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8-K - CENTURY ALUMINUM COform8k-20120223.htm
Exhibit 99.1

Century Reports 2011 Financial Results

MONTEREY, CA. February 23, 2012 -- Century Aluminum Company
(NASDAQ:CENX) reported a net loss of $31.1 million ($0.35 per basic and diluted common share) for the fourth quarter of 2011.  Financial results were positively impacted by an unrealized gain on forward contracts of $2.4 million primarily related to the mark to market of aluminum price protection options. Cost of sales for the quarter included a $6.3 million charge for lower of cost or market inventory adjustments.

For the fourth quarter of 2010, the company reported net income of $65.3 million ($0.65 per basic and $0.64 per diluted common share).  Financial results were negatively impacted by an unrealized loss on forward contracts of $5.6 million primarily related to the mark to market of aluminum price protection options and by a contractual termination pension benefit charge of $4.6 million due to the continued curtailment of the Ravenswood facility.  Changes to the Century of West Virginia retiree medical benefits program increased quarterly results by $56.7 million with an associated discrete tax benefit of $2.0 million.  Cost of sales for the quarter included a $15.9 million net after-tax charge for the portion of power costs at Hawesville paid by the previous power supplier per the terms of the power agreements.

For 2011, the company reported net income of $11.3 million ($0.11 per basic and diluted common share).  Financial results were negatively impacted by a $7.7 million charge in the second quarter related to the contractual impact of changes in the company's Board of Directors and the executive management team, a charge of $2.9 million related to an insurance receivable, and a charge of $0.8 million related to the early retirement of debt. Changes to the Century of West Virginia retiree medical benefits program increased results by $18.3 million with an associated discrete tax benefit of $4.2 million.  An unrealized gain on forward contracts, primarily related to the mark to market of aluminum price protection options, positively impacted results by $0.8 million.  Cost of sales included an $8.6 million charge related to the restart of a curtailed potline at the Hawesville, KY smelter, and a $19.8 million charge for lower of cost or market inventory adjustments.

For 2010, the company reported net income of $60.0 million ($0.59 per basic and diluted common share).  Financial results were negatively impacted by an unrealized loss on forward contracts of $10.0 million primarily related to the mark to market of aluminum price protection options and by a contractual termination pension benefit charge of $4.6 million due to the continued curtailment of the Ravenswood facility.  Changes to the Century of West Virginia retiree medical benefits program increased results by $56.7 million with an associated discrete tax benefit of $2.0 million.  Tax benefits related to the release of tax reserves no longer required positively impacted results by $2.1 million.  Cost of sales included a $63.2 million net after-tax charge for the portion of power costs at Hawesville paid by the previous power supplier per the terms of the power agreements.

Sales for the fourth quarter of 2011 were $318.2 million compared with $316.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2010.  Shipments of primary aluminum for the 2011 fourth quarter were 155,649 tonnes compared with 148,923 tonnes shipped in the year-ago quarter.  Sales for 2011 were $1,356 million compared with $1,169 million for 2010, and total 2011 primary aluminum shipments of 602,142 tonnes compared with 585,395 tonnes shipped in 2010.

“We continue to see generally favorable conditions in our markets,” commented Michael Bless, President and Chief Executive Officer.  “Trends in end customer demand remain good across a range of key segments.  In the U.S., physical premiums remain supportive and interest in higher margin specialty products continues to be strong.  The increase in large-user power costs, pervasive across developed economies, is a serious ongoing challenge which is threatening the long-term competitiveness of what would otherwise be very good businesses.  We are spending considerable effort to address this challenge to our U.S. smelters. Broader market conditions remain volatile, and will continue to be sensitive to, amongst other developments, the environment in the Eurozone and in the Chinese economy.  With this background, we plan to invest in 2012 in growing and improving our businesses, while continuing to prepare for reasonable contingencies.

“We are pleased with the Company’s recent performance,” continued Bless.  “Though we always expect continuing improvement, safety trends have been gratifying these last few months; the Board and I would like to acknowledge the efforts of all employees toward this, our first priority.  As forecast, Hawesville returned to near full production by year-end.  Key performance indicators have continued to improve, conversion costs have fallen, metal quality has improved and fourth quarter production was up 12 percent versus the third quarter.  Across our businesses, we have begun to see some abatement in the recent significant increases in raw material costs.  In Iceland, Grundartangi had an excellent quarter, and has fully recovered from the temporary instability caused by the power interruption in early January.  In late December, we received the ruling related to the arbitration with one of the power suppliers for the new plant at Helguvik.  The ruling was generally favorable to Nordural and we are now in discussions with both power suppliers aimed at reaching, over the next several months, final agreements which will allow us to recommence major project activity.”

Century Aluminum Company owns primary aluminum capacity in the United States and Iceland. Century's corporate offices are located in Monterey, Calif.  More information can be found at www.centuryaluminum.com.

- ### -

Century Aluminum’s quarterly conference call is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. Eastern time today.  To listen to the conference call and to view related presentation materials, go to www.centuryaluminum.com and click on the conference call link on the homepage.

Contacts:
 Lindsey Berryhill (media)  831-642-9364
 Shelly Harrison (investors)    831-642-9357
 
Certified Advisors for the First North market of the OMX Nordic Exchange Iceland hf. for Global Depositary Receipts in Iceland:
Atli B. Gudmundsson, Senior Manager -- Corporate Finance, NBI hf.
Steingrimur Helgason, Director -- Corporate Finance, NBI hf.
 
Cautionary Statement
This press release and comments made by Century management on the quarterly conference call contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Forward-looking statements are statements about future, not past, events and involve certain important risks and uncertainties, any of which could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, declines in aluminum prices or increases in our operating costs; deterioration of global or local financial and economic conditions; additional delays in the completion of our Helguvik, Iceland smelter, including our ability to secure a reliable power supply and our ability to successfully manage and/or improve performance at each of our operating smelters.  Forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation, statements regarding future market and economic conditions, including the continuance of demand, pricing and cost trends in the aluminum market; our plans to invest in and grow our business in 2012; and our ability reach final agreements with the power suppliers to our Helguvik, Iceland smelter and recommence major project activity. More information about these risks, uncertainties and assumptions can be found in the risk factors and forward-looking statements cautionary language contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and in other filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not undertake, and specifically disclaim, any obligation to revise any forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of future events or circumstances.

 
 

 


Century Aluminum Company
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(in Thousands, Except Per Share Amounts)
(Unaudited)

   
Three months ended
December 31,
   
Year ended
December 31,
 
   
2011
   
2010
   
2011
   
2010
 
NET SALES
                       
Third-party customers
  $ 193,992     $ 205,547     $ 791,993     $ 755,863  
Related parties
    124,172       111,304       564,431       413,408  
      318,164       316,851       1,356,424       1,169,271  
                                 
COST OF GOODS SOLD
    331,796       275,716       1,266,902       1,056,875  
                                 
GROSS PROFIT (LOSS)
    (13,632 )     41,135       89,522       112,396  
                                 
OTHER OPERATING EXPENSES (INCOME) – NET
    4,624       (49,591 )     (3,806 )     (37,386 )
SELLING, GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES
    8,916       11,101       46,032       46,802  
                                 
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)
    (27,172 )     79,625       47,296       102,980  
                                 
INTEREST EXPENSE – THIRD PARTY – NET
    (5,934 )     (6,171 )     (24,791 )     (25,010 )
INTEREST INCOME – RELATED PARTY
    61       115       303       448  
NET GAIN (LOSS) ON FORWARD CONTRACTS
    3,067       (5,681 )     804       (10,495 )
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE) - NET
    225       (598 )     (1,373 )     (377 )
INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE INCOME TAXES AND EQUITY IN EARNINGS OF JOINT VENTURES
    (29,753 )     67,290       22,239       67,546  
                                 
INCOME TAX EXPENSE
    (2,213 )     (2,803 )     (14,359 )     (11,133 )
                                 
INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE EQUITY IN EARNINGS OF JOINT VENTURES
    (31,966 )     64,487       7,880       56,413  
                                 
EQUITY IN EARNINGS OF JOINT VENTURES
    859       793       3,445       3,558  
                                 
NET INCOME (LOSS)
  $ (31,107 )   $ 65,280     $ 11,325     $ 59,971  
                                 
Net Income (Loss) Allocated to Common Shareholders
  $ (31,107 )   $ 59,939     $ 10,404     $ 55,046  
                                 
EARNINGS (LOSS) PER COMMON SHARE
                               
Basic
  $ (0.35 )   $ 0.65     $ 0.11     $ 0.59  
Diluted
  $ (0.35 )   $ 0.64     $ 0.11     $ 0.59  
                                 
WEIGHTED AVERAGE COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING
                               
Basic
    89,352       92,742       91,854       92,676  
Diluted
    89,352       93,414       92,257       92,302  

 
 

 

Century Aluminum Company
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

   
December 31, 2011
   
December 31, 2010
 
ASSETS
           
Current Assets:
           
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 183,401     $ 304,296  
Restricted cash
    -       3,673  
Accounts receivable - net
    47,647       43,903  
Due from affiliates
    44,665       51,006  
Inventories
    171,961       155,908  
Prepaid and other current assets
    40,646       18,292  
Total current assets
    488,320       577,078  
Property, plant and equipment – net
    1,218,225       1,256,970  
Due from affiliates – less current portion
    -       6,054  
Other assets
    104,549       82,954  
Total
  $ 1,811,094     $ 1,923,056  
                 
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
               
Current Liabilities:
               
Accounts payable, trade
  $ 86,172     $ 88,004  
Due to affiliates
    41,904       45,381  
Accrued and other current liabilities
    40,776       41,495  
Accrued employee benefits costs – current portion
    16,698       26,682  
Convertible senior notes
    -       45,483  
Industrial revenue bonds
    7,815       7,815  
Total current liabilities
    193,365       254,860  
                 
Senior notes payable
    249,512       248,530  
Accrued pension benefits costs – less current portion
    70,899       37,795  
Accrued postretirement benefits costs – less current portion
    128,078       103,744  
Other liabilities
    40,005       37,612  
Deferred taxes
    90,958       85,999  
Total noncurrent liabilities
    579,452       513,680  
                 
Shareholders’ Equity:
               
Series A Preferred stock (one cent par value, 5,000,000 shares authorized; 80,718 and 82,515 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively)
    1       1  
Common stock (one cent par value, 195,000,000 shares authorized; 93,230,848 issued and 88,844,327 outstanding as of December 31, 2011; 92,771,864 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2010)
    932       928  
Additional paid-in capital
    2,506,842       2,503,907  
Treasury stock, at cost
    (45,891 )     -  
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
    (134,588 )     (49,976 )
Accumulated deficit
    (1,289,019 )     (1,300,344 )
Total shareholders’ equity
    1,038,277       1,154,516  
Total
  $ 1,811,094     $ 1,923,056  


 
 

 

Century Aluminum Company
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

   
Year ended December 31,
 
   
2011
   
2010
 
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
           
Net income
  $ 11,325     $ 59,971  
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
               
Unrealized net (gain) loss on forward contracts
    (750 )     10,030  
Realized benefit of contractual receivable
    -       55,703  
Accrued and other plant curtailment costs – net
    (13,928 )     (56,010 )
Lower of cost or market inventory adjustment
    19,766       (426 )
Depreciation and amortization
    62,194       63,550  
Debt discount amortization
    1,857       3,150  
Deferred income taxes
    2,494       15,552  
Pension and other postretirement benefits
    (28,757 )     14,578  
Stock-based compensation
    2,856       1,905  
Non-cash loss on early extinguishment of debt
    763       -  
Non-cash contingent obligation
    -       13,091  
Undistributed earnings of joint ventures
    (3,445 )     (3,558 )
Change in operating assets and liabilities:
               
Accounts receivable – net
    (3,744 )     (6,197 )
Due from affiliates
    10,694       (38,191 )
Inventories
    (35,819 )     (24,009 )
Prepaid and other current assets
    (20,791 )     13,412  
Accounts payable, trade
    (904 )     11,674  
Due to affiliates
    (3,477 )     12,685  
Accrued and other current liabilities
    425       (1,758 )
Other – net
    (3,695 )     (13,642 )
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities
    (2,936 )     131,510  
                 
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
               
Purchase of property, plant and equipment
    (20,100 )     (12,241 )
Nordural expansion
    (12,882 )     (19,227 )
Investments in and advances to joint ventures
    (113 )     (32 )
Payment received on advances from joint ventures
    3,056       -  
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment
    1,471       823  
Restricted and other cash deposits
    3,673       5,206  
Net cash used in investing activities
    (24,895 )     (25,471 )
                 
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
               
Repayment of debt
    (47,067 )     -  
Repayment of contingent obligation
    (189 )     -  
Borrowing under revolving credit facility
    15,900       -  
Repayment under revolving credit facility
    (15,900 )     -  
Repurchase of common stock
    (45,891 )     -  
Issuance of common stock – net
    83       23  
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
    (93,064 )     23  
                 
CHANGE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
    (120,895 )     106,062  
                 
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, BEGINNING OF YEAR
    304,296       198,234  
                 
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, END OF YEAR
  $ 183,401     $ 304,296  


 
 

 

Century Aluminum Company
Selected Operating Data
 (Unaudited)

SHIPMENTS – PRIMARY ALUMINUM

   
Direct (1)
   
Toll
 
   
Metric Tons
   
(000)
Pounds
   
$/Pound
   
Metric Tons
   
(000)
Pounds
   
(000)
Revenue
 
2011
                                   
4th Quarter
    87,665       193,269     $ 1.06       67,984       149,877     $ 112,411  
3rd Quarter
    82,236       181,299       1.19       68,596       151,229       129,369  
2nd Quarter
    84,509       186,310       1.26       66,974       147,652       132,113  
1st Quarter
    80,479       177,426       1.17       63,699       140,432       117,658  
Total
    334,889       738,304     $ 1.17       267,253       589,190     $ 491,551  
                                                 
2010
                                               
4th Quarter
    83,073       183,145     $ 1.10       65,850       145,172     $ 114,513  
3rd Quarter
    81,693       180,102       0.99       65,523       144,454       100,231  
2nd Quarter
    76,521       168,700       1.04       68,058       150,043       112,523  
1st Quarter
    76,653       168,990       1.04       68,024       149,968       109,659  
Total
    317,940       700,937     $ 1.04       267,455       589,637     $ 436,926  
                                                 
(1) Does not include Toll shipments from Nordural Grundartangi