Professional fees: acquisitions, divestitures, litigation, and strategic alternatives
(Loss) income before income taxes and equity income in earnings of affiliates
Use of Non-GAAP Financial Information
Beginning with the first quarter of fiscal 2013, we changed our reported non-GAAP measure of financial performance to both non-GAAP income from operations and adjusted EBITDA. We define non-GAAP income from operations as U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("U.S. GAAP") operating income or loss plus stock-based compensation expenses, amortization of intangible assets, inventory write-downs, earn-outs and change in fair value of earn-outs, professional fees associated with acquisitions and divestitures, litigation and strategic alternatives and severance and other restructuring costs. We define adjusted EBITDA as U.S. GAAP operating income or loss before depreciation expense, amortization of intangible assets, stock-based compensation expense, inventory write-downs, earn-outs and change in fair value of earn-outs, professional fees associated with acquisitions, divestitures, litigation and strategic alternatives, severance and other restructuring costs. In periodic communications, we have discussed non-GAAP income from operations and also believe that adjusted EBITDA are both important measures that are not calculated according to U.S. GAAP. We use non-GAAP income from operations and adjusted EBITDA in internal forecasts and models when establishing internal operating budgets, supplementing the financial results and forecasts reported to our Board of Directors, determining a component of bonus compensation for executive officers and other key employees based on operating performance and evaluating short-term and long-term operating trends in our operations. We believe that non-GAAP income from operations and adjusted EBITDA financial measures assist in providing an enhanced understanding of our underlying operational measures to manage the business, to evaluate performance compared to prior periods and the marketplace, and to establish operational goals. We believe that these non-GAAP financial adjustments are useful to investors because they allow investors to evaluate the effectiveness of the methodology and information used by management in our financial and operational decision-making.
Non-GAAP income from operations and adjusted EBITDA are non-GAAP financial measures and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for financial information provided in accordance with U.S. GAAP. These non-GAAP financial measures may not be computed in the same manner as similarly titled measures used by other companies. We expect to continue to incur expenses similar to the non-GAAP income from operations and adjusted EBITDA financial adjustments described above, and investors should not infer from our presentation of this non-GAAP financial measure that these costs are unusual, infrequent or non-recurring.
In managing and reviewing our business performance, we exclude a number of items required by U.S. GAAP. Management believes that excluding these items is useful in understanding the trends and managing our operations. We provide these supplemental non-GAAP measures in order to assist the investment community to see SeaChange through the "eyes of management," and therefore enhance the understanding of SeaChange's operating performance. Non-GAAP financial measures should be viewed in addition to, and not as an alternative to, our reported results prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Our non-GAAP financial measures reflect adjustments based on the following items:
Amortization of Intangible Assets. We incur amortization expense of intangibles related to various acquisitions that have been made in recent years. These intangible assets are valued at the time of acquisition, are then amortized over a period of several years after the acquisition and generally cannot be changed or influenced by management after the acquisition. We believe that exclusion of these expenses allows comparisons of operating results that are consistent over time for both the Company's newly-acquired and long-held businesses.
Stock-based Compensation Expense. We incur expenses related to stock-based compensation included in our U.S. GAAP presentation of cost of revenues, selling, general and administrative expense and research and development expense. Although stock-based compensation is an expense we incur and is viewed as a form of compensation, these expenses vary in amount from period to period, and are affected by market forces that are difficult to predict and are not within the control of management, such as the market price and volatility of our shares, risk-free interest rates and the expected term and forfeiture rates of the awards.
Inventory Write-down. We incur inventory write-downs of our legacy product lines as we end of life certain product lines to focus on selling our new products being developed.
Earn-outs and Change in Fair Value of Earn-outs. Earn-outs and the change in the fair value of the earn-outs are considered by management to be non-recurring expenses to the former shareholders of the businesses we acquire. We also incur expense due to changes in fair value related to contingent consideration that we believe would otherwise impair comparability among periods.
Professional Fees: Acquisitions, Divestitures, Litigation and Strategic Alternatives. We have excluded the effect of professional fees associated with our acquisitions and divestitures, litigation and strategic alternatives because the amount and timing of these expenses are largely non-recurring.
Severance and Other Restructuring. We incurred charges due to the restructuring of our business, including severance charges and facility reductions resulting from our restructuring and streamlining efforts and any changes due to revised estimates, which we generally would not have otherwise incurred in the periods presented as part of our continuing operations. We also incurred charges for the hiring and appointment of the Chief Executive Officer.
Depreciation Expense. We incur depreciation expense related to capital assets purchased to support the ongoing operations of the business. These assets are recorded at cost and are depreciated using the straight-line method over the useful life of the asset. Purchases of such assets may vary significantly from period to period and without any correlation to underlying operating performance. Management believes that exclusion of depreciation expense allows comparisons of operating results that are consistent across past, present and future periods.
The following tables reconcile the Company's income (loss) from operations, the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP financial measure to the Company's non-GAAP income from operations and the reconciliation of our U.S. GAAP income or loss from operations to our adjusted EBITDA for the three and nine months ended October 31, 2012 and 2011 (amounts in thousands except per share and percentage data):
Adjusted EBITDA:
Adjusted EBITDA:
Modification of Presentation of Non-GAAP Information and Change in Calculation of Adjusted EBITDA
SeaChange has modified its presentation of U.S. GAAP to non-GAAP earnings per share to enhance our presentation of financial results to our investors. We have also changed our calculation of adjusted EBITDA to exclude other income (expense), such as translation gain/(loss) on foreign exchange, interest income (expense), unrealized losses on marketable securities, equity income in earnings of affiliates and gains on sales of investments in affiliates.
For comparison, we have revised our presentation of U.S. GAAP to non-GAAP and adjusted EBITDA below for periods presented:
Adjusted EBITDA:
Adjusted EBITDA:
Adjusted EBITDA:
SeaChange International, Inc.
Third Quarter and Year to
Date Fiscal Year 2013 Results
Prepared Remarks
December
4, 2012
SeaChange is providing a copy of these prepared remarks in combination with its press release. This process and these remarks are offered to allow investors and analysts additional time and detail for analyzing our financial results in advance of our quarterly conference call. As previously scheduled, the conference call will begin tomorrow, Dec. 5, at 8:30 a.m. E.T. and will include comments followed by questions and answers. These prepared remarks will not be read on the call.
The conference call may be accessed using the following information:
- Telephone: 877-407-8037 (U.S.) and 201-689-8037 (international)
-
Live webcast: www.schange.com/IR
(An archived webcast also will be available at this site.)
Fiscal 2013 Third Quarter and Year to Date Financial Discussion (excludes discontinued operations)
Product Revenue. Product revenue for the three months ended October 31, 2012 decreased $6.1 million, or 28.5% over the same period of fiscal 2012, primarily due to the following:
- A $2.5 million decrease in back office revenue for the period. The decrease was primarily due to lower demand for our legacy products from North American customers and a $1.9 million decrease due to a change in classification of revenue recorded from our subscription agreement with Comcast from the prior fiscal year. This agreement included specified product enhancements in the prior fiscal year and therefore was recorded as product revenues. The current agreement with Comcast signed in the second quarter of fiscal 2013 contains no specified product enhancements and so revenue recognized under this agreement is now recorded as service revenue;
- Lower advertising product revenues of $0.5 million due to lower license revenue from North American service providers, a result of lower demand for our legacy products;
- A $2.1 million decrease in home gateway revenues due to significant home gateway licensing transactions with a large domestic customer during the third quarter of fiscal 2012, for which there was no comparable amount in the same period of fiscal 2013; and
- A $1.1 million decrease in revenues from sales of VOD servers, as large shipments of VOD servers were made to customers in North America and Asia in the third quarter of fiscal 2012 that was partially offset by higher shipments of VOD servers to a Latin American customer this quarter.
Product revenue for the nine months ended October 31, 2012 decreased $13.0 million, or 24.2% over the same period of fiscal 2012, primarily due to the following:
- An $8.1 million decrease for the nine month period in back office revenue due to the change in classification of revenue from the Comcast subscription agreement mentioned above, which resulted in a $5.2 million decrease in product revenues. Additionally, there was a decrease in product revenues in the nine month period due to lower demand for our legacy products from North American customers;
- Lower advertising product revenues of $4.1 million primarily due to lower license revenue from North American service providers a result of lower demand for our legacy products;
- A $2.1 million decrease in home gateway revenues due to a significant home gateway licensing transaction with a large domestic customer during the third quarter of fiscal 2012, for which there was no comparable amount in the same period of fiscal 2013; and
- Revenues from sales of VOD servers increased $1.1 million during the first nine months of fiscal 2013 as compared to the same period of fiscal 2012 primarily due to a higher number of shipments to Latin American customers this fiscal year that was partially offset by lower shipments of VOD servers to a customer in Asia.
Service Revenue. Service revenue for the three and nine months ended October 31, 2012 increased $2.4 million, or 11.0%, and $4.1 million, or 6.1%, respectively, as compared to the same periods of fiscal 2012.
- The $2.4 million increase for the three month period was primarily a result of higher home gateway service revenues from several domestic customers during the current period; and
- The $4.1 million increase for the nine month period was primarily a result of a $5.9 million increase in home gateway service revenues from several domestic customers, a $0.5 million increase in maintenance revenues from our European customers and higher service revenue due to the change in classification of revenue recognized under the Comcast subscription agreement, as noted above. These increases were partially offset by lower VOD and advertising professional services revenues domestically.
Gross Profit and Margin. Cost of product revenues consists primarily of the cost of purchased material components and subassemblies, labor and overhead relating to the final assembly and testing of complete systems and related expenses, and labor and overhead costs related to software development contracts. Gross profit margin decreased 6.9% and 6.5%, respectively, for the three and nine month periods ending October 31, 2012, as compared to the same periods of the prior year, primarily due to the following:
- Gross product profit margin decreased by 12 percentage points to 60% for the three months ended October 31, 2012 due primarily to the product mix of higher revenues from reselling certain third-party back office products, which carry lower margins, and the impact from the large home gateway licensing transaction during the third quarter of last fiscal year, which positively impacted product margins during the prior year;
- Gross product profit margin decreased 11 percentage points for the nine months ended October 31, 2012, from 69% in the same period of the prior fiscal year. The 11 point decrease was primarily due to a $1.8 million inventory write-down during the second quarter of fiscal 2013, the mix of higher revenues from reselling certain third party back office products, a decrease in advertising revenues which typically carry higher margins and a favorable impact to product margins last fiscal year from the large home gateway licensing transaction;
- Service margins increased one percentage point to 43% for the three months ended October 31, 2012, as compared to same period last year, primarily due to lower professional service headcount costs as we continue to review our cost structure; and
- Service margins decreased one percentage point from 46% for the nine months ended October 31, 2012, as compared to the same period of last year, primarily due to higher absorption of research and development to cost of sales, a result of higher home gateway service revenues which require greater customization work. This was partially offset by lower professional services costs.
Inventory Write-down. In the nine months ended October 31, 2012, we incurred a $1.8 million charge for inventory write-downs due to lower foreseeable demand for some of our legacy product lines, in particular, hardware components related to certain discontinued VOD server product lines, as we focus on selling the new products being developed. We will continue to review our inventory levels and may record additional inventory write-downs in future periods.
Research and Development. Research and development expenses consist primarily of employee costs, which include salaries, benefits and related payroll taxes, depreciation of development and test equipment and an allocation of related facility expenses. During the three and nine months ended October 31, 2012, our total research and development expenses decreased by $1.1 million and $1.4 million, respectively, as compared to the same periods of fiscal 2012 as we had lower costs associated with a decrease in headcount, primarily in the VOD server product lines, and a higher absorption of research and development to cost of sales due to higher home gateway service revenues which require customization work which resulted in a decrease in research and development expenses of $2.0 million for the three months ended and $4.1 million for the nine months ended October 31, 2012. These decreases were partially offset by an increase in outside contract labor costs as we bring new products to market in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013. We will continue to focus our investment in research and development on our next generation product offerings.
Selling and Marketing. Selling and marketing expenses consist primarily of payroll costs, which include salaries and related payroll taxes, benefits and commissions, travel expenses and certain promotional expenses. Selling and marketing expenses decreased $1.2 million, or 23.6%, in the third quarter of fiscal 2013 and $3.8 million, or 24.1%, during the first nine months of fiscal 2013 when compared to the same periods of fiscal 2012. The decreases were primarily due to a reduction in headcounts during the periods which resulted in corresponding reductions in commissions and travel expenses.
General and Administrative. General and administrative expenses consist primarily of employee costs, which include salaries and related payroll taxes and benefit-related costs, legal and accounting services and an allocation of related facilities expenses. General and administrative expenses decreased $0.4 million, or 9.3%, during the third quarter of fiscal 2013 and $0.1 million, or 1.0%, during the first nine months ended October 31, 2012, as compared to the same periods of fiscal 2012. These decreases were due to lower finance headcount related costs and lower corporate legal fees.
Stock-based Compensation Expense. Stock-based compensation expense is related to the issuance of stock grants to our employees, executives and Board of Directors. Stock-based compensation expense decreased $0.3 million, or 28.5%, during the three months ended and $0.1 million for the nine months ended October 31, 2012, as compared to the same periods of fiscal 2012. These decreases were primarily due to a reduction in overall executive headcount in fiscal 2013 and the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012, partially offset by an increase in expenses related to the performance-based stock compensation package granted to our new Chief Executive Officer, who was appointed to his permanent position on May 1, 2012.
Earn-outs and Change in Fair Value of Earn-outs. Earn-out costs include changes in the fair value of acquisition-related contingent consideration, and changes in contingent liabilities related to estimated earn-out payments. During the second quarter of fiscal 2013, we revised our estimate of potential earn-out payments to the former shareholders of VividLogic and recorded a liability of $1.5 million in other accrued expenses on our consolidated balance sheet, to reflect estimated future financial performance compared to the respective earn-out criteria. For the three and nine month periods ended October 31, 2012, we have made cash earn-out payments of $3.1 million and $7.3 million, respectively.
Professional Fees- Acquisitions, Divestitures, Litigation, and Strategic Alternatives. Professional fees in fiscal 2013 are primarily related to fees paid to outside counsel for the divestiture of our Broadcast Servers and Storage business and our Media Services business. It also consists of fees to defend our patent litigation with ARRIS. During the third quarter of fiscal 2013, we incurred minimal charges related to our divestitures. The $0.6 million decrease in professional fees for the three months ended October 31, 2012, as compared to the same period last year was a result of a decrease in charges related to our review of strategic alternatives and patent litigation fees relating to the ARRIS litigation.
For the nine months ended October 31, 2012, professional fees decreased $0.4 million, as compared to the same period last year as we incurred significant costs associated with our review of strategic alternatives and the ARRIS patent litigation, which was partially offset by professional fees incurred in fiscal 2013 relating to our divestitures during the first quarter of fiscal 2013 and the acquisition of Flashlight during the second quarter of fiscal 2013.
Severance and Other Restructuring Expenses. Severance and other restructuring expenses increased $1.5 million and $2.7 million for the three and nine months ended October 31, 2012, respectively, as compared to the same periods of fiscal 2012. During the third quarter of fiscal 2013, we incurred severance charges of $1.3 million related to the departure of nine employees, including two senior executives, as we continued to take actions to lower our cost structure and improve our financial performance. We also incurred a $0.2 million charge to reduce the value of our building in New Hampshire.
For the nine months ended October 31, 2012, we incurred $1.6 million of severance charges relating to the reduction of 30 employees this fiscal year. In addition, we also incurred a $0.8 million charge to write off leasehold improvements for the reduction of space and certain other fixed assets in our leased facility in the Philippines, significantly reducing the size of this facility. We also incurred the $0.2 million charge to reduce the value of our building in New Hampshire and one-time charges totaling $0.2 million for a sign-on bonus, relocation expenses and recruitment fees that relate to the hiring and appointment of a permanent Chief Executive Officer on May 1, 2012. For the three and nine month periods ended October 31, 2012, we have made cash severance payments of $0.8 million and $2.9 million, respectively.
Adjusted EBITDA. During the three and nine month periods ended October 31, 2012, our adjusted EBITDA was $3.9 million and $9.7 million, respectively. For the same three and nine month periods ended October 31, 2011, our adjusted EBITDA was $6.8 million and $16.4 million, respectively. The primary difference between the current three and nine months periods compared to the same prior fiscal year periods is the loss from continuing operations in fiscal 2013 compared to the income from operations in fiscal 2012, severance and restructuring charges as a result of reducing our overall operating costs to further streamline the business and earn-out charges and payments as a result of our prior acquisitions.
