Express 2014 Annual Report Download - page 23

merchandise, product content, and the operation of stores and warehouse facilities. If these regulations were to
change or were violated by our management, employees, vendors, or buying agents, the costs of certain goods
could increase, or we could experience delays in shipments of our goods, be subject to fines or penalties, or
suffer reputational harm, which could reduce demand for our merchandise and hurt our business and results of
operations.
In addition to increased regulatory compliance requirements, changes in laws could make ordinary conduct of
our business more expensive or require us to change the way we do business. For example, changes in federal
and state minimum wage laws could continue to raise the wage requirements for certain of our employees. Other
laws related to employee benefits and treatment of employees, including laws related to limitations on employee
hours, work scheduling, supervisory status, leaves of absence, mandated health benefits, or overtime pay, could
also negatively impact us, such as by increasing compensation and benefits costs.
Moreover, changes in product safety or other consumer protection laws, environmental laws, and other
regulations, could lead to increased compliance costs. It is often difficult for us to plan and prepare for potential
changes to applicable laws and future compliance costs related to such changes could be material to us.
We may be unable to protect our trademarks or other intellectual property rights, may be precluded from
using trademarks in certain countries, and may face claims from third parties for intellectual property
infringement, which could harm our business.
We rely on certain trademark registrations and common law trademark rights to protect the distinctiveness of our
brand. However, there can be no assurance that the actions we have taken to establish and protect our trademarks
will be adequate to prevent imitation of our trademarks by others or to prevent others from claiming that sales of
our products infringe, dilute, or otherwise violate third-party trademarks or other proprietary rights that could
block sales of our products.
The laws of certain foreign countries may not protect the use of unregistered trademarks to the same extent as do
the laws of the United States. As a result, international protection of our brand image may be limited, and our
right to use our trademarks outside the United States could be impaired. Other persons or entities may have rights
to trademarks that contain portions of our marks or may have registered similar or competing marks for apparel
and/or accessories in foreign countries. There may also be other prior registrations of trademarks identical or
similar to our trademarks in other foreign countries. Accordingly, it may be possible for others to prevent the sale
or manufacture of our branded goods in certain foreign countries. Our inability to register our trademarks or
purchase or license the right to use the relevant trademarks or logos in these jurisdictions could limit our ability
to penetrate new markets in jurisdictions outside the United States.
Litigation may be necessary to protect our trademarks and other intellectual property rights, to enforce these
rights, or to defend against claims by third parties alleging that we infringe, dilute, or otherwise violate third-
party trademarks or other intellectual property rights. Any litigation or claims brought by or against us, whether
with or without merit, and whether successful or not, could result in substantial costs and diversion of our
resources, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations,
or cash flows. Any intellectual property litigation or claims against us could result in the loss or compromise of
our intellectual property rights, could subject us to significant liabilities, require us to seek licenses on
unfavorable terms, if available at all, prevent us from manufacturing or selling certain products, limit our ability
to market or sell to our customers using certain methods or technologies, and/or require us to redesign or re-label
our products or rename our brand, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial
condition, results of operations, or cash flows.
19