Damon Audia
Analyst · Jefferies
Thank you, Chris. And good morning, everyone. We'll begin on slide 4 with a review of Q3 operating results on both a reported and adjusted basis. We posted strong results again this quarter. Sales increased by 6% year-over-year and 8% on an organic basis, with business days contributing positive 2% an FX negative 4%. On a sequential basis, sales increased by 5%, slightly above the normal Q2 to Q3 seasonal trend despite worsening conditions in China due to COVID-19 lockdowns and the effects on our Shanghai distribution center and customers, as well as in EMEA and the broader effects related to the Ukraine conflict. As Chris mentioned, we stopped selling in Russia towards the end of the quarter. The effect was not material in the quarter, but will reduce our sales by approximately $20 million on an annual basis. Adjusted gross profit margin increased 90 basis points sequentially and 110 basis points year-over-year to 32.7%. Adjusted operating expenses as a percentage of sales decreased 160 basis points year-over-year to 20.7%. Adjusted EBITDA margin was up significantly by 300 basis points to 18.3%. The strong year-over-year margin performance was mainly due to price more than offsetting raw material increases, volume and associated absorption, partially offset by higher manufacturing costs, including COVID-19 absenteeism and higher depreciation. The adjusted effective tax rate in the quarter was 27.7%, in line with our outlook of 26% to 28%. Reported GAAP earnings per share of $0.42 cents versus $0.26 in the prior-year period. On an adjusted basis, EPS was $0.47 versus $0.32 in the prior year. The main drivers of our improved adjusted EPS performance are highlighted on the bridge on slide 5. The effects from operations this quarter were $0.19 cents, including approximately $0.03 of simplification, modernization carryover benefits. The factors contributing to the substantial improvement in EPS year-over-year are the same as the drivers of our strong margin performance this quarter that I just reviewed. The year-over-year quarterly EPS was negatively affected by $0.05 related to taxes and negative $0.02 due to currency. Slide 6 and 7 detail performance of our segments this quarter. Metal Cutting sales increased 5% organically year-over-year versus flat in the prior-year period. Currency was a negative 5% effect in the quarter and business days was a positive 2%. On a year-over-year basis, all end markets excluding transportation posted gains this quarter, with aerospace continuing its strong momentum at 29%, general engineering at 10% and energy at 9%. Although transportation declined by 7% year-over-year, it was better than expected. Sequentially, all end markets improved including transportation. Regionally, the Americas led with year-over-year sales growth of 11% followed by EMEA at 9%. Asia Pacific declined by 7%. Like last quarter, the decline was concentrated in China due to COVID-19 lockdowns, mainly affecting transportation and energy end markets. As Chris mentioned, we continue to believe underlying transportation demand remains strong. And as such, we expect that a recovery will follow the resolution of supply chain issues. Adjusted operating margin increased 290 basis points to 11.1%. The increase was driven mainly by favorable pricing versus raw material increases and higher volume and associated absorption, partially offset by higher manufacturing costs including COVID-19 absenteeism and higher depreciation. Our growth initiatives remain on track. We are continuing our pricing actions to ensure we price for the value of our products and look to cover the inflationary pressures in the current environment. Operational excellence is also on track as we continue to drive productivity and leverage our modernized facilities. Turning to slide 7 for Infrastructure. Organic sales increased by 12% year-over-year versus a 3% decline in the prior-year period. There was a positive effect of 1% due to business days and a negative effect of 1% due to currency. Regionally, the Americas continued its strong year-over-year growth at 20%, followed by EMEA at 13%. Asia Pacific was flat year-over-year. As in the first and second quarters of the fiscal year, the strength in the Americas was driven mainly by improvements in the US oil and gas market, as seen in the continued increase in the US land only rig count. By end market, energy was up 33% year-over-year, earthworks was up 13% and general engineering was up slightly at 1% growth year-over-year. Sequentially, energy continued its strong growth followed by earthworks. Adjusted operating margin improved by 190 basis points year-over-year to 12%. This increase was mainly driven by price exceeding raw material cost increases and higher volume and associated absorption. As in the case of Metal Cutting, we remain on track with our commercial and operational excellence initiatives. Now turning to slide 8 to review our balance sheet and free operating cash flow. We continue to maintain a strong liquidity position, healthy balance sheet and debt maturity profile. At quarter-end, we had combined cash and revolver availability of $773 million and we're well within our financial covenants. In dollar terms, primary working capital increased year-over-year and sequentially to $676 million, due mainly to an increase in inventory resulting from higher material costs, the unexpected decline in sales in China, as well as strategic decisions on safety stock due to continuing supply chain issues. On a percentage of sales basis, primary working capital was relatively flat sequentially at 31.2% and a significant decrease on a year-over-year basis. Net capital expenditures were $22 million, relatively flat year-over-year. We now expect fiscal year 2022 capital expenditures to be approximately $105 million, slightly lower than previously forecast due to supply chain constraints with suppliers, longer lead times and COVID-19 absenteeism. Our third quarter free operating cash flow was $13 million versus $47 million in the prior-year quarter. The decrease in free operating cash flow is due to greater-than-expected increase in working capital, mainly inventory, reflecting the unexpected and rapid change in the external environment this quarter that I touched on a moment ago. We paid a dividend of $17 million in the quarter. And finally, we repurchased $15 million of shares during the quarter. Since inception of the program earlier this fiscal year, we have repurchased $50 million in shares as part of our $200 million program. The full balance sheet can be found on slide 13 in the appendix. Now let's turn to slide 9 to review the outlook for the fourth quarter. We expect sales to be in the range of $510 million to $530 million, which represents a year-over-year growth range of approximately flat to 3%. This outlook reflects recent market disruptions including the broader effects of the Ukraine conflict on sales in Europe and the elimination of sales in Russia. In addition, the outlook assumes limited China sales in April through mid-May due to the effect of COVID-19 lockdowns on our Shanghai distribution center and many of our customers. These disruptions and the continuing negative effect from foreign exchange are masking what would otherwise be a strong revenue growth, mainly in aerospace, energy and earthworks. On the cost side, as discussed on previous earnings calls, higher raw material costs as well as well as other inflationary headwinds continue. We expect to offset them through value-based pricing appropriate for this inflationary environment and productivity. Adjusted operating income is expected to be a minimum of $55 million. On a year-over-year basis, margins will be negatively affected by lower price net raw favorability this quarter versus the prior-year period and higher general inflation. However, it's important to note that, sequentially, margins will be relatively flat, despite increasing inflationary cost. This is a solid result made possible by proactive value-based pricing and our focus on driving productivity through operational excellence. On a full-year basis, we expect depreciation and amortization to be approximately $135 million, increasing around $10 million year-over-year, capital expenditures to be approximately $105 million and primary working capital as a percentage of sales to be approximately 31%. These assumptions together translate to free annual operating cash flow of approximately 75% of adjusted net income, below our long-term target of 100%, primarily due to higher working capital and lower-than-expected sales in China and Europe. And with that, I'll turn the call back over to Chris.