Cummins Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2017 Results

Cummins fourth quarter revenue increased 22%, and full-year revenue rose 17%; the company expects full-year 2018 revenues to be up 4-8%.

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Cummins Inc. reports results for the fourth quarter of 2017.

Fourth quarter revenues of $5.5 billion increased 22% from the same quarter in 2016. Strong demand for trucks, construction and mining equipment drove the majority of the revenue increase. Sales in North America and international markets both increased by 22 %.

Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) in the fourth quarter were $620 million, or 11.3% of sales, up from $526 million or 11.7% of sales a year ago. EBIT was negatively impacted by $39 million as a result of charges incurred by unconsolidated joint ventures related to U.S. tax reform. Excluding the impact of tax reform, EBIT for the fourth quarter of 2017 was $659 million or 12.0% of sales.

Net income attributable to Cummins in the fourth quarter was a net loss of $274 million (a loss of $1.65 per diluted share), compared to net income of $378 million ($2.25 per diluted share). Fourth quarter net income included $777 million in one-time charges related to tax reform. Excluding the tax reform impact, net income attributable to Cummins in the fourth quarter was $503 million ($3.03 per diluted share), reflecting a 19.5% tax rate.

Revenues for the full year 2017 were $20.4 billion, 17% higher than 2016. Revenues in North America increased 15% and international sales increased 19%.

EBIT for the year was $2.4 billion or 12.0% of sales, or 12.2% of sales excluding charges related to tax reform. This compares to $2.0 billion or 11.4% of sales in 2016.

Net income attributable to Cummins for the full year was $999 million ($5.97 per diluted share), compared to $1.4 billion ($8.23 per diluted share) in 2016. Excluding charges totaling $777 million in connection with tax reform, full year net income attributable to Cummins was $1.8 billion ($10.62 per diluted share), with a full year tax rate of 24.5%.

“The company delivered strong growth, solid profitability and record operating cash flow in 2017,” says Chairman and CEO Tom Linebarger. “We expect demand to remain strong in many of our core markets in 2018 and profitability to improve as a result of higher sales and continued execution of our cost reduction initiatives. The Company again plans to return at least 50 percent of Operating Cash Flow to shareholders in 2018.”

Based on the current forecast, Cummins expects full-year 2018 revenues to be up 4-8%, and Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA) to be in the range of 15.8-16.2% of sales. EBITDA for the full year 2017 was 15.0% of sales, excluding the impact of U.S. tax reform.

2017 Highlights:

  • The company returned $1.2 billion or 51% of Operating Cash Flow to shareholders in the form of dividends and share repurchases
  • Cummins and Eaton partnered to form the Eaton Cummins Automated Transmission Technologies joint venture which will capitalize on the secular shift to more automated transmissions in commercial vehicle markets
  • The company announced a new electrified power partnership with GILLIG LLC to integrate and optimize new battery electric technology offered by Cummins that will soon power GILLIG zero-emissions transit buses
  • Cummins was named to Ethisphere’s 2017 list of World’s Most Ethical Companies for a 10th consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute
  • DiversityInc named Cummins one of the Top 50 Companies for Diversity for the eleventh consecutive year. Cummins ranked No. 21 on the 2017 annual list, which included more than 1,000 participating companies
  • Cummins was one of a select number of companies named to the North American Index of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices, a leading independent organization measuring corporate sustainability in the world

Fourth quarter 2017 detail

Engine Segment

  • Sales - $2.3 billion, up 16%
  • Segment EBIT - $224 million, or 9.8% of sales, compared to $194 million or 9.9% of sales
  • Segment EBIT was negatively impacted by $23 million as a result of charges recorded by unconsolidated joint ventures related to recent U.S. tax reform
  • On-highway revenues increased 14%, and off-highway revenues increased 27% primarily due to increased global demand in truck and constructions markets

Distribution Segment

  • Sales - $1.9 billion, up 16%
  • Segment EBIT - $97 million, or 5.0% of sales, compared to $122 million or 7.3% of sales
  • Segment EBIT was negatively impacted by $4 million as a result of charges recorded by unconsolidated joint ventures related to recent U.S. tax reform
  • Revenues in North America increased by 21% and in international markets by 7%

Components Segment

  • Sales - $1.6 billion, up 32%
  • Segment EBIT - $168 million, or 10.8% of sales, compared to $140 million or 11.9% of sales
  • Segment EBIT was negatively impacted by $12 million as result of charges recorded by unconsolidated joint ventures related to recent U.S. tax reform
  • The Eaton Cummins Automated Transmission joint venture recorded sales of $95 million and an EBIT loss of $14 million in the fourth quarter
  • Revenues in North America increased by 35%, and international sales grew by 30% due to higher commercial truck production in North America and China as well as additional content in India with the introduction of Bharat Stage IV in 2017

Power Systems Segment

  • Sales - $1.1 billion, up 18%
  • Segment EBIT - $95 million, or 8.6% of sales, compared to $68 million, or 7.3% of sales
  • Increased demand in mining, oil and gas and power generation markets drove the growth in sales
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