Parker Reports Fiscal 2017 Third Quarter Results

• Third quarter sales increased 10% to $3.12 billion, organic sales increased 6%, order rates increased 8%
• Total segment operating margins strong at 14.8% as reported
• 16.1% adjusted segment operating margins, a year-over-year increase of 140 bps
• EPS increased 28% to $1.75, or an increase of 40% to $2.11, on an adjusted basis
• Year-to-date operating cash flow strong at 9.2%, or 11.8% of sales excluding pension contribution
• CLARCOR acquisition completed and integration underway to capture meaningful synergies
• Fiscal 2017 full year earnings guidance increased

CLEVELAND, April 27, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Parker Hannifin Corporation (NYSE:PH), the global leader in motion and control technologies, today reported results for the fiscal 2017 third quarter ended March 31, 2017.  Fiscal 2017 third quarter sales increased 10% to $3.12 billion compared with $2.83 billion in the prior year quarter. Net income increased 28% to $238.8 million compared with $187.1 million in the prior year quarter.  Fiscal 2017 third quarter earnings per share increased 28% to $1.75, compared with $1.37 in the fiscal 2016 third quarter.  Earnings per share were $2.11, when adjusted for business realignment and acquisition related expenses, compared with $1.51 in the prior year quarter, which was adjusted for business realignment expenses.  Cash flow from operations for the first nine months of fiscal 2017 was $789.3 million or 9.2% of sales, compared with $704.6 million or 8.4% of sales in the prior year period.  Excluding discretionary pension contributions, year-to-date cash flow from operations was 11.8% of sales compared with 10.8% of sales in the prior year period.

“Accelerated sales growth combined with the benefits of ongoing execution of our Win Strategy™ initiatives, contributed to another strong quarter for Parker across many measures,” said Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tom Williams. “While sales growth included the CLARCOR acquisition, we were particularly pleased that organic sales increased 6%.  We drove meaningful year-over-year adjusted segment operating margin improvement of 140 basis points with total segment operating margins reaching 16.1%.  With the completion of the CLARCOR acquisition, we are well underway with the integration of our two great filtration businesses designed to achieve significant synergies. We were also pleased at Parker’s ability to be a consistent generator of cash with strong year-to-date operating cash flow performance.” 

Segment Results
Diversified Industrial Segment: North American third quarter sales increased 13% to $1.4 billion, and operating income increased 12% to $227.4 million compared with $202.2 million in the same period a year ago.  International third quarter sales increased 11% to $1.1 billion, and operating income increased 45% to $153.0 million compared with $105.2 million in the same period a year ago.

Aerospace Systems Segment: Third quarter sales increased 3% to $577.0 million, and operating income decreased 5% to $80.0 million compared with $84.2 million in the same period a year ago.

Parker reported the following orders for the quarter ending March 31, 2017, compared with the same quarter a year ago:

• Orders increased 8% for total Parker;
• Orders increased 9% in the Diversified Industrial North America businesses;
• Orders increased 13% in the Diversified Industrial International businesses; and
• Orders were flat in the Aerospace Systems Segment on a rolling 12-month average basis.

Outlook
For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2017, the company has increased guidance for earnings from continuing operations to the range of $6.90 to $7.20 per share, or $7.70 to $8.00 per share on an adjusted basis.  Fiscal year 2017 guidance is adjusted for expected business realignment expenses of approximately $0.25 per share and acquisition related expenses of approximately $0.55 per share.  Full fiscal year 2017 earnings guidance has been updated to include acquisitions.

Williams added, “Our results reflect the hard work of Parker team members in executing the Win Strategy as we continue with actions targeted at achieving top quartile financial performance among our peer companies. In addition, we see broad based improvements in many end markets and regions, which is reflected in our strong order growth in the third quarter.”

NOTICE OF CONFERENCE CALL: Parker Hannifin's conference call and slide presentation to discuss its fiscal 2017 third quarter results are available to all interested parties via live webcast today at 11:00 a.m. ET, on the company's investor information web site at www.phstock.com. To access the call, click on the "Live Webcast" link. From this link, users also may complete a pre-call system test and register for e-mail notification of future events and information available from Parker.  A replay of the conference call will also be available at www.phstock.com for one year after the call.

Parker Hannifin is a Fortune 250 global leader in motion and control technologies. For 100 years the company has engineered the success of its customers in a wide range of diversified industrial and aerospace markets.  Parker has increased its annual dividend per share paid to shareholders for 61 consecutive fiscal years, among the top five longest-running dividend-increase records in the S&P 500 index.  Learn more at www.parker.com or @parkerhannifin.

Note on Orders
Orders provide near-term perspective on the company's outlook, particularly when viewed in the context of prior and future quarterly order rates. However, orders are not in themselves an indication of future performance. All comparisons are at constant currency exchange rates, with the prior year restated to the current-year rates. All exclude acquisitions until they can be reflected in both the numerator and denominator. Aerospace comparisons are rolling 12-month average computations. The total Parker orders number is derived from a weighted average of the year-over-year quarterly % change in orders for Diversified Industrial North America and Diversified Industrial International, and the year-over-year 12-month rolling average of orders for the Aerospace Systems Segment.

Note on Non-GAAP Numbers
This press release contains references to (a) earnings per share and segment operating margins without the effect of business realignment charges and acquisition related expenses; (b) the effect of business realignment charges and acquisition related expenses on forecasted earnings from continuing operations per share; and (c) cash flows from operations without the effect of discretionary pension contributions.  The effects of business realignment charges, acquisition related expenses and discretionary pension contributions are removed to allow investors and the company to meaningfully evaluate changes in earnings per share, segment operating margins and cash flows from operations on a comparable basis from period to period.

Forward-Looking Statements
Forward-looking statements contained in this and other written and oral reports are made based on known events and circumstances at the time of release, and as such, are subject in the future to unforeseen uncertainties and risks. These statements may be identified from use of forward-looking terminology such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “potential,” “continues,” “plans,” “forecasts,” “estimates,” “projects,” “predicts,” “would,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “targets,” “is likely,” “will,” or the negative of these terms and similar expressions, and include all statements regarding future performance, earnings projections, events or developments. It is possible that the future performance and earnings projections of the company, including its individual segments, may differ materially from current expectations, depending on economic conditions within its mobile, industrial and aerospace markets, and the company's ability to maintain and achieve anticipated benefits associated with announced realignment activities, strategic initiatives to improve operating margins, actions taken to combat the effects of the current economic environment, and growth, innovation and global diversification initiatives. A change in the economic conditions in individual markets may have a particularly volatile effect on segment performance.

Among other factors which may affect future performance and earnings projections are: economic conditions within the company’s key markets, and the company’s ability to maintain and achieve anticipated benefits associated with announced realignment activities, strategic initiatives to improve operating margins, actions taken to combat the effects of the current economic environment, and growth, innovation and global diversification initiatives. A change in the economic conditions in individual markets may have a particularly volatile effect on segment performance. Among other factors which may affect future performance of the Company are, as applicable: changes in business relationships with and purchases by or from major customers, suppliers or distributors, including delays or cancellations in shipments; disputes regarding contract terms or significant changes in financial condition, changes in contract cost and revenue estimates for new development programs and changes in product mix; ability to identify acceptable strategic acquisition targets; uncertainties surrounding timing, successful completion or integration of acquisitions and similar transactions, including the integration of CLARCOR; the ability to successfully divest businesses planned for divestiture and realize the anticipated benefits of such divestitures; the determination to undertake business realignment activities and the expected costs thereof and, if undertaken, the ability to complete such activities and realize the anticipated cost savings from such activities; ability to implement successfully capital allocation initiatives, including timing, price and execution of share repurchases; availability, limitations or cost increases of raw materials, component products and/or commodities that cannot be recovered in product pricing; ability to manage costs related to insurance and employee retirement and health care benefits; compliance costs associated with environmental laws and regulations; potential labor disruptions; threats associated with and efforts to combat terrorism and cyber-security risks; uncertainties surrounding the ultimate resolution of outstanding legal proceedings, including the outcome of any appeals; competitive market conditions and resulting effects on sales and pricing; and global economic factors, including manufacturing activity, air travel trends, currency exchange rates, difficulties entering new markets and general economic conditions such as inflation, deflation, interest rates and credit availability. The company makes these statements as of the date of this disclosure, and undertakes no obligation to update them unless otherwise required by law.