PubliCARD, Inc. Announces First Quarter Results


NEW YORK, May 16, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- PubliCARD, Inc. (OTCBB:CARD) reported its financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2005.

Revenues for the first quarter of 2005 decreased to $751,000, compared to $828,000 in 2004. Foreign currency changes had the effect of increasing revenues by 3%. Excluding the impact of foreign currency changes, revenues in 2005 decreased by 12% driven by a decline in direct sales to customers located in the United Kingdom as well as a decline in shipments to non-U.S. distribution partners. The Company reported a net loss for the quarter ended March 31, 2005 of $719,000, or $0.03 per share, compared with a net loss of $503,000, or $0.02 per share, a year ago. The 2004 results include a gain of $477,000 relating to an agreement to assign to a third party certain insurance claims against a group of historic insurers. The claims involved several historic general liability policies of insurance issued to the Company. As of March 31, 2005, cash and short-term investments totaled $1,527,000.

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, 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, 2004, and quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2005, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.



                           PUBLICARD, INC.
                      AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
               CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
             AS OF MARCH 31, 2005 AND DECEMBER 31, 2004
                 (in thousands, except share data)

                                               March 31,     December 31,
                                                 2005            2004
                                                 ----            ----
                                              (unaudited)
                
                     ASSETS

 Current assets:
  Cash, including short-term
   investments of $1,444 and $1,837 in
   2005 and 2004, respectively                $   1,527      $   1,943
  Trade receivables, less allowance
   for doubtful accounts of $47 and
   $48 in 2005 and 2004, respectively               605            827
  Inventories                                       531            558
  Prepaid insurance and other                       406            440
                                              ---------      ---------
   Total current assets                           3,069          3,768
                                              ---------      ---------
  Equipment and leasehold improvements,
   net                                              105            127
  Goodwill and intangibles                          782            782
  Other assets                                      346            396
                                              ---------      ---------
                                              $   4,302      $   5,073
                                              =========      =========
  
 LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' DEFICIENCY
   
  Current liabilities:
   Trade accounts payable and overdraft       $   1,280      $   1,358
   Accrued liabilities                            1,042          1,005
                                              ---------      ---------
   Total current liabilities                      2,322          2,363
  Note payable                                    7,501          7,501
  Other non-current liabilities                     346            368
                                              ---------      ---------
   Total liabilities                             10,169         10,232
                                              ---------      ---------
  Commitments and contingencies
  Shareholders' deficiency:
   Class A Preferred Stock, Second
    Series, no par value: 1,000 shares
    authorized; 565 shares issued and
    outstanding as of March 31, 2005
    and December 31, 2004                         2,825          2,825
   Common shares, $0.10 par value:
    40,000,000 shares authorized;
    24,690,902 shares issued and
    outstanding as of March 31, 2005
    and December 31, 2004                         2,469          2,469
   Additional paid-in capital                   108,119        108,119
   Accumulated deficit                         (119,195)      (118,476)
   Other comprehensive loss                         (85)           (96)
                                              ---------      ---------
    Total shareholders' deficiency               (5,867)        (5,159)
                                              ---------      ---------
                                              $   4,302      $   5,073
                                              =========      =========
   
                           PUBLICARD, INC.
                     AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
          CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
           FOR THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2005 AND 2004
                 (in thousands, except share data)
                            (unaudited)
                                              
                                               2005            2004
                                               ----            ----
 
Revenues                                    $      751      $      828
 Cost of sales                                     368             406
                                            ----------      ----------
  Gross margin                                     383             422
                                            ----------      ----------
 Operating expenses:
   General and administrative                      531             663
   Sales and marketing                             397             419
   Product development                             176             178
   Amortization of intangibles                      --              10
                                            ----------      ----------
                                                 1,104           1,270
                                            ----------      ----------
   Loss from operations                           (721)           (848)
                                            ----------      ----------
 Other income (expenses):
   Interest income                                   7               6
   Interest expense                                 (5)             (4)
   Cost of pensions - non-operating                 --            (134)
   Gain on insurance recoveries                     --             477
                                            ----------      ----------
                                                     2             345
                                            ----------      ----------
 Net loss                                   $     (719)     $     (503)
                                            ==========      ==========
 Basic and diluted loss per 
  common share                              $     (.03)     $     (.02)
                                            ==========      ==========
 Weighted average shares 
  outstanding:
   Basic                                    24,690,902      24,690,902
                                            ==========      ==========
   Diluted                                  24,690,902      24,690,902
                                            ==========      ==========
 See Note 1 below 

Note 1--Liquidity and Going Concern Considerations

The 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 $1.5 million at March 31, 2005. The Company also had a shareholders' deficiency of $5.9 million at March 31, 2005.

The Company sponsored a defined benefit pension plan (the "Plan") that was frozen in 1993. In January 2003, the Company filed a notice with the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (the "PBGC") seeking a "distress termination" of the Plan. In September 2004, the PBGC proceeded to terminate the Plan and was appointed as the Plan's trustee. As a result of the Plan termination, the Company's 2003 and 2004 funding requirements due to the Plan amounting to $3.4 million through September 15, 2004 were eliminated. As such, 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, 2005. However, additional capital will be necessary in order to operate beyond December 31, 2005 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 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' reports on the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002 contained emphasis paragraphs concerning substantial doubt about the Company's ability to continue as a going concern.


            

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