News Details

SPOKANE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Clearwater Paper Corporation (NYSE:CLW) today reported financial results for the second quarter of 2012.

The company reported net earnings of $21.5 million, or $0.91 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2012, compared to net earnings of $13.9 million, or $0.59 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2011.

Second quarter 2012 earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, was $64.2 million, compared to $52.4 million in the second quarter of 2011. Second quarter 2012 Adjusted EBITDA, which excludes approximately $1.0 million of legal expenses related to the attempt to enjoin delivery of the TAD tissue machine to the company's Shelby, North Carolina facility and a $1.0 million loss associated with the sale of legacy Cellu Tissue foam manufacturing assets, was $66.2 million.

"Strong Consumer Products and Pulp and Paperboard results produced record quarterly EBITDA," said Gordon Jones, chairman and chief executive officer. "In addition, cost savings synergies from our Cellu Tissue acquisition came in ahead of our estimates in the first two quarters of 2012, and our new paper machine facility in Shelby remains on budget and on time, with production expected to begin by year end."

The company repurchased 238,482 shares at a total cost of $7.5 million during the second quarter pursuant to its previously announced $30 million share buyback program. Since announcing the program in July 2011, the company has repurchased 571,782 shares at a total cost of $18.8 million for an average share price of $32.91.

SECOND QUARTER 2012 SEGMENT PERFORMANCE

Consumer Products

Net sales in the Consumer Products segment increased 5.2% to $283.1 million for the second quarter of 2012, as compared to second quarter 2011 net sales of $269.1 million, as a result of higher net selling prices and an increase in volumes. The $25.7 million of operating income for the second quarter of 2012 was approximately 275% higher as compared with the second quarter of 2011, primarily due to higher net sales and lower external pulp costs. Operating income for the second quarter of 2012 included a $1.0 million loss on the sale of legacy Cellu Tissue foam manufacturing assets.

• Tissue sales volume increased 3.3% to 132,978 tons in the second quarter of 2012 compared to the second quarter of 2011 due to consistent retail sales and increased parent roll sales.
• Net selling prices increased 2.0% to $2,129 per ton in the second quarter of 2012 compared to the second quarter of 2011 due to the segment's retail price increase that was implemented in the fourth quarter of 2011 and the first quarter of 2012, as well as sales mix improvements.
• The company has increased its expected 2012 cost savings from synergies related to the Cellu Tissue acquisition from $20 million to $28 million, with $6.7 million realized in the second quarter of 2012, and still expects that its annual run rate of cost savings from these synergies will be in the range of $35 to $40 million by the end of 2012.

Pulp and Paperboard

Net sales of $190.5 million for the second quarter of 2012 were down 15.5%, compared to second quarter 2011 net sales of $225.5 million. The decrease in net sales was primarily due to the sale of the company's Lewiston, Idaho sawmill in November 2011. In addition, there was a reduction in the sale of external pulp due to increased internal usage and lower paperboard volumes relative to the second quarter of 2011. Operating income for the quarter declined 7.1% to $32.0 million, compared to $34.5 million for the second quarter of 2011, primarily due to the decline in sales volumes partially offset by lower pulp, energy and transportation costs.

• Paperboard volumes declined 4.3% to 193,285 tons versus a record second quarter of 2011.
• Pulp net sales of $2.1 million were down $5.9 million versus the second quarter of 2011 due primarily to the increased internal usage of pulp produced by the company and a 30% decline in pulp sales prices.

Taxes

The actual income tax rate for the second quarter of 2012 was 39.2%, compared to 38.3% in the second quarter of 2011. Excluding discrete items, the effective tax rate in the second quarter of 2012 was approximately 35.3%. The estimated annual effective tax rate for 2012, excluding discrete items, is expected to be approximately 35.1%.

Note Regarding Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In this press release, the company presents its results for the second quarter of 2012 and 2011, including EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA. The EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA amounts are not in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and accordingly reconciliations of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA to net earnings determined in accordance with GAAP are included at the end of this press release.

CONFERENCE CALL INFORMATION

A live audio webcast and conference call will be held today, Wednesday, July 25, 2012, at 2 p.m. Pacific time (5 p.m. Eastern time). Investors may access the conference call by dialing 877-303-9241 (for U.S./Canada investors) or 760-666-3575 (for international investors). The audio webcast may be accessed on the company's website at http://ir.clearwaterpaper.com/events.cfm. An accompanying presentation including supplemental information will be available for downloading at the same site at 1 p.m. Pacific time (4 p.m. Eastern time). The webcast will be audio only. Investors are recommended to download the accompanying presentation prior to the call.

For those unable to participate in the call, an archived recording will be available through the Clearwater Paper Corporation website www.clearwaterpaper.com under "Investor Relations" following the conference call.

ABOUT CLEARWATER PAPER

Clearwater Paper manufactures quality consumer tissue, away-from-home tissue, parent roll tissue, machine glazed tissue, bleached paperboard and pulp at 15 manufacturing locations in the U.S. and Canada. The company is a premier supplier of private label tissue to major retailers and wholesale distributors. This includes grocery, drug, mass merchants and discount stores. The company also produces bleached paperboard used by quality-conscious printers and packaging converters. Clearwater Paper's employees build shareholder value by developing strong customer partnerships through quality and service.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 as amended, including statements regarding estimated cost savings synergies from the company's acquisition of Cellu Tissue, the expected budget, operational timeline and production of the company's new paper machine in Shelby, North Carolina, and estimated tax rates for 2012. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, assumptions and projections that are subject to change, and actual results may differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, difficulties with the integration process or the realization of the benefits expected from the company's acquisition of Cellu Tissue; the company's ability to complete its new facilities; competition from larger producers; customers' product preferences; changes in the United States and international economies; changes in raw material and energy costs, including external pulp costs; cyclical industry conditions; competitive pricing pressure for the company's products; changes in transportation costs and disruptions in transportation services; the company's qualification to retain, or ability to utilize, tax credits associated with alternative fuel or cellulosic biofuels and the tax treatment associated with receipt of such credits; unanticipated manufacturing disruptions; labor disruptions; changes in general and industry-specific laws and regulations; unforeseen environmental liabilities or expenditures; and other risks and uncertainties described from time to time in the company's public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and the company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements.

For additional information on Clearwater Paper, please visit the company's website at www.clearwaterpaper.com.

Clearwater Paper Corporation
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
Unaudited (Dollars in thousands - except per-share amounts)
					Three Months Ended																			Six Months Ended
					June 30,																			June 30,
					2012										2011									2012											2011
Net sales					$	473,572				100	%			$	494,627				100	%				$	931,370				100	%				$	960,457				100	%
Costs and expenses:
	Cost of sales					(398,546	)			84	%				(433,358	)			88	%					(801,622	)			86	%					(848,278	)			88	%
	Selling, general and administrative expenses					(30,529	)			6	%				(27,476	)			6	%					(59,603	)			6	%					(54,840	)			6	%
Total operating costs and expenses						(429,075	)			91	%				(460,834	)			93	%					(861,225	)			92	%					(903,118	)			94	%
Income from operations						44,497				9	%				33,793				7	%					70,145				8	%					57,339				6	%
Interest expense, net						(9,147	)			2	%				(10,992	)			2	%					(18,875	)			2	%					(22,325	)			2	%
Other, net						-				-					(229	)			-						-				-						(705	)			-
Earnings before income taxes						35,350				7	%				22,572				5	%					51,270				6	%					34,309				4	%
Income tax provision						(13,861	)			3	%				(8,649	)			2	%					(26,055	)			3	%					(14,782	)			2	%
Net earnings					$	21,489				5	%			$	13,923				3	%				$	25,215				3	%				$	19,527				2	%
Net earnings per common share:
	Basic				$	0.92								$	0.60									$	1.08									$	0.85
	Diluted					0.91									0.59										1.07										0.82
Average shares outstanding (in thousands):
	Basic					23,460									23,038										23,325										23,032
	Diluted					23,697									23,709										23,548										23,710
All common share and per share amounts have been adjusted for the two-for-one stock split effected in the form of a stock dividend distributed on August 26, 2011.

Clearwater Paper Corporation
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
Unaudited (Dollars in thousands)
					June 30,					December 31,
					2012					2011
ASSETS
Current assets:
	Cash				$	17,215				$	8,439
	Restricted cash					770					769
	Short-term investments					20,000					55,001
	Receivables, net					171,394					176,189
	Taxes receivable					13,813					10,000
	Inventories					237,623					244,071
	Deferred tax assets					25,878					39,466
	Prepaid expenses					8,446					11,396
Total current assets						495,139					545,331
Property, plant and equipment, net						801,818					735,566
Goodwill						229,533					229,533
Intangible assets, net						46,485					49,748
Other assets, net						10,088					11,140
TOTAL ASSETS					$	1,583,063				$	1,571,318
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities:
	Accounts payable and accrued liabilities				$	151,997				$	144,631
	Current liability for pensions and other postretirement employee benefits					9,861					9,861
Total current liabilities						161,858					154,492
Long-term debt						523,810					523,694
Liability for pensions and other postretirement employee benefits						199,196					215,932
Other long-term obligations						47,435					48,474
Accrued taxes						77,990					74,464
Deferred tax liabilities						70,528					69,358
Stockholders' equity, excluding accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax						614,469					600,169
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax						(112,223	)				(115,265	)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY					$	1,583,063				$	1,571,318

Clearwater Paper Corporation
Segment Information
Unaudited (Dollars in thousands)
					Three Months Ended																			Six Months Ended
					June 30,																			June 30,
					2012									2011										2012									2011
Segment net sales:
	Consumer Products				$	283,122				60	%			$	269,118				54	%				$	560,952				60	%			$	538,370				56	%
	Pulp and Paperboard					190,450				40	%				225,509				46	%					370,418				40	%				422,087				44	%
Total segment net sales					$	473,572				100	%			$	494,627				100	%				$	931,370				100	%			$	960,457				100	%
Operating income:
	Consumer Products				$	25,696				58	%			$	6,868				20	%				$	51,967				74	%			$	20,683				36	%
	Pulp and Paperboard					32,001				72	%				34,456				102	%					43,659				62	%				50,104				87	%
						57,697									41,324										95,626									70,787
	Corporate and eliminations					(13,200	)			30	%				(7,531	)			22	%					(25,481	)			36	%				(13,448	)			23	%
Income from operations					$	44,497				100	%			$	33,793				100	%				$	70,145				100	%			$	57,339				100	%

Clearwater Paper Corporation
Reconciliation of Consolidated Net Earnings to EBITDA
Unaudited (Dollars in thousands)
						Three Months Ended								Six Months Ended
						June 30,								June 30,
						2012				2011				2012				2011
Net earnings						$	21,489			$	13,923			$	25,215			$	19,527
	Add back:
		Interest expense, net					9,147				10,992				18,875				22,325
		Income tax provision					13,861				8,649				26,055				14,782
		Depreciation and amortization expense					19,730				18,870				39,278				37,539
	EBITDA					$	64,227			$	52,434			$	109,423			$	94,173
		Loss on sale of foam assets					1,014				-				1,014				-
		Expenses associated with Metso litigation					958				-				1,948				-
	Adjusted EBITDA					$	66,199			$	52,434			$	112,385			$	94,173

Clearwater Paper Corporation
News media:
Matt Van Vleet, 509-344-5912
or
Interim CFO:
John Hunter, 509-344-5947
or
Investors:
IR Sense
Sean Butson, 509-344-5906

Source: Clearwater Paper Corporation

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