LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwire - Feb 13, 2013) -  Overhill Farms, Inc. (NYSE MKT: [ OFI ]) today reported revenues of $49.9 million, and net income of $331,000, or $0.02 per basic and diluted common share, for the first quarter of fiscal year 2013, which ended December 30, 2012.

This compares to revenues of $47.5 million and net income of $1.1 million, or $0.07 per basic and diluted common share, for the first quarter of fiscal year 2012, which ended January 1, 2012.

James Rudis, the Company's Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "While we are pleased to report increased revenues and profitable operation in a market environment that continues to be extremely challenging, we recognize the necessity to expedite our efforts to move gross margins back toward historic levels."

"After several months of operational review and planning, we have launched a number of initiatives aimed at improving profitability, and are planning additional measures that we believe could be favorable to gross margins."

"Within the last month we have implemented product and promotional strategies to improve margins on our Boston Market line. We believe these changes should significantly increase margins for the brand over the next 12 months."

To improve its margins on its private label and foodservice products, Mr. Rudis said, the Company is currently negotiating price increases with customers as contracts renew, particularly for meals whose components have increased in cost significantly. "We believe that reasonable price increases are obtainable even in this highly competitive retail environment," he said.

In addition, Mr. Rudis said, "We have been working closely with our key customers to re-launch or replace low-margin products and items that have not met sales expectations." The Company recently received final approval to refresh a substantial portion of one customer's line of private label frozen foods, he noted.

The Company has negotiated significantly improved prices for ingredients and packaging with several suppliers, and is continuing to seek further cost reductions. "We are also looking at all of our products to see if cost savings can be achieved by outsourcing meal components we currently make or, conversely, by making components we now buy from others," Mr. Rudis said.

The Company is proceeding with a number of relatively low-cost, short-payback improvements for both of its manufacturing plants which will increase efficiency and capacity, and reduce labor costs, Mr. Rudis said.

To build on its success with the Boston Market line, the Company is seeking additional licensing agreements and is considering another brand that does not compete with the Boston Market line and could be complementary with it, Mr. Rudis said.

The Company is evaluating its sales and distribution agreement with Bellisio Foods, and possible alternatives, as it approaches the end of the agreement's current term, Mr. Rudis noted.

Mr. Rudis also stated that, in conjunction with its investment banking firm Piper Jaffray, it is reviewing a potential transaction. "We are currently engaged in discussions with an outside party. At this point it is not clear whether any transaction will occur, and the management team continues to operate the Company focused on its long-term growth," he said.

Retail net revenues for the first fiscal quarter of 2013 decreased by $2.7 million, or (8.3%) to $29.9 million, from the $32.6 million for the first quarter of fiscal year 2012, due primarily to reduced sales to Jenny Craig, Inc., Safeway Inc. and other retail accounts of $3.4 million, $1.0 million and $900,000, respectively. The decreases were partially offset by increased revenues from Boston Market products of $2.6 million.

Foodservice net revenues increased by $5.0 million, or 33.3%, to $20.0 million for the first quarter of fiscal year 2013 from $15.0 million for the first quarter of fiscal year 2012, due primarily to increased sales volume to Panda Restaurant Group of $6.4 million, offset by decreased airline and other (non-Panda) foodservice customer net revenues of $627,000 and $773,000, respectively.

Gross profit for the first quarter of fiscal year 2013 decreased by $1.2 million, or 25.5%, to $3.5 million from $4.7 million for the first quarter of fiscal year 2012, due largely to a shift in product mix, less favorable commodity prices, and increased freight and storage expense primarily related to shipments for Boston Market products.

Gross profit as a percentage of net revenues for the first quarter of fiscal year 2013 was 7.1% of net sales, compared to 9.9% for the first quarter of fiscal year 2012.

Conference Call

The Company will host a conference call on February 14, 2013, at 8:30 a.m. Pacific time (11:30 a.m. Eastern time). Shareholders and investment professionals can participate by dialing 877-407-9210. A webcast of accompanying slides will be at [ www.investorcalendar.com/IC/CEPage.asp?ID=170596 ].

About Overhill Farms

Overhill Farms, Inc. ([ www.OverhillFarms.com ]) is a value-added supplier of custom high quality prepared frozen foods for branded retail, private label and foodservice customers. Its product line includes entrées, plated meals, bulk-packed meal components, pastas, soups, sauces, poultry, meat and fish specialties, as well as organic and vegetarian offerings. The Company's capabilities give its customers a one-stop solution for new product development, precise replication of existing recipes, product manufacturing and packaging. Its customers include prominent nationally recognized names such as Panda Restaurant Group, Inc., Jenny Craig, Inc., Safeway Inc., Target Corporation, Pinnacle Foods Group LLC, and American Airlines, Inc. The Company also sells frozen foods under the Boston Market brand, under exclusive license with Boston Market Corporation.

This news release contains disclosures that are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations or beliefs and include, but are not limited to, statements about the Company's operations and financial performance and condition and statements regarding expectations of continued or increased sales volumes and revenues, margins, profitability, production efficiencies and expansions, anticipated freight and storage costs, cash flows and growth, anticipated amounts and timing of growth in the Company's customer base and business in the foodservice and retail market sectors, revenue growth from new customers, expectations concerning the Company's Boston Market line, contemplated or potential acquisitions or similar transactions and general economic pressures. For this purpose, statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements which are predictive in nature, which depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, or which include words such as "continue," "efforts," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "projects," "forecasts," "strategy," "will," "potential," "may," "goal," "target," "prospects," "optimistic," "confident," "likely," "probable," "hope," "should," "growth," "opportunities" or similar expressions. In addition, any statements concerning future financial performance (including future revenues, earnings or growth rates), on-going business strategies or prospects, and possible future company actions, which may be provided by management, are also forward-looking statements. The Company cautions that these statements by their nature involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially depending on a variety of important factors, including, among others: the Company's and other parties' ability to satisfy conditions precedent to proposed transactions, including, without limitation, obtaining any applicable regulatory and stockholder approvals; the impact of competitive products and pricing; fulfillment by suppliers of existing raw material contracts; market conditions that may affect the costs and/or availability of raw materials and the Company's ability to obtain favorable long-term purchase commitments for raw materials, and of fuels, energy, logistics and labor as well as the market for the Company's products, including customers' ability to pay and consumer demand; changes in business environment, including actions of competitors and changes in customer preferences, as well as disruptions to customers' businesses; certifications obtained by competitors; seasonality in the retail category; loss of key customers due to competitive environment or production being moved in-house by customers; natural disasters that can impact, among other things, costs of fuel and raw materials; the occurrence of acts of terrorism, such as the events of September 11, 2001, or acts of war; changes in governmental laws and regulations; change in control due to takeover or other significant changes in ownership; financial viability and resulting effect on revenues and collectability of accounts receivable of customers during deep recessionary periods; ability to obtain additional financing as and when needed, and rising costs of credit that may be associated with new borrowings; voluntary or government-mandated food recalls; and other factors as may be discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2012, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 30, 2012, and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.