PubliCARD, Inc. Announces Second Quarter Results


NEW YORK, Aug. 13, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- PubliCARD, Inc. (OTCBB:CARD) reported its financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2004.

Sales for the second quarter of 2004 declined to $1,028,000, compared to $1,193,000 a year ago. The decrease in revenues was mainly attributable to a $215,000 decline in sales to distribution partners located in the United States. The Company reported a net loss for the quarter ended June 30, 2004 of $783,000, or $0.03 per share, compared with a net loss of $929,000, or $0.04 per share, a year ago. As of June 30, 2004, cash and short-term investments totaled $2,794,000.

For the six months ended June 30, 2004, sales were $1,856,000 compared to $2,606,000 a year ago. As a result of several customer implementation and procurement delays, direct sales in the United Kingdom declined by over $300,000 versus the prior year. Also, sales to distribution partners located in the U.S. declined by $383,000 in 2004 as compared to 2003. The 2003 U.S. figures benefited from the final sales associated with a magnetic stripe product that was discontinued in 2003. The Company reported a net loss of $1,286,000, or $.05 per share for the six months ended June 30, 2004 versus net income of $71,000 in 2003. The 2004 and 2003 results include gains of $477,000 and $1,707,000, respectively, relating to settlements with various historical insurers that resolve certain claims (including certain future claims) under policies of insurance issued to the Company by those insurers.

About PubliCARD, Inc.

Headquartered in New York, NY, PubliCARD, through its Infineer Ltd. subsidiary, designs smart card solutions for educational and corporate sites. The Company's future plans revolve around a potential acquisition strategy that would focus on businesses in areas outside the high technology sector while continuing to support the expansion of the Infineer business. However, the Company will not be able to implement such plans unless it is successful in obtaining additional funding and resolving an underfunded pension situation, as to which no assurance can be given. More information about PubliCARD can be found on its web site www.publicard.com.

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the applicable statements. Such factors include general economic and business conditions, the ability to fund operations and need to raise capital, the ability to identify and consummate acquisitions and strategic alliances, business and product development, time to market, the loss of market share, ability to attract and retain employees, development of competitive products by others, ability to protect our intellectual property, impact of pending litigation, liquidity of our common shares, market makers choosing not to make a market for our common shares on the OTC Bulletin Board and other factors over which PubliCARD has no control. For more information on the potential factors which could affect financial results, refer to the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003, and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2004 and June 30, 2004, as filed with the SEC.

(tables to follow)



                           PUBLICARD, INC.
                       AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

            CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
         FOR THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2004 AND 2003
                   (in thousands, except share data)
                              (unaudited)
 
                     Three Months Ended          Six Months Ended
                          June 30,                   June 30,
                          -------                    -------                     
                      2004         2003         2004         2003
                     ------       ------       ------       ------
                         
 Revenues          $ 1,028      $ 1,193      $ 1,856       $ 2,606
                                                                   
 Cost of revenues      480          612          886         1,231
                     ------       ------       ------       ------
   Gross margin        548          581          970         1,375
                     ------       ------       ------       ------
 Operating 
  expenses:
  General and 
   administrative      609          687         1,272        1,391
  Sales and 
   marketing           406          523           825        1,005
  Product 
   development         171          156           349          245
  Amortization of 
   intangibles          10           10            20           20
                     ------       ------       ------        ------                
                     1,196        1,376         2,466        2,661
                     ------       ------       ------        ------                       
 Loss from 
  operations          (648)        (795)       (1,496)      (1,286)
                     ------       ------       ------        ------ 
 Other income 
  (expenses):
  Interest income        6            4            12            7
  Interest expense      (6)          (2)          (10)          (5)
  Cost of pensions
   - non-operating    (130)        (225)         (264)        (442)
 Gain on insurance
  recoveries            --           --           477        1,707
 Other income   
   (expenses), net      (5)          89            (5)          90
                     ------       ------       ------        ------
                      (135)        (134)          210        1,357
                     ------       ------       ------        ------
 Net (loss) 
  income            $ (783)      $ (929)      $(1,286)      $   71
                     ======       ======       ======        ======

 Basic and diluted
  (loss) earnings 
  per common share  $ (.03)      $ (.04)      $  (.05)      $   -- 
                     ======       ======       ======        ======

             


 Weighted average 
  common shares 
  outstanding
  Basic              24,690,902   24,440,902   24,690,902   24,369,473
                     ==========   ==========   ==========   ==========
  Diluted            24,690,902   26,103,402   24,690,902   26,103,402
                     ==========   ==========   ==========   ==========    

 See Note 1 below.

                           PUBLICARD, INC.
                       AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

              CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS AS OF
                  JUNE 30, 2004 AND DECEMBER 31, 2003
                    (in thousands, except share data)

                                             June 30,    Dec. 31,
                                               2004        2003
                                               ------     ------
                                             (unaudited)
  ASSETS

 Current assets:
  Cash, including short-term investments of
   $2,606 and $3,501 in 2004 and 2003,
   respectively                              $ 2,794      $ 3,580
  Trade receivables, less allowance for
   doubtful accounts of $89 and $115
   in 2004 and 2003, respectively              1,031        1,133
  Inventories                                    657          635
  Prepaid insurance and other                    461          440
                                               ------       ------
  Total current assets                         4,943        5,788
                                               ------       ------
 Equipment and leasehold improvements, net       162          191
 Goodwill and intangibles                        802          822
 Other assets                                    498          598
                                               ------       ------
                                             $ 6,405      $ 7,399
                                               ======       ======

     LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' DEFICIT

 Current liabilities:
  Trade accounts payable and overdraft       $ 1,571      $ 1,569
  Accrued liabilities                          6,303        5,206
                                              ------       ------
  Total current
   liabilities                                 7,874        6,775

 Other non-current
  liabilities                                  2,747        3,552
                                              ------       ------
  Total liabilities                           10,621       10,327
                                              ------       ------

 Commitments and contingencies

 Shareholders' deficit:
  Class A Preferred Stock, Second Series,
   no par value: 1,000 shares authorized; 565
   shares issued and outstanding as of
   June 30, 2004 and December 31, 2003         2,825        2,825
  Common shares, $0.10 par value: 40,000,000
   shares authorized; 24,690,902
   shares issued and outstanding as of
   June 30, 2004 and December 31, 2003         2,469        2,469
  Additional paid-in capital                 108,119      108,119
  Accumulated deficit                       (114,903)    (113,617)
  Other comprehensive loss                    (2,726)      (2,724)
                                               ------       ------
 Total shareholders' deficit                  (4,216)      (2,928)
                                               ------       ------
                                             $ 6,405      $ 7,399
                                               ======       ======
 See Note 1 below.

  Note 1--Liquidity and Going Concern Considerations

       The condensed consolidated statements of operations and balance
     sheets presented above contemplate the realization of assets and
     the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business.
     The Company has incurred operating losses, a substantial decline
     in working capital and negative cash flow from operations for a
     number of years. The Company has also experienced a substantial
     reduction in its cash and short term investments, which declined
     from $17.0 million at December 31, 2000 to $2.8 million at June
     30, 2004. The Company also had a working capital deficit of $2.9
     million and an accumulated deficit of $114.9 million at June 30,
     2004.

       If the distress termination of the Company's defined
     benefit pension plan for which the Company has applied is
     completed, for which no assurance can be given, the Company's
     2003 and 2004 funding requirements to the plan could be
     eliminated, in which case management believes that existing cash
     and short term investments may be sufficient to meet the
     Company's operating and capital requirements at the currently
     anticipated levels through December 31, 2004. However, additional
     capital will be necessary in order to operate beyond December
     2004 and to fund the current business plan and other obligations.
     While the Company is considering various funding alternatives,
     the Company has not secured or entered into any arrangements to
     obtain additional funds. There can be no assurance that the
     Company will eliminate the 2003 or 2004 funding requirements for
     the defined benefit pension plan or be able to obtain additional
     funding on acceptable terms or at all. If the Company cannot
     raise additional capital to continue its present level of
     operations it is not likely to be able to meet its obligations,
     take advantage of future acquisition opportunities or further
     develop or enhance its product offering, any of which would have
     a material adverse effect on its business and results of
     operations and is likely to lead the Company to seek bankruptcy
     protection. These conditions raise substantial doubt about the
     Company's ability to continue as a going concern. The
     consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments
     that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. The
     independent auditors' report on the Company's Consolidated
     Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2003
     contained an emphasis paragraph concerning substantial doubt
     about the Company's ability to continue as a going concern.

            

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