Kimball International, Inc. Reports Third Quarter Results — GAAP Net Income Increases 162% (Non-GAAP Increases 63%) on Sales Increase of 2%

JASPER, Ind., May 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kimball International, Inc. (NASDAQ:KBAL) today announced third quarter fiscal year 2017 net sales of $153.1 million, an increase of 2% over the prior year third quarter, and net income of $7.2 million, an increase of 162% over the prior year third quarter.  Excluding prior year restructuring charges, adjusted net income increased 63%.  Earnings per diluted share for the third quarter was $0.19 compared to $0.07 per share earned in the prior year quarter, or $0.12 per share earned in the prior year quarter excluding restructuring charges.

Bob Schneider, Chairman and CEO, stated, “The third quarter is typically the seasonally low period for the office furniture industry, but we were pleased with the relatively strong quarter.  To have achieved a 7.2% operating income in a third quarter is very encouraging at this point in our turnaround efforts.  The significant increase in our net income, despite the seasonally low sales level, is testament to our efforts the last couple years to right-size our cost structure.   Our employees have focused on controlling costs through productivity gains and cost savings initiatives, including the broad-based savings we are experiencing from the consolidation of our metal fabrication production from Idaho into Indiana facilities.  We've also focused on coming to market with new and innovative products, which are resonating well with customers.  Sales of new office furniture products introduced in the last three years were up a strong 21% over the third quarter last year.”

Overview

^{* Items indicated represent Non-GAAP measurements. See “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below.}

• Net sales in the third quarter of fiscal year 2017 increased 2% from the prior year third quarter.  The increase was primarily driven by the finance vertical (up 24%) and the hospitality vertical (up 9%), partially offset by a decline in the healthcare vertical (down 21%).  An increased focus on strategic accounts and assisting financial institutions with refreshing their facilities contributed to the significant increase in sales in the finance vertical.  The improvement in the hospitality vertical was primarily driven by non-custom business and to a lesser extent by custom business.  Uncertainty surrounding the Affordable Care Act impacted sentiment in the healthcare market which the Company believes is causing a delay in spending in the healthcare vertical.  Office furniture sales, which includes all verticals except hospitality, were flat compared to the prior year third quarter.
  
  
• Sales from new office furniture products introduced in the last three years increased 21% over the prior year third quarter.  New product sales approximated 29% of total office furniture sales in the current year third quarter compared to 25% in the prior year third quarter.
  
  
• Orders received during the third quarter of fiscal year 2017 increased 12% from the prior year third quarter, with increases in all vertical markets, except healthcare and hospitality which had very strong orders in the prior year quarter.  Excluding the hospitality vertical, orders received by office furniture verticals increased 18% compared to the prior year third quarter.  One of the Company’s brands implemented a price increase effective April 1st, which the Company believes had the effect of pulling some orders forward into the current year third quarter.  Excluding the estimated effect of the price increase, consolidated orders increased approximately 7% instead of 12% and orders received by the office verticals increased approximately 12% instead of 18%.
  
  
• Third quarter gross profit as a percent of net sales improved 290 basis points over the prior year third quarter, due to lean initiatives, including benefits from the Company's restructuring plan involving the transfer of metal fabrication production from Idaho into facilities in Indiana, and lower employee benefit costs.  Gross profit also increased as a result of higher pricing, including both price increases as well as more favorable pricing on select new products.
  
  
• Selling and administrative expenses in the third quarter of fiscal year 2017 increased 40 basis points as a percent of net sales and increased 3% in absolute dollars compared to the prior year third quarter.  The increase in selling and administrative expense was primarily driven by increases in incentive compensation as a result of higher earnings levels.
  
  
• As a result of completing restructuring activities during the first quarter, including the sale of the Post Falls, Idaho facility and land, no restructuring costs were incurred during the third quarter of fiscal year 2017.  Pre-tax restructuring expenses in the prior year third quarter were $2.8 million.
  
  
• Operating cash flow for the third quarter of fiscal year 2017 was $17.6 million compared to operating cash flow of $24.5 million in the third quarter of the prior year, a decrease of $6.9 million.  The decrease was primarily driven by a lower amount of working capital converted to cash as compared to the prior year quarter, only partially offset by the improved earnings during the current year quarter.
  
  
• The Company's balance in cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments was $84.5 million at March 31, 2017, compared to June 30, 2016 cash and cash equivalents of $47.6 million.  The increase was primarily driven by current year profitability, proceeds from the sale of the Post Falls building and land in August 2016, and improved conversion of working capital balances to cash, and was partially offset by the return of capital to share owners in the form of share repurchases and dividends totaling $13.1 million during the first nine months of fiscal year 2017.  During the current year third quarter, the Company did not repurchase shares.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures
This press release contains non-GAAP financial measures.  A non-GAAP financial measure is a numerical measure of a company's financial performance that excludes amounts so as to be different than the most directly comparable measure calculated and presented in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) in the United States in the statement of income, statement of comprehensive income, balance sheet, or statement of cash flows of the Company.  The non-GAAP financial measures used within this release include (1) operating income excluding restructuring expense; (2) net income excluding restructuring expense; (3) diluted earnings per share excluding restructuring expense; and (4) return on capital excluding restructuring expense.  Reconciliations of the reported GAAP numbers to these non-GAAP financial measures are included in the Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures table below.  Management believes it is useful for investors to understand how its core operations performed without gains or expenses related to executing its restructuring plans.  Excluding these amounts allows investors to meaningfully trend, analyze, and benchmark the performance of the Company's core operations.  Many of the Company's internal performance measures that management uses to make certain operating decisions exclude these gains/expenses to enable meaningful trending of core operating metrics.

The orders received metric is a key performance indicator used to evaluate general sales trends and develop future operating plans.  Orders received represent firm orders placed by our customers during the current quarter which are expected to be recognized as revenue during current or future quarters.  The orders received metric is not intended to be presented as an alternative measure of revenue recognized in accordance with GAAP.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained within this release are considered forward-looking under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are subject to risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the risk that any projections or guidance, including revenues, margins, earnings, or any other financial results are not realized, the outcome of a governmental review of our subcontractor reporting practices, adverse changes in the global economic conditions, significant volume reductions from key contract customers, significant reduction in customer order patterns, financial stability of key customers and suppliers, and availability or cost of raw materials.  Additional cautionary statements regarding other risk factors that could have an effect on the future performance of the Company are contained in the Company's Form 10-K filing for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2016 and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A webcast of the live conference call may be accessed by visiting Kimball's Investor Relations website at www.ir.kimball.com.

For those unable to participate in the live webcast, the call will be archived at www.ir.kimball.com within two hours of the conclusion of the live call.

About Kimball International, Inc.
Kimball International, Inc. creates design driven, innovative furnishings sold through our family of brands: Kimball Office, National Office Furniture, and Kimball Hospitality. Our diverse portfolio offers solutions for the workplace, learning, healing, and hospitality environments. Dedicated to our Guiding Principles, our values and integrity are evidenced by public recognition as a highly trusted company and an employer of choice. “We Build Success” by establishing long-term relationships with customers, employees, suppliers, share owners and the communities in which we operate. To learn more about Kimball International, Inc. (NASDAQ:KBAL), visit www.kimball.com.

Financial highlights for the third quarter ended March 31, 2017 are as follows:

At the beginning of fiscal year 2017 we redefined our vertical market reporting to better reflect the end markets that we serve. The largest shifts among vertical markets were sales to certain government-affiliated customers such as state universities, which were previously classified in the government vertical market and are now classified in the education vertical market.  Prior period information was estimated to reflect the new vertical market definitions on a comparable basis.