Tenneco Reports Third Quarter 2021 Results

LAKE FOREST, Ill., Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tenneco (NYSE: TEN) today announced results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2021, including the following:

• Tenneco posted higher third quarter total revenue of $4.3 billion, up 2% versus prior year. Value-add revenue for the third quarter 2021 was $3.3 billion, 2% lower year-over-year excluding favorable currency impact of $53 million. Tenneco's revenue performance in the quarter strongly outpaced industry light vehicle production, which declined 20% versus last year, driven by our diversified end market mix.
• The Company reported net earnings for the third quarter 2021 of $15 million, or $0.17 per diluted share, compared with a net loss in prior year of $499 million, or $(6.12) per diluted share.
• Third quarter EBIT* was $125 million versus $236 million in the prior year, and EBIT as a percent of revenue decreased 260 basis points to 2.9% versus 5.5% in the prior year.
• Adjusted EBITDA** was $279 million, versus $388 million a year ago. Adjusted EBITDA as a percent of value-add revenue was 8.5%, versus 11.8% last year. The year-over-year margin decline was attributable to temporary cost actions in 2020 that were not repeated this year and net material cost inflation due to timing of recoveries. Volume related inefficiencies caused by the continued semiconductor shortage were more than offset by Accelerate+ structural cost improvements.
• Third quarter operating cash flow was a use of $48 million, primarily due to higher inventory levels resulting from volatile production schedules, and year to date free cash flow for debt service was roughly neutral. Higher LTM earnings resulted in a 1.1x improvement in the Company's net leverage ratio*** compared to December 31, 2020.

"Our third quarter results demonstrate the scale and diversification in our regions and markets served and our ability to actively manage costs. Actions taken during the quarter helped mitigate the effects of the volatile light vehicle production environment driven by the semiconductor shortage along with inflationary pressures and other pandemic-related challenges," said Brian Kesseler, Tenneco's chief executive officer. "We appreciate the ongoing efforts of our global team members who remain focused on business-critical priorities during these extraordinary times."

Outlook 
For 2021, Tenneco has updated its full year guidance ranges.

"Building upon our Accelerate+ structural cost savings program, we are initiating additional cost reduction actions to better flex our capacity to align with the current market conditions, which we expect will carry into 2022," added Kesseler. "Tenneco's mid and long-term prospects remain strong as we continue our disciplined focus on cost reduction, cash generation and investment in our strategic growth drivers. We are well positioned to benefit from the eventual recovery of light vehicle production volumes."

Earnings Conference Call Details
The Company will host a webcast conference call on Friday, November 5, 2021 at 9:30 a.m. ET.  The purpose of the call is to discuss the Company's financial results for the third quarter 2021, as well as to provide other information regarding the company's outlook.

A live "listen only" webcast and presentation materials will be available on the investor section of the company's website at https://investors.tenneco.com.  An archive of the webcast will be available approximately one hour after conclusion of the call for one year. 

Telephone participants are encouraged to pre-register for the conference call using the following link: https://dpregister.com/sreg/10161052/ee7271b14c

Callers who pre-register will be given a conference passcode and unique PIN to gain immediate access to the call and bypass the live operator.  Participants may pre-register at any time, including up to and after the call start time. 

Those without internet access or unable to pre-register may dial in, using the passcode "Tenneco Inc."
PARTICIPANT DIAL IN (TOLL FREE): 1-833-366-1121
PARTICIPANT INTERNATIONAL DIAL IN: 1-412-902-6733

Attachment 1
Statements of Income (Loss) – 3 months
Statements of Income (Loss) – 9 months
Balance Sheets
Statements of Cash Flows – 3 Months
Statements of Cash Flows – 9 Months

Attachment 2
Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Earnings Measures – 3 Months
Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Earnings Measures – 9 Months
Reconciliation of GAAP Revenue and Earnings to Non-GAAP Revenue and Earnings Measures – 3 and 9 Months
Reconciliation of GAAP Revenue to Non-GAAP Revenue Measures – 3 and 9 Months
Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures – Debt Net of Total Cash/Adjusted LTM EBITDA including noncontrolling interests
Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Revenue Measures – Original Equipment, Original Equipment Service and Aftermarket Revenue – 3 and 9 Months

About Tenneco
Tenneco is one of the world's leading designers, manufacturers, and marketers of automotive products for original equipment and aftermarket customers, with full year 2020 revenues of $15.4 billion and approximately 73,000 team members working at more than 270 sites worldwide.  Through our four business groups, Motorparts, Performance Solutions, Clean Air and Powertrain, Tenneco is driving advancements in global mobility by delivering technology solutions for diversified global markets, including light vehicle, commercial truck, off-highway, industrial, motorsport and the aftermarket.

Visit www.tenneco.com to learn more.

Investors and others should note that Tenneco routinely posts important information on its website and considers the Investor section, www.investors.tenneco.com, a channel of distribution. 

About Guidance
Revenue estimates and other forecasted information in this release are based on OE manufacturers' programs that have been formally awarded to the company; programs where Tenneco is highly confident that it will be awarded business based on informal customer indications consistent with past practices; and Tenneco's status as supplier for the existing program and its relationship with the customer.  This information is also based on anticipated vehicle production levels and pricing, including precious metals pricing and the impact of material cost changes. Unless otherwise indicated, our methodology does not attempt to forecast currency fluctuations, and accordingly, reflects constant currency. Certain elements of the restructuring and related expenses, legal settlements, substrate pricing, and other unusual charges we incur from time to time cannot be forecasted accurately.  In this respect, we are not able to forecast corresponding GAAP measures without unreasonable efforts on account of these factors and other factors not in our control.

Safe Harbor
This press release contains forward-looking statements. The words "will," "would," "could," "expect," "anticipate," and similar expressions (and variations thereof), identify these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on the current expectations of the Company (including its subsidiaries).  Because these statements involve risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from the expectations expressed in the forward-looking statements.

Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements include: general economic, business, market and social conditions, including the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of inflationary pressures on materials, labor and other costs of doing business; our ability (or inability) to successfully execute cost reduction, performance improvement and other plans, including our plans in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and our previously announced accelerated performance improvement plan ("Accelerate"), and to realize the anticipated benefits from these plans; disasters, local and global public health emergencies or other catastrophic events, where we or our customers do business, and any resultant disruptions; supply chain disruptions, including constraints on steel and semiconductors and resulting increases in costs, impacting our company, our customers or the automotive industry; changes in capital availability or costs, including increases in our cost of borrowing (i.e., interest rate increases), the amount of our debt, our ability to access capital markets at favorable rates, and the credit ratings of our debt and our financial flexibility to respond to COVID-19 pandemic; our ability to comply with the covenants contained in the agreements governing our indebtedness and otherwise have sufficient liquidity through the COVID-19 pandemic; our working capital requirements; our ability to source and procure needed materials, components and other products, and services (including the services of employees) in accordance with customer demand and at competitive prices; the cost and outcome of existing and any future claims, legal proceedings or investigations; changes in consumer demand for our OE products or aftermarket products, prices and our ability to have our products included on top selling vehicles, including any shifts in consumer preferences; the continued evolution of the automotive industry towards car and ride sharing and autonomous vehicles; to the announced plans, in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, of governments and vehicle manufacturers to limit production of diesel and gasoline powered vehicles in various national and local jurisdictions globally; the cyclical nature of the global vehicle industry, including the performance of the global aftermarket sector and the impact of vehicle parts' longer product lives; changes in automotive and commercial vehicle manufacturers' production rates and their actual and forecasted requirements for our products, due to difficult economic conditions and/or regulatory or legal changes affecting internal combustion engines and/or aftermarket products; our dependence on certain large customers, including the loss of any of our large OE manufacturer customers (on whom we depend for a substantial portion of our revenues), or the loss of market shares by these customers if we are unable to achieve increased sales to other OE-customers or any change in customer demand due to delays in the adoption or enforcement of worldwide emissions regulations; the overall highly competitive nature of the automotive and commercial vehicle parts industries, and any resultant inability to realize the sales represented by our awarded book of business (which is based on anticipated pricing and volumes over the life of the applicable program); risks inherent in operating a multi-national company; damage to the reputation of one or more of our leading brands; industry-wide strikes, labor disruptions at our facilities or any labor or other economic disruptions at any of our significant customers or suppliers or any of our customers' other suppliers, including increased costs associated with strikes or labor or other economic disruptions; changes in distribution channels or competitive conditions in the markets and countries where we operate; customer acceptance of new products; our ability to successfully integrate, and benefit from, any acquisitions that we complete; the potential impairment in the carrying value of our long-lived assets, goodwill, and other intangible assets or the inability to fully realize our deferred tax assets; increases in the costs of raw materials or components, including our ability to successfully reduce the impact of any such cost increases through materials substitutions, cost reduction initiatives, customer recovery and other methods; the impact of the extensive, increasing, and changing laws and regulations to which we are subject, including environmental laws and regulations, which may result in our incurrence of environmental liabilities in excess of the amount reserved or increased costs or loss of revenues relating to products subject to changing regulation;  and the timing and occurrence (or non-occurrence) of other transactions, events and circumstances which may be beyond our control.

In addition, statements regarding the Company's ongoing review of strategic alternatives, including a potential separation of the Company into a powertrain technology company and an aftermarket and ride performance company, constitute forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements include (in addition to the risks set forth above): the ability to identify and consummate strategic alternatives that yield additional value for shareholders; the timing, benefits and outcome of the Company's strategic review process; the structure, terms and specific risk and uncertainties associated with any potential strategic alternative; potential disruptions in our business and stock price as a result of our exploration, review and pursuit of any strategic alternatives; the possibility that the Company may not complete a separation of the aftermarket and ride performance business from the powertrain technology business (or achieve some or all of the anticipated benefits of such a separation on the timeline contemplated or at all); the ability to retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with customers, suppliers or other business partners; the potential diversion of management's attention resulting from a separation or other strategic alternative; the risk the combined company and each separate company following a separation will underperform relative to our expectations; the ongoing transaction costs and risk that we may incur greater costs following a separation of the business or other strategic alternative; and the risk a separation is determined to be a taxable transaction. 

The risks included here are not exhaustive.  The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release. Additional information regarding these risk factors and uncertainties is, and will be, detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC filings, including but not limited to its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, and quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2021, and June 30, 2021.

Investor inquiries:
Linae Golla
847-482-5162
[email protected]

Rich Kwas
248-849-1340
[email protected]

Media inquiries:
Bill Dawson
847-482-5807
[email protected]