EXHIBIT 99.1

Labor Ready Announces 2007 First Quarter Results

TACOMA, Wash. -- April 18, 2007 -- Labor Ready, Inc. (NYSE:LRW) reported revenue for the first quarter ended March 30, 2007 of $290 million, a decrease of 2.3 percent from $297 million for the first quarter of 2006. Net income for the first quarter was $10.3 million or $0.21 per diluted share, a decrease in net income of 9.8 percent, as compared to $11.5 million or $.21 per diluted share for the first quarter of 2006.

“We delivered better than expected results this quarter, and I am proud of our hard-working employees and their efforts to drive demand given the headwinds we faced,” said Labor Ready CEO Steve Cooper.  “We saw positive momentum in the demand for our services this quarter after experiencing a drop in demand during the second half of 2006.”

Revenue for the quarter from branches open 12 months or longer declined 3.1 percent over the same quarter a year ago, while branches opened in the last 12 months contributed growth of 1.6 percent.

Gross margin was 32.0 percent for the quarter compared to 31.3 percent the same quarter a year ago.  Gross margin this quarter was positively impacted by 1.2 percent of revenue as a result of lower workers’ compensation expense offset by increased wage and pricing pressure of .5 percent of revenue. 

“Our attention to safety and risk management continues to reduce workers’ compensation expense,” said Cooper.  “As expected, we experienced some price sensitivity this quarter due to overall market conditions and the large number of states with minimum wage increases.”

Labor Ready opened a total of seven new branches and closed six branches during the quarter resulting in 913 branches in operation.  Approximately 10-15 additional branch openings are planned for 2007.

As of April 12, 2007, the company had repurchased a total of 4.7 million shares at a cost of $88 million in 2007, completing the share repurchase programs previously authorized by the Board of Directors.

Labor Ready also provided guidance for the second quarter and updated its outlook for 2007. For the second quarter, the company estimates revenue in the range of $337 million to $340 million and net income per diluted share between $0.33 and $0.35. For the year, the company estimates revenue in the range of $1.35 to $1.37 billion and net income per diluted share between $1.40 to $1.45.

Management will discuss the company’s performance with analysts on a conference call at 5 p.m. (ET) today, April 18, 2007. The conference call will be broadcast 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 Labor Ready’s financial results and operations in the future. Labor Ready’s actual results are, however, subject to a number of risks, including without limitation the following:  1) national and global economic conditions; 2) Labor Ready’s 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 Labor Ready’s operations and financial results; 4) significant labor disturbances which could disrupt industries Labor Ready serves; 5)




increased costs and collateral requirements in connection with Labor Ready’s insurance obligations, including workers’ compensation insurance; 6) the adequacy of Labor Ready’s financial reserves; 7) Labor Ready’s continuing ability to comply with financial covenants in its lines of credit and other financing agreements; 8) Labor Ready’s ability to attract and retain competent employees in key positions or to find temporary employees or skilled trade workers to fulfill the needs of our customers; 9) Labor Ready’s ability to successfully complete and integrate acquisitions that it may make from time to time; 10) Labor Ready’s ability to timely execute strategies for acquired companies; and 11) other risks described in Labor Ready’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filings.

About Labor Ready

Labor Ready is an international provider of temporary employees for manual labor, light industrial and skilled construction trades, operating under the brand names of Labor Ready, Labour 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 more than 300,000 customers and puts approximately 600,000 people to work through its more than 900 branch offices 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 data

(Unaudited)

 

Thirteen Weeks Ended

 

 

 

March 30,

 

March 31,

 

 

 

2007

 

2006

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revenue from services

 

$

290,237

 

$

297,067

 

Cost of services

 

197,446

 

204,150

 

Gross profit

 

92,791

 

92,917

 

Selling, general and administrative expenses

 

77,376

 

74,224

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

2,401

 

2,796

 

Income from operations

 

13,014

 

15,897

 

Interest and other income, net

 

3,282

 

2,746

 

Income before tax expense

 

16,296

 

18,643

 

Income tax

 

5,948

 

7,177

 

Net income

 

$

10,348

 

$

11,466

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income per common share:

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

$

0.21

 

$

0.21

 

Diluted

 

$

0.21

 

$

0.21

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average shares outstanding:

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

49,076

 

53,680

 

Diluted

 

49,342

 

54,447

 

 




LABOR READY, INC.

SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

In Thousands

 

March 30,

 

December 29,

 

 

 

2007

 

2006

 

 

 

(unaudited)

 

 

 

Assets

 

 

 

 

 

Current assets

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

59,796

 

$

107,944

 

Marketable securities

 

83,822

 

91,510

 

Accounts receivable, net

 

114,749

 

120,173

 

Other current assets

 

17,712

 

20,131

 

Total current assets

 

276,079

 

339,758

 

Property and equipment, net

 

36,143

 

31,949

 

Other assets

 

218,139

 

220,599

 

Total assets

 

$

530,361

 

$

592,306

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liabilities and shareholders’ equity

 

 

 

 

 

Current liabilities

 

$

101,163

 

$

101,385

 

Long-term liabilities

 

139,429

 

138,403

 

Total liabilities

 

240,592

 

239,788

 

Shareholders’ equity

 

289,769

 

352,518

 

Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity

 

$

530,361

 

$

592,306

 

 




LABOR READY, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

In Thousands

(Unaudited)

 

Thirteen Weeks Ended

 

 

 

March 30,

 

 

 

March 31,

 

 

 

2007

 

 

 

2006

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash Flows from Operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income

 

$

10,348

 

 

 

$

11,466

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

2,401

 

 

 

2,796

 

Provision for doubtful accounts

 

1,631

 

 

 

1,598

 

Deferred income taxes

 

229

 

 

 

(7,763

)

Stock-based compensation

 

2,356

 

 

 

2,497

 

Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation

 

(418

)

 

 

(1,877

)

Other operating activities

 

-

 

 

 

(194

)

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts receivable

 

3,793

 

 

 

8,992

 

Income taxes

 

4,792

 

 

 

15,160

 

Other assets

 

3,889

 

 

 

506

 

Accounts payable

 

5,478

 

 

 

6

 

Accrued wages and benefits

 

(5,179

)

 

 

(4,410

)

Workers’ compensation claims reserve

 

(1,588

)

 

 

5,473

 

Other current liabilities

 

-

 

 

 

(38

)

Net cash provided by operating activities

 

27,732

 

 

 

34,212

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash Flows from Investing activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Capital expenditures

 

(6,189

)

 

 

(3,859

)

Maturities of marketable securities

 

110,496

 

 

 

12,002

 

Purchases of marketable securities

 

(102,813

)

 

 

(11,243

)

Change in restricted cash and other assets

 

(1,891

)

 

 

(7,431

)

Net cash used in investing activities

 

(397

)

 

 

(10,531

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash Flows from Financing activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Purchase and retirement of common stock

 

(76,749

)

 

 

-

 

Net proceeds from sale of stock through options and employee benefit plans

 

837

 

 

 

1,335

 

Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation

 

418

 

 

 

1,877

 

Payments on debt

 

(188

)

 

 

(193

)

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

 

(75,682

)

 

 

3,019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Effect of exchange rates on cash

 

199

 

 

 

202

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net change in cash and cash equivalents

 

(48,148

)

 

 

26,902

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period

 

107,944

 

 

 

82,155

 

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period

 

$

59,796

 

 

 

$

109,057