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Sears

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CASE STUDY III

FAIRHOLME
Ignore the crowd. Fairholme Ignore the crowd.

This presentation uses Sears Holdings Corporation (“Sears” or the “Company”) as a case study to illustrate Fairholme Capital Management’s investment strategy for the Fairholme Fund. In the pages that follow, we show Fairholme Fund shareholders why we “Ignore the crowd” with regard to our portfolio positions that are currently out of favor in the market. However, nothing in this presentation should be taken as a recommendation to anyone to buy, hold, or sell certain securities or any other investment mentioned herein. Our opinion of a company’s prospects should not be considered a guarantee of future events. Investors are reminded that there can be no assurance that past performance will continue, and that a mutual fund’s current and future portfolio holdings always are subject to risk. As with all mutual funds, investing in the Fairholme Fund involves risk including potential loss of principal. Opinions expressed are those of the author and/or Fairholme Capital Management, L.L.C. and should not be considered a forecast of future events, a guarantee of future results, nor investment advice. The Fairholme Fund’s holdings and sector weightings are subject to change. As of May 31, 2012, Sears securities comprised 10% of the Fairholme Fund’s total net assets. The Fairholme Fund’s portfolio holdings are generally disclosed as required by law or regulation on a quarterly basis through reports to shareholders or filings with the SEC within 60 days after quarter end. A complete list of the Fairholme Fund’s top ten holdings is available on our website at www.fairholmefunds.com. The Fairholme Fund is non‐diversified, which means that it invests in a smaller number of securities when compared to more diversified funds. Therefore, the Fairholme Fund is exposed to greater individual security volatility than diversified funds. The Fairholme Fund can invest in foreign securities which may involve greater volatility and political, economic, and currency risks and differences in accounting methods. The Fairholme Fund may also invest in “special situations” to achieve its objectives. These strategies may involve greater risks than other fund strategies. Investments in debt securities typically decrease in value when interest rates rise. This risk is usually greater for longer‐term debt securities. Lower‐rated and non‐rated securities present greater loss to principal than higher‐rated securities. The Fairholme Fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses should be considered carefully before investing. The Prospectus contains this and other important information about the Fairholme Fund, and may be obtained by calling shareholder services at (866) 202‐2263 or by visiting our website at www.fairholmefunds.com. Read it carefully before investing. Fairholme Distributors, LLC (08/12)

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FAIRHOLME Fairholme

Ignore the crowd.

CASE STUDY III

“Sears Holdings has over $20 billion of assets on our balance sheet. In some cases, the fair market values of our assets are not reflected on the balance sheet due to GAAP convention, such as the value of our owned real estate and many of our below market leases. […] We have a portfolio of businesses and assets that deserve to generate substantial value for our shareholders.” – Edward S. Lampert, Chairman, February 23, 2012

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FAIRHOLME Fairholme

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RECENT MARKET PRICE ≠ INTRINSIC VALUE *
“Investing is all about what you give versus what you get.” **

Holding Company Structure Real Estate

Market Capitalization *

Core Brands Integrated Retail Operations Home Services Logistics Other Business Units Net Inventory Insurance Deferred Tax Assets

* Please see last slide for definition and terms. ** Bruce R. Berkowitz, FAIRHOLME, June 9, 2011.

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FAIRHOLME Fairholme

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KEY PIECES
REAL ESTATE
Vast Property Portfolio Carried at Low Cost

OPERATIONS
Increasing Cash Flows Through Greater Efficiencies and Cost Reductions

TOP BRANDS
Revenue Beyond Sears and Kmart

LEADERSHIP
New Team With Proven Success

LIQUIDITY
Ample to Meet All Liabilities and Opportunities

CATALYSTS
Changing Winds

“Many despair that Sears seems unable to regain past retail glory, despite a conservative balance sheet and many valuable assets. In searching for instant gratification, most are missing key points.”

– Bruce R. Berkowitz, FAIRHOLME, January 10, 2008
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“MARGIN OF SAFETY” *
Recent commercial real estate market dynamics and retail industry trends provide even greater embedded value in SHLD’s property portfolio when evaluated on a stand-alone basis. Factors include:  National retailers are accelerating expansion plans and store counts.  Limited construction has constrained new supply of retail real estate.  Metropolitan locations are increasingly in vogue given urbanization trend.  Sears and Kmart leases often exceed 50 years with no rent escalators.

REAL ESTATE

 Kmart retains the right of first refusal on potential purchases of its leased properties.
 Sears typically occupies the most favorable mall-based anchor locations.  Sears and Kmart properties have few, if any, operating covenants or restrictions remaining.  Sears and Kmart possess negotiating leverage due to co-tenancy clauses of adjacent retailers.

 Accounting rules did not require Kmart to revalue its real estate after it merged with Sears.

“SHC Realty (the real estate business unit of Sears Holdings) is one of the largest corporate real estate organizations in the world, with a portfolio of retail locations that is second to none.”

– www.SHCRealty.com
* “Margin of Safety” is a term popularized by Benjamin Graham meaning the difference between the market price and intrinsic value of the underlying business.

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OVER 250 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF RETAIL SPACE

REAL ESTATE

 Significant value in low cost owned properties and longterm below-market leased sites  Diverse mall-based and freestanding locations across North America

KMART
Full-Line Properties % Owned % Leased Average Square Feet Per Unit Total Square Feet 1,305 16% 84% 95 k 125 mm

SEARS DOMESTIC SEARS CANADA
867 60% 40% 133 k 116 mm 122 11% 89% 128 k 16 mm

FAIRHOLME Fairholme

Source: SEC Filings

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PROPERTY PORTFOLIOS IN PERSPECTIVE
256+ mm square feet 245 mm square feet 144 mm square feet 138 mm square feet

REAL ESTATE

Sears

Simon

GGP

Kimco

Total Square Feet Market Capitalization *

256+ mm $6.0 bn

245 mm $47.8 bn

144 mm $18.7 bn

138 mm $8.1 bn

"Sears Holdings has one of the most diverse and valuable real estate portfolios in the country and I look forward to helping create additional value for the company by enhancing and repositioning selected parts of its real estate portfolio."
– David R. Lukes, President of Real Estate Development, March 20, 2012
FAIRHOLME Fairholme
* Please see last slide for definition and terms. Sources: SEC Filings, Bloomberg

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BEYOND FULL-LINE STORES

REAL ESTATE

       

Hoffman Estates Headquarters Sears Hometown Stores Sears Home Appliance Showrooms Sears Outlet Stores Sears Hardware Stores Distribution Centers Auto Centers Service Facilities

2 million square feet 944 locations averaging 8,500 square feet * 76 locations averaging 5,000 square feet * 122 locations 96 locations averaging 28,000 square feet 44 locations 809 locations 465 locations
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FAIRHOLME Fairholme

* Includes independently owned and operated stores.

Ignore the crowd.

REAL ESTATE
250

126 YEARS

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX
200

Consumer Price Index

150

S.S. Kresge Company 1899
Sears, Roebuck and Company 1886 First Sears Store 1925

First Kmart Store 1962
Kmart and Sears Merge to Create Sears Holdings Corporation 2005

100

50

0 1871 1881 1891 1901 1911 1921 1931 1941 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 2011

Movie Car House

1890 n/a n/a $5,382

1909 n/a $850 $6,032

1948 $0.36 $1,550 $16,963

1967 $1.22 $3,209 $24,825

1985 $3.55 $11,246 $79,595

Today $7.93 $23,608 $181,500

“Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) mandate valuing their real estate at the lower of cost or market. GAAP would force the Dutch settlers to value Manhattan today at the 1626 purchase price of $23.70.” – Bruce R. Berkowitz, FAIRHOLME, June 30, 2012
FAIRHOLME Fairholme
The Consumer Price Index base year is 1983. Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Various Industry Sources

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CLOSE TO HALF OF AMERICA SHOPPED IN A SEARS OR KMART LAST YEAR *

OPERATIONS

Reinsurance Company Ltd.

KCD IP, LLC

SEGMENTS ANNOUNCED FOR SPIN-OFF OR DIVIDEND DISTRIBUTION

“The Board of Directors and I look at and evaluate Sears Holdings as a portfolio of businesses, with different market positions, strengths and opportunities.”
– Edward S. Lampert, Chairman, February 23, 2012
FAIRHOLME Fairholme
* Sears 2012 Annual Shareholder Meeting Presentation

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INCREASING EFFICIENCIES AND REDUCING COSTS
Inventory Balance
$9.7B $9.1B $8.9B $800mm Decrease

OPERATIONS

DRIVERS OF COST SAVINGS
 Transitioning from Product Driven to Customer Driven  Altering Buying Strategies  Refining Marketing Spend  Rightsizing Store Fleet  Reduction in Force

Q1 2010

Q1 2011

Q1 2012

Inventory Efficiency Q1 2010 1Q 2011 1Q 2012 Inventory Turnover 3.20x 2.99x 3.11x Days-On-Hand 114 122 117

Inventory Productivity Store Closures Annual Cost Reductions Operational Cash Benefit *

$400 million $200 million $200 million $800 million

“[We] need a relentless focus on cost optimization. This is about profitability and value, not just cost reduction.” – Rajan Penkar, Senior Vice President and President of Supply Chain, March 15, 2012
FAIRHOLME Fairholme
* Sears 2012 Annual Shareholder Meeting Presentation

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TRADE NAMES VALUED AT $5.6 BILLION IN EARLY 2005
#1 Kenmore is the Leader in Major Appliances #1 Craftsman is the Leader in Tools #1 Sears is the Leader in Major Exercise Equipment

TOP BRANDS

Sears’ collection of brands have significant inherent value when evaluated on a stand-alone basis. Factors include:  Sears remains the leading home appliance retailer and a leader in tools, lawn and garden, and automotive repair and maintenance.  Sears’ purchase price allocation of its brands differs from fair market value and may significantly understate what they are worth.  Kenmore, Craftsman, and DieHard are leaders in their respective markets with burgeoning opportunities for product adjacencies and cross-merchandising.
 Lands’ End is a leading direct merchant with untapped potential in increasing its domestic and international retail store presence.
 Recently appointed global licensing agent to extend brands to broader geographic markets and create new revenue streams  Merchants including Costco and Ace Hardware have demonstrated success selling Sears branded products, which has also driven higher traffic to Sears platforms for additional purchases.

FAIRHOLME Fairholme

“I joined Sears because I felt the company had enormous untapped potential in its brands, in its vendor relationships, in its real estate, in its people, and in its members.” – Ron Boire, Chief Merchandising Officer, February 23, 2012

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PROVEN LEADERSHIP
SENIOR HIRES SINCE 2011
Lou D’Ambrosio (February 2012) Chief Executive Officer Experience at Avaya, IBM Ronald Boire (January 2012) Executive Vice President, Chief Merchandising Officer, and President, Sears and Kmart Formats Experience at Brookstone, Toys R Us, Best Buy

Donald Eames (January 2012) Senior Vice President, Retail Stores Experience at Brookstone, Best Buy, May Department Stores, Federated
Margaret Gramann (March 2012) Senior Vice President, Sales Capability Experience at PepsiCo (15 years) Steven Haber (March 2012) Senior Vice President and President, Home Appliances Experience at Sony (20 years) David Lukes (March 2012) President, Real Estate Development Experience at Mall Properties, Kimco Realty, Kohn Pedersen Fox Architects
Not Available

Paul Walsh (January 2012) Vice President and General Manager, Commerce Services and Sears Marketplace Experience at Amazon, Quest Software, Microsoft

Sam Solomon (May 2011) Senior Vice President and President, Tools Experience at Coleman Company, SPX Corporation, Kidde, Proctor & Gamble, Coca-Cola
Edgar Huber (August 2011) CEO and President, Lands’ End Experience at Liz Claiborne, Juicy Couture, L’Oreal Rajan Penkar (September 2011) Senior Vice President and President, Supply Chain Experience at UPS (24 years) Scott Huckins (June 2012) Vice President and Corporate Treasurer Experience at RSC Holdings, Koch Industries, FINOVA Capital 14

FAIRHOLME Fairholme

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LIQUIDITY
Cash and Equivalents $800 Million
Domestic Credit Revolver * $1,800 Million **

RECENT REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS: General Growth Properties $270 Million Sears Canada $170 Million

Canadian Credit Facility * $600 Million

Total Liquid Resources $8.7 Billion

Sears Hometown Dividend and Spin-Off $450 Million Estimate

Capital Allocation

Net Inventory $5,500 Million

“Putting various sources of liquidity together, you get a sense of some of the levers that the company has to meet its obligations and to generate long-term value.” – Edward S. Lampert, Chairman, February 23, 2012
* Please see last slide for definition and terms. ** $1.8 billion remaining out of total facility capacity of $3.3 billion, does not include an accordion feature that provides the option to obtain an aggregate amount of up to $1.0 billion in additional borrowing capacity.

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FAIRHOLME Fairholme

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CATALYSTS?
POPULATION AND RETAIL SALES GROWTH
10% 8% 6% 4% 2% 0% -2% -4% -6% -8% 1993 1998 2003 2008 Retail Sales Growth Population Growth 200

CASE-SHILLER INDEX *
180
160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 1962 1967 1972 1977 1982 1987 1992 1997 2002 2007 2012

HOME SALES
8,000 7,000 6,000
5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 0 1969 1974 1979 1984 1989 1994 1999 2004 2009

(‘000S) Existing Home Sales

New Home Sales

HOUSING STARTS
(‘000S)
2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0 1962 1967 1972 1977 1982 1987 1992 1997 2002 2007 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 -0.5 -1.0 -1.5 1980

RESIDENTIAL INVESTMENT
% Contribution to GDP Growth
12% 10% 8% 6% 4% 2% 0% 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

1962 1967 1972 1977 1982 1987 1992 1997 2002 2007 2012

FAIRHOLME Fairholme

* Please see last slide for definition and terms. Sources: U.S. Census, Case-Shiller, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis All charts reference U.S. data.

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THE ROAD AHEAD
“We made it through the financial crisis and the housing crisis. Now we intend to make it through our current challenges and restore confidence in the company … we do not intend to sit idly by and have it be business as usual.”

Edward S. Lampert Chairman’s Letter February 23, 2012
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Intrinsic Value: The value of a security based on an underlying analysis of all aspects of the business distinct from market value. Market Capitalization: The total value of a company’s publicly-traded shares outstanding. S&P / Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index: Composite of single-family home price indices for the nine U.S. Census divisions.

Credit Facility: A type of loan made to a business or corporation. Types of credit facilities include: revolving credit, term loans, committed facilities, and letter of credit.
Credit Revolver: Line of credit that can be drawn down or repaid until the maturity of the agreement.

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...1912. By 1927, the Kresge Company started opening locations that sold items for $1 or less. Ten years later, he opened a store in a shopping center in Kansas City, Missouri (Sears Holdings, History). In 1968, Kmart begin to air television commercials to entice shoppers to the stores. Harry B. Cunningham became president in 1959, and developed a new strategy for the organization. While Cunningham was president, Kmart opened their first discount department store in 1962 in Garden City, Michigan; that same year seventeen more stores were opened. In 1976, Kmart made history by opening 271 stores in one year. In 1977, the company changed its name to Kmart Corporation. In order to fully focus on discount merchandising, Kmart sold the remaining Kresge stores (Sears Holdings, History). In 1990, Kmart took on a new logo and a new plan. As part of the plan, Kmart opened the first Kmart Supercenter in Medina, Ohio in 1991. Kmart was totally redesigned in 1996 and became known as Big Kmart. In 1999, Kmart launched a Internet presence, BlueLight.com; it offered free internet services (Sears Holdings, History). In 2002, the company filed Chapter 11 in the US Bankruptcy Court. Julian Day was promoted to CEO in January of 2003. Under his leadership, the company emerged from the Chapter 11 reorganization process (Sears Holdings, History). Strategic Direction Mission Statement The mission statement is a very important element in the business model of an organization. It is established...

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Sears Holdings Corporation Strategic Plan

...Sears Holdings Corporation is a company that came from two very well known organizations, Sears and Kmart. Both companies go back even farther than the 1900s and unfortunately both companies experienced financial difficulty at one point. With the merger Sears Holdings Corporation has the experience of both organizations as well as their different style of operating. Along with an improved customer base and a new outlook Sears Holdings Corporation is experiencing financial growth. Richard W. Sears was an agent at a railway station. This job provided him with loads of free time, so he would sell lumber and coal to local residents for extra money. During his employment with the railway station he came across some discarded watches and decided to repair and sell them. He made a good profit and decided to try it again. In 1886 Sears began the R.W. Sears Watch Company in Minneapolis. After moving his business to Chicago, IL Sears advertised for a watchmaker and came across Alvah C. Roebuck who claimed to do excellent work. In 1893 Sears Roebuck and Co. was formed. Adapting the motto, “Shop at Sears and Save” Sears quickly became the place where farmers shopped to save money and cut out the middleman. Sears’s prices were much cheaper than rural stores. By 1895 Sears was producing a 532-page catalog with many other items, such as stoves, women’s clothing, wagons, furniture, china, firearms, glassware and baby carriages etc. “Sales in 1893 topped $400,000 and two years later...

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Acquisition of Sears and Kmart

...for successful problem solving. The most widely used parts included in this type of essays are: business plan, financing strategy, organization of the company, business project, competition, strategic planning. The rapidity of business development requires the knowledge of all processes associated with leading companies in Canada and the United States as well as in the rest of the world. This is a free extract from business school essay created by one of our writers. This sample is the property of Essay-Paper.net. If you use this paper, you should cite it properly. [...] The Kmart Holding Corporation informed about its intention to acquire Sears and all business publications all over the country reported on the outcomes on the retailers, the real estate implications and the resolve of this step. It is clear that the acquisition of Sears by Kmart Holding Corporation may change the course of future corporation’s actions and plans. The Kmart is presently number three retailer after Wal-Mart and Target in the country. An academic analysis that was conducted on this event states the positive and negative results of the acquisition. [...] Tom Speh, the Rees Distinguished Professor of Distribution at Miami University, thinks the acquisition is a wrong step in this situation: "I do not think these companies...

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