EX-99.1 2 dex991.htm PRESS RELEASE Press Release

Exhibit 99.1

 

GOOGLE ANNOUNCES RECORD REVENUES FOR FOURTH QUARTER AND FISCAL YEAR 2004

 

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – February 1, 2005 – Google Inc. (Nasdaq: GOOG) today announced financial results for the quarter ended December 31, 2004.

 

  Google reported record revenues of $1.032 billion for the quarter ended December 31, 2004, up 101% year over year. Google reports its revenues, consistent with GAAP, on a gross basis without deducting traffic acquisition costs (“TAC”), or the portion of revenues shared with our partners.

 

  Income from operations, on a GAAP basis, was $303 million, or 29.4% of revenues for the quarter ended December 31, 2004 compared to $86 million or 16.9% of revenues for the prior year’s quarter.

 

  Income from operations includes a $60 million non-cash, stock-based compensation charge compared to a $85 million non-cash, stock-based compensation charge in the prior year’s quarter.

 

  Net income on a GAAP basis for the quarter ended December 31, 2004 was computed based on the following income statement or condensed income statement line items. Net income is derived from the above mentioned revenues of $1.032 billion, traffic acquisition costs of $378 million, as well as other costs and expenses before stock-based compensation of $291 million, stock-based compensation of $60 million, other income of $7 million and a provision for income taxes of $106 million.

 

  Some Wall Street analysts use non-GAAP measures to analyze our operating results. For instance, they may subtract traffic acquisition costs of $378 million from revenues of $1.032 billion to arrive at a net revenues amount. Also, certain analysts may arrive at net income before stock-based compensation by subtracting traffic acquisition costs of $378 million, other costs and expenses before stock-based compensation of $291 million (less other income of $7 million) and a provision for income taxes of $106 million from revenues of $1.032 billion.

 

  Net income on a GAAP basis in the fourth quarter of 2004 was $204 million or $0.71 per share on a diluted basis based on 285.9 million weighted average shares outstanding.

 

  Net cash provided by operating activities for the twelve months ended December 31, 2004 totaled $977 million as compared to $395 million last year, an increase of 147%.

 

  Adjusted EBITDA, another measure of liquidity, increased by $236 million or 125% to $425 million (or 41 % of revenues) in the fourth quarter of 2004 from $189 million in same quarter of 2003 (or 37% of revenues) and from $321 million (or 40 % of revenues) in the third quarter of 2004.


“Google had an exceptional quarter. Revenues and profits increased significantly, our execution was solid across the company and most importantly, our relationship with our users, partners and advertisers became even stronger,” said Eric Schmidt, Google chief executive officer. “All of this happened while we continued to innovate, expand around the world and make strategic, long-term investments.”

 

Q4 Financial Highlights

 

Revenues - Revenues in the quarter totaled a record $1.032 billion, representing a 28% increase over the third quarter of 2004 and a 101% year-over-year increase. This revenues growth reflects strong traffic and monetization growth in the quarter as well as advertisers’ growing recognition of the Internet as an effective advertising medium.

 

Google-Sites Revenues - Google-owned sites generated $530 million or 51% of total revenues. This represents an increase of 118% over the fourth quarter of 2003.

 

The Google Network - Revenues generated on Google’s partner sites, through AdSense programs, contributed $490 million, or 48% of total revenues, a 92% increase over the Network revenues generated in the same quarter last year.

 

TAC – Traffic Acquisition Costs, the portion of revenues shared with Google’s partners, increased to $378 million or 77% of Google Network revenues. This compares to total payments to partners of $216 million in the fourth quarter of 2003, or 85% of Google Network revenues.

 

Income from Operations – Income from operations in the quarter, on a GAAP basis, totaled $303 million or 29.4% of revenues, and included a non-cash charge of $60 million for stock-based compensation. This compares to operating income of $86 million or 16.9% of revenues in the same period of 2003, when the stock-based compensation charge was $85 million. This improvement in operating margins was primarily due to decreases in stock-based compensation expense and traffic acquisition cost as a percentage of revenues.

 

Income Taxes - Google recorded a provision for income taxes of $106 million in the fourth quarter, an effective tax rate of 34% as compared to a $62 million provision for income taxes and a 70 % effective tax rate in the fourth quarter of 2003. The provision for income taxes in the fourth quarter was reduced by $66 million related to certain items, $42 million due to ISO disqualifying dispositions and $24 million related to certain stock-based compensation charges recognized prior to the IPO. The company expects its effective tax rate before these items to generally trend lower over the long term to a rate below 35%. However, the company may experience volatility in its quarterly effective tax rates as a result of certain stock option activity.

 

Net Income - Net income on a GAAP basis increased to $204 million or 19.8% of revenues in the fourth quarter of 2004 as compared to $27 million or 5.3% of revenues in the fourth quarter of 2003. Earnings on a diluted per share basis were $0.71 in the fourth quarter of 2004 as compared to $0.10 in the fourth quarter of 2003.


Fiscal Year 2004 Financial Highlights

 

Revenues - Google reported revenues for calendar year 2004 of $3.189 billion, a 118% increase over the $1.466 billion reported for 2003. Google saw growth throughout the year both in our domestic business and internationally, both on Google owned sites and on the Google Network.

 

Specifically, revenues from Google owned sites increased 101% on a year over year basis, from $792 million to $1.6 billion. The company attributes the rapid growth to increased visits to its sites and to its accumulated knowledge of how to more effectively and efficiently monetize that traffic. Revenues from the Google Network grew 147% in the year, from $629 million in 2003 to $1.6 billion in 2004. This growth reflects growth in the number of partners in the network in both the AdSense for Search and the AdSense for Content programs, as well as improved monetization of those programs.

 

Income from Operations – On a GAAP basis (including the settlement charge) our operating income in 2004 rose 87% on a year-over-year basis to $640 million, representing a full year operating margin of 20.1%. Excluding the effect of a third-quarter, 2004 non-cash, non-recurring charge associated with a legal settlement, our operating income for the full year 2004 increased 146% to $841 million, up from $342 million the prior year. Again, excluding the aforementioned charge, our operating margin for the full year rose to 26.4% from 23.4% the previous year. Operating income as reported in both 2004 and 2003 was reduced by significant non-cash stock-based compensation charges of $279 million and $229 million respectively.

 

Net Income – Net income for the year 2004 rose to $399 million from $106 million in 2003, an increase of 278%. Adjusting for the impact of the third quarter 2004 settlement charge and for certain tax benefits, net income totaled $406 million in 2004. On a GAAP basis, earnings per share increased to $1.46 this year from $0.41 in 2003.

 

Cash Flow – Net cash provided by operating activities increased 147% to $977 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2004 from $395 million in 2003. Free cash flow is an alternative measure of liquidity to GAAP net cash provided by operating activities and is calculated as operating cash flows less capital expenditures. Capital expenditures were $319 million in the twelve months ended December 31, 2004 as compared to $177 million in the twelve months ended 2003. Free cash flow for the twelve months ended December 31, 2004 totaled $658 million as compared to $219 million for the same period in 2003, an increase of 200%.

 

Adjusted EBITDA – Adjusted EBITDA is defined as EBITDA before the non-cash stock-based compensation charge, the non-cash and non-recurring settlement charge and in-process R&D. It is another alternative measure of liquidity to GAAP net cash provided by operating activities. Adjusted EBITDA increased to approximately $1.280 billion in 2004, or 40% of revenues, from $638 million, or 44% of revenues, in 2003. For the fourth quarter of 2004, adjusted EBITDA increased to $425 million from $321 million in the third quarter. The reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA to the GAAP measure of liquidity, net cash provided by operating activities, is set forth at the back of this release.


Cash – As of December 31, 2004, Google had a cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments balance of $2.132 billion.

 

On a worldwide basis, Google employed 3,021 full time employees as of December 31, 2004, up from 2,668 as of September 30, 2004.

 

Webcast and conference call information

 

A live audio webcast of Google’s fourth-quarter earnings release call will be available at http://investor.google.com/news.html. The call begins today at 1:30 p.m. (PDT)/ 4:30 (EDT). This press release, the financial tables as well as other supplemental information including the reconciliations of certain non-GAAP measures to their nearest comparable GAAP measures, are also available at that site. A replay of the call will be available beginning at 7:30 PM EDT through midnight Tuesday, February 15, by calling (888) 203-1112 in the United States or (719) 457-0820 for calls from outside the United States. The required confirmation code for the replay is 0676870.

 

Forward looking statements

 

This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including statements relating to the Google’s market opportunity and future business prospects. Actual results may differ materially from the results predicted and reported results should not be considered as an indication of future performance. Factors that could cause actual results to differ from the results predicted are included in Google’s quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and from time to time in other reports filed by Google with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

About non-GAAP financial measures.

 

To supplement Google’s consolidated financial statements presented in accordance with GAAP, Google uses non-GAAP measures of certain financial performance and liquidity. These non-GAAP measures are comprised of income from operations, net income and net income per share before material non-recurring and other items, as well as free cash flows and adjusted EBITDA. Google’s management believes that income from operations before material non-recurring and other items and net income before material non-recurring and other items provide meaningful supplemental information regarding the company’s core operating results because they exclude amounts that are not necessarily related to those core results and are of a substantially non-recurring nature. Google’s management believes that free cash flows and adjusted EBITDA provide meaningful supplemental information regarding liquidity. Google believes that both management and investors benefit from referring to these non-GAAP financial measures in assessing the performance of Google’s ongoing operations and liquidity and when planning and forecasting future periods. These non-GAAP financial measures also facilitate management’s internal comparisons to Google’s historical operating results and liquidity.

 

Google computes its non-GAAP financial measures using the same consistent method from quarter to quarter and year to year. The accompanying tables have more details on the GAAP financial measures that are most directly comparable to non-GAAP financial measures and the related reconciliations between these financial measures.

 

Media Contacts:

 

Google Inc.

David Krane, 650-623-4096

david@google.com

Steve Langdon, 650-623-4950

slangdon@google.com


Google Inc.

Consolidated Statements of Income

(In thousands, except per share amounts)

 

     Three Months Ended
December 31,


   Twelve Months Ended
December 31,


     2003

   2004

   2003

   2004

     (unaudited)          

Revenues

   $ 512,175    $ 1,031,501    $ 1,465,934    $ 3,189,223

Costs and expenses:

                           

Cost of revenues

     250,868      453,779      625,854      1,457,653

Research and development

     28,457      87,442      91,228      225,632

Sales and marketing

     41,164      76,107      120,328      246,300

General and administrative

     20,284      51,843      56,699      139,700

Stock-based compensation (*)

     84,984      59,531      229,361      278,746

Non-recurring portion of settlement of disputes with Yahoo

     —        —        —        201,000
    

  

  

  

Total costs and expenses

     425,757      728,702      1,123,470      2,549,031
    

  

  

  

Income from operations

     86,418      302,799      342,464      640,192

Interest income and other, net

     3,007      7,374      4,190      10,042
    

  

  

  

Income before income taxes

     89,425      310,173      346,654      650,234

Provision for income taxes

     62,171      106,073      241,006      251,115
    

  

  

  

Net income

   $ 27,254    $ 204,100    $ 105,648    $ 399,119
    

  

  

  

Net income per share - basic

   $ 0.19    $ 0.78    $ 0.77    $ 2.07
    

  

  

  

Net income per share - diluted

   $ 0.10    $ 0.71    $ 0.41    $ 1.46
    

  

  

  

Shares used in per share calculation - basic

     146,326      261,172      137,697      193,176
    

  

  

  

Shares used in per share calculation - diluted

     262,561      285,944      256,638      272,781
    

  

  

  

(*)    Stock -based compensation is allocated as follows:

                           

Cost of revenues

   $ 2,736    $ 1,696    $ 8,557    $ 11,314

Research and development

     56,262      35,310      138,377      169,532

Sales and marketing

     14,077      10,292      44,607      49,449

General and administrative

     11,909      12,233      37,820      48,451
    

  

  

  

     $ 84,984    $ 59,531    $ 229,361    $ 278,746
    

  

  

  


Google Inc.

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(In thousands)

 

     December 31,
2003


    December 31,
2004


 

Assets

                

Current assets:

                

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 148,995     $ 426,873  

Short-term investments

     185,723       1,705,424  

Accounts receivable, net

     154,690       311,836  

Income taxes receivable

     —         70,509  

Deferred income taxes

     22,105       19,463  

Prepaid revenue share, expenses and other assets

     48,721       159,360  
    


 


Total current assets

     560,234       2,693,465  

Property and equipment, net

     188,255       378,916  

Goodwill

     87,442       122,818  

Intangible assets, net

     18,114       71,069  

Deferred income taxes, non-current

     —         11,590  

Prepaid revenue share, expenses and other assets, non-current

     17,413       35,493  
    


 


Total assets

   $ 871,458     $ 3,313,351  
    


 


Liabilities, Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock Warrant and Stockholders’ Equity

                

Current liabilities:

                

Accounts payable

     46,175       32,672  

Accrued compensation and benefits

     33,522       82,631  

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

     26,411       64,111  

Accrued revenue share

     88,672       122,544  

Deferred revenue

     15,346       36,508  

Income taxes payable

     20,705       —    

Current portion of equipment leases

     4,621       1,902  
    


 


Total current liabilities

     235,452       340,368  

Long-term portion of equipment leases

     1,988       —    

Deferred revenue, long-term

     5,014       7,443  

Liabilities for stock option exercised early, long-term

     6,341       5,982  

Deferred income taxes

     18,510       —    

Other long-term liabilities

     1,512       30,502  

Redeemable convertible preferred stock warrant

     13,871       —    

Stockholders’ equity:

                

Convertible preferred stock

     44,346       —    

Class A and Class B common stock

     161       267  

Additional paid-in capital

     725,219       2,582,352  

Note receivable from officer/stockholder

     (4,300 )     —    

Deferred stock-based compensation

     (369,668 )     (249,470 )

Accumulated other comprehensive income

     1,660       5,436  

Retained earnings

     191,352       590,471  
    


 


Total stockholders’ equity

     588,770       2,929,056  
    


 


Total liabilities, redeemable convertible preferred stock warrant and stockholders’ equity

   $ 871,458     $ 3,313,351  
    


 



GOOGLE INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(in thousands)

 

     Twelve Months Ended
December 31,


 
     2003

    2004

 
Operating activities                 

Net income

   $ 105,648     $ 399,119  

Adjustments:

                

Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment

     43,851       128,523  

Amortization of intangibles and warrants

     11,198       19,950  

In-process research and development

     11,618       11,343  

Stock-based compensation

     229,361       278,746  

Tax benefits from exercise of warrants and other

     —         191,570  

Non-recurring portion of settlement of disputes with Yahoo

     —         201,000  

Changes in assets and liabilities, net of effects of acquisitions:

                

Accounts receivable, net

     (90,385 )     (156,928 )

Income taxes, net

     (6,319 )     (125,227 )

Prepaid expenses and other assets

     (58,913 )     (99,779 )

Accounts payable

     36,699       (13,516 )

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

     31,104       86,374  

Accrued revenue share

     74,603       33,872  

Deferred revenue

     6,980       21,997  
    


 


Net cash provided by operating activities      395,445       977,044  
    


 


Investing activities                 

Purchases of property and equipment

     (176,801 )     (318,995 )

Purchases of short-term investments

     (316,599 )     (4,134,576 )

Maturities and sales of short-term investments

     219,404       2,611,078  

Purchases of intangibles and other assets

     —         (33,906 )

Acquisitions, net of cash acquired

     (39,958 )     (24,957 )
    


 


Net cash used in investing activities

     (313,954 )     (1,901,356 )
    


 


Financing activities                 

Proceeds from exercise of stock options, net

     15,476       12,002  

Proceeds from exercise of warrants

     —         21,944  

Net proceeds from initial public offering

     —         1,161,080  

Payment of note receivable from officer/stockholder

     —         4,300  

Payments of principal on capital leases and equipment loans

     (7,386 )     (4,708 )
    


 


Net cash provided by financing activities

     8,090       1,194,618  
    


 


Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents

     1,662       7,572  

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents

     91,243       277,878  

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of the period

     57,752       148,995  
    


 


Cash and cash equivalents, end of the period

   $ 148,995     $ 426,873  
    


 



Reconciliations of non-GAAP results of operations measures to the nearest comparable GAAP measures

 

The following table presents certain non-GAAP results before material non-recurring and other items (in thousands except per share amounts, unaudited):

 

    

Three months ended

September 30, 2004


  

Three months ended

December 31, 2004


  

Twelve months ended

December 31, 2004


     Actual

   Adjustments

    Non-GAAP
Results


   Actual

   Adjustments

    Non-GAAP
Results


   Actual

   Adjustments

    Non-GAAP
Results


Income from operations

   $ 11,112    201,000 (a)   $ 212,112    $ 302,799          $ 302,799    $ 640,192    201,000 (a)   $ 841,192
    

  

 

  

        

  

  

 

            201,000 (a)                                     201,000 (a)      
            (82,036 )(b)                                     (82,036 )(b)      
            (45,950 )(c)                 (24,031 )(c)                 (69,981 )(c)      
                                (42,237 )(d)                 (42,237 )(d)      
           

               

               

     

Net income

   $ 51,983    73,014     $ 124,997    $ 204,100    (66,268 )   $ 137,832    $ 399,119    6,746     $ 405,865
    

  

 

  

  

 

  

  

 

Net income per share - diluted

   $ 0.19          $ 0.45    $ 0.71          $ 0.48    $ 1.46          $ 1.49
    

        

  

        

  

        

Shares used in per share calculation - diluted

     274,735            274,735      285,944            285,944      272,781            272,781
    

        

  

        

  

        


(a) To eliminate $201.0 million of charges related to the non-recurring portion of settlement of disputes with Yahoo.
(b) To eliminate $82.0 million of tax benefit recognized related to the non-recurring portion of settlement of disputes with Yahoo.
(c) To eliminate $46.0 million and $24.0 million of tax benefit recorded in the third and the fourth quarters related to certain stock-based compensation charges recognized prior to the initial public offering.
(d) To eliminate $42.2 million of tax benefit recorded in the fourth quarter related to ISO disqualifying dispositions. This benefit is eliminated because it is a significant reduction to our provision for income taxes and it may or may not be “non-recurring” in terms of its significance. We cannot forecast the amount of reductions to our provision for income taxes, if any, related to ISO disqualifying dispositions that may occur in future periods.


Reconciliations of non-GAAP liquidity measures to the nearest comparable GAAP measures

 

1. Reconciliation from net cash provided by operating activities to free cash flow (in thousands, unaudited):

 

    

Three months ended

June 30, 2004


   

Three months ended

September 30, 2004


   

Three months ended

December 31, 2004


   

Twelve months ended

December 31, 2004


 

Net cash provided by operating activities

   $ 162,559     $ 238,343     $ 368,097     $ 977,044  

Less purchases of property and equipment

     (96,246 )     (77,632 )     (59,080 )     (318,995 )
    


 


 


 


Free cash flow

   $ 66,313     $ 160,711     $ 309,017     $ 658,049  
    


 


 


 


 

2. Reconciliation from net cash provided by operating activities to adjusted EBITDA(*) (in thousands, unaudited):

 

   

Three months ended

September 30, 2004


    As a percentage
of revenues


   

Three months ended

December 31, 2004


    As a percentage
of revenues


   

Twelve months ended

December 31, 2004


    As a percentage
of revenues


 

Net cash provided by operating activities

  $ 238,343     30 %   $ 368,097     36 %   $ 977,044     30 %

Changes in assets and liabilities, net of effects of acquisitions

    175,674     22 %     4,986     0 %     253,207     8 %

Provision (benefit) for income taxes

    (37,005 )   (5 )%     106,073     10 %     251,115     8 %

Interest (income) expense and other, net

    (3,866 )   (1 )%     (7,374 )   (1 )%     (10,042 )   0 %

Tax benefits from exercise of warrants and other

    (51,727 )   (6 )%     (46,599 )   (4 )%     (191,570 )   (6 )%
   


 

 


 

 


 

Adjusted EBITDA

  $ 321,419     40 %   $ 425,183     41 %   $ 1,279,754     40 %
   


 

 


 

 


 


(*) Definition of adjusted EBITDA: Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, stock-based compensation, in-process research and development and non-recurring portion of settlement charge.