FF - FutureFuel Releases 2020 Results

CLAYTON, Mo., March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FutureFuel Corp . (NYSE: FF) (“FutureFuel”), a manufacturer of custom and performance chemicals and biofuels, today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2020.

Fourth Quarter 2020 Financial Highlights (all comparisons are with the fourth quarter of 2019)

• Revenues were $49.9 million, up 147.1% from $20.2 million
• Adjusted EBITDA was $10.7 million, down 82.9% from $63.1 million
• Net income decreased to $5.5 million, or $0.13 per diluted share, from $72.4 million, or $1.65 per diluted share.

2020 Financial Highlights (all comparisons are with the year ended December 31, 2019)

• Revenues were $204.5 million, down 0.4% from $205.2 million
  
• Adjusted EBITDA was $29.2 million, down 63.0% from $78.7 million
• Net income decreased to $46.6 million, or $1.06 per diluted share, from $88.2 million, or $2.02 per diluted share.

“We are pleased to be able to deliver $46.6 million of net income at the end of a very challenging year. Our Biodiesel operation benefited from the certainty of the Blenders’ Tax Credit being in place from the beginning of 2020 and we set record-breaking production volumes at our plant. It was even more significant that we achieved this milestone while adapting to the impact of the pandemic on our operation and the consequent disruptions to our feedstock supply chain.

The diversity of our business model again proved to be valuable as the impact of the pandemic on the economy reduced demand in our chemical segment. We adjusted our operation accordingly and are now well positioned to take advantage of fresh opportunities during the year ahead." said Tom McKinlay, Chief Operating Officer for FutureFuel Corp.

"Note that the comparative fourth quarter 2019 revenue, adjusted EBITDA, and net income were impacted by the accounting treatment of the retroactive reinstatement of the blenders' tax credit passed into law in December 2019 for product physically sold and blended during the twelve months ended December 31, 2019 and 2018.  To better understand the current period financials with the prior period financials, see Note 2 of our consolidated financial statements that explains our accounting policy for the blenders' tax credit; Note 3 that summarizes the gross profit impact by year; and Note 16 showing the income tax benefit." said Rose Sparks, Chief Financial Officer of FutureFuel Corp.

2021 Regular Cash Dividends

FutureFuel declared normal quarterly dividends of $0.06 per share for 2021.

Financial and operating metrics, which include non-GAAP financial measures, include dollars in thousands, except per share amounts:

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Certain Financial and Operating Metrics
(Unaudited)

Consolidated Financial Results Q4 2020 versus Q4 2019

Fourth quarter revenue increased 147.1% or $29,686. In the prior year quarter, revenue was reduced from the recognition of rebates owed to customers due to the retroactive reinstatement of the 2018 and 2019 BTC, $34,848 which related to 2018 and the first three quarters of 2019. Chemical revenue declined from the prior year quarter primarily due to two custom products we no longer sell and from the continued volume impact of the COVID-19 pandemic (“COVID-19”) on chemicals used in the energy, housing, and automobile markets.

Income from operations decreased mostly from the $51,198 net benefit of the BTC reinstated for 2018 and the first three quarters of 2019 all of which was recognized in Q4 2019. See Note 3 of our consolidated financial statements for a detailed discussion of the full year impact. In addition, chemical margins declined due to the elimination of two products we no longer sell along with reduced biodiesel margins from the overall energy slowdown due to COVID-19. We took prudent measures to minimize labor and other costs to help offset these declines.

Net income of $5,472 decreased from the prior year quarter primarily from the benefit in the prior year of the reinstatement of the BTC and the Small Producer’s Tax Credit for 2018 and 2019 recognized in the fourth quarter 2019 (see Note 16 of the 2019 consolidated financial statements for further details on the full year impact).

Consolidated Financial Results 2020 versus 2019

Consolidated sales revenue decreased $721 in 2020 compared to 2019. This decrease primarily resulted from lower sales volumes in the chemical segment mostly offset by increased sales volumes in the biofuel segment.

Income from operations decreased $42,970 in 2020 compared to 2019. This decrease was mainly attributable to a benefit in the prior year from the reinstatement of the biodiesel BTC for 2018 recognized in 2019, amounting to $31,301, (see Note 3 of the 2020 consolidated financial statements for further details), lower margins on biodiesel sold, the absence of a chemical contract that expired in 2019, and reduced chemical sales volumes primarily driven by the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on the energy, housing, and automobile markets. Helping to reduce these declines was a 20% increase in biofuel sales volumes and cost reductions in labor and other costs.

FutureFuel reported net income of $46,564, or $1.06 per diluted share for 2020, compared with net income of $88,181, or $2.02 per diluted share, for 2019. Net income in 2019 was mostly benefited by the retroactive reinstatement of the BTC for 2018 in 2019, income from two products we no longer sell, offset partially by the change in income tax benefit of $14,786 in 2020 as compared to $8,386 in 2019. See Note 3 for a discussion of the BTC effect on our financials and Note 16 for a discussion of income taxes to the 2020 consolidated financial statements for further details.

Capital Expenditures

Capital expenditures and intangibles were $4,464 in 2020, compared with $6,971 in 2019. FutureFuel was reimbursed for a portion of these expenditures by certain customers as summarized in the following table.

(Dollars in thousands)

*This receipt of cash was reported as an increase in deferred revenue in cash flows from operations.

Cash and Cash Equivalents and Marketable Securities

Cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities totaled $262,526 as of December 31, 2020, compared with $316,951 as of December 31, 2019. The reduction in cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities resulted from a special cash dividend paid of $131,230 which was partially offset from the benefit of the reinstatement of the BTC.

About FutureFuel

FutureFuel is a leading manufacturer of diversified chemical products and biofuels. FutureFuel’s chemicals segment manufactures specialty chemicals for specific customers (“custom chemicals”) as well as multi-customer specialty chemicals (“performance chemicals”). FutureFuel’s custom manufacturing product portfolio includes proprietary agrochemicals, adhesion promoters, a biocide intermediate, and an antioxidant precursor. FutureFuel’s performance chemicals products include a portfolio of proprietary nylon and polyester polymer modifiers and several small-volume specialty chemicals and solvents for diverse applications. FutureFuel’s biofuels segment primarily produces and sells biodiesel to its customers. Please visit www.futurefuelcorporation.com for more information.

Forward-Looking Statements

This document contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements deal with FutureFuel’s current plans, intentions, beliefs, and expectations, and statements of future economic performance. Statements containing such terms as “believe,” “do not believe,” “plan,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” and other phrases of similar meaning are considered to contain uncertainty and are forward-looking statements. In addition, from time to time FutureFuel or its representatives have made or will make forward-looking statements orally or in writing. Furthermore, such forward-looking statements may be included in various filings that the company makes with United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), in press releases, or in oral statements made by or with the approval of one of FutureFuel’s authorized executive officers.

These forward-looking statements are subject to certain known and unknown risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in these forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, those set forth under the headings “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in FutureFuel’s Form 10-K Annual Report for the year ended December 31, 2020 and in its future filings made with the SEC. An investor should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements contained in this document, which reflect FutureFuel management’s opinions only as of their respective dates. Except as required by law, the company undertakes no obligation to revise or publicly release the results of any revisions to forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties described in this document and in current and future filings with the SEC are not the only ones faced by FutureFuel. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the company to predict which will arise. There may be additional risks not presently known to the company or that the company currently believes are immaterial to its business. In addition, FutureFuel cannot assess the impact of each factor on its business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. If any such risks occur, FutureFuel’s business, operating results, liquidity, and financial condition could be materially affected in an adverse manner. An investor should consult any additional disclosures FutureFuel has made or will make in its reports to the SEC on Forms 10-K, 10-Q, and 8-K, and any amendments thereto. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to FutureFuel or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained in this document.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In this press release, FutureFuel used adjusted EBITDA as a key operating metric to measure both performance and liquidity. Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure. Adjusted EBITDA is not a substitute for operating income, net income, or cash flow from operating activities (each as determined in accordance with GAAP), as a measure of performance or liquidity. Adjusted EBITDA has limitations as an analytical tool, and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of results as reported under GAAP. FutureFuel defines adjusted EBITDA as net income before interest, income taxes, depreciation, and amortization expenses, excluding, when applicable, non-cash share-based compensation expense, public offering expenses, acquisition-related transaction costs, purchase accounting adjustments, loss on disposal of property and equipment, gains or losses on derivative instruments, other non-operating income or expense. Information relating to adjusted EBITDA is provided so that investors have the same data that management employs in assessing the overall operation and liquidity of FutureFuel’s business. FutureFuel’s calculation of adjusted EBITDA may be different from similarly titled measures used by other companies; therefore, the results of its calculation are not necessarily comparable to the results of other companies.

Adjusted EBITDA allows FutureFuel’s chief operating decision makers to assess the performance and liquidity of FutureFuel’s business on a consolidated basis to assess the ability of its operating segments to produce operating cash flow to fund working capital needs, to fund capital expenditures, and to pay dividends. In particular, FutureFuel management believes that adjusted EBITDA permits a comparative assessment of FutureFuel’s operating performance and liquidity, relative to a performance and liquidity based on GAAP results, while isolating the effects of depreciation and amortization, which may vary among its operating segments without any correlation to their underlying operating performance, and of non-cash stock-based compensation expense, which is a non-cash expense that varies widely among similar companies, and gains and losses on derivative instruments, whose immediate recognition can cause net income to be volatile from quarter to quarter due to the timing of the valuation change in the derivative instruments relative to the sale of biofuel.

A table included in this earnings release reconciles adjusted EBITDA with net income, the most directly comparable GAAP performance financial measure, and a table reconciles adjusted EBITDA with cash flows from operations, the most directly comparable GAAP liquidity financial measure.

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Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Dollars in thousands)
(Unaudited)

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Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income
(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)
(Unaudited)

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Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income
(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)
(Unaudited)

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Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
For the Years Ended December 31, 2020 and 2019
(Dollars in thousands)
(Unaudited)

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Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measure to Financial Measure
(Dollars in thousands)
(Unaudited)

Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to Net Income

Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities

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Condensed Consolidated Segment Income
(Dollars in thousands)
(Unaudited)

Depreciation is allocated to segment cost of goods sold based on plant usage. The total assets and capital expenditures of FutureFuel have not been allocated to individual segments as large portions of these assets are shared to varying degrees by each segment, causing such an allocation to be of little value.