Levi Strauss & Co. Announces Second-Quarter 2010 Financial Results

SAN FRANCISCO (July 13, 2010) – Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.) today announced financial results for the second quarter ended May 30, 2010, and filed its second-quarter 2010 results on Form 10-Q with the Securities and Exchange Commission. 

Highlights include:

Second-quarter net revenues increased 8 percent compared to last year due to the continued worldwide growth of the Levi’s® brand.  Net revenues benefited from business acquisitions made during 2009 and ongoing retail expansion, partially offset by revenue declines in the wholesale channel in certain markets.  Excluding the effect of currency, net revenues improved 5 percent.

Operating income improved from $56 million to $69 million through the positive effect of currency translation during the quarter.  Below operating income, the company recorded financing costs and the non-cash write-down of deferred tax assets in the second quarter of 2010, partially offset by foreign currency gains during the quarter as compared to losses in the prior year.  As a result, the net loss attributable to the company was higher as compared to last year.  Due to first-quarter results, net income attributable to the company for the first six months of the year is consistent with the same period last year.

The company maintained a strong liquidity position during the second quarter.  At May 30, 2010, cash and cash equivalents were $353 million and $180 million was available under its revolving credit facility.  

“We had another good quarter, which gives us solid revenue growth and operating income for the first six months of the year,” said John Anderson, president and chief executive officer.  “We are seeing the benefit of ourinvestments in the business over recent years.  The Levi’s® brand is performing well, and consumers are responding to our more innovative products.” 

Second-Quarter 2010 Highlights

• Gross profit in the second quarter increased to $499 million compared with $415 million for the same period in 2009.  The increase in gross profit was driven by higher gross margins and the effects of currency.  Gross margin for the second quarter increased to 51 percent of revenues compared with 46 percent of revenues in the same quarter of 2009.  The gross margin improvement reflected increased contribution from company-operated retail stores, which typically generate a higher gross margin than the wholesale business.

• Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses for the second quarter increased to $430 million from $359 million in the same period of 2009.  Higher SG&A was primarily due to additional selling expenses related to the expansion of the company-operated retail network, higher advertising and promotion expense as the company increased support for its Levi’s® and Dockers® brands, and higher administration expenses associated with pension and postretirement benefit plans. 

• Operating income for the second quarter was $69 million compared with $56 million for the same period of 2009.  The 23 percent increase primarily reflects the favorable impact of currency as the higher gross margins were offset by higher SG&A expenses.    

• In May 2010, the company offered €300 million aggregate principal amount of 7.75% Senior Notes due 2018 and $525 million aggregate principal amount of 7.625% Senior Notes due 2020.  Net proceeds were used to retire the outstanding 9.75% Senior Notes due 2015 and 8.625% Senior Notes due 2013.  Additionally, the company repurchased ¥10.9 billion aggregate principal amount of 4.25% Yen-denominated Eurobonds due November 22, 2016, for total consideration of $100 million. 

Regional Overview

Regional net revenues for the quarter were as follows:

• Higher net revenues in the Americas were primarily due to the contribution of the outlet stores acquired in 2009 and strong Levi’s® brand performance in men’s, juniors’ and boys’ products in the wholesale channel.  These improvements were partially offset by lower Signature and U.S. Dockers® brand sales.

• Net revenues in Europe benefited from the impact of the acquisition of the footwear and accessories business during 2009 and expansion of the company-operated retail network across the region.  Revenue gains were partially offset by lower sales in the wholesale channel, reflecting the continued difficult retail environment across the region. 

• Net revenues in Asia Pacific increased on a reported basis and decreased on a constant currency basis.  Growth in the company’s developing markets in the region – driven by brand-dedicated retail store expansion – was more than offset by lower revenue performance in Japan. 

Cash Flow and Balance Sheet

The company ended the second quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $353 million, an increase of $82 million from November 29, 2009.  Cash provided by operating activities was $146 million, compared with $159 million for the same period in 2009.  Net debt was $1.46 billion at the end of the quarter, down from $1.58 billion at the end of 2009. 

“We delivered solid operating results in the second quarter of 2010,” said Blake Jorgensen, chief financial officer.  “Our cash flow is strong and we continued to build our liquidity position during the quarter.  We also successfully completed the refinancing of our 2013 and 2015 debt maturities, as well as a portion of our 2016 Yen Eurobonds, extending our debt maturities and enabling us to focus on driving our growth strategies.   As we continue to invest in the business, we remain focused on controlling costs and managing inventories.”

Investor Conference Call

The company’s second-quarter 2010 investor conference call will be available through a live audio Webcast at www.levistrauss.com/Financials/EarningsWebcasts.aspxtoday, July 13, 2010, at 1 p.m. PDT/4 p.m. EDT.  A replay is available on the website the same day and will be archived for one month.  A telephone replay also is available through July 20, 2010 at 800-642-1687 in the United States and Canada, or 706-645-9291 internationally; I.D. No. 83693533.

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 2009 and subsequent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, 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.

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Investor Contact
Roger Fleischmann
Levi Strauss & Co.
(800) 438-0349
rfleischmann@levi.com

Media Contact
Jeff Beckman
Levi Strauss & Co.
(415) 501-3317
jbeckman@levi.com