EMERYVILLE, Calif., Feb. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE:LF) today announced financial results for the third quarter fiscal year 2016. The Company's fiscal year covers the twelve-month period ending March 31, 2016.

Summary of financial results for the quarter ended December 31, 2015 compared to the quarter ended December 31, 2014:

• Consolidated net sales were $83.1 million, down 43%. U.S. segment net sales were down 41%, and international segment net sales were down 46%.
• Net loss per basic and diluted share was $0.62 compared to prior year net loss per basic and diluted share of $1.77, which included $0.23 per share of goodwill impairment, net of the associated tax benefit, and $1.29 per share of an additional deferred tax asset valuation allowance.
• Total impact of foreign currency exchange rates on net sales was $2.6 million, or negative 2%.

Third fiscal quarter net sales were $83.1 million, down 43% compared to $144.6 million last year, and included a 2% negative impact from changes in currency exchange rates. In the U.S. segment, net sales were $58.6 million, down 41% compared to $99.2 million last year. In the International segment, net sales were $24.5 million, down 46% compared to $45.4 million last year, and included a 6% negative impact from changes in currency exchange rates.

Operating expenses for the third fiscal quarter were $50.5 million, down 38% compared to $81.6 million last year. Operating expenses, excluding impairments and depreciation were $49.1 million, down 17% compared to $59.1 million in the prior year. The improvements in our expense structure were offset by severance pay and higher professional and legal fees.

Loss from operations was $43.1 million, compared to prior year's loss of $36.5 million due to sales and gross margin declines. Adjusted loss from operations, which excludes impairment and depreciation, was $41.7 million, compared to the prior year's loss of $14.0 million. The losses in the quarter included a series of one-off non-cash charges for lower of cost or market charges to write-down LeapTV to net realizable value and to impair capitalized content for discontinued LeapTV titles.

Net loss for the third fiscal quarter was $44.2 million, or $0.62 per basic and diluted share compared to prior year net loss of $124.2 million, or $1.77 per basic and diluted share. Prior year net loss included non-cash charges of $19.5 million or $0.28 per share for goodwill impairment, associated non-cash tax benefits of $3.8 million or $0.05 per share, and $90.8 million or $1.29 per share for an additional non-cash deferred tax asset valuation allowance.

Adjusted net loss per basic and diluted share¹, which excludes impairment of long-lived assets, goodwill impairment, the tax benefit associated with goodwill impairment and the deferred tax asset valuation allowance adjustment, was $0.61, compared to adjusted net loss per basic and diluted share¹ of $0.25 a year ago.

Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA² for the quarter was negative $34.7 million compared to negative EBITDA of $7.3 million a year ago.

Merger Announcement

On February 5, 2016, the Company entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger with VTech Holdings Limited. Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, and upon the terms and subject to the conditions described therein, VTech has agreed to commence a tender offer by March 3, 2016, to purchase the outstanding shares of Class A and Class B common stock of the Company at a purchase price per share of US $1.00.  More details concerning the terms and conditions of the Merger and the Merger Agreement may be found in the Company's Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 5, 2016.

"We intend to continue a disciplined execution of our strategy as we work to complete the VTech merger," said John Barbour, Chief Executive Officer.

Morrison & Foerster LLP is serving as legal counsel to LeapFrog. Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC is providing financial advisory services to LeapFrog in connection with the transaction.

Conference Call and Webcast

We will not hold a conference call or provide a webcast to discuss third quarter fiscal year 2016 financial results due to the February 5, 2016 announcement that LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. signed a definitive merger agreement with VTech Holdings Limited.

The Company expects to file its Quarterly Report Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 31, 2015 with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 9, 2016 and it can be accessed at LeapFrog's investor relations web site at www.leapfroginvestor.com.

About LeapFrog

LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. is the leader in educational entertainment for children. For 20 years, LeapFrog has created award-winning learning solutions that combine educational expertise, innovative technology and a child's love for fun. With experiences that are personalized to each child's level, LeapFrog helps children achieve their potential through LeapFrog's proprietary learning tablets, its innovative new active video gaming system LeapTV, learn to read and write systems, interactive learning toys and more, all designed or approved by LeapFrog's full-time in-house team of learning experts. LeapFrog's Learning Path, the ultimate guide for parents on early childhood, is designed specifically to help support and guide their child's learning with personalized ideas and feedback, fun activities and expert advice. LeapFrog is based in Emeryville, California, and was founded in 1995 by a father who revolutionized technology-based learning solutions to help his child learn how to read. Learn more at www.leapfrog.com.  

TM & © 2016 LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Information

This press release includes non-GAAP financial measures, specifically adjusted EBITDA. 

Adjusted EBITDA is defined as earnings (or net income (loss)) before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, goodwill impairment, impairment of long-lived assets, other expenses (income) and stock-based compensation. As required by SEC rules, we have provided an attached schedule with a reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA to the most directly comparable GAAP measure, net income. 

Management believes adjusted EBITDA is one of the appropriate measures for evaluating the operating performance of the Company because it reflects the resources available for strategic opportunities including, among others, to invest in the business, strengthen the balance sheet and make strategic acquisitions.

However, these non-GAAP measures should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for, or superior to, measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP as more fully discussed in the Company's financial statements and filings with the SEC. Additionally, these non-GAAP measures may not be comparable to similarly-titled measures used by other companies. As used herein, "GAAP" refers to accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding our intention to continue a disciplined execution of our strategy as we work to complete the VTech merger. Our actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The risks that could cause our results to differ include, without limitation, our ability to continue as a going concern, our ability to correctly predict highly changeable consumer preferences and product trends, our ability to continue to develop new products and services, the sufficiency of our liquidity, our ability to maintain adequate inventory levels, our reliance on a small group of retailers for the majority of our gross sales, deterioration of global economic conditions, the effectiveness of our marketing and advertising efforts, our ability to compete effectively with competitors, the completion of our recently announced agreement and plan of merger with VTech Holdings Limited and Bonita Merger Sub, L.L.C. on a timely basis, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled personnel, our ability to maintain or acquire licenses, the impact of potential impairment charges or valuation allowances, the seasonality of our business, significant changes in the cost or availability of our components and raw materials, our reliance on a limited number of manufacturers, system failures in our digital services, our ability to protect or enforce our intellectual property rights, defects in our products, the risks associated with international operations, costs or changes associated with compliance with laws and regulations, negative political developments, changes in trade relations, armed hostilities, terrorism, labor strikes, natural disasters or public health issues, failure to successfully implement new strategic operating initiatives, impacts from acquisitions, mergers or dispositions, continued ownership by a few stockholders of a significant percentage of the voting power in the Company, our ability to regain compliance with NYSE listing requirements and the volatility of our stock price. These risks and others are discussed under "Risk Factors" in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. All information provided in this release is as of the date hereof, and we undertake no obligation to update this information. 

Important Additional Information
The tender offer for the outstanding shares of common stock of LeapFrog has not yet commenced. This communication is for informational purposes only and is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell shares of LeapFrog common stock.  The solicitation and the offer to purchase shares of LeapFrog common stock will be made pursuant to an offer to purchase and related materials that VTech and certain of its affiliates intend to file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC").

At the time the tender offer is commenced, the VTech and certain of its affiliates will file a tender offer statement on Schedule TO with the SEC, and LeapFrog will file a solicitation/recommendation statement on Schedule 14D-9 with respect to the Offer. The tender offer statement (including an offer to purchase, a related letter of transmittal and other offer documents) and the solicitation/recommendation statement will contain important information that should be read carefully and considered before any decision is made with respect to the tender offer. Both the tender offer statement and the solicitation/recommendation statement will be mailed to LeapFrog stockholders free of charge. A free copy of the tender offer statement and the solicitation/recommendation statement will be available to all LeapFrog stockholders from a depository to be announced once the tender offer commences.  The tender offer statement and solicitation/recommendation statement (including all documents filed with the SEC) are free by accessing the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

BEFORE MAKING ANY DECISION WITH RESPECT TO THE TENDER OFFER, LEAPFROG STOCKHOLDERS ARE ADVISED TO READ AND CONSIDER CAREFULLY THE SCHEDULE TO (INCLUDING THE OFFER TO PURCHASE, A RELATED LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL AND OTHER OFFER DOCUMENTS), THE SOLICITATION/RECOMMENDATION STATEMENT ON SCHEDULE 14D-9, EACH AS MAY BE AMENDED AND SUPPLEMENTED FROM TIME TO TIME, AND OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THESE DOCUMENTS CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION AND ITS PARTIES.

¹ Adjusted net loss per basic and diluted share is a non-GAAP financial measure. It is described below and reconciled to its comparable GAAP measure in the accompanying financial tables.
² Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure. It is described below and reconciled to its comparable GAAP measure in the accompanying financial tables.

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SOURCE LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.