Briggs & Stratton Corporation Reports Fiscal 2018 Second Quarter Results

MILWAUKEE, Jan. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Briggs & Stratton Corporation (NYSE: BGG) today announced financial results for its second fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2017.

• Fiscal second quarter net sales were $446 million, an increase of $18 million, or 4.2%, from $428 million for the prior year from continued favorable momentum in sales of engines and products designed for commercial markets.
• Quarterly gross profit margin of 20.8% (GAAP) and adjusted gross profit margin of 21.1% decreased from a gross profit margin of 22.3% last year primarily due to sales mix and lower production volumes as anticipated.
• Second quarter net loss of $16.3 million, or $0.39 per share (GAAP), included a $24.9 million one-time charge as a result of the implementation of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 ("Tax Reform") as well as business optimization charges. Excluding these items, adjusted net income was $10.7 million, or $0.25 per diluted share.
• The company's estimated effective tax rate for fiscal 2018 is expected to be in a range of 29% to 31%, excluding business optimization costs and the one-time charge from implementing Tax Reform.
• The company is increasing its fiscal 2018 earnings outlook to $1.45 to $1.62 per diluted share, before business optimization costs and the one-time charge from implementing Tax Reform, from previous guidance of $1.41 to $1.58 per diluted share due to the reduction in the planned effective tax rate.

"At the halfway point in our fiscal year, I am pleased to report that we are solidly on track to meeting our annual and long-range goals," said Todd J. Teske, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Highlights from our second quarter results included growth of our commercial offerings as well as a modest contribution from follow-on generator sales due to the hurricanes this past fall.  We also made nice strides in advancing our business optimization program, and we remain on schedule with this important initiative to support growth and long-term profitability improvement." Teske continued, "Looking forward to the upcoming lawn and garden season, our engine placement is set and it is consistent with last season as we had anticipated. We continue to introduce new, innovative residential products and engines that provide substantially better performance and benefits for home owners.  We are also encouraged by continued positive growth trends for new and existing single-family homes.  Accelerating our momentum in growing sales of our commercial offerings remains a key focus for us, and we expect that our new products and engines this year will result in further success. The new offerings are designed to improve the productivity of people who use our equipment to earn a living."

Tax Reform

• As a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, the company recognized a one-time charge of $24.9 million in the second quarter from the estimated impact of the inclusion of foreign earnings and revaluation of deferred tax assets and liabilities. Excluding this charge as well as the costs of the company's business optimization program, the company expects the reduction in the corporate tax rate will result in an effective tax rate of approximately 29% to 31% (previously 31% to 33%) for fiscal 2018. Given the mid-year change in the corporate tax rate, the company's fiscal 2018 effective tax rate is comprised of a blend of the pre and post-tax reform tax rates. Beginning in fiscal 2019, the company's effective tax rate is expected to decrease to a range of approximately 26% to 28%.

Outlook:

Updated fiscal 2018 guidance:

• Net sales are expected to be in a range of $1.91 billion to $1.96 billion, up from previous guidance of $1.90 billion to $1.95 billion, due to follow-on generator sales to date through the end of the second quarter.
• Net income is expected to be in a range of $62 million to $70 million (previously $60 million to $68 million), or $1.45 to $1.62 per diluted share (previously $1.41 to $1.58 per diluted share), due to the reduction in the planned effective tax rate. This outlook is prior to the benefit of share repurchases and excludes the costs of the business optimization program and the one-time implementation charge related to Tax Reform.
• Operating margins are expected to remain unchanged from previous guidance of approximately 5.8% to 6.0%, prior to the impact of costs related to the company's business optimization program. Management expects the modest contribution from follow-on generator sales in the second quarter to be offset by incremental promotional investment in the upcoming quarter to further promote the company's innovative products to new and existing homeowners.

Conference Call Information:

The company will host a conference call tomorrow at 10:00 AM (ET) to review the second quarter financial results. A live webcast of the conference call will be available on the company's corporate website: http://investors.basco.com.

Also available is a dial-in number to access the call real-time at (877) 233-9136 and enter Conference ID 3969087. A replay will be offered beginning approximately two hours after the call ends and will be available for one week. Dial (855) 859-2056 to access the replay.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures:

This release refers to non-GAAP financial measures including "adjusted gross profit", "adjusted engineering, selling, general, and administrative expenses", "adjusted segment income (loss)", "adjusted net income (loss)", and "adjusted diluted earnings (loss) per share."  Refer to the accompanying financial schedules for supplemental financial data and corresponding reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to certain GAAP financial measures.

Safe Harbor Statement:

This release contains certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "forecast", "intend", "plan", "project", and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are based on the company's current views and assumptions and involve risks and uncertainties that include, among other things, the ability to successfully forecast demand for its products; changes in interest rates and foreign exchange rates; the effects of weather on the purchasing patterns of consumers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs); actions of engine manufacturers and OEMs with whom the company competes; changes in laws and regulations, including U.S. tax reform, changes in tax rates, laws and regulations as well as related guidance; changes in customer and OEM demand; changes in prices of raw materials and parts that the company purchases; changes in domestic and foreign economic conditions (including effects from the U.K.'s decision to exit the European Union); the ability to bring new productive capacity on line efficiently and with good quality; outcomes of legal proceedings and claims; the ability to realize anticipated savings from restructuring actions; and other factors disclosed from time to time in the company's SEC filings or otherwise, including the factors discussed in Item 1A, Risk Factors, of the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and in its periodic reports on Form 10-Q. The company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements made in this release to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release.

About Briggs & Stratton Corporation:

Briggs & Stratton Corporation (NYSE: BGG), headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is focused on providing power to get work done and make people's lives better. Briggs & Stratton is the world's largest producer of gasoline engines for outdoor power equipment, and is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of power generation, pressure washer, lawn and garden, turf care and job site products through its Briggs & Stratton®, Simplicity®, Snapper®, Ferris®, Vanguard™, Allmand®, Billy Goat®, Murray®, Branco®, and Victa® brands. Briggs & Stratton products are designed, manufactured, marketed and serviced in over 100 countries on six continents. For additional information, please visit www.basco.com and www.briggsandstratton.com.

Liquidity and Capital Resources:

Net debt at December 31, 2017 was $285.4 million (total Long-Term Debt and Short-Term Debt, excluding related debt issuance costs, of $351.8 million less $66.4 million of cash), compared with $307.9 million (total Long-Term Debt and Short-Term Debt, excluding debt issuance costs, of $355.2 million less $47.3 million of cash) at January 2, 2017.

Cash flows used in operating activities for the first six months of fiscal 2018 were $64.9 million, compared to $126.6 million for the first six months of fiscal 2017. The decrease in cash used in operating activities was primarily related to changes in working capital, including greater collections of accounts receivable due to timing of sales and customer payments, as well as higher accounts payable due to timing.

During the first six months of fiscal 2018, the company repurchased approximately 141,000 shares of its common stock (including approximately 42,000 in the second quarter) on the open market at an average price of $22.16 per share. As of December 31, 2017, there was remaining authorization to repurchase up to approximately $27 million of common stock with an expiration date of June 29, 2018.

SUPPLEMENTAL SEGMENT INFORMATION

Second Quarter Highlights

• Engine sales unit volumes decreased by 10%, or approximately 180,000 engines, in the second quarter of fiscal 2018 compared to the same period last year. The decrease was primarily due to an acceleration of international sales into the first quarter of fiscal 2018, as well as management's anticipation that domestic customers will produce closer to the lawn and garden season this year. Sales of service parts to the company's service distribution venture were also lower this year due to a planned seasonal inventory reduction initiative. Partially offsetting the sales decline were increased sales of commercial engines.
• Gross profit percentage decreased due to approximately 5% lower manufacturing volume and unfavorable sales mix, which includes lower service parts sales. Higher material costs were offset by modest pricing increases.
• ESG&A increased by $2.5 million (GAAP) and $2.4 million (adjusted) from last year due to higher employee compensation costs and the investment in the upgrade to the company's ERP system.

Second Quarter Highlights

• Net sales increased by $31.4 million, or 16.5%, from the same period last year. The increase was primarily due to higher sales of commercial job site products, commercial lawn and garden equipment and snow throwers. Generator sales were slightly lower in the second quarter of fiscal 2018 given the prior year's second quarter net sales included the impact of Hurricane Matthew.
• Gross profit percentage and adjusted gross profit percentage decreased by 70 basis points and 40 basis points, respectively, primarily due to a 4% reduction in manufacturing throughput. Production of pressure washers and residential riding mowers was lower in the quarter in order to right size inventory levels, which were elevated coming out of last season.
• ESG&A increased by $2.4 million (GAAP) and $2.1 million (adjusted) compared to last year due to higher compensation costs, higher commissions expense on increased sales volume and higher costs associated with investments to upgrade the company's ERP system and growing commercial offerings.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Briggs & Stratton Corporation prepares its financial statements using Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). When a company discloses material information containing non-GAAP financial measures, SEC regulations require that the disclosure include a presentation of the most directly comparable GAAP measure and a reconciliation of the GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures. Management's inclusion of non-GAAP financial measures in this release is intended to supplement, not replace, the presentation of the financial results in accordance with GAAP. Briggs & Stratton Corporation management believes that these non-GAAP financial measures, when considered together with the GAAP financial measures, provide information that is useful to investors in understanding period-over-period operating results separate and apart from items that may, or could, have a disproportionately positive or negative impact on results in any particular period. Management also believes that these non-GAAP financial measures enhance the ability of investors to analyze the company's business trends and to understand the company's performance. In addition, management may utilize non-GAAP financial measures as a guide in the company's forecasting, budgeting and long-term planning process. Non-GAAP financial measures should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for, or superior to, financial measures presented in accordance with GAAP. The following tables are reconciliations of the non-GAAP financial measures:

SOURCE Briggs & Stratton Corporation