NIC Earns Six Cents Per Share on a 50 Percent Increase in Portal Revenues

November 5, 2009 4:00 PM EST

Results Driven by Contribution from the Recently Acquired Texas Contract and Solid Same-State Portal Revenue Growth

OLATHE, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- NIC Inc. (NASDAQ: EGOV) today announced net income of $4.1 million and earnings per share of six cents on total revenues of $37.3 million for the three months ended September 30, 2009. Operating income was $6.6 million for the quarter, a 47 percent increase over the prior year quarter. The company reported net income of $3.1 million and earnings per share of five cents on total revenues of $24.9 million in third quarter 2008.

As previously announced, Texas NICUSA, LLC, part of the NIC family of companies, acquired an eGovernment contract in the state of Texas during the second quarter of 2009, which includes the current TexasOnline portal management engagement through December 31, 2009. Portal revenues and cost of portal revenues from the acquired Texas contract were approximately $8.8 million and $5.6 million, respectively, in the current quarter. Third quarter 2009 financial results also include approximately $1.8 million of intangible asset amortization expense related to the acquisition.

Quarterly portal revenues were $36.2 million, a 50 percent increase over third quarter 2008. On a same-state basis, portal revenues grew 14 percent in the current quarter. Same-state, transaction-based revenues from non-driver record (non-DMV) services grew 27 percent over third quarter 2008 through strong performance in tax filings, vehicle title and registration, professional licensing services, and the Alabama state liquor store payment service launched in the fourth quarter of 2008. Same-state DMV revenues were flat compared to third quarter 2008.

"Our current partners are aggressively rolling out valuable and cost-saving services," said Harry Herington, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of NIC. "NIC also continues to see a lot of opportunity as we educate prospective partners at all levels of government on the benefits of a self-funded services model."

Selling and administrative expenses were $6.2 million in the current quarter compared to $5.5 million in the third quarter of 2008. As a percentage of portal revenues, selling and administrative expenses were 17 percent in the current quarter, down from 23 percent in the same period last year.

Third quarter 2009 results included an income tax reserve reduction of approximately $0.1 million. Absent this item, net income would have been $4.0 million, with earnings per share unchanged. Third quarter 2008 results included an income tax reserve reduction of approximately $0.2 million. Absent this item, net income would have been $2.8 million, or four cents per share.

"Our strong third quarter financial results were driven by a full quarter of the recently acquired Texas contract," said Steve Kovzan, Chief Financial Officer of NIC. "The contribution from Texas, coupled with the stable and consistent performance of our other 22 portal businesses, has put us on track to comfortably meet or exceed the top end of our 2009 financial guidance for revenue, operating income and net income."

Operating Highlights

As recently announced, the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), awarded NIC Technologies, LLC, part of the NIC family of companies, a contract to build and operate the National Motor Carrier Pre-Employment Screening System. The contract has an initial one-year term, with four, single-year renewals at the option of the FMCSA. The new service will disseminate commercial drivers' safety performance history and will assist the motor carrier industry in assessing individual operators' crash and serious safety violation inspection history as a pre-employment condition. The system is currently expected to launch in December 2009, and will be developed and maintained using a self-funded, transaction-based model.

During the third quarter, Kentucky Interactive, LLC, part of the NIC family of companies, was awarded a new contract by the Commonwealth of Kentucky (www.kentucky.gov) after a competitive rebid. The initial term of the contract is for three years with three additional, single-year renewals at the option of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Also in third quarter, the New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division launched new online driver and motor vehicle services.

"We are honored that our partner in Kentucky continues to put its trust in NIC and we are excited about the opportunities ahead with the just-launched motor vehicles services in New Mexico and our recently-announced partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation," said Herington.

In addition, NIC's state government partners received 18 national eGovernment awards by the Center for Digital Government, an international research and advisory institute focused on the use of information technology in government. Nine NIC state partners took top honors in the Best of the Web competition, including four of the top five positions in the rankings. Utah won first place for the third time since 2003. Nine Digital Government Achievement Awards, which recognize excellence in electronic government services, went to NIC state partners.

"We want to offer a special congratulations to those partners recognized for their leadership in eGovernment by the Center for Digital Government. It is our partners' dedication to providing cutting-edge services online, over-the-counter, and via mobile that makes our partnerships so powerful and enduring," concluded Herington.

2010 Financial Guidance for Texas Contract

As previously announced, the state of Texas signed a seven-year contract with Texas NICUSA, LLC, part of the NIC family of companies, to manage TexasOnline 2.0 (www.texasonline.com), the official government portal for the state of Texas.

The state of Texas issued a Request for Offers for its official state portal and awarded the contract to Texas NICUSA following a nine-month competitive procurement. The original RFO was issued in October 2008, with bids due to the state in January 2009. The new contract was awarded on July 31, 2009. NIC will begin earning revenues under the contract in January 2010.

For fiscal year 2010, NIC currently expects total revenues from the new Texas contract, including related Master Work Order projects, to range from $32.0 million - $36.0 million, with gross profit margins in the low-to-mid 20 percent range.

Significant first-year projects under the new TexasOnline 2.0 contract include a state-wide content management system to increase both internal and external usability, a complete Web portal redesign, including the home page, and an extensive marketing campaign to re-launch the new Web site and create additional awareness and drive adoption of online services.

"We believe that these long-term investments will significantly drive adoption of portal services and make more services available electronically to Texans," said Kovzan. "Given the population of Texas, our incremental margin opportunity should be substantial, and we currently expect revenues and margins to grow steadily over time as we launch new services."

NIC intends to provide full year 2010 consolidated financial guidance as part of its fourth quarter 2009 earnings announcement in February 2010.

Third Quarter Earnings Call Dial-In Information

Thursday, November 5, 2009

4:30 p.m. (EST)


Call bridge:   800-762-8795 (U.S. callers) or 480-629-9773 (international
               callers)

Call leaders:  Harry Herington, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive
               Officer

               Steve Kovzan, Chief Financial Officer



Webcast and Podcast Information

To sign in and listen: The Webcast system is available at http://www.nicusa.com/investor.

A replay of the Webcast will be available until 11:00 p.m. (EST) on February 3, 2010, by visiting http://www.nicusa.com/investor. The conference call replay will also be available via Podcast download by visiting http://www.nicusa.com/investor.

An audio replay of NIC's third quarter earnings call will be available until 11:00 p.m. (EST) on November 11, 2009, by dialing 800-406-7325 and using passcode 4173076. International callers may dial 303-590-3030 and use the aforementioned passcode to access the audio playback.

About NIC

NIC Inc. (NASDAQ: EGOV) is the nation's leading provider of official government portals, online services, and secure payment processing solutions. The company's innovative eGovernment services help reduce costs and increase efficiencies for government agencies, citizens, and businesses across the country. The NIC family of companies provides eGovernment solutions for more than 3,000 federal, state, and local agencies that serve 97 million people in the United States. Additional information is available at http://www.nicusa.com.

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

Any statements contained in this release that do not relate to historical or current facts constitute forward-looking statements. These statements include NIC's financial guidance for the current fiscal year and for the TexasOnline 2.0 contract in 2010, statements regarding the potential for growth in revenues and margins relating to the TexasOnline 2.0 contract and statements regarding continued implementation of NIC's business model and its development of new products and services. Forward-looking statements are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be correct. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested or indicated by such forward-looking statements. These include, among others, NIC's ability to successfully integrate into its operations the recently acquired current portal management contracts and the TexasOnline 2.0 contract with government agencies in the state of Texas; NIC's ability to successfully increase the adoption and use of portal services in Texas; the success of the Company in signing contracts with new states and government agencies, including continued favorable government legislation; NIC's ability to develop new services; existing states and agencies adopting those new services; acceptance of eGovernment services by businesses and citizens; competition; and general economic conditions (including the recent deterioration in general economic conditions) and the other important cautionary statements and risk factors described in NIC's 2008 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 13, 2009, and in NIC's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC in 2009. NIC does not intend to update these forward-looking statements and undertakes no duty to any person to provide any such update under any circumstances.


NIC INC.

FINANCIAL SUMMARY

(UNAUDITED)

Thousands except per share amounts

                                  Three months ended      Nine-months ended

                                  September 30,           September 30,

                                  2009        2008        2009        2008

Revenues:

Portal revenues                   $ 36,236    $ 24,147    $ 93,408    $ 72,564

Software & services revenues      1,018       794         3,058       2,758

Total revenues                    37,254      24,941      96,466      75,322

Operating expenses:

Cost of portal revenues,
exclusive of depreciation &       21,133      13,502      53,743      39,214
amortization

Cost of software & services
revenues, exclusive of            609         541         1,847       1,681
depreciation & amortization

Selling & administrative          6,163       5,520       19,589      17,305

Nonrecurring gain on acquisition  -           -           (2,184   )  -
of business (net of tax)

Depreciation & amortization       2,779       903         5,347       2,648

Total operating expenses          30,684      20,466      78,342      60,848

Operating income                  6,570       4,475       18,124      14,474

Other income (expense):

Interest income                   3           140         48          583

Other expense, net                -           (5       )  -           (24      )

Total other income                3           135         48          559

Income before income taxes        6,573       4,610       18,172      15,033

Income tax provision              2,453       1,550       6,543       5,805

Net income                        $ 4,120     $ 3,060     $ 11,629    $ 9,228

Basic net income per share        $ 0.06      $ 0.05      $ 0.18      $ 0.14

Diluted net income per share      $ 0.06      $ 0.05      $ 0.18      $ 0.14

Weighted average shares
outstanding (as Restated)

Basic                             63,062      62,724      62,933      62,449

Diluted                           63,179      62,834      63,019      62,689

Key Financial Metrics:

Revenue growth - outsourced       50       %  17       %  29       %  19       %
portals

Same state revenue growth -       14       %  10       %  12       %  12       %
outsourced portals

Recurring portal revenue          87       %  94       %  89       %  92       %
percentage

Gross profit % - outsourced       42       %  44       %  42       %  46       %
portals

Selling & administrative as a %   17       %  23       %  21       %  24       %
of portal revenue

Operating income margin as a % of 18       %  19       %  19       %  20       %
portal revenue

Portal Revenue Analysis:

DMV transaction-based             $ 15,862    $ 11,745    $ 41,403    $ 35,445

Non-DMV transaction-based         13,745      8,800       35,702      25,427

Portal software & services        4,746       1,498       10,629      5,454

Portal management                 1,883       2,104       5,674       6,238

Total portal revenues             $ 36,236    $ 24,147    $ 93,408    $ 72,564




NIC INC.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(UNAUDITED)

Thousands

                                           September 30, 2009  December 31, 2008

ASSETS

Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents                  $ 66,633            $ 60,373

Trade accounts receivable                  39,783              37,497

Unbilled revenues                          392                 359

Deferred income taxes, net                 1,199               4,293

Prepaid expenses & other current assets    2,138               2,273

Total current assets                       110,145             104,795

Property and equipment, net                6,504               6,641

Intangible assets, net                     3,743               1,105

Deferred income taxes, net                 4,143               6,727

Other assets                               199                 144

Total assets                               $ 124,734           $ 119,412

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

Current liabilities:

Accounts payable                           $ 46,592            $ 41,792

Accrued expenses                           13,320              8,407

Application development contracts          90                  202

Other current liabilities                  1,174               898

Total current liabilities                  61,176              51,299

Other long-term liabilities                444                 894

Total liabilities                          61,620              52,193

Commitments and contingencies              -                   -

Shareholders' equity:

Common stock, $0.0001 par, 200,000 shares
authorized,

63,142 and 62,779 shares issued and        6                   6
outstanding

Additional paid-in capital                 138,460             154,194

Accumulated deficit                        (75,352   )         (86,981   )

                                           63,114              67,219

Total liabilities and shareholders'        $ 124,734           $ 119,412
equity




NIC INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

(UNAUDITED)

Thousands

                 Common Stock      Additional
                                   Paid-in   Accumulated
                 Shares    Amount  Capital   Deficit                  Total


Balance,
January 1,
2009, as         62,779    $ -     $ 154,200             $ (86,981 )  $ 67,219
originally
reported

Change in par
value of common  -         6       (6        )           -            -
stock

Balance,
January 1,       62,779    6       154,194               (86,981   )  67,219
2009, as
adjusted

Net income       -         -       -                     11,629       11,629

Cash dividends   -         -       (19,150   )           -            (19,150  )
on common stock

Shares
surrendered
upon exercise
of stock

options and
vesting of
restricted
stock

to satisfy tax   (95    )  -       (648      )           -            (648     )
withholdings

Stock option
exercises and
restricted
stock

vestings         353       -       90                    -            90

Stock-based      -         -       2,121                 -            2,121
compensation

Tax deductions
relating to
stock-based

compensation     -         -       1,388                 -            1,388

Issuance of
common stock
under

employee stock   105       -       465                   -            465
purchase plan

Balance,
September 30,    63,142    $ 6     $ 138,460             $ (75,352 )  $ 63,114
2009




NIC INC.

CASH FLOW SUMMARY

(UNAUDITED)

Thousands

                                  Three-months Ended      Nine-months Ended

                                  September 30,           September 30,

                                  2009        2008        2009        2008

Cash flows from operating
activities:

Net income                        $ 4,120     $ 3,060     $ 11,629    $ 9,228

Adjustments to reconcile net
income to net cash provided by

operating activities, excluding
the effects of acquisition:

Depreciation & amortization       2,779       903         5,347       2,648

Stock-based compensation expense  737         601         2,121       1,829

Application development           (38      )  (36      )  (112     )  (107     )
contracts

Deferred income taxes             2,111       1,699       4,504       5,332

Nonrecurring gain on acquisition  -           -           (2,184   )  -
of business (net of tax)

Loss on disposal of property and  -           5           -           24
equipment

Changes in operating assets and
liabilities, net of acquisition:

(Increase) decrease in trade      456         1,107       (2,286   )  (5,132   )
accounts receivable

(Increase) decrease in unbilled   (11      )  243         (33      )  372
revenues

(Increase) decrease in prepaid    (84      )  (642     )  246         (146     )
expenses & other current assets

(Increase) in other assets        (52      )  (10      )  (55      )  (10      )

Increase (decrease) in accounts   (1,477   )  6,172       4,800       7,638
payable

Increase in accrued expenses      2,378       871         4,146       929

Increase (decrease) in other      (139     )  649         152         918
current liabilities

Increase (decrease) in other      (172     )  322         (450     )  322
long-term liabilities

Net cash provided by operating    10,608      14,944      27,825      23,845
activities

Cash flows from investing
activities:

Purchases of property and         (1,137   )  (891     )  (2,458   )  (3,118   )
equipment

Capitalized internal use          (135     )  (153     )  (400     )  (561     )
software development costs

Purchases of investments          -           -           -           (1,000   )

Sales and maturities of           -           25          -           11,675
investments

Acquisition of business           -           -           (1,500   )  -

Net cash (used in) provided by    (1,272   )  (1,019   )  (4,358   )  6,996
investing activities

Cash flows from financing
activities:

Cash dividends on common stock    -           -           (19,150  )  (15,709  )

Proceeds from employee common     -           -           465         280
stock purchases

Proceeds from exercise of         63          10          90          1,862
employee stock options

Tax deductions related to         471         -           1,388       -
stock-based compensation

Net cash provided by (used in)    534         10          (17,207  )  (13,567  )
financing activities

Net increase in cash and cash     9,870       13,935      6,260       17,274
equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents,        56,763      41,575      60,373      38,236
beginning of period

Cash and cash equivalents, end    $ 66,633    $ 55,510    $ 66,633    $ 55,510
of period

Other cash flow information:

Income taxes paid                 $ 8         $ 108       $ 800       $ 577




    Source: NIC Inc.


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