EXHIBIT 99
NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Contact: Chad Hyslop or Jim Baumgardner (208) 331-8400
info@americanecology.com www.americanecology.com
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AMERICAN ECOLOGY POSTS OPERATING INCOME
OF $1.4 MILLION IN FIRST QUARTER
BOISE, IDAHO APRIL 19, 2005 - American Ecology Corporation [NASDAQ: ECOL]
today announced financial results for the quarter ending March 31, 2005. For the
quarter, the Company reported net income of $856,000 or $0.05 per fully diluted
share, compared to net income of $2.4 million, or $0.14 per fully diluted share
a year ago. Operating income was $1.4 million for the quarter versus $3.4
million for the first quarter of 2004.
Revenue for the first quarter of 2005 was $12.6 million, compared to $13.9
million a year ago. This decrease in revenue was primarily due to slightly
lower average selling prices and decreased transportation revenue. While waste
volumes at the Company's three hazardous waste sites remained relatively flat,
higher operating costs were incurred in anticipation of waste shipments from
contracts that were delayed due to weather, funding or other project-specific
delays. Additionally, treatment revenue at the Company's Texas facility was
down quarter to quarter pending availability of the new treatment building now
under construction. Revenue at the Company's low-level radioactive waste
disposal facility in Washington also declined due to lower rate-regulated waste
volumes for the quarter. The Company also incurred transportation-related
expenses in the quarter just ended to secure preferred long-term access to two
east coast rail transfer facilities to better compete for large remediation
projects.
"Confirming what we disclosed last month, first quarter results were lower
than planned due to delayed shipments but the Company did not lose any major
forecasted projects," stated Stephen Romano, President and Chief Executive
Officer. "While the costs of a temporarily underutilized rail fleet and securing
east coast rail transfer points negatively affected first quarter results, we
are well positioned to execute our growth strategy based on bundling of
transportation and disposal services to increase waste volume throughput at our
operating facilities," he added.
All of the delayed first quarter 2005 projects are either shipping or
expected to ship in the second quarter and the Company reaffirms its previous
earnings guidance for the year. "We expect to receive and dispose of the
delayed waste shipments during the balance of 2005 and continue to project 15%
growth in operating income for the year," Romano commented.
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Direct costs for the quarter increased to $8.7 million from $7.6 million in
the first quarter of 2004. Higher direct costs reflected increased labor,
transportation and waste treatment additive costs at the Company's Beatty,
Nevada and Grand View, Idaho hazardous waste facilities. Higher transportation
costs reflect fuel surcharges, an expanded railcar fleet, increased railcar
operating lease expenses, and mobilization costs incurred in anticipation of the
aforementioned large remediation projects now underway. Only a portion of these
expenses could be passed on to customers.
The combined result of lower revenue and higher direct costs was a 39%
decrease in gross profit from $6.3 million (45% of revenue) in the first quarter
of 2004 to $3.8 million (31% of revenue) in the first quarter of 2005.
Selling, general & administrative expenses (SG&A) for the first quarter
decreased to $2.5 million, or 20% of revenue, compared to SG&A of $2.9 million
or 21% of revenue in the first quarter last year. SG&A expenses dropped despite
the $105,000 spent in the first quarter of 2005 to comply with Sarbanes-Oxley
Section 404 Internal Control requirements.
Reduced revenue and higher direct costs outweighed reductions in SG&A,
lowering operating income by $2.0 million to $1.4 million, below the $3.4
million in operating income posted in the first quarter of 2004.
"Despite the lower quarterly operating income, cash flow remained solid and
the Company's financial condition continues to be strong," stated Jim
Baumgardner, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.
At quarter end, the Company had $13.2 million of cash and investments on
hand and working capital of $17.2 million.
Management and Moss Adams LLP, the Company's independent registered public
accounting firm, have concluded that the Company's internal controls over
financial reporting were effective at December 31, 2004 and will report no
material weaknesses. The Company will file an Amended Form 10K with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on or prior to May 2, 2005 with the required
internal control opinions.
The Company's first quarter 2005 investor conference call will be held
Wednesday, April 20, 2005 at 10:00 am Mountain Time. President and Chief
Executive Officer Stephen Romano, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer Jim Baumgardner, and Vice President and Controller Michael Gilberg will
host the call. Interested parties are invited to submit questions in advance to
INFO@AMERICANECOLOGY.COM, or by facsimile to 208-331-7900. To join the call,
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dial 1-877-331-8343. Participants will be asked to provide their name and
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affiliation.
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American Ecology Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides
radioactive, PCB, hazardous and non-hazardous waste services to commercial and
government customers throughout the United States, such as nuclear power plants,
steel mills, medical and academic institutions, refineries and chemical
manufacturing facilities. Headquartered in Boise, Idaho, the Company is the
oldest radioactive and hazardous waste services company in the United States,
having operated for more than fifty years.
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are based on
our current expectations, beliefs, and assumptions about the industry and
markets in which American Ecology Corporation and its subsidiaries operate.
Actual results may differ materially from what is expressed herein and no
assurance can be given that the Company will successfully meet its 2005 earnings
estimates, receive all projected waste shipments, increase earnings through the
bundling of transportation and disposal services, prevail in pending litigation,
collect on pending insurance claims, or declare future dividends. For
information on other factors that could cause actual results to differ from
expectations, please refer to American Ecology Corporation's most recent Annual
Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission.
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AMERICAN ECOLOGY CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
($ IN 000'S EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS) (UNAUDITED)
Three Months Ended
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MARCH 31, 2005 March 31,2004
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Revenue $ 12,554 $ 13,905
Direct operating costs 8,713 7,612
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Gross profit 3,841 6,293
Selling, general and administrative expenses 2,514 2,872
Business interruption insurance claim (41) --
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Income from operations 1,368 3,421
Interest income 85 36
Interest expense 47 49
Other income 17 45
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Income before income tax and discontinued operations 1,423 3,453
Income tax expense 567 1,164
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Income before discontinued operations 856 2,289
Income from discontinued operations (net of tax of $0) -- 149
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Net income $ 856 $ 2,438
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Basic earnings from continuing operations .05 .13
Basic earnings from discontinued operations -- .01
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Basic earnings per share $ .05 $ .14
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Diluted earnings from continuing operations .05 .13
Diluted earnings from discontinued operations -- .01
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Diluted earnings per share $ .05 $ .14
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Dividends paid per common share $ -- $ --
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AMERICAN ECOLOGY CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
($ IN 000'S) (UNAUDITED)
MARCH 31, 2005 December 31,2004
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ASSETS
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents $ 2,920 $ 2,160
Short term investments 10,323 10,967
Receivables, net 8,742 8,963
Insurance receivable 1,161 1,285
Prepayments and other 1,077 1,469
Deferred income taxes 5,613 5,613
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Total current assets 29,836 30,457
Property and equipment, net 28,735 27,363
Facility development costs 6,478 6,478
Other assets 462 462
Deferred income taxes 12,041 12,473
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Total assets $ 77,552 $ 77,233
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LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current Liabilities:
Current portion of long term debt $ 1,458 $ 1,457
Accounts payable 2,556 3,022
Deferred revenue 1,296 724
State burial fees payable 1,112 1,446
Management incentive plan payable 89 934
Customer refunds 2,512 2,512
Accrued liabilities 1,251 725
Accrued closure and post closure obligation, current portion 2,323 2,323
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Total current liabilities 12,597 13,143
Long term debt 2,369 2,734
Long term accrued liabilities 523 441
Accrued closure and post closure obligation, excluding current portion 9,314 9,304
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Total liabilities 24,803 25,622
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Commitments and contingencies
Shareholders' equity:
Convertible preferred stock, 1,000,000 shares authorized,
Common stock, $.01 par value, 50,000,000 authorized, 17,441,294
and 17,398,494 shares issued and outstanding 174 174
Additional paid-in capital 51,297 51,015
Retained earnings (deficit) 1,278 422
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Total shareholders' equity 52,749 51,611
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Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity $ 77,552 $ 77,233
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AMERICAN ECOLOGY CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
($ IN 000'S) (UNAUDITED)
Three Months Ended March 31,
2005 2004
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Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income $ 856 $ 2,438
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net
cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion 1,376 1,488
Income from discontinued operations -- (149)
Income tax benefit on exercise of stock options 130 --
Deferred income taxes 432 --
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Receivables 221 4,020
Other assets 345 173
Closure and post closure obligation (260) (148)
Income taxes payable/receivable -- 1,115
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities (465) 1,699
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Net cash provided by operating activities 2,635 10,636
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures (2,529) (513)
Proceeds from the sale of assets 222 110
Transfers between cash and short term investments, net 644 39
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Net cash used by investing activities (1,663) (364)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payments of indebtedness (364) (366)
Warrants purchased and canceled -- (5,500)
Stock options and warrants exercised 152 359
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Net cash used by financing activities (212) (5,507)
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Increase in cash and cash equivalents 760 4,765
Net cash used by discontinued operations -- (668)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year 2,160 6,674
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Cash and cash equivalents at end of quarter $ 2,920 $ 10,771
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Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:
Cash paid during the year for:
Interest expense $ 47 $ 49
Income taxes paid 4 50
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