EVC Entravision Communications Corp

SANTA MONICA, Calif., March 5, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Entravision Communications Corporation (NYSE: EVC) today reported financial results for the three- and twelve-month periods ended December 31, 2019.

Historical results, which are attached, are in thousands of U.S. dollars (except share and per share data). This press release contains certain non-GAAP financial measures as defined by SEC Regulation G. The GAAP financial measure most directly comparable to each of these non-GAAP financial measures, and a table reconciling each of these non-GAAP financial measures to its most directly comparable GAAP financial measure is included beginning on page 11. Unaudited financial highlights are as follows:

Commenting on the Company's earnings results, Walter F. Ulloa, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, "Our fourth quarter results were impacted by declines in our television and radio segments compared to the prior year. However, we did achieve growth in our digital segment compared to the fourth quarter of 2018. We continue to maintain a solid balance sheet and return capital to our shareholders through our share repurchase program and dividend. Looking ahead, we remain well positioned to build on our success in further attracting Latino and other audiences worldwide, as we execute our multiplatform strategy to the benefit of our shareholders."

Quarterly Cash Dividend

The Company announced today that its Board of Directors has approved a quarterly cash dividend to shareholders of $0.05 per share of the Company's Class A, Class B and Class U common stock, in an aggregate amount of approximately $4.2 million. The quarterly dividend will be payable on March 31, 2020 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on March 16, 2020, and the common stock will trade ex-dividend on March 13, 2020. As previously announced, the Company currently anticipates that future cash dividends will be paid on a quarterly basis; however, any decision to pay future cash dividends will be subject to approval by the Board.

Net revenue decreased to $70.8 million for the three-month period ended December 31, 2019 from $82.1 million for the three-month period ended December 31, 2018, a decrease of $11.3 million. Of the overall decrease, approximately $8.8 million was attributable to our television segment and was primarily due to a decrease in political advertising revenue, which was not material in 2019, and decreases in national and local advertising revenue, as a result primarily of ratings declines, competitive factors with other Spanish-language broadcasters, and changing demographic preferences of audiences. Additionally, as we have previously noted, there is a trend for advertising to move increasingly from traditional media, such as television, to new media, such as digital media, and we expect this trend to continue. In addition, approximately $2.9 million of the overall decrease was attributable to our radio segment and was primarily due to a decrease in political advertising revenue, which was not material in 2019, and decreases in national and local advertising revenue, as a result primarily of ratings declines, competitive factors with other Spanish-language broadcasters, and changing demographic preferences of audiences. Additionally, as we have previously noted, there is a trend for advertising to move increasingly from traditional media, such as radio, to new media, such as digital media, and we expect this trend to continue. This overall decrease was partially offset by an increase of approximately $0.3 million that was attributable to our digital segment.

Cost of revenue in our digital media segment increased to $10.3 million for the three-month period ended December 31, 2019 from $9.8 million for the three-month period ended December 31, 2018, an increase of $0.5 million. The increase was primarily due to the increase in costs associated with the increase in revenue.

Operating expenses decreased to $44.2 million for the three-month period ended December 31, 2019 from $44.6 million for the three-month period ended December 31, 2018, a decrease of $0.4 million. The decrease was primarily due to the decrease in expenses associated with the decrease in revenue and a decrease in salary expense, partially offset by an increase in severance expense in our radio segment.

Corporate expenses increased to $7.9 million for the three-month period December 31, 2019 from $7.7 million for the three-month period ended December 31, 2018, an increase of $0.2 million, primarily due to an increase in legal expense, partially offset by a decrease in non-cash stock-based compensation expense.

Our historical revenues have primarily been denominated in U.S. dollars, and the majority of our current revenues continue to be, and is expected to remain, denominated in U.S. dollars. However, our operating expenses are generally denominated in the currencies of the countries in which our operations are located, and we have operations in countries other than the U.S., primarily related to the Headway business. As a result, we have operating expense, attributable to foreign currency loss, that is primarily related to the operations related to the Headway business. We had a foreign currency gain of $0.2 million for the three-month period December 31, 2019, compared to foreign currency loss of $1.1 million for the three-month period December 31, 2018. Foreign currency gains and losses are primarily due to currency fluctuations that affected our digital segment operations located outside the U.S., primarily related to the Headway business.

Impairment charge related to indefinite life intangible assets in our television and radio reporting units was $0.7 million for the three-month period ended December 31, 2019. 

We recognized an impairment loss on investment of $1.3 million for the three-month period ended December 31, 2018, related to a decrease in value of a cost method investment.

Net revenue decreased to $273.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2019 from $297.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, a decrease of approximately $24.2 million. Of the overall decrease, approximately $12.1 million was attributable to our digital segment and was primarily due to declines in both international and domestic revenue.  This decline in digital revenue is being driven by a trend whereby revenue is shifting more to programmatic revenue. In addition, approximately $8.9 million of the overall decrease was attributable to our radio segment and was primarily due to decreases in local and national advertising revenue, as a result primarily of ratings declines, competitive factors with other Spanish-language broadcasters, changing demographic preferences of audiences, the absence of revenue from FIFA World Cup in 2019 compared to 2018, and a decrease in political advertising revenue, which was not material in 2019. Additionally, as we have previously noted, there is a trend for advertising to move increasingly from traditional media, such as radio, to new media, such as digital media, and we expect this trend to continue. Additionally, approximately $3.2 million of the overall decrease was attributable to our television segment and was primarily due to a decrease in political advertising revenue, which was not material in 2019, and decreases in national and local advertising revenue, as a result primarily of ratings declines, competitive factors with other Spanish-language broadcasters, and changing demographic preferences of audiences. Additionally, as we have previously noted, there is a trend for advertising to move increasingly from traditional media, such as television, to new media, such as digital media, and we expect this trend to continue. The overall decrease in our television segment was partially offset by increases in revenue from retransmission consent and spectrum usage rights.

Cost of revenue in our digital media segment decreased to $36.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2019 from $45.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, a decrease of $8.3 million, primarily due to a decrease in expenses associated with the decrease in revenue in our digital segment and a strategic shift in our digital business designed to focus on generating revenue with lower associated costs to produce higher margins.

Operating expenses decreased to $173.4 million for the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2019 from $176.8 million for the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2018, a decrease of $3.4 million. Of the overall decrease, approximately $2.7 million was attributable to our radio segment and was primarily due to a decrease in expenses associated with the decrease in advertising revenue, a decrease in bad debt expense and a decrease in salary expense, partially offset by an increase in severance expense. Additionally, $0.8 million of the overall decrease was attributable to our digital media segment and was primarily due to a decrease in expenses associated with the decrease in revenue. The overall decrease was partially offset by an increase of $0.1 attributable to our television segment and was primarily due to an increase in bad debt expense and an increase in advertising expense.

Corporate expenses increased to $28.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2019 from $26.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, an increase of $1.2 million. The increase was primarily due to an increase in audit fees that we incurred in 2019 in connection with the audit of our 2018 financial statements, partially offset by a decrease in non-cash stock-based compensation.  

Our historical revenues have primarily been denominated in U.S. dollars, and the majority of our current revenues continue to be, and is expected to remain, denominated in U.S. dollars. However, our operating expenses are generally denominated in the currencies of the countries in which our operations are located, and we have operations in countries other than the U.S., primarily related to the Headway business. As a result, we have operating expense, attributable to foreign currency loss, that is primarily related to the operations related to the Headway business. Foreign currency loss decreased to $0.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2019 from $1.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, a decrease of $0.8 million, which was primarily due to currency fluctuations that affected our digital segment operations located outside the U.S., primarily related to the Headway business.

Impairment charge related to goodwill in our digital reporting unit was $27.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. Impairment charge related to indefinite life intangible assets in our television and radio reporting units was $4.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. These write-downs were made pursuant to Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 350, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other, which requires that goodwill and certain intangible assets be tested for impairment at least annually, or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate the assets might be impaired. We also recorded an impairment charge of $0.2 million to reflect the fair market value of our assets held for sale.

We recognized an impairment loss on investment of $1.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, related to a decrease in value of a cost method investment.

Entravision Communications Corporation will hold a conference call to discuss its 2019 fourth quarter results on March 5, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. To access the conference call, please dial 412-317-5440 ten minutes prior to the start time. The call will be webcast live and archived for replay on the investor relations portion of the Company's web site located at www.entravision.com. 

Entravision is a diversified global media, marketing and technology company that reaches and engages Latino consumers in the U.S. and other markets primarily including Mexico, Latin America and Spain. Entravision's portfolio includes digital media properties and advertising technology platforms that deliver performance-based solutions and data insights, along with 56 television stations and 49 radio stations. Entravision's digital and technology businesses include Smadex, a leading technology platform providing mobile, programmatic, data and performance digital marketing solutions. Entravision is the largest affiliate group of both the Univision and UniMás television networks, and its Spanish-language radio stations feature its nationally recognized talent. Entravision shares of Class A Common Stock are traded on The New York Stock Exchange under the symbol: EVC. Learn more at: www.entravision.com.

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements, which are included in accordance with the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, may involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results and performance in future periods to be materially different from any future results or performance suggested by the forward-looking statements in this press release. Although the Company believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that actual results will not differ materially from these expectations, and the Company disclaims any duty to update any forward-looking statements made by the Company. From time to time, these risks, uncertainties and other factors are discussed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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