LivePerson CEO Discusses Q2 2011 Results - Earnings Call Transcript

LivePerson, Inc. ( LPSN ) Q2 2011 Earnings Call August 3, 2011 5:00 PM ET

Operator

Welcome to the second quarter 2011 LivePerson conference call. With us today, we have Robert LoCascio, CEO of LivePerson and Daniel Murphy, Chief Financial Officer of LivePerson. Now, I like to turn call over to Mr. Murphy.

Daniel Murphy

Thanks very much. Before we begin, I would like to remind listeners that during this conference call, comments that we make regarding LivePerson that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause such statements to differ materially from actual or future events or results.

These statements are made pursuant to the Safe Harbor Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The internal projections and beliefs upon which we base our expectations today may change over time and we undertake no obligation to inform you if they do. The results that we report today should not be considered as an indication of future performance.

Changes in economic business, competitive, technological, regulatory and other factors could cause LivePerson's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the projections or forward-looking statements made today. For more detailed information about these factors and other risks that may impact our business, please review reports and documents filed from time to time by LivePerson with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Also, please note that on the call today, we will discuss some non-GAAP financial measures in talking about the company’s financial performance. We report our GAAP results as well as provide a reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures to GAAP financial measures in our earnings release. You can obtain a copy of our earnings release by visiting the investor relation section of our website.

And now, I’d like to turn the call over to LivePerson’s Chief Executive Officer, Robert LoCascio.

Robert LoCascio

Thanks, Dan. Good afternoon, everyone and thanks for joining us. I'm happy to report that we had a very strong second quarter. We generated $31.9 million in revenue, which is a 5% increase from the prior quarter and a 21% increase from the prior year. Revenue exceeded our guidance and we achieved an EBITDA of $0.13 per share, which is a 30% increase from the second quarter of the prior year, and adjusted net income of $0.08 per share.

Checking an Important, Overlooked Metric at Briggs & Stratton ...

It takes money to make money. Most investors know that, but with business media so focused on the “how much,” very few investors bother to ask, “How fast?”

When judging a company’s prospects, how quickly it turns cash outflows into cash inflows can be just as important as how much profit it’s booking in the accounting fantasy world we call “earnings.” This is one of the first metrics I check when I’m hunting for the market’s best stocks . Today, we’ll see how it applies to Briggs Stratton ( In this series, we measure how swiftly a company turns cash into goods or services and back into cash. We’ll use a quick, relatively foolproof tool known as the cash conversion cycle, or CCC for short.

Why does the CCC matter? The less time it takes a firm to convert outgoing cash into incoming cash, the more powerful and flexible its profit engine is. The less money tied up in inventory and accounts receivable, the more available to grow the company, pay investors, or both.

To calculate the cash conversion cycle, add days inventory outstanding to days sales outstanding, then subtract days payable outstanding. Like golf, the lower your score here, the better.

Here’s the CCC for Briggs Stratton, alongside the comparable figures from a few competitors and peers.

Source: Capital IQ, a division of Standard Poor’s. Dollar amounts in millions. Data is current as of last fully reported fiscal quarter. TTM = trailing 12 months.

For younger, fast-growth companies, the CCC can give you valuable insight into the sustainability of that growth. A company that’s taking longer to make cash may need to tap financing to keep its momentum. For older, mature companies, the CCC can tell you how well the company is managed. Firms that begin to lose control of the CCC may be losing their clout with their suppliers (who might be demanding stricter payment terms) and customers (who might be demanding more generous terms). This can sometimes be an important signal of future distress — one most investors are likely to miss.

While I find peer comparisons useful, I’m most interested in comparing a company’s CCC to its prior performance. Here’s where I believe all investors need to become trend-watchers. Sure, there may be legitimate reasons for an increase in the CCC, but all things being equal, I want to see this number stay steady or move downward over time.

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