WAUKESHA, Wis., May 04, 2022 (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 first quarter ended March 31, 2022 and provided an update on its outlook for the full year 2022.  

First Quarter 2022 Highlights

• Net sales increased 41% to a record $1.14 billion during the first quarter of 2022 as compared to $807 million in the prior-year first quarter. Core sales growth, which excludes both the impact of acquisitions and foreign currency, increased approximately 33%.
  • Residential product sales grew 43% to $777 million as compared to $542 million last year.
  • Commercial & Industrial (“C&I”) product sales increased 38% to $279 million as compared to $202 million in the prior year.
• Net income attributable to the Company during the first quarter was $114 million, or $1.57 per share, as compared to $149 million, or $2.33 per share, for the same period of 2021.
• Adjusted net income attributable to the Company, as defined in the accompanying reconciliation schedules, was $135 million, or $2.09 per share, as compared to $153 million, or $2.38 per share, in the first quarter of 2021.
• Adjusted EBITDA before deducting for noncontrolling interests, as defined in the accompanying reconciliation schedules, was $196 million, or 17.3% of net sales, as compared to $214 million, or 26.5% of net sales, in the prior year.
• The Company is updating its full-year 2022 net sales growth guidance to be approximately 36 to 40% compared to the prior year on an as-reported basis, an increase from the previous expectation of approximately 32 to 36% growth.   Adjusted EBITDA margin, before deducting for non-controlling interests, is expected to be approximately 21.5 to 22.5% as compared to the previous expectation of approximately 22.0 to 23.0%.
  

“We continued to experience robust and broad-based growth during the first quarter, and strong execution pushed shipments to new records,” said Aaron Jagdfeld, President and Chief Executive Officer. “We made better-than-expected progress towards our production targets, which helped drive our top line beyond expectations during the quarter despite the ongoing challenging operating environment. We are focused on building out our energy technology solutions portfolio as the decarbonization, digitization, and decentralization of the power grid will create further growth opportunities for our business in the years ahead. In addition, we are making great progress on the integration of our recently closed acquisitions as we expect to further scale these businesses and execute on our overall ‘Powering a Smarter World’ enterprise strategy.”

Additional First Quarter 2022 Consolidated Highlights

Gross profit margin was 31.8% as compared to 39.9% in the prior-year first quarter. Gross margins continued to be pressured by higher input costs resulting from supply chain challenges and the overall inflationary environment, including increased commodity prices, logistics costs, and labor. These costs were partially offset by the increasing impact of multiple pricing actions previously implemented and favorable sales mix. The full realization of pricing actions implemented over the past year, as well as additional price increases to be enacted in the second quarter of 2022, are expected to result in sequentially improving gross margins throughout the remainder of the year.

Operating expenses increased $73.3 million, or 55.3%, as compared to the first quarter of 2021, including a $17.1 million increase in acquisition-related amortization expense. The remaining increase was primarily driven by the impact of recurring operating expenses from recent acquisitions, increased employee costs, and additional variable expenses from the significant increase in sales volumes.

Provision for income taxes for the current year quarter was $28.6 million, or an effective tax rate of 19.7%, as compared to $35.4 million, or a 19.1% effective tax rate, for the prior year. The increase in effective tax rate was primarily due to a lower discrete benefit from equity compensation in the current quarter as compared to the prior year.

Cash flow from operations was $(10.1) million during the first quarter, as compared to $152.5 million in the prior year. Free cash flow, as defined in the accompanying reconciliation schedules, was $(36.8) million as compared to $125.8 million in the first quarter of 2021. The decline in free cash flow was due to significantly higher working capital investment in the current year quarter, particularly with higher inventories driven by ongoing supply chain and logistics challenges.

Business Segment Results

Domestic Segment

Domestic segment sales increased 39% to $964.7 million as compared to $692.7 million in the prior year quarter, with the impact of acquisitions contributing approximately 5% of the revenue growth for the quarter.   The strong and broad-based core sales growth was led by home standby generators and PWRcell^® energy storage systems, while C&I channels also experienced significant year-over-year growth in the quarter, highlighted by national rental equipment and telecom customers.

Adjusted EBITDA for the segment was $170.4 million, or 17.7% of net sales, as compared to $207.1 million in the prior year, or 29.9% of net sales. This margin performance was primarily impacted by higher input costs and the impact of acquisitions, partially offset by pricing benefits and favorable sales mix.

International Segment

International segment sales increased 49% to $171.2 million as compared to $114.7 million in the prior year quarter, with the net impact of acquisitions and foreign currency contributing approximately 22% of the revenue growth for the quarter.   The core sales growth for the segment was driven by strength across all regions as compared to the prior year, most notably in Europe and Latin America.

Adjusted EBITDA for the segment, before deducting for noncontrolling interests, was $26.0 million, or 15.2% of net sales, as compared to $7.1 million, or 6.2% of net sales, in the prior year.   This strong margin performance was primarily driven by the positive impact of recent acquisitions and improved operating leverage on significantly higher sales volumes.

Updated 2022 Outlook

As a result of better-than-expected production output in the first quarter and additional price actions being taken in the second quarter, the Company is increasing its full-year 2022 net sales guidance to be approximately 36 to 40%, which includes approximately 5 to 7% of net impact from acquisitions and foreign currency. This is an increase from the previous growth guidance of approximately 32 to 36%.

The Company still expects net income margin, before deducting for non-controlling interests, to be approximately 13.0 to 14.0% for the full-year 2022. The corresponding adjusted EBITDA margin is now expected to be approximately 21.5 to 22.5% compared to the previous expectation of 22.0 to 23.0%. The midpoint of this guidance would result in adjusted EBITDA dollars in line with our previous guidance as we continue to execute mitigating actions to address the challenging supply chain environment and inflationary cost pressures.

Conference Call and Webcast

Generac management will hold a conference call at 10:00 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, May 4, 2022 to discuss first quarter 2022 operating results. The conference call can be accessed by dialing (866) 415-3113 (domestic) or +1 (678) 509-7544 (international) and entering passcode 6859969.

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. A telephonic replay will also be available approximately two hours after the call and can be accessed by dialing (855) 859-2056 (domestic) or +1 (404) 537-3406 (international) and entering passcode 6859969. The telephonic replay will be available for 7 days.
        
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- and 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 global supply chain, including single-sourced components, 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;
• the duration and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic;
• difficulties we may encounter as our business expands globally or into new markets;
• our dependence on our distribution network;
• our ability to invest in, develop or adapt to changing technologies and manufacturing techniques;
• 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 environmental, health and safety, or product compliance laws and regulations affecting our products, operations, or customer demand;
• significant legal proceedings, claims, lawsuits or government investigations.
  

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 or will continue to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which 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 2021 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

The computation of adjusted EBITDA attributable to the Company and adjusted EBITDA margin is based on the definition of EBITDA contained in Generac's credit agreement dated as of May 31, 2013, as amended. To supplement the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, Generac provides a summary to show the computation of adjusted EBITDA, which excludes the impact of noncontrolling interests, taking into account certain charges and gains that were recognized during the periods presented.

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 expenses, certain other non-cash gains and losses, and adjusted net income attributable to non-controlling interests. In addition, for periods prior to 2022, adjusted net income reflects cash income tax expense due to the existence of the tax shield from the amortization of tax-deductible goodwill and intangible assets from the acquisition of the Company by CCMP Capital Advisors, LLC in 2006. Due to the expiration of this tax shield in the fourth quarter of 2021, there is no similar reconciling item starting in 2022.

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
Vice President – Corporate Development & Investor Relations
(262) 506-6064
InvestorRelations@generac.com

Source: Generac Holdings Inc