MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Aug. 10, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- KP Tissue Inc. (KPT) (TSX: KPT) reports the Q2 2023 financial and operational results of KPT and Kruger Products Inc. (Kruger Products). Kruger Products is Canada's leading manufacturer of quality tissue products for the Consumer market (Cashmere®, Purex®, SpongeTowels®, Scotties®, White Swan® and Bonterra^TM) and the Away-From-Home (AFH) market and continues to grow in the U.S. Consumer tissue business with the White Cloud® brand and premium private label products. KPT currently holds a 13.3% interest in Kruger Products.

Kruger Products Q2 2023 Business and Financial Highlights

• Revenue was $466.3 million in Q2 2023 compared to $397.5 million in Q2 2022, an increase of $68.8 million or 17.3%.
• Adjusted EBITDA¹ was $55.0 million in Q2 2023, compared to $11.8 million in Q2 2022, an increase of 365.8%.
• Net income was $14.5 million in Q2 2023 compared to a net loss of $35.5 million in Q2 2022, an increase of $50.0 million.
• Declared a quarterly dividend of $0.18 per share to be paid on October 16, 2023.

“We are pleased that margin recovery, along with improved sales volume and a better mix in our Consumer business, generated strong Adjusted EBITDA of $55.0 million in the second quarter of 2023,” stated KP Tissue’s Chief Executive Officer, Dino Bianco. “Ongoing cost management initiatives, including productivity gains and cost controls, also contributed to increasing profitability. In addition, our Away-From-Home segment delivered a fourth consecutive quarter of positive Adjusted EBITDA to maintain its growth momentum. As a result, our financial performance in the second quarter normalized versus a more challenging market and operating environment in the same period last year. On a sequential basis, revenue and Adjusted EBITDA continued to improve, rising 3.4% and 10.2% in the quarter, respectively.”

“Looking ahead to the second half of 2023, we anticipate a more favourable landscape as input costs trend downwards, TAD Sherbrooke and the Sherbrooke Expansion Project continue to ramp up production capacity to meet customer demand, and margins are restored to their pre-pandemic levels,” Mr. Bianco added.

Outlook for Q3 2023
For the third quarter of 2023, as commodity and other input costs begin to decline, we will focus on maintaining our margins while also continuing to reinvest in the business to drive long-term value. Accordingly, Adjusted EBITDA¹ in Q3 2023 is expected to be in the range of Q2 2023.

Kruger Products Q2 2023 Financial Results
Revenue was $466.3 million in Q2 2023 compared to $397.5 million in Q2 2022, an increase of $68.8 million or 17.3%. The increase in revenue was primarily due to the favourable impact of selling price increases implemented across all segments and regions during 2022, along with favourable sales mix and higher sales volume in the Consumer business. Revenue was also favourably impacted by foreign exchange fluctuations on U.S. dollar sales.

Cost of sales was $395.8 million in Q2 2023 compared to $372.5 million in Q2 2022, an increase of $23.3 million or 6.2%. Higher sales volumes increased cost of sales, along with the unfavourable impact of foreign exchange fluctuations on U.S. dollar costs, partially offset by improvements in Memphis operations. While the significant inflation experienced during 2022 has moderated in the second quarter of 2023, manufacturing input costs remain higher than the year ago quarter. Freight rates were lower compared to Q2 2022 as supply constraints and inflation moderated, while warehousing costs increased as a result of additional logistics network costs. As a percentage of revenue, cost of sales was 84.9% in Q2 2023 compared to 93.7% in Q2 2022.

Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses were $40.6 million in Q2 2023 compared to $35.1 million in Q2 2022, an increase of $5.5 million or 15.7%. The increase was primarily due to higher personnel costs, foreign exchange losses related to foreign denominated working capital and a loss on disposal of fixed assets, partially offset by lower advertising spend in the quarter. As a percentage of revenue, SG&A expenses were 8.7% in Q2 2023 compared to 8.8% in Q2 2022.

Adjusted EBITDA¹ was $55.0 million in Q2 2023 compared to $11.8 million in Q2 2022, an increase of $43.2 million or 365.8%. The significant increase was primarily due to a combination of factors: selling price increases in 2022, favourable sales mix along with higher sales volumes, improvements in Memphis operations and lower freight rates. These factors were partially offset by inflation on input costs compared to Q2 2022, higher warehousing and SG&A expenses and the unfavourable impact of foreign exchange fluctuations.

Net income was $14.5 million in Q2 2023 compared to a loss of $35.5 million in Q2 2022, an increase of $50.0 million. The increase was primarily due to higher Adjusted EBITDA¹ and higher foreign exchange gains, partially offset by higher income tax and depreciation expenses, higher interest expense and other finance costs and a loss on sale of fixed assets.

_{1 Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure. Refer to the Non-GAAP Financial Measures section of this news release for more information on these measures}

Kruger Products Q2 2023 Liquidity
Total liquidity, representing cash and availability under the revolving credit agreements, was $181.5 million as of June 30, 2023. In addition, $13.8 million of cash was held by Kruger Products for the Sherbrooke Expansion Project.

KPT Q2 2023 Financial Results
KPT had net income of $2.0 million in Q2 2023. Included in net income was $2.1 million representing KPT’s share of Kruger Products’ net income, a dilution gain of $0.2 million and depreciation expense of $0.3 million related to adjustments to carrying amounts on acquisition.

Dividends on Common Shares
The Board of Directors of KPT declared a quarterly dividend of $0.18 per share to be paid on October 16, 2023 to shareholders of record at the close of business on October 2, 2023.

Additional Information
For additional information please refer to Management’s Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) of KPT and Kruger Products for the second quarter ended June 30, 2023 available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com or our website at www.kptissueinc.com.

Second Quarter Results Conference Call Information
KPT will hold its second quarter conference call on Thursday, August 10, 2023 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time.

Via telephone: 1-800-319-4610 or 604-638-5340

Via the internet at: www.kptissueinc.com

Presentation material referenced during the conference call will be available at www.kptissueinc.com.

A rebroadcast of the conference call will be available until midnight, August 17, 2023 by dialing 1-855-669-9658 or 604-674-8052 and entering passcode 0272.

The replay of the webcast will remain available on the website until midnight, August 17, 2023.

About KP Tissue Inc. (KPT)
KPT was created to acquire, and its business is limited to holding, a limited equity interest in Kruger Products, which is accounted for as an investment on the equity basis. KPT currently holds a 13.3% interest in Kruger Products. For more information visit www.kptissueinc.com.

About Kruger Products
Kruger Products is Canada's leading manufacturer of quality tissue products for household, industrial and commercial use. Kruger Products serves the Canadian consumer market with such well-known brands as Cashmere®, Purex®, SpongeTowels®, Scotties®, White Swan® and Bonterra^TM. In the U.S., Kruger Products manufactures the White Cloud® brand, as well as many private label products. The Away-From-Home division manufactures and distributes high-quality, cost-effective product solutions to a wide range of commercial and public entities. Kruger Products has approximately 2,700 employees and operates nine FSC® COC-certified (FSC® C-104904) production facilities in North America. For more information visit www.krugerproducts.ca.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures
This press release uses certain non-GAAP financial measures which Kruger Products believes provide useful information to management of Kruger Products and the readers of the financial information in measuring the financial performance and financial condition of Kruger Products. These measures do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by GAAP and therefore may not be comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other companies. An example of such a measure is Adjusted EBITDA. Adjusted EBITDA is not a measurement of operating performance computed in accordance with GAAP and should not be considered as a substitute for operating income, net income or cash flows from operating activities computed in accordance with GAAP. “Adjusted EBITDA” is calculated by Kruger Products as net income (loss) before (i) interest expense and other finance costs, (ii) income taxes, (iii) depreciation, (iv) amortization, (v) impairment (gain on sale) of non-financial assets, (vi) loss (gain) on disposal of property, plant and equipment, (vii) foreign exchange loss (gain), (viii) costs related to restructuring activities, (ix) changes in amortized cost of Partnership units liability, (x) change in fair value of derivatives, (xi) consulting costs related to operational transformation initiatives, (xii) corporate development related costs and (xiii) loss (gain) on sale of shares. A reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to the relevant reported results can be found in the Segment and Geographic Results table of this news release.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release about KPT’s and Kruger Products' current and future plans, expectations and intentions, results, levels of activity, performance, goals or achievements or any other future events or developments constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding continued growth in the U.S. Consumer tissue business with the White Cloud® brand and premium private label products, the expected impact of our Sherbrooke Expansion Project, the expected start-up dates of the facial tissue line and paper machine of the Sherbrooke Expansion Project, expected growth and profitability in 2023 and our expectation that Adjusted EBITDA¹ in Q3 2023 will be in the range of Q2 2023. The words "may", "will", "would", "should", "could", "expects", "plans", "intends", "trends", "indications", "anticipates", "believes", "estimates", "predicts", "likely" or "potential" or the negative or other variations of these words or other comparable words or phrases, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by KPT or Kruger Products, including that inflationary pressure has stabilized. Although KPT and Kruger Products believe that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements since no assurance can be given that such expectations and assumptions will prove to be correct.

The outlook provided in respect of Adjusted EBITDA¹ for Q3 2023 and expected growth and profitability in 2023 is forward-looking information and is based on the assumptions and subject to the risk and uncertainties referred to below. The purpose of the outlook is to provide the reader with an indication of management’s expectations, at the date of this press release, regarding Kruger Products’ future financial performance. Readers are cautioned that this information may not be appropriate for other purposes.

Many factors could cause Kruger Products’ actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements or future events or developments (which could in turn affect the economic benefits derived from KPT’s economic interest in Kruger Products), to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, the following factors, which are discussed in greater detail in the “Risk Factors – Risks Related to Kruger Products’ Business” section of the KPT Annual Information Form dated March 9, 2023 available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com; Kruger Inc.’s influence over Kruger Products; Kruger Products’ reliance on Kruger Inc.; consequences of an event of insolvency relating to Kruger Inc.; risks associated with the TAD Sherbrooke Project; risks associated with the Sherbrooke Expansion Project; operational risks; significant increases in input costs; reduction in supply of fibre; increased pricing pressure and intense competition; Kruger Products’ inability to innovate effectively; adverse economic conditions; dependence on key retail trade customers; damage to the reputation of Kruger Products or Kruger Products’ brands; Kruger Products’ sales being less than anticipated; Kruger Products’ failure to implement its business and operating strategies; Kruger Products’ obligation to make regular capital expenditures; Kruger Products’ entering into unsuccessful acquisitions; Kruger Products’ dependence on key personnel; Kruger Products’ inability to retain its existing customers or obtain new customers; Kruger Products’ loss of key suppliers; Kruger Products’ failure to adequately protect its intellectual property rights; Kruger Products’ reliance on third party intellectual property licenses; adverse litigation and other claims affecting Kruger Products; material expenditures due to comprehensive environmental regulation affecting Kruger Products’ cash flow; Kruger Products’ pension obligations are significant and can be materially higher than predicted if Kruger Products Management’s underlying assumptions are incorrect; labour disputes adversely affecting Kruger Products’ cost structure and Kruger Products’ ability to run its plants; exchange rate and U.S. competitors; Kruger Products’ inability to service all of its indebtedness; exposure to potential consumer product liability; covenant compliance; interest rate and refinancing risk; and risks relating to information technology; cyber-security; insurance; internal controls; trade; and risks related to COVID-19.

Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements made herein. The forward-looking information contained herein is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking information contained herein is made as of the date of press release and KPT undertakes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking information to reflect new information, subsequent or otherwise, unless required by applicable securities laws.

INFORMATION:

Francois Paroyan
General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
KP Tissue Inc.
Tel.: 905.812.6936
francois.paroyan@krugerproducts.ca

INVESTORS:

Mike Baldesarra
Director of Investor Relations
KP Tissue Inc.
Tel.: 905.812.6962
IR@KPTissueinc.com