Mr. Steven Koles reports
HEMISPHERE GPS REPORTS 2012 FIRST QUARTER RESULTS
Hemisphere GPS Inc. has released its financial results for the first quarter
ended March 31, 2012. All currency amounts are expressed in United States
dollars.
For the quarter ended March 31, 2012, Hemisphere GPS reported revenues
of $22.6-million, a 7-per-cent increase from revenues of $21.2-million reported
for the first quarter of 2011. Revenue from the company's agriculture
business increased 9 per cent for the quarter, while revenue from its precision
products business was lower by 3 per cent.
"North American sales from the company's largest sales regions -- Canada
and the United States -- were up by 31 per cent and 12 per cent, respectively,
year over year, or 16 per cent combined," stated Steven Koles, president and
chief executive officer of Hemisphere GPS. "Strong North American markets are important to
our overall sales due to their relative weighting to our overall
revenues. North American results were indeed quite strong early in the
first quarter, but mitigated in March as warm weather resulted in early
planting activity, particularly in the U.S. corn belt."
Agriculture sales growth was supported by the company's new Satloc G4
air-based product and its flagship Outback Guidance products. Revenue
from the recent AgJunction acquisition contributed modestly to revenue
growth in the quarter. Because the related software licensing revenues
are initially recorded as deferred revenue and are amortized into
revenue over the software licence period, the impact on revenue will
increase over time and accelerate in the last half of the year.
Agriculture segment revenues contributed 84 per cent of total first quarter
revenues.
In the precision product business, growth from sales of the company's
new S320 survey product in the quarter was offset by declines in sales
in European markets.
The growth in Hemisphere GPS's largest markets during the first quarter
was offset by sales outside North America.
REVENUE BY REGION
Q1 2012 Q1 2011
United States $11,693,000 $10,483,000
Canada 4,594,000 3,500,000
North America 16,287,000 13,983,000
Europe 3,437,000 3,712,000
Australia 1,073,000 1,057,000
Other international 1,836,000 2,476,000
6,346,000 7,245,000
Total 22,633,000 21,228,000
International revenues were down by 12 per cent compared with the first quarter of
2011. Continued uncertain economic circumstances in Europe, weather in
certain parts of South America and a strong quarter for international
sales in 2011 contributed to this year-over-year decline.
Gross margin for the first quarter was 47.5 per cent compared with 48.2 per cent in the
first quarter of 2011, with the year-over-year difference related to
changes in the value of the Canadian dollar.
Total operating expenses increased by $800,000 from the first
quarter of 2011, with the acquisition of AgJunction contributing
approximately $600,000 of the increase. Excluding the impact of
AgJunction, the increase in operating expenses was $200,000, or 2 per cent,
in line with management's profitability objectives. Research and
development expenses increased to $3.3-million from $2.8-million in the
first quarter of 2011, an increase of 14 per cent, and sales and marketing
expenses increased by $400,000, or 12 per cent, to $4.0-million for the
reporting quarter. The acquisition of AgJunction contributed to the
increases in each of these categories.
Hemisphere GPS earned net profit of $1.4-million, or two cents per share
(basic and diluted), in the first quarter of 2012 compared with net profit
of $1.8-million, or three cents per share (basic and diluted), in the first
quarter of 2011.
At March 31, 2012, the company held cash of $6.9-million, or 10 cents per
share, compared with $6.7-million at Dec. 31, 2011. Working capital
was approximately $28-million, and the company had 66,280,777 common
shares outstanding.
During the first quarter Hemisphere GPS entered the emerging data
services market in precision agriculture with the acquisition of
AgJunction, a provider of a cloud-based data management software
platform and wireless hardware to precision agriculture retailers and
growers. With this acquisition Hemisphere GPS brings real-time
decision-making information into the farmer's cab, enabling lower use
of pesticides, fertilizer and fuel, while generating higher crop yield,
resulting in more profitable farming operations. AgJunction provides
attractive growth prospects for Hemisphere GPS. New features and
partners are being added, along with additional retail sales locations.
Today, AgJunction's client acres under management is 18 million and
growing.
On Jan. 31, 2012, Hemisphere GPS purchased the AgJunction assets and
operations for consideration at closing of $2.0-million in cash and
5,447,410 common shares. As additional purchase consideration,
Hemisphere GPS will pay earn-out payments to a maximum of $500,000 cash
and 2,723,705 common shares upon the achievement of revenue growth
targets for each of the 2012 and 2013 fiscal years. The company has
signed a term sheet with Export Development Canada to finance $1.5-million of the purchase price, and to finance the earn-out payments of $500,000 that may be payable in February of 2013 and 2014 if the revenue
targets are achieved. It is expected that this loan will close during
the second quarter.
First quarter product releases
- Hemisphere GPS released Satloc G4 -- the most comprehensive and advanced
aircraft guidance system for aerial applicators. Satloc G4 delivers
Web-based connectivity along with a high level of guidance performance
through an intuitive light bar and graphical display. This new product
enables aerial application companies and their pilots to leverage
Web-based services in order to make their jobs more efficient and bring
a higher quality of service to their customers. Satloc G4's
connectivity feature offers pilots the ability to transfer application
data wirelessly, accept work orders and maps through the Internet,
access the guidance system from remote locations such as the office,
truck or mobile device, and directly communicate through Skype audio
and video.
-
Hemisphere introduced the Eclipse P300 and Eclipse P301 OEM modules --
the next-generation high-performance compact modules ideal for
developing integrated high-precision and control applications for
geomatics, survey, machine control and unmanned vehicle solutions.
Based on new Hemisphere GPS multifunction application firmware and
Eclipse GNSS multiconstellation technology, improved GNSS positioning
performance is achieved, particularly with RTK applications, through
Hemisphere GPS's patent-pending SureTrack technology.
-
Many of the same technologies were integrated into the company's new
Vector H320 OEM module for precise positioning and heading data for
marine navigation applications. The Vector H320 is also ideally suited
to augment hydrographic, bathymetric and side-scan survey packages as
well as other machine control applications where centimetre-level
precise positioning and heading are required for superior data
representation.
-
Hemisphere GPS also released the Vector V103 GPS compass and Vector V113
GPS compass designed for professional, commercial marine and machine
control applications. The all-new rugged enclosure gives these Vector
models the advantage of working reliably in such harsh environments as
side-scan survey, multibeam and single-beam surveys, dredging, general
navigation, and machine control applications -- including agriculture,
heavy construction, mining, cranes, seismic drills and auger rigs where
accurate heading and positioning are essential. They are also ideal for
harbour pilots and tugboat operators.
-
Subsequent to the end of the first quarter, Hemisphere GPS and Stara
announced their expanded OEM partnership as part of Stara's new
SpeedDrive X system at the AgriShow Rabeirao Pretoin, Sao Paulo state,
Brazil. SpeedDrive X will be factory installed as standard equipment on
various models of Stara tractors, sprayers and spreaders. The new
SpeedDrive X combines a customized Hemisphere GPS eDriveX automated
steering system and A320 GNSS smart antenna and Stara Topper 4500
terminal providing total user management for precision agriculture.
Conference call
A conference call and webcast for shareholders, analysts and other
members of the investment community have been scheduled for today at
11 a.m. Eastern Time (9 a.m. Mountain Time) to discuss the
financial results and provide an update on operations.
To participate in the conference call, please dial 1-647-427-7450 or
1-888-231-8191 approximately 10 minutes before the conference call and
provide pass code 75768778. Please note that a live webcast of the call
will be available on the Hemisphere GPS website. The webcast will be archived for later review.
A recording of the call will be available through May 9. Please dial
1-416-849-0833 or 1-855-859-2056 and enter pass code 75768778 to listen
to the rebroadcast.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Three months ended March 31,
2012 2011
Sales $22,633,299 $21,228,242
Cost of sales 11,883,298 10,996,953
10,750,001 10,231,289
Expenses
Research and development 3,250,506 2,841,385
Sales and marketing 3,990,849 3,543,139
General and administrative 1,807,110 1,954,832
Acquisition costs 117,475 -
9,165,940 8,339,356
Results from operating activities 1,584,061 1,891,933
Foreign exchange loss 100,177 53,149
Interest and other income (loss) (203) (7,219)
99,974 45,930
Profit before income taxes 1,484,087 1,846,003
Income taxes 48,650 -
Profit for the period 1,435,437 1,846,003
Comprehensive income 154,000 330,000
Total comprehensive income 1,589,437 2,176,003
Earnings per share
Basic and diluted earnings per share 0.02 0.03
We seek Safe Harbor.
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