Sysco Reports Fourth Quarter Diluted EPS of $0.53; Fiscal Year 2009 Diluted EPS of $1.77

Aug 10, 2009

HOUSTON, Aug. 10, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sysco Corporation (NYSE:SYY) today announced financial results for its 13-week fourth quarter and 52 weeks of fiscal 2009 ended June 27, 2009.

Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2009 Highlights

 
 * Sales were $9.1 billion, a decrease of 6.6% from $9.7 billion in
   the fourth quarter of fiscal 2008.
 * Operating income was $540 million, a decrease of 3.3% compared to
   $559 million in last year's fourth quarter.
 * Diluted earnings per share (EPS) was $0.53, a decrease of 3.6%
   compared to $0.55 in last year's fourth quarter.

Fiscal 2009 Highlights

 
* Sales of $36.9 billion were 1.8% lower compared to $37.5 billion in
   the prior year.
 * Operating income of $1.9 billion was down less than 1% compared to
   last year's 52 weeks.
 * Diluted EPS was $1.77, a decrease of 2.2% compared to $1.81 in the
   prior year.

"The fiscal year results reflect the impact of effective cost management throughout the organization and our committed associates who deliver outstanding service to our customers," said Bill DeLaney, Sysco's chief executive officer. "Although market conditions remain difficult, Sysco's industry leadership position remained strong during fiscal 2009 and should further improve when the economy recovers."

Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2009 Summary

Sales for the fourth quarter were $9.1 billion, a decrease of 6.6% compared to the same period last year. Food cost inflation, as measured by the change in Sysco's cost of goods, was 0.5% percent for the quarter. Sales from acquisitions (less than 12 months) increased sales by 0.6%. The impact of changes in Canadian exchange rates for the quarter reduced sales by 1.3%.

Operating income for the fourth quarter was $540 million, a decrease of 3.3% over the same period last year. Diluted EPS decreased 3.6% from the fourth quarter of fiscal 2008 to $0.53. Diluted EPS was favorably impacted by $0.03 due to the higher cash surrender value of COLI, compared to no COLI-related impact in the same period last year.

Operating expenses decreased $120 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009 as compared to the prior year period. The decrease in operating expenses was primarily a result of declining payroll expense related to reduced headcount and lower incentive compensation, partially offset by increased bad debt expense. The decrease in operating expenses was also impacted by a net $36 million reduction in certain expenses, as outlined in the table below:

Impact of certain expense items
                                       -------------------------------
                                                             Operating
                                                              expense
                                                              impact
                                          4Q09       4Q08     Better/
                                        Expense    Expense    (Worse)
 (000's)                               -------------------------------
 Cash surrender value of COLI          ($19,472)     ($575)   $18,897
 Multi-employer pension plans                 0     12,900    $12,900
 Company-sponsored pensions              22,538     16,459    ($6,079)
 Stock compensation expense               9,286     19,496    $10,210
                                       -------------------------------
 Net impact to operating expenses       $12,352    $48,280    $35,928

Fiscal 2009 Summary

Sales for fiscal 2009 were $36.9 billion, down 1.8% compared to the prior year. Food cost inflation, as measured by the change in Sysco's cost of goods, was 4.7% for the fiscal year. Sales from acquisitions (less than 12 months) increased sales by 0.1%. The impact of changes in Canadian exchange rates for the fiscal year reduced sales by 1.2%.

Operating income for fiscal 2009 was $1.9 billion, down less than 1% compared to the prior year. Diluted EPS of $1.77 was 2.2% lower than in the prior year. Diluted EPS was unfavorably impacted by $0.07 due to the lower cash surrender value of COLI, compared to a $0.01 unfavorable impact in the same period last year.

Operating expenses decreased $151 million for fiscal 2009 as compared to the prior year. The decrease in operating expenses was principally a result of declining payroll expenses related to reduced headcount and lower incentive compensation, partially offset by increased bad debt expense and a net $21 million increase in certain expenses, as outlined in the table below:

Impact of certain expense items
                                        -------------------------------
                                                              Operating
                                                               expense
                                                               impact
                                         FY 2009    FY 2008    Better/
                                         Expense    Expense    (Worse)
 (000's)                                -------------------------------
 Cash surrender value of COLI            $43,812     $8,718   ($35,094)
 Multi-employer pension plans              9,585     22,310    $12,725
 Company-sponsored pensions               88,714     65,836   ($22,878)
 Stock compensation expense               56,030     80,650    $24,620
                                        -------------------------------
 Net impact to operating expenses       $198,141   $177,514   ($20,627)

Net earnings for fiscal 2009 were unfavorably impacted by a 40.4% tax rate for fiscal 2009 compared to 38.3% in the prior year. The primary contributors to this high tax rate were additional provisions for tax contingencies and the $44 million COLI loss noted above, which is not deductible for tax purposes.

Capital Spending

Capital expenditures totaled $150 million and $465 million for the fourth quarter and fiscal 2009, respectively. The primary areas for investments included facility replacements and expansions, technology, and additions and replacements to Sysco's fleet. Looking forward, the company projects fiscal 2010 capital expenditures will be in the range of $600 million to $650 million.

Conference Call & Webcast

Sysco's fourth quarter 2009 earnings conference call will be held on Monday, August 10, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. EDT. A live webcast of the call, as well as a copy of this press release, will be available online at www.sysco.com in the Investor Relations section.

About Sysco

Sysco is the global leader in selling, marketing and distributing food products to restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments and other customers who prepare meals away from home. Its family of products also includes equipment and supplies for the foodservice and hospitality industries. The company operates 186 distribution facilities serving approximately 400,000 customers. For the fiscal year 2009 that ended June 27, 2009, the company generated more than $36 billion in sales. For more information about Sysco visit the company's Internet home page at www.sysco.com.

The Sysco Corporation logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=747

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made herein are forward-looking statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. They include statements regarding the company's ability to improve its industry position and projections regarding capital expenditures. These statements involve risks and uncertainties and are based on management's current expectations and estimates; actual results may differ materially. Those risks and uncertainties that could impact these statements include risks that pertain to Sysco's business, including the risks relating to the foodservice distribution industry's relatively low profit margins and sensitivity to general economic conditions, including the current economic environment and decreases in consumer spending; increased fuel costs; Sysco's leverage and debt risks; the successful completion of acquisitions and integration of acquired companies as well as the risk that acquisitions could negatively impact the Company's stock price, operating results or debt ratio or significantly increase the Company's liquidity requirements; the risk of interruption of supplies due to lack of long-term contracts, severe weather, work stoppages or otherwise; construction schedules; management's allocation of capital and the timing of capital purchases such as fleet and equipment; competitive conditions; labor issues; risks related to the Company's implementation of its enterprise wide integrated software project, including the risk that the project may not be successfully implemented or may not prove cost effective; and internal factors such as the ability to control expenses. Earnings are also impacted by COLI, pension expense, and option expensing, which is based on certain assumptions regarding the number and fair value of options granted, resulting tax benefits and shares outstanding. Capital expenditures may vary from those projected based on changes in business plans and other factors, including those described above. For a discussion of additional factors that could cause actual results to differ from those described in the forward-looking statements, see the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 28, 2008 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.


Sysco Corporation and its Consolidated Subsidiaries
CONSOLIDATED RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited)
(In Thousands, Except for Share and Per Share Data)


                       52-Week Period Ended      13-Week Period Ended
                   ------------------------- -------------------------
                      June 27,     June 28,     June 27,     June 28,
                        2009         2008         2009         2008
                   ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------

 Sales             $ 36,853,330 $ 37,522,111 $  9,086,748 $  9,730,205
 Cost of sales       29,816,999   30,327,254    7,324,162    7,828,791
                   ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------
 Gross margin         7,036,331    7,194,857    1,762,586    1,901,414
 Operating
  expenses            5,164,120    5,314,908    1,222,314    1,342,754
                   ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------
 Operating income     1,872,211    1,879,949      540,272      558,660
 Interest expense       116,322      111,541       33,279       27,511
 Other income, net      (14,945)     (22,930)      (3,395)      (4,270)
                   ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------
 Earnings before
  income taxes        1,770,834    1,791,338      510,388      535,419
 Income taxes           714,886      685,187      195,074      201,306
                   ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------
 Net earnings      $  1,055,948 $  1,106,151 $    315,314 $    334,113
                   ============ ============ ============ ============

 Net earnings:
  Basic earnings
   per share       $       1.77 $       1.83 $       0.53 $       0.56
  Diluted earnings
   per share               1.77         1.81         0.53         0.55

 Average shares
  outstanding       595,127,577  605,905,545  590,550,464  601,481,271
 Diluted shares
  outstanding       596,069,204  610,970,783  591,045,208  605,081,076


 Dividends
  declared per
  common share     $       0.94 $       0.85 $       0.24 $       0.22



 Sysco Corporation and its Consolidated Subsidiaries
 CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
 (In Thousands, Except for Share Data)

                                           June 27, 2009  June 28, 2008
                                           -------------  -------------
 ASSETS
 Current assets
  Cash and cash equivalents                 $  1,087,084  $    551,552
  Accounts and notes receivable, less
   allowances of $36,078 and $31,730           2,468,511     2,723,189
  Inventories                                  1,650,666     1,836,478
  Prepaid expenses and other current assets       64,418        63,814
  Prepaid income taxes                           105,206            --
                                            ------------  ------------
  Total current assets                         5,375,885     5,175,033
 Plant and equipment at cost, less
  depreciation                                 2,979,200     2,889,790
 Other assets
  Goodwill                                     1,510,795     1,413,224
  Intangibles, less amortization                 121,089        87,528
  Restricted cash                                 93,858        92,587
  Prepaid pension cost                            26,746       215,159
  Other assets                                   214,252       208,972
                                            ------------  ------------
  Total other assets                           1,966,740     2,017,470
                                            ------------  ------------
 Total assets                               $ 10,321,825  $ 10,082,293
                                            ============  ============

 LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
 Current liabilities
  Accounts payable                          $  1,856,887  $  2,048,759
  Accrued expenses                               797,756       917,892
  Accrued income taxes                                --        11,665
  Deferred taxes                                 568,045       516,131
  Current maturities of long-term debt             9,163         4,896
                                            ------------  ------------
  Total current liabilities                    3,231,851     3,499,343
 Other liabilities
  Long-term debt                               2,467,486     1,975,435
  Deferred taxes                                 484,659       540,330
  Other long-term liabilities                    688,127       658,199
                                            ------------  ------------
  Total other liabilities                      3,640,272     3,173,964
 Commitments and contingencies
 Shareholders' equity
  Preferred stock, par value $1 per share,
   Authorized 1,500,000 shares, issued none           --            --
  Common stock, par value $1 per share,
   Authorized 2,000,000,000 shares, issued
   765,174,900 shares                            765,175       765,175
  Paid-in capital                                760,352       712,208
  Retained earnings                            6,539,890     6,041,429
  Accumulated other comprehensive
   (loss) income                                (277,986)      (68,768)
  Treasury stock, 178,148,403 and
   163,942,358 shares                         (4,337,729)   (4,041,058)
                                            ------------  ------------
  Total shareholders' equity                   3,449,702     3,408,986
                                            ------------  ------------
 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 10,321,825  $ 10,082,293
                                            ============  ============



 Sysco Corporation and its Consolidated Subsidiaries
 CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOWS (Unaudited)
 (In Thousands)

                                               52-Week Period Ended
                                           ----------------------------
                                           June 27, 2009  June 28, 2008
                                           -------------  -------------
 Cash flows from operating activities:
  Net earnings                              $  1,055,948  $  1,106,151
  Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to
   cash provided by operating activities:
   Share-based compensation expense               56,030        80,650
   Depreciation and amortization                 382,339       372,529
   Deferred tax provision                        683,616       643,480
   Provision for losses on receivables            74,638        32,184
   (Gain) on sale of assets                       (3,586)       (2,747)
  Additional investment in certain assets
   and liabilities, net of effect of
   businesses acquired:
   Decrease (increase) in receivables            188,748      (128,017)
   Decrease (increase) in inventories            177,590      (110,925)
   (Increase) decrease in prepaid expenses
    and other current assets                        (678)       59,896
   (Decrease) increase in accounts payable      (192,692)       54,451
   (Decrease) in accrued expenses               (120,314)      (22,721)
   (Decrease) in accrued income taxes           (717,523)     (509,783)
   (Increase) decrease in other assets           (15,701)       11,926
   Increase in other long-term liabilities
    and prepaid pension cost, net                 16,847        13,459
   Excess tax benefits from share-based
    compensation arrangements                     (2,921)       (4,404)
                                            ------------  ------------
  Net cash provided by operating activities    1,582,341     1,596,129
                                            ------------  ------------
 Cash flows from investing activities:
  Additions to plant and equipment              (464,561)     (515,963)
  Proceeds from sales of plant and
   equipment                                      25,244        13,320
  Acquisition of businesses, net of cash
   acquired                                     (218,075)      (55,259)
  (Increase) decrease in restricted cash          (1,271)        2,342
                                            ------------  ------------
  Net cash used for investing activities        (658,663)     (555,560)
                                            ------------  ------------

 Cash flows from financing activities:
  Bank and commercial paper borrowings
   (repayments), net                                  --      (550,726)
  Other debt borrowings                          506,611       757,972
  Other debt repayments                          (10,173)       (7,628)
  Debt issuance costs                             (3,693)       (4,192)
  Common stock reissued from treasury            111,780       128,238
  Treasury stock purchases                      (438,843)     (529,179)
  Dividends paid                                (548,246)     (497,467)
  Excess tax benefits from share-based
   compensation arrangements                       2,921         4,404
                                            ------------  ------------
  Net cash used for financing activities        (379,643)     (698,578)
                                            ------------  ------------
 Effect of exchange rates on cash                 (8,503)        1,689
                                            ------------  ------------

 Net increase in cash and cash equivalents       535,532       343,680
 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning
  of period                                      551,552       207,872
                                            ------------  ------------
 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $  1,087,084  $    551,552
                                            ============  ============

 Supplemental disclosures of cash flow
  information: Cash paid during the
  period for:
  Interest                                  $    108,608  $     98,330
  Income taxes                                   735,772       530,169


 Sysco Corporation and its Consolidated Subsidiaries
 COMPARATIVE SEGMENT DATA  (Unaudited)
 (In Thousands)
                      52-Week Period Ended      13-Week Period Ended
                   ------------------------- -------------------------
                      June 27,     June 28,     June 27,     June 28,
                        2009         2008         2009         2008
                   ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------
 Sales:
  Broadline        $ 29,234,199 $ 29,824,553 $  7,258,134 $  7,739,696
  SYGMA               4,839,036    4,574,880    1,183,991    1,203,187
  Other               3,242,115    3,590,738      763,842      908,723
  Intersegment         (462,020)    (468,060)    (119,219)    (121,401)
                   ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------
 Total             $ 36,853,330 $ 37,522,111 $  9,086,748 $  9,730,205
                   ============ ============ ============ ============

 ---------------------------------------------------------------------

 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
 Comparative Supplemental Statistical Information Related to Sales
  (Unaudited)
 Comparative Sysco Brand Sales and Marketing Associate-Served Sales
  data are summarized below.

                      52-Week Period Ended      13-Week Period Ended
                   ------------------------- -------------------------
                     June 27,     June 28,     June 27,     June 28,
                       2009         2008         2009         2008
                   ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------
 Sysco Brand Sales
  as a % of
  MA-Served Sales      48.47%       50.75%       47.38%       50.02%
 Sysco Brand Sales
  as a % of Total
  Broadline Sales      39.39%       41.57%       38.64%       41.03%
 MA-Served Sales
  as a % of Total
  Broadline Sales      47.40%       48.10%       48.10%       48.70%
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------

CONTACT:  Sysco Corporation
          Neil Russell, Vice President, Investor Relations
          281-584-1308

 

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