DDT Dillards Capital Trust I

PROPOSAL NO. 1. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

The number of directors that serve on the Company’s Board is currently set at 15 but may be changed from time to time in the manner provided in the Company’s by-laws. Class A stockholders are entitled to vote for the election of five Directors, and Class B stockholders are entitled to vote for the election of ten Directors. Directors are to be elected at the Annual Meeting for a term of one year and until the election and qualification of their successors. Once elected, our Directors have no ongoing status as “Class A” or “Class B” Directors and have the same duties and responsibilities to all stockholders.

The Board recommends that each nominee identified below be elected at the Annual Meeting. Each of the nominees is currently serving as a director of the Company and was elected at the 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Set forth below are the principal occupation and public company directorships each nominee currently holds or has held during the last five years, as well as other background information about the nominees, including a discussion of the specific experience, qualifications, attributes and skills of each nominee that led to the Board’s conclusion that each nominee should serve as a director.

Class A Nominees

James I. Freeman, 73, was Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company until his retirement effective February 1, 2015. During the past five years, his principal occupation is and has been a private investor for his own account. He has been a member of the Board since 1991. Mr. Freeman joined the Company in 1988. He entered the accounting profession in 1972 and practiced as a certified public accountant. He formerly served as a member of the Management Committee of BKD, LLP, one of the largest accounting firms in the nation. Having served as Chief Financial Officer of the Company, Mr. Freeman has extensive experience overseeing the Company’s financial reporting processes, internal accounting and financial controls and independent auditor engagements. This unique experience provides Mr. Freeman the ability to regularly advise the Board regarding current and proposed accounting issues, financial matters and regulations that affect the Company’s operations.

Rob C. Holmes, 58, serves as Chief Executive Officer, President and a member of the Board of Directors of Texas Capital Bank, N.A., and its parent company, Texas Capital Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ^®: TCBI), an independent bank headquartered in Dallas, Texas. He has been a member of the Board since 2021. Mr. Holmes joined Texas Capital Bank in January 2021 after a 31-year career at JPMorgan Chase & Co., most recently serving as Global Head of Corporate Client Banking and Specialized Industries since 2011. Texas Capital Bank, N.A., Texas Capital Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ^®: TCBI) and JPMorgan Chase & Co. are not subsidiaries or other affiliates of the Company. In his role at JPMorgan Chase & Co., Mr. Holmes oversaw end-to-end responsibility for the business, providing global treasury management services, credit and investment banking solutions to clients in North America, as well as select countries in Europe and Asia, to help clients achieve their long-term corporate finance objectives. Prior to serving as head of JPMorgan’s Corporate Client Banking and Specialized Industries, Mr. Holmes was the co-head of JPMorgan’s North American Retail Industries Investment Banking practice and the head of Investment Banking for the southern region of the U.S. Mr. Holmes also shared oversight of the Commercial Banking Credit Markets business and was a member of the Commercial Banking Operating Committee and Board of Managers of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC. An active member of the local Dallas community, Mr. Holmes has historically served as a National Trustee for Boys & Girls Clubs of America and on the board of the Dallas Citizens Council. He currently serves on the Advisory Board of The University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business, as well as a member of the Development Board for the University and most recently an inaugural member of the executive committee. In addition, Mr. Holmes is active on the board of the Baylor Health Care System Foundation. He is a long-time member of the Salesmanship Club of Dallas, which owns and operates the Momentous Institute. Mr. Holmes received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from The University of Texas at Austin and holds a Master of Business Administration from Southern Methodist University. Mr. Holmes’ experience in advising clients, particularly in the retail industry, with meeting their financial and strategic objectives uniquely positions him to provide valuable input to the Board. In addition, his strong reputation in the U.S. banking industry brings with it a wide network of valuable relationships.

Reynie Rutledge, 73, has served as a Director of the Company since 2013. At all times during the past five years, Mr. Rutledge has served as the Chairman of First Security Bancorp, a financial services holding company headquartered

7

in Searcy, Arkansas. With over 40 years of experience in banking, Mr. Rutledge has been involved with all aspects of finance and management while leading First Security Bancorp to become the fifth largest bank holding company based in Arkansas, with over $7.6 billion in assets and 78 locations throughout the state as of December 31, 2022. First Security Bancorp consists of First Security Bank, First Security Crews & Associates investment banking firm and First Security Public Finance. First Security Bancorp is not a subsidiary or other affiliate of the Company. Mr. Rutledge is a graduate of the University of Arkansas where he earned a degree in industrial engineering and a Master of Business Administration. Mr. Rutledge is a past Chairman of the Arkansas Bankers Association and the Business Advisory Board of Harding University. Mr. Rutledge is also a member of the Arkansas Academy of Industrial Engineering, a member and past Chairman of the Dean’s Executive Advisory Board for the Sam M. Walton College of Business, a member of the Campaign Arkansas Executive Committee, a past Chairman of the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame Selection Committee, the University of Arkansas 2000 Volunteer of the Year, a 2012 recipient of the University of Arkansas Distinguished Alumni Award and past Chairman of the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees. In 2020, Mr. Rutledge was inducted into the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame. Mr. Rutledge’s extensive career in commercial banking provides insights into the credit markets for the Board. Mr. Rutledge serves as Chairman of the Audit Committee.

J.C. Watts, Jr., 65, has served as a Director of the Company since August 2009 and previously served on the Board from 2003 until 2008, including as a member of the Audit Committee. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Paycom Software, and he previously served on the Boards of Directors of CSX Corporation, ITC Holdings Corp, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation, Clear Channel Communications, Inc. and Terex Corporation. At all times during the past five years, Mr. Watts has served as the Chairman of the J.C. Watts Companies, which provides both consulting and advocacy services. The J.C. Watts Companies are not subsidiaries or other affiliates of the Company. Mr. Watts served in the U.S. Congress from the fourth district of Oklahoma from 1995 to 2003. In 1998, he was elected chairman of the Republican Conference in the U.S. House of Representatives. He served for eight years on the House Armed Services Committee. He authored legislation to create the House Select Committee on Homeland Security, a committee on which he later served. He also served on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee as well as the House Banking Committee. He led two congressional trade missions to Africa. Mr. Watts co-authored the American Community Renewal and New Markets Act and authored the Community Solutions Act of 2001. He also crafted legislation with Congressman John Lewis to establish the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. He has served as an analyst on television news programs nationally and internationally. Mr. Watts led a U.S. delegation to Vienna, Austria, at the request of President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell, to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Conference on Racism, Discrimination and Xenophobia and accompanied President Bush on his historic trip to Africa. He co-founded the Coalition for AIDS Relief in Africa and served on the Board of Africare. He has also created the J.C. and Frankie Watts Foundation to focus on urban renewal and other charitable initiatives. Mr. Watts brings to the Board not only an understanding and sensitivity to the political and cultural issues which the Company regularly faces but also a wealth of knowledge of the regulatory environment which continues to change and affect the Company’s operations. Mr. Watts currently serves on the Audit Committee.

Nick White, 78, has served as a Director of the Company since 2008. Since 2000, Mr. White has served as Chief Executive Officer and President of White and Associates, an international retail solutions firm offering retail clients consulting services encompassing strategy, partnerships, logistics and concepts. White and Associates is not a subsidiary or other affiliate of the Company. Following a tour in Vietnam with the United States Marine Corps, Mr. White began his retail career in 1968 with Spartan-Atlantic Department Stores while still attending college. In 1973, he joined Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. as an Assistant Store Manager. From 1985 to 1990, he was General Manager of Sam’s Clubs, and in 1990, he was named an Executive Vice President of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and General Manager of its Supercenter Division, positions he held until his retirement in 2000. While at Wal-Mart, he served on both the Executive Committee and the Real Estate Committee. Mr. White has made significant contributions to the Board as a result of his extensive knowledge of sourcing, logistics, store operations and merchandising. Mr. White currently serves on the Compensation Committee.

Class B Nominees

Robert C. Connor, 81, has served as a Director of the Company since 1987. At all times during the past five years, Mr. Connor’s principal occupation is and has been a private investor for his own account. He began his banking career in Dallas, Texas at the Mercantile National Bank and was elected Vice President of the Citizens Bank of Jonesboro,

8

Arkansas in 1970. He was elected President of The Union National Bank of Arkansas and The Union of Arkansas Corporation in 1976. He previously served on the Board of Sage Telecom in Allen, Texas. Mr. Connor’s long career of leadership in the banking industry makes him particularly well suited to serve on the Compensation Committee as well as to share his knowledge and insights concerning the credit markets with the Board. Mr. Connor currently serves as Chairman of the Compensation Committee.

William E. (Chip) Connor, II, 73, is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of William E. Connor Group, Hong Kong (“The Connor Group”), positions he has held at all times during the past five years. The Connor Group, with which the Company has maintained a longstanding relationship, is one of the world’s largest privately held merchandise sourcing companies, representing more than 60 leading retailers, brands, and direct-to-consumer companies in North America, Europe, Australia, South Africa and South America. Mr. Connor is also Chairman of Omega Compliance, a supply chain due diligence company headquartered in Hong Kong with operations throughout Asia and Europe. Omega offers a full spectrum of social and ethical compliance, supply chain security, quality inspection and supply chain investigation services. In 2023, The Connor Group was named one of the Word’s Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute for the twelfth consecutive year. Mr. Connor is a graduate of Stanford University and received a Master of Business Administration from the University of Southern California in 1973. In 1976, he received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Santa Clara School of Law. Because of his lifelong, comprehensive knowledge of sourcing, Mr. Connor is uniquely positioned to provide the Board with valuable insight regarding this mission-critical Company function.

Alex Dillard, 73, is President of the Company, has been a member of the Board since 1975 and serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Executive Committee”). This has been his principal occupation for the last five years. Mr. Dillard has been involved in virtually every aspect of operations and merchandising for the Company for over 50 years and previously served as Executive Vice President of the Company. He has served as a board member of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Foundation Fund, Philander Smith College, Union Bank and Worthen Bank in Little Rock, Arkansas and First National Bank of Ft. Worth, Texas. Mr. Dillard’s understanding of both the merchandising and the operational aspects of the retail business has enabled the Board to more effectively gain a broad overview of the day-to-day processes involved in the operation of the Company.

Mike Dillard, 71, is an Executive Vice President of the Company and currently heads one of the largest merchandising portions of the Company’s business. This has been his principal occupation for the last five years. He has been a member of the Board since 1976. Mr. Dillard has played many roles for the Company, devoting his entire professional career to Dillard’s, Inc. His understanding of the unique regional characteristics of merchandising in the many different geographic regions of the country has assisted the Board in its efforts to guide the business to meet the needs of its varied customer base.

William Dillard, II, 78, is the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, has been a member of the Board since 1967 and serves on the Executive Committee. This has been his principal occupation for the last five years. Mr. Dillard has been involved in almost every aspect of the Company’s operations, working part-time while in school and full-time for over 50 years. He was formerly President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company. Through his numerous years of service to the Company, Mr. Dillard possesses an unmatched knowledge of the Company’s operations and the retail industry as a whole. This, combined with his service as a member of the boards of directors of other public companies, allows him to provide invaluable insight to the Board. In addition, his expertise with respect to real estate matters and store location enables him to provide the Board with leadership and insight into this critical aspect of the Company’s business.

William Dillard, III, 52, is a Senior Vice President of the Company, a position he has held for the last five years. He has been a member of the Board since 2021. After receiving his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas in 1993, Mr. Dillard initially joined the Company in its Phoenix-based merchandising division where he held various roles of increasing responsibilities in the stores and buying office. After serving for a time as a merchandise sourcing agent in Hong Kong with William E. Connor & Associates, Ltd, Mr. Dillard attended Northwestern University and received a Master of Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management in 1999. He then rejoined the Company in the Little Rock corporate headquarters serving in increasing capacities in merchandise management. Currently, in his role as Senior Vice President, Mr. Dillard is responsible for all merchandising functions for the cosmetics, ladies’

9

accessories and lingerie, men’s apparel and accessories and home and furniture areas of the business. These merchandise areas comprised 53% of the Company’s sales in fiscal 2022. Mr. Dillard is very active in the Little Rock community and serves on the boards of various charitable organizations including eStem Public Charter Schools, Arkansas for Educational Reform Foundation, St. Vincent Health Systems, YoungLife, Our House and Restore Hope. Mr. Dillard brings to the Board a deep understanding of all merchandising functions, from sourcing to selling, as well as experience in the development and retention of a strong talent base to achieve Company merchandising and sales objectives.

H. Lee Hastings, III, 68, has served as a Director of the Company since 2010. At all times during the past five years, Mr. Hastings has (a) served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Hastings Holdings, Inc., a family holding company that operates several subsidiaries which are engaged in real estate, beverage distribution, import/export and other businesses and (b) also served as President of Arkansas Bolt, Co./ABC Logistics, a subsidiary of Hastings Holdings, Inc. that sells and imports/exports industrial fasteners and stampings throughout the world. Since 2001, Mr. Hastings has also been a director of another family holding company, State Holding Co. Inc., which owns and operates a bank holding company. None of these companies or their subsidiaries are subsidiaries or other affiliates of the Company. Mr. Hastings has extensive experience in the international import/export market and contributes valuable advice to the Board with respect to the Company’s international sourcing efforts. Mr. Hastings currently serves on the Audit Committee.

Denise Mahaffy, 65, is a Senior Vice President of the Company, a position she has held for the last five years. She has been a member of the Board since 2021. Ms. Mahaffy received her Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Southern Methodist University and joined the Company in 1979. She has served Dillard’s in a wide variety of roles in sales, merchandising, distribution, product development, marketing and advertising. Currently, she serves in critical cross functional leadership roles for the Company. Ms. Mahaffy is responsible for working with the Company’s private label credit card partner to execute marketing and operational strategies to increase card penetration and program profitability. Additionally, she leads Dillard’s comprehensive marketing and advertising efforts across multiple media channels that drives awareness while ensuring consistency of messaging to targeted customer audiences. Ms. Mahaffy also oversees the Company’s online experience and social and digital strategies as well as the photography studio. In these roles, she is responsible for multiple vital functions of the Company’s Internet store at dillards.com including Internet product publishing, product and fashion photography, search engine marketing and social media outreach. Ms. Mahaffy has a keen understanding of the Company’s customer base. Her years of front row experience across multiple functional areas brings a wealth of insight to the Board, particularly regarding customer engagement and retention.

Drue Matheny, 76, has been a member of the Board since 1994. For the past five years, her principal occupation has been, and currently is, an Executive Vice President of the Company. She is based in Ft. Worth, Texas and directs one of the largest merchandising portions of the Company. Since joining the Company in 1968, Ms. Matheny has overseen every aspect of the Company’s various merchandising functions. She brings to the Board a deep understanding of the exacting tastes and preferences of the Company’s customers.

Warren A. Stephens, 66, has served as a Director of the Company since 2002. At all times during the past five years, Mr. Stephens’ principal occupation has been Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Stephens Inc. He is also Co-Chairman of SF Holding Corporation. Stephens Inc. and SF Holding Corporation are not subsidiaries or other affiliates of the Company. In 1981, Mr. Stephens joined Stephens Inc. In 2006, Mr. Stephens acquired 100% of the outstanding shares of Stephens Inc. Stephens Inc. focuses on investment banking, wealth management, capital management, private equity, institutional sales and trading, research, and insurance. Mr. Stephens’ knowledge and understanding of sophisticated financial markets have been invaluable to the Board when dealing with a wide range of issues from investment decisions to credit and finance matters to the strategic positioning of the Company.

Vote Required

A majority of the shares of the respective class of the Common Stock outstanding and eligible to vote in the election is required to elect each Director for such class.

10

Recommendation of the Board

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT STOCKHOLDERS VOTE FOR EACH OF THE DIRECTOR NOMINEES NOMINATED BY THE BOARD. PROXIES SOLICITED BY THE BOARD WILL BE VOTED FOR EACH NOMINEE UNLESS STOCKHOLDERS SPECIFY A CONTRARY VOTE. Management does not know of any nominee who will be unable to serve, but should any nominee be unable or decline to serve, the discretionary authority provided in the Proxy will be exercised to vote for a substitute or substitutes.

​

11

Information Regarding the Board and Its Committees

Controlled Company. The Company qualifies as a “controlled company” under the NYSE listing standards due to the ownership by W.D. Company, Inc. of shares of Class B Common Stock allowing it to cast more than 50% of votes eligible to be cast for the election of two-thirds of the Directors of the Company. In accordance with a provision in NYSE rules for controlled companies, the Company is not required to comply with NYSE listing standards that provide for (1) a majority of the Board of Directors being composed of independent directors, (2) a nominating/corporate governance committee composed solely of independent directors and (3) a compensation committee composed solely of independent directors. Notwithstanding these exemptions, all the members of the Company’s Compensation Committee are independent in accordance with the NYSE listing standards. This may change in the future, however, at the Company’s discretion.

Director Independence. The Board has determined that all of the Class A nominees listed above qualify as independent persons as defined in the Company’s by-laws (discussed below). In addition, the Board has affirmatively determined that each of the Class A nominees, as well as Robert C. Connor and H. Lee Hastings, III, who are Class B nominees, has no direct or indirect material relationship with the Company and qualifies as an independent director in accordance with the NYSE listing standards.

Family Relationships. William Dillard, II, Drue Matheny, Alex Dillard, Mike Dillard and Denise Mahaffy are siblings. William Dillard, III is the son of William Dillard, II. Alexandra Lucie and Annemarie Jazic (each a Vice President of the Company) are daughters of Alex Dillard.

Director Nominations. As provided in the Company’s by-laws, the Executive Committee is responsible for nominating individuals to stand for election at each annual meeting of stockholders. Stockholders may also nominate a director nominee pursuant to the Company’s by-laws.

The Company’s by-laws provide that nominees to represent Class A stockholders on the Company’s Board shall be independent persons only. For these purposes, the Company’s by-laws define “independent” as a person who: (1) has not been employed by the Company or an affiliate in any executive capacity within the last five years; (2) was not, and is not, a member of a corporation or firm that is one of the Company’s paid advisors or consultants; (3) is not employed by a significant customer, supplier or provider of professional services; (4) has no personal services contract with the Company; (5) is not employed by a foundation or university that receives significant grants or endowments from the Company; (6) is not a relative of the management of the Company; (7) is not a stockholder who has signed stockholder agreements legally binding him or her to vote with management; and (8) is not the Chairman of a company on which the Company’s Chairman or Chief Executive Officer is also a board member. These independence standards, found in our Corporate Governance Guidelines, are available on the investor relations portion of the Company’s website at investor.dillards.com.

In nominating a slate of directors, the objective is to select individuals with skills and experience that can be of assistance in operating the Company’s business. The following core criteria are considered in nominating each candidate:

12

Candidates who individually possess knowledge, experience and skills in at least one of the following are sought: accounting and finance, business judgment, management, crisis response, industry knowledge or strategy and vision. Diversity is an important consideration in Board composition and is discussed as a factor in connection with each candidate. The Executive Committee has not adopted a formal policy with respect to diversity. The implementation of this consideration occurs when, in addition to the core criteria identified above, the Executive Committee informally discusses whether a potential nominee might also bring to the Board diverse life experiences and perspectives but no single factor controls the determination process.

In order for a Company stockholder to nominate an individual for election to the Board, the stockholder must provide written notice of such nomination to the Company’s Corporate Secretary, and the notice must be received by the Company’s Corporate Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Company no more than 90 days, and no less than 60 days, before the annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that less than 70 days’ notice or prior public disclosure of the date of the meeting is given or made to stockholders, such nomination must be received no later than the close of business on the 10^th day following the day on which such notice of the date of the meeting was mailed or such public disclosure was made. The notice must set forth as to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or re-election as a Director, (1) the name, age, business address and residence address of such person, (2) the principal occupation or employment of such person, (3) the class and number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock that are beneficially owned by such person and (4) any other information relating to such person that is required, in each case, pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) (including without limitation such persons’ written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serve as a director if elected). Such notice must also set forth the name and address, as they appear on the Company’s books, of the stockholder giving the notice and the class and number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock that are beneficially owned by such stockholder. In order for a Company stockholder to recommend (as opposed to nominate) a director candidate, the stockholder must provide written notice of such recommendation to the Company’s Corporate Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Company. The Executive Committee will consider director candidates recommended by stockholders and will consider all candidates for director in the same manner regardless of the source of the recommendation.

Director and Stockholder Meetings. The Board of Directors met four times during the Company’s last fiscal year. During the last fiscal year, all of the individuals serving as director attended at least 75% of the aggregate of (1) the total number of meetings of the Board and (2) the total number of meetings held by all committees of the Board on which they served. The Company encourages each Board member to attend the Company’s Annual Meeting. All individuals serving as director at that time were in attendance at the Company’s Annual Meeting held on May 21, 2022.

Executive Sessions; Presiding Director. As required by the NYSE listing standards, our non-management directors meet on a regularly scheduled basis in executive session at which only non-management directors are present. Our non-management directors choose a presiding independent director by majority vote for each session. The presiding director is responsible for, among other things, presiding at the executive session of the non-management directors for which he or she is chosen to serve and apprising the Chairman of the issues considered at such meetings. Our independent directors also meet at least annually.

Communications with Directors. Security holders and other interested persons may contact individual directors, the presiding member of the non-management directors, non-management directors as a group or the Board as a whole, at any time. Your communication should be sent to the individual Director, the “Non-Management Members of the Board of Directors,” the “Presiding Member of Non-Management Directors” or the “Board of Directors,” as applicable, at 1600 Cantrell Road, Little Rock, Arkansas 72201. In general, any communications delivered to the principal executive offices for forwarding to the Board or specified Board members will be forwarded in accordance with its instructions. However, prior to the communications being forwarded to the Board member, the Corporate Secretary reviews communications and reserves the right not to forward to Board members any inappropriate materials.

Corporate Governance Guidelines and Code of Conduct. The Board has adopted Corporate Governance Guidelines and a Code of Conduct that applies to all Company associates, including the Company’s executive officers, and the members of the Board. The current versions of these corporate governance documents are available free of charge on the investor relations portion of the Company’s website at investor.dillards.com, and each is available in print

13

to any stockholder who requests copies by contacting Julie J. Guymon, Director of Investor Relations, at 1600 Cantrell Road, Little Rock, Arkansas 72201. The Company will promptly disclose to our stockholders, if required by applicable laws, any amendments to, or waivers from, provisions of the Code of Conduct that apply to our principal executive officer, principal financial officers, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions, by posting such information on our website (dillards.com) rather than by filing a Form 8-K.

Anti-Hedging Policy. Directors and associates, and their designees, are prohibited from purchasing financial instruments (including prepaid variable forward contracts, equity swaps, collars and exchange funds), or otherwise engaging in transactions, that hedge or offset, or are designed to hedge or offset, any decrease in the market value of the Company’s equity securities (a) granted to the associate or Director by the Company as part of the compensation of the associate or Director or (b) held, directly or indirectly, by the Director or associate.

Board Committees. The Board has a standing Audit Committee and Compensation Committee. The Audit Committee and the Compensation Committee have each adopted a written charter, both of which are available on the investor relations portion of the Company’s website at investor.dillards.com. In addition, the Board has an Executive Committee that performs various functions, including those similar to a standing nominating committee. The Executive Committee members are Alex Dillard and William Dillard, II.

The Audit Committee members are H. Lee Hastings, III, Reynie Rutledge, Chairman, and J.C. Watts, Jr. The Board has determined that Reynie Rutledge is an “audit committee financial expert” and that Messrs. Hastings, Rutledge and Watts are independent of management in accordance with the requirements of the NYSE and the SEC for purposes of determining audit committee independence. The Board has also determined that each of Messrs. Hastings, Rutledge and Watts is “financially literate” within the meaning of the listing standards of the NYSE. The Audit Committee held ten meetings during fiscal 2022.

The Compensation Committee members are Robert C. Connor, Chairman, James I. Freeman and Nick White. All members of the Compensation Committee are independent as defined by NYSE listing standards. In addition all members of the Compensation Committee qualify as “non-employee directors” for purposes of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act. The Compensation Committee held three meetings during fiscal 2022.

Board’s Leadership Structure. Pursuant to the Company’s by-laws, the principal executive officer shall be the Chairman of the Board. Accordingly, the Board has elected William Dillard, II, the Company’s CEO, to serve as its Chairman. The Board believes that this structure is best suited to the interests of the Company and the stockholders at this time because it enables Mr. Dillard to be personally involved in every aspect of leading the Company. The Board believes that Mr. Dillard is uniquely qualified to serve as Chairman because his extensive experience with the Company (over 50 years of service) provides him with the long-term perspective that builds stockholder value and aligns with the long-term interests of the stockholders. In this capacity, he sets the Board agenda, regularly communicates with the other Board members and chairs Board meetings and the Annual Meeting.

Alex Dillard, the Company’s President and a fellow Board member, assists William Dillard, II in the day-to-day supervision of the Company’s business, which provides other members of the management team ready access to, and the benefit of, their combined deep understanding of the cycles and challenges of the retail industry. The close working relationship between the CEO and the President also gives the Board and the Company’s stockholders a veteran leadership team that can address issues quickly and seamlessly.

The Company has no lead independent Director. However, the non-management directors designate one of the independent directors to preside over their executive sessions.

Board’s Role in Risk Oversight. While the Company’s management has the primary responsibility for managing risks facing the Company, the Board as a whole is actively involved in and is responsible for the oversight of risk management, including those risks associated with cybersecurity. Our senior management regularly engages in management and oversight of our Information Security programs and regularly updates and engages in discussions with our Board on cybersecurity issues. In addition, the Board routinely receives updates and engages in discussions regarding other material risks facing the Company, which for fiscal 2022 included, among other risks, inflation, staffing,

14

supply chain instability, transportation issues, global labor practice issues and inventory management. The Board’s primary goal is to ensure that the risk management processes designed and implemented by the Company’s management are effective.

The Audit Committee is responsible for oversight of the quality and integrity of the Company’s financial statements and internal controls and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements and reviews the annual risk assessment report prepared by the Company’s internal audit group which reports directly to the Audit Committee. Based on the annual risk assessment, the Audit Committee is charged with studying or investigating any matter of interest or concern that it deems appropriate. It also reviews reports describing any anonymous calls made to the Company’s “Ethics Hotline,” together with any other reports of disciplinary or other action taken with respect to material breaches of the Company’s Code of Conduct. In its investigatory capacity, the Audit Committee has the authority to retain outside legal, accounting or other advisors, including the authority to approve the fees payable to such advisors and any other terms of retention. The Audit Committee is also given unrestricted access to the Company’s internal audit group, other Board members, executive officers and independent accountants to the extent necessary to carry out its oversight responsibilities. While acting in this capacity, the Audit Committee has the full authority of the Board.

The Compensation Committee is responsible for reviewing any risks arising from the Company’s compensation policies, particularly with respect to the issue of encouraging inappropriate risk taking by executive management. In assessing compensation-related risks, the Compensation Committee may investigate any matter related thereto, is given full access to all books, records, facilities and personnel of the Company and, when appropriate, may hire outside legal, accounting or other experts or advisors to assist the Compensation Committee with its work.

The Board’s administration of its risk oversight function has not specifically affected the Board’s leadership structure. The Board believes that its current leadership structure is conducive to, and appropriate for, its oversight of risk management.

15

The following table summarizes the compensation paid by the Company to non-management Directors for the fiscal year ended January 28, 2023:

​

16

COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

Introduction

This Compensation Discussion and Analysis (“CD&A”) provides information regarding the compensation paid to our Chief Executive Officer, Co-Principal Financial Officers and our three most highly compensated other executive officers in fiscal 2022. These individuals are referred to as “named executive officers” or “NEOs.” This section should be read in conjunction with the detailed tables and narrative descriptions under the section titled “Executive Compensation” in this proxy statement.

Executive Summary

We are committed to a pay-for-performance culture. The compensation program is reviewed annually in order to assure that its objectives and components are aligned with the Company’s goals and culture and also that the program incentivizes short-term and long-term profitable growth.

The main components of the compensation strategy in place for our NEOs during fiscal 2022 included (1) a base salary, which is determined at the discretion of the Compensation Committee based on a number of factors and with the assistance of its independent compensation consultant, (2) an annual cash bonus, which is limited to an amount calculated according to the formula of the governing plan based on pre-tax net income, (3) an annual stock bonus calculated according to the formula of the governing plan and (4) retirement benefits pursuant to a pension plan. For a more comprehensive analysis of each one of these compensation arrangements, please see the discussion that follows.

At the 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, in our last stockholder advisory vote, approximately 98% of the votes cast on executive compensation were voted to approve the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers. As a result, the Compensation Committee determined not to make material changes to our compensation programs during the fiscal year.

Compensation Philosophy

The core elements of our compensation philosophy are to align each executive’s compensation with the Company’s short-term and long-term performance, promote a pay-for-performance culture and provide compensation and incentives needed to attract, retain and motivate key executives who are crucial to the Company’s long-term success. We seek to implement our philosophy by following three key principles:

Further details concerning how we implement our philosophy, and how we apply the above principles to our compensation program, are provided throughout this CD&A.

Elements of Compensation

Our compensation program primarily consists of the following elements: Base Salary, Annual Cash Performance Bonuses, Equity-Based Compensation Awards and Pension Plan Benefits. We choose to pay each separate element with the intent of rewarding performance believed to be beneficial to the Company and accomplishing specific purposes, as

17

described below. Within each element of compensation (other than those based on a pre-established formula), the Compensation Committee considers appropriate ranges for the amount awarded given the level of position and performance of the individual and the Company for the period under consideration.

Base Salary is designed to:

Annual Cash Performance Bonuses are designed to:

Equity-Based Compensation Awards are designed to:

Pension Plan Benefits are designed to:

The Compensation Committee believes that the combination of these elements provides an appropriate mix of fixed and variable pay which balances short-term operational performance with long-term stockholder value. The Committee also believes that our compensation program enables us to reinforce our pay-for-performance philosophy as well as strengthen our ability to attract and retain highly qualified executives by providing benefits equivalent to those offered by our leading competitors.

Allocation of Total Direct Compensation

The table below illustrates the allocation of total direct compensation for each NEO in fiscal 2022. Base salary, annual cash performance bonuses, equity-based compensation awards and other compensation (consisting of perquisites, insurance premiums and retirement plan contributions) comprise each NEO’s total direct compensation. Total direct compensation is different from the “Total Compensation” column of the Summary Compensation Table appearing on page 27 in that it excludes changes in pension value. We disclose the allocation of total direct compensation to provide insight into the Compensation Committee’s decision-making process when establishing NEO compensation. The Compensation Committee does not consider changes in pension value when establishing NEO compensation because pension amounts are earned each year based on a pre-established formula set forth in the Company’s pension plan relating to compensation previously received by an NEO and the NEO does not receive the amount until after retirement from the Company. Further, pension values can fluctuate widely year-to-year due to changes in discount rates, which are outside of the Company’s and executive’s control. As such, these amounts are excluded from the table below.

18

The Compensation Committee has determined that a slightly higher portion of total direct compensation of Messrs. William Dillard, II and Alex Dillard, our Chief Executive Officer and President, respectively, should be performance-based, than that of the other NEOs, given their ability to affect stockholder value relative to the other NEOs.

​

​

How We Determine Compensation

Role of the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee has responsibility for establishing, implementing and monitoring adherence to our compensation philosophy. In carrying out this function, the committee strives to ensure that total compensation paid to named executive officers is fair, reasonable and competitive.

The Compensation Committee regularly reviews and evaluates our compensation program to ensure that it:

These evaluations, along with the independent judgment exercised by members of the Compensation Committee, guides the Compensation Committee’s decisions in structuring compensation elements, determining compensation amounts, allocating between long-term and currently paid compensation and allocating between cash and non-cash amounts. The Compensation Committee also takes into account how competitive pressures and economic conditions over which our named executive officers may have little or no control can have a negative impact on the Company’s financial performance.

Role of Compensation Consultant in Compensation Decisions. During the year, in accordance with the Compensation Committee’s instructions, Korn Ferry, the Compensation Committee’s independent consultant, provided the Compensation Committee with an analysis of NEO compensation at the Company’s peer group companies, as well

19

as information on trends and best practices in executive compensation. In addition, Korn Ferry provided the Compensation Committee with an analysis of director compensation at the Company’s peer group companies. Korn Ferry did not perform any other services for the Company or its affiliates other than to provide advice and counsel to the Compensation Committee on officer and director compensation in accordance with the Compensation Committee’s instructions from time to time. The Compensation Committee has assessed the independence of Korn Ferry pursuant to the applicable rules and determined that its engagement does not raise any conflict of interest.

Role of Named Executive Officers in Compensation Decisions. Our Chief Executive Officer, President and Co-Principal Financial Officer each provide input to the Compensation Committee regarding Company and individual performance. However, the Compensation Committee exercises complete discretion in making all compensation decisions regarding cash compensation, equity awards and other benefits for all of our named executive officers.

Role of Comparable Company Analysis in our Compensation Decisions. In order to develop a competitive compensation package for our named executive officers, the Compensation Committee compares our compensation package with those of a peer group of public companies. The peer group includes department stores and specialty stores. A complete listing of the companies in the peer group appears below:

​

The Compensation Committee believes companies in the peer group are comparable to the Company in operations, management style and culture. However, the number of senior executives retained by the Company is generally lower than the number of senior executives at other companies in the peer group, which we believe places our executive management closer in the chain of command to associates for whom they are responsible. The benefit of our structure is that we are able to effectively manage our associates without unnecessary layers of intermediate managers. The Compensation Committee believes this approach increases the demands upon the named executive officers’ time and requires a greater depth of knowledge of operations than that of their peers in the peer group. Accordingly, the Compensation Committee believes that our named executive officers’ compensation should reflect this increased responsibility.

While we do not specifically benchmark our compensation against companies in the peer group, our Compensation Committee annually performs a compensation analysis of the compensation paid by these companies and periodically surveys the compensation practices of these companies to assess our competitiveness. This information is used as part of the Compensation Committee’s considerations in setting compensation for our named executive officers, particularly in respect of changes in base salary each year as discussed below. In reviewing this data, the Compensation Committee considers factors such as the relative financial performance of such companies, as well as certain other factors the Committee believes differentiate us from those companies — particularly our homogenous, unified business plan of operating virtually identical department stores primarily in the southwest, southeast, and midwest regions of the United States, which we believe allows for more streamlined, cohesive operations and our flatter management structure.

Stockholder Advisory Vote. Our Compensation Committee recognizes the fundamental interest our stockholders have in the compensation of our named executive officers. At the 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, approximately 98% of the shares present and entitled to vote on the advisory resolution on named executive compensation were voted to approve the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers. Based upon the results of such advisory vote and our review of our compensation policies and decisions, we believe that our existing compensation policies and decisions are consistent with our compensation philosophy and objectives discussed above and adequately align the interests of our named executive officers with the interests of our stockholders. At the 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, our stockholders voted, on an advisory basis, to hold an advisory vote on the compensation of our named executive officers every three years. In light of such vote, on May 20, 2017, the Board of Directors of the Company determined that the Company would include the advisory vote on the compensation of our named executive officers every three years until the next required frequency vote. The next stockholder advisory vote approving named executive

20

officer compensation will take place at this year's Annual Meeting of Stockholders (see Proposal No. 3 on page 39 of this proxy statement). Stockholders have an opportunity to cast an advisory vote on the frequency of the advisory vote approving executive compensation every six years. The next advisory vote on the frequency of the advisory vote approving executive compensation will also take place at this year’s Annual Meeting of Stockholders (see Proposal No. 4 on page 40 of this proxy statement).

Specific Elements of Our Compensation Program

For compensation earned by or paid to our named executive officers during fiscal years 2022, 2021 and 2020 under the following compensation programs, refer to the Summary Compensation Table on page 27 of this proxy statement.

Base Salary

Base salaries are provided to our named executive officers at levels established by the Compensation Committee on an annual basis. Base salaries are set at the discretion of the Compensation Committee and, unlike the annual cash performance bonuses and equity-based compensation awards, are not specifically related to any Company performance criteria. Each year, the Compensation Committee reviews a competitive market analysis of salaries paid by companies in the peer group to ensure that base salaries paid to our named executive officers are competitive. The committee also considers:

The Compensation Committee set each named executive officer’s base salary as follows:

​

​

The Compensation Committee assigned higher base salary amounts to Messrs. William Dillard, II and Alex Dillard to reflect their level of responsibility and experience, the importance of their respective positions within the Company and their ability to affect stockholder value relative to other NEOs. However, the base salaries of William Dillard, II and Alex Dillard are below the median base salaries of the executive officers for the peer group of retailers listed above.

Annual Cash Performance Bonuses

Our compensation program includes annual performance bonuses payable under our stockholder-approved Senior Management Cash Bonus Plan (the “Cash Bonus Plan”). Annual cash bonuses are designed to reward executive officers based on the Company’s performance and the individual executive’s contribution to that performance. Under the terms of the Cash Bonus Plan, performance bonuses may be paid only if the Company realizes positive net income before federal and state income taxes for the fiscal year, which we refer to as pre-tax net income. The Compensation Committee believes that pre-tax net income is a meaningful measure of financial and operational performance and that requiring a particular level of financial and operational performance before cash bonuses are earned by executive officers furthers the Company’s goal of linking pay to performance. No individual’s bonus under the Cash Bonus Plan can exceed 1% of the Company’s pre-tax net income.

21

Under the Company’s Cash Bonus Plan, persons who occupy the following positions are eligible to receive bonuses:

From this group of persons, the Compensation Committee, in its sole discretion, designates those individuals eligible to receive a performance bonus under the Cash Bonus Plan. In making its determinations, the Compensation Committee considers recommendations of senior management and the contribution of each executive officer to the Company’s performance.

When the Compensation Committee designates the individuals eligible to participate in the Cash Bonus Plan, it also designates the maximum percentage of the bonus pool each individual will be entitled to receive. The Compensation Committee assigns a percentage of the bonus pool to each participant, taking into consideration the individual’s level of responsibility for both operating results and management of the organization. The assigned percentage can vary from year to year. The year-end amount of an individual’s bonus is mathematically determined by applying this percentage to the bonus pool.

Bonuses are paid under the Cash Bonus Plan at the conclusion of the fiscal year from a bonus pool, which is equal to the sum of (x) 1¹∕2% of the Company’s pre-tax net income for the fiscal year, plus (y) 3¹∕2% of the increase in pre-tax net income over the prior fiscal year. Our pre-tax net income was $1,109,466,900 in fiscal 2022 and $1,088,363,000 in fiscal 2021 for an increase in pre-tax net income of $21,103,900. This resulted in a total available bonus pool of $17,380,600 for fiscal 2022.

The following table sets forth for each named executive officer such officer’s: (1) assigned percent allocation of the fiscal 2022 bonus pool and (2) actual bonus to be paid under the Cash Bonus Plan for fiscal 2022:

​

​

The Compensation Committee retains the discretion to reduce or eliminate any bonuses that might otherwise be due under the terms of the Cash Bonus Plan. In making this determination, the Compensation Committee may consider factors which are more individualized to specific circumstances that were unforeseen at the time the original allocations were made. The Compensation Committee also reserves the right to award smaller or no bonuses in order to conserve cash for operations or for other business opportunities that could either preserve or enhance stockholder value. The Compensation Committee cannot, however, increase the amounts payable under the Cash Bonus Plan. The Compensation Committee made no adjustments to the bonuses to be paid under the Cash Bonus Plan for fiscal 2022.

Equity-Based Compensation

We believe equity ownership is essential in linking an executive officer’s compensation to the performance of our Common Stock and total stockholder return. We also believe equity ownership is an important tool in creating incentive

22

for sustained growth. As such, in fiscal 2022 our named executive officers received equity-based compensation through each of the following plans (each of which is discussed below): the Dillard’s, Inc. Stock Bonus Plan (the “Stock Bonus Plan”), a qualified defined contribution retirement plan (the “Retirement Plan”) and the Dillard’s, Inc. Stock Purchase Plan (the “Stock Purchase Plan”). Equity-based compensation awarded under these plans is generally established by a predetermined formula set forth in each plan that is tied directly to the aggregate amount of cash compensation (salary and cash bonus) paid to an individual. Equity-based compensation awards comprise a smaller portion of our named executive officers’ total compensation because the Compensation Committee considers the existing significant stock ownership of our named executive officers to already align with shareholders’ interests.

Pension Plan

We maintain a non-qualified defined benefit pension plan (the “Pension Plan”) for our named executive officers. The Pension Plan provides an annual award following retirement based upon the level of each officer’s salary and cash bonus during the officer’s tenure, as well as the total years of service provided to the Company. Specifically, the award is calculated by multiplying each officer’s years of service by 1¹∕2% and multiplying the result by the average of the highest three years of each officer’s “pension earnings”. Pension earnings are defined as total salary plus cash bonus paid during the fiscal year minus the maximum Social Security wage base in that year. Retirement is considered Normal Retirement if the individual has met the service requirements and has reached 65 years of age. Persons are eligible for Early Retirement if the individual has met the service requirements and has reached 55 years of age.

For persons eligible for Early Retirement, but not yet eligible for Normal Retirement, there is a 2¹∕2% reduction in the amount of annual pension benefit for each year or partial year between the person’s 65^th birthday and the person’s attained age on the date of retirement. During fiscal 2022, Phillip Watts was the only NEO that met the requirements for Early Retirement and had not reached the age for Normal Retirement as defined by the Pension Plan.

The Pension Plan provides that, in the event of a change in control of the Company (as defined in the Pension Plan), the present value of the annual pension benefit determined as of the date of the change in control will be paid in a lump sum within 60 days. All associates with a benefit accrued under the Pension Plan up to the date of the change in control are eligible for a lump sum payment and no further benefits would be paid from the Pension Plan. The Company believes this feature is important in recruiting and retaining qualified executive management personnel because:

23

Additional information about such lump sum payments, including how the present value would be determined and the estimated lump sum pension benefits that each named executive officer would have received if a change in control were to have occurred on the last business day of fiscal 2022 is provided below under “Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control.”

Other Benefits

Health Insurance. We provide an enhanced health insurance plan to our named executive officers. This plan assists our named executive officers in maintaining their physical well-being so that they are able to devote their energies to the management of the Company.

Company Aircraft. Our named executive officers are allowed access to Company-owned aircraft for personal use as well as business flights. This benefit increases the level of safety and security for the named executive officers and allows them to make better use of their time by being able to travel more efficiently. The Company reports imputed income to an executive officer for income tax purposes for the value of any personal use based upon the Standard Industry Fare Level (SIFL) in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code and Treasury Regulations. For purposes of the Summary Compensation Table below, the Company reports compensation for the NEOs based on the incremental cost for flights constituting personal use. As disclosed in the Summary Compensation Table in this proxy statement, only Messrs. William Dillard, II and Alex Dillard incurred incremental costs for the personal use of Company aircraft for fiscal year 2022.

24

restatement of financial results. If it should ever occur, when making this determination, the Compensation Committee will likely consider the totality of the circumstances surrounding the misconduct, including the intent of the officer in engaging in the misconduct and the expense that the Company might incur seeking reimbursement as compared to the amount of reimbursement, and whether there were additional officers involved and, if so, the role played by the individual in the misconduct.

Compensation Policies and Practices and Risk Management. The Compensation Committee takes risk into consideration when reviewing and approving named executive officer compensation and believes that the composition of total compensation should not encourage inappropriate or excessive risk-taking. The Company monitors the risk associated with its compensation program for all associates, including NEOs, the components of its compensation program and individual compensation decisions, on an ongoing basis. This ongoing assessment includes (1) consideration of the primary design features of the Company’s compensation plans and the process to determine incentive compensation eligibility and grant awards for associates and (2) analysis of how those features could encourage or mitigate risk-taking. The Company believes that its compensation policies and practices for all associates, including NEOs, do not create risks that are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company.

​

25