Newspaper Publisher A. H. Belo Corporation Reports Third Quarter 2009 Financial Results

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DALLAS, Oct. 30 -- Newspaper publisher A. H. Belo Corporation (NYSE: AHC) reported third quarter 2009 revenues of $126.9 million and a net loss of ($5.8) million, or ($0.28) per share, for the third quarter. Included in the net loss was a $20 million, or ($0.97) per share non-cash impairment charge and a $12 million or $0.58 per share, tax benefit.

During the third quarter, A. H. Belo recorded a $20 million non-cash impairment charge related to a packaging facility operated by The Dallas Morning News. As part of the Company's ongoing efforts to realign its business and reduce expenses, The Dallas Morning Newswill close the packaging facility as it consolidates production operations into a single facility located in Plano, Texas. This consolidation of production facilities should be completed in the first quarter of 2010. The Company has begun the process of marketing the packaging facility for sale.

In September 2009, A. H. Belo and Belo Corp. ("Belo") amended the tax matters agreement executed between the two companies at the time of A. H. Belo's spin-off from Belo in 2008. The amendment allows for the carry back of A. H. Belo's losses since February 2008 to Belo's pre-spin-off tax returns. After the tax matters agreement was amended, Belo amended a previously filed tax return to generate a $12 million federal income tax refund. Belo will apply the refund towards A. H. Belo's future pension obligations and expects the refund to cover any 2010 pension contributions required of A. H. Belo. Correspondingly, A. H. Belo reversed the associated valuation allowance on its deferred tax assets related to the net operating losses carried back by Belo, resulting in a $12 million tax benefit for A. H. Belo.

In the third quarter, excluding the non-cash impairment charge, A. H. Belo generated $14.2 million of consolidated EBITDA and $19.4 million of newspaper EBITDA. The consolidated and newspaper EBITDA margins were 11.2 percent and 15.3 percent, respectively. EBITDA margins were highest at The Providence Journal, followed by The Dallas Morning News and The Press-Enterprise.

As of September 30, 2009, A. H. Belo had no borrowings outstanding under its bank credit facility and remained in compliance with the facility's covenants.

Robert W. Decherd, chairman, president and Chief Executive Officer, said, "The year-to-year percent decline in advertising revenue eased slightly in the third quarter when compared to the first and second quarters of 2009 due to the improved performance of The Dallas Morning News. For the third quarter, A. H. Belo successfully managed costs and increased consolidated EBITDA by $6.4 million versus the second quarter of 2009 and $22.5 million versus the third quarter of 2008. We are pleased with the recent improvements in the quantity and quality of The Morning News'journalistic products and the related opportunity to increase circulation pricing."

Third Quarter Highlights

Total revenue decreased 17.5 percent in the third quarter versus the prior year quarter.

Advertising revenue, including print and Internet revenues, decreased 27.0 percent, and classified revenue decreased 40.6 percent. In Dallas, the percent decline in advertising revenue was less than in Providence and Riverside. AHC's Internet revenue was $9.7 million and represented 7.6 percent of total revenue in the quarter. Although Internet revenue decreased 15.0 percent versus the same period last year, non-classified Internet revenue increased 15.6 percent.

The Company continues to focus on high-quality, local content and value-added circulation for its advertisers. In the third quarter, circulation revenue rose 11.6 percent due to pricing actions taken by The Dallas Morning Newsand The Providence Journalin late 2008 and thus far in 2009.

Total consolidated operating expenses in the third quarter were $143.8 million, a decrease of $35.4 million or 19.8 percent versus the same period last year. Excluding impairment charges in both periods, total consolidated operating expenses in the third quarter were $123.8 million, a decrease of $50.9 million or 29.1 percent versus the same period last year. Newsprint expense fell $9.5 million, a decline of 50.7 percent versus the same period last year, as both newsprint volume and prices declined.

Corporate and non-operating expenses, net of costs allocated to operating units, decreased by $3.9 million, or 36.6 percent in the third quarter versus the prior year quarter. This decrease is primarily due to lower outside services expense and the modification of a service agreement, which resulted in a one-time credit of $0.8 million.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Reconciliations of consolidated and newspaper EBITDA to net income are included as exhibits to this release.

Financial Results Conference Call

AHC will conduct a conference call today at 1:00 p.m. CDT to discuss financial results. The conference call will be available via Webcast by accessing the Company's Web site (www.ahbelo.com/invest) or by dialing 1-800-230-1059 (USA) or 612-234-9960 (International). A replay line will be available at 800-475-6701 (USA) or 320-365-3844 (International) from 3:00 p.m. CDT on October 30 until 11:59 p.m. CST on November 6, 2009. The access code for the replay is 118270.

About A. H. Belo Corporation

A. H. Belo Corporation (NYSE: AHC), headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is a distinguished newspaper publishing and local news and information company that owns and operates four daily newspapers and a diverse group of Web sites. A. H. Belo publishes The Dallas Morning News, Texas' leading newspaper and winner of eight Pulitzer Prizes since 1986; The Providence Journal, the oldest continuously-publisheddaily newspaper in the U.S. and winner of four Pulitzer Prizes; The Press-Enterprise (Riverside, CA), serving southern California's Inland Empire region and winner of one Pulitzer Prize; and the Denton Record-Chronicle. The Company publishes various specialty publications targeting niche audiences, and its partnerships and/or investments include the Yahoo! Newspaper Consortium and Classified Ventures, owner of cars.com. A. H. Belo also owns direct mail and commercial printing businesses. Additional information is available at www.ahbelo.com or by contacting David A. Gross, vice president/Investor Relations and Strategic Analysis, at 214-977-4810.

Statements in this communication concerning A. H. Belo Corporation's (the "Company's") business outlook or future economic performance, anticipated profitability, revenues, expenses, dividends, capital expenditures, investments, impairments, future financings, and other financial and non-financial items that are not historical facts, are "forward-looking statements" as the term is defined under applicable federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those statements.

Such risks, uncertainties and factors include, but are not limited to, changes in capital market conditions and prospects, and other factors such as changes in advertising demand, interest rates, and newsprint prices; newspaper circulation trends and other circulation matters, including changes in readership patterns and demography, and audits and related actions by the Audit Bureau of Circulations; challenges in achieving expense reduction goals, and on schedule, and the resulting potential effects on operations; technological changes; development of Internet commerce; industry cycles; changes in pricing or other actions by competitors and suppliers; regulatory, tax and legal changes; adoption of new accounting standards or changes in existing accounting standards by the Financial Accounting Standards Board or other accounting standard-setting bodies or authorities; the effects of Company acquisitions, dispositions, co-owned ventures, and investments; general economic conditions; significant armed conflict; and other factors beyond our control, as well as other risks described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008.

    A. H. Belo Corporation
    Consolidated Statements of Operations


                              Three months ended         Nine months ended
                                 September 30,              September 30,
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
    In thousands, except
     per share amounts          2009         2008         2009         2008
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
                            (unaudited)  (unaudited)  (unaudited)  (unaudited)
    Net operating revenues
      Advertising              $83,816     $114,811     $260,638     $364,575
      Circulation               35,228       31,563      100,208       90,943
      Other                      7,823        7,459       22,019       21,757
                                 -----        -----       ------       ------
        Total net operating
         revenues              126,867      153,833      382,865      477,275

    Operating Costs and Expenses
      Salaries, wages and
       employee benefits        51,668       77,804      166,283      220,909
      Other production,
       distribution and
       operating costs          48,920       60,768      155,652      182,682
      Newsprint, ink and
       other supplies           12,302       23,523       48,345       70,230
      Asset impairment          20,000        4,535      102,689        4,535
      Depreciation               9,257       10,962       29,456       35,414
      Amortization               1,625        1,625        4,874        4,875
                                 -----        -----        -----        -----
        Total operating
         costs and expenses    143,772      179,217      507,299      518,645

        Loss from
         operations            (16,905)     (25,384)    (124,434)     (41,370)

    Other (expense) and income
      Interest expense            (211)         (52)        (802)      (3,283)
      Other income
       (expense), net              240          (25)         362        1,237
                                   ---          ---          ---        -----
        Total other
         (expense) income           29          (77)        (440)      (2,046)

    Earnings
      Loss before income
       taxes                   (16,876)     (25,461)    (124,874)     (43,416)
      Income tax benefit       (11,110)      (8,203)      (8,970)     (14,243)
                               -------       ------       ------      -------

        Net Loss               $(5,766)    $(17,258)   $(115,904)    $(29,173)
                               =======     ========    =========     ========

    Net loss per share
      Basic and Diluted          $(.28)       $(.84)      $(5.65)      $(1.42)

    Average shares outstanding
      Basic and Diluted         20,538       20,479       20,521       20,477

    Cash dividends
     declared per share             $-       $0.375           $-       $0.625
                                    ==       ======           ==       ======



    A. H. Belo Corporation
    Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

    -------------------------------------------------------------------
                                              September 30, December 31,
    In thousands                                 2009           2008
    -------------------------------------------------------------------
                                              (unaudited)
              Assets
                Current assets
                  Cash and cash
                   equivalents                   $10,825       $9,934
                  Accounts receivable, net        57,697       77,383
                  Other current assets            25,161       37,400
                                                  ------       ------
                Total current assets              93,683      124,717

                Property, plant and
                 equipment, net                  218,133      263,744
                Intangible assets, net            53,634      139,449
                Other assets                      26,957       29,768
                                                  ------       ------

              Total assets                      $392,407     $557,678
                                                ========     ========


              Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity
                Current liabilities
                  Current portion of
                   notes payable                      $-      $10,000
                  Accounts payable                14,364       32,950
                  Accrued expenses                32,701       42,834
                  Other current
                   liabilities                    30,821       29,358
                                                  ------       ------
                Total current liabilities         77,886      115,142

                Deferred income taxes              5,266        6,620
                Other liabilities                 15,322       27,264
                Total shareholders' equity       293,933      408,652
                                                 -------      -------

              Total liabilities and
               shareholders' equity             $392,407     $557,678
                                                ========     ========



    A. H. Belo Corporation
    Consolidated EBITDA


                                   Three months ended   Nine months ended
                                      September 30,       September 30,
    ------------------------------------------------    -----------------
    In thousands (unaudited)          2009      2008       2009      2008
    ------------------------------------------------    -----------------


      Consolidated EBITDA (1)      $14,217   $(8,287)   $12,947    $4,691
      Asset impairment             (20,000)   (4,535)  (102,689)   (4,535)
      Depreciation and
       Amortization                (10,882)  (12,587)   (34,330)  (40,289)
      Interest Expense                (211)      (52)      (802)   (3,283)
      Income Tax (Expense)
       Benefit                      11,110     8,203      8,970    14,243
                                    ------     -----      -----    ------
      Net Loss                     $(5,766) $(17,258) $(115,904) $(29,173)
                                   =======  ========  =========  ========



    A. H. Belo Corporation
    Newspaper EBITDA


                                   Three months ended   Nine months ended
                                     September 30,       September 30,
    ------------------------------------------------   -----------------
    In thousands (unaudited)         2009      2008       2009      2008
    ------------------------------------------------   -----------------


      Newspaper EBITDA (1)         $19,427    $1,468    $30,232   $35,202
      Corporate & Non-Operating
       Company Expenses             (5,450)   (9,730)   (17,647)  (31,748)
      Other income, net                240       (25)       362     1,237
      Asset impairment             (20,000)   (4,535)  (102,689)   (4,535)
      Depreciation and
       Amortization                (10,882)  (12,587)   (34,330)  (40,289)
      Interest Expense                (211)      (52)      (802)   (3,283)
      Income Tax (Expense)
       Benefit                      11,110     8,203      8,970    14,243
                                    ------     -----      -----    ------
      Net Loss                     $(5,766) $(17,258) $(115,904) $(29,173)
                                   =======  ========  =========  ========


    Note 1:  The Company defines Consolidated EBITDA as net earnings before
    interest expense, income taxes, goodwill impairment, depreciation and
    amortization and Newspaper EBITDA as net earnings before corporate and
    non-operating company expenses, other income net, interest expense, income
    taxes, goodwill impairment, depreciation and amortization.  Neither
    Consolidated EBITDA nor Newspaper EBITDA is a measure of financial
    performance under accounting principles generally accepted in the United
    States.  Management uses both measures in internal analyses as a
    supplemental measure of the financial performance of the Company to assist
    it with determining bonus achievement, performance comparisons against its
    peer group of companies, as well as capital spending and other investing
    decisions.  They are also common alternative measures of performance used
    by investors, financial analysts, and rating agencies to evaluate
    financial performance.   Neither Consolidated EBITDA nor Newspaper EBITDA
    should be considered in isolation or as a substitute for cash flows
    provided by operating activities or other income or cash flow data
    prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP and this non-GAAP measure may not be
    comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies.