CONTACT:           Paul D. Baker

                                                                                                      Comverse Technology, Inc.

                                                                                                      170 Crossways Park Drive

                                                                                                      Woodbury, New York 11797

                                                                                                      (516) 677-7226

 

 

Comverse Technology Second Quarter Fiscal 2004 Results: Sales Of $233,427,000, Up 24% Year-Over-Year; GAAP Earnings Per Diluted Share Of $0.06,

Pro Forma Earnings Per Diluted Share Of $0.07

 

 

WOODBURY, NY, September 8, 2004 -- Comverse Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: CMVT) announced sales of $233,427,000 for the second quarter of fiscal year 2004, ended July 31, 2004, an increase of 23.9% compared to sales of $188,468,000 for the second quarter of fiscal year 2003, ended July 31, 2003.  Net income on a generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) basis for the second quarter of fiscal 2004 was $13,327,000, ($0.06 per diluted share) compared to a net loss of $1,058,000 ($0.01 per share) for the second quarter of fiscal 2003.  Net income on a pro forma basis was $13,725,000 ($0.07 per diluted share) in the second quarter of fiscal 2004 compared to a pro forma net loss of $6,132,000 ($0.03 per share) in the second quarter of fiscal 2003.  A reconciliation between results on a GAAP basis and results on a pro forma basis is provided in a table immediately following the Pro Forma Consolidated Statements of Operations.

 

Kobi Alexander, Chairman and CEO of Comverse Technology, stated, “Each of our three major operating units increased its profitability and achieved both sequential and year-over-year revenue growth in the second quarter.  Comverse, our network systems division, saw activity in solutions enabling a broad range of telecommunications applications, including call answering and call completion services, advanced messaging and other data applications such as wireless content delivery, and real-time prepaid billing.  Our Verint Systems unit continued to expand its activities providing actionable intelligence for security and surveillance, and business intelligence applications.  Our Ulticom division saw demand for its service enabling software across several application areas, including prepaid billing for wireless voice and data services, and IP softswitching.”

 

The Company ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents, bank time deposits and short-term investments of $2,186,761,000, working capital of $2,128,473,000, total assets of $2,801,539,000 and stockholders' equity of $1,719,138,000.

 


Comverse Technology Second Quarter Results

September 8, 2004

Page Two

 

Financial highlights at and for the six and three month periods ended July 31, 2004 and prior year comparisons are as follows:

 

 
Consolidated Statements of Operations (GAAP basis)

(In thousands, except per share data)

 

 

 

 

Six Months Ended

(unaudited)

Three Months Ended

(unaudited)

July 31,

2003

July 31,

2004

July 31,

2003

July 31,

2004

Sales

$ 369,020

$ 454,822

$ 188,468

$ 233,427

Cost of sales

161,697

182,716

81,324

93,124

Research and development, net

108,292

112,069

53,804

56,527

Selling, general and administrative

 

125,065

 

140,002

 

62,993

 

71,507

In-process research and development and other acquisition-related charges

 

 

-

 

 

4,635

 

 

-

 

 

-

Workforce reduction, restructuring and impairment charges (credits)

 

 

(233)

 

 

164

 

 

(233)

 

 

(534)

Income (loss) from operations

(25,801)

15,236

(9,420)

12,803

Interest and other income, net

25,054

15,429

11,718

7,784

Income (loss) before income tax provision, minority interest and equity in the earnings (losses) of affiliates

 

 

 

(747)

 

 

 

30,665

 

 

 

2,298

 

 

 

20,587

Income tax provision

4,206

5,160

2,226

3,668

Minority interest and equity in the earnings (losses) of affiliates

 

(1,924)

 

(5,177)

 

(1,130)

 

(3,592)

Net income (loss)

$ (6,877)

$ 20,328

$ (1,058)

$ 13,327

 

 

 

 

 

Earnings (loss) per share:

 

 

 

 

Diluted (1)

  $ (0.04)

$ 0.10

  $ (0.01)

$ 0.06

Basic

  $ (0.04)

$ 0.10

  $ (0.01)

$ 0.07

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average shares:

 

 

 

 

Diluted

188,531

201,773

188,844

201,817

Basic

188,531

195,136

188,844

195,467

 

(1) Net income for purposes of calculating diluted earnings per share includes the dilutive effects of subsidiary options of approximately $394 and $243 for the six and three month periods ended July 31, 2004, respectively.

 

Comverse Technology provides pro forma net income (loss) and pro forma earnings (loss) per share data as additional information for its operating results.  These measures are not in accordance with, or an alternative for, GAAP and may be different from pro forma measures used by other companies.  The Company believes that this presentation of pro forma data provides useful information to management and investors regarding certain additional financial and business trends relating to its financial condition and results of operations.  In addition, the Company’s management uses these measures for reviewing the financial results of the Company and for budget planning purposes.


Comverse Technology Second Quarter Results

September 8, 2004

Page Three

 

           
Pro Forma Consolidated Statements of Operations

(In thousands, except per share data)

 

Six Months Ended

(unaudited)

Three Months Ended

(unaudited)

July 31,
2003
July 31,
2004
July 31,
2003
July 31,
2004

Sales

$ 369,020

$ 454,822

$ 188,468

$ 233,427

Cost of sales

161,697

182,150

81,324

92,713

Research and development, net

108,292

112,069

53,804

56,527

Selling, general and administrative

125,065

138,296

62,993

70,567

Income (loss) from operations

(26,034)

22,307

(9,653)

13,620

Interest and other income, net

18,447

15,088

6,877

7,687

Income (loss) before income tax provision, minority interest and equity in the earnings (losses) of affiliates

 

 

   (7,587)

 

 

37,395

 

 

(2,776)

 

 

21,307

Income tax provision

4,206

5,872

2,226

3,733

Minority interest and equity in the earnings (losses) of affiliates