
The
new
2009
Winnebago
ERA
(
see
review
)
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WINNEBAGO
PROFITABLE
"DESPITE
DIFFICULT
MARKET"
March
2008
"Looking
forward
to
the
opportunities
that
new
product
will
provide
us"
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FOREST
CITY,
Iowa-
March
20,
2008
-
Winnebago
Industries,
Inc.
(NYSE:WGO),
a
leading
United
States
motor
home
manufacturer,
today
reported
financial
results
for
the
Company's
second
quarter
and
first
six
months
of
fiscal
year
2008
ended
March
1,
2008.
Revenues
for
the
quarter
were
$164.2
million,
a
decrease
of
17.5
percent,
compared
to
revenues
of
$199.0
million
for
the
second
quarter
last
fiscal
year.
Net
income
for
the
second
quarter
was
$2.5
million,
a
decrease
of
66.6
percent
compared
to
net
income
of
$7.5
million
for
the
second
quarter
of
fiscal
2007.
On
a
diluted
per
share
basis,
the
Company
earned
nine
cents
a
share
for
the
second
quarter
of
fiscal
2008,
compared
to
24
cents
per
diluted
share
for
the
second
quarter
last
fiscal
year.
Revenues
for
the
first
27
weeks
of
fiscal
2008
were
$379.3
million,
a
decrease
of
5.3
percent,
compared
to
revenues
of
$400.8
million
for
the
first
26
weeks
of
fiscal
2007.
Net
income
for
the
same
period
was
$12.5
million,
a
decrease
of
19.3
percent
compared
to
net
income
of
$15.5
million
for
the
first
26
weeks
of
fiscal
2007.
On
a
diluted
per
share
basis,
the
Company
earned
43
cents
a
share
for
the
first
27
weeks
of
fiscal
2008,
compared
to
49
cents
per
diluted
share
for
the
first
26
weeks
last
fiscal
year.
"Winnebago
Industries
remained
profitable
during
our
seasonally
slowest
quarter,
despite
extremely
difficult
market
conditions,"
said
Winnebago
Industries'
Chairman
and
CEO
Bruce
Hertzke.
"Revenue
and
net
income
were
negatively
impacted
by
fewer
motor
home
deliveries,
reduced
plant
efficiencies
due
to
fewer
production
days,
a
switch
in
mix
to
more
Class
C
motor
homes
delivered
and
increased
promotional
programs,
while
the
Company
benefited
from
an
increase
in
the
average
selling
price
for
our
products
in
all
product
categories."
"Challenging
market
conditions
have
continued
to
negatively
affect
the
motor
home
market,
with
retail
sales
of
Class
A
and
C
motor
homes
for
the
industry
down
double
digits
each
of
the
last
three
months
as
reported
by
Statistical
Surveys,
Inc.
of
Grand
Rapids,
Mich.,
the
retail
reporting
service
for
the
RV
industry,"
said
Winnebago
Industries'
President
Bob
Olson.
"While
the
Federal
Reserve's
interest
rate
cuts
should
have
a
positive
impact
long-term,
the
reductions
in
interest
rates
have
not
yet
reached
the
retail
customer
which
may
lead
potential
buyers
to
delay
their
purchases.
Many
economic
factors
are
negatively
affecting
consumer
confidence,
resulting
in
a
very
soft
retail
motor
home
market
and
reduced
demand
from
our
dealers.
As
a
result,
we
reduced
our
production
levels
during
the
second
quarter
to
more
closely
match
demand.
Additionally,
our
overall
employment
level
was
reduced
by
approximately
300
people,
or
9
percent,
through
layoffs
and
attrition.
These
measures
were
taken
to
help
us
achieve
our
primary
objective,
which
is
to
build
quality
motor
homes
while
remaining
profitable."
One
time
severance-related
costs
of
approximately
$500,000
were
recorded
during
the
quarter
within
general
and
administrative
expenses.
Olson
continued,
"On
a
positive
note,
we
were
pleased
to
deliver
our
first
ERA
Class
B
motor
home
during
the
second
quarter.
This
new
product
was
well
received
when
introduced
at
the
National
RV
Trade
Show
in
Louisville,
Kentucky
last
November
and
we
began
production
near
the
end
of
the
second
quarter.
We
have
had
a
tremendous
amount
of
interest
in
the
new
ERA
from
dealers
wishing
to
include
it
in
their
product
lines
and
currently
have
approximately
50
dealers
signed
on
to
carry
this
new
product.
We
will
continue
to
add
dealers
as
we
are
able
to
increase
production
of
this
new
product
throughout
the
second
half
of
fiscal
2008.
We
are
looking
forward
to
the
opportunities
that
this
incremental
new
product
will
provide
us."
Latest
RVing
news
headlines
Winnebago
profitable
despite
difficult
market
"Looking
forward
to
the
opportunities
the
new
product
will
provide
us"
What
do
you
think?
...
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Readers'
comments:
John A
:
Fewer motor home deliveries and layoffs but still profitable. I hope they can continue in this difficult market. I think the new class B looks great.
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