Syntroleum Announces First Quarter 2012 Results


TULSA, Okla., May 3, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Syntroleum Corporation (Nasdaq:SYNM) a renewable and synthetic fuels technology company, today announced financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2012.

Financial Highlights

For the quarter ended March 31, 2012, the Company reported an operating loss of $786 thousand resulting from total revenues of $1.3 million and operating expenses of $2.0 million. Our revenues relate to engineering services provided to Dynamic Fuels and other customers for process design and research support and revenues for royalties from the Dynamic Fuels commercial production of renewable fuels.

For Dynamic Fuels quarter ended December 31, 2011, we reported a loss from Dynamic Fuels of $830 thousand. This compares to a loss of $2.1 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2010. During the quarter ended December 31, 2011 the plant sold 11.0 million gallons of renewable fuels.

We report Dynamic Fuels on a three month lag and the loss reflected in our income statement from Dynamic Fuels represents the loss incurred for the period ending December 31, 2011.  

Syntroleum's net loss was $1.9 million or $0.02 per share for the three months ended March 31, 2012, compared with a net loss of $3.9 million or $0.05 per share for the corresponding period in 2011.

As of March 31, 2012 Syntroleum's available cash position was $21.5 million. 

Conference Call

The conference call will be held on Thursday, May 3, 2012, at 10:00 a.m. Central time (11:00 a.m. Eastern). A webcast of the call will be available via the Internet by accessing www.syntroleum.com. Listeners should allow a few minutes for registration into the web site. To participate in the teleconference, investors should dial 1-877-317-6789 about 10 minutes before the start time and reference the Syntroleum conference call. International callers should dial 1-412-317-6789. A replay of this conference call will be available on the web site under the Syntroleum Investor Relations tab.

For additional information see the Company's Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2012, filed with the SEC on Wednesday, May 2, 2012. The 10-Q is available through the Investor Relations section of the Company's Web site, www.syntroleum.com.

About Syntroleum

Syntroleum Corporation owns the Syntroleum® Process for Fischer-Tropsch (FT) conversion of synthesis gas derived from biomass, coal, natural gas and other carbon-based feedstocks into liquid hydrocarbons, the Synfining® Process for upgrading FT liquid hydrocarbons into middle distillate products such as synthetic diesel and jet fuels, and the Bio-Synfining® technology for converting animal fat and vegetable oil feedstocks into middle distillate products such as renewable diesel and jet fuel using inedible fats and greases as feedstock. The 50/50 venture – known as Dynamic Fuels – was formed to construct and operate multiple renewable synthetic fuels facilities, with production on the first site beginning in 2010. The Company plans to use its portfolio of technologies to develop and participate in synthetic and renewable fuel projects. For additional information, visit the Company's web site at www.syntroleum.com

The Syntroleum Corporation logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=5984

Forward Looking Statements

This document includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as well as historical facts. These forward‑looking statements may include statements relating to the Syntroleum® Process, the Synfining® Process, our renewable fuels Bio-Synfining ®technology, plans to use the Company's various technologies, operational activities of the Company, commercialization of the Company's technologies, certification of Fischer-Tropsch and renewable fuels, performance and use of Syntroleum's cobalt catalyst, and performance and use of fuels derived from the Syntroleum® Process and technology test results. When used in this document, the words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "project," "should" and similar expressions are intended to be among the statements that identify forward‑looking statements. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in these forward‑looking statements are reasonable, these kinds of statements involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may not be consistent with these forward‑looking statements. Syntroleum undertakes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes to future operating results over time. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements include the potential that debt or equity financing for anticipated plants may not be available, the schedule for development, construction and operation of proposed plants may not be met, anticipated appropriation and expenditure of federal monies does not occur, commercial-scale plants do not achieve the same results as those demonstrated on a laboratory or pilot basis or that such plants experience technological and mechanical problems, the potential that improvements to Syntroleum's various technologies currently under development may not be successful, the impact on plant economics of operating conditions (including energy prices), construction risks, risks associated with investments and operations in foreign countries, our dependence on strategic relationships with manufacturing and engineering companies, volatility of energy prices, the ability to implement corporate strategies, including the continued availability of adequate working capital, competition, intellectual property risks, our ability to obtain financing and other risks described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 ® "Syntroleum", "Synfining", and "Bio-Synfining" are registered as trademarks and service marks in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

SYNTROLEUM CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(in thousands, except par value)
 
  March 31, December 31,
  2012 2011
ASSETS  (Unaudited)  
CURRENT ASSETS:    
Cash and cash equivalents  $ 21,489  $ 22,601
Restricted cash    682   1,189
Accounts receivable     160   125
Other current assets  193  277
Total current assets    22,524  24,192
     
ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE FROM DYNAMIC FUELS, LLC 3,160  2,624
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT – at cost, net  74  86
INVESTMENT IN AND LOANS TO DYNAMIC FUELS, LLC 37,813 38,643
OTHER ASSETS, net  1,083  1,106
  $ 64,654  $ 66,651
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY    
CURRENT LIABILITIES:    
Accounts payable $ 68  $ 220
Accrued employee costs    240   288
Deposits  682 1,189
Total current liabilities 990 1,697
     
NONCURRENT LIABILITIES OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS    603  603
DEFERRED REVENUE    24,633  24,366
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES    
     
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY:    
Preferred stock, $0.01 par value, 5,000 shares authorized, no shares issued  --  --
Common stock, $0.01 par value, 150,000 shares authorized, 98,443 and    
97,948 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2012 and December    
31, 2011, respectively  984  979
Additional paid-in capital  398,740 398,369
Accumulated deficit    (361,296)  (359,363)
Total stockholders' equity  38,428 39,985
   $ 64,654  $  66,651
     
SYNTROLEUM CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES    
UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS    
(in thousands, except per share data)    
     
  For the Quarter Ended March 31,  
  2012 2011
REVENUES:    
Technology $   150 $  150
Technical services    481   501
Technical services from Dynamic Fuels, LLC 379 198
Royalties from Dynamic Fuels, LLC plant production  240  --
Total revenues  1,250  849
     
COSTS AND EXPENSES:    
Engineering    598  556
Depreciation and amortization 52   49
General, administrative and other (including non-cash 
equity compensation of $312 and $467 for
the quarter ended March 31, 2012 and 2011,
respectively.)
 1,386 1,831
 
OPERATING LOSS  (786) (1,587)
     
INTEREST INCOME 8 4
OTHER INCOME 2 2
EQUITY IN LOSS OF DYNAMIC FUELS, LLC (830)  (2,109)
FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE  (317)  (218)
     
LOSS FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS (1,923)  (3,908)
 
INCOME (LOSS)  FROM DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS (10) 1
     
NET LOSS $  (1,933) $  (3,907)
     
BASIC NET LOSS PER SHARE:    
Loss from continuing operations  $   (0.02)  $   (0.05)
Income from discontinued operations     0.00   0.00
Net loss  $   (0.02)  $   (0.05)
WEIGHTED AVERAGE COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING:    
Basic 98,401 81,893
Diluted      98,401  81,893
 
 
SYNTROLEUM CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(in thousands)
 
  For the Quarter Ended March 31,
  2012 2011
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:    
Net loss $  (1,933) $  (3,907)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations (10) 1
Loss from continuing operations (1,923) (3,908)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by (used in)    
operating activities:    
Depreciation and amortization 52 49
Foreign currency exchange 317 218
Non-cash compensation expense 312 467
Non-cash loss in equity method investee 830 2,109
Changes in assets and liabilities:    
Accounts receivable (35) 383
Accounts receivable from Dynamic Fuels, LLC (536) (676)
Other assets 72 56
Accounts payable (152) (905)
Accrued employee costs (48) 121
Deferred revenue (50) --
Net cash used in continuing operations (1,161) (2,086)
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operations (9) 1
Net cash used in operating activities (1,170) (2,085)
     
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:    
Purchase of property and equipment (5) (22)
Net cash used in investing activities (5) (22)
     
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:    
Proceeds from option exercises 63 --
Net cash provided by financing activities 63 --
     
NET CHANGE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS (1,112) (2,107)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, beginning of period 22,601 12,513
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, end of period  $   21,489  $ 10,406


            

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