, ornamental wall décor, lamps, and furniture.  

Gross profit. Gross profit increased $15.9 million or 7.8% to $218.8 million for fiscal 2015 from $202.9 million for fiscal 2014. 
Gross profit expressed as a percentage of total revenue decreased to 38.9% for fiscal 2015 from 40.0% for fiscal 2014. The decrease in 
gross  profit  as  a  percentage  of  total  revenue  was  in  part  driven  by  lower  merchandise  margins,  which  decreased  to 54.7%  in  fiscal 
2015 from 55.4% in fiscal 2014. The decrease in merchandise margin was primarily the result of higher inbound freight charges and 
an  increase  in  promotional  markdowns  to  stimulate  traffic  and  manage  inventory  levels.  Store  occupancy  costs  increased  to 
$51.5 million  or  9.2%  of  total  revenue  in  fiscal  2015  from $45.6  million  or  9.0%  of  total  revenue  in  fiscal  2014.  Outbound  freight 
costs decreased as a percentage of total revenue primarily due to a shift in our e-Commerce business to more in-store-pickup sales, 
which carry a lower fulfillment cost for the Company. Central distribution expenses increased as a percentage of total revenue due to 
the  addition  of  a  303,000  square-foot  fulfillment  facility  in  Jackson,  Tennessee  and  increased  labor  expenses  due  to  peak  season 
challenges. 

Compensation  and  benefits. Compensation  and  benefits  expenses,  including  both  store  and  corporate  personnel,  were 
$102.5 million, or 18.2% of total revenue, for fiscal 2015 compared to $94.7 million, or 18.7% of total revenue, for fiscal 2014. The 
decrease  in  the  compensation  and  benefits  expenses  as  a  percentage  of  total  revenue  was  primarily  due  to  lower  corporate  bonus 
expense.  

Other operating expenses. Other operating expenses, including both store and corporate costs, were $68.0 million, or 12.1% of 
total  revenue,  for  fiscal  2015  compared  to  $60.9  million,  or  12.0%  of  total  revenue,  for  fiscal  2014.  Operating  expenses  as  a 
percentage  of  total  revenue  slightly  increased  compared  to  the  prior  year.  At  the  corporate  level,  professional  and  legal  fees  and 
information technology related expenses increased in dollars and as a percent of total revenue. At the store level, advertising expense 
and workers’ compensation and general liability expense decreased as a percentage of total revenue compared to the prior year period. 

Depreciation. Depreciation expense was $22.2 million, or 3.9% of total revenue, for fiscal 2015 as compared to $18.6 million, 
or  3.7%  of  total  revenue,  for  fiscal  2014.  The  increase  in  depreciation  reflects  the  impact  of  the  increase  in  capital  expenditures  in 
recent fiscal years, including new store growth and the implementation of major technology initiatives.  

Income tax expense. Income tax expense was 36.5% of pre-tax income for fiscal 2015 compared to 38.2% of pre-tax income for 

fiscal 2014 primarily due to higher tax credits.  

Net income. As a result of the foregoing, we reported net income of $16.6 million, or $0.94 per diluted share, for fiscal 2015 

compared to net income of $17.8 million, or $1.00 per diluted share, for fiscal 2014.  

Liquidity and Capital Resources  

Our  principal  capital  requirements  are  for  working  capital  and  capital  expenditures.  Working  capital  consists  mainly  of 
merchandise inventories offset by accounts payable, which typically reach their peak in the early portion of the fourth quarter of each 
fiscal  year.  Capital  expenditures  primarily  relate  to  new  store  openings;  existing  store  expansions,  remodels  or  relocations;  and 
purchases of equipment or information technology assets for our stores (including e-Commerce), distribution facilities and corporate 
headquarters.  Historically,  we  have  funded  our  working  capital  and  capital  expenditure  requirements  with  internally  generated  cash 
and borrowings under our credit facility.  

Cash  flows  from  operating  activities. Net  cash  provided  by  operating  activities  was  $51.8 million,  $32.0  million  and  $44.5 
million  for  fiscal  2016,  fiscal  2015  and  fiscal  2014,  respectively.  Net  cash  provided  by  operating  activities  depends  heavily  on 
operating performance, changes in working capital and the timing and amount of payments for income taxes. 

The change in the amount of cash provided by operations from fiscal 2015 to fiscal 2016 was primarily the result of changes in 
working  capital  as  well  as  cash  received  for  landlord  construction  allowances,  partially  offset  by  a  decline  in  operating 
performance. Inventory  increased  over  the  prior  year  period  due  to  the  growth  in  store  count  and  e-Commerce,  as  well  as  gaining 
control and ownership of inventory earlier in the supply chain from our new west coast distribution operation. This also resulted in a 
corresponding increase in our accounts payable, thereby having a net positive effect on cash provided by operating activities in the 
current  fiscal  year  compared  to  the  prior  fiscal  year.  In  addition,  cash  received  for  landlord  construction  allowances  also  increased 
over the prior year period due in part to the timing of both prior year and current year new store openings. 

The change in the amount of cash provided by operations from fiscal 2014 to fiscal 2015 was primarily the result of an increase 
in inventory and prepaid and other current assets and a decrease in accrued expenses as compared to the prior year.  The increase in 
inventory is related to a higher store count, as well as growth in the e-Commerce business, although below plan sales results in the 
back-half of fiscal 2015 also contributed higher inventory levels at the end of the year. The increase in prepaid and other current assets 
was due to an increase in tenant allowance receivables and other receivables. 

28 

 
Cash flows from investing activities. Net cash used in investing activities was $32.2 million, $35.1 million and $29.6 million for 
fiscal  2016,  fiscal  2015  and  fiscal  2014,  respectively.  For  each  period  presented,  the  amounts  of  cash  used  in  investing  activities 
consisted principally of capital expenditures related to new store construction, existing store expenditures, distribution center projects 
and information technology projects. The decrease in capital expenditures from fiscal 2015 to fiscal 2016 was primarily due to new 
store  construction,  distribution  center  projects  and  existing  store  projects.  The  increase  in  capital  expenditures  from  fiscal  2014  to 
fiscal 2015 was primarily due to new store construction, existing store projects and distribution center projects. During fiscal 2016, we 
opened 42 stores compared to 43 stores in fiscal 2015 and 34 stores in fiscal 2014. 

Cash flows from financing activities. Net cash used in financing activities was $0.1 million, $51.7 million and $4.8 million for 
fiscal 2016, fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2014, respectively. During fiscal 2014, we authorized a share repurchase plan allowing for the use 
of up to $30 million in cash for repurchases of our common stock, which we completed during fiscal 2015. Net cash used in fiscal 
2015  primarily  related  to  a  special  cash  dividend  of  $26.0  million  and  the  repurchase  and  retirement  of  common  stock  of  $25.2 
million.  Net cash used in fiscal 2014 primarily related to the repurchase and retirement of common stock of $4.8 million. No shares 
were repurchased or dividends issued during fiscal 2016. During fiscal 2016, fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2014, we did not make any draws 
on our revolving credit facility.  

Revolving credit facility. During the period of August 19, 2011 through February 26, 2016, we were party to an Amended and 
Restated Credit Agreement (the “2011 Credit Agreement”) with Bank of America, N.A. as administrative agent and collateral agent, 
and the lenders named therein (the “Lenders”). The 2011 Credit Agreement included a senior secured revolving credit facility of $50 
million, a swingline availability of $5 million and a maturity date of August 2016. Borrowings under the 2011 Credit Agreement bore 
interest at an annual rate equal to LIBOR plus a margin ranging from 175 to 225 basis points with no LIBOR floor, and the fee paid to 
the Lenders on the unused portion of the credit facility was 37.5 basis points per annum.  

On February 26, 2016, the Company, entered into a Joinder and First Amendment to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement 
(the “2016 Credit Agreement”). The 2016 Credit Agreement increased our senior secured revolving credit facility from $50 million to 
$75 million, increased the swingline availability from $5 million to $10 million and extended the maturity date from August 2016 to 
February  2021,  along  with  adding  a  $25  million  incremental  accordion  feature.  Borrowings  under  the  2016  Credit  Agreement  bear 
interest at an annual rate equal to LIBOR plus a margin ranging from 125 to 175 basis points with no LIBOR floor, and the fee paid to 
the Lenders on the unused portion of the credit facility is 25 basis points per annum. 

Borrowings under the Credit Agreements are subject to certain customary conditions and contain customary events of default, 
including,  without  limitation,  failure  to  make  payments,  a  cross-default  to  certain  other  debt,  breaches  of  covenants,  breaches  of 
representations and warranties, a change in control, certain monetary judgments and bankruptcy and ERISA events. Upon any such 
event  of  default,  the  principal  amount  of  any  unpaid  loans  and  all  other  obligations  under  the  Credit  Agreements  may  be  declared 
immediately due and payable. The maximum availability under the facility is limited by a borrowing base formula which consists of a 
percentage of eligible inventory and eligible credit card receivables, less reserves.  

We  are  subject  to  an  Amended  and  Restated  Security  Agreement  (“Security  Agreement”)  with  our  Lenders.  Pursuant  to  the 
Security  Agreement,  we  pledged  and  granted  to  the  administrative  agent,  for  the  benefit  of  itself  and  the  secured  parties  specified 
therein, a lien on and security interest in all of the rights, title and interest in substantially all of our assets to secure the payment and 
performance of the obligations under the Credit Agreements.  

As of January 28, 2017, we were in compliance with the covenants in the 2016 Credit Agreement, and there were no outstanding 

borrowings under the credit facility, with approximately $50.6 million available for borrowing.  

As of January 28, 2017, our balance of cash and cash equivalents was approximately $63.9 million. We did not borrow from our 
credit facility during fiscal 2016, nor do we expect any borrowings during fiscal 2017. We believe that the combination of our cash 
balances and cash flow from operations will be sufficient to fund our planned capital expenditures and working capital requirements 
for at least the next twelve months.  

Share  repurchase  authorization.  On  May  22,  2014,  we  announced  that  our  Board  of  Directors  authorized  a  stock  repurchase 
plan providing for the purchase in the aggregate of up to $30 million of our outstanding common stock from time to time until May 
2016.  We  completed  this  $30  million  share  repurchase  plan  during  the  year  ended  January  30,  2016  by  repurchasing  and  retiring  a 
total of 1,921,423 shares at a weighted average cost of $15.61 per share. There were no stock repurchases in fiscal 2016. 

29 

 
 
Contractual Obligations  

The  following  table  identifies  payment  obligations  for  the  periods  indicated  under  our  current  contractual  arrangements.  The 
amounts set forth below reflect contractual obligations as of January 28, 2017. The timing and/or the amount of the payments may be 
changed in accordance with the terms of the contracts or new contractual obligations may be added. A summary of our contractual 
obligations and other commercial commitments as of January 28, 2017 is listed below (in thousands):  

Amount of Commitment per Period  

Operating leases(1) 
Purchase obligations(2) 
Construction commitments(3) 
Total 

$ 

$ 

341,876   $ 
70,452    
475    
412,803   $ 

Total 
Contractual 
Obligations  

Less Than 1 
Year  
60,243   $ 
70,452    
475    
131,170   $ 

1 to 3 Years  

3 to 5 Years  

More Than 5 
Years  

106,969   $ 
-    
-    
106,969   $ 

85,001   $ 
-    
-    
85,001   $ 

89,663  
- 
-  
89,663  

(1)  These amounts represent future minimum lease payments under non-cancelable operating leases.  
(2)  Purchase obligations consist entirely of open purchase orders of merchandise inventory as of January 28, 2017; such orders are 

generally cancelable at our discretion until the order has been shipped.  
(3)  These amounts represent commitments for new store construction projects. 

Related Party Transactions  

In July 2009, we entered into a Vendor Agreement with a related party vendor to purchase merchandise inventory. The vendor 
is considered a related party because its principal owner is the spouse of our Vice President of Merchandising. The table below sets 
forth selected results related to this vendor in dollars (in thousands) and percentages for the periods indicated: 

Related Party Vendor 
Purchases 
Purchases as a percent of total merchandise purchases 
Cost of sales 
Payable amounts outstanding at fiscal year end 

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements  

None.  

Seasonality and Quarterly Results  

52 Weeks Ended 
January 28, 
2017 

52 Weeks Ended 
January 30, 
2016  

52 Weeks Ended 
January 31, 
2015  

$     44,703 
17.6% 
$     40,560 
$       5,008 

$     39,178 
14.8% 
$     35,170 
$       2,258 

$     29,114 
12.5% 
$     27,613 
$       2,077 

We  have  historically  experienced  and  expect  to  continue  to  experience  substantial  seasonal  fluctuations  in  our  net  sales  and 
operating income. We believe this is the general pattern typical of our segment of the retail industry and, as a result, expect that this 
pattern will continue in the future. Our quarterly results of operations may also fluctuate significantly as a result of a variety of other 
factors, including the timing of new store openings, net sales contributed by new stores, shifts in the timing of certain holidays and 
competition.  Consequently,  comparisons  between  quarters  are  not  necessarily  meaningful  and  the  results  for  any  quarter  are  not 
necessarily indicative of future results.  

Our strongest sales period is the fourth quarter of our fiscal year when we generally realize a disproportionate amount of our net 
sales and a substantial majority of our operating and net income. In anticipation of the increased sales activity during the fourth quarter 
of our fiscal year, we purchase large amounts of inventory and hire temporary staffing help for our stores. Our operating performance 
could suffer if net sales were below seasonal norms during the fourth quarter of our fiscal year.  

30 

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
The following table sets forth certain unaudited financial and operating data for Kirkland’s in each fiscal quarter during fiscal 
2016  and  fiscal  2015  (dollars  in  thousands).  The  unaudited  quarterly  information  includes  all  normal  recurring  adjustments  that  we 
consider necessary for a fair statement of the information shown.  

Total revenue 
Gross profit 
Operating income (loss) 
Net income (loss) 
Earnings (loss) per share: 

Basic 
Diluted 

Stores open at end of period 
Comparable store net sales increase (decrease) 

Total revenue 
Gross profit 
Operating income (loss) 
Net income (loss) 
Earnings (loss) per share: 

Basic 
Diluted 

Stores open at end of period 
Comparable store net sales increase 

Inflation  

April 30, 
2016  
$129,911 
49,537 
1,524 
916 

Fiscal 2016 Quarter Ended  
October 29, 
July 30, 
2016  
2016  
$  123,017 
42,273  
(5,895) 
(3,567) 

$  138,240  
50,478 
(1,608) 
(846)  

$ 

January 28, 
2017 
203,160 
79,183  
22,978  
14,543  

0.06 
0.06 
382 
         0.5% 

(0.22) 
  (0.22) 
  391  
         (4.3)% 

 (0.05) 
(0.05)  
401  

            (2.3)% 

          0.91 
0.90  
404 
          (4.6)% 

Fiscal 2015 Quarter Ended  
October 31, 
2015  

May 2, 
2015  
$  118,310  
47,663  
4,097  
2,529  

August 1, 
2015  
$  115,289  
42,512  
(3,702) 
(2,288) 

$  129,238  
48,101 
(932) 
(270)  

$ 

January 30, 
2016 
198,970 
80,518  
26,728  
16,602  

0.15  
0.14  
342  
        3.0% 

(0.13) 
  (0.13) 
  351  
         6.7% 

 (0.02) 
(0.02)  
370  
            1.8% 

             0.99 
0.97  
376  
          1.3% 

We do not believe that our operating results have been materially affected by inflation during the preceding three fiscal years. 

There can be no assurance, however, that our operating results will not be adversely affected by inflation in the future.  

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates  

The  discussion  and  analysis  of  our  financial  condition  and  the  results  of  our  operations  are  based  upon  our  consolidated 
financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. The 
preparation  of  these  financial  statements  requires  us  to  make  estimates  that  affect  the  reported  amounts  contained  in  the  financial 
statements  and  related  disclosures.  We  base  our  estimates  on  historical  experience  and  on  various  other  assumptions  which  are 
believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ from these estimates. Our critical accounting policies are 
discussed  in  the  notes  to  our  consolidated  financial  statements.  Certain  judgments  and  estimates  utilized  in  implementing  these 
accounting policies are likewise discussed in the notes to our consolidated financial statements. The following discussion aggregates 
the  various  critical  accounting  policies  addressed  throughout  the  financial  statements,  the  judgments  and  uncertainties  affecting  the 
application  of  these  policies  and  the  likelihood  that  materially  different  amounts  would  be  reported  under  varying  conditions  and 
assumptions.  

Inventory  valuation —  Our  inventory  is  stated  at  the  lower  of  cost  or  market,  net  of  reserves  and  allowances,  with  cost 
determined  using  the  average  cost  method  with  average  cost  approximating  current  cost.  The  carrying  value  of  our  inventory  is 
affected by reserves for shrinkage and obsolescence.  

We  estimate  as  a  percentage  of  sales  the  amount  of  shrinkage  that  has  occurred  between  the  most  recently  completed  store 
physical  count  and  the  end  of  the  financial  reporting  period  based  upon  historical  physical  inventory  count  results.  Management 
adjusts these estimates based on changes, if any, in the trends yielded by our physical inventory counts, which occur throughout the 
fiscal  year.  Historically  the  variation  between  our  recorded  estimates  and  observed  results  has  been  insignificant,  and  although 
possible, significant future variation is not expected. If our estimated shrinkage reserve varied by 10% from the amount recorded, the 
carrying value of inventory would have changed approximately $180,000 as of January 28, 2017.  

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We also evaluate the cost of our inventory by category and class of merchandise in relation to the estimated sales price. This 
evaluation is performed to ensure that we do not carry inventory at a value in excess of the amount we expect to realize upon the sale 
of the merchandise. Our reserves for excess inventory and inventory obsolescence (in connection with which we reduce merchandise 
inventory  to  the  lower  of  cost  or  market)  are  also  estimated  based  upon  our  historical  experience  of  selling  goods  below  cost. 
Historically, the variation between our estimates to account for excess and obsolete inventory and actual results has been insignificant. 
As of January 28, 2017, our reserve for obsolescence was approximately $547,000. 

Impairments —  In  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  Financial  Accounting  Standards  Board  (“FASB”)  Accounting  Standards 
Codification (“ASC”)  360,  “Property,  Plant,  and  Equipment”,  we  evaluate  the  recoverability  of  the  carrying  amounts  of  long-lived 
assets whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying values may not be recoverable. This review includes the 
evaluation of individual underperforming retail stores and assessing the recoverability of the carrying values of the assets related to 
such stores. Future cash flows are projected for the remaining lease life. The key assumptions used to determine the estimated cash 
flows for these stores include net sales and gross margin performance, payroll and related items, occupancy costs and other costs to 
operate.  We  calculate  the  fair  values  of  long-lived  assets  using  the  age-life  method.  Under  this  method,  the  replacement  cost  of  an 
asset is estimated and reduced by depreciation based on the effective age of the asset and its expected useful life. This method takes 
into consideration the fact that we will continue to use these assets based on a presumed investment decision where the expected cash 
flows from operating the store are greater than the expected cash flows that result from not operating the store. If the estimated fair 
values  are  less  than  the  carrying  values  of  the  assets,  we  record  an  impairment  charge  equal  to  the  difference,  if  any,  between  the 
assets’ fair values and carrying values. 

We  have  not  made  any  material  changes  to  our  impairment  loss  assessment  methodology  in  the  financial  periods  presented. 
Additionally,  we  do  not  believe  that  there  will  be  a  material  change  in  the  estimates  or  assumptions  we  use  to  calculate  long-lived 
asset  impairment  losses.  However,  if  actual  results  are  not  consistent  with  our  estimates  and  assumptions  used  in  estimating  future 
cash flows and asset fair values, we may be exposed to losses that could be material.  

Insurance  reserves —  Workers’  compensation,  general  liability  and  employee  medical  insurance  programs  are  predominately 
self-insured. It is our policy to record a self-insurance liability using estimates of claims incurred but not yet reported or paid, based on 
historical claims experience and trends. As of January 28, 2017, our net self-insurance reserve estimates were $5.0 million compared 
to  $5.2 million  as  of  January  30,  2016.  The  assumptions  made  by  management  in  estimating  our  self-insurance  reserves  include 
consideration of historical cost experience, judgments about the present and expected levels of cost per claim and retention levels. We 
utilize various methods, including analyses of historical trends and actuarial methods, to estimate the cost to settle reported claims and 
claims  incurred,  but  not  yet  reported.  As  we  obtain  additional  information  and  refine  our  methods  regarding  the  assumptions  and 
estimates we use to recognize liabilities incurred, we will adjust our reserves accordingly.  

Actuarial methods are used to develop estimates of the future ultimate claim costs based on the claims incurred as of the balance 
sheet date. Management believes that the various assumptions developed and actuarial methods used to determine our self-insurance 
reserves are reasonable and provide meaningful data and information that management uses to make its best estimate of our exposure 
to these risks. Arriving at these estimates, however, requires a significant amount of subjective judgment by management; and, as a 
result,  these  estimates  are  uncertain  and  our  actual  exposure  may  be  different  from  our  estimates.  For  example,  changes  in  our 
assumptions about health care costs, the severity of accidents, the average size of claims and other factors could cause actual claim 
costs to vary materially from our assumptions and estimates, causing our reserves to be understated or overstated. For instance, a 10% 
change in our self-insurance liabilities would have affected pre-tax income by approximately $540,000 for fiscal 2016.  

Income taxes — We record income tax liabilities utilizing known obligations and estimates of potential obligations. A deferred 
tax asset or liability is recognized whenever there are future tax effects from existing temporary differences and operating loss and tax 
credit carryforwards. We record a valuation allowance to reduce deferred tax assets to the balance that is more likely than not to be 
realized. We must make estimates and judgments on future taxable income, considering feasible tax planning strategies and taking into 
account  existing  facts  and  circumstances,  to  determine  the  proper  valuation  allowance.  When  we  determine  that  deferred  tax  assets 
could be realized in greater or lesser amounts than recorded, the asset balance and income statement reflects the change in the period 
such  determination  is  made.  Due  to  changes  in  facts  and  circumstances  and  the  estimates  and  judgments  that  are  involved  in 
determining the proper valuation allowance, differences between actual future events and prior estimates and judgments could result in 
adjustments to this valuation allowance. We use an estimate of our annual effective tax rate at each interim period based on the facts 
and circumstances available at that time, while the actual effective tax rate is calculated at year-end.  

Additionally, our income tax returns are subject to audit by United States federal, state and local tax authorities, which include 
questions regarding our tax filing positions including the timing and amount of deductions and the allocation of income among various 
tax jurisdictions. In evaluating the tax exposures associated with our filing positions, we record reserves for probable exposures. We 
adjust our tax contingencies reserve and income tax provision in the period in which actual results of a settlement with tax authorities 
differs from our established reserve, the statute of limitations expires for the relevant tax authority to examine the tax position or when 
more information becomes available. Our tax contingencies reserve contains uncertainties because management is required to make 
assumptions  and  to  apply  judgment  to  estimate  the  exposures  associated  with  our  various  filing  positions  and  whether  or  not  the 

32 

 
minimum requirements for recognition of tax benefits have been met. We do not believe that there is a reasonable likelihood that there 
will be a material change in the reserves established for tax benefits not recognized. Although we believe our judgments and estimates 
are  reasonable,  actual  results  could  differ,  and  we  may  be  exposed  to  losses  or  gains  that  could  be  material.  A  10%  change  in  our 
unrecognized tax benefit reserve at January 28, 2017 would have affected net earnings by approximately $14,000 in fiscal 2016.  

Stock-based  compensation —  We  have  stock-based  compensation  plans  which  include  incentive  and  non-qualified  stock 
options,  restricted  stock  units  and  an  employee  stock  purchase  plan.  See  Note 7,  Stock-Based  Compensation,  to  the  Notes  to  the 
Consolidated  Financial  Statements  included  in  Item 8,  Financial  Statements  and  Supplementary  Data,  of  this  Form 10-K,  for  a 
complete discussion of our stock-based compensation programs. We recognize stock-based compensation expense based on the fair 
value of the respective awards. We estimate the fair value of our stock option awards as of the grant date based upon a Black-Scholes 
option pricing model. We estimate the fair value of our restricted stock units as of the grant date utilizing the closing price of our stock 
on  that  date.  The  compensation  expense  associated  with  these  awards  is  recorded  in  the  consolidated  statements  of  income  with  a 
corresponding credit to common stock.  

The  Black-Scholes  option  pricing  model  requires  the  input  of  highly  subjective  assumptions.  These  assumptions  include 
estimating  the  length  of  time  employees  will  retain  their  stock  options  before  exercising  them  (“expected  term”)  and  the  estimated 
volatility of our common stock price over the expected term. Changes in the subjective assumptions can materially affect the estimate 
of fair value of stock-based compensation and, consequently, the related amount recognized in the consolidated statements of income.  

We  update  our  assumptions  at  each  grant  date.  Historically,  there  have  not  been  significant  changes  in  our  estimates  or 
assumptions  used  to  determine  stock-based  compensation  expense.  We  have  not  experienced  a  significant  increase  in  the  estimated 
fair value of awards granted during fiscal 2016, fiscal 2015 or fiscal 2014. If actual results are not consistent with our estimates or 
assumptions, we may be exposed to changes in stock-based compensation expense that could be material. A 10% change in our stock-
based compensation expense for the year ended January 28, 2017 would have affected pre-tax income by approximately $319,000.  

Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure About Market Risk  

As  of  January  28,  2017,  we  had  no  outstanding  borrowings  under  our  revolving  credit  facility.  We  did  not  borrow  from  our 
credit facility during fiscal 2016, nor do we expect any borrowings during fiscal 2017. We were not engaged in any foreign exchange 
contracts, hedges, interest rate swaps, derivatives or other financial instruments with significant market risk as of January 28, 2017.  

Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data  

The  financial  statements  and  schedules  are  listed  under  Item 15(a)  and  filed  as  part  of  this  annual  report  on  Form 10-K.  The 

supplementary financial data is set forth under Item 7 of this annual report on Form 10-K.  

Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure  

None.  

Item 9A. Controls and Procedures  

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures  

We have established and maintain disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be 
disclosed by us in the reports that we file or submit under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) is 
recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules 
and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer 
and  Chief  Financial  Officer,  as  appropriate  to  allow  timely  decisions  regarding  required  disclosure.  We  carried  out  an  evaluation, 
under  the  supervision  and  with  the  participation  of  our  management,  including  our  Chief  Executive  Officer  and  Chief  Financial 
Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of January 28, 2017. Based on 
that evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were 
effective as of January 28, 2017.  

Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting  

Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting (as defined in 
Rule 13a and 15d- 15(f) under the Exchange Act). Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our 
Chief  Executive  Officer  and  Chief  Financial  Officer,  we  carried  out  an  evaluation  of  the  effectiveness  of  our  internal  control  over 
financial  reporting  as  of  January  28,  2017  based  on  the  Internal  Control —  Integrated  Framework  issued  by  the  Committee  of 
Sponsoring  Organizations  of  the  Treadway  Commission  (2013  framework)  (“COSO”).  Based  on  this  evaluation,  our  management 
concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of January 28, 2017.  

33 

 
Attestation Report of the Registered Public Accounting firm  

Ernst & Young LLP, the independent registered public accounting firm that audited our financial statements included elsewhere 
in this Form 10-K, has issued an attestation report on our internal control over financial reporting. That report appears in Item 15 of 
Part IV in this Form 10-K and is incorporated by reference to this Item 9A.  

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting  

There have been no changes in internal controls over financial reporting identified in connection with the foregoing evaluation 
that  occurred  during  our  last  fiscal  quarter  that  have  materially  affected,  or  are  reasonably  likely  to  materially  affect,  our  internal 
control over financial reporting.  

Item 9B. Other Information  

None.   

34 

 
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance  

PART III  

Information  concerning  directors,  appearing  under  the  caption  “Board  of  Directors”  in  our  Proxy  Statement  (the  “Proxy 
Statement”) to be filed with the SEC in connection with our Annual Meeting of Shareholders scheduled to be held on June 2, 2017; 
information  concerning  executive  officers,  appearing  under  the  caption  “Item 1.  Business —  Executive  Officers  of  Kirkland’s”  in 
Part I  of  this  Form 10-K;  information  concerning  our  nominating  and  audit  committees,  appearing  under  the  caption  “Information 
About  the  Board  of  Directors  and  Corporate  Governance”  in  our  Proxy  Statement;  and  information  under  the  caption  “Other 
Matters — Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance” in the Proxy Statement are incorporated herein by reference in 
response to this Item 10.  

The Board of Directors has adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics applicable to our directors, officers and employees, 
including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, which has been posted on the “Investor Relations” section of our 
web site. We intend to satisfy the amendment and waiver disclosure requirements under applicable securities regulations by posting 
any amendments of, or waivers to, the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics on our web site.  

Item 11. Executive Compensation  

The information contained in the sections titled “Executive Compensation” and “Information About the Board of Directors and 
Corporate Governance — Board of Directors Compensation” in the Proxy Statement is incorporated herein by reference in response to 
this Item 11.  

Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters  

The information contained in the following section of the Proxy Statement is incorporated herein by reference in response to 
this  Item  12:  the  section  titled  “Security  Ownership  of  Kirkland’s —  Security  Ownership  of  Certain  Beneficial  Owners  and 
Management”, with respect to security ownership of certain beneficial owners and management. 

The following table provides information regarding the number of securities already issued and those remaining available for 

issuance under our equity compensation plans as of January 28, 2017. 

Plan Category 

Number of securities to be 
issued upon exercise of 
outstanding options, warrants 
and rights 

Weighted-average exercise 
price of outstanding options, 
warrants and rights 

Equity compensation plans 
approved by security holders 

Equity compensation plans not 
approved by security holders 

Total 

(a) 

1,436,222 

--- 

1,436,222 

(b) 

$15.33 

--- 

$15.33 

Number of securities 
remaining available for future 
issuance under equity 
compensation plans (excluding 
securities reflected in column 
(a)) 

(c) 

1,014,533 

--- 

1,014,533 

Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence  

Information  contained  in  the  section  titled  “Related  Party  Transactions”  in  the  Proxy  Statement  is  incorporated  herein  by 

reference in response to this Item 13.  

The information contained in the section titled “Information About the Board of Directors and Corporate Governance — Board 

Independence” in the Proxy Statement is incorporated herein by reference in response to this Item 13.  

Item 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services  

The  information  contained  in  the  section  titled  “Other  Matters  —  Audit  and  Non-Audit  Fees”  in  the  Proxy  Statement  is 

incorporated herein by reference in response to this Item 14.  

35 

 
  
 
Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules  

(a) 1.  Financial Statements  

PART IV  

The financial statements set forth below are filed on the indicated pages as part of this annual report on Form 10-K.  

Reports of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of January 28, 2017 and January 30, 2016 
Consolidated Statements of Income for the 52 Weeks Ended January 28, 2017, January 30, 2016 and January 31, 2015 
Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity for the 52 Weeks Ended January 28, 2017, January 30, 2016 and January 

37 
39 
40 

31, 2015 

41 
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the 52 Weeks Ended January 28, 2017, January 30, 2016 and January 31, 2015  42 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements 
43 

(b) Exhibits  

The Exhibit Index following this document’s Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements is incorporated herein by 
reference in response to this item. 

(c) Financial Statement Schedules  

Schedules are omitted because the information is not required or because the information is included in the financial 
statements or notes thereto. 

36 

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM  

The Board of Directors and Shareholders of Kirkland’s, Inc.  

We have audited Kirkland’s, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting as of January 28, 2017, based on criteria established 
in  Internal  Control  —  Integrated  Framework  issued  by  the  Committee  of  Sponsoring  Organizations  of  the  Treadway  Commission 
(2013 framework) (the COSO criteria). Kirkland’s, Inc.’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over 
financial  reporting,  and  for  its  assessment  of  the  effectiveness  of  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  included  in  the 
accompanying Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the 
Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit.  

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). 
Those  standards  require  that  we  plan  and  perform  the  audit  to  obtain  reasonable  assurance  about  whether  effective  internal  control 
over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over 
financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of 
internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. 
We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.  

A  company’s  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  is  a  process  designed  to  provide  reasonable  assurance  regarding  the 
reliability  of  financial  reporting  and  the  preparation  of  financial  statements  for  external  purposes  in  accordance  with  generally 
accepted  accounting  principles.  A  company’s  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  includes  those  policies  and  procedures  that 
(1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the 
assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial 
statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being 
made  only  in  accordance  with  authorizations  of  management  and  directors  of  the  company;  and  (3) provide  reasonable  assurance 
regarding  prevention  or  timely  detection  of  unauthorized  acquisition,  use  or  disposition  of  the  company’s  assets  that  could  have  a 
material effect on the financial statements.  

Because  of  its  inherent  limitations,  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  may  not  prevent  or  detect  misstatements.  Also, 
projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of 
changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.  

In  our  opinion,  Kirkland’s,  Inc.  maintained,  in  all  material  respects,  effective  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  as  of 

January 28, 2017, based on the COSO criteria.  

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the 
consolidated balance sheets of Kirkland’s, Inc. as of January 28, 2017 and January 30, 2016, and the related consolidated statements 
of income, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended January 28, 2017, of Kirkland’s, Inc. 
and our report dated March 31, 2017 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.  

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP                          

Nashville, Tennessee  
March 31, 2017  

37 

 
  
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM  

The Board of Directors and Shareholders of Kirkland’s, Inc.  

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Kirkland’s, Inc. as of January 28, 2017 and January 30, 2016, 
and the related consolidated statements of income, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended 
January 28, 2017. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an 
opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.  

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). 
Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are 
free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the 
financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, 
as  well  as  evaluating  the  overall  financial  statement  presentation.  We  believe  that  our  audits  provide  a  reasonable  basis  for  our 
opinion.  

In  our  opinion,  the  financial  statements  referred  to  above  present  fairly,  in  all  material  respects,  the  consolidated  financial 
position of Kirkland’s, Inc. at January 28, 2017 and January 30, 2016, and the consolidated results of its operations and its cash flows 
for each of the three years in the period ended January 28, 2017, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.  

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), 
Kirkland’s,  Inc.’s  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  as  of  January  28,  2017,  based  on  criteria  established  in  Internal  Control-
Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework) and our 
report dated March 31, 2017 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.  

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP                          

Nashville, Tennessee  
March 31, 2017  

38 

 
  
KIRKLAND’S, INC.  
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS  

ASSETS 

Current assets: 
Cash and cash equivalents 
Inventories, net 
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 

Total current assets 
Property and equipment, gross 
Accumulated depreciation 

     Property and equipment, net 
Deferred income taxes 
Other assets 

Total assets 

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY 

Current liabilities: 
Accounts payable 
Accounts payable to related party vendor 
Income taxes payable 
Accrued expenses 

Total current liabilities 

Deferred rent 
Deferred income taxes 
Other liabilities 

Total liabilities 

Commitments and contingencies (Note 9) 
Shareholders’ equity: 
Preferred stock, no par value, 10,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued or outstanding at 

January 28, 2017, and January 30, 2016 

Common stock, no par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized; 15,906,635 and 15,774,681 shares 

issued and outstanding at January 28, 2017 and January 30, 2016, respectively 

Accumulated deficit 

Total shareholders’ equity 
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity 

January 28, 
2017  

January 30, 
2016  

(In thousands, except share data) 

$ 

$ 

$ 

63,937   $ 
75,447    
13,656    
153,040    
265,771    

(154,901)  

110,870  
1,198  
5,038    
270,146   $ 

44,352  
68,222  
15,206  
127,780  
240,020  
(134,478)  

105,542  
   -   
1,934  
235,256  

32,890   $ 
5,008 
6,273    
30,270    
74,441    
52,656    
   479 
8,757    
136,333    
   -      

26,431  
2,258 
4,863  
25,943  
59,495  
48,280  
1,342  
6,444  
115,561  
   -    

-       

-     

165,245    
(31,432) 
133,813    
270,146   $ 

162,173  
(42,478) 
119,695  
235,256  

$ 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.  

39 

 
  
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
KIRKLAND’S, INC.  
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME  

January 28, 
2017  

52 Weeks Ended   52 Weeks Ended  52 Weeks Ended  
January 30, 
2016  
(In thousands, except per share data) 

January 31, 
2015  

Net sales 
Gift card breakage revenue 
Total revenue 

Cost of sales 
Cost of sales related to merchandise purchased from related party vendor 
     Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation as shown below) 

Gross profit 

Operating expenses: 

Compensation and benefits 
Other operating expenses 
Depreciation 

Total operating expenses 
Operating income 

Interest expense, net 
Other income, net 
Income before income taxes 
Income tax expense 
Net income 
Earnings per share: 
Basic 
Diluted 
Weighted average shares for basic earnings per share 
Effect of dilutive common stock equivalents 
Adjusted weighted average shares for diluted earnings per share 

$ 

593,221   $ 
1,107    

594,328 
332,297  
40,560  
372,857    
221,471    

110,277 
68,873    
25,322    
204,472    
16,999    
276    

  (252) 
16,975    
5,929    
11,046   $ 

0.70   $ 
0.68   $ 
15,859    
286    
16,145    

$ 

$ 

$ 

560,813   $ 
994    
561,807    
307,843  
35,170  
343,013    
218,794    

102,471 
67,950    
22,182    
192,603    
26,191    
346    

(252) 
26,097    
9,524    
16,573   $ 

0.97   $ 
0.94   $ 
17,131    
438    
17,569    

506,768  
853  
507,621  
277,111  
27,613  
304,724  
202,897  

94,738 
60,879  
18,639  
174,256  
28,641  
275  
(454) 
28,820  
11,006  
17,814  

1.03  
1.00  
17,262  
531  
17,793  

Dividends declared per common share outstanding 

$                -  $           1.50  $                - 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.  

40 

 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
 
  
KIRKLAND’S, INC.  
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY  

Common Stock  

Shares  

Accumulated 
Deficit  

Amount  
(In thousands, except share data) 

Total 
Shareholders’ 
Equity  

 17,304,285   $  156,193  
298  
       49,847 
99 
(347) 
-   
          2,772    

Balance at February 1, 2014 
Exercise of stock options and employee stock purchases 
Tax benefit from exercise of stock options and vesting of restricted stock                  -  -   
Net share settlement of stock options and restricted stock 
     (39,512) 
Restricted stock issued 
       82,000 
Stock-based compensation expense 
                - 
Repurchase and retirement of common stock 
   (268,745) 
Net income 
                -  -    
Balance at January 31, 2015 
 17,127,875 
Exercise of stock options and employee stock purchases 
     494,873 
Tax benefit from exercise of stock options and vesting of restricted stock                  -  
Net share settlement of stock options and restricted stock 
   (301,253) 
Restricted stock issued 
     105,864 
Stock-based compensation expense 
                - 
Repurchase and retirement of common stock 
(1,652,678) 
Dividends paid 
                - 
Net income 
                -  
Balance at January 30, 2016 
15,774,681 
Exercise of stock options and employee stock purchases 
        66,879 
Tax shortfall from exercise of stock options and vesting of restricted 

-   
-   
159,015  
354  
1,109 
   (2,029) 
-   

(49) 
-   
-   
162,173 
369  

          3,773    

$    (20,964)  $ 
-     
-     
-    
-     
                   -    
        (4,803) 
        17,814 
        (7,953) 

-     
-     
-    
-     
                   -    
      (25,147) 
      (25,951) 
        16,573 
      (42,478) 

135,229  
298  
99  
(347)    
    -  
2,772 
           (4,803) 
17,814 
151,062  
354  
1,109  
  (2,029)    

    -  
3,773 
         (25,196) 
         (25,951) 
16,573 
         119,695 
-                    369  

stock 

Net share settlement of stock options and restricted stock 
Restricted stock issued 
Stock-based compensation expense 
Net income 
Balance at January 28, 2017 

(228) 
(263) 
-   

                -  -   
     (31,676) 
        96,751 
          3,194    
                - 
-   
                -  
15,906,635  $  165,245 

-     
-    
-     
                   -    
        11,046 
$    (31,432)  $ 

(228)  
(263)    
    -  
3,194 
11,046 
133,813 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.  

41 

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
KIRKLAND’S, INC.  
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS  

Cash flows from operating activities: 
Net income 
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: 
Depreciation of property and equipment 
Amortization of deferred rent 
Cash received for landlord construction allowances 
Amortization of debt issue costs 
Loss on disposal of property and equipment 
Stock-based compensation expense 
Excess tax benefits from exercise of stock options and vesting of restricted stock 
Deferred income taxes 
Changes in assets and liabilities: 

Inventories, net 
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 
Other noncurrent assets 
Accounts payable 
Accounts payable to related party vendor 
Income taxes payable 
Accrued expenses and other current and noncurrent liabilities 

Net cash provided by operating activities 

Cash flows from investing activities: 
Proceeds from sales of property and equipment 
Capital expenditures 

Net cash used in investing activities 

Cash flows from financing activities: 
Refinancing costs 
Excess tax benefits from exercise of stock options and restricted stock 
Cash used in net share settlement of stock options and restricted stock 
Employee stock purchases 
Cash dividends paid to stockholders 
Repurchase and retirement of common stock 

Net cash used in financing activities 

Cash and cash equivalents: 
Net increase (decrease) 
Beginning of the year 
End of the year 

Supplemental cash flow information: 

Interest paid 
Income taxes paid 

52 Weeks Ended 
January 28, 
2017  

52 Weeks Ended 
January 30, 
2016  
(In thousands) 

52 Weeks Ended 
January 31, 
2015  

$ 

11,046   $ 

16,573   $ 

17,814  

25,322    
(5,779) 
13,035 

89    
313 
3,194    
(78) 
(2,242)    

(7,225) 
(173) 
(2,922) 

7,672    
2,750 
1,363    
5,483 
51,848 

22,182    
(5,260) 
9,785 

77    
145 
3,773    

(1,109) 

742    

(12,447) 
(3,911) 
155 
2,040 
181  
324    

(1,209) 
32,041 

18,639  
(5,397) 
7,822 
77  
345 
2,772  
(99) 
40  

(3,138) 
230 
(405) 
1,345  
258 
318  
3,867 
44,488 

4  
(32,180) 
(32,176) 

-  
(35,114) 
(35,114) 

- 
(29,647) 
(29,647) 

(271)  

78    

(263) 
369 
-  
-  
(87) 

- 
1,109    

(2,029) 
354 
(25,951) 
(25,196) 
(51,713) 

- 
99  
(347) 
298 
- 
(4,803) 
(4,753) 

19,585 
44,352    
63,937  $ 

(54,786) 

99,138    
44,352  $ 

10,088 
89,050  
99,138 

159   $ 
7,214   $ 

192   $ 
8,300   $ 

190  
10,621  

$ 

$ 

$ 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.  

42 

 
  
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
KIRKLAND’S, INC.  
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS  

Note 1 — Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies  

Kirkland’s, Inc. (the “Company”) is a specialty retailer of home décor and gifts in the United States with 404 stores in 36 states 
as of January 28, 2017. The consolidated financial statements of the Company include the accounts of Kirkland’s, Inc. and its wholly-
owned subsidiaries Kirkland’s Stores, Inc., Kirkland’s DC, Inc. and Kirkland’s Texas, LLC. Significant intercompany accounts and 
transactions have been eliminated.  

The  preparation  of  the  consolidated  financial  statements  in  conformity  with  accounting  principles  generally  accepted  in  the 
United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial 
statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from the estimates and assumptions used.  

Changes in estimates are recognized in the period when new information becomes available to management. Areas where the 
nature of the estimate makes it reasonably possible that actual results could materially differ from amounts estimated include, but are 
not limited to, impairment assessments on long-lived assets, asset retirement obligations, inventory reserves, self-insurance reserves, 
income tax liabilities, stock-based compensation, employee bonus accruals, gift card breakage, customer loyalty program accruals and 
contingent liabilities.  

Fiscal  year —  The  Company’s  fiscal  year  is  comprised  of  the  52  or  53-week  period  ending  on  the  Saturday  closest  to 
January 31. Accordingly, fiscal 2016 represented the 52 weeks ended on January 28, 2017, fiscal 2015 represented the 52 weeks ended 
on January 30, 2016 and fiscal 2014 represented the 52 weeks ended on January 31, 2015.  

Reclassifications — Certain amounts in the fiscal 2015 consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform to 
the  fiscal  2016  presentation.    These  reclassifications  had  no  effect  on  reported  net  income.  In  the  fourth  quarter  of  fiscal  2016,  the 
Company concluded that it was appropriate to classify related party transactions separately in the consolidated financial statements. In 
fiscal  2015,  this  information  was  provided  in  the  notes  to  the  consolidated  financial  statements.    See  “Note 10 —  Related  Party 
Transactions” for further discussion.  

Also, in the first quarter of fiscal 2016, the Company adopted accounting guidance which affected the presentation of deferred 
tax liabilities and assets as discussed below in Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements. This guidance was applied retrospectively 
for all periods presented and therefore the presentation of previously reported deferred tax assets has been changed to conform to the 
presentation  used  in  the  current  period.  The  adoption  of  this  guidance  resulted  in  the  reclassification  of  deferred  tax  assets  of  $3.3 
million from current assets to a reduction in noncurrent liabilities in the condensed consolidated balance sheets as of January 30, 2016. 

Cash equivalents — Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash on deposit in banks and payments due from banks for customer 

credit cards, as they generally settle within 24-48 hours.  

Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation) and inventory valuation — Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation) includes costs of 
product  purchased  from  vendors,  including  inbound  freight,  receiving  costs,  inspection  costs,  warehousing  costs,  outbound  freight, 
inventory damage and shrinkage, loyalty reward program charges, payroll and overhead associated with our distribution facility and 
its  network  and  store  occupancy  costs.  The  Company’s  inventory  is  stated  at  the  lower  of  cost  or  market,  net  of  reserves  and 
allowances,  with  cost  determined  using  the  average  cost  method,  with  average  cost  approximating  current  cost.  The  Company 
estimates  the  amount  of  shrinkage  that  has  occurred  through  theft  or  damage  and  adjusts  that  amount  to  actual  at  the  time  of  its 
physical inventory counts which occur throughout the fiscal year. The Company also evaluates the cost of inventory by category and 
class of merchandise in relation to the estimated sales price. This evaluation is performed to ensure that inventory is not carried at a 
value in excess of the amount expected to be realized upon the sale of the merchandise.  

Vendor  allowances —  The  Company  receives  various  payments  and  allowances  from  vendors,  including  rebates  and  other 
credits. The amounts received are subject to the terms of vendor agreements, which generally do not state an expiration date, but are 
subject  to  ongoing  negotiations  that  may  be  impacted  in  the  future  based  on  changes  in  market  conditions  and  changes  in  the 
profitability,  quality,  or  sell-through  of  the  related  merchandise.  For  all  such  vendor  allowances,  the  Company  records  the  vendor 
funds as a reduction of inventories. As the related inventory is sold, such allowances and credits are recognized as a reduction to cost 
of sales.  

Property and equipment — Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is computed 
on  a  straight-line  basis  over  the  estimated  useful  lives  of  the  respective  assets.  Furniture,  fixtures  and  equipment  are  generally 
depreciated over five years. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of the useful life of the asset or the expected lease 
term, typically ranging from five to 10 years. Maintenance and repairs  are expensed as incurred, and improvements are capitalized. 
Gains or losses on the disposition of fixed assets are recorded upon disposal of the related asset. As of January 28, 2017 and January 

43 

 
30, 2016, non-cash investing activities related to property and equipment being purchased, but awaiting payment in accounts payable, 
was approximately $1.4 million and $2.6 million, respectively. 

Cost of internal use software — The Company capitalizes the cost of computer software developed or obtained for internal use. 

Capitalized computer software costs consist primarily of payroll-related and consulting costs incurred during the application 
development stage. The Company expenses costs related to preliminary project assessments, research and development, re-
engineering, training and application maintenance as they are incurred. Capitalized software costs are amortized on a straight-line 
basis over an estimated life of three to 10 years. For fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, the Company recorded approximately $6.1 
million, $5.3 million and $4.0 million, respectively, for depreciation of capitalized software.  The net book value of these assets 
totaled $24.9 million and $22.8 million at the end of fiscal years 2016 and 2015, respectively.  At the end of fiscal years 2016 and 
2015, property and equipment included capitalized computer software currently under development of $3.1 million and $2.0 million, 
respectively.  

Asset  retirement  obligations —  The  Company  recognizes  a  liability  for  the  fair  value  of  required  asset  retirement  obligations 
(“ARO”) when such obligations are incurred. The Company’s AROs are primarily associated with leasehold improvements which, at 
the end of a lease, the Company is contractually obligated to remove in order to comply with the lease agreement. At the inception of a 
lease  with  such  conditions,  the  Company  records  an  ARO  liability  and  a  corresponding  capital  asset  in  an  amount  equal  to  the 
estimated fair value of the obligation. The liability is estimated based on various assumptions requiring management’s judgment and is 
accreted to its projected future value over time. The capitalized asset is depreciated using the convention for depreciation of leasehold 
improvement  assets.  Upon  satisfaction  of  the  ARO  conditions,  any  difference  between  the  recorded  ARO  liability  and  the  actual 
retirement costs incurred is recognized as an operating gain or loss in the consolidated statements of income. As of January 28, 2017 
and January 30, 2016, the liability for asset retirement obligations was approximately $659,000 and $574,000, respectively.  

Impairment  of  long-lived  assets —  The  Company  evaluates  the  recoverability  of  the  carrying  amounts  of  long-lived  assets 
whenever  events  or  changes  in  circumstances  dictate  that  their  carrying  values  may  not  be  recoverable.  This  review  includes  the 
evaluation of individual underperforming retail stores and assessing the recoverability of the carrying values of the assets related to the 
stores. Future cash flows are projected for the remaining lease life.  The Company calculates the fair values of long-lived assets using 
the age-life method. If the estimated fair values are less than the carrying values of the assets, the Company records an impairment 
charge equal to the difference, if any, between the assets’ fair values and carrying values. 

Insurance  reserves —  Workers’  compensation,  general  liability  and  employee  medical  insurance  programs  are  predominately 
self-insured. It is the Company’s policy to record a self-insurance liability using estimates of claims incurred but not yet reported or 
paid, based on historical claims experience and actuarial methods. Actual results can vary from estimates for many reasons, including, 
among others, inflation rates, claim settlement patterns, litigation trends and legal interpretations. The Company monitors its claims 
experience in light of these factors and revises its estimates of insurance reserves accordingly. The level of insurance reserves may 
increase or decrease as a result of these changing circumstances or trends.  

During the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2016 and 2015, the Company recorded an adjustment related to positive changes in its 
actuarial estimates for workers’ compensation and general liability reserves. The adjustments in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016 and 
2015 resulted in a quarter-over-quarter benefit of approximately $1.7 million ($1.1 million after tax) and $1.1 million ($0.7 million 
after tax), respectively, or $0.07 and $0.04 per diluted share, respectively. As of January 28, 2017, the Company’s net self-insurance 
reserve estimates were $5.0 million compared to $5.2 million as of January 30, 2016. 

Customer  loyalty  program —  The  Company  has  established  a  loyalty  program  called  the  K  Club,  whereby  members  earn 
loyalty points in return for making purchases in the Company’s stores, including the e-Commerce store. Attaining specified loyalty 
point levels results in the issuance of discount certificates to the customer. The Company accrues for the expected liability associated 
with  the  discount  certificates  issued,  as  well  as  the  accumulated  points  that  have  not  yet  resulted  in  the  issuance  of  a  certificate, 
adjusted  for  expected  redemption  rates.  This  liability  is  included  as  a  component  of  accrued  expenses  on  the  consolidated  balance 
sheet and the changes to the liability are included within cost of sales on the consolidated statements of income.  

The Company has also established a private-label credit card program for its customers. Customers in the private label credit 
card program who enroll in K Club are eligible to earn double the points of a regular loyalty program member. The card program is 
operated and managed by a third-party bank that assumes all credit risk with no recourse to the Company. 

Deferred rent — Many of the Company’s operating leases contain predetermined fixed escalations of minimum rentals during 
the initial term. Additionally, the Company does not typically pay rent during the construction period for new stores. For these leases, 
the Company recognizes the related rental expense on a straight-line basis over the life of the lease commencing with the date of initial 
access to the leased space, and records the difference between amounts charged to operations and amounts paid as a liability. As of 
January 28, 2017, the cumulative net excess of recorded rent expense over lease payments totaled $14.8 million, of which $1.6 million 
was reflected as a current liability in accrued expenses and $13.2 million was reflected as a noncurrent liability in deferred rent on the 
consolidated balance sheet.  As of January 30, 2016, the cumulative net excess of recorded rent expense over lease payments totaled 

44 

 
 
$13.0 million,  of  which  $1.2  million  was  reflected  as  a  current  liability  in  accrued  expenses  and  $11.8  million  was  reflected  as  a 
noncurrent liability in deferred rent on the consolidated balance sheet.   

The Company also receives incentives from landlords in the form of construction allowances. These construction allowances are 
recorded as deferred rent and amortized as a reduction to rent expense over the lease term. As of January 28, 2017, the unamortized 
amount of construction allowances totaled $47.1 million, of which $7.6 million was reflected as a current liability in accrued expenses 
and $39.5 million was reflected as a noncurrent liability in deferred rent on the consolidated balance sheet. As of January 30, 2016, the 
unamortized  amount  of  construction  allowances  totaled  $43.4 million,  of  which  $6.9 million  was  reflected  as  a  current  liability  in 
accrued expenses and $36.5 million was reflected as a noncurrent liability in deferred rent on the consolidated balance sheet. 

Revenue  recognition —  The  Company  recognizes  revenue  at  the  time  of  sale  of  merchandise  to  customers  in  its  stores.  e-
Commerce revenue is recorded when orders are shipped and title passes to customers. Net sales include the sale of merchandise, net of 
returns and exclusive of sales taxes.  

Gift card sales are recognized as revenue when tendered for payment. While the Company honors all gift cards presented for 
payment,  the  Company  determines  the  likelihood  of  redemption  to  be  remote  for  certain  gift  card  balances  due  to  long  periods  of 
inactivity.  The  Company  uses  the  redemption recognition  method  to  account  for  breakage  for  unused  gift  card  amounts  where 
breakage  is  recognized  as  gift  cards  are  redeemed  for  the  purchase  of  goods  based  upon  a  historical  breakage  rate.  In  these 
circumstances,  to  the  extent  the  Company  determines  there  is  no  requirement  for  remitting  card  balances  to  government  agencies 
under  unclaimed  property  laws,  such  amounts  are  recognized  in  the  consolidated  statement  of  income  as  breakage  revenue.  The 
Company  recognized  approximately  $1.1  million,  $994,000  and  $853,000  in  gift  card  breakage  during  fiscal  2016,  fiscal  2015  and 
fiscal 2014, respectively.  

Compensation  and  benefits —  Compensation  and  benefits  includes  all  store  and  corporate  office  salaries  and  wages  and 
incentive pay as well as stock compensation, employee health benefits, 401(k) plan benefits, deferred compensation benefits, social 
security and unemployment taxes.  

Stock-based compensation — Stock-based compensation includes expenses associated with stock option grants, restricted stock 
grants, and other transactions under the Company’s stock plans. The Company recognizes compensation expense for its stock-based 
payments  based  on  the  fair  value  of  the  awards.  The  expense  is  recorded  on  a  straight-line  basis  over  the  vesting  period  within 
compensation  and  benefits  in  the  consolidated  statements  of  income.  See  “Note 7 —  Stock-Based  Compensation”  for  further 
discussion.  

Other operating expenses — Other operating expenses consist of such items as insurance, advertising, utilities, property taxes, 

supplies, travel, card processing and other bank fees, losses on disposal of assets and various other store and corporate expenses.  

Store preopening expenses — Store preopening expenses, which consist primarily of payroll and occupancy costs, are expensed 

as incurred.  

Advertising  expenses —  Advertising  costs  are  expensed  in  the  period  in  which  the  related  activity  first  takes  place.  These 
expenses  include  costs  associated  with  specific  marketing  campaigns,  e-mail  communications,  paid  search  and  other  digital 
advertising, social media, public relations, in-store collateral and signage and other expenses related to the in-store experience. Total 
advertising expense was $9.3 million, $9.6 million and $9.3 million for fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.  

Income taxes — Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized based on the differences between the financial statement and 
the tax law treatment of certain items. Realization of certain components of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the occurrence of 
future events. The Company records valuation allowances to reduce its deferred tax assets to the amount it believes is more likely than 
not  to  be  realized.  These  valuation  allowances  can  be  impacted  by  changes  in  tax  laws,  changes  to  statutory  tax  rates,  and  future 
taxable  income  levels  and  are  based  on  the  Company’s  judgment,  estimates  and  assumptions  regarding  those  future  events.  In  the 
event the Company were to determine that it would not be able to realize all or a portion of the net deferred tax assets in the future, the 
Company  would  increase  the  valuation  allowance  through  a  charge  to  income  tax  expense  in  the  period  that  such  determination  is 
made. Conversely, if the Company were to determine that it would be able to realize its deferred tax assets in the future, in excess of 
the net carrying amounts, the Company would decrease the recorded valuation allowance through a decrease to income tax expense in 
the period that such determination is made.  

The  Company  provides  for  uncertain  tax  positions  and  the  related  interest  and  penalties,  if  any,  based  upon  management’s 
assessment  of  whether  a  tax  benefit  is  more  likely  than  not  to  be  sustained  upon  examination  by  tax  authorities.  The  Company 
recognizes  interest  and  penalties  accrued  related  to  unrecognized  tax  benefits  in  income  tax  expense.  To  the  extent  the  Company 
prevails in matters for which a liability for an unrecognized tax benefit is established or is required to pay amounts in excess of the 
liability, the Company’s effective tax rate in a given financial statement period may be affected.  

45 

 
The  Company’s  income  tax  returns  are  subject  to  audit  by  local,  state  and  federal  authorities,  and  the  Company  is  typically 
engaged in various tax examinations at any given time. Tax contingencies often arise due to uncertainty or differing interpretations of 
the application of tax rules throughout the various jurisdictions in which the Company operates. The contingencies are influenced by 
items  such  as  tax  audits,  changes  in  tax  laws,  litigation,  appeals  and  experience  with  previous  similar  tax  positions.  The  Company 
regularly reviews its tax reserves for these items and assesses the adequacy of the amount recorded. The Company evaluates potential 
exposures associated with its various tax filings by estimating a liability for uncertain tax positions based on a two-step process. The 
first  step  is  to  evaluate  the  tax  position  for  recognition  by  determining  if  the  weight  of  available  evidence  indicates  that  it  is  more 
likely than not that the position will be sustained on audit, including resolution of related appeals or litigation processes, if any. The 
second step requires estimation and measurement of the tax benefit as the largest amount that is more than 50% likely to be recognized 
upon settlement.  

Sales and use taxes — Governmental authorities assess sales and use taxes on the sale and purchase of goods and services. The 
Company excludes taxes collected from customers in its reported sales results. Such amounts are reflected as accrued expenses until 
remitted to the taxing authorities.  

Concentrations of risk — Most of the Company’s merchandise is purchased through vendors in the United States who import 
the merchandise manufactured primarily in China. However, the Company believes alternative merchandise sources could be procured 
over a relatively short period of time.  

Fair  value  of  financial  instruments —  The  carrying  amounts  of  cash  and  cash  equivalents,  accounts  receivable,  other  current 

assets and accounts payable approximate fair value because of their short maturities.  

Earnings per share — Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average number of shares 
outstanding  during  each  period  presented,  which  excludes  non-vested  restricted  stock.  Diluted  earnings  per  share  is  computed  by 
dividing net income by the weighted average number of shares outstanding plus the dilutive effect of stock equivalents outstanding 
during  the  applicable  periods  using  the  treasury  stock  method.  Diluted  earnings  per  share  reflects  the  potential  dilution  that  could 
occur if options to purchase stock were exercised into common stock and if outstanding grants of restricted stock were vested. Stock 
options that were not included in the computation of diluted earnings per share, because to do so would have been antidilutive, were 
approximately 629,000 shares, 316,000 shares and 426,000 shares for fiscal 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.  

Comprehensive  income —  Comprehensive  income  does  not  differ  from  the  consolidated  net  income  presented  in  the 

consolidated statements of income.  

Operating segments — The Company has determined that each of its stores is an operating segment. The operating performance 
of  all  stores  has  been  aggregated  into  one  reportable  segment.  The  Company’s  operating  segments  are  aggregated  for  financial 
reporting  purposes  because  they  are  similar  in  each  of  the  following  areas:  economic  characteristics,  class  of  consumer,  nature  of 
products and distribution methods. Revenues from external customers are derived from merchandise sales, and the Company does not 
rely on any major customers as a source of revenue. Across its store base, the Company operates one store format under the Kirkland’s 
name in which each store offers the same general mix of merchandise with similar categories and similar customers. The Company 
believes that disaggregating its operating segments would not provide meaningful additional information.  

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements — In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-
09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)” (“ASU 2014-09”). Under ASU 2014-09, an entity will recognize revenue 
when  it  transfers  promised  goods  or  services  to  customers  in  an  amount  that  reflects  what  it  expects  in  exchange  for  the  goods  or 
services.  ASU  2014-09  also  requires  more  detailed  disclosures  to  enable  users  of  financial  statements  to  understand  the  nature, 
amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. In July 2015, the FASB approved a 
one-year deferral of ASU 2014-09. As a result of the deferral, the amendments in ASU 2014-09 will be effective for the Company at 
the  beginning  of  its  fiscal  2018  year.  Companies  that  transition  to  this  new  standard  may  either  retrospectively  restate  each  prior 
reporting period or reflect the cumulative effect of initially applying the updates with an adjustment to retained earnings at the date of 
adoption. The Company is still evaluating transition approaches as well as the impact the adoption of ASU 2014-09 will have on its 
consolidated financial statements.   

In  November  2015,  the  FASB  issued  ASU  2015-17,  “Income  Taxes  (Topic  740):  Balance  Sheet  Classification  of  Deferred 
Taxes”. This update requires that deferred tax liabilities and assets be classified as noncurrent in the consolidated balance sheet. ASU 
2015-17 may be applied either prospectively to all deferred tax liabilities and assets or retrospectively to all periods presented. The 
updated guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with 
early adoption permitted. The Company adopted this guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2016. The Company elected to apply this 
guidance retrospectively for all periods presented. The adoption of this guidance affected the presentation of the deferred tax liabilities 
and assets within the Company’s consolidated balance sheet; however, the updated guidance did not affect the accounting for deferred 
tax liabilities and assets. Other than the change in presentation, the adoption of this guidance did not have any material impacts on the 
Company’s consolidated financial statements. 

46 

 
In  February  2016,  the  FASB  issued  ASU  2016-02,  “Leases  (Topic  842)”,  which  supersedes  the  existing  guidance  for  lease 
accounting, Leases (Topic 840) (“ASU 2016-02”). ASU 2016-02 requires lessees to recognize a lease liability and a right-of-use asset 
for all leases. Lessor accounting remains largely unchanged. The amendments in this ASU are effective for fiscal years beginning after 
December 15, 2018 and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted for all entities. ASU 2016-02 requires a 
modified retrospective approach for all leases existing at, or entered into after the date of initial adoption, with an option to elect to use 
certain transition relief. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this new standard on its consolidated financial statements 
and  is  anticipating  a  material  impact  on  the  Company’s  consolidated  financial  statements  because  the  Company  is  party  to  a 
significant number of lease contracts.  

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, “Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee 
Share-Based  Payment  Accounting”  (“ASU  2016-09”).  ASU  2016-09  addresses  several  aspects  of  the  accounting  for  share-based 
compensation  transactions  including:  (a)  income  tax  consequences  when  awards  vest  or  are  settled,  (b)  classification  of  awards  as 
either  equity  or  liabilities,  (c)  a  policy  election  to  account  for  forfeitures  as  they  occur  rather  than  on  an  estimated  basis  and  (d) 
classification of excess tax impacts on the statement of cash flows. The updated guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after 
December  15,  2016,  and  interim  periods  within  those  fiscal  years,  with  early  adoption  permitted.  The  Company  will  adopt  this 
guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2017. The amendments requiring recognition of excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies in the 
income statement will be applied prospectively. The inclusion of excess tax benefits and deficiencies as a component of our income 
tax expense will increase volatility within our provision for income taxes as the amount of excess tax benefits or deficiencies from 
share-based compensation awards are dependent on our stock price at the date the awards are exercised or settled. The Company does 
not expect the impact to be material to the consolidated results of operations; however, such determination is subject to change based 
on facts and circumstances at the time when awards vest or settle. The Company accounts for forfeitures of share-based awards when 
they occur. The Company will elect to apply the amendments related to the presentation of excess tax benefits on the statement of cash 
flows using a retrospective transition method, and as a result, excess tax benefits related to share-based awards which are currently 
classified as cash flows from financing activities will be reclassified as cash flows from operating activities. 

Note 2 — Property and Equipment  

Property and equipment is comprised of the following (in thousands): 

Equipment 
Furniture and fixtures 
Leasehold improvements 
Projects in progress 

Less: Accumulated depreciation 

Note 3 — Accrued Expenses  

Accrued expenses are comprised of the following (in thousands): 

Salaries and wages 
Gift cards 
Sales taxes 
Deferred rent 
Workers’ compensation and general liability reserves 
Loyalty reward certificates 
Other 

47 

January 28, 
2017  
72,265 
78,492 
109,494 
5,520 
265,771 
 (154,901) 
110,870 

$ 

$ 

January 30, 
2016  
65,579 
70,908 
97,622 
5,911 
240,020 
 (134,478) 
105,542 

$ 

$ 

January 28, 
2017  
2,516  
9,547 
1,875 
9,274 
2,225 
1,855 
2,978 
30,270 

$ 

$ 

January 30, 
2016  
2,084  
8,360 
2,367 
8,117 
946 
1,258 
2,811 
25,943 

$ 

$ 

 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
Note 4 — Income Taxes  

The Company’s income tax expense is computed based on the federal statutory rates and the state statutory rates, net of related 

federal benefit. Income tax expense consists of the following (in thousands):  

Current 

Federal 
State 

Deferred 

Federal 
State 

52 Weeks Ended 
January 28, 
2017  

52 Weeks Ended 
January 30, 
2016  

52 Weeks Ended 
January 31, 
2015  

$ 

$ 

7,325 
845 

  (1,379) 
(862) 
5,929  

$ 

$ 

8,120 
761 

601 
42 
9,524  

$ 

$ 

9,299 
1,668 

93 
(54) 
11,006  

Income tax expense differs from the amount computed by applying the statutory federal income tax rate to pre-tax income. A 

reconciliation of income tax expense at the statutory federal income tax rate to the amount provided is as follows (in thousands):  

52 Weeks Ended 
January 28, 
2017  

52 Weeks Ended 
January 30, 
2016  

Tax at federal statutory rate 
State income taxes (net of federal benefit) 
Tax credits 
Other 
Income tax expense 

$ 

$ 

5,941 
598 
         (255) 
(355) 
5,929  

$ 

9,134 
844 
              (506) 
52 
9,524  

$ 

$ 

52 Weeks Ended 
January 31, 
2015  
10,087 
1,106 
              (207) 
20 
11,006  

$ 

Deferred  income  taxes  reflect  the  net  tax  effects  of  temporary  differences  between  the  carrying  amounts  of  assets  and 
liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. Significant components of the Company’s 
deferred tax assets and liabilities are as follows (in thousands):  

Deferred tax assets: 
Accruals 
Inventory valuation 
State tax credit carryforwards 
Deferred rent and other 

Total deferred tax assets 
          Valuation allowance for deferred tax assets 

Net deferred tax assets 
Deferred tax liabilities: 
Depreciation 
Prepaid assets 
Total deferred tax liabilities 
Net deferred tax assets (liabilities) 

January 28, 
2017  

January 30, 
2016  

$ 

$ 

3,208 
898 
190 
11,667 
15,963 
(56) 

15,907 

(14,421) 
(767) 
(15,188) 
719 

$ 

$ 

3,383 
754 
-  
10,045 
14,182 
-  

14,182 

(14,887) 
(637) 
(15,524) 
(1,342) 

As  of  January  28,  2017,  the  Company  has  state  tax  credit  carryforwards  of  approximately  $190,000  expiring  in  years  2023 

through 2028. 

Future utilization of the deferred tax assets is evaluated by the Company and any valuation allowance is adjusted accordingly. 
At January 28, 2017, the Company recorded a $56,000 valuation allowance related to state tax credit carryforwards.  At January 30, 
2016, there were no valuation allowances against the Company’s deferred tax assets. Adjustments could be required in the future if the 
Company  estimates  that  the  amount  of  deferred  tax  assets  to  be  realized  is  more  or  less  than  the  net  amount  the  Company  has 
recorded. 

48 

 
  
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
The Company and one or more of its subsidiaries file income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and various state and 
local jurisdictions. The Company is no longer subject to U.S. federal income tax examinations by authorities for years prior to 2013. 
With  few  exceptions,  the  Company  is  no  longer  subject  to  state  and  local  income  tax  examinations  for  years  prior  to  2010.  The 
Company is not currently engaged in any U.S. federal, state or local income tax examinations.  

A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows:  

52 Weeks Ended 
January 28, 
2017  

52 Weeks Ended    
January 30, 
2016  

Balance at the beginning of the year 
Additions based on tax positions related to the current year 
Additions for tax positions of prior years 
Reductions for tax positions of prior years 
Reductions due to settlements 
Reductions due to lapse of the statute of limitations 
Balance at the end of the year 

$ 

$ 

307 
- 
- 
- 
-  
(163)  
144  

(In thousands) 
$ 

$ 

307  
-  
  - 
-  
-  
- 
307  

Included  in  the  January  28,  2017  and  January  30,  2016  balance  is  $144,000  and  $307,000,  respectively,  of  unrecognized  tax 
benefits  that,  if  recognized,  would  decrease  the  Company’s  effective  tax  rate.  In  fiscal  2017,  it  is  reasonably  possible  that  the 
Company’s unrecognized tax benefits may be reduced by $144,000 as a result of a lapse of the statute of limitations. 

The Company accrues interest on unrecognized tax benefits as a component of income tax expense. Penalties, if incurred, would 
be  recognized  as  a  component  of  income  tax  expense.  The  Company  had  approximately  $122,000  and  $247,000  accrued  for  the 
payment of interest and penalties associated with unrecognized tax benefits at January 28, 2017 and January 30, 2016, respectively.  

Note 5 — Senior Credit Facility  

During the period of August 19, 2011 through February 26, 2016, the Company was party to an Amended and Restated Credit 
Agreement (the “2011 Credit Agreement”) with Bank of America, N.A. as administrative agent and collateral agent, and the lenders 
named  therein  (the  “Lenders”).  The  2011  Credit  Agreement  included  a  senior  secured  revolving  credit  facility  of  $50  million,  a 
swingline availability of $5 million and a maturity date of August 2016. Borrowings under the 2011 Credit Agreement bore interest at 
an  annual  rate  equal  to  LIBOR  plus  a  margin  ranging  from  175  to  225  basis  points  with  no  LIBOR  floor,  and  the  fee  paid  to  the 
Lenders on the unused portion of the credit facility was 37.5 basis points per annum. 

On February 26, 2016, the Company, entered into a Joinder and First Amendment to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement 
(the  “2016  Credit  Agreement”).  The  2016  Credit  Agreement  increased  the  Company’s  senior  secured  revolving  credit  facility  from 
$50 million to $75 million, increased the swingline availability from $5 million to $10 million and extended the maturity date from 
August  2016  to  February  2021  along  with  adding  a  $25  million  incremental  accordion  feature.  Borrowings  under  the  2016  Credit 
Agreement bear interest at an annual rate equal to LIBOR plus a margin ranging from 125 to 175 basis points with no LIBOR floor, 
and the fee paid to the Lenders on the unused portion of the credit facility is 25 basis points per annum. 

Borrowings under the Credit Agreements are subject to certain conditions and contain customary events of default, including, 
without limitation, failure to make payments, a cross-default to certain other debt, breaches of covenants, breaches of representations 
and warranties, a change in control, certain monetary judgments and bankruptcy and ERISA events. Upon any such event of default, 
the principal amount of any unpaid loans and all other obligations under the Credit Agreements may be declared immediately due and 
payable. The maximum availability under the facility is limited by a borrowing base formula which consists of a percentage of eligible 
inventory and eligible credit card receivables, less reserves.  

The Company subject to an Amended and Restated Security Agreement (“Securities Agreement”) with its Lenders. Pursuant to 
the Security Agreement, the Company pledged and granted to the administrative agent, for the benefit of itself and the secured parties 
specified  therein,  a  lien  on  and  security  interest  in  all  of  the  rights,  title  and  interest  in  substantially  all  of  the  Company’s  assets  to 
secure the payment and performance of the obligations under the Credit Agreements. 

As of January 28, 2017, the Company was in compliance with the covenants in the 2016 Credit Agreement, and there were no 

outstanding borrowings under the credit facility, with approximately $50.6 million available for borrowing. 

49 

 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
Note 6 — Long-Term Leases  

The Company leases retail store facilities, corporate office space, warehouse facilities and certain vehicles and equipment under 
operating leases with terms generally ranging up to 10 years and expiring at various dates through 2027. Most of the retail store lease 
agreements  include  renewal  options  and  provide  for  minimum  rentals.  Some  retail  store  lease  agreements  also  contain  contingent 
rentals based on sales performance in excess of specified minimums. 

Rent  expense  under  operating  leases  including  cash  rent,  straight-line  rent  for  lease  escalations  and  construction  allowance 

amortization is as follows (in thousands): 

Minimum rent 
Contingent rent 

52 Weeks Ended 
January 28, 
2017  
53,329 
2,019 
55,348  

$ 

$ 

52 Weeks Ended 
January 30, 
2016  
46,073 
2,509 
48,582  

$ 

$ 

52 Weeks Ended 
January 31, 
2015  
39,348 
3,199 
42,547  

$ 

$ 

Future minimum lease payments under all operating leases with initial terms of one year or more consist of the following: 

(In thousands) 
2017 
2018 
2019 
2020 
2021 
Thereafter 
Total minimum lease payments 

$ 

$ 

60,243 
54,906 
52,063 
46,899 
38,102  
89,663  
341,876  

Note 7 — Stock-Based Compensation  

Stock-based  compensation —  Stock-based  compensation  includes  stock  option  grants,  restricted  stock  unit  grants,  and  other 
transactions under the Company’s equity plans. Total stock-based compensation expense (a component of compensation and benefits) 
was approximately $3.2 million, $3.8 million and $2.8 million for fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Included in stock-
based compensation expense for fiscal 2015 is approximately $600,000 of stock-based compensation expense that resulted from the 
accelerated vesting of stock options and restricted stock units upon the retirement of the Company’s former Chief Executive Officer. 

On  June  4,  2013,  the  Company  adopted  the  Kirkland’s,  Inc.  Amended  and  Restated  2002  Equity  Incentive  Plan  (the  “2002 
Plan”),  replacing  the  plan  adopted  in  July  2002.    The  2002  Plan  provides  for  the  award  of  restricted  stock,  restricted  stock  units 
(“RSUs”), incentive stock options, non-qualified stock options and stock appreciation rights with respect to shares of common stock to 
employees, directors, consultants and other individuals who perform services for the Company. The 2002 Plan is authorized to provide 
awards for up to a maximum of 3,500,000 shares of common stock. 

As  of  January  28,  2017,  options  to  purchase  1,191,568  shares  of  common  stock  were  outstanding  under  the  2002  Plan  at 
exercise prices ranging from $1.11 to $25.52 per share. As of January 28, 2017, there were 244,654 RSUs outstanding under the 2002 
Plan with fair value grant prices ranging from $13.38 to $25.52 per share. Shares reserved for future stock-based grants under the 2002 
Plan approximated 873,243 at January 28, 2017.  

Stock  options  —  The  Company  allows  for  the  settlement  of  vested  stock  options  on  a  net  share  basis  (“net  settled  stock 
options”), instead of settlement with a cash payment (“cash settled stock options”), if so desired by the holder. With net settled stock 
options, the employee does not surrender any cash or shares upon exercise. Rather, the Company withholds the number of shares to 
cover the option exercise price and the minimum statutory tax withholding obligations from the shares that would otherwise be issued 
upon exercise. The settlement of vested stock options on a net share basis results in fewer shares issued by the Company.  Options 
issued to employees under the 2002 Plan have maximum contractual terms of 10 years generally vest ratably over 3 or 4 years. 

As of January 28, 2017, there were 609,194 outstanding in-the-money options. The aggregate intrinsic value of in-the-money 

options outstanding and options exercisable as of January 28, 2017 were each approximately $2.2 million. The weighted average grant 
date fair values of options granted during fiscal 2016, fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2014 were $6.48, $12.06 and $9.68, respectively. The 
intrinsic value of options exercised was $0.3 million in fiscal 2016, $6.1 million in fiscal 2015, and $0.2 million in fiscal 2014. At 

50 

 
  
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
 
January 28, 2017, unrecognized stock compensation expense related to the unvested portion of outstanding stock options was 
approximately $2.8 million, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 2.0 years.  

Stock option activity for the year ended January 28, 2017 was as follows:  

Balance at January 30, 2016 
Options granted 
Options exercised 
Options forfeited 
Balance at January 28, 2017 
Options Exercisable As of: 
January 28, 2017 

Number of 
Options  
1,055,568  
201,000  
(35,000) 
(30,000) 
1,191,568  

827,709 

Weighted 
Average 
Exercise Price  
14.51  
13.52  
4.93  
19.12  
14.52  

13.18  

$ 

$ 

$ 

Weighted Average 
Remaining Contractual 
Term (in years)  

5.8 

4.6  

The fair value of each option is recorded as compensation expense on a straight-line basis over the applicable vesting period. 
The Company has estimated the fair value of all stock option awards as of the date of the grant by applying the Black-Scholes option 
pricing  model.  The  application  of  this  valuation  model  involves  assumptions  that  are  judgmental  and  highly  subjective  in  the 
determination  of  compensation  expense.  The  weighted  averages  for  key  assumptions  used  in  determining  the  fair  value  of  options 
granted in fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014 and a summary of the methodology applied to develop each assumption are as follows:  

Expected price volatility 
Risk-free interest rate 
Expected life 
Forfeiture rate 
Dividend yield 

52 Weeks Ended 
January 28, 
2017  
  48% 
1.68% 
 6.3 years  
                  5% 
                  0% 

52 Weeks Ended 
January 30, 
2016  

52 Weeks Ended 
January 31, 
2015  

47% 
1.80% 
 6.3 years  

                  5% 
                  0% 

53% 
2.10% 
 6.3 years  
                    5% 
                    0% 

Expected price volatility — The expected price volatility is a measure of the amount by which the stock price has fluctuated or is 
expected  to  fluctuate.  The  Company  uses  actual  historical  changes  in  the  market  value  of  its  stock  to  calculate  the  volatility 
assumption as it is management’s belief that this is the best indicator of future volatility. The Company calculates daily market value 
changes using the historical volatility of returns for the six years prior to the grant. An increase in the expected volatility will increase 
compensation expense.  

Risk-free interest rate — The risk-free interest rate is the U.S. Treasury rate for the week of the grant having a term equal to the 

expected life of the option. An increase in the risk-free interest rate will increase compensation expense.  

Expected life — The expected life is the period of time over which the options granted are expected to remain outstanding. The 
Company  uses  the  “simplified”  method  found  in  the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission’s  Staff  Accounting  Bulletin No. 107  to 
estimate the expected life of stock option grants. Options granted have a maximum term of ten years. An increase in the expected life 
will increase compensation expense.  

Forfeiture rate — The forfeiture rate is the estimated percentage of options granted that are expected to be forfeited or canceled 
before becoming fully vested. This estimate is based on historical experience of similar grants. An increase in the forfeiture rate will 
decrease compensation expense. The Company’s forfeiture estimate has a minimal effect on expense as the majority of the Company’s 
stock option awards vest quarterly.  

Dividend  yield —  The  dividend  yield  is  the  estimated  dividend  yield  for  the  weighted  average  expected  life  of  the  option 
granted. The Company paid a dividend on its common stock in fiscal 2015.  In fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2014, the Company did not pay a 
dividend on its common stock. The addition or increase of a dividend will decrease compensation expense. 

Restricted  stock  units —  The  Company  periodically  grants  restricted  stock  units  for  a  fixed  number  of  shares  to  various 
employees  and  directors.  The  RSUs  granted  to  directors  become  100%  vested  on  the  first  anniversary  of  the  grant  date.  The  RSUs 
granted to employees prior to fiscal 2016 vest in full on the third anniversary of the grant date, while fiscal 2016 RSU grants vest 25% 
on  the  first  anniversary  of  the  grant  date  then  vest  quarterly  thereafter  over  4  years.  The  fair  values  of  the  RSUs  are  equal  to  the 
closing price of the Company’s common stock on the date of the grant. The Company  granted 132,500, 107,000 and 97,000 RSUs 
during fiscal 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The weighted average grant date fair values of the RSUs granted during fiscal 2016, 

51 

 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2015 and 2014 were $13.49, $25.52 and $18.46, respectively. Compensation expense related to RSUs is recognized ratably over the 
requisite  service  period.  Compensation  expense  for  RSUs  during  fiscal  2016,  2015  and  2014  was  approximately  $1.7  million,  $2.0 
million and $1.3 million, respectively. As of January 28, 2017, there was approximately $2.0 million of unrecognized compensation 
expense related to RSUs which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 1.4 years.  

RSU activity for the year ended January 28, 2017, was as follows:  

Non-vested at January 30, 2016 

Granted 
Vested 
Forfeited 

Non-vested at January 28, 2017 

Shares 

          225,885 
          132,500 
          (96,751) 
          (16,980) 
          244,654 

Weighted Average 
Grant Date 
Fair Value  

$ 

$ 

20.89  
13.49  
 19.01 
17.47  
19.25  

Employee stock purchase plan — In July 2002, the Company adopted an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”) which was 
amended in 2006, 2008 and 2016. Under the ESPP, full-time employees who have completed twelve consecutive months of service 
are allowed to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock, subject to certain limitations, through payroll deduction, at 85% of 
the fair market value. The Company’s ESPP was originally authorized to issue up to 500,000 shares of common stock. In June 2016, 
the shareholders ratified the amendment to the Company’s ESPP to increase the number of shares of common stock authorized to be 
issued under the ESPP by 125,000 shares with an annual increase thereafter each January 1 commencing on January 1, 2017 by up to 
an  additional  35,000  shares.  During  fiscal  2016,  2015  and  2014,  there  were  31,879,  19,423  and  19,062  shares  of  common  stock, 
respectively, issued to participants under the ESPP. As of January 28, 2017, the amount authorized under the ESPP was 660,000 with 
approximately 141,290 shares remaining under the authorization. 

Note 8 — Retirement Benefit Plans 

401(k)  savings  plan —  The  Company  maintains  a  defined  contribution  401(k)  employee  benefit  plan,  which  covers  all 
employees  meeting  certain  age  and  service  requirements.  Up  to  6%  of  the  employee’s  compensation  may  be  matched  at  the 
Company’s  discretion,  subject  to  statutory  limitations.  For  all  fiscal  years  presented,  this  discretionary  percentage  was  50%  of  an 
employee’s contribution subject to Plan maximums. The Company’s matching contributions were approximately $531,000, $521,000 
and $457,000 in fiscal 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The Company has the option to make additional contributions to the Plan on 
behalf of covered employees; however, no such contributions were made in fiscal 2016, 2015, or 2014.  

Deferred  compensation  plan —  The  Company  maintains  The  Executive  Non-Qualified  Excess  Plan  (the  “Deferred 
Compensation Plan”). The Deferred Compensation Plan is available for certain employees whose benefits under the 401(k) Savings 
Plan  are  limited  due  to  provisions  of  the  Internal  Revenue  Code.  The  Company’s  matching  contributions  to  this  Plan  were 
approximately $48,000, $63,000 and $52,000 in fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.  

Note 9 — Commitments and Contingencies  

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentration of risk are primarily cash and cash equivalents. The 
Company places its cash and cash equivalents in insured depository institutions and limits the amount of credit exposure to any one 
institution within the covenant restrictions imposed by the Company’s debt agreements.  

The Company is involved in various routine legal proceedings incidental to the conduct of its business. The Company believes 
that any resulting liability from existing legal proceedings, individually or in the aggregate, will not have a material adverse effect on 
its operations or financial condition. Although the outcome of such proceedings and claims cannot be determined with certainty, we 
believe  that  it  is  unlikely  that  these  proceedings  and  claims  in  excess  of  insurance  coverage  will  have  a  material  effect  on  our 
operations, financial condition or cash flows.  

52 

 
  
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
Note 10 — Related Party Transactions  

In July 2009, the Company entered into a Vendor Agreement with a related party vendor to purchase merchandise inventory. 
The vendor is considered a related party because its principal owner is the spouse of the Company’s Vice President of Merchandising. 
The table below sets forth selected results related to this vendor in dollars (in thousands) and percentages for the periods indicated: 

Related Party Vendor 
Purchases 
Purchases as a percent of total merchandise purchases 

Note 11 — Stock Repurchase Plan  

52 Weeks Ended 
January 28, 
2017  

52 Weeks Ended 
January 30, 
2016  

52 Weeks Ended 
January 31, 
2015  

$     44,703 
17.6% 

$     39,178 
14.8% 

$     29,114 
12.5% 

On  May  22,  2014,  the  Company  announced  that  its  Board  of  Directors  authorized  a  stock  repurchase  plan  providing  for  the 
purchase in the aggregate of up to $30 million of the Company’s outstanding common stock from time to time until May 2016. The 
Company  completed  this  $30  million  share  repurchase  plan  during  the  year  ended  January  30,  2016  by  repurchasing  and  retiring  a 
total of 1,921,423 shares at a weighted average cost of $15.61 per share.  There were no stock repurchases in fiscal 2016. 

Note 12 — Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited) 

Summarized quarterly financial results for fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2015 follow (in thousands, except per share amounts): 

Total revenue 
Gross profit 
Operating income (loss) 
Net income (loss) 
Earnings (loss) per share: 

Basic 
Diluted 

Total revenue 
Gross profit 
Operating income (loss) 
Net income (loss) 
Earnings (loss) per share: 

Basic 
Diluted 

April 30, 
2016  

$  129,911  
49,537  
1,524  
916  

Fiscal 2016 Quarter Ended  
October 29, 
July 30, 
2016  
2016  
$  123,017 
42,273 
(5,895) 
(3,567) 

$  138,240 
50,478 
(1,608) 
(846) 

$ 

January 28, 
2017 
203,160  
79,183  
22,978  
14,543  

0.06  
0.06  

(0.22) 
(0.22) 

(0.05) 
(0.05) 

0.91  
0.90  

Fiscal 2015 Quarter Ended  
October 31, 
2015  

May 2, 
2015  
$  118,310  
47,663  
4,097  
2,529  

August 1, 
2015  
$  115,289 
42,512 
(3,702) 
(2,288) 

$  129,238 
48,101 
(932) 
(270) 

$ 

January 30, 
2016 
198,970  
80,518  
26,728  
16,602  

0.15  
0.14  

(0.13) 
(0.13) 

(0.02) 
(0.02) 

0.99  
0.97  

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3. Exhibits: (see (b) below)  
(b)  Exhibits.  

The following is a list of exhibits filed as part of this annual report on Form 10-K. For exhibits incorporated by reference, the 

location of the exhibit in the Company’s previous filing is indicated in parentheses.  
Exhibit 
Number 

Description 

  3.1* 

 —    Amended and Restated Charter of Kirkland’s, Inc. (Exhibit 3.1 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter 

ended August 1, 2015) 

  3.2* 
  4.1* 

 —    Amended and Restated Bylaws of Kirkland’s, Inc. (Exhibit 3.2 to our Current Report on Form 8-K dated March 31, 2006) 
 —    Form of Specimen Stock Certificate (Exhibit 4.1 to Amendment No. 1 to our registration statement on Form S-1 filed on 

June 5, 2002, Registration No. 333-86746 (“Amendment No. 1 to 2002 Form S-1”)) 

10.1* 

 —    Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of August 19, 2011, by and among Kirkland’s, Inc., the borrowers 

10.2* 

named therein, and Bank of America, N.A., as agent, and the lenders named therein (Exhibit 10.1 to our Current Report on 
Form 8-K dated August 24, 2011) 

 —    Amended and Restated Security Agreement, dated as of August 19, 2011, by and among Kirkland’s, Inc., the other 

guarantors named therein and Bank of America, N.A., as agent, and the lenders named therein (Exhibit 10.2 to our Current 
Report on Form 8-K dated August 24, 2011) 

10.3+*   —    Amended and Restated 2002 Equity Incentive Plan (Exhibit 10.1 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter 

ended May 4, 2013) 

10.4+*   —    Form of Non-Qualified Stock Option Award Agreement for Director Grants (Exhibit 10.1 to our Quarterly Report on 

Form 10-Q for the quarter ended October 30, 2004 (“October 2004 Form 10-Q”)) 

10.5+*   —    Form of Incentive Stock Option Agreement (Exhibit 10.2 to the October 2004 Form 10-Q) 
10.6+*   —    Executive Non-Qualified Excess Plan (Exhibit 10.19 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 29, 

2005) 

10.7* 

 —    First Amendment to Kirkland’s, Inc. 2002 Equity Incentive Plan effective March 17, 2006 (Exhibit 99.2 to our Current 

Report on Form 8-K dated March 22, 2006 (the “March 22, 2006 Form 8-K”)) 

10.8* 

 —    Office Lease Agreement dated April 17, 2015 by and between Kirkland’s and Highwoods Realty, L.P. (Exhibit 10.1 to our 

Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended May 3, 2014) 

10.9*  —   Distribution Center Lease Agreement dated March 6, 2015 by and between Kirkland’s, Inc. and Hollingsworth Capital 

10.10*  —  

10.11+* —  

10.12+* —  

10.13+  —  
21.1 
23.1 
31.1 
31.2 
32.1 

Partners – Tennessee, LLC (Exhibit 10.1 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended May 2, 2015) 
Joinder and First Amendment to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of February 26, 2016, by and among 
Kirkland’s Inc., the borrowers and guarantors named therein, Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent, and the 
lenders named therein (Exhibit 10.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K dated March 1, 2016) 
Employment Agreement, effective June 1, 2016, by and between W. Michael Madden and the Company (Exhibit 10.1 to 
the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated June 3, 2016) 
Employment Agreement, effective November 28, 2016, by and between Mike Cairnes and the Company (Exhibit 10.1 to 
the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated November 22, 2016) 
2002 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (as amended and restated, effective June 1, 2016) 

 —    Subsidiaries of Kirkland’s, Inc. 
 —    Consent of Ernst & Young LLP 
 —    Certification of the President and Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. 
 —    Certification of the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. 
 —    Certification of the President and Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to 

32.2 

Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. 

 —    Certification of the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to 

101 

 —   

Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. 
Interactive Data File (Annual Report on form 10-K, for the year ended January 28, 2017, furnished in XBRL (eXtensible 
Business Reporting Language)) 

*  Incorporated by reference.  
+  Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.   

Item 16. Form 10-K Summary  

None. 

54 

 
  
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused 

this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.  

SIGNATURES  

KIRKLAND’S , INC.  

By: 

/s/ W. MICHAEL MADDEN 
W. Michael Madden 
President and Chief Executive Officer 

Date: March 31, 2017  

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following 

persons on behalf of the registrant in the capacities and on the dates indicated.  

Signature 

/s/ W. MICHAEL MADDEN 
W. Michael Madden 

/s/ ADAM C. HOLLAND 
Adam C. Holland 

/s/ CARL KIRKLAND 
Carl Kirkland 

/s/ STEVEN J. COLLINS 
Steven J. Collins 

/s/ MILES T. KIRKLAND 
Miles T. Kirkland 

/s/ SUSAN S. LANIGAN 
Susan S. Lanigan 

/s/ R. WILSON ORR, III 

R. Wilson Orr, III  

/s/ JEFFERY C. OWEN 
Jeffery C. Owen 

/s/ CHARLIE PLEAS, III 
Charlie Pleas, III 

Title 

President and Chief Executive Officer, and Director 
(Principal Executive Officer) 

Vice President and Chief Financial Officer 
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) 

Director 

Director 

Director 

Director 

Date 

March 31, 2017 

March 31, 2017 

March 31, 2017 

March 31, 2017 

March 31, 2017 

March 31, 2017 

 Director 

 March 31, 2017 

Director 

Director 

March 31, 2017 

March 31, 2017 

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KIRKLAND’S, INC.  
INDEX OF EXHIBITS FILED WITH THIS ANNUAL REPORT ON 10-K  

Exhibit 
Number 

Description 

10.13 

2002 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (as amended and restated, effective June 1, 2016) 

21.1 
23.1 

31.1 

31.2 

32.1 

32.2 

101 

Subsidiaries of Kirkland’s, Inc. 
Consent of Ernst & Young LLP 

Certification of the President and Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) or Rule 15d-14(a) 

Certification of the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) or Rule 15d-14(a) 

Certification of the President and Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 

Certification of the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 

Interactive Data File (Annual Report on Form 10-K, for the year ended January 28, 2017, furnished in XBRL (eXtensible 
Business Reporting Language)) 

56 

 
  
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Directors and Officers 

Corporate Data

DIRECTORS
R. WILSON ORR, III
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Managing Partner, SSM Partners

CARL T. KIRKLAND
Retired Co-Founder
Kirkland’s, Inc. 

STEVEN J. COLLINS
Managing Director
Advent International 

SUSAN S. LANIGAN
Executive Vice President and  
General Counsel
Chico’s FAS, Inc. 

MILES T. KIRKLAND, CFA
Senior Vice President and  
Portfolio Manager
Truxton Trust

W. MICHAEL MADDEN
President and Chief Executive Officer
Kirkland’s, Inc.

JEFFERY C. OWEN
Executive Vice President of Store Operations
Dollar General Corporation

CHARLIE PLEAS, III
Senior Vice President and Controller
AutoZone, Inc.

OFFICERS 
W. MICHAEL MADDEN
President and Chief Executive Officer

MIKE CAIRNES
Executive Vice President and  
Chief Operating Officer 

MICHELLE R. GRAUL
Executive Vice President of Stores

KARLA Q. CALDERON
Vice President of Merchandising 

ADAM C. HOLLAND
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

SARAH E. HUSSEY
Vice President of Planning and Allocation 

GARY F. JORDAN
Vice President of Logistics

KATHY W. KRAHN
Vice President of Store Operations

KAREN MILLER
Vice President of Merchandising 

ANTHONY PRICE
Vice President of Marketing 

GARA A. PRYOR
Vice President of Human Resources

CARTER R. TODD
Vice President, General Counsel and 
Corporate Secretary

CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS
Kirkland’s, Inc.
5310 Maryland Way
Brentwood, Tennessee 37027
615.872.4800
www.kirklands.com

TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR
Broadridge Corporate Issuer Solutions
1717 Arch Street
Suite 1300
Philadelphia, PA 19103
877.830.4936
Shareholders seeking information concerning 
stock transfers, change of address, and lost 
certificates should contact Broadridge Corporate 
Issuer Solutions directly.

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
Ernst & Young LLP
Nashville, Tennessee

ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K
A copy of the Company’s fiscal 2016 Annual 
Report on Form 10-K as filed with the 
Securities and Exchange Commission is 
available to shareholders by contacting 
the Investor Relations Department at the 
Company’s address above.

ANNUAL MEETING
The Annual Meeting of Shareholders will be 
held at 9:00 a.m. Central Daylight Time on 
June 2, 2017, at Kirkland’s Headquarters, 5310 
Maryland Way, Brentwood, Tennessee.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Except for historical information contained 
herein, the statements made herein are 
forward-looking and made pursuant to 
the safe harbor provisions of the Private 
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. 
Forward-looking statements involve known 
and unknown risks and uncertainties, which 

may cause Kirkland’s actual results to differ 
materially from forecasted results. Those 
risks and uncertainties include, among other 
things, the competitive environment in 
the home décor industry in general and in 
Kirkland’s specific market areas, inflation, 
product availability and growth opportunities, 
seasonal fluctuations, and economic conditions 
in general. Those and other risks are more 
fully described in Kirkland’s filings with 
the Securities and Exchange Commission, 
including the Company’s Annual Report on 
Form 10-K filed on March 31, 2017. Kirkland’s 
disclaims any obligation to update any such 
factors or to publicly announce results of 
any revisions to any of the forward-looking 
statements contained herein to reflect future 
events or developments.

STOCK MARKET INFORMATION
The Company’s common stock is traded 
on the NASDAQ Global Market under the 
symbol KIRK. On March 31, 2017, there were 
46 holders of record and 3,262 beneficial 
owners of the Company’s common stock. 
The following table sets forth, for the periods 
indicated, the high and low last sale prices of 
shares of the common stock as reported by 
NASDAQ: 

Fiscal 2016: 

First Quarter 
Second Quarter 
Third Quarter 
Fourth Quarter 

Fiscal 2015:  

First Quarter 
Second Quarter 
Third Quarter 
Fourth Quarter 

High  

Low

$  17.51 
$  16.41 
$  15.51 
$  17.22 

$  11.57
$  13.02
$  11.90
$  11.66

High  

Low

$  26.49 
$  28.72 
$  27.97 
$  24.11 

$  22.47
$  23.97
$  21.03
$  11.39 

 5310 Maryland Way
Brentwood, TN 37027
615.872.4800

www.kirklands.com