Partner

USA - Alcoa Reports Third Quarter Profit Driven by Strong Operating Performance

Lesedauer: min

Net Income of $0.02 Per Share; Excluding Special Items, Net Income of $0.11 Per Share

Solid Revenue of $5.8 Billion

Value-Add Businesses 57 Percent of Total Revenues,

79 Percent Segment ATOI Year-to-Date

Strong Operating Performance Helps Offset Lower Aluminum Prices

2013 Forecast of 7 Percent Global Aluminum Demand Growth Reaffirmed

3Q 2013 Highlights

  • Net income of $24 million, or $0.02 per share; excluding special items, net income of $120 million, or $0.11 per share
  • Solid revenue of $5.8 billion despite lower realized aluminum prices
  • Engineered Products and Solutions after-tax operating income up 22 percent year-over-year; record quarterly adjusted EBITDA margin
  • Primary Metals and Alumina after-tax operating income up sequentially and year-over-year
  • Cash on hand of $1.0 billion
  • New third quarter low days working capital, 5 day improvement over prior year, equal to approximately $300 million cash
  • $825 million in productivity gains year-to-date, exceeding $750 million annual target
  • 16 percent of Alcoa high cost global smelting capacity offline


NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Alcoa (NYSE:AA) today reported a sequential and year-over-year increase in third quarter profit for 2013 driven by strong operating performance and productivity gains, in spite of lower metal prices. Alcoa reported third quarter 2013 net income of $24 million, or $0.02 per share, which includes $96 million of special items primarily tied to optimizing the Company’s upstream portfolio.

Excluding the impact of special items, net income was $120 million, or $0.11 per share. Results were led by continued strength in Engineered Products and Solutions and Global Rolled Products, despite traditional third quarter weakness. Global Primary Products overcame falling metal prices and lower premiums to deliver significant performance improvement through productivity gains.

The Company reported third quarter 2013 revenue of $5.8 billion, steady compared to second quarter 2013 and the year ago period, despite a 3 percent sequential and 7 percent year-over-year decline in the London Metal Exchange (LME) cash price of aluminum.

“Our performance this quarter shows our repositioning of the Company is on the right path,” said Klaus Kleinfeld, Alcoa Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “We continued to build our value-add businesses, capturing demand for innovative material solutions across multiple markets. Our commodity business delivered better performance in a tougher market environment, and we continued to reshape the portfolio to lower the cost base. Across the board, productivity was exceptional – achieving our full year target in the first nine months.”

In the first three quarters of 2013, Alcoa’s value-add businesses, comprising Engineered Products and Solutions and Global Rolled Products, accounted for 57 percent of total revenues and 79 percent of segment after-tax operating income (ATOI). Over the last 10 years, Alcoa has grown its value-add businesses to be more meaningful contributors to the Company’s overall profitability. ATOI for the value-add businesses has nearly tripled since 2003.

Third quarter 2013 net income of $24 million, or $0.02 per share, compares to a net loss of $119 million, or $0.11 per share, in second quarter 2013, and a net loss of $143 million, or $0.13 per share, in third quarter 2012.

In third quarter 2013, Alcoa recorded $109 million in after-tax restructuring-related charges to improve upstream competitiveness. Alcoa completed the previously announced closure of the two Soderberg potlines at the Baie-Comeau smelter in Québec, representing 105,000 metric tons per year of smelting capacity. Alcoa also closed one Soderberg potline, representing 41,000 metric tons per year of smelting capacity, at the Massena East plant in New York.

Other special items in third quarter 2013 included an insurance recovery related to the March 2012 fire at the Massena, New York, location and a positive impact of mark-to-market changes on certain energy contracts, somewhat offset by a net discrete income tax charge. These items provided a net benefit of $13 million.

Excluding special items, third quarter 2013 net income of $120 million, or $0.11 per share, rose 58 percent compared to $76 million, or $0.07 per share, in second quarter 2013, despite lower realized aluminum prices.

Year-over-year, third quarter 2013 net income excluding special items was up $88 million compared to the same period last year. The year-over-year increase was driven by strong operating performance, productivity savings, and the favorable impact of foreign exchange rates, partially offset by cost increases and lower LME-based pricing.

Continued Growth Across End Markets

Alcoa reaffirms its 7 percent global aluminum demand growth forecast for 2013 and sees essentially balanced alumina and aluminum markets.

Alcoa continues to project global growth this year across the aerospace (9-10 percent), automotive (1-4 percent), packaging (1-2 percent), commercial building and construction (4-5 percent), and industrial gas turbine (3-5 percent) end markets. In the heavy truck and trailer market, Alcoa is raising its 2013 growth expectation, (5-9 percent, previously 3-8 percent), on improvements in the European market and a stronger Chinese market.

Strong Execution on Capital Investments and Against Strategic Goals

Alcoa made progress on its capital investments to capture value-add growth opportunities, and continued to take definitive actions in third quarter 2013 to improve its position on the aluminum cost curve.

The $300 million automotive expansion of Alcoa’s Davenport, Iowa, plant is set to be completed by the end of 2013 with the commissioning process currently underway. Construction also began on the Company’s $275 million automotive expansion at its Alcoa, Tennessee, rolling mill. Both will support the growing demand for aluminum sheet for automotive production. Aluminum sheet per vehicle is expected to grow 10 fold by 2025 in North America alone. The projects will incorporate, through Alcoa’s supply chain, the proprietary Alcoa 951 pretreatment bonding technology, enabling the mass production of aluminum-intensive vehicles. Much of the volume for the automotive expansions is secured under long-term supply agreements.

The Ma’aden-Alcoa joint venture project that will create the world’s lowest-cost integrated aluminum facility is on time and on budget. The smelter is 99 percent complete and full operating capacity of 740,000 metric tons per year (mtpy) is expected in 2014. This smelter will be the lowest-cost in the world. It will contribute an estimated two percentage points toward the Company’s 2015 goal of lowering its position on the world aluminum production cost curve by 10 percentage points overall.

The joint venture’s 380,000 mtpy integrated rolling mill is 88 percent complete. First hot coil for the rolling mill is anticipated in the fourth quarter of this year. Construction of the alumina refinery and bauxite mine are also on schedule. First alumina out of the facility and bauxite out of the mine are expected in 2014.

To further improve competitiveness in the upstream, Alcoa continues to review its global smelting capacity and take action on higher-cost plants and plants with long-term risk due to factors such as energy costs or regulatory uncertainties. In the first five months since announcing the 460,000 metric ton smelting capacity review, Alcoa has taken swift action and has closed or curtailed 274,000 metric tons, equal to 60 percent, of the capacity under review. Most recent actions include the permanent closure of one potline representing 41,000 metric tons at the Massena East plant in New York and the temporary curtailment of 128,000 metric tons of capacity in Brazil.

Alcoa now has 16 percent, or 651,000 metric tons, of smelting capacity offline.

Performance Against 2013 Financial Targets

In third quarter 2013, days working capital, which ultimately equates to cash, was a third quarter record low of 28 days, 5 days lower than third quarter 2012. This milestone was the 16th successive year-over-year improvement and equates to approximately $300 million in cash. Cash from operations in third quarter 2013 was $214 million. Free cash flow for the quarter was negative $36 million after a $173 million cash contribution to the Company’s pension plan.

Through third quarter 2013, Alcoa achieved $825 million in productivity savings against a $750 million annual target; managed growth capital expenditures of $289 million against a $550 million annual plan; and controlled sustaining capital expenditures of $482 million against a $1.0 billion annual plan. Progress and expenditures on the Saudi Arabia joint venture project were on track with $146 million year-to-date invested against a $350 million annual plan. Alcoa’s debt-to-capital ratio stood at 34.5 percent, flat with second quarter 2013, and 160 basis points lower than third quarter 2012. Net debt-to-capital stood at 31.6 percent. Alcoa ended the quarter with cash on hand of $1.0 billion.

Segment Performance
Engineered Products and Solutions

ATOI was a third quarter record of $192 million, essentially flat sequentially and up $34 million, or 22 percent, year-over-year. Sequentially, continued productivity improvements across all market segments were offset by volume declines and cost increases. Innovation continues to drive share gains across all markets. This segment reported a record quarterly adjusted EBITDA margin of 22.5 percent, compared to 22.2 percent and 20 percent, respectively, for second quarter 2013 and the same quarter last year.

Global Rolled Products

ATOI in the third quarter was $71 million compared to $79 million in second quarter 2013 and $89 million in third quarter 2012. Sequentially, lower metal prices continued to impact the segment, albeit less significantly than the prior quarter. Strong automotive and seasonal demand in packaging were offset by lower volume in aerospace and industrial markets and price pressures in packaging. Adjusted EBITDA per metric ton decreased to $312 from $322 in second quarter 2013. This segment reported its best third quarter ever in days working capital, which improved by 1 day compared with third quarter 2012.

Alumina

ATOI in the third quarter was $67 million, up from $64 million in second quarter 2013, and up from negative $9 million in third quarter 2012. The sequential increase was driven by the favorable impact of foreign exchange rates, strong productivity savings, and sales at Alumina Price Index-based pricing, despite lower LME-based prices. Strong performance across the business also offset increased costs in mining due to the operation of two crusher sites in Australia and higher bauxite costs in Suriname. Adjusted EBITDA per metric ton was $44, down from $47 in second quarter 2013 and up from $21 in third quarter 2012. Days working capital remained at record lows, improving by 11 days compared with third quarter 2012.

Primary Metals

ATOI in the third quarter was $8 million compared to negative $32 million in second quarter 2013 and negative $14 million in third quarter 2012. Despite lower metal prices, the sequential improvement was driven by significant productivity gains, non-recurring power plant outages, and the favorable impact of foreign exchange rates. Third-party realized price in the third quarter was $2,180 per metric ton, down 3 percent sequentially. Adjusted EBITDA per metric ton increased to $154 from $88 in second quarter 2013, and was up from $111 in third quarter 2012. Days working capital improved by 2 days compared with third quarter 2012.

Alba Update

As previously disclosed, over five years ago, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) commenced investigations of alleged corrupt payments in connection with contracts for the sale of alumina to Alba. In the past year Alcoa has been seeking settlements of both investigations. During the third quarter of 2013, settlement discussions with the DOJ and the SEC continued, although no settlements were reached. As previously reported, in the second quarter of 2013 Alcoa proposed to settle the DOJ matter by offering a cash payment of $103 million and recorded a charge of $103 million ($62 million after non-controlling interest); there is a reasonable possibility of an additional charge of between $0 and approximately $200 million to settle the DOJ matter. Based on negotiations to date, Alcoa expects any such settlement will be paid over several years. Also, as previously reported, in the second quarter of 2013 Alcoa exchanged settlement offers with the SEC, but the SEC staff rejected Alcoa’s offer of $60 million and no charge was recorded. Alcoa expects that any resolution through settlement with the SEC would be material to results of operations for the relevant fiscal period.

Although Alcoa seeks to resolve the Alba matter with the DOJ and the SEC through settlements, there can be no assurance that settlements will be reached. If settlements cannot be reached, Alcoa will proceed to trial. Under those circumstances, the final outcome cannot be predicted and there can be no assurance that it would not have a material adverse effect on Alcoa.

Alcoa will hold its quarterly conference call at 5:00 PM Eastern Time on October 8, 2013 to present quarterly results. The meeting will be webcast via alcoa.com. Call information and related details are available at www.alcoa.com under “Invest.”

About Alcoa

Alcoa is the world’s leading producer of primary and fabricated aluminum, as well as the world’s largest miner of bauxite and refiner of alumina. In addition to inventing the modern-day aluminum industry, Alcoa innovation has been behind major milestones in the aerospace, automotive, packaging, building and construction, commercial transportation, consumer electronics, and industrial markets over the past 125 years. Among the solutions Alcoa markets are flat-rolled products, hard alloy extrusions, and forgings, as well as Alcoa® wheels, fastening systems, precision and investment castings, and building systems in addition to its expertise in other light metals such as titanium and nickel-based super alloys. Sustainability is an integral part of Alcoa’s operating practices and the product design and engineering it provides to customers. Alcoa has been a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for 12 consecutive years and approximately 75 percent of all of the aluminum ever produced since 1888 is still in active use today. Alcoa employs approximately 61,000 people in 30 countries across the world. For more information, visit www.alcoa.com, follow @Alcoa on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Alcoa, and follow Alcoa on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Alcoa.

Source: Alcoa.com

[0]