Arctic Cat Q1'FY15 net sales mount 19% to $143.6mn

25 Jul '14

3 min read

Arctic Cat Inc reported net earnings of $3.6 million, or $0.27 per diluted share, for the fiscal first quarter ended June 30, 2014, on record net sales of $143.6 million. The company recorded a severance charge in the 2015 first quarter that reduced earnings by $0.08 per diluted share.

Excluding this charge, the company’s first quarter earnings totaled $0.35 per diluted share, as adjusted. In the prior-year quarter, Arctic Cat had record net earnings of $5.5 million, or $0.40 per diluted share, on net sales of $120.8 million.

Highlights:

-Net sales up 19 percent to $143.6 million;

-Net earnings of $0.27 per diluted share; adjusted net earnings totaled $0.35 per diluted share, excluding $0.08 severance charge;

-Company maintains full-year sales and earnings outlook for fiscal 2015, excluding severance charge

Commented Christopher Twomey, Arctic Cat’s chairman and chief executive officer, “We had record sales for a first quarter, with strong contributions from snowmobile sales. We shipped a large percentage of our lower-margin OEM partner models in the quarter. Sales of ATVs and side-by-sides were lower in the first quarter, as planned, to reduce dealer inventories ahead of our ATV dealer show in September.”

Added Twomey, “Higher sales were not enough to overcome the unfavorable Canadian currency and the planned increase in OEM sales in the 2015 first quarter, resulting in lower profitability compared to record earnings in the year-ago period. Going forward, we remain focused on increasing sales this fiscal year by introducing innovative new products, as well as continuing to leverage the company’s operating efficiency.”

First-Quarter Operating Review

Arctic Cat’s fiscal 2015 first-quarter net sales rose approximately 19 percent to $143.6 million, chiefly due to higher snowmobile sales to its OEM partner, in addition to increased sales from its parts, garments and accessories (PG&A) business.

Gross profit margin in the 2015 first quarter was 21.4 percent compared to 24.1 percent in the prior-year quarter. The gross profit margin decline of 270 basis points stemmed primarily from the unfavorable Canadian currency exchange, as approximately 30 percent of Arctic Cat’s annual sales are to Canada. Also impacting gross margin in the quarter were lower-margin OEM sales.

The company continued to invest in research and development to ensure a strong pipeline of new products and technologies. Operating expenses as a percent of sales were 17.6 percent compared to 17.1 percent. General and administrative expense includes the severance charge of $1.5 million for Arctic Cat’s former CEO, who left the company on May 30, 2014. Operating profit in the 2015 first quarter was $5.6 million compared to $8.5 million in the same quarter last year. Excluding the charge, Arctic Cat’s operating profit was $7.1 million, as adjusted.

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Arctic Cat Inc

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