Page 3 of 8 Esterline Reports Fiscal 2018 Third Quarter Financial Results
nine months of fiscal 2018 were $39.2 million, resulting in free cash flow of $80.1 million for the 2018 period compared with $96.7 million for the same period in 2017. The decline in free cash flow is primarily attributable to lower net earnings in the fiscal 2018 period.
Booking Activity
The company has booked more than $1.7 billion of new orders on ayear-to-date basis, resulting in ayear-to-datebook-to-bill ratio of 1.15. The company’s backlog has increased over the past twelve months, standing at $1.47 billion at the end of the fiscal 2018 third quarter, compared with a $1.24 billion backlog at the end of the fiscal 2017 third quarter. The current backlog has greater depth with a higher proportion of system andsub-system orders, many with scheduled deliveries twelve months or more into the future.
Capital Allocation
During the third quarter of fiscal 2018, the company paid down $23.1 million of U.S. debt, resulting in a leverage ratio of 2.7 as of the end of the quarter.
Fiscal 2018 Outlook
The company reiterated its guidance for fiscal year 2018, continuing to expect revenue in the range of $2.00 billion to $2.05 billion and anticipating fiscal 2018 earnings in the range of $3.65 to $3.85 per diluted share, excluding the $1.63 impact from the TCJA. The company expects to generate free cash flow between $115 million and $140 million for the full year.
Additional information about the company’s financial results is available in a presentation on the company’s website (www.esterline.com) in the Investor Relations section under “Presentations.” The presentation is also included as Exhibit 99.2 to the company’s report on Form8-K, which is being submitted today to the SEC.
Conference Call Information
Esterline will host a conference call to discuss this announcement today at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (2:00 p.m. Pacific Time). The U.S.dial-in number is877-307-0078; outside the U.S., use531-289-2890. The pass code for the call is: 9167058.
Non-GAAP Financial Information
This press release and the related presentation providing supplemental financial information may includenon-GAAP financial measures—adjusted earnings from continuing operations, adjusted earnings from continuing operations per diluted share, adjusted operating earnings from continuing operations (EBIT), adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), adjusted segment sales, adjusted segment operating earnings (before income taxes) and free cash flow—that have not been calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles
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