UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)

June 27, 2007

 

UNIFIRST CORPORATION

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

 

Massachusetts

 

1-8504

 

04-2103460

(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)

 

(Commission File Number)

 

(IRS Employer Identification No.)

 

 

68 Jonspin Road, Wilmington, Massachusetts 01887

(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

 

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (978) 658-8888

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

 

o

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act

(17 CFR 230.425)

 

 

o

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act

(17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

 

o

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act

(17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

 

o

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act

(17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

Item 2.02.

Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

 

On June 27, 2007, UniFirst Corporation issued a press release ("Press Release") announcing financial results for its fiscal 2007 third quarter and first nine months of fiscal 2007 which ended May 26, 2007. A copy of the Press Release is attached as Exhibit 99 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

The information in this Item 2.02, including the exhibit attached hereto, shall not be deemed “filed” for any purpose, including for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that Section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act, regardless of any general incorporation language in such filing.

 

Item 9.01.

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

 

(d) Exhibits

 

 

 

EXHIBIT NO.

DESCRIPTION

 

 

99

Press release of the Company dated June 27, 2007

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

 

UNIFIRST CORPORATION

 

 

Date: June 27, 2007

By:

/s/ Ronald D. Croatti

 

Name:

Ronald D. Croatti

 

Title:

Chairman of the Board, Chief

Executive Officer and President

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ John B. Bartlett

 

Name:

John B. Bartlett

 

Title:

Senior Vice President and

Chief Financial Officer

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

 

EXHIBIT NO.

DESCRIPTION

 

 

99

Press release of the Company dated June 27, 2007

 

Exhibit 99

 

UniFirst Corporation

News Release

68 Jonspin Road

 

 

Wilmington, MA 01887-1086

contact:

John B. Bartlett

Telephone 978-658-8888 Ext 520

 

Senior Vice President

Facsimile 978-988-0659

 

jbartlett@unifirst.com

 


 

UNIFIRST ANNOUNCES RECORD FINANCIAL RESULTS

FOR THE THIRD QUARTER AND FIRST NINE MONTHS OF FISCAL 2007

 

Wilmington, MA (June 27, 2007) -- UniFirst Corporation (NYSE: UNF) today announced its revenues and earnings for its third quarter and first nine months of fiscal 2007 which ended May 26, 2007.

 

Revenues were a record $229.8 million and $674.6 million for the third quarter and first nine months of fiscal 2007, respectively. These revenues represent an increase of 8.5% and 10.0%, respectively, from the $211.9 million and $613.4 million in the comparable 2006 periods.

 

Third quarter net income increased 25.3% to $13.7 million, or $0.71 per diluted common share, compared to net income of $10.9 million, or $0.57 per diluted common share in the third quarter of fiscal 2006. Net income for the first nine months of fiscal 2007 increased 20.1% to $34.4 million, or $1.78 per diluted common share, compared to $28.6 million, or $1.48 per diluted common share for the comparable period in 2006. These increases in earnings are primarily the result of the improved profitability of the Company’s Specialty Garments segment as well as the continued strong performance of the Company’s core laundry operations.

 

The Company’s nine month earnings for fiscal 2007 were affected by severance expense as well as by adjustments made to the Company’s environmental reserves in the second fiscal quarter of fiscal 2007. These combined to decrease the Company’s income from operations and net income by approximately $2.3 million and $1.4 million, respectively. Without these adjustments, the Company’s diluted earnings per share for the first nine months of fiscal 2007 would have been $1.85.

 

Excluding the items discussed above for the nine month period, income from operations from the Company’s core laundry business, which excludes the Company’s Specialty Garments and First Aid segments, increased 13.8% and 15.1% in the third quarter and nine month periods, respectively, as compared to fiscal 2006. These increases were the result of revenue growth of 8.0% and 9.4% in the third quarter and nine month periods, respectively, as well as lower operating costs as a percentage of revenues. The Company’s revenue growth was primarily due to organic growth, which was 5.5% and 6.7% for the third quarter and nine month periods, respectively. The Company’s operating margin also benefited from modest reductions in energy, production and delivery costs as a percentage of revenues. These decreases were partially offset by higher merchandise costs as a percentage of revenues.

 

The Company’s Specialty Garments segment had income from operations in the third quarter of fiscal 2007 of $3.0 million which was up from $0.8 million in fiscal 2006. This increase was due to an 18.2% increase in revenues for this segment compared to the fiscal 2006 third quarter.

 

"We're pleased with our results through the first three fiscal quarters", said UniFirst CEO, Ronald Croatti. "The core laundry operations continue to perform well as recent acquisitions have made solid contributions and our Specialty Garments segment had an excellent showing. We expect to be able to continue our strong performance during the fourth quarter and finish with a record year."

 

The Company will hold a conference call today at 4:00 PM (EST) to discuss its quarterly financial results, business highlights and outlook. A simultaneous live webcast of the call will be available over the Internet and can be accessed at www.unifirst.com.

 

UniFirst is one of the largest providers of workplace uniforms, protective clothing and facility services products in North America. The Company employs approximately 9,800 team partners who serve nearly 200,000 customer locations in 46 US states, Canada and Europe from 189 manufacturing, distribution and customer service facilities. UniFirst Corporation is a publicly held company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol UNF and is a component of the Standard & Poor's 600 Small Cap Index.

 

This public announcement may contain forward looking statements that reflect the Company’s current views with respect to future events and financial performance. Forward looking statements contained in this public announcement are subject to the safe harbor created by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are highly dependent upon a variety of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in such forward looking statements. Such factors include uncertainties regarding the Company’s ability to consummate and successfully integrate acquired businesses, uncertainties regarding any existing or newly-discovered expenses and liabilities related to environmental compliance and remediation, the Company’s ability to compete successfully without any significant degradation in its margin rates, seasonal fluctuations in business levels, uncertainties regarding the price levels of natural gas, electricity, fuel and labor, the impact of negative economic conditions on the Company’s customers and such customers’ workforce, the continuing increase in domestic healthcare costs, demand and prices for the Company’s products and services, additional professional and internal costs necessary for compliance with recent and proposed future changes in Securities and Exchange Commission (including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002), New York Stock Exchange and accounting rules, strikes and unemployment levels, the Company’s efforts to evaluate and potentially reduce internal costs, economic and other developments associated with the war on terrorism and its impact on the economy and general economic conditions. When used in this public announcement, the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” and similar expressions as they relate to the Company are included to identify such forward looking statements.

 

UniFirst Corporation and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Income

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

Thirteen weeks ended

 

Thirty-nine weeks ended

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 26,

 

 

 

May 27,

 

 

 

May 26,

 

 

 

May 27,

 

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

 

 

2007

 

 

 

2006

 

 

 

2007

 

 

 

2006

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revenues

 

$

229,849

 

 

$

211,938

 

 

$

674,593

 

 

$

613,431

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Costs and expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating costs (1)

 

 

144,257

 

 

 

134,383

 

 

 

427,366

 

 

 

392,881

 

Selling and administrative expenses (1)

 

 

48,659

 

 

 

45,710

 

 

 

147,490

 

 

 

132,935

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

12,322

 

 

 

11,515

 

 

 

35,726

 

 

 

33,725

 

 

 

 

205,238

 

 

 

191,608

 

 

 

610,582

 

 

 

559,541

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income from operations

 

 

24,611

 

 

 

20,330

 

 

 

64,011

 

 

 

53,890

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other expense (income):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest expense

 

 

3,226

 

 

 

2,996

 

 

 

9,546

 

 

 

7,991

 

Interest income

 

 

(451

)

 

 

(419

)

 

 

(1,455

)

 

 

(1,150

)

 

 

 

2,775

 

 

 

2,577

 

 

 

8,091

 

 

 

6,841

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income before income taxes

 

 

21,836

 

 

 

17,753

 

 

 

55,920

 

 

 

47,049

 

Provision for income taxes

 

 

8,153

 

 

 

6,835

 

 

 

21,531

 

 

 

18,414

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income

 

$

13,683

 

 

$

10,918

 

 

$

34,389

 

 

$

28,635

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income per share – Basic:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common Stock

 

$

0.75

 

 

0.63

 

 

$

1.88

 

 

$

1.65

 

Class B Common Stock

 

$

0.60

 

 

0.50

 

 

$

1.51

 

 

$

1.32

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income per share – Diluted:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common Stock

 

$

0.71

 

 

$

0.57

 

 

$

1.78

 

 

$

1.48

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average number of shares outstanding – Basic:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common Stock

 

 

14,333

 

 

 

9,814

 

 

 

14,320

 

 

 

9,726

 

Class B Common Stock

 

 

4,937

 

 

 

9,429

 

 

 

4,939

 

 

 

9,515

 

 

 

 

19,270

 

 

 

19,243

 

 

 

19,259

 

 

 

19,241

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average number of shares outstanding – Diluted:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common Stock

 

 

19,371

 

 

 

19,311

 

 

 

19,347

 

 

 

19,315

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dividends per share:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common Stock

 

$

0.0375

 

 

$

0.0375

 

 

$

0.1125

 

 

$

0.1125

 

Class B Common Stock

 

$

0.0300

 

 

$

0.0300

 

 

$

0.0900

 

 

$

0.0900

 

 

(1) Exclusive of depreciation and amortization

 

UniFirst Corporation and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(Unaudited)

 

(In thousands, except share data)

 

 

 

May 26,
2007

 

 

August 26,

2006 (a)

 

Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

 

$

11,234

 

$

8,302

 

Receivables, net

 

 

 

97,602

 

 

86,549

 

Inventories

 

 

 

39,040

 

 

36,469

 

Rental merchandise in service

 

 

 

84,174

 

 

85,875

 

Prepaid and deferred income taxes

 

 

 

10,628

 

 

10,046

 

Prepaid expenses

 

 

 

2,340

 

 

1,672

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total current assets

 

 

 

245,018

 

 

228,913

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Property and equipment:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Land, buildings and leasehold improvements

 

 

 

281,644

 

 

269,696

 

Machinery and equipment

 

 

 

299,587

 

 

284,619

 

Motor vehicles

 

 

 

94,521

 

 

84,138

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

675,752

 

 

638,453

 

Less - accumulated depreciation

 

 

 

342,321

 

 

319,550

 

 

 

 

 

333,431

 

 

318,903

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goodwill

 

 

 

224,417

 

 

211,489

 

Customer contracts and other intangible assets, net

 

 

 

62,958

 

 

64,022

 

Other assets

 

 

 

7,487

 

 

6,375

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

873,311

 

$

829,702

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liabilities and shareholders' equity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current maturities of long-term obligations

 

 

$

558

 

$

613

 

Accounts payable

 

 

 

41,358

 

 

43,003

 

Accrued liabilities

 

 

 

85,742

 

 

80,580

 

Accrued income taxes

 

 

 

 

 

3,041

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

 

 

 

127,658

 

 

127,237

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Long-term obligations, net of current maturities

 

 

 

217,553

 

 

209,922

 

Deferred income taxes

 

 

 

40,102

 

 

39,998

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shareholders' equity:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common Stock

 

 

 

1,433

 

 

1,431

 

Class B Common Stock

 

 

 

494

 

 

494

 

Capital surplus

 

 

 

15,766

 

 

14,497

 

Retained earnings

 

 

 

463,815

 

 

431,481

 

Accumulated other comprehensive income

 

 

 

6,490

 

 

4,642

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total shareholders' equity

 

 

 

487,997

 

 

452,545

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

873,311

 

$

829,702

 

 

(a) Derived from audited financial statements

 

UniFirst Corporation and Subsidiaries

Detail of Operating Results

(Unaudited)

 

Revenues

 

 

 

May 26,

 

 

May 27,

 

 

Dollar

 

Percent

 

(In thousands, except percentages)

 

2007

 

 

2006

 

 

Change

 

Change

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thirteen weeks ending:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Core Laundry Operations

$

203,260

 

$

188,260

 

$

15,000

 

8.0

%

Specialty Garments

 

18,272

 

 

15,453

 

 

2,819

 

18.2

 

First Aid

 

8,317

 

 

8,225

 

 

92

 

1.1

 

Consolidated total

$

229,849

 

$

211,938

 

$

17,911

 

8.5

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thirty-nine weeks ending:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Core Laundry Operations

$

602,774

 

$

550,760

 

$

52,014

 

9.4

%

Specialty Garments

 

48,376

 

 

40,000

 

 

8,376

 

20.9

 

First Aid

 

23,443

 

 

22,671

 

 

772

 

3.4

 

Consolidated total

$

674,593

 

$

613,431

 

$

61,162

 

10.0

%

 

Income from Operations

 

 

 

May 26,

 

 

May 27,

 

 

Dollar

 

Percent

 

(In thousands, except percentages)

 

2007

 

 

2006

 

 

Change

 

Change

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thirteen weeks ending:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Core Laundry Operations

$

21,345

 

$

18,757

 

$

2,588

 

13.8

%

Specialty Garments

 

3,006

 

 

834

 

 

2,172

 

260.4

 

First Aid

 

260

 

 

739

 

 

(479

)

-64.8

 

Consolidated total

$

24,611

 

$

20,330

 

$

4,281

 

21.1

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thirty-nine weeks ending:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Core Laundry Operations

$

57,620

 

$

52,079

 

$

5,541

 

10.6

%

Specialty Garments

 

5,501

 

 

454

 

 

5,047

 

1,111.7

 

First Aid

 

890

 

 

1,357

 

 

(467

)

-34.4

 

Consolidated total

$

64,011

 

$

53,890

 

$

10,121

 

18.8

%