RRD's Q2 Sales Decline; Spinoffs of LSC, Donnelley Financial Solutions on Track

RR Donnelley & Sons Company (RRD), Chicago, recently reported financial results for the second quarter of 2016.

“We are pleased with the second-quarter improvement in revenue trends, reflective of new customer wins and a modest improvement in capital markets activity,” said Thomas J. Quinlan III, RRD’s president and CEO. “We expect these improving trends, in conjunction with our continuing cost management efforts, to continue to have a positive impact during the second half of the year.

“We are finalizing the spinoffs of LSC Communications and Donnelley Financial Solutions, both of which remain on track to be completed in October,” he continued.

Net Sales

Net sales in the quarter were $2.7 billion, down $18.4 million, or 0.7 percent, from the second quarter of 2015. After adjusting for the impact of acquisitions and dispositions, as well as changes in foreign exchange rates and pass-through paper sales, organic sales decreased 1.6 percent from the second quarter of 2015, as an increase in the strategic services segment only partially offset declines in the variable print, international and publishing and retail services segments.

GAAP Earnings
Second-quarter 2016 net loss attributable to common shareholders was $14.5 million, or $0.07 per diluted share, compared to net earnings attributable to common shareholders of $43.5 million, or $0.21 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2015. The second-quarter net earnings attributable to common shareholders included pre-tax charges of $130.3 million and $50.9 million in 2016 and 2015, respectively, all of which are excluded from the presentation of non-GAAP net earnings attributable to common shareholders.

Non-GAAP Earnings
Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA in the second quarter of 2016 was $286.7 million, or 10.5 percent of net sales, compared to $309.2 million, or 11.3 percent of net sales, in the second quarter of 2015. The decrease in the non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA was primarily due to price pressure in all four operating segments, which also negatively impacted margin.

Non-GAAP net earnings attributable to common shareholders totaled $71.1 million, or $0.34 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2016 compared to $83.6 million, or $0.41 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2015.

2016 Guidance

The company provided the following updated full-year guidance for 2016, which excludes the impact of the previously announced pending spinoff transactions:

Certain components of the guidance given in the table above are provided on a non-GAAP basis only, without providing a reconciliation to guidance provided on a GAAP basis. Information is presented in this manner, consistent with SEC rules, because the preparation of such a reconciliation could not be accomplished without “unreasonable efforts.”

The company does not have access to certain information that would be necessary to provide such a reconciliation, including non-recurring items that are not indicative of the company’s ongoing operations. Such items include, but are not limited to, restructuring charges, impairment charges, spinoff-related transaction expenses, pension settlement charges, acquisition-related expenses, gains or losses on investments and business disposals, losses on debt extinguishment and other similar gains or losses not reflective of the company’s ongoing operations.

The company does not believe that this information is likely to be significant to an assessment of the company’s ongoing operations, given that it is not an indicator of business performance.

For more information, visit www.rrdonnelley.com.