LEVI STRAUSS & CO

Overview

From our California Gold Rush beginnings, we have grown into one of the world's largest brand-name apparel companies. A history of responsible business practices, rooted in our core values, has helped us build our brands and engender consumer trust around the world. Under our Levi's®, Dockers®, Levi Strauss Signature™, Denizen® and Beyond Yoga® brands, we design, market and sell – directly or through third parties and licensees – products that include jeans, casual and dress pants, activewear, tops, shorts, skirts, dresses, jackets and related accessories for men, women and children around the world. In the first quarter of 2024 we announced the strategic decision to discontinue the Denizen® brand. In the fourth quarter of 2024 we announced we are undertaking an evaluation of strategic alternatives to the global Dockers® business, including a sale or other strategic transactions.

Our Levi's Brands business, which includes the Levi's®, Levi Strauss Signature™ and Denizen®brands, is presented in our financial statements under the caption of Levi's Brands and is defined geographically in three reportable segments: Americas, Europe and Asia. The Dockers® and Beyond Yoga® businesses are presented in our financial statements under the caption of Other Brands.

Our Global Reach

Our products are sold in approximately 120 countries. We service our customers through our global infrastructure, developing, sourcing and marketing our products around the world. Although our brands are recognized as authentically “American”, we derived over half of our net revenues from outside the United States in fiscal year 2024.

Our products are sold in approximately 50,000 retail locations worldwide, including approximately 3,400 brand-dedicated stores and shop-in-shops. In the United States, chain retailers and department stores have traditionally been the primary distribution channels for our Levi's® and Dockers® products. Outside the United States, department stores, specialty retailers, franchised or other brand-dedicated stores and shop-in-shops have traditionally been our primary distribution channels. Levi's® and Dockers® products are also sold through our brand-dedicated company-operated retail stores and through our global digital business, which includes our company-operated e-commerce sites as well as the online businesses of our wholesale customers, including those of traditional wholesalers as well as pure-play (online-only) wholesalers. Beyond Yoga® products are sold in the United States primarily through specialty retailers, pure-play wholesalers, brand-dedicated company-operated retail stores and a company-operated brand dedicated e-commerce site. We distribute Levi Strauss Signature™ and Denizen® brand products primarily through mass channel retailers in the Americas, including the e-commerce sites operated by some of our key wholesale customers and other pure-play customers.

We were founded in San Francisco, California in 1853 and were incorporated in Delaware in 1970. We conduct our operations outside the United States through foreign subsidiaries. Our primary corporate office is located at Levi's Plaza, 1155 Battery Street, San Francisco, California 94111, and our main telephone number is (415) 501-6000.

Our website –www.levistrauss.com – contains additional and detailed information about our history, our products and our commitments. Financial news and reports and related information about our company can be found athttp://investors.levistrauss.com.

We file or furnish electronically with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). We make copies of these reports available free of charge through our investor relations website as soon as reasonably practicable after we file or furnish them with the SEC. The SEC maintains a website at www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding Levi Strauss and other issuers that file electronically with the SEC.

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

Our Business Strategies

We aspire to be the world's best apparel company, famous for our brands and values. Our business strategies are focused on our fundamental advantages and prioritize the most important areas that we believe will drive long-term success. We believe these strategies over the long term will set us up to deliver annual net revenue growth of approximately 6-8%, reaching approximately $9 billion to $10 billion in total company net revenue, and to grow Adjusted EBIT margins to approximately 15% over the long term, all while living our mission of delivering profits through principles.

The following three “where to play” choices serve as our strategic framework for what we intend to achieve:

•Brand Led: Our brands are authentic, original and loved by consumers the world over. We plan to continue elevating and strengthening all of our brands through integrating product, design, positioning, marketing and consumer experience to ensure they are the “Center of Culture”. We will continue men’s bottoms denim leadership globally while driving outsized growth in women's and tops through a sharpened focus on denim dressing and denim lifestyle, building end-to-end capability in key lifestyle apparel categories beyond jeans. We believe these actions will strengthen loyalty with our existing fans while also creating new lifelong ones.

•DTC First: We believe our direct-to-consumer (“DTC”) channels allow us to showcase the fullest expression of our brands and drive category diversification while also enhancing connections with the consumer. As a result, we plan to continue building a harmonized omni-channel marketplace where each channel reinforces the other, driving consumer engagement and increasing their satisfaction. This requires increased investments in our stores, expanding our brick-and-mortar retail footprint with a focus on mainline expansion, technology to win with the consumer and our people, and enhancing our in-store, ecommerce and omni-channel capabilities to further elevate the shopping experience. In addition to our DTC initiatives, we will also focus on our wholesale channel, partnering with customers that are focused on delivering high quality results and service to our consumers, while also elevating our Levi’s®brands.

•Power the Portfolio: We plan to accelerate our global reach while ensuring our U.S. operations continue to deliver steady growth, including unlocking the potential of Beyond Yoga.

Our success will be driven not just by what we do, but how we do it. Our three strategic choices are supported by a foundation of the following enablers:

•One Team: We will harness our talent, culture and values as competitive advantages by fostering a collaborative and inclusive culture where everyone brings their full selves to work, cultivating industry-leading talent and empowering the teams who serve our fans.

•Operational Excellence: We will execute with excellence and leverage our global scale by continuing to look for ways to embrace agility, reduce complexity and further streamline our ways of working. This includes taking steps to improve our speed to market calendar with a focus on servicing consumer demand globally and creating fewer touch points as merchandise goes to market. We believe these actions will drive efficiencies, reduce lead times and allow us to respond quickly to changes in consumer demand while also improving our inventory turns, working capital and cash conversion cycle.

We plan to continue to manage our costs aggressively so that we can invest in the areas that will drive growth and help us deliver Adjusted EBIT margins of 15% over the long term. As we grow net revenues and gross margins, we plan to drive leverage on our investments, and improve our structural economics across channels.

Our ability to deliver our long term goals assumes no significant worsening of inflationary pressures, supply chain disruptions, foreign currency impacts and the impact of geopolitical conflict. If any of these impacts change significantly, the timing of when we achieve our long term goals will be affected.

For more information on our calculation of Adjusted EBIT margin, see “Item 7 – Management’s Discussion and Analysis – Non-GAAP Financial Measures.” A reconciliation of non-GAAP forward looking information to the corresponding GAAP measures cannot be provided without unreasonable efforts due to the challenge in quantifying various items including but not limited to, the effects of foreign currency fluctuations, taxes, and any future restructuring, restructuring-related, severance and other charges.

Our Brands and Products

We offer a broad range of products including jeans, casual and dress pants, activewear, tops, shorts, skirts, dresses, jackets, footwear and related accessories. Across all of our brands, pants – including jeans, casual pants, dress pants and activewear – represented 67%, 68%and 67% of our total units sold in fiscal years 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Tops – including shirts, sweaters, jackets, dresses and jumpsuits – represented 27%, 26% and 26% of our total units sold in fiscal years 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The remainder of our products are footwear, which represented 2% of our total units sold in fiscal years 2024, 2023, and 2022, and accessories. Men's products generated 63%, 64% and 65% of our net revenues in fiscal years 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Women's products generated 36%, 34% and 33% of our net revenues in fiscal years 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The remainder of our products are non-gendered. Products other than denim bottoms – which include tops, footwear and accessories and pants excluding jeans – represented 39%, 39%, and 38% of our net revenues in fiscal years 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Levi's® Brand

The Levi's® brand epitomizes classic, authentic American style and effortless cool. Levi's® is an authentic and original lifestyle brand and the #1 brand globally in jeanswear (measured by total retail sales). Since their inception in 1873, Levi's® jeans have become one of the most recognizable garments in the world – reflecting the aspirations and earning the loyalty of people for generations. Consumers around the world instantly recognize the distinctive traits of Levi's® jeans, including the Arcuate Stitching Design and the Red Tab Device. The Levi's® brand continues to evolve to meet the tastes of today's consumers, driven by its distinctive pioneering and innovative spirit. Our range of leading jeanswear, other apparel items and accessories for men, women and children is available in approximately 120 countries, allowing individuals around the world to express their personal style.

The Levi's® brand encompasses a range of products. Levi's® Red Tab™ products are the foundation of the brand, consisting of a wide spectrum of jeans and jeanswear offered in a variety of fits, fabrics, finishes, styles and price points intended to appeal to a broad spectrum of consumers. The line includes the iconic 501® jean, the original and best-selling five-pocket jean of all time. In 2023, we celebrated the 150 th anniversary of the 501® jean. The line also incorporates a full range of jeanswear fits and styles designed specifically for women. Sales of Red Tab™ products represented the majority of our Levi's® brand net revenues globally in fiscal years 2024, 2023 and 2022. We offer premium products around the world under the Levi's® brand, including a range of premium pants, tops, shorts, skirts, jackets, footwear, and related accessories.

Our Levi's® brand products accounted for 89%, 87%, and 87% of our net revenues in each of the fiscal years 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively, approximately half of which were generated in our Americas segment in each of these years.

Levi Strauss Signature™ and Denizen® Brands

In addition to our Levi's® brand, we offer the Levi Strauss Signature™ and Denizen® brands, which are focused on value-conscious consumers who seek quality craftsmanship and great fit and style at affordable prices. We offer denim jeans, casual pants, tops and jackets in a variety of fits, fabrics and finishes for men, women and children under the Levi Strauss Signature™ brand through the mass retail channel primarily in the United States and Canada. The Levi Strauss Signature™ brand was introduced in 2003. The Denizen® brand was introduced in the United States starting in 2011, and includes a variety of jeans to complement active lifestyles and to empower consumers to express their aspirations, individuality and attitudes. The Denizen® brand is sold through wholesale accounts primarily within the United States. In the first quarter of 2024 we announced the strategic decision to discontinue the Denizen® brand with operations winding down during fiscal year 2024 and into 2025.

Our Levi Strauss Signature™ products accounted for 3%, 4% and 4% of our net revenues in fiscal years 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Our Denizen® brand products accounted for 1%, 1% and 2% of our net revenues in fiscal years 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Dockers® Brand

Founded in 1986, the Dockers® brand sparked a revolution in the way millions of men dressed around the world, shifting from the standard issue suit to a more casual look. Today, the Dockers® brand continues to be the authority on khaki and offers a wide range of apparel and accessories, for men and women, with no compromises in quality – always superior comfort and versatile style. While the brand remains focused on the classic khaki style and its founding principles, Dockers® has evolved its offerings to include more variety and appeal to a broader set of shoppers in both their professional and personal lives. There are approximately 100 company-operated retail stores – predominately in the south of Europe and Latin America. In the fourth quarter of 2024 we announced we are undertaking an evaluation of strategic alternatives to the global Dockers® business, including a sale or other strategic transactions.

Our Dockers® brand products accounted for 5% of our net revenues in each of the fiscal years 2024, 2023 and 2022 and are sold in approximately 50 countries.

Beyond Yoga® Brand

Our Beyond Yoga® brand is a body positive, premium athleisure apparel brand focused on quality, fit and comfort for all shapes and sizes. Beyond Yoga® was founded in 2005 to promote body positivity, honoring and celebrating every body from XXS-4X. The brand produces clothing that fosters well-being in luxuriously soft, no-hassle care fabrics for styles that keep up with the toughest workouts and beyond. Beyond Yoga® is about more than just comfort and performance; the brand has created an inclusive community centered on body positivity, the celebration of diversity, and giving back to causes in which it believes. The company is female-founded, female-run and nearly 90% female-led. The brand has seven total stores.

Our Beyond Yoga® brand products accounted for 2% of our net revenues in each of the fiscal years 2024, 2023, and 2022.

Sales, Distribution and Customers

We recognize wholesale revenue from sales of our products through third-party retailers such as department stores, specialty retailers, third-party e-commerce sites and franchise locations dedicated to our brands. We also sell our products directly to consumers through a variety of formats, including our own company-operated mainline and outlet stores, company-operated e-commerce sites and select shop-in-shops located in department stores and other third-party retail locations.

We seek to make our products available where consumers shop, providing both in-store and online shopping experiences, as well as offering products that are appropriately tailored for our wholesale customers and their retail consumers. We take care to select wholesale customers and distributors that we believe will represent our brands in a manner consistent with our values and growth strategies. Sales to our top ten wholesale customers totaled 26%, 28% and 31% of our net revenues in fiscal years 2024, 2023, and 2022, respectively. No single customer represented 10% or more of our net revenues in any of these years.

We also sell our products directly to consumers through shop-in-shops located in certain of our wholesale customers’ and other third-party retail locations. Typically, this format is conducted on a concession basis, whereby the inventory continues to be owned by us (not the retailer) until ultimate sale to the end consumer. The salespeople involved in these transactions are generally our employees and not those of the retailer. We recognize revenue in the amount of the sale to the end consumer, while paying our partners a commission. We operated approximately 600 of these shop-in-shops as of December 1, 2024.

Dedicated Stores and E-commerce Sites

We believe retail stores dedicated to our brands are important for the growth, visibility, availability and commercial success of our brands, and they are an increasingly important part of our “DTC First” strategy. Our brand-dedicated stores are either operated by us or by independent third parties such as franchisees. In addition to the dedicated stores, we maintain brand-dedicated e-commerce sites that sell products directly to consumers.

Company-operated brick-and-mortar retail stores. Our company-operated retail stores, comprising both mainline and outlet stores, generated 31%, 29% and 26% of our net revenues in fiscal years 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. As of December 1, 2024, we had 1,276 company-operated stores located in 39 countries. The majority of the stores are dedicated to the Levi's® brand, with 458 stores in the Americas, 299 stores in Europe, and 406 stores in Asia. We had 106 Dockers® brand-dedicated stores globally and 7 Beyond Yoga® stores as of December 1, 2024. During 2024, we added 157 company-operated stores and closed 53 stores.

Franchised and other stores. Franchised, licensed, or other forms of brand-dedicated stores operated by independent third parties sell Levi's® and Dockers® products in markets outside the United States. There were approximately 1,300 of these stores as of December 1, 2024, and they are a key element of our international distribution. In addition to these stores, we consider our network of brand-dedicated shop-in-shops, which are located within department stores and other third-party retail locations and may be either operated directly by us or third parties, to be an important component of our retail distribution in international markets. Outside the United States, approximately 110 of these shop-in-shops were operated by third parties as of December 1, 2024.

E-commerce sites. We maintain brand-dedicated e-commerce sites, includingwww.levi.com, www.dockers.com andwww.beyondyoga.com, that sell products directly to consumers across multiple markets around the world. These sites represented 10%, 9% and 7% of total net revenues in fiscal years 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively; and 21%, 20% and 19% of DTC channel net revenues in fiscal years 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

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

Seasonality of Sales

We typically achieve our largest quarterly revenues in the fourth quarter. In fiscal year 2024, our net revenues in the first, second, third and fourth quarters represented 24%, 23%, 24% and 29%, respectively, of our total net revenues for the fiscal year. In fiscal year 2023, our net revenues in the first, second, third and fourth quarters represented 27%, 22%, 24% and 27%, respectively, of our total net revenues for the year.

We typically achieve a significant amount of revenues from our DTC channel on the Friday following Thanksgiving Day, which is commonly referred to as Black Friday. Due to the timing of our fiscal year end, a particular fiscal year might include one, two or no Black Fridays, which could impact our net revenues for the fiscal year. Fiscal years 2024, 2023 and 2022 each included one Black Friday.

We use a 52- or 53- week fiscal year, with each fiscal year ending on the Sunday that is closest to November 30 of that year. Certain of our foreign subsidiaries have fiscal years ending November 30. Each fiscal year generally consists of four 13-week quarters, with each quarter ending on the Sunday that is closest to the last day of the month of that quarter. Fiscal year 2024 was a 53-week year, ending on December 1, 2024 and fiscal years 2023 and 2022 were 52-week years, ending on November 26, 2023 and November 27, 2022, respectively. Each quarter of fiscal years 2024, 2023 and 2022 consisted of 13 weeks, with the exception of the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2024 which consisted of 14 weeks. Fiscal year 2024 benefited from a 53rd week, which was included in the fourth quarter, impacting net revenues by approximately $85 million, or 1.3%.

The level of our working capital reflects the seasonality of our business and varies throughout the year to support our seasonal and holiday revenue patterns as well as business trends.

Effects of Inflation

Inflationary pressures persist, including increased costs of labor and competition for, and price volatility of, resources throughout the supply chain. Trends such as these have resulted in higher product costs in previous periods and may do so again in the future, increasing pressure to reduce costs and raise product prices, which could have a negative impact on consumer demand. If these inflationary pressures continue, our revenue, operating margins and net income will be impacted in 2025. For more information regarding risks we face with respect to inflation, see “Item 1A – Risk Factors”.

Marketing and Promotion

Our marketing is rooted in globally consistent brand messages that reflect the unique attributes of our brands, including the Levi's® brand as the authentic and original jeanswear brand and Dockers® brand as the definitive khaki. We continually strengthen our portfolio of brands and our positioning at the center of popular culture with a diverse mix of marketing initiatives to drive consumer demand, such as through social media and digital and mobile outlets, sponsorships, product placement in leading fashion magazines and with celebrities, television and radio advertisements, personal sponsorships and endorsements, and selective collaborations with key influencers, integrating ourselves with significant cultural events, and on-the-ground efforts such as street-level events and similar targeted “viral” marketing activities. We also connect with sport and music fans across the world, including through the naming rights to the stadium for the San Francisco 49ers, which we secured in 2013 and extended in 2024.

We are focused on strengthening our brands globally. Through product and communications, our plan is to drive impact and engage the hearts and minds of our consumers while connecting directly and delivering the best experience possible through our DTC channel. In 2024, we deepened our direct, personalized relationships with our consumers through the expansion of our global loyalty programs. The Levi’s® brand reaffirmed its place at the center of culture with “REIIMAGINE,” a fully integrated global campaign with Beyoncé. The campaign reimagines classic Levi’s looks and films and reinterprets several of the brand’s most iconic advertisements while featuring core products like 501 ‘90s, Original Truckers, and Essential Tees. The first chapter debuted in 2024 with subsequent chapters to be run through 2025. Throughout the year, we delivered product freshness and innovation, including new additions such as the 511™ Slim Tech and the launch of new loose and baggy styles.

Our marketing organization includes both global and commercial marketing teams. Our global marketing team is responsible for developing a toolkit of marketing assets and brand guidelines to be applied across all marketing activities, including media, engagement, brand environment and in-store activation. Our commercial marketing teams adapt global tools for local relevance and execute marketing strategies within the markets where we operate.

We also use our websites, includingwww.levi.com, www.dockers.com, and www.beyondyoga.com in relevant markets to enhance consumer understanding of our brands and help consumers find and buy our products. Information contained on, or that can be accessed through, these websites is not intended to be incorporated by reference into this Annual Report and references to our website addressed in this Annual Report are inactive textual references only.

Sourcing and Logistics

Organization. Our global sourcing and logistics organizations are responsible for taking a product from the design concept stage through production to delivery to our customers. Our objective is to leverage our global scale to achieve product development and sourcing efficiencies and reduce total product and distribution costs while maintaining our focus on product quality, local service levels and working capital management. Our presence in approximately 120 countries enables us to leverage our global scale for product development and sourcing while using our local expertise to tailor products and retail experiences to individual markets.

Product procurement. We source nearly all of our products through independent contract manufacturers. We may have minimum inventory purchase commitments, including fabric commitments, with suppliers that secure a portion of material needs for future seasons. The remainder is sourced from our company-operated manufacturing and finishing plant in South Africa. See "Item 2 – Properties" for more information about these manufacturing facilities.

Sources and availability of raw materials. The principal fibers used in the majority of our products include cotton, synthetics and man-made cellulosics that are used to produce fabrics of 100% composition or blends. The prices we pay our suppliers for our products are dependent in part on the market price for raw materials used to produce them, primarily cotton. The price and availability of cotton may fluctuate substantially, depending on a variety of factors, including the effects of inflation. Current price fluctuations impact the cost of our products in future seasons due to the lead time of our product development cycle. Fluctuations in product costs can cause an increase or decrease in our profitability.

Sourcing locations. We use numerous independent contract manufacturers located throughout the world for the production and finishing of our garments. We conduct assessments of political, social, environmental, economic, trade, labor and intellectual property protection conditions in the countries in which we source our products before placing production in those countries and on an ongoing basis. We also monitor ongoing global trade regulations to optimize our supply chain networks in response to changes in tariffs or other trade policies around the world.

In fiscal year 2024, we sourced product from independent contract manufacturers located in approximately 28 countries around the world, with no more than 30% sourced from any single country, in line with our sourcing strategy. We sourced products in North and South Asia, the Americas, including the United States, Europe and Africa.

Sourcing practices. Our sourcing practices include these elements:

•We require all third-party vendors, including licensees and their authorized subcontractors, who manufacture or finish products for us to contribute to our sustainability goals and to follow all established policies and guidelines. They must comply with our code of conduct relating to supplier working conditions as well as environmental, employment and sourcing practices.

•Our supplier code of conduct covers employment practices such as wages and benefits, working hours, health and safety, working age and discriminatory practices, environmental matters such as wastewater treatment and solid waste disposal, and ethical and legal conduct. We regularly evaluate and refine our code of conduct processes.

•We regularly assess manufacturing and finishing facilities against our supplier code of conduct through periodic on-site facility inspections and improvement activities, including use of independent monitors to supplement our internal staff. We integrate review and performance results into our sourcing decisions.

•We regularly disclose the names and locations of our vendors to provide transparency into our supply chain.

Logistics. During fiscal year 2024 and as part of Project Fuel, the Company is changing its distribution strategy from an owned and operated model to a mix of owned and third-party operated distribution centers used to warehouse and ship products to our wholesale customers, retail stores and e-commerce customers. For more information, see “Item 2 – Properties”.

Distribution center activities include receiving finished goods from our contract manufacturers and plants, inspecting those products, preparing them for retail presentation, and shipping them to our customers, our e-commerce consumers, and to our own stores. Our distribution centers maintain a combination of replenishment and seasonal inventory. In certain locations around the globe, we have consolidated our distribution centers to service multiple countries.

Competition

The global apparel industry is highly competitive and fragmented. It is characterized by low barriers to entry, brands targeted at specific consumer segments, many regional and local competitors, and an increasing number of global competitors. Additionally, the company competes for consumers’ discretionary spend with businesses in other product and experiential categories such as technology, restaurants, travel and media content. Principal competitive factors include:

•anticipating and responding to changing consumer preferences and buying trends in a timely manner, and ensuring product availability at wholesale and DTC channels;

•developing high-quality, innovative products with relevant designs, fits, finishes, fabrics, style and performance features that meet consumer desires and trends;

•maintaining favorable and strong brand name recognition, loyalty and appeal through strong and effective marketing support and consumer intelligence in diverse market segments;

•identifying and securing desirable new retail locations and presenting products effectively at company-operated retail and franchised and other brand-dedicated stores;

•ensuring high-profile product placement at retailers;

•anticipating and responding to consumer expectations regarding e-commerce shopping and shipping;

•optimizing supply chain cost efficiencies and product development cycle lead times;

•withstanding prolonged periods of adverse economic conditions or business disruptions;

•adapting to changes in technology, including the successful utilization of data analytics, artificial intelligence and machine learning;

•sourcing sustainable and traceable raw materials at cost-effective prices;

•recruiting and retaining employees to operate our retail stores, distribution centers and various corporate functions;

•protecting our intellectual property;

•providing attractive, reliable, secure and user-friendly digital commerce sites;

•creating products at a range of price points that appeal to the consumers of both our wholesale customers and our dedicated retail stores and e-commerce sites situated in each of our geographic regions; and

•generating competitive economics for wholesale customers, including retailers, franchisees, and licensees.

We believe we compete favorably with respect to these factors.

We face competition from a broad range of competitors at the global and local levels in diverse channels across a wide range of retail price points, and some of our competitors are larger and have more resources in the markets in which we operate. Our primary competitors include vertically integrated specialty stores, jeanswear brands, khakiwear brands, athletic and activewear companies, retailers' private or exclusive labels, and certain e-commerce sites.

Government Regulations

Our business activities are global and are subject to various federal, state, local, and foreign laws, rules and regulations. For example, substantially all of our import operations are subject to complex trade and customs laws, regulations and tax requirements such as sanctions orders or tariffs set by governments through mutual agreements or unilateral actions. In addition, the countries in which our products are manufactured or imported may from time to time impose additional duties, tariffs or other restrictions on our imports or adversely modify existing restrictions. Changes in tax policy or trade regulations, or the imposition of new tariffs on imported products, could have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations. In addition, we are subject to changing regulatory restrictions and requirements, including in the areas of data privacy, sustainability and responses to climate change. Compliance with laws, rules and regulations has not had, and is not currently expected to have, a material effect on our capital expenditures, results of operations and competitive position. For more information on the potential impacts of government regulations affecting our business, see “Item 1A – Risk Factors”.

Intellectual Property

We have more than 6,100 trademark registrations and pending applications in approximately 180 jurisdictions worldwide, and we acquire rights in new trademarks according to business needs. We regard our trademarks as one of our most valuable assets and believe they have substantial value in the marketing of our products. The Levi's®, Dockers®, Beyond Yoga® and 501® trademarks, the Arcuate Stitching Design, the Tab Device, the Two Horse® Design, the Housemark and the Wings and Anchor Design are among our core trademarks.

We protect these trademarks by registering them with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and with governmental agencies in other countries, particularly where our products are manufactured or sold. We work vigorously to enforce and protect our trademark rights by engaging in regular market reviews, helping local law enforcement authorities detect and prosecute counterfeiters, issuing cease-and-desist letters against third parties infringing or denigrating our trademarks, opposing registration of infringing trademarks, and initiating litigation as necessary. We are currently pursuing approximately 320 infringement matters around the world. We also work with trade groups and industry participants seeking to strengthen laws relating to the protection of intellectual property rights in markets around the world.

As of December 1, 2024, we had 82 issued U.S. patents, 17 issued foreign patents and 23 U.S. patent applications pending. Our patents expire between 2025 and 2043. We also had 16 international and foreign patent applications pending. We will continually assess the ability to patent new intellectual property as we develop technologies that we believe are innovative.

History and Corporate Citizenship

Our story began in San Francisco, California in 1853 as a wholesale dry goods business. We invented the blue jean 20 years later. In 1873, we received a U.S. patent for “waist overalls” with metal rivets at points of strain. The first product line designated by the lot number “501” was created in 1890.

In the 19 th and early 20 th centuries, our work pants were worn primarily by cowboys, miners and other working men in the western United States. Then, in 1934, we introduced our first jeans for women, and after World War II, our jeans began to appeal to a wider market. By the 1960s, they had become a symbol of American culture, representing a unique blend of history and youth. We opened our export and international businesses in the 1950s and 1960s, respectively. The Dockers® brand helped drive “Casual Friday” in the 1990s and has been a cornerstone of casual menswear for more than 30 years.

Today, descendants of the family of Levi Strauss continue to be actively involved in our company. Our Class B common stock is primarily owned by these descendants and their relatives and trusts established for their behalf. In order to facilitate a forum for frequent, open and constructive dialogue between us and these stockholders, the family members have organized a family council, which engages with us on topics of mutual interest, such as our industry, governance, ownership and philanthropy. Management shares information and interacts with the family members, including the family council, in a manner consistent with all applicable laws and regulations.

Throughout this long history, we have upheld our strong belief that we can help shape society through civic engagement and community involvement, responsible labor and workplace practices, philanthropy, ethical conduct, environmental stewardship and transparency. We engage in a “profits through principles” business approach and constantly strive to set higher standards for ourselves and the industry. Our milestone initiatives over the years include: integrating our factories prior to the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; developing a comprehensive supplier code of conduct that requires safe and healthy working conditions before such codes of conduct became commonplace among multinational apparel companies; offering benefits to same-sex partners in the 1990s, long before most other companies; offering up to eight weeks of paid family leave to help ease the strain on U.S.-based employees caring for an immediate family member with a serious medical condition in 2020; and in 2023, expanding pregnancy leave benefits to provide 12 weeks of paid leave to both U.S. and Canada-based employees.

Environmental, Social and Governance and Human Capital

Environmental, Social and Governance

To advance our progress on environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) initiatives and ensure we meet stakeholder expectations for ESG commitments and performance, we hold ourselves accountable to a holistic sustainability strategy. The intent of our sustainability strategy is to be a leader in transparency and impact, to accelerate the circular economy ecosystem, and to inspire employees, communities and value chain partners to join our journey toward an inclusive and regenerative industry in which all people are treated with dignity and respect. Our strategy is focused on issues related to our business and provides a framework for us to continue embedding our sustainability ambitions within our broader business operations to create greater resilience and long term value.

In 2024, we released our 2023 Sustainability Goals and Metrics Report, which included updates and progress against our 16 people- and planet-first goals. The goals include targets tied to various areas across our sustainability strategy and collectively reflect our guiding philosophy of profits through principles. Our sustainability strategy is built around three main pillars — climate, consumption and community. Our climate pillar addresses environmental impacts, including climate action, water stewardship and biodiversity. The consumption pillar focuses on the circular economy, resale and upcycling initiatives, use of sustainable fibers, safer chemicals and waste and plastic reduction. The community pillar encompasses social and societal impacts, including diversity and inclusion; employee support and development; supply chain transparency; and investing in our communities through advocacy and volunteering. Our aim is to continue fortifying each pillar to deliver meaningful progress while evolving our efforts to ensure our business becomes more sustainable.

Human Capital Management

As of December 1, 2024, we employed approximately 18,700 people, approximately 9,900 of whom were located in the Americas, 3,800 of whom were located in Europe, and 5,000 of whom were located in Asia. As of such date, approximately 800 of our employees were associated with the manufacturing and procurement of our products, 10,800 worked in retail, including seasonal employees, 1,900 worked in distribution and 5,200 were other non-production employees. As of December 1, 2024, approximately 5,800 of our employees were represented by a labor union or covered by a collective bargaining agreement. We have not experienced any work stoppages, and we consider our relations with our employees to be good.

Diversity and Inclusion. We believe in living our values: originality, empathy, integrity courage and performance. This means we strive to create a workplace that reflects our consumers and communities in which we conduct our business. We endeavor to create an environment where everyone feels valued, heard and able to contribute to their full potential. We believe these principles benefit our performance by helping us inclusively design innovative products and anticipate and respond to consumer preferences. We released our third impact report in 2024 which reflects our commitment to transparently communicate our objectives. Our “One Team” approach is about harnessing our talent, culture and values and we believe it is a competitive advantage and serves as a driver of business results.

Pay Equity. To help fulfill our commitment to fair and equitable compensation, we historically conducted an independent pay equity audit every other year for our U.S. non-union population, with the most recent audit completed in 2022. In 2023 we developed in-house capabilities with oversight from outside counsel to run a similar analysis annually. We use the data to identify potential adjustments to be incorporated into our annual performance review process for different groups in the U.S. population, including corporate and retail employees as well as distribution center management. The analysis considered job level, performance, experience, and other factors such as promotions and location of jobs. Our in-house analysis confirmed that we do not have any systemic pay differences across gender and ethnicity in the U.S. following any outlier remediation. Further, we examined the gender pay equity for all our global corporate populations. Ethnicity data is not commonly captured internationally, and in some countries illegal for companies to track. We found no statistically significant gender pay differences across these markets. We’re also focused on eliminating bias and increasing transparency in pay practices and salary ranges and ensuring objectivity around compensation rewards.

Total Rewards. Our benefits are designed to help employees and their families stay healthy, meet their financial goals, protect their income and help them balance their work and personal lives. These benefits include health and wellness, paid time off, parental leave, employee assistance, competitive pay, career growth opportunities, paid volunteer time, product discounts, and a culture of recognition. Each year, the Compensation and Human Capital Committee conducts a review of our compensation and benefits programs to assess whether the programs are aligned with our business strategies, the competitive practices of our peer companies and our shareholders’ interests.