MANHATTAN ASSOCIATES INC quarterly report, Q1 FY2012

Manhattan Associates, Inc. — Q1 2012 Form 10-Q

Reporting period: Three months ended March 31, 2012; unaudited. The company develops and implements supply-chain software and related services. Financial amounts below are in U.S. dollars; “million” amounts are rounded.

Financial performance

MetricQ1 2012Q1 2011Change
Revenue$91.5 million$71.7 million+28%
Software license revenue$15.6 million$7.8 million+101%
Services revenue$70.4 million$56.1 million+25%
Hardware and other revenue$5.5 million$7.9 million-30%
Operating income$17.9 million$7.6 million+138%
Operating margin19.6%10.5%+9.1 percentage points
Net income$11.4 million$7.2 million+59%
Diluted EPS$0.55$0.32+72%
Operating cash flow$13.1 million$8.1 million+$5.0 million

License, services, and hardware/other gross margins were 88.6%, 54.9%, and 19.5%, respectively. Services accounted for 77% of revenue. International revenue was approximately $25.5 million, or about 30% of total revenue.

Liquidity, balance sheet, and capital allocation

  • Cash, cash equivalents, and investments totaled $97.5 million at March 31, 2012, versus $99.1 million at December 31, 2011. Cash and cash equivalents alone were $92.3 million.
  • The company reported no debt and no credit facilities. Management said existing cash and investments should meet working-capital and capital-expenditure needs for at least 12 months; it did not anticipate borrowing for general corporate purposes during the remainder of 2012.
  • Current assets were $175.4 million and current liabilities $85.9 million. Deferred revenue was $52.5 million. Days sales outstanding improved to 57 days from 62 at year-end.
  • Q1 financing activities used $13.7 million net. Cash-flow reporting shows $33.5 million of common-stock purchases, partly offset by $16.1 million in option-exercise proceeds and $3.6 million in excess tax benefits. The company separately reported 652,757 shares repurchased under its program for $30.6 million; total purchases also included shares withheld for taxes.
  • In April 2012, the board raised remaining share-repurchase authority to $50.0 million. Management cited product development and sales and services resources as priorities, while also evaluating acquisitions and future repurchases.

Material changes and management commentary

  • Revenue and operating income rose substantially year over year. Management attributed stronger operating income and margin mainly to revenue growth and expense management.
  • License revenue benefited from five recognized software-license deals exceeding $1 million. Large-deal flow remained inconsistent, and management said macroeconomic uncertainty was extending sales cycles and complicating forecasts.
  • Regional revenue increased 22% in the Americas, 49% in EMEA, and 84% in APAC. APAC moved from a $0.4 million operating loss to $1.7 million operating income.
  • Services revenue growth reflected customer initiatives, upgrades, and large license deals. Customer-support renewals had exceeded 90% annually over the prior three years, according to management.
  • Basic and diluted weighted-average shares declined year over year, alongside the company’s ongoing repurchases. The company changed new restricted-stock grants to restricted stock units in January 2012.

Outlook, risks, and unusual items

  • No specific quarterly or full-year revenue or earnings guidance is provided in the filing. Management expressed caution about the pace of global recovery and the timing of large license deals.
  • Key risks include extended customer purchasing decisions, dependence on large transactions, intense competition and potential pricing pressure, and the comparatively lower margins of the services-heavy revenue mix. Product failures could expose the company to substantial claims despite contractual liability limits.
  • The effective tax rate was 36.0%, versus 5.4% in Q1 2011. The prior-year rate included a $2.0 million benefit from reducing an Indian tax-related valuation allowance; the 2012 rate also reflected expiration of the federal R&D tax credit and foreign net operating loss benefits.
  • In April 2012, the company settled the Sky Technologies patent-infringement lawsuit. It said the settlement terms would not materially adversely affect its business, financial position, results, or cash flows. The company reported no other material litigation.
  • The company held a Level 3 auction-rate security carried at $0.9 million, with a $1.0 million par value and 2037 maturity. Its valuation relies on significant unobservable inputs; future impairment remains possible.
  • Management reported effective disclosure controls and no material change in internal control over financial reporting during the quarter.

Important facts for investors to verify

  • Whether license growth and large-deal activity persist, given the filing’s warning about uneven deal timing and extended sales cycles.
  • How the services-heavy revenue mix affects margins, and whether services capacity and costs remain aligned with demand.
  • The sustainability of earnings growth after accounting for the unusually low prior-year tax rate and the higher 2012 effective tax rate.
  • Repurchase activity, remaining authorization, and the balance between buybacks, acquisitions, and investment in the business.
  • The valuation and impairment status of the Level 3 auction-rate security, and developments in product-liability or other legal exposure.