EX-99 2 r8k1007ex991.htm TWIN DISC, INCORPORATED PRESS RELEASE DATED OCTOBER 23, 2007 r8k1007ex991.pdf -- Converted by SECPublisher 4.0, created by BCL Technologies Inc., for SEC Filing

                                                                                                                                                     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                                                                                                                                                                                          Contact: Christopher J. Eperjesy
                                                                                                                                                                                          (262) 638-4343

TWIN DISC, INC., ANNOUNCES RECORD FISCAL 2008 FIRST-QUARTER FINANCIAL RESULTS

First-Quarter Net Earnings up 39.1% to $5,106,000  First-Quarter Sales up 11.9% to $73,613,000

Management Optimistic about the Fiscal 2008 Outlook  Board of Directors Increases Quarterly Dividend

     RACINE, WISCONSIN—October 23, 2007—Twin Disc, Inc. (NASDAQ: TWIN), today reported record financial results for the fiscal 2008 first quarter ended September 28, 2007. Sales, net earnings and diluted earnings per share for the first three months of fiscal 2008 represented the best first quarter in the Company’s history.

     Sales for the quarter ended September 28, 2007 improved 11.9 percent to $73,613,000 from $65,774,000 in the same period a year ago. The results for the current fiscal quarter were led by strong sales of marine and propulsion products to the commercial marine and mega yacht markets as well as continued strong demand for land based transmission products.

     Gross margin, as a percentage of fiscal 2008 first-quarter sales, increased 1.5 percentage points to 32.4 percent from 30.9 percent in last year’s comparable period. Profitability continued to be strong during the fiscal 2008 first quarter. For the fiscal 2007 first quarter, gross margins were negatively impacted by an unfavorable purchase accounting adjustment to inventory in the amount of $734,000. Net earnings for the fiscal 2008 first quarter increased 39.1 percent, or $1,434,000 to $5,106,000, or $0.88 per diluted share, compared with $3,672,000, or $0.62 per diluted share, for the fiscal 2007 first quarter.

     Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA)* increased 33.3 percent to $10,842,000 for the fiscal 2008 first quarter, from $8,136,000 for the same period last fiscal year.

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     The net year-over-year translation effect of the change in foreign currency exchange rates was to increase sales by $2,357,000 in the fiscal 2008 first quarter when compared to the same period in fiscal 2007. The net impact to gross profit was $455,000. This represents the net impact of favorable foreign currency translation of $740,000 and the unfavorable margin impact of a strengthening Euro on US dollar sales of our Belgian manufacturing operation of $285,000.

     Commenting on the results, Michael E. Batten, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, said, “We are pleased with the results of the first fiscal quarter, which confirmed our expectations for sales growth and profitability. Sales of our land based transmissions for oil field and military applications matched last year’s first quarter pace, while sales of vehicular transmissions for use in airport, rescue and firefighting vehicles were up for the quarter. However, industrial product markets continued to experience some cyclical softening in the quarter. On the marine side of our business, we continued to see strong demand for our commercial and pleasure craft marine products in the quarter. Sales of our commercial marine gears into Southeast Asia and the Gulf Coast of the United States were particularly robust. In addition, marine propulsion system sales into the Italian mega yacht market, the largest in the World, continued to expand versus the same period last year.”

     Christopher J. Eperjesy, Vice President – Finance, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, stated, “During the quarter, we repurchased 260,000 shares of our common stock outstanding at an average cost of $51.44 per share. We currently have 140,000 shares remaining under our previously announced share repurchase program. Other use of capital in the quarter included $2,502,000 for upgrading our manufacturing processes and the implementation of a global ERP system. Total debt increased during the quarter to $55,156,000 compared to $43,920,000 at June 30, 2007 primarily due to the $13,475,000 stock repurchase in the quarter. Our total debt to total capitalization now stands at 33.5 percent compared to 27.6 percent at June 30, 2007. We are comfortable with our capital structure and have the financial flexibility to continue to look at ways to expand our businesses. Working capital at September 28, 2007 increased 2.7 percent to $95,877,000 compared to the 11.9 percent increase in sales.”

     Mr. Batten concluded, “Going forward, we expect that fiscal 2008 will be another good year, as worldwide demand for our products continues in the markets we serve. Our backlog of orders to be shipped over the next six months was $112,293,000, an increase of 12.1 percent from $100,184,000 in the same period a year ago and up 1.8 percent from $110,357,000 at fiscal 2007 year end. As a result of our current financial results and the outlook for the remainder of fiscal 2008, the Board of Directors has increased our quarterly dividend payment 27.3 percent to $0.14 per common share from $0.11 per common share.”

     Twin Disc will be hosting a conference call today (October 23, 2007) to discuss these results and to answer questions at 1:00 p.m. EST. To participate in the conference call, please dial 866-225-8729 five to 10 minutes before the call is scheduled to begin. A replay will be available from 4:00 p.m. October 23, 2007 until midnight on October 30, 2007. The number to hear the teleconference replay is 800-406-7325. The access code for the replay is 3793131.

     The conference call will also be broadcast live over the Internet. To listen to the call via the Internet, access Twin Disc's website at http://www.twindisc.com/companyinvestor.aspx and follow the


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instructions at the web cast link. The archived web cast will be available shortly after the call on the Company's website.

About Twin Disc, Inc.

     Twin Disc, Inc. designs, manufactures and sells marine and heavy-duty off-highway power transmission equipment. Products offered include: marine transmissions, surface drives, propellers and boat management systems, as well as power-shift transmissions, hydraulic torque converters, power take-offs, industrial clutches and control systems. The Company sells its products to customers primarily in the pleasure craft, commercial and military marine markets, as well as in the energy and natural resources, government and industrial markets. The Company’s worldwide sales to both domestic and foreign customers are transacted through a direct sales force and a distributor network.

Forward-Looking Statements

     This press release may contain statements that are forward looking as defined by the Securities and Exchange Commission in its rules, regulations and releases. The Company intends that such forward-looking statements be subject to the safe harbors created thereby. All forward-looking statements are based on current expectations regarding important risk factors including those identified in the Company’s most recent periodic report and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Accordingly, actual results may differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements, and the making of such statements should not be regarded as a representation by the Company or any other person that the results expressed therein will be achieved.

*Non-GAAP Financial Disclosures

     Financial information excluding the impact of foreign currency exchange rate changes and the impact of acquisitions in this press release are not measures that are defined in U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”). These items are measures that management believes are important to adjust for in order to have a meaningful comparison to prior and future periods and to provide a basis for future projections and for estimating our earnings growth prospects. Non-GAAP measures are used by management as a performance measure to judge profitability of our business absent the impact of foreign currency exchange rate changes and acquisitions. Management analyzes the company’s business performance and trends excluding these amounts. These measures, as well as EBITDA, provide a more consistent view of performance than the closest GAAP equivalent for management and investors. Management compensates for this by using these measures in combination with the GAAP measures. The presentation of the non-GAAP measures in this press release are made alongside the most directly comparable GAAP measures.

Definition – Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA)

     The sum of, net earnings and adding back provision for income taxes, interest expense, depreciation and amortization expenses: this is a financial measure of the profit generated excluding the above mentioned items.

--Financial Results Follow-


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CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(In thousands, except per-share data; unaudited)

    Three Months Ended 
  September 28,  September 30, 
             2007  2006 
 
Net sales  $73,613  $65,774 
Cost of goods sold  49,762  45,461 
     Gross profit  23,851  20,313 
Marketing, engineering and     
     administrative expenses  14,694  13,652 
Interest expense  744  643 
Other income, net  ( 5)  (80) 
 
Earnings before income taxes  8,418  6,098 
       and minority interest     
Income taxes  3,237  2,377 
Minority interest  (75)  (49) 
     Net earnings  $5,106  $ 3,672 
 
Earnings per share:     
     Basic  $0.89  $ 0.63 
     Diluted  $0.88  $ 0.62 
 
Average shares outstanding:     
     Basic  5,748  5,802 
     Diluted  5,816  5,905 
 
Dividends per share  $0.11  $ 0.095 

RECONCILIATION OF CONSOLIDATED NET EARNINGS TO EBITDA

(In thousands; unaudited)

  Three Months Ended 
  September 28,  September 30, 
             2007  2006 
 
Net earnings  $ 5,106  $ 3,672 
     Income taxes  3,237  2,377 
     Interest expense  744  643 
     Depreciation and amortization  1,755  1,444 
Earnings before interest, taxes,     
depreciation and amortization  $10,842  $8,136 


CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS   
(In thousands, unaudited)     
 
  September 28,  June 30, 
             2007     2007 
ASSETS     
Current assets:     
     Cash and cash equivalents  $19,677  $19,508 
     Trade accounts receivable, net  55,192  63,277 
     Inventories, net  81,809  76,253 
     Deferred income taxes  6,403  6,046 
     Other  8,480  8,156 
 
Total current assets  171,561  173,240 
 
Property, plant and equipment, net  58,181  56,810 
Goodwill  17,281  17,171 
Deferred income taxes  3,314  3,956 
Intangible assets, net  9,229  9,352 
Other assets  6,941  6,655 
 
  $266,507  $267,184 
 
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY     
Current liabilities:     
     Current maturities on long-term debt  $ 1,846  $ 1,768 
     Accounts payable  29,415  28,896 
     Accrued liabilities  44,423  49,254 
 
Total current liabilities  75,684  79,918 
 
Long-term debt  53,310  42,152 
Accrued retirement benefits  24,578  26,392 
Other long-term liabilities  2,627  2,640 
 
  156,199  151,102 
 
Minority interest  718  645 
 
Shareholders' equity:     
Common stock  13,884  13,304 
Retained earnings  125,562  121,109 
Accumulated other comprehensive loss  (1,785)  (4,493) 
 
  137,661  129,920 
     Less treasury stock, at cost  28,071  14,483 
 
                    Total shareholders' equity  109,590  115,437 
 
  $266,507  $267,184 


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CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(In thousands, unaudited)

  Three Months Ended 
 
  September 28,  September 30, 
             2007             2006 
 
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:     
 Net earnings  $ 5,106  $ 3,672 
 Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to cash     
provided by operating activities:     
     Depreciation and amortization  1,755  1,444 
     Net change in working capital  (1,719)  (14,609) 
  5,142  (9,493) 
 
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:     
   Acquisitions of fixed assets  (2,502)  (1,267) 
  (2,502)  (1,267) 
 
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:     
 Bank overdraft  -  (1,252) 
(Decrease) increase in notes payable, net  (395)  101 
 
 
 Proceeds from long term debt  11,251  11,577 
 Proceeds from exercise of stock options  100  100 
 Purchase of treasury stock  (15,077)  - 
 Dividends paid  (653)  (554) 
 Other  1,728  171 
  (3,046)  10,143 
 
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash  575  104 
 
 Net change in cash and cash equivalents  169  (513) 
 
Cash and cash equivalents:     
 Beginning of period  19,508  16,427 
 
 End of period  $19,677  $15,914 

 

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