<p style="text-indent:0px; line-height:12px;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Coral Gables, FL -</span><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">By ANUK Staff<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">2.20.13</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><img src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacyWriterImages/delmontefinancialsban021913.jpg" alt="Images 021913" /></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. has reported financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 28, 2012.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Gross profits for the year increased from $319.5 million in 2011 to $341.7 million. The increase was largely due to higher selling prices in the company’s non-banana fresh produce segment coupled with increased efficiencies in the company’s global logistics network. Gains were partially offset by unfavorable foreign exchange rates.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Gross profits for the fourth quarter 2012 increased from $30.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2011 to $38.5 million. Excluding asset impairment and other charges and credits, gross profit was $38.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2012, compared with $28.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2011<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">For the full year 2012, the company reported a $168.5 million decrease in net sales from the prior year to $3.4 billion in 2012. The decrease is attributable to lower net sales volume in the company's banana segment in Northern Europe and markets in the Middle East.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Net sales for the fourth quarter of 2012 decreased from $780.8 million in 2011 to $776.9 million, also due to lower net sales in the banana segment of the company, which was partially offset by increased sales in other segments.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">"We are pleased to report a very solid performance for 2012, with a significant increase in profitability," said Mohammad Abu-Ghazaleh, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Throughout the year, we continued to build long-term shareholder value through new and innovative delivery channels, increasing our global brand awareness, with a disciplined focus on cost-reduction and efficiency improvements across our organization.” </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href=" http://www.freshdelmonte.com/" target="_new"> Del Monte</a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
