Cerner Corporation (Nasdaq: CERN) today announced results for the 2016 fourth quarter and full year that ended December 31, 2016.
Bookings in the fourth quarter of 2016 were $1.44 billion, an increase of 7 percent compared to $1.35 billion in the fourth quarter of 2015 and within the Company's guidance range. Full-year 2016 bookings were a record $5.45 billion, up slightly compared to 2015 bookings of $5.43 billion.
Fourth quarter revenue was $1.26 billion, an increase of 7 percent compared to $1.18 billion in the year-ago period and within the Company's guidance range. Full-year 2016 revenue was $4.80 billion, up 8 percent compared to 2015 revenue of $4.43 billion.
On a U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) basis, fourth quarter 2016 net earnings were $149.7 million and diluted earnings per share were $0.44. Fourth quarter 2015 GAAP net earnings were $166.1 million and diluted earnings per share were $0.48. For the full year, 2016 GAAP net earnings were $636.5 million and diluted earnings per share were $1.85. Full year 2015 GAAP net earnings were $539.4 million and diluted earnings per share were $1.54.
Adjusted Net Earnings for fourth quarter 2016 were $206.2 million, compared to $212.3 million of Adjusted Net Earnings in the fourth quarter of 2015. Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share were $0.61 in the fourth quarter of 2016, which is flat to the year-ago quarter and within the Company's guidance range. Analysts' consensus estimate for fourth quarter 2016 Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share was $0.61. For the full year 2016, Adjusted Net Earnings were $790.4 million and Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share were $2.30, compared to full year 2015 Adjusted Net Earnings of $741.1 million and Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share of $2.11.
Adjusted Net Earnings and Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share are not recognized terms under GAAP. These non-GAAP financial measures should not be substituted for GAAP net earnings or GAAP diluted earnings per share, respectively, as measures of Cerner's performance, but instead should be utilized as supplemental measures of financial performance in evaluating our business. Please see the accompanying schedule, titled "Reconciliation of GAAP Results to Non-GAAP Results," where our non-GAAP financial measures are defined and reconciled to the most comparable GAAP measures.
Other 2016 Fourth Quarter and Full-Year Highlights
- Fourth quarter operating cash flow of $333.2 million and full-year of $1.156 billion.
- Fourth quarter Free Cash Flow of $136.8 million. For the full year, Free Cash Flow was $402.5 million. Free Cash Flow is a non-GAAP financial measure defined as GAAP cash flows from operating activities less capital purchases and capitalized software development costs. Please see the accompanying schedule, titled 'Reconciliation of GAAP Results to Non-GAAP Results.'
- Fourth quarter days sales outstanding of 69 days, down from 80 days in the year-ago period.
- Total backlog of $15.927 billion, up 12 percent over the year-ago quarter.
"I am pleased with our results in the fourth quarter, with all of our key metrics in our expected ranges," said Zane Burke, Cerner President. "Our results included particular strength in new client wins, and we enter 2017 with a strong competitive position, a significant pipeline, and a solid growth outlook."
Future Period Guidance
Cerner currently expects:
- First quarter 2017 revenue between $1.200 billion and $1.275 billion.
- Full year 2017 revenue between $5.100 billion and $5.300 billion.
- First quarter 2017 Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share between $0.57 and $0.59.
- Full year 2017 Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share between $2.44 and $2.56.
- First quarter 2017 new business bookings between $1.125 billion and $1.275 billion.
Earnings Conference Call
Cerner will host an earnings conference call to provide additional detail on the Company's results and outlook at 3:30 p.m. CT on February 9. On the call, Cerner will discuss its fourth quarter and full-year 2016 results, and answer questions from the investment community. The call may also include discussion of Cerner developments, and forward-looking and other material information about business and financial matters. The dial-in number for the conference call is (678)-509-7542; the passcode is Cerner. Cerner recommends joining the call 15 minutes early for registration. The re-broadcast of the call will be available from 6:30 p.m. CT, February 9 through 11:59 p.m. CT, February 12. The dial-in number for the re-broadcast is (855) 859-2056; the passcode is 49370203.
An audio webcast will be available live and archived on Cerner's website at www.cerner.com under the About Cerner section (click Investor Relations, then Presentations and Webcasts).
Investor Contact: Allan Kells, (816) 201-2445, akells@cerner.com
Media Contact: Dan Smith, (913) 304-3991, dan.smith1@cerner.com
All statements in this press release that do not directly and exclusively relate to historical facts constitute forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on the current beliefs, expectations and assumptions of Cerner's management with respect to future events and are subject to a number of significant risks and uncertainties. It is important to note that Cerner's performance, and actual results, financial condition or business could differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking statements. The words "expects", "guidance", "position", "outlook", "should" or the negative of these words, variations thereof or similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to: the possibility of significant costs and reputational harm related to product-related liabilities; potential claims for system errors and warranties; the possibility of interruption at our data centers or client support facilities; the possibility of increased expenses, exposure to legal claims and regulatory actions and reputational harm associated with a cyberattack or other breach in our IT security; our proprietary technology may be subject to claims for infringement or misappropriation of intellectual property rights of others, or may be infringed or misappropriated by others; potential claims or other risks associated with relying on open source software in our proprietary software, solutions or services; material adverse resolution of legal proceedings; risks associated with our global operations; risks associated with fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; the potential for tax legislation initiatives that could adversely affect our tax position and/or challenges to our tax positions in the U.S. and non-U.S. countries; the uncertainty surrounding the impact of the United Kingdom's vote to leave the European Union (Brexit) on our global business; risks associated with our recruitment and retention of key personnel; risks related to our dependence on strategic partners and third party suppliers; difficulties and operational and financial risks associated with successfully completing the integration of the Cerner Health Services (formerly Siemens Health Services) business into our business or the failure to realize the synergies and other benefits expected from the acquisition; risks inherent with business acquisitions and combinations and the integration thereof; the potential for losses resulting from asset impairment charges; risks associated with volatility and disruption resulting from global economic or market conditions; managing growth in the new markets in which we offer solutions, health care devices or services; risks inherent in contracting with government clients; risks associated with our outstanding and future indebtedness, such as compliance with restrictive covenants, which may limit our flexibility to operate our business; changing political, economic, regulatory and judicial influences, which could impact the purchasing practices and operations of our clients and increase costs to deliver compliant solutions and services; government regulation; significant competition and our ability to quickly respond to market changes and changing technologies and to bring competitive new solutions, devices, features and services to market in a timely fashion; long sales cycles for our solutions and services; variations in our quarterly operating results; potential variations in our sales forecasts compared to actual sales; volatility in the trading price of our common stock and the timing and volume of market activity; and our directors' authority to issue preferred stock and the anti-takeover provisions in our corporate governance documents. Additional discussion of these and other risks, uncertainties and factors affecting Cerner's business is contained in Cerner's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The reader should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, since the statements speak only as of the date that they are made. Except as required by law, Cerner undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events, or changes in our business, results of operations or financial condition over time.
Statement of Earnings GAAP and Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets