Pool Corporation Reports Record 2016 Results and P

Highlights include:

• Record 2016 diluted EPS of $3.47, an increase of 20% over 2015
• Record annual sales of $2.57 billion
• Record 2016 operating margin of 10.0%
• 2017 diluted EPS guidance of $3.80 to $4.00

COVINGTON, La., Feb. 16, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pool Corporation (NASDAQ: POOL ) today announced fourth quarter and full year 2016 results.

“2016 proved to be a year of excellent results.  We are pleased with the solid sales growth and even stronger profit growth, which we attribute to a combination of favorable weather and strong execution.  We yet again increased our operating margin, achieving 10.0% in 2016, by leveraging infrastructure and process improvements.  This is what can be achieved with a focused team of professionals who effectively grow our business while adding exceptional value to our customers’ and vendors’ businesses,” commented Manuel Perez de la Mesa, President and CEO.

Net sales for the year ended December 31, 2016 increased 9% to a record high of $2.57 billion, compared to $2.36 billion in 2015.  The 7% improvement in base business sales for the year contributed much of this increase.  Warmer than average temperatures, especially in the beginning and end of the year, lengthened the 2016 season and benefited sales.  Sales were also bolstered by growth in pool remodeling, equipment replacement, commercial products and swimming pool construction.

Gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2016 reached a record $741.1 million, a 10% increase over gross profit of $675.6 million in 2015.  Gross profit as a percentage of net sales (gross margin) grew 20 basis points to 28.8% for 2016 compared to 28.6% in 2015.  Gross margin for the year benefited from continued improvements in supply chain management and disciplined execution.

Selling and administrative expenses (operating expenses) for 2016 increased 6% to $485.2 million from $459.4 million in 2015, with base business operating expenses up approximately 4% over last year.  The increase in base business operating expenses was primarily due to higher growth-driven labor costs, building rent and freight.

Operating income for the year improved 18% to $255.9 million from $216.2 million in 2015.  Operating income as a percentage of net sales (operating margin) increased to a record 10.0% in 2016 compared to 9.1% in 2015.

Net income attributable to Pool Corporation increased 16% to a record $149.0 million in 2016 compared to $128.3 million in 2015.  Earnings per share was up 20% to a record $3.47 per diluted share compared to $2.90 per diluted share in 2015.  Adjusted EBITDA (as defined in the addendum to this release) increased 19% to $287.0 million in 2016 compared to $241.8 million in 2015, or 11.2% of net sales in 2016 compared to 10.2% of net sales in 2015.

On the balance sheet at December 31, 2016, total net receivables, including pledged receivables, increased 6% over the prior year, consistent with sales growth.  Inventory levels grew 2% to $486.1 million compared to $474.3 million last year.  Total debt outstanding was $438.0 million, an increase of $110.0 million or 34% over the prior year’s balance, primarily due to increased share repurchases in 2016.

Cash provided by operations was $165.4 million in 2016, or $16.8 million more than net income.  Compared to 2015, cash provided by operations was $19.3 million higher primarily due to the increase in net income.

Net sales for the fourth quarter increased 7% to $445.2 million compared to $415.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2015.  Gross margin improved 20 basis points to 28.7% in the fourth quarter of 2016.  Operating income for the fourth quarter of 2016 was $9.7 million compared to $6.0 million in the same period last year.  Interest and other non-operating expenses, net increased $2.8 million to $4.5 million for the fourth quarter of 2016 versus $1.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2015.  Net income attributable to Pool Corporation for the fourth quarter of 2016 was $2.6 million compared to $2.5 million in the comparable 2015 period.  Earnings per diluted share for both the fourth quarter of 2016 and 2015 was $0.06.

“Building on our results for 2016, we anticipate earnings for 2017 will be in the range of $3.80 to $4.00 per diluted share.  This range does not include the anticipated favorable impact from the adoption in 2017 of new accounting guidance related to the income tax treatment of compensation from share-based awards.  We are excited for the challenge of delivering strong growth in the coming year, and look forward to the opportunity to leverage our strengths as we continue to provide exceptional value to our customers and suppliers.  We are certainly uniquely positioned and committed to helping our customers grow and succeed as we have been doing for the past 23 years,” said Perez de la Mesa.

POOLCORP is the world’s largest wholesale distributor of swimming pool and related backyard products.  As of December 31, 2016, POOLCORP operates 344 sales centers in North America, Europe, South America and Australia, through which it distributes more than 160,000 national brand and private label products to roughly 100,000 wholesale customers.  For more information, please visit www.poolcorp.com .

This news release includes “forward-looking” statements that involve risk and uncertainties that are generally identifiable through the use of words such as “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “estimate,” “project,” “should”  and similar expressions and include projections of earnings.  The forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise such statements to reflect new circumstances or unanticipated events as they occur.  Actual results may differ materially due to a variety of factors, including the sensitivity of our business to weather conditions, changes in the economy and the housing market, our ability to maintain favorable relationships with suppliers and manufacturers, competition from other leisure product alternatives and mass merchants and other risks detailed in POOLCORP’s 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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⁽¹⁾   Derived from audited financial statements.

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⁽¹⁾   Derived from audited financial statements.

⁽²⁾   The allowance for doubtful accounts was $4.1 million at December 31, 2016 and $4.2 million at December 31, 2015.

⁽³⁾   The inventory reserve was $6.5 million at December 31, 2016 and $7.0 million at December 31, 2015.

⁽⁴⁾   Net financing costs of $1.1 million were included in Long-term debt, net at December 31, 2016 and net financing costs of $1.7 million at December 31, 2015 were reclassed from Other assets to Long-term debt, net upon adoption of ASU 2015-03 in the first quarter of 2016. 

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⁽¹⁾   Derived from audited financial statements.

ADDENDUM

Base Business

The following tables break out our consolidated results into the base business component and the excluded components (sales centers excluded from base business):

We have excluded the following acquisitions from base business for the periods identified:

⁽¹⁾   We acquired certain distribution assets of each of these companies.

When calculating our base business results, we exclude sales centers that are acquired, closed or opened in new markets for a period of 15 months.  We also exclude consolidated sales centers when we do not expect to maintain the majority of the existing business and existing sales centers that are consolidated with acquired sales centers.

We generally allocate corporate overhead expenses to excluded sales centers on the basis of their net sales as a percentage of total net sales.  After 15 months of operations, we include acquired, consolidated and new market sales centers in the base business calculation including the comparative prior year period.

The table below summarizes the changes in our sales centers during 2016.

Adjusted EBITDA

We define Adjusted EBITDA as net income or net loss plus interest expense, income taxes, depreciation, amortization, share‑based compensation, goodwill and other non-cash impairments and equity earnings or losses in unconsolidated investments.  Adjusted EBITDA is not a measure of cash flow or liquidity as determined by generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).  We have included Adjusted EBITDA as a supplemental disclosure because we believe that it is widely used by our investors, industry analysts and others as a useful supplemental liquidity measure in conjunction with cash flows provided by or used in operating activities to help investors understand our ability to provide cash flows to fund growth, service debt and pay dividends as well as compare our cash flow generating capacity from year to year.

We believe Adjusted EBITDA should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for, operating income or loss, net income or loss, cash flows provided by or used in operating, investing and financing activities or other income statement or cash flow statement line items reported in accordance with GAAP.  Other companies may calculate Adjusted EBITDA differently than we do, which may limit its usefulness as a comparative measure.

The table below presents a reconciliation of net income to Adjusted EBITDA.

⁽¹⁾   Shown net of interest income and net losses on foreign currency transactions and includes amortization of deferred financing costs as discussed below. ⁽²⁾   Excludes amortization of deferred financing costs of $627 for 2016 and $617 for 2015.  This non-cash expense is included in Interest and other non-operating expenses, net on the Consolidated Statements of Income.

The table below presents a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net cash provided by operating activities.  Please see page 5 for our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

Curtis J. Scheel Director of Investor Relations 985.801.5341 curtis.scheel@poolcorp.com