Rediff.com Reports Results For The First Quarter Ended June 30, 2006.MUMBAI Mumbai (m mbī`, m m`bī), formerly Bombay (bŏmbā`), city (1991 pop. , India India, officially Republic of India, republic (2005 est pop. 1,080,264,000), 1,261,810 sq mi (3,268,090 sq km), S Asia. The second most populous country in the world, it is also sometimes called Bharat, its ancient name. India's land frontier (c. -- Rediff.com Rediff.com India, NASDAQ: REDF is a news, information, entertainment, and shopping portal. It was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Mumbai, India with offices in New Delhi and New York, USA.As per Alexa rating [1], Rediff is the No. 5 Indian web portal. India Limited (NASDAQ NASDAQ in full National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations U.S. market for over-the-counter securities. Established in 1971 by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), NASDAQ is an automated quotation system that reports on :REDF REDF Roberts Enterprise Development Fund (San Francisco Bay area, California) REDF Real Estate Development Fund ), one of the leading worldwide online providers of news, information, communication, entertainment and shopping services for Indians INDIANS. The aborigines of this country are so called. 2. In general, Indians have no political rights in the United States; they cannot vote at the general elections for officers, nor hold office. worldwide, today announced its financial results for the first fiscal quarter ended June June: see month. 30, 2006. Highlights (all comparisons are with the same quarter of the previous year) --Revenues for the quarter ended June 30, 2006 were US$5.78 million; an increase of 37% over revenues from the quarter ended June 30, 2005. --India Online revenues for the quarter grew by 52% to US$4.06 million over revenues from the quarter ended June 30, 2005. --US Publishing revenues for the quarter grew by 12% to US$1.72 million over revenues from the quarter ended June 30, 2005. --Gross Margins increased to 78% for the quarter, compared to 69% for the quarter ended June 30, 2005. --Net income for the quarter was US$1.98 million, or 6.82 cents per ADS, compared to a net income of US$53,000, or 0.20 cents per ADS, for the quarter ended June 30, 2005. --Registered users grew to 45 million as of June 30, 2006, a 20% increase over the number of registered users as of June 30, 2005. Online advertising continues to drive growth for the company as a whole, particularly the India Online business. Revenues from India online advertising grew 68% for the quarter ended June 30, 2006 compared to the same quarter in the prior fiscal year. Highlights for its India Online advertising business are as follows:
1. The number of advertisers on the company's site for the quarter
ended June 30, 2006 totaled approximately 165 brands, an
increase of 24% over the number of advertisers during the same
period in the prior fiscal year.
2. Six industry categories accounted for 74% of advertising
revenues for the quarter ended June 30, 2006: consumer
financial services, employment, education, matrimonial, fast
moving consumer goods (FMCG) and IT.
3. For the quarter ended June 30, 2006, the top 10 advertisers
contributed approximately 55% of advertising revenue for the
India Online business, compared to 53% during the same period
in the prior fiscal year.
According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the Manufacturers' Association of Information Technology (MAIT MAIT Manufacturers' Association for Information Technology (India) MAIT Maintenance Assistance & Instruction Team MAIT Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team ), personal computers penetration in India has trebled from 6 per 1,000 people in fiscal 2000-01, to 18 per 1,000 in 2005-06. MAIT also believes that PC sales in India will grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 30%. Based on MAIT's research, contributing factors PC sales and Internet Internet Publicly accessible computer network connecting many smaller networks from around the world. It grew out of a U.S. Defense Department program called ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network), established in 1969 with connections between computers at the usage growth include: a) A decrease in prices of better quality Internet access See how to access the Internet. (i.e. broadband broadband Term describing the radiation from a source that produces a broad, continuous spectrum of frequencies (contrasted with a laser, which produces a single frequency or very narrow range of frequencies). ) from one of India's leading national telecom service providers; and b) Lower-priced PCs. According to a study conducted by an independent market research company, it is important to note that the sharp growth in both the number of PC owners and Internet subscribers originating from metropolitan cities (with a population of over 1 million) across India, is not just limited to the top 8 cities (Chennai Chennai (chĕn`nī), formerly Madras (mədrăs`, mədräs`), city (1991 pop. 5,421,985), capital of Tamil Nadu state, SE India, on the Bay of Bengal. , Delhi Delhi (dĕl`ē), union territory and city, N central India. The union territory, officially the National Capital Territory of Delhi (2001 provisional pop. , Kolkata Kolkata (kôlkŭt`ə), formerly Calcutta (kălkŭt`ə), city (1991 pop. 10,916,272), capital of West Bengal state, E India, on the Hugli River. , Mumbai, Ahmedabad Ahmedabad, India: see Ahmadabad. Ahmedabad or Ahmadabad City (pop., 2001: metro. area, 4,525,013), Gujarat state, west-central India. It is located on the Sabarmati River 275 mi (440 km) north of Mumbai (Bombay). , Bangalore Bangalore (băng-gəlôr`), city (1991 pop. 2,651,000; metropolitan area 4,130,288), capital of Karnataka state, S central India, 3,000 ft (914 m) above sea level. , Hyderabad Hyderabad, former state and modern city, India Hyderabad (hī`dərəbăd'), former princely state, S central India. The former princedom of Hyderabad is now divided among the states of Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh. , Pune Pune or Poona (both: p `nə), city (1991 pop. 2,493,987), Maharashtra state, W central India. ), but is also being
witnessed in smaller cities across India.
Product Innovation
To capitalize on this rapidly growing user base, the company
continues to invest in developing services.
-- The Company launched a beta version of its popular web-based
mail service with new features that provides users an
experience akin to the Outlook desktop client. These features
include, but are not limited to, the ability to search for
mails or attachments, drag and drop mails, and auto completion
of email IDs. To Internet users from smaller cities, use of
their mother-tongue in a communication service like email is
important. Rediffmail is currently available to such users in
11 Indian languages.
-- Usage of the company's VoIP-enabled Rediff Bol Instant
Messenger grew steadily with a 40% increase in the number of
unique users compared to the quarter ended March 31, 2006.
With mobile users forming a sizeable potential user base, a
beta version of Rediff Bol is now available for all
WAP-enabled mobile phones. The company is also testing a
downloadable client on Symbian OS mobiles within a closed user
group.
-- The company launched a new home page with Web 2.0 features
that enhance usability and browsing experience and which has
three distinct sections:
-- "Directory of Services" with newer additions for a focused
and faster selection of services;
-- "Search" which helps users seek out airfares, jobs,
ringtones, classifieds and electronics in three simple
steps; and
-- "Featured Users" which enables greater community
participation through blogs on iLand or search and network
with people using Connexions.
-- Rediff Classifieds, the company's performance-based ad
platform that allows very small advertisers to benefit from
online advertising, through use of an automated ad creating
and uploading front end tool and built-in SMS enabled response
mechanism, has become one of the leading online classifieds
channels in India. As of June 30, 2006, Rediff Classifieds had
149 categories of ads and more than 130,000 listings.
-- The company's range of local search products saw increased
usage during the first quarter for the fiscal 2006-07, over
the prior quarter ended March 31, 2006.
-- Fare Search, which enables users to search and compare
lowest airfares across all domestic airlines, reported an
87% jump in the number of searches.
-- Job Search, which allows users to choose from over 400,000
jobs across 100 sites, saw the number of searches increase
by 77%.
-- The company's suite of local search products that
experienced an increase in the number of searches also
include: Product Search, which allows search and
comparison of product features and prices (including a
"Price History" feature); Connexions - a platform for
searching and networking with people for business or
social opportunities; and Ringtone Search.
-- With a view to capitalizing on page view and search growth,
the company is progressively deploying improved and enhanced
content-sensing technology across its world wide web and
search verticals that will allow it to better match ad content
with user needs.
Branding and Advertising
-- With a view to growing the Indian online advertiser base, and
to increase its depth of business-to-consumer (B2C) and
small-to-medium (SME) advertisers, the company has been
focusing on developing three key channels:
-- Direct Sales Agents - who recruit B2C advertisers;
-- Reseller network - who service existing advertisers; and
-- The self-enabling Rediff Classifieds platform with an
easy-to-use ad-creating and upload front end tool.
-- The company's in-house advertising sales team will continue to
focus on more established brands and larger corporate houses.
-- The company launched a national advertising campaign,
promoting its new, improved and re-engineered Rediffmail
across more than 20 television channels and select outdoor
locations. This is being supported by active PR initiatives.
"As the Indian Internet market grows, we will continue to focus on product innovation based on our users' requirements, as part of our core strategy," says Ajit AJIT Aware Just in Time Balakrishnan, Chairman and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. , Rediff.com India Limited. "The other key area of focus is in developing platforms and user friendly tools to grow our base of smaller advertisers to include employment recruiters, travel agents and small business owners to optimize optimize - optimisation the Internet to reach potential customers across the country. We believe that this will benefit our users in search of, among other items, low airfares or travel packages, jobs and ring tones, with a wider choice of offerings." Financial Results Revenues Revenues for the quarter ended June 30, 2006 increased by 37% to US$5.78 million, as compared to US$4.21 million in the same quarter last fiscal year. Revenues from India Online, which comprised online advertising and fee-based services, increased by 52% to US$4.06 million during the quarter ended June 30, 2006 compared to US$2.68 million during the same quarter last fiscal year. Revenues from US Publishing for the quarter ended June 30, 2006 increased by 12% to US$1.72 million from US$1.53 million during the quarter ended June 30, 2005. Gross Margin Gross Margin for the quarter ended June 30, 2006 increased to US$4.54 million, or 78%, compared to US$2.91 million, or 69%, during the same quarter last fiscal year. Operating Expenses Operating expenses The amount paid for asset maintenance or the cost of doing business, excluding depreciation. Earnings are distributed after operating expenses are deducted. Operating expenses increased by 33% to US$3.58 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2006, compared to US$2.69 million for the same quarter last fiscal year, primarily due to higher product development, advertising and marketing costs. Operating expenses for the current quarter included a charge of US$0.13 million due to a change in the way the company accounted for stock-based compensation from the intrinsic value Intrinsic Value 1. The value of a company or an asset based on an underlying perception of the value. 2. For call options, this is the difference between the underlying stock's price and the strike price. method to the fair value method, in compliance with SFAS SFAS Statement of Financial Accounting Standards SFAS Special Forces Assessment and Selection SFAS Student Financial Aid Services SFAS Sport Fishing Association of Singapore SFAS Safety Features Actuation System SFAS Statewide Fixed Assets System 123 R. Operating EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization) A metric used to show a company's profitability, but not its cash flow. EBITDA became popular in the 1980s to show the potential profitability of leveraged buyouts, but has become Operating EBITDA increased to US$0.95 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2006 as compared to an Operating EBITDA of US$0.22 million for the corresponding quarter last fiscal year. Depreciation / Amortization, Interest Income and Foreign Exchange Depreciation / Amortization expenses increased to US$0.57 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2006 compared to US$0.28 million for the same quarter last fiscal year. The net proceeds Net Proceeds The amount received after all costs are deducted from the sale of a piece of property or security. Notes: In the case of an investor selling a security, net proceeds represent the proceeds from the sale minus any trading costs (i.e. commissions). from the company's follow-on fol·low-on adj. Following as a related or consequent aspect or development: "Such contracts involve follow-on sales of maintenance services" Christian Science Monitor. ADS offering in November 2005, some of which are held in a US Dollar denominated bank account, had a double effect: it contributed to an increase in interest income to US$0.85 million during the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2006, compared to US$0.11 million during the same quarter last fiscal year. There was also a foreign exchange gain of US$0.77 million during the same quarter arising from the conversion of US Dollar balances to the company's functional currency for financial reporting purposes (i.e. the Indian Rupee Noun 1. Indian rupee - the basic unit of money in India; equal to 100 paise rupee Indian monetary unit - monetary unit in India paisa - a fractional monetary unit in Bangladesh and India and Nepal and Pakistan ), due to the weakening weak·en tr. & intr.v. weak·ened, weak·en·ing, weak·ens To make or become weak or weaker. weak en·er n. of the Indian Rupee
against the US Dollar.Net Income Net Income for the quarter ended June 30, 2006 was US$1.98 million, or 6.82 cents per ADS, compared to a net income of US$53,000, or 0.20 cents per ADS, for the same quarter last fiscal year. Total cash and cash equivalents and short term deposits with banks as of June 30, 2006 was approximately US$51.4 million. About Rediff.com Rediff.com (NASDAQ: REDF) is one of the premier worldwide online providers of news, information, communication, entertainment and shopping services for Indians worldwide. Rediff.com provides a platform for Indians worldwide to connect with one another online. Founded in 1996, Rediff.com is headquartered in Mumbai, India with offices in New Delhi New Delhi (dĕl`ē), city (1991 pop. 294,149), capital of India and of Delhi state, N central India, on the right bank of the Yamuna River. and New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of , USA. Safe Harbor Safe Harbor 1. A legal provision to reduce or eliminate liability as long as good faith is demonstrated. 2. A form of shark repellent implemented by a target company acquiring a business that is so poorly regulated that the target itself is less attractive. Except for historical information and discussions contained herein, statements included in this release may constitute "forward-looking statements forward-looking statement A projected financial statement based on management expectations. A forward-looking statement involves risks with regard to the accuracy of assumptions underlying the projections. ." These statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those that may be projected by these forward looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to the slowdown For articles with similar titles, see Slow Down (disambiguation). A slowdown is an industrial action in which employees perform their duties but seek to reduce productivity or efficiency in their performance of these duties. in the U.S. and Indian economies and in the sectors in which our clients are based, the slowdown in the Internet and IT sectors world-wide, competition, success of our past and future acquisitions, attracting, recruiting and retaining highly skilled employees, technology, legal and regulatory policy, managing risks associated with customer products, the wide spread acceptance of the Internet as well as other risks detailed in the reports filed by Rediff.com India Limited with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Rediff.com India Limited and its subsidiaries may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and its reports to shareholders. Rediff.com India Limited does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by it or on its behalf.
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
Quarter Ended June 30, 2006
All figures are in US$ million, except for per ADS and ADS outstanding
figures
--------------------------------------------------------------
Quarter ended June 30,
2006 2005
(Unaudited) (Unaudited)
--------------------------------------------------------------
Revenues
India Online 4.06 2.68
US Publishing 1.72 1.53
Total Revenues 5.78 4.21
Cost Of Revenues (1.25) (1.30)
Gross Margin 4.54 2.91
Gross Margin % 78% 69%
Operating Expenses (3.58) (2.69)
Operating EBITDA 0.95 0.22
Depreciation / Amortization (0.57) (0.28)
Interest Income 0.85 0.11
Foreign Exchange 0.77 0.01
Profit/ (Loss) before income
taxes 2.00 0.06
Tax (0.02) (0.00)
Net Income/ (Loss) 1.98 0.05
Net Income/ ( Loss) per ADS (in
US cents) 6.82 0.20
Net Income/ (Loss) per ADS (in US
cents) diluted 6.70 0.20
Weighted average ADS Outstanding
(in millions) 29.08 25.76
Notes --Each ADS represents one half of an equity share. --The above numbers are subject to audit and while no significant changes are anticipated, the audited numbers could vary from the above. --The presentation of certain figures of the corresponding quarter in the previous year have been re-arranged or re-classified to correspond to the current quarter. Non-GAAP Measures Note Operating EBITDA and non-GAAP Operating Expenses are the non-GAAP measures in this press release. These measurements are not recognized under generally accepted accounting principles The standard accounting rules, regulations, and procedures used by companies in maintaining their financial records. Generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) provide companies and accountants with a consistent set of guidelines that cover both broad accounting ("GAAP GAAP See: Generally Accepted Accounting Principles GAAP See generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). "). Operating EBITDA represents income (loss) from operations prior to adjustments for depreciation/ amortization, non-recurring items and other income or expense and tax. However, other companies may calculate operating EBITDA differently. Operating EBITDA is not intended to represent cash flows as defined by generally accepted accounting principles and should not be considered as an indicator of cash flow from operations Cash flow from operations A firm's net cash inflow resulting directly from its regular operations (disregarding extraordinary items such as the sale of fixed assets or transaction costs associated with issuing securities), calculated as the sum of net income plus noncash expenses . We have included information concerning operating EBITDA in this press release because management and our board of directors use it as a measure of our performance. In addition, future investment and capital allocation decisions Capital allocation decision Allocation of invested funds between risk-free assets and the risky portfolio. are based on operating EBITDA. Investors and industry analysts use operating EBITDA to measure the company's performance to historic results and our peer group. The reconciliation between operating EBITDA and net income (loss), the GAAP measure, is as follows:
RECONCILIATION FROM OPERATING EBITDA TO NET PROFIT/ (LOSS)
(All figures are in US$ million)
----------------------------------------------------------------
Quarter ended June 30
----------------------------------------------------------------
2006 2005
----------------------------------------------------------------
(Unaudited) (Unaudited)
----------------------------------------------------------------
Operating EBITDA (Non-GAAP) 0.95 0.22
----------------------------------------------------------------
Depreciation / Amortization (0.57) (0.28)
----------------------------------------------------------------
Interest Income 0.85 0.11
----------------------------------------------------------------
Foreign Exchange Gain/ (Loss) 0.77 0.01
----------------------------------------------------------------
Profit / (Loss) before income taxes 2.00 0.06
----------------------------------------------------------------
Tax (0.02) (0.00)
----------------------------------------------------------------
Net Income/ (Loss) (GAAP) 1.98 0.05
----------------------------------------------------------------
Non-GAAP operating expenses represent our operating expenses comprised of sales and marketing, product development and general and administrative expenses net of depreciation and amortization. We have used the non-GAAP operating expense Operating Expense The essential things that a company must purchase in order to maintain business. Notes: For example, the payment of employees wages are an operating expense. Also known as OPEX. to compute To perform mathematical operations or general computer processing. For an explanation of "The 3 C's," or how the computer processes data, see computer. our operating EBITDA. A reconciliation of the GAAP operating expense to non-GAAP operating expense is as follows:
RECONCILIATION FROM GAAP TO NON-GAAP OPERATING EXPENSES
(QUARTER ENDED June 30, 2006)
All figures are in US$ million
----------------------------------------------------------------
Quarter Ended
June 2006 June 2005
(Unaudited) (Unaudited)
Operating Expenses (GAAP) 4.15 2.97
Depreciation/Amortization (0.57) (0.28)
Operating Expenses (Non-GAAP) 3.58 2.69
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mbī`, m
m`bī)
en·er n.
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