Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Reports Third Quarter 2019 Results

November 7, 2019

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Nov. 7, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Mettler-Toledo International Inc. (NYSE: MTD) today announced third quarter results for 2019.  Provided below are the highlights:

  • Reported sales increased 3% compared with the prior year.  In local currency, sales increased 4% in the quarter as currency reduced sales growth by 1%. 
  • Net earnings per diluted share as reported (EPS) were $5.20, compared with $4.93 in the prior-year period.  Adjusted EPS was $5.77, an increase of 13% over the prior-year amount of $5.12.  Adjusted EPS is a non-GAAP measure, and we have included a reconciliation to EPS on the last page of the attached schedules. 

Quarterly Results

Olivier Filliol, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "Local currency sales growth in the quarter excluding Food Retail, was 6%, with excellent growth in the Americas and solid growth in Europe and Asia/Rest of World.  Despite continued challenges from the impact of adverse currency and tariff costs, we achieved strong margin improvement and earnings growth in the quarter."

GAAP Results
EPS in the quarter was $5.20, compared with the prior-year amount of $4.93. 

Compared with the prior year, total reported sales increased 3% to $753.9 million.  By region, reported sales increased 6% in the Americas and 2% in Asia/Rest of World.  Reported sales in Europe declined by 2%.  Earnings before taxes amounted to $169.4 million, compared with $160.4 million in the prior year. 

Non-GAAP Results
Adjusted EPS was $5.77, an increase of 13% over the prior-year amount of $5.12.     

Compared with the prior year, total sales in local currency increased 4% as currency reduced reported sales growth by 1%.  By region, local currency sales increased 7% in the Americas, 2% in Europe and 4% in Asia/Rest of World.  Adjusted Operating Profit amounted to $196.2 million, an 8% increase from the prior-year amount of $182.0 million. 

Adjusted EPS and Adjusted Operating Profit are non-GAAP measures. Reconciliations to the most comparable GAAP measures are provided in the attached schedules.

Year-to-Date Results

GAAP Results
EPS was $14.67, compared with the prior-year amount of $12.81. 

Compared with the prior year, total reported sales increased 2% to $2.165 billion.  By region, reported sales increased 5% in the Americas and 3% in Asia/Rest of World.  Reported sales in Europe declined 2%.  Earnings before taxes amounted to $450.3 million, compared with $421.4 million in the prior year. 

Non-GAAP Results
Adjusted EPS was $15.02, an increase of 11% over the prior-year amount of $13.50.     

Compared with the prior year, total sales in local currency increased 5% as currency reduced reported sales growth by 1%.  By region, local currency sales increased 5% in the Americas, 3% in Europe and 7% in Asia/Rest of World.  Adjusted Operating Profit amounted to $521.8 million, a 6% increase from the prior-year amount of $490.8 million. 

Adjusted EPS and Adjusted Operating Profit are non-GAAP measures. Reconciliations to the most comparable GAAP measures are provided in the attached schedules.

Outlook

Based on today's assessment of market conditions, management anticipates that local currency sales growth in the fourth quarter 2019 will be approximately 3%, and Adjusted EPS is forecasted to be in the range of $7.66 to $7.71, an increase of 12% to 13%. 

For the full year 2019, local currency sales growth is expected to be approximately 5%.  This sales growth is expected to result in Adjusted EPS in the range of $22.65 to $22.70, an increase of 11% to 12%. 

The Company said that based on its assessment of market conditions today, management anticipates local currency sales growth in 2020 will be approximately 4%.  This sales growth is expected to result in Adjusted EPS in the range of $24.85 to $25.10.  Using the mid-point of 2019 guidance, this would result in Adjusted EPS growth of 10% to 11%. 

While the Company has provided an outlook for local currency sales growth and Adjusted EPS, it has not provided an outlook for reported sales growth or EPS as it would require an estimate of currency exchange fluctuations and non-recurring items, which are not yet known.  The Company noted in making its outlook that uncertainty remains in the macroeconomic environment and market conditions are subject to change.   

Conclusion

Filliol concluded, "We continue to benefit from our growth initiatives including investments in our field force, Spinnaker sales and marketing programs and new product launches.  With the exception of Food Retail, demand in our markets is solid and we have generated good growth.  As we look to 2020, we remain confident in the factors we can control – namely executing on our growth initiatives to continue to gain market share – but acknowledge greater uncertainty in the macroeconomic environment.  We also believe that our margin and productivity initiatives will continue to yield tangible results.  Based on market conditions today, we believe we can deliver strong results in 2019 and 2020." 

Other Matters

The Company will host a conference call to discuss its quarterly results today (Thursday, November 7) at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.  To hear a live webcast or replay of the call, visit the investor relations page on the Company's website at www.mt.com/investors.  The presentation referenced in the conference call will be located on the website prior to the call.

METTLER TOLEDO (NYSE: MTD) is a leading global supplier of precision instruments and services. We have strong leadership positions in all of our businesses and believe we hold global number-one market positions in most of them. We are recognized as an innovation leader and our solutions are critical in key R&D, quality control and manufacturing processes for customers in a wide range of industries including life sciences, food and chemicals. Our sales and service network is one of the most extensive in the industry. Our products are sold in more than 140 countries and we have a direct presence in approximately 40 countries. With proven growth strategies and a focus on execution, we have achieved a long-term track record of strong financial performance. For more information, please visit www.mt.com.

Statements in this press release which are not historical facts constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934.  These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our or our businesses' actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements.  In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may," "will," "could," "would," "should," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "intend," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential" or "continue" or the negative of those terms or other comparable terminology.  For a discussion of these risks and uncertainties, please see the discussion on forward-looking statements in our current report on Form 10-K.  All of the forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by reference to the factors discussed under the caption "Factors affecting our future operating results" and in the "Business" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" sections of our annual report on Form 10-K for the most recently completed fiscal year, which describe risks and factors that could cause results to differ materially from those projected in those forward-looking statements.

 

METTLER-TOLEDO INTERNATIONAL INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(amounts in thousands except share data)

(unaudited)

                                     
   

 

Three months ended

             

 

Three months ended

         
     

 

September 30, 2019

 

% of sales

     

 

September 30, 2018

 

% of sales

 
                                     

Net sales

   

$753,866

(a)

 

100.0

       

$734,846

   

100.0

   

Cost of sales

   

318,810

   

42.3

       

315,592

   

42.9

   

Gross profit

   

435,056

   

57.7

       

419,254

   

57.1

   
                                     

Research and development

   

36,015

   

4.8

       

34,838

   

4.7

   

Selling, general and administrative 

   

202,826

   

26.9

       

202,451

   

27.6

   

Amortization

   

12,329

   

1.6

       

11,856

   

1.6

   

Interest expense

   

9,800

   

1.3

       

9,003

   

1.2

   

Restructuring charges

   

6,732

   

0.9

       

2,222

   

0.3

   

Other charges (income), net

   

(2,005)

   

(0.3)

       

(1,479)

   

(0.1)

   

Earnings before taxes

   

169,359

   

22.5

       

160,363

   

21.8

   
                                     

Provision for taxes

   

39,964

   

5.3

       

33,710

   

4.6

   

Net earnings

   

$129,395

   

17.2

       

$126,653

   

17.2

   
                                     

Basic earnings per common share:

                                   

Net earnings 

   

$5.28

             

$5.04

         

Weighted average number of common shares

   

24,487,268

             

25,126,061

         
                                     

Diluted earnings per common share:

                                   

Net earnings 

   

$5.20

             

$4.93

         

Weighted average number of common 

   

24,880,179

             

25,683,365

         

  and common equivalent shares

                                   
                                     

Note:

                               

(a)   Local currency sales increased 4% as compared to the same period in 2018.

   
                                     

RECONCILIATION OF EARNINGS BEFORE TAXES TO ADJUSTED OPERATING PROFIT

                                     
     

 

Three months ended

             

 

Three months ended

         
     

 

September 30, 2019

 

% of sales

     

 

September 30, 2018

 

% of sales

 
                                     

Earnings before taxes

   

$169,359

             

$160,363

         

Amortization

   

12,329

             

11,856

         

Interest expense

   

9,800

             

9,003

         

Restructuring charges

   

6,732

             

2,222

         

Other charges (income), net

   

(2,005)

             

(1,479)

         

Adjusted operating profit

   

$196,215

(b)

 

26.0

       

$181,965

   

24.8

   
                                     

Note:

                               

(b)   Adjusted operating profit increased 8% as compared to the same period in 2018.

   
     

 

METTLER-TOLEDO INTERNATIONAL INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(amounts in thousands except share data)

(unaudited)

                                       
       

Nine months ended

               

Nine months ended

           
     

September 30, 2019

   

% of sales

   

September 30, 2018

   

% of sales

 
                               

Net sales

   

$2,164,684

 

(a)

 

100.0

       

$2,117,663

     

100.0

   

Cost of sales

   

921,771

     

42.6

       

910,851

     

43.0

   

Gross profit

   

1,242,913

     

57.4

       

1,206,812

     

57.0

   
                                       

Research and development

   

108,650

     

5.0

       

104,866

     

5.0

   

Selling, general and administrative 

   

612,466

     

28.3

       

611,149

     

28.9

   

Amortization

   

36,877

     

1.7

       

35,561

     

1.7

   

Interest expense

   

27,776

     

1.3

       

25,671

     

1.2

   

Restructuring charges

   

11,146

     

0.5

       

13,956

     

0.6

   

Other charges (income), net

   

(4,253)

     

(0.2)

       

(5,795)

     

(0.3)

   

Earnings before taxes

   

450,251

     

20.8

       

421,404

     

19.9

   
                                       

Provision for taxes

   

81,891

     

3.8

       

89,979

     

4.2

   

Net earnings

   

$368,360

     

17.0

       

$331,425

     

15.7

   
                                       

Basic earnings per common share:

                                   

Net earnings 

   

$14.93

               

$13.10

           

Weighted average number of common shares

   

24,677,546

               

25,296,680

           
                                       

Diluted earnings per common share:

                                   

Net earnings 

   

$14.67

               

$12.81

           

Weighted average number of common 

   

25,103,173

               

25,877,979

           

  and common equivalent shares

                                   
                                       

Note:

                                   

(a)   Local currency sales increased 5% as compared to the same period in 2018.

   
                                       

RECONCILIATION OF EARNINGS BEFORE TAXES TO ADJUSTED OPERATING PROFIT

                                       
       

 

Nine months ended

               

 

Nine months ended

           
     

September 30, 2019

   

% of sales

   

September 30, 2018

   

% of sales

 
                                       

Earnings before taxes

   

$450,251

               

$421,404

           

Amortization

   

36,877

               

35,561

           

Interest expense

   

27,776

               

25,671

           

Restructuring charges

   

11,146

               

13,956

           

Other charges (income), net

   

(4,253)

               

(5,795)

           

Adjusted operating profit

   

$521,797

(b)

 

24.1

       

$490,797

     

23.2

   
                                       

Note:

                                   

(b)   Adjusted operating profit increased 6% as compared to the same period in 2018.

   
     

 

 

METTLER-TOLEDO INTERNATIONAL INC.

 

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

 

(amounts in thousands)

 

(unaudited)

                     
                     
       

September 30, 2019

       

December 31, 2018

 
                     

Cash and cash equivalents

   

$120,534

       

$178,110

 

Accounts receivable, net

   

503,247

       

535,528

 

Inventories

   

280,978

       

268,821

 

Other current assets and prepaid expenses

   

59,049

       

63,401

 

Total current assets

   

963,808

       

1,045,860

 
                     

Property, plant and equipment, net

   

722,592

       

717,526

 

Goodwill and other intangibles assets, net

   

740,595

       

752,088

 

Other non-current assets

   

208,874

(a)

 

103,373

 

Total assets

   

$2,635,869

       

$2,618,847

 
                     

Short-term borrowings and maturities of long-term debt

   

$48,577

       

$49,670

 

Trade accounts payable

   

148,220

       

196,641

 

Accrued and other current liabilities

   

522,458

(a)

 

488,123

 

Total current liabilities

   

719,255

       

734,434

 
                     

Long-term debt

   

1,124,279

       

985,021

 

Other non-current liabilities

   

354,034

(a)

 

309,329

 

Total liabilities

   

2,197,568

       

2,028,784

 
                     

Shareholders' equity

   

438,301

       

590,063

 

Total liabilities and shareholders' equity

   

$2,635,869

       

$2,618,847

 
                     

(a)   Includes a lease right-of-use asset of $88.2 million, a short-term lease liability of $26.9 million and a long-term lease liability of $62.0 million in accordance with ASC 842 "Leases" that went into effect on January 1, 2019.

 

 

METTLER-TOLEDO INTERNATIONAL INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

 (amounts in thousands)

 (unaudited)

                 
   

Three months ended

 

Nine months ended

   

September 30,

 

September 30,

   

2019

 

2018

 

2019

 

2018

                 

Cash flow from operating activities:

             

    Net earnings

$129,395

 

$126,653

 

$368,360

 

$331,425

    Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to

             

      net cash provided by operating activities:

             

Depreciation

9,958

 

9,283

 

29,348

 

27,889

Amortization

12,329

 

11,856

 

36,877

 

35,561

Deferred tax expense (benefit)

(3,082)

 

(1,792)

 

(17,963)

 

(11,901)

Other

4,465

 

2,763

 

13,255

 

9,799

Increase (decrease) in cash resulting from changes in

             

  operating assets and liabilities

22,811

 

911

 

(28,136)

 

(26,340)

                Net cash provided by operating activities

175,876

 

149,674

 

401,741

 

366,433

                 

Cash flows from investing activities:

             

    Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment

32

 

3,279

 

1,248

 

7,809

    Purchase of property, plant and equipment

(26,928)

 

(35,079)

 

(71,627)

 

(96,665)

    Acquisitions

(1,500)

 

(4,462)

 

(2,004)

 

(4,962)

    Net hedging settlements on intercompany loans

(2,873)

 

(7,822)

 

(4,099)

 

(780)

                Net cash used in investing activities

(31,269)

 

(44,084)

 

(76,482)

 

(94,598)

                 

Cash flows from financing activities:

             

    Proceeds from borrowings

168,881

 

169,094

 

807,711

 

772,274

    Repayments of borrowings

(128,066)

 

(201,180)

 

(660,795)

 

(703,704)

    Proceeds from exercise of stock options

159

 

4,817

 

37,916

 

14,777

    Repurchases of common stock 

(186,250)

 

(118,750)

 

(558,749)

 

(356,249)

    Acquisition contingent consideration payment

-

 

-

 

(10,000)

 

-

    Other financing activities

-

 

(29)

 

1,753

 

(1,664)

                Net cash used in financing activities

(145,276)

 

(146,048)

 

(382,164)

 

(274,566)

                 

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents

(3,236)

 

(5,284)

 

(671)

 

(8,508)

                 

Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents

(3,905)

 

(45,742)

 

(57,576)

 

(11,239)

                 

Cash and cash equivalents:

             

    Beginning of period

124,439

 

183,190

 

178,110

 

148,687

    End of period

$120,534

 

$137,448

 

$120,534

 

$137,448

                 
                 

RECONCILIATION OF NET CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES TO ADJUSTED FREE CASH FLOW

                 

Net cash provided by operating activities

$175,876

 

$149,674

 

$401,741

 

$366,433

    Payments in respect of restructuring activities

2,604

 

3,292

 

9,450

 

16,701

    Payment for acquisition costs

-

 

140

 

-

 

140

    Transition tax payment

-

 

-

 

4,289

 

4,200

    Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment

32

 

3,279

 

1,248

 

7,809

    Purchase of property, plant and equipment

(26,928)

 

(35,079)

 

(71,627)

 

(96,665)

Adjusted free cash flow

$151,584

 

$121,306

 

$345,101

 

$298,618

                 

 

METTLER-TOLEDO INTERNATIONAL INC.

 

OTHER OPERATING STATISTICS

 
                         
                         

SALES GROWTH BY DESTINATION

 

(unaudited)

 
                         
       

Europe

 

Americas

 

Asia/RoW

Total

   
                         

U.S. Dollar Sales Growth (Decrease)

                     
 

Three Months Ended September 30, 2019

   

(2%)

 

6%

 

2%

 

3%

   
 

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2019

   

(2%)

 

5%

 

3%

 

2%

   
                         

Local Currency Sales Growth (Decrease)

                     
 

Three Months Ended September 30, 2019

   

2%

 

7%

 

4%

 

4%

   
 

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2019

   

3%

 

5%

 

7%

 

5%

   
                         
                         

RECONCILIATION OF DILUTED EPS AS REPORTED TO ADJUSTED DILUTED EPS 

(unaudited)

                         
   

Three months ended

Nine months ended

   

September 30,

September 30,

   

2019

 

2018

 

% Growth

 

2019

 

2018

 

% Growth

                         

EPS as reported, diluted

$5.20

 

$4.93

 

5%

 

$14.67

 

$12.81

 

15%

                         

Restructuring charges, net of tax

0.22

(a)

0.07

(a)

   

0.36

(a)

0.42

(a)

 

Purchased intangible amortization, net of tax

0.11

(b)

0.10

(b)

   

0.32

(b)

0.29

(b)

 

Income tax expense

0.24

(c)

0.02

(c)

   

(0.33)

(c)

(0.02)

(c)

 
                         

Adjusted EPS, diluted

$5.77

 

$5.12

 

13%

 

$15.02

 

$13.50

 

11%

                         

Notes:

                     

(a)

Represents the EPS impact of restructuring charges of $6.7 million ($5.4 million after tax) and $2.2 million ($1.7 million after tax) for the three months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, and $11.1 million ($8.9 million after tax) and $14.0 million ($10.9 million after tax) for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively, which primarily include employee related costs.

(b)

Represents the EPS impact of purchased intangibles amortization, net of tax, of $3.7 million ($2.8 million after tax) and $3.4 million ($2.5 million after tax) for the three months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, and $10.6 million ($8.0 million after tax) and $10.0 million ($7.5 million after tax) for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

(c)

Represents the EPS impact of the difference between our reported and estimated annual tax rate during the three and nine months ending September 30, 2019 and 2018, due to the timing of excess tax benefits associated with stock option exercises. 

 

Cision View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mettler-toledo-international-inc-reports-third-quarter-2019-results-300954287.html

SOURCE Mettler-Toledo International Inc.

Mary T. Finnegan, Treasurer, Investor Relations, Mettler-Toledo International Inc., +1-614-438-4748, Fax: +1-614-438-4646