Vital Signs, Inc. Announces a 12 Percent Increase in Sales and a 16 Percent Increase in Earnings for Its Fiscal Second Quarter


TOTOWA, N.J., May 8, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Vital Signs, Inc. (Nasdaq:VITL) today announced sales and earnings for its fiscal second quarter ended March 31, 2008.

Net revenues for the second quarter of fiscal 2008 increased by 11.9% to $58,934,000 compared with $52,649,000 in the comparable period last year.

Net income increased by 15.9% to $9,970,000 for the second quarter of fiscal 2008 compared with $8,601,000 for the second quarter of fiscal 2007. Earnings per diluted share increased by 15.4% to $0.75 for the second quarter of fiscal 2008 compared with $0.65 for the prior-year quarter.

The Company continues to be a strong cash generator. Cash provided from operating activities for the six months ended March 31, 2008 was $20.1 million. On May 6, 2008, Vital Signs' Board of Directors increased the quarterly dividend to $0.11 per share. The dividend is payable on May 28, 2008 to shareholders of record on May 21, 2008.

Following are the net revenues by business segment for the second quarter of fiscal 2008 compared with the second quarter of fiscal 2007.



      ($ Thousands)               NET REVENUES BY BUSINESS SEGMENT
                                ------------------------------------
                                FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31,
                                ------------------------------------
                                    2008        2007     % CHANGE
                                ------------------------------------
 Anesthesia                       $ 19,816    $ 18,871       5.0%
 Respiratory/critical care          12,304      11,950       3.0

 Sleep/ventilation                  16,634      12,154      36.9
 Interventional cardiology/
  radiology                          7,229       6,951       4.0
 Pharmaceutical technology           2,951       2,723       8.4
                                ------------------------------------
 Net Revenues                     $ 58,934    $ 52,649      11.9%
                                ====================================

Anesthesia net revenues increased by 5.0% due primarily to growth in sales of Limb-OTM, the Company's patented anesthesia circuit, and growth in sales of Infusable(r), the Company's patented pressure infusor system. Sleep/ventilation net revenues increased by 36.9% due to sales growth in the iSleep 20iTM intelligent CPAP and the Vivo(tm) 40 bi-level ventilator as well as from two acquisitions at Sleep Services of America in the second half of the prior year.

Breas, the Company's Swedish-based manufacturer of sleep and ventilation products, entered into an agreement with Hamilton Medical, Inc. to distribute the Vivo product line in the U.S. hospital market. Hamilton Medical, Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of Hamilton Medical AG, a leader in medical ventilation. The agreement is expected to provide approximately $800,000 in Breas product sales in the U.S. during the balance of fiscal 2008.

The table below shows gross profit margins for each of the Company's segments. Total gross profit margin increased to 53.9% in the second quarter of fiscal 2008 from 52.0% in the same quarter in the prior year.



                                        GROSS PROFIT MARGIN
                                        BY BUSINESS SEGMENT
                                  -------------------------------
                                       FOR THE THREE MONTHS
                                          ENDED MARCH 31,
                                  -------------------------------
                                       2008             2007
                                  -------------------------------
 Anesthesia                            56.1 %           52.2 %
 Respiratory/critical care             56.9             53.8
 Sleep/ventilation                     51.7             52.9
 Interventional cardiology/
  radiology                            55.7             55.9
 Pharmaceutical technologies           34.3             27.8
                                  -------------------------------
 Total gross profit margin             53.9 %           52.0 %

Net revenues for the first six months of fiscal 2008 increased by 12.0% to $112,373,000 compared with $100,366,000 in the comparable period last year.

For the six month period ended March 31, 2008, net income increased by 13.0% to $17,969,000 compared with $15,896,000 for the first half of fiscal 2007. Diluted earnings per share increased by 12.5% to $1.35 for the six month period ended March 31, 2008 compared with $1.20 for the six month period ended March 31, 2007.

Following are the net revenues by business segment for the six months ended March 31, 2008 and 2007.



      ($ Thousands)               NET REVENUES BY BUSINESS SEGMENT
                                ------------------------------------
                                 FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31,
                                ------------------------------------
                                     2008        2007     % CHANGE
                                ------------------------------------
 Anesthesia                        $39,259     $36,577       7.3 %
 Respiratory/critical care          23,205      23,252      (0.2)
 Sleep/ventilation                  31,356      22,425      39.8
 Interventional cardiology/
  radiology                         12,836      12,839       0.0

 Pharmaceutical technologies         5,717       5,273       8.4
                                ------------------------------------
  Net Revenues                    $112,373    $100,366      12.0 %
                                ====================================

Terry Wall, CEO of Vital Signs, commented, "Breas continued to demonstrate exceptional growth in Europe with our iSleep and Vivo product lines. In addition to the strong growth in Europe, we have reached agreement with Hamilton Medical to sell and service our Vivo 30 and 40 bi-level ventilation line in the U.S. The weak U.S. dollar has made it unattractive to import Breas' Swedish-manufactured CPAP product line; therefore, we are exploring having our CPAP product line manufactured in China."

Mr. Wall added, "Our three new anesthesia products are progressing as planned, and we should begin seeing their impact in the third and fourth quarters of this year. enFlow(r) is enjoying a particularly strong start as sales are already at an annual run rate exceeding $1 million. The second quarter performance also reflects the continued success of our cost savings initiatives, as gross margins improved by 190 basis points primarily due to lower materials costs for face masks and non-latex breathing bags. We are confident that we can continue to improve profitability."

Based on the improved gross profit margins, the Company's fully diluted earnings per share guidance for fiscal 2008 has increased to between $2.82 and $2.87 per share.

All non-historical statements in this press release, including Vital Signs' guidance with respect to sales by Breas and earnings per share as well as statements regarding the manufacture of the Company's CPAP products, sales of new anesthesia products, gross profit, and operating margins constitute Forward Looking Statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results could differ materially from such statements as a result of a variety of risks and uncertainties, including unanticipated delays in bringing products to market, regulatory approval of new products, market conditions, and competitive responses as well as other factors referred to by Vital Signs in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2007.

Vital Signs, Inc. and its subsidiaries design, manufacture, and market primarily single-patient-use medical products for the anesthesia and respiratory/critical care markets and has achieved the number one market share position in the U.S. for five of its major product categories. Vital Signs also provides diagnostic services and therapeutic devices for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. Vital Signs is ISO 13485 certified and has CE Mark approval for its products. In 2007, Forbes Magazine named Vital Signs, Inc. as one of the "200 Best Small Companies in America" based on financial criteria.



                           VITAL SIGNS, INC.
                         FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
                          STATEMENT OF INCOME
                          -------------------
 
               (In Thousands, Except Per Share Amounts)
                --------------------------------------
                              (Unaudited)

                                THREE MONTHS ENDED   SIX MONTHS ENDED
                                    MARCH 31,            MARCH 31,
                                ------------------  ------------------
                                  2008      2007      2008       2007
                                --------  --------  --------  --------

 Gross revenues                 $ 77,947  $ 71,559  $149,628  $136,983
  Rebates                        (18,603)  (17,673)  (36,582)  (34,260)
  Other deductions                  (410)   (1,237)     (673)   (2,357)
                                --------  --------  --------  --------

 Net revenues                     58,934    52,649   112,373   100,366
 Cost of goods sold and
  services provided               27,176    25,295    53,212    48,805
                                --------  --------  --------  --------
 Gross Profit                     31,758    27,354    59,161    51,561

 Expenses:
  Selling, general and
   administrative                 15,916    13,664    30,578    26,501
  Research and
   development                     2,495     1,754     4,896     3,598
  Restructuring charge                --        --        --        --
  Interest and other
   (income)/expense, net          (1,910)   (1,414)   (3,828)   (2,713)
                                --------  --------  --------  --------
 Income from continuing
  operations
  Before income taxes and
   minority interest              15,257    13,350    27,515    24,175
 Provision for income
  taxes                            5,162     4,475     9,255     7,765
                                --------  --------  --------  --------
 Income from continuing
  operations before
  minority interest               10,095     8,875    18,260    16,410
 Minority interest                   209       254       403       496
                                --------  --------  --------  --------
 Income from continuing
  operations                       9,886     8,621    17,857    15,914
 (Loss) Income from
   discontinued
   operations, net                    84       (20)      112       (18)
                                --------  --------  --------  --------
 Net income                     $  9,970  $  8,601  $ 17,969  $ 15,896
                                ========  ========  ========  ========

 Earnings (loss) per
  common share:
 Basic:
  Income per share from
   continuing operations        $   0.74  $   0.65  $   1.34  $   1.20

  Discontinued operations           0.01        --      0.01        --
                                --------  --------  --------  --------
  Net earnings                  $   0.75  $   0.65  $   1.35  $   1.20
                                ========  ========  ========  ========

 Diluted:
  Income per share from
   continuing operations        $   0.74  $   0.65  $   1.34  $   1.20

  Discontinued operations           0.01        --      0.01        --
                                --------  --------  --------  --------
  Net earnings                  $   0.75  $   0.65  $   1.35  $   1.20
                                ========  ========  ========  ========

 Basic weighted average
  number of shares                13,292    13,220    13,293    13,219
 Diluted weighted average
  number of shares                13,313    13,255    13,320    13,271





                           VITAL SIGNS, INC.

                         FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

                         BALANCE SHEET SUMMARY
                         ---------------------

 (In thousands of dollars)               March 31,      September 30,
                                           2008             2007
                                      -------------     -------------
                                        Unaudited          Audited

  Cash and cash equivalents            $  113,258        $   48,920
  Short-term investments                    3,725            86,671
  Accounts receivable                      38,953            36,915
   inventory                               22,596            19,778
    Other current assets                   10,608             8,982
                                      -------------     -------------
  Current assets                       $  189,140        $  201,266

    Long-term investments                  29,885                --
    Other non-current assets              130,937           129,670
                                      -------------     -------------
   Total assets                        $  349,962        $  330,944
                                      =============     =============


  Current liabilities                  $   18,345        $   17,826
    Non-current liabilities                 2,368                --
                                      -------------     -------------
  Total Liabilities                    $   20,713        $   18,312

    Non-controlling share 
     in subsidiary                          7,111             6,051
    Shareholders equity                   322,138           306,581
                                      -------------     -------------
  Total liabilities and 
   shareholders equity                 $  349,962        $  330,944
                                      =============     =============

            

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