Monday, March 10, 2008, 12:41 PM Eastern Standard Time

Press Release

SOURCE: GameTech International, Inc.

GameTech Reports 1st Quarter 2008 Fiscal Results

Reno, NV March 10, 2008, GameTech International, Inc. (Nasdaq: GMTC – News), a leading designer, developer and marketer of computerized bingo and gaming equipment, systems, and services, today announced financial results for the Company’s first fiscal quarter ended January 31, 2008. Net income totaled $0.3 million for the quarter, or $0.03 per fully diluted share, which includes a pre-tax impairment charge relating to its investments in auction rate securities of $0.7 million ($0.5 million after tax, or $0.03 per fully diluted share).  Adjusted net income, which excludes the impairment charge, for the quarter ended January 31, 2008, was $0.8 million or $0.06 per fully diluted share.  Net income for the first quarter in fiscal 2007 was $1.1 million, or $0.08 per fully diluted share.  Results for the quarter were impacted by an increase in interest and amortization expense related to the Summit acquisition, as well as the impairment charge for the investments.  

 Company Highlights: 

bullet Revenue for the first quarter of fiscal 2008 was $15.2 million compared with $12.0 million for the same period in fiscal 2007. 
bullet EBITDA for the first quarter of fiscal 2008 was $4.5 million compared with $4.2 million for the same period in fiscal 2007.
bullet Net income for the first quarter of fiscal 2008 was $0.3 million, compared with $1.1 million for the same period in fiscal 2007.  Excluding the impairment charge, adjusted net income for the first quarter of fiscal 2008 was $0.8 million.
bullet Net income per fully diluted share was $0.03 for the first quarter of fiscal 2008 (or $0.06 excluding the impairment charge) and $0.08 for the comparable period in fiscal 2007.
bullet Interest expense and amortization expense related to the acquisition of Summit Gaming totaled $0.7 million and $0.3 million for the first quarter of 2008, respectively.
bullet The Company recorded a pre-tax impairment charge related to its investments in auction rate securities of approximately $0.7 million ($0.5 million after tax).

First quarter revenue totaled $15.2 million compared with $12.0 million for the comparable quarter during fiscal 2007. The increase in revenue for the three-month period ended January 31, 2008 was primarily due to results from the acquisition of Summit Amusement & Distributing, LTD., a manufacturer of video lottery terminals, which contributed $4.1 million in revenue to the first fiscal quarter.  Bingo revenue for the first fiscal quarter of 2008 was $11.1 million, down from $12.0 million in the comparable quarter in fiscal 2007.  While bingo revenue was impacted by increased regional competition, pricing pressures and the loss of certain accounts, they were offset in part by increases in various key states, and expansion in the United Kingdom markets.

The challenges in the credit and capital markets have caused the company to review its investments in auction rate securities.  As of January 31, 2008, the estimated market value of the company’s investments in auction rate securities stood at $3.2 million, which reflects an impairment charge of $0.7 million.  Although these securities continue to pay interest according to their stated terms, the company has recorded an impairment charge of $0.7 million based upon an analysis of the securities and other-than-temporary factors.  As of January 31, 2008, the company had $8.1 million in cash and cash equivalent balances in addition to its investment portfolio and believes that its current cash position and expected operating cash flows will be sufficient to fund its operations and debt service.

Jay Meilstrup, GameTech’s President and Chief Executive Officer stated, “While bingo revenue for the first fiscal quarter of 2008 was down 7.9% from the comparable period in 2007, we experienced continued revenue growth in certain domestic markets as well as in the United Kingdom, helping to offset erosion in some of our more mature bingo markets.  When compared to the fiscal fourth quarter of 2007, we showed a 0.7% decline in revenue in the first fiscal quarter of 2008.  This is an improvement over the previous sequential quarterly revenue decline the company experienced in the fourth fiscal quarter of 2007 when compared to the third fiscal quarter of 2007. Our Summit division’s results for the quarter were impacted by some softness in the Montana market as well as fewer than expected shipments to the Louisiana market.  With over 80% of Summit’s sales coming from the Montana and Louisiana markets, financial results for this segment may continue to be volatile from quarter to quarter until we have broadened our revenue base by expanding into new markets.  Additionally, GameTech continues to develop its technical capabilities in wireless technology to serve the newly developing wireless mobile gaming market.  We anticipate our first commercial installment of our wireless server-based gaming system by the end of the second fiscal quarter.  Finally, despite the challenges in the credit markets and the impact on our investment account, the company remains well capitalized and we believe will be able to meet its future financial obligations.“

About GameTech International, Inc. 

GameTech International, Inc. is in the business of designing, manufacturing, and marketing computerized bingo and gaming equipment, systems, and services.  Under the GameTech® brand the company provides electronic bingo systems and equipment, and is an innovator in advanced wireless gaming applications and devices.  Under the Summit Gaming ™ brand the company provides video lottery terminal devices and related software and content.  GameTech International, Inc. serves customers in 43 U.S. States, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Philippines, and the United Kingdom.  The company was incorporated in 1994 and is headquartered in Reno, Nevada. 

Statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts are intended to be forward-looking statements subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include our potential expansion of business internationally,  our potential expansion of the Summit division’s business, new product and product feature developments, the success of our strategic opportunities and initiatives, and expectations relating to financial and operating results. GameTech cautions that these statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected by the forward-looking statements contained herein. Such factors include our ability to successfully integrate, operate and grow Summit's business, our dependence on the bingo and video lottery terminal businesses, risks associated with rapid technological change, our ability to retain customers and secure new customers, and other factors disclosed in documents filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company's most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and Form 10-K/A and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release, and we undertake no obligation to update such statements. 

(dollars in thousands)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Months Ended January 31,

 

 

 

2008

2007

 

 

 

(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net revenue

 $  15,184

100.0%

 $  12,016

100.0%

Cost of revenue

6,600

43.5%

4,922

41.0%

Gross profit

8,584

56.5%

7,094

59.0%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

General and administrative

      2,758

18.2%

1,972

16.4%

 

Sales and marketing

      2,537

16.7%

2,908

24.2%

 

Research and development

      1,489

9.8%

602

5.0%

 

Loss contingencies

           0

0.0%

46

0.4%

 

 

Total operating expenses

      6,784

44.7%

5,528

46.0%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income from operations

      1,800

11.9%

1,566

13.0%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest expense

        (714)

(4.7)%

-

0.0%

Impairment of investment

(691)

(4.6)%

-

0.0%

Other income, net

         123

0.8%

155

1.3%

Income before income taxes

      518

3.4%

1,721

14.3%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Provision for income taxes

         187

1.2%

649

5.4%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income

 $     331

2.2%

 $ 1,072

8.9%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income per share:

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income from operations

 $     0.14

 

 $     0.12

 

 

Net income

 $     0.03

 

 $     0.09

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diluted

 

 

 

 

 

Income from operations

 $     0.14

 

 $     0.12

 

 

Net income

 $     0.03

 

 $     0.08

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shares used in calculated net income

 

 

 

 

per share:

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

     12,426

 

     12,614

 

 

Diluted

     12,677

 

     13,261

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Select Balance Sheet Data:

 

 

 

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

January 31, 2008

October 31, 2007

 

 

 

(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

 $    7,632

 

 $    3,630

Short-term investments

 

500

 

      7,763

Receivables, net

 

6,452

 

8,585

Inventory

 

4,230

 

4,298

Total current assets

 

    22,620 

 

     27,835

Restricted cash

 

506

 

      502

Investments

 

3,167

 

-

Total assets

 

   89,660

 

     93,882

Total current liabilities

 

     12,128

 

      13,882

Total liabilities

 

     36,595

 

      39,403

Total stockholders' equity

 

     53,065

 

    54,479

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity

   89,660

 

     93,882

EBITDA is defined as earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.  Although EBITDA is not a measure of performance calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), GameTech believes the use of the non-GAAP financial measure EBITDA enhances an overall understanding of GameTech’s past financial performance, and provides useful information to the investor because EBITDA is used by virtually all companies in the gaming equipment sector as a measure of performance.  However, investors should not consider this measure in isolation or as a substitute for net income, operating income, or any other measure for determining GameTech’s operating performance that is calculated in accordance with GAAP.  In addition, because EBITDA is not calculated in accordance with GAAP, it may not necessarily be comparable to similarly titled measures employed by other companies.  A reconciliation of EBITDA to the most comparable GAAP financial measure, net income, follows:

Reconciliation of U.S. GAAP Net Income to EBITDA:

 

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Months Ended January 31,

 

 

 

2008

2007

 

 

 

(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income

                    $ 331

                     $ 1,072

Add back:

 

 

 

Amortization and depreciation

2,691

                       2,676

 

Interest expense and other (income) expense, net

591

                           (155)

 

Impairment charge

691

-

 

Provision for income taxes

                          187

                          649

 

EBITDA

                     $ 4,491

                     $ 4,242