Release Details

Universal Forest Products, Inc. Supports Confidence With Record Results In Second Quarter

July 14, 2003
Net sales rise 9.4% to $552.5 million; Diluted earnings per share jump 14.6% to $0.94

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Jul 14, 2003 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Universal Forest Products (Nasdaq: UFPI) today announced record net sales and record earnings per share for the second quarter of 2003.

Net sales totaled $552.5 million for the second quarter of 2003, a 9.4% increase over net sales of $504.9 million reported for the same period last year. Net sales for the first six months of 2003 were $908.1 million, a 7.3% increase over sales of $846.6 million for the same period of 2002.

Diluted earnings per share for the quarter were $0.94, a 14.6% increase over diluted earnings per share of $0.82 for the same period last year. Diluted earnings per share for the year-to-date were $1.19, a 4.4% increase over 2002 year-to-date diluted earnings per share of $1.14.

"In March, we expressed optimism for the quarters ahead and we delivered," said CEO William G. Currie. "We demonstrated the strength of our strategies and systems and the power of having the best, most innovative employees in the workplace. They are the reason for our success."

Inclement weather continued to be a factor in the site-built and DIY industries with portions of the Southeast posting their wettest springs ever and record rainfall elsewhere in the Northeast. However, that was partially mitigated by the positive effects low interest rates have had on the construction and home improvement markets.

"Our performance largely is a result of our focus on new five-year goals that call for us to substantially grow our sales and profitability," Currie said. "We pride ourselves on doing what we say we're going to do and hitting our goals. And our people are just getting started on this aggressive new initiative."

By market, Universal posted second quarter sales of:

* $302.6 million D-I-Y/retail, up 14.3% over the same quarter last year;

* $101.4 million in site-built construction, an increase of 14.7% over last year;

* $78.2 million in industrial/other, up 10.4% over last year; and

* $70.2 million in manufactured housing, a 13.4% decrease over last year (despite a decrease in industry production of approximately 27%).

OUTLOOK

While the company beat its expectations for the second quarter of 2003 and remains optimistic about the rest of the year, it is adjusting the top end of its targets from 12% to 10% for both annual sales growth and diluted earnings per share to reflect the effects of weather on the first quarter. The company now estimates it will achieve annual sales growth of 7% to 10% and diluted earnings per share growth of 7% to 10% for 2003.

Universal Forest Products will conduct a conference call to discuss information included in this news release and related matters at 11:00 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, July 15, 2003. The conference call will be hosted by William G. Currie and will be available for analysts and institutional investors domestically at (800) 960-1012 or internationally at (952) 556-2834. Use conference call ID #186603. The conference call will be available simultaneously, and in its entirety, to all interested investors and news media through a web cast at www.ufpi.com .

Universal Forest Products markets, manufactures, and engineers products for D-I-Y retail home centers, structural lumber products for the manufactured housing industry, engineered wood components for the site-built construction market and specialty wood packaging for various industries.

For information about Universal Forest Products on the Internet, please contact the Company's web site at www.ufpi.com , or call 888-Buy-UFPI.

Included in this report are certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of the Company's management as well as on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company at the time such statements were made. Actual results could differ materially from those included in such forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainty. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are the following: Adverse lumber market trends, competitive activity, negative economic trends, government regulations, and weather. These risk factors and additional information are included in the company's reports on Form 10K and 10Q on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

                        FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS TO FOLLOW

                 CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS (UNAUDITED)
                            FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED
                                 JUNE 2003/2002

                                                   Quarter Period
    (In thousands, except per share data)       2003             2002


    NET SALES                             $552,463    100% $504,944    100%

    COST OF GOODS SOLD                     473,721  85.75   436,321  86.41

    GROSS PROFIT                            78,742  14.25    68,623  13.59

    SELLING, GENERAL AND
       ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES              46,697   8.45    41,345   8.19

    EARNINGS FROM OPERATIONS                32,045   5.80    27,278   5.40

    INTEREST EXPENSE                         3,958   0.72     3,047   0.60
    INTEREST REVENUE                           (84) -0.02       (52) -0.01
    GAIN ON SALE OF ASSETS                       -   0.00    (1,082) -0.21
                                             3,874   0.70     1,913   0.38
    EARNINGS BEFORE INCOME TAXES
      AND MINORITY INTEREST                 28,171   5.10    25,365   5.02

    INCOME TAXES                            10,458   1.89     9,400   1.86


    EARNINGS BEFORE MINORITY INTEREST       17,713   3.21    15,965   3.16

    MINORITY INTEREST                         (551) -0.10      (611) -0.12

    NET EARNINGS                           $17,162   3.11   $15,354   3.04


    EARNINGS PER SHARE - BASIC               $0.97            $0.86

    EARNINGS PER SHARE - DILUTED             $0.94            $0.82


    WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES
      OUTSTANDING                           17,741           17,884

    WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES
      OUTSTANDING WITH COMMON
      STOCK EQUIVALENTS                     18,193           18,705


                                                   Year to Date
    (In thousands, except per share data)      2003             2002


    NET SALES                             $908,082    100% $846,600    100%

    COST OF GOODS SOLD                     777,536  85.62   726,700  85.84

    GROSS PROFIT                           130,546  14.38   119,900  14.16

    SELLING, GENERAL AND
       ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES              86,885   9.57    79,143   9.35

    EARNINGS FROM OPERATIONS                43,661   4.81    40,757   4.81

    INTEREST EXPENSE                         7,745   0.85     5,955   0.70
    INTEREST REVENUE                          (131) -0.01      (165) -0.02
    GAIN ON SALE OF ASSETS                       -   0.00    (1,082) -0.13
                                             7,614   0.84     4,708   0.56
    EARNINGS BEFORE INCOME TAXES
      AND MINORITY INTEREST                 36,047   3.97    36,049   4.26

    INCOME TAXES                            13,249   1.46    13,373   1.58


    EARNINGS BEFORE MINORITY INTEREST       22,798   2.51    22,676   2.68

    MINORITY INTEREST                       (1,136) -0.13    (1,240) -0.15

    NET EARNINGS                           $21,662   2.39   $21,436   2.53


    EARNINGS PER SHARE - BASIC               $1.22            $1.19

    EARNINGS PER SHARE - DILUTED             $1.19            $1.14


    WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES
      OUTSTANDING                           17,735           18,047

    WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES
      OUTSTANDING WITH COMMON
      STOCK EQUIVALENTS                     18,222           18,865



    SUPPLEMENTAL SALES DATA
                                                   Quarter Period
    Market Classification                      2003    %         2002    %
    Do-It-Yourself/Retail                  $302,613    55%   $264,656    52%
    Site-Built Construction                 101,433    18%     88,398    18%
    Manufactured Housing                     70,208    13%     81,040    16%
    Industrial and Other                     78,209    14%     70,850    14%
    Total                                  $552,463   100%   $504,944   100%


                                                    Year to Date
    Market Classification                      2003    %         2002    %
    Do-It-Yourself/Retail                  $459,646    50%   $411,420    48%
    Site-Built Construction                 178,137    20%    156,987    19%
    Manufactured Housing                    127,569    14%    148,401    18%
    Industrial and Other                    142,730    16%    129,792    15%
    Total                                  $908,082   100%   $846,600   100%



                   CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (UNAUDITED)
                                JUNE 2003/2002

    (In thousands)
                                       LIABILITIES AND
    ASSETS             2003     2002   SHAREHOLDERS'
                                       EQUITY            2003      2002

    CURRENT ASSETS                     CURRENT LIABILITIES
      Cash and cash                    Notes
       equivalents  $16,139  $18,020    payable        $1,679    $2,001
      Accounts
       receivable   200,033  178,017   Accounts payable and
      Inventories   166,742  137,999    accrued
                                         liabilities  157,801   140,699
      Other current
       assets         4,944    3,425   Current portion of long-term
                                        debt and capital
                                         leases         6,271    19,025
    TOTAL CURRENT
     ASSETS         387,858  337,461
                                       TOTAL CURRENT
                                       LIABILITIES    165,751   161,725
    OTHER ASSETS      6,401    6,334
    INTANGIBLE
     ASSETS         131,858  125,583   LONG-TERM DEBT AND CAPITAL
                                        LEASES, less current
                                         portion      255,975   219,675
    PROPERTY,                          OTHER
     PLANT AND                          LIABILITIES    29,819    23,679
      EQUIPMENT,
       NET          211,277  188,677
                                       SHAREHOLDERS'
                                        EQUITY        285,849   252,976


                                       TOTAL LIABILITIES AND
    TOTAL ASSETS   $737,394  658,055    SHAREHOLDERS'
                                         EQUITY      $737,394  $658,055



                CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (UNAUDITED)
                             FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED
                                  JUNE 2003/2002

    (In thousands)                                   2003               2002

    CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING
     ACTIVITIES:
    Net earnings                                   $21,662            $21,436
    Adjustments to reconcile net
     earnings to net cash
      from operating activities:
          Depreciation                              12,202             11,322
          Amortization of intangibles                1,033                587
          Deferred income taxes                     (1,438)              (251)
          Loss on sale or impairment of
           property, plant and equipment               640               (949)
          Changes in:
            Accounts receivable                    (94,237)           (89,290)
            Inventories                               (736)           (15,194)
            Accounts payable                        52,039             43,027
            Accrued liabilities and
             other                                  11,755              9,598
              NET CASH FROM OPERATING
               ACTIVITIES                            2,920            (19,714)

    CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING
     ACTIVITIES:
    Purchases of property, plant, and
     equipment                                     (20,689)           (13,481)
    Purchases of licensing agreements                 (150)            (2,000)
    Acquisitions, net of cash received                (187)              (359)
    Proceeds from sale of property,
     plant and equipment                             1,147              2,545
    Other                                            1,961              1,094
              NET CASH FROM INVESTING
               ACTIVITIES                          (17,918)           (12,201)

    CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING
     ACTIVITIES:
    Net borrowings under revolving
     credit facilities and notes payable            26,437             71,827
    Repayment of long-term debt                     (6,167)            (7,557)
    Proceeds from issuance of common
     stock                                             873                716
    Distributions to minority
     shareholder                                      (633)              (585)
    Dividends paid to shareholders                    (798)              (806)
    Repurchase of common stock                      (2,029)           (36,547)
              NET CASH FROM FINANCING
               ACTIVITIES                           17,683             27,048


    NET CHANGE IN CASH AND CASH
     EQUIVALENTS                                     2,685             (4,867)

    CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, BEGINNING
      OF PERIOD                                     13,454             22,887

    CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, END OF
     PERIOD                                        $16,139            $18,020

SOURCE Universal Forest Products

Lynn Afendoulis of Director of Public Affairs of Universal Forest Products, +1-616-364-6161; or Tom Smith, Vice President of Fleishman Hillard, +1-212-453-2240