Greenbrier Announces Record Fourth Quarter Earnings; $110 Million Net Debt Reduction Over Q3; $50 Million Share Repurchase Program Authorized

LAKE OSWEGO, Ore., Oct. 31, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Greenbrier Companies, Inc. (NYSE: GBX) today reported financial results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended August 31, 2013.

Fourth Quarter Highlights                                                                                                       

• Record net earnings for the quarter were $22.5 million, or $0.69 per diluted share, excluding restructuring charges of $1.8 million, on revenue of $484.2 million.  "Economic" EPS was $0.79, which excludes the impact of out-of-the-money shares underlying our 3.5% convertible bonds.
• Net earnings attributable to Greenbrier, including restructuring charges, for the quarter were $20.7 million, or $0.64 per diluted share.
• Record Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $49.5 million or 10.2% of revenue.
• New railcar backlog as of August 31, 2013 was 14,400 units with an estimated value of $1.52 billion (average unit sale price of $106,000), compared to 14,200 units with an estimated value of $1.57 billion (average unit sales price of $111,000) on May 31, 2013.
• New railcar deliveries totaled 3,500 units for the quarter.
• Orders for 3,400 new railcars were received during the quarter. Subsequent to quarter end, Greenbrier received orders for another 1,700 units valued at approximately $140 million.
• Entered into several new long-term railcar maintenance agreements, including multi-year transaction with CIT Rail.
• Marine backlog as of August 31, 2013 was $10 million, compared to $1.6 million as of May 31, 2013.

Fiscal Year 2013 Highlights                                                                                                    

• Record net earnings, excluding goodwill impairment and restructuring charges, were $62.5 million, or $2.00 per diluted share, on revenue of $1.76 billion.
• Goodwill impairment and restructuring charges of $73.6 million net of tax, or $2.41 per diluted share, related to the Wheels, Repair & Parts segment, led to a Net loss attributable to Greenbrier of $11.0 million, or $0.41 per share.
• Adjusted EBITDA was $157.2 million or 9.0% of revenue, just under the 2012 record of $158.3 million.
• New railcar deliveries were 11,600 units for 2013.
• Orders for the year totaled 14,800 units valued at $1.41 billion across a broad range of railcar types.  An initial order for Greenbrier's new plastic pellet car was received along with orders for nearly 3,000 units of automotive-related products, including Multi-Max^TM and Auto-Max^®.
• Cash from operating activities was $105 million.
• Proprietary automotive-related product Multi-Max was successfully launched.

Progress on Strategic Initiatives

• Substantially met $100 million minimum capital efficiency goal originally scheduled to be met by February 2014; management continues to focus on capital liberation.
• Improved overall gross margins in fourth quarter by 100 bps; halfway to fourth quarter 2014 minimum goal of at least 200 basis point improvement.
• Closed or sold four underperforming or non-core facilities in our Wheels, Repair & Parts segment; three additional facilities to occur by 2013 calendar year end.

William A. Furman, president and chief executive officer, said, "Our business performed well in 2013, notwithstanding weak markets for certain products such as double stack intermodal cars and marine barges, as well as other events, such as a low grain harvest due to drought.  We hit our stride in Manufacturing, improved our Leasing model and took initial steps to address difficult conditions in our Wheels, Repair & Parts unit in order to achieve a record fourth quarter.  In addition, we made meaningful progress on our previously announced strategic initiatives to enhance margins and liberate capital, which will grow return on invested capital (ROIC) and enhance shareholder value."

"In Manufacturing, where we are improving margins, we continue to ramp tank car production for this high margin product and are approaching our goal of producing 16 units a day to meet strong demand. While we continue to benefit from participation in the energy markets, we remain focused on product diversification.  This is reflected by the broad range of railcar types in backlog.  More than half of our new railcar orders during the year were for non-energy uses, and in the fourth quarter, 22% of orders were for automotive-related products, including Multi-Max, our proprietary railcar featuring adjustable auto decks. "

"Our Leasing & Services business continues to deliver enhanced performance within our integrated business model.  Through refinements to our leasing model, we are steadily increasing transaction volumes through lease syndication and asset management.  We are also reducing the permanent capital invested in this business, and increasing fee income.  In the fourth quarter we realized proceeds of nearly $35 million from the sale of assets from our lease fleet, while retaining management of these assets.  In the first quarter of 2014, we will continue this trend through the sale of additional lease fleet assets that we will continue to manage.  Going forward, we will make further refinements to this business."

"Improvements in operational efficiencies and margins in our Wheels, Repair & Parts segment represent a clear opportunity in 2014. We closed or sold four locations in 2013 and plan to close several more.  The remaining underperforming facilities are implementing operational improvements, and we have negotiated more balanced commercial terms with select business partners. While fourth quarter results for this segment do not yet reflect these efforts, we expect to demonstrate better results in 2014. Overall, we are on-track to liberate $25 million of capital from this segment," Furman continued.

Business Outlook

"The decisive actions we took to strengthen our operational performance and business strategy in 2012 and 2013 position us for growth in 2014.  We have substantially met our capital efficiency goal of liberating at least $100 million of capital by February 2014 with more to come, and we are on track to improve gross margins to at least 13.5% by the fourth quarter of 2014," Furman concluded.

Greenbrier believes its diverse product mix and integrated business model places the Company in a superior position during the current railcar cycle as overall transportation dynamics continue to improve. Based on current business trends and industry forecasts, in 2014 Greenbrier believes its:

• Deliveries will exceed 15,000 units
• Revenue will exceed $2 billion
• EPS, excluding restructuring charges, will be in the range of $2.45 to $2.70

Similar to previous years, financial results in the second half of the year are expected to be stronger than the first half. Also, while gross margins are expected to increase overall, management does not believe its track will be linear. Beginning next quarter, Greenbrier will disclose segment operating income.

Stock Repurchase Program

Greenbrier today announced that its Board of Directors has approved a $50 million share repurchase program to be executed over the next 18 months.  Repurchases under the program will be made through open market transactions or through privately negotiated transactions from time-to-time, based on market conditions, legal and regulatory limitations and other factors.  The Company is confident its balance sheet and liquidity will support this program, while it also continues to de-lever and take advantage of growth opportunities.

Financial Summary

Segment Summary

Conference Call

Greenbrier will host a teleconference to discuss its fourth quarter and 2013 results. In conjunction with this news release, Greenbrier has posted a supplemental earnings presentation to our website.  Teleconference details are as follows:

• October 31, 2013
• 9:00 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time
• Phone: 1-630-395-0143, Password: "Greenbrier" 
• Real-time Audio Access:  ("Newsroom" at http://www.gbrx.com)

Please access the site 10 minutes prior to the start time.  Following the call, a webcast replay will be available for 30 days.  Telephone replay will be available through November 16, 2013, at 203-369-1175.

About Greenbrier Companies

Greenbrier (www.gbrx.com), headquartered in Lake Oswego, Oregon, is a leading supplier of transportation equipment and services to the railroad industry.  Greenbrier builds new railroad freight cars in its four manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and Mexico and marine barges at its U.S. facility.  It also repairs and refurbishes freight cars and provides wheels and railcar parts at 37 locations across North America.  Greenbrier builds new railroad freight cars and refurbishes freight cars for the European market through both its operations in Poland and various subcontractor facilities throughout Europe.  Greenbrier owns approximately 8,600 railcars, and performs management services for approximately 224,000 railcars.

"SAFE HARBOR" STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995:  This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including statements regarding expected new railcar production volumes and schedules, expected customer demand for the Company's products and services, plans to increase manufacturing capacity, restructuring plans, new railcar delivery volumes and schedules, growth in demand for the Company's railcar services and parts business, and the Company's future financial performance. Greenbrier uses words such as "anticipates," "believes,"  "forecast," "potential," "goal," "contemplates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "projects," "hopes," "seeks," "estimates," "could," "would," "will," "may," "can," "designed to," "foreseeable future" and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements.  These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from in the results contemplated by the forward-looking statements.  Factors that might cause such a difference include, but are not limited to, reported backlog is not indicative of our financial results; turmoil in the credit markets and financial services industry; high levels of indebtedness and compliance with the terms of our indebtedness; write-downs of goodwill, intangibles and other assets in future periods; sufficient availability of borrowing capacity; fluctuations in demand for newly manufactured railcars or failure to obtain orders as anticipated in developing forecasts; loss of one or more significant customers; customer payment defaults or related issues; actual future costs and the availability of materials and a trained workforce; failure to design or manufacture new products or technologies or to achieve certification or market acceptance of new products or technologies; steel or specialty component price fluctuations and availability and scrap surcharges; changes in product mix and the mix between segments; labor disputes, energy shortages or operating difficulties that might disrupt manufacturing operations or the flow of cargo; production difficulties and product delivery delays as a result of, among other matters, changing technologies, production of new railcar types, or non-performance of subcontractors or suppliers; ability to obtain suitable contracts for the sale of leased equipment and risks related to car hire and residual values; difficulties associated with governmental regulation, including environmental liabilities; integration of current or future acquisitions; succession planning; all as may be discussed in more detail under the headings "Risk Factors" and "Forward Looking Statements" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2012, and our other reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect management's opinions only as of the date hereof.  Except as otherwise required by law, we do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

Net earnings excluding goodwill impairment and restructuring charges, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted weighted average diluted common shares outstanding and Diluted earnings per share excluding goodwill impairment and restructuring charges are not financial measures under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). We define Net earnings excluding goodwill impairment and restructuring charges as Net earnings (loss) attributable to Greenbrier before goodwill impairment (after-tax) and restructuring charges (after-tax). We define Adjusted EBITDA as earnings (loss) attributable to Greenbrier before interest and foreign exchange, income tax expense, goodwill impairment, restructuring charges and depreciation and amortization. We define Adjusted weighted average diluted common shares outstanding as Weighted average diluted common shares outstanding plus the dilutive effect of common stock equivalents related to warrants, restricted stock, restricted stock units and convertible notes to the extent that they are considered dilutive in the Diluted earnings per share excluding goodwill impairment and restructuring charges calculation. We define Diluted earnings per share excluding goodwill impairment and restructuring charges as Net earnings excluding goodwill impairment and restructuring charges before interest and debt issuance costs (net of tax) on convertible notes divided by Adjusted weighted average diluted common shares outstanding.  Net earnings excluding goodwill impairment and restructuring charges, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted weighted average diluted common shares outstanding and Diluted earnings per share excluding goodwill impairment and restructuring charges are performance measurement tools used by Greenbrier. You should not consider Net earnings excluding goodwill impairment and restructuring charges, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted weighted average diluted common shares outstanding and Diluted earnings per share excluding goodwill impairment and restructuring charges in isolation or as a substitute for other financial statement data determined in accordance with GAAP. In addition, because Adjusted EBITDA and Diluted earnings per share excluding goodwill impairment and restructuring charges are not measures of financial performance under GAAP and are susceptible to varying calculations, the Adjusted EBITDA and Diluted earnings per share excluding goodwill impairment and restructuring charges measures presented may differ from and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies.

Diluted earnings per share excluding goodwill impairment and restructuring charges for the three months and year ended August 31, 2013 and the three months ended May 31, 2013 was calculated using the more dilutive of two approaches.  The first approach includes the dilutive effect of outstanding warrants and shares underlying the 2026 Convertible notes in the share count using the treasury stock method. The second approach supplements the first by including the "if converted" effect of the 2018 Convertible notes issued in March 2011. Under the "if converted method" debt issuance and interest costs, both net of tax, associated with the convertible notes are added back to net earnings and the share count is increased by the shares underlying the convertible notes. The 2026 Convertible notes would only be included in the calculation of both approaches if the current stock price is greater than the initial conversion price of $48.05 using the treasury stock method.

SOURCE The Greenbrier Companies, Inc. (GBX)

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