ITEM 2. | MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS |
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This report contains forward-looking statements that reflect management’s current assumptions and estimates of future economic circumstances, industry conditions, Company performance, and financial results. Forward-looking statements include statements in the future tense, statements referring to any period after September 30, 2021, and statements including the terms “expect,” “believe,” “anticipate,” and other similar terms that express expectations as to future events or conditions. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a safe harbor for such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. A variety of factors could cause the Company’s actual results and experience to differ materially from the anticipated results. These factors and assumptions include, among others, the impact and uncertainty created by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, including, but not limited to, its effects on our employees, facilities, customers, and suppliers, the availability and cost of energy, raw materials, and other supplies, the availability of logistics and transportation, governmental regulations and restrictions, and general economic conditions; the pace and nature of new product introductions by the Company and the Company’s customers; the Company’s ability to anticipate and respond to changing consumer preferences and changing technologies; the Company’s ability to successfully implement its growth strategies; the outcome of the Company’s various productivity-improvement and cost-reduction efforts, acquisition and divestiture activities, and operational improvement plan; the effectiveness of the Company’s past restructuring activities; changes in costs of raw materials, including energy; industry, regulatory, legal, and economic factors related to the Company’s domestic and international business; the effects of tariffs, trade barriers, and disputes; growth in markets for products in which the Company competes; industry and customer acceptance of price increases; actions by competitors; currency exchange rate fluctuations; and the matters discussed under Item 1A of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, as updated below under Part II, Item 1A. Except to the extent required by applicable law, the Company does not undertake to publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements even if experience or future changes make it clear that any projected results expressed or implied therein will not be realized.
OVERVIEW
Revenue
Revenue was $344.3 million and $323.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Revenue was $1.0 billion and $997.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, the impact of foreign exchange rates increased consolidated revenue by approximately 1% and 3%, respectively.
Gross Margin
The Company’s gross margin was 33.4% and 32.7% for the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. The increase in gross margin was primarily due to higher Color segment volumes.
The Company’s gross margin was 32.9% and 32.1% for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. The increase in gross margin was primarily due to higher Flavor & Extracts segment volumes and the impact of the divestiture & other related costs in the prior year period.
Selling and Administrative Expenses
Selling and administrative expense as a percent of revenue was 19.8% and 19.9% for the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Selling and administrative expense as a percent of revenue was 20.5% and 20.2% for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Selling and administrative expenses included divestiture & other related costs and operational improvement plan costs and income totaling $0.7 million and $11.5 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, respectively, and $2.9 million and $11.3 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, respectively.
Operating Income
Operating income was $47.0 million and $41.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Operating margins were 13.6% and 12.7% for the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. The increase in operating margin is primarily due to lower operational improvement plan and divestiture & other related costs, which decreased operating margins by 20 and 90 basis points for the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Operating income was $129.6 million and $117.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Operating margins were 12.5% and 11.8% for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. The increase in operating margins was primarily due to an increase in margins in the Flavors & Extracts segment and the net impact of lower divestiture & other related costs and operational improvement plan income. The net impact of divestiture & other related costs offset by operational improvement plan income, decreased operating margins by 110 and 130 basis points for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Interest Expense
Interest expense was $3.0 million and $3.5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, and $9.8 million and $11.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, the decrease in expense compared to the prior year comparable period was primarily due to the decrease in the average debt outstanding.
Income Taxes
The effective income tax rates for the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, were 22.8% and 12.6%, respectively. For the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, the effective income tax rates were 23.6% and 20.8%, respectively. The effective tax rates for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020 were both impacted by changes in valuation allowances, changes in estimates associated with the finalization of prior year foreign tax items, changes in deferred tax assets and liabilities due to newly enacted tax rates, audit settlements, and the mix of foreign earnings. The three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, were also impacted by a change in a reserve for an uncertain tax position.
Divestitures
In October 2019, the Company announced its intent to divest its inks, fragrances (excluding its essential oils product line), and yogurt fruit preparations product lines. The divesting and exit of these three product lines does not meet the criteria to be presented as a discontinued operation on the Consolidated Statements of Earnings.
On June 30, 2020, the Company completed the sale of its inks product line. In 2021 and 2020, the Company received $0.5 million and $11.6 million of net cash, respectively, as part of the sale.
On September 18, 2020, the Company completed the sale of its yogurt fruit preparations product line for $1.0 million. The sale included an earnout based on future performance, which could result in additional cash consideration for the Company.
On April 1, 2021, the Company completed the sale of its fragrances product line (excluding its essential oils product line) for $36.3 million of net cash. As a result of the completion of the sale, the Company recorded a non-cash net loss of $11.3 million, for the nine months ended September 30, 2021, primarily related to the reclassification of accumulated foreign currency translation and related items from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss to Selling and Administrative Expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings.
Acquisition
On July 15, 2021, the Company acquired substantially all of the assets of Flavor Solutions, Inc., a flavors business located in New Jersey. The purchase price of this acquisition was $14.9 million in cash with approximately $1.0 million of such amount being held back by the Company for 12 months in order to satisfy post-closing indemnification claims that may arise. This business is now part of the Flavors & Extracts segment.
Operational Improvement Plan
During the third quarter of 2020, the Company approved an operational improvement plan (Operational Improvement Plan) to consolidate manufacturing facilities and improve efficiencies within the Company. As part of the Operational Improvement Plan, the Company is combining its New Jersey cosmetics manufacturing facility in the Personal Care product line of the Color segment into its existing Color segment facility in Missouri. In addition, the Company is centralizing certain Flavors & Extracts segment support functions in Europe into one location. In the Asia Pacific segment, the Company incurred costs in connection with the elimination of certain selling and administrative positions. The Company reports all costs associated with the Operational Improvement Plan in Corporate & Other.
During the second quarter of 2021, the Company received cash proceeds, net of associated expenses, in connection with the termination of a New Jersey office and laboratory space lease. The terminated lease was originally executed in November 2020 as part of the Operational Improvement Plan; however, the landlord for the property requested to terminate the lease prior to the end of its term and compensated the Company as part of a negotiated resolution for that termination.
In the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, the Company recorded costs of $0.5 million and income of $2.0 million, respectively, related to the Operational Improvement Plan. The income in the nine month period primarily related to the gain associated with the terminated New Jersey lease. In both the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, the Company recorded costs of $2.6 million, primarily related to employee separation expenses.
COVID-19
COVID-19 has adversely affected, and is expected to continue to adversely affect, most of the world, including through widespread illness, quarantines, factory shutdowns, and travel and transportation disruptions. While the Company’s financial position remains strong, the Company has seen several financial and operational impacts from the pandemic as of this filing.
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, demand for many of the Company’s products remained strong, especially in product lines that serve the food and beverage markets. There has been continued softer demand in other product lines the Company serves, particularly in the cosmetics product line and some product lines that supply the quick service restaurant segment due to continued widespread restaurant capacity and other operating restrictions. While COVID-19 appears to have initially contributed to demand for food-related products and dampened demand for personal care related products, it is difficult to quantify the continuing and future impact of COVID-19 on demand for the Company’s products.
During the first quarter of 2020, the Company had a production facility in China and a production facility in India that were required to temporarily suspend operations. In addition, during the fourth quarter of 2020, the Company had a production facility in China that was required to temporarily suspend operations. All of the Company’s production facilities are open and operating as of this filing, but the Company continues to monitor developments and regulations in regions where its production facilities are located. The Company also continues to monitor supply chains and has increased inventory in certain key raw materials and fast moving finished goods. Supply chains and logistics operations have been adversely impacted during the pandemic, but the Company did not experience any significant supply disruptions related to COVID-19 during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021.
As of September 30, 2021, the Company continues to be in compliance with its financial loan covenants and does not anticipate any non-compliance in the future. COVID-19 has not adversely impacted the Company’s capital or financial resources. Furthermore, the Company expects its forecasted cash flows from operations and its available debt capacity will be able to meet future cash requirements for operations, capital expenditures, contractual maturities on long-term debt, stock repurchases, and dividend payments.
The Company continues to monitor its trade accounts receivables for potential collection issues and has not identified any significant concerns as of this filing. The Company will continue to monitor cash collections and review trade receivable aging to identify any deterioration in quality.
The Company continues to believe its internal controls over financial reporting and its disclosure controls and procedures are effective to ensure their design and operation continue to be effective as some employees outside the United States periodically perform tasks from alternative work locations. Internal audit continues to perform their audit procedures as planned, though some audit procedures are performed remotely for locations outside the United States where it is not reasonably possible to perform audit procedures in-person.
Overall, governmental and social responses to the COVID-19 pandemic continue to evolve. In particular, there continues to be uncertainty related to the timing and extent of vaccination programs, especially outside of the U.S., as well as the impacts of new COVID-19 variants, and we expect that the situation will remain dynamic and difficult to predict for the foreseeable future. There can be no assurance that our experience to date with respect to facility operations, customer demand, the availability of supplies and transportation, and other factors impacting our results and financial condition will be predictive of the ongoing impacts in the short or long term. Even as stay-home orders and quarantines are being lifted in most areas, it is difficult to predict how economic conditions and changes in customer and consumer behavior may impact our results over the longer term. As a result of any of the foregoing, our results or financial condition could be adversely impacted and the impacts could be material.
NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
Within the following tables, the Company reports certain non-GAAP financial measures, including: (1) adjusted revenue, adjusted operating income, adjusted net earnings, and adjusted diluted earnings per share, which exclude the results of the divested product lines, the divestiture & other related costs, and the operational improvement plan costs and income, and (2) percentage changes in revenue, operating income, and diluted earnings per share on an adjusted local currency basis, which eliminate the effects that result from translating its international operations into U.S. dollars, the results of divested product lines, the divestiture & other related costs or income, and the operational improvement plan costs or income.
The Company has included each of these non-GAAP measures in order to provide additional information regarding our underlying operating results and comparable year-over-year performance. Such information is supplemental to information presented in accordance with GAAP and is not intended to represent a presentation in accordance with GAAP. These non-GAAP measures should not be considered in isolation. Rather, they should be considered together with GAAP measures and the rest of the information included in this report. Management internally reviews each of these non-GAAP measures to evaluate performance on a comparative period-to-period basis and to gain additional insight into underlying operating and performance trends, and the Company believes the information can be beneficial to investors for the same purposes. These non-GAAP measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies.
| | Three Months Ended September 30, | | | Nine Months Ended September 30, | |
(In thousands, except per share amounts) | | 2021 | | | 2020 | | | % Change | | | 2021 | | | 2020 | | | % Change | |
Revenue (GAAP) | | $ | 344,287 | | | $ | 323,566 | | | | 6.4 | % | | $ | 1,039,816 | | | $ | 997,333 | | | | 4.3 | % |
Revenue of the divested product lines | | | (1,622 | ) | | | (23,588 | ) | | | | | | | (29,399 | ) | | | (88,390 | ) | | | | |
Adjusted revenue | | $ | 342,665 | | | $ | 299,978 | | | | 14.2 | % | | $ | 1,010,417 | | | $ | 908,943 | | | | 11.2 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Operating Income (GAAP) | | $ | 46,958 | | | $ | 41,155 | | | | 14.1 | % | | $ | 129,608 | | | $ | 117,841 | | | | 10.0 | % |
Divestiture & other related costs (income) – Cost of products sold | | | - | | | | (148 | ) | | | | | | | 28 | | | | 1,791 | | | | | |
Divestiture & other related costs – Selling and administrative expenses | | | 241 | | | | 312 | | | | | | | | 13,473 | | | | 8,689 | | | | | |
Operating loss (income) of the divested product lines | | | 70 | | | | (2,449 | ) | | | | | | | (2,398 | ) | | | (4,165 | ) | | | | |
Operational improvement plan – Cost of products sold | | | - | | | | 35 | | | | | | | | - | | | | 35 | | | | | |
Operational improvement plan – Selling and administrative expenses (income) | | | 483 | | | | 2,606 | | | | | | | | (2,010 | ) | | | 2,606 | | | | | |
Adjusted operating income | | $ | 47,752 | | | $ | 41,511 | | | | 15.0 | % | | $ | 138,701 | | | $ | 126,797 | | | | 9.4 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net Earnings (GAAP) | | $ | 33,912 | | | $ | 32,910 | | | | 3.0 | % | | $ | 91,516 | | | $ | 84,303 | | | | 8.6 | % |
Divestiture & other related costs, before tax | | | 241 | | | | 164 | | | | | | | | 13,501 | | | | 10,480 | | | | | |
Tax impact of divestiture & other related costs | | | 1,179 | | | | (787 | ) | | | | | | | 283 | | | | (1,212 | ) | | | | |
Net loss (earnings) of the divested product lines, before tax | | | 70 | | | | (2,449 | ) | | | | | | | (2,398 | ) | | | (4,165 | ) | | | | |
Tax impact of the divested product lines | | | (18 | ) | | | 655 | | | | | | | | 590 | | | | 1,155 | | | | | |
Operational improvement plan costs (income), before tax | | | 483 | | | | 2,641 | | | | | | | | (2,010 | ) | | | 2,641 | | | | | |
Tax impact of operational improvement plan | | | (115 | ) | | | (656 | ) | | | | | | | 44 | | | | (656 | ) | | | | |
Adjusted net earnings | | $ | 35,752 | | | $ | 32,478 | | | | 10.1 | % | | $ | 101,526 | | | $ | 92,546 | | | | 9.7 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Diluted earnings per share (GAAP) | | $ | 0.80 | | | $ | 0.78 | | | | 2.6 | % | | $ | 2.16 | | | $ | 1.99 | | | | 8.5 | % |
Divestiture & other related costs (income), net of tax | | | 0.03 | | | | (0.01 | ) | | | | | | | 0.33 | | | | 0.22 | | | | | |
Results of operations of the divested product lines, net of tax | | | - | | | | (0.04 | ) | | | | | | | (0.04 | ) | | | (0.07 | ) | | | | |
Operational improvement plan costs (income), net of tax | | | 0.01 | | | | 0.05 | | | | | | | | (0.05 | ) | | | 0.05 | | | | | |
Adjusted diluted earnings per share | | $ | 0.85 | | | $ | 0.77 | | | | 10.4 | % | | $ | 2.40 | | | $ | 2.19 | | | | 9.6 | % |
Divestiture & other related costs are discussed under “Divestitures” above and Note 2, Divestitures, in the Notes to the Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements included in this report. The Operational Improvement Plan is discussed under “Operational Improvement Plan” above and Note 3, Operational Improvement Plan, in the Notes to the Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements included in this report.
Note: Earnings per share calculations may not foot due to rounding differences.
The following table summarizes the percentage change for the results of the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, compared to the results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, in the respective financial measures.
| | Three Months Ended September 30, 2021 | | | Nine Months Ended September 30, 2021 | |
Revenue | | Total | | | Foreign Exchange Rates | | | Adjustments(1) | | | Adjusted Local Currency | | | Total | | | Foreign Exchange Rates | | | Adjustments(1) | | | Adjusted Local Currency | |
Flavors & Extracts | | | (0.7 | %) | | | 1.1 | % | | | (13.4 | %) | | | 11.6 | % | | | 1.6 | % | | | 2.4 | % | | | (10.7 | %) | | | 9.9 | % |
Color | | | 19.6 | % | | | 1.9 | % | | | (0.4 | %) | | | 18.1 | % | | | 7.1 | % | | | 3.2 | % | | | (3.4 | %) | | | 7.3 | % |
Asia Pacific | | | 8.8 | % | | | (0.5 | %) | | | (0.2 | %) | | | 9.5 | % | | | 11.8 | % | | | 3.6 | % | | | (0.2 | %) | | | 8.4 | % |
Total Revenue | | | 6.4 | % | | | 1.2 | % | | | (7.8 | %) | | | 13.0 | % | | | 4.3 | % | | | 2.8 | % | | | (7.1 | %) | | | 8.6 | % |
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Operating Income | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Flavors & Extracts | | | 5.5 | % | | | 0.6 | % | | | (11.1 | %) | | | 16.0 | % | | | 13.7 | % | | | 1.9 | % | | | (4.9 | %) | | | 16.7 | % |
Color | | | 15.7 | % | | | 1.8 | % | | | (0.9 | %) | | | 14.8 | % | | | 5.3 | % | | | 3.5 | % | | | 0.8 | % | | | 1.0 | % |
Asia Pacific | | | 7.8 | % | | | (2.3 | %) | | | (0.4 | %) | | | 10.5 | % | | | 19.4 | % | | | (0.7 | %) | | | (0.3 | %) | | | 20.4 | % |
Corporate & Other | | | (2.5 | %) | | | 0.0 | % | | | (21.0 | %) | | | 18.5 | % | | | 11.1 | % | | | 0.0 | % | | | (11.0 | %) | | | 22.1 | % |
Total Operating Income | | | 14.1 | % | | | 1.1 | % | | | (0.9 | %) | | | 13.9 | % | | | 10.0 | % | | | 3.2 | % | | | 0.3 | % | | | 6.5 | % |
Diluted Earnings per Share | | | 2.6 | % | | | 0.0 | % | | | (6.5 | %) | | | 9.1 | % | | | 8.5 | % | | | 3.0 | % | | | (1.3 | %) | | | 6.8 | % |
| (1) | For Revenue, adjustments consist of revenues of the divested product lines. For Operating Income and Diluted Earnings per Share, adjustments consist of the results of the divested product lines, divestiture & other related costs, and operational improvement plan costs and income. |
Note: Refer to table above for a reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures.
SEGMENT INFORMATION
The Company determines its operating segments based on information utilized by its chief operating decision maker to allocate resources and assess performance. Segment performance is evaluated on operating income before any applicable divestiture & other related costs, share-based compensation, acquisition, restructuring including the operational improvement plan, and other costs (which are reported in Corporate & Other), interest expense, and income taxes.
The Company’s reportable segments consist of the Flavors & Extracts, Color, and Asia Pacific segments.
Flavors & Extracts
Flavors & Extracts segment revenue was $181.7 million and $182.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, a decrease of approximately 1%. Foreign exchange rates increased segment revenue by approximately 1%. The decrease was a result of higher revenue in Flavors, Extracts & Flavor Ingredients, and Natural Ingredients, which was more than offset by lower revenue due to the divestitures of Yogurt Fruit Preparations on September 18, 2020, and Fragrances on April 1, 2021. The higher revenue in Flavors, Extracts & Flavor Ingredients was primarily due to higher volumes and the favorable impact of the Flavors Solutions, Inc. acquisition. The higher revenue in Natural Ingredients was primarily due to higher volumes. Higher selling prices also contributed to the higher revenue in both Flavors, Extracts & Flavor Ingredients and Natural Ingredients.
Flavors & Extracts segment revenue was $562.0 million and $553.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, an increase of approximately 2%. Foreign exchange rates increased segment revenue by approximately 2%. The increase was a result of higher revenue in Flavors, Extracts & Flavor Ingredients, and Natural Ingredients, which was partially offset by lower revenue due to the divestitures of Yogurt Fruit Preparations on September 18, 2020, and Fragrances on April 1, 2021. The higher revenue in Flavors, Extracts & Flavor Ingredients was primarily due to higher volumes, the favorable impact of the Flavors Solutions, Inc. acquisition, and the favorable impact of exchange rates. The higher revenue in Natural Ingredients was primarily due to higher volumes. Higher selling prices also contributed to the higher revenue in both Flavors, Extracts & Flavor Ingredients and Natural Ingredients.
Flavors & Extracts segment operating income was $25.2 million and $23.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, an increase of approximately 6%. Foreign exchange rates increased segment operating income by approximately 1%. The increase was primarily a result of higher segment operating income in Flavors, Extracts & Flavor Ingredients and Natural Ingredients, partially offset by lower segment operating income due to the divestiture of Fragrances on April 1, 2021. The higher segment operating income in Flavors, Extracts & Flavor Ingredients and Natural Ingredients was primarily a result of higher volumes, which were partially offset by higher raw material costs. Higher selling prices also contributed to the higher segment operating income in Flavors, Extracts & Flavor Ingredients and Natural Ingredients. Segment operating income as a percent of revenue was 13.9% in the current quarter compared to 13.0% in the prior year’s comparable quarter.
Flavors & Extracts segment operating income was $76.7 million and $67.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, an increase of approximately 14%. Foreign exchange rates increased segment operating income by approximately 2%. The increase was a result of higher segment operating income in Flavors, Extracts & Flavor Ingredients and Natural Ingredients, partially offset by lower segment operating income due to the divestiture of Fragrances on April 1, 2021. The higher segment operating income in Flavors, Extracts & Flavor Ingredients was primarily a result of higher volumes, lower manufacturing and other costs, and the favorable impact of foreign exchange rates, partially offset by higher raw material costs. The higher segment operating income in Natural Ingredients was primarily a result of higher volumes, which were partially offset by higher raw material costs. Higher selling prices also contributed to the higher segment operating income in Natural Ingredients. Segment operating income as a percent of revenue was 13.7% in the current nine month period compared to 12.2% in the prior year’s comparable nine month period.
Color
Segment revenue for the Color segment was $139.2 million and $116.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, an increase of approximately 20%. Foreign exchange rates increased segment revenue by approximately 2%. The increase was a result of higher segment revenue in Food & Pharmaceutical Colors and Personal Care. The increase in Food & Pharmaceutical Colors was primarily due to higher volumes and the favorable impact of foreign exchange rates. Higher selling prices also contributed to the higher revenue in Food & Pharmaceutical Colors. The increase in Personal Care was due to higher volumes and the favorable impact of foreign exchange rates.
Segment revenue for the Color segment was $408.2 million and $381.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, an increase of approximately 7%. Foreign exchange rates increased segment revenue by approximately 3%. The increase was a result of higher segment revenue in Food & Pharmaceutical Colors and Personal Care, partially offset by lower revenue due to the divestiture of Inks on June 30, 2020. The increase in Food & Pharmaceutical Colors was primarily due to higher volumes and the favorable impact of foreign exchange rates. Higher selling prices also contributed to the higher revenue in Food & Pharmaceutical Colors. The increase in Personal Care was due to higher volumes and the favorable impact of foreign exchange rates.
Segment operating income for the Color segment was $27.3 million and $23.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, an increase of approximately 16%. Foreign exchange rates increased segment operating income by approximately 2%. The increase in segment operating income was a result of higher segment operating income in Food & Pharmaceutical Colors and Personal Care. The increase in Food & Pharmaceutical Colors was primarily due to higher volumes, partially offset by higher manufacturing and other costs. Higher selling prices also contributed to the higher segment operating income in Food & Pharmaceutical Colors. The increase in Personal Care was primarily due to higher volumes. Segment operating income as a percent of revenue was 19.6% in the current quarter and 20.2% in the prior year’s comparable quarter.
Segment operating income for the Color segment was $79.5 million and $75.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, an increase of approximately 5%. Foreign exchange rates increased segment operating income by approximately 4%. The increase was a result of higher segment operating income in Food & Pharmaceutical Colors and the favorable impact of the Inks divestiture on June 30, 2020. Segment operating income as a percent of revenue was 19.5% in the current nine month period and 19.8% in the prior year’s comparable period.
Asia Pacific
Segment revenue for the Asia Pacific segment was $33.4 million and $30.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, an increase of approximately 9%. The increase was primarily a result of higher volumes. Foreign exchange rates decreased segment revenue by approximately 1%.
Segment revenue for the Asia Pacific segment was $99.6 million and $89.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, an increase of approximately 12%. The increase was a result of higher volumes and the favorable impact of foreign exchange rates, which increased segment revenue by approximately 4%.
Segment operating income for the Asia Pacific segment was $6.6 million and $6.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, an increase of approximately 8%. The increase was primarily a result of higher volumes, partially offset by higher manufacturing and other costs. Foreign exchange rates decreased segment operating income by approximately 2%. Segment operating income as a percent of revenue was 19.7% in the current quarter and 19.9% in the prior year’s comparable quarter.
Segment operating income for the Asia Pacific segment was $19.1 million and $16.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, an increase of approximately 19%. The increase was primarily a result of higher volumes, partially offset by higher manufacturing and other costs. Foreign exchange rates decreased segment operating income by approximately 1%. Segment operating income as a percent of revenue was 19.2% in the current nine month period and 18.0% in the prior year’s comparable period.
Corporate & Other
The Corporate & Other operating expense was $12.1 million and $12.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. The lower operating expense for the three months ended September 30, 2021, was primarily due to lower operational improvement plan expenses, partially offset by higher performance-based compensation.
The Corporate & Other operating expense was $45.7 million and $41.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. The higher operating expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2021, was primarily due to higher performance-based compensation, partially offset by the net favorable impact of lower divestiture & other related expenses and operational improvement plan expenses and income in the current nine month period.
LIQUIDITY AND FINANCIAL CONDITION
Financial Condition
The Company’s financial position remains strong. The Company is in compliance with its loan covenants calculated in accordance with applicable agreements as of September 30, 2021. The Company expects its cash flow from operations and its existing debt capacity can be used to meet anticipated future cash requirements for operations, capital expenditures, dividend payments, acquisitions, and stock repurchases. The impact of inflation on both the Company’s financial position and its results of operations has been minimal and is not expected to significantly affect 2021 results.
Cash Flows from Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities was $116.1 million and $142.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. The decrease in net cash provided by operating activities was primarily due to the change in cash used in working capital during the nine months ended September 30, 2021, compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2020.
Cash Flows from Investing Activities
Net cash used in investing activities was $13.1 million and $15.8 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. During the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, the Company received cash proceeds of $36.8 million and $12.2 million, respectively, related to the Company’s divestiture activities. In the nine months ended September 30, 2021, the Company paid $13.9 million for the acquisition of Flavor Solutions, Inc., while in the nine months ended September 30, 2020, the Company received $4.6 million related to the redemption of miscellaneous investments. Capital expenditures were $37.6 million and $34.0 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Net cash used in financing activities was $93.5 million and $117.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Net debt decreased by $11.9 million and $67.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. For purposes of the cash flow statement, net changes in debt exclude the impact of foreign exchange rates. The Company repurchased shares of its common stock for $31.5 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2021. There were no repurchases of shares of the Company’s common stock in the comparable prior year’s period. Dividends of $49.5 million, or $1.17 per share, were paid during both the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020.
CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES
There have been no material changes in the Company’s critical accounting policies during the quarter ended September 30, 2021. For additional information about critical accounting policies, refer to “Critical Accounting Policies” under Item 7 of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020.
ITEM 3. | QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK |
There have been no material changes in the Company’s exposure to market risk during the quarter ended September 30, 2021. For additional information about market risk, refer to Part II, Item 7A of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020.
ITEM 4. | CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES |
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures: The Company carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of management, including the Company’s Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer and its Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness, as of the end of the period covered by this report, of the design and operation of the disclosure controls and procedures, as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act. Based upon that evaluation, the Company’s Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer and its Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that the disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of the end of the period covered by this report.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting: There have been no changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) during the quarter ended September 30, 2021, that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
PART II. | OTHER INFORMATION |
See Part I, Item 1, Note 14, Commitments and Contingencies, of this report for information regarding legal proceedings in which the Company is involved.
The Company is supplementing the risk factors previously disclosed in Item 1A of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 with the following risk factor:
| ● | Restrictions on energy sources for our facilities may negatively affect our results. |
We have facilities around the world that are dependent upon third parties to provide us with energy in order to continue to run our day-to-day operations. A restriction on energy sources, whether instituted by the provider, a third party, or as a result of a shortage of resources, could impair or shut down operations at our facilities and adversely impact our business. In June of 2021, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld a challenge by the Environmental Defense Fund to vacate a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (Certificate) issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in connection with a natural gas pipeline that serves a significant number of residents and businesses in eastern Missouri, including our St. Louis facility. In September of 2021, the FERC issued a short-term certificate to allow the pipeline to continue operations through December 13, 2021. The Supreme Court of the United States rejected a request to stay the ruling to vacate the Certificate, and, therefore, it is possible that the pipeline will cease operations on December 14, 2021. If our St. Louis facility is unable to receive natural gas from the pipeline or cannot find an alternative source, our operations would be adversely impacted. In addition, the local government supplies our facility in Guangzhou, China with electricity. As a result of an insufficient supply of coal, our facility did not, and has been informed by the local government that it may not in the future, receive electricity for intermittent periods during the shortage. The timing and frequency of such outages varies based on the availability of the coal supply. A prolonged or more intense coal shortage, or an inability to find an alternative source to power our facility, could have an adverse effect on our financial performance. Additionally, in view of past history, it is also possible that government action in advance of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics (currently scheduled for February) could result in shutdowns of our facilities in China.
ITEM 2. | UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS |
On October 19, 2017, the Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to three million shares (2017 Authorization). As of September 30, 2021, 1,157,567 shares had been repurchased under the 2017 Authorization. There is no expiration date for the 2017 Authorization. The 2017 Authorization may be modified, suspended, or discontinued by the Board of Directors at any time. As of September 30, 2021, the maximum number of shares that may be purchased under publicly announced plans is 1,842,433.
The following table sets forth information with respect to our purchases of shares of our common stock during the three months ended September 30, 2021:
Period | | Total Number of Shares Purchased | | | Average
Price Paid per Share | | | Total Number of shares purchased as part of publicly announced plans or programs | | | Maximum number of shares that may yet be purchased under the plans or programs | |
July 1 to July 31, 2021 | | | 11,000 | | | $ | 86.40 | | | | 11,000 | | | | 1,937,033 | |
August 1 to August 31, 2021 | | | 48,400 | | | | 87.14 | | | | 48,400 | | | | 1,888,633 | |
September 1 to September 30, 2021 | | | 46,200 | | | | 90.89 | | | | 46,200 | | | | 1,842,433 | |
Total | | | 105,600 | | | | | | | | 105,600 | | | | | |
See Exhibit Index following this report.
SENSIENT TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
QUARTERLY REPORT ON FORM 10-Q
FOR THE QUARTER ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2021
Exhibit | | Description |
| Incorporated by Reference From | | Filed Herewith |
| | Amendment No. 7 to Receivables Purchase Agreement, dated as of October 1, 2021, among Sensient Receivables LLC, Sensient Technologies Corporation, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association | | Exhibit 10.1 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed October 5, 2021 (Commission File No. 1-7626) | | |
| | | | | | |
| | Certifications of the Company’s Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer and Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) of the Exchange Act | | | | X |
| | | | | | |
| | Certifications of the Company’s Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer and Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 United States Code § 1350 | | | | X |
| | | | | | |
101.INS | | Inline XBRL Instance Document (the instance document does not appear in the Interactive Data File because its XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document) | | | | X |
| | | | | | |
101.SCH | | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document | | | | X |
| | | | | | |
101.CAL | | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document | | | | X |
| | | | | | |
101.DEF | | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document | | | | X |
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101.LAB | | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document | | | | X |
| | | | | | |
101.PRE | | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document | | | | X |
| | | | | | |
104 | | Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101) | | | | X |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
| | SENSIENT TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION |
| | | | |
Date: | November 2, 2021 | By: | /s/ John J. Manning | |
| | | John J. Manning, Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary | |
| | | | |
Date: | November 2, 2021 | By: | /s/ Stephen J. Rolfs | |
| | | Stephen J. Rolfs, Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer | |