Northern Technologies International Corporation Reports Financial Results for Third Quarter Fiscal 2021

Rhea-AI Summary

Northern Technologies International Corporation (NASDAQ: NTIC) reported exceptional financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2021, with consolidated net sales rising by 58.2% to a record $15,419,000. Key highlights include ZERUST® industrial net sales up 61.4% to $10,101,000 and net income attributable to NTIC reaching $2,054,000, marking a significant turnaround from a net loss of $(965,000) in the previous year. The company maintains a strong balance sheet with no debt and total cash and cash equivalents of $11,006,000, supporting future growth and operations.

Positive

• Consolidated net sales increased 58.2% to $15,419,000.
• Net income attributable to NTIC rose to $2,054,000 from a net loss of $(965,000).
• Operating expenses as a percent of net sales improved to 40.9% from 58.0%.
• Strong performance in ZERUST® oil and gas net sales, increasing 141.0%.

Negative

• Natur-Tec® net sales declined 28.3% year-over-year.

MINNEAPOLIS, July 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northern Technologies International Corporation (NASDAQ: NTIC), a leading developer of corrosion inhibiting products and services, as well as bio-based and biodegradable polymer resin compounds, today reported its financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2021.

Third quarter fiscal 2021 highlights include (with growth rates compared to third quarter of fiscal 2020, except as otherwise noted):

• Consolidated net sales increased 58.2% to a record $15,419,000, up 3.5% over third quarter of fiscal 2019
• ZERUST^® industrial net sales increased 61.4% to a record $10,101,000, up 22.5% over third quarter of fiscal 2019
• NTIC China net sales increased 30.7% to $4,037,000
• ZERUST^® oil and gas net sales increased 141.0% to $1,024,000
• Natur-Tec^® net sales increased 27.3% to $3,040,000
• Joint venture operating income increased 114.6% to $3,623,000
• Net income attributable to NTIC increased to $2,054,000, compared to a net loss of $(965,000)
• Net income per diluted share attributable to NTIC increased to $0.21, compared to a net loss of $(0.11) per share
• Consolidated balance sheet at May 31, 2021, was strong with no debt and total cash and cash equivalents and available for sale securities of $11,006,000
  

“Sales for the fiscal 2021 third quarter accelerated past second quarter levels and set a new record as momentum continued to build across our global product categories. Consolidated sales increased 58.2% year-over-year, and were up 20.6% from the second quarter, while sales at NTIC’s joint ventures increased 10.0% from the fiscal 2021 second quarter and are up 70.2% year-over-year,” said G. Patrick Lynch, President and Chief Executive Officer of NTIC.

“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we maintained our operations, staffing levels and services to our customers, while investing in new product development and pursuing new sales opportunities. This kept us ready to benefit from the significant current resurgence in industrial production.”

“ZERUST^® oil and gas sales for the quarter were also strong as a result of improving market dynamics. Furthermore, the American Petroleum Institute (“API”) released its technical report detailing how Vapor Corrosion Inhibitor (“VCI”) based technologies, like the ones offered by ZERUST^® oil and gas, can provide effective corrosion protection for the bottoms of above ground storage tanks. We believe this API technical report validates our technology and will help NTIC’s long-term sales growth efforts within the oil and gas market.”

“Natur-Tec sales continue to recover and were at the highest sales levels in over 12 months as large users of compostable plastics began re-opening their facilities after prolonged COVID-19 shutdowns. We anticipate that demand for our Natur-Tec compostable solutions will continue to increase further as the pace of re-openings accelerates. Trends across our markets are encouraging, and we expect to see continued year-over-year sales and earnings growth during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021,” concluded Mr. Lynch.

NTIC’s consolidated net sales increased 58.2% to $15,419,000 during the three months ended May 31, 2021, compared to $9,745,000 for the three months ended May 31, 2020. The year-over-year increase in consolidated sales was primarily due to sales growth across all the Company’s product categories as a result of higher global demand and the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. For the nine months ended May 31, 2021, consolidated net sales increased 9.0% to $40,981,000, compared to $37,610,000 for the same period last fiscal year.

The following tables set forth NTIC’s net sales by product category for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2021 and May 31, 2020, by segment:

	Three Months Ended
	May 31, 2021			% of Net Sales			May 31, 2020			% of Net Sales			% Change
ZERUST® industrial net sales	$	10,100,638		65.5	%		$	6,258,348		64.2	%		61.4	%
ZERUST® joint venture net sales		1,253,920		8.1	%			673,752		6.9	%		86.1	%
ZERUST® oil & gas net sales		1,023,657		6.6	%			424,681		4.4	%		141.0	%
Total ZERUST® net sales	$	12,378,215		80.3	%		$	7,356,781		75.5	%		68.3	%
Total Natur-Tec® net sales		3,040,309		19.7	%			2,388,042		24.5	%		27.3	%
Total net sales	$	15,418,524		100.0	%		$	9,744,823		100.0	%		58.2	%

	Nine Months Ended
	May 31, 2021			% of Net Sales			May 31, 2020			% of Net Sales			% Change
ZERUST® industrial net sales	$	28,574,297		69.7	%		$	22,804,975		60.6	%		25.3	%
ZERUST® joint venture net sales		2,361,165		5.8	%			1,504,997		4.0	%		56.9	%
ZERUST® oil & gas net sales		1,947,420		4.8	%			2,012,543		5.4	%		(3.2	)%
Total ZERUST® net sales	$	32,882,882		80.2	%		$	26,322,515		70.0	%		24.9	%
Total Natur-Tec® net sales		8,097,636		19.8	%			11,287,491		30.0	%		(28.3	)%
Total net sales	$	40,980,518		100.0	%		$	37,610,006		100.0	%		9.0	%

NTIC’s joint venture operating income increased 114.6% to $3,623,000 during the three months ended May 31, 2021, compared to joint venture operating income of $1,688,000 during the three months ended May 31, 2020. This increase was primarily attributable to a corresponding improvement in total net sales of the joint ventures, as fees for services provided to joint ventures are primarily a function of the net sales of NTIC’s joint ventures, which increased 70.2% to $31,960,000 during the three months ended May 31, 2021, compared to $18,782,000 for the three months ended May 31, 2020. Year-to-date, NTIC’s joint venture operating income increased 46.1% to $10,168,000, compared to joint venture operating income of $6,958,000 during the nine months ended May 31, 2020. Net sales of NTIC’s joint ventures increased 28.1% to $87,795,000 during the nine months ended May 31, 2021, compared to $68,532,000 for the nine months ended May 31, 2020.

Operating expenses, as a percent of net sales, for the third quarter of fiscal 2021 were 40.9%, compared to 58.0% for the same period last fiscal year. This improvement in operating leverage was due to higher third quarter sales, and NTIC’s continued focus on controlling operating expenses. Year-to-date, operating expenses, as a percent of net sales, were 44.1%, compared to 47.9% for the same period last fiscal year.  

The Company reported net income attributable to NTIC for the third quarter of fiscal 2021 of $2,054,000, or $0.21 per diluted share, compared to a net loss of $(965,000), or ($0.11) per diluted share for the same period last fiscal year. For the nine months ended May 31, 2021, net income attributable to NTIC increased to $4,629,000, or $0.47 per diluted share, from $427,000, or $0.05 per diluted share for the same period last fiscal year.

NTIC’s balance sheet remains strong, with no debt, and working capital of $29,676,000 at May 31, 2021, including $5,881,000 in cash and cash equivalents and $5,125,000 in available for sale securities, compared to $27,105,000 of working capital at August 31, 2020, including $6,403,000 in cash and cash equivalents and $5,545,000 in available for sale securities.

At May 31, 2021, the Company had $26,938,000 of investments in joint ventures, of which over $14,773,000, or 54.8%, is cash, with the remaining balance primarily invested in other working capital.  

Conference Call and Webcast

NTIC will host a conference call today at 8:00 a.m. Central Time to review its results of operations for the third quarter of fiscal 2021 and its outlook, followed by a question-and-answer session. The conference call will be available to interested parties through a live audio webcast available through NTIC’s website at www.ntic.com or https://ntic.gcs-web.com/events-presentations where the webcast will be archived and accessible for at least 12 months. The dial-in number for the conference call is (877) 670-9776 and the confirmation code is 1250369.

About Northern Technologies International Corporation  

Northern Technologies International Corporation develops and markets proprietary environmentally beneficial products and services in over 60 countries either directly or via a network of subsidiaries, joint ventures, independent distributors and agents. NTIC’s primary business is corrosion prevention marketed primarily under the ZERUST^® brand. NTIC has been selling its proprietary ZERUST^® rust and corrosion inhibiting products and services to the automotive, electronics, electrical, mechanical, military and retail consumer markets for over 40 years and in recent years has targeted and expanded into the oil and gas industry. NTIC offers worldwide on-site technical consulting for rust and corrosion prevention issues. NTIC’s technical service consultants work directly with the end users of NTIC’s products to analyze their specific needs and develop systems to meet their technical requirements. NTIC also markets and sells a portfolio of bio-based and biodegradable polymer resins and finished products marketed under the Natur-Tec^® brand.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this release that are not historical information are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include NTIC’s expectations that the API technical report will help NTIC’s long-term sales growth efforts within the oil and gas market, demand for NTIC’s Natur-Tec compostable solutions will continue to increase as the pace of re-openings accelerates, and that it will continue to see higher year-over-year sales and earnings growth throughout the remainder of fiscal 2021 and other statements that can be identified by words such as “believes,” “continues,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “potential,” “outlook,” “will,” “may,” “would,” “should,” “guidance” or words of similar meaning, the use of future dates and any other statements that are not historical facts. Such forward-looking statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of NTIC’s management and are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or implied. Such potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, in no particular order: the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on NTIC’s business and operating results; the ability of NTIC to continue to pay dividends; the effect of economic uncertainty and trade disputes; NTIC’s dependence on the success of its joint ventures and fees and dividend distributions that NTIC receives from them; NTIC’s relationships with its joint ventures and its ability to maintain those relationships; NTIC’s dependence on its joint venture in Germany in particular due to its significance and the effect of a termination of this or its other joint ventures on NTIC’s business and operating results; the ability of NTIC China to achieve significant sales; costs and expenses incurred by NTIC in connection with its ongoing litigation against its former Chinese joint venture partner; the effect of the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union, economic slowdown and political unrest; risks associated with NTIC’s international operations; exposure to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates and tariffs, including in particular the Euro compared to the U.S. dollar; the health of the U.S. and worldwide economies, including in particular the U.S. automotive industry; the level of growth in NTIC’s markets; NTIC’s investments in research and development efforts; acceptance of existing and new products; timing of NTIC’s receipt of purchase orders under supply contracts; variability in sales to customers in the oil and gas industry and the effect on NTIC’s quarterly financial results; increased competition; the costs and effects of complying with changes in tax, fiscal, government and other regulatory policies, including the new tax reform law, which could result in a write-down of our deferred tax assets, and rules relating to environmental, health and safety matters; pending and potential litigation; and NTIC’s reliance on its intellectual property rights and the absence of infringement of the intellectual property rights of others. More detailed information on these and additional factors which could affect NTIC’s operating and financial results is described in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020 and subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. NTIC urges all interested parties to read these reports to gain a better understanding of the many business and other risks that the Company faces. Additionally, NTIC undertakes no obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements, which may be made to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

NORTHERN TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS AS OF MAY 31, 2021 (UNAUDITED)
AND AUGUST 31, 2020 (AUDITED)

		May 31, 2021				August 31, 2020
ASSETS
CURRENT ASSETS:
	Cash and cash equivalents	$	5,880,923			$	6,403,032
	Available for sale securities		5,125,052				5,544,722
	Receivables:
	Trade, excluding joint ventures, less allowance for doubtful accounts
	of $120,000 at May 31, 2021 and $90,000 at August 31, 2020		11,165,605				8,072,212
	Trade, joint ventures		1,040,049				475,900
	Fees for services provided to joint ventures		1,427,240				927,286
	Income taxes		247,895				19,907
	Inventories		11,306,598				10,961,796
	Prepaid expenses		1,035,046				797,495
	Total current assets		37,228,408				33,202,350
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET			7,177,012				7,110,789
OTHER ASSETS:
	Investments in joint ventures		26,937,857				24,090,826
	Deferred income taxes		223,739				209,729
	Patents and trademarks, net		746,305				802,006
	Operating lease right of use asset		486,854				658,788
	Total other assets		28,394,755				25,761,349
	Total assets	$	72,800,175			$	66,074,488
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
	Accounts payable	$	4,103,932			$	3,205,241
	Income taxes payable		166,574				310,922
	Accrued liabilities:
	Payroll and related benefits		2,295,421				1,314,978
	Other		873,280				880,118
	Current portion of operating lease		113,688				386,345
	Total current liabilities		7,552,895				6,097,604
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
	Operating lease, less current portion		373,166				272,443
	Total long-term liabilities		373,166				272,443
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
EQUITY:
	Preferred stock, no par value; authorized 10,000 shares; none issued and outstanding		—				—
	Common stock, $0.02 par value per share; authorized 15,000,000 shares as of
	May 31, 2021 and August 31, 2020; issued and outstanding 9,109,861 and 9,099,990, respectively		182,197				182,000
	Additional paid-in capital		17,992,518				17,415,043
	Retained earnings		45,917,757				42,472,810
	Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(2,717,935	)			(3,410,438	)
	Stockholders’ equity		61,374,537				56,659,415
	Non-controlling interests		3,499,577				3,045,026
	Total equity		64,874,114				59,704,441
	Total liabilities and equity	$	72,800,175			$	66,074,488

NORTHERN TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (UNAUDITED)
FOR THE THREE AND NINE MONTHS ENDED MAY 31, 2021 AND 2020

	Three Months Ended May 31,							Nine Months Ended May 31,
		2021			2020				2021			2020
NET SALES:
Net sales, excluding joint ventures	$	14,164,604		$	9,071,072			$	38,619,353		$	36,105,009
Net sales, to joint ventures		1,253,920			673,751				2,361,165			1,504,997
Total net sales		15,418,524			9,744,823				40,980,518			37,610,006
Cost of goods sold		10,152,582			6,499,102				26,997,582			24,991,487
Gross profit		5,265,942			3,245,721				13,982,936			12,618,519
JOINT VENTURE OPERATIONS:
Equity in income from joint ventures		2,033,536			811,787				5,779,260			3,466,581
Fees for services provided to joint ventures		1,589,621			876,706				4,388,866			3,491,244
Total joint venture operations		3,623,157			1,688,493				10,168,126			6,957,825
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Selling expenses		3,171,657			2,487,396				8,745,433			8,484,928
General and administrative expenses		2,072,195			2,213,552				6,125,151			6,608,352
Research and development expenses		1,066,493			950,127				3,217,410			2,918,163
Total operating expenses		6,310,345			5,651,075				18,087,994			18,011,443
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)		2,578,754			(716,861	)			6,063,068			1,564,901
INTEREST INCOME (EXPENSE)		7,632			(73,378	)			85,191			15,881
INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE INCOME TAX EXPENSE		2,586,386			(790,239	)			6,148,259			1,580,782
INCOME TAX EXPENSE		276,338			142,285				929,588			869,945
NET INCOME (LOSS)		2,310,048			(932,524	)			5,218,671			710,837
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO NON-         CONTROLLING INTERESTS		256,132			32,697				589,781			283,674
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO NTIC	$	2,053,916		$	(965,221	)		$	4,628,890		$	427,163
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO NTIC PER COMMON SHARE:
Basic	$	0.23		$	(0.11	)		$	0.51		$	0.05
Diluted	$	0.21		$	(0.11	)		$	0.47		$	0.05
WEIGHTED AVERAGE COMMON SHARES
ASSUMED OUTSTANDING:
Basic		9,109,861			9,099,990				9,107,243			9,096,981
Diluted		9,972,000			9,099,990				9,829,052			9,312,914
CASH DIVIDENDS DECLARED PER COMMON SHARE	$	0.065		$	0.00			$	0.13		$	0.13

Investor and Media Contact:
Matthew Wolsfeld, CFO
NTIC        
(763) 225-6600

 

FAQ

What were NTIC's financial results for Q3 2021?

NTIC reported a 58.2% increase in net sales to $15,419,000 and a net income of $2,054,000.

How did NTIC's sales compare to the previous year?

Consolidated net sales were up 58.2% compared to Q3 2020.

What factors contributed to NTIC's strong sales growth?

Sales growth was driven by recovery from COVID-19 and increased demand across product categories.

What is the outlook for NTIC following Q3 2021 results?

The company anticipates continued year-over-year sales and earnings growth in Q4 2021.

How has NTIC's balance sheet changed recently?

NTIC has no debt and reported total cash and cash equivalents of $11,006,000 as of May 31, 2021.