Navistar International Corp. has announced fourth quarter 2018 net income of $188 million, or $1.89 per diluted share, compared to fourth quarter 2017 net income of $135 million, or $1.36 per diluted share. Navistar reported net income of $340 million, or $3.41 per diluted share for fiscal year 2018, versus net income of $30 million, or 32 cents per diluted share, for fiscal year 2017.
Fourth quarter 2018 adjusted EBITDA increased 20 percent to $322 million, versus $268 million one year ago. Fiscal year 2018 adjusted EBITDA increased 42 percent to $826 million, versus $582 million in 2017. Full-year adjusted EBITDA margins increased to 8.1 percent, up from 6.8 percent for 2017. This marks the company’s sixth consecutive year of annual growth in adjusted EBITDA on both a dollar and percentage basis.
Revenues in the quarter increased 28 percent, to $3.3 billion, compared to fourth quarter 2017. The revenue increase was largely driven by a 45-percent increase in the company’s Core volumes, which represent its sales of Class 6-8 trucks and buses in the United States and Canada. Revenue for fiscal year 2018 was up 20 percent to $10.25 billion, compared to $8.6 billion in fiscal year 2017, attributable to annual revenue growth in all four operating segments. Class 8 retail market share grew to 13.5 percent in fiscal year 2018 versus 11.8 percent in fiscal year 2017.
Navistar finished fourth quarter 2018 with $1.42 billion in consolidated cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities, and with $1.36 billion in manufacturing cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities. For the year, the company generated $307 million of manufacturing free cash flow.
“2018 was a very strong year for the industry, and a breakout year for Navistar,” said Troy Clarke, chairman, president and CEO. “We were the only truck OEM to grow Class 8 share during the year. With the industry’s newest product line-up, superior quality and a strong focus on customer uptime, we expect to gain market share in 2019 for the third year in a row.”
Earlier this month, Navistar announced a definitive agreement under which affiliates of Cerberus Capital Management, L.P. will acquire a majority interest in Navistar’s defense business, Navistar Defense. Following the close of the transaction, Cerberus will become a 70 percent owner and Navistar will remain a 30 percent owner. The agreement also includes an exclusive long-term supply agreement for commercial parts and chassis. The transaction, subject to regulatory approval, is expected to close in the first quarter of 2019.
