Bell Industries Reports 2007 Second Quarter Results


INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 14, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Bell Industries, Inc. (AMEX:BI) today reported financial results for its three and six-month periods ended June 30, 2007.

Net revenues from continuing operations totaled $56.0 million and $102.1 million for the 2007 second quarter and first half, respectively. This compares with $31.2 million and $56.1 million, respectively, for the 2006 three and six-month periods.

Included in revenues for the 2007 quarter was $23.4 million, attributable to a full three month's contribution from SkyTel, which was acquired in January 2007 and has become the company's largest operating unit. Including depreciation, amortization, and accretion expense totaling $1.0 million during the current second quarter, operating income equaled $9,000.

At Bell's Technology Solutions division, net revenues increased to $18.5 million in the 2007 second quarter from $16.7 million in the prior-year period. Product revenues were relatively stable at $9.7 million for the three months ended June 30, 2007 versus $9.8 million for the year-ago period. Services revenues rose to $8.8 million from $6.9 million in the 2006 second quarter, primarily reflecting revenues from a customer relationship management engagement with SunRocket, Inc., which commenced in the second half of 2006.

In July 2007, Bell Industries received notification from SunRocket that it was ceasing operations and accordingly would no longer be sending customer calls to Bell's facility in Springfield, MO. In response to the unexpected actions of the customer, Bell took immediate measures to mitigate potential losses related to the Springfield call center operations and recorded an allowance of $2.3 million for the 2007 second quarter, which fully reserves the balance owed by SunRocket at June 30, 2007. Including the $2.3 million reserve, Bell's Technology Solutions division sustained an operating loss of $2.8 million, compared with an operating loss of $458,000 in the 2006 second quarter.

Subsequent to SunRocket's ceasing operations and the closure of the Springfield call center, Bell Industries reached an agreement with an unrelated company to assume the Springfield lease effective August 1, 2007, and received $900,000 in proceeds from the sale of certain assets at the facility.

Net revenues at Bell's Recreational Products Group (RPG) totaled $14.0 million for the 2007 second quarter, compared with $14.5 million in the prior-year period. Operating income for the current second quarter was impacted by higher selling, general and administrative expenses associated with the addition of business development resources and increased freight costs, and totaled $593,000. In the 2006 second quarter, RPG posted operating income of $958,000.

Bell Industries sustained a net loss in the 2007 second quarter of $4.8 million, or $0.56 per share. This compares with net income of $5.2 million, or $0.61 per diluted share, in the prior-year second quarter, substantially all of which is attributed to a gain on the sale of the assets of J.W. Miller, its smallest business unit at the time. For the year-to-date period, the company incurred a net loss of $6.3 million, or $ 0.74 per share. In the 2006 first half, Bell reported net income of $3.9 million, or $0.45 per diluted share, which included income from discontinued operations and a gain on sale of discontinued operations, net of tax, of $5.7 million, equal to $0.67 per diluted share.

Late in the 2007 second quarter, the company announced it had entered into stock purchase agreements with Sprint Nextel Corporation under which Sprint Nextel agreed to acquire certain assets of Bell for approximately $13.5 million in cash. The assets represent stock ownership interests in two entities that hold Federal Communications Commission (FCC) licenses, acquired by Bell as part of the SkyTel acquisition. The purchase agreements are subject to FCC approval and transfer of the licenses and are expected to close in October 2007. The company said that the assets being sold were not integral to SkyTel's core business operations and that the transaction would not impact any services provided to SkyTel customers.

About Bell Industries, Inc.

Bell Industries is comprised of three diversified operating units, Bell's Technology Solutions business, SkyTel and its Recreational Products Group. The company's Technology Solutions business offers a comprehensive portfolio of customizable and scalable technology solutions ranging from customer relationship management (CRM) and managed technology services to reverse logistics and mobile/wireless solutions. SkyTel provides nationwide wireless data and messaging services, including email, interactive two-way messaging, wireless telemetry services and traditional text and numeric paging. Recreational Products Group is a wholesale distributor of aftermarket parts and accessories for the recreational vehicles and other leisure-related vehicle market, including marine, snowmobile, cycle and ATV.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements, including, but not limited to the company's ability to successfully complete stock purchase agreements with Sprint Nextel Corporation, are based upon current expectations and speak only as of the date hereof. Actual results may differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements as a result of various factors and uncertainties, including uncertainties as to the nature of the company's industry, including changing customer demand, the impact of competitive products and pricing, dependence on existing management and general economic conditions. Bell Industries' Annual Report on Form 10-K, recent and forthcoming Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, recent Current Reports on Form 8-K, and other SEC filings discuss some of the important risk factors that may affect the business, results of operations and financial condition. The company undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason.


                       Bell Industries, Inc.
                   Consolidated Operating Results
                 (In thousands, except per share data)
                             (Unaudited)

                            Three months ended      Six months ended
                                  June 30               June 30
                              2007       2006       2007       2006
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
 Net revenues
  Products                 $  23,708  $  24,302  $  43,064  $  41,395
  Services                    32,242      6,859     59,083     14,729
                           ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
   Total net revenues         55,950     31,161    102,147     56,124
                           ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
 Costs and expenses
  Cost of products sold       19,261     19,466     35,589     33,156
  Cost of services
   provided                   21,569      5,220     39,406     11,877
  Selling, general and
   administrative
   expenses                   19,316      7,481     34,438     14,015
  Interest expense
   (income), net                 624       (134)       994       (209)
  Gain on sale of assets          --         --     (1,976)        --
                           ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
   Total costs and
    expenses                  60,770     32,033    108,451     58,839
                           ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------

 Loss from continuing
  operations before
  income taxes                (4,820)      (872)    (6,304)    (2,715)
 Income tax expense
  (benefit)                        8       (892)        31       (877)
                           ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
 (Loss) income from
  continuing operations       (4,828)        20     (6,335)    (1,838)

 Income from
  discontinued
  operations, net of tax          --         39         --        577
 Gain on sale of
  discontinued
  operations, net of tax          --      5,153         --      5,153
                           ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
 Discontinued
  operations, net of tax          --      5,192         --      5,730
                           ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------

   Net (loss) income       $  (4,828) $   5,212  $  (6,335) $   3,892
                           =========  =========  =========  =========
 Basic and diluted
  share and per share
  data
  (Loss) income from
   continuing operations   $   (0.56) $      --  $   (0.74) $   (0.22)
                           =========  =========  =========  =========
  Discontinued
   operations              $      --  $    0.61  $      --  $    0.67
                           =========  =========  =========  =========
   Net (loss) income       $   (0.56) $    0.61  $   (0.74) $    0.45
                           =========  =========  =========  =========
  Weighted average
   common shares
   outstanding (basic)         8,629      8,565      8,615      8,564
                           =========  =========  =========  =========
  Weighted average
   common shares
   outstanding (diluted)       8,629      8,593      8,615      8,590
                           =========  =========  =========  =========
 --------------------------------------------------------------------

 OPERATING RESULTS BY BUSINESS SEGMENT
 Net revenues
  Technology Solutions
   Products                $   9,744  $   9,803  $  18,989  $  16,239
   Services                    8,799      6,859     18,427     14,729
                           ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
                              18,543     16,662     37,416     30,968
  SkyTel                      23,442         --     40,094         --
  Recreational Products       13,965     14,499     24,637     25,156
                           ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
   Total net revenues      $  55,950  $  31,161  $ 102,147  $  56,124
                           =========  =========  =========  =========
 Operating (loss) income
  Technology Solutions     $  (2,791) $    (458) $  (3,839) $  (1,325)
  SkyTel                           9         --        714         --
  Recreational Products          593        958        214      1,216
  Corporate costs             (2,007)    (1,506)    (4,375)    (2,815)
                            --------- ---------  ---------  ---------
   Total operating loss       (4,196)    (1,006)    (7,286)    (2,924)

 Gain on sale of assets           --         --     (1,976)        --
 Interest expense
  (income), net                  624       (134)       994       (209)
 Income tax expense
  (benefit)                        8       (892)        31       (877)
                           ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
 Loss from continuing
  operations               $  (4,828) $      20  $  (6,335) $  (1,838)
                           =========  =========  =========  =========

                          Bell Industries, Inc.
                     Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheet
                              (In thousands)

                                                June 30,  December 31,
                                                  2007       2006
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
                                               (Unaudited)
 ASSETS

 Current assets:
  Cash and cash equivalents                    $  1,374    $  3,637
  Accounts receivable                            27,069      16,835
  Inventories                                    10,479       9,548
  Assets held for sale                           12,526          --
  Prepaid expenses and other                      6,925       2,761
                                               --------    --------
   Total current assets                          58,373      32,781

 Fixed assets, net                               17,144       3,553
 Intangible assets, net                           2,977          --
 Other assets                                     2,765       1,641
 Acquisition deposit                                 --       3,450
 Acquisition related costs                           --       1,689
                                               --------    --------
   Total assets                                $ 81,259    $ 43,114
                                               ========    ========

 LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

 Current liabilities:
  Floor plan payables                          $    287    $    213
  Revolving credit facility                      12,912          --
  Accounts payable                               19,991      12,419
  Deferred revenue                                6,928          --
  Accrued payroll                                 3,042       1,922
  Accrued other liabilities                       8,612       6,684
                                               --------    --------
   Total current liabilities                     51,772      21,238

 Convertible note                                 8,554          --
 Other long-term liabilities                      7,399       3,622
                                               --------    --------
   Total liabilities                             67,725      24,860

 Commitments and contingencies

 Shareholders' equity                            13,534      18,254
                                               --------    --------

   Total liabilities and shareholders' equity  $ 81,259    $ 43,114
                                               ========    ========

            

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