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Gannett Reports Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2017 Results

February 20, 2018 6:55 AM

Company Delivers Full-Year 2017 Revenue Growth

Digital Revenues Grow to 32% of Total Revenue

MCLEAN, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) ("Gannett" or "company" or "we" or "our") today reported fourth quarter and full-year 2017 financial results for the period ended December 31, 2017. Our full-year 2017 results include 53 weeks as compared to 52 weeks in 2016, with the extra week impacting the fourth quarter. For comparability purposes, our same store revenue comparisons exclude the 53rd week.

"We are pleased with our financial results for the full-year 2017. Digital revenues grew to $1.0 billion and now comprise 31.6% of total revenues, evidence that our transformation to a next-generation media company is well underway," said Robert J. Dickey, president and chief executive officer. "Additionally, we delivered year-over-year revenue growth and flat Adjusted EBITDA, despite continued secular pressures in print advertising and circulation."

Dickey continued, "In the fourth quarter, we improved Adjusted EBITDA, despite a more challenging print advertising environment than expected. Strong profitability gains in our ReachLocal segment and solid overall cost management offset print revenue pressures. Looking ahead to 2018, we remain focused on growing our marketing solutions and consumer businesses, while driving additional operating efficiencies."

"We are excited by the momentum in the ReachLocal North America business, especially with the newly migrated Gannett clients,” said Sharon Rowlands, president of USA TODAY NETWORK Marketing Solutions and chief executive officer of ReachLocal. "There is a tremendous opportunity to increase penetration across our local markets by growing both new digital marketing services customers and wallet share. In 2018, we plan to capitalize on this significant opportunity with our newly aligned sales organization, which we expect will drive revenue growth and margin improvement."

Fourth Quarter 2017 Consolidated Results

Fourth Quarter 2017 Publishing Segment

Fourth Quarter 2017 ReachLocal Segment

Fourth Quarter 2017 Cash Flow

Subsequent Event

On February 5th, we closed on the sale of one of two parcels of property in downtown Nashville, generating net proceeds of approximately $38 million. The second parcel is planned to close in the second quarter of 2018 for an additional $6 million. We have entered into a leaseback for the next 15 months. As a result of the sale, plus additional cash generated during the first quarter, we have paid down an additional $50 million on our revolver in the first quarter, resulting in a revolver balance of $305 million.

Outlook

For 2018, the company expects the following:

We will be moving our reporting calendar to the Gregorian calendar in 2018 as compared to our 5-4-4 reporting calendar in 2017. From a quarterly perspective, this change will impact our traditional print operations as we will lose one Sunday in the first quarter of 2018 and gain one Sunday in the third quarter. As Sundays are our most profitable days, this change will reduce our first quarter margin and benefit our third quarter margin. Additionally, we expect softer revenue and Adjusted EBITDA in the first quarter as our sales transition is implemented but do anticipate trend improvement in total advertising revenues and Adjusted EBITDA margins as we progress throughout the year.

1 The company defines adjusted EBITDA as earnings before income taxes, interest expense, equity income, other non-operating items, restructuring costs, acquisition-related expenses, asset impairment charges, depreciation, amortization and other items. Because of the variability of these and other items as well as the impact of future events on these items, management is unable to reconcile without unreasonable effort the company's forecasted range of adjusted EBITDA for the full year to a comparable GAAP range.

* * * *

Conference Call Information

The company will hold a conference call at 10:00 a.m. ET today to discuss its fourth quarter results. The call can be accessed via a live webcast through the company's investor site, http://investors.gannett.com/, or listen-only conference lines. U.S. callers should dial 855-462-1958 and international callers should dial 503-343-6635 at least 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start of the call. The confirmation code for the conference call is 1798915. A conference call replay will be available through March 31, 2018. U.S. callers should dial (855) 859-2056 and international callers should dial (404) 537-3406.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements regarding business strategies, market potential, future financial performance and other matters. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts. The words “believe,” “expect,” “estimate,” “could,” “should,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “seek,” “anticipate,” “project” and similar expressions, among others, generally identify forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date the statements were made and are not guarantees of future performance. Where, in any forward-looking statement, an expectation or belief as to future results or events is expressed, such expectation or belief is based on the current plans and expectations of our management and expressed in good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis, but there can be no assurance that the expectation or belief will result or be achieved or accomplished. Whether or not any such forward-looking statements are in fact achieved will depend on future events, some of which are beyond our control. The matters discussed in these forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, trends, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. These factors include, among other things:

A further description of these and other important risks, trends, uncertainties and other factors is provided in the company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the company’s annual report on Form 10-K for fiscal year 2016. Any forward-looking statements should be evaluated in light of these important risk factors. The company is not responsible for updating or revising any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This press release also contains a discussion of certain non-GAAP financial measures that the company presents to allow investors and analysts to measure, analyze and compare its financial condition and results of operations in a meaningful and consistent manner. A reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures can be found in the tables accompanying this press release.

About Gannett

Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) is an innovative, digitally focused media and marketing solutions company committed to strengthening communities across our network. With an unmatched local-to-national reach, Gannett touches the lives of more than 110 million people monthly with our Pulitzer-Prize winning content, consumer experiences and benefits, and advertiser products and services. Gannett brands include USA TODAY NETWORK with the iconic USA TODAY and more than 100 local media brands, digital marketing services companies ReachLocal and SweetIQ, and U.K. media company Newsquest. To connect with us, visit www.gannett.com.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (LOSS)

Gannett Co., Inc. and Subsidiaries

Unaudited, in thousands (except per share amounts)

Table No. 1
Three months ended Year ended

December 31,2017

December 25,2016

December 31,2017

December 25,2016

Operating revenues:
Advertising $ 490,096 $ 513,687 $ 1,791,618 $ 1,703,795
Circulation 299,364 297,804 1,120,739 1,133,676
Other 64,782 55,503 234,123 210,003
Total operating revenues 854,242 866,994 3,146,480 3,047,474
Operating expenses:
Cost of sales and operating expenses * 507,008 531,024 1,959,638 1,927,895
Selling, general and administrative expenses * 216,648 214,134 836,306 795,548
Depreciation and amortization 43,432 41,114 191,885 132,964
Asset impairment charges 26,780 25,003 46,796 55,940
Restructuring costs 16,118 16,703 44,284 45,757
Total operating expenses 809,986 827,978 3,078,909 2,958,104
Operating income 44,256 39,016 67,571 89,370
Non-operating expenses:
Interest expense (4,821 ) (4,282 ) (17,142 ) (12,791 )
Other non-operating items, net 423 (579 ) (9,688 ) (10,151 )
Total non-operating expenses (4,398 ) (4,861 ) (26,830 ) (22,942 )
Income before income taxes 39,858 34,155 40,741 66,428
Provision for income taxes ** 53,449 9,561 33,854 13,718
Net income (loss) $ (13,591 ) $ 24,594 $ 6,887 $ 52,710
Earnings (loss) per share - basic $ (0.12 ) $ 0.21 $ 0.06 $ 0.45
Earnings (loss) per share - diluted $ (0.12 ) $ 0.21 $ 0.06 $ 0.44
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic 111,787 114,688 113,047 116,018
Diluted 111,787 117,053 115,610 118,625
* The company early adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") guidance requiring changes to the presentation of net periodic pension and other postretirement benefit costs. Specifically, this guidance requires entities to classify the service cost component of the net benefit cost in the same income statement line item as other employee compensation costs while all other components of net benefit cost must be presented as non-operating items. The guidance further requires such classification changes to be retrospectively applied beginning in the interim period in which the guidance is adopted. As a result of adopting this guidance, in the fourth quarter and year ended December 25, 2016, operating income and other non-operating expenses increased $2.8 million and $10.3 million, respectively. Net income, retained earnings, and earnings per share remained unchanged.
** The provision for income taxes for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2017 includes incremental tax expense of $42.8 million as a result of the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed in December 2017 and tax expense of $7.7 million related to the revaluation of a deferred tax asset associated with a deferred intercompany transaction. Further, the tax provision for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2017 is partially offset by a benefit of $0.9 million and $21.0 million, respectively, related to a worthless stock and debt deduction for one of our ReachLocal international subsidiaries.
SEGMENT INFORMATION

Gannett Co., Inc. and Subsidiaries

Unaudited, in thousands

Table No. 2
Three months ended Year ended

December 31,2017

December 25,2016

December 31,2017

December 25,2016

Operating revenues:
Publishing $ 764,801 $ 790,474 $ 2,812,243 $ 2,933,095
ReachLocal 101,420 75,167 358,728 110,144
Corporate and Other 1,488 1,353 4,835 4,235
Intersegment eliminations (13,467 ) (29,326 )
Total $ 854,242 $ 866,994 $ 3,146,480 $ 3,047,474
Adjusted EBITDA:
Publishing $ 149,184 $ 145,947 $ 432,420 $ 444,108
ReachLocal 6,961 892 16,553 (5,852 )
Corporate and Other (23,401 ) (16,994 ) (89,040 ) (78,361 )
Total $ 132,744 $ 129,845 $ 359,933 $ 359,895
Depreciation and amortization:
Publishing $ 29,098 $ 28,583 $ 135,214 $ 105,102
ReachLocal 8,398 8,312 33,902 12,236
Corporate and Other 5,936 4,219 22,769 15,626
Total $ 43,432 $ 41,114 $ 191,885 $ 132,964
Capital expenditures:
Publishing $ 12,116 $ 9,234 $ 35,702 $ 34,324
ReachLocal 3,967 2,927 16,871 4,123
Corporate and Other 9,358 2,886 19,752 21,601
Total $ 25,441 $ 15,047 $ 72,325 $ 60,048
REVENUE DETAIL

Gannett Co., Inc. and Subsidiaries

Unaudited, in thousands

Table No. 3
Three months ended

December 31,2017

December 25,2016

% Change
Reported revenue $ 854,242 $ 866,994 (1.5 %)
Acquired revenue (9,937 ) ***
Currency impact (4,232 ) ***
Exited operations 587 ***
53rd week (49,074 ) ***
Same store revenue $ 790,999 $ 867,581 (8.8 %)
Reported advertising revenue $ 490,096 $ 513,687 (4.6 %)
Acquired revenue (5,012 ) ***
Currency impact (2,648 ) ***
53rd week (26,826 ) ***
Same store advertising revenue $ 455,610 $ 513,687 (11.3 %)
Reported circulation revenue $ 299,364 $ 297,804 0.5 %
Acquired revenue (982 ) ***
Currency impact (1,209 ) ***
53rd week (19,329 ) ***
Same store circulation revenue $ 277,844 $ 297,804 (6.7 %)
Table No. 4
Three months ended

December 31,2017

December 25,2016

% Change
Publishing revenue detail
Print advertising $ 293,606 $ 334,414 (12.2 %)
Digital advertising:
External sales 106,831 110,832 (3.6 %)
Intersegment sales 12,085 ***
Total digital advertising 118,916 110,832 7.3 %
Total advertising 412,522 445,246 (7.3 %)
Circulation 299,364 297,804 0.5 %
Other:
External sales 51,533 47,424 8.7 %
Intersegment sales 1,382 ***
Total other 52,915 47,424 11.6 %
Total Publishing revenue $ 764,801 $ 790,474 (3.2 %)

USE OF NON-GAAP INFORMATION

The company uses non-GAAP financial performance and liquidity measures to supplement the financial information presented on a GAAP basis. These non-GAAP financial measures, which may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies, should not be considered in isolation from or as a substitute for the related GAAP measures and should be read together with financial information presented on a GAAP basis.

The company defines its non-GAAP measures as follows:

The company uses non-GAAP financial measures for purposes of evaluating its performance and liquidity. Therefore, the company believes that each of the non-GAAP measures presented provides useful information to investors by allowing them to view our businesses through the eyes of our management and Board of Directors, facilitating comparison of results across historical periods, and providing a focus on the underlying ongoing operating performance of our business. Many of our peer group companies present similar non-GAAP measures to better facilitate industry comparisons.

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL INFORMATION
ADJUSTED EBITDA

Gannett Co., Inc. and Subsidiaries

Unaudited, in thousands

Table No. 5
Three months ended December 31, 2017
Publishing ReachLocal

Corporate andOther

ConsolidatedTotal

Net loss (GAAP basis) $ (13,591 )
Provision for income taxes 53,449
Interest expense 4,821
Other non-operating items, net (423 )
Operating income (loss) (GAAP basis) $ 80,313 $ (2,071 ) $ (33,986 ) $ 44,256
Depreciation and amortization 29,098 8,398 5,936 43,432
Asset impairment charges 26,780 26,780
Restructuring costs 13,411 466 2,241 16,118
Acquisition-related items 45 505 550
Other items (463 ) 168 1,903 1,608
Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP basis) $ 149,184 $ 6,961 $ (23,401 ) $ 132,744
Three months ended December 25, 2016
Publishing ReachLocal

Corporate andOther

ConsolidatedTotal

Net income (GAAP basis) $ 24,594
Provision for income taxes 9,561
Interest expense 4,282
Other non-operating items, net 579
Operating income (loss) (GAAP basis) $ 72,121 $ (7,498 ) $ (25,607 ) $ 39,016
Depreciation and amortization 28,583 8,312 4,219 41,114
Asset impairment charges 25,003 25,003
Restructuring costs 16,539 78 86 16,703
Acquisition-related items 641 2,987 3,628
Other items 3,060 1,321 4,381
Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP basis) $ 145,947 $ 892 $ (16,994 ) $ 129,845
NON-GAAP FINANCIAL INFORMATION
ADJUSTED EBITDA

Gannett Co., Inc. and Subsidiaries

Unaudited, in thousands

Table No. 5 (continued)
Year ended December 31, 2017
Publishing ReachLocal

Corporate andOther

ConsolidatedTotal

Net income (loss) (GAAP basis) $ 6,887
Provision for income taxes 33,854
Interest expense 17,142
Other non-operating items, net 9,688
Operating income (loss) (GAAP basis) $ 219,677 $ (18,939 ) $ (133,167 ) $ 67,571
Depreciation and amortization 135,214 33,902 22,769 191,885
Asset impairment charges 46,796 46,796
Restructuring costs 37,376 980 5,928 44,284
Acquisition-related items 375 43 4,784 5,202
Other items (7,018 ) 567 10,646 4,195
Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP basis) $ 432,420 $ 16,553 $ (89,040 ) $ 359,933
Year ended December 25, 2016
Publishing ReachLocal

Corporate andOther

ConsolidatedTotal

Net income (loss) (GAAP basis) $ 52,710
Provision for income taxes 13,718
Interest expense 12,791
Other non-operating items, net 10,151
Operating income (loss) (GAAP basis) $ 235,398 $ (18,728 ) $ (127,300 ) $ 89,370
Depreciation and amortization 105,102 12,236 15,626 132,964
Asset impairment charges 55,940 55,940
Restructuring costs 45,031 640 86 45,757
Acquisition-related items 777 31,906 32,683
Other items 1,860 1,321 3,181
Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP basis) $ 444,108 $ (5,852 ) $ (78,361 ) $ 359,895
NON-GAAP FINANCIAL INFORMATION
ADJUSTED DILUTED EPS

Gannett Co., Inc. and Subsidiaries

Unaudited, in thousands (except per share amounts)

Table No. 6
Three months ended Year ended

December 31,2017

December 25,2016

December 31,2017

December 25,2016

Asset impairment charges $ 26,780 $ 25,003 $ 46,796 $ 55,940
Restructuring costs (including accelerated depreciation) 22,534 19,921 88,331 48,975
Acquisition-related items 550 3,628 5,202 32,683
Non-operating (gains) losses (5,725 ) 1,964 (4,710 ) 3,115
Other items (97 ) 3,060 (3,276 ) 1,860
Pretax impact 44,042 53,576 132,343 142,573
Income tax impact of above items (16,450 ) (20,196 ) (50,826 ) (50,609 )
Estimated effect of U.S. statutory tax rate change 42,776 42,776
Other tax-related items 6,834 (12,169 )
Impact of items affecting comparability on net income $ 77,202 $ 33,380 $ 112,124 $ 91,964
Net income (loss) (GAAP basis) $ (13,591 ) $ 24,594 $ 6,887 $ 52,710
Impact of items affecting comparability on net income (loss) 77,202 33,380 112,124 91,964
Adjusted net income (non-GAAP basis) $ 63,611 $ 57,974 $ 119,011 $ 144,674
Earnings (loss) per share - diluted (GAAP basis) $ (0.12 ) $ 0.21 $ 0.06 $ 0.44
Impact of items affecting comparability on net income (loss) 0.67 0.29 0.97 0.78
Adjusted earnings per share - diluted (non-GAAP basis) $ 0.55 $ 0.50 $ 1.03 $ 1.22
Diluted weighted average number of common shares outstanding (GAAP basis) 111,787 117,053 115,610 118,625
Diluted weighted average number of common shares outstanding (non-GAAP basis) 115,477 117,053 115,610 118,625
NON-GAAP FINANCIAL INFORMATION
FREE CASH FLOW

Gannett Co., Inc. and Subsidiaries

Unaudited, in thousands

Table No. 7

Three months endedDecember 31, 2017

Year ended December31, 2017

Net cash flow from operating activities (GAAP basis) $ 72,777 $ 236,468
Capital expenditures (25,441 ) (72,325 )
Free cash flow (non-GAAP basis) $ 47,336 $ 164,143

Gannett Co., Inc.

For investor inquiries:

Stacy Cunningham, 703-854-3168

VP, Financial Planning & Investor Relations

[email protected]

or

The Blueshirt Group

Brinlea Johnson

[email protected]

or

For media inquiries:

Amber Allman, 703-854-5358

Vice President, Corporate Events & Communications

[email protected]

Source: Gannett Co., Inc.

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