• ExxonMobil carbon capture agreement advances global market opportunity
  • More than 125 megawatts of fuel cell project bids outstanding with near term decision dates
  • Total assets in excess of $300 million and backlog in excess of $400 million
  • New $25 million debt facility to further support project development activities

DANBURY, Conn., June 08, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FuelCell Energy, Inc. (Nasdaq:FCEL), a global leader in the design, manufacture, operation and service of ultra-clean, efficient and reliable fuel cell power plants, today reported financial results for its second quarter ended April 30, 2016 and key business highlights. 

Financial Results
FuelCell Energy (the Company) reported total revenues for the second quarter of 2016 of $28.6 million, which is comparable to the prior year period.  Revenue components include:

  • Product sales of $15.4 million for the current period compared to $20.2 million for the second quarter of 2015, as the comparable prior year period included module sales to Asia and higher equipment, procurement and construction (EPC) activity.  
  • Service agreements and license revenues of $10.6 million for the current period compared to $4.6 million for the comparable prior year period, increasing year-over-year, primarily due to revenue recognized from module replacements.  
  • Advanced Technologies contract revenues of $2.6 million for the current period compared to $3.8 million for the comparable prior year period.  Revenue was lower year-over-year pending commencement of new projects in backlog.

A gross loss of ($0.2) million was incurred in the second quarter of 2016, compared to a gross profit of $2.0 million generated for the comparable prior year period.  Product revenue mix oriented towards fuel cell kit sales to Asia in the current period compared to complete power plant sales in North America for the prior year period resulted in a year-over-year decrease in product gross profit.  Service margins were negatively impacted by non-recurring charges from the termination of a legacy sub-megawatt service contract and changes to a different legacy service contract reflecting continued initiatives to optimize the service business, exit sub megawatt sites and expand future margin potential. 

Operating expenses for the current period totaled $12.6 million compared to $10.8 million for the prior year period.  The increase reflects greater project bid activity and timing of increased research and development related to product enhancements and new near-term product introductions, such as completion of European Union (EU) certification for MW-class plants, developing a renewable biogas clean-up skid as the Company seeks to capture more of the overall project value chain, further enhancing the micro-grid offering, and advancing different power plant configurations for specific target markets.

Net loss attributable to common shareholders for the second quarter of 2016 totaled $16.2 million, or $0.56 per basic and diluted share, compared to $10.7 million or $0.44 per basic and diluted share for the second quarter of 2015.  

Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) in the second quarter of 2016 totaled ($11.5) million. Refer to the discussion of Non-GAAP financial measures below regarding the Company’s calculation of Adjusted EBITDA.  Capital spending was $1.0 million and depreciation expense was $1.2 million.

Revenue Backlog
Total backlog was $410.7 million as of April 30, 2016 compared to $312.2 million as of April 30, 2015 and sequentially, total backlog was $403.9 million as of January 31, 2016. 

  • Services backlog totaled $294.8 million as of April 30, 2016 compared to $203.7 million as of April 30, 2015. Services backlog includes future contracted revenue from routine maintenance, scheduled module exchanges, and from power purchase agreements.
  • Product sales backlog totaled $51.0 million as of April 30, 2016 compared to $91.6 million as of April 30, 2015.  Product sales backlog reflects firm orders with executed contracts.  Notices of awards, outstanding bids, and project pipeline is not included in product backlog.  
  • Advanced Technologies contracts backlog totaled $64.9 million as of April 30, 2016 compared to $16.9 million as of April 30, 2015.  Carbon capture contracts account for the majority of the increase year-over-year.  

Cash, restricted cash and financing availability
Cash, restricted cash and financing availability totaled $168.8 million as of April 30, 2016, including:

  • $82.0 million of cash and cash equivalents, and $34.7 million of restricted cash
  • $29.0 million of borrowing availability under the NRG Energy revolving project financing facility
  • $23.1 million of unused availability under the PNC Energy Capital tax equity project finance commitment           

Future potential availability under the Hercules Capital debt facility totals $10.0 million upon reaching certain pre-defined milestones.  This amount is not included in the above financing availability calculation.

Business Highlights

  • ExxonMobil agreement supports affordable fuel cell carbon capture solution and expands global market potential for both gas and coal-fired power generation.
  • Robust project development activity with 125+ megawatts of fuel cell project submittals in 2016 and additional submittals expected based on a recent utility announcement.
  • Attracting growth capital with the announcement of a debt facility of up to $25.0 million extended by Hercules Capital for working capital and general corporate purposes.
  • Over 16 MW of installations in process in the U.S. and Europe as of April 30, 2016. Commercial operations attained and customer acceptance of utility-owned multi-megawatt gas pipeline application achieved in May 2016. This project, with peak electrical efficiency of 60 percent, will be an important reference site for a sizable market opportunity.  
  • Progressing with the first of a two phase North American capacity expansion, including the extension of the property lease for the manufacturing facility.

“Our project development team has been advancing numerous multi-megawatt projects and there are currently more than 125 megawatts of projects submitted to clean power RFP’s using our fuel cell products, with additional multi-megawatt projects expected to be bid this summer,” said Chip Bottone, President and Chief Executive Officer, FuelCell Energy, Inc.  “We continue to focus on strengthening the Company in key areas and our offerings to support these larger project sizes, and as a preferred resource, our clean and easy-to-site solutions provide affordable power to ratepayers as well as economic development advantages to both local and state governments.”

Cautionary Language 
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, statements with respect to the Company’s anticipated financial results and statements regarding the Company’s plans and expectations regarding the continuing development, commercialization and financing of its fuel cell technology and business plans. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Factors that could cause such a difference include, without limitation, changes to projected deliveries and order flow, changes to production rate and product costs, general risks associated with product development, manufacturing, changes in the regulatory environment, customer strategies, unanticipated manufacturing issues that impact power plant performance, changes in critical accounting policies, potential volatility of energy prices, rapid technological change, competition, and the Company’s ability to achieve its sales plans and cost reduction targets, as well as other risks set forth in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statement to reflect any change in the Company’s expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures
Financial Results are presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”).  Management also uses non-GAAP measures to analyze the business.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) is an alternate measure of cash utilization.  The table below calculates Adjusted EBITDA and reconciles these figures to the GAAP financial statement measure Net loss attributable to FuelCell Energy, Inc.

 
  Three Months Ended April 30,
(Amounts in thousands) 2016  2015 
Net loss attributable to FuelCell Energy, Inc. $(15,373) $(9,894)
Depreciation 1,191  981 
Provision for income taxes
 177  55 
Other (income)/expense, net (1) 1,547
  523 
Interest expense 982  626 
Adjusted EBITDA $(11,476) $(7,709)
       

(1) Other income (expense), net includes gains and losses from transactions denominated in foreign currencies, changes in fair value of embedded derivatives, and other items incurred periodically, which are not the result of the Company’s normal business operations.   

Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure of financial performance and should not be considered as an alternative to net income or any other performance measure derived in accordance with GAAP, or as an alternative to cash flows from operating activities. This information is included to assist investors with understanding the results of operations on a comparative basis. 

About FuelCell Energy
Direct FuelCell® power plants are generating ultra-clean, efficient and reliable power at more than 50 locations worldwide.  With more than 300 megawatts of power generation capacity installed, ready for installation, or in backlog, FuelCell Energy is a global leader in providing ultra-clean baseload distributed generation to utilities, industrial operations, universities, municipal water treatment facilities, government installations and other customers around the world.  The Company’s power plants have generated more than four billion kilowatt hours of ultra-clean power using a variety of fuels including renewable biogas from wastewater treatment and food processing, as well as clean natural gas.   For additional information, please visit www.fuelcellenergy.com, follow us on Twitter and view our videos on YouTube.

Direct FuelCell, DFC, DFC/T, DFC-H2 and FuelCell Energy, Inc. are all registered trademarks of FuelCell Energy, Inc.  DFC-ERG is a registered trademark jointly owned by Enbridge, Inc. and FuelCell Energy, Inc.

Conference Call Information
FuelCell Energy management will host a conference call with investors beginning at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time on June 9, 2016 to discuss the second quarter 2016 results.  An accompanying slide presentation for the earnings call will be available at http://fcel.client.shareholder.com/events.cfm immediately prior to the call.
                                                                                        
Participants can access the live call via webcast on the Company website or by telephone as follows:

  • The live webcast of this call will be available on the Company website at www.fuelcellenergy.com.  To listen to the call, select ‘Investors’ on the home page, then click on ‘Events & presentations’ and then click on ‘Listen to webcast’
  • Alternatively, participants can dial 678-809-1045

The replay of the conference call will be available via webcast on the Company’s Investors’ page at www.fuelcellenergy.com approximately two hours after the conclusion of the call.

 
FUELCELL ENERGY, INC.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Unaudited)
(Amounts in thousands, except share and per share amounts)
 
  April 30,
2016		  October 31,
2015
ASSETS     
Current assets:     
Cash and cash equivalents$ 81,982  $ 58,852 
Restricted cash and cash equivalents – short-term  9,029    6,288 
Accounts receivable, net  43,689    60,790 
Inventories  66,222    65,754 
Project assets  13,380    5,260 
Other current assets  8,466    6,954 
Total current assets  222,768    203,898 
      
Restricted cash and cash equivalents – long-term  25,655    20,600 
Long-term project assets  16,671    6,922 
Property, plant and equipment, net  29,135    29,002 
Goodwill  4,075    4,075 
Intangible assets  9,592    9,592 
Other assets, net  2,016    3,142 
Total assets$ 309,912  $ 277,231 
      
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY      
Current liabilities:     
Current portion of long-term debt$ 11,619  $ 7,358 
Accounts payable  14,622    15,745 
Accrued liabilities  25,836    19,175 
Deferred revenue  23,506    31,787 
Preferred stock obligation of subsidiary  856    823 
Total current liabilities  76,439    74,888 
      
Long-term deferred revenue  21,616    22,646 
Long-term preferred stock obligation of subsidiary  13,027    12,088 
Long-term debt and other liabilities  44,807    12,998 
Total liabilities  155,889    122,620 
Redeemable preferred stock (liquidation preference of $64,020 at April 30, 2016 and October 31, 2015)  59,857    59,857 
Total Equity:     
Shareholders’ equity     
Common stock ($.0001 par value; 75,000,000 and 39,583,333 shares authorized at April 30, 2016 and October 31, 2015, respectively;
30,804,069 and 25,964,710 shares issued and outstanding at April 30, 2016 and October 31, 2015, respectively)		  3    3 
Additional paid-in capital  960,891    934,488 
Accumulated deficit  (865,758)   (838,673)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss  (307)   (509)
Treasury stock, Common, at cost (21,527 and 5,845 shares at April 30, 2016 and October 31, 2015, respectively)  (179)   (78)
Deferred compensation  179    78 
Total shareholders’ equity  94,829    95,309 
Noncontrolling interest in subsidiaries  (663)   (555)
Total equity  94,166    94,754 
Total liabilities and  equity$ 309,912  $ 277,231 
 


 
FUELCELL ENERGY, INC.
Consolidated Statements of Operations
Unaudited
(Amounts in thousands, except share and per share amounts)
 
  Three Months Ended
April 30,
  2016 2015
Revenues:      
Product sales $ 15,424  $ 20,221 
Service agreements and license revenues   10,573    4,618 
Advanced technologies contract revenues   2,584    3,761 
Total revenues   28,581    28,600 
       
Costs of revenues:      
Cost of product sales   15,118    18,111 
Cost of service agreements and license revenues   10,988    4,433 
Cost of advanced technologies contract revenues   2,632    4,033 
Total cost of revenues   28,738    26,577 
       
Gross (loss) profit   (157)   2,023 
       
Operating expenses:      
Administrative and selling expenses   7,441    6,261 
Research and development expenses   5,110    4,555 
Total operating expenses   12,551    10,816 
       
Loss from operations   (12,708)   (8,793)
       
Interest expense   (982)   (626)
Other income (expense), net   (1,547)   (523)
       
Loss before provision for income taxes   (15,237)   (9,942)
       
Provision for income taxes   (177)   (55)
       
Net loss   (15,414)   (9,997)
       
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest   41    103 
       
Net loss attributable to FuelCell Energy, Inc.   (15,373)   (9,894)
       
Preferred stock dividends   (800)   (800)
       
Net loss to common shareholders $ (16,173) $ (10,694)
       
Loss per share basic and diluted      
Basic $ (0.56) $ (0.44)
Diluted $ (0.56) $ (0.44)
       
Weighted average shares outstanding      
Basic   28,782,066      24,252,182 
Diluted   28,782,066      24,252,182 
           


 
FUELCELL ENERGY, INC.
Consolidated Statements of Operations
Unaudited
(Amounts in thousands, except share and per share amounts)
 
  Six Months Ended
April 30,
  2016 2015
Revenues:      
Product sales $ 40,497  $ 53,639 
Service agreements and license revenues   16,893    8,489 
Advanced technologies contract revenues   4,673    8,142 
Total revenues   62,063    70,270 
       
Costs of revenues:      
Cost of product sales   39,507    48,459 
Cost of service agreements and license revenues   17,839    8,001 
Cost of advanced technologies contract revenues   5,040    7,773 
Total cost of revenues   62,386    64,233 
       
Gross (loss) profit   (323)   6,037 
       
Operating expenses:      
Administrative and selling expenses   13,481    11,901 
Research and development expenses   10,421    8,059 
Total operating expenses   23,902    19,960 
       
Loss from operations   (24,225)   (13,923)
       
Interest expense   (1,827)   (1,290)
Other income (expense), net   (859)   1,157 
       
Loss before provision for income taxes   (26,911)   (14,056)
       
Provision for income taxes   (282)   (95)
       
Net loss   (27,193)   (14,151)
       
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest   108    191 
       
Net loss attributable to FuelCell Energy, Inc.   (27,085)   (13,960)
       
Preferred stock dividends   (1,600)   (1,600)
       
Net loss to common shareholders $ (28,685) $ (15,560)
       
Loss per share basic and diluted      
Basic $ (1.04) $ (0.65)
Diluted $ (1.04) $ (0.65)
       
Weighted average shares outstanding      
Basic   27,500,236      24,021,705 
Diluted   27,500,236      24,021,705 
           

 

Contact: FuelCell Energy, Inc.
Kurt Goddard, Vice President Investor Relations
203-830-7494
ir@fce.com

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