The following Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
Results of Operations ("MD&A") generally discusses our results of operations for
Fiscal 2021 and Fiscal 2020 and provides comparisons between such fiscal years.
For our discussion and comparison of Fiscal 2020 and Fiscal 2019, see
"Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations" in Part II, Item 7 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
year ended January 30, 2021. This MD&A should be read together with the
Company's audited Consolidated Financial Statements and notes thereto included
in this Annual Report on Form 10-K in "  ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND
SUPPLEMENTARY DATA    ,  " to which all references to Notes in MD&A are made.

INTRODUCTION



MD&A is provided as a supplement to the accompanying Consolidated Financial
Statements and notes thereto to help provide an understanding of the Company's
results of operations, financial condition, and liquidity. MD&A is organized as
follows:

•  Overview  . A general description of the Company's business and certain
segment information, and an overview of key performance indicators reviewed by
various members of management to gauge the Company's results.

•  Current Trends and Outlook  . A discussion of the Company's long-term plans
for growth. In addition, this section also provides a summary of the Company's
performance over recent years, primarily Fiscal 2021 and Fiscal 2020.

•  Results of Operations  . An analysis of certain components of the Company's
Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) for Fiscal
2021 as compared to Fiscal 2020.

•  Liquidity and Capital Resources  . A discussion of the Company's financial
condition, changes in financial condition and liquidity as of January 29, 2022,
which includes (i) an analysis of changes in cash flows for Fiscal 2021 as
compared to Fiscal 2020, (ii) an analysis of liquidity, including the
availability under credit facilities, and outstanding debt and covenant
compliance and (iii) a summary of contractual and other obligations as of
January 29, 2022.

•  Recent Accounting Pronouncements  . The recent accounting pronouncements the
Company has adopted or is currently evaluating, including the dates of adoption
or expected dates of adoption, as applicable, and anticipated effects on the
Company's audited Consolidated Financial Statements, are included in Note 2
"  SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES  ."

•  Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates  . The accounting policies
considered to be important to the Company's results of operations and financial
condition, which typically require significant judgment and estimation on the
part of the Company's management in their application.

•  Non-GAAP Financial Measures  . MD&A provides a discussion of certain
financial measures that have been determined to not be in accordance with
accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. ("GAAP"). This section
includes certain reconciliations for non-GAAP financial measures and additional
details on these financial measures, including information as to why the Company
believes the non-GAAP financial measures provided within MD&A are useful to
investors.

A discussion of the Company's financial condition, changes in financial condition and results of operations for Fiscal 2020 as compared to Fiscal 2019, is incorporated by reference from " ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS ," in PART II of A&F's Annual Report on Form 10-K for Fiscal 2020, filed with the SEC on March 29, 2021.

Safe harbor statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995



The Company cautions that any forward-looking statements (as such term is
defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) contained in
this Annual Report on Form 10-K or made by the Company, its management or its
spokespeople involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change based on
various factors, many of which may be beyond the Company's control. Words such
as "guidance," "outlook," "estimate," "project," "plan," "believe," "expect,"
"anticipate," "intend," "goal," "should," and similar expressions may identify
forward-looking statements. Future economic and industry trends that could
potentially impact revenue and profitability are difficult to predict.
Therefore, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements
included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K will prove to be accurate. In light
of the significant uncertainties in the forward-looking statements included
herein, including the on-going hostilities in Ukraine, the uncertainty
surrounding COVID-19, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded
as a representation by the Company, or any other person, that the objectives of
the Company will be achieved. The forward-looking statements included herein are
based on information presently available to the management of the Company.
Except as may be required by applicable law, the Company assumes no obligation
to publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements even if experience
or future changes make it clear that any projected results expressed or implied
therein will not be realized. A discussion of material risks that could affect
the Company's financial performance and cause actual results to differ
materially from those expressed or implied in any of the forward-looking
statements is included in  "  ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS  ," of this Annual Report on
Form 10-K.
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OVERVIEW

Business summary

The Company is a global, digitally led omnichannel retailer. The Company offers
a broad assortment of apparel, personal care products and accessories for men,
women and kids, which are sold primarily through its digital channels and
Company-owned stores, as well as through various third-party arrangements. The
Company's two brand-based operating segments are Hollister, which includes the
Company's Hollister, Gilly Hicks and Social Tourist brands, and Abercrombie,
which includes the Company's Abercrombie & Fitch and abercrombie kids brands.
These five brands share a commitment to offering unique products of enduring
quality and exceptional comfort that allow customers around the world to express
their own individuality and style. The Company operates primarily in North
America, Europe and Asia.

The Company's fiscal year ends on the Saturday closest to January 31. All references herein to the Company's fiscal years are as follows:



Fiscal year        Year ended/ ending      Number of weeks
Fiscal 2019         February 1, 2020             52
Fiscal 2020         January 30, 2021             52
Fiscal 2021         January 29, 2022             52
Fiscal 2022         January 28, 2023             52



Due to the seasonal nature of the retail apparel industry, the results of
operations for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of the results
expected for the full fiscal year and the Company could experience significant
fluctuations in certain asset and liability accounts. The Company experiences
its greatest sales activity during Fall, due to Back-to-School and Holiday sales
periods, respectively.

Key performance indicators

The following measurements are among the key performance indicators reviewed by various members of the Company's management to gauge the Company's results:



•Changes in net sales and comparable sales;
•Comparative results of operations on a constant currency basis with the prior
year's results converted at the current year's foreign currency exchange rate to
remove the impact of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuation;
•Gross profit and gross profit rate;
•Cost of sales, exclusive of depreciation and amortization, as a percentage of
net sales;
•Stores and distribution expense as a percentage of net sales;
•Marketing, general and administrative expense as a percentage of net sales;
•Operating income and operating income as a percentage of net sales ("operating
margin");
•Net income and net income attributable to A&F;
•Cash flow and liquidity measures, such as the Company's current ratio, working
capital and free cash flow;
•Inventory metrics, such as inventory turnover;
•Return on invested capital and return on equity;
•Store metrics, such as net sales per gross square foot, and store 4-wall
operating margins;
•Digital and omnichannel metrics, such as total shipping expense as a percentage
of digital sales, and certain metrics related to our
purchase-online-pickup-in-store and order-in-store programs;
•Transactional metrics, such as traffic and conversion, performance across key
product categories, average unit retail, average unit cost, average units per
transaction and average transaction values; and
•Customer-centric metrics such as customer satisfaction, customer retention and
acquisition, and certain metrics related to the loyalty programs.

While not all of these metrics are disclosed publicly by the Company due to the proprietary nature of the information, the Company publicly discloses and discusses many of these metrics within this MD&A.


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CURRENT TRENDS AND OUTLOOK

Focus areas for Fiscal 2022

The Company remains committed to, and confident in, its long-term vision of being a digitally-led global omnichannel apparel retailer and continues to evaluate opportunities to make progress against initiatives that support this vision.



The Company entered Fiscal 2021 with positive momentum, and has made progress
towards recovering from COVID-19 sales losses. Reflecting ongoing global
uncertainty, the Company plans to continue to actively manage inventories,
optimize its distribution center capacity for digital demand and tightly manage
expenses.

The following focus areas for Fiscal 2022 serve as a framework to the Company
achieving sustainable growth and long-term operating margin expansion:
•Accelerate digital, data and technology investments to increase agility and
improve the customer experience;
•Create a more personalized customer experience through a connected omnichannel
ecosystem,
•Optimize our global distribution network to expand digital capacity and improve
product delivery speed
•Opportunistically open new, omni-enabled stores in under penetrated markets,
and
•Integrate environmental, social and governance practices and standards
throughout the organization.

Global Store Network Optimization



Reflecting a continued focus on its key transformation initiative 'Global Store
Network Optimization,' the Company delivered new store experiences across brands
during Fiscal 2021 and Fiscal 2020. Details related to these new store
experiences follow:

             Type of new store experience           Fiscal 2021       Fiscal 2020
             New stores                                      38                15
             Remodels                                         2                 4
             Right-sizes                                      5                 6
             Total                                           45                25



As part of its ongoing global store network optimization initiative and stated
goal of repositioning from larger format, tourist-dependent flagship locations
to smaller, omni-enabled stores that cater to local customers, the Company
closed its Abercrombie & Fitch brand Singapore and Hamburg flagship locations
during Fiscal 2021. This leaves the Company with five operating flagships at the
end of Fiscal 2021, down from seven at the beginning of Fiscal 2021 and 15 at
the beginning of Fiscal 2020.

In addition, the Company closed 42 non-flagship locations, resulting in 44 total
store closures during Fiscal 2021. Store optimization efforts in Fiscal 2021
reduced total Company store gross square footage by approximately 0.2 million
gross square feet, or 3%, as compared to Fiscal 2020 year-end. The actions taken
in Fiscal 2021, combined with ongoing digital sales growth, are expected to
continue to transform the Company's operating model and reposition the Company
for the future as it continues to focus on aligning store square footage with
digital penetration.

Store count and gross square footage by brand and geography as of January 30, 2021 and January 29, 2022 were as follows:



                                             Hollister (1)                                            Abercrombie (2)                                                         Total Company (3)
                              United States                 International              United States                  International               United States                     International                    Total
Number of stores:
January 30, 2021                     347                           150                        190                              48                        537                                   198                      735
New                                   10                            12                          7                               9                         17                                    21                       38
Closed                                (6)                           (8)                       (24)                             (6)                       (30)                                  (14)                     (44)
January 29, 2022                     351                           154                        173                              51                        524                                   205                      729

Gross square footage (in thousands):
January 30, 2021                   2,309                         1,219                      1,311                             393                      3,620                                 1,612                    5,232
January 29, 2022                   2,312                         1,212                      1,161                             367                      3,473                                 1,579                    5,052


(1)Hollister includes the Hollister and Gilly Hicks brands. Locations with Gilly
Hicks carveouts within Hollister stores are represented as a single store count.
Excludes nine international franchise stores as of each of January 29, 2022 and
January 30, 2021. Excludes 14 Company-operated temporary stores as of
January 29, 2022 and 12 as of January 30, 2021.
(2)Abercrombie includes the Abercrombie & Fitch and abercrombie kids brands.
Locations with abercrombie kids carveouts within Abercrombie & Fitch stores are
represented as a single store count. Excludes 14 international franchise stores
as of January 29, 2022 and 10 as of January 30, 2021. Excludes five
Company-operated temporary stores as of January 29, 2022 and two as of
January 30, 2021.
(3)This store count excludes one international third-party operated multi-brand
outlet store as of January 30, 2021.

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Impact of COVID-19

In March 2020, the COVID-19 outbreak was declared to be a global pandemic by the
World Health Organization. In response to COVID-19, certain governments imposed
travel restrictions and local statutory quarantines and the Company experienced
widespread temporary store closures. As of January 29, 2022, all U.S.
Company-operated stores were fully open for in-store service; however, temporary
store closures have subsequently been mandated in certain parts of the APAC
region in response to COVID-19. During periods of temporary store closures,
reductions in revenue have not been offset by proportional decreases in expense,
as the Company continues to incur store occupancy costs such as operating lease
costs, net of rent abatements agreed upon during the period, depreciation
expense, and certain other costs such as compensation, net of government payroll
relief, and administrative expenses resulting in a negative effect on the
relationship between the Company's costs and revenues.

Although U.S. and global economies have begun to recover from the COVID-19
pandemic as many health and safety restrictions have been lifted and vaccine
distribution has increased, certain adverse consequences of the pandemic
continue to impact the macroeconomic environment and may persist for some time,
including labor shortages and disruptions of global supply chains and temporary
store closures. The extent of future impacts of COVID-19 on the Company's
business, including the duration and impact on overall customer demand, are
uncertain as current circumstances are dynamic and depend on future
developments, including, but not limited to, the emergence of new variants of
coronavirus, such as the Delta and Omicron variants, and the availability and
acceptance of effective vaccines, boosters or medical treatments. The Company
plans to follow the guidance of local governments to evaluate whether future
store closures will be necessary.

The Company's digital operations across brands have continued to serve the
Company's customers during periods of temporary store closures. In response to
elevated digital demand during this period, the Company leveraged its
omnichannel capabilities by continuing to offer Purchase-Online-Pickup-in-Store,
including curbside pickup at a majority of U.S. locations, and by utilizing
ship-from-store capabilities, including same-day delivery across its entire U.S.
store fleet. Despite the recent strength in digital sales, the Company has
historically generated the majority of its annual net sales through stores and
there can be no assurance that the current level of digital penetration will
continue when stores operate at full capacity.

For further information about how COVID-19 could impact our operations, refer to

" ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS ," of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Supply chain disruptions, inflation and changing prices



The Company has continued to see disruptions in global supply chains, including
temporary closures of factories. The inability to receive inventory in a timely
manner could cause delays in responding to customer demand and adversely affect
sales. In addition, the Company has seen and expects to continue to see
inflationary pressures affecting the Company's transportation and other costs.
In order to mitigate the risk associated with supply chain constraints, the
Company has taken and expects to continue to take actions to manage through the
disruption, including shipping inventory by air and shifting production as
necessary and where possible. This adversely impacted the Company during the
latter half of Fiscal 2021, and is likely to continue to cause increased
inventory costs related to freight. It is possible that responses to extended
factory closures and transportation delays are not adequate to mitigate their
impact, and that these events could adversely affect the business and results of
operations.

The Company has also recently experienced inflation in labor, raw materials and
other costs. Inflation can have a long-term impact on the Company because
increasing costs may impact the ability to maintain satisfactory margins. The
Company may be unsuccessful in passing these increases on to the customer
through higher ticket prices. Furthermore, Increases in inflation may not be
matched by growth in consumer income, which also could have a negative impact on
spending.

Impact of global events and uncertainty



As a global multi-brand omnichannel specialty retailer, with operations in North
America, Europe and Asia, among other regions and, as a result, management is
are mindful of macroeconomic risks, global challenges and the changing global
geopolitical environment, including the on-going hostilities in Ukraine, that
could adversely impact certain areas of the business. As a result, in addition
to the events listed within MD&A, management continues to monitor certain other
global events. The Company continues to assess the potential impacts these
events and similar events may have on the business in future periods and
continues to develop contingency plans to assist in mitigating potential
impacts. It is possible that the Company's preparations for such events are not
adequate to mitigate their impact, and that these events could further adversely
affect its business and results of operations. For a discussion of material
risks that have the potential to cause actual results to differ materially from
expectations, refer to "  ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS  ," included in this Annual
Report on Form 10-K.

The Company continues to evaluate opportunities to invest in and make progress
on initiatives that position the business for sustainable long-term growth that
align with the strategic pillars as described within "  ITEM 1. BUSINESS -
STRATEGY AND KEY BUSINESS PRIORITIES  ," included in this Annual Report on Form
10-K.

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Summary of results

A summary of results for Fiscal 2021 and Fiscal 2020 follows:



                                                             GAAP                                 Non-GAAP (1)
(in thousands, except change in net sales,
gross profit rate, operating margin and per
share amounts)                                   Fiscal 2021          

Fiscal 2020 Fiscal 2021 Fiscal 2020 Net sales

$ 3,712,768          $ 

3,125,384


Change in net sales from the prior fiscal
year                                                   19  %               (14) %
Gross profit rate (2)                                62.3                 60.5
Operating income (loss)                       $   343,084          $   (20,469)         $  355,184          $   52,468
Operating income (loss) margin                        9.2  %              (0.7) %              9.6  %              1.7  %
Net income (loss) attributable to A&F (3)     $   263,010          $  (114,021)         $  272,689          $  (45,383)
Net income (loss) per diluted share
attributable to A&F (3)                              4.20                (1.82)               4.35               (0.73)



(1)  Refer to "  RESULTS OF OPERATIONS  " for details on excluded items. A
reconciliation from each non-GAAP financial measure presented in this Annual
Report on Form 10-K to the most directly comparable financial measure calculated
in accordance with GAAP, as well as a discussion as to why the Company believes
that these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors is provided below
under "  NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES  ."
(2)  Gross profit is derived from cost of sales, exclusive of depreciation and
amortization.
(3)  Fiscal 2021 results includes $42.5 million of tax benefits due to the
release of valuation allowances as a result of the improvement seen in business
conditions. Fiscal 2020 results included $101 million of adverse tax impacts
related to valuation allowances on deferred tax assets and other tax charges as
a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which adversely impacted net loss per diluted
share by or $1.61 per share. Refer to Note 12, "  INCOME TAXES  ."

Certain components of the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheets as of January 29, 2022 and January 30, 2021 and Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for Fiscal 2021 and Fiscal 2020 were as follows:



(in thousands)
Balance Sheets data                                              January 29, 2022           January 30, 2021
Cash and equivalents                                         $         823,139          $       1,104,862
Gross borrowings outstanding, carrying amount                          307,730                    350,000
Inventories                                                            525,864                    404,053
Statement of Cash Flows data                                          Fiscal 2021                Fiscal 2020
Net cash provided by operating activities                    $         277,782          $         404,918
Net cash used for investing activities                                 (96,979)                   (51,910)
Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities                  (446,898)                    69,717


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RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The estimated basis point ("BPS") change disclosed throughout this Results of
Operations has been rounded based on the change in the percentage of net sales.

Net sales

(in thousands)      Fiscal 2021      Fiscal 2020       $ Change     % Change
Hollister         $ 2,147,979      $ 1,834,349      $ 313,630          17%
Abercrombie         1,564,789        1,291,035        273,754          21%

Total Company     $ 3,712,768      $ 3,125,384      $ 587,384          19%



Net sales by geographic area are presented by attributing revenues on the basis
of the country in which the merchandise was sold for in-store purchases and the
shipping location provided by customers for digital orders. The Company's net
sales by geographic area for Fiscal 2021 and Fiscal 2020 were as follows:

(in thousands)      Fiscal 2021      Fiscal 2020       $ Change     % Change
United States     $ 2,652,158      $ 2,127,403      $ 524,755          25%
EMEA                  755,072          709,451         45,621          6%
APAC                  171,701          176,636         (4,935)        (3)%
Other                 133,837          111,894         21,943          20%
International     $ 1,060,610      $   997,981      $  62,629          6%
Total Company     $ 3,712,768      $ 3,125,384      $ 587,384          19%



For Fiscal 2021, net sales increased 19% as compared to Fiscal 2020, primarily
due to an increase in units sold as a result of increased store traffic relative
to last year, which was impacted by widespread temporary store closures due to
COVID-19, and 4% digital sales growth. Average unit retail increased
year-over-year, driven by less promotions and lower clearance levels, with
benefits from changes in foreign currency exchange rates of approximately $26
million.


Cost of sales, exclusive of depreciation and amortization



                                                         Fiscal 2021                                  Fiscal 2020
(in thousands)                                                    % of Net Sales                               % of Net Sales           BPS Change
Cost of sales, exclusive of depreciation
and amortization                            $ 1,400,773                37.7%             $ 1,234,179                39.5%                  (180)



For Fiscal 2021, cost of sales, exclusive of depreciation and amortization, as a
percentage of net sales decreased approximately 180 basis points as compared to
Fiscal 2020. The year-over-year decrease was primarily attributable to
approximately 550 basis points of increased average unit retail as a result of
lower promotions and markdowns, partially offset by higher average unit cost
related to approximately 414 basis points of increased freight costs as well as
other costs incurred to offset supply chain issues.


Gross profit, exclusive of depreciation and amortization



                                                         Fiscal 2021                                  Fiscal 2020
                                                                  % of Net Sales                               % of Net Sales           BPS Change
Gross profit, exclusive of depreciation and
amortization                                $ 2,311,995                62.3%             $ 1,891,205                60.5%                   180


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Stores and distribution expense

                                                         Fiscal 2021                                  Fiscal 2020
(in thousands)                                                    % of Net Sales                               % of Net Sales           BPS Change
Stores and distribution expense             $ 1,429,476                38.5%             $ 1,391,584                44.5%                  (600)



For Fiscal 2021, stores and distribution expense increased 3% as compared to
Fiscal 2020, primarily driven by a a $42 million increase in digital sales
marketing expense, $36 million increase in payroll expense, reflecting the
return of certain expenses not incurred in Fiscal 2020 due to COVID-19 temporary
store closures, a $15 million increase in digital shipping and handling expense
reflecting 4% year-over-year digital sales growth and a $11 million increase in
digital direct expense. These increases in expense were partially offset by a
$68 million reduction in store occupancy expense, due to a decrease in store
count and favorable rent negotiations and include approximately $17.9 million in
benefits related to rent abatements and a favorable resolution of a flagship
store closure.


Marketing, general and administrative expense



                                                           Fiscal 2021                                   Fiscal 2020
(in thousands)                                                      % of Net Sales                                % of Net Sales           BPS Change
Marketing, general and administrative
expense                                      $    536,815                14.5%             $    463,843                14.8%                  (30)



For Fiscal 2021, marketing, general and administrative expense increased 16% as
compared to Fiscal 2020, primarily driven by increased digital media spend,
performance-based compensation, legal, consulting and information technology
expense. These increases were partially offset by a decrease in depreciation
expense.


Flagship store exit (benefits) charges



                                                          Fiscal 2021                                   Fiscal 2020
(in thousands)                                                     % of Net Sales                                % of Net Sales           BPS Change
Flagship store exit (benefits) charges      $     (1,153)               0.0%              $    (11,636)              (0.4)%                   40



For Fiscal 2021, flagship store exit benefits primarily related to the closure of two international Abercrombie & Fitch flagship stores. Refer to Note 19, " FLAGSHIP STORE EXIT (BENEFITS) CHARGES ."

Asset impairment, exclusive of flagship store exit charges



                                                          Fiscal 2021                                   Fiscal 2020
(in thousands)                                                     % of Net Sales                                % of Net Sales           BPS Change
Asset impairment, exclusive of flagship
store exit charges                          $     12,100                0.3%              $     72,937                2.3%                   (200)
Excluded items:
Asset impairment charges (1)                     (12,100)              (0.3)%                  (72,937)              (2.3)%                   200
Adjusted non-GAAP asset impairment,
exclusive of flagship store exit charges    $          -                0.0%              $          -                0.0%                     -


(1) Refer to " NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES ," for further details.

Refer to Note 9, " ASSET IMPAIRMENT ," for further discussion.




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Other operating income, net

                                                                    Fiscal 2021                                   Fiscal 2020
(in thousands)                                                               % of Net Sales                                % of Net Sales           BPS Change
Other operating income, net                           $      8,327                0.2%              $      5,054                0.2%                     -


For Fiscal 2021, other operating income, net, increased as compared to Fiscal 2020, primarily due to sublease rental income recognized in Fiscal 2021.




Operating income (loss)

                                                              Fiscal 2021                                   Fiscal 2020
(in thousands)                                                         % of Net Sales                                % of Net Sales           BPS Change
Operating (loss) income                         $    343,084                9.2%              $    (20,469)              (0.7)%                   990
Excluded items:
Asset impairment charges (1)                          12,100                0.3%                    72,937                2.3%                   (200)
Adjusted non-GAAP operating income              $    355,184                9.6%              $     52,468                1.7%                    790


(1)  Refer to "  NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES  ," for further details.


Interest expense, net

                                                                 Fiscal 2021                                   Fiscal 2020
(in thousands)                                                            % of Net Sales                                % of Net Sales           BPS Change
Interest expense                                   $     37,958                1.0%              $     31,726                1.0%                     -
Interest income                                          (3,848)              (0.1)%                   (3,452)              (0.1)%                    -
Interest expense, net                              $     34,110                0.9%              $     28,274                0.9%                     -



For Fiscal 2021, interest expense, net, increased 21% primarily driven by the
loss on the extinguishment of debt related to the purchase of Senior Secured
Notes and higher interest expense in the current year, reflecting higher average
borrowings outstanding than before the completion of the Senior Secured Notes
private offering.


Income tax expense

                                                              Fiscal 2021                                       Fiscal 2020
(in thousands, except ratios)                                        Effective Tax Rate                                Effective Tax Rate
Income tax expense                            $     38,908                  12.6%               $     60,211                (123.5)%
Excluded items:
Tax effect of pre-tax excluded items (1)             2,421                                             4,299
Adjusted non-GAAP income tax expense          $     41,329                  12.9%               $     64,510                 266.6%


(1) Refer to "Operating income (loss)" for details of pre-tax excluded items. The tax effect of pre-tax excluded items is the difference between the tax provision calculation on a GAAP basis and an adjusted non-GAAP basis.



The Company's effective tax rate for Fiscal 2021 was impacted by $42.5 million
of tax benefits due to the release of valuation allowances, primarily in the
U.S. and Germany, and a discrete tax benefit of $3.9 million due to a rate
change in the U.K. The Company did not recognize income tax benefits on $25.3
million of pre-tax losses generated in Fiscal 2021 primarily in Switzerland,
resulting in adverse tax impacts of $4.6 million.

Refer to Note 12, " INCOME TAXES ," for further discussion on factors that impacted the effective tax rate in Fiscal 2021 and Fiscal 2020.



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Net income (loss) attributable to A&F

                                                          Fiscal 2021                                  Fiscal 2020
(in thousands)                                                     % of Net Sales                               % of Net Sales           BPS Change
Net income (loss) attributable to A&F       $    263,010                7.1%              $  (114,021)              (3.6)%                  1,070
Excluded items, net of tax (1)                     9,679                0.3%                   68,638                2.2%                   (190)
Adjusted non-GAAP net income (loss)
attributable to A&F (2)                     $    272,689                7.3%              $   (45,383)              (1.5)%                   880


(1) Excludes items presented above under "Operating income (loss)," and "Income tax expense."

Net income (loss) per diluted share attributable to A&F



                                                               Fiscal 2021             Fiscal 2020            $ Change

Net income (loss) per diluted share attributable to A&F $ 4.20

        $      (1.82)             $6.02
Excluded items, net of tax (1)                                       0.15                  1.10             (0.95)

Adjusted non-GAAP net income (loss) per diluted share attributable to A&F

$       4.35          $      (0.73)             $5.08
Impact from changes in foreign currency exchange rates                  -                  0.01             (0.01)

Adjusted non-GAAP net income (loss) per diluted share attributable to A&F on a constant currency basis(2) $ 4.35

$      (0.74)             $5.09


(1)  Excludes items presented above under "Operating income (loss)," and "Income
tax expense."
(2)  Refer to "  NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES  ," for further details.
                   Abercrombie & Fitch Co.     36     2021 Form 10-K


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LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

Overview



The Company's capital allocation strategy, priorities and investments are
reviewed by A&F's Board of Directors considering both liquidity and valuation
factors. Regarding returns to shareholders, although the dividend program
remains suspended, during Fiscal 2021, the Company resumed share repurchases.
The timing and amount of any future share repurchases will depend on various
factors, such as market and business conditions, including the Company's ability
to accelerate investments in the business. The Company believes that it will
have adequate liquidity to fund operating activities over the next 12 months.
The Company monitors financing market conditions and may in the future determine
whether and when to amend, modify, or restructure its Credit Facilities and/or
Senior Secured Notes.

Primary sources and uses of cash



The Company's business has two principal selling seasons: Spring and Fall. The
Company experiences its greatest sales activity during Fall, due to
back-to-school and holiday sales periods. The Company relies on excess operating
cash flows, which are largely generated in Fall, to fund operations throughout
the year and to reinvest in the business to support future growth. The Company
also has the ABL Facility available as a source of additional funding, which is
described further below under "Credit facilities and Senior Secured Notes".

Over the next 12 months, the Company expects its primary cash requirements to be
directed towards funding operating activities, including the acquisition of
inventory, and obligations related to compensation, marketing, leases and any
lease buyouts or modifications it may exercise, taxes and other operating
activities.

The Company evaluates opportunities for investments in the business that are in
line with initiatives that position the business for sustainable long-term
growth that align with its strategic pillars as described within "  ITEM 1.
BUSINESS - STRATEGY AND KEY BUSINESS PRIORITIES  ". Examples of potential
investment opportunities include, but are not limited to, new store experiences
and options to early terminate store leases, investments in its omnichannel
initiatives and investments to increase the Company's capacity to fulfill
digital orders. Historically, the Company has utilized cash flow generated from
operations to fund any discretionary capital expenditures, which have been
prioritized towards new store experiences, as well as digital and omnichannel
investments, information technology, and other projects. For Fiscal 2021, the
Company used $97.0 million towards capital expenditures, down from
$101.9 million of capital expenditures in Fiscal 2020. Total capital
expenditures for Fiscal 2022 are expected to be approximately $150 million.

Share repurchases and dividends



In order to preserve liquidity and maintain financial flexibility in light of
COVID-19, the Company announced that it had temporarily suspended its dividend
and share repurchase programs in Fiscal 2020..

The Company has since adopted a new share repurchase program and may repurchase
shares in the future, but the timing and amount of any further repurchases are
dependent on various factors, such as market and business conditions, including
the Company's ability to accelerate investments in the business. The Company's
dividend program remains suspended. The Company may in the future review its
dividend program to determine, in light of facts and circumstances at that time,
whether and when to reinstate.

In November 2021, the A&F Board of Directors approved a new $500 million share
repurchase authorization, replacing the prior February 19, 2021 share repurchase
authorization of 10.0 million shares, which had approximately 3.9 million shares
remaining available at termination. During Fiscal 2021, the Company repurchased
10.2 million shares and returned $377 million to shareholders through share
repurchases. The timing and amount of any future share repurchases will depend
on various factors, including market and business conditions.

The Company has repurchased shares of its Common Stock from time to time,
dependent on market and business conditions, with the objectives of returning
excess cash to shareholders and offsetting dilution from issuances of Common
Stock associated with the exercise of employee stock appreciation rights and the
vesting of restricted stock units. Shares may be repurchased in the open market,
including pursuant to any trading plans established in accordance with Rule
10b5-1 of the Exchange Act, through privately negotiated transactions or other
transactions or by a combination of such methods. Refer to "  ITEM 5. MARKET FOR
REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF
EQUITY SECURITIES  " for additional information regarding the Company's share
repurchases during the fourth quarter of Fiscal 2021 and the number of shares
remaining available for purchase under the Company's publicly announced stock
repurchase authorization.

A&F's Board of Directors reviews and establishes a dividend amount, if at all,
based on A&F's financial condition, results of operations, capital requirements,
current and projected cash flows, business prospects and other factors,
including the potential severity of impacts to the business resulting from
COVID-19 and any restrictions under the Company's agreements related to the
Senior Secured Notes and the ABL Facility. There can be no assurance that the
Company will declare and pay dividends in the future or, if dividends are paid,
that they will be in amounts similar to past dividends.

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Credit facilities and Senior Secured Notes



In July 2020, the Company completed the private offering of the Senior Secured
Notes, and received gross proceeds of $350 million. The Senior Secured Notes
will mature on July 15, 2025 and bear interest at a rate of 8.75% per annum,
with semi-annual interest payments which began in January 2021. The Company's
debt related to the Senior Secured Notes is presented on the Consolidated
Balance Sheet, net of the unamortized fees. During Fiscal 2021, the Company
repurchased $42.3 million of its outstanding Senior Secured Notes and incurred
$5.3 million of loss on extinguishment of debt, comprised of a repayment premium
of $4.7 million and the write-off of unamortized fees of $0.6 million. As of
January 29, 2022, the Company had $307.7 million of gross indebtedness
outstanding under the Senior Secured Notes.

On April 29, 2021, A&F Management, in A&F Management's capacity as the lead
borrower, and the other borrowers and guarantors party thereto, amended and
restated in its entirety the Credit Agreement, dated as of August 7, 2014, as
amended on September 10, 2015 and as further amended on October 19, 2017 (as
amended and restated, the "Amended and Restated Credit Agreement"), among A&F
Management, the other borrowers and guarantors party thereto, the lenders party
thereto, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent for the
lenders, and the other parties thereto.

The Amended and Restated Credit Agreement continues to provide for a senior
secured revolving credit facility of up to $400.0 million (the "ABL Facility"),
and (i) extends the maturity date of the ABL Facility from October 19, 2022 to
April 29, 2026; and (ii) modifies the required fee on undrawn commitments under
the ABL Facility from 0.25% per annum to either 0.25% or 0.375% per annum (with
the ultimate amount dependent on the conditions detailed in the Amended and
Restated Credit Agreement).

The Company did not have any borrowings outstanding under the ABL Facility as of January 29, 2022 or as of January 30, 2021.



Details regarding borrowing available to the Company under the ABL Facility as
of January 29, 2022 follow:

(in thousands)                                     January 29, 2022
Borrowing base                                  $         279,105
Less: Outstanding stand-by letters of credit                 (814)
Borrowing capacity                                        278,291
Less: Minimum excess availability (1)                     (30,000)

Borrowing available under the ABL Facility $ 248,291

(1) The Company must maintain excess availability equal to the greater of 10% of the loan cap or $30 million under the ABL Facility.

Refer to Note 13, " BORROWINGS ," for additional information.

Income taxes



The Company's earnings and profits from its foreign subsidiaries may be
repatriated to the U.S., without incurring additional U.S. federal income tax.
The Company determined that the balance of the Company's undistributed earnings
and profits from its foreign subsidiaries as of February 2, 2019 are considered
indefinitely reinvested outside of the U.S., and if these funds were to be
repatriated to the U.S., the Company would expect to incur an insignificant
amount of state income taxes and foreign withholding taxes. The Company accrues
for both state income taxes and foreign withholding taxes with respect to
earnings and profits earned after February 2, 2019, in such a manner that these
funds may be repatriated without incurring additional tax expense.

As of January 29, 2022, $380.6 million of the Company's $823.1 million of cash
and equivalents were held by foreign affiliates. The Company is not dependent on
dividends from its foreign affiliates to fund its U.S. operations or to fund
investing and financing cash flow activities.

Refer to Note 12, " INCOME TAXES ," for additional details regarding the impact certain events related to the Company's income taxes had on the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements.

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Analysis of cash flows

The table below provides certain components of the Company's Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for Fiscal 2021 and Fiscal 2020:



(in thousands)                                                  Fiscal 2021           Fiscal 2020
Cash and equivalents, and restricted cash and equivalents,  $  1,124,157          $    692,264
beginning of period
Net cash provided by operating activities                        277,782               404,918
Net cash used for investing activities                           (96,979)              (51,910)
Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities            (446,898)               69,717

Effects of foreign currency exchange rate changes on cash (23,694)

              9,168

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

$   (289,789)         $    431,893
Cash and equivalents, and restricted cash and equivalents,  $    834,368          $  1,124,157
end of period


Operating activities - For Fiscal 2021 the Company recognized higher cash receipts as compared to Fiscal 2020 as a result of the 19% year-over-year increase in net sales as the Company experienced widespread temporary store closures in response to COVID-19 during Fiscal 2020.



The Company also took various immediate, aggressive actions during Fiscal 2020
to preserve liquidity and manage cash flows in light of COVID-19 in order to
best position the business for key stakeholders, including, but not limited to
(i) partnering with merchandise and non-merchandise vendors in regards to
payment terms; (ii) tightly managing inventory receipts to align inventory with
expected market demand; and (iii) significantly reducing expenses to better
align operating costs with sales.

The Company also suspended rent payments for a larger proportion of its stores
in Fiscal 2020 than it has in Fiscal 2021 related to stores that were closed for
a period of time as a result of COVID-19. Certain payment term extensions were
temporary and certain previously deferred payments have since been made. There
can be no assurance that the Company will be able to maintain extended payment
terms or continue to defer payments, which may result in incremental operating
cash outflows in future periods.

In addition, during Fiscal 2021, the Company finalized an agreement with and
paid its landlord partner to settle all remaining obligations related to the
SoHo Hollister flagship store in New York City, which closed during the second
quarter of Fiscal 2019. Prior to this new agreement, the Company was required to
make payments in aggregate of $80.1 million pursuant to the lease agreements
through Fiscal 2028. The new agreement resulted in an acceleration of payments
and provided for a discount resulting in an operating cash outflow of $63.8
million during Fiscal 2021.

While the Company has been successful in obtaining certain rent abatements and
landlord concessions of rent payable during Fiscal 2021 as a result of COVID-19
store closures, the Company continues to engage with its landlords to find a
mutually beneficial and agreeable path forward for certain of its other leases.

Investing activities - For Fiscal 2021, net cash outflows for investing
activities were used for capital expenditures of $97.0 million as compared to
$101.9 million in Fiscal 2020. In addition, Fiscal 2020 reflects the withdrawal
of $50.0 million from the overfunded Rabbi Trust assets, which represented the
majority of excess funds, improving the Company's near-term cash position in
light of COVID-19.

Financing activities - For Fiscal 2021, net cash used by financing activities
primarily consisted of the repurchase of approximately 10.2 million shares of
A&F's Common stock in the open market with a market value of approximately $377
million. In addition, the Company repurchased $42.3 million of its outstanding
Senior Secured Notes at a premium of $4.7 million. For Fiscal 2020, net cash
provided by financing activities primarily consisted of the issuance of the
Senior Secured Notes and receipt of related gross proceeds of $350.0 million and
borrowings under the ABL Facility of $210.0 million. The gross proceeds from the
Senior Secured Notes offering were used along with existing cash on hand, to
repay all then outstanding borrowings and accrued interest under the Term Loan
Facility and the ABL Facility, with the remaining net proceeds used towards fees
and expenses in connection with such repayments and the offering. In addition,
the Company repurchased approximately 1.4 million shares of A&F's Common Stock
with a market value of approximately $15.2 million and paid dividends of $12.6
million during Fiscal 2020, prior to the Company's decision to temporarily
suspend its share repurchase and dividend programs in light of COVID-19.

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Contractual obligations

As of January 29, 2022, the Company's contractual obligations were as follows:

                                                                               Payments due by period
(in thousands)                           Total              Less than 1 year          1-3 years          3-5 years           More than 5 years
Operating lease obligations
(1)                                  $ 1,064,468          $         266,893 

$ 367,746 $ 238,845 $ 190,984 Purchase obligations (2)

                 369,153                    325,963             26,754              5,342                      11,094
Long-term debt obligations (3)           307,730                          -                  -            307,730                           -
Other obligations (4)                    172,944                     42,221             75,295             33,176                      22,252
Total                                $ 1,914,295          $         635,077          $ 469,795          $ 585,093          $          224,330


(1)Operating lease obligations consist of the Company's future undiscounted
operating lease payments, including future fixed lease payments associated with
closed flagship stores. Operating lease obligations do not include variable
payments related to both lease and nonlease components, such as contingent rent
payments made by the Company based on performance, and payments related to
taxes, insurance, and maintenance costs. Total variable lease cost was $110.9
million in Fiscal 2021. Refer to Note 2, "  SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING
POLICIES - Leases  ," and Note 8, "  LEASES  ," for further discussion.

(2)Purchase obligations primarily consist of non-cancelable purchase orders for
merchandise to be delivered during Fiscal 2022 and commitments for fabric
expected to be used during upcoming seasons. In addition, purchase obligations
include agreements to purchase goods or services, including, but not limited to,
information technology, digital and marketing contracts, as well as estimated
obligations related to the Company's 13-year, 100% renewable energy supply
agreement for its global home office and Company-owned distribution centers
which is expected to begin in the Company's fiscal year ending January 28, 2023.

(3)Long-term debt obligations consist of principal payments under the Senior Secured Notes. Refer to Note 13, " BORROWINGS ," for further discussion.



(4)Other obligations consists of: interest payments related to the Senior
Secured Notes assuming normally scheduled principal payments; estimated asset
retirement obligations; accrued rent related to stores where the Company
suspended payments in light of COVID-19 temporary store closures and continues
to engage with its landlords on a agreeable path forward; the amount of the
employer-paid portion of social security taxes deferred in light of COVID-19;
payments from the Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan; known and scheduled
payments related to the Company's deferred compensation and supplemental
retirement plans; tax payments associated with the provisional, mandatory
one-time deemed repatriation tax on accumulated foreign earnings, net payable
over eight years pursuant to the Act; and minimum contractual obligations
related to leases signed but not yet commenced, primarily related to the
Company's stores. Refer to Note 8, "  LEASES  ," Note 12, "  INCOME TAXES  ,"
Note 13, "  BORROWINGS  ," and Note 17, "  SAVINGS AND RETIREMENT PLANS  ," for
further discussion.

Due to uncertainty as to the amounts and timing of future payments, tax related
to uncertain tax positions, including accrued interest and penalties, of $1.2
million as of January 29, 2022 is excluded from the contractual obligations
table. Deferred taxes are also excluded in the contractual obligations table.
For further discussion, refer to Note 12, "  INCOME TAXES  ."

As of January 29, 2022, the Company had recorded $2.8 million and $42.3 million
of obligations related to its deferred compensation and supplemental retirement
plans in accrued expenses and other liabilities on the Consolidated Balance
Sheet, respectively. Amounts payable with known payment dates of $14.2 million
have been classified in the contractual obligations table based on those
scheduled payment dates. However, it is not reasonably practicable to estimate
the timing and amounts for the remainder of these obligations, therefore, those
amounts have been excluded in the contractual obligations table.

A&F had historically paid quarterly dividends on its Common Stock. Due to the
fact that the dividend program is currently suspended and given the payment of
future dividends are subject to determination and approval by A&F's Board of
Directors, there are no amounts included in the contractual obligations table
related to dividends.

RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS



The Company describes its significant accounting policies in Note 2, "  SUMMARY
OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES  ." The Company reviews recent accounting
pronouncements on a quarterly basis and has excluded discussion of those not
applicable to the Company and those that did not have, or are not expected to
have, a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES



The Company's discussion and analysis of its financial condition and results of
operations are based upon the Company's consolidated financial statements which
have been prepared in accordance with GAAP. The preparation of these
consolidated financial statements requires the Company to make estimates and
assumptions that affect the reported amounts. Since actual results may differ
from those estimates, the Company revises its estimates and assumptions as new
information becomes available. The Company believes the following policies are
the most critical to the portrayal of the Company's financial condition and
results of operations.

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                                                              Effect if Actual Results Differ from
Policy                                                        Assumptions

Inventory Valuation
The Company reviews inventories on a quarterly basis.         The Company does not expect material
The Company reduces the inventory valuation when the          changes to the underlying assumptions used
carrying cost of specific inventory items on hand             to measure the LCNRV estimate as of
exceeds the amount expected to be realized from the           January 29, 2022. However, actual results
ultimate sale or disposal of the goods, through a lower       could vary from estimates and could
of cost and net realizable value ("LCNRV") adjustment.        significantly impact the ending inventory
                                                              valuation at cost, as well as gross profit.
The LCNRV adjustment reduces inventory to its net
realizable value based on the Company's consideration         An increase or decrease in the LCNRV
of multiple factors and assumptions, including demand         adjustment of 10% would have affected
forecasts, current sales volumes, expected sell-off           pre-tax loss by approximately $1.7 million
activity, composition and aging of inventory,                 for Fiscal 

2021.


historical recoverability experience and risk of
obsolescence from changes in economic conditions or
customer preferences.
Valuation of deferred tax assets
The provision for income taxes is determined using the        The Company does not expect material
asset and liability approach. Tax laws often require          changes in the judgments, assumptions or
items to be included in tax filings at different times        interpretations used to calculate the tax
than the items are being reflected in the financial           provision for Fiscal 2022. However, changes
statements. Deferred taxes represent the future tax           in these judgments, assumptions or
consequences expected to occur when the reported              interpretations may occur and should those
amounts of assets and liabilities are recovered or            changes be significant, they could have a
paid. Valuation allowances are recorded in certain            material impact on the Company's income tax
jurisdictions to reduce deferred tax assets when it is        provision. As of the end of Fiscal 2021,
more likely than not that a tax benefit will not be           the Company had recorded valuation
realized.                                                     allowances of $110.1 million

                                                              Effect if Actual Results Differ from
Policy                                                        Assumptions
Long-lived Assets
Long-lived assets, primarily operating lease                  Store assets that were tested for
right-of-use assets, leasehold improvements, furniture,       impairment as of January 29, 2022 and not
fixtures and equipment, are tested for recoverability         impaired, had long-lived assets with a net
whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate          book value of $60.6 million, which included
that the carrying amount of the long-lived asset group        $53.6 million of operating lease
might not be recoverable. These include, but are not          right-of-use assets as of January 29, 2022.
limited to, material declines in operational
performance, a history of losses, an expectation of           Store assets that were previously impaired
future losses, adverse market conditions and store            as of January 29, 2022, had a remaining net
closure or relocation decisions. On at least a                book value of $80.9 million, which included
quarterly basis, the Company reviews for indicators of        $73.5 million of operating lease
impairment at the individual store level, the lowest          right-of-use assets, as of January 29,
level for which cash flows are identifiable.                  2022.

Stores that display an indicator of impairment are            While the Company If actual results are not
subjected to an impairment assessment. The Company's          consistent with the estimates and
impairment assessment requires management to make             assumptions used in assessing impairment or
assumptions and judgments related, but not limited, to        measuring impairment losses, there may be a
management's expectations for future operations and           material impact on the Company's financial
projected cash flows. The key assumption used in the          condition or results of operation.
Company's undiscounted future store cash flow models is
estimated sales growth rate.

An impairment loss may be recognized when these
undiscounted future cash flows are less than the
carrying amount of the asset group. In the circumstance
of impairment, any loss would be measured as the excess
of the carrying amount of the asset group over its fair
value. Fair value of the Company's store-related assets
is determined at the individual store level based on
the highest and best use of the asset group. The key
assumptions used in the Company's fair value analysis
are estimated sales growth and comparable market rents.
Leases
The Company's lease right-of-use assets represent the         The Company does not expect material
Company's right to use an underlying asset for the            changes to the underlying assumptions used
lease term. The Company's lease liabilities represent         to measure its lease liabilities as of
the Company's obligation to make lease payments arising       January 29, 2022.
from the lease. On the lease commencement date, the
Company recognizes an asset for the right to use a            An increase or decrease of 10% in the
leased asset and a liability based on the present value       Company's weighted-average discount rate as
of remaining lease payments over the lease term on the        of January 29, 2022, would impact both the
Consolidated Balance Sheets.                                  Company's 

total assets and total


                                                              liabilities by less than 1% and would not
In measuring the Company's lease liabilities, the             have a material impact on the Company's
remaining lease payments are discounted to present            pre-tax loss for Fiscal 2021.
value using a discount rate. As the rates implicit in
the Company's leases are not readily determinable, the
Company uses its incremental borrowing rate based on
the transactional currency of the lease and the lease
term for the initial measurement of the lease
right-of-use asset and the lease liability. For leases
existing before the adoption of the new lease
accounting standard, the Company used its incremental
borrowing rate as of the date of adoption, determined
using the remaining lease term as of the date of
adoption. For leases commencing on or after the
adoption of the new lease accounting standard, the
incremental borrowing rate is determined using the
remaining lease term as of the lease commencement date.

The Company estimates its incremental borrowing rate on
a quarterly basis, based on the rate of interest that
the Company would have to pay to borrow, on a
collateralized basis over a similar term, an amount
equal to the lease payments in a similar economic
environment.



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NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

This Annual Report on Form 10-K includes discussion of certain financial
measures on both a GAAP and a non-GAAP basis. The Company believes that each of
the non-GAAP financial measures presented in this "  ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S
DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS  " is
useful to investors as it provides a meaningful basis to evaluate the Company's
operating performance excluding the effect of certain items that the Company
believes do not reflect its future operating outlook, such as certain asset
impairment charges related to the Company's flagship stores and significant
impairments primarily attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic, therefore
supplementing investors' understanding of comparability of operations across
periods. Management used these non-GAAP financial measures during the periods
presented to assess the Company's performance and to develop expectations for
future operating performance. These non-GAAP financial measures should be used
as a supplement to, and not as an alternative to, the Company's GAAP financial
results, and may not be calculated in the same manner as similar measures
presented by other companies.

Comparable sales



At times, the Company provides comparable sales, defined as the year-over-year
percentage change in the aggregate of (1) sales for stores that have been open
as the same brand at least one year and whose square footage has not been
expanded or reduced by more than 20% within the past year, with the prior year's
net sales converted at the current year's foreign currency exchange rates to
remove the impact of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, and (2)
digital sales with the prior year's net sales converted at the current year's
foreign currency exchange rates to remove the impact of foreign currency
exchange rate fluctuations. Comparable sales exclude revenue other than store
and digital sales. Historically, management had used comparable sales to
understand the drivers of year-over-year changes in net sales as well as a
performance metric for certain performance-based restricted stock units. The
Company believes comparable sales can be a useful metric as it can assist
investors in distinguishing the portion of the Company's revenue attributable to
existing locations from the portion attributable to the opening or closing of
stores. The most directly comparable GAAP financial measure is change in net
sales. In light of store closures related to COVID-19, the Company has not
disclosed comparable sales for Fiscal 2021.

Excluded items

The following financial measures are disclosed on a GAAP basis and on an adjusted non-GAAP basis excluding the following items, as applicable:



Financial measures (1)                                 Excluded items
Asset impairment, exclusive of flagship store          Certain asset impairment charges
exit charges
Operating (loss) income                                Certain asset impairment charges
Income tax expense (2)                                 Tax effect of pre-tax excluded items
Net (loss) income and net (loss) income per            Pre-tax excluded items and the tax effect of
share attributable to A&F (2)                          pre-tax excluded items

(1) Certain of these financial measures are also expressed as a percentage of net sales.

(2) The tax effect of excluded items is the difference between the tax provision calculation on a GAAP basis and on an adjusted non-GAAP basis.

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Financial information on a constant currency basis

The Company provides certain financial information on a constant currency basis
to enhance investors' understanding of underlying business trends and operating
performance by removing the impact of foreign currency exchange rate
fluctuations. Management also uses financial information on a constant currency
basis to award employee performance-based compensation. The effect from foreign
currency exchange rates, calculated on a constant currency basis, is determined
by applying the current period's foreign currency exchange rates to the prior
year's results and is net of the year-over-year impact from hedging. The per
diluted share effect from foreign currency exchange rates is calculated using a
26% effective tax rate.

A reconciliation of financial metrics on a constant currency basis to GAAP for Fiscal 2021 and Fiscal 2020 is as follows:



(in thousands, except change in net sales, gross
profit rate, operating margin and per share data)
Net sales                                            Fiscal 2021          Fiscal 2020             % Change
GAAP                                              $ 3,712,768          $ 3,125,384                   19%
Impact from changes in foreign currency exchange
rates                                                       -              (25,927)                  1%
Net sales on a constant currency basis            $ 3,712,768          $ 3,151,311                   18%
Gross profit                                         Fiscal 2021          Fiscal 2020          BPS Change (1)
GAAP                                              $ 2,311,995          $ 1,891,205                   180
Impact from changes in foreign currency exchange
rates                                                       -               13,865                    0

Gross profit on a constant currency basis $ 2,311,995 $ 1,905,070

                   180
Operating (loss) income                              Fiscal 2021          Fiscal 2020          BPS Change (1)
GAAP                                              $   343,084          $   (20,469)                  990
Excluded items (2)                                    (12,100)             (72,937)                  200
Adjusted non-GAAP                                 $   355,184          $    52,468                   790
Impact from changes in foreign currency exchange
rates                                                       -               (1,399)                  10

Adjusted non-GAAP on a constant currency basis $ 355,184 $ 51,069

                   800
Net (loss) income per diluted share attributable
to A&F                                               Fiscal 2021          Fiscal 2020             $ Change
GAAP                                              $      4.20          $     (1.82)                 $6.02
Excluded items, net of tax (2)                          (0.15)               (1.10)                 0.95
Adjusted non-GAAP                                 $      4.35          $     (0.73)                 $5.08
Impact from changes in foreign currency exchange
rates                                                       -                 0.01                 (0.01)

Adjusted non-GAAP on a constant currency basis $ 4.35 $

  (0.74)                 $5.09



(1)  The estimated basis point change has been rounded based on the percentage
of net sales change.
(2)  Refer to "  RESULTS OF OPERATIONS  ," for details on excluded items. The
tax effect of excluded items is calculated as the difference between the tax
provision on a GAAP basis and an adjusted non-GAAP basis.


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