REG Q3 revenues near $625 million from 163 million gallons sold

Renewable Energy Group Inc. announced Nov. 2 its financial results for the third quarter ended Sept. 30.

Revenues for the quarter were $624.6 million. The company sold 163.1 million gallons of fuel. Compared to the third quarter of 2015, REG sold 36 percent more gallons of fuel resulting in an increase in revenue of 58.2 percent. Net income attributable to common stockholders was $22.9 million, compared to a net loss of $15.7 million in the third quarter of 2015.

Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $31.6 million. Results for the quarter include risk management gains of $5.9 million, which reflects the change in market value of various hedging instruments used to protect cash margins in the current and future periods. The risk management results were impacted by the increase in energy prices in the last week of September resulting from an announcement by OPEC of a purported reduction in output. Results for the quarter were also affected by reduced operating days at the company’s Geismar facility, related to local area flooding in August and pulled forward scheduled maintenance from October to September.

Adjusted EBITDA in the third quarter of 2015 was $16.9 million. The prior year period Adjusted EBITDA includes $23.3 million of risk management gains, as well as an allocation of the benefit from the retroactive reinstatement of the 2015 Biodiesel Mixture Excise Tax Credit.

“We achieved solid growth in the third quarter with significant increases in gallons sold, gallons produced, revenue and adjusted EBITDA,” said REG President and CEO Daniel J. Oh. “REG Life Sciences delivered its first commercial product last week, our biomass-based diesel fleet is operating efficiently and profitably and REG Geismar is up and running well with no planned downtime for the remainder of the year. We believe we are positioned for a strong finish to the year.”

Third quarter 2016 highlights

All figures refer to the quarter ending Sept. 30, 2016, unless otherwise noted. All comparisons are to the quarter ended Sept. 30, 2015, unless otherwise noted.

REG sold a total of 163.1 million gallons of fuel, an increase of 36 percent. REG produced 114.8 million gallons of biomass-based diesel during the quarter, a 35.2 percent increase. The average price per gallon of biomass-based diesel sold increased by 22.2 percent to $3.14 as a result of generally improving market conditions and reinstatement of the BTC.

Revenues were $624.6 million, an increase of 58.2 percent. This is primarily attributable to the increase in gallons sold and reinstatement of the BTC.

Gross profit was $47.3 million, or 7.6 percent of revenues, compared to gross profit of $4.4 million, or 1.1 percent of revenues. The increase in gross profit was due to the significant increase in gallons sold and the reinstatement of the BTC.

Net income attributable to common stockholders was $22.9 million, or 59 cents per share on a fully diluted basis. This compares to a net loss of $15.7 million, or 36 cents per share on a fully diluted basis.

At Sept. 30, 2016, REG had cash and cash equivalents of $86.5 million, an increase of $39.5 million from the prior year end.

At Sept. 30, 2016, accounts receivable were $105 million, or 15 days of sales. Accounts receivable at Dec. 31, 2015, were $310.7 million. The decrease in accounts receivable for the year was due to the collections related to the BTC. Inventory was $98.2 million at Sept. 30, 2016, or 15 days of sales, an increase of $12.3 million from the prior year end.

Accounts payable were $86.1 million and $236.8 million at Sept. 30, 2016, and Dec. 31, 2015, respectively. The decrease in accounts payable was mainly driven by payments made to our vendors and customers related to the 2015 BTC.

Revision of first quarter financial statements

During the third quarter 2016 close process, REG identified certain errors in the company's previously reported interim financial statements for the quarter ended March 31. These errors pertain to certain biomass-based diesel sales completed in that quarter that contained BTC sharing terms, resulting in an overstatement of biomass-based diesel sales of $7.7 million and a corresponding understatement of accounts payable, deferred income tax payable and income tax expense of $7.7 million, $0.9 million and $0.9 million, respectively for the prior quarter. The correction decreased net income (loss) and adjusted EBITDA by $8.6 million and $7.7 million, respectively. The revised amounts are reflected in the accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the nine-month period ended Sept. 30, 2016 and will be reflected in applicable future 10-K and 10-Q filings.

Based on an evaluation of all relevant factors, in accordance with SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 99, codified in the Accounting Standards Classification (ASC) 250, Presentation of Financial Statements, the company concluded that the revision for this correction was immaterial to the company’s results for the three months ended March 31; therefore, the company determined that an amendment of its previously filed Form 10-Qs are not required.

For more information, including financial tables summarizing REG’s second-quarter results, click here.