American Woodmark falters in the fourth quarter

Winchester, Va.-based American Woodmark saw earnings falter in the fourth quarter on declining new construction sales as well as lower remodeling sales.

Net income fell to $36,000 from $6.18 million in last year’s fourth quarter. Sales fell 14 percent to $143.3 million from $166.1 million in the same period last year.

The manufacturer saw a decline in gross profit margin, primarily due to the “unfavorable impact of inefficiencies in labor, overhead and freight costs stemming from lower sales volumes, as well as the impact of rising fuel prices upon freight and materials costs,” according to a statement.

For the full year, earnings fell 86.9 percent to $4.27 million from $32.56 million in 2006.

Sales were down 20.8 percent in 2007, to $602.4 million from $760.9 million in the prior year.

American Woodmark manufactures and distributes kitchen cabinets and vanities through 14 manufacturing facilities and nine service centers in the United States.