Form 8-K

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): February 11, 2009

 

 

ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   000-26489   48-1090909

(State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

  (Commission File Number)  

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

8875 Aero Drive, Suite 200, San Diego, California   92123
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

(877) 445-4581

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 


Item 2.02. Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

On February 11, 2009, we issued a press release announcing our financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2008. A copy of the press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated by reference herein.

 

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d) Exhibits.

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description

99.1    Press release dated February 11, 2009.

The information in this Current Report on Form 8-K, including the exhibit, shall not be deemed “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or otherwise subject to the liabilities under that Section, nor be deemed to be incorporated by reference into the filings of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933.


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

     ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP, INC.

Date: February 11, 2009

    

/s/    Paul Grinberg

     Paul Grinberg
    

Executive Vice President, Chief Financial

Officer and Treasurer


EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description

99.1    Press release dated February 11, 2009.
Press Release

Exhibit 99.1

LOGO

For Immediate Release

Encore Capital Group Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2008 Results

SAN DIEGO, February 11, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Encore Capital Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: ECPG), a leading distressed consumer debt management company, today reported consolidated financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2008.

For the fourth quarter of 2008:

 

   

Gross collections were $94.4 million, a 10% increase over the $85.4 million in the same period of the prior year.

 

   

Investment in receivable portfolios was $63.8 million, to purchase $1.7 billion in face value of debt, compared to $74.6 million, to purchase $1.8 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 $97.0 million as of December 31, 2008, compared to $57.8 million as of December 31, 2007.

 

   

Revenue from receivable portfolios was $47.9 million, a 14% decrease from $55.8 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 78%, compared to 76% in the same period of the prior year.

 

   

Revenue from bankruptcy servicing was $4.0 million, a 39% increase over the $2.9 million in the same period of the prior year.

 

   

Total operating expenses were $54.2 million, a 14% increase over the $47.4 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 53.6% compared to 50.7% 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 $51.9 million, a 19% increase over the $43.5 million in the same period of the prior year.

 

   

Total interest expense was $4.2 million, compared to $4.0 million in the same period of the prior year.

 

   

Net income was $0.2 million or $0.01 per fully diluted share, compared to net income of $4.8 million or $0.21 per fully diluted share in the same period of the prior year.

For the full year of 2008:

 

   

Gross collections were $398.6 million, a 12% increase over the $355.2 million in 2007.

 

   

Total revenue was $255.9 million, a 1% increase over the $254.0 million in 2007.


Encore Capital Group, Inc.

Page 2 of 7

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA was $211.3 million, a 21% increase over the $174.2 million in 2007.

 

   

Net income was $18.8 million or $0.80 per fully diluted share, compared to net income of $15.0 million or $0.64 per fully diluted share in 2007.

Additional information:

Certain events affected the comparability of 2008 versus 2007 quarterly and annual results, as outlined below. For a more detailed comparison of 2008 versus 2007 results, refer to Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008.

 

   

In the fourth quarter of 2008, the Company recorded a net impairment provision of $25.4 million, compared to a net impairment provision of $8.7 million in the same period of the prior year. For the full year of 2008, the Company recorded a net impairment provision of $41.4 million, compared to a net impairment provision of $11.2 million in the prior year.

 

   

In the fourth quarter of 2008, the Company expensed $12.1 million in upfront court costs, compared to $6.5 million in the same period of the prior year. For the full year of 2008, the Company expensed $38.5 million in upfront court costs, compared to $28.3 million in the prior year.

 

   

In the fourth quarter of 2008, the Company repurchased $23.6 million principal amount of its outstanding convertible senior notes, for a total price of $16.6 million, plus accrued interest. These repurchases resulted in a net gain of $6.7 million. For the full year of 2008, the Company repurchased $28.6 million principal amount of its outstanding convertible senior notes, for a total price of $20.1 million, plus accrued interest. These repurchases resulted in a net gain of $8.1 million.

 

   

For the full year of 2008, the Company recorded an income tax provision of $13.0 million, reflecting an effective tax rate of 40.8%, compared to an income tax provision of $8.4 million, reflecting an effective tax rate of 35.9% in the prior year. This increase was primarily due to a net state effective tax rate increase in 2008 and to one-time state related tax benefits experienced in 2007.

 

   

In the second quarter of 2007, approximately $11.7 million of total interest expense was attributable to the agreement reached with the Company’s previous lender to pay off all future contingent interest payments.

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


Encore Capital Group, Inc.

Page 3 of 7

presented. 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. Neither Adjusted EBITDA nor operating expenses excluding stock-based compensation expense and bankruptcy servicing operating expenses has 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, and a reconciliation of operating expenses excluding stock-based compensation expense and bankruptcy servicing operating expenses to the GAAP measure total operating expenses 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.

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.

Page 4 of 7

ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP, INC.

Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition

(In Thousands, Except Par Value Amounts)

 

     December 31,
2008
    December 31,
2007
 

Assets

    

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 10,341     $ 8,676  

Accounts receivable, net

     1,757       4,136  

Investment in receivable portfolios, net

     461,346       392,209  

Deferred court costs

     28,335       20,533  

Property and equipment, net

     6,272       4,390  

Prepaid income tax

     7,935       10,346  

Forward flow asset

     10,302       15,863  

Other assets

     5,286       8,800  

Goodwill

     15,985       15,985  

Identifiable intangible assets, net

     1,739       2,557  
                

Total assets

   $ 549,298     $ 483,495  
                

Liabilities and stockholders’ equity

    

Liabilities:

    

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

   $ 18,204     $ 20,346  

Deferred tax liabilities, net

     15,199       13,669  

Deferred revenue and purchased servicing obligation

     5,203       3,898  

Debt

     311,319       272,420  

Other liabilities

     3,483       1,642  
                

Total liabilities

     353,408       311,975  
                

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, 23,053 shares and 22,992 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2008 and 2007, respectively

     231       230  

Additional paid-in capital

     79,971       73,310  

Accumulated earnings

     117,809       98,975  

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

     (2,121 )     (995 )
                

Total stockholders’ equity

     195,890       171,520  
                

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

   $ 549,298     $ 483,495  
                


Encore Capital Group, Inc.

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ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP, INC.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations

(In Thousands, Except Per Share Amounts)

 

     Three Months Ended
December 31,
    Years Ended
December 31,
 
     2008     2007     2008     2007  

Revenue

        

Revenue from receivable portfolios, net

   $ 47,902     $ 55,813     $ 240,802     $ 241,402  

Servicing fees and other related revenue

     4,040       2,904       15,087       12,609  
                                

Total revenue

     51,942       58,717       255,889       254,011  
                                

Operating expenses

        

Salaries and employee benefits (excluding stock-based compensation expense)

     12,617       13,765       58,120       64,153  

Stock-based compensation expense

     382       1,001       3,564       4,287  

Cost of legal collections

     26,662       18,987       96,187       78,636  

Other operating expenses

     5,996       4,563       23,652       21,533  

Collection agency commissions

     2,310       3,772       13,118       12,411  

General and administrative expenses

     5,540       4,513       19,445       17,478  

Depreciation and amortization

     652       810       2,814       3,351  
                                

Total operating expenses

     54,159       47,411       216,900       201,849  
                                

Income before other (expense) income and income taxes

     (2,217 )     11,306       38,989       52,162  
                                

Other (expense) income

        

Interest expense

     (4,220 )     (4,000 )     (15,629 )     (13,904 )

Contingent interest expense

     —         —         —         (4,123 )

Pay-off of future contingent interest

     —         —         —         (11,733 )

Gain on repurchase of convertible notes, net

     6,679       —         8,096       —    

Other income

     17       918       358       1,071  
                                

Total other expense

     2,476       (3,082 )     (7,175 )     (28,689 )
                                

Income before income taxes

     259       8,224       31,814       23,473  

Provision for income taxes

     (28 )     (3,376 )     (12,980 )     (8,431 )
                                

Net income

   $ 231     $ 4,848     $ 18,834     $ 15,042  
                                

Weighted average shares outstanding:

        

Basic

     23,094       22,991       23,046       22,876  

Diluted

     23,632       23,466       23,577       23,386  

Earnings per share:

        

Basic

   $ 0.01     $ 0.21     $ 0.82     $ 0.66  

Diluted

   $ 0.01     $ 0.21     $ 0.80     $ 0.64  


Encore Capital Group, Inc.

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ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP, INC.

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(In Thousands)

 

     Years Ended
December 31,
 
     2008     2007  

Operating activities:

    

Net Income

   $ 18,834     $ 15,042  

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

    

Depreciation and amortization

     2,814       3,351  

Amortization of loan costs

     1,377       1,219  

Stock-based compensation expense

     3,564       4,287  

Gain on repurchase of convertible notes, net

     (8,096 )     —    

Deferred income tax expense

     1,531       3,002  

Other non-cash tax benefits, net

     3,075       2,145  

Tax benefit from stock-based payment arrangements

     —         (698 )

Provision for impairment on receivable portfolios, net

     41,400       11,230  

Changes in operating assets and liabilities

    

Restricted cash

     —         4,660  

Other assets

     4,135       545  

Deferred court costs

     (7,803 )     (9,599 )

Prepaid income tax

     2,411       (6,619 )

Accrued profit sharing arrangement

     —         (6,869 )

Deferred revenue and purchased service obligation

     1,305       1,108  

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

     (1,476 )     (3,194 )
                

Net cash provided by operating activities

     63,071       19,610  
                

Investing activities:

    

Cash paid for India membership interest

     —         (2,250 )

Purchases of receivable portfolios, net of forward flow allocation

     (224,717 )     (197,249 )

Collections applied to investment in receivable portfolios

     116,101       102,093  

Proceeds from put-backs of receivable portfolios

     3,640       3,769  

Purchases of property and equipment

     (2,276 )     (1,422 )
                

Net cash used in investing activities

     (107,252 )     (95,059 )
                

Financing activities:

    

Proceeds from notes payable and other borrowings

     108,000       121,000  

Repayment of notes payable and other borrowings

     (42,169 )     (48,500 )

Repurchase of convertible notes

     (20,101 )     —    

Proceeds from exercise of stock options

     23       348  

Tax benefit from stock-based payment arrangements

     —         698  

Proceeds from capital lease

     400       —    

Repayment of capital lease obligations

     (307 )     (212 )
                

Net cash provided by financing activities

     45,846       73,334  
                

Net increase (decrease) in cash

     1,665       (2,115 )

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period

     8,676       10,791  
                

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period

   $ 10,341     $ 8,676  
                

Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:

    

Cash paid for interest

   $ 14,427     $ 35,707  

Cash paid for income taxes

   $ 5,301     $ 8,730  

Supplemental schedule of non-cash investing and financing activities:

    

Fixed assets acquired through capital lease

   $ 1,602       —    

Allocation of forward flow asset to acquired receivable portfolios

   $ 5,561     $ 11,704  


Encore Capital Group, Inc.

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ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP, INC.

SUPPLEMENTAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to GAAP Net Income and Operating Expenses, Excluding Stock-based Compensation

Expense and Bankruptcy Servicing Operating Expenses to GAAP Total Operating Expenses

(Unaudited, In Thousands)

 

     Three Months Ended
December 31,
    Years Ended
December 31,
 
     2008     2007     2008     2007  

GAAP net income, as reported

   $ 231     $ 4,848     $ 18,834     $ 15,042  

Interest expense

     4,220       4,000       15,629       13,904  

Contingent interest expense

     —         —         —         4,123  

Pay-off of future contingent interest

     —         —         —         11,733  

Provision for income taxes

     28       3,376       12,980       8,431  

Depreciation and amortization

     652       810       2,814       3,351  

Amount applied to principal on receivable portfolios

     46,364       29,498       157,501       113,323  

Stock-based compensation expense

     382       1,001       3,564       4,287  
                                

Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 51,877     $ 43,533     $ 211,322     $ 174,194  
                                

GAAP total operating expenses, as reported

   $ 54,159     $ 47,411     $ 216,900     $ 201,849  

Stock-based compensation expense

     (382 )     (1,001 )     (3,564 )     (4,287 )

Bankruptcy servicing operating expenses

     (3,192 )     (3,076 )     (13,369 )     (14,801 )
                                

Operating expenses, excluding stock-based compensation expense and bankruptcy servicing operating expenses

   $ 50,585     $ 43,334     $ 199,967     $ 182,761  
                                

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