Matson, Inc. (“Matson” or the “Company”) (NYSE: MATX), a leading U.S. carrier in the Pacific, today reported net income of $32.8 million, or $0.76 per diluted share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2020. Net income for the quarter ended June 30, 2019 was $18.4 million, or $0.43 per diluted share. Consolidated revenue for the second quarter 2020 was $524.1 million compared with $557.9 million for the second quarter 2019.

For the six months ended June 30, 2020, Matson reported net income of $36.6 million, or $0.85 per diluted share compared with $30.9 million, or $0.72 per diluted share in 2019. Consolidated revenue for the six month period ended June 30, 2020 was $1,038.0 million, compared with $1,090.3 million in 2019.

Matt Cox, Matson’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “Matson’s businesses performed well in the second quarter despite challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic effects. The operational and financial actions we have taken in the last few months have helped Matson through this difficult period and have led to opportunities. One such opportunity, the introduction of the additional CLX vessel charter sailings, principally drove the increase in consolidated operating income year-over-year. We will continue to offer this supplemental ‘CLX+’ service through the peak season and potentially longer as our customers’ needs dictate.”

Mr. Cox added, “Overall, our performance in the second quarter was led primarily by the strength in our China service, including chartered voyages in addition to our normal weekly vessels that sailed at capacity. Compared with our expectations in early May at the time of our last earnings call, we also had better-than-expected volume in our Hawaii tradelane as we carried a portion of Pasha’s volume due in part to the dry-docking of one of its vessels, and we had better-than-expected volume in our Alaska tradelane as the local economy gradually reopened, leading to improved freight demand. We also made good progress on our previously-announced operational and cost management initiatives and now expect to exceed the high end of the $40 to $50 million range in operating results improvement announced on the May 5th earnings call. For the third quarter of 2020, we expect consolidated operating income, net income, diluted earnings per share and EBITDA to exceed the results achieved in the third quarter last year.”

Second Quarter 2020 Discussion and Update on Business Conditions

Ocean Transportation: The Company’s container volume in the Hawaii service in the second quarter 2020 was 4.0 percent lower year-over-year primarily due to lower volume as a result of the state’s COVID-19 mitigation efforts including restrictions on tourism, partially offset by volume associated with the dry-docking of one of Pasha’s vessels. The westbound container market in the second quarter 2020 declined approximately 15 percent year-over-year. Since March of this year, the State of Hawaii implemented several orders to address the spread of COVID-19 on the islands. As a result, tourism to Hawaii has been near-zero and is expected to have a meaningfully negative impact on Hawaii’s economy in the near-term.

In China, the Company’s container volume in the second quarter 2020 was 68.1 percent higher year-over-year primarily due to volume from a supplemental “CLX+” service with vessel charter sailings added during the quarter in addition to higher volume on the CLX service. Matson continued to realize a rate premium in the second quarter 2020 and achieved average freight rates that were higher than in the year ago period. The Company expects the disruption and loss of capacity in the transpacific air cargo and ocean freight markets to provide opportunities for its differentiated, expedited CLX service as well as its supplemental CLX+ chartered vessel service. Matson will continue to offer the CLX+ service through the peak season (end of October) and potentially longer as customers’ needs dictate.

In Guam, the Company’s container volume in the second quarter 2020 was 12.5 percent lower due to lower demand for retail-related goods as COVID-19 mitigation measures remained in effect. In the near-term, we expect the retail environment to modestly improve with businesses reopening, but the loss of tourism is expected to have a negative impact on the Guam economy.

In Alaska, the Company’s container volume for the second quarter 2020 decreased 9.0 percent year-over-year with lower northbound volume primarily due to lower demand for retail-related goods, as an effect of the state’s COVID-19 mitigation efforts, and one less sailing compared to the prior year period, and moderately lower southbound volume. Despite improved economic activity in the state during the latter half of the second quarter resulting from the gradual reopening of the local economy, the residual negative economic effects from the COVID-19 pandemic coupled with a low oil price environment is expected to have a meaningfully negative impact on Alaska’s economy in the near-term.

The contribution in the second quarter 2020 from the Company’s SSAT joint venture investment was $3.7 million, or $2.8 million higher than the second quarter 2019. The increase was primarily due to the absence of the additional expense related to the early adoption of the lease accounting standard in the second quarter of 2019, partially offset by lower lift volume.

Logistics: In the second quarter 2020, operating income for the Company’s Logistics segment was $8.9 million, or $2.4 million lower compared to the operating income achieved in the second quarter 2019. The decrease was due primarily to lower contributions from transportation brokerage and freight forwarding, both of which saw lower retail-related volumes as a result of COVID-19 mitigation efforts and related economic effects. In the near-term, we expect transportation brokerage and freight forwarding to continue to be negatively impacted by lower retail-related volumes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For the third quarter of 2020, the Company expects consolidated operating income, net income, diluted earnings per share and EBITDA to exceed the results achieved in the third quarter of 2019.

Ocean Transportation revenue decreased $4.6 million during the three months ended June 30, 2020, compared with the three months ended June 30, 2019. The decrease was primarily due to lower service revenue in Hawaii, Alaska and Guam and lower fuel-related surcharge revenue, partially offset by higher freight revenue in China including revenue associated with the CLX+ vessel charters.

On a year-over-year FEU basis, Hawaii container volume decreased 4.0 percent primarily due to lower volume as a result of the state’s COVID-19 mitigation efforts including restrictions on tourism, partially offset by volume associated with the dry-docking of one of Pasha’s vessels; Alaska volume decreased 9.0 percent with lower northbound volume, primarily due to lower demand for retail-related goods as an effect of the state’s COVID-19 mitigation efforts, and one less sailing compared to the prior year period, and moderately lower southbound volume; China volume was 68.1 percent higher primarily due to volume from the CLX+ vessel charters in addition to the regular CLX service; Guam volume was 12.5 percent lower due to lower demand for retail-related goods as COVID-19 mitigation measures remained in effect; and Other containers volume decreased 18.8 percent.

Ocean Transportation operating income increased $22.6 million, or 114.7 percent, during the three months ended June 30, 2020, compared with the three months ended June 30, 2019. The increase was primarily due to a higher contribution from the China service, including the contribution from the CLX+ vessel charters, lower vessel operating costs, including the impact of one less vessel operating in the Hawaii service, and the timing of fuel-related surcharge collections, partially offset by a lower contribution from the Hawaii service.

The Company’s SSAT terminal joint venture investment contributed $3.7 million during the three months ended June 30, 2020, compared to a contribution of $0.9 million during the three months ended June 30, 2019. The increase was primarily due to the absence of the additional expense related to the early adoption of the lease accounting standard in the second quarter of 2019, partially offset by lower lift volume.

Ocean Transportation revenue decreased $1.6 million, or 0.2 percent, during the six months ended June 30, 2020, compared with the six months ended June 30, 2019. The decrease was primarily due to lower service revenue in Hawaii, lower fuel-related surcharge revenue, and lower freight revenue in Guam, partially offset by higher freight revenue in China including revenue associated with the CLX+ vessel charters.

On a year-over-year FEU basis, Hawaii container volume decreased 1.2 percent primarily due to lower volume as a result of the state’s COVID-19 mitigation efforts including restrictions on tourism, partially offset by volume associated with the dry-docking of one of Pasha’s vessels; Alaska volume increased by 0.3 percent primarily due to volume associated with the dry-docking of a competitor’s vessel in the first quarter of 2020, partially offset by lower volume resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and its related effects and one less northbound sailing compared to the prior year period; China volume was 33.9 percent higher primarily due to volume from the CLX+ vessel charters; Guam volume was 8.1 percent lower primarily due to lower demand for retail-related goods resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and its related effects; and Other container volume decreased 3.6 percent.

Ocean Transportation operating income increased $21.1 million, or 72.5 percent, during the six months ended June 30, 2020, compared with the six months ended June 30, 2019. The increase was primarily due to a higher contribution from the China service, including the contribution from the CLX+ vessel charters, and lower vessel operating costs, including the impact of one less vessel operating in the Hawaii service, partially offset by a lower contribution from the Hawaii service.

The Company’s SSAT terminal joint venture investment contributed $7.7 million during the six months ended June 30, 2020, compared to a contribution of $9.4 million during the six months ended June 30, 2019. The decrease was largely attributable to lower lift volume.

Logistics revenue decreased $29.2 million, or 20.5 percent, during the three months ended June 30, 2020, compared with the three months ended June 30, 2019. The decrease was primarily due to lower revenue in transportation brokerage and, to a lesser extent, freight forwarding, both of which saw lower retail-related volumes as a result of COVID-19 mitigation efforts and related economic effects.

Logistics operating income decreased $2.4 million, or 21.2 percent, for the three months ended June 30, 2020, compared with the three months ended June 30, 2019. The decrease was due primarily to lower contributions from transportation brokerage and freight forwarding, both of which saw lower retail-related volumes as a result of COVID-19 mitigation efforts and related economic effects.

Logistics revenue decreased $50.7 million, or 18.3 percent, during the six months ended June 30, 2020, compared with the six months ended June 30, 2019. The decrease was primarily due to lower revenue in transportation brokerage, and to a lesser extent, freight forwarding as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Logistics operating income decreased $5.4 million, or 27.8 percent, for the six months ended June 30, 2020, compared with the six months ended June 30, 2019. The decrease was due primarily to lower contributions from transportation brokerage and freight forwarding as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Liquidity, Cash Flows and Capital Allocation

Matson’s Cash and Cash Equivalents decreased by $1.7 million from $21.2 million at December 31, 2019 to $19.5 million at June 30, 2020. Matson generated net cash from operating activities of $140.6 million during the six months ended June 30, 2020, compared to $108.2 million during the six months ended June 30, 2019. Capital expenditures, including capitalized vessel construction expenditures, totaled $50.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2020, compared with $69.0 million for the six months ended June 30, 2019. Total debt decreased by $68.4 million during the six months to $890.0 million as of June 30, 2020, of which $839.5 million was classified as long-term debt.

Matson’s Net Income and EBITDA were $88.4 million and $282.8 million, respectively, for the twelve months ended June 30, 2020. The ratio of Matson’s Net Debt to last twelve months EBITDA was 3.1 as of June 30, 2020.

As of June 30, 2020 Matson had available borrowings under its revolving credit facility of $433.2 million and a leverage ratio of 3.03x. The available borrowings at quarter end was based on the amount of allowable additional debt determined by the leverage ratio which is calculated based upon the definitions of Total Debt and EBITDA under the amended debt agreements. As of June 30, 2020, the maximum allowable leverage ratio under the amended debt agreements was 4.50x.

On April 27, 2020, Matson issued a debt instrument under the U.S. Government’s Title XI program for gross proceeds of approximately $186 million. The net proceeds from the transaction of approximately $177 million were used to reduce outstanding debt. The Title XI debt matures in October 2043, bears cash interest at a rate of 1.22 percent, payable semi-annually, and is amortized by semi-annual payments of approximately $4 million plus interest. The effective interest rate on the Title XI Debt for accounting purposes is approximately 1.60 percent.

On June 22, 2020, Matson issued a debt instrument under the U.S. Government’s Title XI program for gross proceeds of approximately $140 million. The net proceeds from the transaction of approximately $133 million were used to reduce outstanding debt. The Title XI debt matures in March 2044, bears cash interest at a rate of 1.35 percent, payable semi-annually, and is amortized by semi-annual payments of approximately $3 million plus interest. The effective interest rate on the Title XI Debt for accounting purposes is approximately 1.73 percent.

As previously announced, Matson’s Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.23 per share payable on September 3, 2020 to all shareholders of record as of the close of business on August 6, 2020.

Teleconference and Webcast

A conference call is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. EDT when Matt Cox, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and Joel Wine, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, will discuss Matson’s second quarter results.

Source: Matson, Inc.