Gildan Activewear Inc. announced reported all-time record quarterly net earnings of $31.3 million, or $1.05 per diluted share, up respectively 13.0% and 11.7% from $27.7 million or $0.94 per diluted share in the third quarter of fiscal 2002.

As had been reflected in the Company's forecast and guidance for the year, the third quarter of the 2003 fiscal year comprised 14 weeks instead of the normal 13 weeks for a fiscal quarter. The inclusion of an extra week is required in every sixth fiscal year due to the Company's floating year-end date. It is included in the third quarter, which is seasonally the largest sales quarter in the year. Management estimates that the impact of including the extra week in the third quarter of fiscal 2003 was to add approximately $0.06 per diluted share to the EPS for the quarter.

Based on the Company's actual results, including the extra week, the higher net earnings compared to last year were due to increased unit sales and higher gross margins, together with reduced selling, general and administrative expenses and lower interest expense. The positive impact of
these factors was largely offset by the lower selling prices and the weaker U.S. dollar, as well as higher depreciation as a result of the Company's recent major capital investment projects and a temporary increase in the
effective tax rate in the third quarter. The negative impact of the lower U.S. dollar on the Canadian dollar EPS for the quarter is estimated at approximately $0.35 per share.

In U.S. dollars, net earnings for the third quarter amounted to U.S. $21.8 million, or U.S. $0.73 per diluted share, up respectively 23.2% and 21.7% from the third quarter of fiscal 2002.

Sales were a quarterly record of $204.0 million, up 4.2% from $195.7 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2002. The higher sales were due to a 14.0% increase in unit shipments largely offset by the impact of the lower-valued U.S. dollar and lower selling prices. The higher unit sales
reflected 11.6% growth in overall industry shipments of T-shirts in the U.S. wholesale distributor market combined with continuing market share increases achieved by Gildan, compared with the third quarter of last year.

In spite of capacity constraints, which have prevented the Company from fully capitalizing on the strong demand for its products pending completion of the ramp-up of its
new textile capacity expansion, Gildan maintained its market leadership position in the overall T-shirt category, with a share of 28.0%, versus 27.7%
a year ago. Gildan continued to achieve significant penetration in the sport shirt segment. Although overall industry shipments in the sport shirt segment through the U.S. distributor channel declined by 13.1%, the Company's market share increased to 19.5% from 13.8% a year ago. Gildan's unit shipments in this category grew by 40.1% compared with the third quarter of fiscal 2002.

Gildan's share in the fleece category increased to 12.1%, compared with 11.2% a year ago, while industry demand in this segment declined by 1.8% versus the third quarter of last year. All U.S. market and market share data is based on the S.T.A.R.S. Report produced by ACNielsen Market Decisions.

Gross margins were 30.7% in the third quarter, compared with 29.8% in the third quarter of fiscal 2002. The increase in gross margins was primarily due to the significant impact of the Company's recent capital investments, in particular its new low-cost integrated textile manufacturing facility at Rio Nance, Honduras. The resulting reductions in manufacturing and transportation
costs, together with more favourable product mix and the impact of lower raw material costs, were largely offset by lower selling prices and by the impact of the weaker U.S. dollar.

Selling, general and administrative expenses for the third quarter were $18.8 million, or 9.2% of sales, compared with $19.6 million, or 10.0% of sales, in the third quarter of last year. Selling, general and administrative
expenses in the third quarter of the prior year were unusually high due to the timing of accruing the provision for the results-based management incentive program.


The increase in the tax rate in the third quarter of fiscal 2003, to 12.0% compared with 10.2% in the third quarter of the prior year, was a direct consequence of the significant decline in the U.S. exchange rate during the
quarter, which generated an unrealized foreign exchange gain from revaluation of long-term debt denominated in U.S. currency within Gildan's Canadian legal entity. Although this gain was fully offset on a pre-tax basis by an exchange loss on the conversion of U.S. working capital held by foreign subsidiaries, a higher proportion of overall income taxes was reflected at the Canadian tax
rate in the quarter. The Company expects that the tax rate will revert to a rate that is in line with the recent downward trend, once the value of the U.S. dollar stabilizes.

Net earnings for the first nine months of fiscal 2003 were a record $57.5 million or $1.94 per diluted share, up respectively 22.6% and 21.3% from $46.9 million or $1.60 per diluted share in the first nine months of last year. Diluted EPS for the first nine months of the current year include a $0.04 charge in the second quarter for the closure of Gildan's Montreal sewing plant.

In U.S. dollars, net earnings for the first nine months after the special charge amounted to U.S. $38.9 million, or U.S. $1.31 per diluted share, up respectively 30.7% and 28.4% from the first nine months of fiscal 2002.

The Company continues to be comfortable with its previously announced EPS range for the full 2003 fiscal year of $2.70 – $2.80 per diluted share, after reflecting the impact of the special charge for the sewing plant closure. If the value of the U.S. dollar remains at the current level, the company expects the full year EPS to be at the higher end of this range.


In the third quarter, the Company generated $41.4 million of free cash flow, defined as cash flows from operating activities less cash used in investing activities. Included in investing activities for the quarter were
capital expenditures amounting to $13.6 million. The Company ended the third quarter with surplus cash reserves of $68.5 million.

H. Greg Chamandy, Gildan's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented that “we are pleased to have achieved an all-time record performance for quarterly earnings and EPS. We have been able to fully offset the significant impact of the U.S. currency decline by surpassing our targets for manufacturing efficiencies and by exceeding our unit sales growth forecast, in spite of low inventories and capacity constraints. We continue to be excited about the progress and potential of our Rio Nance integrated textile facility, which will provide additional production capacity as well as allow us to significantly further drive down our cost structure, and position us to achieve our sales and EPS growth objectives in 2004.”

As of July 31, 2003 there were 23,330,234 Class A subordinate shares and 6,094,000 Class B multiple voting shares issued and outstanding along with 1,011,368 options outstanding.

(Unless otherwise indicated, all amounts are expressed in Canadian dollars.)

    
                          Gildan Activewear Inc.
                     Consolidated Statements of Earnings
          (In thousands of Canadian dollars, except per share data)

                                 Three months ended       Nine months ended

                                 July 6,    June 30,     July 6,    June 30,
                                   2003        2002        2003        2002
                             ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________

                             (unaudited) (unaudited) (unaudited) (unaudited)

    Sales                      $204,047    $195,725    $479,375    $440,739
    Cost of sales               141,368     137,455     335,429     316,988
                             _______________________ _______________________

    Gross margin                 62,679      58,270     143,946     123,751

    Selling, general and
     administrative expenses     18,825      19,572      55,336      48,421
                             _______________________ _______________________

    Earnings before interest,
     income taxes, depreciation
     and amortization (EBITDA)   43,854      38,698      88,610      75,330

    Depreciation and amortization 5,871       4,604      17,028      12,696
    Interest expense              2,471       3,234       7,357      10,378
                             _______________________ _______________________

    Earnings before income taxes 35,512      30,860      64,225      52,256

    Income taxes                  4,260       3,137       6,717       5,330
                             _______________________ _______________________

    Net earnings               $ 31,252    $ 27,723    $ 57,508    $ 46,926
                             _______________________ _______________________
                             _______________________ _______________________

    Basic EPS
      Canadian $               $   1.06    $   0.97    $   1.97    $   1.65
      US $ (1)                 $   0.74    $   0.62    $   1.33    $   1.05

    Diluted EPS
      Canadian $               $   1.05    $   0.94    $   1.94    $   1.60
      US $ (1)                 $   0.73    $   0.60    $   1.31    $   1.02