SKECHERS Named Company of the Year by Footwear Plus Magazine

Feb 2, 2010 • 9:00 am EST

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- SKECHERS USA, Inc. (NYSE:SKX), a global leader in lifestyle footwear, today announced that it has been named 2009 Company of the Year by Footwear Plus, a leading footwear trade publication. This Plus Award for Design Excellence marks the fourth time in five years that SKECHERS has claimed the top prize.

"It is a great honor to be named Company of the Year by our industry for the second consecutive year," began Michael Greenberg, president of SKECHERS. "Considering the strong brands also nominated - including Nike - and the challenging economy of 2009, we are particularly proud of this award. We believe it is a testament to the strength of our brand, our determination to deliver fresh, innovative product, and the hard work of the entire SKECHERS team."

"For the second straight year, SKECHERS has taken home the Plus Award in the prestigious 'Company of the Year' category," stated Greg Dutter, Editorial Director of Footwear Plus magazine. "Amid a difficult retail climate, SKECHERS adapted and thrived, turning in record-setting third quarter sales and has projections for a record fourth quarter as well. The Company continues to deliver on-target and affordable fashions across a wide range of footwear segments. Collectively, SKECHERS hits on America's sweet spot when it comes to its everyday footwear needs."

SKECHERS was also nominated for Design Excellence awards in the Wellness and Children's categories. Nominees for the Plus Awards are selected and voted on annually by footwear retailers nationwide, and recognize design excellence for the year.

SKECHERS has been previously recognized by Footwear Plus as Company of the Year in 2005, 2006 and 2008. Additionally, SKECHERS received Plus Awards for Design Excellence in 2000 for Young Women's Fashion, in 2001 for Women's Streetwear, and in 2002 for Kids' Fashion. SKECHERS' fashion brand, Marc Ecko, won Plus Awards for Design Excellence in Men's Streetwear for 2005 and again in 2006.

ABOUT SKECHERS USA, Inc.

SKECHERS USA, Inc., based in Manhattan Beach, California, designs, develops and markets a diverse range of footwear for men, women and children under the SKECHERS name, as well as under several uniquely branded names. SKECHERS footwear is available in the United States via department and specialty stores, Company-owned SKECHERS retail stores and its e-commerce website, as well as in over 100 countries and territories through the Company's global network of distributors and subsidiaries in Canada, Brazil, Chile, and across Europe, as well as through joint ventures in Asia. For more information, please visit www.skechers.com.

This announcement may contain forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, any statement that may predict, forecast, indicate or simply state future results, performance or achievements, and can be identified by the use of forward looking language such as "believe," "anticipate," "expect," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "project," "will be," "will continue," "will result," "could," "may," "might," or any variations of such words with similar meanings. Any such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause or contribute to such differences include international, national and local general economic, political and market conditions including the global economic slowdown and the ongoing financial crisis and market instability; sustaining, managing and forecasting costs and proper inventory levels; losing any significant customers, decreased demand by industry retailers and cancellation of order commitments due to the lack of popularity of particular designs and/or categories of products; maintaining brand image and intense competition among sellers of footwear for consumers; anticipating, identifying, interpreting or forecasting changes in fashion trends, consumer demand for the products and the various market factors described above; sales levels during the spring, back-to-school and holiday selling seasons; and other factors referenced or incorporated by reference in the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008 and the Company's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2009. The risks included here are not exhaustive. The Company operates in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time and the Company cannot predict all such risk factors, nor can the Company assess the impact of all such risk factors on the business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. Moreover, reported results should not be considered an indication of future performance.


    Source: SKECHERS USA