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Armco Metals Holdings Announces Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of 2014

March 30, 2015 5:09 PM EDT

SAN MATEO, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/30/15 -- Armco Metals Holdings, Inc. ("Armco Metals Holdings") (NYSE MKT: AMCO), a U.S. based company that engages in the import, sale, and distribution of metal ore and non-ferrous metals in the People's Republic of China, recycles scrap metals used by steel mills in the production of recycled steel and provides sourcing and pricing services for various metals to its network of customers, today announced its financial results for its fourth quarter and for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014.

SUMMARY FINANCIALS


-------------------------------------------------------------
Fourth Quarter 2014 Results
-------------------------------------------------------------
                                  Q4 2014         Q4 2013
-------------------------------------------------------------
Sales                          $49.2 million   $66.2 million
-------------------------------------------------------------
Gross Profit                    $4.2 million    $2.2 million
-------------------------------------------------------------
Income (Loss) from Operations   $2.9 million    $0.4 million
-------------------------------------------------------------
Net Income (Loss)               $1.4 million   $(0.4) million
-------------------------------------------------------------
EPS (Fully Diluted) (Loss)         $0.26          $(0.10)
-------------------------------------------------------------


-------------------------------------------------------------
Full Year 2014 Results
-------------------------------------------------------------
                                  FY 2014         FY 2013
-------------------------------------------------------------
Sales                          $124.2 million  $128.7 million
-------------------------------------------------------------
Gross Profit                   $14.5 million    $3.3 million
-------------------------------------------------------------
Income (Loss) from Operations   $8.5 million   ($2.6) million
-------------------------------------------------------------
Net Income (Loss)               $1.9 million   ($4.1) million
-------------------------------------------------------------
EPS (Fully Diluted) (Loss)         $0.39          ($1.66)
-------------------------------------------------------------

Fourth Quarter of 2014 Financial Results

For the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2014, net revenue decreased 26% to $49.2 million due to a significant decrease in sales in our trading business which totaled $9.0 million as compared to $41.1 million in the same period in 2013. largely due to price decline and weak demand for metal ore. Revenues from our recycling business in the fourth quarter of 2014 increased to $40.2 million as compared to $25.1 million in the same period in 2013. Gross profit for the fourth quarter of 2014 was $4.2 million as compared to $2.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2013. We recorded operating income of 2.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2014 as compared to operating income of $0.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2013. Our operations resulted in a net income of $1.4 million or $ 0.29 per diluted share in the fourth quarter of 2014 compared to net loss of ($0.4) million in the fourth quarter of 2013, or $(0.10) per diluted share. Diluted loss per share was $0.39 and ($1.66) for the year ended December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively.

Results for the Year Ended December 31, 2014

Net revenues in 2014 was $124.2 million, a 3.5% decrease from $128.7 million in 2013. By business section, the net revenues from our metal recycling business significantly increased by $40.1 million, or by 62%, to $105.0 million, compared to 2013; our net revenues for our trading business decreased approximately 70.0% in 2014 to $19.2 million, compared to $63.8 million in 2013. The increases in recycling business sales are mainly attributable to the increase in the sale of billet and scrap steel, of which the former product is a new product we carry in 2014. To manage market risk and in responding to the significant price decline and oversupply of metal ores, we significantly decreased our metal ores trading business activities resulted in sharp decline in trading business sales. Our recycling business sold approximately 193,106 metric tons ("MT") scrap metals in 2014, increased 35,334 MT or 22.4%, compared to 2013. In 2014, our production increased by 26.7% to 182,776 MT from 144,239 MT in 2013. Our recycling business accounted for approximately 85% of our total revenue and continued to exceed our trading business as the largest source of our net revenue. Gross profit for the full year 2014 was $14.5 million, an increase of 339% from $3.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2013. Gross margins significantly increased to 11.7% in 2014 compared to 3.0% in 2013, primarily due to the significantly increased margins on our sales of scrap metals in our recycling operations which we sorted out and produced high value of non ferrous scraps from the raw materials of scraps acquired at lower cost. Gross margins were also positively impacted by an inventory reserve of reversal of $0.5 million as result of the price recovered from the write-off in the previous period.

Operating expenses of $6.0 million in 2014 slightly increased by $0.1 million, or 2% compared to 2013, primarily due to the increase in selling expense of $0.13 million and an increase in profession fee of $0.1 million. The increase was partially offset by the decrease of $0.15 million in operating cost of idle manufacturing facility as result of higher output at our facility. General and administrative expenses, one of our major operating costs, remained flat at $3.4 million compared to 2013.

Our net income in 2014 was $1.9 million, compared to net loss of $4.1 million in 2013. The significant improvement in profit is primarily due to the substantial increase in gross profit to $14.5 million with gross margin of 12% in 2014 from $3.3 million with a gross margin of 3% in 2013, partially offset by a $0.1 million increase in total operating expenses, and a $2.9 million increase in total other expenses.

In reviewing the financial performance for the quarter and year ended 2014, Mr. Kexuan Yao, Chairman and CEO of China Armco, was pleased that the company was able to turn around and post profits during this past year. Mr. Yao remarked that, "2014 was a milestone for the company as we achieved first positive annual financial result since our recycling facility putting into operation. While we suffered the effects of rapidly declining prices and weaken market demand, we were able to manage risk and make profits in 2014 by constantly improving operation efficiency, adjusting product line and developing business model in responding to market change. The recycling business continued to be our largest source of revenue and we continue to believe the metal recycling business will continue to be the major growth driver for our company."

Mr. Yao further stated that "We intend to further our improvements in cost control, developing and streamlining our supply chain, and the establishment of long term strategic partnership with key clients. As we position the company for a cyclical recovery in the steel industry we will continue our efforts to obtain additional qualifications and licenses to increase our business, and build our brand in the industry. We have driven gross margin improvement significantly in a very challenging environment while improving operation efficiently and reducing costs significantly. We believe this will serve as a springboard for significant financial improvement when our end markets improve."

Select Balance Sheet Items

As of December 31, 2014, the Company had $1.9 million in cash and cash equivalents, compared to $0.6 million at year-end 2013. The Company had working capital of $15.6 million and a current ratio of 1.38:1 on December 31, 2014 compared to $0.8 million and 1.02:1 on December 31, 2013. As of December 31, 2014, shareholders' equity was $54.6 million, 28%up from $42.6 million at the end of 2013.

Business Outlook

Our financial performance during 2014 showed substantially higher gross margin in comparison to 2013 as a result of a significant improvement in our recycling operations which we sorted out and produced high value of non ferrous scraps from the raw materials of scraps acquired at lower cost. Looking at 2015, management believes China's steel demand is expected to grow at a slower pace while China's crude steel output growth expect to fall in 2015 and domestic steel prices are estimated to remain at cyclically low levels based on the view that the domestic steel production overcapacity and global oversupply of iron ore would continue to exist in 2015. In the middle and long term, we believe that the low income housing construction, ongoing urbanization and increasing domestic consumption in China will continue to support the growth of the steel industry. In additional, recently China's proposal of building the Silk Road economic belt, aims to better connect the Asian and European markets, would be a mitigation for current excess capacity by assisting with massive infrastructure projects. In the long run, we also expect our recycling business to benefit substantially from the measures and policies to be implemented gradually by the Chinese government according to its 12th Five Year Plan (2011-2015). Under this plan, China intends to restructure its iron and steel industry to be more energy efficient and have increased environmental protection by adopting and developing the most advanced technology in the world. According to China Association of Metal scrap utilization (CAMU), year 2015 to 2020 would be a Climax of automatic and vessels recycling, with the rapid accumulation of the steel scrap and the requirement for energy conservation and emission reduction, extensive use of recycled steel would be foreseeable.

In our trading business we significantly decreased metal ore trading activities in responding to the high volatility and substantial decline in metal ore prices in 2014. The imported iron ore price and other metal ore prices has been declining significantly due to global oversupply and weaken domestic demand in China. We anticipate the price of iron ore may stay at its current low level in 2015 for the reasons described. While we continued to maintain our business relationship with worldwide suppliers and stabilize our supply capacity for metal ore products and believe that our effort to build our supply capacity will benefit us in the long term and strengthen our market position in the industry in the PRC, we have developed and added new products in our trading business product line, such as certain steel products and wood products. We will continue to develop new products to diversify our trading business to reduce volatility and improve profitability.

In our recycling business we achieved strong growth both in sales and gross margin despite weak market for steep scrap in 2014 as described above. Looking forward, in the long-term, we believe the country's ongoing urbanization process and the implementation of building the Silk Road economic belt will increase new steel demand and eventually drive the steel scrap market during the 13th Five-Year-Plan period. We intend to devote a significant amount of our resources towards the improvement of our operations and if appropriate, its expansion. At the same time, we will continue to pursue our strategy to create a local network of raw material suppliers for our recycling facility and expand our oversea supply channels. In addition, we will continue to develop platform model in recycling business to obtain more customers and business opportunities under the model in the coming years.

The conference call will take place at 5:30 p.m. ET on Monday, March 30, 2015. To attend the call, please use the dial-in information below. When prompted, ask for the "Armco Metals call" and/or be prepared to provide the conference ID.

Conference Call

Date: Monday, March 30, 2015 Time: 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time, US Conference Line Dial-In (U.S.): 1-877-407-9210 International Dial-In: 1-201-689-8050 Conference ID#13605427: 2014 Fourth Quarter and Year End Financial Results Call Webcast link: http://www.investorcalendar.com/IC/CEPage.asp?ID=173781

The playback of the webcast can be accessed until 06/30/2015

Teleconference Replay:

Replay Number (Toll Free): 1-877-660-6853 Replay Number (International): 1-201-612-7415

Replay Passcode needs Conference ID# 13605427 Teleconference will be available for replay until 11:59 PM Apr 14, 2015

ABOUT ARMCO METALS HOLDINGS, INC.

Armco Metals Holdings, Inc. is engaged in the sale and distribution of metal ore and non-ferrous metals throughout China and is in the recycling business in China. Armco Metals' customers include some of the fastest growing steel producing mills and foundries throughout China. Raw materials are acquired from a global group of suppliers located in various countries, including, but not limited to, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Ukraine and the United States. Armco Metals' product lines include ferrous and non-ferrous ore, iron ore, chrome ore, nickel ore, magnesium, copper ore, manganese ore, steel billet and recycled scrap metals. For more information about Armco Metals, please visit http://www.armcometals.com.

SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT

In connection with the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Armco Metals Holdings, Inc., is hereby providing cautionary statements identifying important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements (as defined in such act). Any statements that are not historical facts and that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, indicated through the use of words or phrases such as "will likely result," "are expected to," "will continue," "is anticipated," "estimated," "intends," "plans," "believes" and "projects") are forward-looking and involve estimates and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. These statements include, but are not limited to, our expectations regarding our revenues and production related to our scrap metal recycling operations, pricing and demand for our product lines and the extent of government imposed energy and monetary policy restrictions and resulting blackouts and associated impact on our trading and recycling operations.

We caution that investors should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements herein. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances. This press release is qualified in its entirety by the following, including, but not limited to, any expectations with respect to the Company's revenues and operations, institution of governmental regulations relating to our businesses and the international economic climate, and the cautionary statements and risk factor disclosure contained in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, and our subsequent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.




                        ARMCO METALS HOLDINGS, INC.
   CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

                                          For the Year       For the Year
                                             Ended              Ended
                                       December 31, 2014  December 31, 2013
                                       -----------------  -----------------

NET REVENUES                           $     124,186,989  $     128,738,194

COST OF GOODS SOLD                           109,651,864        125,426,672
                                       -----------------  -----------------

GROSS PROFIT                                  14,535,125          3,311,522

OPERATING EXPENSES:
  Selling expenses                               307,289            177,118
  Professional fees                              607,513            512,474
  General and administrative expenses          3,429,182          3,397,191
  Operating cost of idle manufacturing
   facility                                    1,692,476          1,840,967
                                       -----------------  -----------------

    Total operating expenses                   6,036,460          5,927,750
                                       -----------------  -----------------

INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS                  8,498,665         (2,616,228)
                                       -----------------  -----------------

OTHER (INCOME) EXPENSE:
  Interest income                                (99,637)          (325,256)
  Interest expense                             3,460,820          2,157,156
  Investment loss                                394,565                  -
  Change in fair value of derivative
   liabilities                                   107,378           (929,883)
  Loan guarantee expense                          13,002             45,733
  Other expense                                   70,112            145,849
                                       -----------------  -----------------

    Total other expense                        3,946,240          1,093,599
                                       -----------------  -----------------

INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE INCOME TAX
 PROVISION                                     4,552,425         (3,709,827)

INCOME TAX PROVISION                           2,685,764            421,585
                                       -----------------  -----------------

NET INCOME (LOSS)                              1,866,661         (4,131,412)

OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS):
  Change in unrealized income (loss)
   on marketable securities                      265,370           (694,512)
  Foreign currency translation gain
   (loss)                                       (303,400)         1,367,863
                                       -----------------  -----------------

COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)            $       1,828,631  $      (3,458,061)
                                       =================  =================

NET INCOME (LOSS) PER COMMON SHARE -
 BASIC AND DILUTED:

  Net income (loss) per common share -
   basic and diluted                   $            0.39  $           (1.66)
                                       =================  =================

  Weighted Average Common Shares
   Outstanding - basic and diluted             4,785,073          2,488,662
                                       =================  =================




                        ARMCO METALS HOLDINGS, INC.
                        CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS


                                       December 31, 2014  December 31, 2013
                                       -----------------  -----------------

ASSETS
CURRENT ASSETS:
  Cash                                 $       1,884,887  $         596,557
  Pledged deposits                               498,615          4,652,222
  Marketable securities                           73,943            519,129
  Accounts receivable, net                    43,202,886         25,595,516
  Inventories                                  9,154,463         20,456,920
  Advance on purchases                         1,093,402            733,285
  Prepayments and other current assets         1,164,603          1,181,371
                                       -----------------  -----------------

    Total Current Assets                      57,072,799         53,735,000

Property, plant and equipment, net            32,563,929         35,495,678
                                       -----------------  -----------------

Land use rights, net                           6,108,283          6,265,301

Deferred tax assets                              279,563                  -
                                       -----------------  -----------------

      Total Assets                     $      96,024,574  $      95,495,979
                                       =================  =================

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
  Loans payable                        $      17,011,843  $      27,415,638
  Banker's acceptance notes payable
   and letters of credit                       1,767,790          8,473,217
  Current maturities of capital lease
   obligation                                    720,819            904,990
  Accounts payable                             5,497,866         10,062,463
  Advances received from Chairman and
   CEO                                           877,076            668,332
  Due to related parties                         717,703            403,141
  Customer deposits                            1,467,281            649,488
  Corporate income tax payable                   815,073            822,207
  Derivative liabilities                               -             61,429
  Value added tax and other taxes
   payable                                     5,747,470          2,202,331
  Deferred tax liabilities                     2,965,196                  -
  Accrued expenses and other current
   liabilities                                 3,850,095          1,228,753
                                       -----------------  -----------------

    Total Current Liabilities                 41,438,212         52,891,989


      Total Liabilities                       41,438,212         52,891,989
                                       -----------------  -----------------


STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY:
  Preferred stock, $0.001 par value;
   1,000,000 shares authorized; none
   issued or outstanding                               -                  -
  Common stock, $0.001 par value,
   200,000,000 shares authorized,
   5,615,088 and 2,987,633 shares
   issued and outstanding as of
   December 31, 2014 and 2013,
   respectively                                    5,615              2,988
  Additional paid-in capital                  45,968,908         35,817,794
  Retained earnings                            4,491,948          2,625,287
  Accumulated other comprehensive
   income (loss):
    Change in unrealized loss on
     marketable securities                      (429,142)          (694,512)
    Foreign currency translation gain          4,549,033          4,852,433
                                       -----------------  -----------------

    Total Stockholders' Equity                54,586,362         42,603,990
                                       -----------------  -----------------

    Total Liabilities and
     Stockholders' Equity              $      96,024,574  $      95,495,979
                                       =================  =================




                   CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

                                          For the Year       For the Year
                                             Ended              Ended
                                       December 31, 2014  December 31, 2013
                                       -----------------  -----------------
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income (loss)                      $       1,866,661  $      (4,131,412)
Adjustments to reconcile net income
 (loss) to net cash provided by (used
 in) operating activities
  Depreciation expense                         2,800,253          2,847,606
  Amortization expense                           122,821            145,499
  Allowance for doubtful accounts                188,644                  -
  Deferred income taxes                        2,685,764                  -
  Change in fair value of derivative
   liabilities                                   107,378           (929,883)
  Loss on sales of marketable
   securities                                    394,565
  Amortization of debt discount                2,003,611              8,004
  Stock based compensation                     1,096,791          1,377,715
  Stock issued for third-party
   services                                      296,427                  -
  Shares issued for financing cost                     -             21,155
Adjustments to reconcile net income
 (loss) to net cash provided by (used
 in) operating activities
  Changes in operating assets and
   liabilities:
    Bank acceptance notes receivable                   -             (8,072)
    Accounts receivable                      (17,742,468)        (9,319,280)
    Inventories                               11,190,448         (6,546,757)
    Advance on purchases                        (447,153)         1,556,395
    Prepayments and other current
     assets                                      (83,560)          (780,339)
    Banker's acceptance notes payable
     and letters of credit                    (6,659,154)          (422,970)
    Accounts payable                          (4,591,815)         8,690,406
    Customer deposits                            821,405           (957,536)
    Taxes payable                              3,552,224             92,685
    Accrued expenses and other current
     liabilities                               2,946,943         (1,163,596)
                                       -----------------  -----------------

NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN)
 OPERATING ACTIVITIES                            549,785         (9,520,380)

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
  Proceeds from release of pledged
   deposits                                    5,944,745         21,162,708
  Payment made towards pledged
   deposits                                   (1,816,491)       (21,077,956)
  Purchase of property, plant and
   equipment                                        (341)          (167,962)
  Cash received from sales of
   marketable securities                         315,991                  -
                                       -----------------  -----------------

NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN)
 INVESTING ACTIVITIES                          4,443,904            (83,210)

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
  Proceeds from loans payable                 20,706,925         49,611,412
  Repayment of loans payable                 (24,705,403)       (39,959,898)
  Repayment of capital lease
   obligation                                   (179,102)        (3,552,805)
  Advances from (repayment to)
   Chairman and CEO                              204,071            754,740
  Advances from (repayment to) related
   parties                                       316,795            368,081
  Proceeds from convertible notes                678,500                  -
  Proceeds from sales of common stock                  -          1,621,356
                                       -----------------  -----------------

NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN)
 FINANCING ACTIVITIES                         (2,978,214)         8,842,886

EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON
 CASH                                           (727,145)            (9,910)
                                       -----------------  -----------------

NET CHANGE IN CASH                             1,288,330           (770,614)

Cash at beginning of the year                    596,557          1,367,171
                                       -----------------  -----------------

Cash at end of the year                $       1,884,887  $         596,557
                                       =================  =================

SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE OF CASH FLOWS
 INFORMATION:
    Interest paid                      $         429,546  $       1,951,630
                                       =================  =================
    Income taxes paid                  $           5,197  $          12,615
                                       =================  =================

NON CASH FINANCING AND INVESTING
 ACTIVITIES:
  Reclassification of derivative
   liability from equity               $       2,119,627  $         623,809
                                       =================  =================
  Reclassification from short-term
   debt to convertible debt            $       5,554,468  $               -
                                       =================  =================
  Reclassification from other payable
   to short-term debt                  $         104,133  $               -
                                       =================  =================
  Debt discount due to convertible
   feature                             $       1,950,820  $          60,795
                                       =================  =================
  Common shares issued for conversion
   of advances from Chairman and CEO   $               -  $       1,045,369
                                       =================  =================
  Common shares issued for conversion
   of debt and accrued interest        $       6,640,896  $         816,593
                                       =================  =================

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Armco Metals Holdings, Inc.
US Investor Relations Contact
Christina Xiong
Office: 650.212.7620
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.armcometals.com

China
Ripple Zhang
Office: 86-21-62375286
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.armcometals.com

Source: Armco Metals Holdings, Inc.



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