Cal-Maine Foods - CALM - Continued growth in sales for the second quarter of fiscal 2013

Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ: CALM) announced results for the second quarter and six months ended December 1, 2012.

Net sales for the second quarter of fiscal 2013 were $328.9 million compared with net sales of $290.4 million for the same quarter of fiscal 2012. The Company reported net income of $14.3 million, or $0.60 per basic share, for the second quarter of fiscal 2013 compared with net income of $23.3 million, or $0.97 per basic share, for the second quarter of fiscal 2012.

For the first six months of fiscal 2013, net sales were $601.8 million compared with net sales of $534.2 million for the prior-year period. The Company reported net income of $23.7 million, or $0.99 per basic share, for the first half of fiscal 2013 compared with net income of $26.4 million, or $1.11 per basic share, for the year-earlier period.

Dolph Baker, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Cal-Maine Foods, Inc., stated, “We are pleased with the continued growth in sales for the second quarter of fiscal 2013; however, our operating results also reflect challenging market conditions and increased input costs. The higher sales reflect a 9.1 percent growth in dozens sold and a 4.0 percent increase in average selling prices compared with the second quarter of fiscal 2012. Our specialty egg sales accounted for 16.4 percent of dozens sold and 22.9 percent of total shell egg sales revenue for the quarter. Specialty eggs are an important area of focus for Cal-Maine Food’s growth strategy as they continue to gain popularity with consumers looking for healthy choices, and have higher and less cyclical retail selling prices. Specialty egg prices were up 4.8 percent in the second quarter of fiscal 2013 compared with the same period last year.

For the second quarter of fiscal 2013, Cal-Maine Foods (CALM) will pay a cash dividend of approximately $0.199 per share to holders of its common and Class A common stock. The amount paid could vary slightly based on the amount of outstanding shares on the record date. The dividend is payable February 14, 2013, to shareholders of record on January 30, 2013.

About Cal-Maine Foods - CALM

Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. (CALM) is primarily engaged in the production, grading, packing and sale of fresh shell eggs, including conventional, cage-free, organic and nutritionally-enhanced eggs. CALM, which is headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi, is the largest producer and distributor of fresh shell eggs in the United States and sells the majority of its shell eggs in approximately 29 states across the southwestern, southeastern, mid-western and mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.