MedCath Corporation Reports First Fiscal Quarter Earnings

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Feb 09, 2011, 04:30 ET

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Feb. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- MedCath Corporation (Nasdaq: MDTH), a healthcare provider focused on high acuity healthcare services, today announced operating results for its first fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2010.

First Fiscal Quarter Highlights

Net revenue of $88.9 million, up 1.2% compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2010.

Total admissions decrease of 1.0%, and adjusted admissions increase of 5.5%, compared to first quarter of fiscal 2010.

Income (loss) from continuing operations of $7.2 million, or $0.36 per share, compared to $(1.9) million, or $(0.09) per share, in the first quarter of fiscal 2010.

Adjusted EBITDA of $5.8 million, excluding share based compensation and other items described below. Adjusted EPS of $(0.02).

MedCath’s consolidated results presented in this release and the attached financial schedules account for TexSAn Heart Hospital as a discontinued operation. On November 8, 2010, MedCath announced that it entered into a definitive agreement to sell substantially all of the assets in TexSAn Heart Hospital to a third party, which sale closed effective December 31, 2010. This reflects the Company's most recent activity related to the previously announced strategic options process. Additional information related to the strategic options process is available in the Company's Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2010 that is being filed today with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

First Quarter of Fiscal 2011 Results Compared to First Quarter of Fiscal 2010 Results

MedCath’s reported net revenue increased 1.2% to $88.9 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2011 compared to $87.8 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2010. Net income (loss) was $37.0 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2011 compared to $(2.7) million in the first quarter of fiscal 2010. MedCath’s income from continuing operations was $7.2 million, or $0.36 per diluted share, in the first quarter of fiscal 2011 compared to a loss of $(1.9) million, or $(0.09) per diluted share, in the first quarter of fiscal 2010.

MedCath’s first quarter of fiscal 2011 financial results include the following items:

$2.6 million, or $0.08 per diluted share, of professional fees and other expenses incurred in connection with MedCath’s strategic options process announced on March 1, 2010;

$1.9 million, or $0.06 per diluted share, in share-based compensation expense;

$(2.1) million, or $(0.05) per diluted share, realized in connection with the refund of sales taxes, net of related consulting fees; and

$(15.3) million, or $(0.47) per diluted share, in gains related to the disposition of two minority owned entities during the quarter.

MedCath’s first quarter of fiscal 2010 financial results include the following items:

$0.9 million, or $0.02 per diluted share, in pre-opening expense; and
$0.6 million, or $0.02 per diluted share, in share-based compensation expense.

Adjusted EBITDA was $5.8 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2011 compared to $4.8 million in the same period of the prior year. MedCath’s Adjusted EPS for the first quarter of fiscal 2011 was $(0.02) compared with $(0.05) in the first quarter of fiscal 2010.

Commenting on the quarter, O. Edwin French, MedCath President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, “In general, we are pleased with this quarter’s adjusted admission growth and patient activity at our hospitals. We are also pleased with the continued progress made regarding our strategic options process as we completed the sale of TexSAn Heart Hospital during our first fiscal quarter.”

Operating Statistics and Cash Flow

MedCath’s financial results for the first fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2010, reflect a 1.0% decrease in total admissions and a 5.5% increase in adjusted admissions compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2010. Hospital outpatient cases, including emergency department visits, totaled 14,607 in the first quarter of fiscal 2011, up 31.5% compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2010.

Total uncompensated care, which includes charity care plus bad debt expense, equaled 13.4% of hospital division net patient revenue before the deduction for charity care in the first quarter of fiscal 2011 compared to 11.1% in the first quarter of fiscal 2010.

Net cash provided by operating activities from continuing operations for the first quarter of fiscal 2011 was $0.5 million compared to $2.0 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2010. This decline in net cash provided by operating activities resulted from the annual payment of certain management and employee incentives paid in the quarter related to fiscal 2010.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Included in this press release and the supplemental financial information furnished herewith are certain financial measures that are not calculated and presented in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (“non-GAAP measures”), such as adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (“Adjusted EBITDA”) and adjusted diluted earnings per share from continuing operations (“Adjusted EPS”). The supplemental financial information furnished herewith provides a quantitative reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EPS based on the following calculations as and for the periods identified below.

Adjusted EBITDA for the first fiscal quarter of 2011 represents MedCath’s income (loss) from continuing operations, net of taxes attributable to MedCath’s common stockholders; income tax expense, net income attributable to noncontrolling interests; equity in net earnings of unconsolidated affiliates; interest and other income, net; gain on sale of unconsolidated entities, interest expense; loss on disposal of property, equipment and other assets; depreciation; share-based compensation expense; professional fees associated with MedCath’s exploration of strategic options, and sales tax refunds, net. Adjusted EPS for the first fiscal quarter of fiscal 2011 represents MedCath’s diluted loss per share from continuing operations adjusted for gain on sale of unconsolidated investees, professional fees associated with MedCath’s consideration of strategic options, sales tax refunds, net, and share-based compensation expense.

Adjusted EBITDA for the first fiscal quarter of 2010 represents MedCath’s income (loss) from continuing operations, net of taxes attributable to MedCath’s common stockholders, income tax benefit; net income attributable to noncontrolling interest; equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates; interest and other income, net; interest expense; loss on disposal of property, equipment and other assets; depreciation; pre-opening expenses, and share-based compensation expense. Adjusted EPS for the first fiscal quarter of fiscal 2010 represents MedCath’s diluted loss per share from continuing operations adjusted for share-based compensation expense and pre-opening expenses.

MedCath’s management uses Adjusted EBITDA to measure the performance of MedCath’s various operating entities, to compare actual results to historical and budgeted results and to make capital allocation decisions. Management provides Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EPS to investors to assist them in performing their analyses of MedCath’s historical operating results. Further, management believes that many investors in MedCath also invest in, or have knowledge of, other healthcare companies that use Adjusted EBITDA and/or Adjusted EPS as a financial performance measure. Because Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EPS are non-GAAP measures, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EPS, as defined above, may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies. MedCath has included a supplemental schedule with the financial statements that accompanies this press release that reconciles historical Adjusted EBITDA to MedCath’s income from continuing operations attributable to MedCath’s common stockholders and Adjusted EPS to diluted EPS from continuing operations.

This press release and the financial information included therewith will be accessible on the web, by going to www.medcath.com, “Investor Relations,” then clicking on “News.”

MedCath Corporation, headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is a healthcare provider focused on high acuity services with the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease being a primary service offering. MedCath owns an interest in and operates six hospitals with a total of 533 licensed beds, located in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Texas. In addition, MedCath and its subsidiary MedCath Partners provide services in diagnostic and therapeutic facilities.

Parts of this announcement contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Although management believes that these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, these assumptions are inherently subject to significant economic, regulatory and competitive uncertainties and contingencies that are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and are beyond our control including, but not limited to, the implementation of healthcare reform legislation and future enactment of changes in federal law that would further limit physician hospital ownership. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in these forward-looking statements. We do not assume any obligation to update these statements in a news release or otherwise should material facts or circumstances change in ways that would affect their accuracy. The preparation of MedCath’s first quarter of fiscal 2011 operating results required management to make estimates and assumptions that affect reported amounts of revenues and expenses. There is a reasonable possibility that actual results may vary significantly from those estimates.

These various risks and uncertainties are described in detail in “Risk Factors” in MedCath’s Annual Report or Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2010 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 14, 2010. Copies of our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including exhibits, are available at http://www.sec.gov.

MEDCATH CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(In thousands, except per share data)
(Unaudited)


			Three Months Ended December 31,
			2010	2009

Net revenue			$ 88,900	$ 87,830
Operating expenses:
	Personnel expense		32,454	31,636
	Medical supplies expense		19,222	22,107
	Bad debt expense		9,709	7,506
	Other operating expenses		24,116	22,344
	Pre-opening expenses		-	866
	Depreciation		4,887	5,938
	Loss on disposal of property, equipment and other assets		93	96
		Total operating expenses	90,481	90,493
Loss from operations			(1,581)	(2,663)
Other income (expenses):
	Interest expense		(1,082)	(945)
	Interest and other income, net		489	70
	Gain on sale of unconsolidated investees		15,391	-
	Equity in net earnings of unconsolidated affiliates		602	1,516
		Total other income (expense), net	15,400	641
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes			13,819	(2,022)
Income tax expense (benefit)			4,482	(1,337)
Income (loss) from continuing operations			9,337	(685)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes			39,128	(1,130)
Net income (loss) attributable to MedCath Corporation			48,465	(1,815)
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest			(11,426)	(841)
Net income (loss) attributable to MedCath Corporation			$ 37,039	$ (2,656)

Amounts attributable to MedCath Corporation common stockholders:
	Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of taxes		$ 7,162	(1,902)
	Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes		29,877	(754)
	Net income (loss)		$ 37,039	$ (2,656)

Earnings (loss) per share, basic
	Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to MedCath Corporation common stockholders		$ 0.36	$ (0.09)
	Income (loss) from discontinued operations attributable to MedCath Corporation common stockholders		1.50	(0.04)
	Income (loss) per share, basic		$ 1.86	$ (0.13)

Earnings (loss) per share, diluted
	Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to MedCath Corporation common stockholders		$ 0.36	$ (0.09)
	Income (loss) from discontinued operations attributable to MedCath Corporation common stockholders		1.50	(0.04)
	Income (loss) per share, diluted		$ 1.86	$ (0.13)

Weighted average number of shares, basic			19,943	19,743
Dilutive effect of stock options and restricted stock			4	-
Weighted average number of shares, diluted			19,947	19,743

MEDCATH CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(In thousands, except share data)


			December 31,	September 30,
			2010	2010
			(Unaudited)

Current assets:
	Cash and cash equivalents		$ 158,475	$ 33,141
	Accounts receivable, net		44,795	43,811
	Income tax receivable		-	6,188
	Medical supplies		10,644	10,550
	Deferred income tax assets		7,815	13,247
	Prepaid expenses and other current assets		12,902	13,453
	Current assets of discontinued operations		57,345	47,920
		Total current assets	291,976	168,310
Property and equipment, net			176,885	182,222
Other assets			11,652	24,716
Non-current assets of discontinued operations			1,232	119,290
		Total assets	$ 481,745	$ 494,538

Current liabilities:
	Accounts payable		$ 19,957	$ 15,716
	Income tax payable		14,316	-
	Accrued compensation and benefits		11,705	16,418
	Other accrued liabilities		21,073	16,663
	Current portion of long-term debt and obligations
	under capital leases		61,573	16,672
	Current liabilities of discontinued operations		17,014	35,044
		Total current liabilities	145,638	100,513
Long-term debt			-	52,500
Obligations under capital leases			5,822	6,500
Other long-term obligations			3,883	5,053
Long-term liabilities of discontinued operations			-	35,968
		Total liabilities	155,343	200,534

Commitments and contingencies

Redeemable noncontrolling interest			5,812	11,534

Stockholders' equity:
	Preferred stock, $0.01 par value, 10,000,000 shares authorized;
	none issued		-	-
	Common stock, $0.01 par value, 50,000,000 shares authorized;
	22,262,431 issued and 20,308,070 outstanding at December 31, 2010;
	22,423,666 issued and 20,469,305 outstanding at September 30, 2010;		216	216
	Paid-in capital		457,952	457,725
	Accumulated deficit		(102,752)	(139,791)
	Accumulated other comprehensive loss		-	(444)
	Treasury stock, at cost;
	1,954,361 shares at December 31 2010 and September 30, 2010		(44,797)	(44,797)
		Total MedCath Corporation stockholders' equity	310,619	272,909
Noncontrolling interest			9,971	9,561
Total equity			320,590	282,470
		Total liabilities and equity	$ 481,745	$ 494,538

MEDCATH CORPORATION
SELECTED OPERATING DATA
(In thousands, except per share data and selected operating data)
(Unaudited)

	Three Months Ended December 31,
	2010	2009	% Change

Statement of Operations Data:
Net revenue	$ 88,900	$ 87,830	1.2%
Adjusted EBITDA (1)	$ 5,805	$ 4,846	19.8%
Loss from operations	$ (1,581)	$ (2,663)	40.6%
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of taxes	$ 7,162	$ (1,902)	476.6%
Income (loss) per share from continuing operations, basic	$ 0.36	$ (0.09)	516.0%
Income (loss) per share from continuing operations, diluted	$ 0.36	$ (0.09)	516.0%

(1) See Supplemental Financial Disclosure-Reconciliation of GAAP Financial Measures to Non-GAAP Financial Measures.


	Three Months Ended December 31,
	2010	2009	% Change

Selected Operating Data (a):
Number of hospitals	5	5
Licensed beds ( c )	421	421
Staffed and available beds ( d )	380	380
Admissions ( e )	4,438	4,482	(1.0)%
Adjusted admissions ( f )	6,841	6,485	5.5%
Patient days ( g )	16,254	16,672	(2.5)%
Adjusted patient days ( h )	25,143	24,324	3.4%
Average length of stay (days) ( i )	3.66	3.72	(1.6)%
Occupancy ( j )	46.5%	47.7%
Inpatient catheterization procedures ( k )	1,792	1,964	(8.8)%
Inpatient surgical procedures ( l )	1,032	1,085	(4.9)%
Hospital net revenue	$ 86,618	$ 84,382	2.6%

Combined Operating Data (b):
Number of hospitals	6	6
Licensed beds ( c )	533	533
Staffed and available beds ( d )	489	488
Admissions ( e )	6,256	6,199	0.9%
Adjusted admissions ( f )	10,165	9,667	5.2%
Patient days ( g )	21,729	21,827	(0.4)%
Adjusted patient days ( h )	35,152	33,877	3.8%
Average length of stay (days) ( i )	3.47	3.52	(1.4)%
Occupancy ( j )	48.3%	48.6%
Inpatient catheterization procedures ( k )	1,972	2,162	(8.8)%
Inpatient surgical procedures ( l )	1,451	1,445	0.4%
Hospital net revenue	$ 112,719	$ 108,647	3.7%


(a) Selected operating data includes consolidated hospitals in operation as of the end of the period reported in continuing operations but does not include hospitals which are accounted for using the equity method or as discontinued operations in our consolidated financial statements.
(b) Combined operating data includes hospitals in operation as of the end of the period reported in continuing operations including hospitals which are accounted for using the equity method in our consolidated financial statements. However, Heart Hospital of South Dakota is excluded from prior year information since the Company disposed of its interest on October 1, 2010.
(c) Licensed beds represent the number of beds for which the appropriate state agency licenses a facility regardless of whether the beds are actually available for patient use.
(d) Staffed and available beds represent the number of beds that are readily available for patient use at the end of the period.
(e) Admissions represent the number of patients admitted for inpatient treatment.
(f) Adjusted admissions is a general measure of combined inpatient and outpatient volume. We computed adjusted admissions by dividing gross patient revenue by gross inpatient revenue and then multiplying the quotient by admissions.
(g) Patient days represent the total number of days of care provided to inpatients.
(h) Adjusted patient days is a general measure of combined inpatient and outpatient volume. We computed adjusted patient days by dividing gross patient revenue by gross inpatient revenue and then multiplying the quotient by patient days.
(i) Average length of stay (days) represents the average number of days inpatients stay in our hospitals.
(j) We computed occupancy by dividing patient days by the number of days in the period and then dividing the quotient by the number of staffed and available beds.
(k) Inpatients with a catheterization procedure represent the number of inpatients with a procedure performed in one of the hospitals' catheterization labs during the period.
(l) Inpatient surgical procedures represent the number of surgical procedures performed on inpatients during the period.

MEDCATH CORPORATION
SUPPLEMENTAL FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE - RECONCILIATION OF GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
TO NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
(Unaudited)

The following table reconciles the income (loss) from continuing operations, net of taxes attributable to MedCath Corporation's common stockholders as derived directly from MedCath Corporation's consolidated financial statements to Adjusted EBITDA for the three months ended December 31, 2010 and 2009.


		Three Months Ended December 31,
		2010	2009
		(in thousands)

Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of taxes attributable to
MedCath Corporation common stockholders		$ 7,162	$ (1,902)
Add:
	Income tax expense (benefit)	4,482	(1,337)
	Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	2,174	1,218
	Equity in net earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(602)	(1,516)
	Interest and other income, net	(489)	(70)
	Gain on sale of unconsolidated investees	(15,391)	-
	Interest expense	1,082	945
	Loss on disposal of property, equipment and other assets	93	96
	Depreciation	4,887	5,938
	Pre-opening expenses	-	866
	Share-based compensation expense	1,932	608
	Professional fees for strategic options process	2,562	-
	Sales tax refunds, net	(2,087)	-
Adjusted EBITDA		$ 5,805	$ 4,846


The following table reconciles MedCath Corporation's diluted income (loss) per share from continuing operations, net of taxes attributable to MedCath Corporation's common stockholders as derived directly from MedCath's consolidated financial statements to Adjusted diluted earnings per share from continuing operations for the three months ended December 31, 2010 and 2009.


		Three Months Ended December 31,
		2010	2009

Diluted income (loss) per share		$ 0.36	$ (0.09)
Add:
	Gain on sale of unconsolidated investees	(0.47)	-
	Professional fees for strategic plans	0.08	-
	Sales tax refunds	(0.05)	-
	Share-based compensation expense	0.06	0.02
	Pre-opening expense	-	0.02
Adjusted diluted earnings per share		$ (0.02)	$ (0.05)