Exhibit 99
         
 
  ROCKY BRANDS, INC.    
 
       
 
  Company Contact:   Jim McDonald
 
      Chief Financial Officer
 
      (740) 753-1951
 
       
 
  Investor Relations:   Integrated Corporate Relations, Inc.
 
      Brendon Frey/Chad Jacobs
 
      (203) 682-8200
ROCKY BRANDS, INC. ANNOUNCES FIRST QUARTER FISCAL 2008 RESULTS
NELSONVILLE, Ohio, April 24, 2008 — Rocky Brands, Inc. (Nasdaq: RCKY) today announced financial results for its first quarter ended March 31, 2008.
For the first quarter of 2008, net sales decreased to $60.5 million, or 1.9% versus net sales of $61.7 million in the first quarter of 2007. Net income was $0.3 million versus net income of $0.8 million and diluted earnings per share were $0.05 compared to diluted earnings per share of $0.14 a year ago. It is important to note that the first quarter of fiscal 2007 included a one-time, after-tax reimbursement of expenses from the military of $0.4 million, or $0.07 per diluted share.
Mike Brooks, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “Our first quarter results were in-line with our internal forecasts. In light of the challenging retail environment here in the U.S. we are encouraged by our recent performance particularly the double digit sales increase for our Lehigh retail business, as well as the continued market share gains for our licensed brand Dickies. We are also pleased with our progress toward controlling production costs and believe we are on track to deliver improved profitability this year. We move ahead focused on achieving our near-term objectives and committed to better positioning our Company for long-term sales and earnings growth.”
First Quarter Results
Net sales for the first quarter decreased to $60.5 million compared to $61.7 million a year ago. The decrease was attributable to a decline in wholesale sales offset by increases in retail sales and sales to the U.S. military.
Gross profit in the first quarter of 2008 was $25.9 million, or 42.9% of sales compared to $26.1 million, or 42.3% for the same period last year. It is important to note that gross profit for the first quarter of last year included a one-time, pre-tax reimbursement of expenses from the military of $0.7 million. Excluding the reimbursement, gross margin was 41.2% in the first quarter of fiscal 2007. The year-over-year improvement in gross margin was primarily due to an increase in sales price per unit and a decrease in manufacturing costs.
Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses were $23.1 million, or 38.1% of sales, for the first quarter of 2008 compared to $22.3 million, or 36.2% of sales, a year ago. The increase in SG&A expenses was driven by additional selling and distribution expenses to support the growth of the retail division.
Income from operations was $2.9 million, or 4.8% of net sales, for the period compared to $3.8 million, or 6.1% of net sales, in the prior year. Excluding the aforementioned pre-tax reimbursement of $0.7 million from the military, income from operations a year ago was $3.1 million, or 5.0% of sales.

 


 

Funded Debt and Interest Expense
The Company’s funded debt at March 31, 2008 was $94.1 million versus $89.9 million at March 31, 2007. Interest expense decreased to $2.4 million for the first quarter of 2008 versus $2.5 million for the same period last year.
Inventory
Inventory increased $8.0 million, or 11.2%, to $79.8 million at March 31, 2008 compared with $71.8 million on the same date a year ago. The increase in inventory is to support the expected growth in the retail division.
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 Outdoor Gear®, Georgia Boot®, Durango®, Lehigh®, and the licensed brands Dickies®, Zumfoot® and Michelin®.
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 prospects in 2008 (paragraph 3) and expected growth in the retail division (paragraph 9). 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, 2007 (filed March 6, 2008). 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, 2008     December 31, 2007     March 31, 2007  
    Unaudited             Unaudited  
ASSETS:
                       
CURRENT ASSETS:
                       
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 4,407,629     $ 6,537,884     $ 1,776,893  
Trade receivables — net
    56,189,187       65,931,092       58,953,715  
Other receivables
    947,296       674,707       1,222,207  
Inventories
    79,841,429       75,403,664       71,831,189  
Deferred income taxes
    1,952,536       1,952,536       3,902,775  
Income tax receivable
    607,910       719,945       3,079,485  
Prepaid expenses
    3,049,971       2,226,920       1,873,910  
 
                 
Total current assets
    146,995,958       153,446,748       142,640,174  
FIXED ASSETS — net
    23,943,273       24,484,050       23,897,559  
IDENTIFIED INTANGIBLES & GOODWILL
    36,361,267       36,509,690       61,841,219  
OTHER ASSETS
    2,099,762       2,284,039       2,443,355  
 
                 
TOTAL ASSETS
  $ 209,400,260     $ 216,724,527     $ 230,822,307  
 
                 
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY:
                       
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
                       
Accounts payable
  $ 12,801,456     $ 11,908,902     $ 12,782,486  
Current maturities — long term debt
    331,411       324,648       7,294,702  
Accrued expenses:
                       
Taxes — other
    807,557       516,038       510,935  
Other
    5,859,974       5,421,083       5,014,352  
 
                 
Total current liabilities
    19,800,398       18,170,671       25,602,475  
LONG TERM DEBT — less current maturities
    93,768,649       103,220,384       82,567,824  
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES
    12,951,828       13,247,953       17,009,025  
DEFERRED LIABILITIES
    1,217,206       360,928       312,542  
 
                 
TOTAL LIABILITIES
    127,738,081       134,999,936       125,491,866  
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY:
                       
Common stock, no par value;
                       
25,000,000 shares authorized; issued and outstanding March 31, 2008 - 5,508,278; December 31, 2007 - 5,488,293; March 31, 2007 - 5,466,543
    54,144,545       53,997,960       53,649,754  
 
                       
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
    (1,561,145 )     (1,051,232 )     (967,609 )
Retained earnings
    29,078,779       28,777,863       52,648,296  
 
                 
Total shareholders’ equity
    81,662,179       81,724,591       105,330,441  
 
                 
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
  $ 209,400,260     $ 216,724,527     $ 230,822,307  
 
                 

 


 

Rocky Brands, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
(Unaudited)
                 
    Three Months Ended  
    March 31,  
    2008     2007  
NET SALES
  $ 60,484,716     $ 61,657,024  
 
               
COST OF GOODS SOLD
    34,535,051       35,576,338  
 
           
 
               
GROSS MARGIN
    25,949,665       26,080,686  
 
               
SELLING, GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES
    23,061,487       22,322,941  
 
           
 
               
INCOME FROM OPERATIONS
    2,888,178       3,757,745  
 
               
OTHER INCOME AND (EXPENSES):
               
Interest expense
    (2,406,671 )     (2,498,845 )
Other — net
    (18,592 )     (42,995 )
 
           
Total other — net
    (2,425,263 )     (2,541,840 )
 
               
INCOME/(LOSS) BEFORE INCOME TAXES
    462,915       1,215,905  
 
               
INCOME TAX EXPENSE/(BENEFIT)
    162,000       450,000  
 
           
 
               
NET INCOME/(LOSS)
  $ 300,915     $ 765,905  
 
           
 
               
NET INCOME/(LOSS) PER SHARE
               
Basic
  $ 0.05     $ 0.14  
Diluted
  $ 0.05     $ 0.14  
 
               
WEIGHTED AVERAGE NUMBER OF COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING
               
Basic
    5,507,839       5,457,556  
 
           
Diluted
    5,526,479       5,594,930