Cooper Standard Reports First Quarter Results, Reaffirms Adjusted EBITDA Guidance and Announces Two Significant New Fortrex™ Technology Agreements

NOVI, Mich., May 1, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Cooper-Standard Holdings Inc. (NYSE: CPS) today reported results for the first quarter 2019.

Summary

• Sales totaled $880.0 million
• Net loss of $3.5 million or $(0.20) per diluted share
• Adjusted EBITDA of $66.4 million or 7.5 percent of sales
• Adjusted net income of $11.8 million or $0.67 per diluted share
• Two significant new Fortrex™ technology agreements signed subsequent to quarter end
• Full year 2019 adjusted EBITDA guidance reaffirmed

"Our results were in line with our expectations for the quarter despite continuing global economic headwinds," said Jeffrey Edwards, chairman and CEO, Cooper Standard.  "As market conditions remain challenging, we are aggressively implementing and accelerating additional cost improvement initiatives that will drive improved margins and cash flow going forward.  Combined with the expected positive impact from a record number of planned new launches, we anticipate full year adjusted EBITDA results in line with our original guidance."

Consolidated Results

The year-over-year change in first quarter sales was primarily attributable to unfavorable volume and mix, foreign exchange and customer price adjustments, partially offset by the net positive impact of acquisitions.

Net loss for the first quarter 2019 included the impact of restructuring charges related to headcount reduction actions, as well as project costs related to the recent sale of the Company's AVS business.  Adjusted net income, which excludes these items, was down in the first quarter 2019 due largely to unfavorable volume and mix, customer price adjustments, higher material costs and general inflation, partially offset by operating efficiencies and other cost saving initiatives.

Adjusted net income, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted earnings per diluted share are non-GAAP measures.  Reconciliations to the most directly comparable financial measures, calculated and presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("U.S. GAAP"), are provided in the attached supplemental schedules.

Notable Developments

During the first quarter, Cooper Standard launched 43 new customer programs and was awarded $76 million in annual net new business.  New contract awards related to the Company's recent product innovations, including both new and replacement business, totaled $81 million in the quarter. Cooper Standard's expanding portfolio of commercialized innovation products includes: MagAlloy™; ArmorHose™; ArmorHose™ TPV; Gen III Posi-Lock; TP Microdense; Microdense EPDM; flush mount glass sealing technology; and Fortrex^TM.

Subsequent to the end of the first quarter, Cooper Standard reached two new agreements to license Fortrex^TM technology to develop and commercialize custom blended materials for applications outside of the automotive industry.  The agreements are with a leading Chinese sportswear OEM with internationally recognized brands and a major North American producer of materials for the building and construction industry. Cooper Standard will also supply Fortrex^TM materials to these companies for any next generation products arising under these agreements. The license agreements are further demonstration of the versatility of Fortrex^TM chemistry and the diverse market applications that it can address.

Segment Results of Operations

Sales

*Net of customer price reductions

• The impact of foreign currency exchange primarily relates to the Euro, Chinese Renminbi, Brazilian Real, Mexican Peso and the Canadian Dollar.
• Other includes the net impact of acquisitions.

Adjusted EBITDA

^* Net of customer price reductions

• The impact of foreign currency exchange is primarily driven by the Canadian Dollar, Mexican Peso, Chinese Renminbi and Euro.
• The Cost (Increases) / Decreases category above includes:
• The increase in material cost pressure and general inflation;
• Launch related activity for engineering, prototypes and tooling;
• Net operational efficiencies of $25.0 million primarily driven by our North America and Europe segments;
• Other includes the net impact of acquisitions.

Liquidity and Cash Flow

At March 31, 2019, Cooper Standard had cash and cash equivalents totaling $262.2 million.  Net cash used in operating activities in the first quarter 2019 was $1.8 million and free cash flow for the quarter (defined as net cash used in/provided by operating activities minus capital expenditures) was an outflow of $61.5 million.  This compares favorably to the free cash outflow of $78.4 million in the first quarter of 2018.

In addition to cash and cash equivalents, the Company had $109.3 million available under its amended senior asset-based revolving credit facility ("ABL"), inclusive of outstanding letters of credit, for total liquidity of $371.5 million at March 31, 2019.

Total debt at March 31, 2019 was $907.2 million. Net debt (defined as total debt minus cash and cash equivalents) was $645 million.  Cooper Standard's net leverage ratio (defined as net debt divided by trailing 12 months adjusted EBITDA) at March 31, 2019 was 2.0 times.

Subsequent to the end of the quarter, on April 1, 2019, the Company completed the sale of its AVS business.  The total sale price of the transaction was $265.5 million, subject to certain adjustments. The estimated net cash proceeds after taxes and transaction-related expenses and fees are expected to be approximately $220 to $225 million.

In June 2018, the Company's board of directors approved a common stock repurchase program authorizing the Company to repurchase, in aggregate, up to $150.0 million of its outstanding common stock. During the first quarter of 2019, the Company used $5.9 million of cash on hand to repurchase 85,000 shares.  As of March 31, 2019, approximately $128.7 million of repurchase authorization remained available under the 2018 program.

Outlook

Based on the results achieved in the first quarter and the industry and economic outlook for the rest of the year, the Company has revised its revenue guidance and reaffirmed its adjusted EBITDA guidance for the full year 2019 as summarized below:

¹ Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure. We have not provided a reconciliation of projected adjusted EBITDA to projected net income because full-year net income will include special items that have not yet occurred and are difficult to predict with reasonable certainty prior to year-end.  Due to this uncertainty, we cannot reconcile projected adjusted EBITDA to U.S. GAAP net income without unreasonable effort.

Conference Call Details

Cooper Standard management will host a conference call and webcast on May 2, 2019 at 9 a.m. ET to discuss its first quarter 2019 results, provide a general business update and respond to investor questions.  A link to the live webcast of the call (listen only) and presentation materials will be available on Cooper Standard's Investor Relations website at www.ir.cooperstandard.com/events.cfm.

To participate by phone, callers in the United States and Canada should dial toll-free (877) 374-4041.  International callers should dial (253) 237-1156.  Provide the conference ID 3077994 or ask to be connected to the Cooper Standard conference call. Representatives of the investment community will have the opportunity to ask questions after the presentation. Callers should dial in at least five minutes prior to the start of the call.

Individuals unable to participate during the live call may visit the investors' portion of the Cooper Standard website (www.ir.cooperstandard.com) for a replay of the webcast.

About Cooper Standard

Cooper Standard, headquartered in Novi, Mich., is a leading global supplier of systems and components for the automotive industry. Products include sealing, fuel and brake delivery, and fluid transfer systems. Cooper Standard employs approximately 30,000 people globally and operates in 21 countries around the world. For more information, please visit www.cooperstandard.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of U.S. federal securities laws, and we intend that such forward-looking statements be subject to the safe harbor created thereby.  Our use of words "estimate," "expect," "anticipate," "project," "plan," "intend," "believe," "outlook," "guidance," "forecast," or future or conditional verbs, such as "will," "should," "could," "would," or "may," and variations of such words or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based upon our current expectations and various assumptions. Our expectations, beliefs, and projections are expressed in good faith and we believe there is a reasonable basis for them. However, we cannot assure you that these expectations, beliefs and projections will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or achievements to be materially different from the future results or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Among other items, such factors may include: prolonged or material contractions in automotive sales and production volumes; our inability to realize sales represented by awarded business; escalating pricing pressures; loss of large customers or significant platforms; our ability to successfully compete in the automotive parts industry; availability and increasing volatility in costs of manufactured components and raw materials; disruption in our supply base; competitive threats and commercial risks associated with us entering new markets; possible variability of our working capital requirements; risks associated with our international operations, including changes in laws, regulations, and policies governing the terms of foreign trade such as increased trade restrictions and tariffs; foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; our ability to control the operations of our joint ventures for our sole benefit; our substantial amount of indebtedness; our ability to obtain adequate financing sources in the future; operating and financial restrictions imposed on us under our debt instruments; the underfunding of our pension plans; significant changes in discount rates and the actual return on pension assets; effectiveness of continuous improvement programs and other cost savings plans; manufacturing facility closings or consolidation; our ability to execute new program launches; our ability to meet customers' needs for new and improved products; the possibility that our acquisitions and divestitures may not be successful; product liability, warranty and recall claims brought against us; laws and regulations, including environmental, health and safety laws and regulations; legal proceedings, claims or investigations against us; work stoppages or other labor disruptions; the ability of our intellectual property to withstand legal challenges; cyber-attacks, other disruptions in or the inability to implement upgrades to, our information technology systems; the possible volatility of our annual effective tax rate; changes in our assumptions as a result of IRS issuing guidance on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act; the possibility of future impairment charges to our goodwill and long-lived assets; our dependence on our subsidiaries for cash to satisfy our obligations; and other risks and uncertainties, including those detailed from time to time in the Company's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.  Our forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or otherwise revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except where we are expressly required to do so by law.

This press release also contains estimates and other information that is based on industry publications, surveys and forecasts.  This information involves a number of assumptions and limitations, and we have not independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the information.

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Financial statements and related notes follow:

Non-GAAP Measures

EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income, adjusted earnings per share, net debt and free cash flow are measures not recognized under U.S. GAAP and which exclude certain non-cash and special items that may obscure trends and operating performance not indicative of the Company's core financial activities. Management considers EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income, adjusted earnings per share, net debt and free cash flow to be key indicators of the Company's operating performance and believes that these and similar measures are widely used by investors, securities analysts and other interested parties in evaluating the Company's performance. In addition, similar measures are utilized in the calculation of the financial covenants and ratios contained in the Company's financing arrangements and management uses these measures for developing internal budgets and forecasting purposes. EBITDA is defined as net income adjusted to reflect income tax expense, interest expense net of interest income, depreciation and amortization, and adjusted EBITDA is defined as EBITDA further adjusted to reflect certain items that management does not consider to be reflective of the Company's core operating performance.  Adjusted net income is defined as net income adjusted to reflect certain items that management does not consider to be reflective of the Company's core operating performance. Adjusted basic and diluted earnings per share is defined as adjusted net income divided by the weighted average number of basic and diluted shares, respectively, outstanding during the period.  Net debt is defined as total debt minus cash and cash equivalents.  Free cash flow is defined as net cash provided by operating activities minus capital expenditures and is useful to both management and investors in evaluating the Company's ability to service and repay its debt.

When analyzing the Company's operating performance, investors should use EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income, adjusted earnings per share, net debt and free cash flow as supplements to, and not as alternatives for, net income, operating income, or any other performance measure derived in accordance with U.S. GAAP, and not as an alternative to cash flow from operating activities as a measure of the Company's liquidity. EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income, adjusted earnings per share, net debt and free cash flow have limitations as analytical tools and should not be considered in isolation or as substitutes for analysis of the Company's results of operations as reported under U.S. GAAP. Other companies may report EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income, adjusted earnings per share, net debt and free cash flow differently and therefore the Company's results may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies. In addition, in evaluating adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net income, it should be noted that in the future the Company may incur expenses similar to or in excess of the adjustments in the below presentation. This presentation of adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net income should not be construed as an inference that the Company's future results will be unaffected by special items.  Reconciliations of EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income and free cash flow follow.

SOURCE Cooper-Standard Holdings Inc.