Scientific Games Reports First Quarter 2004 Results

Apr 22, 2004, 5:17 pm (3 comments)

Scientific Games

Revenues Increased 51%; Net Income Increased 80% to $20 million; Earnings per Diluted Share were $0.22

Scientific Games Corporation today announced results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2004. Revenues for the first quarter of 2004 increased 51% to $185.5 million compared to $123.2 million for the first quarter of 2003. Income before the preferred stock dividend was $20.4 million, an increase of 80% over 2003 first quarter income of $11.3 million, and diluted earnings per share increased 69% to $0.22 in the first quarter of 2004 from $0.13 per diluted share in of the first quarter of 2003.

EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization -- see the following EBITDA reconciliation) was $53.0 million in the first quarter of 2004 versus $34.8 million for the first quarter of 2003, an increase of 52%.

Increases in revenue were primarily due to the contribution from IGT OnLine Entertainment Systems, Inc. (OES) acquired in November of 2003, the additional revenues from new lottery customers such as Tennessee and North Dakota, continued strong instant ticket sales especially in states using our Cooperative Services, and sales of lottery terminals to The Ontario Lottery Corporation. Together with the preceding factors, the increase in net income also reflects a decrease in our effective tax rate to 31.5%.

"We had a very busy and successful first quarter helping both the Tennessee Lottery and the North Dakota Lottery with their start ups," said Lorne Weil, Chairman and CEO of Scientific Games. "We got the Tennessee Lottery started three weeks early and in those three weeks it sold almost $100 million worth of instant tickets. North Dakota started its Powerball® online game on March 25th with about 400 retailers and achieved the highest per capita launch in Powerball history. Never before has a new lottery launched with its online game first and we did it in record time. The North Dakota Lottery is expected to add two more multi-state online games, Hot Lotto and Wild Card 2, shortly."

"During the first quarter we made important strides integrating the OES operations into ours. We have begun transitioning customers over to our centralized customer service center in Georgia, and making equipment and software upgrades, both of which should reduce costs and improve service for these lottery customers and their retailers, as well as stimulate growth in revenue. We are also establishing centralized support for customer networks, software and quality control."

Mr. Weil continued, "Once again instant ticket sales were very strong in our Cooperative Service states. Although the industry figures have not yet been published for the first quarter, we see no retreat from recent quarters' 9-10% sales growth. In a continuing effort to maximize efficiencies we have ordered a new short run press for our Alpharetta, Georgia facility that will allow us to better manage production and handle increasing commercial orders. In addition we are in the process of shifting phone card production to our facility in Chile and increasing our instant ticket capability in the UK."

Scientific Games said it has begun to introduce five new online games to customers and the reception has been very positive. Pennsylvania in particular is experiencing robust sales of its new Match 6(TM) online game.

Mr. Weil continued, "During the first quarter, we introduced our newest vending solutions, PlayCentral(TM) and ConvenienceCentral(TM), to most of our customers in the US and abroad. PlayCentral, targeted at supermarkets, and ConvenienceCentral, designed for convenience stores and other smaller retailers, allow lotteries to increase the efficiency of existing retail outlets as well as expand into new distribution points. Both should lead to notably higher ticket sales. Currently our backlog stands at 2,450 vending machines."

"The pari-mutuel and venue management business segments are just now entering their strongest seasons. During the first quarter we continued conversion to our new Linux-based Quantum(TM) system, providing unprecedented throughput, distribution and security. We signed an agreement with Youbet.com to provide pari-mutuel services including a centralized wagering network, maintenance and security services - a contract worth nearly $7 million over its five-year term and containing a three-year option to renew."

"Magna Entertainment extended its contract for our account wagering platform Trackplay(TM), used to run Magna's XpressBet(TM) Internet site. Finally we obtained new racing customers in Ghana, Kenya and Armenia for pari-mutuel services and began offering our new proprietary V 75(TM) wagers in The Netherlands."

"Our Venue Management subsidiary launched its first cable racing show in February and we will be expanding its broadcast hours and subscriber base throughout the rest of the year. For the first quarter of 2004, call volume during the hours of the show increased 70% over the prior year. Wagering through our On The Wire® account wagering hub was $29 million in 2003. We are also in preliminary discussions with several Native American tribes and casino ships to establish race books within their operations, similar to our enormously successful race book at the Mohegan Sun. Although we can offer no assurance that such agreements will in fact be completed, we are excited about the possibilities."

Guidance

We are maintaining our previous 2004 guidance for revenue of $690 million to $720 million, EBITDA of $195 million to $205 million and net income per diluted share of $0.76 to $0.83.

As a reminder, Scientific Games previously announced its intention to discontinue guidance beginning in 2005.

Conference Call Details

Scientific Games Corporation invites you to join its conference call at 8:30 am EDT on April 23, 2004 by dialing 877-407-8035 or 201-689-8035 for international callers. There will also be a live webcast accessible through www.scientificgames.com on the Investor Relations page.

A replay of the conference call will be available until midnight on Friday, April 30, 2004 at 877-660-6853 or for international callers 201-612-7415, Conference ID 99040 and Account Number 1628. The webcast will be archived on www.scientificgames.com for 30 days.

About Scientific Games

Scientific Games Corporation is the leading integrated supplier of instant tickets, systems and services to lotteries, and the leading supplier of wagering systems and services to pari-mutuel operators. It is also a licensed pari-mutuel gaming operator in Connecticut and The Netherlands and is a leading supplier of prepaid phone cards to telephone companies. Scientific Games' customers are in the United States and more than 60 other countries. For more information about Scientific Games, please visit our web site at www.scientificgames.com.

Safe Harbor

This press release includes statements that constitute forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This information involves risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. For certain information regarding these risks and uncertainties, reference is made to Scientific Games' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003.

                SCIENTIFIC GAMES CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
                      CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

                  Three Months Ended March 31, 2003 and 2004
            (Unaudited, in thousands, except per share amounts)

                                                              2003    2004
    Operating revenues:
            Services                                      $ 105,267  141,633
            Sales                                            17,951  43,832
                                                            123,218  185,465
    Operating expenses (exclusive of depreciation and
    amortization shown below):
            Services                                        57,628  75,885
            Sales                                            12,407  30,656
            Amortization of service contract software        1,267    1,434
                                                            71,302  107,975
                    Total gross profit                      51,916  77,490
    Selling, general and administrative expenses            18,342  25,920
    Depreciation and amortization                            9,781  13,760
                    Operating income                        23,793  37,810
    Other deductions:
            Interest expense                                  6,232    7,390
            Other (income) expense                            (104)    608
                                                              6,128    7,998
            Income before income tax expense                17,665  29,812
    Income tax expense                                        6,344    9,391
            Net income                                      11,321  20,421
    Convertible preferred stock dividend                      1,847    1,982
    Net income available to common stockholders            $ 9,474  18,439

    Basic and diluted net income per share:
        Basic net income available to common stockholders    $ 0.16    0.30
        Diluted net income available to common stockholders  $ 0.13    0.22

    Weighted average number of shares used in per share
    calculations:
            Basic shares                                    59,450  61,942
            Diluted shares                                  87,932  91,825


                SCIENTIFIC GAMES CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
                  SELECTED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET DATA

                    December 31, 2003 and March 31, 2004
                          (Unaudited, in thousands)

                                                        December 31, March 31,
                                                            2003      2004
    Assets:
            Cash and cash equivalents                    $ 79,373    92,573
            Other current assets                          157,992  154,348
            Property and equipment, net                    228,730  237,386
            Long-term assets                              496,894  488,467
                    Total assets                          $962,989  972,774

    Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity:
            Current portion of long-term debt            $  6,327    7,261
            Other current liabilities                      152,096  139,541
            Long-term debt, excluding current portion      525,836  524,541
            Other long-term liabilities                    41,578    40,108
            Stockholders' equity                          237,152  261,323
                    Total liabilities and stockholders'
                    equity:                            $ 962,989  972,774


                SCIENTIFIC GAMES CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
                    CONSOLIDATED SEGMENT OPERATING DATA

                  Three Months Ended March 31, 2003 and 2004
                          (Unaudited, in thousands,)

                                    Quarter Ended March 31, 2003
                                                          Telecom-
                                        Pari-    Venue  munications
                            Lottery    Mutuel  Management Products
                            Group      Group    Group      Group    Totals

    Service revenues      $70,964    18,930    15,373          -    105,267
    Sales revenues          6,047      2,040        -      9,864    17,951
    Total revenues          77,011    20,970    15,373      9,864    123,218
    Cost of service        36,331    10,748    10,549          -    57,628
    Cost of sales            4,485      1,253        -      6,669    12,407
    Amortization of service
    contract software        661        606        -          -      1,267
    Total operating
    expense                41,477    12,607    10,549      6,669    71,302
    Gross profit            35,534      8,363    4,824      3,195    51,916
    Selling, general and
    administrative expenses 9,233      2,232      902      1,214    13,581
    Depreciation and
    amortization            5,673      2,769      503        647      9,592
    Segment operating
    income                $20,628      3,362    3,419      1,334    28,743
    Unallocated corporate
    expense                                                            4,950
    Consolidated operating
    income                                                          $23,793

                                    Quarter Ended March 31, 2004
                                                          Telecom-
                                        Pari-    Venue  munications
                            Lottery    Mutuel  Management Products
                            Group      Group    Group    Group    Totals

    Service revenues      $107,294    19,043    15,296          -    141,633
    Sales revenues          29,565        689        -    13,578    43,832
    Total revenues        136,859    19,732    15,296    13,578    185,465
    Cost of service        55,010      9,994    10,881          -    75,885
    Cost of sales          20,247        409        -    10,000    30,656
    Amortization of
    service contract
    software                  793        641        -          -      1,434
    Total operating
    expense                76,050    11,044    10,881    10,000    107,975
    Gross profit            60,809      8,688    4,415      3,578    77,490
    Selling, general and
    administrative
    expenses              16,562      1,839    1,004      1,482    20,887
    Depreciation and
    amortization            9,507      2,820      490        733    13,550
    Segment operating
    income                $34,740      4,029    2,921      1,363    43,053
    Unallocated corporate
    expense                                                            5,243
    Consolidated operating
    income                                                          $37,810


                SCIENTIFIC GAMES CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
                RECONCILIATION OF NET INCOME BEFORE PREFERRED
                          STOCK DIVIDENDS TO EBITDA
                          (Unaudited, in thousands)

                                                            Quarter Ended
                                                                March 31,
                                                              2003      2004

    Net income before preferred stock dividends          $ 11,321    20,421
    Add:  Income tax expense                                6,344    9,391
    Add:  Depreciation and amortization expense            11,048    15,194
    Add:  Interest expense                                  6,232    7,390
    Add:  Other (income) expense                              (104)      608
    EBITDA                                                $ 34,841    53,004


EBITDA, as included herein, represents operating income plus depreciation and amortization expenses. EBITDA is included in this document as it is a basis upon which we assess our financial performance, and it provides useful information regarding our ability to service our debt. EBITDA should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to net income, cash flows from operations, or other consolidated income or cash flow data prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles as measures of our profitability or liquidity. EBITDA as defined in this document may differ from similarly titled measures presented by other companies.

    Company Contact:  Lisa D. Lettieri
                        Scientific Games Corporation
                        212-754-2233

    Media Contact:    Shelley Spector
                        Spector Associates, Inc.
                        212-943-5858

Scientific Games Corporation

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DoctorEw220's avatarDoctorEw220

ok.  who here cares?

Todd's avatarTodd

That is not a good message to be sending here.  Scientific Games is one of the two major players in the lottery industry, and many visitors here DO care about the lottery industry.  You will not ingratiate yourself to others by posting junk like that.

CASH Only

Dr EW might have thought the info was not up the alley of most              Lottery Posters.

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