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SEC Company Response from LANDS' END, (LE) — Dec 22, 2014

LANDS' END, INC.
Date: Dec. 22, 2014 · CIK: 0000799288 · Accession: 0000799288-14-000057

AI Filing Summary & Sentiment

File numbers found in text: 001-09769

Referenced dates: December 11, 2014

Date
December 22, 2014
Author
/s/ Michael P. Rosera
Form
CORRESP
Company
LANDS' END, INC.

Letter

Via EDGAR Lands’ End, Inc. Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year Ended January 31, 2014 Filed March 25, 2014 SEC File No. 001-09769

Dear Ms. Jenkins:

Lands’ End, Inc. (the “Company”) is submitting the following responses to the comment letter of the staff (the “Staff”) of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) dated December 11, 2014 to Michael Rosera, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of the Company, related to the above-referenced report (the “2013 10-K”).

For ease of reference, we have repeated the Staff’s comments in italics preceding each response.

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, page 38

Results of Operations, page 41

2013 Compared to 2012, page 42

1.

Please disclose in future filings the business reasons for significant changes between periods in (a) your selling and administrative expenses for each segment, as well as Corporate and Other and (b) to the extent material, other line items for each segment, as well as Corporate and Other. Please also quantify the incremental impact of each individual business reason discussed on the overall change in each line item. Please provide us your proposed disclosures. Refer to Item 303(a)(3) of Regulation S-K, SEC Release No. 33-8350 and FRR 501.04.

Response:

(a) Beginning with the fiscal year 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K, the Company will enhance its disclosure for future filings in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations for the Selling and administrative expenses to identify significant variances between comparable periods by segment and Corporate / other. The following modifications to the text contained in the 2013 10-K are indicative of the disclosure that we propose to make in the Company’s future filings to address this comment (with changes from the original text shown as underlined and struck-through text):

Selling and Administrative Expenses

Selling and administrative expenses were $560.3 million for 2013 compared to $598.9 million for the prior year. The decrease of $38.6 million in Selling and administrative expense was attributable to the Direct and Retail operating segments and Corporate / other primarily due to declines in payroll, third-party costs, the favorable impact in 2013 of restructuring costs incurred in 2012 and decreased advertising expenses.

Selling and administrative expenses as a percentage of total revenues were 35.9% in 2013 and 37.8% in 2012. The decrease was primarily due to increased leverage as a result of the expense declines noted above and the impact of the restructuring activities.

The Direct segment Selling and administrative expenses were $437.2 million for 2013 compared to $459.1 million for the prior year. The decrease of $21.9 million in Selling and administrative expense was primarily due to declines in personnel costs of $14.8 million, decreased marketing investments of $4.8 million and restructuring costs incurred in 2012 of $2.5 million.

The Retail segment Selling and administrative expenses were $102.1 million for 2013 compared to $111.6 million for the prior year. The decrease of $9.5 million in Selling and administrative expense was primarily due to declines in personnel costs of $7.5 million, and third-party professional fees of $2.0 million.

Corporate / other Selling and administrative expenses were $21.0 million for 2013 compared to $28.2 million for the prior year. The decrease of $7.2 million in selling and administrative expense was primarily due to declines in third-party professional fees of $4.6 million, and property tax recoveries and savings of $2.2 million.

(b) The Company will additionally disclose significant variances in additional line items for each segment, as well as Corporate / other. In its historical SEC filings within the Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations section, the Company identifies variances for each segment and Corporate / other for the Merchandise sales and services, net and Gross margin sections. In future filings the Company will add disclosures for the Selling and Administrative Expenses section as described above. At this time the Company has not identified any additional significant variances for other line items which have not already been disclosed.

Financial Statements and Supplemental Data, page 53

Notes to Combined Financial Statements, page 59

Note 12. Segment Reporting, page 75

2.

You disclose you are a leading multi-channel retailer of casual clothing, accessories and footwear, as well as home products. You also disclose that apparel and home revenues constituted over 99% of total revenues during 2013, 2012 and 2011, but do not appear to disclose your revenues by product offering. In future filings, please include the product disclosures required by ASC 280-10-50-40. Please provide us your proposed disclosures.

Response:

Beginning with our fiscal year 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K, the Company will provide disclosure of revenue by group of similar products pursuant to ASC 280-10-50-40. All of the Company’s products are substantially similar except Services and other. Set forth below is a draft of the additional disclosure that is indicative of the disclosure that we propose to make in footnote 12 of the Combined Financial Statements contained in the 2013 10-K (“Footnote 12”) to address this comment:

Both segments sell similar products and provide services. Product sales are divided by product categories; Apparel and Non-apparel. The Non-apparel sales include accessories, footwear and home

goods. Services and other revenue includes embroidery, monogramming, gift wrapping, shipping and other services. Merchandise sales and services, net are aggregated by product category in the following table:

(in thousands)

Merchandise sales and services, net:

Apparel

$

1,245,670

$

1,269,685

$

1,346,158

Non-apparel

226,302

224,057

264,005

Services and other

90,904

92,185

115,464

Total merchandise sales and services, net

$

1,562,876

$

1,585,927

$

1,725,627

3.

You present three measures of profit (loss) for each segment: operating income (loss), income (loss) before income taxes and adjusted EBITDA. Please tell us how you considered the guidance in ASC 280-10-50-28 in concluding it was appropriate to present adjusted EBITDA when it appears the other two measures are each determined in accordance with the measurement principles most consistent with those used in measuring the corresponding amounts in your financial statements. Please also provide us your proposed disclosure revisions to be included in future filings.

Response:

The Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”) utilizes adjusted EBITDA to make resource decisions and assess performance of each reportable segment and adjusted EBITDA is the profitability metric used in the Company’s management incentive plans and, therefore, is the profit measure disclosed. The other profit measures were presented in the footnote for the purposes of reconciling the profit measure to Net income before income taxes on the Company’s Combined Statements of Comprehensive Operations. To clarify this point, the following modifications to the tables contained in Footnote 12 are indicative of the disclosure that we propose to make in the Company’s future filings (with changes from the original text shown as underlined and struck-through text):

Financial information by segment is presented as follows for the years ended:

Direct

Retail

Corporate/

Other

Total

Merchandise sales and services, net

$

1,303,862

$

258,922

$

$

1,562,876

Cost and expenses:

Cost of sales (excluding depreciation and amortization)

700,370

152,169

—

852,539

Selling and administrative

437,179

102,088

21,060

560,327

Depreciation and amortization

16,691

3,547

1,361

21,599

Other operating expense, net

—

—

Total costs and expenses

1,154,240

257,804

22,491

1,434,535

Operating income (loss)

149,622

1,118

(22,399

)

128,341

Other income, net

—

—

Income (loss) before income taxes

149,622

1,118

(22,349

)

128,391

Other income, net

—

—

Depreciation and amortization

16,691

3,547

1,361

21,599

Restructuring costs

—

—

—

—

Loss on sale of property and equipment

—

—

Adjusted EBITDA

$

166,313

$

4,665

$

(20,968

)

$

150,010

Total assets

$

1,074,018

$

75,755

$

44,502

$

1,194,275

Capital expenditures

$

9,057

$

$

$

9,887

Direct

Retail

Corporate/

Other

Total

Merchandise sales and services, net

$

1,304,009

$

281,821

$

$

1,585,927

Cost and expenses:

Cost of sales (excluding depreciation and amortization)

705,992

175,825

—

881,817

Selling and administrative

459,106

111,646

28,164

598,916

Depreciation and amortization

17,173

4,606

1,342

23,121

Other operating expense, net

—

—

Total costs and expenses

1,182,271

292,077

29,576

1,503,924

Operating income (loss)

121,738

(10,256

)

(29,479

)

82,003

Other income, net

—

—

Income (loss) before income taxes

121,738

(10,256

)

(29,412

)

82,070

Other income, net

—

—

Depreciation and amortization

17,173

4,606

1,342

23,121

Restructuring costs

2,479

—

—

2,479

Loss on sale of property and equipment

—

—

Adjusted EBITDA

$

141,390

$

(5,650

)

$

(28,067

)

$

107,673

Total assets

$

1,088,351

$

78,796

$

50,575

$

1,217,722

Capital expenditures

$

14,657

$

$

$

14,993

Direct

Retail

Corporate/

Other

Total

Merchandise sales and services, net

$

1,427,874

$

297,477

$

$

1,725,627

Cost and expenses:

Cost of sales (excluding depreciation and amortization)

782,279

177,332

—

959,611

Selling and administrative

474,818

121,857

24,345

621,020

Depreciation and amortization

16,138

5,238

1,310

22,686

Other operating income, net

—

—

Total costs and expenses

1,273,235

304,427

26,157

1,603,819

Operating income (loss)

154,639

(6,950

)

(25,881

)

121,808

Other income, net

—

—

Income (loss) before income taxes

154,639

(6,950

)

(25,786

)

121,903

Other income, net

—

—

Depreciation and amortization

16,138

5,238

1,310

22,686

Loss on disposal of property and equipment

—

—

Adjusted EBITDA

$

170,777

$

(1,712

)

$

(24,069

)

$

144,996

Total assets

$

1,117,550

$

85,318

$

36,055

$

1,238,923

Capital expenditures

$

13,452

$

$

$

15,119

(in thousands)

Merchandise sales and services, net:

Direct

$

1,303,862

$

1,304,009

$

1,427,874

Retail

258,922

281,821

297,477

Corporate/ other

Total merchandise sales and services, net

$

1,562,876

$

1,585,927

$

1,725,627

(in thousands)

Adjusted EBITDA:

Direct

$

166,313

$

141,390

$

170,777

Retail

4,665

(5,650

)

(1,712

)

Corporate/ other

(20,968

)

(28,067

)

(24,069

)

Total adjusted EBITDA

$

150,010

$

107,673

$

144,996

(in thousands)

Depreciation and amortization:

Direct

$

16,691

$

17,173

$

16,138

Retail

3,547

4,606

5,238

Corporate/ other

1,361

1,342

1,310

Total depreciation and amortization

$

21,599

$

23,121

$

22,686

(in thousands)

Total assets:

Direct

$

1,074,018

$

1,088,351

$

1,117,550

Retail

75,755

78,796

85,318

Corporate/ other

44,502

50,575

36,055

Total assets

$

1,194,275

$

1,217,722

$

1,238,923

(in thousands)

Capital expenditures:

Direct

$

9,057

$

14,657

$

13,452

Retail

Corporate/ other

Total capital expenditures

$

9,887

$

14,993

$

15,119

The following table reconciles Net income from the Combined Statements of Comprehensive Operations to Adjusted EBITDA:

(in thousands)

% of

Net Sales

% of

Net Sales

% of

Net Sales

Net income

$

78,847

5.0

%

$

49,827

3.1

%

$

76,234

4.4

%

Income tax expense

49,544

3.2

%

32,243

2.0

%

45,669

2.6

%

Other income, net

(50

)

—

%

(67

)

—

%

(95

)

—

%

Depreciation and amortization

21,599

1.4

%

23,121

1.5

%

22,686

1.3

%

Restructuring costs

—

—

%

2,479

0.2

%

—

—

%

Loss on sale of property and equipment

—

%

—

%

—

%

Adjusted EBITDA

$

150,010

9.6

%

$

107,673

6.8

%

$

144,996

8.4

%

* * * * *

The Company hereby acknowledges that:

•

the Company is responsible for the adequacy and accuracy of the disclosure in the filing;

•

staff comments or changes to disclosure in response to staff comments do not foreclose the Commission from taking any action with respect to the filing; and

•

the Company may not assert staff comments as a defense in any proceeding initiated by the Commission or any person under the federal securities laws of the United States.

We trust that the foregoing sufficiently addresses the Staff’s comments. If there is a need for additional information or clarification, please contact me at (608) 935-4806, or Bernard McCracken, Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer, at (608) 935-4366.

Sincerely,
/s/ Michael P. Rosera

Show Raw Text
CORRESP
1
filename1.htm

		Response SEC Comment Letter dated 12-11-2014

Lands’ End, Inc.

1 Lands’ End Lane

Dodgeville, Wisconsin 53595

Via EDGAR

December 22, 2014

Ms. Tia L. Jenkins

Senior Assistant Chief Accountant

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

100 F Street, NE

Washington, DC  20549-6010

Re:

 Lands’ End, Inc.

Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year Ended January 31, 2014

Filed March 25, 2014

SEC File No. 001-09769

Dear Ms. Jenkins:

Lands’ End, Inc. (the “Company”) is submitting the following responses to the comment letter of the staff (the “Staff”) of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) dated December 11, 2014 to Michael Rosera, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of the Company, related to the above-referenced report (the “2013 10-K”).

For ease of reference, we have repeated the Staff’s comments in italics preceding each response.

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, page 38

Results of Operations, page 41

2013 Compared to 2012, page 42

1.

 Please disclose in future filings the business reasons for significant changes between periods in (a) your selling and administrative expenses for each segment, as well as Corporate and Other and (b) to the extent material, other line items for each segment, as well as Corporate and Other. Please also quantify the incremental impact of each individual business reason discussed on the overall change in each line item. Please provide us your proposed disclosures. Refer to Item 303(a)(3) of Regulation S-K, SEC Release No. 33-8350 and FRR 501.04.

Response:

(a)  Beginning with the fiscal year 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K, the Company will enhance its disclosure for future filings in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations for the Selling and administrative expenses to identify significant variances between comparable periods by segment and Corporate / other.  The following modifications to the text contained in the 2013 10-K are indicative of the disclosure that we propose to make in the Company’s future filings to address this comment (with changes from the original text shown as underlined and struck-through text):

Selling and Administrative Expenses

Selling and administrative expenses were $560.3 million for 2013 compared to $598.9 million for the prior year. The decrease of $38.6 million in Selling and administrative expense was attributable to the Direct and Retail operating segments and Corporate / other primarily due to declines in payroll, third-party costs, the favorable impact in 2013 of restructuring costs incurred in 2012 and decreased advertising expenses.

Selling and administrative expenses as a percentage of total revenues were 35.9% in 2013 and 37.8% in 2012. The decrease was primarily due to increased leverage as a result of the expense declines noted above and the impact of the restructuring activities.

The Direct segment Selling and administrative expenses were $437.2 million for 2013 compared to $459.1 million for the prior year.  The decrease of $21.9 million in Selling and administrative expense was primarily due to declines in personnel costs of $14.8 million, decreased marketing investments of $4.8 million and restructuring costs incurred in 2012 of $2.5 million.

The Retail segment Selling and administrative expenses were $102.1 million for 2013 compared to $111.6 million for the prior year.  The decrease of $9.5 million in Selling and administrative expense was primarily due to declines in personnel costs of $7.5 million, and third-party professional fees of $2.0 million.

Corporate / other Selling and administrative expenses were $21.0 million for 2013 compared to $28.2 million for the prior year.  The decrease of $7.2 million in selling and administrative expense was primarily due to declines in third-party professional fees of $4.6 million, and property tax recoveries and savings of $2.2 million.

(b)  The Company will additionally disclose significant variances in additional line items for each segment, as well as Corporate / other.  In its historical SEC filings within the Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations section, the Company identifies variances for each segment and Corporate / other for the Merchandise sales and services, net and Gross margin sections. In future filings the Company will add disclosures for the Selling and Administrative Expenses section as described above.  At this time the Company has not identified any additional significant variances for other line items which have not already been disclosed.

Financial Statements and Supplemental Data, page 53

Notes to Combined Financial Statements, page 59

Note 12. Segment Reporting, page 75

2.

 You disclose you are a leading multi-channel retailer of casual clothing, accessories and footwear, as well as home products. You also disclose that apparel and home revenues constituted over 99% of total revenues during 2013, 2012 and 2011, but do not appear to disclose your revenues by product offering. In future filings, please include the product disclosures required by ASC 280-10-50-40. Please provide us your proposed disclosures.

Response:

Beginning with our fiscal year 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K, the Company will provide disclosure of revenue by group of similar products pursuant to ASC 280-10-50-40.  All of the Company’s products are substantially similar except Services and other.  Set forth below is a draft of the additional disclosure that is indicative of the disclosure that we propose to make in footnote 12 of the Combined Financial Statements contained in the 2013 10-K (“Footnote 12”) to address this comment:

Both segments sell similar products and provide services.  Product sales are divided by product categories; Apparel and Non-apparel.  The Non-apparel sales include accessories, footwear and home

goods.  Services and other revenue includes embroidery, monogramming, gift wrapping, shipping and other services.  Merchandise sales and services, net are aggregated by product category in the following table:

(in thousands)

 2013

 2012

 2011

Merchandise sales and services, net:

Apparel

 $

 1,245,670

 $

 1,269,685

 $

 1,346,158

Non-apparel

 226,302

 224,057

 264,005

Services and other

 90,904

 92,185

 115,464

Total merchandise sales and services, net

 $

 1,562,876

 $

 1,585,927

 $

 1,725,627

3.

 You present three measures of profit (loss) for each segment: operating income (loss), income (loss) before income taxes and adjusted EBITDA. Please tell us how you considered the guidance in ASC 280-10-50-28 in concluding it was appropriate to present adjusted EBITDA when it appears the other two measures are each determined in accordance with the measurement principles most consistent with those used in measuring the corresponding amounts in your financial statements. Please also provide us your proposed disclosure revisions to be included in future filings.

Response:

The Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”) utilizes adjusted EBITDA to make resource decisions and assess performance of each reportable segment and adjusted EBITDA is the profitability metric used in the Company’s management incentive plans and, therefore, is the profit measure disclosed.  The other profit measures were presented in the footnote for the purposes of reconciling the profit measure to Net income before income taxes on the Company’s Combined Statements of Comprehensive Operations. To clarify this point, the following modifications to the tables contained in Footnote 12 are indicative of the disclosure that we propose to make in the Company’s future filings (with changes from the original text shown as underlined and struck-through text):

Financial information by segment is presented as follows for the years ended:

 Direct

 Retail

 Corporate/

Other

 Total

2013

Merchandise sales and services, net

 $

 1,303,862

 $

 258,922

 $

 92

 $

 1,562,876

Cost and expenses:

Cost of sales (excluding depreciation and amortization)

 700,370

 152,169

 —

 852,539

Selling and administrative

 437,179

 102,088

 21,060

 560,327

Depreciation and amortization

 16,691

 3,547

 1,361

 21,599

Other operating expense, net

 —

 —

 70

 70

Total costs and expenses

 1,154,240

 257,804

 22,491

 1,434,535

Operating income (loss)

 149,622

 1,118

 (22,399

 )

 128,341

Other income, net

 —

 —

 50

 50

Income (loss) before income taxes

 149,622

 1,118

 (22,349

 )

 128,391

Other income, net

 —

 —

 50

 50

Depreciation and amortization

 16,691

 3,547

 1,361

 21,599

Restructuring costs

 —

 —

 —

 —

Loss on sale of property and equipment

 —

 —

 70

 70

Adjusted EBITDA

 $

 166,313

 $

 4,665

 $

 (20,968

 )

 $

 150,010

Total assets

 $

 1,074,018

 $

 75,755

 $

 44,502

 $

 1,194,275

Capital expenditures

 $

 9,057

 $

 260

 $

 570

 $

 9,887

 Direct

 Retail

 Corporate/

Other

 Total

2012

Merchandise sales and services, net

 $

 1,304,009

 $

 281,821

 $

 97

 $

 1,585,927

Cost and expenses:

Cost of sales (excluding depreciation and amortization)

 705,992

 175,825

 —

 881,817

Selling and administrative

 459,106

 111,646

 28,164

 598,916

Depreciation and amortization

 17,173

 4,606

 1,342

 23,121

Other operating expense, net

 —

 —

 70

 70

Total costs and expenses

 1,182,271

 292,077

 29,576

 1,503,924

Operating income (loss)

 121,738

 (10,256

 )

 (29,479

 )

 82,003

Other income, net

 —

 —

 67

 67

Income (loss) before income taxes

 121,738

 (10,256

 )

 (29,412

 )

 82,070

Other income, net

 —

 —

 67

 67

Depreciation and amortization

 17,173

 4,606

 1,342

 23,121

Restructuring costs

 2,479

 —

 —

 2,479

Loss on sale of property and equipment

 —

 —

 70

 70

Adjusted EBITDA

 $

 141,390

 $

 (5,650

 )

 $

 (28,067

 )

 $

 107,673

Total assets

 $

 1,088,351

 $

 78,796

 $

 50,575

 $

 1,217,722

Capital expenditures

 $

 14,657

 $

 84

 $

 252

 $

 14,993

 Direct

 Retail

 Corporate/

Other

 Total

2011

Merchandise sales and services, net

 $

 1,427,874

 $

 297,477

 $

 276

 $

 1,725,627

Cost and expenses:

Cost of sales (excluding depreciation and amortization)

 782,279

 177,332

 —

 959,611

Selling and administrative

 474,818

 121,857

 24,345

 621,020

Depreciation and amortization

 16,138

 5,238

 1,310

 22,686

Other operating income, net

 —

 —

 502

 502

Total costs and expenses

 1,273,235

 304,427

 26,157

 1,603,819

Operating income (loss)

 154,639

 (6,950

 )

 (25,881

 )

 121,808

Other income, net

 —

 —

 95

 95

Income (loss) before income taxes

 154,639

 (6,950

 )

 (25,786

 )

 121,903

Other income, net

 —

 —

 95

 95

Depreciation and amortization

 16,138

 5,238

 1,310

 22,686

Loss on disposal of property and equipment

 —

 —

 502

 502

Adjusted EBITDA

 $

 170,777

 $

 (1,712

 )

 $

 (24,069

 )

 $

 144,996

Total assets

 $

 1,117,550

 $

 85,318

 $

 36,055

 $

 1,238,923

Capital expenditures

 $

 13,452

 $

 918

 $

 749

 $

 15,119

(in thousands)

 2013

 2012

 2011

Merchandise sales and services, net:

Direct

 $

 1,303,862

 $

 1,304,009

 $

 1,427,874

Retail

 258,922

 281,821

 297,477

Corporate/ other

 92

 97

 276

Total merchandise sales and services, net

 $

 1,562,876

 $

 1,585,927

 $

 1,725,627

(in thousands)

 2013

 2012

 2011

Adjusted EBITDA:

Direct

 $

 166,313

 $

 141,390

 $

 170,777

Retail

 4,665

 (5,650

 )

 (1,712

 )

Corporate/ other

 (20,968

 )

 (28,067

 )

 (24,069

 )

Total  adjusted EBITDA

 $

 150,010

 $

 107,673

 $

 144,996

(in thousands)

 2013

 2012

 2011

Depreciation and amortization:

Direct

 $

 16,691

 $

 17,173

 $

 16,138

Retail

 3,547

 4,606

 5,238

Corporate/ other

 1,361

 1,342

 1,310

Total depreciation and amortization

 $

 21,599

 $

 23,121

 $

 22,686

(in thousands)

 2013

 2012

 2011

Total assets:

Direct

 $

 1,074,018

 $

 1,088,351

 $

 1,117,550

Retail

 75,755

 78,796

 85,318

Corporate/ other

 44,502

 50,575

 36,055

Total assets

 $

 1,194,275

 $

 1,217,722

 $

 1,238,923

(in thousands)

 2013

 2012

 2011

Capital expenditures:

Direct

 $

 9,057

 $

 14,657

 $

 13,452

Retail

 260

 84

 918

Corporate/ other

 570

 252

 749

Total capital expenditures

 $

 9,887

 $

 14,993

 $

 15,119

The following table reconciles Net income from the Combined Statements of Comprehensive Operations to Adjusted EBITDA:

(in thousands)

 % of

Net Sales

 % of

Net Sales

 % of

Net Sales

Net income

 $

 78,847

 5.0

 %

 $

 49,827

 3.1

 %

 $

 76,234

 4.4

 %

Income tax expense

 49,544

 3.2

 %

 32,243

 2.0

 %

 45,669

 2.6

 %

Other income, net

 (50

 )

 —

 %

 (67

 )

 —

 %

 (95

 )

 —

 %

Depreciation and amortization

 21,599

 1.4

 %

 23,121

 1.5

 %

 22,686

 1.3

 %

Restructuring costs

 —

 —

 %

 2,479

 0.2

 %

 —

 —

 %

Loss on sale of property and equipment

 70

 —

 %

 70

 —

 %

 502

 —

 %

Adjusted EBITDA

 $

 150,010

 9.6

 %

 $

 107,673

 6.8

 %

 $

 144,996

 8.4

 %

*    *    *    *    *

The Company hereby acknowledges that:

•

 the Company is responsible for the adequacy and accuracy of the disclosure in the filing;

•

 staff comments or changes to disclosure in response to staff comments do not foreclose the Commission from taking any action with respect to the filing; and

•

 the Company may not assert staff comments as a defense in any proceeding initiated by the Commission or any person under the federal securities laws of the United States.

We trust that the foregoing sufficiently addresses the Staff’s comments.  If there is a need for additional information or clarification, please contact me at (608) 935-4806, or Bernard McCracken, Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer, at (608) 935-4366.

Sincerely,

/s/ Michael P. Rosera

Michael P. Rosera

Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

cc:    Edgar O. Huber

President and Chief Executive Officer

Dorian R. Williams

Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

Bernard L. McCracken

Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer