Hartford:United Technologies Corp. reported second quarter earnings per share of $1.84 and net income attributable to common shareowners of $1.7 billion, both up 8 percent over the year ago quarter.  Restructuring costs were offset by other net favorable one-time items, which include the Canadian Maritime Helicopter Program (CMHP) charge in the current quarter.  Earnings per share in the year ago quarter included $0.05 of favorable one-time items net of restructuring costs.  Excluding these items in both quarters, earnings per share increased 12 percent year over year.

Sales of $17.2 billion increased 7 percent, reflecting the benefit of organic growth (3 points) and a cumulative adjustment for the CMHP (5 points) partially offset by net divestitures (1 point).  Second quarter segment operating profit decreased 15 percent over the prior year quarter, including the CMHP adjustment.  Excluding restructuring costs and net one-time items, segment operating profit grew 8 percent with 90 basis points of operating margin expansion.

“Our focus on growth opportunities and execution in our core markets resulted in another solid quarter,” said Louis Chênevert, UTC Chairman & Chief Executive Officer.  “We saw a fourth consecutive quarter of organic sales growth, along with strong margin expansion.”

Otis new equipment orders increased 3 percent over the year ago second quarter at constant currency, led by 44 percent growth in North America.  Equipment orders at UTC Climate, Controls & Security increased 2 percent organically.  Large commercial engine spares orders were down 6 percent at Pratt & Whitney and commercial spares orders increased 28 percent at UTC Aerospace Systems.

“With earnings up 11 percent, excluding the impact of restructuring and one-time items, UTC delivered a strong first half of the year,” said Chênevert. “Our solid backlogs, organic growth trends, and focus on execution give us confidence to increase the lower end of our earnings per share range.  We now expect earnings per share of $6.75 to $6.85, up from $6.65 to $6.85 previously.”

Cash flow from operations was $1.7 billion and capital expenditures were $406 million in the quarter.  Share repurchase was $335 million.  As a result of increased working capital investment to support the aerospace upcycle, the company now anticipates 2014 cash flow from operations less capital expenditures to range from 90 to 100 percent of net income attributable to common shareowners.  In addition, UTC now expects share repurchase of $1.25 billion and acquisitions of less than $1 billion for the year, from the previous expectation of $1 billion each.