Hoover's, Inc. Reports Fiscal Third-Quarter Results | Hoover's: The most comprehensive business info available

Hoover's, Inc. Reports Fiscal Third-Quarter Results

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AUSTIN, TEXAS - January 21, 2003 - Hoover's, Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOV) today announced its results for the quarter ended December 31, 2002. Net income totaled $318,000, or $0.02 per share, compared to net income of $122,000, or $0.01 per share, in the same period last year.

Strength in the company's core subscription business contributed to total revenues of $8.6 million this quarter, up 9% compared to the same quarter last year. Subscription revenues grew 31% over the prior year and now comprise 81% of total revenue, up from 67% a year ago. As of December 31, 2002, Hoover's had 8,919 enterprise accounts, an increase of 244 accounts from the end of the previous quarter.

The company's other revenues, including advertising and e-commerce, licensing, and print publishing, totaled $1.6 million for the fiscal third quarter, compared to $2.6 million in the same quarter a year ago. The decline primarily resulted from the absence of the former NewsStand service, which adversely impacted licensing, and lower advertising revenue.

For the quarter ended December 31, 2002, gross margins improved to 76%, compared to 68% in the same quarter of last year. Operating expenses totaled $6.4 million this quarter, compared to $5.6 million in the same quarter one year ago. Operating expenses include approximately $618,000 of expenses associated with the recently announced merger with D&B.

Hoover's ended its third quarter with cash and short-term investments of $38.8 million, with cash flow from operations totaling $2.8 million this quarter.

On December 5, 2002, D&B (NYSE: DNB) and Hoover's announced a definitive agreement whereby D&B will acquire Hoover's for $7.00 per share in cash. The transaction is valued at approximately $117 million. On January 2, 2003, D&B and Hoover's jointly announced that the Federal Trade Commission granted early termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Act of 1976 with respect to the transaction with D&B. On January 8, 2003, Hoover's filed its Definitive Proxy Statement with the SEC, which indicated that the Special Meeting of Shareholders will be held on Friday, February 14, 2003.

About Hoover's, Inc. - The Business Information Authority(tm)
Hoover's, Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOV) is a leading provider of business information. Hoover's publishes authoritative information on public and private companies worldwide, and provides industry and market intelligence that helps sales, marketing and business development professionals and senior-level executives get the global intelligence they need to grow their businesses. This information, along with advanced searching tools, is available through Hoover's Online (www.hoovers.com), the company's premier online service. Hoover's business information is also available through corporate intranets and distribution agreements with licensees, as well as via print and CD-ROM products from Hoover's Business Press.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
The statements contained in this release relating to the merger with D&B are forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including, but not limited to: the satisfaction of all of the conditions to the closing of the acquisition, including, but not limited to, receiving the approval of a majority of Hoover's outstanding shares.

Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations — Unaudited (in thousands, except per share data)  

  For the Three Months Ended December 31,   Increase/(Decrease)
  2002 2001 $ %
REVENUE    
         
   Subscriptions $6,946 $5,309 1,637 30.8
   Advertising and e-commerce 766 1,501 (735) (49.0)
   Licensing 475 717 (242) (33.8)
   Print publishing, net 393 360 33 9.2
         
Net revenues 8,580 7,887 693 8.8
         
Cost of revenues (2,035) (2,511) (476) (19.0)
         
Gross profit 6,545 5,376 1,169 21.7
         
   Gross margin - % of revenue 76.3% 68.2%    
         
OPERATING EXPENSES        
         
   Product development 555 368 187 50.8
   Sales and marketing 2,635 2,406 229 9.5
   General and administrative 3,191 2,708 483 17.8
   Amortization and impairment of goodwill and intangibles 12 12 - -
   Non-cash compensation 33 66 (33) (50.0)
         
Total operating expenses 6,426 5,560 866 15.6
         
Operating income/(loss) 119 (184) 303
         
NON-OPERATING INCOME (EXPENSES)        
   Interest income, net 199 225 (26) (11.6)
   Gain on strategic investments 81 (81) (100.0)
         
   Total non-operating income/(expenses) 199 306 (107) (35.0)
         
Net income/(loss) $318 $122 $196 160.7
         
Weighted average shares outstanding        
   Basic 15,516 15,241    
   Diluted 16,378 15,714    
         
Net income/(loss) per share        
   Basic $ 0.02 $0.01 $0.01
   Diluted $0.02 $0.01 $0.01

Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations — Unaudited (in thousands, except per share data)  

  For the Nine Months Ended December 31,   Increase/(Decrease)
  2002 2001 $ %
REVENUE    
         
   Subscriptions $19,348 $15,693 3,655 23.3
   Advertising and e-commerce 2,754 4,550 (1,796) (39.5)
   Licensing 1,355 2,483 (1,128) (45.4)
   Print publishing, net 853 828 25 3.0
         
Net revenues 24,310 23,554 756 3.2
         
Cost of revenues (6,533) (8,127) (1,594) (19.6)
         
Gross profit 17,777 15,427 2,350 15.2
         
   Gross margin - % of revenue 73.1% 65.5%    
         
OPERATING EXPENSES        
         
   Product development 1,506 1,842 (336) (18.2)
   Sales and marketing 7,381 6,939 442 6.4
   General and administrative 8,258 10,230 (1,972) (19.3)
Amortization and impairment of goodwill and intangibles 37 6,238 (6,201) (99.4)
Non-cash ompensation 107 507 (400) (78.9)
         
Total operating expenses 17,289 25,756 (8,467) (32.9)
         
Operating income/(loss) 488 (10,329) 10,817
         
NON-OPERATING INCOME (EXPENSES)        
   Interest income, net 624 889 (265) (29.8)
   Loss on strategic investments (2,428) 2,428 100.0
         
   Total non-operating income/(expenses) 624 (1,539) 2,163   —
         
Net income/(loss) $1,112 $(11,868) $12,980
         
Weighted average shares outstanding        
   Basic 15,383 15,340    
   Diluted 16,195 15,340    
         
Net income/(loss) per share        
   Basic $0.07 $(0.77) $ 0.84
   Diluted $0.07 $(0.77) $0.84


Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet (in thousands)    

  December 31, 2002(Unaudited)   March 31, 2002(Audited)
ASSETS      
Current assets      
       
   Cash and short-term investments $38,768   $32,791
   Accounts receivable, net 1,591   2,726
   Inventory, net 180   156
   Other current assets 555   471
       
Total current assets 41,094   36,144
       
Fixed assets, net 2,914   4,142
Intangible assets, net 28   65
Other non-current assets 17   17
       
TOTAL ASSETS $44,053   $40,368
       
       
LIABILITIES      
Current liabilities      
       
   Accounts payable and commissions $898   $1,042
   Accrued expenses 3,687   3,440
   Deferred revenue 9,402   7,853
       
Total current liabilities 13,987   12,335
       
       
Total liabilities 13,987   12,335
       
Shareholders' equity      
   Common stock 162   159
   Paid-in capital 96,853   96,037
   Unearned stock compensation   (107)
   Accumulated other comprehensive income (5)  
   Accumulated deficit (65,604)   (66,716)
   Treasury stock, at cost (1,340)   (1,340)
       
Total shareholders' equity 30,066   28,033
       
TOTAL LIABILITIES & EQUITY $44,053   $40,368
 

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows — Unaudited

(In Thousands)
  For the Nine Months EndedDecember 31,
  2002 2001
     
Operating activities    
Net income / (loss) $1,112 $(11,868)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:    
   Depreciation 1,899 2,373
   Impairment of goodwill and intangibles 5,807
   Amortization of intangibles 37 432
   Amortization of unearned stock compensation 107 507
   Non-cash write-down of software 730
   Provision for doubtful accounts 650 561
   Impairment of strategic investments 2,508
   Gain on sale of investments 81
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:    
   Accounts receivable 485 911
   Inventories (24) (80)
   Prepaid expenses and other current assets (84) (277)
   Accounts payable and commissions (144) (1,017)
   Accrued expenses and employee liabilities 247 585
   Deferred revenue 1,549 1,947
     
Net cash provided by operating activities 5,834 3,200
     
Investing activities    
Purchases of fixed assets, net (671) (923)
Purchases of short term investments (922)
Sale of short-term investments 50
Net cash used in investing activities (1,593) (873)
     
Financing activities    
Purchase of treasury stock (734)
Payments on notes payable (1,014)
Payments on capital leases (25)
Net proceeds from capital stock transactions 819 110
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities 819 (1,663)
     
Change in cumulative translation adjustment (32)
Increase in cash and cash equivalents 5,060 632
Cash and cash equivalents -- beginning of period 17,558 30,533
     
Cash and cash equivalents -- end of period 22,618 31,165
     
Increase in short-term investments 917
Short-term investments -- beginning of period 15,233
     
Short-term investments -- end of period 16,150
     
Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments at end of period $38,768 $31,165
# # #

Contact

Lisa Glass
Hoover's, Inc.
512-374-4662
lglass@hoovers.com

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Where To Find Us
Hoover's, Inc.
5800 Airport Blvd., Austin, TX 78752 (map)
phone: 512-374-4500
fax: 512-374-4051