HPOL Harris Interactive, Inc. (MM)

Harris Interactive Inc. (NASDAQ: HPOL), a leading innovative global market research firm, today announced its financial results for the second quarter of fiscal 2010. Kimberly Till, President and Chief Executive Officer of Harris Interactive, said, “The results for our second quarter demonstrate that we are making progress on improving the strategic and financial performance of the company, as evidenced by our return to profitability for the first time in seven quarters. Although consolidated revenue was down 12% when compared with last year’s second quarter, it was up by 15% from this year’s first quarter, influenced in part by the normal seasonality of our business. Consolidated bookings showed comparative growth for the first time in five quarters and were up 10% compared with last year’s second quarter. Our U.S. business, which represents about 60% of our overall revenue, achieved an operating profit for the third consecutive quarter. As we head into the second half of the fiscal year, our overall cash position remains strong.” Till added, “Our numbers are starting to reflect the many initiatives that we have put in place to grow bookings, rebuild revenue, and improve profitability.”

     

Financial Highlights

            For the Three Months

For the Six Months

    Ended December 31,    

Ended December 31,

$ in millions – unaudited   2009     2008     2009     2008                         Revenue   $ 44.6     $ 50.7       $ 83.6     $ 100.9   Operating income (loss)   $ 0.6     $ (45.9 )     $ 0.2     $ (49.1 ) Net income (loss)   $ 1.3     $ (65.6 )     $ 0.7     $ (67.9 ) Fully diluted net income (loss) per share   $ 0.02     $ (1.23 )     $ 0.01     $ (1.27 )                         Adjusted EBITDA*   $ 2.8     $ (2.7 )     $ 4.8     $ (2.6 ) Adjusted EBITDA* with add-back of restructuring and other charges   $ 3.2     $ 3.2       $ 5.3     $ 3.8  

*EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure. Adjusted EBITDA, also a non-GAAP measure, is EBITDA less stock-based compensation and non-cash goodwill impairment charges.

Key Financial Statistics

• Total revenue for the second quarter of fiscal 2010 was $44.6 million, as compared with $50.7 million for the same prior year period.
• Operating income for the second quarter of fiscal 2010 was $0.6 million, as compared with an operating loss of $(45.9) million for the same prior year period. Operating income for the second quarter of fiscal 2010 included $0.4 million in restructuring and other charges, compared with $46.1 million in goodwill impairment, restructuring and other charges for the same prior year period.
• Net income for the second quarter of fiscal 2010 was $1.3 million, or $0.02 per fully diluted share, as compared with a net loss of $(65.6) million, or $(1.23) per fully diluted share for the same prior year period. Net income for the second quarter of fiscal 2010 included an income tax benefit of $1.1 million that arose from a tax law change enacted during the quarter.
• Bookings for the second quarter of fiscal 2010 were $53.2 million, as compared with $48.6 million for the same prior year period.
• Secured revenue (formerly referred to as backlog) for the second quarter of fiscal 2010 was $51.1 million, as compared with $58.0 million for the same prior year period.
• Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA* with add-back of restructuring and other charges for the second quarter of fiscal 2010 was $3.2 million, consistent with $3.2 million for the same prior year period.

Ms. Till outlined the Company’s plans for the future. “Our roadmap consists of three phases: first, turning around the financial and strategic performance of the business; second, moving towards a leadership position in the market research industry; and, third, expanding into new and related market segments. We believe that we are well along the way in turning around the performance of the business, as demonstrated by our improved results this quarter and our ability to attract top talent. We are beginning to put in place the plans that will take us into the next phase, moving towards a leadership position in the industry. We intend to do this through product innovation and creating economies of scale by leveraging technology to create a seamless, global research platform. The innovative products we have planned include products in the areas of social media, mobile platforms, and linkage among different data sets and measures, and should lead to higher margins. Further, the global platform should deliver cost savings, faster turnaround of client work on a global basis, and higher quality. In the third phase, we plan to expand into new and related market information and insight segments, particularly those with higher profit margins than traditional custom market research, by leveraging the strength of the Harris brand, our technology expertise, and our other relevant competencies,” concluded Till.

Second Quarter Results Conference Call and Webcast Access

Kimberly Till, President and CEO, will host a conference call to discuss these results on Tuesday, January 26, 2010, at 5:00 p.m. EST. Formal remarks will be followed by a question and answer session.

To access the conference call, please dial toll-free 888.211.4435 in the United States and Canada, or 913.312.0979 internationally.

A live webcast of the conference call also will be accessible via the Investor Relations section of our website at http://ir.harrisinteractive.com/, where an archived replay of the webcast will be available for 30 days following the call. No telephone replay of the conference call will be provided. This media release will be available under the Investor Relations section of our website at http://ir.harrisinteractive.com/ prior to the call.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release and oral statements made by the Company on its conference call in relation to this release constitute forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, among others, statements as to future economic performance, projections as to financial items, estimates, and plans and objectives for future operations, products and services. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as, “may”, “should”, “expects”, “plans”, “anticipates”, “feel”, “believes”, “estimates”, “predicts”, “potential”, “continue”, “consider”, “possibility”, or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks detailed in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as updated quarterly in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q to reflect additional material risks. The Company has filed its reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and they are available under the Investor Relations section of our website at http://ir.harrisinteractive.com/. Risks and uncertainties also include the continued volatility of the global macroeconomic environment and its impact on the Company and its clients, the Company’s ability to sustain and grow its revenue base, the Company’s ability to maintain and improve cost efficient operations, the impact of reorganization and restructuring and related charges, quarterly variations in financial results, actions of competitors, the Company’s ability to develop and maintain products and services attractive to the market, and uncertainties surrounding compliance with certain NASDAQ listing requirements.

You are urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating such forward-looking statements and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on them. The forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

About Harris Interactive

Harris Interactive is one of the world’s leading custom market research firms, leveraging research, technology, and business acumen to transform relevant insight into actionable foresight. Known widely for the Harris Poll and for pioneering innovative research methodologies, Harris offers expertise in a wide range of industries including healthcare, technology, public affairs, energy, telecommunications, financial services, insurance, media, retail, restaurant, and consumer package goods. Serving clients in over 215 countries and territories through our North American, European, and Asian offices and a network of independent market research firms, Harris specializes in delivering research solutions that help us – and our clients – stay ahead of what’s next. For more information, please visit www.harrisinteractive.com.

HPOL - E

  HARRIS INTERACTIVE INC. CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (In thousands, except share and per share amounts) (Unaudited)         December 31, June 30, 2009     2009 Assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 14,634 $ 16,752 Marketable securities 504 1,010 Accounts receivable, net 24,461 23,163 Unbilled receivables 8,413 6,520 Prepaids and other current assets 5,459 7,244 Deferred tax assets   852       632 Total current assets 54,323 55,321   Property, plant and equipment, net 6,346 8,015 Other intangibles, net 18,089 18,540 Deferred tax assets 289 284 Other assets   2,042       2,367 Total assets $ 81,089     $ 84,527     Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity Accounts payable $ 6,551 $ 6,738 Accrued expenses 15,125 18,349 Current portion of long-term debt 6,925 6,925 Deferred revenue   14,572       12,531 Total current liabilities 43,173 44,543   Long-term debt 12,119 15,581 Deferred tax liabilities 2,932 3,163 Other long-term liabilities 2,400 3,117   Total stockholders' equity   20,465       18,123 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 81,089     $ 84,527               HARRIS INTERACTIVE INC. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (In thousands, except share and per share data) (Unaudited)   Three months ended Six months ended December 31,     December 31, 2009 2008 2009 2008   Revenue from services $ 44,629 $ 50,660 $ 83,564 $ 100,940   Operating expenses: Cost of services 28,085 31,412 52,514 62,563 Selling, general and administrative 13,849 17,117 26,811 36,726 Depreciation and amortization 1,718 1,912 3,474 3,995 Restructuring and other charges 383 5,844 531 6,472 Goodwill impairment charge   -         40,250         -         40,250   Total operating expenses   44,035         96,535         83,330         150,006   Operating income (loss) 594 (45,875 ) 234 (49,066 ) Operating margin 1.3 % -90.6 % 0.3 % -48.6 %   Interest and other income (12 ) (135 ) (27 ) (325 ) Interest expense   499         1,374         1,036         1,830   Income (loss) from operations before income taxes   107         (47,114 )       (775 )       (50,571 ) Provision (benefit) for income taxes   (1,227 )       18,509         (1,476 )       17,315   Net income (loss) $ 1,334       $ (65,623 )     $ 701       $ (67,886 )                     Basic net income (loss) per share $ 0.02       $ (1.23 )     $ 0.01       $ (1.27 )                     Diluted net income (loss) per share $ 0.02       $ (1.23 )     $ 0.01       $ (1.27 )   Weighted average shares outstanding - Basic   53,939,876         53,391,308         53,919,859         53,365,347   Diluted   54,060,635         53,391,308         54,050,397         53,365,347               Reconciliation of GAAP Income to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA   Three months ended Six months ended December 31,     December 31, 2009     2008     2009     2008 GAAP net income (loss) $ 1,334 $ (65,623 ) $ 701 $ (67,886 ) Interest income (12 ) (135 ) (27 ) (325 ) Interest expense 499 1,374 1,036 1,830 Provision (benefit) for income taxes (1,227 ) 18,509 (1,476 ) 17,315 Depreciation and amortization   2,077         2,276         4,214         4,738   EBITDA $ 2,671 $ (43,599 ) $ 4,448 $ (44,328 ) Goodwill impairment charge - 40,250 - 40,250 Stock-based compensation *   162         661         321         1,454   Adjusted EBITDA $ 2,833       $ (2,688 )     $ 4,769       $ (2,624 )   Adjusted EBITDA $ 2,833 $ (2,688 ) $ 4,769 $ (2,624 ) Add-back of restructuring and other charges   383         5,844         531         6,472   Adjusted EBITDA with add-back of restructuring and other charges $ 3,216       $ 3,156       $ 5,300       $ 3,848     *Stock-based compensation expense represents the cost of stock-based compensation awarded by the Company to its employees under FASB Statement 123(R), "Share-Based Payments".  

©2010 Harris Interactive Inc. All rights reserved.