General Steel Reports First Quarter 2015 Financial Results

BEIJING, May 15, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- General Steel Holdings, Inc. ("General Steel" or the "Company") (NYSE: GSI), a leading non-state-controlled steel producer in China, today announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2015.

Henry Yu, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of General Steel commented, "The first quarter of 2015 was very tough for China's iron and steel industry, as the combination of the government's stricter environmental enforcement and a slowdown in demand sharply pressured average selling price and profitability. The average price of rebar encountered a steep double-digit sequential decline during the first quarter to the lowest price level in 13 years. Correspondingly, we reduced production volume to preserve working capital, and we took the opportunity to temporarily shut down in the second half of the first quarter in order to perform maintenance on our production equipment.

As the steel industry remains challenging, we believe our accelerated business transformation strategy is on target. In the first quarter, we established our RFID joint venture that in April 2015 launched its first UHF RFID tag, which has thus far received very positive feedback. We anticipate rolling out deployment and commercialization in the second half of 2015. We remain confident that the transformed businesses will drive greater synergies and efficiency enhancements."

John Chen, Chief Financial Officer of General Steel, commented, "Facing macro-environment challenges for steel operations, we continue to focus on those factors that we can control, including management of our operating expenses and working capital, closely aligning with SOEs and local government for financial support, and continuing to optimize our upgraded manufacturing equipment. As we march forward with our business transformation strategy, we will allocate capital and human resources into our RFID joint venture, as well as unlocking hidden value in our land reserves in an effort to drive greater value for our shareholders."

First Quarter 2015 Financial Information

  • Sales volume decreased by 27.6% year-over-year to approximately 0.95 million metric tons, compared with 1.32 million metric tons in the first quarter of 2014.
  • Sales totaled $328.2 million, compared with $594.2 million in the first quarter of 2014.
  • Gross loss was $(32.1) million, or (9.8%) of total sales, compared with $(22.6) million, or (3.8%) of total sales in the first quarter of 2014.
  • Loss from operations totaled $(55.7) million, compared with $(43.7) million in the first quarter of 2014.
  • Net loss attributable to the Company was $(45.1) million, or $(0.73) per diluted share, compared with $(43.6) million, or $(0.78) per share in the first quarter of 2014.
  • As of March 31, 2015, the Company had cash and restricted cash of $259.6 million.

First Quarter 2015 Financial and Operating Results

Total Sales

Total sales for the first quarter of 2015 decreased by 44.8% year-over-year to $328.2 million, compared with $594.2 million in the first quarter of 2014. The year-over-year sales decrease was primarily due to decreases in both total sales volume and average selling price of rebar.

  • Total sales volume in the first quarter of 2015 was 0.95 million metric tons, a decrease of 27.6% compared with 1.32 million metric tons in the first quarter of 2014.
  • The average selling price of rebar at Longmen Joint Venture in the first quarter of 2015 decreased to approximately $343.8 per metric ton, down by 23.7% from $450.9 per metric ton in the first quarter of 2014.

Gross Loss

Gross loss for the first quarter of 2015 was $(32.1) million, or (9.8)% of total sales, as compared with gross loss of $(22.6) million, or (3.8)% of total sales in the first quarter of 2014. The decrease in gross margin was mainly due to a steeper decrease in average selling price of rebar, compared with the decrease in unit cost of manufactured rebar, as well as a higher fixed manufacturing cost, as the Company proactively paused production for maintenance during the first quarter of 2015.

Operating Expenses and Loss from Operations

Selling, general and administrative expenses for the first quarter of 2015 were $17.4 million, a decrease of 17.6% from $21.1 million in the first quarter of 2014. General and administrative expenses decreased to $11.0 million in the first quarter of 2015, compared with $12.8 million in the first quarter of 2014. Selling expenses were $6.4 million in the first quarter of 2015, compared with $8.3 million in the same period of 2014.

The Company accrued unallocated overheads expenses of $19.1 million in its operating expenses for the first quarter of 2015, which was mainly due to the reallocation of fixed overheads from cost of goods sold to general and administrative in accordance with GAAP, as the Company had temporarily shut down production for maintenance during the period.

Other operating income from a change in the fair value of profit sharing liability during the first quarter of 2015 was $12.9 million, compared with a loss on change in fair value of profit sharing liability of $0.05 million in the same period of last year.

Correspondingly, loss from operations for the first quarter of 2015 totaled $(55.7) million, compared with $(43.7) million for the first quarter of 2014.

Finance Expense

Finance and interest expense in the first quarter of 2015 was $20.6 million, of which $5.2 million was the non-cash interest expense on capital lease, as compared with $5.1 million in the same period of 2014, and $15.4 million was the interest expense on bank loans and discounted note receivables, as compared with $23.6 million in the same period of 2014.

Net Loss and Net Loss per Share

Net loss attributable to General Steel for the first quarter of 2015 was $(45.1) million, or $(0.73) per diluted share, based on 62.0 million weighted average shares outstanding. This compares to a net loss attributable to General Steel of $(43.6) million, or $(0.78) per share, based on 55.8 million weighted average shares outstanding in the first quarter of 2014. The increase in shares count of weighted average shares outstanding was primarily due to the issuance of 5 million shares of the Company's common stock pursuant to a $7.5 million private placement which closed in October 2014.

Balance Sheet

As of March 31, 2015, the Company had cash and restricted cash of approximately $259.6 million, compared to $367.3 million as of December 31, 2014. The Company had an inventory balance of $148.3 million as of March 31, 2015, compared to $156.3 million as of December 31, 2014.

Conference Call and Webcast:

General Steel will hold a corresponding conference call and live webcast at 8:00 a.m. EDT on Friday, May 15, 2015 (which corresponds to 8:00 p.m. Beijing/Hong Kong Time on Friday, May 15, 2015) to discuss the results and answer questions from investors. Listeners may access the call by dialing:

US Toll Free:

1-888-346-8982

International Toll:

1-412-902-4272

China Toll Free:

400-120-1203

Hong Kong Toll Free:

800-905-945

Conference ID:

General Steel Holdings

The call will also be available as a live, listen-only Webcast under the "Events and Presentations" page on the "Investor Relations" section of the Company's Website at http://www.corpasia.net/us/GSI/irwebsite/index.php?mod=event. Following the live Webcast, an online archive of the Webcast will be available for 90 days.

A replay of the conference call may be accessed through May 22, 2015 by dialing:

US Toll Free:

1-877-344-7529


International Toll:

1-412-317-0088


Access Code:

10065799


About General Steel Holdings, Inc.

General Steel Holdings, Inc. is a leading non-state-owned steel maker headquartered in Beijing, China.  With seven million metric tons of crude steel production capacity under management and operations in Tianjin municipality and China's Shaanxi and Guangdong provinces, the Company produces a variety of steel products including rebar and high-speed wire.

In addition to its steel business, the Company also designs, manufactures, and integrates radio frequency identification ("RFID") systems. The Company's RFID technology provides real-time data on supplies, inventory, and goods, thereby greatly enhancing its customers' administration and planning processes, as well as asset tracking and supply chain management.

For more information, please visit www.gshi-steel.com. To be added to the General Steel email list to receive Company news, or to request a hard copy of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, please send your request to investor.relations@gshi-steel.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's current expectations or beliefs about future events and financial, political and social trends and assumptions it has made based on information currently available to it. The Company cannot assure that any expectations, forecasts or assumptions made by management in preparing these forward-looking statements will prove accurate, or that any projections will be realized. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of inaccurate assumptions or a number of risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties are set forth in the Company's filings under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 under "Risk Factors" and elsewhere, including those disclosed in the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as of the date of this release. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether to reflect new information, future events or otherwise.

Contact Us

General Steel Holdings, Inc.
Joyce Sung
Tel: +1-347-534-1435
Email: joyce.sung@gshi-steel.com

Asia Bridge Capital Limited
Carene Toh
Tel: +1-888-957-3362
Email: generalsteel@asiabridgegroup.com

 


GENERAL STEEL HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES


CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS


(UNAUDITED)

(In thousands)







March 31,


December 31,

ASSETS



2015


2014

CURRENT ASSETS:







 Cash

$

9,736


$

11,641


 Restricted cash


249,820



355,685


 Notes receivable


1,606



10,290


 Restricted notes receivable


80,889



111,801


 Loan receivable


42,569



36,001


 Loans receivable - related parties


6,728



34,713


 Accounts receivable, net


10,686



9,321


 Accounts receivable - related parties


160,286



8,498


 Other receivables, net


103,291



63,746


 Other receivables - related parties


6,364



39,670


 Inventories


148,295



156,327


 Advances on inventory purchase


49,440



73,819


 Advances on inventory purchase - related parties


11,243



45,617


 Prepaid expense and other


5,279



4,803


 Prepaid taxes


5,851



5,789


 Short-term investment


7,503



2,688

TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS



899,586



970,409










 PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, net


1,561,511



1,543,136










 OTHER ASSETS:







 Advances on equipment purchase


5,270



11,438


Investment in unconsolidated entities


16,705



16,823


 Long-term deferred expense




452



458


 Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization


22,885



22,960

TOTAL OTHER ASSETS



45,312



51,679










TOTAL ASSETS



$

2,506,409


$

2,565,224










LIABILITIES AND DEFICIENCY












 CURRENT LIABILITIES:







 Short term notes payable

$

448,362


$

661,635


 Accounts payable


608,678



612,801


 Accounts payable - related parties


226,964



207,783


 Short term loans - bank


232,148



257,502


 Short term loans - others


51,995



60,717


 Short term loans - related parties


217,397



46,380


Other payables and accrued liabilities


51,985



55,488


 Other payable - related parties


96,277



87,252


 Customer deposits


139,106



92,974


 Customer deposits - related parties


148,176



132,616


 Deposit due to sales representatives


19,361



17,871


 Deposit due to sales representatives - related parties


2,553



2,509


 Taxes payable


9,393



5,201


 Deferred lease income, current


2,179



2,176


 Capital lease obligations, current


8,678



8,508


TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES


2,263,252



2,251,413










 NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES:







 Long-term loans - related party


352,850



339,549


 Deferred lease income, noncurrent


72,258



72,713


 Capital lease obligations, noncurrent


397,416



393,252


 Profit sharing liability


57,538



70,422


 TOTAL NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES


880,062



875,936

TOTAL LIABILITIES




3,143,314



3,127,349










 COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES















DEFICIENCY:







Preferred stock, $0.001 par value, 50,000,000 shares
authorized, 3,092,899 shares issued and outstanding as
of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014


3



3


Common stock, $0.001 par value, 200,000,000 shares
authorized, 64,458,588 shares issued and 61,986,282
shares outstanding as of March 31, 2015 and December
31, 2014, respectively


64



64


Treasury stock, at cost, 2,472,306 shares as of March 31,
2015 and December 31, 2014


(4,199)



(4,199)


  Paid-in-capital


115,563



115,494


  Statutory reserves


6,539



6,472


  Accumulated deficits


(508,674)



(463,521)


  Accumulated other comprehensive income


163



644


  TOTAL GENERAL STEEL
  HOLDINGS, INC. DEFICIENCY



 

(390,541)



(345,043)










 NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS


(246,364)



(217,082)


  TOTAL DEFICIENCY



(636,905)



(562,125)










TOTAL LIABILITIES AND DEFICIENCY



$

2,506,409


$

2,565,224

 

GENERAL STEEL HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES


CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS


(UNAUDITED)


(In thousands, except per share data)

 




For the

Three months ended March 31,




2015


2014


SALES


$

270,769


$

512,005


SALES - RELATED PARTIES



57,395



82,206


  TOTAL SALES



328,164



594,211










COST OF GOODS SOLD



297,565



530,744


COST OF GOODS SOLD - RELATED PARTIES



62,746



86,028


  TOTAL COST OF GOODS SOLD



360,311



616,772










GROSS LOSS



(32,147)



(22,561)










SELLING, GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES



(17,355)



(21,053)


UNALLOCATED OVERHEADS EXPENSES



(19,134)



-


CHANGE IN FAIR VALUE OF PROFIT
SHARING LIABILITY



12,924



(49)










LOSS FROM OPERATIONS



(55,712)



(43,663)










OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE)








  Interest income



2,331



3,192


  Finance/interest expense



(20,570)



(28,695)


  Gain on disposal of equipment and intangible assets



16



46


  Income from equity investments



(37)



13


  Foreign currency transaction loss



(873)



(854)


  Lease income



543



546


  Other non-operating income (expense), net



223



(176)


    Other expense, net



(18,367)



(25,928)










LOSS BEFORE PROVISION FOR INCOME

TAXES AND NONCONTROLLING INTEREST



(74,079)



(69,591)










PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES



30



5










NET LOSS



(74,109)



(69,596)


Less: Net loss income attributable to
noncontrolling interest



 

(28,956)



(26,032)










NET LOSS ATTRIBUTABLE TO GENERAL
STEEL HOLDINGS, INC.


$

(45,153)


$

(43,564)










NET LOSS


$

(74,109)


$

(69,596)


OTHER COMPREHENSIVE LOSS








  Foreign currency translation adjustments



(853)



4,670










COMPREHENSIVE LOSS



(74,962)



(64,926)


Less: Comprehensive loss attributable to
noncontrolling interest



 

(29,328)



(24,226)










COMPREHENSIVE LOSS ATTRIBUTABLE
TO GENERAL STEEL HOLDINGS, INC.


$

(45,634)


$

(40,700)










WEIGHTED AVERAGE NUMBER OF SHARES








  Basic and Diluted



61,986



55,813










LOSS PER SHARE








  Basic and Diluted


$

(0.73)


$

(0.78)




GENERAL STEEL HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(UNAUDITED)

(In thousands)


For the

Three months ended March 31,


2015


2014

CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:  













Net loss

$

(74,109)


$

(69,596)


Adjustments to reconcile net loss to cash provided by (used in) operating activities:






Depreciation, amortization and depletion


25,164



24,346



Change in fair value of derivative liabilities


(12,924)



49



Gain loss on disposal of equipment and intangible assets


(16)



(46)



Provision for doubtful accounts


1,279



(251)



Reservation of mine maintenance fee


113



242



Stock issued for services and compensation


69



150



Amortization of deferred financing cost on capital lease


4,966



5,086



Income (loss) from equity investments


37



(13)



Foreign currency transaction (gain) loss


873



854



Deferred lease income


(543)



(546)


Changes in operating assets and liabilities








Notes receivable


32,504



(70,354)



Accounts receivable


(1,373)



(102)



Accounts receivable - related parties


(151,218)



(1,569)



Other receivables


(40,476)



355



Other receivables - related parties


33,231



(4,219)



Inventories


7,327



(730)



Advances on inventory purchases


24,380



176



Advances on inventory purchases - related parties


28,436



(38,419)



Prepaid expense and other


(468)



(516)



Long-term deferred expense


7



56



Prepaid taxes


(54)



4,963



Accounts payable


(7,706)



59,351



Accounts payable - related parties


18,856



16,986



Other payables and accrued liabilities


(3,625)



15,300



Other payables - related parties


8,960



(12,676)



Customer deposits


45,848



20,043



Customer deposits - related parties


15,341



113,895



Taxes payable


4,171



2,708



Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities


(40,950)



65,523

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:







Restricted cash


105,911



(32,943)


Loan to unrelated parties


(6,500)



-


Repayments from related parties


33,791



-


Cash proceeds from short term investment


81



164


Payments for short term investment


(4,875)



-


Cash proceeds from sales of equipment and intangible assets


-



24


Equipment purchase and intangible assets


(31,589)



(56,861)



Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities


96,819



(89,616)









CASH FLOWS FINANCING ACTIVITIES:







Restricted notes receivable


30,934



131,971


Borrowings on short term notes payable


96,525



439,342


Payments on short term notes payable


(309,823)



(485,455)


Borrowings on short term loans - bank


61,023



95,120


Payments on short term loans - bank


(87,471)



(165,711)


Borrowings on short term loan - others


74,517



9,853


Payments on short term loans - others


(54,275)



(14,426)


Borrowings on short term loan - related parties


75,641



24,528


Payments on short term loans - related parties


(569)



(5,849)


Deposits due to sales representatives


1,462



(425)


Deposit due to sales representatives - related parties


41



-


Borrowings on long-term loans - related party


56,063



-


Payments on long-term loans - related party


(813)



-


Principal payment on capital lease obligation


(1,074)



-



Net cash used in financing activities


(57,819)



(28,948)

EFFECTS OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGE IN CASH


45



(444)

(DECREASE) INCREASE IN CASH


(1,905)



4,411

CASH, beginning of period


11,641



31,967

CASH, end of period

$

9,736


$

36,378

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/general-steel-reports-first-quarter-2015-financial-results-300084028.html

SOURCE General Steel Holdings, Inc.

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