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Long Buckeye Technologies BKI 8.5 2013
- Buckeye manufactures cellulose based specialty products made of cotton
and wood with 68% specialty fibers and 32% nonwoven materials
- small 750-800MM player in 7bln global market with leading positions
in niches
- geograpic sales distribution is 42% North America, 37% Europe, 11%
Asia, 4 % South America - revenues diversified by product and geography
- 75% produced in US
- stable nature of non-woven business segment (30%)
- no acquisitions since 2000, IPO in 95 after Madison Dearborn
sponsored MBO in 93
- small asset sale in 04
- no dividends / share repurchases
- negative revenue and earnings growth during last 3 quarters related to consumer
discretionary impact on its business (TV, automotive, customized paper)
- constant annual CAPEX history (42-56MM range)
- stable working capital range
- constant debt reduction from 522MM in 06 to 327MM
- operating and free cash flow strong compared to total debt
- covenants: leverage 4x, interest covenant 2x (since June 09)
- no pension liability and no significant operating leases
- used revolver to repay 2010 subordinated bonds
- good cash flow and debt reduction history
- John B. Crowe, chairman and CEO confirmed on September 15th, 2009
at the UBS Global Paper & Forest Products Conference company continues to focus
on driving shareholder value through reduction in debt
- revenues likely to decline somewhat further but debt reduction capacity
should not dramatically weaken its credit metrics
- liquidity will be adequate based on stable cash flow and WC
- average to conservative event risk (buy out not too likely)
Cap structure:
- priority trade claims (20-30MM)
- 200MM revolver due 2012
- 200MM bond with small amounts of remaining trade claims and
- lease rejection claims

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BKI continued to reduce its debt in Q1 which declined from USD 327MM in Q4 09 to USD 295MM helped by cash flow and a USD 35.8MM tax credit for alternative fuel mixture. The tax credit helped the reduction by 8MM). Operating earnings have been weak as expected with EPS (ex tax credits) the famous 1 cent above street expectations of 10 cents. The company wrote in its recent 10Q that they will apply for another USD 35MM under the "black liquor" alternative fuel tax credits program which is expected to be granted and the program to expire thereafter. Net debt is expected to move lower towards USD 200MM as a result, which is why we continue to like the bonds.
BKI Q1 2010 Credit Snapshot