PRINCETON JUNCTION, N.J., April 8, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mistras Group, Inc. (NYSE:MG), a leading "one source" global provider of technology-enabled asset protection solutions, today reported financial results for its third quarter and first nine months of fiscal year 2015, which ended February 28, 2015.

Revenues increased by 7.5% over the prior year's third quarter, reaching $163.1 million. Net income for the third quarter was $1.8 million, or $0.06 per diluted share, compared with net income of $1.2 million or $0.04 per diluted share in the prior year period. Excluding acquisition-related items, net income in the third quarter of fiscal year 2015 was $0.2 million or $0.01 per diluted share, compared with $1.8 million or $0.06 per diluted share in the prior year's third quarter. Adjusted EBITDA was $11.0 million in the third quarter of fiscal year 2015 compared with $12.5 million in the prior year period.

Revenues increased by 20.8% over prior year's first nine months, reaching $536.6 million. Net income for the first nine months was $13.9 million, or $0.47 per diluted share, compared with $16.1 million or $0.55 per diluted share in the prior year period. Excluding acquisition-related items, net income for the first nine months of fiscal year 2015 was $11.2 million or $0.38 per diluted share, compared with $15.0 million or $0.51 per diluted share in the prior year. Adjusted EBITDA was $52.4 million for the first nine months of fiscal year 2015 compared with $51.1 million in the prior year period.

The Company's operations and profitability were adversely impacted by several factors during the third quarter of fiscal year 2015, including:

• the nation's first refinery strike in 25 years impacted work at several of the Company's largest customer work sites;
• uncertainty related to the price of oil, which has caused some of the Company's customers to defer previously scheduled projects; and
• the strong US dollar, which combined with a sluggish European economy contributed to weaker than expected international results.

Financial Highlights:

Revenues

• Revenues for the third quarter of fiscal 2015 increased 7.5% over prior year, driven by acquisitions (+9.9%) and organic growth (+0.5%), offset by foreign exchange (-2.9%).
• Revenues for the first nine months of fiscal 2015 increased 20.8% over prior year, driven by acquisitions (+13.9%) and organic growth (+7.7%), offset by foreign exchange (-0.8%).
• Services segment revenue had year-on-year revenue growth of 12% in the third quarter and 29% during the first nine months, driven by both acquisitions (13% in Q3, 19% YTD) and organic growth (-1% in Q3, +10% YTD).
• International segment revenue contracted (-12%) in the third quarter and (-4%) during the first nine months, driven by foreign exchange (-10% in Q3, -3% YTD), organic (-4% in Q3 and -3% YTD), offset in part by acquisitions (+2% in Q3 and +2% YTD).
• Products and Systems segment revenue improved by 12% in the third quarter (all organic), improving its year-to-date shortfall to -1%.

Gross Profit

• Gross Profit for the third quarter of fiscal year 2015 contracted by 1% compared with the prior year on a 7% increase in revenues.
• Gross margin for the third quarter was 23.7% of revenues vs. 25.9% in the prior year.

Operating Cash Flow

• Operating cash flow for the first nine months of fiscal year 2015 improved to $34.3 million, compared with $22.6 million in the comparable prior year period.
• Free cash flow (defined as operating cash flow less capital expenditures) for the first nine months of fiscal year 2015 improved to $22.5 million, compared with $10.9 million in the comparable prior year period.

Sotirios Vahaviolos, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer stated, "After experiencing three consecutive quarters of over 20% year-on-year revenue growth, market conditions and customer sentiment have changed dramatically in recent months, driven by the significant drop in the price of oil. The impact of the ongoing refinery strike caused our organic Services revenue growth to turn slightly negative in the third quarter, while uncertainty concerning the oil price outlook has also caused some previously scheduled projects to be deferred."

Dr. Vahaviolos continued, "These events impacted our Company during its weakest seasonal quarter. Even so, I am pleased with our cash flow and that our cost savings initiatives are beginning to have an impact. As expected we experienced strong cash collections and we were able to pay down debt by nearly $29 million during the third quarter. Operating expenses for the Services (excluding acquired companies) and Products and Systems segments declined compared with the prior year's third quarter, driven by cost-saving actions we have taken."

Dr. Vahaviolos added, "The Company had already been engaged in constructive discussions with its key customers prior to these market factors becoming prominent, and I am optimistic that we will be able to work with our customers to achieve our mutual goals. As a leading inspection services provider, Mistras is able to deliver compelling customer solutions that best protect and extend the lives of their assets while realizing savings that can approach the fees that we charge. The relevance of these attributes is strongest at times like these."

Outlook and Guidance for Fiscal 2015

Uncertainty concerning the price of oil has caused a significant change in customer sentiment that is causing many companies to reevaluate spending levels and the timing of projects. Based upon these factors, the Company now expects that its revenue levels for fiscal year 2015 will fall at the low end of its $720 million to $740 million range, and that its EBITDA level may fall somewhat short of its $78 to $84 million range.

Conference Call

In connection with this release, Mistras will hold a conference call on Thursday, April 9, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. (Eastern). The call will be broadcast over the Web and can be accessed on Mistras' Website, www.mistrasgroup.com. Individuals in the U.S. wishing to participate in the conference call by phone may call 1-844-832-7227 and use confirmation code 15338512 when prompted. The International dial-in number is 1-224-633-1529.

About Mistras Group, Inc.

Mistras offers one of the broadest "one source" services and technology-enabled asset protection solution portfolios in the industry used to evaluate the structural integrity of energy, industrial and public infrastructure. Mission critical services and solutions are delivered globally and provide customers with the ability to extend the useful life of their assets, improve productivity and profitability, comply with government safety and environmental regulations and enhance risk management operational decisions.

Mistras uniquely combines its industry leading products and technologies - 24/7 on-line monitoring of critical assets; mechanical integrity ("MI") and non-destructive testing ("NDT") services; destructive testing services; and its proprietary world class data warehousing and analysis software - to provide comprehensive and competitive products, systems and services solutions from a single source provider.

For more information, please visit the company's website at www.mistrasgroup.com.

Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements

Certain statements made in this press release are "forward-looking statements" about Mistras' financial results and estimates, products and services, business model, strategy, growth opportunities, profitability and competitive position, and other matters. These forward-looking statements generally use words such as "future," "possible," "potential," "targeted," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "plan," "predict," "project," "will," "may," "should," "could," "would" and other similar words and phrases. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by which, such performance or results will be achieved, if at all. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in these statements. A list, description and discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties can be found in the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal year 2014 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 8, 2014, as updated by our reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K. The forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof, and Mistras undertakes no obligation to update such statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

* Use of Non-GAAP Measures

The term "Adjusted EBITDA" used in this release is a financial measurement not calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the U.S. ("US GAAP"). A Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to a financial measurement under US GAAP is set forth in a table attached to this press release. In addition, the Company has also included in the attached tables non-GAAP measurements "EBITDA", "Segment and Total Company Income from Operations before Acquisition-Related Expense (Benefit), net", "Net Income Excluding Acquisition-related Items" and "Diluted EPS Excluding Acquisition-related Items," reconciling these measurements to financial measurements under US GAAP. In this release, the term free cash flow, a non-GAAP measurement is also used. We define free cash flow as cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditures (which is classified as an investing activity). The Company believes that investors and other users of the financial statements benefit from the presentation of these non-GAAP measurements because they provide additional metrics to compare the Company's operating performance on a consistent basis and measure underlying trends and results of the Company's business.

CONTACT: Media Contact:

         Nestor S. Makarigakis 

         Group Director of Marketing Communications 

         marcom@mistrasgroup.com

         1(609)716-4000