Tupperware Brands Reports First Quarter 2017 Sales and EPS Above High End of Guidance; Raises Full Year Sales and Earnings Outlook

ORLANDO, Fla., April 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- TUP Tupperware Brands Corporation today announced first quarter 2017 operating results.

Rick Goings, Chairman and CEO, commented, "Local currency sales grew 6% in the first quarter, beating the high-end of our sales guidance by 3 points, driven by 9% growth in our emerging market businesses, most significantly in Brazil, China, Tupperware Mexico and Tupperware South Africa. Adjusted earnings per share was 7 cents above the high-end of our range, including a 2 cent benefit from foreign exchange rates versus our February guidance."

Goings continued, "Solid execution of direct selling fundamentals, along with innovative digital strategies across the portfolio, allowed more of our businesses to leverage our strong aspirational brand and provide an earnings opportunity that builds confidence in the 3.2 million women of our global sales force. With double digit sales force size advantages and the wind at our backs in several key businesses, we expect the momentum to continue in 2017, and have raised our sales and earnings per share outlooks accordingly."

First Quarter Executive Summary

• First quarter 2017 net sales were $554.8 million, up 6% in dollars and local currency. Emerging markets**, accounting for 66% of sales, achieved a 9% increase in dollars and local currency. The most significant contributions to the first quarter growth in local currency were in Brazil, China, Tupperware Mexico and Tupperware South Africa, partially offset by Indonesia. Established markets were down 1% in dollars and local currency, most significantly in France, net of a significant increase by Tupperware United States and Canada. There was an estimated 1 percentage point benefit on the year-over-year sales comparison of the whole Company from net favorable time shifts.
• GAAP net income and diluted earnings per share were $47.4 million and $0.93, versus $43.4 million and $0.86 in the prior year, respectively. Adjusted, diluted earnings per share of $1.01 was 7 cents above the high-end of the February guidance range, reflecting higher than expected sales, particularly in China which had a good contribution margin to profit, lower costs from restructuring actions taken to improve the value chain in Beauticontrol, and a timing benefit from unallocated corporate costs. Versus the February guidance, there was a 2 cent benefit from stronger foreign exchange rates on the diluted earnings per share comparison, while there was no impact versus 2016.
• Total sales force of 3.2 million was up 5% versus the prior year, a 4-point sequential improvement from the end of 2016, and average active sellers were down 1%, a 7-point improvement from the fourth quarter.

First Quarter Business Highlights

Europe: Segment sales were down 3% in dollars and 2% in local currency.

• Emerging markets in Europe were up 4% in dollars and 1% in local currency, mainly from a significant increase in Tupperware South Africa, up 60% in dollars (35% in local currency), partially offset by Turkey, down 37% in dollars (21% in local currency).
• Established markets were down 6% in dollars and 4% in local currency, primarily in France, which was down 18% in dollars (16% in local currency).

Asia Pacific: China leads the way with significant double-digit increase. Segment sales up 3% in dollars and 4% in local currency.

• Emerging Markets in Asia Pacific were up 4% in dollars and 6% in local currency, led by 39% more members and continued leveraging of the product portfolio and digital technologies in China, up 31% in dollars (38% in local currency), along with solid performances in Malaysia/Singapore and Philippines, each up 1% in dollars and 7% in local currency. These were partially offset by Indonesia, down 9% in dollars (10% in local currency).
• Segment's total sales force was 1% higher year-over-year, net of a negative 8 percentage point impact due to implementing requirements under government direct selling guidelines in India.

Tupperware North America: Both Mexico and United States and Canada leveraged strong fundamentals, growing segment sales up 10% in dollars and up 14% in local currency.

• Tupperware United States and Canada sales were up 15% in dollars (14% in local currency).
• Tupperware Mexico sales were up 4% in dollars (15% in local currency), which was a double-digit sequential improvement in local currency versus the fourth quarter of 2016 that was impacted by challenging externals following the U.S. presidential election and a more difficult comparison.

Beauty North America: Segment sales down 19% in dollars and 13% in local currency.

• Beauticontrol sales down 23%, mainly in connection with a smaller sales force.
• Fuller Mexico sales were down 18% in dollars and 9% in local currency, reflecting a smaller sales force size, although at down 3% in total sellers, there was a sequential improvement from the fourth quarter of 2016.

South America: Brazil continues to drive segment sales growth of 42% in dollars and 27% in local currency.

• Brazil was up 52% in dollars and 24% in local currency, reflecting higher volume from a 23% advantage in total sellers in connection with strong sales force additions and onboarding, as well as effective merchandising and marketing campaigns.
• Sales in Argentina were up 23% in dollars and 33% in local currency in connection with price increases related to the high inflation environment.
• Segment's sales force size was up 17%, and it had 12% more active sellers.

2017 Outlook

Based on current business trends and foreign currency rates, the Company's second quarter and fiscal 2017 full year outlook is provided below.

 

Company Level

 

Full Year 2017

• Fiscal year 2017 includes 52 weeks, while 2016 had 53 weeks. The Company estimates this will have a negative 1 percentage point impact on the year-over-year sales comparison in 2017 versus 2016.
• Tax rate estimated at 26.1% on a U.S. GAAP basis and 25.5% excluding items.
• Excludes land sales that may occur.

Segment Level

• For the full year, sales are expected to be down low-single digits in dollars (down 1 to 3% in local currency) in Europe, about even in dollars and in local currency in Asia Pacific, up high single digits in dollars (up 8 to 10% in local currency) in Tupperware North America, down low double digits in dollars (down 10 to 11% in local currency) in Beauty North America and to increase in South America by mid to high twenties in dollars (18 to 20% in local currency).
• Segment profit return on sales, excluding items, is expected to be about even in dollars and decrease about ½ point in local currency in Europe, to increase slightly in dollars and local currency in Asia Pacific, to increase about ½ point in dollars and local currency in Tupperware North America, to increase about 1 point in dollars and local currency in Beauty North America, and to be about even in dollars and local currency in South America.

* See Non-GAAP Financial Measures Reconciliation Schedules.

** The Company classifies Established Market Units as those operating in Western Europe, including Scandinavia, the United States, Canada, Australia and Japan and its remaining units as Emerging Market Units.

⁺ Local currency changes are measured by comparing current year results with those of the prior year translated at the current year's foreign exchange rates.

First Quarter Earnings Conference Call

Tupperware Brands will conduct a conference call today, Tuesday, April 25, 2017, at 8:30 am Eastern time. The conference call will be webcast and accessible, along with a copy of this news release and slides presented during the conference call, on www.tupperwarebrands.com.

Tupperware Brands Corporation, through an independent sales force of 3.2 million, is the leading global marketer of innovative, premium products across multiple brands utilizing social selling. Product brands and categories include design-centric preparation, storage and serving solutions for the kitchen and home through the Tupperware brand and beauty and personal care products through the Avroy Shlain, Beauticontrol, Fuller Cosmetics, NaturCare, Nutrimetics, and Nuvo brands.

The Company's stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange TUP. Statements contained in this release, which are not historical fact and use predictive words such as "outlook", "guidance", "expects" or "target" are forward-looking statements.  These statements involve risks and uncertainties that include recruiting and activity of the Company's independent sales forces relating to governmental actions and otherwise, the success of new product introductions and promotional programs, governmental approvals of materials for use in food containers and beauty, personal care nutraceutical products, the success of buyers in obtaining financing or attracting tenants for commercial and residential developments, the effects of economic and political conditions generally and foreign exchange risk in particular and other risks detailed in the Company's periodic reports as filed in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

The Company updates each month the impact of changes in foreign exchange rates versus the prior year, posting it on Tupperware Brands Foreign Exchange Translation Impact Update. Other than updating for changes in foreign currency exchange rates, the Company does not intend to update forward-looking information, except through its quarterly earnings releases, unless it expects diluted earnings per share for the current quarter, excluding items impacting comparability and changes versus its guidance of the impact of changes in foreign exchange rates, to be significantly below its previous guidance.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The Company has utilized non-GAAP financial measures in this release, which are provided to assist readers' understanding of the Company's results of operations. These amounts exclude certain items which at times materially impact the comparability of the Company's results of operations. The adjusted information is intended to be indicative of the Company's primary operations, and to assist readers in evaluating performance and analyzing trends across periods. These results should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for, results reported in accordance with GAAP.

The non-GAAP financial measures exclude gains from the sale of property, plant and equipment and insurance settlements related to casualty losses, other income in connection with real estate related operations, inventory obsolescence in conjunction with decisions to exit or significantly restructure businesses, certain asset retirement obligations, re-engineering and fixed asset impairment charges and pension settlements.  While the Company is engaged in a multi-year program to sell land adjacent to its Orlando, Florida headquarters, and also disposes of other excess land and facilities periodically, these activities are not part of its primary business operations.  Additionally, amounts recognized in any given period are not indicative of amounts that may be recognized in any particular future period.   For this reason, these amounts are excluded as indicated. The Company excludes significant charges related to casualty losses caused by significant weather events, fires or similar circumstances. It also excludes any related gains resulting from the settlement of associated insurance claims. While these types of events can and do recur periodically, they are excluded from indicated financial information due to their distinction from ongoing business operations, inherent volatility and impact on the comparability of earnings across periods. The Company periodically records exit costs accounted for using the applicable accounting guidance for exit or disposal cost obligations and other amounts related to rationalizing its supply chain operations and other restructuring activities, including upon liquidation of operations in a country, the recognition in income of amounts previously recorded in equity as a cumulative translation adjustment. Also, the Company excludes pension settlements, as well as the impact of changes in tax law on cumulative deferred taxes from items previously recorded as cumulative translation adjustments. The Company believes these amounts are similarly volatile and impact the comparability of earnings across periods. Therefore, they are also excluded from indicated financial information to provide what the Company believes represents a useful measure for analysis and predictive purposes.

The Company believes that excluding from reported financial information costs incurred in connection with a significant change in its capital structure that is of a nature that would be expected to recur sporadically, also provides a useful measure for analysis and predictive purposes. The Venezuelan government over the last several years has severely restricted the ability to translate bolivars into U.S. dollars. Due to volatility in changes in the mandated exchange rates, the Company's non-GAAP measures exclude for analysis and predictive purposes, the impact from devaluations on the bolivar denominated net monetary assets and other balance sheet positions that impact near term income, since they appear in the income statement at the exchange rate at which they were originally translated rather than the exchange rate at which current operating activity is being translated.

The Company has also elected to present financial measures excluding the impact of amortizing the purchase accounting carrying value of certain definite-lived intangible assets, primarily the value of its Fuller trade name recorded in connection with the Company's December 2005 acquisition of the direct selling businesses of Sara Lee Corporation.  The amortization expense related to these assets will continue for several years.  Similarly, in connection with its evaluation of the carrying value of acquired intangible assets and goodwill, the Company has periodically recognized impairment charges.  The Company believes that these types of non-cash charges will not be representative in any single reporting period of amounts recorded in prior reporting periods or expected to be recorded in future reporting periods. Therefore, they are excluded from indicated financial information to also provide a useful measure for analysis and predictive purposes.

As the impact of changes in exchange rates is an important factor in understanding period-to-period comparisons, the Company believes the presentation of results on a local currency basis, in addition to reported results, helps improve readers' ability to understand the Company's operating results and evaluate performance in comparison with prior periods. The Company presents local currency information that compares results between periods as if current period exchange rates had been the exchange rates in the prior period arising from the translation impact on sales and earnings from currency devaluations. The Company uses results on a local currency basis as one measure to evaluate performance. The Company generally refers to such amounts as calculated on a local currency basis, as restated or excluding the impact of foreign currency. These results should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for, results reported in accordance with GAAP. Results on a local currency basis may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies and are not measures of performance presented in accordance with GAAP.

In information included with this release, the Company has referred to Adjusted EBITDA and a Debt/Adjusted EBITDA ratio, which are non-GAAP financial measures used in the Company's credit agreement. The Company uses these measures in its capital allocation decision process and in discussions with investors, analysts and other interested parties, and therefore believes it is useful to disclose this amount and ratio. The Company's calculation of these measures is in accordance with its credit agreement, and is set forth in the reconciliation from GAAP amounts in an attachment to this release; however, the reader is cautioned that other companies define these measures in different ways, and consequently they may not be comparable with similarly labeled amounts disclosed by others.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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SOURCE Tupperware Brands Corporation