David Black
Analyst · CJS. Please go ahead
Thanks Rex. Nuclear Operations Group generated revenue of $350 million for the fourth quarter of 2018, up 13% year-over-year driven by accelerated revenue through favorable estimated completion, EAC changes that included increased future volume assumptions that benefited backlog contracts and higher volume and naval nuclear fuel and downblending services. Operating income for the quarter was a record $91.1 million as a result of lower cost and favorable EAC changes. Full year NOG revenue topped $1.3 billion, up 3.7% year-over-year with operating income of $271 million, resulting in strong operating margins of 20.6% despite the negative impact from missile tube reserves. Excluding the $29.2 million of missile tube reserves, NOG margins would've been 190 basis points higher at 22.5%. The Nuclear Power Group produced $98.2 million of revenue in the fourth quarter of 2018, a 16% increase from the fourth quarter of 2017 and marking six consecutive quarters of year-over-year organic growth. Higher fourth quarter results were driven by increases in field services, fuel handling and component design and manufacturing in the medical radioisotope acquisition. Segment operating income was up 44% to $13.6 million compared to the prior year period and was driven by an increase in volume as well as the medical radioisotope acquisition. Full year NPG revenue was also a record at $366 million, a 28% increase compared with 2017. On an organic basis excluding $19.5 million related to the medical radioisotope acquisition segment revenue was up 21%. Full year NPG operating income was $52.3 million resulting in record operating margins of 14.3%. And lastly the Nuclear Service Group contributed operating income of $9.2 million in the fourth quarter, significantly higher than the prior year period as a result of improved operational performance at various DOE sites and good cost control. NSG completed the year with $20.4 million of operating income, up 44% despite the continued push out of the Savannah River liquid waste protest resolution. The company's fourth quarter capital expenditures were up 3% to $49 million compared with the fourth quarter of 2017 with an additional $30 million of CapEx not included at year-end due to equipment delivery late in the quarter. Full year 2018 capital expenditures were $109 million up 13% versus 2017. At the end of 2018, the company's cash and short-term investments position net of restricted cash was $33.5 million. Fourth quarter cash flow from operating activities generated $177.7 million more than double the $77.1 million generated in the fourth quarter 2017. We returned $168 million in cash to shareholders in the fourth quarter, including $152 million of share repurchases and $16 million of dividends. This resulted in a total of $279 million of cash return to shareholders in 2018. At the end of the fourth quarter, the company had gross debt of $777 million, including $400 million in senior notes, $277 million in term loans and $100 million in borrowings under our credit facility. We also had $63.5 million in letters of credit under our credit facility, and as a result, have $336.5 million of the remaining availability. On February 22, our board increased the quarterly dividend 6% and declared a cash dividend of $0.17 per share payable in the first quarter of 2019. Turning now to guidance. We have initiated our formal 2019 guidance with another year of top and bottom line growth. We expect non-GAAP EPS at about $2.50 and strong consolidated revenue growth of about 6%. Our EPS guidance contemplates tailwinds from operations driven by higher volume and reduced share count. We also are factoring in about $0.20 of EPS headwind for increased interest expense and lower non-cash as pension income reported in the other segment. In NOG, we expect revenue growth of about 6% with sustained margins in the high teens with continued upside potential from CAS pension reimbursement. In NPG, we expect revenue to be about flat as recurring service outages cycle lower in 2019, but are offset by a full year revenue from the medical isotopes acquisition. Segment margins are expected to be about 13% for the year. And lastly, we expect NSG to contribute about $25 million in operating income as the growth cycle continues. Other 2019 guidance items include about 1% of revenue for other segment operating expense primarily for R&D; about $20 million in unallocated corporate expense; and about $22 million in CAS pension income reported in other. We finished 2018 with an effective non-GAAP tax rate of 23.6% and expect 2019 to be similar in the range of 23% to 24%. We are guiding to about $225 million in capital expenditures for 2019, including the previously referenced $30 million coming from capital received late in 2018. The remaining $195 million is split with approximately $120 million for Navy, $50 million for isotopes and the remaining balance for other segments in corporate. Given our current outlook, we believe 2019 will be a peak for capital expenditures. In 2020, we see capital expenditures coming down below $150 million and then returning to maintenance capital levels in 2021 at about 3.5% of revenue. As mentioned in our press release, we continue to reiterate our long-term guidance of low double-digit EPS CAGR over the three years to five years following the $2.05 we delivered in 2017. Our guidance continues to reflect robust organic growth opportunities and balance sheet capacity as well as some changes to the pension outlook over the next several years. In late 2017 and again in 2018, we annuitized portions of the pension. This action derisks future volatility surrounding pension liabilities, but also remove pension asset. In addition, discount rates have moved up, creating additional pressure on pension income reported in other. Based on our guidance, we see pension income being about a $0.07 headwind in 2019. We also made $118 million in voluntary pension contributions in 2018 to take advantage of changing tax law. Our updated actuarial studies now forecast recoverable CAS pension income, primarily reported in NOG to remain at similar levels compared to prior years and we anticipate that continuing through the end of 2023. As a result of the 2018 voluntary contributions, we continue to anticipate not to have to make any material cash infusions into the pension for the next three years until 2022. A summary of our financials along with a dedicated pension slide can be found in today's earnings presentation and the investor briefing on our website. And with that, I'll hand the call back over to Rex for some closing remarks.