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LONG-TERM DEBT
12 Months Ended
Jan. 03, 2026
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
LONG-TERM DEBT LONG-TERM DEBT
Long-term debt consisted of the following:
(dollars in thousands)January 3, 2026December 28, 2024
$575 million, 7.375% Senior Notes due 2031
$575,000 $— 
$500 million, 5.625% Senior Notes due 2027
— 500,000 
Less: unamortized debt issuance-related costs(7,827)(1,873)
      Senior notes, net$567,173 $498,127 
Secured revolving credit facility— — 
Total long-term debt, net
$567,173 $498,127 
Secured Revolving Credit Facility
As of January 3, 2026, the Company had no outstanding borrowings under its secured asset-based revolving credit facility (“ABL facility”), exclusive of $6.3 million of outstanding letters of credit. As of December 28, 2024, the Company had no outstanding borrowings under its secured cash-flow-based revolving credit facility, exclusive of $4.7 million of outstanding letters of credit. As of January 3, 2026 and December 28, 2024, there was $743.7 million and $845.3 million available for future borrowing, respectively. All outstanding borrowings under the Company’s ABL facility and secured cash-flow-based revolving credit facility are classified as non-current liabilities on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets due to contractual repayment terms under the credit facilities.
ABL Facility
On November 17, 2025, the Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, The William Carter Company (“TWCC”), entered into a new five-year ABL facility of up to $750.0 million. The ABL facility replaced the Company’s existing $850.0 million secured cash-flow–based revolving credit facility due April 2027. Borrowings under the ABL facility will mature, and lending commitments thereunder will terminate, in November 2030.
Approximately $4.3 million, including both bank fees and other third-party expenses, has been capitalized in connection with the ABL facility and will be amortized over the remaining term of the ABL facility. Unamortized deferred financing costs of $0.5 million related to lenders of the secured cash-flow-based revolving credit facility due April 2027 that did not continue in the new facility were written off in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025 and included in Loss on extinguishment of debt on the Company’s consolidated statement of operations.
The availability under the ABL facility was $743.7 million as of January 3, 2026. Availability is determined using borrowing base calculations of eligible inventory, accounts receivable, and intellectual property balances, less availability reserves, current outstanding borrowings under the ABL facility, and outstanding letters of credit. Availability may fluctuate throughout the year principally based on changes in eligible inventory and accounts receivable balances. As of January 3, 2026, the borrowing rate
for a term Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) loan would have been 4.93%, which includes an excess availability-based adjustment of 1.25%.
As of January 3, 2026, the Company was in compliance with its covenants and requirements under the ABL facility.
Terms of the ABL Facility
The ABL facility consists of a $750.0 million U.S. dollar revolving credit facility, up to $100.0 million of which may be drawn in Canadian dollars, Euros, Pounds Sterling, or other currencies agreed to by the applicable lenders. The ABL facility is inclusive of a $100 million sub-limit for letters of credit and a swing line sub-limit equal to $50 million. Up to $40 million of letters of credit under the ABL facility may be drawn in Canadian dollars, Euros, Pounds Sterling, or other currencies agreed to by the applicable lenders. TWCC and the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, The Genuine Canadian Corp., are both borrowers (“borrowers”) under the ABL facility. The ABL facility provides the borrowers with the right to request additional U.S. dollar commitments in an aggregate amount not to exceed the sum of (1) $150.0 million and (2) the amount by which the borrowing base exceeds the total commitments at such time. The ABL facility provides for an excess availability-based pricing grid which determines an interest rate for borrowings, calculated as the applicable floating benchmark rate plus a credit spread adjustment, if any, plus an amount ranging from 1.25% to 1.50% based on average daily excess availability.
The ABL facility is unconditionally guaranteed by the Company and certain of the borrowers’ existing direct and indirect domestic subsidiaries. Generally, obligations under the ABL facility, and the guarantees of those obligations are secured, subject to certain exceptions, by substantially all of the Company’s assets and the assets of the borrowers and each of the subsidiary guarantors, including (1) a first-priority pledge by the Company of all of the capital stock of TWCC and by TWCC of the capital stock directly held by TWCC and the subsidiary guarantors (which pledge, in the case of the capital stock of any foreign subsidiary (other than any Canadian subsidiaries), is limited to 65% of the stock of any such first-tier non-Canadian foreign subsidiary), and (2) a first-priority security interest in substantially all of the Company, the borrowers’ and the subsidiary guarantors’ tangible and intangible assets, in each case, subject to certain customary exceptions.
The ABL facility contains various covenants, including those that restrict the Company’s ability and the ability of its restricted subsidiaries to incur certain indebtedness, pay dividends or make distributions or other restricted payments, or to grant certain liens on their respective property or assets, among other things. The ABL facility also includes a springing financial covenant, consisting of, if the excess availability falls below certain thresholds, a fixed charge coverage ratio not to be less than 1.00 to 1.00. The fixed charge coverage ratio is defined as the ratio of
(1) the Company’s consolidated net income before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, with certain adjustments, minus (2) the unfinanced portion of all capital expenditures (excluding any capital expenditure made in an amount equal to all or part of the proceeds, applied within 12 months of receipt thereof, of (x) any casualty insurance, condemnation or eminent domain or ( y) any sale of assets); to
the sum of (1) the Company’s consolidated cash debt service charges, plus (2) consolidated cash net income taxes (or restricted payments made for such purpose), net of refunds received, plus (3) certain restricted payments.
The covenants limiting investments, dividends and other restricted payments each permit the restricted actions in an unlimited amount, subject to compliance with (i) either both (a) excess availability is greater than the greater of (x) $93.8 million and (y) 15% of the lesser of commitments and the applicable borrowing base (net of reserves) at all times in the past 30 days (and immediately after giving effect to the applicable transaction) and (b) a pro forma fixed charge coverage ratio of 1.00:1.00, or (2) the excess availability is greater than the greater of (x) $131.3 million and (y) 20% of the lesser of commitments and the applicable borrowing base (net of reserves) at all times in the past 30 days (and immediately after giving effect to the applicable transaction) and (ii) no event of default continuing. The covenants permit incurrence of unsecured indebtedness in an unlimited amount, subject to compliance with, among others, a pro forma fixed charge coverage ratio of 1.25:1.00. The ABL Facility also contains certain customary affirmative covenants and events of default.
Senior Notes
2025 Issuance of Senior Notes due 2031
On November 13, 2025, TWCC issued $575.0 million principal amount of senior notes at par, bearing interest at a rate of 7.375% per annum, and maturing on February 15, 2031. TWCC received net proceeds from the offering of the senior notes of approximately $567.0 million, after deducting underwriting fees and other expenses, which TWCC used to redeem the senior
notes discussed above and for other general corporate purposes. Approximately $8.0 million, including both bank fees and other third-party expenses, was capitalized in connection with the issuance and is being amortized over the term of the senior notes.
The notes are the senior unsecured obligations of the Company and are fully and unconditionally guaranteed, subject to certain exceptions, by Carter’s and by each of the Company’s current and, subject to certain exceptions, future domestic subsidiaries that guarantee the Company’s secured asset-based revolving credit facility or certain other debt of the Company or the subsidiary guarantors. The indenture limits the ability of the Company and each of the guarantors of the notes to incur certain liens, enter into certain sale and leaseback transactions, and consolidate, merge or sell all or substantially all of their assets.
On or after November 15, 2027, TWCC may redeem all or a part of the senior notes at the redemption prices (expressed as percentages of principal amount of the senior notes to be redeemed) set forth below, plus accrued and unpaid interest. The redemption price is applicable when the redemption occurs during the twelve-month period beginning on November 15 of each of the years indicated is as follows:
YearPercentage
2027103.688 %
2028101.844 %
2029 and thereafter100.000 %
At any time prior to November 15, 2027, TWCC may redeem all or a part of the notes at a redemption price equal to 100.0% of the principal amount plus an “Applicable Premium”, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to (but excluding) the redemption date. “Applicable Premium” means, with respect to a note on any redemption date, the greater of (i) 1.0% of the principal amount of such note and (ii) the excess, if any, of (A) the present value, as of such redemption date, of (1) the redemption price of such note on November 15, 2027 plus (2) all required interest payments due on such note (excluding accrued and unpaid interest to such redemption date) through November 15, 2027, discounted at a rate equal to the Treasury Rate plus 50 basis points, over (B) the principal amount of such note outstanding on such redemption date.
Additionally, prior to November 15, 2027, the TWCC may on any one or more occasions redeem up to 40.0% of the aggregate principal amount of notes and additional notes (taken together) issued under the Indenture with the net cash proceeds of one or more equity offerings at a redemption price of 107.375% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, provided that (1) at least 60.0% of the aggregate principal amount of notes and additional notes (taken together) issued under the indenture remains outstanding after each such redemption; and (2) the redemption occurs within 120 days after the closing of such equity offering.
The indenture governing the senior notes provides that upon the occurrence of specific kinds of changes of control, unless a redemption notice with respect to all the outstanding senior notes has previously or concurrently been mailed or delivered, TWCC will be required to make an offer to purchase the senior notes at 101% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest to (but excluding) the date of purchase.
2025 Redemption of Senior Notes due 2027
On November 27, 2025, the Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, TWCC, redeemed $500.0 million principal amount of senior notes, bearing interest at a rate of 5.625% per annum, and originally maturing on March 15, 2027. Pursuant to the optional redemption provisions described in the indenture dated as of March 14, 2019, TWCC paid the outstanding principal plus accrued and unpaid interest. This debt redemption resulted in a loss on extinguishment of debt of $1.2 million related to the write-off of unamortized debt issuance costs.