Olympic Steel (ZEUS) 8-K Olympic Steel Reports 35% Growth in 2017 Second-Quarter Net Income

Exhibit 99.1

 

Olympic Steel Reports 35% Growth in 2017 Second-Quarter Net Income

First-Half 2017 Net Income Triples, on 30% Higher Sales

Board Declares Regular Quarterly Cash Dividend

CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)--August 3, 2017--Olympic Steel Inc. (Nasdaq: ZEUS), a leading national metals service center, today announced significantly improved financial results for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2017.

Net sales increased 30% in 2017’s second quarter, to $356.2 million, compared with $273.6 million in net sales during the same quarter last year. Year-to-date net sales also rose 30%, reaching $691.1 million, versus $532.0 million in the first six months of 2016. Higher shipping volume and higher selling prices accounted for the year-over-year increase in net sales for both periods.

“Demand for our products has been steadily improving since late last year,” said Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Michael D. Siegal. “With increased customer demand, we continue to outpace the overall market and have increased our market share. This is attributable to our customer service exemplified by consistent on-time delivery and dependable quality.”

Second-quarter net income in 2017 was $4.8 million, or $0.42 per diluted share, compared with net income of $3.6 million, or $0.32 per diluted share, in 2016’s second quarter. Net income in the second quarter of 2017 was negatively impacted by $0.4 million, or $0.02 per diluted share, of LIFO expense recorded in the quarter. There was no LIFO impact in the same quarter of last year. In addition, 2017 second-quarter net income was reduced by $0.03 per diluted share related to the net loss generated by the Siler City, North Carolina facility, which the Company closed in July.

“The cost-containment initiatives we began instituting two years ago remain a focus for our operating teams,” Siegal said. “As expected, consistent operational discipline combined with growing shipments, are manifesting in higher profitability.”

Net income in the first half of 2017 surged to $12.5 million, or $1.10 per diluted share, up from $2.8 million, or $0.25 per diluted share in 2016’s comparable period. First-half 2017 results include LIFO expense totaling $0.8 million, or $0.04 per share, compared with no LIFO impact in the first half of 2016. As previously disclosed, an out-of-period income tax adjustment recorded in the first quarter of 2017 resulted in a one-time reduction of income tax expense. That adjustment increased net income in the first half of 2017 by $1.9 million, or $0.17 per diluted share.

The Company’s Board of Directors also approved a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.02 per share, which is payable on Sept. 15, 2017, to shareholders of record on Sept. 1, 2017.

Conference Call and Webcast

A simulcast of Olympic Steel’s 2017 second-quarter earnings conference call can be accessed via the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at www.olysteel.com. The simulcast will begin at 10 a.m. EDT on Aug. 3, and a replay of the call will be available for approximately 14 days thereafter.

Forward-Looking Statements

It is the Company’s policy not to endorse any analyst’s sales or earnings estimates. Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “anticipate,” “should,” “intend,” “expect,” “believe,” “estimate,” “project,” “plan,” “potential,” and “continue,” as well as the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those implied by such statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: general and global business, economic, financial and political conditions; competitive factors such as the availability, global production levels and pricing of metals, industry shipping and inventory levels and rapid fluctuations in customer demand and metals pricing; cyclicality and volatility within the metals industry; the strengthening of the U.S. dollar and the related impact on foreign steel pricing, U.S. exports, and foreign imports to the United States; the levels of imported steel in the United States and any associated tariffs and duties; the availability and costs of transportation and logistical services; the successes of our strategic efforts and initiatives to increase sales volumes, maintain or improve working capital turnover and free cash flows, improve our customer service, and achieve cost savings, including our internal program to improve earnings; our ability to generate free cash flow through operations and repay debt within anticipated time frames; events or circumstances that could impair or adversely impact the carrying value of any of our assets; risks and uncertainties associated with intangible assets, including additional impairment charges related to indefinite lived intangible assets; events or circumstances that could adversely impact the successful operation of our processing equipment and operations; the amounts, successes and our ability to continue our capital investments and strategic growth initiatives, including our business information system implementations; the successes of our operational initiatives to improve our operating, cultural and management systems and reduce our costs; the ability to comply with the terms of our asset-based credit facility; the ability of our customers and third parties to honor their agreements related to derivative instruments; customer, supplier and competitor consolidation, bankruptcy or insolvency; reduced production schedules, layoffs or work stoppages by our own, our suppliers’ or customers’ personnel; the impacts of union organizing activities and the success of union contract renewals; the timing and outcomes of lower of cost or market adjustments and last-in, first-out, or LIFO, income or expense; the ability of our customers (especially those that may be highly leveraged, and those with inadequate liquidity) to maintain their credit availability; the inflation or deflation existing within the metals industry, as well as our product mix and inventory levels on hand, which can impact our cost of materials sold as a result of the fluctuations in the LIFO inventory valuation; the adequacy of our existing information technology and business system software, including duplication and security processes; the adequacy of our efforts to mitigate cyber security risks and threats; access to capital and global credit markets; our ability to pay regular quarterly cash dividends and the amounts and timing of any future dividends; our ability to repurchase shares of our common stock and the amounts and timing of repurchases, if any; unanticipated developments that could occur with respect to contingencies such as litigation, arbitration and environmental matters, including any developments that would require any increase in our costs for such contingencies; and changes in laws or regulations or the manner of their interpretation or enforcement could impact our financial performance and restrict our ability to operate our business or execute our strategies.

About Olympic Steel

Founded in 1954, Olympic Steel is a leading U.S. metals service center focused on the direct sale and distribution of large volumes of processed carbon, coated and stainless flat-rolled sheet, coil and plate steel and aluminum products. The Company’s CTI subsidiary is a leading distributor of steel tubing, bar, pipe, valves and fittings, and fabricates pressure parts for the electric utility industry. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Olympic Steel operates from 30 facilities in North America.

For additional information, please visit the Company’s website at www.olysteel.com or http://ir.olysteel.com/Contact_Us?BzID=2195

Olympic Steel, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income
(in thousands, except per-share data)
	Three Months Ended June 30,						Six Months Ended June 30,
	2017			2016			2017			2016
	(unaudited)						(unaudited)
Net sales	$	356,195		$	273,608		$	691,088		$	531,957
Costs and expenses
Cost of materials sold (excludes items shown separately below)		283,041			205,688			541,495			405,508
Warehouse and processing		21,838			21,035			45,339			41,527
Administrative and general		17,887			16,011			36,052			32,051
Distribution		10,568			9,560			20,933			18,767
Selling		6,496			6,045			13,007			11,732
Occupancy		2,191			2,158			4,501			4,495
Depreciation		4,319			4,550			8,633			9,059
Amortization		222			222			444			444
Total costs and expenses		346,562			265,269			670,404			523,583
Operating income		9,633			8,339			20,684			8,374
Other income (loss), net		(28	)		(58	)		(54	)		(63	)
Income before interest and income taxes		9,605			8,281			20,630			8,311
Interest and other expense on debt		1,788			1,274			3,414			2,559
Income before income taxes		7,817			7,007			17,216			5,752
Income tax provision		3,020			3,457			4,720			2,969
Net income	$	4,797		$	3,550		$	12,496		$	2,783
Earnings per share:
Net income per share - basic	$	0.42		$	0.32		$	1.10		$	0.25
Weighted average shares outstanding - basic		11,383			11,182			11,382			11,199
Net income per share - diluted	$	0.42		$	0.32		$	1.10		$	0.25
Weighted average shares outstanding - diluted		11,390			11,182			11,387			11,199

Olympic Steel, Inc.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(in thousands)
	At June 30, 2017			At Dec. 31 2016
	(unaudited)
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$	4,126		$	2,315
Accounts receivable, net		158,202			101,902
Inventories, net (includes LIFO debit of $7,269 as of June 30, 2017 and $8,045 as of Dec. 31, 2016)		262,740			254,526
Prepaid expenses and other		6,345			6,197
Assets held for sale		844			-
Total current assets		432,257			364,940
Property and equipment, at cost		375,808			374,242
Accumulated depreciation		(225,141	)		(218,476	)
Net property and equipment		150,667			155,766
Intangible assets, net		23,424			23,869
Other long-term assets		11,861			11,493
Total assets	$	618,209		$	556,068
Liabilities
Current portion of long-term debt	$	930		$	1,825
Accounts payable		83,834			79,458
Accrued payroll		12,292			8,445
Other accrued liabilities		11,654			15,170
Total current liabilities		108,710			104,898
Credit facility revolver		210,728			164,599
Other long-term liabilities		10,781			10,062
Deferred income taxes		21,728			23,119
Total liabilities		351,947			302,678
Shareholders' Equity
Preferred stock		-			-
Common stock		129,392			128,619
Treasury stock		(568	)		(609	)
Retained earnings		137,438			125,380
Total shareholders' equity		266,262			253,390
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$	618,209		$	556,068

Olympic Steel, Inc.
Segment Financial Information
(In thousands, except tonnage and per-ton data. Figures may not foot to consolidated totals due to Corporate expenses.)
	Three Months Ended June 30:
	(unaudited)
	Carbon Flat				Specialty Metals Flat				Tubular and Pipe
	Products				Products				Products1
	2017		2016		2017		2016		2017		2016
Tons Sold1		308,458		272,447		22,539		21,768	NA		NA
Net Sales	$	237,058	$	173,122	$	58,280	$	49,529	$	60,857	$	50,957
Average selling price per ton		769		635		2,586		2,275	NA		NA
Cost of materials sold2		189,650		129,137		50,046		41,991		43,345		34,560
Gross profit3		47,408		43,985		8,234		7,538		17,512		16,397
Operating expenses4		40,169		38,316		5,375		4,971		15,168		14,264
Operating income	$	7,239	$	5,669	$	2,859	$	2,567	$	2,344	$	2,133
Depreciation and Amortization		2,905		2,988		198		190		1,412		1,568
	Six Months Ended June 30:
	(unaudited)
	Carbon Flat				Specialty Metals Flat				Tubular and Pipe
	Products				Products				Products1
	2017		2016		2017		2016		2017		2016
Tons Sold1		612,250		539,297		45,732		41,591	NA		NA
Net Sales	$	453,974	$	334,556	$	116,235	$	95,359	$	120,879	$	102,042
Average selling price per ton		741		620		2,542		2,294	NA		NA
Cost of materials sold2		358,823		255,664		98,330		81,186		84,342		68,658
Gross profit3		95,151		78,892		17,905		14,173		36,537		33,384
Operating expenses4		80,537		75,401		11,061		9,850		31,706		29,008
Operating income	$	14,614	$	3,491	$	6,844	$	4,323	$	4,831	$	4,376
Depreciation and Amortization		5,794		5,942		424		383		2,808		3,127

1	Tonnage is less meaningful for the Tubular and Pipe Products segment and therefore, is not reported.
2	Includes $0.4 million, and $0.8 million, of LIFO expense for the Tubular and Pipe Products segment for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017, respectively.
3	Gross profit is calculated as net sales less the cost of materials sold.
4	Operating expenses are calculated as total costs and expenses less the cost of materials sold.

Olympic Steel, Inc.
Segment Financial Information Cont.
(In thousands, unaudited)
At June 30, 2017			At Dec. 31, 2016
Assets
Flat products	$	422,259		$	363,626
Tubular and pipe products		195,647			192,088
Corporate		303			354
Total assets	$	618,209		$	556,068
Other Information:
(audited, in thousands, except per-share data)
	At June 30, 2017			At Dec. 31, 2016
Shareholders' equity per share	$	24.28		$	23.11
Debt-to-equity ratio	0.79 to 1			0.66 to 1
	Six Months Ended
	June 30,
	2017			2016
Net cash from (used for) operating activities	$	(38,483	)	$	10,533
Cash dividends per share	$	0.04		$	0.04

CONTACT:
IR Contact:
Olympic Steel Investor Relations
Matthew J. Dennis, CFA, 216-672-0522