Westmoreland Reports Third Quarter 2016 Results; U

ENGLEWOOD, Colo., Nov. 01, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Westmoreland Coal Company (Nasdaq: WLB ) today reported financial results for the third quarter and updated its 2016 guidance.

Third Quarter Highlights

• Revenues of $370.7 million from 13.9 million tons sold
• Net loss applicable to common shareholders of $8.5 million, or $0.46 per share
• Adjusted EBITDA of $71.2 million, a new quarterly record

Nine Month Highlights

• Revenues of $1,081.7 million from 39.7 million tons sold
• Net loss applicable to common shareholders of $3.3 million, or $0.18 per share, including a sizable tax benefit
• Adjusted EBITDA of $179.0 million
• Cash flow provided by operating activities of $84.2 million
• Free cash flow of $56.3 million

“We delivered record high quarterly adjusted EBITDA. These results were driven by solid demand and demonstrate the benefits of our diverse portfolio, ability to execute, and the strength of our business model. Similar to other quarters, we generated impressive free cash flow as a result of our focus on cost containment, cash flow initiatives, and capital spending management,” said Westmoreland Chief Executive Officer, Kevin Paprzycki. “During the quarter, we also acted quickly to better position Coal Valley when Newcastle pricing increased. We hedged 100% of the 2017 Coal Valley production at prices that will result in breakeven cash flow. This compares very favorably to the projected $10 million cash drag in 2016. We are aggressively evaluating all alternatives for these operations including potential monetization.”

Paprzycki commented on the outlook, “We have executed well this year and are on track to set another adjusted EBITDA record in the fourth quarter. This gives us confidence to tighten our guidance ranges so we now expect to produce full year 2016 adjusted EBITDA in the range of $255 million to $265 million and free cash flow in the range of $75 million to $85 million.”

Safety

Westmoreland’s commitment to safety in all aspects of its operations is again reflected in the safety metrics.

Consolidated and Segment Results

Consolidated adjusted EBITDA for the third quarter was $71.2 million, 48% above the same period in 2015. Contributing to this result was the adjusted EBITDA growth within Coal - U.S. driven by strong demand from the favorable summer weather, successful operations and the San Juan acquisition which continues to exceed expectations. The Coal - WMLP segment also contributed as it, too, benefited from the favorable weather, improved operations and more consistent customer uptime than experienced in the third quarter of 2015. Coal - Canada saw adjusted EBITDA decline 26% primarily from the loan and lease receivable billings being $6.1 million less than the accelerated amount included during 2015’s third quarter.

Nine month consolidated adjusted EBITDA was $179.0 million, 12% higher than the same period last year. This result was influenced by the same factors: favorable weather-driven demand in the U.S. benefiting Coal - U.S. and Coal - WMLP; the addition of San Juan in January of 2016; and in Canada, lower year-to-date loan and lease receivable as well as record rainfall creating less efficient operating conditions at some facilities.

Cash Flow and Liquidity

Westmoreland’s free cash flow through September 30, 2016, was $56.3 million. Free cash flow is the net of cash flow provided by operations of $84.2 million, less capital expenditures of $30.6 million, plus net cash collected under certain contracts for loan and lease receivables of $2.7 million. Included in cash flow provided by operations were cash uses for interest expense of $79.1 million, for asset retirement obligations of $22.1 million, and a source of cash from working capital changes of $14.9 million.

At September 30, 2016, cash and cash equivalents on hand across the parent, San Juan and the MLP, totaled $28.9 million, a $6.0 million increase from year end. The increase was comprised of free cash flow generation of $56.3 million; proceeds from asset sales of $6.2 million; net cash debt reductions including capital lease payments of $45.9 million; cash used, net of loan proceeds received, to purchase San Juan of $3.1 million; cash used for debt issuance of $7.2 million; and cash required for bonding of $0.3 million.

Gross debt plus capital lease obligations at quarter end totaled $1,166.0 million. The increase from year end is attributable to the San Juan financing. There was $36.3 million available to draw, net of letters of credit, on the revolving credit facility.

Full-Year Guidance

Westmoreland’s updated 2016 guidance is:

Notes

Westmoreland presents certain non-GAAP financial measures including adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow that management believes provide meaningful supplemental information and provide meaningful comparability to prior periods. Reconciliations of non-GAAP to GAAP measures are presented in the accompanying tables.

Conference Call

Westmoreland Coal Company will conduct a joint earnings conference call with Westmoreland Resource Partners, LP (NYSE: WMLP ), on November 1, 2016, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time. Participants may join the call using the numbers below:

About Westmoreland Coal Company

Westmoreland Coal Company is the oldest independent coal company in the United States. Westmoreland’s coal operations include surface coal mines in the United States and Canada, underground coal mines in Ohio and New Mexico, a char production facility, and a 50% interest in an activated carbon plant. Westmoreland also owns the general partner of and a majority interest in Westmoreland Resource Partners, LP, a publicly-traded coal master limited partnership (NYSE: WMLP ). Its power operations include ownership of the two-unit ROVA coal-fired power plant in North Carolina. For more information, visit www.westmoreland.com .

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Forward-looking statements are based on Westmoreland’s current expectations and assumptions regarding its business, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Westmoreland cautions you against relying on any of these forward-looking statements. They are statements neither of historical fact nor guarantees or assurances of future performance. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include political, economic, business, competitive, market, weather and regulatory conditions.

Any forward-looking statements made by Westmoreland in this news release speak only as of the date on which it was made. Westmoreland undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

Westmoreland Coal Company and Subsidiaries Summary Consolidated and Operating Segment Data (Unaudited)

* Not meaningful

* Not meaningful

Westmoreland Coal Company and Subsidiaries Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited)

Westmoreland Coal Company and Subsidiaries Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)

Westmoreland Coal Company and Subsidiaries Consolidated Balance Sheets (Continued) (Unaudited)

Westmoreland Coal Company and Subsidiaries Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)

Westmoreland Coal Company and Subsidiaries Non-GAAP Reconciliations (Unaudited)

The tables below show how the Company calculates and reconciles to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure EBITDA; Adjusted EBITDA, including a breakdown by segment; and free cash flow.

EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow are supplemental measures of financial performance that are not required by, or presented in accordance with, GAAP. EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow are included in this news release because they are key metrics used by management to assess Westmoreland’s operating performance and as a basis for strategic planning and forecasting. Westmoreland believes that EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, and free cash flow are useful to an investor in evaluating the Company’s operating performance because these measures:

• are used widely by investors to measure a company’s operating performance without regard to items excluded from the calculation of such terms, which can vary substantially from company to company depending upon accounting methods and book value of assets, capital structure and the method by which assets were acquired, among other factors;
• are used by rating agencies, lenders and other parties to evaluate creditworthiness; and 
• help investors to more meaningfully evaluate and compare the results of Westmoreland’s operations from period to period by removing the effect of the Company’s capital structure and asset base from the Company’s operating results.

Neither EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA nor free cash flow are measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. The items excluded from EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow are significant in assessing Westmoreland’s operating results. EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, and free cash flow have limitations as analytical tools, and should not be considered in isolation from, or as a substitute for, analysis of the Company’s results as reported under GAAP.

Other companies in Westmoreland’s industry and in other industries may calculate EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow differently from the way that Westmoreland does, limiting their usefulness as comparative measures. Because of these limitations, EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow should not be considered as measures of discretionary cash available to the Company to invest in the growth of its business. Westmoreland compensates for these limitations by relying primarily on its GAAP results and using EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow only as supplemental data.

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA

EBITDA (earnings before interest expense, interest income, income taxes, depreciation, depletion, amortization and accretion expense) and Adjusted EBITDA are non-GAAP measures that do not reflect the Company’s cash expenditures, or future requirements for capital and major maintenance expenditures or contractual commitments; do not reflect income tax expenses or the cash requirements necessary to pay income taxes; do not reflect changes in, or cash requirements for, the Company’s working capital needs; and do not reflect the significant interest expense, or the cash requirements necessary to service interest or principal payments, on certain of the Company’s debt obligations. In addition, although depreciation and amortization are non-cash charges, the assets being depreciated and amortized will often have to be replaced in the future and EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect any cash requirements for such replacements. Westmoreland considers Adjusted EBITDA to be useful because it reflects operating performance before the effects of certain non-cash items and other items that it believes are not indicative of core operations. The Company uses Adjusted EBITDA to assess operating performance.

___________________ ⁽¹⁾   Includes the impact of cost of sales related to the sale of inventory written up to fair value in the acquisition of Westmoreland Resources GP, LLC, the general partner of WMLP. ⁽²⁾   Represents a return of and on capital. These amounts are not included in operating income or operating cash flows, as the capital outlays are treated as loan and lease receivables but are included within Adjusted EBITDA so that the cash received by the Company is treated consistently with all other contracts within the Company that do not result in loan and lease receivable accounting.

Free Cash Flow

Free cash flow represents net cash provided (used) by operating activities less additions to property, plant and equipment (“CAPEX” or “capital expenditures”) plus net customer payments received under loan and lease receivable. Free cash flow is a non-GAAP measure and should not be considered as an alternative to cash and cash equivalents, cash flow from operations, cash flow from investing activities, cash flow from financing activities, net income (loss) or any other measure of performance presented in accordance with GAAP. Free cash flow is intended to represent cash flow available to satisfy our debts, after giving consideration to those expenses required to maintain our assets and infrastructure. Accordingly, although free cash flow is not a measure of performance calculated in accordance with GAAP, the Company believes free cash flow is useful to investors because it allows analysts and others in the industry to assess performance, liquidity and ability to satisfy debt requirements.

For further information please contact Gary Kohn, Vice President Investor Relations 1-720-354-4467 gkohn@westmoreland.com