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SMALL BUSINESS
The Amacore Group Reports Third Quarter and Nine Month Financial Results
Business Wire
The Amacore Group, Inc., (OTC BB: ACGI), a leader in providing
membership benefit programs, insurance programs, program administration
services, and other innovative and high-quality benefit solutions to
individuals, families and employer groups nationwide, reports financial
results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2009.
During the third quarter Amacore continued its cost reduction efforts,
highlights of which are summarized below:
Third Quarter Financial Highlights:
- Gross profit margins improved to 35% for the third quarter 2009 compared with 30% in the same quarter last year;
- Cost of sales decreased 23% to $4.6 million from $6.0 million in the same quarter last year;
- Operating expenses decreased by $14.4 million, or 59%, for the quarter, to $10.2 million, down from $24.6 in the same quarter last year;
- Total revenue was $7.1 million compared with $8.6 million in the year-ago quarter. Included in the year-ago quarter revenue was revenue generated from a marketer with whom Amacore has discontinued its relationship because of the high cost of sales and lower than anticipated billing and retention performance;
- Loss from operations was reduced to $7.7 million from $22.1 million in the same quarter last year, a decrease of $14.4 million or 65%. Excluding the effects of non-cash impairment losses taken on goodwill and other intangible assets as well as related amortization, loss from operations was $3.3 million as compared to $5.8 million in the same quarter last year.
- Net loss available to common stockholders was reduced to $9.9 million or $0.01 per share, compared to $11.7 million or $0.08 per share in the same quarter last year;
- Net cash used to fund operating activities improved to $2.6 million (after excluding the impact of a $1.15 million cash settlement) in the current quarter from $5.3 million in the same quarter last year, reflecting the company’s steady focus on reducing customer acquisition costs, improving efficiency, and streamlining contractual agreements.
Highlights for the First Nine Months of 2009:
- Gross profit margins improved to 36% as compared with 28% in the comparable year-ago period;
- Cost of sales decreased to $14.2 million, compared with $15.3 million in the in the comparable year-ago period;
- Operating expenses improved $12.3 million, or 32.8%, for the first nine months of 2009, to $25.2 million, compared with $37.5 million in the comparable year-ago period;
- Total revenue for the first nine months of 2009 was $22 million, a 3.4% increase, or $726 thousand improvement over the comparable year-ago period;
- Loss from operations was reduced to $17.4 million from $31.5 million, a decrease of $14.1 million or 45%, as compared to the comparable year-ago period. Excluding the recognition of non-cash impairment losses taken on goodwill and other intangible assets, related amortization and reversal of a prior year non-cash litigation accrual, loss from operations was $12.4 million as compared to $13.2 million in the same quarter last year.
- Net loss available to common shareholders was reduced by $21 million to $9.9 million, or $0.01 per share, compared with $31.0 million, or $0.21 per share in the comparable year-ago period;
- Net cash used to fund operating activities decreased to $12.1 million from $17.3 million in the year-ago nine-month period.
Jay Shafer, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Amacore Group said,
“The quarterly and year-over-year improvements across so many of our key
financial performance metrics reflect the aggressive efforts we have
made throughout the year to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of
our operations. Included in these improvements, we dramatically
decreased our operating costs, opened new sales channels, and
renegotiated and signed more favorable marketing and vendor agreements.
The decline in quarterly revenue compared with last year reflects the
fact that we discontinued a significant contract with a third party
direct response marketer whose customer acquisition costs and residual
business metrics were unfavorable. I am pleased to note, however, that
we have replaced this marketer with others who are producing superior
results.”
Mr. Shafer continued, “Among other significant highlights this quarter,
Amacore signed several new marketer agreements, including one with
Acquisition Technologies, an inbound order confirmation call center that
provides Amacore with the ability to cross- sell additional products all
while dramatically improving our sales closing rates. We are also in
development with two new online marketers, each of which, we believe,
will help improve and extend exposure for Amacore’s quality programs as
well as top-line growth in upcoming quarters. Our recently signed
agreement with InternetSafety.com™, a leading provider of web filtering
solutions for consumers and businesses, and its flagship software, Safe
Eyes®, a leading parental control solution, gives Amacore another
quality product with which we can deepen our customer base. Further, the
spin-off of Zurvita in July helped reduced our cash burn and has also
contributed revenue through its marketing agreements with Amacore
partner OmniReliant Holdings. Another exciting development is our recent
launch of a new merchant billing service for which we have already added
several clients. This ancillary administrative service provides Amacore
a revenue stream with minimal associated costs, thus helping to further
bolster our bottom line. Each of these steps, we believe, continues
Amacore on in the direction of improved performance and shareholder
value.”
Guy Norberg, President of Amacore Group commented, “It has been a
demanding and exciting year for our entire team, as we continue to
deliver on our strategy of managing our growth while creating more cost
efficient operations. In the midst of a challenging economy, Amacore is
persevering and excelling by keenly managing financial performance and
by keeping a steady focus on new initiatives, new sales channels, and
new product development. As a result, we believe we have reached a point
where we are better positioned to increase our revenue base and improve
our cash flow. As those efforts continue, we look forward to continued
adherance to our strategy with the goal of further improving our results
in upcoming quarters.”
About The Amacore Group, Inc. (
www.amacoregroup.com)
The Amacore Group, Inc. is primarily a provider and marketer of
healthcare related products, including healthcare benefits, vision and
dental networks, and administrative services such as billing,
fulfillment, patient advocacy, claims administration and servicing. The
Company primarily markets healthcare-related membership programs such as
limited and major medical programs, supplemental medical and discount
dental programs to individuals and families. It distributes these
products and services through various distribution methods such as its
agent network, direct response marketing companies, DRTV (Direct
Response TV), inbound call centers, in-house sales representatives,
network marketing and affinity marketing partners. The Company’s
secondary line of business is to place membership programs through these
same marketing channels. These membership programs utilize the same back
office and systems creating marketing efficiencies to provide low cost
ancillary products such as pet insurance, home warranty, involuntary
unemployment insurance, and accident insurance.
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are
subject to risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements
include information about possible or assumed future results of our
business, including anticipated growth and geographic expansion, new
products and services, new business development and opportunities,
anticipated revenues, possible reduction or elimination of material
weaknesses, anticipated revenue growth, expenses, profitability, losses
and profit margins. In some cases, you may identify forward-looking
statements by words such as "may," "should," "plan," "intend,"
"potential," "continue," "believe," "expect," "predict," "anticipate"
and "estimate," the negative of these words or other comparable words.
These statements are only predictions. One should not place undue
reliance on these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking
statements are qualified by their terms and/or important factors, many
of which are outside the Company's control, involve a number of risks,
uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results and
events to differ materially from the statements made. The
forward-looking statements are based on the Company's beliefs,
assumptions and expectations of the Company’s future performance, taking
into account information currently available to the Company. These
beliefs, assumptions and expectations can change as a result of many
possible events or factors, including those events and factors described
in "Risk Factors" in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for 2008
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, not all of which are
known to the Company. The Company will update the information in this
press release only to the extent required under applicable securities
laws. If a change occurs, the Company's business, financial condition,
liquidity and results of operations may vary materially from those
expressed in the aforementioned forward-looking statements.
| THE AMACORE GROUP, INC. | ||||||||||||||||
| CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS | ||||||||||||||||
| (Unaudited) | ||||||||||||||||
| For the Three Months Ended | For the Nine Months Ended | |||||||||||||||
| September 30, | September 30, | |||||||||||||||
| 2009 | 2008 | 2009 | 2008 | |||||||||||||
| REVENUES | ||||||||||||||||
| Commissions | $ | 374,115 | $ | 404,953 | $ | 1,125,656 | $ | 1,083,734 | ||||||||
| Marketing fees and materials | 991,366 | 1,051,399 | 2,567,682 | 1,788,796 | ||||||||||||
| Membership fees | 5,722,601 | 7,096,301 | 18,272,660 | 18,367,063 | ||||||||||||
| Total revenues | 7,088,082 | 8,552,653 | 21,965,998 | 21,239,593 | ||||||||||||
| COST OF SALES | ||||||||||||||||
| Benefit and service cost | 1,166,071 | 1,393,609 | 3,350,693 | 4,303,312 | ||||||||||||
| Sales commissions | 3,439,759 | 4,577,399 | 10,801,652 | 10,949,551 | ||||||||||||
| Total cost of sales | 4,605,830 | 5,971,008 | 14,152,345 | 15,252,863 | ||||||||||||
| GROSS PROFIT | 2,482,252 | 2,581,645 | 7,813,653 | 5,986,730 | ||||||||||||
| OPERATING EXPENSES | ||||||||||||||||
| Amortization | 213,253 | 1,001,142 | 811,984 | 2,725,834 | ||||||||||||
| Depreciation | 113,733 | 100,036 | 337,958 | 225,939 | ||||||||||||
| Impairment loss on goodwill and other intangible assets | 4,201,699 | 15,308,944 | 4,201,699 | 15,308,944 | ||||||||||||
| Office related expenses | 613,916 | 602,271 | 1,866,190 | 1,427,706 | ||||||||||||
| Payroll and employee benefits | 2,090,188 | 2,299,556 | 6,802,486 | 6,500,665 | ||||||||||||
| Professional fees and legal settlement | 1,172,136 | 1,583,485 | 5,806,404 | 2,141,098 | ||||||||||||
| Selling and marketing | 1,637,228 | 3,351,142 | 5,019,518 | 8,115,736 | ||||||||||||
| Travel | 120,595 | 401,935 | 339,952 | 1,024,041 | ||||||||||||
| Total operating expenses | 10,162,748 | 24,648,511 | 25,186,191 | 37,469,963 | ||||||||||||
| Loss from operations before other income and expense | (7,680,496 | ) | (22,066,866 | ) | (17,372,538 | ) | (31,483,233 | ) | ||||||||
| OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE) | ||||||||||||||||
| Gain on change in fair value of warrants | 405,434 | 11,448,822 | 11,184,590 | 2,538,644 | ||||||||||||
| Gain on extinguishment of debt | 38,700 | - | 38,700 | - | ||||||||||||
| Interest expense | (103,934 | ) | (562,456 | ) | (258,569 | ) | (691,618 | ) | ||||||||
| Interest income | 770 | 3,564 | 5,030 | 20,678 | ||||||||||||
| Loss on conversion of note payable | - | - | - | (242,653 | ) | |||||||||||
| Other | 75,207 | 1,280 | 89,614 | 8,993 | ||||||||||||
| Total other income | 416,177 | 10,891,210 | 11,059,365 | 1,634,044 | ||||||||||||
| Net loss before income taxes | (7,264,319 | ) | (11,175,656 | ) | (6,313,173 | ) | (29,849,189 | ) | ||||||||
| Income taxes | 5,086 | - | 5,086 | - | ||||||||||||
| Net loss | (7,269,405 | ) | (11,175,656 | ) | (6,318,259 | ) | (29,849,189 | ) | ||||||||
|
Less: Net loss attributed to non-controlling interest in Zurvita
Holdings, Inc. |
1,610,555 | - | 1,610,555 | - | ||||||||||||
| Net loss attributed to The Amacore Group, Inc. | (5,658,850 | ) | (11,175,656 | ) | (4,707,704 | ) | (29,849,189 | ) | ||||||||
| Preferred stock dividend and accretion | (4,224,426 | ) | (489,524 | ) | (5,194,871 | ) | (1,153,599 | ) | ||||||||
|
Net loss attributed to The Amacore Group, Inc. available to common
stockholders |
$ | (9,883,276 | ) | $ | (11,665,180 | ) | $ | (9,902,575 | ) | $ | (31,002,788 | ) | ||||
| Basic and diluted loss per share | $ | (0.01 | ) | $ | (0.08 | ) | $ | (0.01 | ) | $ | (0.21 | ) | ||||
|
Basic and diluted weighted average number of common shares
outstanding |
1,030,774,307 | 149,297,612 | 1,022,343,362 | 145,866,798 | ||||||||||||
| THE AMACORE GROUP, INC. | |||||||||
| CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS | |||||||||
|
September 30,
2009 |
December 31,
2008 |
||||||||
| ASSETS | |||||||||
| Current assets | $ | 10,089,087 | $ | 4,006,054 | |||||
| Property, plant and equipment | 1,054,516 | 863,537 | |||||||
| Other assets | 6,487,459 | 12,324,509 | |||||||
| Total assets | $ | 17,631,062 | $ | 17,194,100 | |||||
| LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' DEFICIT | |||||||||
| Current liabilities | $ | 9,223,068 | $ | 11,219,123 | |||||
| Non-current liabilities | 13,805,169 | 15,211,602 | |||||||
| Amacore Group, Inc. Stockholders' Deficit | (3,481,224 | ) | (9,236,625 | ) | |||||
| Noncontrolling Interest in Zurvita Holdings, Inc. Stockholders' Deficit | (1,915,951 | ) | - | ||||||
| Total liabilities and stockholders' deficit | $ | 17,631,062 | $ | 17,194,100 | |||||
Copyright Business Wire 2009
2009-11-24 07:00:00
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