Skechers Posts Loss in Q1 on Sales Decline

The net loss for the first
quarter of 2012 was $3.7 million versus net earnings of $11.8 million in
the first quarter of 2011. Diluted loss per share was 7 cents a share, down from earnings of 24 cents the prior year.

“We believe our first quarter 2012 results represent a solid performance as we delivered more fresh product, which resulted in an increase in average price per pair of 5.8 percent compared to the first quarter of 2011. We also had a 40 percent decrease in total pairs sold in the first quarter of 2012 due to the clearing of excess toning inventory at reduced prices in the prior year period. In our company-owned Skechers concept stores, which are the first to receive new product across all of our divisions, we achieved positive comp store sales in dollars and a double digit percentage increase in pairs sold. With more full-price product at market, our gross margin percentage improved significantly compared to the first quarter of 2011,” stated David Weinberg, chief operating officer and chief financial officer.

Gross profit for the first quarter of 2012 was $155.7 million or 44.3 percent of net sales compared to $192.6 million or 40.4 percent of net sales in the first quarter of last year.

Robert Greenberg, Skechers chief executive officer, commented: “Twenty years ago next month we formed Skechers. Seven years later we went public, and today we are a billion-dollar plus global brand with successful lifestyle and active lines for men and women, a thriving work footwear business, a cast of animated characters that represent our multiple kids lines, and an emerging performance footwear business that is being embraced by enthusiasts worldwide. While we have faced challenges over the years, we are proud of our growth and many achievements – including the recent launch of Skechers GOrun. This quarter, elite runner Meb Keflezighi ran a personal best time and won the Olympic marathon trials while wearing custom Skechers GOrun footwear. We also returned to profitability in our retail stores, shipped one-million pairs of BOBS shoes to our charity partners to distribute to children in need through our giveaway program, and showcased our product to Japanese retailers as a wholly-owned subsidiary for the first time. We continued to support each of our divisions with multiple marketing campaigns, including more than a dozen television spots and a new Super Bowl campaign, which was named a Top 5 commercial by several media outlets during this coveted program. On the eve of our 20th anniversary, we are excited about the coming year and what the future will hold. Our goal when we started this company may have been modest, but we are now determined to profitably grow and continue to be a relevant, in-demand lifestyle brand to men, women and kids, and an innovator in the performance market.”

Weinberg continued: “Our first quarter 2012 sales are in line with our expectations given the continued challenging global economic retail environment and changes in retail trends. With strong sales in our company owned retail stores, new offerings delivering across all of our product divisions, including the launch of several new performance lines this quarter and in the third quarter of 2012, targeted marketing support, improved gross margins, a continued focus on reducing our operating expenses and significantly lower inventory levels and a strong cash position of approximately $392 million, we believe we will return to profitability later this year.”