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Arotech Corporation Reports
Results
for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year, 2008
Full year revenues up by 20%
over 2007 –
4th quarter operating profit at $927,000
March
30, 2009 - Arotech Corporation (NasdaqGM: ARTX), a provider
of quality defense and security products for the military, law enforcement
and security markets, today reported results for the quarter and
full year ended December 31, 2008.
Fourth Quarter Results
Revenues for the fourth quarter reached $23.9 million, compared
to $17.7 million for the corresponding period in 2007, an increase
of 35%.
Gross profit for the fourth quarter
was $7.0 million, or 29% of revenues, compared to $5.8 million,
or 33% of revenues, for the corresponding period in 2007, a 4 point
decrease in the gross margin percentage.
The Company reported an operating
profit for the fourth quarter of $927,000 compared to an operating
profit of $368,000 for the corresponding period in 2007.
The Company’s net loss for
the fourth quarter of 2008 was $(624,000), or $(0.05) per share,
compared to a net profit of $465,000, or $0.04 per share, for the
corresponding period in 2007.
“In the most difficult economic
environment in recent memory, Arotech managed to stay essentially
flat compared to last year,” said Arotech Chairman and CEO
Robert S. Ehrlich. “We regard this as a significant accomplishment,
and hope that when the economy improves our results will as well,”
concluded Ehrlich.
Full Year Results
Revenues for 2008 were $68.9 million, compared to $57.7 million
for 2007, an increase of 20%.
Gross profit for 2008 was $18.8
million, or 27% of revenues, compared to $18.1 million, or 31% of
revenues, for 2007, a 4 point decrease in the gross margin percentage.
The Company reported an operating
loss for 2008 of $(1.7) million, compared to an operating loss of
$(2.5) million in 2007.
The Company’s net loss for
2008 was $(3.6) million, or $(0.28) per share, compared to a net
loss of $(3.5) million, or $(0.31) per share, for 2007.
Backlog
Backlog of orders totaled approximately $36.6 million as of December
31, 2008.
Cash Position at Year End
The Company had trade receivables of $19.3 million as of December
31, 2008, compared to $14.6 million as of December 31, 2007. The
Company had a current ratio (current assets/current liabilities)
of 1.70, down from the December 31, 2007 current ratio of 1.93.
As of December 31, 2008, the Company
had $4.3 million in cash, $382,000 in restricted collateral securities
and restricted held-to-maturity securities due within one year,
and $49,000 in available-for-sale marketable securities, as compared
to December 31, 2007, when the Company had $3.4 million in cash,
$320,000 in restricted collateral securities and restricted held-to-maturity
securities due within one year, $1.5 million in an escrow receivable,
and $47,000 in available-for-sale marketable securities.
The Company ended 2008 with $5.1
million in short- and long-term notes and $3.6 mil-lion in bank
debt. The Company also had $3.1 million available in unused bank
lines of credit at year end in its primary bank.
Stockholders’ equity at
the end of the year was approximately $53.5 million.
Conference Call
The Company will host a conference call tomorrow, Tuesday, March
31, 2009 at 9:00 am EDT. Those wishing to access the conference
call should dial 1-877-407-9210 (U.S.) or 1-201-689-8049 (international)
a few minutes before the 9:00 a.m. EDT start time. The confirmation
code is 317763. A replay of the conference call will be available
starting Tuesday, March 31, 2009 at 10:30 am EDT until Monday, April
6, 2009 at 11:59 p.m. The replay telephone number is 1-877-660-6853
(U.S) and 1-201-612-7415 (international). The replay pass code is:
317763.
About Arotech Corporation
Arotech Corporation is a leading provider of quality defense and
security products for the military, law enforcement and homeland
security markets. Arotech provides multimedia interactive simulators/trainers,
lightweight armoring and advanced zinc-air and lithium batteries
and chargers. Arotech operates through three major business divisions:
Armor, Training and Simulation, and Batteries and Power Systems.
Arotech is incorporated in Delaware,
with corporate offices in Ann Arbor, Michigan and research, development
and production subsidiaries in Alabama, Michigan 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, including the effect of any share repurchases by Arotech.
Forward-looking statements reflect management’s current knowledge,
assumptions, judgment and expectations regarding future performance
or events. Although management believes that the expectations reflected
in such statements are reasonable, 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 materially. 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; dilution
resulting from issuances of Arotech’s common stock upon conversion
or payment of its outstanding convertible debt, which would be increasingly
dilutive if and to the extent that the market price of Arotech’s
stock decreases; and other risk factors detailed in Arotech’s
most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2007, as amended, 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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