Note 13—Business Segments

Our operations are managed and reported in two segments, Delta Group and Salt Life Group, which reflect the manner in which the business is managed and results are reviewed by the Chief Executive Officer, who is our chief operating decision maker. 

The Delta Group is comprised of our business units primarily focused on core activewear styles, and includes our DTG2Go and Delta Activewear business units. We are a market leader in the on-demand, direct-to-garment digital print and fulfillment industry, bringing technology and innovation to the supply chain of our many customers.  We use highly-automated factory processes and our proprietary software to deliver on-demand, digitally printed apparel direct to consumers on behalf of our customers. Our Activewear business is organized around key customer channels and how they source their various apparel needs. Delta Activewear is a preferred supplier of activewear apparel to regional and global brands, direct to retail and through wholesale markets. We offer a broad portfolio of apparel and accessories under the Delta, Delta Platinum, Soffe, and sourced-branded products that we distribute utilizing our network of fulfillment centers. Delta Direct services key channels, such as the screen print, promotional, and eRetailer channels as well as the retail licensing channel, whose customers sell through to many mid-tier and mass market retailers.  In our Global Brands & Retail Direct business we serve our customers as their supply chain partner, from product development to shipment of their branded products, with the majority of products being sold with value-added services including embellishment, hangtags, and ticketing. We also serve retailers by providing our portfolio of products directly to their retail stores and through their ecommerce channels.  We sell our products to a diversified audience, including sporting goods and outdoor retailers, specialty and resort shops, farm and fleet stores, department stores, and mid-tier retailers. We also service custom apparel to major branded sportswear companies, trendy regional brands, and all branches of the United States armed forces. We also offer our Soffe products direct to consumers at www.soffe.com.

The Salt Life Group is comprised of our lifestyle brands focused on a broad range of apparel garments, headwear and related accessories to meet consumer preferences and fashion trends, and includes our Salt Life business unit. These products are sold through specialty and boutique shops, traditional department stores, and outdoor retailers, as well as direct-to-consumer through branded ecommerce sites and branded retail stores. Products in this segment are marketed under our lifestyle brands of Salt Life® as well as other labels.

Our Chief Operating Decision Maker and management evaluate performance and allocate resources based on profit or loss from operations before interest, income taxes and special charges ("segment operating earnings"). Our segment operating earnings may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies. The accounting policies of our reportable segments are the same as those described in Note 2.  Intercompany transfers between operating segments are transacted at cost and have been eliminated within the segment amounts shown in the following table (in thousands).

⁽¹⁾ In 2020, the Delta Group operating income included $23.7 million of expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic. These costs primarily related to the curtailment of manufacturing operations ($11.9 million), incremental costs to right size production to new forecasted demand ($2.6 million), increased accounts receivable and inventory reserves related to the heightened risks in the market as the U.S. continues its recovery ($6.3 million), and other expenses ($2.9 million). These costs are included within net sales ($0.4 million), cost of goods sold ($14.2 million), SG&A expenses ($1.1 million), and other loss (income), net ($8.0 million).

⁽²⁾ In 2020, the Salt Life Group operating income included approximately $0.3 million of increased accounts receivable and inventory reserves related to the heightened risks in the market as the U.S. continues its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as $0.5 million of other expenses. These costs are included within net sales ($0.1 million), SG&A expenses ($0.6 million), and other loss (income), net ($0.1 million).

The following reconciles the segment operating income to the consolidated income before provision for income taxes (in thousands):

Our revenues include sales to domestic and foreign customers.  Foreign customers are composed of companies whose headquarters are located outside of the United States. Sales to foreign customers represented less than 1% of our consolidated net sales for both fiscal years 2021 and 2020. 

Our total assets and equity investment by segment are as follows (in thousands):

We attribute our property, plant and equipment to a particular country based on the location of these assets.  Summarized financial information by geographic area is as follows (in thousands):