HALIFAX, March 6, 2014 /CNW/ - Clarke Inc. ("Clarke" or the "Company")
(TSX: CKI CKI.DB.A) today announced its results for the year ended
December 31, 2013.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Highlights of the consolidated financial statements for the three months
and year ended December 31, 2013 compared to the three months and year
ended December 31, 2012 are as follows:
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(in millions, except per share amounts)
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Three
months ended
December 31,
2013
$
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Three
months ended
December 31,
2012
$
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Year ended
December 31,
2013
$
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Year ended
December 31,
2012
$
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Revenue and other income
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39.5
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9.6
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115.1
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55.7
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Net income (loss) attributable to equity holders of the Company
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20.9
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(4.5)
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52.7
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(0.9)
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Other comprehensive income
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2.4
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0.6
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6.2
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3.3
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Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to equity holders of the
Company
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23.3
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(3.9)
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58.9
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2.4
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Basic EPS - continuing operations
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1.06
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(0.47)
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2.50
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(0.73)
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Diluted EPS - continuing operations
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0.73
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(0.47)
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1.78
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(0.73)
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Basic EPS - net income (loss)
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1.25
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(0.27)
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3.17
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(0.05)
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Diluted EPS - net income (loss)
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0.87
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(0.27)
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2.23
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(0.05)
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Total assets
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298.4
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229.9
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298.4
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229.9
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Cash dividends paid per share (in dollars)
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0.10
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0.06
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0.34
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0.12
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Book value per share (in dollars)
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8.32
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5.15
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8.32
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5.15
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Net income attributable to equity holders of the Company for the year
ended December 31, 2013 was $52.7 million compared with net loss of
$0.9 million in 2012. During the year ended December 31, 2013, the
Company had realized gains on its marketable securities of $8.4 million
compared to realized losses of $2.8 million in 2012. The Company had
unrealized gains on its marketable securities of $25.2 million for the
year ended December 31, 2013, compared to unrealized losses of $4.8
million in 2012.
The Commercial Tanks & Home Heating segment generated EBITDA of $10.4
million in 2013 compared to $8.5 million in 2012. This increase was due
in part to the acquisition of 90% of Pro-Par Group ("Pro-Par") that was
completed during the third quarter of 2013. Subsequent to year end, the
Company sold its Commercial Tanks & Home Heating segment ("Jerico") to
TerraVest Capital Inc. The transaction valued Jerico at an enterprise
value of $54.0 million. The Company received $24.9 million for its 75%
interest in Jerico in the form of a 6.50% promissory note with a three
year term.
On October 31, 2013, Clarke announced that it had entered into an
agreement to sell its truckload, less-than-truckload and freight
logistics businesses (the "Freight Transport Business"), which was
included in the Company's former Freight Transportation segment at the
time. The transaction was completed on January 1, 2014 and the Company
received proceeds of $100.5 million on the sale including an estimated
net working capital adjustment of $12.5 million. The Company had net
income from discontinued operations of $11.2 million for the year ended
December 31, 2013 compared to $11.0 million for the year ended December
31, 2012 which represents the results of the Freight Transport
Business.
Basic earnings per share for the year ended December 31, 2013 was $3.17,
compared to a basic loss per share of $0.05 for the year ended December
31, 2012, an increase of $3.22 per share. Book value per share at
December 31, 2013 was $8.32 compared to $5.15 on December 31, 2012
after deducting the payment of $0.34 per share of dividends in 2013.
Adjusting solely for the estimated gain on sale of the Freight
Transport Business (to be recognized in the first quarter of 2014) and
reflecting the Common Shares outstanding as at March 6, 2014, the
Company estimates that its pro forma book value per share is $11.72 of
which 75% is held in cash and marketable securities. The Company's
current trading price represents a 34% discount to this pro forma book
value per share as at March 6, 2014.
Clarke's Board of Directors also announced a quarterly dividend of $0.10
per Common Share payable on April 15, 2014 to shareholders of record at
the end of business on March 31, 2014.
Also subsequent to the end of the year, the Company redeemed $12.0
million principal amount of its 6.00% convertible unsecured
subordinated debentures due December 31, 2018 (the "Debentures") using
cash on hand. The Company presently has $34.5 million principal amount
of Debentures outstanding.
QUARTER ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2013
Fourth quarter revenue and other income increased as a result of an
increase in the value of the Company's portfolio of publicly-traded
securities. Realized and unrealized gains on marketable securities for
the fourth quarter of 2013 were $10.8 million compared to losses of
$7.8 million for the same period in 2012. This increase was also
attributable to increased revenue generated in the Commercial Tanks &
Home Heating segment. Higher revenues in the Commercial Tanks & Home
Heating segment are due to incremental sales associated with Pro-Par.
The Company had income from continuing operations of $18.4 million in
the fourth quarter of 2013 compared to a loss of $7.3 million in the
same period in 2012. This again was largely driven by the increase in
the value of the Company's portfolio of publicly-traded securities and
the acquisition in the Commercial Tanks & Home Heating segment. Net
income from discontinued operations of $3.3 million for both years
consists primarily of the results of the Freight Transport Business,
which was sold on January 1, 2014.
For the three months ended December 31, 2013, Clarke's basic EPS was
$1.25, compared to a basic loss per share of $0.27 for the same period
in 2012.
OUTLOOK
Throughout 2013 and into 2014 Clarke exited several investments with a
view to realize the value that exists in the Company's assets,
including several marketable securities, two subsidiaries and several
real estate holdings. These transactions provided the Company with
considerable value, allowed the Company to eliminate substantially all
of its non-convertible debenture debt and started to unlock the
significant shareholder value that exists at Clarke but is not
sufficiently recognized by the capital markets.
The Company believes that its marketable securities continue to be
undervalued by the public markets, despite the appreciation in some of
the trading prices of these securities during the fourth quarter of
2013. Clarke believes there is meaningful additional value in each of
its current investee companies and Clarke intends to work to realize
such additional value in 2014 and beyond, including working with the
management and boards of investee companies to further improve their
operations and help them achieve their growth potential.
The Company has significant financial resources available to pursue
investment opportunities and/or return capital to shareholders. We will
continue to evaluate new investment opportunities, with the intention
of allocating capital only to those opportunities that meet our return
criteria and display significant margins of safety. We will continue to
repurchase our shares and convertible debentures depending on market
prices.
CORPORATE PRESENTATION
Clarke has today released a corporate presentation which can be found on
its website at www.clarkeinc.com.
Further information about Clarke, including Clarke's Consolidated
Financial Statements and Management's Discussion & Analysis for the
year ended December 31, 2013, is available at www.sedar.com and www.clarkeinc.com.
About Clarke
Halifax-based Clarke invests in a variety of private and publicly-traded
businesses and participates actively where necessary to enhance the
performance of such businesses and increase its return. Clarke's
securities trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (CKI; CKI.DB.A); for
more information about Clarke Inc., please visit our website at www.clarkeinc.com.
Note on Forward-Looking Statements and Risks
This press release may contain or refer to certain forward-looking
statements relating, but not limited to, the Company's expectations,
intentions, plans and beliefs with respect to the Company. Often, but
not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of
words such as "plans", "expects", "does not expect", "is expected",
"budget", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does
not anticipate", or "believes", or equivalents or variations, including
negative variations, of such words and phrases, or state that certain
actions, events or results, "may", "could", "would", "should", "might"
or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements
include, without limitation, those with respect to the future price and
value of securities held by the Company, changes in these securities
holdings, changes to the Company's hedging practices, currency
fluctuations, requirements for additional capital, changes to
government regulations, the timing and possible outcome of pending
litigation and the estimated gain from, and pro forma book value as a
result of, the sale of the Freight Transport Business. Forward-looking
statements rely on certain underlying assumptions that, if not
realized, can result in such forward-looking statements not being
achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors that could cause the actual results of
the Company to be materially different from the historical results or
from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking
statements.
With respect to the Company's Investment segment, such risks and
uncertainties include, among others, the Company's investment strategy,
legal and regulatory risks, general market risk, potential lack of
diversification in the Company's investments, interest rates and
foreign currency fluctuations and other factors. With respect to the
Company's Transportation segment (formerly the Freight Transportation
segment), such risks and uncertainties include, among others,
competition, seasonality and weather conditions, safety, claims and
insurance, government regulation of the transportation industry,
reliance on major customers, labour relations, and other factors. Other
general risks and uncertainties include, among others, the sale of
Company investments and subsidiaries, dividends are not guaranteed,
share liquidity, reliance on key executives, environmental
considerations, use of information technology and information systems,
commodity market risk, risks associated with investment in derivative
instruments and other factors.
Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that
could cause actions, events or results not to be as estimated or
intended, there can be no assurance that forward-looking statements
will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could
differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Other than
as required by applicable Canadian securities laws, the Company does
not update or revise any such forward-looking statements to reflect
events or circumstances after the date of this document or to reflect
the occurrence of unanticipated events. Accordingly, readers should not
place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
SOURCE Clarke Inc.
