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The Andersons, Inc. Reports Record Earnings

      Third Quarter & Nine Months Income Both Set New Earnings Records
     Grain & Ethanol and Plant Nutrient Businesses Lead Earnings Growth

    MAUMEE, Ohio, Oct. 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Andersons, Inc.
(Nasdaq: ANDE), today announced that its third quarter and first nine
months net income and earnings per diluted share established new records
for the company. Net income was $10.6 million, or $0.58 per diluted share
for the third quarter, and total revenues were $554 million. In the same
three month period of 2006, the company reported net income of $8.4
million, or $0.51 per diluted share, on revenues of $336 million. During
the first nine months of 2007, the company earned net income of $45.3
million, or $2.48 per diluted share, on revenues of $1.6 billion. The
company more than doubled the net income of $22.6 million earned during the
first nine months of 2006, or $1.41 per diluted share, on revenues of $995
million.
    The Grain & Ethanol Group's third quarter operating income of $13.7
million was $1.8 million better than its year earlier result, which had
included a 2006 gain of $4.2 million from a business interruption insurance
claim. Total revenues were $383 million for the period. This included $85
million of ethanol sales made by the group in accordance with marketing
agreements between the company and its ethanol joint ventures, for which it
receives a fee. In the third quarter of 2006, the group's total revenues
were $209 million and did not include any sales from the ethanol joint
ventures. Income from ethanol joint ventures grew significantly during the
most recent quarter. Both the Albion, Michigan and Clymers, Indiana ethanol
plants were in operation during the entire third quarter, which was the
first quarter both plants were in full operation. In addition, third
quarter income from the group's investment in Lansing Trade Group LLC (LTG)
was significantly higher this year. Through the first nine months of 2007,
the Grain & Ethanol Group's operating income was $35.9 million, which is
more than double the $15.7 million earned for the same period in 2006.
Total revenues through September were $950 million, including $171 million
in sales of ethanol. In comparison, the group's revenues for the first nine
months of the prior year were $486 million and did not include any sales of
ethanol from the ethanol joint ventures. Total revenues in the Grain &
Ethanol Group have increased for both the quarter and nine months due to an
increase in bushels sold, a considerable increase in the average price of
the grains sold, and an increase in the gallons of ethanol sold.
    The Rail Group's operating income of $5.8 million in the third quarter
of 2007 was $0.9 million above the $4.9 million it earned in the same three
month period in 2006. Revenues of $34 million for the quarter were up from
$27 million in the same period of the prior year. The group now has
approximately 22,600 cars and locomotives; this compares to about 20,400
cars and locomotives in the prior year. The group's average lease rates for
new transactions and utilization rate (the percentage of the fleet's
railcars in service at the end of the period) have decreased from a year
ago due to softness in the overall rail leasing market. Including some
gains from railcar sales and related leases entered into during the third
quarter, operating income in the group's leasing business was higher than
its year earlier results. Absent gains from sales, operating income from
leasing was slightly lower. The railcar repair and manufacturing businesses
also continued to experience lower operating income during the third
quarter. Through the first nine months of the year the Rail Group had
operating income of $15.7 million on $102 million of revenues. In 2006,
operating income through the same period was $16.1 million and revenues
amounted to $90 million.
    The Plant Nutrient Group achieved operating income of $0.8 million
during the third quarter of 2007; this is the first time in the history of
the group that they have reported a profit in the third quarter. Total
revenues were $77 million for the period. This represents a significant
improvement from the same three month period in 2006 when the group
reported a $1.9 million operating loss on $39 million of revenues. The net
income record resulted from significant increases in both margin and
volume. The third quarter volume increase is the result of customers buying
earlier and more aggressively due to the escalation of nutrient prices and
to replenish depleted fertilizer stockpiles left virtually empty at the end
of the second quarter. The group's operating income for the first nine
months was $18.4 million on $326 million of revenues. Last year, its
operating income through the same period was $1.9 million and revenues were
$198 million. The record quarter and year to date income and revenues for
the group have been influenced by the significant increase in corn acreage,
and nutrient inventory appreciation.
    The Turf & Specialty Group incurred an operating loss of $1.6 million
in the third quarter this year on $18 million of revenues. Last year, the
group reported an operating loss of $0.4 million and revenues of $20
million for the period. Included in the 2006 earnings was a $0.4 million
gain from the settlement of an insurance claim. Turf products tonnage
continued to be lower in the third quarter due to relatively dry weather
throughout much of the country which curtailed sales of some formulated
products. Through the first nine months of 2007, the group's operating
income was $0.9 million on $85 million of revenues. Last year, its
operating income was $3.1 million for the same period, and revenues were
$93 million.
    The Retail Group reported an operating loss of $0.6 million for the
third quarter of 2007; this compares to an operating loss of $0.4 million
in the prior year. Revenues were $42 million for the quarter. Although
total revenues were up from $41 million in the prior year due to the
addition of the Sylvania, Ohio, Food Market, same store sales were down 1.6
percent for the period. The group's nine months to date operating income
this year was $0.8 million on $131 million of revenues. Last year,
operating income through September was $1.3 million, and total revenues
were $128 million. The year to year income differential is caused primarily
by competitive sales pressure in the Toledo area market and the performance
of the new Sylvania Food Market.
    "Our Grain and Ethanol and Plant Nutrient Groups are achieving
excellent income growth this year, and the Rail Group is maintaining solid
performance despite some tightening in that industry, which more than
compensates for the softness being experienced in other segments," said
President and Chief Executive Officer Mike Anderson. Mr. Anderson added, "A
few weeks ago it became apparent that the results of our agriculture
related businesses were stronger than we had expected. As a result, we
announced on October 17th that our full-year earnings outlook had improved
to be within a range of $3.15 to $3.35 per diluted share. While there are
still various factors that could impact our full year results such as
supply and demand dynamics in the grain and plant nutrient markets, timing
of railcar sales, and investment results of LTG, we continue to believe
this is the right guidance at this time."
    The company will host a webcast on Thursday, November 1, 2007 at 11:00
A.M. ET, to discuss its performance and full year outlook. This can be
accessed under the heading "Investor Relations" on its website at
http://www.andersonsinc.com.
    The Andersons, Inc. is a diversified company with interests in the
grain, ethanol and plant nutrient sectors of U.S. agriculture, as well as
in railcar leasing and repair, turf products production, and general
merchandise retailing. Founded in Maumee, Ohio, in 1947, the company now
has operations in eight U.S. states plus rail equipment leasing interests
in Canada and Mexico.
    This release contains forward-looking statements. These statements
involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ
materially. Without limitation, these risks include economic, weather and
regulatory conditions, competition, and the risk factors set forth from
time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. Although the Company believes that the assumptions upon which
the financial information and its forward-looking statements are based are
reasonable, it can give no assurance that these assumptions will prove to
be correct.
    The Andersons, Inc. is located on the Internet at http://www.andersonsinc.com



                               The Andersons, Inc.

                        Consolidated Statements of Income

                                 (Unaudited)

                                     Three Months ended   Nine Months ended
                                        September 30         September 30

    (in thousands, except for per
     share amounts)                      2007      2006        2007      2006

    Sales and merchandising
     revenues                        $553,708  $335,871  $1,594,425  $994,638
    Cost of sales and
     merchandising revenues           502,962   284,327   1,423,952   848,056
    Gross profit                       50,746    51,544     170,473   146,582

    Operating, administrative and
     general expenses                  41,430    40,310     123,527   115,583
    Interest expense                    4,174     3,818      13,386    12,513
    Other income / gains:
      Equity in earnings of
       affiliates                       9,574      (483)     17,229     5,279
      Other income, net                 2,144     6,352      19,085    11,763
    Minority interest in net loss /
     (income) of subsidiary               549         -       1,065         -
    Income before income taxes         17,409    13,285      70,939    35,528
    Income taxes                        6,844     4,898      25,647    12,959
    Net income                        $10,565    $8,387     $45,292   $22,569

    Per common share:
          Basic earnings                $0.59     $0.52       $2.54     $1.46
          Diluted earnings              $0.58     $0.51       $2.48     $1.41
          Dividends paid              $0.0475    $0.045     $0.1425   $0.1325

    Weighted average shares
     outstanding-basic                 17,878    16,080      17,800    15,467
    Weighted average shares
     outstanding-diluted               18,311    16,591      18,282    16,021



                             The Andersons, Inc.

                         Consolidated Balance Sheets

                                 (Unaudited)

                                      September 30  December 31   September 30
               (in thousands)             2007         2006           2006

    Assets
    Current assets:
      Cash and cash equivalents          $22,357      $23,398        $47,773
      Restricted cash                      3,737        3,801          3,815
      Accounts receivable (net)          127,382       87,698         79,552
      Margin deposits (net)               28,970       15,273         10,540
      Inventories                        306,908      296,457        172,056
      Commodity derivative assets -
       current                           108,039       85,338          9,914
      Other current assets                44,200       33,325         24,335
    Total current assets                 641,593      545,290        347,985

    Investments and other assets         115,597       72,335         63,973
    Commodity derivative assets           29,999       20,862          5,718
    Railcar assets leased to others
     (net)                               143,251      145,059        148,936
    Property, plant and equipment
     (net)                               100,829       95,502         93,065
                                      $1,031,269     $879,048       $659,677

    Liabilities and shareholders'
     equity
    Current liabilities:
      Short-term borrowings              $163,400     $75,000       $      -
      Commodity derivative
       liabilities - current               77,617      43,173         12,785
      Other current liabilities           244,624     265,040        171,638
    Total current liabilities             485,641     383,213        184,423

    Deferred items and other
     long-term liabilities                 45,315      41,267         37,832
    Commodity derivative liability         26,285      26,531          9,007
    Long-term debt non-recourse            60,107      71,624         77,222
    Long-term debt                         85,302      86,238         87,076
    Minority interest                      12,607           -              -
    Shareholders' equity                  316,012     270,175        264,117
                                       $1,031,269    $879,048       $659,677



                                  Segment Data

                                        Grain &              Plant    Turf &
                                        Ethanol     Rail    Nutrient Specialty
     Quarter ended September 30, 2007
    Revenues from external customers    $382,907   $33,890   $76,732  $17,911

    Gross Profit                          16,294    12,300     6,458    3,753

    Other income / Equity in earnings
     of affiliates                        10,226       243       350      185

    Operating income (loss)               13,706     5,792       815   (1,626)

     Quarter ended September 30, 2006
    Revenues from external customers    $208,540   $27,339   $38,580  $20,396

    Gross Profit                          20,501    11,628     3,623    4,138

    Other income / Equity in earnings
     of affiliates                         4,064       127       348      569

    Operating income (loss)               11,950     4,898    (1,868)    (420)

     Nine months ended September 30,
      2007
    Revenues from external customers    $950,430  $102,251  $326,200  $84,609

    Gross Profit                          46,968    34,336    35,274   14,991

    Other income / Equity in earnings
     of affiliates                        27,401       765       806      380

    Operating income (loss)               35,857    15,702    18,363      880

     Nine months ended September 30,
      2006
    Revenues from external customers    $485,928   $89,558  $197,921  $93,329

    Gross Profit                          37,750    36,389    17,866   16,401

    Other income / Equity in earnings
     of affiliates                        12,068       442       781    1,087

    Operating income (loss)               15,653    16,115     1,938    3,073



                                  Segment Data

                                            Retail     Other       Total
     Quarter ended September 30, 2007
    Revenues from external customers       $42,268     $   -     $553,708

    Gross Profit                            11,941         -       50,746

    Other income / Equity in earnings of
     affiliates                                149       565       11,718

    Operating income (loss)                   (554)     (724)      17,409

     Quarter ended September 30, 2006
    Revenues from external customers       $41,016     $   -     $335,871

    Gross Profit                            11,654         -       51,544

    Other income / Equity in earnings of
     affiliates                                265       496        5,869

    Operating income (loss)                   (418)     (857)      13,285

     Nine months ended September 30, 2007
    Revenues from external customers      $130,935     $   -   $1,594,425

    Gross Profit                            38,904         -      170,473

    Other income / Equity in earnings of
     affiliates                                467     6,495       36,314

    Operating income (loss)                    775      (638)      70,939

     Nine months ended September 30, 2006
    Revenues from external customers      $127,902     $   -     $994,638

    Gross Profit                            38,176         -      146,582

    Other income / Equity in earnings of
     affiliates                                697     1,967       17,042

    Operating income (loss)                  1,296    (2,547)      35,528


SOURCE The Andersons, Inc.




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Related links:
  • http://www.andersonsinc.com
    CONTACT:
    Gary Smith of The Andersons, Inc.,
    +1-419-891-6417