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Arotech Corporation Posts
EBITDA Profit,
Solid Positive Cash Flow and Record Sales
for the Third Quarter of 2004
Quarterly revenues over $16
million – close to triple year-over-year;
positive adjusted EBITDA reaches almost $2 million
Nov.
9, 2004 - Arotech Corporation (NasdaqNM: ARTX) a provider of
quality defense and security products for the military, law enforcement
and security markets, today reported record results for the quarter
and nine months ending September 30, 2004.
Revenues for the quarter reached
$16.3 million, an increase of more than 185% over the corresponding
period in 2003, and 64% more than the previous quarter. For the
first nine months of 2004, revenue has grown to over $33 million,
150% more than the corresponding period last year.
Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter
increased to $1.9 million, compared to an adjusted EBITDA of $614,000
for the corresponding period in 2003. For the first nine months
of 2004, the adjusted EBITDA was $391,000, compared to negative
adjusted EBITDA (LBITDA) of $1 million for the first nine months
of 2003. Net profit, before a non-cash deemed dividend of common
stock to certain shareholders, was $151,000, compared to $75,000
in the corresponding period last year.
“This has been our best quarter
ever,” said Robert S. Ehrlich, Chairman and CEO of Arotech.
“We have met the promise that we made to our shareholders
at the beginning of this year, and we are now cash flow positive.
It is exactly two years since this management was put in place to
rebuild the Company, and I am proud to say that we did indeed rebuild
it.”
“This record achievement
stems from a series of successful strategic steps we have taken
over the past few years to transform Arotech into a major vendor
of security and defense equipment. We have added several excellent
companies to our portfolio, and these companies are contributing
to our growth and expanding our customer base,” concluded
Ehrlich.
Conference Call
Arotech Corporation will hold
its third quarter 2004 conference call on Wednesday, November 10,
2004 at 10:00 a.m. EST. Those wishing to take part in the conference
call should call 1-800-818-5264 (US) or +1-913-981-4910 (international)
a few minutes before the 10:00 a.m. EST start time. In addition,
an instant replay will be available Wednesday, November 10, 2004
at 1:00 p.m. EST until midnight on Thursday, November 11, 2004.
The replay telephone number is 1-888-203-1112 (US); +1-719-457-0820
(international). The confirmation number is 895166.
Results for the Third Quarter
Revenues for
the quarter ended September 30, 2004 increased to $16.3 million
as compared with $5.7 million for the corresponding period of 2003.
This increase is largely attributed to strong sales in the Company’s
Armored Vehicle Division, as well as the addition of the results
of the Company’s new acquisitions, FAAC, Epsilor and AoA,
to its results.
Adjusted Earnings Before
Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (Adjusted EBITDA),
adjusted to eliminate certain non-cash charges described below and
in the table below, for the quarter ended September 30, 2004 increased
to $1.9 million as compared with $614,000 for the corresponding
period of 2003. Arotech believes that information concerning Adjusted
EBITDA enhances overall understanding of its current financial performance
and its progress towards cash-flow break even and toward GAAP profitability.
Arotech computes Adjusted EBITDA, which is a non-GAAP financial
measure, as reflected in the table below.
Net profit, before
a non-cash deemed dividend of common stock to certain shareholders,
for the quarter ended September 30, 2004 was a $151,000 as compared
with a net profit of $75,000 for the corresponding quarter of 2003.
This deemed dividend arises as a result of the exercise by certain
shareholders of warrants coupled with the concurrent issuance to
them of new warrants.
Basic and diluted net earnings
(loss) per share for the quarter ended September 30, 2004 was a
net loss per share of $0.03 (with the influence of the deemed dividend
described above) and net earnings per share of $0.00 (before the
influence of the deemed dividend) as compared with net earnings
per share of $0.00 for the corresponding period of 2003.
Results for the First Nine Months
Revenues for the
nine months ended September 30, 2004 increased to $33.4 million
as compared with $13.2 million for the corresponding period of 2003.
This increase is largely attributed to strong sales in the Company’s
Armored Vehicle Division, as well as the addition of the results
of the Company’s new acquisitions, FAAC, Epsilor and AoA,
to its results.
Adjusted Earnings Before
Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (Adjusted EBITDA),
adjusted to eliminate certain non-cash charges described below and
in the table below, for the nine months ended September 30, 2004
increased to Adjusted EBITDA of $391,000 as compared with Adjusted
LBITDA of $1.0 million for the corresponding period of 2003. Arotech
believes that information concerning Adjusted EBITDA enhances overall
understanding of its current financial performance and its progress
towards cash-flow break even and toward GAAP profitability. Arotech
computes Adjusted EBITDA, which is a non-GAAP financial measure,
as reflected in the table below.
Net loss, before
a non-cash deemed dividend of common stock to certain shareholders,
for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 increased to $8.5 million
as compared with $3.8 million for the corresponding period of 2003,
primarily as a result of higher gross profit offset by non-cash
charges. This deemed dividend arises as a result of the exercise
by certain shareholders of warrants coupled with the concurrent
issuance to them of new warrants.
Basic and diluted net loss
per share for the nine months ended September 30, 2004
increased to $0.16 (with the influence of the deemed dividend described
above) and $0.13 (before the influence of the deemed dividend) as
compared with $0.10 for the corresponding period of 2003.
Cash Position at Quarter End
Cash-on-hand and cash equivalents,
restricted collateral deposits and other restricted cash, and available-for-sale
marketable securities stood at the end of the quarter at $4.6 million
in cash, $7.2 million in restricted collateral securities and cash
deposits due within one year, $1.0 million in long-term restricted
securities and deposits, and $129,000 in marketable securities,
as compared with $13.7 million in cash and $706,000 in restricted
cash deposits due within one year at the end of 2003.
Stockholders’ equity
stood at the end of the quarter at approximately $56.2 million.
About Arotech Corporation
Arotech Corporation provides quality
defense and security products for the military, law enforcement
and homeland security markets, including advanced zinc-air and lithium
batteries and chargers, multimedia interactive simulators/trainers
and lightweight armoring.
The Battery and Power Systems Division
includes Electric Fuel Battery Corporation and Epsilor Electronic
Industries Ltd. The Simulation, Training and Consulting Division
includes IES Interactive Training, FAAC Incorporated and Arocon
Security Consulting.The Armoring Division includes MDT Armor Corp.,
MDT Protective Industries Ltd. and Armour of America, Incorporated.
Arotech is incorporated in Delaware,
with corporate offices in New York, and research, development and
production subsidiaries in Alabama, Colorado, Michigan, California
and Israel.
Except for the historical information
herein, the matters discussed in this news release include forward-looking
statements, as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on
these forward-looking statements, as they are subject to various
risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to vary significantly.
These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks
relating to: product and technology development; the uncertainty
of the market for Arotech’s products; changing economic conditions;
delay, cancellation or non-renewal, in whole or in part, of contracts
or of purchase orders; and other risk factors detailed in Arotech’s
most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2003 and other filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. Arotech assumes no obligation to update the information
in this release. Reference to the Company’s website above
does not constitute incorporation of any of the information thereon
into this press release.
Tables: AROTECH
CORPORATION CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (UNAUDITED)
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