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Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation Announces Fiscal 2005 Fourth Quarter and Full Year Results
    *  Full Year Net Sales of $814.0 Million, up 6.0% on Comparative 52-week
       Basis From Fiscal 2004

    *  40th Consecutive Quarter of Same Store Sales Growth

    *  Completes Transition to New Distribution Center During First Quarter

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., March 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation (Nasdaq: BGFV), a leading sporting goods retailer, today reported financial results for the fiscal 2005 fourth quarter and full year that ended on January 1, 2006.

For the 13-week fiscal 2005 fourth quarter, net sales were $218.9 million versus net sales of $217.6 million for the 14-week fourth quarter of fiscal 2004. Fiscal 2004 included 53 weeks, with the extra week included in the Company's fourth quarter. On a comparable 13-week basis for both fiscal 2005 and fiscal 2004, net sales for the quarter increased by $12.4 million, or 6.0%, and same store sales increased 1.5%. This same store sales increase represented the Company's 40th consecutive quarter of positive same store sales comparisons. Net income for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2005 was $7.7 million, or $0.34 per diluted share, compared with net income of $9.5 million, or $0.42 per diluted share, for the fiscal 2004 fourth quarter.

Fourth quarter sales were negatively affected by unfavorable winter weather comparisons in California and the southwest, which were partially offset by favorable winter weather comparisons in the northwest. Sales of non-winter-related products were generally in line with the Company's expectations for the quarter.

Fourth quarter fiscal 2005 results include the impact of approximately $4.5 million (pretax), or $0.12 per diluted share, of expenses directly attributable to the Company's transition to its new distribution center. These increased expenses resulted from the need to devote additional labor to minimize disruption of product flow to the Company's stores during the holiday period, duplicate facility costs from simultaneously operating two distribution center facilities, transition-related trucking and incremental depreciation charges. Costs related to Sarbanes-Oxley compliance work for 2005 also were concentrated into the fiscal 2005 fourth quarter and fiscal 2006 first quarter.

Income comparisons for the fourth quarter also were affected by the amount of inventory cost capitalization of warehouse expenses, primarily due to higher costs related to the Company's transition to its new distribution center. This increased fiscal 2005 fourth quarter pretax profit by $0.8 million, or $0.02 per diluted share, compared to the same period of the prior year. Income for the fiscal 2004 fourth quarter includes a charge of $1.3 million (pretax), or $0.03 per diluted share, associated with the redemption of $33.1 million principal amount of the Company's 10.875% senior notes.

For the 52 weeks ended January 1, 2006, net sales increased by $31.8 million, or 4.1%, to $814.0 million from $782.2 million for the corresponding 53-week 2004 fiscal year. On a comparable 52-week basis for both fiscal 2005 and fiscal 2004, net sales for the year increased by $45.9 million, or 6.0%, and same store sales increased 2.4%. Net income for fiscal 2005 was $27.5 million, or $1.21 per diluted share, versus net income for fiscal 2004 of $33.5 million, or $1.47 per diluted share.

Results for fiscal 2005 include the impact of approximately $6.7 million (pretax), or $0.18 per diluted share, of expenses directly attributable to the Company's transition to its new distribution center, and costs of approximately $3.9 million (pretax), or $0.10 per diluted share, for legal, audit and other expenses relating to the Company's restatement.

Income comparisons for fiscal 2005 also were affected by the amount of inventory cost capitalization of warehouse expenses, primarily due to higher costs related to the Company's transition to its new distribution center. This increased fiscal 2005 pretax profit by $2.2 million, or $0.06 per diluted share, compared to the prior year. Additionally, results for fiscal 2005 benefited from the Company's recording in the third quarter of $1.8 million (pretax) in proceeds from the settlement of a claim related to the required relocation of one of the Company's stores following an eminent domain action by a city redevelopment agency, which increased the Company's income by $0.05 per diluted share. Income for fiscal 2004 includes charges totaling $2.1 million (pretax), or $0.06 per diluted share, associated with the redemption of $48.1 million principal amount of the Company's 10.875% senior notes.

New Distribution Center

During the fourth quarter of 2005, construction was completed on the Company's new distribution center located in Riverside, California. During the first quarter of 2006, the Company completed its transition to the new distribution center, and the Company is now running all distribution operations out of the new facility. All product is being received into and shipped out of the new facility, all existing distribution center product has been moved into the new facility and the old facility has been closed.

"While our results reflect the significant challenges we faced during 2005, we are confident in our overall business model and believe that our investments have placed us in a strong position to grow our business," said Steven G. Miller, the Company's Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Our team worked extremely hard to complete the enormous transition to our new distribution center on schedule with as little disruption of product flow to our stores as possible during the busy holiday season and into the first quarter. This effort proved more costly than we had previously anticipated, but we are pleased to have achieved solid sales growth through the transition. We are now making refinements to improve productivity and efficiency at the new distribution center, and we look forward to servicing our growing store base with this facility for years to come. Although we expect our bottom line for 2006 to be impacted by continued expense pressures, we are very pleased that our sales for the first quarter are off to a strong start, and we feel well positioned to carry this sales momentum into the second quarter."

Guidance

The Company expects to realize same store sales growth in the low to mid-single digit range for the first quarter and full year of fiscal 2006, and earnings per diluted share of $1.23 to $1.33 for the full year. This full-year earnings guidance reflects the costs associated with the Company's transition to its new distribution center and with the commencement of operations at a substantially larger distribution facility, higher than expected audit-related expenses following the Company's previously completed restatement of prior period financials and higher interest costs resulting from rising interest rates. Full-year earnings guidance also reflects the expected impact of the implementation of new accounting rules requiring the expensing of stock options and the expected impact of a substantially lower benefit from inventory cost capitalization than the Company experienced in fiscal 2005.

Store Openings

The Company opened ten new stores during the fiscal 2005 fourth quarter, bringing its year-end store count to 324 stores. The Company anticipates opening two new stores during the first quarter of 2006, and opening a total of approximately 20 new stores during fiscal 2006.

Conference Call Information

The Company will host a conference call and audio webcast today at 2:00 p.m. Pacific (5:00 p.m. EST) to discuss financial results for the fiscal 2005 fourth quarter and full year. The webcast will be available at www.big5sportinggoods.com and archived for 30 days. Visitors to the website should select the "Investor Relations" link to access the webcast.

About Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation

Big 5 is a leading sporting goods retailer in the United States, operating 324 stores in 10 states under the "Big 5 Sporting Goods" name. Big 5 provides a full-line product offering in a traditional sporting goods store format that averages 11,000 square feet. Big 5's product mix includes athletic shoes, apparel and accessories, as well as a broad selection of outdoor and athletic equipment for team sports, fitness, camping, hunting, fishing, tennis, golf, snowboarding and in-line skating.

Except for historical information contained herein, the statements in this release are forward-looking and made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause Big 5's actual results in current or future periods to differ materially from forecasted results. Those risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the competitive environment in the sporting goods industry in general and in Big 5's specific market areas, inflation, product availability and growth opportunities, seasonal fluctuations, weather conditions, changes in costs of goods, operating expense fluctuations, disruption in product flow or increased costs related to distribution center operations, changes in interest rates and economic conditions in general. Those and other risks are more fully described in Big 5's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 2, 2005 and its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended October 2, 2005. Big 5 conducts its business in a highly competitive and rapidly changing environment. Accordingly, new risk factors may arise. It is not possible for management to predict all such risk factors, nor to assess the impact of all such risk factors on Big 5's business or the extent to which any individual risk factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Big 5 disclaims any obligation to update any such factors or to publicly announce results of any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect future events or developments.



                       BIG 5 SPORTING GOODS CORPORATION
               CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                                 (Unaudited)
                (in thousands, except earnings per share data)

                                         13 Weeks Ended       14 Weeks Ended
                                         January 1, 2006      January 2, 2005

    Net sales                                $218,913            $217,596
    Cost of goods sold, buying and
     occupancy, excluding
     depreciation and amortization, shown
     separately below                         144,517             139,067
    Gross profit                               74,396              78,529

    Selling and administrative                 54,887              56,642
    Depreciation and amortization               4,808               3,378

    Operating income                           14,701              18,509
    Premium and unamortized financing
     fees related
     to redemption of debt                         --               1,275
    Other income                                  (53)                 --
    Interest expense, net                       1,990               1,639

    Income before income taxes                 12,764              15,595
    Income tax                                  5,027               6,142

    Net income                                 $7,737              $9,453


    Earnings per share:
      Basic                                     $0.34               $0.42

      Diluted                                   $0.34               $0.42

    Shares used to calculate earnings per
     share:
      Basic                                    22,687              22,674

      Diluted                                  22,793              22,811



                       BIG 5 SPORTING GOODS CORPORATION
               CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                                 (Unaudited)
                (in thousands, except earnings per share data)

                                         52 Weeks Ended       53 Weeks Ended
                                         January 1, 2006      January 2, 2005

    Net sales                                $813,978            $782,215
    Cost of goods sold, buying and
     occupancy, excluding
     depreciation and amortization, shown
     separately below                         525,768             496,633
    Gross profit                              288,210             285,582

    Selling and administrative                222,841             209,081
    Depreciation and amortization              15,526              12,296

    Operating income                           49,843              64,205
    Premium and unamortized financing
     fees related
     to redemption of debt                         --               2,067
    Other income                               (1,462)                 --
    Interest expense, net                       5,839               6,841

    Income before income taxes                 45,466              55,297
    Income tax                                 17,927              21,778

    Net income                                $27,539             $33,519


    Earnings per share:
      Basic                                     $1.21               $1.48

      Diluted                                   $1.21               $1.47

    Shares used to calculate earnings per
     share:
      Basic                                    22,680              22,669

      Diluted                                  22,802              22,792



                       BIG 5 SPORTING GOODS CORPORATION
                    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                                 (Unaudited)
                                (in thousands)

                                                 January 1,       January 2,
                                                    2006             2005
    Assets
    Current assets
       Cash and cash equivalents                   $6,054           $6,746
       Merchandise inventories                    223,243          206,213
       Other current assets                        26,968           24,480

          Total current assets                    256,265          237,439

    Property and equipment, net                    86,475           63,837
    Other long-term assets                         10,243           11,401

    Total assets                                 $352,983         $312,677

    Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity

    Accounts payable                              $90,698          $98,298
    Other current liabilities                      74,176           66,610
    Deferred rent and other long-term
     liabilities                                   23,678           18,825
    Long-term debt                                 88,760           74,668

          Total liabilities                       277,312          258,401

    Net stockholders' equity                       75,671           54,276

    Total liabilities and stockholders'
     equity                                      $352,983         $312,677

SOURCE  Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation
    -0-                             03/09/2006
    /CONTACT:  Barry Emerson, Sr. Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
of Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation, +1-310-536-0611; or John Mills, Senior
Managing Director of Integrated Corporate Relations, Inc., +1-310-395-2215,
for Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation/
    /Web site:  http://www.big5sportinggoods.com/
    (BGFV)

CO:  Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation
ST:  California
IN:  REA SPT
SU:  ERN CCA

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1193 03/09/2006 16:10 EST http://www.prnewswire.com