IDEX Corporation announced its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2015. Adjusted net income of $69 million decreased 3 percent from the prior year.
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Orders of $485 million were down 4 percent (-2 percent organic, +2 percent acquisitions and -4 percent foreign currency translation) compared with the prior year period. Sales of $504 million were down 6 percent (-4 percent organic, +2 percent acquisitions and -4 percent foreign currency translation) compared with the prior year period.
Gross margin of 44.3 percent was up 30 basis points from the prior year period, while adjusted operating margin of 21.5 percent was up 70 basis points from the prior year.
Adjusted net income of $69 million decreased 3 percent from the prior year period, while adjusted earnings per share of 89 cents increased 1 cent, or 1 percent, from the prior year period. Adjusted EBITDA of $130 million was 26 percent of sales and covered interest expense by almost 13 times, while free cash flow of $105 million was 132 percent of net income.
The Company repurchased 911 thousand shares of common stock for $66 million in the third quarter of 2015. Year-to-date, the Company has repurchased 2.4 million shares of common stock for $179 million.
IDEX’s third quarter was highlighted by a solid 89 cents of adjusted EPS and 21.5 percent adjusted operating margins, a 70 basis point operating margin expansion from the third quarter of 2014.
"Our teams faced continued market headwinds, but executed by delivering strong margin improvement and $105 million of free cash flow. North American industrials slowed during the quarter, contributing to the 2 and 4 percent decreases for organic orders and sales, respectively.
"The challenging third quarter demand environment means we now expect fourth quarter organic sales to be down 1 to 2 percent, with full year organic sales down 2 to 3 percent. Restructuring actions executed in the third quarter will provide incremental efficiencies going forward.
"In the third quarter, these actions cost $4.7 million, and the total 2015 cost is now expected to be in the range of $8 to $10 million. These are permanent cost-out actions and the full benefit will be realized in 2016.
"Continuing to deliver total shareholder returns is critical to our long term success. Year-to-date we have repurchased 2.4 million shares for $179 million, deployed nearly $200 million on three strategic acquisitions across three platforms, retired €81 million of European private placement notes, and, in the third quarter, divested our Ismatec business.
"This was a non-strategic product line in our Health and Science segment, which sold for $28 million, and resulted in an $18.1 million pre-tax gain. Additionally, the acquisition pipeline is very strong, and our free cash flow and debt capacity allows us to use the strength of our balance sheet for a steady, disciplined pace of acquisitions for the foreseeable future.
"For the fourth quarter, we expect adjusted EPS in the range 88 to 91 cents and full year 2015 adjusted EPS of $3.50 to $3.53 with adjusted operating margins of 21 percent. This guidance excludes the charges from the restructuring actions in the second half of 2015, and the gain from the Ismatec divestiture,†said Andrew K. Silvernail, chairman and chief executive officer. ■