January 8, 2016 - 6:30 AM EST
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AZZ Inc. Reports Financial Results for the Third Quarter of Fiscal Year 2016

Third Quarter Fiscal 2016 EPS of $0.91, up 18.2% compared to $0.77 in Fiscal 2015 Third Quarter Revenues of $242.4 million, up $17.6 million or 7.8% over Fiscal 2015 Third Quarter Operating Margin reported at 15.0% compared to 14.6% in Fiscal 2015 AZZ Narrows Previously Announced Fiscal Year 2016 Earnings and Revenue Guidance of EPS to $2.90 - $3.10 and Sales of $890 - $915 million

FORT WORTH, Texas, Jan. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- AZZ Inc. (NYSE: AZZ), a global provider of galvanizing services, welding solutions, specialty electrical equipment and highly engineered services to the power generation, transmission, distribution and industrial markets today announced financial results for the three month and nine month periods ended November 30, 2015.

Management Discussion

Tom Ferguson, president and chief executive officer of AZZ Inc., commented, "Financial results for the third quarter were solid, as we achieved double-digit net income and EPS growth. The strategic investment in our Energy Segment to improve our sales team and our technology to provide our customers innovative solutions continues to gain traction and drive profitability.  Our WSI specialty welding business continues to penetrate and gain market share in the global markets that we serve.  Quoting activity for the quarter was strong, and the current backlog in our Energy Segment remains solid." 

Mr. Ferguson continued, "In the Galvanizing Service Segment, the market continued to present some challenges in the Gulf Coast region from lower oil prices, but we are gaining strength in other sectors to partially compensate, including bridge and highway and electric utilities.  Internally, we continue to integrate the recently acquired U.S. Galvanizing operations, and are on track to meet our operational performance expectations for the acquired plants. During the third quarter we continued to improve processes and invested in various maintenance items and production equipment for a successful integration. We have completed the construction of our newest hot-dip galvanizing plant in Reno, Nevada and as of this week are fully operational."

Mr. Ferguson concluded, "I continue to believe that fiscal 2016 will finish well and we are narrowing our guidance for fiscal 2016 EPS to the range of $2.90 to $3.10 per diluted share and revenues in the range of $890 million to $915 million, compared to our previously issued guidance of EPS in the range of $2.85 to $3.30 per diluted share and revenues in the range of $900 million to $940 million. We remain confident in our global opportunities and look forward to a solid fiscal 2016 and beyond."

Third Quarter Results

Revenues for the third quarter of fiscal 2016 were $242.4 million compared to $224.8 million for the same quarter last year, an increase of 7.8%. Net income for the third quarter increased 17.9% to $23.5 million, or $0.91 per diluted share, compared to net income of $20.0 million, or $0.77 per diluted share, for the third fiscal quarter of last year.

Earnings for the third quarter of fiscal 2016 reflected a gross margin of 25.8% compared to 27.0% in the third quarter of fiscal 2015.  This decrease is attributable to the acquisition of U.S. Galvanizing during the second quarter of fiscal 2016.

SG&A expense as a percentage of sales was 10.7%, a decrease from 12.4% in the prior fiscal year as a result of our continued entity wide focus on operating efficiencies and prior year realignment efforts.  As a result, operating margins improved to 15.0% compared to 14.6% in the third quarter of fiscal 2015.

Additionally the effective tax rate was reduced to 28.0% in the current quarter compared to 30.4% in the third quarter of the prior year primarily as a result of capturing certain state tax benefits.

Incoming orders for the third quarter of fiscal 2016 were $228.7 million while shipments for the third quarter totaled $242.4 million, resulting in a book to ship ratio of 94%.  In the third quarter of last year incoming orders were $196.1 million, resulting in a book to ship ratio of 87%. Our backlog at the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2016 was $324.4 million, an increase of 8.0% compared to backlog at the end of the prior year third quarter of $300.3 million. Approximately 33% of the backlog is scheduled to be delivered outside the U.S.

Energy Segment

Revenues for the Energy Segment for the third quarter of fiscal 2016 were $136.0 million as compared to $130.1 million for the same quarter last year, increasing 4.6%.  Operating income for the Energy Segment increased by $2.4 million or 14.3% to $18.8 million compared $16.5 million in the same period last year. Operating margins for the third quarter were 13.9% as compared to 12.7% in the prior year period.

Galvanizing Services Segment

Revenues for the Galvanizing Services Segment for the third quarter were $106.4 million, compared to the $94.8 million in the same period last year, an increase of 12.3% primarily due to the positive impact of the acquisition of U.S. Galvanizing during the second quarter of fiscal 2016.  Operating income increased 4.8% to $24.3 million as compared to $23.2 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2015. Operating margins for the third quarter were 22.8%, compared to 24.4% in the same period last year.

Conference Call

AZZ Inc. will conduct a conference call to review the financial results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2016 at 11:00 a.m. ET on Friday, January 8, 2016. Interested parties can access the conference call by dialing (844) 855-9499 or (412) 317-5497 (international). The call will be webcast via the Internet at http://www.azz.com/investor-relations.  A replay of the call will be available for three days at (877) 344-7529 or (412) 317-0088 (international), confirmation #10077749, or for 30 days at http://www.azz.com/investor-relations.

About AZZ Inc.

AZZ Inc. is a global provider of galvanizing services, welding solutions, specialty electrical equipment and highly engineered services to the markets of power generation, transmission, distribution and industrial in protecting metal and electrical systems used to build and enhance the world's infrastructure. AZZ Galvanizing is a leading provider of metal finishing solutions for corrosion protection, including hot dip galvanizing to the North American steel fabrication industry. AZZ Energy is dedicated to delivering safe and reliable transmission of power from generation sources to end customers, and automated weld overlay solutions for corrosion and erosion mitigation to critical infrastructure in the energy markets worldwide.

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain statements herein about our expectations of future events or results constitute forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as, "may," "should," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "potential," "continue," or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Such forward-looking statements are based on currently available competitive, financial and economic data and management's views and assumptions regarding future events. Such forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and investors must recognize that actual results may differ from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. This release may contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, changes in customer demand and response to products and services offered by AZZ, including demand by the power generation markets, electrical transmission and distribution markets, the industrial markets, and the hot dip galvanizing markets; prices and raw material cost, including zinc and natural gas which are used in the hot dip galvanizing process; changes in the political stability and economic conditions of the various markets that AZZ serves, foreign and domestic, customer requested delays of shipments, acquisition opportunities, currency exchange rates, adequacy of financing, and availability of experienced management and employees to implement AZZ's growth strategy. AZZ has provided additional information regarding risks associated with the business in AZZ's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 28, 2015 and other filings with the SEC, available for viewing on AZZ's website at www.azz.com and on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.  You are urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements herein and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. These statements are based on information as of the date hereof and AZZ assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Contact:

Paul Fehlman, Senior Vice President - Finance and CFO


AZZ Inc. 817-810-0095


Internet:  www.azz.com




Lytham Partners 602-889-9700


Joe Dorame or Robert Blum


Internet: www.lythampartners.com

 

---Financial tables on the following page---

 

AZZ Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income

(in thousands, except per share data)






Three Months Ended


Nine Months Ended


November 30, 2015


November 30, 2014


November 30, 2015


November 30, 2014


(unaudited)


(unaudited)


(unaudited)


(unaudited)









Net Sales

$

242,447



$

224,833



$

685,581



$

634,376


Costs of Sales

179,999



164,058



510,324



476,112


     Gross Margin

62,448



60,775



175,257



158,264










Selling, General and Administrative

26,040



27,847



79,545



74,532


     Operating Income

36,408



32,928



95,712



83,732










Interest Expense

3,743



4,099



11,612



12,531


Net Gain on Sales or Insurance Settlement of Property, Plant and Equipment

(16)



(1,171)



(465)



(1,195)


Other (Income) expense, net

(27)



1,322



828



1,309


     Income before income taxes

32,708



28,678



83,737



71,087


Income Tax Expense

9,161



8,713



23,023



22,428


Net Income

$

23,547



$

19,965



$

60,714



$

48,659


Net Income Per Share








      Basic

$

0.91



$

0.78



$

2.35



$

1.90


      Diluted

$

0.91



$

0.77



$

2.34



$

1.89


      Diluted average shares outstanding

25,977



25,794



25,920



25,764


 

Segment Reporting

(in thousands)






Three Months Ended


Nine Months Ended


November 30, 2015


November 30, 2014


November 30, 2015


November 30, 2014


(unaudited)


(unaudited)


(unaudited)


(unaudited)









Net Sales:








   Energy

$

136,007



$

130,052



$

383,787



$

361,133


   Galvanizing Services

106,440



94,781



301,794



273,243



$

242,447



$

224,833



$

685,581



$

634,376










Segment Operating Income (Loss):








   Energy

$

18,846



$

16,482



$

45,807



$

28,898


   Galvanizing Services

24,264



23,156



71,689



68,225


   Corporate

(6,702)



(6,710)



(21,784)



(13,391)


   Total Segment Operating Income

$

36,408



$

32,928



$

95,712



$

83,732


 

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(in thousands)






November 30, 2015


February 28, 2015


(unaudited)







Assets:




      Current Assets

$

320,285



$

298,634


      Net Property, Plant and Equipment

225,428



196,583


      Other Assets, Net

445,239



441,697


      Total Assets

$

990,952



$

936,914






Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity:




      Current Liabilities

$

176,110



$

149,142


      Long Term Debt Due After One Year

299,134



315,982


      Other Liabilities

47,138



51,738


      Shareholders' Equity

468,570



420,052


Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity

$

990,952



$

936,914


 

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(in thousands)




Nine Months Ended


November 30, 2015


November 30, 2014


(unaudited)


(unaudited)





Net cash provided by operating activities

$

104,158



$

82,928


Net cash used in investing activities

(80,868)



(29,038)


Net cash used in financing activities

(27,101)



(37,820)


Effect of exchange rate changes on cash

(1,118)



316


Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

$

(4,929)



$

16,386


Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

22,527



27,565


Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

$

17,598



$

43,951


 

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/azz-inc-reports-financial-results-for-the-third-quarter-of-fiscal-year-2016-300201384.html

SOURCE AZZ Inc.


Source: PR Newswire (January 8, 2016 - 6:30 AM EST)

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