The Children's Place Reports First Quarter 2012 Results

May 17, 2012

Management Updates Fiscal 2012 Earnings Guidance

SECAUCUS, N.J., May 17, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Children's Place Retail Stores, Inc. (Nasdaq:PLCE), the largest pure-play children's specialty apparel retailer in North America, today announced net sales increased 2% to $438.5 million for the thirteen weeks ended April 28, 2012, compared to $430.8 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2011. Comparable retail sales declined 0.7% for the quarter.

GAAP net income was $23.6 million, or $0.96 per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2012. As adjusted, net income was $27.1 million, or $1.10 per diluted share, compared to $29.1 million, or $1.10 per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2011.

During the quarter, the Company undertook several actions to reduce operating costs going forward, including consolidating from three to two US distribution centers, streamlining its field workforce and restructuring corporate headquarters, which it expects will result in annual savings of approximately $9 million. The Company incurred expenses of approximately $2.8 million associated with these actions during the quarter which the Company deems to be unusual in nature. Additionally, during the quarter the Company impaired an oversized store, incurred accelerated depreciation for seven Canadian store remodels, and wrote off obsolete supplies and fixture costs.

Adjusted net income is a non-GAAP measure. The Company believes the excluded transactions are not indicative of the performance of its core business and that by providing this supplemental disclosure to investors it will facilitate comparisons of its past and present performance. A reconciliation of net income as reported is included in this press release in Table 3.

"We made good progress in the first quarter - tightly managing our inventory, reducing expenses and improving operational efficiencies across the organization - and we delivered adjusted earnings per share consistent with last year, in spite of significantly higher product costs," commented Jane Elfers, President and Chief Executive Officer.

The Company opened 18 stores and closed 5, ending the first quarter with 1,062 stores.

Share Repurchase Program

During the first quarter of fiscal 2012, the Company repurchased 377 thousand shares for $19.2 million and completed the $100 million share repurchase program announced in March 2011. A new $50 million share repurchase program was authorized by the Board of Directors in March 2012. Under the new program, the Company may repurchase shares in the open market at current market prices at the time of purchase or in privately negotiated transactions. The timing and actual number of shares repurchased under the program will depend on a variety of factors including price, corporate and regulatory requirements, and other market and business conditions, and the Company may suspend or discontinue the program at any time, and may thereafter reinstitute purchases, all without prior announcement.

Outlook

The Company updated its guidance to reflect first quarter results and now projects that non-GAAP adjusted earnings per diluted share will be between $3.15 and $3.30, compared to its initial guidance of $3.10 to $3.30, assuming positive low-single digit comparable retail sales.

The Company provided initial guidance for the second quarter of fiscal 2012, and is forecasting a non-GAAP adjusted loss per share between $0.65 and $0.70, assuming positive low-single digit comparable retail sales.

This earnings guidance assumes that currency exchange rates will remain where they are today and does not include the impact of further potential share repurchases.

Conference Call Information

The Children's Place will host a conference call to discuss its first quarter fiscal 2012 results today at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time. The call will be broadcast live at http://investor.childrensplace.com. An audio archive will be available on the Company's website approximately one hour after the conclusion of the call.

About The Children's Place Retail Stores, Inc.

The Children's Place is the largest pure-play children's specialty apparel retailer in North America. The Company designs, contracts to manufacture and sells fashionable, high-quality merchandise at value prices, primarily under the proprietary "The Children's Place" brand name. As of April 28, 2012, the Company operated 1,062 stores and an online store at www.childrensplace.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release (and the above referenced call) may contain certain forward-looking statements regarding future circumstances, including statements relating to the Company's positioning, and forecasts regarding store openings and earnings per diluted share from continuing operations. These forward-looking statements are based upon the Company's current expectations and assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and performance to differ materially. Some of these risks and uncertainties are described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including in the "Risk Factors" section of its annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 28, 2012. Included among the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and performance to differ materially are the risk that the Company will be unsuccessful in gauging fashion trends and changing consumer preferences, the risks resulting from the highly competitive nature of the Company's business and its dependence on consumer spending patterns, which may be affected by the continued weakness in the economy or by other factors such as increases in the cost of gasoline and food, the risk that the cost of raw materials or energy prices will increase beyond current expectations or that the Company is unable to offset cost increases through value engineering or price increases, and the uncertainty of weather patterns. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they were made. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. The inclusion of any statement in this release does not constitute an admission by the Company or any other person that the events or circumstances described in such statement are material.

(Tables Follow)

Table 1
                                           THE CHILDREN'S PLACE RETAIL STORES, INC.
                                    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                                           (In thousands, except per share amounts)
                                                                        (Unaudited)
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                               First Quarter Ended
                                                        April 28,        April 30,
                                                             2012             2011
                                        Net sales      $ 438,508      $ 430,806
                                    Cost of sales         261,721         247,159
                                     Gross profit         176,787         183,647
     Selling, general and administrative expenses         122,152         116,722
                         Asset impairment charges           1,250             398
                                      Other costs             834            -- 
                  Depreciation and amortization           17,218          17,751
                                 Operating income          35,333          48,776
                          Interest (expense), net            (51)           (271)
                              Income before taxes          35,282          48,505
                       Provision for income taxes          11,690          19,421
                                     Net income        $ 23,592       $ 29,084
                                                                                
                                                                                
                        Earnings per common share                                
                                            Basic         $ 0.96         $ 1.11
                                          Diluted         $ 0.96         $ 1.10
                                                                                
       Weighted average common shares outstanding                                
                                            Basic          24,535          26,120
                                          Diluted          24,691          26,387
                                                                                
Table 2
                                                                                                                  THE CHILDREN'S PLACE RETAIL STORES, INC.
                                                                                                                     CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                                                                                                                                            (In thousands)
                                                                                                                                               (Unaudited)
                                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                    April 28,                   January 28,                     April 30,
                                                                                         2012                         2012*                          2011
                                                         Assets:                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
                                       Cash and cash equivalents                   $ 204,826                   $ 176,655                   $ 212,347
                                             Accounts receivable                       18,656                       17,382                       21,269
                                                     Inventories                      193,852                      212,916                      192,714
                                            Other current assets                       55,788                       66,372                       53,962
                                            Total current assets                      473,122                      473,325                      480,292
                                                                                                                                                      
                                     Property and equipment, net                      329,058                      323,863                      327,017
                                               Other assets, net                       54,423                       53,461                       57,653
                                                    Total assets                   $ 856,603                   $ 850,649                   $ 864,962
                                                                                                                                                      
                           Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity:                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
                                                Accounts payable                    $ 34,784                    $ 55,516                    $ 23,635
                  Accrued expenses and other current liabilities                       91,990                       76,039                       83,485
                                       Total current liabilities                      126,774                      131,555                      107,120
                                                                                                                                                      
                                               Other liabilities                      110,606                      109,728                      122,241
                                               Total liabilities                      237,380                      241,283                      229,361
                                                                                                                                                      
                                            Stockholders' equity                      619,223                      609,366                      635,601
                                                                                                                                                      
                      Total liabilities and stockholders' equity                   $ 856,603                   $ 850,649                   $ 864,962
                                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
* Derived from the audited consolidated financial statements included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 28, 2012. 
                                                                                                                                                      
Table 3
                                                 THE CHILDREN'S PLACE RETAIL STORES, INC.
                                 RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL INFORMATION TO GAAP
                                                 (In thousands, except per share amounts)
                                                                              (Unaudited)
                                                                                      
                                                                                      
                                                                     First Quarter Ended
                                                               April 28,       April 30,
                                                                    2012            2011
                                                                                      
                                               Net income      $ 23,592      $ 29,084
                                                                                      
                                    Non-GAAP adjustments:                              
                                                Expenses:                              
                                         Store impairment          1,250           -- 
                                 West Coast DC exit costs            834           -- 
                            Restructuring severance costs          1,971           -- 
                        Obsolete supply and fixture costs            719           -- 
     Accelerated depreciation for Canadian store remodels            893           -- 
                       Aggregate impact of Non-GAAP items          5,667           -- 
                                        Income tax effect        (2,147)           -- 
                      Adjusted impact from Non-GAAP items          3,520           -- 
                                                                                      
                                      Adjusted net income      $ 27,112      $ 29,084
                                                                                      
                      GAAP net income per diluted share            $0.96           $1.10
                                                                                      
                    Adjusted net income per diluted share           $1.10           $1.10
                                                                                      

CONTACT: Jane Singer, Vice President, Investor Relations (201) 453-6955

Children's Place Retail Stores, Inc.
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