Sysco Corp. Reports Operating Results (10-Q)

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May 08, 2012
Sysco Corp. (SYY, Financial) filed Quarterly Report for the period ended 2012-03-31.

Sysco Corp has a market cap of $16.91 billion; its shares were traded at around $28.3 with a P/E ratio of 14.5 and P/S ratio of 0.4. The dividend yield of Sysco Corp stocks is 3.7%. Sysco Corp had an annual average earning growth of 7.7% over the past 10 years. GuruFocus rated Sysco Corp the business predictability rank of 3.5-star.

Highlight of Business Operations:

Sales were 7.6% higher in the third quarter and 8.4% higher in the first 39 weeks of fiscal 2012 than in the comparable periods of the prior year. Product cost inflation, and the resulting increase in selling prices, impacted sales in the third quarter and first 39 weeks of fiscal 2012. Changes in product costs, an internal measure of inflation or deflation, were estimated as inflation of 5.5% during the third quarter and 6.3% during the first 39 weeks of fiscal 2012, as compared to inflation of 5.1% during the third quarter and 4.2% during the first 39 weeks of fiscal 2011. Case volumes including acquisitions within the last 12 months improved approximately 2.9% in the third quarter and 2.7% during the first 39 weeks of fiscal 2012. Case volumes excluding acquisitions within the last 12 months improved approximately 2.3% in the third quarter and 2.1% during the first 39 weeks of fiscal 2012. Our case volumes represent our results from our Broadline and SYGMA segments only. Sales from acquisitions within the last 12 months favorably impacted sales by 0.7% for both the third quarter and the first 39 weeks of fiscal 2012. The exchange rates used to translate our foreign sales into U.S. dollars negatively impacted sales by 0.2% in the third quarter and positively impacted sales by 0.1% in the first 39 weeks of fiscal 2012 compared to the third quarter and first 39 weeks of fiscal 2011, respectively.

Gross profit dollars increased in the third quarter and first 39 weeks of fiscal 2012 as compared to the third quarter and first 39 weeks of fiscal 2011 primarily due to increased sales. Gross margin, which is gross profit as a percentage of sales, was 17.82% in the third quarter of fiscal 2012, a decline of 95 basis points from the gross margin of 18.77% in the third quarter of fiscal 2011. Gross margin was 18.08% in the first 39 weeks of fiscal 2012, a decline of 75 basis points from the gross margin of 18.83% in the first 39 weeks of fiscal 2011. This decline in gross margin was primarily the result of product cost inflation and competitive pressures on pricing. Syscos product cost inflation was estimated to be 5.5% during the third quarter and 6.3% during the first 39 weeks of fiscal 2012. Based on our product sales mix for the third quarter of fiscal 2012, we were most impacted by higher levels of inflation in the meat, poultry, canned and dry and frozen product categories. Based on our product sales mix for the first 39 weeks of fiscal 2012, we were most impacted by higher levels of inflation in the meat, canned and dry, dairy, and frozen product categories. While we are generally able to pass through modest levels of inflation to our customers, we were unable to fully pass through these higher levels of product cost inflation with the same gross margin in these product categories without negatively impacting our customers business and therefore our business. While we cannot predict whether inflation will continue at these levels, prolonged periods of high inflation, either overall or in certain product categories, can have a negative impact on us and our customers, as high food costs can reduce consumer spending in the food-away-from-home market, and may negatively impact our sales, gross profit and earnings.

Sales were 7.6% greater in the third quarter and 8.7% greater in the first 39 weeks of fiscal 2012 than the comparable prior year periods. Product cost inflation and the resulting increase in selling prices, combined with case volume improvement, contributed to the increase in sales in the third quarter and first 39 weeks of fiscal 2012. Changes in product costs, an internal measure of inflation or deflation, were estimated as inflation of 5.8% and 6.5% in the third quarter and first 39 weeks of fiscal 2012, respectively. Non-comparable acquisitions contributed 0.7% to the overall sales comparison for the third quarter and 0.8% for the first 39 weeks of fiscal 2012, respectively. The exchange rates used to translate our foreign sales into U.S. dollars negatively impacted sales by 0.2% in the third quarter and positively impacted sales by 0.1% in the first 39 weeks of fiscal 2012 compared to the third quarter and first 39 weeks of fiscal 2011, respectively.

Operating expenses for the Broadline segment increased in fiscal 2012 as compared to fiscal 2011. In the first 39 weeks of fiscal 2012, we recorded provisions of $5.2 million for withdrawal liabilities from multiemployer pension plans. In the first 39 weeks and third quarter of fiscal 2011, we recorded provisions of $41.5 million and $36.1 million, respectively, for withdrawal liabilities from multiemployer pension plans. The expense increases in fiscal 2012 were driven largely by an increase in pay-related expenses and fuel costs. Sales compensation includes commissions which are driven by gross profit dollars and case volumes, and delivery compensation includes activity-based pay which is driven by case volumes. Since these are variable in nature, increased gross profit dollars and case volumes will increase sales and delivery compensation. Specific to our third quarter comparison, the increase experienced was partially offset by lower provisions for management incentive accruals. Our management incentives are tied to company performance and our estimates for these annual incentives required greater accruals in the third quarter of fiscal 2011 as compared to the third quarter of fiscal 2012. Fuel costs were $7.2 million and $21.6 million higher in the third quarter and in the first 39 weeks of fiscal 2012, respectively, than in the comparable prior year periods. Assuming that fuel prices do not rise significantly over recent levels during fiscal 2012, fuel costs for fiscal 2012 not including any amounts recovered through fuel surcharges, are expected to increase by approximately $25 million to $35 million

Operating income decreased by 1.8% in the third quarter and 1.4% in the first 39 weeks of fiscal 2012 over the comparable prior year periods primarily due to rising operating expenses. Gross profit increased in the third quarter and the first 39 weeks of fiscal 2012 due to an increase in sales and an increase of approximately $2.0 million and $7.7 million in the fuel surcharges charged to customers in the third quarter and in the first 39 weeks of fiscal 2012 from the comparable prior year period due to higher fuel prices in fiscal 2012. Operating expenses increased in the third quarter and the first 39 weeks of fiscal 2012 largely due to increased fuel costs. Fuel costs in the third quarter and in the first 39 weeks of fiscal 2012 were $2.6 million and $10.6 million greater than the comparable prior year periods, respectively. Increased warehouse costs and delivery personnel costs also contributed to the increase.

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