NEW YORK, Nov. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Foot Locker, Inc. (NYSE: FL), the New York-based specialty athletic retailer, today reported financial results for its third quarter ended October 29, 2016.

Third Quarter Results
Net income for the Company's third quarter ended October 29, 2016 was $157 million, or $1.17 per share, compared with net income of $80 million, or $0.57 per share in the same period of 2015.

Third quarter comparable-store sales increased 4.7 percent. Total sales increased 5.1 percent, to $1,886 million this year, compared with sales of $1,794 million for the corresponding prior-year period. Excluding the effect of foreign currency fluctuations, total sales for the third quarter increased 5.5 percent. The Company's gross margin rate improved to 33.9 percent of sales from 33.8 percent a year ago, and the selling, general, and administrative expense rate improved 20 basis points to 19.4 percent of sales.

Non-GAAP Adjustments
During the third quarter, the Company performed a scheduled reassessment of the value of intellectual property provided to its European business by Foot Locker in the U.S. Driven by the recent success of the Foot Locker business in Europe, the new, higher valuation resulted in increased deductions that reduced tax expense by $10 million, adding seven cents per share to third quarter earnings. In addition, the Company recorded a pre-tax impairment charge of $6 million related to certain store assets of Runners Point and Sidestep, reducing earnings per share by three cents. Excluding these events, as well as the $100 million pension litigation charge the Company recorded in the third quarter of 2015, the Company earned $1.13 per share this year on a non-GAAP basis, a 13 percent increase over the non-GAAP earnings of $1.00 per share in the comparable 13-week period in 2015. A reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP results is included in the tables below.

"Our outstanding track record of meaningful sales and profit growth over several years is a strong testament to Foot Locker, Inc.'s solid position at the center of sneaker culture," said Richard Johnson, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. "Our associates work hard every day to make our Company the sneaker lover's preferred destination for the best footwear and apparel assortments across our array of outstanding athletic vendors. That work translated once again into an exceptional quarterly sales and profit performance."

Lauren Peters, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, added, "The Company continued to execute its strategic initiatives and produce excellent financial results in the quarter, with solid, consistent top-line growth, as well as incremental improvements in both gross margin and SG&A rates. Our inventory is fresh and well-positioned as we prepare for the important holiday selling season, and we remain well on track to achieve our annual guidance of a mid-single digit comparable-store sales gain and double-digit earnings per share growth."

Year-To-Date Results
Net income for the Company's first nine months of the year increased to $475 million, or $3.50 per share, compared to net income of $383 million, or $2.71 per share, for the corresponding period in 2015. Excluding the tax effect of the intellectual property reassessment and the impairment charge noted above, earnings per share for the first nine months totaled $3.46, a 10 percent increase over the same period last year excluding the pension litigation expense.

Year-to-date sales were $5,653 million, an increase of 4.6 percent compared to sales of $5,405 million in the corresponding nine-month period of 2015. Year-to-date comparable store sales have increased 4.0 percent. Excluding the effect of foreign currency fluctuations, total sales year-to-date have increased 4.9 percent.

Financial Position
At October 29, 2016, the Company's merchandise inventories were $1,361 million, 1.9 percent higher than at the end of the third quarter last year. Using constant currencies, inventory increased 2.2 percent.

The Company's cash totaled $865 million, while the debt on its balance sheet was $128 million. The Company spent $76.3 million to repurchase 1.15 million shares during the quarter and paid a quarterly dividend of $0.275. Year-to-date, the Company has invested $193 million in its store fleet, its websites, and infrastructure, tracking to approximately $290 million for the full year. The Company has also returned $463 million to shareholders between its stock repurchase program and dividends, spending $352 million to repurchase 5.9 million shares, and paying $111 million in dividends.

Store Base Update
During the third quarter, the Company opened 21 new stores, remodeled or relocated 40 stores, and closed 28 stores. As of October 29, 2016, the Company operated 3,394 stores in 23 countries in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. In addition, 56 franchised Foot Locker stores were operating in the Middle East and South Korea, as well as 15 franchised Runners Point stores in Germany.

The Company is hosting a live conference call at 9:00 a.m. (EST) today, November 18, 2016, to review these results, provide comments on the status of its current initiatives, and discuss trends in its business and the athletic industry. This conference call may be accessed live by dialing 1-800-941-7616 (U.S. and Canada) or +44 208-196-2142 (International), or via the Investor Relations section of the Foot Locker, Inc. website at http://www.footlocker-inc.com. Please log on to the website 15 minutes prior to the call in order to download any necessary software. A replay of the call will be available via webcast from the same Investor Relations section of the Foot Locker, Inc. website at http://www.footlocker-inc.com through December 2, 2016.

Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This report contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Other than statements of historical facts, all statements which address activities, events, or developments that the Company anticipates will or may occur in the future, including, but not limited to, such things as future capital expenditures, expansion, strategic plans, financial objectives, dividend payments, stock repurchases, growth of the Company's business and operations, including future cash flows, revenues, and earnings, and other such matters, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on many assumptions and factors which are detailed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the effects of currency fluctuations, customer demand, fashion trends, competitive market forces, uncertainties related to the effect of competitive products and pricing, customer acceptance of the Company's merchandise mix and retail locations, the Company's reliance on a few key vendors for a majority of its merchandise purchases (including a significant portion from one key vendor), cybersecurity breaches, pandemics and similar major health concerns, unseasonable weather, deterioration of global financial markets, economic conditions worldwide, deterioration of business and economic conditions, any changes in business, political and economic conditions due to the threat of future terrorist activities in the United States or in other parts of the world and related U.S. military action overseas, the ability of the Company to execute its business and strategic plans effectively with regard to each of its business units, and risks associated with global product sourcing, including political instability, changes in import regulations, and disruptions to transportation services and distribution. For additional discussion on risks and uncertainties that may affect forward-looking statements, see "Risk Factors" disclosed in the 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Any changes in such assumptions or factors could produce significantly different results. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.





                                                                    FOOT LOCKER, INC.

                                                     Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations

                                                                       (unaudited)

                                                   Periods ended October 29, 2016 and October 31, 2015

                                                   (In millions, except per share amounts)


                                                 Third                 Third
                                                Quarter               Quarter
                                                                       2015
                                                    2016

                                                                                                       YTD 2016       YTD 2015


    Sales                                                   $1,886                             $1,794                       $5,653         $5,405


    Cost of sales                                          1,246                              1,187                        3,730          3,575

    SG&A                                                     366                                352                        1,077          1,028

    Depreciation and amortization                             40                                 38                          118            109

    Impairment and litigation charges (1) (2)                  6                                100                            6            100

    Interest expense, net                                      1                                  1                            2              3

    Other Income                                       -                               (1)                      (3)                (2)
                                                     ---                               ---                       ---                 ---

                                                           1,659                              1,677                        4,930          4,813
                                                           -----                              -----                        -----          -----


    Income before taxes                                       $227                               $117                         $723           $592

    Income tax expense                                        70                                 37                          248            209
                                                             ---                                ---                          ---            ---

    Net income                                                $157                                $80                         $475           $383
                                                              ====                                ===                         ====           ====


    Diluted EPS                                              $1.17                              $0.57                        $3.50          $2.71


    Weighted-average diluted shares outstanding

                                                   134.0                              140.9                     135.7               141.4




    Reconciliation of GAAP to            Third               Third
                                        Quarter             Quarter
    Non-GAAP results (4)                       2016                 2015                     YTD                   YTD

                                                                                                2016                   2015
                                                                                                ----                   ----

                                         After                           After                       After                      After
                                         -----                           -----                       -----                      -----

                                          Tax        EPS                   Tax     EPS                Tax        EPS             Tax     EPS
                                          ---        ---                  ---      ---                ---       ---              ---     ---


    GAAP net income                            $157   $1.17                    $80     $0.57               $475           $3.50        $383    $2.71


    After-tax adjustments:

    Impairment charge (1)                         5    0.03                      -        -                 5            0.03           -       -

    Litigation charge (2)                         -      -                    61      0.43                  -              -         61     0.43


    Tax benefit related to intellectual

    property reassessment (3)                  (10) (0.07)                     -        -              (10)         (0.07)          -       -
                                                ---   -----                    ---      ---               ---           -----         ---     ---

    Non-GAAP results                           $152   $1.13                   $141     $1.00               $470           $3.46        $444    $3.14
                                               ====   =====                   ====     =====               ====           =====        ====    =====




    Footnotes to explain adjustments
    --------------------------------

             (1)    In the third quarter of 2016, the
                     Company recorded a $6 million
                     impairment charge ($5 million after
                     tax) associated with underperforming
                     store assets of Runners Point and
                     Sidestep.

             (2)    In the third quarter of 2015, the
                     Company recorded a $100 million pension
                     litigation charge ($61 million after
                     tax.)  The matter remains under appeal,
                     and there is no assurance that the
                     ultimate resolution will not differ
                     from the amount currently accrued by
                     the Company.

             (3)    During the third quarter of 2016, the
                     Company's scheduled triennial
                     reassessment of the value of the
                     intellectual property provided to our
                     European business by Foot Locker in the
                     U.S. resulted in a $10 million tax
                     reduction.

             (4)    The Company presents non-GAAP financial
                     information because it believes the
                     information assists investors in
                     comparing our performance across
                     reporting periods on a consistent basis
                     by excluding items that are not
                     indicative of its core business.  The
                     non-GAAP financial information is
                     provided in addition to, and not as an
                     alternative to, the Company's reported
                     results prepared in accordance with
                     GAAP.





                                                   FOOT LOCKER, INC.

                                         Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

                                                      (unaudited)

                                                     (In millions)


                                                          October 29,          October 31,

                                                                         2016                2015
                                                                         ----                ----

    Assets


    CURRENT ASSETS

    Cash and cash
     equivalents                                                         $865                $878

    Merchandise
     inventories                                                        1,361               1,336

    Other current
     assets                                                               291                 277


                                                                        2,517               2,491


    Property and
     equipment, net                                                       732                 664

    Deferred tax
     assets                                                               171                 256

    Other assets                                                          274                 284
                                                                          ---                 ---

                                                                       $3,694              $3,695
                                                                       ======              ======


    Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity


    CURRENT LIABILITIES

    Accounts payable                                                     $215                $258

    Accrued and other
     liabilities                                                          327                 401

    Current portion of
     capital lease
     obligations                                                            1                   1
                                                                          ---                 ---

                                                                          543                 660


    Long-term debt
     and obligations
     under capital
     leases                                                               127                 130

    Other liabilities                                                     391                 358

    SHAREHOLDERS'
     EQUITY                                                             2,633               2,547
                                                                        -----               -----

                                                                       $3,694              $3,695
                                                                       ======              ======





                                                FOOT LOCKER, INC.

                                             Store and Square Footage

                                                   (unaudited)


    Store activity is as follows:


                                  January 30,                      Opened     Closed     October 29,        Relocations/
                                                   2016                                              2016       Remodels
                                                   ----                                              ----       --------

    Foot Locker US                                  971                     8         17                962               58

    Foot Locker Europe                              606                    14          6                614               25

    Foot Locker Canada                              125                     1          6                120                6

    Foot Locker Asia Pacific                         94                     3          2                 95                7

    Lady Foot Locker                                156                     -        16                140                1

    SIX:02                                           30                     1          -                31                -

    Kids Foot Locker                                374                    38          6                406               20

    Footaction                                      268                     3          7                264               14

    Champs Sports                                   550                     6          3                553               27

    Runners Point                                   121                     2          -               123                1

    Sidestep                                         88                     -         2                 86                -

    Total                                         3,383                    76         65              3,394              159
    -----                                         -----                   ---        ---              -----              ---



    Selling and gross square footage are as follows:


                                                      January 30, 2016               October 29, 2016
                                                     ----------------                ----------------

               (in thousands)                            Selling        Gross                         Selling       Gross
                                                         -------        -----                         -------       -----

               Foot Locker US                                     2,451        4,234                          2,476        4,286

               Foot Locker Europe                                   863        1,884                            887        1,932

               Foot Locker Canada                                   279          435                            263          430

               Foot Locker Asia Pacific                             128          210                            134          220

               Lady Foot Locker                                     208          352                            189          317

               SIX:02                                                62          101                             63          106

               Kids Foot Locker                                     602        1,029                            676        1,155

               Footaction                                           800        1,303                            785        1,290

               Champs Sports                                      1,947        2,972                          1,957        3,013

               Runners Point                                        158          259                            164          268

               Sidestep                                              82          139                             79          136
                                                                    ---          ---                            ---          ---

               Total                                              7,580       12,918                          7,673       13,153
                                                                  -----       ------                          -----       ------



    Contact:                       John A. Maurer

                                   Vice President,

                                    Treasurer and Investor
                                    Relations

                                   Foot Locker, Inc.

                                   (212) 720-4092

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SOURCE Foot Locker, Inc.