Milt Childress
Analyst · G. Research. Your line is now live
Thanks, Marvin. Before I begin, as Chris noted, I want to note also that as a result of the December signing of the definitive agreement to sell Fairbanks Morse, the Power Systems segment is accounted for as a discontinued operation in our fourth quarter and full year financial statements. Unless otherwise noted, all of my comments on fourth quarter and full year results will be in reference to continuing operations. During the fourth quarter, sales decreased 1.4% compared to the same period of 2018. Growth in aerospace, semiconductor, food and pharma, nuclear and oil and gas, including the contribution from the businesses acquired in 2019 was more than offset by weakness in the heavy-duty truck, general industrial and automotive markets. Sales were also negatively impacted by unfavorable foreign exchange translation, the divestiture of the brake shoe business and the exit from the industrial gas turbine market in 2018. Excluding the impact of foreign exchange translation and sales from acquired and divested businesses, organic sales for the quarter declined 2.1% compared to the fourth quarter of 2018. For the full year, our sales decreased 5.4% compared to 2018. Excluding the impact of foreign exchange translation and sales from acquired and divested businesses, organic sales for the year declined 3.5% compared to 2018. Gross profit margin for the fourth quarter was 34.2%, up 330 basis points compared to the gross profit margin in the fourth quarter of last year. The gross profit margin increase was driven by our Sealing Products segment, primarily by the acquisitions of LeanTeq and The Aseptic Group, and improvements in our heavy-duty truck business. For the full year, our gross profit margin was 33.5%, up 70 basis points compared to 2018. Adjusted EBITDA in the fourth quarter was $43.3 million, up 27.7% compared to the fourth quarter of last year. Adjusted EBITDA margin expanded 340 basis points to 15.1%. The biggest drivers of our adjusted EBITDA increase were the benefits from our acquisitions of LeanTeq and The Aseptic Group, cost reduction efforts in our businesses and the exit from the brake shoe business. Despite sales headwinds, excluding the impact of foreign exchange and acquisitions and divestitures, adjusted EBITDA increased 3.6% in the quarter, and adjusted EBITDA margin increased 100 basis points compared to last year. For the full year, our adjusted EBITDA $169.4 million, decreased 4.9% and margin remained flat compared to 2018. Excluding the impact of foreign exchange translation and acquisitions and divestitures, adjusted EBITDA decreased 7% for the year and adjusted EBITDA margin decreased 60 basis points compared to last year. This decline was primarily impacted by our results earlier in the year prior to taking the actions that Marvin described. Sales in the Sealing Products segment increased 1.7% in the fourth quarter versus the prior year period, due to favorable demand in the aerospace, food and pharma, nuclear, oil and gas, and semiconductor markets and the impacts of the LeanTeq and The Aseptic Group acquisitions. This growth was offset in part by declines in the heavy-duty truck and general industrial markets. Results were also impacted by unfavorable foreign exchange translation and the divestiture of the brake shoe business. Excluding the impact of foreign exchange translation and acquisitions and divestitures, sales were relatively flat compared to the prior-year period. Segment adjusted EBITDA increased 32.8%, due primarily to improvements in the heavy-duty truck business driven by cost reductions and the sale of the brake shoe business as well as acquisitions. Segment adjusted EBITDA margin expanded 470 basis points 20.3%. Excluding the impact of foreign exchange translation and acquisitions and divestitures, segment adjusted EBITDA increased 1.8% and segment adjusted EBITDA margin increased 30 basis points compared to the last year. One final note on activity in Sealing Products, in the fourth quarter, we recorded a $25.7 million non-cash impairment charge in connection with the ongoing review of our heavy-duty truck business, as described earlier by Marvin. This charge is reflected on the income statement in other operating expenses and is excluded from segment profit in order to provide clarity on comparisons with prior periods, consistent with past practices. Sales in the Engineered Products segment decreased 10.2% in the fourth quarter versus the prior year period, primarily, due to weakness in the automotive and general industrial markets. Excluding the impact of foreign exchange translation, sales decreased 8.3% compared to the prior year period. Despite the significant market headwinds, fourth quarter segment adjusted EBITDA increased 7.8% and segment adjusted EBITDA margin expanded 240 basis points to 14.5%, primarily due to cost reduction in this initiatives implemented in response to market challenges. Excluding the impact of foreign exchange translation, segment adjusted EBITDA increased 10.9% and segment adjusted EBITDA margin expanded 250 basis points in the fourth quarter over the prior year period. We continue to resolve discrete environmental matters that were transferred to EnPro at the time of its spinoff from Goodrich in 2002. In the fourth quarter of 2018, we reached a favorable settlement of a claim brought by the local county regarding the contamination in Water Valley, Mississippi. Within the past year, we also resolved the Lake Onondaga claims by Honeywell, and claims brought by 24 property -- private property owners regarding the contamination in Water Valley, Mississippi. The settlement with the county and costs to expand the remediation system at the Water Valley site resulted in a reserve increase of $4.7 million. These settlements are a significant step in resolving these open pre-spin environmental matters and reducing risks to future cash flows. At December 31, our cash balance was approximately $121 million and our borrowings total about $629 million. Net debt was approximately $173 million higher than at the end of 2018, as a result of the acquisitions completed in the third quarter of 2019. When taking into account the $380 million of estimated net cash proceeds from the sale of Fairbanks Morse, which closed at the end of January, our pro forma net debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio was approximately 0.8 times. During 2019, we generated $109 million of free cash flow, net of capital expenditures of $22 million. This compares to $177 million of free cash flow, net of capital expenditures of $36 million in the prior year period, when we benefited from net tax proceeds of $78 million. Excluding the $78 million net tax proceeds in 2018, year-over-year free cash flow increased 10.1%, reflecting our overall focus on cash flow and our increased discipline around capital spending. Looking to 2020, we expect capital spending to be in line with 2019 with the exception of several growth investments tied to our recent acquisitions that we expect in the aggregate to be in the range of $8 million to $10 million. In the fourth quarter, we paid a $0.25 per share dividend totaling $5.2 million, as announced in our press release issued last Wednesday. We have increased our annual dividend by 4%. Additionally, we plan to resume open market share repurchases under the existing $50 million authorization during the next open window, of which we have $35 million remaining. As a reminder, we paused our share repurchase activity in July 2019 in connection with our LeanTeq acquisition. And as a result, we did not repurchase any shares during the fourth quarter. Now I'll turn the call back to Marvin to discuss our guidance for 2020 and closing comments.