Encore Capital Group Announces First Quarter 2009 Results and Board Appointments

April 29, 2009 at 9:03 AM EDT

SAN DIEGO, April 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Encore Capital Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: ECPG), a leading distressed consumer debt management company, today reported consolidated financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2009.

For the first quarter of 2009:

-- Gross collections were $115.2 million, a 10% increase over the $104.4 million in the same period of the prior year. Excluding portfolio sales, collections were $114.4 million, a 14% increase over the $100.2 million in the same period of the prior year.

-- Investment in receivable portfolios was $55.9 million, to purchase $1.3 billion in face value of debt, compared to $47.9 million, to purchase $1.2 billion in face value of debt in the same period of the prior year. Available capacity under the revolving credit facility, subject to borrowing base and applicable debt covenants, was $82.0 million as of March 31, 2009. Total debt, consisting of the revolving credit facility, convertible senior notes and capital lease obligations, was $296.4 million as of March 31, 2009, a decrease from $303.7 million as of December 31, 2008.

-- Revenue from receivable portfolios was $72.3 million, a 13% increase over the $64.1 million in the same period of the prior year. Revenue recognized on receivable portfolios, as a percentage of portfolio collections, excluding the effects of impairment provisions, was 67%, compared to 67% in the same period of the prior year.

-- Revenue from bankruptcy servicing was $4.1 million, a 21% increase over the $3.4 million in the same period of the prior year.

-- Total operating expenses were $60.2 million, an 18% increase over the $51.1 million in the same period of the prior year. Operating expense (excluding stock-based compensation expense and bankruptcy servicing operating expenses) per dollar collected increased to 48.3% compared to 45.3% in the same period of the prior year.

-- Adjusted EBITDA, defined as net income before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, stock-based compensation expense and portfolio amortization, was $63.8 million, a 9% increase over the $58.5 million in the same period of the prior year.

-- Total interest expense was $4.3 million, compared to $5.2 million in the same period of the prior year.

-- Net income was $9.0 million or $0.38 per fully diluted share, compared to net income of $6.8 million or $0.29 per fully diluted share in the same period of the prior year.

-- Tangible book value per share, computed by dividing total stockholders' equity less goodwill and identifiable intangible assets by the number of diluted shares outstanding, was $8.30 as of March 31, 2009, a 6% increase over $7.86 as of December 31, 2008.

Additional Financial Information:

Certain events affected the comparability of 2009 versus 2008 quarterly results, as outlined below. For a more detailed comparison of 2009 versus 2008 results, refer to Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included in the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2009.

-- In the first quarter of 2009, the Company recorded a net impairment provision of $5.4 million, compared to a net impairment provision of $5.3 million in the same period of the prior year.

-- In the first quarter of 2009, the Company expensed $13.3 million in upfront court costs, compared to $6.8 million in the same period of the prior year.

-- Effective January 1, 2009, the Company retrospectively applied FASB Staff Position APB 14-1 "Accounting for Convertible Debt Instruments That May Be Settled in Cash upon Conversion (Including Partial Cash Settlement)" to account for its outstanding convertible senior notes. As a result, prior years' consolidated financial statements have been retrospectively adjusted. For the quarter ended March 31, 2009, the impact of this change resulted in a decrease in fully diluted earnings per share of $0.08, comprising of $0.02 per share attributable to increased interest expense and $0.06 per share attributable to reduced gain on repurchase of convertible notes. For the quarter ended March 31, 2008, the impact of this change resulted in a decrease in fully diluted earnings per share of $0.03, attributable to interest expense. See Note 12 in the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2009 for additional information on the application of this accounting principle.

-- In the first quarter of 2009, the Company repurchased $25.6 million principal amount of its outstanding convertible senior notes, for a total price of $19.8 million, plus accrued interest. These repurchases resulted in a gain of $3.1 million. As of March 31, 2009, there was $45.8 million in principal outstanding of the convertible senior notes.

-- Effective January 1, 2008, the Company increased its collection forecasts from 72 months to 84 months. For the quarter ended March 31, 2008, the impact of this change resulted in an increase in fully diluted earnings per share of $0.08.

Board Appointments

In response to the favorable conditions in the distressed consumer debt market and Encore's unique opportunity to capitalize on them, the Company's Board of Directors has named George Lund, its current Chairman, to the expanded role of Executive Chairman, effective July 6, 2009. Mr. Lund's enhanced role will include developing the Company's corporate strategy and working with its leadership team to execute on key initiatives. Mr. Lund was formerly Chairman and CEO of BANKFIRST, a national issuer of consumer credit.

The Company is also pleased to announce the nomination of H Ronald Weissman to serve on its Board of Directors, effective July 6, 2009. Mr. Weissman is currently a senior partner with Ernst & Young's Financial Services Office and will retire on July 3, 2009. Mr. Lund observed: "We are excited to have someone on our Board with Ron's exceptional background and his ability to draw upon 40 years of experience at the highest levels of the financial services industry."

J. Brandon Black, President and CEO, commented: "This is an unprecedented time of opportunity for Encore. George's new role and Ron's addition to the Board will better position the Company to fully capitalize on it. While the supply of charged-off credit card debt has reached a historically high level, the number of well-capitalized consumer debt buyers is shrinking and portfolio prices are trending down. Notwithstanding the weak consumer environment, we have been able to increase collections year-over-year due to improvements in our domestic platform, the expansion of our Indian capability and our continuing investment in decision sciences and information technology. These dynamics are very favorable for Encore's business model."

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The Company has included information concerning Adjusted EBITDA because management utilizes this information, which is materially similar to a financial measure contained in covenants used in the Company's credit agreement, in the evaluation of its operations and believes that this measure is a useful indicator of the Company's ability to generate cash collections in excess of operating expenses through the liquidation of its receivable portfolios. The Company has included information concerning total operating expenses excluding stock-based compensation expense and bankruptcy servicing operating expenses in order to facilitate a comparison of approximate cash costs to cash collections for the debt purchasing business in the periods presented. The Company has included information concerning tangible book value per share because management believes that this metric is a meaningful measure that reflects the equity deployed in the business. These non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered as alternatives to, or more meaningful than, net income and total operating expenses as indicators of Encore Capital Group's operating performance and total stockholders' equity as an indicator of Encore Capital Group's financial condition. Adjusted EBITDA, operating expenses excluding stock-based compensation expense and bankruptcy servicing operating expenses, and tangible book value per share have not been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). These non-GAAP financial measures, as presented by Encore Capital Group, may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies. The Company has included a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to reported earnings under GAAP, a reconciliation of operating expenses excluding stock-based compensation expense and bankruptcy servicing operating expenses to the GAAP measure total operating expenses, and a reconciliation of tangible book value per share to the GAAP measure total stockholders' equity in the attached financial tables.

About Encore Capital Group, Inc.

Encore Capital Group, Inc. is a systems-driven purchaser and manager of charged-off consumer receivables portfolios. More information on the company can be found at www.encorecapitalgroup.com.

Forward Looking Statements

The statements in this press release that are not historical facts, including, most importantly, those statements preceded by, or that include, the words "may," "believe," "projects," "expects," "anticipates" or the negation thereof, or similar expressions, constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Reform Act"). These statements may include, but are not limited to, statements regarding effectiveness of Board appointments, future operating results and industry trends. For all "forward-looking statements," the Company claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Reform Act. Such forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company and its subsidiaries to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors are discussed from time to time in the reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.


    Contact:

    Encore Capital Group, Inc.
    Paul Grinberg (858) 309-6904
    paul.grinberg@encorecapitalgroup.com
    or
    Ren Zamora (858) 560-3598
    ren.zamora@encorecapitalgroup.com







                                   FINANCIAL TABLES FOLLOW

                            ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP, INC.
               Condensed Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition
                     (In Thousands, Except Par Value Amounts)
                                     (Unaudited)

                                                March 31,        December 31,
                                                  2009              2008
                                                                  Adjusted

    Assets
    Cash and cash equivalents                    $4,261           $10,341
    Accounts receivable, net                      1,775             1,757
    Investment in receivable portfolios, net    473,484           461,346
    Deferred court costs                         30,645            28,335
    Property and equipment, net                   6,279             6,272
    Prepaid income tax                            2,515             7,935
    Forward flow asset                           10,302            10,302
    Other assets                                  4,703             5,067
    Goodwill                                     15,985            15,985
    Identifiable intangible assets, net           1,578             1,739

            Total assets                       $551,527          $549,079

    Liabilities and stockholders' equity
    Liabilities:
      Accounts payable and accrued liabilities  $17,805           $18,204
      Deferred tax liabilities, net              15,253            15,108
      Deferred revenue and purchased servicing
       obligation                                 5,229             5,203
      Debt                                      296,356           303,655
      Other liabilities                           3,176             3,483

            Total liabilities                   337,819           345,653

    Commitments and contingencies
    Stockholders' equity:
      Convertible preferred stock, $.01 par
       value, 5,000 shares authorized, no
       shares issued and outstanding                  -                 -
      Common stock, $.01 par value, 50,000
       shares authorized, 23,061 shares and
       23,053 shares issued and outstanding
       as of March 31, 2009, and December 31,
       2008, respectively                           231               231
      Additional paid-in capital                 99,622            98,521
      Accumulated earnings                      115,792           106,795
      Accumulated other comprehensive loss       (1,937)           (2,121)

            Total stockholders' equity          213,708           203,426

                Total liabilities and
                 stockholders' equity          $551,527          $549,079





                            ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP, INC.
                      Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income
                        (In Thousands, Except Per Share Amounts)
                                     (Unaudited)

                                                      Three Months Ended
                                                           March 31,
                                                    2009              2008
                                                                    Adjusted

    Revenue
      Revenue from receivable portfolios, net     $72,275           $64,068
      Servicing fees and other related revenue      4,171             3,486
            Total revenue                          76,446            67,554

    Operating expenses
      Salaries and employee benefits
       (excluding stock-based compensation
       expense)                                    13,957            14,851
      Stock-based compensation expense              1,080             1,094
      Cost of legal collections                    29,947            20,306
      Other operating expenses                      5,980             5,651
      Collection agency commissions                 2,891             4,031
      General and administrative expenses           5,697             4,460
      Depreciation and amortization                   623               722
            Total operating expenses               60,175            51,115

    Income before other (expense) income and
     income taxes                                  16,271            16,439

    Other (expense) income
      Interest expense                             (4,273)           (5,200)
      Gain on repurchase of convertible notes       3,053                 -
      Other (expense) income                          (81)               21
            Total other expense                    (1,301)           (5,179)

    Income before income taxes                     14,970            11,260
    Provision for income taxes                     (5,973)           (4,509)

    Net income                                     $8,997            $6,751

    Weighted average shares outstanding:
      Basic                                        23,122            22,992
      Diluted                                      23,631            23,431

    Earnings per share:
      Basic                                         $0.39             $0.29
      Diluted                                       $0.38             $0.29



                          ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP, INC.
                 Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
                           (Unaudited, In Thousands)

                                                      Three Months Ended
                                                           March 31,
                                                    2009              2008
                                                                    Adjusted

    Operating activities:
    Net Income                                     $8,997            $6,751
    Adjustments to reconcile net income to
     net cash provided by operating activities:
      Depreciation and amortization                   623               722
      Amortization of loan costs and debt discount  1,221             1,567
      Stock-based compensation expense              1,080             1,094
      Gain on repurchase of convertible notes,
       Net                                         (3,053)                -
      Deferred income tax expense (benefit)           145              (559)
      Tax benefit from stock-based payment
       Arrangements                                   (21)               (5)
      Provision for impairment on receivable
       portfolios, net                              5,427             5,335
    Changes in operating assets and liabilities
      Other assets                                   (165)            1,386
      Deferred court costs                         (2,310)           (2,906)
      Prepaid income tax                            5,441             4,819
      Deferred revenue and purchased service
       Obligation                                      26               185
      Accounts payable and accrued liabilities       (523)           (2,559)

    Net cash provided by operating activities      16,888            15,830

    Investing activities:
      Purchases of receivable portfolios, net of
       forward flow allocation                    (55,913)          (44,976)
      Collections applied to investment in
       receivable portfolios, net                  37,424            34,877
      Proceeds from put-backs of receivable
       Portfolios                                     924             1,692
      Purchases of property and equipment            (469)           (1,117)

    Net cash used in investing activities         (18,034)           (9,524)

    Financing activities:
      Proceeds from revolving credit facility      32,000             9,000
      Repayment of revolving credit facility      (17,000)          (11,169)
      Repurchase of convertible notes             (19,834)                -
      Proceeds from exercise of stock options           -                 2
      Tax benefit from stock-based payment
       Arrangements                                    21                 5
      Repayment of capital lease obligations         (121)              (83)

    Net cash used in financing activities          (4,934)           (2,245)
    Net (decrease) increase in cash                (6,080)            4,061
    Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of
     Period                                        10,341             8,676
    Cash and cash equivalents, end of period       $4,261           $12,737

    Supplemental disclosures of cash flow
     information:
      Cash paid for interest                       $3,699            $4,172
      Income tax payment (refund)                    $499             $(407)
    Supplemental schedule of non-cash investing
     and financing activities:
      Allocation of forward flow asset to
       acquired receivable portfolios                  $-            $2,926





                             ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP, INC.
                         Supplemental Financial Information
     Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to GAAP Net Income, Operating Expenses,
         Excluding Stock-based Compensation Expense and Bankruptcy Servicing
        Operating Expenses to GAAP Total Operating Expenses, and Tangible Book
                 Value Per Share to GAAP Total Stockholders' Equity
                            (Unaudited, In Thousands)

                                                    Three Months Ended
                                                         March 31,
                                                  2009              2008
                                                                  Adjusted

    GAAP net income, as reported                 $8,997            $6,751
    Interest expense                              4,273             5,200
    Provision for income taxes                    5,973             4,509
    Depreciation and amortization                   623               722
    Amount applied to principal on receivable
     portfolios                                  42,851            40,212
    Stock-based compensation expense              1,080             1,094
    Adjusted EBITDA                             $63,797           $58,488


                                                     Three Months Ended
                                                           March 31,
                                                  2009              2008

    GAAP total operating expenses, as reported  $60,175           $51,115
    Stock-based compensation expense             (1,080)           (1,094)
    Bankruptcy servicing operating expenses      (3,386)           (2,738)
    Operating expenses, excluding stock-based
     compensation expense and bankruptcy
     servicing operating expenses               $55,709           $47,283



                                                 As of              As of
                                                March 31,        December 31,
                                                  2009              2008
                                                                  Adjusted

    GAAP total stockholders' equity, as
     Reported                                  $213,708          $203,426
    Goodwill                                    (15,985)          (15,985)
    Identifiable intangible assets, net          (1,578)           (1,739)

    Tangible book value                        $196,145          $185,702
    Diluted shares outstanding                   23,631            23,632

    Tangible book value per share                 $8.30             $7.86

SOURCE Encore Capital Group, Inc.
04/29/2009
CONTACT: Paul Grinberg, +1-858-309-6904,
paul.grinberg@encorecapitalgroup.com,
or Ren Zamora, +1-858-560-3598,
ren.zamora@encorecapitalgroup.com, both of Encore Capital Group, Inc.
Web Site: http://www.encorecapitalgroup.com
(ECPG)