Wolverine World Wide, Inc. Form 8-K 07-09-03








UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): July 9, 2003

Wolverine World Wide, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as
specified in its charter)

Delaware
(State or other
jurisdiction of
incorporation)

1-6024
(Commission
File Number)

38-1185150
(IRS Employer
Identification No.)

 

 

 

9341 Courtland Drive
Rockford, Michigan

(Address of principal executive offices)

 


49351

(Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number,
including area code:  (616) 866-5500













Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

          (c) Exhibits:

          99.1     Wolverine World Wide, Inc. Press Release dated July 9, 2003.

Item 9.  Regulation FD Disclosure.

          In accordance with Securities and Exchange Commission Release No. 34-47583, the following information, which is intended to be furnished under Item 12, "Results of Operations and Financial Condition," is instead being furnished under Item 9, "Regulation FD Disclosure."

          On July 9, 2003, Wolverine World Wide, Inc. issued the press release attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Form 8-K, which is here incorporated by reference. This Report and the Exhibit are furnished to, and not filed with, the Commission.





























2


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 hereunto duly authorized.


Dated:

July 9, 2003

WOLVERINE WORLD WIDE, INC.
(Registrant)

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Stephen L. Gulis, Jr.


 

 

      Stephen L. Gulis, Jr.
      Executive Vice President, Chief Financial
      Officer and Treasurer

 

 

 



































3


EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Number

 

                    Document

 

 

 

       99.1

 

Wolverine World Wide, Inc. Press Release dated July 9, 2003.




























4


Wolverine Exhibit 99.1 to Form 8-K - 07-09-03

EXHIBIT 99.1

WOLVERINE WORLD WIDE, INC.
9341 Courtland Drive, Rockford, MI 49351
Phone (616) 866-5500; FAX (616) 866-0257

 

 


 


 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:  Stephen L. Gulis Jr.
(616) 866-5570

WOLVERINE WORLD WIDE, INC.
REPORTS RECORD SECOND QUARTER
REVENUE AND EARNINGS


          Rockford MI - July 9, 2003 - Wolverine World Wide, Inc. (NYSE: WWW) today reported record revenue and earnings for the second quarter of 2003, with earnings per share rising 9.5 percent.

          Second quarter revenue rose 8.7 percent to $184.0 million compared to $169.3 million reported for the second quarter of 2002. Earnings per share improved to $0.23 per share compared to $0.21 per share reported for the same quarter last year.

          For the first half of 2003, revenue and earnings per share reached record levels of $375.5 million and $0.41 per share respectively. These results represent an 8.4% and 13.9% improvement from the $346.6 million in revenue and $0.36 earnings per share reported for the first half of 2002.

          "All of our major branded groups generated profit improvements," stated Timothy J. O'Donovan, Wolverine's President and CEO, "with our international businesses producing solid double-digit revenue gains in the quarter. Merrell remains the top performing brand in our portfolio, experiencing its 22nd consecutive quarter of growth.

          "Our marketing investments are paying off. Merrell's expanding shop-in-shop program with key retailers is producing strong sell-through. CAT Footwear's lifestyle marketing initiative is driving business through youth-oriented retailers around the world. The Hush Puppies' repositioning plan is successfully opening new doors with better-grade retailers and Wolverine's increased focus on accelerating growth in the outdoor sport boot category is working."


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Q2/03 Earnings

page 2



          "We were pleased with our 9.5 percent gain in earnings per share," stated Stephen L. Gulis Jr., the Company's CFO. "Higher divisional operating earnings coupled with our debt reductions and share repurchase programs more than offset the $0.03 per share increase in pension expense recorded in the second quarter. Gross margins declined 70 basis points for the quarter to 35.7 percent due to a higher percentage of military and slipper shipments, which are lower margin businesses. Adding to the margin decline were costs incurred to consolidate our Mexican manufacturing operation into our Dominican Republic facilities. Year to date, margins are up 20 basis points and are on plan to achieve our projected annualized increase.

          "We continue to reap the benefits of our asset management programs, which resulted in minimal revolving debt and over $40.0 million in cash as we exited the second quarter. This performance was driven in part by a 5.3 percent year-over-year reduction in inventories and improved cash collections. Accounts receivable balances at the end of the second quarter increased 3.8 percent, significantly less than our revenue improvement."

          O'Donovan concluded, "Looking ahead, we are entering the second half of 2003 with a 5.4 percent increase in order backlog. We believe many retailers have yet to complete their order bookings for third and fourth quarter delivery. Additionally, we experienced an increase in at-once business late in the second quarter, and anticipate this trend to continue. For fiscal 2003, we continue to anticipate revenue and earnings reaching $875 to $885 million and $1.21 to $1.24 per share respectively.

          The Company will host a conference call at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time today to discuss these results and current business trends. To listen to the call at the Company's website, go to www.wolverineworldwide.com, click on "For Our Investors" in the navigation bar, click on "Conference Call" from the top navigation bar of the "For Our Investors" page, and then click on "Webcast." To listen to the webcast, your computer must have Windows Media Player, which can be downloaded for free at www.wolverineworldwide.com. In addition, the conference call can be heard at www.streetevents.com. A replay of the call will be available at the Company's website through July 23, 2003.



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Q2/03 Earnings

page 3



          With a commitment to service and product excellence, Wolverine World Wide, Inc. is one of the world's leading marketers of branded casual, active lifestyle, work, outdoor sport and uniform footwear and slippers. The Company's portfolio of highly recognized brands includes: Bates®, Hush Puppies®, Merrell® and Wolverine®. The Company also markets footwear under popular licensed brands including CAT®, Harley-Davidson® and Stanley®. The Company's products are carried by leading retailers in the U.S. and are distributed internationally in over 130 countries. For additional information, please visit our website, www.wolverineworldwide.com.

          This press release contains forward-looking statements, including those relating to 2003 revenue and earnings, order backlog, margins and retail ordering trends. In addition, words such as "estimates," "expects," "intends," "should," "will," variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions ("Risk Factors") that are difficult to predict with regard to timing, extent, likelihood and degree of occurrence. Therefore, actual results and outcomes may materially differ from what may be expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. Risk Factors include, among others: changes in consumer preferences or spending patterns; cancellation of future orders; cost and availability of inventories; reliance on foreign sourcing; the impact of competition and pricing; integration and operations of newly acquired businesses; retail buying patterns; consolidation in the retail sector; changes in economic and market conditions; acts and effects of war and terrorism; and additional factors discussed in the Company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and exhibits thereto. Other Risk Factors exist, and new Risk Factors emerge from time to time that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. Furthermore, the Company undertakes no obligation to update, amend or clarify forward-looking statements.

# # #








WOLVERINE WORLD WIDE, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATION
(Unaudited)
($000's, except share and per share data)

 

12 Weeks Ended


 

24 Weeks Ended


 

June 14,
2003


 

June 15,
2002


 

June 14,
2003


 

June 15,
2002


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revenue

$

184,040

 

$

169,276

 

$

375,525

 

$

346,553

Cost of products sold

 


118,316


 

 


107,655


 

 


240,605


 

 


222,830


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gross profit

 

65,724

 

 

61,621

 

 

134,920

 

 

123,723

Selling and administrative expenses

 


50,822


 

 


46,524


 

 


107,705


 

 


97,388


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating profit

 

14,902

 

 

15,097

 

 

27,215

 

 

26,335

Other expense

 


1,152


 

 


1,549


 

 


2,444


 

 


3,202


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earnings before income taxes and

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     minority interest

 

13,750

 

 

13,548

 

 

24,771

 

 

23,133

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income taxes

 


4,458


 

 


4,468


 

 


8,039


 

 


7,631


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earnings before minority interest

 

9,292

 

 

9,080

 

 

16,732

 

 

15,502

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minority interest

 


11


 

 


(19


)

 


37


 

 


--


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net earnings

$


9,281


 

$


9,099


 

$


16,695


 

$


15,502


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diluted earnings per share

$


.23


 

$


.21


 

$


.41


 

$


.36




CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
($000's)

 

June 14,
2003


 

June 15,
2002


 

 

June 14,
2003


 

June 15,
2002


ASSETS:

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIABILITIES & EQUITY:

 

 

 

 

 

Cash & securities

$

40,114

 

$

26,779

 

Notes payable

$

724

 

$

--

Receivables

 

152,411

 

 

146,852

 

Current maturities on

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     long-term debt

 

15,030

 

 

15,030

Inventories

 

171,993

 

 

181,566

 

Accounts payable and other

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     accrued liabilities

 


67,681


 

 


63,816


Other current assets

 


13,358


 

 


9,974


 

Total current liabilities

 

83,435

 

 

78,846

Total current assets

 

377,876

 

 

365,171

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Long-term debt

 

58,563

 

 

72,901

Plant & equipment, net

 

97,491

 

 

98,352

 

Other noncurrent liabilities and

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     minority interest

 

24,967

 

 

17,465

Other assets

 


72,833


 

 


85,129


 

Stockholders' equity

 


381,235


 

 


379,440


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Assets

$


548,200


 

$


548,652


 

Liabilities & Equity

$


548,200


 

$


548,652