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Winnebago Industries Reports 26% Net Income Increase for the First Quarter of Fiscal Year 2008

New Stock Repurchase Authorization and Cash Dividend Announced

FOREST CITY, Iowa, Dec 20, 2007 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Winnebago Industries, Inc. (NYSE:WGO), a leading United States motor home manufacturer, today reported financial results for the Company's first quarter of fiscal year 2008 ended December 1, 2007.

Revenues for the 14-week quarter were $215.1 million, an increase of 6.6 percent, compared to revenues of $201.8 million for the 13-week first quarter last year. Net income for the first quarter was $10.0 million, an increase of 25.5 percent, compared to net income of $7.9 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2007. On a diluted per share basis, the Company earned 34 cents a share for the first quarter of fiscal 2008, compared to 25 cents per diluted share for the first quarter last year.

"We were pleased with our performance during the quarter, despite difficult market conditions," said Winnebago Industries' Chairman and CEO Bruce Hertzke. "In addition to the extra week in the first quarter, our results include a positive shift in the mix to a higher percentage of Class A products delivered and fewer dollars spent on retail promotional programs, which resulted in both higher revenues and higher margins for the Company."

During the Company's first quarter ended December 1, 2007, Winnebago Industries completed the $60 million repurchase authorization that was approved in June 2007 with the repurchase of approximately 676,000 shares of common stock for an aggregate cost of approximately $17.5 million. A total of approximately 2.2 million shares were repurchased under the $60 million repurchase program.

In the Company's Board of Directors meeting held yesterday, a new $60 million stock repurchase program was authorized. The Board of Directors also declared a quarterly cash dividend of 12 cents a share, payable on April 7, 2008 to shareholders of record as of March 7, 2008.

"We remain committed to increasing shareholder value through the repurchase of our stock and through the payment of quarterly cash dividends," said Hertzke.

"Our new product introductions at RVIA's National RV Show in Louisville, KY last month, including the new ERA Class B motor home that debuted at the show, were extremely well received by our dealer partners," said Winnebago Industries' President Bob Olson. "Receiving the Quality Circle Award from the Recreation Vehicle Dealers' Association for the 12th consecutive year was also a highlight of the show. While we are pleased with the reception of our new 2008 products and our accomplishments in the first quarter of fiscal 2008, we continue to anticipate softness in motor home sales, particularly during our seasonally slow second quarter. Statistical Surveys, the retail reporting service for the RV industry, has reported continued softness in retail motor home sales, down 8.9 percent for the month of October and down 5.2 percent calendar year to date through October 2007 as compared to last year. Consumer confidence remains weak and we believe it will take some time for the recent interest rate cuts to have a positive impact on our market."

At the beginning of the quarter, the Company adopted FASB Interpretation No. 48, "Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes - An Interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109" (FIN 48). As a result of the adoption, the Company recognized a cumulative effect adjustment of $8.5 million as a reduction to retained earnings, an increase of deferred tax assets of $7.1 million, and an increase of $15.6 million in tax liabilities. The total amount of unrecognized tax benefit liability was $21.8 million at the end of the first quarter, of which $19.6 million was long-term and $2.2 million was current.

Winnebago Industries will conduct a conference call in conjunction with this release at 9 a.m. Central Time today, Thursday, December 20, 2007. Members of the news media, investors and the general public are invited to access a live broadcast of the conference call via the Investor Relations page of the Company's website at http://www.winnebagoind.com/investor.html. The event will be archived and available for replay for the next 90 days.

About Winnebago Industries

Winnebago Industries, Inc. is a leading U.S. manufacturer of motor homes which are self-contained recreation vehicles used primarily in leisure travel and outdoor recreation activities. The Company builds quality motor homes under the Winnebago and Itasca brand names with state-of-the-art computer-aided design and manufacturing systems on automotive-styled assembly lines. The Company's common stock is listed on the New York and Chicago Stock Exchanges and traded under the symbol WGO. Options for the Company's common stock are traded on the Chicago Board Options Exchange. For access to Winnebago Industries' investor relations material, to add your name to an automatic email list for Company news releases or for information on a dollar-based stock investment service for the Company's stock, visit, http://www.winnebagoind.com/investor.html.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from these statements, including, but not limited to the effect of global tensions, declines in consumer confidence, the availability and price of fuel, a significant increase in interest rates, a slowdown in the economy, availability of chassis or other key component parts, sales order cancellations, slower than anticipated sales of new or existing products, new products introduced by competitors and other factors. Additional information concerning certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from that projected or suggested is contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over the last 12 months, copies of which are available from the SEC or from the Company upon request.

                      Winnebago Industries, Inc.
             Unaudited Consolidated Statements of Income
          (In thousands, except percent and per share data)

                             Fourteen Weeks Ended Thirteen Weeks Ended
                                 Dec. 1, 2007        Nov. 25, 2006
                             -------------------- --------------------
                                             %                    %
Net revenues                  $   215,142   100.0  $   201,765   100.0
Cost of goods sold                189,502    88.1      180,381    89.4
                               ---------- -------   ---------- -------
  Gross profit                     25,640    11.9       21,384    10.6
                               ---------- -------   ---------- -------
Operating expenses
  Selling                           5,605     2.6        4,727     2.4
  General and administrative        6,451     3.0        6,517     3.2
                               ---------- -------   ---------- -------
  Total operating expenses         12,056     5.6       11,244     5.6
                               ---------- -------   ---------- -------
Operating income                   13,584     6.3       10,140     5.0
Financial income                    1,240     0.6        1,563     0.8
                               ---------- -------   ---------- -------
Income before income taxes         14,824     6.9       11,703     5.8
Provision for taxes                 4,862     2.3        3,767     1.9
                               ---------- -------   ---------- -------
Net income                    $     9,962     4.6  $     7,936     3.9
                               ========== =======   ========== =======
Income per common share:
  Basic                       $      0.34          $      0.25
  Diluted                     $      0.34          $      0.25
Weighted average common
 shares outstanding
  Basic                            29,352               31,249
  Diluted                          29,440               31,587

                      Winnebago Industries, Inc.
           Unaudited Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets
                            (In thousands)

                                           Dec. 1, 2007  Aug. 25, 2007
                                           ------------  -------------
ASSETS
Current assets:
   Cash and cash equivalents              $       4,836 $        6,889
   Short-term investments                        89,347        102,650
   Receivables, net                              17,464         30,285
   Inventories                                  120,117        101,208
   Prepaid and other                             16,996         16,668
                                           ------------  -------------
      Total current assets                      248,760        257,700

Property and equipment, net                      50,210         51,389
Deferred income taxes                            26,837         19,856
Investment in life insurance                     20,140         20,015
Other assets                                     18,061         17,550
                                           ------------  -------------
      Total assets                        $     364,008 $      366,510
                                           ============  =============

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities:
   Accounts payable                       $      33,877 $       35,286
   Income taxes payable                           2,774          4,252
   Accrued expenses                              47,195         49,299
                                           ------------  -------------
      Total current liabilities                  83,846         88,837
Long-term liabilities:
   Unrecognized tax benefits                     19,555            ---
   Postretirement health care and
    deferred compensation benefits, net
    of current portion                           70,143         69,319
                                           ------------  -------------
      Total long-term liabilities                89,698         69,319

Stockholders' equity                            190,464        208,354
                                           ------------  -------------
      Total liabilities and stockholders'
       equity                             $     364,008 $      366,510
                                           ============  =============

                      Winnebago Industries, Inc.
             Unaudited Condensed Statements of Cash Flows
                            (In thousands)

                                        Fourteen Weeks  Thirteen Weeks
                                            Ended           Ended
                                         Dec. 1, 2007   Nov. 25, 2006
                                        --------------  --------------
Operating activities:
   Net income                          $        9,962  $        7,936
  Adjustments to reconcile net income
   to net cash provided by operating
   activities:
    Depreciation                                2,713           2,654
    Stock-based compensation                    2,270           2,817
    Postretirement benefit income and
     deferred compensation expense                377             419
    Deferred income taxes                         478            (738)
    Increase in cash surrender value
     of life insurance policies                  (170)           (195)
    Excess tax benefit from stock-
     based compensation                           ---            (525)
    Other                                          62             102
  Change in assets and liabilities:
    Inventories                               (18,909)        (20,087)
    Receivables and prepaid assets             12,724          (3,034)
    Accounts payable and accrued
     expenses                                  (5,879)         (3,112)
    Income taxes payable                        4,303           2,440
    Postretirement and deferred
     compensation benefits                       (344)           (254)
                                        --------------  --------------
  Net cash provided by (used in)
   operating activities                         7,587         (11,577)
                                        --------------  --------------

Investing activities:
  Purchases of short-term investments        (150,072)        (80,449)
  Proceeds from the sale or maturity
   of short-term investments                  163,375          80,449
  Purchases of property and equipment          (1,505)         (1,176)
  Other                                          (431)            564
                                        --------------  --------------
Net cash provided by (used in)
 investing activities                          11,367            (612)
                                        --------------  --------------

Financing activities:
  Payments for purchase of common
   stock                                      (17,519)            ---
  Payments of cash dividends                   (3,546)         (3,114)
  Proceeds from issuance of treasury
   stock                                           58           2,798
  Excess tax benefit from stock-based
   compensation                                  ----             525
                                        --------------  --------------
Net cash (used in) provided by
 financing activities                         (21,007)            209
                                        --------------  --------------

Net decrease in cash and cash
 equivalents                                   (2,053)        (11,980)

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning
 of period                                      6,889          24,934
                                        --------------  --------------

Cash and cash equivalents at end of
 period                                $        4,836  $       12,954
                                        ==============  ==============

                      Winnebago Industries, Inc.
                   Unaudited Motor Home Deliveries

                                 14-Weeks     13-Weeks       Change
                                  Ended         Ended
                               Dec. 1, 2007 Nov. 25, 2006 Units   %
                               ------------ ------------- ----- ------
Motor home unit deliveries
  Class A Gas                           836           772   64    8.3
  Class A Diesel                        363           341   22    6.5
                               ------------ ------------- ----- ------
    Total Class A                     1,199         1,113   86    7.7
  Class C                               956         1,096 (140) (12.8)
                               ------------ ------------- ----- ------
    Total deliveries                  2,155         2,209  (54)  (2.4)
                               ============ ============= ===== ======

                      Winnebago Industries, Inc.
                Unaudited Backlog and Dealer Inventory
                               (Units)

                                      As of                Change
                            Dec. 1, 2007 Nov. 25, 2006  Units     %
                            ------------ ------------- -------- ------
Sales order backlog
  Class A Gas                        449           552    (103) (18.7)
  Class A Diesel                     299           466    (167) (35.8)
                            ------------ ------------- -------- ------
    Total Class A                    748         1,018    (270) (26.5)
  Class C                          1,085           727     358   49.2
                            ------------ ------------- -------- ------
    Total backlog(a)               1,833         1,745      88    5.0
                            ============ ============= ======== ======

Total approximate revenue
 dollars (in thousands)         $161,743      $166,905 $(5,162)  (3.1)

Dealer inventory                   4,364         4,551    (187)  (4.1)

(a) The Company includes in its backlog all accepted orders from dealers to be shipped within the next six months. Orders in backlog can be cancelled or postponed at the option of the purchaser at any time without penalty and, therefore, backlog may not necessarily be an accurate measure of future sales.

SOURCE:
Winnebago Industries, Inc.

Winnebago Industries, Inc.
Sheila Davis, PR/IR Mgr., 641-585-6803
sdavis@winnebagoind.com