Delivering cost savings ahead of schedule
- Sales of $598 million reflecting challenged market conditions in commercial aerospace
- Net loss attributable to ATI of $50.1 million, or $(0.40) per share
- Adjusted net loss of $47.8 million, or $(0.38) per share, excluding restructuring
- Adjusted EBITDA of $16.6 million, or 2.8% of sales
- $572 million of cash at September 30, approximately $950 million of total liquidity
- Reduced managed working capital by $115 million
PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (NYSE: ATI) reported third quarter 2020 results, with sales of $598 million and a net loss attributable to ATI of $50.1 million, or $(0.40) per share. Third quarter 2020 results include $2.3 million of restructuring charges for additional employee severance actions. On an adjusted basis, third quarter 2020 net loss attributable to ATI was $47.8 million, or ($0.38) per share. Adjusted EBITDA was $16.6 million, or 2.8% of sales for the third quarter 2020.
For the third quarter 2019, sales were $1.0 billion and net income attributable to ATI was $111.0 million, or $0.78 per share. Results in 2019 included $68.2 million of pretax gains on sales of non-core assets. On an adjusted basis, third quarter 2019 net income attributable to ATI was $44.9 million, or $0.33 per share. Adjusted EBITDA for the prior year quarter was $180.2 million, or 17.7% of sales.
“By proactively focusing on reducing costs, we accelerated savings, limited decremental margins and drove third quarter results that significantly exceeded our previous guidance,” said Robert S. Wetherbee, ATI President and Chief Executive Officer. “We've continued to prioritize the safety of our people as they focus on delivering quality and value for our customers. We've improved the efficiency of our operations and working capital investment and maintained our strong financial position. Our substantial cash and liquidity provides increasing stability in challenging economic conditions and the capability to accelerate shareholder value creation over time.”
Operating Results by Segment
- HPMC sales in the third quarter 2020 decreased 51% year-over-year and 26% versus the second quarter 2020. Sales to the aerospace and defense markets represented 78% of total segment sales, with sales to the commercial aerospace market down 64%, while sales to the defense markets were 32% higher, compared to the prior year period. In the third quarter 2020, sales of next-generation jet engine products were 19% of total HPMC jet engine product sales.
- HPMC segment operating loss was $2.7 million, or (1.2)% of sales. Lower overall demand, including profitable next generation jet engine products, and reduced asset utilization rates negatively impacted operating margins.
- AA&S third quarter 2020 sales were 34% lower compared to the prior year's quarter, and 20% lower than the second quarter 2020. Sales to the aerospace and defense markets were down 41% compared to the prior year period, and down 34% sequentially. Sales to electrical energy generation markets were 7% higher compared to the prior year period, while total sales to all energy markets, which include oil & gas, hydrocarbon and chemical processing were 42% lower.
- AA&S segment operating loss was $4.1 million, or (1.1)% of sales. Compared to the prior year period, AA&S 2020 segment results reflect lower retirement benefit expense of approximately $5 million each quarter.
- Third quarter AA&S segment results include $1.6 million of losses from the A&T Stainless joint venture, which suspended production in the quarter.
Corporate Items and Cash
- Corporate expenses in the third quarter 2020 were $10.9 million, or $5.1 million lower than the prior year period, primarily due to lower incentive compensation expense based on expected performance versus targeted metrics, and lower expenses resulting from cost reduction actions.
- A $2.3 million restructuring charge for severance programs was recorded in the third quarter 2020, which included actions at several operating locations and the corporate office.
- Closed operations and other expenses in the third quarter 2020 were $1.1 million, reflecting lower legal and retirement benefit costs of closed operations.
- Tax expense for the third quarter 2020 relates to foreign jurisdictions. ATI maintains a valuation allowance on its U.S. deferred tax assets due to being in a cumulative loss position. ATI does not expect to pay any significant U.S federal or state income taxes for the next several years due to net operating loss carryforwards.
- Cash on hand at September 30, 2020 was $572.2 million, and available additional liquidity under the asset based lending credit facility was approximately $375 million. For the three months ended September 30, 2020, cash provided by operating activities was $59.4 million, including $114.6 million from reductions in managed working capital. U.S. pension plan contributions in the quarter were $66.9 million. Cash used in investing activities was $27.4 million, primarily related to capital expenditures.
Outlook
“We expect fourth quarter results to be negatively affected by the ongoing pandemic and its outsized impact on commercial aerospace, our largest end-market,” said Wetherbee. “We are working diligently to match our cost structure and inventories to demand. With early signs of stabilization in our order books, we expect modest improvements in commercial aerospace in 2021, starting with our jet engine materials and components in the second half of the year. We continue to proactively seek opportunities to make ATI a more streamlined and profitable aerospace and defense supplier, emerging stronger as the aerospace industry recovers.”
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Allegheny Technologies will conduct a conference call with investors and analysts on Thursday, October 29, 2020, at 8:30 a.m. ET to discuss the financial results. The conference call will be broadcast, and accompanying presentation slides will be available, at ATImetals.com. To access the broadcast, click on “Conference Call”. Replay of the conference call will be available on the Allegheny Technologies website.
This news release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Certain statements in this news release relate to future events and expectations and, as such, constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements, which may contain such words as “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “would,” “should,” “will,” “will likely result,” “forecast,” “outlook,” “projects,” and similar expressions, are based on management’s current expectations and include known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which we are unable to predict or control. Our performance or achievements may differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements due to the following factors, among others: (a) material adverse changes in economic or industry conditions generally, including global supply and demand conditions and prices for our specialty metals; (b) material adverse changes in the markets we serve; (c) our inability to achieve the level of cost savings, productivity improvements, synergies, growth or other benefits anticipated by management from strategic investments and the integration of acquired businesses; (d) volatility in the price and availability of the raw materials that are critical to the manufacture of our products; (e) declines in the value of our defined benefit pension plan assets or unfavorable changes in laws or regulations that govern pension plan funding; (f) labor disputes or work stoppages; (g) equipment outages and (h) business and economic disruptions associated with the currently ongoing COVID-19 pandemic or other similar widespread public health crises that may arise in the future and (i) other risk factors summarized in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, and in other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We assume no duty to update our forward-looking statements.
Solving the World’s Challenges through Materials Science
ATI (NYSE: ATI) is a $3 billion global manufacturer solving the world’s most difficult challenges through materials science; advanced, integrated process technologies; and relentlessly innovative people. We serve customers whose demanding applications need to fly higher, dig deeper, stand stronger, and last longer— anywhere on, above, or below the earth. We partner to create new specialty materials in forms that deliver ultimate performance and long-term value in applications like jet engine forgings and 3D-printed aerospace components. We produce powders for forging and additive manufacturing; rolled materials, and finished components. Our specialty materials withstand extremes of temperature, stress and corrosion to improve and protect human lives every day. Learn more at ATIMetals.com.

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Source: Allegheny Technologies Incorporated