News Release

WESTFORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 19, 2014-- Kadant Inc. (NYSE:KAI) reported its financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 28, 2013.

Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2013 Financial Highlights

• GAAP diluted earnings per share (EPS) from continuing operations was $0.52 in the fourth quarter of 2013 compared to $0.84 in the fourth quarter of 2012 and exceeded our guidance of $0.47 to $0.49. The guidance did not include the results of the Carmanah acquisition, which was dilutive by $0.05 in the quarter.
• Net income from continuing operations was $6 million in the fourth quarter of 2013 compared to $10 million in the fourth quarter of 2012 and was $23 million in 2013 compared to $31 million in 2012. The 2012 periods included a $5 million benefit from discrete tax items.
• Adjusted diluted EPS increased 16% to $0.51 in the fourth quarter of 2013 compared to $0.44 in the fourth quarter of 2012.
• For the full year, GAAP diluted EPS from continuing operations was $2.07 compared to $2.66 in 2012. Adjusted diluted EPS was $2.07 in 2013 compared to $2.29 in 2012.
• Adjusted EBITDA increased 35% to $12 million in the fourth quarter of 2013 compared to $9 million in the fourth quarter of 2012 and was $44.7 million in 2013 compared to a record $44.8 million in 2012.
• Revenues were $95 million in the fourth quarter of 2013, including $12 million from acquisitions, compared to revenues of $78 million in the fourth quarter of 2012.
• Gross margins were a record 45.8% for full-year 2013 compared to 43.9% in 2012.
• Operating income was $8 million in the fourth quarter of 2013 compared to $7 million in the fourth quarter of 2012. Adjusted operating income increased 38% to $9 million in the fourth quarter of 2013 compared to $7 million in the fourth quarter of 2012.
• Bookings were $84 million in the fourth quarter of 2013, including $12 million from acquisitions, compared to $76 million in the fourth quarter of 2012. For the full year, bookings increased 14% to $343 million compared to $300 million in 2012, including an 8% increase from acquisitions.
• Cash flows from continuing operations were $40 million in 2013, increasing 31% compared to $30 million in 2012 and were the second highest result ever achieved.

Note: Adjusted net income, adjusted diluted EPS, adjusted operating income, and adjusted EBITDA are non-GAAP measures that exclude certain items as detailed later in this press release under the heading "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" and in the reconciliation tables below.

Management Commentary

"We had a strong performance in 2013 with record gross margins and near-record adjusted EBITDA," said Jonathan W. Painter, president and chief executive officer of Kadant. "Adjusted diluted EPS from continuing operations increased 16 percent to $0.51 in the fourth quarter of 2013 compared to $0.44 in the fourth quarter of 2012. Our diluted EPS for the fourth quarter of 2013 included $0.10 of operating income associated with businesses acquired in 2013, offset by $0.12 of expense related to acquired profit in inventory and backlog, and $0.05 of transaction costs associated with the acquisitions.

"Revenues of $95 million in the fourth quarter of 2013 increased 21 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2012, including an increase of 16 percent from acquisitions. Our gross margin performance in the fourth quarter was strong at 43.9 percent, and we set a new record for full-year gross margin at 45.8 percent in 2013 due to a better product mix and higher margins in parts and consumables.

"Bookings increased 11 percent to $84 million in the fourth quarter of 2013 compared to $76 million in the fourth quarter of 2012, including $12 million from acquisitions. Excluding bookings from acquisitions, our bookings in the fourth quarter of 2013 decreased 6 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2012 due to lower capital bookings, particularly in our Stock-Preparation product line. We expect higher sequential bookings in the first quarter of 2014, including an $11 million pending order for a stock-preparation system in Mexico. Parts and consumables bookings increased 20 percent to $56 million in the fourth quarter of 2013 compared to the fourth quarter of 2012, with increases in all our product lines.

"We had another solid quarter in operating cash flows. Cash flows from continuing operations were $9 million in the fourth quarter of 2013. For the full year, cash flows were $40 million, up 31 percent compared to 2012 and the second highest level in our Company's history. While we had significant non-operating cash uses, including $66 million for acquisitions, we returned nearly $10 million of capital to our shareholders through share repurchases and dividends, representing 41 percent of our net income in 2013. We ended the year with net cash (cash less debt) of $12 million."

Fourth Quarter 2013

Kadant reported revenues from continuing operations of $94.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2013, an increase of $16.7 million, or 21 percent, compared to $78.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2012. Revenues for the fourth quarter of 2013 included $12.3 from acquisitions and a $1.4 million increase from foreign currency translation compared to the fourth quarter of 2012. Operating income from continuing operations was $7.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2013, including $1.9 million of expense related to acquired inventory and backlog and $0.2 million of restructuring income, compared to $6.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2012. Adjusted operating income, a non-GAAP measure, was $9.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2013 compared to $6.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2012.

Net income from continuing operations was $5.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2013, or $0.52 per diluted share, compared to $9.6 million, or $0.84 per diluted share, in the fourth quarter of 2012. Net income from continuing operations in the fourth quarter of 2013 included a $0.1 million, or $0.01 per diluted share, after-tax restructuring benefit. Net income from continuing operations in the fourth quarter of 2012 included a $4.6 million, or $0.40 per diluted share, benefit from discrete tax items. Adjusted net income, a non-GAAP measure, was $5.8 million, or $0.51 per diluted share, in the fourth quarter of 2013 compared to $5.0 million, or $0.44 per diluted share, in the fourth quarter of 2012.

Full-Year 2013

For full-year 2013, Kadant reported revenues from continuing operations of $344.5 million, an increase of $12.7 million, or 4 percent, compared with $331.8 million in 2012. Revenues for 2013 included $25.3 million from acquisitions and a $3.8 million increase from foreign currency translation. Operating income from continuing operations was $33.3 million in 2013 compared to $36.4 million in 2012. Operating income in 2013 includes $2.6 million of expense related to acquired inventory and backlog, $1.8 million in restructuring costs, and a $1.7 million gain on the sale of assets. Adjusted operating income, a non-GAAP measure, was $36.0 million in 2013 compared to $36.4 million in 2012.

Net income from continuing operations was $23.5 million in 2013, or $2.07 per diluted share, compared to $30.9 million, or $2.66 per diluted share, in 2012. Net income from continuing operations in 2012 included a $4.6 million, or $0.40 per diluted share, benefit from discrete tax items and a $0.3 million, or $0.03 per diluted share, after-tax expense associated with a facility consolidation. Adjusted net income, a non-GAAP measure, was $23.5 million, or $2.07 per diluted share, in 2013 compared to $26.6 million, or $2.29 per diluted share, in 2012.

Guidance

"We expect to achieve GAAP diluted EPS from continuing operations of $2.60 to $2.70 in 2014 on revenues of $405 to $415 million," Mr. Painter continued. "The expected increase from 2013 is due to the impact of acquisitions as well as organic growth. For the first quarter of 2014, we expect to achieve GAAP diluted EPS from continuing operations of $0.38 to $0.40, including $0.02 of restructuring costs and $0.15 of expense related to acquired inventory and backlog, on revenues of $94 to $96 million. We expect the first quarter of 2014 to be our weakest quarter of the year due to relatively lower revenues and the impact of expenses associated with acquired inventory and backlog. We are projecting improved bookings in the first half of 2014 and expect an increase in revenues and earnings in the second quarter of 2014 and for the remaining quarters of the year."

Conference Call

Kadant will hold a webcast with a slide presentation for investors on Thursday, February 20, 2014, at 11 a.m. eastern time to discuss its fourth quarter and full-year performance, as well as future expectations. To access the webcast, including the slideshow and accompanying audio, go to www.kadant.com and click on the "Investors" tab. To listen to the webcast via teleconference, call 877-703-6107 within the U.S., or +1-857-244-7306 outside the U.S., and reference participant passcode 83375884. Prior to the call, our earnings release and the slides used in the webcast presentation will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and will be available at www.sec.gov. An archive of the webcast presentation will be available on our Web site until March 21, 2014.

Shortly after the webcast, Kadant will post its updated general investor presentation incorporating the fourth quarter and full-year results on its Web site at www.kadant.com under the "Investors" tab.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In addition to the financial measures prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), we use certain non-GAAP financial measures, including increases or decreases in revenues excluding the effect of foreign currency translation, adjusted operating income, adjusted net income, adjusted diluted EPS, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), and adjusted EBITDA.

We believe that these non-GAAP financial measures, when taken together with the corresponding GAAP financial measures, provide meaningful supplemental information regarding our performance by excluding certain items that may not be indicative of our core business, operating results, or future outlook. We believe that the inclusion of such measures helps investors to gain an understanding of our underlying operating performance and future prospects, consistent with how management measures and forecasts our performance, especially when comparing such results to previous periods or forecasts and to the performance of our competitors. Such measures are also used by us in our financial and operating decision-making and for compensation purposes. We also believe this information is responsive to investors' requests and gives them additional measures of our performance.

The non-GAAP financial measures included in this press release are not meant to be considered superior to or a substitute for the results of operations prepared in accordance with GAAP. In addition, the non-GAAP financial measures included in this press release have limitations associated with their use as compared to the most directly comparable GAAP measures, in that they may be different from, and therefore not comparable to, similar measures used by other companies.

We present increases or decreases in revenues excluding the effect of foreign currency translation to provide investors insight into underlying revenue trends.

Adjusted operating income and adjusted EBITDA exclude pre-tax restructuring income of $0.2 million and pre-tax expense related to acquired inventory and backlog of $1.9 million in the three-month period ended December 28, 2013. In the twelve-month period ended December 28, 2013 adjusted operating income and adjusted EBITDA exclude: pre-tax expense of $2.6 million related to acquired inventory and backlog; pre-tax restructuring costs of $1.8 million; and a gain of $1.7 million. These items are excluded as they are not indicative of our core operating results and not comparable to other periods, which have differing levels of incremental costs or other income or none at all.

Adjusted net income and adjusted diluted EPS exclude:

• Restructuring income of $0.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2013 and other expense of $0.3 million in the twelve-month period ended December 29, 2012, the latter of which was associated with accelerated depreciation related to a facility consolidation. We believe that the restructuring income and other expense are not indicative of our core operating results and not comparable to other periods, which have differing levels of incremental costs and income or none at all.

• A benefit from discrete tax items of $4.6 million in the three-month and twelve-month periods ended December 29, 2012. The benefit from discrete tax items in the 2012 periods was primarily due to the reversal of valuation allowances on certain deferred tax assets in the U.S. based on a consideration of expected profitability and foreign source income in future periods. We believe that this discrete tax benefit is not comparable to other periods, which may have differing levels of discrete tax items or none at all.

Adjusted diluted EPS in the three-month and twelve-month periods ended December 28, 2013 and December 29, 2012 was calculated using the reported weighted average diluted shares for each period.

Reconciliations of the non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures are set forth in this press release.