File photo of Martin Schwartz, chief executive officer of Dorel Industries.Christinne Muschi/Reuters
Dorel Industries Inc. says its net income fell sharply in the fourth quarter, dropping nearly two-thirds to US$11-million due to difficult markets and restructuring in the division that makes bicycles.
Dorel makes bicycles under several brands including Cannondale and Schwinn, home furniture, and child-safety car seats sold under numerous brands such as Safety 1st and Cosco.
The Montreal-based company's profit, expressed in U.S. currency, amounted to 34 cents per share before adjustments. A year earlier, net income was US$29.1-million or 91 cents per share.
Dorel president and CEO Martin Schwartz said Tuesday that the company's 2013 performance was disappointing.
"A number of the issues we faced were industry and economy related, while others were the result of less than perfect execution on our part," Schwartz said.
"Matters in our direct control are being addressed and there has been definite progress," he said in a news release.
Excluding the impact of restructuring its bicycle business, Dorel's adjusted net income was US$19.2-million or 60 cents per diluted share.
That's well below analyst estimates, which had already been reduced after Dorel announced in a month ago that its leisure and recreation business would be hurt by weak bicycle sales and prices.
Analysts had recently estimated Dorel would have 90 cents per share of net income, or 77 cents per share on an adjusted basis.
Dorel's overall revenue during the three months ended Dec. 30 was $633.5-million, up 1.8 per cent from a year earlier, with the leisure and recreation segment increasing 8.3 per cent to $245.5-million.
However, the bicycle business also produced less profitable sales amid a global downturn, supply problems at Dorel and the cost of restructuring that part of its business.
Dorel recognized US$13.5-million pre-tax restructuring charges during the quarter, contributing to a US$5.4-million operating loss – compared with a year-earlier operating profit of US$16.5-million.
Excluding the restructuring charges, the leisure and recreation segment posted US$8.1-million in operating profit.
The juvenile segment that makes car seats saw revenue drop 4.5 per cent to $255.2-million from $267.4-million, but it continued to have an operating profit of $18.4-million, down 1.4 per cent from $18.6-million.
The home furnishings segment increased revenue 3.2 per cent to $132.8-million from $128.6-million, but its operating profit dropped 31.4 per cent to $5-million from $7.3-million.
Dorel's revenue for the full year was US$2.4-billion, down 2.2 per cent from US$2.5-billion in 2012, while its net income dropped by half to US$57.7-million or US$1.79 per diluted share in 2013 from US$108.5-million or US$3.39 per diluted share.
Excluding full year restructuring charges, Dorel's adjusted net income for the year was US$67.1-million or US$2.09 per diluted share.