Oak Brook, Illinois, July 29, 2020 — Federal Signal Corporation (NYSE:FSS) (the “Company”), a leader in environmental and safety solutions, today reported results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2020.

Second Quarter Highlights

• Net sales of $270 million, with double-digit sequential improvement in average weekly sales in both May and June
• Operating margin of 11.6%
• Adjusted EBITDA margin of 16.8%, exceeding high end of target range
• GAAP EPS of $0.35
• Adjusted EPS of $0.42
• Generated operating cash flow of $60 million, a 73% improvement from last year; further strengthened financial position, with $74 million of cash and $245 million of credit facility availability at end of quarter
• Reinstates full-year guidance, with adjusted EPS* for 2020 expected to be within a range of $1.53 to $1.65  

Consolidated net sales for the second quarter were $270 million, compared to $324 million in the same quarter a year ago. Net income for the second quarter was $21.4 million, equal to $0.35 per diluted share, compared to $32.8 million, equal to $0.54 per share, in the prior-year quarter.

The Company also reported adjusted net income for the second quarter of $25.8 million, equal to $0.42 per diluted share, compared to $33.6 million, or $0.55 per diluted share, in the second quarter of last year. The Company is reporting adjusted results to facilitate comparisons of underlying performance on a year-over-year basis. A reconciliation of these and other non-GAAP measures is provided at the conclusion of this news release.

Despite Significant Challenges, Q2 Operational Performance Impressive, with Margins Exceeding Target Ranges

“I could not be prouder of our performance during the quarter. Our teams demonstrated impressive operational execution in exceptionally difficult circumstances, while at the same time continuing to provide a safe working environment for our employees,” commented Jennifer L. Sherman, President and Chief Executive Officer. “At the beginning of the quarter, we reacted quickly and decisively in response to a variety of operational challenges resulting from the pandemic by adjusting our operating costs and modifying our production schedules. As our teams developed strategies to operate in the new COVID environment, we experienced double-digit sequential improvement in average weekly sales in both May and June. The combination of these factors helped us to maintain a high level of performance and deliver an adjusted EBITDA margin of 16.8% in the quarter, exceeding the upper end of our target range.”

In the Environmental Solutions Group, net sales for the second quarter were $214 million, compared to $267 million in the prior-year quarter. In the Safety and Security Systems Group, net sales were $56 million, essentially unchanged from prior-year levels.

Consolidated operating income for the second quarter was $31.3 million, compared to $46.3 million in the prior-year quarter. Consolidated operating margin was 11.6%, compared to 14.3% in the prior-year quarter.

Consolidated adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (“adjusted EBITDA”) for the second quarter was $45.4 million, compared to $57.1 million in the prior-year quarter, and consolidated adjusted EBITDA margin was 16.8%, compared to 17.6% last year.

Adjusted EBITDA in the Environmental Solutions Group was $40.9 million, compared to $54.4 million in the prior-year quarter, and its adjusted EBITDA margin was 19.1%, compared to 20.4% last year. In the Safety and Security Systems Group, adjusted EBITDA was $11.7 million, up $1.4 million, or 14%, from the prior-year quarter, and its adjusted EBITDA margin was 20.9%, compared to 18.0% last year.

Consolidated backlog at June 30, 2020 was $333 million, compared to $348 million in the prior-year quarter.

Improved Cash Flow Further Strengthens Financial Position, Facilitates M&A and Cash Returns to Stockholders

Net cash of $60 million was provided by operating activities during the second quarter, up $25 million, or 73%, compared to the prior-year quarter.

At June 30, 2020, consolidated debt was $245 million, total cash and cash equivalents were $74 million and the Company had $245 million of availability for borrowings under its five-year revolving credit facility, which was executed in July 2019. 

“Early in the quarter, we took a series of actions to reduce our costs and preserve liquidity in the short-term. Those measures contributed to a record level of operating cash flow generation,” said Sherman. “During the quarter, we paid down approximately $36 million of debt, completed an acquisition, and funded cash returns to stockholders. We are continuing to approach the uncertainty and challenges with resolve and from a position of strength given our current financial position, which has improved further since the end of the first quarter, and we remain committed to pursuing further strategic acquisitions, investing in organic growth opportunities and returning value to our stockholders.”

The Company funded dividends of $4.9 million during the second quarter, reflecting a dividend of $0.08 per share, and the Board of Directors recently declared a similar dividend that will be payable in the third quarter.

Outlook

“As the stay-at-home restrictions gradually started to ease, I was pleased with the commensurate improvement in incoming orders in both May and June, with our weekly average orders increasing, sequentially, by 16% and 24%, respectively,” noted Sherman. “Our backlog remains at a healthy level, providing us with visibility into the second half of the year. Assuming that we do not experience any significant COVID-related disruptions for the duration of the year, we currently expect our adjusted EPS* for 2020 to be in a range of $1.53 to $1.65.”

CONFERENCE CALL

Federal Signal will host its second quarter conference call on Wednesday, July 29, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time. The call will last approximately one hour. The call may be accessed over the internet through Federal Signal’s website at www.federalsignal.com or by dialing phone number 1-877-705-6003 and entering the pin number 13707097. A replay will be available on Federal Signal’s website shortly after the call.

About Federal Signal

Federal Signal Corporation (NYSE: FSS) builds and delivers equipment of unmatched quality that moves material, cleans infrastructure, and protects the communities where we work and live. Founded in 1901, Federal Signal is a leading global designer, manufacturer and supplier of products and total solutions that serve municipal, governmental, industrial and commercial customers. Headquartered in Oak Brook, Ill., with manufacturing facilities worldwide, the Company operates two groups: Environmental Solutions and Safety and Security Systems. For more information on Federal Signal, visit: www.federalsignal.com.

“Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

This release contains unaudited financial information and various forward-looking statements as of the date hereof and we undertake no obligation to update these forward-looking statements regardless of new developments or otherwise. Statements in this release that are not historical are forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to vary materially from those stated. Such risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to: direct and indirect impacts of the coronavirus pandemic and the associated government response, economic conditions in various regions, product and price competition, supply chain disruptions, work stoppages, availability and pricing of raw materials, risks associated with acquisitions such as integration of operations and achieving anticipated revenue and cost benefits, foreign currency exchange rate changes, interest rate changes, increased legal expenses and litigation results, legal and regulatory developments and other risks and uncertainties described in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contact: Ian Hudson, Chief Financial Officer, +1-630-954-2000, ihudson@federalsignal.com

* Adjusted earnings per share (“EPS”) is a non-GAAP measure, which includes certain adjustments to reported GAAP net income and diluted EPS. When reporting adjusted EPS in 2020, we have made, and would expect to continue to make, certain adjustments to exclude the impact of acquisition and integration-related expenses, pension-related charges, restructuring activity, coronavirus-related expenses and purchase accounting effects, where applicable. In prior years, we have also made adjustments to GAAP net income and diluted EPS for hearing loss settlement charges and special tax items. Should any similar items occur in 2020, we would also expect to exclude them from the determination of adjusted EPS. However, because of the underlying uncertainty in quantifying amounts which may not yet be known, a reconciliation of our Adjusted EPS outlook to the most applicable GAAP measure is excluded based on the unreasonable efforts exception in Item 10(e)(1)(i)(B).

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