BRIDGEVILLE, Pa., Jan. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Universal Stainless & Alloy Products, Inc. (Nasdaq: USAP) today reported net sales for the fourth quarter of 2020 of $31.3 million, a decrease of 16.3% from $37.4 million in the third quarter of 2020, and 43.2% lower than $55.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Sales of premium alloys in the fourth quarter of 2020 were $6.0 million, or 19.1% of sales, compared with $9.2 million, or 24.5% of sales, in the third quarter of 2020, and $7.4 million, or 13.4% of sales, in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Chairman, President and CEO Dennis Oates commented: “The fourth quarter was a challenging quarter as expected, and we continued to operate at low activity levels, which negatively impacted profitability. Our focus on liquidity continued, with positive results, as we achieved our cash targets and reduced debt by more than $10 million. While our revenues were down from the third quarter, our bookings activity improved.

“Despite the challenging environment, we continue to see positive results within areas of our control, including increased efficiency of our operations as well as our quality programs. These favorable activities will allow for increased facility capacity and provide benefit as volumes increase. Most importantly, our safety performance, as measured by our OSHA recordable rate, marked a record low in 2020.

“The pandemic continued to limit air travel worldwide and airlines reduced new plane orders, ultimately depressing aerospace product demand. We did see a bright spot with the return to service of the Boeing 737-MAX, which should begin to benefit new aircraft production into 2022 and 2023. Within the oil and gas markets, customers remain reluctant to place orders even with the rise in oil prices and rig counts.

“Demand in the Heavy Equipment market was strong in the fourth quarter, especially for our products used in auto production and metals fabrication. Plate bookings have also remained strong. Growth in our General Industrial end market was especially strong in the quarter, led by semiconductor demand. In fact, sales to that end market for the quarter were at a near record level, and that strength is expected to continue in the coming months.

“We saw positive signs in our order entry in the fourth quarter, which has increased each quarter from its 2020 low point in the second quarter. Cancellations further slowed and were at their lowest level in 2020. Fourth quarter premium alloy bookings also improved and were at the highest levels since the 2020 first quarter, with ongoing demand for defense and specialty applications.

“Fourth quarter margins continued to be negatively impacted by lower activity levels and included fixed cost absorption direct charges. Margins were also negatively impacted by a $0.3 million loss on the sale of excess scrap, although that generated cash receipts of $0.7 million. Product mix was less favorable in the quarter due to lower shipments of premium alloys.

“Our continued focus on working capital reduction in the fourth quarter resulted in continued reductions in inventory and debt levels. Both inventory and debt further declined from the third quarter, with inventory reduced by $9.6 million, and debt reduced by $10.4 million. For the full year, inventory has been reduced by $36.0 million and total debt is down $24.2 million, excluding PPP funds. We also tightly controlled our fourth quarter capital spend, limiting expenditures to $0.7 million.

“Looking forward in 2021, we continue to expect measured improvement in activity levels as we move through the year, starting slowly in the first quarter. We will be focused on our strategic growth initiatives, which include strategic capital investment in our premium alloy production assets, including adding a vacuum arc remelt furnace and an 18-ton crucible to expand our capabilities and reduce costs.”

Mr. Oates concluded: “Once again I want to commend our team for their efforts and the results they achieved during a prolonged period of difficult challenges. With the support of our customers and our commitment to producing the critical products required by our markets, we are fully focused on making tangible progress in 2021.”

COVID-19 Response Summary

• Each of the Company’s facilities is an essential operation and continues to remain operational in accordance with the laws of the states in which the facilities are located.
• The Company continues to monitor the pandemic’s impact on the markets the Company serves, including the aerospace and oil & gas markets. The Company’s sales to the aerospace market have declined due to the reduction in air travel caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as a sharp decline in aftermarket sales due to the significant reduction in air travel. The Company also has experienced extreme pressure in demand from the oil & gas market.
• On April 15, 2020, the Company entered into a $10.0 million term note pursuant to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. The Company applied for full forgiveness of the PPP term note in the 2020 third quarter, and the PPP loan forgiveness process is currently underway.
• While the Company expects the effects of the pandemic and the related responses to continue to negatively impact its results of operations, cash flows and financial position, the uncertainty over the duration and severity of the economic and operational impacts of COVID-19 means the Company cannot reasonably estimate the related future impacts at this time.
• The Company continues to adapt its operations due to lower activity levels. As a result, the Company’s measures to align its cost structure with current forecasted revenue and operating levels are ongoing.

Quarterly and Full Year Results of Operations

For full year 2020, net sales totaled $179.7 million, compared with $243.0 million in full year 2019. Premium alloy sales in 2020 were $35.2 million, or 19.6% of sales, compared with $37.6 million, or 15.5% of sales, in 2019.

The Company's gross margin for the fourth quarter of 2020 was a loss of $5.1 million, or (16.2%) of sales, compared with a loss of $4.4 million, or (11.8%) of sales, in the third quarter of 2020, and a gross margin of $5.9 million, or 10.6% of sales, in the fourth quarter of 2019. Fourth quarter gross margin included $3.8 million of fixed cost absorption charges incurred due to reduced production levels, and $0.3 million loss on excess scrap sales. Excluding these charges, fourth quarter 2020 gross margin was a loss of $1.0 million, or (3.1%) of sales.

Selling, general and administrative expenses were $4.2 million, or 13.4% of sales, in the fourth quarter of 2020, compared with $4.2 million, or 11.1% of sales, in the third quarter of 2020, and $5.3 million, or 9.5% of sales, in the fourth quarter of 2019.

The net loss for the fourth quarter of 2020 was $7.3 million, or $0.83 per diluted share, compared with a net loss of $7.0 million, or $0.79 per diluted share, in the third quarter of 2020, and net income of $0.2 million, or $0.02 per diluted share, in the fourth quarter of 2019. The fourth quarter 2020 net loss, excluding $3.8 million (pre-tax) of fixed cost absorption charges, a $0.3 million (pre-tax) excess scrap sale loss, and gains of $0.7 million (pre-tax) from insurance proceeds, totaled $4.6 million, or $0.52 per diluted share.

For full year 2020, the net loss was $19.0 million, or $2.16 per diluted share, compared with net income of $4.3 million, or $0.48 per diluted share, for 2019. Full year 2020 net loss, excluding $8.3 million (pre-tax) of fixed cost absorption charges, $0.7 million (pre-tax) of losses on excess scrap sales, $0.6 million (pre-tax) of employee severance costs and $1.0 million (pre-tax) of gains on insurance proceeds, totaled $12.4 million, or $1.40 per diluted share.

The Company’s EBITDA for the fourth quarter of 2020 was a loss of $3.9 million, compared with a loss of $3.6 million in the third quarter of 2020, and positive EBITDA of $5.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2019. Fourth quarter 2020 adjusted EBITDA, excluding the fixed cost absorption charges, excess scrap sale losses, and insurance gain, was a loss of $0.2 million.

Managed working capital was $114.1 million at December 31, 2020, compared with $133.3 million at September 30, 2020, and $141.3 million at the end of the fourth quarter of 2019. The 14.4% sequential decrease in managed working capital compared to the 2020 third quarter was due mainly to reduced inventory and accounts receivable levels. Inventory totaled $111.4 million at the end of the fourth quarter of 2020, a decrease of $9.6 million, or 7.9%, from $120.9 million at the end of the third quarter of 2020. Inventories have been reduced by $36.0 million, or 24.4%, since year-end 2019.

Backlog (before surcharges) at December 31, 2020 was $48.0 million, compared with $54.8 million at September 30, 2020, and $119.1 million at the end of the 2019 fourth quarter.

The Company’s total debt at December 31, 2020 was $50.2 million, a decrease of $10.4 million, or 17.1%, from September 30, 2020, and a decrease of $14.2 million, or 22.0%, from the end of 2019. Total debt at December 31, 2020 includes a $10.0 million term note, issued on April 15, 2020, pursuant to PPP. The Company has applied for full PPP loan forgiveness, and the forgiveness process is currently underway.

Capital expenditures for the fourth quarter of 2020 totaled $0.7 million, compared with $1.3 million for the third quarter of 2020, and $4.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2019. Full year 2020 capital expenditures totaled $9.2 million. The Company expects capital expenditures in 2021 to approximate $11.0 million to support its strategic growth initiatives.

About Universal Stainless & Alloy Products, Inc.

Universal Stainless & Alloy Products, Inc., established in 1994 and headquartered in Bridgeville, PA, manufactures and markets semi-finished and finished specialty steels, including stainless steel, nickel alloys, tool steel and certain other alloyed steels. The Company's products are used in a variety of industries, including aerospace, power generation, oil and gas, and heavy equipment manufacturing. More information is available at www.univstainless.com.