In fiscal 2007, we’ll explore alternatives for containing transaction
fees. We intend to meet our goals, so operations personnel should
again earn bonuses—but the wage increase should be a favorable
comparison with the fiscal 2006 increase.

You’ll remember that in the third quarter of fiscal 2005 our operating
expenses were inflated because we identified 36 underperforming
stores as impaired assets. Later, we reclassified those stores as
discontinued operations and predicted that in fiscal 2006 we would
receive a $0.03 per share gain from eliminating the stores and some
relief operationally by not trying to change the stores’ performance.
We gained the $0.03 and benefited from the operational relief.
By December 31, 2006, we had sold 27 of the discontinued stores
and closed the remaining 9.

“Investor relations is always a priority,” Walljasper commented.
“We want people to understand our company and know our story.
Once they do, we believe they will appreciate our potential.”

In the coming year, you can count on us to publish quarterly
progress toward our annual goals and post monthly same-store
sales data for our three business categories. Throughout fiscal 2007,
we expect our reports to be Casey’s most telling Mark of Distinction.