WCA Waste Revenue Higher on Volume; Net Loss Higher on Charge

Date: October 26, 2011

Source: WCA Waste Corporation

WCA Waste Corporation Announces Results for the Third Quarter Ended September 30, 2011

  • Revenue for the third quarter increased 25.5% over the third quarter of 2010

  • Positive pricing continues with a 1.7% increase during the quarter

  • Positive volume returns with a 3.0% increase during the quarter

  • Adjusted net income available to common shareholders was $0.02 per share for the quarter

WCA Waste Corporation (Nasdaq: WCAA) announced today financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2011.

For the third quarter of 2011:

  • Revenue was $74.4 million, up 25.5% from $59.3 million in the third quarter of 2010.

  • Net loss available to common stockholders was $0.03 per share while adjusted net income available to common stockholders was $0.02 per share, adjusting for the write-off of $1.7 million due to the early extinguishment of $49 million of remaining principal amount of our 9.25% senior secured notes in July 2011. This compares to a net loss available to common stockholders of $0.02 per share and adjusted net loss available to common stockholders of $0.01 per share for the same quarter in 2010. Please see Non-GAAP Financial Measures below for a summary of the noted adjustments.

For the first nine months of 2011:

  • Revenue was $205.7 million, up 19.7% from $171.9 million in 2010.

  • Net loss available to common stockholders was $0.24 per share while adjusted net loss available to common stockholders was $0.06 per share. This compares to a net loss available to common stockholders of $0.10 per share and adjusted net loss available to common stockholders of $0.08 per share during the same period of 2010. Please see Non-GAAP Financial Measures below for a summary of the noted adjustments.

Tom Fatjo, Jr., Chairman, CEO stated, "The third quarter revenue and earnings growth is a strong indication of the underlying strength of WCA's operations. Adjusted net income available to common shareholders was $0.02 per share for the quarter. Internal growth of 4.7% reflects a renewed growth trend for the industry."

WCA Waste Corporation is an integrated company engaged in the collection, transportation, processing and disposal of non-hazardous solid waste. The Company's operations currently consist of 25 landfills, 29 transfer stations/material recovery facilities and 29 collection operations located throughout Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Kansas, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. The Company's common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol "WCAA."

RISK FACTORS AND CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release and other communications, such as conference calls, presentations, statements in public filings, other press releases, include forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements generally include discussions and descriptions other than historical information. These forward-looking statements can generally be identified as such because the context of the statement will include words such as "trend," "may," "annualized," "should," "outlook," "project," "intend," "seek," "plan," "believe," "anticipate," "expect," "estimate," "potential," "continue," "goal," or "opportunity," the negatives of these words, or similar words or expressions. The forward-looking statements made herein are only made as of the date of this press release and we undertake no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

Our results will be subject to a number of operational and other risks, including the following: general economic conditions have impacted and may continue to impact our business; we may not be successful in expanding the permitted capacity of our current or future landfills; our business is capital intensive, requiring ongoing cash outlays that may strain or consume our available capital; increases in the costs of disposal, labor and fuel could reduce operating margins; increases in costs of insurance or failure to maintain full coverage could reduce operating income; we may be unable to obtain financial assurances necessary for our operations; we are subject to environmental and safety laws, which restrict our operations and increase our costs, and may impose significant unforeseen liabilities; we are subject to a broad range of risks with respect to our acquisition activities and may be unable to successfully integrate acquired businesses or execute on our acquisition plans; we compete with large companies and municipalities with greater financial and operational resources and we also compete with alternatives to landfill disposal; covenants in our credit facilities and the instruments governing our other indebtedness may limit our ability to grow our business and make capital expenditures; changes in interest rates may affect our results of operations; a downturn in U.S. economic conditions or the economic conditions in our markets may have an adverse impact on our business and results of operations; and our success depends on key members of our senior management, the loss of any of whom could disrupt our customer and business relationships and our operations. In addition, we are subject to a number of risks with respect to our acquisition activities generally, including the following: we may be unsuccessful in efficiently integrating the combined operations of our company and the Emerald Waste assets that we acquired in the first quarter of 2011 or the Stoughton facility we are now operating and cash expenditures and capital commitments associated with our acquisition of Emerald Waste's Central Florida operations may create significant liquidity and cash flow risks for us. Furthermore, we may not be successful in identifying and consummating additional acquisition candidates and any acquisitions we make may not be successful.

We describe these and other risks in greater detail in the sections entitled "Risk Factors" and "--Cautionary Statement about Forward-Looking Statements" included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2011, to which we refer you for additional information.

                               WCA Waste Corporation
                  Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
                     (In thousands, except per share amounts)
                                    (Unaudited)


                                      Three Months Ended      Nine Months Ended
                                         September 30,          September 30,
                                     --------------------  ----------------------

                                        2011       2010       2011        2010
                                     ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------

  Revenue                             $ 74,399   $ 59,279   $ 205,666   $ 171,881
  Expenses:
   Cost of services                     53,764     42,055     150,837     123,458
   Depreciation and amortization         9,060      7,623      24,960      22,682
   Merger and acquisition related
    expenses                                 2         38         439         172
   General and administrative            3,352      2,887      10,115       8,571

   Gain on sale of assets                (132)        (7)       (190)       (896)
                                     ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------

                                        66,046     52,596     186,161     153,987
                                     ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------
  Operating income                       8,353      6,683      19,505      17,894
  Other income (expense):
   Interest expense, net               (4,994)    (4,811)    (15,370)    (14,190)
   Write-off of deferred financing
    costs                                   --         --       (157)       (184)
   Loss on early extinguishment of
    debt                               (1,722)         --     (5,797)          --

   Impact of interest rate swap             --       (47)          --       (231)
                                     ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------

                                       (6,716)    (4,858)    (21,324)    (14,605)
                                     ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------

  Income (loss) before income taxes      1,637      1,825     (1,819)       3,289

  Income tax provision                 (1,113)    (1,042)        (39)     (1,932)
                                     ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------
  Net income (loss)                        524        783     (1,858)       1,357
  Accrued payment-in-kind dividend
   on preferred stock                  (1,193)    (1,138)     (3,524)     (3,358)
                                     ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------
  Net loss available to common
   stockholders                        $ (669)    $ (355)   $ (5,382)   $ (2,001)
                                     =========  =========  ==========  ==========

  PER SHARE DATA (Basic and
   diluted):
  Net loss available to common
   stockholders

  -- Basic                            $ (0.03)   $ (0.02)    $ (0.24)    $ (0.10)
                                     =========  =========  ==========  ==========

  -- Diluted                          $ (0.03)   $ (0.02)    $ (0.24)    $ (0.10)
                                     =========  =========  ==========  ==========

  WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES
   OUTSTANDING (Basic)                  22,670     19,635      22,060      19,580
                                     ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------
  WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES
   OUTSTANDING (Diluted)                22,670     19,635      22,060      19,580
                                     ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------


                                               Non-GAAP Financial Measures
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Our management evaluates our performance based on non-GAAP measures, of which the primary performance measure is
   adjusted EBITDA. EBITDA, as commonly defined, refers to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and
   amortization. Our adjusted EBITDA consists of earnings (net income or loss) available to common stockholders before
   preferred stock dividend, interest expense (including write-off of deferred financing costs and debt discount),
   (gain) loss on early extinguishment of debt, impact of interest rate swap agreements, income tax expense,
   depreciation and amortization, impairment of goodwill, net (gain) loss on early disposition of notes
   receivable/payable, and merger and acquisition related expenses. We also use these same measures when evaluating
   potential acquisition candidates.

  We believe that adjusted EBITDA is useful to an investor in evaluating our operating performance because:
  * it is widely used by investors in our industry to measure a company's operating performance without regard to items
   such as interest expense, depreciation and amortization, which can vary substantially from company to company
   depending upon accounting methods and book value of assets, financing methods, capital structure and the method by
   which assets were acquired;
  * it helps investors more meaningfully evaluate and compare the results of our operations from period to period by
   removing the impact of our capital structure (primarily interest charges from our outstanding debt and the impact of
   our interest rate swap agreements and payment-in-kind dividend) and asset base (primarily depreciation and
   amortization of our landfills and vehicles) from our operating results; and
  * it helps investors identify items that are within our operational control. Depreciation charges, while a component
   of operating income, are fixed at the time of the asset purchase in accordance with the depreciable lives of the
   related asset and as such are not a directly controllable period operating charge.

  Our management uses adjusted EBITDA:
  * as a measure of operating performance because it assists us in comparing our performance on a consistent basis as it
   removes the impact of our capital structure and asset base from our operating results;
  * as one method to estimate a purchase price (often expressed as a multiple of EBITDA or adjusted EBITDA) for solid
   waste companies we intend to acquire. The appropriate EBITDA or adjusted EBITDA multiple will vary from acquisition
   to acquisition depending on factors such as the size of the operation, the type of operation, the anticipated growth
   in the market, the strategic location of the operation in its market as well as other considerations;
  * in presentations to our board of directors to enable them to have the same consistent measurement basis of operating
   performance used by management;
  * as a measure for planning and forecasting overall expectations and for evaluating actual results against such
   expectations;
  * in evaluations of field operations since it represents operational performance and takes into account financial
   measures within the control of the field operating units;
  * as a component of incentive cash and restricted stock bonuses paid to our executive officers and other employees;
  * to assess compliance with financial ratios and covenants included in our credit agreements; and
  * in communications with investors, lenders, and others concerning our financial performance.


  The following presents a reconciliation of net loss available to common stockholders to our
   adjusted EBITDA (in thousands):


                                                     Three Months Ended       Nine Months Ended
                                                        September 30,           September 30,
                                                   ----------------------  ----------------------

                                                      2011        2010        2011        2010
                                                   ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------

  Net loss available to common stockholders           $ (669)     $ (355)   $ (5,382)   $ (2,001)
  Accrued payment-in-kind dividend on preferred
   stock                                                1,193       1,138       3,524       3,358
  Depreciation and amortization                         9,060       7,623      24,960      22,682
  Interest expense, net                                 4,994       4,811      15,370      14,190
  Write-off of deferred financing costs                    --          --         157         184
  Loss on early extinguishment of debt                  1,722          --       5,797          --
  Impact of interest rate swap                             --          47          --         231
  Income tax provision                                  1,113       1,042          39       1,932

  Merger and acquisition related expenses                   2          38         439         172
                                                   ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------

  Adjusted EBITDA                                    $ 17,415    $ 14,344    $ 44,904    $ 40,748
                                                   ==========  ==========  ==========  ==========
  Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenue            23.4%       24.2%       21.8%       23.7%


  The following table presents a reconciliation of net loss available to common stockholders to
   adjusted net income (loss) available to common stockholders to exclude write-off of deferred
   financing costs, loss on early extinguishment of debt, impact of interest rate swap
   agreements, merger and acquisition related expenses, and tax impact of vested restricted
   shares (in thousands, except per share amounts). Management believes that this non-GAAP
   measure is useful to an investor because the excluded items are not representative of our
   on-going operational performance. Per share information of the adjusted net income (loss)
   available to common stockholders is also shown below:

  Adjusted net income (loss) available to common
   stockholders to exclude write-off of deferred
   financing costs, loss on early extinguishment
   of debt, impact of interest rate swap             Three Months Ended         Nine Months
   agreements, merger and acquisition related           September 30,       Ended September 30,
                                                   ----------------------  ----------------------
  expenses, tax impact of vested restricted
   shares:                                            2011        2010        2011        2010
                                                   ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------

  Net loss available to common stockholders           $ (669)     $ (355)   $ (5,382)   $ (2,001)
  Write-off of deferred financing costs, net of
   tax                                                     --          --          75          99
  Loss on early extinguishment of debt, net of
   tax                                                  1,119          --       3,768          --
  Impact of interest rate swap, net of tax                 --          41          --         140
  Merger and acquisition related expenses, net of
   tax                                                    (9)          44         210         119

  Tax impact of vested restricted shares                   --           1          --         132
                                                   ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------
  Adjusted net income (loss) available to common
   stockholders                                         $ 441     $ (269)   $ (1,329)   $ (1,511)
                                                   ==========  ==========  ==========  ==========

  PER SHARE DATA (Basic and diluted):
  Net loss available to common stockholders          $ (0.03)    $ (0.02)    $ (0.24)    $ (0.10)
  Write-off of deferred financing costs, net of
   tax                                                     --          --        0.00        0.00
  Loss on early extinguishment of debt, net of
   tax                                                   0.05          --        0.17          --
  Impact of interest rate swap, net of tax                 --        0.00          --        0.01
  Merger and acquisition related expenses, net of
   tax                                                 (0.00)        0.01        0.01        0.00

  Tax impact of vested restricted shares                   --        0.00          --        0.01
                                                   ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------
  Adjusted net income (loss) available to common
   stockholders to exclude write-off of deferred
   financing costs, loss on early extinguishment
   of debt, impact of interest rate swap
   agreements, merger and acquisition related
   expenses, tax impact of vested restricted
   shares:

  -- Basic                                             $ 0.02    $ (0.01)    $ (0.06)    $ (0.08)
                                                   ==========  ==========  ==========  ==========

  -- Diluted                                           $ 0.02    $ (0.01)    $ (0.06)    $ (0.08)
                                                   ==========  ==========  ==========  ==========

  WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING (Basic)          22,670      19,635      22,060      19,580
                                                   ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------

  WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING (Diluted)        22,934      19,635      22,060      19,580
                                                   ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------

  These non-GAAP measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures employed by other
   companies and are not measures of performance calculated in accordance with GAAP. They should
   not be considered in isolation or as substitutes for operating income, net income or loss,
   cash flows provided by operating, investing and financing activities, or other income or cash
   flow statement data prepared in accordance with GAAP.

                             Supplemental Disclosures
  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 (Dollars in millions unless otherwise indicated)


                                    Three Months Ended       Three Months Ended
                                     September 30, 2011      September 30, 2010
                                 ------------------------  ----------------------
  Revenue Breakdown:
   Collection                       $ 40.6     47.2%          $ 31.4   44.9%
   Disposal                           28.6     33.3%            25.9   37.0%
   Transfer                           11.3     13.2%             9.2   13.1%

   Other                               5.4      6.3%             3.5    5.0%
                                 ---------  --------       ---------  ------
     Total                            85.9    100.0%            70.0  100.0%

   Intercompany eliminations        (11.5)                    (10.7)
                                 ---------                 ---------

     Total reported revenue         $ 74.4                    $ 59.3
                                 =========                 =========

  Internalization of Disposal:
  Three months ended September
   30, 2011                          68.2%


  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                    Nine Months Ended         Nine Months Ended
                                     September 30, 2011      September 30, 2010
                                 ------------------------  ----------------------
  Revenue Breakdown:
   Collection                      $ 114.9     48.1%          $ 91.9   45.4%
   Disposal                           77.3     32.4%            74.2   36.7%
   Transfer                           31.7     13.3%            26.8   13.3%

   Other                              14.9      6.2%             9.3    4.6%
                                 ---------  --------       ---------  ------
     Total                           238.8    100.0%           202.2  100.0%

   Intercompany eliminations        (33.1)                    (30.3)
                                 ---------                 ---------

     Total reported revenue        $ 205.7                   $ 171.9
                                 =========                 =========

  Internalization of Disposal:
  Nine months ended September
   30, 2011                          68.3%


  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                    Three Months Ended        Nine Months Ended
                                       September 30,            September 30,
                                      2011 vs. 2010             2011 vs. 2010
                                 ------------------------  ----------------------
  Revenue Growth (Decline):
   Volume                            $ 1.8      3.0%  (a)    $ (1.3)   -0.7%  (a)
   Price                               1.0      1.7%  (a)        5.2    3.0%  (a)
   Fuel surcharge                      0.9      1.6%  (a)        2.8    1.6%  (a)
   Acquisitions                       11.4     19.2%  (a)       27.8   16.2%  (a)

   Sale of Jonesboro assets             --      0.0%           (0.7)   -0.4%
                                 ---------  --------  (a)  ---------  ------  (a)

     Total revenue growth           $ 15.1                    $ 33.8
                                 =========     25.5%  (a)  =========   19.7%  (a)

  (a) Percentages are
   calculated based on dollar
   amounts rounded in
   thousands.


  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                 September 30, 2011
                                 -------------------
  Debt-to-Capitalization:
   Long-term debt including
    current maturities             $ 280.6
   Total equity including
    preferred stock                  177.6
                                 ---------

     Total capitalization          $ 458.2
                                 =========

       Debt-to-total
        capitalization               61.2%

  Net Debt-to-Capitalization:

   Long-term debt including
    current maturities             $ 280.6

   Cash on hand                      (4.7)
                                 ---------
   Net debt                          275.9
   Total equity including
    preferred stock                  177.6
                                 ---------

     Total capitalization          $ 453.5
                                 =========

       Net debt-to-total
        capitalization               60.8%


  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  The information below summarizes costs associated with the debt refinancing
   activities during the second and third quarters of 2011:

                                               Q2                 Q3
                                            --------       -----------------
  Loss on early extinguishment
   of debt                                   $ 4,075                 $ 1,722
  Write-off of deferred
   financing costs associated
   with credit facility
   amendment                                     157                      --
  Interest expense from
   carrying untendered senior
   notes                                         298  (1)                 99  (1)
  Less: reduction of interest
   expense from paying down
   revolver                                     (91)                    (30)
                                            --------  (2)  -----------------  (2)

  Total pre-tax costs                        $ 4,439                 $ 1,791
                                            ========       =================

  (1) $100.969 million of the $150 million senior notes due 2014
   were tendered as of June 6, 2011, leaving $49.031 million
   untendered. Q2 interest expense for the untendered senior notes
   is calculated for 24 days from June 7 to June 30, 2011. Q3
   interest expense is calculated for 8 days from July 1 to July 8,
   2011.
  (2) Cash temporarily freed up by the $49.031 million untendered
   senior notes was used to pay down the revolver credit facility.
   Q2 reduction of revolver interest expense is calculated for 24
   days from June 7 to June 30, 2011. Q3 reduction of interest
   expense is calculated for 8 days from July 1 to July 8, 2011.


For more information, contact:
WCA Waste Corporation
Houston, Texas
Tommy Fatjo, 713-292-2400

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