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)

April 2, 2008

 

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 April 2, 2008, UniFirst Corporation (the “Company”) issued a press release ("Press Release") announcing financial results for the second quarter and first six months of fiscal 2008 which ended March 1, 2008. 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 April 2, 2008

 

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: April 2, 2008

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

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Steven S. Sintros

 

Name:

Steven S. Sintros

 

Title:

Corporate Controller

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

 

EXHIBIT NO.

DESCRIPTION

 

 

99

Press release of the Company dated April 2, 2008

 

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 SECOND QUARTER AND FIRST SIX MONTHS OF FISCAL 2008

 

Wilmington, MA (April 2, 2008) -- UniFirst Corporation (NYSE: UNF) today announced its record revenues and earnings for its second quarter and first six months of fiscal 2008 which ended March 1, 2008.

 

Second quarter net income increased 119.6% to $15.3 million, or $0.79 per diluted common share, from last year’s second quarter net income of $7.0 million, or $0.36 per diluted common share. Net income for the first six months of fiscal 2008 increased 53.4% to $31.8 million, or $1.64 per diluted common share, from $20.7 million, or $1.07 per diluted common share for the comparable period in 2007. Revenues were a record $270.3 million and $517.5 million for the second quarter and first six months of fiscal 2008. These revenues represent increases of 21.6% and 16.4%, respectively, over the comparable fiscal 2007 quarterly and six month periods.

 

Both the second quarter and six month periods in fiscal 2008 include an extra week compared to fiscal 2007 as fiscal 2008 is a 53 week year for the Company. The extra week in fiscal 2008 accounted for revenue growth of approximately 8.9% and 4.4% compared to the second quarter and first six months of fiscal 2007, respectively.

 

The Company’s second quarter and six month earnings in fiscal 2007 were affected by severance expense as well as by adjustments made to the Company’s environmental reserves. 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 second quarter and the first six months of fiscal 2007 would have been $0.43 and $1.14, respectively.

 

The increase in earnings is primarily due to strong revenue growth as well as higher operating margins in the Company’s core laundry operations, which excludes the Company’s Specialty Garments and First Aid segments. Core laundries revenues increased 21.0% and 16.8% for the quarterly and six month periods, respectively, compared to fiscal 2007. The core laundries organic growth, which excludes the effects of the extra week, acquisitions and fluctuations in the Canadian exchange rate, was 7.6% and 7.8% for the quarter and six month periods. Even excluding the severance and environmental charges from the fiscal 2007 results, the core laundry operations pro forma operating margins increased significantly from 8.2% and 9.7% in the second quarter and first half of fiscal 2007 to 11.0% and 11.7% for the comparative quarterly and six month periods of fiscal 2008, respectively. The improvement is primarily due to lower merchandise amortization as well as lower payroll and related costs as a percentage of revenues. Fuel costs associated with our fleet of delivery vehicles continued to climb during the second quarter and have partially offset these benefits.

 

The Company’s Specialty Garments and First Aid segments also produced solid quarterly results contributing to the Company’s overall revenue and income growth. In addition, the Company provided for income taxes at a rate of 38.5% for both the second quarter and first six months of fiscal 2008 compared to 39.25% for the comparable 2007 periods.

 

"We’re very pleased with the record results we’ve produced in the quarter and first half" said UniFirst President and Chief Executive Officer, Ron Croatti. “However, with the prospect of continued weakness in the U.S. economy and a lack of buyer confidence in many business sectors, we’re approaching the second half of the year with the appropriate amount of caution”

 

The Company will hold a conference call today at 4:00 PM (EDT) 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.

 

About UniFirst Corporation

 

UniFirst Corporation is one of the largest providers of workplace uniforms, protective clothing and facility services products in North America. The Company employs over 10,000 team partners who serve over 200,000 customer locations in 46 U.S. states, Canada and Europe from 200 customer service, distribution, and manufacturing 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.

 

Forward Looking Statements

 

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, but are not limited to, 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,” “optimistic,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” and similar expressions as they relate to the Company are included to identify such forward looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward looking statements to reflect events or circumstances arising after the date on which such statements are made.

 

UniFirst Corporation and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Income

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

 

Fourteen

 

 

 

Thirteen

 

 

 

Twenty-seven

 

 

 

Twenty-six

 

 

 

 

weeks ended

 

 

 

weeks ended

 

 

 

weeks ended

 

 

 

weeks ended

 

 

 

 

March 1,

 

 

 

February 24,

 

 

 

March 1,

 

 

 

February 24,

 

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

 

 

2008

 

 

 

2007

 

 

 

2008

 

 

 

2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revenues

 

$

270,288

 

 

$

222,367

 

 

$

517,548

 

 

$

444,744

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Costs and expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating costs (1)

 

 

172,481

 

 

 

146,190

 

 

 

323,628

 

 

 

283,109

 

Selling and administrative expenses (1)

 

 

56,066

 

 

 

50,441

 

 

 

109,614

 

 

 

98,831

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

14,115

 

 

 

11,819

 

 

 

26,902

 

 

 

23,404

 

 

 

 

242,662

 

 

 

208,450

 

 

 

460,144

 

 

 

405,344

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income from operations

 

 

27,626

 

 

 

13,917

 

 

 

57,404

 

 

 

39,400

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other expense (income):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest expense

 

 

3,359

 

 

 

2,998

 

 

 

6,863

 

 

 

6,320

 

Interest income

 

 

(580

)

 

 

(538

)

 

 

(1,093

)

 

 

(1,004

)

 

 

 

2,779

 

 

 

2,460

 

 

 

5,770

 

 

 

5,316

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income before income taxes

 

 

24,847

 

 

 

11,457

 

 

 

51,634

 

 

 

34,084

 

Provision for income taxes

 

 

9,566

 

 

 

4,497

 

 

 

19,879

 

 

 

13,378

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income

 

$

15,281

 

 

$

6,960

 

 

$

31,755

 

 

$

20,706

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income per share – Basic:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common Stock

 

$

0.83

 

 

0.38

 

 

$

1.73

 

 

$

1.13

 

Class B Common Stock

 

$

0.67

 

 

0.30

 

 

$

1.39

 

 

$

0.91

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income per share – Diluted:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common Stock

 

$

0.79

 

 

$

0.36

 

 

$

1.64

 

 

$

1.07

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average number of shares outstanding – Basic:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common Stock

 

 

14,359

 

 

 

14,319

 

 

 

14,356

 

 

 

14,313

 

Class B Common Stock

 

 

4,937

 

 

 

4,939

 

 

 

4,937

 

 

 

4,940

 

 

 

 

19,296

 

 

 

19,258

 

 

 

19,293

 

 

 

19,253

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average number of shares outstanding – Diluted:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common Stock

 

 

19,366

 

 

 

19,362

 

 

 

19,365

 

 

 

19,336

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dividends per share:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common Stock

 

$

0.0375

 

 

$

0.0375

 

 

$

0.0750

 

 

$

0.0750

 

Class B Common Stock

 

$

0.0300

 

 

$

0.0300

 

 

$

0.0600

 

 

$

0.0600

 

 

(1) Exclusive of depreciation on the Company’s fixed assets and amortization of its intangible assets.

 

UniFirst Corporation and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(Unaudited)

 

(In thousands, except share data)

 

 

 

March 1,
2008

 

 

August 25,

2007 (a)

 

Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

 

$

23,109

 

$

12,698

 

Receivables, net

 

 

 

104,674

 

 

91,906

 

Inventories

 

 

 

46,460

 

 

44,282

 

Rental merchandise in service

 

 

 

90,743

 

 

86,129

 

Prepaid and deferred income taxes

 

 

 

13,779

 

 

13,399

 

Prepaid expenses

 

 

 

3,921

 

 

1,807

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total current assets

 

 

 

282,686

 

 

250,221

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Property and equipment:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Land, buildings and leasehold improvements

 

 

 

300,698

 

 

286,255

 

Machinery and equipment

 

 

 

315,060

 

 

299,831

 

Motor vehicles

 

 

 

102,172

 

 

95,214

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

717,930

 

 

681,300

 

Less - accumulated depreciation

 

 

 

366,316

 

 

347,233

 

 

 

 

 

351,614

 

 

334,067

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goodwill

 

 

 

245,901

 

 

224,366

 

Customer contracts and other intangible assets, net

 

 

 

67,073

 

 

62,064

 

Other assets

 

 

 

3,739

 

 

3,746

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

951,013

 

$

874,464

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liabilities and shareholders' equity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current maturities of long-term obligations

 

 

$

287

 

$

539

 

Accounts payable

 

 

 

51,189

 

 

45,297

 

Accrued liabilities

 

 

 

92,402

 

 

86,283

 

Accrued income taxes

 

 

 

6,334

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

 

 

 

150,212

 

 

132,119

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Long-term obligations, net of current maturities

 

 

 

229,579

 

 

205,510

 

Deferred income taxes

 

 

 

39,807

 

 

39,508

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shareholders' equity:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common Stock

 

 

 

1,436

 

 

1,435

 

Class B Common Stock

 

 

 

494

 

 

494

 

Capital surplus

 

 

 

17,246

 

 

16,332

 

Retained earnings

 

 

 

504,316

 

 

473,934

 

Accumulated other comprehensive income

 

 

 

7,923

 

 

5,132

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total shareholders' equity

 

 

 

531,415

 

 

497,327

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

951,013

 

$

874,464

 

 

(a) Derived from audited financial statements

 

UniFirst Corporation and Subsidiaries

Detail of Operating Results

(Unaudited)

 

Revenues

 

 

 

Fourteen

 

 

Thirteen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

weeks ended

 

 

weeks ended

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 1,

 

 

February 24,

 

 

Dollar

 

Percent

 

(In thousands, except percentages)

 

2008

 

 

2007

 

 

Change

 

Change

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Core Laundry Operations

$

244,545

 

$

202,050

 

$

42,495

 

21.0

%

Specialty Garments

 

17,127

 

 

12,924

 

 

4,203

 

32.5

 

First Aid

 

8,616

 

 

7,393

 

 

1,223

 

16.5

 

Consolidated total

$

270,288

 

$

222,367

 

$

47,921

 

21.6

%

 

 

 

Twenty-seven

 

 

Twenty-six

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

weeks ended

 

 

weeks ended

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 1,

 

 

February 24,

 

 

Dollar

 

Percent

 

(In thousands, except percentages)

 

2008

 

 

2007

 

 

Change

 

Change

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Core Laundry Operations

$

466,657

 

$

399,514

 

$

67,143

 

16.8

%

Specialty Garments

 

34,382

 

 

30,104

 

 

4,278

 

14.2

 

First Aid

 

16,509

 

 

15,126

 

 

1,383

 

9.1

 

Consolidated total

$

517,548

 

$

444,744

 

$

72,804

 

16.4

%

 

 

Income from Operations

 

 

 

Fourteen

 

 

Thirteen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

weeks ended

 

 

weeks ended

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 1,

 

 

February 24,

 

 

Dollar

 

Percent

 

(In thousands, except percentages)

 

2008

 

 

2007

 

 

Change

 

Change

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Core Laundry Operations

$

26,950

 

$

14,306

 

$

12,644

 

88.4

%

Specialty Garments

 

364

 

 

(450

)

 

814

 

180.9

 

First Aid

 

312

 

 

61

 

 

251

 

408.2

 

Consolidated total

$

27,626

 

$

13,917

 

$

13,709

 

98.5

%

 

 

 

Twenty-seven

 

 

Twenty-six

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

weeks ended

 

 

weeks ended

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 1,

 

 

February 24,

 

 

Dollar

 

Percent

 

(In thousands, except percentages)

 

2008

 

 

2007

 

 

Change

 

Change

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Core Laundry Operations

$

54,676

 

$

36,275

 

$

18,401

 

50.7

%

Specialty Garments

 

2,419

 

 

2,495

 

 

(76

)

-3.0

 

First Aid

 

309

 

 

630

 

 

(321

)

-50.9

 

Consolidated total

$

57,404

 

$

39,400

 

$

18,004

 

45.7

%