Bull Run Corporation Announces Third Quarter Results
July 14 2005 - 8:45AM
PR Newswire (US)
Bull Run Corporation Announces Third Quarter Results ATLANTA, July
14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Bull Run Corporation (OTC:BULL) today
announced that its financial results continue to improve in
comparison with prior year results since the Company's decision to
discontinue a business segment in August 2004. The loss from
continuing operations and net loss for the Company's third quarter
ended May 31, 2005 were both approximately $(1.0) million, compared
to a loss from continuing operations of $(4.9) million and a net
loss of $(6.3) million for the third quarter of the prior year. For
the nine months ended May 31, 2005, the Company reported a loss
from continuing operations and a net loss of approximately $(0.1)
million, compared to a loss from continuing operations of $(4.4)
million and a net loss of $(9.1) million for the same nine-month
period of the prior year. The improvements in the current year
results over the prior year continue to be derived from the
Company's Collegiate Marketing and Production Services business
segment, and the Company's decision to discontinue its Affinity
Events business segment. In December 2004, the Company completed
the sale of assets associated with the Hoop-It-Up 3-on-3 basketball
tour and the 3v3 Soccer Shootout tour, the primary components of
the discontinued segment. The prior year third quarter and
year-to-date results were also unfavorably impacted by a $3.3
million goodwill impairment charge. Total revenues from continuing
operations, derived entirely by the Company's operating subsidiary,
Host Communications, Inc., were $12.9 million for the third quarter
and $54.1 million for the nine-month period ended May 31, 2005,
compared to $12.8 million and $48.6 million for the same respective
periods of the prior fiscal year. The Company's Collegiate business
is seasonal, corresponding with the collegiate football and
basketball seasons, and the segment's revenues and operating
profits are therefore expected to be highest in the first two
quarters of the fiscal year. The Collegiate segment, which includes
the Company's Printing and Publishing operations, is expected to
generate approximately 80-85% of the Company's total annual
revenues from continuing operations. Total revenues and operating
profits for the Association Management business were favorably
affected in the current fiscal year by a new five-year contract to
manage the International Coach Federation (ICF), effective on May
1, 2005. With more than 8,000 members in 32 countries, ICF is
recognized as the largest non-profit professional association of
personal and business coaches. "Our steady progress has been very
encouraging," said Robert S. Prather, Jr., the Company's President
and CEO. "We have witnessed much improved results at Host over this
past year, not only in terms of profitability, but also evidenced
in much stronger business partnerships." Thomas J. Stultz,
President and CEO of Host since August 2004, said, "Our plan was to
place greater focus on our core, historically-profitable operations
- our Collegiate, Printing and Publishing and Association
Management businesses, and eliminate those operations which have
historically produced losses. We have been rewarded, thus far, with
a more profitable business and success in expanding and/or
extending many of our existing key relationships, with the added
bonus of our new relationship with ICF. In addition, we have
recently been successful in adding three new corporate partners for
the Southeastern Conference, each a three-year arrangement. There
is still much more work to do, but we're on the right track." Bull
Run, through its wholly-owned operating company, Host
Communications, Inc., provides comprehensive sales, marketing,
multimedia, special event and convention/hospitality services to
NCAA Division I universities and conferences and national/global
associations. Bull Run's common stock is quoted on the Pink Sheets
(http://www.pinksheets.com/), a centralized quotation service for
OTC securities, using the symbol "BULL". Additional company
information and stock quotes are available on the Company's
corporate web site at http://www.bullruncorp.com/. Summarized
financial results for each of the three months and nine months
ended May 31, 2005 and 2004 follow: BULL RUN CORPORATION
Comparative Results of Operations (in thousands, except per share
amounts) Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended May 31, May 31, 2005
2004 2005 2004 Revenue from services rendered $12,949 $12,773
$54,058 $48,611 Operating costs Direct operating costs for services
rendered 7,664 8,426 36,460 32,029 Selling, general and
administrative 4,693 4,577 13,319 13,436 Amortization and
impairment of acquisition intangibles 179 3,613 538 4,240 12,536
16,616 50,317 49,705 Operating income (loss) 413 (3,843) 3,741
(1,094) Net change in value of derivative instrument 400 412 947
Debt issue cost amortization (350) (294) (950) (878) Interest and
other, net (1,056) (1,199) (3,306) (3,404) Loss from continuing
operations (993) (4,936) (103) (4,429) Discontinued operations (15)
(1,400) 8 (4,719) Net loss (1,008) (6,336) (95) (9,148) Preferred
dividends (488) (568) (1,520) (1,658) Net loss available to common
stockholders $(1,496) $(6,904) $(1,615) $(10,806) Earnings (loss)
per share available to common stockholders, basic and diluted:
Continuing operations $(0.22) $(1.15) $(0.25) $(1.34) Discontinued
operations (0.00) (0.29) 0.00 (1.04) $(0.22) $(1.44) $(0.25)
$(2.38) Weighted average number of common shares outstanding: Basic
and diluted 6,887 4,798 6,376 4,546 Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release are "forward looking"
statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. These statements are not guaranties of future
performance and actual results may differ materially from those
forecasted. DATASOURCE: Bull Run Corporation CONTACT: Robert S.
Prather, Jr., President & Chief Executive Officer,
+1-404-266-8333, or Frederick J. Erickson, VP-Finance & Chief
Financial Officer, +1-859-226-4376, both of Bull Run Corporation;
or Thomas J. Stultz, President & Chief Executive Officer of
Host Communications, Inc., +1-859-226-4356 Web site:
http://www.bullruncorp.com/
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