Watsco Achieves Record First Quarter Results

Watsco, Inc. (NYSE:WSO) today reported record results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2014. Watsco also announced that its Board of Directors has approved a 50% increase in the Company’s annual dividend to $2.40 per share.

Key performance metrics:

• Revenues increased 7% to a record $763 million
• Gross profit margin increased 10 basis-points
• SG&A decreased 30 basis-points as a percentage of sales
• Operating margins expanded 40 basis-points
• Earnings per diluted share climbed 23% to a record 48 cents
• Record first quarter operating cash flow

Revenues trends:

• HVAC equipment (62% of sales) increased 8%
• Non-equipment HVAC products (33% of sales) increased 5%
• Commercial refrigeration products (5% of sales) increased 2%

Albert H. Nahmad, Watsco’s President & Chief Executive Officer stated: “Watsco delivered another solid quarter of performance driven by sales growth, higher selling margins and improved operating efficiencies. We experienced healthy demand for residential products in the United States, which grew 13%, from strong unit growth and a better sales mix of high efficiency systems. We are off to a strong start and believe 2014 will be a record year for our company.”

Mr. Nahmad added, "We are also pleased to increase Watsco’s dividend to an annual rate of $2.40 per share beginning in July, well ahead of schedule. As evidenced by our long-term track record, we have great confidence in our business to produce both meaningful earnings growth and cash flow that exceeds net income. It is always our intention to share cash flow through increasing dividends. Having said that, we also want to retain the ability to invest in our network and additional opportunities that may come our way.”

It is important to note that the first quarter of each calendar year is the seasonal low point for sales and profits due to the magnitude of the replacement market for air conditioning, heating and refrigeration systems during the second and third quarters of each calendar year. Accordingly, the Company's first quarter financial results are disproportionately affected by this seasonality and the overall general economic conditions.

Conference Call

Watsco is hosting a conference call at 10:00 a.m. (EDT) on April 17, 2014 to discuss its first quarter results. The conference call will be web-cast by CCBN's StreetEvents at http://www.watsco.com. A replay of the conference call will be available on the Company's website. For those unable to connect to the webcast, you may listen via telephone. The dial-in number for callers in the United States is (866) 652-5200 and for international callers is (412) 317-6060.

About Watsco, Inc.

Watsco improves indoor living and working environments with air conditioning and heating solutions that provide comfort regardless of the outdoor climate. Our solutions also promote healthier indoor spaces by removing pollutants from the indoor air that can lead to asthma, allergies and reductions in productivity. Furthermore, since heating and cooling accounts for approximately half of the energy consumed in a typical United States home, we offer consumers the greatest opportunity to save money on energy by replacing existing air conditioning and heating systems with more energy efficient and environmentally friendly solutions.

There are approximately 89 million central air conditioning and heating systems installed in the United States that have been in service for more than 10 years. Older systems often operate below today’s government mandated energy efficiency and environmental standards. Watsco has an opportunity to accelerate the replacement of these systems at a scale greater than our competitors as the movement toward reducing energy consumption and its environmental impact continues. We operate from 568 locations in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico, with additional market coverage on an export basis to Latin America and the Caribbean. As the industry leader, significant growth potential remains given that the estimated marketplace in the Americas for HVAC/R products is $35 billion. Additional information about Watsco may be found at http://www.watsco.com.

This document includes certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may differ materially from these expectations due to changes in economic, business, competitive market, new housing starts and completions, capital spending in commercial construction, consumer spending and debt levels, regulatory and other factors, including, without limitation, the effects of supplier concentration, competitive conditions within Watsco’s industry, seasonal nature of sales of Watsco’s products, the ability of the Company to expand its business, insurance coverage risks and final GAAP adjustments. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statement was made. Watsco assumes no obligation to update forward-looking information to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking information. Detailed information about these factors and additional important factors can be found in the documents that Watsco files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, such as Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and Form 8-K.