Kimball International, Inc. (KBAL) today announced the following results for the quarter ended September 30, 2017:

First quarter revenue was $169.5 million, a 3% decrease coming off of very strong prior year first quarter growth of 12%.
First quarter adjusted operating income was $16.0 million, or 9.4% of net sales, representing the best earnings since 2001.
First quarter GAAP net income was $11.0 million which was flat compared to the prior year first quarter, and exclusive of a prior year restructuring gain, net income increased 11% over prior year adjusted net income.
Quarterly return on capital equaled 23.2%, the best in the industry, where public data is available.
Quarterly dividend was increased to 7 cents per share, a 17% increase over the previous quarterly dividend and the fourth successive dividend increase in the last four years.
D’style, Inc. acquisition was announced today and is expected to close in the next 30 days.

Bob Schneider, Chairman and CEO, stated, “I am very pleased with our ability to convert lower sales into higher earnings for the first quarter. Our first quarter results reflect strong execution and focus on continuous improvement, as our 9.4% adjusted operating income excluding restructuring was the highest in over 15 years. Improved sales in the office verticals was offset by lower sales in our hospitality vertical, resulting in our consolidated revenue declining 3%. Our hospitality vertical revenues have historically fluctuated from quarter to quarter, and we expect second quarter revenues to increase substantially from the first quarter.”

Mr. Schneider continued, “I am also very excited by our pending acquisition of D’style, along with its subsidiary Allan Copley Designs. D’style, headquartered in Chula Vista, CA, is well-known and respected in the hospitality industry for providing public space furnishings and guest room accent pieces, and will be a natural fit with our existing hospitality brand. These offerings will also enable us to take advantage of the trend where hospitality, residential, and commercial designs are merging. D’style sells primarily in North America with prior calendar year sales of approximately $20 million. The acquisition is expected to be accretive to earnings in fiscal year 2018. We look forward to welcoming the D’style employees to the Kimball International team.”

The 3% decline in net sales was partially driven by a decline in the hospitality vertical due to an unusual level of customer-requested shipping delays that pushed shipments out until next quarter. In addition, uncertainty surrounding the potential replacement of the Affordable Care Act is causing a delay in spending in the healthcare vertical. These declines were partially offset by increases in the government and education verticals, which increased as a result of increased focus on these vertical markets. Office furniture sales within verticals other than the hospitality vertical increased 2% compared to the prior year first quarter.
Orders received during the first quarter of fiscal year 2018 were down 7% from the prior year first quarter, coming off of very strong order growth in the prior year period. The order decline was driven by the healthcare and hospitality verticals, partially offset by an order increase in the government vertical. While hospitality orders received during the quarter declined, our total backlog of hospitality orders remains strong, and we are expecting strong hospitality revenues next quarter as the delayed shipments from the current quarter ship next quarter.
First quarter gross profit as a percent of net sales improved 170 basis points over the prior year first quarter due to favorable shift in sales mix to higher margin product, productivity improvements, favorable price increases net of higher discounting, and decreased employee healthcare expenses.
Selling and administrative expenses in the first quarter increased 120 basis points as a percent of net sales and increased 1% in absolute dollars compared to the prior year first quarter. The increase in selling and administrative expense was primarily driven by higher marketing expenditures to grow the business, partially offset by lower incentive compensation.
No restructuring costs were incurred during the first quarter of fiscal year 2018. A net pre-tax restructuring gain of $1.8 million was recognized in the prior year first quarter, which included a gain on the sale of the Post Falls, Idaho facility and land after the completion of the restructuring plan that transferred metal fabrication production into existing production facilities in Indiana.
The Company's 33.4% effective tax rate for the first quarter of fiscal year 2018 was lower than the prior year first quarter effective tax rate of 37.8%. The current year first quarter effective tax rate was favorably impacted by tax benefits from stock award vesting.
Operating cash flow for the first quarter of fiscal year 2018 was $7.0 million compared to operating cash flow of $13.0 million in the first quarter of the prior year, a decrease of $6.0 million. The decrease was primarily driven by changes in working capital balances, including an increase in inventory balances as a result of customer-requested shipping delays.
The Company's balance in cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments was $97.8 million at September 30, 2017, compared to $98.6 million at June 30, 2017. The decrease was primarily due to capital expenditures of $6.6 million and the return of capital to share owners in the form of stock repurchases and dividends totaling $4.0 million, which more than offset $7.0 million of cash flows from operations.
Today the Company announced the pending acquisition of privately-held D’style, which is headquartered in Chula Vista, CA and has a manufacturing location in Tijuana, Mexico. The acquisition will expand the Company's hospitality offerings to public spaces beyond guest rooms, and will provide new mixed material manufacturing capabilities. The acquisition is expected to close in the next 30 days. The company will be purchased for $20.0 million, inclusive of a $2.2 million contingent earn-out. The purchase price is subject to certain post-closing working capital adjustments.