Casella Waste Systems, Inc. Announces Second Quarter 2017 Results and Updates 2017 Guidance

RUTLAND, Vt., Aug. 02, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Casella Waste Systems, Inc. CWST, a regional solid waste, recycling and resource management services company, today reported its financial results for the three month period ended June 30, 2017. In addition, the Company expects its revenue, Adjusted EBITDA*, and Normalized Free Cash Flow* results to be towards the upper-end of its previously announced guidance ranges for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2017.

Highlights for the Three Months Ended June 30, 2017:

• Revenues were $154.0 million for the quarter, up $9.3 million, or 6.5%, from the same period in 2016.
• Net loss was $(53.7) million for the quarter, as compared to net income of $5.2 million for the same period in 2016. The Company recognized a $64.1 million Southbridge landfill closure charge during the quarter.
• Adjusted Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Common Stockholders* was $10.8 million for the quarter, as compared to $5.8 million for the same period in 2016.
• Adjusted EBITDA was $36.1 million for the quarter, up $1.3 million, or 3.7%, from the same period in 2016.
• Operating loss was $(47.3) million for the quarter, as compared to operating income of $15.6 million for the same period in 2016.
• Adjusted Operating Income* was $16.8 million for the quarter, up $1.2 million, or 7.9%, from the same period in 2016.
• Overall solid waste pricing for the quarter was up 2.6%, driven by strong landfill pricing up 3.0% and robust residential and commercial collection pricing up 3.0%.

"Our team has worked hard over the last 14 years to develop an environmentally sound disposal facility in Southbridge to serve the needs of our customers throughout Massachusetts," said John W. Casella, Chairman and CEO of Casella Waste Systems, Inc. "However, given the innumerable regulatory and political roadblocks we have faced over the last three years as we have worked to develop additional capacity at the site, and expect we would continue to face, we do not believe that further development at the existing landfill site will generate an adequate risk adjusted return. As such, during the second quarter we adopted a plan to close the Southbridge landfill when the current permitted airspace is fully consumed, with the site expected to close by December 31, 2018."

"We had a solid operational quarter, as we continued to execute well against our key management strategies despite several uncontrollable cost headwinds," Casella said. "We remain focused on creating shareholder value through increasing landfill returns, improving collection profitability, creating incremental value through resource solutions, improving returns in our recycling business, and reducing leverage through strict capital discipline and debt repayment. The progress we have made on our strategies clearly drove positive financial results in the second quarter. While operating loss was $(47.3) million, reflecting the impact of the Southbridge landfill closure charge,  Adjusted Operating Income was up $1.2 million year-over-year, or up 7.9%, despite $2.2 million of higher healthcare costs and $1.0 million of higher landfill leachate costs year-over-year as we experienced an exceptionally rainy spring in the northeast."

"From an operating standpoint, our disciplined solid waste pricing programs continued to add value, driven by strong landfill pricing which was up 3.0% and robust residential and commercial pricing which was up 3.0%," Casella said. "This strong pricing was coupled with 2.1% solid waste volume growth in the second quarter, mainly driven by 4.8% growth in landfill volumes as we continued to source new volumes in the tightening northeastern disposal markets."

"Further, our efforts to reduce operating costs and drive efficiencies continued in the second quarter, with these efforts offset by 117% higher healthcare costs year-over-year," Casella said. "This substantial increase in our healthcare costs in the second quarter was mainly due to higher than normal large claims activity, and we believe that activity and costs should normalize to our historical averages through the remainder of the year. We have worked hard over the last three years to reduce healthcare inflation and improve our healthcare offerings to our employees. Through these efforts we have experienced roughly 1.2% per year of healthcare inflation as compared to 5 to 7% per year nationally."

For the quarter, revenues were $154.0 million, up $9.3 million, or 6.5%, from the same period in 2016, with revenue growth mainly driven by: robust collection, disposal and recycling commodity pricing; higher collection, disposal, recycling and customer solutions volumes; and the roll-over impact from acquisitions.

Net loss attributable to common stockholders was $(53.7) million, or $(1.28) per diluted common share for the quarter, as compared to net income attributable to common stockholders of $5.2 million, or $0.12 per diluted common share for the same period in 2016. Adjusted Net Income Attributable to Common Stockholders was $10.8 million for the quarter, or an Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Common Share* of $0.25 for the quarter, as compared to Adjusted Net Income Attributable to Common Stockholders of $5.8 million, or an Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Common Share of $0.14 for the same period in 2016.

Operating loss was $(47.3) million for the quarter, as compared to operating income of $15.6 million for the same period in 2016. Adjusted Operating Income was $16.8 million for the quarter, up $1.2 million from the same period in 2016. Adjusted EBITDA was $36.1 million for the quarter, up $1.3 million from the same period in 2016, with growth mainly driven by improved performance in the Company's disposal and recycling lines-of-business.

The Company decided after due consideration of all facts and circumstances before it, that it is no longer likely that further development at the existing landfill site will generate an adequate risk adjusted return at the Southbridge landfill, and that it will accordingly cease operations at the Southbridge landfill when no further capacity is available, expected by no later than December 31, 2018. Accordingly, in the three months ended June 30, 2017, it recorded a charge of $64.1 million associated with the determination that operations would cease at the Southbridge landfill, including an asset impairment charge of $48.0 million related to the asset group that includes Southbridge landfill; a project development charge of $9.1 million related to the write-off of deferred costs associated with landfill permitting activities no longer deemed viable; an environmental remediation charge of $6.4 million associated with the future installation of a municipal waterline; and a charge of $0.6 million for legal and transaction costs associated with various matters as part of the Southbridge landfill closure.

Net cash provided by operating activities was $29.3 million for the quarter, as compared to $33.9 million for the same period in 2016. Net cash by operating activities was negatively impacted in the quarter by $(7.9) million of higher cash outflows associated with changes in assets and liabilities year-over-year, with the $(7.1) million of this negative variance driven by a lower interest accrual at June 30th this year as compared to last year. The lower interest accrual is associated with the timing of interest payments, combined with lower average debt balances and changes to the Company's capitalization structure that resulted in interest expense, net decreasing $(3.7) million from the same period in 2016.

Free Cash Flow* was $11.7 million for the quarter, as compared to $18.0 million for the same period in 2016. Normalized Free Cash Flow was $12.3 million for the quarter, as compared to $18.0 million for the same period in 2016.

Highlights for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2017:

• Revenues were $287.8 million year-to-date, up $17.7 million, or 6.6%, from the same period in 2016.
• Net loss was $(53.9) million year-to-date, an increase in net loss of $(51.5) million, as compared to a net loss of $(2.4) million for the same period in 2016.
• Adjusted Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Common Stockholders was $11.0 million year-to-date, as compared to $(1.9) million for the same period in 2016.
• Adjusted EBITDA was $59.2 million year-to-date, up $5.2 million, or 9.6%, from the same period in 2016.
• Operating loss was $(40.7) million year-to-date, as compared to operating income of $17.6 million for the same period in 2016.
• Adjusted Operating Income was $23.4 million year-to-date, up $5.8 million, or 33.2%, from the same period in 2016.
• Net cash provided by operating activities was $40.0 million year-to-date, up $4.4 million from the same period in 2016.
• Normalized Free Cash Flow was $13.4 million year-to-date, up $3.7 million from the same period in 2016.

For the six months ended June 30, 2017, revenues were $287.8 million, up $17.7 million, or 6.6%, from the same period in 2016, mainly driven by robust collection, disposal and recycling pricing; higher collection, commodity, and customer solutions volumes; and the acquisition of two hauling companies, partially offset by lower disposal and organics volumes.

Net loss attributable to common stockholders was $(53.9) million, or $(1.29) per diluted common share year-to-date, as compared to $(2.4) million, or $(0.06) per diluted common share for the same period in 2016. Adjusted Net Income Attributable to Common Stockholders was $11.0 million year-to-date, or an Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Common Share of $0.26 year-to-date, as compared to Adjusted Net Loss Attributable to Common Stockholders of $(1.9) million, or an Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Common Share of $(0.05) for the same period in 2016.

Operating loss was $(40.7) million year-to-date, as compared to operating income of $17.6 million for the same period in 2016. Adjusted Operating Income was $23.4 million year-to-date, up $5.8 million from the same period in 2016. Adjusted EBITDA was $59.2 million year-to-date, up $5.2 million from the same period in 2016.

Net cash provided by operating activities was $40.0 million year-to-date, as compared to $35.6 million for the same period in 2016. Free Cash Flow was $12.8 million year-to-date, as compared to $9.8 million for the same period in 2016. Normalized Free Cash Flow was $13.4 million year-to-date, as compared to $9.8 million for the same period in 2016.

Outlook

Given the Company's strong pricing and operational performance during the first six months of the year and increased visibility into the remainder of the year, the Company indicated that it expects its revenue, Adjusted EBITDA, and Normalized Free Cash Flow results to be towards the upper-end of its previously announced guidance ranges for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2017.  The estimated ranges are as follows:

• Revenues between $577 million and $587 million;
• Adjusted EBITDA between $124 million and $128 million; and
• Normalized Free Cash Flow between $32 million and $36 million.

The Company does not provide reconciling information of non-GAAP financial measures on a forward-looking basis because such information is not available without an unreasonable effort. The Company believes that such information is not significant to an understanding of its non-GAAP financial measures for forward-looking periods because its methodology for calculating such non-GAAP financial measures is based on sensitivity analysis compared to budget at the business unit level rather than on differences from Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the United States ("GAAP") financial measures.

Conference call to discuss quarter

The Company will host a conference call to discuss these results on Wednesday, August 2, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Individuals interested in participating in the call should dial (877) 838-4153 or for international participants (720) 545-0037 at least 10 minutes before start time. The call will also be webcast; to listen, participants should visit Casella Waste Systems' website at http://ir.casella.com and follow the appropriate link to the webcast.

A replay of the call will be available on the Company's website, or by calling (855) 859-2056 or (404) 537-3406 (Conference ID 53829727) until 10:00 p.m. ET on August 9, 2017.

About Casella Waste Systems, Inc.

Casella Waste Systems, Inc., headquartered in Rutland, Vermont, provides solid waste management services consisting of collection, transfer, disposal, and recycling services in the northeastern United States. For further information, investors contact Ned Coletta, Chief Financial Officer at (802) 772-2239; media contact Joseph Fusco, Vice President at (802) 772-2247; or visit the Company's website at http://www.casella.com.

*Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In addition to disclosing financial results prepared in accordance with GAAP, the Company also discloses earnings before interest, taxes, and depreciation and amortization, adjusted for accretion, depletion of landfill operating lease obligations, the Southbridge landfill closure charge, gains on asset sales, development project charge write-offs, contract settlement charges, legal settlement costs, tax settlement costs, bargain purchase gains, asset impairment charges, environmental remediation charges, severance and reorganization costs, expenses from divestiture, acquisition and financing costs, gains on the settlement of acquisition related contingent consideration, fiscal year-end transition costs, proxy contest costs, as well as impacts from divestiture transactions ("Adjusted EBITDA"), which is a non-GAAP financial measure.

The Company also discloses earnings before interest and taxes, adjusted for the Southbridge landfill closure charge, gains on asset sales, development project charge write-offs, contract settlement charges, legal settlement costs, tax settlement costs, bargain purchase gains, asset impairment charges, environmental remediation charges, severance and reorganization costs, expenses from divestiture, acquisition and financing costs, gains on the settlement of acquisition related contingent consideration, fiscal year-end transition costs, proxy contest costs, the Southbridge landfill closure charge, as well as impacts from divestiture transactions ("Adjusted Operating Income"), which is a non-GAAP financial measure.

The Company also discloses net (loss) income attributable to common stockholders, adjusted for the Southbridge landfill closure charge, gains on asset sales, development project charge write-offs, contract settlement charges, legal settlement costs, tax settlement costs, bargain purchase gains, asset impairment charges, environmental remediation charges, severance and reorganization costs, expenses from divestiture, acquisition and financing costs, gains on the settlement of acquisition related contingent consideration, fiscal year-end transition costs, proxy contest costs, impacts from divestiture transactions, losses on debt modifications, as well as impairment of investments ("Adjusted Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Common Stockholders"), which is a non-GAAP financial measure.

The Company also discloses Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Common Share, which is Adjusted Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Common Stockholders divided by Adjusted Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding, which includes the dilutive effect of options and restricted / performance stock units despite the net (loss) income position during the period.

The Company also discloses net cash provided by operating activities, less capital expenditures (excluding acquisition related capital expenditures), less payments on landfill operating lease contracts, plus proceeds from divestiture transactions, plus proceeds from the sale of property and equipment, plus proceeds from property insurance settlement, plus (less) contributions from (distributions to) noncontrolling interest holders ("Free Cash Flow"), which is a non-GAAP financial measure.

The Company also discloses Free Cash Flow plus certain cash outflows associated with landfill closure, site improvement and remediation expenditures, plus certain cash outflows associated with new contract and project capital expenditures, (less) plus cash (inflows) outflows associated with certain business dissolutions, plus cash interest outflows associated with the timing of refinancing transactions ("Normalized Free Cash Flow"), which is a non-GAAP financial measure.

Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Operating Income are reconciled to net (loss) income, while Adjusted Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Common Stockholders is reconciled to net (loss) income attributable to common stockholders, Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Common Share is reconciled to diluted earnings per common share, and Free Cash Flow and Normalized Free Cash Flow are reconciled to net cash provided by operating activities.

The Company presents Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Operating Income, Adjusted Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Common Stockholders, Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Common Share, Free Cash Flow, and Normalized Free Cash Flow because it considers them important supplemental measures of its performance and believes they are frequently used by securities analysts, investors and other interested parties in the evaluation of the Company's results. Management uses these non-GAAP financial measures to further understand its "core operating performance." The Company believes its "core operating performance" is helpful in understanding its ongoing performance in the ordinary course of operations. The Company believes that providing Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Operating Income,  Adjusted Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Common Stockholders, Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Common Share, Free Cash Flow, and Normalized Free Cash Flow to investors, in addition to corresponding income statement and cash flow statement measures, affords investors the benefit of viewing its performance using the same financial metrics that the management team uses in making many key decisions and understanding how the core business and its results of operations has performed. The Company further believes that providing this information allows its investors greater transparency and a better understanding of its core financial performance. In addition, the instruments governing the Company's indebtedness use EBITDA (with additional adjustments) to measure its compliance with covenants.

Non-GAAP financial measures are not in accordance with or an alternative for GAAP. Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Operating Income, Adjusted Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Common Stockholders, Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Common Share, Free Cash Flow, and Normalized Free Cash Flow should not be considered in isolation from or as a substitute for financial information presented in accordance with GAAP, and may be different from Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Operating Income,  Adjusted Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Common Stockholders, Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Common Share, Free Cash Flow, or Normalized Free Cash Flow presented by other companies.

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain matters discussed in this press release, including, but not limited to, the statements regarding financial results and guidance, are "forward-looking statements" intended to qualify for the safe harbors from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can generally be identified as such by the context of the statements, including words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "plan," "may," "would," "intend," "estimate," "guidance" and other similar expressions, whether in the negative or affirmative. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about the industry and markets in which the Company operates and management's beliefs and assumptions. The Company cannot guarantee that it actually will achieve the financial results, plans, intentions, expectations or guidance disclosed in the forward-looking statements made. Such forward-looking statements, and all phases of the Company's operations, involve a number of risks and uncertainties, any one or more of which could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in its forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include or relate to, among other things: costs associated with the planned capping and closure of the Southbridge landfill and the pending litigation relating to the Southbridge landfill; adverse weather conditions that have negatively impacted and may continue to negatively impact its revenues and its operating margin; current economic conditions that have adversely affected and may continue to adversely affect its revenues and its operating margin; the Company may be unable to increase volumes at its landfills or improve its route profitability; the Company's need to service its indebtedness may limit its ability to invest in its business; the Company may be unable to reduce costs or increase pricing or volumes sufficiently to achieve estimated Adjusted EBITDA and other targets; landfill operations and permit status may be affected by factors outside its control; the Company may be required to incur capital expenditures in excess of its estimates; fluctuations in energy pricing or the commodity pricing of its recyclables may make it more difficult for the Company to predict its results of operations or meet its estimates; the Company may incur environmental charges or asset impairments in the future; and the Company's credit facility agreement requires it to meet a number of financial ratios and covenants. There are a number of other important risks and uncertainties that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements.  These additional risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, those detailed in Item 1A, "Risk Factors" in the Company's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 and in other filings that the Company may make with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the future.

The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Investors:

Ned Coletta
Chief Financial Officer
(802) 772-2239

Media:

Joseph Fusco
Vice President
(802) 772-2247
http://www.casella.com