GlobeNewswire Inc | Aug 11, 2020 04:05PM EDT

August 11, 2020

-- Net income of $14.6 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $28.8 million -- Adjusted EBITDA for the second half of 2020 expected to be in the range of $50 to $70 million -- Total debt reduced by $34.4 million during the quarter

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 11, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pacific Ethanol, Inc. (NASDAQ: PEIX), a leading producer and marketer of high quality alcohol products and low-carbon renewable fuels in the United States, reported its financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020.

Our strong second quarter financial results, including net income of $14.6 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $28.8 million, were driven by our diversified product portfolio and expanded production of high quality alcohol, said Mike Kandris, Pacific Ethanols Co-CEO. Our Pekin campus has produced industrial, chemical and beverage grade alcohol for over 100 years, and we recently announced an expansion of our production capacity to meet the demand for our high quality alcohol used in sanitizers and disinfectants, which has increased significantly due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. We also continue to experience strong demand for our high value feed and food products, which our Pekin facilities have produced for over 20 years.

Looking at the second half of the year, we expect Adjusted EBITDA to range between $50 and $70 million, with momentum continuing into 2021, stated Bryon McGregor, Pacific Ethanols CFO. In addition to reducing our debt by $34.4 million in the second quarter, we continue to work with our lenders to satisfy our continuing obligation to agree on a plan to eliminate or refinance our term debt. To this end, our goal is to reduce our total term debt outstanding at year end by at least $70 million. We believe that continued debt reduction and profitable growth will position us well for delivering long-term growth and value for our stakeholders.

Financial Results for the Three Months Ended June 30, 2020 Compared to 2019

-- Net sales were $212.1 million, compared to $346.3 million. -- Cost of goods sold was $180.9 million, compared to $342.3 million. -- Gross profit was $31.2 million, compared to $4.0 million. -- Selling, general and administrative expenses were $8.6 million, compared to $6.7 million. -- Operating income was $22.6 million, compared to a loss of $2.7 million. -- Income available to common stockholders was $14.6 million, or $0.27 per share, compared to a loss of $8.0 million, or $0.17 per share. -- Adjusted EBITDA was $28.8 million, compared to $7.2 million. -- Cash and cash equivalents were $29.8 million at June 30, 2020, compared to $19.0 million at December 31, 2019.

Financial Results for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2020 Compared to 2019

-- Net sales were $523.5 million, compared to $702.1 million. -- Cost of goods sold was $505.2 million, compared to $700.4 million. -- Gross profit was $18.3 million, compared to $1.7 million. -- Selling, general and administrative expenses were $18.8 million, compared to $14.9 million. -- Operating loss was $0.5 million, compared to $13.3 million. -- Loss available to common stockholders was $10.8 million, or $0.20 per share, compared to $21.2 million, or $0.45 per share. -- Adjusted EBITDA was $16.5 million, compared to $8.8 million.

Second Quarter 2020 Results Conference Call Management will host a conference call at 8:00 a.m. Pacific Time/11:00 a.m. Eastern Time on August 12, 2020. Management will deliver prepared remarks followed by a question and answer session.

The webcast for the call can be accessed from Pacific Ethanols website at www.pacificethanol.com. Alternatively, you may dial the following number up to ten minutes prior to the scheduled conference call time: (877) 847-6066. International callers should dial 00-1 (970) 315-0267. The pass code will be 7598331. If you are unable to participate in the live call, the webcast will be archived for replay on Pacific Ethanols website for one year. In addition, a telephonic replay will be available at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, August 12, 2020 through 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, August 19, 2020. To access the replay, please dial (855) 859-2056. International callers should dial 00-1 (404) 537-3406. The pass code will be 7598331.

Use of Non-GAAP MeasuresManagement believes that certain financial measures not in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") are useful measures of operations. The company defines Adjusted EBITDA as unaudited net income (loss) attributed to Pacific Ethanol, Inc. before interest expense, provision (benefit) for income taxes, asset impairments, loss on extinguishment of debt, purchase accounting adjustments, fair value adjustments, and depreciation and amortization expense. A table is provided at the end of this release that provides a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to its most directly comparable GAAP measure, net income (loss) attributed to Pacific Ethanol, Inc. Management provides this non-GAAP measure so that investors will have the same financial information that management uses, which may assist investors in properly assessing the company's performance on a period-over-period basis. Adjusted EBITDA is not a measure of financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative to net income (loss) attributed to Pacific Ethanol, Inc. or any other measure of performance under GAAP, or to cash flows from operating, investing or financing activities as an indicator of cash flows or as a measure of liquidity. Adjusted EBITDA has limitations as an analytical tool and you should not consider this measure in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of the company's results as reported under GAAP.

Information reconciling forward-looking Adjusted EBITDA to forward-looking net income (loss) attributed to Pacific Ethanol, Inc. would require a forward-looking statement of net income (loss) attributed to Pacific Ethanol, Inc. prepared in accordance with GAAP, which is unavailable to the company without unreasonable effort. The company is not able to provide a quantitative reconciliation of forward-looking Adjusted EBITDA to forward-looking net income (loss) attributed to Pacific Ethanol, Inc. because certain items required for reconciliation are uncertain, outside of the companys control and/or cannot be reasonably predicted, such as fair value adjustments, asset impairments, if any, and provision (benefit) for income taxes, which the company views as the most material components of net income (loss) attributed to Pacific Ethanol, Inc. that are not presently estimable.

About Pacific Ethanol, Inc.Pacific Ethanol, Inc. (PEIX) is a leading producer and marketer of low-carbon renewable fuels and high-quality alcohol products in the United States. Pacific Ethanol owns and operates seven production facilities in California, Idaho, Illinois and Oregon. The plants have a combined production capacity of 450 million gallons per year, and produce over two million tons per year of co-products on a dry matter basis such as wet and dry distillers grains, wet and dry corn gluten feed, condensed distillers solubles, corn gluten meal, corn germ, corn oil, distillers yeast and CO2, based on historical volumes. Pacific Ethanol markets and distributes fuel-grade ethanol, high-quality alcohol products and co-products domestically and internationally. Pacific Ethanols subsidiary, Kinergy Marketing LLC, markets all ethanol and high-quality alcohol products for Pacific Ethanols plants as well as for third parties. Pacific Ethanols subsidiary, Pacific Ag. Products LLC, markets wet and dry distillers grains. For more information please visit www.pacificethanol.com.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995Statements and information contained in this communication that refer to or include Pacific Ethanols estimated or anticipated future results or other non-historical expressions of fact are forward-looking statements that reflect Pacific Ethanols current perspective of existing trends and information as of the date of the communication. Forward looking statements generally will be accompanied by words such as anticipate, believe, plan, could, should, estimate, expect, forecast, outlook, guidance, intend, may, might, will, possible, potential, predict, project, or other similar words, phrases or expressions. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning future market conditions, including the supply of and domestic and international demand for high quality alcohol, ethanol and co-products; and Adjusted EBITDA that Pacific Ethanol may generate; and Pacific Ethanols other plans, objectives, expectations and intentions. It is important to note that Pacific Ethanols plans, objectives, expectations and intentions are not predictions of actual performance. Actual results may differ materially from Pacific Ethanols current expectations depending upon a number of factors affecting Pacific Ethanols business. These factors include, among others, adverse economic and market conditions, including for high quality alcohol, ethanol and its co-products; export conditions and international demand for ethanol and co-products; fluctuations in the price of and demand for oil and gasoline; raw material costs, including production input costs, such as corn and natural gas; the continued effects of the novel coronavirus on travel and the demand for transportation fuels, sanitizers and disinfectants; and the ability of Pacific Ethanol to timely and successfully execute on its strategic initiatives and remain in compliance with its debt covenants, including Pacific Ethanols compliance with its prior and continuing obligation to obtain lender approval of a comprehensive plan to restructure its assets and liabilities, the failure of which currently enables its lenders to accelerate Pacific Ethanols debt. These factors also include, among others, the inherent uncertainty associated with financial and other projections; the anticipated size of the markets and continued demand for Pacific Ethanols products; the impact of competitive products and pricing; the risks and uncertainties normally incident to the high quality alcohol and ethanol production and marketing industries; changes in generally accepted accounting principles; successful compliance with governmental regulations applicable to Pacific Ethanols facilities, products and/or businesses; changes in laws, regulations and governmental policies; the loss of key senior management or staff; and other events, factors and risks previously and from time to time disclosed in Pacific Ethanols filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including, specifically, those factors set forth in the Risk Factors section contained in Pacific Ethanols Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 14, 2020.

PACIFIC ETHANOL, INC. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS(unaudited, in thousands, except per share data)

Three Months Ended Six Months Ended June 30, June 30, 2020 2019 2020 2019 Net sales $ $ $ $ 212,074 346,301 523,478 702,104Cost of goods sold 180,892 342,330 505,186 700,422Gross profit 3,971 31,182 18,292 1,682Selling, general and administrative expenses 8,629 6,708 18,841 14,943Income (loss) from operations ) (549 ) ) 22,553 (2,737 (13,261Interest expense, net ) ) ) ) (4,647 (5,115 (9,954 (9,851Fair value adjustments ) ? (641 ) ? (1,314Other income (expense), net ) (438 ) ) 661 (1,738 (1,158Income (loss) before benefit for ) ) )income taxes 14,854 (8,290 (12,302 (22,451Benefit for income taxes ? ? ? ? Consolidated net income (loss) ) ) ) 14,854 (8,290 (12,302 (22,451Net loss attributed to 110 644 2,166 1,915 noncontrolling interestsNet income (loss) attributed to $ $ ) $ ) $ )Pacific Ethanol, Inc. 14,964 (7,646 (10,136 (20,536Preferred stock dividends $ (315 ) $ (315 ) $ (630 ) $ (627 )Income (loss) available to common $ $ ) $ ) $ )stockholders 14,649 (7,961 (10,766 (21,163Net income (loss) per share, basic $ 0.27 $ (0.17 ) $ ) $ )and diluted (0.20 (0.45Weighted-average shares outstanding, basic and diluted 54,498 47,771 54,163 46,651

PACIFIC ETHANOL, INC. CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (unaudited, in thousands, except par value)

June 30, December 31, ASSETS 2020 2019Current Assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 29,783 $ 18,997 Accounts receivable, net 48,871 74,307 Inventories 46,326 60,600 Prepaid inventory 3,180 1,528 Derivative instruments ? 2,438 Assets held-for-sale ? 69,764 Other current assets 3,630 4,430 Total current assets 131,790 232,064 Property and equipment, net 317,950 332,526 Other Assets: Right of use operating lease assets, net 22,625 24,346 Notes receivable 16,500 ? Assets held-for-sale ? 16,500 Intangible asset 2,678 2,678 Other assets 5,586 4,381 Total other assets 47,389 47,905 Total Assets $ 497,129 $ 612,495

PACIFIC ETHANOL, INC. CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (CONTINUED) (unaudited, in thousands, except par value)

June December LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS? EQUITY 30, 31, 2020 2019 Current Liabilities: Accounts payable ? trade $ 27,721 $ 29,277 Accrued liabilities 13,628 22,331 Current portion ? operating leases 2,898 3,457 Current portion ? long-term debt 96,000 63,000 Derivative instruments ? 1,860 Liabilities held-for-sale ? 34,413 Other current liabilities 6,707 6,060 Total current liabilities 146,954 160,398 Long-term debt, net of current portion 95,888 180,795 Operating leases, net of current portion 20,164 21,171 Other liabilities 23,382 23,086 Total Liabilities 286,388 385,450 Stockholders? Equity: Pacific Ethanol, Inc. Stockholders? Equity: Preferred stock, $0.001 par value; 10,000 shares authorized; Series A: no shares issued and outstanding as of 1 1 June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019 Series B: 927 shares issued and outstanding as of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019 Common stock, $0.001 par value; 300,000 shares authorized; 55,482 and 55,508 shares issued and outstanding as 55 56 of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively Non-voting common stock, $0.001 par value; 3,553 shares authorized; 1 share issued and outstanding as of June ? ? 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019 Additional paid-in capital 944,035 942,307 Accumulated other comprehensive expense (2,370 ) (2,370 ) Accumulated deficit (730,980 ) (720,214 ) Total Pacific Ethanol, Inc. Stockholders? Equity 210,741 219,780 Noncontrolling interests ? 7,265 Total Stockholders? Equity 210,741 227,045 Total Liabilities and Stockholders? Equity $ 497,129 $ 612,495

Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to Net Income (Loss)

Three Months Six Months Ended Ended June 30, June 30,(in thousands) (unaudited) 2020 2019 2020 2019 Net income (loss) attributed to $ $ ) $ ) $ )Pacific Ethanol, Inc. 14,964 (7,646 (10,136 (20,536Adjustments: Interest income (172 ) ? (172 ) ? Interest expense* 4,647 5,115 9,954 9,851 Fair value adjustments 1,314 ? 641 ? Depreciation and amortization 8,089 expense* 9,774 16,205 19,480 Total adjustments 13,878 14,889 26,628 29,331Adjusted EBITDA $ $ $ $ 8,795 28,842 7,243 16,492

________________* Adjusted for noncontrolling interests.

Commodity Price Performance

Three Months Six Months Ended Ended June 30, June 30,(unaudited) __ 2020 2019 2020 2019 Production gallons sold (in 56.9 118.6 179.5 235.5 millions)Third party gallons sold (in 73.9 83.2 136.3 178.0 millions)Total gallons sold (in millions) 130.8 201.8 315.8 413.5 Total gallons produced (in 47.6 121.3 163.9 243.8 millions)Production capacity utilization 40 % 80 % 82 % 82 % Average ethanol sales price per $ 1.59 $ 1.61 $ 1.55 $ 1.57 gallonAverage CBOT ethanol price per $ 1.08 $ 1.41 $ 1.16 $ 1.36 gallon Corn cost ? CBOT equivalent $ 3.39 $ 3.81 $ 3.59 $ 3.77 Average basis 0.20 0.41 0.32 0.40 Delivered corn cost $ 3.59 $ 4.22 $ 3.91 $ 4.17 Total co-product tons sold (in thousands) 250.1 691.5 922.0 1,375.6Co-product return % (1) 46.5 % 35.5 % 41.8 % 37.2 %

_______________(1) Co-product revenue as a percentage of delivered cost of corn.

Company IR Contact: IR Agency IR Agency Contact: Contact:Pacific Ethanol, Inc. Moriah Paul Koehler Shilton916-403-2755 LHA Pacific Ethanol, Inc.Investorrelations@pacificethanol.com 415-433-3777 916-403-2790 paulk@pacificethanol.com