SECOND HALF REBOUND FORECAST AFTER LOWER-THAN-EXPECTED FIRST HALF PERFORMANCE citing industry-wide drop in procurement activity; announces share repurchase program
American Vanguard Corporation (NYSE: AVD) today announced financial results for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2023.
Eric Wintemute, Chairman and CEO of American Vanguard stated: “During the second quarter of 2023, the Global Agriculture industry experienced a sharp, unexpected drop in procurement activity for crop inputs, as distribution, faced with higher interest rates, destocked inventory in order to limit carrying costs. We believe that this procurement pattern does not represent a loss of demand but, rather, a shift in timing of demand – to be closer to the planting season. We saw similar behavior in our non-crop business, as retailers broke with traditional stocking patterns in favor of just-in-time buying. Further, our businesses in Central America and Brazil faced a flood of low-priced, generic product from China-based suppliers. These factors taken together adversely affected our second quarter financial performance.”
Mr. Wintemute continued: “With stable commodity prices, a strong farm economy and channel inventory of many of our crop products at low levels, we expect that demand should improve significantly over the balance of 2023, as growers prepare for the 2024 planting season. While we are uncertain whether destocking activity has completely run its course, we can say that the distribution channel will need to replenish its stocks, and we are poised to meet the demand. Accordingly, we are revising our 2023 performance targets as indicated below."
Mr. Wintemute concluded: “As a demonstration of our confidence in the company’s prospects, our board of directors has authorized us to enter into a 10b5-1 plan under which we may purchase up to $7.5 million of our common stock on the open market. We continue to see enduring value in our equity and believe that this repurchase program is a prudent allocation of capital. We encourage you to join us for our upcoming earnings call, during which we will give you a more detailed presentation of our first-half performance and full-year targets.”
Note: Further details are available in the financial schedules attached to this press release.
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[1] Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and non-cash stock compensation. Adjusted EBITDA is not a financial measure calculated and presented in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and should not be considered as an alternative to net income (loss), operating income (loss) or any other financial measure so calculated and presented, nor as an alternative to cash flow from operating activities as a measure of liquidity. We provide these measures because we believe that they provide helpful comparisons to other companies in our industry and peer group. The items excluded from Adjusted EBITDA are detailed in the reconciliation attached to this news release, and reflect an elimination of taxes, interest, depreciation, amortization, the effects of equity compensation, and the proxy contest costs. Other companies (including the Company’s competitors) may define EBITDA differently.
Conference Call
On August 8, 2023, American Vanguard Corporation (NYSE: AVD) announced financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2023. Eric Wintemute, Chairman & CEO, and David T. Johnson, CFO, conducted a conference call focusing on operating performance and financial results. To view the archived webcast, please follow this link.
ABOUT AMERICAN VANGUARD
American Vanguard Corporation is a diversified specialty and agricultural products company that develops, manufactures, and markets solutions for crop protection and nutrition, turf and ornamentals management, commercial and consumer pest control. Over the past 20 years, through product and business acquisitions, the Company has expanded its operations into 17 countries and now has over 1,000 product registrations in 56 nations worldwide. Its strategy rests on three growth initiatives – i) Core Business (through innovation of conventional products), ii) Green Solutions (with over 130 biorational products – including fertilizers, microbials, nutritionals and non-conventional products) and iii) Precision Agriculture innovation (including SIMPAS prescriptive application and Ultimus measure/record/verify technologies). American Vanguard is included on the Russell 2000® and Russell 3000® Indexes and the Standard & Poor’s Small Cap 600 Index. To learn more about American Vanguard, please reference the Company’s web site at www.american-vanguard.com.
The Company, from time to time, may discuss forward-looking information. Except for the historical information contained in this release, all forward-looking statements are estimates by the Company’s management and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that may cause results to differ from management’s current expectations. Such factors include weather conditions, changes in regulatory policy and other risks as detailed from time-to-time in the Company’s SEC reports and filings. All forward-looking statements, if any, in this release represent the Company’s judgment as of the date of this release.
CONTACTS
Company
American Vanguard Corporation
William A. Kuser, Director of Investor Relations
williamk@amvac.com
(949) 375-6931
Investor Representative
The Equity Group Inc.
www.theequitygroup.com
Lena Cati
lcati@equityny.com
(212) 836-9611