Broadwind Energy Announces Second Quarter 2015 Results

Highlights:

• Returned to profitability; Q2 2015 EPS of $.11 in line with Q2 2014
• Booked $60 million in new orders during Q2; ending backlog totaled $169 million
• Revenue of $65 million, down 5% from Q2 2014 due primarily to downturn in oil and gas and mining markets
• Record-low operating expenses of 8% of sales, reflecting aggressive cost management
• Extended credit line with better terms and cash availability
• Board authorizes evaluation of strategic alternatives for Services business

CICERO, Ill., July 30, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Broadwind Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:BWEN) reported sales of $65.2 million for the second quarter of 2015, down 5% compared to $68.4 million in the second quarter of 2014 due mainly to weak demand from oil and gas and mining customers. The towers business rebounded as expected and Q2 2015 sales were in line with Q2 2014.

The Company reported net income of $1.6 million or $.11 per diluted share in Q2 2015, compared to $1.9 million or $.12 per diluted share in Q2 2014. The $.01 per share reduction was due to lower Towers and Weldments segment results, partially offset by improvements in the Gearing segment and lower corporate expenses. Towers and Weldments segment revenue was up $2.1 million in Q2 2015 compared to Q2 2014, however, operating income was down $1.4 million compared to Q2 2014 because of an unusually high-margin mix of towers in Q2 2014 and because of weaker weldments profitability in Q2 2015. The Company reported non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, share-based payments and restructuring costs) of $4.7 million in Q2 2015, down from $5.9 million in Q2 2014. The $1.2 million decrease was due mainly to the factors described above.

Peter Duprey, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, “Broadwind had a solid second quarter with improved financial performance, despite the impact on our gearing and weldments businesses of the ongoing market weakness from oil and gas and mining customers. Consolidated gross margin for Q2 2015 recovered to 11% and our operating expenses declined to 8% of sales, a record low for the Company, reflecting the cost management actions implemented last quarter. We booked $60 million in new orders, including a $50 million tower order for 2016, and we extended our bank line of credit with better terms and better availability. Our Towers and Weldments segment sold 142 towers during the quarter, including 12 towers that were in inventory at March 31, 2015. Our production in Abilene is back on track and our Manitowoc facility continues to outperform prior-year levels. In Gearing, we continue to navigate through depressed oil and gas and mining markets, but despite significantly less revenue, we reduced Gearing’s operating loss by over 15% due in part to aggressive cost management and better manufacturing efficiencies.”

“After much consideration, we have decided to evaluate strategic alternatives for our Services business. The wind services industry is becoming increasingly consolidated and the operational synergies with the rest of Broadwind appear limited. Our Services management team and employees will work with our customers to conduct business as usual during the strategic review period.”

Mr. Duprey concluded, “Broadwind made significant strides forward in Q2 2015 and we expect to have a strong third quarter with projected operating income of $1-2 million. We expect to reduce raw material inventories by $5-7 million during the next several months and rebuild significant cash balances to more than $15 million by year-end.”

For the six months ended June 30, 2015 revenue totaled $116.3 million, compared to $127.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2014. The 8.6% reduction was due mainly to production issues in the Towers and Weldments segment in Q1 2015 and a shortfall in the Gearing segment due to weaker demand from oil and gas and mining customers in the first half of 2015. Net loss for the six months ended June 30, 2015 totaled $3.4 million, or $.23 per share, compared with net income of $.8 million, or $.05 per share, for the six months ended June 30, 2014. The decrease was primarily due to tower production issues in the Abilene facility in Q1 2015, an unusually high-margin mix of towers in the first half of 2014 and weaker weldments profitability in the first half of 2015. The Company reported non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA of $2.8 million in 2015, down from $8.7 million in 2014, due to the factors described above.

Orders and Backlog

The Company booked $60.0 million in net new orders in Q2 2015, up from $23.6 million in Q2 2014. Towers and Weldments orders, which vary considerably from quarter to quarter, totaled $51.4 million, up from $.9 million in Q2 2014. This included a $50.0 million order for 2016 tower production. Gearing orders totaled $3.9 million, down significantly from $18.3 million in Q2 2014. Services orders totaled $4.7 million, up from $4.4 million in Q2 2014.

At June 30, 2015, total backlog was $169 million, down 24% from the backlog at June 30, 2014.

Segment Results

Towers and Weldments

Broadwind Energy produces fabrications for wind, oil and gas, mining and other industrial applications, specializing in the production of wind turbine towers.

Towers and Weldments segment sales totaled $55.0 million in Q2 2015, up 4% from $52.9 million in Q2 2014 due to a 20% increase in tower volume in Q2 2015. This was somewhat offset by a greater mix of larger, more complex towers sold in Q2 2014 and $1.5 million of lower weldments revenue in Q2 2015. Towers and Weldments operating income for Q2 2015 recovered sharply following the past two quarters, which were adversely impacted by production difficulties in the Abilene tower plant and the effects of the West Coast port labor slowdown. Operating income for Q2 2015 totaled $7.2 million or 13% of sales, down 16% from $8.6 million in Q2 2014 which included delivery of an unusually complex, high-margin mix of towers. Additionally, weldments profitability was $1.1 million weaker in Q2 2015, due to reduced demand from mining and oil and gas customers. The Company’s weldments plant in Manitowoc, WI was idled this quarter until the oil and gas and mining markets rebound.

Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA in Q2 2015 was $8.1 million, or 14.8% of sales, compared to $9.6 million in Q2 2014, due to the factors described above.

Gearing

Broadwind Energy engineers, builds and remanufactures precision gears and gearboxes for oil and gas, mining, steel and wind applications.

Gearing segment sales totaled $8.0 million in Q2 2015, down significantly from $12.4 million in Q2 2014 due to weak demand from oil and gas and mining customers. Despite the lower volumes, the Gearing segment’s operating loss narrowed to $1.5 million in Q2 2015 compared to an operating loss of $1.8 million in Q2 2014 due in part to lower depreciation, the benefits of completing the consolidation investment and successful cost management. Gearing non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA loss was $.2 million in Q2 2015, compared to non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA of $.6 million in Q2 2014, due in part to lower depreciation and restructuring expenses which are not reflected in non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA.

Services

Broadwind Energy specializes in non-routine drivetrain and blade maintenance services and offers comprehensive field services to the wind industry.

Services segment revenue was $2.7 million in Q2 2015, compared to $3.5 million in Q2 2014, due to weak demand for turbine blade repairs and lower shop activity. The Services segment’s operating loss totaled $1.8 million, compared to $1.3 million in Q2 2014, due to lower volumes and inventory charges of $.4 million related in part to the consolidation of the gearbox shops. Services’ non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA loss totaled $1.4 million in Q2 2015, compared to $1.0 million in Q2 2014, due to the factors described above.

Corporate and Other

Corporate and other expenses totaled $2.0 million in Q2 2015, down 40% compared to Q2 2014, due to lower incentive compensation and the absence of a $750,000 regulatory reserve incurred in Q2 2014.

Cash and Liquidity

On June 30, 2015, the Company announced the extension of its $20 million credit facility with AloStar Bank of Commerce. Under the terms of the new agreement, to improve the availability of credit to the Company, the facility has transitioned from a $20 million revolving line of credit to a $15 million revolving line of credit plus a $5 million term loan. The amended credit line was extended until August 31, 2016 with an annual interest rate of 30-day LIBOR plus 3.25%. The term loan has an annual interest rate of 30-day LIBOR plus 3.5% and also matures on August 31, 2016.

During the quarter, operating working capital (accounts receivable and inventory, net of accounts payable and customer deposits) increased to $38.2 million due mainly to higher supplier payments and draw-down of customer advances, which more than offset the beneficial impact of reduced finished goods inventories. Operating working capital as a percent of three-month annualized sales remained at 15%, unchanged from Q1 2015, but is expected to decline sharply before year-end.

Net debt rose $4.0 million to $8.4 million due to a reduction in customer deposits and increased supplier payments, which more than offset the benefit of $2.7 million in reduced inventory. Working capital balances are expected to decline by more than $10 million by the end of the year.

About Broadwind Energy, Inc.

Broadwind Energy (NASDAQ:BWEN) applies decades of deep industrial expertise to innovate integrated solutions for customers in the energy and infrastructure markets. From gears and gearing systems for wind, steel, oil and gas and mining applications, to wind towers, to comprehensive remanufacturing of gearboxes and blades, to operations and maintenance services and industrial weldments, we have solutions for the energy needs of the future. With facilities throughout the U.S., Broadwind Energy's talented team of nearly 800 employees is committed to helping customers maximize performance of their investments – quicker, easier and smarter. Find out more at www.bwen.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions, such as statements regarding our future financial condition or results of operations, cash flows, performance, business prospects, and opportunities, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, our management, our exploration of strategic alternatives for the Services business and our prospects and strategies for future growth. Forward-looking statements include any statement that does not directly relate to a current or historical fact. We have tried to identify forward-looking statements by using words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “will,” “should,” “may,” “plan” and similar expressions, but these words are not the exclusive means of identifying forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations, and we undertake no obligation to update these statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after this release. Such statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to vary materially from those stated. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: expectations regarding our business, end-markets, relationships with customers and our ability to diversify our customer base; the impact of competition and economic volatility on the industries in which we compete, including, but not limited to, the oil and gas and mining markets; our ability to realize revenue from customer orders and backlog; the impact of regulation on our end-markets, including the wind energy industry in particular; the sufficiency of our liquidity and working capital and our plans to evaluate alternative sources of funding if necessary; our ability to preserve and utilize our tax net operating loss carry-forwards; our plans to continue to grow our business through organic growth; our plans with respect to the use of proceeds from financing activities and our ability to operate our business efficiently, manage capital expenditures and costs effectively, and generate cash flow; and other risks and uncertainties described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those contained in Part I, Item 1A “Risk Factors” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014.

The Company reports its financial results in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). However, the Company’s management believes that certain non-GAAP financial measures may provide users of this financial information with meaningful comparisons between current results and results in prior operating periods. Management believes that these non-GAAP financial measures can provide additional meaningful reflection of underlying trends of the business because they provide a comparison of historical information that excludes certain infrequently occurring or non-operational items that impact the overall comparability. See the table below for supplemental financial data and corresponding reconciliations to GAAP financial measures for the three months ended June 30, 2015 and 2014. Non-GAAP financial measures should be viewed in addition to, and not as an alternative for, the Company’s reported results prepared in accordance with GAAP.