Reitmans (Canada) Limited announces its results for the three months ended April 30, 2016

MONTREAL, May 31, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - Sales for the three months ended April 30, 2016 were $203.5 million as compared with $201.7 million for the three months ended May 2, 2015, an increase of 0.9%, with a net reduction of 60 stores primarily attributable to the closure of Smart Set stores. Same store sales¹ increased 8.8% with stores increasing 6.3% and e-commerce increasing 52.5%.

The Company's gross margin for the three months ended April 30, 2016 decreased to 55.8% from 59.5% for the three months ended May 2, 2015. Gross profit for the three months ended April 30, 2016 decreased $6.6 million or 5.5% to $113.5 million as compared with $120.1 million for three months ended May 2, 2015, with the weakness of the Canadian dollar vis-à-vis the US dollar negatively impacting gross profit by approximately $3.5 million, while also being impacted by increased markdowns.

Results from operating activities for the three months ended April 30, 2016 was a loss of $12.5 million as compared with a loss of $10.2 million for the three months ended May 2, 2015, an increase of $2.3 million.

Net loss for the three months ended April 30, 2016 was $6.0 million ($0.09 basic and diluted loss per share) as compared with net loss of $7.7 million ($0.12 basic and diluted loss per share) for the three months ended May 2, 2015.

Adjusted EBITDA¹ for the three months ended April 30, 2016 was a loss of $4.3 million as compared with earnings of $2.3 million for the three months ended May 2, 2015, a decrease of $6.6 million.  The reduction in adjusted EBITDA was primarily attributable to lower gross profit as a result of the impact of the weakness of the Canadian dollar vis-à-vis the U.S. dollar and increased markdowns.

The Company operates three stores in Fort McMurray (two Reitmans and one Penningtons), which were impacted by the wildfires.  In response to the Fort McMurray disaster, the Company moved quickly to support our employees and their families.  Additionally, the displaced residents of the community were offered, for a specified period, clothing at any of the Company's stores located across Canada at a 75% discount and the Company was delighted that many people affected by the fires were able to take advantage of this offer.  The Company looks forward to re-opening its stores in Fort McMurray and continuing to support and serve the community.

Dividends

At the Board of Directors meeting held on May 31, 2016, a quarterly cash dividend (constituting eligible dividends) of $0.05 per share on all outstanding Class A non-voting and Common shares of the Company was declared, payable July 28, 2016 to shareholders of record on July 14, 2016.

Sales for the four weeks ended May 28, 2016

Sales for the month of May (the four weeks ended May 28, 2016) increased 1.1%. Same store sales¹ increased 7.9% with stores increasing 4.9% and e-commerce sales increasing 66.9%.

About Reitmans (Canada) Limited

The Company is a leading ladieswear specialty apparel retailer with retail outlets throughout Canada.  The Company operates 750 stores consisting of 327 Reitmans, 130 Penningtons, 104 Addition Elle, 83 RW & CO., 66 Thyme Maternity, 17 Hyba and 23 Smart Set. The Company also operates 21 Thyme Maternity shop-in-shop boutiques in select Babies"R"Us locations in Canada.

¹Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The Company has identified several key operating performance measures and non-GAAP financial measures which management believes are useful in assessing the performance of the Company; however, readers are cautioned that some of these measures may not have standardized meanings under IFRS and, therefore, may not be comparable to similar terms used by other companies.

In addition to discussing earnings in accordance with IFRS, this press announcement provides adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("adjusted EBITDA") as a non-GAAP financial measure.  Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net earnings before income tax expense, other income, dividend income, interest income, net change in fair value of marketable securities, interest expense, impairment of goodwill, depreciation, amortization and net impairment losses.  The following table reconciles the most comparable GAAP measure, net earnings or loss, to adjusted EBITDA.  Management believes that adjusted EBITDA is an important indicator of the Company's ability to generate liquidity through operating cash flow to fund working capital needs and fund capital expenditures and uses the metric for this purpose.  The exclusion of dividend, interest income and net change in fair value of marketable securities eliminates the impact on earnings derived from non-operational activities.  The exclusion of depreciation, amortization and impairment charges eliminates the non-cash impact.  The intent of adjusted EBITDA is to provide additional useful information to investors and analysts and the measure does not have any standardized meaning under IFRS.  Adjusted EBITDA should therefore not be considered in isolation or used in substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS.  Other companies may calculate adjusted EBITDA differently. From time to time, the Company may exclude additional items if it believes doing so would result in a more effective analysis of underlying operating performance. The exclusion of certain items does not imply that they are non-recurring.

The Company uses a key performance indicator ("KPI"), same store sales, to assess store performance (including each banner's e-commerce store) and sales growth.  Same store sales are defined as sales generated by stores that have been continuously open during both of the periods being compared and include e-commerce sales.  The same store sales metric compares the same calendar days for each period.  Although this KPI is expressed as a ratio, it is a non-GAAP financial measure that does not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and may not be comparable to similar measures used by other companies.  Management uses same store sales in evaluating the performance of stores and considers it useful in helping to determine what portion of new sales has come from sales growth and what portion can be attributed to the opening of new stores.  Same store sales is a measure widely used amongst retailers and is considered useful information for both investors and analysts.  Same store sales should therefore not be considered in isolation or used in substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS.

The following table reconciles net loss to adjusted EBITDA for the three months ended April 30, 2016 and May 2, 2015:

Forward-Looking Statements

All of the statements contained herein, other than statements of fact that are independently verifiable at the date hereof, are forward-looking statements. Such statements, based as they are on the current expectations of management, inherently involve numerous risks and uncertainties, known and unknown, many of which are beyond the Company's control.  Consequently, actual future results may differ materially from the anticipated results expressed in forward-looking statements, which reflect the Company's expectations only as of the date of this Press Announcement.  Forward-looking statements are based upon the Company's current estimates, beliefs and assumptions, which are based on management's perception of historical trends, current conditions and currently expected future developments, as well as other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances.  This Press Announcement, for the Company contains forward-looking statements about the Company's objectives, plans, goals, aspirations, strategies, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, performance, prospects, opportunities and legal and regulatory matters. Specific forward-looking statements in this Press Announcement include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the Company's anticipated future results and events, future liquidity, planned capital expenditures, amount of pension plan contributions, status and impact of systems implementation, the ability of the Company to successfully implement its strategic initiatives and cost reduction and productivity improvement initiatives as well as the impact of such initiatives.  These specific forward-looking statements are contained throughout the Company's MD&A including those listed in the "Operating and Financial Risk Management" section of the Company's MD&A. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as "expect", "anticipate", "believe", "foresee", "could", "estimate", "goal", "intend", "plan", "seek", "strive", "will", "may" and "should" and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company and its management.

Numerous risks and uncertainties could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those expressed, implied or projected in the forward-looking statements.  Please refer to the "Forward-Looking Statements" section of the Company's Management Discussion & Analysis for the year ended January 30, 2016.

Other risks and uncertainties not presently known to the Company or that the Company presently believes are not material could also cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed in its forward-looking statements. Additional risks and uncertainties are discussed in the Company's materials filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities from time to time. The reader should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements included herein. These statements speak only as of the date made and the Company is under no obligation and disavows any intention to update or revise such statements as a result of any event, circumstances or otherwise, except to the extent required under applicable securities law.

The Company's complete financial statements including notes and Management's Discussion and Analysis for the three months ended April 30, 2016 are available online at www.sedar.com.

Montreal, May 31, 2016

Jeremy H. Reitman

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Telephone: (514) 385-2630

Corporate Website: www.reitmanscanadalimited.com

SOURCE Reitmans (Canada) Limited