UNION, N.J., Sept. 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. today reported net earnings of $1.17 per diluted share ($224.0 million) in the fiscal second quarter ended August 30, 2014, compared with net earnings for the fiscal second quarter of 2013 of $1.16 per diluted share ($249.3 million). Net sales for the fiscal second quarter of 2014 were approximately $2.945 billion, an increase of approximately 4.3% from net sales of approximately $2.824 billion reported in the fiscal second quarter of 2013. Comparable sales in the fiscal second quarter of 2014 increased by approximately 3.4%, compared with an increase of approximately 3.7% in last year's fiscal second quarter.

During the fiscal second quarter of 2014, the Company repurchased approximately $1.0 billion of its common stock, representing approximately 16.9 million shares. As of August 30, 2014, the remaining balance of the new $2.0 billion share repurchase program authorized in July 2014 was approximately $1.8 billion.

For the fiscal first half ended August 30, 2014, the Company reported net earnings of $2.09 per diluted share ($411.0 million) compared with $2.09 per diluted share ($451.8 million) in the corresponding period a year ago. Net sales for the fiscal first half of 2014 were approximately $5.602 billion, an increase of approximately 3.0% from net sales of approximately $5.436 billion in the corresponding period a year ago. Comparable sales for the fiscal first half of 2014 increased by approximately 2.0%, compared with an increase of approximately 3.5% in last year's fiscal first half.

The Company is modeling net earnings per diluted share to be approximately $1.17 to $1.21 for the fiscal third quarter of 2014, approximately $1.78 to $1.83 for the fiscal fourth quarter of 2014, and approximately $5.00 to $5.08 for the fiscal full year. The timing and amount of the Company's share repurchases impacts the quarterly and full year diluted weighted average shares outstanding differently with the impact on the individual quarters being greater than the impact on the full year. Therefore, the sum of the net earnings per diluted share for the four fiscal quarters of the year, representing the two fiscal quarters already reported, and the estimated net earnings per diluted share for the third and fourth fiscal quarters, are greater than the estimated fiscal full year net earnings per diluted share by approximately five to six cents. The modeling of net earnings per diluted share is based upon a number of assumptions which will be described in the Company's second quarter of fiscal 2014 conference call. Information regarding access to the call is available in the Investor Relations section of the Company's website, www.bedbathandbeyond.com.

Cost Plus World Market was excluded from the comparable sales calculations through the end of the fiscal first half of 2013 and is included beginning with the fiscal third quarter of 2013. Linen Holdings is excluded from the comparable sales calculations and will continue to be excluded on an ongoing basis because it represents non-retail activity.

Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. and subsidiaries (the "Company") is a retailer selling a wide assortment of domestics merchandise, home furnishings, consumables and juvenile products operating under the names Bed Bath & Beyond, Christmas Tree Shops, Christmas Tree Shops andThat! or andThat!, Harmon or Harmon Face Values, buybuy BABY and World Market, Cost Plus World Market or Cost Plus. Customers can purchase products from the Company either in store, online or through a mobile device. The Company has the developing ability to have customer purchases picked up in store or shipped direct to the customer from the Company's distribution facilities, stores or vendors. The Company also operates Linen Holdings, a provider of a variety of textile products, amenities and other goods to institutional customers in the hospitality, cruise line, food service, healthcare and other industries. Additionally, the Company is a partner in a joint venture which operates retail stores in Mexico under the name Bed Bath & Beyond. Shares of Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. are traded on NASDAQ under the symbol "BBBY" and are included in the Standard and Poor's 500 and Global 1200 Indices and the NASDAQ-100 Index. The Company is counted among the Fortune 500 and the Forbes 2000.

The Company operates web sites at bedbathandbeyond.com, christmastreeshops.com, harmondiscount.com, buybuybaby.com and worldmarket.com. As of August 30, 2014, the Company had a total of 1,506 stores, including 1,017 Bed Bath & Beyond stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Canada, 269 stores under the names of World Market, Cost Plus World Market or Cost Plus, 92 buybuy BABY stores, 78 stores under the names of Christmas Tree Shops, Christmas Trees Shops andThat! or andThat!, and 50 stores under the names of Harmon or Harmon Face Values. During the fiscal second quarter, the Company opened two Bed Bath & Beyond stores, one buybuy Baby store, and three Cost Plus World Market stores. In addition, the Company is a partner in a joint venture which operates five stores in the Mexico City market under the name Bed Bath & Beyond.

* * * * * * * *

This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Many of these forward-looking statements can be identified by use of words such as may, will, expect, anticipate, approximate, estimate, assume, continue, model, project, plan, and similar words and phrases. The Company's actual results and future financial condition may differ materially from those expressed in any such forward-looking statements as a result of many factors. Such factors include, without limitation: general economic conditions including the housing market, a challenging overall macroeconomic environment and related changes in the retailing environment, consumer preferences and spending habits; demographics and other macroeconomic factors that may impact the level of spending for the types of merchandise sold by the Company; civil disturbances and terrorist acts; unusual weather patterns and natural disasters; competition from existing and potential competitors; competition from other channels of distribution; pricing pressures; liquidity; the ability to attract and retain qualified employees in all areas of the organization; the cost of labor, merchandise and other costs and expenses; the ability to find suitable locations at acceptable occupancy costs and other terms to support the Company's expansion program; the ability to assess and implement technologies in support of the Company's development of its omnichannel capabilities; uncertainty in financial markets; disruptions to the Company's information technology systems including but not limited to security breaches of systems protecting consumer and employee information; reputational risk arising from challenges to the Company's or a third party supplier's compliance with various laws, regulations or standards, including those related to labor, health, safety, privacy or the environment; changes to statutory, regulatory and legal requirements; new, or developments in existing, litigation, claims or assessments; changes to, or new, tax laws or interpretation of existing tax laws; changes to, or new, accounting standards including, without limitation, changes to lease accounting standards; and the integration of acquired businesses. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update its forward-looking statements.

                                                                                        BED BATH & BEYOND INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

                                                                                          Consolidated Statements of Earnings

                                                                                         (in thousands, except per share data)

                                                                                                       (unaudited)



                                                                                    Three Months Ended                                 Six Months Ended
                                                                                   ------------------                                  ----------------


                                                                                        August 30,                                   August 31,               August 30,                     August 31,

                                                                                                  2014                                      2013                              2014                    2013
                                                                                                  ----                                      ----                              ----                    ----



     Net sales                                                                              $2,944,905                                             $2,823,672                                  $5,601,603                      $5,435,812


     Cost of sales                                                                           1,810,860                                              1,710,188                                   3,436,673                       3,289,357



                                            Gross profit                                                                   1,134,045                                    1,113,484                          2,164,930                      2,146,455


      Selling, general and administrative
      expenses                                                             765,304                                                       723,718                                   1,495,488                         1,433,588



                                            Operating profit                                                                 368,741                                      389,766                            669,442                        712,867


     Interest expense, net                                                                       9,528                                                  1,675                                      11,622                           1,900



                                             Earnings before provision for
                                             income taxes                                      359,213                                                388,091                                     657,820                         710,967


     Provision for income taxes                                            135,260                                                       138,787                                     246,815                           259,173



                                            Net earnings                                                                    $223,953                                     $249,304                           $411,005                       $451,794
                                                                                                                            ========                                     ========                           ========                       ========


     Net earnings per share - Basic                                          $1.18                                                         $1.18                                       $2.11                             $2.11

     Net earnings per share - Diluted                                        $1.17                                                         $1.16                                       $2.09                             $2.09


      Weighted average shares outstanding -
      Basic                                                                189,625                                                       212,134                                     194,622                           213,792

      Weighted average shares outstanding -
      Diluted                                                              191,496                                                       214,697                                     196,796                           216,516

                                                                                           BED BATH & BEYOND INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

                                                                                                 Consolidated Balance Sheets

                                                                                                  (in thousands, unaudited)


                                                                                                                                                  August 30,            August 31,

                                                                                                                                                        2014                   2013
                                                                                                                                                        ----                   ----


     Assets


     Current assets:

      Cash and cash equivalents                                                                                                                   $1,226,627                          $383,336

      Short term investment securities                                                                                                     59,999                           455,579

      Merchandise inventories                                                                                                                      2,758,726                         2,591,247

      Other current assets                                                                                                                           434,416                           434,299
                                                                                                                                                     -------                           -------


             Total current assets                                                                                                                  4,479,768                         3,864,461
                                                                                                                                                   ---------                         ---------


     Long term investment securities                                                                                                                  92,383                            81,552

     Property and equipment, net                                                                                                                   1,576,912                         1,477,336

     Goodwill                                                                                                                                                   486,279                           486,279

     Other assets                                                                                                                                               398,918                           398,345



                                                                                                                                                             $7,034,260                        $6,307,973
                                                                                                                                                             ==========                        ==========


     Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity


     Current liabilities:

     Accounts payable                                                                                                                             $1,258,568                        $1,033,709

      Accrued expenses and other current
      liabilities                                                                                                                         407,178                           389,689

      Merchandise credit and gift card
      liabilities                                                                                                                         294,658                           264,281

     Current income taxes payable                                                                                                          46,494                            11,653
                                                                                                                                           ------                            ------


            Total current liabilities                                                                                                              2,006,898                         1,699,332
                                                                                                                                                   ---------                         ---------


     Deferred rent and other liabilities                                                                                                             487,425                           493,199

     Income taxes payable                                                                                                                            100,758                            88,730

     Long term debt                                                                                                                                           1,500,000                                 -



            Total liabilities                                                                                                                      4,095,081                         2,281,261
                                                                                                                                                   ---------                         ---------


     Total shareholders' equity                                                                                                                    2,939,179                         4,026,712



                                                                                                                                                             $7,034,260                        $6,307,973
                                                                                                                                                             ==========                        ==========



      Certain reclassifications have been made to the fiscal 2013 consolidated balance sheet
                                         to conform to the

                                                                                     fiscal 2014 consolidated balance sheet presentation.



                                                                                                           BED BATH & BEYOND INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

                                                                                                            Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

                                                                                                                  (in thousands, unaudited)


                                                                                                                                                                              Six Months Ended
                                                                                                                                                                             ----------------


                                                                                                                                                                                 August 30,              August 31,

                                                                                                                                                                                          2014                  2013
                                                                                                                                                                                          ----                  ----



     Cash Flows from Operating Activities:


     Net earnings                                                                                                                                                                     $411,005                        $451,794

     Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash

                                                       provided by operating activities:

                                                       Depreciation and amortization                                                                                 117,795                                 105,160

                                                       Stock-based compensation                                                                                       33,760                                  28,439

                                                       Tax benefit from stock-based compensation                                                             6,460                                12,036

                                                       Deferred income taxes                                                                                                          (26,113)                       (13,722)

                                                       Other                                                                                                                                      (756)                        (666)

                                                        Increase in assets, net of effect of
                                                        acquisitions:

                                                            Merchandise inventories                                                                                (179,770)                              (125,033)

                                                            Trading investment securities                                                                  (5,209)                              (5,696)

                                                            Other current assets                                                                                    (28,918)                               (46,977)

                                                            Other assets                                                                                                               (2,179)                        (3,624)

                                                        Increase (decrease) in liabilities, net of effect
                                                        of acquisitions:

                                                            Accounts payable                                                                                                           195,651                         135,589

                                                            Accrued expenses and other current liabilities                                                  24,136                               (1,886)

                                                            Merchandise credit and gift card liabilities                                                    10,442                                12,800

                                                            Income taxes payable                                                                                     (5,660)                               (57,031)

                                                            Deferred rent and other liabilities                                                              3,846                                 4,412
                                                                                                                                                             -----                                 -----


     Net cash provided by operating activities                                                                                                    554,490                               495,595
                                                                                                                                                  -------                               -------


     Cash Flows from Investing Activities:


      Purchase of held-to-maturity investment
      securities                                                                                                                                 (84,367)                            (652,342)

      Redemption of held-to-maturity investment
      securities                                                                                                                                  513,750                               646,875

     Capital expenditures                                                                                                                                          (156,136)                              (130,322)
                                                                                                                                                                    --------                                --------


      Net cash provided by (used in) investing
      activities                                                                                                                                  273,247                             (135,789)
                                                                                                                                                  -------                              --------


     Cash Flows from Financing Activities:


     Proceeds from exercise of stock options                                                                                                        9,704                                36,230

     Proceeds from issuance of senior unsecured notes                                                                                           1,500,000                                     -

     Payment of deferred financing costs                                                                                                                  (10,157)                                    -

     Prepayment under share repurchase agreement                                                                                                (165,000)                                    -

     Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation                                                                                               1,087                                 3,590

     Repurchase of common stock, including fees                                                                                               (1,303,260)                            (581,261)
                                                                                                                                               ----------                              --------


      Net cash provided by (used in) financing
      activities                                                                                                                                   32,374                             (541,441)
                                                                                                                                                   ------                              --------


      Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash
      equivalents                                                                                                                                 860,111                             (181,635)


     Cash and cash equivalents:

     Beginning of period                                                                                                                                             366,516                                 564,971
                                                                                                                                                                     -------                                 -------

     End of period                                                                                                                                                                  $1,226,627                        $383,336
                                                                                                                                                                                    ==========                        ========

SOURCE Bed Bath & Beyond Inc.