DEI Holdings, Inc. (fka DEIX)

[z_deville]

DEI Holdings Reports 48% Improvement in Operating Income for Third Quarter 2008
- Operating income improves 48% to $7.7 million - EPS increases to $0.04 profit from ($0.05) loss - Operating expenses decrease $3 million or 12% - Company announces decision to exit satellite radio

* Wednesday November 5, 2008, 4:00 pm EST

* Yahoo! Buzz

VISTA, Calif., Nov. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- DEI Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: DEIX - News) announced today financial results for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2008.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080625/LAW063)

Third Quarter 2008 Financial Highlights Compared with Same Period Last Year:

-- Achieved pro forma net sales of $76.7 million, down 9% from
$84.5 million; GAAP net sales were $61.8 million for the third quarter
of 2008
-- Gross margin improved by 12 percentage points from 35% to 47%
-- Operating expenses decreased $3 million from $24.3 to $21.3 million, a
12% improvement
-- Operating income increased 48% from $5.2 to $7.7 million
-- Net income was $1.1 million compared with a loss of ($1.3) million
-- Adjusted EBITDA totaled $10.7 million compared with $8.3 million, a 29%
improvement
-- Reported EPS of $0.04 per share, compared with a loss of ($0.05) per
share


Balance Sheet Highlights:

-- Ended the quarter with cash balance of $9.1 million and undrawn
available revolver of $50.0 million
-- Debt balance decreased by $51 million year-over-year, a 17% improvement
-- Company is in full compliance with all of its debt covenants with
debt-to-EBITDA leverage ratio at 4.38x at the end of the quarter,
meaningfully lower than the 5.25x covenant requirement
-- Lower third quarter debt-to-EBITDA ratio triggers fourth quarter 50
basis point interest rate reduction, an improvement to LIBOR +350


Recent Operating and Restructuring Highlights:

-- Previously announced restructuring plan on track to achieve $5 million
in annualized cost savings
-- Launched company-wide supply chain cost reduction initiative and other
rightsizing initiatives that are expected to result in additional cost
savings in 2009
-- Entered into an agreement with SIRUS XM RADIO outlining key terms for
winding down this business by January 31, 2009, the expiration date of
the current distribution agreement


"We are pleased with our overall financial performance during the third quarter as we continued to make improvements in many controllable aspects of our business," commented James E. Minarik, DEI Holdings' President and Chief Executive Officer. "Even though our top line performance was negatively impacted by the challenging consumer environment, our improved operating efficiencies and financial discipline enabled us to achieve higher operating income and profitability compared to this period last year, resulting in trailing twelve month adjusted EBITDA of $59 million."

"While it is never an easy decision to exit any market, there are a number of factors that made exiting the satellite radio business the only logical choice for us. These factors include a dramatic drop in demand for aftermarket satellite radio, increasing warranty returns and decreasing margins that we and our customers have experienced throughout 2007 and 2008 on satellite radio products, and the large working capital commitment required for this relatively low margin business. Exiting this business will allow us to return 100% of our focus in 2009 to improving the experience we deliver to our customers and growing our highly profitable security and entertainment businesses."

Kevin Duffy, DEI Holdings' CFO, commented, "Exiting the satellite radio business will not only allow us to focus on our core business, but also increase our ability to pay down debt by recovering the $20 to $25 million of working capital we have committed to this business. Additionally, we are pleased with the terms of our wind-down agreement, as SIRIUS XM or their new partner will be purchasing substantially all of our remaining satellite radio inventory in the first quarter of 2009. They will also be taking full responsibility for all future product returns and warranty costs after January 31, 2009, regardless of when the product was sold."

Mr. Duffy continued, "Looking at the fourth quarter and into 2009, we anticipate that purchases of consumer electronics products will continue to decline significantly. As a result, we are taking every practical action to optimize our sales while preserving our margins. In addition, considering the realities of selling into this uncertain market, as well as our planned exit from the satellite radio receiver business next year, we plan to continue rightsizing our facilities and other overhead in all divisions of the company. Combined with the restructuring initiatives we have already implemented, we are confident that we are as well positioned as possible from an operational perspective to weather the current environment."

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/DEI-Holdings-Reports-48-prnews-13476872.html