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8-K - FORM 8-K, 2012-Q1 EARNINGS RELEASE - TOR MINERALS INTERNATIONAL INCx8k2012q1earnings.htm

EXHIBIT 99.1

TOR Minerals International Reports First Quarter Financial Results

Posts Record Revenue and Net Income

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas, April 26, 2012 - TOR Minerals International (Nasdaq: TORM), producer of synthetic titanium dioxide and color pigments, specialty aluminas, and other high performance mineral fillers, today announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2012. Highlights for the first quarter of 2012 as compared to the first quarter of 2011 included:

  • 1Q12 revenue increased 34% to $12.8 million
  • 1Q12 diluted net income increased 103% to $1.4 million
  • 1Q12 diluted EPS: $0.41 versus 1Q11 diluted EPS: $0.22

 Revenue by Product Group (in 000's)

 

 1Q12

 

 1Q11

 

 % Change

 TiO2 Pigments

 $

6,135 

 $

4,454 

38%

 Specialty Aluminas

5,046 

4,142 

22%

 Other

1,627 

989 

65%

 Total

 

 $

12,808 

 

 $

9,585 

 

34%

Net sales increased 34 percent during the first quarter of 2012 due to increases in all three of the Company's primary product categories. Sales of titanium dioxide (TiO2) pigments, which include HITOX®, TIOPREM® and synthetic rutile products, increased 38 percent to $6.1 million, as increased sales volume in North America and higher prices more than offset decreased sales volumes in Asia.  Sales of specialty alumina, which includes the ALUPREM®, HALTEX® and OPTILOAD® product groups, increased 22 percent during the first quarter of 2012.  In addition to increased volumes, specialty alumina sales benefited from a mix shift, which positively affected average selling prices.

Commenting on sales trends, Dr. Olaf Karasch, Chief Executive Officer, said, "We achieved record quarterly revenue again during the first quarter, marking our third quarter of record performance in the past four quarters. Overall, we continued to experience strong growth in sales volumes, as new customers are realizing the value-added characteristics of our niche specialty mineral products and are transitioning from sample to production order quantities. In addition, higher average selling prices in all of our product lines are contributing to our revenue growth."

 Margin Table

 

 1Q12

 

 1Q11

 

 Change

 Gross Margin

24.9%

21.8%

+ 310 basis points

 Operating Margin

14.7%

9.0%

+ 570 basis points

 Net Margin

10.9%

7.0%

+ 390 basis points



During the first quarter of 2012, favorable trends in pricing, product mix and sales volumes more than offset increased raw material and energy costs. As a result, gross margin improved 310 basis points year over year to 24.9 percent of sales.  Operating income increased to $1.9 million, or 14.7 percent of sales, compared to operating income of $0.9 million, or 9.0 percent of sales, reported during the same period a year ago.

"We saw the favorable effects of increased pricing in our TiO2 pigment business during the first quarter and posted the highest quarterly operating margin in our history," said Dr. Karasch.  "In addition, we continued to demonstrate the earnings leverage in our business model and posted significant improvement in our profitability.

"We are off to a strong start for 2012, and if current trends continue, we are well positioned to exceed our targeted growth rates of 15 to 20 percent and post another record year.  Already, we have customer demand to fill half of our expanded alumina plant capacity and based on our current assessment of market demand for TiO2 pigments, we expect favorable pricing and volume trends to continue in our TiO2 pigment business. With strong market demand, we also foresee good opportunities for the future sale of available synthetic rutile to third parties," concluded Dr. Karasch. 

TOR Minerals will host a conference call at 4:00 p.m. Central Time on April 26, 2012, to further discuss first quarter results. The call will be simultaneously Webcast, and can be accessed via the News section on the Company's website, www.torminerals.com.  Investors and interested parties may participate in the call by dialing 877-407-8033 and referring to conference ID # 392940. 

Headquartered in Corpus Christi, Texas, TOR Minerals International is a global manufacturer and marketer of specialty mineral and pigment products for high performance applications with manufacturing and regional offices located in the United States, Netherlands and Malaysia.

This statement provides forward-looking information as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and, therefore, is subject to certain risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that the actual results, business conditions, business developments, losses and contingencies and local and foreign factors will not differ materially from those suggested in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including market conditions, general economic conditions, including the present slowdown in U.S. construction and the risks of a general business slow down or recession, the increasing cost of energy, raw materials and labor, competition, the receptivity of the markets for our anticipated new products, advances in technology, changes in foreign currency rates, freight price increase, commodity price increases, delays in delivery of required equipment and other factors.

Contact for Further Information
Dave Mossberg,
Three Part Advisors, LLC
817 310-0051



 TOR Minerals International, Inc. and Subsidiaries

 Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income

 (Unaudited)

 (In thousands, except per share amounts)

 

 

 Three Months
Ended March 31,

 

 

2012

 

2011

 NET SALES

 $

12,808 

 $

9,585 

 Cost of sales

9,618 

7,494 

 GROSS MARGIN

 

3,190 

 

2,091 

 Technical services and research and development

82 

66 

 Selling, general and administrative expenses

1,224 

1,159 

 OPERATING INCOME

 

1,884 

 

866 

 OTHER EXPENSE:

 Interest expense

(142)

(96)

 Gain (loss) on foreign currency exchange rate

23 

(48)

 INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX

 

1,765 

 

722 

 Income tax expense

369 

47 

 NET INCOME 

 $

1,396 

 $

675 

 Less:  Preferred Stock Dividends

15 

 Basic Income Available to Common Shareholders

 $

1,396 

 $

660 

 Plus:  6% Convertible Debenture Interest Expense

22 

22 

 Plus:  Preferred Stock Dividends

15 

 Diluted Income Available to Common Shareholders

 $

1,418 

 $

697 

 

 

 

 

 

 Income per common share:

 Basic

 $

0.58 

 $

0.34 

 Diluted

 $

0.41 

 $

0.22 

 Weighted average common shares outstanding:

 Basic

2,402 

1,941 

 Diluted

3,439 

3,149 



 TOR Minerals International, Inc. and Subsidiaries

 Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

 (In thousands, except per share amounts)

 

 March 31,
2012

 

 December 31,
2011

 

 

 (Unaudited)

 

 

 ASSETS

 CURRENT ASSETS:

 Cash and cash equivalents

$

2,886 

$

3,381 

 Trade accounts receivable, net

6,030 

4,921 

 Inventories 

20,697 

18,673 

 Other current assets

992 

832 

 Total current assets

30,605 

27,807 

 PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, net 

21,403 

20,138 

 OTHER ASSETS

23 

22 

 Total Assets

$

52,031 

$

47,967 

 

 

 

 

 

 LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

 CURRENT LIABILITIES:

 Accounts payable

$

3,930 

$

3,222 

 Accrued expenses

3,215 

1,754 

 Notes payable under lines of credit

1,439 

2,886 

 Export credit refinancing facility

2,457 

1,254 

 Current deferred tax liability

50 

46 

 Current maturities - capital leases

93 

28 

 Current maturities of long-term debt - financial institutions

832 

813 

 Current maturities of long-term debt - convertible debentures

91 

91 

 Total current liabilities

12,107 

10,094 

 LONG-TERM DEBT, EXCLUDING CURRENT MATURITIES 

 Capital leases

27 

34 

 Long-term debt - financial institutions

2,497 

2,668 

 Long-term debt - convertible debentures, net

1,144 

1,127 

 DEFERRED TAX LIABILITY

637 

619 

 Total liabilities

16,412 

14,542 

 COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES 

 SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY: 

 Common stock $1.25 par value:  authorized, 6,000 shares;
2,407 and 2,400 shares issued and outstanding
at 3/31/2012 and 12/31/2011, respectively

3,009 

2,999 

 Additional paid-in capital

28,302 

28,222 

 Accumulated deficit

(363)

(1,759)

 Accumulated other comprehensive income:

 Cumulative translation adjustment

4,671 

3,963 

 Total shareholders' equity

35,619 

33,425 

 Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity

$

52,031 

$

47,967 



 TOR Minerals International, Inc. and Subsidiaries

 Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

 (Unaudited)

 (In thousands)

 

 Three Months Ended March 31,

2012

 

2011

 CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:

 

 Net Income

 $

1,396 

 $

675 

 Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash
provided by operating activities:

 Depreciation

540 

499 

 Share-based compensation

 Warrant interest expense

17 

17 

 Deferred income taxes

41 

 Changes in working capital:

 Trade accounts receivables

(1,031)

(897)

 Inventories

(1,588)

(290)

 Other current assets

(142)

(186)

 Accounts payable and accrued expenses

2,043 

603 

 Net cash provided by operating activities

1,246 

464 

 CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:

 

 Additions to property, plant and equipment

(1,315)

(513)

 Net cash used in investing activities

(1,315)

(513)

 CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:

 

 Payments on lines of credit

(1,543)

(317)

 Net proceeds from (payments on) export credit refinancing facility

1,159 

(235)

 Net proceeds from (payments on) capital leases

57 

(25)

 Payments on long-term bank debt

(204)

(122)

 Proceeds from the issuance of common stock,
     and exercise of common stock options

83 

534 

 Preferred stock dividends paid

(15)

 Net cash used in financing activities

(448)

(180)

 Effect of exchange rate fluctuations on cash and cash equivalents

22 

66 

 Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents

(495)

(163)

 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year

3,381 

2,559 

 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

 $

2,886 

 $

2,396 

 Supplemental cash flow disclosures:

 

 Interest paid

 $

140 

 $

96 

 Non-cash financing activities:

 

 Conversion of debentures

 $

 $

25