LIONSGATE REPORTS EBITDA OF $16.3 MILLION AND REVENUE OF $323.0 MILLION FOR THIRD QUARTER OF FISCAL YEAR 2012; NET LOSS IS $1.7 MILLION OR ($0.01) PER BASIC SHARE

Published on Thursday, 09 February 2012 16:42 Written by TradersHuddle Staff

SANTA MONICA, Calif., and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF) today reported revenue of $323.0 million, EBITDA of $16.3 million and net loss of $1.7 million or $(0.01) per basic common share for the third quarter of fiscal year 2012 (quarter ended December 31, 2011).

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EBITDA of $16.3 million for the third quarter compared to EBITDA of $10.2 million in the prior year's third quarter.  The improvement was attributable in part to a significant increase in equity interest income as the Company's share in EPIX contributed net profit of $7.3 million in the quarter compared to a net loss of $11.1 million in the prior year's third quarter, offsetting decreased operating income in the quarter due to lower revenues.

Net loss of $1.7 million for the third quarter compared to net loss of $6.0 million in the prior year's third quarter.  The improvement was attributable to higher EBITDA as discussed above partially offset by higher interest expense in the quarter.   

Basic net loss per common share for the third quarter was $0.01 on 126.5 million weighted average common shares outstanding, compared to basic net loss per common share of $0.04 on 136.7 million weighted average common shares outstanding in the prior year's third quarter.

Revenue in the third quarter decreased by $99.9 million from the prior year's third quarter, as the Company had no wide theatrical releases in the quarter compared to three wide theatrical releases in the prior year quarter and the home entertainment release slate compared to the prior year quarter that included the home entertainment release of the hit theatrical title The Expendables.

Shortly after the close of the quarter, Lionsgate acquired Summit Entertainment on January 13, 2012.  The first financial results of the combined entity will be reported in the Company's fiscal year end and fourth quarter financial results.   

"We had no wide theatrical releases in the quarter, but we received solid contributions from our other operating divisions and another strong performance by EPIX," said Lionsgate Chief Executive Officer Jon Feltheimer. "We're very excited about the opportunities created by our recent acquisition of Summit Entertainment.  The February 11 home entertainment release of Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn 1, the March 23 theatrical release of Hunger Games and the November 16 theatrical release of Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn 2 lead a strong combined slate that we believe will enable us to deliver increased consistency, profitability and value to our shareholders."

Overall motion picture revenue for the third quarter was $233.3 million, a decline of 29% from the prior year's third quarter.  Within the motion picture segment, theatrical revenue was $8.4 million in the quarter compared to $53.8 million in the prior year's third quarter as the Company had no wide theatrical releases in the most recent quarter.

Lionsgate's home entertainment revenue from both motion pictures and television was $162.9 million in the quarter, a decrease from the prior year's third quarter attributable primarily to the strength of the theatrical titles in home entertainment release in the prior year quarter noted above.

Television revenue included in motion picture revenue was $22.6 million in the quarter, a decline from the prior year's third quarter due to timing as the slate of one new wide release theatrical title licensed to pay TV in the quarter compared to three new wide release theatrical titles licensed to pay TV in the prior year's third quarter.

International motion picture revenue of $14.6 million (excluding Lionsgate U.K.) for the quarter decreased from the prior year's third quarter as only one wide release theatrical title was released internationally compared to three wide release theatrical titles in the prior year's third quarter.

Lionsgate U.K. revenue of $16.6 million decreased from the prior year's third quarter due to fewer titles and composition of the slate compared to a slate in the prior year third quarter that included The Expendables, Killers and Saw 3D. 

Mandate Pictures' revenue of $40.1 million in the quarter increased from the prior year's third quarter as A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas and Young Adult compared favorably to the slate in the prior year's third quarter.

Television production revenue of $89.7 million decreased 7% from the prior year's third quarter as fewer television episodes were delivered domestically and internationally compared to the prior year quarter, offsetting a strong increase in revenue from home entertainment releases of television programming driven by electronic media revenue from the first five seasons of the television series Weeds.

Digital and on demand revenue for the quarter was $62.4 million, an 80% increase from the prior year's third quarter.

Lionsgate's filmed entertainment backlog reached a record $607.5 million at December 31, 2011, the fifth consecutive quarter of increased backlog.  Filmed entertainment backlog represents the amount of future revenue not yet recorded from contracts for the licensing of films and television product for television exhibition and in international markets. 

Lionsgate's general and administrative expenses in the third quarter of $35.8 million were essentially unchanged from the prior year third quarter as transaction costs associated with the acquisition of Summit Entertainment and increases in share-based compensation associated with the Company's increased stock price offset reductions in costs related to shareholder activism as well as an 8% decline in other G&A expenses.    

Lionsgate senior management will hold its analyst and investor conference call to discuss its third quarter financial results at 9:00 A.M. ET/6:00 A.M. PT on Friday, February 10, 2012. Interested parties may participate live in the conference call by calling 1-877-260-8900 (612-332-0720 outside the U.S. and Canada).  A full digital replay will be available from Friday morning, February 10, through Friday, February 17, by dialing 1-800-475-6701 (320-365-3844 outside the U.S. and Canada) and using access code 236751.

About Lionsgate

Lionsgate is a leading global entertainment company with a strong and diversified presence in motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, home entertainment, family entertainment, digital distribution, new channel platforms and international distribution and sales. The Company has built a strong television presence in production of prime time cable and broadcast network series, distribution and syndication of programming and an array of channel assets.  Lionsgate currently has 15 shows on more than 10 networks spanning its prime time production, distribution and syndication businesses, including such critically-acclaimed hits as the multiple Emmy Award-winning "Mad Men", "Weeds" and "Nurse Jackie" along with the comedy "Blue Mountain State," the Golden Globe-winning drama "Boss" and the syndication successes "Tyler Perry's House Of Payne", its spinoff "Meet The Browns", "The Wendy Williams Show" and "Are We There Yet?".

Its feature film business has been fueled by such recent successes as THE LINCOLN LAWYER, TYLER PERRY'S MADEA'S BIG HAPPY FAMILY, THE EXPENDABLES, MARGIN CALL, THE LAST EXORCISM and the critically-acclaimed PRECIOUS, which won two Academy Awards®. With the January 2012 acquisition of Summit Entertainment, the Company now has the two leading young adult franchises – the blockbuster TWILIGHT SAGA, which has grossed more than $2.5 billion at the worldwide box office, and the HUNGER GAMES franchise, whose first film will be released on March 23.  Recent Summit hits include RED, LETTERS TO JULIET, KNOWING, the STEP UP franchise and the Academy Award winning Best Picture THE HURT LOCKER.

Lionsgate's home entertainment business is an industry leader in box office-to-DVD and box office-to-VOD revenue conversion rate. Lionsgate handles a prestigious and prolific library of approximately 13,000 motion picture and television titles that is an important source of recurring revenue and serves as the foundation for the growth of the Company's core businesses. The Lionsgate and Summit brands remain synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world.

www.lionsgate.com



For further information, please contact:

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The matters discussed in this press release include forward-looking statements, including those regarding the performance of future fiscal years.  Such statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results in the future could differ materially and adversely from those described in the forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including the substantial investment of capital required to produce and market films and television series, increased costs for producing and marketing feature films and television series, budget overruns, limitations imposed by our credit facilities and notes, unpredictability of the commercial success of our motion pictures and television programming, the cost of defending our intellectual property, difficulties in integrating acquired businesses, risks related to our acquisition strategy and integration of acquired businesses, the effects of disposition of businesses or assets, technological changes and other trends affecting the entertainment industry, and the risk factors as set forth in Lionsgate's Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on May 31, 2011,and Lionsgate's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC on February 9, 2012, which risk factors are incorporated herein by reference.  The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the result of any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect any future events or circumstances.

EBITDA is defined as earnings before interest, income tax provision, and depreciation and amortization.  EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure.

EBITDA, as adjusted represents EBITDA as defined above adjusted for gain on sale of asset disposal group, losses on extinguishment of debt, equity interests, stock-based compensation, EBITDA attributable to TV Guide Network, acquisition related charges, certain corporate defense and related charges, and non-risk prints and advertising expense. Stock-based compensation represents compensation expenses associated with stock options, restricted share units and stock appreciation rights. EBITDA attributable to TV Guide Network represents the Company's 51% share of TV Guide Network's EBITDA for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2011 and 2010. Acquisition related charges represent legal fees, other professional fees, and certain other costs associated with the acquisition of Summit Entertainment, LLC on January 13, 2012. Corporate defense and related charges represent legal fees, other professional fees, and certain other costs associated with a shareholder activist matter. Non-risk prints and advertising expense represents the amount of theatrical marketing expense for third party titles that the Company funded and expensed for which a third party provides a guarantee that such expense will be recouped from the performance of the film (i.e. there is no risk of loss to the company) net of an amount of the estimated amortization of participation expense that would have been recorded if such amount had not been expensed. The amount is subtracted from EBITDA in the three and nine months ended December 31, 2011 and 2010 because there was no non-risk prints and advertising expense incurred and the amount represents the estimated amortization of participation expense that would have been recorded if such prior period amounts had not been expensed.

Management believes EBITDA and EBITDA, as adjusted to be a meaningful indicator of our performance that provides useful information to investors regarding our financial condition and results of operations. Presentation of EBITDA and EBITDA, as adjusted is a non-GAAP financial measure commonly used in the entertainment industry and by financial analysts and others who follow the industry to measure operating performance. While management considers EBITDA and EBITDA, as adjusted to be an important measure of comparative operating performance, it should be considered in addition to, but not as a substitute for, net income and other measures of financial performance reported in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. EBITDA and EBITDA, as adjusted do not reflect cash available to fund cash requirements. Not all companies calculate EBITDA or EBITDA, as adjusted in the same manner and the measure as presented may not be comparable to similarly-titled measures presented by other companies.

Free cash flow is defined as net cash flows used in operating activities, less purchases of property and equipment, plus or minus the net increase or decrease in production loans including production loan activity under the Company's Film Credit Facility, plus the net increase (decrease) in restricted cash held in a trust to fund the Company's cash severance obligations that would be due to certain executive officers should their employment be terminated "without cause," (as defined), in connection with a "change in control" of the Company, (as defined in each of their respective employment contracts). For purposes of the employment agreements with such executive officers, a "change in control" occurred on June 30, 2010 when a certain shareholder became the beneficial owner of 33% or more of the Company's common shares. The adjustment for the production loans is made because the GAAP based cash flows from operations reflects a non-cash reduction of cash flows for the cost of films associated with production loans prior to the time the Company actually pays for the film. The Company believes that it is more meaningful to reflect the impact of the payment for these films in its free cash flow when the payments are actually made.

Free cash flow is a non-GAAP financial measure as defined in Regulation G promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission. This non-GAAP financial measure is in addition to, not a substitute for, or superior to, measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.

Management believes this non-GAAP measure provides useful information to investors regarding cash that our operating businesses generate whether classified as operating or financing activity (related to the production of our films) within our GAAP based statement of cash flows, before taking into account cash movements that are non-operational. Free cash flow is a non-GAAP financial measure commonly used in the entertainment industry and by financial analysts and others who follow the industry. Not all companies calculate free cash flow in the same manner and the measure as presented may not be comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other companies.

This reconciliation is provided to illustrate the difference between our EBITDA and free cash flow which are both separately reconciled to their corresponding GAAP metrics.

SOURCE Lionsgate