XIDE Exide Technologies (MM)

MILTON, Ga., June 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Exide Technologies (NASDAQ: XIDE, www.exide.com), a global leader in stored electrical energy solutions, announced today its unaudited preliminary fiscal 2013 fourth quarter and full year financial results.  In addition earlier today the Company filed a voluntary petition for reorganization pursuant to U.S. federal restructuring laws.  The petition was filed in the District of Delaware.

The Company is currently completing its financial statement close process for deferred income taxes and other areas for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2013 in connection with filing of its Annual Report on Form 10-K expected to be filed on June 14, 2013.  Also, the estimates for net sales, Adjusted EBITDA as well as the consolidated financial statements accompanying this release are preliminary and have not been audited and could be subject to change upon completion of the audit of the Company's consolidated financial statements. 

Q4 Fiscal 2013

The Company expects to report preliminary net sales of $762 million for the fourth quarter as compared to net sales of $783 million in the prior year fourth quarter. Net sales in the fiscal 2013 period were positively impacted by foreign currency translation of approximately $3 million. Excluding the impact of foreign currency translation, expected net sales decreased 3.1%, primarily due to lower OEM unit sales in the Company's global transportation business and lower third party lead sales.

Fiscal 2013 fourth quarter preliminary Adjusted EBITDA is expected to be $12 million as compared to $45 million in the prior year fourth quarter. The decrease is primarily due to lower third-party lead margins in the Americas, combined with higher commodity costs and manufacturing inefficiencies due to lower production and certain plant related operational issues in Europe and the Americas.

Full Year Fiscal 2013

Fiscal 2013 preliminary net sales are expected to be $3.0 billion as compared with $3.1 billion for the prior fiscal year period. Net sales in fiscal 2013 were negatively impacted by lead related price decreases of approximately $78 million and unfavorable foreign currency translation of approximately $94 million, partially offset by higher unit sales in many of the Company's markets.

The Company expects to report fiscal 2013 preliminary Adjusted EBITDA of $104 million versus $179 million in the prior fiscal year. The decline is primarily the result of higher spent battery costs coupled with lower LME based escalator pricing, higher commodity costs, and manufacturing inefficiencies. Higher spent battery acquisition costs combined with lower third party lead margins in the Americas impacted results by approximately $58 million.

Non-GAAP Financial Measure

The Company uses Adjusted EBITDA as a key measure of its operational financial performance. This measure is a key indicator of the Company's operational performance and excludes the impact of the Company's restructuring actions.  Adjusted EBITDA is defined as operating income before depreciation, amortization, non-cash stock compensation, restructuring charges, impairment charges and non-cash gains or losses on asset sales. Please refer to the reconciliations of operating income to Adjusted EBITDA below.

The foregoing non-GAAP financial measure should be used in addition to, but not in isolation or as a substitute for, the analysis provided in the Company's measures of financial performance prepared in conformity with U.S. GAAP.  The non-GAAP financial measure should be read only in conjunction with the Company's consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP.

About Exide Technologies

Exide Technologies, with operations in more than 80 countries, is one of the world's largest producers and recyclers of lead-acid batteries. The Company's four global business groups -- Transportation Americas, Transportation Europe and Rest of World, Industrial Energy Americas and Industrial Energy Europe and Rest of World -- provide a comprehensive range of stored electrical energy products and services for industrial and transportation applications.

Transportation markets include original-equipment and aftermarket automotive, heavy-duty truck, agricultural and marine applications, and new technologies for hybrid vehicles and automotive applications. Industrial markets include network power applications such as telecommunications systems, electric utilities, railroads, photovoltaic (solar-power related) and uninterruptible power supply (UPS), and motive-power applications including lift trucks, mining and other commercial vehicles.

Further information about the Company, including its financial results, are available at www.exide.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Except for historical information, this news release may be deemed to contain "forward-looking" statements. The Company desires to avail itself of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act") and is including this cautionary statement for the express purpose of availing itself of the protection afforded by the Act.

Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to (a) preliminary financial results, projections of revenues, cost of raw materials, income or loss, earnings or loss per share, capital expenditures, growth prospects, dividends, the effect of currency translations, capital structure, and other financial items, (b) statements of plans and objectives of the Company or its management or Board of Directors, including the introduction of new products, or estimates or predictions of actions by customers, suppliers, competitors or regulating authorities, (c) statements of future economic performance, and (d) statements of assumptions, such as the prevailing weather conditions in the Company's market areas, underlying other statements and statements about the Company or its business.

Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, the following general factors such as: (i) the ability of the Company to develop, prosecute, confirm and consummate the Chapter 11 plan of reorganization, (ii) the potential adverse impact of the Chapter 11 filing on the Company's liquidity and operations and the risks associated with operating businesses under Chapter 11 protection, (iii) the ability of the Company to comply with the terms of the DIP financing facility, (iv) the Company's ability to obtain additional financing, (v) the Company's ability to retain key management and employees, (vi) customer response to the Chapter 11 filing, (vii) the risk factors or uncertainties listed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in connection with the company's Chapter 11 filing, (viii) the fact that lead, a major constituent in most of the Company's products, experiences significant fluctuations in market price and is a hazardous material that may give rise to costly environmental and safety claims, (ix) the Company's ability to implement and fund business strategies based on current liquidity, (x) the Company's ability to realize anticipated efficiencies and avoid additional unanticipated costs related to its restructuring activities, (xi) the cyclical nature of the industries in which the Company operates and the impact of current adverse economic conditions on those industries, (xii) unseasonable weather (warm winters and cool summers) which adversely affects demand for automotive and some industrial batteries, (xiii) the Company's substantial debt and debt service requirements which may restrict the Company's operational and financial flexibility, as well as imposing significant interest and financing costs, (xiv) the litigation proceedings to which the Company is subject, the results of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company and its business, (xv) the realization of the tax benefits of the Company's net operating loss carry forwards, which is dependent upon future taxable income, (xvi) competitiveness of the battery markets in the Americas and Europe, (xvii) risks involved in foreign operations such as disruption of markets, changes in import and export laws, currency restrictions, currency exchange rate fluctuations and possible terrorist attacks against U.S. interests, (xviii) the ability to acquire goods and services and/or fulfill later needs at budgeted costs, (xix) general economic conditions, (xx) the Company's ability to successfully pass along increased material costs to its customers, and (xxi) recently adopted U.S. lead emissions standards and the implementation of such standards by applicable states, and (xxii) those risk factors described in the Company's fiscal 2012 Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2012.

The Company cautions each reader of this news release to carefully consider those factors herein above set forth. Such factors and statements have, in some instances, affected and in the future could affect the ability of the Company to achieve its projected results and may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed herein.

SOURCE Exide Technologies