Tenaris S.A. Form 6-K Summary
Business Context and Reporting Period
This filing contains the Consolidated Financial Statements for Tenaris S.A., a global manufacturer of steel tubular products for the oil and gas industry, for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012, and 2011. The report was filed on February 26, 2014. The company operates primarily through its "Tubes" segment, producing seamless and welded steel pipes. The financial statements are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and presented in thousands of U.S. dollars.
Key Financial Metrics (Year Ended Dec 31, 2013)
| Metric | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Net Sales | $10,596,781 | $10,834,030 | $9,972,478 |
| Gross Profit | $4,139,995 | $4,196,737 | $3,699,071 |
| Operating Income | $2,184,830 | $2,356,607 | $1,844,881 |
| Net Income (Total) | $1,574,372 | $1,701,739 | $1,421,204 |
| Net Income (Parent) | $1,551,394 | $1,699,375 | $1,331,640 |
| Diluted EPS (USD) | $1.31 | $1.44 | $1.13 |
| Operating Cash Flow | $2,355,118 | $1,860,413 | $1,283,304 |
| Total Debt (Borrowings) | $930,935 | $1,744,192 | N/A |
| Cash & Equivalents | $614,529 | $828,458 | $823,743 |
| Total Assets | $15,930,970 | $15,959,543 | N/A |
Material Changes vs. Prior Period
- Revenue Decline: Net sales decreased by approximately 2.2% to $10.60 billion in 2013 compared to $10.83 billion in 2012. North America sales dropped significantly from $5.27 billion to $4.41 billion.
- Profitability: Net income attributable to owners of the parent decreased by 8.7% to $1.55 billion. Operating income declined by 7.3% to $2.18 billion.
- Debt Reduction: Total borrowings decreased substantially by 46.6% from $1.74 billion in 2012 to $931 million in 2013. The debt-to-total-equity ratio improved to 0.07 from 0.13.
- Equity in Associates: Equity in earnings of associated companies turned positive at $46.1 million in 2013, reversing a loss of $63.2 million in 2012 (which included a $73.7 million impairment charge on the Usiminas investment).
- Working Capital: Changes in working capital provided $188.8 million in cash flow in 2013, compared to a use of $303.0 million in 2012, driven by reductions in inventory and receivables.
Outlook, Risks, and Contingencies
- Dividend Proposal: The Board proposed an annual dividend of $0.43 per share ($0.86 per ADS), totaling approximately $508 million, subject to shareholder approval. This includes an interim dividend already paid.
- Legal Contingencies (Italy): The company faces two tax assessments from Italian authorities regarding alleged omitted withholding taxes on dividends paid in 2007 and 2008. The total estimated exposure is approximately $729 million ($388 million + $341 million). Tenaris believes it is not probable that these will result in a material obligation and has not recorded a provision.
- Venezuelan Nationalization: Tenaris continues arbitration proceedings against Venezuela regarding the expropriation of its subsidiaries (Tavsa, Matesi, Comsigua) in 2009. The investments are classified as available-for-sale assets at their 2009 carrying amount. Net receivables from these entities totaled approximately $25 million as of year-end.
- Impairment Sensitivity: The OCTG (Oil Country Tubular Goods) Cash Generating Unit (CGU) has a recoverable amount exceeding its carrying value by $106 million. Management notes that a 5.2% reduction in cash flows, a drop in growth rate to 1.3%, or a 40 basis point rise in the discount rate would eliminate this headroom.
- Foreign Exchange: The company has significant exposure to the Argentine Peso (ARS) and Euro (EUR). A 1% simultaneous unfavorable movement in foreign exchange rates would result in a pre-tax loss of approximately $6.7 million.
Investor Verification Checklist
- Debt Maturity Profile: Verify the concentration of debt maturities, noting that $684.7 million of the $931 million total debt is due within one year.
- Italian Tax Litigation: Monitor the status of the Italian tax court appeals regarding the $729 million assessment, as a negative outcome could materially impact future earnings.
- Venezuelan Arbitration: Track the progress of ICSID arbitration proceedings for compensation regarding nationalized assets, as the current balance sheet does not reflect potential fair value recovery.
- Oil & Gas Rig Count: Assess the correlation between global rig counts and Tenaris's North American sales, which saw a significant decline in 2013.
- Usiminas Investment: Review the performance of the Usiminas investment (Brazil), which previously suffered a significant impairment, to ensure no further write-downs are required.