HWKN - Hawkins Inc. Reports First Quarter Fiscal 2023 Results

MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hawkins, Inc. (Nasdaq: HWKN) today announced results for the three months ended July 3, 2022, its first quarter of fiscal 2023.

First Quarter Fiscal Year 2023 Highlights:

• Record quarterly sales of $246.5 million, a 36% year-over-year increase.
• Record quarterly gross profit of $46.7 million, a 20% increase over the prior year, contributing to record quarterly operating income of $27.9 million, a 26% year-over-year increase.
• Record quarterly diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.94, 19% higher than the same period last year.
• Record quarterly earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (adjusted EBITDA), a non-GAAP measure, of $34.3 million, an 18% increase over the same period of the prior year.
• Increased number of shares available to be repurchased under the Company's share repurchase program by 1 million.
• Completed expansion of our Centralia, Illinois manufacturing facility, adding 50% more capacity to support future growth mainly for our food ingredients and specialty agricultural businesses.

Executive Commentary – Patrick H. Hawkins, Chief Executive Officer and President:

“Our first quarter of fiscal 2023 showed the continued strength of our business. We generated 36% sales growth, which is our third quarter in a row of more than 30% sales growth and our sixth quarter in a row of more than 20% sales growth. We continued to add new customers in the quarter and have consistently done so over the past five years, growing our customer base at a seven percent compounded annual growth rate over the last five years. Our improved performance was spread across all three segments, each growing revenue by double-digits. We continue to manage rising raw material costs, which had a negative impact on gross profits in the quarter as we recorded a charge of $3.8 million for LIFO expense, $2 million more than the first quarter of last year. Even with the additional expense we still recorded record gross profit of $47 million.”

Mr. Hawkins continued, “While growing our top line is an important part of our strategy, we are also intensely focused on driving profitability. We demonstrated this by achieving our 17 ^th consecutive quarter of year-over-year operating income growth. We did this in the face of operating cost inflation, rising raw materials costs, and unfavorable LIFO reserve adjustments, which all negatively impacted our profitability. We will continue to manage our cost structure over time to drive profitability and to maintain our strong balance sheet. Lastly, I want to thank our customers, suppliers, and employees, as without them this growth would not be possible.”

First Quarter Financial Highlights:

NET INCOME

For the first quarter of fiscal 2023, the Company reported net income of $19.7 million, or $0.94 per diluted share, compared to net income for the first quarter of fiscal 2022 of $16.6 million, or $0.79 per diluted share.

REVENUE

Sales were $246.5 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2023, an increase of 36%, from sales of $181.2 million for the same period a year ago, driven primarily by price increases. Industrial segment sales increased $38.8 million, or 45%, to $124.7 million for the current quarter, from $85.9 million for the same period a year ago. The growth in Industrial segment sales was driven primarily by increased selling prices on many of our products driven by higher costs on many of our raw materials as well as a product mix shift to more sales of our food ingredient products, which typically have higher margins. Water Treatment segment sales increased $22.3 million, or 40%, to $78.5 million for the current quarter, from $56.2 million for the same period a year ago. Water Treatment sales growth was a result of increased selling prices on many of our products driven by higher costs on many of our raw materials, increased demand for our products and the added sales from acquisitions. Sales for our Health and Nutrition segment increased $4.1 million, or 10%, to $43.3 million for the current quarter, from $39.2 million for the same period a year ago. Health and Nutrition segment sales increased due to sales growth of our manufactured products, partially offset by a decrease in sales of our specialty distributed products.

GROSS PROFIT

Gross profit increased $7.7 million, or 20%, to $46.7 million, or 19% of sales, for the current quarter, from $39.0 million, or 22% of sales, for the same period a year ago. During the current quarter, the LIFO reserve increased, and gross profit decreased, by $3.8 million, primarily due to rising raw material prices. In the same quarter a year ago, the LIFO reserve increased, and gross profit decreased, by $1.8 million. Gross profit for the Industrial segment increased $5.7 million, or 40%, to $20.0 million, or 16% of sales, for the current quarter, from $14.3 million, or 17% of sales, for the same period a year ago. Total Industrial segment gross profit increased as a result of sales growth and product mix shift, partially offset by the decrease in gross profits as a result of the increased LIFO reserve. Gross profit for the Water Treatment segment increased $2.8 million, or 17%, to $19.0 million, or 24% of sales, for the current quarter, from $16.2 million, or 29% of sales, for the same period a year ago. Gross profit in our Water Treatment segment increased as a result of sales growth, partially offset by the decrease in gross profits as a result of the increased LIFO reserve. Gross profit for our Health and Nutrition segment decreased $0.7 million, or 8%, to $7.8 million, or 18% of sales, for the current quarter, from $8.5 million, or 22% of sales, for the same period a year ago. While sales increased year over year, the decrease in gross profit was a result of inventory adjustments made to increase reserves for excess product on hand.

SELLING, GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES

Selling, general and administrative expenses increased $2.0 million to $18.9 million, or 8% of sales, for the current quarter, compared to $16.9 million, or 9% of sales, for the same period a year ago. The increase was mainly a result of added costs associated with the acquired businesses in our Water Treatment segment, as well as increased variable expenses. Partially offsetting the increase was a reduction of $0.8 million to compensation expense as a result of losses incurred on investments held for our non-qualified deferred compensation plan, as compared to a $0.2 million increase in compensation expense in the same quarter a year ago as a result of gains incurred. These amounts were offset by similar amounts recorded in other (expense) income.

ADJUSTED EBITDA

Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("adjusted EBITDA"), a non-GAAP financial measure, is an important performance indicator and a key compliance measure under the terms of our credit agreement. An explanation of the computation of adjusted EBITDA is presented below. Adjusted EBITDA for the three months ended July 3, 2022 was $34.3 million, an increase of $5.2 million, or 18%, from $29.1 million for the same period a year ago. The increase was primarily due to improved gross profit.

INCOME TAXES

Our effective income tax rate was 25% for the current quarter, compared to 24% in the same period a year ago. The effective tax rate is impacted by projected levels of annual taxable income, permanent items, and state taxes. Our effective tax rate for the full year is currently expected to be approximately 26-27%.

BALANCE SHEET

Working capital needs increased, which is typical for the first quarter, because we received a large number of shipments of raw materials on barges that increased our inventory. Accounts receivable also increased due to our revenue growth in the quarter. Combined with variable compensation payouts in the quarter, additional capital expenditures to support future growth, and share repurchases, our debt level in the quarter increased slightly. We anticipate our cash flow generated in future quarters will allow us to reduce our debt.

About Hawkins, Inc.

Hawkins, Inc. was founded in 1938 and is a leading specialty chemical and ingredients company that formulates, distributes, blends, and manufactures products for its Industrial, Water Treatment, and Health & Nutrition customers. Headquartered in Roseville, Minnesota, the Company has 49 facilities in 24 states and creates value for its customers through superb customer service and support, quality products and personalized applications. Hawkins, Inc. generated $775 million of revenue in fiscal 2022 and has approximately 800 employees. For more information, including registering to receive email alerts, please visit www.hawkinsinc.com/investors .

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

We report our consolidated financial results in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). To assist investors in understanding our financial performance between periods, we have provided certain financial measures not computed according to GAAP, including adjusted EBITDA. This non-GAAP financial measure is not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for comparable GAAP measures. The method we use to produce non-GAAP results is not computed according to GAAP and may differ from the methods used by other companies.

Management uses this non-GAAP financial measure internally to understand, manage and evaluate our business and to make operating decisions. Management believes that this non-GAAP financial measure reflects an additional way of viewing aspects of our operations that, when viewed with our GAAP results, provides a more complete understanding of the factors and trends affecting our financial condition and results of operations.

We define adjusted EBITDA as GAAP net income adjusted for the impact of the following: net interest expense resulting from our net borrowing position; income tax expense; non-cash expenses including amortization of intangibles, depreciation and charges for the employee stock purchase plan and restricted stock grants; and non-recurring items of income or expense, if applicable.

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Forward-Looking Statements . Various remarks in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements include those relating to consumer demand for products containing our ingredients and the impacts of those demands, expectations for results in our business segments and the timing of our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These statements are not historical facts, but rather are based on our current expectations, estimates and projections, and our beliefs and assumptions. Forward-looking statements may be identified by terms, including “anticipate,” “believe,” “can,” “could,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “predict,” “should,” or “will” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terms. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond our control and are difficult to predict. Actual results may vary materially from those contained in forward looking statements based on a number of factors, including, but not limited to, changes in regulations, availability of technological improvements, the impact and severity of the COVID-19 outbreak, changes in the labor markets, our available cash for investments, changes in competition and price pressures, changes in demand and customer requirements or processes for our products, availability of product and disruptions to supplies, interruptions in production resulting from hazards, transportation limitations or other extraordinary events outside our control that may negatively impact our business or the supply chains in which we participate, changes in imported products and tariff levels, the availability of products and the prices at which they are available, the acceptance of new products by our customers and the timing of any such acceptance, and changes in product supplies. Additional information concerning potential factors that could affect future financial results is included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 3, 2022 , as updated from time to time in amendments and subsequent reports filed with the SEC. Investors should take such risks into account when making investment decisions. Shareholders and other readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect our management’s view only as of the date hereof. We do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

Contacts:
Jeffrey P. Oldenkamp
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
612/331-6910
ir@HawkinsInc.com