Tenaris Announces 2022 First Quarter Results

The financial and operational information contained in this press release is based on unaudited consolidated condensed interim financial statements presented in U.S. dollars and prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standard Board and adopted by the European Union, or IFRS. Additionally, this press release includes non-IFRS alternative performance measures i.e., EBITDA, Net cash / debt, Free Cash Flow and Operating working capital days. See exhibit I for more details on these alternative performance measures.

LUXEMBOURG, April 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tenaris S.A. (NYSE and Mexico: TS and EXM Italy: TEN) (“Tenaris”) today announced its results for the quarter ended March 31, 2022 in comparison with its results for the quarter ended March 31, 2021.

Summary of 2022 First Quarter Results

(Comparison with fourth and first quarter of 2021)

*EBITDA is defined as operating income (loss) plus depreciation, amortization and impairment charges / (reversals). EBITDA includes severance charges of $12 million in 1Q 2022 (related to the discontinuation of our industrial equipment business in Brazil and the closure of NKKTubes), $8 million in 4Q 2021 and $5 million in 1Q 2021. If these charges were not included EBITDA would have been $639 million (27.0%) in 1Q 2022, $491 million (23.9%) in 4Q 2021 and $201 million (17.0%) in 1Q 2021.

Our sales in the first quarter increased a further 15% sequentially, driven by higher prices for OCTG in the Americas and higher shipments of line pipe in Europe and South America. Our EBITDA rose 30% sequentially with the margin exceeding 26%, as higher prices more than compensated increases in energy and raw material costs. We decided to discontinue our industrial equipments business in Brazil which recorded an EBITDA loss of $14 million, including severance provisions, during the quarter, and we fully impaired the value of our 49% share in the joint venture with Severstal in Russia, recording a charge of $15 million.

Working capital increased by $609 million in the quarter, with higher receivables, reflecting an increase in sales, and higher inventories which were affected by higher costs for raw material and energy. Operating working capital days amounted to 141, which compares with 165 in the first quarter of 2021 and 135 in the fourth quarter of 2021. Free cash flow was negative at $94 million and we ended the quarter with a net cash position of $562 million.

Market Background and Outlook

The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the sanctions that have been imposed on Russian individuals, companies and institutions has changed the outlook for energy worldwide. Oil and gas prices are higher than they were before the invasion as alternative sources to Russian exports of oil and gas are sought in Europe and other markets. In addition, current oil and gas production levels are not keeping pace with global demand and inventories are at low levels.

Inflationary pressures and high commodity prices intensified by the Russian invasion are inducing a monetary response by central banks and a slow down in global growth as well as increased uncertainty, which is further heightened by the ongoing COVID outbreak and governmental response in China.

Drilling activity is increasing around the world led by North America and the Middle East. Offshore drilling activity is also increasing, led by Latin America. Pipeline project activity is also increasing in the Middle East, South America and the Mediterranean and Black Seas.

The outlook for steelmaking raw materials has also changed. Russia and Ukraine have both been major suppliers of pig iron, ferroalloys and semi-finished steel to European and American markets and the costs of these materials have risen sharply since the invasion.

OCTG prices are also increasing on higher consumption while inventories have declined to low levels in key regions such as North America and the Middle East.

In the second quarter, we anticipate further growth in sales, with higher volumes in the Middle East and South America, and stable margins with higher prices compensating the increase in costs. We also anticipate that free cash flow will be positive. In the second half, we anticipate further growth in sales, and margins should remain around the same level as the first half.

Analysis of 2022 First Quarter Results

Net sales of tubular products and services increased 15% sequentially and 104% year on year. Volumes increased 3% sequentially and 45% year on year while average selling prices increased 12% sequentially and 41% year on year. In North America sales increased 20% sequentially, thanks to higher prices throughout the region reflecting higher drilling activity and declining market inventory levels with seasonally higher volumes of OCTG in Canada. In South America sales increased 2% sequentially, due to higher OCTG prices across the region but lower volumes of line pipe and industrial products in Brazil and Argentina. In Europe sales increased 39% due to sales of offshore line pipe to Sakarya project in Turkey and higher prices on mechanical pipe sales to distributors. In the Middle East and Africa sales decreased 13% and remain at low levels, particularly in Kuwait, where the transition to a new contract is still pending, and with minimal sales of offshore line pipe in Africa and OCTG to Qatar. In Asia Pacific sales increased 26% mainly due to higher sales in Oceania.

Operating result from tubular products and services amounted to a gain of $471 million in the first quarter of 2022, compared to a gain of $245 million in the previous quarter and $38 million in the first quarter of 2021. In the previous quarter, Tubes operating income included a $57 million impairment charge on NKKTubes fixed assets. During the quarter Tubes operating margin increased to 21.4%, following a 12% increase in average selling prices which more than offset the increase in energy and raw material costs.

Net sales of other products and services increased 11% sequentially and 60% year on year. The sequential increase in sales is mainly related to higher sales of excess raw materials and sucker rods, partially offset by lower sales of energy, industrial equipment in Brazil, which is being discontinued, and no sales from the Geneva structural pipe business in the United States, which was sold in the previous quarter. Operating income of the Others segment, in the quarter, includes a $5 million severance charge related to the discontinuation of the industrial equipment business in Brazil.

Selling, general and administrative expenses, or SG&A, amounted to $365 million, or 15.4% of net sales, in the first quarter of 2022, compared to $338 million, 16.4% in the previous quarter and $255 million, 21.6% in the first quarter of 2021. SG&A expenses during the quarter included $5 million of leaving indemnities, mainly related to the discontinuation of our industrial equipment business in Brazil and the closure of NKKTubes (an additional $7 million charge for the same concepts is included in the cost of sales). Sequentially, our SG&A expenses increased mainly due to higher selling expenses associated with higher sales and higher labor costs, however, they decreased as a percentage of sales due to the better absorption of the fixed and semi-fixed components of SG&A expenses on higher sales.

Other operating results amounted to a gain of $4 million in the first quarter of 2022, compared to $12 million in the previous quarter and $8 million in the first quarter of 2021. The result of the quarter is mainly related to land sales in the United States.

Financial results amounted to a loss of $1 million in the first quarter of 2022, compared to a gain of $2 million in the previous quarter and a gain of $12 million in the first quarter of 2021. During the quarter, a net interest gain of $7 million was offset by a net $8 million foreign exchange loss, mainly related to the appreciation of the Brazilian Real against the U.S. dollar.

Equity in earnings of non-consolidated companies generated a gain of $88 million in the first quarter of 2022, compared to a gain of $133 million in the previous quarter and a gain of $79 million in the first quarter of 2021. The result of the quarter is net of an impairment charge on the value of our joint venture in Russia, amounting to $15 million. Results from non-consolidated companies are mainly derived from our participation in Ternium (NYSE:TX) and reflect the good dynamics at the flat steel sector derived from high steel prices.

Income tax charge amounted to $67 million in the first quarter of 2022, compared to $72 million in the previous quarter and $42 million in the first quarter of 2021. Despite the sequential increase in income before income tax, the tax charge of the quarter is lower as it includes a $44 million positive adjustment from inflation adjustments net of foreign exchange, mainly in Argentina.

Cash Flow and Liquidity

Net cash used in operations during the first quarter of 2022 was $27 million, compared with net cash provided by operations of $46 million in the previous quarter and $70 million in the first quarter of 2021. Working capital increased by $609 million during the quarter, mainly reflecting higher trade receivables, following the increase in sales, and higher inventories partially offset by an increase in trade payables.

Capital expenditures amounted to $67 million for the first quarter of 2022, compared to $69 million in the previous quarter and $45 million in the first quarter of 2021.

During the quarter we had negative free cash flow of $94 million, compared to negative $23 million in the previous quarter and positive $25 million in the first quarter of 2021.

At March 31, 2022 we maintained a positive net cash position of $562 million, compared to $700 million at December 31, 2021.

Conference call

Tenaris will hold a conference call to discuss the above reported results, on April 28, 2022, at 09:00 a.m. (Eastern Time). Following a brief summary, the conference call will be opened to questions. To access the conference call dial in +1 866 789 1656 within North America or +1 630 489 1502 Internationally. The access number is “ 5464727”. Please dial in 10 minutes before the scheduled start time. The conference call will be also available by webcast at http://ir.tenaris.com/events-and-presentations.

A replay of the conference call will be available on our webpage http://ir.tenaris.com/events-and-presentations or by phone from 12:00 pm ET on April 28, through 12:00 pm on May 6, 2022. To access the replay by phone, please dial +1 855 859 2056 or +1 404 537 3406 and enter passcode “5464727” when prompted.

Some of the statements contained in this press release are “forward-looking statements”. Forward-looking statements are based on management’s current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by those statements. These risks include but are not limited to risks arising from uncertainties as to future oil and gas prices and their impact on investment programs by oil and gas companies.

Consolidated Condensed Interim Income Statement

Consolidated Condensed Interim Statement of Financial Position