Form 8-K

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF

THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (date of earliest event reported): January 30, 2008

 

 

CASS INFORMATION SYSTEMS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Missouri   2-80070   43-1265338

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

  (Commission File Number)  

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

 

13001 Hollenberg Drive

Bridgeton, Missouri

  63044
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

(314) 506-5500

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act.

 

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act.

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act.

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act.

 

 

 


Item 2.02. Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

On January 30, 2008, Cass Information Systems, Inc. (the “Company”) issued a press release announcing its financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2007. A copy of this press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein by reference.

The information reported under this Item 2.02 of Form 8-K, including Exhibit 99.1, is being furnished and shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of such section, nor shall such information be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

 

Item 8.01. Other Events.

On January 30, 2008, the Company issued a press release announcing that the Board of Directors authorized the Company to acquire up to an aggregate of 300,000 shares of its outstanding common stock, if deemed appropriate. The Company may make these common stock repurchases from time to time in the open market or through negotiated transactions.

 

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

  (d) Exhibits.

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description

99.1    Press release issued by Cass Information Systems, Inc. dated January 30, 2008.

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Dated: January 30, 2008

 

CASS INFORMATION SYSTEMS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Lawrence A. Collett

Name:   Lawrence A. Collett
Title:   Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
By:  

/s/ P. Stephen Appelbaum

  P. Stephen Appelbaum
Title:   Chief Financial Officer

 

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Exhibit Index

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description

99.1    Press release issued by Cass Information Systems, Inc. dated January 30, 2008.

 

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Press Release

Exhibit 99.1

LOGO

Contact: Contact Kenn Entringer at Casey Communications, Inc., (314) 721-2828

kentringer@caseycomm.com

January 30, 2008

Cass Information Systems, Inc. Finishes 2007

With 31% Increase in 4th Quarter Earnings

ST. LOUISCass Information Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CASS), the nation's leading provider of transportation, utility and telecom invoice payment and information services ended its 2007 fiscal year on a strong note, reporting fourth quarter earnings of $.51 per fully diluted share, a 31% increase over the $.39 per fully diluted share it earned in the fourth quarter of 2006. Net income for the period was $4.7 million, compared to $3.7 million in 2006.

2007 4th Quarter Recap

 

     12/31/07    12/31/06    %
Change
 

Transportation Dollar Volume

   $ 3.8 billion    $ 3.5 billion    8.6 %

Utility Dollar Volume

   $ 2.0 billion    $ 1.5 billion    33.3 %

Revenues

   $ 22.5 million    $ 20.9 million    7.7 %

Net Income

   $ 4.7 million    $ 3.7 million    27.0 %

Diluted Earnings per Share

   $ .51    $ .39    30.8 %

Payment and processing fees increased 10% or $1.1 million compared to the year-earlier period, as utility transaction volume was up 28% and dollar volume rose 33% due to new business and heightened activity from existing customers.

Operating expenses were up 5%, or $707,000, as a result of higher employee costs related to transaction growth. Income tax expense decreased slightly due to the growth of the company’s state and municipal bond portfolios.

 

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2007 Net Income Up 18% over 2006

 

     12/31/07    12/31/06    %
Change
 

Transportation Dollar Volume

   $ 14.5 billion    $ 14.2 billion    2.1 %

Utility Dollar Volume

   $ 7.7 billion    $ 5.7 billion    35.1 %

Revenues

   $ 88.7 million    $ 82.1 million    8.0 %

Net Income

   $ 17.8 million    $ 15.1 million    17.9 %

Diluted Earnings per Share

   $ 1.90    $ 1.61    18.0 %

For the year ended December 31, 2007, Cass earned $1.90 per fully diluted share, an 18% increase from the $1.61 per fully diluted share reported for the same period in 2006. Net income was $17.8 million, 18% higher than the $15.1 million earned in 2006. Total revenue increased $6.6 million or 8% compared to 2006 primarily due to increased processing volumes and higher fee revenues.

For all of 2007, operating expenses were up 8%, or $4.5 million, mainly due to the increase in salaries and benefits required to support growth in processing activity. Income tax expense was down 3% due to growth of the company’s state and municipal bond portfolios.

On December 17, 2007, Cass issued a 10% stock dividend to all shareholders of record.

“We are delighted with the 35% growth in transaction volume experienced by our utility invoice processing operations in 2007 and with the 18% increase in year-over-year earnings,” said Lawrence A. Collett, Cass chief executive officer and chairman of the board. “From the larger perspective, it is gratifying that the company produced another solid year of results for our shareholders and that for the fourth consecutive year, we were able to provide a special stock dividend to them over and above the regular quarterly cash dividends we have paid without fail since 1934. We believe Cass is in a strong financial condition to provide a solid base for continued future growth as well as withstand the negative impacts of current difficulties in the financial arena.”

 

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Cass currently holds no sub-prime mortgage loans nor has any securities in its investment portfolio that contain any exposure to such instruments. The company holds no mortgage-backed securities or residential development loans of any kind. Hence, the issues that are having a significant detrimental effect on the financial community should not affect Cass in such a manner.

Authorizes 300,000 Share Stock Buy-Back

The Board of Directors also authorized the company to acquire up to an aggregate of 300,000 shares of its outstanding common stock, if deemed appropriate. The company may make these common stock repurchases from time to time in the open market or through negotiated transactions.

About Cass Information Systems

Cass Information Systems is the leading provider of transportation, utility and telecom invoice payment and information services. The company, which has been involved in the payables services and information support business since 1956, disburses over $22 billion annually on behalf of customers from processing centers in St. Louis, Mo., Columbus, Ohio, Boston, Mass., Greenville, S.C. and Wellington, Kansas. The support of Cass Commercial Bank, founded in 1906, makes Cass Information Systems unique in the industry. Cass is part of the Russell 2000® Index.

Note to Investors

Certain matters set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that are provided to assist in the understanding of anticipated future financial performance. However, such performance involves risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those in such statements. For a discussion of certain factors that may cause such forward-looking statements to differ materially from the company’s actual results, see the company’s reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission including the company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006.

 

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Selected Consolidated Financial Data

The following table presents selected unaudited consolidated financial data (in thousands, except per share data) for the periods ended December 31, 2007 and 2006:

 

     Quarter
Ended
12/31/07
    Quarter
Ended
12/31/06
    Year
Ended
12/31/07
    Year
Ended
12/31/06
 

Transportation Invoice Volume

     6,210       5,909       25,206       24,220  

Transportation Dollar Volume

   $ 3,755,348     $ 3,476,395     $ 14,519,906     $ 14,199,389  

Utility Transaction Volume

     2,388       1,868       9,260       6,665  

Utility Dollar Volume

   $ 1,977,656     $ 1,483,314     $ 7,665,283     $ 5,671,892  

Payment and Processing Fees

   $ 11,553     $ 10,490     $ 45,642     $ 40,343  

Net Investment Income

     10,252       9,813       40,482       39,284  

Other

     663       583       2,558       2,478  
                                

Total Revenues

   $ 22,468     $ 20,886     $ 88,682     $ 82,105  
                                

Salaries and Benefits

   $ 11,830     $ 11,003     $ 46,965     $ 42,676  

Occupancy

     534       517       2,106       1,979  

Equipment

     791       800       3,356       2,928  

Other

     2,655       2,783       10,312       10,694  
                                

Total Operating Expenses

   $ 15,810     $ 15,103     $ 62,739     $ 58,277  
                                

Income from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes

   $ 6,658     $ 5,783     $ 25,943     $ 23,828  

Provision for Income Taxes

     1,918       1,970       8,148       8,367  
                                

Net Income from Continuing Operations

   $ 4,740     $ 3,813     $ 17,795     $ 15,461  

Loss from Discontinued Operations net of Income Taxes

     —         (118 )     —         (395 )
                                

Net Income

   $ 4,740     $ 3,695     $ 17,795     $ 15,066  
                                

Basic Earnings per Share

   $ .52     $ .40     $ 1.95     $ 1.65  
                                

Diluted Earnings per Share

   $ .51     $ .39     $ 1.90     $ 1.61  
                                

Average Earning Assets

   $ 841,174     $ 793,937     $ 809,738     $ 762,397  

Net Interest Margin

     5.36 %     5.42 %     5.45 %     5.50 %

Allowance for Loan Losses to Loans

     1.26 %     1.31 %     1.26 %     1.31 %

Non-performing Loans to Total Loans

     .50 %     .16 %     .50 %     .16 %

Net Loan Charge-offs to Loans

     —         —         .24 %     .17 %

Provision for Loan Losses

   $ 225     $ 650     $ 900     $ 1,150  

 

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