Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy, LLC Announces Fiscal Results ended March 31, 2018

Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy, LLC Announces Fiscal Results ended March 31, 2018

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy, LLC ("SIRE" or the "Company") announced its unaudited financial results for the three and six months ended March 31, 2018.

Results for the Second Quarter of Fiscal 2018 (Amounts in $ and 000's, except Book Value per Unit)

                       Three Months Three Months Six Months   Six Months
                       Ended March  Ended March  Ended March  Ended March
                           31, 2018     31, 2017    31, 2018     31, 2017
                           --------     --------    --------     --------

     Revenues                53,551                    56,073             104,097 108,138

     Net Income (Loss)        (835)                    2,065                 346   7,697

     Gross Margin               356                     3,489               3,064  10,672

     Modified EBITDA          1,983                     5,410               6,148  13,606

                    Balance at March 31,   Balance at September 30,
                                      2018                         2017
                                      ----                         ----

     Total Debt                     27,373                       19,766

     Book Value
      (Members'
      Equity)                      105,674                      111,991

     Book Value per
      basic unit                     7,929                        8,403

SIRE reported net income of $0.3 million or $25.96 per basic unit for the six months ended March 31, 2018, compared to $7.7 million or $577.55 per basic unit for the six months ended March 31, 2017. SIRE reported net loss of $(0.8) million, or $(62.65) per unit, for the three months ended March 31, 2018, compared to a net income of $2.1 million, or $154.95 per basic unit, for the three months ended March 31, 2017.

SIRE revenue from operations was $104.1 million for the six months ended March 31, 2018, compared to $108.1 million for the six months ended March 31, 2017. SIRE revenue from operations was $53.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018, compared to $56.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017.

Modified EBITDA, which is defined as earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation, amortization, and unrealized hedging gains and losses was $6.1 million for the six months ended March 31, 2018, compared to $13.6 for the six months ended March 31, 2017 and $2.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018, compared to $5.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017.

The Company's debt increased $7.7 million at March 31, 2018 compared to September 30, 2017, as our continued paydown of term debt was offset by short term borrowing requirements of $10.9 million.

SIRE's book value was lower at March 31, 2018 by $6.3 million compared to September 30, 2017, due primarily to the $6.7 million paid in member distributions in January 2018.

SIRE had $1.3 million in cash and cash equivalents and $21.0 million available under revolving loan agreements, for a total cash and available borrowings of $22.3 million at March 31, 2018. The cash flow provided by operating activities was $1.5 million compared to $7.5 million for the six months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Brian Cahill, SIRE's President and CEO stated, "This first half of Fiscal 2018, we saw very tight margins, continuing the trends of the previous quarter. Corn prices have increased slightly per bushel as compared to Fiscal 2017. However, ethanol prices in the U.S. have been trending downwards over the past months, but we did see some price improvement in March of 2018. Demand for ethanol has been strong with the lower prices, both in the U.S. and abroad. The industry has continued to adjust and we expect margins to remain positive but are becoming more dependent on continued good export demand. Our distiller grains have also seen increased demand offset by reduced prices in the first half of Fiscal 2018 as compared to 2017, and a shift to a heavier weighting for wet distiller grains. We also have seen price improvement for distilled grains during the last quarter."

During the second quarter of Fiscal 2018, SIRE produced 31.9 million gallons of ethanol, compared to 31.1 million gallons during the first quarter of Fiscal 2017. For the first six months of Fiscal 2018, SIRE produced 63.6 million gallons of ethanol, compared to 61.0 million gallons in the first six months of Fiscal 2017. Cahill commented - "We continue to evaluate and implement new production technology. We will continue to focus on running the plant efficiently, increasing our ethanol yield, with a balance of optimizing the yield and profit."

About Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy, LLC:

SIRE is located on 275 acres in Council Bluffs, Iowa, operating a 140 million gallon per year ethanol plant. SIRE began producing ethanol in February, 2009 and sells its ethanol, distillers grains, corn syrup, and corn oil in the continental United States, Mexico and the Pacific Rim.

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "1995 Act"). Such statements are made in good faith by SIRE and are identified as including terms such as "may," "will," "should," "expects," "anticipates," "estimates," "plans," or similar language. In connection with these safe-harbor provisions, SIRE has identified in its Annual Report on Form 10-K , important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement made by or on behalf of SIRE, including, without limitation, the risk and nature of SIRE's business, and the effects of general economic conditions on SIRE. The forward-looking statements contained in this Press Release are included in the safe harbor protection provided by Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. SIRE further cautions that such factors are not exhaustive or exclusive. SIRE does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement which may be made from time to time by or on behalf of SIRE.

Financial Results

                        SOUTHWEST IOWA RENEWABLE ENERGY, LLC
                          Summary Statements of Operations
                                      Unaudited
                    (Dollars in thousands, except per unit data)


                                      For the three months     For the six months ended
                                         ended March 31,               March 31,

                                          2018                     2017          2018       2017
                                          ----                     ----          ----       ----

    Revenues                           $53,551                  $56,073      $104,097   $108,138

    Cost
     of
     Goods
     Sold                               53,195                   52,584       101,033     97,466
                                        ------                   ------       -------     ------

    Gross
     Margin                                356                    3,489         3,064     10,672


     General
     and
     administrative
     expenses                            1,056                    1,331         2,434      2,593

     Interest
     and
     other
     (income)
     expense,
     net                                   135                       93           284        382

    Net
     Income
     (Loss)                             $(835)                  $2,065          $346     $7,697
                                         =====                   ======          ====     ======


     Weighted
     Average
     Units
     Outstanding,
     Basic                              13,327                   13,327        13,327     13,327
                                        ------                   ------        ------     ------

     Weighted
     Average
     Units
     Outstanding,
     Diluted                            13,327                   14,442        14,354     14,442
                                        ------                   ------        ------     ------

    Net
     Income
     (Loss)
     per
     unit,
     Basic                            $(62.65)                 $154.95        $25.96    $577.55
                                       -------                  -------        ------    -------

    Net
     Income
     (Loss)
     per
     unit,
     Diluted                          $(62.65)                 $142.99        $24.10    $532.96
                                       -------                  -------        ------    -------

Modified EBITDA

Management uses Modified EBITDA, a non-GAAP measure, to measure the Company's financial performance and to internally manage its business. Management believes that Modified EBITDA provides useful information to investors as a measure of comparison with peer and other companies. Modified EBITDA should not be considered an alternative to net income or cash flow as determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Modified EBITDA calculations may vary from company to company. Accordingly, our computation of Modified EBITDA may not be comparable with a similarly-titled measure of another company.

Modified EBITDA, which is defined as earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation, amortization, unrealized hedging gains and losses, and other significant noncash expenses was $6.1 million for the six months ended March 31, 2018, compared to the $13.6 million for the six months ended March 31, 2017 and $2.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018, compared to $5.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017. The following sets forth the reconciliation of Net Income to Modified EBITDA for the periods indicated:

                          For the three months ended            For the six months

                       March 31,              March 31,  March 31,                March 31,
                             2018                   2017        2018                      2017

                       Unaudited              Unaudited  Unaudited                Unaudited

                        in 000's              in 000's   in 000"s                 in 000's
                        --------              --------   --------                 --------


    Net Income (loss)                $(835)                                          $2,065     $346   $7,697

    Interest expense,
     net                      242                               283                       472      571

    Depreciation            3,001                             3,006                     6,218    6,006
                            -----                             -----                     -----    -----

    EBITDA                  2,408                             5,354                     7,036   14,274


    Unrealized Hedging
     (Gain)                 (425)                               56                     (888)   (668)


    Modified EBITDA                  $1,983                                           $5,410   $6,148  $13,606
                                     ======                                           ======   ======  =======

    Statistical Information
    -----------------------


                                  Three Months Ended              Three Months Ended
                                    March 31, 2018                  March 31, 2017

                             Amounts                 % of   Amounts                    % of
                            in 000's               Revenues in 000's                 Revenues
                            --------               -------- --------                 --------

    Product Revenue
     Information

    Denatured and
     Undenatured
     Ethanol                             $43,018                80.3%                         $44,918 80.1%

    Distiller's Grains                    $8,083                15.1%                          $8,460 15.1%

    Corn Oil                              $2,155                 4.0%                          $2,433  4.3%

    Other                                   $295                 0.6%                            $262  0.5%

                              Six Months Ended                Six Months Ended
                               March 31, 2018                  March 31, 2017

                        Amounts                 % of   Amounts                   % of
                       in 000's               Revenues in 000's                Revenues
                       --------               -------- --------                --------

    Product Revenue
     Information

    Denatured and
     Undenatured
     Ethanol                        $82,739                79.5%                        $86,529 80.0%

    Distiller's Grains              $16,113                15.5%                        $16,399 15.2%

    Corn Oil                         $4,713                 4.5%                         $4,712  4.3%

    Other                              $532                 0.5%                           $498  0.5%

    Summary Balance Sheets
    ----------------------

    (Dollars in thousands)


                                    March 31, 2018          September 30, 2017
                                    --------------          ------------------

                                      (unaudited)

    ASSETS
    ------

    Current Assets

    Cash & cash equivalents                          $1,275                       $1,487

    Accounts receivable                     12,945                       13,295

    Inventory                               13,176                       13,214

    Other current assets                     1,531                          464
                                             -----                          ---

    Total current assets                    28,927                       28,460

    Net property, plant and
     equipment                             114,655                      118,226

    Other assets                             2,107                        2,143
                                             -----                        -----

    Total Assets                                   $145,689                     $148,829
                                                   ========                     ========


    LIABILITIES AND MEMBERS' EQUITY
    -------------------------------

    Current Liabilities

    Accounts payable,
     derivative financial
     instruments and
     accrued expenses                        7,108                       11,574

    Current maturities of
     notes payable                           6,549                        6,538
                                             -----                        -----

    Total current
     liabilities                            13,657                       18,112

    Total long term
     liabilities                            26,358                       18,726

    Total members' equity                  105,674                      111,991
                                           -------                      -------

    Total Liabilities and
     Members' Equity                       145,689                      148,829
                                           =======                      =======

CONTACT: Brett Frevert, CFO, Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy, LLC, 712.366.0392

View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/southwest-iowa-renewable-energy-llc-announces-fiscal-results-ended-march-31-2018-300645935.html

SOURCE Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy, LLC