Document


UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 
FORM 8-K
 
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
 
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): April 19, 2018
 
SONOCO PRODUCTS COMPANY
 
Commission File No. 001-11261
 
 
 
 
Incorporated under the laws
 
I.R.S. Employer Identification
of South Carolina
 
No. 57-0248420
1 N. Second St.
Hartsville, South Carolina 29550
Telephone: 843/383-7000
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company    ¨
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
[ ]
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
[ ]
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
[ ]
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
[ ]
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))







Section 8 - Other Events
Item 8.01    Other Events.

Effective January 1, 2018, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2017-07, "Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost." ASU 2017-07 requires service costs to be reported in the same line item as other compensation costs arising from employees during the period and requires the non-service cost components of net benefit cost to be reported separately from service cost and outside of operating profit. As a result of adopting the new standard, the non-service cost components of benefit costs previously included in "Cost of sales" and "Selling, general and administrative expenses" have been removed from those line items and included under a new caption titled "Non-operational pension (income)/cost." This new caption is located outside of "Operating profit," which had previously been titled "Income before interest and income taxes."

The following table sets forth the Company's revised consolidated statements of income for each quarter of 2017, reflecting the adoption of ASU 2017-07:


Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited)
(dollars in thousands)
 
 
 
 
2017
 
 
 
 
First
Quarter
 
Second Quarter
 
Third Quarter
 
Fourth Quarter
 
Year
to
Date
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net sales
 
$
1,172,324

 
$
1,240,674

 
$
1,324,634

 
$
1,299,018

 
$
5,036,650

Cost of Sales*
 
949,345

 
1,002,297

 
1,071,755

 
1,054,601

 
4,077,998

Gross profit*
 
222,979

 
238,377

 
252,879

 
244,417

 
958,652

Selling, general and administrative expenses*
 
125,209

 
125,300

 
129,136

 
128,179

 
507,824

Restructuring/asset impairment charges
 
4,111

 
7,897

 
511

 
25,900

 
38,419

Operating profit*
 
93,659

 
105,180

 
123,232

 
90,338

 
412,409

Non-operational pension (income)/cost*
 
3,686

 
34,410

 
3,150

 
3,864

 
45,110

Interest expense
 
13,085

 
13,823

 
14,741

 
15,571

 
57,220

Interest income
 
1,027

 
1,031

 
1,094

 
1,323

 
4,475

Income before income taxes
 
77,915

 
57,978

 
106,435

 
72,226

 
314,554

Provision for income taxes
 
25,539

 
17,167

 
35,545

 
68,338

 
146,589

Income before equity in earnings of affiliates
 
52,376

 
40,811

 
70,890

 
3,888

 
167,965

Equity in earnings of affiliates, net of tax
 
1,954

 
2,845

 
2,521

 
2,162

 
9,482

Net income
 
54,330

 
43,656

 
73,411

 
6,050

 
177,447

Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests
 
(597
)
 
(531
)
 
(599
)
 
(375
)
 
(2,102
)
Net income attributable to Sonoco
 
$
53,733

 
$
43,125

 
$
72,812

 
$
5,675

 
$
175,345


* reflects change from amounts previously reported as a result of adopting ASU 2017-07.






To ensure comparability of 2018 quarterly segmental financial results with previous periods, the Company will recast prior year segmental operating profit to conform to the current presentation. The following table sets forth quarterly operating profit for 2017 for each of the Company's business segments reflecting the adoption of ASU 2017-07:
Reportable Segment Results by Quarter (Unaudited)
(dollars in thousands)
 
 
 
 
2017
 
 
 
 
First
Quarter
 
Second Quarter
 
Third Quarter
 
Fourth Quarter
 
Year
to
Date
Operating profit:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Segment operating profit1:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Consumer Packaging
 
$
59,460

 
$
60,376

 
$
68,922

 
$
67,001

 
$
255,759

Display and Packaging
 
3,222

 
1,479

 
1,993

 
(4,062
)
 
2,632

Paper and Industrial Converted Products
 
26,850

 
45,437

 
43,696

 
45,608

 
161,591

Protective Solutions
 
10,931

 
11,016

 
11,323

 
9,087

 
42,357

Restructuring/Asset impairment charges
 
(4,111
)
 
(7,897
)
 
(511
)
 
(25,900
)
 
(38,419
)
Other, net
 
(2,693
)
 
(5,231
)
 
(2,191
)
 
(1,396
)
 
(11,511
)
Consolidated operating profit
 
$
93,659

 
$
105,180

 
$
123,232

 
$
90,338

 
$
412,409


1 Segment results viewed by Company management to evaluate segment performance do not include restructuring charges, asset impairment charges, acquisition-related charges, or certain other items, if any, the exclusion of which the Company believes improves comparability and analysis. Accordingly, segment operating profit is defined as the segment's portion of "Operating profit," excluding such items.

Definition and Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
To assess and communicate the financial performance of the Company, Sonoco management uses, both internally and externally, certain financial performance measures that are not in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (“non-GAAP” financial measures). These non-GAAP financial measures reflect the Company’s GAAP operating results adjusted to remove amounts, including the associated tax effects, relating to restructuring initiatives, asset impairment charges, environmental charges, acquisition-related costs, gains or losses from the disposition of businesses, excess property insurance recoveries, pension settlement charges, certain income tax events and other items, if any, including other income tax-related adjustments and/or events, the exclusion of which management believes improves the period-to-period comparability and analysis of the underlying financial performance of the business. The adjusted non-GAAP results are identified using the term “base,” for example, “base earnings.”
The Company’s base financial performance measures are not in accordance with, nor an alternative for, measures conforming to generally accepted accounting principles and may be different from non-GAAP measures used by other companies. In addition, these non-GAAP measures are not based on any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles. Sonoco continues to provide all information required by GAAP, but it believes that evaluating its ongoing operating results may not be as useful if an investor or other user is limited to reviewing only GAAP financial measures. The Company uses the non-GAAP “base” performance measures presented herein for internal planning and forecasting purposes, to evaluate its ongoing operations, and to evaluate the ultimate performance of management and each business unit against plan/forecast all the way up through the evaluation of the Chief Executive Officer’s performance by the Board of Directors. In addition, these same non-GAAP measures are used in determining incentive compensation for the entire management team and in providing earnings guidance to the investing community.
Sonoco management does not, nor does it suggest that investors should, consider these non-GAAP financial measures in isolation from, or as a substitute for, financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP. Sonoco presents these non-GAAP financial measures to provide users information to evaluate Sonoco’s operating results in a manner similar to how management evaluates business performance. Material limitations associated with the use of such measures are that they do not reflect all period costs included in operating expenses and may not reflect financial results that are comparable to financial results of other companies that present similar costs differently.





Furthermore, the calculations of these non-GAAP measures are based on subjective determinations of management regarding the nature and classification of events and circumstances that the investor may find material and view differently. To compensate for these limitations, management believes that it is useful in understanding and analyzing the results of the business to review both GAAP information which includes all of the items impacting financial results and the non-GAAP measures that exclude certain elements, as described above.
Restructuring and restructuring-related asset impairment charges are a recurring item as Sonoco’s restructuring programs usually require several years to fully implement and the Company is continually seeking to take actions that could enhance its efficiency. Although recurring, these charges are subject to significant fluctuations from period to period due to the varying levels of restructuring activity and the inherent imprecision in the estimates used to recognize the impairment of assets and the wide variety of costs and taxes associated with severance and termination benefits in the countries in which the restructuring actions occur.
Reconciliations of GAAP to base results are presented below. Whenever reviewing a non-GAAP financial measure, readers are encouraged to review the related reconciliation to fully understand how it differs from the related GAAP measure.
The following tables reconcile the Company's non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures for each of the periods presented, and reflect the revisions to previously reported amounts as a result of the adoption of ASU 2017-07:

 
 
 
 
 
Non-GAAP Adjustments
 
 
Three Months Ended April 2, 2017
GAAP
 
Restructuring / Asset Impairment Charges
 
Other Adjustments
 
Base
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating profit
$
93,659

 
$
4,111

 
$
2,693

 
$
100,463

Non-operating pension (income)/cost
3,686

 

 

 
3,686

Interest expense, net
12,058

 

 

 
12,058

Income before income taxes
77,915

 
4,111

 
2,693

 
84,719

Provision for income taxes
25,539

 
1,298

 
(641
)
 
26,196

Income before equity in earnings of affiliates
52,376

 
2,813

 
3,334

 
58,523

Equity in earnings of affiliates, net of taxes
1,954

 

 

 
1,954

Net income
54,330

 
2,813

 
3,334

 
60,477

Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests
(597
)
 
(2
)
 

 
(599
)
Net income attributable to Sonoco
$
53,733

 
$
2,811

 
$
3,334

 
$
59,878

 
 
 






 
Per Diluted Share*
$
0.53

 
$
0.03

 
$
0.03

 
$
0.59

*Due to rounding individual items may not sum across
 
 
 
 
 
 
 






 
 
 
 
 
Non-GAAP Adjustments
 
 
Three Months Ended July 2, 2017
GAAP
 
Restructuring / Asset Impairment Charges
 
Other Adjustments
 
Base
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating profit
$
105,180

 
$
7,897

 
$
5,231

 
$
118,308

Non-operating pension (income)/cost
34,410

 

 
(31,074
)
 
3,336

Interest expense, net
12,792

 

 

 
12,792

Income before income taxes
57,978

 
7,897

 
36,305

 
102,180

Provision for income taxes
17,167

 
2,338

 
13,147

 
32,652

Income before equity in earnings of affiliates
40,811

 
5,559

 
23,158

 
69,528

Equity in earnings of affiliates, net of taxes
2,845

 

 

 
2,845

Net income
43,656

 
5,559

 
23,158

 
72,373

Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests
(531
)
 
(12
)
 

 
(543
)
Net income attributable to Sonoco
$
43,125

 
$
5,547

 
$
23,158

 
$
71,830

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Per Diluted Share*
$
0.43

 
$
0.06

 
$
0.23

 
$
0.71

*Due to rounding individual items may not sum across
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
 
 
 
 
Non-GAAP Adjustments
 
 
Three Months Ended October 1, 2017
GAAP
 
Restructuring / Asset Impairment Charges
 
Other Adjustments
 
Base
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating profit
$
123,232

 
$
511

 
$
2,191

 
$
125,934

Non-operating pension (income)/cost
3,150

 

 
(476
)
 
2,674

Interest expense, net
13,647

 

 

 
13,647

Income before income taxes
106,435

 
511

 
2,667

 
109,613

Provision for income taxes
35,545

 
445

 
(1,080
)
 
34,910

Income before equity in earnings of affiliates
70,890

 
66

 
3,747

 
74,703

Equity in earnings of affiliates, net of taxes
2,521

 

 

 
2,521

Net income
73,411

 
66

 
3,747

 
77,224

Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests
(599
)
 
(21
)
 

 
(620
)
Net income attributable to Sonoco
$
72,812

 
$
45

 
$
3,747

 
$
76,604

 
 
 






 
Per Diluted Share*
$
0.72

 
$

 
$
0.04

 
$
0.76

*Due to rounding individual items may not sum across
 
 
 
 
 
 
 







 
 
 
 
 
Non-GAAP Adjustments
 
 
Three Months Ended December 31, 2017
GAAP
 
Restructuring / Asset Impairment Charges
 
Other Adjustments
 
Base
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating profit
$
90,338

 
$
25,900

 
$
1,396

 
$
117,634

Non-operating pension (income)/cost
3,864

 

 
(1,211
)
 
2,653

Interest expense, net
14,248

 

 

 
14,248

Income before income taxes
72,226

 
25,900

 
2,607

 
100,733

Provision for income taxes
68,338

 
8,983

 
(47,704
)
 
29,617

Income before equity in earnings of affiliates
3,888

 
16,917

 
50,311

 
71,116

Equity in earnings of affiliates, net of taxes
2,162

 

 
581

 
2,743

Net income
6,050

 
16,917

 
50,892

 
73,859

Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests
(375
)
 
(36
)
 

 
(411
)
Net income attributable to Sonoco
$
5,675

 
$
16,881

 
$
50,892

 
$
73,448

 
 
 






 
Per Diluted Share*
$
0.06

 
$
0.17

 
$
0.50

 
$
0.72

*Due to rounding individual items may not sum across
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
 
 
 
 
Non-GAAP Adjustments
 
 
Year Ended December 31, 2017
GAAP
 
Restructuring / Asset Impairment Charges
 
Other Adjustments
 
Base
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating profit
$
412,409

 
$
38,419

 
$
11,511

 
$
462,339

Non-operating pension (income)/cost
45,110

 

 
(32,761
)
 
12,349

Interest expense, net
52,745

 

 

 
52,745

Income before income taxes
314,554

 
38,419

 
44,272

 
397,245

Provision for income taxes
146,589

 
13,064

 
(36,282
)
 
123,371

Income before equity in earnings of affiliates
167,965

 
25,355

 
80,554

 
273,874

Equity in earnings of affiliates, net of taxes
9,482

 

 
581

 
10,063

Net income
177,447

 
25,355

 
81,135

 
283,937

Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests
(2,102
)
 
(71
)
 

 
(2,173
)
Net income attributable to Sonoco
$
175,345

 
$
25,284

 
$
81,135

 
$
281,764

 
 
 






 
Per Diluted Share*
$
1.74

 
$
0.25

 
$
0.81

 
$
2.79

*Due to rounding individual items may not sum across
 
 
 
 
 
 
 






SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SONOCO PRODUCTS COMPANY
 
 
 
Date: April 19, 2018
 
By:
 
/s/ Barry L. Saunders
 
 
 
 
Barry L. Saunders
 
 
 
 
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer