RR Donnelley Reports Gains, Largely Due to Bowne Acquisition
CHICAGO—Nov. 2, 2011—R.R. Donnelley & Sons reported third-quarter net earnings attributable to common shareholders of $158.0 million on net sales of $2.7 billion, compared to $53.3 million on net sales of $2.5 billion in the third quarter of 2010.
Non-GAAP net earnings attributable to common shareholders totaled $98.0 million in the quarter, compared to $92.5 million in the same period of 2010.
“We continue to have success in the marketplace, winning new work and expanding customer relationships. Given the challenging global economic environment and sluggish financial markets activity, we are pleased with our results,” said Thomas J. Quinlan III, RR Donnelley’s president and CEO. “Despite these headwinds, we generated more than $300 million of operating cash flow in the quarter, an increase of over $90 million from last year’s third quarter. Our strong and stable cash flow funds our debt payments and our $1.04 per share annual dividend, while allowing us to reinvest in the business and prudently manage our capital structure.”
Quinlan continued, “In addition to expanding customer relationships, we continued to enhance the capabilities offered by our CustomPoint Solutions Group with the acquisition of Sequence Personal. The addition of these capabilities reflects our continued commitment to serve the evolving needs of our customers, particularly with innovative content creation, management and delivery solutions.”
Summary
Net sales in the quarter were $2.7 billion, up $195.2 million (or 7.8 percent), from the third quarter of 2010, including the impact of acquisitions. Pro forma for acquisitions, net sales grew by $40.7 million, or 1.5 percent, vs. the third quarter of 2010, driven by a $26.8 million increase from favorable changes in foreign exchange rates, as well as volume growth in certain product offerings.
The company’s gross margin of 23.4 percent in the third quarter of 2011 compared to 23.7 percent in the third quarter of 2010 as pricing pressure was mostly offset by productivity improvements, a higher recovery on print-related by-products and lower variable compensation expense.
Operating earnings were negatively impacted by restructuring and impairment charges and acquisition expenses of $34.9 million in the third quarter of 2011 and $51.3 million in the third quarter of 2010, resulting in operating income of $156.8 million in 2011 and $148.7 million in 2010. Operating margin was 5.8 percent in 2011 and 6.0 percent in 2010.
Segments
Net sales for the U.S. Print and Related Services segment increased 6.3 percent from the third quarter of 2010, to $2.0 billion. The increase was primarily due to the acquisition of Bowne and volume increases in commercial print and logistics, partially offset by volume declines in books and directories and continued pricing pressure across the segment. Pro forma for acquisitions, net sales in the segment decreased 0.4 percent.
The segment’s operating income, which was negatively impacted by charges for restructuring and impairment of $28.1 million in the third quarter of 2011 and $18.5 million in the third quarter of 2010, improved to $169.3 million in the third quarter of 2011—up from $168.3 million in the third quarter of 2010.
Net sales for the International segment increased 12.3 percent from the third quarter of 2010 to $703.9 million, including increased sales due to the acquisition of Bowne. Pro forma for acquisitions, net sales grew by $49.2 million, or 7.5 percent, as changes in foreign exchange rates ($26.8 million or 409 basis points) and increased volume more than offset the impact of continued pricing pressure.
The segment’s operating income, which was negatively impacted by charges for restructuring of $4.6 million in the third quarter of 2011 and charges for restructuring and impairment of $29.6 million in the third quarter of 2010, improved to $36.7 million in the third quarter of 2011—up from $23.5 million in the third quarter of 2010.
Excluding the restructuring and impairment charges, the segment’s non-GAAP operating margin declined to 5.9 percent in the third quarter of 2011 from 8.5 percent in the third quarter of 2010 as pricing pressure, an unfavorable impact from changes in foreign exchange rates (primarily due to export sales from certain operations) as well as wage and other inflation in certain countries were only partially offset by lower variable compensation expense.
About RR Donnelley
RR Donnelley (Nasdaq:RRD) is a global provider of integrated communications. Founded more than 147 years ago, the company works collaboratively with more than 60,000 customers worldwide to develop custom communications solutions that reduce costs, enhance ROI and ensure compliance. Drawing on a range of proprietary and commercially available digital and conventional technologies deployed across four continents, the company employs a suite of leading Internet-based capabilities and other resources to provide premedia, printing, logistics and business process outsourcing products and services to leading clients in virtually every private and public sector.
Source: RRD.
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