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Douglas Dynamics Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Results

Full Year 2023 Highlights:

MILWAUKEE, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Douglas Dynamics, Inc. (NYSE: PLOW), North America’s premier manufacturer and upfitter of work truck attachments and equipment, today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2023.

“The improved performance of our Solutions segment was clearly the highlight of 2023,” commented Bob McCormick, President and CEO. “I want to commend the Solutions team for their dedication and ingenuity and am pleased the 2024 outlook remains positive, with more opportunities to grow and improve ahead of us.”

“The weather was not in our favor in 2023, which is shown in the Attachments segment results this year. The unprecedented lack of snowfall means our operational discipline has been put to full use and we took the proactive steps to implement significant budget cuts and other cost saving measures throughout 2023, to minimize the impact on our bottom line. At the start of 2024, we made tough decisions to align our structure to the current demand environment. We look forward to improved weather conditions and driving volumes as demand returns.”

Consolidated Results

$ in millions
(except Margins & EPS)
Q4 2023 Q4 2022 FY 2023 FY 2022
Net Sales $134.3   $159.8   $568.2   $616.1  
Gross Profit Margin 22.0%   23.7%   23.6%   24.6%  
         
Income from Operations $12.6   $16.7   $44.9   $58.8  
Net Income $7.1   $11.5   $23.7   $38.6  
Diluted EPS $0.29   $0.49   $0.98   $1.63  
         
Adjusted EBITDA $14.9   $22.9   $68.1   $86.8  
Adjusted EBITDA Margin 11.1%   14.3%   12.0%   14.1%  
Adjusted Net Income $4.5   $12.3   $24.4   $43.5  
Adjusted Diluted EPS $0.19   $0.52   $1.01   $1.84  

Work Truck Attachments

$ in millions
(except Adjusted EBITDA Margin)
Q4 2023 Q4 2022 FY 2023 FY 2022
Net Sales $55.4   $97.9   $291.7   $382.3  
Adjusted EBITDA $6.2   $18.6   $50.6   $78.2  
Adjusted EBITDA Margin 11.1%   19.0%   17.3%   20.5%  

Work Truck Solutions

$ in millions
(except Adjusted EBITDA Margin)
Q4 2023 Q4 2022 FY 2023 FY 2022
Net Sales $78.9   $61.9   $276.5   $233.8  
Adjusted EBITDA $8.8   $4.3   $17.6   $8.6  
Adjusted EBITDA Margin 11.1%   6.9%   6.4%   3.7%  

McCormick noted, “The Solutions team showed significant improvement in 2023 and delivered on its goal of mid-single digit EBITDA margins. Our recent performance bodes well for the coming year, especially as overall demand remains positive, and we still have a strong backlog to work through. We believe the 2023 UAW strike did not have a material impact on our fourth quarter results, but we expect to see some impact in the first quarter of 2024, which has been taken into account with our guidance.”

2024 Cost Savings Program

Capital Allocation & Liquidity

Sarah Lauber, Executive Vice President and CFO, explained, “While the dividend remains our top capital allocation priority, based on 2023 results, management and the Board have decided it is prudent to maintain the current dividend at $0.295 for the time being, with the aim of increasing the dividend when conditions allow.”

Amended Credit Facility

2024 Outlook

The projected earnings growth in 2024 includes continued baseline profit improvements, the 2024 Cost Savings Program, and projected higher volumes in Attachments.

Ms. Lauber stated, “Following the dismal snowfall totals seen during calendar year 2023, and subsequent lengthened equipment replacement cycle, under this scenario we are assuming approximately half of the weather driven volume decline experienced in 2023 will be recovered in 2024, assuming we see a return to average snowfall.”

“Solutions enters 2024 seeing the best conditions since the pandemic, with continued positive demand and backlog trends combined with improved operating performance. With chassis supply expected to remain steady in 2024, the need to replace aging trucks and equipment indicates continued opportunities in the years ahead.”

2024 outlook:

The long-term financial targets for both segments remain intact:

Ms. Lauber explained, “For Attachments, we believe the 2024 Cost Savings Program will drive Adjusted EBITDA margin back close to 20%, leaving us well positioned to push for mid to high 20s margins as a multi-year return to average demand takes place. For Solutions, we expect to deliver mid to high single digit sales growth in 2024, with continued improvement towards low double digit EBITDA margins. We also forecast that baseline profit improvement and greater price realization will continue throughout 2024.”

The 2024 outlook and long-term financial targets assume the following:

With respect to the Company’s preliminary 2024 guidance, the Company is not able to provide a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP because it does not provide specific guidance for the various extraordinary, nonrecurring, or unusual charges and other certain items. These items have not yet occurred, are out of the Company’s control and/or cannot be reasonably predicted. As a result, reconciliation of the non-GAAP guidance measures to GAAP is not available without unreasonable effort and the Company is unable to address the probable significance of the unavailable information.

Earnings Conference Call Information

The Company will host a conference call on Tuesday, February 27, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time (9:00 a.m. Central Time). To join the conference call, please dial (833) 634-5024 domestically, or (412) 902-4205 internationally. The call will also be available via the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at www.douglasdynamics.com. For those who cannot listen to the live broadcast, replays will be available for one week following the call.

About Douglas Dynamics

Home to the most trusted brands in the industry, Douglas Dynamics is North America’s premier manufacturer and up-fitter of commercial work truck attachments and equipment. For more than 75 years, the Company has been innovating products that not only enable people to perform their jobs more efficiently and effectively, but also enable businesses to increase profitability. Through its proprietary Douglas Dynamics Management System (DDMS), the Company is committed to continuous improvement aimed at consistently producing the highest quality products, at industry-leading levels of service and delivery that ultimately drive shareholder value. The Douglas Dynamics portfolio of products and services is separated into two segments: First, the Work Truck Attachments segment, which includes commercial snow and ice control equipment sold under the FISHER®, SNOWEX® and WESTERN® brands. Second, the Work Truck Solutions segment, which includes the up-fit of market leading attachments and storage solutions under the HENDERSON® brand, and the DEJANA® brand and its related sub-brands.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This press release contains financial information calculated other than in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”).  The non-GAAP measures used in this press release are Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Earnings Per Share, The Company believes that these non-GAAP measures are useful to investors and other external users of its consolidated financial statements in evaluating the Company’s operating performance as compared to that of other companies. Reconciliations of these non-GAAP measures to the nearest comparable GAAP measures can be found at the end of this press release.

Adjusted EBITDA represents net income before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, as further adjusted for certain charges consisting of unrelated legal and consulting fees, stock-based compensation, severance, restructuring charges, and incremental costs incurred in 2022 related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Such COVID-19 related costs include increased expenses directly related to the pandemic, and do not include either production related overhead inefficiencies or lost or deferred sales. We believe these costs are out of the ordinary, unrelated to our business and not representative of our results. The Company uses Adjusted EBITDA in evaluating the Company’s operating performance because it provides the Company and its investors with additional tools to compare its operating performance on a consistent basis by removing the impact of certain items that management believes do not directly reflect the Company’s core operations. The Company’s management also uses Adjusted EBITDA for planning purposes, including the preparation of its annual operating budget and financial projections, and to evaluate the Company’s ability to make certain payments, including dividends, in compliance with its senior credit facilities, which is determined based on a calculation of “Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA” that is substantially similar to Adjusted EBITDA.

Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Earnings Per Share (calculated on a diluted basis) represents net income and earnings per share (as defined by GAAP), excluding the impact of stock based compensation, severance, restructuring charges, certain charges related to unrelated legal fees and consulting fees, incremental costs incurred in 2022 related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and adjustments on derivatives not classified as hedges, net of their income tax impact. Such COVID-19 related costs include increased expenses directly related to the pandemic, and do not include either production related overhead inefficiencies or lost or deferred sales. We believe these costs are out of the ordinary, unrelated to our business and not representative of our results. Adjustments on derivatives not classified as hedges are non-cash and are related to overall financial market conditions; therefore, management believes such costs are unrelated to our business and are not representative of our results.  Management believes that Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Earnings Per Share are useful in assessing the Company’s financial performance by eliminating expenses and income that are not reflective of the underlying business performance.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements include information relating to future events, future financial performance, strategies, expectations, competitive environment, regulation, product demand, the payment of dividends, and availability of financial resources.  These statements are often identified by use of words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “intend,” “estimate,” “expect,” “continue,” “should,” “could,” “may,” “plan,” “project,” “predict,” “will” and similar expressions and include references to assumptions and relate to our future prospects, developments, and business strategies.  Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause our actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, weather conditions, particularly lack of or reduced levels of snowfall and the timing of such snowfall, expected annualized savings to be achieved by the 2024 Cost Savings Program, our ability to manage general economic, business and geopolitical conditions, including the impacts of natural disasters, labor strikes, global political instability, pandemics and outbreaks of contagious diseases and other adverse public health developments, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, our inability to maintain good relationships with our distributors, our inability to maintain good relationships with the original equipment manufacturers with whom we currently do significant business, lack of available or favorable financing options for our end-users, distributors or customers, increases in the price of steel or other materials, including as a result of tariffs, necessary for the production of our products that cannot be passed on to our distributors, increases in the price of fuel or freight, a significant decline in economic conditions, the inability of our suppliers and original equipment manufacturer partners to meet our volume or quality requirements, inaccuracies in our estimates of future demand for our products, our inability to protect or continue to build our intellectual property portfolio, the effects of laws and regulations and their interpretations on our business and financial condition, our inability to develop new products or improve upon existing products in response to end-user needs, losses due to lawsuits arising out of personal injuries associated with our products, factors that could impact the future declaration and payment of dividends, our inability to compete effectively against competition, as well as those discussed in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.  In addition, the forward-looking statements in this release speak only as of the date hereof and we undertake no obligation, except as required by law, to update or release any revisions to any forward-looking statement, even if new information becomes available in the future.

For further information contact:
Douglas Dynamics, Inc.
Nathan Elwell
847-530-0249
investorrelations@douglasdynamics.com

Financial Statements

Douglas Dynamics, Inc.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(In thousands)
     
  December 31, December 31,
    2023     2022  
  (unaudited) (unaudited)
     
Assets    
Current assets:    
Cash and cash equivalents $ 24,156   $ 20,670  
Accounts receivable, net   83,760     86,765  
Inventories   140,390     136,501  
Inventories – truck chassis floor plan   2,217     1,211  
Refundable income taxes paid   4,817      
Prepaid and other current assets   6,898     7,774  
Total current assets   262,238     252,921  
     
Property, plant, and equipment, net   67,340     68,660  
Goodwill   113,134     113,134  
Other intangible assets, net   121,070     131,589  
Operating lease – right of use asset   18,008     17,432  
Non-qualified benefit plan assets   9,195     8,874  
Other long-term assets   2,433     4,281  
Total assets $ 593,418   $ 596,891  
     
Liabilities and stockholders’ equity    
Current liabilities:    
Accounts payable $ 31,374   $ 49,252  
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities   25,817     30,484  
Floor plan obligations   2,217     1,211  
Operating lease liability – current   5,347     4,862  
Income taxes payable       3,485  
Short term borrowings   47,000      
Current portion of long-term debt   6,762     11,137  
Total current liabilities   118,517     100,431  
     
Retirement benefits and deferred compensation   13,922     14,650  
Deferred income taxes   27,903     29,837  
Long-term debt, less current portion   181,491     195,299  
Operating lease liability – noncurrent   13,887     14,025  
Other long-term liabilities   6,133     5,547  
     
Total stockholders’ equity   231,565     237,102  
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 593,418   $ 596,891  
Douglas Dynamics, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Income
(In thousands, except share and per share data)
           
  Three Month Period Ended   Twelve Month Period Ended
  December 31,
2023
December 31,
2022
  December 31,
2023
December 31,
2022
  (unaudited)   (unaudited)
           
Net sales $ 134,245   $ 159,806     $ 568,178   $ 616,068  
Cost of sales   104,742     121,916       433,908     464,612  
Gross profit   29,503     37,890       134,270     151,456  
           
Selling, general, and administrative expense   14,229     18,605       78,841     82,183  
Intangibles amortization   2,630     2,630       10,520     10,520  
           
Income from operations   12,644     16,655       44,909     58,753  
           
Interest expense, net   (4,468 )   (3,401 )     (15,675 )   (11,253 )
Other income (expense), net   19     (233 )         (139 )
Income before taxes   8,195     13,021       29,234     47,361  
           
Income tax expense   1,118     1,509       5,511     8,752  
           
Net income $ 7,077   $ 11,512     $ 23,723   $ 38,609  
           
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding:          
Basic   22,983,965     22,886,793       22,962,591     22,915,543  
Diluted   22,983,965     22,886,793       22,962,591     22,916,824  
           
Earnings per share:          
Basic earnings per common share attributable to common shareholders $ 0.30   $ 0.49     $ 1.01   $ 1.65  
Earnings per common share assuming dilution attributable to common shareholders $ 0.29   $ 0.49     $ 0.98   $ 1.63  
Cash dividends declared and paid per share $ 0.30   $ 0.29     $ 1.18   $ 1.16  
Douglas Dynamics, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(In thousands)
     
  Twelve Month Period Ended
  December 31,
2023
December 31,
2022
  (unaudited)
     
Operating activities    
Net income $ 23,723   $ 38,609  
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:    
Depreciation and amortization   21,662     20,938  
Loss (gain) on disposal of fixed assets   (56 )   111  
Amortization of deferred financing costs and debt discount   588     491  
Stock-based compensation   953     6,730  
Adjustments on derivatives not designated as hedges   (688 )   (688 )
Provision (credit) for losses on accounts receivable   320     (1,476 )
Deferred income taxes   7,561     (3,268 )
Non-cash lease expense   5,097     1,030  
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions:    
Accounts receivable   2,684     (14,253 )
Inventories   (3,888 )   (32,483 )
Prepaid assets, refundable income taxes paid and other assets   (14,010 )   3,422  
Accounts payable   (17,123 )   21,522  
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities   (8,154 )   1,321  
Benefit obligations and other long-term liabilities   (6,200 )   (1,976 )
Net cash provided by operating activities   12,469     40,030  
     
Investing activities    
Capital expenditures   (10,521 )   (12,047 )
Net cash used in investing activities   (10,521 )   (12,047 )
     
Financing activities    
Repurchase of common stock       (6,001 )
Proceeds from life insurance policy loans   750      
Payments of financing costs   (334 )    
Dividends paid   (27,441 )   (27,026 )
Net revolver borrowings   47,000      
Repayment of long-term debt   (18,437 )   (11,250 )
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities   1,538     (44,277 )
Change in cash and cash equivalents   3,486     (16,294 )
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year   20,670     36,964  
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year $ 24,156   $ 20,670  
     
Non-cash operating and financing activities    
Truck chassis inventory acquired through floorplan obligations $ 7,875   $ 4,725  
Douglas Dynamics, Inc.
Segment Disclosures (unaudited)
(In thousands)
                       
  Three Months Ended
December 31, 2023
  Three Months Ended
December 31, 2022
  Twelve Months Ended
December 31, 2023
  Twelve Months Ended
December 31, 2022
                       
Work Truck Attachments                      
Net Sales $ 55,377     $ 97,921     $ 291,723     $ 382,296  
Adjusted EBITDA $ 6,170     $ 18,649     $ 50,563     $ 78,211  
Adjusted EBITDA Margin   11.1 %     19.0 %     17.3 %     20.5 %
                       
Work Truck Solutions                      
Net Sales $ 78,868     $ 61,885     $ 276,455     $ 233,772  
Adjusted EBITDA $ 8,752     $ 4,262     $ 17,559     $ 8,569  
Adjusted EBITDA Margin   11.1 %     6.9 %     6.4 %     3.7 %
Douglas Dynamics, Inc.
Free Cash Flow reconciliation (unaudited)
(In thousands)
 
    Three month period ended December 31,   Twelve month period ended December 31,
      2023       2022       2023       2022  
                 
Net cash provided by operating activities   $ 76,617     $ 114,516     $ 12,469     $ 40,030  
Acquisition of property and equipment   (2,798 )     (3,123 )     (10,521 )     (12,047 )
Free cash flow   $ 73,819     $ 111,393     $ 1,948     $ 27,983  
Douglas Dynamics, Inc.
Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA reconciliation (unaudited)
(In thousands)
 
    Three month period ended December 31,   Twelve month period ended December 31,
      2023       2022       2023       2022  
                 
Net income   $ 7,077     $ 11,512     $ 23,723     $ 38,609  
                 
Interest expense – net     4,468       3,401       15,675       11,253  
Income tax expense     1,118       1,509       5,511       8,752  
Depreciation expense     2,852       2,682       11,142       10,418  
Intangibles amortization     2,630       2,630       10,520       10,520  
EBITDA     18,145       21,734       66,571       79,552  
                 
Stock-based compensation     (3,283 )     1,167       953       6,730  
Other charges (1)     60       10       598       498  
Adjusted EBITDA   $ 14,922     $ 22,911     $ 68,122     $ 86,780  
                 
(1) Reflects unrelated legal, severance, restructuring, and consulting fees, and, in 2022, incremental costs incurred related to the COVID-19 pandemic for the periods presented.
                 
Douglas Dynamics, Inc.
Reconciliation of Net Income to Adjusted Net Income (unaudited)
(In thousands, except share and per share data)
 
    Three month period ended December 31,   Twelve month period ended December 31,
      2023       2022       2023       2022  
                 
Net income   $ 7,077     $ 11,512     $ 23,723     $ 38,609  
Adjustments:                
Stock based compensation   (3,283 )     1,167       953       6,730  
Adjustments on derivative not classified as hedge (1)   (172 )     (172 )     (688 )     (688 )
Other charges (2)     60       10       598       498  
Tax effect on adjustments     849       (251 )     (216 )     (1,635 )
Adjusted net income   $ 4,531     $ 12,266     $ 24,370     $ 43,514  
                 
Weighted average basic common shares outstanding   22,983,965       22,886,793       22,962,591       22,915,543  
Weighted average common shares outstanding assuming dilution     22,983,965       22,886,793       22,962,591       22,916,824  
                 
Adjusted earnings per common share – dilutive $ 0.19     $ 0.52     $ 1.01     $ 1.84  
                 
GAAP diluted earnings (loss) per share $ 0.29     $ 0.49     $ 0.98     $ 1.63  
Adjustments net of income taxes:              
                 
Stock based compensation   (0.09 )     0.04       0.03       0.21  
Adjustments on derivative not classified as hedge (1)   (0.01 )     (0.01 )     (0.02 )     (0.02 )
Other charges (2)                 0.02       0.02  
                 
Adjusted diluted earnings per share $ 0.19     $ 0.52     $ 1.01     $ 1.84  
                 
(1) Reflects non-cash mark-to-market and amortization adjustments on an interest rate swap not classified as a hedge for the periods presented.
(2) Reflects unrelated legal, severance, restructuring, and consulting fees, and, in 2022, incremental costs incurred related to the COVID-19 pandemic for the periods presented.


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