MTS Reports Fiscal 2018 First Quarter Financial Results

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- MTS Systems Corporation (Nasdaq: MTSC), a leading global supplier of high-performance test systems and sensors, today reported financial results for its fiscal year 2018 first quarter ended December 30, 2017.

    --  Revenues of $194 million, driven by double-digit growth of 11% in
        Sensors year-over-year
    --  Consolidated gross margin improvement of 3 percentage points
        year-over-year to 40%
    --  Discrete tax benefit of $25 million from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of
        2017
    --  Record quarterly GAAP earnings per share of $1.72, a $1.63
        year-over-year increase
    --  Cash of $94 million on the balance sheet at quarter end
    --  Further deleveraging of the balance sheet with $22 million in first
        quarter long-term debt payments

Reflecting on the first quarter, Dr. Jeff Graves, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "We are pleased with our execution in the quarter, delivering revenue of over $194 million, gross margin in excess of 40% and earnings of $1.72 per share, while facing a strengthening demand environment. Excluding the special first quarter impacts of $1.32 per share from a reduction in the effective tax rate and discrete tax benefits, stemming from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, and $0.01 per share from restructuring actions, our earnings were solid at $0.41 per share. In addition to our current quarter operating results, the tax law changes will greatly benefit our company moving forward, reducing our effective tax rate from roughly 21-25%, to an anticipated 16-19%. Furthermore, our strong cash position and the ability to repatriate cash to the U.S. on favorable terms will further accelerate the deleveraging of our balance sheet this year."

"From a segment standpoint, our Sensors business maintained its strong performance, delivering double-digit growth for a third consecutive quarter with an excellent gross margin of roughly 51%," added Dr. Graves. "Our creation of a powerful, global industrial Sensors business continues to generate exciting growth, profitability and free cash flow for the Company. The breadth and strength of our Sensors product portfolio and the expanded ability to support customers worldwide is reflected in these results, and we are optimistic that the opportunities for our Sensors business will further expand as factory automation, defense programs, heavy equipment markets and a strong test environment for our Sensors customers remains."

"Our Test business performed in-line with our expectations, with revenues from backlog skewed to the second half of the year due to the timing of order intake in fiscal 2017, and higher custom project backlog weighting, which takes longer to convert into revenue. With the strength of our backlog, coupled with record orders in our fourth quarter of fiscal 2017, we remain confident that revenues will increase in the second half of the fiscal year," Dr. Graves stated. "Overall, the demand outlook in Test for the remainder of the fiscal year is solid, being driven heavily by vehicle light-weighting and the increasing use of additive manufacturing in the materials sector. We are also pleased with the demand for our core durability products, as electric and autonomous vehicle development continues to accelerate. We will continue to invest significantly in the operations of the Test business throughout fiscal 2018, to address the special needs of custom projects, positioning us for future growth in our rapidly evolving end markets."

Fiscal 2018 First Quarter Results

Revenue was $194.2 million, down $5.1 million or 2.6 percent, compared to the same quarter in the prior year, driven mainly by lower equipment volume in the Test business. Sensors revenue partially offset the decline with an 11.5 percent increase driven by greater demand in the Sensors position sector and new opportunities in the Sensors test sector.

Test orders for the quarter were $109.2 million, a 28.8 percent decrease over the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2017 and 7.3 percent lower than the same prior-year period. The overall decline from the prior year was attributable to large custom orders, which are subject to variability in timing of order execution. The Test opportunity pipeline has grown to just over $1 billion in opportunities over the next 12 months. Test ended the quarter with a backlog of $305.2 million, a 2.0 percent decline from the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2017.

Earnings before taxes totaled $9.5 million, up $7.3 million compared to the same prior-year period. The increase was driven by $11.4 million of non-recurring costs recognized in the prior year related to the PCB acquisition fair value inventory adjustment, investigation into code of conduct violations in our Test China operations and acquisition integration expenses, further expanded by strong current year growth in Sensors revenue. Partially offsetting the growth was a decline in Test revenue, driven by custom backlog conversion timing, along with continued investments in our Test business to drive future growth.

Diluted earnings per share on a GAAP basis was $1.72 compared to $0.09 in the same prior-year period on net income of $33.2 million and $1.7 million, respectively. Results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2018 included a reduction in the effective tax rate and discrete benefits stemming from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the Tax Act) signed into law during the quarter. Specifically, the Tax Act provided a $1.32 benefit to our first quarter of fiscal year 2018 earnings per share. Earnings per share for the first quarter of fiscal year 2017 was negatively impacted $0.44 by non-recurring costs associated with a fair value inventory adjustment related to the PCB acquisition, investigation efforts into code of conduct violations in our Test China operations and acquisition integration expenses.

Adjusted EBITDA, as described in the "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" section, reached $26.9 million in the first quarter of fiscal year 2018, up slightly from the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2017. Adjusted EBITDA decreased $4.6 million from the first quarter of fiscal year 2017 primarily due to a decline in Test revenue. A reconciliation of this non-GAAP financial measure to net income, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, is provided in Exhibit C of this earnings release.

Outlook

Strong demand in the Sensors business is anticipated to continue throughout fiscal year 2018, driven by new products across all major markets and geographies. Further realization of synergies, related to both operational efficiencies and revenue growth, is expected over the next several years as a result of integration efforts being substantially complete. This combination of positive factors is expected to yield strong, double-digit top line growth, along with gross margin and EBITDA expansion for the Sensor business in fiscal year 2018.

We continue to expect the Test business to experience flat to slightly declining revenue, with modest earnings growth, for the full year, with the second half anticipated to perform stronger than the first half of the year. Investments targeted specifically at operational efficiency initiatives and new products will continue throughout fiscal year 2018 given the solid outlook for Test demand in the next few years.

Based on these factors, the company reaffirms its expected fiscal year 2018 revenue range of $780 million to $820 million and adjusted EBITDA range of $120 million to $140 million. A reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP measure, to net income, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, is included in Exhibit D of this earnings release. Due to the Tax Act, the company now expects GAAP earnings per share to be in the range of $3.55 to $3.85 for fiscal year 2018. This guidance continues to reflect expected restructuring charges of $1.0 million to $3.0 million for actions initiated in fiscal year 2017.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

We believe that disclosing diluted earnings per share excluding the impact from restructuring, acquisition integration expenses, acquisition inventory fair value adjustment and China investigation expenses is useful to investors as a measure of operating performance. We use this as one measure to monitor and evaluate operating performance. Diluted EPS excluding these items is a financial measure that does not reflect United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). We calculate this measure by adding back the after-tax effect of the restructuring expenses, acquisition integration expenses, acquisition inventory fair value adjustment and China investigation expenses to net income and dividing the result by the diluted weighted average shares outstanding.

We believe that disclosing earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) and EBITDA excluding the impact from stock-based compensation, restructuring expenses, acquisition integration expenses, acquisition inventory fair value adjustment and China investigation expenses (Adjusted EBITDA) is useful to investors as a measure of leverage and operating performance. We use these measures to monitor and evaluate leverage and operating performance. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are financial measures that do not reflect GAAP. We calculate EBITDA by adding back interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization expense to net income. Adjusted EBITDA is calculated by adding back stock-based compensation, restructuring expenses, acquisition integration expenses, acquisition inventory fair value adjustment and China investigation expenses to EBITDA.

Investors should consider these non-GAAP financial measures in addition to, not as a substitute for or better than, financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. Reconciliations of the components of these measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures are included in Exhibits B, C and D of this earnings release.

First Quarter Conference Call

A conference call will be held on February 6, 2018, at 10:00 a.m. ET (9:00 a.m. CT). Call toll free +1-877-856-1958 (international toll +1-719-457-6931) and reference the conference pass code "2032825". Telephone replay will be available at 1:00 p.m. ET following the call until 1:00 p.m. ET, February 13, 2018. Call toll free +1-888-203-1112 (international toll +1-719-457-0820) and reference the conference pass code "2032825". A transcript of the call can also be accessed from the MTS website at http://investor.mts.com beginning on February 7, 2018.

About MTS Systems Corporation

MTS Systems Corporation's testing hardware, software and services solutions help customers accelerate and improve their design, development and manufacturing processes and are used for determining the mechanical behavior of materials, products and structures. MTS's high-performance sensors provide controls for a variety of applications measuring motion, pressure, position, force and sound. MTS had 3,500 employees as of September 30, 2017 and revenue of $788 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017. Additional information on MTS can be found at www.mts.com.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" made pursuant to the safe harbor provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions, that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical results and those presently anticipated or projected. Statements made under the heading "Outlook" are forward-looking statements, and words such as "may," "will," "should," "expects," "intends," "projects," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "targets," "anticipates," and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements in other parts of the release. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements about future financial and operating results, plans, objectives, expectations and intentions, statements about the opportunities and outlook for our Sensors and Test sectors and other statements that are not historical facts. These statements are based on MTS's current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause MTS's actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those described in the "Risk Factors" section of MTS's most recent Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and updated in any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the SEC. The reports referenced above are available on MTS's website at www.mts.com or on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which statements are made, and MTS undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events or circumstances.


                                    MTS SYSTEMS CORPORATION

                          Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income

                       (unaudited - in thousands, except per share data)


                                        Three Months Ended

                             December 30,                December 31,
                                     2017                         2016
                                     ----                         ----


    Revenue                                   $194,162                            $199,279

    Cost
     of
     sales                        116,234                                 125,815

      Gross
      profit                       77,928                                  73,464
                                   ------                                  ------

      Gross
      margin                        40.1%                                  36.9%


    Operating expenses

      Selling,
      general
      and
      administrative               52,590                                  54,493

      Research
      and
      development                   8,841                                   8,681

        Total
        operating
        expenses                   61,431                                  63,174
                                   ------                                  ------


     Income
     from
     operations                    16,497                                  10,290
                                   ------                                  ------

      Operating
      margin                         8.5%                                   5.2%


     Interest
     expense,
     net                          (6,804)                                (7,280)

     Other
     income
     (expense),
     net                            (223)                                  (829)
                                     ----                                    ----


     Income
     before
     income
     taxes                          9,470                                   2,181

     Income
     tax
     provision
     (benefit)                   (23,681)                                    476

    Net
     income                                    $33,151                              $1,705
                                               -------                              ------


    Earnings per share

     Basic

        Earnings
        per
        share                                    $1.73                               $0.09

        Weighted
        average
        common
        shares
        outstanding                19,124                                  18,969
                                   ------                                  ------


     Diluted

        Earnings
        per
        share                                    $1.72                               $0.09

        Weighted
        average
        common
        shares
        outstanding                19,254                                  19,074
                                   ------                                  ------


                                                     MTS SYSTEMS CORPORATION

                                              Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

                                        (unaudited - in thousands, except per share data)


                                                     December 30,                      September 30,
                                                             2017                                 2017
                                                             ----                                 ----

     ASSETS

     Current assets

       Cash and cash equivalents                                        $94,071                              $108,733

       Accounts receivable, net                           124,511                                123,994

       Unbilled accounts receivable,
        net                                                69,558                                 76,914

       Inventories, net                                   133,498                                127,728

       Other current assets                                23,930                                 19,880

       Total current assets                               445,568                                457,249
                                                          -------                                -------


     Property and equipment, net                           97,619                                 99,930

     Goodwill                                             369,959                                369,762

     Intangible assets, net                               252,523                                255,079

     Other long-term assets                                 7,312                                  7,672

     Total assets                                                    $1,172,981                            $1,189,692
                                                                     ----------                            ----------


     LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY


     Current liabilities

       Short-term borrowings                                             $5,000                          $          -

       Current maturities of long-
        term debt, net                                     54,886                                 39,095

       Accounts payable                                    48,861                                 47,515

       Advance payments from
        customers                                          79,928                                 76,712

       Other accrued liabilities                           71,573                                 84,067

       Total current liabilities                          260,248                                247,389
                                                          -------                                -------


     Long-term debt, less current
      maturities                                          382,161                                418,544

     Other long-term liabilities                           68,992                                 94,982

     Total liabilities                                    711,401                                760,915
                                                          -------                                -------


     Shareholders' equity

       Common stock, $0.25 par; 64,000 shares
        authorized:

      17,780 and 17,760 shares issued and outstanding
       as

      of December 30, 2017 and
       September 30, 2017,
       respectively                                         4,445                                  4,440

       Additional paid-in capital                         164,577                                163,632

       Retained earnings                                  289,105                                261,258

       Accumulated other
        comprehensive income (loss)                         3,453                                  (553)

       Total shareholders' equity                         461,580                                428,777
                                                          -------

       Total liabilities and
        shareholders' equity                                         $1,172,981                            $1,189,692
                                                                     ----------                            ----------


                                                   Exhibit A

                                            MTS SYSTEMS CORPORATION

                                         Segment Financial Information

                                           (unaudited - in thousands)



                              Three Months Ended

                    December 30,                December 31,                % Variance
                            2017                         2016
                            ----                         ----

    Test Segment
    ------------

    Revenue                          $118,203                                          $131,126       (10)%

    Cost of
     sales                79,064                                     84,292                      (6)%


    Gross profit          39,139                                     46,834                     (16)%
                          ------                                     ------                      ----

    Gross margin           33.1%                                     35.7%


    Operating
     expenses             33,530                                     35,118                      (5)%
                          ------                                     ------                       ---


    Income from
     operations                        $5,609                                           $11,716       (52)%
                                       ------                                           -------        ----


    Sensors Segment
    ---------------

    Revenue                           $75,959                                           $68,153         11%

    Cost of
     sales                37,170                                     41,523                     (10)%

    Gross profit          38,789                                     26,630                       46%
                          ------                                     ------                       ---

    Gross margin           51.1%                                     39.1%


    Operating
     expenses             27,901                                     28,056                      (1)%
                          ------                                     ------                       ---


    Income
     (loss) from
     operations                       $10,888                                          $(1,426)       864%
                                      -------                                           -------         ---


    Total Company
    -------------

    Revenue                          $194,162                                          $199,279        (3)%

    Cost of
     sales               116,234                                    125,815                      (8)%

    Gross profit          77,928                                     73,464                        6%
                          ------                                     ------                       ---

    Gross margin           40.1%                                     36.9%


    Operating
     expenses             61,431                                     63,174                      (3)%
                          ------                                     ------                       ---


    Income from
     operations                       $16,497                                           $10,290         60%
                                      -------                                           -------         ---


                                                                                                                      Exhibit B

                                                                                                               MTS SYSTEMS CORPORATION

                                                                                Reconciliation of Earnings Per Share Excluding Restructuring, Acquisition Integration

                                                                                    Acquisition Inventory Fair Value Adjustment and China Investigation Expenses

                                                                                                  (unaudited - in thousands, except per share data)



                                                                                      Three Months Ended

                                                             December 30, 2017                                                December 31, 2016

                                               Pre-Tax           Tax              Net                   Pre-Tax        Tax         Net
                                               -------           ---              ---                   -------        ---         ---

    Net income                                             $9,470                             $(23,681)                             $33,151                                           $2,181                                $476      $1,705

    Restructuring expenses
     1                                              246                     62                       184                                  563                      196                      367

    Acquisition
     integration
     expenses(2)                                      -                     -                        -                               1,688                      436                    1,252

    Acquisition inventory
     fair value
     adjustment(2)                                    -                     -                        -                               7,724                    1,993                    5,731

    China investigation
     expenses(2)                                      -                     -                        -                               1,976                      510                    1,466
                                                    ---                   ---                      ---                               -----                      ---                    -----

    Adjusted net income 3                                  $9,716                             $(23,619)                             $33,335                                          $14,132                              $3,611     $10,521
                                                           ------                              --------                              -------                                          -------                              ------     -------


    Weighted average diluted common
     shares outstanding                                                           19,254                                                       19,074


    Diluted earnings per
     share                                                  $0.49                               $(1.23)                               $1.72                                            $0.11                               $0.02       $0.09

    Impact of
     restructuring
     expenses                                      0.01                      -                     0.01                                 0.03                     0.01                     0.02

    Impact of acquisition
     integration expenses                             -                     -                        -                                0.10                     0.03                     0.07

    Impact of acquisition
     inventory fair value
     adjustment                                       -                     -                        -                                0.40                     0.10                     0.30

    Impact of China
     investigation
     expenses                                         -                     -                        -                                0.10                     0.03                     0.07

    Adjusted diluted
     earnings per share 3                                   $0.50                               $(1.23)                               $1.73                                            $0.74                               $0.19       $0.55
                                                            -----                                ------                                -----                                            -----                               -----       -----



    1  In determining the tax impact of restructuring expenses, we applied the statutory rate in effect for each jurisdiction where restructuring expenses were incurred.


    2   In determining the tax impact of acquisition integration, acquisition inventory fair value adjustment and China investigation expenses, we applied a U.S. effective income tax rate before discrete items to these expenses.


    (3)  Denotes non-GAAP financial measure.


                                                  Exhibit C

                                           MTS SYSTEMS CORPORATION

                          Reconciliation of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA to Net Income

                                          (unaudited - in thousands)



                                                    Three Months Ended

                                           December 30,               December 31,
                                                2017                       2016
                                          -------------               -------------

    Net
     income                                                $33,151                           $1,705

    Income
     tax
     provision
     (benefit)                                 (23,681)                                476

    Interest
     expense,
     net                                          6,804                               7,280

     Depreciation
     and
     amortization                                 8,736                               8,392
                                                  -----                               -----

    EBITDA(1)                                    25,010                              17,853


    Stock-
     based
     compensation                                 1,622                               1,721

     Restructuring
     expenses                                       246                                 563

     Acquisition
     integration
     expenses                                         -                              1,688

     Acquisition
     inventory
     fair
     value
     adjustment                                       -                              7,724

    China
     investigation
     expenses                                         -                              1,976
                                                    ---                              -----

    Adjusted
     EBITDA(1)                                             $26,878                          $31,525
                                                           -------                          -------



    (1)  Denotes non-GAAP
     financial measure.


                                               Exhibit D

                                        MTS SYSTEMS CORPORATION

                 Reconciliation of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA to Net Income - Outlook

                                      (unaudited - in thousands)



                                                Twelve Months Ending
                                                --------------------


                                                 September 29, 2018

                                               Low         High
                                               ---         ----

    Net
     income                                               $68,500                            $74,500

    Income
     tax
     provision
     (benefit)                               (18,500)                (15,000)

    Interest
     expense,
     net                                       25,500                   28,500

     Depreciation
     and
     amortization                              36,000                   38,000
                                               ------                   ------

    EBITDA(1)                                            $111,500                           $126,000


    Stock-
     based
     compensation
     and
     non-
     recurring
     expenses(2)                                8,500                   14,000

    Adjusted
     EBITDA(1)                                           $120,000                           $140,000
                                                         --------                           --------



    (1)  Denotes non-GAAP
     financial measure.


    (2)  Includes pre-tax forecast expenses for stock-based compensation and restructuring.

View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mts-reports-fiscal-2018-first-quarter-financial-results-300593623.html

SOURCE MTS Systems Corporation