Bull Run Corporation Announces First Quarter Results
13 January 2005 - 12:30AM
PR Newswire (US)
Bull Run Corporation Announces First Quarter Results Recent Changes
in Business Strategy Contribute to Improved Performance and
Profitable Results ATLANTA, Jan. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Bull
Run Corporation (OTC:BULL) (BULLETIN BOARD: BULL) today announced
net income of $1.6 million for its three months ended November 30,
2004, compared to a net loss of $(1.1) million for the first
quarter of the prior fiscal year. The Company attributes the
improved results to the discontinuation of its Affinity Events
business segment in August 2004 and improved results derived from
its historically- profitable Collegiate Marketing and Production
Services segment. Total revenues from continuing operations,
derived entirely by the Company's operating subsidiary, Host
Communications, Inc., were $23.1 million for the first quarter of
the current year, an 18.4% increase over the $19.5 million in total
revenues for the same period of the prior fiscal year. The
Company's Collegiate business is seasonal, and the segment's
revenues and operating profits are anticipated to be highest in the
first quarter in comparison with other fiscal quarterly periods of
the 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. In August 2004, the Company announced that
it was discontinuing its Affinity Events business segment to focus
on its historically profitable Collegiate and Association
Management segments. 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 Company's discontinued Affinity Events business segment. Robert
S. Prather, Jr., the Company's President and CEO commented, "Our
first quarter results were very encouraging and a welcomed change
from past performance. This clearly confirms for us that the change
in business strategy to eliminate high-risk, loss-producing
ventures, along with the substantial amount of overhead consumed by
those ventures, was an appropriate step." "We will continue to
support and build our Collegiate, Printing and Publishing, and
Association Management assets," said Thomas J. Stultz, President
and CEO of Host since August 2004. "Our new ten-year extension of
our multi-media marketing rights agreement with the University of
Kentucky and our recent three-year extension of our association
management agreement with CrossSphere, are examples of our
commitment to our business partners, and our intentions to build on
and expand those relationships for the mutual benefit of all
parties." CrossSphere (formerly, the National Tour Association) is
a nearly 4,000-member global association for the packaged travel
industry. 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/ . 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. Summarized financial results for each of the
three months ended November 30, 2004 and 2003 follow: BULL RUN
CORPORATION Comparative Results of Operations (in thousands, except
per share amounts) Three Months Ended November 30, 2004 2003
Revenue from services rendered $23,075 $19,495 Operating costs and
expenses: Direct operating costs for services rendered 15,776
12,958 Selling, general and administrative 4,343 4,408 Amortization
of acquisition intangibles 179 313 20,298 17,679 Operating income
2,777 1,816 Net change in value of derivative instrument 310 306
Debt issue cost amortization (249) (291) Interest and other, net
(1,159) (1,080) Income from continuing operations 1,679 751
Discontinued operations (109) (1,873) Net income (loss) 1,570
(1,122) Preferred dividends (529) (532) Net income (loss) available
to common stockholders $1,041 $(1,654) Income (loss) per share
available to common stockholders, basic: Continuing operations
$0.20 $0.05 Discontinued operations (0.02) (0.43) Net income (loss)
$0.18 $(0.38) Income (loss) per share available to common
stockholders, diluted: Continuing operations $0.11 $0.05
Discontinued operations (0.01) (0.43) Net income (loss) $0.10
$(0.38) Weighted average number of common shares outstanding: Basic
5,713 4,340 Diluted 15,278 4,340 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/ http://www.pinksheets.com/
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