PHI, Inc. Announces Results for the Third Quarter Ended September 30, 2009


LAFAYETTE, La., Nov. 9, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PHI, Inc. (Nasdaq:PHII) (voting) (Nasdaq:PHIIK) (non-voting) today reported financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2009.

Oil and Gas segment revenues were $79.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2009, compared to $86.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2008, a decrease of $7.5 million. Operating income was $13.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2009, compared to $18.3 million for the three months ended September 30, 2008. The decrease in Oil and Gas segment operating revenues and income was due to a decrease in medium aircraft revenues resulting from a decrease in activity on the continental shelf and completion of a foreign contract in 2008. These were offset in part by an increase in deepwater activity and an increase in light aircraft flight hours.

Air Medical segment revenues were $43.3 million for the three months ended September 30, 2009, compared to $47.5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2008, a decrease of $4.2 million. Operating income was $7.5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2009, compared to $4.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2008. The decrease in Air Medical segment operating revenues was due to a decrease in transport volume related to the economic environment and also the closure of six locations. The improvement in Air Medical operating income was due to reductions in cost, but also due to a pre-tax credit of $3.6 million related to termination of a manufacturer's warranty program.

Technical Services revenues were $1.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2009, compared to $1.2 million for September 30, 2008. Operating income was $0.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2009, compared to $0.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2008.

Consolidated operating revenues for the three months ended September 30, 2009 were $124.2 million, compared to $135.5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2008, a decrease of $11.3 million. Earnings before income taxes for the three months ended September 30, 2009 were $11.6 million compared to $13.2 million for the same period in 2008. Earnings for the quarter ended September 30, 2009 included a pre-tax credit of $4.9 million related to the termination of the warranty program for certain aircraft. There was a $1.6 million credit for termination of a warranty program in the prior year quarter, and a $0.2 million pre-tax gain on disposition of assets. Our net income for the three months ended September 30, 2009 was $7.0 million, or $0.45 per diluted share, compared to $7.9 million, or $0.52 per diluted share, for the three months ended September 30, 2008.

Flight hours for the quarter ended September 30, 2009 were 37,647, compared to 39,483 for the quarter ended September 30, 2008.

Consolidated operating revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2009 were $364.5 million, compared to $382.7 million for the same period in 2008, a decrease of $18.2 million. The decrease in operating revenues was due to the voluntary grounding of certain aircraft as a result of an accident on January 4, 2009 and also due to a decrease in medium aircraft flight activity on the continental shelf. In addition, the decrease was due to completion of a foreign contract in 2008. These amounts were offset in part by an increase in activity in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico and an increase in light aircraft flight activity.

Our net income for the nine months ended September 30, 2009 was $12.7 million, or $0.83 per diluted share, compared to $20.7 million, or $1.36 per diluted share, for the nine months ended September 30, 2008. Earnings for the nine months ended September 30, 2008 included a pre-tax gain on disposition of assets, net, of $4.2 million and an aggregate $2.1 million pre-tax insurance charge.

Total flight hours were 111,956 for the nine months ended September 30, 2009 compared to 113,620 for the nine months ended September 30, 2008.

Certain statements in this release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "forecast," "anticipate," "estimate," "project," "intend," "expect," "should," "believe," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause the Company's actual results, performance (financial or operating) or achievements to differ materially from the results, performance (financial or operating) or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include adverse weather, competition, the level of activity in the oil and gas industry (particularly in the Gulf of Mexico) and our ability to continue to grow patient transport volumes. These and other factors are more fully discussed in the Company's SEC filings under "Risk Factors."

PHI provides helicopter transportation and related services to a broad range of customers including the oil and gas industry and the air medical industry, and also provides third-party maintenance services to select customers. PHI Voting Common Stock and Non-Voting Common Stock are traded on The Nasdaq Global Market (symbols PHII and PHIIK).



                       PHI, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
             Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
        (Thousands of dollars and shares, except per share data)

                                   Quarter Ended     Nine months Ended
                                   September 30,       September 30,
                                ------------------  ------------------
                                  2009      2008      2009      2008
                                --------  --------  --------  --------

 Operating revenues, net        $124,183  $135,460  $364,456  $382,716
 Gain on dispositions of
  assets, net                          7       249       172     4,453
 Other, principally interest
  income                              53        29       181       532
                                --------  --------  --------  --------
                                 124,243   135,738   364,809   387,701
                                --------  --------  --------  --------

 Expenses:
  Direct expenses                100,972   110,370   308,011   318,353
  Selling, general and
      administrative expenses      7,706     8,368    23,748    23,291
  Interest expense                 3,976     3,840    11,894    11,528
                                --------  --------  --------  --------
                                 112,654   122,578   343,653   353,172
                                --------  --------  --------  --------

 Earnings before income taxes     11,589    13,160    21,156    34,529
 Income tax expense                4,636     5,263     8,462    13,811
                                --------  --------  --------  --------
 Net earnings                   $  6,953  $  7,897  $ 12,694  $ 20,718
                                ========  ========  ========  ========

 Weighted average shares
  outstanding:
  Basic                           15,312    15,277    15,306    15,277
  Diluted                         15,312    15,282    15,306    15,281

 Net earnings per share:
  Basic                         $   0.45  $   0.52  $   0.83  $   1.36
  Diluted                       $   0.45  $   0.52  $   0.83  $   1.36


 Summarized financial information concerning our reportable operating
 segments for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2009 and
 2008 is as follows:

                                   Quarter Ended     Nine months Ended
                                   September 30,       September 30,
                                ------------------  ------------------
                                  2009      2008      2009      2008
                                --------  --------  --------  --------
                                   (Thousands of      (Thousands of
                                      dollars)            dollars)
 Segment operating revenues,
  net
  Oil and Gas                   $ 79,216  $ 86,689  $233,011  $243,352
  Air Medical                     43,321    47,534   125,042   133,105
  Technical Services               1,646     1,237     6,403     6,259
                                --------  --------  --------  --------
   Total operating revenues,
    net                          124,183   135,460   364,456   382,716
                                --------  --------  --------  --------

 Segment direct expenses
  Oil and Gas                     65,690    68,074   191,937   192,157
  Air Medical                     34,023    41,125   111,521   121,494
  Technical Services               1,259     1,171     4,553     4,702
                                --------  --------  --------  --------
   Total direct expenses         100,972   110,370   308,011   318,353
                                --------  --------  --------  --------

 Segment selling, general and
  administrative expenses
  Oil and Gas                        285       321       991       976
  Air Medical                      1,795     2,045     4,903     6,237
  Technical Services                  24        15        41        49
                                --------  --------  --------  --------
   Total selling, general and
    administrative expenses        2,104     2,381     5,935     7,262
                                --------  --------  --------  --------
 Total direct and selling,
  general and administrative
  expenses                       103,076   112,751   313,946   325,615
                                --------  --------  --------  --------

 Net segment profit
  Oil and Gas                     13,241    18,294    40,083    50,219
  Air Medical                      7,503     4,364     8,618     5,374
  Technical Services                 363        51     1,809     1,508
                                --------  --------  --------  --------
   Total                          21,107    22,709    50,510    57,101
                                --------  --------  --------  --------

 Other, net                           60       278       353     4,985
 Unallocated selling, general
  and administrative costs        (5,602)   (5,987)  (17,813)  (16,029)
 Interest expense                 (3,976)   (3,840)  (11,894)  (11,528)
                                --------  --------  --------  --------
 Earnings before income taxes   $ 11,589  $ 13,160  $ 21,156  $ 34,529
                                ========  ========  ========  ========


                          Operating Statistics

 The following tables present certain non-financial operational
 statistics for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2009
 and 2008:

                                   Quarter Ended    Nine months Ended
                                   September 30,      September 30,
                                ------------------  ------------------
                                  2009      2008      2009      2008
                                --------  --------  --------  --------
 Flight hours:
  Oil and Gas                     28,749    29,623    85,470    84,202
  Air Medical                      8,898     9,860    26,108    28,355
  Technical Services                  --        --       378       703
                                --------  --------  --------  --------
   Total                          37,647    39,483   111,956   113,260
                                ========  ========  ========  ========


 Air Medical Transports            5,226     6,046    15,529    17,468
                                ========  ========  ========  ========

                                                       September 30,
                                                    ------------------
                                                      2009      2008
                                                    --------  --------
 Aircraft operated at period
  end:
  Oil and Gas                                            163       152
  Air Medical                                             87        88
  Technical Services                                       4         4
                                                    --------  --------
    Total                                                254       244
                                                    ========  ========

            

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