Urban Outfitters Reports Q4 Earnings


PHILADELPHIA, March 5, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Urban Outfitters, Inc. (Nasdaq:URBN), a leading lifestyle specialty retail company operating under the Anthropologie, Free People, Terrain and Urban Outfitters brands, today announced earnings of $41 million and $199 million for the fourth quarter and year ended January 31, 2009, respectively. Earnings per diluted share were $0.24 for the quarter and $1.17 for the year.

As stated in the Company's previous sales release on February 5, 2009, total sales for the fourth quarter reached a record $508 million, an increase of 9% over the comparable quarter last year. Comparable retail segment sales, which include our Direct-to-consumer channels, increased 3% for the quarter. Comparable store sales rose 3% at Urban Outfitters and decreased 6% and 13% at Anthropologie and Free People respectively, for a combined total company comparable store sales decrease of 1%. Direct-to-consumer sales surged 20%, reflecting strong growth across all brands. Free People wholesale sales decreased 3% for the quarter. Total Company net sales for the year ended January 31, 2009 increased 22%, to a record $1.8 billion.

"We are pleased to announce healthy fourth quarter earnings despite an uncertain and challenging environment," said Glen T. Senk, Chief Executive Officer. "We are particularly proud of our team's ability to execute two critical tasks during the quarter: reducing 'comp' inventory levels by 13% versus the prior year, and implementing measurable cost control initiatives resulting in SG&A expense improvements of 73 basis points versus the prior year. It was another record breaking year for the URBN team, and we enter the spring selling season enthusiastically committed to providing a compelling product assortment and customer experience," finished Mr. Senk.

Net sales for the periods were as follows:



                          Three months ended     Twelve months ended
                             January 31,             January 31,
                       ----------------------  ----------------------
                          2009        2008        2009        2008
                       ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------
                           (in thousands)          (in thousands)
 Urban Outfitters
  stores                 $213,435    $196,625    $771,362    $628,328
 Anthropologie stores     172,098     165,853     642,161     561,990
 Free People stores         9,588       6,302      32,907      17,192
 Terrain                    1,165          --       5,656          --
                       ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------
  Net store sales         396,286     368,780   1,452,086   1,207,510
                       ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------
 Direct-to-consumer        87,810      72,920     272,472     205,742
                       ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------
  Retail segment net
   sales                  484,096     441,700   1,724,558   1,413,252
                       ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------
 Wholesale                 23,982      23,711     110,060      94,472
                       ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------
  Total net sales        $508,078    $465,411  $1,834,618  $1,507,724
                       ==========  ==========  ==========  ==========

For the fourth quarter ended January 31, 2009, gross profit margin declined by 555 basis points, versus the prior year's comparable period. This decrease is primarily due to a higher rate of applied and anticipated merchandise markdowns to clear seasonal inventory. For the year ended January 31, 2009, gross profit margin increased by 64 basis points primarily due to the leveraging of store occupancy costs and improvements to initial margins.

As of January 31, 2009, inventories decreased by $2.2 million or 1% on a year-over-year basis as comparable store inventory declines more than offset additions to inventories for new stores. For the quarter ended January 31, 2009, total comparable store inventories decreased by 13%.

For the fourth quarter and year ended January 31, 2009, selling, general and administrative expenses, expressed as a percentage of net sales, decreased by 73 and 76 basis points, respectively, versus the prior year comparable periods. For the quarter, the reduction was primarily driven by cost control across all areas of the business, with the most impact in direct store related expenses. For the year ended January 31, 2009, the favorable rate reduction was primarily due to cost control in direct store related expenses as well as savings related to non-recurring legal fees incurred in the prior year.

The Company's annual effective tax rate was 35.6% versus 31.6% for the prior year. The prior year's rate was favorably impacted by the receipt of one-time federal tax incentives for work performed on the development of our new home office. The Company estimates that next year's tax rate will be similar to this year.

During the year ended January 31, 2009 the Company opened 20 Urban Outfitters stores, 13 Anthropologie stores, 15 Free People stores and 1 Terrain garden center or 49 new stores in total. The Company plans to open 42 to 45 new stores during fiscal year 2010.

Urban Outfitters, Inc. is an innovative specialty retail company which offers a variety of lifestyle merchandise to highly defined customer niches through 142 Urban Outfitters stores in the United States, Canada, and Europe, two web sites and a catalog; 121 Anthropologie stores, a web site, catalog and Leifsdottir, Anthropologie's recently launched wholesale concept; Free People Wholesale, which sells its product to approximately 1,400 specialty stores and select department stores; 30 Free People stores, a web-site and catalog; and 1 Terrain garden center as of January 31, 2009.

A conference call will be held today to discuss fourth quarter results and will be web cast at 11:00 a.m. EST on: http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?p=irol-eventDetails&c=115825&eventID=2075955

This news release is being made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Certain matters contained in this release may constitute forward-looking statements. Any one, or all, of the following factors could cause actual financial results to differ materially from those financial results mentioned in the forward-looking statements: the difficulty in predicting and responding to shifts in fashion trends, changes in the level of competitive pricing and promotional activity and other industry factors, overall economic and market conditions and the resultant impact on consumer spending patterns, including any effects of terrorist acts or war, availability of suitable retail space for expansion, timing of store openings, seasonal fluctuations in gross sales, the departure of one or more key senior managers, import risks, including potential disruptions and changes in duties, tariffs and quotas and other risks identified in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update forward-looking statements even if experience or future changes make it clear that actual results may differ materially from any projected results expressed or implied therein.



                                URBAN OUTFITTERS, INC.
                     Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income
                   (in thousands, except share and per share data)
                                    (unaudited)

                          Quarter Ended           Fiscal Year Ended
                          -------------           -----------------
                           January 31,               January 31,
                           -----------               -----------
                        2009         2008         2009         2008
                        ----         ----         ----         ----

 Net sales         $    508,078 $    465,411 $  1,834,618 $  1,507,724
 Cost of sales,
  including
  certain buying,
  distribution and
  occupancy costs       335,186      281,219    1,121,140      930,952
                   ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------
   Gross profit         172,892      184,192      713,478      576,772
 Selling, general
  and
  administrative
  expenses              109,698      103,861      414,043      351,827
                   ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------
   Income from
    operations           63,194       80,331      299,435      224,945
 Other income, net        2,953        3,459       10,055        9,450
                   ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------
   Income before
    income taxes         66,147       83,790      309,490      234,395
 Income tax
  expense                25,602       30,175      110,126       74,164
                   ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------
   Net income      $     40,545 $     53,615 $    199,364 $    160,231
                   ============ ============ ============ ============
 Net income per
  common share:
  Basic            $       0.24 $       0.32 $       1.20 $       0.97
                   ============ ============ ============ ============
  Diluted          $       0.24 $       0.32 $       1.17 $       0.94
                   ============ ============ ============ ============

 Weighted average
  common shares
  and common share
  equivalents
  outstanding:

  Basic             167,309,239  165,629,648  166,793,062  165,305,207
                   ============ ============ ============ ============
  Diluted           170,071,913  170,099,923  170,860,605  169,640,585
                   ============ ============ ============ ============


 AS A PERCENT OF
  NET SALES
 Net sales               100.0%       100.0%       100.0%       100.0%
 Cost of sales,
  including
  certain buying,
  distribution and
  occupancy costs         66.0%        60.4%        61.1%        61.7%
                   ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------
   Gross profit           34.0%        39.6%        38.9%        38.3%
 Selling, general
  and
  administrative
  expenses                21.6%        22.3%        22.6%        23.3%
                   ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------
   Income from
    operations            12.4%        17.3%        16.3%        15.0%
 Other income, net         0.6%         0.7%         0.6%         0.6%
                   ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------
   Income before
    income taxes          13.0%        18.0%        16.9%        15.6%
 Income tax
  expense                  5.0%         6.4%         6.0%         4.9%
                   ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------
   Net income              8.0%        11.6%        10.9%        10.7%
                   ============ ============ ============ ============

                             URBAN OUTFITTERS, INC.
                     Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
                 (in thousands, except share and per share data)
                                    (unaudited)

                                             January 31,  January 31,
                                                2009         2008
                                             -----------  -----------

                            Assets

 Current assets:
  Cash and cash equivalents                  $   316,035  $   105,271
  Marketable securities                           49,948       80,127
  Accounts receivable, net of allowance for
   doubtful accounts of $1,229 and $972,
   respectively                                   34,611       26,365
  Inventories                                    169,698      171,925
  Prepaid expenses, deferred taxes and other
   current assets                                 47,983       49,922
                                             -----------  -----------
 Total current assets                            618,275      433,610

 Property and equipment, net                     505,407      488,889
 Marketable securities                           155,226      188,252
 Deferred income taxes and other assets           43,974       32,040
                                             -----------  -----------
 Total Assets                                $ 1,322,882  $ 1,142,791
                                             ===========  ===========

              Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity

 Current liabilities:
  Accounts payable                           $    62,955  $    74,020
  Accrued expenses, accrued compensation and
   other current liabilities                      76,416       93,358
                                             -----------  -----------
 Total current liabilities                       139,371      167,378

 Deferred rent and other liabilities             129,736      121,982
                                             -----------  -----------
 Total Liabilities                               269,107      289,360
                                             -----------  -----------

 Shareholders' equity:
  Preferred shares; $.0001 par value,
   10,000,000 shares authorized, none issued          --           --
  Common shares; $.0001 par value,
   200,000,000 shares authorized,
   167,712,088 and 166,104,615 issued and
   outstanding, respectively                          17           17
  Additional paid-in-capital                     170,166      144,204
  Retained earnings                              901,339      701,975
  Accumulated other comprehensive (loss)
   income                                        (17,747)       7,235
                                             -----------  -----------
 Total Shareholders' Equity                    1,053,775      853,431
                                             -----------  -----------
 Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity  $ 1,322,882  $ 1,142,791
                                             ===========  ===========


            

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