EX-99 2 ex99.htm PRESS RELEASE DATED APRIL 27, 2007 PRESS RELEASE DATED APRIL 27, 2007

 
Exhibit 99
 
 
 
 
TITAN REPORTS ALL-TIME RECORD IN FIRST QUARTER SALES
 
 
Quincy, IL. - Titan International, Inc. (NYSE: TWI)
April 27, 2007
 
First quarter highlights:
·  
Titan achieved an all-time record in net sales. First quarter 2007 net sales were $226.3 million, compared to $182.6 million in first quarter 2006. This represents a 24 percent sales increase, year-over-year.
 
o  
Titan’s previous sales record was $187.4 million in the first quarter of 1998; that included approximately $42 million of sales related to Titan Europe, which was sold in April 2004.

·  
Titan reduced its selling, general and administrative expenses to $11.3 million in the first quarter (5.0 percent of net sales), compared to last year’s $12.3 million (6.7 percent of net sales), even with the record sales levels in 2007.

·  
Titan accepted 100 percent of the $81.2 million principal amount of senior convertible notes for conversion on March 20, 2007, that were converted to 6,577,200 shares of Titan common stock. Associated with this conversion was a one-time non-cash convertible debt conversion charge of $13.4 million. With this conversion and other debt payoff, Titan was able to:
 
o  
Reduce short-term debt by 100 percent to zero short-term debt as of March 31, 2007, from $0.1 million at year-end 2006.
 
o  
Reduce long-term debt by approximately 31 percent, or $91.3 million, to $200 million as of March 31, 2007, from $291.3 million at year-end 2006.
 
o  
Increase stockholder’s equity by approximately 51 percent, or $94.9 million, to $282.1 million at March 31, 2007, from $187.2 million at year-end 2006.

Statement of Chief Executive Officer:
“Titan sales have shown remarkable growth as a result of our increasing market share in the off-highway segments. We were pleased with the quarterly sales number; however, there is much work to be done,” stated Chairman and CEO Maurice Taylor Jr. “We continue to integrate the Continental OTR business and rationalize product lines across facilities. We are seeing strengthening in the agricultural market and we believe even stronger agricultural numbers will start showing up in the next few quarters.

“Titan’s convertible debt was converted into stock, removing $81 million of debt from the company. As a part of this transaction, a non-cash conversion charge of $13 million was recorded as a non-cash entry required by the accounting rules. Titan now enters the second quarter with an even stronger balance sheet, well positioned for future growth opportunities.”

 


Financial overview:
Titan International, Inc. reported all-time record net sales of $226.3 million for the first quarter of 2007, a 24 percent increase as compared to net sales of $182.6 in first quarter 2006. The large sales improvement of $43.7 million was primarily attributed to the expanded earthmoving, construction and mining product offering of off-the-road (OTR) tires, along with added manufacturing capacity from the Bryan, Ohio, facility, which began production as a Titan facility in August 2006.

Gross profit for the first quarter 2007 was $27.2 million, as compared to $31.1 million in the first quarter of 2006. Due to capacity constraints at the Bryan OTR facility, the company is adding OTR tire capacity at its Freeport, Illinois, and Des Moines, Iowa, facilities. Titan is aligning synergies, which includes retooling, retraining personnel and redistribution of equipment at the Bryan, Freeport and Des Moines facilities.

This OTR realignment decreased the company’s gross margin for the first quarter of 2007 as labor costs that are normally dedicated to making products were instead used for retooling, retraining and redistribution of equipment.

Income from operations for the first quarter 2007 was $14.3 million, as compared to $17.2 million in the first quarter of 2006. The first quarter 2007 income from operations was negatively affected by the OTR realignment costs previously discussed.

Interest expense was $5.7 million for the first quarter of 2007 as compared to $3.7 million in 2006. The higher interest expense was the result of a higher average debt balance.

Titan reduced debt by $91.4 million in first quarter 2007; that includes the March conversion of $81.2 million of senior convertible notes. Associated with the conversion, the company recorded a $13.4 million non-cash convertible debt charge. The notes were converted into 6,577,200 shares of Titan common stock.

The company recorded an income tax benefit of $2.5 million in the first quarter of 2007 as compared to an expense of $5.7 million in 2006.

Net loss for the first quarter of 2007 was $(2.5) million compared to net income of $8.6 million in 2006.

Basic and diluted loss per share was $(.12) for the first quarter of 2007, as compared to basic earnings per share of $.44 and diluted earnings per share of $.36 in 2006.

The company’s stockholders’ equity was $282.1 million at March 31, 2007, an increase of approximately 51 percent, or $94.9 million, from $187.2 million at December 31, 2006.

Form 10-Q:
For additional information and Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, see the company’s Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 27, 2007.

 



Purchase of Bryan, Ohio, assets:
On July 31, 2006, Titan Tire Corporation of Bryan, a subsidiary of Titan International, Inc., acquired the off-the-road (OTR) tire assets of Continental Tire North America, Inc. (Continental) in Bryan, Ohio. Titan purchased the assets of Continental’s OTR tire facility for approximately $53 million in cash proceeds. The assets purchased included Continental’s OTR plant, property and equipment located in Bryan, Ohio, inventory and other current assets. The acquisition included an agreement with Continental to use the Continental and General trademarks on OTR tires.

OTR production realignment: 
Due to capacity constraints at Titan’s Bryan, Ohio, OTR tire facility, the company is adding OTR tire capacity at its Freeport, Illinois, and Des Moines, Iowa, facilities. Titan is aligning synergies, which includes retooling, retraining personnel and redistribution of equipment at the Bryan, Freeport and Des Moines facilities. These OTR realignment costs of approximately $5 million to $7 million lowered the company’s gross profit for the first quarter of 2007, as labor costs that are normally dedicated to making products were instead used for retooling, retraining and redistribution of equipment.

Non-cash convertible debt conversion charge:
In January 2007, the Company filed a registration statement relating to an offer to the holders of its 5.25 percent senior unsecured convertible notes due 2009 to convert their notes into Titan’s common stock at an increased conversion rate (the “Offer”). Per the Offer, each $1,000 principal amount of notes was convertible into 81.0000 shares of common stock, which is equivalent to a conversion price of approximately $12.35 per share. Prior to the Offer, each $1,000 principal amount of notes was convertible into 74.0741 shares of common stock, which was equivalent to a conversion price of approximately $13.50 per share.

The registration statement relating to the shares of common stock to be offered was declared effective on February 21, 2007. On March 21, 2007, the company announced 100 percent acceptance of the conversion offer and the $81,200,000 of accepted notes were converted into 6,577,200 shares of Titan common stock. Titan recognized a non-cash charge of $13.4 million in connection with this exchange in accordance with SFAS No. 84, “Induced Conversions of Convertible Debt.”

Safe harbor statement:
This press release includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including risks as detailed in Titan International, Inc.’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006. The company cautions that any forward-looking statements included in this press release are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties and the company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.

Company description:
QUINCY, Ill.—Titan International, Inc. (NYSE: TWI), a holding company, owns subsidiaries that supply wheels, tires and assemblies for off-highway equipment used in agricultural, earthmoving/construction and consumer (including all terrain vehicles and trailers) applications.

 



Titan International, Inc.
Consolidated Condensed Statements of Operations (Unaudited)
For the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006


Amounts in thousands, except earnings per share data.
 
Three Months Ended
 
   
March 31,
 
   
2007
 
2006
 
Net sales
 
$
226,278
 
$
182,577
 
Cost of sales
   
199,087
   
151,463
 
Gross profit
   
27,191
   
31,114
 
               
Selling, general & administrative expenses
   
11,284
   
12,281
 
Royalty expense
   
1,564
   
1,625
 
Income from operations
   
14,343
   
17,208
 
               
Interest expense
   
(5,749
)
 
(3,723
)
Non-cash convertible debt conversion charge
   
(13,376
)
 
0
 
Other (expense) income
   
(185
)
 
836
 
(Loss) income before income taxes
   
(4,967
)
 
14,321
 
               
(Benefit) provision for income taxes
   
(2,484
)
 
5,728
 
               
Net (loss) income
 
$
(2,483
)
$
8,593
 
               
(Loss) earnings per common share:
             
Basic
 
$
(.12
)
$
.44
 
Diluted
   
(.12
)
 
.36
 
               
Average common shares outstanding:
             
Basic
   
20,814
   
19,584
 
Diluted
   
20,814
   
25,925
 



Segment Information
Revenues from external customers (Unaudited)
Amounts in thousands
 
Three Months Ended
 
   
March 31,
 
   
2007
 
2006
 
Agricultural
 
$
135,296
 
$
124,427
 
Earthmoving/Construction
   
75,118
   
31,801
 
Consumer
   
15,864
   
26,349
 
Total
 
$
226,278
 
$
182,577
 


 




Titan International, Inc.
Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets (Unaudited)


Amounts in thousands
         
   
March 31,
 
December 31,
 
Assets
 
2007
 
2006
 
Current assets:
             
Cash and cash equivalents
 
$
38,970
 
$
33,412
 
Accounts receivable
   
121,313
   
73,882
 
Inventories
   
143,958
   
154,604
 
Deferred income taxes
   
32,928
   
29,234
 
Prepaid and other current assets
   
17,551
   
18,801
 
Total current assets
   
354,720
   
309,933
 
               
Property, plant and equipment, net
   
181,978
   
184,616
 
Investment in Titan Europe Plc
   
63,988
   
65,881
 
Goodwill
   
11,702
   
11,702
 
Other assets
   
10,746
   
12,994
 
Total assets
 
$
623,134
 
$
585,126
 
               
Liabilities & Stockholders’ Equity
             
Current liabilities:
             
Short-term debt
 
$
0
 
$
98
 
Accounts payable
   
50,158
   
25,884
 
Other current liabilities
   
47,909
   
36,942
 
Total current liabilities
   
98,067
   
62,924
 
               
Long-term debt
   
200,000
   
291,266
 
Deferred income taxes
   
27,261
   
27,924
 
Other long-term liabilities
   
15,700
   
15,835
 
Stockholders’ equity
   
282,106
   
187,177
 
Total liabilities & stockholders’ equity
 
$
623,134
 
$
585,126
 


 
Contact: Courtney Leeser, Communications Coordinator
(217) 221-4489