EX-2 5 newsrelease.htm NEWS RELEASE News Release

[newsrelease002.jpg]


News Release

For Immediate Release December 10, 2002


Liquidation World Announces Annual Results


Liquidation World Inc. (LQW – TSX; LIQWF – Nasdaq) announces the results of operations for the 52 weeks ended October 6, 2002. Revenue decreased 5% to $174,520,000 from $183,400,000 during the 53 weeks ended October 7, 2001.  Revenues have been reduced from previously announced results to reflect only the net commission earned on consignment sales.  This adjustment has no effect on net earnings.  Net earnings decreased 68% to $2,205,000 ($0.26 per share) during fiscal 2002 from $6,981,000 ($0.83 per share) during the 2001 fiscal year.


During the final quarter, the thirteen weeks ended October 6, 2002, revenue decreased 12% to $42,595,000 from $48,594,000 during the fourteen weeks ended October 7, 2001. Net earnings in the fourth quarter of 2002 decreased 81% to $385,000 ($0.05 per share) compared to $1,990,000 ($0.24 per share) in the fourth quarter of 2001.


For the year, cash flow from operations increased 52% to $7.4 million from $4.9 million in the previous year including opening and stocking of 10 outlets during the year.


“Several factors conspired to weaken our financial results,” said Mr. Gillespie, Company Founder & C.E.O.  “Most lenders hoped that improvements in the economy would assist their clients with weak performance and accordingly, deferred on some tough decisions.  Also there has been a drought on natural disasters, which typically yield salvage inventory that we acquire for our outlets.  These factors resulted in reduced sales and significantly reduced earnings.  During the year, we were able to add 10 outlets and put over $5 million in the bank that will help us to leverage our performance when the direction of the economy becomes more clear.”


Mr. Gillespie added "the Company continues to strive for its goal of being the most complete solution provider in North America for companies with problem inventories. Two years ago we added reverse logistics and reprocessing capabilities to our menu of services through our investment in Product Management Canada Inc. Last year we continued to complement our service menu with the provision of store closure services to our retail clients, and this year we added turnaround consulting services that provides solutions beyond inventory issues with the acquisition of start up Clear Thinking Group, Inc.”



About Liquidation World


Liquidation World offers a uniquely diversified menu of solutions for organizations with asset recovery issues. Services include auctions, reverse logistics and processing, store closure sales management, turnaround consulting, and retail liquidations of consumer merchandise through 98 outlets across North America. Liquidation World solves asset recovery problems, in a professional manner, for the financial services industry, insurance companies, manufacturers and other organizations. Liquidation World opened its first retail outlet in 1986 and is now the largest liquidator in Canada, with more than 1,600 employees in outlets and offices across Canada and the United States.


For more information, please contact:

Mr. Dale Gillespie, Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Andrew Searby, C.A., Chief Financial Officer

E-mail:  investorinfo@liquidationworld.com

Website: www.liquidationworld.com

Telephone:  (403) 250 – 1222

Fax:  (403) 291 – 1306




                                                                                                 # of 6




LIQUIDATION WORLD INC.

        

Consolidated Statements of Earnings and Retained Earnings

       
           

(unaudited) (In thousands of Canadian dollars, except per share amounts)

      

 

 

 

        
   

 

13 Weeks Ended

 

14 Weeks Ended

 

52 Weeks Ended

 

53 Weeks Ended

 

 

 

 

October 6 2002

 

October 7 2001

 

October 6 2002

 

October 7 2001

           

Revenue

 

$

          42,545

 $

          48,594

$

           174,520

 $

          183,400

Cost of sales

 

          25,717

 

          30,558

 

           106,592

 

          112,670

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

          16,828

 

          18,036

 

             67,928

 

            70,730

Expenses

         
 

Selling and store operations

 

          13,112

 

          12,819

 

             54,224

 

            51,372

 

General and administrative

 

            2,681

 

            1,587

 

              8,279

 

              5,804

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

               381

 

               396

 

              1,460

 

              1,427

 

Interest

 

                 -   

 

                55

 

                     7

 

                 125

 

 

 

 

          16,174

 

          14,857

 

             63,970

 

            58,728

           

Earnings before income taxes

 

               654

 

            3,179

 

              3,958

 

            12,002

           

Income taxes

 

               269

 

            1,190

 

              1,753

 

              5,021

           

Net earnings

 

               385

 

            1,989

 

              2,205

 

              6,981

           

Retained earnings, beginning of period

 

          38,663

 

          34,901

 

             36,890

 

            29,909

Excess of repurchase amount over stated

 

              (117)

 

                 -   

 

                (164)

 

                   -   

 

capital of repurchased shares

        

Retained earnings, end of period

$

          38,931

 $

          36,890

$

             38,931

 $

            36,890

           

Earnings per share

        
 

Basic

$

              0.05

$

              0.24

$

                0.26

$

                0.83

 

Diluted

$

              0.04

$

              0.24

$

                0.25

$

                0.81

           

Shares outstanding at period end

     

        8,538,756

 

        8,485,896

Options outstanding at period end

 

 

 

 

 

           604,830

 

          567,590

           

Segmented Information

        
           

(unaudited) (In thousands of Canadian dollars, except per share amounts)

      
           

 

 

 

 

2002

 

2001

 

2002

 

2001

           

Revenue

         
 

Canada

$

          34,493

$

          37,563

$

           138,644

$

          140,464

 

United States

 

            8,052

 

          11,031

 

             35,876

 

            42,936

 

Total

 

$

          42,545

$

          48,594

$

           174,520

$

          183,400

Capital assets

        
 

Canada

    

$

              5,169

$

              4,063

 

United States

 

 

 

 

 

                 580

 

                 561

 

Total

 

 

 

 

 

$

              5,749

$

              4,624

LIQUIDATION WORLD INC.

        

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

        
           

 (unaudited) (In thousands of Canadian dollars)

        
   

 

13 Weeks Ended

 

14 Weeks Ended

 

52 Weeks Ended

 

53 Weeks Ended

 

 

 

 

October 6 2002

 

October 7 2001

 

October 6 2002

 

October 7 2001

           

Cash provided by (used in):

        
           

Operations

         
 

Net earnings

$

               385

 $

            1,989

$

              2,205

 $

              6,981

 

Add (deduct) non-cash items:

        
  

Depreciation and amortization

 

               381

 

               396

 

              1,460

 

              1,427

  

Equity in income of affiliate

 

                  3

 

                  5

 

                (105)

 

                 (71)

    

               769

 

            2,390

 

              3,560

 

              8,337

 

Changes in non-cash operating working capital

        
  

Accounts receivable

 

            1,114

 

               144

 

                 174

 

                (329)

  

Inventory

 

            3,001

 

            5,310

 

              5,101

 

                  80

  

Prepaid expenses

 

               317

 

               415

 

                (556)

 

                 619

  

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

 

           (1,014)

 

           (2,785)

 

              3,054

 

             (3,909)

 

 

Income taxes

 

              (603)

 

              (407)

 

             (3,907)

 

                  73

    

            3,584

 

            5,067

 

              7,426

 

              4,871

           

Investments

        
 

Purchase of capital assets

 

           (1,415)

 

              (484)

 

             (2,545)

 

             (1,673)

 

Business Acquisition

 

                 -   

 

                 -   

 

                (104)

 

                   -   

    

           (1,415)

 

              (484)

 

             (2,649)

 

             (1,673)

           

Financing

         
 

Decrease in bank indebtedness

 

                 -   

 

           (4,255)

 

                   -   

 

             (3,435)

 

Proceeds on issuance of common shares

 

                 -   

 

                 -   

 

                 405

 

                 562

 

Repurchase of common shares

 

              (171)

 

                 -   

 

                (237)

 

                   -   

    

              (171)

 

           (4,255)

 

                 168

 

             (2,873)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Increase in cash

 

            1,998

 

               328

 

              4,945

 

                 325

           

Cash and equivalents, beginning of period

 

            3,449

 

               174

 

                 502

 

                 177

           

Cash and equivalents, end of period

$

            5,447

 $

               502

$

              5,447

 $

                 502

           

Supplemental disclosure of cash paid for:

 

 

   

 

  
 

Income taxes

$

               863

$

            1,175

$

              5,631

$

              4,609

 

Interest

 

                 -   

 

                64

 

                     8

 

                 148

           

 

 

 

$

               863

 $

            1,239

$

              5,639

 $

              4,757

           
           

LIQUIDATION WORLD INC.

        

Consolidated Balance Sheets

        
           

 (In thousands of Canadian dollars)

        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

        

October 6

 

October 7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2002

 

2001

        

(unaudited)

  

Assets

         
           

Current assets

        
 

Cash and equivalents

    

$

              5,447

 $

                 502

 

Accounts receivable

     

              1,051

 

              1,225

 

Income taxes receivable

     

              2,998

 

                   -   

 

Inventory

     

             44,677

 

            49,778

 

Prepaid expenses

 

 

 

 

 

              1,930

 

              1,374

        

             56,103

 

            52,879

           

Capital assets

     

              5,749

 

              4,624

           

Investment in affiliate

     

                 587

 

                 482

           

Goodwill

      

                 278

 

                   -   

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

             62,717

 $

            57,985

           

Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity

        
           

Current liabilities

        
       


 


 

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

    

$

              7,815

$

              4,721

 

Income taxes payable

 

 

 

 

 

                   -   

 

                 909

        

              7,815

 

              5,630

           

Shareholders' equity

        
 

Share capital

     

             15,971

 

            15,465

 

Retained earnings

 

 

 

 

 

             38,931

 

            36,890

        

             54,902

 

            52,355

           
           
           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

             62,717

 $

            57,985





                                                                                                 # of 6