EX-99.1 2 dex991.htm PRESS RELEASE Press Release

Exhibit 99.1

 

NEWS RELEASE

 

KNIGHT RIDDER

50 WEST SAN FERNANDO ST.

SAN JOSE, CA 95113

 

Knight Ridder Reports August Revenue and Linage

 

SAN JOSE, Sept. 13, 2005 – Beginning with this report, and going forward, Knight Ridder no longer reflects results of the Detroit Free Press and the Tallahassee Democrat in its monthly statistical numbers. Comparisons have been restated to reflect the change. Detroit was sold at the beginning of August; Tallahassee was sold at the end of August. For the third quarter, and for all subsequent quarters, results from the two newspapers will be reflected as discontinued operations.

 

The August numbers also exclude results from three newspapers acquired at the end the month from Gannett. Their results for September will be included in third quarter results.

 

Unless otherwise noted, all comparisons are year-over-year comparisons for the month of August.

 

For the month, total advertising revenue was up 1.2%. Retail was down 1.7%, national was up 1.3% and classified was up 4.5%. Help wanted was up 15.8%, real estate was up 8.9% and auto was down 9.6%.

 

Total operating revenue was up 0.4% for the month and up 1.4% for the year.

 

Total ad revenue for the month was up 7.2% in St. Paul, 6.2% in San Jose, 5.0% in Contra Costa, 2.6% in Charlotte and 1.0% in Miami. Philadelphia, Kansas City and Fort Worth were soft.

 

Retail was up 25.6% in San Jose and 3.5% in Charlotte, but soft in most other large markets.

 

National was up 9.1% in Fort Worth, 8.7% in Contra Costa and in St. Paul, and 7.3% in Miami and in Charlotte. Philadelphia, San Jose and Kansas City were soft.

 

Classified was up 14.3% in Miami, 9.7% in Contra Costa and 6.3% in St. Paul. San Jose and Fort Worth were soft.

 

Other revenue was virtually flat. Circulation revenue was down 1.7% for the month.

 

Knight Ridder Chairman and CEO Tony Ridder said, “The month was disappointing. Although recruitment and real estate have remained strong all year, we did not see the hoped-for turnaround in auto in August (I think we will see some turnaround in September). National’s growth, held back by ongoing softness in travel and entertainment, is still modest (national auto also was down). And retail, which had been running up 2.6% for the year through July, declined.

 

“At the same time, certain other factors will negatively affect the quarter, including:

 

    A 9.1 % hike in the per-ton price of newsprint.

 

    Unfavorable comparisons with particularly good health cost numbers in last year’s third quarter.

 

    The start of depreciation on our new plant in Kansas City.

 

    Higher interest expense, resulting from both increased interest rates and increased debt.

 

    Only partial benefit of reduced shares outstanding as a result of an accelerated share buyback. Reason: The repurchase did not take place until Aug. 12.

 

    Losses from Biloxi, damaged by Hurricane Katrina, which will be reflected in September results.


“As a result of all of these factors, we believe our third quarter earnings per share on a continuing operations basis, excluding last year’s $.11 benefit from the favorable resolution of prior year’s tax issues, will decline by approximately 20% (attached is a table that reflects earnings per share on a continuing operations basis for 2004 and for the first half of 2005).

 

“We believe that in the fourth quarter costs will be more in line with what they were in the first half of the year. Results will benefit by inclusion of earnings from the three newly acquired newspapers and by our continued aggressive share repurchases. On a continuing operations basis, excluding the favorable resolution of prior-year’s tax issues, but including our newly acquired newspapers, earnings per share in the fourth quarter will show growth.”

 

Certain statements contained in this report are forward-looking. They are based on management’s current knowledge of factors affecting Knight Ridder’s business. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated, depending upon – but not limited to – the effects of interest rates, of national and local economies on revenue, of the evolution of the Internet, of unforeseen changes in the price of newsprint and of negotiations and relations with labor unions.

 

Knight Ridder (NYSE: KRI) is the nation’s second-largest newspaper publisher, with products in print and online. The company publishes 32 daily newspapers in 29 U.S. markets, with a readership of 8.5 million daily and 11.0 million Sunday. Knight Ridder also has investments in a variety of Internet and technology companies and two newsprint companies. The company’s Internet operation, Knight Ridder Digital, develops and manages the company’s online properties. It is the founder and operator of Real Cities (www.RealCities.com), the largest national network of city and regional Web sites in more than 110 U.S. markets. Knight Ridder and Knight Ridder Digital are headquartered in San Jose, Calif.

(FR)

 

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For more information, call Vice President/Corporate Relations Polk Laffoon at 408-938-7838 (e-mail: plaffoon@knightridder.com), or Director/Corporate Communications Lee Ann Schlatter at 408-938-7839 (e-mail: lschlatter@knightridder.com), or visit Knight Ridder’s Web site at www.knightridder.com.


STATISTICAL REPORT

For the period of 8/1/05 - 8/28/05

 

     August

  

Percent
Change


    Year-to-Date

  

Percent
Change


 
     2005

   2004

     2005

   2004

  

REVENUE ($000) - See Notes 1 & 2

                                

Advertising

                                

Retail

   76,111    77,403    -1.7 %   681,383    667,901    2.0 %

National

   26,729    26,382    1.3 %   245,586    247,068    -0.6 %

Classified

   71,692    68,610    4.5 %   606,344    582,721    4.1 %
    
  
        
  
      

Total

   174,532    172,395    1.2 %   1,533,313    1,497,690    2.4 %

Circulation

   40,062    40,763    -1.7 %   351,190    362,125    -3.0 %

Other Revenue

   6,283    6,879    -8.7 %   58,069    56,105    3.5 %
    
  
        
  
      

Total Operating Revenue

   220,877    220,037    0.4 %   1,942,572    1,915,920    1.4 %
    
  
        
  
      

AVERAGE CIRCULATION

                                

(000’s of copies including Detroit) - Notes 1 & 2

                                

Morning

   2,952    3,048    -3.1 %   3,078    3,160    -2.6 %

Evening

   152    166    -8.3 %   154    173    -10.6 %

Daily

   3,104    3,214    -3.4 %   3,232    3,333    -3.0 %

Sunday

   4,124    4,258    -3.1 %   4,194    4,324    -3.0 %

ADVERTISING LINAGE

                                

(000’s of six-column inches) - Notes 1 & 2

                                

Full-Run ROP

                                

Retail

   976.6    985.2    -0.9 %   8,524.1    8,787.3    -3.0 %

National

   216.6    224.0    -3.3 %   2,059.8    2,087.8    -1.3 %

Classified

   1,412.6    1,484.6    -4.9 %   11,906.7    12,269.3    -3.0 %
    
  
        
  
      

Total

   2,605.8    2,693.8    -3.3 %   22,490.6    23,144.4    -2.8 %
    
  
        
  
      

Factored Part-Run ROP

   191.0    171.9    11.1 %   1,667.7    1,615.8    3.2 %
    
  
        
  
      

TOTAL PREPRINTS INSERTED

   592,253    597,936    -1.0 %   5,013,608    4,976,725    0.7 %
    
  
        
  
      


Statistical Report

For the period of 8/1/05 - 8/28/05

 

     August

  

Percent
Change


    Year-to-Date

  

Percent
Change


 
     2005

   2004

     2005

   2004

  

FULL-RUN ROP ADVERTISING LINAGE DATA

                                

By Markets (000’s of six-column inches) - Notes 1 & 2

                                

Akron Beacon Journal

   114.6    120.0    -4.5 %   974.3    1,028.9    -5.3 %

Charlotte Observer

   116.0    124.6    -6.9 %   1,052.0    1,060.3    -0.8 %

Columbia State

   94.3    96.3    -2.1 %   744.3    789.1    -5.7 %

Contra Costa (Note 3)

   105.0    109.5    -4.1 %   945.3    915.0    3.3 %

Fort Wayne News-Sentinel, Journal Gazette

   117.8    108.7    8.4 %   945.5    910.8    3.8 %

Fort Worth Star Telegram

   150.1    167.7    -10.5 %   1,388.5    1,496.7    -7.2 %

Kansas City Star

   148.7    160.5    -7.4 %   1,338.5    1,336.4    0.1 %

Lexington Herald-Leader

   99.7    89.9    10.9 %   781.1    769.7    1.5 %

Miami Herald & el Nuevo Herald

   142.1    141.6    0.4 %   1,370.4    1,319.9    3.8 %

Philadelphia Newspapers

   144.5    168.3    -14.1 %   1,382.0    1,522.1    -9.2 %

St. Paul Pioneer Press

   86.9    88.6    -1.9 %   791.5    818.0    -3.2 %

San Jose Mercury News

   157.0    177.7    -11.6 %   1,422.3    1,602.8    -11.3 %

Wichita Eagle

   77.8    74.2    4.9 %   661.5    602.5    9.8 %

All Other Dailies

   1,051.3    1,066.2    -1.4 %   8,693.4    8,972.2    -3.1 %
    
  
        
  
      

Total - Full-Run ROP

   2,605.8    2,693.8    -3.3 %   22,490.6    23,144.4    -2.8 %
    
  
        
  
      

 

Note 1 - The Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press operate under a joint operating agreement as Detroit Newspapers (DN). Revenue and linage are excluded for 2005 and 2004.

 

Note 2 - Measured by individual Knight Ridder newspapers. Where necessary, certain previously reported linage has been restated to be consistent with measurement guidelines currently in use.

 

Note 3 - Full-run ROP advertising linage represents the sum of full-run ROP linage for each of Contra Costa’s three newspapers.

 

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For further information, call Polk Laffoon IV at 408-938-7838


Knight Ridder

Diluted Earnings Per Share

2004 and 2005 (through Q2)

 

     2004

 
     Q1

   Q2

   Q3

   Q4

   Year

 

GAAP, as reported

   $ 0.70    $ 1.08    $ 0.99    $ 1.38    $ 4.13  

Discontinued operations

     0.05      0.11      0.06      0.13      0.35 (1)

Continuing operations

     0.65      0.97      0.93      1.25      3.78 (2)

Favorable resolution of prior years’ tax matters, including interest

     —        0.06      0.11      0.09      0.26  

Continuing operations, excluding the favorable resolution of prior years’ tax matters, including interest

     0.65      0.91      0.81      1.16      3.52  
     2005

 
     Q1

   Q2

   Q3

   Q4

   YTD-Jun

 

GAAP, as reported

   $ 0.79    $ 1.00                  $ 1.79  

Discontinued operations

     0.05      0.05                    0.10 (1)

Continuing operations

     0.74      0.95                    1.69 (2)

Favorable resolution of prior years’ tax matters, including interest

     0.09      0.03                    0.12  

Continuing operations, excluding the favorable resolution of prior years’ tax matters, including interest

     0.65      0.92                    1.57  

NOTE: Earnings per share amounts are based on net income divided by the weighted-average diluted shares outstanding. Accordingly, quarterly amounts may not sum to totals.
(1) To reflect the elimination of the operational results of The Detroit Free Press and The Tallahassee Democrat.
(2) Earnings per share from continuing operations does not include an adjustment to interest expense as presented on our Pro Forma Financial Statements included in our Form 8-K filed on September 1, 2005. (For Form 8-K pro forma financial statement presentation purposes, results of operations are adjusted to reflect the effect of the sale of The Detroit Free Press and The Tallahassee Democrat as if the sale had occurred at the beginning of the period presented).