Albany reports Q1 results

05 May '09

5 min read

Albany International Corp. reported a first-quarter net loss per share of $0.63 after reductions of $0.78 from net restructuring charges, related idle-capacity costs, and costs related to continuing performance-improvement initiatives. A gain on extinguishment of debt increased earnings by $0.06 per share.

Net loss per share for Q1 2008 was $0.07, after reductions of $0.36 from net restructuring charges, related idle-capacity costs, and costs related to performance-improvement initiatives and $0.13 for income tax adjustments.

Net sales were $209.2 million, a decrease of 23.4 percent compared to the first quarter of 2008. Excluding the effect of changes in currency translation rates, net sales decreased 15.4 percent

Gross profit was 33.5 percent of net sales in the first quarter of 2009, compared to 34.7 percent in the same period of 2008. Cost-reduction initiatives helped to offset the effects of lower sales. Costs associated with idle-capacity and performance-improvement initiatives were $7.0 million in Q1 2009 and $3.0 million in Q1 2008.

Selling, technical, general, and research (STG&R) expenses were 32.3 percent of net sales in the first quarter of 2009, compared to 30.2 percent in the first quarter of 2008. The increase in 2009 is principally due to the significant decrease in sales. STG&R expenses were $67.6 million in the first quarter of 2009, in comparison to $82.4 million in the first quarter of 2008. First-quarter STG&R expenses include costs related to performance-improvement initiatives totaling $2.2 million in 2009 and $5.1 million in 2008.

These expenses principally relate to costs associated with the SAP implementation. Revaluation of nonfunctional currency assets and liabilities resulted in a gain of $1.9 million in Q1 2009, compared to a loss of $0.7 million in Q1 2008. The decrease in the Company's share price had the effect of reducing incentive compensation by approximately $1.5 million, in comparison to Q1 2008. Changes in currency translation rates had the effect of decreasing STG&R expenses by $7.9 million in comparison to Q1 2008.

Operating income/loss was a loss of $14.8 million in the first quarter of 2009, compared to income of $7.2 million for the same period of 2008.

Q1 2009 restructuring costs totaled $17.2 million and related principally to the restructuring of PMC operations in North America and Europe.

Q1 2009 idle-capacity costs of $3.1 million were related to previously announced restructuring at paper machine clothing (PMC) plants in the U.S. and Europe. The Company expects idle-capacity costs to continue at least through the next two quarters.

Q1 2009 other performance-improvement costs totaled $6.1 million, of which $3.9 million was reported in cost of goods sold, and $2.2 million was reported in STG&R expenses. Items reported in cost of goods sold include $2.0 million for equipment relocation and $1.9 million related tounderutilized capacity at the new plant in Hangzhou, China. Included in underutilized expense and idle-capacity costs was $0.9 million of depreciation expense. Performance-improvement costs reported as STG&R expenses were related to the implementation of SAP.

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