COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

12 Months Ended

Jan. 31, 2023

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES [Abstract]

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

NOTE 10 — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

License Agreements

The Company has entered into license agreements that provide for royalty payments based on net sales of licensed products. The Company incurred royalty expense (included in cost of goods sold) of $162.9 million, $145.1 million and $116.8 million for the years ended January 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Contractual advertising expense, which is included in selling, general and administrative expenses and is normally based on a percentage of net sales associated with certain license agreements, was $45.2 million, $41.2 million and $29.5 million for the years ended January 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Based on minimum net sales requirements, future minimum royalty and advertising payments required under these agreements are:

Year Ending January 31,	Amount
	(In thousands)
2024		127,542
2025		88,412
2026		63,839
2027		29,206
2028		6,490
Thereafter		—
	$	315,489

Legal Proceedings

In the ordinary course of business, the Company is subject to periodic claims, investigations and lawsuits. Although the Company cannot predict with certainty the ultimate resolution of claims, investigations and lawsuits, asserted against the Company, it does not believe that any currently pending legal proceeding or proceedings to which it is a party could have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition or results of operations.

Canadian Customs Duty Examination

In October 2017, the Canada Border Service Agency (“CBSA”) issued an audit report to G-III Apparel Canada ULC (“G-III Canada”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, challenging the valuation used by G-III Canada for certain goods imported into Canada between February 1, 2014 and October 27, 2017. The CBSA requested that G-III Canada

reassess its customs entries for that period and change the valuation method used to pay duties with respect to goods imported in the future. As a result of this reassessment, in March 2018, G-III Canada provided a bond to the CBSA in the amount of CAD$26.9 million ($20.9 million) representing customs duty and interest through December 31, 2017 that was claimed to be owed to the CBSA.

Beginning February 1, 2018, the Company began paying duties based on the new valuation method. Cumulative amounts paid and deferred through January 31, 2023, related to the higher dutiable values, were CAD$15.5 million ($11.5 million).

G-III Canada filed a Notice of Appeal with the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (the “Tribunal”) appealing the CBSA decision. A hearing on the appeal was held on December 7, 2021. On August 22, 2022, the Tribunal ruled in favor of G-III Canada and G-III Canada’s appeal has been allowed by the Tribunal. The decision was not appealed by the CBSA. As a result, G-III Canada will continue to declare dutiable values utilizing its pre-audit methodology, with the addition of a dutiable design assist (“design assist”).  

In accordance with the Tribunal ruling, G-III Canada has received a refund from the CBSA of CAD$1.5 million ($1.1 million), including interest and net of the design assist, for amounts paid by G-III Canada between February 1, 2014 and January 31, 2018. G-III Canada has filed adjustment requests with the CBSA for the period from February 1, 2018 to January 31, 2022 to amend declared dutiable values. These amendments are expected to result in a refund of duty and interest of approximately CAD$13.2 million ($9.8 million) after deductions for the design assist and related interest. The bond issued by G-III Canada in March 2018 has been released back to the Company.