Monster Worldwide Reports First Quarter 2014Results

Monster Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:MWW) today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2014.

“We delivered solid first quarter results with sequential revenue growth in both our Careers - North America and Careers - International businesses, continuing the momentum we began to see in the second half of 2013,” said Sal Iannuzzi, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Monster Worldwide. “We continue to make significant progress on our strategic growth plan, including the acquisition of social recruiting technology players TalentBin and Gozaik, which represents a key component of a broader strategy designed to offer clients an unparalleled value proposition for advertising jobs, sourcing talent, and a technology solution platform to manage it all. We are pleased to be entering into a beta period now and look forward to discussing the complete strategy at our upcoming Strategy Briefing Day. Finally, consistent with our objective to enhance shareholder value, we repurchased 5 million shares in the quarter and continue to believe that repurchasing shares at current levels represents an extremely attractive investment for our shareholders.”

First Quarter 2014 Results

Consolidated revenue of $198 million was flat sequentially as compared to the fourth quarter of 2013 and down 7% compared to the first quarter of 2013. Revenue from the Company’s Careers - North America and Careers - International operations increased on a sequential basis. Internet Advertising & Fees revenue for the first quarter of 2014 was $16 million compared to $18 million in the first quarter of 2013. Historical quarterly revenue data is available in the Company’s supplemental financial information.

Consolidated GAAP operating expenses of $199 million decreased 6% compared to $211 million in the first quarter of 2013. Net income for the first quarter of 2014 was $2 million, or $0.02 per share, compared to $5 million, or $0.04 per share in the first quarter of 2013.

Non-GAAP net income was $7 million, or $0.08 per share, compared to $13 million, or $0.12 per share in the first quarter of 2013. Non-GAAP operating expenses of $184 million decreased 3% as compared to the first quarter of 2013. Non-GAAP EBITDA margin of 13% was led by Careers - North America with a 21% Non-GAAP EBITDA margin. Non-GAAP measures in the first quarter of 2014 exclude tax-effected stock-based compensation, tax-effected facility charges primarily relating to the office consolidation into the Company’s new corporate headquarters in Weston, MA and a tax-effected gain relating to the new joint venture with Alma Media. Pro-forma items are described in the "Notes Regarding the Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" and are reconciled to the applicable GAAP measure in the accompanying tables.

Net cash provided by operating activities in the quarter was $19 million. Deferred revenue was $342 million, flat compared to the period ending December 31, 2013. The Company ended the quarter with total available liquidity of approximately $200 million.

Share Repurchase

During the first quarter 2014, Monster repurchased 5 million shares of its common stock at an average price of $7.88 per share, for a total of $40 million. Since the inception of the existing program in the second quarter of 2013, the Company has repurchased 26 million shares, or 25% of our outstanding shares, at an average price of $5.71. At March 31, 2014, there was approximately $54 million remaining under the Company’s previously announced $200 million share repurchase program.

Company Provides Q2 EPS Guidance

Second quarter 2014 Non-GAAP EPS from continuing operations is expected to be in the range of $0.07 to $0.11, which excludes approximately $9 million of stock-based compensation.

Historical data on Non-GAAP EPS excluding stock-based compensation expense is available in the Company’s supplemental financial information.

Strategy Briefing Day

Monster will hold a Strategy Briefing on May 14, 2014 at Monster’s Corporate Headquarters in Weston, MA, where members of Monster’s executive and senior management team, including Sal Iannuzzi, Chief Executive Officer, and James Langrock, Chief Financial Officer, will present the Company’s strategic growth plan and new product initiatives, including a general update on the business. For details, please contact the Company’s Investor Relations Department at (212) 351 – 7537 or ir@monster.com.

Conference Call and Webcast

First quarter 2014 results will be discussed on Monster Worldwide’s quarterly conference call on May 1, 2014 at 8:30 AM ET. A live webcast of the conference call can be accessed online through the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at http://ir.monster.com. To join the conference call by telephone, please dial (888) 696-1396 or (706) 758-9636 and reference conference ID# 31396625. A presentation of financial slides will be referenced during the conference call and will be viewable through the live webcast. A PDF of the financial presentation can also be accessed directly through the Company’s Investor Relations website at http://ir.monster.com.

The Company has also made available certain supplemental financial information which can be accessed directly through the Company’s Investor Relations website at http://ir.monster.com.

For a replay of the conference call, please dial (855) 859-2056 or (404) 537-3406 and reference ID# 31396625. This number is valid until midnight on May 15, 2014.

About Monster Worldwide

Monster Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:MWW), is the global leader in successfully connecting job opportunities and people. Monster uses the world´s most advanced technology to help people Find Better, matching job seekers to opportunities via digital, social and mobile solutions including monster.com®, our flagship website, and employers to the best talent using a vast array of products and services. As an Internet pioneer, more than 200 million people have registered on the Monster Worldwide network. Today, with operations in more than 40 countries, Monster provides the broadest, most sophisticated job seeking, career management, recruitment and talent management capabilities globally. For more information visit about.monster.com

Special Note: The statements in this release that are not strictly historical, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Company´s strategic direction, prospects and future results, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties and, therefore, actual results may differ materially from what is expressed or implied herein and no assurance can be given that the Company will achieve, among other things, its outlook with respect to earnings per share for the second quarter 2014. Factors that could cause results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, economic and other conditions in the markets in which we operate, risks associated with acquisitions or dispositions, competition, and the other risks discussed in our Form 10-K and our other filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which discussions are incorporated into this release by reference. Many of the factors that will determine the Company’s future results are beyond the ability of management to control or predict. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements in this release as they reflect management’s views only as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any of the forward-looking statements contained in this release or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Notes Regarding the Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The Company has provided certain Non-GAAP financial information as additional information for its operating results. These measures are not in accordance with, or an alternative for, generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and may be different from Non-GAAP measures reported by other companies. The Company believes that its presentation of Non-GAAP measures provides useful information to management and investors regarding certain financial and business trends relating to its financial condition and results of operations.

Non-GAAP revenue, operating expenses, operating income from continuing operations, operating margin, income from continuing operations, (loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax, and diluted earnings (loss) per share attributable to Monster Worldwide, Inc. all exclude certain pro-forma adjustments including: costs incurred for the 2012 restructurings; gain on deconsolidation of subsidiaries, net; charges related to exited facilities; acquisition related costs; non-cash stock-based compensation expense; costs incurred related to the Company’s review of strategic alternatives; income tax benefits associated with the reversal of income tax reserves on uncertain tax positions; a tax benefit related to certain losses arising from the Company’s restructuring programs; and the results of the businesses in Careers – China, Latin America and Turkey as they have been classified as discontinued operations. The Company uses these Non-GAAP measures for reviewing the ongoing results of the Company’s core business operations and in certain instances, for measuring performance under certain of the Company’s incentive compensation plans. These Non-GAAP measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”) is defined as net income or loss before interest income or expense, income tax expense or benefit, net gain or loss in equity interests, depreciation and amortization, non-cash compensation expense and non-cash restructuring costs. The Company considers EBITDA to be an important indicator of its operational strength which the Company believes is useful to management and investors in evaluating its operating performance. EBITDA is a Non-GAAP measure and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies. “Non-GAAP EBITDA” excludes the impact of the pro-forma adjustments discussed above.

Free cash flow is defined as cash flow from operating activities less capital expenditures. Free cash flow is considered a liquidity measure and provides useful information about the Company´s ability to generate cash after investments in property and equipment. Free cash flow reflected herein is a Non-GAAP measure and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies. Free cash flow does not reflect the total change in the Company´s cash position for the period and should not be considered a substitute for such a measure.

Net cash and securities are defined as cash and cash equivalents plus short-term marketable securities, less total debt. Total available liquidity is defined as cash and cash equivalents, plus short-term marketable securities plus unused borrowings under our credit facilities. The Company considers net cash and securities and total available liquidity to be important measures of liquidity and indicators of its ability to meet its ongoing obligations. The Company also uses net cash and securities and total available liquidity, among other measures, in evaluating its choices for capital deployment. Net cash and securities and total available liquidity are presented herein as non-GAAP measures and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies.