Tower International Reports First Quarter Results Better Than Previous Outlook - Maintains Full Year Outlook

LIVONIA, Mich., May 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Tower International, Inc. (NYSE: TOWR), a leading integrated global manufacturer of engineered automotive structural metal components and assemblies,  today announced first quarter 2017 results and maintained its outlook for 2017.   

• Revenue for the first quarter was $497.6 million, up 2 percent from $489.2 million in the first quarter 2016.
• Net income in the first quarter was $17.3 million or $0.83 per diluted share, compared with $8.4 million or $0.39 per diluted share last year. As detailed below, this year's first quarter included certain items which favorably impacted results by $1.4 million. Certain items in the first quarter a year ago adversely affected results by $5.6 million. Excluding these certain items in both periods, Diluted Adjusted Earnings Per Share were $0.76 for the first quarter 2017, a 17 percent increase compared with $0.65 a year ago.
• Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $46.2 million, compared with $45.1 million a year ago, an increase of 2 percent from last year.
• As anticipated, Free Cash Flow was significantly negative for the first quarter, representing normal seasonal patterns and significant investment in future programs.
• During the quarter, Tower amended and extended the maturity on its Term Loan by 4 years to 2024 and its Cash Flow Revolver by 3 years to 2022.
• For full year 2017, the outlook is maintained:
• Revenue of $1.925 billion;
• Adjusted EBITDA up 4 percent, to $210 million;
• Adjusted EBITDA margin increasing by 40 basis points, to 10.9 percent;
• Diluted Adjusted Earnings Per Share of $3.60, an increase of 7 percent from 2016; and
• Free Cash Flow of $55 million, driven by strong cash flow in the second half of the year.
• The Company's outlook for second quarter 2017 includes revenue of $495 million, Adjusted EBITDA of $53 million, and Diluted Adjusted Earnings Per Share of $0.95.

"Tower delivered solid financial results in the quarter as revenue and earnings were above our previous outlook," said CEO Jim Gouin.  "We continue to invest in the growth of Tower and are well positioned to grow our business at a faster pace than the industry over the coming years.  This growth will be fueled by what we believe to be secular trends associated with OEM outsourcing driven by lightweighting and changing technologies such as electrification."  Gouin continued, "Regardless of how vehicles are eventually powered or driven, Tower's structural components and assemblies remain both relevant and necessary."

Tower to Host Conference Call Today at 1 p.m. EDT

Tower will discuss its first quarter 2017 results, the outlook for 2017, and other related matters in a conference call at 1 p.m. EDT today.  Participants may listen to the audio portion of the conference call either through a live audio webcast on the Company's website or by telephone.  The slide presentation and webcast can be accessed via the investor relations portion of Tower's website www.towerinternational.com. 

To dial into the conference call, domestic callers should dial (866) 393-4576, international callers should dial (706) 679-1462.  An audio recording of the call will be available approximately two hours after the completion of the call.  To access this recording, please dial (855) 859-2056 (domestic) or (404) 537-3406 (international) and reference Conference I.D. #11034568.  A webcast replay will also be available and may be accessed via Tower's website.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This press release includes the following non-GAAP financial measures: "Adjusted EBITDA", "Adjusted EBITDA margin", "Diluted Adjusted Earnings Per Share", "free cash flow", and "net debt."  We define Adjusted EBITDA as net income / (loss) before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, restructuring items and other adjustments described in the reconciliations provided with this press release.  We define Adjusted EBITDA Margin as Adjusted EBITDA divided by revenue. Diluted Adjusted Earnings Per Share exclude certain income and expense items described in the reconciliation provided with this press release.  Free cash flow is defined as cash provided by operating activities less cash disbursed for purchases of property, plant and equipment.  Net debt represents total debt less cash and cash equivalents.  We use Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, adjusted earnings per share, free cash flow, and net debt as supplements to information provided in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") in evaluating our business and they are included in this press release because they are principal factors upon which our management assesses performance.  Reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP are set forth below.  The non-GAAP measures presented above are not measures of performance under GAAP.  These measures should not be considered as alternatives for the most directly comparable financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP.  Other companies in our industry may define these non-GAAP measures differently than we do and, as a result, these non-GAAP measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies in our industry; and certain of our non-GAAP financial measures exclude financial information that some may consider important in evaluating our performance.  Given the inherent uncertainty regarding mark to market adjustments of financial instruments, fair value adjustments to our pension plan, potential gain or loss on our discontinued operations, potential restructuring expenses, and expenses related to our long-term incentive compensation programs in any future period, a quantitative reconciliation of forward-looking financial measures to the most directly comparable financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP is not feasible.  Consequently, any attempt to disclose such reconciliations would imply a degree of precision that could be confusing or misleading to investors. The magnitude of these items, however, may be significant.

Forward-Looking Statements and Risk Factors

This press release contains statements which constitute forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to statements regarding the Company's projected revenue, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margin, diluted adjusted earnings per share, free cash flow and statements regarding new sources of profitable growth, future financial results and the Company's future business outlook. The forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "anticipate," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "project," "target," and other similar expressions.  Forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and are based upon management's current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on us.  Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance.  The following important factors, as well as risk factors described in our reports filed with the SEC, could cause our actual results to differ materially from estimates or expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements:

• global automobile production volumes;
• the financial condition of our customers and suppliers;
• our ability to make scheduled payments of principal or interest on our indebtedness and comply with the covenants and restrictions contained in the instruments governing our indebtedness;
• our ability to refinance our indebtedness;
• risks associated with our non-U.S. operations, including foreign exchange risks and economic uncertainty in some regions;
• any increase in the expense and funding requirements of our pension and other postretirement benefits;
• our customers' ability to obtain equity and debt financing for their businesses;
• our dependence on our largest customers;
• pricing pressure from our customers;
• work stoppages or other labor issues affecting us or our customers or suppliers;
• our ability to integrate acquired businesses;
• risks associated with business divestitures including volatility in the capital markets, the capacity of potential bidders to finance transactions and the difficulty of predicting the outcome of negotiations; and
• costs or liabilities relating to environmental and safety regulations.

We do not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

Contact:
Derek Fiebig
Executive Director, Investor & External Relations
(248) 675-6457
[email protected]

SOURCE Tower International, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.towerinternational.com