Q.E.P. CO., Inc. Reports Fiscal 2025 Six Month and Second Quarter Financial Results

BOCA RATON, Fla., Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Q.E.P. CO., INC. (OTCQX: QEPC) (the “Company” or “QEP”) today reported its consolidated results of operations for the first six months and second quarter of fiscal year 2025, which ended on August 31, 2024.

Results of Operations

During the prior fiscal year, QEP completed the sale of its Harris Flooring Group in North America and its businesses in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand in order to streamline operations and concentrate resources on its core product lines in the North American market. These divested operations have been classified as discontinued operations in our financial statements for all periods presented.

QEP reported net sales of $126.1 million for the six months ended August 31, 2024, a decrease of $3.9 million or 3.0% from the $130.0 million reported in the same period of fiscal 2024. The Company reported net sales of $62.6 million for the quarter ended August 31, 2024, a decrease of $1.4 million or 2.2% from the $64.0 million reported in the same period of fiscal 2024. The decrease in net sales was primarily due to the ongoing moderation of consumer spending on home improvement projects due to elevated interest rates, inflationary pressures and broader economic uncertainty.

The Company’s gross profit for the first six months of fiscal 2025 was $44.8 million compared to $41.0 million in the corresponding fiscal 2024 period, an increase of $3.8 million or 9.3%. Gross profit for the second quarter of fiscal 2025 was $22.3 million, representing an increase of $1.4 million or 6.4%, from $20.9 million in the corresponding fiscal 2024 period. The Company’s gross margin as a percentage of net sales for the first six months and second quarter of fiscal 2025 was 35.5% and 35.6%, respectively, which increased from 31.5% and 32.7% in the same periods of the prior fiscal year. The increase in gross margin as a percentage of net sales was largely due to lower inbound freight costs, improved product sourcing and other cost reduction initiatives.

Leonard Gould, President & Chief Executive Officer, commented on the Company’s results, “QEP continues to lean into product innovation by investing in people, processes, and the latest technology to bring products to market that are meaningful to the Professional Installer. This is the lifeblood of remaining ‘The Product Authority’ within our categories. We have more work ahead of us, but the Pro has noticed.

Lastly, I’d like to acknowledge the tremendous efforts of our people to successfully ship our customers complete and on-time despite the challenging marketplace.”

Operating expenses for the first six months and second quarter of fiscal 2025 were $34.5 million and $17.2 million, respectively, or 27.3% and 27.5% of net sales in those periods, compared to $33.3 million and $16.3 million, respectively, or 25.6% and 25.5% of net sales in the comparable fiscal 2024 periods. The increase in operating expenses was due to higher personnel costs in the current period.

Interest income for the first six months and second quarter of fiscal 2025 was $0.4 million and $0.2 million, respectively, compared to interest expense of $1.1 million and $0.5 million, respectively, in the comparable fiscal 2024 periods. This change is due to the Company’s significant repayment of debt in the latter part of fiscal 2024 and the investment of the Company’s cash surplus in fiscal 2025.

The provision for income taxes as a percentage of income before taxes remained unchanged at 28.0% for the first six months and second quarter for both fiscal 2025 and fiscal 2024.

Net income from continuing operations for the first six months and second quarter of fiscal 2025 was $7.7 million and $3.8 million, respectively, or $2.34 and $1.17, respectively, per diluted share. For the comparable periods of fiscal 2024, net income from continuing operations was $4.8 million and $3.0 million, respectively, or $1.43 and $0.88, respectively, per diluted share.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) from continuing operations for the first six months and second quarter of fiscal 2025 was $11.0 million and $5.5 million, respectively, or 8.7% of net sales for both periods. For the comparable periods of fiscal 2024, EBITDA was $8.4 million and $4.9 million, respectively, or 6.5% and 7.7% of net sales, respectively.

Cash provided by operations during the first six months of fiscal 2025 was $11.2 million as compared to $23.5 million in the first six months of fiscal 2024, reflecting the reduction in inventory to more normalized levels during the prior year period. In the first six months of fiscal 2025, cash provided by operations, along with proceeds from the sale of businesses, were used to pay a stockholder dividend, repurchase stock and increase the Company’s cash surplus. In the first six months of fiscal 2024, cash provided by operations was used to reduce borrowings under the Company’s lines of credit and increase cash balances.

Working capital as of August 31, 2024 was $61.4 million compared to $60.0 million at the end of fiscal 2024. Aggregate available cash, net of outstanding debt at August 31, 2024 was $29.8 million compared to $21.7 million at the end of fiscal 2024.

The Company welcomes investor inquiries via email at [email protected].

About QEP

Founded in 1979, Q.E.P. Co., Inc. is a leading designer, manufacturer and distributor of a broad range of best-in-class flooring installation solutions for commercial and home improvement projects. QEP offers a comprehensive line of specialty installation tools, adhesives, and underlayment. QEP sells its products throughout the world to home improvement retail centers, and professional specialty distribution outlets, under brand names including QEP^®, LASH^®, ROBERTS^®, Capitol^®, Premix-Marbletite^® (PMM), Brutus^®, Homelux^®, PRCI^®, and Tomecanic^®.

QEP is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida with other facilities in the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia. Please visit our website at www.qepcorporate.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

All statements contained in this press release, other than statements of historical facts, may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These statements can be identified by words such as "expects," "plans," "projects," "will," "may," "anticipates," "believes," "should," "intends," "estimates," and other words of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding implementation of the Company’s strategies and increasing profitability and stockholder value. Any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on current expectations and beliefs, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including those listed in the Company’s annual report, as such risk factors may be amended, supplemented or superseded from time to time by other reports and disclosures made by the Company. Forward-looking statements may also be adversely affected by general market factors, competitive product development, product availability, federal and state regulations and legislation, manufacturing issues that may arise, patent positions and litigation, scarcity and rising cost for raw materials, shifts in global sourcing patterns, and general inflationary pressures, economic conditions, sales growth, price increases, maintaining and improving profitability, product development and marketing, operating expenses, cost savings, the successful completion of acquisitions and dispositions, acquisition integration, operational synergy realization, global sourcing, political uncertainty, cash flow, debt and currency exchange rates, among other factors. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date the statements were made, and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

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CONTACT:
Q.E.P. Co., Inc.
Enos Brown
Executive Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
561-994-5550