Carter's, Inc. Reports Third Quarter 2012 Results

Carter's, Inc. Reports Third Quarter 2012 Results

• Net Sales $669 Million, Up 5%

• Earnings Per Share $0.99, Up 71%; Adjusted Earnings Per Share $1.02, Up 52%

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Carter's, Inc. (NYS: CRI) , the largest branded marketer in the United States of apparel exclusively for babies and young children, today reported its third quarter 2012 results.

"We are reporting a record level of sales and earnings in our third quarter. These results were driven by the growth of our direct-to-consumer businesses, higher sales of our Carter's and OshKosh B'gosh branded products in international markets, and an improvement in product costs," said Michael D. Casey, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "We believe consumers are responding to the compelling style, value, and convenience of our product offerings. To further strengthen our business, we are funding significant investments this year to support our multi-channel growth opportunities."

Third Quarter of Fiscal 2012 compared to Third Quarter of Fiscal 2011

Consolidated net sales increased $29.0 million, or 4.5%, to $668.7 million. Net domestic sales of the Company's Carter's brands increased $19.6 million, or 4.1%, to $492.9 million. Net domestic sales of the Company's OshKosh B'gosh brand decreased $0.6 million, or 0.6%, to $106.3 million. Net international sales to customers outside the United States increased $10.0 million, or 16.9%, to $69.4 million. Consolidated net sales in the third quarter of fiscal 2012 include $5.3 million in off-price channel sales, compared to $19.0 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2011.

Operating income in the third quarter of fiscal 2012 was $95.4 million, an increase of $38.6 million, or 68.0%, from $56.8 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2011. Third quarter fiscal 2012 pre-tax income includes expenses of approximately $1.9 million related to the revaluation of contingent consideration associated with the June 2011 acquisition of Bonnie Togs, a retailer of children's apparel in Canada, and the previously-announced closure of the Company's Hogansville, Georgia distribution center in fiscal 2013. Third quarter fiscal 2011 pre-tax income included approximately $7.0 million of expenses related to the Bonnie Togs acquisition, including $5.9 million of purchase accounting adjustments recorded in cost of goods sold. Excluding the facility closure-related costs and the acquisition-related expenses noted above and detailed at the end of this release, adjusted operating income in the third quarter of fiscal 2012 was $97.3 million, an increase of $33.5 million, or 52.5%, from the third quarter of fiscal 2011. The adjusted operating income increase reflects lower product costs and improved pricing.

Net income increased $24.9 million, or 72.4%, to $59.4 million, or $0.99 per diluted share, compared to $34.4 million, or $0.58 per diluted share, in the third quarter of fiscal 2011. Excluding the facility closure-related costs and the acquisition-related expenses noted above and detailed at the end of this release, adjusted net income in the third quarter of fiscal 2012 increased $21.2 million, or 53.2%, to $61.0 million, or $1.02 per diluted share. This compares to adjusted net income of $39.8 million, or $0.67 per diluted share, in the third quarter of fiscal 2011.

A reconciliation of income as reported under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP") to adjusted income is provided at the end of this release.

Business Segment Results

Carter's Segments

Carter's retail segment sales increased $32.8 million, or 17.8%, to $217.3 million. The increase was driven by incremental sales of $18.7 million from new store openings and $12.1 million from eCommerce sales, and a comparable store sales increase of $4.3 million, or 2.7%. This growth was partially offset by a sales decrease of $2.4 million attributed to store closings. In the third quarter of fiscal 2012, the Company opened 15 Carter's retail stores and closed two. As of the end of the third quarter, the Company operated 398 Carter's retail stores in the United States.

Carter's wholesale segment sales fell $13.2 million, or 4.6%, to $275.6 million principally driven by lower off-price channel sales in the current year.

OshKosh B'gosh Segments

OshKosh retail segment sales decreased $2.4 million, or 3.0%, to $78.1 million. The decrease reflects a sales decline of $3.2 million attributed to store closings and a comparable store sales decline of $3.1 million, or 4.3%. The decreases were partially offset by incremental sales of $3.0 million from eCommerce and $0.9 million from new store openings. In the third quarter of fiscal 2012, the Company opened two OshKosh retail stores and closed one. As of the end of the third quarter, the Company operated 167 OshKosh retail stores in the United States.

OshKosh wholesale segment sales increased $1.8 million, or 6.8%, to $28.3 million.

International Segment

International segment sales increased $10.0 million, or 16.9%, to $69.4 million, reflecting growth primarily in the retail store and wholesale channels. In the third quarter of fiscal 2012, the Company opened six retail stores in Canada. As of the end of the third quarter, the Company operated 79 retail stores in Canada.

First Nine Months of Fiscal 2012 compared to First Nine Months of Fiscal 2011

Consolidated net sales increased $189.4 million, or 12.6%, to $1.7 billion. Net domestic sales of the Company's Carter's brands increased $115.0 million, or 9.8%, to $1.3 billion. Net domestic sales of the Company's OshKosh B'gosh brand increased $2.9 million, or 1.1%, to $255.7 million. Net international sales to customers outside the United States increased $71.5 million to $153.4 million. Consolidated net sales in the first nine months of fiscal 2012 include $31.7 million in off-price channel sales, compared to $67.0 million in the first nine months of fiscal 2011.

Operating income in the first nine months of fiscal 2012 was $183.6 million, an increase of $51.2 million, or 38.7%, from $132.4 million in the first nine months of fiscal 2011. First nine months fiscal 2012 pre-tax income includes expenses of approximately $5.5 million related to the revaluation of contingent consideration associated with the acquisition of Bonnie Togs and the previously-announced closure of the Company's Hogansville, Georgia distribution center. First nine months fiscal 2011 pre-tax income included approximately $9.2 million of expenses related to the Bonnie Togs acquisition, including $5.9 million of purchase accounting adjustments recorded in cost of goods sold. Excluding the facility closure-related costs and the acquisition-related expenses noted above and detailed at the end of this release, adjusted operating income in the first nine months of fiscal 2012 was $189.1 million, an increase of $47.4 million, or 33.5%, from the first nine months of fiscal 2011. The adjusted operating income increase reflects improved pricing and volume growth.

Net income increased $33.2 million, or 41.9%, to $112.5 million, or $1.88 per diluted share, compared to $79.2 million, or $1.35 per diluted share, in the first nine months of fiscal 2011. Excluding the facility closure-related costs and the acquisition-related expenses noted above and detailed at the end of this release, adjusted net income in the first nine months of fiscal 2012 increased $31.0 million, or 36.1%, to $117.0 million, or $1.96 per diluted share. This compares to adjusted net income of $86.0 million, or $1.46 per diluted share, in the first nine months of fiscal 2011.

A reconciliation of income as reported under GAAP to adjusted income is provided at the end of this release.

Cash flow from operations in the first nine months of fiscal 2012 was $129.2 million compared to cash flow used in operations of $85.8 million in the first nine months of fiscal 2011. The increase was primarily due to favorable net changes in working capital and increased earnings.

Business Segment Results

Carter's Segments

Carter's retail segment sales increased $98.5 million, or 21.2%, to $563.8 million, driven by incremental sales of $53.5 million generated by new store openings and $35.7 million from eCommerce sales, and a comparable store sales increase of $14.1 million, or 3.4%. This growth was partially offset by a sales decrease of $4.8 million attributed to store closings. In the first nine months of fiscal 2012, the Company opened 47 Carter's retail stores and closed eight.

Carter's wholesale segment sales increased $16.6 million, or 2.4%, to $719.6 million, principally reflecting growth in the Company's Carter's and Child of Mine brands, partially offset by lower off-price channel sales.

OshKosh B'gosh Segments

OshKosh retail segment sales increased $2.8 million, or 1.5%, to $194.4 million, driven by incremental sales of $9.0 million generated by eCommerce and $1.9 million generated by new store openings, partially offset by a decrease of $7.8 million attributed to store closings and a comparable store sales decrease of $0.3 million, or 0.2%. In the first nine months of fiscal 2012, the Company opened three OshKosh retail stores and closed six.

OshKosh wholesale segment sales were $61.3 million, comparable to the prior-year period.

International Segment

International segment sales increased $71.5 million to $153.4 million, principally reflecting the contribution of the Company's business in Canada and higher wholesale sales in other countries. In the first nine months of fiscal 2012, the Company opened 14 retail stores in Canada.

2012 Business Outlook

For the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012, the Company expects net sales to increase approximately 10% over the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011. The Company expects adjusted diluted earnings per share, excluding expenses of approximately $5 million to $7 million related to the previously-announced consolidation of its Shelton, Connecticut operations to Atlanta, Georgia, expenses totaling approximately $2 million related to the Bonnie Togs acquisition and the previously-announced distribution center closure, or other items the Company believes to be nonrepresentative of underlying business performance, to be approximately $0.81 compared to adjusted diluted earnings per share of $0.63 in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011.

For fiscal 2012, the Company expects net sales will increase approximately 12% over fiscal 2011. The Company expects adjusted diluted earnings per share, excluding expenses totaling approximately $7 million to $8 million related to the Bonnie Togs acquisition and the previously-announced distribution center closure, expenses of approximately $5 million to $7 million related to the previously-announced consolidation noted above, or other items the Company believes to be nonrepresentative of underlying business performance, to be approximately $2.77 compared to adjusted diluted earnings per share of $2.09 in fiscal 2011.

Conference Call

The Company will hold a conference call with investors to discuss third quarter fiscal 2012 results and its business outlook on October 25, 2012 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. To participate in the call, please dial 913-312-1266. To listen to a live broadcast of the call on the internet, please log on to www.carters.com and select the "Third Quarter 2012 Earnings Conference Call" link under the "Investor Relations" tab. Presentation materials for the call can be accessed under the same "Investor Relations" tab by selecting the "Webcasts & Presentations" link under the "News & Events" tab. A replay of the call will be available shortly after the broadcast through November 2, 2012, at 719-457-0820, passcode 4403322. The replay will also be archived on the Company's website.

About Carter's, Inc.

Carter's, Inc. is the largest branded marketer in the United States of apparel and related products exclusively for babies and young children. The Company owns the Carter's and OshKosh B'gosh brands, two of the most recognized brands in the marketplace. These brands are sold in leading department stores, national chains, and specialty retailers domestically and internationally. They are also sold through more than 600 Company-operated stores in the United States and Canada and on-line at www.carters.com and www.oshkoshbgosh.com. The Company's Just One You, Precious Firsts, and Genuine Kids brands are available at Target, and its Child of Mine brand is available at Walmart. Carter's is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Additional information may be found at www.carters.com.

Cautionary Language

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 relating to the Company's future performance, including, without limitation, statements with respect to the Company's anticipated financial results for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012 and fiscal year 2012, or any other future period, assessment of the Company's performance and financial position, and drivers of the Company's sales and earnings growth. Such statements are based on current expectations only, and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those anticipated, estimated, or projected. Factors that could cause actual results to materially differ include: the acceptance of the Company's products in the marketplace; changes in consumer preference and fashion trends; seasonal fluctuations in the children's apparel business; negative publicity; the breach of the Company's consumer databases; increased production costs; deflationary pricing pressures and customer acceptance of higher selling prices; a continued decrease in the overall level of consumer spending; the Company's dependence on its foreign supply sources; failure of its foreign supply sources to meet the Company's quality standards or regulatory requirements; the impact of governmental regulations and environmental risks applicable to the Company's business; disruption to our eCommerce business, distribution facilities, or in-sourcing capabilities; the loss of a product sourcing agent; increased competition in the baby and young children's apparel market; the ability of the Company to identify new retail store locations, and negotiate appropriate lease terms for the retail stores; the ability of the Company to adequately forecast demand, which could create significant levels of excess inventory; failure to achieve sales growth plans, cost savings, and other assumptions that support the carrying value of the Company's intangible assets; the ability to attract and retain key individuals within the organization; the risk that actual charges related to the consolidation of the company's Shelton, Connecticut-based operations with the company's Atlanta, Georgia-based operations could be greater than estimated as the consolidation is implemented, the risk that this office consolidation may not be completed during the expected time frame or at all due to the delay on securing, or inability to secure, suitable facilities or other reasons, and the risk that the company may not achieve the expected benefits of the office consolidation as a result of business disruption or other factors. Many of these risks are further described in the most recently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the headings "Risk Factors" and "Forward-Looking Statements." The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.