West Corporation Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2016 Results and Provides 2017 Guidance

OMAHA, Neb., Feb. 01, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- West Corporation (Nasdaq:WSTC), a global provider of communication and network infrastructure services, today announced its fourth quarter and full year 2016 results.

Dividend 
The Company today also announced a $0.225 per common share dividend. The dividend is payable on March 2, 2017 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on February 21, 2017.

Fourth Quarter Operating Results
For the fourth quarter of 2016, revenue was $567.4 million, a decrease of 0.2 percent. Adjusted organic revenue growth⁵ slowed in the fourth quarter to 0.7 percent, primarily due to a decline in conferencing revenue.

Fourth quarter operating income was $102.7 million, a decrease of 2.2 percent. EBITDA¹ declined 4.0 percent to $151.8 million. Operating income and EBITDA were negatively impacted by an $8.4 million restructuring charge due to a workforce reduction plan implemented in the quarter as part of strategic and cost savings initiatives. Adjusted operating income¹ increased 1.0 percent to $132.2 million and Adjusted EBITDA¹ was nearly flat at $164.9 million.

Income from continuing operations increased 61.4 percent to $68.3 million, primarily due to a decrease in the fourth quarter effective tax rate to negative 1.8 percent. This change resulted from a fourth quarter restructuring of foreign legal entities that lowered income tax expense (primarily deferred) on unremitted foreign earnings. Adjusted income from continuing operations¹ was $64.5 million, an increase of 1.4 percent.

“West Corporation finished the year with a fourth quarter that was stronger than we expected,” said Tom Barker, chairman and chief executive officer. “Our consolidated revenue was down slightly primarily due to a decline in conferencing revenue. However, our four growth businesses (UCaaS, Safety Services, Interactive Services and Specialized Agent Services) grew 5.5 percent on an organic basis in the fourth quarter. Additionally, we had double-digit growth in free cash flow in the fourth quarter and full year. During the fourth quarter we also made changes to our cost structure that we expect to positively impact our results in 2017 and further strengthen West for the future.”

Fourth quarter results by segment were as follows:

• Unified Communications Services revenue decreased 5 percent; adjusted organic growth⁵ was negative 2.8 percent due to price compression and fewer minutes in conferencing, partially offset by low double-digit growth in the UCaaS business. Operating income decreased 20.7 percent due to the revenue decline and a restructuring charge incurred to better align expenses with expected revenue. Adjusted operating income¹ decreased 14.5 percent.
   
• Safety Services revenue increased 3.9 percent; excluding acquisitions, revenue increased 3.5 percent, primarily due to growth from clients adopting new technologies, partially offset by lower equipment sales in the quarter. Operating income increased $11.0 million to $16.7 million due to revenue growth and cost savings initiatives, partially offset by a restructuring charge incurred as part of a strategic realignment of resources around growth initiatives. Adjusted operating income¹ increased $11.6 million to $23.7 million.
   
• Interactive Services revenue increased 11.2 percent; excluding acquisitions, revenue increased 8.0 percent due to increased volumes from new and existing clients. Operating income increased 37.0 percent to $9.1 million and adjusted operating income¹ increased 21.2 percent to $15.0 million primarily due to revenue growth.
   
• Specialized Agent Services revenue increased 3.1 percent primarily due to growth in healthcare advocacy services partially offset by slower than historical recoveries in cost management services. Operating income declined $1.6 million to $4.6 million and adjusted operating income¹ declined $2.1 million primarily due to revenue mix and higher labor costs.

Full Year Operating Result Highlights 
For the year ended December 31, 2016, revenue was $2,292.0 million, an increase of 0.5 percent. Adjusted organic revenue growth⁵ for 2016 was 2.3 percent.

Operating income in 2016 was $444.2 million, a decrease of 2.7 percent. EBITDA¹ was $640.7 million, a decrease of 1.3 percent. Adjusted operating income¹ was $534.2 million, a decrease of 3.2 percent.

Full year 2016 revenue results by segment were as follows:

• Unified Communications Services revenue decreased 2.9 percent; adjusted organic growth⁵ was 1.0 percent.
   
• Safety Services revenue increased 5.3 percent; excluding acquisitions, revenue increase 5.2 percent.
   
• Interactive Services revenue increased 13.2 percent; excluding acquisitions, revenue increased 6.9 percent.
   
• Specialized Agent Services revenue increased 1.6 percent.

Balance Sheet, Cash Flow and Liquidity – 2016 Highlights

• Cash flow from operations were $428.3 million, an increase of 4.3 percent, primarily due to lower cash tax payments.
   
• Free cash flow^1,2 increased 10.1 percent to $301.7 million due to the increase in cash flows from operations and lower capital expenditures. The Company invested $126.6 million, or 5.5 percent of revenue, in capital expenditures.
   
• 4.45x net leverage (net debt to pro forma adjusted EBITDA ratio, as calculated pursuant to the Company’s senior secured term debt facilities⁴) down from 4.68x at December 31, 2015.
   
• Repaid $191.1 million in debt; cash balance of $183.1 million at December 31, 2016.

“In 2016, West generated record operating cash flow. We deployed this cash toward repaying $191 million of our long-term debt, making two acquisitions for approximately $20 million and returning nearly $100 million to our shareholders in the form of dividends and stock repurchases,” said Jan Madsen, chief financial officer. “We also took steps to refinance our debt, ending the year with a more attractive maturity profile and decreased leverage ratio. We believe each of these steps is consistent with our focus on driving shareholder value and enhancing West’s financial flexibility.”

2017 Guidance
For 2017, the Company expects the results presented in the table below. This guidance assumes no acquisitions or changes in the current operating environment, capital structure or exchange rates. The two most significant exchange rates used for 2017 guidance are the British Pound Sterling at 1.25 and the Euro at 1.06. These foreign currency exchange rates, reflected in the guidance below, would negatively impact 2017 revenue by approximately $14 million and 2017 adjusted diluted earnings per share by $0.02 compared to 2016 rates.

“For 2017, including the negative impact of foreign currency exchange rates, we expect revenue in our conferencing and collaboration business to decrease 3-5 percent and revenue in our non-conferencing businesses to have mid- to high–single-digit growth. We expect double-digit growth in our UCaaS business; high-single-digit growth in Safety Services and Telecom Services; and mid- to high-single-digit growth in Interactive Services and Specialized Agent Services. Included across segments, we expect our healthcare practice to have high-single-digit growth,” said Tom Barker.

Conference Call
The Company will hold a conference call to discuss these topics on February 2, 2017 at 11:00 AM Eastern Time (10:00 AM Central Time). Investors may access the call by visiting the Financials section of the West Corporation website at www.west.com and clicking on the Webcast link. A replay of the call will be available on the Company’s website at www.west.com.

About West Corporation
West Corporation (Nasdaq:WSTC) is a global provider of communication and network infrastructure services. West helps its clients more effectively communicate, collaborate and connect with their audiences through a diverse portfolio of solutions that include unified communications services, safety services, interactive services such as automated notifications, telecom services and specialized agent services.

For 30 years, West has provided reliable, high-quality voice and data services. West has sales and operations in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Latin America. For more information, please call 1-800-841-9000 or visit www.west.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may," "should," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "intends," "continue" or similar terminology. These statements reflect only West's current expectations and are not guarantees of future performance or results. These statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the strategic alternatives available to the Company and the ability to execute on strategic alternatives; competition in West’s highly competitive markets; increases in the cost of voice and data services or significant interruptions in these services; West’s ability to keep pace with its clients’ needs for rapid technological change and systems availability; the continued deployment and adoption of emerging technologies; the loss, financial difficulties or bankruptcy of any key clients; security and privacy breaches of the systems West uses to protect personal data; the effects of global economic trends on the businesses of West’s clients; the non-exclusive nature of West’s client contracts and the absence of revenue commitments; the cost of pending and future litigation; the cost of defending against intellectual property infringement claims; the effects of extensive regulation affecting many of West’s businesses; West’s ability to protect its proprietary information or technology; service interruptions to West’s data and operation centers; West’s ability to retain key personnel and attract a sufficient number of qualified employees; increases in labor costs and turnover rates; the political, economic and other conditions in the countries where West operates; changes in foreign exchange rates; West’s ability to complete future acquisitions, integrate or achieve the objectives of its recent and future acquisitions; and future impairments of our substantial goodwill, intangible assets, or other long-lived assets. In addition, West is subject to risks related to its level of indebtedness. Such risks include West’s ability to generate sufficient cash to service its indebtedness and fund its other liquidity needs; West’s ability to comply with covenants contained in its debt instruments; West’s ability to obtain additional financing; the incurrence of significant additional indebtedness by West and its subsidiaries; and the ability of West’s lenders to fulfill their lending commitments. West is also subject to other risk factors described in documents filed by the Company with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. 

These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which the statements were made. West undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable law.



Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Adjusted Operating Income Reconciliation
Adjusted operating income is not a measure of financial performance under generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"). The Company believes adjusted operating income provides a relevant measure of operating profitability and a useful basis for evaluating the ongoing operations of the Company. Adjusted operating income is used by the Company to assess operating income before the impact of acquisitions and acquisition-related costs and certain non-cash items. Adjusted operating income is used by the Company as a benchmark for performance and compensation by certain executives. Adjusted operating income should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for operating income or other profitability data prepared in accordance with GAAP. Adjusted operating income, as presented, may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. Set forth below is a reconciliation of adjusted operating income from operating income. 

Please note: Adjustments were made to third quarter 2016 M&A and acquisition-related costs for the Safety Services and Specialized Agent Services segments. On a consolidated basis, these adjustments totaled $0.1 million. Full year results shown in the tables below reflect these adjustments.

Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted Income from Continuing Operations and Adjusted Earnings per Share Reconciliation
Adjusted net income, adjusted income from continuing operations and adjusted earnings per share (EPS) are non-GAAP measures. The Company believes these measures provide a useful indication of profitability and basis for assessing the operations of the Company without the impact of bond redemption premiums, acquisitions and acquisition-related costs, significant restructuring costs and certain non-cash items. Adjusted net income and adjusted income from continuing operations should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for net income or other profitability metrics prepared in accordance with GAAP. Adjusted net income and adjusted income from continuing operations, as presented, may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. The Company utilizes these non-GAAP measures to make decisions about the use of resources, analyze performance, measure management’s performance with stated objectives and compensate management relative to the achievement of such objectives. Set forth below is a reconciliation of adjusted income from continuing operations from income from continuing operations and adjusted net income from net income. 

Please note: Adjustments were made to third quarter 2016 M&A and acquisition-related costs for the Safety Services and Specialized Agent Services segments. On a consolidated basis, these adjustments totaled $0.1 million. Full year results shown in the tables below reflect these adjustments.

Free Cash Flow Reconciliation
The Company believes free cash flow provides a relevant measure of liquidity and a useful basis for assessing the Company’s ability to fund its activities, including the financing of acquisitions, debt service, stock repurchases and distribution of earnings to shareholders. Free cash flow is calculated as cash flows from operating activities less cash capital expenditures. Free cash flow is not a measure of financial performance under GAAP. Free cash flow should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for cash flows from operating activities or other liquidity measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. Free cash flow, as presented, may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. Set forth below is a reconciliation of free cash flow from cash flows from operating activities.

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Reconciliation
The common definition of EBITDA is “Earnings Before Interest Expense, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization.” In evaluating liquidity and performance, the Company uses “Adjusted EBITDA.” The Company defines Adjusted EBITDA as earnings before interest expense, share-based compensation, taxes, depreciation and amortization, gain on assets held for sale and transaction costs. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are not measures of financial performance or liquidity under GAAP. Although the Company uses Adjusted EBITDA as a measure of its liquidity and performance, the use of Adjusted EBITDA is limited because it does not include certain material costs, such as depreciation, amortization and interest, necessary to operate the business. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for net income, cash flow from operating activities or other income or cash flow data prepared in accordance with GAAP. Adjusted EBITDA, as presented, may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. Adjusted EBITDA is presented here as the Company understands investors use it as a measure of its historical ability to service debt and compliance with covenants in its senior credit facilities. Further, Adjusted EBITDA is presented here as the Company uses it to measure its performance and to conduct and evaluate its business during its regular review of operating results for the periods presented. Set forth below is a reconciliation of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA from cash flow from operating activities and net income.

Please note: Adjustments were made to third quarter 2016 M&A and acquisition-related costs for the Safety Services and Specialized Agent Services segments. On a consolidated basis, these adjustments totaled $0.1 million. Full year results shown in the tables below reflect these adjustments.