MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 30, 2012-- Graco Inc. (NYSE: GGG) today announced results for the quarter and year ended December 30, 2011.

• Sales for the quarter were 9 percent higher than the strong fourth quarter last year, which included 14 weeks, compared to 13 weeks in 2011.
• Sales for the year increased 20 percent from last year.
• Lubrication segment sales for the year topped $100 million and operating earnings more than doubled from the previous year.
• For the year, gross margin rate of 56 percent and return on sales of 16 percent were each 2 percentage points higher than last year.
• General and administrative expenses include $2 million of acquisition-related costs for the quarter and $8 million for the year.

“The increase in our revenues for the full year 2011 was very broad-based, with strong double-digit growth in all geographies and business segments,” said Patrick J. McHale, Graco’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Although year-over-year growth decelerated somewhat from the third quarter of 2011, Graco reported revenues that were a record for any fourth quarter in the history of the Company. In addition, the extra week in the 2010 comparables belies the underlying growth in the Company’s weekly order rate experienced in the fourth quarter of 2011. When compared to the same period of the prior year, weekly order intake in the fourth quarter continued to grow at a double-digit rate. These strong results were driven by the Company’s continued investment in new products and geographic expansion.”

Consolidated Results

For the quarter, sales were 9 percent higher than last year in the Americas, flat in Europe and 20 percent higher in Asia Pacific. Translation rates did not have a significant impact on the sales increase for the quarter. For the year, sales increased 20 percent (18 percent at consistent translation rates), including increases of 17 percent in the Americas, 19 percent in Europe (14 percent at consistent translation rates) and 32 percent in Asia Pacific (27 percent at consistent translation rates). There were 53 weeks in fiscal 2010, including 14 weeks in the fourth quarter. There were 52 weeks in fiscal 2011, with 13 weeks in the fourth quarter.

Gross profit margin, expressed as a percentage of sales, was 54 percent for the quarter, consistent with last year, and 56 percent for the year, up 2 percentage points. The rate improvement for the year is mainly from higher production volumes, pricing and favorable translation rates, partially offset by higher material costs.

Total operating expenses for the quarter were flat compared to last year and increased $30 million for the year. Half of the increase was in selling, marketing and distribution expenses, including strategic spending to generate and support growth, especially in Asia Pacific. General and administrative expenses for the year increased by $11 million, including $8 million related to the proposed acquisition of ITW’s finishing businesses. Operating expenses as a percentage of sales decreased to 32 percent for the quarter and 31 percent for the year, down 3 and 2 percentage points, respectively, compared to last year.

The effective income tax rate was 30 percent for the quarter and 32 percent for the year, compared to 26 percent and 31 percent for the comparable periods last year. In 2010, the effective rate for the quarter was low because the federal R&D tax credit was not renewed until the fourth quarter and the full-year benefit was reflected in that quarter.

Segment Results

Certain measurements of segment operations are summarized below:

Industrial segment sales increased 11 percent for the quarter, including increases of 7 percent in the Americas, 8 percent in Europe and 20 percent in Asia Pacific. For the year, sales increased 23 percent, including increases of 17 percent in the Americas, 23 percent in Europe (19 percent at consistent translation rates) and 31 percent in Asia Pacific (27 percent at consistent translation rates). Higher sales and the leveraging of expenses led to improvement in operating earnings as a percentage of sales.

Contractor segment sales increased 1 percent for the quarter and 13 percent for the year. Sales for the quarter increased 8 percent in the Americas and 5 percent in Asia Pacific (2 percent at consistent translation rates). In Europe, sales decreased 15 percent compared to a strong fourth quarter of 2010 that included initial stocking orders of the new handheld product. For the year, sales increased 13 percent in the Americas, 9 percent in Europe (4 percent at consistent translation rates) and 25 percent in Asia Pacific (18 percent at consistent translation rates). Higher sales and the leveraging of expenses led to improvement in operating earnings as a percentage of sales.

Lubrication segment sales increased 26 percent for the quarter and 32 percent for the year. Sales for the quarter increased 17 percent in both the Americas and Europe, and 59 percent in Asia Pacific. For the year, sales increased 25 percent in the Americas, 38 percent in Europe and 57 percent in Asia Pacific. For both the quarter and the year, higher sales and the leveraging of factory volumes and operating expenses led to improvement in operating earnings as a percentage of sales.

Outlook

“We are planning for growth in all business segments and geographies for the full year 2012, although percentage growth trends will likely be lower, reflecting difficult comparisons to our record-level sales in 2011, continued challenges in the worldwide construction market and the ongoing Eurozone crisis. We will continue to invest in new products and resources to expand Graco’s geographic footprint and broaden the served markets and applications for our products,” said McHale. “While we remain cautious regarding demand trends in Western Europe, we continue to see strong growth in the emerging markets of Europe as well as pockets of strength in certain end-markets, such as automotive, energy, heavy equipment and industrial lubrication. We also see sustained opportunities to grow in the United States, while Asia Pacific remains a bright spot for ongoing double-digit growth in 2012.”

As announced in mid-December, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has filed a complaint to challenge Graco's proposed acquisition of the finishing businesses of Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE: ITW). “The decision by the FTC to challenge this acquisition is extremely disappointing,” said McHale. “We strongly believe that this acquisition is pro-competitive and will benefit both end users and our distributor partners. We are confident in our position and will vigorously fight for approval in court.”

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

A forward-looking statement is any statement made in this earnings release and other reports that the Company files periodically with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as in press releases, analyst briefings, conference calls and the Company’s Annual Report to shareholders, which reflects the Company’s current thinking on the acquisition of the finishing businesses of ITW, market trends and the Company’s future financial performance at the time it is made. All forecasts and projections are forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements in light of new information or future events.

The Company desires to take advantage of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 by making cautionary statements concerning any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of the Company. The Company cannot give any assurance that the results forecasted in any forward-looking statement will actually be achieved. Future results could differ materially from those expressed, due to the impact of changes in various factors. These risk factors include, but are not limited to: economic conditions in the United States and other major world economies, currency fluctuations, political instability, changes in laws and regulations, and changes in product demand. In addition, risk factors related to the Company’s pending acquisition of the ITW finishing businesses include: whether and when the required regulatory approvals will be obtained, whether and when the closing conditions will be satisfied and whether and when the transaction will close, the ability to close on committed financing on satisfactory terms, the amount of debt that the Company will incur to complete the transaction, completion of purchase price valuation for acquired assets, whether and when the Company will be able to realize the expected financial results and accretive effect of the transaction, how customers, competitors, suppliers and employees will react to the transaction, and economic changes in global markets. Please refer to Item 1A of, and Exhibit 99 to, the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal year 2010 (and most recent Form 10-Q) for a more comprehensive discussion of these and other risk factors. These reports are available on the Company’s website at www.graco.com and the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at www.sec.gov.

Conference Call

Graco management will hold a conference call, including slides via webcast, with analysts and institutional investors on Tuesday, January 31, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. ET, to discuss Graco’s fourth quarter and year-end results.

A real-time Webcast of the conference call will be broadcast live over the Internet. Individuals wanting to listen and view slides can access the call at the Company’s website at www.graco.com. Listeners should go to the website at least 15 minutes prior to the live conference call to install any necessary audio software.

For those unable to listen to the live event, a replay will be available soon after the conference call at Graco’s website, or by telephone beginning at approximately 2:00 p.m. ET on January 31, 2012, by dialing 800-406-7325, Conference ID #4502375, if calling within the U.S. or Canada. The dial-in number for international participants is 303-590-3030, with the same Conference ID #. The replay by telephone will be available through February 4, 2012.

Graco Inc. supplies technology and expertise for the management of fluids in both industrial and commercial applications. It designs, manufactures and markets systems and equipment to move, measure, control, dispense and spray fluid materials. A recognized leader in its specialties, Minneapolis-based Graco serves customers around the world in the manufacturing, processing, construction and maintenance industries. For additional information about Graco Inc., please visit us at www.graco.com.

Source: Graco Inc.

Graco Inc.
James A. Graner, 612-623-6635