METTLER-TOLEDO INTERNATIONAL INC. REPORTS
SECOND QUARTER 2008 RESULTS
- - - Excellent Local Currency Sales Growth - -
- - - EPS Outlook Increased for 2008 - -
COLUMBUS, Ohio, USA – July 24, 2008 – Mettler-Toledo International Inc. (NYSE: MTD) today announced second quarter results for 2008. Here are the highlights:
· | Sales growth in local currency was 11%. Reported sales growth was 20%, which included a 9% currency benefit. |
· | Net earnings per diluted share as reported (EPS) were $1.38, an increase of 29% over the second quarter 2007 amount of $1.07. Adjusted EPS was $1.40, an increase of 28% over the prior year amount of $1.09. Adjusted EPS is a non-GAAP measure, and a reconciliation to EPS is provided on the last page of the attached schedules. |
· | Projected 2008 EPS is estimated at $5.53 to $5.63. Adjusted EPS is also estimated at $5.53 to $5.63 and excludes $0.07 for purchased intangibles amortization expense and a $0.07 gain for a discrete tax item. |
Second Quarter Results
Olivier Filliol, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, “We saw continued solid demand in our markets in the quarter. Our excellent local currency sales growth was broad-based and exceeded our expectations. We are very pleased with the resulting strong growth in operating profit and EPS.”
EPS was $1.38, an increase of 29% over the prior year amount of $1.07. Adjusted EPS was $1.40, an increase of 28% over the prior year amount of $1.09.
Sales were $515.6 million, compared with $430.5 million in the prior year, an increase of 11% in local currency sales. Reported sales growth was 20%, which included a 9% currency benefit. By region, local currency sales growth was 10% in Europe, 6% in the Americas and 22% in Asia / Rest of World. Adjusted operating income amounted to $75.2 million, an 18% increase over the prior year amount of $63.8 million.
Cash flow from operations was $76.6 million, compared with $60.6 million in 2007. The Company repurchased 585,400 shares of its stock for $58.3 million during the quarter.
Six-Month Results
EPS was $2.44, an increase of 32% over the prior year amount of $1.85. Adjusted EPS was $2.41, an increase of 28% over the prior year amount of $1.88.
Sales were $954.6 million, compared with $818.3 million in the prior year, an increase of 8% in local currency sales. Reported sales growth was 17%, which included a 9% currency benefit. By region, local currency sales growth was 7% in Europe, 3% in the Americas and 20% in Asia / Rest of World. Adjusted operating income amounted to $133.5 million, a 19% increase over the prior year amount of $112.5 million.
Cash flow from operations was $84.8 million, compared with $92.9 million in 2007. The Company repurchased 1.5 million shares of its stock for $153.9 million during the period.
Outlook Raised
The Company believes that its local currency sales growth in 2008 will be in the 6% to 8% range and estimates that 2008 EPS will be in the range of $5.53 to $5.63.
Adjusted 2008 EPS is also estimated in the range of $5.53 to $5.63 and represents a 17% to 19% increase over 2007. Previously the Company provided guidance for Adjusted 2008 EPS in the range of $5.43 to $5.53. Adjusted 2008 EPS excludes $0.07 for purchased intangibles amortization expense and a $0.07 gain for a discrete tax item recognized in the first quarter.
For the third quarter, the Company estimates the local currency sales will be in the 6% to 8% range and that EPS will be in the range of $1.31 to $1.33. Adjusted EPS is estimated in the range of $1.33 to $1.35, which represents a 16% to 17% increase over the prior year quarter.
Conclusion
Filliol concluded, “Our excellent performance is driven by our strong results in emerging markets, our state-of-the-art product offering and the many innovative measures we have undertaken in sales and marketing. Based on this performance, we are raising our guidance for the full year. While we enjoy continued momentum, we remain ready to adjust our expense growth should conditions in our markets weaken.”
Other Matters
The Company has provided a reconciliation of earnings before taxes, the most comparable U.S. GAAP measure, to adjusted operating income in the attached schedules.
The Company will host a conference call to discuss its second quarter results today (Thursday, July 24) at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. To hear a live webcast or replay of the call, visit the investor relations page on the Company’s website at www.mt.com.
METTLER TOLEDO is a leading global supplier of precision instruments and services. The Company is the world’s largest manufacturer and marketer of weighing instruments for use in laboratory, industrial and food retailing applications. The Company also holds top-three market positions in several related analytical instruments and is a leading provider of automated chemistry systems used in drug and chemical compound discovery and development. In addition, the Company is the world’s largest supplier of metal detection and other end-of-line inspection systems used in production and packaging and holds a leading position in certain process analytics applications. Additional information about METTLER TOLEDO can be found at “www.mt.com.”
Statements in this discussion which are not historical facts may be considered "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of these risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual events or results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see “Factors affecting our future operating results” in Part I, Item 1A, of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year December 31, 2007. The Company assumes no obligation to update this press release.