
For
more information contact:
Stephen
P. Cotugno
Executive
Vice President-Corporate Development
PDI,
Inc.
201.574.8617
PDI,
Inc. Reports Third Quarter and Nine Month 2006 Financial Results
And
Comments on Recently Completed Strategic Plan
PDI
Board Approves Common Stock Repurchase Program
Saddle
River, New Jersey (November 7, 2006). PDI, Inc. (NASDAQ: PDII) a contract sales
and marketing services provider to the pharmaceutical industry, today announced
its third quarter and nine month 2006 financial results and a common stock
repurchase program and commented on its recently completed strategic
plan.
Continuing
Operations
Results
from continuing operations were:
Financial
Highlights
Revenue
-
Net
revenue was lower in the third quarter and nine months of 2006 compared to
2005
primarily attributable to the scaling down, completion or termination of certain
contracts in the Company’s Sales Services segment, including the previously
announced termination of a major contract as of April 30, 2006. New contracts
and expanded business with existing clients in this segment partially offset
these declines. Overall revenue in the Marketing Services segment declined
slightly in the third quarter and nine months of 2006 despite increased
Pharmakon revenue.
Gross
profit
-
Despite lower net revenue, gross profit was higher in both Sales Services and
Marketing Services for the third quarter and nine months of 2006 compared to
2005. Sales Services gross profit was higher in 2006 due to non-recurring
benefits in connection with the close out of the major contract terminated
in
April, as well as improved gross profit margins on new business. Gross profit
and the gross profit percentage for the first nine months of 2006 were
negatively impacted by approximately $1.2 million of start up costs in
connection with a new contract sales engagement with a major pharmaceutical
company announced on May 11, 2006, and approximately $1.4 million due to a
delay
in revenue recognition on a contract sales engagement because of uncertainty
regarding collection. Marketing Services gross profit was higher for the third
quarter and nine months in 2006 due to margin improvements in both Pharmakon
and
Vital Issues in Medicine (VIM).
Operating
Expenses
-
Operating expenses were significantly lower for the third quarter and nine
months of 2006 compared to 2005. Total operating expenses for the third quarter
and nine months of 2006 include lower compensation costs of $1.1 million and
$1.4 million, respectively, primarily due to lower severance, and lower legal
and litigation costs, net of recoveries of $4.2 million and $4.9 million,
respectively. Nine month operating expenses in 2005 also included a $2.8 million
charge for the write-down of a sales force automation system and a $0.8 million
reserve established for an outstanding loan.
Liquidity
and Cash Flow
Cash
and
short-term investments on September 30, 2006 were $111.4 million. Cash flow
from
operating activities for the third quarter and nine months of 2006 were $4.5
million and $15.8 million, respectively, compared to $(0.6) million and $2.0
million for the comparable periods in 2005.
Common
Stock Repurchase Program
The
Board
of Directors has authorized the Company to repurchase up to one million shares
of its common stock.
The
Company intends to repurchase shares on the open market or in privately
negotiated transactions, or both. Some or all of the repurchases will be made
pursuant to a Company 10(b)5-1 Plan that the Company will adopt. All purchases
will be made from the Company’s available cash. The Board of Directors also
terminated a share repurchase plan authorized in 2005.
CEO
Commentary
Mr.
Michael Marquard, PDI’s CEO stated, “The financial results for the third quarter
show us to be marginally profitable at our current level of business. The recent
non-renewal of two major contracts will have an impact beginning in the fourth
quarter of 2006 and
unless and until we generate sufficient Sales Teams new business to offset
the
loss of these two programs, we expect our financial results to be weaker in
the
near term. While we are currently not providing forward earnings guidance,
taking into account the loss of these two contracts and our continuing cost
reduction efforts, without any new business included, our current estimate
for
2007 would be for negative cash flow of no more than $10 million.”
“The
current pipeline of opportunities for our dedicated contract sales service
has
increased nicely from the second quarter. We are optimistic about converting
some of these opportunities into new business, including some in the near term
that could facilitate redeploying some of our experienced sales representatives
from programs that are winding down.”
“Since
early 2006, we have experienced a significant amount of change in our business.
In today’s environment, many large pharmaceutical companies are reevaluating
their commercial sales model, which has resulted in changes in their outsourcing
partnerships. PDI has been particularly impacted due to our historical success
within Big Pharma. Going forward, we believe that the sales representative
remains central to successful product commercialization. We believe that
outsourcing sales capacity will increase as speed to market, flexibility, and
cost effectiveness in the deployment of sales forces will increase in importance
within both big and emerging pharmaceutical companies as they introduce new
products and respond to opportunities and competitive threats to their in-line
products.”
“We
have
recently completed our strategic planning process. The strategic plan has
received Board input and support and reiterates our commitment to the contract
sales market. It further outlines initiatives to regain our position as the
largest provider of contract sales representatives. It is also our mission
to
become a leading provider of commercialization services to the pharmaceutical
industry. To
regain
market leadership within our Sales Services Segment, we plan to further
strengthen our business development efforts, deliver flawless sales force
execution and create innovative and distinctive contract sales offerings aligned
with evolving Big Pharma and Emerging Pharma needs. This will lead to
distinctive and compelling offerings and a broader range of
services.”
“In
our
Marketing Services segment, we plan to grow our current services, and expand
our
offerings through acquisitions or internal development. We plan to acquire
or
build commercial services that strengthen CSO offerings and advance our efforts
within emerging pharmaceutical companies who value a single point of contact
for
a breadth of services that enable them to successfully commercialize their
products. These services will diversify our business by providing additional
revenue and profit potential and expand our customer base for cross selling
opportunities.”
“I
am
pleased to announce that our Board of Directors has also authorized us to begin
purchasing up to 1,000,000 shares under our newly adopted share buyback program.
We believe that our current stock price, execution of this program is a wise
use
of our cash.”
“Contract
sales services are critical to our strategic focus today and will remain so
in
the future. We
believe the opportunities ahead are exciting and that we have a strong plan
in
place to reinvigorate and grow our company. I
am
confident that we have the people, the resources and a sound plan to realize
our
goals.”
PDI
Announces Dismissal with Prejudice of Securities
Litigation
On
November 2, 2006, the United States District Court for the District of New
Jersey dismissed with prejudice the Third Consolidated and Amended Class Action
Complaint in connection with the lawsuit In re PDI Securities Litigation (Civil
Action No.: 02-cv-0211-JLL). The action was originally filed in January 2002
against PDI, its former CEO and former CFO. The District Court issued an opinion
and order dismissing with prejudice all claims asserted in the Third Amended
Complaint against all defendants and denied plaintiffs request to amend the
complaint.
Conference
Call Information
PDI
will
conduct a briefing of its results via conference call and webcast on Wednesday,
November 8, 2006 at 9:00 AM Eastern time. The webcast of the event will be
accessible through the Investor Relations section of PDI’s website, www.pdi-inc.com.
The
webcast will be archived on the website for future on-demand replay.
For
those
without internet access, the briefing can be accessed by dialing 1-877-423-4030
and asking for the PDI’s Third Quarter 2006 Financial Results Call. The call
playback will be available for two weeks by calling 1-800-642-1687 and entering
the call number 8303126.
About
PDI
PDI,
Inc.
(NASDAQ: PDII) is a contract sales and marketing services provider to the
pharmaceutical industry offering outsourced solutions for established and
emerging pharmaceutical companies. PDI is dedicated to maximizing the return
on
investment for its clients by providing strategic flexibility; sales, marketing,
and commercialization expertise; and a philosophy of performance.
Headquartered
in Saddle River, NJ, PDI operates in two segments; Sales Services and Marketing
Services. Our Sales Services include our Performance Sales Teams™, which are
dedicated teams for specific clients; and Select Access™, our targeted sales
solution that leverages an existing infrastructure. Our marketing services
include marketing research and consulting services through TVG in Dresher,
PA,
and medical communications services through Pharmakon in Schaumburg, IL. In
addition, PDI is a high quality provider of ACCME-accredited continuing medical
education through Vital Issues in Medicine (VIM ®) in Dresher, PA. The company’s
experience extends across multiple therapeutic categories and includes office
and hospital-based initiatives.
PDI’s
commitment is to deliver innovative solutions, unparalleled execution and
superior results for its clients. Through strategic partnership and
client-driven innovation, PDI maintains some of the longest standing sales
and
marketing relationships in the industry. Recognized as an industry pioneer,
PDI
remains committed to continuous innovation and to retaining the industry’s
highest quality employees.
For
more
information, visit the Company’s website at www.pdi-inc.com.
Forward-Looking
Statements
This
press release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events and
financial performance. These statements involve a number of risks and
uncertainties and are based on numerous assumptions involving judgments with
respect to future economic, competitive and market conditions and future
business decisions, all of which are difficult or impossible to predict
accurately and many of which are beyond PDI's control. Some of the important
factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those
indicated by the forward-looking statements are general economic conditions,
the
termination of or material reduction in the size of any of our customer
contracts, the loss by our clients of intellectual property rights, our ability
or inability to secure new business to offset the recent loss of customer
contracts and the terms of any replacement business we secure, changes in our
operating expenses, FDA, legal or accounting developments, competitive
pressures, failure to meet performance benchmarks in significant contracts,
changes in customer and market requirements and standards, the impact of any
stock repurchase programs, the adequacy of the reserves PDI has taken, the
financial viability of certain companies whose debt and equity securities we
hold, the outcome of certain litigations, PDI's ability to implement its current
and future business plans, and the risk factors detailed from time to time
in
PDI's periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including
without limitation, PDI's Amended Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year
ended December 31, 2005, and PDI's periodic reports on Form 10-Q and current
reports on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission since
January 1, 2006. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based
upon management's reasonable belief as of the date hereof. PDI undertakes no
obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for
any
reason.

