Lamar Advertising Company Announces Second Quarter 2018 Operating Results


Three Month Results

  • Net revenue increased 5.7% to $419.8 million
  • Net income was $100.4 million
  • Adjusted EBITDA increased 7.6% to $195.8 million
      

Three Month Acquisition-Adjusted Results

  • Acquisition-adjusted net revenue increased 3.4%
  • Acquisition-adjusted EBITDA increased 5.4%

BATON ROUGE, La., Aug. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lamar Advertising Company (Nasdaq: LAMR), a leading owner and operator of outdoor advertising and logo sign displays, announces the Company’s operating results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2018.

“We are very pleased by our revenue growth in the second quarter, which demonstrates that outdoor advertising remains a core communications platform for top businesses,” said Chief Executive Sean Reilly. “Our sales pacings for the third quarter are similarly encouraging; therefore, we are increasing the range for full year AFFO per share guidance in the revised guidance section of this press release.”  

Second Quarter Highlights

  • Same unit digital revenue increased 6.3%
  • Consolidated acquisition-adjusted expenses increased 1.7%
  • AFFO increased 10.2%
  • Diluted AFFO per share increased 9.4%

Second Quarter Results
Lamar reported net revenues of $419.8 million for the second quarter of 2018 versus $397.1 million for the second quarter of 2017, a 5.7% increase.  Operating income for the second quarter of 2018 increased $7.5 million to $135.7 million as compared to $128.2 million for the same period in 2017.  Lamar recognized net income of $100.4 million for the second quarter of 2018 compared to net income of $92.4 million for same period in 2017.  Net income per diluted share was $1.02 and $0.94 for the three months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Adjusted EBITDA for the second quarter of 2018 was $195.8 million versus $181.9 million for the second quarter of 2017, an increase of 7.6%.

Cash flow provided by operating activities was $175.0 million for the three months ended June 30, 2018, an increase of $14.8 million as compared to the same period in 2017.  Free cash flow for the second quarter of 2018 was $132.9 million as compared to $119.2 million for the same period in 2017, an 11.5% increase. 

For the second quarter of 2018, Funds From Operations, or FFO, was $150.9 million versus $140.9 million for the same period in 2017, an increase of 7.1%.  Adjusted Funds From Operations, or AFFO, for the second quarter of 2018 was $150.5 million compared to $136.5 million for the same period in 2017, an increase of 10.2%.  Diluted AFFO per share increased 9.4% to $1.52 for the three months ended June 30, 2018 as compared to $1.39 for the same period in 2017.

Acquisition-Adjusted Three Months Results
Acquisition-adjusted net revenue for the second quarter of 2018 increased 3.4% over Acquisition-adjusted net revenue for the second quarter of 2017.  Acquisition-adjusted EBITDA for the second quarter of 2018 increased 5.4% as compared to Acquisition-adjusted EBITDA for the second quarter of 2017.  Acquisition-adjusted net revenue and Acquisition-adjusted EBITDA include adjustments to the 2017 period for acquisitions and divestitures for the same time frame as actually owned in the 2018 period.  See “Reconciliation of Reported Basis to Acquisition-Adjusted Results”, which provides reconciliations to GAAP for Acquisition-adjusted measures.

Six Months Results
Lamar reported net revenues of $780.8 million for the six months ended June 30, 2018 versus $743.4 million for the same period in 2017, a 5.0% increase.  Operating income for the six months ended June 30, 2018 was $201.6 million as compared to $203.6 million for the same period in 2017.  Lamar recognized net income of $115.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2018 as compared to net income of $134.2 million for the same period in 2017.  Net income per diluted share decreased to $1.17 for the six months ended June 30, 2018 as compared to $1.36 for the same period in 2017.  In addition, Adjusted EBITDA for the six months ended June 30, 2018 was $334.7 million versus $310.2 million for the same period in 2017, a 7.9% increase.

Cash flow provided by operating activities increased to $215.8 million for the six months ended June 30, 2018, as compared to $194.8 million in the same period in 2017. Free cash flow for the six months ended June 30, 2018 increased 9.6% to $214.3 million as compared to $195.5 million for the same period in 2017.

For the six months ended June 30, 2018, FFO was $229.6 million versus $230.6 million for the same period in 2017, a 0.4% decrease.  AFFO for the six months ended June 30, 2018 was $246.9 million compared to $223.0 million for the same period in 2017, a 10.7% increase.  Diluted AFFO per share increased to $2.50 for the six months ended June 30, 2018, as compared to $2.27 in the same period in 2017, an increase of 10.1%.

Liquidity
As of June 30, 2018, Lamar had $338.6 million in total liquidity that consisted of $319.0 million available for borrowing under its revolving senior credit facility and approximately $19.6 million in cash and cash equivalents.

Revised Guidance
The Company is revising its 2018 full year guidance for AFFO and Earnings per share.   Lamar expects Diluted AFFO per share for 2018 to be between $5.30 and $5.40, as compared to our previous guidance range of $5.15 and $5.30.  In addition, Earnings per diluted share is expected to be between $2.94 and $3.04, as compared to our previous guidance range of $2.96 to $3.11.  The revised Earnings per diluted share guidance includes losses of approximately $0.08 per share for the divestiture of our Puerto Rico operations, which were not previously projected in our original guidance.   See “Supplemental Schedules Unaudited REIT Measures and Reconciliations to GAAP Measures”, for a reconciliation to GAAP.

Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding sales trends.  These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in these forward-looking statements.  These risks and uncertainties include, among others: (1) our significant indebtedness; (2) the state of the economy and financial markets generally and the effect of the broader economy on the demand for advertising; (3) the continued popularity of outdoor advertising as an advertising medium; (4) our need for and ability to obtain additional funding for operations, debt refinancing or acquisitions; (5) our ability to continue to qualify as a Real Estate Investment Trust (“REIT”) and maintain our status as a REIT; (6) the regulation of the outdoor advertising industry by federal, state and local governments; (7) the integration of companies that we acquire and our ability to recognize cost savings or operating efficiencies as a result of these acquisitions; (8) changes in accounting principles, policies or guidelines; (9) changes in tax laws applicable to REITs or in the interpretation of those laws; (10) our ability to renew expiring contracts at favorable rates; (11) our ability to successfully implement our digital deployment strategy; and (12) the market for our Class A common stock. For additional information regarding factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in our forward-looking statements, we refer you to the risk factors included in Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, as supplemented by any risk factors contained in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and our Current Reports on Form 8-K.  We caution investors not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this document.  These statements speak only as of the date of this document, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise the statements, except as may be required by law.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
The Company has presented the following measures that are not measures of performance under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”):  Adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization), Free Cash Flow, Funds From Operations (“FFO”), Adjusted Funds From Operations (“AFFO”), Diluted AFFO per share, Outdoor Operating Income and Acquisition-Adjusted Results.  Our management reviews our performance by focusing on these key performance indicators not prepared in conformity with GAAP. We believe these non-GAAP performance indicators are meaningful supplemental measures of our operating performance and should not be considered in isolation of, or as a substitute for their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures.

Our Non-GAAP financial measures are determined as follows:

  • We define Adjusted EBITDA as net income before income tax expense (benefit), interest expense (income), loss (gain) on extinguishment of debt and investments, stock-based compensation, depreciation and amortization and gain or loss on disposition of assets and investments.
      
  • Free Cash Flow is defined as Adjusted EBITDA less interest, net of interest income and amortization of deferred financing costs, current taxes, preferred stock dividends and total capital expenditures.
      
  • We use the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts definition of FFO, which is defined as net income before gains or losses from the sale or disposal of real estate assets and investments and real estate related depreciation and amortization and including adjustments to eliminate unconsolidated affiliates and non-controlling interest.
      
  • We define AFFO as FFO before (i) straight-line revenue and expense; (ii) stock-based compensation expense; (iii) non-cash portion of tax provision; (iv) non-real estate related depreciation and amortization; (v) amortization of deferred financing costs; (vi) loss on extinguishment of debt; (vii) non-recurring infrequent or unusual losses (gains); (viii) less maintenance capital expenditures; and (ix) an adjustment for unconsolidated affiliates and non-controlling interest.
      
  • Diluted AFFO per share is defined as AFFO divided by Weighted average diluted common shares outstanding.  
      
  • Outdoor Operating Income is defined as Operating Income before corporate expenses, stock-based compensation, depreciation and amortization and loss (gain) on disposition of assets. 
      
  • Acquisition-Adjusted Results adjusts our net revenue, direct and general and administrative expenses, outdoor operating income, corporate expense and EBITDA for the prior period by adding to, or subtracting from, the corresponding revenue or expense generated by the acquired assets or divested before our acquisition or divestiture of these assets for the same time frame that those assets were owned in the current period. In calculating Acquisition-Adjusted Results, therefore, we include revenue and expenses generated by assets that we did not own in the prior period but acquired in the current period. We refer to the amount of pre-acquisition revenue and expense generated by or subtracted from  the acquired assets during the prior period that corresponds with the current period in which we owned the assets (to the extent within the period to which this report relates) as “Acquisition-Adjusted Results”.

Adjusted EBITDA, FFO, AFFO, Outdoor Operating Income and Acquisition-Adjusted Results are not intended to replace other performance measures determined in accordance with GAAP.  Free Cash Flow, FFO nor AFFO represent cash flows from operating activities in accordance with GAAP and, therefore, these measures should not be considered indicative of cash flows from operating activities as a measure of liquidity or of funds available to fund our cash needs, including our ability to make cash distributions. Adjusted EBITDA, Free Cash Flow, FFO, AFFO, Diluted AFFO per share, Outdoor Operating Income and Acquisition-Adjusted Results are presented as we believe each is a useful indicator of our current operating performance. Specifically, we believe that these metrics are useful to an investor in evaluating our operating performance because (1) each is a key measure used by our management team for purposes of decision making and for evaluating our core operating results; (2) Adjusted EBITDA is widely used in the industry to measure operating performance as it excludes the impact of depreciation and amortization, which may vary significantly among companies, depending upon accounting methods and useful lives, particularly where acquisitions and non-operating factors are involved; (3) Adjusted EBITDA, FFO, AFFO and Diluted AFFO per share each provides investors with a meaningful measure for evaluating our period-over-period operating performance by eliminating items that are not operational in nature and reflect the impact on operations from trends in occupancy rates, operating costs, general and administrative expenses and interest costs; (4) Acquisition-Adjusted Results is a supplement to enable investors to compare period-over-period results on a more consistent basis without the effects of acquisitions and divestures, which reflects our core performance and organic growth (if any) during the period in which the assets were owned and managed by us; (5) Free Cash Flow is an indicator of our ability to service debt and generate cash for acquisitions and other strategic investments; (6) Outdoor Operating Income provides investors a measurement of our core results without the impact of fluctuations in stock-based compensation, depreciation and amortization and corporate expenses; and (7) each of our Non-GAAP measures provides investors with a measure for comparing our results of operations to those of other companies.

Our measurement of Adjusted EBITDA, FFO, AFFO, Outdoor Operating Income and Acquisition-Adjusted Results may not, however, be fully comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies. Reconciliations of Adjusted EBITDA, FFO, AFFO, Outdoor Operating Income and Acquisition-Adjusted Results to the most directly comparable GAAP measures have been included herein.

Conference Call Information
A conference call will be held to discuss the Company’s operating results on Wednesday, August 8, 2018 at 8:00 a.m. central time.  Instructions for the conference call and Webcast are provided below:

Conference Call
All Callers:1-334-323-0520 or 1-334-323-9871
Passcode:Lamar
  
Replay:1-334-323-0140 or 1-877-919-4059
Passcode:18730879
 Available through Wednesday, August 15, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. eastern time
  
Live Webcast:www.lamar.com 
  
Webcast Replay:www.lamar.com 
 Available through Wednesday, August 15, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. eastern time
  
Company Contact:Buster Kantrow
 Director of Investor Relations
 (225) 926-1000
 bkantrow@lamar.com
  

General Information
Founded in 1902, Lamar Advertising (Nasdaq: LAMR) is one of the largest outdoor advertising companies in North America, with more than 348,000 displays across the United States and Canada. Lamar offers advertisers a variety of billboard, interstate logo, transit and airport advertising formats, helping both local businesses and national brands reach broad audiences every day. In addition to its more traditional out-of-home inventory, Lamar is proud to offer its customers the largest network of digital billboards in the United States with over 2,900 displays. 

LAMAR ADVERTISING COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES  
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME 
(UNAUDITED) 
(IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE AND PER SHARE DATA) 
          
  Three months ended Six months ended 
  June 30,  June 30, 
   2018   2017   2018   2017  
         
Net revenues$  419,800  $  397,078  $  780,826  $  743,440  
         
Operating expenses (income)        
 Direct advertising expenses    140,784     135,075     279,077     266,919  
 General and administrative expenses    67,435     63,723     135,520     133,572  
 Corporate expenses    15,791     16,363     31,504     32,700  
 Stock-based compensation   6,607     2,565     14,121     5,043  
 Depreciation and amortization   55,322     51,782     112,162     103,207  
 (Gain) loss on disposition of assets   (1,843)    (607)    6,858     (1,643) 
     284,096     268,901     579,242     539,798  
 Operating income    135,704     128,177     201,584     203,642  
          
Other (income) expense         
 Loss on extinguishment of debt   —      71     15,429     71  
 Interest income   (132)    —      (156)    (4) 
 Interest expense   31,892     31,979     65,471     63,462  
     31,760     32,050     80,744     63,529  
Income before income tax expense   103,944     96,127     120,840     140,113  
Income tax expense    3,513     3,733     5,357     5,932  
          
Net income   100,431     92,394     115,483     134,181  
Preferred stock dividends   91     91     182     182  
Net income applicable to common stock$  100,340  $  92,303  $  115,301  $  133,999  
         
Earnings per share:        
  Basic earnings per share$  1.02  $  0.94  $  1.17  $  1.37  
  Diluted earnings per share$  1.02  $  0.94  $  1.17  $  1.36  
         
Weighted average common shares outstanding:   98,532,110     97,941,766     98,417,467     97,759,636  
  - basic   98,834,588    98,442,860    98,725,475    98,276,283  
  - diluted     
                  
OTHER DATA                 
Free Cash Flow Computation:                
Adjusted EBITDA$195,790   $181,917   $334,725   $310,249  
Interest, net (30,554)  (30,704)  (62,867)   (60,835) 
Current tax expense   (2,989)  (3,348)  (4,920)  (5,902) 
Preferred stock dividends (91)  (91)  (182)  (182) 
Total capital expenditures    (29,221)    (28,600)    (52,473)    (47,836) 
Free Cash Flow$  132,935  $  119,174  $  214,283  $  195,494  
         
         
     June 30, December 31, 
Selected Balance Sheet Data:     2018   2017  
Cash and cash equivalents    $19,588  $115,471  
Working capital    $123,654  $94,525  
Total assets    $4,119,970  $4,214,345  
Total debt, net of deferred financing costs (including current maturities)    $2,564,900  $2,556,690  
Total stockholders’ equity    $1,073,520  $1,103,493  
          
          
  Three months ended Six months ended 
  June 30, June 30, 
Selected Cash Flow Data:2018 2017 2018 2017 
Cash flows provided by operating activities$175,012  $160,257  $215,784  $194,753  
Cash flows used in investing activities$32,569  $37,941  $61,422  $73,360  
Cash flows used in financing activities$132,515  $111,665  $249,562  $114,837  
         

 

SUPPLEMENTAL SCHEDULES
UNAUDITED RECONCILIATIONS OF NON-GAAP MEASURES
(IN THOUSANDS)
        
 Three months ended Six months ended
 June 30, June 30,
 2018 2017 2018 2017
        
Reconciliation of Cash Flows Provided by Operating Activities to Free Cash Flow:       
Cash flows provided by operating activities$  175,012  $  160,257  $  215,784  $  194,753 
Changes in operating assets and liabilities   (11,031)    (10,424)    55,094     52,155 
Total capital expenditures   (29,221)    (28,600)    (52,473)    (47,836)
Preferred stock dividends   (91)    (91)    (182)    (182)
Other   (1,734)    (1,968)    (3,940)    (3,396)
Free cash flow$  132,935  $  119,174  $  214,283  $  195,494 
        
        
Reconciliation of  Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA:       
Net Income$  100,431  $  92,394  $  115,483  $  134,181 
Loss on extinguishment of debt  —      71     15,429     71 
Interest income   (132)   —      (156)    (4)
Interest expense   31,892     31,979     65,471     63,462 
Income tax expense   3,513     3,733     5,357     5,932 
Operating Income   135,704     128,177     201,584     203,642 
        
Stock-based compensation   6,607     2,565     14,121     5,043 
Depreciation and amortization   55,322     51,782     112,162     103,207 
(Gain) loss on disposition of assets   (1,843)    (607)    6,858     (1,643)
Adjusted EBITDA$  195,790  $  181,917  $  334,725  $  310,249 
        
        
Capital expenditure detail by category:       
Billboards - traditional$  8,420  $  7,260  $  15,207  $  13,539 
Billboards - digital   11,815     13,376     20,117     20,963 
Logo   2,653     2,110     5,105     3,911 
Transit   368     65     740     288 
Land and buildings   2,598     3,132     6,029     4,514 
Operating equipment   3,367     2,657     5,275     4,621 
Total capital expenditures$  29,221  $  28,600  $  52,473  $  47,836 
        

 

SUPPLEMENTAL SCHEDULES
UNAUDITED RECONCILIATIONS OF NON-GAAP MEASURES
(IN THOUSANDS)

 Three months ended
June 30,
 
  2018  2017 % Change
Reconciliation of Reported Basis to Acquisition-Adjusted Results (a):     
 Net revenue$  419,800 $  397,078 5.7%
Acquisitions and divestitures   —    9,010  
Acquisition-adjusted net revenue$  419,800 $  406,088 3.4%
      
Reported direct advertising and G&A expenses$  208,219 $  198,798 4.7%
Acquisitions and divestitures   —      5,111  
Acquisition-adjusted direct advertising and G&A expenses$  208,219 $  203,909 2.1%
      
Outdoor operating income$  211,581 $  198,280 6.7%
Acquisitions and divestitures   —      3,899  
Acquisition-adjusted outdoor operating income$  211,581 $  202,179 4.7%
      
Reported corporate expenses$    15,791 $    16,363  (3.5)%
Acquisitions and divestitures   —     —   
Acquisition-adjusted corporate expenses$   15,791 $   16,363 (3.5)%
      
Adjusted EBITDA$  195,790 $  181,917 7.6%
Acquisitions and divestitures   —     3,899  
Acquisition-adjusted  EBITDA$  195,790 $  185,816 5.4%
      
(a)  Acquisition-adjusted net revenue, direct advertising and general and administrative expenses, outdoor operating income, corporate expenses and EBITDA include adjustments to 2017 for acquisitions and divestitures for the same time frame as actually owned in 2018.
 

  

  Three months ended
  June 30,
   2018   2017 
Reconciliation of Net Income to Outdoor Operating Income:    
Net Income $100,431  $92,394 
Interest expense, net  31,760   31,979 
Income tax expense  3,513   3,733 
Loss on extinguishment of debt     71 
Operating Income  135,704   128,177 
     
Corporate expenses  15,791   16,363 
Stock-based compensation  6,607   2,565 
Depreciation and amortization  55,322   51,782 
Gain on disposition of assets  (1,843)  (607)
Outdoor Operating Income $211,581  $198,280 
 

SUPPLEMENTAL SCHEDULES
UNAUDITED REIT MEASURES
AND RECONCILIATIONS TO GAAP MEASURES
(IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE AND PER SHARE DATA)

Adjusted Funds From Operations:

 Three months ended Six months ended 
 June 30, June 30, 
  2018    2017   2018    2017 
        
Net income$100,431  $92,394  $115,483  $134,181 
Depreciation and amortization related to real estate 52,184   48,865   105,909   97,386 
(Gain) loss from disposition of real estate assets and investments (tax effected) (1,848)  (568)  7,845   (1,407)
Adjustment for unconsolidated affiliates and non-controlling interest 147   213   342   390 
Funds From Operations$150,914  $140,904  $229,579  $230,550 
        
Straight-line income (680)  (58)  (957)  (95)
Stock-based compensation expense 6,607   2,565   14,121   5,043 
Non-cash portion of tax provision 581   385   (441)  30 
Non-real estate related depreciation and amortization 3,138   2,917   6,253   5,821 
Amortization of deferred financing costs 1,206   1,275   2,448   2,623 
Loss on extinguishment of debt    71   15,429   71 
Capitalized expenditures—maintenance (11,080)  (11,300)  (19,205)  (20,678)
Adjustment for unconsolidated affiliates and non-controlling interest (147)  (213)  (342)  (390)
        
Adjusted Funds From Operations$150,539  $136,546  $246,885  $222,975 
        
Divided by weighted average diluted common shares outstanding 98,834,588   98,442,860   98,725,475   98,276,283 
Diluted AFFO per share$1.52  $1.39  $2.50  $2.27 
 

SUPPLEMENTAL SCHEDULES
UNAUDITED REIT MEASURES
AND RECONCILIATIONS TO GAAP MEASURES
(IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE AND PER SHARE DATA)

     
Projected 2018 Adjusted Funds From Operations    
   Year ended December 31, 2018 
   Low High 
       
Net income  $290,850  $300,850  
Depreciation and amortization related to real estate   211,000   211,000  
Loss from disposal of real estate assets and investments   6,000   6,000  
Adjustment for unconsolidated affiliates and non-controlling interest   900   900  
Funds From Operations  $508,750  $518,750  
       
Straight-line income   (1,500)  (1,500) 
Stock-based compensation expense   30,150   30,150  
Non-cash portion of tax provision   (1,000)  (1,000) 
Non-real estate related depreciation and amortization   12,000   12,000  
Amortization of deferred financing costs   5,000   5,000  
Loss on extinguishment of debt   15,500   15,500  
Capitalized expenditures—maintenance   (44,000)  (44,000) 
Adjustment for unconsolidated affiliates and non-controlling interest   (900)  (900) 
       
Adjusted Funds From Operations  $524,000  $534,000  
       
       
Weighted average diluted common shares outstanding   98,900,000   98,900,000  
       
Diluted earnings per share  $2.94  $3.04  
       
Diluted AFFO per share  $5.30  $5.40  
 

The guidance provided above is based on a number of assumptions that management believes to be reasonable and reflect our expectations as of August 2018.  Actual results may differ materially from these estimates as a result of various factors, and we refer to the cautionary language regarding “forward looking” statements included in the press release when considering this information.