AMRI reports financial and operating results for Q4 and FY 2014

AMRI (NASDAQ: AMRI) today reported financial and operating results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2014.

"While our OsoBio facility resumed full operations later than anticipated, after we learned in the fall of 2014 that a remediation would be necessary, strong execution led us to finish 2014 with record performances in each of our businesses, as reflected by a greater than 30% increase in quarterly revenue and adjusted earnings," said William S. Marth, AMRI's president and chief executive officer.

"During 2014, we reorganized our discovery business, optimizing our resource mix and laying the ground work for a differentiated discovery platform. We advanced our growth in generics, initiating multiple development programs across all segments of our business, and we completed and integrated two acquisitions and announced a third, expanding our capabilities into very attractive, high demand areas such as controlled substances, sterile manufacturing and product development. Lastly, we created sustainable shareholder value, replacing declining royalties with an expanding, profitable contract business.

"We have much to be proud of in 2014 and are poised for a strong 2015. Despite a significant headwind from the loss of Allegra royalties in 2015, we believe continued strong growth in our base business, the contribution of our acquisitions, together with enhanced operational discipline, will lead to continued, significant growth in revenue and earnings in 2015."

Fourth Quarter 2014 Results

Total revenue for the fourth quarter of 2014 was $86.6 million, an increase of 29% compared to total revenue of $67.1 million reported in the fourth quarter of 2013.

Total contract revenue for the fourth quarter of 2014 was $80.7 million, an increase of 35% compared to contract revenue of $59.7 million reported in the fourth quarter of 2013. Adjusted contract margins were 23% for the fourth quarter of 2014, compared with 21% for the fourth quarter of 2013, driven by the growth of the Drug Product business, increased capacity utilization, and the benefit of cost reduction initiatives and facility optimization. Adjusted contract margins exclude the following items that are included under U.S. GAAP: business interruption costs, purchase accounting depreciation and amortization and business acquisition costs. For a reconciliation of U.S. GAAP contract margins as reported to adjusted contract margins for the 2014 and 2013 reporting periods, please see Table 1 at the end of press release.

Royalty revenue in the fourth quarter of 2014 was $5.9 million, a decrease of 21% from $7.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2013. Royalty revenue for the fourth quarter of 2014 includes $3.4 million in royalties from the Allegra^® products as well as $2.5 million from the net sales of certain amphetamine salts sold by Actavis.

Net loss under U.S. GAAP was $(1.9) million, or $(0.06) per diluted share, in the fourth quarter of 2014, compared to U.S. GAAP net income of $4.3 million, or $0.13 per diluted share for the fourth quarter of 2013. Net income on an adjusted basis in the fourth quarter of 2014 was $9.2 million, or $0.28 per diluted share, compared to adjusted net income of $6.8 million or $0.21 per diluted share in 2013. Net income on an adjusted basis excludes the following items that are included under U.S. GAAP: business interruption charges, restructuring and impairment charges, convertible debt interest and amortization charges, business acquisition costs, executive transition costs, postretirement benefit plan settlement gains, write-offs of deferred financing costs, non-recurring income tax adjustments, litigation settlements, insurance demutualization gains, losses on disposals of fixed assets related to restructuring activities, ERP implementation costs, and depreciation and amortization of purchase accounting adjustments. For a reconciliation of U.S. GAAP net income (loss) and earnings (loss) per diluted share as reported to adjusted net income and earnings per diluted share for the 2014 and 2013 reporting periods, please see Table 2 at the end of this press release.

Full Year 2014 Results

Total revenue for the year ended December 31, 2014 was a record $276.6 million, an increase of 12% compared to total revenue of $246.6 million for the same period in 2013.

Total contract revenue for the full year 2014 was a record $250.7 million, an increase of 19% compared to contract revenue of $210.0 million for 2013. Adjusted contract margins were 19% for the full year 2014, compared to 18% in 2013.

Royalty revenue for the full year 2014 was $25.9 million, a decrease of 29% from $36.6 million in 2013, in line with expectations. Royalty revenue for the full year 2014 includes $16.3 million in royalties from the Allegra^® products, as well as $9.6 million from the net sales of certain amphetamine salts sold by Actavis.

Net loss under U.S. GAAP for the full year 2014 was $(3.3) million, or $(0.10) per diluted share, compared to U.S. GAAP net income of $11.8 million, or $0.37 per diluted share for the full year 2013. Net income on an adjusted basis in the full year 2014 was $20.7 million or $0.63 per diluted share, compared to adjusted net income of $21.5 million or $0.68 per diluted share in 2013. Adjusted net income in 2014 includes a $6.4 million decline in royalty income and $0.7 million of income from operations acquired during 2014.

For a reconciliation of U.S. GAAP net income (loss) and earnings (loss) per diluted share as reported to adjusted net income and earnings per diluted share for the 2014 and 2013 reporting periods, please see Table 2 at the end of this press release. Financial results for the three months and year ended December 31, 2013 have been updated from previously reported amounts to reflect prior period income tax adjustments identified during the second quarter of 2014. The Company considers the adjustments to be immaterial to the impacted periods.

Segment Results

Discovery and Development Services (DDS) contract revenue for the fourth quarter of 2014 increased 7% to $19.7 million, compared to $18.4 million the fourth quarter of 2013, primarily due to an increase in development services revenue. DDS gross margins increased to 22% from 13% in the fourth quarter of 2013, driven by the benefit of cost reduction initiatives and facility optimization.

For the full year 2014, DDS contract revenue decreased to $76.7 million from $77.4 million in 2013. A decline in discovery service revenue was offset by an increase in development service revenue. DDS gross margins increased to 19% in 2014 from 14% in 2013, driven by the benefit of cost reduction initiatives and facility optimization.

API contract revenue for the fourth quarter of 2014 increased 21% compared to the same period of 2013 due primarily an increase in API shipments to customers, and the addition of Cedarburg Pharmaceuticals. Excluding the Cedarburg acquisition, contract revenue increased 14% compared to the fourth quarter 2013. API adjusted contract margins for the fourth quarter of 2014 decreased to 26% from 27% in the fourth quarter of 2013, due to the mix of business within the segment.

For the full year 2014, API contract revenue increased 15% to $144.3 million from $125.9 million in 2013, due primarily to the addition of Cedarburg Pharmaceuticals. Excluding the acquisition of Cedarburg, API contract revenue increased 7% compared to the full year 2013. API adjusted gross margins decreased to 23% in 2014 from 24% in 2013, due to the mix of business within the segment.

Drug Product Manufacturing contract revenue for the fourth quarter of 2014 increased $11.8 million over the same period of 2013 and includes $10.3 million of revenue from Oso Biopharmaceuticals Manufacturing (OsoBio) that was acquired in July 2014. Drug Product adjusted contract margins for the fourth quarter of 2014 increased to 12% compared to -3% the same period of 2013, driven by volume increases, improved mix and the addition of the OsoBio business, however contract margins were significantly impacted at the Company's Albuquerque facility as a result of the previously disclosed business interruption event.

For the full year 2014, Drug Product contract revenue increased $22.9 million to $29.6 million from $6.7 million in 2013, due primarily to the addition of $16.7 million in revenue from OsoBio and a 92% increase in revenue from the company's Burlington operations. Drug Product adjusted gross margins improved to 5% in 2014 from -52% in 2013, due to the addition of OsoBio and increased capacity utilization at our Burlington facility.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

In the fourth quarter 2014, AMRI expanded its existing revolving line of credit from $50 million to $75 million with the addition of another bank to the facility.

At December 31, 2014, AMRI had cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash of $51.0 million, compared to $23.9 million at September 30, 2014. The increase in cash and cash equivalents for the quarter ended December 31, 2014 was primarily due to $35 million in proceeds from the Company's line of credit, partially offset by cash used in operations of $2.0 million and $5.2 million of capital expenditures. Total common shares outstanding, net of treasury shares, were 32,627,940 at December 31, 2014.

In January 2015, AMRI acquired a Glasgow, UK-based drug product formulation business for $24 million and expects to complete the previously announced acquisition of SSCI/ West Lafayette, Ind. in February 2015.

Financial Outlook

AMRI estimates the following for full year 2015:

• Full year contract revenue is expected to be between $335 and $370 million, an increase of 40% at the midpoint, including
  • DDS revenue of approximately $98 million
  • API revenue of approximately $162 million
  • Drug Product revenue of approximately $92 million
• Royalty revenue of between $13 and $14 million, including approximately $4 million of Allegra royalties, which expire fully in the third quarter 2015
• Adjusted selling, general and administrative expenses at approximately 17% of contract revenue
• Adjusted EBITDA between $59 and $65 million, up 34% at the midpoint
• Adjusted diluted EPS is expected to be between $0.80 and $0.90, compared to $0.63 in 2014, based on an average fully diluted share count of approximately 33 million shares
• Capital expenditures of between $24 and $26 million
• Effective tax rate of approximately 33%

AMRI's estimates for 2015 reflect the acquisition of the SSCI West Lafayette, Ind. operations, closing in February 2015, to be included in the DDS segment, as well as the Glasgow UK injectable drug product formulation operations, closed in January 2015, to be included in the Drug Product segment.

Fourth Quarter Results Conference Call

AMRI will host a conference call and webcast today at 8:30 a.m. ET to discuss fourth quarter 2014 results.