The Advisory Board Company Reports Results For Quarter Ended June 30, 2013

WASHINGTON, July 31, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Advisory Board Company (NASDAQ: ABCO) today announced financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2013, which is the first quarter of its 2014 fiscal year.  Revenue for the quarter increased 18.3% to $123.2 million, from $104.1 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2012.  Contract value increased 15.6% to $475.8 million as of June 30, 2013, up from $411.6 million as of June 30, 2012.  For the quarter ended June 30, 2013, net income attributable to common stockholders was $3.7 million, or $0.10 per diluted share, compared to net income attributable to common stockholders of $3.8 million, or $0.11 per diluted share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2012.  For the quarter ended June 30, 2013, adjusted EBITDA was $22.5 million, up from $20.2 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2012.  Adjusted net income for the quarter ended June 30, 2013 was $11.4 million, or $0.31 per diluted share, compared to $11.1 million, or $0.31 per diluted share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2012.  Adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income, and non-GAAP earnings per diluted share are all non-GAAP financial measures.

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Robert Musslewhite, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Advisory Board Company, commented, "Our continued strong performance this quarter is due to the superior value we provide to our members through our comprehensive portfolio of offerings, outstanding member service, and excellent product quality.  Our health care and higher education members face tremendous complexity due to demographic shifts, revenue pressure, a new value orientation, and business model transformations.  It is a testament to the work that we do that we are their partner of choice as they seek both to enhance performance in the current environment and to set strategy to succeed in the future."

Mr. Musslewhite continued, "I am also pleased to announce today the launch of the Student Success Performance Program, our first renewable software-based program for the higher education market.  With national five-year graduation rates barely above 50% and public and private funders demanding better performance, improving student success is a top priority for colleges and universities.  Leveraging the most innovative ideas from higher education and other industries, the Student Success Performance Program combines technology, research, and predictive analytics to help institutions positively inflect outcomes with at-risk and off-path students."

Mr. Musslewhite concluded, "The program is off to a good start, with a robust charter membership that includes Rutgers University, Indiana University, University of Missouri, University of North Florida, and Georgia State University.  We are excited about the growth potential of software-based memberships for the higher education market, and we view this launch as the first step in leveraging the platform that our research has created to build a business serving colleges and universities with our software and analytics."

Acquisition

The Company announced the acquisition as of July 8, 2013 of a technology firm to supplement its existing physician referral programs. Mr. Musslewhite commented, "We are always looking for new product offerings to supplement our portfolio of software-based tools and to contribute to our medium- and longer-term growth.  Physician referrals continues to be an important issue for our members, who seek solutions that are valuable not only under today's fee-for-service reimbursement structures but also under the integrated, risk-based models of care that are likely to become increasingly prevalent in the future.  We expect that this acquisition will complement and bolster our work with the large and growing Crimson Market Advantage membership and will support future new product launches in this space."

Outlook for Calendar Year 2013 

The Company is updating its revenue guidance for calendar year 2013 to a range of approximately $500 million to $505 million, from a previous range of $495 million to $505 million.  The Company is also updating its guidance for calendar year 2013 adjusted EBITDA and non-GAAP earnings per diluted share to reflect the impact of the recent acquisition.  The Company expects calendar year 2013 adjusted EBITDA to be in a range of approximately $87.5 million to $92.5 million, from a previous range of $90 million to $95 million, and non-GAAP earnings per diluted share to be in a range of approximately $1.15 to $1.25, from a previous range of $1.18 to $1.28.  For calendar year 2013, the Company expects share-based compensation expense to be approximately $17.5 million, and amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets to be in a range of $7 million to $8 million.  For fiscal year 2014, the Company expects an effective tax rate in a range of approximately 38% to 39%.  The Company's Annual Report on Form 10‑K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2013 contains information on how we calculate adjusted EBITDA and non‑GAAP earnings per diluted share.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures 

This press release and the accompanying tables present information about the Company's adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income, and non-GAAP earnings per diluted share, which are non-GAAP financial measures provided as a complement to the results provided in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP").  The term "adjusted EBITDA" for the three months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012 refers to net income attributable to common stockholders before adjustment for the items set forth in the first table.  The term "adjusted net income" for the three months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012 refers to net income attributable to common stockholders excluding the net of tax effect of the items set forth in the second table below.  The term "non-GAAP earnings per diluted share" for the three months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012 refers to earnings per diluted share excluding the net of tax effect of the items set forth in the third table below. 

A reconciliation of the foregoing historical non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable historical GAAP financial measures is provided below for each of the periods indicated.  It is not practicable to provide a reconciliation of forecasted adjusted EBITDA or non-GAAP earnings per diluted share to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures because certain items required for the forecast of such GAAP financial measures, including fair value adjustments to acquisition-related earn-out liabilities, equity in loss of unconsolidated entity, and gains and losses on investment in common stock warrants, cannot reasonably be estimated or predicted at this time.

Web and Conference Call Information

As previously announced, the Company will hold a conference call to discuss its first quarter performance this evening, July 31, 2013, at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time.  The conference call will be available via live webcast on the Company's website at www.advisory.com/IR.  To participate by telephone, the dial-in number is 888.317.6016.  Participants are advised to dial in at least five minutes prior to the call to register.  The webcast will be archived for seven days from 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, July 31, until 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, August 7, 2013.

About The Advisory Board Company

The Advisory Board Company is a global research, technology, and consulting firm partnering with 165,000 leaders in 4,100 organizations across health care and higher education.  Through its innovative membership model, the Company collaborates with executives and their teams to elevate performance and solve their most pressing challenges.  The Company provides strategic guidance, actionable insights, web-based software solutions, and comprehensive implementation and management services.  For more information, visit the firm's website, www.advisory.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  These statements, including the Company's expectations regarding its revenue, adjusted EBITDA, non-GAAP earnings per diluted share, share-based compensation expense, amortization of acquisition-related intangibles, and effective tax rate for calendar year 2013 are based on information available to the Company as of July 31, 2013, the date of this news release, as well as the Company's current projections, forecasts, and assumptions, and are subject to risks and uncertainties.  You are hereby cautioned that these statements may be affected by certain factors, including those set forth below.  Consequently, actual operations and results may differ materially from the results discussed or implied in the forward-looking statements, and reported results should not be considered as an indication of future performance.  Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by the forward-looking statements include, among others, changes in the financial condition of the health care industry, our dependence on renewal of membership-based services, the need to attract new business and retain current members and qualified personnel, new product development, competition, risks associated with the Company's software tools and management and advisory services, risks relating to privacy, information security, and other health care-related laws and standards, maintaining our third-party provider relationships and strategic alliances, our ability to license technology from third parties, impairment of goodwill, and various factors related to income and other taxes, as well as other risks and uncertainties described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2013, which is available for review on the Company's website at www.advisory.com/IR and at the Securities and Exchange Commission's website at www.sec.gov.  Additional information will also be set forth in the Company's Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2013, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in August 2013. 

Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements made in this news release, which speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company does not undertake to update any of its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of circumstances or events that arise after the date they are made, new information, or otherwise.

SOURCE The Advisory Board Company