• Fourth quarter worldwide volume growth of 18 percent with double-digit increases in each of its six regions compared to the prior year period.
• Fourth quarter EPS of $1.05 increased 22 percent compared to the prior year.
• Raising FY’13 EPS guidance to a range of $4.45 to $4.65.
• Annual sales leader retention of approximately 51.8 percent.
• Repurchased 4.0 million shares of stock since December 31, 2012.
• Board of directors approved a $0.30 per share quarterly dividend.

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Herbalife Ltd. (NYSE: HLF) today reported fourth quarter net sales of $1.1 billion, reflecting an increase of 20 percent compared to the same time period in 2011 on volume point growth of 18 percent. Net income for the quarter of $117.8 million, or $1.05 per diluted share, compares to 2011 fourth quarter net income of $105.4 million and EPS of $0.86, respectively.

For the twelve months ended December 31, 2012, the company reported record net sales of $4.1 billion, an 18 percent increase on 20 percent growth in volume compared to 2011. For the same period, the company reported net income of $477.2 million, or $4.05 per diluted share, reflecting an increase of 16 percent and 23 percent, respectively, compared to the 2011 results of $412.6 million and $3.30 per diluted share.

“Herbalife continues to deliver record results in sales and profitability as our independent distributors go deeper into existing markets, developing more and more customers using our nutrition products every day,” said Michael O. Johnson, Herbalife’s chairman and CEO. “Obesity and poor nutrition are global public health problems. Our distributors are proud to be part of the solution.”

For the year ended December 31, 2012 the company generated cash flow from operations of $567.8 million, an increase of 11 percent compared to 2011; paid dividends of $135.1 million; invested $122.8 million in capital expenditures; and repurchased $527.8 million in common shares outstanding under our share repurchase program.

Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2012 Regional Key Metrics^1,2

Regional Volume Point and Average Active Sales Leader Metrics

2012 Annual Sales Leader Requalification

By the end of January of each year, sales leaders are required to re-qualify to retain their sales leader status. A record number of sales leaders were retained in 2012. The overall pool of sales leaders needing to re-qualify increased by approximately 21% compared to the prior year and we retained 20% more of them than in the prior year. While size of the group needing to re-qualify increased for the year, our overall retention rate remained fairly constant at 51.8%.

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¹Supplemental tables that include additional business metrics can be found at http://www.ir.herbalife.com.

²Worldwide Average Active Sales Leaders may not equal the sum of the Average Active Sales Leaders in each region due to the calculation being an average of Sales Leaders active in a period, not a summation, and the fact that some sales leaders are active in more than one region but are counted only once in the worldwide amount.

Updated 2013 Guidance

Guidance for fully diluted 2013 EPS is based on the average daily exchange rates of January 2013, which in aggregate are not materially different from the foreign currency exchange rates assumed in our prior guidance. Our 2013 guidance continues to assume a Venezuelan exchange rate of 10 to 1. The guidance does not include the one-time impact associated with the revaluation of our bolivar denominated monetary assets and monetary liabilities, which includes our bolivar denominated cash, due to the recent devaluation of the Venezuelan bolivar, or any potential one-time impact from a future devaluation or the repatriation of existing cash balances. Guidance for the year also excludes one-time costs of $10 million to $20 million, mostly legal and advisory services, relating to the Company’s response to information put into the marketplace by a short seller which information the Company believes to be inaccurate and misleading.

Based on current business trends the company’s first quarter fiscal 2013 and fiscal 2013 guidance is provided below.

Announces Quarterly Dividend

The company reported today that its board of directors has approved a dividend of $0.30 per share to shareholders of record March 5, 2013, payable on March 19, 2013.

Share Repurchase Program Update

Subsequent to December 31, 2012, the company has repurchased 4.0 million shares at an average cost of $40.61. There is currently $787.6 million remaining on the existing $1 billion share repurchase authorization.

Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2012 Earnings Conference Call

Herbalife senior management will host an investor conference call to discuss its recent financial results and provide an update on current business trends on Wednesday, February 20, 2013 at 8 a.m. PST (11 a.m. EST).

The dial-in number for this conference call for domestic callers is (877) 317-1296 and (706) 634-5671 for international callers (conference ID 90082326). Live audio of the conference call will be simultaneously webcast in the investor relations section of the company's website at http://ir.herbalife.com.

An audio replay will be available following the completion of the conference call in MP3 format or by dialing (855) 859-2056 for domestic callers or (404) 537-3406 for international callers (conference ID 90082326). The webcast of the teleconference will be archived and available on Herbalife's website.

About Herbalife Ltd.

Herbalife Ltd. (NYSE:HLF) is a global nutrition company that sells weight-management, nutrition, and personal care products intended to support a healthy lifestyle.Herbalife products are sold in over 80 countries through and to a network of independent distributors. The company supports the Herbalife Family Foundation and its Casa Herbalife program to help bring good nutrition to children. Herbalife's website contains a significant amount of information about Herbalife, including financial and other information for investors at http://ir.Herbalife.com. The company encourages investors to visit its website from time to time, as information is updated and new information is posted.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Although we believe that the expectations reflected in any of our forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results could differ materially from those projected or assumed in any of our forward-looking statements. Our future financial condition and results of operations, as well as any forward-looking statements, are subject to change and to inherent risks and uncertainties, such as those disclosed or incorporated by reference in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Important factors that could cause our actual results, performance and achievements, or industry results to differ materially from estimates or projections contained in our forward-looking statements include, among others, the following:

• any collateral impact resulting from the ongoing worldwide financial environment including the availability of liquidity to us, our customers and our suppliers or the willingness of our customers to purchase products in a difficult economic environment;

• our relationship with, and our ability to influence the actions of, our distributors;

• improper action by our employees or distributors in violation of applicable law;

• adverse publicity associated with our products or network marketing organization, including our ability to comfort the marketplace and regulators regarding our compliance with applicable laws;

• changing consumer preferences and demands;

• our reliance upon, or the loss or departure of any member of, our senior management team which could negatively impact our distributor relations and operating results;

• the competitive nature of our business;

• regulatory matters governing our products, including potential governmental or regulatory actions concerning the safety or efficacy of our products and network marketing program, including the direct selling market in which we operate;

• legal challenges to our network marketing program;

• risks associated with operating internationally and the effect of economic factors, including foreign exchange, inflation, disruptions or conflicts with our third party importers, pricing and currency devaluation risks, especially in countries such as Venezuela;

• uncertainties relating to the application of transfer pricing, duties, value added taxes, and other tax regulations, and changes thereto;

• uncertainties relating to interpretation and enforcement of legislation in China governing direct selling;

• our inability to obtain the necessary licenses to expand our direct selling business in China;

• adverse changes in the Chinese economy, Chinese legal system or Chinese governmental policies;

• our dependence on increased penetration of existing markets;

• contractual limitations on our ability to expand our business;

• our reliance on our information technology infrastructure and outside manufacturers;

• the sufficiency of trademarks and other intellectual property rights;

• product concentration;

• changes in tax laws, treaties or regulations, or their interpretation;

• taxation relating to our distributors;

• product liability claims;

• whether we will purchase any of our shares in the open markets or otherwise; and

• share price volatility related to, among other things, speculative trading and certain traders shorting our common shares.

We do not undertake any obligation to update or release any revisions to any forward-looking statement or to report any events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS:

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

SCHEDULE A: RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
(unaudited), (Dollars in Thousand, Except Per Share Data)

In addition to its reported results, the Company has included in the tables below adjusted results that the Securities and Exchange Commission defines as “non-GAAP financial measures.” Management believes that such non-GAAP financial measures, when read in conjunction with the Company’s reported results, can provide useful supplemental information for investor in analyzing period to period comparisons of the Company’s results.

The following is a reconciliation of net income and diluted earnings per share, presented and reported in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, to net income adjusted for certain items:

The following is a reconciliation of diluted earnings per share, presented and reported in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, to diluted earnings per share adjusted for certain items:

The following is a reconciliation of total long-term debt to net debt:

Media Contact:
Barbara Henderson
SVP, Worldwide Corp. Comm.
213.745.0517
or
Investor Contact:
Amy Greene
VP, Investor Relations
213.745.0474

Source: Herbalife Ltd.

Released Feb 19, 2013 • 4:30pm EST