HOUSTON, April 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- CARBO Ceramics
Inc. (NYSE: CRR) today reported net income of $30.2 million, or $1.30 per diluted share, on revenues of
$150.8 million for the quarter ended
March 31, 2011.
President and CEO Gary Kolstad
commented, "CARBO is off to a good
start in 2011, achieving the best quarter in the Company's
history. Our technical marketing strategy, aimed at
highlighting the benefits of Economic Conductivity®, continues to
have a positive impact on increased well production and enhanced
recovery. A clear result of this strategy is the continuing
demand for ceramic proppant in both natural gas and liquids-rich
resource plays, such as the Haynesville, Eagle Ford, Colony Wash,
Permian, and the Bakken. Sales volumes benefited from our
recently constructed third manufacturing line in Toomsboro, which
quickly ramped up to full productive capacity during the
quarter. Falcon Technologies™, our business
focused on reducing environmental risks, continues to build upon
and leverage the foundation that it established last year."
"Clients throughout the oil and gas industry turn to
CARBO to meet their proppant
demands, and we remain committed to growing our proppant
franchise," Mr. Kolstad stated.
First Quarter Results
Revenues for the first quarter of 2011 increased 22 percent, or
$27.4 million, when compared to the
first quarter of 2010. North American (excluding Mexico) sales volume increased 11 percent
while international proppant sales volume decreased 8 percent,
compared to the same period last year.
Operating profit for the first quarter of 2011 increased 60
percent, or $17.3 million, compared
to the first quarter of 2010. This increase is due to higher
sales volume, an increase in the average proppant selling price and
a higher contribution from Falcon Technologies™,
partially offset by an increase in selling, general,
administrative, and other operating expenses.
Net income for the first quarter of 2011 increased 59 percent,
or $11.2 million, compared to the
first quarter of 2010.
|
|
Proppant Sales
Volumes
(in millions
lbs)
|
Three Months
Ended
March 31,
2011
|
Three Months
Ended
March 31,
2010
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ceramic Volumes
|
376
|
361
|
|
Other Proppant
Volumes*
|
23
|
9
|
|
Total
|
399
|
370
|
|
|
|
|
|
* Includes
CARBOBOND®
RCS (resin-coated sand) and API /
ISO certified ceramic proppant manufactured on an outsourced
basis.
|
|
|
|
|
Technology and Business Highlights
- Operators in North American unconventional plays, including
reservoirs such as the Bakken, Haynesville, Permian, Colony Wash
and Eagle Ford, continue to report impressive results in wells
utilizing CARBO's proppant,
further illustrating the benefits of Economic Conductivity®.
- Proppant capacity expansion at Toomsboro Line 4 (TMB4) and New
Iberia Line 2 remain on schedule for completion before year-end.
Once completed, the two lines will increase CARBO's total annual proppant manufacturing
capacity to 2.1 billion pounds.
- CARBO's resin-coated
suite of products, CARBOBOND® LITE® and
CARBOBOND®
RCS, continue to exhibit solid growth and have
garnered widespread client acceptance.
- Falcon Technologies™ has successfully
expanded into the Eagle Ford demonstrating a growing trend of
enhanced environmental stewardship by E&P operators.
- CARBONRT™, a
non-radioactive, environmentally responsible, traceable ceramic
proppant continues to be broadly deployed, particularly in the
international markets.
Outlook
CEO Gary Kolstad commented on the
outlook for the Company stating, "We see industry activity
remaining at high levels for the remainder of the year, which
should provide continued opportunity for CARBO. The second quarter will likely
follow the historical pattern of reduced proppant sales volumes due
to lower activity in Canada during
spring break-up."
"As always, CARBO is focused on
the future and growing the business. We will concentrate our
efforts on three pillars of organic growth: expanding ceramic
proppant capacity, resin-coating capacity and Falcon
Technologies.
"With respect to the ceramic franchise, TMB4 is on schedule for
completion before year-end. Once completed, TMB4 will expand
our ceramic capacity by 250 million pounds per year. As for
future ceramic expansions, we are confident our plan will address
the increasingly difficult environmental regulations in place
today. We have accelerated our efforts to pursue comparable
alternative building sites and are optimistic we will overcome
these hurdles."
Mr. Kolstad continued, "With respect to our resin-coating
operation, the second line in New Iberia remains on schedule for
completion before the end of this year. Once completed, this
line will produce up to 300 million pounds of resin-coated sand on
an annual basis. Looking forward, we expect CARBO to play a significant role in the
resin-coated sand (RCS) market. Our recently acquired
Marshfield, Wisconsin site is an
optimal location to expand our resin-coating operations. We
are actively evaluating a building plan for a new RCS plant at this
location in 2012, with a potential initial capacity of up to 600
million pounds annually."
"We are pleased with the first quarter results of Falcon
Technologies, as the foundation that was established in 2010 is
starting to pay off. We are confident Falcon is well
positioned for growth over the coming years as E&Ps become
increasingly focused on environmental stewardship," stated Mr.
Kolstad.
"In summary, we believe the successful execution of this
strategic growth plan should add value for shareholders over the
long-term," Mr. Kolstad concluded.
As previously announced, a conference call to discuss the
Company's first quarter results is scheduled for today at
10:00 a.m. Central Time (11:00 a.m. Eastern). To participate in the
teleconference, investors in the U.S. should dial
1-877-883-0383 at least 10 minutes before the start time and
reference conference number 9640990. Canada-based callers should dial
1-877-885-0477, and international callers outside of
North America should dial
1-412-902-6506. The conference call also can be accessed by
visiting the company's website, www.carboceramics.com.
CARBO is the world's largest
supplier of ceramic proppant for fracturing oil and gas wells;
provider of the industry's most popular fracture simulation
software; and a provider of fracture design and consulting
services. The Company also provides a broad range of technologies
for spill prevention, containment and countermeasures, along with
geotechnical monitoring.
The statements in this news release that are not historical
statements, including statements regarding our future financial and
operating performance, are forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the federal securities laws, including the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All forward-looking
statements are based on management's current expectations and
estimates, which involve risks and uncertainties that could cause
actual results to differ materially from those expressed in
forward-looking statements. Among these factors are changes
in overall economic conditions, changes in the cost of raw
materials and natural gas used in manufacturing our products,
changes in demand and prices charged for our products, changes in
the demand for, or price of, oil and natural gas, risks of
increased competition, technological, manufacturing and product
development risks, loss of key customers, changes in government
regulations, foreign and domestic political and legislative risks,
the risks of war and international and domestic terrorism, risks
associated with foreign operations and foreign currency exchange
rates and controls, weather-related risks and other risks and
uncertainties described in our publicly available filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. We assume no obligation
to update forward-looking statements, except as required by
law.
- tables
follow -
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months
Ended
March
31
|
|
|
2011
|
2010
|
|
|
(In
thousands except per share data)
|
|
Revenues
|
$ 150,830
|
$ 123,449
|
|
Cost of sales
|
88,774
|
80,884
|
|
Gross profit
|
62,056
|
42,565
|
|
Selling, general
& administrative expenses
|
14,287
|
13,635
|
|
Start-up
costs
|
-
|
135
|
|
Loss on disposal or
impairment of assets
|
1,679
|
3
|
|
Operating profit
|
46,090
|
28,792
|
|
Interest income, net
|
44
|
33
|
|
Foreign currency exchange (loss)
gain, net
|
(188)
|
36
|
|
Other expense, net
|
(77)
|
(123)
|
|
Income before income
taxes
|
45,869
|
28,738
|
|
Income taxes
|
15,705
|
9,746
|
|
Net income
|
$
30,164
|
$
18,992
|
|
|
|
|
|
Earnings per share:
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
$
1.30
|
$
0.82
|
|
Diluted
|
$
1.30
|
$
0.82
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average shares
outstanding:
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
23,015
|
22,967
|
|
Diluted
|
23,016
|
22,977
|
|
|
|
|
|
Depreciation and
amortization
|
$
8,180
|
$
6,734
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Selected Balance Sheet
Information
|
|
|
March 31, 2011
|
|
December 31,
2010
|
|
|
(In
thousands)
|
|
Assets
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash
equivalents
|
$
54,359
|
|
$
46,656
|
|
Other current
assets
|
210,829
|
|
190,999
|
|
Property, plant and
equipment, net
|
353,952
|
|
338,483
|
|
Intangible and
other assets, net
|
9,195
|
|
10,380
|
|
Total assets
|
640,499
|
|
599,571
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liabilities and Shareholders'
Equity
|
|
|
|
|
Accrued income
taxes
|
$
12,752
|
|
$
113
|
|
Other current
liabilities
|
51,634
|
|
51,134
|
|
Deferred income
taxes
|
27,994
|
|
26,345
|
|
Shareholders'
equity
|
548,119
|
|
521,979
|
|
Total liabilities and
shareholders' equity
|
$
640,499
|
|
$
599,571
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SOURCE CARBO Ceramics Inc.