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Cbeyond Reports Fourth Quarter 2007 Results
[February 21, 2008]

Cbeyond Reports Fourth Quarter 2007 Results


ATLANTA --(Business Wire)-- Cbeyond, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBEY), ("Cbeyond"), a managed services provider that delivers integrated packages of voice, broadband, and mobile services to small businesses, today announced its results for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2007.



Recent financial and operating highlights include the following:

-- Strong fourth quarter revenue growth with revenues of $76.9 million, up 30.6% over the fourth quarter of 2006;


-- Net income of $12.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2007 compared with $4.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2006, reflecting a benefit of $9.6 million in 2007 arising from the expected future realization of operating loss carryforwards;

-- Total adjusted EBITDA of $14.0 million during the fourth quarter of 2007, an increase of 13.2% from the fourth quarter of 2006 (see Schedule 1 for reconciliation to net income);

-- Total customers in Cbeyond's nine operating markets of 35,041, reflecting net customer additions of 1,754 in the quarter;

-- Average monthly revenue per customer location (ARPU) of $750 during the fourth quarter of 2007 compared to $749 in the third quarter of 2007 and $742 in the fourth quarter of 2006; and

-- Increase in the number of applications used per customer to 6.3 in the fourth quarter of 2007 as compared to 6.1 at the end of the third quarter of 2007 and 5.6 in the fourth quarter of 2006, with mobile penetration at 24% of the customer base.

Financial Overview and Key Operating Metrics

Financial and operating metrics, which include non-GAAP financial measures, for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2006 and 2007, include the following:

               For the Three Months Ended December 31,
               ----------------------------------------
                2006   2007   Change  % Change
               ---------- --------- -------- ----------
Selected Financial Data
(dollars in thousands)
Revenue            $ 58,867 $ 76,877 $18,010   30.6%
Operating expenses       $ 54,846 $ 73,932 $19,086   34.8%
Operating income        $ 4,021 $ 2,945 $(1,076)  (26.8%)
Net income           $ 4,349 $ 12,493 $ 8,144   187.3%
Capital expenditures      $ 11,122 $ 18,117 $ 6,995   62.9%
Key Operating Metrics and Non-
GAAP Financial Measures
Customers            27,343  35,041  7,698   28.2%
Net additions           1,822   1,754   (68)   (3.7%)
Average monthly churn rate     1.0%   1.4%   0.4%   40.0%
Average monthly revenue per
customer location       $  742 $  750 $   8    1.1%
Adjusted EBITDA (in thousands) $ 12,349 $ 13,975 $ 1,626   13.2%
               For the Twelve Months Ended December 31,
               ----------------------------------------
                2006   2007   Change  % Change
               ---------- --------- -------- ----------
Selected Financial Data
(dollars in thousands)
Revenue            $213,886 $280,034 $66,148   30.9%
Operating expenses       $206,843 $268,723 $61,880   29.9%
Operating income        $ 7,043 $ 11,311 $ 4,268   60.6%
Net income           $ 7,780 $ 21,498 $13,718   176.3%
Capital expenditures      $ 43,867 $ 57,534 $13,667   31.2%
Key Operating Metrics and Non-
GAAP Financial Measures
Customers            27,343  35,041  7,698   28.2%
Net additions           6,996   7,698   702   10.0%
Average monthly churn rate     1.0%   1.2%   0.2%   20.0%
Average monthly revenue per
customer location       $  747 $  748 $   1    0.1%
Adjusted EBITDA (in thousands) $ 39,539 $ 52,108 $12,569   31.8%



Management Comments

"In the fourth quarter of 2007, we posted strong financial results that point to the continuing growth and health of our business," said Jim Geiger, chief executive officer of Cbeyond. "Our gross customer additions were at a record high level for us in the quarter, testifying to the continued differentiation and attractiveness of our offering in the market, but the deteriorating economic environment has increased the number of our existing customers who are unable to pay us. In order to limit the growth in receivables, we have tightened our credit policies, which has resulted in our disconnecting approximately 300 more customers for non-payment in the fourth quarter than we typically see and caused an increase in monthly customer churn to 1.4 percent during the quarter. Currently, we expect that our customer churn will continue at this level through the first quarter of 2008 and view these two quarters as a transitory period of adjustment needed to filter out our weakest credit, non-paying customers and are not reflective of future results."

Geiger added, "While churn was one facet of our business that was challenging in the fourth quarter, I'm pleased to note that there were many other parts of the business that were stronger than ever. In addition to record gross customer additions, ARPU increased sequentially for its fourth consecutive quarter, applications used per customer increased to 6.3 versus 6.1 in the third quarter of 2007, and mobile penetration of our customer base reached 24 percent. All of our markets continue to operate as expected and our most recent market launches appear to be on track for future success. Our San Francisco Bay Area market installed its first customers during the fourth quarter, our Miami operation will launch service later in the first quarter of 2008, and we are announcing today that our eleventh market will be Minneapolis, which we expect to launch in the third quarter of 2008. These are green field growth opportunities, and we look forward to rolling out our service to these new markets with the excellence expected by our customers and investors."

Fourth Quarter Financial and Business Summary

Revenues and ARPU

Cbeyond reported revenues of $76.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2007, an increase of 30.6% from the fourth quarter of 2006. ARPU, or average monthly revenue per customer location, was $750 in the fourth quarter of 2007, as compared to $749 in the third quarter of 2007.

Cost of Service and Gross Margin

Cbeyond's gross margin was 69.1% in the fourth quarter of 2007 as compared with 71.8% in the fourth quarter of 2006. The fourth quarter of 2006 was favorably impacted by higher than usual recoveries of access costs billed to us in error.

Operating Income and Total Adjusted EBITDA

Cbeyond reported operating income of $2.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2007 compared with operating income of $4.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2006. The operating income of $2.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2007 includes $2.7 million in non-cash share-based compensation expense while the operating income of $4.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2006 includes $1.2 million in non-cash share-based compensation.

For the fourth quarter of 2007, total adjusted EBITDA was $14.0 million, an improvement of 13.2% over total adjusted EBITDA of $12.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2006.

Net Income

Cbeyond reported net income of $12.5 million for the fourth quarter of 2007 as compared to net income of $4.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2006. Net income of $12.5 million for the fourth quarter of 2007 includes a benefit of $9.6 million due to the expected utilization of prior operating loss carryforwards. Prior to the fourth quarter of 2007, under SFAS No. 109 Cbeyond fully reserved for its potential future tax benefits relating primarily to net operating loss carryforwards. During the fourth quarter of 2007, it was determined that there is sufficient confidence in achieving future income to warrant removal of a portion of this reserve.

Cash and Marketable Securities

Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities amounted to $56.2 million at the end of the fourth quarter of 2007, as compared to $50.9 million at the end of the third quarter of 2007.

Capital Expenditures

Capital expenditures were $18.1 million during the fourth quarter of 2007, compared to $12.7 million in the third quarter of 2007 and $11.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2006. The increase in capital expenditures in the fourth quarter over the third quarter of 2007 is primarily related to network efficiency projects in our Atlanta and Denver markets, improvements in our operating and business support systems, new market expansion, and expansion of office space needed to support the growth of our customer base.

Business Outlook for 2008

Cbeyond provides the following annual guidance for 2008:

                     2008 Guidance
                 --------------------------------
     Revenues         $355 million to $360 million
     Adjusted EBITDA      $60 million to $62 million
     Capital expenditures    $65 million to $70 million



Cbeyond's guidance for 2008 assumes a continued challenging economy during 2008 and the impact of negative adjusted EBITDA from early stage markets launched during 2007 and 2008.

Conference Call

Cbeyond will hold a conference call to discuss this press release Thursday, February 21, 2008, at 5:00 p.m. EST. A live broadcast of the conference call will be available on-line at www.cbeyond.net. To listen to the live call, please go to the Web site at least 10 minutes early to register, download, and install any necessary audio software. The conference call will also be available by dialing (877) 604-9669 (for domestic U.S. callers) and (719) 325-4897 (for international callers). For those who cannot listen to the live broadcast, an on-line replay will be available shortly after the call and continue to be available for one year.

About Cbeyond

Cbeyond, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBEY) is a leading IP-based managed services provider that delivers integrated packages of communications and IT services to more than 35,000 small businesses throughout the United States. Cbeyond offers more than 20 productivity-enhancing applications including local and long-distance voice, broadband Internet, mobile, BlackBerry(R), broadband laptop access, voicemail, email, web hosting, fax-to-email, data backup, file-sharing and virtual private networking. Cbeyond manages these services over a private, 100-percent Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) facilities-based network. For more information on Cbeyond, visit www.cbeyond.net.

Forward-Looking Statements

This document contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, but are not limited to statements identified by words such as "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "estimates," "intends," "plans," "targets," "projects" and similar expressions. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Cbeyond's management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause future results to differ include, but are not limited to, the following: the risk that we may be unable to continue to experience revenue growth at historical levels; changes in federal or state regulation or decisions by regulatory bodies that affect the Company; periods of economic downturn and the resulting inability of certain of our customers to meet their payment obligations; the timing of the initiation, progress or cancellation of significant contracts or arrangements; the mix and timing of services sold in a particular period; our ability to recruit and maintain experienced management and personnel; rapid technological change and the timing and amount of start-up costs incurred in connection with the introduction of new services or the entrance into new markets; our ability to maintain or attract sufficient customers in existing or new markets; our ability to respond to increasing competition; our ability to manage the growth of our operations; changes in estimates of taxable income or utilization of deferred tax assets which could significantly affect the Company's effective tax rate; pending regulatory action relating to our compliance with customer proprietary network information; and general economic and business conditions. You are advised to consult any further disclosures we make on related subjects in the reports we file with the SEC, including the "Risk Factors" in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K, together with updates that may occur in our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Such disclosure covers certain risks, uncertainties and possibly inaccurate assumptions that could cause our actual results to differ materially from expected and historical results. We undertake no obligation to correct or update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Key Operating Metrics and Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In this press release, the Company uses several key operating metrics and non-GAAP financial measures. In Schedule I, the Company defines each of these metrics and provides a reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure. These financial measures and operating metrics are a supplement to GAAP financial information and should not be considered as an alternative to, or more meaningful than, net income, cash flow or operating income as determined in accordance with GAAP.

SCHEDULE I

Adjusted EBITDA is not a substitute for operating income, net income, or cash flow from operating activities as determined in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, or GAAP, as a measure of performance or liquidity. The Company defines adjusted EBITDA as net income before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization expenses, excluding non-cash share-based compensation, public offering expenses, loss on disposal of property and equipment and other non-operating income or expense. Information relating to total adjusted EBITDA is provided so that investors have the same data that management employs in assessing the overall operation of the Company's business.

Total adjusted EBITDA allows the chief operating decision maker to assess the performance of the Company's business on a consolidated basis that corresponds to the measure used to assess the ability of its operating segments to produce operating cash flow to fund working capital needs, to service debt obligations and to fund capital expenditures. In particular, total adjusted EBITDA permits a comparative assessment of the Company's operating performance, relative to a performance based on GAAP results, while isolating the effects of depreciation and amortization, which may vary among segments without any correlation to their underlying operating performance, and of non-cash share-based compensation, which is a non-cash expense that varies widely among similar companies. The following information includes a reconciliation of total adjusted EBITDA to net income:

          CBEYOND, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
     Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
       (In thousands, except per share amounts)
              (Unaudited)
                Three Months Ended Twelve Months Ended
                 December 31,    December 31,
                ------------------ -------------------
                 2006   2007   2006   2007
                --------- -------- --------- ---------
Revenue:
 Customer revenue        $57,614 $75,267 $208,574 $273,907
 Terminating access revenue   1,253  1,610   5,312   6,127
                --------- -------- --------- ---------
  Total revenue        58,867  76,877  213,886  280,034
Operating expenses:
 Cost of service        16,583  23,729  64,294  84,459
 Selling, general and
  administrative        31,159  41,837  114,408  153,456
 Public offering expenses     286    -    945     2
 Depreciation and amortization  6,818  8,366  27,196  30,806
                --------- -------- --------- ---------
   Total operating expenses  54,846  73,932  206,843  268,723
                --------- -------- --------- ---------
Operating income          4,021  2,945   7,043  11,311
Other income (expense):
 Interest income          602   688   1,919   2,700
 Interest expense         (52)   (59)   (163)   (252)
 Loss on disposal of property
  and equipment          (67)  (370)   (601)  (1,164)
 Other income (expense), net    12    -    12     -
                --------- -------- --------- ---------
   Total other income       495   259   1,167   1,284
                --------- -------- --------- ---------
Income before income taxes     4,516  3,204   8,210  12,595
 Income tax benefit (expense)   (167)  9,289   (430)  8,903
                --------- -------- --------- ---------
Net income            $ 4,349 $12,493 $ 7,780 $ 21,498
                ========= ======== ========= =========
Earnings per common share
 Basic             $ 0.16 $ 0.44 $  0.29 $  0.77
Weighted average number of
common shares outstanding
 Basic              27,362  28,146  26,951  27,837


          CBEYOND, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
        Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
              (In thousands)
              (Unaudited)
                      December 31, December 31,
                        2006     2007
                      ------------ ------------
ASSETS
Current Assets
 Cash and cash equivalents          $  34,113  $  56,174
 Marketable securities              9,995      -
 Accounts receivable, gross           21,181    26,149
  Less: Allowance for doubtful accounts    (2,586)   (2,983)
                      ------------ ------------
     Accounts receivable, net        18,595    23,166
 Other assets                   5,825    12,180
                      ------------ ------------
  Total current assets             68,528    91,520
Property and equipment, gross          181,938   236,254
 Less: Accumulated depreciation        (109,148)  (137,900)
                      ------------ ------------
  Property and equipment, net         72,790    98,354
Other assets                    3,075    8,488
                      ------------ ------------
 Total assets                $ 144,393  $ 198,362
                      ============ ============
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current Liabilities
 Accounts payable              $  7,538  $  12,983
 Other accrued liabilities            44,989    57,467
 Current portion of capital lease
 obligations                    98      -
                      ------------ ------------
  Total current liabilities          52,625    70,450
Deferred installation revenue            660     594
Stockholders' equity
 Common stock                    274     282
 Deferred stock compensation            (22)      -
 Additional paid-in capital           238,852   253,534
 Accumulated deficit              (147,996)  (126,498)
                      ------------ ------------
  Total stockholders' equity          91,108   127,318
                      ------------ ------------
 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 144,393  $ 198,362
                      ============ ============


          CBEYOND, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
      Selected Financial Data and Operating Metrics
   (Dollars in thousands, except for Other Operating Data)
              (Unaudited)
        ------------------------------------------------------
        Dec. 31  Mar. 31  Jun. 30  Sept. 30  Dec. 31
         2006    2007    2007    2007    2007
        ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Revenues
Atlanta    $ 16,661  $ 17,255  $ 17,957  $ 18,555  $ 19,044
Dallas      13,617   14,328   15,039   15,652   16,165
Denver      15,161   15,548   16,035   16,453   16,793
Houston      7,911   8,608   9,422   10,147   10,813
Chicago      4,428   5,373   6,319   7,143   7,913
Los Angeles    1,089   1,842   2,611   3,522   4,372
San Diego       -     72    332    818   1,288
Detroit        -     -     -    126    450
San Francisco
 Bay Area       -     -     -     -     39
        ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
 Total
 revenues   $ 58,867  $ 63,026  $ 67,715  $ 72,416  $ 76,877
        ========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
Operating
income (loss)
Atlanta    $ 9,125  $ 8,859  $ 9,241  $ 9,723  $ 9,807
Dallas      5,815   5,804   6,097   6,575   7,242
Denver      7,411   7,739   7,893   7,945   7,777
Houston      2,252   2,558   3,098   3,658   3,718
Chicago       56    536    905   1,307   1,583
Los Angeles   (1,857)  (1,188)  (1,261)   (682)    (63)
San Diego     (604)  (1,324)  (1,671)  (1,500)  (1,330)
Detroit        -    (11)   (762)  (1,410)  (1,657)
San Francisco
 Bay Area       -     -     (5)   (328)  (1,211)
Miami         -     -     -     (8)    (63)
Corporate    (18,177)  (20,141)  (20,967)  (22,314)  (22,858)
        ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
 Total
 operating
 income    $ 4,021  $ 2,832  $ 2,568  $ 2,966  $ 2,945
        ========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
Adjusted EBITDA
Atlanta    $ 10,092  $ 9,959  $ 10,290  $ 10,779  $ 10,865
Dallas      6,916   6,888   7,181   7,683   8,283
Denver      8,503   8,811   8,900   8,823   8,646
Houston      3,018   3,375   3,965   4,513   4,634
Chicago       508   1,090   1,540   2,001   2,336
Los Angeles   (1,570)   (877)   (883)   (283)    432
San Diego     (603)  (1,233)  (1,537)  (1,289)  (1,182)
Detroit        -    (11)   (743)  (1,239)  (1,451)
San Francisco
 Bay Area       -     -     (5)   (322)  (1,141)
Miami         -     -     -     (8)    (58)
Corporate    (14,515)  (15,943)  (16,097)  (17,195)  (17,389)
        ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
 Total
 adjusted
 EBITDA    $ 12,349  $ 12,059  $ 12,611  $ 13,463  $ 13,975
        ========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
Adjusted EBITDA
margin
(market-level)
Atlanta      60.6%   57.7%   57.3%   58.1%   57.1%
Dallas       50.8%   48.1%   47.7%   49.1%   51.2%
Denver       56.1%   56.7%   55.5%   53.6%   51.5%
Houston      38.1%   39.2%   42.1%   44.5%   42.9%
Chicago      11.5%   20.3%   24.4%   28.0%   29.5%
Los Angeles   (144.2%)  (47.6%)  (33.8%)   (8.0%)   9.9%
San Diego      N/M    N/M    N/M   (157.6%)  (91.8%)
Detroit       N/M    N/M    N/M    N/M    N/M
San Francisco
 Bay Area      N/M    N/M    N/M    N/M    N/M
Miami        N/M    N/M    N/M    N/M    N/M
Adjusted EBITDA
margin (as %
of total
revenue)
Corporate     (24.7%)  (25.3%)  (23.8%)  (23.7%)  (22.6%)
Total       21.0%   19.1%   18.6%   18.6%   18.2%
          CBEYOND, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
          Selected Operating Statistics
   (Dollars in thousands, except for Other Operating Data)
              (Unaudited)
        ------------------------------------------------------
        Dec. 31  Mar. 31  Jun. 30  Sept. 30  Dec. 31
         2006    2007    2007    2007    2007
        ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Capital
expenditures
Atlanta    $ 1,064  $ 1,464  $  916  $ 1,059  $ 2,163
Dallas      1,438   2,149    777    586    738
Denver       987    394    731    847   1,230
Houston       871   1,149    826    889    689
Chicago       956   1,166    792    907    947
Los Angeles    1,061    854    923   1,014    791
San Diego      530   1,067    205    653    609
Detroit       146   1,379   1,572    550    464
San Francisco
 Bay Area       -     36    408   1,363   1,301
Miami         -     -     -     54   1,095
Minneapolis      -     -     -     47    288
Corporate     4,069   4,224   5,652   4,764   7,802
        ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
 Total capital
 expenditures $ 11,122  $ 13,882  $ 12,802  $ 12,733  $ 18,117
        ========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
Other Operating
Data
Customers (at
 period end)   27,343   29,166   31,175   33,287   35,041
Net additions   1,822   1,823   2,009   2,112   1,754
Average
 monthly churn
 rate        1.0%    1.0%    1.0%    1.1%    1.4%
Average
 monthly
 revenue per
 customer
 location   $  742  $  744  $  748  $  749  $  750


          CBEYOND, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measure to GAAP Financial Measure
              (In thousands)
              (Unaudited)
           -----------------------------------------------
           Dec. 31  Mar. 31 Jun. 30 Sept. 30  Dec. 31
            2006   2007   2007   2007   2007
           -------- --------- -------- --------- ---------
Reconciliation of
Adjusted EBITDA to Net
income:
 Total Adjusted EBITDA
 for reportable
 segments      $12,349  $12,059 $12,611 $ 13,463 $ 13,975
  Depreciation and
   amortization   (6,818)  (7,120) (7,557)  (7,763)  (8,366)
  Non-cash share-
   based
   compensation   (1,224)  (2,105) (2,486)  (2,734)  (2,664)
  Public offering
   expenses      (286)    (2)    -     -     -
  Interest income    602    608   655    749    688
  Interest expense   (52)   (45)   (48)   (100)   (59)
  Loss on disposal
   of property and
   equipment      (67)   (332)  (243)   (219)   (370)
  Other income, net   12     -    -     -     -
 Income tax benefit
  (expense)       (167)   (330)   (40)   (16)  9,289
           -------- --------- -------- --------- ---------
Net income       $ 4,349  $ 2,733 $ 2,892 $ 3,380 $ 12,493
           ======== ========= ======== ========= =========
                Three Months Ended Twelve Months Ended
                 December 31,    December 31,
                ------------------ -------------------
                 2006   2007   2006   2007
                --------- -------- --------- ---------
Reconciliation of
Adjusted EBITDA to Net
income:
 Total Adjusted EBITDA
 for reportable
 segments           $12,349 $13,975 $ 39,539 $ 52,108
  Depreciation and
   amortization        (6,818) (8,366) (27,196) (30,806)
  Non-cash share-
   based
   compensation        (1,224) (2,664)  (4,355)  (9,989)
  Public offering
   expenses           (286)    -   (945)    (2)
  Interest income         602   688   1,919   2,700
  Interest expense        (52)   (59)   (163)   (252)
  Loss on disposal
   of property and
   equipment           (67)  (370)   (601)  (1,164)
  Other income, net        12    -    12     -
 Income tax benefit
  (expense)            (167)  9,289   (430)  8,903
                --------- -------- --------- ---------
Net income            $ 4,349 $12,493 $ 7,780 $ 21,498
                ========= ======== ========= =========



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