SAN DIEGO, Jan. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- WD-40 Company (Nasdaq: WDFC) today reported net sales for the first quarter ended November 30, 2012 of $95.3 million, an increase of 12% from the first quarter last year. Net income for the first quarter was $10.9 million, an increase of 61% compared to the prior year fiscal quarter.

Summary

First quarter multi-purpose maintenance products sales, which include the WD-40(®), 3-IN-ONE(®) and BLUE WORKS(®) brands were $81.8 million, up 15% from the prior year fiscal quarter. The multi-purpose maintenance products are considered a primary focus for the Company. Homecare and cleaning products sales, which include all other brands, were $13.5 million for the first quarter, down 4% from the prior year first quarter. The U.S. homecare and cleaning products are considered harvest brands providing healthy profit returns to the Company and are becoming a smaller part of the business as the multi-purpose maintenance products sales grow.

Americas segment sales in the first quarter were $45.4 million, up 12% compared to the first quarter of the prior fiscal year. Europe segment sales in the first quarter were $35.2 million, up 17% from the prior year fiscal quarter. Asia-Pacific segment sales were $14.7 million in the first quarter, up 3% from the prior year fiscal quarter.

Diluted earnings per share were $0.69 in the first quarter, compared to $0.42 per share for the same quarter of the prior fiscal year.

"We are pleased with our solid revenue growth during the first quarter, particularly in our multi-purpose maintenance products, and because we were able to hit our goal of a 50 percent gross margin, we achieved solid growth in our net income as well," said Garry Ridge, WD-40 Company president and chief executive officer. "We have remained disciplined in building our business for long-term, sustainable growth by implementing our core strategic drivers, and the results of the first quarter show a solid start to the year. In fact, the first quarter of 2013 was the best sales quarter in company history."

Net sales by segment as a percent of total net sales were 48% from the Americas, 37% from Europe and 15% from Asia-Pacific.

"While we did have some sales we expected to hit in the fourth quarter of last fiscal year slide into the first quarter of this fiscal year, particularly in Europe, we are proud of the solid growth we had in all three of our trading blocs during the quarter," Ridge said. "Sales were a little softer in Asia/Pacific than we have seen recently due to the ebbs and flows of our long-term approach to building the market in China and other Asian countries."

Gross margin was 50.1% in the first quarter compared to 48.7% in the same quarter of the prior fiscal year.

"We were able to achieve our gross margin goal due to several factors, including the price increases we took throughout 2012, relative stability in our cost of goods and the benefits of the supply chain architecture project which we started more than a year ago," Ridge added.

Selling, general and administrative expenses were up 12% in the first quarter to $25.3 million compared to the same period last fiscal year.

Advertising and sales promotion expenses were down 22% in the first quarter to $6.1 million compared to the same period last fiscal year.

"The decrease in advertising and sales promotion expenses was a result of promotional phasing, and we expect such expenses to maintain their historic levels during the remainder of the year," Ridge said.

During fiscal year 2012, the company launched the WD-40 Specialist product line in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, the U.S., and throughout Asia and Latin America. During the first quarter of 2013 the company launched the WD-40 Specialist product line in Russia, the Middle East and several smaller markets, including Puerto Rico, Malaysia and Cyprus.

"The WD-40 Specialist product line is helping to solidify our leadership in the marketplace, and we are excited about the incremental sales this product line gives us," Ridge said. "We are also excited about the power this product line brings to the entire WD-40 brand. We can directly attribute some of our growth in WD-40 Multi-Use Product to the increased distribution and shelf presence we have generated with WD-40 Specialist."

On January 7, 2013, the Company amended its unsecured credit agreement with Bank of America, N.A., to extend the maturity date for five years and to increase the amount available from $75.0 million to $125.0 million. "The amended facility gives us additional access to capital to support the continued growth of our business, our share buyback activity and other general business needs," Ridge said.

Dividend and Share Buy-Back

As previously announced, WD-40 Company's board of directors declared on Tuesday, December 11, 2012, a 7% increase in the regular quarterly cash dividend, increasing it from $0.29 per share to $0.31 per share. The dividend is payable on January 31, 2013 to shareholders of record on January 7, 2013.

On December 13, 2011, the board of directors authorized a buyback up to $50.0 million of the Company's outstanding shares expiring on December 12, 2013. During the first quarter of 2013, WD-40 Company acquired an additional $8.1 million in shares, bringing the total purchased under this share buy-back plan to $29.3 million.

Fiscal Year 2013 Guidance

WD-40 Company expects fiscal year 2013 net sales of $356.0 million to $370.0 million. The Company expects net income of $36.5 million to $38.0 million and diluted earnings per share of $2.31 to $2.40 for fiscal year 2012 based on an estimated 15.8 million weighted average shares outstanding. Gross margin for the full year is expected to be close to 50.0%. The Company expects advertising and promotion expenses of 7.0% to 8.0% of net sales. This guidance is based on using average fiscal year 2012 foreign currency exchange rates.

More detailed information will be available in WD-40 Company's Form 10-Q which will be filed on January 9, 2013.

About WD-40 Company
WD-40 Company, with headquarters in San Diego, is a global consumer products company dedicated to delivering unique, high-value and easy-to-use solutions for a wide variety of maintenance needs of "doer" and "on-the-job" users by leveraging and building the brand fortress of the company. The company markets multi-purpose maintenance products - under the WD-40(®), 3-IN-ONE(®) and BLUE WORKS(®) brand names. The company also markets homecare and cleaning brands: X-14(®) mildew stain remover and automatic toilet bowl cleaners, 2000 Flushes(®) automatic toilet bowl cleaners, Carpet Fresh(®) and No Vac(®) rug and room deodorizers, Spot Shot(®) aerosol and liquid carpet stain removers, 1001(®) household cleaners and rug and room deodorizers, and Lava(®) and Solvol(®) heavy-duty hand cleaners.

WD-40 Company markets its products in 187 countries worldwide and recorded sales of $343 million in fiscal year 2012. Additional information about WD-40 Company can be obtained online at http://www.wd40company.com.

Except for the historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking statements concerning WD-40 Company's outlook for sales, earnings, dividends and other financial results. These statements are based on an assessment of a variety of factors, contingencies and uncertainties considered relevant by WD-40 Company. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements, including the impact of commodity prices, changes in foreign currency exchange rates, the introduction of new product lines and fluctuating global market conditions, both in the United States and internationally. The company's expectations, beliefs and projections are expressed in good faith and are believed by the company to have a reasonable basis, but there can be no assurance that the company's expectations, beliefs or projections will be achieved or accomplished.

The risks and uncertainties are detailed from time to time in reports filed by WD-40 Company with the SEC, including Forms 8-K, 10-Q, and 10-K, and readers are urged to carefully review these and other documents.


                                               WD-40 COMPANY
                               CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                  (Unaudited and in thousands, except share and per share amounts)

                                                                     November 30,            August 31, 2012
                                                                                       2012
                                                                                       ----
    Assets
    Current assets:
    Cash and cash equivalents                                                       $52,435                  $69,719
    Short-term investments                                                           21,883                    1,033
    Trade accounts receivable, less
     allowance for doubtful accounts of
     $584 and $391 at November 30, 2012
     and August 31, 2012, respectively                                               57,117                   55,491
    Inventories                                                                      30,767                   29,797
    Current deferred tax assets, net                                                  5,556                    5,551
    Other current assets                                                              5,096                    4,526
                                                                                      -----                    -----

        Total current assets                                                        172,854                  166,117

    Property and equipment, net                                                       8,846                    9,063
    Goodwill                                                                         95,368                   95,318
    Other intangible assets, net                                                     27,257                   27,685
    Other assets                                                                      2,780                    2,687
                                                                                      -----                    -----

        Total assets                                                               $307,105                 $300,870
                                                                                   ========                 ========

    Liabilities and Shareholders'
     Equity
    Current liabilities:
    Accounts payable                                                                $23,315                  $21,242
    Accrued liabilities                                                              15,297                   16,492
    Revolving credit facility                                                        45,000                   45,000
    Accrued payroll and related
     expenses                                                                         8,012                    5,904
    Income taxes payable                                                              2,886                      807
                                                                                      -----                      ---

        Total current liabilities                                                    94,510                   89,445

    Long-term deferred tax
     liabilities, net                                                                24,963                   24,007
    Deferred and other long-term
     liabilities                                                                      2,016                    1,956
                                                                                      -----                    -----

        Total liabilities                                                           121,489                  115,408
                                                                                    -------                  -------

    Shareholders' equity:
    Common stock -authorized
     36,000,000 shares, $0.001 par
     value; 19,278,504 and 19,208,845
     shares issued at November 30, 2012
     and August 31, 2012, respectively;
     and 15,595,924 and 15,697,534
     shares outstanding at November 30,
     2012 and August 31, 2012,
     respectively                                                                        19                       19
    Additional paid-in capital                                                      127,055                  126,210
    Retained earnings                                                               199,630                  193,265
    Accumulated other comprehensive
     loss                                                                            (1,692)                  (2,727)
    Common stock held in treasury, at
     cost - 3,682,580 and 3,511,311
     shares at November 30, 2012  and
     August 31, 2012, respectively                                                 (139,396)                (131,305)
                                                                                   --------                 --------

        Total shareholders' equity                                                  185,616                  185,462
                                                                                    -------                  -------

      Total liabilities and shareholders'
       equity                                                                      $307,105                 $300,870
                                                                                   ========                 ========


                              WD-40 COMPANY
         CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
     (Unaudited and in thousands, except per share amounts)

                                                   Three Months Ended
                                                           November 30,
                                                      ------------
                                                      2012            2011
                                                      ----            ----

    Net sales                                      $95,264         $84,945
    Cost of products sold                           47,537          43,607
                                                    ------          ------

    Gross profit                                    47,727          41,338
                                                    ------          ------

    Operating expenses:
    Selling, general and administrative             25,329          22,637
    Advertising and sales promotion                  6,067           7,816
    Amortization of definite-lived
     intangible assets                                 466             585
                                                       ---             ---

    Total operating expenses                        31,862          31,038
                                                    ------          ------

    Income from operations                          15,865          10,300

    Other income (expense):
    Interest income                                     62              52
    Interest expense                                  (125)           (242)
    Other income (expense), net                         52            (180)
                                                       ---            ----

    Income before income taxes                      15,854           9,930
    Provision for income taxes                       4,910           3,138
                                                     -----           -----

    Net income                                     $10,944          $6,792
                                                   =======          ======

    Earnings per common share:
    Basic                                            $0.69           $0.42
                                                     =====           =====

    Diluted                                          $0.69           $0.42
                                                     =====           =====

    Shares used in per share calculations:
    Basic                                           15,693          16,074
                                                    ======          ======

    Diluted                                         15,807          16,205
                                                    ======          ======

    Dividends declared per common share              $0.29           $0.27
                                                     =====           =====


                                   WD-40 COMPANY
              CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                       (Unaudited and in thousands)

                                                 Three Months Ended
                                                    November 30,
                                                    ------------
                                                       2012            2011
                                                       ----            ----
    Operating activities:
    Net income                                      $10,944          $6,792
    Adjustments to reconcile net
     income to net cash provided by
     operating activities:
    Depreciation and amortization                     1,203           1,218
    Net (gains) losses on sales and
     disposals of property and
     equipment                                           (9)             58
    Deferred income taxes                               183             261
    Excess tax benefits from
     settlements of stock-based
     equity awards                                      375            (298)
    Stock-based compensation                            619             745
    Unrealized foreign currency
     exchange (gains) losses, net                      (210)            336
    Provision for bad debts                             221              38
    Changes in assets and
     liabilities:
      Trade accounts receivable                      (1,111)          6,985
      Inventories                                      (890)         (5,698)
      Other assets                                     (613)           (940)
      Accounts payable and accrued
       liabilities                                      646           3,316
      Accrued payroll and related
       expenses                                         981          (2,103)
      Income taxes payable                            3,199           2,075
      Deferred and other long-term
       liabilities                                       57               0
                                                        ---             ---

          Net cash provided by operating
           activities                                15,595          12,785
                                                     ------          ------

    Investing activities:
    Purchases of property and
     equipment                                         (527)           (777)
    Proceeds from sales of property
     and equipment                                       64             920
    Purchases of short-term
     investments                                    (20,928)              0
                                                    -------             ---

        Net cash (used in) provided by
         investing activities                       (21,391)            143
                                                    -------             ---

    Financing activities:
    Repayments of long-term debt                          0         (10,715)
    Proceeds from revolving credit
     facility                                             0          69,550
    Repayments of revolving credit
     facility                                             0         (37,550)
    Dividends paid                                   (4,579)         (4,330)
    Proceeds from issuance of common
     stock                                              944             901
    Treasury stock purchases                         (8,091)        (18,601)
    Excess tax benefits from
     settlements of stock-based
     equity awards                                     (375)            298
                                                       ----             ---

        Net cash used in financing
         activities                                 (12,101)           (447)
                                                    -------            ----

    Effect of exchange rate changes
     on cash and cash equivalents                       613          (2,230)
                                                        ---          ------

    Net (decrease) increase in cash
     and cash equivalents                           (17,284)         10,251

    Cash and cash equivalents at
     beginning of period                             69,719          56,393
                                                     ------          ------

    Cash and cash equivalents at end
     of period                                      $52,435         $66,644
                                                    =======         =======

SOURCE WD-40 Company