A. H. Belo Corporation (NYSE: AHC) today reported net income of
$0.06 per diluted share for the third quarter of 2012 compared to a
net loss of $0.01 per diluted share in the third quarter of 2011.
Third quarter 2012 net income includes a credit of $2.5 million for
a consent judgment related to past tax assessments of real estate
by the City of Providence.
Adjusted EBITDA, or earnings before interest, taxes,
depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”) with pension expense added
back, was $10.5 million in the third quarter of 2012, a decrease of
3 percent compared to the prior year period. As of September 30,
2012, cash and cash equivalents were $41 million, and the Company
had no borrowings under its bank credit facility.
Robert W. Decherd, chairman, president and Chief Executive
Officer, said, “Third quarter total revenue decreased 1 percent
compared to the prior year quarter. This rate of decline is the
lowest since our spin-off from Belo Corp. in 2008 and was driven by
advertising revenue performance at The Dallas Morning News and
increased printing and distribution revenues in Providence and
Riverside.
“We are very pleased with our results thus far in 2012. While
advertising revenues are difficult to predict, we remain confident
in the Company’s ability to deliver Adjusted EBITDA and generate
cash. We continue to expect full-year 2012 Adjusted EBITDA of $37
to $41 million.”
Third Quarter Results
Total revenue was $108.9 million in the third quarter of 2012, a
decrease of 1 percent compared to the prior year period.
Advertising and marketing services revenue, including print and
digital revenues, decreased 5 percent, with the smallest percentage
decrease at The Dallas Morning News followed by The
Press-Enterprise and The Providence Journal. Display advertising
revenue decreased 5 percent to $20.3 million, and preprint revenue
decreased 4 percent to $19.7 million. Classified revenue decreased
8 percent to $13.5 million. Digital revenue increased 1 percent to
$8.7 million. When the impact of non-recurring revenue associated
with a discontinued digital advertising platform is excluded,
digital revenue increased 7 percent, primarily due to increased
automotive digital revenue at The Dallas Morning News.
In the third quarter of 2011, The Dallas Morning News
discontinued the niche publication Quick. When Quick’s advertising
revenue in the third quarter of 2011 is excluded, advertising
revenue from ongoing niche publications increased 4 percent in the
third quarter of 2012. This increase primarily resulted from higher
advertising revenue at The Morning News' Spanish-language
publication Al Día. Advertising revenue from niche publications is
a component of the display, preprint, classified and digital
revenue figures presented above.
Circulation revenue decreased 1.5 percent to $34.2 million in
the third quarter of 2012 compared to the prior year period.
Excluding $0.9 million of circulation revenue resulting from The
Providence Journal’s transition from a carrier model to a
distributor circulation model in 2011, total circulation revenue
decreased 4 percent to $33.3 million. This decrease is primarily
driven by the single copy sales decline at The Dallas Morning
News.
Printing and distribution revenue increased 25 percent to $12.5
million in the third quarter of 2012 due mostly to the impact of
new contracts at The Providence Journal and The Press-Enterprise.
The Company was notified in October 2012 that the new owners of the
North County Times would cease printing that publication in the
Riverside (Press Enterprise) productions facility on October 15,
well before the expiration of a multi-year contract. The Company is
pursuing multiple remedies.
Excluding the effect of pension expense in both periods,
operating expense in the third quarter was $106.6 million, a 2
percent decrease compared to the prior year period as headcount
related expenses, computer and depreciation expenses all decreased.
Third quarter severance and related expenses totaled $0.3
million.
The Company’s newsprint expense in the third quarter was $10.3
million, an increase of 1 percent compared to the prior year
period. Newsprint consumption increased 1 percent to 16,348 metric
tons. Compared to the prior year period, newsprint cost per metric
ton dropped slightly, and the average purchase price per metric ton
for newsprint decreased 2.3 percent.
Excluding the effect of pension expense in both periods, third
quarter corporate and non-operating unit expenses were $5.4
million, a decrease of 2 percent compared to the prior year
period.
Capital expenditures totaled $2.7 million in the third quarter.
The Company anticipates full-year 2012 capital expenditures of
approximately $10 million.
As of September 30, A. H. Belo had approximately 2,100 full-time
equivalent employees, a decrease of 4 percent compared to the prior
year period.
Dallas Initiatives
On September 10, The Dallas Morning News announced the formation
of Speakeasy, a social content marketing agency that will develop,
manage and execute turnkey social campaigns and promotions for both
local and national businesses. The Company is majority owner of
Speakeasy.
The Company moved forward with marketing campaigns at The
Dallas Morning News during the third quarter. The Morning News
anticipates investments in these marketing efforts will total $3.0
to $4.0 million this year.
Non-GAAP Financial
Measures
Reconciliations of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are included as
exhibits to this release.
Conference Call
A. H. Belo will conduct a conference call on Monday, October 29
at 1:30 p.m. CDT to discuss financial results. The conference call
will be available via webcast by accessing the Company's website
(www.ahbelo.com/invest) or by dialing 1-800-288-8961 (USA) or
612-332-0107 (International). A replay line will be available at
1-800-475-6701 (USA) or 320-365-3844 (International) from
approximately 3:30 p.m. CDT on October 29 until 11:59 p.m. CST on
November 5, 2012. The access code for the replay is 259648.
About A. H. Belo
Corporation
A. H. Belo Corporation (NYSE: AHC), headquartered in Dallas,
Texas, is a distinguished newspaper publishing and local news and
information company that owns and operates four daily newspapers
and related websites. A. H. Belo publishes The Dallas Morning News,
Texas’ leading newspaper and winner of nine Pulitzer Prizes; The
Providence Journal, the oldest continuously-published daily
newspaper in the United States and winner of four Pulitzer Prizes;
The Press-Enterprise (Riverside, CA), serving the Inland Southern
California region and winner of one Pulitzer Prize; and the Denton
Record-Chronicle. The Company publishes niche publications
targeting specific audiences, and its investments and/or
partnerships include Classified Ventures, owner of Cars.com, and
the Yahoo! Newspaper Consortium. A. H. Belo also owns and operates
commercial printing, distribution and direct mail service
businesses. Additional information is available at www.ahbelo.com
or by contacting Alison K. Engel, Senior Vice President/Chief
Financial Officer, at 214-977-2248.
Statements in this communication concerning A. H. Belo
Corporation's (the "Company's") business outlook or future economic
performance, anticipated profitability, revenues, expenses,
dividends, capital expenditures, investments, impairments, pension
plan contributions, real estate sales, future financings, and other
financial and non-financial items that are not historical facts,
are "forward-looking statements" as the term is defined under
applicable federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are
subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause
actual results to differ materially from those statements.
Such risks, uncertainties and factors include, but are not
limited to, changes in capital market conditions and prospects, and
other factors such as changes in advertising demand and newsprint
prices; newspaper circulation trends and other circulation matters,
including changes in readership methods, patterns and demography,
and audits and related actions by the Audit Bureau of Circulations;
challenges implementing increased subscription pricing and new
pricing structures; challenges in achieving expense reduction
goals, and on schedule, and the resulting potential effects on
operations; technological changes; development of Internet
commerce; industry cycles; changes in pricing or other actions by
existing and new competitors and suppliers; labor relations;
regulatory, tax and legal changes; adoption of new accounting
standards or changes in existing accounting standards by the
Financial Accounting Standards Board or other accounting
standard-setting bodies or authorities; the effects of Company
acquisitions, dispositions, co-owned ventures, and investments;
pension plan matters; general economic conditions and changes in
interest rates; significant armed conflict; and other factors
beyond our control, as well as other risks described in
the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2011, and other public disclosures and filings with
the Securities and Exchange Commission.
A. H. Belo Corporation Condensed Consolidated
Statements of Operations
Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended
September 30, September 30, In thousands, except per share
amounts (unaudited) 2012 2011 2012 2011
Net operating revenues Advertising and marketing
services $ 62,123 $ 65,229 $ 186,373 $ 203,034 Circulation 34,243
34,749 102,655 104,699 Printing and distribution 12,515
10,012 33,830 28,918 Total net operating
revenues 108,881 109,990 322,858 336,651
Operating costs
and expenses Salaries, wages and employee benefits 43,364
44,958 131,992 143,552 Other production, distribution and operating
costs 40,614 41,996 122,835 130,875 Newsprint, ink and other
supplies 15,899 14,618 45,242 44,192 Depreciation 6,219 7,386
21,680 23,225 Amortization 1,309 1,310 3,929 3,930 Pension plan
withdrawal - - - 1,988 Total operating
costs and expenses 107,405 110,268 325,678 347,762 Income
(loss) from operations 1,476 (278) (2,820) (11,111)
Other
income (expense), net Other income, net 594 764 2,422 2,475
Interest expense (128) (132) (506)
(510) Total other income (expense), net 466 632
1,916 1,965
Earnings Income (loss)
before income taxes 1,942 354 (904) (9,146) Income tax expense
501 489 1,286 4,538 Net income (loss)
1,441 (135) (2,190) (13,684) Net loss attributable to
noncontrolling interests (42) - (42) -
Net income (loss) attributable to A. H. Belo Corporation $ 1,483 $
(135) $ (2,148) $ (13,684)
Net income (loss) per share
attributable to A. H. Belo Corporation Basic $ 0.07 $ (0.01) $
(0.10) $ (0.64) Diluted $ 0.06 $ (0.01) $ (0.10) $ (0.64)
Average shares outstanding: Basic 22,807 21,534 21,850
21,477 Diluted 22,928 21,534 21,850 21,477
A. H. Belo Corporation Condensed Consolidated Balance
Sheets
September 30, 2012 December 31, In thousands
(unaudited) 2011
Assets
Current assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 41,008 $ 57,440 Accounts
receivable, net 40,573 50,533 Other current assets 19,476
20,225 Total current assets 101,057 128,198 Property,
plant and equipment, net 148,278 163,418 Intangible assets, net
37,603 41,532 Other assets 12,939 11,940 Total
assets $ 299,877 $ 345,088
Liabilities Current
liabilities Accounts payable $ 11,985 $ 18,062 Accrued expenses
28,067 30,167 Advance subscription payments 20,520
22,491 Total current liabilities 60,572 70,720 Pension liabilities
117,083 145,980 Other liabilities 5,597 6,909
Shareholders' Equity A. H. Belo Corporation 116,540 121,479
Noncontrolling interests 85 - Total
liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 299,877 $ 345,088
A. H. Belo Corporation
Reconciliation of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA
Three months ended Nine months ended September
30, September 30, In thousands (unaudited) 2012
2011 2012 2011 Net income (loss)
attributable to A. H. Belo Corporation $ 1,483 $ (135) $ (2,148) $
(13,684) Addback: Depreciation and amortization 7,528 8,696 25,609
27,155 Interest expense 128 132 506 510 Income tax expense
501 489 1,286 4,538 EBITDA (1) 9,640
9,182 25,253 18,519 Addback: Pension expense
849 1,598 2,897
6,912
Adjusted EBITDA (1) $ 10,489 $ 10,780 $ 28,150 $
25,431
(1)
EBITDA is calculated by adding
depreciation and amortization, interest expense and income tax
expense recorded to net income (loss) attributable to A. H. Belo
Corporation. Adjusted EBITDA is calculated by adding pension
expense, non-cash impairment expense and net investment-related
losses recorded to EBITDA.
Neither EBITDA nor Adjusted EBITDA is a measure of financial
performance under GAAP. Management uses EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and
similar measures in internal analyses as supplemental measures of
the Company’s financial performance and to assist with performance
comparisons against its peer group of companies and for operating
decisions. EBITDA or similar measures are also common alternative
measures of performance used by investors, financial analysts and
rating agencies to evaluate financial performance. Neither EBITDA
nor Adjusted EBITDA should be considered in isolation or as a
substitute for cash flows provided by operating activities or other
income or cash flow data prepared in accordance with GAAP, and
these non-GAAP measures may not be comparable to similarly-titled
measures of other companies.
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