NewMarket Corporation reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2016 results

• Fourth Quarter EPS of $3.86 Per Share; Full Year EPS of $20.54 Per Share, Up 5.6%
• Petroleum Additives Fourth Quarter Operating Profit of $75.6 Million; Full Year Operating Profit of $384.9 Million, Up 2.7%
• Petroleum Additives Full Year Shipments Up 1.1%
• Ongoing Investments to Fuel Long-Term Growth

RICHMOND, Va. –(BUSINESS WIRE) –January 31, 2017 –NewMarket Corporation (NYSE:NEU) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Thomas E. Gottwald, released the following earnings report of the Company’s operations for the fourth quarter and full year 2016.

Net income for the fourth quarter of 2016 was $45.7 million, or $3.86 per share, compared to net income of $53.9 million, or $4.50 per share, for the fourth quarter of 2015. Net income for 2016 was $243.4 million, or $20.54 per share, compared to net income of $238.6 million, or $19.45 per share, for 2015.

Sales for the petroleum additives segment for the fourth quarter of 2016 were $500.0 million, up 4.9% versus the same period last year, due to higher shipments and product mix, partially offset by changes in selling prices. Petroleum additives operating profit for the fourth quarter of 2016 was $75.6 million, about even with fourth quarter operating profit last year of $75.3 million.

For the year, petroleum additives sales were $2.0 billion compared to sales in 2015 of $2.1 billion, a decrease of 4.3%. This decrease was primarily due to changes in selling prices and foreign currency exchange, partially offset by higher shipments and product mix. Operating profit for petroleum additives for 2016 increased 2.7% to $384.9 million, compared to $374.9 million for 2015. The increase was mainly due to higher sales volume, product mix, and lower raw material and conversion costs, partially offset by changes in selling prices and foreign currency exchange.

Petroleum additives shipments for the fourth quarter of 2016 were up from the same period last year. This increase was primarily due to increases in lubricant additives shipments in Europe and Asia Pacific and fuel additives shipments in North America and Latin America. For the year, shipments increased 1.1% versus 2015, primarily due to increases in fuel additives shipments in North America and Asia Pacific that were partially offset by a decrease in Europe. Lubricant additives shipments also increased between the years mainly due to increases in Asia Pacific and Europe which were largely offset by lower shipments in North America and Latin America.

The effective income tax rate for the fourth quarter of 2016 was 28.6%, up from the rate of 20.3% in the same period last year. The effective rate for 2016 was 29.1%, down slightly from the rate in 2015 of 29.6%. The rate in the fourth quarter of 2015 was lower primarily due to decreases in tax rates for certain of our foreign subsidiaries and an increase in tax benefits associated with our research and development activities in the U.S. and Europe. The research and development tax credit in the U.S. was passed during the fourth quarter of 2015, retroactive to the beginning of the year.

Our business continues to generate strong cash flows. During the year, we paid dividends of $75.8 million, funded capital expenditures of $142.9 million, and repurchased 98,867 shares of our common stock for a total of $35.8 million, or an average cost per share of $362.25. In January 2017, we issued $250 million of fixed rate long-term debt in a private placement transaction. The proceeds were used to repay amounts outstanding under our revolving credit facility, with the remainder available for financing working capital needs and general corporate purposes.

We are continuing to use our capital to achieve our long-term growth plans. In December 2016, we announced our intent to acquire Aditivos Mexicanos, S.A. de C.V. (“AMSA”). AMSA is a petroleum additives manufacturing, sales and distribution company based in Mexico City, Mexico. We expect to close the transaction in the first half of 2017, pending a regulatory review in Mexico. In addition, construction continues on phase two of our manufacturing facility in Singapore which is expected to be completed in the second half of 2017, and we are continuing to invest in research and development in order to meet our customers’ ever-changing business needs.

Our investments in 2016 together with our plans for 2017 reinforce our view that we are making decisions to promote the greatest long-term value for our shareholders and customers, and we remain focused on our long-term objectives. We believe the fundamentals of how we run our business – a long-term view, safety-first culture, customer-focused solutions, technology-driven product offerings, and world-class supply chain capability – will continue to be beneficial for all our stakeholders. As we look forward to 2017 and beyond, we believe the fundamentals of the industry as a whole remain unchanged, with the petroleum additives market growing at 1% to 2% annually for the foreseeable future. We continue to believe that we will exceed that growth rate.

The Company has included the non-GAAP financial measure EBITDA in this earnings release. A schedule following the financial statements included in this earnings release is provided reflecting the calculation of EBITDA, defined as income from continuing operations before the deduction of interest and financing expenses, income taxes, depreciation and amortization. The Company believes that even though this item is not required by or presented in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), this additional measure enhances understanding of the Company’s performance and period to period comparability. The Company believes that this item should not be considered an alternative to net income determined under GAAP.

As a reminder, a conference call and Internet webcast is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. EST on Wednesday, February 1, 2017 to review fourth quarter and year-end 2016 financial results. You can access the conference call live by dialing 1-877-407-9210 (domestic) or 1-201-689-8049 (international) and requesting the NewMarket conference call. To avoid delays, callers should dial in five minutes early. A teleconference replay of the call will be available until February 8, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. EST by dialing 1-877-481-4010 (domestic) or 1-919-882-2331 (international). The replay ID number is 10200. The call will also be broadcast via the Internet and can be accessed through the Company’s website at www.NewMarket.com or www.investorcalendar.com. A webcast replay will be available for 30 days.

NewMarket Corporation, through its subsidiaries Afton Chemical Corporation and Ethyl Corporation, develops, manufactures, blends, and delivers chemical additives that enhance the performance of petroleum products. From custom-formulated additive packages to market general additives, the NewMarket family of companies provides the world with the technology to make engines run smoother, machines last longer, and fuels burn cleaner.