Badger Meter reports record third quarter 2021 results

Picture credit: Mergr

Badger Meter, Inc. (NYSE: BMI) today reported results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2021.

Third Quarter 2021 Highlights:

Total sales increased 13.3% to a record $128.7 million, compared to $113.6 million in the comparable prior year quarter.

Diluted earnings per share (“EPS”) were a record $0.54 compared to $0.51 in the comparable prior year period.

Announced the 29th consecutive increase in the annual dividend rate.

Solid cash flow from operations of $17.7 million.

Continued strong demand environment and record high order backlog exiting the quarter.

“I am pleased with Badger Meter’s strong performance in the quarter, delivering record sales and earnings amid persistent and widespread supply chain shortages and delays. The results are notable considering the difficult prior year comparisons,” said Kenneth C. Bockhorst, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Throughout the quarter, we took a variety of strategic actions to continue serving our customers in the face of ongoing electronic and other component delays. Additionally, we continue to combat increasing inflationary cost pressures across the business. The strong order progression across our portfolio of innovative water solutions provides us with a record backlog which bodes well for continued sales and earnings momentum as we enter the fourth quarter. I want to thank the Badger Meter team for their tireless efforts to work to temper the impact of the various macroeconomic challenges in support of our customers.”

Third Quarter Operating Results:

Utility water sales increased 12.2% year-over-year, the result of strong order activity and the addition of the water quality acquisitions, partially offset by the impact of supply chain disruptions that limited manufacturing output. Excluding acquisitions, core utility water sales increased 1.7% over the strong prior year quarter which benefitted from post-COVID lockdown backlog recovery. The growth was due to increased mechanical meter and ORION® Cellular endpoint sales as well as increased BEACON® SaaS revenue, despite the insufficient supply of electronic and other components which impacted the conversion of utility water orders to net sales.

Sales of flow instrumentation products grew 18.5% year-over-year as improved demand and easier comparisons benefitted orders across the varied water and industrial end markets and applications served.

Gross margin dollars increased $6.2 million year-over-year, with gross margin as a percent of sales of 39.8%, an increase of 20 basis points over the prior year comparable quarter. The Company executed well on pricing realization and manufacturing output optimization in the face of inflationary cost pressures across the supply chain including raw materials, logistics and freight as well as production volatility caused by restricted component availability. Gross margins benefitted from favorable product and acquisition mix, including higher SaaS revenues.

Selling, engineering and administration expenses in the third quarter of 2021 of $31.7 million increased $6.2 million from the prior year’s $25.5 million, which included the benefit of lower travel and other pandemic-impacted expense reductions. The current year expense total includes the water quality acquisitions, including the related intangible asset amortization.

As a result of the above, operating margin was 15.1%, a reduction of 210 basis points from the prior year’s record level. The tax rate of 18.3% was lower than the prior year’s 23.9% due to a discrete favorable income tax benefit related to equity compensation transactions.