Casella Waste Systems Inc. (CWST)

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Casella Waste Systems, Inc. Announces Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2009 Results; Provides Fiscal Year 2010 Guidance
Date : 06/15/2009 @ 8:18PM
Source : MarketWire
Stock : Casella Waste Systems, Inc. (CWST)
Quote : 2.0 -0.05 (-2.44%) @ 7:58PM


Casella Waste Systems, Inc. Announces Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2009 Results; Provides Fiscal Year 2010 Guidance





RUTLAND, VT -- (Marketwire) -- 06/15/09 -- Casella Waste Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CWST), a regional solid waste, recycling and resource management services company, today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and its 2009 fiscal year, and gave guidance on its 2010 fiscal year.




Highlights of the quarter include:



Free cash flow for the fiscal year was $8.8 million, within the original guidance range;


Adjusted EBITDA* for the fiscal year was $115.6 million; and


Solid waste operations continue to perform well through the economic slowdown; the Recycling group rebounds after volatile commodity pricing.


"In spite of the collapse of the global recycling commodity markets mid-way through our 2009 fiscal year and an extended economic contraction, our team executed well against the factors within our control to meet our original free cash flow goals," John W. Casella, chairman and CEO of Casella Waste Systems, said.




"During the third and fourth quarters we experienced significant declines in commodity pricing and lower solid waste volumes in more economically sensitive markets," Casella said. "To meet our free cash flow target, we acted swiftly and thoughtfully to improve all aspects of our operating structure and daily business practices, and we successfully implemented programs that reduced costs and improved asset utilization.




"In addition, we offset downward revenue pressure by increasing pricing where supported by the market, flexing operations to volumes, and reducing capital spending," Casella said. "I'm confident that we are well positioned as an operationally efficient, cash flow focused company not only for this economic downturn, but also for an anticipated economic recovery and growth environment."




Fourth Quarter Results



For the quarter ended April 30, 2009, the company reported revenues of $117.6 million, down $22.0 million or 15.7 percent over the same quarter last year. Approximately fifty three percent of the decline was due to a drop in recycling revenues, down $11.6 million over the same quarter last year primarily as the result of lower commodity prices.




Solid waste revenues including the company's major accounts programs were down approximately 11.0 percent from the same quarter last year. Excluding fuel, oil and environmental recovery fees, pricing was up 3.4 percent, and volumes were down 5.9 percent (excluding revenue losses due to the planned end-of-life decline of landfill volumes at the Pine Tree landfill in Hampden, Maine; the planned closure of the Colebrook, NH landfill in early August 2008; and the idling of a C&D processing facility in October 2008).




The company's net loss applicable to common shareholders was ($68.5) million, or ($2.67) per common share, compared to a net loss of ($7.8) million, or ($0.31) per share for the same quarter last year.




Reported results for the 2009 quarter include a non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $55.3 million, an environmental remediation charge of $1.5 million, development project charges of $0.4 million, severance and reorganization charges of $1.3 million, and a charge of $24.1 million for the increase of the non-cash deferred tax valuation allowance. Reported results for the comparable 2008 period include an impairment and closing charge of $1.4 million for the closure of the Hardwick landfill, development project charge of $0.5 million, a charge of $0.4 million for the increase of the non-cash deferred tax valuation allowance, and a $2.0 million after-tax loss from discontinued operations and the loss on disposal of discontinued operations.




Excluding the charges outlined above, the net loss from continuing operations for the quarter amounted to ($0.8) million or ($0.03) per common share, as compared to a net loss of ($4.3) million or ($0.17) per common share for the same quarter last year.




Net cash provided by operating activities in the quarter was $26.9 million, compared to $19.8 million for the same quarter last year. Net cash provided by operating activities was favorably impacted by a $13.9 million increase due to the dissolution of the company's captive insurance company during the quarter.




The company's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA*), adjusted for goodwill impairment, environmental remediation charge, severance and reorganization charges, and development project charge (Adjusted EBITDA* which included adjustments to EBITDA for $57.2 million) was $23.3 million for the quarter, down $2.9 million from the same quarter last year. The company's free cash flow* in the quarter was $4.2 million, compared to $6.0 million in the same quarter last year.




Fiscal 2009 Results



For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2009, the company reported revenues of $554.2 million, down $25.3 million or 4.4 percent over fiscal year 2008.

The company's net loss applicable to common shareholders was ($68.0) million, or ($2.66) per common share, for fiscal year 2009, compared to a net loss of ($7.8) million, or ($0.31) per share, for the same period last year.




Reported results for fiscal year 2009 include a non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $55.3 million, an environmental remediation charge of $4.4 million, development project charges of $0.4 million, severance and reorganization charges of $1.4 million, and a charge of $24.1 million for the increase of the non-cash deferred tax valuation allowance. Reported results for the comparable 2008 period include an impairment and closing charge of $1.4 million for the closure of the Hardwick landfill, development project charge of $0.5 million, severance and reorganization charges of $1.2 million, a charge of $0.4 million for the increase of the non-cash deferred tax valuation allowance, and a $3.8 million after-tax loss from discontinued operations and the loss on disposal of discontinued operations.




Excluding the charges outlined above, the fiscal year 2009 net income from continuing operations amounted to $1.3 million or $0.05 per common share, as compared to a net loss of ($1.7) million or ($0.07) per common share for fiscal year 2008.




Net cash provided by operating activities for fiscal year 2009 was $77.5 million, compared to $71.2 million for fiscal year 2008. Net cash provided by operating activities was favorably impacted by a $13.9 million increase due to the dissolution of the company's captive insurance company during the fiscal year.




The company's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization (EBITDA*), adjusted for goodwill impairment, environmental remediation, severance and reorganization charges, and development project charge (Adjusted EBITDA*) was $115.6 million for fiscal year 2009, compared to $123.5 million in fiscal year 2008.




The company's free cash flow* for fiscal year 2009 was $8.8 million versus $5.3 million for fiscal year 2008. As of April 30, 2009, the company had cash on hand of $2.3 million, and had an outstanding total debt level of $562.5 million. More detailed financial results are contained in the tables accompanying this release.




During the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2009, the company recorded an additional environmental remediation charge of $1.5 million related to a scrap yard and transfer station owned by the company, in recognition of the declared bankruptcy of General Motors Corporation, one of the other responsible parties to this obligation.




In the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2009, the company recorded a severance and reorganization charge of $1.4 million which consisted of employee severance and benefit costs, and operating lease costs, as a result of the market area consolidation of several operating units, the elimination of one region office, and other workforce reductions.




Fiscal 2010 Outlook



"In fiscal year 2010, our emphasis is on further improving cash flows through increased pricing, cost controls and operational efficiencies, and focused capital deployment," Casella said. "Our plan for the fiscal year assumes that commodity prices rebound slightly and economic activity remains soft, essentially mirroring the conditions that our business experienced during the last six months of our fiscal year 2009."



The company provided guidance for its fiscal year 2010, which began May 1, 2009, by estimating results in the following ranges:



Revenues between $510.0 million and $530.0 million;


EBITDA* between $111.0 million and $117.0 million;


Capital Expenditures between $48.0 million and $54.0 million; and


Free Cash Flow (redefined for fiscal year 2010) between $0.0 million and $6.0 million. Please note that we have changed our definition of "Free Cash Flow" for fiscal year 2010 to net cash provided by operating activities; less capital expenditures; less payments on landfill operating leases; less assets acquired through financing leases. We plan to report free cash flow on this basis in the future.


The company said the following assumptions are built into its fiscal year 2010 outlook:



Zero-growth in the regional economy from the fourth quarter fiscal year 2009;


In the solid waste business, overall revenue declines between negative 3.0 percent and negative 6.0 percent, with price projected to outpace CPI; volumes down; fuel and oil recovery fees down; and the roll-over impacts noted below included;


In the recycling business, overall revenue declines between negative 16.0 percent and negative 20.0 percent, with price down and volumes flat;


In the major accounts business, overall revenue growth of between 5.0 percent and 10.0 percent, principally through volume growth;


The roll-over impacts of fiscal year 2009 growth projects are included in the above growth targets. For the solid waste business this includes the two new landfill gas-to-energy plants that came online in the third quarter; for FCR this includes a new contract that began in the third quarter and the two Zero-Sort Recycling(TM) conversions that were completed in the fourth quarter; and
No acquisitions.


Free cash flow of $0.0 million to $6.0 million is based on net cash provided by operating activities of $61.0 million to $67.0 million, less estimated capital expenditures of $48.0 million to $54.0 million, and payments on landfill operating leases of approximately $10.0 million.




*Non-GAAP Financial Measures



In addition to disclosing financial results prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), we also disclose earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), adjusted for severance and reorganization charges, goodwill impairment charge, environmental remediation charge as well as development project charges (Adjusted EBITDA) and free cash flow, which are non-GAAP measures. In addition we disclose Adjusted net income (loss) from continuing operations which reflects adjustments to Net income (loss) per common share for the tax effected impact of severance and reorganization charges, goodwill impairment charge, environmental remediation charge, development project charges and tax valuation allowance. In the future we may modify items considered in defining free cash flow and adjusted EBITDA if we believe it will help the understanding of our financial performance.




These measures are provided because we understand that certain investors use this information when analyzing the financial position of companies in the solid waste industry, including us. Historically, these measures have been key in comparing operating efficiency of publicly traded companies in the solid waste industry, and assist investors in measuring our ability to meet capital expenditures, payments on landfill operating lease contracts, and working capital requirements. For these reasons we utilize these non-GAAP metrics to measure our performance at all levels. Free cash flow, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are not intended to replace "Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities," which is the most comparable GAAP financial measure. Moreover, these measures do not necessarily indicate whether cash flow will be sufficient for such items as capital expenditures, payments on landfill operating lease contracts, or working capital, or to react to changes in our industry or to the economy generally. Because these measures are not calculated by all companies in the same fashion, they may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies.




Casella Waste Systems, Inc., headquartered in Rutland, Vermont, provides solid waste management services consisting of collection, transfer, disposal, and recycling services primarily in the eastern United States.




For further information, contact Ned Coletta, director of investor relations at [phone], or visit the Company's website at http://www.casella.com.