Matrix Service Company Announces Results for the First Quarter Ended September 30, 2012

First Quarter Highlights:

• Backlog at record $534.6 million with project awards of $246.8 million
• Quarterly revenues were $209.6 million, an increase of 23.8%
• Fully diluted earnings per share increase 38.5% to $0.18
• Company reaffirms fiscal 2013 earnings and revenue guidance

TULSA, Okla., Nov. 8, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Matrix Service Company (Nasdaq:MTRX) today reported its financial results for the first quarter ended September 30, 2012. In the quarter, the Company experienced strong growth in new contract awards resulting in record backlog of $534.6 million as of September 30, 2012. The Company's strategic investments and business development efforts have resulted in significant new transmission and distribution projects and emerging opportunities in the mining and minerals market. In addition to the strategic growth areas, our core business continues to perform well, resulting in record quarterly revenue of $209.6 million.

John R. Hewitt, President and CEO of Matrix Service Company, said: "Our performance in the quarter is consistent with our strategic focus and we are seeing significant business activity across all operating segments. Consistent with our vision, we continue to invest in strategic end markets, resulting in exciting new contract awards and greater diversity in our business."

Financial Results

Revenues for the first quarter ended September 30, 2012 were $209.6 million compared to $169.3 million in the same period a year earlier, an increase of $40.3 million, or 23.8%. Net income for the first quarter of fiscal 2013 was $4.7 million, or $0.18 per fully diluted share.  In the same period a year earlier the Company earned $3.5 million, or $0.13 per fully diluted share.

Consolidated gross profit was $22.2 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2013 compared to $18.1 million in the same period a year earlier primarily due to higher revenues. Revenues increased in our Oil Gas & Chemical, Electrical Infrastructure and Storage Solutions segments by $21.3 million, $11.3 million and $9.3 million, respectively. Gross margins were 10.6% in the first quarter of fiscal 2013 versus 10.7% in the first quarter of fiscal 2012. In line with our plan, selling, general and administrative costs increased by $2.8 million, or 24.3%. This increase is primarily related to our planned investments in the branding initiative and strategic growth areas. In addition, the first quarter results include a bad debt charge of $0.7 million. SG&A expense as a percentage of revenue remained unchanged at 6.8%.

Backlog

Backlog at September 30, 2012 totaled $534.6 million, an increase of $37.1 million, or 7.5%, compared to the backlog at June 30, 2012 of $497.5 million. Project awards in the first quarter totaled $246.8 million.

Financial Position

At September 30, 2012, the Company's cash balance was $17.2 million. The cash balance along with availability under the senior credit facility gives the Company liquidity of $125.6 million. The cash balance at September 30, 2012, which has increased to approximately $50 million at the end of October, was lower than the previous quarter due to a high volume of time and material work and short-term maintenance projects at the end of the first quarter.

Stock Repurchase Program

On November 6, 2012 the Board of Directors approved an extension of the Company's Stock Repurchase Program which was set to expire on December 31, 2012. Under the extension, which expires at the end of calendar year 2014, the Company has authorization to purchase up to 2.1 million shares.

Earnings Guidance

The Company is reaffirming fiscal 2013 guidance of revenue between $800 million and $850 million and earnings between $0.83 and $0.98 per fully diluted share.

Conference Call Details

In conjunction with the earnings release, Matrix Service Company will host a conference call with John R. Hewitt, President and CEO, and Kevin S. Cavanah, Vice President and CFO. The call will take place at 11:00 a.m. (Eastern) / 10:00 a.m. (Central) on Friday, November 9, 2012 and will be simultaneously broadcast live over the Internet which can be accessed at the Company's website at www.matrixservicecompany.com on the Investors' page under Conference Calls/Events. Please allow extra time prior to the call to visit the site and download the streaming media software required to listen to the Internet broadcast. The conference call will be recorded and will be available for replay within one hour of completion of the live call and can be accessed following the same link as the live call.

About Matrix Service Company

Matrix Service Company provides engineering, fabrication, construction and repair and maintenance services to the Electrical Infrastructure, Oil Gas & Chemical, Storage Solutions and Industrial markets.

The Company is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with regional operating facilities throughout the United States and Canada.

This release contains forward-looking statements that are made in reliance upon the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are generally accompanied by words such as "anticipate," "continues," "expect," "forecast," "outlook," "believe," "estimate," "should" and "will" and words of similar effect that convey future meaning, concerning the Company's operations, economic performance and management's best judgment as to what may occur in the future.  Future events involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those we currently anticipate. The actual results for the current and future periods and other corporate developments will depend upon a number of economic, competitive and other influences, including those factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" and "Forward Looking Statements" sections and elsewhere in the Company's reports and filings made from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Many of these risks and uncertainties are beyond the control of the Company, and any one of which, or a combination of which, could materially and adversely affect the results of the Company's operations and its financial condition. We undertake no obligation to update information contained in this release.