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8-K - FORM 8-K - AMERICAN GREETINGS CORPd8k.htm
EX-99.2 - UNAUDITED SEGMENT EARNINGS - AMERICAN GREETINGS CORPdex992.htm

Exhibit 99.1

AMERICAN GREETINGS ANNOUNCES FIRST QUARTER EARNINGS

CLEVELAND (June 29, 2011)—American Greetings Corporation (NYSE: AM) today announced its results for the first fiscal quarter ended May 27, 2011.

First Quarter Results

For the first quarter of fiscal 2012, the Company reported total revenue of $402.3 million, pre-tax income of $50.8 million, and net income of $32.6 million or 78 cents per share (all per-share amounts assume dilution). Revenue was reduced by $1.9 million as a result of scan-based trading conversions that occurred during the quarter. The pre-tax income impact of the scan-based trading conversions was $2.3 million (after-tax $1.4 million, reducing earnings per share by about 3 cents).

For the first quarter of fiscal 2011, the Company reported total revenue of $396.3 million, pre-tax income of $51.0 million, and net income of $30.8 million or 75 cents per share. The Company incurred pre-tax costs associated with the integrations of Papyrus and Recycled Paper Greetings of $3.4 million (after-tax of $2.1 million, reducing earnings per share by about 5 cents).

Management Comments and Outlook

Chief Executive Officer Zev Weiss said, “Despite the continuing erratic economic environment, we achieved a record level of earnings per share in the first quarter driven by the combination of the changes we made to our portfolio of businesses in recent years, our growing market share in North America, and the continuation of good expense management.”

For fiscal 2012, the Company expects revenue to grow approximately 5% compared to fiscal 2011. The Company expects cash flow from operating activities to fall within the range of $125 million to $145 million and capital expenditures between $45 million and $50 million, resulting in cash flow from operating activities minus capital expenditures of $80 million to $100 million. This cash flow estimate includes an aggregate use of cash of approximately $5 million to $15 million for the combination of working capital, deferred costs, and taxes.

Conference Call on the Web

American Greetings will broadcast its conference call live on the Internet at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time today. The conference call will be accessible through the Investor Relations section of the American Greetings Web site at http://investors.americangreetings.com. A replay of the call will be available on the site.


About American Greetings Corporation

For more than 100 years, American Greetings Corporation (NYSE: AM) has been a creator and manufacturer of innovative social expression products that assist consumers in enhancing their relationships. The Company’s major greeting card lines are American Greetings, Carlton Cards, Gibson, Recycled Paper Greetings and Papyrus, and other paper product offerings include DesignWare party goods and American Greetings and Plus Mark gift-wrap and boxed cards. American Greetings also has one of the largest collections of electronic greetings on the Web, including cards available at AmericanGreetings.com through AG Interactive, Inc. (the Company’s online division). In addition to its product lines, American Greetings also creates and licenses popular character brands through the American Greetings Properties group. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, American Greetings generates annual revenue of approximately $1.6 billion, and its products can be found in retail outlets worldwide. For more information on the Company, visit http://corporate.americangreetings.com.

###

CONTACT:

Gregory M. Steinberg

Treasurer and Executive Director of Investor Relations

American Greetings Corporation

216-252-4864

investor.relations@amgreetings.com

Non-GAAP Measures

Certain after-tax and liquidity amounts included in this earnings release may be considered non-GAAP measures under the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Regulation G. The after-tax amounts were calculated based on the Company’s statutory tax rate of approximately 38.9%. Management believes that after-tax information is useful in analyzing the Company’s results and that cash flow from operating activities minus capital expenditures provides a liquidity measure useful to investors in analyzing the cash generation of the Company.

Factors That May Affect Future Results

Certain statements in this release, including those under Management Comments and Outlook, may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Federal securities laws. These statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historic or current facts. They use such words as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance. These forward-looking statements are based on currently available information, but are subject to a variety of uncertainties, unknown risks and other factors concerning the Company’s operations and business environment, which are difficult to predict and may be beyond the control of the Company. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested by these forward-looking statements, and that could adversely affect the Company’s future financial performance, include, but are not limited to, the following:

 

   

a weak retail environment and general economic conditions;

 

   

competitive terms of sale offered to customers;

 

   

retail consolidations, acquisitions and bankruptcies, including the possibility of resulting adverse changes to retail contract terms;

 

   

the timing and impact of investments in new retail or product strategies as well as new product introductions and achieving the desired benefits from those investments;


   

the timing and impact of converting customers to a scan-based trading model;

 

   

the ability to achieve the desired benefits associated with the Company’s cost reduction efforts;

 

   

the ability to successfully implement or achieve the desired benefits associated with any information systems refresh the Company may implement;

 

   

Schurman Fine Papers’ ability to successfully operate its retail operations and satisfy its obligations to the Company;

 

   

consumer acceptance of products as priced and marketed;

 

   

the impact of technology, including social media, on core product sales;

 

   

escalation in the cost of providing employee health care;

 

   

the Company’s ability to achieve the desired accretive effect from any share repurchase programs;

 

   

the Company’s ability to comply with its debt covenants;

 

   

fluctuations in the value of currencies in major areas where the Company operates, including the U.S. Dollar, Euro, U.K. Pound Sterling, and Canadian Dollar; and

 

   

the outcome of any legal claims known or unknown.

Risks pertaining specifically to AG Interactive include the viability of online advertising, subscriptions as revenue generators, and the ability to adapt to rapidly changing social media and the digital photo sharing space.

In addition, this release contains time-sensitive information that reflects management’s best analysis as of the date of this release. American Greetings does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future events, information or circumstances that arise after the date of this release. Further information concerning issues that could materially affect financial performance related to forward-looking statements can be found in the Company’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K.


AMERICAN GREETINGS CORPORATION

FIRST QUARTER CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME

FISCAL YEAR ENDING FEBRUARY 29, 2012

(In thousands of dollars except share and per share amounts)

 

     (Unaudited)
Three Months Ended
 
     May 27, 2011     May 28, 2010  

Net sales

   $ 396,776      $ 392,105   

Other revenue

     5,573        4,203   
                

Total revenue

     402,349        396,308   

Material, labor and other production costs

     157,929        158,013   

Selling, distribution and marketing expenses

     123,292        117,551   

Administrative and general expenses

     65,298        66,032   

Other operating income - net

     (923     (594
                

Operating income

     56,753        55,306   

Interest expense

     6,124        6,202   

Interest income

     (321     (213

Other non-operating expense (income) - net

     160        (1,700
                

Income before income tax expense

     50,790        51,017   

Income tax expense

     18,197        20,178   
                

Net income

   $ 32,593      $ 30,839   
                

Earnings per share - basic

   $ 0.80      $ 0.78   

Earnings per share - assuming dilution

   $ 0.78      $ 0.75   

Average number of common shares outstanding

     40,500,357        39,638,568   

Average number of common shares outstanding - assuming dilution

     41,799,366        40,849,429   

Dividends declared per share

   $ 0.15      $ 0.14   


AMERICAN GREETINGS CORPORATION

FIRST QUARTER CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION

FISCAL YEAR ENDING FEBRUARY 29, 2012

(In thousands of dollars)

 

     (Unaudited)  
     May 27, 2011     May 28, 2010  

ASSETS

    

CURRENT ASSETS

    

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 211,139      $ 186,775   

Trade accounts receivable, net

     137,213        110,085   

Inventories

     203,346        157,913   

Deferred and refundable income taxes

     46,686        74,951   

Assets held for sale

     7,180        14,680   

Prepaid expenses and other

     117,315        118,046   
                

Total current assets

     722,879        662,450   

GOODWILL

     29,701        30,238   

OTHER ASSETS

     431,472        413,237   

DEFERRED AND REFUNDABLE INCOME TAXES

     127,731        150,207   

Property, plant and equipment - at cost

     859,189        835,707   

Less accumulated depreciation

     616,706        597,610   
                

PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT - NET

     242,483        238,097   
                
   $ 1,554,266      $ 1,494,229   
                

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

    

CURRENT LIABILITIES

    

Debt due within one year

   $ —        $ 99,000   

Accounts payable

     98,641        80,205   

Accrued liabilities

     65,527        61,425   

Accrued compensation and benefits

     35,163        35,472   

Income taxes payable

     18,752        25,390   

Other current liabilities

     100,107        91,878   
                

Total current liabilities

     318,190        393,370   

LONG-TERM DEBT

     233,298        230,973   

OTHER LIABILITIES

     186,484        179,643   

DEFERRED INCOME TAXES AND NONCURRENT INCOME TAXES PAYABLE

     32,132        30,548   

SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

    

Common shares - Class A

     37,942        37,064   

Common shares - Class B

     2,803        2,926   

Capital in excess of par value

     502,131        478,676   

Treasury stock

     (951,643     (951,830

Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)

     2,121        (40,257

Retained earnings

     1,190,808        1,133,116   
                

Total shareholders’ equity

     784,162        659,695   
                
   $ 1,554,266      $ 1,494,229   
                


AMERICAN GREETINGS CORPORATION

FIRST QUARTER CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

FISCAL YEAR ENDING FEBRUARY 29, 2012

(In thousands of dollars)

 

     (Unaudited)
Three Months Ended
 
     May 27, 2011     May 28, 2010  

OPERATING ACTIVITIES:

    

Net income

   $ 32,593      $ 30,839   

Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash flows from operating activities:

    

Stock-based compensation

     2,662        2,650   

Net loss (gain) on disposal of fixed assets

     86        (151

Depreciation and amortization

     9,929        10,294   

Deferred income taxes

     1,147        (535

Other non-cash charges

     872        735   

Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions and dispositions:

    

Trade accounts receivable

     (12,389     19,576   

Inventories

     (18,750     4,483   

Other current assets

     2,442        (2,878

Income taxes

     7,596        15,830   

Deferred costs - net

     13,099        13,802   

Accounts payable and other liabilities

     (27,922     (66,362

Other - net

     597        4,256   
                

Total Cash Flows From Operating Activities

     11,962        32,539   

INVESTING ACTIVITIES:

    

Property, plant and equipment additions

     (8,891     (5,965

Cash payments for business acquisitions, net of cash acquired

     (5,992     —     

Proceeds from sale of fixed assets

     24        555   

Proceeds from escrow related to party goods transaction

     0        24,523   
                

Total Cash Flows From Investing Activities

     (14,859     19,113   

FINANCING ACTIVITIES:

    

Net decrease in long-term debt

     —          (250

Sale of stock under benefit plans

     12,000        19,087   

Purchase of treasury shares

     (9,942     (12,979

Dividends to shareholders

     (6,062     (5,525
                

Total Cash Flows From Financing Activities

     (4,004     333   

EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH

     2,202        (3,159
                

(DECREASE) INCREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS

     (4,699     48,826   

Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year

     215,838        137,949   
                

Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period

   $ 211,139      $ 186,775   
                


AMERICAN GREETINGS CORPORATION

FIRST QUARTER CONSOLIDATED SEGMENT DISCLOSURES

FISCAL YEAR ENDING FEBRUARY 29, 2012

(In thousands of dollars)

 

     (Unaudited)
Three Months  Ended
 
     May 27, 2011     May 28, 2010  

Total Revenue:

    

North American Social Expression Products

   $ 303,228      $ 308,309   

International Social Expression Products

     70,205        57,573   

AG Interactive

     16,717        18,554   

Non-reportable segments

     12,199        11,872   
                
   $ 402,349      $ 396,308   
                

Segment Earnings (Loss):

    

North American Social Expression Products

   $ 59,618      $ 64,063   

International Social Expression Products

     3,303        2,834   

AG Interactive

     2,312        2,372   

Non-reportable segments

     4,606        2,152   

Unallocated

     (19,049     (20,404
                
   $ 50,790      $ 51,017