EX-99.1 PRESS RELEASE ISSUED NOVEMBER 12, 2007
Published on November 13, 2007
Exhibit 99.1
News Release
For Immediate Release
Novelis Reports Results for Second Quarter of Fiscal Year 2008
Company Shows Operational Improvements Year Over Year
ATLANTA, Nov. 12, 2007 Novelis Inc., a subsidiary of Hindalco Industries Limited
(BSE: HINDALCO), has reported its financial results for the second quarter of fiscal year
2008, which ended on September 30, 2007. (Novelis changed its fiscal year end from December 31 to
March 31 following its acquisition by Hindalco on May 15, 2007.)
Total rolled products shipments in the quarter increased to 747 kilotonnes (kt) compared with 737
kt in the corresponding period of 2006. Novelis incurred a pre-tax loss of US$23 million on sales
of $2,821 million, compared with the prior-year period when it incurred a pre-tax loss of $154
million on sales of $2,494 million.
The $131 million increase in pre-tax earnings reflects significant underlying operational
improvement despite difficult market conditions in North America and Asia. This increase is due to
a number of positive business factors, including the following:
| The companys exposure to customer contracts with metal price ceilings was reduced by $44 million, net of hedges, compared with the prior-year period. | ||
| Product mix improvements, price increases, and volume increases primarily in Europe and South America, benefited net sales by approximately $22 million compared with the prior-year period. | ||
| The company realized a $29 million improvement in metal price lag over the prior-year period, largely as a result of better risk management. Metal price lag negatively impacted pre-tax earnings by $4 million in the quarter ended September 30, 2007, compared with $33 million in the prior-year period. (Metal price lag is a timing difference on the pass-through to customers of changing aluminum prices.) | ||
| Corporate selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses were reduced by $17 million, driven by streamlining of corporate staff and unusual items related to financial reporting requirements and executive changes in the prior year. | ||
| The company reversed $21 million of reserves ($15 million net of tax) relating to previously disputed applications of social contribution tax credits as a result of a favorable Superior Court ruling in Brazil. | ||
| Improved operational performance was partially offset by higher input and operational costs in the current quarter compared with the prior-year period. |
1
In addition to these items, pre-tax earnings during the quarter ended September 30, 2007, were
impacted by certain income and expense items associated with fair value adjustments recorded at the
date of acquisition. The net pre-tax impact of these items was a benefit of $29 million primarily
driven by the amortization of accruals related to unfavorable contracts (recorded at fair value at
the date of acquisition) partially offset by higher depreciation and amortization.
Martha Brooks, President and Chief Operating Officer of Novelis, said, During the second quarter,
further improvements in Novelis business operations enabled us to achieve an increase in pre-tax
results despite soft conditions in the North American marketplace. While the effect of these
improvements was partially offset by increased input and operating costs, our financial performance
also benefited from stronger risk management capabilities, and in particular, our ability to manage
our metal price volatility in a more effective manner.
Market conditions in North America and Asia were challenging, primarily related to the
transportation and housing sectors in North America and strong competition from Chinese
manufacturers in Asia; however, we continued to see very strong demand for our products in South
America and Europe. Demand for the aluminum beverage can, a market in which we have a strong
global position, is growing strongly on three continents.
For the three months ended September 30, 2007, Novelis reported net income of $13 million, compared
with the corresponding period of 2006 when it incurred a net loss of $102 million. Included in net
income of $13 million for the second quarter of fiscal year 2008 is $36 million of income tax
benefit. Significant tax items in the quarter included:
| $27 million of tax expense related to exchange translation and re-measurement items; | ||
| $19 million of tax expense on valuation allowance increases primarily related to tax losses in certain jurisdictions where the company believes, based on current facts and circumstances, it will not be able to utilize those losses; and | ||
| $74 million of tax benefit associated with a reduction in tax rates in Germany. |
Cash taxes paid during the second quarter of fiscal year 2008 were $18 million.
Six Months (see Note below regarding combined results of operations)
For the six months ended September 30, 2007, total rolled products shipments increased to 1,504 kt
from 1,490 kt for the corresponding period of 2006. For the six-month period, the company incurred
a combined pre-tax loss of $134 million on combined net sales of $5,649 million, an improvement of
$34 million compared with a pre-tax loss of $168 million on net sales of $5,058 million for the
same period of 2006.
The combined pre-tax loss for the first six months of fiscal 2008 includes a number of
non-recurring expenses related to the acquisition by Hindalco. These include $45 million of stock
compensation expense triggered by the sale of Novelis and $32 million for sale transaction costs,
among other items, as the company previously disclosed in its financial results for the first
quarter of fiscal year 2008. Excluding the transaction expenses, pre-tax improvement was $111
million compared with the corresponding period of 2006.
For the six months ended September 30, 2007, Novelis incurred a net loss of $138 million, including
$4 million of income tax expense. This compares with the
corresponding period of 2006 when it incurred a net loss of $96 million. Significant tax items in the first six months of
fiscal year 2008 included:
| $80 million of exchange translation and re-measurement expense; | ||
| $53 million of valuation allowance increases primarily related to tax losses in certain jurisdictions where the company believes, based on current facts and circumstances, it will not be able to utilize those losses; and | ||
| $69 million of tax benefit associated with enacted tax rate changes (primarily in Germany). |
2
Cash taxes paid during the first six months of fiscal year 2008 were $39 million.
For further information regarding Novelis second quarter and year-to-date results, please review
the companys Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission on November 9, 2007.
NOTE REGARDING COMBINED RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND SELECTED FINANCIAL AND OPERATING INFORMATION DUE TO THE ACQUISITION
Under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (GAAP), the
condensed consolidated financial statements for the six months ended September 30, 2007, are
presented in two distinct periods, as Predecessor and Successor entities are not comparable in all
material respects. However, in order to facilitate an understanding of our results of operations
for the six months ended September 30, 2007, in comparison with the six months ended September 30,
2006, our Predecessor results and our Successor results are presented and discussed on a combined
basis. The combined results of operations are non-GAAP financial measures, do not include any
pro-forma assumptions or adjustments and should not be used in isolation or substitution of the
Predecessor and Successor results.
Shown below are combining schedules of (1) shipments and (2) our results of operations for periods
allocable to the Successor, Predecessor and the combined presentation for the six months ended
September 30, 2007:
May 16, 2007 | April 1, 2007 | Six Months | |||||||||||
Through | Through | Ended | |||||||||||
September 30, | May 15, | September 30, | |||||||||||
2007 | 2007 | 2007 | |||||||||||
Combined Shipments (kt)(A) |
Successor | Predecessor | Combined | ||||||||||
Rolled products(B) |
1,156 | 348 | 1,504 | ||||||||||
Ingot products(C) |
66 | 15 | 81 | ||||||||||
Total shipments |
1,222 | 363 | 1,585 | ||||||||||
(A) | One kilotonne (kt) is 1,000 metric tonnes. One metric tonne is equivalent to 2,204.6 pounds. | |
(B) | Rolled products include tolling (the conversion of customer-owned metal). | |
(C) | Ingot products include primary ingot in Brazil, foundry products in Korea and Europe, secondary ingot in Europe and other miscellaneous recyclable aluminum. |
3
May 16, 2007 | April 1, 2007 | Six Months | |||||||||||
Through | Through | Ended | |||||||||||
September 30, | May 15, | September | |||||||||||
2007 | 2007 | 30, 2007 | |||||||||||
Combined Results of Operations ($ in millions) |
Successor | Predecessor | Combined | ||||||||||
Net sales |
$ | 4,368 | $ | 1,281 | $ | 5,649 | |||||||
Cost of goods sold (exclusive of depreciation and
amortization shown below) |
3,991 | 1,205 | 5,196 | ||||||||||
Selling, general and administrative expenses |
130 | 95 | 225 | ||||||||||
Depreciation and amortization |
155 | 28 | 183 | ||||||||||
Research and development expenses |
23 | 6 | 29 | ||||||||||
Interest expense and amortization of debt issuance costs
net |
81 | 26 | 107 | ||||||||||
Gain on change in fair value of derivative instruments
net |
22 | (20 | ) | 2 | |||||||||
Equity in net (income) loss of non-consolidated affiliates |
5 | (1 | ) | 4 | |||||||||
Sale transaction fees |
| 32 | 32 | ||||||||||
Other expenses net |
4 | 4 | 8 | ||||||||||
4,411 | 1,375 | 5,786 | |||||||||||
Loss before provision for taxes on loss and minority
interests share |
(43 | ) | (94 | ) | (137 | ) | |||||||
Provision for taxes on loss |
| 4 | 4 | ||||||||||
Loss before minority interests share |
(43 | ) | (98 | ) | (141 | ) | |||||||
Minority interests share |
2 | 1 | 3 | ||||||||||
Net loss |
$ | (41 | ) | $ | (97 | ) | $ | (138 | ) | ||||
About Novelis
Novelis Inc. is the global leader in aluminum rolled products and aluminum can recycling. The company operates in 11 countries, has approximately 12,900 employees and reported revenue of $9.8 billion in 2006. Novelis supplies premium aluminum sheet and foil products to automotive, transportation, packaging, construction, industrial and printing markets throughout Asia, Europe, North America and South America. Novelis is a subsidiary of Hindalco Industries Limited, Asias largest integrated producer of aluminum and a leading copper producer. Hindalco is the flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group, a multinational conglomerate based in Mumbai, India. For more information on Novelis, please visit www.novelis.com.
Novelis Inc. is the global leader in aluminum rolled products and aluminum can recycling. The company operates in 11 countries, has approximately 12,900 employees and reported revenue of $9.8 billion in 2006. Novelis supplies premium aluminum sheet and foil products to automotive, transportation, packaging, construction, industrial and printing markets throughout Asia, Europe, North America and South America. Novelis is a subsidiary of Hindalco Industries Limited, Asias largest integrated producer of aluminum and a leading copper producer. Hindalco is the flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group, a multinational conglomerate based in Mumbai, India. For more information on Novelis, please visit www.novelis.com.
Statements made in this news release which describe Novelis intentions, expectations, beliefs or
predictions may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of securities laws. Examples of
forward-looking statements in this news release include those regarding our improved risk
management capabilities and our ability to manage volatility. We caution that, by their nature,
forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty. These statements are not guarantees of
future performance and involve assumptions and risks and uncertainties that are difficult to
predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed,
implied or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. We do not intend, and we disclaim any
obligation, to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise. Important risk factors which could impact Novelis are included under
the caption Risk Factors in Novelis Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2006, as amended and filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and are specifically
incorporated by reference into this news release.
###
Media Contact:
Charles Belbin
+1-404-814-4260 (office)
+1-404-803-2588 (mobile)
charles.belbin@novelis.com
Charles Belbin
+1-404-814-4260 (office)
+1-404-803-2588 (mobile)
charles.belbin@novelis.com
4