Press Release: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Reports Significant Revenue Growth in Q2 Earnings Report

Cost of Sales: Cost of sales, excluding pre-publication and publishing rights amortization, for the second quarter of 2014 were $167 million, up $8 million, or 5% as compared with $159 million for the same period in 2013. Cost of sales, excluding pre-publication and publishing rights amortization, as a percentage of sales decreased to 42% compared with 44% in the second quarter of 2013. This favorable shift is the result of the mix of basal programs sold carrying low product cost which have benefitted from economies of scale of large print runs, slightly offset by an increase in royalties.

Selling and Administrative Costs: In the second quarter of 2014, Selling and Administrative costs were $152 million, or 14% higher than the $133 million recorded in the same period in 2013. The higher costs were primarily due to increased commission costs associated with the higher sales volumes, increased outside labor costs to support the adoptions in 2014, and increased technology costs to support ongoing digital initiatives.

Operating Income (Loss): Operating income for the second quarter of 2014 was $18 million compared with a loss of $6 million in the same period in 2013. The $24 million increase is primarily due to the aforementioned increase in net sales, improvement in gross margin, and lower impairment costs, and a reduction in net amortization expense related to publishing rights, pre-publication and other intangible assets due to HMH's use of accelerated amortization methods.

Net Income (Loss): Net income for the quarter was $12 million, an increase of almost $26 million compared with a loss of $14 million in the second quarter of 2013, primarily due to the same drivers impacting operating income as well as lower interest expenses resulting from the Company's debt refinancings.

Adjusted EBITDA: Adjusted EBITDA for the second quarter of 2014 was $109 million, up 12% compared with $97 million in the same period of 2013. Adjusted EBITDA for HMH's Education segment was $119 million, compared with $100 million in the same quarter of last year, and Adjusted EBITDA for the Trade Publishing segment was $2 million compared with nearly $5 million in the second quarter of 2013. Corporate and Other costs, which represent certain general overhead costs not fully allocated to the business segments, such as legal, accounting, treasury, human resources, technology and executive functions, were a loss of $12 million in the second 2014 compared with a loss of $8 million in the year-ago period as the Company incurred higher selling and administrative expenses from increased consulting and professional fees, as well as an increase in equity compensation charges.