Cervus Equipment Corp. Announces First Quarter 2014 Results

Symbol: CVL (TSX)

CALGARY, May 7, 2014 /CNW/ - Cervus Equipment Corp. ("Cervus" or the "Company") (TSX: CVL) today announced its financial results and operational highlights for the quarter ended March 31, 2014.

"We continued to execute on our growth strategy in the first quarter by increasing our ownership interest in five Australian agricultural dealerships to 100 percent," said Graham Drake, President and CEO of Cervus. "In Canada, the recent rail capacity issues are resolving and we are seeing an improvement in farmer sentiment as farmers realize 2013 income. When combined with current period growth and favorable economic indicators for our construction, industrial, and transportation segments, we see positive conditions heading into the spring and summer months."

Highlights for the Quarter:

• On March 25th, 2014, the Company completed the acquisition of the remaining 46.7% interest for total consideration of $4,370 thousand bringing the Company's ownership to 100%.
• Gross revenue increased by $25.2 million or by 17.8% to $167 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014 when compared to 2013.  Same store sales increased 6.7% or $9.5 million.
• Achieved consistent performance in the agriculture segment combined with significant same store revenue growth of $9.6 million in the commercial, industrial and transportation segment ("CIT"), primarily attributable to the transportation and construction operations.
• For the three months ended March 31, 2014, overall gross profit margin increased to 19.8%, and gross margin dollars increased $5.4 million to $33.1 million compared to 19.5% and $27.7 million during the period ended March 31, 2013, respectively.
• Income from operating activities increased $387 thousand or 41.3% on increased same store revenues, driven primarily by $9.6 million of increased revenues in the CIT segment.
• Profit before income tax for the three months ended March 31, 2014 decreased by $0.8 million compared to the first quarter of 2013, primarily due to increases in operating income offset by a reduction in earnings from equity investments.
• Declared a dividend of $0.2025 per share to shareholders of record as at March 31, 2014.

Financial Highlights:

For the quarter ended March 31, 2014, revenue increased by $25.2 million or 17.8% ($15.6 million from the agricultural equipment segment and $9.6 million from the CIT segment. Same store revenue increased $9.5 million or 6.7% compared to the quarter ended March 31, 2013.

Overall gross margin for the quarter ended March 31, 2014 increased to 19.8% from 19.5% during the same period in 2013. The increase in sales and gross margin percentage resulted in an overall increase in gross margin dollars of $5.4 million for the three month period ended March 31, 2014 compared to the same period in 2013. The agriculture and CIT segments generated increases in gross margin dollars of $3.17 million and $2.28 million, respectively.

Selling, general and administrative ("SG&A") expenditures were 19.8% of total revenue in the first quarter of 2014, compared to 19.4% for the same period in 2013. SG&A expenditure dollars increased during the period by $5.6 million compared to the same period in 2013. For the quarter ended March 31, 2014, $2.8 million of the increase in SG&A costs were related to consolidating the operating results of Windmill.

During the quarter ended March 31, 2014, income from operating activities increased by $387 thousand, or 0.1% of total revenues compared to the same period in 2013. Profit before income tax for the three month period decreased by $0.8 million in 2014 compared to 2013, primarily due to decreased income from equity investments of $1.1 million in the three months ended March 31, 2014 compared to the same period in 2013.

Selected Quarterly Information
(in $ thousands, except per share amounts)	March 31, 2014	Recast^[1]   March 31, 2013	% change
Revenues	166,889	141,686	17.8%
Gross profit	33,121	27,674	19.7%
Gross margin	19.8%	19.5%	1.5%
Net profit	(757)	(122)	520.5%
Net profit attributable to shareholders	(833)	(122)	582.8%
Per share  - Basic	(0.06)	(0.01)	500.0%
Per share - Diluted	(0.05)	(0.01)	400.0%
Cash used in operating activities	(447)	(7,871)	-94.3%
Per share - Basic	(0.03)	(0.53)	-94.3%
EBITDA^[2]	4,053	4,441	-8.7%
EBITDA margin^[2]	2.4%	3.1%	-22.6%
Per share - basic	0.27	0.30	-10.0%
Dividends declared to shareholders	3,075	2,877	6.9%
Per share	0.2025	0.1925	5.2%
Weighted average shares outstanding
Basic	15,035	14,918	0.8%
Diluted	15,729	15,535	1.2%
Actual shares outstanding	15,119	14,943	1.2%
Closing market price per share	22.33	20.50	8.9%
Total assets	464,088	411,643	12.7%
Long-term liabilities	81,791	72,808	12.3%
Total liabilities	248,843	213,319	16.7%
Shareholders' equity	215,245	198,326	8.5%
Net book value per share - diluted	13.68	12.77	7.1%

Notes:	[1] Financial information for the three month comparative period ended March 31, 2013 have been recast as noted herein and in note 5 to the March 31, 2014 Interim Condensed Financial Statements
	[2] These financial measures are identified and defined under the section "Non-IFRS Financial Measures".

Conference Call Information

Cervus will host its first quarter 2014 results conference call on May 8, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time. Interested parties may access the conference call by dialling [phone] (domestic) or [phone] (international). The conference call will be archived for replay until Thursday, May 15, 2014 at midnight. To access the archived conference call, dial [phone] or 1-855-859-2056 and enter the reservation number 31632675 followed by the number sign. A live audio webcast of the conference call will be available at: http://www.newswire.ca/en/webcast/detail/1339755/1481039. Please connect at least 15 minutes prior to the conference call to ensure adequate time for any software download that may be required to join the webcast. The webcast will be archived at the above website for 90 days.

About Cervus Equipment Corporation

Cervus acquires and manages authorized agricultural, commercial, industrial and transportation equipment dealerships with interests in 56 dealership locations in Western Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. The primary equipment brands represented by Cervus include John Deere agricultural equipment; Bobcat and JCB construction equipment; Clark, Sellick and Doosan material handling equipment; and Peterbilt transportation equipment. The common shares of Cervus are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and trade under the symbol "CVL".

The Toronto Stock Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

 

SOURCE: Cervus Equipment Corporation

Graham Drake - President & CEO
Telephone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]

Randy Muth - Chief Financial Officer
Telephone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]