RPM International Inc. has reported a 3.0% increase in sales and a net loss of $70.9 million for its fiscal 2017 second quarter ended November 30, 2016. The quarter’s results included a $188.3 million pre-tax impairment charge related to its Kirker consumer nail enamel business. On an after-tax basis, the charge was $129.2 million, or $0.97 per share. The second quarter also included a charge of $12.3 million, or $0.09 per share, which had no tax impact, related to the decision to exit the Flowcrete polymer flooring business in the Middle East.  

Second-Quarter Results
Net sales of $1.19 billion were up 3.0% over the $1.16 billion reported a year ago. Organic sales improved 3.8% and acquisition growth added 1.7%. Foreign currency translation reduced sales by 2.5%. The loss in the fiscal 2017 second quarter of $70.9 million compares to net income of $83.4 million in the fiscal 2016 second quarter. The fiscal 2017 second-quarter loss of $0.54 per diluted share compares to earnings per diluted share of $0.62 in the fiscal 2016 second quarter. Loss before income taxes of $106.9 million decreased from income before income taxes (IBT) of $120.3 million reported in the fiscal 2016 second quarter. RPM’s consolidated loss before interest and taxes of $86.4 million decreased from consolidated earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of $141.6 million reported in the fiscal 2016 second quarter.

The fiscal 2017 second quarter included the $188.3 million Kirker impairment charge and the $12.3 million charge related to the decision to exit Flowcrete Middle East, while the fiscal 2016 second quarter included the previously disclosed $14.5 million reversal of Kirker’s final earnout accrual into income. Excluding these items, earnings per diluted share declined 5.5% from $0.55 per share to $0.52 per share, while consolidated EBIT of $114.2 million decreased 10.2% from $127.1 million last year.

“We are pleased with the sales growth in the second quarter across each of our three segments in light of economic conditions and in comparison to our peer companies’ recent performance. Even in our more global economically challenged industrial segment businesses, we are generating solid growth in local currencies. Translational and transactional foreign exchange challenges, previously communicated capacity issues in our consumer segment, and higher corporate benefit costs combined to generate lower year-over-year EBIT results, excluding the additional impairment charge and the decision to exit the Flowcrete business in the Middle East. Mid-year restructuring and expense reduction activities and the benefit of first-half acquisitions, along with having addressed the capacity situation at our DAP subsidiary, will allow revenue growth to be better leveraged to our bottom line during the fiscal 2017 fourth quarter and beyond,” stated Frank C. Sullivan, chairman and chief executive officer.

Second-Quarter Segment Sales and Earnings
During the fiscal 2017 second quarter, industrial segment sales increased 1.6%, to $633.4 million from $623.3 million in the fiscal 2016 second quarter. Organic sales improved 2.2%, while acquisition growth added 2.2%. Foreign currency translation reduced sales by 2.8%. IBT for the industrial segment declined 21.4% to $50.3 million, from $64.0 million in the fiscal 2016 second quarter. Industrial segment EBIT declined 20.4% to $52.2 million, from $65.6 million in the fiscal 2016 second quarter. Industrial segment EBIT included the impact of a $12.3 million charge related to the decision to exit the Flowcrete polymer flooring business in the Middle East. Excluding this charge, industrial segment EBIT was down 1.7% to $64.5 million from $65.6 million last year, due to unfavorable mix.

“Industrial sales remain choppy by geography and have continued to be negatively impacted by weakness in the global oil and gas and heavy equipment industries, along with continued currency headwinds. In Europe, sales were down 1.0% in actual dollars, but up 6.3% in local currencies, with solid results in the U.K. In Latin America, sales were down in the low single digits in both actual results and local currencies. Our businesses serving the U.S. commercial construction markets continue to see solid sales growth in the mid-single-digit range,” Sullivan stated.

Second-quarter sales for the specialty segment increased 5.7%, to $183.6 million from $173.6 million in the fiscal 2016 second quarter. Organic growth was 5.2%, while acquisitions added 2.5%. Foreign currency translation reduced sales by 2.0%. IBT for the specialty segment increased 10.2% to $31.2 million, from $28.3 million in the fiscal 2016 second quarter. Specialty segment EBIT improved 10.6%, to $31.0 million from $28.1 million a year ago.

“Most of our core specialty businesses, particularly U.S.-based restoration and exterior insulation and finish systems product lines, had solid performance in the quarter. The specialty segment also benefited from several recent smaller acquisitions,” Sullivan stated.

RPM’s fiscal 2017 second-quarter consumer segment sales increased 4.1%, to $373.8 million from $359.1 million a year ago. Organic sales increased 5.8%, while acquisition growth added 0.6%. Foreign currency translation reduced sales by 2.3%. The consumer segment had a loss before income taxes of $140.6 million, compared to IBT of $65.4 million in the fiscal 2016 second quarter. The segment reported a loss before interest and taxes of $140.6 million, which was a decline from EBIT of $65.4 million reported last year.

As previously disclosed, fiscal 2016 second-quarter EBIT included the $14.5 million reversal of Kirker’s final earnout accrual into income. During the current year, certain negative trends in the Kirker business led to a loss of several customers and market share and a downward revision to long-term forecasts, which were determined to represent an impairment triggering event, and, after additional testing, resulted in an impairment charge totaling $188.3 million. Excluding these Kirker items, consumer segment EBIT declined 6.2%, from $50.9 million in fiscal 2016 to $47.7 million in the fiscal 2017 second quarter, principally due to a decline in Kirker’s current operating results.

“During the quarter, our core U.S. consumer businesses, excluding Kirker, performed very well, and capitalized on market share gains, a strengthening domestic housing market and good growth by our retail accounts to deliver solid organic growth. Sales in these businesses were up 6.4%, net of unfavorable currency translation. Supply issues in caulks and sealants were resolved by the end of the quarter, while significant capital investments are in process to increase capacity. Certain inefficiencies lingered in the second quarter that related to the caulks and sealants supply issues, which translated into a less favorable conversion to EBIT than would normally be the case. Both Rust-Oleum and DAP invested heavily in advertising and promotional activities in the quarter to support their brands and new product placements achieved during the past year,” stated Sullivan.

Cash Flow and Financial Position
For the first half of fiscal 2017, cash from operations was $158.7 million, compared to $167.1 million a year ago. Capital expenditures of $48.0 million compared to $31.3 million during the first half of last year. Total debt at November 30, 2016 was $1.64 billion, compared to $1.66 billion at November 30, 2015 and $1.64 billion at May 31, 2016. RPM’s net (of cash) debt-to-total capitalization ratio was 52.8%, compared to 53.3% at November 30, 2015. At November 30, 2016, liquidity stood at $956 million, including cash of $206.0 million and $750.0 million in long-term committed available credit.

First-Half Sales and Earnings
Fiscal 2017 first-half net sales improved 1.8%, to $2.44 billion from $2.40 billion during the first six months of fiscal 2016. Net income declined to $41.8 million from $183.2 million in the fiscal 2016 first half. Diluted earnings per share were $0.32, down from $1.36 a year ago. IBT of $41.6 million declined 84.1% from $262.5 million in the fiscal 2016 first half. EBIT of $81.0 million declined 73.2% from $302.2 million reported last year. Excluding the Kirker items in both years and the Flowcrete charge in fiscal 2017, diluted earnings per share were $1.35, an increase of 4.7% from $1.29 last year and consolidated EBIT was $281.6 million, a decrease of 2.1% from $287.7 million last year.

First-Half Segment Sales and Earnings
RPM’s industrial segment fiscal 2017 first-half sales were up 0.7%, to $1.31 billion from $1.30 billion in the fiscal 2016 first half. Organic sales increased 1.7%, while acquisition growth added 1.6%. Foreign currency translation reduced sales by 2.6%. IBT for the industrial segment declined 6.0% to $139.6 million, from $148.5 million in fiscal 2016. EBIT of $143.3 million declined 5.4% from $151.6 in the first half last year. Excluding the Flowcrete Middle East charge, industrial segment EBIT increased 2.7%, to $155.6 million.

Specialty segment sales grew 4.8%, to $359.9 million from $343.5 million in the 2016 first half. Organic growth was 3.9%, while acquisitions added 2.8%. Foreign currency translation reduced sales by 1.9%. IBT for the specialty segment increased 12.6% to $61.7 million, from $54.8 million in fiscal 2016. For the first half of fiscal 2017, specialty segment EBIT increased 13.0%, to $61.4 million from $54.3 million a year ago.

First-half sales for the consumer segment improved 2.5%, to $773.7 million from $754.6 million a year ago. Organic sales increased 3.7%, and acquisition growth added 0.8%. Foreign currency translation reduced sales by 2.0%. The segment experienced a loss before income taxes of $70.5 million, as compared to IBT of $131.6 million in fiscal 2016. The consumer segment reported a loss before interest and taxes of $70.5 million, which was a decline from EBIT of $131.5 million in the first half of fiscal 2016. Excluding the Kirker impairment charge from fiscal 2017 and the Kirker earnout reversal in fiscal 2016, consumer segment EBIT increased 0.8%, to $117.8 million during the first half of fiscal 2017 from $117.0 million in the prior period.

Business Outlook
“In the industrial segment, we expect continued solid growth for those businesses serving the U.S. commercial construction markets to be partially offset by continued global choppiness and a sluggish global energy sector. We are anticipating growth in our international businesses to be in the low-single-digit range. Despite more difficult currency headwinds with the euro and British pound, industrial segment sales growth for the back half of the fiscal year will be in the low-single-digit range, with the help from recent acquisitions,” stated Sullivan.

“We continue to expect mid-single-digit range growth in our specialty segment by these predominately U.S.-based niche businesses as they gain market share. In the consumer segment, we are expecting a solid back half to fiscal 2017, with overall growth in the mid-single-digit range, including recent acquisitions,” he stated.

“Due to further declines in the euro and British pound versus the U.S. dollar, we are anticipating an increase in currency headwinds for the fiscal year from our original estimate of $0.06 per share to $0.10 per share, along with an increase in pension expense from our original $0.05 per share to $0.07 per share for the 2017 fiscal year. Recent acquisitions are expected to reduce EPS in the third quarter due to stepped-up inventory and other one-time transaction costs, but be accretive for the fourth quarter. We are anticipating a restructuring charge in Europe in the third quarter of fiscal 2017, which will reduce diluted earnings per share by approximately $0.05 per share. As a result, we are revising our EPS full-year guidance to a range of $1.54 to $1.64 per diluted share, which includes the $0.09 per share Flowcrete Middle East charge, the $0.94 per share Kirker charge, the third-quarter estimated restructuring charge of $0.05 per share, as well as $0.04 per share of higher currency headwinds and $0.02 per share of higher pension expense,” Sullivan stated.

“Excluding the charge for the Kirker impairment, Flowcrete Middle East exit, and the estimated third-quarter restructuring in Europe, our fiscal 2017 full-year adjusted EPS guidance is $2.62 to $2.72,” stated Sullivan.

Webcast and Conference Call Information
Management will host a conference call to discuss these results beginning at 10:00 a.m. EST today. The call can be accessed by dialing 888-771-4371 or 847-585-4405 for international callers. Participants are asked to call the assigned number approximately 10 minutes before the conference call begins. The call, which will last approximately one hour, will be open to the public, but only financial analysts will be permitted to ask questions. The media and all other participants will be in a listen-only mode.

For those unable to listen to the live call, a replay will be available from approximately 12:30 p.m. EST today until 11:59 p.m. EST on January 12, 2017. The replay can be accessed by dialing 888-843-7419 or 630-652-3042 for international callers. The access code is 43806016. The call also will be available both live and for replay, and as a written transcript, via the RPM web site at www.rpminc.com.