Warby Parker Inc. (WRBY)

Item 7. Management’s Discussion And Analysis Of Financial Condition And Results Of Operations

You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Form 10-K”). This discussion and other parts of this Form 10-K contain forward-looking statements, such as those relating to our plans, objectives, expectations, intentions, and beliefs, which involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from those discussed in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those identified below and those discussed in the sections titled “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” included elsewhere in this Form 10-K.

Overview

We are a mission-driven, lifestyle brand that operates at the intersection of design, technology, healthcare, and social enterprise.

Since day one, our focus on delighting customers and doing good has created a foundation for continuous innovation:

•We aim to provide customers with the highest-quality product possible by designing glasses at our headquarters in New York City, using custom materials, and selling direct to the customer. By cutting out the middleman, we are able to sell our products at a lower price than many of our competitors and pass the savings on to our customers. In addition to lower prices, we introduced simple, unified pricing (glasses starting at $95, including prescription lenses) to the eyewear market.

•We’ve built a seamless shopping experience that meets customers where and how they want to shop, whether that’s on our website, on our mobile app, or in our 276 retail stores as of December 31, 2024.

•We’ve crafted a holistic vision care offering that extends beyond glasses to include contacts, vision tests and eye exams, vision insurance, and more. We leverage leading (and in many cases proprietary) technology to enhance our customers’ experiences, whether it’s to help them find a better-fitting frame using our Virtual Try-On tool, or to update their prescription from home using Virtual Vision Test, our telehealth app.

•We recruit and retain highly engaged, motivated team members who are driven by our commitment to scaling a large, growing business while making an impact and are excited to connect their daily work back to our mission.

•We are a public benefit corporation focused on positively impacting all stakeholders, and hope to inspire other entrepreneurs and businesses to think along the same lines. Working closely with our nonprofit partners, we have distributed glasses to people in need in more than 80 countries globally and many parts of the United States. Over 15 million more people now have the glasses they need to learn, work, and achieve better economic outcomes through our Buy a Pair, Give a Pair program.

We generate revenue through selling our wide array of prescription and non-prescription eyewear, including glasses, sunglasses, and contact lenses. We also generate revenue from providing eye exams and vision tests, and selling eyewear accessories. We maintain data across the entire customer journey that allows us to develop deep insights, informing our innovation priorities and enabling us to create a highly personalized, brand-enhancing experience for our customers. We have built an integrated, omnichannel presence that we believe deepens our relationship with existing customers while broadening reach and accessibility. And while we have the ability to track where our customers transact, we’re channel agnostic to where the transaction takes place and find that many of our customers engage with us across both digital and physical channels; for example, many customers who check out online also visit a store throughout their customer journey, while others choose to browse online before visiting one of our stores.

Financial Highlights

For the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022:

•we generated net revenue of $771.3 million, $669.8 million, and $598.1 million, respectively;

•we generated gross profit of $426.8 million, $365.2 million, and $341.1 million, respectively, representing a gross profit margin of 55.3%, 54.5%, and 57.0%, respectively;

•we generated net loss of $20.4 million, $63.2 million, and $110.4 million, respectively; and

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•we generated Adjusted EBITDA of $73.1 million, $52.4 million, and $27.2 million, respectively.

For a definition of Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP measure, and a reconciliation to the most directly comparable GAAP measure, see the section titled “Key Business Metrics and Certain Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”

Factors Affecting Our Financial Condition and Results of Operations

We believe that our performance and future success depend on a variety of factors that present significant opportunities for our business but also present risks and challenges that could adversely impact our growth and profitability, including those discussed below and in Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” of this Annual Report.

Overall economic environment

The nature of our business, which involves the sale of products and services that are a medical necessity for many consumers, provides some insulation from swings in consumer sentiment and general economic conditions. However, our performance and growth are still impacted by these factors. Elevated inflation and interest rates, tariffs, and other negative economic factors may impact consumer spending habits as well as our cost of attracting and our ability to attract new customers. We believe our business model, focused on providing an exceptional value and experience to our customers, will help mitigate the impact of many of these macroeconomic factors, however, the extent of such mitigation and the impact on future results is uncertain. We also continue to diversify and expand our supply chain network, both internationally with our frame manufacturers and domestically with our wholly owned and partner optical laboratories, which we believe helps to insulate us from supply chain disruption and allowed us to continue to meet growing customer demand over the last several years while maintaining our exceptional quality and customer satisfaction standards.

Key Business Metrics and Certain Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In addition to the measures presented in our consolidated financial statements, we use the following key business metrics and certain non-GAAP financial measures to evaluate our business, measure our performance, develop financial forecasts, and make strategic decisions. The following table summarizes our key performance indicators and non-GAAP financial measures for the periods presented, which are unaudited.

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(1)Store Count number at the end of the period indicated.

(2)Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin are non-GAAP financial measures. For more information regarding our use of these measures and a reconciliation of net loss to Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin, see the section titled "Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin” below.

Active Customers

The number of Active Customers is a key performance measure that we use to assess the reach of our physical retail stores and digital platform as well as our brand awareness. We define an Active Customer as a unique customer account that has made at least one purchase in the trailing 12-month period. We determine our number of Active Customers by counting the total number of customer accounts that have made at least one purchase in the trailing 12-month period, measured from the last date of such period. Given our definition of a customer is a unique customer account that has made at least one purchase, it can include either an individual person or a household of more than one person utilizing a single account. We define Average Revenue per Customer as the sum of the total net revenues in the trailing 12-month period divided by the current period Active Customers.

Store Count

Store Count is a key performance measure that we track as we grow our retail footprint. Stores drive customer awareness of our brand and generate incremental demand for our products. We define Store Count as the total number of retail stores open at the end of a given period. We believe our retail stores embody our brand, drive brand

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awareness, and serve as efficient customer acquisition vehicles. Our results of operations have been and will continue to be affected by the timing and number of retail stores that we operate.

We have thoughtfully expanded our retail store footprint over the past several years. During the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022, we opened 39, 37, and 39 net new retail stores, respectively.

As of December 31, 2024, 236 out of our 276 retail stores offered in-person eye exams.

Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin

We define Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) before interest and other income, taxes, and depreciation and amortization as further adjusted for asset impairment costs, stock-based compensation expense and related employer payroll taxes, amortization of cloud-based software implementation costs, non-cash charitable donations, charges for certain legal matters outside the ordinary course of business, and non-recurring costs such as restructuring costs and major system implementation costs. We define Adjusted EBITDA Margin as Adjusted EBITDA divided by net revenue. We caution investors that amounts presented in accordance with our definitions of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin may not be comparable to similar measures disclosed by our competitors, because not all companies and analysts calculate these measures in the same manner. We present Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin because we consider these metrics to be important supplemental measures of our performance and believe they are frequently used by securities analysts, investors, and other interested parties in the evaluation of companies in our industry. Management believes that investors’ understanding of our performance is enhanced by including these non-GAAP financial measures as a reasonable basis for comparing our ongoing results of operations.

Management uses Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin:

•as a measurement of operating performance because they assist us in evaluating the operating performance of our business on a consistent basis, as they remove the impact of items not directly resulting from our core operations;

•for planning purposes, including the preparation of our internal annual operating budget and financial projections;

•to evaluate the performance and effectiveness of our operational strategies; and

•to evaluate our capacity to expand our business.

By providing these non-GAAP financial measures, together with a reconciliation to the most directly comparable GAAP measure, we believe we are enhancing investors’ understanding of our business and our results of operations, as well as assisting investors in evaluating how well we are executing our strategic initiatives. Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin have limitations as analytical tools, and should not be considered in isolation, or as an alternative to, or a substitute for net loss or other financial statement data presented in our consolidated financial statements as indicators of financial performance. Some of the limitations are:

•such measures do not reflect our cash expenditures, or future requirements for capital expenditures, or contractual commitments;

•such measures do not reflect changes in, or cash requirements for, our working capital needs;

•such measures do not reflect the interest expense, or the cash requirements necessary to service interest or principal payments on our debt;

•such measures do not reflect our tax expense or the cash requirements to pay our taxes;

•although depreciation and amortization are non-cash charges, the assets being depreciated and amortized will often have to be replaced in the future and such measures do not reflect any cash requirements for such replacements; and

•other companies in our industry may calculate such measures differently than we do, limiting their usefulness as comparative measures.

Due to these limitations, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin should not be considered as measures of discretionary cash available to us to invest in the growth of our business. We compensate for these limitations by relying primarily on our GAAP results and using these non-GAAP measures only supplementally. Each of the adjustments and other adjustments described in this paragraph and in the reconciliation table below help management with a measure of our core operating performance over time by removing items that are not related to day-to-day operations.

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The following table reconciles Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin to the most directly comparable GAAP measure, which is net loss:

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(1)    Represents expenses related to the Company’s equity-based compensation programs and related employer payroll taxes, which may vary significantly from period to period depending upon various factors including the timing, number, and the valuation of awards granted, vesting of awards including the satisfaction of performance conditions, as well as the issuance of 48,486 shares of Class A common stock to charitable donor advised funds in February 2024. Included in stock-based compensation expense for the year ended December 31, 2023 is $2.2 million of liability based awards resulting from accrued bonuses that were settled in equity in the first quarter of 2024. For the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022, the amount includes $1.1 million, $0.6 million, and $0.6 million of employer payroll costs associated with releases of RSUs and option exercises, respectively.

(2)    Represents charitable expense recorded in connection with the donation of 178,572 shares of Class A common stock in each of May 2024, August 2023 and May 2022 to the Warby Parker Impact Foundation, 56,938 shares of Class A common stock to charitable donor advised funds in June 2023, and 34,528 shares of Class A common stock to charitable donor advised funds in November 2022.

(3)    Represents the amortization of costs capitalized in connection with the implementation of cloud-based software.

(4)    Represents internal and external non-capitalized costs related to the implementation of our new Enterprise Resource Planning (“ERP”) system.

(5)    Represents employee severance and related costs for restructuring actions executed in October 2024 and August 2022 and charges for certain legal matters outside the ordinary course of business.

Results of Operations

The results of operations presented below should be reviewed in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The following tables set forth our results of operations for the periods presented in dollars and as a percentage of net revenue:

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Components of Results of Operations

Net Revenue

We primarily derive revenue from the sales of eyewear products, optical services and accessories. We sell products and services through our stores, website, and mobile apps. Revenue generated from eyewear includes the sales of prescription and non-prescription optical glasses and sunglasses, contact lenses, eyewear accessories, lens replacements, and customer charges for optional expedited shipping. Revenue generated from vision care consists of in-person eye exams and prescriptions issued through the Virtual Vision Test app. Revenue from products is recognized when the customer takes possession of the product, either at the point of delivery or in-store pickup, and is recorded net of returns and discounts. Revenue for services is recognized when the service is rendered and is recorded net of discounts.

Cost of Goods Sold

Cost of goods sold includes the costs incurred to acquire materials, assemble, and sell our finished products. Such costs include (i) product costs, including freight and import costs and adjustments to the lesser of cost and net realizable value, (ii) optical laboratory costs, (iii) customer shipping, (iv) occupancy and depreciation costs of retail stores, and (v) employee-related costs associated with eye exams, which includes salaries, benefits, bonuses, and stock-based compensation. We expect our cost of goods sold to fluctuate as a percentage of net revenue primarily due to product mix, customer preferences and resulting demand, the cost and management of inventory, shipping costs, laboratory utilization, and the scaling of our eye exam and contacts businesses. Cost of goods sold also may change as we open or close retail stores because of the resulting change in related occupancy and depreciation costs.

Gross Profit and Gross Margin

We define gross profit as net revenues less cost of goods sold. Gross margin is gross profit expressed as a percentage of net revenues. Our gross margin has remained steady historically, but may fluctuate in the future based on a number of factors, including the cost at which we can obtain, transport, and assemble our inventory, the rate at which we open new retail stores, the mix of products we sell, and how effective we can be at controlling costs, in any given period.

Selling, General, and Administrative Expenses

Selling, general, and administrative expenses, or SG&A, primarily consist of employee-related costs including salaries, benefits, bonuses, and stock-based compensation for our corporate and retail employees, marketing, information technology, credit card processing fees, donations in connection with our Buy a Pair, Give a Pair program, facilities, legal, and other administrative costs associated with operating the business. Marketing, which consist of both online and offline advertising, includes sponsored search, online advertising, Home Try-On program costs, and other initiatives. We expect SG&A to increase in absolute dollars over time and to fluctuate as a percentage of revenue due to the anticipated growth of our business, intentional investments in marketing, and changing prices of goods and services caused by inflation and other macroeconomic factors. SG&A is expensed in the period in which it is incurred.

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Interest and Other Income, Net

Interest and other income, net, consists primarily of interest generated from our cash and cash equivalents balances net of interest incurred on borrowings and fees on our undrawn line of credit, and is recognized as incurred. We expect our interest and other income costs to fluctuate based on our future bank balances, credit line utilization, and the interest rate environment.

Provision for Income Taxes

Provision for income taxes consists of income taxes related to foreign and domestic federal and state jurisdictions in which we conduct business, adjusted for allowable credits, deductions, and valuation allowance against deferred tax assets.

Comparison of the Years Ended December 31, 2024 and 2023

Net Revenue

Net revenue increased $101.6 million, or 15.2%, for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Active Customers increased 7.8% and Average Revenue per Customer increased to $307 from $287 in the prior year period. Average Revenue per Customer growth was primarily driven by our glasses business, which saw strong adoption of precision progressives, our highest priced lens option which launched in April 2023, growth in our lens replacement service that was launched in the fourth quarter of 2023, and continued uptake of our higher priced frames, as well as by the impact of customers purchasing contacts or eye exams along with glasses in the same transaction.

Cost of Goods Sold, Gross Profit, and Gross Margin

Cost of goods sold increased by $39.9 million, or 13.1%, for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, and decreased as a percentage of revenue over the same period by 80 basis points, from 45.5% of revenue to 44.7% of revenue. The increase in cost of goods sold was primarily driven by increased product and fulfillment costs associated with our sales growth, particularly related to the growth in our contact lens offering, as well as increases in store occupancy, store depreciation, doctor headcount due to new retail stores opened in 2024, and optical laboratory costs to support glasses growth.

Gross profit, calculated as net revenue less cost of goods sold, increased by $61.6 million, or 16.9%, for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, primarily due to the increase in net revenue over the same period.

Gross margin, expressed as a percentage and calculated as gross profit divided by net revenue, increased by 80 basis points for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. The increase in gross margin was primarily driven by faster growth in our glasses business which is our highest margin product category, lower outbound customer shipping costs as a percent of revenue, and efficiencies in our owned optical laboratories. These impacts were partially offset by sales growth of contact lenses, which are sold at a lower margin than our other eyewear, and increased doctor headcount, as the number of stores offering eye exams grew from 194 stores as of December 31, 2023 to 236 stores as of December 31, 2024.

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Selling, General, and Administrative Expenses

Selling, general, and administrative expenses increased $19.7 million, or 4.5%, for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. This increase was primarily driven by higher payroll-related costs, primarily from growth in our retail workforce, and investments in marketing, partially offset by a $23.2 million decrease in stock-based compensation, mostly related to the Founders Grant (as described in Note 7 to our consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K).

Interest and Other Income, Net

Interest and other income, net increased by $1.4 million, or 14.8%, for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023 primarily due to interest on our increased cash and cash equivalents balance.

Provision for Income Taxes

Provision for income taxes increased $0.4 million, or 102.1%, for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023 primarily due to the change in pre-tax loss in addition to the tax effects of stock-based compensation expense, depreciation expense, and differences in tax rates in state jurisdictions.

Comparison of the Years Ended December 31, 2023 and 2022

Net Revenue

Net revenue increased $71.7 million, or 12.0%, for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. The growth in net revenue was primarily driven by an increase in Average Revenue per Customer, to $287 from $263 in the prior year period, as well as a 2.5% increase in Active Customers. Average Revenue per Customer growth was driven by an increase in units per order as customers took advantage of our bundling promotions and also purchased contacts or eye exams along with glasses in the same transaction.

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Cost of Goods Sold, Gross Profit, and Gross Margin

Cost of goods sold increased by $47.5 million, or 18.5%, for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the same period in 2022, and increased as a percentage of revenue over the same period by 250 basis points, from 43.0% of revenue to 45.5% of revenue. The increase in cost of goods sold was primarily driven by increased product and fulfillment costs associated with the growth in our contact lens offering and optical laboratory utilization, as well as an increase in store occupancy costs, including depreciation, and prescription services expenses due to new retail stores and optical exam rooms that opened in 2023.

Gross profit, calculated as net revenue less cost of goods sold, increased by $24.2 million, or 7.1%, for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the same period in 2022, primarily due to the increase in net revenue over the same period.

Gross margin, expressed as a percentage and calculated as gross profit divided by net revenue, decreased by 250 basis points for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. The decrease in gross margin was primarily driven by the sales growth of contact lenses which are sold at a lower margin than our other eyewear, increased doctor salaries, as the number of stores offering eye exams grew, and increases in store occupancy costs as a percent of revenue as we grew our store base from 200 stores as of December 31, 2022 to 237 stores as of December 31, 2023. These impacts were partially offset by increased progressives penetration, increased efficiencies in our owned optical laboratories, and lower outbound customer shipping costs as a percent of revenue.

Selling, General, and Administrative Expenses

Selling, general, and administrative expenses decreased $15.0 million, or 3.3%, for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. This decrease was primarily driven by a $27.7 million decrease in stock-based compensation, mostly related to the Founders Grant (as described in Note 7 to our consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K), and lower marketing costs, including costs associated with our Home Try-On program, in the first half of the year, which decreased to 12% of revenue in the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to 14% in the same period of 2022. The decrease was partially offset by increased technology costs, mainly driven by the implementation of our new ERP system, and higher compensation costs from growth in our retail workforce.

Interest and Other Income, Net

Interest and other income, net increased by $7.9 million, or 606.4%, for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the same period in 2022 primarily due to higher interest rates on our cash and cash equivalents balance.

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Provision for Income Taxes

Provision for income taxes decreased $0.1 million, or 12.9%, for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the same period in 2022 primarily due to the 2022 establishment of a valuation allowance on our Canadian subsidiary, partially offset by higher state tax expense in 2023.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Since inception, we have financed our operations primarily from net proceeds from the sale of redeemable convertible preferred stock and cash flows from operating activities. We also have access to cash from our credit facility, which remains undrawn as of December 31, 2024. We had cash and cash equivalents of $254.2 million, which was primarily held for working capital purposes, and an accumulated deficit of $687.2 million as of December 31, 2024.

We expect that operating losses could continue in the foreseeable future as we continue to invest in the expansion of our business. We believe our existing cash and cash equivalents, funds available under our existing credit facility, and cash flows from operating activities will be sufficient to fund our operations for at least the next 12 months.

Credit Facility

2022 Credit Facility

In September 2022, the Company and its wholly owned subsidiary, Warby Parker Retail, Inc. (together, the “Borrowers”), entered into a Credit Agreement with Comerica Bank and the lenders from time to time party thereto (as amended, the “2022 Credit Facility”). The 2022 Credit Facility consisted of a $100.0 million five-year revolving credit facility with sublimits of $15.0 million for letters of credit and $5.0 million for swing line notes. In February 2024, the 2022 Credit Facility was terminated and replaced by the 2024 Credit Facility as described below.

2024 Credit Facility

In February 2024, the Borrowers entered into a Credit Agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and the lenders party thereto (the “2024 Credit Facility”), which replaced the 2022 Credit Facility. The 2024 Credit Facility consists of a $120.0 million five-year revolving credit facility with sublimits of $15.0 million for letters of credit and $10.0 million for swingline loans. The 2024 Credit Facility includes an option for the Company to increase the available amount by up to $55.0 million, for a maximum borrowing capacity of $175.0 million, subject to the consent of the lenders funding the increase and certain other conditions. Proceeds of the borrowings under the 2024 Credit Facility are expected to be used for working capital and other general corporate purposes in the ordinary course of business. The Company is permitted to repay borrowings under the 2024 Credit Facility at any time, in whole or in part, without penalty.

Under the 2024 Credit Facility, borrowings under the revolving credit facility bear interest on the principal amount outstanding, at the Company’s election, at (a) the greater of the prime rate (as defined in the credit agreement) or 2.5%, plus an applicable margin of 0.65% to 0.90% depending on the Company’s leverage ratio or (b) adjusted SOFR (as defined in the credit agreement), plus an applicable margin of 1.65% to 1.90% depending on the Company’s leverage ratio. The Company is charged an unused commitment fee of 0.20% to 0.25% depending on the Company's leverage ratio. Both interest on principal and commitment fees are included in interest expense on the consolidated statements of operations.

The 2024 Credit Facility contains a financial maintenance covenant which only applies while total borrowings exceed $30.0 million, which requires the Company to maintain a maximum consolidated senior net leverage ratio of 3:1. The 2024 Credit Facility contains customary affirmative and negative covenants, including limits on indebtedness, liens, capital expenditures, asset sales, investments and restricted payments, in each case subject to negotiated exceptions and baskets, as well as representations, warranties and event of default provisions. The obligations of the Borrowers under the 2024 Credit Agreement are secured by first-lien security interests in substantially all of the assets of the Borrowers. In addition, the obligations are required to be guaranteed in the future by certain additional domestic subsidiaries of the Company.

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Other than letters of credit outstanding of $4.3 million as of both December 31, 2024 and 2023, used to secure certain leases in lieu of a cash security deposit, there were no other borrowings outstanding under the 2024 Credit Facility.

Cash Flows

The following table summarizes our cash flows for the periods presented:

Cash Flows from Operating Activities

Net cash provided by operating activities was $98.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, consisting of a net loss of $20.4 million, adjusted for $99.9 million of non-cash expenses and $19.2 million of net cash from changes in operating assets and liabilities. The non-cash charges included $47.3 million of stock-based compensation, $45.9 million of depreciation and amortization, $3.7 million of amortization of cloud-based implementation costs, $2.2 million of non-cash charitable contributions, and $0.8 million of non-cash impairment charges. The changes in operating assets and liabilities were primarily driven by decreased inventory as we more closely manage stock on hand, increased accrued expenses, and increased net lease liabilities in connection with retail leases entered into in 2024, partially offset by an increase in prepaid expenses and other current assets.

Net cash provided by operating activities was $61.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, consisting of a net loss of $63.2 million, adjusted for $118.4 million of non-cash expenses and $5.8 million of net cash from changes in operating assets and liabilities. The non-cash charges included $70.5 million of stock-based compensation, $38.6 million of depreciation and amortization, $3.2 million of non-cash charitable contributions, $3.2 million of non-cash impairment charges, and $2.9 million of amortization of cloud-based implementation costs. The changes in operating assets and liabilities were primarily driven by decreased inventory and other non-current assets, and increased deferred revenue from sales growth, net lease liabilities in connection with retail leases entered into in 2023, and accounts payable, partially offset by a decrease in accrued expenses and an increase in prepaid expenses and other current assets.

Net cash provided by operating activities was $10.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, consisting of a net loss of $110.4 million, adjusted for $135.5 million of non-cash expenses and $14.7 million of net cash used as a result of changes in operating assets and liabilities. The non-cash charges included $98.0 million of stock-based compensation, $31.9 million of depreciation and amortization, $3.8 million of non-cash charitable contributions, $1.6 million of non-cash impairment charges, and $0.2 million of amortization of cloud-based implementation costs. The changes in operating assets and liabilities were primarily driven by increases in net inventory to support the growth of our business, prepaid expenses and other assets, other non-current assets, and a net decrease in accounts payable and accrued expenses, partially offset by increases in net lease liabilities in connection with net retail leases entered into in 2022 and deferred revenue.

Cash Flows from Investing Activities

For the year ended December 31, 2024, net cash used in investing activities was $66.0 million related to purchases of property and equipment to support our growth, primarily related to the build-out of new retail stores, investments in capitalized software development costs, and an investment in a private optical equipment company.

For the year ended December 31, 2023, net cash used in investing activities was $54.7 million related to purchases of property and equipment to support our growth, primarily related to the build-out of new retail stores and capitalized software development costs, and an investment in a private optical equipment company.

For the year ended December 31, 2022, net cash used in investing activities was $60.2 million related to purchases of property and equipment to support our growth, primarily related to the build-out of new retail stores, as well as investments in our supply chain infrastructure and capitalized software development costs.

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Cash Flows from Financing Activities

For the year ended December 31, 2024, net cash provided by financing activities was $5.0 million, which was primarily related to proceeds from stock option exercises, shares issued in connection with our Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”), and other equity activity.

For the year ended December 31, 2023, net cash provided by financing activities was $2.9 million, which was primarily related to proceeds from shares issued in connection with our ESPP and stock option exercises.

For the year ended December 31, 2022, net cash provided by financing activities was $3.3 million, which was primarily related to proceeds from shares issued in connection with our ESPP and stock option exercises.

Contractual Obligations and Commitments

The following table summarizes our contractual obligations and commitments as of December 31, 2024:

For additional discussion on our lease obligations, see Note 8, “Leases” in our consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Form 10-K. Subsequent to December 31, 2024, we entered into four operating lease agreements and extended the term of one existing operating lease agreement for retail space in the U.S. Total commitments under these agreements are approximately $4.3 million.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

See Note 2, “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” in our consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Form 10-K for a description of recently adopted accounting pronouncements and recently issued accounting pronouncements not yet adopted.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

Management’s discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based on our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with GAAP. The preparation of our financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, the reported revenue generated and expenses incurred during the reporting periods, and related disclosures. Our estimates are based on our historical experience and on various other factors that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying value of assets and liabilities and the amount of revenue and expenses that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions, and any such differences may be material. We believe that the accounting policies discussed below are critical to understanding our historical and future performance, as these policies relate to the more significant areas involving management’s judgments and estimates.

Inventory

Inventory is stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value, with cost determined on a weighted average cost basis. We continuously evaluate the composition of our inventory and make adjustments when the cost of inventory is not expected to be fully recoverable. The estimated net realizable value of excess and obsolete inventory is determined based on an analysis of historical sales trends, the impact of market trends and economic conditions, forecasts of future demand, and estimated timing of product retirements. Adjustments for damaged inventory are recorded primarily based on actual damaged inventory. Adjustments for inventory shrink, representing the physical loss of inventory, are estimated based on historical experience and are adjusted based upon physical inventory counts. Actual results may differ from estimates due to the quantity and mix of products in inventory, consumer preferences, and economic and market conditions. Our historical estimates of these costs and the related provisions have not differed materially from actual results. However, unforeseen adverse future economic and market conditions, such as those resulting from disease pandemics and other catastrophic events, could result in our actual results differing materially from our estimates.

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Stock-Based Compensation

We recognize compensation expense for stock-based awards based on the grant date fair value, on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period of the awards, which is generally the vesting term of the outstanding stock awards. Compensation expense for performance awards is recognized when it is determined that it is probable that the vesting conditions will be satisfied.

In June 2021, we granted 4,397,688 PSUs and 1,884,724 RSUs to the Co-CEOs, in the aggregate, under the 2019 Plan (the “Founders Grant”). The PSUs vest upon two performance conditions, (i) a qualified public offering and (ii) the price of our Class A common stock reaches stock price hurdles over a period of ten years, as defined by the terms of the award. The PSUs are subject to the Co-CEOs’ continued employment with the Company through the applicable vesting date.

We used a Monte Carlo simulation to calculate the grant-date fair value of the PSUs of $128.8 million. Since the PSUs contain a performance and market condition, the stock-based compensation expense is recognized when it becomes probable that the performance condition will be met using the accelerated attribution method. Stock-based compensation is recognized over the period of time the market condition for each tranche is expected to be met (i.e., the derived service period). The derived service period over which the expense is expected to be recognized is 3.8 years. The qualified public offering performance condition was satisfied at September 29, 2021 by our direct listing, and we began recording expense at that time.

The Founders Grant RSUs vest in equal monthly installments over a period of five years, subject to the Co-CEOs’ continued employment with the Company through the applicable vesting date and conditioned upon the completion of a qualified public offering. The grant-date fair value of the RSUs is $66.9 million. Since the RSUs contain a performance condition, stock-based compensation expense is recognized using the accelerated attribution method when it becomes probable that the performance condition will be met. The performance condition was satisfied on September 29, 2021 by our direct listing, and we began recording expense at that time.

Income Taxes

Management makes estimates, assumptions, and judgments to determine our provision for income taxes, deferred tax assets and liabilities, and any valuation allowance recorded against deferred tax assets. We utilize the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes. Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes, as well as operating loss, capital loss, and tax credit carryforwards. Valuation allowances are established against deferred tax assets if it is more likely than not that they will not be realized.

Our policy is to recognize interest and penalties expense, if any, related to unrecognized tax benefits as a component of income tax expense.

Item 7. Management’s Discussion And Analysis Of Financial Condition And Results Of Operations

You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Form 10-K”). This discussion and other parts of this Form 10-K contain forward-looking statements, such as those relating to our plans, objectives, expectations, intentions, and beliefs, which involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from those discussed in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those identified below and those discussed in the sections titled “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” included elsewhere in this Form 10-K.

Overview

We are a mission-driven, lifestyle brand that operates at the intersection of design, technology, healthcare, and social enterprise.

Since day one, our focus on delighting customers and doing good has created a foundation for continuous innovation:

•We aim to provide customers with the highest-quality product possible by designing glasses at our headquarters in New York City, using custom materials, and selling direct to the customer. By cutting out the middleman, we are able to sell our products at a lower price than many of our competitors and pass the savings on to our customers. In addition to lower prices, we introduced simple, unified pricing (glasses starting at $95, including prescription lenses) to the eyewear market.

•We’ve built a seamless shopping experience that meets customers where and how they want to shop, whether that’s on our website, on our mobile app, or in our 237 retail stores as of December 31, 2023.

•We’ve crafted a holistic vision care offering that extends beyond glasses to include contacts, vision tests and eye exams, vision insurance, and beyond. We leverage leading (and in many cases proprietary) technology to enhance our customers’ experiences, whether it’s to help them find a better-fitting frame using our Virtual Try-On tool, or to update their prescription from home using Virtual Vision Test, our telehealth app.

•We recruit and retain highly engaged, motivated team members who are driven by our commitment to scaling a large, growing business while making an impact and are excited to connect their daily work back to our mission.

•We are a public benefit corporation focused on positively impacting all stakeholders, and hope to inspire other entrepreneurs and businesses to think along the same lines. Working closely with our nonprofit partners, we have distributed glasses to people in need in more than 80 countries globally and many parts of the United States. Over 15 million more people now have the glasses they need to learn, work, and achieve better economic outcomes through our Buy a Pair, Give a Pair program.

We generate revenue through selling our wide array of prescription and non-prescription eyewear, including glasses, sunglasses, and contact lenses. We also generate revenue from providing eye exams and vision tests, and selling eyewear accessories. We maintain data across the entire customer journey that allows us to develop deep insights, informing our innovation priorities and enabling us to create a highly personalized, brand-enhancing experience for our customers. We have built an integrated, multichannel presence that we believe deepens our relationship with existing customers while broadening reach and accessibility. And while we have the ability to track where our customers transact, we’re channel agnostic to where the transaction takes place and find that many of our customers engage with us across both digital and physical channels; for example, many customers who check out online also visit a store throughout their customer journey, while others choose to browse online before visiting one of our stores.

Financial Highlights

For the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021:

•we generated net revenue of $669.8 million, $598.1 million, and $540.8 million, respectively;

•we generated gross profit of $365.2 million, $341.1 million, and $317.7 million, respectively, representing a gross profit margin of 55%, 57%, and 59%, respectively;

•we generated net loss of $63.2 million, $110.4 million, and $144.3 million, respectively; and

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•we generated adjusted EBITDA of $52.4 million, $27.2 million, and $24.9 million, respectively.

For a definition of adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP measure, and a reconciliation to the most directly comparable GAAP measure, see the section titled “Key Business Metrics and Certain Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”

Direct Listing

On September 29, 2021, we completed a direct listing of our Class A common stock (the “Direct Listing”) on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”). We incurred fees related to financial advisory service, audit, and legal services in connection with the Direct Listing of $28.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 which are recorded in selling, general and administrative expenses.

Factors Affecting Our Financial Condition and Results of Operations

We believe that our performance and future success depend on a variety of factors that present significant opportunities for our business but also present risks and challenges that could adversely impact our growth and profitability, including those discussed below and in Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” of this Annual Report.

Overall economic environment

The nature of our business, which involves the sale of products and services that are a medical necessity for many consumers, provides some insulation from swings in consumer sentiment and general economic conditions. However, our performance and growth are still impacted by these factors. Elevated inflation and interest rates, changing consumer commuting habits, and other negative economic factors may impact consumer spending habits as well as our cost of attracting and our ability to attract new customers. For example, during 2023, we continued to see lower overall sales growth rates than we have historically experienced as consumer activity within the optical industry has not recovered to pre-pandemic growth level. We believe our business model, focused on providing an exceptional value and experience to our customers, will help mitigate the impact of many of these macroeconomic factors, however, the extent of such mitigation and the impact on future results is uncertain. We also continue to diversify and expand our supply chain network, both internationally with our frame manufacturers and domestically with our wholly owned and partner optical laboratories, which we believe has helped to insulate us from supply chain disruption and allowed us to continue to meet growing customer demand over the last several years while maintaining our exceptional quality and customer satisfaction standards.

Key Business Metrics and Certain Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In addition to the measures presented in our consolidated financial statements, we use the following key business metrics and certain non-GAAP financial measures to evaluate our business, measure our performance, develop financial forecasts, and make strategic decisions. The following table summarizes our key performance indicators and non-GAAP financial measures for the periods presented, which are unaudited.

__________________

(1)Store Count number at the end of the period indicated.

(2)Adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin are non-GAAP financial measures. For more information regarding our use of these measures and a reconciliation of net loss, the most directly comparable GAAP measure, to adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin, see the section titled "Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin”

Active Customers

The number of Active Customers is a key performance measure that we use to assess the reach of our physical retail stores and digital platform as well as our brand awareness. We define an Active Customer as a unique customer that has made at least one purchase in the preceding 12-month period. We determine our number of Active Customers by counting the total number of customers who have made at least one purchase in the preceding 12-month period, measured from the last date of such period. Given our definition of a customer is a unique customer that has made at

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least one purchase, it can include either an individual person or a household of more than one person utilizing a single account.

Store Count

Store Count is a key performance measure that we use to reach consumers and generate incremental demand for our products. We define Store Count as the total number of retail stores open at the end of a given period. We believe our retail stores embody our brand, drive brand awareness, and serve as efficient customer acquisition vehicles. Our results of operations have been and will continue to be affected by the timing and number of retail stores that we operate.

We have thoughtfully expanded our retail store footprint over the past several years. During the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021, we opened 40, 40, and 35 new retail stores, respectively.

As of December 31, 2023, 194 out of our 237 retail stores offered in-person eye exams.

Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin

We define adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) before interest and other income (loss), taxes, and depreciation and amortization as further adjusted for asset impairment costs, stock-based compensation expense and related employer payroll taxes, amortization of cloud-based software implementation costs, non-cash charitable donations, and non-recurring costs such as restructuring costs, major system implementation costs, and direct listing or other transaction costs. We define adjusted EBITDA margin as adjusted EBITDA divided by net revenue. We caution investors that amounts presented in accordance with our definitions of adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin may not be comparable to similar measures disclosed by our competitors, because not all companies and analysts calculate adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin in the same manner. We present adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin because we consider these metrics to be important supplemental measures of our performance and believe they are frequently used by securities analysts, investors, and other interested parties in the evaluation of companies in our industry. Management believes that investors’ understanding of our performance is enhanced by including these non-GAAP financial measures as a reasonable basis for comparing our ongoing results of operations.

Management uses adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin:

•as a measurement of operating performance because they assist us in evaluating the operating performance of our business on a consistent basis, as they remove the impact of items not directly resulting from our core operations;

•for planning purposes, including the preparation of our internal annual operating budget and financial projections;

•to evaluate the performance and effectiveness of our operational strategies; and

•to evaluate our capacity to expand our business.

By providing these non-GAAP financial measures, together with a reconciliation to the most directly comparable GAAP measure, we believe we are enhancing investors’ understanding of our business and our results of operations, as well as assisting investors in evaluating how well we are executing our strategic initiatives. Adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin have limitations as analytical tools, and should not be considered in isolation, or as an alternative to, or a substitute for net loss or other financial statement data presented in our consolidated financial statements as indicators of financial performance. Some of the limitations are:

•such measures do not reflect our cash expenditures, or future requirements for capital expenditures, or contractual commitments;

•such measures do not reflect changes in, or cash requirements for, our working capital needs;

•such measures do not reflect the interest expense, or the cash requirements necessary to service interest or principal payments on our debt;

•such measures do not reflect our tax expense or the cash requirements to pay our taxes;

•although depreciation and amortization are non-cash charges, the assets being depreciated and amortized will often have to be replaced in the future and such measures do not reflect any cash requirements for such replacements; and

•other companies in our industry may calculate such measures differently than we do, limiting their usefulness as comparative measures.

Due to these limitations, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin should not be considered as measures of discretionary cash available to us to invest in the growth of our business. We compensate for these limitations by

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relying primarily on our GAAP results and using these non-GAAP measures only supplementally. Each of the adjustments and other adjustments described in this paragraph and in the reconciliation table below help management with a measure of our core operating performance over time by removing items that are not related to day-to-day operations.

The following table reconciles adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin to the most directly comparable GAAP measure, which is net loss:

__________________

(1)    Represents expenses related to the Company’s equity-based compensation programs and related employer payroll taxes, which may vary significantly from period to period depending upon various factors including the timing, number, and the valuation of awards granted, vesting of awards including the satisfaction of performance conditions, and the impact of repurchases of awards from employees. Included in stock-based compensation expense for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2023 is $2.2 million of liability based awards resulting from accrued bonuses that will be settled in equity in the first quarter of 2024. For the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021, the amount includes $0.6 million, $0.6 million, and $3.4 million of employer payroll costs associated with releases of RSUs and option exercises, respectively.

(2)    Represents charitable expense recorded in connection with the donation of 56,938 shares of Class A common stock to charitable donor advised funds in June 2023 and 178,572 shares of Class A common stock in both August 2023 and May 2022 to the Warby Parker Impact Foundation, and a donation of 34,528 shares of Class A common stock to third-party charitable donor advised funds in November 2022.

(3)    Represents (i) costs directly attributable to the preparation for our Direct Listing and (ii) expenses incurred in connection with the cash tender offer completed in June 2021.

(4)    Represents the amortization of costs capitalized in connection with the implementation of cloud-based software.

(5)    Represents internal and external non-capitalized costs related to the implementation of our new Enterprise Resource Planning (“ERP”) system which went live in 2023.

(6)    Represents employee severance and related costs for our restructuring plan that was executed in August 2022 and other non-recurring costs, including charges for legal matters.

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Results of Operations

The results of operations presented below should be reviewed in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The following tables set forth our results of operations for the periods presented in dollars and as a percentage of net revenue:

Components of Results of Operations

Net Revenue

We primarily derive revenue from the sales of eyewear products, optical services, and accessories. We sell products and services through our retail stores, website, and mobile apps. Revenue generated from eyewear products includes the sales of prescription and non-prescription optical glasses and sunglasses and contact lenses. Revenue is recognized when the customer takes possession of the product, either at the point of delivery or in-store pickup, and is recorded net of returns and discounts. Revenue generated from services consists of in-person eye exams and prescriptions issued through the Virtual Vision Test app. The Company also sells eyewear accessories and charges customers for optional expedited shipping. Revenue is recognized when the service is rendered and is recorded net of discounts.

Cost of Goods Sold

Cost of goods sold includes the costs incurred to acquire materials, assemble, and sell our finished products. Such costs include (i) product costs held at the lesser of cost and net realizable value, (ii) freight and import costs, (iii) optical laboratory costs, (iv) customer shipping, (v) occupancy and depreciation costs of retail stores, and (vi) employee-related

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costs associated with eye exams and optical laboratories, which includes salaries, benefits, bonuses, and stock-based compensation. We expect our cost of goods sold to fluctuate as a percentage of net revenue primarily due to product mix, customer preferences and resulting demand, the cost and management of inventory, shipping costs, laboratory utilization, and the scaling of our eye exam and contacts businesses. Cost of goods sold also may change as we open or close retail stores because of the resulting change in related occupancy and depreciation costs.

Gross Profit and Gross Margin

We define gross profit as net revenues less cost of goods sold. Gross margin is gross profit expressed as a percentage of net revenues. Our gross margin has remained steady historically, but may fluctuate in the future based on a number of factors, including the cost at which we can obtain, transport, and assemble our inventory, the rate at which we open new retail stores, the mix of products we sell, and how effective we can be at controlling costs, in any given period.

Selling, General, and Administrative Expenses

Selling, general, and administrative expenses, or SG&A, primarily consist of employee-related costs including salaries, benefits, bonuses, and stock-based compensation for our corporate and retail employees, marketing, information technology, credit card processing fees, donations in connection with our Buy a Pair, Give a Pair program, facilities, legal, and other administrative costs associated with operating the business. Marketing costs, which consist of both online and offline advertising, include sponsored search, online advertising, marketing and retail events, and other initiatives. SG&A also includes administrative costs associated with our Home Try-On program, which provides customers the opportunity to sample eyewear at home prior to purchase. We expect SG&A to increase in absolute dollars over time and to fluctuate as a percentage of revenue due to the anticipated growth of our business, intentional investments in marketing, and changing prices of goods and services caused by inflation and other macroeconomic factors. SG&A is expensed in the period in which it is incurred.

Interest and Other Income (Loss), Net

Interest and other income (loss), net, consists primarily of interest generated from our cash and cash equivalents balances net of interest incurred on borrowings and fees on our undrawn line of credit, and are recognized as incurred. We expect our interest and other income costs to fluctuate based on our future bank balances, credit line utilization, and the interest rate environment.

Provision for Income Taxes

Provision for income taxes consists of income taxes related to foreign and domestic federal and state jurisdictions in which we conduct business, adjusted for allowable credits, deductions, and valuation allowance against deferred tax assets.

Comparison of the Years Ended December 31, 2023 and 2022

Net Revenue

Net revenue increased $71.7 million, or 12.0%, for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. The growth in net revenue was primarily driven by an increase in average revenue per customer, to $287 from $263 in the prior year period, as well as a 2.5% increase in Active Customers. Average revenue per customer growth was driven by an increase in units per order as customers took advantage of our bundling promotions and also purchased contacts or eye exams along with glasses in the same transaction.

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Cost of Goods Sold, Gross Profit, and Gross Margin

Cost of goods sold increased by $47.5 million, or 18.5%, for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the same period in 2022, and increased as a percentage of revenue over the same period by 250 basis points, from 43.0% of revenue to 45.5% of revenue. The increase in cost of goods sold was primarily driven by increased product and fulfillment costs associated with the growth in our contact lens offering and optical laboratory utilization, as well as an increase in store occupancy costs, including depreciation, and prescription services expenses due to new retail stores and optical exam rooms that opened in 2023.

Gross profit, calculated as net revenue less cost of goods sold, increased by $24.2 million, or 7.1%, for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the same period in 2022, primarily due to the increase in net revenue over the same period.

Gross margin, expressed as a percentage and calculated as gross profit divided by net revenue, decreased by 250 basis points for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. The decrease in gross margin was primarily driven by the sales growth of contact lenses which are sold at a lower margin than our other eyewear, increased doctor salaries, as the number of stores with offering eye exams grew, and increases in store occupancy costs as a percent of revenue as we grew our store base from 200 stores as of December 31, 2022 to 237 stores as of December 31, 2023. These impacts were partially offset by increased progressives penetration, increased efficiencies in our owned optical laboratories, and lower outbound customer shipping costs as a percent of revenue.

Selling, General, and Administrative Expenses

Selling, general, and administrative expenses decreased $15.0 million, or 3.3%, for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. This decrease was primarily driven by a $27.7 million decrease in stock-based compensation, mostly related to the Founders Grant (as described in Note 7 to our condensed consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K), and lower marketing costs, including costs associated with our Home Try-On program, in the first half of the year, which decreased to 12% of revenue in the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to 14% in the same period of 2022. The decrease was partially offset by increased technology costs, mainly driven by the implementation of our new ERP system, and higher compensation costs from growth in our retail workforce.

Interest and Other Income, Net

Interest and other income, net increased by $7.9 million, or 606.4%, for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the same period in 2022 primarily due to higher interest rates on our cash and cash equivalents balance.

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Provision for Income Taxes

Provision for income taxes decreased $0.1 million, or 12.9%, for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the same period in 2022 primarily due to the 2022 establishment of a valuation allowance on our Canadian subsidiary, partially offset by higher state tax expense in 2023.

Comparison of the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021

Net Revenue

Net revenue increased $57.3 million, or 10.6%, for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to the same period in 2021. The growth in net revenue was primarily driven by an increase in our Active Customer base to 2.28 million customers, or a 3.6% increase, an increase in average order value (“AOV”), defined as net revenue for a given period divided by the number of orders during the same period, and adding new customers, which elevated average revenue per customer to $263, or a 6.9% increase. AOV increased primarily due to a higher mix of purchases of glasses with progressive lenses which increased our average price per unit sold, while our average units per order remained stable year-over-year.

Cost of Goods Sold, Gross Profit, and Gross Margin

Cost of goods sold increased by $34.0 million, or 15.2%, for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to the same period in 2021, and increased as a percentage of revenue over the same period by 180 basis points, from 41.2% of revenue to 43.0% of revenue. The increase in cost of goods sold was primarily driven by increased product and fulfillment costs associated with the growth in our contact lens offering, as well as an increase in store occupancy, store depreciation, and prescription services expenses due to new retail stores opened in 2022 and a full-year of expense from new retail stores opened throughout 2021.

Gross profit, calculated as net revenue less cost of goods sold, increased by $23.3 million, or 7.3%, for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to the same period in 2021, primarily due to the increase in net revenue over the same period.

Gross margin, expressed as a percentage and calculated as gross profit divided by net revenue, decreased by 180 basis points for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to the same period in 2021. The decrease in gross margin was primarily driven by the increased penetration of contact lenses which are sold at a lower margin than glasses, reflecting Warby Parker’s strategy to grow its contact lens offering, increases in store occupancy costs as a percent of revenue primarily due to increased depreciation and rent expense as we grew our store base to 200 stores as of December 31, 2022, and increased prescription services costs as we scale our eye exam offering across our fleet, to 150 exam locations as of December 31, 2022, up from 102 as of December 31, 2021. The impacts were partially offset

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by the scaling of higher margin progressive lenses and leverage from our in-house optical laboratory network, including our Las Vegas laboratory which opened in the fourth quarter of 2021.

Selling, General, and Administrative Expenses

Selling, general, and administrative expenses decreased $9.1 million, or 2.0%, for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to the same period in 2021. This decrease was primarily driven by a decrease in professional costs incurred in 2021 related to our Direct Listing and tender offer that were not recurring in 2022, as well as decreased marketing, stock-based compensation charges and related employer payroll taxes, and Home Try-On program costs. The stock-based compensation charges incurred in 2021 primarily related to the satisfaction of the performance based vesting condition for RSUs and Performance Stock Units (“PSUs”) in connection with our Direct Listing. These decreases were partially offset by higher compensation costs, primarily from growth in our retail workforce, increased insurance costs related to operating as a public company, and increased depreciation and amortization costs, mainly related to capitalized software and office build-outs.

Interest and Other Income (Loss), Net

Interest and other income (loss), net increased by $1.7 million, or 476.7%, for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to the same period in 2021. This increase was primarily driven by significantly higher interest rates on our cash balance in the fourth quarter of 2022 and the impact of fair value adjustments to outstanding warrants that were exercised in 2021 that was not repeated in 2022.

Provision for Income Taxes

Provision for income taxes increased $0.2 million, or 89.0%, for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to the same period in 2021 primarily due to the establishment of a valuation allowance on our Canadian subsidiary.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Since inception, we have financed our operations primarily from net proceeds from the sale of redeemable convertible preferred stock and cash flows from operating activities. As of December 31, 2023, we had cash and cash equivalents of $216.9 million, which was primarily held for working capital purposes, and an accumulated deficit of $666.8 million.

We expect that operating losses could continue in the foreseeable future as we continue to invest in the expansion of our business. We believe our existing cash and cash equivalents, funds available under our existing credit facility, and cash flows from operating activities will be sufficient to fund our operations for at least the next 12 months.

However, our future capital requirements will depend on many factors, including, but not limited to, growth in the number of retail stores, the needs of our optical laboratories and distribution network, expansion of our product

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offerings or service capabilities, and the timing of investments in technology and personnel to support the overall growth in our business. To the extent that current and anticipated future sources of liquidity are insufficient to fund our future business activities and requirements, we may be required to seek additional equity or debt financing. The sale of additional equity would result in dilution to our stockholders. The incurrence of debt financing would result in debt service obligations and the instruments governing such debt could provide for additional operating and financing covenants that would restrict our operations. There can be no assurances that we will be able to raise additional capital. In the event that additional financing is required from outside sources, we may not be able to negotiate terms acceptable to us or at all. In particular, rising interest and inflation rates, geopolitical unrest, and other macroeconomic factors have caused disruption in the global financial markets, which could reduce our ability to access capital and negatively affect our liquidity in the future. If we are unable to raise additional capital when required, or if we cannot expand our operations or otherwise capitalize on our business opportunities because we lack sufficient capital, our business, results of operations, financial condition, and cash flows would be adversely affected.

Credit Facility

2022 Credit Facility

In September 2022, the Company and its wholly owned subsidiary, Warby Parker Retail, Inc. (together, the “Borrowers”), entered into a Credit Agreement with Comerica Bank and the lenders from time to time party thereto (as amended, the “2022 Credit Facility”). The 2022 Credit Facility consisted of a $100.0 million five-year revolving credit facility with sublimits of $15.0 million for letters of credit and $5.0 million for swing line notes. The 2022 Credit Facility included an option for the Company to increase the available amount by up to $75.0 million, for a maximum borrowing capacity of $175.0 million, subject to the consent of the lenders funding the increase and certain other conditions.

In February 2024, the 2022 Credit Facility was terminated and replaced by the 2024 Credit Facility. Upon termination of the 2022 Credit Facility, the Company was required to cash collateralize letters of credit of $4.3 million originally issued under the 2022 Credit Facility that are used to secure certain leases in lieu of a cash security deposit. Other than such letters of credit of $4.3 million and $4.2 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, there were no borrowings outstanding under the 2022 Credit Facility.

2024 Credit Facility

In February 2024, the Borrowers entered into a Credit Agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and the lenders party thereto (the “2024 Credit Facility”), which replaced the 2022 Credit Facility. The 2024 Credit Facility consists of a $120.0 million five-year revolving credit facility with sublimits of $15.0 million for letters of credit and $10.0 million for swingline loans. The 2024 Credit Facility includes an option for the Company to increase the available amount by up to $55.0 million, for a maximum borrowing capacity of $175.0 million, subject to the consent of the lenders funding the increase and certain other conditions. Proceeds of the borrowings under the 2024 Credit Facility are expected to be used for working capital and other general corporate purposes in the ordinary course of business. The Company is permitted to repay borrowings under the 2024 Credit Facility at any time, in whole or in part, without penalty.

Under the 2024 Credit Facility, borrowings under the revolving credit facility bear interest on the principal amount outstanding, at the Company’s election, at (a) the greater of the prime rate (as defined in the credit agreement) or 2.5%, plus an applicable margin of 0.65% to 0.90% depending on the Company’s leverage ratio or (b) adjusted SOFR (as defined in the credit agreement), plus an applicable margin of 1.65% to 1.90% depending on the Company’s leverage ratio. The Company is charged an unused commitment fee of 0.20% to 0.25% depending on the Company's leverage ratio. Both interest on principal and commitment fees are included in interest expense on the consolidated statements of operations.

The 2024 Credit Facility contains a financial maintenance covenant which only applies while total borrowings exceed $30.0 million, which requires the Company to maintain a maximum consolidated senior net leverage ratio of 3:1. The 2024 Credit Facility contains customary affirmative and negative covenants, including limits on indebtedness, liens, capital expenditures, asset sales, investments and restricted payments, in each case subject to negotiated exceptions and baskets, as well as representations, warranties and event of default provisions. The obligations of the Borrowers under the 2024 Credit Agreement are secured by first-lien security interests in substantially all of the assets of the Borrowers. In addition, the obligations are required to be guaranteed in the future by certain additional domestic subsidiaries of the Company.

There are no borrowings outstanding under the 2024 Credit Facility.

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Cash Flows

The following table summarizes our cash flows for the periods presented:

Cash Flows from Operating Activities

Net cash provided by operating activities was $61.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, consisting of a net loss of $63.2 million, adjusted for $118.4 million of non-cash expenses and $5.8 million of net cash from changes in operating assets and liabilities. The non-cash charges included $70.5 million of stock-based compensation, $38.6 million of depreciation and amortization, $3.2 million of non-cash charitable contributions, $3.2 million of non-cash impairment charges, and $2.9 million of amortization of cloud-based implementation costs. The changes in operating assets and liabilities were primarily driven by decreased inventory and other non-current assets, and increased deferred revenue from sales growth, net lease liabilities in connection with retail leases entered into in 2023, and accounts payable, partially offset by a decrease in accrued expenses and an increase in prepaid expenses and other current assets.

Net cash provided by operating activities was $10.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, consisting of a net loss of $110.4 million, adjusted for $135.5 million of non-cash expenses and $14.7 million of net cash used as a result of changes in operating assets and liabilities. The non-cash charges included $98.0 million of stock-based compensation, $31.9 million of depreciation and amortization, $3.8 million of non-cash charitable contributions, $1.6 million of non-cash impairment charges, and $0.2 million of amortization of cloud-based implementation costs. The changes in operating assets and liabilities were primarily driven by increases in net inventory to support the growth of our business, prepaid expenses and other assets, other non-current assets, and a net decrease in accounts payable and accrued expenses, partially offset by increases in net lease liabilities in connection with net retail leases entered into in 2022 and deferred revenue.

Net cash used in operating activities was $32.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, consisting of a net loss of $144.3 million, adjusted for $136.8 million of non-cash expenses and $24.5 million of net cash used as a result of changes in operating assets and liabilities. Net loss includes $28.3 million of costs related to the Direct Listing. The non-cash charges included $107.1 million of stock-based compensation, $21.6 million of depreciation and amortization, $7.8 million of non-cash charitable contributions, and $0.3 million of non-cash impairment charges. The changes in operating assets and liabilities were primarily driven by an increase in net inventory to support the growth of our business and prepaid expenses and other assets, decreases in accounts payable, deferred revenue, partially offset by increases in accrued expenses and deferred rent.

Cash Flows from Investing Activities

For the year ended December 31, 2023, net cash used in investing activities was $54.7 million related to purchases of property and equipment to support our growth, primarily related to the build-out of new retail stores and capitalized software development costs, and an investment in a private optical equipment company.

For the year ended December 31, 2022, net cash used in investing activities was $60.2 million related to purchases of property and equipment to support our growth, primarily related to the build-out of new retail stores, as well as investments in our supply chain infrastructure and capitalized software development costs.

For the year ended December 31, 2021, net cash used in investing activities was $48.5 million related to purchases of property and equipment to support our growth, primarily related to the build-out of new retail stores, as well as investments in our supply chain infrastructure and capitalized software development costs.

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Cash Flows from Financing Activities

For the year ended December 31, 2023, net cash provided by financing activities was $2.9 million, which was primarily related to proceeds from shares issued in connection with our Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”) and stock option exercises.

For the year ended December 31, 2022, net cash provided by financing activities was $3.3 million, which was primarily related to proceeds from shares issued in connection with our ESPP and stock option exercises.

For the year ended December 31, 2021, net cash provided by financing activities was $23.0 million, which was primarily related to proceeds from repayments of related party loans and proceeds from stock option exercises, partially offset by repurchases of stock during the period, including shares repurchased in connection with our tender offer and tax withholdings on exercises and releases of employee equity awards.

Contractual Obligations and Commitments

The following table summarizes our contractual obligations and commitments as of December 31, 2023:

For additional discussion on our operating lease obligations, see Note 10, “Commitments and Contingencies” in our consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Form 10-K. Subsequent to December 31, 2023, we entered into 2 operating lease agreements and extended the terms of 5 existing operating lease agreements for retail space in the U.S. Total commitments under the new agreements are approximately $2.3 million.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

See Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Form 10-K for a description of recently adopted accounting pronouncements and recently issued accounting pronouncements not yet adopted.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

Management’s discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based on our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with GAAP. The preparation of our financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, the reported revenue generated and expenses incurred during the reporting periods, and related disclosures. Our estimates are based on our historical experience and on various other factors that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying value of assets and liabilities and the amount of revenue and expenses that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions, and any such differences may be material. We believe that the accounting policies discussed below are critical to understanding our historical and future performance, as these policies relate to the more significant areas involving management’s judgments and estimates.

Inventory

Inventory is stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value, with cost determined on a weighted average cost basis. We continuously evaluate the composition of our inventory and make adjustments when the cost of inventory is not expected to be fully recoverable. The estimated net realizable value of inventory is determined based on an analysis of historical sales trends, the impact of market trends and economic conditions, forecasts of future demand, and estimated timing of product retirements. Adjustments for damaged inventory are recorded primarily based on actual damaged inventory. Adjustments for inventory shrink, representing the physical loss of inventory, are estimated based on historical experience and are adjusted based upon physical inventory counts. Actual results may differ from estimates due to the quantity and mix of products in inventory, consumer preferences, and economic and market conditions. Our historical estimates of these costs and the related provisions have not differed materially from actual results. However, unforeseen adverse future economic and market conditions, such as those resulting from disease pandemics and other catastrophic events, could result in our actual results differing materially from our estimates.

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Stock-Based Compensation

We recognize compensation expense for stock-based awards based on the grant date fair value, on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period of the awards, which is generally the vesting term of the outstanding stock awards. Compensation expense for performance awards is recognized when it is determined that it is probable that the vesting conditions will be satisfied.

In June 2021, the Company granted 4,397,688 PSUs and 1,884,724 RSUs to the co-CEOs, in the aggregate, under the 2019 Plan (the “Founders Grant”). The PSUs vest upon two performance conditions, (i) a qualified public offering and (ii) the price of the Company’s Class A common stock reaches stock price hurdles over a period of ten years, as defined by the terms of the award. The PSUs are subject to the co-CEOs’ continued employment with the Company through the applicable vesting date.

The Company used a Monte Carlo simulation to calculate the grant-date fair value of the PSUs of $128.8 million. Since the PSUs contain a performance and market condition, the stock-based compensation expense will be recognized when it becomes probable that the performance condition will be met using the accelerated attribution method. Stock-based compensation will be recognized over the period of time the market condition for each tranche is expected to be met (i.e., the derived service period). The derived service period over which the expense is expected to be recognized is 3.8 years. The qualified public offering performance condition was satisfied at September 29, 2021 by the Company’s Direct Listing, and the Company began recording expense at that time.

The Founders Grant RSUs vest in equal monthly installments over a period of five years, subject to the co-CEOs’ continued employment with the Company through the applicable vesting date and conditioned upon the completion of a qualified public offering. The grant-date fair value of the RSUs is $66.9 million. Since the RSUs contain a performance condition, stock-based compensation expense is recognized using the accelerated attribution method when it becomes probable that the performance condition will be met. The performance condition was satisfied on September 29, 2021 by the Company’s Direct Listing, and the Company began recording expense at that time.

Income Taxes

Management makes estimates, assumptions, and judgments to determine our provision for income taxes, deferred tax assets and liabilities, and any valuation allowance recorded against deferred tax assets. We utilize the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes. Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes, as well as operating loss, capital loss, and tax credit carryforwards. Valuation allowances are established against deferred tax assets if it is more likely than not that they will not be realized.

Our policy is to recognize interest and penalties expense, if any, related to unrecognized tax benefits as a component of income tax expense.

Item 7. Management’s Discussion And Analysis Of Financial Condition And Results Of Operations

You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Form 10-K). This discussion and other parts of this Form 10-K contain forward-looking statements, such as those relating to our plans, objectives, expectations, intentions, and beliefs, which involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from those discussed in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those identified below and those discussed in the sections titled “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” included elsewhere in this Form 10-K.

Overview

A pioneer of the direct-to-consumer model, Warby Parker is one of the fastest-growing brands at scale in the United States. We are a mission-driven, lifestyle brand that operates at the intersection of design, technology, healthcare, and social enterprise.

Since day one, our focus on delighting customers and doing good has created a foundation for continuous innovation:

•We aim to provide customers with the highest-quality product possible by designing glasses at our headquarters in New York City, using custom materials, and selling direct to the customer. By cutting out the middleman, we are able to sell our products at a lower price than many of our competitors and pass the savings on to our customers. In addition to lower prices, we introduced simple, unified pricing (glasses starting at $95, including prescription lenses) to the eyewear market.

•We’ve built a seamless shopping experience that meets customers where and how they want to shop, whether that’s on our website, on our mobile app, or in our 200 retail stores.

•We’ve crafted a holistic vision care offering that extends beyond glasses to include contacts, vision tests and eye exams, vision insurance, and beyond. We leverage leading (and in many cases proprietary) technology to enhance our customers’ experiences, whether it’s to help them find a better-fitting frame using our Virtual Try-On tool, or to update their prescription from home using Virtual Vision Test, our telehealth app.

•We recruit and retain highly engaged, motivated team members who are driven by our commitment to scaling a large, growing business while making an impact and are excited to connect their daily work back to our mission.

•We are a public benefit corporation focused on positively impacting all stakeholders, and hope to inspire other entrepreneurs and businesses to think along the same lines. Working closely with our nonprofit partners, we distribute glasses to people in need in more than 50 countries globally and many parts of the United States. Over 10 million more people now have the glasses they need to learn, work, and achieve better economic outcomes through our Buy a Pair, Give a Pair program.

We generate revenue through selling our wide array of prescription and non-prescription eyewear, including glasses, sunglasses, and contact lenses. We also generate revenue from providing eye exams and vision tests, and selling eyewear accessories. We maintain data across the entire customer journey that allows us to develop deep insights, informing our innovation priorities and enabling us to create a highly personalized, brand-enhancing experience for our customers. We have built an integrated, multichannel presence that we believe deepens our relationship with existing customers while broadening reach and accessibility. And while we have the ability to track where our customers transact, we’re channel agnostic to where the transaction takes place and find that many of our customers engage with us across both digital and physical channels; for example, many customers who check out online also visit a store throughout their customer journey, while others choose to browse online before visiting one of our stores.

Financial Highlights

For the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020:

•we generated net revenue of $598.1 million, $540.8 million, and $393.7 million, respectively;

•we generated gross profit of $341.1 million, $317.7 million, and $231.9 million, respectively, representing a gross profit margin of 57%, 59%, and 59%, respectively;

•we generated net loss of $110.4 million, $144.3 million, and $55.9 million, respectively; and

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•we generated adjusted EBITDA of $27.2 million, $24.9 million, and $7.7 million, respectively.

For a definition of adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP measure, and a reconciliation to the most directly comparable GAAP measure, see the section titled “Key Business Metrics and Certain Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”

Direct Listing

On September 29, 2021, we completed a direct listing of our Class A common stock (the “Direct Listing”) on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”). We incurred fees related to financial advisory service, audit, and legal services in connection with the Direct Listing of $28.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 which are recorded in selling, general and administrative expenses.

Factors Affecting Our Financial Condition and Results of Operations

We believe that our performance and future success depend on a variety of factors that present significant opportunities for our business but also present risks and challenges that could adversely impact our growth and profitability, including those discussed below and in Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” of this Annual Report.

Overall economic environment

The nature of our business, which involves the sale of products and services that are a medical necessity for many consumers, provides some insulation from swings in consumer sentiment and general economic conditions. However, our performance and growth are still impacted by these factors. The current economic downturn, rising inflation and interest rates, and other negative economic factors may impact consumer spending habits as well as our cost of attracting and our ability to attract new customers. For example, during 2022, we continued to see lower overall sales growth rates than we have historically experienced as consumer activity has not recovered to pre-pandemic levels. We believe our business model, focused on providing an exceptional value and experience to our customers, will help mitigate the impact of many of these macroeconomic factors, however the extent of such mitigation and the impact on future results is uncertain. We also continue to diversify and expand our supply chain network, both internationally with our frame manufacturers and domestically with our wholly owned and partner optical laboratories, which we believe has helped to insulate us from supply chain disruption and allowed us to continue to meet customer demand over the last several years while maintaining our exceptional quality and customer satisfaction standards.

Impact of COVID-19

The health and safety of our customers and employees remains our top priority, and to that end we will continue to monitor developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic and adjust policies and operations as needed. We have developed procedures to enable us to responsibly and efficiently adjust operations as needed. We have onboarded and continue to onboard new suppliers, as well as enhance inventory planning and monitoring capabilities. We experienced minimal supply chain disruptions during 2022 and we expect the actions we have taken will help to mitigate supply chain disruptions in future periods, although the future trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic is still unknown. In addition, we experienced lower sales than expected in the first quarter of 2022 as a result of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 and its negative impact on store traffic and demand, and may experience similar temporary impacts from future outbreaks of COVID-19 or other infectious diseases. The full extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic or future infectious diseases will directly or indirectly impact our business, operations, and financial condition will depend on future developments that are highly uncertain. Given the uncertainty, we cannot estimate the financial impact of the pandemic on our future results. For additional details, refer to the risks described in Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors.”

Key Business Metrics and Certain Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In addition to the measures presented in our consolidated financial statements, we use the following key business metrics and certain non-GAAP financial measures to evaluate our business, measure our performance, develop

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financial forecasts, and make strategic decisions. The following table summarizes our key performance indicators and non-GAAP financial measures for the periods presented, which are unaudited.

__________________

(1)Store Count number at the end of the period indicated.

(2)Adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin are non-GAAP financial measures. For more information regarding our use of these measures and a reconciliation of net loss, the most directly comparable GAAP measure, to adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin, see the section titled "Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin”

Active Customers

The number of Active Customers is a key performance measure that we use to assess the reach of our physical retail stores and digital platform as well as our brand awareness. We define an Active Customer as a unique customer that has made at least one purchase in the preceding 12-month period. We determine our number of Active Customers by counting the total number of customers who have made at least one purchase in the preceding 12-month period, measured from the last date of such period. Given our definition of a customer is a unique customer that has made at least one purchase, it can include either an individual person or a household of more than one person utilizing a single account.

Store Count

Store Count is a key performance measure that we use to reach consumers and generate incremental demand for our products. We define Store Count as the total number of retail stores open at the end of a given period. We believe our retail stores embody our brand, drive brand awareness, and serve as efficient customer acquisition vehicles. Our results of operations have been and will continue to be affected by the timing and number of retail stores that we operate.

We have thoughtfully expanded our retail store footprint over the past several years. During the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020, we opened 40, 35, and 10 new retail stores. In 2020, we opened fewer retail stores than in years prior due to COVID-19 pandemic-related operating challenges, including extended retail store closures and heightened safety measures.

As of December 31, 2022, 150 out of our 200 retail stores offered in-person eye exams.

Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin

We define adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) before interest and other income, taxes, and depreciation and amortization as further adjusted for asset impairment costs, stock-based compensation expense and related employer payroll taxes, amortization of cloud-based software implementation costs, non-cash charitable donations, and non-recurring costs such as restructuring costs, major system implementation costs, and direct listing or other transaction costs. We define adjusted EBITDA margin as adjusted EBITDA divided by net revenue. We caution investors that amounts presented in accordance with our definitions of adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin may not be comparable to similar measures disclosed by our competitors, because not all companies and analysts calculate adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin in the same manner. We present adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin because we consider these metrics to be important supplemental measures of our performance and believe they are frequently used by securities analysts, investors, and other interested parties in the evaluation of companies in our industry. Management believes that investors’ understanding of our performance is enhanced by including these non-GAAP financial measures as a reasonable basis for comparing our ongoing results of operations.

Management uses adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin:

•as a measurement of operating performance because they assist us in evaluating the operating performance of our business on a consistent basis, as they remove the impact of items not directly resulting from our core operations;

•for planning purposes, including the preparation of our internal annual operating budget and financial projections;

•to evaluate the performance and effectiveness of our operational strategies; and

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•to evaluate our capacity to expand our business.

By providing these non-GAAP financial measures, together with a reconciliation to the most directly comparable GAAP measure, we believe we are enhancing investors’ understanding of our business and our results of operations, as well as assisting investors in evaluating how well we are executing our strategic initiatives. Adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin have limitations as analytical tools, and should not be considered in isolation, or as an alternative to, or a substitute for net loss or other financial statement data presented in our consolidated financial statements as indicators of financial performance. Some of the limitations are:

•such measures do not reflect our cash expenditures, or future requirements for capital expenditures, or contractual commitments;

•such measures do not reflect changes in, or cash requirements for, our working capital needs;

•such measures do not reflect the interest expense, or the cash requirements necessary to service interest or principal payments on our debt;

•such measures do not reflect our tax expense or the cash requirements to pay our taxes;

•although depreciation and amortization are non-cash charges, the assets being depreciated and amortized will often have to be replaced in the future and such measures do not reflect any cash requirements for such replacements; and

•other companies in our industry may calculate such measures differently than we do, limiting their usefulness as comparative measures.

Due to these limitations, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin should not be considered as measures of discretionary cash available to us to invest in the growth of our business. We compensate for these limitations by relying primarily on our GAAP results and using these non-GAAP measures only supplementally. Each of the adjustments and other adjustments described in this paragraph and in the reconciliation table below help management with a measure of our core operating performance over time by removing items that are not related to day-to-day operations.

The following table reconciles adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin to the most directly comparable GAAP measure, which is net loss:

__________________

(1)    Represents expenses related to the Company’s equity-based compensation programs and related employer payroll taxes, which may vary significantly from period to period depending upon various factors including the timing, number, and the valuation of awards granted, vesting of awards including the satisfaction of performance conditions, and the impact of repurchases of awards from employees. For the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the amount includes $0.6 million and $3.4 million of employer payroll costs associated with releases of RSUs and option exercises, respectively.

(2)    Represents charitable expense recorded in connection with the donation of 178,572 shares of Series A common stock in August 2021 and 178,572 shares of Class A common stock in May 2022 to the Warby Parker Impact Foundation, and a donation of 34,528 shares of Class A common stock to third-party charitable donor advised funds in November 2022.

(3)    Represents (i) costs directly attributable to the preparation for our Direct Listing and (ii) expenses incurred in connection with the cash tender offer completed in June 2021.

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(4)    Represents the amortization of costs capitalized in connection with the implementation of cloud-based software.

(5)    Represents internal and external non-capitalized costs related to the implementation of our new Enterprise Resource Planning (“ERP”) system which is expected to be live in 2023.

(6)    Represents employee severance and related costs for our restructuring plan that was executed in August 2022.

In 2020, we experienced a significant decline in adjusted EBITDA due to the COVID-19 pandemic-related operating challenges, including extended retail store closures and heightened safety measures.

Results of Operations

The results of operations presented below should be reviewed in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The following tables set forth our results of operations for the periods presented in dollars and as a percentage of net revenue:

Components of Results of Operations

Net Revenue

We primarily derive revenue from the sales of eyewear products, optical services, and accessories. We sell products and services through our retail stores, website, and mobile apps. Revenue generated from eyewear products includes the sales of prescription and non-prescription optical glasses and sunglasses, contact lenses, eyewear accessories, and expedited shipping charges, which are charged to the customer, associated with these purchases. Revenue is recognized when the customer takes possession of the product, either at the point of delivery or in-store pickup, and is recorded net of returns and discounts. Revenue generated from services consists of both in-person eye exams and

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prescriptions issued through the Virtual Vision Test app. Revenue is recognized when the service is rendered and is recorded net of discounts.

Cost of Goods Sold

Cost of goods sold includes the costs incurred to acquire materials, assemble, and sell our finished products. Such costs include (i) product costs held at the lesser of cost and net realizable value, (ii) freight and import costs, (iii) optical laboratory costs, (iv) customer shipping, (v) occupancy and depreciation costs of retail stores, and (vi) employee-related costs associated with our prescription services and optical laboratories, which includes salaries, benefits, bonuses, and stock-based compensation. We expect our cost of goods sold to fluctuate as a percentage of net revenue primarily due to product mix, customer preferences and resulting demand, customer shipping costs, and management of our inventory and merchandise mix. Cost of goods sold also may change as we open or close retail stores because of the resulting change in related occupancy and depreciation costs. Over time we expect our cost of goods sold to increase with revenue due to an increased number of orders and with the opening of new retail stores driven by the resulting occupancy and depreciation costs and employee-related costs associated with prescription services offerings at our retail stores.

Gross Profit and Gross Margin

We define gross profit as net revenues less cost of goods sold. Gross margin is gross profit expressed as a percentage of net revenues. Our gross margin has remained steady historically, but may fluctuate in the future based on a number of factors, including the cost at which we can obtain, transport, and assemble our inventory, the rate at which we open new retail stores, the mix of products we sell, and how effective we can be at controlling costs, in any given period.

Selling, General, and Administrative Expenses

Selling, general, and administrative expenses, or SG&A, primarily consist of employee-related costs including salaries, benefits, bonuses, and stock-based compensation for our corporate and retail employees, marketing, information technology, credit card processing fees, donations in connection with our Buy a Pair, Give a Pair program, facilities, legal, and other administrative costs associated with operating the business. Marketing costs, which consist of both online and offline advertising, include sponsored search, online advertising, marketing and retail events, and other initiatives. SG&A also includes administrative costs associated with our Home Try-On program, which provides customers the opportunity to sample eyewear at home prior to purchase. SG&A is expensed in the period in which it is incurred. During 2022 we implemented a headcount reduction in our corporate offices and are executing on certain other cost control actions, including reducing marketing spend and other variable costs. We expect these actions to reduce costs included in SG&A, however, the changing prices of goods and services caused by inflation and other macroeconomic factors may cause unforeseen fluctuations in SG&A expenses.

Interest and Other Income (Loss), Net

Interest and other income (loss), net, consists primarily of interest generated from our cash and cash equivalents balances net of interest incurred on borrowings and fees on our undrawn line of credit, and are recognized as incurred. We expect our interest and other income costs to fluctuate based on our future bank balances, credit line utilization, and the interest rate environment.

Provision for Income Taxes

Provision for income taxes consists of income taxes related to foreign and domestic federal and state jurisdictions in which we conduct business, adjusted for allowable credits, deductions, and valuation allowance against deferred tax assets.

Comparison of the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021

Net Revenue

Net revenue increased $57.3 million, or 10.6%, for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to the same period in 2021. The growth in net revenue was primarily driven by an increase in our Active Customer base to 2.28 million customers, or a 3.6% increase, an increase in average order value (“AOV”), defined as net revenue for a given period

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divided by the number of orders during the same period, and adding new customers, which elevated average revenue per customer to $263, or a 6.9% increase. AOV increased primarily due to a higher mix of purchases of glasses with progressive lenses which increased our average price per unit sold, while our average units per order remained stable year-over-year.

Cost of Goods Sold, Gross Profit, and Gross Margin

Cost of goods sold increased by $34.0 million, or 15.2%, for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to the same period in 2021, and increased as a percentage of revenue over the same period by 180 basis points, from 41.2% of revenue to 43.0% of revenue. The increase in cost of goods sold was primarily driven by increased product and fulfillment costs associated with the growth in our contact lens offering, as well as an increase in store occupancy, store depreciation, and prescription services expenses due to new retail stores opened in 2022 and a full-year of expense from new retail stores opened throughout 2021.

Gross profit, calculated as net revenue less cost of goods sold, increased by $23.3 million, or 7.3%, for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to the same period in 2021, primarily due to the increase in net revenue over the same period.

Gross margin, expressed as a percentage and calculated as gross profit divided by net revenue, decreased by 180 basis points for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to the same period in 2021. The decrease in gross margin was primarily driven by the increased penetration of contact lenses which are sold at a lower margin than glasses, reflecting Warby Parker’s strategy to grow its contact lens offering, increases in store occupancy costs as a percent of revenue primarily due to increased depreciation and rent expense as we grew our store base to 200 stores as of December 31, 2022, and increased prescription services costs as we scale our eye exam offering across our fleet, to 150 exam locations as of December 31, 2022, up from 102 as of December 31, 2021. The impacts were partially offset by the scaling of higher margin progressive lenses and leverage from our in-house optical laboratory network, including our Las Vegas laboratory which opened in the fourth quarter of 2021.

Selling, General, and Administrative Expenses

Selling, general, and administrative expenses decreased $9.1 million, or 2.0%, for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to the same period in 2021. This decrease was primarily driven by a decrease in professional costs incurred in 2021 related to our Direct Listing and tender offer that were not recurring in 2022, as well as decreased marketing, stock-based compensation charges and related employer payroll taxes, and Home Try-On program costs. The stock-based compensation charges incurred in 2021 primarily related to the satisfaction of the performance based vesting condition for RSUs and PSUs in connection with our Direct Listing. These decreases were partially offset by higher compensation costs, primarily from growth in our retail workforce, increased insurance costs related to operating as a public company, and increased depreciation and amortization costs, mainly related to capitalized software and office build-outs.

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Interest and Other Income (Loss), Net

Interest and other income (loss), net increased by $1.7 million, or 476.7%, for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to the same period in 2021. This increase was primarily driven by significantly higher interest rates on our cash balance in the fourth quarter of 2022 and the impact of fair value adjustments to outstanding warrants that were exercised in 2021 that was not repeated in 2022.

Provision for Income Taxes

Provision for income taxes increased $0.2 million, or 89.0%, for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to the same period in 2021 primarily due to the establishment of a valuation allowance on our Canadian subsidiary.

Comparison of the Years Ended December 31, 2021 and 2020

Net Revenue

Net revenue increased $147.1 million, or 37.4%, for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to the same period in 2020. The increase in net revenue was primarily driven by an increase in our Active Customer base to 2.20 million customers, or a 21.7% increase, as well as an increase in AOV that elevated average revenue per customer to $246, or a 12.8% increase. AOV increased primarily due to a higher mix of purchases of glasses with progressive lenses which increased our total average price per unit sold, while our average units per order increased moderately year-over-year. Due to COVID-19, we temporarily closed our retail stores, which impacted our net revenue for the year ended December 31, 2020 and also led to a shift in purchases through our e-commerce channel.

Cost of Goods Sold, Gross Profit, and Gross Margin

Cost of goods sold increased by $61.3 million, or 37.9%, for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, and increased as a percentage of revenue over the same period by 10 basis points, from 41.1% of revenue to 41.2% of revenue. The increase in cost of goods sold was primarily driven by increased product and fulfillment costs associated with the growth in net revenue, as well as an increase in store occupancy and depreciation

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expense due to new retail stores opened in 2021 and a full-year of expense from new retail stores opened throughout 2020.

Gross profit, calculated as net revenue less cost of goods sold, increased by $85.8 million, or 37.0%, for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, primarily due to the increase in revenue in 2021 as compared to 2020.

Gross margin, expressed as a percentage and calculated as gross profit divided by net revenue, decreased by 10 basis points for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to the same period in 2020. The decrease in gross margin was primarily a result of the growth in our contact lens offering, which is sold at a lower margin than our other eyewear, and a prior year benefit generated from retroactive tariff refunds. These decreases were partially offset by the impact of the temporary closure of our retail stores in the year ended December 31, 2020 due to COVID-19. During 2020, we continued to incur retail store occupancy and depreciation costs while stores were closed which negatively impacted gross margin in the prior year period.

Selling, General, and Administrative Expenses