ePlus | Press Release | 2007-10-09

   
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ePlus Reports September 30, 2006 Quarter:
Revenues Increase 14.1% to $199 Million

HERNDON, VA – October 9, 2007 ePlus inc. (OTC: PLUS - news), today announced financial results for its second quarter of fiscal year 2007, which ended September 30, 2006 (“the Quarter”). Revenues for the Quarter increased 14.1% to $198.7 million as compared to revenues of $174.2 million during the three months ended September 30, 2005 (“the Prior Quarter”). Net earnings for the Quarter decreased 44.1% to $978 thousand from $1.75 million the Prior Quarter, and fully diluted earnings per share decreased 36.8% to $0.12 from $0.19. For the six months ended September 30, 2006 as compared to the six months ended September 30, 2005, total revenues increased 19.8% to $388.3 million from $324.0 million; net earnings remained at $3.0 million; and fully diluted earnings per share increased 2.9% to $0.35 from $0.34.

The decline in net earnings for the Quarter is primarily attributable to a higher professional and other fees incurred by the Company. These expenses increased $3.0 million or 168.2%, to $4.8 million during the Quarter from $1.8 million the Prior Quarter. The increases were due to the costs of litigation related to the bankruptcy of one of the Company’s customers, and expenses relating a review of accounting guidance regarding stock option grants since the Company’s IPO in 1996.

For the Quarter, sales of product and services increased 13.1% to $180.3 million compared to $159.4 million generated the Prior Quarter, and represented 90.7% and 91.5% of total revenue, respectively. The cost of sales, product and services increased 11.7% to $160.6 million as compared to $143.7 million the Prior Quarter. The gross margin on sales of product and services was 10.9% in the Quarter as compared to 9.8% the Prior Quarter.

Lease revenues increased 13.5% to $13.5 million in the Quarter, and the net investment in leased assets was $223.2 million as of September 30, 2006, a 7.0% increase from $208.6 million as of September 30, 2005. Direct lease costs increased 46.7% to $5.6 million in the Quarter. Fee and other income was $3.1 million in the Quarter, an increase of 6.0% over the Prior Quarter.

Salaries and benefits expenses increased 15.9% to $17.7 million in the Quarter. The Company employed 671 people as of September 30, 2006, as compared to 649 people as of September 30, 2005. General and administrative expenses decreased 11.9% to $4.4 million in the Quarter.

Interest and financing costs increased 55.2% to $2.7 million in the Quarter. This is primarily due to an increasing lease portfolio, the related non-recourse debt financings, and increasing debt rates on new financings. Non-recourse notes payable increased 25.4% to $160.5 million as of September 30, 2006 as compared to March 31, 2006.

Basic and fully diluted earnings per common share were both $0.12 for the Quarter, as compared to $0.21 and $0.19, respectively, for the Prior Quarter. Basic and diluted weighted average common shares outstanding for the Quarter were 8,228,823 and 8,424,903, respectively, as compared to 8,474,301 and 9,071,470, respectively, the Prior Quarter.

For the six months ended September 30, 2006 as compared to the six months ended September 30, 2005, basic and fully diluted earnings per common share were $0.37 and $0.35 as compared to $0.36 and $0.34, respectively, and basic and diluted weighted average common shares outstanding were 8,218,154 and 8,586,866 as compared to 8,509,827 and 9,071,092, respectively.

During the six months ended September 30, 2006, the Company repurchased 209,000 shares of our outstanding common stock for $2.9 million, as compared to a repurchase of 170,300 shares for $2.1 million the prior year’s period. Since the inception of the initial repurchase program on September 20, 2001, as of September 30, 2006, the Company repurchased a total of 2,978,990 shares of outstanding common stock at an average cost of $11.04 per share for a total of $32.9 million.

The Company’s cash and cash equivalents balance as of September 30, 2006 was $23.7 million as compared to $20.7 million as of March 31, 2006.

Restatements

The Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2006 contains restatements of the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Cash Flows for the Prior Quarter and the six months ended September 30, 2005 for the effects of errors in accounting for stock options and other items. More information about the Company’s accounting restatement is contained in its Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2006 and its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2006.

The financial results presented herein are unaudited. Investors are encouraged to review the Company’s Form 10-Q and to review other SEC filings including the Company’s audited financial statements contained in the fiscal year 2006 Form 10-K.

About ePlus inc.

ePlus is a leading provider of technology solutions. ePlus enables organizations to optimize their IT infrastructure and supply chain processes by delivering world-class IT products from top manufacturers, professional services, flexible lease financing, proprietary software, and patented business methods. Founded in 1990, ePlus has more than 650 associates in 30+ offices serving more than 2,500 customers. The Company is headquartered in Herndon, VA. For more information, visit http://www.eplus.com/, call 888-482-1122, or email info@eplus.com

ePlus® and/or other ePlus products referenced herein are either registered trademarks or trademarks of ePlus inc.

Note: Statements in this press release, which are not historical facts, may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements.” Actual and anticipated future results may vary due to certain risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, the effects of the delisting of the Company’s common stock from The Nasdaq Global Market and the quotation of the Company’s common stock in the “Pink Sheets,” including any adverse effects relating to the trading of the stock due to, among other things, the absence of market makers; the timing of our ability to re-apply to list our shares of common stock on The Nasdaq Global Market; the effects of any lawsuits or governmental investigations alleging, among other things, violations of federal securities laws, by the Company or any of its directors or executive officers; the existence of demand for, and acceptance of, our services; our ability to hire and retain sufficient personnel; our ability to protect our intellectual property; the creditworthiness of our customers; our ability to raise capital and obtain non-recourse financing for our transactions; our ability to realize our investment in leased equipment; our ability to reserve adequately for credit losses; fluctuations in our operating results; and other risks or uncertainties detailed in our SEC filings.

All information set forth in this release and its attachments is as of October 9, 2007. ePlus inc. undertakes no duty to update this information. More information about potential factors that could affect ePlus inc.’s business and financial results is included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2006 under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” which is on file with the SEC and available at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov/.


ePlus inc. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(UNAUDITED)

As of

As of

March 31, 2006

September 30, 2006

ASSETS

(in thousands)

Cash and cash equivalents

$20,697

$23,681

Accounts receivable—net

103,060

138,974

Notes receivable

330

293

Inventories

2,292

10,303

Investment in leases and leased equipment—net

205,774

223,178

Property and equipment—net

5,629

4,957

Other assets

10,038

16,577

Goodwill

26,125

26,125

TOTAL ASSETS

$373,945

$444,088

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

LIABILITIES

Accounts payable—equipment

$7,733

$9,197

Accounts payable—trade

19,235

25,227

Accounts payable—floor plan

46,689

57,155

Salaries and commissions payable

4,124

4,511

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

33,346

37,792

Income taxes payable

104

1,321

Recourse notes payable

6,000

16,700

Nonrecourse notes payable

127,973

160,495

Deferred tax liability

165

165

Total Liabilities

245,369

312,563

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

Preferred stock, $.01 par value; 2,000,000 shares authorized;

none issued or outstanding

-

-

Common stock, $.01 par value; 25,000,000 shares authorized;

11,037,213 issued and 8,267,223 outstanding at March 31, 2006

and 11,210,731 issued and 8,231,741 outstanding at September

30, 2006

110

112

Additional paid-in capital

72,811

75,505

Treasury stock, at cost, 2,769,990 and 2,978,990 shares, respectively

(29,984)

(32,884)

Deferred compensation expense

(25)

-

Retained earnings

85,377

88,420

Accumulated other comprehensive income—

foreign currency translation adjustment

287

372

Total Stockholders' Equity

128,576

131,525

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

$373,945

$444,088

See Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.


ePlus inc. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(UNAUDITED)

Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended

September 30,

September 30,

2005

2006

2005

2006

REVENUES

As Restated

 

 

 

As Restated

 

 

 

(dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sales of product and services

$159,409

 

$180,313

 

$294,278

 

$355,646

Sales of leased equipment

-

 

1,819

 

-

 

1,819

 

159,409

 

182,132

 

294,278

 

357,465

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lease revenues

11,916

 

13,522

 

23,211

 

24,853

Fee and other income

2,918

 

3,094

 

6,558

 

5,940

 

14,834

 

16,616

 

29,769

 

30,793

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL REVENUES

174,243

 

198,748

 

324,047

 

388,258

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COSTS AND EXPENSES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of sales, product and services

143,742

 

160,596

 

265,830

 

316,625

Cost of sales, leased equipment

-

 

1,775

 

-

 

1,775

 

143,742

 

162,371

 

265,830

 

318,400

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Direct lease costs

3,798

 

5,572

 

7,594

 

10,596

Professional and other fees

1,776

 

4,764

 

2,724

 

6,050

Salaries and benefits

15,288

 

17,723

 

30,077

 

34,965

General and administrative expenses

4,975

 

4,385

 

9,437

 

8,871

Interest and financing costs

1,717

 

2,665

 

3,254

 

4,653

 

27,554

 

35,109

 

53,086

 

65,135

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL COSTS AND EXPENSES

171,296

 

197,480

 

318,916

 

383,535

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EARNINGS BEFORE PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES

2,947

 

1,268

 

5,131

 

4,723

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES

1,198

 

290

 

2,082

 

1,681

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NET EARNINGS

$1,749

 

$978

 

$3,049

 

$3,042

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NET EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE—BASIC

$0.21

 

$0.12

 

$0.36

 

$0.37

NET EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE—DILUTED

$0.19

 

$0.12

 

$0.34

 

$0.35

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING—BASIC

8,474,301

 

8,228,823

 

8,509,827

 

8,218,154

WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING—DILUTED

9,071,470

8,424,903

9,071,092

8,586,866


Contact: Kley Parkhurst, SVP
ePlus inc.
kparkhurst@eplus.com
703-984-8150