Saga Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq – SGA) reported today that first quarter 2021 revenue and the related net income continue to be impacted by the ongoing uncertainties in the marketplace. Net revenue was $22.3 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2021 compared to $26.1 million for the same period last year. Station operating expense decreased $3.3 million to $18.9 million for the quarter compared to the same period last year.
Station operating income was $4.7 million for the quarter compared to $5.5 million for the first quarter last year. Free cash flow increased 21.4% to $1.8 million for the quarter. Operating income was $883 thousand for the quarter compared to $2.2 million for the same period last year. Operating income in the first quarter of 2020 included $1.3 million in other operating income which was primarily due to the sale of land and a building that were no longer necessary for our operations.
Without this sale, operating income would have been $837 thousand in the first quarter of 2020 compared to the $883 thousand reported for the quarter ending March 31, 2021. Net income was $758 thousand for the quarter. Diluted earnings per share were $0.13 in the first quarter of 2021.
The Company’s balance sheet reflects $56.3 million in cash on hand as of March 31, 2021 and $57.4 million as of May 3, 2021. The Company’s total bank debt remained at $10 million as of the end of the first quarter 2021.
Capital expenditures in the first quarter were $534 thousand compared to $1.0 million for the same period last year. The Company expects to spend approximately $4.5 – 5.5 million for capital expenditures during 2021.
Saga’s 2021 1st Quarter conference call will be on Thursday May 6, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. EDT. The dial-in number for the call is 973/528-0008. Enter conference code 969222. A transcript of the call will be posted to the Company’s website as soon as it is available after the call.
The Company requests that all parties that have a question that they would like to submit to the Company to please email the inquiry by 10:00 a.m. EDT on May 6, 2021 to [email protected]. The Company will discuss, during the limited period of the conference call, those inquiries it deems of general relevance and interest. Only inquiries made in compliance with the foregoing will be discussed during the call.
he attached Selected Supplemental Financial Data tables disclose the Company’s trailing twelve-month consolidated EBITDA and a reconciliation of operating income to radio station operating income.
Saga utilizes certain financial measures that are not calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) to assess its financial performance. Such non-GAAP measures include same radio station financial information, free cash flow, radio station operating income, trailing 12-month consolidated EBITDA, and leverage ratio.
These non-GAAP measures are generally recognized by the broadcasting industry as measures of performance and are used by Saga to assess its financial performance including, but not limited to, evaluating individual radio station and market-level performance, evaluating overall operations, as a primary measure for incentive-based compensation of executives and other members of management and as a measure of financial position.
Saga’s management believes these non-GAAP measures are used by analysts who report on the industry and by investors to provide meaningful comparisons between broadcasting groups, as well as an indicator of their market value. These measures are not measures of liquidity or of performance in accordance with GAAP, and should be viewed as a supplement to and not as a substitute for the results of operations presented on a GAAP basis including net operating revenue, operating income, and net income.
Reconciliations for all the non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measure are attached in the Selected Consolidated Financial Data and Selected Supplemental Financial Data tables.
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements that are based upon current expectations and involve certain risks and uncertainties within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “guidance” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
