Yellow Media Limited (TSX:Y)
-- 2013 full year digital revenues grow 10.6% year-over-year to reach
$406.3 million. For the fourth quarter of 2013, digital revenues
represented 45.1% of total revenues
-- Strong adoption of our digital products and services, as advertiser
penetration of the Yellow Pages 360 degrees Solution increases to 27.1%
as at December 31, 2013 compared to 16.5% last year
-- 2013 free cash flow grows 38.4% year-over-year to reach $274.6 million.
The Company further strengthens its balance sheet, reducing net debt by
32% to $533.1 million as at December 31, 2013 compared to $781.7 million
last year
-- Company records net earnings of $176.5 million in 2013, which compares
to net earnings of $182.4 million in 2012 before impairment charges and
gain on settlement of debt
Yellow Media Limited (TSX:Y) (the "Company") releases full year and fourth
quarter 2013 operational and financial results, ending the first phase of
digital transformation with continued digital revenue growth and a strengthened
capital structure. Yellow Media, a Canadian digital media company, champions the
neighbourhood economy by fostering strong business relationships between local
businesses and consumers.
Full Year 2013 Financial Results
Revenues in 2013 decreased to $971.8 million, representing a 12.3%
year-over-year decline. On a comparable basis, when adjusting for the
discontinuation of Canpages directories in 2012, revenues decreased by 10.7%
versus last year's results. This decrease is primarily impacted by lower print
revenues, as larger advertisers reduce their print advertising spend, alongside
a lower advertiser count among smaller, low-spend advertisers.
Digital revenues in 2013 increased 10.6% to $406.3 million, as compared to
$367.2 million last year. On a comparable basis, when adjusting for the
discontinuation of Canpages directories in 2012, digital revenues grew 12.5%
year-over-year. Growth in digital revenues is mainly due to the active migration
of traditional media advertisers towards digital products and services and
continued adoption of the Yellow Pages(TM) 360 degrees Solution across Yellow
Pages Group's ("YPG's") sales channels.
As at December 31, 2013, the penetration of the Yellow Pages 360 degrees
Solution offering among YPG's advertiser base, which is defined as advertisers
who purchase three product categories or more, grew to 27.1%. This compares to
16.5% at the end of the same period last year.
Print revenues declined steadily to reach $565.4 million during 2013, decreasing
23.6% compared to the same period in 2012, as expected.
EBITDA declined to $416.1 million in 2013, as compared to $569.4 million the
year prior. The EBITDA margin in 2013 decreased to 42.8% versus 51.4% in 2012,
primarily due to revenue pressure, a change in product mix and investments
required to advance the Company's digital transformation.
For the year ending December 31, 2013, the Company recorded net earnings of
$176.5 million. This compares to a $2 billion net loss for the same period last
year. In 2012, the Company recorded an impairment charge of $3.3 billion on its
goodwill, and certain of its intangible assets and property, plant and
equipment, as well as a gain on settlement of debt of $978.6 million pursuant to
its recapitalization. When adjusting for the impairment charge and gain on
settlement of debt, the Company recorded net earnings of $182.4 million in 2012.
This decrease is due primarily to lower EBITDA, partly offset by lower financial
charges, a lower depreciation and amortization expense, and lower restructuring
and special charges.
For the year ending December 31, 2013, the Company recorded basic earnings per
share of $6.34, which compares to basic earnings per share of $5.76 in 2012
before the impairment charge and gain on settlement of debt.
Free cash flow in 2013 increased to $274.6 million, which compares to $198.3
million in 2012. The increase in free cash flow is attributable to a favourable
change in working capital, lower interest and income taxes paid and lower
restructuring and special charges, partly offset by higher capital expenditures
and lower EBITDA. Capital expenditures in 2013 totaled $66.1 million, up from
$40.2 million last year.
"2013 marked the completion of Yellow Media's first phase of digital
transformation, where we made significant investments to strengthen our digital
foundation," said Ginette Maille, Chief Financial Officer of Yellow Media. "The
Company will continue investing in its digital transformation in 2014, while
also executing projects that improve the efficiency of the organization and
support long-term profitability."
As at December 31, 2013, Yellow Media had reduced net debt to $533.1 million.
This compares to $781.7 million of net debt as at December 31, 2012. In 2013,
the Company repaid $153.4 million of its 9.25% Senior Secured Notes, exceeding
the minimum mandatory requirement of $100 million.
Fourth Quarter 2013 Financial Results
Revenues for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2013 decreased 10% to $238
million, compared to $264.4 million in the last quarter of 2012.
Digital revenues for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2013 grew 7.7% to
$107.4 million, compared to $99.7 million for the same period last year.
Digital revenues represented 45.1% of total revenues during the fourth quarter
of 2013, up from 37.7% during the same period in 2012. Print revenues declined
steadily to reach $130.6 million during the fourth quarter of 2013, decreasing
20.7% compared to the same period in 2012.
EBITDA declined to $91.3 million during the fourth quarter of 2013, compared to
$141.7 million the year prior.
The EBITDA margin decreased to 38.3% for the fourth quarter of 2013, compared to
53.6% for the same period last year. The EBITDA margin for the fourth quarter of
2013 was impacted by revenue pressure, a change in product mix, investments
required to advance the Company's digital transformation, and non-recurring
provisions related to a legal dispute and sales tax assessments. The EBITDA
margin for the fourth quarter of 2012 was impacted by a non-cash benefit related
to the amendment of our employees' pension and post-retirement benefit plans.
Excluding these non-recurring elements, the EBITDA margin for the fourth quarter
of 2013 decreased to 41.2%, compared to 48.0% for the same period last year on
the same basis.
For the quarter ending December 31, 2013, the Company recorded net earnings of
$31 million. This compares to net earnings of $821.9 million for the same period
last year. During the fourth quarter of 2012, the Company recorded a $300
million impairment charge related to certain of its intangible assets and
property, plant and equipment, as well as a gain on settlement of debt of $994.9
million pursuant to its recapitalization. When adjusting for the impairment
charge and gain on settlement of debt, the Company recorded net earnings of
$27.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2012. The increase is due primarily to
lower financial charges and a lower provision for income taxes, partly offset by
lower EBITDA.
For the quarter ending December 31, 2013, the Company recorded basic earnings
per share of $1.11, which compares to basic earnings per share of $0.83 for the
quarter ending December 31, 2012 before the impairment charge and gain on
settlement of debt.
Free cash flow for the fourth quarter of 2013 increased to $74.2 million,
compared to $48 million last year. This increase results from a favorable change
in working capital and lower interest and income taxes paid, partly offset by
lower EBITDA.
Operational Update
"Yellow Media is strongly positioned to proceed with the second phase of its
digital transformation, and will make targeted strategic investments throughout
2014 to promote long-term revenue growth and profitability," said Julien Billot,
President and Chief Executive Officer of Yellow Media. "We are currently
conducting a full business review to guide our efforts and investments in the
short-to-medium term. Our end goal is to grow Yellow Media into a sustainable
local digital media company by extending the reach of our brand, attracting new
digital audiences, better addressing our advertisers' needs and investing in our
employees."
Strengthening our Brand Image
-- The Company extended its advertising campaign to promote the download
and use of the Yellow Pages mobile application, targeting over 260,000
millennials across university campuses in Toronto, Vancouver and
Montreal.
-- YPG launched Shop The Neighbourhood(TM) across the Greater Toronto Area,
an event buoyed by a multimedia campaign to promote local shopping and
support small businesses. This initiative took place on November 30,
2013, attracting over 1,800 local businesses and offering over 2,000
exclusive deals across our digital properties. The campaign also
garnered support from all levels of government and local celebrities.
-- The Company will continue developing national and local advertising
campaigns throughout 2014 to increase brand awareness with both
consumers and advertisers, as well as underscore the brand's digital
transformation.
Enhancing our Properties to Reach an Increasing Number of Canadian Shoppers
-- YPG launched a ShopWise iPad application, alongside a new version of its
mobile application, to help Canadians shop more efficiently through a
digitally-responsive e-flyer experience and easier-to-find geo-localized
deals and savings.
-- The Company continued to deploy its Online Merchant Management tool,
which improves the quality, completeness and relevance of its content by
eliminating all duplicate and stale business listings.
-- In 2014, the Company will continue developing accurate, reliable and
enriched local content to strengthen the user experience, improve user
engagement and boost the relevance of its digital properties. The
Company will invest in key traffic and distribution partnerships to
further expand its partner eco-system and grow local audiences.
Providing Advertisers with Valuable Digital Marketing Products and Services
-- Mobile priority placement remains the Company's fastest growing digital
product offering, with advertiser penetration having increased to 14.9%
as at December 31, 2013 compared to 8% at the end of the same period in
2012.
-- YPG extended its value proposition to local businesses by providing them
with presence across social media. YPG is now able to use advertisers'
business content, which includes location, contact information, websites
and images, to automatically generate and update basic Facebook(R)
business pages.
-- The Company will provide advertisers with more comprehensive social
media advertising campaigns in 2014. A new digital display advertising
service will also be launched, and existing products and services will
be repackaged into new offerings to enhance advertisers' digital
presence and stimulate ROI.
Attracting and Retaining a Growing Number of Advertisers
-- Total advertiser count was 276,000 as at December 31, 2013, compared to
309,000 at the end of the same period last year.
-- Advertiser acquisition for the twelve month period ended December 31,
2013 stood at 13,600. Advertiser acquisition improved slightly versus
the twelve month period ended September 30, 2013, where 11,900 new
advertisers were acquired.
-- The Company will continue rolling out its national acquisition strategy
throughout 2014. New programs, processes and technologies will also be
implemented to help its sales channels find and attract new advertisers,
enhance lead nurturing, and improve conversions.
Investing in its Employees
-- The Company has aligned its workforce with the realities of its digital
transformation, transferring resources from its legacy operations
towards its digital platform. In 2013, the Company hired approximately
200 professionals within the domains of information technology and
digital media.
-- The Company will continue investing in its workforce and anticipates
hiring an additional 200 professionals within information technology and
digital media in 2014. The Company will also invest in developing a
stronger digital culture, offering training programs, tools and
resources to elevate digital literacy and promote change management
across all facets of the organization.
Investor Conference Call
Yellow Media Limited will hold an analyst and media call at 1:00 p.m. (Eastern
Time) on February 13, 2014 to discuss the full year and fourth quarter 2013
results. The call may be accessed by dialing (416) 340-2218 within the Toronto
area, or 1 866 225-2055 outside of Toronto.
The call will be simultaneously webcast on the Company's website at
http://www.ypg.com/en/investors/financial-reports/2013/quarterly-reports/fourth-quarter-webcast
The conference call will be archived in the Investors section of the site at
www.ypg.com.
A playback of the call can also be accessed from February 13 to February 20,
2014 by dialing (905) 694-9451 within the Toronto area, or 1 800 408-3053
outside Toronto.
The conference passcode is 4993633.
About Yellow Media Limited
Yellow Media Limited (TSX:Y) is a Canadian digital and print media company,
offering businesses comprehensive media solutions to meet their key marketing
objectives and providing consumers with platforms to access reliable local
business information. By helping local businesses foster stronger relationships
with their consumers through its various media, the Company encourages the
growth of thriving neighbourhood economies. Yellow Media holds some of Canada's
leading local search properties and publications including YellowPages.ca(TM),
Canada411.ca and RedFlagDeals.com(TM), the Yellow Pages, ShopWise and
RedFlagDeals mobile applications and Yellow Pages(TM) print directories. Its
mobile applications for finding local businesses and deals have been downloaded
over 6.5 million times and its online destinations reach 7.3 million unique
visitors monthly. Yellow Media is also a leader in national digital advertising
through Mediative, a division of Yellow Pages Group devoted to digital marketing
and performance media services for national-scale agencies and advertisers. For
more information, visit www.ypg.com.
Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements about the objectives,
strategies, financial conditions, results of operations and businesses of the
Company. These statements are forward-looking as they are based on our current
expectations, as at February 13, 2014, about our business and the markets we
operate in, and on various estimates and assumptions. Our actual results could
materially differ from our expectations if known or unknown risks affect our
business, or if our estimates or assumptions turn out to be inaccurate. As a
result, there is no assurance that any forward-looking statements will
materialize. Risks that could cause our results to differ materially from our
current expectations are discussed in section 6 of our February 13, 2014
Management's Discussion and Analysis. We disclaim any intention or obligation to
update any forward-looking statements, except as required by law, even if new
information becomes available, as a result of future events or for any other
reason.
Financial Highlights
(in thousands of Canadian dollars - except share information)
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For the three-month
periods ended For the years ended
December 31, December 31,
Yellow Media Limited 2013 2012 2013 2012
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Revenues $237,951 $264,447 $971,761 $1,107,715
Income (loss) from
operations $62,013 ($199,829) $332,610 ($2,847,683)
Net earnings (loss) $30,964 $821,850 $176,530 ($1,962,054)
Basic earnings (loss) per
share attributable to
common shareholders $1.11 $29.24 $6.34 ($70.95)
Cash flow from operating
activities $88,444 $61,749 $340,680 $238,573
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EBITDA(1) $91,253 $141,677 $416,112 $569,380
EBITDA margin(1) 38.3% 53.6% 42.8% 51.4%
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Weighted average number of
common shares outstanding 27,619,358 27,955,077 27,797,170 27,955,077
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Non-IFRS Measures(1)
In order to provide a better understanding of the results, the Company uses the
term EBITDA, defined as income from operations before depreciation and
amortization, impairment of goodwill, intangible assets and property, plant and
equipment, and restructuring and special charges. Management believes this
measure is reflective of ongoing operations. This term is not a performance
measure defined under IFRS. EBITDA does not have any standardized meaning and is
therefore not likely to be comparable to similar measures used by other publicly
traded companies. Management believes EBITDA to be an important measure.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Investor Relations
Amanda Di Gironimo
Senior Manager, Corporate Finance and Investor Relations
(514) 934-2680
Amanda.DiGironimo@ypg.com
Media
Fiona Story
Senior Manager, Public Relations
(514) 934-2672
Fiona.Story@ypg.com
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