Barnes Group Inc. Reports Second Quarter 2021 Financial Results

Barnes Group Inc. (NYSE: B), a global provider of highly engineered products, differentiated industrial technologies, and innovative solutions, today reported financial results for the second quarter of 2021.

“With robust orders and sales growth for both Industrial and Aerospace in the second quarter, Barnes Group continues to demonstrate significant recovery as some of the impacts of the global pandemic diminish. With a strong book-to-bill of 1.3 times, total Company backlog improved 12% from the first quarter and is at its highest level since the end of 2019,” said Patrick J. Dempsey, President and Chief Executive Officer of Barnes Group Inc. “Supported by this backlog, our 2021 sales growth expectation remains solid. Coupled with ongoing investments in innovation and other sales initiatives, we look forward to sustaining an upward trend of good growth and improving performance,” added Dempsey.

Second Quarter 2021 Highlights

Second quarter 2021 net sales of $321 million were up 36% from $236 million in the prior year period, with organic sales (1) increasing 31% as the Company sees continuing improvement in many of its end markets. Foreign exchange had a positive impact on sales of 5%. On a sequential basis, sales improved 6% from the first quarter of 2021. Operating income was $38.5 million versus $10.1 million a year ago and operating margin was 12.0% versus 4.3% last year. Excluding restructuring charges of $0.7 million this year and $17.7 million in the prior year period, adjusted operating income of $39.2 million was up 41% and adjusted operating margin of 12.2% was up 40 bps from a year ago.

Interest expense was $4.5 million, an increase of $0.6 million from the prior year quarter due to a higher average interest rate, offset in part by lower average borrowings. Other expense was $1.3 million, up $0.2 million from a year ago.

The Company's effective tax rate for the second quarter of 2021 was 25.3% compared with 89.0% in the second quarter of 2020 and 37.6% for the full year 2020. The decrease in the second quarter 2021 effective tax rate from the full year 2020 rate is primarily due to the absence of tax expense related to the completed sale of the Seeger business in 2020, a net benefit related to certain foreign tax matters in the current year quarter, and a favorable mix in earnings based on tax jurisdictions.

Net income for the second quarter was $24.5 million, or $0.48 per diluted share, compared to $0.6 million, or $0.01 per diluted share, a year ago. On an adjusted basis, net income per share of $0.45 was up 67% from $0.27 a year ago. Adjusted net income per diluted share in the second quarter of 2021 excludes $0.01 of restructuring charges and a net foreign tax benefit of $0.04, while the second quarter of 2020 excludes $0.26 of restructuring charges.

Year-to-date 2021 cash provided by operating activities was $85.7 million versus $123.2 million in the prior year period. Free cash flow was $68.2 million compared to $103.4 million last year. Capital expenditures were $17.6 million, down $2.2 million from a year ago.

Segment Performance and End Market Outlook

Industrial

Second quarter sales were $235 million, up 42% from $165 million in the prior year period. Organic sales increased 35% reflecting volume increases from strengthening end markets. Favorable foreign exchange increased sales by $12.4 million, or 7%. On a sequential basis, total Industrial sales increased 7% from the first quarter of 2021.

Operating profit in the second quarter was $27.3 million versus an operating loss of $0.3 million in the prior year period. Excluding $0.2 million of restructuring costs in this year’s second quarter and $15.8 million last year, adjusted operating profit was $27.5 million versus $15.5 million a year ago. The increase in adjusted operating profit was driven by the contribution of higher sales volumes and the benefit of 2020 cost actions, offset in part by higher personnel costs, primarily incentive compensation, and costs incurred in support of segment growth initiatives. Adjusted operating margin was 11.7%, up 230 bps from a year ago.

Aerospace

Second quarter sales were $86 million, up 23% from $71 million last year, benefitting from improving original equipment manufacturing (“OEM”), while the aerospace aftermarket business continues to be impacted by lingering effects of the global pandemic. Aerospace OEM sales increased 37%, while aftermarket sales decreased 2%. On a sequential basis, Aerospace sales increased 6% from the first quarter of 2021.

Operating profit was $11.3 million, up 8% from $10.4 million in the prior year period. Excluding $0.4 million of restructuring costs in this year’s second quarter and $1.9 million last year, adjusted operating profit was $11.7 million, down 5% from last year’s $12.4 million. The decrease in adjusted operating profit was driven by higher incentive compensation and unfavorable mix. Adjusted operating margin was 13.5%, down 400 bps from a year ago.

Aerospace OEM backlog ended the second quarter at $694 million, up 16% from March 2021. The Company expects to ship approximately 40% of this backlog over the next 12 months.

Balance Sheet and Liquidity

Barnes Group’s balance sheet position and liquidity profile remain supportive of ongoing investments in growth initiatives. The Company has liquidity of $91 million in cash and approximately $451 million available under the revolving credit facility, subject to covenants which would have allowed $204 million under our current credit agreements. With respect to the balance sheet, our “Debt to EBITDA” ratio, as defined in our credit agreements, was approximately 2.9 times at quarter end, down from 3.1 times at the end of the first quarter 2021.

Updated 2021 Outlook

Barnes Group now expects 2021 organic sales to be up 11% to 12%, up from the prior 10% to 12% expectation. Foreign exchange is anticipated to have an approximate 2% favorable impact on 2021 sales, while divested revenues will have an approximate negative 1% impact. Operating margin is forecasted to be approximately 13%. Adjusted earnings per share are now expected to be in the range of $1.83 to $1.98, up 12% to 21% from 2020’s adjusted earnings per share of $1.64 and reflective of an increase at the lower end of our prior range of $1.78 to $1.98. Further, the Company continues to forecast capital expenditures of approximately $50 million and an effective tax rate of approximately 30% for 2021. Cash conversion in now expected to be greater than 110% of net income.

Conference Call Information

Barnes Group Inc. will conduct a conference call with investors to discuss second quarter 2021 results at 8:30 a.m. ET today, July 30, 2021. The public may access the conference through a live audio webcast available on the Investor Relations section of Barnes Group’s website at www.BGInc.com. The conference is also available by direct dial at (844) 884-8225 in the U.S. or (647) 689-4194 outside of the U.S.; Conference ID 6987911. Supplemental materials will be posted to the Investor Relations section of the Company's website prior to the conference call.

In addition, the call will be recorded and available for playback from 12:00 p.m. (ET) on Friday, July 30, 2021 until 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Friday, August 6, 2021, by dialing (416) 621-4642; Conference ID 6987911.

About Barnes Group

Barnes Group Inc. (NYSE: B) is a global provider of highly engineered products, differentiated industrial technologies, and innovative solutions, serving a wide range of end markets and customers. Its specialized products and services are used in far-reaching applications including aerospace, transportation, manufacturing, automation, healthcare, and packaging. The skilled and dedicated employees of Barnes Group around the globe are committed to the highest performance standards and achieving consistent, sustainable profitable growth. Barnes Group is committed to corporate accountability and furthering environmental, social and governance principles as evidenced by our listing as one of America’s Most Responsible Companies by Newsweek. For more information, visit www.BGInc.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements often address our expected future operating and financial performance and financial condition, and often contain words such as "anticipate," "believe," "expect," "plan," "estimate," "project," "continue," "will," "should," “may,” and similar terms. These forward-looking statements do not constitute guarantees of future performance and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. These include, among others: difficulty maintaining relationships with employees, customers, distributors, suppliers, business partners or governmental entities; failure to successfully negotiate collective bargaining agreements or potential strikes, work stoppages or other similar events; difficulties leveraging market opportunities; changes in market demand for our products and services; rapid technological and market change; the ability to protect and avoid infringing upon intellectual property rights; introduction or development of new products or transfer of work; higher risks in global operations and markets; the impact of intense competition; acts of terrorism, cybersecurity attacks or intrusions that could adversely impact our businesses; the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, including on demand, supply chains, operations and our ability to maintain sufficient liquidity throughout the unknown duration and severity of the pandemic; the failure to achieve anticipated cost savings and benefits associated with workforce reductions and restructuring actions; uncertainties relating to conditions in financial markets; currency fluctuations and foreign currency exposure; future financial performance of the industries or customers that we serve; our dependence upon revenues and earnings from a small number of significant customers; a major loss of customers; inability to realize expected sales or profits from existing backlog due to a range of factors, including changes in customer sourcing decisions, material changes, production schedules and volumes of specific programs; the impact of government budget and funding decisions; government tariffs, trade agreements and trade policies; the impact of new or revised tax laws and regulations; the adoption of laws, directives or regulations that impact the materials processed by our products or their end markets; changes in raw material or product prices and availability; disruptions in information technology systems, including as a result of cybersecurity or data security breaches; the continuing impact of prior acquisitions and divestitures; and any other future strategic actions, including acquisitions, divestitures, restructurings, or strategic business realignments, and our ability to achieve the financial and operational targets set in connection with any such actions; the ability to achieve social and environmental performance goals; the outcome of pending and future legal, governmental, or regulatory proceedings and contingencies; product liabilities and uninsured claims; future repurchases of common stock; future levels of indebtedness; and numerous other matters of a global, regional or national scale, including those of a political, social, economic, business, competitive, environmental, regulatory and public health nature; and other risks and uncertainties described in documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") by the Company, including, among others, those in the Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and Risk Factors sections of the Company's filings. The Company assumes no obligation to update its forward-looking statements.

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