ValueClick Announces Fourth Quarter 2012 Results

Revenue Meets, Profitability Exceeds High-End of Guidance Ranges

ValueClick, Inc. (VCLK) today reported financial results for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2012. Revenue met the high-end of its guidance range, while Adjusted-EBITDA¹ and non-GAAP diluted net income² per common share exceeded the high-end of their respective guidance ranges.

"We are seeing the early results of our initiatives to elevate our conversations with advertisers to become a more strategic and persistent marketing partner, while also executing on our goals of strong organic growth and profitability," said John Giuliani, chief executive officer of ValueClick. "We expect 2013 to be a watershed year for ValueClick, and we look forward to articulating our vision and strategic initiatives in greater detail at our March 14th analyst and investor day."

Highlights from the fourth quarter of 2012 include:

• Revenue of $199.6 million, up 14 percent from the fourth quarter of 2011 (Q4 2011);
• Adjusted-EBITDA of $77.1 million, up 26 percent from Q4 2011;
• Adjusted-EBITDA margin of 38.6 percent versus 34.8 percent in Q4 2011;
• Income from operations of $63.0 million, up 43 percent from Q4 2011;
• Non-GAAP diluted net income of $0.56 per common share versus $0.46 in Q4 2011;
• GAAP net income from continuing operations of $0.47 per diluted share versus $0.34 in Q4 2011; and
• Free cash flow (defined as cash from operations less capital expenditures) for the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2012 of $139 million, up 34 percent from the prior year.

The consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2012 included approximately $136.6 million in cash and cash equivalents, and $142.5 million in total debt.

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¹ Adjusted-EBITDA is defined as GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) net income from continuing operations before interest, income taxes, depreciation, amortization, stock-based compensation, and acquisition-related costs. Please see the attached schedule for a reconciliation of GAAP net income from continuing operations to Adjusted-EBITDA, and a discussion of why the Company believes Adjusted-EBITDA is a useful financial measure to investors and how Company management uses this financial measure.

² Non-GAAP net income is defined as GAAP net income from continuing operations before the impact of stock-based compensation and amortization of intangible assets. Please see the attached schedule for a reconciliation of GAAP net income from continuing operations to non-GAAP diluted net income per common share.

Share Repurchase Program Update

During the quarter, the Company repurchased approximately 113,000 shares of its common stock for a total cost of $2.0 million. For the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2012, ValueClick repurchased 6.6 million shares of its common stock for a total cost of $110.8 million. As of today, ValueClick's share repurchase program authorization is $89.3 million.

Business Outlook

Today, ValueClick is announcing guidance for the first quarter of 2013:

The consolidated revenue guidance range is based on the following segment-level assumptions for revenue growth rates, expressed as a percentage increase from first quarter 2012 reported revenue levels:

First quarter 2013 guidance assumes stock-based compensation of $5.0 million, amortization of intangible assets of $6.5 million (including $2.5 million recorded in Cost of revenue), net interest and other income of zero, a 40 percent effective tax rate, and 77 million diluted shares outstanding.

Conference Call Today at 4:30 p.m. ET

John Giuliani, chief executive officer, and John Pitstick, chief financial officer, will present an overview of the results and other factors affecting ValueClick's financial performance for the fourth quarter during a conference call and Webcast at 4:30 p.m. ET today. The live conference call can be accessed by dialing (888) 219-1420 or (913) 312-0420. Please dial in approximately ten minutes prior to the start time and provide the operator with pass code 9841608. A replay of the conference call will be available from Wednesday, February 13 at 7:30 p.m. ET through Wednesday, February 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET at (888) 203-1112 and (719) 457-0820 (pass code: 9841608). The live and archived Webcast of the conference call will be available at http://ir.valueclick.com.

Analyst and Investor Day: March 14

The Company recently announced that senior management will host an analyst and investor day on Thursday, March 14, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Westlake Village, California. The event is expected to begin at 7:30 a.m. PT and conclude at approximately 2:00 p.m. PT. Financial analysts and investors can register for this event by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone at (818) 575-4952. Registration is required for admittance.

About ValueClick

ValueClick, Inc. (VCLK) is one of the world's largest digital marketing companies. Through a unique combination of data, technology and services, ValueClick increases brand awareness and drives customer acquisition at scale for the world's largest advertisers, and maximizes advertising revenue for tens of thousands of online and mobile publishers. The Company is based in Westlake Village, California, and has offices in major advertising markets worldwide. For more information, please visit www.valueclick.com.

This release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the risk that market demand for on-line advertising in general, and performance based on-line advertising in particular, will not grow as rapidly as predicted, and the risk that legislation and governmental regulation could negatively impact the Company's performance. Actual results may differ materially from the results predicted, and reported results should not be considered an indication of future performance. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements are detailed under “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission made from time to time by ValueClick, including, but not limited to: its annual report on Form 10-K filed on February 29, 2012; recent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q; and other current reports on Form 8-K.

The Business Outlook contained in this release is based on current expectations. These statements are forward-looking, and actual results may differ materially. These statements do not include the potential impact of any mergers, acquisitions or other business combinations that may be completed after the date of this release. Actual stock-based compensation may differ from these estimates based on the timing and amount of stock awards granted, the assumptions used in stock award valuation and other factors. Actual income tax expense may differ from these estimates based on tax planning, changes in tax accounting rules and laws, and other factors.

ValueClick undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Note 1 - “Adjusted-EBITDA” (GAAP net income from continuing operations before interest, income taxes, depreciation, amortization, stock-based compensation, and acquisition-related costs) included in this press release is a non-GAAP financial measure.

Adjusted-EBITDA, as defined above, may not be similar to Adjusted-EBITDA measures used by other companies and is not a measurement under GAAP. Management believes that Adjusted-EBITDA provides useful information to investors about the Company's performance because it eliminates the effects of period-to-period changes in income from interest on the Company's cash and cash equivalents, note receivable and borrowings, and the costs associated with income tax expense, capital investments, and stock-based compensation which are not directly attributable to the underlying performance of the Company's business operations. Management uses Adjusted-EBITDA in evaluating the overall performance of the Company's business operations.

Though management finds Adjusted-EBITDA useful for evaluating aspects of the Company's business, its reliance on this measure is limited because excluded items often have a material effect on the Company's earnings and earnings per common share calculated in accordance with GAAP. Therefore, management uses Adjusted-EBITDA in conjunction with GAAP earnings and earnings per common share measures. The Company believes that Adjusted-EBITDA provides investors with an additional tool for evaluating the Company's core performance, which management uses in its own evaluation of overall performance, and a baseline for assessing the future earnings potential of the Company. While the GAAP results are more complete, the Company prefers to allow investors to have this supplemental metric since, with a reconciliation to GAAP, it may provide greater insight into the Company's financial results.

Note 1 - “Non-GAAP diluted net income per common share” (GAAP diluted net income from continuing operations per common share before the impact of stock-based compensation and amortization of intangibles) included in this press release is a non-GAAP financial measure.

Non-GAAP diluted net income per common share, as defined above, may not be similar to non-GAAP diluted net income per common share measures used by other companies and is not a measurement under GAAP. Management believes that non-GAAP diluted net income per common share provides useful information to investors about the Company's performance because it eliminates the effects of items which are not directly attributable to the underlying performance of the Company's business operations. Management uses non-GAAP diluted net income per common share in evaluating the overall performance of the Company's business operations.

Though management finds non-GAAP diluted net income per common share useful for evaluating aspects of the Company's business, its reliance on this measure is limited because excluded items often have a material effect on the Company's earnings and earnings per common share calculated in accordance with GAAP. Therefore, management uses non-GAAP diluted net income per common share in conjunction with GAAP earnings and earnings per common share measures. The Company believes that non-GAAP diluted net income per common share provides investors with an additional tool for evaluating the Company's core performance, which management uses in its own evaluation of overall performance, and a baseline for assessing the future earnings potential of the Company. While the GAAP results are more complete, the Company prefers to allow investors to have this supplemental metric since, with a reconciliation to GAAP, it may provide greater insight into the Company's financial results.

ValueClick, Inc.
Gary J. Fuges, CFA
1.818.575.4677