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8-K - FORM 8-K (FOURTH QUARTER FISCAL 2014 EARNINGS RELEASE) - CELADON GROUP INCform8k.htm
 

Exhibit 99.1
 

 
celadon logo
 
9503 East 33rd Street
Indianapolis, IN  46235-4207
(800) CELADON
(317) 972-7000
 

For more information:
Joe Weigel                                                                                                                                   August 6, 2014
Director of Marketing & Communications
(800) CELADON Ext. 7006
(317) 972-7006 Direct
jweigel@celadontrucking.com


CELADON GROUP REPORTS JUNE QUARTER AND FULL FISCAL YEAR RESULTS
AND DECLARES DIVIDEND


INDIANAPOLIS – Celadon Group Inc. (NYSE : CGI) today reported its financial and operating results for the three months and fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, the fourth fiscal quarter of the Company’s fiscal year ending June 30, 2014.

Revenue for the quarter increased 21.4% to $197.4 million in the June 2014 quarter from $162.6 million in the June 2013 quarter.  Freight revenue, which excludes fuel surcharges, increased 22.3% to $160.7 million in the June 2014 quarter from $131.4 million in the June 2013 quarter.  Net income increased $8.3 million to $15.5 million in the 2014 quarter from $7.2 million for the same quarter last year.  Earnings per diluted share increased to $0.65 in the June 2014 period from $0.31 for the same quarter last year.  Included in net income and earnings per share was approximately $8.8 million and $0.36 related to the sale of the minority ownership interest in Truckers, B2B, LLC in the 2014 quarter.

For the twelve months ended June 30, 2014, revenue increased 23.7% to $759.3 million in 2014 from $613.6 million for the same period last year.  Freight revenue, which excludes fuel surcharges, increased 25.8% to $615.4 million in 2014 from $489.0 million for the same period last year. Net income increased 12.4% to $30.7 million in 2014 from $27.3 million for the same period last year.  Earnings per diluted share increased to $1.29 in 2014 from $1.17 for the same period last year.

Paul Will, President and Chief Executive Officer, made the following comments:   “We were pleased with the improvements we have seen in our operating metrics in the June 2014 quarter.  We have seen strong freight volumes and an increasing seated count at the end of the quarter, which has continued into the September 2014 quarter.  The June 2014 quarter was negatively impacted by approximately $1.4 million, or $0.03 per share, for severance and contractual buyouts primarily related to previous acquisitions as we continue to generate synergies and cost savings from the integration of these acquisitions.  Operations, maintenance and fuel expenses increased primarily due to the older equipment associated with our most recent acquisitions and aging equipment associated with our existing fleet, which will be improved significantly in future periods as we continue to refresh the tractor fleet.
 
 
 

 
 
“The average age of the Company’s tractor fleet, which includes tractors from recent acquisitions, has increased to 1.8 years as of June 2014.   We took delivery of 225 trucks during the second half of the June quarter and have on order 575 trucks to replace the acquisition equipment and continue to refresh the remaining fleet, which we expect will improve fuel economy and help bring down our overall maintenance costs to more historical levels.  Gains on sales of assets were $2.2 million in the June 2014 quarter compared with $0.6 million in the June 2013 quarter.

“We increased our average seated tractor count by 421, or 15%, to 3,191 in the June 2014 quarter compared to 2,770 in the June 2013 quarter, a significant operating metric improvement that resulted in increased revenue for the quarter.  This increase was a result of expanding our recruiting efforts at terminal locations, having established a driving school that now has several locations and our acquisitions over the past year.  We believe this will position us well as truck capacity is being constrained by an extremely challenging driver market, as well as the increase in fleet failures due to higher equipment costs and a burdening government regulatory environment.  We believe the favorable freight trend will continue due to these factors.

“Our primary focus over the past year has been to expand our service offerings to our customers and grow our capacity of seated tractors, which has resulted in freight revenue growth for the June 2014 quarter of approximately 22% over the June 2013 quarter.  This growth strategy should position Celadon to better serve our customers now and especially in the near future as we believe truck capacity will continue to tighten for the truckload industry.  The business generated from acquisitions has been instrumental in our ability to add truck capacity and density in our current operating lanes.  Although we have incurred transition and integration costs in the June 2014 quarter, we believe these costs and future synergies related to these acquisitions should benefit Celadon in future quarters.

“Our average revenue per tractor per week increased $67, or 2.3%, to $3,001 in the June 2014 quarter, from $2,934 in the June 2013 quarter.  This was attributable to the increased tractor utilization and revenue per loaded mile during the June 2014 quarter.  Our average revenue per loaded mile increased to $1.62 per mile in the June 2014 quarter from $1.59 in the June 2013 quarter.

“Our balance sheet remains solid and we retain significant liquidity to support the growth of our business. At June 30, 2014 we had $259.0 million of stockholders equity.  Our cash flow generated from operations will allow us to effectively continue to execute on our growth strategy.”

On August 6, 2014, the Board of Directors approved a regular cash dividend to shareholders for the quarter ending September 30, 2014.  The quarterly cash dividend of two cents ($0.02) per share of common stock will be payable on October 17, 2014 to shareholders of record at the close of business on October 3, 2014.
 
 
 

 
 
Conference Call Information

An investor conference call is scheduled for Thursday, August 7 at 11:00 a.m. ET.  Management will discuss the results of the quarter.  To pre-register for the call please follow the links on our website at http://investors.celadontrucking.com.  For those without internet access or unable to pre-register, please dial in by calling  1-866-652-5200 (or 1-412-317-6060) a few minutes prior to the start time.  A replay will be available through September 8 at http://investors.celadontrucking.com.

Celadon Group Inc. (www.celadongroup.com), through its subsidiaries, primarily provides long-haul, full-truckload freight service across the United States, Canada and Mexico.  The company also owns Celadon Logistics Services, which provides freight brokerage; Celadon Dedicated Services, which provides supply chain management solutions, such as warehousing and dedicated fleet services.
 
This press release contains certain statements that may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such statements may be identified by their use of terms or phrases such as "expects," "estimates," "projects," "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "intends," and similar terms and phrases. Forward-looking statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of our management and are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified, which could cause future events and actual results to differ materially from those set forth in, contemplated by, or underlying the forward-looking statements.  Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.  The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements: the risk that our perception of additional capacity due to seating trucks and perceived benefits thereof are inaccurate; the risk that our perception of changes in our customer base and perceived benefits thereto are inaccurate; the risk that managing our tractor fleet age does not result in greater flexibility and lower operating expenses; excess tractor and trailer capacity in the trucking industry; decreased demand for our services or loss of one or more of our major customers; surplus inventories; recessionary economic cycles and downturns in customers' business cycles; strikes, work slow downs, or work stoppages at our facilities, or at customer, port, border crossing, or other shipping related facilities; increases in compensation for and difficulty in attracting and retaining qualified drivers and independent contractors; increases in insurance premiums and deductible amounts; elevated experience in the frequency or severity of claims relating to accident, cargo, workers' compensation, health, and other matters; fluctuations in claims expenses that result from high self-insured retention amounts and differences between estimates used in establishing and adjusting claims reserves and actual results over time; increases or rapid fluctuations in fuel prices, as well as fluctuations in hedging activities and surcharge collection, the volume and terms of diesel purchase commitment, interest rates, fuel taxes, tolls, and license and registration fees; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; increases in the prices paid for new revenue equipment and changes in the resale value of our used equipment; increases in interest rates or decreased availability of capital or other sources of financing for revenue equipment; seasonal factors such as harsh weather conditions that increase operating costs; competition from trucking, rail, and intermodal competitors; regulatory requirements that increase costs or decrease efficiency, including revised hours-of-service requirements for drivers and new emissions control regulations; our ability to identify acceptable acquisition candidates, consummate acquisitions, and integrate acquired operations; the timing of, and any rules relating to, the opening of the border to Mexican drivers; challenges associated with doing business internationally; our ability to retain key employees; and the effects of actual or threatened military action or terrorist attacks or responses, including security measures that may impede shipping efficiency, especially at border crossings.
 
Readers should review and consider these factors along with the various disclosures by the company in its press releases, stockholder reports, and filings with the Securities Exchange Commission.  We disclaim any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results or changes in the factors affecting the forward-looking information.
 
- tables follow -

 
 

 


CELADON GROUP, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
 (Dollars in thousands except per share amounts)
(Unaudited)

   
For the three months ended
   
For the year ended
 
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
 
   
2014
   
2013
   
2014
   
2013
 
                         
REVENUE:
                       
Freight revenue
  $ 160,662     $ 131,388     $ 615,411     $ 489,035  
Fuel surcharge revenue
    36,724       31,213       143,900       124,613  
Total revenue
    197,386       162,601       759,311       613,648  
                                 
OPERATING EXPENSES:
                               
Salaries, wages, and employee benefits
    56,432       43,111       209,938       165,485  
Fuel
    44,391       34,124       171,695       143,807  
Purchased transportation
    43,334       35,953       173,940       125,741  
Revenue equipment rentals
    1,632       1,670       6,621       6,973  
Operations and maintenance
    12,334       8,979       49,709       32,669  
Insurance and claims
    4,900       4,267       19,252       15,251  
Depreciation and amortization
    13,425       14,763       57,843       50,767  
Communications and utilities
    1,733       1,384       6,409       5,408  
Operating taxes and licenses
    3,737       2,693       13,275       10,451  
General and other operating
    3,290       2,752       11,195       8,424  
Total operating expenses
    185,208       149,696       719,877       565,976  
                                 
Operating income
    12,178       12,905       39,434       48,672  
                                 
Interest expense
    1,227       1,188       5,071       4,931  
Interest income
    (4 )     ---       (12 )     ---  
Other income, net
    (15,295 )     (315 )     (15,996 )     (994 )
Income before income taxes
    26,250       12,032       50,371       44,735  
Income tax expense
    10,743       4,788       19,690       17,471  
Net income
  $ 15,507     $ 7,244     $ 30,681     $ 27,264  
                                 
Income per common share:
                               
Diluted
  $ 0.65     $ 0.31     $ 1.29     $ 1.17  
Basic
  $ 0.67     $ 0.32     $ 1.33     $ 1.20  
                                 
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding
    23,874       23,617       23,755       23,393  
Basic weighted average shares outstanding
    23,127       22,861       23,014       22,640  

 
 
 

 


CELADON GROUP, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
June 30, 2014 and June 30, 2013
(Dollars and shares in thousands except par value)

 
   
(unaudited)
       
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
 
ASSETS
 
2014
   
2013
 
             
Current assets:
           
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 15,508     $ 1,315  
Trade receivables, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $942 and $919 at June 30, 2014 and June 30, 2013, respectively
    105,968       77,623  
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
    26,288       13,434  
Tires in service
    2,227       1,245  
Equipment for resale
    3,148       9,923  
Income tax receivable
    6,395       9,506  
Deferred income taxes
    7,651       4,342  
Total current assets
    167,185       117,388  
Property and equipment
    643,888       612,236  
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization
    151,059       115,366  
Net property and equipment
    492,829       496,870  
Tires in service
    2,720       1,785  
Goodwill
    22,810       17,730  
Investment in joint venture
    ---       4,604  
Other assets
    5,271       2,785  
Total assets
  $ 690,815     $ 641,162  
                 
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
               
                 
Current liabilities:
               
Accounts payable
  $ 11,017     $ 10,401  
Accrued salaries and benefits
    13,902       11,197  
Accrued insurance and claims
    11,568       10,092  
Accrued fuel expense
    11,306       7,461  
Other accrued expenses
    33,453       20,070  
Current maturities long term debt
    3,690       ---  
Current maturities of capital lease obligations
    67,439       25,669  
Total current liabilities
    152,375       84,890  
Long-term debt
    83,497       78,137  
Capital lease obligations, net of current maturities
    119,665       190,625  
Deferred income taxes
    76,275       61,821  
Stockholders' equity:
               
Common stock, $0.033 par value, authorized  40,000 shares; issued and outstanding  24,060 and 23,887 shares at June 30, 2014 and June 30, 2013, respectively
    794       788  
Treasury stock at cost; 500 and 696 shares at June 30, 2014 and June 30, 2013, respectively
    (3,453 )     (4,811 )
Additional paid-in capital
    107,579       103,749  
Retained earnings
    160,068       131,224  
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
    (5,985 )     (5,261 )
Total stockholders' equity
    259,003       225,689  
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity
  $ 690,815     $ 641,162  
 
 
 

 


Key Operating Statistics
 
 
   
For the three months ended
   
For the year ended
 
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
 
   
2014
   
2013
   
2014
   
2013
 
 
 
Average revenue per loaded mile (*)
  $  1.624     $  1.592     $  1.613     $  1.571  
Average revenue per total mile (*)
  $ 1.439     $ 1.410     $ 1.419     $ 1.399  
Average revenue per tractor per week (*)
  $ 3,001     $ 2,934     $ 2,884     $ 2,883  
Average miles per seated tractor per week(**)
    2,086       2,081       2,032       2,061  
Average seated line-haul tractors (**)
    3,191       2,770       3,268       2,707  
*Freight revenue excluding fuel surcharge.
                               
**Total seated fleet, including equipment operated by independent contractors and our Mexican subsidiary, Jaguar.
 
                                 
Adjusted Trucking Revenue (^)
  $ 161,239     $ 136,871     $ 633,644     $ 530,503  
Asset Light Revenue
    16,760       11,928       58,430       43,960  
Intermodal Revenue
    11,113       6,980       38,846       22,432  
Other Revenue
    8,273       6,822       28,392       16,752  
Total Revenue
  $ 197,386     $ 162,601     $ 759,311     $ 613,647  
^Trucking Revenue for US, Canada, Mexico. Includes Fuel Surcharge.