Operator
Operator
Welcome to the Fiscal 2016 Third Quarter Earnings Conference Call. My name is Christine, and I will be the operator for today's call. At this time, all participants are in a listen-only mode. Later, we will conduct a question-and-answer session. Please note that this conference is being recorded. I will now turn the call over to Mr. Joe Bennett. You may begin. Joseph M. Bennett - Chief Investor Relations Officer & Executive VP: Thank you, Christine. Good morning, everyone, and welcome to Tidewater's third quarter fiscal 2016 earnings results conference call for the period ended December 31, 2015. I'm Joe Bennett, Tidewater's Executive Vice President and Chief Investor Relations Officer, and I want to thank you for your interest in Tidewater. With me this morning on the call are our President and CEO, Jeff Platt; Jeff Gorski, our Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer; and Quinn Fanning, our Executive Vice President and CFO. We'll follow our usual conference call format. Following these formalities, I'll turn the call over to Jeff for his initial comments to be followed by Quinn's financial review. Jeff will then provide some final wrap-up comments, and then we will open the call for your questions. During today's conference call, we may make certain comments that are forward-looking and not statements of historical fact. I know that you understand that there are risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the company's actual future performance to be materially different from that stated or implied by any comment that we may make today during the call. Additional information concerning the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated or implied by the forward-looking statements may be found in the Risk Factors section of Tidewater's most recent Form 10-K. With that, I'll turn the call over to Jeff. Jeffrey M. Platt - President, Chief Executive Officer & Director: Thank you, Joe, and good morning to everyone. Yesterday, after the markets closed, we reported a net loss for our fiscal 2016 third quarter ended December 31, 2015 of $19.5 million or $0.42 per share, inclusive of two items that are highlighted in our quarterly earnings press release: a $0.26 per share after-tax non-cash asset impairment charge and a $0.09 per share after-tax foreign exchange loss included in our equity pickup line and related to our joint venture company in Angola. If we adjust our results for these after-tax charges, our loss for the quarter would have been $3.1 million or $0.07 per common share. That performance is considerably better than the First Call estimate and reflects the hard work of our employees in dealing with this downturn by controlling those things within our control, specifically our operating and G&A costs. Equally important is that we've achieved these results without compromising any of Tidewater's core disciplines: outstanding safety performance, adhering to a high level standard of regulatory compliance, and delivering high quality service every day to our customers. You are likely aware that our Board of Directors last week approved management's recommendation to suspend our quarterly dividend and common stock repurchase program. The board agreed with management's recommendation that given the challenges currently facing the oil service sector and the continuing uncertainty as to the severity and longevity of this downturn, it was prudent to further preserve our cash. The suspension of our dividend will preserve approximately $47 million in cash annually. So far this fiscal year, we have not purchased any shares under the remaining 100 million authorization which was set to expire on June 30, 2016. Our financial priority remains strengthening our balance sheet and liquidity position as we navigate through this difficult market. Before turning the call over to Quinn who will walk you through our financial results, I'd like to highlight some of our financial results in the quarter. Our roughly $218 million in revenues for the third quarter was down significantly from year ago. It was also down materially from the prior quarter. Importantly, though, we were able to continue to reduce vessel operating cost resulting in an increase to our vessel operating margin to 41.25% in the quarter, up from the average of about 40% in our first and second fiscal quarters. The increase in vessel operating margin percentage, given the decrease in revenues in the quarter, speaks to the success of our continued focus on controlling those things we can control. Another example of controlling those things we can control was the reduced amount of G&A cost we incurred in the quarter. The $35.6 million we recorded was down by about $1.5 million for the prior quarter and over $11 million or 24% from last year's December quarter. Our global employment level since the summer of 2014 is down approximately 22%. The majority of this head count reduction has been related to fleet personnel as we continue to stack additional vessels in the quarter. We have also reduced certain shore-based and corporate head count that is already reflected in our reduced G&A costs and have recently decided to further streamline our organization from an operational management perspective, which will lead to additional cost savings over the next few quarters. In addition to the head count reductions, we have also reduced wages in a number of areas. We will continue to evaluate and take additional steps as required by the reality of today's offshore market and the market we envision we will be operating in for the foreseeable future. The sizing of our organization for the level of business we expect to generate remains a continual process. Despite the challenging offshore market, I am pleased to say that our employees continue our industry-leading safety performance. We have yet to experience any lost time accidents this fiscal year and our Total Recordable Incident Rate, TRIR, thus far for the fiscal year is 0.08 per 200,000 man-hours worked. Maintaining our outstanding safety performance is a tribute to all our employees who operate daily in extremely challenging offshore conditions. This record is important for delivering a high quality service to our customers and we believe a key differentiator in securing work. Once again, I want to thank our employees around the world for their dedication to making Tidewater one of the safest companies operating offshore. Let me now turn the call over to Quinn to walk you through the financial details of our results, expanding on some of my earlier comments. Quinn? Quinn P. Fanning - Chief Financial Officer & Executive Vice President: Thank you, Jeff. Good morning, everyone. As you know, we issued our earnings press release after the market closed yesterday. We plan to file our quarterly report on Form 10-Q through the EDGAR filing service sometime this afternoon. As Jeff noted, we reported a loss per diluted common share of $0.42 for the December quarter. Results for the December quarter included non-cash asset impairment charges totaling $0.26 per share after-tax and foreign exchange losses related to our Angolan joint venture totaling $0.09 per share after-tax. Adjusting for these two items, our after-tax loss per share for the December quarter was $0.07. Looking at the key drivers of operating results, as Jeff noted, vessel revenue for the December quarter at approximately $213 million was down approximately $51 million or 19% quarter-over-quarter. Approximately 60% of the quarter-over-quarter change reflects our stacking of previously active vessels that were expected to be underutilized in the coming quarters. In particular, the average active vessel count at 215 vessels was down 14 vessels quarter-over-quarter. During the just completed quarter, we stacked 23 previously active vessels and we disposed four previously stacked vessels. As a result, the stacked fleet during the December quarter averaged 56 vessels, and was at 70 vessels at December 31 or up 19 vessels quarter-over-quarter. For reference, vessel revenue for the just completed quarter is down approximately 44% relative to the December quarter of fiscal 2015. Active vessel utilization at 74% was down approximately 4 percentage points quarter-over-quarter, and average day rates at approximately $14,600 were up approximately 9% quarter-over-quarter. As discussed on our last earnings conference call, we remain focused on reducing operating costs and G&A, tightly managing our capital expenditures, and preserving franchise value and adequate liquidity. In that context, vessel operating costs in the December quarter at approximately $125 million were down approximately 21% quarter-over-quarter. Essentially all operating cost categories were down significantly quarter-over-quarter. For reference, vessel operating costs were down approximately 41% relative to the December quarter of fiscal 2015. Vessel-level cash operating margin for the December quarter was approximately 41%. As Jeff noted, vessel margins largely reflect cost-cutting efforts, which are mitigating the impact of lower vessel revenue. Total general and administrative expenses in the December quarter at approximately $36 million were down approximately $1.5 million quarter-over-quarter, largely reflecting the combined effects of cost reduction efforts and the downward revaluation of equity-based compensation costs due to Tidewater's lower share price at December 31. G&A for the December quarter is down approximately 24% relative to G&A in the December quarter of fiscal 2015. Combined OpEx and G&A in the December quarter is down approximately $96 million year-over-year or approximately $385 million annualized. CapEx, net of proceeds from asset dispositions, in the December quarter was approximately $11 million. Remaining payments on nine vessels under construction as of December 31 were approximately $107 million or $64 million when netted against approximately $43 million of amounts due from shipyards at December 31, which assumes Tidewater does not exercise options to construct an additional seven vessels. That is not an unreasonable assumption given the current OSV market. Subsequent to the December 31 balance sheet date, we took delivery of three newbuild vessels, including one 7,000 brake horsepower towing supply vessel and two deepwater PSVs. Payments on these three vessels made subsequent to the December 31 balance sheet date totaled approximately $31 million. So remaining payments on the six vessels under construction as of January 31 was approximately $76 million. Also note that we received approximately $12 million in refunds from a shipyard subsequent to December 31 as a result of our decision to not exercise an option on one of the seven option vessels that I just referenced. As of January 31, 2016, remaining payments on construction in process, net of approximately $31 million of refunds still due from shipyard as of January 31 in regards to the six remaining option vessels was approximately $45 million. We expect to expend this amount over the next six quarters or so. As Jeff also noted, we recognized approximately $15 million in asset impairment charges in the December quarter in connection with our ordinary course review of the stacked fleet for possible asset impairments. As color, our sense is that the second-hand vessel market is less active and pricing is softer than it was 12 months or 18 months ago, and this reality informs our valuation of vessels that are not expected to return to service in the near to intermediate term. Not surprisingly, there are fewer potential buyers looking for vessels, given the weaker oil and gas market, and most potential buyers seem to have more limited access to financing than they have historically. Nonetheless, we continue to have dialogue with potential vessel purchasers both within and beyond the broad oil and gas market and, as noted, we have completed a handful of transactions in recent months. In regards to the foreign exchange losses related to our Angolan joint venture, which are included in the equity and net losses of unconsolidated company's line of our income statement, Sonatide's foreign exchange losses in the December quarter were approximately $17 million and Tidewater recognized 49% of that amount in our financial results for the December quarter. The kwanza was further devalued in early January by plus 15%. In regards to fleet profile and performance, as I mentioned earlier, Tidewater's active fleet averaged 215 vessels in the December quarter. Active deepwater vessels averaged 81 vessels in the December quarter and were down eight vessels quarter-over-quarter. Active towing-supply vessels averaged 91 vessels in the December quarter and were down seven vessels quarter-over-quarter. Active other vessels, which include crew boats and offshore tugs, averaged 23 vessels and were down one vessel quarter-over-quarter. As I noted earlier, utilization of the active fleet at approximately 74% was down approximately 4 percentage points quarter-over-quarter. Average day rates at approximately $14,600 were down $1,300 or approximately 9% quarter-over-quarter. Utilization of active deepwater vessels in the December quarter was approximately 67% or down approximately 6 percentage points quarter-over-quarter. Utilization of active towing-supply vessels was approximately 77% or down approximately 5 percentage points quarter-over-quarter. Utilization of other vessels was approximately 82% and was flat quarter-over-quarter. Average day rates for deepwater vessels at approximately $22,500 were down approximately $1,700 or approximately 7% quarter-over-quarter. Average day rates for towing-supply vessels at approximately $13,400 were down approximately $270, or approximately 2% quarter-over-quarter. Average day rates for the other vessels at approximately $5,000 were down about $750 or approximately 12% quarter-over-quarter. Looking at our four geographic reporting segments, for the Sub-Saharan Africa/Europe segment, which accounted for approximately 37% of consolidated third quarter vessel revenue, vessel revenue was off approximately 20% quarter-over-quarter. Average active vessel count in the Sub-Saharan Africa/Europe segment at 94 vessels was off five vessels quarter-over-quarter. The average active Sub-Saharan African fleet at 88 vessels was off five vessels quarter-over-quarter and the average active North Sea fleet at six vessels was flat quarter-over-quarter. Active vessel utilization across the Sub-Saharan Africa/Europe segment at 74% was down approximately 3 percentage points quarter-over-quarter, and average day rates at $13,700 were flat quarter-over-quarter. Within the Sub-Saharan Africa/Europe segment, active utilization of Sub-Saharan Africa was down approximately 2 percentage points quarter-over-quarter to 74%. Active utilization of the North Sea fleet was down approximately 14 percentage points quarter-over-quarter to 79%. Note also that the active utilization statistics that I provided in early November in regards to the African and North Sea fleets for the September quarter were incorrect. The correct active utilization statistics were 76% for Sub-Saharan Africa and 93% for the North Sea. I believe the numbers previously provided were the overall utilization percentages rather than active utilization percentages, so apologies for that. For the Americas segment, which accounted for approximately 36% of consolidated third quarter vessel revenue, vessel revenue was down approximately 15% quarter-over-quarter. The average active fleet in the Americas segment at 61 vessels was down four vessels quarter-over-quarter. Utilization of active vessels in the Americas segment at approximately 68% was down approximately 4 percentage points quarter-over-quarter. Average day rates within the Americas segment at approximately $19,900 for the December quarter were down approximately 3.5% quarter-over-quarter. In the MENA segment, which accounted for approximately 19% of third quarter consolidated vessel revenue, vessel revenue was down approximately 11% quarter-over-quarter. The active fleet in MENA at 42 vessels was down two vessels quarter-over-quarter. Utilization of active vessels in MENA at approximately 77% was down approximately 5 percentage points quarter-over-quarter. Average day rates in MENA at approximately $13,700 in the December quarter were flat quarter-over-quarter. In the Asia-Pac region, which accounted for approximately 9% of third quarter consolidated vessel revenue, vessel revenue was down approximately 40% quarter-over-quarter, largely reflecting a couple of vessels that were earning relatively attractive day rates completing their construction support contracts in Australia. The active vessel count in Asia-Pac at 18 vessels was down three vessels quarter-over-quarter. Utilization of active vessels in Asia-Pac at approximately 83% was down approximately 9 percentage points quarter-over-quarter. And average day rates in Asia-Pac at approximately $13,600 were down $4,400 or approximately 25% quarter-over-quarter. Looking at relative profitability, vessel level cash operating margin in the December quarter was approximately 39% for Sub-Saharan Africa/Europe, approximately 46% for the Americas segment, approximately 43% for MENA, and approximately 26% for the Asia-Pac region. Turning to financing and investment issues, cash flow from operations for the nine months ended December 31 was $191 million as compared to $276 million for the comparable nine-month period of fiscal 2015. At December 31, our net due from affiliate related to our Angolan operations was approximately $166 million or down approximately $68 million since our March 31 fiscal year-end. Tidewater's Angola-related cash collections in the first nine months of the fiscal year were approximately $182 million or approximately $10 million higher than the $172 million of vessel revenue related to our Angolan operations that we have recognized during the same period. As to non-operating uses of cash, CapEx for the nine months ended December 31 was approximately $152 million, $45 million of which was funded by proceeds from asset dispositions and the return by shipyards milestone payments that were previously paid by Tidewater pursuant to vessel construction contracts that were recently canceled by mutual consent of Tidewater and the shipyard. Total debt at December 31 was $1.45 billion, which is down approximately $83 million since March 31, 2015 and is down approximately $47 million since September 30, 2015. Cash at 12/31 was approximately $48 million and net debt-to-net book capital at 12/31 was approximately 37%. Net debt per share and net book value per share at 12/31 was approximately $30 and approximately $51, respectively. Total liquidity at 12/31 was $648 million, including $600 million in availability under our bank credit facility. Jeff mentioned the suspension of the dividend and the buyback authorization, both of which will obviously enhance go-forward liquidity. In closing, I'll note that at December 31, 2015, the company was in compliance with all covenants set forth in its various debt facilities and note indentures. However, given the current weakness and projected trajectory of the offshore energy market, we have initiated a dialogue with the principal lenders and our bank credit facilities and certain noteholders in order to proactively position the company to obtain any needed amendments and/or waivers of interest coverage covenants that are contained in certain debt facilities and senior note indentures. The dialogue has been constructive to-date and we'll update you as circumstances warrant our doing so. And with that, I'll turn the call back over to Jeff. Jeffrey M. Platt - President, Chief Executive Officer & Director: Thanks, Quinn. Let me state the obvious. There was little good news out there in the oil service sector. Nearly every meeting we have with our clients reflects customers retrenching rather than expanding. We understand what is driving their decisions: low oil prices. As a result of the global oil oversupply, our customers are finding their cash flows being squeezed significantly. Without a meaningful decline in oil output and/or a surge in demand, global oil prices will continue to be weak. We know from past experience that when E&P spending for new wells and sustaining existing producing wells is cut, eventually oil and gas output will fall. The problem is the uncertainty in the time it will take for levels of oil production to decline and global oil inventories to begin to shrink. For the past year, everyone's estimate about when oil inventories would stop rising has proven wrong. Until inventories plateau and begin to move in the opposite direction, it is difficult to expect to see any sustainable improvement in oil prices. In response to the ongoing squeeze on cash flows, our clients continue to push for lower costs. Quinn's comments on our press release have highlighted just how much our day rates have fallen in the quarter. Overall, our average fleet day rate fell 9% sequentially and our fleet utilization rate was 7 percentage points below the average utilization rate of the prior quarter. The drop in vessel utilization was dictated by depressed market conditions and is reflective of our stacking of an additional 23 vessels this quarter. Many of our competitors are similarly stacking their excess vessels in an attempt to cut costs and help stabilize vessel supply/demand. Our clients are not the only sector of the oil market feeling the squeeze on cash flows. While our reduced revenue has had a significant negative impact on our cash flow from operations, our cost reduction efforts have worked to soften the blow. In addition to the cost reduction efforts I discussed previously, our disciplined management strategy has also positioned the company with limited cash outflows at this time. I would like to emphasize something Quinn covered. We currently have only six remaining vessels in our construction commitment backlog and an additional six option vessels. The remaining payments for the six committed vessels total about $76 million. If we do not exercise any of the option vessels, we will receive about $31 million of expected refunds, resulting in a net CapEx of approximately $45 million in total. We maintain the largest global footprint in the industry, which does provide us the ability to seek out and respond to market improvements wherever they may appear. That flexibility will become increasingly important as 2016 unfolds. We have the longest institutional history in this industry having managed through 60-plus years of ups and downs. We have a cycle-tested management team, from our vessel captains and shore-based personnel up to the highest levels of our company. We're dedicated to doing everything within our control to protect the Tidewater franchise and preserve shareholder value. Right now, we're delivering that value by operating efficiently. We are working to ensure that we're well-positioned when this cycle turns that we can grow our market share, restore our earnings momentum, and deliver value to our local shareholders. With that, we're now ready for your questions. Christine?