EX-99.1 2 a05-19447_1ex99d1.htm EXHIBIT 99

Exhibit 99.1

 

Polymer Group, Inc.

4055 Faber Place Dr.

Suite 201

N. Charleston, SC  29405

www.polymergroupinc.com

843-329-5151

 

 

Polymer Group, Inc. Reports Third Quarter and Nine-Month Results and Announces Planned
Refinancing of Senior Bank Facility

 

For Immediate Release

 

Monday, October 31, 2005

 

[North Charleston, SC] --- Polymer Group, Inc. (PGI) (OTC Bulletin Board: POLGA/POLGB) reported results from operations for the third quarter and nine-month period ended October 1, 2005.

 

Highlights included:

 

                                            Sales were up 11.6% to $228.2 million over the third quarter of 2004 and gross profit increased 9.5% to $38.9 million.

 

                                            For the first nine months, sales increased 14.0% to $708.4 million and gross profit increased 13.1% to $124.8 million, compared to the same period of the prior year.

 

                                            The company reported year-to-date net income of $9.4 million.

 

BANK REFINANCING

 

Additionally, the company announced that it is pursuing the refinancing of its senior bank facility.  The company expects to lower its overall cost of debt and simplify its capital structure by replacing its senior secured and senior unsecured term loans with a new senior secured facility.  The transaction is expected to close before the end of the fourth quarter of 2005.

 

THIRD QUARTER RESULTS

 

Net sales for the third quarter of 2005 were $228.2 million, up $23.7 million or 11.6% compared to $204.6 million in the third quarter of 2004.  The company continued to experience higher year-over-year volumes in its nonwovens business, combined with the effects of improved mix and higher comparable selling prices due to increased raw material costs.  Gross profit increased $3.4 million to $38.9 million for the third quarter.  The gross profit margin for the quarter, 17.0% of sales, was slightly lower than the 17.4% margin in the third quarter of 2004, due primarily to the impact of higher raw materials accounting for a greater percent of total sales.

 

Operating income for the third quarter of 2005 was $12.8 million compared to $10.3 million in the third quarter of 2004.  Included in operating income in the third quarter of 2004 were charges of $2.2 million related to plant realignment, asset impairments and an arbitration settlement.  The company continued to control costs during the quarter, keeping SG&A as a percent of sales essentially flat at 11.1% in the quarter.

 

 



 

Polymer Group reported net income for the third quarter of $0.2 million compared to a net loss of $0.6 million the prior year and a net loss applicable to common shareholders for the quarter of $14.6 million after the accrual and payment of non-cash dividends on the company’s PIK preferred shares.  During September of 2005, all of the previously outstanding PIK preferred shares were converted into common stock of the company.

 

YEAR-TO-DATE RESULTS

 

For the nine months ended October 1, 2005, sales were $708.4 million, up $87.2 million, or 14.0%, from the same period in 2004.  The company’s year-to-date gross profit was up $14.5 million to $124.8 million compared to the prior year, representing an increase of 13.1%.

 

Operating income in the first nine months of 2005 was $45.3 million compared to $45.2 million for the first nine months of the previous year.  For the first nine months of 2004, the company recorded plant realignment costs and asset impairment charges of $3.2 million, a foreign currency loss of $1.4 million and recognized income of $13.1 million related to a gain from an arbitration settlement.  Operating income for the first nine months of 2005 included a foreign currency loss of $0.7 million.

 

Net income for the first nine months of 2005 amounted to $9.4 million compared to a net loss of $3.6 million the prior year.  After recording $28.0 million of non-cash PIK dividend accruals and payments, the company reported a loss applicable to common shareholders of $18.6 million.

 

Polymer Group’s chief executive officer, James L. Schaeffer, stated, “PGI continued to show year-over-year improvement in the third quarter.  As we enter the fourth quarter, results are expected to be impacted by the severity and short lead time of the raw material price increases that have followed the recent hurricanes in the U.S.; however, we still expect sound performance for the full year.

 

“Each division of our business is keenly focused on managing the impact of these raw material price increases, and plans are in place to try to mitigate the effects over the coming quarters,” Schaeffer explained. “Over the past two years, we have implemented a number of initiatives — such as increasing the amount of our business under contracts that include price escalators - to reduce the impact of such swings.

 

“PGI continues to improve its profitability despite the challenging raw materials environment, and I am extremely encouraged by our overall growth prospects.  We are focused on properly positioning ourselves to provide customers with the right product in the right location, and we are reinvesting in our business with large-scale capacity expansions in three regions to ensure we are aligned with our customers and able to grow with them,” Schaeffer concluded.

 

Willis (Billy) C. Moore, III, PGI’s chief financial officer, added, “While we continue to improve the fundamentals of our business, the refinancing that the company is pursuing will ensure that our cost of capital is optimized to support the growth of our business, with terms that should reflect the much stronger financial position we have achieved.”

 

Polymer Group, Inc., one of the world’s leading producers of nonwovens, is a global, technology-driven developer, producer and marketer of engineered materials. With the broadest range of process technologies in the nonwovens industry, PGI is a global supplier to leading consumer and industrial product manufacturers. The company operates 21 manufacturing facilities in 10 countries throughout the world.

 

2



 

Safe Harbor Statement

 

Except for historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release are forward-looking statements that involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release.  Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in such forward-looking statements include: uncertainty regarding the effect or outcome of the company’s decision to explore strategic alternatives; general economic factors including, but not limited to, changes in interest rates, foreign currency translation rates, consumer confidence, trends in disposable income, changes in consumer demand for goods produced, and cyclical or other downturns; substantial debt levels and potential inability to maintain sufficient liquidity to finance the company’s operations and make necessary capital expenditures; inability to meet existing debt covenants; information and technological advances; changes in environmental laws and regulations; cost and availability of raw materials, labor and natural and other resources and the inability to pass raw material cost increases along to customers; domestic and foreign competition; reliance on major customers and suppliers; and risks related to operations in foreign jurisdictions.  Investors and other readers are directed to consider the risks and uncertainties discussed in documents filed by Polymer Group, Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the company’s 2004 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

 

For further information, please contact:

                Dennis Norman

                Vice President — Strategic Planning & Communication

                (843) 329-5151

                normand@pginw.com

 

 

3



 

POLYMER GROUP, INC.

Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited)

Three Months Ended October 1, 2005 and
Three Months Ended October 2, 2004

(In Thousands, Except Per Share Data)

 

 

 

Three Months

 

Three Months

 

 

 

Ended

 

Ended

 

 

 

October 1,

 

October 2,

 

 

 

2005

 

2004

 

Net sales

 

$

228,220

 

$

204,554

 

Cost of goods sold

 

189,315

 

169,020

 

Gross profit

 

38,905

 

35,534

 

Selling, general and administrative expenses

 

25,431

 

22,561

 

Plant realignment costs

 

 

222

 

Asset Impairment

 

 

1,710

 

Foreign currency loss

 

652

 

429

 

Arbitration settlement, net

 

 

282

 

Operating income

 

12,822

 

10,330

 

Other expense:

 

 

 

 

 

Interest expense, net

 

8,161

 

7,783

 

Minority interests

 

1,025

 

415

 

Other, net

 

80

 

676

 

Income before income tax expense

 

3,556

 

1,456

 

Income tax expense

 

3,362

 

2,052

 

Net income (loss)

 

194

 

(596

)

Accrued and paid-in-kind dividends on PIK preferred shares

 

14,791

 

1,953

 

Loss applicable to common shareholders

 

$

(14,597

)

$

(2,549

)

Average common shares outstanding

 

12,497

 

10,372

 

Loss per common share:

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

$

(1.17

)

$

(0.25

)

Diluted

 

$

(1.17

)

$

(0.25

)

Selected Financial Data

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation and amortization expense included in operating income

 

$

14,349

 

$

12,591

 

Amortization of loan acquisition costs

 

$

512

 

$

486

 

Capital expenditures

 

$

22,032

 

$

4,352

 

 

 

4



 

 

POLYMER GROUP, INC.

Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited)

Nine Months Ended October 1, 2005 and

Nine Months Ended October 2, 2004

(In Thousands, Except Per Share Data)

 

 

 

Nine Months

 

Nine Months

 

 

 

Ended

 

Ended

 

 

 

October 1,

 

October 2,

 

 

 

2005

 

2004

 

Net sales

 

$

708,434

 

$

621,199

 

Cost of goods sold

 

583,669

 

510,910

 

Gross profit

 

124,765

 

110,289

 

Selling, general and administrative expenses

 

78,760

 

73,633

 

Plant realignment costs

 

9

 

1,463

 

Asset Impairment

 

 

1,710

 

Foreign currency loss

 

746

 

1,417

 

Arbitration settlement, net

 

-

 

(13,112

)

Operating income

 

45,250

 

45,178

 

Other expense (income):

 

 

 

 

 

Interest expense, net

 

24,195

 

32,317

 

Minority interests

 

3,013

 

1,522

 

Write-off of loan acquisition costs

 

-

 

5,022

 

Other, net

 

(685

)

1,781

 

Income before income tax expense

 

18,727

 

4,536

 

Income tax expense

 

9,297

 

8,177

 

Net income (loss)

 

9,430

 

(3,641

)

Accrued and paid-in-kind dividends on PIK preferred shares

 

27,999

 

3,224

 

Loss applicable to common shareholders

 

$

(18,569

)

$

(6,865

)

Average common shares outstanding

 

11,114

 

9,661

 

Loss per common share:

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

$

(1.67

)

$

(0.71

)

Diluted

 

$

(1.67

)

$

(0.71

)

Selected Financial Data

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation and amortization expense included in operating income

 

$

41,178

 

$

38,091

 

Amortization of loan acquisition costs

 

$

1,519

 

$

1,456

 

Capital expenditures

 

$

56,861

 

$

13,206

 

 

5



 

POLYMER GROUP, INC.

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)

(In Thousands)

 

 

 

 

October 1,

 

January 1

 

 

 

2005

 

2005

 

ASSETS

 

Current assets

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

27,525

 

$

41,296

 

Accounts receivable, net

 

123,646

 

113,491

 

Inventories

 

111,266

 

106,349

 

Other

 

33,107

 

37,366

 

Total current assets

 

295,544

 

298,502

 

Property, plant and equipment, net

 

412,809

 

402,603

 

Intangibles and loan acquisition costs, net

 

44,406

 

48,819

 

Other assets

 

6,922

 

4,634

 

Total assets

 

$

759,681

 

$

754,558

 

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

 

Current liabilities

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts payable

 

$

67,138

 

$

63,773

 

Accrued expenses and other

 

39,115

 

36,997

 

Current portion of long-term debt and short-term borrowings

 

9,044

 

10,394

 

Total current liabilities

 

115,297

 

111,164

 

Long-term debt

 

401,329

 

403,560

 

Other noncurrent liabilities

 

88,739

 

92,787

 

Total liabilities

 

605,365

 

607,511

 

Minority interests

 

16,048

 

14,912

 

16% Series A convertible pay-in-kind preferred shares

 

 

58,286

 

Shareholders' equity

 

138,268

 

73,849

 

Total liabilities and shareholders' equity

 

$

759,681

 

$

754,558

 

 

 

6