Kewaunee Scientific Sales Rise 8 Percent

STATESVILLE, N.C. -- Kewaunee Scientific Corporation (Nasdaq: KEQU) today announced results for its fourth quarter and year ended April 30, 2012.

Fourth Quarter Results

Net earnings for the fourth quarter were $1,256,000, or $0.49 per diluted share, up from net earnings of $252,000, or $0.10 per diluted share, in the same period of the prior year. Earnings for the quarter benefited from strong international operations sales and earnings, while domestic operations earnings benefited from lower operating costs resulting from cost savings initiatives commenced earlier in the year.

Sales for the quarter were $28,990,000, up 8% from sales of $26,952,000 in the same period of the prior year. Sales from domestic operations were $19,607,000, down 10% from sales of $21,797,000 in the prior year. However, incoming domestic orders for the quarter increased 22% over the same quarter last year. Sales from international operations increased to $9,383,000, up 82% from sales of $5,155,000 in the same period of the prior year, as the Company began manufacturing and shipping products for several large projects in its order backlog.

The order backlog increased to a record $86.2 million at April 30, 2012, up from $65.7 million at April 30, 2011, with both domestic and international orders contributing to the growth. The backlog at April 30, 2012 includes a contract awarded during the quarter for laboratory furniture and equipment for the Kuwait University College of Engineering and Petroleum-Women's Campus. The contract, which is in excess of $11 million, was awarded through Kewaunee's dealer in Kuwait, Advanced Technology Company (ATC). The Company expects to begin manufacturing and shipping products under the contract in the late summer or early fall of calendar year 2013. The majority of the manufactured products will be produced at the Company's Statesville facilities. This contract is another indication of the Company's increased international presence and capabilities.

"We are very pleased with our operating results for the quarter," said William A. Shumaker, Kewaunee's Chief Executive Officer. "Our international operations had an outstanding quarter for sales and earnings, as manufacturing and shipping occurred under several large contracts. In Statesville, earnings improved significantly, as we experienced lower operating costs resulting from cost savings initiatives."

 

Fiscal Year 2012 Results

 

Sales for the year were $102,847,000, up 3% from sales of $100,003,000 in the prior year. Sales from domestic operations were $83,971,000, as compared to sales of $84,121,000 in the prior year. The domestic marketplace for privately-funded projects held up relatively well during the year, although at extremely competitive prices, while opportunities and orders for publicly-funded K-12 educational projects, primarily wood furniture, dropped sharply in the second quarter of the year and have continued to remain at historically low levels. Sales from international operations increased to $18,876,000, up 19% from sales of $15,882,000 in the prior year.

Net earnings for the year were $1,031,000, or $0.40 per diluted share, down from net earnings of $1,850,000, or $0.72 per diluted share, in the prior year. Earnings for the year were unfavorably impacted by lower selling prices, a significant increase in raw material costs beginning early in the year, particularly for steel and epoxy resin, and a large drop-off in demand for wood furniture projects. Earnings for the year were favorably impacted by strong international sales and earnings in the second half of the year, particularly the fourth quarter, and lower operating costs resulting from headcount reductions and other cost savings initiatives at Statesville.

The Company's balance sheet and financial condition remain strong. Cash on hand at the end of the year was $6.9 million, as compared to $3.0 million at the end of the prior year. Working capital increased to $23.4 million at April 30, 2012, up from $22.1 million at the end of the prior year. Short term borrowings under the Company's $15 million bank line of credit were $6.8 million, as compared to $6.6 million at the end of the prior year, and total bank borrowings and capital lease obligations were $10.5 million, as compared to $10.6 million at the end of the prior year. The debt-to-equity ratio was .36-to-1 at year-end, as compared to .34-to-1 at the end of the prior year.

Outlook

"Looking forward to fiscal year 2013, I remain cautiously optimistic," Mr. Shumaker continued. "My optimism is based on a number of factors. On the domestic front, we enter the year with a strengthened and expanded dealer network, which we believe will result in increased sales and earnings. We are also realizing lower operating costs from our cost savings initiatives put in place over the past year. On the international front, we have also strengthened and expanded our dealer network, better positioning us to take advantage of the growing number of laboratory project opportunities in Asia and the Middle East. Furthermore, both domestic and international operations will benefit from our record order backlog.

"At the same time, fiscal year 2013 will present us with significant challenges. The ongoing world-wide economic slowdown continues to depress construction activity and pricing in the marketplace. Customer delivery requirements for large international projects, more so than domestic projects, often are delayed due to changes in construction schedules, resulting in uneven reportable sales and earnings."

Kewaunee Scientific Corporation is a recognized leader in the design, manufacture, and installation of laboratory, healthcare, and technical furniture products. Laboratory furniture products include both steel and wood cabinetry, fume hoods, adaptable modular systems, moveable workstations, biological safety cabinets, and epoxy resin counters and sinks. Healthcare furniture products include laminate casework, systems, and related products for healthcare applications. Technical furniture products include column systems, slotted-post systems, pedestal systems, and stand-alone benches.

The Company's corporate headquarters are located in Statesville, North Carolina. Three manufacturing facilities are located in Statesville, NC serving the domestic and international markets. One manufacturing facility is located in Bangalore, India serving the local and Asian markets. The Company has subsidiaries in Singapore and India. Kewaunee Scientific's website is located at http://www.kewaunee.com.

 

Consolidated Statements of Operations
(in thousands, except per share data)











Three Months Ended

Years Ended




April 30

April 30




2012

2011

2012

2011


(Unaudited)









Net sales     

$28,990

$26,952

$102,847

$100,003

Cost of products sold     

21,638

22,247

83,691

80,719

Gross profit     

7,352

4,705

19,156

19,284

Operating expenses     

4,493

4,174

16,443

16,127

Operating earnings     

2,859

531

2,713

3,157

Other income (expense)     

43

4

271

4

Interest expense     

(112)

(94)

(445)

(199)






Earnings before income taxes     

2,790

441

2,539

2,962

Income tax expense     

976

72

739

864






Net earnings     

1,814

369

1,800

2,098






Less:  net earnings attributable to the
           noncontrolling interest     

558

117

769

248






Net earnings attributable to 
    Kewaunee Scientific Corporation     

$1,256

$252

$1,031

$1,850

Net earnings per share attributable to
    Kewaunee Scientific Corporation stockholders





        Basic     

$0.49

$0.10

$0.40

$0.72

        Diluted     

$0.49

$0.10

$0.40

$0.72






Weighted average number of common 
    shares outstanding (in thousands)





        Basic     

2,579

2,578

2,579

2,575

        Diluted     

2,580

2,593

2,580

2,585

 

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(in thousands)





April 30

April 30


2012

2011

Assets



Cash and cash equivalents

$6,188

$2,402

Restricted cash

704

553

Receivables, less allowances

23,244

27,346

Inventories

11,760

10,466

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

1,702

1,612

        Total current assets

43,598

42,379

Net property, plant and equipment

15,346

16,575

Other assets

5,192

4,104

Total Assets

$64,136

$63,058




Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity



Short-term borrowings

$6,816

$6,588

Current obligations under capital leases

36

83

Current portion of long-term debt

200

200

Accounts payable

8,848

9,770

Other current liabilities

4,340

3,623

        Total current liabilities

20,240

20,264

Other non-current liabilities

12,238

9,778

        Total liabilities

32,478

30,042

Noncontrolling interest

2,147

1,525

Kewaunee Scientific Corporation equity

29,511

31,491

        Total equity

31,658

33,016

Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity

$64,136

$63,058

 

SOURCE Kewaunee Scientific Corporation

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