Pitney Bowes Announces First Quarter Results

STAMFORD, Conn., April 30, 2007 - Pitney Bowes Inc. (NYSE:PBI) today reported first quarter 2007 financial results.

Revenue increased four percent to $1.4 billion and earnings per share from continuing operations grew to $.66 per diluted share.

The company generated $220 million in cash from operations during the quarter. Free cash flow was $155 million. The company used $90 million to repurchase 1.9 million of its shares during the quarter and has $351 million of remaining authorization for future share repurchases. The companys total debt decreased by $22 million during the quarter.

Commenting on the quarter, Chairman and CEO Michael J. Critelli noted, The underlying trends in our business remain solid. However, our revenue growth this quarter was softer than anticipated due to delays in orders for mailing equipment and software in the U.S. and weaker sales in Europe. We are confident about our performance going forward, especially since the recently approved U.S. postal rate case is currently providing stimulus for growth, and as finally approved, is more favorable than we anticipated at the beginning of the year. We remain comfortable with our outlook for the year.

In addition Mr. Critelli said, We took another step this quarter to further position the company for sustainable growth. We announced our acquisition of MapInfo, our largest transaction to date, which continues to build our portfolio in the information-based software market. This acquisition enhances and expands our capabilities in fast growing location intelligence solutions, which uses information such as geographic coordinates to help businesses market, assess risk and manage assets.

Business Segment Results

Mailstream Solutions includes worldwide revenue and related expenses from the sale, rental, and financing of mail finishing, mail creation, shipping, and production mail equipment; supplies; mailing and multi-vendor support services; payment solutions; and mailing and customer communication software.

In the first quarter, Mailstream Solutions revenue increased three percent to $1.0 billion and earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) increased five percent to $299 million, when compared with the prior year.

Within Mailstream Solutions:

U.S. Mailing operations revenue was flat for the quarter at $576 million, while EBIT grew five percent to $242 million. Revenue comparisons for the quarter were affected by two factors. First, as noted previously, the prior year included postal rate case revenue. Second, customers delayed placing orders due to uncertainties about the content and timing of the new rate case. Since the approval and publication of the new postal rates on March 19, the company is experiencing a strong pickup in orders. The segments EBIT margin increased during the quarter due to favorable product margins, growth in supplies and payment solutions, and benefits from productivity initiatives.

International Mailing revenue grew eight percent to $258 million while EBIT increased two percent to $46 million. International Mailing revenue benefited from favorable foreign currency translation, double-digit growth in supplies, and placements of mailing equipment with small businesses. This growth was partially offset by lower sales of mailing equipment in the U.K. In addition, incremental investments to expand marketing channels in Europe affected International Mailings EBIT margin.

Worldwide revenue for Production Mail grew seven percent to $125 million and EBIT increased 117 percent to $8 million. Revenue grew from broad-based equipment placements in the U.S., but was partially offset by lower sales in Europe. The segments EBIT margin benefited from the positive mix of higher margin equipment sales in the U.S.

Software revenue increased three percent to $43 million, while EBIT declined 45 percent to $2 million. Revenue growth for the quarter was affected by delays in signing several large contracts. Also, the segments EBIT margin was impacted by continued investments in expanding sales and marketing channels to drive long-term growth and profitability.

Mailstream Services includes worldwide revenue and related expenses from facilities management contracts, reprographics, document management, and other value-added services for targeted customer markets; mail services operations, which include presort mail services and international outbound mail services; and marketing services.

For the quarter, Mailstream Services reported revenue growth of six percent to $412 million and EBIT growth of three percent to $35 million, versus the prior year.

Within Mailstream Services:

Management Services revenue increased two percent to $273 million for the quarter while EBIT increased one percent to $21 million. Revenue comparisons for the quarter were helped by favorable currency translation, but adversely affected by large non-recurring print contracts in the prior year.

Mail Services revenue grew 11 percent to $104 million and EBIT grew 20 percent to $14 million. Revenue growth was driven by both presort and international mail services, while EBIT benefited from the ongoing successful integration of new sites and increased operating efficiencies.

Marketing Services revenue increased 32 percent to $35 million, while EBIT declined 75 percent to $1 million. The segments results benefited from recent acquisitions and the continued expansion of marketing services programs, but were adversely affected by lower revenue in the companys motor vehicle registration services.

Outlook

The company anticipates second quarter revenue growth in the range of eight to 11 percent and revenue growth in the range of seven to 10 percent for the full year.

The company expects earnings per share from continuing operations on a Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) basis in the range of $0.66 to $0.70 for the second quarter and $2.85 to $2.93 for the full year. Excluding the effect of acquisition purchase accounting for MapInfo, the company expects adjusted earnings per share from continuing operations in the range of $0.68 to $0.72 for the second quarter and continues to expect $2.90 to $2.98 for the full year.

    2Q07 2Q06 Full Year 2007 Full Year 2006
Adjusted EPS

Percent Change

  $0.68 to $0.72

6% to 13%

$0.64  $2.90 to $2.98

8% to 11%

$2.69 
MapInfo Purchase Accounting   ($0.02) N/A  ($0.05) N/A 
Restructuring   N/A  ($0.01) N/A  ($0.10)
Tax Reserve Increase   N/A  ($0.09) N/A  ($0.09)
Other Income   N/A  N/A  N/A  $0.01 
GAAP EPS

Percent Change

  $0.66 to $0.70

22% to 30%

$0.54  $2.85 to $2.93

14% to 17%

$2.51 

Management of Pitney Bowes will discuss the companys results in a broadcast over the Internet today at 8:00 a.m. EDT. Instructions for listening to the earnings results via the Web are available on the Investor Relations page of the companys web site at www.pb.com/investorrelations.

Pitney Bowes engineers the flow of communication. The company is a $5.8 billion global leader of mailstream solutions headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut. For more information about the company, its products, services and solutions, visit www.pitneybowes.com.

Pitney Bowes has presented in this earnings release diluted earnings per share on an adjusted basis.. Also, management has included a presentation of free cash flow on an adjusted basis and earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT). Management believes this presentation provides a reasonable basis on which to present the adjusted financial information, and is provided to assist in investors' understanding of the company's results of operations. The company's financial results are reported in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). However, earnings per share and free cash flow results are adjusted to exclude the impact of special items such as restructuring charges, accounting adjustments and write downs of assets, which materially impact the comparability of the company's results of operations. Restructuring charges are infrequent or episodic charges. Although they represent actual expenses to the company, these episodic charges might mask the periodic income and financial and operating trends associated with our business. The use of free cash flow has limitations. GAAP cash flow has the advantage of including all cash available to the company after actual expenditures for all purposes. Free cash flow permits a shareholder insight into the amount of cash that management could have available for discretionary uses if it made different decisions about employing its cash. It adjusts for long-term commitments such as capital expenditures, as well as special items like cash used for restructuring charges, unusual tax payments and contributions to its pension funds. Of course, these items use cash that is not otherwise available to the company and are important expenditures. Management compensates for these limitations by using a combination of GAAP cash flow and free cash flow in doing its planning.

The adjusted financial information and certain financial measures such as EBIT are intended to be more indicative of the ongoing operations and economic results of the company. EBIT excludes interest payments and taxes, both cash items, and as a result, has the effect of showing a greater amount of earnings than net income. The company uses EBIT, in addition to net income, for purposes of measuring the performance of its unit management team. The interest rates and tax rates applicable to the company generally are outside the control of management, and it can be useful to judge performance independent of those variables.

The adjusted financial information should be viewed as a supplement to, rather than a replacement for, the financial results reported in accordance with GAAP. Further, our definition of this adjusted financial information may differ from similarly titled measures used by other companies.

Pitney Bowes has provided in supplemental schedules attached for reference adjusted financial information and a quantitative reconciliation of the differences between the adjusted financial measures with the financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP, except with respect to our guidance because it would not be meaningful. Additional reconciliation of adjusted financial measures to financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP may be found at the company's web site www.pb.com/investorrelations in the Investor Relations section.

The information contained in this document is as of April 30, 2007. Quarterly results are preliminary and unaudited. This document contains forward-looking statements about our expected future business and financial performance. Pitney Bowes assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this document as a result of new information or future events or developments. Words such as estimate, project, plan, believe, "expect," "anticipate," intend, and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements. For us forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about possible restructuring charges and our future guidance, including our expected revenue in the second quarter and full year 2007, and our expected diluted earnings per share for the second quarter and for the full year 2007. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: negative developments in economic conditions, including adverse impacts on customer demand, timely development and acceptance of new products or gaining product approval; successful entry into new markets; changes in interest rates; and changes in postal regulations, as more fully outlined in the company's 2006 Form 10-K Annual Report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, the forward-looking statements are subject to change based on the timing and specific terms of any announced acquisitions or dispositions.

Note: Consolidated statements of income for the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, and consolidated balance sheets at March 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006 are attached.

Pitney Bowes Inc.

Consolidated Statements of Income
(Unaudited)
 
(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
2007  2006 
Revenue from:
Equipment sales $ 293,610  $ 302,757 
Supplies 100,302  82,811 
Software 43,082  41,995 
Rentals 188,070  196,812 
Financing 190,580  178,145 
Support services 186,304  170,766 
Business services   412,289    388,360 
 
Total revenue   1,414,237    1,361,646 
 
Costs and expenses:
Cost of equipment sales 148,256  152,980 
Cost of supplies 26,123  20,608 
Cost of software 11,548  10,179 
Cost of rentals 42,421  43,539 
Cost of support services 105,504  96,296 
Cost of business services 323,651  306,324 
Selling, general and administrative 425,402  417,663 
Research and development 43,569  41,535 
Restructuring charge 5,597 
Interest, net   56,727    53,569 
 
Total costs and expenses   1,183,201    1,148,290 
 
Income from continuing operations
before income taxes 231,036  213,356 
 
Provision for income taxes 79,706  73,580 
Minority interest   4,746    2,917 
 
Income from continuing operations 146,584  136,859 
Discontinued operations   (1,788)   16,669 
 
Net income $ 144,796  $ 153,528 
 
Basic earnings per share
Continuing operations $ 0.67  $ 0.61 
Discontinued operations   (0.01)   0.07 
 
Net income $ 0.66  $ 0.68 
 
Diluted earnings per share
Continuing operations $ 0.66  $ 0.60 
Discontinued operations   (0.01)   0.07 
 
Net income $ 0.65  $ 0.67 
 
Average common and potential common
shares outstanding   223,382,724    228,921,497 
 
 
 
 
Note: The sum of the earnings per share amounts may not equal the totals above due to rounding.
Pitney Bowes Inc.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Unaudited)
 
(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
 
Assets 03/31/07  12/31/06 
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents $ 232,245  $ 239,102 
Short-term investments, at cost which approximates market
63,770  62,512 
Accounts receivable, less allowances:

03/07 $43,459; 12/06 $50,052

747,533  744,073 
Finance receivables, less allowances:

03/07 $ 41,748; 12/06 $ 45,643

1,392,992  1,404,070 
Inventories 248,617  237,817 
Other current assets and prepayments   228,745    231,096 
 
Total current assets   2,913,902    2,918,670 
 
Property, plant and equipment, net 605,962  612,640 
Rental property and equipment, net 502,095  503,911 
Long-term finance receivables, less allowances:

03/07 $ 34,826; 12/06 $ 36,856

1,518,482  1,530,153 
Investment in leveraged leases 210,684  215,371 
Goodwill 1,812,022  1,791,157 
Intangible assets, net 363,511  365,192 
Other assets   547,845    543,326 
 
Total assets $ 8,474,503  $ 8,480,420 
 
Liabilities and stockholders' equity
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 1,534,864  $ 1,677,501 
Income taxes payable 91,376  112,930 
Notes payable and current portion of long-term obligations
577,361  490,540 
Advance billings   527,881    465,862 
 
Total current liabilities   2,731,482    2,746,833 
 
Deferred taxes on income 517,302  356,310 
Long-term debt 3,738,074  3,847,617 
Other noncurrent liabilities   436,980    446,306 
 
Total liabilities   7,423,838    7,397,066 
 
Preferred stockholders' equity in a subsidiary company
384,165  384,165 
 
Stockholders' equity:
Cumulative preferred stock, $50 par value, 4% convertible
Cumulative preference stock, no par value, $2.12 convertible
1,059  1,068 
Common stock, $1 par value 323,338  323,338 
Capital in excess of par value 241,149  235,558 
Retained earnings 4,127,834  4,140,128 
Accumulated other comprehensive income (117,773) (131,744)
Treasury stock, at cost   (3,909,114)   (3,869,166)
 
Total stockholders' equity   666,500    699,189 
 
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 8,474,503  $ 8,480,420 

Pitney Bowes Inc.

Revenue and EBIT

Business Segments

March 31, 2007

(Unaudited)
 
(Dollars in thousands)
%
2007  2006  Change
First Quarter
 
Revenue
 
U.S. Mailing $ 576,246  $ 574,991 
International Mailing 257,850  239,508  8%
Production Mail 124,770  116,792  7%
Software   43,082    41,995  3%
Mailstream Solutions 1,001,948  973,286  3%
 
Management Services 272,659  267,503  2%
Mail Services 104,359  94,099  11%
Marketing Services   35,271    26,758  32%
Mailstream Services 412,289  388,360  6%
     
Total Revenue $ 1,414,237  $ 1,361,646  4%
 
EBIT (1)
 
U.S. Mailing $ 242,151  $ 231,375  5%
International Mailing 46,266  45,343  2%
Production Mail 7,715  3,563  117%
Software   2,425    4,410  (45%)
Mailstream Solutions 298,557  284,691  5%
 
Management Services 20,784  20,531  1%
Mail Services 14,076  11,686  20%
Marketing Services   520    2,100  (75%)
Mailstream Services 35,380  34,317  3%
     
Total EBIT $ 333,937  $ 319,008  5%
 
Unallocated amounts:
Interest, net (56,727) (53,569)
Corporate expense (46,174) (46,486)
Restructuring charge     (5,597)
Income before income taxes $ 231,036  $ 213,356 
 
 
(1) Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) excludes general corporate expenses.
Pitney Bowes Inc.
Reconciliation of Reported Consolidated Results to Adjusted Results
(Unaudited)
 
(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)
 
Three months ended March 31,
2007  2006 
 
GAAP income from continuing operations after income taxes, as reported
$ 146,584  $ 136,859 
Restructuring charge     3,582 
Income from continuing operations after income taxes, as adjusted
$ 146,584  $ 140,441 
 
 
GAAP diluted earnings per share from continuing operations, as reported
$ 0.66  $ 0.60 
Restructuring charge     0.02 
Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations, as adjusted
$ 0.66  $ 0.61 
 
 
GAAP net cash provided by operating activities, as reported
$ 220,225  $ 286,234 
Capital expenditures (67,571) (83,015)
Reserve account deposits (10,952) (23,300)
Restructuring payments and discontinued operations   13,407    (12,612)
 
Free cash flow, as adjusted $ 155,109  $ 167,307 
 
 
 
Note: The sum of the earnings per share amounts may not equal the totals above due to rounding.