APRIL 22, 2009 - COVANTA HOLDING CORPORATION REPORTS 2009 FIRST QUARTER RESULTS; REAFFIRMS FULL YEAR GUIDANCE
FAIRFIELD, NJ, April 22, 2009 – Covanta Holding Corporation (NYSE:CVA) (“Covanta” or the “Company”) reported financial results today for the three months ended March 31, 2009. Diluted earnings per share were $0.01 in the first quarter of 2009 compared to $0.09 in the first quarter of 2008.
First Quarter Results
“We were pleased with the performance of our business in light of the difficult economic conditions. Results were consistent with our expectations. Consequently, we are reaffirming our full year guidance,” said Anthony Orlando, President and Chief Executive Officer of Covanta.
For the three months ended March 31, 2009, operating revenues were $359 million, an 8% decline from $389 million in the prior year comparable period, with domestic revenue falling $10 million and international revenue falling $21 million.
Domestic waste and service revenues declined by $11 million. Excluding lower recycled metal revenue ($6 million) and debt service revenue ($4 million), domestic waste and service revenues were essentially flat with contract escalations nearly offsetting lower market prices for merchant waste.
Domestic electricity revenue was up $10 million driven by business acquisitions and contract transitions offset somewhat by slightly lower overall electricity pricing. Most of the domestic energy revenue remains under long-term contract, but a few of these contracts will end later this year causing a gradual increase in the Company’s energy market exposure.
Domestic operating expenses were up $17 million in the quarter; $12 million of the increase came from acquisitions the Company completed in 2008.
International segment revenue decreased 34% or $21 million in the quarter while plant operating expenses declined by $20 million. Both of these declines relate primarily to the Company’s Indian facilities, where falling fuel prices reduced the pass through component of our revenues and also lowered our expenses. Foreign exchange impacts also reduced revenues while benefiting plant operating expenses.
Adjusted EBITDA was $82 million, down 22% from $106 million. This decline was driven primarily by:
- a $10 million decline related to the recession which, as expected, caused a decline in recycled metal, energy and waste disposal prices;
- a $7 million decline in our international business relating primarily to a small loss at our Indian facilities and higher spending to pursue growth. Except for spending on business development, we expect our international operations for the remainder of the year to be essentially flat with 2008 results; and
- a $5 million loss at recently acquired facilities due to transition and integration items as well as low energy prices. We expect these assets to become profitable relatively soon.
Cash Flow Provided by Operating Activities (“Operating Cash Flow”) was $51 million in the first quarter, up 3% from $50 million in last year’s first quarter. We managed this increase, not withstanding the lower Adjusted EBITDA, because we generated cash from working capital and cut interest expense.
Our balance sheet remains very strong, with $160 million of unrestricted cash and an undrawn $300 million revolving credit facility. In the quarter, we paid down $47 million of debt, bringing our net debt (total debt less cash and restricted funds set aside explicitly for project debt principal repayment) to $1.7 billion.
“As anticipated, our first quarter performance reflected the drop in recycled metal, energy and waste disposal prices. In addition, we continued to ramp up international development to pursue promising opportunities and we spent money on recently acquired facilities which will pay future dividends. Overall, the business continues to perform well and we expect to generate significant free cash flow in 2009 while maintaining our relentless pursuit of long-term value creation and growth initiatives,” stated Mr. Orlando.
2009 Guidance
The Company is reaffirming its guidance for 2009 for the following key metrics:
- Operating Cash Flow in the range of $325 million to $375 million;
- Adjusted EBITDA of $500 million to $540 million; and
- Diluted earnings per share of $0.75 to $0.90.
Conference Call Information
Covanta will host a conference call at 8:30 am (Eastern) on Thursday, April 23, 2009 to discuss its results for the three months ended March 31, 2009. To participate, please dial 866-383-7998 approximately 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start of the call. If you are calling from outside of the United States, please dial 617-597-5329. Please utilize pass code 34308682 when prompted by the conference call operator. The conference call will also be web cast live on the Investor Relations section of the Covanta website at www.covantaholding.com.
A replay of the conference call will be available from 11:30 AM (Eastern) Thursday, April 23, 2009 through midnight (Eastern) Thursday, April 30, 2009. To access the replay, please dial 888-286-8010, or from outside of the United States 617-801-6888 and use the replay pass code: 19540456.The web cast will also be archived on www.covantaholding.com and can be played or downloaded as an MP3 file.
About Covanta
Covanta Holding Corporation (NYSE:CVA), is an internationally recognized owner and operator of large-scale Energy-from-Waste and renewable energy projects and a recipient of the Energy Innovator Award from the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Covanta's 38 Energy-from-Waste facilities provide communities with an environmentally sound solution to their solid waste disposal needs by using that municipal solid waste to generate clean, renewable energy. Annually, Covanta's modern Energy-from-Waste facilities safely and securely convert approximately 16 million tons of waste into more than 8 million megawatt hours of clean renewable electricity and create 10 billion pounds of steam that are sold to a variety of industries. For more information, visit www.covantaholding.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking" statements as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act"), Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"), the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "PSLRA") or in releases made by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), all as may be amended from time to time. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Covanta and its subsidiaries, or general industry or broader economic performance in domestic and international markets in which Covanta operates or competes, to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Statements that are not historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by, among other things, the use of forward-looking language, such as the words "plan," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "project," "may," "will," "would," "could," "should," "seeks," or "scheduled to," or other similar words, or the negative of these terms or other variations of these terms or comparable language, or by discussion of strategy or intentions. These cautionary statements are being made pursuant to the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the PSLRA with the intention of obtaining the benefits of the "safe harbor" provisions of such laws. Covanta cautions investors that any forward-looking statements made by Covanta are not guarantees or indicative of future performance. Important assumptions and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those forward-looking statements with respect to Covanta, include, but are not limited to, those factors, risks and uncertainties that are described in periodic securities filings by Covanta with the SEC. Although Covanta believes that its plans, intentions and expectations reflected in or suggested by such forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results could differ materially from a projection or assumption in any forward-looking statements. Covanta's future financial condition and results of operations, as well as any forward-looking statements, are subject to change and inherent risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made only as of the date hereof and Covanta does not have or undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, subsequent events or otherwise, unless otherwise required by law.
Contact
Marisa F. Jacobs, Esq.
Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
1-973-882-4196
Or
Vera Carley
Director, Media Relations and Corporate Communications
1-973-882-2439