Release Details

• Net sales $924 million
• Diluted EPS $1.53; adjusted diluted EPS $1.61
• Returned $209 million to shareholders through share repurchases and dividends in the first three quarters of fiscal 2018
• Q4 fiscal 2018 outlook: net sales growth of approximately 5%; adjusted diluted EPS growth of approximately 10%

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 25, 2018-- Carter’s, Inc. (NYSE:CRI), the largest branded marketer in North America of apparel exclusively for babies and young children, today reported its third quarter fiscal 2018 results.

“We did not achieve our growth objectives in the third quarter,” said Michael D. Casey, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “We saw less robust demand than expected for our fall transitional product offerings, especially during the Labor Day holiday shopping period. In the latter part of September, as cooler weather arrived in more parts of the United States, sales trends improved meaningfully and were more in line with our expectations. Given the improved trend in sales, together with the strength of our fall and holiday product offerings, we are expecting good growth in sales and earnings in the fourth quarter.”

Consolidated Results

Third Quarter of Fiscal 2018 compared to Third Quarter of Fiscal 2017

Net sales decreased $24.1 million, or 2.5%, to $923.9 million, principally driven by a net sales decline in the Company’s U.S. Wholesale segment, reflecting loss of sales to Toys “R” Us and Bon-Ton¹,partially offset by growth in the U.S. Retail and International segments. Changes in foreign currency exchange rates in the third quarter of fiscal 2018 compared to the third quarter of fiscal 2017 adversely affected consolidated net sales in the third quarter of fiscal 2018 by $4.1 million, or 0.4%. On a constant currency basis (a non-GAAP measure), consolidated net sales decreased 2.1% in the third quarter of fiscal 2018.

Operating income in the third quarter of fiscal 2018 decreased $26.9 million, or 20.6%, to $103.6 million, compared to $130.4 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2017. 2018 results include $3.5 million in charges related to changes in the Company’s business model in China. Operating margin decreased 260 basis points to 11.2%, compared to 13.8% in the third quarter of fiscal 2017.

Adjusted operating income (a non-GAAP measure which excludes the $3.5 million charge noted above and other unusual items in the third quarter of fiscal 2017) decreased $23.8 million, or 18.2%, to $107.1 million, compared to $130.9 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2017. Adjusted operating margin (a non-GAAP measure) decreased 220 basis points to 11.6%, compared to 13.8% in the third quarter of fiscal 2017, which principally reflects investments in retail and marketing and higher distribution expenses.

Net income in the third quarter of fiscal 2018 decreased $10.5 million, or 12.8%, to $71.8 million, or $1.53 per diluted share, compared to $82.3 million, or $1.71 per diluted share, in the third quarter of fiscal 2017. Net income in the third quarter of fiscal 2018 reflects a consolidated effective income tax rate of 23.5% compared to 33.2% in the third quarter of fiscal 2017.

Adjusted net income (a non-GAAP measure) decreased $6.7 million, or 8.2%, to $75.3 million, compared to $82.0 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2017. Adjusted earnings per diluted share (a non-GAAP measure) in the third quarter of fiscal 2018 declined 5.4% to $1.61, compared to $1.70 in the third quarter of fiscal 2017.

¹ Retailers which have ceased operations in 2018.

First Three Quarters of Fiscal 2018 compared to First Three Quarters of Fiscal 2017

Net sales increased $3.3 million, or 0.1%, to $2.4 billion, principally driven by growth in the Company’s U.S. Retail and International segments, including contributions from the 2017 Mexico licensee and Skip Hop business, offset by a net sales decline in the U.S. Wholesale segment. Changes in foreign currency exchange rates in the first three quarters of fiscal 2018 compared to the first three quarters of fiscal 2017 favorably affected consolidated net sales in the first three quarters of fiscal 2018 by $1.3 million, or 0.1%. On a constant currency basis (a non-GAAP measure), consolidated net sales increased 0.1% in the first three quarters of fiscal 2018.

Operating income in the first three quarters of fiscal 2018 decreased $52.4 million, or 19.2%, to $220.8 million, compared to $273.2 million in the first three quarters of fiscal 2017. 2018 year-to-date results include $12.8 million in charges related to the bankruptcy of a wholesale customer, Toys “R” Us, and $3.5 million in charges related to changes in the Company’s business model in China. Operating margin decreased 220 basis points to 9.3%, compared to 11.5% in the first three quarters of fiscal 2017.

Adjusted operating income (a non-GAAP measure which excludes the $12.8 million and $3.5 million in charges noted above and other unusual items in the first three quarters of fiscal 2018 and 2017) decreased $40.0 million, or 14.5%, to $236.8 million, compared to $276.8 million in the first three quarters of fiscal 2017. Adjusted operating margin (a non-GAAP measure) decreased 170 basis points to 10.0%, compared to 11.7% in the first three quarters of fiscal 2017, which principally reflects investments in retail and marketing and higher distribution expenses.

Net income in the first three quarters of fiscal 2018 decreased $15.2 million, or 9.1%, to $151.5 million, or $3.20 per diluted share, compared to $166.7 million, or $3.42 per diluted share, in the first three quarters of fiscal 2017. Net income in the first three quarters of fiscal 2018 reflects an effective income tax rate of 22.3% compared to 34.0% in the first three quarters of fiscal 2017.

Adjusted net income (a non-GAAP measure) decreased $3.8 million, or 2.3%, to $164.5 million, compared to $168.4 million in the first three quarters of fiscal 2017. Adjusted earnings per diluted share (a non-GAAP measure) in the first three quarters of fiscal 2018 increased 0.7% to $3.48, compared to $3.45 in the first three quarters of fiscal 2017.

Cash flow from operations in the first three quarters of fiscal 2018 was $21.4 million compared to $117.5 million in the first three quarters of fiscal 2017. The decrease reflects an increase in working capital and lower net income.

See the “Reconciliation of GAAP to Adjusted Results” section of this release for additional disclosures and reconciliations regarding non-GAAP measures.

Business Segment Results

U.S. Retail Segment

Third Quarter of Fiscal 2018 compared to Third Quarter of Fiscal 2017

U.S. Retail segment sales increased $5.3 million, or 1.2%, to $459.1 million. U.S. Retail comparable sales increased 0.5%, driven by growth in eCommerce sales.

In the third quarter of fiscal 2018, the Company opened 18 stores and closed nine stores in the United States.

First Three Quarters of Fiscal 2018 compared to First Three Quarters of Fiscal 2017

U.S. Retail segment sales increased $35.7 million, or 3.0%, to $1.2 billion. U.S. Retail comparable sales increased 1.4%, driven by growth in eCommerce sales.

In the first three quarters of fiscal 2018, the Company opened 41 stores and closed 36 stores in the United States. As of the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2018, the Company operated 835 retail stores in the United States.

U.S. Wholesale Segment

Third Quarter of Fiscal 2018 compared to Third Quarter of Fiscal 2017

U.S. Wholesale segment net sales decreased $30.6 million, or 8.3%, to $339.0 million, reflecting lower shipments principally due to the loss of sales to Toys “R” Us and Bon-Ton.

First Three Quarters of Fiscal 2018 compared to First Three Quarters of Fiscal 2017

U.S. Wholesale segment net sales decreased $50.6 million, or 5.7%, to $829.3 million, reflecting lower shipments principally due to the loss of sales to Toys “R” Us and Bon-Ton, partially offset by contributions from the acquired Skip Hop business.

International Segment

Third Quarter of Fiscal 2018 compared to Third Quarter of Fiscal 2017

International segment net sales increased $1.2 million, or 1.0%, to $125.8 million, reflecting the contribution from the acquired Mexico licensee business and increased demand in various markets outside of North America, offset by lower demand in China and unfavorable movements in foreign currency exchange rates.

Changes in foreign currency exchange rates in the third quarter of fiscal 2018 compared to the third quarter of fiscal 2017 adversely affected International segment net sales in the third quarter of fiscal 2018 by $4.1 million, or 3.3%. On a constant currency basis (a non-GAAP measure), International segment net sales increased 4.2%.

First Three Quarters of Fiscal 2018 compared to First Three Quarters of Fiscal 2017

International segment net sales increased $18.1 million, or 6.4%, to $301.8 million, driven by contributions from the acquired Mexico licensee and Skip Hop businesses and growth in Canada, partially offset by decreased demand in various markets outside of the U.S. and Canada.

Changes in foreign currency exchange rates in the first three quarters of fiscal 2018 compared to the first three quarters of fiscal 2017 favorably affected International segment net sales in the first three quarters of fiscal 2018 by $1.3 million, or 0.5%. On a constant currency basis (a non-GAAP measure), International segment net sales increased 5.9%.

As of the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2018, the Company operated 184 retail stores in Canada and 42 retail stores in Mexico.

Return of Capital

In the third quarter and first three quarters of fiscal 2018, the Company returned to shareholders a total of $77.2 million and $208.6 million, respectively, through share repurchases and cash dividends as described below.

During the third quarter of fiscal 2018, the Company repurchased and retired 543,793 shares of its common stock for $56.4 million at an average price of $103.72 per share. In the first three quarters of fiscal 2018, the Company repurchased and retired 1,364,420 shares of its common stock for $145.5 million at an average price of $106.63 per share. Fiscal year-to-date through October 24, 2018, the Company has repurchased and retired a total of 1,596,851 shares for $168.0 million at an average price of $105.23 per share. All shares were repurchased in open market transactions pursuant to applicable regulations for such transactions. As of October 24, 2018, the total remaining capacity under the Company’s previously announced repurchase authorizations was approximately $418 million.

In the third quarter of fiscal 2018, the Company paid a cash dividend of $0.45 per share totaling $20.8 million. In the first three quarters of fiscal 2018, the company paid cash dividends totaling $63.1 million. Future declarations of quarterly dividends and the establishment of related record and payment dates will be at the discretion of the Company’s Board of Directors based on a number of factors, including the Company’s future financial performance and other considerations.

2018 Business Outlook

For the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018, the Company projects net sales to increase approximately 5% compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017 and adjusted diluted earnings per share to increase approximately 10% compared to adjusted diluted earnings per share of $2.33 in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017. Net sales and adjusted earnings in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018 assume a partial recovery of lost sales initially planned to Toys “R” Us and Bon-Ton.

For fiscal 2018, the Company projects net sales to increase approximately 1.5% compared to fiscal 2017 and adjusted diluted earnings per share to increase approximately 5% compared to adjusted diluted earnings per share of $5.77 in fiscal 2017. Forecasted net sales and adjusted earnings for fiscal 2018 assume: 1) the Company recaptures approximately $40 million of the $80 million of the lost sales initially planned to Toys “R” Us and Bon-Ton over the last three fiscal quarters of 2018; 2) a reduction in discretionary spending from originally planned levels; and 3) an estimated effective tax rate of approximately 22%. This adjusted fiscal 2018 earnings forecast excludes: 1) the unusual charge of approximately $12.8 million related to the Toys “R” Us bankruptcy (recorded in the first quarter); 2) charges totaling approximately $3.5 million related to changes in the Company’s business model in China (recorded in the third quarter); and 3) a benefit of approximately $0.4 million related to an insurance recovery associated with unusual storm-related store closures (recorded in the first quarter).

The Company believes these non-GAAP measurements provide investors with a meaningful view of the Company’s core operating results, and are the same measurements used by the Company's executive management to assess the Company's performance.

Adoption of New Accounting Standard

Beginning in fiscal 2018, the Company adopted the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s Accounting Standards Codification No. 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, and related amendments (“ASC 606”) using the full retrospective adoption method. All periods in fiscal 2017 and fiscal 2016 wereamended to reflect these provisions, and retained earnings at January 2, 2016 (beginning of fiscal 2016) were adjusted for the cumulative effect of periods prior to fiscal 2016. Theadoption of ASC 606 had no material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

Conference Call

The Company will hold a conference call with investors to discuss third quarter fiscal 2018 results and its business outlook on October 25, 2018 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time. To participate in the call, please dial 334-323-0522. To listen to a live broadcast via the internet, please visit www.carters.com and select the “Q3 2018 Earnings Conference Call” link under the “Investor Relations” tab. Presentation materials for the call can be accessed under the same tab by selecting the link for “News & Events” followed by “Webcasts & Presentations”. A replay of the call will be available shortly after the broadcast through November 3, 2018, at 888-203-1112 (U.S. / Canada) or 719-457-0820 (international), passcode 4123027. The replay will also be archived on the Company’s website under the “Investor Relations” tab.

About Carter’s, Inc.

Carter’s, Inc. is the largest branded marketer in North America of apparel exclusively for babies and young children. The Company owns the Carter’s and OshKosh B’gosh brands, two of the most recognized brands in the marketplace. These brands are sold in leading department stores, national chains, and specialty retailers domestically and internationally. They are also sold through more than 1,000 Company-operated stores in the United States, Canada, and Mexico and online at www.carters.com, www.oshkosh.com, and www.cartersoshkosh.ca. The Company’s Just One Youand Genuine Kids brands are available at Target, its Child of Mine brand is available at Walmart, and its Simple Joys brand is available on Amazon. The Company also owns Skip Hop, a global lifestyle brand for families with young children. Carter’s is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Additional information may be found at www.carters.com.

Cautionary Language

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 relating to the Company’s future performance, including, without limitation, statements with respect to the Company’s anticipated financial results for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018 and fiscal year 2018, or any other future period, assessments of the Company’s performance and financial position, and drivers of the Company’s sales and earnings growth. Such statements are based on current expectations only, and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or not materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those anticipated, estimated, or projected. Certain of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and performance to differ materially are described in the Company’s most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time under the headings “Risk Factors”. Included among the risks and uncertainties that may impact future results are the risks of: losing one or more major customers, vendors, or licensees due to competition, inadequate quality of the Company’s products, or otherwise; financial difficulties for one or more of the Company’s major customers, vendors, or licensees, or an overall decrease in consumer spending; our products not being accepted in the marketplace due to quality concerns, changes in consumer preference and fashion trends, or otherwise; a failure to meet regulatory requirements, including those relating to product quality and safety; negative publicity, including as a result of product recalls or otherwise; a failure to protect the Company’s intellectual property; various types of litigation, including class action litigation brought under various consumer protection, employment, and privacy and information security laws; a breach of the Company’s consumer databases, systems, or processes; disruptions, slow-downs, or strikes in the Company’s supply chain, including disruptions resulting from increases in the cost of raw materials or labor, foreign supply sources, the Company’s distribution centers, or in-sourcing capabilities; extreme or unseasonable weather conditions; unsuccessful expansion into international markets or failure to successfully manage legal, regulatory, political and economic risks of the Company’s existing operations, including unexpected changes in regulatory requirements, new tariffs, and maintaining compliance with worldwide anti-bribery laws; failure to successfully integrate acquired businesses; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; the imposition of new regulations relating to imports, duties, or taxes; and an inability to obtain additional financing on favorable terms. The Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are supplemental financial measures that are not defined or prepared in accordance with GAAP. We define EBITDA as net income before interest, income taxes, and depreciation and amortization. Adjusted EBITDA is EBITDA adjusted for the items described in footnotes (a) - (g) to the table above.

We present EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA because we consider them important supplemental measures of our performance and believe they are frequently used by securities analysts, investors, and other interested parties in the evaluation of companies in our industry. These measures also afford investors a view of what management considers to be the Company's core performance.

The use of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA instead of net income or cash flows from operations has limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider them in isolation, or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not represent net income or cash flow from operations as those terms are defined by GAAP and do not necessarily indicate whether cash flows will be sufficient to fund cash needs. While EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and similar measures are frequently used as measures of operations and the ability to meet debt service requirements, these terms are not necessarily comparable to other similarly titled captions of other companies due to the potential inconsistencies in the method of calculation. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect the impact of earnings or charges resulting from matters that we consider not to be indicative of our ongoing operations. Because of these limitations, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered as discretionary cash available to us for working capital, debt service and other purposes.

The Company evaluates its net sales on both an “as reported” and a “constant currency” basis. The constant currency presentation, which is a non-GAAP measure, excludes the impact of fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates that occurred between the comparative periods. Constant currency net sales results are calculated by translating current period net sales in local currency to the U.S. dollar amount by using the currency conversion rate for the prior comparative period. The Company consistently applies this approach to net sales for all countries where the functional currency is not the U.S. dollar. The Company believes that the presentation of net sales on a constant currency basis provides useful supplemental information regarding changes in our net sales that were not due to fluctuations in currency exchange rates and such information is consistent with how the Company assesses changes in its net sales between comparative periods.

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Source: Carter’s, Inc.

Carter’s, Inc.
Sean McHugh, 678-791-7615
Vice President & Treasurer