A. H. Belo Corporation (NYSE: AHC) today reported a third quarter
2018 net loss of $1.0 million, or $(0.05) per share. In
the third quarter of 2017, the Company reported net income of
$2.6 million, or $0.12 per fully diluted share.
For the third quarter of 2018, on a non-GAAP basis, A. H. Belo
reported operating income adjusted for certain items (“adjusted
operating income”) of $2.6 million, a decrease of
$1.6 million, or 39.0 percent, when compared to adjusted
operating income of $4.2 million reported for the third
quarter of 2017.
Robert W. Decherd, chairman, president and Chief Executive
Officer, said, “The forces at work in the newspaper industry
continue to affect advertising revenues at The Dallas Morning News.
And while circulation levels are fairly stable, the benefits of
increased investment in both digital and print circulation are just
beginning to be defined. The Management Committee and leaders
throughout The Morning News are well along in building the
framework for a sustainably profitable newspaper in the digital
world, with specific initiatives being developed for 2019 and
beyond. I'm convinced that A. H. Belo has the right leadership
focusing on the right questions in order to achieve this long-term
result.
“Operating results at Belo + Company in the third quarter
did not meet expectations, as the replenishment of contracts that
terminated at the end of 2017 and early in 2018 moved at a slower
pace than anticipated. However, the basic attributes of our digital
marketing business continue to be compelling as Belo + Company
meets the needs of a very large market comprising companies of
$5 million to $100 million in revenue. We are counting on
improved results in 2019.
“Attention to A. H. Belo's non-core assets continues to be a
major priority for the Board of Directors and the Management
Committee. We are very pleased to have announced yesterday the sale
of the former Dallas Morning News campus for $33 million. The
transaction involves capable buyers who are cognizant of the
importance of this site. The transaction is scheduled to close on
December 28 and the Company expects to realize cash proceeds of
approximately $32 million. As a result of previously-discussed
tax loss carry-forwards, the proceeds will be tax free; at year-end
2018, A. H. Belo will have cash in excess of $85 million on
its balance sheet and no debt.”
Third Quarter Results
Total revenue was $49.1 million in the third quarter of
2018, a decrease of $11.5 million, or 19.0 percent, when
compared to the third quarter of 2017.
Revenue from advertising and marketing services, including print
and digital revenues, was $25.3 million in the third quarter
of 2018, a decrease of $9.6 million, or 27.6 percent,
when compared to the third quarter of 2017. The Company adopted the
new revenue standard (Topic 606) as of January 1, 2018, which
requires revenue to be recorded net for certain transactions where
the Company acted as an agent. Prior to adoption, such revenue was
generally recorded gross. As a result of adopting this new
guidance, advertising and marketing services revenue was reduced by
$3.0 million for the three months ended September 30, 2018,
with the offsetting change recorded as a reduction to operating
expense.
Excluding the impact of the new revenue guidance, advertising
and marketing services revenue decreased $6.6 million, or
18.9 percent, when compared to the prior year period. For the
third quarter of 2018, total digital and marketing services revenue
was 41.6 percent of total advertising and marketing services
revenue, up from the 39.3 percent reported in the third
quarter of 2017. Total digital and marketing services revenue was
22.5 percent of total Company revenue, flat when compared to
the third quarter of 2017.
Circulation revenue was $17.9 million, a decrease of
$0.9 million, or 5.0 percent, when compared to the third
quarter of 2017. The decline was primarily due to a decrease in
home delivery and single copy volumes, partially offset by single
copy rate increases. Circulation revenue was also affected by the
adoption of the new revenue guidance, including a decline of
$0.3 million related to the grace period for home delivery
subscriptions where the Company records revenue for newspapers
delivered after a subscription expires. Prior to adoption,
non-payment of grace was recorded as bad debt to operating expense;
under the new guidance, revenue is directly reduced.
Printing, distribution and other revenue decreased
$0.9 million, or 13.8 percent, to $5.9 million,
primarily due to a $0.4 million decrease in commercial
printing revenue and a decrease of $0.2 million related to a
discontinued product line.
Total consolidated operating expense in the third quarter of
2018, on a GAAP basis, was $50.4 million, a decrease of
$10.2 million, or 16.8 percent, compared to the third
quarter of 2017. Excluding the expense decrease related to the
adoption of the new revenue guidance, consolidated operating
expense decreased $6.9 million, or 11.4 percent, when
compared to the prior year period. The improvement was primarily
due to decreases of $3.5 million in employee compensation and
benefits expense, $1.8 million in distribution expense,
$0.4 million in advertising and promotion expense, and
$0.2 million in legal fees.
In the third quarter of 2018, on a non-GAAP basis, total
consolidated operating expense adjusted for certain items
(“adjusted operating expense”) was $49.8 million, an
improvement of $6.6 million, or 11.7 percent, compared to
$56.4 million of adjusted operating expense reported in the
third quarter of 2017. The improvement is primarily due to expense
decreases in employee compensation and benefits, distribution,
advertising and promotion, and legal fees.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
Reconciliations of operating income (loss) to adjusted operating
income, total net operating revenue to adjusted operating revenue,
and total operating costs and expense to adjusted operating expense
are included in the exhibits to this release.
Financial Results Conference Call
A. H. Belo Corporation will conduct a conference call on
Wednesday, October 31, 2018, at 9:00 a.m. CDT to
discuss financial results. The conference call will be available
via webcast by accessing the Company’s website at
www.ahbelo.com/invest. An archive of the webcast will be available
at www.ahbelo.com in the Investor Relations section.
To access the listen-only conference call, dial 1-866-233-3843
(USA) or 651-291-5254 (International). A replay line will be
available at 1-800-475-6701 (USA) or 320-365-3844 (International)
from 11:00 a.m. CDT on October 31, 2018 until 11:59 p.m. CST
on November 7, 2018. The access code for the replay is
455876.
About A. H. Belo Corporation
A. H. Belo Corporation is the leading local news and information
publishing company in Texas with commercial printing, distribution
and direct mail capabilities, as well as a presence in emerging
media and digital marketing. While focusing on extending the
Company’s media platforms, A. H. Belo delivers news and information
in innovative ways to a broad spectrum of audiences with diverse
interests and lifestyles. For additional information, visit
www.ahbelo.com or email invest@ahbelo.com.
Statements in this communication concerning A. H. Belo
Corporation’s business outlook or future economic performance,
anticipated profitability, revenues, expenses, dividends, capital
expenditures, investments, dispositions, impairments, business
initiatives, acquisitions, pension plan contributions and
obligations, real estate sales, working capital, 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, trends and uncertainties are, in most
instances, beyond the Company’s control, and include changes in
advertising demand and other economic conditions; consumers’
tastes; newsprint prices; program costs; labor relations;
technology obsolescence; as well as other risks described in the
Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and in the Company’s other
public disclosures and filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. Forward-looking statements, which are as of the date of
this filing, are not updated to reflect events or circumstances
after the date of the statement.
A. H. Belo Corporation and
SubsidiariesConsolidated Statements of
Operations
|
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|
|
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|
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|
|
Three Months Ended
September 30, |
|
Nine Months Ended
September 30, |
In thousands, except share and per
share amounts (unaudited) |
|
2018 |
|
|
2017 |
|
2018 |
|
|
2017 |
|
Net Operating Revenue: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Advertising and marketing services |
|
$ |
25,260 |
|
|
$ |
34,875 |
|
$ |
77,398 |
|
|
$ |
106,101 |
|
Circulation |
|
|
17,896 |
|
|
|
18,845 |
|
|
53,564 |
|
|
|
57,099 |
|
Printing, distribution and other |
|
|
5,896 |
|
|
|
6,839 |
|
|
18,712 |
|
|
|
21,349 |
|
Total net operating revenue |
|
|
49,052 |
|
|
|
60,559 |
|
|
149,674 |
|
|
|
184,549 |
|
Operating Costs and Expense: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Employee compensation and benefits |
|
|
21,174 |
|
|
|
24,642 |
|
|
67,375 |
|
|
|
79,088 |
|
Other production, distribution and operating
costs |
|
|
20,939 |
|
|
|
27,460 |
|
|
66,786 |
|
|
|
85,522 |
|
Newsprint, ink and other supplies |
|
|
5,528 |
|
|
|
5,648 |
|
|
16,300 |
|
|
|
17,542 |
|
Depreciation |
|
|
2,514 |
|
|
|
2,607 |
|
|
7,522 |
|
|
|
7,840 |
|
Amortization |
|
|
199 |
|
|
|
200 |
|
|
599 |
|
|
|
599 |
|
Asset impairments |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
(22 |
) |
|
|
228 |
|
Total operating costs and expense |
|
|
50,354 |
|
|
|
60,557 |
|
|
158,560 |
|
|
|
190,819 |
|
Operating income (loss) |
|
|
(1,302 |
) |
|
|
2 |
|
|
(8,886 |
) |
|
|
(6,270 |
) |
Other income, net |
|
|
862 |
|
|
|
2,588 |
|
|
2,641 |
|
|
|
3,876 |
|
Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes |
|
|
(440 |
) |
|
|
2,590 |
|
|
(6,245 |
) |
|
|
(2,394 |
) |
Income tax provision (benefit) |
|
|
596 |
|
|
|
10 |
|
|
(661 |
) |
|
|
261 |
|
Net Income (Loss) |
|
$ |
(1,036 |
) |
|
$ |
2,580 |
|
$ |
(5,584 |
) |
|
$ |
(2,655 |
) |
|
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Per Share Basis |
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Net income (loss) |
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Basic and diluted |
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$ |
(0.05 |
) |
|
$ |
0.12 |
|
$ |
(0.26 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.13 |
) |
Number of common shares used in the per share
calculation: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic |
|
|
21,709,557 |
|
|
|
21,753,166 |
|
|
21,761,110 |
|
|
|
21,729,212 |
|
Diluted |
|
|
21,709,557 |
|
|
|
21,754,627 |
|
|
21,761,110 |
|
|
|
21,729,212 |
|
A. H. Belo Corporation and
SubsidiariesConsolidated Balance
Sheets
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|
September 30, |
|
December 31, |
In thousands (unaudited) |
|
2018 |
|
2017 |
Assets |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents |
|
$ |
58,471 |
|
$ |
57,660 |
Accounts receivable, net |
|
|
19,759 |
|
|
26,740 |
Assets held for sale |
|
|
1,089 |
|
|
1,089 |
Other current assets |
|
|
10,824 |
|
|
16,905 |
Total current assets |
|
|
90,143 |
|
|
102,394 |
Property, plant and equipment, net |
|
|
27,294 |
|
|
31,706 |
Intangible assets, net |
|
|
3,474 |
|
|
4,073 |
Goodwill |
|
|
13,973 |
|
|
13,973 |
Deferred income taxes, net |
|
|
6,679 |
|
|
5,355 |
Other assets |
|
|
4,123 |
|
|
5,347 |
Total assets |
|
$ |
145,686 |
|
$ |
162,848 |
Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current liabilities: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts payable |
|
$ |
7,064 |
|
$ |
10,303 |
Accrued compensation and other current
liabilities |
|
|
12,042 |
|
|
12,518 |
Advance subscription payments |
|
|
11,095 |
|
|
11,670 |
Total current liabilities |
|
|
30,201 |
|
|
34,491 |
Long-term pension liabilities |
|
|
19,746 |
|
|
23,038 |
Other liabilities |
|
|
8,698 |
|
|
7,620 |
Total liabilities |
|
|
58,645 |
|
|
65,149 |
Total shareholders' equity |
|
|
87,041 |
|
|
97,699 |
Total liabilities and
shareholders’ equity |
|
$ |
145,686 |
|
$ |
162,848 |
A. H. Belo Corporation - Non-GAAP Financial
MeasuresReconciliation of Operating Income (Loss)
to Adjusted Operating Income
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|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended
September 30, |
|
Nine Months Ended
September 30, |
In thousands
(unaudited) |
|
2018 |
|
|
2017 |
|
2018 |
|
|
2017 |
|
Total net operating revenue |
|
$ |
49,052 |
|
|
$ |
60,559 |
|
$ |
149,674 |
|
|
$ |
184,549 |
|
Total operating costs and expense |
|
|
50,354 |
|
|
|
60,557 |
|
|
158,560 |
|
|
|
190,819 |
|
Operating Income (Loss) |
|
$ |
(1,302 |
) |
|
$ |
2 |
|
$ |
(8,886 |
) |
|
$ |
(6,270 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total net operating revenue |
|
$ |
49,052 |
|
|
$ |
60,559 |
|
$ |
149,674 |
|
|
$ |
184,549 |
|
Addback: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Advertising contra revenue |
|
|
3,018 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
8,777 |
|
|
|
— |
|
Circulation contra revenue |
|
|
262 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
789 |
|
|
|
— |
|
Adjusted Operating Revenue |
|
$ |
52,332 |
|
|
$ |
60,559 |
|
$ |
159,240 |
|
|
$ |
184,549 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total operating costs and expense |
|
$ |
50,354 |
|
|
$ |
60,557 |
|
$ |
158,560 |
|
|
$ |
190,819 |
|
Addback: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Advertising contra expense |
|
|
3,018 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
8,777 |
|
|
|
— |
|
Circulation contra expense |
|
|
262 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
789 |
|
|
|
— |
|
Pension and post-employment expense (benefit) |
|
|
(930 |
) |
|
|
5,051 |
|
|
(2,791 |
) |
|
|
3,333 |
|
Less: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Depreciation |
|
|
2,514 |
|
|
|
2,607 |
|
|
7,522 |
|
|
|
7,840 |
|
Amortization |
|
|
199 |
|
|
|
200 |
|
|
599 |
|
|
|
599 |
|
Severance expense |
|
|
222 |
|
|
|
531 |
|
|
756 |
|
|
|
1,175 |
|
Pension plan settlement loss |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
5,911 |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
5,911 |
|
Asset impairments |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
(22 |
) |
|
|
228 |
|
Adjusted Operating Expense |
|
$ |
49,769 |
|
|
$ |
56,359 |
|
$ |
156,480 |
|
|
$ |
178,399 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adjusted operating revenue |
|
$ |
52,332 |
|
|
$ |
60,559 |
|
$ |
159,240 |
|
|
$ |
184,549 |
|
Adjusted operating expense |
|
|
49,769 |
|
|
|
56,359 |
|
|
156,480 |
|
|
|
178,399 |
|
Adjusted Operating Income |
|
$ |
2,563 |
|
|
$ |
4,200 |
|
$ |
2,760 |
|
|
$ |
6,150 |
|
The Company adopted the new revenue guidance (Topic 606) using
the modified retrospective approach as of January 1, 2018. Results
for reporting periods beginning after January 1, 2018, are
presented in accordance with the new guidance, while prior period
amounts are not restated. While the Company adjusts operating
revenue and expense, for comparative purposes, these adjustments
have no effect on adjusted operating income (loss). In addition,
the Company adopted the new retirement benefits guidance (Topic
715) as of January 1, 2018, which requires net periodic pension and
other post-employment expense (benefit) to be included in
non-operating income (expense). As a result of adopting this
guidance, total operating costs and expense increased $930 and
$2,791 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018,
respectively, and expense decreased $5,051 and $3,333 for the three
and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively. In the
third quarter of 2017, the Company completed a de-risking
transaction to reduce the Company’s pension liability, which
resulted in a charge to pension expense of $5,911.
The Company calculates adjusted operating income (loss) by
adjusting operating income (loss) to include pension and
post-employment expense (benefit) and exclude depreciation,
amortization, severance expense, pension plan settlement loss and
asset impairments (“adjusted operating income (loss)”). The Company
believes that inclusion of certain noncash expenses and other items
in the results makes for more difficult comparisons between years
and with peer group companies. Adjusted operating income (loss) is
not a measure of financial performance under generally accepted
accounting principles (“GAAP”). Management uses adjusted operating
income (loss) and similar measures in internal analyses as
supplemental measures of the Company’s financial performance, and
for performance comparisons against its peer group of companies.
Management uses this non-GAAP financial measure for the purposes of
evaluating consolidated Company performance. The Company therefore
believes that the non-GAAP measure presented provides useful
information to investors by allowing them to view the Company’s
business through the eyes of management and the Board of Directors,
facilitating comparison of results across historical periods and
providing a focus on the underlying ongoing operating performance
of its business. Adjusted operating income (loss) should not be
considered in isolation or as a substitute for net income (loss),
cash flows provided by (used for) operating activities or other
comparable measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. Additionally,
this non-GAAP measure may not be comparable to similarly-titled
measures of other companies.
Contact: Katy Murray 214-977-8869
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