Gregg Piontek
Analyst · Raymond James. Please proceed with your question
Thanks, Paul, and good morning, everyone I’ll begin by discussing our Fluids and Mats segment before finishing with our consolidated results. The Fluid Systems segment generated total revenues of $151 million, reflecting an 11% improvement from the first quarter and a 57% increase year-over-year. In the U.S., revenues were $88 million, up 34% sequentially, which significantly outpaced the 21% rig count increase. Consistent with last quarter, revenues improved sequentially across all U.S. regions. As Paul mentioned, we continue to see the benefit from the strengthening activity levels along with an increase in customer well complexity, which result in higher revenue generation per well. On a year-over-year basis, U.S. revenues have increased 187% from Q2 2016, significantly outpacing the 112% improvement in average rig count over this period. In Canada, revenues follow the typical seasonal pattern through break-up declining by $12 million from the prior quarter in line with the seasonal decline in rig count. On a year-over-year basis, revenues improved by $5 million, also in line with the rig count and benefiting from our second-half 2016 acquisition of Pragmatic, which is expanding our presence in completion and stimulation markets. Turning to our international regions, revenues in the Eastern Hemisphere were $46 million in the second quarter, reflecting an 11% improvement from Q1. The sequential improvement is primarily attributable to the timing of projects in Algeria and Eastern Europe, along with a modest lift from currency rates. On a year-over-year basis, revenues from the Eastern Hemisphere were relatively flat, as an increase in activity in Algeria and Albania was largely offset by declines in Romania, offshore Libya, Egypt and Tunisia. Latin America posted revenues of $9 million in the second quarter, down modestly from Q1, reflecting lower Petrobras activity in Brazil. On a year-over-year basis, the Latin America regions is down $9 million, reflecting an $11 million decline in Uruguay, following the completion of last year’s deepwater project, partially offset by higher Petrobras activity levels in Brazil and a modest benefit from currency rates. Despite the 11% sequential improvement in revenues, the Fluids segment operating income declined modestly to $5.9 million, reflecting a 4% operating margin for the second quarter. As we highlighted in April’s call, the first quarter benefited from an unusually strong sales mix in our EMEA region, and we saw the mix return to a more typical level in the second quarter. In addition, the sequential comparison was unfavorably impacted by elevated inventory transportation costs in the U.S. as we continue our efforts to utilize slow-moving inventories and right-size our working capital investments. Also, with the improving market conditions, we lifted the austerity measures we put in place during the first-half of 2016, impacting U.S. salaries and 401(k) contributions. Turning to the Mats business, as Paul mentioned, we experienced extremely strong rental demand in the second quarter, reflecting improvements across all industry sectors. The quarter particularly benefited from a few large utility projects, as well as wet weather conditions, which provide a meaningful lift to our rental operations in the Gulf Coast region. The Mats segment reported total second quarter revenues of $32 million, which reflects a 43% sequential improvement and a 69% improvement year-over-year. Rental and service revenues improved by $6 million sequentially, while mat sales improved by $4 million. Total rental and service revenues came in at $25 million for the second quarter, reflecting a 31% increase from the first quarter. As Paul mentioned, non-exploration markets and most notably the utilities transmission and distribution sector contributed the vast majority of the revenue increase. Meanwhile, activity in oil and gas exploration continued to modestly improve. Although, the sequential comparison was negatively impacted by a $2 million benefit last quarter related to rental mat destroyed at a well site. Comparing to the second quarter of last year, segment revenues improved by $30 million, including an $11 million improvement in rental and service revenues and a $2 million increase in mat sales. With the strong improvement in revenues, the segment operating margin improved to 35% in the second quarter, compared to 28% last quarter and 21% in the second quarter of last year. Now turning to our consolidated results. Second quarter 2017 revenues were $183 million, representing a 15% sequential improvement and a 59% improvement year-over-year. SG&A costs were $26.6 million, reflecting a 5% sequential increase and a 24% increase year-over-year. Total corporate office expenses were $9.3 million in the second quarter, compared to $9 million in the first quarter and $7.2 million in the prior year. The sequential increase for both SG&A and the corporate office, primarily reflect higher performance-based incentive compensation, driven by the stronger financial results, along with higher U.S. salaries and 401(k) contributions as we lifted the austerity measures put in place during the first-half of 2016. Comparing to the second quarter of last year, the increase is primarily attributable to higher performance-based incentives, along with elevated spending related to strategic planning efforts and legal matters. Consolidated operating income was $8 million in the second quarter, compared to $3.7 million in the first quarter, and an operating loss of $15.1 million in the second quarter of last year, which included $8.3 million of asset impairments and other charges. Foreign currency exchange netted to $500,000 loss in the second quarter, compared to $400,000 loss in the first quarter and $700,000 gain in the second quarter of last year. The currency losses in the second quarter were primarily attributable to the impact of the weakening U.S. dollar in the period. Second quarter interest expense netted to $3.4 million, which compares to $3.2 million in the first quarter and $3 million in the second quarter of last year. As discussed previously, the year-over-year increase is primarily due to the interesting expense associated with the new convertible notes issued in December, which contribute $1 million of non-cash expense per quarter beginning in Q1 of 2017. The provision for income taxes in the second quarter of 2017 was $2.4 million, reflecting an effective tax rate of 59%. The elevated tax rate primarily reflects the impact of losses in certain foreign jurisdictions for which an income tax benefit is not recorded. Net income for the second quarter was $0.02 per diluted share, compared to a net loss of $0.01 per share in the previous quarter and a net loss of $0.17 per share in the second quarter of last year, which included an $0.11 per share net impact from the asset impairments and other charges. Now, let me discuss our balance sheet and liquidity. During the second quarter, we received $37 million associated with our election to carry back our 2016 U.S. operating losses. With the benefit of the carry back, operating activities generated cash of $34 million in the quarter. Increases in working capital used $19 million, primarily reflecting the increase in receivables associated with revenue growth. We used $9 million to fund capital investments in the second quarter, which included $3 million spent on the Gulf of Mexico deepwater project in the port of Fourchon, along with $3 million of investments in rental mats timed in part to help address the strong rental demand experienced in the second quarter. Also, as highlighted in yesterday’s press release, our restricted cash balance increased by $30 million during the second quarter, reflecting funds that have been set aside in preparation for the maturity of our convertible bonds in October. As of the end of June, total debt was $161 million, substantially all of which relates to our outstanding convertible bonds, including the $83 million in bonds that mature in October, resulting in a total debt to capitalization ratio of 23.8%. As I mentioned a moment ago, $30 million has already been set aside for settlement of the upcoming $83 million maturity, and we currently have no borrowings outstanding under our $90 million AVL credit facility. Turning to our near-term outlook. In the Fluids business, we expect seasonal recovery in Canada and improvements in U.S. revenues to continue to track with the overall rig count, as North America rig count currently stands more than 10% above the average second quarter levels. Outside of North America, while we expect activity levels will remain fairly stable in the near-term, we are seeing pricing pressure on certain international contracts. With the anticipated improvement in total segment revenues, we will likely see segment margin also improve modestly from Q2 levels, but likely remain in the mid single-digit range. In the Mats business, while we are encouraged by the progress in penetrating markets outside of the oilfield and diversifying the customer base, we expect revenues will normalize following the exceptionally strong Q2. Further, as we experienced in the third quarter of last year, the hot summer months in the southern U.S. are susceptible to short-term dips in demand for power line maintenance projects and utility companies typically suspend activities during periods of peak power demand. That said, we expect third quarter revenues to return to the mid-20s range, while segment margins will likely return to the upper 20s range. We also expect corporate office expenses will remain relatively flat in the near-term. With regard to CapEx, our full-year 2017 expectation has increased to the $20 million to $25 million range, with the increase largely driven by the additional investments in the Mats business, including some pre-investment in rental fleet to support new market opportunities. And with that, I’d like to call – turn the call back over to Paul for his concluding remarks.