POULSBO, Wash., Jan. 31, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Pope Resources (Nasdaq:POPEZ) reported earnings of $0.8 million, or 18 cents per diluted ownership unit, on revenues of $8.0 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2004. This compares to break-even results on revenues of $5.7 million, for the same period in 2003.
Net income for the twelve months ended December 31, 2004 totaled $10.2 million, or $2.22 per diluted ownership unit, on revenues of $39.6 million. For the corresponding period in 2003, the Partnership reported net income of $3.5 million, or 78 cents per diluted ownership unit, on revenues of $27.0 million.
"We are pleased with our 2004 performance, in which our profitability was nearly triple that of 2003," said David L. Nunes, President and CEO. "Much of the improvement in 2004 performance was driven by our Fee Timber segment, which enjoyed increased harvest volumes, stronger pricing, and an improved log mix. During 2004, we closed on three acquisitions, adding nearly 5,000 acres of timberland with approximately 56 million board feet (MMBF) of merchantable timber inventory to our ownership. This resulted in a 34% increase in annual harvest volume, which grew from 45 MMBF in 2003 to 60 MMBF in 2004. Realized log prices increased from $476 per MBF in 2003 to $529 per MBF in 2004, or 11%, during the year, with stronger pricing in all log grades. Additionally, our mix improved, with 15% of our total harvest going to the export market compared to 9% in 2003. Combined, these three factors resulted in a 46% increase in revenue and 56% increase in operating income from this segment for the year.
"Our Real Estate segment also enjoyed a strong year in 2004, posting operating income of $1.6 million on revenues of $4.5 million. This compares to an operating loss of $0.5 million on revenues of $1.7 million in 2003. Results for the year were strongly influenced by two transactions, the $1.9 million sale in the second quarter of a 426-acre regional park site and the $1.6 million sale in the fourth quarter of a 205-acre parcel of development property in Hansville, Washington. Results for the year were reduced by an additional expense of $466,000 needed to complete environmental remediation work in Port Gamble, Washington.
"The Timberland Management & Consulting segment generated an operating loss of $0.6 million on revenues of $1.6 million in 2004, compared with an operating profit of $0.3 million on revenues of $2.4 million in 2003. This past year was a transition year for this segment, which did not have a major timberland management client for the first time since 1997, as reflected in the lower revenues and operating income.
"Notwithstanding that 85% of the annual Fee Timber harvest volume was front-loaded in the first three quarters of 2004, fourth quarter results were strong relative to 2003. Consistent with year-over-year results, Fee Timber revenues increased 46% during the quarter, driven by a 28% increase in log volumes attributable to the three acquisitions referenced above, a 17% increase in realized log prices, and a higher proportion of export logs relative to the same quarter in 2003. Fourth quarter results were further strengthened by the aforementioned $1.6 million Real Estate sale. These two factors more than offset a weaker year-to-year fourth quarter comparison of Timberland Management & Consulting results.
"While we enjoyed strong 2004 results, we are equally excited about the foundation laid for further growth in 2005. The aforementioned Fee Timber acquisitions are expected to translate to 2005 harvest volumes of approximately 79 MMBF, which represents a 26 MMBF increase over our annual sustainable harvest level of 53 MMBF. However, while this elevated harvest level will produce stronger cash flows, it will not be paralleled by similar increases in earnings due to depletion cost offsets. Additionally, our Timberland Management & Consulting segment began 2005 with a new timberland management contract on 522,000 acres in Washington and Oregon. Lastly, our Real Estate segment is expected to experience strong revenue growth in the next few years attributable to the Gig Harbor project and other land sales activities."
The financial schedules attached to this earnings release provide detail on individual segment results and operating statistics.
About Pope Resources
Pope Resources, a publicly traded limited partnership, and its subsidiaries Olympic Resource Management and Olympic Property Group, own or manage over 640,000 acres of timberland and development property in Washington and Oregon. In addition, we provide forestry consulting and timberland investment management services to third-party owners and managers of timberland in Washington, Oregon, and California. The company and its predecessor companies have owned and managed timberlands and development properties for more than 150 years. Additional information on the company can be found at www.orm.com. The contents of our website are not incorporated into this release or into our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Note About Forward-Looking Information
This press release contains a number of projections and statements about our expected financial condition, operating results, business plans and objectives, including but not limited to anticipated performance in various business segments in future periods. These statements reflect management's estimates based on current goals and its expectations about future developments. Because these statements describe our goals, objectives, and anticipated performance, they are inherently uncertain, and some or all of these statements may not come to pass. Accordingly, they should not be interpreted as promises of future management actions or financial performance. Our future actions and actual performance will vary from current expectations and under various circumstances the results of these variations may be material and adverse. Some of the factors that may cause actual operating results and financial condition to fall short of expectations include factors that affect our ability to establish and service timberland management arrangements; our ability to anticipate and respond adequately to fluctuations in the market prices for our products; environmental and land use regulations that limit our ability to harvest timber and develop property; labor, equipment and transportation costs that affect our net income; and economic conditions that affect consumer demand for our products and the prices we receive for them. Other factors are set forth in that part of our Annual Report on Form 10-K entitled "Management's Discussion & Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation - Risks and Uncertainties." Other issues that may have an adverse and material impact on our business, operating results, and financial condition include those risks and uncertainties discussed in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements in this release are made only as of the date shown above, and we cannot undertake to update these statements.
Management considers earnings (net income or loss) before interest expense, income taxes, depreciation, depletion and amortization (EBITDDA) to be a relevant and meaningful indicator of liquidity and earnings performance commonly used by investors, financial analysts and others in evaluating companies in its industry and, as such, has provided this information in addition to the generally accepted accounting principle-based presentation of net income or loss and cash from operations. In that context, "depletion" refers to a measure of the reduction in value of timberland upon the harvest of growing timber from that land.
Pope Resources, A Delaware Limited Partnership
Unaudited
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(all amounts in $000s)
Three months ended Twelve months ended
Dec.31, Dec. 31,
2004 2003 2004 2003
------- ------- -------- --------
Revenues $ 7,977 $ 5,679 $ 39,648 $ 27,036
Costs and expenses:
Cost of sales (3,299) (1,783) (15,184) (10,540)
Operating expenses (3,130) (2,899) (11,336) (9,873)
Operating income 1,548 997 13,128 6,623
Interest, net (728) (711) (2,952) (2,806)
Minority interest -- (47) -- (47)
------- ------- -------- --------
Income before
income taxes 820 239 10,176 3,770
Income tax
benefit/(provision) -- (239) -- (242)
------- ------- -------- --------
Net income 820 -- 10,176 3,528
======= ======= ======== ========
Average units
outstanding
- Basic (000s) 4,522 4,518 4,522 4,518
======= ======= ======== ========
Average units
outstanding
- Diluted (000s) 4,629 4,544 4,594 4,522
======= ======= ======== ========
Basic net income
per unit $ 0.18 $ -- $ 2.25 $ 0.78
======= ======= ======== ========
Diluted net income
per unit $ 0.18 $ -- $ 2.22 $ 0.78
======= ======= ======== ========
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(all amounts in $000s)
Dec. 31,
2004 2003
------- -------
Assets:
Cash and short-term investments $ 757 $10,361
Other current assets 2,073 2,417
Roads and timber 64,484 48,203
Properties and equipment 26,198 23,907
Other assets 1,355 1,420
------- -------
Total 94,867 86,308
======= =======
Liabilities and partners' capital:
Current liabilities 5,935 3,816
Long-term debt, excluding current portion 34,164 36,114
Other long-term liabilities 236 342
------- -------
Total liabilities 40,335 40,272
Partners' capital 54,532 46,036
------- -------
Total 94,867 86,308
======= =======
RECONCILIATION BETWEEN NET INCOME AND EBITDDA
(all amounts in $000s)
Three months ended
31-Dec-04 31-Dec-03 30-Sep-04
Net income $ 820 $ -- $1,361
Added back:
Interest, net 728 711 698
Depletion 1,353 454 975
Depreciation and amortization 152 163 165
Income tax expense -- 239 --
Less:
Income tax benefit -- -- --
------ ------ ------
EBITDDA $3,053 $1,567 $3,199
====== ====== ======
RECONCILIATION BETWEEN CASH FROM OPERATIONS AND EBITDDA
(all amounts in $000s)
Three months ended
31-Dec-04 31-Dec-03 30-Sep-04
Cash from operations $ 3,595 $ 1,947 $ 4,013
Added back:
Change in working capital
Interest 728 711 698
Deferred profit -- 34 --
Income tax expense -- 239 --
Other -- 15 2
Less:
Change in working capital (824) (1,204) (1,013)
Deferred profit (275) -- (465)
Income tax benefit -- -- --
Cost of land sold (169) -- (36)
Other (2) (175) --
------- ------- -------
EBITDDA $ 3,053 $ 1,567 $ 3,199
======= ======= =======
SEGMENT INFORMATION
(all amounts in $000s)
Three months ended Twelve months ended
Dec.31, Dec. 31,
2004 2003 2004 2003
------- ------- ------- -------
Revenues:
Fee Timber $ 5,576 $ 3,809 $33,571 $22,916
Timberland Management
& Consulting (TM&C) 602 1,350 1,601 2,386
Real Estate 1,799 520 4,476 1,734
------- ------- ------- -------
Total $ 7,977 $ 5,679 $39,648 $27,036
------- ------- ------- -------
EBITDDA:
Fee Timber 2,960 1,717 20,319 12,676
TM&C (10) 736 (510) 341
Real Estate 904 (195) 1,719 (391)
General & administrative
and minority interest (801) (691) (2,648) (2,504)
------- ------- ------- -------
Total $ 3,053 $ 1,567 $18,880 $10,122
------- ------- ------- -------
Depreciation, depletion
and amortization:
Fee Timber 1,395 481 5,193 3,007
TM&C 22 19 88 69
Real Estate 19 23 133 85
General & administrative 69 94 338 385
------- ------- ------- -------
Total $ 1,505 $ 617 $ 5,752 $ 3,546
------- ------- ------- -------
Operating income/(loss):
Fee Timber 1,565 1,236 15,126 9,669
TM&C (32) 717 (598) 272
Real Estate 885 (218) 1,586 (476)
General & administrative (870) (738) (2,986) (2,842)
------- ------- ------- -------
Total $ 1,548 $ 997 $13,128 $ 6,623
------- ------- ------- -------
SELECTED STATISTICS
Owned acres 118,488 114,393 118,488 114,393
Acres under management 522,000 -- 522,000 --
Capital expenditures
($000s) 948 902 3,260 2,017
Depletion ($000s) 1,353 454 5,093 2,888
Depreciation ($000s) 152 163 659 658
Debt to total
capitalization 40% 45% 40% 45%
QUARTER TO QUARTER COMPARISONS
(Amounts in $000s except per unit data)
Q4 2004 Q4 2004
vs. Q4 2003 vs. Q3 2004
Total Per Unit Total Per Unit
Net income:
4th Quarter 2004 820 0.18 820 0.18
3rd Quarter 2004 1,361 0.30
4th Quarter 2003 -- --
------ ------ ------ ------
Variance 820 0.18 (541) (0.12)
Detail of earnings variance:
Fee Timber
Log price realizations (A) 707 0.17 249 0.06
Log volumes (B) 558 0.12 (1,447) (0.32)
Timberland sale income -- -- (9) --
Depletion (899) (0.20) (378) (0.09)
Other Fee Timber (37) (0.01) 92 0.02
Timberland Management
& Consulting
Management fee changes 327 0.07 133 0.03
Other Timberland Mgmnt
& Consulting (1,076) (0.24) (102) (0.02)
Real Estate
Development property
sales 1,103 0.24 1,161 0.26
General & administrative
costs (132) (0.03) (210) (0.05)
Interest expense 30 0.01 1 --
Other (taxes, minority int.,
interest inc.) 239 0.05 (31) (0.01)
------ ------ ------ ------
Total change in earnings 820 0.18 (541) (0.12)
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(A) Price variance allocated based on changes in price using the
current period volume.
(B) Volume variance allocated based on change in sales volume and
the average log sales price for the prior period less variance in
log production costs.