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Ascent Industries Reports First Quarter 2024 Results
First Quarter 2024 Summary(1) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------ -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- (in millions, except per share and margin) Q1 2024 Q1 2023 Change ------------------------------------------ -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- Net Sales $44.1 $54.9 (19.6)% ------------------------------------------ -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- Gross Profit $2.5 $1.5 72.4% ------------------------------------------ -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- Gross Profit Margin 5.7% 2.7% 300bps ------------------------------------------ -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- Net (Loss) $(4.7) $(5.8) 18.6% ------------------------------------------ -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- Diluted (Loss) per Share $(0.47) $(0.57) 17.5% ------------------------------------------ -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- Adjusted EBITDA $(3.1) $(3.7) 16.6% ------------------------------------------ -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- Adjusted EBITDA Margin (7.1)% (6.8)% (30)bps ------------------------------------------ -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- ____________________________
Management Commentary
"The first quarter of 2024 marked a period of structural cost reduction and stabilization efforts across the enterprise," said Ascent CEO Bryan Kitchen. "Without question, our initial efforts to optimize both cash and costs have helped drive year-over-year improvements across our consolidated gross margin and bottom line, while operating within the confines of our own free cash flow. Aggressive self-help has been at the core of our ability to overcome ongoing market headwinds that have resulted in a year-over-year decline in total net sales.
"As promised, in just a short period of time we have made progress in laying the groundwork for driving profitable growth through the optimization of our product mix while recapitalizing our SG&A across both segments. These actions, coupled with a continued focus on driving efficiencies across all sites and functions, will create a more predictable, reliable, and profitable operating model moving forward. Momentum is building, and we expect continued improvements in our financial results throughout 2024. We believe we are on the right track to create durable value for shareholders."
First Quarter 2024 Financial Results
Net sales from continuing operations were $44.1 million compared to $54.9 million in the first quarter of 2023, primarily attributable to decreased end-market demand and de-stocking trends across both segments.
Gross profit from continuing operations improved to $2.5 million, or 5.7% of net sales, compared to $1.5 million, or 2.7% of net sales, in the first quarter of 2023. The increase was primarily attributable to improved strategic sourcing initiatives and cost improvements.
Net loss from continuing operations decreased to $4.7 million, or $(0.47) diluted loss per share, compared to net loss from continuing operations of $5.8 million, or $(0.57) diluted earnings per share, in the first quarter of 2023. The decrease was primarily attributable to the aforementioned increases in gross profit and a year-over-year decrease in interest expense due to lower debt outstanding.
Adjusted EBITDA improved to $(3.1) million compared to $(3.7) million in the first quarter of 2023, primarily driven by the aforementioned cost optimization efforts. Adjusted EBITDA margin was (7.1)% compared to (6.8)% in the prior year period, with the decline primarily a result of the aforementioned lower net sales base.
Segment Results
Ascent Chemicals - net sales in the first quarter of 2024 were $20.3 million compared to $23.7 million in the first quarter of 2023. Operating loss in the first quarter was $1.4 million compared to operating income of $1.4 million in the prior year period. Adjusted EBITDA in the first quarter was $(0.3) million compared to $2.5 million in the prior year period. As a percentage of segment net sales, adjusted EBITDA was (1.4)% compared to 10.5% in the first quarter of 2023.
Ascent Tubular - net sales from continuing operations in the first quarter of 2024 were $23.8 million compared to $31.1 million in the first quarter of 2023. Operating loss from continuing operations in the first quarter decreased to $1.5 million compared to operating loss from continuing operations of $3.3 million in the prior year period. Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations in the first quarter was $(0.7) million compared to $(2.4) million in the prior year period. As a percentage of segment net sales, adjusted EBITDA was (3.0)% compared to (7.7)% in the first quarter of 2023.
Liquidity
As of March 31, 2024, the Company had no debt outstanding under its revolving credit facilities and had $63.6 million in availability under its revolving credit facility.
For the quarter ended March 31, 2024, the Company repurchased 16,330 shares at an average cost of $9.97 per share for approximately $0.2 million.
Conference Call
Ascent will conduct a conference call today at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time to discuss its results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2024.
Ascent management will host the conference call, followed by a question-and-answer period.
Date: Wednesday, May 8, 2024 Time: 5:00 p.m. Eastern time Live Call Registration Link: Here Webcast Registration Link: Here
To access the call by phone, please register via the live call registration link above or here and you will be provided with dial-in instructions and details. If you have any difficulty connecting with the conference call, please contact Gateway Group at 1-949-574-3860.
The conference call will also be broadcast live and available for replay via the webcast registration link above or here. The webcast will be archived for one year in the investor relations section of the Company's website at www.ascentco.com.
About Ascent Industries Co.
Ascent Industries Co. (Nasdaq: ACNT) is a company that engages in a number of diverse business activities including the production of specialty chemicals and industrial tubular products. For more information about Ascent, please visit its website at www.ascentco.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may include "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other applicable federal securities laws. All statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified through the use of words such as "estimate," "project," "intend," "expect," "believe," "should," "anticipate," "hope," "optimistic," "plan," "outlook," "should," "could," "may" and similar expressions. The forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from historical results or those anticipated. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements and to review the risks as set forth in more detail in Ascent Industries Co.'s Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K, which filings are available from the SEC or on our website. Ascent Industries Co. assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information included in this release.
Non-GAAP Financial Information
Financial statement information included in this earnings release includes non-GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) measures and should be read along with the accompanying tables which provide a reconciliation of non-GAAP measures to GAAP measures.
Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure that the Company believes is useful to investors in evaluating its results to determine the value of a company. An item is excluded in the measure if its periodic value is inconsistent and sufficiently material that not identifying the item would render period comparability less meaningful to the reader or if including the item provides a clearer representation of normalized periodic earnings. The Company excludes in Adjusted EBITDA two categories of items: 1) Base EBITDA components, including: interest expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, and 2) Material transaction costs including: goodwill impairment, asset impairment, gain on lease modification, stock-based compensation, non-cash lease cost, acquisition costs and other fees, shelf registration costs, loss on extinguishment of debt, retention costs and restructuring & severance costs from net income.
Management believes that these non-GAAP measures are useful because they are key measures used by our management team to evaluate our operating performance, generate future operating plans and make strategic decisions as well as allow readers to compare the financial results between periods. Non-GAAP measures should not be considered as an alternative to any measure of performance or financial condition as promulgated under GAAP, and investors should consider the Company's performance and financial condition as reported under GAAP and all other relevant information when assessing the performance or financial condition of the Company. Non-GAAP measures have limitations as analytical tools, and investors should not consider them in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of the Company's results or financial condition as reported under GAAP.
Ascent Industries Co. Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (in thousands, except par value and share data) (Unaudited) March 31, 2024 December 31, 2023 ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ Assets Current assets: $ 1,299 $ 1,851 Cash and cash equivalents 28,160 26,604 Accounts receivable, net of allowance for credit losses of $792 and $463, respectively 51,197 52,306 Inventories 4,146 4,879 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 1,792 2,912 Assets held for sale 46 861 Current assets of discontinued operations -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- 86,640 89,413 Total current assets 28,648 29,755 Property, plant and equipment, net 27,431 27,784 Right-of-use assets, operating leases, net 8,129 8,496 Intangible assets, net 7,366 5,808 Deferred income taxes 79 104 Deferred charges, net 2,678 1,935 Other non-current assets, net -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- Total assets $ 160,971 $ 163,295 ==================== ==================== ==================== ==================== ==================== ==================== Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity Current liabilities: $ 20,549 $ 16,416 Accounts payable 4,824 5,108 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 88 360 Current portion of note payable 1,170 1,140 Current portion of operating lease liabilities 288 292 Current portion of finance lease liabilities 1,376 1,473 Current liabilities of discontinued operations -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- 28,295 24,789 Total current liabilities 29,419 29,729 Long-term portion of operating lease liabilities 1,236 1,307 Long-term portion of finance lease liabilities 57 60 Other long-term liabilities -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- 30,712 31,096 Total non-current liabilities -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- Total liabilities $ 59,007 $ 55,885 -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- Commitments and contingencies Shareholders' equity: $ 11,085 $ 11,085 Common stock, par value $1 per share; 24,000,000 shares authorized; 11,085,103 and 10,124,781 shares issued and outstanding, respectively 47,097 47,333 Capital in excess of par value 53,024 58,517 Retained earnings -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- 111,206 116,935 (9,242 ) (9,525 ) Less: cost of common stock in treasury - 960,323 and 990,282 shares, respectively -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- 101,964 107,410 Total shareholders' equity -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 160,971 $ 163,295 ==================== ==================== ==================== ==================== ==================== ==================== Note: The condensed consolidated balance sheets at December 31, 2023 have been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements at that date.
Ascent Industries Co. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss) - Comparative Analysis (Unaudited) ($ in thousands, except per share data) Three Months Ended March 31, ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2024 2023 ------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------------- Net sales $ 23,814 $ 31,061 Tubular Products 20,296 23,749 Specialty Chemicals -- 50 All Other -------------------- -------------- -------------------- -------------------- ---------- -------------------- 44,110 54,860 ==================== ============== ==================== ==================== ========== ==================== Operating (loss) income from continuing operations (1,502 ) (3,293 ) Tubular Products (1,439 ) 1,352 Specialty Chemicals (162 ) (479 ) All Other Corporate (2,150 ) (3,704 ) Unallocated corporate expenses -- (259 ) Acquisition costs and other -------------------- -------------- -------------------- -------------------- ---------- -------------------- (2,150 ) (3,963 ) Total Corporate -------------------- -------------- -------------------- -------------------- ---------- -------------------- (5,253 ) (6,383 ) Operating loss 127 1,107 Interest expense (120 ) (95 ) Other, net -------------------- -------------- -------------------- -------------------- ---------- -------------------- Loss from continuing operations before income taxes (5,260 ) (7,395 ) (1,166 ) (1,607 ) Income tax benefit -------------------- -------------- -------------------- -------------------- ---------- -------------------- (4,094 ) (5,788 ) Loss from continuing operations (1,399 ) 589 (Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax -------------------- -------------- -------------------- -------------------- ---------- -------------------- Net loss $ (5,493 ) $ (5,199 ) ==================== ============== ==================== ==================== ========== ==================== Net loss per common share from continuing operations $ (0.41 ) $ (0.57 ) Basic $ (0.41 ) $ (0.57 ) Diluted Net (loss) income per common share from discontinued operations $ (0.14 ) $ 0.06 Basic $ (0.14 ) $ 0.06 Diluted Net loss per common share $ (0.54 ) $ (0.51 ) Basic $ (0.54 ) $ (0.51 ) Diluted Average shares outstanding 10,094 10,148 Basic 10,094 10,148 Diluted Other data:
(1)The term Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure that the Company believes is useful to investors in evaluating its results to determine the value of a company. An item is excluded in the measure if its periodic value is inconsistent and sufficiently material that not identifying the item would render period comparability less meaningful to the reader or if including the item provides a clearer representation of normalized periodic earnings. The Company excludes in Adjusted EBITDA two categories of items: 1) Base EBITDA components, including: interest expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, and 2) Material transaction costs including: goodwill impairment, asset impairment, gain on lease modification, stock-based compensation, non-cash lease cost, acquisition costs and other fees, retention costs and restructuring & severance costs from net income. For a reconciliation of this non-GAAP measure to the most comparable GAAP equivalent, refer to the Reconciliation of Net Income (Loss) to Adjusted EBITDA.
Ascent Industries Co. Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) ($ in thousands) Three Months Ended March 31, ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2024 2023 ------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------- Operating activities Net loss $ (5,493 ) $ (5,199 ) (Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax (1,399 ) 589 -------------------- -------------- -------------------- -------------------- ------- -------------------- Net loss from continuing operations (4,094 ) (5,788 ) Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities: 1,522 1,549 Depreciation expense 367 376 Amortization expense 25 25 Amortization of debt issuance costs (1,166 ) 353 Deferred income taxes 330 (57 ) Provision for (reduction of) losses on accounts receivable (73 ) 791 (Reduction of) provision for losses on inventories -- 182 Loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment 55 64 Non-cash lease expense 209 319 Stock-based compensation expense Changes in operating assets and liabilities: (1,885 ) (1,072 ) Accounts receivable 1,182 9,492 Inventories (73 ) 297 Other assets and liabilities 4,022 6,827 Accounts payable (283 ) 1,629 Accrued expenses 78 (2,577 ) Accrued income taxes -------------------- -------------- -------------------- -------------------- ------- -------------------- Net cash provided by operating activities - continuing operations 216 12,410 Net cash provided by operating activities - discontinued operations 47 980 -------------------- -------------- -------------------- -------------------- ------- -------------------- Net cash provided by operating activities 263 13,390 -------------------- -------------- -------------------- -------------------- ------- -------------------- Investing activities (305 ) (586 ) Purchases of property, plant and equipment -------------------- -------------- -------------------- -------------------- ------- -------------------- Net cash used in investing activities - continuing operations (305 ) (586 ) Net cash used in investing activities - discontinued operations -- (238 ) -------------------- -------------- -------------------- -------------------- ------- -------------------- Net cash used in investing activities (305 ) (824 ) -------------------- -------------- -------------------- -------------------- ------- -------------------- Financing activities 50,950 67,488 Borrowings from long-term debt (50,950 ) (80,384 ) Payments on long-term debt (271 ) (289 ) Payments on note payable (76 ) (74 ) Principal payments on finance lease obligations (163 ) (327 ) Repurchase of common stock -------------------- -------------- -------------------- -------------------- ------- -------------------- Net cash used in financing activities (510 ) (13,586 ) -------------------- -------------- -------------------- -------------------- ------- -------------------- (552 ) (1,020 ) Decrease in cash and cash equivalents -- 1 Less: Cash and cash equivalents of discontinued operations Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 1,851 1,440 -------------------- -------------- -------------------- -------------------- ------- -------------------- Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 1,299 $ 421 ==================== ============== ==================== ==================== ======= ====================
Ascent Industries Co. Non-GAAP Financial Measures Reconciliation Reconciliation of Net Income (Loss) to Adjusted EBITDA (Unaudited) ($ in thousands) Three Months Ended March 31, -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ($ in thousands) 2024 2023 ------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------ Consolidated Net loss from continuing operations $ (4,094 ) $ (5,788 ) Adjustments: 127 1,106 Interest expense (1,166 ) (1,607 ) Income taxes 1,522 1,549 Depreciation 367 376 Amortization -------------------- -------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------- -------------------- EBITDA (3,244 ) (4,364 ) 12 261 Acquisition costs and other 59 220 Stock-based compensation 55 64 Non-cash lease expense 3 -- Retention expense -- 84 Restructuring and severance costs -------------------- -------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------- -------------------- Adjusted EBITDA $ (3,115 ) $ (3,735 ) ==================== ============== ==================== ==================== ============== ====================
Specialty Chemicals Net (loss) income $ (1,458 ) $ 1,342 Adjustments: 19 12 Interest expense 954 952 Depreciation expense 169 158 Amortization expense -------------------- -------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------- -------------------- EBITDA (316 ) 2,464 -- 2 Acquisition costs and other 7 8 Stock-based compensation 19 24 Non-cash lease expense -------------------- -------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------- -------------------- Specialty Chemicals Adjusted EBITDA $ (290 ) $ 2,498 ==================== ============== ==================== ==================== ============== ==================== (1.4 )% 10.5 % % segment sales Tubular Products Net loss from continuing operations $ (1,502 ) $ (3,293 ) Adjustments: 544 575 Depreciation expense 198 218 Amortization expense -------------------- -------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------- -------------------- EBITDA (760 ) (2,500 ) 12 -- Acquisition costs and other 11 (20 ) Stock-based compensation 25 31 Non-cash lease expense -- 84 Restructuring and severance costs -------------------- -------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------- -------------------- Tubular Products Adjusted EBITDA $ (712 ) $ (2,405 ) ==================== ============== ==================== ==================== ============== ====================
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240508735760/en/
SOURCE: Ascent Industries Co.
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Company Contact Ryan Kavalauskas Chief Financial Officer 1-630-884-9181 Investor Relations Cody Slach and Cody Cree Gateway Group, Inc. 1-949-574-3860 ACNT@gateway-grp.com
COMTEX_452079760/1006/2024-05-08T16:05:19