EX-99.1 2 dex991.htm PRESS RELEASE

Press Release

Exhibit 99.1

						FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
		Contact:		Ralph Finkenbrink Sr. Vice President, CFO Ph # - 727-726-0763		NASDAQ:  NICK Web site:  www.nicholasfinancial.com

Nicholas Financial, Inc.

Corporate Headquarters

2454 McMullen-Booth Rd.

Building C, Suite 501

Clearwater, FL 33759

Nicholas Financial Reports Results for the

1st Quarter Ended June 30, 2009

July 30, 2009 – Clearwater, Florida - Nicholas Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: NICK) announced that for the three months ended June 30, 2009, net earnings, excluding non-cash unrealized mark-to-market gain on interest rate swaps increased 34% to $2,081,000 as compared to $1,558,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2008. Per share diluted net earnings, excluding non-cash unrealized mark-to-market gain on interest rate swaps, increased 33% to $0.20 for the three months ended June 30, 2009 as compared to $0.15 for the three months ended June 30, 2008. See reconciliations of the non-GAAP measures on page 2. Revenue increased 4% to $13,694,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2009 as compared to $13,119,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2008.

According to Peter L. Vosotas, Chairman and CEO, “We are pleased with our solid first quarter results. We concentrated on basic careful lending and collecting fundamentals and will continue to do so. Our results were favorably impacted by a reduction in the net charge-off rate, lower operating expenses as a percentage of average net receivables and a reduction in the cost of borrowed funds. While we remain cautious, we are encouraged that the economy is showing some signs of stability and we feel comfortable proceeding with our planned expansion. This expansion will include new branch locations in Akron, Ohio and in Gastonia, North Carolina, which will bring our number of branch locations to 50 in 12 states. The Company remains open to acquisitions should an opportunity present itself,” added Vosotas.

Nicholas Financial, Inc. is one of the largest publicly traded specialty consumer finance companies based in the Southeast. The Company presently operates out of 48 branch locations in both the Southeast and the Mid-West States. The Company has approximately 10,500,000 shares of common stock outstanding. For an index of Nicholas Financial, Inc.’s news releases or to obtain a specific release, visit our web site at www.nicholasfinancial.com.

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this news release include forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties including general economic conditions, access to bank financing, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company’s filings and reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission including the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2009. Such statements are based on the beliefs of the Company’s management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to Company management. Actual events or results may differ materially. All forward looking statements and cautionary statements included in this document are made as of the date hereby based on information available to the Company as of the date hereof, and the Company assumes no obligation to update any forward looking statement or cautionary statement.

This press release contains disclosures of non-GAAP financial measures including: net earnings, excluding non-cash unrealized mark-to-market gain on interest rate swaps and per share diluted net earnings, excluding non-cash unrealized mark-to-market gain on interest rate swaps. These measures utilize the GAAP terms “net income” and “diluted earnings per share” and adjust the GAAP terms to exclude the effect of mark to market adjustments and reclassifications of previously recorded accumulated comprehensive losses associated with interest rate swaps. Management believes this presentation provides additional and meaningful measures for the assessment of the Company’s ongoing results and performance. Because the Company has historically reported mark-to-market (interest rate swaps) through other comprehensive income under hedge accounting, management believes that the inclusion of this non-GAAP measure provides consistency in its financial reporting and facilitates investors’ understanding of the Company’s historic operating trends by providing an additional basis for comparisons to prior periods. Management recognizes that the use of non-GAAP measures has limitations, including the fact that they may not be directly comparable with similar non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. All non-GAAP financial measures are intended to supplement the applicable GAAP disclosures and should not be considered in isolation from, or as substitute for, financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP. For a reconciliation of non-GAAP measures from GAAP reported amounts, please see the supplemental information included with this press release.

Nicholas Financial, Inc.

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

(Unaudited)

The following tables include reconciliations of GAAP reported net income to the non-GAAP measure, net earnings, excluding non-cash unrealized mark-to-market gain on interest rate swaps as well as GAAP reported diluted earnings per share to the non-GAAP measure, per share diluted net earnings, excluding non-cash unrealized mark-to-market gain on interest rate swaps. The non-GAAP measures exclude the effect of mark-to-market adjustments and reclassifications of previously recorded accumulated comprehensive losses associated with interest rate swaps.

		Three months ended June 30,
		2009				2008
Net income, GAAP		$	2,263,899			$	1,557,693
Mark-to-market gain on interest rate swaps, net of tax expense of $114,441			(182,863	)			—
Net earnings, excluding non-cash unrealized mark-to-market gain on interest rate swaps (a)		$	2,081,036			$	1,557,693
		Three months ended June 30,
		2009				2008
Diluted earnings per share, GAAP		$	0.22			$	0.15
Per diluted share mark-to-market gain on interest rate swaps		$	(0.02	)		$	—
Per share diluted net earnings, excluding non-cash unrealized mark-to-market gain on interest rate swaps (a)		$	0.20			$	0.15

(a) Represents a non-GAAP financial measure. See information on non-GAAP financial measures above.

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Nicholas Financial, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income

(Unaudited, Dollars in Thousands, Except Per Share Amounts)

		Three months ended June 30,
		2009				2008
Revenue:
Interest and fee income on finance receivables		$	13,673			$	13,104
Sales			21				15
			13,694				13,119
Expenses:
Operating			5,714				5,849
Provision for credit losses			3,323				3,402
Interest expense			1,273				1,409
Unrealized mark to market gain on interest rate swaps			(297	)			—
			10,013				10,660
Operating income before income taxes			3,681				2,459
Income tax expense			1,417				901
Net income		$	2,264			$	1,558
Earnings per share:
Basic		$	0.22			$	0.15
Diluted		$	0.22			$	0.15
Weighted average shares			10,364,000				10,187,000
Weighted average shares and assumed dilution			10,505,000				10,393,000

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(Unaudited, In Thousands)

		June 30, 2009			March 31, 2009
Cash		$	1,931		$	1,733
Finance receivables, net			192,076			186,694
Other assets			9,554			9,355
Total assets		$	203,561		$	197,782
Line of credit		$	103,961		$	102,030
Other liabilities			12,025			10,734
Total liabilities			115,986			112,764
Shareholders’ equity			87,575			85,018
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity		$	203,561		$	197,782

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Portfolio Summary		Three months ended June 30,
		2009				2008
Average finance receivables, net of unearned interest (1)		$	215,721,582			$	203,328,823
Average indebtedness (2)		$	102,991,423			$	101,856,230
Finance revenue (3)		$	13,673,272			$	13,103,966
Interest expense			1,272,677				1,409,336
Net finance revenue		$	12,400,595			$	11,694,630
Weighted average contractual rate (4)			23.93	%			24.28	%
Average cost of borrowed funds (2)			4.94	%			5.53	%
Gross portfolio yield (5)			25.35	%			25.78	%
Interest expense as a percentage of average finance receivables, net of unearned interest			2.36	%			2.77	%
Provision for credit losses as a percentage of average finance receivables, net of unearned interest			6.16	%			6.69	%
Net portfolio yield (5)			16.83	%			16.32	%
Marketing, salaries, employee benefits, depreciation and administrative expenses as a percentage of average finance receivables, net of unearned interest (6)			10.49	%			11.10	%
Pre-tax yield as a percentage of average finance receivables, net of unearned interest (7)			6.34	%			5.22	%
Write-off to liquidation (8)			10.80	%			11.24	%
Net charge-off percentage (9)			7.72	%			9.39	%

Note: All three month key performance indicators expressed as percentages have been annualized.

(1) Average finance receivables, net of unearned interest, represents the average of gross finance receivables, less unearned interest throughout the period.

(2) Average indebtedness represents the average outstanding borrowings under the Line. Average cost of borrowed funds represents interest expense as a percentage of average indebtedness.

(3) Finance revenue does not include revenue generated by Nicholas Data Services, Inc., (“NDS”) the wholly-owned software subsidiary of Nicholas Financial, Inc.

(4) Weighted average contractual rate represents the weighted average annual percentage rate (APR) of all Contracts purchased and direct loans originated during the period.

(5) Gross portfolio yield represents finance revenues as a percentage of average finance receivables, net of unearned interest. Net portfolio yield represents finance revenue minus (a) interest expense and (b) the provision for credit losses as a percentage of average finance receivables, net of unearned interest.

(6) Administrative expenses included in the calculation above are net of administrative expenses associated with NDS which approximated $52,000 and $202,000 during the three-month periods ended June 30, 2009 and 2008, respectively.

(7) Pre-tax yield represents net portfolio yield minus operating expenses as a percentage of average finance receivables, net of unearned interest.

(8) Write-off to liquidation percentage is defined as net charge-offs divided by liquidation. Liquidation is defined as beginning receivable balance plus current period purchases minus voids and refinances minus ending receivable balance.

(9) Net charge-off percentage represents net charge-offs divided by average finance receivables, net of unearned interest, outstanding during the period.

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The following tables present certain information regarding the delinquency rates experienced by the Company with respect to Contracts and under its direct loan program:

		June 30,
		2009						2008
Contracts
Gross balance outstanding		$	301,549,799					$	282,828,447
Delinquencies
30 to 59 days		$	9,603,430		3.18	%		$	7,066,773		2.50	%
60 to 89 days			3,739,568		1.24	%			2,734,258		0.97	%
90 + days			1,080,901		0.36	%			1,106,775		0.39	%
Total delinquencies		$	14,423,899		4.78	%		$	10,907,806		3.86	%
Direct Loans
Gross balance outstanding		$	6,311,182					$	9,275,896
Delinquencies
30 to 59 days		$	137,623		2.18	%		$	123,548		1.33	%
60 to 89 days			103,786		1.64	%			61,820		0.67	%
90 + days			37,232		0.59	%			44,009		0.47	%
Total delinquencies		$	278,641		4.41	%		$	229,377		2.47	%

The following table presents selected information on Contracts purchased by the Company, net of unearned interest:

		Three months ended June 30,
		2009				2008
Contracts
Purchases		$	30,089,267			$	33,324,451
Weighted APR			23.83	%			24.19	%
Average discount			9.29	%			8.87	%
Weighted average term (months)			49				49
Average loan		$	9,444			$	9,554
Number of contracts			3,186				3,488

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