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Northwest Pipe Reports Q2 2012 Financial Results

Northwest Pipe Company announced its financial results for the second quarter of 2012.
Second Quarter 2012 Results
Net sales for the quarter ended 30 June 2012 decreased 8.9% to $131.0 million compared to $143.8 million in the quarter ended 30 June 2011. Gross profit was $13.6 million (10.4% of net sales) in the second quarter of 2012, a decrease from $16.7 million (11.6% of net sales) in the same quarter of 2011. Net income for the second quarter of 2012 was $3.6 million compared to $5.0 million for the same period in 2011.
Water Transmission sales decreased by 20.7% to $59.1 million in the second quarter of 2012 from $74.5 million in the second quarter of 2011. The decrease in sales was due to a 19% decrease in volume and a 3% decrease in selling price per ton. Water Transmission gross profit decreased to $8.1 million (13.8% of segment net sales) in the second quarter of 2012 from $11.5 million (15.5% of segment net sales) in the same quarter of the prior year. The decrease in gross profit was primarily due to the decrease in volume.
Tubular Products sales increased 3.8% to $72.0 million in the second quarter of 2012 from $69.3 million in the second quarter of 2011, driven by a 1% increase in tons sold from 55,700 tons to 56,500 tons and a 1% increase in the average selling price per ton. Tubular Products gross profit increased by 5.6% to $5.4 million (7.5% of segment net sales) in the second quarter of 2012 from $5.1 million (7.4% of segment net sales) in the same quarter of 2011. As discussed in the first quarter 2012 conference call, downtime in the Atchison, Kan., facility in May, 2012 to complete the previously announced expansion project negatively impacted margins in the second quarter.
As of 30 June 2012, the backlog of orders was approximately $273 million, with the Water Transmission segment representing approximately $245 million and the Tubular Products segment representing approximately $28 million. This compared to a total backlog of orders of $256 million as of June 30, 2011, with the Water Transmission segment representing approximately $208 million and the Tubular Products segment representing approximately $48 million. The Water Transmission segment's backlog as of 30 June 2012 represents a record for that segment. The backlog includes confirmed orders, including the balance of projects in process, and projects for which the Company has been notified that we are the successful bidder even though a binding agreement has not been executed.
Outlook
"We saw lower net sales and net income in the second quarter of 2012 as compared to the second quarter of 2011, particularly in our Water Transmission segment," said Richard Roman, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. "However, with the Lake Texoma project we announced a couple weeks ago, we anticipate that the second half of 2012 will be stronger in the Water Transmission segment than the first half of 2012. Consistent with other domestic tubular producers, the Tubular Products Group will struggle through at least the summer as we expect significantly higher imports of energy products to reduce net sales and profitability for that segment."

Northwest Pipe Company
manufactures welded steel pipe and other products in two business groups. Its Water Transmission Group is the leading supplier of large diameter, high-pressure steel pipe products that are used primarily for water infrastructure in North America. Its Tubular Products Group manufactures smaller diameter steel pipe for a wide range of products including energy, construction, agriculture and industrial systems. The company is headquartered in Vancouver, Wash., and has nine manufacturing facilities across the U.S. and Mexico.