Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc. Reports Third Quarter 2011 Financial Results; Reports Revenues of $1.130 billion and Fully Diluted EPS of $0.47 Per Share

WICHITA, Kan., Nov. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SPR) reported third quarter 2011 financial results reflecting solid core operating performance and strong demand for large commercial aircraft.

Spirit's third quarter 2011 revenues were $1.130 billion, up from $1.002 billion for the same period of 2010 as the company benefited from higher production deliveries during the quarter.

Operating income was $121 million, compared to $82 million for the same period in 2010, primarily driven by increased volume and model mix. In comparison, the third quarter of 2010 operating income included a $6 million one-time expense and a $4 million unfavorable cumulative catch-up adjustment associated with new program development.

Net income for the quarter was $67 million, or $0.47 per fully diluted share, compared to $46 million, or $0.33 per fully diluted share, in the same period of 2010. Current quarter net income reflects higher interest expense associated with increased long-term debt, partially offset by a lower effective tax rate as compared to the third quarter of 2010. (Table 1)

"This quarter marked a number of important milestones, including the certification of the 787-8 and 747-8 Freighter, the initial delivery of a 787-8 to an airline customer and the announcement of the 737 MAX, where we look to play a significant role on the derivative that extends the life of this very successful platform," said President and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Turner.  "For the 747-8 and 787-8, these are notable achievements that enable us to move on to the programs' production phase where we can begin to realize their long-term value."

"Our other development programs continue to make progress toward important near-term milestones in testing and certification.  We are focused on supporting our customers in meeting these milestones and positioning these programs for long-term success," Turner continued.

"Our backlog of $30 billion reflects the strong global demand for commercial aircraft and positions us well to realize the long-term value of these core programs for our customers, shareholders, and employees," Turner concluded. 

Spirit's backlog at the end of the third quarter of 2011 increased by 4 percent to $30 billion as orders exceeded deliveries. Spirit calculates its backlog based on contractual prices for products and volumes from the published firm order backlogs of Airbus and Boeing, along with firm orders from other customers.

Spirit updated its contract profitability estimates during the third quarter of 2011, resulting in a net pre-tax $4 million favorable cumulative catch-up adjustment and an additional $10 million forward-loss on the CH-53K program due to a shift in the make versus buy strategy in the development phase of the program. In comparison, Spirit recognized a ($4) million unfavorable cumulative catch-up adjustment for the third quarter of 2010.

Cash flow from operations was a $66 million source of cash for the third quarter of 2011, compared to a $122 million use of cash for the third quarter of 2010.  The current quarter working capital reflects increased inventory offset by favorable accounts receivable and the timing of payables.  (Table 2)

Cash balances at the end of the quarter were $138 million while the company's $650 million revolving credit facility remained undrawn.  Approximately $20 million of the credit facility is reserved for financial letters of credit.  Debt balances at the end of the third quarter were $1,204 million.

The company's credit rating remains unchanged at the end of the third quarter 2011 with a BB rating, stable outlook by Standard & Poor's and a Ba2 rating, stable outlook by Moody's Investor Services.

Financial Outlook

Spirit revenue guidance for the full-year 2011 is updated and expected to be approximately $4.7 billion based on Boeing's 2011 delivery guidance of ~480 aircraft; expected B787 ship set deliveries; expected Airbus deliveries in 2011 of approximately 520 to 530 aircraft; internal Spirit forecasts for other customer production activities; expected non-production revenues; and foreign exchange rates consistent with those in the third quarter of 2011.

Fully diluted earnings per share guidance for 2011 remains unchanged at $1.40-$1.50.  

Guidance for cash flow from operations, less capital expenditures, is expected to be between a $250 and $300 million use of cash in the aggregate, with capital expenditures of approximately $250 million.  

The 2011 forecasted effective tax rate is updated to approximately 31 percent. (Table 3)

Risk to our financial guidance includes, among other factors: 787 delivery volumes; higher than forecast non-recurring and recurring costs on our development programs; mid-range business jet market risks; and our ability to achieve anticipated productivity and cost improvements.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements reflect our current expectations or forecasts of future events. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "believe," "project," "continue," "plan," "forecast," or other similar words, or the negative thereof, unless the context requires otherwise. These statements reflect management's current views with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown. Our actual results may vary materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements. We caution investors not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in such forward-looking statements and that should be considered in evaluating our outlook include, but are not limited to, the following: our ability to continue to grow our business and execute our growth strategy, including the timing, execution and profitability of new programs; our ability to perform our obligations and manage costs related to our new commercial and business aircraft development programs and the related recurring production; margin pressures and the potential for additional forward-losses on aircraft development programs; our ability to accommodate, and the cost of accommodating, announced increases in the build rates of certain aircraft, including, but not limited to, the Boeing B737, B747, B767 and B777 programs, and the Airbus A320 and A380 programs; the effect on business and commercial aircraft demand and build rates of continuing weakness in the global economy and economic challenges facing commercial airlines, a lack of business and consumer confidence, and the impact of continuing instability in global financial and credit markets, including, but not limited to,  any failure to avert a sovereign debt crisis in Europe; customer cancellations or deferrals as a result of  global economic uncertainty; the success and timely execution of key milestones such as  deliveries of Boeing's new B787 and certification and delivery of Airbus' new A350 XWB aircraft programs, including first flight, certification and first delivery for the Airbus A350 XWB, receipt of necessary regulatory approvals, and customer adherence to their announced schedules; our ability to enter into profitable supply arrangements with additional customers; the ability of all parties to satisfy their performance requirements under existing supply contracts with Boeing and Airbus, our two major customers, and other customers and the risk of nonpayment by such customers; any adverse impact on Boeing's and Airbus' production of aircraft resulting from cancellations, deferrals or reduced orders by their customers or from labor disputes or acts of terrorism; any adverse impact on the demand for air travel or our operations from the outbreak of diseases or epidemic or pandemic outbreaks; returns on pension plan assets and impact of future discount rate changes on pension obligations; our ability to borrow additional funds or refinance debt; competition from original equipment manufacturers and other aerostructures suppliers; the effect of governmental laws, such as U.S. export control laws and U.S. and foreign anti-bribery laws such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and United Kingdom Bribery Act, environmental laws and agency regulations, both in the U.S. and abroad; the cost and availability of raw materials and purchased components; our ability to successfully extend or renegotiate our primary collective bargaining contracts with our labor unions; our ability to recruit and retain highly skilled employees and our relationships with the unions representing many of our employees; spending by the U.S. and other governments on defense; the possibility that our cash flows and borrowing facilities may not be adequate for our additional capital needs or for payment of interest on and principal of our indebtedness; our exposure under our existing senior secured revolving credit facility to higher interest payments should interest rates increase substantially; the effectiveness of our interest rate and foreign currency hedging programs; the outcome or impact of ongoing or future litigation, claims and regulatory actions; and our exposure to potential product liability and warranty claims. These factors are not exhaustive and it is not possible for us to predict all factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in our forward-looking statements.  These factors speak only as of the date hereof, and new factors may emerge or changes to the foregoing factors may occur that could impact our business. As with any projection or forecast, these statements are inherently susceptible to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Except to the extent required by law, we undertake no obligation to, and expressly disclaim any obligation to, publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You should review carefully the sections captioned "Risk Factors" in our 2010 Form 10-K filed February 22, 2011 and our second quarter 2011 Form 10-Q filed August 5 for a more complete discussion of these and other factors that may affect our business.

Appendix

Segment Results

Fuselage Systems

Fuselage Systems segment revenues for the third quarter of 2011 were $542 million, up 12 percent from the same period last year, primarily driven by higher twin-aisle production volumes.  Operating margin for the third quarter of 2011 was 14.7 percent as compared to 13.9 percent during the same period of 2010. The segment recorded an additional pre-tax $10 million forward-loss charge due to a shift in the make versus buy strategy of the development phase of the CH-53K program, which was partially offset by a favorable pre-tax $1 million cumulative catch-up adjustment.

Propulsion Systems

Propulsion Systems segment revenues for the third quarter of 2011 were $309 million, up 22 percent from the same period last year, largely driven by higher twin-aisle production volumes and  increased aftermarket volumes.  Operating margin for the third quarter of 2011 was 17.1 percent as compared to 12.1 percent in the third quarter of 2010. In the third quarter of 2011 the segment realized a favorable pre-tax $5 million cumulative catch-up adjustment.

Wing Systems

Wing Systems segment revenues for the third quarter of 2011 were $277 million, up 5 percent from the same period last year, primarily driven by higher twin-aisle production volumes. Operating margin for the third quarter of 2011 was 8.2 percent as compared to 9.8 percent during the same period of 2010, as the segment recorded an unfavorable pre-tax $2 million cumulative catch-up adjustment in 2011.

* Previously included Hawker-Beechcraft products only. Now includes Spirit deliveries associated with business and regional jets.

On the web: http://www.spiritaero.com

SOURCE Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc.