Rocky Brands, Inc. Announces First Quarter Fiscal 2010 Results

First Quarter Sales Increased 12% to $56.1 Million

Funded Debt Decreased $39.5 Million, or 46% to $46.7 Million

Company Improves First Quarter Diluted Loss Per Share by 50% to ($0.10)

NELSONVILLE, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Rocky Brands, Inc. (Nasdaq: RCKY) today announced financial results for its first quarter ended March 31, 2010.

For the first quarter of 2010, net sales increased 12.0% to $56.1 million versus net sales of $50.1 million in the first quarter of 2009. The Company reported a net loss of $0.6 million, or ($0.10) per diluted share versus a net loss of $1.1 million, or ($0.20) per diluted share a year ago.

Mike Brooks, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "Our first quarter results were above internal and external projections driven by higher sales in our wholesale and military segments combined with improved operating expense leverage. Our performance was also highlighted by a significant reduction in our debt levels, which, at the end of the first quarter, were down 46%, or $39.5 million versus the same date a year ago. With regard to our bottom line, the seasonality of our business makes it difficult to realize positive earnings during the first quarter which is typically our lowest volume sales quarter. However, we are confident that the steps we have taken to right size both our wholesale and retail platforms, combined with our initiatives aimed at expanding revenues will result in improved profitability year-over-year during the remainder of this year."

First Quarter Review

Net sales for the first quarter increased 12.0% to $56.1 million compared to $50.1 million a year ago. Wholesale sales for the first quarter increased 5.2% to $37.9 million compared to $36.0 million for the same period in 2009. The increase in wholesale sales was primarily driven by increases in our work and categories. Retail sales for the first quarter were $12.9 million compared to $13.7 million for the same period last year. The modest decline in retail sales was the result of the ongoing transition to more Internet driven transactions and the decision to remove a portion of our Lehigh mobile stores from operations to help lower costs as discussed below. Military segment sales for the first quarter increased to $5.2 million versus $0.3 million for the same period in 2009.

Gross margin in the first quarter of 2010 was $18.8 million, or 33.4% of sales compared to $20.1 million, or 40.1% for the same period last year. The decrease in gross margin as a percentage of sales was primarily attributable to lower wholesale gross margins due to increased manufacturing costs versus a year ago, and an increase in sales in our military segment which carry lower gross margins than our retail and wholesale segments. We currently project gross margins to increase sequentially over the next three quarters as costs per pair in our factories decrease as a result of increased production schedules.

Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses decreased $1.9 million or 9.6% to $18.0 million, or 32.1% of sales for the first quarter of 2010 compared to $19.9 million, or 39.8% of sales a year ago. The decrease in SG&A expenses was primarily the result of a reduction in salaries & benefits, bad debt expense and Lehigh store expenses.

Income from operations was $0.7 million, or 1.3% of net sales for the period compared to $0.1 million, or 0.3% of net sales, in the prior year.

Interest expense decreased 7.3% to $1.6 million for the first quarter of 2010 versus $1.8 million for the same period last year. The decrease is primarily the result of a reduction in average borrowings.

The Company's funded debt decreased $39.5 million, or 45.8% to $46.7 million at March 31, 2010 versus $86.2 million at March 31, 2009.

Inventory decreased $25.3 million, or 32.3%, to $53.1 million at March 31, 2010 compared with $78.4 million on the same date a year ago.

The Company's accounts receivable decreased $7.5 million, or 15.8% to $40.0 million at March 31, 2010 versus $47.5 million at March 31, 2009.

Conference Call Information

The Company's conference call to review first quarter fiscal 2010 results will be broadcast live over the internet today, Thursday, April 22, 2010 at 4:30 pm Eastern Time. The broadcast will be hosted at www.rockybrands.com.

About Rocky Brands, Inc.

Rocky Brands, Inc. is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of premium quality footwear and apparel marketed under a portfolio of well recognized brand names including Rocky(R), Georgia Boot(R), Durango(R), Lehigh(R), and the licensed brands Dickies(R), Michelin(R) and Mossy Oak(R).

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created thereby. Those statements include, but may not be limited to, all statements regarding intent, beliefs, expectations, projections, forecasts, and plans of the Company and its management, and include statements in this press release regarding expanding revenues and improved profitability (paragraph 3) and increasing gross margins, decreasing costs, and increased production schedules (paragraph 5). These forward-looking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, the various risks inherent in the Company's business as set forth in periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009 (filed March 2, 2010). One or more of these factors have affected historical results, and could in the future affect the Company's businesses and financial results in future periods and could cause actual results to differ materially from plans and projections. Therefore there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements included in this press release will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included herein, the Company, or any other person should not regard the inclusion of such information as a representation that the objectives and plans of the Company will be achieved. All forward-looking statements made in this press release are based on information presently available to the management of the Company. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.


Rocky Brands, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

                        March 31, 2010     December 31,      March 31, 2009
                                           2009

                        Unaudited                            Unaudited

ASSETS:

CURRENT ASSETS:

 Cash and cash          $ 3,517,629        $ 1,797,093       $ 3,321,903
 equivalents

 Trade receivables -      39,994,342         45,831,558        47,488,146
 net

 Other receivables        1,216,568          1,476,643         1,806,231

 Inventories              53,123,111         55,420,467        78,432,082

 Deferred income taxes    1,475,694          1,475,695         2,167,966

 Income tax receivable    420,150            -                 1,440,697

 Prepaid expenses         2,036,965          1,309,138         2,137,625

        Total current     101,784,459        107,310,594       136,794,650
        assets

FIXED ASSETS - net        22,540,705         22,669,876        24,316,954

IDENTIFIED INTANGIBLES    30,519,994         30,516,910        30,883,011

OTHER ASSETS              2,817,110          2,892,683         4,005,577

TOTAL ASSETS            $ 157,662,268      $ 163,390,063     $ 196,000,192

LIABILITIES AND
SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY:

CURRENT LIABILITIES:

 Accounts payable       $ 8,916,985        $ 6,781,534       $ 10,443,348

 Current maturities -     520,067            511,870           488,271
 long term debt

 Accrued expenses:

 Taxes - other            468,119            440,223           508,430

 Income Tax Payable       -                  26,242            -

 Other                    6,425,516          5,226,749         5,376,723

        Total current     16,330,687         12,986,618        16,816,772
        liabilities

LONG TERM DEBT - less     46,225,039         55,079,776        85,710,049
current maturities

DEFERRED INCOME TAXES     9,071,639          9,071,639         9,438,921

DEFERRED LIABILITIES      3,824,702          3,774,356         3,995,754

TOTAL LIABILITIES         75,452,067         80,912,389        115,961,496

SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY:

Common stock, no par
value;

 25,000,000 shares
 authorized; issued
 and outstanding March
 31, 2010 - 5,605,537;  54,801,424        54,598,104        54,380,256
 December 31, 2009 -
 5,576,465; March 31,
 2009 - 5,547,215

Accumulated other         (3,127,193   )     (3,217,144  )     (3,142,331   )
comprehensive loss

Retained earnings         30,535,970         31,096,714        28,800,771

        Total
        shareholders'     82,210,201         82,477,674        80,038,696
        equity

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND   $ 157,662,268      $ 163,390,063     $ 196,000,192
SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY




Rocky Brands, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations

(Unaudited)

                               Three Months Ended

                               March 31,

                                 2010            2009

NET SALES                      $ 56,078,986    $ 50,064,561

COST OF GOODS SOLD               37,322,137      29,972,073

GROSS MARGIN                     18,756,849      20,092,488

SELLING, GENERAL AND

ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES          18,024,687      19,946,128

INCOME FROM OPERATIONS           732,162         146,360

OTHER INCOME AND (EXPENSES):

 Interest expense                (1,644,591 )    (1,773,930 )

 Other - net                     36,685          (124,566   )

  Total other - net              (1,607,906 )    (1,898,496 )

LOSS BEFORE INCOME TAXES         (875,744   )    (1,752,136 )

INCOME TAX BENEFIT               (315,000   )    (631,000   )

NET LOSS                       $ (560,744   )  $ (1,121,136 )

LOSS PER SHARE

 Basic                         $ (0.10      )  $ (0.20      )

 Diluted                       $ (0.10      )  $ (0.20      )

WEIGHTED AVERAGE NUMBER OF

COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING

 Basic                           5,603,125       5,546,541

 Diluted                         5,603,125       5,546,541




    Source: Rocky Brands, Inc.