The Middleby Corporation Reports Fourth Quarter Results

Rhea-AI Summary

The Middleby Corporation (MIDD) reported record Q4 Adjusted EBITDA of $235 million, a 1% increase YoY, and YTD Adjusted EBITDA of $900 million, a 6% increase YoY. Operating cash flows reached $256 million for the quarter and $629 million for the year. The company achieved an organic adjusted EBITDA margin of 23.6%, with diluted earnings per share of $1.42 and adjusted net earnings per share of $2.65 for the fourth quarter, a 3% YoY increase.

Positive

• None.

Negative

• Net sales decreased 2.2% in Q4, with organic net sales decreasing across all segments.
• Operating income included $78.1 million of impairment charges primarily within the Residential Kitchen Equipment Group.
• Foreign exchange losses negatively impacted adjusted earnings per share by $0.06.
• The company experienced a decrease in operating cash flows for the twelve months period ended December 30, 2023, compared to the prior year period.

Insights

Financial Analyst

The reported figures by The Middleby Corporation indicate a complex fiscal performance. The 1% year-over-year increase in Q4 Adjusted EBITDA and 6% increase for the year suggest a stable growth trajectory in operational efficiency. However, it's critical to examine the 2.2% decrease in net sales for the quarter and the underlying reasons, such as the organic sales decline across all segments. Investors should consider the company's ability to maintain profitability amidst sales fluctuations, as reflected by the improved organic adjusted EBITDA margin from 22.6% to 23.6%.

Furthermore, the reduction in net leverage to below 2.5x and the significant increase in operating cash flows demonstrate a robust financial position and improved liquidity. This could potentially lead to increased investor confidence and could impact the company's stock performance positively. Nonetheless, the $78.1 million impairment charges within the Residential Kitchen Equipment Group warrant scrutiny, as they may signal strategic realignments or challenges in that segment.

Market Research Analyst

The contraction in organic net sales, especially the 14.6% decrease in the Residential Kitchen segment, raises concerns about market demand and competitive pressures. It's important to assess the broader industry trends, consumer spending behaviors and the impact of economic factors on discretionary purchases. The company's strategic focus on organic growth initiatives and the recent acquisition of GBT GmbH Bakery Technology may suggest an aggressive expansion strategy, aiming to offset organic sales declines and enhance market share.

Participation in the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show and the launch of new products are indicative of efforts to rejuvenate the brand portfolio and stimulate demand. The ability to innovate and effectively integrate acquisitions like GBT could be pivotal in driving long-term growth and maintaining market leadership.

Economist

The impact of foreign exchange rates, resulting in a $4.0 million loss, underscores the sensitivity of The Middleby Corporation's financial performance to international economic conditions. This exposure to currency risk could have implications for future earnings, particularly in the context of volatile global markets. The company's operational resilience, as evidenced by the marginal EBITDA growth despite sales decline, suggests a degree of pricing power and cost management that can be advantageous in an inflationary environment.

However, the overall economic outlook, including consumer confidence and industrial spending patterns, will be crucial in assessing The Middleby Corporation's ability to sustain profitability and growth. The net debt reduction and strong cash flow generation are positive indicators, but they must be weighed against potential macroeconomic headwinds that could affect the company's segments differently.

• Record Q4 Adjusted EBITDA of $235 million, a 1% increase year over year
• Record YTD Adjusted EBITDA of $900 million, a 6% increase year over year
• Record operating cash flows of $256 million for the quarter and $629 million for the year
• Profitability grew to an organic adjusted EBITDA margin of 23.6% compared to 22.6% in the prior year
• Diluted Earnings per share of $1.42 and adjusted net earnings per share of $2.65 for the fourth quarter, an increase of 3% year over year
• Net leverage reduced to less than 2.5x

ELGIN, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Middleby Corporation (NASDAQ: MIDD), a leading worldwide manufacturer of equipment for the commercial foodservice, food processing, and residential kitchen industries, today reported net earnings for the fourth quarter of 2023.

"We are proud of the accomplishments our team achieved in 2023, concluding with a strong fourth quarter finish in a challenging year. In 2023, we posted another year of record EBITDA, while also making great strides toward our long-term profitability goals. We generated record cash flows for the year, while making meaningful strategic investments in our operations, sales and marketing capabilities, and our industry leading product innovations. We enter 2024 with a strong financial position and each of our three industry-leading foodservice businesses are poised for long-term profitable growth," said Tim FitzGerald, CEO of The Middleby Corporation.

2023 Fourth Quarter Financial Results

• Net sales decreased 2.2% in the fourth quarter over the comparative prior year period. Excluding the impacts of acquisitions and foreign exchange rates, sales decreased 4.7% in the fourth quarter over the comparative prior year period.
• Organic net sales (a non-GAAP measure) decreases were reported for all segments in the fourth quarter of 2023. A reconciliation of reported net sales by segment is as follows:

	Commercial Foodservice			Residential Kitchen			Food Processing			Total Company
Reported Net Sales Growth	(0.2	)%		(12.5	)%		2.7	%		(2.2	)%
Acquisitions	1.4	%		0.3	%		2.3	%		1.3	%
Foreign Exchange Rates	0.8	%		1.8	%		1.7	%		1.2	%
Organic Net Sales Growth (1) (2)	(2.3	)%		(14.6	)%		(1.3	)%		(4.7	)%
(1) Organic net sales growth defined as total sales growth excluding impact of acquisitions and foreign exchange rates
(2) Totals may be impacted by rounding

• Operating income during the fourth quarter included $78.1 million of impairment charges associated with tradenames primarily within the Residential Kitchen Equipment Group.
• Adjusted EBITDA (a non-GAAP measure) was $235.2 million in the fourth quarter compared to $233.5 million in the prior year. A reconciliation of organic adjusted EBITDA (a non-GAAP measure) by segment is as follows:

	Commercial Foodservice			Residential Kitchen			Food Processing			Total Company
Adjusted EBITDA	28.6	%		10.4	%		27.6	%		23.3	%
Acquisitions	(0.4	)%		0.2	%		(0.1	)%		(0.2	)%
Foreign Exchange Rates	—	%		0.2	%		0.1	%		—	%
Organic Adjusted EBITDA (1) (2)	29.1	%		10.1	%		27.6	%		23.6	%
(1) Organic Adjusted EBITDA defined as Adjusted EBITDA excluding impact of acquisitions and foreign exchange rates.
(2) Totals may be impacted by rounding

• Foreign exchange losses were approximately $4.0 million in the fourth quarter, which negatively impacted adjusted earnings per share by $0.06.
• Operating cash flows during the fourth quarter amounted to $255.7 million in comparison to $159.1 million in the prior year period. Operating cash flows for the twelve months period ended December 30, 2023 amounted to $628.8 million in comparison to $332.6 million in the prior year period. The total leverage ratio per our credit agreements was less than 2.5x. The trailing twelve month bank agreement pro-forma EBITDA was $921.8 million.
• Net debt, defined as debt excluding the unamortized discount associated with the Convertible Notes less cash, at the end of the 2023 fiscal fourth quarter amounted to $2.2 billion as compared to $2.6 billion at the end of fiscal 2022. Our borrowing availability at the end of the fourth quarter was approximately $2.8 billion.

"We continue to further strengthen our three industry-leading foodservice platforms through organic growth initiatives and strategic acquisitions. We are excited to have most recently completed the acquisition of GBT GmbH Bakery Technology (“GBT”). Based in Lūnen Germany, GBT has a broad portfolio of highly-engineered industrial bakery product offerings that further extends our existing portfolio of solutions, providing for synergistic growth opportunities within our Food Processing Group."

"We are also very excited for Middleby Residential to be participating at the upcoming Kitchen & Bath Industry Show on February 27-29 in Las Vegas. Our entire portfolio of leading indoor and outdoor brands will be on display. We will be launching a record number of new products featuring new colors and designs, the latest in cooking technology, and the next generation of connected equipment," concluded Mr. FitzGerald.

Conference Call

The company has scheduled a conference call to discuss the fourth quarter results at 11 a.m. Eastern/10 a.m. Central Time on February 20th. The conference call is accessible through the Investor Relations section of the company website at www.middleby.com. If website access is not available, attendees can join the conference by dialing (833) 630-1956, or (412) 317-1837 for international access, and ask to join the Middleby conference call. The conference call will be available for replay from the company’s website.

Statements in this press release or otherwise attributable to the company regarding the company's business which are not historical facts are forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The company cautions investors that such statements are estimates of future performance and are highly dependent upon a variety of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such statements. Such factors include variability in financing costs; quarterly variations in operating results; dependence on key customers; international exposure; foreign exchange and political risks affecting international sales; changing market conditions; the impact of competitive products and pricing; the timely development and market acceptance of the company's products; the availability and cost of raw materials; and other risks detailed herein and from time-to-time in the company's SEC filings. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date hereof, and the company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by law.

The Middleby Corporation is a global leader in the foodservice industry. The company develops and manufactures a broad line of solutions used in commercial foodservice, food processing, and residential kitchens. Supporting the company’s pursuit of the most sophisticated innovation, state-of-the-art Middleby Innovation Kitchens and Residential Showrooms showcase and demonstrate the most advanced Middleby solutions. In 2022 Middleby was named a World’s Best Employer by Forbes and is a proud philanthropic partner to organizations addressing food insecurity.

THE MIDDLEBY CORPORATION CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS (Amounts in 000’s, Except Per Share Information) (Unaudited)
	Three Months Ended								Twelve Months Ended
	4th Qtr, 2023				4th Qtr, 2022				4th Qtr, 2023				4th Qtr, 2022
Net sales	$	1,008,576			$	1,031,705			$	4,036,605			$	4,032,853
Cost of sales		621,807				641,635				2,502,543				2,586,299
Gross profit		386,769				390,070				1,534,062				1,446,554
Selling, general and administrative expenses		191,585				200,477				806,946				797,234
Restructuring expenses		2,436				1,485				14,134				9,716
Impairments		78,114				—				78,114				—
Income from operations		114,634				188,108				634,868				639,604
Interest expense and deferred financing amortization, net		28,277				26,414				120,348				88,977
Net periodic pension benefit (other than service costs & curtailment)		(2,142	)			(10,437	)			(9,071	)			(42,681	)
Other expense, net		1,571				10,415				4,213				28,893
Earnings before income taxes		86,928				161,716				519,378				564,415
Provision for income taxes		10,635				28,519				118,496				127,846
Net earnings	$	76,293			$	133,197			$	400,882			$	436,569
Net earnings per share:
Basic	$	1.42			$	2.48			$	7.48			$	8.07
Diluted	$	1.42			$	2.45			$	7.41			$	7.95
Weighted average number of shares
Basic		53,601				53,809				53,577				54,095
Diluted		53,768				54,388				54,086				54,947

THE MIDDLEBY CORPORATION CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Amounts in 000’s) (Unaudited)
	Dec 30, 2023			Dec 31, 2022
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$	247,496		$	162,001
Accounts receivable, net		644,576			631,134
Inventories, net		935,867			1,077,729
Prepaid expenses and other		112,690			125,640
Prepaid taxes		25,230			9,492
Total current assets		1,965,859			2,005,996
Property, plant and equipment, net		510,898			443,528
Goodwill		2,486,310			2,411,834
Other intangibles, net		1,693,076			1,794,232
Long-term deferred tax assets		7,945			6,738
Pension benefits assets		38,535			—
Other assets		204,069			212,538
Total assets	$	6,906,692		$	6,874,866
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current maturities of long-term debt	$	44,822		$	45,583
Accounts payable		227,080			271,374
Accrued expenses		579,192			671,327
Total current liabilities		851,094			988,284
Long-term debt		2,380,373			2,676,741
Long-term deferred tax liability		216,143			220,204
Accrued pension benefits		12,128			14,948
Other non-current liabilities		197,065			176,942
Stockholders' equity		3,249,889			2,797,747
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$	6,906,692		$	6,874,866

THE MIDDLEBY CORPORATION
NON-GAAP SEGMENT INFORMATION (UNAUDITED)
(Amounts in 000’s, Except Percentages)
	Commercial Foodservice				Residential Kitchen				Food Processing				Total Company (1)
Three Months Ended December 30, 2023
Net sales	$	627,864			$	189,012			$	191,700			$	1,008,576
Segment Operating Income	$	164,111			$	(63,647	)		$	46,986			$	114,634
Operating Income % of net sales		26.1	%			(33.7	)%			24.5	%			11.4	%
Depreciation		7,189				3,567				2,039				13,328
Amortization		13,823				2,284				2,325				18,432
Restructuring expenses		515				1,218				703				2,436
Acquisition related adjustments		(8,345	)			31				812				(7,502	)
Charitable support to Ukraine		—				—				—				8
Stock compensation		—				—				—				15,742
Impairments		1,986				76,128				—				78,114
Segment adjusted EBITDA (2)	$	179,279			$	19,581			$	52,865			$	235,192
Adjusted EBITDA % of net sales		28.6	%			10.4	%			27.6	%			23.3	%
Three Months Ended December 31, 2022
Net sales	$	628,914			$	216,068			$	186,723			$	1,031,705
Segment Operating Income	$	158,318			$	27,137			$	41,295			$	188,108
Operating Income % of net sales		25.2	%			12.6	%			22.1	%			18.2	%
Depreciation		6,821				4,325				1,764				13,011
Amortization		13,704				(3,072	)			5,714				16,346
Restructuring expenses		(515	)			2,215				(215	)			1,485
Acquisition related adjustments		(1,814	)			—				112				(1,307	)
Charitable support to Ukraine		—				—				—				169
Stock compensation		—				—				—				15,727
Segment adjusted EBITDA	$	176,514			$	30,605			$	48,670			$	233,539
Adjusted EBITDA % of net sales		28.1	%			14.2	%			26.1	%			22.6	%
(1) Includes corporate and other general company expenses, which impact Segment Adjusted EBITDA, and amounted to $16.5 million and $22.3 million for the three months ended December 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively.
(2) Foreign exchange rates favorably impacted Segment Adjusted EBITDA by approximately $2.6 million for the three months ended December 30, 2023.

THE MIDDLEBY CORPORATION
NON-GAAP SEGMENT INFORMATION (UNAUDITED)
(Amounts in 000’s, Except Percentages)
	Commercial Foodservice				Residential Kitchen				Food Processing				Total Company (1)
Twelve Months Ended December 30, 2023
Net sales	$	2,521,471			$	794,516			$	720,618			$	4,036,605
Segment Operating Income	$	616,224			$	(12,450	)		$	158,469			$	634,868
Operating Income % of net sales		24.4	%			(1.6	)%			22.0	%			15.7	%
Depreciation		27,323				13,637				7,949				50,416
Amortization		56,728				9,052				9,271				75,051
Restructuring expenses		3,173				9,402				1,559				14,134
Acquisition related adjustments		(6,014	)			76				2,087				(3,851	)
Charitable support to Ukraine		—				—				—				615
Stock compensation		—				—				—				51,047
Impairments		1,986				76,128				—				78,114
Segment adjusted EBITDA (2)	$	699,420			$	95,845			$	179,335			$	900,394
Adjusted EBITDA % of net sales		27.7	%			12.1	%			24.9	%			22.3	%
Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2022
Net sales	$	2,394,762			$	1,048,122			$	589,969			$	4,032,853
Segment Operating Income	$	548,536			$	127,948			$	107,459			$	639,604
Operating Income % of net sales		22.9	%			12.2	%			18.2	%			15.9	%
Depreciation		24,299				13,596				6,045				44,619
Amortization		54,872				17,376				14,034				86,282
Restructuring expenses		2,419				5,107				2,190				9,716
Acquisition related adjustments		(3,070	)			15,062				415				13,852
Charitable support to Ukraine		—				—				—				967
Stock compensation		—				—				—				58,368
Segment adjusted EBITDA	$	627,056			$	179,089			$	130,143			$	853,408
Adjusted EBITDA % of net sales		26.2	%			17.1	%			22.1	%			21.2	%
(1) Includes corporate and other general company expenses, which impact Segment Adjusted EBITDA, and amounted to $74.2 million and $82.9 million for the twelve months ended December 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively.
(2) Foreign exchange rates favorably impacted Segment Adjusted EBITDA by approximately $2.2 million for the twelve months ended December 30, 2023.

THE MIDDLEBY CORPORATION NON-GAAP INFORMATION (UNAUDITED) (Amounts in 000’s, Except Percentages)
	Three Months Ended
	4th Qtr, 2023								4th Qtr, 2022
	$				Diluted per share				$				Diluted per share
Net earnings	$	76,293			$	1.42			$	133,197			$	2.45
Amortization (1)		20,218				0.38				18,132				0.33
Restructuring expenses		2,436				0.05				1,485				0.03
Acquisition related adjustments		(7,502	)			(0.14	)			(1,307	)			(0.02	)
Net periodic pension benefit (other than service costs & curtailment)		(2,142	)			(0.04	)			(10,437	)			(0.19	)
Charitable support to Ukraine		8				—				169				—
Impairments		78,114				1.45				—				—
Income tax effect of pre-tax adjustments		(24,665	)			(0.46	)			(2,075	)			(0.04	)
Adjustment for shares excluded due to anti-dilution effect on GAAP net earnings (2)		—				(0.01	)			—				0.01
Adjusted net earnings	$	142,760			$	2.65			$	139,164			$	2.57
Diluted weighted average number of shares		53,768								54,388
Adjustment for shares excluded due to anti-dilution effect on GAAP net earnings (2)		73								(320	)
Adjusted diluted weighted average number of shares		53,841								54,068
	Twelve Months Ended
	4th Qtr, 2023								4th Qtr, 2022
	$				Diluted per share				$				Diluted per share
Net earnings	$	400,882			$	7.41			$	436,569			$	7.95
Amortization (1)		82,188				1.52				93,441				1.70
Restructuring expenses		14,134				0.26				9,716				0.18
Acquisition related adjustments		(3,851	)			(0.07	)			13,852				0.25
Net periodic pension benefit (other than service costs & curtailment)		(9,071	)			(0.17	)			(42,681	)			(0.78	)
Charitable support to Ukraine		615				0.01				967				0.02
Impairments		78,114				1.44				—				—
Income tax effect of pre-tax adjustments		(42,414	)			(0.78	)			(18,824	)			(0.34	)
Adjustment for shares excluded due to anti-dilution effect on GAAP net earnings (2)		—				0.08				—				0.12
Adjusted net earnings	$	520,597			$	9.70			$	493,040			$	9.10
Diluted weighted average number of shares		54,086								54,947
Adjustment for shares excluded due to anti-dilution effect on GAAP net earnings (2)		(442	)							(779	)
Adjusted diluted weighted average number of shares		53,644								54,168
(1) Includes amortization of deferred financing costs and convertible notes issuance costs.
(2) Adjusted diluted weighted average number of shares was calculated based on excluding the dilutive effect of shares to be issued upon conversion of the notes to satisfy the amount in excess of the principal since the company's capped call offsets the dilutive impact of the shares underlying the convertible notes. The calculation of adjusted diluted earnings per share excludes the principal portion of the convertible notes as this will always be settled in cash.

	Three Months Ended								Twelve Months Ended
	4th Qtr, 2023				4th Qtr, 2022				4th Qtr, 2023				4th Qtr, 2022
Net Cash Flows Provided By (Used In):
Operating activities	$	255,687			$	159,103			$	628,790			$	332,552
Investing activities		(16,518	)			(90,451	)			(155,742	)			(348,319	)
Financing activities		(165,171	)			(64,963	)			(390,939	)			7,631
Free Cash Flow
Cash flow from operating activities	$	255,687			$	159,103			$	628,790			$	332,552
Less: Capital expenditures		(15,534	)			(16,375	)			(85,179	)			(67,289	)
Free cash flow	$	240,153			$	142,728			$	543,611			$	265,263

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

The company supplements its consolidated financial statements presented on a GAAP basis with this non-GAAP financial information to provide investors with greater insight, increase transparency and allow for a more comprehensive understanding of the information used by management in its financial and operational decision-making. The non-GAAP financial measures disclosed by the company should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP, and the financial results prepared in accordance with GAAP and reconciliations from these results should be carefully evaluated. In addition, the non-GAAP financial measures included in this press release do not have standard meanings and may vary from similarly titled non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies.

The company believes that organic net sales growth, non-GAAP adjusted segment EBITDA, adjusted net earnings and adjusted diluted per share measures are useful as supplements to its GAAP results of operations to evaluate certain aspects of its operations and financial performance, and its management team primarily focuses on non-GAAP items in evaluating performance for business planning purposes. The company also believes that these measures assist it with comparing its performance between various reporting periods on a consistent basis, as these measures remove from operating results the impact of items that, in its opinion, do not reflect its core operating performance including, for example, intangibles amortization expense, impairment charges, restructuring expenses, and other charges which management considers to be outside core operating results.

The company believes that free cash flow is an important measure of operating performance because it provides management and investors a measure of cash generated from operations that is available for mandatory payment obligations and investment opportunities, such as funding acquisitions, repaying debt and repurchasing our common stock.

The company believes that its presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is useful because it provides investors and securities analysts with the same information that Middleby uses internally for purposes of assessing its core operating performance.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220496055/en/

John Joyner, VP of Investor Relations, jjoyner@middleby.com

Source: The Middleby Corporation

FAQ

What was The Middleby Corporation's (MIDD) Q4 Adjusted EBITDA?

The Middleby Corporation reported a record Q4 Adjusted EBITDA of $235 million.

What was the YoY increase in YTD Adjusted EBITDA for The Middleby Corporation (MIDD)?

The YTD Adjusted EBITDA for The Middleby Corporation increased by 6% YoY.

What was the organic adjusted EBITDA margin achieved by The Middleby Corporation (MIDD)?

The Middleby Corporation achieved an organic adjusted EBITDA margin of 23.6%.

What were the diluted earnings per share for The Middleby Corporation (MIDD) in the fourth quarter?

The diluted earnings per share for The Middleby Corporation in the fourth quarter were $1.42.

What was the impact of foreign exchange losses on adjusted earnings per share for The Middleby Corporation (MIDD) in Q4?

Foreign exchange losses negatively impacted adjusted earnings per share by $0.06 in Q4.