Hanger Reports Fourth Quarter 2018 Results and Provides 2019 Outlook

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Hanger, Inc. (NYSE: HNGR), a leading provider of orthotic and prosthetic (O&P) patient care services and solutions, today announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and full-year ended December 31, 2018.

Financial Highlights for the Fourth Quarter of 2018

• Net revenue was $284.9 million for the three months ended December 31, 2018, compared to $285.7 million for the same period in 2017, reflecting a net revenue decline of 0.3 percent. Excluding a $1.1 million reduction in fourth quarter 2018 net revenue resulting from the adoption of ASC 606, fourth quarter net revenue was consistent with the prior year.
• Net income totaled $4.5 million for the three months ended December 31, 2018, compared to a net loss of $84.4 million, for the same period in 2017. Fourth quarter 2017 results were impacted by a $57.5 million charge for impairment of intangible assets as well as a $35 million reduction in deferred tax assets resulting from the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
• Adjusted EBITDA was $40.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2018, compared to $39.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2017, an increase of $0.4 million, or 1.2 percent. Growth in Adjusted EBITDA was driven by lower Corporate G&A expenses in the fourth quarter of 2018 compared to the same period in 2017.
• Diluted earnings per share was $0.12 for the fourth quarter of 2018, compared to a loss of $2.32 per share in the fourth quarter of 2017. Per share amounts in the fourth quarter of 2017 were also impacted by the items noted above, in the discussion of net income.
• Adjusted diluted earnings per share was $0.40 for the three months ended December 31, 2018, compared to earnings of $0.22 per share for the same period in 2017, due primarily to higher income from operations and lower interest expense in 2018.
• Net cash provided by operating activities was $41.4 million for the three months ended December 31, 2018, compared to $31.1 million for the same period in 2017.
• The Company provided its initial outlook for net revenue, same clinic revenue growth and Adjusted EBITDA in 2019. Please see the "2019 Outlook" section of this release for details.

Vinit Asar, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hanger, Inc., stated, "The fourth quarter of 2018 capped off a successful year for Hanger. We delivered financial results consistent with our original guidance while investing in a comprehensive portfolio of initiatives that will enable Hanger to increase its long-term rate of growth. I am pleased with the progress to date in our Patient Care segment, as we grow the prosthetics business, refine our delivery strategy in certain orthotics categories, and improve our operational effectiveness. Within Products & Services, we saw strong performance within distribution, offset by expected declines in therapeutic solutions. In 2019, we anticipate the investments we have made will further differentiate Hanger's leadership in the O&P industry."

Complete reconciliations of GAAP to non-GAAP financial measures are provided in the tables located at the end of this press release.

Segment Results for the Fourth Quarter of 2018

Patient Care Segment

For the three months ended December 31, 2018, Patient Care net revenue was $236.6 million, a decrease of $0.9 million, or 0.4 percent, compared to net revenue of $237.5 million reported during the same period in 2017. Net Patient Care growth was reduced by $1.1 million as a result of the impact of ASC 606.

Same clinic revenue growth was 0.3 percent on a day-adjusted basis for the three months ended December 31, 2018. This moderation in same clinic revenue growth was caused by two primary factors: comparison to a strong growth performance in the fourth quarter of 2017 when same clinic revenue per day growth totaled 2.1 percent; as well as a decline in certain lower-margin orthotic categories that the Company continues to de-emphasize.

Income from operations in the Patient Care segment was $42.2 million during the fourth quarter of 2018, which reflected a $2.0 million decrease, compared to $44.2 million reported in the prior year. Adjusted EBITDA for the segment was $48.5 million, which reflected a $2.2 million or 4.4 percent decrease compared to the prior year period. Comparative increases in material and personnel costs impacted income from operations and Adjusted EBITDA in the fourth quarter of 2018.

Products & Services Segment

For the three months ended December 31, 2018, Products & Services net revenue totaled $48.2 million, which was consistent with the $48.3 million reported in the same period of 2017. Within this segment, revenue from the distribution of O&P componentry to independent providers increased by $1.6 million, or 4.9 percent. This growth was offset by a $1.7 million decrease in revenue from therapeutic solutions as compared to the fourth quarter of 2017.

Income from operations for the Products & Services segment increased by $53.4 million to $5.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2018 compared to the same period in 2017, due primarily to impairment of intangible assets in the prior year. Adjusted EBITDA for the Products & Services segment was $8.4 million for the fourth quarter of 2018, which reflected a $1.1 million decrease compared to the same period of 2017. Earnings growth from increased O&P distribution revenue was offset by the decrease in earnings associated with the decline in therapeutic solutions revenue.

Corporate & Other

The loss from operations relating to corporate and other activities declined by $6.8 million to $24.8 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2018 compared to the same period in 2017. This decrease primarily related to a $3.5 million reduction in bonus expense and a $2.8 million reduction in professional accounting and legal fees as compared to the fourth quarter of the prior year. Excluding the effect of third party professional fees related to financial statement remediation, depreciation and amortization, and non-cash equity compensation expense, the net cost of Corporate and Other activities decreased year-over-year by $3.8 million, to $16.8 million.

Net Income; Interest Expense

For the three months ended December 31, 2018, net income was $4.5 million compared with a net loss of $84.4 million in the same period of 2017. The $88.9 million improvement in net income year-over-year was due primarily to the $54.7 million impairment of intangible assets incurred in the fourth quarter of 2017, as well as lower professional accounting and legal fees, depreciation and amortization expense, interest expense and taxes in the fourth quarter of 2018.

Financial Highlights for the Full Year 2018

• Net revenue of $1,048.8 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2018, compared to $1,040.8 million for the same period in 2017, reflecting net revenue growth of 0.8 percent year-over-year. Excluding a $4.0 million reduction in 2018 net revenue resulting from the adoption of ASC 606, 2018 net revenue grew by $12.0 million, or 1.2 percent.
• For the full year 2018, Patient Care segment net revenue totaled $857.4 million, an increase of $5.4 million or 0.6 percent, compared to 2017. Net Patient Care revenue grew 1.0 percent, excluding the impact of ASC 606. Revenue from prosthetics increased by 3.3 percent, while revenues from orthotics, shoes and inserts declined by 1.3 percent, primarily due to the Company's de-emphasis of lower margin off-the-shelf orthotics and shoes.
• Products & Services segment net revenue totaled $191.4 million, an increase of $2.6 million or 1.4 percent, compared to 2017. Strong growth in distribution of O&P componentry was partially offset by declines in therapeutic solutions revenue.
• Net loss totaled $0.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, compared to a net loss of $104.7 million for the same period in 2017. Prior year results were impacted by a $57.5 million charge for impairment of intangible assets as well as a $35 million reduction in deferred tax assets resulting from the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
• Adjusted EBITDA was $121.1 million in 2018 compared to $120.3 million in 2017, an increase of $0.8 million.
• Diluted loss per share was $0.02 for 2018, compared to a loss of $2.89 per share in 2017. Per share amounts in 2017 and 2018 were also impacted by the items noted above, in the discussion of net loss.
• Adjusted diluted earnings per share was $0.78 for the year ended December 31, 2018, compared to $0.33 per share for the same period in 2017, due primarily to higher income from operations and lower interest expense during 2018.
• Net cash provided by operating activities was $78.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, compared to $30.1 million for the same period in 2017, primarily driven by reduced professional third party expenses and cash generated from working capital as well as lower interest expense.

Liquidity

On December 31, 2018, the Company had total liquidity of $189.2 million, comprised of $95.1 million in cash and cash equivalents, and $94.1 million in available borrowing capacity under its revolving credit facility, compared to liquidity of $155.1 million on September 30, 2018. The increase in liquidity of $34.1 million from September 30, 2018 resulted primarily from positive net cash flow from operations and secondarily due to favorable working capital timing.

2019 Outlook

Hanger currently anticipates 2019 net revenue in a range between $1.075 billion and $1.105 billion, and Adjusted EBITDA in a range between $121 million and $126 million.

The Company anticipates that growth and margin expansion in its Patient Care segment will be partially offset by declines in its Products & Services segment due to decreases in therapeutic solutions revenue. The Company's revenue and Adjusted EBITDA outlook also includes approximately $28 million of incremental revenue acquired through three acquisitions completed in the fourth quarter of 2018 and first quarter of 2019. Due to integration and other related costs, these acquisitions are anticipated to provide only modest contributions to earnings growth in 2019.

Hanger expects 2019 to be consistent with prior years with regard to seasonality in its business, with sequentially lower revenue, earnings and cash flow in the first quarter of the year. In addition, Hanger's financial outlook for 2019 does not incorporate contributions from potential future acquisitions.

Adjusted EBITDA is provided on a non-GAAP basis only because a reconciliation to the most comparable GAAP financial measure, net income, is not available without unreasonable effort due to the unpredictable nature of reconciling items that render such a reconciliation not meaningful for investors.

Conference and Webcast Details

Hanger’s management team will host a conference call tomorrow, Friday, March 15, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time to discuss the Company’s fourth quarter and full year 2018 financial results and 2019 outlook.

To participate, dial 877-407-6184 or 201-389-0877 outside the U.S. and Canada, and use conference code number 13686646. A live webcast and replay of the call as well as accompanying supplemental information will be available at the Investor Relations section of the Company’s web site: investor.hanger.com.

Additional Notes

A reconciliation of GAAP and non-GAAP financial results is included in the tables provided at the back of this press release. The Company has provided certain supplemental key statistics relating to its results for certain prior periods. These key statistics are non-GAAP measures used by the Company’s management to analyze the Company’s business results that are being provided for informational and analytical context. Accompanying supplemental information will be posted to the Investor Relations section of Hanger’s web site at investor.hanger.com.

About Hanger, Inc. – Built on the legacy of James Edward Hanger, the first amputee of the American Civil War, Hanger, Inc. (NYSE: HNGR) delivers orthotic and prosthetic (O&P) patient care, and distributes O&P products and rehabilitative solutions to the broader market. Hanger's Patient Care segment is the largest owner and operator of O&P patient care clinics with approximately 800 patient care locations nationwide. Through its Products & Services segment, Hanger distributes branded and private label O&P devices, products and components, and provides rehabilitative solutions. With over 150 years of clinical excellence and innovation, Hanger's vision is to lead the orthotic & prosthetic markets by providing superior patient care, outcomes, services and value. For more information on Hanger, visit www.hanger.com.

This press release contains certain “forward-looking statements” relating to the Company. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included herein, are “forward-looking statements.” These forward-looking statements are often identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “preliminary,” “intends,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “views” or similar expressions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they do involve assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, and these expectations may prove to be incorrect. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. These uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risk of our identified material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting adversely affecting our ability to report our financial condition and results of operations in a timely and accurate manner; any litigation relating to, the Company’s accounting practices, financial statements and other financial data, periodic reports or other corporate actions; changes in the demand for the Company’s O&P products and services; uncertainties relating to the results of operations or recently acquired O&P patient care clinics; the Company’s ability to enter into and derive benefits from managed-care contracts; the Company’s ability to successfully attract and retain qualified O&P clinicians; federal laws governing the health care industry; uncertainties inherent in investigations and legal proceedings; governmental policies affecting O&P operations; and other risks and uncertainties generally affecting the health care industry. For additional information and risk factors that could affect the Company, see its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The information contained in this press release is made only as of the date hereof, even if subsequently made available by the Company on its website or otherwise.

EBITDA is defined as operating income before depreciation and amortization. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as operating income before certain charges, impairments of intangible assets, third-party professional fees in excess of normal amounts incurred in connection with our financial statement remediation, debt extinguishment costs, expenses associated with equity-based compensation, severance expenses, and certain third-party expenses incurred in connection with our acquisitions.

We use EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as measures to assess the relative level of our indebtedness and our compliance with certain debt covenants which are based on these measures. Additionally, we utilize these measures to assess our operating and financial performance. We believe that these measures enhance a user’s understanding of normal operating income excluding certain charges, depreciation and amortization.

Neither EBITDA or Adjusted EBITDA are measures of financial performance computed in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP") and should not be considered in isolation nor as a substitute for operating income, net income, cash flows from operations, or other statement of operations or cash flow data prepared in conformity with GAAP, or as a measure of profitability or liquidity. In addition, the calculation of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA is susceptible to varying interpretations and calculations, and the amounts presented may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA may not be indicative of historical operating results, and we do not intend these measures to be predictive of future results of operations.

Earnings Per Share (or “EPS”) is defined as net income divided by our diluted common shares during the applicable period. Adjusted EPS is defined as EPS adjusted for impairments of intangible assets, third-party professional fees in excess of normal amounts incurred in connection with our financial statement remediation, debt extinguishment costs, severance expenses and certain other charges.

We utilize Adjusted EPS to assess our operating and financial performance. We believe that this measure enhances a user’s understanding of normal operating results excluding certain charges.

Adjusted EPS is not a measure of financial performance computed in accordance with GAAP and should not be considered in isolation nor as a substitute for operating income, net income, cash flows from operations, or other statement of operations or cash flow data prepared in conformity with GAAP, or as a measure of profitability or liquidity. In addition, the calculation of Adjusted EPS is susceptible to varying interpretations and calculations, and the amounts presented may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. Adjusted EPS may not be indicative of historical operating results, and we do not intend these measures to be predictive of future results of operations.

EBITDA is defined as operating income before depreciation and amortization. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as operating income before certain charges, impairments of intangible assets, third-party professional fees in excess of normal amounts incurred in connection with our financial statement remediation, debt extinguishment costs, expenses associated with equity-based compensation, severance expenses, and certain third-party expenses incurred in connection with our acquisitions.

We use EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as measures to assess the relative level of our indebtedness and our compliance with certain debt covenants which are based on these measures. Additionally, we utilize these measures to assess our operating and financial performance. We believe that these measures enhance a user’s understanding of normal operating income excluding certain charges, depreciation and amortization.

Neither EBITDA or Adjusted EBITDA are measures of financial performance computed in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP") and should not be considered in isolation nor as a substitute for operating income, net income, cash flows from operations, or other statement of operations or cash flow data prepared in conformity with GAAP, or as a measure of profitability or liquidity. In addition, the calculation of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA is susceptible to varying interpretations and calculations, and the amounts presented may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA may not be indicative of historical operating results, and we do not intend these measures to be predictive of future results of operations.

EBITDA is defined as operating income before depreciation and amortization. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as operating income before certain charges, impairments of intangible assets, third-party professional fees in excess of normal amounts incurred in connection with our financial statement remediation, debt extinguishment costs, expenses associated with equity-based compensation, severance expenses, and certain third-party expenses incurred in connection with our acquisitions.

We use EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as measures to assess the relative level of our indebtedness and our compliance with certain debt covenants which are based on these measures. Additionally, we utilize these measures to assess our operating and financial performance. We believe that these measures enhance a user’s understanding of normal operating income excluding certain charges, depreciation and amortization.

Neither EBITDA or Adjusted EBITDA are measures of financial performance computed in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP") and should not be considered in isolation nor as a substitute for operating income, net income, cash flows from operations, or other statement of operations or cash flow data prepared in conformity with GAAP, or as a measure of profitability or liquidity. In addition, the calculation of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA is susceptible to varying interpretations and calculations, and the amounts presented may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA may not be indicative of historical operating results, and we do not intend these measures to be predictive of future results of operations.

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