Hexcel Raises Guidance on Strong 2012 Third Quarter Results

Hexcel Raises Guidance on Strong 2012 Third Quarter Results

• Sales of $391.6 million were 11.3% higher than last year (13.4% in constant currency) with constant currency double digit growth in all three of our reported markets.

• Net income was $39.8 million, $0.39 per diluted share, versus $32.2 million, $0.32 per diluted share ($0.34 per adjusted diluted share) last year.

• Adjusted operating income was $60.0 million, 15.3% of sales, as compared to $48.7 million, 13.8% of sales in 2011 (see Table C).

• FY2012 adjusted diluted EPS guidance increased to a range of $1.54 to $1.59 (from $1.45 to $1.55) and sales range narrowed to $1.56 billion to $1.59 billion.

STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Regulatory News:

Hexcel Corporation (NYS: HXL) (Paris:HXL):

Hexcel Corporation (NYS: HXL) , today reported results for the third quarter of 2012. Net sales during the quarter were $391.6 million, 11.3% higher than the $351.8 million reported for the third quarter of 2011. Operating income for the period was $60.0 million, compared to $46.0 million last year, while net income for the third quarter of 2012 was $39.8 million, or $0.39 per diluted share, compared to $32.2 million or $0.32 per diluted share in 2011. Excluding the impact of items in Table C, adjusted diluted net income for the third quarter of 2012 was $0.39 per share compared to $0.34 per share in 2011.

Chief Executive Officer Comments

Mr. Berges commented, "Hexcel's results continue to be strong, as solid execution and increased sales combined to yield another quarter with excellent performance. For the quarter, adjusted operating income grew 23% over the same period last year on 13% constant currency revenue growth, resulting in a 150 basis point improvement in operating margins."

Looking ahead, Mr. Berges said, "As we expect continued year over year sales growth and operational performance, we are increasing our 2012 guidance for adjusted diluted EPS to $1.54 to $1.59 (from $1.45 to $1.55). We are also narrowing the sales range to $1.56 billion to $1.59 billion (from $1.55 billion to $1.65 billion). Additionally, we have revised our capital spending plan to incorporate recent yield and productivity improvements, reduced cycle time to replicate and qualify new lines, and our latest demand model. We are lowering our 2012 accrued capital expenditure guidance to $230 million to $250 million (from $250 million to $275 million) and expect 2013 to be around $200 million."

Markets

Commercial Aerospace

• Commercial Aerospace sales of $234.1 million increased 12.9% (13.6% in constant currency) for the quarter as compared to the third quarter of 2011. Revenues attributed to new aircraft programs (A380, A350, B787, B747-8) increased more than 30% versus the same period last year and comprise about 30% of Commercial Aerospace sales. Sales for Airbus and Boeing legacy aircraft comprise more than half of commercial aerospace sales and were up about 9% compared to the third quarter of 2011.

• Sales to "Other Commercial Aerospace," which include regional and business aircraft customers, were about the same as the third quarter of 2011, though about 10% lower than first half levels.

Space & Defense

• Space & Defense sales of $90.6 million were 12.0% higher (14.4% in constant currency) than the third quarter of 2011. We continue to benefit from civil and military rotorcraft growth across all regions.

Industrial

• Total Industrial sales of $66.9 million for the third quarter of 2012 were 5.4% higher (11.5% in constant currency) than the third quarter of 2011. Sales to wind turbine manufacturers were up significantly from last year's third quarter, but were down almost 20% versus the second quarter of 2012, as we begin to see the impact of a U.S. slowdown. Third quarter sales from our U.S. wind facility were less than 30% of our global wind sales.

Tax

• The tax provision was $18.0 million for the third quarter of 2012, an effective tax rate of 31.1%, reflecting the reduction in our year to date rate to 31.6%. Last year's third quarter tax provision was $12.0 million, an effective tax rate of 27.4%, as last year benefited from a release of $1.0 million of reserves for uncertain tax positions and a reduction in our estimated tax rate for 2011 to 31%.

Cash and other

• Free cash flow (defined as cash provided from operating activities less cash paid for capital expenditures) for the first nine months of 2012 was a use of $58.4 million versus a source of $11.5 million in the first nine months of 2011, reflecting increased capital expenditures partially offset by $48.6 million increase in adjusted EBITDA (see Table C) for the comparable period. Cash paid for capital expenditures was $208.9 million in the first nine months of 2012 compared to $99.5 million in the first nine months of 2011. Accrued capital expenditures were $174.7 million for the first nine months of 2012.

• Total debt, net of cash as of September 30, 2012 was $253.2 million, a decrease of $14.1 million from June 30, 2012.

• Foreign exchange rates contributed about 30 basis points to the higher operating income percentage in the third quarter of 2012 as compared to 2011.

2012 Outlook

We have updated our 2012 outlook:

• Sales to be in the range of $1.56 billion to $1.59 billion (previously the range was $1.55 billion to $1.65 billion). The strengthening of the dollar against the Euro and the GBP results in a reduction of our reported sales. At today's exchange rates, our reported sales for the full year will be $35 million to $40 million less than at the rates forecasted at the beginning of the year.

• Adjusted diluted earnings per share to be in the range of $1.54 to $1.59 (versus prior guidance of $1.45 to $1.55).

• Accrual basis capital expenditures to be in the range of $230 million to $250 million (versus prior guidance of $250 million to $275 million). We expect our capital spending to be funded by our cash from operating activities and our existing credit facilities. We expect free cash flow for the year to be a use of cash in the range of $40 million to $60 million (improved from a use of $50 million to $75 million in prior guidance).

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Hexcel will host a conference call at 10:00 A.M. ET, tomorrow, October 23, 2012 to discuss the third quarter results and respond to analyst questions. The telephone number for the conference call is (719) 325-2144 and the confirmation code is 5171354. The call will be simultaneously hosted on Hexcel's web site at www.hexcel.com/investors/index.html. Replays of the call will be available on the web site for approximately three days.

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Hexcel Corporation is a leading advanced composites company. It develops, manufactures and markets lightweight, high-performance structural materials, including carbon fibers, reinforcements, prepregs, honeycomb, matrix systems, adhesives and composite structures, used in commercial aerospace, space and defense and industrial applications such as wind turbine blades.

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Disclaimer on Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains statements that are forward looking, including statements relating to anticipated trends in constant currency for the market segments we serve (including changes in commercial aerospace revenues, the estimates and expectations based on aircraft production rates made publicly available by Airbus and Boeing, the revenues we may generate from an aircraft model or program, the impact of delays in new aircraft programs, the outlook for space & defense revenues and the trend in wind energy, recreation and other industrial applications); our ability to maintain and improve margins in light of the changes in product mix, efficiency improvements, continued cost reduction efforts and the current economic environment; outcome of legal matters; the magnitude and timing of capital expenditures in relation to market demand; and the impact of the above factors on our expectations of 2012 financial results. Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in the forward looking statements due to a variety of factors, including but not limited to changing market conditions, increased raw material costs, competition, product mix, inability to achieve planned manufacturing improvements and cost reductions, supply chain disruptions, conditions in the financial markets and changes in currency exchange rates, interest rates, governmental and environmental regulations and tax codes. Additional risk factors are described in our filings with the SEC. We do not undertake an obligation to update our forward-looking statements to reflect future events.

(a) Other operating income for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 includes income from a $9.6 million business interruption insurance settlement related to a prior year claim, a $4.9 million gain on the sale of land and a $5.0 million charge for additional environmental reserves primarily for remediation of a manufacturing facility sold in 1986. For the nine months ended September 30, 2011 other operating income is a $5.7 million benefit from the curtailment of a pension plan and a $2.7 million charge for additional environmental reserves for remediation of a manufacturing facility sold in 1986.

(b) Non-operating expense is the accelerated amortization of deferred financing costs and expensing of the call premium from redeeming $73.5 million in June 2012 and $150 million in February 2011 of the Company's 6.75% senior subordinated notes.

(c) Provision for income taxes for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 includes a release of $5.5 million of reserves primarily for uncertain tax positions as a result of an audit settlement.