WAUKESHA, Wis., Nov. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Generac Holdings Inc. (NYSE: GNRC) (“Generac” or the “Company”), a leading global designer and manufacturer of energy technology solutions and other power products, today reported financial results for its third quarter ended September 30, 2023 and provided an update on its outlook for the full year 2023.

Third Quarter 2023 Highlights

• Net sales decreased 2% to $1.07 billion during the third quarter of 2023 as compared to $1.09 billion in the prior-year third quarter. Core sales growth, which excludes both the impact of acquisitions and foreign currency, decreased approximately 4%.
  • Residential product sales declined 15% to $565 million as compared to $664 million last year.
  • Commercial & Industrial (“C&I”) product sales increased 24% to $385 million as compared to $311 million in the prior year.
• Net income attributable to the Company during the third quarter was $60 million, or $0.97 per share, as compared to $58 million, or $0.83 per share, for the same period of 2022.
• Adjusted net income attributable to the Company, as defined in the accompanying reconciliation schedules, was $102 million, or $1.64 per share, as compared to $112 million, or $1.75 per share, in the third quarter of 2022.
• Adjusted EBITDA before deducting for noncontrolling interests, as defined in the accompanying reconciliation schedules, was $189 million, or 17.6% of net sales, as compared to $184 million, or 16.9% of net sales, in the prior year.
• Cash flow from operations was $140 million during the third quarter, as compared to $(56) million in the prior year. Free cash flow, as defined in the accompanying reconciliation schedules, was $117 million as compared to $(73) million in the third quarter of 2022.
• During the third quarter of 2023, the company repurchased 875,580 shares of its common stock for $100 million under its current share repurchase program. There is approximately $178 million remaining under the current repurchase program as of September 30, 2023.

“Our results in the third quarter reflect improving operating performance and validate the longer-term focus on our Powering A Smarter World strategic plan,” said Aaron Jagdfeld, President and Chief Executive Officer. “We experienced a strong sequential increase in shipments of home standby generators during the quarter as higher activations are driving field inventories towards more sustainable levels. In addition, in home consultations for these products also remained strong during the quarter as category awareness continues to increase on the back of well-publicized grid stability concerns. Additionally, C&I product sales continued to experience significant growth over the prior year that once again exceeded our expectations. We also saw margins expand year-over-year and generated substantial free cash flow during the quarter, both of which are expected to continue into the fourth quarter.”

Additional Third Quarter 2023 Consolidated Highlights

Gross profit margin was 35.1% as compared to 33.2% in the prior-year third quarter. The increase in gross margin was primarily driven by lower raw material and logistics costs and production efficiencies. These margin benefits were partially offset by the impact of unfavorable sales mix.

Operating expenses decreased by $2.6 million, or 0.9%, as compared to the third quarter of 2022. Excluding certain items for legal, regulatory, and clean energy product charges in the current and prior year, as disclosed in the accompanying reconciliation schedules, operating expenses increased by $30.6 million, or 14.0%, from the prior year primarily driven by increased employee and marketing costs in the current year and a favorable contingent consideration adjustment in the prior year.

Provision for income taxes for the current year quarter was $19.4 million, or an effective tax rate of 24.3%, as compared to $11.6 million, or a 16.1% effective tax rate, for the prior year. The increase in the effective tax rate was primarily due to the prior year quarter including certain favorable discrete tax items and a larger benefit from equity compensation as compared to the current year quarter.

Cash flow from operations was $140.1 million during the third quarter, as compared to $(56.0) million in the prior year. Free cash flow, as defined in the accompanying reconciliation schedules, was $117.4 million as compared to $(73.5) million in the third quarter of 2022. The increase in free cash flow was primarily due to a significant use of cash for working capital in the prior year that did not repeat in the current year quarter, partially offset by higher interest payments and capital expenditures.

Business Segment Results

Domestic Segment

Domestic segment total sales (including inter-segment sales) decreased 6% to $894.0 million as compared to $946.6 million in the prior year quarter, with minimal favorable impact from acquisitions. The decline was driven by lower residential product sales primarily due to lower home standby and portable generator shipments as compared to the prior year. This was partially offset by growth in C&I product sales, highlighted by strong shipments to industrial distributors and direct customers for “beyond standby” applications.

Adjusted EBITDA for the segment was $160.3 million, or 17.9% of domestic segment total sales, as compared to $159.8 million in the prior year, or 16.9% of total sales. This margin improvement was primarily driven by favorable price and cost benefits, partially offset by unfavorable sales mix and higher employee and marketing expenses.

International Segment

International segment total sales (including inter-segment sales) increased 14% to $207.6 million as compared to $182.5 million in the prior year quarter, with acquisitions and foreign currency providing an approximate 11% favorable impact to revenue growth for the quarter. The 3% core total sales growth for the segment was driven by varying levels of C&I product growth in most regions, partially offset by weaker portable generator sales in Europe.

Adjusted EBITDA for the segment, before deducting for noncontrolling interests, was $28.3 million, or 13.6% of international segment total sales, as compared to $24.0 million, or 13.2% of total sales, in the prior year. This modest margin improvement was primarily driven by favorable price, cost and mix benefits.

2023 Outlook Update

The Company is maintaining its overall full-year 2023 net sales guidance for a decline of approximately -10 to -12% as compared to the prior year, which includes approximately 2% of net favorable impact from acquisitions and foreign currency.

Additionally, the Company now expects net income margin, before deducting for non-controlling interests, to be approximately 5.0 to 6.0% for the full-year 2023 compared to the prior guidance range of 6.0 to 7.0%. The corresponding adjusted EBITDA margin is still expected to be approximately 15.5% to 16.5%, in line with the previous guidance.

Operating and free cash flow generation are expected to return to strong levels for the full year, with conversion of adjusted net income to free cash flow expected to be well over 100%.

Conference Call and Webcast

Generac management will hold a conference call at 10:00 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, November 1, 2023 to discuss third quarter 2023 operating results. The conference call can be accessed at the following link: https://register.vevent.com/register/BIa6e8539444e2408eb5d52b8ff3526ea5. Individuals who wish to listen via telephone will be given dial-in information.

The conference call will also be webcast simultaneously on Generac's website (http://www.generac.com), accessed under the Investor Relations link. The webcast link will be made available on the Company’s website prior to the start of the call within the Events section of the Investor Relations website.

Following the live webcast, a replay will be available on the Company’s website for 12 months.

About Generac

Generac is a leading energy technology company that provides backup and prime power systems for home and industrial applications, solar + battery storage solutions, smart home energy management devices and energy services, advanced power grid software platforms and engine- & battery-powered tools and equipment. Founded in 1959, Generac introduced the first affordable backup generator and later created the category of automatic home standby generator. The Company is committed to sustainable, cleaner energy products poised to revolutionize the 21st century electrical grid.

Forward-looking Information

Certain statements contained in this news release, as well as other information provided from time to time by Generac Holdings Inc. or its employees, may contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements give Generac's current expectations and projections relating to the Company's financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance and business. You can identify forward-looking statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. These statements may include words such as "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "project," "plan," "intend," "believe," "confident," "may," "should," "can have," "likely," "future," “optimistic” and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of the timing or nature of future operating or financial performance or other events.

Any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance or results, and involve risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond the Company's control) and assumptions. Although Generac believes any forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, you should be aware that many factors could affect Generac's actual financial results and cause them to differ materially from those anticipated in any forward-looking statements, including:

• frequency and duration of power outages impacting demand for our products;
• fluctuations in cost and quality of raw materials required to manufacture our products;
• availability of both labor and key components from our manufacturing operations and global supply chain, including single-sourced components and contract manufacturers, needed in producing our products;
• the possibility that the expected synergies, efficiencies and cost savings of our acquisitions will not be realized, or will not be realized within the expected time period;
• the risk that our acquisitions will not be integrated successfully;
• the impact on our results of possible fluctuations in interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates, commodities, product mix, logistics costs and regulatory tariffs;
• difficulties we may encounter as our business expands globally or into new markets;
• our dependence on our distribution network;
• our ability to remain competitive by investing in, developing or adapting to changing technologies and manufacturing techniques, as well as protecting our intellectual property rights;
• loss of our key management and employees;
• increase in product and other liability claims or recalls;
• failures or security breaches of our networks, information technology systems, or connected products;
• changes in laws and regulations regarding environmental, health and safety, product compliance, or international trade that affect our products, operations, or customer demand;
• significant legal proceedings, claims, lawsuits or government investigations; and
• changes in durable goods spending by consumers and businesses or other macroeconomic conditions, impacting demand for our products.
  

Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, Generac's actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in any forward-looking statements. In the current environment, some of the above factors have materialized and may cause actual results to vary from these forward-looking statements. A detailed discussion of these and other factors that may affect future results is contained in Generac's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), particularly in the Risk Factors section of the 2022 Annual Report on Form 10-K and in its periodic reports on Form 10-Q. Stockholders, potential investors and other readers should consider these factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements.

Any forward-looking statement made by Generac in this press release speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Generac undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

Non-GAAP Financial Metrics

Core Sales

The Company references core sales to further supplement Generac's condensed consolidated financial statements presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Core sales excludes the impact of acquisitions and fluctuations in foreign currency translation. Management believes that core sales facilitates easier and more meaningful comparison of net sales performance with prior and future periods.

Adjusted EBITDA

To supplement our condensed consolidated financial statements presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, the Company provides the computation of Adjusted EBITDA attributable to the Company, which is defined as net income before noncontrolling interest adjusted for the following items: interest expense, depreciation expense, amortization of intangible assets, income tax expense, certain non-cash gains and losses including purchase accounting and contingent consideration adjustments, share-based compensation expense, losses on extinguishment of debt, certain transaction costs and credit facility fees, business optimization expenses, certain specific provisions, and adjusted EBITDA attributable to noncontrolling interests, as set forth in the reconciliation table below.

Adjusted Net Income

To further supplement Generac's condensed consolidated financial statements presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, the Company provides a summary to show the computation of adjusted net income attributable to the Company. Adjusted net income attributable to the Company is defined as net income before noncontrolling interests adjusted for the following items: amortization of intangible assets, amortization of deferred financing costs and original issue discount related to the Company's debt, intangible impairment charges, certain transaction costs and other purchase accounting adjustments, losses on extinguishment of debt, business optimization and other charges, certain specific provisions, certain other non-cash gains and losses, and adjusted net income attributable to non-controlling interests.

Free Cash Flow

In addition, we reference free cash flow to further supplement Generac's condensed consolidated financial statements presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Free cash flow is defined as net cash provided by operating activities, plus proceeds from beneficial interests in securitization transactions, less expenditures for property and equipment, and is intended to be a measure of operational cash flow taking into account additional capital expenditure investment into the business.

The presentation of this additional information is not meant to be considered in isolation of, or as a substitute for, results prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Please see the accompanying Reconciliation Schedules and our SEC filings for additional discussion of the basis for Generac's reporting of Non-GAAP financial measures, which includes why the Company believes these measures provide useful information to investors and the additional purposes for which management uses the non-GAAP financial information.

SOURCE: Generac Holdings Inc.

CONTACT:
Michael W. Harris
Senior Vice President – Corporate Development & Investor Relations
(262) 506-6064
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