EX-99.1 2 vc5502ex991.htm EXHIBIT 99.1

Exhibit 99.1

Message

Contact:  Sherry Lauderback

 

 

Tel 734.591.7374     Fax 734.591.4503

 

Earnings Release

lauderbacks@valassis.com

 

 

19975 Victor Parkway  Livonia, MI 48152

 

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

VALASSIS REPORTS REVENUES OF $247.6 MILLION IN THE FIRST QUARTER
Meets Published Earnings Range

Livonia, Mich., April 25, 2006: Valassis (NYSE: VCI), the leading company in marketing services and Connective Media™, today announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2006. The company reported quarterly revenues of $247.6 million, down 11.3% from the first quarter of 2005. First-quarter net earnings were $18.1 million, down 36.1% from the comparable period last year.  The company delivered diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.38, within its previously published EPS range for the quarter of $0.38 to $0.44.

“During the first quarter, we had some very exciting business developments that strengthened our foundation for the future,” said Alan F. Schultz, Chairman, President and CEO. “Despite the difficult quarter for the promotional media industry, we met the low end of the published EPS guidance range. These advances made during the quarter will positively affect the rest of the year, particularly the second half.”

Quarterly Highlights

Secured a major grocery retailer’s frequent shopper card data. This addition, combined with targeting refinements, has created additional interest in frequent shopper direct-mail programs.

 

 

Earned back run of press and preprint business from a major telecommunications customer previously lost as a result of consolidation in the telecom industry.

 

 

Named Gary Yost to the newly created position of President, International Media Properties . In this position, Yost will be responsible for accelerating international media product development and sales. The company began market evaluation efforts in China, including the opening of an office in Shanghai.

 

 

Returned the Household Targeted business segment to profitability.

 

 

Launched an “Advertising Initiative” in January to capture television advertising dollars being reallocated to other media due to the decline in effectiveness.


Financial Highlights

 

 

Three Months Ended
March 31,

 

 

 


 

(in millions, except per share data)

 

2006

 

2005

 

%
Change

 


 



 



 



 

Total Revenues

 

$

247.6

 

$

279.3

 

 

-11.3

%

Net Earnings

 

$

18.1

 

$

28.2*

 

 

-36.1

%

EPS, diluted

 

$

0.38

 

 

0.55*

 

 

-30.9

%

* Excludes the pro-forma effect of stock option expense; including this expense, earnings would have been $26.4 million and EPS would have been $0.51.

SG&A expense was down 3.5%, despite an additional $1 million in stock option expense, to $32.9 million for the first quarter due to reductions in headcount and decreases in bonus and profit sharing programs.

 

 

Net interest expense was $2.0 million for the quarter.

 

 

Cash and auction-rate securities at the end of the quarter were $135.4 million.

 

 

The company’s debt position, net of cash and auction-rate securities, was $138.9 million at quarter-end.

 

 

The company repurchased 137,300 shares of its stock during the first quarter of 2006. The company has 6,091,825 of remaining shares as of March 31, 2006 under its current share repurchase authorizations. Share repurchases were appreciably lower than previous quarters. Management noted it is reviewing a variety of alternatives to improve shareholder value and that these alternatives would be better facilitated by building cash reserves. Management also noted that the company continues to view share repurchase as an excellent use of cash to enhance shareholder value.




VCI 1Q06 Earnings
Page 2

Business Segment Discussion

Market Delivered Free-standing Insert (FSI): Co-op FSI revenues for the first quarter were $115.3 million, down 12.5%. This decrease was due to a mid- to high-single digit reduction in FSI pricing and a decline in industry volume compared to the prior year first quarter. FSI cost of goods sold was relatively flat for the quarter on a cost per thousand (CPM) basis. The movement of pre-Easter holiday advertising to the second quarter also negatively impacted industry volumes during the first quarter.

 

 

Market Delivered Run of Press (ROP): ROP revenues, generated from the brokering of advertising space on behalf of newspapers, were down 32.6% in the first quarter to $20.3 million. The revenue decline resulted from the loss of business due to consolidation in the telecommunications industry and a large customer’s shift of budget dollars to later quarters in 2006. As previously noted, the company recently won back business which will positively affect future quarters. The ROP business segment earned $1.5 million in profit for the quarter.

 

 

Neighborhood Targeted Products: Neighborhood Targeted product revenues decreased 10.0% for the quarter to $66.9 million. This segment was impacted by the overall decline in the promotional media industry. Management noted that this segment will be positively affected by the shift in pre-Easter advertising in the second quarter and increased interest in targeted sampling and preprints in the second half.

 

 

Household Targeted Products: Household Targeted product revenues for the first quarter were $18.2 million, down 4.2% due to a decline in direct-mail pieces distributed and the discontinuance of PreVision’s agency business. As previously noted, the company secured a major grocery retailer’s frequent shopper card data, creating additional interest in direct-mail programs.  This segment earned $2.4 million in profit for the quarter.

 

 

International & Services: International & Services revenues are comprised of NCH Marketing Services, Valassis Canada and Promotion Watch. International & Services reported revenues of $26.9 million for the first quarter, up 11.2%, driven by an increase in market share in the NCH coupon redemption business in the United States and increased revenue from Valassis Canada.


Outlook

2006 guidance remains as previously announced. In its Oct. 20, 2005 third-quarter earnings release, the company provided full-year EPS guidance for 2006. For the full-year 2006, the company expects EPS to be between $1.95 to $2.15 after the expensing of stock options in accordance with SFAS 123R. Management provided the following quarterly EPS projections for 2006 on Feb. 16, 2006: 

Quarter

 

Projected EPS Range

 

Actual Results

 


 


 


 

1

 

$

0.38 – $0.44

 

$

0.38

 

2

 

$

0.49 - $0.55

 

 

 

 

3

 

$

0.52 – $0.58

 

 

 

 

4

 

$

0.54 – $0.60

 

 

 

 

Conference Call Information

Valassis will hold an investor call today to discuss its first-quarter results at 11 a.m. (EDT). The call-in number is (800) 218-0204. The call will simulcast on the company’s Web site, at http://www.valassis.com, and replay through May 8, 2006 at (800) 405-2236, pass code 11040294. This press release and the Webcast will be archived on the company’s Web site under “Investor.”

About Valassis

Valassis offers a wide range of marketing services to consumer packaged goods manufacturers, retailers, technology companies and other customers with operations in the United States, Europe, Mexico and Canada. Valassis’ products and services portfolio includes: newspaper-delivered promotions and advertisements such as inserts, sampling, polybags and on-page advertisements; direct-to-door advertising and sampling; direct mail; Internet-delivered marketing; loyalty marketing software; coupon and promotion clearing; and promotion planning and analytic services. Valassis has been listed as one of FORTUNE magazine’s “Best Companies to Work For” for nine consecutive years. Valassis subsidiaries include Valassis Canada, Promotion Watch, Valassis Relationship Marketing Systems, LLC and NCH Marketing Services, Inc. For additional information, visit the company Web site at http://www.valassis.com.



VCI 1Q06 Earnings
Page 3

Certain statements found in this document constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the following: price competition from the Company’s existing competitors; new competitors in any of the Company’s businesses; a shift in customer preference for different promotional materials, strategies or coupon delivery methods; an unforeseen increase in the Company’s paper costs; economic disruptions caused by terrorist activity, armed conflict or changes in general economic conditions; or changes which affect the businesses of our customers and lead to reduced sales promotion spending. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Tables to follow…



VCI 1Q06 Earnings
Page 4

VALASSIS COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(in thousands)

 

 

Mar. 31,
2006

 

Dec. 31,
2005

 

 

 



 



 

Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

52,979

 

$

64,320

 

Auction-rate securities

 

 

82,394

 

 

72,031

 

Accounts receivable

 

 

244,921

 

 

273,863

 

Inventories

 

 

28,499

 

 

25,235

 

Deferred income taxes

 

 

2,571

 

 

2,573

 

Other

 

 

17,022

 

 

12,894

 

 

 



 



 

Total current assets

 

 

428,386

 

 

450,916

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Property, plant and equipment, at cost

 

 

254,603

 

 

255,472

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Less accumulated depreciation

 

 

(148,098

)

 

(147,325

)

 

 



 



 

Net property, plant and equipment

 

 

106,505

 

 

108,147

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Intangible assets

 

 

208,689

 

 

208,689

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Less accumulated amortization

 

 

(74,862

)

 

(74,724

)

 

 



 



 

Net intangible assets

 

 

133,827

 

 

133,965

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Investments

 

 

580

 

 

614

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other assets

 

 

10,858

 

 

4,041

 

 

 



 



 

Total assets

 

$

680,156

 

$

697,683

 

 

 



 



 

More tables to follow  . . .



VCI 1Q06 Earnings
Page 5

VALASSIS COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Consolidated Balance Sheets, Continued
(in thousands)

 

 

Mar. 31
2006

 

Dec. 31,
2005

 

 

 



 



 

Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current portion, long-term debt

 

$

14,365

 

$

14,260

 

Accounts payable and accruals

 

 

229,613

 

 

264,877

 

Progress billings

 

 

43,591

 

 

44,314

 

 

 



 



 

Total current liabilities

 

 

287,569

 

 

323,451

 

Long-term debt

 

 

259,906

 

 

259,896

 

Other liabilities

 

 

10,577

 

 

10,811

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stockholders’ equity:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common stock

 

 

632

 

 

632

 

Additional paid-in capital

 

 

39,124

 

 

38,177

 

Retained earnings

 

 

604,985

 

 

586,927

 

Treasury stock

 

 

(524,398

)

 

(523,600

)

Accumulated other comprehensive gain

 

 

1,761

 

 

1,389

 

 

 



 



 

Total stockholders’ equity

 

 

122,104

 

 

103,525

 

 

 



 



 

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

 

$

680,156

 

$

697,683

 

 

 



 



 

More tables to follow  …



VCI 1Q06 Earnings
Page 6

VALASSIS COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(in thousands, except per share data)

 

 

Quarter Ended
Mar. 31
2006

 

Quarter Ended
Mar. 31
2005

 

%
Change

 

 

 



 



 



 

Revenues

 

$

247,646

 

$

279,284

 

 

- 11.3

%

Costs and expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Costs of products sold

 

 

185,269

 

 

199,656

 

 

- 7.2

%

Selling, general and administrative

 

 

32,880

 

 

34,067

 

 

- 3.5

%

 

 



 



 



 

Total costs and expenses

 

 

218,149

 

 

233,723

 

 

- 6.7

%

Earnings from operations

 

 

29,497

 

 

45,561

 

 

- 35.3

%

Other expenses and income:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest expense

 

 

2,855

 

 

2,677

 

 

+ 6.6

%

Other (income) and expenses

 

 

(1,354

)

 

(1,074

)

 

+ 26.1

%

 

 



 



 



 

Total other expenses and income

 

 

1,501

 

 

1,603

 

 

- 6.4

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earnings before income taxes

 

 

27,996

 

 

43,958

 

 

- 36.3

%

Income taxes

 

 

9,938

 

 

15,716

 

 

- 36.8

%

 

 



 



 



 

Net earnings

 

$

18,058

 

$

28,242

 

 

- 36.1

%

 

 



 



 



 

Net earnings per common share, diluted

 

$

0.38

 

$

0.55

 

 

- 30.9

%

Weighted average shares outstanding, diluted

 

 

47,769

 

 

51,430

 

 

- 7.1

%

Supplementary Data

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amortization

 

$

138

 

$

136

 

 

 

 

Depreciation

 

 

3,539

 

 

3,657

 

 

 

 

Capital expenditures

 

 

1,834

 

 

9,054

 

 

 

 

###