Aaron's, Inc., a leader in the sales and lease ownership and specialty retailing of furniture, consumer electronics, home appliances and accessories, today announced financial results for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2016.

For the second quarter of 2016, revenues increased 2.6% to $789.4 million compared with $769.0 million for the second quarter of 2015. Net earnings decreased 5.0% to $38.5 million compared with $40.5 million in the prior year period. Diluted earnings per share were $.53 compared with $.56 per share a year ago. Non-GAAP diluted EPS were $.59 compared with $.61 last year. The results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2016 include the effects of a $2.3 million loss before income taxes at the Company's Dent-A-Med ("DAMI") segment, which was acquired in October 2015.

"We are pleased with our overall quarterly results and the progress we are making on our strategic objectives. Revenues increased, as compared to the second quarter of 2015, fueled by strong growth at Progressive," said John Robinson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Aaron's. "We achieved solid margins in the quarter, underscoring our commitment to profitably grow our business."

"Progressive had an exceptional quarter," continued Mr. Robinson. "Invoice volume and door growth each increased at double digit rates, and the EBITDA margin reached 14%, aided by strong lease portfolio performance. The team is executing well across all aspects of the business, and we believe the acceleration in door growth is a positive indicator of future revenue."

"A soft demand environment for the core business continued to impact lease activity, which was below our expectations," said Mr. Robinson. "In light of the core results, we're taking steps to further address our expense structure, including a thorough review of our store base. We are encouraged by stabilizing trends in comparable store revenues and merchandise write offs over the last few quarters. During the quarter, we also completed the sale of the assets of HomeSmart, which will enable us to sharpen our focus on the performance of our Aaron's store business."

"Our balance sheet remains strong. We ended the quarter with $242 million in available cash and net debt to capitalization of approximately 13%, which leaves us well positioned to invest in future growth and increase shareholder value," Mr. Robinson concluded.

Financial Summary

During the first six months of 2016, revenues increased 3.3% to $1.644 billion compared with $1.591 billion for the prior year period. Net earnings were $88.2 million versus $89.8 million last year. Diluted earnings per share were $1.20 compared with $1.23 per share a year ago. The results for the six months ended June 30, 2016 include the effects of a $5.2 million loss before income taxes at our DAMI segment. The effective tax rate for the comparable quarters ending on June 30 was 37.0% in both periods.

On a non-GAAP basis, net earnings for the first six months of 2016 were $95.3 million compared with $98.1 million for the same period in 2015 and diluted earnings per share were $1.30 compared with $1.35 in 2015. Non-GAAP net earnings and diluted earnings per share in 2016 exclude the effects of amortization expense resulting from the 2014 acquisition of Progressive, a gain on the sale of the Company's headquarters building, retirement and severance charges and loss resulting from the Company's previously announced disposition of the assets of its HomeSmart business. In 2015, non-GAAP results exclude the effects of Progressive amortization. See "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Information" and the related non-GAAP reconciliation accompanying this press release.

Adjusted EBITDA for the Company, which excludes the aforementioned other charges and adjustments, was $192.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2016 compared with $193.5 million for the same period in 2015. Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure that is calculated as the Company's earnings before interest, depreciation on property, plant and equipment, amortization of intangible assets, income taxes and other charges and adjustments.

Core Results

For the second quarter of 2016, overall revenues for the core business decreased 5.4% to $485.5 million from $513.1 million in the second quarter of 2015. Revenues for the first six months of 2016 decreased 5.1% to $1.028 billion compared with $1.083 billion for the same period a year ago. The core business is our traditional lease-to-own store-based business, and represents all of the operations of Aaron's, Inc., excluding Progressive and DAMI.

On May 13, 2016, the Company completed the sale of the assets of its HomeSmart division. Revenues for the HomeSmart business through May 13, 2016 were $7.5 million for the second quarter and $25.4 million for the year-to-date period through May 13, 2016, compared with $15.5 million and $32.3 million, respectively, for the three and six months ended June 30, 2015. Additionally, the Company recognized charges in connection with the sale totaling $5.6 million, of which $1.0 million were recognized during the second quarter. The charges recognized during the quarter primarily related to the write-down to fair value of certain HomeSmart assets that were not included in the May 13th disposition, but that are expected to be sold in the near future.

Revenues of the Aaron's Sales & Lease Ownership division decreased 4.1% in the second quarter of 2016 to $476.2 million compared with $496.7 million in the second quarter of 2015. This decline was driven by a 1.7% decrease in store revenues and a 15.1% decline in non-retail sales. Non-retail sales are primarily sales of merchandise to Aaron's Sales & Lease Ownership franchisees.

Earnings before income taxes for the core business were $34.3 million and $95.0 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016, respectively, compared with $41.0 million and $103.0 million for the same periods a year ago. Adjusted EBITDA for the core business in the three and six months ended June 30, 2016 was $47.5 million and $118.4 million, respectively, compared with $53.8 million and $129.2 million for the same periods a year ago. As a percentage of revenues, Adjusted EBITDA was 9.8% and 11.5% for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016, respectively, compared with 10.5% and 11.9% for the same periods in 2015. Write offs for damaged, lost or unsaleable merchandise were 3.7% of revenues in the quarter compared to 3.6% in the year ago period.

Same store revenues (revenues earned in Company-operated stores open for the entirety of both quarters) decreased 1.2% during the second quarter of 2016, compared with the second quarter of 2015, and customer count on a same store basis was down 0.6%. Company-operated Aaron's stores had 1,004,000 customers at June 30, 2016, a 1.1% decline from the end of the second quarter a year ago, excluding Homesmart customers for both periods.

Progressive Results

Progressive's revenues in the second quarter of 2016 increased 16.7% to $298.6 million from $255.9 million in the second quarter of 2015. Progressive's revenues for the first six months of 2016 increased 19.2% to $605.2 million from $507.6 million for the same period of 2015. Invoice volume per active door declined 3.6% as the segment experienced a 19% increase in the number of active doors in the quarter to 13,930, up from 11,749 last year. Progressive had 526,000 customers at June 30, 2016, an 11% increase from the second quarter a year ago.

Earnings before income taxes for the Progressive business were $29.1 million and $51.0 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016, respectively, compared with $23.3 million and $39.1 million for the same periods a year ago. EBITDA for the second quarter and first six months of 2016 were $41.8 million and $76.5 million, respectively, compared with $36.0 million and $64.3 million, for the same periods of 2015. As a percentage of revenues, EBITDA was 14.0% and 12.6%, respectively, for the second quarter and first six months of 2016 compared with 14.0% and 12.7% for the same periods in 2015. Write offs for damaged, lost or unsaleable merchandise were 4.5% of revenues in the second quarter compared to 6.1% in the same period of 2015.

DAMI Results

Revenues for DAMI were $5.3 million in the second quarter of 2016 and $10.1 million for the first six months of 2016. DAMI's loss before income taxes was $2.3 million for the quarter and $5.2 million for the six months ending June 30, 2016, in line with our expectations. Its pre-tax, pre-provision loss was $773,000 in the quarter and $2.0 million for the first six months of the year. Pre-tax, pre-provision loss is a non-GAAP measure that represents loss before income taxes adjusted so that loan charge-offs and recoveries are recognized in earnings as they occur by excluding the effect on earnings of changes to management's provision for estimated future loan losses. See "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Information" and the related non-GAAP reconciliation accompanying this press release for more information regarding the calculation of pre-tax, pre-provision loss.

Significant Components of Revenue

Consolidated lease revenues and fees for the second quarter and first six months of 2016 increased 4.3% and 5.5%, respectively, over the same prior year periods. In addition, franchise royalties and fees decreased 4.6% in the second quarter of 2016 and 4.4% for the first six months of 2016 compared to the same periods a year ago. The decrease in the Company's franchise royalties and fees are the result of a decrease in revenues of the Company's franchisees, which collectively had revenues of $228.1 million during the second quarter and $477.8 million during the first six months of 2016, a decrease of 3.8% and 4.0%, respectively, from the same periods last year. Same store revenues for franchised stores were up 0.4% and same store customer counts were up 1.4% for the second quarter of 2016 compared with the same quarter last year. Franchised stores had 560,000 customers at the end of the second quarter of 2016, a 3.3% decline from a year ago (revenues and customers of franchisees are not revenues and customers of Aaron's, Inc.). Non-retail sales, which are primarily sales of merchandise to Aaron's Sales & Lease Ownership franchisees, decreased 14.0% for the second quarter and decreased 15.8% for the first six months of 2016 compared with the prior-year periods.

Store Count

During the second quarter of 2016, three Company-operated Aaron's Sales & Lease Ownership stores, five franchised Aaron's Sales & Lease Ownership stores and one franchised HomeSmart store were consolidated or closed. The Company acquired one franchised store and sold 82 Company-operated HomeSmart stores.

At June 30, 2016, the Company had 1,221 Company-operated Aaron's Sales & Lease Ownership stores, 721 franchised Aaron's Sales & Lease Ownership stores, and one remaining franchised HomeSmart store. The total number of stores open at June 30, 2016 was 1,943.

2016 Outlook Update

The Company is updating its outlook for the 2016 year to reflect the sale of the assets of HomeSmart and current trends in the business. The Company currently expects to achieve the following:

Core Business

Total revenues of approximately $1.95 billion to $2.05 billion compared with the previous outlook of $2.05 billion to $2.15 billion;

Lease revenues for 2016 in the range of $1.50 billion to $1.60 billion compared with the previous outlook of $1.55 billion to $1.65 billion;

Quarterly same store revenues of approximately negative 3% to flat for the remainder of 2016;

Adjusted EBITDA in the range of $195 million to $215 million compared with the previous outlook of $210 million to $230 million;

Progressive

EBITDA in the range of $135 million to $145 million compared with the previous outlook of $125 million to $135 million;

Consolidated Results

Revenues for 2016 in the range of $3.15 billion to $3.35 billion compared with the previous outlook of $3.25 billion to $3.45 billion, excluding revenues of franchisees;

Adjusted EBITDA in the range of $325 million to $355 million compared with the previous outlook of $330 million to $360 million;

GAAP diluted earnings per share in the range of $1.92 to $2.12 compared with the previous outlook of $2.03 to $2.23; and

Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share in the range of $2.13 to $2.33 compared with the previous outlook of $2.20 to $2.40.

The above outlook does not include the impact of any store consolidations or closures resulting from the review of our store base.

(Source: Aaron's, Inc.)