Access Plans Inc (fka APNC)

[MoneyMan]

Access Plans Reports 69% Increase in First Quarter Earnings to Record Levels, as Revenues Rise 7% From Prior-Year Period http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Access-Plans-Reports-69-Increase-First-Quarter-Earnings-Record-Levels-as-Revenues-Rise-1393620.htm

Diluted Earnings per Share up 100% to $0.08 in First Quarter of FY2011, Versus $0.04 in First Quarter of FY2010

NORMAN, OK--(Marketwire - February 10, 2011) - Access Plans, Inc. (OTCBB: APNC), a leading membership benefits marketing company, today announced its operating results for the first quarter of FY2011. An investor conference call is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. EST today (see details below).

First Quarter Results

Revenues for the three months ended December 31, 2010 increased 7% to approximately $14.3 million, compared with approximately $13.3 million in the first quarter of FY2010. Operating income increased 53% to approximately $2.5 million, versus approximately $1.6 million in the prior-year period.

Net income improved to approximately $1.5 million in the most recent quarter, which represented an increase of 69% when compared with net income of approximately $0.9 million in the year-earlier quarter. Earnings per share, fully diluted, increased 100% to $0.08, versus $0.04 in last year's first quarter. The number of weighted average diluted shares outstanding approximated 19.9 million during the most recent quarter, compared with 19.8 million shares in the first quarter of FY2010.

"I am very pleased to report record earnings for the first quarter of Fiscal 2011," commented Danny Wright, Chief Executive Officer of Access Plans, Inc. "While diluted earnings per share of $0.08 were 100% higher than the $0.04 reported in the prior-year quarter, the increase relative to diluted EPS of $0.02 in the fourth quarter of FY2010 was 300%. The most recent quarter was positively impacted as we began to realize some of the benefits from investments we made in our Retail Plans Division during last year's third and fourth quarters. The Wholesale Plans Division also generated higher revenue and exceptional growth in operating income as expenses related to the involuntary unemployment waiver program continued to decrease and our network benefits expenses declined. Meanwhile, we continue to work on transitioning the Insurance Marketing Division's sales mix from its previous emphasis on major medical policies towards innovative solutions that combine supplemental health benefits and life insurance products with major medical sales. We believe this new approach, which was prompted by certain aspects of the Healthcare Reform Act, should allow agents to maintain their commission income, while improving the division's operating margins. We introduced our Smart Solutions Plus product in 17 states in January and expect to double the number of states where the product is available during the balance of the second quarter."

Wholesale Plans

Revenues generated by our Wholesale Plans Division increased 20% to $6.1 million in the most recent quarter, versus $5.1 million in the prior-year period. The increase was attributable to improved sell-through at existing locations, as well as the addition of new accounts. Gross margin increased by 90% to $2.3 million in the first quarter of FY2011, versus $1.2 million in the prior-year quarter, reflecting higher revenue and reductions in involuntary unemployment waiver and product service expenses. Operating income at the division increased 156% to $1.8 million, versus $0.7 million in the prior-year period.

Retail Plans

First quarter revenues increased 18% in our Retail Plans Division to $4.6 million, prior to inter-company eliminations, versus $3.9 million in the first quarter of FY2010. The increase was attributable primarily to revenues associated with new programs that offset revenue declines in the division's legacy business. Gross margins increased 7%, from $2.2 million in last year's first quarter to $2.4 million this year. Operating income rose 32% to $1.2 million in the first quarter of FY2011, versus $0.9 million in the first quarter of FY2010, as a result of the success of new product offerings and the realization of initial benefits from investments into new marketing channels during the second half of FY2010.

Insurance Marketing

Insurance Marketing Division revenues decreased 7% to $5.1 million, versus $5.5 million in the first quarter of FY2010. The decline was due, in large part, to a loss of revenue from two major medical insurance carriers that decided to exit the business earlier in calendar 2010. Operating income decreased to $0.04 million in the first quarter of FY2011, versus $0.3 million in the prior-year quarter. The Insurance Marketing Division has positioned itself, following the changes in the marketplace created by the Healthcare Reform Act, to offer an appropriate blend of major medical and supplemental benefit offerings that should deliver excellent value to our independent agents and their clients.

Other Matters

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash totaled $8.5 million at December 31, 2010, which represented a 39% increase when compared with such liquid assets at the end of FY2010. The Company has no long-term debt outstanding, and stockholders' equity approximated $15.7 million at the end of the most recent quarter.

Conference Call and Webcast Information

Access Plans will host a conference call today, February 10, 2011, at 11:30 a.m. EST. To access the conference call, please dial 877-317-6789 (U.S.) or 412-317-6789 (international) approximately 10 minutes prior to the start of the call. The conference call will also be available via "live" webcast under the Investor Relations section of the Company's website at www.accessplans.com, or by visiting http://www.videonewswire.com/event.asp?id=76556 to access the webcast directly.

A replay of the conference call will be available through Thursday, February 17, 2011 by dialing 877-344-7529 (U.S.) or 412-317-0088 (international) and entering the conference ID number 447968. An archived version of the webcast will also be archived for review through February 17, 2011 on the Internet at http://www.videonewswire.com/event.asp?id=76556 and under the Investor Relations section of the Company's website at www.accessplans.com.

About Access Plans, Inc.

Access Plans, Inc. (OTCBB: APNC) is a leading membership benefits marketing company with two distribution channels. The Wholesale/Retail Plans distribution channel specializes in turnkey, private-label membership benefit plans that provide discount products and services, protection benefits and retail services to more than one million customers in the United States and Canada. America's Health Care Plans (AHCP), the Company's Insurance Marketing distribution channel, is one of the nation's largest independent agent networks and provides major medical, life and supplemental insurance products to individuals. For more information, please visit: www.accessplans.com.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act:

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements may relate to financial results and plans for future business activities, and are thus prospective. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements are competitive pressures, loss of significant customers, the mix of revenue, changes in pricing policies, delays in revenue recognition, lower-than-expected demand for the Company's products and services, general economic conditions, and the risk factors detailed from time to time in the Company's periodic reports and registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and the Company assumes no responsibility for updating such forward-looking statements after the date of this release.

Contact:

Access Plans, Inc.
Robert Hoeffner
405-579-8525
[e-mail]

Or

RJ Falkner & Company, Inc.
Investor Relations Counsel
830-693-4400
[e-mail]