Minerals Technologies Inc. Reports First Quarter Diluted Earnings Per Share of $0.64 on Sales of $266.0 Million; Results Include Insurance Settlement Gain of $0.05 per Share, Which Partially Offset Business-Related Issues
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 27, 2006--Minerals Technologies Inc. (NYSE: MTX) today reported first quarter diluted earnings per common share of $0.64, a 12-percent decrease from the $0.73 reported in the first quarter of 2005. Net income for the quarter was $12.8 million, which was 16 percent lower than the $15.2 million reported in the same period a year ago.
Worldwide sales were $266.0 million, a 6-percent increase over the $250.8 million reported in the first quarter of 2005. Foreign exchange had an unfavorable impact of approximately $5.8 million on sales, or 2 percentage points on growth. For the quarter, operating income was $19.0 million, a 21-percent decline from the $24.1 million for the same period last year. The company recorded an insurance settlement gain in non-operating income of $1.8 million, or approximately $0.05 per share, for property damage sustained at the Easton, Pennsylvania, facility in 2004 related to Hurricane Ivan.
"The first quarter of 2006 proved to be difficult," said Paul R. Saueracker, chairman, president and chief executive officer. "We continue to face high energy and raw materials costs and the effects of paper machine and paper mill shutdowns. In March, we ceased operation of a satellite PCC facility in Wisconsin after the paper company shut its paper mill, which resulted in higher bad debt expense. We also continue to invest in our market development efforts for SYNSIL(R) Products. All of these factors had an adverse effect on our operating ratios."
Sales in the Specialty Minerals segment, which includes the company's Precipitated Calcium Carbonate (PCC) and Processed Minerals product lines, increased 7 percent in the first quarter 2006 to $182.4 million from $169.8 million in the same period of 2005. Income from operations decreased 25 percent to $12.3 million from $16.4 million in the same period last year.
Worldwide sales of PCC grew 7 percent to $143.2 million in the first quarter from $134.0 million in the prior year. Foreign exchange had an unfavorable impact on sales of approximately 2 percentage points of growth.
Paper PCC sales increased 7 percent to $128.2 million from $119.7 million in the prior year.
"Our Paper PCC volumes showed growth in all regions of the world, with the largest increase coming from our new satellites in China," said Mr. Saueracker.
Sales of Specialty PCC grew 5 percent to $15.0 million from $14.3 million in the quarter over the same period in 2005 due to increased sales from the Brookhaven, Mississippi, facility.
Worldwide sales of Processed Minerals products increased 9 percent in the first quarter to $39.2 million from $35.8 million in the same period in the prior year. This increase was attributable primarily to the continued strong demand from the residential and commercial construction industries, global demand for plastics and automotive ceramics, and the ramp-up of SYNSIL(R) Products.
Sales of Refractories segment products, which are used primarily in the steel industry, increased 3 percent in the first quarter to $83.6 million from $81.0 million in the same period of 2005. Foreign exchange had an unfavorable impact of approximately 3 percentage points of sales growth. Sales of refractory products and systems to steel and other industrial applications decreased 5 percent in the first quarter to $61.1 from $64.4 million last year. Sales of metallurgical products within the Refractories segment increased 36 percent in the first quarter to $22.5 million as compared with $16.6 million in the same period last year. This increase was primarily attributable to strong volume demand worldwide. Income from operations for the Refractories segment decreased 13 percent to $6.7 million from $7.7 million in the first quarter of 2005, due to a less favorable product mix and additional costs related to new business development activities.
"Our 100,000-ton per year refractories manufacturing plant in China, currently under construction, is expected to be operational by mid-year," said Mr. Saueracker. "We expect this facility to service the growing Chinese steel market while being nearer to our raw material supply.
"The development program for our SYNSIL(R) Products family of composite minerals for the glass industry is accelerating," said Mr. Saueracker. "The 200,000-ton manufacturing facility in Chester, South Carolina, became operational in February and we are constructing another 200,000-ton facility in Cleburne, Texas."
Mr. Saueracker concluded: "As expected, the first quarter of 2006 was challenging. We are confident, however, that if the economy remains supportive, we will substantially improve our financial performance for the full year."
Minerals Technologies will sponsor a conference call tomorrow, April 28, at 11 a.m. EST. The conference call will be broadcast live on the company web site, which can be found at www.mineralstech.com.
This press release contains some forward-looking statements; in particular statements of anticipated changes in the business environment in which the company operates and in the company's future operating results. Actual results may differ materially from these expectations. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Forward-looking statements in this document should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect our businesses, particularly those mentioned in the cautionary statements in our 2005 Annual Report on Form 10-K and in our other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
MINERALS TECHNOLOGIES INC. AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(amounts in thousands, except per share data)
(unaudited)
First Quarter %
------------------
2006 2005 Growth
-------- -------- --------
Net sales $266,040 $250,816 6
Operating costs and expenses:
Cost of goods sold 212,184 192,985 10
Marketing and administrative expenses 27,673 26,618 4
Research and development expenses 7,219 7,154 1
-------- -------- --------
Income from operations 18,964 24,059 (21)
Non-operating deductions (income) -
net (711) 1,218 *
-------- --------
Income before provision for taxes on
income and minority interests 19,675 22,841 (14)
Provision for taxes on income 5,962 7,126 (16)
Minority interests 901 477 89
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Net income $ 12,812 $ 15,238 (16)
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Weighted average number of common shares
outstanding:
Basic 19,947 20,530
Diluted 20,083 20,798
Earnings per share:
Basic earnings per share $ 0.64 $ 0.74 (14)
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Diluted earnings per share $ 0.64 $ 0.73 (12)
-------- --------
Cash dividends declared per common share $ 0.05 $ 0.05
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* percentage not meaningful
1) For the periods ended April 2, 2006 and April 3, 2005.
2) Sales increased 9% in the United States in the first quarter of
2006. International sales increased approximately 2% in the first
quarter of 2006.
3) During the first quarter of 2006, the Company recognized an
insurance settlement gain of approximately $1.8 million for
property damage sustained at the Easton, Pennsylvania facility in
2004 related to Hurricane Ivan. Such amount is included in
non-operating deductions (income).
4) On January 1, 2006, the Company adopted the fair value recognition
provisions of SFAS No. 123R, "Share-Based Payment," using the
modified-prospective transition method. Under this transition
method, stock-based compensation was recognized in the financial
statements for granted, modified or settled stock options.
Compensation expense recognized included the estimated expense for
stock options granted in the first quarter, based on the grant
date fair value estimated in accordance with the provisions of
SFAS 123R, and the estimated expense for the portion vesting in
the first quarter for options granted prior to, but not vested as
of January 1, 2006, based on the grant date fair value estimated
in accordance with the original provisions of SFAS 123.
Stock-based compensation expense relating to these options
recognized in marketing and administrative expenses in the
consolidated statement of income in the first quarter was $0.5
million. The related tax benefit on the non-qualified stock
options was $0.1 million.
5) On January 1, 2006, the Company adopted the consensus of Emerging
Issues Task Force ("EITF") Issue No. 04-06, "Accounting for
Stripping Costs Incurred During Production in the Mining
Industry." This consensus states that stripping costs incurred
during the production phase of a mine are variable production
costs that should be included in the costs of inventory produced
during the period that the stripping costs are incurred. The
Company had previously deferred stripping costs in excess of the
average life of mine stripping ratio and amortized such costs on a
unit of production method. As a result of this consensus, the
Company recorded an after- tax charge to opening retained earnings
of $7.1 million and increased its opening inventory by $0.8
million. The change in accounting did not have a significant
impact on the first quarter earnings.
6) The results of operations for the interim period ended April 2,
2006 are not necessarily indicative of the results that ultimately
might be achieved for the current year.
7) The analyst conference call to discuss operating results for the
first quarter is scheduled for April 28, 2006 at 11:00 a.m. EST
and will be broadcast over the Company's website
(www.mineralstech.com). The broadcast will remain on the Company's
website for no less than one year.
MINERALS TECHNOLOGIES INC. AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
ASSETS
(In Thousands of Dollars)
April 2, December 31,
2006* 2005**
---------- ----------
Current assets:
Cash & cash equivalents 42,931 51,100
Short-term investments 3,041 2,350
Accounts receivable, net 188,390 184,272
Inventories 119,592 118,895
Prepaid expenses and other current
assets 21,370 20,583
---------- ----------
Total current assets 375,324 377,200
Property, plant and equipment 1,398,114 1,380,298
Less accumulated depreciation 771,341 751,553
---------- ----------
Net property, plant & equipment 626,773 628,745
Goodwill 53,752 53,612
Prepaid benefit costs 65,495 67,795
Other assets and deferred charges 30,157 28,951
---------- ----------
Total assets 1,151,501 1,156,303
---------- ----------
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Short-term debt 42,511 62,847
Current maturities of long-term debt 53,700 53,698
Accounts payable 65,054 61,323
Other current liabilities 59,279 53,384
---------- ----------
Total current liabilities 220,544 231,252
Long-term debt 39,712 40,306
Other non-current liabilities 109,202 113,583
---------- ----------
Total liabilities 369,458 385,141
Total shareholders' equity 782,043 771,162
---------- ----------
Total liabilities and
shareholders' equity 1,151,501 1,156,303
---------- ----------
* Unaudited.
* Condensed from audited financial statements.
CONTACT: Minerals Technologies Inc.
Rick Honey, 212-878-1831
SOURCE: Minerals Technologies Inc.