HOUSTON, May 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Houston Wire & Cable Company (NASDAQ: HWCC) (the “Company”) announced operating results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2020 and progress on its cost and debt reduction programs.

• Net income was $0.5 million, or $0.7 million after adjusting for a $0.2 million non-cash trade name impairment charge, which compares to net income of $2.3 million in the first quarter of 2019 
• Fully diluted earnings per share of $0.03, or $0.04 as adjusted
• Executing cost and debt reduction programs
  • Targeting expense savings of up to $14 million annualized
  • Reduced net debt by $11.7 million from $82.4 million at quarter end to $70.7 million at May 5 and by over $20 million from its first quarter peak

James Pokluda, President and Chief Executive Officer commented, “Throughout these challenging times, Houston Wire & Cable Company has excelled in serving the value chain as an essential business with superior operational performance while protecting the safety of its employees.  Our teams mobilized quickly with virtual enterprise management solutions. Those employees who were able to work remotely shifted to their home offices, and our staff that was not able to work remotely practiced safe work and hygiene habits as guided by government authorities. The leadership team and I feel extraordinary gratitude for the outstanding efforts of our coworkers, and are humbled by the sacrifices they have made for the company.

During the first quarter, we were on track for sales growth until the impact of the global pandemic began in March. While we were taking actions to assure business continuity and superior customer service, we also increased our focus on prudent expense reduction and balance sheet improvement. We are well underway with expense reduction initiatives targeted to generate annualized savings of approximately $14 million and over $8 million in 2020. Our debt reduction actions during March and April have produced immediate results:  as of May 5^th, net debt reduced by $11.7 million, to $70.7 million, from the end of the first quarter and by over $20 million from its peak during the quarter. Our banking relationship is strong, we are in compliance with the availability-based covenants and are focused on achieving a year-end debt target of $40 million through monetization of working capital. We will continue to report on our results throughout the year as we progress toward our year-end target.”

In addition to our expense reduction, on May 4th, we received a loan under the Small Business Administration’s Payroll Protection Program. These funds will be used to maintain employment and pay permissible operational expenses under the terms of the program.

Mr. Pokluda concluded “We are combating the current economic challenges without compromising customer service, are properly equipped and structured to provide the essential products and services our country and customers require for recovery, and are getting immediate results with the actions we are taking to strengthen the Company.”

Conference Call
The Company will host a conference call to discuss first quarter results tomorrow, Friday, May 8, 2020, at 10:00 a.m., C.D.T. Hosting the call will be James Pokluda, President and Chief Executive Officer and Christopher Micklas, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. This will be the last scheduled call, as the Company has determined to discontinue quarterly earnings calls going forward.  However, we will continue to provide regular written updates on our business performance through our press releases and SEC filings.

A live audio web cast of the call will be available on the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website www.houwire.com.  

Live call dial-in numbers are as follows:
Toll-Free: (800)-936-7954
International: (720)-545-0048
Conference ID # 2499159

Approximately two hours after the completion of the live call, a telephone replay will be available until May 15, 2020.

Replay, Toll-Free #: (855)-859-2056
Replay, Toll #: (404)-537-3406
Conference ID # 2499159

About the Company 
With 45 years’ experience in the industry, Houston Wire & Cable Company, an industrial distributor, is a large provider of products in the U.S market. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, the Company has sales and distribution facilities strategically located throughout the United States.

Standard stock items available for immediate delivery include continuous and interlocked armor cable; instrumentation cable; medium voltage cable; high temperature wire; portable cord; power cable; primary and secondary aluminum distribution cable; private branded products, including LifeGuard™, a low-smoke, zero-halogen cable; mechanical wire and cable and related hardware, including wire rope, lifting products and synthetic rope and slings; corrosion resistant fasteners, hose clamps, and rivets.

Comprehensive value-added services include same-day shipping, knowledgeable sales staff, inventory management programs, just-in-time delivery, logistics support, customized online ordering capabilities and 24/7/365 service.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains comments concerning management’s view of the Company’s future expectations, plans and prospects that constitute forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and projections about future events may, and often do, vary materially from actual results.  

Other risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from statements made in this press release can be found in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, the Company’s Current Report on Form 8‑K dated April 29, 2020 and other documents filed with the SEC. These documents are available under the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at www.houwire.com.

Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update such statements.

HOUSTON WIRE & CABLE COMPANY
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(In thousands, except share data)

		March 31,				December 31,
		2020				2019
		(unaudited)
Assets
Current assets:
Cash		$	3,536			$	4,096
Accounts receivable, net:
Trade			55,054				50,325
Other			2,114				6,640
Inventories, net			109,383				114,069
Income taxes			1,017				1,353
Prepaids and other current assets			3,157				1,833
Total current assets			174,261				178,316
Property and equipment, net			15,399				14,589
Intangible assets, net			9,888				10,282
Goodwill			22,353				22,353
Deferred income taxes			704				600
Operating lease right-of-use assets, net			12,962				13,481
Other assets			506				527
Total assets		$	236,073			$	240,148
Liabilities and stockholders’ equity
Current liabilities:
Trade accounts payable		$	14,651			$	13,858
Accrued and other current liabilities			15,332				23,261
Operating lease liabilities			2,783				2,742
Total current liabilities			32,766				39,861
Debt			85,920				83,500
Operating lease long term liabilities			10,652				11,182
Other long term liabilities			2,234				1,977
Total liabilities			131,572				136,520
Stockholders’ equity:
Preferred stock, $0.001 par value; 5,000,000 shares authorized, none issued and outstanding			—				—
Common stock, $0.001 par value; 100,000,000 shares authorized: 20,988,952 shares issued: 16,584,460 and 16,611,651 outstanding at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively			21				21
Additional paid-in-capital			52,276				52,304
Retained earnings			109,171				108,626
Treasury stock			(56,967	)			(57,323	)
Total stockholders’ equity			104,501				103,628
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity		$	236,073			$	240,148

HOUSTON WIRE & CABLE COMPANY
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(Unaudited)
(In thousands, except share and per share data)

		Three Months Ended
		March 31,
		2020				2019
Sales		$	83,533			$	85,270
Cost of sales			63,941				64,011
Gross profit			19,592				21,259
Operating expenses:
Salaries and commissions			9,474				9,180
Other operating expenses			7,565				7,663
Depreciation and amortization			767				553
Impairment charge			200				—
Total operating expenses			18,006				17,396
Operating income			1,586				3,863
Interest expense			813				741
Income before income taxes			773				3,122
Income tax expense			228				838
Net income		$	545			$	2,284
Earnings per share:
Basic		$	0.03			$	0.14
Diluted		$	0.03			$	0.14
Weighted average common shares outstanding:
Basic			16,387,460				16,477,855
Diluted			16,436,293				16,577,126

HOUSTON WIRE & CABLE COMPANY
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(Unaudited)
(In thousands)

		Three Months Ended March 31,
		2020				2019
Operating activities
Net income		$	545			$	2,284
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash used in operating activities:
Impairment charge			200				—
Depreciation and amortization			767				553
Amortization of unearned stock compensation			328				342
Non-cash lease expense			904				986
Provision for refund liability			18				559
Provision for inventory obsolescence			173				170
Deferred income taxes			(104	)			284
Other non-cash items			62				34
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable			(253	)			(723	)
Inventories			4,513				(1,170	)
Prepaids			(1,238	)			(1,005	)
Other assets			(77	)			(549	)
Lease payments			(907	)			(982	)
Trade accounts payable			793				(3,424	)
Accrued and other current liabilities			(8,281	)			(6,460	)
Income taxes			336				534
Other operating activities			257				93
Net cash used in operating activities			(1,964	)			(8,474	)
Investing activities
Expenditures for property and equipment			(857	)			(278	)
Net cash used in investing activities			(857	)			(278	)
Financing activities
Borrowings on revolver			85,653				94,333
Payments on revolver			(83,233	)			(86,709	)
Release of treasury stock/stock surrendered on vested awards			—				8
Lease payments			(159	)			(17	)
Net cash provided by financing activities			2,261				7,615
Net change in cash			(560	)			(1,137	)
Cash at beginning of period			4,096				1,393
Cash at end of period		$	3,536			$	256
Supplemental disclosures of non-cash activities
Purchase of assets under finance leases		$	526			$	11

  

CONTACT:

Christopher M. Micklas
Chief Financial Officer 
Direct:  713.609.2114
Fax:  713.609.2168
cmicklas@houwire.com