• First quarter 2018 revenue increased 10% to $950.5 million.
• Net Income Per Share increased 32%, Operating Adjusted Net Income Per Share increased 32% and Adjusted EBITDA increased 9% over the three months ended March 31, 2017.

CARMEL, Ind., May 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- KAR Auction Services, Inc. (NYSE:KAR), today reported its first quarter financial results for the period ended March 31, 2018. For the first quarter of 2018, the company reported revenue of $950.5 million as compared with revenue of $866.6 million for the first quarter of 2017, an increase of 10%. Net income for the first quarter of 2018 increased 30% to $90.0 million, or $0.66 per diluted share, as compared with net income of $69.2 million, or $0.50 per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2017. Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter ended March 31, 2018 increased 9% to $229.4 million, as compared with Adjusted EBITDA of $210.6 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2017. Operating adjusted net income per diluted share increased 32% to $0.82 for the quarter ended March 31, 2018, as compared with operating adjusted net income per diluted share of $0.62 for the quarter ended March 31, 2017.

“We are pleased with our solid first quarter performance and consolidated results,” said Jim Hallett, chairman and CEO of KAR Auction Services, Inc. “We remain focused on growing our core business, advancing our strategic priorities, and evolving our business to meet the ongoing changes in our industry.”

2018 Outlook

KAR Auction Services' previously stated outlook remains unchanged.

Earnings guidance does not contemplate future items such as business development activities, strategic developments (such as restructurings, spin-offs or dispositions of assets or investments), gains/losses associated with step acquisitions, significant expenses related to litigation and changes in applicable laws and regulations (including significant accounting and tax matters). The timing and amounts of these items are highly variable, difficult to predict, and of a potential size that could have a substantial impact on the company’s reported results for any given period. Prospective quantification of these items is generally not practicable. Forward-looking non-GAAP guidance excludes amortization expense associated with acquired intangible assets, as well as one-time charges, net of taxes. See reconciliations of the company's guidance on pages 8 and 9.

Dividend Announcement
The company announced a cash dividend today of $0.35 per share on the company’s common stock. The dividend is payable on July 5, 2018, to stockholders of record as of the close of business on June 21, 2018.

Potential Spin-off
On February 27, 2018, the Company announced that its board of directors had approved a plan to pursue the separation of its salvage auction business through a spin-off, creating a new independent, publicly traded company. The transaction is expected to be tax-free to shareholders and should be completed within 12 months from the announcement date, subject to customary regulatory approvals, the execution of intercompany agreements between the Company and the new salvage auction company, final approval of the board of directors and other customary matters.

Earnings Conference Call Information
KAR Auction Services, Inc. will be hosting an earnings conference call and webcast on Wednesday, May 9, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. EDT (10:00 a.m. CDT). The call will be hosted by KAR Auction Services, Inc.’s Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board, Jim Hallett, and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Eric Loughmiller. The conference call may be accessed by calling 1-844-778-4145 and entering participant passcode 3191819, while the live web cast will be available at the investor relations section of www.karauctionservices.com. Supplemental financial information for KAR Auction Services’ first quarter 2018 results is available at the investor relations section of www.karauctionservices.com under the quarterly results page.

A replay of the call will be available for two weeks via telephone starting approximately 30 minutes after the completion of the call. The replay may be accessed by calling 1-855-859-2056 and entering passcode 3191819. The archive of the web cast will also be available following the call and will be available at the investor relations section of www.karauctionservices.com for a limited time.

About KAR Auction Services
KAR Auction Services (NYSE: KAR) provides sellers and buyers across the global wholesale used vehicle industry with innovative, technology-driven remarketing solutions. KAR’s unique end-to-end platform supports whole car, salvage, financing, logistics and other ancillary and related services, including the sale of more than 5.5 million units valued at over $40 billion through our auctions. Our integrated physical, online and mobile marketplaces reduce risk, improve transparency and streamline transactions for customers in 120 countries. Headquartered in Carmel, Ind., KAR has approximately 17,500 employees across the United States, Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom. For more information go to www.karauctionservices.com. For the latest KAR news follow us on Twitter @KARSpeaks.

Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this release include "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and which are subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties. In particular, statements made that are not historical facts may be forward-looking statements. Words such as “should,” “may,” “will,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results projected, expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include those matters disclosed in the Company’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

KAR Auction Services, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income
(In millions) (Unaudited)

KAR Auction Services, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(In millions) (Unaudited)

KAR Auction Services, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(In millions) (Unaudited)

KAR Auction Services, Inc.
Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, free cash flow, operating adjusted net income and operating adjusted net income per share as presented herein are supplemental measures of our performance that are not required by, or presented in accordance with, generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”). They are not measurements of our financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered as substitutes for net income (loss) or any other performance measures derived in accordance with GAAP. Management believes that these measures provide investors additional meaningful methods to evaluate certain aspects of the company’s results period over period and for the other reasons set forth below.

EBITDA is defined as net income (loss), plus interest expense net of interest income, income tax provision (benefit), depreciation and amortization. Adjusted EBITDA is EBITDA adjusted for the items of income and expense and expected incremental revenue and cost savings as described in our senior secured credit agreement covenant calculations. Free cash flow is defined as Adjusted EBITDA less cash interest expense on corporate debt (Credit Facility), capital expenditures and cash taxes related to the calendar year. Management believes that the inclusion of supplementary adjustments to EBITDA applied in presenting Adjusted EBITDA is appropriate to provide additional information to investors about one of the principal measures of performance used by our creditors. In addition, management uses EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow to evaluate our performance.

Depreciation expense for property and equipment and amortization expense of capitalized internally developed software costs relate to ongoing capital expenditures; however, amortization expense associated with acquired intangible assets, such as customer relationships, software, tradenames and noncompete agreements are not representative of ongoing capital expenditures, but have a continuing effect on our reported results. Non-GAAP financial measures of operating adjusted net income and operating adjusted net income per share, in the opinion of the company, provide comparability of the company's performance to other companies that may not have incurred these types of non-cash expenses or that report a similar measure. In addition, operating adjusted net income and operating adjusted net income per share may include adjustments for certain other charges.

EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, free cash flow, operating adjusted net income and operating adjusted net income per share have limitations as analytical tools, and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of the results as reported under GAAP. These measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies.

The following table reconciles EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA to net income for the periods presented:

The following table reconciles operating adjusted net income and operating adjusted net income per share to net income and net income per share for the periods presented:

(1) The effective tax rate at the end of each period presented was used to determine the amount of income tax on the adjustments to net income.

The following table reconciles EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow to net income for the 2018 guidance presented:

The following table reconciles operating adjusted net income and operating adjusted net income per share to net income and net income per share for the 2018 guidance presented: