Transcat Achieves 40% Operating Income Growth on Record Revenue for Fiscal 2017 Third Quarter


  • Consolidated quarterly revenue hits a record $37.8 million
  • Both Service and Distribution segment revenue grow 25%
  • Earnings per diluted share improve 20% to $0.18

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Jan. 30, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Transcat, Inc. (NASDAQ:TRNS) (“Transcat” or the “Company”), a leading provider of accredited calibration, repair, inspection and laboratory instrument services and value-added distributor of professional grade handheld test, measurement and control instrumentation, today reported financial results for its third quarter, which ended December 24, 2016 (the “third quarter”) of fiscal year 2017, ending March 25, 2017 (“fiscal 2017”).

Lee D. Rudow, President and CEO, commented, “We had a record setting quarter driven by strong revenue and margin performance in both of our business segments. 

We had high single-digit organic Service revenue growth as we performed particularly well in our targeted life science sector. We also benefited from solid performance from our recent acquisitions. All in all, our Service segment revenue grew 25% year-over-year.  We had a 120 basis point increase in gross margin, and while we may not see that kind of improvement every quarter, we expect margins to expand as we continue to build volume, integrate our acquisitions and further leverage our capital investments in the Service segment.

The sequential improvement of our Distribution segment has also been encouraging as we delivered our second consecutive quarter of revenue growth.  Our strategy to diversify our Distribution offerings, including equipment rentals and used equipment sales, is contributing to the growth in this segment.  In the third quarter, we saw increases in our quote activity, sales leads, and web traffic, all of which led to growth in both core product and alternative energy sales.” 

Third Quarter Fiscal 2017 Review (Results are compared with the third quarter of the fiscal year ended March 26, 2016 (“fiscal 2016”))

 ($ in thousands)    Change
 FY17 Q3 FY16 Q3 $'s %
  Service Revenue$  17,455  $  13,922  $   3,533 25.4%
  Distribution Sales$  20,358  $  16,238  $  4,120 25.4%
Revenue$  37,813  $  30,160   $   7,653  25.4%
Gross Profit$  8,915  $  6,778  $   2,137 31.5%
  Gross Margin   23.6%    22.5%    
        
Operating Income$  2,353  $  1,682  $   671 39.9%
  Operating Margin    6.2%     5.6%    
        
Net Income$   1,280  $   1,068  $  212   19.9%
  Net Margin    3.4%    3.5%    
        
Adjusted EBITDA*$   3,901  $   2,647  $  1,254   47.4%
  Adjusted EBITDA* Margin   10.3%    8.8%    

 *See Note 1 on pages 3 and 4 for a description of this non-GAAP financial measure and page 8 for the Adjusted EBITDA Reconciliation table.

Transcat achieved record quarterly revenue of $37.8 million in the third quarter.  Higher revenue and a 110 basis point expansion in gross margin drove a 39.9% improvement in operating income.  Operating margin improved 60 basis points to 6.2%.  Net income grew 19.9% to $1.3 million as a higher effective income tax rate somewhat offset increased operating income.

Service segment continues to deliver strong growth

The Service segment represents the Company’s accredited calibration, repair, inspection and laboratory instrument services business (46% of total revenue for the third quarter of fiscal 2017).  

 ($ in thousands)    Change
 FY17 Q3 FY16 Q3 $'s %
        
Service Segment Revenue$  17,455  $  13,922  $   3,533 25.4%
Gross Profit$   4,306  $  3,272  $  1,034 31.6%
   Gross Margin 24.7%  23.5%    
        
Operating Income$   941  $   799  $   142  17.8%
  Operating Margin 5.4%  5.7%    
        
Adjusted EBITDA*$  2,067  $  1,530  $   537   35.1%
  Adjusted EBITDA* Margin   11.8%    11.0%    

 *See Note 1 on pages 3 and 4 for a description of this non-GAAP financial measure and page 8 for the Adjusted EBITDA Reconciliation table.

Service revenue increased 25.4% and was driven by acquisitions and by strong organic growth, primarily in regulated sectors, including life sciences.  On a trailing twelve-month basis, Service segment revenue improved 23.2% to $69.1 million.  The Company believes that trailing twelve-month data is an informative measure of the long-term performance of the Service segment.

Increased volume in the Service segment led to a 120 basis point gross margin expansion.  Segment operating income improved $0.1 million or 17.8% when compared with the prior year period while operating margin decreased 30 basis points to 5.4%.

Distribution segment sales strong with improved gross and operating margins

The Distribution segment represents the Company’s distribution and rental of new and used professional grade handheld test, measurement and control instrumentation (54% of total revenue for the third quarter of fiscal 2017).

 ($ in thousands)    Change
 FY17 Q3 FY16 Q3 $'s %
Distribution Segment Sales$  20,358  $  16,238  $   4,120 25.4%
Gross Profit$  4,609  $  3,506  $   1,103 31.5%
   Gross Margin 22.6%  21.6%    
        
Operating Income$  1,412  $  883  $  529   59.9%
  Operating Margin   6.9%  5.4%    
        
Adjusted EBITDA*$   1,834  $  1,117  $  717   64.2%
  Adjusted EBITDA* Margin   9.0%    6.9%    

 *See Note 1 on pages 3 and 4 for a description of this non-GAAP financial measure and page 8 for the Adjusted EBITDA Reconciliation table.  

Distribution segment sales growth was driven by a combination of strong organic growth and incremental sales from the acquisition of Excalibur Engineering, Inc. on April 1, 2016, which added additional rental revenue and brought the Company a used equipment business.  An improved sales mix, including higher-margin equipment rentals and used equipment sales, along with increased volume-based vendor rebates helped to drive a 100 basis point improvement in segment gross margin.  Segment operating margin improved 150 basis points and was favorably impacted by cost controls over operating expenses.

Nine-Month Review (Results are compared with the first nine months of fiscal 2016)

Total revenue increased 18.1%, or $16.1 million, to $105.4 million for the reasons previously stated above.  Consolidated gross profit was $25.2 million, up 22.4%, while gross margin increased 90 basis points to 23.9%.  As a percentage of total revenue, consolidated operating expenses were 18.8%, up 40 basis points.  Gross profit improvements more than offset this increase, driving operating income improvement of 31.6%, or $1.3 million, to $5.4 million.  Net income grew 18.2% to $3.0 million for the nine-month period driven by the factors described in the third quarter fiscal 2017 review.  On a per diluted share basis, net income was up 16.7% to $0.42 per diluted share.  Adjusted EBITDA improved 46.5% to $10.3 million. See Note 1 on pages 3 and 4 for a description of this non-GAAP financial measure and page 8 for the Adjusted EBITDA Reconciliation table.

Strong and Flexible Balance Sheet to Support Growth Strategy

At December 24, 2016, the Company had total debt of $26.2 million, with $12.9 million available under its secured revolving credit facility.  Capital expenditures were $1.6 million and $4.1 million for the quarter and year-to-date periods, respectively.  Investments were primarily for assets for the Company’s rental business and expanded Service segment capabilities.  Transcat continues to expect capital expenditures will be approximately $5.0 million to $5.5 million in fiscal 2017.

Outlook

Mr. Rudow concluded, “We had a very good third quarter and expect a strong finish to the year. We believe our continued focus on driving organic growth, both from our core business as well as our acquired businesses, and our capital investments will position us to meet our goal of achieving $175 million to $200 million in revenue over the next three to four years. Our initiatives to diversify and differentiate our value proposition are clearly resonating in the market. Along with the long-term growth we expect from the business, we also expect to demonstrate margin expansion as we continue to leverage the integration of recent acquisitions.”

He added, “To further drive differentiation from our competitors, moving forward we are implementing a new effort to deliver unmatched service to our customers.  We recently hired a Vice President of Operational Excellence to identify opportunities to increase efficiencies and to lead our acquisition integration efforts.  Our initiatives to be the market leader in our space, by driving operational excellence in both of our business segments, have sparked an impressive energy here at Transcat, which I believe provides us with yet another competitive edge.”

Webcast and Conference Call
Transcat will host a conference call and webcast on Tuesday, January 31, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. ET.  Management will review the financial and operating results for the third quarter, as well as the Company’s strategy and outlook.  A question and answer session will follow the formal discussion.  The review will be accompanied by a slide presentation, which will be available at www.transcat.com/investor-relations.  The conference call can be accessed by calling (201) 689-8471.  Alternatively, the webcast can be monitored at www.transcat.com/investor-relations.

A telephonic replay will be available from 2:00 p.m. ET on the day of the call through Tuesday, February 7, 2017.  To listen to the archived call, dial (412) 317-6671 and enter conference ID number 13652419, or access the webcast replay at www.transcat.com/investor-relations, where a transcript will be posted once available.

NOTE 1 – Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In addition to reporting net income, a U.S. generally accepted accounting principle (“GAAP”) measure, we present Adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, and non-cash stock compensation expense), which is a non-GAAP measure.  The Company’s management believes Adjusted EBITDA is an important measure of operating performance because it allows management, investors and others to evaluate and compare the performance of its core operations from period to period by removing the impact of the capital structure (interest), tangible and intangible asset base (depreciation and amortization), taxes, and stock-based compensation expense, which is not always commensurate with the reporting period in which it is included.  Adjusted EBITDA is not calculated through the application of GAAP and is not the required form of disclosure by the Securities and Exchange Commission.  As such, it should not be considered as a substitute for the GAAP measure of net income and, therefore, should not be used in isolation of, but in conjunction with, the GAAP measure.  The use of any non-GAAP measure may produce results that vary from the GAAP measure and may not be comparable to a similarly defined non-GAAP measure used by other companies.  See the attached Adjusted EBITDA Reconciliation table on page 8. 

ABOUT TRANSCAT
Transcat, Inc. is a leading provider of accredited calibration, repair, inspection and laboratory instrument services.  The Company is focused on providing best-in-class services and products to highly regulated industries, including life science, aerospace and defense, pharmaceutical, medical device manufacturing and biotechnology.  Transcat provides permanent and periodic on-site services, mobile calibration services and in-house services through 20 Calibration Service Centers strategically located across the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada.  The breadth and depth of measurement parameters addressed by Transcat’s ISO/IEC 17025 scopes of accreditation are believed to be the best in the industry.

Transcat also operates as a leading value-added distributor that markets, sells and rents national and proprietary brand instruments to customers globally.  Its e-commerce focused website and product catalog offer access to more than 100,000 test, measurement and control instruments, including products from approximately 540 leading manufacturers.

Transcat’s growth strategy is to leverage its service capabilities, strong brand and leading distribution platform to drive organic sales growth and to expand its addressable calibration market through acquisitions and capability investments to further realize the inherent leverage of its business model.

More information about Transcat can be found on its website at: Transcat.com.

Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Forward-looking statements are not statements of historical fact and thus are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions.  Forward-looking statements are identified by words such as “expects,” “estimates,” “projects,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “could,” and other similar words.  All statements addressing operating performance, events or developments that Transcat, Inc. expects or anticipates will occur in the future, including but not limited to statements relating to anticipated revenue, profit margins, sales operations, capital expenditures, cash flows, operating income, growth strategy, segment growth, potential acquisitions, integration of acquired businesses, market position, customer preferences, outlook and changes in market conditions in the industries in which Transcat operates are forward-looking statements.  Forward-looking statements should be evaluated in light of important risk factors and uncertainties.  These risk factors and uncertainties are more fully described in Transcat’s Annual Report and Quarterly Reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including under the heading entitled “Risk Factors.”  Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of the Company’s underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those currently anticipated.  In addition, undue reliance should not be placed on the Company’s forward-looking statements.  Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any obligation to update, correct or publicly announce any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

FINANCIAL TABLES FOLLOW.

TRANSCAT, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(In Thousands, Except Per Share Amounts)
      
  (Unaudited) (Unaudited) 
  Third Quarter Ended Nine Months Ended 
  December 24,December 26,December 24,December 26,
   2016  2015  2016  2015 
          
Service Revenue$  17,455 $  13,922 $  51,577 $  41,647 
Distribution Sales   20,358    16,238    53,868    47,659 
 Total Revenue   37,813    30,160    105,445    89,306 
          
Cost of Service Revenue   13,149    10,650    38,402    31,383 
Cost of Distribution Sales   15,749     12,732    41,855    37,346 
 Total Cost of Revenue   28,898    23,382    80,257    68,729 
          
Gross Profit   8,915    6,778    25,188    20,577 
          
Selling, Marketing and Warehouse Expenses   4,159    3,199    12,612    9,968 
Administrative Expenses   2,403    1,897     7,207    6,530 
 Total Operating Expenses   6,562    5,096    19,819    16,498 
          
Operating Income   2,353    1,682    5,369    4,079 
          
Interest and Other Expense, net    188    62    547    193 
          
Income Before Income Taxes   2,165    1,620    4,822    3,886 
Provision for Income Taxes   885     552    1,812    1,339 
          
Net Income$  1,280 $  1,068 $  3,010 $  2,547 
          
          
Basic Earnings Per Share$  0.18 $  0.15 $  0.43 $  0.37 
Average Shares Outstanding   7,010    6,900    6,984    6,878 
          
Diluted Earnings Per Share$  0.18 $  0.15 $  0.42 $   0.36 
Average Shares Outstanding   7,204    7,137    7,161    7,134 



TRANSCAT, INC.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(In Thousands, Except Share and Per Share Amounts)
       
    (Unaudited)  
    December 24, March 26,
     2016   2016 
ASSETS    
Current Assets:    
 Cash $  559  $  641 
 Accounts Receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts of $188    
  and $113 as of December 24, 2016 and March 26, 2016, respectively    19,967      17,080 
 Other Receivables    1,778     881 
 Inventory, net    10,772     6,520 
 Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets    1,201      1,096 
  Total Current Assets    34,277     26,218 
Property and Equipment, net    15,378     12,313 
Goodwill    32,436     29,112 
Intangible Assets, net    8,128      8,211 
Other Assets    1,049     853 
 Total Assets $  91,268  $  76,707 
       
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY    
Current Liabilities:    
 Accounts Payable $  11,886  $  8,141 
 Accrued Compensation and Other Liabilities    7,613      7,688 
 Current Portion of Long-Term Debt    1,429     -  
  Total Current Liabilities    20,928      15,829 
Long-Term Debt    24,768      19,073 
Deferred Tax Liabilities     1,192      1,071 
Other Liabilities     1,949      1,823 
 Total Liabilities    48,837      37,796 
       
Shareholders' Equity:    
 Common Stock, par value $0.50 per share, 30,000,000 shares authorized;   
  7,012,799  and 6,923,557 shares issued and outstanding    
  as of December 24, 2016 and March 26, 2016, respectively    3,506      3,462 
 Capital in Excess of Par Value    13,543      12,993 
 Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss    (403)    (358)
 Retained Earnings    25,785      22,814 
  Total Shareholders' Equity    42,431      38,911 
  Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity $  91,268  $  76,707 


TRANSCAT, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(In Thousands)
(Unaudited)
 
     Nine Months Ended
     December 24, December 26,
      2016   2015 
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:    
 Net Income $  3,010  $  2,547 
 Adjustments to Reconcile Net Income to Net Cash    
  Provided by Operating Activities:    
   Loss on Disposal of Property and Equipment    6      37 
   Deferred Income Taxes    121     (206)
   Depreciation and Amortization    4,667     2,711 
   Provision for Accounts Receivable and Inventory Reserves   243      129 
   Stock-Based Compensation Expense    316     284 
 Changes in Assets and Liabilities:    
  Accounts Receivable and Other Receivables     (3,168)    1,945 
  Inventory     (3,967)    914 
  Prepaid Expenses and Other Assets     (341)    (122)
  Accounts Payable    3,378     (271)
  Accrued Compensation and Other Liabilities     (454)    (1,027)
  Income Taxes Payable    63     462 
   Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities    3,874     7,403 
        
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:    
 Purchases of Property and Equipment    (4,104)    (3,755)
 Proceeds from Sale of Property and Equipment    29     24 
 Business Acquisitions, net of cash acquired    (6,977)    (2,918)
   Net Cash Used in Investing Activities    (11,052)    (6,649)
        
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:    
 Repayment of Revolving Credit Facility, net    (1,924)    (1,630)
 Proceeds from Term Loan    10,000     -  
 Repayment of Term Loan    (952)    -  
 Payment of Contingent Consideration and Holdbacks     
   Related to Business Acquisitions     (339)    - 
 Issuance of Common Stock    384     305 
 Repurchase of Common Stock    (98)    (73)
 Stock Option Redemption    (137)    -  
   Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities    6,934     (1,398)
        
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash    162     731 
        
Net (Decrease) Increase in Cash     (82)    87 
Cash at Beginning of Period    641     65 
Cash at End of Period $  559  $  152 


TRANSCAT, INC.
Adjusted EBITDA Reconciliation Table
(Dollars in thousands)
(Unaudited)
       
    FY2017  
       
  Q1Q2Q3Q4YTD
Net Income$ 834 $   896 $   1,280  $   3,010 
 + Interest Expense 137  180  184   501 
 + Other Expense / (Income) 31  11  4     46 
 + Tax Provision 436  491  885     1,812 
Operating Income$   1,438 $ 1,578 $  2,353  $ 5,369 
 + Depreciation & Amortization 1,549  1,556  1,562   4,667 
 + Other (Expense) / Income (31) (11) (4)  (46)
 + Noncash Stock Compensation 149  177  (10)  316 
Adjusted EBITDA$  3,105 $  3,300 $  3,901  $  10,306 
       
Segment Breakdown     
       
Service Operating Income$  1,044 $  791 $  941  $  2,776 
 + Depreciation & Amortization 1,247  1,137  1,158   3,542 
 + Other (Expense) / Income (27) (12) (7)  (46)
 + Noncash Stock Compensation 80  94  (25)  149 
Service Adjusted EBITDA$  2,344 $  2,010 $  2,067  $  6,421 
       
Distribution Operating Income$  394 $  787 $  1,412  $  2,593 
 + Depreciation & Amortization 302  419  404   1,125 
 + Other (Expense) / Income (4) 1  3     -  
 + Noncash Stock Compensation 69  83  15   167 
Distribution Adjusted EBITDA$  761 $  1,290 $  1,834  $  3,885 
       
    FY2016  
       
  Q1Q2Q3Q4YTD
Net Income$  601 $  878 $  1,068 $  1,577 $  4,124 
 + Interest Expense 51  48  54  94  247 
 + Other Expense / (Income) 44  (12) 8  8  48 
 + Tax Provision 331  456  552  544  1,883 
Operating Income$  1,027 $  1,370 $  1,682 $  2,223 $  6,302 
 + Depreciation & Amortization 840  902  969  1,235  3,946 
 + Other (Expense) / Income (44) 12  (8) (8) (48)
 + Noncash Stock Compensation 171  109  4  75  359 
Adjusted EBITDA$  1,994 $  2,393 $  2,647 $  3,525 $10,559 
       
Segment Breakdown     
       
Service Operating Income$  646 $  839 $  799 $  1,871 $  4,155 
 + Depreciation & Amortization 680  717  751  1,068  3,216 
 + Other (Expense) / Income (39) 1  (18) (8) (64)
 + Noncash Stock Compensation 85  51  (2) 37  171 
Service Adjusted EBITDA$  1,372 $  1,608 $  1,530 $  2,968 $  7,478 
       
Distribution Operating Income$  381 $  531 $  883 $  352 $  2,147 
 + Depreciation & Amortization 160  185  218  167  730 
 + Other (Expense) / Income (5) 11  10  0  16 
 + Noncash Stock Compensation 86  58  6  38  188 
Distribution Adjusted EBITDA$  622 $  785 $  1,117 $    557 $  3,081 


TRANSCAT, INC. 
Additional Information - Business Segment Data 
(Dollars in thousands) 
(Unaudited)
 
 FY 2017  FY 2016  Change
SERVICEQ3 Q3 $'s %
Service Revenue$  17,455  $  13,922  $  3,533 25.4%
Cost of Revenue$  13,149  $  10,650  $  2,499 23.5%
Gross Profit$  4,306  $  3,272  $  1,034   31.6%
Gross Margin 24.7%  23.5%    
        
Selling, Marketing & Warehouse$  2,168  $  1,522  $   646 42.4%
Administrative Expense$  1,197  $  951  $   246 25.9%
Operating Income$  941  $  799  $  142 17.8%
  % of Revenue 5.4%  5.7%    
        
      
 FY 2017  FY 2016  Change
DISTRIBUTIONQ3 Q3 $'s %
Distribution Sales$  20,358  $  16,238  $  4,120 25.4%
Cost of Sales$  15,749  $  12,732  $  3,017 23.7%
Gross Profit$  4,609  $  3,506  $  1,103 31.5%
Gross Margin 22.6%  21.6%    
        
Selling, Marketing & Warehouse$  1,991  $  1,677  $   314 18.7%
Administrative Expense$  1,206  $  946  $   260 27.5%
Operating Income$  1,412  $  883  $  529 59.9%
  % of Sales 6.9%  5.4%    
        
        
 FY 2017  FY 2016  Change
TOTALQ3 Q3 $'s %
Total Revenue$  37,813  $  30,160  $  7,653 25.4%
Total Cost of Revenue$  28,898  $  23,382  $  5,516 23.6%
Gross Profit$  8,915  $  6,778  $  2,137 31.5%
Gross Margin 23.6%  22.5%    
        
Selling, Marketing & Warehouse$  4,159  $  3,199  $   960 30.0%
Administrative Expense$  2,403  $  1,897  $   506 26.7%
Operating Income$  2,353  $  1,682  $  671 39.9%
  % of Revenue 6.2%  5.6%    


TRANSCAT, INC.
Additional Information - Business Segment Data
(Dollars in thousands)
(Unaudited)
 
 FY 2017 FY 2016 Change
SERVICEYTD YTD $'s %
Service Revenue$  51,577  $  41,647  $  9,930 23.8%
Cost of Revenue$  38,402  $  31,383  $  7,019 22.4%
Gross Profit$  13,175  $  10,264  $  2,911 28.4%
Gross Margin 25.5%  24.6%    
        
Selling, Marketing & Warehouse$  6,815  $  4,826  $  1,990 41.2%
Administrative Expense$  3,584  $  3,155  $  429 13.6%
Operating Income$  2,776  $  2,283  $  492 21.5%
  % of Revenue 5.4%  5.5%    
        
      
 FY 2017 FY 2016 Change
DISTRIBUTIONYTD YTD $'s %
Distribution Sales$  53,868  $  47,659  $  6,209 13.0%
Cost of Sales$  41,855  $  37,346  $  4,509 12.1%
Gross Profit$  12,013  $  10,313  $  1,700 16.5%
Gross Margin 22.3%  21.6%    
        
Selling, Marketing & Warehouse$  5,797  $  5,142  $  656 12.7%
Administrative Expense$  3,623  $  3,375  $  248 7.3%
Operating Income$  2,593  $  1,796  $  798 44.5%
  % of Sales 4.8%  3.8%    
        
        
 FY 2017 FY 2016 Change
TOTALYTD YTD $'s %
Total Revenue$  105,445  $  89,306  $  16,139 18.1%
Total Cost of Revenue$   80,257  $  68,729  $  11,528   16.8%
Gross Profit$  25,188  $  20,577  $   4,611 22.4%
Gross Margin 23.9%  23.0%    
        
Selling, Marketing & Warehouse$  12,612  $  9,968  $  2,644 26.5%
Administrative Expense$  7,207  $  6,530  $  677 10.4%
Operating Income$  5,369  $  4,079  $  1,290 31.6%
  % of Revenue 5.1%  4.6%    

            

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