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Cambium Learning Group Announces 2011 First Quarter Earnings

May 10, 2011
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DALLAS, May 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Cambium Learning Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: ABCD, the “Company”), a leading provider of research-based education solutions for students in Pre-K through 12th grade, including intervention curricula, educational technologies and services, will hold a conference call today at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss 2011 first quarter earnings. The call will be based on unaudited financial results through March 31, 2011.

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2011 Q1 Financial Summary

  • GAAP net revenues improved 9% to $31 million in Q1 2011. The improvement was caused by the lack of purchase accounting adjustments in 2011 which lowered revenue in 2010.
  • Adjusted net revenues, which exclude the impact of purchase accounting, were $31 million for the first quarter of 2011 versus $33 million for the first quarter of 2010 for a decline of 7%. This decline in adjusted revenues is in line with overall order volumes which were lower in Q1 2011 when compared to Q1 2010.
  • Adjusted net revenues by business unit and change from prior year were as follows:
    • Voyager: $15 million, down 17%
    • Cambium Learning Technologies: $12 million, up 4%
    • Sopris: $4 million, up 7%
  • The Voyager segment continued to experience some downward pressure on sales growth due to persistent funding pressure and overall school budget restrictions.
  • The continued growth in the Sopris unit is encouraging, as investments made in products, sales and marketing in 2010 and into 2011 appear to be paying off.
  • The Cambium Learning Technologies unit continues to see revenue increases in its subscription-based online capabilities, with some of that growth offset by weakness in the Company’s Kurzweil product line.
  • While first quarter adjusted net revenues declined, the Company is experiencing an improved start to order volume in the second quarter as well as an improved sales pipeline. These are positive indicators as the Company enters the more significant selling period of the second and third fiscal quarters.
  • GAAP spending declined considerably as onetime costs from the merger in 2010 were not repeated in 2011. Adjusted spending, which removes onetime costs, also declined more than $1 million in total for the major spending categories (development, sales, marketing and general administration) when compared with Q1 2010.
  • While Q1 is seasonally a low sales quarter and a net loss is not unexpected, the GAAP net loss of $10 million was a substantial improvement versus a net loss of $19 million in 2010 for the same period. The improvement was reflective of the GAAP revenue increase, the absence of onetime merger costs in 2011, operating cost containment and a onetime gain of $2 million.
  • Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), which removes the impact of purchase accounting as well as onetime and non-operational items, were $1.5 million for the first quarter of 2011 versus $2.7 million for the first quarter of 2010, down 44%, a result of a $2 million decline in adjusted net revenues and partially offset by a decline in costs.

“We continue to face budgetary pressures and intense competition for fewer dollars, but have been able to mitigate some of those challenges by improved sales execution and continuing our effort to reduce costs through productivity initiatives,” says Ron Klausner, Chief Executive Officer of Cambium Learning Group. “In the months ahead, we will capitalize on our brands, loyal customer base, and the scale and wealth of our content as we move ahead with growth investments in educational technology.”

Business Summary

  • The Company recently announced the launch of ExploreLearning’s Reflex, a game-based online math solution for grades 2-6 that teaches instant recall of math facts in the four operations.
  • The Company’s products continue to be recognized for their effectiveness by industry peer groups. The BESSIE Awards recently announced that two products offered by Kurzweil Educational Systems won in the categories of Upper Elementary/Special Education and High School/Special Education. In addition, ExploreLearning, Learning A-Z and Voyager have once again been recognized as finalists for 2011 CODiE Awards given by the Software and Information Industry Association (SIIA) in five education categories. And, ExploreLearning and Learning A-Z are nominees for Distinguished Achievement Awards and Beacon Awards, given by the Association of Educational Publishers (AEP).
  • The Company is following up 2010′s merger synergy savings with a 2011 effort to reduce costs through productivity enhancements and to redeploy those savings into growth investments.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net revenues are not prepared in accordance with GAAP and may be different from non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. Non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP. The Company believes that adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net revenues provide useful information to investors because they reflect the underlying performance of the ongoing operations of the Company, and provide investors with a view of the Company’s operations from management’s perspective. Adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net revenues exclude items that do not reflect the underlying performance of the combined Company by removing significant one-time or certain non-cash items. The Company uses these measures to monitor and evaluate the operating performance of the Company and as the basis to set and measure progress towards performance targets, which directly affect compensation for employees and executives. The Company generally uses these non-GAAP measures as measures of operating performance and not as measures of the Company’s liquidity.

Investor Conference Call

The Company will provide additional commentary and more detailed results on today’s conference call. To listen to the Company’s conference call, please dial (800) 860-2442 and reference “Cambium Learning” at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, May 10, 2011. The call will be recorded and archived until Friday, June 10, 2011 and can be replayed by calling (877) 344-7529 and entering ID# 450316. The conference call will also be Webcast and available on the Company’s Website at www.cambiumlearning.com.

About Cambium Learning Group, Inc.

Cambium Learning Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: ABCD) is based in Dallas, Texas, and operates three business units: Voyager, a comprehensive intervention business; Sopris, a supplemental solutions business; and Cambium Learning Technologies, which includes ExploreLearning, IntelliTools, Kurzweil and Learning A-Z. Through its core divisions, Cambium Learning Group, Inc. provides research-based education solutions for students in Pre-K through 12th grade, including intervention curricula, educational technologies and services primarily focused on serving the needs of the nation’s most challenged learners and enabling students to realize their full potential. The company’s website is www.cambiumlearninggroup.com.

Media and Investor Contact:
Shannan Overbeck
Cambium Learning Group, Inc.
214.932.9476
shannan.overbeck@cambiumlearning.com

Forward Looking Statements

Some of the statements contained herein constitute forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events, including the future financial performance of Cambium Learning Group, Inc., and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the markets, actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements of Cambium Learning Group, Inc. to be materially different from any actual future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. These risks and other factors you should consider include, but are not limited to, the ability to successfully attract and retain a broad customer base for current and future products, changes in customer demands or industry standards, success of ongoing product development, maintaining acceptable margins, the ability to control costs, K-12 enrollment and demographic trends, the level of educational and education technology funding, the impact of federal, state and local regulatory requirements on the business of the company, the loss of key personnel, the impact of competition, the uncertainty of general economic conditions and financial market performance, and those other risks and uncertainties listed under the heading “RISK FACTORS” in Cambium Learning Group, Inc.’s Form 10-K. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue,” “projects,” “intends,” “prospects,” or “priorities,” or the negative of such terms, or other comparable terminology. These statements are only predictions. Actual events or results may differ materially. Cambium Learning Group, Inc. does not assume or undertake any obligation to update the information contained in this press release, and expressly disclaims any obligation to do so, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

             Cambium Learning Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries
            Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
                 (In thousands, except per share data)
                              (Unaudited)

                                                          Three Months
                                                              Ended
                                                             ------------
                                                       March         March
                                                        31,            31,
                                                         2011           2010
                                                         ----           ----

    Net revenues                                      $30,695        $28,222

    Cost of revenues:
      Cost of revenues                                 10,967         11,312
      Amortization expense                              6,618          6,742
                                                        -----          -----

        Total cost of revenues                         17,585         18,054

    Research and development expense                    2,379          3,010
    Sales and marketing expense                        10,903         11,057
    General and administrative expense                  5,812          7,938
    Shipping and handling costs                           334            544
    Depreciation and amortization expense               1,736          2,577
    Embezzlement and related expense (recoveries)      (2,436)            19
                                                       ------            ---

        Total costs and expenses                       36,313         43,199

    Loss before interest, other
      income (expense)and income taxes                 (5,618)       (14,977)

    Net interest expense                               (4,405)        (4,368)

    Other income (expense), net                           363            (10)
                                                          ---            ---

    Loss before income taxes                           (9,660)       (19,355)

    Income tax expense                                    (97)           (85)
                                                          ---            ---

    Net loss                                          $(9,757)      $(19,440)
                                                      =======       ========

    Net loss per common share:
      Basic net loss per common share                  $(0.22)        $(0.44)
      Diluted net loss per common share                $(0.22)        $(0.44)

    Average number of common shares and equivalents
     outstanding:
    Basic                                              44,353         44,318
    Diluted                                            44,353         44,318

                  Cambium Learning Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries
                      Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet
                      (In thousands, except per share data)

                                               March 31,   December 31,
                                                     2011           2010
                                                     ----           ----
                        ASSETS                (unaudited)
    Current assets:
    Cash and cash equivalents                     $19,494        $11,831
    Accounts receivable, net                       14,122         31,627
    Inventory                                      26,465         22,015
    Deferred tax assets                             3,703          3,703
    Restricted assets, current                      2,523          3,064
    Assets held for sale                            2,649              -
    Other current assets                            4,804          3,937
                                                    -----          -----

    Total current assets                           73,760         76,177
                                                   ------         ------

    Property, equipment and software at
     cost                                          35,056         32,944
    Accumulated depreciation and
     amortization                                  (8,834)        (7,838)
                                                   ------         ------
    Property, equipment and software, net          26,222         25,106
                                                   ------         ------

    Goodwill                                      151,915        151,915
    Acquired curriculum and technology
     intangibles, net                              30,554         33,063
    Acquired publishing rights, net                35,745         38,707
    Other intangible assets, net                   21,058         22,132
    Pre-publication costs, net                      8,263          7,834
    Restricted assets, less current portion        12,005         12,641
    Other assets                                   22,454         15,487
                                                   ------         ------

    Total assets                                 $381,976       $383,062
                                                 ========       ========

         LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

    Current liabilities:
    Current portion of long-term debt                  $-         $1,280
    Current portion of capital lease
     obligations                                      400            378
    Accounts payable                                4,723          6,465
    Contingent value rights, current                1,931          1,623
    Accrued expenses                               18,161         22,888
    Deferred revenue, current                      27,723         34,140
                                                   ------         ------

    Total current liabilities                      52,938         66,774
                                                   ------         ------

    Long-term liabilities:
    Long-term debt, less current portion          174,043        150,850
    Capital lease obligations, less current
     portion                                       12,202         12,317
    Deferred revenue, less current portion          3,056          3,416
    Contingent value rights, less current
     portion                                        5,746          5,746
    Other liabilities                              19,433         19,947
                                                   ------         ------

    Total long-term liabilities                   214,480        192,276
                                                  -------        -------

    Stockholders' equity:
    Preferred stock ($.001 par value,
     15,000 shares authorized, zero shares
      issued and outstanding at March 31,
       2011 and December 31, 2010)                      -              -
    Common stock ($.001 par value, 150,000
     shares authorized,
      43,913 and 43,869 shares issued and
       outstanding at
      March 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010)            44             44
    Capital surplus                               260,190        259,887
    Accumulated deficit                          (144,975)      (135,218)
    Other comprehensive income (loss):
      Pension and postretirement plans               (702)          (702)
      Net unrealized gain on securities                 1              1
                                                      ---            ---

      Accumulated other comprehensive income
       (loss)                                        (701)          (701)
                                                     ----           ----

    Total stockholders' equity                    114,558        124,012
                                                  -------        -------

    Total liabilities and stockholders'
     equity                                      $381,976       $383,062
                                                 ========       ========

    Reconciliation Between Net Revenues to Adjusted Net Revenues and
                  Between Net Loss and Adjusted EBITDA
           for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2011 and 2010
                  (In thousands, except per share data)
                               (Unaudited)

                                        Three Months Ended
                                                             March 31,
                                        ------------------
                                        2011            2010
                                        ----            ----

    Total net revenues               $30,695         $28,222
    Non-recurring and non-
     operational costs included
     in
              net revenues but
              excluded from
              adjusted net
              revenues:
              Adjustments related
              to purchase
              accounting               332           5,152
                                       ---
    Adjusted net revenues          $31,027         $33,374
                                   =======         =======

    Net loss                       $(9,757)       $(19,440)
    Reconciling items between net
     loss and EBITDA:
              Depreciation and
              amortization           8,354           9,319
             Net interest expense    4,405           4,368
              Other (income)
              expense                 (363)             10
             Income tax                 97              85
                                       ---
    Income (loss) from operations
     before interest and other
     income
              (expense), income
              taxes, and
              depreciation and
             amortization (EBITDA)   2,736          (5,658)

    Non-recurring and non-
     operational costs included
     in
              EBITDA but excluded
              from Adjusted
              EBITDA:
              Integration and
              merger-related
              costs                      -           3,443
             Legacy VLCY corporate     311             300
              Stock-based
              compensation expense     290             234
              Embezzlement and
              related expenses
              (recoveries)          (2,436)             19
              Adjustments related
              to purchase
              accounting               288           4,359
              Adjustments to CVR
              liability                308               -
                                       ---
    Adjusted EBITDA                 $1,497          $2,697
                                    ======          ======

SOURCE Cambium Learning Group, Inc.


Source: newswire