STERLING, VA--(Marketwired - May 14, 2014) - Sutron Corporation (NASDAQ: STRN) today announced results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2014.

First Quarter 2014 Results

  • First Quarter 2014 Revenue of $4.9 million; down from $6.5 million Revenue first quarter 2013

  • First Quarter Net Loss of $619 thousand; down from $30 thousand Net Income in first quarter 2013

  • Cash balance of $9.2 million at March 31, 2014; up from $5.0 million at March 31, 2013 and from $9.1 million at December 31, 2013

Sutron reported revenue of $4.9 million for the first quarter of 2014, down $1.6 million, or 25% from the prior year first quarter. Standard product revenues for the first quarter of 2014 declined to $1.5 million as compared to $2.8 million for the first quarter of 2013. The decrease in standard product revenue is attributed to fewer and unexpected order delays from the federal, state and local sectors than compared to the previous year. The MeteoStar Division revenues for the first quarter were $924 thousand, down from $1.7 million for the first quarter 2013, primarily due to unanticipated delays in projects expected to be awarded at the end of 2013 and the beginning of 2014. The Integrated Services Division, the India subsidiary, as well as the Sabio Division all reported increases in revenue over the prior year, but those aggregate increases were not sufficient to overcome the declines in the Company's standard product and MeteoStar divisions.

Net loss for the first quarter of fiscal year 2014 was $587,476, a decrease from net income of $30,202 in the first quarter of fiscal year 2013. Loss per share was $(0.12) per basic and diluted share for the first quarter of 2014 as compared to earnings of $0.01 per share in the first quarter of 2013. 

The Company's backlog as of March 31, 2014 was approximately $12.1 million, down 8% from the backlog as of March 31, 2013.

Balance Sheet and Liquidity

Sutron ended the first quarter of 2014 with $9.2 million in cash and cash equivalents, up from $9.1 million at December 31, 2013 and from $5.0 million at March 31, 2013. Cash generated by operating activities in the first quarter of 2014 was approximately $113 thousand compared to cash used by operating activities in the first quarter of 2013 of $2.1 million. The principal components of the generation of cash in the first quarter of 2014 were the decrease of accounts receivable, the increase of customer advance payments, and non-cash items such as depreciation, amortization, and stock-based compensation contrasted against uses of cash of increased prepayments to vendors and an increase in our inventory on hand as of March 31, 2014. Capital expenditures were $47,536 in the first quarter of 2014 compared to $95,108 in the first quarter of 2013.

Free Cash Flow in the first quarter of 2014 was approximately $66 thousand compared to negative Free Cash Flow of $(2,153,747) for the first quarter of 2013. Sutron defines Free Cash Flow as net cash provided or used by operating activities less cash used in the purchase of property and equipment. The primary cause for the year over year variance was the acquisition of Sabio in a cash transaction in March, 2013.

Management Commentary

"While our first quarter has historically been a slow quarter for Sutron, we are not pleased with our first quarter results," stated Raul McQuivey, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "The decrease in revenue over the same period in the previous year was largely due to fewer projects awarded at the end of 2013 and beginning of 2014 than we had anticipated and a particularly slow quarter in the amount of orders received by our standard product division. Our performance in the first quarter of 2014 is significantly below our budget, and we have a lot of work to do in the remainder of 2014 to meet our goals. Our focus for the remainder of 2014 will be to drive revenue growth and also to achieve steady improvement in our operating margins and net income. We are encouraged that the Company had good bookings in the month of April recording just over $4 million in new orders and believe that our sales pipeline is robust enough to help us recover from the slow start. We are investing in initiatives we believe will lead to increased market penetration and sales and revenue growth going forward. One of those initiatives is our new website that has been launched and available at www.sutron.com. The new website is interactive and better enables customers to identify Sutron products that will make a difference to their needs. Moreover, to improve our margins, we are making investments to automate some processes that should allow us to produce certain products more efficiently and more cost effectively. Although these initiatives are not immediate cures for Sutron's performance, we believe they will foster and sustain growth for Sutron in the near future."

Conference Call

The Company will host a conference call on May 14, 2014 at 1:45 p.m. Eastern Time during its Annual Shareholders Meeting to discuss its strategic direction and focus and to review the results for fiscal year 2013 and the first quarter of 2014. The on-line presentation can be accessed via the following webinar link and phone number:

On-line webinar/presentation:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8787621643492568577

Audio:
 Toll:+1 (646) 307-1708
 Access Code: 948-227-484

About Sutron

Sutron Corporation, headquartered in Sterling, Virginia, is a project driven business. We provide hydrological, meteorological, air quality, oceanic and aviation real-time data collection products, systems, software and services to a diversified customer base of federal, state, local and foreign governments, engineering companies, universities, hydropower companies and other commercial entities. Our quarterly results may fluctuate substantially based upon contract awards that are difficult to project in terms of timing and may be delayed due to differing time frames in securing government approvals and funding. 

Safe Harbor Statement

The statements in this press release that relate to future plans, events or performance are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include without limitation any statements regarding our expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, EBITDA, financing plans, business strategy, bookings, products and services, competitive positions, growth opportunities, plans and objectives of management for future operations, as well as statements that include words such as "anticipate," "if," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "should" and other similar expressions are forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and contingencies which may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from anticipated results, performance, or achievements. We are under no obligation to update or alter our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

   
   
SUTRON CORPORATION  
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS  
   
   (Unaudited)
March 31,
2014		    (Audited)
December 31,
2013		  
                 
ASSETS                
Current Assets:                
  Cash and cash equivalents   $ 8,296,797     $ 8,283,092  
  Restricted cash and cash equivalents     875,820       850,279  
  Accounts receivable, net     5,663,123       5,863,636  
  Inventory, net     5,202,583       4,876,641  
  Prepaid items and other assets     685,757       446,749  
  Income taxes receivable     104,855       106,897  
  Deferred income taxes     1,051,717       664,558  
     Total Current Assets     21,880,652       21,091,852  
                 
Property and Equipment, Net     1,466,119       1,532,144  
Other Assets                
  Goodwill     4,452,152       4,452,152  
  Intangibles, net of amortization     861,238       907,495  
  Deferred tax assets     64,075       77,357  
  Other Assets     80,427       81,885  
     Total Assets   $ 28,804,662     $ 28,142,885  
                 
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY                
Current Liabilities:                
  Accounts payable   $ 1,362,497     $ 1,170,446  
  Accrued payroll     292,751       468,454  
  Deferred revenue     789,573       686,029  
  Other accrued expenses     2,820,613       1,520,261  
  Billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings     253,770       388,687  
   Total Current Liabilities     5,519,204       4,233,877  
Long-Term Liabilities                
  Deferred rent     859,351       890,391  
  Deferred income taxes     -       -  
   Total Liabilities     6,378,555       5,124,268  
Stockholders' Equity                
  Common stock, 12,000,000 shares authorized; 5,066,009 issued and outstanding at March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013     50,660       50,660  
  Additional paid-in capital     5,363,275       5,340,277  
  Retained earnings     17,281,780       17,869,256  
  Accumulated other comprehensive loss     (269,608 )     (241,576 )
   Total Stockholders' Equity     22,426,107       23,018,617  
   Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity   $ 28,804,662     $ 28,142,885  
                       

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.   

 
 
 
SUTRON CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
(Unaudited)
 
   Three Months Ended
March 31, 
   2014    2013
               
Revenue   $ 4,899,345     $ 6,455,110
               
Cost of goods sold     3,337,551       3,808,969
    Gross profit     1,561,794       2,646,141
               
Operating expenses:              
  Selling, general and administrative expenses     1,659,849       1,634,003
  Research and development expenses     868,949       970,139
    Total operating expenses     2,528,798       2,604,142
                 
    Operating (loss) income     (967,004 )     41,999
               
Financing income, net     2,873       3,203
               
    (Loss) income before income taxes     (964,131 )     45,202
               
Income tax (benefit) expense     (376,655 )     15,000
Net (loss) income   $ (587,476 )   $ 30,202
               
Net (loss) income per share:              
               
    Basic (loss) income per share   $ (0.12 )   $ 0.01
    Diluted (loss) income per share   $ (0.12 )   $ 0.01
               
Comprehensive income:              
               
    Net (loss) income   $ (587,476 )   $ 30,202
               
    Foreign currency translation adjustments     (28,032 )     4,017
               
Comprehensive (loss) income   $ (615,508 )   $ 34,219
               

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

   
   
   
SUTRON CORPORATION  
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS  
(Unaudited)  
   
   Three Months Ended  
March 31,  
   2014    2013  
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:                
Net (loss) income   $ (587,476 )   $ 30,202  
Noncash items included in net income:                
    Depreciation     113,562       96,340  
  Amortization of intangibles     46,257       33,585  
    Deferred income taxes     (373,877 )     23,000  
    Stock based compensation     22,998       42,528  
    Tax benefit from stock options exercised     -       (12,996 )
Change in current assets and liabilities, net of the impact of acquisitions:                
    Accounts receivable     200,513       (1,448,011 )
    Inventory     (325,942 )     (150,221 )
    Prepaid expenses and other assets     (239,008 )     (633,764 )
  Income tax receivable     2,042       (14,472 )
    Accounts payable     192,051       60,198  
    Accrued expenses     1,124,649       (46,768 )
  Deferred revenues     103,544       (84,527 )
    Billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings     (134,917 )     131,717  
    Deferred rent     (31,040 )     (85,450 )
Net Cash Provided (Used) by Operating Activities     113,356       (2,058,639 )
                 
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:                
  Restricted cash and cash equivalents     (25,541 )     61,700  
  Purchase of property and equipment     (47,536 )     (95,108 )
  Other assets     1,458       1,459  
  Business acquisition     -       (1,214,330 )
Net Cash Used by Investing Activities     (71,619 )     (1,246,279 )
                 
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:                
  Tax benefit from stock options exercised     -       12,996  
  Proceeds from stock options exercised     -       4,930  
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities     -       17,926  
                 
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents     (28,032 )     4,017  
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents     13,705       (3,282,975 )
Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period     8,283,092       7,576,374  
Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period   $ 8,296,797     $ 4,293,399