Levi Strauss & Co. Announces Fourth-Quarter and Fiscal-Year 2010 Financial Results

SAN FRANCISCO (February 8, 2011) – Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.) today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended November 28, 2010.

Highlights include:

The company grew revenues across each geographic region in fiscal year 2010, due to the strength of the Levi’s® brand, an expanded global store network and the acquisitions made in 2009.  As a result, full-year net revenues were up 7 percent from the prior year and fourth-quarter net revenues were up 7 percent compared to the same period in the prior year.  Full-year net income increased 3 percent over the prior year and fourth-quarter net income increased 28 percent compared to the same period in the prior year.

“In 2010, we made significant progress transforming our business and moving towards sustainable long-term growth,” said John Anderson, president and chief executive officer of Levi Strauss & Co.  “We improved our profitability, and across all of our regions we grew revenues.  Looking ahead, we remain committed to our strategies to enhance product, engage consumers with innovative brand experiences and expand our global presence.”

Fourth Quarter 2010 Highlights

• - Gross profit in the fourth quarter was $647 million compared with $618 million for the same period in 2009 reflecting the increase in net revenues.  Gross margin for the fourth quarter was 50.2 percent of revenues compared with 51.1 percent of revenues in the fourth quarter of  2009.

• - Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses for the fourth quarter were $528 million compared with $501 million in the same period of 2009.  The increase was primarily due to higher  selling costs related to additional company-operated retail stores.
   
•  - Operating income for the fourth quarter was $119 million compared with $118 million for the same period of 2009.

Regional Overview

Regional net revenues for the fourth quarter were as follows:

• - Higher net revenues in the Americas primarily resulted from the Levi’s® retail business and U.S. Dockers® brand.

• - Net revenues in Europe increased due to growth in the company-operated retail network across the region and improvement in the Levi’s® wholesale business. 

• - Net revenues in Asia Pacific increased due to the continued expansion of the company’s brand-dedicated retail network in China and India as well as in other emerging markets, while Japan continued to decline.

"We are pleased that we delivered top-line growth for 2010,”  said Blake Jorgensen, chief financial officerof Levi Strauss & Co.  “We are committed to driving long-term sustainable growth and we will continue to invest behind our strategies in 2011 as we did in 2010.”

Fiscal Year 2010 Highlights  

• - Gross profit for the fiscal year was $2,223 million compared with $1,973 million in 2009.  Gross margin increased to 50.4 percent of revenues for the year compared with 48.1 percent of revenues in 2009.  Gross margin benefited from an increased proportion of sales from the company’s retail network. 

• - Selling, general and administrative expenses were $1,842 million for 2010 compared to $1,595 million the prior year.  The increase resulted from a combination of continued expansion of the company-operated store network; planned advertising and promotions to support the U.S. Levi’s® brand and U.S. Dockers® brand campaigns, as well as the global launch of Levi’s® Curve ID jeans for women and the launch of Denizen™brand in Asia Pacific; and higher costs associated with the company’s pension.

• - Operating income for 2010 increased to $381 million compared to $378 million in 2009, inclusive of the favorable effects of currency.     

Cash Flow and Balance Sheet

The company ended the fourth quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $270 million.  Cash provided by operating activities was $146 million for 2010, compared with $389 million for the same period in 2009, primarily reflecting in the company’s strategic investments and inventory build in support of the company’s growth.  The company ended the year with net debt of $1.59 billion.  During the year, the company paid a $20 million cash dividend to common stockholders.  Subsequent to the end of the company’s fiscal year, in December 2010, the company paid a $20 million cash dividend to common stockholders.

Investor Conference Call

The company’s fourth-quarter and full-year 2010 investor conference call will be available through a live audio Webcast at  http://levistrauss.com/Financials/EarningsWebcasts.aspxtoday, February 8, 2011, at 1 p.m. PST/4 p.m. EST.  A replay is available on the Web site the same day and will be archived for one month.  A telephone replay also is available through February 15, 2011, at 800-642-1687 in the United States and Canada, or 706-645-9291 internationally; I.D. No.37914694.

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains, in addition to historical information, forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  We have based these forward-looking statements on our current assumptions, expectations and projections about future events.  We use words like “believe,” “will,” “so we can,” “when,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project” and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words.  These forward-looking statements are necessarily estimates reflecting the best judgment of our senior management and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking statements.  Investors should consider the information contained in our filings with the U.S.  Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended 2010, especially in the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Risk Factors” sections.  Other unknown or unpredictable factors also could have material adverse effects on our future results, performance or achievements.  In light of these risks, uncertainties, assumptions and factors, the forward-looking events discussed in this news release may not occur.  You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date stated, or if no date is stated, as of the date of this news release.  We are not under any obligation and do not intend to make publicly available any update or other revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained in this news release to reflect circumstances existing after the date of this news release or to reflect the occurrence of future events even if experience or future events make it clear that any expected results expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements will not be realized.

About Levi Strauss & Co.

Levi Strauss & Co. is one of the world’s largest brand-name apparel companies and a global leader in jeanswear.  The company designs and markets jeans, casual wear and related accessories for men, women and children under the Levi’s®, Dockers®, Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™, and Denizen^TMbrands.  Its products are sold in more than 110 countries worldwide through a combination of chain retailers, department stores, online sites, and franchised and company-owned stores.  As of November 28, 2010, the company operated 470 stores within 27 countries.  Levi Strauss & Co.’s reported fiscal 2010 net revenues were $4.4 billion.  For more information, go to http://levistrauss.com.

Investor Contact
Blake Jorgensen
Levi Strauss & Co.
(800) 438-0349
investor-relations@levi.com

Media Contact
Kris Marubio
Levi Strauss & Co.
(415) 501-6709
kmarubio@levi.com