Sales and Earnings Reported by J & J Snack Foods

PENNSAUKEN, N.J., Nov. 7, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- J & J Snack Foods Corp. (Nasdaq:JJSF) today announced sales and earnings for its fourth quarter and year ended September 28, 2013.

Sales for the fourth quarter (13 weeks) decreased 2% to $237.9 million from $242.2 million in last year's fourth quarter (14 weeks). For the year ended September 28, 2013 (52 weeks), sales increased 4% to $867.7 million from $830.8 million last year (53 weeks). Excluding sales from the extra week in 2012, sales increased approximately 5% for the fourth quarter and 6 1/2% for the year. Net earnings increased 4% to $20.3 million ($1.08 per diluted share) in this year's fourth quarter compared to $19.5 million ($1.03 per diluted share) last year and for the year earnings increased 19% to $64.4 million ($3.41 per diluted share) from $54.1 million ($2.86 per diluted share).

Operating income increased 2% to $30.8 million this year from $30.3 million in the year ago period for the fourth quarter. For the year, operating income increased 15% to $97.4 million from $85.0 million last year.

The Company also said that it purchased and retired 97,302 shares of its common stock at a cost of $7,302,515 in the fourth quarter.

Gerald B. Shreiber, J & J's President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "For the quarter our food service group performed well with strong growth coming from sales of soft pretzel products including new varieties of our soft pretzels to new and existing customers. Churro sales remained strong but our retail supermarket group had disappointing sales and earnings due in part to cool weather conditions in the northeast that have persisted since early spring."

J&J Snack Foods Corp. is a leader and innovator in the snack food industry, providing nutritional and affordable branded niche snack foods and beverages to foodservice and retail supermarket outlets. Manufactured and distributed nationwide, our principal products include SUPERPRETZEL, PRETZEL FILLERS and other soft pretzels, ICEE and SLUSH PUPPIE frozen beverages, LUIGI'S Italian ice, MINUTE MAID* frozen juice bars and ices, WHOLE FRUIT sorbet, MARY B'S biscuits and dumplings, DADDY RAY'S fig and fruit bars, TIO PEPE'S and CALIFORNIA CHURROS churros, THE FUNNEL CAKE FACTORY funnel cakes, and READI-BAKE cookies.  For more information, please visit us at www.jjsnack.com.

*MINUTE MAID is a registered trademark of The Coca-Cola Company.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Fiscal 2013 (52 weeks) Compared to Fiscal 2012 (53 weeks)

Net sales increased $36,887,000, or 4%, to $867,683,000 in fiscal 2013 from $830,796,000 in fiscal 2012. Excluding sales from the extra week in 2012, sales increased approximately 6 1/2% from 2012 to 2013.

Excluding sales from the acquisition of Kim & Scott's Gourmet Pretzels in June 2012 in the twelve months post acquisition and the extra week in 2012, sales increased approximately 6% for the year.

FOOD SERVICE

Sales to food service customers increased $39,497,000 or 8%, to $560,759,000 in fiscal 2013. Excluding sales from the extra week in 2012, sales increased approximately 10% from 2012 to 2013. Excluding Kim & Scott's sales in the twelve months post acquisition and the extra week in 2012, sales increased approximately 9% for the year. Soft pretzel sales to the food service market increased 23% to $145,026,000 for the year aided by increased sales to restaurant chains, warehouse club stores and throughout our customer base. Increased sales to two customers accounted for approximately 1/3 of the pretzel sales increase. Excluding Kim & Scott's sales, food service soft pretzel sales increased 20% for the year. Frozen juice bar and ices sales decreased $4,982,000 or 9%, to $48,831,000 for the year primarily as the result of lower sales to warehouse club stores due we believe to weather and school food service accounts due to changes in USDA school food programs. We believe the impact of the changes in the USDA school food programs on our frozen juice and ices sales has bottomed out. Churro sales to food service customers increased 22% to $56,099,000 in 2013 with sales to one restaurant chain accounting for all of the sales increase. Sales of bakery products increased $8,591,000, or 3%, for the year as sales increases and decreases were spread throughout our customer base. Handheld sales to food service customers were down 5% to $26,488,000 in 2013 as two customers accounted for all of the decrease in sales. Sales of new products in the first twelve months since their introduction were approximately $11.2 million for the year. Price increases accounted for approximately $11.6 million of sales for the year and net volume increases, including new product sales as defined above and sales resulting from the acquisition of Kim & Scott's, accounted for approximately $27.9 million of sales for the year. Operating income in our Food Service segment increased from $49,770,000 in 2012 to $65,907,000 in 2013. Operating income benefited from increased sales volume, price increases and lower ingredient and packaging costs of approximately $2 million. Operating income was impacted by a product write down of $500,000 and by a $2.1 million increase in liability insurance expense from last year. The increase in insurance expense is due to an increase in claims and estimates for claims incurred but not yet paid.      

RETAIL SUPERMARKETS

Sales of products to retail supermarkets decreased $7,529,000 or 7% to $102,339,000 in fiscal year 2013. Excluding sales from the extra week in 2012, sales decreased approximately 5% from 2012 to 2013. Excluding Kim & Scott's sales in the twelve months post acquisition and the extra week in 2012, sales decreased approximately 5% for the year. Soft pretzel sales to retail supermarkets were $34,597,000 compared to $33,842,000 in 2012 on a unit volume increase of 2%. Sales of frozen juices and ices decreased $5,596,000 or 10% to $48,077,000 on a volume decrease of about 9%. Frozen juices and ices sales were impacted by cold weather throughout the second half of the year. Coupon redemption costs, a reduction of sales, increased 14% or about $459,000 for the year. Handheld sales to retail supermarket customers decreased 8% to $22,528,000 in 2013 as two customers accounted for all of the decrease in sales. Sales of products in the first twelve months since their introduction were approximately $1.4 million in fiscal year 2013. Price increases accounted for approximately $2.9 million of sales for the year and net volume decreases, including new product sales as defined above and Kim & Scott's sales and net of increased coupon costs, reduced sales by approximately $10.4 million for the year. Operating income in our Retail Supermarkets segment decreased from $13,316,000 in 2012 to $8,594,000 in 2013 with 84% of the decrease, or $3,982,000, coming in the fourth quarter. The fourth quarter was impacted by sharply lower sales of frozen juices and ices, which were down 26%, and by increased trade spending needed to generate those sales. We believe that the impact of cold weather on frozen novelties' sales was widespread among manufacturers.

FROZEN BEVERAGES

Frozen beverage and related product sales increased 2% to $204,585,000 in fiscal 2013. Excluding sales from the extra week in 2012, sales increased approximately 4% from 2012 to 2013. Beverage sales alone decreased 2% to $132,274,000 for the year with increases and decreases throughout our customer base. Gallon sales were down 4% in our base ICEE business. Service revenue increased 8% to $52,813,000 for the year with increases and decreases spread across our customer base. Sales of beverage machines, which tend to fluctuate from year to year while following no specific trend, increased from $13,136,000 in 2012 to $17,376,000 in 2013. The estimated number of Company owned frozen beverage dispensers was 44,700 and 42,500 at September 28, 2013 and September 29, 2012, respectively. Operating income in our Frozen Beverage segment increased from $21,881,000 in 2012 to $22,903,000 in 2013 as a result of increased service revenue and machine sales as discussed above and controlled expenses. 

CONSOLIDATED

Other than as commented upon above by segment, there are no material specific reasons for the reported sales increases or decreases.  Sales levels can be impacted by the appeal of our products to our customers and consumers and their changing tastes, competitive and pricing pressures, sales execution, marketing programs, seasonal weather, customer stability and general economic conditions.

Gross profit as a percentage of sales increased to 30.35% in 2013 from 30.11% in 2012 primarily due to higher volume in our food service segment, and the margin also benefitted by lower ingredient and packaging costs of about $2.3 million. Gross profit was impacted by about $2.1 million of increased liability insurance expense compared to last year and a product write down of $500,000 related to a new product that was not successful. Ingredient and packaging costs can be extremely volatile and may be significantly different from what we are presently expecting and therefore we cannot project the impact of ingredient and packaging costs on our business going forward.

Total operating expenses increased $680,000 to $165,898,000 in fiscal 2013 but as a percentage of sales decreased .77 percentage points to 19% of sales. Marketing expenses decreased .65 percentage points and remained at 9% of sales as a result of higher sales and lower expenses of which about $800,000 resulted from a management and sales meeting held in 2012 which did not reoccur in 2013. Distribution expenses as a percent of sales were 7.49% in both years. Administrative expenses were 3.16% and 3.15% of sales in 2013 and 2012, respectively. Other general income of $651,000 this year compared to other general expense of $458,000 in 2012. Included in other general income in 2013 is $805,000 of settlement income related to prior acquisitions. Included in other general expense in 2012 is $404,000 of acquisition costs and costs of relocating Kim & Scott's operations.

Operating income increased $12,437,000 or 15% to $97,404,000 in fiscal year 2013 as a result of the aforementioned items. 

Investment income increased by $2,100,000 to $3,492,000 due to increased investments in marketable securities. We invested $80 million in the first quarter and $30 million in the third quarter in mutual funds that seek current income with an emphasis on maintaining low volatility and overall moderate duration.   We estimate the annual yield from these funds to approximate 3.5 – 3.75%. US Government Agency debt of $23.0 million held at September 29, 2012 which was yielding 2.0% was called in the year ending September 28, 2013. 

The effective income tax rate decreased to 36% from 37% last year because actual liability for last year's taxes was less than estimated and the estimate for this year's taxes has been lowered accordingly.  

Net earnings increased $10,263,000 or 19%, in fiscal 2013 to $64,381,000, or $3.41 per diluted share as a result of the aforementioned items.

There are many factors which can impact our net earnings from year to year and in the long run, among which are the supply and cost of raw materials and labor, insurance costs, factors impacting sales as noted above, the continuing consolidation of our customers, our ability to manage our manufacturing, marketing and distribution activities, our ability to make and integrate acquisitions and changes in tax laws and interest rates.