Ellie Mae Reports Third Quarter 2015 Results

Record Quarterly Seat Bookings of 11,900

Raises 2015 Revenue Guidance

PLEASANTON, Calif.--()--Ellie Mae® (NYSE:ELLI), a leading provider of innovative on-demand software solutions and services for the residential mortgage industry, today reported results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2015.

Third Quarter 2015 Highlights

  • Record revenue of $68.9 million, up 61% from $42.8 million in Q3 2014
  • Net income of $6.2 million, up 24% from $5.0 million in Q3 2014
  • Adjusted EBITDA of $20.3 million, up 45% from $14.0 million in Q3 2014
  • Revenue per average active Encompass user of $520, up 24% from $419 in Q3 2014

“Ellie Mae again delivered strong growth with third quarter financial results that exceeded expectations,” said Jonathan Corr, president and CEO of Ellie Mae. “We grew revenue by 61% as we added more Encompass users, drove greater adoption of our services, and continued to see a sustained uptick in the purchase market. During the quarter our customers continued to grow their businesses and add more seats, which helped achieve another quarter of record seat bookings of 11,900. Our results are a testament to the strong value proposition we provide in helping lenders’ achieve loan quality, regulatory compliance and operating efficiency.”

Financial Results

Total revenue for the third quarter of 2015 was $68.9 million, compared to $42.8 million for the third quarter of 2014. Net income for the third quarter of 2015 was $6.2 million, or $0.20 per diluted share, compared to net income of $5.0 million, or $0.17 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2014.

On a non-GAAP basis, adjusted net income for the third quarter of 2015 was $13.9 million, or $0.45 per diluted share, compared to $8.6 million, or $0.29 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2014. Adjusted EBITDA for the third quarter of 2015 was $20.3 million, compared to $14.0 million for the third quarter of 2014.

Additional information about the non-GAAP financial measures presented in this release, including a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measures to their related GAAP financial measures, is set forth below under the section entitled “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”

Key Operating Metrics:

  • The total number of active Encompass users increased 30% year-over-year to 135,000;
  • The total number of active users of the SaaS version of Encompass increased 47% year-over-year to 116,000, or 86% of all active Encompass users; and
  • Revenue per average active Encompass user in the third quarter increased 24% year-over-year to $520.

Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2015 Financial Outlook

For the fourth quarter of 2015, we expect revenue to be in the range of $59.5 million to $60.5 million. Reflecting the normal seasonality in a purchase-centric market, increased investments, and expected purchase accounting impact for the Mortgage Returns acquisition that we announced on October 14, 2015, we are expecting a net loss of between $(3.8) million to $(3.3) million, or $(0.12) to $(0.10) per diluted share. Adjusted net income is expected to be in the range of $5.5 million to $6.3 million, or $0.18 to $0.20 per diluted share, and Adjusted EBITDA is expected to be in the range of $6.7 million to $7.9 million for the quarter.

For the full year 2015, we expect revenue to be in the range of $248.5 million to $249.5 million, up from the previously provided range of $237.5 million to $238.5 million. Net income is expected to be in the range of $13.2 million to $13.7 million, or $0.43 to $0.44 per diluted share, up from the previously provided range of $10.0 million to $11.5 million, or $0.32 to $0.37 per diluted share. Adjusted net income is expected to be in the range of $43.8 million to $44.6 million, or $1.43 to $1.44 per diluted share, up from the previously provided range of $39.4 million to $41.6 million, or $1.27 to $1.32 per diluted share. And Adjusted EBITDA is expected to be in the range of $64.0 million to $65.2 million, up from the previously provided range of $57.7 million to $61.6 million.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Ellie Mae (the “Company”) provides investors with the non-GAAP financial measures of adjusted net income, adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow in addition to the traditional GAAP operating performance measure of net income as part of its overall assessment of its performance. Adjusted net income consists of net income plus amortization of intangible assets and stock-based compensation expense. EBITDA consists of net income plus depreciation, amortization of intangible assets, other income, net, and income tax provision. Adjusted EBITDA consists of EBITDA plus stock-based compensation expense. Free cash flow is calculated by subtracting cash paid for the acquisition of property and equipment (net of proceeds from sale of property and equipment) from net cash provided by operating activities. Ellie Mae uses adjusted net income and adjusted EBITDA as measures of operating performance because they enable period to period comparisons by excluding potential differences caused by variations in the age and depreciable lives of fixed assets, the amortization of intangibles related to acquisitions, and changes in interest expense and interest income that are influenced by capital market conditions. The Company also believes it is useful to exclude stock-based compensation expense from adjusted net income and adjusted EBITDA because the amount of non-cash expense associated with stock-based awards made at certain prices and points in time (a) do not necessarily reflect how the company’s business is performing at any particular time and (b) can vary significantly between periods due to the timing of new stock-based awards. Ellie Mae uses free cash flow as a complementary measure to its entire consolidated statements of cash flows since purchases of property and equipment are a necessary component of ongoing operations. These non-GAAP measures are not measurements of the Company’s financial performance under GAAP and have limitations as analytical tools. Accordingly, these non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, net income or operating income or other financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP, or as an alternative to cash flows from operating activities as a measure of the Company’s profitability or liquidity. The Company cautions that other companies in Ellie Mae’s industry may calculate adjusted net income and adjusted EBITDA differently than the Company does, further limiting their usefulness as a comparative measure. A reconciliation of net income to adjusted net income and adjusted EBITDA is included in the tables below.

Quarterly Conference Call

Ellie Mae will discuss its third quarter 2015 results today, October 28, 2015, via teleconference at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time. To access the call, please dial 877-876-9175 or 785-424-1668 at least five minutes prior to the 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time start time. A live webcast of the call will be available on the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at http://ir.elliemae.com. An audio replay of the call will be available through November 11, 2015 by dialing 888-203-1112 or 719-457-0820 and entering access code 105357.

About Ellie Mae

Ellie Mae (NYSE:ELLI) is a leading provider of innovative on-demand software solutions and services for the residential mortgage industry. Mortgage lenders of all sizes use Ellie Mae’s Encompass® all-in-one mortgage management solution, Mavent Compliance Service and AllRegs research, reference and education resources to improve compliance, loan quality and efficiency across the entire mortgage lifecycle. Visit EllieMae.com or call 877.355.4362 to learn more.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements under the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include projected revenue, net income (loss), adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net income for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2015. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause Ellie Mae’s results to be materially different than those expressed or implied in such statements. Such differences may be based on factors such as changes in the volume of residential mortgages in the United States; changes in other macroeconomic factors affecting the residential real estate industry; changes in strategic planning decisions by management; our ability to manage growth and expenses as we continue to scale our business; reallocation of internal resources; changes in anticipated rates of existing customer conversions and SaaS seat additions, and new customer acquisitions; the possibility that economic benefits of future opportunities may never materialize, including unexpected variations in market growth and demand for the acquired products and technologies; delays and disruptions, including changing relationships with partners, customers, employees or suppliers; the satisfactory performance, reliability and availability of our products and services; the amount of costs incurred in connection with supporting and integrating new customers and partners; ongoing personnel and logistical challenges of managing a larger organization; changes in other macroeconomic factors affecting the residential real estate industry and other risk factors included in documents that Ellie Mae has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 as updated from time to time by our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Other unknown or unpredictable factors also could have material adverse effects on Ellie Mae’s future results. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date hereof. Ellie Mae cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Finally, Ellie Mae expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, unless otherwise required by law.

© 2015 Ellie Mae, Inc. Ellie Mae®, Encompass®, AllRegs®, DataTrac®, Ellie Mae Network™, Mavent®, Mortgage Returns®, Prospect Manager, Total Quality Loan, True CRM®, TQL and the Ellie Mae logo are trademarks of Ellie Mae, Inc. or its subsidiaries. All rights reserved. Other company and product names may be trademarks or copyrights of their respective owners.

   
Ellie Mae, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(in thousands, except share and per share amounts)
 

September 30,
2015
(Unaudited)

December 31,
2014
(Audited)

Assets
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents $ 52,417 $ 26,756
Short-term investments 57,933 49,352
Accounts receivable, net of allowances for doubtful accounts of $77 and $66 as of September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively 28,924 20,403
Prepaid expenses and other current assets   16,419   16,021  
Total current assets 155,693 112,532
Property and equipment, net 72,440 28,694
Long-term investments 48,930 58,679
Intangible assets, net 17,763 21,452
Deposits and other assets 6,183 3,425
Goodwill   65,338   65,338  
Total assets $ 366,347 $ 290,120  
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable $ 9,162 $ 6,726
Accrued and other current liabilities 28,652 16,822
Acquisition holdback, net of discount 522 522
Deferred revenue   13,392   9,729  
Total current liabilities 51,728 33,799
Leases payable, net of current portion 1,303 443
Other long-term liabilities   19,736   2,994  
Total liabilities   72,767   37,236  
 
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock, $0.0001 par value per share; 140,000,000 authorized shares, 29,796,381 and 28,907,147 shares issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively 3 3
Additional paid-in capital 273,171 242,527
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) 62 (95 )
Retained earnings   20,344   10,449  
Total stockholders’ equity   293,580   252,884  
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 366,347 $ 290,120  
 
       
Ellie Mae, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
(UNAUDITED)
(in thousands, except share and per share amounts)
 
Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30,
2015 2014   2015 2014
Revenues $ 68,939 $ 42,798 $ 189,070 $ 114,960
Cost of revenues(1)   22,441   11,669     60,653   31,563  
Gross profit 46,498 31,129 128,417 83,397
Operating expenses:
Sales and marketing(1) 9,082 6,245 27,646 18,791
Research and development(1) 11,138 6,456 28,717 19,348
General and administrative(1)   16,658   9,556     43,109   28,100  
Total operating expenses   36,878   22,257     99,472   66,239  
Income from operations 9,620 8,872 28,945 17,158
Other income, net   154   134     439   343  
Income before income taxes 9,774 9,006 29,384 17,501
Income tax provision   3,552   3,989     11,948   6,978  
Net income $ 6,222 $ 5,017   $ 17,436 $ 10,523  
Net income per share of common stock:
Basic $ 0.21 $ 0.18   $ 0.60 $ 0.38  
Diluted $ 0.20 $ 0.17   $ 0.57 $ 0.36  
Weighted average common shares used in computing net income per share of common stock:
Basic   29,363,621   28,007,770     29,076,820   27,657,217  
Diluted   31,005,651   29,661,211     30,773,353   29,332,162  
 
Net income $ 6,222 $ 5,017 $ 17,436 $ 10,523
Other comprehensive income, net of taxes:
Unrealized gain (loss) on investments   27   (75 )   157   (3 )
Comprehensive income $ 6,249 $ 4,942   $ 17,593 $ 10,520  
 
(1) Includes stock-based compensation expense of the following for the periods presented:
 
Cost of revenues $ 761 $ 441 $ 2,189 $ 1,065
Sales and marketing 783 247 1,973 1,127
Research and development 1,438 1,038 3,961 2,610
General and administrative   3,538   1,326     9,481   5,738  
$ 6,520 $ 3,052   $ 17,604 $ 10,540  
 
   
Ellie Mae, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(UNAUDITED)
(in thousands)
 
Nine Months Ended September 30,
2015 2014
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income $ 17,436 $ 10,523
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation 7,324 3,933
Provision for uncollectible accounts receivable 14 12
Amortization of intangible assets 3,689 1,575
Amortization of discount related to acquisition holdback 36
Stock-based compensation expense 17,604 10,540
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation (3,828 ) (5,306 )
Deferred income taxes 9,977 (37 )
Loss on disposal of property and equipment 91
Amortization of investment premium 778 972
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable (8,535 ) (5,856 )
Prepaid expenses and other current assets (394 ) 644
Deposits and other assets (985 ) (632 )
Accounts payable 303 1,172
Accrued, other current and other liabilities 17,366 7,258
Deferred revenue   3,696     (54 )
Net cash provided by operating activities   64,536     24,780  
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Acquisition of property and equipment (20,677 ) (4,523 )
Acquisition of internal-use software (20,706 ) (8,316 )
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment 58
Purchases of investments (39,243 ) (49,662 )
Maturities of investments 39,790 42,965
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired       (6,500 )
Net cash used in investing activities   (40,778 )   (26,036 )
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Payment of capital lease obligations (2,891 ) (987 )
Proceeds from issuance of common stock under employee stock plans 12,770 8,002
Payments for repurchase of common stock (8,830 )
Tax payments related to shares withheld for vested restricted stock units (2,974 ) (668 )
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation   3,828     5,306  
Net cash provided by financing activities   1,903     11,653  
NET INCREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS 25,661 10,397
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, Beginning of period   26,756     33,462  
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, End of period $ 52,417   $ 43,859  
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest $ 101 $ 41
Cash paid for income taxes $ 15 $ 43
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Fixed asset purchases accrued but not paid $ 2,133 $ (220 )
Stock-based compensation capitalized to property and equipment $ 705 $ 350
Acquisition of property and equipment under capital leases $ 6,998 $ 1,269
 
       
Ellie Mae, Inc.
NON-GAAP RECONCILIATION
(UNAUDITED)
(in thousands, except share and per share amounts)
 
Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30,
2015 2014 2015 2014
Net income $ 6,222 $ 5,017 $ 17,436 $ 10,523
Depreciation 3,014 1,495 7,324 3,933
Amortization of intangible assets 1,178 535 3,689 1,575
Other income, net (154 ) (134 ) (439 ) (343 )
Income tax provision   3,552     3,989     11,948     6,978  
EBITDA 13,812 10,902 39,958 22,666
 
Stock-based compensation expense   6,520     3,052     17,604     10,540  
Adjusted EBITDA $ 20,332   $ 13,954   $ 57,562   $ 33,206  
 
Net income $ 6,222 $ 5,017 $ 17,436 $ 10,523
Stock-based compensation expense 6,520 3,052 17,604 10,540
Amortization of intangible assets   1,178     535     3,689     1,575  
Adjusted net income $ 13,920   $ 8,604   $ 38,729   $ 22,638  
 
Shares used to compute non-GAAP net income per share
Basic 29,363,621 28,007,770 29,076,820 27,657,217
Diluted 31,005,651 29,661,211 30,773,353 29,332,162
 
Adjusted net income per share
Basic $ 0.47   $ 0.31   $ 1.33   $ 0.82  
Diluted $ 0.45   $ 0.29   $ 1.26   $ 0.77  
 
Net cash provided by operating activities $ 25,686 $ 10,977 $ 64,536 $ 24,780
Acquisition of property and equipment and internal-use software, net   (10,906 )   (5,418 )   (41,325 )   (12,839 )
Free cash flow $ 14,780   $ 5,559   $ 23,211   $ 11,941  
 
       
Ellie Mae, Inc.
NON-GAAP RECONCILIATION
(UNAUDITED)
(in thousands, except share and per share amounts)
 
Fourth Quarter 2015 Projected Range Fiscal 2015 Projected Range
Net income (loss) $ (3,800 ) $ (3,300 ) $ 13,200 $ 13,700
 
Depreciation 3,700 3,800 11,000 11,100
Amortization of intangible assets 2,700 2,800 6,400 6,500
Income tax provision/other   (2,500 )   (2,200 )   9,200   9,500
EBITDA 100 1,100 39,800 40,800
 
Stock-based compensation expense   6,600     6,800     24,200   24,400
Adjusted EBITDA $ 6,700   $ 7,900   $ 64,000 $ 65,200
 
Net income (loss) $ (3,800 ) $ (3,300 ) $ 13,200 $ 13,700
Stock-based compensation expense 6,600 6,800 24,200 24,400
Amortization of intangible assets   2,700     2,800     6,400   6,500
Adjusted net income $ 5,500   $ 6,300   $ 43,800 $ 44,600
 
Shares used to compute non-GAAP net income per share
Basic 29,500,000 30,000,000 29,000,000 29,500,000
Diluted 31,000,000 31,500,000 30,500,000 31,000,000
 
Projected net income (loss) per share
Basic $ (0.13 ) $ (0.11 ) $ 0.46 $ 0.46
Diluted $ (0.12 ) $ (0.10 ) $ 0.43 $ 0.44
 
Adjusted net income per share
Basic $ 0.19 $ 0.21 $ 1.51 $ 1.51
Diluted $ 0.18 $ 0.20 $ 1.43 $ 1.44

Contacts

IR Contacts:
Ellie Mae, Inc.
Edgar Luce, 925-227-7079
Executive VP and CFO
IR@elliemae.com
or
Ellie Mae, Inc.
Michelle Gable, 925-227-7108
Vice President, Investor Relations
michelle.gable@elliemae.com

Contacts

IR Contacts:
Ellie Mae, Inc.
Edgar Luce, 925-227-7079
Executive VP and CFO
IR@elliemae.com
or
Ellie Mae, Inc.
Michelle Gable, 925-227-7108
Vice President, Investor Relations
michelle.gable@elliemae.com