Dean Foods Reports Solid Growth, WhiteWave Subsidiary Launches IPO

Q2 diluted earnings per share of $0.30, adjusted diluted earnings per share increase 100 percent to $0.36. Segment operating income rises, 41 percent at Fresh Dairy Direct, 31 percent at WhiteWave-Alpro, 19 percent at Morningstar.

8 Aug 2012 --- Dean Foods Company announced strong second quarter results driven by continued solid growth across all operating segments.

The Company reported second quarter 2012 diluted earnings per share of $0.30, compared to a second quarter 2011 loss of $0.28 per share. The year ago quarter included a $131 million charge related to the settlement of the Tennessee dairy farmer class action litigation. On an adjusted basis, second quarter 2012 diluted earnings per share were $0.36, a 100 percent increase from the $0.18 earnings per diluted share in the prior year's second quarter.

Second quarter consolidated operating income totaled $146 million, compared to a consolidated operating loss of $16 million in the second quarter of 2011. Adjusted second quarter consolidated operating income totaled $157 million, a 37 percent increase from $114 million reported in the second quarter of 2011.

Separately, Dean Foods announced that The WhiteWave Foods Company, which will be comprised of Dean Foods' WhiteWave-Alpro segment, has filed a registration statement for its proposed initial public offering. At the time of the offering, Gregg Engles will be appointed Chairman and CEO of The WhiteWave Foods Company, while remaining Chairman of Dean Foods. Gregg Tanner, President of Fresh Dairy Direct and Chief Supply Chain Officer, will be promoted to CEO of Dean Foods.

"We continued to build on our momentum in the second quarter, delivering strong growth across all of our operating segments," said Gregg Engles, Chairman and CEO. "In addition to each of our businesses executing well against their stated plans, we also continued to benefit from disciplined expense control across the organization. As a result of these efforts, we reported a 37 percent increase in consolidated adjusted operating income and a 100 percent increase in adjusted diluted earnings per share.  We are pleased with the progress we continue to make on all fronts, which is clearly translating into significantly improved financial performance and flexibility."

Net income attributable to Dean Foods totaled $56 million, compared to a net loss of $51 million in the prior year second quarter. Adjusted net income for the second quarter was $66 million, a 105 percent increase from $32 million in the second quarter of 2011.

Net sales for the second quarter totaled $3.1 billion, compared to $3.3 billion of net sales in the second quarter of 2011, reflecting the pass-through of lower dairy commodity costs.