DST SYSTEMS INC
8-K, 1998-01-27
ENGINEERING, ACCOUNTING, RESEARCH, MANAGEMENT
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                                  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) January 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 January 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:  January 27, 1998




January 22, 1998

      DST SYSTEMS, INC. ANNOUNCES FOURTH QUARTER AND FULL YEAR 1997 RESULTS

KANSAS  CITY,  MO  (January  22,  1998)--DST  Systems,  Inc.  ("DST")  announces
financial results for the three months and year ended December 31, 1997.

Quarter Ended December 31, 1997
For the quarter ended December 31, 1997, DST  consolidated  net income increased
35.5% to $16.0  million,  resulting in "basic"  earnings  per share of $.33,  as
compared  to $11.8  million,  or  "basic"  earnings  per share of $.24,  for the
quarter  ended  December  31,  1996.  Under  accounting  standards  which became
effective for year-end 1997  reporting,  companies must now report  earnings per
share in two ways,  basic and  diluted.  Basic  earnings  per share uses  actual
weighted  average  shares  outstanding,  the  method  historically  used by DST.
Diluted  earnings per share  incorporates the effect of options and other rights
which may result in the issuance of shares. Diluted earnings per share were $.32
for the quarter verses $.24 for the prior year quarter.

Consolidated  revenues for the quarter  ended  December 31, 1997 totaled  $176.7
million,  an  increase  of 14.9%  over the prior  year  quarter.  U.S.  revenues
increased  10.6% over the prior  year  quarter to $144.8  million.  Mutual  fund
shareowner  accounts  serviced  increased  during the quarter 4.4% to 45 million
accounts at December 31, 1997.  Mutual fund shareowner  accounts  increased 9.5%
for the  full  year  1997.  Accounts  serviced  at  December  31,  1997  include
approximately  900,000 accounts of the Invesco Fund Group, which became a remote
processing  client during the fourth  quarter  1997.  Included in the 45 million
year-end  account  total is one  million  accounts  which  are  scheduled  to be
internalized  by Prudential in the first quarter  1998.  Output  services  pages
printed  increased  10.4% over the prior year quarter to 372 million pages,  and
DBS Systems Corp. (DBS) revenues increased.

International  revenues  increased  39.8% over the prior  year  quarter to $31.9
million  for the  quarter  ended  December  31,  1997,  driven by  increases  in
investment  accounting  and  Automated  Work  DistributorTM(AWD(R))  license and
service  revenues,  and revenues from DST Catalyst,  Inc., which was acquired in
August 1997.

Consolidated  income from operations totaled $26.0 million for the quarter ended
December  31,  1997,  an increase of 39.7% over the prior year,  resulting  in a
consolidated  operating margin of 14.7%.  U.S. income from operations rose 33.9%
to $24.3 million for the current  quarter  derived  primarily from higher mutual
fund and DBS revenues and lower depreciation and amortization  costs, which were
partially  offset by a 14.6% increase in personnel costs.  International  income
from  operations  increased  $1.2  million  from the prior year  quarter to $1.7
million,  principally from increased investment  accounting and AWD software and
service revenues.

Equity in  earnings of  unconsolidated  affiliates  was a loss of $2.7  million,
compared to income of $.5 million for the prior year  quarter.  This decline was
due to a $3.3 million  increased  loss (DST's share) over the prior year quarter
at European Financial Data Services,  Ltd. (EFDS) where development costs of the
new FAST2000  software  continue.  Fourth  quarter 1997 EFDS results  included a
write-off of $1.0 million  (DST's share) of costs  associated  with software and
hardware  which will be replaced by FAST2000 in 1998.  EFDS fourth  quarter 1997
costs were also impacted by business growth as accounts serviced totaled 988,000
at December 31, 1997, an increase of 191,500 accounts during the quarter. Higher
operating earnings were recorded at Boston Financial Data Services,  Inc. (BFDS)
before certain  non-recurring costs in its Canadian operations.  Higher earnings
were recorded at Argus Health Systems, Inc.

DST's effective  income tax rate was 29.6% for the 1997 quarter,  as compared to
34.9% for the 1996  quarter.  The decrease in the  effective  tax rate in fourth
quarter 1997 over the 1996 quarter was  primarily  due to increased tax benefits
associated with international operations.

Year Ended December 31, 1997
For the year  ended  December  31,  1997,  net income  increased  33.9% to $59.0
million,  or basic earnings per share of $1.20,  as compared to $44.0 million or
basic  earnings  per share of $.88 for the prior  year,  after  eliminating  all
Continuum  related equity in earnings,  gains and charges.  Diluted earnings per
share was $1.18 for 1997 verses $.88 for 1996.

Consolidated  revenues for the year ended December 31, 1997 increased 12.0% over
the prior  year to  $650.7  million.  U.S.  revenues  increased  10.7% to $549.8
million,  primarily from increased numbers of mutual fund accounts serviced, AWD
workstations  licensed,  output pages printed and DirecTV subscribers supported.
International  revenues for the year  increased  19.6% to $100.9  million,  from
increased AWD and  investment  accounting  software and  services,  and Canadian
mutual fund processing volumes.

1997 consolidated income from operations was $92.2 million, an increase of $21.5
million, or 30.5%, over the comparable 1996 period (excluding from 1996 expenses
the one-time $13.7 million ESOP  contribution  associated with the Continuum/CSC
merger). Consolidated operating margin rose to 14.2% in 1997.

1997 equity in earnings of unconsolidated  affiliates declined $2.2 million from
the prior year (excluding  equity in earnings of Continuum from 1996 results) as
a result of the increased losses at EFDS,  partially offset by improved earnings
at BFDS and Argus.  Gains on sales of equity  investments  were $1.5  million in
1997 primarily  from the sale of First of Michigan,  and $223.4 million in 1996,
from the  Continuum/CSC  merger.  DST's  effective  tax rate for 1997 was 32.9%,
versus 35.2% in 1996, excluding the effects of Continuum.

Other Actions
During the quarter ended  December 31, 1997, DST  repurchased  150,000 shares of
its  common  stock  under its 1.2  million  share  repurchase  program.  DST has
repurchased  600,000  shares in 1997 and a total of one million shares since the
program  commenced.  On January  21,  1998,  DST common  stock was listed on the
Chicago Stock Exchange, in addition to its primary listing on the New York Stock
Exchange.


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                DST SYSTEMS, INC.
                   Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income
                    (In thousands, except earnings per share)
                                   (unaudited)

                                                     For the Three Months                For the Year
                                                       Ended December 31,              Ended December 31,
                                                 -----------------------------   -----------------------------
                                                     1996            1997            1996           1997
                                                     ----            ----            ----           ----
<S>                                                  <C>            <C>             <C>             <C>

Revenues                                             $ 153,761      $ 176,737       $ 580,808       $ 650,678

Costs and expenses                                     114,266        129,955         431,563         479,103
Depreciation and amortization                           20,888         20,785          78,572          79,335
Other expenses                                                                         13,700
                                                 --------------  -------------   -------------  --------------

Income from operations                                  18,607         25,997          56,973          92,240
Interest expense                                        (1,829)        (1,663)         (6,940)         (7,670)
Other income, net                                        1,352          1,033           4,176           4,020
Gains on sale of equity investments                                                   223,438           1,464
Equity in earnings (losses) of
     unconsolidated affiliates                             518         (2,702)         (4,028)         (1,345)
                                                 --------------  -------------   -------------  --------------

Income before income taxes and
     minority interest                                  18,648         22,665         273,619          88,709
Income taxes                                             6,511          6,715         105,920          29,178
                                                 --------------  -------------   -------------  --------------
Income before minority interest                         12,137         15,950         167,699          59,531
Minority interest                                          309            (73)            497             534
                                                 --------------  -------------   -------------  --------------

Net income                                            $ 11,828       $ 16,023       $ 167,202        $ 58,997
                                                 ==============  =============   =============  ==============

Weighted average common shares outstanding              49,679         49,099          49,871          49,308
Basic earnings per share                                $ 0.24         $ 0.33          $ 3.35          $ 1.20
Diluted earnings per share                              $ 0.24         $ 0.32          $ 3.32          $ 1.18

</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


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