Release Details

Universal Forest Products Posts Record Third Quarter EPS

October 14, 2002
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Oct 14, 2002 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Universal Forest Products (Nasdaq: UFPI) today announced record results for the third quarter and first nine months of 2002. Diluted earnings per share for the quarter totaled $0.58, representing a 12% increase over pro forma results and a 21% increase over reported results for the third quarter of 2001. Year-to-date diluted earnings per share were $1.71, an 11% increase over pro forma results and a 20% increase over reported results for the same period of 2001.

At the beginning of 2002, the Company adopted a new accounting standard which discontinued the amortization of goodwill. Under the new standard, pro forma diluted earnings per share for the third quarter and nine months ending September 29, 2001 would have been $0.52 and $1.54, respectively.

Net sales for the quarter were $453.0 million, an increase of 5% over sales of $431.9 million in the third quarter of 2001. Net sales for the first nine months of 2002 were $1.30 billion, an 8% increase compared to sales of $1.20 billion for the same period of 2001.

"Our ability to show record results for the quarter was due in large part to strong unit sales to retail and industrial markets, the diversity of our business, and the work ethic of our people," said UFPI's Vice Chairman and CEO William G. Currie. "Even with a depressed lumber market we produced record sales and operating profits. This is a strong statement about Universal's ability to stay focused on its targets and do what it takes operationally to meet or beat them." Declining lumber prices continue to impact the Company's sales dollars. Lumber prices in the third quarter of 2002 were approximately 10% lower than the third quarter of 2001.

Universal posted the following third quarter sales by market:

* $215.7 million in D-I-Y/retail, up 6.9% from last year;

* $88.6 million in site-built construction, a decrease of 1.9% over last year;

* $79.4 million in manufactured housing, a 5.9% decrease compared to last year; and

* $69.2 million in industrial/agricultural, a 25.0% increase over last year.

The Company increased unit sales to each of its markets, except for manufactured housing. Unit sales to the manufactured housing market decreased as a result of a substantial decline in industry production in the third quarter of 2002 compared to the same period of 2001.

The Company previously targeted annual sales growth ranging from 6% to 10%. As a result of falling lumber prices since April 2002, the Company has revised that sales growth target to 5% to 8% for the year. The Company continues to target diluted earnings per share growth of 18% to 22% for this year, which includes the effect of discontinuing goodwill amortization in 2002.

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, October 15, 2002. The conference call will be hosted by William G. Currie and will be available for analysts and institutional investors domestically at (800) 521-5469 or internationally at (303) 267-1001. Use conference call ID #2457256. 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 , click on Investor Relations.

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 visit 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 NINE MONTHS ENDED
                               SEPTEMBER 2002/2001

                                                   Quarter Period
    (In thousands, except per share data)       2002             2001

    NET SALES                             $452,959    100%  $431,861   100%

    COST OF GOODS SOLD                     391,294  86.39   375,679  86.99

    GROSS PROFIT                            61,665  13.61    56,182  13.01

    SELLING, GENERAL AND
     ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES                41,148   9.08    37,525   8.69

    EARNINGS FROM OPERATIONS                20,517   4.53    18,657   4.32

    INTEREST EXPENSE                         2,542   0.56     2,948   0.68
    INTEREST REVENUE                           (31) -0.01      (151) -0.03
    GAIN ON SALE OF ASSETS                       -   0.00         -   0.00
                                             2,511   0.55     2,797   0.65
    EARNINGS BEFORE INCOME TAXES,
     MINORITY INTEREST AND EQUITY
     IN EARNINGS OF INVESTEE                18,006   3.98    15,860   3.67

    INCOME TAXES                             6,678   1.47     5,519   1.28

    EARNINGS BEFORE MINORITY
     INTEREST AND EQUITY IN
     EARNINGS OF INVESTEE                   11,328   2.50    10,341   2.39

    MINORITY INTEREST                         (684) -0.15      (618) -0.14

    EQUITY IN EARNINGS
     OF INVESTEE                                 -   0.00        85   0.02

    REPORTED NET EARNINGS                  $10,644   2.35    $9,808   2.27
    ADD: GOODWILL AMORTIZATION, net of
     tax                                                        774   0.18

    ADJUSTED NET EARNINGS                  $10,644   2.35   $10,582   2.45

    REPORTED EARNINGS PER SHARE - BASIC      $0.60            $0.50
    ADD: GOODWILL AMORTIZATION, net of
     tax                                                       0.04

    ADJUSTED EARNINGS PER SHARE - BASIC      $0.60            $0.53

    REPORTED EARNINGS PER SHARE - DILUTED    $0.58            $0.48
    ADD: GOODWILL AMORTIZATION, net of
     tax                                                       0.04

    ADJUSTED EARNINGS PER SHARE - DILUTED    $0.58            $0.52

    WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES
     OUTSTANDING                            17,845           19,803

    WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES
     OUTSTANDING WITH COMMON
     STOCK EQUIVALENTS                      18,427           20,450

                                                      Year to Date
    (In thousands, except per share
     data)                                       2002                2001

    NET SALES                            $1,299,559    100% $1,201,083   100%

    COST OF GOODS SOLD                    1,117,994  86.03   1,035,385  86.20

    GROSS PROFIT                            181,565  13.97     165,698  13.80

    SELLING, GENERAL AND
     ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES                120,291   9.26     108,667   9.05

    EARNINGS FROM OPERATIONS                 61,274   4.71      57,031   4.75

    INTEREST EXPENSE                          8,497   0.65       9,686   0.81
    INTEREST REVENUE                           (196) -0.02        (468) -0.04
    GAIN ON SALE OF ASSETS                   (1,082) -0.08           -   0.00
                                              7,219   0.56       9,218   0.77
    EARNINGS BEFORE INCOME TAXES,
     MINORITY INTEREST AND EQUITY
     IN EARNINGS OF INVESTEE                 54,055   4.16      47,813   3.98

    INCOME TAXES                             20,051   1.54      17,554   1.46

    EARNINGS BEFORE MINORITY
     INTEREST AND EQUITY IN
     EARNINGS OF INVESTEE                    34,004   2.62      30,259   2.52

    MINORITY INTEREST                        (1,924) -0.15      (1,479) -0.12

    EQUITY IN EARNINGS
     OF INVESTEE                                  -   0.00         243   0.02

    REPORTED NET EARNINGS                   $32,080   2.47     $29,023   2.42
    ADD: GOODWILL AMORTIZATION, net of
     tax                                                         2,231   0.19

    ADJUSTED NET EARNINGS                   $32,080   2.47     $31,254   2.60

    REPORTED EARNINGS PER SHARE - BASIC       $1.78              $1.47
    ADD: GOODWILL AMORTIZATION, net of
     tax                                                          0.11

    ADJUSTED EARNINGS PER SHARE - BASIC       $1.78              $1.58

    REPORTED EARNINGS PER SHARE - DILUTED     $1.71              $1.43
    ADD: GOODWILL AMORTIZATION, net of
     tax                                                          0.11

    ADJUSTED EARNINGS PER SHARE -
     DILUTED                                  $1.71              $1.54

    WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES
      OUTSTANDING                            17,980             19,769

    WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES
      OUTSTANDING WITH COMMON
      STOCK EQUIVALENTS                      18,719             20,360


    SUPPLEMENTAL SALES DATA
                                                     Quarter Period
    Market Classification                      2002    %         2001    %
    Do-It-Yourself                         $215,689    47%   $201,786    46%
    Site-Built Construction                  88,635    20%     90,316    21%
    Manufactured Housing                     79,449    18%     84,410    20%
    Industrial and Other                     69,186    15%     55,349    13%
    Total                                  $452,959   100%   $431,861   100%

                                                      Year to Date
    Market Classification                        2002   %          2001   %
    Do-It-Yourself                           $628,279   48%    $600,777   50%
    Site-Built Construction                   245,408   19%     233,819   20%
    Manufactured Housing                      227,496   18%     208,519   17%
    Industrial and Other                      198,376   15%     157,968   13%
    Total                                  $1,299,559  100%  $1,201,083  100%


                   CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (UNAUDITED)
                             SEPTEMBER 2002/2001

    (In thousands)
                                        LIABILITIES AND
    ASSETS              2002     2001    SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY   2002      2001

    CURRENT ASSETS                      CURRENT LIABILITIES
      Cash and cash                      Notes payable         $1,494     $669
       equivalents   $12,800   $6,310    Accounts payable and
      Restricted                          accrued liabilities 126,902  108,023
       cash equivalents    -      411    Current portion of
      Accounts                            long-term debt and
       receivable    149,962  125,150     capital leases       18,645   20,952
      Inventories    128,841  122,228
      Other current
       assets          3,279    7,410

    TOTAL CURRENT                       TOTAL CURRENT
     ASSETS          294,882  261,509    LIABILITIES          147,041  129,644

    OTHER ASSETS       6,311   11,572   LONG-TERM DEBT AND
    GOODWILL AND                         CAPITAL LEASES, less
     NON-COMPETE     125,097  113,652    current portion      185,091  152,807
                                        OTHER LIABILITIES      25,593   18,728
    PROPERTY, PLANT
     AND EQUIPMENT,                     SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY  259,914  263,498
     NET             191,349  177,944
                                        TOTAL LIABILITIES AND
    TOTAL ASSETS    $617,639  564,677    SHAREHOLDERS'
                                         EQUITY              $617,639 $564,677


                CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (UNAUDITED)
                            FOR THE NINE MONTHS ENDED
                               SEPTEMBER 2002/2001

    (In thousands)                                  2002               2001

    CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
    Net earnings                                  $32,080            $29,023
    Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net
     cash from operating activities:
     Depreciation                                  17,235             14,586
     Amortization of intangibles                      851              3,348
     Deferred income taxes                           (246)                13
     (Gain)/Loss on sale or impairment of property,
      plant and equipment                            (152)               588
      Changes in:
       Accounts receivable                        (61,235)           (52,660)
       Inventories                                 (6,020)             3,891
       Accounts payable                            28,076             20,786
       Accrued liabilities and other               11,353             15,083
        NET CASH FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES         21,942             34,658

    CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
    Purchases of property, plant, and equipment   (21,136)           (22,166)
    Purchases of licensing agreements              (2,000)                 -
    Acquisitions, net of cash received             (2,519)           (21,559)
    Proceeds from sale of property, plant and
     equipment                                      3,310                886
    Other                                             430              1,608
        NET CASH FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES        (21,915)           (41,231)

    CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
    Net borrowings under revolving credit
     facilities and notes payable                  37,004             23,106
    Repayment of long-term debt                    (8,205)            (9,838)
    Proceeds from issuance of common stock            769                827
    Distributions to minority shareholder            (660)            (1,275)
    Dividends paid to shareholders                   (806)              (792)
    Repurchase of common stock                    (38,216)            (1,537)
        NET CASH FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES        (10,114)            10,491

    NET CHANGE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS       (10,087)             3,918

    CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, BEGINNING
     OF PERIOD                                     22,887              2,392

    CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, END OF PERIOD      $12,800             $6,310

SOURCE Universal Forest Products

CONTACT:          AT THE COMPANY: Michael R. Cole, Chief Financial Officer of
                  Universal Forest Products, +1-616-364-6161; or FLEISHMAN HILLARD: Jim Ankner,
                  Vice President of Fleishman Hillard, +1-212-453-2198