Quest Capital Reports First Quarter 2010 Results
May 14 2010 - 5:30AM
Marketwired
Quest Capital Corp. ("Quest" or the "Company") (TSX: QC)(NYSE Amex:
QCC), a Canadian mortgage investment corporation ("MIC"), today
reported its financial results for the three months ended March 31,
2010.
"We continue to make progress in dealing with our problem loans
and as a result of loan monetization we have a considerable amount
of cash even after substantially completing our normal course
issuer bid," said A. Murray Sinclair, Quest Chairman. "We expect
further monetization to occur and while we have recommenced lending
on a cautious basis, we do not anticipate utilizing all of our cash
over the near term. In the interim, we continue to look to enhance
shareholder value and close the discrepancy between our book value
of $1.82 per share and our trading price."
FIRST QUARTER FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
-- The Company is debt free and was able to increase its cash position to
$34.4 million from $4.7 million at December 31, 2009.
-- Net interest income was $3.4 million compared to $6.6 million a year
ago, reflecting a reduction in performing loans upon which interest is
recognized.
-- The Company recorded net income of $0.4 million ($nil per share)
compared to $1.4 million ($0.01 per share) for the same period in 2009
and compared to a net loss of $13.6 ($0.09 per share) for the previous
quarter ending December 31, 2009.
-- The Company's book value per share was $1.82, an increase of $0.01 from
December 31, 2009. After taking into account the substantial completion
of the normal course issuer bid subsequent to the quarter end, the
Company's proforma book value per share is $1.85.
PROVISION FOR LOAN LOSSES
The Company had impaired loans with an aggregated carrying value
of $134.0 million (16 borrowers) as at March 31, 2010 which is a
decrease from $144.7 million (18 borrowers) at December 31, 2009.
During the first quarter, a loan loss expense of $1.6 million was
recorded, versus a loan loss expense of $15.0 million in the
previous quarter ended December 31, 2009. The cumulative loan loss
provision decreased to $34.6 million from $36.1 million as at
December 31, 2009.
Jim Grosdanis, Quest CFO, stated, "Consistent with our year end
results, Quest continues to increase its ability to control and
market many of the properties under enforcement proceedings, and as
such, we expect to further monetize some of our impaired loans.
While further risk of loan impairments remains, we are confident in
our strategy for preserving capital."
DIVIDENDS AND TAX LOSS CARRY FORWARDS
Quest's common share dividend policy is guided by its status as
a MIC. This status allows the Company to reduce its taxable income
to a negligible amount through the payment of dividends to common
and preferred shareholders after first utilizing any tax losses and
other tax deduction carry-forwards. While Quest did have taxable
income in 2010 to utilize these tax losses, at March 31, 2010,
there are $32.7 million of non-capital tax losses carried forward
from prior years which may be utilized in future years. At this
time, under the current economic circumstances, Quest cannot
reasonably determine the precise timing, in the short term, of the
utilization of its tax loss carry-forwards and it is unlikely a
dividend will be paid during 2010 or in the immediate future.
CONFERENCE CALL
A conference call will be hosted by A. Murray Sinclair,
Chairman, and Jim Grosdanis, Chief Financial Officer. It will begin
at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time on May 18, 2010 and can
be accessed by dialing (416) 644-3414. The call will be recorded
and a replay made available for one week ending May 25, 2010 at
midnight. The replay can be accessed about one hour after the call
by dialing (416) 640-1917 and entering passcode 4291593 followed by
the number sign.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Quest's annual meeting of shareholders will take place on
Tuesday, May 18th at 1:30 p.m. at the offices of Stikeman Elliott
LLP, 5300 Commerce Court West, 199 Bay Street, Toronto.
ABOUT QUEST
Quest Capital Corp. is a publicly traded mortgage investment
corporation. For more information about Quest, please visit our
website (www.questcapcorp.com) or SEDAR (www.sedar.com).
Forward Looking Statements
This press release may include certain statements that
constitute "forward-looking statements", and "forward-looking
information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws
("forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" are
collectively referred to as "forward-looking statements", unless
otherwise stated). Such forward-looking statements involve known
and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause our actual
results, performance or achievements to be materially different
from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or
implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking
statements may relate to the Company's future outlook and
anticipated events or results and may include statements regarding
the Company's future financial position, business strategy,
budgets, litigation, projected costs, financial results, taxes,
plans and objectives. We have based these forward-looking
statements largely on our current expectations and projections
about future events and financial trends affecting the financial
condition of our business.
These forward-looking statements were derived utilizing numerous
assumptions regarding expected growth, results of operations,
performance and business prospects and opportunities that could
cause our actual results to differ materially from those in the
forward-looking statements. While the Company considers these
assumptions to be reasonable, based on information currently
available, they may prove to be incorrect. Forward-looking
statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance
or results. Forward-looking statements are based on information
available at the time those statements are made and/or management's
good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events,
and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in
or suggested by the forward-looking statements. To the extent any
forward-looking statements constitute future-oriented financial
information or financial outlooks, as those terms are defined under
applicable Canadian securities laws, such statements are being
provided to describe the current potential of the Company and
readers are cautioned that these statements may not be appropriate
for any other purpose, including investment decisions.
Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date those
statements are made. Except as required by applicable law, we
assume no obligation to update or to publicly announce the results
of any change to any forward-looking statement contained or
incorporated by reference herein to reflect actual results, future
events or developments, changes in assumptions or changes in other
factors affecting the forward-looking statements. If we update any
one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be
drawn that we will make additional updates with respect to those or
other forward-looking statements. You should not place undue
importance on forward-looking statements and should not rely upon
these statements as of any other date. All forward-looking
statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified
in their entirety by this cautionary notice.
Contacts: Quest Capital Corp. A. Murray Sinclair Chairman (604)
687-8378 or (Toll Free): (800) 318-3094 Quest Capital Corp. Jim
Grosdanis Chief Financial Officer (604) 687-8378 or (Toll Free):
(800) 318-3094 www.questcapcorp.com
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