CGI reports $1.6 billion in new contract bookings and strong EPS growth in Q1-F2010
28 January 2010 - 12:23AM
PR Newswire (US)
Stock Market Symbols GIB.A (TSX) GIB (NYSE) MONTREAL, Jan. 27
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CGI Group Inc. (TSX: GIB.A; NYSE: GIB)
reported fiscal 2010 first quarter revenue of $913.0 million.
Foreign exchange fluctuations unfavourably impacted revenue by
$50.3 million, or 5.0% compared with the same period last year.
Sequentially, revenue was stable on a constant currency basis.
Adjusted EBIT was $119.4 million compared with $114.2 million in
the same quarter last year. This represents an adjusted EBIT margin
of 13.1% up from 11.4% in the first quarter of 2009. The current
quarter included favourable tax adjustments in the amount of $30.5
million compared with $8.6 million in Q1-2009. Net earnings were
$111.2 million or 12.2% of revenue compared with $80.1 million in
the same quarter last year, representing an increase of 38.9%
year-over-year. Diluted earnings per share were 37 cents, up 42.3%
compared with 26 cents in the same period last year. On a
comparable basis when excluding the tax adjustments, net earnings
were $80.7 million or 8.8% of revenue in Q1-F2010, compared with
$71.4 million in the same period last year. Diluted earnings per
share would have been 27 cents, up 17.4% compared with 23 cents in
the first quarter of 2009. The Company generated $166.1 million in
cash from operating activities, or 18.2% of revenue for the first
quarter, compared with $79.6 million or 8.0% of revenue in the same
period last year. Over the last twelve months, CGI generated $716.8
million or $2.33 in cash per diluted share. Normal Course Issuer
Bid The Company purchased and cancelled 11.4 million CGI shares
during the quarter for $150.4 million. Over the last twelve months,
24,615,420 shares were purchased at an average price of $12.32 for
a total investment of $303.3 million. On January 27, 2010 the
Company's Board of Directors authorized the renewal of the Normal
Course Issuer Bid and the purchase of up to an additional 10% of
the Company's public float of shares, or approximately 25 million
shares during the next year, subject to acceptance by the Toronto
Stock Exchange.
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In millions of Canadian dollars from continuing operations except
earnings per share and where noted Q1 F2010 Q1 F2009
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Revenue 913.0 1,000.4
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Adjusted EBIT 119.4 114.2 Margin 13.1% 11.4%
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Earnings before income taxes 116.6 105.8 Margin 12.8% 10.6%
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Net earnings 111.2 80.1 Margin 12.2% 8.0%
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Earnings per share (diluted) 0.37 0.26
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Weighted average number of outstanding shares (diluted) 301,953,549
310,654,514
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Interest on long-term debt 3.7 6.7
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Net debt to capitalization ratio n/a 9.6%
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Cash provided by operating activities 166.1 79.6
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Days of sales outstanding (DSO) 30 52
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Return on invested capital 15.4% 14.1%
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Bookings 1,591 775
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Backlog 11,410 11,400
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During the quarter, the Company booked $1.6 billion in new contract
wins, extensions and renewals, bringing the total bookings over the
last twelve months to $4.9 billion. At the end of December 2009,
the Company's backlog of signed orders stood at $11.4 billion, up
$517 million from the end of fiscal 2009. This represents 3.0x
annual revenue. "Increased client project activity and growing
momentum in our sales funnel coupled with higher bookings reinforce
our expectation of a gradual return to more traditional levels of
top line growth during the remainder of our fiscal year," said
Michael E. Roach, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Our cash
generation ability combined with the strength of our balance sheet
allows us to execute our Build & Buy profitable growth strategy
and return excess cash to shareholders through the extension of our
share buyback program." At the end of the fiscal first quarter, the
Company had over $1.7 billion in available capital, including
$346.4 million in cash and an unused $1.4 billion under its line of
credit secured through 2012. The net cash position of the Company
in excess of its total debt at the end of the quarter was $73.0
million. First Quarter F2010 Results Conference Call Management
will host a conference call to discuss results at 9:30a.m. Eastern
time this morning. Participants may access the call by dialing
(866) 226-1792 or on the Web at http://www.cgi.com/investors.
Supporting slides for the call will also be available. For those
unable to participate on the live call, a podcast and copy of the
slides will be archived for download at
http://www.cgi.com/investors. Annual General Meeting of
Shareholders This morning at 11:00a.m., the Company will hold its
Annual General Meeting of shareholders at the Omni Mount-Royal
Hotel, 1050 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal. The meeting, being
presided over by Serge Godin, Founder and Executive Chairman, will
be broadcast live via http://www.cgi.com/investors. Michael E.
Roach, President and Chief Executive Officer will also address the
meeting and a question and answer session will follow with the
Executive team. Note to the media: A press conference will be held
immediately following the Annual General Meeting, at approximately
12 noon. About CGI Founded in 1976, CGI Group Inc. is one of the
largest independent information technology and business process
services firms in the world. CGI and its affiliated companies
employ approximately 26,000 professionals. CGI provides end-to-end
IT and business process services to clients worldwide from offices
in Canada, the United States, Europe and Asia Pacific as well as
from centers of excellence in North America, Europe and India. As
at December 31, 2009, CGI's order backlog was $11.4 billion. CGI
shares are listed on the TSX (GIB.A) and the NYSE (GIB) and are
included in the S&P/TSX Composite Index as well as the
S&P/TSX Capped Information Technology and MidCap Indices.
Website: http://www.cgi.com/. Use of Non-GAAP Financial Information
CGI reports its financial results in accordance with GAAP. However,
management believes that certain non-GAAP measures provide useful
information to investors regarding the Company's financial
condition and results of operations as they provide additional
measures of its performance. Explanations as well as
reconciliations of these non-GAAP measures with the GAAP financial
statements are provided in the MD&A which is posted on CGI's
website, and filed with SEDAR and EDGAR. Forward-Looking Statements
All statements in this press release that do not directly and
exclusively relate to historical facts constitute "forward-looking
statements" within the meaning of that term in Section 27A of the
United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E
of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
and are "forward-looking information" within the meaning of
Canadian securities laws. These statements and this information
represent CGI's intentions, plans, expectations and beliefs, and
are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, of which
many are beyond the control of the Company. These factors could
cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking
statements or forward-looking information. These factors include
but are not restricted to: the timing and size of new contracts;
acquisitions and other corporate developments; the ability to
attract and retain qualified members; market competition in the
rapidly evolving IT industry; general economic and business
conditions; foreign exchange and other risks identified in the
press release, in CGI's Annual Report on Form 40-F filed with the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (filed on EDGAR at
http://www.sec.gov/), the Company's Annual Information Form filed
with the Canadian securities authorities (filed on SEDAR at
http://www.sedar.com/), as well as assumptions regarding the
foregoing. The words "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend,"
"anticipate," "foresee," "plan," and similar expressions and
variations thereof, identify certain of such forward-looking
statements or forward-looking information, which speak only as of
the date on which they are made. In particular, statements relating
to future performance are forward-looking statements and
forward-looking information. CGI disclaims any intention or
obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking
statements or forward-looking information, whether as a result of
new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by
applicable law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance
on these forward-looking statements or on this forward-looking
information. You will find more information about the risks that
could cause our actual results to differ significantly from our
current expectations in the Risks and Uncertainties section.
DATASOURCE: CGI GROUP INC. CONTACT: Lorne Gorber, Vice-President,
Global Communications and Investor Relations, (514) 841-3355,
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