Full Year 2018 Results
Wheel unit shipments were 21.0 million for 2018 compared to unit shipments of 17.0 million in the prior year. The increase in unit shipments was primarily due to the inclusion of the additional five months of Superior’s European operations in 2018, which drove 4.2 million units of improvement, as well as slightly higher shipments during the first half of 2018, offset by lower volumes in the second half of 2018.
Net sales for 2018 were $1,501.8 million, compared to net sales of $1,108.1 million in 2017. Value-Added Sales, anon-GAAP financial measure, were $797.2 million for 2018 versus $616.8 million in the prior year. Both net sales and Value-Added Sales benefited from the inclusion of five additional months of Superior’s European operations in addition to stronger product mix comprised of larger diameter wheels. Net sales also benefited from higher aluminum prices. See“Non-GAAP Financial Information” below and the reconciliation of consolidated net sales to Value-Added Sales in this press release.
Gross profit for 2018 was $163.5 million compared to $102.9 million in the prior year. Gross profit as a percentage of Value-Added Sales was 20.5% compared to 16.7% in the prior year. The increase in gross profit was due mainly to the inclusion of an additional five months of Superior’s European operations in 2018, impacts from purchase accounting in 2017, strong first-half results in both regions, and improved product mix, offset partially by lower second-half volume globally and second-half production inefficiencies in North America.
Selling, general, and administrative expenses for 2018 were $77.7 million, or 5.2% of net sales, compared to $81.4 million, or 7.4% of net sales, in the prior year. The decrease in SG&A relative to net sales primarily reflects lower acquisition and integration expenses. Excluding acquisition-related items in both periods, selling, general, and administrative expenses as a percentage of net sales were flat year-over-year.
Income from operations for 2018 was $85.8 million compared to income from operations of $21.5 million in the prior year.
The provision for income taxes for 2018 was $6.3 million resulting in an effective tax rate of 19.5% for the year. This compares to an income tax provision for the year ended 2017 of $6.9 million.
For 2018, the Company reported net income of $26.0 million, or earnings per diluted share of $0.29, including the benefit of acquisition andone-time items totaling $0.34 per diluted share. This compares to a net loss of $6.2 million, or a loss per diluted share of $1.01, in 2017.
Adjusted EBITDA, anon-GAAP financial measure, was $185.6 million, or 23.3% of Value-Added Sales, in 2018, which compares to $140.1 million, or 22.7% of Value-Added Sales, in 2017. The increase in Adjusted EBITDA was primarily driven by the inclusion of an additional five months of Superior’s European operations in 2018, strong first-half results in both regions and improved product mix with larger diameter wheels, partially offset by second-half production inefficiencies in North America and lower second-half global volume. See“Non-GAAP Financial Information” below and the reconciliation of net income to Adjusted EBITDA in this press release.
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