Saia Inc. (SAIA) filed Quarterly Report for the period ended 2009-09-30.
SCS Trans Inc is a leading transportation company that provides a variety of trucking transportation and supply chain solutions to a broad range of industries including the retail petrochemical and manufacturing industries. We serve a wide variety of customers by offering regional interregional and national LTL services and selected TL services across the United States.Saia customers can choose from a wide variety of service options including overnight and second-day regional LTL shipping and a guaranteed/expedited delivery Saia Inc. has a market cap of $198.1 million; its shares were traded at around $14.66 with and P/S ratio of 0.2. Saia Inc. had an annual average earning growth of 1.9% over the past 5 years.
Highlight of Business Operations:
The Company generated $23.4 million in cash from operating activities from continuing operations through the first nine months of the year compared with $56.6 million generated in the prior-year period. There were cash flows used in discontinued operations for the first nine months of 2009 of $3.4 million and cash flows from discontinued operations were $12.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2008. The Company had net cash used in investing activities of $6.2 million during the first nine months of 2009 for the purchase of property and equipment compared to $20.5 million in the first nine months of 2008. The Company’s cash used in financing activities during the first nine months of 2009 included $20.3 million for debt repayments and $2.6 million for debt issuance costs compared to net debt repayments of $35.1 million in the first nine months of 2008. The Company had no borrowings on its revolving credit agreement, outstanding letters of credit of $57.7 million and cash and cash equivalents balance of $18.2 million as of September 30, 2009. The Company was in compliance with the debt covenants under the Restated Agreements at September 30, 2009.
Consolidated operating income of $7.8 million in the third quarter of 2009 compared to operating income of $7.5 million in the prior year quarter. The third quarter of 2009 includes a favorable adjustment of $8.4 million to reflect a change in the Company’s vacation policy. Overall, the operations were significantly impacted by the decreased tonnage. The third quarter of 2009 operating ratio (operating expenses divided by operating revenue) was 96.5 percent, 100.3 percent excluding the adjustment to reflect the change in the Company’s vacation policy, compared to 97.3 percent for the same period in 2008. Lower fuel prices, in conjunction with volume changes due to decreased tonnage, caused $24.0 million of the decrease in fuel, operating expenses and supplies. The Company implemented reductions-in-force during the fourth quarter of 2008 and the first quarter of 2009 to bring the Company’s workforce in line with business levels and reduced outlook. The Company suspended its 401(k) match effective February 1, 2009. On April 1, 2009, the Company implemented a compensation reduction equal to 10 percent of salary for the Company’s leadership team, five percent for hourly, linehaul and salaried employees in operations, maintenance and administration and 10 percent in the annual retainer and meeting fees paid to the non-employee members of the Company’s Board of Directors. Estimated annualized savings from the suspension of the 401(k) match is $6 million and $18 million from the compensation and wage reductions. The cost reductions from the above actions have been partially offset by increased health insurance and workers’ compensation costs of $1.1 million. Purchased transportation expenses decreased 14.4 percent reflecting lower fuel prices, decreased utilization due to lower volumes and increased usage of Company drivers. The Company recorded pre-tax expense of $0.2 million in the third quarter of 2009 for equity-based compensation compared to a $0.6 million expense in the third quarter of 2008. Equity-based compensation expense includes the expense for the cash-based awards under the Company’s long-term incentive plans, which is a function of the Company’s stock price performance versus a peer group, and the deferred compensation plan’s expense, which is tied to changes in the Company’s stock price. However, a plan amendment in November 2008 changed the accounting for the deferred compensation plan and results in fixed equity plan accounting for the plan going forward.
Income from continuing operations was $3.3 million or $0.24 per diluted share in the third quarter of 2009 compared to income of $2.9 million or $0.21 per diluted share in the third quarter of 2008. Loss from continuing operations was $4.7 million or $0.36 per diluted share in the first nine months of 2009 compared to income from continuing operations of $8.3 million or $0.61 per diluted share in the first nine months of 2008.
Working capital at September 30, 2009 was $19.3 million, which decreased from working capital at September 30, 2008 of $19.8 million primarily due to a decrease in net accounts receivable balances of $24.1 million reflecting lower revenues, offset by a decrease in accounts payable of $8.5 million due to the timing of payments. Cash flows from operating activities for continuing operations were $23.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2009 versus $56.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2008. For the nine months ended September 30, 2009, cash used in investing activities was $6.2 million versus $20.5 million in the prior-year period, primarily due to lower property and equipment purchases. For the nine months ended September 30, 2009, cash used in financing activities was $22.6 million versus $34.5 million for the prior-year period. The $20.3 million used for financing activities in 2009 for debt repayments included $11.5 million for the redemption of the subordinated debentures.
Projected net capital expenditures for 2009 are now approximately $9 million primarily due to a reduction in planned purchases of strategic real estate within Saia’s existing network and revenue equipment. This represents an approximately $17 million decrease from 2008 net capital expenditures of $26 million for property and equipment. Approximately $0.5 million of the 2009 capital budget was committed at September 30, 2009. Net capital expenditures pertain primarily to investments in information technology, land and structures.
The Company has historically generated cash flows from operations that have funded its capital expenditure requirements. Cash flows from operating activities were $82.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2008, while net cash used in investing activities was $26.0 million. As such, the additional cash flows from operations also funded the $35.9 million cash used in financing activities in 2008. Cash flows from continuing operations were $20.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2009 which funded the $6.2 million of net capital expenditures in the first nine months of 2009. Cash flows from operating activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2009 were $49.5 million lower than the prior year period primarily due to the net loss compared to net income in the first nine months of 2008. The timing of capital expenditures can largely be managed around the seasonal working capital requirements of the Company. The Company believes it has adequate sources of capital to meet short-term liquidity needs through its cash and cash equivalents of $18.2 million at September 30, 2009 and availability under its revolving credit facility, subject to the Company’s borrowing base and satisfaction of existing debt covenants. Future operating cash flows are primarily dependent upon the Company’s profitability and its ability to manage its working capital requirements, primarily accounts receivable, accounts payable and wage and benefit accruals. The Company was in compliance with its debt covenants at September 30, 2009.
SAIA is in the portfolios of Charles Brandes of Brandes Investment.
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