Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. Reports Record 2008 Second Quarter and Six Months Results

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. (NYSE:RS) reported today its financial results for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2008. For the 2008 second quarter, net income was a record $156.6 million, up 27.5% compared with net income of $122.8 million for the 2007 second quarter, and up 45.8% from $107.4 million for the 2008 first quarter. Earnings per diluted share were $2.12 for the 2008 second quarter, up 33% from $1.59 for the 2007 second quarter and up 45% from $1.46 for the 2008 first quarter. 2008 second quarter sales were a record $2.1 billion, an increase of 10.5% compared with 2007 second quarter sales of $1.9 billion. The 2008 second quarter financial results include in cost of sales a pre-tax LIFO expense amount of $40.0 million, or $.34 per diluted share, compared with a pre-tax LIFO expense amount of $13.75 million, or $.11 per diluted share in the 2007 second quarter.

For the six months ended June 30, 2008, net income amounted to a record $264.0 million, up 12.6% compared with net income of $234.5 million for the same period in 2007. Earnings per diluted share were a record $3.58 for the six months ended June 30, 2008, compared with earnings of $3.06 per diluted share for the six months ended June 30, 2007. Sales for the 2008 year-to-date period were a record $4.0 billion, an increase of 7.1% compared with 2007 six month sales of $3.74 billion. The 2008 six month financial results include in cost of sales a pre-tax LIFO expense amount of $57.5 million, or $.49 per diluted share, compared with a pre-tax LIFO expense amount of $32.5 million, or $.26 per diluted share in the 2007 year-to-date period.

David H. Hannah, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Reliance said, "The 2008 second quarter turned out to be quite a bit better than we had originally anticipated. The main reason for the increased earnings was higher carbon steel prices, which resulted in higher gross profit margins as we quickly passed through the increases to our customers. While we expected carbon steel pricing to continue upwards during the second quarter, the increases were larger than we had anticipated."

"Looking at the third quarter, we expect pricing to be slightly above second quarter levels. While we do not expect any unusual changes in demand, we do expect the normal seasonal softness compared to the 2008 second quarter, and we recognize there is still a good deal of uncertainty surrounding overall economic activity. We, therefore, are anticipating our volume to decrease slightly and our gross profit margins to be a bit lower because the rate of carbon steel price increases will be below that of the second quarter. We currently estimate earnings per diluted share for the 2008 third quarter to be in a range of $1.80 to $1.90. This guidance does not include the impact of the acquisition of PNA or any of the related financing activities discussed below. We expect to complete the acquisition and the related financing activities in early August," Hannah stated.

On June 16, 2008, Reliance entered into an agreement to acquire the outstanding capital stock of PNA Group Holding Corporation, a leading steel service center group. The transaction is valued at approximately $1.1 billion, comprised of approximately $315 million for PNA's equity plus up to $750 million of debt. PNA's subsidiaries include the operating entities Delta Steel, LP, Feralloy Corporation, Infra-Metals Co., Metals Supply Company, Ltd., Precision Flamecutting and Steel, LP and Sugar Steel Corporation. Through its subsidiaries, PNA processes and distributes primarily carbon steel plate, bar, structural and flat-rolled products. Full year 2007 and first quarter 2008 revenues for PNA were about $1.6 billion and $474 million, respectively. PNA has 23 steel service centers throughout the United States, as well as five joint ventures that operate a total of seven service centers in the United States and Mexico.

The PNA acquisition is expected to be completed in early August, subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, including obtaining required regulatory approvals. Reliance expects to finance the acquisition and the repayment or refinancing of PNA's existing debt, through a combination of borrowings under Reliance's existing credit facility and by raising approximately $750 million through the new bank debt and a financing detailed in a separate press release issued by us this morning.

On July 15, 2008, Reliance announced that its tender offers for any and all of the outstanding PNA Group, Inc. 10.75% Senior Notes due 2016 (the "Fixed Rate Notes") and the outstanding PNA Intermediate Holding Corporation Senior Floating Rate Toggle Notes due 2013 (the "Floating Rate Notes", collectively the "Notes") had been fully subscribed. As of July 15, 2008, all the $250 million aggregate outstanding principal amount of Fixed Rate Notes and all the $170 million aggregate outstanding principal amount of Floating Rate Notes had been validly tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the tender offers therefore. The tender offers and the related consent solicitations are conditional on the closing of the PNA acquisition, however the completion of the tender offers and consent solicitations are not conditions to the completion of the PNA acquisition or financing thereof. Because all of the Notes have been tendered, Reliance expects to surrender the Notes to the trustees for retirement following the acceptance of such Notes for payment, making it unnecessary for the indentures for the Notes to be amended pursuant to the consent solicitations.

On April 16, 2008, the Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $.10 per share of common stock. The 2008 second quarter dividend was paid on June 23, 2008 to shareholders of record June 2, 2008. The Company has paid regular quarterly dividends for 47 consecutive years.

    Reliance will host a conference call that will be broadcast live
over the Internet (listen only mode) regarding the second quarter and
six months financial results for the period ended June 30, 2008. All
interested parties are invited to listen to the web cast on July 17,
2008 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time at:
http://www.rsac.com/investorinformation or
http://www.streetevents.com. Player format: Windows Media and
RealPlayer. The web cast will remain on the Reliance web site at:
www.rsac.com through August 17, 2008 and a printed transcript will be
posted on the Reliance web site after the completion of the conference
call.

Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co., headquartered in Los Angeles, California, is the largest metals service center company in North America (United States and Canada). Through a network of more than 180 locations in 37 states and Belgium, Canada, China, South Korea and the United Kingdom, the Company provides value-added metals processing services and distributes a full line of over 100,000 metal products to more than 125,000 customers in various industries.

Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co.'s press releases and additional information are available on the Company's web site at www.rsac.com. The Company was named to the 2008 "Fortune 500" List, the Fortune 2008 List of "America's Most Admired Companies," the 2008 Forbes "America's Best Managed Companies" List, and the 2008 Forbes "Platinum 400 List of America's Best Big Companies."

This release contains forward-looking statements, including the earnings guidance, which statements are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results and events may differ materially as a result of a variety of factors, many of which are outside of Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co.'s control. Risk factors and additional information are included in Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co.'s reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007, and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2008.

                    RELIANCE STEEL & ALUMINUM CO.
                       SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
          (In thousands, except share and per share amounts)

                        Three Months                Six Months
                       Ended June 30,             Ended June 30,
                  -------------------------  -------------------------
                      2008         2007          2008         2007
                  ------------ ------------  ------------ ------------
Income Statement
 Data:
Net sales         $ 2,095,068  $ 1,896,036   $ 4,003,238  $ 3,737,926
Gross profit          586,934      497,497     1,079,213      969,949
Operating income      267,907      213,738       457,129      412,187
EBITDA(1)             288,853      235,281       499,053      452,555
EBIT(1)               267,408      216,071       456,243      414,894
Pre-tax income        251,247      196,456       423,469      375,169
Net income            156,596      122,784       263,991      234,480
EPS - diluted     $      2.12  $      1.59   $      3.58  $      3.06
Weighted average
 shares
 outstanding -
 diluted           73,757,864   77,181,651    73,651,222   76,691,529
Gross margin             28.0%        26.2%         27.0%        25.9%
Operating income
 margin                  12.8%        11.3%         11.4%        11.0%
EBITDA margin(1)         13.8%        12.4%         12.5%        12.1%
EBIT margin(1)           12.8%        11.4%         11.4%        11.1%
Pre-tax margin           12.0%        10.4%         10.6%        10.0%
Net margin                7.5%         6.5%          6.6%         6.3%
Cash dividends
 per share        $       .10  $       .08   $       .20  $       .16

                                              June 30,    December 31,
                                                2008          2007
                                             -----------  ------------
Balance Sheet and Other Data:
Current assets                               $2,166,371    $1,721,403
Working capital                               1,335,874     1,121,539
Property, plant and equipment, net              871,569       824,635
Total assets                                  4,473,253     3,983,477
Current liabilities                             830,497       599,864
Long-term debt(2)                             1,109,565     1,013,260
Shareholders' equity                          2,264,933     2,106,249
Capital expenditures (year-to-date)              88,305       124,127
Net debt-to-total capital(3)                       32.0%         32.4%
Return on equity(4)                                20.8%         23.4%
Current ratio                                       2.6           2.9
Book value per share                         $    30.93    $    28.12
Cash flow from operations per share(5)       $     7.98    $     8.40

(1) See Unaudited Consolidated Statements of Income for reconciliation of EBIT and EBITDA. EBIT is defined as the sum of income before interest expense and income taxes. EBITDA is defined as the sum of income before interest expense, income taxes, depreciation expense and amortization of intangibles. We use EBITDA as a liquidity performance measure and believe EBITDA is useful in evaluating our liquidity because the calculation generally eliminates the effects of financing costs and income taxes and the accounting effects of capital spending and acquisitions, which are assessed and evaluated through other operating performance measures. EBITDA is also commonly used as a measure of operating and liquidity performance for companies in our industry and is frequently used by analysts, investors, lenders, rating agencies and other interested parties to evaluate a company's financial performance and its ability to incur and service debt. EBITDA is not a recognized measurement under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and, therefore, represents a non-GAAP financial measure. EBITDA should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for consolidated statements of income and cash flows data prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles as it excludes components that are significant in understanding and assessing our results of operations and cash flows. EBITDA as presented is not necessarily comparable with similarly titled measures for other companies.

(2) Long-term debt includes capital lease obligations of $4,179 and $4,495 as of June 30, 2008 and December 31, 2007, respectively.

(3) Net debt-to-total capital is calculated as total debt (net of cash) divided by shareholders' equity plus total debt (net of cash).

(4) Calculations are based on the latest twelve months net income and beginning shareholders' equity.

(5) Calculations are based on the latest twelve months.

                    RELIANCE STEEL & ALUMINUM CO.
                     CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                 (In thousands, except share amounts)

                   ASSETS
                                              June 30,    December 31,
                                                2008          2007
                                             -----------  ------------
                                             (Unaudited)
Current assets:
  Cash and cash equivalents                  $   89,843    $   77,023
  Accounts receivable, less allowance for
   doubtful accounts of $20,887 at June 30,
   2008 and $16,153 at December 31, 2007        946,081       691,462
  Inventories                                 1,106,532       911,315
  Prepaid expenses and other current assets      23,915        24,028
  Income taxes receivable                            --        17,575
                                             -----------  ------------
Total current assets                          2,166,371     1,721,403
Property, plant and equipment, at cost:
  Land                                          118,816       115,294
  Buildings                                     450,089       417,677
  Machinery and equipment                       712,497       669,671
  Accumulated depreciation                     (409,833)     (378,007)
                                             -----------  ------------
                                                871,569       824,635

Goodwill                                        890,727       886,152
Intangible assets, net                          464,312       464,291
Cash surrender value of life insurance
 policies, net                                   67,396        73,953
Other assets                                     12,878        13,043
                                             -----------  ------------
Total assets                                 $4,473,253    $3,983,477
                                             ===========  ============

    LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities:
  Accounts payable                           $  486,630    $  333,986
  Accrued expenses                              125,982        37,863
  Accrued compensation and retirement costs      85,900        95,539
  Accrued insurance costs                        36,625        36,884
  Income taxes payable                           26,064            --
  Deferred income taxes                          23,143        23,136
  Current maturities of long-term debt           45,522        71,815
  Current maturities of capital lease
   obligations                                      631           641
                                             -----------  ------------
Total current liabilities                       830,497       599,864
Long-term debt                                1,105,386     1,008,765
Capital lease obligations                         4,179         4,495
Long-term retirement costs and other long-
 term liabilities                                67,129        62,224
Deferred income taxes                           199,358       200,181
Minority interest                                 1,771         1,699
Commitments and contingencies
Shareholders' equity:
  Preferred stock, no par value:
    Authorized shares -- 5,000,000
    None issued or outstanding                       --            --
  Common stock, no par value:
    Authorized shares -- 100,000,000
    Issued and outstanding shares --
     73,230,947 at
    June 30, 2008 and 74,906,824 at December
     31, 2007, stated capital                   555,543       646,406
  Retained earnings                           1,695,722     1,439,598
  Accumulated other comprehensive income         13,668        20,245
                                             -----------  ------------
Total shareholders' equity                    2,264,933     2,106,249
                                             -----------  ------------
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity   $4,473,253    $3,983,477
                                             ===========  ============

                    RELIANCE STEEL & ALUMINUM CO.
             UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
          (In thousands, except share and per share amounts)

                        Three Months                Six Months
                       Ended June 30,             Ended June 30,
                  -------------------------  -------------------------
                      2008         2007          2008         2007
                  ------------ ------------  ------------ ------------

Net sales         $ 2,095,068  $ 1,896,036   $ 4,003,238  $ 3,737,926

Costs and
 expenses:
  Cost of sales
   (exclusive of
   depreciation
   and
   amortization
   shown below)     1,508,134    1,398,539     2,924,025    2,767,977
  Warehouse,
   delivery,
   selling,
   general and
   administrative     297,582      264,549       579,274      520,101
  Depreciation
   and
   amortization        21,445       19,210        42,810       37,661
                  ------------ ------------  ------------ ------------
                    1,827,161    1,682,298     3,546,109    3,325,739

Operating income      267,907      213,738       457,129      412,187

Other income
 (expense):
  Interest            (16,161)     (19,615)      (32,774)     (39,725)
  Other income
   (expense), net        (499)       2,333          (886)       2,707
                  ------------ ------------  ------------ ------------
Income from
 continuing
 operations
 before income
 taxes                251,247      196,456       423,469      375,169
Provision for
 income taxes          94,651       73,672       159,478      140,689
                  ------------ ------------  ------------ ------------
Net income        $   156,596  $   122,784   $   263,991  $   234,480
                  ============ ============  ============ ============

Earnings per
 share:
Income from
 continuing
 operations -
 diluted          $      2.12  $      1.59   $      3.58  $      3.06
                  ============ ============  ============ ============
Weighted average
 shares
 outstanding -
 diluted           73,757,864   77,181,651    73,651,222   76,691,529
                  ============ ============  ============ ============

Income from
 continuing
 operations -
 basic            $      2.14  $      1.61   $      3.62  $      3.08
                  ============ ============  ============ ============
Weighted average
 shares
 outstanding -
 basic             73,015,855   76,219,670    72,936,666   76,041,932
                  ============ ============  ============ ============

Cash dividends
 per share        $       .10  $       .08   $       .20  $       .16
                  ============ ============  ============ ============


                  Reconciliation of EBIT and EBITDA

Net cash provided
 by operating
 activities       $    21,185  $    99,470   $   128,381  $   170,239
Provision for
 income taxes          94,651       73,672       159,478      140,689
Interest expense       16,161       19,615        32,774       39,725
Other non cash
 adjustments            4,337        6,228         4,314        7,663
Changes in assets
 and liabilities
 (excluding
 effect of
 businesses
 acquired)            152,519       36,296       174,106       94,239
                  ------------ ------------  ------------ ------------
EBITDA            $   288,853  $   235,281   $   499,053  $   452,555
                  ------------ ------------  ------------ ------------
Less,
 Depreciation and
 amortization
 expense               21,445       19,210        42,810       37,661
                  ------------ ------------  ------------ ------------
EBIT              $   267,408  $   216,071   $   456,243  $   414,894
                  ============ ============  ============ ============

                    RELIANCE STEEL & ALUMINUM CO.
           UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                            (In thousands)

                                                   Six Months Ended
                                                       June 30,
                                                ----------------------
                                                   2008        2007
                                                ----------  ----------
Operating activities:
Net income                                      $ 263,991   $ 234,480
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash
 provided by operating activities:
   Depreciation and amortization                   42,810      37,661
   Provision for deferred income taxes             (2,249)     (5,519)
   Gain on sales of property and equipment           (174)     (1,022)
   Minority interest                                   72         204
   Stock based compensation expense                 6,771       4,680
   Excess tax benefits from stock based
    compensation                                   (9,187)     (5,929)
   Decrease (increase) in cash surrender value
    of life insurance policies                        453         (77)
   Changes in operating assets and liabilities
    (excluding effect of businesses acquired):
      Accounts receivable                        (257,165)   (114,824)
      Inventories                                (204,991)    (95,029)
      Prepaid expenses and other assets            15,489      31,521
      Accounts payable and other liabilities      272,561      84,093
                                                ----------  ----------
Net cash provided by operating activities         128,381     170,239

Investing activities:
   Purchases of property, plant and equipment     (88,305)    (58,645)
   Acquisitions of metals service centers and
    net asset purchases of metals service
    centers, net of cash acquired                 (13,250)   (217,712)
   Proceeds from sales of property and
    equipment                                      17,902       2,572
   Proceeds from redemption of life insurance
    policies                                        2,532          --
   Net investment in life insurance policies          (96)       (262)
                                                ----------  ----------
Net cash used in investing activities             (81,217)   (274,047)

Financing activities:
   Proceeds from borrowings                       339,897     542,850
   Principal payments on long-term debt and
    short-term borrowings                        (270,499)   (426,601)
   Dividends paid                                 (14,575)    (12,174)
   Excess tax benefits from stock based
    compensation                                    9,187       5,929
   Exercise of stock options                       16,856      10,796
   Issuance of common stock                           284         281
   Common stock repurchase                       (114,774)         --
                                                ----------  ----------
Net cash (used in) provided by financing
 activities                                       (33,624)    121,081
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash              (720)        202
                                                ----------  ----------
Increase in cash and cash equivalents              12,820      17,475
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of
 period                                            77,023      57,475
                                                ----------  ----------
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period      $  89,843   $  74,950
                                                ==========  ==========

Supplemental cash flow information:
Interest paid during the period                 $  28,675   $  33,861
Income taxes paid during the period             $ 107,464   $ 111,957

Source: Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co.