Sales for the quarter increased 1.9 percent compared to the same quarter of the prior year. Organic sales increased 4.5 percent, foreign currency decreased sales by 0.3 percent and divestitures decreased sales by 2.3 percent. Diluted EPS increased 9.4 percent to a record high of $1.05 in the third quarter of fiscal 2024 compared to $0.96 in the same quarter of the prior year. Diluted EPS Excluding Certain Items* increased 14.7 percent to a record high of $1.09 in the third quarter of fiscal 2024 compared to $0.95 in the same quarter of the prior year. Net cash provided by operating activities was $171.1 million in the nine months ended April 30, 2024 compared to $129.9 million in the nine months ended April 30, 2023. Earnings per diluted Class A Common Share guidance was raised for the full year ending July 31, 2024 from the previous range of $3.80 to $3.95 to the new range of $3.93 to $4.00 on a GAAP basis, and was raised from the previous range of $3.95 to $4.10 to the new range of $4.08 to $4.15 on a non-GAAP basis. MILWAUKEE, May 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brady Corporation (NYSE:BRC) ("Brady" or "Company"), a world leader in identification solutions, today reported its financial results for its fiscal 2024 third quarter ended April 30, 2024. Quarter Ended April 30, 2024 Financial Results:Sales for the quarter ended April 30, 2024 increased 1.9 percent, which consisted of organic sales growth of 4.5 percent, a decrease of 0.3 percent from foreign currency translation and a decrease of 2.3 percent from divestitures. Sales for the quarter ended April 30, 2024 were $343.4 million compared to $337.1 million in the same quarter last year. By region, sales increased 0.9 percent in the Americas & Asia and increased 3.8 percent in Europe & Australia, which consisted of organic sales growth of 4.5 percent in the Americas & Asia and organic sales growth of 4.4 percent in Europe & Australia. Income before income taxes increased 2.2 percent to $64.4 million for the quarter ended April 30, 2024, compared to $63.0 million in the same quarter last year. Income Before Income Taxes Excluding Certain Items* for the quarter ended April 30, 2024, which was adjusted for amortization expense in both periods, and removes the $3.8 million pre-tax gain on a divestiture from the same quarter last year, was $66.8 million, an increase of 8.2 percent. Net income for the quarter ended April 30, 2024 was $50.9 million compared to $48.1 million in the same quarter last year. Earnings per diluted Class A Nonvoting Common Share were $1.05 in the third quarter of fiscal 2024, compared to $0.96 in the same quarter last year. Net Income Excluding Certain Items* for the quarter ended April 30, 2024 was $52.7 million and Diluted EPS Excluding Certain Items* for the quarter ended April 30, 2024 was $1.09. Net Income Excluding Certain Items* for the quarter ended April 30, 2023 was $47.6 million and Diluted EPS Excluding Certain Items* for the quarter ended April 30, 2023 was $0.95. Nine-Month Period Ended April 30, 2024 Financial Results:Sales for the nine-month period ended April 30, 2024 increased 1.2 percent, which consisted of organic sales growth of 3.0 percent, an increase of 0.6 percent from foreign currency translation and a decrease of 2.4 percent from divestitures. Sales for the nine months ended April 30, 2024 were $998.0 million compared to $985.9 million in the same period last year. By region, sales decreased 0.5 percent in the Americas & Asia and increased 4.7 percent in Europe & Australia, which consisted of organic sales growth of 3.0 percent in the Americas & Asia and organic sales growth of 2.8 percent in Europe & Australia. Income before income taxes increased 11.0 percent to $179.6 million for the nine-month period ended April 30, 2024, compared to $161.9 million in the same period last year. Income Before Income Taxes Excluding Certain Items* for the nine months ended April 30, 2024, which was adjusted for amortization expense in both periods and removes the $3.8 million pre-tax gain on a divestiture from the same period last year, was $186.7 million, an increase of 11.5 percent compared to the same period of the prior year. Net income for the nine-month period ended April 30, 2024 was $141.8 million compared to $125.5 million in the same period last year. Earnings per diluted Class A Nonvoting Common Share were $2.91 for the nine months ended April 30, 2024, compared to $2.51 in the same period last year. Net Income Excluding Certain Items* for the nine months ended April 30, 2024 was $147.2 million and Diluted EPS Excluding Certain Items* for the nine months ended April 30, 2024 was $3.03. Net Income Excluding Certain Items* for the nine months ended April 30, 2023 was $130.3 million, and Diluted EPS Excluding Certain Items* for the nine months ended April 30, 2023 was $2.60. Commentary:"This quarter we reported all-time record high EPS and strong organic sales growth. Our ongoing investment in research and development continues to add value for our customers and increase organic sales. This quarter we launched several exciting new products that separate us from our competition and complement our current product offering. We remain focused on innovation and on our consistent priorities, which we believe will continue to drive future growth," said Brady's President and Chief Executive Officer, Russell R. Shaller. "Both regions performed extremely well this quarter and we are facilitating an increased pace of innovative new product development, which we believe positions us for future success." "In addition to our organic revenue growth of 4.5 percent and record EPS this quarter, we also used our strong balance sheet and cash generation to return funds to our shareholders in the form of share buybacks and dividends. This quarter, we repurchased a total of 863,365 shares for $50.4 million and we returned another $11.2 million to our shareholders in the form of dividends," said Brady's Chief Financial Officer, Ann Thornton. "Our balance sheet provides significant opportunities to invest in both organic opportunities and strategic acquisitions in order to drive long-term shareholder value." Fiscal 2024 Guidance:The Company raised its GAAP earnings per diluted Class A Nonvoting Common Share guidance for the year ending July 31, 2024 from the previous guidance range of $3.80 to $3.95 per share to the new full year guidance range of $3.93 to $4.00 per share. The Company raised its Diluted EPS Excluding Certain Items* guidance for the year ending July 31, 2024 from the previous range of $3.95 to $4.10 per share to the new full year guidance range of $4.08 to $4.15 per share. The assumptions included in fiscal 2024 guidance include a full-year income tax rate of approximately 21 percent and depreciation and amortization expense ranging from $30 million to $32 million. Capital expenditures are expected to approximate $75 million, which is inclusive of facility purchase and construction costs of approximately $55 million. Fiscal 2024 guidance is based on foreign currency exchange rates as of April 30, 2024 and assumes continued economic growth. Fiscal 2024 guidance does not include the Company's pending acquisition of Gravotech Holding, which is expected to close by the end of its fiscal year ending July 31, 2024. Excluding acquisition-related costs, Brady expects the acquisition of Gravotech Holding to be immaterial to earnings per share in fiscal 2024. A webcast regarding Brady's fiscal 2024 third quarter financial results will be available at www.bradycorp.com/investors beginning at 9:30 a.m. central time today. Brady Corporation is an international manufacturer and marketer of complete solutions that identify and protect people, products and places. Brady's products help customers increase safety, security, productivity and performance and include high-performance labels, signs, safety devices, printing systems and software.   Founded in 1914, the Company has a diverse customer base in electronics, telecommunications, manufacturing, electrical, construction, medical, aerospace and a variety of other industries. Brady is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and as of July 31, 2023, employed approximately 5,600 people in its worldwide businesses. Brady's fiscal 2023 sales were approximately $1.33 billion. Brady stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol BRC. More information is available on the Internet at www.bradyid.com. * Income Before Income Taxes Excluding Certain Items, Net Income Excluding Certain Items, and Diluted EPS Excluding Certain Items are non-GAAP measures. See appendix for more information on these measures, including reconciliations to the most directly comparable GAAP measures. In this news release, statements that are not reported financial results or other historic information are "forward-looking statements." These forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, the Company's future financial position, business strategy, targets, projected sales, costs, earnings, capital expenditures, debt levels and cash flows, and plans and objectives of management for future operations. The use of words such as "may," "will," "expect," "intend," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," "should," "project," "plan" or similar terminology are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain and are subject to risks, assumptions, and other factors, some of which are beyond Brady's control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. For Brady, uncertainties arise from: the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the offer to acquire Gravotech; the expected timing and likelihood of completion of the proposed transaction with Gravotech, including the timing, receipt and terms and conditions of any required governmental and regulatory approvals of the offer that could reduce anticipated benefits or cause the parties to abandon the transaction; the risk that the proposed offer and its announcement could have an adverse effect on the ability of Brady and Gravotech to retain customers and retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with their suppliers and customers and on their operating results and businesses generally; increased cost of raw materials and labor as well as material shortages and supply chain disruptions; decreased demand for our products; our ability to compete effectively or to successfully execute our strategy; our ability to develop technologically advanced products that meet customer demands; difficulties in protecting our websites, networks, and systems against security breaches; Brady's ability to identify, integrate, and grow acquired companies, and to manage contingent liabilities from divested businesses; risks associated with the loss of key employees; extensive regulations by U.S. and non-U.S. governmental and self-regulatory entities; litigation, including product liability claims; adverse impacts of regional epidemics or global pandemics; foreign currency fluctuations; potential write-offs of goodwill and other intangible assets; changes in tax legislation and tax rates; differing interests of voting and non-voting shareholders and changes in the regulatory and business environment around dual-class voting structures; numerous other matters of national, regional and global scale, including major public health crises and government responses thereto and those of a political, economic, business, competitive, and regulatory nature contained from time to time in Brady's U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including, but not limited to, those factors listed in the "Risk Factors" section within Item 1A of Part I of Brady's Form 10-K for the year ended July 31, 2023. These uncertainties may cause Brady's actual future results to be materially different than those expressed in its forward-looking statements. Brady does not undertake to update its forward-looking statements except as required by law. For More Information:Investor contact: Ann Thornton 414-438-6887Media contact: Kate Venne 414-358-5176                 BRADY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (Unaudited; Dollars in thousands, except per share data)                   Three months ended April 30,   Nine months ended April 30,     2024       2023       2024       2023   Net sales $ 343,384     $ 337,116     $ 997,991     $ 985,934   Cost of goods sold   166,357       167,425       487,162       504,539   Gross margin   177,027       169,691       510,829       481,395   Operating expenses:               Research and development   17,681       15,715       50,215       45,025   Selling, general and administrative   95,803       90,975       283,415       273,202   Total operating expenses   113,484       106,690       333,630       318,227                   Operating income   63,543       63,001       177,199       163,168                   Other income (expense):               Investment and other income   1,596       785       4,718       1,596   Interest expense   (728 )     (753 )     (2,284 )     (2,886 )                 Income before income taxes   64,411       63,033       179,633       161,878                   Income tax expense   13,521       14,981       37,874       36,399                   Net income $ 50,890     $ 48,052     $ 141,759     $ 125,479                   Net income per Class A Nonvoting Common Share:               Basic $ 1.06     $ 0.97     $ 2.94     $ 2.52   Diluted $ 1.05     $ 0.96     $ 2.91     $ 2.51                   Net income per Class B Voting Common Share:               Basic $ 1.06     $ 0.97     $ 2.92     $ 2.51   Diluted $ 1.05     $ 0.96     $ 2.90     $ 2.49                   Weighted average common shares outstanding:               Basic   48,004       49,653       48,294       49,755   Diluted   48,386       50,001       48,640       50,033                   BRADY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Dollars in thousands)           April 30, 2024   July 31, 2023   (Unaudited)     ASSETS       Current assets:       Cash and cash equivalents $ 160,458     $ 151,532   Accounts receivable, net of allowance for credit losses of $6,690 and $8,467, respectively   195,099       184,420   Inventories   153,272       177,078   Prepaid expenses and other current assets   12,443       11,790   Total current assets   521,272       524,820   Property, plant and equipment—net   194,732       142,149   Goodwill   588,095       592,646   Other intangible assets   53,893       62,096   Deferred income taxes   14,881       15,716   Operating lease assets   27,438       29,688   Other assets   23,785