Lawson Products, Inc. Announces 2006 Fourth Quarter and Annual Results

March 2, 2007 at 5:02 PM EST
DES PLAINES, Ill., March 2, 2007 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- Lawson Products, Inc. (Nasdaq: LAWS) (the "Company"), an international distributor of services, systems and products to the MRO and OEM marketplaces, today announced financial results for its fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2006.

For the full year 2006, net sales were $518.2 million, a 15.1 percent increase from $450.2 million in 2005. Operating income was $22.3 million in 2006 compared to $35.4 million in the prior year. Net income decreased 52.8 percent to $12.6 million for 2006 compared with $26.7 million for 2005. Diluted earnings per share were $1.42 in 2006, a 51.7 percent decrease from $2.94 in 2005.

Adjusted operating income for 2006 was $29.9 million, down 14.3 percent from $34.9 million in 2005. Adjusted operating income is a non-GAAP financial measure which is reconciled to reported operating income later in this release. The decline in adjusted operating income in 2006 compared to 2005 was primarily due to higher general and administrative expenses in 2006 associated with the Company's on-going investments in marketing, technology and supply chain initiatives.

"The Company achieved record sales levels in 2006, a year that included progress on many initiatives that are important for the Company's long-term growth," said Robert J. Washlow, Chairman of the Board and CEO. "In 2006, we invested heavily in the future of Lawson, including the integration of Rutland Tool & Supply Co. ("Rutland"), acquired in December 2005, which resulted in the expansion of our product offering by about 80,000 stock keeping units. In addition, we broadened our efforts on several supply chain development initiatives, including the reconfiguration of our Suwannee, Georgia distribution center and the commencement of construction of a 140,000 square foot addition to our Reno, Nevada distribution center. Finally, the Company completed the purchase of almost 500,000 shares of outstanding stock in 2006," Washlow continued.

Net sales for the fourth quarter 2006 increased 9.2 percent to $126.2 million from $115.6 million in the same quarter of 2005. Operating income was $3.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2006 compared to $6.2 million in the prior year period. Adjusted operating income was $4.9 million in fourth quarter of 2006 compared to $6.8 million in the comparable 2005 period. Fourth quarter 2006 results include a full quarter of the operations of Rutland, which was acquired in December 2005.

Rutland accounted for $13.1 million of net sales and $0.5 million of operating income in the fourth quarter 2006 and $4.1 million of net sales and $0.2 million of operating income in the fourth quarter of 2005. For the full year 2006, Rutland accounted for $54.8 million of net sales and $2.6 million of operating income.

Fourth quarter and full year 2006 net income results include higher effective income tax rates, reflecting the Company's recording of additional tax expenses due to the removal of tax deductions taken in tax years 2005, 2004, and 2003 for costs incurred related to certain customer loyalty programs discontinued in January 2006. As a result of these adjustments, the Company's fourth quarter and full year 2006 effective tax rates were 67.8 percent and 46.8 percent, respectively, compared to 48.4 percent and 41.3 percent in the comparable prior year periods.

About Lawson Products, Inc.

Lawson Products, Inc. is an international leader in selling and distributing services, systems and products to the industrial, commercial and institutional maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) market. The Company also manufacturers, sells and distributes production and specialized component parts to the original equipment marketplace (OEM) including the automotive, appliance, aerospace, construction and transportation industries.

This release contains certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. The terms "may," "should," "could," "anticipate," "believe," "continues," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "objective," "plan," "potential," "project" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Such statements speak only as of the date of the news release and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations. These risks include, but are not limited to: the impact of governmental investigations, such as the ongoing investigation by U.S. Attorney's office for the Northern District of Illinois; excess and obsolete inventory; disruptions of the Company's information systems; risks of rescheduled or cancelled orders; increases in commodity prices; the influence of controlling stockholders; competition and competitive pricing pressures; the effect of general economic conditions and market conditions in the markets and industries the Company serves; the risks of war, terrorism, and similar hostilities; and, all of the factors discussed in the Company's "Risk Factors" set forth in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any such factor or to publicly announce the results of any revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.



                    LAWSON PRODUCTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                 CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

                                 (UNAUDITED)

                                        Three Months Ended     Year Ended
                                           December 31,        December 31,
    (Amounts in thousands, except
     per share data)                     2006      2005      2006      2005

    Net sales                          $126,187  $115,605  $518,177  $450,185
    Cost of goods sold                   51,918    44,493   212,919   170,426

    Gross profit                         74,269    71,112   305,258   279,759

    Selling, general and
     administrative expenses             71,041    64,870   282,200   244,393
    Loss on sale of equipment               ---       ---       806       ---

    Operating income (a)                  3,228     6,242    22,252    35,366

    Investment and other income           1,097       588     2,301     1,196
    Interest expense                       (150)      ---      (150)       (7)

    Income from continuing
     operations before income
     taxes and cumulative effect
     of accounting change                 4,175     6,830    24,403    36,555

    Provision for income taxes            2,831     3,305    11,418    15,095

    Income from continuing operations
     Before cumulative effect of
     accounting change                    1,344     3,525    12,985    21,460

    Income (loss) from discontinued
     operations, net of income taxes        ---     6,059       (12)    5,278

    Income before cumulative effect
     of accounting change                 1,344     9,584    12,973    26,738

    Cumulative effect of accounting
     change, net of income taxes            ---       ---      (361)      ---

    Net income                           $1,344    $9,584   $12,612   $26,738

    Basic income (loss) per share
     of common stock:
      Continuing operations before
       cumulative effect of
       accounting change                  $0.16     $0.39     $1.46     $2.36
       Discontinued operations              ---      0.67       ---      0.58
      Cumulative effect of
       accounting change                    ---       ---     (0.04)      ---
                                          $0.16     $1.07     $1.42     $2.94

    Diluted income (loss) per share
     of common stock:
      Continuing operations before
       cumulative effect of
       accounting change                  $0.16     $0.39     $1.46     $2.36
      Discontinued operations               ---      0.67       ---      0.58
      Cumulative effect of
       accounting change                    ---       ---     (0.04)      ---
                                          $0.16     $1.06     $1.42     $2.94

    Cash dividends declared per
     share of common stock                $0.20     $0.20     $0.80     $0.80

    Weighted average shares
     outstanding:

    Basic                                 8,635     8,987     8,878     9,082

    Diluted                               8,638     9,001     8,880     9,099

    Reconciliation of GAAP to
     Adjusted Non-GAAP Operating
     Income:
    (a) Operating income as reported     $3,228    $6,242   $22,252   $35,366
    Expenses (income) for change in
     value of stock performance rights      523       568     2,482      (431)
    Expenses for Federal investigation      672       ---     3,225       ---
    Loss on sale of equipment               ---       ---       806       ---

    Severance costs                         521       ---     1,128       ---


    Adjusted non-GAAP operating income   $4,944    $6,810   $29,893   $34,935

    The Company believes that the adjusted non-GAAP operating income
comparison above helps investors compare current operating results to prior
periods.



                    LAWSON PRODUCTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                                 (UNAUDITED)

                                                   December 31,  December 31,
    (Amounts in thousands)                             2006          2005

    ASSETS
    Current Assets:
      Cash and cash equivalents                       $4,179        $15,467
      Accounts receivable, less allowance for
       doubtful accounts                              60,614         60,102
      Inventories                                     90,752         79,125
      Other current assets                             9,022         11,870
      Discontinued current assets                        630          1,462

        Total Current Assets                         165,197        168,026

      Property, plant and equipment, less
       allowances for depreciation and amortization   42,664         45,662
      Deferred income taxes                           20,341         18,212
      Goodwill, less accumulated amortization         27,999         27,999
      Other assets                                    22,679         19,322
      Discontinued non-current assets                      3              3

        Total Assets                                $278,883       $279,224

    LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
    Current Liabilities:
      Accounts payable                               $14,350         $9,380
      Accrued expenses and other liabilities          47,440         41,495
      Income taxes                                       772            ---
      Discontinued current liabilities                   865          1,668

        Total Current Liabilities                     63,427         52,543


      Accrued liability under security bonus plans    25,522         23,866
      Other                                           19,617         17,390
                                                      45,139         41,256

        Total Stockholders' Equity                   170,317        185,425

        Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity  $278,883       $279,224

SOURCE Lawson Products, Inc.

Scott F. Stephens of Lawson Products, Inc., +1-847-827-9666, ext. 2269

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