EX-99.1 2 exhibit1.htm EX-99.1 EX-99.1

For Immediate Release

Argon ST, Inc. Announces Financial Results for Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2006; Provides Fiscal
2007 Outlook

FAIRFAX, VA – December 14, 2006 Argon ST, Inc. (NASDAQ: STST), a leading systems engineering, development and services company providing full-service C4ISR (command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) systems and services to a wide range of defense and intelligence customers, today announced revenues and earnings for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended September 30, 2006.

The company reported fourth quarter net income of $4.1 million ($0.18 per diluted share), compared to $6.1 million ($0.29 per diluted share) in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2005. Revenues for the fourth quarter were $66.1 million, compared with revenues of $83.7 million for the same quarter in the prior year. Net cash provided by operations for the fourth quarter were $12.0 million, compared to net cash used by operations of $22.0 million in the same period of the prior year.

Net income for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006 was $19.4 million ($0.87 per diluted share), compared to net income of $21.8 million ($1.06 per diluted share) for the prior year. Revenues for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006 were $258.8 million compared with revenues of $271.8 million for the prior year. Net Cash provided by operations for the year were $38.0 million representing a significant improvement over net cash used by operations of $26.6 million in the same period of the prior year.

Terry Collins, Chairman, CEO and President, stated: “Revenue and profit for the fourth quarter and fiscal year were negatively impacted by delayed awards on certain contracts as well as unanticipated contract losses. Margin performance maintained historic performance levels, and cash flow for the year improved.”

Mr. Collins continued, “While we are disappointed in our operating performance in both the fourth quarter and year, we remain confident that we are well positioned for future growth. The competitive award of the SSEE Increment F program and the extension for the third phase of a multi-year full rate production contract were both significant accomplishments during the year. Similarly, the company was pleased to announce the receipt of the Surface Ship Torpedo Defense AN/SLQ-25A contract in November of this year. These large multi-year programs are major contributors to continuing to solidify a base on which the company can build to achieve its long-term objectives. We are confident of our FY07 plan and are pursuing several substantive opportunities that could have a positive effect on our plan, if we are successful.”

Stock Based Compensation Expense

On October 1, 2005, the company adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement No. 123R, Share Based Payment, which requires the company to recognize share-based payment transactions as a compensation expense in its financial statements. For the fourth quarter ended September 30, 2006, the company recorded stock based compensation expense of $0.4 million before tax and $0.3 million net of taxes. For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006, the company recorded stock-based compensation expense of $1.9 million before tax and $1.5 million net of taxes. Management believes that excluding the effect of FAS 123R provides a useful comparison with results of periods prior to the company’s implementation of the standard.

Excluding the impact of FAS 123R:

    Operating Income for the fourth quarter was $7.0 million compared with $9.2 million in the same period of the prior year. Operating income for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006 was $32.5 million compared with $34.4 million in the prior year.

    Net Income for the fourth quarter was $4.4 million ($0.19 per diluted share) compared with $6.1 million ($0.29 per diluted share) in the same period of the prior year. Net income for the year ended September 30, 2006 was $20.9 million ($0.94 per diluted share) compared with $21.8 million ($1.06 per diluted share) in the prior year.

A reconciliation of GAAP results with results excluding the effect of FAS 123R is provided at the end of this press release.

Guidance

The company is issuing initial guidance for the fiscal year 2007. The table below represents management’s current expectations about the company’s future financial performance, based on information available at this time. The forward guidance in the table below does not include any effect for acquisitions Argon ST might make in the future.

     
Revenues
Income from Operations
  $305 million to $325 million
$36 million to $39 million

About Argon ST, Inc.

Argon ST, Inc. designs, develops, and produces systems and sensors for the Command and Control Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) markets including SIGINT (Signals Intelligence), ESM (Electronic Support Measures), EW (Electronic Warfare), imaging, and acoustic systems serving domestic and worldwide markets.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release which are not historical facts are forward-looking statements under the provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1955. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are based upon numerous assumptions about future conditions that could prove not to be accurate. Forward looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, and our actual results could differ materially as a result of such risks and other factors. In addition to those risks specifically mentioned in the reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (including the Company’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2005), such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the availability of U.S. and international government funding for the Company’s products and services; changes in the U.S. federal government procurement laws, regulations, policies and budgets (including changes to respond to budgetary constraints and cost-cutting initiatives); the number and type of contracts and task orders awarded to the Company; the exercise by the U.S. government of options to extend the Company’s contracts; the Company’s ability to retain contracts during any rebidding process; the timing of Congressional funding on the Company’s contracts; any government delay or termination of the Company’s contracts and programs; difficulties in developing and producing operationally advanced technology systems; the timing and customer acceptance of contract deliverables; the Company’s ability to attract and retain qualified personnel, including technical personnel and personnel with required security clearances; charges from any future impairment reviews; the future impact of any acquisitions or divestitures the Company may make; the competitive environment for defense and intelligence information technology products and services; general economic, business and political conditions domestically and internationally; and other factors affecting the Company’s business that are beyond its control. All of the forward-looking statements should be considered in light of these factors. Investors should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect new information, future events or otherwise.

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ARGON ST, INC.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

                         
    September 30,
ASSETS   2006           2005
CURRENT ASSETS
                       
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 33,498,000             $ 4,064,000  
Accounts receivable, net
    86,842,000               103,577,000  
Inventory
    3,954,000               1,166,000  
Income taxes receivable
    23,000               2,464,000  
Deferred project costs
    5,597,000                
Deferred income tax asset
    2,083,000               1,742,000  
Prepaids and other
    1,481,000               888,000  
 
                       
TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS
    133,478,000               113,901,000  
Property, equipment and software, net
    16,726,000               14,896,000  
Advances and cash held in escrow
                  10,900,000  
Goodwill
    148,719,000               107,956,000  
Intangibles, net
    13,200,000               1,219,000  
Other assets
    1,408,000               962,000  
 
                       
TOTAL ASSETS
  $ 313,531,000             $ 249,834,000  
 
                       
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDER’S EQUITY
                       
CURRENT LIABILITIES
                       
Line of Credit
                $ 11,000,000  
Accounts payable and accrued expenses
    19,124,000               26,857,000  
Accrued salaries and related expenses
    10,678,000               8,848,000  
Deferred revenue
    13,053,000               7,139,000  
Notes payable — current portion
                  56,000  
Capital lease obligations — current
    33,000               19,000  
Deferred rent
    419,000               61,000  
TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES
    43,307,000               53,980,000  
Deferred income tax liability, long term
    2,937,000               1,979,000  
Deferred rent
    1,538,000               1,799,000  
Capital lease obligations, net of current
    53,000               63,000  
Commitments and contingencies
                   
STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
                       
Common stock:
                       
$.01 Par Value, 100,000,000 shares 
                       
authorized, 22,313,709 and 20,153,878 shares 
                       
issued at September 30, 2006 and 2005 
    223,000               202,000  
Additional paid in capital
    212,610,000               158,458,000  
Treasury stock at cost, 126,245 shares
    (534,000 )             (534,000 )
Retained earnings
    53,397,000               34,002,000  
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
                  (115,000 )
 
                       
TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
  $ 265,696,000             $ 192,013,000  
 
                       
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
  $ 313,531,000             $ 249,834,000  
 
                       

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ARGON ST, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS

                                 
    For the Quarter Ended   For the Year Ended
    September 30,   September 30,
    2006   2005   2006   2005
CONTRACT REVENUES
  $ 66,145,000     $ 83,681,000     $ 258,835,000     $ 271,754,000  
COST OF REVENUES
    52,955,000       71,258,000       206,023,000       222,792,000  
GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE
                               
EXPENSES
    6,595,000       3,273,000       22,212,000       14,578,000  
 
                               
INCOME FROM OPERATIONS
    6,595,000       9,150,000       30,600,000       34,384,000  
INTEREST INCOME, NET
    281,000       170,000       1,180,000     $ 698,000  
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES
    6,876,000       9,320,000       31,780,000       35,082,000  
PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES
    2,772,000       3,258,000       12,385,000       13,301,000  
 
                               
NET INCOME
  $ 4,104,000     $ 6,062,000     $ 19,395,000     $ 21,781,000  
 
                               
EARNINGS PER SHARE
                               
Basic
  $ 0.19     $ 0.30     $ 0.90     $ 1.10  
Diluted
  $ 0.18     $ 0.29     $ 0.87     $ 1.06  
WEIGHTED- AVERAGE SHARES
                               
OUTSTANDING
                               
Basic
    22,163,853       19,966,072       21,659,606       19,738,367  
Diluted
    22,695,361       20,825,447       22,255,467       20,616,024  

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ARGON ST, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOW

                                         
                            Years Ended September 30,
                            2006   2005
Cash flows from operating activities
                               
   Net income
                  $ 19,395,000     $ 21,781,000  
   Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by
                       
      (used in) operating activities:
                       
      Depreciation and amortization
            5,625,000       4,493,000  
      Deferred income tax (benefit) provision
    (677,000 )     3,532,000  
      Stock-based compensation
            1,921,000        
      Loss on disposal of property
            165,000        
      Bad debt expense
            80,000        
      Change in:
                       
         Billed accounts receivable
    18,082,000       (23,820,000 )
         Unbilled accounts receivable
    1,603,000       (19,033,000 )
         Inventory
    (2,788,000 )     60,000  
         Prepaids and other
    (254,000 )     400,000  
         Deferred project costs
    (5,534,000 )      
         Accounts payable and accrued expenses
    (8,830,000 )     13,151,000  
         Accrued salaries and related expenses
    732,000       (1,758,000 )
         Deferred revenue
    5,914,000       (21,197,000 )
         Income taxes
    2,570,000       (8,274,000 )
         Deferred rent
    40,000       321,000  
         Tax benefit of option exercises
          3,798,000  
 
                                       
      Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities
    38,044,000       (26,546,000 )
Cash flows from investing activities
                               
   Net cash acquired in merger
                           
   Acquisitions of property, equipment and software
            (3,795,000 )     (4,370,000 )
   Advances and cash held in escrow
            10,900,000       (10,900,000 )
   Deposits and other assets
                    (233,000 )     (233,000 )
   Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired
            (56,670,000 )     -  
 
                                       
      Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities
    (49,798,000 )     (15,503,000 )
Cash flows from financing activities
                               
   Advances (repayments) on line of credit
            (11,000,000 )     11,000,000  
   Payment on note payable
                    (56,000 )     (226,000 )
   Retirement of common stock
                           
   Tax benefit on stock option exercises
            2,015,000       -  
   Proceeeds from exercise of stock options
            2,572,000       4,453,000  
   Proceeds from employee stock purchase plan exercises
            897,000       1,171,000  
   Principal repayments on capital lease obligations
            (8,000 )     (17,000 )
   Proceeds from secondary offering, net of expenses
            46,768,000       -  
   Dividends paid
                           
 
                                       
      Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
    41,188,000       16,381,000  
   Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
            29,434,000       (25,668,000 )
   Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year
            4,064,000       29,732,000  
 
                                       
   Cash and cash equivalents, end of year
          $ 33,498,000     $ 4,064,000  
 
                                       
   Supplemental disclosure
                               
      Income taxes paid, net of refunds
          $ (8,479,000 )   $ (14,212,000 )
 
                                       
      Interest expense paid
          $ (166,000 )   $ (11,000 )
 
                                       
 
                          $       $    
      Note payable issued for stock redemption
    -       -  
 
                                       
      Assets acquired under capital leases
          $ 13,000     $ 99,000  
 
                                       

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The company has presented net income, as adjusted, to show the effect that the adoption of FAS 123R had on the company’s earnings per share. The company believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information to investors because they allow investors to compare the company’s current performance to prior performance and to the performance of companies that have not yet adopted FAS 123R. These non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with GAAP.

ARGON ST, INC.
RECONCILATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES (Unaudited)

                                                         
            As Reported           Non-GAAP   As Reported           Non-GAAP
            For Quarter           For Quarter   For Year           For Year
            Ended   Non-GAAP   Ended   Ended   Non-GAAP   Ended
            9-30-06   Adjustment   9-30-06   9-30-06   Adjustment   9-30-06
CONTRACT REVENUES
          $ 66,145,000   $ 0   $ 66,145,000   $ 258,835,000   $ 0   $ 258,835,000
COST OF REVENUES
          52,955,000   (136,000 )   52,819,000   206,023,000   (907,000 )   205,116,000
GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE
                                               
EXPENSES
          6,595,000   (296,000 )   6,299,000   22,212,000   (1,014,000 )   21,198,000
 
                                                       
INCOME FROM OPERATIONS
          6,595,000   432,000   7,027,000   30,600,000   1,921,000   32,521,000
INTEREST INCOME, NET
          281,000   0   281,000   1,180,000   0   1,180,000
 
                                                       
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES
  6,876,000   432,000   7,308,000   31,780,000   1,921,000   33,701,000
PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES
  2,772,000   138,000   2,910,000   12,385,000   416,000   12,801,000
NET INCOME
          $ 4,104,000   $ 294,000   $ 4,398,000   $ 19,395,000   $ 1,505,000   $ 20,900,000
 
                                                       
EARNINGS PER SHARE (BASIC)
  $ 0.19   $ 0.01   $ 0.20   $ 0.90   $ 0.06   $ 0.96
 
                                                       
EARNINGS PER SHARE (DILUTED)
  $ 0.18   $ 0.01   $ 0.19   $ 0.87   $ 0.07   $ 0.94
 
                                                       
WEIGHTED-AVERAGE SHARES
                                                       
   OUTSTANDING
                                               
   Basic
  22,163,853    0   22,163,853   21,659,606    0   21,659,606
 
                                                       
   Diluted
  22,695,361    0   22,695,361   22,255,467    0   22,255,467
 
                                                       

Contact:

Victor F. Sellier, Chief Financial Officer
vic.sellier@argonst.com
URL: www.argonst.com

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