Interface Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2005 Results

February 22, 2006
- Fourth Quarter Sales Up 12% Year-Over-Year - - Fourth Quarter Operating Income Increases 51% Year-Over-Year -

Feb 22, 2006 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- Interface, Inc. (Nasdaq: IFSIA), a worldwide floorcoverings and fabrics company, today announced results for the fourth quarter and full year ended January 1, 2006.

Sales in the 2005 fourth quarter rose 12.0% to $260.6 million from $232.6 million in the year ago period. Operating income in the 2005 fourth quarter was $23.1 million, compared with operating income of $15.3 million in the fourth quarter 2004, an increase of 51.0%. As a percentage of sales, operating income improved to 8.9% in the fourth quarter of 2005 versus 6.6% in the fourth quarter of last year.

Pursuant to the provisions of the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004, the Company repatriated $25.4 million of earnings from foreign subsidiaries during the fourth quarter of 2005. This action took advantage of an opportunity to repatriate the funds at a substantially reduced tax rate, provided the transaction occurred before the end of 2005. Consequently, the Company recorded a tax charge of approximately $1.8 million, or $0.03 per share, in the fourth quarter related to the repatriation. After this charge, net income for the fourth quarter 2005 was $5.7 million, or $0.11 per diluted share, compared with a net loss in the fourth quarter of 2004 of $4.4 million, or $0.08 per diluted share.

"The year 2005 was very gratifying, as we built upon the momentum generated during our turnaround in 2004," said Daniel T. Hendrix, President and Chief Executive Officer. "We continued to expand our leadership position in the worldwide modular market, outpacing the growth in the overall industry. While we garnered the benefit of some resurgence in our core corporate office market, we also took further steps to significantly diversify our revenue base through our segmentation strategy. This was true not only in modular but also in our fabrics and broadloom businesses, each of which delivered solid improvements in both sales and profitability during the year. Importantly, we also were able to largely offset rising raw material costs through enhanced manufacturing efficiencies, diligent cost management and successfully passing through price increases, which led to higher operating margins."

Mr. Hendrix added, "Modular carpet is increasingly becoming the floorcovering of choice across most commercial market segments, and that is reflected by the 13% increase year-over-year in worldwide sales we achieved in the fourth quarter. This growth was particularly strong in the U.S. and Asia-Pacific regions, where strong order flows produced record fourth quarter results -- for the second year in a row. Furthermore, our Europe modular business had its best quarter in the last five years. The growing strength of the corporate office market also led to an 11% increase year-over-year in fabrics sales in the fourth quarter. We are pleased with the progress made in this business during the year, as we were successful in our efforts to reduce costs, penetrate the automotive market, and significantly improve profitability over prior year levels. In addition, our Bentley Prince Street broadloom business posted its best quarter in five years, with sales in the fourth quarter increasing 15% year-over-year, while our cost control efforts within this division led to substantial profitability growth."

Patrick C. Lynch, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, commented, "Financially, this was an important year for Interface, as our results affirm the strategic actions we have taken within the business. Based on the leverage in our operating model, we were able to capitalize on the growth opportunities presented in our markets, while containing costs and decreasing selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of overall sales. At the same time, we maintained our focus on cash flow, generating a $29.1 million net increase in cash for the year."

For the full year 2005, sales increased 11.8% to $985.8 million, compared with $881.7 million in 2004. Operating income rose 35.0% to $82.0 million, or 8.3% of sales, from $60.7 million, or 6.9% of sales, last year. Income from continuing operations was $18.0 million, or $0.34 per diluted share, for 2005, versus income from continuing operations of $6.4 million, or $0.12 per diluted share, a year ago. In connection with the Company's repatriation in 2005 of an aggregate of $35.9 million of earnings of foreign subsidiaries, it recorded aggregate tax charges of $3.4 million, or $0.06 per diluted share. After these charges, together with losses from discontinued operations of $14.8 million and a loss on disposal of $1.9 million, net income for 2005 was $1.2 million, or $0.02 per diluted share. This compares with a net loss in 2004 of $55.4 million, or $1.06 per diluted share (which included a loss from discontinued operations of $58.8 million and a loss on disposal of $3.0 million).

Mr. Hendrix concluded, "We are very pleased with our results for the fourth quarter and full year 2005. We believe we are well positioned to continue the strong momentum in all of our businesses in 2006 by driving our segmentation strategy and maintaining careful control over our cost structure."

The Company will host a conference call today, February 22, 2006, at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time, to discuss its fourth quarter and full year 2005 results. The conference call will be simultaneously broadcast live over the Internet. Listeners may access the conference call live over the Internet at http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?p=irol- eventDetails&c=112931&eventID=1211711 or through the Company's website at http://www.interfaceinc.com/results/investor/. The archived version of the conference call will be available at these sites beginning approximately one hour after the call ends through February 22, 2007 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.

Interface, Inc. is a recognized leader in the worldwide interiors market, offering floorcoverings and fabrics. The Company is committed to the goal of sustainability and doing business in ways that minimize the impact on the environment while enhancing shareholder value. The Company is the world's largest manufacturer of modular carpet under the Interface, InterfaceFLOR, Heuga, Bentley and Prince Street brands, and, through its Bentley and Prince Street brands, enjoys a leading position in the high quality, designer- oriented segment of the broadloom carpet market. The Company is a leading producer of interior fabrics and upholstery products, which it markets under the Guilford of Maine, Chatham and Camborne brands, and provides specialized fabric services through its TekSolutions business.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Except for historical information contained herein, the other matters set forth in this news release are forward-looking statements. The forward- looking statements set forth above involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any such statement, including risks and uncertainties associated with economic conditions in the commercial interiors industry as well as the risks and uncertainties discussed under the heading "Safe Harbor Compliance Statement for Forward-Looking Statements" included in Item 1 of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 2, 2005, which discussion is incorporated herein by this reference, including, but not limited to, the discussion of specific risks and uncertainties under the headings "We compete with a large number of manufacturers in the highly competitive commercial floorcovering products market, and some of these competitors have greater financial resources than we do," "Sales of our principal products have been and may continue to be affected by adverse economic cycles in the construction and renovation of commercial and institutional buildings," "Our success depends significantly upon the efforts, abilities and continued service of our senior management executives and our principal design consultant, and our loss of any of them could affect us adversely," "Our substantial international operations are subject to various political, economic and other uncertainties that could adversely affect our business results, including by restrictive taxation or other government regulation and by foreign currency fluctuations," "Our Chairman, together with other insiders, currently has sufficient voting power to elect a majority of our Board of Directors," "Large increases in the cost of petroleum-based raw materials, which we are unable to pass through to our customers, could adversely affect us," "Unanticipated termination or interruption of any of our arrangements with our primary third-party suppliers of synthetic fiber could have a material adverse effect on us," "We have a significant amount of indebtedness which could have important negative consequences to us," and "Our Rights Agreement could discourage tender offers or other transactions for our stock that could result in shareholders receiving a premium over the market price for our stock." Any forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and, as such, speak only as of the date made. The Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise forward-looking statements made in this press release and cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements.

Consolidated Statements of Income
    (in thousands, except per share data)

                           Three Months Ended        Twelve Months Ended
                          1-Jan-06     2-Jan-05     1-Jan-06     2-Jan-05

    Net Sales             $260,608     $232,590     $985,766     $881,658
    Cost of Sales          180,819      164,432      681,069      616,297
      Gross Profit          79,789       68,158      304,697      265,361
    Selling, General
     and Administrative
     Expenses               56,693       52,854      222,696      204,619
      Operating Income      23,096       15,304       82,001       60,742
    Interest Expense        11,055       11,271       45,541       46,023
    Bond Offering Cost           -            -            -        1,869
    Other Expense
     (Income), Net            (106)         756          933        2,366
      Income Before Taxes   12,147        3,277       35,527       10,484
    Income Tax Expense       6,381        1,425       17,561        4,044
      Income from
       Continuing
       Operations            5,766        1,852       17,966        6,440
    Discontinued
     Operations, Net
     of Tax                    (50)      (2,748)     (14,791)     (58,815)
    Loss on Disposal,
     Net of Tax                  -       (3,492)      (1,935)      (3,027)
    Net Income (Loss)       $5,716      $(4,388)      $1,240     $(55,402)

    Earnings (Loss) Per
     Share - Basic
      Continuing
       Operations            $0.11       $ 0.04        $0.35        $0.13
      Discontinued
       Operations                -        (0.05)       (0.29)       (1.16)
      Loss on Disposal           -        (0.07)       (0.04)       (0.06)
    Earnings (Loss) Per
     Share - Basic           $0.11       $(0.08)       $0.02       $(1.09)

    Earnings (Loss) Per
     Share - Diluted
      Continuing
       Operations            $0.11       $ 0.04        $0.34        $0.12
      Discontinued
       Operations                -        (0.05)       (0.28)       (1.12)
      Loss on Disposal           -        (0.07)       (0.04)       (0.06)
    Earnings (Loss) Per
     Share - Diluted         $0.11       $(0.08)       $0.02       $(1.06)

    Common Shares
     Outstanding - Basic    51,834       51,026       51,551       50,682
    Common Shares
      Outstanding -
      Diluted               53,171       52,870       52,895       52,171

    Orders from
     Continuing
     Operations           $268,000     $247,700   $1,026,400     $951,900
    Continuing
     Operations Backlog
     (as of 01/01/06 and
     01/02/05,
     respectively)                                  $104,000      $91,700


    Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets
    (In thousands)                                  1-Jan-06     2-Jan-05
    Assets
      Cash                                           $51,312      $22,164
      Accounts Receivable                            141,408      142,228
      Inventory                                      130,209      137,618
      Other Current Assets                            21,164       22,756
      Assets of Businesses Held for Sale               5,526       42,788
        Total Current Assets                         349,619      367,554
      Property, Plant & Equipment                    185,643      194,702
      Other Assets                                   303,728      307,542
        Total Assets                                $838,990     $869,798

    Liabilities
      Current Liabilities                           $140,107     $138,712
      Long-Term Debt                                       -            -
      Senior and Senior Subordinated Notes           458,000      460,000
      Other Liabilities                               68,807       76,908
        Total Liabilities                            666,914      675,620
      Shareholders' Equity                           172,076      194,178
        Total Liabilities and Shareholders'
         Equity                                     $838,990     $869,798



    Consolidated Condensed Statements of Cash Flows    Twelve Months Ended
    (In millions)                                    1-Jan-06       2-Jan-05

    Net Income (Loss)                                    $1.2         $(55.4)
    Depreciation, Amortization and other
     non-cash                                            32.5           33.3
    Deferreds and other non-cash items                   10.4           52.8
    Change in Working Capital
      Accounts Receivable                         (6.7)          0.3
      Inventories                                  2.8          (1.9)
      Prepaids                                    (2.7)          1.0
      Accounts Payable and Accrued Expenses       11.8          (1.9)
    Cash Provided from Operating Activities
    of Continuing Operations                             49.3           28.2
    Cash Provided from (used in) Operating Activities
    of Discontinued Operations                           12.0          (18.7)
    Cash Provided from Operating Activities              61.3            9.5
    Cash Used in Investing Activities                   (30.6)          (7.8)
    Cash Provided from Financing Activities               0.9           15.2
    Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash              (2.5)           2.3
    Net Increase in Cash                                $29.1          $19.2


    Consolidated Condensed Segment Reporting
    (In millions)

                        Three Months Ended           Twelve Months Ended
                      1-Jan-06  2-Jan-05 % Change 1-Jan-06  2-Jan-05  % Change
    Net Sales
      Modular Carpet   $ 171.0    $151.8   12.7%    $646.2    $563.4   14.7%
      Bentley Prince
       Street             35.5      31.0   14.5%     125.2     119.1    5.1%
      Fabrics Group       51.0      46.1   10.6%     198.8     186.4    6.7%
      Specialty
       Products            3.1       3.7  (16.2)%     15.6      12.8   21.9%
    Total              $ 260.6    $232.6   12.0%    $985.8    $881.7   11.8%

    Operating Income
     (Loss)
      Modular Carpet     $21.4     $19.2             $77.4     $63.9
      Bentley Prince
       Street              1.7       0.3               3.5       0.1
      Fabrics Group        1.3      (1.0)              4.3       0.8
      Specialty Products   0.0      (0.3)              0.6      (0.5)
      Corporate Expenses
       and Eliminations   (1.3)     (2.9)             (3.8)     (3.6)
    Total                $23.1     $15.3             $82.0     $60.7

SOURCE Interface, Inc.

Daniel T. Hendrix
President and Chief Executive Officer
or Patrick C. Lynch
Chief Financial Officer
both of Interface, Inc.
+1-770-437-6800

or Christine Mohrmann
or Jim Olecki
Financial Dynamics
+1-212-850-5600
for Interface, Inc.