PENNSAUKEN, NJ. — J&J Snack Foods sustained a loss of $12.65 million in the quarter ended June 27, which compared with net income of $30.87 million, or $1.64 per share on the common stock, in the previous year’s third quarter. The company recorded an impairment charge of $5.1 million in the quarter related to the closing of a manufacturing facility in the Midwest. J&J Snack said it expects to reduce manufacturing overhead and distribution costs by about $7 million to $8 million annually as a result of the plant closing.
Net sales decreased 34% in the third quarter to $214.56 million, down from $326.7 million in the same period a year ago.
“Although we had an operating loss this quarter, we progressed nicely with each month improving from the prior month,” said Dan Fachner, president of J&J Snack Foods. “Our retail division was strong as that end of the business continues to outperform the previous year. Much of the foodservice locations are slow to open, but we continue to see improvement during our current quarter. We are monitoring and making necessary adjustments to operations and expenses both for the short term and for the longer term.”
J&J Snack Foods sustained an operating loss of $18.24 million in its foodservice segment in the third quarter, which compared with income of $21.03 million in the same period a year ago. Sales decreased 40% to $116.62 million from $193.36 million. Within the foodservice division, sales of bakery products were $69.24 million, down 23% from $90.08 million the previous year, while sales of churros fell 62% to $7.32 million from $18.89 million, and sales of soft pretzels also dropped 62% to $21.38 million from $55.87 million.
In the retail supermarket segment in the third quarter, operating income was $7.91 million, up 110% from $3.78 million in the previous year’s third quarter. Sales rose 38% to $57.5 million from $41.77 million. Within the retail supermarket segment, sales of soft pretzels increased 74% to $12.72 million from $7.29 million. Sales of frozen juices and teas increased 26% to $33.32 million from $26.52 million, and sales of handheld items rose narrowly to $3.26 million from $3.06 million.
In the frozen beverages segment, J&J Snack sustained a loss of $9.09 million, which compared with operating income of $14.24 million, and sales decreased 56% to $40.44 million from $91.58 million.
Companywide, net earnings for the nine-month period ended June 27 were $11.72 million, or 62¢ per share on the common stock, down sharply from $68.75 million, or $3.64 per share, in the same time of the previous year. Nine-month net sales decreased 12% to $769.5 million from $874.62 million.