Interface Reports Record Second Quarter 2008 Results

July 23, 2008
- Sales up 11.3% -

- Orders increase to $311.4 million -

- Continued market share growth through segmentation strategy -

ATLANTA, July 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Interface, Inc. (Nasdaq: IFSIA), a worldwide floorcoverings company, today announced results for the second quarter ended June 29, 2008.

Sales for the second quarter of 2008 increased 11.3% to $295.0 million from sales of $265.0 million in the year ago period. Gross profit margin for the 2008 second quarter grew 90 basis points to 35.7%, versus 34.8% in the second quarter of the previous year. Operating income for the second quarter of 2008 increased 8.2% to $33.4 million, or 11.3% of sales, compared with operating income of $30.9 million, or 11.7% of sales, in the second quarter of 2007. Income from continuing operations for the 2008 second quarter was $15.9 million, an increase of 19.2% compared with income from continuing operations of $13.3 million in the second quarter of 2007. Net income for the 2008 second quarter was $15.9 million, or $0.26 per diluted share. Last year, second quarter results included a loss from discontinued operations of $12.3 million, or $0.20 per diluted share, which led to net income of $1.0 million, or $0.02 per diluted share.

"Our 2008 second quarter represented Interface's best second quarter ever in terms of operating income and earnings per share, despite the challenging market and economic environment," said Daniel T. Hendrix, President and Chief Executive Officer. "We continued to grow our business and gain market share, as overall sales increased more than 11%, driven by our market segmentation strategy, the ongoing secular shift toward carpet tile, our presence in emerging geographic markets, and a positive currency impact. These factors more than offset softer sales volumes in the Western Europe and U.S. corporate office markets. SG&A expenses were up $10.5 million year-over-year, with most of the increase attributable to a $4 million currency impact and $4 million of incremental costs related to our market segmentation strategy in Europe. We continued to see solid demand for our products, as orders grew 3% to $311 million versus the record level comparison in the second quarter last year and backlog increased 21% from the beginning of the year. We also added $24 million in cash to the balance sheet during the quarter."

Mr. Hendrix continued, "Our modular carpet business continued its excellent performance in the second quarter with year-over-year sales growth of 15%. Operating income in the modular business grew 12% and reflected increased sales volume, somewhat offset by the investments we are making to achieve the long-term success of our segmentation strategy in Europe. Bentley Prince Street continued to work through operational issues associated with the ramp up of its carpet tile backing operations as well as rising raw material and energy costs. Going forward, our focus will be on right-sizing this business to make it more profitable at existing sales levels. On a positive note, Bentley Prince Street had a strong order backlog going into the third quarter, and the modular component of its business recorded a 23% increase in sales during the second quarter, reaffirming the broader shift we see in the marketplace to modular solutions. And it has raised prices to offset its cost increases."

For the first six months of 2008, sales were $556.7 million, compared with $508.5 million for the same period a year ago, an increase of 9.5%. Operating income for the 2008 six-month period was $64.4 million, versus operating income of $55.2 million for the comparable 2007 six-month period (which included a loss of $1.9 million, or $0.03 per diluted share, on the disposal of its specialty products business). Income from continuing operations was $30.0 million, or $0.48 per diluted share, in the 2008 six-month period, compared with income from continuing operations of $22.4 million, or $0.36 per diluted share, in the same period a year ago. Net income also was $30.0 million, or $0.48 per diluted share, in the first six months of 2008. Including results of discontinued operations, net loss for the first six months of 2007 was $39.6 million, or $0.64 per diluted share.

Mr. Hendrix concluded, "Given the broader macroeconomic conditions, we're largely pleased with our second quarter performance, and notwithstanding the slowing conditions in the Western Europe and U.S. corporate office markets, we're encouraged by our future prospects. We believe the ongoing shift in the marketplace to carpet tile, the continued success of our U.S. segmentation strategy, which has allowed us to build a growing presence in markets such as hospitality and education, and our international diversification serve to position us well for future growth. Our ongoing investments to advance our segmentation strategy in Europe are expected to further reduce our exposure to the corporate office market and open additional growth opportunities in that region. And, we're moving forward with plans to expand our global presence by building a carpet tile plant in China. We believe we have the right strategy in place, and are confident in our business as we enter the second half of 2008."

The Company will host a conference call tomorrow, July 24, 2008, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time, to discuss its second quarter 2008 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=1896394 (Due to length of URL, please cut and paste into browser.) or through the Company's website at http://www.interfaceinc.com/results/investor/. The archived version of the webcast will be available at these sites for one year beginning approximately one hour after the call ends.

Interface, Inc. is the world's largest manufacturer of modular carpet, which it markets under the InterfaceFLOR, FLOR, Heuga and Bentley Prince Street brands, and, through its Bentley Prince Street brand, enjoys a leading position in the designer quality segment of the broadloom carpet market. 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.
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 "Risk Factors" included in Item 1A of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 30, 2007, 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 renovation and construction 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," "Large increases in the cost of petroleum-based raw materials could adversely affect us if we are unable to pass these cost increases through to our customers," "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," "The market price of our common stock has been volatile and the value of your investment may decline," "Our earnings in a future period could be adversely affected by non-cash adjustments to goodwill, if a future test of goodwill assets indicates a material impairment of those assets," "Our Chairman, together with other insiders, currently has sufficient voting power to elect a majority of our Board of Directors," 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.

                              - TABLES FOLLOW -



    Consolidated Condensed Statements of Operations
    (In thousands, except per share data)

                            Three Months Ended        Six Months Ended
                          06/29/08     07/01/07     06/29/08     07/01/07

    Net Sales            $ 295,005    $ 264,962    $ 556,741    $ 508,454
    Cost of Sales          189,712      172,737      357,182      333,001
      Gross Profit         105,293       92,225      199,559      175,453
    Selling, General
     & Administrative
     Expenses               71,857       61,332      135,152      118,379
    Loss on Disposal -
     Specialty Products         --           --           --        1,873
      Operating Income      33,436       30,893       64,407       55,201
    Interest Expense         8,108        9,161       15,936       18,281
    Other Expense, Net         248          612          611        1,035
      Income Before Taxes   25,080       21,120       47,860       35,885
    Income Tax Expense       9,204        7,797       17,862       13,493
      Income from
       Continuing
       Operations           15,876       13,323       29,998       22,392
    Discontinued
     Operations,
     Net of Tax                 --      (12,325)          --      (62,010)
    Net Income (Loss)     $ 15,876        $ 998     $ 29,998    $ (39,618)

    Earnings (Loss)
     Per Share - Basic
      Continuing
       Operations           $ 0.26       $ 0.22       $ 0.49       $ 0.37
      Discontinued
       Operations               --        (0.20)          --        (1.03)
    Earnings (Loss)
     Per Share - Basic      $ 0.26       $ 0.02       $ 0.49      $ (0.66)

    Earnings (Loss)
     Per Share - Diluted
      Continuing
       Operations           $ 0.26       $ 0.22       $ 0.48       $ 0.36
      Discontinued
       Operations               --        (0.20)          --        (1.00)
    Earnings (Loss) Per
     Share - Diluted        $ 0.26       $ 0.02       $ 0.48      $ (0.64)

    Common Shares
     Outstanding - Basic    61,523       60,322       61,425       60,210
    Common Shares
     Outstanding - Diluted  62,065       61,571       62,098       61,435

    Orders from
     Continuing
     Operations*           311,400      302,000      593,800      556,600
    Continuing
     Operations Backlog
     (as of 06/29/08
     and 07/01/07,
     respectively)*                                  154,400      148,200


    * Orders from Continuing Operations and Continuing Operations Backlog
      exclude all activity related to the Fabrics Group business segment,
      which was sold in the third quarter of 2007.



    Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets
    (In thousands)                                  06/29/08       12/30/07
    Assets
      Cash                                          $ 83,616       $ 82,375
      Accounts Receivable                            175,263        178,625
      Inventory                                      152,039        125,789
      Other Current Assets                            29,618         24,848
      Assets of Businesses Held for Sale               4,566          4,792
        Total Current Assets                         445,102        416,429
      Property, Plant & Equipment                    170,618        161,874
      Other Assets                                   263,610        256,929
        Total Assets                               $ 879,330      $ 835,232

    Liabilities
      Accounts Payable                              $ 64,531       $ 57,243
      Accrued Liabilities                            117,049        120,388
      Current Portion of Long-Term Debt                   --             --
      Liabilities of Businesses Held for Sale             44            220
        Total Current Liabilities                    181,624        177,851
      Long-Term Debt                                      --             --
      Senior and Senior Subordinated Notes           310,000        310,000
      Other Long-Term Liabilities                     53,139         53,239
        Total Liabilities                            544,763        541,090
      Shareholders' Equity                           334,567        294,142
        Total Liabilities and
         Shareholders' Equity                      $ 879,330      $ 835,232



    Consolidated Condensed Statements of Cash Flows
    (In millions)            Three Months Ended          Six Months Ended
                            06/29/08     07/01/07     06/29/08     07/01/07

    Net Income (Loss)       $ 15.9        $ 1.0       $ 30.0      $ (39.6)
    Adjustments for
     Discontinued Operations    --         12.3           --         62.0
    Net Income from
     Continuing Operations  $ 15.9       $ 13.3       $ 30.0       $ 22.4
    Depreciation and
     Amortization              5.5          5.6         12.0         12.0
    Deferred Income
     Taxes and Other
     Non-Cash Items            1.7          0.0          3.1          0.0
    Change in Working
     Capital
      Accounts Receivable    (14.1)        (8.7)         7.1         (8.0)
      Inventories             (2.3)        (1.3)       (23.3)       (16.1)
      Prepaids                (2.0)         1.6         (3.7)         1.7
      Accounts Payable
       and Accrued Expenses   29.3         25.5         (4.0)         8.3
    Cash Provided from
     Continuing Operations    34.0         36.0         21.2         20.3
    Cash Provided from
     (Used in) Operating
     Activities of
     Discontinued
     Operations                 --         (1.7)          --          3.2
    Cash Provided from
     Operating Activities     34.0         34.3         21.2         23.5
    Cash Provided from
     (Used in) Investing
     Activities               (8.3)       (12.9)       (18.5)       (31.1)
    Cash Provided from
     (Used in) Financing
     Activities               (1.7)         2.2         (2.8)       (13.3)
    Effect of Exchange
     Rate Changes on Cash      0.4          0.7          1.4          1.1
    Net Increase (Decrease)
     in Cash                $ 24.4       $ 24.3        $ 1.3      $ (19.8)



    Consolidated Condensed Segment Reporting
    (In millions)
                    Three Months Ended           Six Months Ended
                    06/29/08  07/01/07 % Change 06/29/08  07/01/07 % Change
    Net Sales
      Modular Carpet $ 259.3   $ 225.6   14.9%  $ 485.4   $ 430.8   12.7%
      Bentley Prince
       Street           35.7      39.4   (9.4%)    71.3      75.5   (5.6%)
      Specialty
       Products           --        --      --       --       2.2       *
    Total            $ 295.0   $ 265.0   11.3%  $ 556.7   $ 508.5    9.5%

    Operating
     Income (Loss)
      Modular Carpet  $ 35.3    $ 31.6   11.7%   $ 66.2    $ 58.4   13.4%
      Bentley Prince
       Street            0.2       2.0  (90.0%)     1.8       3.0  (40.0%)
      Specialty
       Products           --        --      --       --      (1.8)      *
      Corporate
       Expenses and
       Eliminations     (2.1)     (2.7)  22.2%     (3.6)     (4.4)  18.2%
    Total             $ 33.4    $ 30.9    8.2%   $ 64.4    $ 55.2   16.7%

    * Not meaningful

SOURCE Interface, Inc: 07/23/2008

CONTACT: Daniel T. Hendrix, President and Chief Executive Officer, or
Patrick C. Lynch, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, both of
Interface, Inc., +1-770-437-6800; or Eric Boyriven or Bob Joyce, both of FD,
+1-212-850-5600, for Interface, Inc.
Web site: http://www.interfaceinc.com
(IFSIA)