MettlerToledo International Inc. Reports Operating Results (10-Q)

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Oct 30, 2009
MettlerToledo International Inc. (MTD, Financial) filed Quarterly Report for the period ended 2009-09-30.

Mettler-Toledo is the world's largest manufacturer and marketer of weighinginstruments for use in laboratory industrial and food retailing applications. The Company focuses on the high value-added segments of the weighing instruments market by providing solutions for specific applications. The Company also manufactures and sells certain related laboratory measurement instruments with one of the top three market positions worldwide in titrators thermal analysis systems pH meters and lab reactors. Mettlertoledo International Inc. has a market cap of $3.15 billion; its shares were traded at around $93.6 with a P/E ratio of 16.8 and P/S ratio of 1.7. Mettlertoledo International Inc. had an annual average earning growth of 13.1% over the past 10 years. GuruFocus rated Mettlertoledo International Inc. the business predictability rank of 3-star.

Highlight of Business Operations:

Net sales were $435.7 million and $1,217.2 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2009, respectively, compared to $509.1 million and $1,463.7 million for the corresponding periods in 2008. This represents a decrease in U.S. dollars of 14% and 17% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2009, respectively. Excluding the effect of currency

Interest expense was $7.0 million and $19.0 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2009, respectively, and $6.8 million and $18.7 million for the corresponding periods in 2008. Interest expense for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2009 includes the benefit of lower average debt balances offset by costs associated from a partial termination of one of our interest rate swap agreements. Interest expense for the nine month period ended September 30, 2009 also reflects the impact of charges incurred in connection with the tender offer of our 4.85% Senior Notes (See Note 6 for further discussion) and other financing costs totaling $1.8 million, offset in part by lower borrowing rates.

Through September 30, 2009 total charges recognized were $34.8 million, of which $6.1 million and $28.4 million were recognized during the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2009, respectively. Under the program, our workforce (including employees and temporary personnel) will be reduced by approximately 1,000. As a result of the reduction in workforce, we anticipate personnel costs will be reduced by approximately $65 million on an annual basis. We expect total cost savings from our global cost reduction program to be approximately $100 million on an annual basis.

Cash provided by operating activities totaled $188.5 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2009, compared to $160.6 million in the corresponding period in 2008. The increase in 2009 resulted principally from decreased incentive payments of $15.4 million related to 2008 performance-related compensation incentives (bonus payments) and reduced accounts receivable and inventory balances, offset in part by lower net earnings and cash payments of $18.5 million related to our restructuring program.

Capital expenditures are made primarily for investments in information systems and technology, machinery, equipment and the purchase and expansion of facilities. Our capital expenditures totaled $36.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2009 compared to $37.5 million in the corresponding period in 2008. We expect capital expenditures to increase as our business grows, and to fluctuate as currency exchange rates change. Our capital expenditures during the nine months ended September 30, 2009 included approximately $22.0 million of investments related to our Blue Ocean multi-year program of information technology investment. We expect that our annual capital expenditures will remain in the range of $50 to $60 million until Blue Ocean is completed. These amounts may change based upon fluctuations in currency exchange rates.

Cash flows used in financing activities during the nine months ended September 30, 2009 included proceeds of $100 million from the issuance of our 6.30% Senior Notes and payments of $0.6 million of debt issuance costs. We also made payments to repurchase $75 million of our 4.85% Senior Notes and paid $1.6 million in debt extinguishment costs and other financing charges in connection with our tender offer.

Read the The complete ReportMTD is in the portfolios of Ron Baron of Baron Funds, David Dreman of Dreman Value Management, Ruane Cunniff of Ruane & Cunniff & Goldfarb Inc.