Question-and-Answer Session
Operator
(Operator Instructions) Your first question comes from Kate Mcshane – Citi Investment Research.
Kate Mcshane - Citi Investment Research
Can you help us understand a little bit better the mechanics of how you're going to manage the fourth quarter? I think you said last quarter that you didn't take on a lot of speculative inventory so it would be hard to service the reach [inaudible] and some business in the fourth quarter. So is there no additional inventory? Is there any room for upside on the top line for Q4?
Timothy Boyle
Well, I think we've diligently worked on the various components of the Q4 top line number which include, as you might imagine, multiple geographies and currencies. So our best visibility on that is what we've given today.
Kate Mcshane - Citi Investment Research
And then my other question is on the backlog you had said in your comments that you believe you're taking market share with your spring backlog, which is great to hear. Can you remind us the last time you saw the spring backlog take market share? And also you mentioned that there were some accounts that no longer exist that you had orders from last year that don't exist this year. But are there any new accounts that you are selling to this spring that help offset maybe some of the economic weakness in the rest of the backlog number?
Timothy Boyle
Yes, so I want to make sure I got the last part of your question written down. So let me answer that first one. You'll have to remind me again on the first part of the question.
So as it relates to customers that aren't in business today or have restructured there are a number of them and most of them, frankly, are significant. We have not added any significant new customers to our 2010 book. However, our existing customers, many of which have responded to the product offerings that we've given and that we've offered and increased their business, some significantly, so not any one particular customer was responsible for the offset.
And then as it relates to market share, I think that was the first part of your question. It's been a number of years since we've been able to talk about gains in the business in the way we have today. And my guess is that the bulk of that gain is coming from maybe second tier vendors that have been having trouble with their financing and so maybe that's where a portion of it came.
- To read the full transcript on Seeking Alpha, click here »
