ATLANTA, Jan. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE:AYI) (the "Company") a market-leading industrial technology company announced net sales of $926.1 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2022 ended November 30, 2021, an increase of $134.1 million or 16.9 percent, compared to the same period in fiscal 2021. Diluted earnings per share "EPS" was $2.46, an increase of 56.7 percent over the prior year.

"I am proud of our performance in the first quarter of fiscal 2022. Our team delivered sales growth of 17%, expanded our operating profit margin by 160 basis points and increased diluted EPS by 57% despite global supply chain challenges and unpredictable market conditions," stated Neil Ashe, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Acuity Brands, Inc. "Our performance demonstrates that by prioritizing customers we are driving sales growth and turning that into operating income while continuing to invest in the long-term growth and transformation of the Company."

Gross profit of $385.8 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2022 increased $53.4 million, or 16.1 percent, over the prior year, driven by revenue growth as well as our ability to largely offset the significant increase in material and freight costs through price increases and product and productivity improvements. Gross profit as a percent of sales was 41.7 percent for the first quarter of fiscal 2022, a decrease of 30 basis points from 42.0 percent over the prior year.

• Net sales of $636.8 million in the Independent Sales Network and $90.0 million in the Direct Sales Network increased 13.8 percent and12.4 percent, respectively, over the prior year.
• Sales in the Corporate Accounts channel of $37.0 million increased 61.6 percent over the prior year as large accounts continuing to carry out previously deferred maintenance and renovations.
• Retail sales of $46.9 million declined 16.3 percent over the prior year.
  

Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE:AYI) is a market-leading industrial technology company. We use technology to solve problems in spaces and light. Through our two business segments, Acuity Brands Lighting and Lighting Controls ("ABL") and the Intelligent Spaces Group ("ISG"), we design, manufacture, and bring to market products and services that make the world more brilliant, productive, and connected. We achieve growth through the development of innovative new products and services, including lighting, lighting controls, building management systems, and location-aware applications.

This news release includes the following non-generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") financial measures: "adjusted operating profit" and "adjusted operating profit margin" for total company and by segment; "adjusted net income;" "adjusted diluted EPS'" "earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization ("EBITDA");" "adjusted EBITDA'" and "free cash flow ("FCF")". These non-GAAP financial measures are provided to enhance the reader's overall understanding of the Company's current financial performance and prospects for the future. Specifically, management believes that these non-GAAP measures provide useful information to investors by excluding or adjusting items for acquisition-related items, amortization of acquired intangible assets, share-based payment expense, impairment on investment, and special charges associated with continued efforts to streamline the organization and integrate recent acquisitions. FCF is provided to enhance the reader's understanding of the Company's ability to generate additional cash from its business. Management typically adjusts for these items for internal reviews of performance and uses the above non-GAAP measures for baseline comparative operational analysis, decision making, and other activities. Management believes these non-GAAP measures provide greater comparability and enhanced visibility into the Company's results of operations as well as comparability with many of its peers, especially those companies focused more on technology and software. Non-GAAP financial measures included in this news release should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for or superior to, results prepared in accordance with GAAP.

The most directly comparable GAAP measures for adjusted operating profit and adjusted operating profit margin for total company and by segment are "operating profit" and "operating profit margin," respectively, for total company and by segment, which include the impact of amortization of acquired intangible assets, share-based payment expense, and special charges. The most directly comparable GAAP measures for adjusted net income and adjusted diluted EPS are "net income" and "diluted EPS," respectively, which include the impact of amortization of acquired intangible assets, share-based payment expense, an impairment of investment, and special charges. The most directly comparable GAAP measure for FCF is "net cash provided by operating activities." The most directly comparable GAAP measure for EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA is "net income", which include the impact of net interest expense, income taxes, depreciation, amortization of acquired intangible assets, share-based payment expense, special charges, and miscellaneous expense, net. The most directly comparable GAAP measure for FCF is "net cash provided by operating activities." A reconciliation of each measure to the most directly comparable GAAP measure is available in this news release. The Company's non-GAAP financial measures may not be comparable to similarly titled non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies, have limitations as an analytical tool, and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for GAAP financial measures. Our presentation of such measures, which may include adjustments to exclude unusual or non-recurring items, should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by other unusual or non-recurring items.

This press release includes "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, that are based on management's beliefs and assumptions and information currently available to management. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which may be beyond our control. We caution you that the forward-looking information presented in this press release is not a guarantee of future events, and that actual events may differ materially from those made in or suggested by the forward-looking information contained in this press release. In addition, forward-looking statements are statements other than those of historical fact and may include statements relating to goals, plans, market conditions and projections regarding Acuity Brands' strategy, and specifically include statements made in this press release regarding: long term growth and transformation. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "plan," "seek," "comfortable with," "will," "expect," "intend," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe" or "continue" or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology. A number of important factors could cause actual events to differ materially from those contained in or implied by the forward-looking statements, including those factors discussed in our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2021, filed on October 27, 2021 and those described from time to time in our other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), which can be found at the SEC's website www.sec.gov. Any forward-looking information presented herein is made only as of the date of this press release, and we do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information to reflect changes in assumptions, the occurrence of events, or otherwise.