Ormat Technologies Reports 2012 Third Quarter Results

RENO, Nev., Nov. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Ormat Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: ORA) today announced financial results for the third quarter of 2012.

Quarterly highlights and recent developments:

• Total revenues increased 23 percent to a record $136.1 million
• Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter amounted to $48.2 million ($150.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2012)
• Product backlog was $191.6 million as of November 6, 2012
• Received $47.0 million in cash grants for the McGinness Hills power plant
• $7.3 million non-cash pre-tax impairment charge and $3.8 million loss on put and swap contracts on oil and natural gas prices resulted in a $0.5 million net loss.

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Commenting on the results, Dita Bronicki, chief executive officer of Ormat, stated:  "We are pleased with the progress we made during the third quarter.  Total revenues rose 23 percent, driven by a strong order pipeline in our product segment. Power plant generation grew by almost 12% as new capacity came on line. Operating income excluding impairment charges and the loss on put and swap contracts amounted to $25.3 million.

"We accomplished a number of key objectives during the third quarter. We took proactive steps to reduce our revenue exposure to natural gas and oil through hedging deals that will provide either a fixed or a minimum rate through 2013.  For the long term, we have made progress in the replacement of part of the California SO#4 PPAs with fixed-price PPAs. Additionally, the 30 MW McGinness Hills power plant became fully commercial and received full energy rates through the quarter. We also received $47.0 million in cash grants for McGinness Hills. In Kenya, we signed an agreement for up to $310 million of non-recourse financing for the expansion of our Olkaria III geothermal plant. Out of the first draw under the loan, that is expected shortly, approximately $150 million will be used to refinance corporate loans and therefore replace corporate debt by non-recourse debt."

Financial Summary

Third Quarter Results

For the three months ended September 30, 2012, total revenues increased by 22.8 percent to $136.1 million from $110.8 million in the third quarter of 2011.  Product revenues more than doubled to $54.7 million, from $24.0 million in the three months ended September 30, 2011. Electricity revenues decreased 6.2 percent to $81.5 million, from $86.8 million in the three months ended September 30, 2011.

During the third quarter of 2012, the OREG 4 power plant, which generates electricity using recovered heat and has a carrying value of $10.9 million, was tested for recoverability due to continued low output and was written down to its fair value of $3.6 million, resulting in an  impairment loss of $7.3 million. 

Operating income for the three months ended September 30, 2012 decreased by $10.0 million to $14.2 million from $24.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2011. The decrease is principally attributed to the OREG 4 impairment loss, and lower gross margin in our electricity segment resulting mainly from the low gas prices in our SO#4 power purchase agreements in California and $3.8 million loss on put and swap contracts on oil and natural gas prices, offset by the contribution of the new Tuscarora and McGinness power plants and to higher gross margin in our product segment due to the increase in product revenues as a result of new customer orders that were secured in 2011 and 2012.

For the quarter, the company reported net loss of $0.5 million or $0.01 per share (basic and diluted), compared to net income of $1.0 million, or $0.02 per share (basic and diluted), for the same quarter a year ago.

Adjusted EBITDA for the third quarter of 2012 was $48.2 million, compared to $46.7 million for the same quarter last year. Adjusted EBITDA excludes the impairment loss in respect of the OREG 4 power plant.  The reconciliation of GAAP net cash used in operating activities to Adjusted EBITDA and additional cash flows information is set forth below.

As of September 30, 2012, cash, cash equivalents and short-term bank deposit were $40.5 million. In addition, as of September 30, 2012, the company has available, committed lines of credit with commercial banks aggregating $487.2 million, of which $85.4 million is unused.

Commenting on the outlook for 2012, Bronicki said, "We expect our 2012 product revenues to be $175 to $180 million and our electricity revenues to be approximately $325 million."

Nine-Month Results

For the nine months ended September 30, 2012, total revenues increased 27.1 percent to $398.3 million from $313.3 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2011. Net income for the period was $16.2 million, or $0.35 per share (basic and diluted), compared to $0.3 million, or $0.00 per share (basic and diluted), in the same period in 2011. The increase is principally attributable to the $19.2 million increase in operating income and the $9.9 million decrease in interest expense, net of capitalized interest.

Product revenues more than doubled to $149.6 million, from $67.0 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2011.  Electricity revenues slightly increased to $248.7 million, up from $246.3 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2011.

Adjusted EBITDA for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 was $150.5 million, compared to $121.6 million for the same period last year. The reconciliation of GAAP net cash provided by operating activities to Adjusted EBITDA and additional cash flows information is set forth below.

Conference Call Details

Ormat will host a conference call to discuss its financial results and other matters included in this press release at 9 a.m. EST on Wednesday, November 7, 2012.  The call will be available as a live, listen-only webcast at www.ormat.com. During the webcast, management will refer to slides that will be posted on the web site. The slides and accompanying webcast can be accessed through the Webcast & Presentations in the Investor Relations section of Ormat's website.

The webcast will be available approximately two hours after the conclusion of the live call. A replay will be available from 11 a.m. EST on November 7, 2012. Please call: (855) 859-2056 (U.S. and Canada) (404) 537-3406 (International) and enter the replay code: 49596290.

About Ormat Technologies

Ormat Technologies, Inc. is the only vertically-integrated company primarily engaged in the geothermal and recovered energy power business. The company designs, develops, owns and operates geothermal and recovered energy-based power plants around the world. Additionally, the company designs, manufactures and sells geothermal and recovered energy power units and other power-generating equipment, and provides related services. The company has more than four decades of experience in the development of environmentally-sound power, primarily in geothermal and recovered-energy generation. Ormat's products and systems are covered by 82 U.S. patents. Ormat has engineered and built power plants that it currently owns or has supplied to utilities and developers worldwide, totaling over 1,500 MW of gross capacity.  Ormat's current generating portfolio includes the following geothermal and recovered energy-based power plants: in the United States - Brady, Brawley, Heber, Jersey Valley, Mammoth, McGinness Hills, Ormesa, Puna, Steamboat, Tuscarora, OREG 1, OREG 2, OREG 3, and OREG 4; in Guatemala - Zunil and Amatitlan; in Kenya – Olkaria III; and, in Nicaragua - Momotombo.

Ormat's Safe Harbor Statement

Information provided in this press release may contain statements relating to current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about future events that are "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements generally relate to Ormat's plans, objectives and expectations for future operations and are based upon its management's current estimates and projections of future results or trends. Actual future results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, see "Risk Factors" as described in Ormat Technologies, Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 29, 2012.

These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date hereof, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Ormat Technologies, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Reconciliation of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA and Additional Cash Flows Information
For the Three and Nine-Month Periods Ended September 30, 2012 and 2011
(Unaudited)

We calculate EBITDA as net income before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. We calculate adjusted EBITDA as net income before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, excluding impairment of long-lived assets. EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA are not measurements of financial performance or liquidity under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and should not be considered as an alternative to cash flow from operating activities or as a measure of liquidity or an alternative to net earnings as indicators of our operating performance or any other measures of performance derived in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA are presented because we believe it is frequently used by securities analysts, investors and other interested parties in the evaluation of a company's ability to service and/or incur debt. However, other companies in our industry may calculate EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA differently than we do. The following table reconciles net cash provided by or used in operating activities to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA for the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2012 and 2011:

SOURCE Ormat Technologies, Inc.