Columbia Sportswear Company reported unaudited consolidated earnings results for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2009. For the quarter, the company reported income before income tax of $66,056,000 compared to $84,929,000 reported a year ago. For the nine months, the company reported income from operations of $60,245,000, income before income tax of $62,044,000 and net income of $43,935,000 or $1.29 per diluted share on net sales of $885,707,000 compared to income from operations of $106,284,000, income before income tax of $112,674,000 and net income of $76,490,000 or $2.19 per diluted share on net sales of $962,925,000 for the same period a year ago. Net cash provided by operating activities was $82,000 compared to $5,489,000 reported a year ago. Capital expenditures were $24,681,000 compared to $32,860,000 reported a year ago.

Columbia Sportswear Company reported earnings results for the third quarter of 2009. For the quarter, consolidated sales, while still down 4% from last year's Q3, were more than $30 million above the outlook gave in July 2009. Third quarter sales decreased 4% to $434.5 million with changes in foreign currency exchange rates contributing 1 percentage point of that decrease. Sales on a regional basis compared with Q3 2008, US sales decreased 1% to $267.4 million. This decrease reflected a mid-single digit decline in US wholesale business, due in part to the liquidation or reorganization of several wholesale customers. Operating income for the third quarter of 2009 was $65.7 million or 15.1% of sales compared to operating income of $83.1 million or 18.4% of sales for the comparable quarter in 2008. Net income for the third quarter of 2009 was $46.9 million or $1.38 per diluted share compared to net income of $58.3 million or $1.69 per diluted share for the third quarter of 2008. During the third quarter of 2009, the company used $83 million in cash for operations. The company spent $15.4 million on capital expenditures, paid $5.4 million in dividends and repurchased $4.8 million in stock. Depreciation and amortization expense for the quarter was $9.1 million versus $7.8 million in last year's third quarter. The company announced the Columbia Board of Directors approved the fourth quarter dividend of $0.18 per share, an increase of $0.02 per share or 12.5%. The company increased outlook for the remainder of 2009. With that as a backdrop, the company currently expects full year 2009 sales to decline approximately 8% to 9% compared to 2008. The company expects full year operating margin to decline approximately 300 basis points from 2008 including the $24.7 million impairment charge recorded in the fourth quarter of 2008. 2009 capital spending is currently planned at approximately $45 million to $50 million compared to $54 million for 2008 with approximately $30 million of that related to retail expansion including e-commerce and modest investments in Japan and Korea and approximately $20 million related to maintenance and infrastructure projects. Looking specifically at fourth quarter of 2009, the company expects sales to contract in the high single digit percentage range, operating margin to expand by approximately 50 basis points from fourth quarter of 2008 which included a $24.7 million impairment charge. The company expects gross margins in fourth quarter to be essentially flat to fourth quarter of 2008 with anticipated gross margin improvements in the US business offset by gross margin contraction in international wholesale businesses due to unfavorable currency hedge rates in Canada and more promotional activity in Japan and Korea to liquidate inventories in those regions.

Columbia Sportswear Company has chosen a site in the Sendlingerstrasse near the famous Marienplatz in Munich to house its third European Columbia-branded store, expected to open in December 2009. The new store, which will occupy 450 square meters, will present the company's Columbia brand outdoor apparel, equipment and footwear and Sorel brand footwear to millions of outdoor enthusiasts who live in Germany. Sendlingerstrasse is one of the developing shopping streets within Munich, with approximately 50,000 people visiting each day. City planners and developers are working together to turn a portion of the street into a pedestrian-only shopping area within the next three years. Sendlingerstrasse and the surrounding area currently feature stores owned by Columbia's key customers and competitors, as well as other famous consumer brands such as Starbucks and Apple. Columbia's planned Munich store follows the opening of branded stores in Frankfurt and London in August and September, respectively, as part of the company's strategy to establish a network of branded stores in key metropolitan markets around the world to drive consumer demand by elevating the presentation of its complementary outdoor brands.