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Exhibit 99

  

 

April 2, 2014

CONTACT: Steven S. Sintros, Vice President & CFO

For Immediate Release

UniFirst Corporation

68 Jonspin Road

Wilmington, MA 01887

Phone: 978- 658-8888

Fax: 978-988-0659

Email: ssintros@UniFirst.com

 

 

 

 

   

UNIFIRST ANNOUNCES FINANCIAL RESULTS FOR THE SECOND QUARTER AND FIRST HALF OF FISCAL 2014 

 

 

Wilmington, MA (April 2, 2014) -- UniFirst Corporation (NYSE: UNF) today announced results for its fiscal 2014 second quarter, which ended March 1, 2014. Revenues were $344.0 million, up 2.9% from $334.3 million in the year ago period. Net income of $25.6 million ($1.27 per diluted share), was down from $26.6 million ($1.33 per diluted share) reported in the year ago period. Revenue and profit comparisons were affected by a customer related specialty merchandise buyout in the year ago second quarter. Excluding the effect of this buyout, overall revenues would have increased 3.6% and fully diluted earnings per share would have been $1.27 for both quarterly periods.

 

Ronald D. Croatti, UniFirst President and Chief Executive Officer said, “We were pleased that our core laundry business continued to produce solid results despite being challenged by several external factors during the quarter. These items included a weaker Canadian exchange rate, higher energy prices and a difficult winter season.”

 

Revenues in the Core Laundry Operations were $313.2 million, up 3.8% from those reported in the prior year’s second quarter. Excluding the negative impact of the weaker Canadian dollar and the specialty merchandise buyout, as well as the positive effect of acquisitions, the Core Laundry Operations’ revenues grew 4.3%.

 

This segment’s operating income grew 2.1% compared to adjusted operating income from the second quarter of fiscal 2013 and its operating margin was 12.6% compared to an adjusted operating margin of 12.9% a year ago. Adjusted operating income and operating margin for the second quarter of fiscal 2013 exclude the impact of the customer related specialty merchandise buyout. Narrower operating margins were primarily due to higher costs related to our plant operations, energy, depreciation and bad debt expense as a percentage of revenues. In addition, the quarter was also impacted by higher legal and environmental costs compared to the prior year. These higher costs were partially offset by lower health care claims expense during the quarter.

 

Revenues for the Specialty Garments’ segment, which consists of nuclear decontamination and cleanroom operations, were $20.4 million, down 9.7% from $22.6 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2013. This decrease was primarily the result of fewer power reactor outage projects in the United States and Canada compared to a year ago. This segment’s income from operations for the quarter fell to $0.3 million from $1.3 million in the comparable period in fiscal 2013.

 

 

 
 

 

 

UniFirst continues to maintain a solid balance sheet and financial position. Cash provided by operating activities year to date was $109.1 million, up 17.9% compared to $92.5 million for the first half of fiscal 2013. The improved cash flows were primarily the result of higher earnings as well as the timing of income tax payments compared to the prior year. We ended the period with essentially no long term debt and cash and cash equivalent balances of $157.2 million, down from $197.5 million at the end of fiscal 2013. This decrease was due to the Company’s repayment of $100.0 million in private placement notes that came due in September 2013.

 

Outlook

Mr. Croatti concluded, “Despite the negative impact of the weaker Canadian dollar, we continue to believe that our full year revenues will be between $1.372 billion and $1.385 billion. We currently expect full year EPS to be between $5.60 and $5.75 per share. Our revised outlook for the remainder of the year reflects lower expectations for our Specialty Garments and First Aid segments as well as an assumption that the recent decline in the value of the Canadian dollar and higher energy prices will continue to influence our results.”

 

As a reminder, fiscal 2014 will be a 52 week year for the Company compared to fiscal 2013, which was a 53 week year. The negative comparison of one less week of operations will have the impact of reducing our year over year revenues by approximately 2.0% and our fourth quarter revenues by approximately 7.1%.

 

Conference Call Information

UniFirst will hold a conference call today at 10:00 a.m. (ET) to discuss its quarterly financial results, business highlights and outlook. A simultaneous live webcast of the call will be available over the Internet and can be accessed at www.unifirst.com.

 

About UniFirst Corporation

UniFirst Corporation is one of the largest providers of workplace uniforms, protective clothing, and facility services products in North America. The Company employs approximately 11,500 Team Partners who serve more than 250,000 customer locations in 45 U.S. states, Canada, and Europe from over 200 customer service, distribution, and manufacturing facilities. UniFirst is a publicly held company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol UNF and is a component of the Standard & Poor's 600 Small Cap Index.

 

Forward Looking Statements

This public announcement may contain forward looking statements that reflect the Company’s current views with respect to future events and financial performance. Forward looking statements contained in this public announcement are subject to the safe harbor created by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are highly dependent upon a variety of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in such forward looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, uncertainties regarding the Company’s ability to consummate and successfully integrate acquired businesses, uncertainties regarding any existing or newly-discovered expenses and liabilities related to environmental compliance and remediation, any adverse outcome of pending or future contingencies or claims, the Company’s ability to compete successfully without any significant degradation in its margin rates, seasonal fluctuations in business levels, our ability to preserve positive labor relationships and avoid becoming the target of corporate labor unionization campaigns that could disrupt our business, the effect of currency fluctuations on our results of operations and financial condition, our dependence on third parties to supply us with raw materials, any loss of key management or other personnel, increased costs as a result of any future changes in federal or state laws, rules and regulations or governmental interpretation of such laws, rules and regulations, uncertainties regarding the price levels of natural gas, electricity, fuel and labor, the impact of turbulent economic conditions and the current tight credit markets on our customers and such customers’ workforce, the level and duration of workforce reductions by our customers, the continuing increase in domestic healthcare costs, including the ultimate impact of the Affordable Care Act, demand and prices for our products and services, rampant criminal activity and instability in Mexico where our principal garment manufacturing plants are located, our ability to properly and efficiently design, construct, implement and operate our new CRM computer system, interruptions or failures of our information technology systems, including as a result of cyber-attacks, additional professional and internal costs necessary for compliance with recent and proposed future changes in Securities and Exchange Commission, New York Stock Exchange and accounting rules, strikes and unemployment levels, the Company’s efforts to evaluate and potentially reduce internal costs, economic and other developments associated with the war on terrorism and its impact on the economy, general economic conditions and other factors described under “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended August 31, 2013 and in other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. When used in this public announcement, the words “anticipate,” “optimistic,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” and similar expressions as they relate to the Company are included to identify such forward looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward looking statements to reflect events or circumstances arising after the date on which such statements are made.

 

 
 

 

 

UniFirst Corporation and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Income

 

   

Thirteen weeks ended

   

Twenty-six weeks ended

 
   

March 1,

   

February 23,

   

March 1,

   

February 23,

 

(In thousands, except per share data)

  2014 (2)     2013 (2)     2014 (2)     2013 (2)  
                                 

Revenues

  $ 343,967     $ 334,306     $ 690,671     $ 666,875  
                                 

Operating expenses:

                               

Cost of revenues (1)

    215,560       208,421       423,697       409,972  

Selling and administrative expenses (1)

    69,853       65,817       135,482       130,105  

Depreciation and amortization

    17,830       17,179       35,128       33,950  

Total operating expenses

    303,243       291,417       594,307       574,027  
                                 

Income from operations

    40,724       42,889       96,364       92,848  
                                 

Other (income) expense:

                               

Interest expense

    216       400       424       860  

Interest income

    (877

)

    (924

)

    (1,642

)

    (1,691

)

Exchange rate loss

    161       198       2       38  

Total other (income) expense

    (500

)

    (326

)

    (1,216

)

    (793

)

                                 

Income before income taxes

    41,224       43,215       97,580       93,641  

Provision for income taxes

    15,577       16,573       37,471       36,239  
                                 

Net income

  $ 25,647     $ 26,642     $ 60,109     $ 57,402  
                                 

Income per share – Basic

                               

Common Stock

  $ 1.34     $ 1.40     $ 3.15     $ 3.02  

Class B Common Stock

  $ 1.08     $ 1.12     $ 2.52     $ 2.42  
                                 

Income per share – Diluted

                               

Common Stock

  $ 1.27     $ 1.33     $ 2.98     $ 2.86  
                                 

Income allocated to – Basic

                               

Common Stock

  $ 20,267     $ 20,963     $ 47,479     $ 45,155  

Class B Common Stock

  $ 5,041     $ 5,209     $ 11,836     $ 11,233  
                                 

Income allocated to – Diluted

                               

Common Stock

  $ 25,326     $ 26,196     $ 59,357     $ 56,440  
                                 

Weighted average number of shares outstanding – Basic

                               

Common Stock

    15,077       14,962       15,053       14,943  

Class B Common Stock

    4,687       4,647       4,690       4,647  
                                 

Weighted average number of shares outstanding – Diluted

                               

Common Stock

    19,924       19,747       19,897       19,714  

 

(1) Exclusive of depreciation on the Company’s property, plant and equipment and amortization on its intangible assets

 

(2) Unaudited

 

 
 

 

 

UniFirst Corporation and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

 

(In thousands)

 

March 1,

2014 (1)

   

August 31,

2013

 

Assets

               

Current assets:

               

Cash and cash equivalents

  $ 157,242     $ 197,479  

Receivables, net

    151,344       142,217  

Inventories

    69,385       74,351  

Rental merchandise in service

    137,031       132,630  

Prepaid and deferred income taxes

          7,099  

Prepaid expenses

    9,119       7,618  
                 

Total current assets

    524,121       561,394  
                 

Property, plant and equipment:

               

Land, buildings and leasehold improvements

    386,513       376,222  

Machinery and equipment

    494,804       474,402  

Motor vehicles

    158,030       153,219  
                 
      1,039,347       1,003,843  

Less - accumulated depreciation

    568,539       546,157  
      470,808       457,686  
                 

Goodwill

    302,518       302,363  

Customer contracts and other intangible assets, net

    44,908       49,344  

Deferred income taxes

    1,362       1,417  

Other assets

    2,270       2,658  
                 
    $ 1,345,987     $ 1,374,862  
                 

Liabilities and shareholders' equity

               

Current liabilities:

               

Loans payable and current maturities of long-term debt

  $ 8,913     $ 111,253  

Accounts payable

    58,406       54,221  

Accrued liabilities

    91,901       86,994  

Accrued and deferred income taxes

    14,207       12,506  
                 

Total current liabilities

    173,427       264,974  
                 

Long-term liabilities:

               

Long-term debt, net of current maturities

    155       155  

Accrued liabilities

    46,989       45,037  

Accrued and deferred income taxes

    52,361       51,298  
                 

Total long-term liabilities

    99,505       96,490  
                 

Shareholders' equity:

               

Common Stock

    1,521       1,513  

Class B Common Stock

    487       487  

Capital surplus

    56,831       51,445  

Retained earnings

    1,017,186       958,508  

Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income

    (2,970

)

    1,445  
                 

Total shareholders' equity

    1,073,055       1,013,398  
                 
    $ 1,345,987     $ 1,374,862  

 

(1) Unaudited

 

 
 

 

 

UniFirst Corporation and Subsidiaries

Detail of Operating Results

 

Revenues

 

   

Thirteen weeks ended

                 
   

March 1,

   

February 23,

   

Dollar

   

Percent

 

(In thousands, except percentages)

  2014 (1)     2013 (1)    

Change

   

Change

 
                                 

Core Laundry Operations

  $ 313,181     $ 301,629     $ 11,552       3.8

%

Specialty Garments

    20,406       22,593       (2,187

)

    -9.7  

First Aid

    10,380       10,084       296       2.9  

Consolidated total

  $ 343,967     $ 334,306     $ 9,661       2.9

%

 

   

Twenty-six weeks ended

                 
   

March 1,

   

February 23,

   

Dollar

   

Percent

 

(In thousands, except percentages)

  2014 (1)     2013 (1)    

Change

   

Change

 
                                 

Core Laundry Operations

  $ 625,187     $ 596,189     $ 28,998       4.9

%

Specialty Garments

    44,849       50,477       (5,628

)

    -11.1  

First Aid

    20,635       20,209       426       2.1  

Consolidated total

  $ 690,671     $ 666,875     $ 23,796       3.6

%

  

 

Income from Operations

 

   

Thirteen weeks ended

                 
   

March 1,

   

February 23,

   

Dollar

   

Percent

 

(In thousands, except percentages)

  2014 (1)     2013 (1)    

Change

   

Change

 
                                 

Core Laundry Operations

  $ 39,443     $ 40,327     $ (884

)

    -2.2

%

Specialty Garments

    312       1,275       (963

)

    -75.5  

First Aid

    969       1,287       (318

)

    -24.7  

Consolidated total

  $ 40,724     $ 42,889     $ (2,165

)

    -5.0

%

 

   

Twenty-six weeks ended

                 
   

March 1,

   

February 23,

   

Dollar

   

Percent

 

(In thousands, except percentages)

  2014 (1)     2013 (1)    

Change

   

Change

 
                                 

Core Laundry Operations

  $ 91,815     $ 84,855     $ 6,960       8.2

%

Specialty Garments

    3,071       5,979       (2,908

)

    -48.6  

First Aid

    1,478       2,014       (536

)

    -26.6  

Consolidated total

  $ 96,364     $ 92,848     $ 3,516       3.8

%

 

(1) Unaudited 

 

 
 

 

 

UniFirst Corporation and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

 

Twenty-six weeks ended

(In thousands)

 

March 1,

2014 (1)

   

February 23,

2013 (1)

 

Cash flows from operating activities:

               

Net income

  $ 60,109     $ 57,402  

Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities:

               

Depreciation

    30,465       29,000  

Amortization of intangible assets

    4,663       4,950  

Amortization of deferred financing costs

    104       119  

Share-based compensation

    3,388       3,697  

Accretion on environmental contingencies

    358       271  

Accretion on asset retirement obligations

    362       331  

Deferred income taxes

    (190

)

    77  

Changes in assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions:

               

Receivables

    (9,545

)

    (11,194

)

Inventories

    5,173       1,108  

Rental merchandise in service

    (4,960

)

    8,461  

Prepaid expenses

    (1,504

)

    (2,402

)

Accounts payable

    4,340       (3,236

)

Accrued liabilities

    6,248       6,414  

Prepaid and accrued income taxes

    10,094       (2,480

)

Net cash provided by operating activities

    109,105       92,518  
                 

Cash flows from investing activities:

               

Acquisition of businesses

    (681

)

    (1,550

)

Capital expenditures

    (44,087

)

    (50,756

)

Other

    401       (72

)

Net cash used in investing activities

    (44,367

)

    (52,378

)

                 

Cash flows from financing activities:

               

Proceeds from loans payable and long-term debt

    4,927       7,046  

Payments on loans payable and long-term debt

    (107,620

)

    (3,006

)

Proceeds from exercise of Common Stock options

    2,005       2,140  

Payment of cash dividends

    (1,428

)

    (1,424

)

Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities

    (102,116

)

    4,756  
                 

Effect of exchange rate changes

    (2,859

)

    (1,740

)

                 

Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents

    (40,237

)

    43,156  

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

    197,479       120,123  
                 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

  $ 157,242     $ 163,279  

 

(1) Unaudited