Net sales increased $12.3 million to $504.4 million in the first nine months of fiscal 2006, a 2.5% increase over net sales of $492.1 million in the comparable prior year period. Of the increase, $10.6 million was attributable to a 2.3% increase in comparable store sales. The remaining $1.7 million of the increase was attributable to the sales generated by our new stores partially offset by the sales decrease resulting from store closings. Our comparable store sales of non-athletic merchandise increased 6.9% year-to-date in fiscal 2006, over fiscal 2005 while our comparable store sales in athletic product decreased 1.1%. We attribute the sales decline in athletic product to the current fashion trends favoring dress and casual styles over that of traditional athletic. We have made significant progress towards our goal of increasing our women’s casual and dress product as a percent of total sales. For the first nine months of fiscal 2006, our women’s dress and casual business has grown to 26.0% of our total business as compared to 24.6% for the same period last year.
Gross profit increased $2.8 million to $56.7 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2006, a 5.3% increase from gross profit of $53.9 million in the comparable prior year period. Our gross profit margin in the third quarter of fiscal 2006 increased to 30.0% from 29.5% in the comparable prior year period. Our merchandise gross profit margin increased 0.8%, but was partially offset by a 0.3%, as a percentage of sales, increase in our buying, distribution and occupancy costs. The increase in the merchandise gross profit margin was primarily the result of lower markdowns and less promotional activity. The increase in buying, distribution and occupancy costs, as a percentage of sales, was related primarily to the costs associated with our price markdown optimization software which was placed into service during the first quarter of fiscal 2006, higher wage and occupancy costs in our distribution center and a $324,000 increase in the portion of store closing costs included in occupancy expense.
Gross profit increased $6.0 million to $149.0 million in the first nine months of fiscal 2006, a 4.2% increase over gross profit of $143.0 million in the comparable prior year period. Our gross profit margin increased to 29.5% in the first nine months of fiscal 2006 from 29.1% for the first nine months of fiscal 2005. The increase in gross profit margin resulted from a 0.6% increase in our merchandise gross profit margin, while buying, distribution and occupancy costs, as a percentage of sales, increased 0.2%. The increase in the merchandise gross profit margin was driven by our continued improvements in inventory management and product assortment.
Selling, general and administrative expenses increased $1.1 million to $43.3 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2006 from $42.2 million in the comparable prior year period. As a percentage of sales, these expenses decreased to 22.9% in the third quarter of fiscal 2006 from 23.1% for the comparable period last year. This decrease resulted primarily from the leveraging effect of our comparable store sales gain. Significant changes in expenses included a $1.3 million increase in advertising expenditures during the back-to-school period, a $229,000 increase in stock-based compensation expense and a $1.2 million decrease in health care costs. Health care costs incurred during the third quarter of fiscal 2005 were unusually high and costs for the third quarter of fiscal 2006 were slightly below expectations.
Pre-opening costs were $298,000, or 0.2% of sales, for the third quarter of fiscal 2006 as compared to $215,000, or 0.1% of sales, for the third quarter of fiscal 2005. We opened eight stores in the third quarter of fiscal 2006 as compared to the two stores we opened in the third quarter of fiscal 2005. Pre-opening costs, such as advertising, payroll and supplies, incurred prior to the opening of a new store are charged to expense in the period they are incurred. The total amount of pre-opening expense incurred will vary on a store-by-store basis depending on the specific market and the promotional activities involved.
The portion of store closing costs included in selling, general and administrative expenses was $232,000, or 0.1% of sales, for the third quarter of fiscal 2006 as compared to $196,000, or 0.1% of sales, for the third quarter of fiscal 2005. We closed three stores in the third quarter of fiscal 2006, as well as three stores in the third quarter of fiscal 2005. The timing and actual amount of expense recorded in closing a store can vary significantly on a store-by-store basis depending, in part, on the period in which management commits to a closing plan, the remaining basis in the fixed assets at the store and any amounts required to be paid as part of the lease termination.
Selling, general and administrative expenses increased $2.3 million to $119.3 million in the first nine months of fiscal 2006 from $117.0 million in the comparable prior year period. As a percentage of sales, these expenses decreased to 23.7% from 23.8% in the first nine months of last year. Significant changes in expenses included a $1.1 million increase in stock-based compensation, a $450,000 decrease in health care costs, and a decrease in credit card charges of $512,000 resulting from the Visa Check / MasterMoney Antitrust Litigation class action lawsuit settlement. Disclosure regarding our stock-based compensation plans and the effect of the adoption of SFAS No. 123R is contained in Note 4 – Stock-Based Compensation of the notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements in PART I, ITEM 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS of this Report.
Pre-opening costs were $460,000, or 0.1% of sales, for the first nine months of fiscal 2006 as compared to $704,000, or 0.1% of sales, for the first nine months of fiscal 2005. We opened 12 stores in the first nine months of fiscal 2006 as compared to the 14 stores we opened in the first nine months of fiscal 2005. Pre-opening costs, such as advertising, payroll and supplies, incurred prior to the opening of a new store are charged to expense in the period they are incurred. The decrease in pre-opening expense was primarily due to an increase in vendor cooperative advertising funds.
The portion of store closing costs included in selling, general and administrative expenses was $486,000, or 0.1% of sales, for the first nine months of fiscal 2006 as compared to $634,000, or 0.1% of sales, for the first nine months of fiscal 2005. We closed five stores in the first nine months of fiscal 2006 as compared to the four stores we closed in the first nine months of fiscal 2005. The timing and actual amount of expense recorded in closing a store can vary significantly on a store-by-store basis depending, in part, on the period in which management commits to a closing plan, the remaining basis in the fixed assets at the store and any amounts required to be paid as part of the lease termination.
Interest (Income) Expense
We recorded net interest income of $320,000 in the third quarter of fiscal 2006, resulting from the investment of excess cash, compared to net interest expense of $100,000 in the third quarter of the prior year. For the first nine months of fiscal 2006, net interest income was $756,000, resulting from the investment of excess cash, compared to net interest expense of $361,000 for the first nine months of fiscal 2005. We had no direct borrowings under our credit facility during the first nine months of fiscal 2006.
Income Taxes
The effective income tax rate for the third quarter of fiscal 2006 increased to 39.2% from 38.4% for the same time period in 2005. The effective income tax rate for the first nine months of fiscal 2006 increased to 38.8% from 38.4% when compared to the same time period in 2005, due to an increase in state income taxes. The third quarter of fiscal 2006 effective income tax rate reflects a year-to-date adjustment to raise the annual effective rate to 38.8%.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Net cash provided by operating activities was $3.7 million for the first nine months of fiscal 2006, as compared to $4.3 million for the first nine months of fiscal 2005. These amounts reflect the income from operations adjusted for non-cash items and working capital changes. The $600,000 decrease in cash provided by operating activities between the two respective periods related primarily to a 2.9% increase in inventory levels on a per store basis coupled with the increased store count, partially offset by an increase in net income and the reversal of certain deferred income tax items.
Working capital increased to $149.6 million at October 28, 2006 from $137.9 million at October 29, 2005. The increase in working capital was primarily the result of an increase in cash and cash equivalents of $13.8 million. The current ratio at October 28, 2006 was 3.4 as compared to 3.6 at October 29, 2005. Long-term debt as a percentage of total capital (long-term debt plus shareholders’ equity) was 6.3% at October 29, 2005. We had no long-term debt as of October 28, 2006.
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Capital expenditures were $14.3 million in the first nine months of fiscal 2006. We incurred $5.2 million for new stores, $2.0 million for store remodeling and relocation, $4.5 million in costs related to our new distribution center and $1.8 million for software and related technology. The remaining capital expenditures were incurred for in-store graphics and miscellaneous equipment purchases. Lease incentives received from landlords were $192,000 in the first three quarters of fiscal 2006.
In February 2006, we sold our current combined distribution center and corporate headquarters for $7.2 million and recorded a loss of approximately $55,000 including legal fees and associated selling costs. We entered into a lease to continue operations in our current facility, the initial term of which expires on January 31, 2007. The lease contains an option that allows us to continue our occupancy until January 31, 2008, if necessary. It also provides for early termination of the lease upon our relocation to new facilities.
In February 2006, we signed a 15-year lease with a real estate developer who is constructing, to our specifications, a new distribution center of approximately 410,000 square feet located on 43 acres in the Evansville, Indiana area. We expect the new distribution center to be fully operational in January 2007. In June 2006, we signed a 15 year lease with the same real estate developer who is constructing, to our specifications, a new corporate headquarters building. We anticipate occupying the corporate headquarters in the first half of 2007. Further information on our new facilities is contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 28, 2006.
During the first nine months of fiscal 2006, we opened 12 new stores and closed five. We will open an additional two stores, and close one, in the last quarter of fiscal 2006, ending the year with 271 stores. In fiscal 2007, we plan to open approximately 25 new stores and close three.
We expect to incur between $30 million to $31 million in capital expenditures in fiscal 2006. Of this amount, approximately $18 million represents our projected investment in equipment for our new distribution center and approximately $1 million for furniture and fixtures for our new corporate headquarters. The expected aggregate capital cost of the 14 new stores will be approximately $5.1 million. The remaining capital expenditures are for store remodels, visual presentation enhancements and various other store improvements, along with continued investments in technology and normal asset replacement activities. The actual amount of cash required for capital expenditures for store operations depends in part on the number of new stores opened, the amount of lease incentives, if any, received from landlords and the number of stores remodeled. The opening of new stores will be dependent upon, among other things, the availability of desirable locations, the negotiation of acceptable lease terms and general economic and business conditions affecting consumer spending in areas we target for expansion.
Our current store prototype uses between 6,500 and 12,000 square feet depending upon, among other factors, the location of the store and the population base the store is expected to service. Capital expenditures for a new store have averaged between $300,000 and $370,000 with inventory investment averaging between $425,000 and $750,000 depending on the size and sales expectation of the store and the timing of the new store opening. Pre-opening expenses, such as advertising, salaries and supplies, generally average $50,000 to $75,000 per store with individual stores experiencing variances in expenditure levels based on the specific market.
Our unsecured credit facility provides for up to $70 million in cash advances from a revolving credit line and commercial letters of credit. Borrowings under the revolving credit line are based on eligible inventory. The agreement governing the credit facility stipulates a minimum threshold for net worth, a maximum ratio of funded debt plus rent to EBITDA plus rent, and a maximum of total distributions for stock repurchases and cash dividends. We were in compliance with these requirements as of October 28, 2006. Should a default condition be reported, the lenders may preclude additional borrowings and call all loans and accrued interest at their discretion. The credit agreement and amendments thereto are incorporated by reference as exhibits to this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. There were no borrowings outstanding under the revolving credit line and letters of credit outstanding were $6.5 million at October 28, 2006. As of October 28, 2006, $63.5 million was available to us for borrowings under the credit facility.
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Our primary sources of funds are cash flows from operations and borrowings under our revolving credit facility. We anticipate that our existing cash and cash flow from operations, supplemented by borrowings under our revolving credit line, will be sufficient to fund our planned store expansion, the capital investment required for both the new distribution facility and corporate headquarters and other operating cash requirements for at least the next 12 months.
Seasonality
Our quarterly results of operations have fluctuated and are expected to continue to fluctuate in the future primarily as a result of seasonal variances and the timing of sales and costs associated with opening new stores. Non-capital expenditures, such as advertising and payroll, incurred prior to opening a new store are charged to expense as incurred. Therefore, our results of operations may be adversely affected in any quarter in which we incur pre-opening expenses related to the opening of new stores.
We have three distinct peak selling periods: Easter, back-to-school and Christmas.
New Accounting Pronouncements
Recent accounting pronouncements applicable to our operations are contained in Note 3 – Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements contained in the Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included in PART I, ITEM 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS of this Report.
ITEM 3. | QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK |
We are exposed to market risk in that the interest payable under our credit facility is based on variable interest rates and therefore is affected by changes in market rates. We do not use interest rate derivative instruments to manage exposure to changes in market interest rates. We did not incur borrowings against our revolving credit line during the first nine months of fiscal 2006.
ITEM 4. | CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES |
Our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded, based on their evaluation as of October 28, 2006, that our disclosure controls and procedures are effective to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports filed or submitted by us under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms, and include controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in such reports is accumulated and communicated to our management, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Management is continuously seeking to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our operations and internal controls. This results in refinements to processes throughout the company. In the third quarter of 2006, the company began to transition certain store locations to a new time and attendance payroll system. The implementation of this payroll system at the remaining store locations and corporate facility will continue through fiscal 2006 and is expected to be completed during the first quarter of fiscal 2007. Additionally, as part of our continued strategy to grow our store base and increase processing capacity, we are in the process of building a new 410,000 square foot distribution facility in Evansville, Indiana. Transition to the new distribution facility is expected to occur in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2006. It is anticipated the implementation of the new payroll system and launch of the new distribution facility will strengthen the overall system of internal controls due to enhanced automation and integration of related processes. Testing of the controls related to the new payroll system is ongoing. Testing of the controls related to the new distribution facility is expected to occur in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2006. There have been no other changes in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the quarter ended October 28, 2006 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
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SHOE CARNIVAL, INC.
PART II - OTHER INFORMATION
You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties we describe both in this Report and in the “Risk Factors” section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 28, 2006 before deciding to invest in, or retain, shares of our common stock. These are not the only risks and uncertainties that we face. Additional risks and uncertainties that we do not currently know about, we currently believe are immaterial or we have not predicted may also harm our business operations or adversely affect us. If any of these risks or uncertainties actually occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows could be materially adversely affected. There have been no material changes to the risk factors set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 28, 2006.
| (a) | | Exhibits |
| | | |
| | 3-A | Restated Articles of Incorporation of Registrant (incorporated herein by reference from the same exhibit number to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended February 2, 2002) |
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| | 3-B | By-laws of Registrant, as amended to date (incorporated herein by reference from the same exhibit number to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended February 2, 2002) |
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| | 4 | (i) Amended and Restated Credit Agreement and Promissory Notes dated April 16, 1999, between Registrant and Mercantile Bank National Association, First Union National Bank and Old National Bank (incorporated herein by reference from exhibit 4(I) to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 30, 1999) |
| | | |
| | | (ii) Amendment to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement and Promissory Notes dated March 24, 2000, between Registrant and Mercantile Bank National Association, First Union National Bank and Old National Bank (incorporated herein by reference from the same exhibit number to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 29, 2000) |
| | | |
| | | (iii) Second Amendment to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement and Promissory Notes dated November 8, 2000, between Registrant and Firstar Bank N.A., First Union National Bank, Old National Bank and LaSalle Bank National Association (incorporated herein by reference from the same exhibit number to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended October 28, 2000) |
| | | |
| | | (iv) Third Amendment to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement and Promissory Notes dated March 18, 2002, between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association, First Union National Bank, Old National Bank and LaSalle Bank National Association (incorporated herein by reference from the same exhibit number to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended February 2, 2002) |
| | | |
| | | (v) Fourth Amendment to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement and Promissory Notes dated March 12, 2003, between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association, Wachovia Bank National Association, Old National Bank and LaSalle Bank National Association (incorporated herein by reference from the same exhibit number to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended February 1, 2003) |
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| (a) | | Exhibits |
| | | |
| | | (vi) Fifth Amendment to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement and Promissory Notes dated April 5, 2004, between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association, Wachovia Bank National Association, Old National Bank and LaSalle Bank National Association (incorporated herein by reference from the same exhibit number to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 31, 2004) |
| | | |
| | | (vii) Assignment Agreement dated June 1, 2004 among LaSalle Bank National Association as Assignor, Fifth Third Bank (Southern Indiana) as Assignee, Registrant as Borrower and U.S. Bank National Association as Agent relating to the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement as further amended (incorporated herein by reference from the same exhibit number to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended May 1, 2004) |
| | | |
| | | (viii) Sixth Amendment to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement and Notes dated April 5, 2005, between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association, Wachovia Bank National Association, Fifth Third Bank (Southern Indiana) and Old National Bank (incorporated herein by reference from the same exhibit number to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on April 11, 2005) |
| | | |
| | | (ix) Seventh Amendment to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement and Notes dated March 31, 2006, between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association, Wachovia Bank, National Association and Fifth Third Bank (incorporated herein by reference from the same exhibit number to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on April 4, 2006) |
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| | 31.1 | Certification of Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 |
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| | 31.2 | Certification of Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 |
| | | |
| | 32.1 | Certification of Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 |
| | | |
| | 32.2 | Certification of Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 |
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SHOE CARNIVAL, INC.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed, on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
Date: December 7, 2006 | SHOE CARNIVAL, INC. |
| (Registrant) |
| | |
| | |
| By: | /s/ W. Kerry Jackson |
| |
|
| | W. Kerry Jackson |
| | Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
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