Scholastic Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2024 Results
Advanced Long-Term Growth Strategy and Investments, While Navigating Increased Spending Headwinds in School-Based Businesses in Fourth Quarter
Returned Over
Targeting Modest Growth in Fiscal 2025,
"
"In our seasonally important fourth quarter, a slowdown in supplemental curriculum purchases by schools and increasing pressure on consumer spending, as seen across the economy, impacted sales in Scholastic's Education Solutions and School Book Fairs businesses, respectively. We took steps to carefully manage and align operating expenses in response, while protecting investment in long-term growth opportunities, but these factors caused Scholastic's fourth quarter revenue and profit to come in below our expectations. Despite the cyclical headwinds, these two trusted channels to families and educators continued to execute well, with robust fair bookings and transaction sizes in Book Fairs. In Education Solutions, we made progress developing new literacy products, leveraging Scholastic's engaging content and strong brand.
"As we begin a new fiscal year, we remain focused on realizing Scholastic's substantial multi-year opportunity to address the large, broader market for trusted children's books, reading and media. Though the external environment will continue to pressure results in fiscal 2025, we expect to begin seeing the benefit of our strategic investments, especially in children's IP, as we pursue accelerated growth and margin targets for the next three to five years with continued investment in our key growth initiatives. Supported by our businesses' operating leverage and free cash flow conversion, we are committed to continuing to invest in these opportunities, while maintaining a strong, efficient balance sheet and returning excess cash to shareholders through our dividend and continued share repurchases."
Outlook
The Company expects fiscal 2025 revenue growth of 4% to 6% and is targeting Adjusted EBITDA (as defined in the accompanying tables) of
Fiscal 2024 Q4 Review
In $ millions |
Fourth Quarter |
Change |
|||||||
Fiscal 2024 |
Fiscal 2023 |
$ |
% |
||||||
Revenues |
$ |
474.9 |
$ |
528.3 |
$ |
(53.4) |
(10) % |
||
Operating income (loss) |
$ |
47.2 |
$ |
92.0 |
$ |
(44.8) |
(49) % |
||
Earnings (loss) before taxes |
$ |
47.3 |
$ |
95.6 |
$ |
(48.3) |
(51) % |
||
Diluted earnings (loss) per share |
$ |
1.23 |
$ |
2.26 |
$ |
(1.03) |
(46) % |
||
Operating income (loss), ex. one-time items* |
$ |
66.8 |
$ |
92.0 |
$ |
(25.2) |
(27) % |
||
Diluted earnings (loss) per share, ex. one-time items * |
$ |
1.73 |
$ |
2.26 |
$ |
(0.53) |
(23) % |
||
Adjusted EBITDA* |
$ |
90.7 |
$ |
115.0 |
$ |
(24.3) |
(21) % |
* Please refer to the non-GAAP financial tables attached |
Revenues decreased 10% to
Operating Income decreased 49% to
Quarterly Results
In the fiscal fourth quarter, the
- Book Fairs revenues were
$169.5 million , down 6% from the prior year period reflecting lower revenue per fair, partially offset by an increase in fair count. The addition of smaller fairs and increased pressure on consumer spending has resulted in a decrease in average revenue per fair from prior year's record levels which more than offset the benefits of increased fair count. Book Clubs revenues were$14.4 million , a decline of 45% as the Company seeks to shift to a smaller, more profitable core business.- Consolidated Trade revenues were
$82.1 million , down 3% primarily a result of the prior year release of Eva the Owlet™ TV series, which did not repeat in the current period. Excluding revenues fromScholastic Entertainment , revenues increased 3% driven by the strong performance of the Company's global brands, such asDav Pilkey's Dog Man series.
Adjusted segment operating income was
Education Solutions
Education Solutions segment revenues decreased 17% to
Adjusted segment operating income was
International
Excluding unfavorable foreign currency exchange of
Operating income was
Overhead
Adjusted overhead costs improved to
Fiscal 2024 Full Year Review
In $ millions |
Full Year |
Change |
|||||||
Fiscal 2024 |
Fiscal 2023 |
$ |
% |
||||||
Revenues |
$ |
1,589.7 |
$ |
1,704.0 |
$ |
(114.3) |
(7) % |
||
Operating income (loss) |
$ |
14.5 |
$ |
106.3 |
$ |
(91.8) |
(86) % |
||
Earnings (loss) before taxes |
$ |
16.2 |
$ |
112.4 |
$ |
(96.2) |
(86) % |
||
Diluted earnings (loss) per share |
$ |
0.40 |
$ |
2.49 |
$ |
(2.09) |
(84) % |
||
Operating income (loss), ex. one-time items* |
$ |
44.7 |
$ |
106.3 |
$ |
(61.6) |
(58) % |
||
Diluted earnings (loss) per share, ex. one-time items * |
$ |
1.14 |
$ |
2.49 |
$ |
(1.35) |
(54) % |
||
Adjusted EBITDA* |
$ |
136.9 |
$ |
196.3 |
$ |
(59.4) |
(30) % |
* Please refer to the non-GAAP financial tables attached |
Revenues decreased 7% to
Operating Income was
Adjusted EBITDA (a non-GAAP measure of operations explained in the accompanying tables) decreased 30% to
Capital Position and Liquidity
In $ millions |
Full Year |
Change |
|||||||
Fiscal 2024 |
Fiscal 2023 |
$ |
% |
||||||
Net cash provided by operating activities |
$ |
154.6 |
$ |
148.9 |
$ |
5.7 |
4 % |
||
Additions to property, plant and equipment and |
(81.2) |
(88.9) |
7.7 |
9 % |
|||||
Free cash flow (use)* |
$ |
73.4 |
$ |
60.0 |
$ |
13.4 |
22 % |
||
Net cash (debt)* |
$ |
107.7 |
$ |
218.5 |
$ |
(110.8) |
(51) % |
* Please refer to the non-GAAP financial tables attached |
For the fiscal year Net cash provided by operating activities increased
In fiscal 2024, the Company distributed
There is currently
Additional Information
To supplement our financial statements presented in accordance with GAAP, we include certain non-GAAP calculations and presentations including, as noted above, "Adjusted EBITDA" and "Free Cash Flow". Please refer to the non-GAAP financial tables attached to this press release for supporting details on the impact of one-time items on operating income, net income and diluted EPS, and the use of non-GAAP financial measures included in this release. This information should be considered as supplemental in nature and not as a substitute for the related financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP.
Conference Call
The Company will hold a conference call to discuss its results at
A live webcast of the call can be accessed at https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/8djr6fe4/. To access the conference call by phone, please go to https://register.vevent.com/register/ BIa75252ac51374d72bcbc63268f196407, which will provide dial-in details. To avoid delays, participants are encouraged to dial into the conference call five minutes ahead of the scheduled start time. Shortly following the call, an archived webcast and accompanying slides from the conference call will be posted at investor.scholastic.com.
About Scholastic
For more than 100 years,
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains certain forward-looking statements relating to future periods. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including the conditions of the children's book and educational materials markets generally and acceptance of the Company's products within those markets, and other risks and factors identified from time to time in the Company's filings with the
SCHL: Financial
Table 1 |
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
Consolidated Statements of Operations |
|||||||||
(Unaudited) |
|||||||||
(In $ Millions, except shares and per share data) |
|||||||||
Three months ended |
Twelve months ended |
||||||||
|
|
|
|
||||||
Revenues |
$ |
474.9 |
$ |
528.3 |
$ |
1,589.7 |
$ |
1,704.0 |
|
Operating costs and expenses: |
|||||||||
Cost of goods sold |
192.3 |
220.4 |
705.1 |
786.4 |
|||||
Selling, general and administrative expenses (1) |
210.9 |
202.2 |
803.0 |
756.6 |
|||||
Depreciation and amortization |
15.0 |
13.7 |
57.1 |
54.7 |
|||||
Asset impairments and write downs (2) |
9.5 |
— |
10.0 |
— |
|||||
Total operating costs and expenses |
427.7 |
436.3 |
1,575.2 |
1,597.7 |
|||||
Operating income (loss) |
47.2 |
92.0 |
14.5 |
106.3 |
|||||
Interest income (expense), net |
0.3 |
3.5 |
2.7 |
5.8 |
|||||
Other components of net periodic benefit (cost) |
(0.2) |
0.1 |
(1.0) |
0.3 |
|||||
Earnings (loss) before income taxes |
47.3 |
95.6 |
16.2 |
112.4 |
|||||
Provision (benefit) for income taxes (3) |
11.4 |
19.8 |
4.1 |
25.9 |
|||||
Net income (loss) |
35.9 |
75.8 |
12.1 |
86.5 |
|||||
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest |
— |
0.1 |
— |
0.2 |
|||||
Net income (loss) attributable to |
$ |
35.9 |
$ |
75.7 |
$ |
12.1 |
$ |
86.3 |
|
Basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share of Class A and Common Stock (4) |
|||||||||
Basic |
$ |
1.26 |
$ |
2.33 |
$ |
0.41 |
$ |
2.56 |
|
Diluted |
$ |
1.23 |
$ |
2.26 |
$ |
0.40 |
$ |
2.49 |
|
Basic weighted average shares outstanding |
28,511 |
32,585 |
29,557 |
33,780 |
|||||
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding |
29,228 |
33,498 |
30,361 |
34,732 |
(1) |
In the three and twelve months ended |
|||||||||
(2) |
In the three and the twelve months ended |
|||||||||
(3) |
In the three and twelve months ended |
|||||||||
(4) |
Earnings (loss) per share are calculated on non-rounded net income (loss) and shares outstanding. Recalculating earnings per share |
Table 2 |
|||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
Segment Results |
|||||||||||||||
(Unaudited) |
|||||||||||||||
(In $ Millions) |
|||||||||||||||
Three months ended |
Change |
Twelve months ended |
Change |
||||||||||||
|
|
$ |
% |
|
|
$ |
% |
||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
Revenues |
|||||||||||||||
|
$ |
14.4 |
$ |
26.2 |
$ |
(11.8) |
(45) % |
$ |
62.7 |
$ |
117.8 |
$ |
(55.1) |
(47) % |
|
Book Fairs |
169.5 |
180.5 |
(11.0) |
(6) % |
541.6 |
553.1 |
(11.5) |
(2) % |
|||||||
School Reading Events |
183.9 |
206.7 |
(22.8) |
(11) % |
604.3 |
670.9 |
(66.6) |
(10) % |
|||||||
Consolidated Trade |
82.1 |
84.3 |
(2.2) |
(3) % |
350.9 |
367.1 |
(16.2) |
(4) % |
|||||||
Total Revenues |
266.0 |
291.0 |
(25.0) |
(9) % |
955.2 |
1,038.0 |
(82.8) |
(8) % |
|||||||
Operating income (loss) |
43.6 |
58.4 |
(14.8) |
(25) % |
112.1 |
143.4 |
(31.3) |
(22) % |
|||||||
Operating margin |
16.4 % |
20.1 % |
11.7 % |
13.8 % |
|||||||||||
Education Solutions |
|||||||||||||||
Revenues |
135.7 |
163.4 |
(27.7) |
(17) % |
351.2 |
386.6 |
(35.4) |
(9) % |
|||||||
Operating income (loss) |
29.5 |
55.0 |
(25.5) |
(46) % |
15.8 |
58.4 |
(42.6) |
(73) % |
|||||||
Operating margin |
21.7 % |
33.7 % |
4.5 % |
15.1 % |
|||||||||||
International |
|||||||||||||||
Revenues |
70.8 |
73.9 |
(3.1) |
(4) % |
273.6 |
279.4 |
(5.8) |
(2) % |
|||||||
Operating income (loss) |
(0.8) |
2.2 |
(3.0) |
(136) % |
(6.9) |
(3.6) |
(3.3) |
(92) % |
|||||||
Operating margin |
NM |
3.0 % |
NM |
NM |
|||||||||||
Overhead |
|||||||||||||||
Operating income (loss) |
(25.1) |
(23.6) |
(1.5) |
(6) % |
(106.5) |
(91.9) |
(14.6) |
(16) % |
|||||||
Operating income (loss) |
$ |
47.2 |
$ |
92.0 |
$ |
(44.8) |
(49) % |
$ |
14.5 |
$ |
106.3 |
$ |
(91.8) |
(86) % |
|
NM - Not meaningful |
Table 3 |
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
Supplemental Information |
|||||||||
(Unaudited) |
|||||||||
(In $ Millions) |
|||||||||
Selected Balance Sheet Items |
|||||||||
|
|
||||||||
Cash and cash equivalents |
$ |
113.7 |
$ |
224.5 |
|||||
Accounts receivable, net |
235.0 |
278.0 |
|||||||
Inventories, net |
264.2 |
334.5 |
|||||||
Accounts payable |
138.5 |
170.9 |
|||||||
Deferred revenue |
161.1 |
169.1 |
|||||||
Accrued royalties |
48.5 |
52.8 |
|||||||
Lines of credit and current portion of long-term debt |
6.0 |
6.0 |
|||||||
Long-term debt |
— |
— |
|||||||
Total debt |
6.0 |
6.0 |
|||||||
Net cash (debt) (1) |
107.7 |
218.5 |
|||||||
Total stockholders' equity |
1,018.1 |
1,164.5 |
|||||||
Selected Cash Flow Items |
|||||||||
Three months ended |
Twelve months ended |
||||||||
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities |
$ |
69.9 |
$ |
120.0 |
$ |
154.6 |
$ |
148.9 |
|
Less: |
|||||||||
Additions to property, plant and equipment |
14.6 |
25.2 |
58.4 |
62.0 |
|||||
Prepublication expenditures |
5.6 |
9.1 |
22.8 |
26.9 |
|||||
Free cash flow (use) (2) |
$ |
49.7 |
$ |
85.7 |
$ |
73.4 |
$ |
60.0 |
(1) |
Net cash (debt) is defined by the Company as cash and cash equivalents, net of lines of credit and |
|||||||||
(2) |
Free cash flow (use) is defined by the Company as net cash provided by or used in operating |
Table 4 |
|||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||
Supplemental Results - Excluding One-Time Items |
|||||||||||||||||
(Unaudited) |
|||||||||||||||||
(In $ Millions, except per share data) |
|||||||||||||||||
Three months ended |
|||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||
Reported |
One-time |
Excluding |
Reported |
One-time |
Excluding |
||||||||||||
Diluted earnings (loss) per share (1) |
$ |
1.23 |
$ |
0.51 |
$ |
1.73 |
$ |
2.26 |
$ |
— |
$ |
2.26 |
|||||
Net income (loss) (2) |
$ |
35.9 |
$ |
14.6 |
$ |
50.5 |
$ |
75.7 |
$ |
— |
$ |
75.7 |
|||||
Earnings (loss) before income taxes |
$ |
47.3 |
$ |
19.6 |
$ |
66.9 |
$ |
95.6 |
$ |
— |
$ |
95.6 |
|||||
|
$ |
43.6 |
$ |
6.3 |
$ |
49.9 |
$ |
58.4 |
$ |
— |
$ |
58.4 |
|||||
Education Solutions (4) |
29.5 |
6.1 |
35.6 |
55.0 |
— |
55.0 |
|||||||||||
International (5) |
(0.8) |
2.6 |
1.8 |
2.2 |
— |
2.2 |
|||||||||||
Overhead (6) |
(25.1) |
4.6 |
(20.5) |
(23.6) |
— |
(23.6) |
|||||||||||
Operating income (loss) |
$ |
47.2 |
$ |
19.6 |
$ |
66.8 |
$ |
92.0 |
$ |
— |
$ |
92.0 |
|||||
Twelve months ended |
|||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||
Reported |
One-time |
Excluding |
Reported |
One-time |
Excluding |
||||||||||||
Diluted earnings (loss) per share (1) |
$ |
0.40 |
$ |
0.76 |
$ |
1.14 |
$ |
2.49 |
$ |
— |
$ |
2.49 |
|||||
Net income (loss) (2) |
$ |
12.1 |
$ |
22.5 |
$ |
34.6 |
$ |
86.3 |
$ |
— |
$ |
86.3 |
|||||
Earnings (loss) before income taxes |
$ |
16.2 |
$ |
30.2 |
$ |
46.4 |
$ |
112.4 |
$ |
— |
$ |
112.4 |
|||||
|
$ |
112.1 |
$ |
9.8 |
$ |
121.9 |
$ |
143.4 |
$ |
— |
$ |
143.4 |
|||||
Education Solutions (4) |
15.8 |
6.1 |
21.9 |
58.4 |
— |
58.4 |
|||||||||||
International (5) |
(6.9) |
3.8 |
(3.1) |
(3.6) |
— |
(3.6) |
|||||||||||
Overhead (6) |
(106.5) |
10.5 |
(96.0) |
(91.9) |
— |
(91.9) |
|||||||||||
Operating income (loss) |
$ |
14.5 |
$ |
30.2 |
$ |
44.7 |
$ |
106.3 |
$ |
— |
$ |
106.3 |
(1) |
Earnings (loss) per share are calculated on non-rounded net income (loss) and shares outstanding. Recalculating earnings |
|||||||||||||||||
(2) |
In the three and twelve months ended |
|||||||||||||||||
(3) |
In the three and twelve months ended |
|||||||||||||||||
(4) |
In the three and twelve months ended |
|||||||||||||||||
(5) |
In the three and twelve months ended |
|||||||||||||||||
(6) |
In the three and twelve months ended |
Table 5 |
|||||
|
|||||
Consolidated Statements of Operations - Supplemental |
|||||
Adjusted EBITDA |
|||||
(Unaudited) |
|||||
(In $ Millions) |
|||||
Three months ended |
|||||
|
|
||||
Earnings (loss) before income taxes as reported |
$ |
47.3 |
$ |
95.6 |
|
One-time items before income taxes |
19.6 |
— |
|||
Earnings (loss) before income taxes excluding one-time items |
66.9 |
95.6 |
|||
Interest (income) expense |
(0.3) |
(3.5) |
|||
Depreciation and amortization (1) |
17.8 |
16.3 |
|||
Amortization of prepublication costs |
6.3 |
6.6 |
|||
Adjusted EBITDA (2) |
$ |
90.7 |
$ |
115.0 |
|
Twelve months ended |
|||||
|
|
||||
Earnings (loss) before income taxes as reported |
$ |
16.2 |
$ |
112.4 |
|
One-time items before income taxes |
30.2 |
— |
|||
Earnings (loss) before income taxes excluding one-time items |
46.4 |
112.4 |
|||
Interest (income) expense |
(2.7) |
(5.8) |
|||
Depreciation and amortization (1) |
67.0 |
64.6 |
|||
Amortization of prepublication costs |
26.2 |
25.1 |
|||
Adjusted EBITDA (2) |
$ |
136.9 |
$ |
196.3 |
(1) |
For the three and twelve months ended |
|||||
(2) |
Adjusted EBITDA is defined by the Company as earnings (loss), excluding one-time items, |
Table 6 |
|||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
Revenues & Adjusted EBITDA by Segment & Historical 9 |
|||||||||||
(Unaudited) |
|||||||||||
(In $ Millions) |
|||||||||||
Twelve months ended |
|||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
CBPD (1) (2) |
EDUC (1) |
INTL (1) |
OVH (1) |
9 Story (3) |
|||||||
Revenues |
$ |
955.2 |
$ |
351.2 |
$ |
273.6 |
$ |
9.7 |
$ |
81.7 |
|
Earnings (loss) before income taxes as reported |
$ |
112.0 |
$ |
15.8 |
$ |
(8.3) |
$ |
(103.3) |
$ |
(15.9) |
|
One-time items before income taxes |
9.8 |
6.1 |
3.8 |
10.5 |
8.7 |
||||||
Earnings (loss) before income taxes excluding one-time items |
121.8 |
21.9 |
(4.5) |
(92.8) |
(7.2) |
||||||
Interest (income) expense |
0.2 |
— |
(0.2) |
(2.7) |
2.7 |
||||||
Depreciation and amortization (4) |
24.9 |
14.0 |
5.5 |
22.6 |
16.5 |
||||||
Amortization of prepublication costs |
7.3 |
17.0 |
1.9 |
— |
— |
||||||
Adjusted EBITDA (5) |
$ |
154.2 |
$ |
52.9 |
$ |
2.7 |
$ |
(72.9) |
$ |
12.0 |
|
Twelve months ended |
|||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
CBPD (1) (2) |
EDUC (1) |
INTL (1) |
OVH (1) |
9 Story (3) |
|||||||
Revenues |
$ |
1,038.0 |
$ |
386.6 |
$ |
279.4 |
$ |
— |
$ |
114.6 |
|
Earnings (loss) before income taxes as reported |
$ |
143.4 |
$ |
58.3 |
$ |
(4.0) |
$ |
(85.3) |
$ |
(4.1) |
|
One-time items before income taxes |
— |
— |
— |
— |
10.0 |
||||||
Earnings (loss) before income taxes excluding one-time items |
143.4 |
58.3 |
(4.0) |
(85.3) |
5.9 |
||||||
Interest (income) expense |
— |
— |
0.2 |
(6.0) |
1.9 |
||||||
Depreciation and amortization (4) |
26.9 |
13.7 |
5.7 |
18.3 |
17.4 |
||||||
Amortization of prepublication costs |
7.6 |
15.8 |
1.7 |
— |
— |
||||||
Adjusted EBITDA (5) |
$ |
177.9 |
$ |
87.8 |
$ |
3.6 |
$ |
(73.0) |
$ |
25.2 |
(1) |
The Company's segments are defined as the following: CBPD - |
|||||||||||
(2) |
|
|||||||||||
(3) |
Represents historical financial data for 9 |
|||||||||||
(4) |
Depreciation and amortization in the |
|||||||||||
(5) |
Adjusted EBITDA is defined by the Company as earnings (loss), excluding one-time items, before interest, taxes, depreciation |
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SOURCE
Investors: Jeffrey Mathews, (212) 343-6741, investor_relations@scholastic.com; Media: Anne Sparkman, (212) 343-6657, asparkman@scholastic.com