Cost-U-Less Reports Earnings of 15 Cents Per Share for First Quarter.BELLEVUE, Wash. -- Cost-U-Less, Inc. (the "Company") (Nasdaq:CULS CULS Capital University Law School (Columbus, Ohio) ) today announced results for its first fiscal quarter ending April 1, 2007 (Q1 2007). Highlights for Q1 2007 were as follows: * EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) A PostScript file format used to transfer a graphic image between applications and platforms. EPS files contain PostScript code as well as an optional preview image in TIFF, WMF, PICT or EPSI, the latter being an ASCII-only format. of $0.15 on net income of $0.6MM compared to EPS of $0.18 on net income of $0.8MM for the corresponding period a year ago (Q1 2006). * Operating income Operating Income The profit realized from a business' own operations. Notes: This would not include income from things such as investments in other firms. Also referred to as operating profit or recurring profit. of $1.0MM compared to operating income of $1.3MM for Q1 2006. * EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization) A metric used to show a company's profitability, but not its cash flow. EBITDA became popular in the 1980s to show the potential profitability of leveraged buyouts, but has become of $1.7MM compared to EBITDA of $1.9MM for Q1 2006 (see Appendix A). * Sales of $55.6MM compared to $54.7MM for Q1 2006. * Comparable store sales (stores open a full 13 months) increase of 2.1% over Q1 2006. * Completion of the sale-leaseback of the St. Croix building contributing to cash balance of $11.5MM as of April 1, 2007. "Looking at our store operations we exceeded our performance from a year ago," said J. Jeffrey Meder, the Company's President and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. . "Our core stores continue to perform well, especially those in which we have made significant capital investments over the past couple of years, namely those in St. Croix and St. Thomas." General and administrative expenses increased 17% to $1.9 million due primarily to an increase in professional service expenses related to dealings with two shareholder groups in an effort to avoid the expense and distraction of a possible proxy contest Proxy contest A battle for the control of a firm in which a dissident group seeks, from the firm's other shareholders, the right to vote those shareholders' shares in favor of the dissident group's slate of directors. Also called proxy fights. , costs associated with the implementation of new tax strategies, and work performed pursuant to the adoption of FIN 48. The Company will hold a conference call to discuss its financial results on Monday, May 14, 2007, at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time. The presentation will be broadcast live over the Internet in a listen-only mode through www.earnings.com. Hyperlinks to the webcast are available through www.costuless.com, www.streetevents.com and other financial websites. An on-demand replay of the webcast also will be available beginning at 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time, May 14, 2007, and subsequently will be archived and available at www.costuless.com for approximately 30 days. Cost-U-Less currently operates eleven stores in the Caribbean and Pacific region: U.S. Virgin Islands (2), Netherlands Antilles Netherlands Antilles, island group, an autonomous part of the Netherlands (2005 est. pop. 220,000), 371 sq mi (961 sq km), West Indies. Formerly known as the Dutch West Indies and Netherlands West Indies, they are divided into two groups. (2), Hawaiian Islands (2), California (1), Guam (2), American Samoa American Samoa, officially Territory of American Samoa, unincorporated territory of the United States (2000 pop. 57,291), comprising the eastern half of the Samoa island chain in the South Pacific. (1), and Republic of Fiji (1). The Company builds its business through delivering high-quality U.S. and local goods, progressive merchandising practices, sophisticated distribution capabilities, and superior customer service, primarily to island markets. Additional information about Cost-U-Less is available at www.costuless.com. Forward-Looking Statements forward-looking statement A projected financial statement based on management expectations. A forward-looking statement involves risks with regard to the accuracy of assumptions underlying the projections. This press release contains statements that are forward-looking. These statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor Safe Harbor 1. A legal provision to reduce or eliminate liability as long as good faith is demonstrated. 2. A form of shark repellent implemented by a target company acquiring a business that is so poorly regulated that the target itself is less attractive. provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA) implemented several significant substantive changes affecting certain cases brought under the federal securities laws, including changes related to pleading, discovery, liability, class representation and awards fees and of 1995. Such statements, including comparable store sales expectations, trends in or expectations regarding the Company's revenue growth, and the Company's growth plans are all based on currently available operating, financial, and competitive information and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical results or those anticipated, including that the Company may encounter substantial delays, increased expenses or loss of potential store sites due to the complexities, cultural differences, and local political issues associated with the regulatory and permitting processes in the island markets in which the Company may locate its stores. Prolonged adverse occurrences affecting tourism or air travel, particularly to non-U.S. destinations, including political instability, armed hostilities, terrorism, natural disasters or other activity that involves or affects air travel or the tourism industry generally, could cause actual results to differ materially from historical results or those anticipated. Other risks and uncertainties include the Company's small store base; the mix of geographic and product revenues; relationships with third parties; litigation An action brought in court to enforce a particular right. The act or process of bringing a lawsuit in and of itself; a judicial contest; any dispute. When a person begins a civil lawsuit, the person enters into a process called litigation. ; the Company's ability to maintain existing credit facilities credit facilities npl → facilidades fpl de crédito credit facilities npl → facilités fpl de paiement credit facilities and obtain additional credit; business and economic conditions and growth in various geographic regions; pricing pressures; political and regulatory instability in various geographic regions; and other risks and uncertainties detailed in the Company's filings with the SEC. Appendix A (in thousands unless otherwise noted) Non GAAP GAAP See: Generally Accepted Accounting Principles GAAP See generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). measures: Non GAAP measures are provided as a complement to results provided in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. The name of this country. The United States, now thirty-one in number, are Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, ("GAAP"). Non GAAP measures are not a substitute for measures computed in accordance with GAAP. Definitions of such non GAAP measurements are provided below. These definitions are provided to allow the reader to reconcile non GAAP data to that presented in accordance with GAAP. Our non GAAP measures may be different from the presentation of financial information by other companies. EBITDA represents earnings before net interest expense, income taxes, depreciation, and amortization. We believe EBITDA is an important non GAAP measure as it provides useful information. In addition, management uses such non GAAP measures internally to evaluate the Company's performance and manage its operations. See below for reconciliation of most comparable GAAP measurements to EBITDA.
Q1 ended Q1 ended >
4/01/07 >
4/2/06
>
Net income $ 647 > $
758
Depreciation and amortization 671 >
562
Interest expense, net 46 >
106
Income taxes 345 >
430
EBITDA $ 1,709 > $
1,856
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