Brady Corporation Reports Fiscal 2022 First Quarter Results

Rhea-AI Summary

Brady Corporation (NYSE: BRC) reported a 16.0% increase in sales for Q1 of fiscal 2022, reaching $321.5 million, driven by a 25.4% growth in its Identification Solutions division. Income before taxes rose 5.8% to $44.7 million, while diluted EPS increased 4.7% to $0.67. The company maintains its 2022 earnings guidance of $3.12 to $3.32 per share. Despite challenges from supply chain issues and inflation, Brady's gross profit margin held steady at 48.2%, reflecting strong financial health and cash flow generation.

Positive

• Sales increased 16.0% to $321.5 million.
• Diluted EPS rose 4.7% to $0.67.
• Identification Solutions sales grew 25.4%.
• Gross profit margin maintained at 48.2%.
• Strong cash flow generation with a net cash balance of $90.6 million.

Negative

• Workplace Safety sales decreased 7.8%.
• Inflation affecting wages, freight, and raw materials.

• Sales for the quarter increased 16.0 percent. Organic sales increased 7.0 percent.
• Income before income taxes increased 5.8 percent to $44.7 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2022 compared to $42.2 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2021. Income Before Income Taxes Excluding Amortization* increased 11.3 percent to $48.5 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2022 compared to $43.6 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2021.
• Diluted EPS in the first quarter of fiscal 2022 increased 4.7 percent to $0.67 compared to $0.64 in the same quarter of the prior year.   Diluted EPS Excluding Amortization* increased 9.1 percent to $0.72 in the first quarter of fiscal 2022 compared to $0.66 in the same quarter of the prior year.
  

MILWAUKEE, Nov. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brady Corporation (NYSE: BRC) (“Brady” or “Company”), a world leader in identification solutions, today reported its financial results for its fiscal 2022 first quarter ended October 31, 2021.

Quarter Ended October 31, 2021 Financial Results:
Income before income taxes and losses of unconsolidated affiliate increased 5.8 percent to $44.7 million for the quarter ended October 31, 2021, compared to $42.2 million in the same quarter last year. Income Before Income Taxes Excluding Amortization* for the quarter ended October 31, 2021 was $48.5 million, an increase of 11.3 percent compared to the first quarter of last year.

Net income for the quarter ended October 31, 2021 was $35.0 million compared to $33.5 million in the same quarter last year. Earnings per diluted Class A Nonvoting Common Share were $0.67 for the first quarter of fiscal 2022, compared to $0.64 in the same quarter last year.   Net Income Excluding Amortization* for the quarter ended October 31, 2021 was $38.0 million and Diluted EPS Excluding Amortization* for the quarter ended October 31, 2021 was $0.72.

Sales for the quarter ended October 31, 2021 increased 16.0 percent, which consisted of an organic sales increase of 7.0 percent, an increase of 8.3 percent from acquisitions and an increase of 0.7 percent from foreign currency translation. Sales for the quarter ended October 31, 2021 were $321.5 million compared to $277.2 million in the same quarter last year. By segment, sales increased 25.4 percent in Identification Solutions and decreased 7.8 percent in Workplace Safety, which consisted of an organic sales increase of 13.2 percent in Identification Solutions and an organic sales decline of 8.6 percent in Workplace Safety.

Commentary:
“Our investments in sales, marketing, and research and development over the last several years are paying off. These investments, coupled with increased customer demand, and the acquisitions completed in the fourth quarter of last year, helped us generate double-digit sales growth this quarter,” said Brady’s President and Chief Executive Officer, J. Michael Nauman. “Our strong 16.0 percent year-over-year sales growth was driven by our Identification Solutions division which had total sales growth of 25.4 percent this quarter. We remain excited about the three acquisitions completed last year, which are performing at or above our initial expectations. Supply chains for certain components remain tight and we are experiencing inflation in many areas including wages, freight, utilities, and raw materials. Even with these inflationary pressures, our gross profit margin was still an enviable 48.2 percent which was right in line with the gross profit margin experienced in the fourth quarter of last year. We believe that these gross margin challenges are temporary and once our pricing and efficiency initiatives catch up to the cost inflation, our strong sales growth and improved gross profit margins will drive significant bottom-line growth.”

“Brady is financially strong and continues to generate significant cash flow. This quarter, sales grew 16.0 percent and Diluted EPS Excluding Amortization* grew 9.1 percent, which represents another very strong quarter,” said Brady’s Chief Financial Officer, Aaron Pearce. “We have been increasing our inventory levels to ensure that we can meet the ongoing strong customer demand and our accounts receivable increased due to the strong revenue growth we experienced this quarter. This quarter, we returned $30.5 million to our shareholders in the form of dividends and buybacks and we have a net cash balance of $90.6 million as of October 31, 2021.   We believe that Brady’s first quarter financial results combined with our solid balance sheet, position us well for future financial success.”

Fiscal 2022 Guidance:
The Company’s earnings per diluted Class A Nonvoting Common Share, excluding amortization guidance for the year ending July 31, 2022 remains unchanged at $3.12 to $3.32 per share, and earnings per diluted Class A Nonvoting Common Share on a GAAP basis remains unchanged at $2.90 to $3.10 per share. Included in this guidance is a full-year income tax rate of approximately 20 percent, depreciation and amortization expense ranging from $34 million to $36 million, and sales growth in excess of 12 percent for the year ending July 31, 2022. Capital expenditures, excluding facility purchases are expected to range from $20 million to $25 million during the year ending July 31, 2022. The Company’s fiscal 2022 guidance is based on foreign currency exchange rates as of October 31, 2021 and assumes a continued economic recovery.

A webcast regarding Brady’s fiscal 2022 first quarter financial results will be available at www.bradycorp.com/investors beginning at 9:30 a.m. central time today.

Brady Corporation is an international manufacturer and marketer of complete solutions that identify and protect people, products and places. Brady’s products help customers increase safety, security, productivity and performance and include high-performance labels, signs, safety devices, printing systems and software. Founded in 1914, the Company has a diverse customer base in electronics, telecommunications, manufacturing, electrical, construction, medical, aerospace and a variety of other industries. Brady is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and as of July 31, 2021, employed approximately 5,700 people in its worldwide businesses. Brady’s fiscal 2021 sales were approximately $1.14 billion. Brady stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol BRC. More information is available on the Internet at www.bradyid.com.

* Income Before Income Taxes Excluding Amortization, Net Income Excluding Amortization, and Diluted EPS Excluding Amortization are non-GAAP measures. See appendix for more information on these measures, including reconciliations to the most directly comparable GAAP measures.

In this news release, statements that are not reported financial results or other historic information are “forward-looking statements.” These forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, the Company's future financial position, business strategy, targets, projected sales, costs, earnings, capital expenditures, debt levels and cash flows, and plans and objectives of management for future operations.

The use of words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “should,” “project,” “continue” or “plan” or similar terminology are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain and are subject to risks, assumptions, and other factors, some of which are beyond Brady’s control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. For Brady, uncertainties arise from: adverse impacts of the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic or other pandemics; adverse impacts from vaccination mandates issued by U.S. and non-U.S. governmental entities; decreased demand for our products; our ability to compete effectively or to successfully execute our strategy; Brady’s ability to develop technologically advanced products that meet customer demands; increased cost of raw materials, labor and freight as well as raw material shortages; Brady’s ability to properly identify, integrate, and grow acquired companies, and to manage contingent liabilities from divested businesses; difficulties in protecting our websites, networks, and systems against security breaches; risks associated with the loss of key employees; extensive regulations by U.S. and non-U.S. governmental and self-regulatory entities; litigation, including product liability claims; foreign currency fluctuations; potential write-offs of goodwill and other intangible assets; changes in tax legislation and tax rates; differing interests of voting and non-voting shareholders; numerous other matters of national, regional and global scale, including major public health crises and government responses thereto and those of a political, economic, business, competitive, and regulatory nature contained from time to time in Brady’s U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including, but not limited to, those factors listed in the “Risk Factors” section within Item 1A of Part I of Brady’s Form 10-K for the year ended July 31, 2021 and in any subsequent filings on Form 10-Q.

These uncertainties may cause Brady's actual future results to be materially different than those expressed in its forward-looking statements. Brady does not undertake to update its forward-looking statements except as required by law.

BRADY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS
(Unaudited; Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
	Three months ended October 31,
		2021				2020
Net sales	$	321,475			$	277,227
Cost of goods sold		166,487				141,799
Gross margin		154,988				135,428
Operating expenses:
Research and development		13,907				10,203
Selling, general and administrative		96,746				83,037
Total operating expenses		110,653				93,240
Operating income		44,335				42,188
Other income (expense):
Investment and other income		543				155
Interest expense		(182	)			(106	)
Income before income taxes and losses of unconsolidated affiliate		44,696				42,237
Income tax expense		9,650				8,582
Income before losses of unconsolidated affiliate		35,046				33,655
Equity in losses of unconsolidated affiliate		—				(174	)
Net income	$	35,046			$	33,481
Net income per Class A Nonvoting Common Share:
Basic	$	0.67			$	0.64
Diluted	$	0.67			$	0.64
Dividends	$	0.23			$	0.22
Net income per Class B Voting Common Share:
Basic	$	0.66			$	0.63
Diluted	$	0.65			$	0.62
Dividends	$	0.21			$	0.20
Weighted average common shares outstanding:
Basic		51,973				52,021
Diluted		52,436				52,292

BRADY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(Dollars in thousands)
	October 31, 2021				July 31, 2021
	(Unaudited)
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	157,553			$	147,335
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for credit losses of $7,265 and $7,306, respectively		182,791				170,579
Inventories		152,295				136,107
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		12,452				11,083
Total current assets		505,091				465,104
Property, plant and equipment—net		128,618				121,741
Goodwill		610,836				614,137
Other intangible assets		88,219				92,334
Deferred income taxes		16,377				16,343
Operating lease assets		36,655				41,880
Other assets		24,682				26,217
Total	$	1,410,478			$	1,377,756
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	$	79,497			$	82,152
Accrued compensation and benefits		89,283				81,173
Taxes, other than income taxes		13,061				13,054
Accrued income taxes		5,593				3,915
Current operating lease liabilities		17,129				17,667
Other current liabilities		61,930				59,623
Total current liabilities		266,493				257,584
Long-term debt		67,000				38,000
Long-term operating lease liabilities		23,434				28,347
Other liabilities		89,658				90,797
Total liabilities		446,585				414,728
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock:
Class A nonvoting common stock—Issued 51,261,487 shares, and outstanding 48,257,592 and 48,528,245 shares, respectively		513				513
Class B voting common stock—Issued and outstanding, 3,538,628 shares		35				35
Additional paid-in capital		340,182				339,125
Retained earnings		811,820				788,369
Treasury stock—3,003,895 and 2,733,242 shares, respectively, of Class A nonvoting common stock, at cost		(127,986	)			(109,061	)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(60,671	)			(55,953	)
Total stockholders’ equity		963,893				963,028
Total	$	1,410,478			$	1,377,756

BRADY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Unaudited; Dollars in thousands)
	Three months ended October 31,
		2021				2020
Operating activities:
Net income	$	35,046			$	33,481
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization		8,509				5,635
Stock-based compensation expense		4,129				3,574
Deferred income taxes		(625	)			(1,175	)
Equity in losses of unconsolidated affiliate		—				174
Other		(187	)			(266	)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable		(13,302	)			(11,371	)
Inventories		(16,579	)			14,758
Prepaid expenses and other assets		(655	)			(1,398	)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		9,499				17,363
Income taxes		1,656				2,063
Net cash provided by operating activities		27,491				62,838
Investing activities:
Purchases of property, plant and equipment		(11,328	)			(9,321	)
Other		2				119
Net cash used in investing activities		(11,326	)			(9,202	)
Financing activities:
Payment of dividends		(11,595	)			(11,391	)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options		151				160
Payments for employee taxes withheld from stock-based awards		(3,339	)			(2,617	)
Purchase of treasury stock		(18,924	)			(2,720	)
Proceeds from borrowing on credit facilities		56,200				12,971
Repayment of borrowing on credit facilities		(27,200	)			(12,988	)
Other		115				34
Net cash used in financing activities		(4,592	)			(16,551	)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash		(1,355	)			1,605
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents		10,218				38,690
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period		147,335				217,643
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$	157,553			$	256,333

BRADY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
SEGMENT INFORMATION
(Unaudited; Dollars in thousands)
	Three months ended October 31,
		2021				2020
NET SALES
ID Solutions	$	248,617			$	198,192
Workplace Safety		72,858				79,035
Total	$	321,475			$	277,227
SALES INFORMATION
ID Solutions
Organic		13.2	%			(8.4	)%
Acquisition		11.6	%			—	%
Currency		0.6	%			0.6	%
Total		25.4	%			(7.8	)%
Workplace Safety
Organic		(8.6	)%			5.5	%
Currency		0.8	%			4.3	%
Total		(7.8	)%			9.8	%
Total Company
Organic		7.0	%			(4.9	)%
Acquisition		8.3	%			—	%
Currency		0.7	%			1.5	%
Total		16.0	%			(3.4	)%
SEGMENT PROFIT
ID Solutions	$	48,816			$	40,279
Workplace Safety		2,293				7,988
Total	$	51,109			$	48,267
SEGMENT PROFIT AS A PERCENT OF NET SALES
ID Solutions		19.6	%			20.3	%
Workplace Safety		3.1	%			10.1	%
Total		15.9	%			17.4	%
	Three months ended October 31,
		2021				2020
Total segment profit	$	51,109			$	48,267
Unallocated amounts:
Administrative costs		(6,774	)			(6,079	)
Investment and other income		543				155
Interest expense		(182	)			(106	)
Income before income taxes and losses of unconsolidated affiliate	$	44,696			$	42,237

GAAP to NON-GAAP MEASURES
(Unaudited; Dollars in Thousands, Except Per Share Amounts)
In accordance with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Regulation G, the following provides definitions of the non-GAAP measures used in the earnings release and the reconciliation to the most closely related GAAP measure.
Income Before Income Taxes Excluding Amortization:
Brady is presenting the non-GAAP measure, "Income Before Income Taxes Excluding Amortization." This is not a calculation based upon GAAP. The amounts included in this non-GAAP measure are derived from amounts included in the Consolidated Financial Statements and supporting footnote disclosures. We do not view these items to be part of our ongoing results. We believe this profit measure provides an important perspective of underlying business trends and results and provides a more comparable measure from year to year. The table below provides a reconciliation of the GAAP measure of Income before income taxes and losses of unconsolidated affiliate to the non-GAAP measure of Income Before Income Taxes Excluding Amortization:
			Three months ended October 31,
				2021				2020
Income before income taxes and losses of unconsolidated affiliate (GAAP measure)			$	44,696			$	42,237
	Amortization expense			3,807				1,351
Income Before Income Taxes Excluding Amortization (non-GAAP measure)			$	48,503			$	43,588
Income Tax Expense Excluding Amortization:
Brady is presenting the non-GAAP measure, "Income Tax Expense Excluding Amortization." This is not a calculation based upon GAAP. The amounts included in this non-GAAP measure are derived from amounts included in the Consolidated Financial Statements and supporting footnote disclosures. We do not view these items to be part of our ongoing results. We believe this measure provides an important perspective of underlying business trends and results and provides a more comparable measure from year to year. The table below provides a reconciliation of the GAAP measure of Income tax expense to the non-GAAP measure of Income Tax Expense Excluding Amortization:
			Three months ended October 31,
				2021				2020
Income tax expense (GAAP measure)			$	9,650			$	8,582
	Amortization expense			900				338
Income Tax Expense Excluding Amortization (non-GAAP measure)			$	10,550			$	8,920
Net Income Excluding Amortization:
Brady is presenting the non-GAAP measure, "Net Income Excluding Amortization." This is not a calculation based upon GAAP. The amounts included in this non-GAAP measure are derived from amounts included in the Consolidated Financial Statements and supporting footnote disclosures. We do not view these items to be part of our ongoing results. We believe this measure provides an important perspective of underlying business trends and results and provides a more comparable measure from year to year. The table below provides a reconciliation of the GAAP measure of Net income to the non-GAAP measure of Net Income Excluding Amortization:
			Three months ended October 31,
				2021				2020
Net income (GAAP measure)			$	35,046			$	33,481
	Amortization expense			2,907				1,013
Net Income Excluding Amortization (non-GAAP measure)			$	37,953			$	34,494
Diluted EPS Excluding Amortization:
Brady is presenting the non-GAAP measure, "Diluted EPS Excluding Amortization." This is not a calculation based upon GAAP. The amounts included in this non-GAAP measure are derived from amounts included in the Consolidated Financial Statements. We do not view these items to be part of our ongoing results. We believe this measure provides an important perspective of underlying business trends and results and provides a more comparable measure from year to year. The table below provides a reconciliation of the GAAP measure of Net income per Class A Nonvoting Common Share to the non-GAAP measure of Diluted EPS Excluding Amortization (Note that certain amounts will not foot due to rounding):
			Three months ended October 31,
				2021				2020
Net income per Class A Nonvoting Common Share (GAAP measure)			$	0.67			$	0.64
	Amortization expense			0.06				0.02
Diluted EPS Excluding Amortization (non-GAAP measure)			$	0.72			$	0.66

For More Information:
Investor contact: Ann Thornton 414-438-6887
Media contact: Kate Venne 414-358-5176

FAQ

What were Brady's earnings results for the first quarter of fiscal 2022?

Brady reported diluted EPS of $0.67, a 4.7% increase from the previous year.

How much did Brady's sales grow in the first quarter of fiscal 2022?

Sales increased by 16.0%, reaching $321.5 million.

What is Brady's EPS guidance for fiscal 2022?

The guidance remains unchanged at $3.12 to $3.32 per share.

Which division drove sales growth for Brady in Q1 2022?

The Identification Solutions division, which grew sales by 25.4%.

What challenges is Brady facing currently?

Brady is experiencing inflation in wages and supply chain challenges.