MINNEAPOLIS--Arctic Cat Inc. (NASDAQ:ACAT) today reported net earnings of $9.3 million, or $0.50 per diluted share, on net sales of $152.0 million for the fiscal 2011 third quarter ended December 31, 2010. Arctic Cat reported net earnings in the prior-year third quarter of $2.6 million, or $0.14 per diluted share, on net sales of $131.0 million.
For the nine months ended December 31, 2010, Arctic Cat’s net earnings were $22.6 million, or $1.22 per diluted share, on net sales of $391.2 million. In the first nine months of last fiscal year, the company reported net earnings of $11.4 million, or $0.63 per diluted share, on net sales of $366.7 million.
Commented Arctic Cat’s president and chief executive officer Claude Jordan: “We are very pleased with the company’s strong third-quarter and year-to-date performance. Our results were fueled by higher sales across all product lines, including double-digit gains in our snowmobile business. The combination of increased volume, product mix, product cost-reduction efforts, higher selling prices and a continued focus on efficiency led to another quarter of significantly improved gross margins and profitability.”
Among the highlights of Arctic Cat’s 2011 third quarter and year-to-date financial results versus the same periods last year:
* Gross margins improved 430 basis points in the quarter and 370 basis points year to date;
* Operating profit for the quarter rose to $12.2 million from $0.6 million, and year to date increased to $32.7 million from $13.9 million;
* Factory inventory declined 27 percent to $77.2 million from $106.3 million;
* Total cash and short-term investments rose to $107.1 million from $50.4 million; and
* The company has no short- or long-term debt.
“We are excited by the traction and momentum we’ve achieved year to date,” said Jordan. “We continued to successfully execute against our objectives to reduce dealer and factory inventory, improve gross margins and keep operating expenses flat as a percent of sales.”
All-terrain vehicle (ATV) sales rose 1 percent to $48.6 million in the third quarter versus $48.2 million in the prior-year quarter, chiefly driven by sales of the company’s new Prowler HDX heavy duty utility vehicle. During the quarter, Arctic Cat announced the launch of three all-new 2011 ATV models: the full-featured, value-priced 350 4X4 automatic; the valued-priced 425 EFI 4X4 automatic; and the XC450i 4X4, a crossover model for consumers seeking four-wheel-drive capabilities in a sport ATV. Arctic Cat’s year-to-date ATV sales were up 1 percent to $133.0 million compared to $132.1 million in the first nine months of fiscal 2010.
