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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NASDAQ NMS SYMBOL: "ZOLT"
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ZOLTEK ANNOUNCES IMPROVED FINANCIALS
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FROM SALE OF AN OVERSEAS SUBSIDIARY COMPANY
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SAINT LOUIS, MISSOURI -- November 6, 2000 -- Zoltek
Companies, Inc. today announced the sale of its SP Systems
subsidiary. This transaction improves Zoltek's financial position
while maintaining many of the strategic benefits provided by the
original acquisition.
Zoltek received $30 million in cash, and a note receivable
in the principal amount of $5.0 million, reacquired approximately
2.5 million Zoltek shares issued to the former SP Systems
shareholders and was repaid approximately $7.3 million of
intercompany loans. In connection with the sale, Zoltek and SP
Systems entered into various agreements which provide for
continuing strategic relationships. These include a long-term
carbon fiber supply agreement, an agreement to utilize SP Systems'
formulations for Zoltek prepreg and formulated products and a
license agreement for Zoltek to offer SP Systems' proprietary
SPRINT composite process technology.
Zsolt Rumy, Zoltek's Chairman and CEO, commented, "We
acquired SP Systems and other downstream businesses to facilitate
and accelerate the commercialization of low-cost carbon fiber
composites, the underlying strategic objective of our business.
These acquisitions were intended to enable us to offer customers
complete solutions for designing and using low-cost carbon fiber
composites. SP Systems was the largest of those acquisitions and
we stretched our financial and human resources because of the
perceived potential benefits to Zoltek. Although we continue to
believe that the SP Systems technologies and business offer great
potential for future growth, the sale of this unit enhances our
ability to execute our primary carbon fibers strategy by
deleveraging our balance sheet and refocusing our management
resources. Unfortunately, since we acquired SP Systems -- which
is heavily dependent upon a limited number of principal customers
in the wind energy business -- its business has been slower to
develop than we had expected and the borrowings incurred to
finance the acquisition and related goodwill amortization was not
offset by its profit contribution. Our two companies will
continue to think and act as partners in many ways."
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For the nine months ended June 30, 2000, Zoltek reported, on
a consolidated basis, net sales of $96.7 million and a net loss of
$3.7 million ($.20 per share). On a pro forma basis assuming the
sale of SP Systems had occurred at the beginning of fiscal 2000,
Zoltek's consolidated net sales were $57.5 million and its net
loss was $2.2 million ($.15 per share). Proceeds of the sale were
used to retire Zoltek's bank debt and, accordingly, on a
consolidated pro forma basis as of June 30, 2000, Zoltek's
shareholders' equity was $116.0 million and its long-term debt was
$9.9 million. Zoltek expects to record a one-time, non-cash gain
after tax of approximately $0.3 million in the fourth quarter of
fiscal 2000 in accounting for the SP Systems sale.
With the sale, ownership of SP Systems, which is based in
the United Kingdom, has reverted to its original owners and
managers and Close Brothers Private Equity, a venture capital
firm. Paul Rudling, SP Systems' CEO, added, "Zoltek's low-cost
carbon fiber strategy continues to be a tremendous fit with our
core business strategy. Our new relationship with Zoltek will
enable SP Systems to pursue our engineered composite and resin
business with greater flexibility, and with more incentive to our
top people as independent entrepreneurs."
With the divestiture of SP Systems, Zoltek's downstream
composites business consists of three principal components: Cape
Composites, a manufacturer of carbon and glass fiber prepreg
materials; Entec/CMC, which designs, manufactures and sells
machines which process carbon and glass fiber composite materials;
and its investment in Hardcore Composites, which is a leader in
design and production of large composite structures, such as
bridge decks and marine pilings.
The forward-looking statements contained in this press
release are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties.
Zoltek's actual results could differ materially from those
currently anticipated due to a number of factors, including the
Company's ability to manage rapid growth, development of carbon
fiber markets and its acquired businesses.
Zoltek is an applied technology and materials company.
Zoltek's Carbon Fiber Business Unit is primarily focused on the
manufacturing and application of carbon fibers used as
reinforcement material in composites. Zoltek's Intermediates
Business Unit develops, manufactures and markets
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reinforcements, specialty resins, consumable supplies and
manufacturing equipment for the composite manufacturing industry.
It also does composite design and engineering to support the
Company's materials business. Zoltek's Hungarian-based Specialty
Products Business Unit manufactures and markets acrylic fibers,
nylon products and industrial materials.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
ZSOLT RUMY, CEO OR DAN GREENWELL, CFO
3101 MCKELVEY ROAD
ST. LOUIS, MO 63044
(314) 291-5110
