Business News

Peerless Systems Announces Results for the Third Quarter Fiscal 2009

Monday 15. December 2008 - - Revenues of $1.6 million and a net loss of $1.2 million for the quarter

Selected Highlights:

– Revenues of $1.6 million and a net loss of $1.2 million for the quarter

– Quarter negatively impacted by $0.7 million in severance expense and $0.7 million change in California tax code

– One block license totaling $0.6 million signed during the quarter

– Staffing levels reduced 40% during the quarter

– Peerless continues pursuit of acquisitions and mergers

Peerless Systems Corporation (NASDAQ:PRLS), a licensor of imaging and networking technologies to the digital document market, today reported financial results for its third fiscal quarter ended October 31, 2008.

Third Quarter Results

Third quarter revenues were $1.6 million versus $7.4 million in the third quarter a year ago, and $3.3 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2009. Product licensing revenue was $1.3 million compared with last year’s third quarter of $4.9 million and $3.1 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2009. Engineering services and maintenance revenue was $0.3 million versus $2.5 million in the third quarter a year ago and $0.2 million in the second fiscal quarter of 2009. The third quarter of fiscal 2008 included $2.2 million of services revenue from Kyocera Mita Corporation (“KMC”) which ended with the sale of assets and transfer of 38 engineers and support staff to KMC at the end of the first quarter this fiscal year.

Peerless signed one block license agreement valued at $0.6 million in the third quarter, all of which was recognized as revenue during the quarter.

Third quarter gross margin was 57.4% compared with 60.1% in the third quarter last year and gross margin of 50.4% in this year’s second fiscal quarter. The decrease from last fiscal year’s third quarter is primarily attributable to lower margin licensing sales due to a higher ratio of third-party technology sales to Peerless technology sales.

Research and development expenses for the third quarter were $0.1 million, or 7.6% of revenue, a reduction of approximately $1.2 million compared with last year’s third quarter R&D expenses of $1.3 million, or 17.2% of revenue. The year-over-year decline in R&D expenses resulted from a reduction earlier this year in workforce. R&D expenses in this year’s second quarter were $0.4 million, or 11.0% of revenue. Sales and marketing expenses were $0.3 million, or 16.8% of revenue, versus $0.6 million, or 8.4% of revenue, in last year’s third quarter, and $0.4 million, or 12.3% of revenue, in the second quarter of fiscal 2009.

General and administrative expenses were $0.9 million, or 55.8% of revenue, compared with $1.5 million, or 20.0% of revenue, in the third quarter last year and $2.0 million, or 59.5% of revenue, in the 2009 second fiscal quarter. G&A expenses in this year’s third quarter were lower compared to last year as a result of the reduction in executive staffing made during the third quarter of this fiscal year and the lower utilization of professional services. Second quarter of fiscal 2009 general and administrative expenses included professional fees associated with the KMC transaction and restructuring efforts.

Peerless reported a third quarter fiscal 2009 net loss of $1.2 million, or $0.06 per basic share, versus net income of $1.3 million, or $0.07 per basic and diluted share, in fiscal 2008’s third quarter. As a result of the recent change in California tax code limiting the current use of research and development tax credits that have been carried forward, the Company incurred an additional $0.7 million expense for the fiscal year to date profits. The Company reported during the second quarter of fiscal year 2009 a loss of $0.5 million or $0.03 per basic share.

Peerless ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $48.9 million compared with $55.1 million at the end of the previous quarter and $23.1 million at the end of fiscal 2008. The decline in cash and cash equivalents from the last quarter was primarily due to the payment of taxes on the gain associated with the KMC transaction recorded in the first quarter and the share buyback program implemented at the end of this fiscal year’s second quarter. Through the end of the third quarter the Company has purchased 1,021,471 shares of Peerless common stock for approximately $1,930,580 under its previously announced stock repurchase plan.

Management Commentary

“The third quarter results reflect the efforts of our restructuring,” said William Neil, Acting Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer. “Excluding restructuring expenses, which were primarily severance costs and the expense associated with the change in the California tax code the net loss would have been approximately $12,000 even though there was a 52% decrease in sales from the previous quarter. During the quarter we made a 40% reduction in staffing, but as a result of the timing of the reductions the impact is not fully reflected in this quarter’s performance. We are continuing to evaluate our requirements to properly support our existing customer base and to meet the requirements of a publicly traded company.”

Neil added, “We continue the efforts to identify investment opportunities that offer compelling prospects for growth and profitability. With the expanded parameters of our acquisition strategy a number of candidates have been and are currently being evaluated. A consultant has been retained to assist the Board in the identification of investment opportunities. I believe that the consultant will be valuable in narrowing the field of opportunities that exist in the current market.”