Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corp quarterly report, Q2 FY2015

Business context and reporting period

Important issuer mismatch: The supplied filing is Rexnord Corporation’s Form 10-Q, not a filing by Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corp. It covers the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2014 (Rexnord fiscal Q2 2015) and the six months ended that date. Rexnord operated Process & Motion Control and Water Management platforms.

Financial performance and position

MetricQ2 FY2015Prior-year Q2Six months FY2015Prior-year six months
Net sales$537.9 million$514.5 million$1,047.7 million$1,023.2 million
Gross profit$196.3 million$191.8 million$375.6 million$373.7 million
Operating income$77.6 million$72.6 million$135.2 million$133.6 million
Net income (loss)$37.1 million$(52.5) million$49.1 million$(38.9) million
Diluted EPS$0.35$(0.54)$0.47$(0.40)
  • Q2 sales increased 4.5%; operating margin rose to 14.4% from 14.1%. Gross margin was approximately 36.5%, versus 37.3% a year earlier.
  • Six-month operating margin was 12.9%, versus 13.1%. Interest expense declined to $44.5 million from $64.2 million for the six months.
  • Operating cash flow for the six months was $78.5 million, compared with $9.1 million. Investing used $48.9 million, including $21.2 million of capital expenditures and $27.7 million for the Green Turtle acquisition. Financing used $3.4 million. Cash increased $22.3 million to $361.3 million.
  • At September 30, cash was $361.3 million; current assets were $1,130.1 million and current liabilities $395.1 million. Total debt was $1,964.1 million, including $1,934.6 million long-term debt; debt less cash was approximately $1,602.8 million.
  • Available additional borrowing capacity was $337.8 million: $237.8 million under the revolving facility and $100.0 million under the receivables program. No borrowings were outstanding under either facility; letters of credit used $27.2 million of revolver capacity.

Material changes versus the prior comparable period

  • Water Management drove growth: Q2 sales increased 11.6% to $226.2 million and operating income rose 35.8% to $29.6 million. Management cited core growth, market share gains, volume, cost reductions and productivity.
  • Process & Motion Control Q2 sales were essentially flat at $311.7 million; operating income fell 6.2% to $55.7 million. Mill Products sales declines and acquisition-related impacts weighed on results. Excluding Mill Products, management reported 2% segment sales growth, with acquisition growth offset partly by lower core sales.
  • Prior-year comparisons were affected by a $129.2 million Q2 and $133.2 million six-month debt-extinguishment loss associated with the 2013 refinancing; there was no comparable charge in FY2015. The refinancing also reduced interest expense.
  • Six-month sales rose 2.4%; Water Management sales grew 8.7%, while Process & Motion Control sales declined 1.6% as reported. Excluding Mill Products, management said Process & Motion Control sales increased 1%.

Outlook, risks, contingencies and unusual items

  • No quantified company-wide revenue or earnings guidance is provided. Management expects additional restructuring and footprint optimization costs; amounts were not yet estimable. The company was assessing strategic alternatives for Mill Products, with the process expected to conclude by fiscal year-end.
  • Management estimated a $4–$8 million non-cash actuarial pension loss in fiscal Q3 FY2015 following a voluntary lump-sum settlement offer. Revised mortality assumptions were under evaluation and could materially affect pension obligations, costs or contributions.
  • Variable-rate debt creates interest-rate exposure. At September 30, approximately 97% of total debt was variable-rate; management estimated that, once LIBOR exceeds its 1% floor, each 100-basis-point increase would add about $12.8 million in annual term-loan interest expense. Subsequent to quarter-end, interest-rate caps were purchased, alongside existing swaps; management said approximately 73% of variable-rate term loans were effectively hedged.
  • The company reported compliance with credit covenants; its first-lien leverage ratio was 3.74x against a 7.75x maximum maintenance covenant. Adjusted EBITDA for the six months was $201.7 million, a non-GAAP measure.
  • Asbestos liabilities and insurance recoveries remain uncertain. The recorded estimated liability was $36.0 million, matched by a $36.0 million insurance receivable; the company cautioned that actual claims, coverage availability and recoveries could differ. Other disclosed matters include environmental claims and product-related litigation. Management did not expect unresolved matters, based on current information, to materially adversely affect the company.
  • After quarter-end, Rexnord acquired Tollok for $38.3 million plus possible contingent payments up to $3.8 million and agreed to acquire Euroflex for approximately $77 million, subject to closing. These transactions may affect future debt, cash and operating results.

Most important facts for investors to verify

  1. Confirm the intended issuer: this filing is for Rexnord Corporation, despite the request naming Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corp.
  2. Assess whether Water Management growth and margin improvement can offset weaker Process & Motion Control performance and Mill Products exposure.
  3. Review debt service capacity, variable-rate exposure, hedging coverage and covenant headroom, including the impact of subsequent acquisitions.
  4. Track restructuring costs, the Mill Products strategic review, and the pension remeasurement and updated mortality assumptions.
  5. Evaluate asbestos claim estimates and insurance collectability, given disclosed coverage gaps and uncertainty over future claims.