Arrow Electronics Reports Third-Quarter Results

CENTENNIAL, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Arrow Electronics, Inc. (NYSE:ARW) today reported third-quarter 2017 sales of $6.95 billion, an increase of 17 percent from sales of $5.94 billion in the third quarter of 2016. Third-quarter net income of $135 million, or $1.50 per share on a diluted basis, compared with net income of $118 million, or $1.28 per share on a diluted basis, in the third quarter of 2016. Excluding certain items¹, net income would have been $163 million, or $1.82 per share on a diluted basis, in the third quarter of 2017, compared with net income of $143 million, or $1.56 per share on a diluted basis, in the third quarter of 2016.

“We are capitalizing on tremendous growth opportunities for the business, and are delivering successful outcomes to both our customers and suppliers. Our ability to provide solutions spanning from sensor to sunset of electronic products’ lifecycles is unmatched in the distribution and the broader technology industries,” said Michael J. Long, chairman, president, and chief executive officer. “Our third straight quarter of record results highlights our leadership position.”

Global components third-quarter sales of $4.86 billion grew 25 percent year over year. Americas components sales grew 24 percent year over year. Asia-Pacific components sales grew 24 percent year over year. Europe components sales grew 25 percent year over year. Sales in the region, as adjusted, grew 19 percent year over year. Global components third-quarter operating income grew 21 percent year over year and grew 20 percent year over year excluding amortization of intangibles expense. “As we expected, we have started to capture leverage on our market share gains as evidenced by our accelerating profit growth,” said Mr. Long.

Global enterprise computing solutions third-quarter sales of $2.09 billion grew 3 percent year over year. Europe enterprise computing solutions sales grew 16 percent year over year. Sales in the region, as adjusted, grew 11 percent year over year. Americas enterprise computing solutions sales declined 2 percent year over year. Global enterprise computing solutions third-quarter operating income declined 1 percent year over year and declined 2 percent year over year excluding amortization of intangibles expense. “Continued growth in our infrastructure software and cloud portfolio along with growth in servers drove sales higher this quarter, and we remain confident in our strategy to return to profitable growth in enterprise computing solutions,” added Mr. Long.

“Third-quarter cash flow from operations was $135 million. We made substantial investments to support our rapid growth this year, and our disciplined approach to working capital management allowed us to start seeing significant cash returns on those investments,” said Chris Stansbury, senior vice president and chief financial officer. “We remain committed to returning excess cash to shareholders. During the third quarter we returned approximately $25 million to shareholders through our stock repurchase program. We had approximately $384 million of remaining authorization under our share repurchase program at the end of the third quarter.”

NINE-MONTH RESULTS

In the first nine months of 2017, sales of $19.18 billion increased 10 percent from sales of $17.38 billion in the first nine months of 2016. Net income for the first nine months of 2017 was $348 million, or $3.87 per share on a diluted basis, compared with net income of $358 million, or $3.87 per share on a diluted basis in the first nine months of 2016. Excluding certain items¹, net income would have been $455 million, or $5.06 per share on a diluted basis, in the first nine months of 2017 compared with net income of $428 million, or $4.63 per share on a diluted basis, in the first nine months of 2016.

¹ A reconciliation of non-GAAP adjusted financial measures, including sales, as adjusted, operating income, as adjusted, net income attributable to shareholders, as adjusted, and net income per share, as adjusted, to GAAP financial measures is presented in the reconciliation tables included herein.

GUIDANCE

“As we look to the fourth quarter, we believe that total sales will be between $7.2 billion and $7.6 billion, with global components sales between $4.75 billion and $4.95 billion, and global enterprise computing solutions sales between $2.45 billion and $2.65 billion. As a result of this outlook, we expect earnings per share on a diluted basis, to be in the range of $1.86 to $2.02, and earnings per share on a diluted basis, excluding certain items¹, to be in the range of $2.21 to $2.37 per share. Our guidance assumes interest expense will be approximately $44 million. The increase compared to the third quarter is due to slightly higher interest rates on our new long-term borrowings compared to our short-term borrowings, as well as normal, higher intra-quarter borrowings to support our seasonally largest quarter. Our guidance also assumes an average tax rate of 27 to 29 percent and average diluted shares outstanding are expected to be 89 million. We are expecting the average USD-to-Euro exchange rate for the fourth quarter to be approximately $1.18 to €1. At the midpoints of our fourth-quarter guidance ranges, full-year 2017 sales would total approximately $26.58 billion, and would grow 12 percent compared to full-year 2016. Full-year 2017 earnings per share, on a diluted basis, excluding certain items¹, would total approximately $7.35 and would grow 11 percent compared to full-year 2016,” said Mr. Stansbury.

Please refer to the CFO commentary, which can be found at investor.arrow.com, as a supplement to the company’s earnings release.

Arrow Electronics (www.arrow.com) is a global provider of products, services and solutions to industrial and commercial users of electronic components and enterprise computing solutions. Arrow serves as a supply channel partner for more than 125,000 original equipment manufacturers, contract manufacturers and commercial customers through a global network of more than 465 locations serving over 90 countries.

Information Relating to Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements that are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, which could cause actual results or facts to differ materially from such statements for a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to: industry conditions, the company's implementation of its new enterprise resource planning system, changes in product supply, pricing and customer demand, competition, other vagaries in the global components and global enterprise computing solutions markets, changes in relationships with key suppliers, increased profit margin pressure, the effects of additional actions taken to become more efficient or lower costs, risks related to the integration of acquired businesses, changes in legal and regulatory matters, and the company’s ability to generate additional cash flow. Forward-looking statements are those statements which are not statements of historical fact. These forward-looking statements can be identified by forward-looking words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "may," "will," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," and similar expressions. Shareholders and other readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. The company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any of the forward-looking statements.

For a further discussion of factors to consider in connection with these forward-looking statements, investors should refer to Item 1A Risk Factors of the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2016.

Certain Non-GAAP Financial Information

In addition to disclosing financial results that are determined in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”), the company also provides certain non-GAAP financial information relating to sales, operating income, net income attributable to shareholders, and net income per basic and diluted share. The company provides sales, income, or expense on a non-GAAP basis adjusted for the impact of changes in foreign currencies and the impact of acquisitions by adjusting the company's operating results for businesses acquired, including the amortization expense related to acquired intangible assets, as if the acquisitions had occurred at the beginning of the earliest period presented (referred to as "impact of acquisitions"). Operating income, net income attributable to shareholders, and net income per basic and diluted share are adjusted to exclude identifiable intangible amortization, restructuring, integration, and other charges, and certain charges, credits, gains, and losses that the company believes impact the comparability of its results of operations. These charges, credits, gains, and losses arise out of the company’s efficiency enhancement initiatives, acquisitions (including intangible assets amortization expense), and financing activities. A reconciliation of the company’s non-GAAP financial information to GAAP is set forth in the tables below.

The company believes that such non-GAAP financial information is useful to investors to assist in assessing and understanding the company’s operating performance and underlying trends in the company’s business because management considers these items referred to above to be outside the company’s core operating results. This non-GAAP financial information is among the primary indicators management uses as a basis for evaluating the company’s financial and operating performance. In addition, the company’s Board of Directors may use this non-GAAP financial information in evaluating management performance and setting management compensation.

The presentation of this additional non-GAAP financial information is not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for, or alternative to, sales, operating income, net income and net income per basic and diluted share determined in accordance with GAAP. Analysis of results and outlook on a non-GAAP basis should be used as a complement to, and in conjunction with, data presented in accordance with GAAP.