FORT COLLINS, Colo., July 31, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Woodward, Inc. (NASDAQ: WWD) today reported financial results for its third quarter of fiscal year 2023. (All amounts are presented on an as reported (U.S. GAAP) basis unless otherwise indicated. All per share amounts are presented on a fully diluted basis. All comparisons are made to the same period of the prior year unless otherwise stated.)

Highlights

• Net sales were $801 million, compared to $614 million, an increase of 30 percent.
• Net earnings were $85 million, or $1.37 per share, compared to net earnings of $39 million, or $0.64 per share.
• Net cash provided by operating activities was $156 million for the first nine months of fiscal 2023, compared to $86 million. Free cash flow¹ for the first nine months of fiscal 2023 was $98 million, compared to $49 million. Adjusted free cash flow¹ was $103 million for the first nine months of fiscal 2023, compared to $52 million.
  

“We delivered significant sales growth and margin expansion in the third quarter driven by continued strong end market demand and our improved ability to deliver to our customers. As expected, our strategic investments are resulting in operational improvements and efficiency gains,” said Chip Blankenship, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Both our Aerospace and Industrial businesses are improving, and our output is increasing. Industrial further benefited from increased on-highway natural gas truck production in China. While the environment remains dynamic, we anticipate a strong finish to the year and are raising our full-year outlook.”

Third Quarter Company Results

Net sales for the third quarter of fiscal 2023 were $801 million, compared to $614 million, an increase of 30 percent.

Net earnings were $85 million, or $1.37 per share, for the third quarter of 2023, compared to $39 million, or $0.64 per share.

EBIT¹ was $117 million for the third quarter of 2023, compared to $58 million.

The effective tax rate was 20.0 percent for the third quarter of 2023, compared to 21.6 percent.

Segment Results

Aerospace

Aerospace segment net sales for the third quarter of fiscal 2023 were $481 million, compared to $402 million, an increase of 19.6 percent.

Commercial OEM and aftermarket sales increased significantly compared to the prior year, driven by higher OEM production rates, continued recovery in passenger traffic, increasing aircraft utilization, and price realization. Defense sales were down compared to the prior year due to continued weakness in guided weapons, partially offset by higher defense aftermarket sales.

Segment earnings for the third quarter of 2023 were $83 million, compared to $57 million. Segment earnings as a percent of segment net sales were 17.3 percent for the third quarter of 2023, compared to 14.1 percent. The increase in segment earnings was primarily a result of price realization and higher commercial OEM and aftermarket volume, partially offset by higher annual incentive compensation.

Industrial

Industrial segment net sales for the third quarter of fiscal 2023 were $320 million, compared to $213 million, an increase of 50.6 percent. The increase in Industrial segment net sales for the third quarter of 2023 was driven by higher volumes across all markets and price realization.

Industrial segment earnings for the third quarter of 2023 were $58 million, or 18.2 percent of segment net sales, compared to $21 million, or 9.9 percent of segment net sales. Industrial segment earnings increased due to higher volume, price realization, and favorable product mix, partially offset by higher annual incentive compensation.

Industrial sales and earnings benefited from significantly increased on-highway natural gas truck production in China, although future demand beyond the fourth quarter remains uncertain.

Nonsegment

Nonsegment expenses were $24 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2023, compared to $19 million.

Year-to-Date Results

Net sales for the first nine months of 2023 were $2.14 billion, compared to $1.74 billion. Net earnings for the first nine months of 2023 were $150 million, or $2.44 per share, compared to $118 million, or $1.84 per share. Adjusted net earnings¹ for the first nine months of 2023 were $176 million, or $2.87 per share, compared to $122 million, or $1.91 per share.  

EBIT for the first nine months of 2023 was $213 million, compared to $166 million. Adjusted EBIT¹ for the first nine months of 2023 was $247 million, compared to $172 million.

The effective tax rate was 15.8 percent for the first nine months of 2023, compared to 17.2 percent. The adjusted effective tax rate¹ for the first nine months of 2023 was 17.3 percent, compared to 17.6 percent.

Aerospace segment net sales for the first nine months of 2023 were $1.31 billion, compared to $1.11 billion. Aerospace segment earnings for the first nine months of 2023 were $212 million, or 16.1 percent of segment net sales, compared to $167 million, or 15.1 percent of segment net sales.

Industrial segment net sales for the first nine months of 2023 were $824 million, compared to $632 million. Industrial segment earnings for the first nine months of 2023 were $107 million, or 13.0 percent of segment net sales, compared to $62 million, or 9.8 percent of segment net sales.

Nonsegment expenses were $106 million for the first nine months of 2023, compared to $64 million. Adjusted nonsegment expenses¹ were $72 million for the first nine months of 2023, compared to $58 million.

Cash Flow and Financial Position

Net cash provided by operating activities was $156 million, compared to $86 million. Payments for property, plant, and equipment for the first nine months of 2023 were $57 million, compared to $37 million.

Free cash flow was $98 million for the first nine months of fiscal 2023, compared to $49 million. Adjusted free cash flow was $103 million for the first nine months of fiscal 2023, compared to $52 million. The increase in free cash flow and adjusted free cash flow was primarily due to increased earnings, partially offset by higher capital expenditures.

During the first nine months of fiscal 2023, $64 million was returned to stockholders in the form of $38 million of dividends and $26 million of repurchased shares under a board authorized share repurchase program.

Total debt was $751 million at June 30, 2023, compared to $766 million at June 30, 2022. Debt-to-EBITDA¹ leverage at June 30, 2023, was 1.7 times EBITDA, compared to 2.0 times EBITDA.

Fiscal Year 2023 Outlook

We continue to expect year-over-year improvements in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023. Due to continued strong end market demand and our improved ability to deliver for our customers, we are raising certain aspects of our full-year guidance.

Conference Call

Woodward will hold an investor conference call at 4:30 p.m. ET, July 31, 2023, to provide an overview of the financial performance for the third quarter of fiscal year 2023, business highlights, and outlook for the remainder of fiscal 2023. You are invited to listen to the live webcast of our conference call, or a recording, and view or download accompanying presentation slides at our website, www.woodward.com².

You may also listen to the call by dialing 1-888-440-4531 (domestic) or 1-646-960-0808 (international). Participants should call prior to the start time to allow for registration; the Conference ID is 4278216. An audio replay will be available by telephone from 7:30 p.m. ET on July 31, 2023 until 11:59 p.m. ET on August 14, 2023. The telephone number to access the replay is 1-800-770-2030 (domestic) or 1-647-362-9199 (international), reference access code 4278216.

A webcast presentation will be available on the website by selecting “Investors/Events & Presentations”. The call and presentation will remain accessible on the website for 14 days.

About Woodward, Inc.

Woodward is the global leader in the design, manufacture, and service of energy conversion and control solutions for the aerospace and industrial equipment markets. Together with our customers, we are enabling the path to a cleaner, decarbonized world. Our innovative fluid, combustion, electrical, propulsion and motion control systems perform in some of the world’s harshest environments. Woodward is a global company headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado, USA. Visit our website at www.woodward.com.

Cautionary Statement

Information in this press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, our expectations of continued strong end market demand, the continued improving performance of our Aerospace and Industrial businesses and increasing output; our improving ability to deliver for our customers; our operational improvements and efficiency gains; and statements regarding our business and financial outlook for the remainder of fiscal year 2023, including our guidance for sales, adjusted earnings, adjusted earnings per share, segment sales growth, segment earnings as a percent of sales, adjusted effective tax rate, adjusted free cash flow, and capital expenditures as well as our assumptions regarding our outlook. Readers are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are only predictions and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Factors that could cause actual results and the timing of certain events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: (1) global economic uncertainty and instability, including in the financial markets that affect Woodward, its customers, and its supply chain; (2) risks related to continued constraints and disruptions in the global supply chain and labor markets; (3) Woodward’s long sales cycle; (4) risks related to Woodward’s concentration of revenue among a relatively small number of customers; (5) Woodward’s ability to implement and realize the intended effects of any restructuring efforts; (6) Woodward’s ability to successfully manage competitive factors including expenses and fluctuations in sales; (7) changes and consolidations in the aerospace market; (8) uncertainties related to the COVID-19 pandemic; (9) Woodward’s financial obligations including debt obligations and tax expenses and exposures; (10) risks related to Woodward’s U.S. government contracting activities including potential changes in government spending patterns; (11) Woodward’s ability to protect its intellectual property rights and avoid infringing the intellectual property rights of others; (12) changes in the estimates of fair value of reporting units or of long-lived assets; (13) environmental risks; (14) Woodward’s continued access to a stable workforce and favorable labor relations with its employees; (15) Woodward’s ability to manage various regulatory and legal matters; (16) risks from operating internationally; (17) cybersecurity and other technological risks; and other risk factors and risks described in Woodward's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022, any subsequently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as well as its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the third quarter ended June 30, 2023, which we expect to file shortly, and other risks described in Woodward’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

(2) Presented in the line item "Cost of goods sold" in Woodward's Condensed Consolidated Statement of Earnings.

(3) On a pre-tax basis, $5,822 is presented in the line item "Cost of goods sold" and $4,682 is presented in the line item " Selling, general and administrative" expenses in Woodward's Condensed Consolidated Statement of Earnings. On an after-tax basis, $4,374 is presented in the line item "Cost of goods sold" and $3,522 is presented in the line item " Selling, general and administrative" expenses in Woodward's Condensed Consolidated Statement of Earnings.

(4) Presented in the line item "Selling, general and administrative" expenses in Woodward's Condensed Consolidated Statement of Earnings.

¹Adjusted and Non-U.S. GAAP Financial Measures: Adjusted net earnings, adjusted earnings per share, adjusted EBIT, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted effective tax rate, and adjusted nonsegment expenses exclude, as applicable, (i) a specific charge for excess and obsolete inventory, (ii) product rationalization, (iii) a restructuring charge, (iv) a non-recurring charge related to customer collections, (v) certain non-restructuring separation costs, (vi) a charge in connection with a non-recurring matter unrelated to the ongoing operations of the business, and a partial reversal of such charge in a subsequent period, and (vii) costs related to business development activities. The product rationalization adjustment pertains to a non-recurring write-off of inventory and assets related to the elimination of certain product lines. The specific charge for excess and obsolete inventory pertains to a non-recurring write down of other excess inventory that are not related to product rationalization. The non-recurring charge related to customer collections pertains to a discrete process issue that was identified and corrected. The Company believes that these excluded items are short‐term in nature, not directly related to the ongoing operations of the business, and therefore, the exclusion of them illustrates more clearly how the underlying business of Woodward is performing. Adjusted free cash flow is free cash flow (defined below) plus the cash payments for costs related to business development activities, restructuring activities, and certain non-restructuring costs. Management believes these adjustments to free cash flow better portray Woodward’s operating performance. Our full-year guidance with respect to non-U.S. GAAP measures as provided in this release excludes, as applicable, costs, charges and payments related to (i) a specific charge for excess and obsolete inventory, (ii) product rationalization, (iii) restructuring activities, (iv) a non-recurring charge related to customer collections, and (v) certain non-restructuring separation costs.

EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes), EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization), free cash flow, adjusted free cash flow, adjusted net earnings, adjusted earnings per share, adjusted EBIT, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted effective tax rate, and adjusted nonsegment expenses are financial measures not prepared and presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP). Management uses EBIT and adjusted EBIT to evaluate Woodward’s operating performance without the impacts of financing and tax related considerations. Management uses EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA in evaluating Woodward’s operating performance, making business decisions, including developing budgets, managing expenditures, forecasting future periods, and evaluating capital structure impacts of various strategic scenarios. Management also uses free cash flow, which is derived from net cash provided by or used in operating activities less payments for property, plant, and equipment, as well as adjusted free cash flow (as described above), in reviewing the financial performance of Woodward’s various business segments and evaluating cash generation levels. Securities analysts, investors, and others frequently use EBIT, EBITDA and free cash flow in their evaluation of companies, particularly those with significant property, plant, and equipment, and intangible assets that are subject to amortization. The use of any of these non-U.S. GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation of, or as a substitute for, the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Because EBIT, EBITDA, adjusted EBIT, and adjusted EBITDA exclude certain financial information compared with net earnings, the most comparable U.S. GAAP financial measure, users of this financial information should consider the information that is excluded. Free cash flow does not necessarily represent funds available for discretionary use and is not necessarily a measure of our ability to fund our cash needs. Management’s calculations of EBIT, EBITDA, adjusted net earnings, adjusted earnings per share, adjusted EBIT, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted effective tax rate, adjusted nonsegment expenses, free cash flow, and adjusted free cash flow may differ from similarly titled measures used by other companies, limiting their usefulness as comparative measures.

²Website, Facebook, Twitter: Woodward has used, and intends to continue to use, its Investor Relations website, its Facebook page and its Twitter handle as means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD.