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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549


FORM 10-K

(MARK ONE)  

ý

Annual report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

For the fiscal year ended FEBRUARY 1, 2003

or

o

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 000-24261


RESTORATION HARDWARE, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

DELAWARE
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  68-0140361
(IRS Employer
Identification No.)

15 KOCH ROAD, SUITE J, CORTE MADERA, CA 94925
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

(415) 924-1005
(Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

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

Title of each class
  Name of each exchange
on which registered

NONE   NONE

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

COMMON STOCK, $0.0001 PAR VALUE
(Title of class)

          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 requirement for the past 90 days.    ý  Yes    o  No

          Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§ 229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.    o

          Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).    ý  Yes    o  No

          The aggregate market value of common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant was approximately $126,350,988 as of August 2, 2002 based upon the closing price of the registrant's common stock on The Nasdaq National Market reported for August 2, 2002. For purposes of this calculation, the registrant has assumed that only shares beneficially held by executive officers and directors of the registrant are deemed shares held by affiliates of the registrant. This assumption of affiliate status is not necessarily a conclusive determination of affiliate status for any other purpose.

          30,054,567 shares of the registrant's $.0001 par value common stock were outstanding on April 25, 2003.





TABLE OF CONTENTS

 
   
  PAGE
PART I

Item 1.

 

Business

 

3
Item 2.   Properties   14
Item 3.   Legal Proceedings   14
Item 4.   Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders   14

PART II

Item 5.

 

Market for Registrant's Common Equity and Related Stockholder Matters

 

15
Item 6.   Selected Financial Data   15
Item 7.   Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations   16
Item 7A   Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk   31
Item 8.   Financial Statements and Supplementary Data   32
Item 9.   Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure   60

PART III

Item 10.

 

Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant

 

60
Item 11.   Executive Compensation   60
Item 12.   Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters   60
Item 13.   Certain Relationships and Related Transactions   60
Item 14.   Controls and Procedures   60

PART IV

Item 15.

 

Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules, and Reports on Form 8-K

 

62

SIGNATURES

 

63

CERTIFICATIONS

 

64

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

67

2


        This annual report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements that are based on the beliefs of, and estimates made by and information currently available to, our management. The words "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those discussed here. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed below in "Factors That May Affect Our Future Operating Results" and elsewhere in this annual report on Form 10-K. We assume no obligation to update this information.


Documents Incorporated by Reference

        Portions of the registrant's proxy statement for its 2003 annual meeting of stockholders are incorporated by reference into Item 5 of Part II and Items 10,11, 12 and 13 of Part III of this Form 10-K.


PART I

ITEM 1. BUSINESS

GENERAL

        Our company, Restoration Hardware, Inc., together with our subsidiaries, is a specialty retailer of home furnishings, functional and decorative hardware and related merchandise that reflects our classic and authentic American point of view. We market our merchandise through retail locations, mail order catalogs and on the worldwide web at www.restorationhardware.com. Our merchandise strategy and our stores' architectural style create a unique and attractive selling environment designed to appeal to an affluent, well educated 35 to 60 year old customer. We were incorporated in California in June 1987 and were reincorporated in Delaware in 1998. We operated 105 stores in 31 states, the District of Columbia and in Canada at February 1, 2003. We operate on a 52 - 53 week fiscal year ending on the Saturday closest to January 31. The 2002 fiscal year was a 52-week year and ended on February 1, 2003.

        In addition to our retail stores, we operate a direct-to-customer sales channel which includes both catalog and Internet, and a wholly-owned furniture manufacturer. For additional information, see Note 13 to our consolidated financial statements in Part II, Item 8 of this annual report on Form 10-K.

        We commenced business in 1979 as a purveyor of fittings and fixtures for older homes. Since then, we have evolved into a unique home furnishings retailer offering consumers an array of distinctive, high quality and often hard-to-find merchandise. We display our broad assortment of merchandise in an architecturally inviting setting. Our product includes classic, high-quality furniture, lighting, home furnishings, premium-positioned home textiles and functional and decorative hardware. Our plan is to fill the void in the marketplace above the current home lifestyle retailers, and below the interior design trade.

        In 2001, we developed and initiated our repositioning plan for the company. The central component of this plan was the launch of a new merchandising strategy in April 2002, which included new merchandise offerings, adjustments of overall product mix, and the remodeling of our stores in order to best present the new merchandise. Other key elements of the plan included our fiscal 2001 equity financings which allowed us to reduce our debt, upgrading our management team, eliminating under-performing products and reducing the overall number of items in the merchandise assortment, closing under-performing stores, and growing our direct-to-customer business.

        In the first quarter of 2002 we introduced premium-positioned home textiles and new bath hardware collections, as well as completed the remodeling of our stores. Also in connection with our repositioning plan, in April 2002 we redesigned our catalog and website to enhance the overall customer experience. We have also completed or made substantial progress in all other key elements of the repositioning plan.

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        We make available free of charge through our website at www.restorationhardware.com under "Company Info" our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to these and other reports filed or furnished by us pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as soon as reasonably practicable after we file such materials with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

RETAIL STORES

Merchandising Mix

        We offer a broad but carefully edited selection of merchandise that provides a consistent point of view throughout our stores. Our collection of merchandise, not traditionally found in a single store environment, includes classic American-styled furniture, home furnishings, lighting, functional and decorative hardware, premium-positioned home textiles and discovery items. Our merchandise mix also includes proprietary products and hard-to-find products selected from non-traditional distribution channels that appear unique to our customers.

        The percentage of total revenue contributed by major merchandising categories is as follows:

 
  2002
  2001
  2000
 
Home furnishings   51 % 45 % 45 %
Hardware and accessories   49 % 55 % 55 %

        The home furnishings category includes furniture, lighting and textiles. The hardware and accessories category includes bath and other functional and decorative hardware; vases, frames, and other accessories; seasonal merchandise such as holiday and garden; and gift items.

Product Selection, Purchasing and Sourcing

        We make merchandise purchases from over 400 vendors, almost half of which are located abroad. These vendors include major domestic manufacturers, specialty niche manufacturers and importers. We maintain agents in China, England, France, Japan, India, Portugal and Eastern Europe, and our merchandising team travels to Asia and Europe in search of new products. By sourcing a large proportion of products offshore, we seek to achieve increased buying effectiveness and ensure exclusivity for a portion of our product line. In many instances, we also work closely with our vendors to develop products that are unique to us.

DIRECT-TO-CUSTOMER—CATALOG AND INTERNET

        Our catalog business complements our retail business by building customer awareness of a concept, increasing customer traffic in our stores, enhancing brand image and acting as an effective advertising vehicle. In addition, we maintain a website, www.restorationhardware.com, designed to sell our products, promote consumer awareness of Restoration Hardware and generate store traffic.

        In the fiscal year ended February 1, 2003 ("fiscal 2002"), we distributed approximately 29.9 million catalogs as compared to approximately 20.5 million catalogs in the fiscal year ended February 2, 2002 ("fiscal 2001"). We mail catalogs to persons with demographic profiles similar to those of our retail customers and who also possess previous mail order purchase histories. In fiscal 2002, approximately 61% of catalogs were circulated to past customers, and the remaining catalogs were mailed to prospects. These prospects were obtained primarily from customer lists of other high-end mail order companies sharing similar customer demographics. We outsource to a third party the fulfillment aspects of the direct-to-customer business, including telemarketing, customer service and distribution.

        We believe our catalog is a key resource to further market our brand to both retail customers and customers outside of the retail trade areas.

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THE MICHAELS FURNITURE COMPANY, INC.

        Purchased by Restoration Hardware in 1998, The Michaels Furniture Company, Inc. ("Michaels") offers a line of furniture for the home and office. Specific product lines include living room, bedroom, dining room, home office and accessory items. Intercompany sales to Restoration Hardware represented virtually all of Michaels' total sales during fiscal 2002, and this trend is expected to continue. Michaels is located in Sacramento, California.

MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS

        Our retail management information systems include fully integrated store, merchandising, distribution and financial systems. We utilize STS Systems for our point-of-sale, merchandise management and warehouse management systems, and rely on STS for software support.

COMPETITION

        The retail market is highly competitive. We compete against a diverse group of retailers ranging from specialty stores to traditional furniture stores and department stores. Our product offerings also compete with a variety of national, regional and local retailers. We also compete with these and other retailers for customers, suitable retail locations, suppliers and qualified employees and management personnel. Many of our competitors have significantly greater financial, marketing and other resources. Moreover, increased competition may result, and has resulted, in potential or actual litigation between us and our competitors relating to such activities as competitive sales and hiring practices, exclusive relationships with key suppliers and manufacturers and other matters. As a result, increased competition may adversely affect our financial performance, and we cannot assure you that we will be able to compete successfully in the future.

        We believe that our ability to compete successfully is determined by several factors, including, among other things, the strength of our management team, the breadth and quality of our product selection, effective merchandise presentation, customer service, pricing and store location. Although we believe that we are able to compete favorably on the basis of these factors, we may not ultimately succeed in competing with other retailers in our market.

TRADEMARKS

        We have registered our trademark "Restoration Hardware" in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Trademarks are generally valid as long as they are in use and their registrations can generally be renewed indefinitely so long as the marks are in use. Our trademark is of material importance to us.

EMPLOYEES

        At February 1, 2003, we had approximately 1,400 full-time employees and 1,800 part-time employees. We consider our employee relations to be good. None of our employees are represented by a collective bargaining agreement, nor have we ever experienced any work stoppage.

FACTORS THAT MAY AFFECT OUR FUTURE OPERATING RESULTS

We may not be able to successfully anticipate changes in consumer trends and our failure to do so may lead to loss of sales revenues and the closing of under-performing stores.

        Our success depends on our ability to anticipate and respond to changing merchandise trends and consumer demands in a timely manner. If, for example, we misjudge market trends, we may significantly overstock unpopular products and be forced to take significant inventory markdowns, which would have a negative impact on our operating results. Conversely, shortages of popular items could result in loss of sales revenues and have a material adverse effect on our operating results.

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        We believe there is a lifestyle trend toward increased interest in home renovation and interior decorating, and we further believe we are benefiting from such a trend. The failure of this trend to materialize or a decline in such a trend could adversely affect consumer interest in our major product lines. Moreover, our products must appeal to a broad range of consumers whose preferences cannot always be predicted with certainty and may change between sales seasons. If we misjudge either the market for our merchandise or our customers' purchasing habits, we may experience a material decline in sales or be required to sell inventory at reduced margins. We could also suffer a loss of customer goodwill if we do not adhere to our quality control or service procedures or otherwise fail to ensure satisfactory quality of our products. These outcomes may have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition.

        In fiscal 2002, we opened one new store and closed no existing stores. However, we are evaluating six to eight under-performing stores for potential closures through 2004. A material decline in sales and other adverse conditions resulting from our failure to accurately anticipate changes in merchandise trends and consumer demands may require us to close additional under-performing stores. The closure of such stores would subject us to additional costs including, but not limited to, employee severance costs, charges in connection with the impairment of assets and costs associated with the disposition of outstanding lease obligations.

Our success is highly dependent on improvements to our planning and supply chain processes.

        An important part of our efforts to achieve efficiencies, cost reductions and sales growth is the identification and implementation of improvements to our planning, logistical and distribution infrastructure and our supply chain, including merchandise ordering, transportation and receipt processing. An inability to improve our planning and supply chain processes or to take full advantage of supply chain opportunities could have a material adverse effect on our operating results.

Because our revenues are subject to seasonal fluctuations, significant deviations from projected demand for products in our inventory during a selling season could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

        Our business is highly seasonal. We make decisions regarding merchandise well in advance of the season in which it will be sold, particularly for the holiday selling season. The general pattern associated with the retail industry is one of peak sales and earnings during the holiday season. Due to the importance of the holiday selling season, the fourth quarter of each year has historically contributed, and we expect it will continue to contribute, a disproportionate percentage of our net sales and most of our gross profit for the entire year. In anticipation of increased sales activity during the fourth quarter, we incur significant additional expenses both prior to and during the fourth quarter. These expenses may include acquisition of additional inventory, catalog preparation and mailing, advertising, in-store promotions, seasonal staffing needs and other similar items. If, for any reason, our sales were to fall below our expectations in November and December, our business, financial condition and annual operating results may be materially adversely affected.

Increased advertising expenditures without increased revenues may have a negative impact on our operating results.

        We expend a large amount of our available funds on advertising in advance of a particular season. Moreover, our advertising costs for the past three fiscal years have increased from approximately $14.9 million per year to approximately $23.5 million per year, and we expect to have similarly large advertising expenditures during the next fiscal year. As a result, if we misjudge the directions or trends in our market, we may expend large amounts of our cash on advertising that generates little return on investment, which would have a negative effect on our operating results. During the last three fiscal years, our advertising costs have increased while only recently have we had a corresponding revenue

6



increase. If we spend increasing amounts of our cash on advertising without achieving overall revenue increases, it would have a negative impact on our operating results.

Our quarterly results fluctuate due to a variety of factors and are not a meaningful indicator of future performance.

        Our quarterly results have fluctuated in the past and may fluctuate significantly in the future, depending upon a variety of factors, including, among other things, the mix of products sold, the timing and level of markdowns, promotional events, store openings, closings, remodels or relocations, shifts in the timing of holidays, timing of catalog releases or sales, competitive factors and general economic conditions. Accordingly, our profits or losses may fluctuate. Moreover, in response to competitive pressures, we may take certain pricing or marketing actions that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Therefore, we believe that period-to-period comparisons of our operating results are not necessarily meaningful and cannot be relied upon as indicators of future performance. If our operating results in any future period fall below the expectations of securities analysts and investors, or if our operating results do not meet the guidance that we issue from time to time, the market price of our securities would likely decline.

Fluctuations in comparable store sales may cause our revenues and operating results from period to period to vary.

        A variety of factors affect our comparable store sales including, among other things, the general retail sales environment, our ability to efficiently source and distribute products, changes in our merchandise mix, promotional events, the impact of competition and our ability to execute our business strategy efficiently. Our comparable store sales results have fluctuated significantly in the past, and we believe that such fluctuations may continue. Our comparable store sales increased 6.2% in fiscal 2002, decreased 4.6% in fiscal 2001, and decreased 1% in the fiscal year ended February 3, 2001 ("fiscal 2000"). Past comparable store sales results may not be indicative of future results. As a result, the unpredictability of our comparable store sales may cause our revenues and operating results to vary from quarter to quarter, and an unanticipated decline in revenues may cause our stock price to fluctuate.

We depend on a number of key vendors to supply our merchandise and provide critical services, and the loss of any one of our key vendors may result in a loss of sales revenues and significantly harm our operating results.

        We make merchandise purchases from over 400 vendors. Our performance depends on our ability to purchase our merchandise in sufficient quantities at competitive prices. Although we have many sources of merchandise, two of our vendors, Mitchell Gold, a manufacturer of upholstered furniture, and Robert Abbey Inc., a manufacturer of table and floor lamps, together accounted for approximately 16% of our aggregate merchandise purchases in fiscal 2002. In addition, our smaller vendors generally have limited resources, production capacities and operating histories, and some of our vendors have limited the distribution of their merchandise in the past. We have no long-term purchase contracts or other contractual assurances of continued supply, pricing or access to new products, and any vendor or distributor could discontinue selling to us at any time. We may not be able to acquire desired merchandise in sufficient quantities on terms acceptable to us in the future, or be able to develop relationships with new vendors to expand our options or replace discontinued vendors. Our inability to acquire suitable merchandise in the future or the loss of one or more key vendors and our failure to replace any one or more of them may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

        In addition, a single vendor supports the majority of our management information systems. A failure by the vendor to support our management information systems adequately in the future could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

7



        We have recently begun purchasing products from a number of new vendors, many of whom are located abroad. We cannot assure you that they will be reliable sources of our products. Moreover, a number of these manufacturers and suppliers are small and undercapitalized firms that produce limited numbers of items. Given their limited resources, these firms might be susceptible to production difficulties, quality control issues and problems in delivering agreed-upon quantities on schedule. We cannot assure you that we will be able, if necessary, to return products to these suppliers and obtain refunds of our purchase price or obtain reimbursement or indemnification from them if their products prove defective. These suppliers and manufacturers also may be unable to withstand the current downturn in the U.S. or worldwide economy. Significant failures on the part of these new suppliers or manufacturers could have a material adverse effect on our operating results.

        In addition, many of these suppliers and manufacturers require extensive advance notice of our requirements in order to produce products in the quantities we desire. This long lead time requires us to place orders far in advance of the time when certain products will be offered for sale, thereby exposing us to risks relating to shifts in customer demands and trends, and any later downturn in the U.S. economy.

A disruption in any of our distribution operations would materially affect our operating results.

        The distribution functions for our stores are currently handled from our facilities in Hayward and Tracy, California and Baltimore, Maryland. Any significant interruption in the operation of any of these facilities may delay shipment of merchandise to our stores and customers, damage our reputation or otherwise have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. Moreover, a failure to successfully coordinate the operations of these facilities also could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. Significant disruptions to the operations of the third party vendor who handles the distribution and fulfillment functions for our direct-to-customer business on an outsourced basis could be expected to have similar negative consequences.

We are dependent on external funding sources which may not make available to us sufficient funds when we need them.

        We have significantly relied and may rely in the future on external funding sources to finance our operations and growth. Any reduction in cash flow from operations could increase our external funding requirements to levels above those currently available to us. While we currently have in place a $72.0 million credit facility, the amount available under this facility may be less than the $72.0 million stated maximum limit of the facility because the availability of eligible collateral for purposes of the borrowing base limitations in the credit facility usually reduces the overall credit amount otherwise available at any given time. We currently believe that our cash flow from operations and funds available under our credit facility will satisfy our capital requirements for at least the next 12 months. However, the weakening of, or other adverse developments concerning, our sales performance or adverse developments concerning the availability of credit under our credit facility due to covenant limitations or other factors could limit the overall availability of funds to us.

        In particular, we may experience cash flow shortfalls in the future and we may require additional external funding. However, we cannot assure you that we will be able to raise funds on favorable terms, if at all, or that future financing requirements would not be dilutive to holders of our capital stock. In the event that we are unable to obtain additional funds on acceptable terms or otherwise, we may be unable or determine not to take advantage of new opportunities or take other actions that otherwise may be important to our operations. Additionally, we may need to raise additional funds in order to take advantage of unanticipated opportunities. We also may need to raise additional funds to respond to changing business conditions or unanticipated competitive pressures. If we fail to raise sufficient funds, we may be required to delay or abandon some of our planned future expenditures or aspects of our current operations.

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Because our business requires a substantial level of liquidity, we are dependent upon a credit facility with numerous restrictive covenants that limit our flexibility.

        Our business requires substantial liquidity in order to finance inventory purchases, the employment of sales personnel for the peak holiday period, publicity for the holiday buying season and other similar advance expenses. We currently have in place a credit facility with a syndicate of lenders, which includes Fleet Capital Corporation. The facility provides for an overall commitment of $72.0 million, of which $25.0 million is available for letters of credit. Over the past several years, we have entered into numerous modifications of this credit facility, primarily to address changes in the requirements to which we are subject. Additionally, in August 2002, we further amended the credit facility, primarily to: 1) reduce the overall commitment from $80.0 million to $72.0 million; 2) to provide, at our election, for an additional $5.0 million of availability above the maximum available designated by formula for any continuous 60-day period between August 1st and October 31st for any year (not to exceed the $72.0 million overall commitment); 3) to extend the expiration date of the credit facility by twelve months to June 30, 2004; and (4) to provide a more favorable interest structure. Finally, in November 2002, we amended and restated the credit facility to reflect a number of minor revisions and updates to the then-existing credit facility documentation.

        Covenants in the credit facility include, among others, ones that limit our ability to incur additional debt, make liens, make investments, consolidate, merge or acquire other businesses and sell assets, pay dividends and other distributions, and enter into transactions with affiliates. These covenants restrict numerous aspects of our business. Moreover, financial performance covenants require us, among other things, not to exceed particular capital expenditure limits. The credit facility also includes a borrowing base formula to address the availability of credit under the facility at any given time based upon numerous factors, including eligible inventory and eligible accounts receivable (subject to the overall maximum cap on total borrowings). Consequently, the availability of eligible collateral for purposes of the borrowing base formula may limit our ability to borrow under the credit facility.

        We have drawn upon the credit facility in the past and we expect to draw upon it in the future. As a result, failure to comply with the terms of the credit facility would entitle the secured lenders to foreclose on our assets, including our accounts receivable, inventory, general intangibles, equipment, goods, and fixtures. The secured lenders would be repaid from the proceeds of the liquidation of those assets before the assets would be available for distribution to other creditors and, lastly, to the holders of our capital stock. Our ability to satisfy the restrictive covenants may be affected by events beyond our control.

Future increases in interest and other expense may impact our future operations.

        High levels of interest and other expense have and could have negative effects on our operations. While our credit facility was amended at various times in 2001 and 2002 to provide us with more favorable interest rates and changes to some requirements, a significant portion of our cash flow from operations was used to pay our interest expense and was not available for other business purposes.

        Our ability to continue to meet our future debt and other obligations and to minimize our average debt level depends on our future operating performance and on economic, financial, competitive and other factors. In addition, we may need to incur additional indebtedness in the future. Many of these factors are beyond our control. We cannot assure you that our business will generate sufficient cash flow or that future financings will be available to provide sufficient proceeds to meet our obligations or to service our total debt.

We are subject to trade restrictions and other risks associated with our dependence on foreign imports for our merchandise.

        For fiscal 2002, we purchased approximately 45% of our merchandise directly from vendors located abroad and expect that such purchases will increase as a percentage of total merchandise purchases for

9



the fiscal year ending on January 31, 2004. As an importer, our future success will depend in large measure upon our ability to maintain our existing foreign supplier relationships and to develop new ones. While we rely on our long-term relationships with our foreign vendors, we have no long-term contracts with them. Additionally, many of our imported products are subject to existing duties, tariffs and quotas that may limit the quantity of some types of goods which we may import into the United States. Our dependence on foreign imports also makes us vulnerable to risks associated with products manufactured abroad, including, among other things, changes in import duties, tariffs and quotas, loss of "most favored nation" trading status by the United States in relation to a particular foreign country, work stoppages, delays in shipments, freight cost increases, economic uncertainties, including inflation, foreign government regulations, and political unrest and trade restrictions, including the United States retaliating against protectionist foreign trade practices. If any of these or other factors were to render the conduct of business in particular countries undesirable or impractical, our financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

        While we believe that we could find alternative sources of supply, an interruption or delay in supply from our foreign sources, or the imposition of additional duties, taxes or other charges on these imports, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations unless and until alternative supply arrangements are secured. Moreover, products from alternative sources may be of lesser quality and/or more expensive than those we currently purchase, resulting in reduction or loss of our profit margin on such items.

As an importer we are subject to the effects of currency fluctuations related to our purchases of foreign merchandise.

        While most of our purchases outside of the United States currently are settled in U.S. dollars, it is possible that a growing number of them in the future may be made in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Historically, we have not hedged our currency risk and do not currently anticipate doing so in the future. However, because our financial results are reported in U.S. dollars, fluctuations in the rates of exchange between the U.S. dollar and other currencies may decrease our sales margins or otherwise have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations in the future.

Increased investments related to our direct-to-customer business may not generate a corresponding increase in profits to our business.

        We have invested additional resources in the expansion of our direct-to-customer business that could increase the risks associated with aspects of this business. In fiscal 2002, sales through our direct-to-customer channel grew by 33% as compared to the prior fiscal year. Increased activity in our direct-to-customer business could result in material changes in our operating costs, including increased merchandise inventory costs and costs for paper and postage associated with the distribution and shipping of catalogs and products. Although we intend to attempt to mitigate the impact of these increases by improving sales revenue and efficiencies, we cannot assure you that we will succeed in mitigating expenses with increased efficiency or that cost increases associated with our direct-to-customer business will not have an adverse effect on the profitability of our business. Additionally, while we outsource to a third party the fulfillment of our direct-to-customer division, including telemarketing, customer service and distribution, the third party may not have the capacity to accommodate our growth. This lack of capacity may result in delayed customer orders and deficiencies in customer service, both of which may adversely affect our reputation and cause us to lose sales revenue.

        In addition, we have recently incurred significant costs in implementing a new e-commerce application and upgrading our merchandise analysis tools. However, we cannot assure you that these changes and the substantial costs we incurred to effect these changes will generate a corresponding financial return for our business.

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We depend on key personnel and could be affected by the loss of their services because of the limited number of qualified people in our industry.

        The success of our business will continue to depend upon our key personnel, including our President and Chief Executive Officer, Gary G. Friedman. Competition for qualified employees and personnel in the retail industry is intense. The process of locating personnel with the combination of skills and attributes required to carry out our goals is often lengthy. In July 2001, our then Chief Financial Officer departed and was not replaced until December of 2001. Moreover, recent turnover in personnel and the recruitment and retention of new accounting staff for our finance department have created challenges for us. While we retained a new Corporate Controller in November 2002 and have made additional changes to our finance department and its staff, we have experienced difficulties in the transition and re-organization of our finance department and may experience similar or other difficulties related to this process in the future. Our ongoing efforts to improve our accounting controls and procedures may be hampered if we experience further difficulties in the transition and re-organization of our finance department.

        Our success depends to a significant degree upon our ability to attract, retain and motivate qualified management, marketing and sales personnel, in particular store managers, and upon the continued contributions of these people. We cannot assure you that we will be successful in attracting and retaining qualified executives and personnel. In addition, our employees may voluntarily terminate their employment with us at any time. We also do not maintain any key man life insurance. The loss of the services of key personnel or our failure to attract additional qualified personnel could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Rapid growth of our company followed by changes in general economic conditions have impacted our profitability.

        In fiscal 2000, we experienced rapid growth and, as a result, our costs and expenditures outpaced our revenues. Following this growth, the economy in the United States began to weaken, while our costs and expenditures remained significant. The combination of these two factors affected our profitability. As a result, even though we took steps to reduce our costs and expenditures in fiscal 2001 and fiscal 2002, we were not profitable in fiscal 2000, 2001 or 2002. If similar factors continue to operate unmitigated, there will be a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition.

Changes in general economic conditions affect consumer spending and may significantly harm our revenues and results of operations.

        The success of our business depends to a significant extent upon the level of consumer spending. A number of economic conditions affect the level of consumer spending on merchandise that we offer, including, among other things, the general state of the economy, general business conditions, the level of consumer debt, interest rates, taxation and consumer confidence in future economic conditions. More generally, reduced consumer confidence and spending may result in reduced demand for our products and limitations on our ability to increase prices, and may also require increased levels of selling and promotional expenses. Adverse economic conditions and any related decrease in consumer demand for discretionary items such as those offered by us could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

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We face an extremely competitive specialty retail business market.

        The retail market is highly competitive. We compete against a diverse group of retailers ranging from specialty stores to traditional furniture stores and department stores. Our product offerings also compete with a variety of national, regional and local retailers. We also compete with these and other retailers for customers, suitable retail locations, suppliers and qualified employees and management personnel. Many of our competitors have significantly greater financial, marketing and other resources. Moreover, increased competition may result, and has resulted in the past, in potential or actual litigation between us and our competitors relating to such activities as competitive sales and hiring practices, exclusive relationships with key suppliers and manufacturers and other matters. As a result, increased competition may adversely affect our future financial performance, and we cannot assure you that we will be able to compete successfully in the future.

        We believe that our ability to compete successfully is determined by several factors, including, among other things, the breadth and quality of our product selection, effective merchandise presentation, customer service, pricing and store location. Although we believe that we are able to compete favorably on the basis of these factors, we may not ultimately succeed in competing with other retailers in our market.

Terrorist attacks and threats or actual war may negatively impact all aspects of our operations, revenues, costs and stock price.

        Terrorist attacks in the United States, as well as future events occurring in response or connection to them, including, without limitation, future terrorist attacks or threats against United States targets, rumors or threats of war, actual conflicts involving the United States or its allies or military or trade disruptions affecting our domestic or foreign suppliers of merchandise, may impact our operations. The potential impact to our operations includes, among other things, delays or losses in the delivery of merchandise to us and decreased sales of the products we carry. Additionally, any of these events could cause consumer confidence and spending to decrease or result in increased volatility in the United States and worldwide financial markets and economies. Also, any of these events could result in economic recession in the United States or abroad. Any of these occurrences could have a significant impact on our operating results, revenues and costs and may result in the volatility of the future market price of our common stock.

Our common stock price may be volatile.

        The market price of our common stock has fluctuated significantly in the past, and is likely to continue to be highly volatile. In addition, the trading volume in our common stock has fluctuated, and significant price variations can occur as a result. We cannot assure you that the market price of our common stock will not fluctuate or decline significantly in the future. In addition, the United States equity markets have from time to time experienced significant price and volume fluctuations that have particularly affected the market prices for the stocks of companies such as ours. These broad market fluctuations may materially adversely affect the market price of our common stock in the future. Variations in the market price of our common stock may be the result of changes in the trading characteristics that prevail in the market for our common stock, including low trading volumes, trading volume fluctuations and other similar factors that are particularly common among highly volatile securities. Variations also may be the result of changes in our business, operations or prospects, announcements or activities by our competitors, entering into new contractual relationships with key suppliers or manufacturers by us or our competitors, proposed acquisitions by us or our competitors, financial results that fail to meet our guidance or public market analysts' expectations, changes in stock market analysts' recommendations regarding us, other retail companies or the retail industry in general, and domestic and international market and economic conditions.

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Future sales of our common stock in the public market could adversely affect our stock price and our ability to raise funds in new equity offerings.

        We cannot predict the effect, if any, that future sales of shares of our common stock or the availability for future sale of shares of our common stock or securities convertible into or exercisable for our common stock will have on the market price of our common stock prevailing from time to time. For example, in connection with our May 2001 common stock financing, we filed a registration statement on Form S-3 with the Securities and Exchange Commission to register approximately 4.5 million shares of our common stock acquired by the investors in the financing. The registration statement became effective on July 6, 2001. Additionally, in connection with our March 2001 preferred stock financing, we filed a registration statement on Form S-3 with the Securities and Exchange Commission to register approximately 6.4 million shares of our common stock issued, or to be issued, upon the conversion of our Series A preferred stock to some of our stockholders. And, in connection with our November 2001 common stock financing, we filed a registration statement on Form S-3 with the Securities and Exchange Commission to register approximately 4.5 million shares of our common stock issued to the investors in the financing. The latter two registration statements were declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 31, 2002. Sale, or the availability for sale, of substantial amounts of common stock by our existing stockholders pursuant to an effective registration statement or under Rule 144, through the exercise of registration rights or the issuance of shares of common stock upon the exercise of stock options, or the conversion of our preferred stock, or the perception that such sales or issuances could occur, could adversely affect prevailing market prices for our common stock and could materially impair our future ability to raise capital through an offering of equity securities.

We are subject to anti-takeover provisions and the terms and conditions of our preferred stock financing that could delay or prevent an acquisition and could adversely affect the price of our common stock.

        Our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, and Amended and Restated Bylaws, certain provisions of Delaware law and the certificate of designation governing the rights, preferences and privileges of our preferred stock may make it difficult in some respects to cause a change in control of our company and replace incumbent management. For example, our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, and Amended and Restated Bylaws provide for a classified board of directors. With a classified board of directors, at least two annual meetings of stockholders, instead of one, will generally be required to effect a change in the majority of the board. As a result, a provision relating to a classified board may discourage proxy contests for the election of directors or purchases of a substantial block of our common stock because its provisions could operate to prevent obtaining control of the board in a relatively short period of time.

        Separately, the holders of our preferred stock presently have the right to designate two members of our Board of Directors, and they also have a number of voting rights pursuant to the terms of the certificate of designation which could potentially delay, defer or prevent a change of control. In particular, the holders of our Series A preferred stock have the right to approve a number of actions by us, including mergers, consolidations, acquisitions and similar transactions in which the holders of Series A preferred stock and common stock do not receive at least three times the then existing conversion price per share of the Series A preferred stock. This right may create a potentially discouraging effect on, among other things, any third party's interest in completing these types of transactions with us. Consequently, the terms and conditions under which we issued our preferred stock, coupled with the existence of other anti-takeover provisions, may collectively have a negative impact on the price of our common stock, may discourage third-party bidders from making a bid for our company or may reduce any premiums paid to our stockholders for their common stock.

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        In addition, our Board of Directors has the authority to fix the rights and preferences of, and to issue shares of, our preferred stock, which may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control of our company without action by holders of our common stock.


ITEM 2. PROPERTIES

        We currently lease three properties located in Corte Madera, California, which are used as our headquarters. The first property in Corte Madera consists of approximately 3,600 square feet of office space and approximately 18,000 square feet of warehouse space. The lease expires on December 31, 2003. The second and third properties in Corte Madera consist of approximately 34,000 square feet of office space in total and the leases expire on May 15, 2004.

        In connection with all of our business segments, we lease approximately 160,000 square feet of warehouse space in Hayward, California, for use as our west coast distribution center. This lease expires on July 31, 2004, with an option to extend for one additional five-year term. We lease an additional 191,000 square feet of warehouse space in Tracy, California, also for use as a distribution center. This lease expires on March 25, 2004, with an option to renew for one additional three-year term. We lease approximately 276,000 square feet of warehouse space in Baltimore, Maryland, for use as our east coast distribution center. The lease expires on September 30, 2006, with options to extend for two additional three-year terms.

        In connection with our retail business segment, as of February 1, 2003, we leased approximately 1,195,000 gross square feet for our 105 retail stores. Our retail stores' lease terms range from 3 to 20 years. Most leases for our retail stores provide for a minimum rent, typically including escalating rent increases, plus a percentage rent based upon sales after certain minimum thresholds are achieved. The leases generally require us to pay insurance, utilities, real estate taxes, and repair and maintenance expenses.

        In connection with our furniture manufacturing segment, Michaels leases two properties used for the manufacturing and storage of furniture, in Sacramento, California. The main property consists of approximately 100,000 square feet of manufacturing space and 7,000 square feet of office space. The lease expires on February 28, 2008, with options to extend the lease for two additional 5-year terms. The second property consists of approximately 46,000 square feet of warehouse space which is used to house finished upholstered goods. This lease expires on July 31, 2006.


ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

        There are no material pending legal proceedings against us. We are, however, involved from time to time in legal proceedings, including litigation arising in the ordinary course of our business. At the present time, we believe no legal proceedings will have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial condition or results of operations. However, we cannot assure you that the results of any proceeding will be in our favor. Moreover, due to the uncertainties inherent in any legal proceeding, we cannot accurately predict the ultimate outcome of any proceeding and may incur substantial costs to defend the proceeding, irrespective of the merits. The unfavorable outcome of any legal proceeding could have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.


ITEM 4. SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS

        No matters were submitted to a vote of security holders during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year covered by this annual report.

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PART II

ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS

MARKET INFORMATION

        Our common stock is listed on The Nasdaq National Market under the symbol "RSTO." The closing price of our common stock on Nasdaq was $3.82 on April 25, 2003.

STOCKHOLDERS

        As of April 25, 2003 there were 206 common stockholders of record of our common stock. This number excludes stockholders whose stock is held in nominee or street name by brokers.

DIVIDEND POLICY

        No dividends have been declared on our common stock since our 1998 initial public offering and it is not anticipated that we will pay any dividends in the foreseeable future on our common stock. In addition, restrictive covenants in our credit facility prohibit our payment of dividends and protective provisions in our Certificate of Designation of Series A and Series B Preferred Stock require the approval of two-thirds of the then outstanding shares of our Series A preferred stock, voting together as a single class, for us to declare or pay any dividend on any shares of common stock.

STOCK PRICE INFORMATION

        Set forth below are the high and low closing sale prices for shares of our common stock for each quarter during the fiscal years ended February 1, 2003 and February 2, 2002 as reported by The Nasdaq National Market.

QUARTER ENDING

  HIGH
  LOW
February 3, 2001   $ 2.94   $ 0.53
May 5, 2001     6.12     1.38
August 4, 2001     7.25     4.77
November 3, 2001     4.83     2.30
February 2, 2002     10.50     3.96
May 4, 2002     13.75     9.80
August 3, 2002     11.49     4.12
November 2, 2002     6.49     2.70
February 1, 2003     8.20     2.30

        Information relating to the securities authorized for issuance under equity compensation plans will be set forth in the section with the caption "Equity Compensation Plan Information" in our definitive proxy statement. This information is incorporated herein by reference.


ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

        The following table sets forth selected, consolidated financial information for operations for the years indicated. This information is qualified by reference to and should be read in conjunction with "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations," the

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consolidated financial statements, related notes thereto and other financial data included elsewhere in this annual report. The following results may not be indicative of our future operating results.

 
  Fiscal
2002

  Fiscal
2001(1)

  Fiscal
2000(2)

  Fiscal
1999

  Fiscal
1998(3)

 
Results of Operations (Dollars in thousands except per share amounts):                                
  Net sales   $ 400,337   $ 366,473   $ 366,236   $ 298,902   $ 211,347  
  Earnings (loss) before income taxes     (12,121 )   (41,462 )   (5,977 )   (4,773 )   8,247  
  Net earnings (loss)     (3,603 )   (32,556 )   (4,560 )   (3,040 )   4,866  
  Net earnings (loss) attributable to common stockholders     (3,961 )   (35,373 )   (4,560 )   (3,040 )   3,867  
  Basic EPS     (0.13 )   (1.51 )   (0.27 )   (0.18 )   0.33  
  Diluted EPS     (0.13 )   (1.51 )   (0.27 )   (0.18 )   0.23  
Financial Position:                                
  Working capital     61,086     55,628     39,829     51,610     36,320  
  Total assets     226,228     207,054     233,871     221,715     164,245  
  Debt and other long-term obligations     14,053     3,236     39,470     37,145     470  
  Redeemable convertible preferred stock     13,328     14,106              
  Stockholders' equity     94,734     89,455     78,875     82,882     83,755  
Retail Stores:                                
  Store count     105     104     106     93     65  
  Comparable store sales growth(4)     6.2 %   (4.6 )%   (1.0 )%   0.8 %   12.3 %
  Store selling sq. ft. at year-end     688,634     682,936     701,628     614,343     418,025  

(1)
The results of operations and financial position data for fiscal 2001 give effect to a restatement of previously issued financial statements, as discussed in Note 17 of our consolidated financial statements in Part II, Item 8 of this annual report on Form 10-K.

(2)
Fiscal 2000 was a 53-week year. For purposes of the calculation of comparable store growth, results were calculated to correspond with a 52-week fiscal year.

(3)
The results of operations for 1998 include the results of Michaels from the date of acquisition on March 20, 1998.

(4)
Comparable store sales are defined as sales from stores whose gross square footage did not change by more than 20% in the previous 12 months and which have been open at least 12 full months. Stores generally become comparable in their 14th full month of operation.


ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

        The following management's discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations gives effect to the restatement discussed in Note 17 of our consolidated financial statements in Part II, Item 8 of this annual report on Form 10-K.

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RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Net Sales

        Net sales consist of the following components:

 
  2002
  % OF
TOTAL

  2001
  % OF
TOTAL

  2000
  % OF
TOTAL

 
 
  (Dollars in thousands)

 
Retail sales   $ 355,597   89 % $ 332,783   91 % $ 342,687   94 %
Direct-to-customer     44,705   11 %   33,647   9 %   22,554   6 %
Furniture manufacturing     35       43       995    
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
Total net sales   $ 400,337   100 % $ 366,473   100 % $ 366,236   100 %
   
 
 
 
 
 
 

        Net sales for the 52 weeks ended February 1, 2003 ("fiscal 2002"), increased $33.9 million or 9.2% over net sales for the 52 weeks ended February 2, 2002 ("fiscal 2001"). The increase in total net sales was due to a $22.8 million increase in net sales from our retail stores and an $11.1 million increase in net sales from our direct-to-customer channel. We believe that these increases were a result of implementing our repositioning strategy in fiscal 2002, including introduction of new product lines, in particular our premium-positioned textiles; re-modeling our stores; increases in advertising and events associated with the re-launch of our remodeled stores; redesigning our catalog and website; and increases in the number of catalogs mailed, which drive sales in all channels.

        Net sales for fiscal 2001 (a 52 week year), increased $0.2 million or 0.1% over net sales for the 53 weeks ended February 3, 2001 ("fiscal 2000"). A decrease of $9.9 million in net sales from stores and a $0.9 million decrease in furniture manufacturing sales was offset by an increase of $11.0 million in net sales from our direct-to-customer channel. In addition to negative comparisons as a result of the extra week of sales in the prior year, we believe that fiscal 2001 net revenues were affected by the deterioration in the general economic environment which began in 2001, the events of September 11, 2001, and the transitional discounting and inventory reduction activity associated with the implementation of our new merchandising strategy.

        Furniture manufacturing sales were made only to employees in fiscal 2002 and 2001, and primarily to third parties in fiscal 2000.

        Total net sales include shipping fees of $8.4 million, $7.1 million and $5.7 million for fiscal 2002, fiscal 2001, and fiscal 2000, respectively. As of February 1, 2003, we operated 105 stores in 31 states, the District of Columbia and Canada.

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Retail Sales

 
  2002
  2001
  2000
 
 
  (in thousands except percentages, sq. ft. amounts and retail stores data)

 
Retail sales   $ 352,741   $ 330,146   $ 340,018  
Shipping fees     2,856     2,637     2,669  
   
 
 
 
  Net retail sales   $ 355,597   $ 332,783   $ 342,687  
Retail net sales growth percentage     6.9 %   (2.9 )%   22.7 %
Comparable store sales growth     6.2 %   (4.6 )%   (1.0 )%

Number of stores at beginning of year

 

 

104

 

 

106

 

 

93

 
Number of stores opened     1     1     13  
Number of stores closed         3      
   
 
 
 
Number of stores at year-end     105     104     106  
   
 
 
 

Store selling sq. ft. at year-end

 

 

688,634

 

 

682,936

 

 

701,628

 

        Retail sales increased by $22.8 million or 6.9% in fiscal 2002 as compared to fiscal 2001, primarily due to a $20.4 million or 6.2% increase in comparable store sales. Compared to fiscal 2001, one new store and a warehouse sale event in fiscal 2002 accounted for increased sales of $5.0 million, offset by a decrease of $2.7 million as a result of fiscal 2001 store closures. The comparable store sales increase resulted from the implementation of our repositioning strategy as described above; in particular, the introduction of our premium-positioned textiles, which increased sales in the textile product category to approximately 17% of sales in fiscal 2002 from approximately 7% of sales in fiscal 2001.

        Retail sales decreased 2.9% in fiscal 2001 as compared to the prior year, primarily due to a $15.1 million or 4.6% decrease in comparable store sales, the extra week in fiscal 2000 which contributed $6.2 million in that year, and the closure of three under-performing stores. Compared to fiscal 2000, new stores accounted for increased sales of $16.7 million in fiscal 2001, offset by the comparable store sales decline and a decrease of $5.5 million as a result of fiscal 2001 store closures. The comparable store sales decrease was due to weak consumer spending over most of fiscal 2001, related to the general economic slowdown and the events of September 11, 2001.

        Average revenue per retail transaction in fiscal 2002 increased 23% compared to fiscal 2001, while total retail transactions decreased by 14%. We attribute the increase in average revenue per transaction to the new product introductions and product mix changes implemented as the integral part of our repositioning strategy. We believe that the decline in the number of transactions may also be a result of the new product categories and changed mix. In fiscal 2001, the average revenue per transaction was approximately flat with fiscal 2000, while total retail transactions decreased by 3%. Average revenue per transaction is calculated by dividing the amount of gross sales, exclusive of delivery revenue and sales taxes, by the gross number of transactions.

        Over the second half of fiscal 2001, as part of our repositioning strategy, we reduced the number of items in our merchandise assortment by 30%, from approximately 7,000 to approximately 5,000 items. In connection with this process, under-performing products were eliminated and new products were introduced, resulting in the introduction of approximately 60% new product in the first quarter of fiscal 2002.

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        Comparable store sales are defined as sales from stores whose gross square footage did not change by more than 20% in the previous 12 months and which have been open at least 12 full months. Stores generally become comparable in their 14th full month of operation. In any given period, the set of stores comprising comparable stores may be different from the set of comparable stores in the previous period, depending on when stores were opened. We believe that comparable store sales are a more useful indicator of store performance than the change in total net sales, since comparable store sales exclude the effects of changes in the number of stores open.

Direct-to-customer

 
  2002
  2001
  2000
 
 
  (in thousands except percentages)

 
Catalog sales   $ 25,976   $ 19,026   $ 13,766  
Internet sales     13,167     10,112     5,736  
   
 
 
 
  Total     39,143     29,138     19,502  
Shipping fees     5,562     4,509     3,052