Voice of Customer Platform Achieves Major Milestone
LINCOLN, Neb., Feb. 12, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — National Research Corporation (NASDAQ:NRC) today announced results for the fourth quarter and year end 2018.
Voice of Customer (VoC) Platform solutions reach $75 million
- VoC Platform contract value growth more than doubles in past 24 months
- VoC Platform adoption helps double Transparency solution contract value
- VoC Platform solution contract value now accounts for 57% of the business
Fourth quarter highlights
- Net New Sales of $7.6 million
- Net Income increased to $7.8 million
Year-end 2018 highlights
- Total Contract Value of $131.4 million
- Net Income increased to $30.0 million
Commenting on the milestone achieved at year-end 2018, Michael D. Hays, chief executive officer of National Research Corporation said, “Over just the past 24 months, the Company has shifted the mix of business among current clients from legacy methods of experience measurement and CAHPS compliance spend to our VoC platform with embedded tools such as Transparency, to drive revenue and customer communities for co-producing care experiences. This higher value strategic offering now accounts for more than half of our business and an unmatched advantage at point of sale.”
The VoC Platform solutions are decreasing variable direct expense and expanding our gross margin. In addition, solution cross-sell and organic contract value growth is accelerating as our customers realize greater value from leveraging multiple VoC Platform solutions to drive customer loyalty for their organizations. Revenue from VoC Platform solutions for the year ended December 31, 2018, grew by 49% over the prior year and accounted for 50% of total revenue in 2018 compared to 34% of total revenue in 2017.
Revenue for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2018, was $30.6 million, compared to $29.9 million for the same quarter in 2017. Net income for the quarter ended December 31, 2018, was $7.8 million, compared to $6.5 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2017. Diluted earnings per share increased to $0.30 for the common stock (formerly Class A) for the quarter ended December 31, 2018, from diluted earnings per share of $0.15 for Class A shares and $0.90 for Class B shares for the quarter ended December 31, 2017. Due to the recapitalization transaction on April 17, 2018, income has been allocated to both classes of shares through April 16 and allocated only to common stock (formerly Class A) after April 16.
Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2018, was $119.7 million, compared to $117.6 million for the same quarter in 2017. Net income for the year ended December 31, 2018, was $30.0 million, compared to $22.9 million for the year ended 2017. Diluted earnings per share increased to $1.04 for the common stock (formerly Class A) and decreased to $1.27 for Class B shares for the year ended December 31, 2018, from diluted earnings per share of $0.52 for Class A shares and $3.18 for Class B shares for the year ended December 31, 2017.
Regarding the Company’s fourth quarter financial performance, Kevin Karas, chief financial officer of National Research Corporation, said, “The record high net new sales reflect the growing adoption of our solutions to build customer loyalty in the healthcare market. Our operating income margin for the quarter increased to 31% of revenue as we continued to successfully leverage our revenue growth.”
A listen-only simulcast of National Research Corporation’s 2018 fourth quarter and year-end conference call will be available online at http://edge.media-server.com/m6/p/uohfqr6w on February 13, 2018, beginning at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time. The online replay will follow approximately one hour later and continue for 30 days.
For more than 37 years, National Research Corporation has been a leading provider of analytics and insights that facilitate measurement and improvement of the patient and employee experience while also increasing patient engagement and customer loyalty for healthcare providers, payers and other healthcare organizations in the United States and Canada. The Company’s solutions enable its clients to understand the voice of the customer with greater clarity, immediacy and depth.
This press release includes “forward-looking” statements related to the Company that can generally be identified as describing the Company’s future plans, objectives or goals. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those currently anticipated. These forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. For further information about the factors that could affect the Company’s future results, please see the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
| NATIONAL RESEARCH CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY | |||||||||||||||
| Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income | |||||||||||||||
| (In thousands, except per share data) | |||||||||||||||
| Three months ended December 31, |
Twelve months ended December 31, |
||||||||||||||
| 2018 | 2017 | 2018 | 2017 | ||||||||||||
| Revenue | $ | 30,639 | $ | 29,897 | $ | 119,686 | $ | 117,559 | |||||||
| Operating expenses: | |||||||||||||||
| Direct expenses | 11,892 | 12,362 | 47,577 | 49,068 | |||||||||||
| Selling, general and administrative | 7,885 | 7,665 | 31,371 | 29,686 | |||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | 1,467 | 1,209 | 5,463 | 4,586 | |||||||||||
| Total operating expenses | 21,244 | 21,236 | 84,411 | 83,340 | |||||||||||
| Operating income | 9,395 | 8,661 | 35,275 | 34,219 | |||||||||||
| Other income (expense): | |||||||||||||||
| Interest income | 6 | 38 | 62 | 96 | |||||||||||
| Interest expense | (522 | ) | (13 | ) | (1,513 | ) | (82 | ) | |||||||
| Other, net | 661 | (27 | ) | 885 | 50 | ||||||||||
| Total other income (expense) | 145 | (2 | ) | (566 | ) | 64 | |||||||||
| Income before income taxes | 9,540 | 8,659 | 34,709 | 34,283 | |||||||||||
| Provision for income taxes | 1,739 | 2,142 | 4,662 | 11,340 | |||||||||||
| Net income | $ | 7,801 | $ | 6,517 | $ | 30,047 | $ | 22,943 | |||||||
| Earnings Per Share of Common Stock: | |||||||||||||||
| Basic Earnings Per Share: | |||||||||||||||
| Class A | $ | 0.32 | $ | 0.15 | $ | 1.08 | $ | 0.54 | |||||||
| Class B | $ | — | $ | 0.93 | $ | 1.31 | $ | 3.26 | |||||||
| Diluted Earnings Per Share: | |||||||||||||||
| Class A | $ | 0.30 | $ | 0.15 | $ | 1.04 | $ | 0.52 | |||||||
| Class B | $ | — | $ | 0.90 | $ | 1.27 | $ | 3.18 | |||||||
| Weighted average shares and share equivalents outstanding Class A – basic | 24,684 | 20,802 | 23,562 | 20,770 | |||||||||||
| Class B – basic | — | 3,515 | 3,527 | 3,514 | |||||||||||
| Class A – diluted | 25,534 | 21,843 | 24,448 | 21,627 | |||||||||||
| Class B – diluted | — | 3,625 | 3,628 | 3,603 | |||||||||||
| NATIONAL RESEARCH CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY | |||||||
| Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets | |||||||
| (Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts and par value) | |||||||
| Dec. 31, | Dec. 31, | ||||||
| 2018 | 2017 | ||||||
| ASSETS | |||||||
| Current Assets: | |||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 12,991 | $ | 34,733 | |||
| Accounts receivable, net | 11,922 | 14,806 | |||||
| Income taxes receivable | — | 375 | |||||
| Other current assets | 3,149 | 2,345 | |||||
| Total Current Assets | 28,062 | 52,259 | |||||
| Property and equipment, net | 14,153 | 12,359 | |||||
| Goodwill | 57,831 | 58,021 | |||||
| Other, net | 7,638 | 4,677 | |||||
| Total Assets | $ | 107,684 | $ | 127,316 | |||
| LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY | |||||||
| Current Liabilities: | |||||||
| Accounts payable and accrued expenses | $ | 3,651 | $ | 3,546 | |||
| Deferred revenue | 16,244 | 16,878 | |||||
| Accrued compensation | 5,798 | 6,597 | |||||
| Dividends payable | 17,113 | 4,222 | |||||
| Income taxes payable | 288 | — | |||||
| Notes payable | 3,667 | 1,067 | |||||
| Total Current Liabilities | 46,761 | 32,310 | |||||
| Non-Current Liabilities | 41,840 | 4,965 | |||||
| Total Liabilities | 88,601 | 37,275 | |||||
| Shareholders’ Equity: | |||||||
| Preferred stock, $0.01 par value, authorized 2,000,000 shares, none issued | — | — | |||||
| Common stock (formerly Class A Common stock), $0.001 par value; authorized 60,000,000 shares, issued 29,917,667 in 2018 and 25,835,230 in 2017, outstanding 24,800,796 in 2018 and 20,936,703 in 2017 | 30 | 26 | |||||
| Class B Common stock, $0.001 par value; 4,319,256 issued and 3,535,238 outstanding in 2017 | — | 4 | |||||
| Additional paid-in capital | 157,312 | 51,025 | |||||
| Retained earnings | (106,339 | ) | 77,574 | ||||
| Accumulated other comprehensive loss | (2,916 | ) | (1,635 | ) | |||
| Treasury stock | (29,004 | ) | (36,953 | ) | |||
| Total Shareholders’ Equity | 19,083 | 90,041 | |||||
| Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity | $ | 107,684 | $ | 127,316 | |||
Contact: Kevin R. Karas
Chief Financial Officer
402-475-2525