Sauer-Danfoss Inc. Reports Third Quarter 2011 Results

AMES, Iowa, Nov. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Sauer-Danfoss Inc. (NYSE: SHS) today announced its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2011.

Third Quarter Review

Net sales for the third quarter increased 23 percent to $483.3 million, compared to net sales of $392.6 million for the third quarter of 2010.  Excluding the impact of changes in currency translation rates, sales in the third quarter increased 17 percent over the same quarter last year.  Sales for the third quarter increased 23 percent in the Americas, 22 percent in Europe, but declined 7 percent in the Asia-Pacific region, excluding the impact of changes in currency translation rates.  Sales increased 28 percent in the Controls segment, 22 percent in the Propel segment, 9 percent in the Stand-Alone Businesses segment, and 2 percent in the Work Function segment, excluding the impact of changes in currency translation rates.

The Company reported net income of $57.0 million, or $1.18 per share, for the third quarter of 2011, compared to net income of $32.1 million, or $0.66 per share, for the third quarter of 2010.  Third quarter 2011 results were favorably impacted by $2.6 million, or $0.05 per share, related to the reversal of deferred tax asset valuation allowances.   Results for third quarter 2010 were negatively impacted by restructuring costs of $1.1 million, or $0.02 per share.  In addition, third quarter 2010 results were favorably impacted by $4.1 million, or $0.08 per share, related to the reversal of deferred tax asset valuation allowances.

Sven Ruder, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "We are pleased with our record third quarter earnings and cash flow.  Sales growth is slowing from prior quarters, however at 17 percent, it remains strong in the face of tougher comparables of a year ago.  Sales growth in the Americas and in Europe was good, but sales in the Asia-Pacific region were down from last year, primarily from a decline in sales in China.  This slowdown in demand was driven by the Chinese government continuing to tighten monetary policy to rein in inflation.  We believe the underlying, long-term growth drivers in China are compelling and the current sales decline is temporary."    

Strengthening Orders and Backlog

The Company received new orders of $551.9 million for the third quarter of 2011, a 36 percent increase compared to third quarter 2010 orders of $406.8 million.  Excluding the impact of changes in currency translation rates, orders increased 29 percent.

Total backlog at September 30, 2011, was $942.3 million, a 41 percent increase compared to the same period last year of $669.9 million.  Excluding the impact of changes in currency translation rates, backlog increased 40 percent.

Nine Month Review

The Company reported net sales for the nine months ended September 30, 2011, of $1,611.4 million, compared to net sales of $1,211.6 million for the first nine months of 2010.  Net sales for the first nine months of 2011 increased 28 percent over the prior year period, excluding the impact of currency translation rate changes.

Net income for the first nine months of 2011 was $202.4 million, or $4.18 per share, compared to net income of $87.4 million, or $1.80 per share, for the same period last year.  2011 results were favorably impacted by $13.7 million, or $0.28 per share, relating to the reversal of deferred tax asset valuation allowances.  Results for the first nine months of 2010 include restructuring costs of $8.0 million, or $0.17 per share.  In addition, 2010 results were favorably impacted by $18.8 million, or $0.39 per share, relating to the reversal of deferred tax asset valuation allowances.  

Record Cash Flow

Cash flow from operations for the first nine months of 2011 was a record $283.2 million compared to $188.0 million for the first nine months of 2010.  Capital expenditures for the first nine months of 2011 were $22.8 million compared to $12.7 million for the same period last year.  The Company is now in a net cash position of $4.1 million at September 30, 2011, having reduced its debt, net of cash, by $240.6 million during the first nine months of 2011.  The debt to total capital ratio, or leverage ratio, was 25 percent at September 30, 2011, compared to 43 percent at December 31, 2010.

"Having generated $250 million of free cash flow in the first nine months of 2011, we have now crossed over to being in a net creditor position on our balance sheet, or having more cash than debt," stated Ruder.  

Outlook Reaffirmed for 2011

Ruder concluded, "As our third quarter results confirm, our business remains strong and we expect to end 2011 within the ranges we reported last quarter. Nonetheless, global macroeconomic issues may begin to impact our business.  We expect China to be weak into the first quarter of 2012.  While many customers in the Americas are upbeat, some customers in Europe are more cautious than they were just a few months ago.  Sales growth in the fourth quarter will be low compared to the strong fourth quarter of 2010.  We now believe our sales increase for the year will be in the lower part of our previously forecasted range of 25 to 30 percent.  In addition, we are narrowing our range for the earnings per share outlook."        

The outlook for 2011 is reaffirmed as follows:

• Annual sales increasing approximately 25 percent from 2010 levels (previously 25 to 30 percent)
• Expected earnings in the range of $4.50 to $5.00 per share (previously $4.25 to $5.00 per share)
• Capital expenditures of approximately $60.0 to $65.0 million (unchanged)

Webcast Information

Members of Sauer-Danfoss' management team will host a webcast on November 3 at 10 AM Eastern Time to discuss 2011 third quarter results. The call is open to all interested parties on listen-only mode via an audio webcast and can be accessed through the Investor Relations page of the Company's website at http://ir.sauer-danfoss.com.  A replay of the call will be available at that site through November 17, 2011.

About Sauer-Danfoss

Sauer-Danfoss Inc. is a worldwide leader in the design, manufacture, and sale of engineered hydraulic and electronic systems and components for use primarily in applications of mobile equipment.  Sauer-Danfoss, with 2010 revenues of approximately $1.6 billion, has sales, manufacturing, and engineering capabilities in Europe, the Americas, and the Asia-Pacific region.      

More details online at www.sauer-danfoss.com.

This press release contains certain statements that constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. All statements regarding future performance, growth, sales and earnings projections, conditions or developments are forward-looking statements. Words such as "anticipates," "in the opinion," "believes," "intends," "expects," "may," "will," "should," "could," "plans," "forecasts," "estimates," "predicts," "projects," "potential," "continue," and similar expressions may be intended to identify forward-looking statements.

Actual future results may differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors. Readers should bear in mind that past experience is never a perfect guide to anticipating actual future results. Risk factors affecting the Company's forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the following: general, worldwide economic conditions, the level of interest rates, crude oil prices, commercial and consumer confidence, and currency exchange rates; specific economic conditions in the agriculture, construction, road building, turf care, material handling and specialty vehicle markets and the impact of such conditions on the Company's customers in such markets; the cyclical nature of some of the Company's businesses; the ability of the Company to win new programs and maintain existing programs with its original equipment manufacturer (OEM) customers; the highly competitive nature of the markets for the Company's products as well as pricing pressures that may result from such competitive conditions; the continued operation and viability of the Company's significant customers; the Company's execution of internal performance plans; difficulties or delays in manufacturing; the effectiveness of the Company's cost-management and productivity improvement efforts; the Company's ability to manage its business effectively in a period of growing sales and high demand and its capacity to make necessary adjustments if demand for its products were to decline; competing technologies and difficulties entering and growing in new and expanding markets, both domestic and foreign; changes in the Company's product mix; future levels of indebtedness and capital spending; the availability of sufficient levels of credit on favorable terms, whether from Danfoss A/S, the Company's majority stockholder, or from the capital markets or traditional credit sources to enable the Company to meet its capital needs; claims, including, without limitation, warranty claims, field recall claims, product liability claims, charges or dispute resolutions; the ability of suppliers to provide materials as needed and the Company's ability to recover any price increases for materials in product pricing; the Company's ability to attract and retain key technical and other personnel; labor relations; the failure of customers to make timely payment, especially in light of the persistence of tight credit markets; any inadequacy of the Company's intellectual property protection or the potential for third-party claims of infringement; credit market disruptions and significant changes in capital market liquidity and funding costs affecting the Company and its customers; sovereign debt crises, in the U.S., Europe and elsewhere, and the reaction of other nations to such crises; energy prices; the impact of new or changed tax and other legislation and regulations in jurisdictions in which the Company and its affiliates operate; actions by the U.S. Federal Reserve Board and the central banks of other nations, including heightened capital requirements imposed on Chinese banks; actions by other regulatory agencies, including those taken in response to the global credit crisis; actions by credit rating agencies; changes in accounting standards; worldwide political stability, including developments in the Middle East; the effects of terrorist activities and resulting political or economic instability; natural catastrophes; U.S. and NATO military action overseas; and the effect of acquisitions, divestitures, restructurings, product withdrawals, and other unusual events.

The Company cautions the reader that this list of cautionary statements and risk factors is not exhaustive. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or changes to these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances.  The foregoing risks and uncertainties are further described in Item 1A (Risk Factors) in the Company's latest annual report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC, which should be reviewed in considering the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.  

SOURCE Sauer-Danfoss Inc.