Snap-on Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2012 Results

Snap-on Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2012 Results

Diluted EPS of $1.43 for the quarter; $5.20 for the full year;
Operating earnings before financial services improves to 14.8% of sales in the quarter;
Organic (excluding foreign currency) sales in the quarter up 2.5%;
Full year 2012 organic sales up 4.6%

KENOSHA, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Snap-on Incorporated (NYS: SNA) , a leading global innovator, manufacturer and marketer of tools, equipment, diagnostics, repair information and systems solutions for professional users performing critical tasks, today announced 2012 operating results for the fourth quarter and full year.

• Sales of $753.2 million in the quarter increased $16.6 million, or 2.3%, from 2011 levels; excluding $1.9 million of unfavorable foreign currency translation, organic sales increased 2.5%.

• Operating earnings before financial services of $111.4 million in the quarter improved to 14.8% of sales as compared to $103.8 million, or 14.1% of sales, last year.

• Financial services operating earnings of $29.3 million in the quarter increased $7.2 million from 2011 levels, reflecting the growth of the on-book finance portfolio.

• Consolidated operating earnings of $140.7 million in the quarter improved to 17.7% of revenues (net sales plus financial services revenue) as compared to $125.9 million, or 16.3% of revenues, last year.

• Net earnings of $84.6 million, or $1.43 per diluted share, for the quarter compares with net earnings of $74.3 million, or $1.27 per diluted share, a year ago.

• Full year 2012 sales of $2.94 billion increased 2.9% from 2011 levels; excluding $46.0 million of unfavorable foreign currency translation, organic sales increased 4.6%. Full year 2012 net earnings of $306.1 million, or $5.20 per diluted share, compares with 2011 net earnings of $265.2 million, or $4.52 per diluted share, excluding last year's $18.0 million pretax ($11.1 million after tax, or $0.19 per diluted share) arbitration settlement gain. Net earnings for the full year 2011, including the arbitration settlement gain, were $276.3 million or $4.71 per diluted share.

"We believe our performance in the fourth quarter of 2012 further confirms Snap-on's strengths in making work easier for serious professionals performing critical tasks, where the costs and penalties for failure can be high," said Nick Pinchuk, Snap-on chairman and chief executive officer. "In the fourth quarter and throughout 2012, we continued to progress in those strategic areas of importance that we've identified as being decisive to our future, while achieving higher year-over-year sales and operating income despite ongoing macroeconomic and political headwinds impacting specific parts of our business. As we move forward in 2013, we believe we will make continued advancements along our coherent runways for growth and achieve further improvements from our Snap-on Value Creation Processes. Finally, our progress in 2012 would not have been possible without the tremendous contributions and efforts of our franchisees and associates worldwide; I thank them all for their significant commitment and extraordinary dedication."

Segment Results

Commercial & Industrial Group segment sales of $275.6 million in the quarter decreased $19.8 million, or 6.7%, from 2011 levels. Excluding $1.7 million of unfavorable foreign currency translation, organic sales in the quarter decreased 6.2% year over year primarily due to lower sales to the military and in the segment's European-based hand tools business as a result of continued economic weakness in that region.

Operating earnings of $31.9 million in the period decreased $1.1 million, or 3.3%, from 2011 levels, while the operating margin (operating earnings as a percentage of segment sales) of 11.6% increased from 11.2% a year ago.

Snap-on Tools Group segment sales of $321.6 million in the quarter rose $28.8 million, or 9.8%, from 2011 levels; excluding $1.4 million of favorable foreign currency translation, organic sales increased 9.3%, reflecting increases across both the company's U.S. and international franchise operations.

Operating earnings of $45.6 million in the period increased $6.0 million, or 15.2%, from 2011 levels and the operating margin of 14.2% improved from 13.5% a year ago.

Repair Systems & Information Group segment sales of $241.6 million in the quarter increased $5.1 million, or 2.2%, from 2011 levels; excluding $1.6 million of unfavorable foreign currency translation, organic sales rose 2.9%, primarily due to gains in sales of diagnostics and repair information products to repair shop owners and managers, and in sales to Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) dealerships.

Operating earnings of $55.4 million in the period increased $6.2 million, or 12.6%, from 2011 levels and the operating margin of 22.9% increased from 20.8% a year ago.

Financial Services operating earnings of $29.3 million on revenue of $42.9 million in the quarter compared with operating earnings of $22.1 million on revenue of $35.5 million a year ago.

Corporate expenses of $21.5 million in the fourth quarter compared with $18.0 million last year.

Outlook

In 2013, Snap-on expects to continue with the advancement of its strategic framework designed to enhance its mobile tool distribution network, expand in the vehicle repair garage, extend to critical industries and build in emerging markets. In pursuit of these initiatives, Snap-on anticipates that capital expenditures in 2013 will be in a range of $70 million to $80 million. Snap-on expects that its full year 2013 effective income tax rate will be comparable to its 2012 rate.

Conference Call and Webcast February 7, 2013, at 9:00 a.m. Central Time

A discussion of this release will be webcast on Thursday, February 7, 2013, at 9:00 a.m. Central Time, and a replay will be available for at least 10 days following the call. To access the webcast and supporting materials, visit www.snapon.com/sna and click on the link toward the bottom of the page. Additional detail about Snap-on is also available on the Snap-on web site.

About Snap-on

Snap-on Incorporated is a leading global innovator, manufacturer and marketer of tools, equipment, diagnostics, repair information and systems solutions for professional users performing critical tasks. Products and services include hand and power tools, tool storage, diagnostics software, information and management systems, shop equipment and other solutions for vehicle dealerships and repair centers, as well as for customers in industries, including aviation and aerospace, agriculture, construction, government and military, mining, natural resources, power generation and technical education. Snap-on also derives income from various financing programs to facilitate the sales of its products. Products and services are sold through the company's franchisee, company-direct, distributor and internet channels. Founded in 1920, Snap-on is a $2.9 billion, S&P 500 company headquartered in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Forward-looking Statements

Statements in this news release that are not historical facts, including statements that (i) are in the future tense; (ii) include the words "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "approximates," or similar words that reference Snap-on or its management; (iii) are specifically identified as forward-looking; or (iv) describe Snap-on's or management's future outlook, plans, estimates, objectives or goals, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.Snap-on cautions the reader that this news release contains statements, including earnings projections, that are forward-looking in nature and were developed by management in good faith and, accordingly, are subject to risks and uncertainties regarding Snap-on's expected results that could cause (and in some cases have caused) actual results to differ materially from those described or contemplated in any forward-looking statement. Factors that may cause the company's actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements include those found in the company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the information under the "Safe Harbor" and "Risk Factors" headings in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011, which are incorporated herein by reference.Snap-on disclaims any responsibility to update any forward-looking statement provided in this news release, except as required by law.

For additional information, please visitwww.snapon.com.