Vital Signs, Inc. Announces a 21 Percent Increase in Quarterly Earnings From Continuing Operations


TOTOWA, N.J., May 8, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Vital Signs, Inc. (Nasdaq:VITL) today announced sales and earnings for the second quarter ended March 31, 2007.

Income from continuing operations increased 21% to $8,781,000 for the second quarter of fiscal 2007 compared to $7,252,000 for the second quarter of fiscal 2006. Earnings from continuing operations per diluted share increased 18% to $.66 per share for the second quarter of fiscal 2007 compared to $.56 per share for the second quarter of fiscal 2006.

Net revenues for the second quarter of fiscal 2007 increased 6.5% to $50,393,000 compared to $47,298,000 in the comparable period last year.

Following are the net revenues by business segment for the second quarter of fiscal 2007 compared to the second quarter of fiscal 2006 (in thousands of dollars):



                                      NET REVENUES BY BUSINESS SEGMENT
                                      --------------------------------
                                          FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED
                                                  MARCH 31,
                                      --------------------------------
                                           2007        2006    PERCENT
                                                               CHANGE
                                      --------------------------------
 Anesthesia                              $ 18,869     $ 18,410     2.5%
 Respiratory/Critical Care                 11,961       10,960     9.1%
 Sleep                                     12,612       11,632     8.4%
 Interventional
  cardiology/radiology                      6,951        6,296    10.4%
                                      --------------------------------
 Net Revenues                            $ 50,393     $ 47,298     6.5%
                                      ================================

Terry Wall, President and CEO of Vital Signs, commented, "I am pleased with this quarter's 21% earnings growth as it reflects the progress of our lean manufacturing initiatives. These projects have resulted in a gross margin improvement of 1.5%, primarily in our Anesthesia segment. Additionally, we are continuing to expand our in-house manufacturing of non-latex breathing bags, which will continue to generate cost savings for '07 and '08. I am also pleased with the 9.1% growth of our Respiratory/Critical Care segment which was especially rewarding after a period of low growth."

For the six-month period ended March 31, 2007, income from continuing operations increased 19.5% to $16,281,000 as compared to $13,626,000 for the comparable fiscal 2006 period. Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations increased 16.0% to $1.23 for the six-month period ended March 31, 2007 compared to $1.06 for the six-month period ended March 31, 2006.

Net revenues for the first six months of fiscal 2007 increased 6.2% to $96,055,000 as compared to $90,436,000 in the comparable period last year.

Following are the net revenues by business segment for the six months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006 (in thousands of dollars):



                                      NET REVENUES BY BUSINESS SEGMENT
                                    ----------------------------------
                                    FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31,
                                    ----------------------------------
                                          2007         2006    PERCENT
                                                               CHANGE
                                    ----------------------------------
 Anesthesia                            $ 36,577     $ 35,578     2.8%
 Respiratory/Critical Care               23,281       21,505     8.3%
 Sleep                                   23,358       21,807     7.1%
 Interventional
  cardiology/radiology                   12,839       11,546    11.2%
                                    ----------------------------------
 Net Revenues                          $ 96,055     $ 90,436     6.2%
                                    ==================================

Mr. Wall added: "Our guidance for fully diluted earnings per share from continuing operations for fiscal 2007, has been adjusted to between $2.59 and $2.67 per share (GAAP), to reflect Pharma Tech becoming a discontinued operation in the first quarter of fiscal 2007."

Net cash provided from continuing operations for the six months ended March 31, 2007 was approximately $18.9 million as compared to net cash used of $11.8 million for the six months ended March 31, 2006.

On May 7, 2007, the Board approved an increase in the quarterly dividend to $0.10 per share payable on May 31, 2007 to shareholders of record on May 18, 2007.

All non-historical statements in this press release, including Vital Signs' guidance with respect to fully diluted earnings per share from continuing operations for fiscal 2007, constitute Forward-Looking Statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results could differ materially from such statements as a result of a variety of risks and uncertainties, including unanticipated delays in bringing products to market, regulatory approval of new products, market conditions, and competitive responses as well as other factors referred to by Vital Signs in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2006.

Vital Signs, Inc. and its subsidiaries design, manufacture and market primarily single-use medical products for the anesthesia, respiratory/critical care, achieving the number one market share position in the U.S. for five of its major product categories. Vital Signs also provides diagnostic services and therapeutic devices for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. Vital Signs is ISO 13485 certified and has CE Mark approval for its products. In 2006, Forbes Magazine named Vital Signs, Inc. as one of the "200 Best Small Companies in America" based on financial criteria.



                         VITAL SIGNS, INC.
                       FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
                        STATEMENT OF INCOME

             (In Thousands, Except Per Share Amounts)
                            (Unaudited)


                             THREE MONTHS ENDED      SIX MONTHS ENDED
                                  MARCH 31,              MARCH 31,
                             -------------------   -------------------
                               2007       2006       2007       2006
                             --------   --------   --------   --------
 Gross revenues              $ 69,303   $ 64,205   $132,672   $123,536
   Rebates                    (17,673)   (15,704)   (34,260)   (30,837)
   Other deductions            (1,237)    (1,203)    (2,357)    (2,263)
                             --------   --------   --------   --------
 Net revenues                  50,393     47,298     96,055     90,436


 Cost of goods sold
   and services
   provided                    23,337     22,628     44,917     43,156
                             --------   --------   --------   --------
 Gross Profit                  27,056     24,670     51,138     47,280

 Expenses:
   Selling, general
    and administrative         12,721     12,418     24,627     24,083
   Research and
    development                 1,727      1,739      3,572      3,397
   Restructuring
    charge                         --         --         --         --
   Interest and other
   (income)/expense,
    net                          (955)      (652)    (1,779)    (1,241)
                             --------   --------   --------   --------
 Income from
  continuing
  operations
   Before income
    taxes and
    minority interest          13,563     11,165     24,718     21,041
 Provision for
   income taxes                 4,528      3,725      7,941      7,043
                             --------   --------   --------   --------
 Income from
  continuing
  operations before
  minority interest             9,035      7,440     16,777     13,998
 Minority interest                254        188        496        372
                             --------   --------   --------   --------
 Income from
  continuing
  operations                    8,781      7,252     16,281     13,626
 (Loss) Income from
  discontinued
  operations, net                (180)       216       (386)       502
                             --------   --------   --------   --------
 Net income                  $  8,601   $  7,468   $ 15,895   $ 14,128
                             ========   ========   ========   ========

 Earnings (loss) per
  common share:
 Basic:
    Income per share
     from continuing
     operations              $   0.66   $   0.56   $   1.23   $   1.07

    Discontinued
     operations                 (0.01)      0.02      (0.03)      0.04
                             --------   --------   --------   --------
    Net earnings             $   0.65   $   0.58   $   1.20   $   1.11
                             ========   ========   ========   ========
 Diluted:
    Income per share
     from continuing
     operations              $   0.66   $   0.56   $   1.23   $   1.06

     Discontinued
      operations                (0.01)      0.02      (0.03)      0.04
                             --------   --------   --------   --------

       Net  earnings         $   0.65   $   0.58   $   1.20   $   1.10
                             ========   ========   ========   ========



 Basic weighted
  average number of
  shares                       13,220     12,898     13,219     12,743

 Diluted weighted
  average number of
  shares                       13,255     13,001     13,271     12,840


                         VITAL SIGNS, INC.
                         FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

                       BALANCE SHEET HIGHLIGHTS:

                                                 (In Thousands)
                                                  ------------
                                                   (Unaudited)
                                                    March 31,
                                        ------------------------------
                                             2007              2006
                                        ------------------------------
 Cash and cash equivalents              $    56,458        $   20,732
 Short Term Investments                      81,943            87,158
 Accounts Receivable                         33,324            26,984
 Inventory                                   20,747            19,387
 Current Assets                             215,077           178,916
  Total Assets                          $   321,601        $  284,872
                                            =======           =======

 Current Liabilities                    $    14,957        $   14,919
 Total Liabilities                           14,957            14,919
 Shareholders equity                    $   301,462        $  265,806
                                            =======           =======

VITL-G



            

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