Alcoa reports strong fourth quarter 2014 and full-year results as transformation strengthens profitability

Lightweight metals leader Alcoa today reported a jump in fourth quarter and full-year 2014 profits, culminating a year of significant transformation for the Company. Alcoa is reshaping its portfolio for profitable growth by building its innovative, multi-material value-add businesses and by creating a globally competitive commodity business.

In fourth quarter 2014, Alcoa reported net income of $159 million, or $0.11 per share, which includes $273 million in special items largely tied to previously announced restructurings in the upstream and midstream businesses, aligned with the Company’s objective of enhancing its portfolio.

Year-over-year, fourth quarter 2014 results are up from a net loss of $2.3 billion, or $2.19 per share. Excluding the impact of special items, fourth quarter 2014 net income was $432 million, or $0.33 per share, which rose significantly from fourth quarter 2013 net income of $40 million, or $0.04 per share.

Fourth quarter 2014 revenue was $6.4 billion, up 14 percent from $5.6 billion in fourth quarter 2013. Higher sales in Alcoa’s value-add businesses, comprising the mid and downstream, favorable metal prices and energy sales drove the Company’s year-over-year revenue increase.

“Our strong fourth quarter capped a pivotal year as we significantly accelerated Alcoa’s transformation,” said Klaus Kleinfeld, Alcoa Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “As we built out our value-add businesses, we gained profitable share across exciting downstream growth markets and captured aerospace and automotive growth in the midstream. On the commodity side, our hard work reshaping the portfolio continues to pay off with improved performance for the 13th quarter in a row. In 2014 we delivered Alcoa’s strongest operating results since 2008; we enter 2015 on solid footing, poised to continue transforming and growing.”

Engineered Products and Solutions reported its 19th consecutive quarter of year-over-year after-tax operating income growth, excluding Firth Rixson. Global Rolled Products continued to benefit from the historic shift to aluminum intensive vehicles, shipping a record volume of automotive sheet. In Global Primary Products, comprising Alumina and Primary Metals, the Alumina segment’s profitability more than doubled year-over-year. Primary Metals adjusted EBITDA per metric ton was the strongest since second quarter 2008, primarily reflecting a lower cost, globally competitive commodity business.

Special items in fourth quarter 2014 included $200 million in restructuring-related costs, approximately 80 percent non-cash, primarily tied to the sales of three European rolling mills (see Value-add Portfolio Transformation below) and an ownership stake in a bauxite mining and alumina refining joint venture in Jamaica (see Upstream Portfolio Transformation below).

2014 Full-Year Results

In 2014, Alcoa reported net income of $268 million, or $0.21 per share, compared to a net loss of $2.3 billion, or $2.14 per share, in 2013.

Excluding the impact of special items, strong performance growth drove 2014 net income of $1.1 billion, or $0.92 per share, up slightly more than threefold from 2013 net income of $357 million, or $0.33 per share. Revenue in 2014 was $23.9 billion, up 4 percent from $23 billion in 2013.

In 2014, Alcoa continued to execute against its financial targets. The Company achieved $1.2 billion productivity savings, exceeding an $850 million annual target; managed growth capital expenditures of $484 million against a $500 million annual target and controlled sustaining capital expenditures of $735 million against a $750 million annual target. Progress on the Saudi Arabia joint venture project remained on track with $91 million invested in 2014 against a $125 million annual target.

For full-year 2014, Alcoa delivered $455 million in positive free cash flow. The Company produced $989 million of free cash flow in fourth quarter 2014, the highest since fourth quarter 2010.

For full-year 2014, Alcoa’s cash from operations totaled $1.7 billion. In fourth quarter 2014, the Company’s cash from operations was $1.5 billion, a quarterly record.

Fourth quarter average days working capital held steady year-over-year at 28 days. The Company has reduced average days working capital by 9 days since 2009.

The Company’s debt totaled $8.9 billion at the end of 2014, with cash on hand of $1.9 billion. Alcoa’s debt-to-capital ratio stood at 37.4 percent, with net debt-to-capital at 32 percent.

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