Exhibit 99
UniFirst Corporation | News Release |
68 Jonspin Road |
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Wilmington, MA 01887-1086 | contact: | John B. Bartlett |
Telephone 978-658-8888 Ext 520 |
| Senior Vice President |
Facsimile 978-988-0659 |
| jbartlett@unifirst.com |
UNIFIRST ANNOUNCES RECORD FINANCIAL RESULTS
FOR THE THIRD QUARTER AND FIRST NINE MONTHS OF FISCAL 2007
Wilmington, MA (June 27, 2007) -- UniFirst Corporation (NYSE: UNF) today announced its revenues and earnings for its third quarter and first nine months of fiscal 2007 which ended May 26, 2007.
Revenues were a record $229.8 million and $674.6 million for the third quarter and first nine months of fiscal 2007, respectively. These revenues represent an increase of 8.5% and 10.0%, respectively, from the $211.9 million and $613.4 million in the comparable 2006 periods.
Third quarter net income increased 25.3% to $13.7 million, or $0.71 per diluted common share, compared to net income of $10.9 million, or $0.57 per diluted common share in the third quarter of fiscal 2006. Net income for the first nine months of fiscal 2007 increased 20.1% to $34.4 million, or $1.78 per diluted common share, compared to $28.6 million, or $1.48 per diluted common share for the comparable period in 2006. These increases in earnings are primarily the result of the improved profitability of the Company’s Specialty Garments segment as well as the continued strong performance of the Company’s core laundry operations.
The Company’s nine month earnings for fiscal 2007 were affected by severance expense as well as by adjustments made to the Company’s environmental reserves in the second fiscal quarter of fiscal 2007. These combined to decrease the Company’s income from operations and net income by approximately $2.3 million and $1.4 million, respectively. Without these adjustments, the Company’s diluted earnings per share for the first nine months of fiscal 2007 would have been $1.85.
Excluding the items discussed above for the nine month period, income from operations from the Company’s core laundry business, which excludes the Company’s Specialty Garments and First Aid segments, increased 13.8% and 15.1% in the third quarter and nine month periods, respectively, as compared to fiscal 2006. These increases were the result of revenue growth of 8.0% and 9.4% in the third quarter and nine month periods, respectively, as well as lower operating costs as a percentage of revenues. The Company’s revenue growth was primarily due to organic growth, which was 5.5% and 6.7% for the third quarter and nine month periods, respectively. The Company’s operating margin also benefited from modest reductions in energy, production and delivery costs as a percentage of revenues. These decreases were partially offset by higher merchandise costs as a percentage of revenues.
The Company’s Specialty Garments segment had income from operations in the third quarter of fiscal 2007 of $3.0 million which was up from $0.8 million in fiscal 2006. This increase was due to an 18.2% increase in revenues for this segment compared to the fiscal 2006 third quarter.
"We're pleased with our results through the first three fiscal quarters", said UniFirst CEO, Ronald Croatti. "The core laundry operations continue to perform well as recent acquisitions have made solid contributions and our Specialty Garments segment had an excellent showing. We expect to be able to continue our strong performance during the fourth quarter and finish with a record year."
The Company will hold a conference call today at 4:00 PM (EST) to discuss its quarterly financial results, business highlights and outlook. A simultaneous live webcast of the call will be available over the Internet and can be accessed at www.unifirst.com.
UniFirst is one of the largest providers of workplace uniforms, protective clothing and facility services products in North America. The Company employs approximately 9,800 team partners who serve nearly 200,000 customer locations in 46 US states, Canada and Europe from 189 manufacturing, distribution and customer service facilities. UniFirst Corporation is a publicly held company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol UNF and is a component of the Standard & Poor's 600 Small Cap Index.
This public announcement may contain forward looking statements that reflect the Company’s current views with respect to future events and financial performance. Forward looking statements contained in this public announcement are subject to the safe harbor created by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are highly dependent upon a variety of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in such forward looking statements. Such factors include uncertainties regarding the Company’s ability to consummate and successfully integrate acquired businesses, uncertainties regarding any existing or newly-discovered expenses and liabilities related to environmental compliance and remediation, the Company’s ability to compete successfully without any significant degradation in its margin rates, seasonal fluctuations in business levels, uncertainties regarding the price levels of natural gas, electricity, fuel and labor, the impact of negative economic conditions on the Company’s customers and such customers’ workforce, the continuing increase in domestic healthcare costs, demand and prices for the Company’s products and services, additional professional and internal costs necessary for compliance with recent and proposed future changes in Securities and Exchange Commission (including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002), New York Stock Exchange and accounting rules, strikes and unemployment levels, the Company’s efforts to evaluate and potentially reduce internal costs, economic and other developments associated with the war on terrorism and its impact on the economy and general economic conditions. When used in this public announcement, the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” and similar expressions as they relate to the Company are included to identify such forward looking statements.
UniFirst Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Income
(Unaudited)
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| Thirteen weeks ended |
| Thirty-nine weeks ended | ||||||||||||
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| May 26, |
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| May 27, |
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| May 26, |
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| May 27, |
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(In thousands, except share and per share data) |
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| 2007 |
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| 2006 |
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| 2007 |
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| 2006 |
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Revenues |
| $ | 229,849 |
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| $ | 211,938 |
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| $ | 674,593 |
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| $ | 613,431 |
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Costs and expenses: |
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Operating costs (1) |
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| 144,257 |
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| 134,383 |
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| 427,366 |
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| 392,881 |
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Selling and administrative expenses (1) |
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| 48,659 |
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| 45,710 |
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| 147,490 |
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| 132,935 |
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Depreciation and amortization |
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| 12,322 |
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| 11,515 |
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| 35,726 |
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| 33,725 |
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| 205,238 |
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| 191,608 |
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| 610,582 |
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| 559,541 |
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Income from operations |
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| 24,611 |
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| 20,330 |
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| 64,011 |
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| 53,890 |
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Other expense (income): |
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Interest expense |
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| 3,226 |
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| 2,996 |
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| 9,546 |
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| 7,991 |
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Interest income |
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| (451 | ) |
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| (419 | ) |
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| (1,455 | ) |
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| (1,150 | ) |
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| 2,775 |
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| 2,577 |
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| 8,091 |
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| 6,841 |
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Income before income taxes |
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| 21,836 |
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| 17,753 |
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| 55,920 |
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| 47,049 |
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Provision for income taxes |
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| 8,153 |
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| 6,835 |
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| 21,531 |
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| 18,414 |
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Net income |
| $ | 13,683 |
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| $ | 10,918 |
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| $ | 34,389 |
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| $ | 28,635 |
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Income per share – Basic: |
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Common Stock |
| $ | 0.75 |
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| $ | 0.63 |
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| $ | 1.88 |
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| $ | 1.65 |
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Class B Common Stock |
| $ | 0.60 |
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| $ | 0.50 |
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| $ | 1.51 |
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| $ | 1.32 |
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Income per share – Diluted: |
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Common Stock |
| $ | 0.71 |
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| $ | 0.57 |
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| $ | 1.78 |
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| $ | 1.48 |
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Weighted average number of shares outstanding – Basic: |
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Common Stock |
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| 14,333 |
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| 9,814 |
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| 14,320 |
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| 9,726 |
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Class B Common Stock |
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| 4,937 |
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| 9,429 |
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| 4,939 |
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| 9,515 |
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| 19,270 |
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| 19,243 |
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| 19,259 |
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| 19,241 |
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Weighted average number of shares outstanding – Diluted: |
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Common Stock |
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| 19,371 |
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| 19,311 |
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| 19,347 |
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| 19,315 |
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Dividends per share: |
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Common Stock |
| $ | 0.0375 |
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| $ | 0.0375 |
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| $ | 0.1125 |
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| $ | 0.1125 |
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Class B Common Stock |
| $ | 0.0300 |
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| $ | 0.0300 |
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| $ | 0.0900 |
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| $ | 0.0900 |
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(1) Exclusive of depreciation and amortization
UniFirst Corporation and Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Unaudited)
(In thousands, except share data) |
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| May 26, |
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| August 26, 2006 (a) |
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Assets |
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Current assets: |
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Cash and cash equivalents |
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| $ | 11,234 |
| $ | 8,302 |
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Receivables, net |
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| 97,602 |
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| 86,549 |
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Inventories |
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| 39,040 |
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| 36,469 |
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Rental merchandise in service |
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| 84,174 |
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| 85,875 |
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Prepaid and deferred income taxes |
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| 10,628 |
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| 10,046 |
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Prepaid expenses |
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| 2,340 |
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| 1,672 |
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Total current assets |
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| 245,018 |
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| 228,913 |
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Property and equipment: |
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Land, buildings and leasehold improvements |
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| 281,644 |
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| 269,696 |
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Machinery and equipment |
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| 299,587 |
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| 284,619 |
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Motor vehicles |
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| 94,521 |
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| 84,138 |
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| 675,752 |
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| 638,453 |
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Less - accumulated depreciation |
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| 342,321 |
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| 319,550 |
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| 333,431 |
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| 318,903 |
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Goodwill |
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| 224,417 |
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| 211,489 |
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Customer contracts and other intangible assets, net |
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| 62,958 |
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| 64,022 |
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Other assets |
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| 7,487 |
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| 6,375 |
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| $ | 873,311 |
| $ | 829,702 |
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Liabilities and shareholders' equity |
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Current liabilities: |
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Current maturities of long-term obligations |
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| $ | 558 |
| $ | 613 |
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Accounts payable |
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| 41,358 |
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| 43,003 |
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Accrued liabilities |
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| 85,742 |
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| 80,580 |
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Accrued income taxes |
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| — |
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| 3,041 |
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Total current liabilities |
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| 127,658 |
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| 127,237 |
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Long-term obligations, net of current maturities |
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| 217,553 |
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| 209,922 |
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Deferred income taxes |
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| 40,102 |
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| 39,998 |
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Shareholders' equity: |
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Common Stock |
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| 1,433 |
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| 1,431 |
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Class B Common Stock |
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| 494 |
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| 494 |
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Capital surplus |
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| 15,766 |
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| 14,497 |
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Retained earnings |
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| 463,815 |
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| 431,481 |
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Accumulated other comprehensive income |
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| 6,490 |
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| 4,642 |
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Total shareholders' equity |
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| 487,997 |
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| 452,545 |
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| $ | 873,311 |
| $ | 829,702 |
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(a) Derived from audited financial statements
UniFirst Corporation and Subsidiaries
Detail of Operating Results
(Unaudited)
Revenues
|
| May 26, |
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| May 27, |
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| Dollar |
| Percent |
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(In thousands, except percentages) |
| 2007 |
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| 2006 |
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| Change |
| Change |
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Thirteen weeks ending: |
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Core Laundry Operations | $ | 203,260 |
| $ | 188,260 |
| $ | 15,000 |
| 8.0 | % |
Specialty Garments |
| 18,272 |
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| 15,453 |
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| 2,819 |
| 18.2 |
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First Aid |
| 8,317 |
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| 8,225 |
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| 92 |
| 1.1 |
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Consolidated total | $ | 229,849 |
| $ | 211,938 |
| $ | 17,911 |
| 8.5 | % |
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Thirty-nine weeks ending: |
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Core Laundry Operations | $ | 602,774 |
| $ | 550,760 |
| $ | 52,014 |
| 9.4 | % |
Specialty Garments |
| 48,376 |
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| 40,000 |
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| 8,376 |
| 20.9 |
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First Aid |
| 23,443 |
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| 22,671 |
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| 772 |
| 3.4 |
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Consolidated total | $ | 674,593 |
| $ | 613,431 |
| $ | 61,162 |
| 10.0 | % |
Income from Operations
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| May 26, |
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| May 27, |
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| Dollar |
| Percent |
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(In thousands, except percentages) |
| 2007 |
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| 2006 |
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| Change |
| Change |
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Thirteen weeks ending: |
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Core Laundry Operations | $ | 21,345 |
| $ | 18,757 |
| $ | 2,588 |
| 13.8 | % |
Specialty Garments |
| 3,006 |
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| 834 |
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| 2,172 |
| 260.4 |
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First Aid |
| 260 |
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| 739 |
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| (479 | ) | -64.8 |
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Consolidated total | $ | 24,611 |
| $ | 20,330 |
| $ | 4,281 |
| 21.1 | % |
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Thirty-nine weeks ending: |
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Core Laundry Operations | $ | 57,620 |
| $ | 52,079 |
| $ | 5,541 |
| 10.6 | % |
Specialty Garments |
| 5,501 |
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| 454 |
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| 5,047 |
| 1,111.7 |
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First Aid |
| 890 |
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| 1,357 |
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| (467 | ) | -34.4 |
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Consolidated total | $ | 64,011 |
| $ | 53,890 |
| $ | 10,121 |
| 18.8 | % |