EX-99.1 2 a06-6206_1ex99d1.htm EXHIBIT 99

Exhibit 99.1

 

For Immediate Release
 

AMERICA’S CAR-MART REPORTS THIRD QUARTER EARNINGS OF $.37 PER SHARE

COMPANY REAFFIRMS GUIDANCE FOR FULL FISCAL YEAR

 

Bentonville, Arkansas (March 2, 2006) – America’s Car-Mart, Inc. (NASDAQ NMS: CRMT) today announced its operating results for the third fiscal quarter ended January 31, 2006.

 

Highlights of third quarter operating results:

 

                  Revenue growth of 20.8%

                  Income increase of 3%

                  Diluted EPS increase of 3%

                  Retail unit sales growth of 13%

                  Same store revenue growth of 16.7%

                  Increase in Finance Receivables during the quarter of 5.1%

 

For the three months ended January 31, 2006, revenues increased 20.8% to $58.2 million compared with $48.2 million in the same period of the prior year. Income for the quarter increased 3% to $4.5 million or $0.37 per diluted share, versus $4.3 million, or $0.36 per diluted share in the same period last year. Retail unit sales increased 13% to 6,799 vehicles in the current quarter, compared to 6,019 in the same period last year. Same store revenue increased 16.7% during the quarter. Finance Receivables grew by $8.5 million during the quarter or 5.1%.

 

Highlights of nine month operating results:

 

                  Revenue growth of 14.9%

                  Income decrease of 11.0%

                  Diluted EPS decrease of 11.4%

                  Retail unit sales growth of 8.3%

                  Same store revenue growth of 10.7%

                  Increase in Finance Receivables of 15.5% during the nine months

 

For the nine months ended January 31, 2006, revenues increased 14.9% to $171.8 million, compared with $149.5 million in the same period of the prior fiscal year. Income for the first nine months of FY 2006 decreased 11% to $12.2 million, or $1.01 per diluted share, versus $13.7 million, or $1.14 per diluted share, in the same period last year. Retail unit sales increased 8.3% to 20,319 vehicles in the current period, compared to 18,761 vehicles in the same period last year. Same store sales revenue increased 10.7% during the nine months and Finance Receivables grew by $23.6 million or 15.5%.

 

“We are pleased with our strong operating results this quarter, including revenue growth of over 20%, same store revenue growth of nearly 17%, and retail unit sales growth of 13%,” commented T. J. (“Skip”) Falgout, III, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of America’s Car Mart. “On the credit side, our credit losses as a percentage of sales improved from 24.6% last quarter to 20.6% this quarter, versus 20.3% in the same period last year. Also, our accounts over 30 days past due were in line with our historical experience, at 4.7% versus 4.6% last year.

 

“Net income was somewhat squeezed by lower gross margins, primarily resulting from the tighter inventory availability that we faced in the quarter,” added Mr. Falgout. “However, we expect to get some relief on the inventory issues as the hurricane replacement buying tails off and the busy tax refund season winds down”.

 



 

“During the quarter, we opened four new dealerships, Columbia, Missouri; West Plains, Missouri; Claremore, Oklahoma; and Van Buren, Arkansas,” said William H. (“Hank”) Henderson, President of America’s Car Mart. “In addition, we completed the expansion of our dealerships in Jonesboro, Arkansas; Springfield, Missouri; and Ardmore, Oklahoma. These expanded dealerships, along with other properties in the process of expansion, will be significant in terms of increasing our organic growth on top of our growth in new locations.”

 

Fiscal 2006 Earnings Guidance

 

The Company expects diluted earnings per share to be in the $1.43 to $1.50 range for the year ended April 30, 2006.

 

Conference Call

 

Management will be holding a conference call on Thursday, March 2, 2006 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time to discuss second quarter results. A live audio of the conference call will be accessible to the public by calling (800) 309-9490. International callers dial (706) 634-0104. Callers should dial in approximately 10 minutes before the call begins.

 

A conference call replay will be available one hour following the call for seven days and can be accessed by calling (800) 642-1687 (domestic) or (706) 645-9291 (international), conference call ID #5614140.

 

About America’s Car-Mart

 

America’s Car-Mart operates 84 automotive dealerships in eight states and is the largest publicly held automotive retailer in the United States focused exclusively on the “Buy Here/Pay Here” segment of the used car market. The Company operates its dealerships primarily in small cities throughout the South-Central United States selling quality used vehicles and providing financing for substantially all of its customers. For more information on America’s Car-Mart, please visit our website at www.car-mart.com.

 

Included herein are forward-looking statements, including statements with respect to projected revenues, earnings per share amounts and store openings. Such forward-looking statements are based upon management’s current knowledge and assumptions. There are many factors that affect management’s view about future revenues, earnings and store openings. These factors involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from management’s present view. These factors include, without limitation, assumptions relating to unit sales, average selling prices, credit losses, gross margins, operating expenses, collection results, available real estate and economic conditions, and other risk factors described under “Forward-Looking Statements” of Item 1 of Part I of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005 and its current and quarterly reports filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements.

 

 

Contacts:

 

T. J. (“Skip”) Falgout, III, CEO at (972) 717-3423

 

 

 

or

 

 

 

 

J. Todd Atenhan, Investor Relations at (888) 917-5109

 

 



 

America’s Car-Mart, Inc.

Consolidated Results of Operations

(Operating Statement Dollars in Thousands)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

% Change

 

As a % of Sales

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

2006

 

Three Months Ended

 

 

 

January 31,

 

vs.

 

January 31,

 

 

 

2006

 

2005

 

2005

 

2006

 

2005

 

Operating Data:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Retail units sold

 

6,799

 

6,019

 

13.0

%

 

 

 

 

Average number of stores in operation

 

81.3

 

76.0

 

7.0

 

 

 

 

 

Average retail units sold per store per month

 

27.9

 

26.4

 

5.6

 

 

 

 

 

Average retail sales price

 

$

7,507

 

$

7,082

 

6.0

 

 

 

 

 

Same store revenue growth

 

16.7

%

10.8

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Period End Data:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stores open

 

84

 

76

 

10.5

%

 

 

 

 

Accounts over 30 days past due

 

4.7

%

4.6

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finance Receivables, gross

 

$

175,979

 

$

147,244

 

19.5

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating Statement:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revenues:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sales

 

$

53,200

 

$

44,177

 

20.4

%

100.0

%

100.0

%

Interest income

 

5,048

 

4,042

 

24.9

 

9.5

 

9.1

 

Total

 

58,248

 

48,219

 

20.8

 

109.5

 

109.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Costs and expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of sales

 

29,636

 

23,258

 

27.4

 

55.7

 

52.6

 

Selling, general and administrative

 

9,769

 

8,689

 

12.4

 

18.4

 

19.7

 

Provision for credit losses

 

10,936

 

8,947

 

22.2

 

20.6

 

20.3

 

Interest expense

 

691

 

345

 

100.3

 

1.3

 

0.8

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

151

 

116

 

30.2

 

0.3

 

0.3

 

Total

 

51,183

 

41,355

 

23.8

 

96.2

 

93.6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income before taxes

 

7,065

 

6,864

 

2.9

 

13.3

 

15.5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Provision for income taxes

 

2,601

 

2,531

 

2.8

 

4.9

 

5.7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income

 

$

4,464

 

$

4,333

 

3.0

 

8.4

 

9.8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earnings per share:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

$

0.38

 

$

0.37

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diluted

 

$

0.37

 

$

0.36

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average number of shares outstanding:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

11,864,475

 

11,751,054

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diluted

 

12,011,480

 

12,040,748

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

% Change

 

As a % of Sales

 

 

 

Nine Months Ended

 

2006

 

Nine Months Ended

 

 

 

January 31,

 

vs.

 

January 31,

 

 

 

2006

 

2005

 

2005

 

2006

 

2005

 

Operating Data:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Retail units sold

 

20,319

 

18,761

 

8.3

%

 

 

 

 

Average number of stores in operation

 

79.8

 

74.0

 

7.8

 

 

 

 

 

Average retail units sold per store per month

 

28.3

 

28.2

 

0.4

 

 

 

 

 

Average retail sales price

 

$

7,429

 

$

7,079

 

4.9

 

 

 

 

 

Same store revenue growth

 

10.7

%

11.4

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Period End Data:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stores open

 

84

 

76

 

10.5

%

 

 

 

 

Accounts over 30 days past due

 

4.7

%

4.6

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finance Receivables, gross

 

$

175,979

 

$

147,244

 

19.5

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating Statement:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revenues:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sales

 

$

157,377

 

$

138,104

 

14.0

%

100.0

%

100.0

%

Interest income

 

14,379

 

11,440

 

25.7

 

9.1

 

8.3

 

Total

 

171,756

 

149,544

 

14.9

 

109.1

 

108.3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Costs and expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of sales

 

87,011

 

73,825

 

17.9

 

55.3

 

53.5

 

Selling, general and administrative

 

28,709

 

25,255

 

13.7

 

18.2

 

18.3

 

Provision for credit losses

 

34,596

 

27,656

 

25.1

 

22.0

 

20.0

 

Interest expense

 

1,736

 

859

 

102.1

 

1.1

 

0.6

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

429

 

307

 

39.7

 

0.3

 

0.2

 

Total

 

152,481

 

127,902

 

19.2

 

96.9

 

92.6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income before taxes

 

19,275

 

21,642

 

(10.9

)

12.2

 

15.7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Provision for income taxes

 

7,123

 

7,984

 

(10.8

)

4.5

 

5.8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income

 

$

12,152

 

$

13,658

 

(11.0

)

7.7

 

9.9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earnings per share:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

$

1.03

 

$

1.17

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diluted

 

$

1.01

 

$

1.14

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average number of shares outstanding:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

11,812,337

 

11,709,948

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diluted

 

11,984,883

 

12,020,492

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

America’s Car-Mart, Inc.

Consolidated Balance Sheet and Other Data

 

 

 

January 31,

 

April 30,

 

 

 

2006

 

2005

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

274,870

 

$

459,177

 

Finance receivables, net

 

$

142,197,402

 

$

123,098,966

 

Total assets

 

$

168,401,708

 

$

143,668,258

 

Revolving credit facility

 

$

38,341,448

 

$

29,145,090

 

Stockholders’ equity

 

$

114,743,900

 

$

103,265,381

 

Shares outstanding

 

11,838,774

 

11,843,738

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finance receivables:

 

 

 

 

 

Principal balance

 

$

175,979,142

 

$

152,350,210

 

Allowance for credit losses

 

(33,781,740

)

(29,251,244

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finance receivables, net

 

$

142,197,402

 

$

123,098,966

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Allowance as % of principal balance

 

19.20

%

19.20

%

 

Changes in allowance for credit losses:

 

 

 

Nine Months Ended

 

 

 

January 31,

 

 

 

2006

 

2005

 

Balance at beginning of year

 

$

29,251,244

 

$

25,035,967

 

Provision for credit losses

 

34,596,030

 

27,655,675

 

Net charge-offs

 

(30,065,534

)

(24,420,701

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance at end of period

 

$

33,781,740

 

$

28,270,941