Vertel Reports Second Quarter Results

Revenues Increase $1.1 Million or 24 Percent Over First Quarter 1999

    WOODLAND HILLS, CA., July 27, 1999--Vertel® (NASDAQ: VRTL), a leading global provider of multi-management solutions for telecommunications networks, reports that revenues for its second quarter ended June 30, 1999, were $5.6 million, compared with $4.5 million in the first quarter of 1999 and $5.0 million for the second quarter 1998. Second quarter 1999 net loss was $1.8 million, or ($0.07) per share, compared with a net loss of $1.5 million, or ($0.06) per share, for the first quarter of 1999 and a net loss of $172,000, or ($0.01) per share, for the second quarter of 1998.

For the six months ended June 30, 1999, revenues were $10.1 million, compared with $9.9 million for the same period in 1998. Vertel's year-to-date net loss was $3.2 million, or ($0.13) per share, compared with net income of $168,000, or $0.01 per basic and diluted share, for the first six months of 1998.

"Sales increased by $1.1 million over the first quarter, while operating expenses, which included approximately $200,000 in goodwill amortization related to the Expersoft acquisition, increased $1.3 million, versus first-quarter levels, as we continued to reposition the company into higher growing market segments," said Bruce Brown, president and chief executive officer of Vertel."

"We are pleased with Expersoft's contribution this quarter, and continue looking for ways to expand our business through acquisition," Brown said. "During the second quarter we trained the combined sales organizations on the various product lines and increased our sales capacity through additional personnel. We are also investing in new product development both at Expersoft and at Vertel in the operations support systems (OSS) applications area."

"This quarter we advanced our corporate strategy through the introduction of our eORB product line, an intelligent agent for the new Internet-driven networks," Brown said. "We also continued our progress with the launch of our mediation framework product and services that allow the integration of different network applications and systems using standards-based technologies, such as CORBA, SNMP and TMN. Our important strategic alliance with Lucent, which we announced shortly after the close of the quarter, will profit from this technology."

"Our relationship with Lucent is an example of our strategy for building strong relationships with leading network equipment manufacturers," Brown said. Based on projections from both Vertel and Lucent, our partnership has the potential to generate up to $20 million in revenues for Vertel over three years. We expect revenues to begin to reflect the impact of this relationship in the third quarter, as we implement the first two projects."

"Our strategic focus continues to be building the telecommunications management infrastructure for carrier-grade OSS," Brown said. "This is a market estimated to be worth more than $10 billion. There are no dominant companies in our space, and 70 percent of the market remains unserved by the OSS software vendors and is instead served by the internal development organizations of the carriers and the equipment manufacturers. Our target market remains one of the truly great opportunities in the next decade."

About Vertel Corporation

Vertel is a leading global provider of telecom network management software and solutions that support multiple management technologies. These solutions provide public and IP network operations support systems (OSS) infrastructures the key components required for end-to-end network and service management with carrier-grade quality of service. Vertel delivers telecom management solutions worldwide to service providers, network operators, telecom equipment manufacturers, and independent software vendors and systems integrators. Vertel also delivers turnkey management applications that fit individual customer requirements through their Professional Services Organization. The Company is based in Woodland Hills, California and has sales offices throughout the world.

    "Safe Harbor" Statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Except for the historical information presented, the matters discussed in this news release are forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including timely and successful development of products and technologies; successful introduction and customer acceptance of new and enhanced products and technologies in existing and new markets; the possible development and introduction of competitive products and new and alternative technologies; pricing, currency and exchange risks; governmental and regulatory developments affecting Vertel and its customers; the ability to identify, conclude, and integrate acquisitions on a timely basis; the ability to retain and attract key personnel; and other risks detailed from time to time in public disclosure filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) by Vertel, including, but not limited to, the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1998 and the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 1999.
 

VERTEL CORPORATION

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(in thousands, except share amounts)



                                                 June 30,   December 31,

ASSETS                                             1999        1998

                                                 --------    --------

                                                (unaudited)

Current assets:

  Cash and cash equivalents                      $ 3,999       $19,495

  Short-term investments                           8,380           978

  Trade accounts receivable

   (net of allowances of $696

   as of June 30, 1999 and

   $556 as of December 31, 1998)                   7,220         4,477

  Prepaid expenses and other

   current assets                                    666           540

                                                 -------       -------

     Total current assets                         20,265        25,490



Property and equipment, net                        1,343         1,025

Investments                                        1,437         1,437

Goodwill                                           4,464            --

Other assets                                         327           365

                                                 -------       -------

                                                 $27,836       $28,317

                                                 =======       =======





          LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY



Current liabilities:                        

  Accounts payable                               $   716       $   426

  Accrued wages and related liabilities            1,840         1,351

  Capital lease obligations                          138            --

  Accrued restructuring expenses                     223           224

  Accrued taxes payable                              903         1,087

  Other accrued liabilities                        1,904         1,942

  Accrued acquisition liabilities                    647            --

  Deferred revenue                                 1,741         1,115

                                                 -------       -------

     Total liabilities                             8,112         6,145

                                                 -------       -------

                                                              

Shareholders' equity:

   Preferred stock, par value 

    $.01, 2,000,000 shares

    authorized; none issued and 

    outstanding

   Common stock, par value $.01, 

    50,000,000 shares authorized;

    Shares issued and outstanding: 

    1999, 25,382,761;                           

    1998, 24,954,545                                 254           249

   Additional paid-in capital                     80,301        79,553

   Accumulated deficit                           (60,692)      (57,483)

   Accumulated comprehensive deficit                (139)         (147)

                                                 -------       -------

       Total shareholders' equity                 19,724        22,172

                                                 -------       -------

                                                 $27,836       $28,317

                                                 =======       ======= 





VERTEL CORPORATION

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(in thousands, except per share amounts)

(unaudited)





                                   Three Month          Six Month 

                                   Period Ended        Period Ended

                                ------------------  ------------------

                                June 30,  June 27,  June 30,  June 27,

                                  1999      1998      1999      1998

                                --------  --------  --------  --------

Net revenues:

 License                        $  3,602  $  3,670  $  6,764  $  6,648

 License - related party              --        33        --       737

 Service and other                 2,000     1,300     3,360     2,536

                                --------  --------  --------  --------

   Net revenues                    5,602     5,003    10,124     9,921

                                --------  --------  --------  --------



Cost of revenues:

  License                            421       330       991       530

  Service and other                1,497     1,231     2,911     2,359

                                --------  --------  --------  --------

    Total cost of revenues         1,918     1,561     3,902     2,889

                                --------  --------  --------  --------



Gross profit                       3,684     3,442     6,222     7,032

                                --------  --------  --------  --------



Operating expenses:

   Research and development        1,975     1,612     3,611     3,047

   Sales and marketing             2,202     1,463     3,759     2,950

   General and administrative      1,381       677     2,433     1,334

                                --------  --------  --------  --------

     Total                         5,558     3,752     9,803     7,331

                                --------  --------  --------  --------



Operating loss                     1,874       310     3,581       299

Other income, net                    143       202       392       663

                                --------  --------  --------  --------



(Loss) income before

  provision for income

  taxes                           (1,731)     (108)   (3,189)      364

Provision for income taxes            20        64        20       196

                                --------  --------  --------  --------

Net (loss) income                 (1,751)     (172)   (3,209)      168

Other comprehensive income

 (expense)                            38       (52)        8       (21)

                                --------  --------  --------  --------

Comprehensive (loss) income     $ (1,713) $   (224) $ (3,201) $    147

                                ========  ========  ========  ========



Basic net (loss) income

 per common share               ($  0.07) ($  0.01) ($  0.13) $   0.01

                                ========  ========  ========  ========

Diluted net (loss) income

 per common share               ($  0.07) ($  0.01) ($  0.13) $   0.01   

                                ========  ========  ========  ========



Weighted average shares

 outstanding used in

 net (loss) income per

 common share calculations:

    Basic                         25,354    22,923    25,280    22,736

    Diluted                       25,354    22,923    25,280    24,602



CONTACT VERTEL:

For corporate information:

Sandy Christopher
(818) 227-5735
email:  sandy-christopher@vertel.com

For product information:

Darrin Stone
(818) 227-1451
email: darrin-stone@vertel.com

CONTACT Financial Relations Board:

Financial Relations Board, General Inquiries
Virginia St. John-Needham, 310/442-0599
vsn@la.frbd.com

Marjorie Ornston, Media Inquiries
310/442-0599
mjo@la.frbd.com

Jill Fukuhara, Investor Inquiries
310/442-0599
jsf@la.frbd.com
 

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