Category: Services

NCI Reports First Quarter 2013 Financial and Operating Results

First quarter revenue of $91.5 million, diluted EPS of $0.15–both exceed top end of guidance

NCI, Inc. (NCIT), a leading provider of information technology (IT), engineering, logistics, and professional services and solutions to U.S. Federal Government agencies, today announced its financial and operating results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2013.

First quarter 2013 revenue exceeded the high end of management’s guidance range issued last quarter by $5.5 million; diluted earnings per share (EPS) exceeded the high end of guidance by $0.05.

 

First Quarter 2013 Results

For the three months ended March 31, 2013, revenue decreased by 7.6%, or $7.5 million, over the same period a year ago. The decrease was primarily due to approximately $5.8 million of lower revenue attributable to services provided on its PEO Soldier contract. NCI’s PEO Soldier contract accounted for 13.7%, or $12.5 million, of total revenue for the first quarter of 2013 compared with 18.6%, or $18.4 million, of total revenue for the first quarter of 2012.

General and administrative expenses decreased by 13.1%, or $0.9 million, for the three months ended March 31, 2013, compared with the same period a year ago. The decrease was due to lower stock compensation costs, lower fees for outside consultants, and reduced facilities costs, among other factors.

Operating income for the first quarter of 2013 was $3.6 million, up from $3.1 million for the first quarter of 2012. Operating margin for the first quarter of 2013 was 3.9% compared with operating margin of 3.1% for the first quarter of 2012. Operating margin for the first quarter of 2013 increased due to improved margins on certain time-and-materials contracts, the receipt of award fees on certain cost-plus-fee contracts, lower general and administrative expenses, and lower depreciation and amortization expenses.

Net income for the first quarter of 2013 increased to $2.0 million from $1.6 million in the first quarter of 2012. The increase in net income year over year is attributable to the factors affecting operating income and lower interest expense, offset by an increase in income taxes and a higher effective income tax rate. Diluted EPS for the first quarter of 2013 was $0.15 compared with $0.12 in the first quarter of 2012.

Days sales outstanding (DSO) increased to 78 days as of March 31, 2013, up 14 days from the 64 days reported as of December 31, 2012. The increase in DSO is primarily associated with delays in the receipt of payments on several large contracts. As a result, net cash used in operating activities for the first quarter of 2013 was $8.3 million.

NCI reported total backlog at March 31, 2013, of $623 million, of which $162 million was funded. This compares with total backlog at December 31, 2012, of $706 million, of which $212 million was funded.

Management’s Outlook

Based on the company’s current contract backlog and management’s estimate of future tasking and contract awards, NCI is issuing guidance for its second quarter of 2013 and updating previously issued guidance for full fiscal year 2013. The table below represents management’s current expectations about future financial performance based on information available at this time:

         
    Second Quarter   Fiscal Year
    Fiscal Year 2013 Ending   Ending
    June 30, 2013   December 31, 2013
Revenue   $76 million–$84 million   $290 million–$320 million
Diluted EPS   $0.10–$0.12   $0.27–$0.37
Diluted projected share count   12.8 million   12.8 million
         

“We’re pleased with NCI’s performance in the first quarter. We exceeded previously issued guidance for revenue and earnings and have raised our forecast for 2013,” said Charles K. Narang, NCI’s Chairman and CEO. “Thus far, the impact of sequestration on NCI has been minimal, although this could change in the second half of 2013. However, the impact of new wins during the remainder of 2013 could be felt in the latter part of the year and would certainly create positive momentum going into 2014.”

“During the first quarter, we continued our cost-reduction efforts to both improve profitability and provide for continued investment in new business growth opportunities,” said NCI’s President, Brian J. Clark. “Thus far in 2013, we have submitted two significant bids that embody NCI’s revitalized business development disciplines. We expect to submit several more significant bids throughout the course of the year. An award of one or more of these programs would help redefine NCI and position us for growth in 2014 and beyond.”

Conference Call Information

As previously announced, NCI will conduct a conference call today at 4:30 p.m. EDT to discuss fiscal first quarter results and guidance for 2013.

Analysts and institutional investors may listen to the conference call by dialing (888) 428-9473 (United States/Canada) or (719) 325-2458 (international) with pass code 1833524. The conference call will be simultaneously provided as a webcast through a link on the NCI website (www.nciinc.com).

A replay of the conference call will be available approximately two hours after the conclusion of the call through May 15, 2013, by dialing (877) 870-5176 (United States/Canada) or (858) 384-5517 (international) and entering pass code 1833524.

About NCI, Inc.

NCI is a leading provider of information technology (IT) and professional services and solutions to U.S. Federal Government agencies. Our award-winning expertise encompasses areas critical to our customers’ mission objectives, including enterprise systems management; network engineering; cybersecurity and information assurance; software development and systems engineering; program management, acquisition, and lifecycle support; engineering and logistics; health IT and informatics; and training and simulation. Headquartered in Reston, VA, NCI has approximately 2,000 employees at nearly 100 locations worldwide. For more information, visit our website at www.nciinc.com or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Forward-Looking Statement: Statements and assumptions made in this press release, which do not address historical facts, constitute “forward-looking” statements that NCI believes to be within the definition in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside of our control. Words such as “may,” “will,” “intends,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “projects,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue,” or “opportunity,” or the negative of these terms or words of similar import are intended to identify forward-looking statements.

Such statements are subject to factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from anticipated results. The factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated include, but are not limited to, the following: our dependence on our contracts with Federal Government agencies, particularly within the U.S. Department of Defense, for substantially all of our revenue; a reduction in the overall U.S. Defense budget, volatility in spending authorizations for Defense and Intelligence-related programs by the U.S. Federal Government or a shift in spending to programs in areas where we do not currently provide services; Federal Government shutdowns (such as that which occurred during the Federal Government’s 1996 fiscal year), other delays in the Federal Government appropriations process, or budgetary cuts resulting from Congressional committee recommendations or automatic sequestration under the Budget Control Act of 2011, risk of contract performance or termination; failure to achieve contract awards in connection with recompetes for present business and/or competition for new business; adverse results of Federal Government audits of our government contracts; Government contract procurement (such as bid protest, small business set asides, etc.) and termination risks; competitive factors such as pricing pressures and competition to hire and retain employees (particularly those with security clearances); Federal Government agencies awarding contracts on a technically acceptable/lowest cost basis in order to reduce expenditures; failure to successfully identify and integrate future acquired companies or businesses into our operations or to realize any accretive or synergistic effects from such acquisitions or to effectively integrate acquisitions appropriate to the achievement of our strategic plans; economic conditions in the United States, including conditions that result from terrorist activities or war; material changes in laws or regulations applicable to our businesses, particularly legislation affecting (i) government contracts for services, (ii) outsourcing of activities that have been performed by the government, (iii) government contracts containing organizational conflict of interest (OCI) clauses, (iv) delays related to agency specific funding freezes, (v) competition for task orders under Government Wide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs), agency-specific Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts and/or schedule contracts with the General Services Administration; and (vi) our own ability to achieve the objectives of near-term or long-range business plans, including internal systems failures. These and other risk factors are more fully discussed in the section titled “Risks Factors” in NCI's Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and from time to time, in other filings with the SEC, such as our Forms 8-K and Forms 10-Q.

Any projections of revenue, margins, expenses, earnings, tax provisions, cash flows, benefit obligations, share repurchases, any statements of the plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations, the execution of cost reduction programs and restructuring and integration plans are also subject to factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from anticipated results.

The forward-looking statements included in this news release are only made as of the date of this news release and NCI undertakes no obligation to publicly update any of the forward-looking statements made herein, whether as a result of new information, subsequent events or circumstances, changes in expectations or otherwise.

Financial tables follow

 
NCI, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(UNAUDITED)
(in thousands, except per share data)
     
    Three months ended March 31,
    2013   2012
               
Revenue   $ 91,541     $ 99,076
               
Operating expenses:              
Cost of revenue     80,477       87,445
General and administrative expenses     5,861       6,744
Depreciation and amortization     1,618       1,773
Total operating expenses     87,956       95,962
               
Operating income     3,585       3,114
Interest expense, net     251       450
               
Income before income taxes     3,334       2,664
Provision for income taxes     1,359       1,079
Net income   $ 1,975     $ 1,585
               
Earnings per common and common equivalent share:              
Basic:              
Weighted average shares outstanding     12,812       13,577
               
Net income per share   $ 0.15     $ 0.12
               
Diluted:              
Weighted average shares outstanding     12,812       13,630
               
Net income per share   $ 0.15     $ 0.12
 
NCI, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(in thousands, except par value)
 
    As of   As of
    March 31,   December 31,
    2013   2012
    (unaudited)      
Assets:            
Current assets:            
Cash and cash equivalents   $ 861     $ 763  
Accounts receivable, net     79,697       62,293  
Deferred tax assets, net     3,275       3,269  
Income tax receivable     2,668       5,543  
Prepaid expenses and other current assets     4,907       5,215  
Total current assets     91,408       77,083  
             
Property and equipment, net     11,570       12,564  
Other assets     1,561       1,593  
Deferred tax assets, net     43,463       43,463  
Intangible assets, net     6,589       7,073  
Total assets   $ 154,591     $ 141,776  
             
Liabilities and stockholders’ equity:            
Current liabilities:            
Accounts payable   $ 25,715     $ 24,148  
Accrued salaries and benefits     15,203       15,858  
Deferred revenue     2,130       1,032  
Other accrued expenses     7,747       7,625  
Total current liabilities     50,795       48,663  
             
Long-term debt     26,000       17,500  
Other long-term liabilities     2,632       2,723  
Total liabilities     79,427       68,886  

Commitments and contingencies

           
Stockholders’ equity:            
Class A common stock, $0.019 par value—37,500 shares authorized; 9,149 shares issued and 8,232 shares outstanding as of March 31, 2013, and 9,149 shares issued and 8,232 shares outstanding as of December 31, 2012     174       174  
Class B common stock, $0.019 par value—12,500 shares authorized; 4,700 shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012     89       89  
Additional paid-in capital     70,025       69,726  
Treasury stock at cost— 917 shares of Class A common stock as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012     (8,331 )     (8,331 )
Retained earnings     13,207       11,232  
Total stockholders’ equity     75,164       72,890  
             
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity   $ 154,591       141,776  
             
 
NCI, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(UNAUDITED)
(in thousands)
 
    Three months ended March 31,
    2013   2012
Cash flows from operating activities:                
Net income   $ 1,975     $ 1,585  
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities:                
Depreciation and amortization     1,618       1,773  
Loss on sale and disposal of property and equipment           5  
Share-based payments     298       640  
Deferred income taxes     (6 )     171  
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:                
Accounts receivable, net     (17,404 )     9,273  
Prepaid expenses and other assets     3,215       (2,280 )
Accounts payable     1,567       (6,619 )
Accrued expenses     475       (3,047 )
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities     (8,262 )     1,501  
                 
Cash flows from investing activities:                
Purchases of property and equipment     (140 )     (752 )
Net cash used in investing activities     (140 )     (752 )
                 
Cash flows from financing activities:                
Borrowings under credit facility     28,558       44,369  
Repayments on credit facility     (20,058 )     (47,869 )
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities     8,500       (3,500 )
                 
Net change in cash and cash equivalents     98       (2,751 )
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period     763       2,819  
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period   $ 861     $ 68  
                 
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:                
Cash paid during the period for:                
Interest   $ 195     $ 448  
Income taxes   $ 131     $ 2,087  

 

Contact:

NCI, Inc.
Brian J. Clark, President
703-707-6900