Press Release

Novell Announces Second Fiscal Quarter 1996 Results

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Second Fiscal Quarter 1996 Results In Line With February Pre-Announcement

Orem, UT -- May 29, 1996 -- Consistent with its February 21, 1996 announcement of a change in its long-standing distribution stocking policy, Novell, Inc. (NASDAQ:NOVL) today reported that it has reduced worldwide channel inventories by approximately $225 million in the second fiscal quarter ended April 27, 1996. This company-instituted reduction in shipments decreased revenue in the quarter by a corresponding amount, resulting in revenue of $188 million and a loss of ($0.15) per share.

Second-quarter results compare with year-earlier earnings of $0.26 per share and revenue of $530 million, which included $149 million of revenue from personal productivity applications and UnixWare. Novell sold these product lines during the first half of fiscal 1996 as the company sharpened its focus on network software. The sale of personal productivity applications to Corel Corporation was completed on March 1, 1996. As expected, the sale led to a second quarter $20 million pre-tax gain, or $0.04 per share after tax.

"In a single quarter, we achieved our very aggressive objectives of both completing the sale to Corel and dramatically reducing and rebalancing Novell product inventory in our worldwide distribution channel," said Robert J. Frankenberg, Novell chairman and chief executive officer. "Novell changed its traditional distribution stocking policy to address evolving customer purchase patterns toward channel, OEM, and direct license programs. As with other business decisions we have made during fiscal 1996, these actions make Novell a more dynamic and competitive company, repositioned for enhanced profitability and shareholder value."

Second-quarter revenue of $188 million included those parts of Novell's business not affected by the channel stocking change. These were corporate and channel licenses; OEM programs; sales by Novell KK, our Japanese joint venture; and education and service. Revenue from license and OEM programs grew 41 percent year-over-year to $107 million. Of this, revenue from corporate and channel license programs grew 125 percent year-over-year, led by significant sales of NetWare 4.1 to Allied Signal, Mobil Oil, the Department of Justice, Citicorp, McKinsey& Company, and TRW. GroupWise, Novell's electronic messaging and Internet/intranet mail application, accounted for $10 million in license revenue, up 50 percent from the previous quarter.

"Novell is continuing to gain market share within the enterprise segment of the network software market," said Frankenberg. "These accounts are implementing large, distributed networks requiring the advanced capabilities that NetWare and GroupWise provide and that competing products do not," said Frankenberg.

Novell's sale of its personal productivity applications to Corel enabled the company to further lower operating expenses during the second quarter. Operating expenses declined 16 percent from the year-earlier period and 4 percent from the prior quarter. Since October 1995, Novell has reduced employment by 1,900 employees associated with the sold product lines, bringing total headcount to under 5,900 worldwide.

On the balance sheet, cash and short-term investments totaled $1.2 billion, compared with $1.3 billion at October 28, 1995 and down slightly from first-quarter 1996. Novell repurchased 16 million shares of outstanding common stock for $200 million during the second quarter. Year-to-date in fiscal 1996 Novell has purchased 23 million of its shares for $306 million at an average cost of under $13.50 per share. The company's Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to 37 million shares of common stock through October 1996.

Novell, Inc. (NASDAQ: NOVL) is the world's leading networking software provider. Novell software provides the infrastructure for a networked world, enabling our customers to connect with other people and the information they need, anytime and anyplace. Novell partners with other technology and market leaders to help customers make networks a part of their everyday lives.

Press Contact:
Peter Troop
Novell, Inc.
408/ 577-8975
Internet: peter_troop@novell.com

Novell, Inc.
Consolidated Unaudited Condensed Statements of Operations
(In thousands, except per share data)

                   Fiscal Quarter Ended   Six Months Ended
                   April 27,  April 29,   April 27,  April 29,
                   1996*      1995        1996*      1995
                   _________  _________   _________   __________
Net sales          $ 188,180  $ 529,508   $ 626,099  $ 1,022,733
Cost of sales         68,614    124,455     164,625      241,330
                   _________  _________   _________   __________
Gross profit         119,566    405,053     461,474      781,403

Operating expenses
Sales and mktg.     127,292    148,374     250,757      288,177
Product dev.         69,723     93,000     148,356      182,817
General and
   administrative     34,731     35,794      73,269       69,764
Restructuring charges     --         --      18,442           --
                     _________  _________  _________  __________
Total operating 
   expenses           231,746    277,168    490,824      540,758
                     _________  _________  _________  __________
Income (loss) from
   operations        (112,180)    127,885   (29,350)     240,645

Other income (expense)
Investment income       11,257     15,037    26,157       24,604
Gain on sale of
   assets               19,815         --    19,815           --
Other, net             (2,138)      1,240    (4,288)       1,498
                     _________  _________  _________  __________
Other income, net       28,934     16,277     41,684      26,102
                     _________  _________  _________  __________
Income (loss)
   before taxes        (83,246)   144,162     12,334     266,747
Income taxes           (27,887)    48,294      4,132      89,360
                     _________  _________  _________  __________
Net income
   (loss)            $ (55,359)  $ 95,868    $ 8,202   $ 177,387
                     _________  _________  _________  __________

Net income (loss)
   per share           $ (0.15)    $ 0.26      $ 0.02     $ 0.48
                      =========  =========  =========  =========
Weighted average shares
   outstanding          362,442    374,383    367,013    373,205
                      =========  =========  =========  =========
  • During the second fiscal quarter of 1996, Novell reduced worldwide channel inventories by an estimated $225 million. This company-instituted reduction in shipments decreased revenue in the quarter by a comparable amount.

Novell, Inc.
Consolidated Unaudited Condensed Balance Sheet
(In thousands)

                           April 27,            October 28,
                                1996                   1995
                         ___________            ___________
ASSETS

Cash and short-term
   investments            $1,181,015             $1,321,231
Receivables, net             357,122                470,437
Inventories                   16,942                 23,025
Prepaid expenses              31,784                 50,576
Deferred income taxes         72,285                 59,913
                         ___________            ___________
Total current assets       1,659,148              1,925,182
                       
Property, plant
   and equipment, net        357,442                390,452
Other assets                  50,288                101,196
                         ___________            ___________
Total assets              $2,066,878             $2,416,830
                         ===========            ===========

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

Accounts payable              $ 88,591            $ 116,305
Accrued compensation            68,319               97,637
Accrued marketing
   liabilities                  47,994               72,339
Other accrued
   liabilities                 117,488               90,623
Income taxes payable                --               29,942

Deferred revenue                38,810               54,099
                           ___________          ___________
Total current  
   liabilities                 361,202              460,945

Minority interests              17,174               17,623

Put warrants                    90,025                   --

Shareholders' equity         1,598,477            1,938,262
                           ___________          ___________
Total liabilities and
   shareholders' equity     $2,066,878           $2,416,830
                           ===========         ============