Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers announces first quarter results
Record auction revenue for the first quarter achieved
VANCOUVER, May 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Incorporated (NYSE and TSX: RBA), the world's largest auctioneer of industrial equipment, announces net earnings and adjusted net earnings for the three months ended March 31, 2012 of $18.0 million, or $0.17 per diluted share. This compares to adjusted net earnings of $13.6 million, or $0.13 per diluted share, for the three months ended March 31, 2011, representing a 32% increase in adjusted net earnings. Adjusted net earnings is a non-GAAP financial measure and is defined below. The Company's auction revenues for the first quarter of 2012 grew 14% to $101.3 million compared to $88.5 million for the same period in 2011. The Company conducted 38 unreserved industrial auctions in nine countries throughout North America, Europe, the Middle East, Central America and Australia during the first quarter of 2012. All dollar amounts in this release are presented in U.S. dollars.
Gross auction proceeds and auction revenues
For the three months ended March 31, 2012, gross auction proceeds were
$865 million, 2% higher than the same period in 2011. Gross auction
proceeds is a non-GAAP financial measure and is defined below. The
Company's auction revenue rate (auction revenues as a percentage of
gross auction proceeds) was 11.71% during the three months ended March
31, 2012 compared to 10.39% in the same period in 2011. The Company's
revised fee structure, which came into effect on July 1, 2011,
contributed $10.8 million to auction revenues for the first quarter of
2012. The Company's at risk business, comprised of guarantee and
purchase contracts, represented 29% of gross auction proceeds in the
first quarter of 2012 (2011: 32%).
Net earnings for the quarter
|
Three months ended March 31, 2012 |
Three months ended March 31, 2011 |
|
| Net Earnings | $ 18.0 million | $ 16.6 million |
| Earnings per diluted share | $ 0.17 | $ 0.16 |
| Adjusted net earnings | $ 18.0 million | $ 13.6 million |
| Adjusted earnings per diluted share | $ 0.17 | $ 0.13 |
Summary comments
"We are pleased to have achieved record first quarter gross auction
proceeds and auction revenues during the first quarter; our performance
was in line with our plans," said Peter Blake, Ritchie Bros. CEO.
"During the quarter we saw strong equipment pricing at our auctions and
competition remained intense for good quality, low hour used equipment.
This was reflected in our at risk business, which remained above
historic levels. We saw improving optimism among our customers and
ongoing original equipment manufacturer backlogs have created pent up
demand for new and near new equipment, driving strength in the used
equipment market. We remain confident that our performance for 2012 is
on track with our plans."
Mr. Blake continued: "Our strategic initiatives are also progressing well as we continue our efforts to develop innovative solutions to enable the world's builders to exchange equipment easily and confidently. In the first quarter we completed a key strategic initiative, our organizational realignment, and we are already seeing the positive results of this."
Quarterly dividend
The Company also announces the declaration of a quarterly cash dividend
of $0.1125 per common share payable on June 8, 2012 to shareholders of
record on May 18, 2012.
Online bidding statistics
Ritchie Bros. sold over $275 million of equipment, trucks and other
assets to online bidders during the first quarter of 2012, representing
a 23% increase compared to the same period in 2011 (first quarter of
2011: approximately $223 million). Internet bidders continued to
comprise over 50% of the total bidder registrations at Ritchie Bros.
industrial auctions during the first quarter of 2012. Since launching
its real-time online bidding service in 2002, the Company has now sold
over $5.5 billion worth of trucks, equipment, and other assets to
online bidders, confirming Ritchie Bros.' position as the world's
largest seller of used equipment and trucks to online buyers.
Website statistics
The Ritchie Bros. website (www.rbauction.com) attracted roughly 1.3 million unique visitors in the first quarter of
2012, a 30% increase compared to the same period last year. Unique
non-English speaking visitors increased 30% in the first quarter of
2012 compared to the first quarter of 2011.
Definitions of non-GAAP measures
The Company defines adjusted net earnings as financial statement net
earnings excluding the after-tax effects of excess property sales and
significant foreign exchange gains or losses resulting from financing
activities that are not expected to recur, and has provided a
reconciliation below. Adjusted net earnings is a non-GAAP financial
measure that does not have a standardized meaning, and is therefore
unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other
companies. The Company believes that comparing adjusted net earnings
for different financial periods provides more useful information about
the growth or decline of its net earnings for the relevant financial
period and identifies the impact of items which the Company does not
consider to be part of its normal operating results.
Gross auction proceeds represent the total proceeds from all items sold at Ritchie Bros. auctions. The Company's definition of gross auction proceeds may differ from those used by other participants in its industry. Gross auction proceeds is an important measure the Company uses in comparing and assessing its operating performance. It is not a measure of the Company's financial performance, liquidity or revenue and is not presented in its consolidated financial statements. The Company believes that auction revenues, which is the most directly comparable measure in its Consolidated Income Statements, and certain other line items, are best understood by considering their relationship to gross auction proceeds. Auction revenues represent the revenues earned by Ritchie Bros. in the course of conducting its auctions, and consist primarily of commissions earned on consigned equipment and net profit on the sale of equipment purchased by the Company and sold in the same manner as consigned equipment.
About Ritchie Bros.
Established in 1958, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (NYSE and TSX: RBA) is
the world's largest industrial auctioneer, selling more equipment to
on-site and online bidders than any other company in the world. Ritchie
Bros. offers services that enable the world's builders to easily and
confidently exchange equipment. The Company conducts hundreds of
unreserved public auctions each year, selling a broad range of used and
unused industrial assets, including equipment, trucks and other assets
utilized in the construction, transportation, agricultural, material
handling, mining, forestry, petroleum and marine industries. Ritchie
Bros. has over 110 locations in more than 25 countries, including 44
auction sites worldwide. The Company maintains a website at
www.rbauction.com and sponsors an equipment wiki at www.RitchieWiki.com.
Earnings Conference Call
Ritchie Bros. is hosting a conference call to discuss its financial
results for the three months ended March 31, 2012 at 8:00am Pacific
Time (11:00am Eastern Time) on May 3, 2012. To access a live broadcast
of the conference call, please go to the Ritchie Bros. website http://www.rbauction.com, click on 'About Ritchie Bros.' then click on 'For Investors'. Please
go to the website at least fifteen minutes early to download and
install any necessary audio software. A replay will be available on the
website shortly after the call.
Forward-looking Statements
The discussion in this press release relating to future events or
operating periods contains forward-looking statements (as defined in
Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) that
involve risks and uncertainties, including, in particular, statements
regarding anticipated results for future periods; anticipated pricing
and competitive environments for good quality equipment in the future;
impact of market uncertainty on equipment seller behaviour; outlook and
sentiment of customers in the future; impact of manufacturers' backlog
on market demand for near new equipment; competition in the used
equipment market; the impact of new initiatives, services and features
on the Company and its customers, and the Company's long-term growth strategy. These risks and uncertainties include:
the numerous factors that influence the supply of and demand for used
equipment; fluctuations in the market conditions and values of used
equipment; seasonal and periodic variations in operating results;
actions of competitors; economic and other conditions in local,
regional and global markets and other risks and uncertainties as
detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC and Canadian securities
filings, including the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis
of Financial Condition and Results of Operations for the year ended
December 31, 2011 and for the three months ended March 31, 2012,
available on the SEC, SEDAR and the Company's websites. Actual results
may differ materially from those forward-looking statements. The
Company does not undertake any obligation to update the information
contained herein, which speaks only as of this date.
|
Condensed Consolidated Interim Income Statements (Amounts in table and related footnotes are in USD thousands, except share and per share amounts) |
Three months ended March 31, 2012 (unaudited) |
Three months ended March 31, 2011 (unaudited) |
||||||
| Gross auction proceeds | $ | 864,506 | $ | 851,283 | ||||
| Auction revenues | $ | 101,276 | $ | 88,463 | ||||
| Direct expenses | 10,134 | 8,933 | ||||||
| 91,142 | 79,530 | |||||||
| Selling, general and administrative expenses: | ||||||||
| Depreciation | 9,665 | 10,312 | ||||||
| Other selling, general and administrative expenses | 53,604 | 49,873 | ||||||
| 63,269 | 60,185 | |||||||
| Earnings from operations | 27,873 | 19,345 | ||||||
| Other income (expense): | ||||||||
| Foreign exchange loss | (2) | (487) | ||||||
| Gain on disposition of property, plant and equipment | 50 | 3,639 | ||||||
| Other income | 718 | 684 | ||||||
| 766 | 3,836 | |||||||
| Finance income (costs): | ||||||||
| Finance income | 559 | 680 | ||||||
| Finance costs | (1,376) | (1,457) | ||||||
| (817) | (777) | |||||||
| Earnings before income taxes | 27,822 | 22,404 | ||||||
| Income taxes | 9,853 | 5,834 | ||||||
| Net earnings | $ | 17,969 | $ | 16,570 | ||||
| Net earnings per share | $ | 0.17 | $ | 0.16 | ||||
| Net earnings per share - diluted | $ | 0.17 | $ | 0.16 | ||||
| Weighted average shares outstanding | 106,399,495 | 105,809,701 | ||||||
| Diluted weighted average shares outstanding | 107,027,472 | 106,611,182 | ||||||
| Net earnings | $ | 17,969 | $ | 16,570 | ||||
| Less: adjusting items(1) | - | 2,995 | ||||||
| Adjusted net earnings | $ | 17,969 | $ | 13,575 | ||||
| Adjusted net earnings per share | $ | 0.17 | $ | 0.13 | ||||
| Adjusted net earnings per share - diluted | $ | 0.17 | $ | 0.13 | ||||
| (1) | Net earnings for the three months ended March 31, 2011 included total gains of $3,482 ($2,995 after tax, or $0.03 per diluted share) recorded on the sale of the Company's former Surrey, British Columbia permanent auction site. |
| Selected Balance Sheet Data (USD thousands) |
March 31, 2012 (unaudited) |
December 31, 2011 | |||||
| Current assets | $ | 443,235 | $ | 253,840 | |||
| Current liabilities | 378,561 | 190,544 | |||||
| Working capital | $ | 64,674 | $ | 63,296 | |||
| Total assets | $ | 1,171,229 | $ | 967,241 | |||
| Non-current borrowings | $ | 135,980 | $ | 133,881 | |||
| Total shareholders' equity | $ | 630,205 | $ | 617,906 | |||
| Selected Operating Data (unaudited) |
Three months ended March 31, 2012 |
Three months ended March 31, 2011 |
|||||
| Auction revenues as percentage of gross auction proceeds | 11.71% | 10.39% | |||||
| Number of consignments at industrial auctions | 8,850 | 8,400 | |||||
| Number of registrants at industrial auctions | 88,000 | 85,000 | |||||
| Number of buyers at industrial auctions | 21,100 | 20,650 | |||||
| Number of lots at industrial auctions | 61,500 | 57,500 | |||||
| Number of permanent auction sites(1) | 39 | 39 | |||||
| Number of regional auction sites(1) | 4 | 4 | |||||
| Total auction sites | 43 | 43 | |||||
| Number of industrial auctions | 38 | 37 | |||||
| Average Industrial Auction Data (unaudited) |
Twelve months ended March 31, 2012 |
Twelve months ended March 31, 2011 |
|||||
| Gross auction proceeds | $15.5 million | $14.3 million | |||||
| Bidder registrations | 1,694 | 1,460 | |||||
| Consignors | 182 | 167 | |||||
| Lots | 1,190 | 1,160 |
| (1) | Effective February 2012, the Company changed its definition of permanent auction sites and regional auction sites (formerly known as regional auction units) to better reflect recent investments, which resulted in the reclassification of four sites; refer to the Company's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2011 (filed on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com) for further discussion. |
| Subsequent to the end of the quarter, the Company held its first auction at Donington Park, U.K., a regional auction site, increasing the total number of auction sites to 44 at the date of this press release. |
SOURCE Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers
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