DST SYSTEMS INC
8-K, 1998-10-26
ENGINEERING, ACCOUNTING, RESEARCH, MANAGEMENT
Previous: AARP CASH INVESTMENT FUNDS, 497, 1998-10-26
Next: PIZZA INN INC /MO/, DEF 14A, 1998-10-26



                                  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 Act of 1934

                                  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 Act of 1934

        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) October 22, 1998

             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
                                DST Systems, Inc.

                (State or other    (Commission     (I.R.S. Employer
                  jurisdiction     File Number)   Identification No.)
                of incorporation)
                    Delaware         1-14036          43-1581814

                333 West 11th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64105
               (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

        Registrant's telephone number, including area code (816) 435-6568

                                 Not Applicable

         (Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

<PAGE>
                                    FORM 8-K
                                DST SYSTEMS, INC.
ITEM 1  CHANGES IN CONTROL OF REGISTRANT
Not applicable.

ITEM 2  ACQUISITION OR DISPOSITION OF ASSETS
Not applicable.

ITEM 3  BANKRUPTCY OR RECEIVERSHIP
Not applicable.

ITEM 4  CHANGES IN REGISTRANT'S CERTIFYING ACCOUNTANT
Not applicable.

ITEM 5  OTHER EVENTS
See attached as an Exhibit to this Form 8-K a News Release released October 22,
1998 concerning the announcement of financial results.

ITEM 6 RESIGNATIONS OF REGISTRANT'S DIRECTORS Not applicable.

ITEM 7  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS
Not applicable.

ITEM 8  CHANGE IN FISCAL YEAR
Not applicable.

SIGNATURE
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.

                                    DST Systems, Inc.


                                    /s/ Robert C. Canfield
                                    Senior Vice President, General Counsel,
                                    Secretary

Date:  October 26, 1998


October 22, 1998

DST SYSTEMS, INC.ANNOUNCES THIRD QUARTER AND YEAR-TO-DATE 1998 FINANCIAL RESULTS

KANSAS CITY,  MO--DST Systems,  Inc. (DST) announces  financial  results for the
third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 1998.

Quarter Ended September 30, 1998
For the quarter ended September 30, 1998, DST  consolidated net income was $18.5
million  compared to $14.1  million for the same quarter in 1997, an increase of
31.9%.  Basic  earnings  per share were $.38  ($.37 on a diluted  basis) for the
current  year  quarter  compared  to $.29 basic  earnings  per share  ($.28 on a
diluted  basis) for the prior year  quarter,  an increase in basic  earnings per
share of 31.0% and an increase in diluted earnings per share of 32.1%.

Consolidated  revenues for the quarter ended  September 30, 1998 totaled  $186.3
million,  an increase of 16.5% over the prior year quarter.  U.S.  revenues were
$152.3 million for the quarter, an increase of 13.5% over comparable period 1997
revenues.  This revenue increase resulted principally from growth in mutual fund
shareowner  processing  revenues.  Output  services,  Automated Work Distributor
(AWD) and satellite TV subscriber management revenues also increased.

U.S. mutual fund shareowner  accounts serviced totaled 48.9 million at September
30, 1998 (excluding approximately 650,000 accounts of GT Global which terminated
its  services  with DST as a result  of its  acquisition  by the AIM  Management
Group), an increase of 1.5% from the 48.2 million serviced at June 30, 1998, and
an  increase  of 8.7% from the 45.0  million  serviced  at  December  31,  1997.
Excluding the

Page 2
impact of GT Global, new accounts during the quarter were 1.4 million,  of which
approximately  500,000 were IRA accounts.  New Roth or Educational  IRA accounts
represented approximately 43% of the IRA account growth. Pages printed by OTI in
the U.S.  increased  18.2% over third quarter 1997 volumes to 373 million pages.
AWD workstations licensed in the U.S. increased 23.4 % over year end 1997 levels
to 25,500 workstations.

International  revenues  totaled $34.0  million for the quarter,  an increase of
32.2% over  comparable  prior year quarter  revenues,  primarily  resulting from
revenues  attributable to increased investment  accounting software licenses and
services,  Canadian mutual fund processing,  and AWD software and services.  The
planned  introduction  of the European  Monetary Unit  contributed  to increased
demand for the Company's international investment management products.

Consolidated income from operations  increased 22.3% over the prior year quarter
to $26.4  million,  with an operating  margin of 14.2% compared to 13.5% for the
prior year quarter.  U.S. operating income equaled $22.0 million for the quarter
ended  September 30, 1998, an increase of 5.8% over prior year quarter  results.
U.S.  costs and  expenses  increased  17.6% to $112.4  million,  primarily  from
increases in personnel costs to support  business  growth,  third party software
usage costs and increases in development costs for DST's new securities transfer
system (Fairway).  U. S. depreciation and amortization costs were unchanged from
the prior year quarter.  International  businesses posted an aggregate operating
income of $4.4 million for the current year quarter, an increase of $3.7 million
from the $0.7 million  operating  income  recorded  for the prior year  quarter,
primarily driven by higher revenues previously described.

Page 3
Other income for the quarter ended  September 30, 1998  increased as a result of
gains on the sale of certain marketable equity securities.

DST recorded equity in losses of  unconsolidated  affiliates of $1.2 million for
the quarter ended September 30, 1998,  compared to $0.5 million  recorded in the
third  quarter  of  1997.  This  was  caused  primarily  by  non-recurring  debt
refinancing  costs incurred by real estate related  affiliates to take advantage
of lower interest rates.  Increased  earnings were recorded at Boston  Financial
Data Services,  Inc. from higher levels of mutual fund activity.  Lower earnings
were recorded at Argus Health Systems,  Inc. (Argus).  The amount of DST's share
of losses at European  Financial  Data  Services  decreased  from the prior year
quarter, but were higher than second quarter 1998 as a result of increased costs
associated with FAST2000 development and conversion activity.

DST's effective tax rate was 31.6% for the third quarter 1998, compared to 33.2%
for the prior year  quarter,  primarily  caused by lower  marginal tax rates for
international earnings, principally in the U.K., and recognition of the benefits
associated with new Missouri income  apportionment rules designed to attract and
retain mutual fund service companies.

Nine Months Ended September 30, 1998
For the nine months ended  September 30, 1998,  consolidated  net income totaled
$54.7 million  compared to $43.0  million for 1997, an increase of 27.2%.  Basic
earnings per share were $1.12 ($1.09 per share on a diluted  basis)  compared to
basic  earnings  per share of $.87  ($.86 per share on a diluted  basis) for the
nine months ended September 30, 1997, an increase of 28.7% in basic earnings per
share and 26.7% in diluted earnings per share.

Page 4
Consolidated  revenues for the nine months ended  September  30, 1998  increased
17.7% to $558.0  million.  U.S.  revenues  increased  14.1% to  $462.1  million,
primarily   from  higher  mutual  fund  and  output   services   revenues,   and
international revenues grew 39% to $95.9 million.  Consolidated operating income
increased  29.4% over the  comparable  1997  period to $85.7  million,  aided by
improved  international  operations.  U.S.  operating  income increased 11.7% to
$74.6 million.  International operating income totaled $11.1 million compared to
a loss of $0.6 million for the prior year.

DST recorded $1.5 million in equity in losses of  unconsolidated  affiliates for
the 1998 year to date period  compared to $1.4  million in equity in earnings of
unconsolidated affiliates for the comparable 1997 period, primarily due to lower
earnings at Argus and  non-recurring  real estate debt  refinancing  costs.  The
year-to-date  effective income tax rate increased slightly to 34.9% in 1998 from
34% in 1997.

USCS International, Inc. Merger
The proposed  DST/USCS  merger has received  notice of early  termination of the
waiting  period under the  Hart/Scott/Rodino  Act. DST and USCS have filed proxy
materials with the  Securities and Exchange  Commission and anticipate a closing
of the merger in the fourth quarter 1998.

                                 * * * * *

The  information  and  comments  above may  include  forward-looking  statements
respecting DST and its  businesses.  Such  information and comments are based on
DST's  views as of today,  and actual  results  could  differ.  There could be a
number of factors affecting actual future results,  including those set forth in
Form 8-K/A dated April 13, 1998 filed by DST with the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission.   All  such  factors   should  be  considered   in  evaluating   any
forward-looking comments.

<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

Page 5
                                DST SYSTEMS, INC.
                   CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME
                    (In thousands, except per share amounts)
                                   (Unaudited)


                                                For the Three Months             For the Nine Months
                                                 Ended September 30,             Ended September 30,
                                               -------------------------------  -------------------------------
                                                 1997             1998              1997             1998
                                               -------------------------------  -------------------------------
<S>                                            <C>              <C>               <C>              <C>

Revenues                                       $ 159,863        $ 186,256         $ 473,941        $ 557,972

Costs and expenses                               118,811          139,932           349,148          411,573
Depreciation and amortization                     19,453           19,910            58,551           60,711
                                                 -------          -------           -------          -------

Income from operations                            21,599           26,414            66,242           85,688

Interest expense                                  (1,960)          (1,829)           (6,006)          (6,087)
Other income, net                                  2,241            3,501             4,451            5,491
Equity in earnings (losses) of
     unconsolidated affiliates                      (507)          (1,162)           1,357            (1,529)
                                                   -----          -------           ------           -------

Income before income taxes and minority
     interests                                    21,373           26,924            66,044           83,563

Income taxes                                       7,097            8,495            22,463           29,153
                                                  ------           ------           -------          ------
Income before minority interests                  14,276           18,429            43,581           54,410
Minority interests                                   222              (102)             607             (244)
                                                    ----             -----             ----             -----

Net income                                      $ 14,054         $ 18,531          $ 42,974         $ 54,654
                                               =========        =========         =========        =========

Average common shares outstanding                 49,236           48,994            49,378           48,988
Basic earnings per share                          $ 0.29           $ 0.38            $ 0.87           $ 1.12

Diluted shares outstanding                        49,804           50,102            49,862           49,991
Diluted earnings per share                        $ 0.28           $ 0.37            $ 0.86           $ 1.09

</TABLE>

DST Systems, Inc.
333 West 11th Street
Kansas City, MO
64105-1594

NYSE Symbol: DST
Contact:
Thomas A. McDonnell (816) 435-8684
President and Chief Executive Officer
Kenneth V. Hager (816) 435-8603
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer


© 2022 IncJournal is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission