Silgan Holdings, Inc. (SLGN) has reported
fourth quarter adjusted EPS of 56 cents, up from the year-ago
adjusted EPS of 45 cents. Adjusted EPS beats the Zacks Consensus
Estimate of 54 cents per share.
EPS in the fourth quarter in 2011 excluded a rationalization
charge of 3 cents and the prior year quarter excluded pre-tax
realization charges of 17 cents, pre-tax loss on debt
extinguishment of 3 cents, and 3 cents of acquisition costs.
Including these items, net income in the fourth quarter of 2011
increased to $37.1 million or 53 cents per share compared with
$16.4 million or 22 cents per share in the fourth quarter of
2010.
Total revenue during the reported quarter increased 17.5% year
over year to $835.9 million from $711.6 million. Total revenue
surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $813 million.
Fiscal 2011 Performance
In the full year 2011, adjusted EPS increased 18.5% to a record
$2.63 per share from $2.22 per share in 2010. Adjusted EPS beat the
Zacks Consensus Estimate by a penny.
Including some special items, net earnings in the year 2011
increased to $193.2 million or $2.75 per share from $144.6 million
or $1.89 per share in 2010.
Total revenue increased to $3.51 billion compared with $3.07
billion in 2010. Total revenue surpassed the Zacks Consensus
Estimate of $3.49 billion.
Cost and Margins
Costs of goods sold increased to $719.1 million during the
quarter from $613.5 million in the year-earlier quarter. Gross
profit increased substantially to $116.8 million from $98.1 million
in the year-ago quarter. However, gross margin increased marginally
year over year to13.9% from 13.7%.
Selling, general and administrative expenses increased to $43.9
million in the fourth quarter from $41.0 million in the year-ago
quarter. Income from operations increased substantially to $70.0
million from $38.6 million in the prior-year quarter, thereby
expanding operating margins by 300 basis points year over year to
8.4%.
Segmental Performance
Total revenue from Metal Containers
increased to $540.1 million from $422.1 million in the year ago
quarter. Operating income from the segment inched up to $63.4
million in the fourth quarter of 2011 from $46.9 million in the
year-ago quarter.
Total revenue in Closures totaled
$153.7 million in the quarter, compared to $146.2 million in the
prior year quarter. Operating income from the segment increased to
$13.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2011 from $10.7 million in
the year-ago quarter.
Plastic containers segment’s total
revenue declined marginally to $142.1 million in the quarter
compared to $143.3 million in the prior-year quarter. Operating
income from the segment was $0.3 million in the fourth quarter of
2011 compared with $4.5 million in the year-ago quarter.
Financial Position
As of December 31, 2011, cash and cash equivalents increased to
$397.1 million, from $175.2 million as of December 31, 2010.
Inventories, as of December 31, 2011, amounted to $554.2 million
from $438.5 million as of December 31, 2011.
Current and long-term debt also increased to $1,376.3 million as
of December 31, 2011 from $904.6 million as of December 31, 2010.
As of December 31, 2011, the debt-to-capitalization ratio improved
to 68% from 62% as of December 31, 2010.
Cash from operating activities was $359.6 million in 2011 versus
$187.3 million in 2010. The company recently paid a quarterly
dividend of 11 cents per share to the holders of record of
common stock on December 01, 2011. The dividend hike translates to
a 36% increase from the prior dividend of 11 cents.
Aggregate dividend payment amounted to $7.7 million. The company
has also authorized to buy back $300 million of common stock,
including the previous authorization, within December 31, 2014.
Outlook
Management expects adjusted earnings per share for the full year
2012 to be in the range of $2.80 - $2.90. It expects free cash flow
in 2012 to be in the range of $200 million-$250 million. For the
first quarter of 2012, management anticipates that adjusted income
per sharewould be around 41 cents.
Our Take
Silgan Holdings is the largest manufacturer of metal containers
for food products in North America. Through both acquisitions and
organic growth, Silgan has increased its overall share in the U.S.
metal food container market to the current market share of
approximately 50%.
However, the prices of the company’s raw materials, such as
steel, aluminum, plastic resins and others, are highly
inflationary. The company’s ability to adjust selling prices
according to the changes in raw material costs is constrained.
Moreover, as Silgan’s historical growth has primarily been
driven by acquisitions, its inability to identify suitable targets
at attractive valuations could hamper its growth rate. Currently,
the shares of the company maintain a Zacks#3 Rank (short-term Hold
recommendation).
Silgan is a leading manufacturer of consumer goods packaging
products operating 66 manufacturing facilities in North and South
America, Europe and Asia. In North America, Silgan is the largest
supplier of metal containers for food products and a leading
supplier of plastic containers for personal care products.
The company also leads in providing metals worldwide, along with
composite and plastic vacuum closures for food and beverage
products. Silgan competes with Ball
Corporation (BLL) and Crown Holdings
Inc. (CCK).
BALL CORP (BLL): Free Stock Analysis Report
CROWN HLDGS INC (CCK): Free Stock Analysis Report
SILGAN HOLDINGS (SLGN): Free Stock Analysis Report
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