Quarterlytics / Consumer Cyclical / Apparel - Retail / Stitch Fix, Inc.

Stitch Fix, Inc.

sfix · NASDAQ Consumer Cyclical
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Ticker sfix
Exchange NASDAQ
Sector Consumer Cyclical
Industry Apparel - Retail
Employees 4570
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FY2021 Annual Report · Stitch Fix, Inc.
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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K 

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

For the fiscal year ended July 31, 2021

OR

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

1934

For the transition period from                      to                 

Commission file number: 001-38291 

STITCH FIX, INC. 

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

27-5026540
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

1 Montgomery Street, Suite 1500
San Francisco, California 94104

(Address of principal executive offices and zip code)

(415) 882-7765 

Registrant's telephone number, including area code

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

Title of Each Class
Class A common stock, par value $0.00002 per share

Trading Symbol
SFIX

Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered
Nasdaq Global Select Market

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

None

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

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

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

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

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

Large accelerated filer
Non-accelerated filer  

 ☒
☐

Accelerated filer
Smaller reporting company
Emerging growth company

☐
☐
☐

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

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness 
of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered 
public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. Yes ☒ No ☐

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

As of January 30, 2021, the last day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, the aggregate market value of 
the registrant’s voting Class A common stock and Class B common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant was approximately 
$6,126,944,119 and $87,794,779, respectively, based on a closing price of $95.44 per share of the registrant’s Class A common stock 
as reported on The Nasdaq Global Market on January 29, 2021. 

As of September 21, 2021, the number of outstanding shares of the registrant’s Class A common stock, par value $0.00002 per share, 
was 79,309,535, and the number of outstanding shares of the registrant’s Class B common stock, par value $0.00002 per share, was 
29,422,439.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions  of  the  registrant’s  definitive  Proxy  Statement  for  the  2021  Annual  Meeting  of  Stockholders  to  be  filed  with  the  U.S. 
Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Regulation 14A not later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by 
this Annual Report on Form 10-K are incorporated by reference in Part III, Items 10-14 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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Table of Contents 

Page 
Number

Part I

Item 1.

Business

Item 1A.  Risk Factors

Item 1B.  Unresolved Staff Comments

Item 2. 

Properties

Item 3. 

Legal Proceedings

Item 4.  Mine Safety Disclosures

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

Securities

Item 6. 

Selected Financial Data

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

Item 7A.  Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

Item 8. 

Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

Item 9.

Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure

Item 9A.  Controls and Procedures

Item 9B. Other Information

Part III
Item 10.  Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
Item 11.  Executive Compensation

Item 12.  Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters
Item 13.  Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence
Item 14.  Principal Accounting Fees and Services

Part IV
Item 15.  Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules
Item 16.  Form 10-K Summary

SIGNATURES

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Unless  the  context  suggests  otherwise,  references  in  this  Annual  Report  on  Form  10-K  (the  “Annual  Report”)  to  “Stitch  Fix,”  the 
“Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Stitch Fix, Inc. and, where appropriate, its subsidiaries.

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PART I
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This  Annual  Report  contains  forward-looking  statements  that  involve  risks,  uncertainties,  and  assumptions  that,  if  they  never 
materialize or prove incorrect, could cause our results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking 
statements.  The  statements  contained  in  this  Annual  Report  that  are  not  purely  historical  are  forward-looking  statements  within  the 
meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange 
Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. Forward-looking statements are often identified by the use of words such as, but not 
limited  to,  “anticipate,”  “believe,”  “can,”  “continue,”  “could,”  “estimate,”  “expect,”  “intend,”  “may,”  “might,”  “plan,”  “project,” 
“seek,”  “should,”  “target,”  “will,”  “would,”  and  similar  expressions  or  variations  intended  to  identify  forward-looking  statements. 
These  statements  are  based  on  the  beliefs  and  assumptions  of  our  management,  which  are  in  turn  based  on  information  currently 
available to management. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other important factors that could 
cause  actual  results  and  the  timing  of  certain  events  to  differ  materially  from  future  results  expressed  or  implied  by  such  forward-
looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed in the 
section titled “Risk Factors” included under Part I, Item 1A below. Furthermore, such forward-looking statements speak only as of the 
date of this Annual Report. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect 
events or circumstances after the date of such statements.

Item 1. Business. 

Stitch Fix is transforming the way people find what they love. 

Overview

Stitch Fix was inspired by the vision of a client-first, client-centric new way of retail. What people buy and wear matters. When we 
serve our clients well, we help them discover and define their styles, we find jeans that fit and flatter their bodies, we reduce their 
anxiety and stress when getting ready in the morning, we give them confidence in job interviews and on first dates, and we give them 
time back in their lives to invest in themselves or spend with their families. Most of all, we are fortunate to play a small part in our 
clients looking, feeling, and ultimately being their best selves.

Stitch Fix operates in the United States and United Kingdom. Since our founding in 2011, we have helped millions of men, women, 
and kids discover and buy what they love through personalized shipments of apparel, shoes, and accessories. Currently, clients can 
engage  with  us  in  one  of  two  ways  that,  combined,  form  an  ecosystem  of  personalized  experiences  across  styling,  shopping,  and 
inspiration: (1) by receiving a personalized shipment of apparel informed by our algorithms and sent by a Stitch Fix stylist (a “Fix”); 
or (2) by purchasing directly from our website or mobile app based on a personalized assortment of outfit and item recommendations 
(“Freestyle”). Clients can choose to schedule automatic shipments or order a Fix on demand after they fill out a style profile on our 
website  or  mobile  app.  After  receiving  a  Fix,  our  clients  purchase  the  items  they  want  to  keep  and  return  the  other  items,  if  any. 
Freestyle  utilizes  our  algorithms  to  recommend  a  personalized  assortment  of  outfit  and  item  recommendations  that  will  update 
throughout the day and will continue to evolve as we learn more about the client.

Stitch Fix was founded with a focus on Women’s apparel. In our first few years, we were able to gain a deep understanding of our 
clients  and  merchandise  and  build  the  capability  to  listen  to  our  clients,  respond  to  feedback,  and  deliver  the  experience  of 
personalization. We have since extended those capabilities into Men’s, Kids, Petite, Maternity, and Plus apparel, as well as shoes and 
accessories. 

We are successful when we are able to help clients find what they love again and again, creating long-term, trusted relationships. Our 
clients share personal information with us, including detailed style, size, fit, and price preferences, as well as unique inputs, such as 
how often they dress for certain occasions or which parts of their bodies they like to flaunt or cover up. Our clients are motivated to 
share these personal details with us and provide us with ongoing feedback because they recognize that doing so will result in more 
personalized  and  successful  experiences.  This  feedback  also  creates  a  valuable  network  effect  by  helping  us  to  better  serve  other 
clients.  As  of  July  31,  2021,  we  had  approximately  4,165,000  active  clients.  See  the  section  titled  “Management’s  Discussion  and 
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Key Financial and Operating Metrics” for information on how we define 
and calculate active clients.

The very human experience that we deliver is powered by data science. Our data science capabilities consist of our rich data set and 
our proprietary algorithms, which fuel our business by enhancing the client experience and driving business model efficiencies. The 
vast majority of our client data is provided directly and explicitly by the client, rather than inferred, scraped, or obtained from other 
sources. We also gather extensive merchandise data, such as inseam, pocket shape, silhouette, and fit. This large and growing data set 
provides the foundation for proprietary algorithms that we use throughout our business, including those that predict purchase behavior, 
forecast  demand,  optimize  inventory,  and  enable  us  to  design  new  apparel.  We  believe  our  data  science  capabilities  give  us  a 
significant competitive advantage, and as our data set grows, our algorithms become more powerful.

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With a Fix, we leverage our data science through a custom-built, web-based styling application that provides recommendations to our 
stylists from our broad selection of merchandise. Our stylists then send the most relevant items from our merchandise in each Fix. Our 
stylists provide a personal touch, offer styling advice and context to each item selected, and help us develop long-term relationships 
with our clients.

We offer merchandise across multiple price points and styles from established and emerging brands, as well as our own private labels, 
which we call Exclusive Brands. Many of our brand partners also design and supply items exclusively for our clients.

Technology is Driving Transformation Across Industries

Industry Overview

Technological  innovation  has  profoundly  impacted  how  consumers  discover  and  purchase  products,  forcing  businesses  to  adapt  to 
engage effectively with consumers. We believe that new business models that embrace these changes and truly focus on the consumer 
will be the winners in this changing environment.

The  Apparel,  Shoes,  and  Accessories  Market  is  Massive,  but  Many  Retailers  have  Failed  to  Adapt  to  Changing  Consumer 
Behavior

The  U.S.  apparel,  shoes,  and  accessories  market  is  large,  but  we  believe  many  brick-and-mortar  retailers  have  failed  to  adapt  to 
evolving  consumer  preferences.  Historically,  brick-and-mortar  retailers  have  been  the  primary  source  of  apparel,  shoes,  and 
accessories  sales  in  the  United  States.  Over  time,  brick-and-mortar  retail  has  changed  and  the  era  of  salespersons  who  know  each 
customer on a personal level has passed. We believe many of today’s consumers view the traditional retail experience as impersonal, 
time-consuming, and inconvenient. This has led to financial difficulties, bankruptcies, and store closures for many major department 
stores, specialty retailers, and retail chains, and this has been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic as consumers feel less 
comfortable shopping at physical stores.

eCommerce is Growing, but has Further Depersonalized the Shopping Experience

The internet has created new opportunities for consumers to shop for apparel. eCommerce continues to take market share from brick-
and-mortar retail. The first wave of eCommerce companies prioritized low price and fast delivery. This transaction-focused model is 
well  suited  for  commoditized  products  and  when  consumers  already  know  what  they  want.  However,  we  believe  eCommerce 
companies often fall short when consumers do not know what they want and price and delivery speed are not the primary decision 
drivers. There is an overwhelming selection of apparel, shoes, and accessories available to consumers online, and searches and filters 
are poor tools when it comes to finding items that fit one’s style, figure, and occasion. eCommerce companies also lack the critical 
personal touchpoints necessary to help consumers find what they love, further depersonalizing the shopping experience.

Personalization is the Next Wave

To be relevant today, retailers must find a way to connect with consumers on a personal level and fit conveniently into their lifestyles. 
Personalization in retail can be difficult and nuanced, as consumers consider many factors that can be difficult to articulate, including 
style,  size,  fit,  feel,  and  occasion.  We  believe  that  consumers  seek  personalized  retail  experiences,  which  we  power  through  a 
combination of data science and human judgment.

Competition

The  retail  apparel  industry  is  highly  competitive.  Our  competitors  include  eCommerce  companies  that  sell  apparel,  shoes,  and 
accessories; local, national, and global department stores; specialty retailers; discount chains; independent retail stores; and the online 
offerings  of  these  traditional  retail  competitors.  Additionally,  we  experience  competition  for  consumer  discretionary  spending  from 
other product and experiential categories.

We compete primarily on the basis of client experience, brand, product selection, quality, convenience, and price. We believe that we 
are able to compete effectively because we offer clients a personalized and fun shopping experience that our competitors are unable to 
match. Further, as an eCommerce company without physical store locations, we believe that the COVID-19 pandemic has enhanced 
our competitive position in the retail industry.  See Part I, Item1A “Risk Factors—Our industry is highly competitive and if we do not 
compete effectively our operating results could be adversely affected” for more information.

Our Service

We help millions of clients discover and buy what they love through personalized apparel, shoes, and accessories.

Our Data Science Advantage

Our  data  science  capabilities  fuel  our  business.  These  capabilities  consist  of  our  rich  and  growing  set  of  detailed  client  and 
merchandise data and our proprietary algorithms. We use data science throughout our business, including to style our clients, offer 
personalized direct buy options, predict purchase behavior, forecast demand, optimize inventory, and design new apparel.

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Our data set is particularly powerful because:

•

•

•

the vast majority of our client data is provided directly and explicitly by the client, rather than inferred, scraped, or obtained 
from other sources;

our  clients  are  motivated  to  provide  us  with  relevant  personal  data,  both  at  initial  signup  and  over  time  as  they  use  our 
service, because they trust it will improve their shopping experience; and

our  merchandise  data  tracks  dimensions  that  enable  us  to  predict  purchase  behavior  and  deliver  a  more  personalized 
experience.

On average, clients that complete our style profile provide us with over 100 meaningful data points, including detailed style, size, fit, 
and price preferences, as well as unique inputs such as how often they dress for certain occasions or which parts of their bodies the 
clients like to flaunt or cover up. Over time, through their feedback on Fixes they receive and Freestyle orders, clients share additional 
information about their preferences as well as detailed data about both the merchandise they keep and return. Historically, over 80% of 
our shipments have resulted in direct client feedback. This feedback loop drives important network effects, as our client-provided data 
informs not only our personalization capabilities for the specific client, but also helps us better serve other clients. In addition, Style 
Shuffle, an interactive mobile and web-based feature in which participants rate Stitch Fix merchandise and outfits, provides additional 
data to strengthen our understanding of client tastes and style preferences.

We believe our proprietary merchandise data set is differentiated from other retailers. We encode each of our SKUs with numerous 
information attributes to help our algorithms make better recommendations for our clients. The information we store for each SKU 
includes:

•

•

•

•

basic data, such as brand, size, color, pattern, silhouette, and material;

item measurements, such as length, width, diameter of sleeve opening, and distance from collar to first button;

nuanced descriptors, such as how appropriate the piece is for a client that prefers preppy clothing or whether it is appropriate 
for a formal event; and

client feedback, such as how the item fit a 5’10” client or how popular the piece is with young mothers.

Our algorithms use our data set to match merchandise to each of our clients. For every combination of client and merchandise, we 
compute the probability the clients will keep that item based on their and other clients’ preferences and purchase history as well as the 
attributes and past performance of the merchandise. 

Pairing Data Science and Human Judgment

The pairing of data science and human judgment drives a better client experience and a more powerful business model. Our advanced 
data  science  capabilities  harness  the  power  of  our  data  for  our  stylists  and  clients  by  generating  predictive  recommendations  to 
streamline the curation process, and in the case of Freestyle, generate highly personalized items and outfit recommendations in near 
real-time. For clients who prefer the assistance of a stylist, these stylists add a critical layer of contextual, human decision making that 
augments and improves our algorithms’ selections and creates the ultimate personalization experience. 

Our Value Proposition to Clients

Our Differentiated Value Proposition

Our  clients  love  our  service  for  many  reasons.  We  help  clients  find  apparel,  shoes,  and  accessories  that  they  love  in  a  way  that  is 
convenient and fun.  We save our clients time by presenting them with a personalized shopping experience and expert styling advice 
they  can  trust,  whether  through  Freestyle  or  a  Fix.  We  believe  our  personalization  capability  removes  the  frustration  of  endlessly 
scrolling through hundreds of items that clients experience on other eCommerce platforms.

Clients also value the quality and diversity of our merchandise as we deliver the familiar brands they know, offer items they can’t find 
anywhere else, and expand their fashion palette by exposing them to new brands and styles they might not have tried. We proudly 
serve women, men, and kids across ages, sizes, tastes, geographies, and price preferences.

Our Value Proposition to Brand Partners

We believe that we are a preferred channel and a powerful growth opportunity for our brand partners. Unlike many sales channels, we 
do not rely on discounts or promotions. Also, by introducing our clients to brands they may not have shopped for, we help our brand 
partners  reach  clients  they  may  not  have  otherwise  reached.  Further,  we  provide  our  brand  partners  with  insights  based  on  client 
feedback that help our brand partners improve and evolve their merchandise to better meet consumer demand.

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Since we were founded in 2011, we have shipped millions of orders to our clients. We have achieved this success due to our following 
key strengths:

Our Strengths

•

•

•

our rich client and merchandise data;

our expert data science team and proprietary and predictive algorithms; and

our team of expert stylists.

Our Strategy

We aim to transform the way people find what they love. We plan to achieve this goal by continuing to:

•

•

•

expand our relationships with existing clients;

acquire new clients; and

expand our addressable market.

How it Works

Clients can engage with us in two ways that, when combined, form an ecosystem of personalized experiences across styling, shopping, 
and inspiration.  The first is the “Fix,” a personalized shipment of apparel informed by algorithms and sent by a Stitch Fix Stylist.  The 
second is “Freestyle,” an online assortment of apparel, shoes, and accessories personalized to each client from which the client can 
purchase.

A Fix is a Stitch Fix-branded box containing a personalized assortment of apparel, shoes, and accessories informed by our algorithms 
and sent by Stitch Fix stylists and delivered to the clients to try on in the comfort of their own homes. They can keep some, all, or 
none of the items in the Fix and easily return any items in a prepaid-postage bag provided in the Fix. In each Fix, a stylist sends a 
client items from a broad range of merchandise recommended for the client by our algorithms. These algorithmic recommendations 
are based on the clients’ personal style profile, their own order behavior, the aggregate historical behavior of our client base, and the 
aggregate historical data we have collected on each item of merchandise we have available.

We have numerous touch points with our clients. Before clients receive their first Fix, they share the following information with us:

•

•

Style  profile.  Upon  registering,  each  client  fills  out  a  style  profile  on  either  our  website  or  mobile  application.  The  style 
profile allows us to introduce ourselves to a client, initiate a dialogue, and start gathering data.

Personal note to stylist. Clients can share a personal note with their stylists when placing a Fix order or after receiving a Fix. 
For example, a client might request shoes for a friend’s wedding or shorts for an upcoming vacation. These personal notes 
enable us to better personalize a Fix.

After completing their initial style profiles, clients choose their preferred order frequency and can select the exact date by which they 
want to receive their Fix. We currently offer two types of Fix scheduling:

•

•

Auto-ship. A client can elect to auto-ship Fixes every two to three weeks, monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly.

On-demand. Our on-demand option allows clients to schedule a one-time Fix at any time, either instead of or in addition to 
utilizing the auto-ship option. On-demand clients are prompted to schedule their next Fix each time they check out, but are 
not obligated to do so.

We  recognize  that  our  clients  have  different  needs,  so  our  Fix  frequency  options  are  another  way  that  we  personalize  the  client 
experience. Clients can increase or decrease the Fix frequency at any time, and can also easily reschedule any given shipment to better 
accommodate their needs. Each Fix is delivered to the client’s address of choice.

We are investing in product experiences that we believe will drive greater personalization, such as Fix Preview. Fix Preview allows 
clients the opportunity to view proposed items for their next Fix before it ships, giving clients a chance to provide feedback to their 
stylists and have more control over the items they receive.

We  also  offer  Extras,  a  feature  that  allows  clients  to  select  items  such  as  socks,  bras,  underwear,  and  other  intimates  that  are  then 
added to the items their stylist selects for their Fix.

In addition to a personalized selection of apparel, shoes, and accessories, each Fix also includes a personal note from the stylist and a 
style card to provide clients with outfit ideas for each item.

Once  clients  decide  which  items  they  wish  to  keep  they  can  easily  check  out  and  pick  the  delivery  date  for  their  next  Fix  via  our 
website or mobile application.

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We charge clients a styling fee of $20 in the United States and £10 in the United Kingdom (“UK”) for each Fix, which is credited 
toward the merchandise purchased. For our Style Pass clients, we charge a $49 annual fee in the United States, the only country where 
Style Pass is offered, which provides unlimited styling for the year and is credited toward the merchandise purchased over the course 
of the year. If clients choose to keep all items chosen for them by their stylist, they receive a discount on the entire shipment, which is 
25% in the United States and 20% in the UK. Clients can return the items they do not want or exchange items for a different size if 
available,  using  the  prepaid-postage  bag  delivered  in  the  Fix.  We  request  that  clients  return  items  to  us  that  they  do  not  wish  to 
purchase within three calendar days of receiving a Fix. 

With Freestyle, a client can visit our website or mobile application and make direct purchases of apparel, shoes and accessories from a 
personalized set of recommended items and outfits. A client who onboards through Freestyle will complete a style quiz, which we use 
to build a personalized shop with curated items that will continue to evolve as we learn more about the client. For clients who have 
previously made purchases on our platform, our Freestyle algorithms utilize additional data points, including: a client’s style profile, 
past purchases, Style Shuffle responses, and our aggregate historical data with respect to clients and merchandise. Clients can engage 
with Freestyle through the following features:

•

•

•

•

Trending for You. A client can discover and shop an array of trending looks, personalized for each client. These picks are 
based on their style profile, Style Shuffle responses, and trending styles.

Complete your Looks. After a client has purchased at least one item from us, a client will be able to shop complete outfits that 
complement their Stitch Fix purchases.

Categories. A client can find pieces curated by categories which are informed by their style quiz, style profile, and trending 
styles.

Buy It Again. A client can shop new colors, prints, or sizes of any previously purchased items.

Freestyle purchases can be exchanged or returned using a prepaid-postage bag included in each shipment. No styling fee is charged for 
Freestyle purchases.

After clients receive their order, they are invited to provide feedback about the fit, price, style, and quality of the items. This feedback 
informs  both  our  algorithms  and  stylists  to  improve  each  future  order.  We  also  gather  feedback  through  Style  Shuffle  providing 
additional data to strengthen our understanding of client tastes and style preferences.

Our Merchandise, Brand Partners, and Exclusive Brands

The breadth of our merchandise selection is essential to our success. Our algorithms filter over one thousand SKUs to recommend a 
subset of relevant merchandise to our stylists or clients, who leverage the information to select or purchase merchandise. We source 
merchandise  from  brand  partners  and  also  create  our  own  merchandise  to  serve  unmet  client  needs.  We  offer  apparel,  shoes,  and 
accessories across a range of price points. We currently serve our clients in the following categories: Women’s, Men’s, Kids, as well 
as Petite, Maternity, and Plus.

Brand Partners

We partner with established and emerging brands across multiple price points and styles. With many of our brand partners, we develop 
third-party  branded  items  exclusively  sold  to  Stitch  Fix  clients.  This  exclusivity  allows  our  clients  to  discover  personally 
recommended products that are unavailable elsewhere.

In  2020,  we  founded  the  Stitch  Fix  Elevate  Grant  &  Mentorship  Program  (the  “Elevate  Program”),  with  the  mission  of  helping  to 
grow, mentor, and support apparel and accessories businesses owned by Black, Indigenous and People of Color (“BIPOC”) and are 
including Elevate Program grantees as new brand partners on the Stitch Fix platform.

Exclusive Brands

We also design and bring to market our own styles, which we refer to as Exclusive Brands, in order to target specific client needs that 
are unmet by what our merchandising team can source in the market. We use data science to identify and develop the new products for 
our Exclusive Brands. We then pair our data with the expertise of our design teams to bring these new products to market. We expect 
our product development efforts will yield better products for our clients as we acquire more data and feedback.

Exclusive Brands are a meaningful part of our business and we expect them to be a permanent part of our portfolio. However, we do 
not have specific targets for the merchandise mix provided by our brand partners and our Exclusive Brands, and expect it will fluctuate 
over time. We will continue to develop products when we identify opportunities or gaps in the market.

Sourcing

We purchase substantially all of our merchandise directly from our brand partners or Exclusive Brands merchandise vendors, who are 
responsible for the entire manufacturing process.

8

For the production of our Exclusive Brands, we contract with merchandise vendors, who are responsible for the entire manufacturing 
process. Some of these vendors operate their own manufacturing facilities and others subcontract the manufacturing to other parties. 
Our vendors generally agree to our standard vendor terms, which govern our business relationship. Although we do not have long-
term agreements with our vendors, we have long-standing relationships with a diverse base of vendors that we believe to be mutually 
satisfactory.

All of our Exclusive Brand merchandise is produced according to our specifications, and we require that all of our vendors comply 
with  applicable  law  and  observe  strict  standards  of  conduct.  We  have  hired  independent  firms  that  conduct  audits  of  the  working 
conditions at the factories producing our Exclusive Brands. If an audit reveals potential problems, we require that the vendor institute 
corrective  action  plans  to  bring  the  factory  into  compliance  with  our  standards,  or  we  may  discontinue  our  relationship  with  the 
vendor.  We  require  that  all  new  factories  producing  Exclusive  Brand  merchandise  for  us  be  audited  before  Stitch  Fix  production 
begins.

Inventory Management and Fulfillment

We  have  seven  fulfillment  centers,  six  of  which  are  in  the  United  States  (located  in  Arizona,  Texas,  Pennsylvania,  Georgia,  and 
Indiana), and one in the UK.

In  November  2020,  we  entered  into  an  agreement  to  lease  approximately  700,000  square  feet  of  space  to  be  used  as  a  fulfillment 
center  in  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah,  which  will  be  our  seventh  fulfillment  center  in  the  United  States.  We  expect  this  facility  to  begin 
receiving merchandise from vendors and shipping products to clients in early fiscal 2022.

In our fulfillment centers, our algorithms increase efficiencies in processes such as allocation, batch picking, transportation, shipping, 
returns,  and  ongoing  process  improvement.  We  have  a  reverse  logistics  operation  to  manage  returned  merchandise.  Our  specialist 
returns teams in our dedicated return intake areas accept, process, and reallocate returns to our inventory so the merchandise can be 
offered for another Fix or Freestyle order. Our expertise in inventory management allows us to turn inventory quickly, which drives 
working capital efficiency.

Seasonality

Seasonality in our business does not follow that of traditional retailers, such as typical high concentration of revenue in the holiday 
quarter.  Historically, our net sales have grown throughout the fiscal year as we acquire additional active clients, though active client 
additions  may  fluctuate  from  period  to  period.  We  recognized  23%,  24%,  26%,  and  27%  of  our  annual  net  sales  during  the  first, 
second, third, and fourth quarters of the fiscal year ended 2021, respectively.

Intellectual Property

We  protect  our  intellectual  property  through  a  combination  of  trademarks,  domain  names,  copyrights,  trade  secrets,  and  patents,  as 
well  as  contractual  provisions  and  restrictions  on  access  to  our  proprietary  technology.  Our  principal  trademark  assets  include  the 
trademarks “Stitch Fix” and “Fix,” which are registered in the United States and some foreign jurisdictions, our logos and taglines, and 
multiple  private  label  apparel  and  accessory  brand  names.  We  have  applied  to  register  or  registered  many  of  our  trademarks  in  the 
United  States  and  other  jurisdictions,  and  we  will  pursue  additional  trademark  registrations  to  the  extent  we  believe  they  would  be 
beneficial and cost-effective.

We file patents in the United States and abroad and intend to pursue additional patent protection to the extent we believe it would be 
beneficial and cost-effective.

We are the registered holder of multiple domestic and international domain names that include “stitchfix” and similar variations. We 
also hold domain registrations for many of our private-label brand names and other related trade names and slogans.

Our proprietary algorithm technologies, other than those incorporated into a patent application, are protected by trade secret laws.

In  addition  to  the  protection  provided  by  our  intellectual  property  rights,  we  enter  into  confidentiality  and  proprietary  rights 
agreements  with  our  employees,  consultants,  contractors,  and  business  partners.  Our  employees  are  also  subject  to  invention 
assignment agreements. We further control the use of our proprietary technology and intellectual property through provisions in both 
our client terms of use on our website and in our vendor terms and conditions.

Government Regulation

As with all retailers and companies operating on the internet, we are subject to a variety of international and U.S. federal and state 
laws  governing  the  processing  of  payments,  consumer  protection,  the  privacy  of  consumer  information,  and  other  laws  regarding 
unfair and deceptive trade practices.

9

Apparel, shoes, and accessories sold by us are also subject to regulation by governmental agencies in the United States and in the UK. 
These regulations relate principally to product labeling, licensing requirements, flammability testing, and product safety. We are also 
subject to environmental laws, rules, and regulations. Similarly, apparel, shoes, and accessories sold by us are also subject to import 
regulations in the United States and other countries concerning the use of wildlife products for commercial and non-commercial trade, 
including  the  U.S.  Fish  and  Wildlife  Service.  We  do  not  estimate  any  significant  capital  expenditures  for  environmental  control 
matters either in the current fiscal year or in the near future.

Headcount

Human Capital

As of July 31, 2021, we had approximately 11,260 full-time and part-time employees, including over 5,700 stylists, 4,100 fulfillment 
center employees, 360 engineers and data scientists, 250 client experience employees, 190 merchandising employees, and 660 general 
and  administrative  employees.  As  of  such  date,  84%  of  our  employees,  50%  of  our  management  team,  and  50%  of  our  Board  of 
Directors identified as female. 

Employee Relations

None of our employees is represented by a labor union. We have not experienced any work stoppages due to employee disputes, and 
we consider our relations with our employees to be good.

We  value  our  employees’  feedback  and  conduct  anonymous  employee  engagement  and  satisfaction  surveys  at  least  annually,  with 
quarterly pulse surveys, which we use to determine what is important to our employees and to evolve Company practices and policies.

Pay Equity

We  believe  pay  equity  is  equal  pay  for  work  of  equal  value.  By  paying  employees  fairly  and  consistently  based  on  the  role  they 
perform, location, and according to market data, companies can ensure that employees are not paid based on factors like gender, race, 
or ethnicity. We know these subjective factors can play a role in compensation, to the employee’s disadvantage or to their advantage, 
and so our compensation philosophy is rooted in pay equity as a guiding principle. 

We established a system of equal pay from Stitch Fix’s inception. We believe a fair and unbiased compensation structure is a critical 
component to drive a more inclusive culture within our own walls and beyond—and ultimately helps us attract and retain the highest 
caliber talent. It also means that we can sustain a system that creates less motivation for self-serving politics or individual goals, and 
creates intrinsic motivation to drive toward collective success and the happiness of our clients.

On an annual basis, we retain a third party to audit our pay data. While we have confidence in our approach and philosophy, we want 
to ensure that our compensation system withstands external review by applying appropriate and accepted methods and standards. The 
results have continued to show there is no statistically significant difference in pay across gender, race or any other protected classes at 
Stitch Fix, and that women earn $1.00 for every $1.00 earned by comparable men and BIPOC employees earn $1.00 for every $1.00 
earned by comparable white employees.

We will continue to analyze these numbers each year to ensure we maintain pay equity. While we have equal pay for work of equal 
value, other biases can impact pay. With that in mind, we continue to be vigilant and review areas like leveling and promotions in our 
organization to ensure that we are working to identify and mitigate any biases in these processes.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The  goal  of  our  Diversity,  Equity  and  Inclusion  Strategy  is  to  ensure  that  our  people  and  business  practices  allow  us  to  build  a 
company,  products,  and  experiences  that  reflect  the  richness  of  the  communities  in  which  we  operate.  We  know  that  a  diverse 
employee base makes Stitch Fix better, our ideas stronger, and our experience more broadly resonate with the clients we serve today, 
and will serve in the future. We work towards equitable practices to mitigate bias across areas like hiring and promotion, our employee 
experience, and our vendor and brand engagement. We invest in spaces for employees to learn and grow so that they are equipped to 
design and uphold equitable systems and processes. 

To  ensure  that  our  ongoing  Diversity,  Equity  and  Inclusion  strategy  is  informed  by  and  rooted  in  data,  we  set  out  to  more  deeply 
understand  our  company  demography  and  define  clear  baselines  to  improve  upon.  Our  goal  in  this  work  is  to  drive  knowledge, 
precision, and transparency—not only for ourselves internally, but also to contribute to the dialogue and information sharing that is 
critical to chartering a path forward for the broader industry.

We also have established Employee Resource Groups, which we call Stitch Fix Communities. The goal of our Stitch Fix Communities 
is to create spaces that drive increased inclusion and belonging for individuals from underrepresented groups who have historically 
been  marginalized  in  our  broader  society,  build  on  our  mission  of  inspiring  people  to  be  their  best,  authentic  selves,  and  to  create 
opportunities for employees to share their perspectives with our leaders and connect with each other on a deeper level. Each Stitch Fix 
Community has two co-leads who are supported throughout the Company, recognized for their leadership, and compensated for their 
time with learning and development investments and annual special equity grants.

10

Corporate and Available Information

We were incorporated in Delaware in 2011 under the name rack habit inc. We changed our name to Stitch Fix, Inc. in October 2011. 
Our principal executive offices are located at 1 Montgomery Street, Suite 1500, San Francisco, California, 94104, and our telephone 
number  is  (415)  882-7765.  Our  website  is  located  at  www.stitchfix.com,  and  our  investor  relations  website  is  located  at  https://
investors.stitchfix.com.

We  file  or  furnish  electronically  with  the  U.S.  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  (the  “SEC”)  annual  reports  on  Form  10-K, 
quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 
13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. We make copies of these reports available free of charge through our investor relations website as 
soon as reasonably practicable after we file or furnish them with the SEC. The SEC maintains a website at www.sec.gov that contains 
reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding Stitch Fix and other issuers that file electronically with the 
SEC.

Information contained on or accessible through our websites is not incorporated into, and does not form a part of, this Annual Report 
or any other report or document we file with the SEC, and any references to our websites are intended to be inactive textual references 
only.

11

Item 1A. Risk Factors. 

RISK FACTOR SUMMARY

Our business is subject to numerous risks. The following summary highlights some of the risks you should consider with respect to our 
business  and  prospects.  This  summary  is  not  complete  and  the  risks  summarized  below  are  not  the  only  risks  we  face.  You  should 
review and consider carefully the risks and uncertainties described in more detail in the “Risk Factors” below, which includes a more 
complete discussion of the risks summarized here.

Risks Relating to Our Business

•

•

•

•

•

The  COVID-19  pandemic  has  caused  significant  disruption  to  our  operations  and  impacted  our  business,  key  financial  and 
operating metrics, and results of operations in numerous ways that remain unpredictable.

Our failure to adequately and effectively staff our fulfillment centers, through third parties or with our own employees, and other 
operational constraints at our fulfillment centers could adversely affect our client experience and operating results.

If we are unable to manage our inventory effectively, our operating results could be adversely affected.

Shipping is a critical part of our business and any changes in our shipping arrangements or any interruptions in shipping could 
adversely affect our operating results.

Our business, including our costs and supply chain, is subject to risks associated with sourcing of merchandise and raw materials 
and manufacturing.

• We  have  a  short  operating  history  in  an  evolving  industry  and,  as  a  result,  our  past  results  may  not  be  indicative  of  future 

operating performance.

•

•

If we fail to effectively manage our growth, our business, financial condition, and operating results could be harmed.

Our continued growth depends on attracting new clients.

• We may be unable to maintain a high level of engagement with our clients and increase their spending with us, which could harm 

our business, financial condition, or operating results.

• We expect to increase our paid marketing to help grow our business, but these efforts may not be successful or cost effective.

•

•

If we are unable to develop and introduce new merchandise offerings or expand into new markets in a timely and cost-effective 
manner, our business, financial condition, and operating results could be negatively impacted.

Expansion of our operations internationally requires management attention and resources, involves additional risks, and may be 
unsuccessful.

• We may not be able to sustain our revenue growth rate and we may not be profitable in the future.

•

•

•

•

Our business depends on a strong brand and we may not be able to maintain our brand and reputation.

If we fail to attract and retain key personnel, effectively manage succession, or hire, develop, and motivate our employees, our 
business, financial condition, and operating results could be adversely affected.

If we fail to effectively manage our stylists, our business, financial condition and operating results could be adversely affected.

If  we  are  unable  to  acquire  new  merchandise  vendors  or  retain  existing  merchandise  vendors,  our  operating  results  may  be 
harmed.

• We may incur significant losses from fraud.

• We are subject to payment-related risks.

Risks Relating to our Industry, the Market, and the Economy

• We rely on consumer discretionary spending and have been, and may in the future be, adversely affected by economic downturns 

and other macroeconomic conditions or trends.

•

Our industry is highly competitive and if we do not compete effectively our operating results could be adversely affected.

• We must successfully gauge apparel trends and changing consumer preferences.

•

Our operating results have been, and could be in the future, adversely affected by natural disasters, public health crises, political 
crises, or other catastrophic events.

12

Cybersecurity, Legal and Regulatory Risks

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

System interruptions that impair client access to our website or other performance failures in our technology infrastructure could 
damage our business.

Compromises  of  our  data  security  could  cause  us  to  incur  unexpected  expenses  and  may  materially  harm  our  reputation  and 
operating results.

Some of our software and systems contain open source software, which may pose particular risks to our proprietary applications.

Adverse litigation judgments or settlements resulting from legal proceedings in which we are or may be involved could expose us 
to monetary damages or limit our ability to operate our business.

Any failure by us or our vendors to comply with product safety, labor, or other laws, or our standard vendor terms and conditions, 
or to provide safe factory conditions for our or their workers, may damage our reputation and brand, and harm our business.

Our use of personal information and other data subjects us to privacy laws and obligations, and our compliance with or failure to 
comply with such obligations could harm our business.

Unfavorable changes or failure by us to comply with evolving internet and eCommerce regulations could substantially harm our 
business and operating results.

If the use of “cookie” tracking technologies is further restricted, regulated, or blocked, or if changes in technology cause cookies 
to  become  less  reliable  or  acceptable  as  a  means  of  tracking  consumer  behavior,  the  amount  or  accuracy  of  internet  user 
information we collect would decrease, which could harm our business and operating results.

If we cannot successfully protect our intellectual property, our business would suffer.

• We may be accused of infringing intellectual property rights of third parties.

Risks Relating to Taxes

•

Changes in U.S. tax or tariff policy regarding apparel produced in other countries could adversely affect our business.

• We could be required to collect additional sales taxes or be subject to other tax liabilities that may increase the costs our clients 

would have to pay for our offering and adversely affect our operating results.

•

Federal income tax reform could have unforeseen effects on our financial condition and results of operations.

• We may be subject to additional tax liabilities, which could adversely affect our operating results.

•

Our ability to use our net operating loss carryforwards and certain other tax attributes may be limited.

Risks Relating to Ownership of Our Class A Common Stock

•

•

•

The market price of our Class A common stock may continue to be volatile or may decline steeply or suddenly regardless of our 
operating  performance  and  we  may  not  be  able  to  meet  investor  or  analyst  expectations.  You  may  lose  all  or  part  of  your 
investment.

Future sales of shares by existing stockholders could cause our stock price to decline.

The dual class structure of our common stock concentrates voting control with our executive officers, directors and their affiliates, 
and may depress the trading price of our Class A common stock.

• We do not currently intend to pay dividends on our Class A common stock and, consequently, your ability to achieve a return on 

your investment will depend on appreciation of the value of our Class A common stock.

•

•

Delaware  law  and  provisions  in  our  amended  and  restated  certificate  of  incorporation  and  amended  and  restated  bylaws  could 
make a merger, tender offer, or proxy contest difficult, thereby depressing the trading price of our Class A common stock.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware and the federal 
district courts of the United States are the exclusive forums for substantially all disputes between us and our stockholders, which 
could  limit  our  stockholders’  ability  to  obtain  a  favorable  judicial  forum  for  disputes  with  us  or  our  directors,  officers,  or 
employees.

General Risk Factors

•

If we are unable to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting, investors may lose confidence in the accuracy of 
our reported financial information and this may lead to a decline in our stock price.

• We may require additional capital to support business growth, and this capital might not be available or may be available only by 

diluting existing stockholders.

•

•

If securities or industry analysts either do not publish research about us or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about us, our 
business,  or  our  market,  or  if  they  change  their  recommendations  regarding  our  common  stock  adversely,  the  trading  price  or 
trading volume of our Class A common stock could decline.

Future  securities  sales  and  issuances  could  result  in  significant  dilution  to  our  stockholders  and  impair  the  market  price  of  our 
Class A common stock.

13

RISK FACTORS

Investing  in  our  Class  A  common  stock  involves  a  high  degree  of  risk.  You  should  consider  and  read  carefully  all  of  the  risks  and 
uncertainties described below, as well as other information included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K (this “Annual Report”), and 
in our other public filings. The risks described below are not the only ones facing us. The occurrence of any of the following risks or 
additional  risks  and  uncertainties  not  presently  known  to  us  or  that  we  currently  believe  to  be  immaterial  could  materially  and 
adversely  affect  our  business,  financial  condition,  or  results  of  operations.  In  such  case,  the  trading  price  of  our  Class  A 
common  stock  could  decline,  and  you  may  lose  all  or  part  of  your  investment.  This  Annual  Report  also  contains  forward-
looking  statements  and  estimates  that  involve  risks  and  uncertainties.  Our  actual  results  could  differ  materially  from  those 
anticipated in the forward-looking statements as a result of specific factors, including the risks and uncertainties described below.

Risks Relating to Our Business

The  COVID-19  pandemic  has  caused  significant  disruption  to  our  operations  and  impacted  our  business,  key  financial  and 
operating metrics, and results of operations in numerous ways that remain unpredictable.

Our business has been and may continue to be materially impacted by the effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.  This pandemic 
and related measures taken to contain the spread of COVID-19, such as government-mandated business closures, office closures, state 
and  local  orders  to  “shelter  in  place,”  and  travel  and  transportation  restrictions,  have  negatively  affected  the  U.S.  and  global 
economies, disrupted global supply chains, and led to unprecedented levels of unemployment. 

There continues to be uncertainty around the COVID-19 pandemic, its duration, and its impact on U.S. and global economic activity 
and consumer behavior. The Delta variant of COVID-19, which appears to be the most transmissible and contagious variant to date, 
has  caused  a  surge  in  COVID-19  cases  globally.  The  impact  of  the  Delta  variant,  or  other  variants  that  may  emerge,  cannot  be 
predicted  at  this  time,  and  could  depend  on  numerous  factors,  including  the  availability  of  vaccines  in  different  parts  of  the  world, 
vaccination rates among the population, the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines against the Delta variant and other variants, and the 
response by governmental bodies to reinstate mandated business closures, orders to “shelter in place,” and travel and transportation 
restrictions.

The COVID-19 pandemic and related measures have resulted in significant disruption that has negatively impacted and may continue 
to negatively impact our business, including our operational capacity and results of operations. While all of our fulfillment centers are 
currently  open,  we  experienced  temporary  closures  and  reduced  capacity  in  the  third  quarter  of  fiscal  year  2020  as  we  temporarily 
closed three of our fulfillment centers as we responded to the pandemic. We allowed employees to opt-in to work, provided them with 
four weeks of flexible paid time off, and implemented additional safety protocols. These efforts resulted in significantly less capacity 
in  our  fulfillment  centers  during  the  third  quarter  of  fiscal  year  2020,  which  resulted  in  delayed  Fix  shipments,  a  significant  Fix 
backlog, delayed inventory and return processing, extended wait times for clients, and inventory management challenges. While we 
have  only  experienced  intermittent  and  temporary  closures  since  the  third  quarter  of  fiscal  year  2020,  we  have  recently  begun  to 
experience an increase of COVID-19 cases in our fulfillment centers in connection with the surge of cases caused by the Delta variant.  
This  recent  increase  in  cases  has  negatively  affected,  and  may  continue  to  negatively  affect,  operations  at  our  fulfillment  centers.  
Additionally, we have experienced difficulty hiring employees in our fulfillment centers, which we attribute to COVID-19 concerns 
and to increased competition and rising wages for eCommerce fulfillment center workers as eCommerce demand accelerates. Capacity 
constraints  in  our  fulfillment  centers  could  cause  delayed  Fix  shipments,  delayed  inventory  and  return  processing,  and  inventory 
management challenges.

The  COVID-19  pandemic  has,  at  times,  negatively  impacted  our  results  of  operations,  and  the  future  impact  and  duration  of  this 
impact remain uncertain. It will depend on factors such as the length of time the pandemic continues; the efficacy and availability of 
the  COVID-19  vaccines;  the  impact  of  the  Delta  variant  and  the  duration  of  the  surge  in  cases  related  thereto;  the  emergence  of 
additional  variants;  how  national,  state  and  local  governments  continue  to  respond;  the  impact  of  the  crisis  on  the  economy  and 
consumer behavior; and the effect on our clients, employees, vendors, and other partners. For example, we continue to work with our 
vendors  to  minimize  inventory  disruptions,  but  future  delays  and  supply  constraints  may  negatively  affect  our  ability  to  obtain  and 
manage inventory. We have experienced shipping delays to and from our customers as a result of our shipping vendors' challenges 
fulfilling  higher  eCommerce  shipping  demand,  which  has  impacted  our  results  of  operations.  We  also  have  been  affected  by,  and 
expect  to  continue  to  be  affected  by,  COVID-related  freight  delays  and  difficulties  sourcing  materials.  Additionally,  we  may  be 
negatively impacted if consumers shift back to traditional brick-and-mortar apparel retailers following the pandemic. 

Our corporate headquarters remains closed to the majority of employees. While we expect many employees to return to our office later 
this fiscal year, the expected timing of such a return has been affected by the Delta variant and related surge in Covid cases and could 
be further delayed by this resurgence of COVID-19 or additional resurgences. Additionally, when we return to our office, we expect 
many employees to continue to work in a remote capacity or a hybrid of in-person and remote work. These changes to our operations 
going forward present additional risks, uncertainties and costs that could affect our performance, including increased operational risk, 
uncertainty  regarding  office  space  needs,  heightened  vulnerability  to  cyber  attacks  due  to  increased  remote  work,  potential  reduced 
productivity,  changes  to  our  Company  culture,  potential  strains  to  our  business  continuity  plans,  and  increased  costs  to  insure  our 
offices are safe and functional as hybrid offices that enable effective collaboration of both remote and in-person colleagues. 

14

The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic disruption has also led to significant volatility in the capital markets. And while we 
have taken measures to preserve our access to liquidity, our cash generated from operations has been negatively impacted and future 
cash flows may be impacted by the development of the pandemic. 

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic may also exacerbate other risks discussed below, any of which could have a material effect on 
us. Though we continue to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic closely, the situation is changing rapidly, and additional impacts may 
arise that we are not aware of currently. In addition, if there are future resurgences of COVID-19, including of new strains or variants, 
the negative impacts on our business may be exacerbated.

Our failure to adequately and effectively staff our fulfillment centers, through third parties or with our own employees, and other 
operational constraints at our fulfillment centers could adversely affect our client experience and operating results.

We currently receive and distribute merchandise at six fulfillment centers in the United States. We are in the process of building out 
another fulfillment center in the United States and we closed our South San Francisco fulfillment center in the third quarter of fiscal 
year 2021. We also have a fulfillment center in the UK, which is operated by a third party. During the third quarter of our 2020 fiscal 
year, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we temporarily closed three of our fulfillment centers, offered our fulfillment center 
employees  four  weeks  of  paid  time  off,  and  reduced  the  maximum  number  of  employees  in  each  fulfillment  center  in  order  to 
implement social distancing protocols. These changes resulted in operational constraints, which in turn temporarily reduced our ability 
to ship merchandise to clients and earn revenue during the third quarter of our 2020 fiscal year. Since the third quarter of fiscal year 
2020, we have experienced smaller, intermittent interruptions in connection with temporary closures of fulfillment centers. We have 
recently  also  begun  to  experience  an  increase  of  COVID-19  cases  in  our  fulfillment  centers  in  connection  with  the  surge  of  cases 
caused by the Delta variant, which has negatively affected and may continue to negatively affect capacity at our fulfillment centers. 

Additionally, we have experienced difficulty hiring employees in our fulfillment centers, which we attribute to COVID-19 concerns 
and  to  increased  competition  and  rising  wages  for  eCommerce  fulfillment  center  workers  as  eCommerce  demand  accelerates.  To 
address this, we have increased wages in our fulfillment centers and implemented other policies in order to be more competitive in 
hiring employees. These wage increases impacted our operating results. We are likely to continue to have difficulty hiring employees 
in fulfillment centers due to increased competition and we expect to continue to increase wages for our fulfillment center employees, 
as necessary, which would impact our operating results. These hiring difficulties, and our closure of one fulfillment center while in the 
process of building out a new one which is not yet operational, have caused and may in the future cause additional capacity constraints 
in  our  fulfillment  centers.  Capacity  constraints  in  our  fulfillment  centers  could  affect  the  amount  and  types  of  inventory  we  have 
available to offer to clients, which will affect our results of operations. Surges in COVID-19 cases among fulfillment center employees 
could  also  affect  the  capacity  of  our  fulfillment  centers,  and  therefore  our  operating  results.  Additionally,  if  we  or  our  third-party 
partner are unable to adequately staff our fulfillment centers to meet demand, or if the cost of such staffing is higher than projected due 
to competition, mandated wage increases, regulatory changes, international expansion, or other factors, our operating results will be 
further harmed.

Severe  weather  events,  including  earthquakes,  hurricanes,  tornadoes,  floods,  fires,  storms,  and  other  adverse  weather  events  and 
climate  conditions  could  also  cause  operational  constraints  or  temporarily  reduce  our  ability  to  ship  merchandise  to  clients.  For 
instance, the severe winter weather and temperatures experienced in Texas and other parts of the country in February 2021 caused us 
to temporarily close two of our fulfillment centers and affected the shipping of merchandise in and out of fulfillment centers. Future 
weather events, which we expect to become more frequent and more severe with the increasing effects of climate change, could have a 
significant impact on our operations and results of operations.

In addition, operating fulfillment centers comes with potential risks, such as workplace safety issues and employment claims for the 
failure or alleged failure to comply with labor laws or laws respecting union organizing activities. Furthermore, if we fail to comply 
with wage and hour laws for our nonexempt employees, many of whom work in our fulfillment centers, we could be subject to legal 
risk,  including  claims  for  back  wages,  unpaid  overtime  pay,  and  missed  meal  and  rest  periods,  which  could  be  on  a  class  or 
representative  basis.  Any  such  issues  may  result  in  delays  in  shipping  times,  reduced  packing  quality,  or  costly  litigation,  and  our 
reputation and operating results may be harmed.

Finally,  by  using  a  third-party  operator  for  one  of  our  fulfillment  centers,  we  also  face  additional  risks  associated  with  not  having 
complete control over operations at our UK fulfillment center. Any deterioration in the financial condition or operations of that third 
party,  or  the  loss  of  the  relationship  with  that  third  party,  or  any  event  or  crisis  that  impacts  the  UK  generally  or  the  specific  area 
where our fulfillment center is located, would have a significant impact on our operations.

15

If we are unable to manage our inventory effectively, our operating results could be adversely affected.

To ensure timely delivery of merchandise, we generally enter into purchase contracts well in advance of a particular season and often 
before apparel trends are confirmed by client purchases. As a result, we are vulnerable to demand and pricing shifts and to suboptimal 
selection and timing of merchandise purchases. For example, in response to the initial consumer reaction to COVID-19, we cancelled 
many  inventory  orders  to  be  prepared  for  what  we  expected  would  be  lower  client  demand.  Consequently,  when  client  demand 
increased,  our  inventory  was  not  as  optimized  to  meet  the  demand  as  we  would  have  liked.  During  the  COVID-19  pandemic,  we 
sought to rapidly shift elements of our inventory away from office attire and towards athleisure to accommodate consumer demand 
changes  caused  by  the  COVID-19  pandemic.  Additionally,  the  surge  in  the  Delta  variant  of  COVID-19  has  impacted  some  of  our 
vendors, who have had delays in producing our orders. Shipping and freight delays have also been increasing as port closures, port 
congestion, and shipping container and ship shortages have increased over the last several months. Our inventory levels also may be 
affected  by  product  launch  delays,  demand  fluctuations,  and  our  inability  to  predict  demand  with  respect  to  new  categories  or 
products. In the past, we have not always predicted our clients’ preferences and acceptance levels of our trend items with accuracy, 
which  has  resulted  in  significant  inventory  write  offs  and  lower  gross  margins.  Furthermore,  we  do  not  use  the  same  liquidation 
methods as traditional retailers, such as markdowns. We rely on our merchandising team to order styles and products that our clients 
will purchase and we rely on our data science to inform the depth and breadth of inventory we purchase, including when to reorder 
items that are selling well and when to write off items that are not selling well. If our merchandise team does not predict client demand 
and tastes well or if our algorithms do not help us reorder the right products or write off the right products in a timely manner, we may 
not effectively manage our inventory and we may experience future significant inventory write-offs, which will adversely affect our 
operating results. Additionally, we have experienced challenges managing our inventory within the fulfillment centers given storage 
capacity constraints and challenges hiring fulfillment center employees. These constraints have affected, and may continue to affect, 
the amount and types of inventory we have available to offer to clients, which could affect our operating results.

Shipping is a critical part of our business and any changes in our shipping arrangements or any interruptions in shipping could 
adversely affect our operating results.

We currently rely on three major vendors for our shipping. If we are not able to negotiate acceptable pricing and other terms with these 
entities, shipping prices increase at unexpected levels, or our vendors experience performance problems or other difficulties, it could 
negatively  impact  our  operating  results  and  our  clients  experience.  In  addition,  our  ability  to  receive  inbound  inventory  efficiently, 
ship  merchandise  to  clients,  and  receive  returned  merchandise  from  clients  may  be  negatively  affected  by  inclement  weather,  fire, 
flood, power loss, earthquakes, public health crises such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, labor disputes, acts of war or terrorism, 
and  similar  factors.  Due  to  our  business  model  and  the  fact  that  we  recognize  revenue  from  Fixes  when  a  client  checks  out  items, 
rather than when Fixes are shipped, we may be impacted by shipping delays to a greater extent than our competitors. Additionally, 
delays in shipping may cause an auto-ship client’s subsequent Fixes to be scheduled for a later date, as their next Fix is not scheduled 
until their checkout is complete. In the second quarter of our 2021 fiscal year, we experienced carrier and client shipping delays due to 
the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the increased strain on our shipping partners during the holiday season. These delays affected 
our ability to recognize revenue within the quarter, and we may in the future experience these delays and the resulting impact to our 
financial results, including potentially during future holiday seasons. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we temporarily closed 
three of our fulfillment centers during the third quarter of our 2020 fiscal year, offered our fulfillment center employees four weeks of 
paid time off, implemented social distancing protocols in each fulfillment center, and periodically closed fulfillment centers for part of 
a work day or a full work day, all of which resulted in operational constraints, which in turn reduced our ability to ship merchandise to 
clients  and  earn  revenue.  With  the  emergence  of  the  Delta  variant  and  related  surge  in  COVID-19  cases,  we  are  experiencing  an 
increase  in  the  number  of  COVID-19  cases  among  fulfillment  center  employees,  which  is  affecting  the  capacity  of  our  fulfillment 
centers  and  is  likely  to  continue  to  do  so.  In  the  past,  strikes  at  major  international  shipping  ports  have  impacted  our  supply  of 
inventory  from  our  vendors  and  severe  weather  events  have    resulted  in  long  delivery  delays  and  Fix  cancellations.  Some  of  our 
merchandise may be damaged or lost during transit with our shipping vendors. If a greater portion of our merchandise is not delivered 
in a timely fashion or is damaged or lost during transit, it could adversely affect our operating results or could cause our clients to 
become dissatisfied and cease using our services, which would adversely affect our business.

Our business, including our costs and supply chain, is subject to risks associated with sourcing of merchandise and raw materials 
and manufacturing.

We currently source nearly all of the merchandise that we offer from third-party vendors, many of whom use manufacturers in the 
same geographic region, and as a result we may be subject to price increases or fluctuations, tariffs, demand disruptions, increased 
shipping or freight costs, or shipping delays in connection with our merchandise. Our operating results would be negatively impacted 
by increases in the cost of our merchandise, and we have no guarantees that costs will not rise. In addition, as we expand into new 
categories, product types, and geographies, we expect that we may not have strong purchasing power in these new areas, which could 
lead to higher costs than we have historically seen in our current categories. We may not be able to pass increased costs on to clients, 
which could adversely affect our operating results.

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The  fabrics  used  by  our  vendors  are  made  of  raw  materials  including,  but  not  limited  to,  petroleum-based  products  and  cotton. 
Significant price increases or fluctuations, currency volatility or fluctuation, tariffs, shortages, increases in shipping or freight costs, or 
shipping delays of petroleum, cotton, or other raw materials could significantly increase our cost of goods sold or affect our operating 
results. The COVID-19 pandemic caused delays in some shipments from our suppliers, and as the Delta variant causes a resurgence of 
COVID-19, we are starting to again experience delays in some shipments from our suppliers caused by factory and port closures, port 
congestion, and shipping container and other shortages. Additionally, we have limited visibility into delays or control over shipping. 
We expect these delays to continue as long as COVID-19 continues to affect geographies around the world. We are also experiencing 
increased costs of goods, due to these freight challenges, increases in the price of raw materials, and currency volatility, and we expect 
that prices may continue to increase in the near future. 

Other factors such as natural disasters have in the past increased raw material costs, impacted pricing with certain of our vendors, and 
caused shipping delays for certain of our merchandise. Also, the U.S. government’s recent ban on cotton imported from the Xinjiang 
region of China, the source of a large portion of the world’s cotton supply, may impact prices and the availability of cotton for our 
merchandise.  Additionally, our products and materials (including potentially non-cotton materials) could be held for inspection by the 
United States Customs & Border Patrol (the “US CBP”), which would cause delays and unexpectedly affect our inventory levels. In 
addition, the labor costs to produce our products may fluctuate. In the event of a significant disruption in the supply of fabrics or raw 
materials  used  in  the  manufacture  of  the  merchandise  we  offer,  our  vendors  might  not  be  able  to  locate  alternative  suppliers  of 
materials of comparable quality at an acceptable price. Any delays, interruption, damage to, or increased costs in raw materials or the 
manufacture  of  the  merchandise  we  offer  could  result  in  higher  prices  to  acquire  the  merchandise,  or  non-delivery  of  merchandise 
altogether, and could adversely affect our operating results.

In addition, we cannot guarantee that merchandise we receive from vendors will be of sufficient quality or free from damage, or that 
such merchandise will not be damaged during shipping, while stored in one of our fulfillment centers, or when returned by customers. 
While we take measures to ensure merchandise quality and avoid damage, including evaluating vendor product samples, conducting 
inventory inspections, and inspecting returned product, we cannot control merchandise while it is out of our possession or prevent all 
damage while in our fulfillment centers. We may incur additional expenses and our reputation could be harmed if clients and potential 
clients believe that our merchandise is not of high quality or may be damaged.

We  have  a  short  operating  history  in  an  evolving  industry  and,  as  a  result,  our  past  results  may  not  be  indicative  of  future 
operating performance.

We  have  a  short  operating  history  in  a  rapidly  evolving  industry  that  may  not  develop  in  a  manner  favorable  to  our  business.  Our 
relatively short operating history makes it difficult to assess our future performance. You should consider our business and prospects 
in light of the risks and difficulties we may encounter.

Our future success will depend in large part upon our ability to, among other things:

•

•

•

cost-effectively acquire new clients and engage with existing clients;

overcome the impacts of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic;

adequately and effectively staff our fulfillment centers; 

• manage our inventory effectively;

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

increase our market share;

increase consumer awareness of our brand and maintain our reputation;

anticipate and respond to macroeconomic changes;

successfully expand our offering and geographic reach;

anticipate and respond to changing style trends and consumer preferences;

compete effectively;

avoid interruptions in our business from information technology downtime, cybersecurity breaches, or labor stoppages;

effectively manage our growth;

continue to enhance our personalization capabilities;

hire, integrate, and retain talented people at all levels of our organization;

• maintain the quality of our technology infrastructure;

•

•

develop new features to enhance the client experience; and

retain our existing merchandise vendors and attract new vendors.

17

If we fail to address the risks and difficulties that we face, including those associated with the challenges listed above as well as those 
described elsewhere in this “Risk Factors” section, our business and our operating results will be adversely affected.

If we fail to effectively manage our growth, our business, financial condition, and operating results could be harmed.

To  effectively  manage  our  growth,  we  must  continue  to  implement  our  operational  plans  and  strategies,  improve  and  expand 
our infrastructure of people and information systems, and expand, train, and manage our employee base. From inception to date, we 
have  rapidly  and  significantly  increased  our  employee  headcount  to  support  the  growth  of  our  business.  We  added  a  significant 
number  of  employees  over  the  last  several  years  and  plan  to  continue  to  do  so.  To  support  continued  growth,  we  must  effectively 
integrate,  develop,  and  motivate  a  large  number  of  new  employees  while  maintaining  our  corporate  culture,  which  is  made  more 
challenging due to (i) the COVID-19 pandemic, which has required us to transition to a more remote working environment, and (ii) 
our expected future hybrid environment of in-person and remote work. The risks associated with a rapidly growing workforce will be 
particularly acute as we expand internationally, as we are less familiar with the labor markets outside of the United States, and if we 
choose to expand into new merchandise categories.

We are also required to manage numerous relationships with various vendors and other third parties. Further growth of our operations, 
vendor base, fulfillment centers, information technology systems, or internal controls and procedures may not be adequate to support 
our operations. For example, in May 2019, we launched our service in the UK, which involves working with international vendors, 
establishing  offices  and  fulfillment  centers  in  the  UK,  and  complying  with  UK  and  European  Union  (“EU”)  laws  and  regulations. 
Additionally,  we  continue  to  introduce  new  offerings  such  as,  Freestyle  and  Fix  Preview,  as  well  as  new  business  initiatives  and 
inventory  models.  The  roll-out  of  these  new  offerings  and  initiatives  require  investments  of  time  and  resources  and  may  require 
changes in our website, mobile apps, information technology systems or processes, which involves inherent risk. These initiatives and 
changes also may not be rolled out as timely or effectively as we expect or may not produce the results we intend. If new offerings and 
initiatives are delayed, it could affect our inventory levels. If we are unable to manage the growth of our organization effectively, or if 
growth initiatives are not introduced timely or do not produce the anticipated results, our business, financial condition, and operating 
results may be adversely affected.

Our continued growth depends on attracting new clients.

Our success depends on our ability to attract new clients in a cost-effective manner. To expand our client base, we must appeal to and 
acquire  clients  who  have  historically  used  other  means  to  purchase  apparel,  shoes,  and  accessories,  such  as  traditional  brick-and-
mortar apparel retailers or the websites of our competitors. We also face competition for clients from other retailers who offer or plan 
to offer similar services as ours. We reach new clients through paid marketing, referral programs, organic word of mouth, and other 
methods of discovery, such as mentions in the press or internet search engine results. Although we have reduced our marketing spend 
at times, we expect to continue to increase our marketing spend, which may include increased spending on digital, television, radio 
and  other  paid  marketing  channels,  and  cannot  be  certain  that  these  efforts  will  yield  more  clients,  continue  to  achieve  meaningful 
payback on our investments, or be as cost effective. Our marketing activity and spend may vary from period to period and we may 
adjust  our  marketing  strategy  or  spend  within  a  period  if  we  are  not  achieving  the  intended  results  or  if  we  believe  the  return-on-
investment is not favorable, which may result in faster or slower rates of active client growth in any given period. For instance, while 
we  expected  to  spend  a  certain  amount  on  marketing  in  the  second  quarter  of  fiscal  year  2021,  we  experienced  higher  costs  per 
acquisition than expected and, therefore, did not spend as much on marketing as anticipated. Also in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 
2021,  we  did  not  spend  as  much  on  marketing  as  anticipated  as  we  waited  to  launch  Freestyle  to  new-to-Stitch  Fix  customers. 
Consequently, now that we have launched Freestyle in the first quarter of fiscal year 2022, we expect to increase marketing spend as 
we market this new offering. In addition, we seek to attract new clients by offering new products, services, and ways to engage with 
our platform, such as our Freestyle offering. If such new products or services are not timely launched or are not successful in attracting 
new clients, our revenue growth and results of operations may suffer.  Moreover, new clients may not purchase from us as frequently 
or spend as much with us as existing clients, and the revenue generated from new clients may not be as high as the revenue generated 
from our existing clients. These factors may harm our growth prospects and our business could be adversely affected.

We may be unable to maintain a high level of engagement with our clients and increase their spending with us, which could harm 
our business, financial condition, or operating results.

A  high  proportion  of  our  revenue  comes  from  repeat  purchases  by  existing  clients,  especially  those  existing  clients  who  are  highly 
engaged and purchase a significant amount of merchandise from us. The large majority of our clients choose to receive Fixes on a 
recurring basis, which we call “auto-ship.” In the third quarter of fiscal year 2020, we saw a temporary increase in the rate of auto-ship 
cancellations. If the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and related economic impact worsen or continue for longer than anticipated, auto-
ship cancellations may increase again, negatively impacting our business. 

18

If existing clients no longer find our service and merchandise appealing or appropriately priced, they may make fewer purchases and 
may stop using our service. Even if our existing clients continue to find our service and merchandise appealing, they may decide to 
receive fewer Fixes or purchase fewer items from their Fixes or through Freestyle over time as their demand for new apparel declines. 
For  example,  as  a  result  of  changes  to  daily  life  due  to  the  ongoing  COVID-19  pandemic,  including  increased  rates  of  working 
remotely from home, many clients’ demand for new apparel may be reduced or eliminated. In addition, as we expand our assortment 
to include more products with lower price points, the amount clients spend with us may decrease. If clients who receive Fixes most 
frequently or purchase a significant amount of merchandise from us were to make fewer or lower priced purchases or stop using our 
service, our financial results could be negatively affected. In addition, we seek to attract high-quality clients who will remain clients 
for the long term, but our efforts may not be successful or produce the results we anticipate. A decrease in the number of clients, a 
decrease  in  client  spending  on  the  merchandise  we  offer,  or  our  inability  to  attract  high-quality  clients  could  negatively  affect  our 
operating results. Further, we believe that our future success will depend in part on our ability to increase sales to our existing clients 
over time and, if we are unable to do so, our business may suffer.

We expect to increase our paid marketing to help grow our business, but these efforts may not be successful or cost effective.

Promoting awareness of our service is important to our ability to grow our business, drive client engagement, and attract new clients. 
We believe that much of the growth in our client base during our first five years originated from referrals, organic word of mouth, and 
other methods of discovery, as our marketing efforts and expenditures were relatively limited. In recent years, we increased our paid 
marketing  initiatives  and  intend  to  continue  to  do  so.  Our  marketing  efforts  currently  include  client  referrals,  affiliate  programs, 
partnerships,  display  advertising,  television,  print,  radio,  video,  content,  direct  mail,  social  media,  email,  mobile  “push” 
communications, search engine optimization, and keyword search campaigns. External factors beyond our control, including general 
economic  conditions  and  decreased  discretionary  consumer  spending,  may  impact  the  success  of  our  marketing  initiatives  or  how 
much we decide to spend on marketing in a given period. For example, in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we reduced 
our  marketing  expenditures  in  the  third  quarter  of  our  fiscal  year  2020.    This  led  to  fewer  new  clients  being  acquired  in  the  third 
quarter, which we anticipate may impact demand for several subsequent quarters.

Our marketing initiatives may become increasingly expensive and generating a meaningful return on those initiatives may be difficult, 
such as the increased costs we have seen in certain digital marketing channels. We may also adjust our marketing activity from period 
to period or within a period as we launch new initiatives or offerings, such as Freestyle, run tests, or make decisions on marketing 
investments in response to anticipated rates of return, such as when we identify favorable cost per acquisition trends. For example, 
although  we  have  historically  reduced  our  advertising  during  the  holiday  season,  when  many  other  retailers  compete  for  marketing 
opportunities,  we  had  planned  for  more  robust  advertising  during  our  second  fiscal  quarter  of  fiscal  year  2021.  However,  as  we 
experienced  higher  costs  per  acquisition  than  we  expected,  we  did  not  spend  as  much  on  marketing  during  the  quarter  as  we 
anticipated. And in the fourth quarter 2021, we did not spend as much on marketing as anticipated as we waited to launch Freestyle to 
new-to-Stitch  Fix  customers,  and  expect  to  increase  marketing  spend  in  the  first  quarter  of  fiscal  year  2022  as  we  market  this  new 
offering. Even if we successfully increase revenue as a result of our paid marketing efforts, it may not offset the additional marketing 
expenses we incur.

We currently obtain a significant number of visits to our websites via organic search engine results. Search engines frequently change 
the algorithms that determine the ranking and display of results of a user’s search, which could reduce the number of organic visits to 
our websites, in turn reducing new client acquisition and adversely affecting our operating results.

Social networks are important as a source of new clients and as a means by which to connect with current clients, and their importance 
may  be  increasing.  We  may  be  unable  to  effectively  maintain  a  presence  within  these  networks,  which  could  lead  to  lower  than 
anticipated brand affinity and awareness, and in turn could adversely affect our operating results.

Further, mobile operating system and web browser providers, such as Apple and Google, have announced or recently implemented 
product  changes  to  limit  the  ability  of  advertisers  to  collect  and  use  data  to  target  and  measure  advertising.  For  example,  Apple 
recently made a change to iOS 14 to require apps to get a user’s opt-in permission before tracking or sharing the user’s data across 
apps or websites owned by companies other than the app’s owner. Google intends to further restrict the use of third-party cookies in its 
Chrome browser in 2022, consistent with similar actions taken by the owners of other browsers, such as Apple in its Safari browser, 
and Mozilla in its Firefox browser. These changes are expected to reduce our ability to efficiently target and measure advertising, in 
particular through online social networks, making our advertising less cost effective and successful.

With respect to our email marketing efforts, if we are unable to successfully deliver emails to our clients or if clients do not engage 
with our emails, whether out of choice, because those emails are marked as low priority or spam, or for other reasons, our business 
could be adversely affected.

19

If we are unable to develop and introduce new merchandise offerings or expand into new markets in a timely and cost-effective 
manner, our business, financial condition, and operating results could be negatively impacted.

The largest portion of our revenue today comes from the sale of Women’s apparel. From 2015 to 2018, we expanded our merchandise 
offering into categories including Petite, Maternity, Men’s, Plus, Premium Brands, and Kids; began offering different product types 
including  accessories  and  Extras;  and  expanded  the  number  of  brands  we  offer.  In  May  2019,  we  launched  our  service  in  the  UK 
market. In June 2019, we introduced our direct-buy functionality (now called “Freestyle”) with Buy It Again allowing clients in the 
United  States  to  buy  previously  purchased  items  in  new  colors,  prints,  and  sizes.  We  expanded  direct  buy  in  February  2020,  with 
Complete  Your  Looks,  which  allows  clients  to  discover  and  shop  personalized  outfits  with  new  items  that  complement  their  prior 
purchases. In addition, in early June 2020, we introduced Trending For You, which allows clients to shop personalized looks based on 
their  style  profiles.  In  May  2021,  we  introduced  Categories,  a  new  way  for  clients  to  easily  discover  pieces  within  a  range  of 
categories based on occasion, brand, or item type. And, in August 2021, we opened up Freestyle to new-to-Stitch Fix clients who have 
never received a Fix from us previously. We continue to explore additional offerings to serve our existing clients, attract new clients, 
and  expand  our  geographic  scope.  Developing  new  offerings  requires  significant  investments  of  resources  and  time,  and  if  a  new 
offering, such as Freestyle, does not appeal to new clients as we expect, our business may not grow as anticipated.

New offerings may not have the same success, or gain traction as quickly, as our current offerings. If the merchandise we offer is not 
accepted by our clients or does not attract new clients, or if we are not able to attract clients in new markets, our sales may fall short of 
expectations,  our  brand  and  reputation  could  be  adversely  affected,  and  we  may  incur  expenses  that  are  not  offset  by  sales.  If  the 
launch of a new category or offering or in a new geography requires investments greater than we expect or is delayed, our operating 
results  could  be  negatively  impacted.  Also,  our  business  may  be  adversely  affected  if  we  are  unable  to  attract  brands  and  other 
merchandise vendors that produce sufficient high-quality, appropriately priced, and on-trend merchandise. For example, vendors in the 
UK may not be familiar with our company or brand, which may make it difficult for us to obtain the merchandise we seek or be able 
to purchase products at an appropriate price.

Our  current  merchandise  offerings  have  a  range  of  margin  profiles  and  we  believe  new  offerings  will  also  have  a  broad  range  of 
margin profiles that will affect our operating results. New businesses generally contribute lower margins and imported merchandise 
may be subject to tariffs or duties that lower margins. Additionally, as we enter into new categories and markets, we may not have as 
high purchasing power as we do in our current offerings, which could increase our costs of goods sold and further reduce our margins. 
Expansion of our merchandise offerings and geographic scope may also strain our management and operational resources, specifically 
the  need  to  hire  and  manage  additional  merchandise  buyers  to  source  new  merchandise  and  to  allocate  new  categories  across  our 
distribution network. We may also face greater competition in specific categories or regions from companies that are more focused on 
these areas. For example, now that we have launched in the UK, we compete with existing businesses that have been providing similar 
services in the region and may be more familiar with trends and customer preferences in that market. Also, our entry into the Kids 
category means we now compete with a number of additional companies that have been in the Kids category for a longer period of 
time and may have more experience in children’s clothing. If any of the above were to occur, it could damage our reputation, limit our 
growth, and have an adverse effect on our operating results.

Expansion of our operations internationally requires management attention and resources, involves additional risks, and may be 
unsuccessful.

In May 2019, we launched our service in the UK market, and we may choose to expand to other international markets in the future. 
Prior to launching in the UK, we had no experience operating internationally or selling our merchandise outside of the United States, 
and  if  we  continue  to  expand  internationally,  we  will  need  to  adapt  to  different  local  cultures,  standards,  laws,  and  policies.  The 
business model we employ may not appeal as strongly to consumers in international markets. Furthermore, to succeed with clients in 
international locations, such as the UK, we will need to locate fulfillment centers in foreign markets and hire local employees, and we 
will  have  to  invest  in  these  facilities  and  employees  before  proving  we  can  successfully  run  foreign  operations.  We  may  not  be 
successful in expanding into additional international markets or in generating revenue from foreign operations for a variety of reasons, 
including:

•

•

•

•

•

•

the need to localize our merchandise offerings, including translation into foreign languages and adaptation for local practices;

different consumer demand dynamics, which may make our model and the merchandise we offer less successful compared to 
the United States;

competition from local incumbents that understand the local market and may operate more effectively;

regulatory requirements, taxes, trade laws, trade sanctions and economic embargoes, tariffs, export quotas, custom duties, or 
other trade restrictions, or any unexpected changes thereto such as Brexit (as defined below);

differing laws and regulations, including with respect to anti-bribery and anti-corruption compliance;

differing labor regulations where labor laws may be more advantageous to employees as compared to the United States and 
result in increased labor costs;

20

• more stringent or differing regulations relating to privacy and data security and access to, or use of, commercial and personal 

information, particularly in Europe;

•

•

•

differing payment requirements and customer behavior relating to payments and fraud;

changes in a specific country’s or region’s political, economic, and public health conditions; and

risks resulting from changes in currency exchange rates.

For example, clients in the UK are accustomed to more return shipping options than are typically offered in the United States, which 
required us to increase the number of shipping vendors we use in that market, increasing our costs. If we continue to invest substantial 
time and resources to establish and expand our operations internationally and are unable to do so successfully and in a timely manner, 
our operating results would suffer.

We may not be able to sustain our revenue growth rate and we may not be profitable in the future.

Our past revenue growth and profitability should not be considered indicative of our future performance. Our revenue increased by 
22.8% in fiscal 2021 compared to 2020, 8.5% in fiscal 2020 compared to fiscal 2019, and 28.6% in fiscal 2019 compared to fiscal 
2018. As we grow our business, our revenue growth rates may slow in future periods or decline due to a number of reasons, which 
may  include  the  short-  and  long-term  impacts  of  the  COVID-19  pandemic,  slowing  demand  for  our  merchandise  and  service, 
increasing competition, a decrease in the growth rate of our overall market, and our failure to capitalize on growth opportunities, as 
well as the maturation of our business.

Moreover,  our  expenses  have  increased  in  recent  periods,  and  we  expect  expenses  to  increase  substantially  in  the  near  term, 
particularly  as  we  make  significant  investments  in  our  marketing  initiatives;  expand  our  geographic  markets,  operations,  and 
infrastructure; develop and introduce new merchandise offerings; and hire additional personnel. We may not always pursue short-term 
profits but are often focused on long-term growth, which may impact our financial results. If our revenue does not increase to offset 
increases in our operating expenses, we may not be profitable in future periods.

Our business depends on a strong brand and we may not be able to maintain our brand and reputation.

We  believe  that  maintaining  the  Stitch  Fix  brand  and  reputation  is  critical  to  driving  client  engagement  and  attracting  clients  and 
merchandise vendors. Building our brand will depend largely on our ability to continue to provide our clients with an engaging and 
personalized  client  experience,  including  valued  personal  styling  services,  high-quality  merchandise,  and  appropriate  price  points, 
which we may not do successfully. Client complaints or negative publicity about our styling services, merchandise, delivery times, or 
client support, especially on social media platforms, could harm our reputation and diminish client use of our services, the trust that 
our clients place in Stitch Fix, and vendor confidence in us.

Our  brand  depends  in  part  on  effective  client  support,  which  requires  significant  personnel  expense.  Failure  to  manage  or  train  our 
client support representatives properly or inability to handle client complaints effectively could negatively affect our brand, reputation, 
and operating results.

If we fail to cost-effectively promote and maintain the Stitch Fix brand, our business, financial condition, and operating results may be 
adversely affected.

If  we  fail  to  attract  and  retain  key  personnel,  effectively  manage  succession,  or  hire,  develop,  and  motivate  our  employees,  our 
business, financial condition, and operating results could be adversely affected.

Our  success,  including  our  ability  to  anticipate  and  effectively  respond  to  changing  style  trends  and  deliver  a  personalized  styling 
experience,  depends  in  part  on  our  ability  to  attract  and  retain  key  personnel  on  our  executive  team  and  in  our  merchandising, 
algorithms, engineering, marketing, styling, and other organizations.

We do not have long-term employment or non-competition agreements with any of our personnel. Senior employees have left Stitch 
Fix  in  the  past  and  others  may  in  the  future,  which  we  cannot  necessarily  anticipate  and  whom  we  may  not  be  able  to  promptly 
replace. For example, after our former Chief Financial Officer left in December 2019, we conducted a search for a candidate to replace 
him that did not conclude until we announced the hiring of Dan Jedda as our Chief Financial Officer in December 2020. Additionally, 
our  former  President,  Chief  Operating  Officer  and  Interim  Chief  Financial  Officer,  Mike  Smith,  resigned  as  an  employee  of  the 
Company in January 2021. The loss of one or more of our key personnel or the inability to promptly identify a suitable successor to a 
key role could have an adverse effect on our business. We do not currently maintain key-person life insurance policies on any member 
of our senior management team or other key employees.

Elizabeth Spaulding was named to the role of Chief Executive Officer on August 1, 2021, and Katrina Lake, our Founder, transitioned 
to the role of Executive Chairperson of the Board on August 1, 2021.  Currently, Ms. Lake remains an employee of ours. Ms. Lake has 
unique and valuable experience leading our company from its inception through August 1, 2021. If we do not continue to manage the 
transition of Ms. Lake to her new role and Ms. Spaulding’s succession to Chief Executive Officer successfully, it could disrupt our 
business,  affect  our  Company  culture,  or  cause  retention  concerns  with  respect  to  our  colleagues,  all  of  which  could  affect  our 
financial condition and operating results. 

21

We also face significant competition for personnel, particularly in the San Francisco Bay Area where our headquarters are located. To 
attract top talent, we have had to offer, and believe we will need to continue to offer, competitive compensation and benefits packages 
before  we  can  validate  the  productivity  of  those  employees.  Recently,  we  also  have  had  difficulty  hiring  employees  in  fulfillment 
centers due to increased competition for distribution workers and rising wages. We have increased, and expect to continue to increase, 
our employee compensation levels in response to competition, as necessary. We cannot be sure that we will be able to attract, retain, 
and motivate a sufficient number of qualified personnel in the future, or that the compensation costs of doing so will not adversely 
affect our operating results. Additionally, we may not be able to hire new employees quickly enough to meet our needs. If we fail to 
effectively manage our hiring needs or successfully integrate new hires, our efficiency, ability to meet forecasts, and employee morale, 
productivity, and retention could suffer, which may have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and operating results.

If we fail to effectively manage our stylists, our business, financial condition and operating results could be adversely affected.

As of July 31, 2021, approximately 5,700 of our employees were stylists, most of whom work remotely and on a part-time basis for us 
and are paid hourly. The stylists track and report the time they spend working for us. These employees are classified as nonexempt 
under federal and state law. If we fail to effectively manage our stylists, including by ensuring accurate tracking and reporting of their 
hours worked and proper processing of their hourly wages, then we may face claims alleging violations of wage and hour employment 
laws, including, without limitation, claims of back wages, unpaid overtime pay, and missed meal and rest periods. Any such employee 
litigation could be attempted on a class or representative basis. For example, in August 2020, a representative action under California’s 
Private  Attorneys  General  Act  was  filed  against  us  alleging  various  violations  of  California’s  wage  and  hour  laws  relating  to  our 
current  and  former  non-exempt  stylist  employees.  While  we  were  able  to  settle  this  matter,  future  litigation  concerning  our  styling 
employees could be expensive and time-consuming regardless of whether the claims against us are valid or whether we are ultimately 
determined to be liable, and could divert management’s attention from our business. We could also be adversely affected by negative 
publicity, litigation costs resulting from the defense of these claims, and the diversion of time and resources from our operations.

In August 2021, we introduced changes to work schedules for our stylists to better align with when and how clients will most likely 
want to connect with their stylist. We anticipated that many of our stylists would find the new schedule challenging and may not want 
to  continue  their  employment,  so  we  offered  a  voluntary  exit  package  to  help  ease  job  transitions.  As  expected,  some  stylists  did 
accept this offer, which decreased our total number of stylists. We may experience some capacity constraints, morale issues or other 
unintended effects that could negatively affect our operations as we transition to these new scheduling practices.

If  we  are  unable  to  acquire  new  merchandise  vendors  or  retain  existing  merchandise  vendors,  our  operating  results  may  be 
harmed.

We  offer  merchandise  from  hundreds  of  established  and  emerging  brands.  In  order  to  continue  to  attract  and  retain  quality 
merchandise brands, we must help merchandise vendors increase their sales and offer them a high-quality, cost-effective fulfillment 
process.

If  we  do  not  continue  to  acquire  new  merchandise  vendors  or  retain  our  existing  merchandise  vendors  on  acceptable  commercial 
terms, we may not be able to maintain a broad selection of products for our clients, and our operating results may suffer.

In addition, our Exclusive Brands are sourced from third-party vendors and contract manufacturers. The loss of one of our Exclusive 
Brand vendors for any reason, or our inability to source any additional vendors needed for our Exclusive Brands, could require us to 
source Exclusive Brand merchandise from another vendor or manufacturer, which could cause inventory delays, impact our clients’ 
experiences, and otherwise harm our operating results.

We may incur significant losses from fraud.

We  have  in  the  past  incurred  and  may  in  the  future  incur  losses  from  various  types  of  fraud,  including  stolen  credit  card  numbers, 
claims that a client did not authorize a purchase, merchant fraud, and clients who have closed bank accounts or have insufficient funds 
in open bank accounts to satisfy payments. Our clients may re-use their login information (i.e., username and password combination) 
across multiple websites and, therefore, when a third-party website experiences a data breach, that information could be exposed to 
bad actors and be used to fraudulently access our clients’ accounts. In addition to the direct costs of such losses, if the fraud is related 
to credit card transactions and becomes excessive, it could result in us paying higher fees or losing the right to accept credit cards for 
payment. In addition, under current credit card practices, we are typically liable for fraudulent credit card transactions. Our failure to 
adequately prevent fraudulent transactions could damage our reputation, result in litigation or regulatory action, and lead to expenses 
that could substantially impact our operating results.

22

We are subject to payment-related risks.

We  accept  payments  online  via  credit  and  debit  cards  and  online  payment  systems  such  as  PayPal,  which  subjects  us  to  certain 
regulations and fraud. We may in the future offer new payment options to clients that would be subject to additional regulations and 
risks. We pay interchange and other fees in connection with credit card payments, which may increase over time and adversely affect 
our operating results. While we use a third party to process payments, we are subject to payment card association operating rules and 
certification requirements, including the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard and rules governing electronic funds transfers. 
If  we  fail  to  comply  with  applicable  rules  and  regulations,  we  may  be  subject  to  fines  or  higher  transaction  fees  and  may  lose  our 
ability  to  accept  online  payments  or  other  payment  card  transactions.  If  any  of  these  events  were  to  occur,  our  business,  financial 
condition, and operating results could be adversely affected.

Risks Relating to our Industry, the Market, and the Economy

We rely on consumer discretionary spending and have been, and may in the future be, adversely affected by economic downturns 
and other macroeconomic conditions or trends.

Our business and operating results are subject to global economic conditions and their impact on consumer discretionary spending. 
Some  of  the  factors  that  may  negatively  influence  consumer  spending  include  high  levels  of  unemployment;  higher  consumer  debt 
levels;  reductions  in  net  worth,  declines  in  asset  values,  and  related  market  uncertainty;  home  foreclosures  and  reductions  in  home 
values;  fluctuating  interest  rates,  increased  inflationary  pressures  and  credit  availability;  fluctuating  fuel  and  other  energy  costs; 
fluctuating  commodity  prices;  and  general  uncertainty  regarding  the  overall  future  political  and  economic  environment.  We  have 
experienced  many  of  these  factors  due  to  the  ongoing  COVID-19  pandemic  and  the  related  responses  of  national,  state  and  local 
government  and  public  health  officials  and  have,  at  times,  seen  negative  impacts  on  client  demand  as  a  result.  Furthermore,  any 
increases in consumer discretionary spending during times of crisis may be temporary, such as those related to government stimulus 
programs.  Economic  conditions  in  certain  regions  may  also  be  affected  by  natural  disasters,  such  as  hurricanes,  tropical  storms, 
earthquakes, and wildfires; other public health crises; and other major unforeseen events. Consumer purchases of discretionary items, 
including  the  merchandise  that  we  offer,  generally  decline  during  recessionary  periods  or  periods  of  economic  uncertainty,  when 
disposable income is reduced or when there is a reduction in consumer confidence.

Adverse  economic  changes  could  reduce  consumer  confidence,  and  could  thereby  negatively  affect  our  operating  results.  In 
challenging and uncertain economic environments, we cannot predict when macroeconomic uncertainty may arise, whether or when 
such circumstances may improve or worsen or what impact such circumstances could have on our business.

Our industry is highly competitive and if we do not compete effectively our operating results could be adversely affected.

The  retail  apparel  industry  is  highly  competitive.  We  compete  with  eCommerce  companies  that  market  the  same  or  similar 
merchandise and services that we offer; local, national, and global department stores; specialty retailers; discount chains; independent 
retail  stores;  and  the  online  offerings  of  these  traditional  retail  competitors.  Additionally,  we  experience  competition  for  consumer 
discretionary  spending  from  other  product  and  experiential  categories.  We  believe  our  ability  to  compete  depends  on  many  factors 
within and beyond our control, including:

•

•

•

•

effectively differentiating our service and value proposition from those of our competitors;

attracting new clients and engaging with existing clients;

our direct relationships with our clients and their willingness to share personal information with us;

further developing our data science capabilities;

• maintaining favorable brand recognition and effectively marketing our services to clients;

•

•

•

•

•

•

delivering merchandise that each client perceives as personalized to him or her;

the amount, diversity, and quality of brands and merchandise that we or our competitors offer;

our ability to expand and maintain appealing Exclusive Brands and exclusive-to-Stitch Fix merchandise;

the price at which we are able to offer our merchandise;

the speed and cost at which we can deliver merchandise to our clients and the ease with which they can use our services to 
return merchandise; and

anticipating and quickly responding to changing apparel trends and consumer shopping preferences.

23

Many  of  our  current  competitors  have,  and  potential  competitors  may  have,  longer  operating  histories;  larger  fulfillment 
infrastructures;  greater  technical  capabilities;  faster  shipping  times;  lower-cost  shipping;  larger  databases;  more  purchasing  power; 
higher  profiles;  greater  financial,  marketing,  institutional,  and  other  resources;  and  larger  customer  bases  than  we  do.  Mergers  and 
acquisitions by these companies may lead to even larger competitors with more resources. These factors may allow our competitors to 
derive greater revenue and profits from their existing customer bases; acquire customers at lower costs; or respond more quickly than 
we  can  to  new  or  emerging  technologies,  changes  in  apparel  trends  and  consumer  shopping  behavior,  and  changes  in  supply 
conditions. These competitors may engage in more extensive research and development efforts, enter or expand their presence in the 
personalized retail market, undertake more far-reaching marketing campaigns, and adopt more aggressive pricing policies, which may 
allow them to build larger customer bases or generate revenue from their existing customer bases more effectively than we do. If we 
fail to execute on any of the above better than our competitors, our operating results may be adversely affected.

We must successfully gauge apparel trends and changing consumer preferences.

Our  success  is,  in  large  part,  dependent  upon  our  ability  to  identify  apparel  trends,  predict  and  gauge  the  tastes  of  our  clients,  and 
provide a service that satisfies client demand in a timely manner. However, lead times for many of our purchasing decisions may make 
it  difficult  for  us  to  respond  rapidly  to  new  or  changing  apparel  trends  or  client  acceptance  of  merchandise  chosen  by  our 
merchandising buyers. In addition, external events may disrupt or change client preferences and behaviors in ways we are not able to 
anticipate. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant changes to daily life, working arrangements, travel, and 
social  events,  which  has  impacted  the  type  of  apparel  our  clients  seek  to  purchase.  We  generally  enter  into  purchase  contracts 
significantly in advance of anticipated sales and frequently before apparel trends are confirmed by client purchases. In the past, we 
have not always predicted our clients’ preferences and acceptance levels of our merchandise with accuracy. Further, we use our data 
science to predict our clients’ preferences and gauge demand for our merchandise, and there is no guarantee that our data science and 
algorithms will accurately anticipate client demand and tastes. Our entry into the UK also requires us to become familiar with different 
apparel trends and customer preferences. In addition, consumer shopping behavior may continue to evolve and we may need to adapt 
our service to such changes, which could be further complicated by any future expansion into additional geographic markets. To the 
extent we misjudge the market for the service we offer or fail to execute on trends and deliver attractive merchandise to clients, our 
sales will decline and our operating results will be adversely affected.

Our operating results have been, and could be in the future, adversely affected by natural disasters, public health crises, political 
crises, or other catastrophic events.

Natural disasters, such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fires, and other adverse weather events and climate conditions, 
which may become more frequent and more severe with the increasing effects of climate change; unforeseen public health crises, such 
as  the  ongoing  COVID-19  pandemic  or  other  pandemics  and  epidemics;  political  crises,  such  as  terrorist  attacks,  war,  and  other 
political instability; or other catastrophic events, whether occurring in the United States or internationally, could disrupt our operations 
in or cause us to close one or more of our offices and fulfillment centers or could disrupt, delay, or otherwise negatively impact the 
operations  of  one  or  more  of  our  third-party  providers  or  vendors.  For  instance,  the  severe  winter  weather  and  temperatures 
experienced in Texas and other parts of the country in February 2021 caused us to temporarily close two of our fulfillment centers and 
affected  the  shipping  of  merchandise  in  and  out  of  fulfillment  centers.  Furthermore,  these  types  of  events  could  impact  our 
merchandise supply chain, including our ability to ship merchandise to or receive returned merchandise from clients in the impacted 
region, and could impact our ability or the ability of third parties to operate our sites and ship merchandise. In addition, these types of 
events  could  negatively  impact  consumer  spending  in  the  impacted  regions.  In  fact,  the  COVID-19  pandemic  has:  disrupted  our 
operations in and caused us to close our offices and require that most of our employees work from home; disrupted our operations in 
and caused us to close three of our fulfillment centers; required us to implement various operational changes to ensure the health and 
safety  of  our  employees;  had  a  range  of  negative  effects  on  the  operations  of  our  third-party  providers  and  vendors,  including  our 
merchandise supply chain and shipping partners; and negatively impacted consumer spending and the economy generally. Because the 
COVID-19  pandemic  has  caused  many  of  these  factors  to  materialize,  as  described  above  and  throughout  these  risk  factors,  it  has 
adversely affected our business and operating results. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic (including future resurgences of COVID-19 
or  new  variants  in  the  United  States  or  internationally)  or  the  occurrence  of  another  natural  disaster  or  crisis  could  recreate  and/or 
exacerbate these effects.

24

Cybersecurity, Legal and Regulatory Risks

System interruptions that impair client access to our website or other performance failures in our technology infrastructure could 
damage our business.

The  satisfactory  performance,  reliability,  and  availability  of  our  website,  mobile  application,  internal  applications,  and  technology 
infrastructure  are  critical  to  our  business.  We  rely  on  our  website  and  mobile  application  to  engage  with  our  clients  and  sell  them 
merchandise.  We  also  rely  on  a  host  of  internal  custom-built  applications  to  run  critical  business  functions,  such  as  styling, 
merchandise  purchasing,  warehouse  operations,  and  order  fulfillment.  In  addition,  we  rely  on  a  variety  of  third-party,  cloud-based 
solution vendors for key elements of our technology infrastructure. These systems are vulnerable to damage or interruption and we 
have experienced interruptions in the past. For example, in February 2017, as a result of an outage with Amazon Web Services, where 
much of our technology infrastructure is hosted, we experienced disruptions in applications that support our warehouse operations and 
order fulfillment that caused a temporary slowdown in the number of Fix shipments we were able to make.  Additionally, the launch of 
a  new  category  or  new  product  offering  requires  investments  in  and  the  development  of  new  technology,  which  may  be  more 
susceptible to performance issues or interruptions.  Interruptions may also be caused by a variety of incidents, including human error, 
our  failure  to  update  or  improve  our  proprietary  systems,  cyber  attacks,  fire,  flood,  earthquake,  power  loss,  or  telecommunications 
failures. These risks are exacerbated by our move to a more remote workforce in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Any failure or 
interruption of our website, mobile application, internal business applications, or our technology infrastructure could harm our ability 
to serve our clients, which would adversely affect our business and operating results.

Compromises  of  our  data  security  could  cause  us  to  incur  unexpected  expenses  and  may  materially  harm  our  reputation  and 
operating results.

In  the  ordinary  course  of  our  business,  we  and  our  vendors  collect,  process,  and  store  certain  personal  information  and  other  data 
relating to individuals, such as our clients and employees, which may include client payment card information. We rely substantially 
on commercially available systems, software, tools, and monitoring to provide security for our processing, transmission, and storage 
of personal information and other confidential information. There can be no assurance, however, that we or our vendors will not suffer 
a  data  compromise,  that  hackers  or  other  unauthorized  parties  will  not  gain  access  to  personal  information  or  other  data,  including 
payment card data or confidential business information, or that any such data compromise or unauthorized access will be discovered in 
a timely fashion. The techniques used to obtain unauthorized access or to sabotage systems change frequently and generally are not 
identified  until  they  are  launched  against  a  target,  and  we  and  our  vendors  may  be  unable  to  anticipate  these  techniques  or  to 
implement  adequate  preventative  measures.  As  we  have  significantly  increased  the  number  of  employees  and  contractors  working 
remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic and expect to continue to have a more remote and hybrid work force, and as our vendors and 
other  business  partners  move  to  permanent  or  hybrid  remote  work  as  well,  we  and  our  partners  may  be  more  vulnerable  to  cyber 
attacks. In addition, our employees, contractors, vendors, or other third parties with whom we do business may attempt to circumvent 
security measures in order to misappropriate such personal information, confidential information, or other data, or may inadvertently 
release or compromise such data.

Compromise of our data security or of third parties with whom we do business, failure to prevent or mitigate the loss of personal or 
business information, and delays in detecting or providing prompt notice of any such compromise or loss could disrupt our operations, 
damage  our  reputation,  and  subject  us  to  litigation,  government  action,  or  other  additional  costs  and  liabilities  that  could  adversely 
affect our business, financial condition, and operating results.

Some of our software and systems contain open source software, which may pose particular risks to our proprietary applications.

We use open source software in the applications we have developed to operate our business and will use open source software in the 
future. We may face claims from third parties demanding the release or license of the open source software or derivative works that 
we developed from such software (which could include our proprietary source code) or otherwise seeking to enforce the terms of the 
applicable  open  source  license.  These  claims  could  result  in  litigation  and  could  require  us  to  purchase  a  costly  license,  publicly 
release the affected portions of our source code, or cease offering the implicated solutions unless and until we can re-engineer them to 
avoid  infringement.  In  addition,  our  use  of  open  source  software  may  present  additional  security  risks  because  the  source  code  for 
open source software is publicly available, which may make it easier for hackers and other third parties to determine how to breach 
our website and systems that rely on open source software. Any of these risks could be difficult to eliminate or manage and, if not 
addressed, could have an adverse effect on our business and operating results.

25

Adverse litigation judgments or settlements resulting from legal proceedings in which we are or may be involved could expose us to 
monetary damages or limit our ability to operate our business.

Currently,  we  are  involved  in  various  legal  proceedings,  including  the  securities  litigation  and  other  matters  described  elsewhere 
herein.  We  have  in  the  past  and  may  in  the  future  become  involved  in  other  private  actions,  collective  actions,  investigations,  and 
various  other  legal  proceedings  by  clients,  employees,  suppliers,  competitors,  government  agencies,  stockholders,  or  others.  In 
addition,  the  COVID-19  pandemic  could  give  rise  to  new  types  of  claims  or  lawsuits,  including,  without  limitation,  workers 
compensation claims for employees that contracted the COVID-19 virus. The results of any such litigation, investigations, and other 
legal  proceedings  are  inherently  unpredictable  and  expensive.  Any  claims  against  us,  whether  meritorious  or  not,  could  be  time 
consuming, result in costly litigation, damage our reputation, require significant amounts of management time, and divert significant 
resources. If any of these legal proceedings were to be determined adversely to us, or we were to enter into a settlement arrangement, 
we could be exposed to monetary damages or limits on our ability to operate our business, which could have an adverse effect on our 
business, financial condition, and operating results.

Any failure by us or our vendors to comply with product safety, labor, or other laws, or our standard vendor terms and conditions, 
or to provide safe factory conditions for our or their workers, may damage our reputation and brand, and harm our business.

The  merchandise  we  sell  to  our  clients  is  subject  to  regulation  by  the  Federal  Consumer  Product  Safety  Commission,  the  Federal 
Trade  Commission,  and  similar  state  and  international  regulatory  authorities.  As  a  result,  such  merchandise  could  in  the  future  be 
subject to recalls and other remedial actions. Product safety, labeling, and licensing concerns may result in us voluntarily removing 
selected  merchandise  from  our  inventory.  Such  recalls  or  voluntary  removal  of  merchandise  can  result  in,  among  other  things,  lost 
sales, diverted resources, potential harm to our reputation, and increased client service costs and legal expenses, which could have a 
material adverse effect on our operating results.

Some  of  the  merchandise  we  sell,  including  the  children’s  merchandise  sold  through  Stitch  Fix  Kids,  may  expose  us  to  product 
liability  claims  and  litigation  or  regulatory  action  relating  to  personal  injury  or  environmental  or  property  damage.  Although  we 
maintain liability insurance, we cannot be certain that our coverage will be adequate for liabilities actually incurred or that insurance 
will continue to be available to us on economically reasonable terms or at all. In addition, some of our agreements with our vendors 
may not indemnify us from product liability for a particular vendor’s merchandise or our vendors may not have sufficient resources or 
insurance to satisfy their indemnity and defense obligations.

We purchase our merchandise from numerous domestic and international vendors. Our standard vendor terms and conditions require 
vendors  to  comply  with  applicable  laws.  We  have  hired  independent  firms  that  conduct  audits  of  the  working  conditions  at  the 
factories producing our Exclusive Brand products. If an audit reveals potential problems, we require that the vendor institute corrective 
action plans to bring the factory into compliance with our standards, or we may discontinue our relationship with the vendor. The loss 
of  an  Exclusive  Brand  vendor  due  to  failure  to  comply  with  our  standards  could  cause  inventory  delays,  impact  our  clients’ 
experiences,  and  otherwise  harm  our  operating  results.  In  addition,  failure  of  our  vendors  to  comply  with  applicable  laws  and 
regulations  and  contractual  requirements  could  lead  to  litigation  against  us,  resulting  in  increased  legal  expenses  and  costs. 
Furthermore,  the  failure  of  any  such  vendors  to  provide  safe  and  humane  factory  conditions  and  oversight  at  their  facilities  could 
damage our reputation with clients or result in legal claims against us.

The United States Treasury Department placed sanctions on China’s Xinjiang Production and Construction Corporation (“XPCC”) for 
serious human rights abuses against ethnic minorities in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (the “XUAR”). Additionally, 
the US CBP issued a withhold release order (the “WRO”) on all products containing cotton from the XUAR. The XUAR is the source 
of large amounts of cotton and textiles for the global apparel supply chain and XPCC controls many of the cotton farms and much of 
the textile industry in the region.  Although we do not knowingly source any products or materials from the XUAR (either directly or 
indirectly through our suppliers), we have no known involvement with XPCC or its subsidiaries and affiliates, and we prohibit our 
apparel vendors from doing business with XPCC, we could be subject to penalties, fines or sanctions if any of the vendors from which 
we purchase goods is found to have dealings, directly or indirectly, with XPCC or entities it controls.  Additionally, our products or 
materials (including potentially non-cotton materials) could be held or delayed by the US CBP under the WRO, which would cause 
delays and unexpectedly affect our inventory levels. Even if we were not subject to penalties, fines or sanctions, if products we source 
are linked in any way to XPCC or the XUAR, our reputation could be damaged. 

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Our use of personal information and other data subjects us to privacy laws and obligations, and our compliance with or failure to 
comply with such obligations could harm our business.

We collect and maintain significant amounts of personal information and other data relating to our clients and employees. Numerous 
laws,  rules,  and  regulations  in  the  United  States  and  internationally,  including  the  EU’s  General  Data  Protection  Regulation  (the 
“GDPR”), California’s Consumer Privacy Act (the “CCPA”) and the UK’s Data Protection Act (the “UK GDPR”), govern privacy and 
the  collection,  use,  and  protection  of  personal  information.  These  laws,  rules,  and  regulations  evolve  frequently  and  may  be 
inconsistent from one jurisdiction to another or may be interpreted to conflict with our practices. Any failure or perceived failure by us 
or any third parties with which we do business to comply with these laws, rules, and regulations, or with other obligations to which we 
may be or become subject, may result in actions against us by governmental entities, private claims and litigation, fines, penalties, or 
other  liabilities.  Any  such  action  would  be  expensive  to  defend,  damage  our  reputation,  and  adversely  affect  our  business  and 
operating  results.  For  example,  the  GDPR  imposes  more  stringent  data  protection  requirements  and  provides  greater  penalties  for 
noncompliance than previous data protection laws.  Further, the UK withdrew from the EU on January 31, 2020, subject to a transition 
period  that  ended  on  December  31,  2020  (“Brexit”).  The  regulation  of  data  protection  in  the  UK  after  December  31,  2020  is  still 
uncertain and depends on ongoing negotiations between the UK and the EU. The UK GDPR is currently consistent with the GDPR in 
effect since 2018, but it may evolve following the end of the transition period and it is uncertain whether our operations in, and data 
transfers to and from, the UK can comply with any future changes in the law. Similarly, the State of California legislature passed the 
CCPA,  which  became  effective  on  January  1,  2020.  The  CCPA  requires  us  to  make  new  disclosures  to  consumers  about  our  data 
collection,  use,  and  sharing  practices.  The  CCPA  also  allows  consumers  to  opt  out  of  certain  data  sharing  with  third  parties,  and 
provides  a  new  cause  of  action  for  data  breaches  with  the  possibility  of  significant  statutory  damage  awards.  The  CCPA  prohibits 
discrimination against individuals who exercise their privacy rights, provides for civil penalties for violations, and creates a private 
right of action for data breaches that is expected to increase data breach litigation. The CCPA itself will expand substantially when the 
California Privacy Rights Act of 2020 (the “CPRA”), which California voters approved in November 2020, takes effect on January 1, 
2023. The CPRA will, among other things, restrict use of certain categories of sensitive personal information that we handle; further 
restrict the sharing of personal information; establish restrictions on the retention of personal information; expand the types of data 
breaches subject to the private right of action; and establish the California Privacy Protection Agency to implement and enforce the 
new  law,  as  well  as  impose  administrative  fines.  Since  the  enactment  of  the  CCPA,  new  privacy  and  data  security  laws  have  been 
proposed in more than half of the U.S. states and in the U.S. Congress, reflecting a trend toward more stringent privacy legislation in 
the  U.S.  Additionally,  the  Federal  Trade  Commission  and  many  state  attorneys  general  are  interpreting  federal  and  state  consumer 
protection laws as imposing standards for the online collection, use, dissemination, and security of data.

The costs of compliance with and other burdens imposed by privacy and data security laws and regulations may reduce the efficiency 
of our marketing, lead to negative publicity, make it more difficult or more costly to meet expectations of or commitments to clients, 
or lead to significant fines, penalties or liabilities for noncompliance, any of which could harm our business. These laws could also 
impact our ability to offer our products in certain locations. The costs, burdens, and potential liabilities imposed by existing privacy 
laws could be compounded if other jurisdictions in the U.S. or abroad begin to adopt similar or more restrictive laws.

Even the perception that the privacy of personal information is not satisfactorily protected or does not meet regulatory requirements 
could inhibit clients’ use of our service or harm our brand and reputation.

Any of these matters could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, or operating results.

Unfavorable changes or failure by us to comply with evolving internet and eCommerce regulations could substantially harm our 
business and operating results.

We  are  subject  to  general  business  regulations  and  laws  as  well  as  regulations  and  laws  specifically  governing  the  internet  and 
eCommerce. These regulations and laws may involve taxes, privacy and data security, consumer protection, the ability to collect and/
or share necessary information that allows us to conduct business on the internet, marketing communications and advertising, content 
protection, electronic contracts, or gift cards. Furthermore, the regulatory landscape impacting internet and eCommerce businesses is 
constantly  evolving.  For  example,  California’s  Automatic  Renewal  Law  requires  companies  to  adhere  to  enhanced  disclosure 
requirements  when  entering  into  automatically  renewing  contracts  with  consumers.  As  a  result,  a  wave  of  consumer  class  action 
lawsuits was brought against companies that offer online products and services on a subscription or recurring basis. Any failure, or 
perceived failure, by us to comply with any of these laws or regulations could result in damage to our reputation, lost business, and 
proceedings or actions against us by governmental entities or others, which could impact our operating results.

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If the use of “cookie” tracking technologies is further restricted, regulated, or blocked, or if changes in technology cause cookies to 
become less reliable or acceptable as a means of tracking consumer behavior, the amount or accuracy of internet user information 
we collect would decrease, which could harm our business and operating results.

Cookies are small data files that are sent by websites and stored locally on an internet user's computer or mobile device. We, and third 
parties who work on our behalf, collect data via cookies that is used to track the behavior of visitors to our sites, to provide a more 
personal  and  interactive  experience,  and  to  increase  the  effectiveness  of  our  marketing.  However,  internet  users  can  easily  disable, 
delete, and block cookies directly through browser settings or through other software, browser extensions, or hardware platforms that 
physically block cookies from being created and stored.

Privacy regulations restrict how we deploy our cookies and this could potentially increase the number of internet users that choose to 
proactively  disable  cookies  on  their  systems.  In  the  EU,  the  Directive  on  Privacy  and  Electronic  Communications  requires  users  to 
give their consent before cookie data can be stored on their local computer or mobile device. Users can decide to opt out of nearly all 
cookie data creation, which could negatively impact our operating results. We may have to develop alternative systems to determine 
our clients’ behavior, customize their online experience, or efficiently market to them if clients block cookies or regulations introduce 
additional barriers to collecting cookie data.

If we cannot successfully protect our intellectual property, our business would suffer.

We  rely  on  trademark,  copyright,  trade  secrets,  patents,  confidentiality  agreements,  and  other  practices  to  protect  our  brands, 
proprietary information, technologies, and processes. Our principal trademark assets include the registered trademarks “Stitch Fix” and 
“Fix,” multiple private label clothing and accessory brand names, and our logos and taglines. Our trademarks are valuable assets that 
support our brand and consumers’ perception of our services and merchandise. We also hold the rights to the “stitchfix.com” internet 
domain name and various other related domain names, which are subject to internet regulatory bodies and trademark and other related 
laws of each applicable jurisdiction. If we are unable to protect our trademarks or domain names in the United States, the UK, or in 
other jurisdictions in which we may ultimately operate, our brand recognition and reputation would suffer, we would incur significant 
expense establishing new brands and our operating results would be adversely impacted.

We currently have nine patents issued and a number of additional patent applications pending in the United States. We have also filed 
patent applications in Europe and the People’s Republic of China. The patents we own and those that may be issued in the future may 
not  provide  us  with  any  competitive  advantages  or  may  be  challenged  by  third  parties,  and  our  patent  applications  may  never  be 
granted. Even if issued, there can be no assurance that these patents will adequately protect our intellectual property or survive a legal 
challenge, as the legal standards relating to the validity, enforceability, and scope of protection of patent and other intellectual property 
rights are uncertain. Our limited patent protection may restrict our ability to protect our technologies and processes from competition. 
We  primarily  rely  on  trade  secret  laws  to  protect  our  technologies  and  processes,  including  the  algorithms  we  use  throughout  our 
business.  Others  may  independently  develop  the  same  or  similar  technologies  and  processes,  or  may  improperly  acquire  and  use 
information about our technologies and processes, which may allow them to provide a service similar to ours, which could harm our 
competitive position.

We may be required to spend significant resources to monitor and protect our intellectual property rights, and the efforts we take to 
protect our proprietary rights may not be sufficient.

We may be accused of infringing intellectual property rights of third parties.

We are also at risk of claims by others that we have infringed their copyrights, trademarks, or patents, or improperly used or disclosed 
their trade secrets. The costs of supporting any litigation or disputes related to these claims can be considerable, and we cannot assure 
you that we will achieve a favorable outcome of any such claim. If any such claims are valid, we may be compelled to cease our use of 
such intellectual property and pay damages, which could adversely affect our business. Even if such claims are not valid, defending 
them could be expensive and distracting, adversely affecting our operating results.

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Risks Relating to Taxes

Changes in U.S. tax or tariff policy regarding apparel produced in other countries could adversely affect our business.

A predominant portion of the apparel we sell is originally manufactured in countries other than the United States. International trade 
disputes  that  result  in  tariffs  and  other  protectionist  measures  could  adversely  affect  our  business,  including  disruption  and  cost 
increases in our established patterns for sourcing our merchandise and increased uncertainties in planning our sourcing strategies and 
forecasting our margins. For example, in recent years, the U.S. government imposed significant new tariffs on China related to the 
importation  of  certain  product  categories,  including  apparel,  footwear,  and  other  goods.  A  substantial  portion  of  our  products  are 
manufactured in China. As a result of these tariffs, our cost of goods imported from China increased slightly. Although we continue to 
work with our vendors to mitigate our exposure to current or potential tariffs, there can be no assurance that we will be able to offset 
any increased costs. Other changes in U.S. tariffs, quotas, trade relationships, or tax provisions could also reduce the supply of goods 
available to us or increase our cost of goods. Although such changes would have implications across the entire industry, we may fail to 
effectively adapt to and manage the adjustments in strategy that would be necessary in response to those changes. In addition to the 
general uncertainty and overall risk from potential changes in U.S. laws and policies, as we make business decisions in the face of 
such  uncertainty,  we  may  incorrectly  anticipate  the  outcomes,  miss  out  on  business  opportunities,  or  fail  to  effectively  adapt  our 
business strategies and manage the adjustments that are necessary in response to those changes. These risks could adversely affect our 
revenues, reduce our profitability, and negatively impact our business.

We could be required to collect additional sales taxes or be subject to other tax liabilities that may increase the costs our clients 
would have to pay for our offering and adversely affect our operating results.

In general, we have not historically collected state or local sales, use, or other similar taxes in any jurisdictions in which we do not 
have a tax nexus, in reliance on court decisions and/or applicable exemptions that restrict or preclude the imposition of obligations to 
collect such taxes with respect to the online sales of our products.  In addition, we have not historically collected state or local sales, 
use, or other similar taxes in certain jurisdictions in which we do have a physical presence, in reliance on applicable exemptions.  On 
June 21, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court decided, in South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc., that state and local jurisdictions may, at least in 
certain  circumstances,  enforce  a  sales  and  use  tax  collection  obligation  on  remote  vendors  that  have  no  physical  presence  in  such 
jurisdiction. As of June 30, 2021, all states have enacted legislation to begin, requiring sales and use tax collection by remote vendors 
and/or by online marketplaces.  The details and effective dates of these collection requirements vary from state to state. While we now 
collect, remit, and report sales tax in all states that impose a sales tax, it is still possible that one or more jurisdictions may assert that 
we  have  liability  from  previous  periods  for  which  we  did  not  collect  sales,  use,  or  other  similar  taxes,  and  if  such  an  assertion  or 
assertions were successful it could result in substantial tax liabilities, including for past sales taxes and penalties and interest, which 
could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, and operating results.

Federal income tax reform could have unforeseen effects on our financial condition and results of operations.

On  March  27,  2020,  the  U.S.  enacted  the  CARES  Act.  We  provided  for  an  estimated  effect  of  the  CARES  Act  in  our  financial 
statements for the period ended July 31, 2021. The CARES Act requires significant judgments to be made in the interpretation of the 
law and significant estimates in the calculation of the provision for income taxes. However, additional guidance may be issued by the 
Internal  Revenue  Service,  the  Department  of  the  Treasury,  or  other  governing  body  that  may  significantly  differ  from  our 
interpretation of the law, which may result in a material adverse effect on our business, cash flow, results of operations, or financial 
conditions. 

We may be subject to additional tax liabilities, which could adversely affect our operating results.

We are subject to income- and non-income-based taxes in the United States under federal, state, and local jurisdictions and in the UK. 
The  governing  tax  laws  and  applicable  tax  rates  vary  by  jurisdiction  and  are  subject  to  interpretation.  Various  tax  authorities  may 
disagree with tax positions we take and if any such tax authorities were to successfully challenge one or more of our tax positions, the 
results could have a material effect on our operating results. Further, the ultimate amount of tax payable in a given financial statement 
period may be materially impacted by sudden or unforeseen changes in tax laws, changes in the mix and level of earnings by taxing 
jurisdictions, or changes to existing accounting rules or regulations. The determination of our overall provision for income and other 
taxes is inherently uncertain as it requires significant judgment around complex transactions and calculations. As a result, fluctuations 
in our ultimate tax obligations may differ materially from amounts recorded in our financial statements and could adversely affect our 
business, financial condition, and operating results in the periods for which such determination is made.

Our ability to use our net operating loss carryforwards and certain other tax attributes may be limited.

As of July 31, 2021, we had state net operating loss carryforwards of $142.0 million, which begin to expire in 2025, if not utilized. 
The ability to use our net operating loss carryforwards depends on the availability of future taxable income. In addition, as of July 31, 
2021,  we  had  federal  and  California  research  and  development  tax  credit  carryforwards  of  $30.1  million  and  $17.0  million, 
respectively.  The  federal  research  and  development  credits  will  begin  to  expire  in  2036,  if  not  utilized;  California  research  and 
development credits do not have an expiration date. A portion of our tax attributes are subject to Section 382 and 383 of the Internal 
Revenue Code and similar state provisions, which sets limitations arising from ownership changes. Any potential limitations on our 
ability to offset future income with our tax attributes could result in increased future tax liability to us.

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Risks Relating to Ownership of Our Class A Common Stock

The market price of our Class A common stock may continue to be volatile or may decline steeply or suddenly regardless of our 
operating  performance  and  we  may  not  be  able  to  meet  investor  or  analyst  expectations.  You  may  lose  all  or  part  of  your 
investment.

The market price of our Class A common stock may fluctuate or decline significantly in response to numerous factors, many of which 
are beyond our control, including:

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actual or anticipated fluctuations in our client base, the level of client engagement and client acquisition, revenue, or other 
operating results;

variations  between  our  actual  operating  results  and  the  expectations  of  securities  analysts,  investors,  and  the  financial 
community;

any forward-looking financial or operating information we may provide to the public or securities analysts, any changes in 
this information, or our failure to meet expectations based on this information;

actions of securities analysts who initiate or maintain coverage of us, changes in financial estimates by any securities analysts 
who follow our company, or our failure to meet these estimates or the expectations of investors;

whether  investors  or  securities  analysts  view  our  stock  structure  unfavorably,  particularly  our  dual-class  structure  and  the 
significant voting control of our executive officers, directors, and their affiliates;

additional  shares  of  our  Class  A  common  stock  being  sold  into  the  market  by  us  or  our  existing  stockholders,  or  the 
anticipation of such sales;

announcements  by  us  or  our  competitors  of  significant  products  or  features,  technical  innovations,  acquisitions,  strategic 
partnerships, joint ventures, or capital commitments;

changes  in  operating  performance  and  stock  market  valuations  of  companies  in  our  industry,  including  our  vendors  and 
competitors;

price and volume fluctuations in the overall stock market, including as a result of trends in the economy as a whole;

targeted efforts of social media or other groups to transact in and affect the price of Stitch Fix stock, such as the activity in 
early 2021 targeting GameStop Corp and others;

lawsuits threatened or filed against us;

developments in new legislation and pending lawsuits or regulatory actions, including interim or final rulings by judicial or 
regulatory bodies; and

other  events  or  factors,  including  those  resulting  from  war  or  incidents  of  terrorism,  public  health  crises  such  as  the 
COVID-19 pandemic, or responses to these events.

In addition, extreme price and volume fluctuations in the stock markets have affected and continue to affect many eCommerce and 
other  technology  companies’  stock  prices.  Often,  their  stock  prices  have  fluctuated  in  ways  unrelated  or  disproportionate  to  the 
companies’ operating performance. In the past, stockholders have filed securities class action litigation following periods of market 
volatility. For example, beginning in October 2018, we and certain of our directors and officers were sued in putative class action and 
derivative lawsuits alleging violations of the federal securities laws for allegedly making materially false and misleading statements. 
We may be the target of additional litigation of this type in the future as well. Such securities litigation could subject us to substantial 
costs, divert resources and the attention of management from our business, and seriously harm our business.

Moreover,  because  of  these  fluctuations,  comparing  our  operating  results  on  a  period-to-period  basis  may  not  be  meaningful.  You 
should not rely on our past results as an indication of our future performance. This variability and unpredictability could also result in 
our failing to meet the expectations of industry or financial analysts or investors for any period. If our revenue or operating results fall 
below the expectations of analysts or investors or below any forecasts we may provide to the market, or if the forecasts we provide to 
the  market  are  below  the  expectations  of  analysts  or  investors,  the  price  of  our  Class  A  common  stock  could  decline  substantially. 
Such a stock price decline could occur even when we have met any previously publicly stated revenue or earnings forecasts that we 
may provide.

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Future sales of shares by existing stockholders could cause our stock price to decline.

If  our  existing  stockholders  sell,  or  indicate  an  intention  to  sell,  substantial  amounts  of  our  Class  A  common  stock  in  the  public 
market, then the trading price of our Class A common stock could decline. In addition, shares underlying any outstanding options and 
restricted stock units will become eligible for sale if exercised or settled, as applicable, and to the extent permitted by the provisions of 
various vesting agreements and Rule 144 of the Securities Act. All the shares of Class A and Class B common stock subject to stock 
options and restricted stock units outstanding and reserved for issuance under our 2011 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended, our 2017 
Incentive Plan, and our 2019 Inducement Plan have been registered on Form S-8 under the Securities Act and such shares are eligible 
for  sale  in  the  public  markets,  subject  to  Rule  144  limitations  applicable  to  affiliates.  If  these  additional  shares  are  sold,  or  if  it  is 
perceived that they will be sold in the public market, the trading price of our Class A common stock could decline.

The dual class structure of our common stock concentrates voting control with our executive officers, directors and their affiliates, 
and may depress the trading price of our Class A common stock.

Our Class B common stock has ten votes per share and our Class A common stock has one vote per share. As a result, the holders of 
our Class B common stock, including our directors, executive officers, and their affiliates, are able to exercise considerable influence 
over matters requiring stockholder approval, including the election of directors and approval of significant corporate transactions, such 
as a merger or other sale of our company or our assets, even if their stock holdings represent less than 50% of the outstanding shares 
of  our  capital  stock.  As  of  September  21,  2021,  31,476,875  of  our  108,731,974  shares  outstanding  were  held  by  our  directors, 
executive officers, and their affiliates, and 29,233,301 of such shares held by our directors, executive officers, and their affiliates were 
shares of Class B common stock. This concentration of ownership will limit the ability of other stockholders to influence corporate 
matters and may cause us to make strategic decisions that could involve risks to you or that may not be aligned with your interests. 
This control may adversely affect the market price of our Class A common stock.

In  addition,  in  July  2017,  FTSE  Russell  and  Standard  &  Poor’s  announced  that  they  would  cease  to  allow  most  newly  public 
companies utilizing dual or multi-class capital structures to be included in their indices. Affected indices include the S&P 500, S&P 
MidCap  400,  and  S&P  SmallCap  600,  which  together  make  up  the  S&P  Composite  1500.  Under  the  announced  policies,  our  dual 
class  capital  structure  currently  makes  us  ineligible  for  inclusion  in  Standard  &  Poor’s  indices  and,  as  a  result,  mutual  funds, 
exchange-traded  funds,  and  other  investment  vehicles  that  attempt  to  passively  track  the  S&P  indices  will  not  be  investing  in  our 
stock. It is unclear what effect, if any, these policies have had or may have on the valuations of publicly traded companies excluded 
from  the  indices,  but  it  is  possible  that  they  may  depress  these  valuations  compared  to  those  of  other  similar  companies  that  are 
included.

We do not currently intend to pay dividends on our Class A common stock and, consequently, your ability to achieve a return on 
your investment will depend on appreciation of the value of our Class A common stock.

We have never declared or paid cash dividends on our capital stock. We currently intend to retain any future earnings to finance the 
operation  and  expansion  of  our  business,  and  we  do  not  expect  to  pay  any  cash  dividends  on  our  Class  A  common  stock  in  the 
foreseeable future. As a result, any investment return our Class A common stock will depend upon increases in the value for our Class 
A common stock, which is not certain.

Delaware  law  and  provisions  in  our  amended  and  restated  certificate  of  incorporation  and  amended  and  restated  bylaws  could 
make a merger, tender offer, or proxy contest difficult, thereby depressing the trading price of our Class A common stock.

Our  amended  and  restated  certificate  of  incorporation  and  amended  and  restated  bylaws  contain  provisions  that  could  depress  the 
trading price of our Class A common stock by acting to discourage, delay, or prevent a change of control of our company or changes 
in our management that the stockholders of our company may deem advantageous. These provisions include the following:

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establish a classified board of directors so that not all members of our board of directors are elected at one time;

permit the board of directors to establish the number of directors and fill any vacancies and newly created directorships;

provide that directors may only be removed for cause;

require super-majority voting to amend some provisions in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws;

authorize  the  issuance  of  “blank  check”  preferred  stock  that  our  board  of  directors  could  use  to  implement  a  stockholder 
rights plan;

eliminate the ability of our stockholders to call special meetings of stockholders;

prohibit  stockholder  action  by  written  consent,  which  requires  all  stockholder  actions  to  be  taken  at  a  meeting  of  our 
stockholders;

provide that the board of directors is expressly authorized to make, alter, or repeal our bylaws;

restrict the forum for certain litigation against us to Delaware;

reflect the dual class structure of our common stock; and

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establish advance notice requirements for nominations for election to our board of directors or for proposing matters that can 
be acted upon by stockholders at annual stockholder meetings.

Any provision of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or amended and restated bylaws that has the effect of delaying 
or deterring a change in control could limit the opportunity for our stockholders to receive a premium for their shares of our common 
stock, and could also affect the price that some investors are willing to pay for our Class A common stock.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware and the federal 
district courts of the United States are the exclusive forums for substantially all disputes between us and our stockholders, which 
could  limit  our  stockholders’  ability  to  obtain  a  favorable  judicial  forum  for  disputes  with  us  or  our  directors,  officers,  or 
employees.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware is the exclusive 
forum for the following types of actions or proceedings under Delaware statutory or common law:

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any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf;

any action asserting a breach of fiduciary duty;

any  action  asserting  a  claim  against  us  arising  under  the  Delaware  General  Corporation  Law,  our  amended  and  restated 
certificate of incorporation, or our amended and restated bylaws; and

any action asserting a claim against us that is governed by the internal-affairs doctrine.

This provision would not apply to suits brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Exchange Act. Furthermore, Section 22 of 
the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts over all such Securities Act actions. Accordingly, both 
state and federal courts have jurisdiction to entertain such claims. To prevent having to litigate claims in multiple jurisdictions and the 
threat  of  inconsistent  or  contrary  rulings  by  different  courts,  among  other  considerations,  our  amended  and  restated  certificate  of 
incorporation further provides that the federal district courts of the United States are the exclusive forum for resolving any complaint 
asserting  a  cause  of  action  arising  under  the  Securities  Act.  While  the  Delaware  courts  have  determined  that  such  choice  of  forum 
provisions  are  facially  valid,  a  stockholder  may  nevertheless  seek  to  bring  a  claim  in  a  venue  other  than  those  designated  in  the 
exclusive  forum  provisions.  In  such  instance,  we  would  expect  to  vigorously  assert  the  validity  and  enforceability  of  the  exclusive 
forum  provisions  of  our  amended  and  restated  certificate  of  incorporation.  This  may  require  significant  additional  costs  associated 
with resolving such action in other jurisdictions and there can be no assurance that the provisions will be enforced by a court in those 
other jurisdictions.

These  exclusive  forum  provisions  may  limit  a  stockholder’s  ability  to  bring  a  claim  in  a  judicial  forum  that  it  finds  favorable  for 
disputes with us or our directors, officers, or other employees, which may discourage lawsuits against us and our directors, officers 
and other employees. If a court were to find either exclusive-forum provision in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation 
to  be  inapplicable  or  unenforceable  in  an  action,  we  may  incur  additional  costs  associated  with  resolving  the  dispute  in  other 
jurisdictions, which could seriously harm our business. 

General Risk Factors

If we are unable to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting, investors may lose confidence in the accuracy of 
our reported financial information and this may lead to a decline in our stock price.

We  are  required  to  comply  with  Section  404  of  the  Sarbanes-Oxley  Act  of  2002  (the  “Sarbanes-Oxley  Act”).  Specifically,  the 
Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires management to assess the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting and to report any 
material weaknesses in such internal control.  We have in the past experienced material weaknesses and significant deficiencies in our 
internal  controls,  including  for  our  fiscal  year  ended  August  3,  2019.  Management  has  concluded  that  our  internal  control  over 
financial  reporting  was  effective  as  of  July  31,  2021.  However,  our  testing,  or  the  subsequent  testing  by  our  independent  public 
accounting firm, may reveal deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting that are deemed to be material weaknesses. If 
we  or  our  accounting  firm  identify  deficiencies  in  our  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  that  are  deemed  to  be  material 
weaknesses,  it  could  harm  our  operating  results,  adversely  affect  our  reputation,  or  result  in  inaccurate  financial  reporting. 
Furthermore, should any such deficiencies arise we could be subject to lawsuits, sanctions or investigations by regulatory authorities, 
including SEC enforcement actions and we could be required to restate our financial results, any of which would require additional 
financial and management resources.

Even if we do not detect deficiencies, our internal control over financial reporting will not prevent or detect all errors and fraud, and 
individuals, including employees and contractors, could circumvent such controls. Because of the inherent limitations in all control 
systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that misstatements due to error or fraud will not occur or that all 
control issues and instances of fraud will be detected.

32

In addition, we may encounter difficulties in the timely and accurate reporting of our financial results, which would impact our ability 
to  provide  our  investors  with  information  in  a  timely  manner.  Should  we  encounter  such  difficulties,  our  investors  could  lose 
confidence  in  the  reliability  of  our  reported  financial  information  and  trading  price  of  our  common  stock.  could  be  negatively 
impacted.

We may require additional capital to support business growth, and this capital might not be available or may be available only by 
diluting existing stockholders.

We intend to continue making investments to support our business growth and may require additional funds to support this growth and 
respond to business challenges, including the need to develop our services, expand our inventory, enhance our operating infrastructure, 
expand the markets in which we operate, and potentially acquire complementary businesses and technologies. Accordingly, we may 
need to engage in equity or debt financings to secure additional funds. If we raise additional funds through further issuances of equity 
or convertible debt securities, our existing stockholders could suffer significant dilution, and any new equity securities we issue could 
have rights, preferences, and privileges superior to those of holders of our Class A common stock. We are also party to an amended 
and restated credit agreement with Silicon Valley Bank and other lenders that contains covenants limiting our ability to, among other 
things, dispose of assets, undergo a change in control, merge or consolidate, make acquisitions, incur debt, incur liens, pay dividends, 
repurchase stock, and make investments, in each case subject to certain exceptions, and contains financial covenants requiring us to 
maintain minimum free cash flow and an adjusted current ratio above specified levels, measured in each case at the end of each fiscal 
quarter. The restrictive covenants of this or any future debt financing secured may make it more difficult for us to obtain additional 
capital and to pursue business opportunities. Any debt financing secured by us in the future could involve restrictive covenants relating 
to  our  capital-raising  activities  and  other  financial  and  operational  matters,  which  may  make  it  more  difficult  for  us  to  obtain 
additional  capital  and  to  pursue  business  opportunities.  In  addition,  we  may  not  be  able  to  obtain  additional  financing  on  terms 
favorable to us, if at all. If we are unable to obtain adequate financing or financing on terms satisfactory to us, when we require it, our 
ability  to  continue  to  support  our  business  growth  and  to  respond  to  business  challenges  could  be  significantly  limited,  and  our 
business and prospects could fail or be adversely affected.

If securities or industry analysts either do not publish research about us or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about us, 
our business, or our market, or if they change their recommendations regarding our common stock adversely, the trading price or 
trading volume of our Class A common stock could decline.

The trading market for our Class A common stock is influenced in part by the research and reports that securities or industry analysts 
may publish about us, our business, our market, or our competitors. If one or more of the analysts initiate research with an unfavorable 
rating  or  downgrade  our  Class  A  common  stock,  provide  a  more  favorable  recommendation  about  our  competitors,  or  publish 
inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our Class A common stock price would likely decline. If any analyst who may 
cover us were to cease coverage of us or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which 
in turn could cause the trading price or trading volume of our Class A common stock to decline. 

Future securities sales and issuances could result in significant dilution to our stockholders and impair the market price of our 
Class A common stock.

We may issue additional equity securities in the future. We also issue common stock to our employees and others under our incentive 
plans. Future issuances of shares of our Class A common stock or the conversion of a substantial number of shares of our Class B 
common stock, or the perception that these sales or conversions may occur, could depress the market price of our Class A common 
stock and result in dilution to existing holders of our Class A common stock. Also, to the extent outstanding options to purchase our 
shares of our Class A or Class B common stock are exercised or options or other stock-based awards are issued or become vested, 
there  will  be  further  dilution.  The  amount  of  dilution  could  be  substantial  depending  upon  the  size  of  the  issuances  or  exercises. 
Furthermore,  we  may  issue  additional  equity  securities  that  could  have  rights  senior  to  those  of  our  Class  A  common  stock.  As  a 
result, holders of our Class A common stock bear the risk that future issuances of debt or equity securities may reduce the value of our 
Class A common stock and further dilute their ownership interest.

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments. 

None.

Item 2. Properties.

Our principal physical properties are located in the United States and UK. Our corporate headquarters are located in San Francisco, 
California, and comprise approximately 134,000 square feet of space. Although the majority of our employees who utilize this space 
are currently working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as of the date of this filing we still intend to occupy this location 
when conditions permit. 

We also lease and operate six fulfillment centers in the United States. These comprise a total of approximately 3,635,000 square feet, 
at which we receive merchandise from vendors, ship products to clients and receive and process returns from clients. These facilities 
are  located  in  Arizona,  Texas,  Pennsylvania,  Indiana,  and  Georgia.  In  addition,  we  have  one  fulfillment  center  that  is  leased  and 
operated by a third-party logistics contractor in the UK, representing approximately 277,000 square feet.

33

In  November  2020,  we  entered  into  an  agreement  to  lease  approximately  700,000  square  feet  of  space  to  be  used  as  a  fulfillment 
center  in  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah,  which  will  be  our  seventh  fulfillment  center  in  the  United  States.  We  expect  this  facility  to  begin 
receiving merchandise from vendors and shipping products to clients in early fiscal 2022.

We believe our facilities, including our planned expansions, are sufficient for our current needs.

Item 3. Legal Proceedings. 

The  information  contained  in  Note  8  “Commitments  and  Contingencies”  under  the  heading  “Contingencies”  in  the  Notes  to  the 
Consolidated Financial Statements included within this Annual Report on Form 10-K is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.

None.

PART II

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

Market Information for Common Stock 

Our Class A common stock, par value $0.00002 per share, is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, under the symbol “SFIX” and 
began trading on November 17, 2017. Prior to that date, there was no public trading market for our Class A common stock. There is 
no public trading market for our Class B common stock, par value $0.00002 per share.

Holders of Record

As  of  the  close  of  business  on  September  21,  2021,  there  were  40  stockholders  of  record  of  our  Class  A  common  stock  and  16 
stockholders  of  record  of  our  Class  B  common  stock.  The  actual  number  of  holders  of  our  Class  A  and  Class  B  common  stock  is 
greater than the number of record holders, and includes stockholders who are beneficial owners, but whose shares are held in street 
name by brokers or other nominees. The number of holders of record presented here also does not include stockholders whose shares 
may be held in trust by other entities.

Dividend Policy

We  have  never  declared  or  paid  cash  dividends  on  our  capital  stock.  We  currently  intend  to  retain  all  available  funds  and  future 
earnings  to  fund  the  development  and  expansion  of  our  business,  and  we  do  not  anticipate  paying  any  cash  dividends  in  the 
foreseeable future. Any future determination regarding the declaration and payment of dividends, if any, will be at the discretion of 
our  board  of  directors  and  will  depend  on  then-existing  conditions,  including  our  financial  condition,  operating  results,  contractual 
restrictions, capital requirements, business prospects, and other factors our board of directors may deem relevant.

Cumulative Stock Performance Graph

The following graph compares the cumulative total return to stockholders on our Class A common stock relative to the cumulative 
total  returns  of  the  Standard  and  Poor’s  Retail  Select  Industry  Index  (S&P  Retail  Select  Industry)  and  Nasdaq  Composite  Index 
(Nasdaq  Composite).  An  investment  of  $100  (with  reinvestment  of  all  dividends)  is  assumed  to  have  been  made  in  our  Class  A 
common stock and in each index on November 17, 2017, the date our Class A common stock began trading on the Nasdaq, and its 
relative  performance  is  tracked  through  July  31,  2021.  The  comparisons  are  based  on  historical  data  and  are  not  indicative  of,  nor 
intended to forecast, the future performance of our Class A common stock.

34

………… S&P Retail Select Industry __________ Nasdaq Composite – – – – – – Stitch Fix, Inc.

The following table assumes an investment of $100 (with reinvestment of all dividends) to have been made in our Class A common 
stock and in each index on November 17, 2017, the date our Class A common stock began trading on the Nasdaq, and indicates the 
cumulative total return to stockholders on our Class A common stock and the cumulative total return of each index at July 28, 2018, 
August 3, 2019, August 1, 2020, and July 31, 2021:

(in dollars)

November 17, 2017

July 28, 2018

August 3, 2019

August 1, 2020

July 31, 2021

S&P Retail Select Industry

Nasdaq Composite

Stitch Fix, Inc.

$ 

$ 

$ 

100.00  $ 

100.00  $ 

100.00  $ 

118.27  $ 

114.07  $ 

194.79  $ 

98.40  $ 

118.01  $ 

163.89  $ 

113.49  $ 

158.42  $ 

146.20  $ 

229.33 

216.32 

355.91 

The information under “Cumulative Stock Performance Graph” is not deemed to be “soliciting material” or “filed” with the SEC or 
subject to Regulation 14A or 14C, or to the liabilities of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, and is not to be incorporated by reference in 
any filing of Stitch Fix under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, whether made before or after the date of this Annual Report and 
irrespective of any general incorporation language in those filings.

Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

None. 

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

None. 

Item 6. Selected Financial Data. 

No disclosure required by Item 301 of Regulation S-K as in effect on the date of this Annual Report.

35

Cumulative Stock Performance GraphNovember2017July2018August2019August2020July2021$120$180$240$300$360$420$480$540$600$660$720Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations. 

You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with our audited 
consolidated financial statements and related notes thereto included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, or Annual 
Report. We use a 52- or 53-week fiscal year, with our fiscal year ending on the Saturday that is closest to July 31 of that year. Each 
fiscal year generally consists of four 13-week fiscal quarters, with each fiscal quarter ending on the Saturday that is closest to the last 
day  of  the  last  month  of  the  quarter.  The  fiscal  years  ended  July  31,  2021  (“2021”)  and  August  1,  2020  (“2020”)  consisted  of  52 
weeks.  The  fiscal  year  ended  August  3,  2019  (“2019”)  consisted  of  53  weeks.  Throughout  this  Annual  Report,  all  references  to 
quarters and years are to our fiscal quarters and fiscal years unless otherwise noted.

In addition, this discussion contains forward-looking statements that reflect our plans, estimates, and beliefs, and involve risks and 
uncertainties. Our actual results and the timing of certain events could differ materially from those anticipated in or implied by these 
forward-looking statements as a result of several factors, including those discussed in the section titled “Risk Factors” included under 
Part  I,  Item  1A  and  elsewhere  in  this  Annual  Report.  See  “Special  Note  Regarding  Forward-Looking  Statements”  in  this  Annual 
Report.

A discussion regarding our financial condition and results of operation for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2021, compared to the fiscal 
year ended August 1, 2020, is presented below. A discussion regarding our financial condition and results of operations for fiscal year 
ended August 1, 2020, compared to the fiscal year ended August 3, 2019, can be found under Item 7 in our Annual Report on Form 
10-K for the fiscal year ended August 1, 2020, filed with the SEC on September 25, 2020, which is available on the SEC’s website at 
www.sec.gov and on the SEC Filings section of the Investor Relations section of our website at: https://investors.stitchfix.com.

Overview

Since our founding in 2011, we have helped millions of women, men, and kids discover and buy what they love through personalized 
shipments  of  apparel,  shoes,  and  accessories.  Currently,  clients  can  engage  with  us  in  one  of  two  ways  that,  combined,  form  an 
ecosystem of personalized experiences across styling, shopping and inspiration: (1) by receiving a personalized shipment of apparel 
informed by our algorithms and sent by a Stitch Fix stylist (a “Fix”); or (2) by purchasing directly from our website or mobile app 
based  on  a  personalized  assortment  of  outfit  and  item  recommendations  (“Freestyle”).  For  a  Fix,  clients  can  choose  to  schedule 
automatic shipments or order on demand after they fill out a style profile on our website or mobile app.  After receiving a Fix, our 
clients  purchase  the  items  they  want  to  keep  and  return  the  other  items,  if  any.  Freestyle  utilizes  our  algorithms  to  recommend  a 
personalized  assortment  of  outfit  and  item  recommendations  that  will  update  throughout  the  day  and  will  continue  to  evolve  as  we 
learn more about the client.

For the fiscal year ended July 31, 2021, we reported $2.1 billion of revenue representing year-over-year growth of 22.8% from the 
fiscal year ended August 1, 2020. As of July 31, 2021, and August 1, 2020, we had approximately 4,165,000 and 3,522,000 active 
clients, respectively, representing year-over-year growth of 18.3%.

Net  loss  for  the  fiscal  year  ended  July  31,  2021,  was  $8.9  million,  compared  to  net  loss  of  $67.1  million  for  the  fiscal  year  ended 
August  1,  2020.  For  more  information  on  the  components  of  net  income  (loss),  refer  to  the  section  titled  “Results  of  Operations” 
below. 

COVID-19 Update

There continues to be uncertainty around the COVID-19 pandemic as the Delta variant of COVID-19, which appears to be the most 
transmissible and contagious variant to date, has caused a surge in COVID-19 cases globally.  The full impact of the COVID-19 crisis 
on  our  business  will  depend  on  factors  such  as  the  length  of  time  of  the  pandemic;  how  federal,  state  and  local  governments  are 
responding,  especially  in  light  of  the  recent  surge  in  cases  due  to  the  Delta  variant;  vaccination  rates  among  the  population;  the 
efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines against the Delta variant and other variants as they emerge; the longer-term impact of the crisis on 
the economy and consumer behavior; and the effect on our clients, employees, vendors, and other partners.

During this time, we are focused on protecting the health and safety of our employees while seeking to continue operating our business 
responsibly.

In the third quarter of fiscal 2020, we temporarily closed three of our fulfillment centers to assess our ability to operate under shelter-
in-place orders and develop protocols to protect the welfare of our fulfillment center employees. Those fulfillment centers reopened 
shortly thereafter, and all of our fulfillment centers are currently operating with safety measures in place. We have also experienced 
smaller,  intermittent  interruptions  at  our  fulfillment  centers  in  connection  with  temporary  closures  of  certain  fulfillment  centers  for 
part of a work day or for a full day. While we have only experienced intermittent and temporary closures since the third quarter of 
2020, we have recently begun to experience an increase of COVID-19 cases in our fulfillment centers in connection with the surge of 
cases  caused  by  the  Delta  variant.  This  recent  increase  in  cases  has  affected  capacity  at  our  fulfillment  centers,  which  could  affect 
shipments  to  clients  and  inventory  management.  Additionally,  we  have  experienced  difficulty  hiring  employees  in  our  fulfillment 
centers, which we attribute to COVID-19 concerns and to increased competition and rising wages for eCommerce fulfillment center 
workers as eCommerce demand accelerates. 

36

While we expect many employees to return to our offices later this fiscal year, the timing of such a return has been affected by the 
Delta  variant  and  related  surge  in  COVID-19  cases  and  could  be  further  effected  by  this  resurgence  of  COVID-19  or  additional 
resurgences. When we return to our office, we expect many employees to continue to work in a remote capacity or a hybrid of in-
person and remote work. These changes to our operations going forward present additional challenges and increased costs to ensure 
our offices are safe and functional for hybrid offices that enable effective collaboration of both remote and in-person colleagues.

The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the broader economy and consumer behavior continues to evolve.  During the latter half of 
our third fiscal quarter of 2020, we did experience lower demand, which negatively affected net revenue per active client, and which 
we believe was largely attributable to consumer reactions as the COVID-19 crisis escalated during March and April of 2020. Despite 
the continuing impact of COVID-19 on the overall economy, we saw strong retention from our auto-ship clients and growth in new 
client  demand  from  increases  in  first  Fix  shipments  in  the  second  half  of  fiscal  2020.  We  continued  to  see  growth  in  new  client 
demand  and  strong  auto-ship  retention  during  fiscal  2021  and  believe  we  are  benefiting  from  the  dislocation  in  the  retail  apparel 
market that is resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. For further discussion of the COVID-19 related risks facing our business, refer 
to the “Risk Factors” section included in Part I, Item 1A.

Although we are experiencing unprecedented challenges during this global health crisis, we continue to focus on our long-term growth 
and  strategies  that  capture  the  changing  ways  people  shop.  While  we  cannot  reasonably  estimate  the  long-term  impacts  of  the 
COVID-19 pandemic, we believe that our business model positions us to emerge from this crisis with a structural advantage and new 
opportunities to increase market share.

Key Financial and Operating Metrics

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

We report our financial results in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”). However, 
management  believes  that  certain  non-GAAP  financial  measures  provide  users  of  our  financial  information  with  additional  useful 
information in evaluating our performance. We believe that adjusted EBITDA is frequently used by investors and securities analysts in 
their evaluations of companies, and that this supplemental measure facilitates comparisons between companies. We believe free cash 
flow is an important metric because it represents a measure of how much cash from operations we have available for discretionary and 
non-discretionary  items  after  the  deduction  of  capital  expenditures.  These  non-GAAP  financial  measures  may  be  different  than 
similarly titled measures used by other companies.

Our non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered in isolation from, or as substitutes for, financial information prepared in 
accordance  with  GAAP.  There  are  several  limitations  related  to  the  use  of  our  non-GAAP  financial  measures  as  compared  to  the 
closest comparable GAAP measures. Some of these limitations include:

•

•

•

•

•

adjusted EBITDA excludes interest (income) expense and other (income) expense, net, as these items are not components of 
our core business; 

adjusted EBITDA does not reflect our tax provision (benefit), which may increase or decrease cash available to us; 

adjusted  EBITDA  excludes  the  recurring,  non-cash  expenses  of  depreciation  and  amortization  of  property  and  equipment 
and, although these are non-cash expenses, the assets being depreciated and amortized may have to be replaced in the future;

adjusted EBITDA excludes the non-cash expense of stock-based compensation, which has been, and will continue to be for 
the foreseeable future, an important part of how we attract and retain our employees and a significant recurring expense in 
our business; and

free  cash  flow  does  not  represent  the  total  residual  cash  flow  available  for  discretionary  purposes  and  does  not  reflect  our 
future contractual commitments.

37

Adjusted EBITDA 

We  define  adjusted  EBITDA  as  net  income  (loss)  excluding  interest  (income)  expense,  other  (income)  expense,  net,  provision 
(benefit)  for  income  taxes,  depreciation  and  amortization,  and  stock-based  compensation  expense.  The  following  table  presents  a 
reconciliation  of  net  income  (loss),  the  most  comparable  GAAP  financial  measure,  to  adjusted  EBITDA  for  each  of  the  periods 
presented:

(in thousands)

Adjusted EBITDA:

Net income (loss)

Add (deduct):

Interest (income) expense

Other (income) expense, net

Provision (benefit) for income taxes

Depreciation and amortization

Stock-based compensation expense

Adjusted EBITDA

Free Cash Flow

For the Fiscal Year Ended

July 31, 2021

August 1, 2020

August 3, 2019

$ 

(8,876)  $ 

(67,117)  $ 

36,881 

(2,610) 

366 

(52,241) 

27,610 

100,696 

(5,535) 

1,593 

19,395 

22,562 

67,530 

$ 

64,945  $ 

38,428  $ 

(5,791) 

(1,535) 

(6,060) 

16,095 

35,256 

74,846 

We define free cash flow as cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities reduced by purchases of property and equipment that 
are included in cash flows used in investing activities. The following table presents a reconciliation of cash flows provided by (used 
in) operating activities, the most comparable GAAP financial measure, to free cash flow for each of the periods presented:

(in thousands)

Free cash flow reconciliation:

For the Fiscal Year Ended

July 31, 2021

August 1, 2020

August 3, 2019

Cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities

$ 

(15,675)  $ 

42,877  $ 

78,594 

Deduct:

Purchases of property and equipment

Free cash flow

Cash flows used in investing activities

Cash flows provided by (used in) financing activities

Operating Metrics

Active clients (in thousands)
Net revenue per active client(1)

(35,256) 

(30,207) 

(30,825) 

(50,931)  $ 

12,670  $ 

47,769 

39,093  $ 

(70,461)  $ 

(225,184) 

(38,885)  $ 

(1,435)  $ 

6,945 

$ 

$ 

$ 

July 31, 2021

August 1, 2020

August 3, 2019

4,165 

3,522 

$ 

505  $ 

486  $ 

3,236 

488 

(1) Fiscal year 2019 was a 53-week year, with the extra week occurring in the quarter ended August 3, 2019.

Active Clients

We  believe  that  the  number  of  active  clients  is  a  key  indicator  of  our  growth  and  the  overall  health  of  our  business.  We  define  an 
active client as a client who checked out a Fix or was shipped an item using our direct-buy functionality, “Freestyle,” in the preceding 
52 weeks, measured as of the last day of that period. A client checks out a Fix when she indicates what items she is keeping through 
our mobile application or on our website. We consider each Women’s, Men’s, or Kids account as a client, even if they share the same 
household. We had 4,165,000 and 3,522,000 active clients as of July 31, 2021, and August 1, 2020, respectively, representing year-
over-year growth of 18.3%.

Net Revenue per Active Client

We believe that net revenue per active client is an indicator of client engagement and satisfaction. We calculate net revenue per active 
client based on net revenue over the preceding four fiscal quarters divided by the number of active clients, measured as of the last day 
of the period. Net revenue per active client was $505 and $486 as of July 31, 2021, and August 1, 2020, respectively, representing a 
year-over-year increase of 3.9%. 

38

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Factors Affecting Our Performance

Inventory Management 

We leverage our data science to buy and manage our inventory, including merchandise assortment and fulfillment center optimization. 
Because our merchandise assortment directly correlates to client success, we may at times optimize our inventory to prioritize long-
term  client  success  over  short-term  gross  margin  impact.  To  ensure  sufficient  availability  of  merchandise,  we  generally  enter  into 
purchase orders well in advance and frequently before apparel trends are confirmed by client purchases. As a result, we are vulnerable 
to  demand  and  pricing  shifts  and  availability  of  merchandise  at  time  of  purchase.  We  incur  inventory  write-offs  and  changes  in 
inventory reserves that impact our gross margins. 

Our inventory investments will fluctuate with the needs of our business. For example, in the first half of fiscal 2020, we purchased 
inventory based on our pre-COVID-19 pandemic projections, which resulted in excess inventory levels and higher inventory reserves 
during  our  third  fiscal  quarter.  As  noted  above,  in  March  2020,  we  temporarily  closed  three  of  our  fulfillment  centers  resulting  in 
significantly less capacity in our warehouses and in turn delayed Fix shipments and a substantial backlog, delayed return processing, 
extended  wait  times  for  our  clients,  and  significant  inventory  management  challenges.  During  the  fourth  quarter  of  fiscal  2020,  we 
increased capacity at our fulfillment centers and we experienced an uptick in client demand, both of which contributed to healthier 
inventory levels and lower inventory reserves than in our third fiscal quarter. During fiscal 2021, we increased our inventory levels to 
expand  our  inventory  assortment  and  support  our  growth  and  future  growth  projections.  If  we  fail  to  effectively  predict  client 
preferences  or  meet  future  sales  projections,  our  inventory  reserves,  and  potentially  our  inventory  write-offs,  will  increase. 
Additionally, capacity constraints at our fulfillment centers due to hiring challenges, increased cases of COVID-19 among fulfillment 
center employees, or other reasons, will affect our ability to successfully manage our inventory. Furthermore, entering new locations, 
expanding  to  new  categories,  offering  new  functionalities  such  as  Freestyle,  or  adding  new  fulfillment  centers  will  all  require 
additional investments in inventory.

Client Acquisition and Engagement

To grow our business, we must continue to acquire clients and successfully engage them. We believe that implementing broad-based 
marketing strategies that increase our brand awareness has the potential to strengthen Stitch Fix as a national consumer brand, help us 
acquire new clients, and drive revenue growth. As our business has achieved a greater scale and we are able to support a large and 
growing  client  base,  we  have  increased  our  investments  in  marketing  to  take  advantage  of  more  marketing  channels  to  efficiently 
acquire  clients.  We  currently  utilize  both  digital  and  offline  channels  to  attract  new  visitors  to  our  website  or  mobile  app  and 
subsequently convert them into clients. Our current marketing efforts include client referrals, affiliate programs, partnerships, display 
advertising,  television,  print,  radio,  video,  content,  direct  mail,  social  media,  email,  mobile  “push”  communications,  search  engine 
optimization,  and  keyword  search  campaigns.  While  we  expect  to  continue  to  make  significant  marketing  investments  to  grow  our 
business in the long run, our marketing expenses may vary from period to period.

The  largest  component  of  our  marketing  spend  is  advertising,  which  was  $174.7  million  for  the  fiscal  year  ended  July  31,  2021, 
compared to $167.8 million for the fiscal year ended August 1, 2020. 

To successfully acquire clients and increase engagement, we must also continue to improve the diversity of our offering. These efforts 
may include broadening our brand partnerships and expanding into new categories, product types, price points, and geographies. For 
example, in July 2018 we launched Stitch Fix Kids, expanding our client and vendor base, and in May 2019, we launched our services 
in  the  UK,  expanding  our  geographic  scope.  In  June  2019,  we  launched  Direct  Buy,  predecessor  to  Freestyle,  in  the  United  States 
which provides clients the flexibility to purchase items outside of a Fix.

Investment in our Operations and Infrastructure 

To grow our client base and enhance our offering, we will incur additional expenses. We intend to leverage our data science and deep 
understanding  of  our  clients’  needs  to  inform  investments  in  operations  and  infrastructure.  We  anticipate  that  our  expenses  will 
increase as we continue to hire additional personnel and further advance our technological and data science capabilities. Moreover, we 
intend to make capital investments in our inventory, fulfillment centers, and office space and logistics infrastructure as we launch new 
categories, expand internationally, and drive operating efficiencies. For example, in November 2020, we entered into an agreement to 
lease approximately 700,000 square feet of space to be used as a new fulfillment center in Salt Lake City, Utah, and in May 2021, we 
closed our South San Francisco fulfillment center, which was the smallest facility in our network. We expect to increase our spending 
on these investments in the future and cannot be certain that these efforts will grow our client base or be cost-effective. However, we 
believe these strategies will yield positive returns in the long term.

Merchandise Mix

We offer apparel, shoes, and accessories across categories, brands, product types, and price points. We currently serve our clients in 
the  following  categories:  Women’s,  Men’s,  Kids,  Petite,  Maternity,  and  Plus.  We  carry  a  mix  of  third-party  branded  merchandise, 
including premium brands, and our own Exclusive Brands. We also offer a wide variety of product types, including denim, dresses, 
blouses, skirts, shoes, jewelry, and handbags. We sell merchandise across a broad range of price points and may further broaden our 
price point offerings in the future.

39

While changes in our merchandise mix have not caused significant fluctuations in our gross margin to date, categories, brands, product 
types,  and  price  points  do  have  a  range  of  margin  profiles.  For  example,  our  Exclusive  Brands  have  generally  contributed  higher 
margins,  shoes  have  generally  contributed  lower  margins,  and  newer  categories  tend  to  initially  have  lower  margins.  Shifts  in 
merchandise mix driven by client demand may result in fluctuations in our gross margin from period to period.

Components of Results of Operations 

Revenue

We generate revenue from the sale of merchandise, either through our Fix or Freestyle offerings. With our Fix offering, we charge a 
nonrefundable upfront fee, referred to as a “styling fee,” that is credited towards any merchandise purchased. We offer Style Pass to 
provide select U.S. clients with an alternative to paying a styling fee per Fix. Style Pass clients pay a nonrefundable annual fee for 
unlimited styling that is credited towards merchandise purchases. We deduct discounts, sales tax, and estimated refunds to arrive at net 
revenue, which we refer to as revenue throughout this Annual Report. We also recognize revenue resulting from estimated breakage 
income on gift cards. We expect our revenue to increase in absolute dollars as we grow our business, although our revenue growth rate 
may slow in future periods.

Cost of Goods Sold

Cost  of  goods  sold  consists  of  the  costs  of  merchandise,  expenses  for  inbound  freight  and  shipping  to  and  from  clients,  inventory 
write-offs and changes in our inventory reserve, payment processing fees, and packaging materials costs, offset by the recoverable cost 
of merchandise estimated to be returned. We expect our cost of goods sold to fluctuate as a percentage of revenue primarily due to 
how we manage our inventory and merchandise mix. Our classification of cost of goods sold may vary from other companies in our 
industry and may not be comparable.

Selling, General, and Administrative Expenses

Selling,  general,  and  administrative  expenses  consist  primarily  of  compensation  and  benefits  costs,  including  stock-based 
compensation  expense,  for  our  employees  including  our  stylists,  fulfillment  center  operations,  data  analytics,  merchandising, 
engineering,  marketing,  client  experience,  and  corporate  personnel.  Selling,  general,  and  administrative  expenses  also  include 
marketing and advertising costs, third-party logistics costs, facility costs for our fulfillment centers and offices, professional service 
fees,  information  technology  costs,  and  depreciation  and  amortization  expense.  We  expect  our  selling,  general,  and  administrative 
expenses to increase in absolute dollars and to fluctuate as a percentage of revenue due to the anticipated growth of our business. Our 
classification  of  selling,  general,  and  administrative  expenses  may  vary  from  other  companies  in  our  industry  and  may  not  be 
comparable.

Interest Income

Interest income is generated from our cash, cash equivalents, and investments in available-for-sale securities.

Provision (Benefit) for Income Taxes

Our  provision  (benefit)  for  income  taxes  consists  of  an  estimate  of  federal,  state,  and  international  income  taxes  based  on  enacted 
federal,  state,  and  international  tax  rates,  as  adjusted  for  allowable  credits,  deductions,  uncertain  tax  positions,  and  changes  in  the 
valuation of our net federal and state deferred tax assets.

40

Results of Operations

Comparison of the Fiscal Years Ended July 31, 2021, August 1, 2020, and August 3, 2019 

The following table sets forth our results of operations for the periods indicated:

(in thousands)

Revenue, net

Cost of goods sold

Gross profit

Selling, general, and administrative expenses

Operating income (loss)

Interest (income) expense

Other (income) expense, net

Income (loss) before income taxes

Provision (benefit) for income taxes

Net income (loss)

For the Fiscal Year Ended (1)

2021 vs. 2020

2020 vs. 2019

July 31, 2021

August 1, 2020

August 3, 2019

% Change

% Change

$ 

2,101,258  $ 

1,711,733  $ 

1,577,558 

1,153,622 

947,636 

1,010,997 

(63,361) 

(2,610) 

366 

(61,117) 

957,523 

754,210 

805,874 

(51,664) 

(5,535) 

1,593 

(47,722) 

(52,241)  $ 

19,395  $ 

$ 

(8,876)  $ 

(67,117)  $ 

874,429 

703,129 

679,634 

23,495 

(5,791) 

(1,535) 

30,821 

(6,060) 

36,881 

 22.8 %

 20.5 %

 25.6 %

 25.5 %

 22.6 %

 (52.8) %

 (77.0) %

 28.1 %

 (369.4) %

 (86.8) %

 8.5 %

 9.5 %

 7.3 %

 18.6 %

 (319.9) %

 (4.4) %

 (203.8) %

 (254.8) %

 (420.0) %

 (282.0) %

 (1)Fiscal 2021 and 2020 included 52 weeks. Fiscal 2019 was a 53-week year.  

The following table sets forth the components of our results of operations as a percentage of revenue:

Revenue, net

Cost of goods sold

Gross margin

Selling, general, and administrative expenses

Operating income (loss)

Interest (income) expense

Other (income) expense, net

Income (loss) before income taxes

Provision (benefit) for income taxes

Net income (loss)

Revenue and Gross Margin

For the Fiscal Year Ended

July 31, 2021

August 1, 2020

August 3, 2019

 100.0 %

 100.0 %

 100.0 %

 54.9 %

 45.1 %

 48.1 %

 (3.0) %

 (0.1) %

 — %

 (2.9) %

 (2.5) %

 (0.4) %

 55.9 %

 44.1 %

 47.1 %

 (3.0) %

 (0.3) %

 0.1 %

 (2.8) %

 1.1 %

 (3.9) %

 55.4 %

 44.6 %

 43.1 %

 1.5 %

 (0.4) %

 (0.1) %

 2.0 %

 (0.3) %

 2.3 %

Revenue in the fiscal year ended July 31, 2021 increased by $389.5 million, or 22.8%, from revenue in the fiscal year ended August 1, 
2020. The increase in revenue was primarily attributable to a 18.3% increase in active clients from August 1, 2020 to July 31, 2021, 
which drove increased sales of merchandise.

Gross margin for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2021, increased by 1.0% compared with the fiscal year ended August 1, 2020. The 
increase was primarily attributable to improved product margins as we strengthened partnerships with our vendors, lower packaging 
costs,  and  improved  inventory  reserves  year  over  year.  The  increase  in  gross  margin  was  partially  offset  by  increased  shipping 
expenses largely due to higher rates with our carriers.

Selling, General, and Administrative Expenses 

Selling, general, and administrative expenses in the fiscal year ended July 31, 2021, increased by $205.1 million, compared with the 
fiscal year ended August 1, 2020. As a percentage of revenue, selling, general, and administrative expenses increased to 48.1% for the 
fiscal year ended July 31, 2021, compared with 47.1% for the fiscal year ended August 1, 2020. The increase was primarily related to 
higher  compensation  and  benefits  expense  including  an  increase  in  hourly  wages  for  our  full-time  U.S.  warehouse  associates.  Our 
average full-time hourly wage for our U.S. warehouse employees is over $17 per hour and all full-time U.S. warehouse employees 
start with a minimum of $16 per hour.

41

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Provision for Income Taxes

The following table summarizes our effective tax rate for the periods presented:

(in thousands)

Income (loss) before income taxes

Provision (benefit) for income taxes

Effective tax rate

For the Fiscal Year Ended

July 31, 2021

August 1, 2020

August 3, 2019

$ 

(61,117) 

$ 

(47,722) 

$ 

30,821 

(52,241) 

19,395 

 85.5 %

 (40.6) %

(6,060) 

 (19.7) %

We are subject to income taxes in the United States and the UK. Our effective tax rate and provision for income taxes increased from 
the  fiscal  year  ended  August  1,  2020,  to  the  fiscal  year  ended  July  31,  2021,  primarily  due  to  the  net  operating  loss  carryback 
provisions  of  the  CARES  Act  and  excess  tax  benefits  from  stock-based  compensation,  partially  offset  by  the  change  in  valuation 
allowance and certain nondeductible expenses.
Liquidity and Capital Resources

Sources of Liquidity

Our principal sources of liquidity since inception have been our cash flows from operations, as well as the net proceeds we received 
through private sales of equity securities and our IPO. 

As of July 31, 2021, we had $129.8 million of cash and cash equivalents and $160.6 million of investments. Our investment balance 
includes $101.5 million of short-term investments with contractual maturities of 12 months or less as of July 31, 2021.

In June 2020, we entered into a $90.0 million credit agreement (the “2020 Credit Agreement”) with Silicon Valley Bank and other 
lenders. On June 2, 2021, we entered into a $100.0 million amended and restated credit agreement (the “Amended Credit Agreement”) 
with Silicon Valley Bank and other lenders, which replaced the 2020 Credit Agreement. The Amended Credit Agreement includes a 
letter of credit sub-facility of $30.0 million and a swingline sub-facility of up to $50.0 million. As of July 31, 2021, we did not have 
any borrowings outstanding under the Credit Agreement.

Our obligations under the Amended Credit Agreement and any hedging or cash management agreements entered into with any lender 
thereunder are secured by substantially all of our current and future property, rights, and assets, including, but not limited to, cash, 
goods,  equipment,  contractual  rights,  financial  assets,  and  intangible  assets.  The  Amended  Credit  Agreement  contains  covenants 
limiting the ability to, among other things, dispose of assets, undergo a change in control, merge or consolidate, make acquisitions, 
incur  debt,  incur  liens,  pay  dividends,  repurchase  stock,  and  make  investments,  in  each  case  subject  to  certain  exceptions.  The 
Amended  Credit  Agreement  also  contains  financial  covenants  requiring  us  to  maintain  minimum  free  cash  flow  and  an  adjusted 
current ratio above specified levels, measured in each case at the end of each fiscal quarter. The Amended Credit Agreement contains 
events  of  default  that  include,  among  others,  non-payment  of  principal,  interest,  or  fees,  breach  of  covenants,  inaccuracy  of 
representations  and  warranties,  cross  defaults  to  certain  other  indebtedness,  bankruptcy  and  insolvency  events,  and  material 
judgments.

For  information  on  the  terms  of  the  Amended  Credit  Agreement,  please  see  “Credit  Agreement”  in  Note  7  of  the  Notes  to 
Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report. 

Uses of Cash

Our  primary  use  of  cash  includes  operating  costs  such  as  merchandise  purchases,  lease  obligations,  compensation  and  benefits, 
marketing, and other expenditures necessary to support our business growth.

We  believe  our  existing  cash,  cash  equivalents,  investment  balances,  and  the  borrowing  available  under  our  Amended  Credit 
Agreement, if needed, will be sufficient to meet our working capital and capital expenditure needs for at least the next 12 months.

Cash Flows

The following table summarizes our cash flows for the periods indicated (in thousands):

(in thousands)

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

For the Fiscal Year Ended

July 31, 2021

August 1, 2020

August 3, 2019

$ 

(15,675)  $ 

42,877  $ 

78,594 

39,093 

(38,885) 

(70,461) 

(1,435) 

(225,184) 

6,945 

Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash

$ 

(15,467)  $ 

(29,019)  $ 

(139,645) 

42

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cash provided by operating activities

During the fiscal year ended July 31, 2021, cash used in operating activities was $15.7 million, which consisted of a net loss of $8.9 
million, adjusted by non-cash charges of $135.9 million and a change of $142.7 million in our net operating assets and liabilities. The 
non-cash  charges  were  largely  driven  by  $100.7  million  of  stock-based  compensation  expense,  and  $29.9  million  of  depreciation, 
amortization, and accretion. The change in our net operating assets and liabilities was primarily due to an increase of $96.1 million in 
our inventory balance due to increased inventory purchases to support growth and selection, and a change of $31.7 million in income 
tax receivables primarily due to the net operating loss carryback provisions of the CARES Act. 

During the fiscal year ended August 1, 2020, cash provided by operating activities was $42.9 million, which consisted of a net loss 
of  $67.1  million,  adjusted  by  non-cash  charges  of  $122.7  million  and  a  change  of  $12.7  million  in  our  net  operating  assets  and 
liabilities. The non-cash charges were largely driven by $67.5 million of stock-based compensation expense, a $43.2 million valuation 
allowance on our deferred tax assets, and $22.6 million of depreciation, amortization, and accretion, partially offset by a $20.3 million 
change in deferred tax expense. The change in our net operating assets and liabilities was primarily due to an increase of $15.2 million 
in our inventory balance due to increased inventory purchases to support our growth and an increase of $6.7 million in our prepaid 
expenses and other assets balance due to timing of payments made in the period. This activity was substantially offset by an increase 
of $8.3 million in accrued expenses related to increased advertising activity during fiscal 2020 and expenses related to our California 
styling organization restructuring.

Cash used in investing activities

During the fiscal year ended July 31, 2021, cash provided by investing activities was $39.1 million, primarily related to purchases, 
sales,  and  maturities  of  $74.4  million  in  highly  rated  available-for-sale  securities,  partially  offset  by  $35.3  million  in  purchases  of 
property and equipment.

During  the  fiscal  year  ended  August  1,  2020,  cash  used  in  investing  activities  was  $70.5  million,  primarily  related  to  our  net 
investment of $40.3 million in highly rated available-for-sale securities and $30.2 million purchases of property and equipment. 

Cash provided by (used in) financing activities

During the fiscal year ended July 31, 2021, cash used in financing activities was $38.9 million, which was primarily due to payments 
for tax withholding related to vesting of restricted stock units of $64.3 million, partially offset by proceeds from the exercise of stock 
options of $25.9 million.

During the fiscal year ended August 1, 2020, cash used in financing activities was $1.4 million, which was primarily due to payments 
for tax withholding related to vesting of restricted stock units, substantially offset by proceeds from the exercise of stock options

Contractual Obligations and Other Commitments

Our  most  significant  contractual  obligations  relate  to  purchase  commitments  on  inventory  and  operating  lease  obligations  on  our 
fulfillment  centers  and  corporate  offices.  As  of  July  31,  2021,  we  had  $397.5  million  of  enforceable  and  legally  binding  inventory 
purchase commitments predominantly due within one year. For information on our contractual obligations for operating leases, please 
see “Leases” in Note 4 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report. 

In  November  2020,  we  entered  into  an  agreement  to  lease  approximately  700,000  square  feet  of  space  to  be  used  as  a  fulfillment 
center  in  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah.  We  expect  to  classify  this  lease  as  an  operating  lease,  with  a  commencement  date  within  the  first 
quarter of fiscal 2022. The lease expires in 2031 and we expect to record fixed operating lease costs of approximately $35.6 million 
over the life of the lease. 

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

Our consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with GAAP. The preparation of our financial statements requires us 
to  make  assumptions  and  estimates  about  future  events  and  apply  judgments  that  affect  the  reported  amounts  of  assets,  liabilities, 
revenues  and  expenses  and  the  related  disclosures.  We  base  our  estimates  on  historical  experience  and  other  assumptions  that  we 
believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ from these estimates. 

The  critical  accounting  policies,  estimates,  and  judgments  that  we  believe  to  have  the  most  significant  impacts  to  our  consolidated 
financial statements are described below.

Inventory

Inventory consists of finished goods, which are recorded at the lower of cost or net realizable value using the specific identification 
method. We establish a reserve for excess and slow-moving inventory we expect to write off based on historical trends. In addition, we 
estimate and accrue shrinkage as a percentage of inventory out to the client and damaged items at 100% of cost. Inventory shrinkage 
and  damage  estimates  are  made  to  reduce  the  inventory  value  for  lost,  stolen,  or  damaged  items.  If  actual  experience  differs 
significantly  from  our  estimates  due  to  changes  in  client  merchandise  preferences,  client  demand,  or  economic  conditions,  our 
operating results could be adversely affected.

43

We have not made any material changes to our assumptions included in the calculations of the lower of cost or net realizable value 
reserves during the fiscal year ended July 31, 2021.

Stock-Based Compensation 

We  grant  stock  options  and  restricted  stock  units  (RSUs)  to  our  employees  and  members  of  our  board  of  directors,  and  recognize 
stock-based compensation expense based on the fair value of such awards at grant date. We estimate the fair value of stock options 
using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. This model requires us to use certain estimates and assumptions such as:

•

•

•

•

Expected volatility of our common stock-based on the volatility of comparable publicly traded companies; 

Expected term of our stock options—as we do not have sufficient historical experience for determining the expected term of 
the stock option awards granted, we base our expected term on the simplified method, generally calculated as the mid-point 
between the vesting date and the end of the contractual term;

Expected dividend yield—as we have not paid and do not anticipate paying dividends on our common stock, our expected 
dividend yield is 0%; and

Risk-free interest rates-based on the U.S. Treasury zero coupon notes in effect at the grant date with maturities equal to the 
expected terms of the options granted.

We record stock-based compensation expense net of estimated forfeitures so that expense is recorded for only the stock options and 
RSUs that we expect to vest. We estimate forfeitures based on our historical forfeiture of stock options and RSUs adjusted to reflect 
future changes in facts and circumstances, if any. We will revise our estimated forfeiture rate if actual forfeitures differ from our initial 
estimates.

We  will  continue  to  use  judgment  in  evaluating  assumptions  related  to  our  stock-based  compensation  expense.  As  we  continue  to 
accumulate  data  related  to  our  common  stock,  we  may  have  refinements  to  our  estimates  and  assumptions  which  could  impact  our 
future stock-based compensation expense. We have not made any material changes to our assumptions and estimates related to our 
stock-based compensation during the fiscal year ended July 31, 2021.

Income Taxes

We  are  subject  to  income  taxes  in  the  United  States  and  the  UK.  We  compute  our  provision  for  income  taxes  using  the  asset  and 
liability method, under which deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the expected future tax consequences of temporary 
differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and for tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets 
and liabilities are measured using the currently enacted tax rates that are expected to apply to taxable income for the years in which 
those tax assets and liabilities are expected to be realized or settled.

Deferred tax assets are evaluated for future realization and reduced by a valuation allowance to the amount that is more likely than not 
to  be  realized.  We  consider  many  factors  when  assessing  the  likelihood  of  future  realization,  including  our  recent  cumulative  loss, 
earnings expectations in earlier future years, unsettled economic disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, and other relevant factors.

Significant judgment is required in determining our uncertain tax positions. We continuously review issues raised in connection with 
all ongoing examinations and open tax years to evaluate the adequacy of our tax liabilities. We evaluate uncertain tax positions under a 
two-step  approach.  The  first  step  is  to  evaluate  the  uncertain  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 upon examination based on its technical merits. The 
second step is, for those positions that meet the recognition criteria, to measure the tax benefit as the largest amount that is more than 
50% likely of being realized. We believe our recorded tax liabilities are adequate to cover all open tax years based on our assessment. 
This assessment relies on estimates and assumptions and involves significant judgments about future events. To the extent that our 
view as to the outcome of these matters changes, we will adjust income tax expense in the period in which such determination is made. 
We classify interest and penalties related to income taxes as income tax expense.

Revenue Recognition

While  our  revenue  recognition  does  not  involve  significant  judgment,  it  represents  an  important  accounting  policy.  Revenue  is 
recognized net of sales taxes, discounts, and estimated refunds. For a Fix, we generate revenue when clients purchase merchandise, at 
which point we apply the nonrefundable upfront styling fee against the price of merchandise purchased. If none of the items within the 
Fix are purchased, we recognize the nonrefundable upfront styling fee as revenue at that time. For Style Pass clients, we recognize 
revenue at the earlier of the time the annual Style Pass fee is applied against the price of merchandise purchased or the expiry of the 
annual  period.  For  Freestyle  transactions,  we  generate  revenue  when  the  item  is  shipped  to  the  client.  If  a  client  would  like  to 
exchange an item, we recognize revenue at the time the exchanged item is shipped, which coincides with the transfer of control to the 
customer. Sales tax collected from clients is not considered revenue and is included in accrued liabilities until remitted to the taxing 
authorities. Discounts are recorded as a reduction to revenue when merchandise is purchased. We record a refund reserve based on our 
historical refund patterns. The impact of our refund reserve on our operating results may fluctuate based on changes in client refund 
activity over time.

44

We  sell  gift  cards  to  clients  and  establish  a  liability  based  on  the  face  value  of  such  gift  cards.  The  liability  is  relieved  and  we 
recognize revenue upon redemption by our clients. If a gift card is not used, we will recognize estimated gift card breakage revenue 
proportionately to customer usage of gift cards over the expected gift card usage period, subject to requirements to remit balances to 
governmental agencies. 

We have not made any material changes to our revenue recognition accounting policies during the fiscal year ended July 31, 2021.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

For recent accounting pronouncements, please see “Significant Accounting Policies” in Note 2 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial 
Statements included in this Annual Report.

Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk. 

Interest Rate Risk

We are primarily exposed to market risks through interest rate risk on our investments. As of July 31, 2021, we had $160.6 million in 
highly rated investments accounted for as available-for-sale securities, which are presented on our balance sheet at their fair market 
value.  These  interest-earning  instruments  carry  a  degree  of  interest  rate  risk;  however,  a  hypothetical  10%  change  in  interest  rates 
during any of the periods presented would not have had a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Foreign Currency Risk

As  of  July  31,  2021,  our  revenue  was  earned  in  U.S.  dollars  and  British  pound  sterling.  Our  expansion  into  the  UK  exposes  us  to 
fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates on our operating expenses. Fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates may also 
result in transaction gains or losses on transactions in currencies other than the U.S. dollar or British pound sterling. For the fiscal year 
ended July 31, 2021, a hypothetical 10% increase or decrease in current exchange rates would not have had a material impact on our 
consolidated financial results.

Inflation Risk

We do not believe that inflation has had a material effect on our business, financial condition, or results of operations. Nonetheless, if 
our costs were to become subject to significant inflationary pressures, we may not be able to fully offset such higher costs through 
price increases. Our inability or failure to do so could harm our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

45

Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data. 

STITCH FIX, INC.

INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Consolidated Financial Statements:

Consolidated Balance Sheets

Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flow

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Page 
Number

47

49

50

51

52

53

46

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the shareholders and the Board of Directors of Stitch Fix, Inc.:

Opinions on the Financial Statements and Internal Control over Financial Reporting

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Stitch Fix, Inc. and subsidiaries (the "Company") as of July 31, 
2021, and August 1, 2020, and the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income (loss), stockholders' equity, 
and  cash  flows  for  each  of  the  three  years  in  the  period  ended  July  31,  2021,  and  the  related  notes  (collectively  referred  to  as  the 
“financial statements”). We also have audited the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of July 31, 2021, based on 
criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the 
Treadway Commission (COSO).

In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company 
as of July 31, 2021 and August 1, 2020, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the fiscal years ended July 31, 
2021,  August  1,  2020  and  August  3,  2019,  in  conformity  with  accounting  principles  generally  accepted  in  the  United  States  of 
America. Also, in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as 
of July 31, 2021, based on criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013) issued by COSO.

Change in Accounting Principle

As discussed in Note 2 to the financial statements, effective August 4, 2019, the Company adopted FASB ASU No. 2016-02, Leases 
(“ASC 842”) using the modified retrospective approach. 

Basis for Opinions

The  Company’s  management  is  responsible  for  these  financial  statements,  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  these  financial 
statements and an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audits. We are a public accounting 
firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent 
with  respect  to  the  Company  in  accordance  with  the  U.S.  federal  securities  laws  and  the  applicable  rules  and  regulations  of  the 
Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits 
to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud, 
and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects.

Our  audits  of  the  financial  statements  included  performing  procedures  to  assess  the  risks  of  material  misstatement  of  the  financial 
statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures to respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, 
on  a  test  basis,  evidence  regarding  the  amounts  and  disclosures  in  the  financial  statements.  Our  audits  also  included  evaluating  the 
accounting  principles  used  and  significant  estimates  made  by  management,  as  well  as  evaluating  the  overall  presentation  of  the 
financial statements. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over 
financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness 
of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audits also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary 
in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.

Definition and Limitations of Internal Control over Financial Reporting

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.

47

Critical Audit Matter

The  critical  audit  matter  communicated  below  is  a  matter  arising  from  the  current-period  audit  of  the  financial  statements  that  was 
communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that (1) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material 
to  the  financial  statements  and  (2)  involved  our  especially  challenging,  subjective,  or  complex  judgments.  The  communication  of 
critical  audit  matters  does  not  alter  in  any  way  our  opinion  on  the  financial  statements,  taken  as  a  whole,  and  we  are  not,  by 
communicating  the  critical  audit  matter  below,  providing  separate  opinions  on  the  critical  audit  matter  or  on  the  accounts  or 
disclosures to which it relates.

Inventory - Excess and Slow-Moving Inventory Reserves - Refer to Note 2 to the financial statements

Critical Audit Matter Description

The  Company  establishes  an  inventory  reserve,  which  includes  a  reserve  for  excess  and  slow-moving  inventory  on  hand  that  is 
expected to be written-off or otherwise disposed of at a future date. The Company’s estimate of the appropriate amount of the excess 
and slow-moving inventory reserve utilizes certain inputs and involves judgment. Such inputs include data associated with historical 
trends, historical inventory write-off activity, and the on-hand inventory aging distribution. The calculation and analysis of historical 
trend data, historical write-off activity, and the application of this analysis to on-hand inventory involves complex calculations. The 
excess and slow-moving inventory reserve as of July 31, 2021, totaled $27.1 million. Net inventory as of July 31, 2021, totaled $212.3 
million. 

We  identified  the  estimated  inventory  reserve  for  excess  and  slow-moving  inventory  as  a  critical  audit  matter  given  the  estimation 
uncertainty  which  is  impacted  by  a  number  of  subjective  factors  including  current  and  future  customer  merchandise  preference, 
consumer spending trends, and economic conditions. This required a high degree of auditor judgment and an increased extent of effort 
when performing audit procedures to evaluate the methodology and the reasonableness of these subjective factors in combination with 
assumptions and inputs including historical inventory trends, historical inventory write-off activity, and the on-hand inventory aging 
distribution used to determine excess and slow-moving inventory. 

How the Critical Audit Matter Was Addressed in the Audit 

Our audit procedures related to the excess and slow-moving inventory reserve included the following, among others: 

• We evaluated the appropriateness of specified inputs supporting management’s estimate, including the age of on-hand 

inventory items, historical inventory trends, and historical write-off activity. 

• We  evaluated  the  appropriateness  and  consistency  of  management’s  methods  and  assumptions  used  in  developing  their 
estimate of the excess and slow-moving inventory reserve, which included consideration of write-off trends by merchandise 
category,  on-hand  inventory  aging  distribution  and  the  impact  of  current  and  future  customer  merchandise  preference, 
consumer spending trends and economic conditions.

• We  developed  an  independent  expectation  of  the  excess  and  slow-moving  inventory  reserve  using  historical  inventory 

activity and compared our independent expectation to the amount recorded in the financial statements. 

• We compared actual write-off activity in the current year to the excess and slow-moving reserve estimated by the Company 

in the prior year to evaluate management’s ability to accurately estimate the reserve.

• We looked for indications that the reserve for excess and slow-moving inventory may be understated by evaluating write-off 

activity of inventory subsequent to July 31, 2021.

/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP

San Francisco, California 

September 27, 2021 

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2014.

48

 Stitch Fix, Inc.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
 (In thousands, except share and per share amounts)

Assets

Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents

Short-term investments

Inventory, net

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

Income tax receivable

Total current assets

Long-term investments

Income tax receivable, net of current portion

Property and equipment, net

Operating lease right-of-use assets

Other long-term assets

Total assets

Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity

Current liabilities:

Accounts payable

Operating lease liabilities

Accrued liabilities

Gift card liability

Deferred revenue

Other current liabilities

Total current liabilities

Operating lease liabilities, net of current portion

Other long-term liabilities

Total liabilities

Commitments and contingencies (Note 8)

Stockholders’ equity:

Class A common stock,$0.00002  par value –2,000,000,000 shares authorized as of July 31, 2021, and 
August 1, 2020; 76,780,570 and 58,440,930  shares issued and outstanding as of July 31, 2021, and 
August 1, 2020, respectively

Class B common stock, $0.00002 par value – 100,000,000 shares authorized as of July 31, 2021, and 
August 1, 2020; 31,175,418 and 45,314,577 shares issued and outstanding as of July 31, 2021, and 
August 1, 2020, respectively

Additional paid-in capital

Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)

Retained earnings

Total stockholders’ equity

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

July 31, 2021

August 1, 2020

$ 

129,785  $ 

101,546 

212,294 

50,512 

27,667 

521,804 

59,035 

27,054 

86,959 

118,565 

5,732 

143,455 

143,037 

124,816 

32,723 

22,279 

466,310 

95,097 

742 

70,369 

132,615 

4,296 

$ 

819,149  $ 

769,429 

$ 

73,499  $ 

25,702 

99,028 

9,903 

18,154 

2,027 

228,313 

121,623 

8,364 

358,300 

1 

1 

416,755 

3,411 

40,681 

460,849 

$ 

819,149  $ 

85,177 

24,333 

77,590 

8,590 

13,059 

3,406 

212,155 

140,175 

16,062 

368,392 

1 

1 

348,750 

2,728 

49,557 

401,037 

769,429 

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

49

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Stitch Fix, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss)
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)

Revenue, net

Cost of goods sold

Gross profit

Selling, general, and administrative expenses

Operating income (loss)

Interest (income) expense

Other (income) expense, net

Income (loss) before income taxes

Provision (benefit) for income taxes

Net income (loss)

Other comprehensive income (loss):

Change in unrealized gain (loss) on available-for-sale securities, net of tax

Foreign currency translation

Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax

Comprehensive income (loss)

Net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders:

Basic

Diluted

Earnings (loss) per share attributable to common stockholders:

Basic

Diluted

Weighted-average shares used to compute earnings (loss) per share attributable to 
common stockholders:

Basic

Diluted

For the Fiscal Year Ended

July 31, 2021

August 1, 2020

August 3, 2019

$ 

2,101,258  $ 

1,711,733  $ 

1,577,558 

1,153,622 

947,636 

1,010,997 

(63,361) 

(2,610) 

366 

(61,117) 

(52,241) 

957,523 

754,210 

805,874 

(51,664) 

(5,535) 

1,593 

(47,722) 

19,395 

$ 

(8,876)  $ 

(67,117)  $ 

(1,503) 

2,186 

683 

822 

2,093 

2,915 

874,429 

703,129 

679,634 

23,495 

(5,791) 

(1,535) 

30,821 

(6,060) 

36,881 

391 

(578) 

(187) 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

(8,193)  $ 

(64,202)  $ 

36,694 

(8,876)  $ 

(8,876)  $ 

(67,117)  $ 

(67,117)  $ 

(0.08)  $ 

(0.08)  $ 

(0.66)  $ 

(0.66)  $ 

36,863 

36,864 

0.37 

0.36 

105,975,403 

102,383,282 

100,013,462 

105,975,403 

102,383,282 

103,653,626 

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

50

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Stitch Fix, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity
 (In thousands, except share amounts)

Common Stock

Shares

Amount

Additional
Paid-In
Capital

Accumulated 
Other 
Comprehensive 
Income (Loss)

Retained
Earnings

Total
Stockholders’
Equity

Balance as of July 28, 2018

98,799,861  $ 

2  $ 

235,312  $ 

—  $ 

79,758  $ 

315,072 

Cumulative effect of adopting accounting 
standards(1)
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of stock 
options

Issuance of restricted stock units, net of tax 
withholdings

Vesting of early exercised options

Stock-based compensation

Net income

Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax

— 

2,200,393 

397,226 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

13,693 

(6,748) 

209 

37,045 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

(187) 

35 

— 

— 

— 

— 

36,881 

— 

35 

13,693 

(6,748) 

209 

37,045 

36,881 

(187) 

Balance as of August 3, 2019

  101,397,480  $ 

2  $ 

279,511  $ 

(187)  $ 

116,674  $ 

396,000 

Issuance of common stock upon exercise of stock 
options

Issuance of restricted stock units, net of tax 
withholdings

Stock-based compensation

Net loss

Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax

1,278,894 

1,079,133 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

12,078 

(12,819) 

69,980 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

2,915 

— 

— 

— 

(67,117) 

— 

12,078 

(12,819) 

69,980 

(67,117) 

2,915 

Balance as of August 1, 2020

  103,755,507  $ 

2  $ 

348,750  $ 

2,728  $ 

49,557  $ 

401,037 

Issuance of common stock upon exercise of stock 
options

Issuance of restricted stock units, net of tax 
withholdings

Stock-based compensation

Net loss

Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax

Balance as of July 31, 2021

2,067,751 

2,132,730 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

25,932 

(64,316) 

106,389 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

683 

— 

— 

— 

(8,876) 

— 

25,932 

(64,316) 

106,389 

(8,876) 

683 

  107,955,988  $ 

2  $ 

416,755  $ 

3,411  $ 

40,681  $ 

460,849 

(1) See Note 2, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for more details on the cumulative effect of adopting 
accounting standards.

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

51

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Stitch Fix, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flow
 (In thousands)

Cash Flows from Operating Activities
Net income (loss)

Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in)  operating 
activities:

Deferred income taxes and valuation allowance
Inventory reserves
Stock-based compensation expense
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion
Other
Change in operating assets and liabilities:

Inventory
Prepaid expenses and other assets
Income tax receivables
Operating lease right-of-use assets and liabilities
Accounts payable
Accrued liabilities
Deferred revenue
Gift card liability
Other liabilities

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

Cash Flows from Investing Activities
Purchases of property and equipment
Purchases of securities available-for-sale
Sales of securities available-for-sale
Maturities of securities available-for-sale

Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities

Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options, net
Payments for tax withholding related to vesting of restricted stock units
Issuance costs on revolving credit facility

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period
Supplemental Disclosure
Cash paid for income taxes
Supplemental Disclosure of Non-Cash Investing and Financing Activities:
Purchases of property and equipment included in accounts payable and accrued liabilities
Capitalized stock-based compensation
Leasehold improvements paid by landlord
Vesting of early exercised options

For the Fiscal Year Ended

July 31, 2021

August 1, 2020

August 3, 2019

$ 

(8,876)  $ 

(67,117)  $ 

36,881 

64 

8,875 

100,696 

29,929 

(3,632) 

(96,056) 

(20,096) 

(31,700) 

(1,818) 

(12,385) 
22,011 

5,082 

1,313 

(9,082) 

(15,675) 

(35,256) 

(173,726) 

104,501 

143,574 

39,093 

25,932 

(64,316) 

(501) 

(38,885) 

(15,467) 

1,797 

143,455 

22,880 

8,828 

67,530 

22,617 

882 

(15,222) 

(140) 

(6,543) 

394 

(5,520) 
8,297 

1,054 

1,357 

3,580 

42,877 

(30,207) 

(248,318) 

36,587 

171,477 

(70,461) 

12,078 

(12,819) 

(694) 

(1,435) 

(29,019) 

1,542 

170,932 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

129,785  $ 

143,455  $ 

461 

365 

3,803  $ 

5,693  $ 

$ 

—  $ 

4,088  $ 

2,450  $ 
7,406  $ 
—  $ 

(8,203) 

7,974 

35,256 

14,331 

148 

(41,233) 

(15,783) 

(1,048) 

— 

10,774 
22,856 

3,325 

825 

12,491 

78,594 

(30,825) 

(285,205) 

10,596 

80,250 

(225,184) 

13,693 

(6,748) 

— 

6,945 

(139,645) 

211 

310,366 

170,932 

966 

5,272 

1,789 
— 
209 

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

52

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
STITCH FIX, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

1. Description of Business

Stitch Fix, Inc. (“we,” “our,” “us,” or “the Company”) delivers personalization to our clients through the pairing of data science and 
human  judgment.  Currently,  clients  can  engage  with  us  in  one  of  two  ways  that,  combined,  form  an  ecosystem  of  personalized 
experiences across styling, shopping and inspiration: (1) by receiving a personalized shipment of apparel informed by our algorithms 
and  sent  by  a  Stitch  Fix  stylist  (a  “Fix”);  or  (2)  by  purchasing  directly  from  our  website  or  mobile  app  based  on  a  personalized 
assortment of outfit and item recommendations (“Freestyle”). Clients can choose to schedule automatic shipments or order a Fix on 
demand after they fill out a style profile on our website or mobile app. After receiving a Fix, our clients purchase the items they want 
to keep and return the other items, if any. Freestyle utilizes our algorithms to recommend a personalized assortment of outfit and item 
recommendations  that  will  update  throughout  the  day  and  will  continue  to  evolve  as  we  learn  more  about  the  client.  We  are 
incorporated in Delaware and have operations in the United States and the UK.

COVID-19 Update

There continues to be uncertainty around the COVID-19 pandemic as the Delta variant of COVID-19, which appears to be the most 
transmissible and contagious variant to date, has caused a surge in COVID-19 cases globally. The full impact of the COVID-19 crisis 
on  our  business  will  depend  on  factors  such  as  the  length  of  time  of  the  pandemic;  how  federal,  state  and  local  governments  are 
responding,  especially  in  light  of  the  recent  surge  in  cases  due  to  the  Delta  variant;  vaccination  rates  among  the  population;  the 
efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines against the Delta variant and other variants as they emerge; the longer-term impact of the crisis on 
the  economy  and  consumer  behavior;  and  the  effect  on  our  clients,  employees,  vendors,  and  other  partners.  As  a  result  of  the 
COVID-19  pandemic,  in  the  third  quarter  of  fiscal  2020,  we  temporarily  closed  three  of  our  fulfillment  centers,  operated  at 
significantly  reduced  capacity  for  much  of  the  third  quarter  of  fiscal  2020  as  a  result  of  such  temporary  closures,  and  reduced  our 
marketing in light of this reduced capacity. During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020, our fulfillment centers returned to higher capacity 
levels. During fiscal 2021, we experienced smaller, intermittent interruptions at our fulfillment centers when we temporarily closed for 
part of a work day or for a full day to perform safety and cleaning procedures following an employee testing positive for COVID-19. 

We believe our financial resources will allow us to manage the impact of COVID-19 on our business and operations. We believe our 
existing  cash,  cash  equivalents,  and  short-term  investment  balances,  and  the  borrowing  available  under  our  Amended  Credit 
Agreement, if needed, will be sufficient to meet our working capital and capital expenditure needs for at least the next 12 months.

We also do not anticipate any impairments with respect to long-lived assets or short-term and long-term investments that would have a 
material impact on our financial statements.

Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act

On  March  27,  2020,  the  U.S.  enacted  the  Coronavirus  Aid,  Relief,  and  Economic  Security  Act  (the  “CARES  Act”),  which  among 
other things, permits net operating loss (“NOL”) carryovers and carrybacks to offset 100% of taxable income for tax years beginning 
before  2021  and  allows  NOLs  incurred  in  2018,  2019,  and  2020  to  be  carried  back  to  each  of  the  five  preceding  taxable  years  to 
generate a refund of previously paid income taxes. We provided for an estimated effect of the CARES Act in our financial statements 
for the period ended July 31, 2021.

2. Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally 
accepted in the United States (“GAAP”). The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Stitch Fix, Inc. and our wholly 
owned subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Our  fiscal  year  is  a  52-week  or  53-week  period  ending  on  the  Saturday  closest  to  July  31.  The  fiscal  years  ended  July  31,  2021 
(“2021”) and August 3, 2019 (“2019”), consisted of 52 weeks. The fiscal year ended August 1, 2020 (“2020”) consisted of 53 weeks.

Reclassifications

Certain items in the prior year’s consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation 
reflected. Specifically, the Company reclassified $42.3 million previously included in “Deferred tax asset valuation allowance” into 
“Deferred  income  taxes  and  valuation  allowance”  on  the  Consolidated  Statement  of  Cash  Flow  for  the  fiscal  year  ended  August  1, 
2020, to conform to the current year presentation.

53

Segment Information

We  have  one  operating  segment  and  one  reportable  segment  as  our  chief  operating  decision  maker,  who  is  our  Chief  Executive 
Officer,  reviews  financial  information  on  a  consolidated  basis  for  purposes  of  allocating  resources  and  evaluating  financial 
performance. 

Use of Estimates

The  preparation  of  our  consolidated  financial  statements  in  conformity  with  GAAP  requires  management  to  make  estimates  and 
assumptions that affect the reported amounts in our  consolidated financial statements and accompanying footnotes.

Significant  estimates  and  assumptions  are  used  for  inventory,  stock-based  compensation  expense,  income  taxes,  and  revenue 
recognition.  Actual  results  could  differ  from  those  estimates  and  such  differences  may  be  material  to  our  consolidated  financial 
statements.

We  have  considered  the  impact  of  the  COVID-19  pandemic  on  significant  estimates  and  judgments  used  in  applying  accounting 
policies.  While  there  is  a  greater  degree  of  uncertainty  in  applying  these  judgments  in  light  of  this  crisis,  we  believe  reasonable 
estimates have been used in preparing the consolidated financial statements.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash consists of bank deposits and amounts in transit from banks for client credit card and debit card transactions that will process in 
less than seven days. Cash equivalents consist of investments in short-term money market funds.

Short-Term and Long-Term Investments

Our short-term and long-term investments have been classified and accounted for as available-for-sale securities. We determine the 
appropriate  classification  of  our  investments  at  the  time  of  purchase  and  reevaluate  the  classification  at  each  balance  sheet  date. 
Available-for-sale  securities  with  maturities  of  12  months  or  less  are  classified  as  short-term  and  available-for-sale  securities  with 
maturities greater than 12 months are classified as long-term. Our available-for-sale securities are carried at fair value, with unrealized 
gains and losses, net of taxes, reported within accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (“AOCI”) in stockholders’ equity. The 
cost of securities sold is based upon the specific identification method.

In the first quarter of fiscal 2021, we adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-13, or “CECL,” which changed the 
way we evaluate available-for-sale securities for impairment. We no longer evaluate available-for-sale debt securities under the “other 
than temporary” impairment model, but now use an expected credit loss model. For debt securities with an amortized cost basis in 
excess of estimated fair value, we determine what amount of that deficit, if any, is caused by expected credit losses. The portion of the 
deficit attributable to expected credit losses is recognized in other (income) expense, net on our consolidated statements of income. 
During the twelve months ended July 31, 2021, we did not record any expected credit losses on our available-for-sale debt securities.

We  have  elected  to  present  accrued  interest  receivable  separately  from  short-term  and  long-term  investments  on  our  consolidated 
balance  sheets.  Accrued  interest  receivable  was  $1.0  million  as  of  July  31,  2021,  and  was  recorded  in  prepaid  expenses  and  other 
current  assets.  We  have  also  elected  to  exclude  accrued  interest  receivable  from  the  estimation  of  expected  credit  losses  on  our 
available-for-sale securities and reverse accrued interest receivable through interest income (expense) when amounts are determined to 
be uncollectible. We did not write off any accrued interest receivable during the twelve months ended July 31, 2021.

Foreign Currency

The functional currency of our international subsidiary is the local currency. For that subsidiary, we translate assets and liabilities to 
U.S.  dollars  using  period-end  exchange  rates,  and  average  monthly  exchange  rates  for  revenues,  costs,  and  expenses.  We 
record translation gains and losses in AOCI as a component of stockholders’ equity. Net foreign exchange transaction gains and losses 
resulting from the conversion of the transaction currency to functional currency are recorded in other income, net in the consolidated 
statements of operations and comprehensive income.   

Inventory, net

Inventory consists of finished goods which are recorded at the lower of cost or net realizable value using the specific identification 
method. The cost of inventory consists of merchandise costs and in-bound freight costs. We establish a reserve for excess and slow-
moving inventory we expect to write off based on historical trends. In addition, we estimate and accrue shrinkage as a percentage of 
inventory  out  to  the  client  and  damaged  items  at  100%  of  cost.  Inventory  shrinkage  and  damage  estimates  are  made  to  reduce  the 
inventory value for lost, stolen, or damaged items.

Our total inventory reserves, which reduce inventory in our consolidated balance sheets, were $43.4 million and $34.4 million as of 
July 31, 2021, and August 1, 2020, respectively. 

54

Property and Equipment, net 

Property  and  equipment,  net  is  recorded  at  cost  less  accumulated  depreciation  and  amortization.  Depreciation  and  amortization  is 
recorded on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the respective assets. Repair and maintenance costs are expensed as 
incurred.

The estimated useful lives of our assets are as follows:

Computer equipment and capitalized software

Office furniture and equipment

Buildings

Leasehold improvements

Estimated useful life

3 years

5 years

25 years

Shorter of lease term or estimated useful life

We capitalize eligible costs to develop our proprietary systems, website, and mobile app. Capitalization of such costs begins when the 
preliminary project stage is completed and it is probable that the project will be completed and the software will be used to perform 
the  function  intended.  A  subsequent  addition,  modification,  or  upgrade  to  internal-use  software  is  capitalized  to  the  extent  that  it 
enhances the software’s functionality or extends its useful life. Costs related to design or maintenance are expensed as incurred.

Leases

Our leasing portfolio consists of operating leases, which include lease arrangements for our corporate offices, fulfillment centers, and, 
to a lesser extent, equipment. Operating leases with a term greater than one year are recorded on the consolidated balance sheets as 
operating lease right-of-use assets and operating lease liabilities at the commencement date. These balances are initially recorded at the 
present  value  of  future  minimum  lease  payments  calculated  using  our  incremental  borrowing  rate  and  expected  lease  term.  Certain 
adjustments to our operating lease right-of-use assets may be required for items such as initial direct costs paid or incentives received. 

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

We review our long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying amount of an asset 
may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets held and used is measured by comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to the 
future  undiscounted  cash  flows  expected  to  be  generated  from  the  use  of  the  asset  and  its  eventual  disposition.  If  such  assets  are 
considered to be impaired, the impairment to be recognized is measured as the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the fair 
value of the impaired assets. Assets to be disposed of are reported at the lower of their carrying amount or fair value less cost to sell. 
We have not recorded an impairment of long-lived assets since inception.

Revenue Recognition

We  generate  revenue  from  the  sale  of  merchandise  in  a  Fix  and  from  Freestyle  purchases.  Clients  create  an  online  account  on  our 
website or mobile app, complete a style profile, and order a Fix or merchandise to be delivered on a specified date.

Each Fix represents an offer made by us to the client to purchase merchandise. The client is charged a nonrefundable upfront styling 
fee before the Fix is shipped. As an alternative to the styling fee, we offer select clients the option to purchase a Style Pass. Style Pass 
clients  pay  a  nonrefundable  annual  fee  for  unlimited  Fixes  that  is  credited  towards  merchandise  purchases.  If  the  offer  to  purchase 
merchandise is accepted, we charge the client the order amount for the accepted merchandise, net of the upfront styling fee or Style 
Pass annual fee. For each Fix, acceptance occurs when the client checks out the merchandise on our website or mobile app. We offer a 
discount to clients who purchase all of the items in the Fix.

We recognize revenue through the following steps: (1) identification of the contract, or contracts, with the customer; (2) identification 
of the performance obligations in the contract; (3) determination of the transaction price; (4) allocation of the transaction price to the 
performance obligations in the contract; and (5) recognition of revenue when, or as, we satisfy a performance obligation.

Both our styling fee and Style Pass arrangements consist of one performance obligation, which is the option to purchase merchandise. 
The  upfront  styling  fee  is  not  a  performance  obligation  as  the  styling  activity  is  not  distinct  within  the  context  of  the  contract. 
Similarly, the right to receive multiple options under Style Pass does not provide the customer with material stand-alone value and 
therefore does not give rise to a separate performance obligation. Both the upfront styling fee and Style Pass annual fee are included in 
deferred revenue until the performance obligation is satisfied when the client exercises his or her option to purchase merchandise (i.e., 
upon checkout of a Fix) or when the option(s) to purchase merchandise expire(s).

55

Revenue is recognized when control of the promised goods is transferred to the client. For a Fix, control is transferred when the client 
accepts or rejects the offer to purchase merchandise. Upon acceptance by purchasing one or more items within the Fix at checkout, the 
total amount of the order, including the upfront styling fee, is recognized as revenue. If none of the items within the Fix are accepted at 
checkout, the upfront styling fee is recognized as revenue at that time. The Style Pass annual fee is recognized at the earlier of (i) the 
time  at  which  a  client  accepts  and  applies  the  Style  Pass  fee  to  an  offer  to  purchase  merchandise  or  (ii)  upon  expiry  of  the  annual 
period. Under Style Pass arrangements, if a client does not accept any items within the Fix, the annual fee will continue to be deferred 
until it is applied to a future purchase or upon expiry of the annual period. If a client would like to exchange an item, we recognize 
revenue  at  the  time  the  exchanged  item  is  shipped,  which  coincides  with  the  transfer  of  control  to  the  customer.  For  a  Freestyle 
purchase, control is transferred upon shipment to the client. 

We  deduct  discounts,  sales  tax,  and  estimated  refunds  to  arrive  at  net  revenue.  Sales  tax  collected  from  clients  is  not  considered 
revenue and is included in accrued liabilities until remitted to the taxing authorities. All shipping and handling costs are accounted for 
as fulfillment costs in cost of goods sold and as selling, general, and administrative expense (“SG&A”), respectively, and are therefore 
not evaluated as a separate performance obligation. Discounts are recorded as a reduction to revenue when the order is accepted. We 
record  a  refund  reserve  based  on  our  historical  refund  patterns.  Our  refund  reserve,  which  is  included  in  accrued  liabilities  in  the 
consolidated balance sheets, was $11.7 million and $5.0 million as of July 31, 2021, and August 1, 2020, respectively.

We have five types of contractual liabilities: (i) cash collections of upfront styling fees, which are included in deferred revenue and are 
recognized as revenue upon the earlier of application to a merchandise purchase or expiry of the offer, (ii) cash collections of Style 
Pass annual fees, which are included in deferred revenue and are recognized upon the earlier of application to a merchandise purchase 
or  expiry  of  the  Style  Pass  annual  period,  (iii)  unredeemed  gift  cards,  which  are  included  in  gift  card  liability  and  recognized  as 
revenue upon usage or inclusion in gift card breakage estimates, (iv) referral credits, which are included in other current liabilities and 
are recognized as revenue when used, and (v) cash collections of Freestyle purchases, which are included in deferred revenue and are 
recognized as revenue upon shipment.

We sell gift cards to clients and establish a liability based upon the face value of such gift cards. We reduce the liability and recognize 
revenue upon usage of the gift card. If a gift card is not used, we will recognize estimated gift card breakage revenue proportionately 
to customer usage of gift cards over the expected gift card usage period, subject to requirements to remit balances to governmental 
agencies. All commissions paid to third parties upon issuance of gift cards are recognized in SG&A as incurred, as on average, gift 
cards are used within a one-year period. Similarly, referral credits that are considered incremental costs of obtaining a contract with a 
customer are recognized in SG&A when issued, as on average, referral credits are used within a one-year period. 

We expect deferred revenue for upfront styling fees, Freestyle orders, and Style Pass annual fees to be recognized within one year. On 
average, gift card liability and other current liabilities are also recognized within one year.

The following table summarizes the balances of contractual liabilities included in other current liabilities, deferred revenue and gift 
card liability as of the dates indicated:

(in thousands)

Deferred revenue

Upfront styling fees

Style Pass annual fees

Freestyle orders

Total deferred revenue

Gift card liability

Other current liabilities

Referral credits

July 31, 2021

August 1, 2020

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

11,989  $ 

3,474 

2,691  $ 

18,154  $ 

9,903  $ 

9,119 

2,711 

1,229 

13,059 

8,590 

1,231  $ 

2,577 

The following table summarizes revenue recognized during the twelve months ended July 31, 2021, that was previously included in 
deferred revenue, gift card liability, and other current liabilities at  August 1, 2020:

(in thousands)

Upfront styling fees

Style Pass annual fees

Freestyle orders

Gift card liability

Referral credits

Revenue Recognized From Amounts 
Previously Included in Deferred 
Balances at August 1, 2020

$ 

9,110 

2,703 

947 

2,876 

1,906 

56

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cost of Goods Sold

Cost  of  goods  sold  consists  of  the  costs  of  merchandise,  expenses  for  shipping  to  and  from  clients  and  inbound  freight,  inventory 
write-offs and changes in our inventory reserve, payment processing fees, and packaging materials costs, offset by the recoverable cost 
of merchandise estimated to be returned.

Selling, General, and Administrative Expenses

Selling,  general,  and  administrative  expenses  consist  primarily  of  compensation  and  benefits  costs,  including  stock-based 
compensation  expense,  for  our  employees  including  our  stylist,  fulfillment  center  operations,  data  analytics,  merchandising, 
engineering,  client  experience,  marketing,  and  corporate  personnel.  Selling,  general,  and  administrative  expenses  also  include 
marketing and advertising, third-party logistics costs, facility costs for our fulfillment centers and offices, professional services fees, 
information technology, and depreciation and amortization.

Advertising Expenses

Costs  associated  with  the  production  of  advertising,  such  as  writing,  copy,  printing,  and  other  production  costs  are  expensed  as 
incurred. Costs associated with communicating advertising on television and radio are expensed the first time the advertisement is run. 
Online  advertising  costs  are  expensed  as  incurred.  Advertising  costs  totaled  $174.7  million,  $167.8  million,  and  $152.1  million  for 
2021,  2020,  and  2019,  respectively,  and  are  included  within  selling,  general,  and  administrative  expenses  in  the  consolidated 
statements of operations.

Marketing Programs

We have a client referral program under which we issue credits for future purchases to clients when the referral results in a new client 
who has ordered a Fix. We record a liability at the time of issuing the credit and reduce the liability upon application of the credit to a 
client’s purchase. We also have an affiliate program under which we make cash payments to lifestyle or fashion bloggers or others 
who refer clients in high volumes. Amounts related to both of these programs are included within selling, general, and administrative 
expenses in the consolidated statements of operations.

Income Taxes

We account for income taxes using the asset and liability method, under which deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the 
expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and 
for operating losses and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using the currently enacted tax rates 
that apply to taxable income in effect for the years in which they are expected to be realized or settled.

Deferred tax assets are evaluated for future realization and reduced by a valuation allowance to the amount that is more likely than not 
to  be  realized.  We  consider  many  factors  when  assessing  the  likelihood  of  future  realization,  including  our  recent  cumulative  loss, 
earnings expectations in earlier future years, unsettled economic disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, and other relevant factors.

We  recognize  tax  benefits  from  uncertain  tax  positions  only  if  it  is  more  likely  than  not  that  the  tax  position  will  be  sustained  on 
examination by the taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized in the consolidated 
financial statements from such positions are then measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being 
realized  upon  ultimate  settlement.  We  recognize  interest  and  penalties  related  to  unrecognized  tax  benefits,  if  any,  as  income  tax 
expense.

Stock-Based Compensation Expense

We  measure  stock-based  compensation  expense  associated  with  option  awards  made  to  employees  and  members  of  our  board  of 
directors based on the estimated fair values of the awards at grant date using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. For options with 
service conditions only, stock-based compensation expense is recognized, net of forfeitures, over the requisite service period using the 
straight-line method such that an expense is only recognized for those awards that we expect to vest. Forfeitures are estimated at the 
time of grant and revised, if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from those estimates.

Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Comprehensive income (loss) represents all changes in stockholders’ equity during a period from sources other than transactions with 
stockholders. For 2020 and 2019, comprehensive income (loss) includes the net income (loss) for the period, the gain (loss) due to 
foreign currency translation, and the change in unrealized gain (loss) on available-for-sale securities. Our net income (loss) was equal 
to our comprehensive income (loss) for 2018.

57

Concentration of Credit Risks

We are subject to concentrations of credit risk principally from cash and cash equivalents and investment securities. The majority of 
our  cash  is  held  by  two  financial  institutions  within  the  United  States.  Our  cash  balances  held  by  these  institutions  may  exceed 
federally  insured  limits.  The  associated  risk  of  concentration  for  cash  is  mitigated  by  banking  with  credit-worthy  institutions.  The 
associated risk of concentration for cash equivalents and investments is mitigated by maintaining a diversified portfolio of highly rated 
instruments. 

No client accounted for greater than 10% of total revenue, net for the twelve months ended 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses 
(Topic  326):  Measurement  of  Credit  Losses  on  Financial  Instruments.  The  standard  requires  entities  to  use  a  financial  instrument 
impairment model based on expected losses, known as the current expected credit loss model, rather than incurred losses. Under the 
new  guidance,  an  entity  recognizes  an  allowance  for  estimated  credit  losses  upon  recognition  of  the  financial  instrument.  The  new 
guidance  also  changes  the  impairment  model  for  available-for-sale  debt  securities,  requiring  the  use  of  an  allowance  to  record 
estimated credit losses and subsequent recoveries. We adopted this standard in the first quarter of fiscal year 2021. The adoption of 
this standard did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. 

In  August  2018,  the  FASB  issued  ASU  No.  2018-15,  Intangibles—Goodwill  and  Other—Internal-use  Software  (Subtopic  350-40): 
Customer’s  Accounting  for  Implementation  Costs  Incurred  in  a  Cloud  Computing  Arrangement  that  is  a  Service  Contract.  The 
amendment aligns the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract 
with  the  requirements  for  capitalizing  implementation  costs  incurred  to  develop  or  obtain  internal-use  software.  We  adopted  this 
standard  in  the  first  quarter  of  fiscal  year  2021.  The  adoption  of  this  standard  did  not  have  a  material  impact  on  our  consolidated 
financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) (“ASU 2016-02”), which requires lessees to record most 
leases  on  their  balance  sheets  but  recognize  the  expenses  on  their  income  statements  in  a  manner  similar  to  Accounting  Standards 
Codification  (“ASC”)  840.  ASU  2016-02  states  that  a  lessee  would  recognize  a  lease  liability  for  the  obligation  to  make  lease 
payments  and  a  right-of-use  asset  for  the  right  to  use  the  underlying  asset  for  the  lease  term.  Presentation  of  leases  within  the 
consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income and consolidated statements of cash flow is generally consistent with 
prior periods presented under ASC 840. However, this standard resulted in a substantial increase in our long-term assets and liabilities 
on  our  consolidated  balance  sheet.  We  adopted  this  standard  on  August  4,  2019,  on  a  modified  retrospective  basis  through  a 
cumulative-effect adjustment of zero to opening retained earnings. We also elected the package of practical expedients to leases that 
commenced before the effective date whereby we elected to not reassess the following:

(i) whether any expired or existing contracts contain leases; 

(ii) the lease classification for any expired or existing leases; and 

(iii) initial direct costs for any existing leases. 

Upon adoption of ASU 2016-02, we did not record right-of-use assets or lease liabilities for leases with an initial term of 12 months or 
less.  Payments  on  those  leases  will  be  recognized  on  a  straight-line  basis  through  the  consolidated  statements  of  operations  and 
comprehensive income over the lease term. We also elected to combine lease and non-lease components on new or modified leases 
after adoption. Upon adoption on August 4, 2019, we recorded $133.0 million in right-of-use assets, net of $25.7 million previously 
recorded as deferred rent on our consolidated balance sheets. We also recorded $22.0 million in current operating lease liabilities and 
$136.7 million in operating lease liabilities, net of current portion.

In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-07, Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Nonemployee 
Share-Based Payment Accounting (“ASU 2018-07”). Under ASU 2018-07, the accounting for awards issued to nonemployees will be 
similar to the accounting for employee awards. This includes allowing for the measurement of awards at the grant date and recognition 
of awards with performance conditions when those conditions are probable, both of which are earlier than under current guidance for 
nonemployee awards. We adopted this standard in the first quarter of fiscal year 2020. The standard did not have a material impact on 
our consolidated financial statements.

In  May  2014,  the  FASB  issued  ASU  No.  2014-09,  Revenue  from  Contracts  with  Customers  (Topic  606)  (“ASU  2014-09”),  which 
amended the existing FASB Accounting Standards Codification. ASU 2014-09 establishes a principle for recognizing revenue upon 
the transfer of promised goods or services to customers, in an amount that reflects the expected consideration received in exchange for 
those goods or services and also provides guidance on the recognition of costs related to obtaining and fulfilling customer contracts. 
The  new  guidance  may  be  applied  retrospectively  to  each  prior  period  presented  or  retrospectively  with  the  cumulative  effect 
recognized as of the date of adoption (“modified retrospective method”). 

58

We adopted the standard in the first quarter of 2019 under the modified retrospective approach. Under the new standard, we recognize 
estimated gift card breakage revenue proportionately to customer gift card usage over the expected gift card usage period rather than 
waiting until the likelihood of redemption becomes remote. Further, we recognize revenue related to exchanges upon shipment by us, 
rather  than  upon  receipt  by  the  customer.    In  the  first  quarter  of  2019,  the  Company  recorded  a  cumulative  catch-up  adjustment 
resulting  in  an  increase  to  opening  retained  earnings,  net  of  tax,  of  $0.4  million,  comprised  of  the  impact  of  $0.3  million  from  the 
change in revenue recognition related to gift cards and $0.1 million from the recognition of exchanges upon shipment. The impact to 
net revenue for the fiscal year ended August 3, 2019, was an increase of $1.4 million as a result of adopting the standard.

In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-16, Income Taxes: Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory (Topic 
740), which amends existing guidance on the recognition of current and deferred income tax impacts for intra-entity asset transfers 
other than inventory. We adopted the standard in the first quarter of 2019 under the modified retrospective approach. As a result, a 
cumulative adjustment of $0.4 million, net of tax, was recorded to reduce opening retained earnings in connection with adoption of 
this standard. 

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740) – Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes. 
This update amends and simplifies the accounting for income taxes by eliminating certain exceptions in existing guidance related to 
performing intraperiod tax allocation, calculating interim period taxes, and recognizing deferred taxes for investments. The update also 
provides new guidance to reduce complexity in certain areas. This standard is effective beginning in our first fiscal quarter of 2022 
with  early  adoption  permitted.  We  do  not  anticipate  the  adoption  of  this  standard  to  have  a  material  impact  on  our  consolidated 
financial statements or related disclosures.

3. Fair Value Measurements

We disclose and recognize the fair value of our assets and liabilities using a hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques 
used to measure fair value. Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an 
exit price) in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The guidance establishes three levels of the 
fair value hierarchy as follows: 

Level 1: Inputs are unadjusted, quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities at the measurement date;

Level 2: Inputs are observable, unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for similar assets or liabilities, unadjusted quoted 
prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, or other inputs that are observable or can be 
corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the related assets or liabilities; and

Level  3:  Unobservable  inputs  that  are  significant  to  the  measurement  of  the  fair  value  of  the  assets  or  liabilities  that  are 
supported by little or no market data.

Our financial instruments consist of cash and cash equivalents, short-term and long-term investments, accounts payable, and accrued 
liabilities.  At  July  31,  2021,  and  August  1,  2020,  the  carrying  values  of  cash  and  cash  equivalents,  accounts  payable,  and  accrued 
liabilities approximated fair value due to their short-term maturities. 

The following table sets forth the amortized cost, gross unrealized gains, gross unrealized losses and fair values of our short-term and 
long-term investments accounted for as available-for-sale securities as of July 31, 2021, and August 1, 2020:  

(in thousands)

Financial Assets:

Investments:

U.S. Treasury securities

Certificates of deposit

Commercial paper

Asset-backed securities

Corporate bonds

July 31, 2021

Amortized 
Cost

Gross 
Unrealized 
Gains

Gross 
Unrealized 
Losses

Fair Value

Amortized 
Cost

August 1, 2020

Gross 
Unrealized 
Gains

Gross 
Unrealized 
Losses

Fair Value

$ 

42,009  $ 

35  $ 

—  $ 

42,044  $ 

67,335  $ 

516  $ 

(1)  $ 

67,850 

1,500 

10,192 

10,393 

96,347 

— 

— 

18 

103 

— 

— 

(9) 

(7) 

1,500 

10,192 

10,402 

96,443 

6,150 

35,331 

44,854 

82,821 

— 

— 

410 

723 

— 

— 

(4) 

(1) 

6,150 

35,331 

45,260 

83,543 

Total

$  160,441  $ 

156  $ 

(16)  $  160,581  $ 

236,491  $ 

1,649  $ 

(6)  $ 

238,134 

59

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The following table sets forth the fair value of available-for-sale securities by contractual maturity as of July 31, 2021, and August 1, 
2020:

(in thousands)

Financial Assets:

Investments:

U.S. Treasury securities

Certificates of deposit

Commercial paper

Asset-backed securities

Corporate bonds

July 31, 2021

August 1, 2020

One Year or 
Less

Over One 
Year Through 
Five Years

Over 
Five 
Years

Total

One Year or 
Less

Over One 
Year Through 
Five Years

Over Five 
Years

Total

$ 

41,633  $ 

411  $ 

—  $  42,044  $ 

38,794  $ 

29,056  $ 

—  $ 

67,850 

1,500 

10,192 

29 

48,192 

— 

— 

10,373 

48,251 

— 

1,500 

— 

  10,192 

— 

  10,402 

— 

  96,443 

6,150 

35,331 

6,657 

56,105 

— 

— 

38,603 

27,438 

— 

— 

— 

— 

6,150 

35,331 

45,260 

83,543 

Total

$ 

101,546  $ 

59,035  $ 

—  $ 160,581  $ 

143,037  $ 

95,097  $ 

—  $ 

238,134 

The  following  table  sets  forth  our  cash  equivalents,  and  short-term  and  long-term  investments  accounted  for  as  available-for-sale 
securities that were measured at fair value on a recurring basis based on the fair value hierarchy as of July 31, 2021, and August 1, 
2020:

(in thousands)

Financial Assets:

Cash equivalents:

Money market funds

Commercial paper

Investments:

July 31, 2021

August 1, 2020

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Total

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Total

$ 

10,728  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

10,728  $ 

2,394  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

2,394 

U.S. Treasury securities

42,044 

Certificates of deposit

Commercial paper

Asset-backed securities

Corporate bonds

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

1,500 

10,192 

10,402 

96,443 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

42,044 

1,500 

10,192 

10,402 

96,443 

67,850 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

6,150 

35,331 

45,260 

83,543 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

67,850 

6,150 

35,331 

45,260 

83,543 

Total

$ 

52,772  $ 

118,537  $ 

—  $ 

171,309  $ 

70,244  $ 

170,284  $ 

—  $ 

240,528 

There were no transfers of financial assets or liabilities into or out of Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3 for the fiscal years ended July 31, 
2021, and August 1, 2020. 

4. Leases

On August 4, 2019, we adopted ASU 2016-02. Upon adoption, we recognized operating lease right-of-use assets and operating lease 
liabilities of $133.0 million and $158.7 million, respectively. As part of this adoption, we elected to not record operating lease right-
of-use assets or operating lease liabilities for leases with an initial term of 12 months or less. We also elected to combine lease and 
non-lease components on all new or modified leases into a single lease component.

Our  leasing  portfolio  includes  lease  arrangements  for  our  corporate  offices,  fulfillment  centers,  and,  to  a  lesser  extent,  equipment. 
Such  leases  generally  have  original  lease  terms  between  five  and  eight  years,  and  often  include  one  or  more  options  to  renew.  We 
include options to extend in the lease term if they are reasonably certain of being exercised. We do not currently consider our renewal 
options reasonably certain to be exercised. We do not have residual value guarantees associated with our leases.  

The following table includes the components of our rent expense recorded in selling, general, and administrative expense:

60

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(in thousands)

Operating lease cost

Variable lease costs

Short-term lease costs

Sublease income

Total

For the Fiscal Year Ended

July 31, 2021

August 1, 2020

$ 

$ 

31,231  $ 

6,236 

2,016 

(876) 

38,607  $ 

29,232 

6,061 

1,031 

(1,657) 

34,667 

Certain leases contain variable payments, which are expensed as incurred and not included in our operating lease right-of-use assets 
and operating lease liabilities. These amounts primarily include payments for maintenance, utilities, taxes, and insurance on our office 
and  fulfillment  center  leases.  Operating  lease  right-of-use  assets  and  operating  lease  liabilities  are  recognized  based  on  the  present 
value of future minimum lease payments at lease commencement. Certain adjustments to our operating lease right-of-use assets may 
be required for items such as initial direct costs paid or incentives received. The Company calculates the present value of its leases 
using an estimated incremental borrowing rate, which requires judgment. Our incremental borrowing rate is determined for each lease 
using a peer group of companies with similar credit profiles, adjusted for the impact of collateralization and lease term.

The  following  is  a  schedule  by  year  of  the  maturities  of  operating  lease  liabilities  with  original  terms  in  excess  of  one  year,  as  of 
July 31, 2021:

(in thousands)

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

Thereafter

Total undiscounted future minimum lease payments

Less imputed interest

Total discounted future minimum lease payments

July 31, 2021

32,280 

30,202 

26,270 

23,681 

22,524 

37,204 

172,161 

(24,836) 

147,325 

$ 

$ 

The weighted average remaining term for our leases as of July 31, 2021 and August 1, 2020 was 6.0 years and 6.7 years, respectively. 
The weighted average discount rate for our leases as of July 31, 2021 and August 1, 2020 was 4.9% and 4.8%, respectively.

Supplemental cash flow information related to our leases is as follows:

(in thousands)

For the Fiscal Year Ended

July 31, 2021

August 1, 2020

Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of operating lease liabilities

$ 

33,061  $ 

Operating lease right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for operating lease liabilities

8,766 

28,922 

153,522 

5. Property and Equipment, net

Property and equipment, net consisted of the following:

(in thousands)

Computer equipment

Office furniture and equipment

Leasehold improvements

Capitalized software

Construction in progress

Building and land

Total property and equipment

Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization

Property and equipment, net

July 31, 2021

August 1, 2020

$ 

7,637  $ 

37,454 

44,118 

66,656 

9,254 

430 

165,549 

(78,590) 

$ 

86,959  $ 

5,967 

26,695 

37,570 

47,151 

5,973 

430 

123,786 

(53,417) 

70,369 

Depreciation  and  amortization  expense  for  2021,  2020,  and  2019  was  $27.6  million,  $22.6  million,  and  $16.1  million, 
respectively.

61

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6. Accrued Liabilities

Accrued liabilities consisted of the following:

(in thousands)

Compensation and related benefits

Advertising

Sales taxes

Shipping and freight

Accrued accounts payable

Inventory purchases

Sales refund reserve

Other

Total accrued liabilities

California Styling Organization

July 31, 2021

August 1, 2020

$ 

13,645  $ 

12,649 

9,937 

6,209 

5,804 

30,384 

11,704 

8,696 

$ 

99,028  $ 

11,987 

14,979 

7,134 

8,624 

5,892 

15,427 

5,023 

8,524 

77,590 

On June 1, 2020, we announced a restructuring plan to eliminate substantially all of our Styling team based in California. As a result 
of  this  restructuring,  we  recognized  aggregate  charges  of  $4.8  million  for  termination  benefits  within  selling,  general,  and 
administrative expenses during 2020. Cash payments of $3.1 million and $1.7 million occurred during 2021 and 2020, respectively, 
with no outstanding liability as of July 31, 2021. Other costs such as relocation assistance were expensed as incurred.

7. Credit Agreement

In  June  2020,  we  entered  into  a  credit  agreement  (the  “2020  Credit  Agreement”)  with  Silicon  Valley  Bank  and  other  lenders,  to 
provide  a  revolving  line  of  credit  of  up  to  $90.0  million,  including  a  letter  of  credit  sub-facility  in  the  aggregate  amount  of 
$20.0 million, and a swingline sub-facility in the aggregate amount of $50.0 million. 

On June 2, 2021, we entered into an amended and restated credit agreement (the “Amended Credit Agreement”) with Silicon Valley 
Bank  and  other  lenders,  to  provide  a  revolving  line  of  credit  of  up  to  $100.0  million,  including  a  letter  of  credit  sub-facility  in  the 
aggregate amount of $30.0 million, and a swingline sub-facility in the aggregate amount of $50.0 million, to replace the 2020 Credit 
Agreement. We also have the option to request an incremental facility of up to an additional $150.0 million from one or more of the 
lenders under the Amended Credit Agreement.

Under  the  terms  of  the  Amended  Credit  Agreement,  revolving  loans  may  be  either  Eurodollar  Loans  or  ABR  Loans.  Outstanding 
Eurodollar  Loans  incur  interest  at  the  Eurodollar  Rate,  which  is  defined  in  the  Amended  Credit  Agreement  as  LIBOR  (or  any 
successor thereto), plus a margin of 2.25%. Outstanding ABR Loans incur interest at the highest of (a) the Prime Rate, as published by 
the Wall Street Journal, (b) the federal funds rate in effect for such day plus 0.50%, and (c) the Eurodollar Rate plus 1.00%, in each 
case plus a margin of 1.25%. We will be charged a commitment fee of 0.25% for committed but unused amounts. The revolving line 
of credit under the Amended Credit Agreement will terminate on May 31, 2024, unless the termination date is extended at the election 
of the lenders.

Our obligations under the Amended Credit Agreement and any hedging or cash management agreements entered into with any lender 
thereunder are secured by substantially all of our current and future property, rights, and assets, including, but not limited to, cash, 
goods,  equipment,  contractual  rights,  financial  assets,  and  intangible  assets.  The  Amended  Credit  Agreement  contains  covenants 
limiting the ability to, among other things, dispose of assets, undergo a change in control, merge or consolidate, make acquisitions, 
incur  debt,  incur  liens,  pay  dividends,  repurchase  stock,  and  make  investments,  in  each  case  subject  to  certain  exceptions.  The 
Amended  Credit  Agreement  also  contains  financial  covenants  requiring  us  to  maintain  minimum  free  cash  flow  and  an  adjusted 
current ratio above specified levels, measured in each case at the end of each fiscal quarter. The Amended Credit Agreement contains 
events  of  default  that  include,  among  others,  non-payment  of  principal,  interest,  or  fees,  breach  of  covenants,  inaccuracy  of 
representations  and  warranties,  cross  defaults  to  certain  other  indebtedness,  bankruptcy  and  insolvency  events,  and  material 
judgments.

As of July 31, 2021, we did not have any borrowings outstanding under the Amended Credit Agreement and we were in compliance 
with all financial covenants.

8. Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments

In  November  2020,  we  entered  into  an  agreement  to  lease  approximately  700,000  square  feet  of  space  to  be  used  as  a  fulfillment 
center in Salt Lake City, Utah. We expect to classify this lease as an operating lease, with a commencement date of early fiscal 2022. 
The lease expires in 2031 and we expect to record fixed operating lease costs of approximately $35.6 million over the life of the lease.

62

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Contingencies

We  record  a  loss  contingency  when  it  is  probable  that  a  liability  has  been  incurred  and  the  amount  of  the  loss  can  be  reasonably 
estimated.  We  also  disclose  material  contingencies  when  we  believe  a  loss  is  not  probable  but  reasonably  possible.  Accounting  for 
contingencies  requires  us  to  use  judgment  related  to  both  the  likelihood  of  a  loss  and  the  estimate  of  the  amount  or  range  of  loss. 
Although we cannot predict with assurance the outcome of any litigation or tax matters, we do not believe there are currently any such 
actions that, if resolved unfavorably, would have a material impact on our operating results, financial position, and cash flows.

On  October  11,  2018,  October  26,  2018,  November  16,  2018,  and  December  10,  2018,  four  putative  class  action  lawsuits  alleging 
violations  of  the  federal  securities  laws  were  filed  in  the  U.S.  District  Court  for  the  Northern  District  of  California,  naming  as 
defendants us and certain of our officers. The four lawsuits each make the same allegations of violations of the Securities Exchange 
Act of 1934, as amended, by us and our officers for allegedly making materially false and misleading statements regarding our active 
client growth and strategy with respect to television advertising between June 2018 and October 2018. The plaintiffs seek unspecified 
monetary damages and other relief. The four lawsuits have been consolidated and a lead plaintiff has been appointed. On September 
18, 2019, the lead plaintiff in the consolidated class action lawsuits (the “Class Action”) filed a consolidated complaint for violation of 
the federal securities laws. On October 28, 2019, we and other defendants filed a motion to dismiss the consolidated complaint. The 
lead plaintiff filed an opposition to the motion to dismiss on December 9, 2019, and we and the other defendants filed our reply in 
support of our motion to dismiss on December 30, 2019. The court granted our motion to dismiss on September 30, 2020 but allowed 
the  lead  plaintiff  to  file  an  amended  complaint.  On  November  6,  2020,  the  lead  plaintiff  filed  an  amended  complaint.  We  filed  a 
motion  to  dismiss  the  amended  complaint  on  December  7,  2020.  The  lead  plaintiff  filed  an  opposition  to  the  motion  to  dismiss  on 
January 8, 2021, and we filed our reply in support of our motion to dismiss on January 22, 2021. The court has taken the motion under 
submission.

On December 12, 2018, a derivative action was filed against our directors in the same court, alleging the same violations of securities 
laws as alleged in the Class Action and breach of fiduciary duties. The derivative action has been stayed pending the outcome of the 
motion to dismiss in the Class Action pursuant to the parties’ stipulation. On December 12, 2019, a second derivative action was filed 
against  our  directors  in  the  same  court,  alleging  the  same  violations  of  securities  laws  and  breach  of  fiduciary  duties  as  the  other 
derivative action. The second derivative action has also been stayed pending the outcome of the motion to dismiss in the Class Action 
pursuant  to  the  parties’  stipulation.  The  two  derivative  actions  have  been  related  to  each  other  and  to  the  Class  Action,  and  all  the 
related cases are now proceeding before a single judge in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

Indemnifications

In the ordinary course of business, we may provide indemnifications of varying scope and terms to vendors, directors, officers, and 
other parties with respect to certain matters. We have not incurred any material costs as a result of such indemnifications and have not 
accrued any liabilities related to such obligations in our consolidated financial statements. 

9. Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

The table below presents the changes in AOCI by component and the reclassifications out of AOCI:

(in thousands)

Balance at August 1, 2020
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications(1)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI

Net change in AOCI

Balance at July 31, 2021

(in thousands)

Balance at August 3, 2019
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications(1)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI

Net change in AOCI

Balance at August 1, 2020

Changes in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Available-for-sale 
Securities

Foreign Currency 
Translation

Total

$ 

$ 

1,213  $ 

1,515  $ 

(1,358) 

(145) 

(1,503) 

2,186 

— 

2,186 

(290)  $ 

3,701  $ 

2,728 

828 

(145) 

683 

3,411 

Changes in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Available-for-sale 
Securities

Foreign Currency 
Translation

Total

$ 

$ 

391 

$ 

(578)  $ 

882 

(60) 

822 

2,093 

— 

2,093 

1,213 

$ 

1,515  $ 

(187) 

2,975 

(60) 

2,915 

2,728 

 (1)The associated income tax effects for gains / losses on available-for-sale securities for the twelve months ended July 31, 2021 and August 1, 2020 was $430 and $430, 
respectively. There was no change in income tax effect for gains/ losses on available-for-sale securities for the twelve months ended July 31, 2021, as we recorded a 
valuation allowance against these deferred tax balances beginning in fiscal 2021. 

63

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10. Stock-Based Compensation

2011 Equity Incentive Plan

In 2011, we adopted the 2011 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2011 Plan”). The 2011 Plan provided for the grant of stock-based awards to 
employees, directors, and nonemployees under terms and provisions established by the board of directors. 

The 2011 Plan allowed for the grant of incentive stock options or nonqualified stock options as well as restricted stock units, restricted 
stock, and stock appreciation rights. Only incentive and nonqualified stock options were granted under the 2011 Plan. Employee stock 
option  awards  generally  vest  25%  on  the  first  anniversary  of  the  grant  date  with  the  remaining  shares  subject  to  the  option  vesting 
ratably over the next three years. Options generally expire after 10 years. Effective upon our initial public offering in 2017, the 2011 
Plan was replaced by the 2017 Incentive Plan.

2017 Incentive Plan

In November 2017, our board of directors and stockholders adopted our 2017 Incentive Plan (the “2017 Plan”). The remaining shares 
available for issuance under our 2011 Plan became reserved for issuance under the 2017 Plan. Our 2017 Plan provides for the grant of 
Class A incentive stock options to employees, including employees of any parent or subsidiary, and for the grant of nonqualified stock 
options,  stock  appreciation  rights,  restricted  stock  (“RSU”)  awards,  restricted  stock  unit  awards,  performance  stock  awards, 
performance  cash  awards,  and  other  forms  of  stock  awards  to  employees,  directors,  and  consultants,  including  employees  and 
consultants of our subsidiaries. Employee stock option awards generally vest 25% on the first anniversary of the grant date with the 
remaining shares subject to the option vesting ratably over the next three years. Options generally expire after 10 years. RSU awards 
generally vest 25% on the first anniversary of the grant date with the remaining RSU awards vesting ratably over the next three years. 
The number of shares authorized for issuance under the 2017 Plan was 27,395,455 shares of Class A common stock as of July 31, 
2021.

2019 Inducement Plan

In October 2019, our board of directors adopted our 2019 Inducement Plan (the “2019 Plan”). Our 2019 Plan provides for the grant of 
nonqualified stock options and restricted stock unit awards with respect to our Class A common stock to individuals who satisfy the 
standards for inducement grants under the relevant Nasdaq Stock Market rules. The number of shares authorized for issuance under 
the 2019 Plan was 4,750,000 shares of Class A common stock as of July 31, 2021. 

Stock Options

Employee stock options generally vest 25% on the first anniversary of the grant date with the remaining vesting ratably over the next 
three years. Options generally expire after 10 years.

The following table summarizes the shares available for grant under the 2017 Plan:

Balance – August 1, 2020

Authorized

Granted

Forfeited

Balance – July 31, 2021

Stock option activity under the 2011 Plan, 2017 Plan, and 2019 Plan is as follows:

Shares Available for Grant

916,172 

5,187,757 

(6,605,011) 

4,668,798 

4,167,716 

Balance – August 1, 2020

Granted

Exercised

Forfeited

Balance – July 31, 2021

Options vested and exercisable - July 31, 2021

Options vested and expected to vest - July 31, 2021

 Options Outstanding

Weighted-
Average 
Exercise 
Price

Weighted-
Average 
Remaining 
Contractual 
Life (in Years)

Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value
(in thousands)

17.10 

57.26 

12.53 

19.63 

25.47 

18.83 

25.44 

7.41

$ 

40,252 

7.40

6.61

7.38

$ 

$ 

$ 

106,490 

63,912 

103,883 

Number of 
Options

6,817,196  $ 

633,659 

(2,067,751) 

(1,732,622) 

3,650,482  $ 

1,817,354  $ 

3,558,106  $ 

64

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The weighted-average grant date fair value of options granted during 2021, 2020, and 2019 was $29.07, $11.35, and $11.60 per share, 
respectively. The total grant date fair value of options that vested during 2021, 2020, and 2019 was $13.3 million, $15.3 million, and 
$13.1 million, respectively. The aggregate intrinsic value of options exercised during 2021, 2020, and 2019 was $78.3 million, $19.1 
million, and $49.1 million, respectively. The aggregate intrinsic value of options exercised is the difference between the fair value of 
the underlying common stock on the date of exercise and the exercise price for in-the-money stock options.

Restricted Stock Units

Employee restricted stock units are granted under the 2017 Plan and 2019 Plan, settle into Class A common stock, and generally vest 
25% on the first anniversary of the grant date with the remaining vesting ratably over the next three years. 

The following table summarizes the restricted stock unit (“RSU”) award activity under the 2017 Plan and 2019 Plan:

Unvested at August 1, 2020

Granted

Vested

Forfeited

Unvested at July 31, 2021

Stock-Based Compensation Expense

Unvested RSUs

Class A 
Common Stock

Weighted-
Average 
Grant Date 
Fair Value

9,123,341  $ 

6,463,980 

(2,132,298) 

(3,190,098) 

10,264,925  $ 

20.11 

40.33 

21.62 

23.83 

31.35 

Stock-based compensation expense for options and RSUs granted to employees was $100.7 million, $67.5 million, and $35.2 million 
for 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively. The income tax benefit related to stock-based compensation was $25.6 million, $17.2 million, 
and  $8.9  million  for  2021,  2020,  and  2019,  respectively.  Stock-based  compensation  expense  is  included  in  selling,  general,  and 
administrative expenses in our consolidated statements of operations.

As of July 31, 2021, the total unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested options and RSUs, net of estimated forfeitures, 
was $298.5 million, which we expect to recognize over an estimated weighted average period of 2.4 years.

In determining the fair value of the stock-based awards, we use the Black-Scholes option-pricing model and assumptions discussed 
below. Each of these inputs is subjective and generally requires significant judgment.

Fair Value of Common Stock - As of July 31, 2021, the fair value of the shares of common stock underlying our stock options has 
been  determined  based  on  market  prices.  Prior  to  our  IPO  on  November  16,  2017,  the  fair  value  of  the  shares  of  common  stock 
underlying  our  stock  options  was  determined  by  the  board  of  directors.  As  there  was  no  public  market  for  our  common  stock,  the 
board of directors determined the fair value of the common stock on the stock option grant date by considering a number of objective 
and  subjective  factors,  including  third-party  valuations  of  our  common  stock,  sales  of  our  common  stock,  operating  and  financial 
performance, the lack of marketability of our common stock and general macroeconomic conditions.

Expected  Term  -  The  expected  term  represents  the  period  that  our  stock  options  are  expected  to  be  outstanding  and  is  determined 
using the simplified method (generally calculated as the mid-point between the vesting date and the end of the contractual term).

Expected  Volatility  -  The  expected  volatility  was  estimated  based  on  the  average  volatility  for  publicly  traded  companies  that  we 
considered comparable, over a period equal to the expected term of the stock option grants.

Risk-Free Interest Rate - The risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury zero coupon notes in effect at the time of grant for 
periods corresponding with the expected term of the option.

Expected Dividend - We have not paid dividends on our common stock and do not anticipate paying dividends on our common stock; 
therefore, we use an expected dividend yield of zero.

65

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The fair value of stock options granted to employees was estimated at the grant date using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model 
with the following assumptions:

Expected term (in years)

Volatility

Risk free interest rate

Dividend yield

Early Exercise of Employee Options 

For the Fiscal Year Ended

July 31, 2021

August 1, 2020

August 3, 2019

5.3 - 6.3

5.5 - 6.2

5.1 - 6.5

55.5 - 55.9%

50.1 - 51.2%

41.7 - 52.2%

0.3 - 1.1%

1.4 - 1.7%

2.3 - 3.0%

 — %

 — %

 — %

We  allow  certain  employees  to  exercise  options  granted  under  the  2011  Plan  prior  to  vesting  in  exchange  for  shares  of  restricted 
common stock subject to a right of repurchase that lapses according to the original option vesting schedule. The proceeds from the 
exercise of options are recorded in other current liabilities and other long-term liabilities in our consolidated balance sheets at the time 
the  options  are  exercised  and  reclassified  to  common  stock  and  additional  paid-in  capital  as  our  repurchase  right  lapses.  Upon 
termination of employment, any unvested shares are subject to repurchase by us at the original purchase price.

We did not issue any shares upon exercise of unvested stock options during 2021, 2020, and 2019. As of July 31, 2021, and August 1, 
2020, there were no shares of common stock subject to repurchase. 

11. Income Taxes 

The components of income (loss) before income taxes are as follows:

(in thousands)

Income (loss) before income taxes

United States

Foreign

Total

The components of the provision (benefit) for income tax expense are as follows:

(in thousands)
Current:

Federal

State

Foreign

Total current

Deferred:

Federal

State

Foreign

Total deferred

For the Fiscal Year Ended

July 31, 2021

August 1, 2020

August 3, 2019

$ 

$ 

(62,341)  $ 

(48,302)  $ 

31,657 

1,224 

580 

(836) 

(61,117)  $ 

(47,722)  $ 

30,821 

For the Fiscal Year Ended

July 31, 2021

August 1, 2020

August 3, 2019

$ 

(49,552)  $ 

(5,528)  $ 

(2,562) 

(191) 

(52,305) 

— 

— 

64 

64 

1,768 

275 

(3,485) 

17,367 

5,773 

(260) 

22,880 

(221) 

2,431 

(67) 

2,143 

(5,464) 

(2,667) 

(72) 

(8,203) 

(6,060) 

Provision (benefit) for income taxes

$ 

(52,241)  $ 

19,395  $ 

66

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The reconciliation of our effective tax rate to the statutory federal rate is as follows:

(in thousands, except percentages)

Taxes at federal statutory rate

State taxes, net of federal effect

Stock-based compensation

CARES Act carryback benefit

Change in valuation allowance

R&D credits

Uncertain tax positions

Return to provision

Other

  Effective tax rate

For the Fiscal Year Ended

July 31, 2021

August 1, 2020

August 3, 2019

$ 

(12,835) 

 21.0 % $ 

(10,022) 

 21.0 % $ 

6,472 

(2,417) 

(34,314) 

(13,571) 

21,789 

(13,582) 

(40) 

783 

1,946 

 4.0 %  

 56.1 %  

 22.2 %  

(4,868) 

(2,047) 

(3,070) 

 10.2 %  

 4.3 %  

 6.4 %  

 (35.7) %  

43,153 

 (90.4) %  

(1,068) 

(7,114) 

— 

— 

 22.2 %  

(6,536) 

 13.7 %  

(5,984) 

 (19.4) %

 0.1 %  

 (1.3) %  

 (3.1) %  

2,343 

(777) 

1,219 

 (4.9) %  

2,030 

 1.6 %  

(1,821) 

 (2.5) %  

1,425 

 6.6 %

 (5.9) %

 4.6 %

 21.0 %

 (3.5) %

 (23.1) %

 0.0 %

 0.0 %

$ 

(52,241) 

 85.5 % $ 

19,395 

 (40.6) % $ 

(6,060) 

 (19.7) %

The components of net deferred tax assets are as follows:

(in thousands)
Deferred tax assets:

Inventory reserve and UNICAP

Deferred rent

Accruals and reserves

Research and development credits

Stock-based compensation

Deferred revenue

Operating lease liability

Net operating losses

Other

Gross deferred tax assets

Less: valuation allowance

Deferred tax assets, net of valuation allowance

Deferred tax liabilities:

Depreciation and amortization

Operating lease right-of-use assets

Other

Gross deferred tax liabilities

July 31, 2021

August 1, 2020

August 3, 2019

$ 

23,007  $ 

17,015  $ 

11,696 

— 

5,997 

27,964 

17,062 

276 

35,969 

10,136 

1,105 

121,516 

(77,604) 

43,912 

(13,110) 

(28,607) 

(1,907) 

(43,624) 

— 

4,632 

11,611 

11,717 

435 

39,380 

739 

349 

85,878 

(43,153) 

42,725 

(11,044) 

(31,267) 

(81) 

(42,392) 

232 

6,623 

4,778 

6,195 

713 

— 

— 

302 

30,539 

— 

30,539 

(8,275) 

— 

(89) 

(8,364) 

Net deferred tax assets, net of valuation allowance

$ 

288  $ 

333  $ 

22,175 

Our effective tax rate and provision for income taxes increased from the fiscal year ended August 1, 2020, to the fiscal year ended July 
31, 2021, primarily due to the net operating loss carryback provisions of the CARES Act and excess tax benefits from stock-based 
compensation, partially offset by the change in valuation allowance and certain nondeductible expenses.

Our effective tax rate and provision for income taxes increased from the fiscal year ended August 3, 2019, to the fiscal year ended 
August 1, 2020, primarily due to recording a valuation allowance on our net federal and state deferred tax assets and decreased excess 
tax benefits from stock-based compensation, partially offset by the net operating loss carryback provisions of the CARES Act.

The Company considers all undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries indefinitely reinvested outside the United States.

As of July 31, 2021 we had state net operating loss carryforwards of $142.0 million which begin to expire in 2025. As of July 31, 2021 
and August 1, 2020, we had federal research and development tax credit carryforwards of $30.1 million and $6.5 million which begin 
to expire in 2036 and 2040, respectively. As of July 31, 2021 and August 1, 2020, we had California research and development tax 
credit  carryforwards  of  $17.0  million  and  $9.2  million,  respectively,  which  are  not  subject  to  expiration.  Utilization  of  the  net 
operating loss carryforwards, tax credits and other tax attributes may be subject to various limitations due to the ownership change 
limitations provided by Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 382 and similar state provisions. The annual limitation may result in the 
expiration of net operating losses and credits before their utilization and our ability to offset future income with our tax attributes.

67

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Uncertain Tax Positions

A reconciliation of our unrecognized tax benefits is as follows:

(in thousands)

Balance at the beginning of the year

Lapse of statute of limitations

Increase related to prior period tax positions

Decrease related to prior period tax positions

Increase related to current year tax positions

Balance at the end of the year

July 31, 2021

August 1, 2020

August 3, 2019

$ 

16,693  $ 

10,995  $ 

(1,909) 

495 

— 

8,346 

(939) 

1,074 

— 

5,563 

$ 

23,625  $ 

16,693  $ 

5,503 

(422) 

2,602 

(183) 

3,495 

10,995 

The amount of unrecognized tax benefits relating to our tax positions is subject to change based on future events including, but not 
limited  to,  the  settlements  of  ongoing  audits  and/or  the  expiration  of  applicable  statutes  of  limitations.  Although  the  outcomes  and 
timing  of  such  events  are  highly  uncertain,  we  anticipate  that  the  balance  of  the  liability  for  unrecognized  tax  benefits  and  related 
deferred  tax  assets  will  decrease  by  $2.2  million  during  the  next  12  months  due  to  lapses  of  applicable  statutes  of  limitation.  Our 
liability for uncertain tax positions as of July 31, 2021, includes $4.0 million related to amounts that would impact our current and 
future tax expense.

We recognize interest related to uncertain tax positions in our provision for income taxes. The Company files income tax returns in the 
U.S. federal and various state and local jurisdictions and in the UK. As of July 31, 2021, the fiscal year 2016 through 2020 tax returns 
are subject to potential examination in one or more jurisdictions. We are under examination by the New York State Department of 
Taxation for fiscal years 2016 through 2018 and Texas Franchise Tax Board for the fiscal years 2017 through 2019.

We regularly assess whether it is more likely than not that we will realize our deferred tax assets in each taxing jurisdiction in which 
we  operate.  We  consider  many  factors  when  assessing  the  likelihood  of  future  realization,  including  our  recent  cumulative  loss, 
earnings expectations in earlier future years, unsettled economic disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, and other relevant factors. We 
continue  to  record  a  full  valuation  allowance  on  our  US  and  state  net  deferred  tax  assets  due  to  cumulative  historical  losses.  The 
valuation  allowance  primarily  relates  to  federal  and  state  deferred  tax  assets,  including  unrealized  federal  and  state  credit 
carryforwards and state net operating losses. The valuation allowance increased by $34.5 million in the year ended July 31, 2021 and  
$43.2 million in the year ended August 1, 2020.

A reconciliation of our valuation allowance is as follows:

(in thousands)

Beginning of year valuation allowance

Valuation allowance charged / (credited) to expense

Valuation allowance charged / (credited) to other accounts

End of year valuation allowance

July 31, 2021

August 1, 2020

$ 

$ 

43,153  $ 

40,995 

(6,544) 

77,604  $ 

— 

43,153 

— 

43,153 

12. Earnings (Loss) Per Share Attributable to Common Stockholders

Basic  and  diluted  net  income  (loss)  per  share  attributable  to  common  stockholders  is  presented  in  conformity  with  the  two-class 
method  required  for  participating  securities.  We  consider  early  exercised  share  options  to  be  participating  securities.  In  connection 
with our IPO, we established two classes of authorized common stock: Class A common stock and Class B common stock. As a result, 
all then-outstanding shares of common stock were converted into shares of Class B common stock upon effectiveness of our IPO. The 
rights of the holders of Class A and Class B common stock are identical, except with respect to voting, conversion, and transfer rights. 
Each share of Class A common stock is entitled to one vote per share and each share of Class B common stock is entitled to ten votes 
per share. Each share of Class B common stock is convertible at any time at the option of the stockholder into one share of Class A 
common stock.

Undistributed  earnings  allocated  to  participating  securities  are  subtracted  from  net  income  (loss)  in  determining  net  income  (loss) 
attributable to common stockholders. Basic earnings per share (“EPS”) attributable to common stockholders is computed by dividing 
the net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the 
period. All participating securities are excluded from basic weighted-average common shares outstanding. 

68

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
For  the  calculation  of  diluted  earnings  (loss)  per  share,  net  income  (loss)  attributable  to  common  stockholders  for  basic  EPS  is 
adjusted by the effect of dilutive securities. Diluted net income (loss) per share attributable to common stockholders is computed by 
dividing the net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding, 
including all potentially dilutive common shares. The undistributed earnings are allocated based on the contractual participation rights 
of the Class A and Class B common shares as if the earnings for the year have been distributed. As the liquidation and dividend rights 
are identical, the undistributed earnings are allocated on a proportionate basis. The computation of the diluted net income (loss) per 
share of Class A common stock assumes the conversion of Class B common stock, while diluted net income (loss) per share of Class 
B common stock does not assume the conversion of Class A common stock as Class A common stock is not convertible into Class B 
common stock. 

A  reconciliation  of  the  numerator  and  denominator  used  in  the  calculation  of  the  basic  and  diluted  EPS  attributable  to  common 
stockholders is as follows (in thousands except share and per share amounts):

(in thousands except share and per share amounts)

Class A

Class B

Class A

Class B

Class A

Class B

July 31, 2021

August 1, 2020

August 3, 2019

Numerator:

Net income (loss)

Less: noncumulative dividends to preferred stockholders

Less: undistributed earnings to participating securities

(5,557) 

(3,319) 

(36,860) 

(30,257) 

16,604 

20,277 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

(8) 

— 

(10) 

Net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders – basic

(5,557) 

(3,319) 

(36,860) 

(30,257) 

16,596 

20,267 

Add: adjustments to undistributed earnings to participating securities

Reallocation of undistributed earnings as a result of conversion of 
Class B common stock to Class A common stock

Reallocation of undistributed earnings to Class B common stock

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

1 

20,267 

— 

— 

— 

302 

Net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders – diluted

(5,557) 

(3,319) 

(36,860) 

(30,257) 

36,864 

20,569 

Denominator:

Weighted-average shares of common stock – basic

 66,351,916 

 39,623,487 

 56,228,429 

 46,154,853 

  45,027,352 

 54,986,110 

Conversion of Class B common stock to Class A common stock 
outstanding

Effect of dilutive stock options and restricted stock units

Effect of potentially dilutive preferred stock warrants
Weighted-average shares of common stock – diluted

Earnings (loss) per share attributable to common stockholders:

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

  54,986,110 

— 

— 

  3,640,164 

  2,849,737 

— 

— 

— 

 66,351.916 

 39,623.487 

 56,228.429 

 46,154.853 

 103,653.626 

 57,835.847 

Basic

Diluted

$ 

$ 

(0.08)  $ 

(0.08)  $ 

(0.66)  $ 

(0.66)  $ 

0.37  $ 

(0.08)  $ 

(0.08)  $ 

(0.66)  $ 

(0.66)  $ 

0.36  $ 

0.37 

0.36 

The  following  common  stock  equivalents  were  excluded  from  the  computation  of  diluted  earnings  (loss)  per  share  for  the  periods 
presented because including them would have been antidilutive:

Restricted stock units that settle into Class A common stock

Stock options to purchase Class A common stock

Stock options to purchase Class B common stock

Total

July 31, 2021

August 1, 2020

August 3, 2019

10,264,925 

2,361,055 

7,965,447 

2,924,512 

1,289,427 

3,540,414 

2,914,630 

1,547,495 

969,179 

13,915,407 

14,430,373 

5,431,304 

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

Our management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, has evaluated the effectiveness of 
our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as 
amended (the “Exchange Act”)), as of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report. 

69

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Disclosure controls and procedures are designed to provide reasonable assurance that (i) the information required to be disclosed in the 
reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act has been appropriately recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the 
time  periods  specified  in  the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission’s  rules  and  forms  and  (ii)  such  information  is  accumulated  and 
communicated to management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, as appropriate to allow timely 
decisions regarding required disclosure. Based on the evaluation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of July 31, 2021, our 
Chief  Executive  Officer  and  Chief  Financial  Officer  concluded  that  our  disclosure  controls  and  procedures  were  effective  as  of 
July 31, 2021. 

Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

Management,  including  our  Chief  Executive  Officer  and  Chief  Financial  Officer,  is  responsible  for  establishing  and  maintaining 
adequate internal control over financial reporting as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act. Our internal 
control  over  financial  reporting  is  a  process  designed  to  provide  reasonable  assurance  regarding  the  reliability  of  our  financial 
reporting and the preparation of our financial statements for external purposes in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

Under  the  supervision  and  with  the  participation  of  our  management,  including  our  Chief  Executive  Officer  and  Chief  Financial 
Officer,  we  have  conducted  an  evaluation  of  the  effectiveness  of  our  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  based  on  criteria 
established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway 
Commission  (COSO).  Based  on  evaluation  under  these  criteria,  management  determined  that  our  internal  control  over  financial 
reporting was effective as of July 31, 2021.

Deloitte & Touche LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm, has audited the effectiveness of our internal control over 
financial reporting and, as part of the audit, has issued a report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as 
of July 31, 2021, which is included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There were no changes during the fiscal year ended July 31, 2021, in our internal control over financial reporting that have materially 
affected,  or  are  reasonably  likely  to  materially  affect,  our  internal  control  over  financial  reporting.  We  have  not  experienced  any 
material impact to our internal controls over financial reporting despite the fact that most of our employees are working remotely due 
to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are continually monitoring and assessing the impact of COVID-19 on our internal controls.

Inherent Limitations on Effectiveness of Controls 

An effective internal control system, no matter how well designed, has inherent limitations, including the possibility of human error or 
overriding of controls, and therefore can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to reliable financial reporting. Because of its 
inherent limitations, our internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect all misstatements, including the possibility 
of  human  error,  the  circumvention  or  overriding  of  controls,  or  fraud.  Effective  internal  controls  can  provide  only  reasonable 
assurance with respect to the preparation and fair presentation of financial statements.

Item 9B. Other Information. 

None.

70

Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance. 

PART III 

Information  required  by  this  item  regarding  directors  and  director  nominees,  executive  officers,  the  board  of  directors  and  its 
committees,  certain  corporate  governance  matters,  and  compliance  with  Section  16(a)  of  the  Exchange  Act  is  incorporated  by 
reference to the information set forth under the captions “Proposal 1: Election of Directors,” “Executive Officers,” and “Delinquent 
Section 16(a) Reports” in the definitive proxy statement for our 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “2021 Proxy Statement”).

We have adopted a written code of business conduct and ethics (“Code of Conduct”) that applies to all of our employees, officers and 
directors, including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer and principal accounting officer. The Code of Conduct is 
available on our corporate website at https://investors.stitchfix.com under “Documents” under the section entitled “Governance.” If we 
make any substantive amendments to our Code of Conduct or grant any of our directors or executive officers any waiver, including 
any implicit waiver, from a provision of our Code of Conduct, we will disclose the nature of the amendment or waiver on our website 
or in a Current Report on Form 8-K.

Item 11. Executive Compensation. 

Information required by this item regarding executive compensation is incorporated by reference to the information set forth under the 
captions “Executive Compensation” and “Director Compensation” in our 2021 Proxy Statement.

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

Information required by this item regarding security ownership of certain beneficial owners and management and securities authorized 
for issuance under our equity compensation plans is incorporated by reference to the information set forth under the captions “Security 
Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management”  and “Executive Compensation—Equity Compensation Plan Information” 
in our 2021 Proxy Statement.

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

Information required by this item regarding certain relationships and related transactions and director independence is incorporated by 
reference to the information set forth under the captions “Transactions with Related Persons and Indemnification” and “Proposal 1: 
Election of Directors—Independence of the Board” in our 2021 Proxy Statement.

Item 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services. 

Information required by this item regarding principal accounting fees and services is incorporated by reference to the information set 
forth under the caption “Proposal 3: Ratification of Selection of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm” in our 2021 Proxy 
Statement. 

71

Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules. 

(a) The following documents are filed as part of this Annual Report:

PART IV 

(1) The financial statements are filed as part of this Annual Report under “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary 

Data.”

(2) The financial statement schedules are omitted because they are either not applicable or the information required is 

presented in the financial statements and notes thereto under “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.”

(3) The exhibits listed in the following Exhibit Index are filed, furnished, or incorporated by reference as part of this Annual 

Report.

72

Exhibit Index

Incorporation by Reference

Filed or 
Furnished 
Herewith

Exhibit
Number

3.1*

3.2*

4.1*

4.2*

4.3*

10.1*

10.2*+

10.3*+

Description
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation 
of Stitch Fix, Inc.

Amended and Restated Bylaws of Stitch Fix, Inc.

Form of Class A Common Stock Certificate.

Form of Class B Common Stock Certificate.

Description of Class A Common Stock.
Amended and Restated Investor Rights Agreement, 
dated April 10, 2014.
Stitch Fix, Inc. 2011 Equity Incentive Plan, as 
amended.

Forms of grant notice, stock option agreement, 
notice of exercise and early exercise stock purchase 
agreement under the Stitch Fix, Inc. 2011 Equity 
Incentive Plan, as amended.

Form

File No.

Exhibit

Filing Date

8-K

8-K

S-1/A

S-8

10-K

S-1

S-1

001-38291

001-38291

333-221014

333-221650

001-38291

3.1

3.2

4.1

4.6

4.3

11/21/2017

11/21/2017

11/6/2017

11/17/2017

9/25/2020

333-221014

10.1

10/19/2017

333-221014

10.2

10/19/2017

S-1

333-221014

10.3

10/19/2017

10.4*+

Stitch Fix, Inc. 2017 Incentive Plan.

10-K

001-38291

10.4

10/3/2018

10.5*+

10.6*+

10.7*+

10.8*+

10.9*+

10.10*+

10.11*+

10.12*+

10.13*+

10.14*+

10.15*+

10.16*+

10.17*+

10.18+

10.19*+

Forms of stock option grant notice, stock option 
agreement and notice of exercise under the Stitch 
Fix, Inc. 2017 Incentive Plan.

Forms of restricted stock unit grant notice and award 
agreement under the Stitch Fix, Inc. 2017 Incentive 
Plan.
Stitch Fix, Inc. 2019 Inducement Plan, as amended.

Forms of stock option grant notice, stock option 
agreement and notice of exercise under the Stitch 
Fix, Inc. 2019 Inducement Plan.

Forms of restricted stock unit grant notice and award 
agreement under the Stitch Fix, Inc. 2019 
Inducement Plan.

Form of Indemnity Agreement entered into by and 
between Stitch Fix, Inc. and each director and 
executive officer.

Independent Director Compensation Policy
Offer Letter, by and between Stitch Fix, Inc. and 
Katrina Lake, dated September 5, 2017.

Amended and Restated Offer Letter, by and between 
Stitch Fix, Inc. and Paul Yee, dated September 5, 
2017.

Amended and Restated Offer Letter, by and between 
Stitch Fix, Inc. and Scott Darling, dated September 
5, 2017.

Amended and Restated Offer Letter, by and between 
Stitch Fix, Inc. and Mike Smith, dated September 
25, 2017.
Transition Letter, by and between Stitch Fix, Inc. 
and Mike Smith, dated January 7, 2021.

Offer Letter, by and between Stitch Fix, Inc. and 
Elizabeth Spaulding, dated November 7, 2019.

Offer Letter, by and between Stitch Fix, Inc. and 
Elizabeth Spaulding, dated June 23, 2021.
Offer Letter, by and between Stitch Fix, Inc. and 
Dan Jedda, dated October 29, 2020. 

73

S-1/A

333-221014

10.5

11/6/2017

S-1/A

333-221014

10.6

11/6/2017

S-8

S-8

333-234323

99.4

8/14/2020

333-234323

99.2

10/25/2019

S-8

333-234323

99.3

10/25/2019

S-1

333-221014

10.7

10/19/2017

10-Q

001-38291

S-1

333-221014

10.1

10.8

3/9/2021

10/19/2017

S-1

333-221014

10.9

10/19/2017

S-1

333-221014

10.11

10/19/2017

S-1

333-221014

10.16

10/19/2017

10-Q

001-38291

10.2

3/9/2021

10-Q

001-38291

10.4

12/10/2019

10-Q

001-38291

10.1

12/8/2020

X

S-1/A

333-221014

10.12

11/6/2017

10-Q

001-38291

10.1

3/13/2018

10-Q

001-38291

10.2

3/13/2018

8-K

001-38291

10.1

2/2/2018

10-Q

001-38291

10.2

6/8/2018

10-K

001-38291

10.22

9/25/2020

10-K

001-38291

10.23

9/25/2020

10-Q

001-38291

10.1

6/8/2021

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

10.20*

10.21*

10.22*

10.23*

10.24*

10.25*

10.26*

10.27*

21.1

23.1

31.1

31.2

32.1†

101.INS

101.SCH

101.CAL

101.DEF

101.LAB

101.PRE

104

Office Lease, by and between Stitch Fix, Inc. and 
Post-Montgomery Associates, dated as of November 
10, 2015, as amended.

First Amendment to Original Office Lease, executed 
February 22, 2016, between Stitch Fix, Inc. and 
Post-Montgomery Associates.

Second Amendment to Original Office Lease, 
executed September 6, 2017, between Stitch Fix, 
Inc. and Post-Montgomery Associates.

Third Amendment to the Office Lease, by and 
between Stitch Fix, Inc. and Post-Montgomery 
Associates, dated as of January 29, 2018.

Fourth Amendment to the Office Lease, by and 
between Stitch Fix, Inc. and Post-Montgomery 
Associates, dated as of June 4, 2018.
Credit Agreement, by and between Stitch Fix, Inc. 
and Silicon Valley Bank, dated as of June 3, 2020.

First Amendment to the Credit Agreement by and 
between Stitch Fix, Inc. and Silicon Valley Bank, 
dated as of July 24, 2020.

Amended and Restated Credit Agreement by and 
between, Stitch Fix, Inc. and Silicon Valley Bank, 
dated June 2, 2021.

List of Subsidiaries of Stitch Fix, Inc.
Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent 
registered public accounting firm.
Certification of Principal Executive Officer Pursuant 
to Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) under the 
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as Adopted 
Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act 
of 2002.
Certification of Principal Financial Officer Pursuant 
to Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) under the 
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as Adopted 
Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act 
of 2002.
Certification of Principal Executive Officer and 
Principal Financial Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 
Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of 
the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

Inline XBRL Instance Document (the instance 
document does not appear in the Interactive Data 
File because its XBRL tags are embedded within the 
Inline XBRL document).
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema 
Document
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation 
Linkbase Document
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition 
Linkbase Document
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase 
Document
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation 
Linkbase Document
Cover Page Interactive Data File (the cover page 
interactive data file does not appear in the 
Interactive Data File because its XBRL tags are 
embedded within the Inline XBRL document).

74

 
+ Indicates management contract or compensatory plan.

 * Document has been previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and is incorporated herein by reference herein.

# Confidential treatment has been granted for portions of this exhibit. These portions have been omitted from the registration statement 
and submitted separately to the SEC.

^ Portions of this exhibit have been omitted in accordance with Item 601(b)(10)(iv) of Regulation S-K.

† The certification attached as Exhibit 32.1 accompanying this Annual Report on Form 10-K is not deemed filed with the Securities 
and Exchange Commission and is not to be incorporated by reference into any filing of Stitch Fix, Inc. under the Securities Act of 
1933, as amended, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, whether made before or after the date of this Annual Report 
on Form 10-K, irrespective of any general incorporation language contained in such filing.

Item 16. Form 10-K Summary.

None.

75

Pursuant  to  the  requirements  of  Section  13  or  15(d)  of  the  Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934,  as  amended,  the  registrant  has  duly 
caused this Annual Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

SIGNATURES

Date:

September 27, 2021

Stitch Fix, Inc.

By:

/s/ Dan Jedda

Dan Jedda

Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

76

 
 
 
 
POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Elizabeth 
Spaulding, Dan Jedda, and Scott Darling, and each of them, as his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power 
of substitution for him or her, and in his or her name in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments to this Annual Report 
on Form 10-K, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the U.S. Securities and 
Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform 
each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or 
could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and either of them, his or her substitute 
or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, this report has been signed below by the following 
persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Name

Title

Date

          /s/ Elizabeth Spaulding

               Elizabeth Spaulding

Chief Executive Officer and Director

September 27, 2021

(Principal Executive Officer)

          /s/ Dan Jedda

               Dan Jedda

          /s/ Steven Anderson
               Steven Anderson

          /s/ J. William Gurley
               J. William Gurley

          /s/ Marka Hansen
               Marka Hansen

          /s/ Katrina Lake
               Katrina Lake

          /s/ Kirsten Lynch
               Kirsten Lynch

          /s/ Sharon McCollam
               Sharon McCollam

          /s/ Neal Mohan
               Neal Mohan

          /s/ Michael Smith
               Michael Smith

          /s/ Mikkel Svane
               Mikkel Svane

          /s/ Elizabeth Williams
               Elizabeth Williams

Chief Financial Officer

September 27, 2021

(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

Director

Director

Director

September 27, 2021

September 27, 2021

September 27, 2021

Founder and Director

September 27, 2021

September 27, 2021

September 27, 2021

September 27, 2021

September 27, 2021

September 27, 2021

September 27, 2021

Director

Director

Director

Director

Director

Director

77