C. Michael Petters
Analyst · Pete Skibitski with Drexel Hamilton
Thanks, Dwayne. Good morning, everyone, and thanks for joining us on today's call. This morning we reported strong second quarter 2014 financial results, primarily driven by operating margin improvement and cash generation at our Ingalls segment. As we continue improving performance, I am confident that we will deliver on our goal to achieve 9-plus% operating margin in 2015. For the quarter, sales of $1.7 billion were up 2% from last year, and segment operating margin was 9.5%, up from 8.1% last year. Operating margin at our Ingalls segment improved from 5.2% last year to 10.3%, while our Newport News segment continued to deliver solid performance at 9.2% for the quarter. Diluted EPS was $2.04 for the quarter, compared to $1.12 last year. Additionally, we received $7 billion in new contract awards during the quarter, which increased our backlog to $24 billion, of which $14 billion is funded. The acquisition of UniversalPegasus was completed during the quarter, and we started the integration of UPI team into the HII family. We are excited about the possibilities as we combine HII's engineering and program management core competencies with UPI technical strength and insight in a growing commercial energy infrastructure market. During our Q1 earnings call in early May, we expressed concern that the lack of funding in the FY '15 budget proposal for the Refueling and Complex Overhaul of CVN 73 George Washington would impact the planning necessary to execute the RCOH, in accordance with the current plan of record. Since that time, there have been several positive developments regarding the defense budget. Newport News was awarded a contract to begin planning of defueling work on George Washington late last week. And we view this as another positive step toward a contract for the full RCOH in FY 2015. In the House, the FY 2015 authorization and appropriation bills have been approved, including funds and authority for Newport News to perform the Washington RCOH. The house authorization bill also supported construction of LPD-28, the 12th ship in the class, and provided incremental funding authority for that ship. On the Senate side, both the authorization and appropriations defense subcommittees included funding and authority for the George Washington RCOH and LPD-28 in their respective bills. However, based on the current legislative calendar, it does not appear that final bills will come to the Senate floor for a full vote before the mid-term elections. Now given the potential implications that decisions in these areas have on the industrial base, our workforce and other programs, and the likelihood of a continuing resolution later this year, we remain engaged with the Navy congressional leadership and our suppliers to ensure that our positions are clearly communicated and understood. And now, I will hit a few highlights of our major programs beginning with Ingalls. LPD-26 John P. Murtha is 70% complete and the team remains on track to launch the ship in the fourth quarter this year. LPD-27 Portland is making steady progress through the shop and unit manufacturing phases of construction and preparation for launch next year. LHA-6 America completed postdelivery work and departed the yard in early July, and this marks the final milestone on the last of the underperforming contracts. The keel laying ceremony for LHA-7 Tripoli occurred in June. And the team continues to make steady progress. In addition, Ingalls was awarded an affordability design contract for early industry involvement to reduce the construction and lifecycle cost of LHA-8. In the National Security Cutter program, NSC-4 Hamilton completed successful builders trials in mid-July, and is on track for delivery to the Coast Guard in September. NSC-5 James is progressing through its post-launch activities. NSC-6 Munro early fabrication continues. We are beginning to prepare for construction of NSC Kimball -- NSC-7 Kimball, and we received a contract to purchase long-lead materials for NSC-8 Midgett. On the DDG-51 program, DDG-113 John Finn is continuing through the unit manufacturing and erection phases of construction, and remains on track to be delivered to the Navy in 2016. Early fabrication work for DDG-114 Ralph Johnson is progressing, and we are still preparing for construction to begin in the fall on DDG-117 Paul Ignatius. Regarding the DDG-1001 deckhouse, the delivery date was extended into the third quarter to accommodate additional work scope. That work has now been completed and the deckhouse was delivered to the customer last week. And now that this work is complete, we are proceeding with the shutdown of the Gulfport facility. At Avondale, unit construction for LPD-27 will continue into the fourth quarter of 2014. Our joint study group with Kinder Morgan Energy Partners that is evaluating best use opportunities for redeveloping Avondale is still ongoing. As we have as stated before, if an economically viable best use of the facility is determined, the companies may pursue the formation of a joint venture to redevelop the Avondale site together. However, if we are unsuccessful in these efforts, we will proceed with our plan of record and close the facility. And now turning to Newport News. CVN-78 Ford is approximately 80% complete, and continues through the final outfitting and test phases of construction. Delivery remains on track for 2016. For CVN-79 Kennedy, engineering and design material procurement and advanced unit construction activities continue under the construction preparation contract. Award of the detail design and construction contract is expected later this year. In submarines, SSN-785 John Warner, our first Block III delivery boat, is making steady progress in preparation for its christening in early September. In addition, we completed and shipped to Electric Boat the last module on SSN-786 Illinois. CVN-72 Lincoln has successfully completed several major milestones, and the team remains focused on activities to support undocking in the third quarter. CVN-65 Enterprise continues to progress through its 38-month contract for the inactivation and the defueling of its 8 nuclear reactors. In closing, now that all of the Ingalls ships associated with the underperforming contracts are delivered to the customer and out of our facilities, Huntington Ingalls remains focused on continued program execution, risk retirement and cash generation, which positions us to achieve the goals that we established when we spun off in 2011. That concludes my remarks. And I will now turn the call over to Barb Niland for some remarks on the financials. Barb?