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8-K - 8-K - TORO COa12-5584_18k.htm

Exhibit 99.1

 

 

Investor Relations

Kurt Svendsen

Managing Director, Corporate Communications and Investor Relations

(952) 887-8630, invest@toro.com

 

Media Relations

Branden Happel

Senior Manager, Public Relations

(952) 887-8930, pr@toro.com

 

For Immediate Release

 

The Toro Company Reports Record First Quarter Results

 

·                  Record first quarter revenues, up 10.6%, driven by strong demand across both professional and residential businesses

·                  Net earnings per share up 22.6 percent to a record $0.65

·                  Company raises full-year revenue and EPS guidance, while also increasing investments for future growth with the recent acquisitions

 

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (February 23, 2012) — The Toro Company (NYSE: TTC) today reported net earnings of $19.9 million, or $0.65 per share, on net sales of $423.8 million for its fiscal first quarter ended February 3, 2012.  In the comparable fiscal 2011 period, the company delivered net earnings of $17.3 million, or $0.53 per share, on net sales of $383.2 million.

 

“Retail sales of our golf and landscape contractor equipment have been very good year-to-date, and we have momentum heading into the spring selling season,” said Michael J. Hoffman, Toro’s chairman and chief executive officer.  “Looking beyond our existing business, our most recently announced acquisition of the Astec underground products presents substantial opportunities in adjacent markets.  As always, now begins the challenge of successfully integrating the acquisition into the company’s operations.”

 

In the past three months, Toro completed acquisitions of the Astec Underground’s equipment line of horizontal directional drills, trenchers, and vibratory plows for the underground utilities market and the Graden golf greens roller product line.  The Astec products expand Toro’s offering to landscape and irrigation contractors and provide entry into new global markets, while the Graden greens rollers add to Toro’s strong position in golf equipment worldwide.  Combined, these new products are expected to add about one percent to sales to the current fiscal year.

 

SEGMENT RESULTS

 

Professional

·                  Professional segment net sales for the fiscal 2012 first quarter totaled $283.8 million, up 9.9 percent from the same period last year.  Shipments of golf equipment were up worldwide as customers continue to invest in maintenance products for their courses. Micro-irrigation sales continue to be strong on growing acceptance amongst growers of drip irrigation technologies and our related increased capacities. The sales growth in the quarter was also aided by the addition of revenue from Unique Lighting Systems, which was acquired a year ago.

 

-more-

 



 

·                  Professional segment earnings totaled $42.1 million, up 11 percent from $37.9 million last year.

 

Residential

·                  Residential segment net sales for the fiscal 2012 first quarter totaled $137.6 million, up 11.6 percent from the same period last year. Consumers’ continued enthusiastic acceptance of our residential zero turn riding product, and retailers’ desire to take walk power mower products earlier generated strong shipments of spring goods. Additionally, sales of Pope products in Australia grew significantly, as a result of improved weather conditions. The unseasonable winter weather reduced in-season demand for snow products, negatively impacting sales of snowthrowers and service parts.

 

·                  Residential segment earnings for the fiscal 2012 first quarter totaled $12.6 million, up 10.9 percent from $11.4 million in the same period last year.

 

OPERATING RESULTS

 

Gross margin for the fiscal 2012 first quarter decreased 110 basis points from last year to 34.6 percent.  The margin decline was primarily the result of product mix and freight expense.

 

Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expense as a percent of sales for the fiscal 2012 first quarter was down 200 basis points to 26.6 percent.  The decline in SG&A as a percent of sales reflects further leveraging of costs over improved sales volumes and higher warranty expense in last year’s first quarter.

 

Operating earnings as a percent of sales for the first quarter were 8 percent compared to 7.1 percent last year.

 

First quarter interest expense was up 7.6 percent to $4.4 million.

 

The effective tax rate for the quarter was 33.8 percent compared with 29.3 percent last year.  The higher tax rate was mainly due to the expiration of the Federal Research and Engineering Tax Credit.

 

Accounts receivable at the end of the fiscal 2012 first quarter totaled $175.5 million, up 2.5 percent from the same period last year, on a sales increase of 10.6 percent.  Net inventories for the first quarter were $272.5 million, up 13.7 percent. Trade payables increased 1.4 percent for the first quarter to $151.8 million.

 

OUTLOOK

 

“As we head into our primary selling season, customers are optimistic about the year ahead, based on early channel demand,” said Hoffman.  “Mindful of potential swings in economic and weather patterns, we remain focused on being a flexible, high quality supplier to our channel partners as we work with them to serve the needs of our end-user customers around the world. Once again this year, we will be bringing both professional and residential customers a number of exciting and innovative new products like the Toro® TimeMaster® 30” residential walk power mower.”

 

Factoring in the stronger sales growth from the first quarter and the acquisitions recently announced the company now expects a revenue increase for fiscal 2012 of about 6 to 7 percent.  The company also expects fiscal 2012 net earnings to be about $4.20 per share which includes a $0.10-$0.15 negative EPS impact for integration investments related to the acquisition of the Astec products. For the second quarter, the company expects to report net earnings of about $2.10 per share.

 

2



 

About The Toro Company

The Toro Company is a leading worldwide provider of turf and landscape maintenance equipment, and precision irrigation systems, to help customers care for golf courses, sports fields, public green spaces, commercial and residential properties, and agricultural fields.

 

LIVE CONFERENCE CALL

February 23, 10:00 a.m. CST

www.thetorocompany.com/invest

 

The Toro Company will conduct its earnings call and webcast for investors beginning at 10:00 a.m. CST on February 23, 2012.  The webcast will be available at www.streetevents.com or at www.thetorocompany.com/invest.  Webcast participants will need to complete a brief registration form and should allocate extra time before the webcast begins to register and, if necessary, download and install audio software.

 

Safe Harbor

Statements made in this news release, which are forward-looking, are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or implied. These uncertainties include factors that affect all businesses operating in a global market as well as matters specific to Toro. Particular risks and uncertainties that may affect the company’s operating results or overall financial position at the present include: slow or negative growth rates in global and domestic economies, resulting in rising or persistent unemployment and weakened consumer confidence; the threat of terrorist acts and war, which may result in contraction of the U.S. and worldwide economies; drug cartel-related violence, which may disrupt our production activities and maquiladora operations based in Juarez, Mexico; fluctuations in the cost and availability of raw materials and components, including steel, engines, hydraulics, resins and other commodities and components; fluctuating fuel and other costs of transportation; the impact of abnormal weather patterns, natural disasters and global pandemics; the level of growth or contraction in our key markets; government and municipal revenue, budget and spending levels, which may negatively impact our grounds maintenance equipment business in the event of reduced tax revenues and tighter government budgets; dependence on The Home Depot as a customer for the residential segment; elimination of shelf space for our products at retailers; inventory adjustments or changes in purchasing patterns by our customers; market acceptance of existing and new products; increased competition; our ability to achieve the revenue growth, operating earnings and employee engagement goals of our multi-year employee initiative called “Destination 2014”; our increased dependence on international sales and the risks attendant to international operations and markets, including political, economic and/or social instability in the countries in which we manufacture or sell our products resulting in contraction or disruption of such markets; credit availability and terms, interest rates and currency movements including, in particular, our exposure to foreign currency risk; our relationships with our distribution channel partners, including the financial viability of distributors and dealers; our ability to successfully achieve our plans for and integrate acquisitions and manage alliances or joint ventures, including Red Iron Acceptance, LLC; the costs and effects of changes in tax, fiscal, government and other regulatory policies, including rules relating to environmental, health and safety matters, and Tier 4 emissions requirements; unforeseen product quality or other problems in the development, production and usage of new and existing products; loss of or changes in executive management or key employees; ability of management to manage around unplanned events; our reliance on our intellectual property rights and the absence of infringement of the intellectual property rights of others;  and the occurrence of litigation or claims.  In addition to the factors set forth in this paragraph, market, economic, financial, competitive, legislative, governmental, weather, production and other factors identified in Toro’s quarterly and annual reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, could affect the forward-looking statements in this press release. Toro undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements made in this release to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release.

 

(Financial tables follow)

 

3



 

THE TORO COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings (Unaudited)

(Dollars and shares in thousands, except per-share data)

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

 

 

February 3,
2012

 

January 28,
2011

 

Net sales

 

$

423,835

 

$

383,213

 

Gross profit

 

146,651

 

136,645

 

Gross profit percent

 

34.6

%

35.7

%

Selling, general, and administrative expense

 

112,630

 

109,444

 

Operating earnings

 

34,021

 

27,201

 

Interest expense

 

(4,428

)

(4,116

)

Other income, net

 

493

 

1,368

 

Earnings before income taxes

 

30,086

 

24,453

 

Provision for income taxes

 

10,163

 

7,171

 

Net earnings

 

$

19,923

 

$

17,282

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic net earnings per share

 

$

0.66

 

$

0.54

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diluted net earnings per share

 

$

0.65

 

$

0.53

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding — Basic

 

29,993

 

31,858

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding — Diluted

 

30,473

 

32,443

 

 



 

THE TORO COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES

Segment Data (Unaudited)

(Dollars in thousands

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

Segment Net Sales

 

February 3,
2012

 

January 28,
2011

 

Professional

 

$

283,834

 

$

258,280

 

Residential

 

137,608

 

123,293

 

Other

 

2,393

 

1,640

 

Total*

 

$

423,835

 

$

383,213

 

 

* Includes international sales of

 

$

149,154

 

$

138,751

 

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

Segment Earnings (Loss) Before Income
Taxes

 

February 3,
2012

 

January 28,
2011

 

Professional

 

$

42,091

 

$

37,919

 

Residential

 

12,608

 

11,368

 

Other

 

(24,613

)

(24,834

)

Total

 

$

30,086

 

$

24,453

 

 

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)

(Dollars in thousands)

 

 

 

February 3,
2012

 

January 28,
2011

 

ASSETS

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

71,804

 

$

94,418

 

Receivables, net

 

175,498

 

171,155

 

Inventories, net

 

272,474

 

239,734

 

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

 

18,796

 

14,365

 

Deferred income taxes

 

61,900

 

59,019

 

Total current assets

 

600,472

 

578,691

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Property, plant, and equipment, net

 

188,271

 

172,648

 

Deferred income taxes

 

75

 

1,919

 

Goodwill and other assets, net

 

148,189

 

143,453

 

Total assets

 

$

937,007

 

$

896,711

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

 

 

 

 

 

Current portion of long-term debt

 

$

2,078

 

$

2,478

 

Short-term debt

 

25,024

 

193

 

Accounts payable

 

151,836

 

149,702

 

Accrued liabilities

 

226,370

 

235,076

 

Total current liabilities

 

405,308

 

387,449

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Long-term debt, less current portion

 

223,685

 

225,101

 

Deferred revenue

 

9,997

 

10,734

 

Deferred income taxes

 

1,368

 

 

Other long-term liabilities

 

7,920

 

7,330

 

Stockholders’ equity

 

288,729

 

266,097

 

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

 

$

937,007

 

$

896,711

 

 



 

THE TORO COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)

(Dollars in thousands)

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

 

 

February 3,
2012

 

January 28,
2011

 

Cash flows from operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

Net earnings

 

$

19,923

 

$

17,282

 

Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash used in operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

Noncash income from affiliates

 

(1,002

)

(878

)

Provision for depreciation, amortization, and impairment losses

 

12,960

 

11,291

 

Gain on disposal of property, plant, and equipment

 

(21

)

(17

)

Stock-based compensation expense

 

2,597

 

2,091

 

Increase in deferred income taxes

 

(486

)

(1,071

)

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

 

 

 

 

 

Receivables, net

 

(27,888

)

(28,260

)

Inventories, net

 

(50,000

)

(45,195

)

Prepaid expenses and other assets

 

(2,118

)

(3,355

)

Accounts payable, accrued liabilities, deferred revenue, and other long-term liabilities

 

29,723

 

16,860

 

Net cash used in operating activities

 

(16,312

)

(31,252

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash flows from investing activities:

 

 

 

 

 

Purchases of property, plant, and equipment

 

(13,797

)

(9,610

)

Proceeds from asset disposals

 

26

 

62

 

Distributions from finance affiliate, net

 

13

 

1,858

 

Acquisitions, net of cash acquired

 

(550

)

(12,060

)

Net cash used in investing activities

 

(14,308

)

(19,750

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash flows from financing activities:

 

 

 

 

 

Increase (decrease) in short-term debt

 

25,000

 

(776

)

Repayments of long-term debt

 

(1,479

)

(970

)

Excess tax benefits from stock-based awards

 

5,071

 

1,509

 

Proceeds from exercise of stock options

 

5,208

 

5,118

 

Purchases of Toro common stock

 

(4,865

)

(29,836

)

Dividends paid on Toro common stock

 

(6,607

)

(6,389

)

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

 

22,328

 

(31,344

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Effect of exchange rates on cash

 

(790

)

(602

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents

 

(9,082

)

(82,948

)

Cash and cash equivalents as of the beginning of the fiscal period

 

80,886

 

177,366

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents as of the end of the fiscal period

 

$

71,804

 

$

94,418

 

 

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