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  • Pitney Bowes Announces First Quarter 2019 Financial Results

Pitney Bowes Announces First Quarter 2019 Financial Results

Business Wire via ITWeb,
Stamford, Conn., 01 May 2019

Pitney Bowes Inc. (NYSE: PBI), a global technology company that provides commerce solutions in the areas of ecommerce, shipping, mailing, and data, today announced its financial results for the first quarter 2019.

Quarterly Financial Results:

* Revenue of $868 million, a decline of 3 percent; a decline of 2 percent when adjusted for the impact of currency; a decline of 1 percent when adjusted for both the impact of currency and market exits
* GAAP EPS of ($0.01), which included a $0.10 loss related to the previously announced sale of direct operations in 6 smaller European markets
* Adjusted EPS of $0.12
* GAAP cash from operations of $70 million; free cash flow of $32 million
* Repurchased $39 million of stock, or 5.6 million shares
* The Company is updating its 2019 annual guidance

"While we delivered first quarter revenue that was largely in-line with our expectations, we fell short on profitability. Clearly, we are not pleased with our profit performance, but are confident that the actions we are taking will improve profitability and continue to position us for sustained growth for the long-term," said Marc B. Lautenbach, President and CEO, Pitney Bowes. "We continued to make progress against our long-term objectives as we move our portfolio of business to the growth areas of the market. For the second consecutive quarter, our Commerce Services business was the largest component of our overall revenue and our shipping-related revenues counted for approximately one-third of our total revenue."

First Quarter 2019 Results

Revenue totaled $868 million, which was a decline of 3 percent versus prior year. Revenue declined 2 percent versus the prior year when adjusted for the impact of currency and declined 1 percent when adjusted for both the impact of currency and the previously announced sale of direct operations in 6 smaller European markets (market exits).

Commerce Services revenue grew 5 percent as reported and 6 percent adjusted for currency. Small and Medium Business (SMB) Solutions revenue declined 10 percent as reported and 9 percent when adjusted for the impact of currency. SMB revenue declined 7 percent when adjusted for both the impact of currency and market exits. Software Solutions revenue declined 4 percent as reported and 2 percent adjusted for currency.

GAAP earnings per diluted share (GAAP EPS) were ($0.01), which included a $0.10 loss related to the market exits.

Adjusted earnings per diluted share (Adjusted EPS) were $0.12.

GAAP and Adjusted EPS include a $0.03 per share impact for a charge related to a SendPro C tablet replacement program to address an underlying battery longevity issue.

The Company's earnings per share results for the first quarter are summarized in the table below:

GAAP Cash from Operations and Free Cash Flow Results

GAAP cash from operations during the quarter was $70 million and free cash flow was $32 million. Compared to the prior year, free cash flow was lower partially due to the timing of reserve account deposits and the decline in net income offset by the timing of working capital requirements.

The Company repurchased $39 million worth of its shares and returned $9 million in dividends to its common shareholders.

Adoption of New Lease Accounting Standard

The company adopted the new lease accounting standard, ASC 842, effective January 1, 2019 using a modified retrospective approach, which requires the Company to recognize and measure leases at the beginning of the earliest period presented. Beginning with the quarter ending March 31, 2019, the Company's financial information will reflect adoption of the standard with prior periods adjusted accordingly. Certain reclassified historical financial information on a basis consistent with the new standard can be found within the Financial Reporting section of the Company's Investor Relations web site, or at www.investorrelations.pitneybowes.com/financial-information This reclassified historical information does not take into account any other reclassifications that may be made to historical financial information to conform to the current year presentation.

First Quarter 2019 Business Segment Reporting

The business reporting groups reflect how the Company manages these groups and the clients served in each market.

The Commerce Services group includes the Global Ecommerce and Presort Services segments. Global Ecommerce facilitates global cross-border ecommerce transactions and domestic retail and ecommerce shipping solutions, including fulfillment and returns. Presort Services provides sortation services to qualify large volumes of First Class Mail, Marketing Mail and Bound and Packet Mail (Standard Flats and Bound Printed Matter) for postal workshare discounts.

The SMB Solutions group offers mailing and shipping solutions, financing, services, supplies and other applications for small and medium businesses to help simplify and save on the sending, tracking and receiving of letters, parcels and flats. This group includes the North America Mailing and International Mailing segments.

Software Solutions provide customer engagement, customer information, location intelligence software and data.

The results for each segment within the group may not equal the subtotals for the group due to rounding.

Global Ecommerce

Revenue increased from prior year driven by growth in domestic parcel and shipping solutions volumes partially offset by lower cross border volumes. EBIT and EBITDA margins declined from prior year driven by a shift in the mix of business to faster growing, lower margin services. Margins were also impacted by investments in market growth opportunities, which includes marketing programs and new facilities, operational excellence initiatives and higher labor costs. Additionally, margin was impacted by a temporary delay in the approval of one of the Company's Negotiated Service Agreements with the USPS, which has subsequently been approved.

Presort Services

Revenue growth was driven by higher volumes of Standard Class, First Class and Flats processed offset by lower revenue per piece. EBIT and EBITDA margins declined from prior year primarily due to higher labor and transportation costs. A changing client mix towards larger clients drove the lower revenue per piece, which also contributed to the margin decline.

North America Mailing

Revenue declined on lower equipment sales and recurring revenue streams. EBIT and EBITDA margins were impacted by a charge of $9 million related to a SendPro C tablet replacement program to address an underlying battery longevity issue. The tablet upgrade provides the latest technology and results in an improved client experience.

International Mailing

Excluding the effect from currency and market exits, equipment sales and recurring revenue streams both contributed to the revenue decline. The equipment sales decline was driven by weakness in Germany and France partially offset by growth in the UK and Japan. EBIT and EBITDA margins decreased versus prior year primarily driven by the lower revenue.

Software Solutions

Revenue declined from prior year driven by lower license revenue partially offset by higher data updates, SaaS and services revenue. Revenue also benefited from continued growth in smaller deals. Prior year license revenue benefited from a $7 million Location Intelligence deal. EBIT and EBITDA margins decreased from prior year largely driven by the lower license revenue.

2019 Guidance

The Company is updating its 2019 annual guidance and now expects:

* Revenue, on a constant currency (CC) basis, to be in the range of 1 percent to 3 percent growth when compared to 2018.
* Adjusted EPS from continuing operations to be in the range of $0.90 to $1.05.
* Free cash flow to be in the range of $200 million to $250 million. Free cash flow guidance includes the funding of third party financing initiatives.

This guidance discusses future results, which are inherently subject to unforeseen risks and developments. As such, discussions about the business outlook should be read in the context of an uncertain future, as well as the risk factors identified in the safe harbor language at the end of this release and as more fully outlined in the Company's 2018 Form 10-K Annual Report and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

This guidance excludes any unusual items that may occur or additional portfolio or restructuring actions, not specifically identified, as the Company implements plans to further streamline its operations and reduce costs. Revenue guidance is provided on a constant currency basis. The Company cannot reasonably predict the impact that future changes in currency exchange rates will have on revenue and net income. Additionally, the Company cannot provide GAAP EPS and GAAP cash from operations guidance due to the uncertainty of future potential restructurings, goodwill and asset write-downs, unusual tax settlements or payments, special contributions to its pension funds, acquisitions, divestitures and other potential adjustments, which could, individually or in the aggregate, have a material impact on the Company's performance. The Company's guidance is based on an assumption that the global economy and foreign exchange markets in 2019 will not change significantly.

Conference Call and Webcast

Management of Pitney Bowes will discuss the Company's results in a broadcast over the Internet today at 8:00 a.m. ET. Instructions for listening to the earnings results via the Web are available on the Investor Relations page of the Company's web site at www.pitneybowes.com.

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Pitney Bowes

Pitney Bowes (NYSE:PBI) is a global technology company providing commerce solutions that power billions of transactions. Clients around the world, including 90 percent of the Fortune 500, rely on the accuracy and precision delivered by Pitney Bowes solutions, analytics, and APIs in the areas of ecommerce fulfillment, shipping and returns; cross-border ecommerce; office mailing and shipping; presort services; location data; customer information and engagement software; services; and financing. For nearly 100 years Pitney Bowes has been innovating and delivering technologies that remove the complexity of getting commerce transactions precisely right. For additional information visit Pitney Bowes, the Craftsmen of Commerce, at www.pitneybowes.com.

Use of Non-GAAP Measures

The Company's financial results are reported in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP); however, in its disclosures the Company uses certain non-GAAP measures, such as adjusted earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT), adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), adjusted earnings per share (EPS), revenue growth on a constant currency basis and free cash flow.

The Company reports measures such as adjusted EBIT, adjusted EPS and adjusted net income to exclude the impact of special items like restructuring charges, tax adjustments, goodwill and asset write-downs, and costs related to dispositions and acquisitions. While these are actual Company expenses, they can mask underlying trends associated with its business. Such items are often inconsistent in amount and frequency and as such, the adjustments allow an investor greater insight into the current underlying operating trends of the business.

In addition, revenue growth is presented on a constant currency basis to exclude the impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates since the prior period under comparison. Constant currency measures are intended to help investors better understand the underlying operational performance of the business excluding the impacts of shifts in currency exchange rates over the period. Constant currency is calculated by converting our current quarter reported results using the prior year's exchange rate for the comparable quarter. In addition, this quarter the Company reported the comparison of revenue excluding the impact of currency and market exits to prior year, which excludes the impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates since the prior period and also excludes the revenues associated with the recent market exits in several smaller markets. This comparison allows an investor insight into the underlying revenue performance of the business and true operational performance from a comparable basis to prior period. A reconciliation of reported revenue to constant currency revenue, as well as reported revenue to "revenue excluding the impact of currency and market exits" can be found in the Company's attached financial schedules.

The Company reports free cash flow in order to provide investors insight into the amount of cash that management could have available for other discretionary uses. Free cash flow adjusts GAAP cash from operations for capital expenditures, restructuring payments, unusual tax settlements, special contributions to the Company's pension fund and cash used for other special items. A reconciliation of GAAP cash from operations to free cash flow can be found in the Company's attached financial schedules.

Segment EBIT is the primary measure of profitability and operational performance at the segment level. Segment EBIT is determined by deducting from segment revenue the related costs and expenses attributable to the segment.Segment EBIT excludes interest, taxes, general corporate expenses not allocated to a particular business segment, restructuring charges and goodwill and asset impairments, which are recognized on a consolidated basis. The Company has also included segment EBITDA as a useful measure for profitability and operational performance, and an additional way to look at the economics of the segments, especially in light of some of the Company's more recent, larger acquisitions. Segment EBITDA further excludes depreciation and amortization expense for the segment. A reconciliation of segment EBIT and EBITDA to net income can be found in the attached financial schedules.

Pitney Bowes has provided a quantitative reconciliation to GAAP in supplemental schedules. This information can be found at the Company's web site www.pb.com/investorrelations

This document contains "forward-looking statements" about the Company's expected or potential future business and financial performance. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about its future revenue and earnings guidance and other statements about future events or conditions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: declining physical mail volumes; changes in, or loss of, our contractual relationships with the U.S. Postal Service or posts in other major markets; changes in postal regulations; competitive factors, including pricing pressures, technological developments and the introduction of new products and services by competitors; the United Kingdom's potential exit from the European Union (Brexit); our success in developing and marketing new products and services, and obtaining regulatory approvals, if required; changes in banking regulations or the loss of our Industrial Bank charter; changes in labor conditions and transportation costs; macroeconomic factors, including global and regional business conditions that adversely impact customer demand, foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates; changes in global political conditions and international trade policies, including the imposition or expansion of trade tariffs and other factors as more fully outlined in the Company's 2018 Form 10-K Annual Report and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Pitney Bowes assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this document as a result of new information, events or developments.

Note: Consolidated statements of income; revenue and EBIT by business segment; and reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP measures for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, and consolidated balance sheets as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 are attached

Pitney Bowes Inc.

Consolidated Statements of (Loss) Income

(Unaudited; in thousands, except share and per share amounts)

Three months ended March 31,

2019

2018

Revenue:

Equipment sales

$

89,787

$

106,708

Supplies

50,953

59,993

Software

73,318

76,294

Rentals

22,157

24,965

Financing

97,043

100,349

Support services

128,621

140,650

Business services

406,523

387,624

Total revenue

868,402

896,583

Costs and expenses:

Cost of equipment sales

63,665

62,469

Cost of supplies

13,550

16,947

Cost of software

23,383

24,129

Cost of rentals

9,715

12,748

Financing interest expense

11,364

11,064

Cost of support services

41,779

46,065

Cost of business services

327,046

294,379

Selling, general and administrative

300,982

302,810

Research and development

21,774

24,495

Restructuring charges

3,598

904

Other components of net pension and postretirement cost

(638)

(1,719)

Interest expense, net

27,602

32,014

Other expense

17,710

-

Total costs and expenses

861,530

826,305

Income from continuing operations before taxes

6,872

70,278

Provision for income taxes

8,301

18,795

(Loss) income from continuing operations

(1,429)

51,483

(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax

(1,230)

8,487

Net (loss) income

$

(2,659)

$

59,970

Basic (loss) earnings per share attributable to common stockholders:

Continuing operations

$

(0.01)

$

0.28

Discontinued operations

(0.01)

0.05

Net (loss) income

$

(0.01)

$

0.32

Diluted (loss) earnings per share attributable to common stockholders:

Continuing operations

$

(0.01)

$

0.27

Discontinued operations

(0.01)

0.05

Net (loss) income

$

(0.01)

$

0.32

Weighted-average shares used in diluted earnings per share

185,970,755

188,174,983

Pitney Bowes Inc.

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(Unaudited; in thousands, except share amounts)

Assets

March 31,

2019

December 31,

2018

Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents

$

838,905

$

867,262

Short-term investments

65,405

59,391

Accounts receivable, net

412,661

456,138

Short-term finance receivables, net

684,436

758,511

Inventories

68,876

62,279

Current income taxes

21,897

5,947

Other current assets and prepayments

134,929

100,625

Assets of discontinued operations

-

4,854

Total current assets

2,227,109

2,315,007

Property, plant and equipment, net

412,727

410,114

Rental property and equipment, net

41,862

46,228

Long-term finance receivables, net

545,360

536,369

Goodwill

1,754,259

1,766,511

Intangible assets, net

223,005

227,137

Operating lease assets

152,139

156,788

Noncurrent income taxes

61,700

66,326

Other assets

388,104

419,677

Total assets

$

5,806,265

$

5,944,157

Liabilities and stockholders' equity

Current liabilities:

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

$

1,313,440

$

1,390,362

Current operating lease liabilities

35,219

37,208

Current income taxes

5,697

15,284

Current portion of long-term debt

207,231

199,535

Advance billings

213,171

235,116

Liabilities of discontinued operations

-

3,276

Total current liabilities

1,774,758

1,880,781

Deferred taxes on income

257,639

254,353

Tax uncertainties and other income tax liabilities

51,950

39,548

Noncurrent operating lease liabilities

124,873

127,237

Long-term debt

3,047,661

3,066,073

Other noncurrent liabilities

463,028

474,323

Total liabilities

5,719,909

5,842,315

Stockholders' equity:

Cumulative preferred stock, $50 par value, 4% convertible

1

1

Cumulative preference stock, no par value, $2.12 convertible

388

396

Common stock, $1 par value

323,338

323,338

Additional paid-in-capital

109,166

121,475

Retained earnings

5,267,615

5,279,682

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

(918,072

)

(948,961

)

Treasury stock, at cost

(4,696,080

)

(4,674,089

)

Total stockholders' equity

86,356

101,842

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity

$

5,806,265

$

5,944,157

Pitney Bowes Inc.

Business Segments

(Unaudited; in thousands)

Three months ended March 31,

2019

2018

% Change

REVENUE

Global Ecommerce

$

266,254

$

246,590

8%

Presort Services

134,847

134,458

0%

Commerce Services

401,101

381,048

5%

North America Mailing

315,474

340,811

(7%)

International Mailing

78,509

98,430

(20%)

Small & Medium Business Solutions

393,983

439,241

(10%)

Software Solutions

73,318

76,294

(4%)

Total revenue

$

868,402

$

896,583

(3%)

EBIT

Global Ecommerce

$

(14,600

)

$

(7,711

)

(89%)

Presort Services

15,066

27,026

(44%)

Commerce Services

466

19,315

(98%)

North America Mailing

110,613

128,568

(14%)

International Mailing

11,790

16,022

(26%)

Small & Medium Business Solutions

122,403

144,590

(15%)

Software Solutions

1,692

2,492

(32%)

Segment EBIT (1)

$

124,561

$

166,397

(25%)

EBITDA

Global Ecommerce

$

1,858

$

6,719

(72%)

Presort Services

21,986

33,188

(34%)

Commerce Services

23,844

39,907

(40%)

North America Mailing

117,053

136,067

(14%)

International Mailing

14,208

19,632

(28%)

Small & Medium Business Solutions

131,261

155,699

(16%)

Software Solutions

4,172

4,736

(12%)

Segment EBITDA(2)

$

159,277

$

200,342

(20%)

Reconciliation of segment EBITDA to net (loss) income

Segment EBITDA

$

159,277

$

200,342

Less: Segment depreciation and amortization

(34,716)

(33,945)

Segment EBIT

124,561

166,397

Corporate expenses

(55,689)

(51,082)

Adjusted EBIT

68,872

115,315

Interest, net (3)

(38,966)

(43,078)

Restructuring charges

(3,598)

(904)

Loss from market exits

(17,710

)

Transaction costs

(1,726)

(1,055)

Provision for income taxes

(8,301)

(18,795)

(Loss) income from continuing operations

(1,429)

51,483

(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax

(1,230)

8,487

Net (loss) income

$

(2,659)

$

59,970

(1)

Segment EBIT excludes interest, taxes, general corporate expenses, restructuring charges, and other items that are not allocated to a particular business segment.

(2)

Segment EBITDA is calculated as Segment EBIT plus segment depreciation and amortization expense.

(3)

Includes financing interest expense and interest expense, net.

Pitney Bowes Inc.

Reconciliation of Reported Consolidated Results to Adjusted Results

(Unaudited; in thousands, except per share amounts)

Three months ended March 31,

2019

2018

Y/Y
Chg.

Reconciliation of reported revenue to revenue excluding currency

Revenue, as reported

$

868,402

$

896,583

(3%)

Currency impact on revenue

9,981

-

NM

Revenue, at constant currency

878,383

896,583

(2%)

Less revenue from Market Exits

(6,013)

(14,879)

NM

Revenue, excluding currency and Market Exits

$

872,370

$

881,704

(1%)

Reconciliation of reported net (loss) income to adjusted earnings

Net (loss) income

$

(2,659)

$

59,970

Loss (income) from discontinued operations, net of tax

1,230

(8,487)

Restructuring charges

2,659

672

Loss from market exits

19,423

-

Transaction costs

1,289

785

Adjusted net income

21,942

52,940

Provision for income taxes, as adjusted

7,964

19,297

Interest, net

38,966

43,078

Adjusted EBIT

68,872

115,315

Depreciation and amortization

39,365

39,738

Adjusted EBITDA

$

108,237

$

155,053

Reconciliation of reported diluted (loss) earnings per share to
adjusted diluted earnings per share

Diluted (loss) earnings per share

$

(0.01)

$

0.32

Loss (income) from discontinued operations, net of tax

0.01

(0.05)

Restructuring charges

0.01

-

Loss from market exits

0.10

-

Transaction costs

0.01

-

Adjusted diluted earnings per share

$

0.12

$

0.28

Note: The sum of the earnings per share amounts may not equal the totals due to rounding.

Reconciliation of reported net cash from operating activities to free
cash flow

Net cash provided by operating activities

$

69,728

$

69,629

Net cash used in (provided by) operating activities - discontinued operations

3,614

(24,856)

Capital expenditures

(28,754)

(29,017)

Restructuring payments

8,144

15,585

Reserve account deposits

(23,036)

6,654

Transaction costs paid

1,839

2,593

Free cash flow

$

31,535

$

40,588

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190501005232/en/

Contacts

Editorial -
Bill Hughes
Chief Communications Officer
203/351-6785

Financial -
Adam David
VP, Investor Relations
203/351-7175