Asia Pacific Wire & Cable Corporation Ltd. Reports Third Quarter 2020 Financial Results

TAIPEI, Taiwan, Jan. 04, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Asia Pacific Wire & Cable Corporation Limited (NASDAQ: APWC) ("APWC" or the "Company"), a leading manufacturer of wire and cable products for the telecommunications and electric-power industries in the Asia-Pacific region, today announced the Company's financial results for the nine months ended September 30, 2020. Unless otherwise indicated, all data are reported in U.S. Dollars at the exchange rate prevailing on the date of the event or result reported.

First Nine Months 2020 Financial Results (Ended September 30, 2020), and 2019 comparative results
	First 9 Months 2020		First 9 Months 2019			CHANGE
Revenues	$	207.2 million	$	249.7 million		(17.0)%
Operating Profit/(Loss)	$	5.9 million	$	(3.1) million		294.5%
Net Income/(Loss)	$	0.4 million	$	(2.0) million		118.1%
EPS(1)	$	0.03	$	(0.14)		121.4%
(1)The calculation of the earnings per share is based on 13,819,669 and 13,819,669 basic and diluted weighted average common shares issued and outstanding for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

First Nine Months 2020 Results 

Revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2020, were $207.2 million, a decrease of 17.0% from $249.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2019.  The decrease was primarily attributable to revenue decreases in the Company’s Thailand, North Asia, and Rest of World (“ROW”) regions. Net revenue in the Company’s Thailand region decreased by 21.8%, primarily due to decreased sales of low margin products. Revenues in the Company's North Asia region decreased by 16.0%, primarily due to the cessation of manufacturing operations of Shanghai Asia Pacific Electric Co., Ltd. (“Yayang”) in October 2019. Revenues in the Company's Rest of World ("ROW") region decreased by 8.7%, primarily due to Singapore not reaching full resumption of work for reasons associated with COVID-19. The Company's North Asia region includes China and Hong Kong; the Thailand region consists of operations and sales within Thailand; the ROW region includes Singapore, Australia and the other markets where APWC has operations or sales outside of the Thailand region and North Asia region.

Operating profit for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 increased to $5.9 million from a loss of $(3.1) million for the nine months ended September 30, 2019.  Operating profit margin increased from a loss of (1.2)% in 2019 to a profit of 2.9% in 2020.  In the Thailand region, operating profit margin increased from a loss of (0.4)% to a profit of 7.6%, which was attributable primarily to the increase in sales of higher profit margin products. In the North Asia region, operating profit margin increased from 0.9% in 2019 to 3.8% for the same period in 2020, primarily attributable to a decrease in lower margin products and severance expenses. The ROW region’s operating loss margin decreased from (2.8)% in 2019 to (2.3)% in 2020, primarily attributable to abating competition for reasons associated with COVID-19.

Selling, general and administrative expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 were $18.2 million, compared to $19.0 million reported for the nine months ended September 30, 2019.  Net income attributable to APWC shareholders was $0.4 million for the first nine months of 2020, compared to a net loss of $(2.0) million for the same period in 2019.  The increase in net income was primarily due to an increase in gross profit. The weighted average number of shares issued and outstanding was 13.82 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019.

Financial Condition

APWC reported $44.6 million in cash and cash equivalents as of September 30, 2020, compared to cash and cash equivalents of $53.7 million as of December 31, 2019.

Current assets totaled $237.2 million as of September 30, 2020, compared to $239.5 million as of December 31, 2019.  Working capital was $173.2 million as of September 30, 2020.  Short term bank loans were $12.9 million at September 30, 2020, an increase from $11.4 million at the end of 2019.  The Company had $3.4 million in long-term debt outstanding at September 30, 2020, compared to $0.0 in long-term debt as of December 31, 2019. Shareholder's equity attributable to APWC was $150.3 million as of September 30, 2020, compared to $153.9 million as of December 31, 2019.

APWC reported $6.3 million in cash generated from operations during the nine months ended September 30, 2020, compared to cash used in operations of $2.0 million in the corresponding period in 2019. The increase in cash generated from operations in 2020 was primarily attributable to improved product margin. The Company reported $19.3 million in cash outflows from investing activities during the nine months ended September 30, 2020, compared to $2.9 million in cash outflows in the same period of 2019. The increase in cash used for investing activities in the first nine months of 2020 was attributable primarily to the increase in purchases of property, plant and equipment. APWC reported $6.0. million in cash inflows from financing activities during the first nine months of 2020, compared to $6.5 million in cash outflows from financing activities in the same period of 2019. The cash inflows in 2020 was primarily attributable to an increase in borrowing.

We encourage shareholders to visit the Company's website for further information (www.apwcc.com). Information on the Company's website or any other website does not constitute a portion of this release.

About Asia Pacific Wire & Cable Corporation

Asia Pacific Wire & Cable Corporation is principally engaged in the manufacture and distribution of telecommunications (copper and fiber optic) and power cable and enameled wire products in the Asia Pacific region, primarily in Thailand, China, Singapore and Australia. The Company manufactures and distributes its own wire and cable products and also distributes wire and cable products manufactured by its principal shareholder, Pacific Electric Wire & Cable Company, a Taiwanese company. The Company also provides project engineering services in the supply, delivery and installation ("SDI") of power cables to certain of its customers.

Safe Harbor Statement

This release contains certain "forward-looking statements" relating to the Company, its business, and its subsidiary companies. These forward-looking statements are often identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", “estimates”, “intends”, “plans” or similar expressions. Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to be materially different from those described herein as believed, anticipated, expected, estimated, intended or planned. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those discussed in the Company's periodic reports that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on its website (www.sec.gov). All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or to persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors other than as required under the securities laws. The Company does not assume a duty to update these forward-looking statements.

Contact: Investor Relations Contact: Skyline Corporate Communications Group, LLC Lisa Gray, Senior Account Manager One Rockefeller Plaza, 11th Floor New York, NY 10020 Office: [phone] Email: [e-mail]

ASIA PACIFIC WIRE & CABLE CORPORATION LIMITED AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENTS
(Unaudited)
(Amounts in thousands of US Dollars, except share data)
			For the nine months
			ended Sept 30,
				2020				2019
			(Unaudited)				(Unaudited)
Revenue			$	207,204			$	249,659
Cost of sales				(183,197	)			(234,585	)
Gross profit				24,007				15,074
Other operating income				450				950
Selling, general and administrative expenses				(18,176	)			(19,025	)
Other operating expenses				(344	)			(52	)
Operating profit / (loss)				5,937				(3,053	)
Finance costs				(563	)			(821	)
Finance income				228				393
Share of loss of associates				(1	)			(2	)
Exchange loss				(637	)			1,543
Other income				919				644
Other expense				-				(1	)
Profit before tax				5,883				(1,297	)
Income tax expense				(2,647	)			(964	)
Profit/(Loss) for the period			$	3,236			$	(2,261	)
Attributable to:
Equity holders of the parent			$	357			$	(1,974	)
Non-controlling interests			$	2,879			$	(287	)
Basic and diluted profit / (loss) per share			$	0.03			$	(0.14	)
Basic and diluted weighted average common shares outstanding				13,819,669				13,819,669

ASIA PACIFIC WIRE & CABLE CORPORATION LIMITED AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
(Unaudited)
(Amounts in thousands of US Dollars, except share data)
			For the nine months
			ended Sept 30,
				2020				2019
			(Unaudited)				(Unaudited)
Profit/(Loss) for the period			$	3,236			$	(2,261	)
Other comprehensive income
Other comprehensive income to be reclassified to profit or loss in subsequent periods:
	Exchange differences on translation of foreign operations, net of tax of nil			(7,268	)			4,721
				(7,268	)			4,721
Other comprehensive income not to be reclassified to profit or loss in subsequent periods:
	Changes in the fair value of equity instruments measured at FVOCI			(1,565	)			425
	Income tax effect			313				(85	)
				(1,252	)			340
	Re-measuring losses on defined benefit plans			227				(135	)
	Income tax effect			(45	)			27
				182				(108	)
Other comprehensive (loss) / income for the year , net of tax				(8,338	)			4,953
Total comprehensive (loss) / income for the period, net of tax				(5,102	)			2,692
Attributable to:
Equity holders of the parent				(3,559	)			(791	)
Non-controlling interests				(1,543	)			3,483
			$	(5,102	)		$	2,692

ASIA PACIFIC WIRE & CABLE CORPORATION LIMITED AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(In thousands of US Dollars, except share data)
	As of Sept 30, 2020 (Unaudited)			As of December 31, 2019 (Audited)
Assets
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$	44,584		$	53,673
Trade receivables		66,626			74,077
Other receivables		9,692			6,868
Contract assets		1,795			4,686
Due from related parties		10,471			11,566
Inventories		98,214			85,187
Prepayments		3,861			1,926
Other current assets		1,958			1,521
		237,201			239,504
Non-current assets
Financial assets at fair value through other comprehensive income		2,454			4,062
Property, plant and equipment		47,370			41,747
Right of use assets		3,368			3,735
Prepaid land lease payments		-			-
Investment properties		5,866			730
Intangible assets		187			128
Investments in associates accounted from using equity method		881			935
Deferred tax assets		4,207			3,939
Other non-current assets		3,966			4,131
		68,299			59,407
Total assets	$	305,500		$	298,911

ASIA PACIFIC WIRE & CABLE CORPORATION LIMITED AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(In thousands of US Dollars, except share data)
	As of Sept 30, 2020 (Unaudited)			As of December 31, 2019 (Audited)
Liabilities
Current liabilities
Interest-bearing loans and borrowings	$	12,872		11,356
Trade and other payables		18,737		16,879
Due to related parties		10,731		3,284
Financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss		-		3
Accruals		12,458		14,437
Current tax liabilities		3,330		2,872
Employee benefit liabilities		2,101		1,888
Financial lease liabilities		564		574
Other current liabilities		3,196		2,356
		63,989		53,649
Non-current liabilities
Interest-bearing loans and borrowings		3,400		-
Employee benefit liabilities		9,943		10,434
Financial lease liabilities		1,825		2,254
Deferred tax liabilities		4,217		4,139
		19,385		16,827
Total liabilities		83,374		70,476
Equity
Issued capital		138		138
Additional paid-in capital		110,416		110,416
Treasury shares		(38)		(38		)
Retained earnings		53,741		53,384
Other components of equity		(13,962)		(10,046		)
Equity attributable to equity holders of the parent		150,295		153,854
Non-controlling interests		71,831		74,581
Total equity	$	222,126		228,435
Total liabilities and equity	$	305,500		298,911
ASIA PACIFIC WIRE & CABLE CORPORATION LIMITED AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Unaudited)
(In thousands of U.S. Dollars)
		For the years
		ended Sept 30,
		2020		2019
		(Unaudited)		(Unaudited)
Net cash provided by / (used in) operating activities	$	6,258		$	(2,025	)
Net cash used in investing activities		(19,335	)		(2,945	)
Net cash (used in) financing activities		5,973			(6,476	)
Effect of exchange rate on cash and cash equivalents		(1,985	)		1,414
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents		(9,089	)		(10,032	)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period		53,673			60,778
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$	44,584		$	50,746