Hendrikus P. C. Derksen
Analyst · SunTrust
Thank you, John. I'll start my comments with results for the quarter, followed by a review of our operations and segment results, a discussion of the balance sheet, and close with our cash flow performance. As a reminder, I will be referencing adjusted results today. Please turn to Slide 5 for a detailed consolidated review. Second quarter consolidated revenues were $605.1 million. Compared to the second quarter 2013, [Audio Gap] $72.5 million, or 13.6%, from $532.6 million. The year-over-year improvement includes the additions of both of Grass Valley and ProSoft, with an impact of $72.9 million. Strength in our Broadcast and Industrial Connectivity platforms more than offset declines in our Enterprise and Industrial IT platforms. After adjusting for changes in copper and currency, revenues increased organically 50 basis points year-over-year. As mentioned by John, we experienced a partial replenishment of inventory by our channel partners. After adjusting for this, revenues for the second quarter declined by 50 basis points. Sequentially, revenues increased $116.8 million from $488.3 million. After adjusting for changes in copper and currency, as well as inventory at our channel partners and customers, revenues increased organically by 4.8%, in line with typical seasonal patterns. Gross margins were 37%, increasing 180 basis points year-over-year and 90 basis points sequentially. The additions of Grass Valley and ProSoft are accretive to gross product margins, with an impact of 160 basis points. Second quarter SG&A expenses were $116.3 million, or 19% of revenue. Excluding acquisitions, SG&A expenses, as a percent of revenues, were 17.6%, flat on a year-over-year basis. Our productivity improvement programs are progressing according to plan, and we are committed to achieving SG&A costs of approximately $111 million, updated for the ProSoft acquisition as we exit the year. R&D expenses for the quarter were $30.3 million, or 5% of revenue, increasing $10.3 million or 120 basis points year-over-year, and illustrating the shift to more innovative products and services. SG&A and R&D expense combined for the quarter were $146.6 million, an increase of $32.8 million year-over-year, a direct result of the inorganic activities completed during the quarter. Operating margins were 13%, down 120 basis points from the year-ago period, and down 10 basis points sequentially. Excluding the impact of Grass Valley, margins were unchanged from the prior year quarter. Net interest expense for the quarter was $18.1 million, down slightly from the year-ago period, and down $0.6 million sequentially. In June, we issued $200 million of senior subordinated notes at 5.25% due in 2024. This is in support of our strategic plan. Going forward, we expect interest expense to be approximately $22 million per quarter, an increase of $2.7 million on prior guidance. Additionally, the effective tax rate for the second quarter was 23%, compared to 23.4% in the year-ago period. For financial modeling purposes, we recommend using a 22% effective tax rate for the second half of 2014. Income from continuing operations for the second quarter was $46.5 million, up $2.3 million compared to the year-ago period, and up $11.1 million sequentially. Please turn to Slide 6. I will now discuss revenues and operating results by business segment. Broadcast Solutions generated revenues of $252.3 million during the second quarter. Compared to the year-ago period, revenues increased $82.6 million, from $169.7 million. The acquisition of Grass Valley contributed $70.2 million, ahead of expectations. Despite the strong start, we continue to believe that $225 million of revenue from Grass Valley is appropriate for 2014. Copper adjusted organic revenues increased 6.6% year-over-year and 9.2% sequentially. We are pleased with the performance of the segment during the quarter. Operating profit margins within the Broadcast segment were 10.6% for the quarter, down 360 basis points from 14.2% in the year-ago period, and down 340 basis points sequentially. Both were primarily a result of the addition of Grass Valley, with an impact of 300 basis points. The integration of Grass Valley is progressing per our plan, and we expect operating profit margins for the segment to be within the corporate goal of 14% to 16% by year end. Our Enterprise Connectivity segment generated revenues of $121.3 million during the second quarter, decreasing $11.6 million, compared to the year-ago period, and increasing $12.9 million sequentially. After adjusting for changes in copper and currency, revenues decreased 6.9% year-over-year and increased 12.5% sequentially. This platform is continuing its transformation, with a shift in focus away from cable products and towards connectivity. This shift in softer revenues with higher profitability, as evidenced by profit margins of 13.1%, increasing 200 basis points year-over-year and 340 basis points sequentially. I am encouraged by year-over-year improvement, a result of productivity gains and favorable mix. This improvement in profitability is in line with our recently stated objective. Our Industrial Connectivity segment generated revenues of $178.2 million during the second quarter. Revenues increased $6.3 million, from $171.9 million in the second quarter of 2013. After adjusting for copper and currency, revenues increased 5.7%, compared to the second quarter 2013. Sequentially, revenues increased by $18.9 million, from $159.3 million, slightly stronger than the typical seasonality. Operating profit margins were 15.2%, increasing 80 basis points from the year-ago period and 180 basis points sequentially. Both the year-over-year and sequential improvements are primarily a result of leverage on volume. The Industrial IT segment generated revenues of $53.3 million during the second quarter, including a $2.7 million contribution from the newly acquired ProSoft. Revenues declined $4.8 million, compared to the second quarter 2013, and $0.8 million sequentially. The $58.1 million of orders booked in the period, a book-to-bill of 1.15, supports our full year projections. Operating profit margins of 15.5% decreased 4 percentage points from the prior year period and 1.2 percentage points sequentially, again, a function of the timing of shipments. If you will please turn to Slide 7, I will discuss our balance sheet highlights. Our cash and cash equivalents balance was $445 million at the end of the second quarter, a decrease of $124.6 million sequentially. We deployed $342 million towards strategic initiatives, which was offset by the $200 million of debt issued in June and $33 million of free cash flow generated in the quarter. Inventory turnover was 6.9 turns, an improvement of 0.2 turns year-over-year and 1.2 turns sequentially. Days sales outstanding was 63 days in the second quarter, an increase of 7 days year-over-year and 6 days sequentially. The increase is primarily a function of the longer customary terms offered by Grass Valley, balanced by extended payable terms as well. This resulted in growing capital turns of 7.9 at a consolidated level, an improvement of 1.1 turns year-over-year and 1.9 turns sequentially. PP&E turnover was 7.3 turns, an improvement of 0.2 turns year-over-year and 0.8 turns sequentially. Net leverage increased from 2.7x net debt to EBITDA in Q1, to 3.0 in the current quarter, a result of the investments made in the second quarter. We remain committed to a level of 2.5 over the next 12 months. Please turn to Slide 8 for a few cash flow highlights. Cash flow provided by operating activities for the second quarter was $43.7 million, compared to $58.6 million in the year-ago period. Net capital expenditures for the quarter totaled $10.6 million, compared to $11.8 million last year. Free cash flow, after capital expenditures, was $33.1 million. We are on track to deliver our goal of free cash flow in excess of net income for the full year. For the quarter, we purchased approximately 424,000 shares of Belden common stock for $31.2 million, at an average price of $73.50 per share. On a combined program-to-date basis, we have repurchased a total of 5.8 million shares, or greater than 12% of the company, at an average price of $42.77 per share. We now have $100 million remaining available under the current program. Dry powder at the close of Q2 was greater than $700 million. That completes my prepared remarks. I would now like to turn the call back to our CEO, John Stroup, for comments on the newly acquired ProSoft and outlook. John?