News Release

NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 29, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Genesco Inc. (NYSE:GCO) today reported earnings from continuing operations for the first quarter ended May 2, 2015, of $9.9 million, or $0.42 per diluted share, compared to earnings from continuing operations of $14.1 million, or $0.60 per diluted share, for the first quarter ended May 3, 2014.  Fiscal 2016 first quarter results reflect pretax items of $3.5 million, or $0.09 per share after tax, including $0.9 million of expenses related to deferred purchase price payments in connection with the acquisition of Schuh Group Limited, which are required to be expensed as compensation because the payment is contingent upon the payees' continued employment; and $2.6 million for network intrusion expenses, asset impairment charges and other legal matters.  Fiscal 2015 first quarter results reflected pretax items of $7.7 million, or $0.21 per share after tax, including $5.7 million related to a change in accounting for bonus awards; $3.1 million of expenses related to deferred purchase price payments in connection with the acquisition of Schuh Group Limited; and $2.0 million in network intrusion expenses, asset impairment charges and other legal matters, offset by a $3.1 million gain on a lease termination.

Adjusted for the items described above in both periods, earnings from continuing operations were $12.2 million, or $0.51 per diluted share, for the first quarter of Fiscal 2016, compared to earnings from continuing operations of $19.3 million, or $0.81 per diluted share, for the first quarter of Fiscal 2015.  For consistency with Fiscal 2016's previously announced earnings expectations and with previously reported adjusted results for the prior year period, the Company believes that the disclosure of the results from continuing operations adjusted for these items will be useful to investors. A reconciliation of earnings and earnings per share from continuing operations in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles with the adjusted earnings and earnings per share numbers presented in this paragraph is set forth on Schedule B to this press release.

Net sales for the first quarter of Fiscal 2016 increased 5% to $661 million from $629 million in the first quarter of Fiscal 2015.  Comparable sales in the first quarter 2016 increased 4% for the Company with a 5% increase in the Journeys Group, a 3% increase in the Lids Sports Group, a 4% increase in the Schuh Group, and a 3% increase in the Johnston & Murphy Group.

"Our first quarter results were generally in line with our expectations," said Robert J. Dennis, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Genesco. "Our recent performance reflects solid top-line growth, with positive comparable sales in all our retail businesses, led by Journeys, where comparable sales would have been even stronger if not for product delivery delays related to the West Coast port challenges.  The year-over-year decrease in earnings reflects expected gross margin pressure from planned actions to reduce inventories in the Lids Sports Group, the growth of businesses that are primarily second-half contributors, and expenses related to the growth of our e-commerce business. 

"The second quarter is off to a good start with comparable sales through Saturday, May 23, 2015 up 7% from the same period last year.

"While our year-to-date performance is tracking close to plan, we now believe that the Lids Sports Group's turnaround will involve additional gross margin pressure and more incremental expenses than we originally planned.  Therefore, we now expect Fiscal 2016 adjusted earnings per share in the range of $4.70 to $4.80, compared to Fiscal 2015's adjusted earnings per share of $4.74, and our previously announced range of $5.10 to $5.20 for Fiscal 2016. Consistent with previous guidance, these expectations do not include expected non-cash asset impairments and other charges, which are estimated in the range of $7.7 million to $8.2 million pretax, or $0.20 to $0.22 per share, after tax, in Fiscal 2016. This guidance assumes comparable sales increases in the 3% to 4% range for the full fiscal year." A reconciliation of the adjusted financial measures cited in the guidance to their corresponding measures as reported pursuant to U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles is included in Schedule B to this press release.

Conference Call and Management Commentary

The Company has posted detailed financial commentary in writing on its website, www.genesco.com, in the investor relations section. The Company's live conference call on May 29, 2015 at 7:30 a.m. (Central time), may be accessed through the Company's internet website, www.genesco.com. To listen live, please go to the website at least 15 minutes early to register, download and install any necessary software.

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements, including those regarding the performance outlook for the Company and its individual businesses (including, without limitation, sales, expenses, margins and earnings) and all other statements not addressing solely historical facts or present conditions. Actual results could vary materially from the expectations reflected in these statements. A number of factors could cause differences.  These include adjustments to estimates reflected in forward-looking statements, including the timing and costs of our initiatives to improve performance in the Lids Sports Group; the timing and amount of non-cash asset impairments related to retail store fixed assets or to intangible assets of acquired businesses; the effectiveness of our omnichannel initiatives; weakness in the consumer economy; competition in the Company's markets; inability of customers to obtain credit; fashion trends that affect the sales or product margins of the Company's retail product offerings; changes in buying patterns by significant wholesale customers; bankruptcies or deterioration in financial condition of significant wholesale customers; disruptions in product supply or distribution; unfavorable trends in fuel costs, foreign exchange rates, foreign labor and material costs, and other factors affecting the cost of products; the Company's ability to continue to complete and integrate acquisitions, expand its business and diversify its product base; changes in the timing of holidays or in the onset of seasonal weather affecting period-to-period sales comparisons; and the performance of athletic teams, the participants in major sporting events such as the Super Bowl and World Series, developments with respect to certain individual athletes, and other sports-related events or changes that may affect period-to-period comparisons in the Company's Lids Sports Group retail business. Additional factors that could affect the Company's prospects and cause differences from expectations include the ability to build, open, staff and support additional retail stores and to renew leases in existing stores and control occupancy costs, and to conduct required remodeling or refurbishment on schedule and at expected expense levels; deterioration in the performance of individual businesses or of the Company's market value relative to its book value, resulting in impairments of fixed assets or intangible assets or other adverse financial consequences; unexpected changes to the market for the Company's shares; variations from expected pension-related charges caused by conditions in the financial markets; and the cost and outcome of litigation, investigations and environmental matters involving the Company. Additional factors are cited in the "Risk Factors," "Legal Proceedings" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" sections of, and elsewhere in, our SEC filings, copies of which may be obtained from the SEC website, www.sec.gov, or by contacting the investor relations department of Genesco via our website, www.genesco.com. Many of the factors that will determine the outcome of the subject matter of this release are beyond Genesco's ability to control or predict. Genesco undertakes no obligation to release publicly the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Forward-looking statements reflect the expectations of the Company at the time they are made. The Company disclaims any obligation to update such statements.

About Genesco Inc.

Genesco Inc., a Nashville-based specialty retailer, sells footwear, headwear, sports apparel and accessories in more than 2,800 retail stores and leased departments throughout the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, principally under the names Journeys, Journeys Kidz, Shi by Journeys, Schuh, Schuh Kids, Lids, Locker Room by Lids, Lids Clubhouse, Johnston & Murphy, and on internet websites www.journeys.com, www.journeyskidz.com, www.shibyjourneys.com, www.schuh.co.uk, www.johnstonmurphy.com, www.lids.com, www.lids.ca, www.lidslockerroom.com, www.lidsteamsports.com, www.lidsclubhouse.com, www.trask.com, www.suregripfootwear.com  and www.dockersshoes.com.  The Company's Lids Sports Group division operates the Lids headwear stores, the Locker Room by Lids and other team sports fan shops and single team clubhouse stores, and the Lids Team Sports team dealer business.   In addition, Genesco sells wholesale footwear under its Johnston & Murphy brand, the Trask brand, the licensed Dockers brand, SureGrip, and other brands. For more information on Genesco and its operating divisions, please visit www.genesco.com.

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SOURCE Genesco Inc.

Financial Contact: Mimi Vaughn (615) 367-7386; Media Contact: Claire S. McCall (615) 367-8283