Earnings Labs

Standex International Corporation (SXI)

Q1 2016 Earnings Call· Thu, Oct 29, 2015

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Transcript

Operator

Operator

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for standing by. And welcome to Standex International’s First Quarter 2016 Earnings Conference Call. All lines have been placed on mute to prevent any background noise. After the speaker’s remarks, there will be a question-and-answer session [Operator Instructions]. I will now turn the call over to David Calusdian from Sharon Merrill Associates to begin.

David Calusdian

Analyst

Thank you, Laurie. Please note that the presentation accompanying management’s remarks can be found on Standex’s Investor Relations Web site, www.standex.com. Please see Standex’s Safe Harbor passage on Slide 2. Matters that Standex management will discuss on today’s conference call include predictions, estimates, expectations and other forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. You should refer to Standex’s recent SEC filings and public announcements for a detailed list of risk factors. In addition, I would like to remind you that today’s discussion will include references to EBITDA, which is earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, adjusted EBITDA, which is EBITDA excluding restructuring expenses and one-time items; non-GAAP net income; non-GAAP income from operations; non-GAAP net income from continuing operations and free operating cash flow. These non-GAAP financial measures are intended to serve as a complement to results provided in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. Standex believes that such information provides an additional measurement and consistent historical comparison of the Company’s performance. A reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures is available in Standex’s first quarter news release. On the call today is Standex President and Chief Executive Officer, David Dunbar and Chief Financial Officer, Tom DeByle. Please turn to Slide 3 as I turn the call over to David.

David Dunbar

Analyst · Schon Williams of BB&T Capital Markets

Thank you, David and good morning. We executed well in the first quarter of the fiscal year, reporting solid margins and a strong EPS performance. For Q1, overall revenues were down 1.8% to $198.4 million with foreign exchange having a negative effect of 3% and acquisitions contributing positive 2%. As a result of our aggressive efforts to improve the bottom line, even with the year-over-year decline in sales, non-GAAP operating income was up 7.6% and first quarter EPS was up 7.2%. We had a net debt position of $9 million at the end of Q1. Our focus on improving the operating performance in the food service business is paying off, as we generated a 13.1% EBIT margin in Q1. We’re continuing the transformation of that business, and we’re encouraged by the progress. Engraving, Electronics and Hydraulics also performed well during the quarter, while Engineering Technologies continue to be affected by the decline in oil and gas markets. That said, we see great growth potential in that business, primarily as a result of opportunities in Aviation. At our Investor Day last month, we discussed our new value creation system and provided more detail about how we’re executing against each of its four pillars. We’ve made significant investments in this system in order to capitalize on the opportunities we see to drive significant value out of each of our five operating platforms. Much of our investment has been in the form of human capital, hiring the right people do effect positive change across the organization. At the Investor Day, you heard from our new VP of Operational Excellence, Don Clark, who is brought into deploy lean tools across the Company to improve capital efficiency and eliminate ways in order to drive value to the customer and to our shareholders. We also brought in Paul Burns as VP of Business Development to head both M&A and the Standex growth disciplines which is the way we identified growth opportunities, test them efficiently and invest in the best opportunities to grow profitability. We’ve also hired a new HR leader, Ross McGovern to run our talent management program to attract, retain and develop the best employees. In January, we’ve brought in Anne De Greef-Safft to lead our Food Service Equipment Group. So we’ve been taking the necessary steps to strategically align our resources at the corporate level and we’re already starting to see the benefits of those investments in our operating platforms. With that as an introduction, I’ll turn the call over to Tom DeByle to discuss our results for the first quarter, and then I’ll be back to review our five operating platforms in detail. Tom?

Tom DeByle

Analyst · Schon Williams of BB&T Capital Markets

Thank you, David, and good morning everyone. Slide 4 shows our historical trend and adjusted earnings per share and sales. On a trailing 12 month basis adjusted earnings per share was $4.65 through September 30, 2015 versus prior year of $4.27, an 8.9% increase. Sales were $769 million on a trailing 12 month basis as a of September 30, 2015 versus $740 million in the prior period. Please turn to Slide 5. Three of the five segments reported organic growth for the quarter. On the chart, you can see the contributions from acquisition and the currency effect for each segment. Overall, organic growth was slightly down with acquisitions contributing 2% versus Q1 last year due to the Enginetics acquisition. Currency had a negative effect of 3% which resulted in an overall sales decline of 1.8% to $198.4 million for the quarter. Please turn to Slide 6 which summarizes our first quarter results. Excluding special items, operating income grew 7.6% to $24.6 million from $22.9 million a year ago. Adjusted EBITDA grew 7.6% to $29.2 million or 14.7% of sales compared with $27.2 million or 13.4% of sales in Q1 last year. Within our earnings release, you will note that corporate expenses were up for the quarter. This is primarily the result of realignment of corporate functions and investments made in the value creation system. As we transform Standex into a true operating Company, we are making more of the strategic investments at the corporate level, while we see resulting tangible sales and profit improvement benefits at the segment. Please turn to Slide 7 which is our trailing 12 month bridge that illustrates the impact of special items on net income from continuing operations. For Q1 of fiscal 2016, these items included tax affected restructuring charges of approximately $3 million and…

David Dunbar

Analyst · Schon Williams of BB&T Capital Markets

Thank you, Tom. Please turn to Slide 13, and I’ll begin our segment overview with the Food Service Equipment Group. As I mentioned at the outside of the call, we reported strong improvement in Food Service Equipment operating income margins to 13.1%. Margin improvement continues to be a key area of focus for us within Food Service. Sales decreased 5.8% from Q1 last year, driven by lower volume at refrigeration. Cooking solutions was up during the quarter, and our display merchandising business continued to perform well. In refrigeration, sales to large national chains continue to be soft in Q1 and were the primary cause of the year-over-year revenue decline. Dollars to our sales also continue to be soft as a result of the merger in that sector, but we expect this to be temporary. Sales through dealers as well as scientific and industrial increased year-over-year. C-stores and other small footprints retail remained steady, specialty solutions decreased by 2.2%. In cooking solutions, sales increased by approximately 4% year-over-year driven by grocery. Our Ultrafryer acquisition remains on track, and is performing well and we’re actively investing in its line of products. In Q1, we lowered material cost by 190 basis points across the segment. The transitional cost from last year’s plant move, warranty price concessions and freights and distribution costs continue to trend down, and plant productivity is improving. We are encouraged to better operational excellence initiatives that cooking solutions are achieving the intended results. With these operational excellence initiatives in place, and performance heading in the right direction, the cooking solutions team is now beginning to review its strategic initiatives by product line, ensuring that the whole team remains aligned with the Standex 2020 vision. To sum up, our focus continues to be on margin improvement within Food Services Equipment. As…

Operator

Operator

[Operator Instructions] Your first question comes from the line of Jack O’Brien of CJS Securities. Jack O’Brien: First off nice drive in the Food Service Group margin expansion. Hoping if you could give some additional details on what accounted for the sequential margin expansion from Q4 ’15 and more specifically in regard to issues stemming from the Nogales transition?

David Dunbar

Analyst · Schon Williams of BB&T Capital Markets

Well, you recall that material margins are expanding. In Q4, you may recall we put in place a group wise strategic sourcing leader to drive material programs across Food Services and starting to see some benefits there. In refrigeration, last year, we put some automation to one of our plants, which is driving productivity improvements in that plant. Our OpEx initiatives are driving productivity across all the lines in refrigeration. On the Nogales front all of the things we talked about in Q2 and Q3 price concessions, freight, material, warranty, they all continue to trend down, and those are the contributors to the margin improvement. Jack O’Brien: And then switching over to the Engineering Tech Group obviously lot of changes going on in terms of that market and concentration and shift to aerospace, aviation. Can you give us an update on what the next 12 to 24 months looks like in that business, so little puts and takes regarding program ramps and when you expect margins to stabilize a bit there?

David Dunbar

Analyst · Schon Williams of BB&T Capital Markets

So we did communicate today that we believe that Q4 we hit back to a 15% margin. In this quarter next and the most difficult quarters the business will face -- there is a dramatic ramp going on in Enginetics. When we acquired Enginetics, they had a number of long term agreements that were scheduled to ramp now and the primary issue that business is facing is operationally to be able to support that increase in volume, that’s why we’ve got a dedicated ops leader there. We put in one of our lean rangers spending their time there, Don Clark as well. So the -- thinking about your question about expectations about growth, I think to people we said about this business as -- we see good single digit growth long term driven by growth in aviation. What we as say -- you will start to see that in the second half of the year once on the comps on oil and gas become more flat year-to-year. Jack O’Brien: Do you expect sequential margin improvement in the segment, in the next quarter or is it going to be a very quick step up in the back half of the year?

David Dunbar

Analyst · Schon Williams of BB&T Capital Markets

Maybe some margin improvement in the second quarter, but it will be a Q3-Q4 margin improvement, that 15%. Jack O’Brien: Understood. And then last question from me, just regarding Northlake, nice side on the acquisition. In the release you mentioned it would be breakeven this year than $0.04 to $0.06 accretive in ’17. You mentioned that there’re plenty of cross selling opportunities with that business. Are any of those included in the initial accretion guidance that you’ve given? And if you could expand on some of those, that’d be great?

David Dunbar

Analyst · Schon Williams of BB&T Capital Markets

We had modest sales synergies in initial guidance, so the reference that we made today on things that we’re discovering as we meet with customers, as part of the integration. So we think that’s upside for our regional communication. But the volume -- because of the time -- the time it takes to develop samples of prototypes, it’s probably about fiscal 2017 volume opportunity for us.

Operator

Operator

Your next question comes from the line of Schon Williams of BB&T Capital Markets.

Schon Williams

Analyst · Schon Williams of BB&T Capital Markets

Just lot of moving pieces here, Electronics, can you talk about why you think the stocking in North America, why do you think that’s temporary? And what’s driving that?

David Dunbar

Analyst · Schon Williams of BB&T Capital Markets

The North American performance came as somewhat of a surprise to our team. And as they check with their customers, the response they got with the programs are still on track and we just have to do with phasing of their stock and the timing in which they place orders with us.

Schon Williams

Analyst · Schon Williams of BB&T Capital Markets

Any particular end market that was highlighted?

Tom DeByle

Analyst · Schon Williams of BB&T Capital Markets

With the white goods basically the appliances.

David Dunbar

Analyst · Schon Williams of BB&T Capital Markets

Within that Schon we did mentioned this is something encouraging. The business is pursing the same approach to the market in Europe and North America. The base market is softer we were 5% in Europe. So, I tend to -- and give greetings to what their customers have told the business in North America and as we communicated, we think second half Q2 and beyond, we see growth in North America.

Schon Williams

Analyst · Schon Williams of BB&T Capital Markets

And then maybe coming back to the Engineering Tech, it is a bit surprising to talk about going from 3.5% margin back up to a 15% margin, which was essentially the margin you’re at last year despite the fact that you had energy as more of a benefit at least in the first half of last fiscal year. So just, I don’t know, help me understand exactly how many people are we taking out, is everything already been put in place and it’s essentially manufacturing variances that are going to drive that. Just a little bit more detail, because it’s quite a substantial step up that we’re talking about here to get back to that 15?

David Dunbar

Analyst · Schon Williams of BB&T Capital Markets

I would tell you that compared to our international expectations, the business performed slightly better. The drop in oil and gas is a very high margin business the year-on-year comp this quarter is the toughest in the entire year. Aviation ramp from Q1 through the end of the year just in Enginetics will be closer to $10 million volume increase year-on-year. So the aviation really starts to kick in as strong in the second half, that’s the primary driver that comes in. Cost out is largely and we’re taking some additional heads out this quarter in the businesses that support oil and gas and energy business and that will help to some extent. But it’s second half volume from aviation that would really drive it.

Schon Williams

Analyst · Schon Williams of BB&T Capital Markets

And then maybe just help me on the engraving. Seems like a lot of things went your way in the quarter, just in terms of some things shifted from Q4 into Q1, you pulled some orders from maybe from Q2 into Q1, dramatic improvement in the margin on a year-over-year basis. Just so we don’t get too far out on our -- over our seats here, I mean, should I be expecting a pullback as we go into fiscal Q2 and Q3, or just help me think about how much of the volumes ended up in Q1 and maybe your -- displaced from the other quarter. How I should be thinking about the rest of the year?

David Dunbar

Analyst · Schon Williams of BB&T Capital Markets

We just said that from a macro standpoint what was communicated -- longer term expectation about this business we think is 5% to 7% through the cycle growth. This quarter obviously was a perfect storm of elements to drive above that. Last quarter in our earnings release we did comment on last quarter’s sales that some programs have been pushed out. They did show up this quarter. And then today I mentioned that we still expect momentum into Q2, not as much as -- we won’t see as much growth in Q2 as we saw in Q1. But we see growth returning to that historic line is our expectation.

Schon Williams

Analyst · Schon Williams of BB&T Capital Markets

So you still think as we move into the next few quarters, organic growth and Q2-Q3 can still be in that mid to high single digit level. Is that what you’re saying?

David Dunbar

Analyst · Schon Williams of BB&T Capital Markets

No, what I am saying is we returned to that long term guidance of the 5% to 7%.

Schon Williams

Analyst · Schon Williams of BB&T Capital Markets

Okay, now that’s helpful. And then maybe just one more if I may. It sounds like refrigeration is a bit of a headwind within Food Service right now. Can you just talk about, what is driving that in your customer base? Is that weaker customer -- I am just trying to get a sense, is it a timing issue, is it weaker customer, is it their underlying customers are seeing weaker demand that’s pushing off CapEx expansion. What’s driving part of that?

David Dunbar

Analyst · Schon Williams of BB&T Capital Markets

I think the there is two elements, one is weaker demand from some large national chains like McDonalds, Subway, Tim Hortons, who’re spending less this year than they did last year. If you look at -- and other refrigeration companies are seeing softness in commercial refrigeration, so there is softness in some sectors of the market. The other half of our decline comes from our dollar store sales. Last year, we had great growth in Family Dollar we’ve a very good position with Family Dollar. But with the tie ups in Family Dollar and Dollar Tree that spending has slowed. We see that as a pause. We believe it comes back, maybe not Q2 but in the second half of the year, we expect that to start picking up again.

Operator

Operator

Your next question comes from the line of Liam Burke of Wunderlich.

Liam Burke

Analyst · Liam Burke of Wunderlich

Dave outside of Ultrafryer, how have the some of your other brands done on the cooking solutions side of the business?

David Dunbar

Analyst · Liam Burke of Wunderlich

Our BKI brand is doing great, Bakers Pride brand is doing very well. The brand that we have been struggling with last year what’s the source of the most of the challenges we had is APW brand, the TriStar brands. That’s where the transfer from Cheyenne to Nogales was the most challenging. I would say those are -- we're still carrying in the catch up mode on those there is the customers of those brands that had the most difficult year in the last year. But the growth we’re seeing in cooking solutions, strong BKI sales into groceries and Bakers Pride and across the Board, the sales of their others.

Liam Burke

Analyst · Liam Burke of Wunderlich

And on the refrigeration side, now have the drug chains sales been I understand there might be some pick up on the refrigeration with the need to displace cigarette sales. But in general how have the drugs been doing?

David Dunbar

Analyst · Liam Burke of Wunderlich

Yes, we saw pick up in the quarter. I am going to told you in the script, but we did see a pick in the quarter from drug retail.

Liam Burke

Analyst · Liam Burke of Wunderlich

And lastly Tom on the cash flow side, you did point out is seasonally weak spot compared to last year very strong. There’ve been any changes in the working capital management or is it just seasonality here or how has the improvement been -- what has been driving that improvement year-over-year?

Tom DeByle

Analyst · Liam Burke of Wunderlich

Working capital is down year-over-year and that was driven by currency of about $8 million and then partially offset by some inventory adjustments. But no I mean I think from a cash flow standpoint we spent more on CapEx last year first quarter than we did this year, that contributed to it and it is seasonally lower in Q1.

Operator

Operator

[Operator Instructions] Your next question comes from the line of Chris McGinnis of Sidoti.

Chris McGinnis

Analyst · Chris McGinnis of Sidoti

Just to revisit the dollar store. Does the consolidate -- does that pose maybe a benefit to you once the integration is complete?

David Dunbar

Analyst · Chris McGinnis of Sidoti

Yes, we do see it as a benefit. We have a good position in Family Dollar. We have no position in Dollar Tree. And so we think that opens up opportunities for us.

Chris McGinnis

Analyst · Chris McGinnis of Sidoti

This is a seasonally weakest quarter for Food Services, is that -- did I hear you correct?

Tom DeByle

Analyst · Chris McGinnis of Sidoti

No, the seasonally weakest quarter is our third quarter which is January to March.

Chris McGinnis

Analyst · Chris McGinnis of Sidoti

And just a follow up on last time I am bringing up for you guys, I know it’s been a headache. But just on Nogales, are we passed everything now or are there is still some operating inefficiencies?

David Dunbar

Analyst · Chris McGinnis of Sidoti

There is still operating inefficiencies -- we’re about back to we're in the 18 months ago. Warranty is still a bit high but we’ve communicated before there is a long tail to that apparatus trending in the right direction. But I would say even getting back to where we were a couple of years ago is not good enough in that business. And we look at the ways it performed two years ago we still have operational improvement beyond that. So we’re spending a lot of our OpEx ranges times are being spent in Nogales to drive continuing improvement there. So, we’re on journey in that business. We like the progress we’ve seen in the last couple of quarters. But we’ve got a few more years to go.

Chris McGinnis

Analyst · Chris McGinnis of Sidoti

And then last question, just on maybe can you talk a little bit about the pipeline within Food Service for constant new products coming out? I know you touched on it on the Analyst Day and just want to revisit that.

David Dunbar

Analyst · Chris McGinnis of Sidoti

Yes, on the BKI side, we have some exciting new products come out that’s driving some of the growth now. And we hope through the year we’ll be able to communicate and other programs from BKI. Ultrafryer has some new products they’re developing and are in test with customers now. Our scientific and industrial refrigeration have some new products. So, I would say we have a pretty good pipeline but the focus of that business continues to be on margin and operational excellence. Although with the momentum and the confidence we have, we’re on the right track and our teams are starting to devote more energy to strategic questions about product strategies, new product development. And I would imagine, through the course of the year, you will start to hear more and more discussion at new products from us.

Operator

Operator

Your next question comes from the line of John Cummings of Copeland Capital Management.

John Cummings

Analyst · John Cummings of Copeland Capital Management

I saw you raised your dividend yesterday by 17%. Can you tell us a little bit more about your philosophy there? And do you have any targets in terms of payout ratio and also should we expect the dividend to just continue to grow on a year-over-year basis?

Tom DeByle

Analyst · John Cummings of Copeland Capital Management

Well, we did raise our dividend like you said 17% yesterday, and each year at our Board meeting, our Annual Board Meeting, right before our Shareholder Meeting, we do review our dividend and of course we review it on a quarterly basis. We haven’t announced the target for our dividend but we’re at 6% yield -- 0.6% yield, and we feel that that’s adequate going forward. We want to return -- this was our 205th dividend -- consistent dividend over the years. And we’re having a plot to be of increasing the dividend each year. But we’re balancing that with capital spending of course and with acquisition opportunities.

Operator

Operator

At this time, there are no further questions. I’ll now return the call to David Dunbar for any additional or closing remarks.

David Dunbar

Analyst · Schon Williams of BB&T Capital Markets

I want to thank everybody for joining us today. Good bye.

Operator

Operator

Thank you. That does conclude the Standex International first quarter 2016 earnings conference call. You may now disconnect.