CARTHAGE, Mo., Feb. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- 

• 4Q sales were $1.2 billion, a 10% decrease vs 4Q21
• 4Q EPS was $.39, a decrease of $.38 vs 4Q21
• 2022 sales were a record1 $5.15 billion, a 1% increase vs 2021
• 2022 EPS was $2.27, a decrease of $.67 vs 2021 EPS and a decrease of $.51 vs 2021 adjusted2 EPS
• 2022 cash flow from operations was $441 million, a 63% increase vs 2021
• 2023 guidance: sales of $4.8–$5.2 billion and EPS of $1.50–$1.90

President and CEO Mitch Dolloff commented, "Leggett & Platt's diverse portfolio of businesses, strong cash discipline, and the ingenuity and agility of our employees helped deliver solid results in 2022 despite weak demand in residential end markets. As we moved through the year, the dynamic macroeconomic and geopolitical environment pressured our markets and affected our results. We anticipate 2023 to be a challenging year driven by continued economic uncertainty.

"We are focused on improving the things that we can control and continuing to mitigate the impacts of market challenges on our business. We are working with our customers on new product opportunities, continuing our focus on improving operating efficiency, and driving strong cash management. Our financial strength gives us confidence in our ability to successfully navigate challenging markets while investing in long-term opportunities.

"Finally, I would like to thank our dedicated employees for continually making Leggett & Platt a better company. Your collaboration, dedication, and commitment to our values helped us navigate the many recent challenges and obstacles and will help us to capitalize on opportunities in the future."

FOURTH QUARTER RESULTS

Fourth quarter 2022 sales were $1.2 billion, a 10% decrease versus fourth quarter 2021

• Organic sales3 were down 12%
• Volume was down 12%, primarily from continued demand softness in residential end markets, partially offset by growth in our Automotive, Aerospace, and Hydraulic Cylinders businesses
• Negative currency impact of 2% was offset by raw material-related selling price increases of 2%
• Acquisitions, net of divestitures, added 2% to sales

Fourth quarter EBIT was $91 million, down $61 million or 40% from fourth quarter 2021

• EBIT declined primarily from lower volume and lower overhead absorption as we intentionally cut production in our Steel Rod business below demand to reduce inventory levels. These declines were partially offset by metal margin expansion.
• As a result of these impacts and inflation, EBIT margin was 7.6%, down from 11.4% in the fourth quarter of 2021

Fourth quarter EPS was $.39, a $.38 decrease versus fourth quarter 2021 primarily from lower EBIT, higher tax rate ($.02/share), and higher interest expense ($.02/share).

FULL YEAR RESULTS

2022 sales a record1 $5.15 billion, a 1% increase versus 2021

• Organic3 sales were flat
• Volume down 7% from demand softness in residential end markets, partially offset by growth in automotive and industrial end markets
• Raw material-related selling price increases added 9%
• Currency impact decreased sales 2%
• Acquisitions, net of small divestitures, added 1% to sales

2022 EBIT was $485 million, down $111 million or 19% from 2021, and down $83 million or 15% versus 2021 adjusted2 EBIT.

• EBIT decreased primarily from lower volume, lower overhead absorption from reduced production, operational inefficiencies in Specialty Foam, and higher raw material and transportation costs and operational inefficiencies in Automotive. These decreases were partially offset by metal margin expansion in our Steel Rod business and pricing discipline in the Furniture, Flooring & Textile segment.
• 2021 adjustment was a $28 million gain on the sale of real estate associated with our exited Fashion Bed business
• EBIT margin was 9.4%, down from 2021 EBIT margin of 11.7% and adjusted2 EBIT margin of 11.2%

2022 EPS was $2.27, a $.67 decrease versus 2021 EPS of $2.94 and a $.51 decrease versus adjusted2 EPS of $2.78 primarily from lower EBIT and higher interest expense ($.04/share).

2022 DEBT, CASH FLOW, AND LIQUIDITY

• Net debt2 was 2.66x trailing 12-month adjusted EBITDA2 at year-end
• Operating cash flow was $441 million, up from $271 million in 2021
• Capital expenditures were $100 million
• Total liquidity was $1.0 billion at year-end

DIVIDEND

• Dividends were $1.74 per share in 2022, up $.08 from $1.66 per share in 2021
• In November, Leggett & Platt's Board of Directors declared a $.44 per share fourth quarter dividend, two cents higher than last year's fourth quarter dividend
• At an annual indicated dividend of $1.76 per share, the yield is 4.7% based upon Friday's closing stock price of $37.23 per share

2022 STOCK REPURCHASES

• Repurchased 1.7 million shares at an average price of $35.94
• Issued .9 million shares through employee benefit plans
• Shares outstanding at the end of the year were 132.6 million

2023 GUIDANCE

• Sales are expected to be $4.8–$5.2 billion, -7% to +1% versus 2022
• Volume at the midpoint expected to be down low single digits:
• Down low single digits in Bedding Products Segment
• Up high single digits in Specialized Products Segment
• Down low single digits in Furniture, Flooring & Textile Products Segment
• Raw material-related price decreases and currency impact combined expected to reduce sales mid-single digits
• Acquisitions completed in 2022 expected to add ~3% to sales
• EPS is expected to be $1.50–$1.90
• Earnings at the midpoint primarily reflects:
• Lower metal margins in our Steel Rod business
• Lower volume in some businesses
• Moderate pricing pressure from deflation
• 1Q 2023 earnings expected to be down meaningfully vs 4Q 2022, primarily due to:
• Timing of performance-based compensation accruals
• Normal seasonality in some of our businesses
• Based on this framework, 2023 EBIT margin is expected to be 7.5% to 8.0%
• Additional expectations:
• Depreciation and amortization $200 million
• Net interest expense $85 million
• Effective tax rate 24%
• Fully diluted shares 137 million
• Operating cash flow $450–$500 million
• Capital expenditures $100 million
• Dividends $240 million
• Minimal acquisitions and share repurchases

SEGMENT RESULTS – Fourth Quarter 2022 (versus 4Q 2021)

Bedding Products –

• Trade sales decreased 19%
• Volume decreased 19% from continued demand softness in U.S. and European bedding markets and lower demand in our Steel Rod and Drawn Wire businesses
• Currency impact of 1% offset by raw material-related selling price increases of 1%
• EBIT decreased $46 million, primarily from lower volume and lower overhead absorption as we intentionally cut production in our Steel Rod business below demand to reduce inventory levels. These decreases were partially offset by metal margin expansion.

Specialized Products –

• Trade sales increased 15%
• Volume increased 10% from growth across the segment
• Raw material-related selling price increases added 4%
• Currency impact decreased sales 9%
• Hydraulic Cylinders acquisition added 10%
• EBIT decreased $5 million, primarily from currency impact and higher raw material and labor costs, partially offset by higher volume

Furniture, Flooring & Textile Products –

• Trade sales decreased 12%
• Volume decreased 14%, primarily from declines in Home Furniture, Fabric Converting, and Work Furniture
• Raw material-related selling price increases added 2%
• Currency impact decreased sales 1%
• Textiles acquisitions added 1%
• EBIT decreased $13 million, primarily from lower volume partially offset by pricing discipline

SEGMENT RESULTS – Full Year 2022 (versus 2021)

Bedding Products –

• Trade sales decreased 4%
• Volume decreased 16% from demand softness in U.S. and European bedding markets partially offset by trade sales growth in our Steel Rod and Drawn Wire businesses
• Raw material-related selling price increases added 12% to sales
• Currency impact decreased sales by 1%
• Kayfoam acquisition, net of divestitures of small operations in Drawn Wire and International Bedding, added 1%
• EBIT decreased $102 million, primarily from lower volume, lower overhead absorption as production and inventories were adjusted to meet reduced demand, operating inefficiencies in Specialty Foam, and the non-recurrence of prior year gain from sale of real estate associated with exited Fashion Bed business ($28 million). These decreases were partially offset by higher metal margin.

Specialized Products –

• Trade sales increased 12%
• Volume increased 11% with growth across the segment
• Raw material-related selling price increases added 3%
• Currency impact decreased sales 6%
• Hydraulic Cylinders acquisition completed in August 2022 added 4%
• EBIT decreased $17 million, primarily from higher raw material and transportation costs, operational inefficiencies and related premium freight costs in a North American Automotive facility primarily in the first half of the year, and currency impact. These decreases were partially offset by higher volume.

Furniture, Flooring & Textile Products –

• Trade sales increased 3%
• Volume decreased 6% from declines in Home Furniture, Flooring, and Fabric Converting, partially offset by growth in Work Furniture
• Raw material-related selling price increases added 10%
• Currency impact decreased sales 1%
• EBIT increased $6 million, primarily from pricing discipline partially offset by lower volume

SLIDES AND CONFERENCE CALL

A set of slides containing summary financial information is available from the Investor Relations section of Leggett's website at www.leggett.com. Management will host a conference call at 7:30 a.m.Central (8:30 a.m. Eastern) on Tuesday, February 7. The webcast can be accessed from Leggett's website. The dial-in number is (201) 689-8341; there is no passcode. 

First quarter results will be released after the market closes on Monday, May 1, 2023, with a conference call the next morning.

COMPANY DESCRIPTION:  Leggett & Platt (NYSE: LEG) is a diversified manufacturer that designs and produces a broad variety of engineered components and products that can be found in most homes and automobiles. The 140-year-old Company is comprised of 15 business units, approximately 20,000 employees, and 135 manufacturing facilities located in 18 countries. 

Leggett & Platt is the leading U.S.-based manufacturer of: a) bedding components; b) automotive seat support and lumbar systems; c) specialty bedding foams and private label finished mattresses; d) components for home furniture and work furniture; e) flooring underlayment; f) adjustable beds; and g) bedding industry machinery.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This press release contains "forward-looking statements," including, but not limited to the amount of the Company's forecasted 2023 full-year volume growth; acquisition sales growth; sales, EPS, capital expenditures; depreciation and amortization; net interest expense; fully diluted shares; operating cash flow; EBIT margin; effective tax rate; amount of dividends; raw material related price decreases; currency impact; volume in each of the Company's segments; and the description of 2023 as another challenging year. Such forward-looking statements are expressly qualified by the cautionary statements described in this provision and reflect only the beliefs of Leggett at the time the statement is made. Because all forward-looking statements deal with the future, they are subject to risks, uncertainties and developments which might cause actual events or results to differ materially from those envisioned or reflected in any forward-looking statement. Moreover, we do not have, and do not undertake, any duty to update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which the statement was made. Some of these risks and uncertainties include: the adverse impact on our sales, earnings, liquidity, margins, cash flow, costs, and financial condition caused by: the Russian invasion of Ukraine; global inflationary impacts; macro-economic impacts; the COVID-19 pandemic; the demand for our products and our customers' products; growth rates in the industries in which we participate and opportunities in those industries; our manufacturing facilities' ability to remain fully operational and obtain necessary raw materials and parts, maintain appropriate labor levels and ship finished products to customers; the impairment of goodwill and long-lived assets; restructuring-related costs; our ability to access the commercial paper market or borrow under our revolving credit facility, including compliance with restrictive covenants that may limit our operational flexibility and our ability to timely pay our debt; adverse impact from supply chain disruptions; our ability to manage working capital; increases or decreases in our capital needs, which may vary depending on acquisition or divestiture activity; our capital expenditures; our ability to collect trade receivables; market conditions; price and product competition from foreign and domestic competitors; cost and availability of raw materials (including semiconductors and chemicals) due to supply chain disruptions or otherwise; labor and energy costs; cash generation sufficient to pay the dividend; cash repatriation from foreign accounts; our ability to pass along raw material cost increases through increased selling prices; conflict between China and Taiwan; our ability to maintain profit margins if customers change the quantity or mix of our components in their finished products; our ability to maintain and grow the profitability of acquired companies; political risks; changing tax rates; increased trade costs; risks related to operating in foreign countries; cybersecurity breaches; customer bankruptcies, losses and insolvencies; disruption to our steel rod mill and other operations and supply chain because of severe weather-related events, natural disaster, fire, explosion, terrorism, pandemic, governmental action or labor strikes; foreign currency fluctuation; the amount of share repurchases; the imposition or continuation of anti-dumping duties on innersprings, steel wire rod and mattresses; data privacy; climate change compliance costs and market, technological and reputational impacts; our ESG obligations; litigation risks; and risk factors in the "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" sections in Leggett's most recent Form 10-K and Form 10-Q reports filed with the SEC.

CONTACT:   Investor Relations, (417) 358-8131 or invest@leggett.comSusan R. McCoy, Senior Vice President, Investor RelationsCassie J. Branscum, Senior Director, Investor Relations

1 Record is from continuing operations2 Please refer to attached tables for Non-GAAP Reconciliations3 Trade sales excluding acquisitions/divestitures in the last 12 months

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SOURCE Leggett & Platt