Kimball International, Inc. Wednesday announced results for the quarter and fiscal year ended June 30, 2018.

Highlights:

Revenue growth of 7%, or 4% on an organic basis; highest quarterly sales in over 15 years at $184.5 million
Strong order growth of 19% at $208 million, or 10% on an organic basis and adjusted for timing of price increases
Significant growth of 33% in orders in hospitality vertical on an organic basis
Transportation, steel and other commodity cost increases continued to put pressure on margins
Operating cash flow increased 35% over prior year fourth quarter
Our Kimball brand received “#MetropolisLikes” award by Metropolis Magazine for its Wilder seating collection
The National brand Danville, KY, facility recognized with the 2017 Governor’s Safety and Health Award by the Kentucky Labor Cabinet

Bob Schneider, Chairman and CEO, stated, “We ended fiscal year 2018 on a strong note with fourth quarter organic revenue growth of 4% throughout most of our market verticals. While we were encouraged with the growth, our margins in the quarter experienced pressure from higher transportation, steel and other commodity costs, which lowered profits. We are progressing with our cost reduction initiatives announced last quarter, which will save approximately $7 million in fiscal year 2019, and we will begin to realize the benefits of our recent price increases within our National and Kimball brands as those price increases begin to take hold over the next couple quarters and positively impact earnings. We anticipate these actions once fully ramped up will offset the higher costs in the second quarter of fiscal year 2019. Comparing profits to the prior year gets challenging because in the prior year fourth quarter, we sold some idle land at a $1.2 million pre-tax gain. Had we not realized that gain last year, our fourth quarter operating income would have been $0.4 million higher than last year, although we are not satisfied with these results.”

Mr. Schneider concluded, “Our strong order growth in the fourth quarter reflects a level of activity occurring within our markets that we have not seen for a while. The excitement and enthusiasm experienced during the office furniture show in Chicago in June was very encouraging, as is the 33% increase in hospitality vertical orders. The macroeconomic environment is signaling continued growth, while we are continuing to evaluate effects from the tariff discussions. I am encouraged by our results in the fourth quarter and the order momentum going into fiscal year 2019.”

* The item indicated represents a Non-GAAP measurement. See “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below.

Consolidated net sales increased 7%, or 4% on an organic basis, driven by increases in all vertical markets except the government vertical. The hospitality vertical grew 26% including D’style acquisition sales, or 12% excluding D’style, due to increasing optimism in the hospitality industry fueled in part by the tax stimulus. The healthcare vertical increased 14% as a result of an increased focus and realignment of strategies for this vertical. Sales in the government vertical declined 16% as a result of large prior year shipments which did not repeat this year given the project nature of this vertical.
Orders received during the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2018 increased 19% from the prior year, or 10% on a comparable basis excluding the D’style acquisition and adjusting for the timing of price increases. The increase was driven by growth in all vertical markets except the government vertical. Orders in the hospitality vertical grew 50% including the D’style acquisition, or 33% organically, driven by strong demand for both custom and non-custom products. Orders in the commercial and finance verticals increased due to our continued strategy to deliver value to customers in these segments, while the government vertical declined due to construction delays which pushed back orders to later quarters.
Gross profit as a percent of net sales declined 100 basis points from the prior year as incremental margins from price increases were more than offset by a less profitable sales mix, higher transportation, steel, and other commodities, and an increase in the LIFO inventory reserve.
Selling and administrative expenses in the fourth quarter increased 10 basis points as a percent of net sales and increased 7% in absolute dollars compared to the prior year. The increase in selling and administrative expense was driven by the additional selling and administrative expenses of the D’style acquisition as well as prior year gains on the sale of idle land and bad debt reversals not repeating in the current year, and increased marketing expenses, partially offset by lower incentive compensation costs. The prior year fourth quarter gains on the sale of idle land reduced prior year administrative expenses by $1.2 million.
The Company benefited from a lower effective tax rate of 31.4% for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2018 compared to the prior year effective tax rate of 33.4%. The decline was driven by the recently enacted tax act, where the Company’s statutory federal tax rate for fiscal year 2018 is a blended rate of 28.1% compared to the previous rate of 35%. The Company expects the tax act to generate significant tax savings in future periods, as the final 21% tax rate becomes effective in fiscal year 2019.
Operating cash flow for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2018 was $20.5 million compared to operating cash flow of $15.1 million in the prior year, an increase of $5.4 million. The increase was primarily driven by lower fourth quarter estimated tax payments due to a reduction in federal tax rates from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and the acceleration of certain deductions into the current fiscal year to take advantage of higher tax rates in fiscal year 2018 versus fiscal year 2019.
The Company’s balance in cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments was $87.3 million at June 30, 2018, compared to $98.6 million at June 30, 2017. The fiscal year 2018 decrease was primarily due to capital expenditures of $22.3 million, a $18.2 million cash outflow for the D’style acquisition, and the return of capital to shareowners in the form of $8.9 million in stock repurchases and $10.1 million in dividends, which more than offset $46.9 million of cash flows from operations.

Fiscal year 2018 net sales of $685.6 million increased 2% from fiscal year 2017 net sales of $669.9 million. Fiscal year 2018 operating income was $51.1 million, or 7.4% of net sales, compared to fiscal year 2017 operating income of $56.7 million, or 8.5% of net sales. Fiscal year 2018 operating income includes a $1.7 million gain on the sale of an administrative building, and fiscal year 2017 operating income includes a $1.8 million gain on the sale of a facility related to a prior year restructuring plan and $1.2 million of gains from the sale of idle land. Net income for fiscal year 2018 was $34.4 million, or $0.92 per diluted share, inclusive of the $1.2 million or $0.03 per share gain on the sale of an administrative building. Fiscal year 2017 net income was $37.5 million, or $0.99 per diluted share, inclusive of the $1.1 million or $0.03 per share gain related to the prior year restructuring plan and the $0.7 million or $0.02 per share of gains from the sale of idle land.