EXHIBIT 99.1

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

 

LABOR READY ANNOUNCES RECORD FIRST QUARTER NET INCOME

Net Income Improves 23 Percent

 

TACOMA, WA, April 19, 2006—Labor Ready, Inc. (NYSE: LRW) reported revenue for the first quarter ended March 31, 2006 increased 22.1 percent to $297.1 million compared to revenue of $243.2 million for the first quarter of 2005. Net income for the quarter was $11.5 million or $0.21 per diluted share, as compared to $9.4 million or $0.19 per diluted share for the first quarter of 2005. Included in net income for the quarter is incremental stock-based compensation expense of $0.03 per diluted share in comparison with the same quarter a year ago.

 

“We are pleased with the continued leverage in our operating model which resulted in net income growth of more than 37 percent excluding incremental stock-based compensation,” said Labor Ready President Steve Cooper. “During the quarter we achieved same branch revenue growth of 11 percent, sustained gross profit of 31.3 percent, and continued our disciplined control of operating expenses.”

 

CLP Resources, a leading skilled construction trades staffing firm acquired by Labor Ready in May 2005, provided 11.7 percentage points of Labor Ready’s total revenue growth for the quarter.

 

“We are confident we will continue to benefit from our commitment to growing revenue of existing branches, opening new branches, and maximizing the potential of our recent acquisitions,” said Labor Ready CEO Joe Sambataro. “These strategies and our ability to serve the staffing needs of our customers through our family of brands provide a strong foundation for sustained future growth.”

 

 Labor Ready opened a total of 23 new branches and closed two branches during the quarter and plans to open approximately 20 additional branches in 2006. The company currently operates 908 branches.

 

Labor Ready also announced the company plans to repurchase up to 1.2 million shares of its common stock during the second quarter of 2006 under a program previously approved by its Board of Directors.

 

Labor Ready also provided guidance for the second quarter and updated its outlook for 2006. The company estimates revenue in the range of $338 million to $343 million and net income per share between $0.32 and $0.34 for the second quarter of 2006. For the year, the company currently estimates revenue in the range of $1.38 billion to $1.40 billion. Net income per share for the year is expected to be between $1.33 and $1.38. These estimates include incremental stock-based compensation expense of $0.07 per diluted share for the year 2006.

 



 

Management will discuss the company’s performance with analysts on a conference call at 8:00 a.m. (PT) Thursday, April 20, 2006. The conference call will be broadcast live on the Internet at www.laborready.com and archived later in the day for replay.

 

This news release contains forward-looking statements, such as statements about the ranges of revenues, gross margins and net income anticipated for future periods, improvements in safety and workers’ compensation claims and costs, strategies for increasing revenue and net income, and other factors that may affect our financial results and operations in the future. Our actual results are, however, subject to a number of risks, including without limitation the following: 1) national and global economic conditions; 2) our ability to continue to attract and retain customers and maintain profit margins in the face of new and existing competition; 3) potential new laws and regulations that could have a materially adverse effect on our operations and financial results; 4) significant labor disturbances which could disrupt industries we serve; 5) increased costs and collateral requirements in connection with our insurance obligations, including workers’ compensation insurance; 6) the adequacy of our financial reserves; 7) our continuing ability to comply with financial covenants in our lines of credit and other financing agreements; 8) our ability to attract and retain competent employees in key positions; 9) our ability to successfully complete and integrate acquisitions that we have made and may make from time to time; and 10) other risks described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Report on Form 10-K filed during 2006.

 

About Labor Ready

Labor Ready is an international provider of temporary employees for manual labor, light industrial and skilled trades, operating under the brand names of Labor Ready, Workforce, Spartan Staffing, and CLP Resources. Labor Ready’s customers are primarily small- to mid-sized businesses in the construction, warehousing, hospitality, landscaping, transportation, light manufacturing, retail, wholesale, facilities and sanitation industries. Annually, Labor Ready serves approximately 300,000 customers and puts more than 600,000 people to work through its more than 900 branch locations in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. For additional information, visit Labor Ready’s website at www.laborready.com.

 

For more information, contact:

 

Derrek Gafford, CFO

253-680-8214

 

Stacey Burke, Director of Corporate Communications

253-680-8291

 



 

LABOR READY, INC.

SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

(in thousands, except per share amounts)

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

Thirteen Weeks Ended

 

 

 

March 31,

 

April 1,

 

 

 

2006

 

2005

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revenue from services

 

$

297,067

 

$

243,216

 

Cost of services

 

204,150

 

167,078

 

Gross profit

 

92,917

 

76,138

 

Selling, general and administrative expenses

 

74,224

 

59,414

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

2,796

 

2,206

 

Income from operations

 

15,897

 

14,518

 

Interest and other income, net

 

2,746

 

475

 

Income before tax expense

 

18,643

 

14,993

 

Income tax

 

7,177

 

5,637

 

Net income

 

$

11,466

 

$

9,356

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income per common share:

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

$

0.21

 

$

0.22

 

Diluted

 

$

0.21

 

$

0.19

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average shares outstanding:

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

53,680

 

42,502

 

Diluted

 

54,447

 

53,256

 

 



 

LABOR READY, INC.

SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

 

 

 

As of

 

 

 

March 31,

 

December 30,

 

 

 

2006

 

2005

 

 

 

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

Assets

 

 

 

 

 

Current assets

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

109,057

 

$

82,155

 

Marketable securities

 

92,760

 

93,510

 

Accounts receivable, net

 

111,369

 

121,959

 

Other current assets

 

20,472

 

21,039

 

Total current assets

 

333,658

 

318,663

 

Property and equipment, net

 

28,577

 

26,615

 

Other assets

 

237,699

 

226,798

 

Total assets

 

$

599,934

 

$

572,076

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liabilities and shareholders’ equity

 

 

 

 

 

Current liabilities

 

$

103,984

 

$

100,014

 

Long-term liabilities

 

129,501

 

123,464

 

Total liabilities

 

233,485

 

223,478

 

Shareholders’ equity

 

366,449

 

348,598

 

Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity

 

$

599,934

 

$

572,076

 

 



 

LABOR READY, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

In Thousands

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

Thirteen Weeks Ended

 

 

 

March 31,

 

April 1,

 

 

 

2006

 

2005

 

Cash Flows from Operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

Net income

 

$

11,466

 

$

9,356

 

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

2,611

 

2,400

 

Provision for doubtful accounts

 

1,598

 

1,557

 

Deferred income taxes

 

(7,763

)

(4,385

)

Tax benefit on stock options

 

 

1,419

 

Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation

 

(1,877

)

 

Other operating activities

 

2,488

 

31

 

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts receivable

 

8,992

 

1,125

 

Income tax

 

15,160

 

8,577

 

Other assets

 

506

 

(514

)

Accounts payable

 

6

 

3,215

 

Accrued wages and benefits

 

(4,410

)

(3,265

)

Workers’ compensation claims reserve

 

5,473

 

4,189

 

Other current liabilities

 

(38

)

(75

)

Net cash provided by operating activities

 

34,212

 

23,630

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash Flows from Investing activities:

 

 

 

 

 

Capital expenditures

 

(3,859

)

(1,152

)

Purchases of marketable securities

 

(11,243

)

(35,535

)

Maturities of marketable securities

 

12,002

 

34,305

 

Increase in restricted cash and other assets

 

(7,431

)

(17,805

)

Other

 

 

36

 

Net cash used in investing activities

 

(10,531

)

(20,151

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash Flows from Financing activities:

 

 

 

 

 

Proceeds from sale of stock through options and employee benefit plans

 

1,335

 

2,684

 

Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation

 

1,877

 

 

Payments on debt

 

(193

)

(578

)

Checks issued against future deposits

 

 

1,143

 

Net cash provided by financing activities

 

3,019

 

3,249

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Effect of exchange rates on cash

 

202

 

(258

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net change in cash and cash equivalents

 

26,902

 

6,470

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period

 

82,155

 

87,555

 

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period

 

$

109,057

 

$

94,025