Neustar Announces Results for Third Quarter 2009

October 27, 2009 4:01 PM EDT

STERLING, Va., Oct. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Neustar, Inc. (NYSE: NSR), a provider of essential clearinghouse services to the communications and Internet industries, today announced consolidated results for the quarter ended September 30, 2009 and updated guidance for full-year 2009.

Summary of Third Quarter Results

    --  Revenue totaled $117.2 million.

    --  Net income totaled $24.5 million or $0.32 per diluted share.

    --  EBITDA totaled $50.0 million.

    --  Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments totaled $303.2 million
        as of September 30, 2009.

"In improving but uncertain market conditions, Neustar's solid third quarter results continue to demonstrate the strength of our innovative services," said Jeff Ganek, Neustar's chairman and chief executive officer. "The positive trends and signs we see for future market growth give us confidence about our business prospects. As we look to the future, we will continue to build on our strong position, establishing the foundation for Neustar's future growth."

Paul Lalljie, Neustar's chief financial officer, added, "Our sequential top-line growth, strong profit and cash generation reflect the strength in our business model and the ability to execute on our plans. The third quarter results and the key performance indicators of our business have prompted us to update our full-year revenue and EBITDA guidance. Strong financial momentum, coupled with our operational achievements, put us in a solid position for growth in the future."

Discussion of Third Quarter Results

Revenue for the quarter reflects year-over-year increases from services outside of our contracts to provide telephone number portability services in the United States. However, these increases were offset by our anticipated decrease in quarterly revenue due to the amended pricing terms under our contracts to provide telephone number portability services in the United States, which were effective as of January 1, 2009.

Revenue totaled $117.2 million, a 5% decrease from $123.8 million in the third quarter of 2008.

    --  Addressing revenue decreased 1% to $32.1 million, primarily due to the
        amended pricing terms under our contracts to provide telephone number
        portability services in the United States.  This decrease was primarily
        offset by an increase in revenue from Ultra Services.

    --  Interoperability revenue decreased 14% to $13.9 million, primarily due
        to the amended pricing terms under our contracts to provide telephone
        number portability services in the United States and due to a decrease
        in revenue from our Next Generation Messaging services.

    --  Infrastructure and other revenue decreased 5% to $71.1 million,
        primarily due to the amended pricing terms under our contracts to
        provide telephone number portability services in the United States.

Net income totaled $24.5 million, or $0.32 per diluted share, compared to net income of $28.4 million, or $0.38 per diluted share, in the third quarter of 2008.

EBITDA totaled $50.0 million, or $0.66 per diluted share, compared to $55.7 million, or $0.74 per diluted share, in the corresponding quarter of 2008.

Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments totaled $303.2 million as of September 30, 2009, compared to $267.5 million as of June 30, 2009 and $161.7 million as of December 31, 2008.

Total operating expense decreased 2% to $76.8 million from $78.6 million for the third quarter of 2008. Total operating expense for the third quarter of 2009 includes a restructuring charge of $2.7 million related to our Next Generation Messaging business segment for which there was no corresponding charge for the quarter ended September 30, 2008.

Business Outlook for 2009

Neustar provided the following updated guidance for 2009 results:

    --  Full-year revenue to exceed $475 million.  Prior revenue guidance
        provided on January 28, 2009 was between $460 million and $490 million.

    --  Full-year EBITDA margin to exceed 42%.  Prior EBITDA margin guidance
        provided on January 28, 2009 was to exceed 40%.

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In this press release, Neustar presents certain non-GAAP financial data. To place this data in an appropriate context, the following is a reconciliation of net income to EBITDA for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2008 and 2009:



                                      Three Months           Nine Months
                                         Ended                 Ended
                                     September 30,          September 30,
                                     -------------          -------------
                                    2008         2009      2008      2009
                                    ----         ----      ----      ----
                                    (in thousands, except per share data)
                                                 (unaudited)
    Net income                   $28,374      $24,519   $46,770   $73,338
    Add: Depreciation and
     amortization                 10,552        9,538    30,958    28,115
    Less: Other expense (income)     751         (151)    1,234    (1,683)
    Add: Provision for income
     taxes                        16,038       16,068    48,176    47,602
                                 -------      -------  --------  --------
    EBITDA                       $55,715      $49,974  $127,138  $147,372
                                 =======      =======  ========  ========
    EBITDA per diluted share       $0.74        $0.66     $1.66     $1.95
                                 =======      =======  ========  ========
    Weighted average diluted
     common shares outstanding
                                  75,259       75,594    76,548    75,409

EBITDA and EBITDA per diluted share are not measures of financial performance under GAAP and have no standardized measurement prescribed by GAAP. Management believes that both measures enhance our investors' understanding of our financial performance and the comparability of the company's operating results to prior periods, as well as against the performance of other companies. However, these non-GAAP financial measures may not be comparable with similar non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies and should not be considered in isolation from, or as a substitute for, financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP. The company provides the foregoing historical reconciliations to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures to allow investors to appropriately consider each non-GAAP financial measure.

In this press release and from time to time, Neustar describes what its net income, EBITDA and other financial measures would have been in the absence of the $29.0 million goodwill impairment charge recorded in the first quarter of 2008 related to the company's NGM business segment, as well as the resulting net income and EBITDA per diluted share amounts associated with those measures. Neustar has provided this information because the company believes that it gives investors a better understanding of the impact the goodwill impairment charge had on the company's results for the nine months, and serves as useful data by which to compare the company's operational performance to the prior period in 2008 and future periods. Absent the $29.0 million goodwill impairment charge, net income for the nine months ended September 30, 2008 would have been $75.8 million, or $0.99 per diluted share. Furthermore, absent the $29.0 million goodwill impairment charge, EBITDA for the nine months ended September 30, 2008 would have been $156.2 million, or $2.04 per diluted share.

Conference Call

As announced on October 8, 2009, Neustar will conduct an investor conference call to discuss the company's results today at 4:30 p.m. (Eastern Time). Prior to the call, investors may access the conference call over the Internet via the Investor Relations tab of the company's website (www.neustar.biz). Those listening via the Internet should go to the site 15 minutes early to register, download and install any necessary audio software.

The conference call is also accessible via telephone by dialing (888) 206-4913 (international callers dial (913) 312-9330). For those who cannot listen to the live broadcast, a replay will be available through Midnight (Eastern Time) Tuesday, November 3, 2009 by dialing (888) 203-1112 (international callers dial (719) 457-0820) and entering replay PIN 7740020, or by going to the Investor Relations tab of the company's website (www.neustar.biz).

Neustar will take live questions from securities analysts and institutional portfolio managers; the complete call is open to all other interested parties on a listen-only basis.

This press release and the financial tables, including the reconciliations of certain non-GAAP measures to their nearest comparable GAAP measures that may be used periodically by management when discussing the company's financial results with investors and analysts, are available on the company's website under the Investor Relations tab.

About Neustar, Inc.

Neustar, Inc. (NYSE: NSR) solves complex communications challenges and provides market-leading, innovative solutions and directory services to enable trusted communication across networks, applications, and enterprises around the world. Visit Neustar online at www.neustar.biz.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

This press release includes information that constitutes forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, statements about our expectations, beliefs and business results in the future, such as guidance regarding our 2009 results. We have attempted, whenever possible, to identify these forward-looking statements using words such as "may," "will," "should," "projects," "estimates," "expects," "plans," "intends," "anticipates," "believes" and variations of these words and similar expressions. Similarly, statements herein that describe our business strategy, prospects, opportunities, outlooks, objectives, plans, intentions or goals are also forward-looking statements. We cannot assure you that our expectations will be achieved or that any deviations will not be material. Forward-looking statements are subject to many assumptions, risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated. These potential risks and uncertainties include, among others, the uncertainty of future revenue and profitability and potential fluctuations in quarterly operating results due to such factors as disruptions to our clearinghouse operations, modifications to our material contracts, our ability to successfully identify and complete acquisitions, integrate and support the operations of businesses we acquire, our ability to redeem auction rate securities, increasing competition, market acceptance of our existing services, our ability to successfully develop and market new services, the uncertainty of whether new services will achieve market acceptance or result in any revenue, and business, regulatory and statutory changes in the communications industry. More information about potential factors that could affect our business and financial results is included in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008 and subsequent periodic and current reports. All forward-looking statements are based on information available to us on the date of this press release, and we undertake no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this press release.


                                     NEUSTAR, INC.
                         CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                           (in thousands, except per share data)

                              Three Months Ended       Nine Months Ended
                                 September 30,            September 30,
                              -------------------     ---------------------
                                2008         2009       2008           2009
                               -------      -------    -------        -------
                                              (unaudited)
    Revenue:
      Addressing               $32,470      $32,139    $94,899        $96,157
      Interoperability          16,237       13,926     49,228         42,122
      Infrastructure and
       other                    75,103       71,138    217,305        207,876
                               -------      -------    -------        -------
    Total revenue              123,810      117,203    361,432        346,155

    Operating expense:
      Cost of revenue
       (excluding depreciation
       and amortization shown
       separately below)        27,683       26,629     78,983         82,808
      Sales and marketing       17,865       20,447     56,808         59,193
      Research and
       development               7,140        3,948     22,442         12,775
      General and
       administrative           15,407       13,472     47,040         41,274
      Depreciation and
       amortization             10,552        9,538     30,958         28,115
      Restructuring charges          -        2,733          -          2,733
      Impairment of goodwill         -            -     29,021              -
                               -------      -------    -------        -------
                                78,647       76,767    265,252        226,898
                               -------      -------    -------        -------
    Income from operations      45,163       40,436     96,180        119,257
    Other (expense) income:
      Interest and other
       expense                  (1,110)      (2,596)    (4,434)        (4,669)
      Interest and other income    359        2,747      3,200          6,352
                               -------      -------    -------        -------
    Income before
     income taxes               44,412       40,587     94,946        120,940
    Provision for
     income taxes               16,038       16,068     48,176         47,602
                               -------      -------    -------        -------
    Net income                 $28,374      $24,519    $46,770        $73,338
                               =======      =======    =======        =======

    Net income per
     common share:
      Basic                      $0.38        $0.33      $0.63          $0.99
                               =======      =======    =======        =======
      Diluted                    $0.38        $0.32      $0.61          $0.97
                               =======      =======    =======        =======

    Weighted average
     common shares
     outstanding:
      Basic                     73,859       74,356     74,509         74,269
                               =======      =======    =======        =======
      Diluted                   75,259       75,594     76,548         75,409
                               =======      =======    =======        =======



                                     NEUSTAR, INC.
                         CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                                     (in thousands)

                                                 December 31,   September 30,
                                                       2008         2009
                                                 --------------- ------------
     ASSETS                                          (audited)   (unaudited)
     Current assets:
       Cash, cash equivalents and short-term
        investments                                     $161,653     $303,228
       Restricted cash                                       496          498
       Accounts and unbilled receivables, net             72,635       64,326
       Prepaid expenses and other current assets          18,205       18,124
       Income taxes receivable                             4,621        3,445
       Deferred tax assets                                11,079        8,542
                                                        --------     --------
     Total current assets                                268,689      398,163

     Property and equipment, net                          64,160       67,203
     Goodwill and intangible assets, net                 134,661      128,940
     Other non-current assets                             47,412        6,062
     Deferred tax assets, long-term                        4,244        3,556
                                                        --------     --------
     Total assets                                       $519,166     $603,924
                                                        ========     ========

     LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
     Current liabilities:
       Accounts payable and accrued expenses             $59,103      $56,999
       Deferred revenue                                   32,530       35,659
       Notes payable and capital lease obligations        10,123       11,247
       Accrued restructuring reserve                       1,867        2,300
       Other liabilities                                     430        3,891
                                                        --------     --------
     Total current liabilities                           104,053      110,096

     Deferred revenue, long-term                          11,657        9,036
     Notes payable and capital lease
      obligations, long-term                              11,933        6,959
     Accrued restructuring reserve, long-term              1,589        1,099
     Other liabilities, long-term                          3,281        4,215
                                                        --------     --------
     Total liabilities                                   132,513      131,405

     Total stockholders' equity                          386,653      472,519
                                                        --------     --------
     Total liabilities and stockholders' equity         $519,166     $603,924
                                                        ========     ========

SOURCE Neustar, Inc.


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