container business it will be more challenging and take longer than we had originally projected,” continued Mr. Allott. “Based on our year-to-date performance and our outlook for the remainder of the year which assumes ongoing incremental spending in the plastic container business as well as the impact of a truncated fruit and vegetable pack in the U.S., we are lowering our full year 2015 earnings estimate of adjusted net income per diluted share to a range of $2.88 to $2.98,” concluded Mr. Allott.
Adjusted net income per diluted share was $1.26 for the third quarter of 2015, after adjustments increasing net income per diluted share by $0.10. Adjusted net income per diluted share was $1.33 for the third quarter of 2014, after adjustments increasing net income per diluted share by $0.02. A reconciliation of net income per diluted share to “adjusted net income per diluted share,” a Non-GAAP financial measure used by the Company that adjusts net income per diluted share for certain items, can be found in Tables A and B at the back of this press release.
Net sales for the third quarter of 2015 were $1.20 billion, a decrease of $24.9 million, or 2.0 percent, as compared to $1.23 billion in 2014. This decrease was the result of a decrease in net sales in the closures and plastic container businesses due partly to the impact of unfavorable foreign currency translation, partially offset by an increase in net sales in the metal container business.
Income from operations for the third quarter of 2015 was $121.9 million, a decrease of $25.8 million, or 17.5 percent, as compared to $147.7 million for the third quarter of 2014, and operating margin decreased to 10.1 percent from 12.0 percent for the same periods. The decrease in income from operations was the result of a decrease in each business due primarily to costs associated with footprint optimization plans, higher rationalization charges and unfavorable foreign currency translation. Rationalization charges were $9.1 million and $2.5 million in the third quarters of 2015 and 2014, respectively.
Interest and other debt expense for the third quarter of 2015 was $17.1 million, a decrease of $2.2 million as compared to the third quarter of 2014, due primarily to lower weighted average interest rates and the impact from favorable foreign currency translation.
The effective tax rate was 32.9 percent and 35.1 percent for the third quarters of 2015 and 2014, respectively. The effective tax rate in 2015 benefitted from higher income in lower tax jurisdictions.
SILGAN HOLDINGS
October 21, 2015
Page 3
Metal Containers
Net sales of the metal container business were $845.4 million for the third quarter of 2015, an increase of $17.7 million, or 2.1 percent, as compared to $827.7 million in 2014. This increase was primarily a result of higher unit volumes, partially offset by the result of unfavorable foreign currency translation. Unit volumes increased approximately 8 percent due principally to volumes of smaller size cans associated with the recent acquisition of the Van Can operations and for pet food products.
Income from operations of the metal container business in the third quarter of 2015 decreased $6.2 million to $106.0 million as compared to $112.2 million in 2014, and operating margin decreased to 12.5 percent as compared to 13.6 percent in 2014. The decrease in income from operations was primarily attributable to higher manufacturing costs due largely to logistical challenges from changes in customer demand patterns, which was further exacerbated as a result of higher volumes in the third quarter of 2015, and a less favorable mix of products sold including volumes associated with the less efficient Van Can operations, partially offset by higher unit volumes.
Closures
Net sales of the closures business were $215.7 million in the third quarter of 2015, a decrease of $25.3 million, or 10.5 percent, as compared to $241.0 million in the third quarter of 2014. This decrease was primarily the result of the impact of unfavorable foreign currency translation, the pass through of lower resin costs and the cessation of operations in Venezuela at the end of 2014, partially offset by an increase in unit volumes of approximately 1 percent.
Income from operations of the closures business for the third quarter of 2015 decreased $0.6 million to $27.1 million as compared to $27.7 million in 2014, while operating margin increased to 12.6 percent from 11.5 percent over the same periods. The decrease in income from operations was primarily due to the impact of unfavorable foreign currency translation, partially offset by better operating performance as a result of the benefits of the Portola Packaging integration and plant optimization programs, the favorable impact from the lagged pass through of decreases in resin costs in the current year quarter as compared to the unfavorable impact from resin in the prior year quarter and higher unit volumes.
SILGAN HOLDINGS
October 21, 2015
Page 4
Plastic Containers
Net sales of the plastic container business were $142.4 million in the third quarter of 2015, a decrease of $17.3 million, or 10.8 percent, as compared to $159.7 million in the third quarter of 2014. This decrease was principally due to the pass through of lower raw material costs, the impact of unfavorable foreign currency translation, lower volumes of approximately 1 percent and the unfavorable financial impact from recent longer-term customer contract renewals.
Loss from operations of the plastic container business for the third quarter of 2015 was $7.3 million as compared to income from operations of $13.1 million in 2014. This decrease was primarily attributable to higher rationalization charges, significant costs and manufacturing inefficiencies associated with the footprint optimization program, the unfavorable financial impact from recent longer-term customer contract renewals, a customer reimbursement for historical project costs in the prior year period, lower volumes and the impact of unfavorable foreign currency translation, partially offset by the favorable impact from the lagged pass through of decreases in resin costs. Rationalization charges in the third quarter of 2015 were $8.9 million related to the announced shut down of two Midwest facilities in conjunction with the ongoing footprint optimization program. Rationalization charges were $1.3 million in the third quarter of 2014.
Nine Months
Net income for the first nine months of 2015 was $145.9 million, or $2.37 per diluted share, as compared to net income for the first nine months of 2014 of $158.8 million, or $2.49 per diluted share. Adjusted net income per diluted share for the first nine months of 2015 was $2.49 versus $2.59 in the prior year period, after adjustments increasing net income per diluted share by $0.12 for the first nine months of 2015 and adjustments increasing net income per diluted share by $0.10 for the first nine months of 2014.
Net sales for the first nine months of 2015 decreased $67.3 million, or 2.2 percent, to $2.93 billion as compared to $3.0 billion for the first nine months of 2014. This decrease was primarily the result of the unfavorable impact of foreign currency translation of approximately $115 million, the pass through of lower raw material costs in the closures and plastic container businesses, the unfavorable financial impact from recent longer-term customer contract renewals, lower volumes in the plastic container business and the cessation of operations in Venezuela at the end of 2014. These decreases were partially offset by the impact of higher volumes in the metal container and closures businesses.
SILGAN HOLDINGS
October 21, 2015
Page 5
Income from operations for the first nine months of 2015 was $267.3 million, a decrease of $34.4 million, or 11.4 percent, from the same period in 2014. This decrease was primarily a result of higher manufacturing and logistics costs in the metal container business, the unfavorable impact from incremental footprint optimization spending and recent longer-term customer contract renewals, the impact of unfavorable foreign currency translation and higher rationalization charges. The decrease in income from operations for the first nine months of 2015 was also due to a less favorable mix of products sold in the metal container business, lower volumes in the plastic container business, a customer reimbursement for historical project costs in the prior year period and the impact from a larger inventory reduction in the current year period in the closures business. These decreases were partially offset by an increase in volumes in the metal container and closures businesses, the favorable impact from the lagged pass through of lower resin costs in the closures and plastic container businesses, operational losses in Venezuela for the nine months ending September 30, 2014 of $2.6 million and foreign currency transactional losses incurred in the prior year period. Rationalization charges were $10.8 million and $5.0 million in the first nine months of 2015 and 2014, respectively.
Interest and other debt expense before loss on early extinguishment of debt for the first nine months of 2015 was $50.4 million, a decrease of $6.5 million as compared to the first nine months of 2014. This decrease was primarily due to lower weighted average interest rates and the impact from favorable foreign currency translation. Loss on early extinguishment of debt of $1.5 million in the first nine months of 2014 was a result of the refinancing of the senior secured credit facility in January 2014.
The effective tax rate for the first nine months of 2015 was 32.8 percent as compared to 34.8 percent for the first nine months of 2014. The effective tax rate in 2015 benefitted from higher income in lower tax jurisdictions.
Outlook for 2015
The Company lowered its estimate of adjusted net income per diluted share for the full year of 2015, which excludes rationalization charges, to a range of $2.88 to $2.98 from the previous range of $3.10 to $3.30. This estimate compares to adjusted net income per diluted share for the full year of 2014 of $3.17.
The Company is providing an estimate of adjusted net income per diluted share for the fourth quarter of 2015, which excludes rationalization charges, in the range of $0.38 to $0.48, which includes
SILGAN HOLDINGS
October 21, 2015
Page 6
continued incremental spending associated with the footprint optimization programs. This estimate compares to record adjusted net income per diluted share of $0.58 in the fourth quarter of 2014.
Conference Call
Silgan Holdings Inc. will hold a conference call to discuss the Company’s results for the third quarter of 2015 at 11:00 a.m. eastern time on October 21, 2015. The toll free number for those in the U.S. and Canada is (888) 500-6973, and the number for international callers is (719) 457-2734. For those unable to listen to the live call, a taped rebroadcast will be available through November 4, 2015. To access the rebroadcast, U.S. and Canadian callers should dial (888) 203-1112, and international callers should dial (719) 457-0820. The pass code is 8076375.
* * *
Silgan is a leading supplier of rigid packaging for shelf-stable food and other consumer goods products with annual net sales of approximately $3.9 billion in 2014. Silgan operates 88 manufacturing facilities in North and South America, Europe and Asia. Silgan is a leading supplier of metal containers in North America and Europe and a leading worldwide supplier of metal, composite and plastic closures for food and beverage products. In addition, Silgan is a leading supplier of plastic containers for shelf-stable food and personal care products in North America.
Statements included in this press release which are not historical facts are forward looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward looking statements are made based upon management’s expectations and beliefs concerning future events impacting the Company and therefore involve a number of uncertainties and risks, including, but not limited to, those described in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for 2014 and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Therefore, the actual results of operations or financial condition of the Company could differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward looking statements.
* * *