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 IDT Reports Second Quarter FY 99 Results
Company posts record $160.7 million in revenues, EBITDA of
$10.4 million, and EPS of $0.06
Hackensack, NJ.-March 3, 1999 -- IDT Corporation (NASDAQ:
IDTC) today reported revenues of $160.7 million for the second quarter
ended January 31, 1999, a 126% increase over the same period year-ago
revenues of $71.0 million. EBITDA for the second quarter was $10.4
million, or $0.29 per diluted share, an 85% increase on a gross
basis over same quarter year-ago EBITDA of $5.6 million or $0.21
per diluted share. Net income for the quarter was $2.1 million or
$0.06 per diluted share as compared with the
same quarter year-ago net income of $3.2 million or $0.12 per diluted
share.
A quarter to quarter comparison shows a 21% revenue increase to
$160.7
million from $133.3 million in the prior quarter. EBITDA in the
second
quarter decreased 26% sequentially to $10.4 million or $0.29 per
diluted
share as compared to $15.1 million or $0.42 per diluted share in
the prior
quarter. Net income for the quarter was $2.1 million or $0.06 per
diluted
share as compared to the prior quarter's net income of $4.9 million
or $0.14
per share.
As announced in January, the Company has strengthened its management
team with the addition of several key personnel to focus exclusively
on
international network expansion and infrastructure development.
"This was a record quarter for the Company with regard to
top line results,
and we are continuing to focus our efforts and resources on further
expanding our international network infrastructure to support the
overwhelming demand for our services," said Howard Jonas, CEO
of IDT. "Our ability to terminate more traffic on net should
only increase our
profitability and competitive positioning. We believe we are well
on our way
to achieving these goals."
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
IDT's telecommunications operations continued its rapid pace of
growth.
Telecom revenues for the quarter increased to $149.2 million, up
137% over
same period year-ago revenues of $63.0 million and a 21% sequential
increase over revenues of $123.7 million for the prior quarter.
Telecom gross margins in this quarter were 19.9% as compared to
23.2% for the prior quarter. Telecom minutes of use grew to approximately
685 million minutes for the quarter, a 325% increase over 161 million
minutes of use in the same quarter year ago, and a 38% increase
over the prior quarter's 496 million minutes.
The Company has seen significant growth in its wholesale carrier
services
division, which reported revenues of $54.8 million, up 13% over
the prior
quarter's revenues of $48.4 million, and a 43% year over year improvement.
This quarter, the Company announced that it has signed agreements
to
establish fiber-optic connections with France Telecom (NYSE: FTE),
Deutsche Telekom (NYSE: DT), and Telefonica (NYSE: TEF). This will
enable the Company to provide better access and lower termination
rates for its international long distance to a number of countries
throughout Europe. The Company is obtaining licenses and building
facilities in markets in Europe, Asia, Latin America, and North
America.
Revenues from IDT's retail division saw strong growth over the
past quarter.
In particular, pre-paid calling card revenues for the second quarter
increased to $86 million, up 375% from $18.1 in the same quarter
year ago,
and up 28% sequentially from $67.3 million in revenues for the prior
quarter.
The Company recently announced two deals with "M&M's"
Chocolate Candies and Wells Fargo to provide specially-branded pre-paid
phone cards. The Company expects to have the "M&M's"
Chocolate Candies cards on the market by the end of the month, and
has already begun offering pre-paid phone card and long distance
services to Wells Fargo's business and credit card customers.
INTERNET TELEPHONY
Revenues for IDT's Internet telephony division in the second quarter
were
$7.2 million, up 167% over same-period year-ago revenues of $2.7
million,
and a 36% sequential increase over revenues of $5.3 million for
the prior
quarter. Total Net2Phone minutes of use grew to 53 million minutes
for the
quarter, a 54% increase over the prior quarter's 34.5 million minutes.
INTERNET
IDT's Internet division reported revenues to $4.3 million, which
were equal
to prior quarter's revenues of $4.3 million, and a 17% decrease
from $5.2
million in the same quarter year-ago.
FINANCIAL DETAILS
Gross margins for the second quarter were 21.2% as compared to 24.2%
for the prior quarter. SG&A for the quarter was $23.8 million
as compared to the same quarter year-ago SG&A of $13.9 million,
and $17.1 million last quarter. SG&A, as a percentage of revenues,
was 14.8% for the quarter, as compared to 19.6% in the same quarter
year-ago, and 12.8% for the prior quarter. The increase in SG&A
was due to increased spending and marketing for the Company's retail
services.
EBITDA margins for the second quarter were 6.5% as compared to
11.4% in the prior quarter. Operating margins were 2.6%, as compared
to 7.3% in the prior quarter. Depreciation for the quarter was $6.3
million as compared to $2.0 million in the same quarter year-ago,
reflecting increased spending on domestic and international network
expansion. As a percentage of revenues, depreciation was 3.9% of
revenues for the quarter as compared to 2.9% in the same quarter
year-ago, and 4.1% for the prior quarter.
The Company finished the quarter with $140 million in cash, which
it
believes is sufficient to fund ongoing capital expenditures. Shares
used to
calculate earnings per share for the second quarter were 35.5 million.
IDT CORPORATION
IDT is a leading emerging multinational carrier that combines its
position
as an international telecommunications operator, its experience
as an
Internet service provider and its leading position in Internet telephony
to
provide a broad range of telecommunications services to its wholesale
and
retail customers worldwide. The company provides its customers with
integrated and competitively priced international and domestic long
distance, pre-paid calling cards, Internet access and, through its
Net2Phone product offerings, Internet telephony services including
Net2Phone Direct, Net2Fax, and Click2Talk.
Except for historical information, all of the expectations and
assumptions
contained in the foregoing are forward-looking statements involving
risks
and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results
to
differ materially from such forward-looking statements, include,
but are not
limited to, the competitive environment for Internet telephony,
changes of
rates of all related telco rates and services, legislation that
may affect
the Internet Telephony industry, IDT's ability to operate the services
described on a large scale commercial level. For additional information
regarding these and other risks associated with the Company's business
refer to the Company's reports filed with the SEC.
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