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Creative
Vistas > Investor Relations > Headlines > May 15, 2008 |
Press Release
Creative Vistas, Inc. Reports Strong Financial Results for First Quarter of 2008
Revenues Rise 38%; Net and EBITDA Show Impact of Non-Recurring Expansion Costs
Creative Vistas Inc. today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2008.
Revenue for the first quarter of 2008 totaled $10.78 million, up 38% from $7.79 million in the first quarter of 2007. The increase was primarily due to a 45% rise in revenues at the Company’s Cancable broadband-related services division, to $8.87 million from $6.14 million a year earlier.
During the quarter, Cancable entered into contracts for installation and repair services with two major U.S. cable providers, Time Warner Cable and Cox Communications, in major metropolitan-area markets in Louisiana and North Carolina. Total revenue from U.S. customers was approximately $300,000 in the first quarter of 2008, up from zero in the year-earlier quarter.
Net loss for the first quarter of 2008 was ($6.39 million), compared to a net loss of ($532,098) in the first quarter of 2007.
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA1) for the first quarter of 2008 were ($962,426), compared to EBITDA of $548,759 in the first quarter of 2007. As in prior quarters, the net income and EPS results for the first quarter of 2008 have been affected substantially by adjustments related to Creative Vistas’ capital structure. For that reason, the Company believes EBITDA provides a useful tool, in conjunction with measures recognized under generally accepted accounted practices (“GAAP”), for gauging the ongoing performance of its operating units. However, CVAS does not consider EBITDA an adequate substitute for GAAP-recognized measures.
On the balance sheet, Creative Vistas reported cash and cash equivalents totaling $1.22 million on March 31, 2008, compared to $1.96 million on December 31, 2007. Long-term liabilities on March 31, 2008 totaled $18.80 million, compared to $18.79 million at the end of 2007.
Dominic Burns, CEO of Creative Vistas, commented, “These first-quarter results reflect the continued trend of robust revenue growth driven primarily by expansion of the broadband-related services delivered by our Cancable unit. The quarter marked a milestone for us, in that Cancable made its debut in the U.S. cable and satellite market through contracts with cable providers serving two major cities, New Orleans, La., and Charlotte, N.C., along with surrounding areas. Our video security and surveillance division, AC Technical also continued to do its share. As we announced on March 4, 2008, AC Technical received approximately $1.2 million in project orders from customers in government, health care, and property management.”
Operational and Financing Costs Detailed
The year-over-year change in the Company’s net loss and EBITDA was primarily due to the start-up increases in expenses connected with the Company’s ongoing expansion into the U.S. cable market.
Gross profits in the first quarter of 2008 were $2.47 million, or 23% of revenues, compared to $2.26 million, or 29% of revenues, in the first quarter of 2007. The drop in gross margin reflects the impact of a rate cut by Rogers Cable, one of the Company’s major Canadian customers, and the acquisition of Canadian broadband-related service provider XL Digital in the fourth quarter of 2007. The Company said it expects gross margins to improve as XL Digital is fully integrated into the Cancable division.
Creative Vistas said its expenses related to its U.S. expansion were approximately $1 million in the first quarter of 2008. Half of these, approximately $500,000, were non-recurring costs. In addition to U.S. expansion expenses, the Company incurred approximately $300,000 in costs related to the rollout of its new DependableHome suite of residential security products and services. There were no expenses for U.S. broadband-related services or DependableHome in the year-earlier quarter. The Company said it expects revenue growth from both U.S. operations and DependableHome to offset increasing costs in the future.
Company to Return to Positive EBITDA in Third Quarter 2008 and Going Forward
Focusing on the U.S. expansion and related costs, the Company said it expects one more quarter of negative EBITDA resulting from the non-recurring costs of rolling out its new U.S. broadband-related services, an initiative that is being funded largely through internally generated capital. Once these costs are absorbed, the Company expects EBITDA to rebound in the third quarter of 2008, returning to its pattern of year-over-year growth. Likewise, it expects its net losses to narrow significantly. The US expansion is a significant strategic move for CVAS, as it starts to diversify its revenues and export its best of breed solutions to the US broadband services market. CVAS expects to have over 100 employees and significant revenue contributions within the US by the end of 2008, from no operations in the US in 2007.
Sale of 180 Connect Will Raise $5.6 Million
Creative Vistas also expects second-half 2008 results to be affected by the pending sale of 180 Connect Inc. (OTCBB: CNCT - News), an Englewood, Colo.-based company that provides installation, integration and fulfillment services to satellite and cable system operators in the U.S. and Canada. On April 18, 2008, DirecTV Group Inc. (NasdaqGS: DTV - News), the largest satellite television provider in the U.S., announced it will acquire 180 Connect in a transaction expected to close in the third quarter of 2008. As a holder of approximately 13% of 180 Connect stock, Creative Vistas estimates that it will net approximately $5.6 million in cash from this acquisition. It expects to use these funds to finance further expansion, pay down debt and fund other operations.
In connection with the CNCT transaction, Creative Vistas included an unrealized loss of ($2.86 million), related to the purchase of CNCT shares and warrants, in its financial results for the first quarter of 2008.
If you would like to be added to Creative Vistas' investor email lists or have additional questions, please contact Haris Tajyar with Investor Relations International at htajyar@irintl.com. For further information on CVAS please visit www.creativevistasinc.com.
About Creative Vistas
Creative Vistas Inc. is a leading provider of security-related technologies and systems. It also provisions the deployment of broadband services. Through its wholly-owned subsidiaries AC Technical Systems Ltd. and Iview Digital Video Solutions Inc., it offers proprietary and non-proprietary technologies to the integrated electronic security and surveillance market. Its systems are used by numerous high-profile clients including government, school boards, retail outlets, banks and hospitals. Through its subsidiary Cancable Inc., Creative Vistas provisions the deployment and servicing of broadband technologies to the commercial and residential market in Canada and the U.S. Creative Vistas is based in Ontario, Canada.
Forward-Looking Statements: Statements about the Company's future expectations, including future revenues and earnings, and all other statements in this press release other than historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and as the term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company's actual results could differ materially from expected results for reasons described from time to time in the Company's public filings. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequently occurring events.
About Creative Vistas
Creative Vistas Inc. is a leading provider of security-related technologies and systems. It also provisions the deployment of broadband services. Operating through its wholly-owned subsidiaries AC Technical Systems Ltd. and Iview Digital Video Solutions Inc., it offers proprietary and non-proprietary technologies to the integrated electronic security and surveillance market. Its systems are used by numerous high-profile clients including government, school boards, retail outlets, banks and hospitals. Through its subsidiary Cancable, Inc., Creative Vistas provisions the deployment and servicing of broadband technologies to the commercial and residential market. Creative Vistas is based in Ontario, Canada.
Forward-Looking Statements: Statements about the Company's future expectations, including future revenues and earnings, and all other statements in this press release other than historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and as the term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company's actual results could differ materially from expected results for reasons described from time to time in the Company's public filings. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequently occurring events.
1EBITDA represents, for any relevant period, income (loss) before income taxes, depreciation of property, plant and equipment, interest expense (including amortization of debt issuance costs) and amortization of intangible assets. |
Creative Vistas Inc.
Consilidated Balance Sheets
|
December 31 |
March 31, 2008 |
Dec 31, 2007 |
Assets
Current Assets |
Cash And Bank Balances | $1,215,806 |
$1,960,340 |
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts |
$2003,742 and $405,432 | 5,419,744 | 6,187,551 |
Income tax recoverable | 253,921 |
6,187,551 |
Inventory & Supplies |
870,124 |
1,043,815 |
Prepaid expenses | 705,389 |
270,930 |
Due from related parties |
2,481 |
2,581 |
|
Total Current Assets |
8,467,465 |
9,913,343 |
|
Property and equipment, net of depreciation |
7,052,809 |
125,498 |
Deposits |
284,000 | 156,080 |
Goodwill |
3,093,530 |
3,101,598 |
Intangible assets |
1,500,162 |
1,717,003 |
Other investments – available for sale securities |
3,588,567 |
- |
Restricted Cash |
- |
53,430 |
Deferred financing costs, net |
488,631 | 551,747 |
Deferred income taxes |
37,093 |
37,547 |
|
| $ 24,512,257 | $ 21,852,180 |
|
Liabilities and Stockholders' (Deficit) |
Current Liabilities |
Bank Indebtedness |
$ 1,018,226 |
- |
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities | 6,326,582 | 6,074,212 |
Current portion of obligation under capital leases |
1,316.545 |
1,195,366 |
Deferred income | 124,344 | 91,900 |
Deferred income taxes | 25,858 | 25,858 |
Current portion of term notes | 1,995,178 | 2,240,356 |
Current portion of other payable | 194,175 | 303,030 |
Due to related parties |
7,453 |
8,143 |
|
Total Current Liabilities |
11,008,361 |
9,938,865 |
|
Term Notes |
13,540,421 |
13,565,421 |
Notes payable to related parties |
1,500,000 |
1,500,000 |
Obligation under capital lease |
3,437,283 |
3,184,103 |
Other payables |
97,087 |
303,030 |
Due to related parties |
224,145 |
233,203 |
|
|
29,807,297 |
28,724,622 |
|
Stockholders' (deficit) |
Share capital
Authorized
50,000,000 or no par value preferred shares undesignated, none
issued or outstanding
100,000,000 no par value common shares 36,914,757 and
34,494,623 shares issued and outstanding
|
Common stock | 5,863,020 |
1,439,307 |
Deferred compensation |
(354,559) |
- |
Additional paid-in capital | 11,530,572 |
4,958,871 |
Accumalated (deficit) |
(18,831,310 ) |
(12,445,468 ) |
Accumalated other comprehensive losses | |
|
Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment |
(644,481) |
(825,152) |
Unrealized loss on available for sale securities |
(2,858,282) |
- |
|
|
(5,295,040) |
(6,872,442) |
|
|
$ 24,512,257 |
$ 21,852,180 |
|
Creative Vistas Inc.
Consilidated Statement of Operations and Comprehensive (Unaudited) |
|
Three Months Ended |
|
2008 |
2007 |
Contract and service revenue |
Contract | $ 1,479,319 | $ 1,327,247 |
Service | 9,291,977 |
6,453,929 |
Others | 10,059 |
12,444 |
|
| 10,781,355 |
7,793,620 |
|
Cost of sales |
Contract |
900,707 |
921,996 |
Service |
7,407,221 |
4,609,700 |
|
|
8,307,928 |
5,531,696 |
|
Gross Margin |
2,473,427 |
2,261,924 |
|
Operating Expenses |
Project |
326,055 |
281,666 |
Selling |
218,597 |
175,844 |
General and administrative |
3,582,254 |
1,750,956 |
|
|
4,126,906 |
2,208,466 |
|
Income (loss) from operations |
(1,653,479 ) |
53,458 |
|
Interest expenses and other expenses (income) |
Net Financing expenses |
4,432,917 |
559,198 |
Amortization of derferred charges |
44,215 |
45,276 |
Foreign currency translation gain |
255,234 |
- |
|
|
4,732,366 |
585,556 |
|
Loss before income taxes |
(6,385,845) |
(532,098) |
income taxes |
- |
- |
|
Net (loss) |
(6,385,845) |
(532,098) |
|
Other comprehensive (loss): |
Unrealized loss – available for sale securities |
(2,858,282) |
|
Foreign currency translation adjustment |
180,671 |
(44,688) |
|
Comprehensive (loss) |
$ (9,063,456) |
(532,098) |
|
Basic weighted-average shares |
36,248,724 |
33,382,608 |
Diluted weighted-average shares |
36,248,724 |
33,382,608 |
|
Basic (loss) per share |
$ (0.18) |
$ (0.02) |
|
Diluted (loss) per share |
$ (0.18) |
$ (0.02) |
|
|
Contact:
Investor Relations International
Haris Tajyar, 818-382-9700
htajyar@irintl.com
OR
Creative Vistas, Inc.
Sayan Navaratnam, 905-666-8676
sayan@creativevistasinc.com
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