Taiga's sales up by 17%, profit up by 62% in first quarter of fiscal 2013

BURNABY, BC, Aug. 9, 2012 /CNW/ - Taiga Building Products Ltd. ("Taiga" or the "Company") today reported its quarterly results for the three months ended June 30, 2012.

Three Months Ended June 30, 2012

The Company's consolidated net sales for the quarter ended June 30, 2012 were $309.5 million compared to $263.6 million in the same period last year. The 17% increase in sales was largely due to improved commodity prices and stronger demand fueled by early arrival of spring this year compared to the same period last year.

Gross margin for the quarter ended June 30, 2012 increased to $30.8 million from $26.7 million in the previous year. Gross margin percentage for the quarter declined slightly to 9.9% compared to 10.1% in the same period last year.

Net earnings for the quarter ended June 30, 2012 were $5.9 million compared to $3.6 million in the same period last year, an increase of 62%. Higher gross margin dollars were partially offset by higher compensation costs included in selling and administrative expense.

EBITDA for the quarter ended June 30, 2012 was $15.4 million compared to $12.2 million last year.

Condensed Consolidated Statement of Earnings

For the Three Months Year Ended
(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except for per share amounts)

						June 30,
						2012 $					2011 $
Sales						309,508					263,606
Gross margin						30,756					26,705
Distribution expense						4,524					4,430
Selling and administration expense						12,013					11,100
Finance expense						1,903					1,729
Subordinated debt interest expense						4,071					4,016
Other income						(260)					(35)
Earnings before income taxes						8,505					5,465
Provision for income taxes						2,588					1,821
Net earnings						5,917					3,644
Net earnings per share^(1)						0.18					0.11
EBITDA^(2)						15,425					12,228

The following is the reconciliation of net earnings to EBITDA:

							June 30,
(in thousands of Canadian dollars)							2012 $					2011 $
Net earnings							5,917					3,644
Income taxes							2,588					1,821
Finance and subordinated debt interest expense							5,974					5,745
Amortization							946					1,018
EBITDA							15,425					12,228

Notes:
(1) EPS is earnings per share calculated using the weighted average number of shares.
(2) Reference is made above to EBITDA, which represents earnings before interest, taxes, and amortization. As there is no generally accepted method of calculating EBITDA, the measure as calculated by Taiga might not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other issuers. EBITDA is presented as management believes it is a useful indicator of a company's ability to meet debt service and capital expenditure requirements and because management interprets trends in EBITDA as an indicator of relative operating performance. EBITDA should not be considered by an investor as an alternative to net income or cash flows as determined in accordance with IFRS.

The foregoing selected financial information is qualified in its entirety by and should be read in conjunction with, our unaudited condensed interim consolidated financial statements for the quarter ended June 30, 2012 and accompanying notes and management's discussion and analysis which will be available shortly on Sedar at www.sedar.com.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains certain forward-looking information and statements relating, but not limited, to future events or performance and strategies and expectations of Taiga. Forward-looking information typically contains statements with words such as "consider", "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "plan", "intend", "likely", "may", "will", "should", "predict", "potential", "continue" or similar words suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions, intentions or statements about future events or performance. Examples of such forward looking statements within this press release include statements relating to: our anticipated results of operations, including cost reduction savings; our expectations regarding market conditions; the sufficiency of our cash requirements and our ability to remain in compliance with our debt covenants. Readers should be aware that these statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking statements.

These forward-looking statements reflect management's current expectations or beliefs and are based on information currently available to Taiga and although Taiga believes it has a reasonable basis for making the forward-looking statements included in this document, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking information. By its nature, the forward-looking information of Taiga involves numerous assumptions and inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts and other forward-looking statements will not occur. These risks include, but are not limited to, changes in business strategies; the effects of litigation, competition and pricing pressures; changes in operational costs; changes in laws and regulations, including tax, environmental, employment, competition, anti-terrorism and trade laws; and Taiga's anticipation of and success in managing the risks associated with the foregoing. A further description of these additional factors can be found in the periodic and other reports filed by Taiga with Canadian securities commissions and available on Sedar (http://www.sedar.com).These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Taiga does not undertake, and specifically disclaims, any obligation to update or revise any forward looking information, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

 

SOURCE: Taiga Building Products Ltd.

For further information regarding Taiga please contact: 

Tom Stefan
CFO & Vice President, Finance and Administration
Phone: [phone]
Fax:     [phone]

Mark Schneidereit
Manager, Corporate Planning
Phone:  [phone]
Fax:  [phone]