Exhibit 99.1
Q2 2009 Conference Call Script
July 22, 2009 1:00 p.m.
Dan Greenfield:
Thank you. Good afternoon and welcome to the Allegheny Technologies earnings conference call for
the second quarter 2009.
This conference call is being broadcast on our website at www.alleghenytechnologies.com. Members
of the media have been invited to listen to this call.
Participating in the call today are Pat Hassey, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer,
and Rich Harshman, Executive Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer.
All references to net income and earnings in this conference call mean net income and earnings
attributable to ATI common stockholders.
After some initial comments, we will ask for questions. During the question and answer session,
please limit yourself to two questions to be considerate of others on the line.
Please note that all forward-looking statements this afternoon are subject to various assumptions
and caveats as noted in the earnings release. Actual results may differ materially.
Here is Pat Hassey.
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Pat Hassey:
Thanks, Dan. And thank you to everyone listening on todays call.
Before we get into the details of the quarter, I would like to summarize ATIs current thinking
about how the company is now positioned, and further positioning itself, in this difficult
market:
First of all, we recognize that:
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These are challenging times, and while we are seeing signs of stability in some
markets like commodity stainless steel, and gains in others like our exotic alloys
business, we are realistic in saying that we are not, yet, seeing signs of significant
recovery in our overall business volumes and revenues. |
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Our financial position is strong. Our cost structure has improved considerably
since the last down cycle; so we have remained profitable with strong cash generation. |
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This has allowed us to improve our competitive capability, and to continue to
invest for the future. |
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Our product mix has improved; and we are focused on key global markets for growth
and profitability. |
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While we are managing through this downturn, we are not standing still. We are
entering new market segments, increasing share in some segments, and preparing ATI to be
better positioned to grow when the economy recovers. |
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Lastly, and most importantly, |
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We remain confident in the intermediate and long-term growth potential for our
core global markets. We believe that this is the time for ATI to further differentiate
itself as a global specialty metals company : |
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uniquely positioned, |
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diversified, |
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technology-driven, with |
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unsurpassed manufacturing capabilities. |
Now, moving to some details of the quarter, the markets, and further opportunities for ATI...
Success in this environment begins with a strong financial position, and the ability to generate
cash. We have both.
Excluding special non-recurring charges from our recent capital market transactions, ATI was
profitable in the second quarter. Before special charges, we earned $0.03 per share... not
great, but with $54 million of operating profit. We ended the quarter with a significant amount
of cash on hand, and an improved balance sheet giving us financial flexibility.
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During the first half of the year, ATI was able to:
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Generate cash flow of $323 million, excluding the net effect of a voluntary
pension contribution. |
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Deploy $212 million of this cash in our self-funded strategic capital
investments. |
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End the first half with $850 million of cash on hand. |
In June, we completed several capital market transactions. The offerings were well-received by
the investment community. As a result of these proactive liability management actions, we were
able to return our U.S. defined benefit pension plan to a well-funded position and retire $183
million of ATI notes due in 2011.
We have been able to navigate this business environment by:
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Focusing on the high-value diversified products and global markets that have been
driving the performance of ATI. |
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By using our manufacturing flexibility and lowered cost structure to adjust our
operating schedules and production rates to market conditions. |
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And by remaining focused on continuing to improve our cost structure. Gross cost
reductions in the first half 2009 were $74 million. We expect to exceed our 2009 cost
reduction target of $150 million as we continue to improve efficiency. |
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Sales of our high-value products were 81% of first half 2009 sales compared to 73% for the
full-year 2008. Digging deeper, sales of our key high-value products titanium, grain-oriented
electrical steel, nickel-based alloys and specialty alloys, and exotic alloys represented 65%
of first half sales as compared to 52% of sales in the first half 2008.
We have been able to move our titanium mill products to diversified global markets. For example,
total titanium shipments were nearly 10 million pounds during the second quarter 2009, and over
20 million pounds in the first half 2009, even in this severe economic downturn, and even with
the aerospace slowdown.
For perspective, ATI shipped 20.8 million pounds of titanium for the full-year 2003, which was
our trough in the previous cycle. So, this is a different, larger, more efficient, and more
global company than the last time around.
Titanium shipments in our Flat-Rolled Products segment, including conversion for our Uniti
titanium joint venture, were 7.3 million pounds during the first half 2009. Titanium shipments
in this segment were up by over 100,000 pounds compared to the first half 2008, when market
conditions were much better.
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Again for perspective, titanium flat-rolled product shipments for the full-year 2003, the last
cyclical trough, were 2.4 million pounds. Thats 7.3 million in the first half 2009 compared to
2.4 million for the full year 2003. Its truly a different company.
Stainless steel demand appears to be in an early stage of recovery. ATI Allegheny Ludlum
successfully implemented two base-price increases:
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Effective May 4th, we increased prices by 6 to 9%, and |
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Effective June 29th we increased prices by another 6%. |
Base prices remain low, but we are seeing improvement from this historic bottom of the first half
of 2009.
Industry data released last week indicates that service center inventories of stainless products
remained near historically low levels in June at a seasonally adjusted rate of 2.5 months. Many
of our service center customers tell us that they continue to keep their inventories at lower
levels in order to avoid raw material risk and to conserve cash.
Turning to ATI markets, we remain confident in the intermediate and long-term growth potential of
these core global markets:
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Aerospace and defense accounted for 34% of first half 2009 sales, up from 29% for
the full year 2008. |
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Electrical energy grew to 20% of first half 2009 sales from 16% of full year 2008
sales. |
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The chemical process industry and oil and gas markets accounted for 19% of first
half 2009 sales, which is essentially flat with the full year 2008. |
Our strategy to become more global is working. Direct international sales were nearly 33% of
sales in the second quarter 2009. For comparison, direct international sales were 28% of total
sales for the full year 2008.
We were well represented at the Paris Air Show in June. We had important meetings with the
highest level of management at many key aerospace customers. All meetings were productive and
representative of ATIs position as an important specialty metals supplier.
The message from our customers was clear; they want to be aligned with suppliers who will be
able to respond when the aerospace cycle improves. They particularly like ATI because we plan to
have the next generation of capabilities new and improved alloys and unsurpassed manufacturing
equipment with new capabilities.
They also like ATI because of our financial strength and our global reach. We are working on
several agreements intended to develop or expand strategic relationships with these key global
customers.
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The aerospace supply chain is responding to reduced 2009 build rates, possibly lower 2010 build
rates due to available financing, and current reduced demand for aftermarket spare parts
reflective of the global recession.
So, this resulted in demand for our jet engine metals being lower than expected in the second
quarter. There still remains uncertainty in aerospace supply chain, because the jet engine
forecast appears very conservative as compared to the OEM airframe build forecast.
Customers seem to be hesitant to make purchases to inventory due to their own economic
conditions. They also see a perceived or potential negative impact on the future build schedule,
due to the potential of reduced builds caused by the lack of available financing.
With historical precedent as a guide, the aerospace supply chain may very well overcorrect. If
so, it would then need to quickly adjust to confirmed build schedules, or increasing lead-times,
or both, which would include the ramp of Boeings 787.
The defense non-aeroengine market is a new focus for ATI. It is a market where our sales grew in
the first half 2009 compared to the first half 2008. For us, this new market includes
applications in:
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Defense hardware, such as armored vehicles |
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Seawater systems for naval ships |
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Soldier protection for advanced armor |
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During the second quarter, ATI continued to gain supplier and product qualification with a
variety of global customers. These defense contractors work on an array of defense platforms.
We like the large growth opportunities for our products in the defense market.
In the electrical energy market:
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North American demand for grain-oriented electrical steel declined during the
first half 2009 driven by reduced demand from the housing market. Our GOES
shipments held up nicely in this difficult market by way of our strategic long-term
agreements. |
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Global demand from the nuclear energy market for our exotic alloys and other
specialty metals is growing in spite of the economic slowdown. The nuclear
electrical energy market is in the early stage of a renewed growth cycle as it
emerges from 30+ years of maintenance and limited growth. |
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In contrast, shipments of our castings into the wind energy market were near zero
in the second quarter as most of our casting capacity remains idle. This has
negatively impacted Engineered Products. |
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In the oil and gas market, overall activity remained sluggish during the second quarter. The
drill rig count was low, but recovered somewhat late in the quarter. The deepwater market has
held up well due to the long-term nature of these projects. Several large pipeline jobs remain
on track.
ATI received certification and qualification from Achilles JQS in Norway. This means ATI is a
fully qualified supplier on North Sea and Norwegian projects with major oil and gas companies.
We have and will continue to increase our focus on the global oil and gas market and believe this
is another market that provides growth potential for ATI, particularly in deepwater applications.
Here are some other insights on ATI infrastructure markets. We ended 2008 with a considerable
backlog of orders from large chemical process, oil and gas, and electrical energy projects from
several areas of the world.
When the global financial melt down occurred in the fourth quarter 2008, our backlog
remained steady, but new orders then stalled as projects were pushed out due in great part to
financing issues. Our backlog for these projects was drawn down during the first half 2009 as
new orders were not replacing shipments one for one.
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However, we are recently encouraged by reports from customers, mainly fabricators in Asia who
have exposure to the oil and gas and power generation markets, that their order entry rates have
begun to improve. We understand that several stalled projects have financing in place and are
beginning to move forward.
Turning to capital expenditures, we continue deploying our cash for the long-term position of ATI
in unsurpassed equipment and facilities:
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Our Rowley, Utah premium-grade titanium sponge facility and our Bakers, North
Carolina titanium and superalloy forging facility are both scheduled to begin production
in the third quarter 2009. These strategic investments enhance our capabilities to
serve our core long-term growth markets. |
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The melt shop consolidation at our Brackenridge, Pennsylvania specialty melt shop is
progressing. We reduce a footprint, and we expect considerable cost savings and
production efficiencies from this project when it is completed. |
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Engineering, permitting, and site preparation continues on our Brackenridge,
Pennsylvania advanced hot rolling and processing center. The next step in site
preparation is demolition and abatement, which we plan to begin in early August. |
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We continue to expect 2009 self-funded capital investments to be in the range of $425
to $450 million. |
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We anticipate that business conditions in the third quarter will remain challenging. While
we see some signs of stabilization in a few markets, particularly in stainless sheet, demand for
many of our products remains at very low levels, the pricing environment remains challenging, and
visibility is limited.
To be very clear, recovering volume and the resulting revenue are the necessary keys to
significantly improved financial results.
We do not see the market fundamentals for this to happen in the third quarter of 2009, and
therefore we expect ATIs third quarter performance to be at or near break even. We expect to
end the third quarter with a significant amount of cash while continuing to self fund our
strategic capital projects.
We have prepared ATI for this downturn. Our financial position is strong and our cost structure
is the best in the companys history. We have the capability to
invest in the future and are doing so. Our
product mix has improved; and we are focused on key global markets.
So, we are not standing still during this economic downturn, but are gaining ground for the
future.
We are managing through the downturn and preparing ATI to be better positioned to grow when the
economy and our markets recover.
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We remain confident in the long-term growth potential of our core aerospace and infrastructure
markets. These are the right markets for ATI. Therefore, our strategic direction and vision
remain intact.
Operator, may we have the first question, please.
Q&A Portion of the Conference Call
Dan Greenfield:
Thank you, Pat. Thanks to all of the listeners for joining us today. That concludes our
conference call.
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