Gains in Net Income, EPS and Operating Margin Driven by Growth in Prepared
Foods and Lower Feed Ingredient Costs
PITTSBURG, Texas, Jan. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Pilgrim's Pride
Corporation (NYSE: PPC) today reported record net income of $48.5 million, or
$0.73 per share, for the first fiscal quarter ended January 1, 2005, an
increase of $38.2 million, or $0.53 per share, compared with net income of
$10.3 million, or $0.20 per share, in the first quarter of fiscal 2004. The
Company also reported net sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2005 of $1.37
billion, an increase of $0.33 billion, compared with net sales of $1.04
billion for the same period last year.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20041018/DAM038LOGO )
"Our record performance in the first fiscal quarter reflects both the
successful integration of the November 2003 ConAgra chicken division
acquisition and strong performance in our prepared foods and fresh chicken
businesses, lower feed ingredient costs, rising exports and strong demand in
the foodservice sector," said O.B. Goolsby, President and Chief Executive
Officer of Pilgrim's Pride. "The outlook for sustained profitability in our
chicken business is encouraging. We anticipate further growth in our chicken
business as we respond to favorable consumer trends and demand for high-
quality, convenient, meat proteins that will enable us to continue delivering
value to our customers and shareholders," Goolsby concluded.
Conference Call Information
Pilgrim's Pride will hold a conference call to discuss the Company's
fiscal 2005 first quarter financial results at 10:00 a.m. CST (11:00 a.m. EST)
on January 24, 2005. To listen live via telephone, call 800-391-2548, verbal
pass code VG495227. The call also will be webcast live on the Internet at
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?p=irol-
eventDetails&c=68228&eventID=996433. (Note: Due to length URL may not
hyperlink. Please copy and paste into your browser.) Additionally, the
Company has posted a slide presentation on its website at
http://www.pilgrimspride.com which can be viewed by listeners in connection
with today's conference call. The webcast will be available for replay within
two hours of the conclusion of the call. A telephone replay will be available
beginning at 2:00 p.m. CST on January 24 through February 1 at 800-355-2355
passcode 495227#.
Pilgrim's Pride Corporation is the second-largest poultry producer in the
United States and Mexico, and the largest in Puerto Rico. Pilgrim's Pride
employs more than 40,000 people and has major operations in Texas, Alabama,
Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania,
Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Puerto Rico and Mexico, with other
facilities in Arizona, California, Iowa, Mississippi, Utah and Wisconsin.
Pilgrim's Pride products are sold to foodservice, retail and frozen entree
customers. The Company's primary distribution is through retailers,
foodservice distributors and restaurants throughout the United States
(including Puerto Rico) and in the Northern and Central regions of Mexico.
For more information, please visit http://www.pilgrimspride.com.
Forward Looking Statements: Statements contained in this press release
that state the intentions, hopes, beliefs, anticipations, expectations or
predictions of the future of Pilgrim's Pride Corporation and its management
are forward-looking statements. It is important to note that the actual
results could differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking
statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those projected in such forward-looking statements include: matters affecting
the poultry industry generally, including fluctuations in the commodity prices
of feed ingredients, chicken and turkey; additional outbreaks of avian
influenza or other diseases affecting the production performance and/or
marketability of the company's poultry products; contamination of our
products, which has recently and can in the future lead to product liability
claims and product recalls; exposure to risks related to product liability,
product recalls, property damage and injuries to persons, for which insurance
coverage is expensive, limited and potentially inadequate; management of our
cash resources, particularly in light of our leverage; restrictions imposed by
and as a result of our leverage; currency exchange rate fluctuations, trade
barriers, exchange controls, expropriation and other risks associated with
foreign operations; changes in laws or regulations affecting our operations as
well as competitive factors and pricing pressures; risks associated with the
acquisition of ConAgra Foods' chicken division including possible unknown
liabilities assumed in connection with the acquisition and loss of customers
of the acquired business; inability to recognize the anticipated cost savings
and anticipated benefits in connection with our turkey division restructuring;
and the impact of uncertainties of litigation as well as other risks described
under "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings
with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Pilgrim's Pride Corporation
undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.
Contact:
Sondra Fowler
Pilgrim's Pride Corporation
(903) 855-4195
PILGRIM'S PRIDE CORPORATION
Consolidated Statements of Income
(Unaudited)
[In thousands, except share and per share amounts]
Three Months Ended January 1, January 3,
2005 2004
Net Sales $1,368,247 $1,044,367
Costs and Expenses
Cost of sales 1,212,836 967,264
Selling, general and administrative 64,396 46,303
1,277,232 1,013,567
Operating Income 91,015 30,800
Other Expense (Income):
Interest expense, net 12,224 12,444
Foreign exchange (gain) loss (103) 78
Miscellaneous, net (1,015) (329)
Total other expenses, net 11,106 12,193
Income before income taxes 79,909 18,607
Income tax expense 31,400 8,321
Net Income $48,509 $10,286
Net income per common share
- basic and diluted $0.73 $0.20
Dividends declared per common share $0.015 $0.015
Weighted average shares outstanding 66,555,733 51,757,222
PILGRIM'S PRIDE CORPORATION
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Unaudited)
[In thousands]
January 1, October 2,
2005 2004
ASSETS
Cash and Cash Equivalents $171,098 $38,165
Other current assets 888,458 979,063
Total Current Assets 1,059,556 1,017,228
Other Assets 50,323 50,086
Property, Plant and Equipment, net 1,169,957 1,178,675
Total Assets $2,279,836 $2,245,989
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current maturities of long-term debt $8,454 $8,428
Other current liabilities 620,768 625,074
Total Current Liabilities 629,222 633,502
Long-Term Debt, Less Current Maturities 525,602 535,866
Deferred Income Taxes 153,286 152,455
Minority Interest in Subsidiary 1,304 1,210
Total Stockholders' Equity 970,422 922,956
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity $2,279,836 $2,245,989
Pilgrim's Pride Corporation
Pro forma Financial Information
(Unaudited)
(In thousands except per share amounts)
The unaudited pro forma financial information has been presented as if the
acquisition of the ConAgra chicken division had occurred as of the beginning
of fiscal year 2004
Three Months Ended January 3, 2004
Net sales $ 1,505,159
Depreciation and amortization $ 32,956
Operating income $ 56,322
Interest expense, net $ 16,815
Income tax expense $ 17,181
Net income $ 24,744
Net income per common share $ 0.37
Selected Financial Information
(Unaudited)
(In thousands)
Note: "EBITDA" is defined as net income before interest, income taxes, and
depreciation and amortization. EBITDA is presented because it is used by us
and we believe it is frequently used by securities analysts, investors and
other interested parties, in addition to and not in lieu of Generally Accepted
Accounting Principles (GAAP) results, to compare the performance of companies.
EBITDA is not a measurement of financial performance under GAAP and should not
be considered as an alternative to cash flow from operating activities or as a
measure of liquidity or an alternative to net income as indicators of our
operating performance or any other measures of performance derived in
accordance with GAAP.
EBITDA is calculated as follows:
Pro Forma
Three Months Ended January 1, January 3, January 3,
2005 2004 2004
Net Income $48,509 $10,286 $24,744
Add:
Income tax expense 31,400 8,321 17,181
Interest expense, net 12,224 12,444 16,815
Depreciation and amortization 30,065 25,911 32,956
Minus:
Amortization of capitalized
financing costs 570 519 519
EBITDA $121,628 $56,443 $91,177
Capital expenditures $24,160 $20,552 $26,615
SOURCE Pilgrim's Pride Corporation
-0- 01/24/2005
/CONTACT: Sondra Fowler of Pilgrim's Pride Corporation, +1-903-855-4195/
/Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20041018/DAM038LOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com /
/Web site: http://www.pilgrimspride.com/
(PPC)
CO: Pilgrim's Pride Corporation
ST: Texas
IN: FOD REA
SU: ERN CCA
AL
-- NYM082 --
6951 01/24/2005 06:30 EST http://www.prnewswire.com
