Molson Coors Reports Second Quarter 2008 Financial Results

Cost of goods sold per barrel in the U.S. business increased by 4.9 percent in the second quarter, due primarily to increased fuel prices and packaging material costs. Marketing, general and administrative expense increased 6.6 percent during the quarter, driven by increased sales and marketing investments and higher incentive compensation related to strong business performance.

United Kingdom Business

The U.K. business reported underlying pretax income of $21.5 million in the second quarter of 2008 compared to $40.5 million in the same quarter last year. The decrease is primarily due to higher input inflation, higher pension costs and lower volumes. During the second quarter, the U.K. beer industry continued to suffer from weakening economic conditions, smoking bans, and accelerating commodity and materials inflation.

Despite the economic climate, the U.K. business gained market share in both the on-premise and off-premise channels in the second quarter. U.K. owned brand volumes decreased 2.6 percent in the quarter. The U.K. business increased volume in the off-premise channel by 6 percent, while volumes in the on-premise channel declined 9 percent.

U.K. net sales per barrel in local currency increased 3.4 percent during the quarter, driven by the 2007 acquisition of the Camerons on-premise distribution business. Comparable owned-brand net sales per barrel increased 0.6 percent due to higher on-premise pricing.

Cost of goods sold per barrel in local currency increased 11.9 percent in the second quarter, due primarily to higher Camerons factored brand sales, energy and materials cost inflation, and higher pension expense. Nearly half of this increase was due to Camerons and other factored brand sales. Marketing, general and administrative expense decreased 0.8 percent in local currency.

Global Markets and Corporate

Marketing, general and administrative expenses for Global Markets and Corporate decreased 6.1 percent to $35.1 million in the second quarter 2008, which includes $25.9 million in Corporate general and administrative expenses. Net interest expense was $26.0 million in the second quarter 2008, a decrease of $1.8 million compared to a year ago. The underlying pretax loss for Global Markets and Corporate was $57.1 million, a 3.4 percent improvement from the second quarter of 2007. Foreign exchange movements increased the Global Markets and Corporate pretax loss by $5 million due to higher interest and other corporate expense.

Special and Other One-Time Items

During the second quarter 2008 the Company reported net special charges of $103.9 million, due to four factors:

- Planning, integration and employee retention costs of $33 million related to MillerCoors;

- Transition costs of $12 million to outsource the Company's shared services to a third-party supplier;

- $8 million of various other charges;

- A $51 million non-cash impairment of the intangible asset related to the Molson brands sold in the United States.

Molson brands that are marketed and sold in the U.S. by Coors Brewing Company have been declining in recent years. Most recently, increases in packaging and freight costs on imported products, combined with continued volume declines, have significantly impacted the overall profitability of the brands in the U.S. While management continues to believe that the Molson brands play an important role in the MillerCoors brand portfolio, it was determined that the value of the intangible brand asset has been impaired. The Company therefore recognized a $50.6 million non-cash charge in the second quarter to reduce the carrying value of the Molson brands in the U.S.