Attached files

file filename
8-K - CENTURY ALUMINUM COform8k-20120224.htm
Exhibit 99.1
 
Century Reports First Quarter 2012 Results
 
MONTEREY, CA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 04/24/12 -- Century Aluminum Company (NASDAQ: CENX) reported a net loss of $3.9 million ($0.04 per basic and diluted common share) for the first quarter of 2012. Financial results were negatively impacted by an unrealized loss on forward contracts of $5.0 million primarily related to the mark to market of aluminum price protection options. Cost of sales for the quarter included a $17.1 million benefit for lower of cost or market inventory adjustments.
 
For the first quarter of 2011, Century reported net income of $25.0 million ($0.25 per basic and diluted common share). Financial results were negatively impacted by an unrealized loss on forward contracts of $4.7 million primarily related to the mark to market of aluminum price protection options. Changes to the Century of West Virginia retiree medical benefits program increased quarterly results by $9.4 million with an associated discrete tax benefit of $2.1 million. Cost of sales for the quarter included a $6.4 million charge for the restart of a curtailed potline at the Hawesville, Kentucky smelter.
 
Sales for the first quarter of 2012 were $326.2 million, compared with $326.3 million for the first quarter of 2011. Shipments of primary aluminum for the 2012 first quarter were 159,967 tonnes, compared with 144,178 tonnes shipped in the year-ago quarter.
 
“The macroeconomic picture continues to defy a simple characterization,” commented Michael A. Bless, President and Chief Executive Officer. “While the pace of end demand growth in key developing markets has slowed, absolute conditions remain reasonable. Given the risk of shock from the Eurozone, coupled with tight financing markets, we continue to note that customers remain wary of making long-term commitments. The aluminum price has been trading at a level that, in our opinion, is not sustainable.  While the industry has seen some abatement in the cost of commodity raw materials, the price of electric power in most developed and developing markets renders a significant amount of existing capacity marginally economic or worse. Addressing this issue, over the short- and longer-term, will determine the longevity of a meaningful portion of our industry’s existing capacity.
 
“Century has executed well in this environment,” continued Bless. “Our safety performance has been good; importantly, we are making progress on changing the manner in which we think about safe and environmentally sound operations. Hawesville continues at effective full production; as predicted, conversion costs have improved. We are spending significant effort aimed at the uneconomic cost of the plant’s electric power. The process supporting the potential restart of Ravenswood is on track; while significant work remains, we are optimistic about the prospects of restarting this plant. Grundartangi had an excellent quarter; the team was able to make up for the modest production lost during the serious power outage in January. Regarding Helguvik, during the next few months, we will have several critical discussions which will determine the timing of the restart of major project activity.”
 
Century Aluminum Company owns primary aluminum capacity in the United States and Iceland. Century's corporate offices are located in Monterey, California. More information can be found at www.centuryaluminum.com.
 
Century Aluminum's quarterly conference call is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. Eastern time today. To listen to the conference call and to view related presentation materials, go to www.centuryaluminum.com and click on the conference call link on the homepage.
 
Certified Advisors for the First North market of the OMX Nordic Exchange Iceland hf. for Global Depositary Receipts in Iceland:
Atli B. Gudmundsson, Senior Manager -- Corporate Finance, NBI hf.
Steingrimur Helgason, Director -- Corporate Finance, NBI hf.
 
Cautionary Statement This press release and comments made by Century management on the quarterly conference call contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are statements about future, not past, events and involve certain important risks and uncertainties, any of which could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties may include, without limitation, declines in aluminum prices or increases in our operating costs; worsening of global financial and economic conditions; increases in global aluminum inventories and the addition of new or restarted global aluminum production capacity; additional delays in the completion of our Helguvik, Iceland smelter; and our ability to successfully progress the potential restart of our Ravenswood smelter. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation, statements regarding future aluminum prices, future industry production capacity and power rates, our ability to successfully progress the potential restart of our Ravenswood smelter and restart major construction activity at Helguvik. More information about these risks, uncertainties and assumptions can be found in the risk factors and forward-looking statements cautionary language contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and in other filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not undertake, and specifically disclaim, any obligation to revise any forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of future events or circumstances.
 
Contacts:
Lindsey Berryhill (media)
831-642-9364

Shelly Harrison (investors)
831-642-9357

 
 

 

 
Century Aluminum Company
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(in Thousands, Except Per Share Amounts)
(Unaudited)

   
Three months ended
March 31,
 
   
2012
   
2011
 
NET SALES:
           
Third-party customers
  $ 188,839     $ 188,312  
Related parties
    137,351       138,025  
      326,190       326,337  
                 
COST OF GOODS SOLD
    304,973       284,021  
                 
GROSS PROFIT
    21,217       42,316  
                 
OTHER OPERATING EXPENSES (INCOME) - NET
    3,721       (5,884 )
SELLING, GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES
    8,459       10,609  
                 
OPERATING INCOME
    9,037       37,591  
                 
INTEREST EXPENSE – THIRD PARTY – NET
    (5,840 )     (6,622 )
INTEREST INCOME – RELATED PARTY
    60       113  
NET LOSS ON FORWARD CONTRACTS
    (5,159 )     (4,809 )
OTHER INCOME – NET
    306       677  
                 
INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE INCOME TAXES AND EQUITY IN EARNINGS OF JOINT VENTURES
    (1,596 )     26,950  
                 
INCOME TAX EXPENSE
    (2,933 )     (3,123 )
                 
INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE EQUITY IN EARNINGS OF JOINT VENTURES
    (4,529 )     23,827  
                 
EQUITY IN EARNINGS OF JOINT VENTURES
    641       1,219  
                 
NET INCOME (LOSS)
  $ (3,888 )   $ 25,046  
                 
Net Income (Loss) Allocated to Common Shareholders
  $ (3,888 )   $ 23,005  
                 
EARNINGS (LOSS) PER COMMON SHARE
               
Basic and Diluted
  $ (0.04 )   $ 0.25  
                 
WEIGHTED AVERAGE COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING
               
Basic
    88,727       92,965  
Diluted
    88,727       93,297  
                 

 
 

 

Century Aluminum Company
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

             
   
March 31,
2012
   
December 31,
2011
 
ASSETS
           
Current Assets:
           
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 182,545     $ 183,401  
Accounts receivable – net
    50,531       47,647  
Due from affiliates
    39,217       44,665  
Inventories
    170,302       171,961  
Prepaid and other current assets
    43,850       40,646  
Total current assets
    486,445       488,320  
Property, plant and equipment – net
    1,206,731       1,218,225  
Other assets
    104,875       104,549  
Total
  $ 1,798,051     $ 1,811,094  
                 
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
               
Current Liabilities:
               
Accounts payable, trade
  $ 74,986     $ 86,172  
Due to affiliates
    41,544       41,904  
Accrued and other current liabilities
    48,917       40,776  
Accrued employee benefits costs – current portion
    16,188       16,698  
Industrial revenue bonds
    7,815       7,815  
Total current liabilities
    189,450       193,365  
                 
Senior notes payable
    249,769       249,512  
Accrued pension benefits costs – less current portion
    68,271       70,899  
Accrued postretirement benefits costs - less current portion
    128,919       128,078  
Other liabilities
    39,466       40,005  
Deferred taxes
    90,919       90,958  
Total noncurrent liabilities
    577,344       579,452  
                 
Shareholders’ Equity:
               
Series A preferred stock (one cent par value, 5,000,000 shares authorized; 80,696 and 80,718 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively)
    1       1  
Common stock (one cent par value, 195,000,000 shares authorized; 93,236,177 issued and 88,449,656 outstanding as of March 31, 2012; 93,230,848 shares issued and 88,844,327 outstanding as of December 31, 2011)
    932       932  
Additional paid-in capital
    2,506,987       2,506,842  
Treasury stock, at cost
    (49,924 )     (45,891 )
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
    (133,832 )     (134,588 )
Accumulated deficit
    (1,292,907 )     (1,289,019 )
Total shareholders’ equity
    1,031,257       1,038,277  
Total
  $ 1,798,051     $ 1,811,094  

 
 

 

Century Aluminum Company
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(Dollars in Thousands)
(Unaudited)

   
Three months ended
March 31,
 
   
2012
   
2011
 
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
           
Net income (loss)
  $ (3,888 )   $ 25,046  
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
               
Unrealized net loss on forward contracts
    4,955       4,715  
Accrued and other plant curtailment costs – net
    1,374       (9,624 )
Lower of cost or market inventory adjustment
    (17,051 )     (139 )
Depreciation and amortization
    15,027       15,930  
Debt discount amortization
    256       821  
Pension and other postretirement benefits
    (1,138 )     (11,064 )
Stock-based compensation
    145       488  
Undistributed earnings of joint ventures
    (641 )     (1,219 )
Change in operating assets and liabilities:
               
Accounts receivable – net
    (2,884 )     7,520  
Due from affiliates
    (249 )     8,766  
Inventories
    18,710       (7,924 )
Prepaid and other current assets
    (5,366 )     (29,901 )
Accounts payable, trade
    (11,442 )     (4,730 )
Due to affiliates
    (360 )     (2,722 )
Accrued and other current liabilities
    7,003       3,405  
Other – net
    447       (2,998 )
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities
    4,898       (3,630 )
                 
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
               
Purchase of property, plant and equipment
    (2,899 )     (3,128 )
Nordural expansion
    (1,946 )     (4,051 )
Investments in advances to joint ventures
    (100 )     -  
Payment received on advances from joint ventures
    3,166       -  
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment
    58       -  
Net cash used in investing activities
    (1,721 )     (7,179 )
                 
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
               
Borrowing under revolving credit facility
    18,076       -  
Repayment under revolving credit facility
    (18,076 )     -  
Repurchase of common stock
    (4,033 )     -  
Net cash used in financing activities
    (4,033 )     -  
                 
CHANGE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
    (856 )     (10,809 )
                 
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, BEGINNING OF PERIOD
    183,401       304,296  
                 
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, END OF PERIOD
  $ 182,545     $ 293,487  

 
 

 

Century Aluminum Company
Selected Operating Data
(Unaudited)

SHIPMENTS – PRIMARY ALUMINUM

   
Direct (1)
   
Toll
 
   
Metric Tons
   
(000)
Pounds
   
$/Pound
   
Metric Tons
   
(000)
Pounds
   
(000)
Revenue
 
2012
                                   
1st Quarter
    94,087       207,426       1.06       65,880       145,240       106,416  
                                                 
2011
                                               
1st Quarter
    80,479       177,426       1.17       63,699       140,432       117,658  

     
(1)
Does not include Toll shipments from Nordural Grundartangi