Hurco Reports Fourth Quarter and Full-Year Results

INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 11, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hurco Companies, Inc., (Nasdaq:HURC) today reported results for the fourth quarter and the fiscal year ended October 31, 2012. For the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012, Hurco recorded net income of $4,086,000, or $0.63 per diluted share, as compared to net income of $2,654,000, or $0.41 per diluted share, for the corresponding period in fiscal 2011. For the full fiscal year 2012, Hurco recorded net income of $15,638,000, or $2.40 per diluted share, as compared to net income of $11,124,000, or $1.71 per diluted share, for fiscal 2011.

Sales and service fees for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012 were $56,067,000, an increase of $7,496,000, or 15%, from the prior year period. This quarter-over-quarter improvement is net of the adverse impact of $2,087,000, or 4%, in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012, due to a weaker Euro when translating foreign sales to U.S. Dollars for financial reporting purposes. Sales and service fees for the full fiscal year totaled $203,117,000, an increase of $22,716,000, or 13%, from fiscal 2011. The unfavorable impact of currency translation on the full fiscal year-over-year comparison was $7,609,000, or 4%.

The following table sets forth net sales and service fees by geographic region for the quarter and fiscal year ending October 31, 2012 and 2011 (in thousands), respectively:

The fourth quarter increase in sales was driven by increased demand in North America and Europe. The 8% increase in Europe was actually 15% when adjusted to exclude the negative impact of foreign currency translation due to a weaker Euro. Compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011, unit shipments for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012 increased in North America by 33%, in Europe by 13%, and in Asia Pacific by 12%. For the full fiscal year, sales increased in all regions, driven by higher customer demand. Unit shipments for the full year 2012, compared to fiscal 2011, increased in North America by 14%, in Europe by 4% and in Asia Pacific by 16%. 

The following table sets forth new orders booked by geographic region for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ending October 31, 2012 and 2011 (in thousands), respectively:

During the fourth quarter of 2012, orders increased in North America and Europe due to favorable market conditions. We experienced increased orders in North America, following our successful showing at the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in Chicago where we launched our rebranding initiative and new line of high speed machines. We experienced a decline in order activity in Asia where industrial activity has been slowing. Compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011, unit orders for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012 increased in North America by 54% and in Europe by 22%, but decreased in Asia Pacific by 9%. During the full fiscal year 2012, orders remained relatively consistent with the prior fiscal year. Unit orders for the fiscal year 2012 compared to fiscal 2011 increased in North America by 22%, but decreased in Europe by 9% and in Asia Pacific by 22%. The impact of currency translation on orders booked in the fourth quarter and full fiscal year was consistent with the impact on sales.  

Hurco's fourth quarter gross profit was $17,220,000, or 31% of sales, compared to $15,682,000, or 32% of sales, for the prior year period. For the full fiscal year 2012, gross profit was $63,181,000, or 31% of sales, compared to $55,874,000, or 31% of sales, for fiscal 2011. The increase in gross profit for the fourth quarter and the year was due primarily to the increase in sales.

Selling, general and administrative expenses for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012 were $11,870,000, an increase of $778,000, or 7%, from the corresponding period in 2011.  Selling, general and administrative expenses were $41,160,000 for fiscal 2012, an increase of $2,667,000, or 7%, over fiscal 2011. The increases in selling, general and administrative expenses for the fourth quarter and fiscal year were primarily due to higher sales and marketing expenses and higher commissions as a result of increased sales.   

Other expenses during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012 decreased $1,051,000 compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011. Other expenses for fiscal 2012 decreased by $1,605,000. These decreases were primarily due to decreased foreign currency losses experienced in fiscal 2012.

Cash and cash equivalents totaled $35,770,000 as of October 31, 2012, compared to $44,961,000 as of October 31, 2011. Inventories as of October 31, 2012 were $91,320,000, an increase of $10,193,000, or 13%, from the end of the prior fiscal year primarily due to an increase in finished goods inventory intended to meet forecasted growth in customer demand. Working capital, excluding cash, was $88,239,000 as of October 31, 2012, compared to $61,885,000 as of October 31, 2011. The increase in working capital, excluding cash, was primarily due to increased inventory resulting from higher production levels and increased accounts receivable from higher sales volumes.

Michael Doar, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "Considering the economic uncertainty in Europe, we finished the year with a strong performance. I believe our results are a testament to customer acceptance of our cutting edge control technology and product line expansion. North America achieved record sales for the quarter, which I attribute to the excitement surrounding the rebranding initiative that we introduced at the International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago. Additionally, I believe U.S. customers appreciate the fact that our control technology focuses on helping them increase profitability, especially in the manufacture of small-to-medium-sized lots, which accounts for the majority of their machining activity. Going forward, we will continue to deliver machine tools with advanced technology that simplifies complex operations, while providing a user interface that is intuitive and user-friendly."

Hurco Companies, Inc. is an industrial technology company that designs and produces interactive computer controls, software and computerized machine tools for the worldwide metal cutting and metal forming industry. The end market for the Company's products consists primarily of independent job shops and short-run manufacturing operations within large corporations in industries such as aerospace, defense, medical equipment, energy, transportation and computer equipment. The Company is based in Indianapolis, Indiana, with manufacturing operations in Taiwan and China, and sells its products through direct and indirect sales forces throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. The Company has sales, application engineering support and service subsidiaries in China, England, France, Germany, India, Italy, Poland, Singapore, South Africa and the United States of America.  Web Site: www.hurco.com

The Hurco Companies, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=14761

This news release contains forward looking statements which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, among others, the cyclical nature of the machine tool industry, changes in general economic and business conditions that affect demand for our products, the risks of our international operations, changes in manufacturing markets, innovations by competitors, the ability to protect our intellectual property, fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, increases in prices of raw materials, quality and delivery performance by our vendors, changes in operations due to acquisitions, the loss of key personnel, and governmental actions and initiatives including import and export restrictions and tariffs.