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WNS Net Income Increases 36.7% and Net Income (Excluding Amortization of Intangible Assets and Share-Based Compensation Expense) Increases 64.6% in Fiscal Second Quarter

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Revenue Increases 76.9% and Revenue Less Repair Payments Increases

52.0%, Over Corresponding Quarter in the Prior Fiscal Year

MUMBAI, India & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 14, 2006--WNS (Holdings) Limited (NYSE: WNS), a leading provider of offshore business process outsourcing (BPO) services, today announced strong results for the second fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2006.

"Our momentum continued to be very strong in the second quarter," said Neeraj Bhargava, Group Chief Executive Officer. "Our employee strength grew by over 1,000 people, revenue growth was above target, operational ramp-ups were on time and expenses under control. We strengthened our Board and our senior management team. All things considered, it was an excellent quarter for WNS."

Financial Highlights: Second Quarter Ended September 30, 2006

  • Quarterly revenue of $86.6 million, up 76.9% from the corresponding quarter last year.
  • Quarterly revenue less repair payments of $53.0 million, up 52.0% from the corresponding quarter last year.
  • Quarterly net income of $6.0 million, up 36.7% from the corresponding quarter last year.
  • Quarterly net income (excluding amortization of intangible assets and share-based compensation expense) of $7.4 million, up 64.6% from the corresponding quarter last year.
  • Quarterly basic income per ADS of 16 cents, up from 14 cents for the corresponding quarter last year.
  • Quarterly basic income per ADS (excluding amortization of intangible assets and share-based compensation expense) of 19 cents, up from 14 cents for the corresponding quarter last year.
Financial Highlights: Six Months Ended September 30, 2006
  • Revenue of $139.6 million, up 39.4% from the corresponding six months last year.
  • Revenue less repair payments of $98.5 million, up 44.8% from the corresponding six months last year.
  • Net income of $10.6 million, up 20.9% from the corresponding six months last year.
  • Net income (excluding amortization of intangible assets and share-based compensation expense) of $12.7 million, up 37.4% from the corresponding six months last year.
  • Basic income per ADS of 29 cents, up from 28 cents for the corresponding six months last year.
  • Basic income per ADS (excluding amortization of intangible assets and share-based compensation expense) of 34 cents, up from 29 cents for the corresponding six months last year.

Reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP operating results are included at the end of this release.

"WNS had a good quarter with robust growth in revenue, accompanied with cost control resulting in improved margins as measured on a revenue less repair payments basis" said Zubin Dubash, Group Chief Financial Officer.

Key Announcements

  • Pulak Prasad, who has served on the Board of Directors for four years as a representative of majority shareholder Warburg Pincus, stepped down on November 3, 2006.
  • He was replaced by Richard Oliver Bernays, who joined the Board of Directors as an independent member on November 14, 2006. Mr. Bernays brings with him, more than 30 years of experience in the UK market, particularly in the financial services industry. He is the current chairman of the board at Hermes Pensions Management
Fiscal 2007 Guidance

WNS also updated its guidance for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2007:

  • Revenue less repair payments revised upwards from the previously estimated range of $205 million to $208 million. It is now estimated to be slightly higher than $208 million.
  • Net income guidance (excluding amortization of intangible assets and share-based compensation expense) remains unchanged at $30.5 million to $32.5 million
  • Capital expenditure for the year revised upwards from approximately $25 million to $26 million largely because of slightly higher-than-expected capacity additions during the year

    "We continue to feel good about our guidance for the year and believe that we are well positioned to meet our targets for fiscal 2007," Mr. Bhargava said.

    Conference call

    WNS will host a conference call on Wednesday, November 15, 2006, at 7 a.m. (EST) to discuss the company's quarterly results. To participate, callers can dial 800-295-3991 from within the U.S. or +1-617-614-3924 from any other country. The participant passcode is 1352836. A replay will be made available online at www.wnsgs.com for a period of three months beginning two hours after the end of the call.

    About WNS

    WNS is a leading provider of offshore business process outsourcing, or BPO, services. We provide comprehensive data, voice and analytical services that are underpinned by our expertise in our target industry sectors. We transfer the execution of the business processes of our clients, which are typically companies located in Europe and North America, to our delivery centers located primarily in India. We provide high quality execution of client processes, monitor these processes against multiple performance metrics, and seek to improve them on an ongoing basis.

    Our ADSs are listed on the New York Stock Exchange. For more information, please visit our website at www.wnsgs.com.

    About Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    For financial statement reporting purposes, the company has two reportable segments: WNS Global BPO and WNS Auto Claims BPO. In the auto claims segment, WNS provides claims-handling and accident-management services, in which it arranges for automobile repairs through a network of third-party repair centers. In its accident-management services, WNS acts as the principal in dealings with the third-party repair centers and clients.

    The amounts invoiced to WNS clients for payments made by WNS to third-party repair centers are reported as revenue. As the company wholly subcontracts the repairs to the repair centers, it evaluates its financial performance based on revenue less repair payments to third party repair centers, which is a non-GAAP measure.

    WNS believes revenue less repair payments reflects more accurately the value addition of the business process services it directly provides to its clients. The presentation of this non-GAAP information is not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the company's financial results prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. WNS revenue less repair payments may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies due to potential differences in the method of calculation.

    Safe Harbor Statement under the provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

    This news release contains forward-looking statements, as defined in the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. 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 a slowdown in the U.S. and Indian economies and in the sectors in which our clients are based, a slowdown in the BPO and IT sectors world-wide, competition, the success or failure of our past and future acquisitions, attracting, recruiting and retaining highly skilled employees, technology, legal and regulatory policy as well as other risks detailed in our reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. We may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect management's current analysis of future events. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

                           WNS (HOLDINGS) LIMITED
           CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (UNAUDITED)
           (Amounts in thousands, except share and per share data)
    
                          Three months ended         Six months ended
                        September   September     September   September
                            30,         30,           30,         30,
                           2006        2005          2006        2005
    
    Revenue                $86,590     $48,947      $139,616    $100,129
    Cost of Revenue
     (refer to note
     below)                 67,337      35,584       104,767      74,320
    Gross Profit            19,253      13,363        34,849      25,809
    Operating expenses:
    Selling, general
     and administrative
     expenses (refer to
     note below)            12,076       8,241        22,207      15,310
    Amortization of
     intangible assets         480          51           951         119
    Operating income         6,697       5,071        11,691      10,380
    Other (expense)
     income, net               (48)         (2)          (81)         66
    Interest expense           (68)       (124)         (101)       (261)
    Income before
     income taxes            6,581       4,945        11,509      10,185
    Provision for
     income taxes             (557)       (539)         (892)     (1,403)
    Net income               6,024       4,406        10,617       8,782
    Basic income per
     share                   $0.16       $0.14         $0.29       $0.28
    Diluted income per
     share                   $0.15       $0.13         $0.27       $0.26
    Basic weighted
     average ordinary
     shares outstanding 38,372,397  31,439,757    36,805,243  31,325,046
    Diluted weighted
     average ordinary
     shares outstanding 41,093,046  33,630,411    39,521,044  33,643,619
    
    Note:
    Includes the
     following share-
     based compensation
     amounts:
    Cost of Revenue            153           -           153           -
    Selling, general
     and administrative
     expenses                  757          47           969         337
    

    Non-GAAP measure note:

    In addition to its reported operating results in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (US GAAP). WNS has included in the table below non-GAAP operating measures that the Securities and Exchange Commission defines as "non-GAAP financial measures". Management believes that such non-GAAP financial measures, when read in conjunction with the company's reported results, can provide useful supplemental information for investors analyzing period to period comparisons of the company's results. The non-GAAP financial measures disclosed by the company should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP, and the financial results calculated in accordance with GAAP and reconciliations to those financial statements should be carefully evaluated.

    Reconciliation of revenue less repair payments (non-GAAP)    Amount in
     to revenue (GAAP)                                           thousands
                                Three months ended     Six months ended
                                -----------------------------------------
                                September September   September September
                                 30, 2006  30, 2005    30, 2006  30, 2005
                                -----------------------------------------
    
                                -----------------------------------------
    Revenue less repair
     payments (Non-GAAP)         $52,964   $34,838     $98,473   $68,025
    Add: Payments to repair
     centers                      33,626    14,109      41,143    32,104
    Revenue (GAAP)                86,590    48,947     139,616   100,129
    
    Reconciliation of selling, general and administrative       Amount in
     expense (non-GAAP to GAAP)                                  thousands
                                Three months ended     Six months ended
                                -----------------------------------------
                                September September   September September
                                 30, 2006  30, 2005    30, 2006  30, 2005
                                -----------------------------------------
    
                                -----------------------------------------
    Selling, general and
     administrative expenses
     (excluding share-based
     compensation expense)
     (Non-GAAP)                  $11,319    $8,194     $21,238   $14,973
    Add: Share-based
     compensation expense            757        47         969       337
    Selling, general and
     administrative expenses
     (GAAP)                       12,076     8,241      22,207    15,310
    
                                                                Amount in
    Reconciliation of net income (non-GAAP to GAAP)              thousands
                                Three months ended     Six months ended
                                -----------------------------------------
                                September September   September September
                                 30, 2006  30, 2005    30, 2006  30, 2005
                                -----------------------------------------
    
                                -----------------------------------------
    Net income (excluding
     amortization of intangible
     assets and share-based
     compensation expense)
     (Non-GAAP)                   $7,414    $4,504     $12,690    $9,238
    Less: Amortization of
     intangible assets               480        51         951       119
    Less: Share-based
     compensation expense            910        47       1,122       337
    Net income (GAAP)              6,024     4,406      10,617     8,782
    
    Reconciliation of basic income per ADS (excluding amortization of
     intangible assets and share-based compensation expense) to basic
     income per ADS (non-GAAP to GAAP)
                                Three months ended     Six months ended
                                -----------------------------------------
                                September September   September September
                                 30, 2006  30, 2005    30, 2006  30, 2005
                                -----------------------------------------
    
                                -----------------------------------------
    Basic income per ADS
     (excluding amortization of
     intangible assets and
     share based compensation
     expense) (Non-GAAP)           $0.19     $0.14       $0.34     $0.29
    Less: Adjustments for
     amortization of intangible
     assets and share-based
     compensation expense          $0.03     $0.00       $0.05     $0.01
    Basic income per ADS (GAAP)    $0.16     $0.14       $0.29     $0.28
    
                            WNS (HOLDINGS) LIMITED
                    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
           (Amounts in thousands, except share and per share data)
    
    
                                              September 30,   March 31,
                                                  2006          2006
                                               (Unaudited)
                                              -------------  ------------
    ASSETS
    Current assets
      Cash and cash equivalents               $     92,238   $    18,549
      Accounts receivable, net of allowance
       of $431 and $373, respectively               37,501        28,081
      Funds held for clients                         5,455         3,047
      Deferred tax assets                                -           353
      Prepaid expenses                               3,500         1,225
      Other current assets                           6,322         6,140
                                              -------------  ------------
        Total current assets                       145,016        57,395
    
    Goodwill                                        36,253        33,774
    Intangible assets, net                           7,938         8,713
    Property and equipment, net                     39,183        30,623
    Deposits                                         2,450         2,990
    Deferred tax assets                              2,682         1,308
                                              -------------  ------------
    TOTAL ASSETS                              $    233,522   $   134,803
                                              =============  ============
    
    LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
    Current liabilities
      Accounts payable                        $     22,201   $    23,074
      Accrued employee costs                        12,085        11,336
      Deferred revenue                               8,502         8,994
      Income taxes payable                             517           726
      Obligations under capital leases -
       current                                          47           184
      Deferred tax liabilities                       1,143           368
      Other current liabilities                     14,210         8,781
                                              -------------  ------------
        Total current liabilities                   58,705        53,463
    
    Obligation under capital leases - non
     current                                            17             2
    Deferred rent                                      917           824
    Deferred tax liabilities - non current           1,634         2,350
    
    Shareholders' equity:
      Preference shares, $0.15 (10 pence) par
       value Authorized: 1,000,000 shares and
       none, respectively, Issued and
       outstanding - none
      Ordinary shares, $0.15 (10 pence) par
       value Authorized: 50,000,000 shares
       and 40,000,000 shares, respectively
      Issued and outstanding: 39,918,332 and
       35,321,511 shares, respectively               6,144         5,290
      Additional paid-in-capital                   141,814        62,228
      Ordinary shares subscribed, 163,511 and
       4,346 shares, respectively                      421            10
      Retained earnings                             14,721         4,104
      Deferred share-based compensation               (180)         (582)
      Accumulated other comprehensive income         9,329         7,114
                                              -------------  ------------
        Total shareholders' equity                 172,249        78,164
                                              -------------  ------------
    TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS'
     EQUITY                                   $    233,522   $   134,803
                                              =============  ============
    

    CONTACT: WNS (Holdings) Limited
    Investors:
    Jay Venkateswaran, +1 212-599-6960
    Senior VP - Investor Relations
    ir@wnsgs.com
    or
    The Torrenzano Group
    Media:
    Mike Geczi, +1 212-681-1700, Ext. 156
    mgeczi@torrenzano.com

    SOURCE: WNS (Holdings) Limited