Casey's Ends Year With Strong Fourth Quarter And Remains Optimistic For Fiscal 2012

Casey’s General Stores, Inc. (Nasdaq: CASY) today reported earnings for the fourth quarter and the fiscal year ended April 30, 2011. For the quarter, basic earnings per share were $0.60 compared to $0.43 for the same quarter a year ago. Year to date, basic earnings per share were $2.24 versus $2.30 for the same period last year. The year-end results include approximately $27.4 million in expenses pertaining to the Company’s recapitalization plan completed in the second quarter as well as the unsolicited hostile offer and related actions by Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. Excluding this activity from both fiscal years, basic earnings per share would have been $2.65 and $2.38 for fiscal 2011 and 2010 respectively, and $0.60 and $0.51 for the 4 ^th quarter of fiscal 2011 and 2010 respectively. “We are pleased with our ability to drive double digit gross profit increases across all of our major categories during the fourth quarter,” stated President and CEO Robert J. Myers. “Despite the challenges impacting our industry, we are optimistic about our ability to continue to drive shareholder value next fiscal year.”

Gasoline—The Company’s annual goal was to increase same-store gasoline gallons sold 1% with an average margin of 13.5 cents per gallon. For the quarter, same-store gallons sold were down 1.9%, adversely impacted by a 30% increase in retail gas prices during the same period. However, the strong gas margin environment continued in the fourth quarter resulting in an average margin of 15.6 cents per gallon. Same-store gallons sold for the year increased 1.6% with an average margin of 15.2 cents. “The favorable gasoline margin environment continued in the fourth quarter, resulting in a record gas margin for the fiscal year. We anticipate this favorable environment continuing into the first quarter of fiscal 2012,” said Myers. For the year, total gallons sold were up 8.6% to 1.4 billion, while gross profit dollars rose 19% from the prior year.

Grocery & Other Merchandise—Casey’s annual goal was to increase same-store sales 6% with an average margin of 33.9%. For the quarter, same-store sales rose 4.8% with an average margin of 32.1%. For the second consecutive quarter, the Company experienced double digit sales growth across all major areas of this category. As a result, total sales in the category were up 14% during the fourth quarter. “The margin was impacted by a competitive cigarette pricing environment and indirect commodity pressures,” said Myers. “Despite these adversities, we were able to drive gross profit 10.7% in this category during the quarter.” Total sales for the year are up 11.4% to $1.2 billion. Same-store sales for the year were up 4.6% with an average margin of 32.2%.

Prepared Food & Fountain—The goal for fiscal 2011 was to increase same-store sales 8% with an average margin of 63.1%. For the quarter, same-store sales were up 11.8% with an average margin of 60.2%, down in the same period a year ago primarily due to a rise in commodity costs throughout the category. Gross profit rose over 10% during the quarter primarily due to an increase in total sales of 17.5%. “The retail price increases taken earlier in the quarter along with the new store design and continued promotional activity are driving sales,” stated Myers. “Over the last five years same store sales increases have averaged 8.5% and we expect this strong performance to continue.” Same store sales for the year were up 7.7% with an average margin of 62.2%. Year to date, total sales were up 13.5% to $415.2 million compared to $365.8 million.

Operating Expenses—For the fiscal year, operating expenses increased 15.5% to $607.6 million. Excluding approximately $16 million in expenses related to the unsolicited hostile offer by Couche-Tard, expenses would have increased 12.4%. For the quarter, operating expenses were up 11.4% driven by a combined increase in credit card fees and fuel expense as well as operating more stores this quarter compared to the same period a year ago. “The higher retail gas price environment drove credit card fees to a record quarterly amount of over $18 million,” said Myers.

Expansion—The goal for fiscal 2011 was to increase the total number of stores 4-6%. For the year, the Company increased the store count nearly 7%, with 20 new store constructions and 89 acquired stores. “We are pleased with the recent acquisition environment and we have written agreements for an additional 33 locations,” said Myers. “In addition to unit growth, we replaced 15 stores and completed 120 major remodels.

Fiscal 2012 Goals—The corporate performance goals for fiscal 2012 are as follows:

• Increase same-store gasoline gallons sold 1% with an average margin of 13.5 cents per gallon.
• Increase same-store grocery and other merchandise sales 5.8% with an average margin of 32.8%.
• Increase same-store prepared food and fountain sales 7.7% with an average margin of 61.8%.
• Increase the total number of stores 4-6%.

Dividends—At its June meeting, the Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.15 per share. The dividend is payable August 15, 2011 to shareholders of record on August 1, 2011.

Casey’s General Stores, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings
(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)
				Three months ended April 30,							Year ended April 30,
				2011			2010				2011			2010
Total revenue			$	1,549,495		$	1,179,806			$	5,635,240		$	4,637,087
Cost of goods sold (exclusive of depreciation and amortization, shown separately below)				1,332,307			990,543				4,754,173			3,844,735
Gross profit				217,188			189,263				881,067			792,352
Operating expenses				150,473			135,037				607,628			526,291
Depreciation and amortization				21,982			18,700				82,355			73,546
Interest, net				8,867			2,774				28,497			10,933
Loss on early retirement of debt				-----------			-----------				11,350			-----------
Earnings before income taxes				35,866			32,752				151,237			181,582
Federal and state income taxes				13,096			10,817				56,614			64,620
Net earnings			$	22,770		$	21,935			$	94,623		$	116,962
Basic earnings per share			$	.60		$	.43			$	2.24		$	2.30
Weighted average shares outstanding				37,956			50,920				42,285			50,899
Diluted earnings per share			$	.60		$	.43			$	2.22		$	2.29
Weighted average shares outstanding				38,257			51,120				42,567			51,053

Casey’s General Stores, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Dollars in thousands)
			April 30,				April 30,
			2011				2010
Assets
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents		$	59,572			$	151,676
Receivables			20,154				12,111
Inventories			159,200				124,951
Prepaid expenses			1,180				1,129
Deferred income taxes			10,405				9,417
Income taxes receivable			43,376				10,801
Total current assets			293,887				310,085
Other assets, net of amortization			11,721				10,232
Goodwill			88,042				57,547
Property and equipment, net of
accumulated depreciation of $777,342 at
April 30, 2011, and of $706,994 at April 30, 2010			1,217,305				1,010,911
Total assets		$	1,610,955			$	1,388,775
Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity
Current liabilities
Notes payable to bank		$	600			$	-----------
Current maturities of long-term debt			1,167				24,577
Accounts payable			215,675				145,334
Accrued expenses			77,058				70,975
Total current liabilities			294,500				240,886
Long-term debt, net of current maturities			678,680				154,754
Deferred income taxes			203,078				141,229
Deferred compensation			13,858				12,788
Other long-term liabilities			16,943				14,799
Total liabilities			1,207,059				564,456
Total shareholders' equity			403,896				824,319
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity		$	1,610,955			$	1,388,775

Sales and Gross Profit by Product
(Amounts in thousands)
Year ended								Grocery & Other					Prepared Food
4/30/11			Gasoline					Merchandise					& Fountain					Other					Total
Sales			$	3,998,702				$	1,195,613				$	415,240				$	25,685				$	5,635,240
Gross profit			$	212,038				$	385,250				$	258,151				$	25,628				$	881,067
Margin				5.3	%				32.2	%				62.2	%				99.8	%				15.6	%
Gasoline gallons				1,394,457
Year ended
4/30/10
Sales			$	3,177,490				$	1,073,508				$	365,793				$	20,296				$	4,637,087
Gross profit			$	178,176				$	360,432				$	233,507				$	20,237				$	792,352
Margin				5.6	%				33.6	%				63.8	%				99.7	%				17.1	%
Gasoline gallons				1,283,479

Gasoline Gallons																						Gasoline Margin
Same-store Sales Growth																						(Cents per gallon, excluding credit card fees)
																		Fiscal																		Fiscal
		Q1				Q2				Q3				Q4				Year						Q1			Q2			Q3			Q4			Year
F2011		1.5	%			3.6	%			3.5	%			-1.9	%			1.6	%			F2011		16.4¢			14.9¢			13.9¢			15.6¢			15.2¢
F2010		3.2				-0.7				-2.9				0.2				-0.1				F2010		15.7			14.3			12.4			13.1			13.9
F2009		0.5				0.2				2.1				1.2				1.0				F2009		15.6			13.7			9.9			12.1			12.9

Grocery & Other Merchandise																						Grocery & Other Merchandise
Same-store Sales Growth																						Margin
																		Fiscal																						Fiscal
		Q1				Q2				Q3				Q4				Year						Q1				Q2				Q3				Q4				Year
F2011		2.0	%			6.9	%			5.8	%			4.8	%			4.6	%			F2011		32.8	%			32.9	%			30.9	%			32.1	%			32.2	%
F2010		6.4				1.9				1.7				3.1				3.3				F2010		34.3				34.1				32.7				33.1				33.6
F2009		4.7				4.9				6.5				8.0				5.9				F2009		34.0				33.9				32.9				33.7				33.7

Prepared Food & Fountain																						Prepared Food & Fountain
Same-store Sales Growth																						Margin
																		Fiscal																						Fiscal
		Q1				Q2				Q3				Q4				Year						Q1				Q2				Q3				Q4				Year
F2011		2.4	%			7.2	%			10.5	%			11.8	%			7.7	%			F2011		63.8	%			62.7	%			62.1	%			60.2	%			62.2	%
F2010		6.6				3.4				1.4				5.3				4.2				F2010		63.8				64.6				62.8				64.1				63.8
F2009		12.3				9.3				8.1				7.2				9.1				F2009		60.5				60.6				61.8				62.7				61.4

Corporate information is available at this Web site: http://www.caseys.com . Earnings will be reported during a conference call on June 14, 2011. The call will be broadcast live over the Internet at 9:30 a.m. CDT via the Investor Relations section of our Web site and will be available in an archived format.

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