Optio Software Reports First Quarter Fiscal 2005 Earnings

Software License Revenue Increases 39% Year-Over-Year


ATLANTA, June 9, 2004- Optio Software, Inc. (OTCBB:OPTO) today reported financial results for its first fiscal quarter ended April 30, 2004, including revenue of $7.2 million, an increase of $691,000 or 11% year-over-year.

Net income was $569,000 for the quarter, representing a three-fold increase over the $193,000 reported in the same quarter of the prior year. Diluted earnings per share were $0.02 and earnings per basic share were $0.03.

"Optio delivered another strong quarter with solid revenue gains and continued profitability," said C. Wayne Cape, Optio chairman, president and chief executive officer. "These results demonstrate that even in an intensely competitive marketplace, we are gaining financial and market strength."

Software, services and maintenance revenues

Software license revenues in the first quarter of fiscal 2005 were $2.9 million, up 39% over the $2.1 million reported in the same quarter of the prior year. Services and maintenance revenues were $4.3 million, a 3% decline from the $4.4 million reported in the first quarter of fiscal 2004.

Optio Software closed the quarter with $6 million in cash, compared to $5.3 million as of Jan. 31, 2004, and compared to $3.8 million as of April 30, 2003. The company had no outstanding balance on its line of credit as of April 30, 2004. The company's days' sales outstanding (DSO) was 59 in the first quarter of fiscal 2005, compared with 62 days in the previous quarter.

"Strong license revenue increases, combined with continued financial discipline and strategic investments in sales and marketing and research and development, position us on a solid path for growth in fiscal 2005," said Caroline Bembry, Optio chief financial officer. "We have gained significant sales and marketing traction in our EMEA and North American businesses as demonstrated by the 31 new customers we added during the quarter. Not only did we achieve a 39% increase in software license revenue, but we also improved our cash position to $6 million at the close of the quarter."

Highlights from the first quarter of fiscal 2005 include:



   -- Added 31 new customers to our global customer base, including 
      BobCat Co., Colony Resorts, Dresser Inc. and DuPont Photomasks, 
      Inc.

   -- Signed several significant contracts in EMEA, including 
      TeleColumbus Data and Service and JC Bamford Excavators 
      Limited.

   -- Closed over 15 major deals with Oracle customers, a testament 
      to the strength of our partnership with Oracle. 

   -- Announced the certification of Optio e.ComIntegrate(tm) with 
      the PeopleSoft EnterpriseOne 8.9 application suite. Optio's 
      certification validated that data created by PeopleSoft 
      EnterpriseOne can be successfully integrated with Optio 
      e.ComIntegrate, which transforms enterprise information into 
      high-impact business documents that can be delivered via print, 
      fax, e-mail and the web.

   -- Established Optio's Healthcare Customer Advisory Board, a forum 
      for a cross-section of healthcare customers to provide input on 
      the future development, sales and support of Optio products and 
      services.

About Optio

Optio Software provides software for more than 5,000 customers in virtually every enterprise resource planning (ERP) or hospital information systems (HIS) environment. Our output management solutions enable companies to produce, enhance, distribute and exchange documents and other critical information via print, fax, e-mail and the web. Founded in 1981, Optio Software has world headquarters in Atlanta, EMEA headquarters in Paris and sales offices in Germany and the United Kingdom. More information about Optio Software (OTCBB:OPTO) is available at: www.optiosoftware.com.

Copyright 2004, Optio Software, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Optio is a registered trademark and Optio e.ComIntegrate is a trademark of Optio Software, Inc. Other companies and products mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release includes statements and other matters that could be considered to be forward-looking and subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. Such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the "safe-harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are made based on management's current expectations or beliefs as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management. Factors that might cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, risks associated with Optio's reliance on strategic marketing and reseller relationships, the collectibility of Optio's accounts receivable and note receivable (specifically, the M2 note receivable), fluctuations in operating results because of acquisitions or dispositions, changes in competition, changes in economic conditions in the U.S. and in other countries in which Optio currently does business (both general and relative to the technology industry), delays or inability in developing new or unique software, market acceptance of new products, the failure of new products to operate as anticipated, expectation of achieving and sustaining operating profits and earnings, including the timing of such cash flow and company performance, disputes regarding Optio's intellectual property, risks relating to the delisting of our stock, possible adverse results of pending or future litigation, or risks associated with Optio's international operations. In addition, other written or oral statements that constitute forward-looking statements may be made by or on behalf of Optio. These and additional factors are set forth in "Safe Harbor Compliance Statement for Forward-Looking Statements" included as Exhibit 99.1 to Optio's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. You should carefully review these risks and additional risks described in other documents Optio files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Quarterly Report of Form 10-Q that Optio will file before June 14, 2004.



                         OPTIO SOFTWARE, INC.
                 Consolidated Statements of Operations
                 (in thousands, except per share data)

                                     Three Months Ended          
                                         April 30,              
                               ----------------------------
                                   2004            2003        
                               ------------    ------------
                               (unaudited)
 Revenue:

  License fees                 $      2,881    $      2,070
  Services, maintenance,
   and other                          4,325           4,445
                               ------------    ------------
                                      7,206           6,515

 Cost of revenue:
  License fees                          149             118
 Services, maintenance,
   and other                          1,586           1,603
                               ------------    ------------
                                      1,735           1,721
                               ------------    ------------
                                      5,471           4,794

 Operating expenses:
  Sales and marketing                 2,695           2,381
  Research and development            1,085             964 
  General and administrative          1,053           1,123
  Depreciation and
   amortization                          71             179
                               ------------    ------------
                                      4,904           4,647
                               ------------    ------------
 Income from operations                 567             147

 Other income (expense):
  Interest income                        42              49 
  Interest expense                       (4)             (3)
  Other                                  21               6
                               ------------    ------------
                                         59              52
                               ------------    ------------

 Income before income taxes             626             199
 Income tax expense                      57               6
                               ------------    ------------
 Net income                             569             193
                               ============    ============

 Net income per share --
  basic                        $       0.03    $       0.01
                               ============    ============
 Net income per share --
  diluted                      $       0.02    $       0.01
                               ============    ============
 Weighted average shares
  outstanding -- basic           19,399,918      19,140,644
                               ============    ============
 Weighted average shares
  outstanding -- diluted         23,002,374      20,595,179
                               ============    ============

                                 OPTIO SOFTWARE, INC.
                         Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
                                   (in thousands)


                                      April 30,    January 31,
                                        2004          2004
                                      -------       -------
                                    (unaudited)
 ASSETS

 Current Assets:

  Cash and cash equivalents           $ 5,991       $ 5,328
  Accounts receivable, net              4,736         5,293
  Current portion of note
   receivable from M2                     310           310
  Other current assets                    463           288
                                      -------       -------
 Total current assets                  11,500        11,219

 Property and equipment, net              543           541
 Note receivable from M2, net,
  less current portion                  2,292         2,376
 Other assets                             103           110
                                      -------       -------

 Total assets                         $14,438       $14,246
                                      =======       =======

 LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS'
  EQUITY

 Current liabilities:
  Accounts payable                    $ 1,014       $   812
  Other accrued liabilities             1,943         2,627
  Deferred revenue                      6,273         6,256
  Current portion of capital
   lease obligations                       76            76
                                      -------       -------
 Total current liabilities              9,306         9,771

 Long-term portion of capital
  lease obligations                        69            87
 Long-term accrued expenses                97           101

 Shareholders' equity                   4,966         4,287
                                      -------       -------

 Total liabilities and
  shareholders' equity                $14,438       $14,246
                                      =======       =======


            

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