Famous Footwear 2012 Annual Report Download - page 8

6 2012 BROWN SHOE COMPANY, INC. FORM 10-K
INTRODUCTION
This Annual Report on Form 10-K is a document that U.S. public companies file with the Securities and Exchange Commission on an
annual basis. Part II of the Form 10-K contains the business information and financial statements that many companies include in the
financial sections of their annual reports. The other sections of this Form 10-K include further information about our business that
we believe will be of interest to investors. We hope investors will find it useful to have all of this information in a single document.
The SEC allows us to report information in the Form 10-K by “incorporating by reference” from another part of the Form 10-K or
from the proxy statement. You will see that information is “incorporated by reference” in various parts of our Form 10-K. The proxy
statement will be available on our website after it is filed with the SEC in April 2013.
Unless the context otherwise requires, “we,” “us,” “our,” “the Company” or “Brown Shoe Company” refers to Brown Shoe Company, Inc.
and its subsidiaries.
Information in this Form 10-K is current as of April 2, 2013, unless otherwise specified.
CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
In this report, and from time to time throughout the year, we share our expectations for our company’s future performance. These
forward-looking statements include statements about our business plans; the potential development, regulatory approval and public
acceptance of our products; our expected financial performance, including sales performance, and the anticipated eect of our
strategic actions; the anticipated benefits of acquisitions; the outcome of contingencies, such as litigation; domestic or international
economic, political and market conditions; and other factors that could aect our future results of operations or financial position,
including, without limitation, statements under the captions “Business,” “Legal Proceedings” and “Management’s Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” Any statements we make that are not matters of current reportage or
historical fact should be considered forward-looking. Such statements often include words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,”
“intend,” “plan,” “estimate,” “will” and similar expressions. By their nature, these types of statements are uncertain and are not
guarantees of our future performance.
Our forward-looking statements represent our estimates and expectations at the time that we make them. However, circumstances
change constantly, often unpredictably, and investors should not place undue reliance on these statements. Many events beyond our
control will determine whether our expectations will be realized. We disclaim any current intention or obligation to revise or update
any forward-looking statements, or the factors that may aect their realization, whether in light of new information, future events
or otherwise, and investors should not rely on us to do so. In the interests of our investors, and in accordance with the “safe harbor”
provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Part I. Item 1A. Risk Factors below explain some of the important
reasons that actual results may be materially dierent from those that we anticipate.
