Less than a year after Cerberus Capital Management gained control of Supervalu, Inc. (SVU) with its newly created subsidiary, Symphony Investors, and named industry veteran Robert Miller as its non-executive chairman, the former Albertsons and Fred Meyer executive has resigned âto focus on other demands.â One of those âdemandsâ could be related to his other job as CEO of Cerberusâ related investment in New Albertsons, Inc. Industry speculation has been rampant that Cerberus/New Albertsons is aggressively pursuing Safeway as a potential acquisition target (see related story in the âTaking Stockâ column on page 15. Supervalu also reported its third quarter earnings which saw the Eden Prairie, MN-based retailer/wholesaler increase its profit despite declining revenues.
Millerâs job as SVU chairman will be filled by another company director, Gerald Storch.
Storch is currently chairman and CEO of Storch Advisors, a consulting firm that focuses primarily on retailing, ecommerce, consumer products and services, and consumer financial services. From 2006-2013, he was chairman and CEO of Toys âRâ Us, and before that he was vice chairman at Target Corp. During more than a decade with Target, he led the retailerâs ecommerce site, the Target grocery business, and the Target Financial Services credit card business, and oversaw Marshall Fieldâs Department Stores.
âWe are thrilled to have Jerry Storch as our new non-executive chairman of the Supervalu board of directors,â said Phil Francis, a Supervalu director. âJerryâs tremendous experience in food and specialty retailing makes him especially well qualified for this role. âAt the same time, we are very grateful to Bob Miller, who is truly a giant in the retail grocery industry, for his service on the Supervalu board of directors.â
Miller will continue as a non-paid advisor to the board. Supervaluâs 11-person board includes seven members who are independent directors under the New York Stock Exchange listing standards.
On the balance sheet, for the period ended November 16, 2013, Supervalu reported third quarter fiscal 2014 net sales of $4.01 billion and net earnings of $31 million, or $0.12 per diluted share.
Net earnings from continuing operations for the third quarter of fiscal 2014 were $32 million, or $0.12 per diluted share, and included $3 million in after-tax net charges and costs comprised of a multi-employer pension plan withdrawal charge, asset impairment, contract breakage, and other costs, offset in part by a gain from the sale of a property and the reduction of previously accrued severance costs.
When adjusted for these items, third quarter fiscal 2014 net earnings from continuing operations were $35 million, or $0.13 per diluted share. Net loss from continuing operations for last yearâs third quarter was $15 million, or $0.07 per diluted share, which included $1 million in after-tax net charges primarily related to store closure and severance charges offset in part by a gain related to a cash settlement from credit card companies.
When adjusted for these items, last yearâs third quarter net loss from continuing operations was $14 million, or $0.07 per diluted share. Net loss from discontinued operations in the third quarter of fiscal 2014 was $1 million.
âAlthough we are less than a year removed from the sale of five of our retail banners, Supervalu has made positive strides in all three of our business segments to better position the company for financial growth and improved shareholder value,â said CEO Sam Duncan. âAlthough we still have work to do to improve our sales trajectory, I am pleased with the accomplishments we made within our operations this quarter and look forward to completing my first fiscal year leading this company.â
The third quarter net sales figure of $4.01 billion compared to $4.05 billion last year resulted in a decrease of 1.0 percent. Identical store sales in the Save-A-Lot network were positive 1.7 percent. Identical store sales for corporate stores within the Save-A-Lot network were positive 5.4 percent. Identical store sales in the âRetail Foodâ segment (Shoppers, Farm Fresh, Shop ân Save, Cub and Hornbacherâs) were negative 1.9 percent. Total sales within the âIndependent Business (wholesale)â segment also decreased by 3.7 percent. Fees earned under the Transition Services Agreements (TSA) in the third quarter were $48 million compared to $10 million last year.
Gross profit for the third quarter was $569 million, or 14.2 percent of net sales, and included a $3 million pre-tax multi-employer pension plan withdrawal charge. When adjusted for this charge, gross profit for the third quarter was $572 million, or 14.3 percent of net sales. Last yearâs third quarter gross profit was $530 million, or 13.1 percent of net sales. The increase in gross profit compared to last year was primarily driven by incremental fees earned under the TSA and the benefits of lower infrastructure costs.
Net interest expense for the third quarter was $52 million compared to $63 million last year. The decrease in interest expense was primarily driven by lower average rates and lower outstanding balances on the companyâs senior notes.
Third quarter âIndependent Businessâ net sales were $1.91 billion compared to $1.99 billion last year, a decrease of 3.7 percent, primarily due to lower sales to existing customers, including military, and two larger lost customers partly offset by net new business, Supervalu noted.
âIndependent Businessâ operating earnings in the third quarter were $53 million, or 2.8 percent of net sales, and included $4 million of net pre-tax charges related to a multi-employer pension plan withdrawal charge, asset impairment, and other net charges, offset in part by a gain from the sale of a property. When adjusted for these net charges, âIndependent Businessâ operating earnings in the third quarter were $57 million, or 3.0 percent of net sales. Last yearâs âIndependent Businessâ operating earnings in the third quarter were $51 million, or 2.6 percent of net sales, and included $1 million in pre-tax severance charges. When adjusted for this charge, âIndependent Businessâ operating earnings in last yearâs third quarter were $52 million, or 2.7 percent of net sales. The increase in âIndependent Businessâ adjusted operating earnings was primarily attributable to a higher level of professional services income and strong expense management, the company stated.
Third quarter Save-A-Lot net sales were $991 million compared to $966 million last year, an increase of 2.6 percent, reflecting the impact from network identical store sales of positive 1.7 percent. Identical store sales for corporate stores within the Save-A-Lot network were positive 5.4 percent.
Save-A-Lot operating earnings in the third quarter were $40 million, or 4.1 percent of net sales. Last yearâs Save-A-Lot operating earnings in the third quarter were $27 million, or 2.7 percent of net sales, and included $10 million in pre-tax charges primarily related to store closure charges. When adjusted for these charges, Save-A-Lot operating earnings in last yearâs third quarter were $37 million, or 3.8 percent of net sales. Supervalu explained that the increase in Save-A-Lot adjusted operating earnings was primarily attributable to the benefits of cost reduction initiatives.
Third quarter âRetail Foodâ net sales were $1.06 billion compared to $1.09 billion last year, a decline of 2.6 percent, primarily reflecting identical store sales of negative 1.9 percent.
âRetail Foodâ operating earnings in the third quarter were $24 million, or 2.2 percent of net sales, and included $1 million in pre-tax income related to a reduction of previously accrued severance costs. When adjusted for this item, âRetail Foodâ operating earnings in the third quarter were $23 million, or 2.2 percent of net sales. Last yearâs âRetail Foodâ operating earnings were $17 million, or 1.5 percent of net sales, and included a $10 million pre-tax gain related to a cash settlement from credit card companies partly offset by a $1 million pre-tax asset impairment charge. When adjusted for these items, last yearâs âRetail Foodâ operating earnings in the third quarter were $8 million, or 0.7 percent of net sales. The increase in âRetail Foodâ adjusted operating earnings was primarily driven by the benefit of cost reduction initiatives, including lower depreciation expense, according to Supervalu.
Third quarter fees received under the TSA were $48 million compared to $10 million last year, reflecting a higher number of stores and distribution centers covered under the agreements and $4 million of the one-year transition fee earned under the TSA. Net corporate operating loss in the third quarter was $12 million and included a $1 million pre-tax contract breakage charge. When adjusted for this item, net corporate operating loss in the third quarter was $11 million. Last yearâs net corporate operating loss in the third quarter was $65 million. The reduction in corporate operating loss was primarily driven by incremental fees received under the TSA, which covered administrative costs remaining in continuing operations, and cost reduction initiatives. Last yearâs loss included administrative costs of the disposed operations that were not covered by the previous TSA.
Year-to-date fiscal 2014 net cash flows used in operating activities were $172 million compared to $22 million last year, reflecting higher cash tax payments and working capital in the current year. Year-to-date net cash flows used in investing activities were $42 million compared to $192 million last year, reflecting lower levels of capital expenditures. Year-to-date net cash flows provided by financing activities were $147 million compared to $42 million last year, reflecting proceeds received from the issuance of common stock to Symphony Investors net of payments for debt financing costs.
After the downsizing earlier this year, Supervalu currently has annual sales of approximately $17 billion. The company now serves of 3,358 stores composed of 1,834 independent stores serviced primarily by the companyâs food distribution business, 1,334 Save-A-Lot stores, of which 954 are operated by licensee owners; and 190 traditional retail grocery stores. The Eden Prairie-based company employs approximately 35,000 associates.
And just before presstime, Supervalu also announced that it would be closing its Milton, WV food distribution center. The warehouse, which employs approximately 90 workers, has been operating in that west-central West Virginia town for nearly 40 years. It appears that distribution from the Milton depot would be folded into Supervaluâs larger warehouse in New Stanton, PA. That change is expected to take effect sometime in April.
