Paul Mueller Company Announces Its First Quarter Earnings of 2020


SPRINGFIELD, Mo., April 24, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Paul Mueller Company (OTC: MUEL) today announced earnings for the quarter ended March 31, 2020.

PAUL MUELLER COMPANY
THREE-MONTH REPORT
Unaudited
(In thousands)
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
         
  Three Months Ended Twelve Months Ended
  March 31 March 31
  2020 2019 2020 2019
         
Net Sales $ 42,160 $ 41,882 $ 197,455 $ 197,014
Cost of Sales 30,299 31,826 140,908 148,284
Gross Profit $ 11,861 $ 10,056 $ 56,547 $ 48,730
Selling, General and Administrative Expense 10,505 11,499 44,678 47,028
Operating Income (Loss) $ 1,356 $ (1,443) $ 11,869 $ 1,702
Interest Expense (615) (408) (1,034) (982)
Other Income 437 277 511 261
Income (Loss) before Provision (Benefit) for Income Taxes $ 1,178 $ (1,574) $ 11,346 $ 981
Provision (Benefit) for Income Taxes 303 (494) 2,802 (196)
Net Income (Loss) $ 875 $ (1,080) $ 8,544 $ 1,177
         
Earnings (Loss) per Common Share ––        
Basic $0.73 $(0.90) $7.15 $0.98
Diluted $0.73 $(0.90) $7.15 $0.98


     
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
     
  Three Months Ended
  March 31
  2020 2019
     
Net Income (Loss) $ 875 $ (1,080)
Other Comprehensive Income, Net of Tax:    
Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment (647) (631)
     
Comprehensive Income (Loss) $ 228 $ (1,711)


CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
     
  March 31 December 31
  2020 2019
     
Cash and Short-Term Investments $ 13,022 $ 1,072
Accounts Receivable 22,946 28,509
Inventories 25,280 20,552
Current Net Investments in Sales-Type Leases 52 47
Other Current Assets 3,335 3,763
Current Assets $ 64,635 $ 53,943
     
Net Property, Plant, and Equipment 45,650 47,406
Right of Use Assets 1,371 1,421
Other Assets 22,132 21,355
Long-Term Net Investments in Sales-Type Leases 790 769
Total Assets $ 134,578 $ 124,894
     
Accounts Payable $ 12,749 $ 10,534
Current Maturities and Short-Term debt 1,300 6,208
Current Lease Liabilities 438 485
Other Current Liabilities 38,219 27,021
Current Liabilities $ 52,706 $ 44,248
     
Long-Term Debt 16,230 15,334
Long-Term Pension Liabilities 29,492 30,395
Other Long-Term Liabilities 2,577 1,566
Lease Liabilities 933 936
Total Liabilities $ 101,938 $ 92,479
Shareholders' Investment 32,640 32,415
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Investment $ 134,578 $ 124,894


 
SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
     
  March 31 December 31
  2020 2019
Book Value per Common Share $27.30 $27.11
Total Shares Outstanding 1,195,747 1,195,866
Backlog $ 107,291 $ 79,791


 CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF SHAREHOLDERS' INVESTMENT
                
     Common
Stock
 Paid-in Surplus Retained Earnings Treasury Stock Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Income (Loss)
 Total
Balance, December 31, 2019 $ 1,508 $ 9,708 $ 68,484 $ (6,341) $ (40,944) $ 32,415
Add (Deduct):             
 Net Income     875     875
 Other Comprehensive Income, Net of Tax         (647) (647)
 Treasury Stock Acquisition       (3)   (3)
Balance, March 31, 2020 $ 1,508 $ 9,708 $ 69,359 $ (6,344) $ (41,591) $ 32,640
                


     
 CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
  Three Months
Ended
March 31, 2020
 Three Months
Ended
March 31, 2019
     
Operating Activities:    
     
Net Income (Loss) $ 875 $ (1,080)
     
Adjustment to Reconcile Net Income to Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities:    
Pension Contributions (Greater) Less than Expense (903) (598)
Bad Debt Expense (Recovery) (10) (181)
Depreciation & Amortization 1,604 1,615
(Gain) Loss on Sales of Equipment (2) (18)
Change in Assets and Liabilities    
Dec (Inc) in Accts and Notes Receivable 5,572 (418)
Dec (Inc) in Cost in Excess of Estimated Earnings and Billings 274 (43)
(Inc) in Inventories (4,728) (4,076)
Dec (Inc) in Prepayments 154 (1,131)
(Inc) in Net Investment in Sales-type leases (26) -
Dec (Inc) in Other LT Assets 52 (178)
Inc in Accounts Payable 2,215 3,455
Inc (Dec) in Other Accrued Expenses 1,387 (739)
Inc in Advanced Billings 7,871 12,375
Inc (Dec) in Billings in Excess of Costs and Estimated Earnings 1,941 (39)
(Dec) in Lease Liability for Operating (14) -
(Dec) in Lease Liability for Financing (11) -
Inc (Dec) in Long Term Liabilities 58 (70)
Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities $ 16,309 $ 8,874
     
Investing Activities    
Proceeds from Sales of Equipment 2 27
Additions to Property and Equipment 216 (2)
Net Cash Provided for Investing Activities $ 218 $ 25
     
Financing Activities    
(Repayment) of principal portion of lease liability for operating (25) -
(Repayment) of Short-Term Borrowings, Net (4,896) (3,202)
Proceeds (Repayment) of Long-Term Debt 1,112 (4,868)
Treasury Stock Acquisitions (3) -
Net Cash (Required) for Financing Activities $ (3,812) $ (8,070)
     
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes  (765) (698)
     
Net Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents $ 11,950 $ 131
     
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year 1,072 715
     
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Quarter $ 13,022 $ 846
     
     

PAUL MUELLER COMPANY
SUMMARIZED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In thousands)

A. The chart below depicts the net revenue on a consolidating basis for the three months ended March 31.

Three Months Ended March 31
Revenue 2020  2019 
Domestic$29,624 $27,912 
Mueller BV$12,801 $14,663 
Eliminations$(265)$(693)
Net Revenue$42,160 $41,882 
       

The chart below depicts the net revenue on a consolidating basis for the twelve months ended March 31. 

   
Twelve Months Ended March 31
Revenue 2020  2019 
Domestic$146,212 $132,369 
Mueller BV$52,574 $66,396 
Eliminations$(1,331)$(1,751)
Net Revenue$197,455 $197,014 
       

The chart below depicts the net income on a consolidating basis for the three months ended March 31.

Three Months Ended March 31
Net Income 2020  2019 
Domestic$925 $(1,056)
Mueller BV$(54)$6 
Eliminations$4 $(30)
Net Income$875 $(1,080)
       

The chart below depicts the net income on a consolidating basis for the twelve months ended March 31.

Twelve Months Ended March 31
Net Income 2020  2019 
Domestic$9,393 $2,776 
Mueller BV$(865)$(1,580)
Eliminations$16 $(19)
Net Income$8,544 $1,177 
   

B. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented uncertainty and requires us to operate in new and different ways.  To date, we have not had any confirmed cases of COVID-19 at any of our facilities.  All of our facilities are operating but require much of the office staff to work remotely and has required us to establish physical separation in our locations.  Our backlog gives us work for the next several months but our service and repair business has been greatly reduced.  Selling activities are more difficult and customers visiting our facilities has virtually stopped.  So far there has been minimal disruption in our supply chain.  

C. March 31, 2020 backlog was $107.3 million which is $27.5 million higher than the $79.8 million at December 31, 2019.  The increase is driven from an order for a juice storage facility awarded to Mueller Field Operations.  Pharmaceutical backlog remains solid helping offset a very weak dairy farm backlog in the US and The Netherlands. 

D. Revenue for the three months and twelve months are relatively flat to the previous year with US revenue increases offsetting the decreases in The Netherlands.  Net Income is up for the three months and twelve months as compared to the previous year.   In the US, the increase in revenue and profits is from the continued strength in the pharmaceutical market which is more than offsetting the reduction in the dairy farm segment.  In The Netherlands, the dairy farm segment continues to slump and is compounded by the reduction in service and repairs from the stay at home orders and social distancing.  However, The Netherlands continues to save in expenses.

E. As of March 31, 2020, total debt was $17.5 million which is a decrease of $4.0 million from December 31, 2019.  Cash and cash equivalents were $13.0 million at March 31, 2020 compared to $1.1 million at December 31, 2019.          

On January 17, 2020, the Company amended the domestic bank borrowing facility    agreement to allow for the ability to distribute up to €3,000,000 to Mueller B.V., if necessary. In addition, the financial leverage covenant of maximum Total debt to EBITDA was reduced from 3 to 1 to 2.25 to 1 at the end of each quarter for the trailing twelve months. Then on March 30, 2020, the Company refinanced the long-term note payable maturing on March 31, 2025, in an amount of $4,000,000 at a fixed rate of 2.50%.  The Company was in compliance with borrowing covenants as of March 31, 2020.
             
In The Netherlands, on February 25, 2020, Mueller B.V. amended its credit agreement as follows:

  • Quarterly loan covenants were modified as follows effective June 30, 2020:
    - Minimum EBITDA for the trailing twelve months reduced from €6,000,000 to €2,750,000.
    - Maximum total debt to EBITDA for the trailing twelve months is reset to 4.50 to 1 as of June 30, 2020, and decreases annually until it reaches 3.25 to 1 as of June 30, 2024, and thereafter.
  • The capacity of the bank borrowing facility will be reduced from €4,000,000 to €3,000,000 on March 31, 2020.

However, on March 27th, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the bank unilaterally suspended the principal and interest payments until September 30, 2020.  In addition, the reduction of the borrowing facility of €1,000,000 scheduled for March 31, 2020 was delayed until September 30th.  Borrowing covenants for Mueller B.V. are waived by the bank until June 30, 2020.

F. The pre-tax results for the twelve months ended March 31, 2020, were favorably affected by a $0.7 million decrease in the LIFO reserve. The pre-tax results for the three months ended March 31, 2019, were unfavorably affected by a $0.7 million increase in the LIFO reserve. The pre-tax results for the twelve months ended March 31, 2019, were unfavorably affected by a $2.2 million increase in the LIFO reserve.

G. The consolidated financials are affected by the euro to dollar exchange rate when consolidating Mueller B.V., the Dutch subsidiary. The month-end euro to dollar exchange rate was 1.12 for March, 2019; 1.12 for December, 2019 and 1.10 for March, 2020, respectively.

This press release contains forward-looking statements that provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions. All statements regarding future performance growth, conditions, or developments are forward-looking statements.  Actual future results may differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, the factors described in the Company’s Annual Report under “Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements”, which is available at paulmueller.com.  The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update these forward-looking statements to reflect any future events or circumstances.

The accounting policies related to this report and additional management discussion and analysis are provided in the 2019 annual report, available at
www.paulmueller.com.

Press Contact: Ken Jeffries | Paul Mueller Company | Springfield, MO 65802 | (417) 575-9346
kjeffries@paulmueller.com | http://paulmueller.com