FRANKLIN PARK, Ill., Sept. 20 /PRNewswire/ — Dean Foods Company
(NYSE: DF) today announced its first quarter earnings and an enhancement to
its business unit structure to further the Company’s strategy to focus on high
margin value-added branded products.
First quarter sales increased 5.3% to a record $1,054.3 million, compared
to $1,001.3 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2000. Earnings per share
increased 5.7% to a record 74 cents per diluted share, versus 70 cents per
diluted share last year. Net income was $26.4 million in the first quarter of
fiscal 2001 compared to $27.8 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2000, as
improved operating results were offset by higher interest expense to finance
acquisitions in a consolidating industry.
“Our first quarter earnings were driven by improved operating results in
our Dairy and Specialty Foods divisions,” stated Howard Dean, Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer. “Operating earnings in the newly formed National
Refrigerated Products Division, formed by combining Dean’s national branded
products from our former Dairy and Specialty segments, reflect investment of
approximately $6 million for launches of new products during the first
quarter.”
Dean Foods’ first quarter results included the following highlights:
performance at the Barber and Berkeley acquisitions.
normal summer and a lower level of promotional activity in several key
markets.
successfully introduced Mayfield brand ice cream into new Southeastern
markets.
conditions and lower promotional activity by the branded leader.
Products Division including Dips-For-OneTM, which achieved a fifty
percent penetration of the grocery channel in the quarter.
$6 million behind National Refrigerated Products introductions of
Dips-For-One(TM), Marie’s pourable salad dressings, Intermediate Shelf
Life Chugs and the Land O’Lakes Grip ‘N Go single serve product.
O’Lakes Upper Midwest fluid milk operations.
Dean Foods also announced that the Company realigned its business unit
structure and formed a new unit focused on refrigerated national dairy and
related brands.
Under this new structure, Dean Foods’ largest unit continues to be the
Dairy Division, which will serve national and regional dairy customers through
its system of direct route sales. This division will continue to be led by
Eric Blanchard. The second largest unit is the Specialty Foods Division,
which combines the Pickles business with non-dairy creamer products, aseptic
products, ingredient products and the Company’s transportation group, all of
which were part of the former Specialty segment. This division will be led by
Jim Greisinger, who previously headed the Pickles division.
The third unit is the newly formed National Refrigerated Products
Division, and will be led by Lou Nieto, who was previously the Company’s
senior marketing executive. National Refrigerated Products includes national
brands such as Intermediate Shelf Life Milk Chugs, Land O’ Lakes Grip ‘N Go,
Dean’s dips, including Dips-For-OneTM, Marie’s refrigerated salad dressings,
White Wave soy products, including the Silk(TM) brand of soymilk, and other
owned and licensed national brands. Responsibility for developing Extended
Shelf Life products for national warehouse distribution will move from the
Dairy Division to the National Refrigerated Products Division.
“The creation of the National Refrigerated Products Division under an
experienced marketing executive like Lou Nieto will accelerate our strategy to
drive national brands. Our regional brands will continue to drive Dean’s
growth in the core dairy business. Increasing our focus on national brands
will drive incremental growth as we market existing and develop new
value-added, national products,” said Howard Dean.
“Our customers have told us that they want a more efficient way of dealing
with Dean Foods,” said Richard Bailey, Dean Foods’ President. “This new
structure will provide that capability as we create supply-chain efficiencies
for our products.” Bailey added that as part of the realignment, Dean will
implement a brand management system in the National Refrigerated Products
Division to more effectively leverage its national brand opportunities. In
addition, Bailey said the Company intends to substantially increase marketing
expenditures to further invest in its national brands.
“The new structure is about increasing overall market penetration,
increasing revenue growth, enhancing shareholder value and providing our
employees with additional opportunities to grow with the Dean Foods
organization,” said Bailey.
Mr. Dean concluded, “We are confident that our focused product and
marketing plans for the year, and improved execution in the marketplace
through our newly formed National Refrigerated Products Division, will enable
us to deliver much improved results this year.”
Dean Foods is one of the nation’s leading dairy processors and
distributors producing a full line of branded and private label products,
including fluid milk, ice cream and extended shelf life products, which are
sold under the Dean’s and other strong regional brand names. Dean Foods is
the industry leader in other food products including pickles, powdered
non-dairy coffee creamers, aseptically packaged foodservice products, and
refrigerated dips and salad dressings.
Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking as defined by
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements
involve certain risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to
differ materially from expectations as of the date of this press release.
These risks include, but are not limited to, the ability to integrate
acquisitions, adverse weather conditions resulting in poor harvest conditions,
raw milk and resin costs, interest rate fluctuations, competitive pricing
pressures, the effectiveness of marketing and cost-management programs and
shifts in the market demand.
The Company’s quarterly earnings conference call will be held today at
8:00 a.m. Central Time. The call may be heard live at the Company’s web site,
http://www.deanfoods.com, using RealPlayer7 Basic software. The basic version of
RealPlayer7 may be downloaded at no charge from
http://www.real.com/products/player/index.html prior to the call. Please allow
approximately 15 minutes to download the software. Replays will be available
at the same internet address for a limited time period.
DEAN FOODS COMPANY CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME FOR THE QUARTERS ENDED AUGUST 27, 2000 AND AUGUST 29, 1999 (Unaudited) (In Millions, Except for Per Share Amounts) First Quarter Ended Aug. 27, Aug. 29, Change 2000 1999 % Net sales $1,054.3 $1,001.3 5.3% Costs of products sold 801.0 762.0 (5.1)% Delivery, selling and administrative expenses 194.5 182.5 (6.6)% Operating earnings 58.8 56.8 3.5% Interest expense, net of interest income 16.1 11.2 (43.8)% Income before income taxes 42.7 45.6 (6.4)% Provision for income taxes 16.3 17.8 8.4% Net income $26.4 $27.8 (5.0)% Income per share: Basic $.74 $.71 4.2% Diluted $.74 $.70 5.7% Weighted average common shares: Basic 35.5 39.3 (9.7)% Diluted 35.8 39.9 (10.3)% DEAN FOODS COMPANY CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET (Unaudited) (In Millions) August 27, August 29, 2000 1999 ASSETS Current Assets: Cash and temporary cash investments $29.7 $20.8 Accounts and notes receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts 326.3 295.4 Inventories 229.2 210.0 Other current assets 86.9 90.9 Total current assets 672.1 617.1 Property, Plant and Equipment, net 889.9 773.8 Other Assets 713.4 588.5 Total Assets $2,275.4 $1,979.4 LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY Current Liabilities: Current installments of long-term obligations $3.4 $2.5 Accounts payable and accrued expenses 429.1 397.7 Dividends payable 8.1 8.7 Federal and state income taxes 56.8 47.5 Total current liabilities 497.4 456.4 Long-Term Obligations 964.5 657.8 Deferred Liabilities 136.2 128.2 Shareholders' Equity 677.3 737.0 Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity $2,275.4 $1,979.4 DEAN FOODS COMPANY BUSINESS SEGMENT INFORMATION FOR THE QUARTERS ENDED AUGUST 27, 2000 AND AUGUST 29, 1999 (Unaudited) (In Millions) NEW SEGMENTS National Specialty Refrigerated Dairy Foods Products Corp. Consolidated Fiscal 2001 Net sales $788.8 $181.2 $84.3 $ - $1,054.3 Operating earnings $41.7 $23.0 $4.3 $(10.2) $58.8 Fiscal 2000 Net sales $763.8 $170.6 $66.9 $ - $1,001.3 Operating earnings $39.9 $20.2 $8.3 $(11.6) $56.8 PRIOR SEGMENTS Dairy Specialty Pickles Corp. Consolidated Fiscal 2001 Net sales $846.6 $105.2 $102.5 $ - $1,054.3 Operating earnings $43.2 13.1 $13.0 $(10.5) $58.8 Fiscal 2000 Net sales $806.2 $99.9 $95.2 $ - $1,001.3 Operating earnings $42.9 $15.5 $10.2 $(11.8) $56.8 DEAN FOODS COMPANY NEW BUSINESS SEGMENT HISTORICAL INFORMATION (Unaudited) (In Millions, Except for ROS %) Full Year Fiscal Year 2000 Fiscal 1999 * Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4** Full Year Net Sales Dairy $2,817.7 $763.8 $808.6 $739.7 $758.5 $3,070.6 Specialty Foods 669.8 170.6 184.5 166.4 189.6 711.1 National Refrigerated Products 267.6 66.9 73.9 70.7 72.4 283.9 Consolidated $3,755.1 $1,001.3 $1,067.0 $976.8 $1,020.5 $4,065.6 Operating Earnings Dairy $99.8 $39.9 $31.1 $32.3 $44.6 $147.9 Specialty Foods 86.2 20.2 25.0 18.6 17.7 81.5 National Refrigerated Products 20.5 8.3 10.0 9.7 9.5 37.5 Corporate (35.1) (11.6) (9.7) (6.1) (10.8) (38.2) Consolidated $171.4 $56.8 $56.4 $54.5 $61.0 $228.7 ROS % Dairy 3.5% 5.2% 3.8% 4.4% 5.9% 4.8% Specialty Foods 12.9% 11.8% 13.6% 11.2% 9.3% 11.5% National Refrigerated Products 7.7% 12.4% 13.5% 13.7% 13.1% 13.2% Consolidated 4.6% 5.7% 5.3% 5.6% 6.0% 5.6% * Fiscal 1999 excludes $18.1 million pre-tax plant closure charge recorded in the divisions as follows: Dairy $ 8.9 Specialty Foods $ 9.2 ** Fiscal 2000 excludes $6.1 million pre-tax plant closure charge in the Dairy Segment. SOURCE Dean Foods Company
Web site: http://www.deanfoods.com
Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/109161.htmlor fax, 800-758-5804, ext. 109161
CONTACT: Barb Klein, Vice President, Finance & CFO, or BillLuegers, Vice President and Treasurer, 847-678-1680, both of DeanFoods Company