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8-K - Rand Logistics, Inc.e609053_8k-rand.htm
 
Rand Logistics, Inc.
 
RAND LOGISTICS REPORTS SECOND QUARTER FISCAL YEAR 2012 FINANCIAL RESULTS
 
Company Posts 72% Increase in Operating Income plus Depreciation and Amortization
 
New York, NY – November 9, 2011 – Rand Logistics, Inc. (Nasdaq: RLOG) (“Rand”) today announced financial and operating results for its fiscal year 2012 second quarter ended September 30, 2011.

Quarter Ended September 30, 2011 Financial Highlights
Versus Quarter Ended September 30, 2010
 
 
·
Marine freight revenue (excluding fuel and other surcharges, and outside charter revenue) was $35.2 million, an increase of 16.0% from $30.3 million.
 
 
·
Sailing days in the quarter equaled 1,190 versus 1,081 for the comparable quarter last year and a theoretical maximum of 1,254. Tons hauled by our operated vessels increased by 20.4%.
 
 
·
Marine freight revenue per sailing day increased by $1,515, or 5.4%, to $29,550.
 
 
·
Total revenue (excluding outside voyage charter revenue) less vessel operating expenses and repairs and maintenance, on a per sailing day basis increased by 42.7%.  For our vessels that we operated during both of the three month periods ended September 30, 2011 and September 30, 2010, this increase was also 42.7%.
 
 
·
Operating income plus depreciation and amortization increased by 72.4% to $14.1 million from $8.2 million.
 

Six Months Ended September 30, 2011 Financial Highlights
Versus Six Months Ended September 30, 2010

 
·
Marine freight revenue (excluding fuel and other surcharges, and outside charter revenue) was $65.9 million, an increase of 12.2% from $58.7 million.
 
 
·
Sailing days in the six month period equaled 2,255 versus 2,104 for the comparable quarter last year and a theoretical maximum of 2,437. Tons hauled by our operated vessels increased by 15.4%.
 
 
·
Marine freight revenue per sailing day increased by $1,300, or 4.7%, to $29,205.
 
 
·
Total revenue (excluding outside voyage charter revenue) less vessel operating expenses and repairs and maintenance, on a per sailing day basis increased by 25.8%. For our vessels that we operated during both of the six month periods ended September 30, 2011 and September 30, 2010, this increase was approximately 22.6%.
 
 
·
Operating income plus depreciation and amortization increased by 40.3% to $23.8 million from $17.0 million.
 
 
 

 
 
Management Comments
 
Scott Bravener, President of Lower Lakes stated, “The past nine months have been transformational for our Company. Specifically, we have acquired four vessels and have a fifth under contract, which we expect to close on over the next several weeks; we have already successfully integrated three of the four new vessels into our operations; we have completed the repowering of our last remaining steam powered vessel to diesel; we completed an equity raise of $16.8 million; and we are finalizing a $20 million debt syndication to fund the acquisition of the fifth vessel.”

“Through September 2011, on a combined basis the two vessels we acquired in February 2011 have met the projections that their acquisition was predicated on. We believe we can make minor modifications to these vessels this winter to drive even greater profitability in the 2012 sailing season. Our vessel-level operating margin from our repowered vessel from June 1, 2011 (the day it was reintroduced into service) through September 30, 2011 has exceeded the margin that this vessel contributed in the same period in 2010 by 176.3%.”

“In general, we are continuing to experience strong demand for the commodities that we carry and we will sail into January 2012 to ensure that we meet our customers’ shipping needs. Based on current market conditions, all of our sailing days are already contractually committed for the 2012 sailing season. While we are very pleased with our results to-date, we believe there is still room for improvement in vessel-level operating margin per day if we successfully resolve several operational issues on the vessels this winter and continue to improve our operating practices.”
 
Outlook
Laurence S. Levy, Chairman and CEO of Rand, commented, “We believe our year-to-date results clearly illustrate the benefits of our differentiable and sustainable competitive advantages. These include high barriers to entry, a non-duplicatable asset portfolio, customer and end-market diversification, long term contracts with revenue visibility, and an efficient cost structure. We are confident that the strategic initiatives that we have achieved thus far in 2011 have enhanced our sustainable competitive advantages and will position us well to further capitalize on the three primary organic growth drivers in our business, including higher asset utilization as measured by the percentage of time that our vessels are in revenue loaded condition, price increases and continued diversification in our commodity and customer mix.”
 
“While 2011 has been a transformational year for our Company, we continue to believe that our customer needs and the structural dynamics within our markets will present us with meaningful growth opportunities over the next three to five years. Given the size of our fleet and the efficiencies that are derived from scale, as well as our low-cost operating structure and our actions in 2011, we are uniquely positioned to capitalize on these structural growth opportunities. That said, an equally important priority for our Company over the next twelve months will be to repay the accrued preferred dividends on our preferred stock with cash flow from operations. If we were to repay the accrued preferred dividends from operating cash flow, it would contribute approximately $0.10 of earnings per share, based on our current share count, and would generate a return of about 20% per annum on the accrued dividend amount that was paid off with no operational risk.
 
 
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Rand Logistics, Inc.
Summary Statements of Operations (Unaudited)
(U.S. Dollars 000’s except for Shares and Per Share data)
 
   
Three months ended September 30,
   
Six months ended September 30,
 
   
2011
   
2010
   
2011
   
2010
 
Revenue
                       
  Freight and related revenue
  $ 35,164     $ 30,306     $ 65,858     $ 58,712  
  Fuel and other surcharges
    12,840       6,321       24,172       12,685  
  Outside voyage charter revenue
    392       2,168       702       4,206  
      48,396       38,795       90,732       75,603  
Expenses
                               
  Outside voyage charter fees
    390       2,170       697       4,201  
  Vessel operating expenses
    31,255       26,097       59,831       49,724  
  Repairs and maintenance
    206       0       1,032       44  
  General and administrative
    2,453       2,313       5,429       4,664  
  Depreciation and amortization of drydock costs and intangibles
    4,006       2,746       7,873       5,511  
  (Gain) loss on foreign exchange
    (36 )     19       (67 )     5  
      38,274       33,345       74,795       64,149  
Operating Income
    10,122       5,450       15,937       11,454  
                                 
Net income applicable to common stockholders
  $ 5,784     $ 5,055     $ 8,453     $ 7,963  
Net income per share – basic
  $ 0.38     $ 0.38     $ 0.56     $ 0.59  
Net income per share – diluted
  $ 0.37     $ 0.36     $ 0.56     $ 0.57  

Management will host a conference call to discuss the results at 8:30 a.m. ET on Thursday, November 10, 2011. Interested parties may participate in the conference call by dialing 877-218-9317 (706-758-6006 for international callers), Conference ID# 26064812. Please dial in 10 minutes before the call is scheduled to begin.

A telephonic replay of the conference call may be accessed approximately two hours after the completion of the call through January 10, 2012. Dial 800-642-1687 (706-645-9291 for international callers), Conference ID# 26064812, to access the phone replay.

The conference call will be webcast simultaneously on the Rand Logistics, Inc. website at www.randlogisticsinc.com/presentations.html.  The webcast replay will be archived for 12 months.
 
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. For all forward-looking statements, we claim the protection of the Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which cannot be predicted with accuracy or are otherwise beyond our control and some of which might not even be anticipated.  Future events and actual results, affecting our strategic plan as well as our financial position, results of operations and cash flows, could differ materially from those described in or contemplated by the forward-looking statements.  Important factors that contribute to such risks include, but are not limited to, the effect of the economic downturn in our markets; the weather conditions on the Great Lakes; and our ability to maintain and replace our vessels as they age.

For a more detailed description of these uncertainties and other factors, please see the "Risk Factors" section in Rand’s Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 29, 2011.
 
 
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About Rand Logistics
Rand Logistics, Inc. is a leading provider of bulk freight shipping services throughout the Great Lakes region. Through its subsidiaries, the Company operates a fleet of four conventional bulk carriers and twelve self-unloading bulk carriers including one integrated and two articulated tug/barge units. The Company is the only carrier able to offer significant domestic port-to-port services in both Canada and the U.S. on the Great Lakes. The Company’s vessels operate under the U.S. Jones Act – which reserves domestic waterborne commerce to vessels that are U.S. owned, built and crewed, – and the Canada Marine Act – which requires only Canadian registered and crewed ships to operate between Canadian ports.
 
CONTACT:
-OR-
INVESTOR RELATIONS COUNSEL:
Rand Logistics, Inc.
 
Lesley Snyder
Laurence S. Levy, Chairman & CEO
 
(212) 863-9413
Edward Levy, President
 
LSnyder@randlogisticsinc.com
(212) 644-3450
 
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Rand Logistics, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited)
(U.S. Dollars 000’s except for Shares and Per Share data)
 
   
Three months ended September 30,
   
Six months ended September 30,
 
   
2011
   
2010
   
2011
   
2010
 
REVENUE
                       
Freight and related revenue
  $ 35,164     $ 30,306     $ 65,858     $ 58,712  
Fuel and other surcharges
    12,840       6,321       24,172       12,685  
Outside voyage charter revenue
    392       2,168       702       4,206  
TOTAL REVENUE
    48,396       38,795       90,732       75,603  
                                 
EXPENSES
                               
Outside voyage charter fees
    390       2,170       697       4,201  
Vessel operating expenses
    31,255       26,097       59,831       49,724  
Repairs and maintenance
    206       -       1,032       44  
General and administrative
    2,453       2,313       5,429       4,664  
Depreciation
    2,942       1,774       5,733       3,558  
Amortization of drydock costs
    732       684       1,471       1,374  
Amortization of intangibles
    332       288       669       579  
Gain (loss) on foreign exchange
    (36 )     19       (67 )     5  
      38,274       33,345       74,795       64,149  
OPERATING INCOME
    10,122       5,450       15,937       11,454  
                                 
OTHER (INCOME) AND EXPENSES
                               
Interest expense
    2,439       1,369       4,440       2,658  
Interest income
    (1 )     (7 )     (2 )     (23 )
(Gain) loss on interest rate swap contracts
    (46 )     78       (91 )     377  
      2,392       1,440       4,347       3,012  
                                 
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES
    7,730       4,010       11,590       8,442  
PROVISION (RECOVERY) FOR INCOME TAXES
                               
Current
    265       98       322       174  
Deferred
    987       (1,724 )     1,461       (817 )
      1,252       (1,626 )     1,783       (643 )
NET INCOME BEFORE PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS
    6,478       5,636       9,807       9,085  
PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS
    694       581       1,354       1,122  
NET INCOME  APPLICABLE TO COMMON STOCKHOLDERS
  $ 5,784     $ 5,055     $ 8,453     $ 7,963  
                                 
Net income per share basic
  $ 0.38     $ 0.38     $ 0.56     $ 0.59  
Net income per share diluted
  $ 0.37     $ 0.36     $ 0.56     $ 0.57  
Weighted average shares basic
    15,142,066       13,450,376       15,001,283       13,446,508  
Weighted average shares diluted
    17,651,640       15,869,731       17,521,668       15,865,863  
 
 
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Rand Logistics, Inc.
Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)
 (U.S. Dollars 000’s except for Shares and Per Share data)
 
 
September 30,
   
March 31,
 
 
2011
   
2011
 
 ASSETS
         
 CURRENT
         
 Cash and cash equivalents
$ 5,043     $ 4,508  
 Accounts receivable
  21,170       6,991  
 Prepaid expenses and other current assets
  5,917       4,474  
 Income taxes receivable
  -       49  
 Deferred income taxes
  65       161  
 Total current assets
  32,195       16,183  
               
 PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET
  160,799       166,692  
 LOAN TO EMPLOYEE
  250       250  
 OTHER ASSETS
  547       363  
 DEFERRED DRYDOCK COSTS, NET
  5,093       6,523  
 INTANGIBLE ASSETS, NET
  15,651       15,306  
 GOODWILL
  10,193       10,193  
  $ 224,728     $ 215,510  
 Total assets 
             
 LIABILITIES
             
 CURRENT
             
 Bank indebtedness
$ -     $ -  
 Accounts payable
  10,266       12,386  
 Accrued liabilities
  16,123       22,218  
 Income taxes payable
  238       -  
 Interest rate swap contracts
  1,727       1,895  
 Deferred income taxes
  37       603  
 Subordinated note
  1,482       1,482  
 Current portion of deferred payment liability
  377       382  
 Current portion of long-term debt
  7,613       7,178  
 Total current liabilities
  37,863       46,144  
 LONG-TERM PORTION OF DEFERRED PAYMENT LIABILITY
  2,323       2,507  
 LONG-TERM DEBT
  99,634       104,993  
 OTHER LIABILITIES
  242       238  
 DEFERRED INCOME TAXES
  4,434       3,299  
    144,496       157,181  
 Total liabilities
             
 COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
             
 STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
             
Preferred stock, $.0001 par value,
  14,900       14,900  
Authorized 1,000,000 shares, Issued and outstanding 300,000 shares
             
Common stock, $.0001 par value,
  1       1  
Authorized 50,000,000 shares, Issuable and outstanding 17,671,082 shares
             
Additional paid-in capital
  87,691       71,503  
Accumulated deficit
  (22,213 )     (30,666 )
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income
  (147 )     2,591  
    80,232       58,329  
 Total stockholders’ equity
             
               
 Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity
$ 224,728     $ 215,510  
 
 
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