HispanicBusiness

Adjusted EBITDAR includes an add-back totaling $43.9 million for the year and $17.2 million for the fourth quarter related to the estimated impact of the adverse operating conditions experienced by the Company as a result of this year's extraordinary drought. These adjustments were estimated by comparing the Company's actual operating performance metrics to those that were achieved during the months leading up to the drought period. The impact related to the drought is attributable to the following factors:

•Reduction in Tons per Load: Extremely low Mississippi River levels limited the amount of cargo that could be carried due to reduced drafts. This decline in tons transported resulted in a reduction in Adjusted EBITDAR of $10.1 million for the quarter and $20.9 million for the year.
•Reduction in Barges per Tow: The number of barges per tow was reduced at various times during the drought to facilitate safe operations. As a result, the Company required more tow boats in service to deliver the equivalent number of barges based upon number of barges per tow. The cost of this excess towing capacity during the fourth quarter was $4.3 million and $10.3 million for the year.
•Reduction in Asset Turns: River conditions led to more traffic disruptions on the Mississippi River south of St. Louis, resulting in a reduced turn of fleet assets. As a result, the Company was required to use more tow boat power to deliver booked freight during the quarter and the slower turn also impacted the number of revenue earning days on the barge fleet. The impact of these incremental costs and lost margin totaled $2.8 million during the quarter and $12.7 million year-to-date.



Revenues
Revenues for the year ended December 31, 2012 decreased 4.9% over prior year revenues to $811.6 million. Transportation segment revenues and ton-mile volumes were negatively impacted by the persistent, severe drought conditions experienced over the second half of the year, resulting in a decrease in revenues of 4.7% to $687.2 million and a decrease in ton-mile volumes of 8.6% to 31.8 billion ton-miles when compared to the prior year. We estimate the drought impact on load drafts, tow size, and equipment turns reduced our ton-mile volume by approximately 1.7 billion ton-miles and our revenues by $43.9 million. On a fuel-neutral basis, transportation revenues were down 6.5% for the year driven by the drought-related decline in ton-miles in the second half of the year.

Revenues for the quarter ended December 31, 2012 decreased 15.0% to $207.9 million. Drought-impacted transportation segment revenues decreased by 13.1% to $174.1 million while ton-mile volumes decreased by 20.0% to 7.4 billion. On a fuel-neutral basis, transportation revenues were down 14.0% for the quarter driven by the drought-related decline in ton-miles. Additionally, grain export shipments were significantly lower due to a smaller harvest and drought operating restrictions. Shipments of steel, salt and other bulk cargoes were also impacted by the drought operating conditions.

Manufacturing segment revenues decreased $7.5 million, or 5.7% for the year ended December 31, 2012 to $124.4 million, with 220 total barges produced for external customers in 2012 compared to 239 in the prior year. The manufacturing segment produced 80 total barges for the transportation segment, or 13 more barges in 2012 than in 2011. Current year internal production included 45 covered dry hopper barges, 21 liquid tank barges and 14 oversized tank barges. In the prior year only 2 oversized tank barges and 65 covered dry hopper barges were produced for the transportation segment. Manufacturing segment revenue decreased $10.5 million, or 23.7%, in the quarter, reflecting the delivery of 58 barges to third-parties compared to 77 in the prior year period. The manufacturing segment's external revenue backlog at the end of 2012 was $52.4 million, representing 2013 production backlog compared to a backlog of $101.2 million as of December 31, 2011. More recently, the external revenue backlog has increased to approximately $140 million as the remainder of 2013 production capacity, beyond the completion of the oversize tank barges currently in production for the transportation segment, has been committed for sale to third parties. The manufacturing segment's backlog fluctuates based on the Company's decisions regarding the balance of internal and external production slots.