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ROCKY BRANDS, INC.



Rocky Brands, Inc. Announces 2018 First Quarter Results

First Quarter Diluted EPS Increased 120% to $0.44

First Quarter Wholesale Sales Increased by 3.2% to $40.4 million

First Quarter Retail Sales Increased by 10.0% to $13.1 million



NELSONVILLE, Ohio, April 24, 2018 – Rocky Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ: RCKY) today announced financial results for its first quarter ended March 31, 2018.



First Quarter 2018 Sales and Income

First quarter net sales were $61.4 million compared to $63.1 million in the first quarter of 2017. The Company reported first quarter net income of $3.3 million, or $0.44 per diluted share compared to a net income of $1.5 million, or $0.20 per diluted share in the first quarter of 2017.



Jason Brooks, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “The new year is off to a strong start. Our wholesale and retail divisions continue to benefit from the strategies we’ve implemented to drive improved full price selling across our core work, western and outdoor categories. At the same time, our commercial military business grew double digits over the same period last year as our domestic and international expansion plans gain further traction.  The growth in commercial military sales partially offset the expected top-line headwinds from our contract military business while also helping expand gross margins through increased productivity at our company-owned manufacturing facilities. We are very pleased with our recent performance and the Company’s strong financial position. That said, our sights are firmly focused on the future and on continuing to deliver enhanced profitability and greater value for our shareholders.”



First Quarter Review

Net sales for the first quarter were $61.4 million compared to $63.1 million a year ago. Wholesale sales for the first quarter increased 3.2% to $40.4 million compared to $39.2 million for the same period in 2017. Retail sales for the first quarter increased 10.0% to $13.1 million compared to $11.9 million for the same period last year. Military segment sales for the first quarter were $7.9 million compared to $12.0 million in the first quarter of 2017.



Gross margin in the first quarter of 2018 increased to $21.0 million, or 34.2% of sales, compared to $19.7 million, or 31.3% of sales, for the same period last year. The 290 basis point increase was driven by higher wholesale and military margins combined with a lower percentage of military sales, which carry lower gross margins than wholesale and retail sales.



Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses decreased to $16.7 million, or 27.3% of net sales, for the first quarter of 2018 compared to $17.4 million, or 27.6% of net sales, a year ago. The $0.6 million decrease in SG&A expenses was primarily related to the reduction in expenses related to the Creative Recreation brand, which was sold in the fourth quarter of 2017.



Income from operations increased 78.7% to $4.2 million, or 6.9% of net sales compared to income from operations of $2.4 million a year ago. 



Interest expense was $47,000 for the first quarter of 2018, versus $90,000 for the same period last year.



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Income tax expense was estimated at 20.5% for the first quarter of 2018, compared to 34.0% for the first quarter of 2017 due to the recently enacted Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA).



The Company had no funded debt at March 31, 2018 versus $5.2 million at March 31, 2017.



Inventory at March 31, 2018 decreased 5.3% to $65.2 million compared to $68.8 million on the same date a year ago.



Conference Call Information

The Company’s conference call to review first quarter 2018 results will be broadcast live over the internet today, Tuesday, April 24, 2018 at 4:30 pm Eastern Time. The broadcast will be hosted at http://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®, Georgia Boot®, Durango®, Lehigh®, and the licensed brand Michelin®.



Safe Harbor Language

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 our future delivery of enhanced profitability and greater value to our shareholders (paragraph 2). 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, 2017 (filed March 12, 2018). 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.







 

Company Contact:

Tom Robertson



Chief Financial Officer



(740) 753-1951



 

Investor Relations: 

Brendon Frey



ICR, Inc.



(203) 682-8200




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Rocky Brands, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets







 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

March 31,

 

December 31,

 

March 31,



 

 

2018

 

2017

 

2017



 

 

Unaudited

 

Audited

 

Unaudited

ASSETS:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CURRENT ASSETS:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

10,115,863 

$

3,680,776 

$

2,693,078 

Trade receivables, net

 

 

41,231,333 

 

45,027,002 

 

39,131,277 

Contract receivables

 

 

13,518,203 

 

 -

 

 -

Other receivables

 

 

410,570 

 

806,468 

 

768,729 

Inventories

 

 

65,151,332 

 

65,622,432 

 

68,819,390 

Income tax receivable

 

 

996,563 

 

1,849,237 

 

510,223 

Prepaid expenses

 

 

2,442,001 

 

2,199,648 

 

2,619,898 

Total current assets

 

 

133,865,865 

 

119,185,563 

 

114,542,595 

PROPERTY, PLANT & EQUIPMENT – net

 

 

23,737,918 

 

23,781,001 

 

25,633,199 

IDENTIFIED INTANGIBLES

 

 

30,303,843 

 

30,314,749 

 

33,383,261 

OTHER ASSETS

 

 

190,292 

 

197,977 

 

225,670 

TOTAL ASSETS

 

$

188,097,918 

$

173,479,290 

$

173,784,725 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CURRENT LIABILITIES:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts payable

 

$

14,130,491 

$

12,982,535 

$

14,620,330 

Contract liabilities

 

 

13,518,203 

 

 -

 

 -

Accrued expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salaries and wages

 

 

1,788,471 

 

1,754,681 

 

1,741,222 

Taxes - other

 

 

94,338 

 

599,793 

 

692,267 

Accrued freight

 

 

712,488 

 

770,219 

 

407,428 

Commissions

 

 

415,464 

 

455,845 

 

401,663 

Accrued duty

 

 

2,260,540 

 

2,160,847 

 

1,994,870 

Other

 

 

1,182,746 

 

1,301,931 

 

1,302,558 

Total current liabilities

 

 

34,102,741 

 

20,025,851 

 

21,160,338 

LONG TERM DEBT

 

 

 -

 

2,199,423 

 

5,240,000 

LONG TERM TAXES PAYABLE

 

 

2,286,512 

 

    2,286,512

 

 -

DEFERRED INCOME TAXES

 

 

7,726,234 

 

7,726,234 

 

11,365,800 

DEFERRED LIABILITIES

 

 

154,736 

 

148,408 

 

176,219 

TOTAL LIABILITIES

 

 

44,270,223 

 

32,386,428 

 

37,942,357 

SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common stock, no par value;

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

25,000,000 shares authorized; issued and outstanding March 31, 2018 - 7,406,801;  December 31, 2017 - 7,398,654 and March 31, 2017 - 7,435,467

 

 

69,272,506 

 

68,973,927 

 

69,362,641 

Retained earnings

 

 

74,555,189 

 

72,118,935 

 

66,479,727 

Total shareholders' equity

 

 

143,827,695 

 

141,092,862 

 

135,842,368 

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

 

$

188,097,918 

$

173,479,290 

$

173,784,725 





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Rocky Brands, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations

















 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 



 

Three Months Ended



 

March 31,



 

2018

 

2017



 

Unaudited

 

Unaudited

NET SALES

$

61,386,673 

$

63,072,954 

COST OF GOODS SOLD

 

40,421,491 

 

43,324,874 

GROSS MARGIN

 

20,965,182 

 

19,748,080 



 

 

 

 

OPERATING EXPENSES

 

16,737,507 

 

17,381,909 



 

 

 

 

INCOME FROM OPERATIONS

 

4,227,675 

 

2,366,171 



 

 

 

 

OTHER EXPENSES:

 

 

 

 

Interest expense

 

(46,741)

 

(90,466)

Other – net

 

(91,823)

 

(9,764)

Total other - net

 

(138,564)

 

(100,230)



 

 

 

 

INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES

 

4,089,111 

 

2,265,941 



 

 

 

 

INCOME TAX EXPENSE

 

838,000 

 

770,000 



 

 

 

 

NET INCOME

$

3,251,111 

$

1,495,941 



 

 

 

 

INCOME PER SHARE

 

 

 

 

Basic

$

0.44 

$

0.20 

Diluted

$

0.44 

$

0.20 

WEIGHTED AVERAGE NUMBER OF

 

 

 

 

COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

7,406,620 

 

7,435,000 

Diluted

 

7,431,071 

 

7,436,788 





 

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