| EXHIBIT 99.1 |
| News |
For Immediate Release | Contact: Cindi Buckwalter |
February 1, 2018 | (212) 878-1831 |
MINERALS TECHNOLOGIES REPORTS FOURTH QUARTER EARNINGS
OF $2.12 PER SHARE, OR $1.10 PER SHARE, EXCLUDING SPECIAL ITEMS
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Company Reports Record Annual Earnings
2017 Reported Earnings per Share of $5.48, or $4.59, Excluding Special Items
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Fourth Quarter Highlights
● | | Sales Increase 8 Percent, With Growth Across All Segments |
● | | Metalcasting Sales Rise 17 Percent |
● | | Asia Sales Up 10 Percent; China Sales Up 12 Percent |
● | | Double Digit Operating Margins Across All Segments |
● | | $110 Million of Term Loan Debt Repaid in 2017 |
NEW YORK, February 1—Minerals Technologies Inc. (NYSE: MTX) today reported diluted earnings per share of $1.10, excluding special items, for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2017, compared with earnings per share of $1.08 in the prior year period. Reported earnings were $2.12 per share.
For the full year 2017, the company reported earnings per share of $4.59, excluding special items, compared with earnings of $4.47 per share in the prior year. Reported earnings per share were $5.48 for the full year of 2017.
"The Company had a solid fourth quarter, with continued strong operating margins," said Douglas T. Dietrich, Chief Executive Officer. "We saw strong sales growth in the second half of 2017, with increases across all four of our segments."
FOURTH QUARTER 2017
Worldwide net sales increased 8 percent to $432 million. Operating income, as reported, was $45.7 million and represented 10.6 percent of sales. Operating income, excluding special items, increased 4 percent to $62.5 million and represented 14.5 percent of sales.
During the fourth quarter, the Company incurred special charges primarily related to restructuring and non-cash impairment charges from the closure of paper mills in North America, as well as the alignment of corporate and Paper PCC staffing levels into higher growth regions. The restructuring is expected to result in approximately $6 million in savings on an annualized basis. The Company also recorded a provisional $47 million income tax benefit, or $1.32 per share, from the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act legislation. This benefit is comprised of an $82 million gain related primarily to the re-measurement of the Company's U.S. deferred tax liabilities at a lower U.S. tax rate of 21%, partially offset by tax expense of $35 million for the deemed repatriation of unremitted earnings of foreign subsidiaries.
Segment Information
Performance Materials and Specialty Minerals
Sales in the Minerals businesses, which include the Performance Materials and Specialty Minerals segments, grew 9 percent in the fourth quarter to $340 million. Operating income for the Minerals businesses, excluding special items, was $51.4 million and operating margins represented 15.1 percent of sales.
Performance Materials segment sales increased 12 percent in the fourth quarter to $196 million. Metalcasting sales rose 17 percent on higher volumes in all regions. Household, Personal Care & Specialty Products increased 16 percent driven by higher pet care volumes and increased fabric care sales. Building Materials sales increased 21 percent due to several large projects in the U.S., and Environmental Products sales rose 10 percent on higher volumes in the U.S. These sales increases were partially offset by 6 percent lower Basic Minerals sales due to reduced volumes and prices of bulk chromite. Operating income decreased 4 percent to $28.1 million, due to a decline in bulk chromite pricing and a weaker product mix, and represented 14.4 percent of sales. The Performance Materials segment provides a wide range of bentonite-based and synthetic materials for industrial and consumer markets and for non-residential construction, environmental remediation and infrastructure projects worldwide.
Specialty Minerals segment sales, which consist of the Precipitated Calcium Carbonate (PCC) and Processed Minerals product lines, increased 4 percent to $143.9 million. Income from operations for the segment, excluding special items, increased 8 percent to $23.3 million, and operating margins were 16.2 percent of sales.
Worldwide sales of PCC, which is used mainly in the manufacturing processes of the paper industry, increased 4 percent to $110.9 million. Higher sales in Asia, Europe and Latin America were partially offset by reduced sales in North America.
Fourth quarter sales of Processed Minerals products increased 5 percent. Ground Calcium Carbonate sales grew 9 percent due to higher volumes in construction and automotive markets, which were partially offset by a 2 percent decrease in Talc sales. Processed Minerals products are used in the building materials, polymers, ceramics, consumer products, paints and coatings, glass and other manufacturing industries.
Refractories and Energy Services
The Service businesses, which include the Refractories and Energy Services segments, continued to report improved performance. Sales of $92.4 million in the fourth quarter were 5 percent higher than the same period last year. Operating income for the Service businesses, excluding special items, increased 5 percent to $12.4 million and operating margins were 13.4 percent of sales.
Refractories segment sales increased 5 percent to $71.3 million, driven by higher sales of metallurgical wire and refractories products. The Refractories segment operating income increased 4 percent to $10.2 million and was 14.3 percent of sales. The Refractories segment provides products and services primarily to the worldwide steel industry.
Energy Services segment sales were $21.1 million, a 4 percent increase from the prior year quarter, primarily driven by higher filtration activity. Operating income, excluding special items, was $2.2 million, an increase of 10 percent over the prior year, and represented 10.4 percent of sales. This improvement was driven by the benefits realized from the restructuring of the business in the first half of 2016 to focus on more profitable and differentiated services. Energy Services offers a range of patented technologies, products and services for off-shore filtration and well testing to the worldwide oil and gas industry.
FULL YEAR 2017
Worldwide net sales increased 2 percent to $1.676 billion. Operating income as reported increased 10 percent to $242.7 million and represented 14.5 percent of sales. Operating income, excluding special items, increased 2 percent to $263.2 million and represented 15.7 percent of sales.
"MTI posted a solid year, driven by geographic expansion, organizational realignment and new product introductions. Our continued focus on operational excellence and productivity improvements resulted in record earnings, and we further strengthened our balance sheet through debt repayment. As we enter 2018, we are solidly positioned to continue to pursue sustainable, profitable growth across our portfolio," said Mr. Dietrich.
Segment Information
Performance Materials and Specialty Minerals
Sales in the Minerals businesses, which include the Performance Materials and Specialty Minerals segments, grew 3 percent to $1.320 billion. Operating income for the Minerals businesses, excluding special items, was $220.9 million and operating margins represented 16.7 percent of sales.
Performance Materials segment sales increased 7 percent in the full year to $734.8 million. Metalcasting sales increased 14 percent, principally due to higher volumes in Asia and North America. Basic Minerals sales increased 20 percent, driven primarily by higher sales of bulk chromite and drilling products, and Building Materials sales increased 6 percent. These sales increases were partially offset by decreased Environmental Products sales, and lower Fabric Care sales in Asia which affected Household, Personal Care & Specialty Products. Operating income decreased 1 percent to $119.7 million, due to a decline in bulk chromite pricing and a weaker product mix, and represented 16.3 percent of sales.
Specialty Minerals segment sales, which consists of the PCC and Processed Minerals product lines, decreased 1 percent to $584.8 million. Income from operations for the segment, excluding special items, decreased 1 percent to $101.2 million, and operating margins were 17.3 percent of sales.
Worldwide sales of PCC decreased 2 percent in the full year to $443.7 million, primarily due to sales declines in North America, which offset growth in Asia, Europe and Latin America.
Full year sales of Processed Minerals products increased 1 percent to $141.1 million. Ground Calcium Carbonate sales increased 4 percent due to higher volumes in construction and automotive markets, which were partially offset by a 3 percent decrease in Talc sales.
Refractories and Energy Services
The Service businesses, which include the Refractories and Energy Services segments, reported sales of $356.1 million, a decrease of 1 percent compared to last year. However, operating income for the Service businesses, excluding special items, increased 18 percent to $46.6 million and operating margins were 13.1 percent of sales.
Refractories segment sales increased 2 percent to $279.4 million. The Refractories segment operating income increased 14 percent to $39.8 million and was 14.2 percent of sales. The increase in operating income and margins was driven by higher equipment sales and improved refractory operating costs.
Energy Services segment sales were $76.7 million, an 11 percent decrease from the prior year, primarily due to the exit of certain businesses in 2016. Operating income, excluding special items, was $6.8 million, an increase of 55 percent over the prior year, and represented 8.9 percent of sales, which benefited from the 2016 restructuring mentioned above.
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Minerals Technologies will host a conference call tomorrow, February 2, 2018 at 11 a.m. Eastern Time. The conference call will be broadcast live on our website: www.mineralstech.com.
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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which describe or are based on current expectations. Actual results may differ materially from these expectations. In addition, any statements that are not historical fact (including statements containing the words "believes," "plans," "anticipates," "expects," "estimates," and similar expressions) should also be considered to be forward-looking statements. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Forward-looking statements in this document should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect our businesses, particularly those mentioned in the risk factors and other cautionary statements in our 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K and in our other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
About Minerals Technologies Inc.
New York-based Minerals Technologies Inc. (MTI) is a resource- and technology-based growth company that develops, produces and markets worldwide a broad range of specialty mineral, mineral-based and synthetic mineral products and related systems and services. MTI serves the paper, foundry, steel, construction, environmental, energy, polymer and consumer products industries. The company reported sales of $1.676 billion in 2017. For further information, please visit our website at www.mineralstech.com. (MTI-E)
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