TETRA Technologies, Inc. Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2016 Results

THE WOODLANDS, Texas, March 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- TETRA Technologies, Inc. ("TETRA" or the "Company") (NYSE: TTI) today announced a consolidated fourth quarter 2016 net loss per share attributable to TETRA stockholders of $0.33, which compares to a net loss per share of $0.16 in the third quarter of 2016 and net loss per share of $1.84 in the fourth quarter of 2015.

TETRA's adjusted per share results attributable to TETRA stockholders for the fourth quarter of 2016, excluding Maritech and special items, were a loss of $0.16, which compares to adjusted loss per share of $0.05 in the third quarter of 2016 and adjusted earnings per share of $0.01 in the fourth quarter of 2015, also excluding Maritech and special items. Fourth quarter 2016 revenue of $173 million decreased 2% from the third quarter of 2016.  Compared to the fourth quarter of 2015 revenue declined 33% primarily as a result of reduced activity levels in the Gulf of Mexico and the lower rig count.  (Adjusted diluted earnings/(loss) per share is a non-GAAP financial measure that is reconciled to the nearest GAAP measure in the accompanying schedules.)

Highlights of the 2016 fourth quarter include:

• Fluids revenue increased sequentially by 2% despite the deferral of a significant Gulf of Mexico TETRA CS Neptune® completion fluids project from the fourth quarter to the first half of 2017.  The sequential increase was driven by strong U.S. onshore activity and improved international offshore volumes. 
• Compression activity is reflecting signs of a recovery with quarter end utilization increasing sequentially by 120 basis points to 76.4%, operating horsepower in service increasing sequentially by 3,368 horsepower, and with the receipt of $20 million in orders for new equipment, the highest since late 2014. 
• Compression results were negatively impacted by $2.6 million of cost overruns on a third party equipment project that was completed in the fourth quarter, the first such cost overrun for Compression in recent years.
• Including CSI Compressco, the carrying value of consolidated long-term debt at the end of 2016 was $624 million compared to $738 million as of September 30, 2016.  In December, TETRA completed a $115 million equity offering to reduce debt. TETRA's net debt was reduced from $233 million to $111 million from the equity proceeds and cash from operating activities over the same time period.  (See Schedule H for the reconciliation of TETRA net debt to GAAP.)
• Consolidated net cash provided by operating activities for the fourth quarter of 2016 was $28 million and for full year 2016 was $54 million.  TETRA only adjusted free cash flow in the fourth quarter was $16 million.  TETRA only adjusted free cash flow for the full year was $12 million, at the upper end of the $5 million to $15 million guidance previously provided.  (See Schedule G for the reconciliation of TETRA only free cash flow to GAAP.)

Stuart M. Brightman, TETRA's President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "We believe we are seeing the initial impact of a recovering U.S. onshore market with another strong sequential quarterly improvement in the Fluids Division's water management operations, improving utilization of the compression services fleet, particularly at the higher horsepower equipment size coupled with related favorable pricing trends and higher orders for new compression equipment.  Based on feedback from our customers, we anticipate that a recovery in the deep water Gulf of Mexico will lag the onshore recovery.  We are entering 2017 with one significant TETRA CS Neptune fluid project scheduled for the first half of 2017 and expect to complete another such project that was started in 2016.

"Fluids Division revenue for the fourth quarter of 2016 was $64 million compared to $62.6 million in the third quarter of 2016. The strong sequential improvement in U.S. onshore activity, the second consecutive strong quarterly sequential improvement, was driven by organic water management and onshore fluids distribution facilities investments, in addition to stronger international offshore fluids activity.  This improvement offset the lack of a TETRA CS Neptune fluid project that was expected in the fourth quarter but was deferred into the first half of 2017.  The improving activity levels in the U.S. onshore water management business are occurring throughout several of the shale basins, but are led primarily by the Permian Basin and MidCon markets.  Fluids Division income before taxes was $1.5 million while adjusted EBITDA was $8.6 million.  Income before taxes as a percentage of revenue was 2.3% while adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues was 13.4%, without the benefit of a TETRA CS Neptune fluids project. 

"Fourth quarter 2016 Compression Division revenue increased sequentially 17% to $83 million, mainly as a result of higher equipment sales. Compression Division income before taxes was a loss of $11.8 million while adjusted EBITDA was $17.7 million, which was negatively impacted by $2.6 million of unusual costs related to equipment sales on a third party equipment project and a $0.7 million inventory adjustment.  Quarter end utilization was 76.4%, compared to 75.2% in the third quarter, and reflected the first sequential improvement in utilization since the first quarter of 2015.  Large horsepower equipment (greater than 800 HP) utilization increased from 84.4% in the third quarter to 87.5% in the fourth quarter.  New equipment orders were $20 million, the highest quarterly new equipment orders received since late 2014, and we believe the level of orders reflect signs of a recovering compression market.  On January 20, 2017, CSI Compressco LP declared cash distributions attributable to the fourth quarter of 2016 of $0.3775 per common unit, unchanged from the distribution attributable to the third quarter of 2016. This distribution resulted in a coverage ratio of 0.68x for the fourth quarter of 2016.

"Fourth quarter 2016 revenue for the Production Testing Division improved sequentially by 2% to $15.3 million, led by stronger activity levels in Canada and Saudi Arabia.  Production Testing loss before taxes was $7.5 million while adjusted EBITDA was a loss of $0.5 million.  Going into 2017 we expect to see additional improvements in activity in North America and internationally and hope to be able to better manage pricing levels in the second half of 2017.

"Our Offshore Service segment reported revenue of $12 million.  Loss before taxes was $6.2 million while adjusted EBITDA was a loss of $2.3 million, reflecting the seasonal fourth quarter ramp down of activity.  We are currently bidding on many decommissioning projects for the upcoming season and believe the preliminary customer inquiries and the committed backlog trends for 2017 are encouraging."

Free Cash Flow and Balance Sheet

TETRA only adjusted free cash flow in the fourth quarter of 2016 was $16 million, reflecting the seasonality in working capital.  Consolidated net cash provided by operating activities for 2016 was $54 million.  Total year TETRA only adjusted free cash flow, excluding Maritech and reflecting the distributions received from CSI Compressco, was $12 million and was at the upper end of our previously communicated guidance of $5 million to $15 million.  TETRA only days sales outstanding (excluding CSI Compressco LP) improved from 73 days at the end of the third quarter to 70 days at the end of December despite the continued financial challenges from our customers and their attempts to defer payments to manage their working capital.

During the fourth quarter, TETRA completed an equity offering that resulted in gross proceeds of $115 million.  As a result of this equity offering and from the free cash flow generated during the quarter, TETRA only outstanding net debt was reduced from $233 million to $111 million.  Additionally, during December, 2016 TETRA amended the leverage covenant on its revolving credit facility from 4.0X to 5.0X through December 31, 2017.

Special items and Maritech

Maritech reported pre-tax income of $2.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2016 due to the receipt of escrowed funds held from prior sales of properties with abandonment obligations.

Consolidated special items incurred in the fourth quarter were $8.7 million, of which only $1.5 million were cash charges.  Special items include:

• $1.8 million net gain primarily reflecting a fair value adjustment of the CSI Compressco Series A Convertible Preferred units
• $1.0 million of expenses related to the December TETRA equity issuance
• $2.1 million charge reflecting a fair value adjustment of the outstanding warrants
• $7.2 million of asset impairments related to damaged CSI Compressco compressor equipment, certain Offshore Services cutting tools and obsolete assets in Production Testing
• $0.3 million net gain from other debt related items
• $0.5 million of other special charges

Financial Guidance

Based on TETRA's anticipation of a continued recovery in the U.S. Onshore markets and a delayed recovery in the offshore markets, we expect total year TETRA only free cash flow to improve from $12 million in 2016 to between $30 million and $50 million in 2017.

No reconciliation of the forecasted range of TETRA only adjusted free cash flow for the full year 2017 to the nearest GAAP measure is included in this release because the reconciliation would require presenting forecasted information for CSI Compressco that is not publicly disclosed.

On December 16, 2016 an arbitration panel in Houston, Texas issued a ruling in favor of TETRA for TETRA's claims against an engineering company related to TETRA's El Dorado, Arkansas calcium chloride manufacturing facility.  Cash proceeds of $12.8 million for the ruling were received by TETRA in January, 2017 and will be reflected in TETRA's first quarter 2017 results.

Conference Call

TETRA will host a conference call to discuss these results today, March 1 2017, at 10:30 a.m. ET. The phone number for the call is 888-347-5303. The conference will also be available by live audio webcast and may be accessed through TETRA's website at www.tetratec.com.

Financial Statements, Schedules and Non-GAAP Reconciliation Schedules (Unaudited)

Schedule A: Consolidated Income Statement
Schedule B: Financial Results By Segment
Schedule C: Consolidated Balance Sheet
Schedule D: Long-Term Debt
Schedule E: Special Items
Schedule F: Non-GAAP Reconciliation to GAAP Financials
Schedule G: Non-GAAP Reconciliation to TETRA Only Adjusted Free Cash Flow
Schedule H: Non-GAAP Reconciliation of TETRA Net Debt

Company Overview and Forward Looking Statements

TETRA is a geographically diversified oil and gas services company, focused on completion fluids and associated products and services, water management, frac flowback, production well testing, offshore rig cooling, compression services and equipment, and selected offshore services including well plugging and abandonment, decommissioning, and diving. TETRA owns an equity interest, including all of the general partner interest, in CSI Compressco LP (NASDAQ: CCLP), a master limited partnership.

This press release includes certain statements that are deemed to be forward-looking statements. Generally, the use of words such as "may," "expect," "intend," "estimate," "projects," "anticipate," "believe," "assume," "could," "should," "plans," "targets" or similar expressions that convey the uncertainty of future events, activities, expectations or outcomes identify forward-looking statements that the Company intends to be included within the safe harbor protections provided by the federal securities laws. These forward-looking statements include statements concerning the anticipated recovery of the oil and gas industry, expected results of operational business segments for 2017, anticipated benefits from CSI Compressco following the acquisition of CSI Compressco in 2014, including increases in cash distributions per unit, projections concerning the Company's business activities, financial guidance, estimated earnings, earnings per share, and statements regarding the Company's beliefs, expectations, plans, goals, future events and performance, and other statements that are not purely historical. These forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by the Company in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Such statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including the ability of CSI Compressco to successfully integrate the operations of CSI Compressco and recognize the anticipated benefits of the acquisition. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performances or results and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Some of the factors that could affect actual results are described in the section titled "Risk Factors" contained in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 (and in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 when it is filed on or about the date hereof), as well as other risks identified from time to time in its reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In addition to financial results determined in accordance with GAAP, this press release includes the following non-GAAP financial measures for the Company: net debt, adjusted consolidated and segment income (loss) before taxes, excluding the Maritech segment and special items; consolidated and segment adjusted EBITDA; and TETRA only adjusted free cash flow. The following schedules provide reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP measures. The non-GAAP financial measures should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for, financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP, as more fully discussed in the Company's financial statements and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Management believes that following the sale of essentially all of Maritech's oil and gas properties, it is helpful to show the Company's results excluding the impact of the costs and charges relating to the decommissioning of Maritech's remaining properties since these results will show the Company's historical results of operations on a basis consistent with expected future operations.  Management also believes that the exclusion of the special items from the historical results of operations enables management to evaluate more effectively the Company's operations over the prior periods and to identify operating trends that could be obscured by the excluded items.

Adjusted income (loss) before taxes (and adjusted income (loss) before taxes as a percent of revenue) is defined as the Company's (or the Segment's) income (loss) before taxes excluding certain special or other charges (or credits). Adjusted income (loss) before taxes (and adjusted income (loss) before taxes as a percent of revenue) is used by management as a supplemental financial measure to assess financial performance, without regard to charges or credits that are considered by management to be outside of its normal operations.

Adjusted diluted earnings (loss) per share is defined as the Company's diluted earnings (loss) per share excluding certain special or other charges (or credits) and using a normalized effective income tax rate. Adjusted diluted earnings (loss) per share is used by management as a supplemental financial measure to assess financial performance, without regard to charges or credits that are considered by management to be outside of its normal operations.

Adjusted EBITDA (and Adjusted EBITDA as a percent of revenue) is defined as earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, impairments and special items, equity compensation, and allocated corporate overhead charges to our CSI Compressco LP subsidiary, pursuant to our Omnibus Agreement, which were reimbursed with CSI Compressco LP common units. Adjusted EBITDA (and Adjusted EBITDA as a percent of revenue) is used by management as a supplemental financial measure to assess the financial performance of the Company's assets, without regard to financing methods, capital structure or historical cost basis and to assess the Company's ability to incur and service debt and fund capital expenditures.

TETRA only adjusted free cash flow is a non-GAAP measure that the Company defines as cash from TETRA's operations, excluding cash settlements of Maritech AROs, less capital expenditures net of sales proceeds, and including cash distributions to TETRA from CSI Compressco LP and debt restructuring costs. Management uses this supplemental financial measure to:

• assess the Company's ability to retire debt;
• evaluate the capacity of the Company to further invest and grow; and
• to measure the performance of the Company as compared to its peer group of companies.

TETRA only adjusted free cash flow does not necessarily imply residual cash flow available for discretionary expenditures, as it excludes cash requirements for debt service or other non-discretionary expenditures that are not deducted.

TETRA net debt is defined as the sum of the carrying value of long-term and short-term debt on its consolidated balance sheet, less cash, excluding restricted cash on the consolidated balance sheet and excluding the debt and cash of CSI Compressco LP. Management views TETRA net debt as a measure of TETRA's ability to reduce debt, add to cash balances, pay dividends, repurchase stock, and fund investing and financing activities.