Equinix Reports Third Quarter 2012 Results

​Q3 Financials 2012 (PDF)  

REDWOOD CITY, CA — November 1, 2012 — Equinix, Inc. (Nasdaq: EQIX), the global interconnection and data center company, today reported quarterly results for the quarter ended September 30, 2012.  The Company uses certain non-GAAP financial measures, which are described further below and reconciled to the most comparable GAAP financial measures after the presentation of our GAAP financial statements.

This quarter includes the quarterly results of ancotel GmbH, a data center provider  headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, and Asia Tone Limited, a data center provider formerly headquartered in Hong Kong, both of which were acquired by the Company in July 2012.  In addition, due to the Company’s decision to sell 16 International Business Exchange data centers located throughout the United States to an investment group consisting of 365 Main, Crosslink Capital and Housatonic Partners in a transaction valued at approximately $75 million, the financial results derived from these 16 data centers are now excluded from Equinix’s continuing operations and are now reported as discontinued operations. As a result, Equinix has retroactively adjusted its financial results for all applicable prior periods beginning April 30, 2010, the date the Company acquired these assets, to reflect them as discontinued operations as required under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.  The financial results from these 16 data centers are presented on the last page of the attached financial statements associated with this earnings release.

Revenues from continuing operations were $488.7 million for the third quarter, a 7% increase over the previous quarter and a 20% increase over the same quarter last year.  This result included $16.1 million in revenues from the Company’s Asia Tone and ancotel acquisitions for the quarter and excluded $8.8 million of revenues from discontinued operations.  Recurring revenues, consisting primarily of colocation, interconnection and managed services were $462.8 million for the third quarter, a 7% increase over the previous quarter and a 19% increase over the same quarter last year.  Non-recurring revenues were $25.9 million in the quarter.   

“We delivered solid financial results in the third quarter, driven by continued demand for our services across all three regions,” said Steve Smith, president and CEO of Equinix. “We are executing with discipline and remain focused on profitable growth.  We believe the value of our global interconnection platform and further development of our business ecosystems will underpin our competitive position in support of our long-term opportunity.” 

Cost of revenues were $251.5 million for the third quarter, a 12% increase over the previous quarter and a 14% increase over the same quarter last year.  Cost of revenues, excluding depreciation, amortization, accretion and stock-based compensation of $93.5 million, which we refer to as cash cost of revenues, were $158.0 million for the third quarter, an 11% increase from the previous quarter and a 13% increase over the same quarter last year.  Gross margins for the quarter were 49%, down from 51% for the previous quarter and up from 46% for the same quarter last year.  Cash gross margins, defined as gross profit before depreciation, amortization, accretion and stock-based compensation, divided by revenues, for the quarter were 68%, down from 69% for the previous quarter and up from 66% for the same quarter last year.

Selling, general and administrative expenses were $136.8 million for the third quarter, a 7% increase over the previous quarter and a 26% increase over the same quarter last year. Selling, general and administrative expenses, excluding depreciation, amortization and stock-based compensation of $34.4 million, which we refer to as cash selling, general and administrative expenses, were $102.4 million for the third quarter, a 5% increase over the previous quarter and a 26% increase over the same quarter last year.

Interest expense was $50.2 million for the third quarter, a 7% increase from the previous quarter and a 2% decrease over the same quarter last year. The Company recorded income tax expense of $13.5 million for the third quarter and income tax expense of $5.1 million in the same quarter last year.

Net income attributable to Equinix for the third quarter was $28.8 million.  This represents a basic net income per share attributable to Equinix of $0.60 and a diluted net income per share attributable to Equinix of $0.58 based on a weighted average share count of 48.4 million and 52.7 million, respectively, for the third quarter of 2012.  

Income from continuing operations was $95.9 million for the third quarter, a 6% decrease from the previous quarter and a 24% increase over the same quarter last year.  Adjusted EBITDA, defined as income or loss from continuing operations before depreciation, amortization, accretion, stock-based compensation, restructuring charges and acquisition costs, for the third quarter was $228.3 million, a 5% increase over the previous quarter and a 22% increase over the same quarter last year.  This result included $6.7 million in adjusted EBITDA from the Company’s Asia Tone and ancotel acquisitions for the quarter and excluded $4.3 million in adjusted EBITDA from discontinued operations. 

Capital expenditures, defined as gross capital expenditures less the net change in accrued property, plant and equipment in the third quarter, were $212.1 million, of which $174.5 million was attributed to expansion capital expenditures and $37.6 million was attributed to ongoing capital expenditures.  

The Company generated cash from operating activities of $102.2 million for the third quarter as compared to $194.8 million in the previous quarter and $141.9 million for the same quarter last year. Cash used in investing activities was $596.9 million in the third quarter as compared to cash provided by investing activities of $93.9 million in the previous quarter and cash used in investing activities of $808.7 million for the same quarter last year, primarily attributed to cash consideration paid for the acquisitions of Asia Tone and ancotel. Cash provided by financing activities was $73.7 million for the third quarter, primarily attributed to the net proceeds from drawdowns of loans payable during the quarter.     

As of September 30, 2012, the Company’s cash, cash equivalents and investments were $519.8 million, as compared to $823.0 million as of June 30, 2012.     

Business Outlook

For the full year of 2012, total revenues are expected to be in the range of $1,890.0 to $1,895.0 million, and reflect a decrease of approximately $36.0 million in annual revenues from the Company’s decision to sell 16 of its International Business Exchange data centers and approximately $10.0 million in favorable currency rates, when compared to our prior foreign currency exchange rates. Total year cash gross margins are expected to range between 68.0% and 69.0%. Cash selling, general and administrative expenses are expected to range between $410.0 and $415.0 million. Adjusted EBITDA for the year is expected to range between $880.0 and $885.0 million, and reflect a decrease of approximately $18.0 million in adjusted EBITDA due to the assets that are now held for sale and reported as discontinued operations and absorbs an approximate $4.5 million foreign currency benefit, when compared to our prior foreign currency exchange guidance rates.  Capital expenditures for 2012 are expected to be in the range of $770.0 to $790.0 million, comprised of approximately $145.0 million of ongoing capital expenditures and $625.0 to $645.0 million for expansion capital expenditures. 

For the full year of 2013, total revenues are expected to be greater than $2,200.0 million.  Adjusted EBITDA for the year is expected to be greater than $1,010.0 million including approximately $20.0 million in REIT-related costs. Capital expenditures for 2013 are expected to be in the range of $550.0 to $650.0 million, including approximately $165.0 million of ongoing capital expenditures. 

Company Metrics and Q3 Results Presentation

The Company will discuss its results and guidance on its quarterly conference call on Thursday, November 1, 2012, at 5:30 p.m. ET (2:30 p.m. PT). A simultaneous live Webcast of the call will be available on the Equinix investors website located at www.equinix.com/investors. To hear the conference call live, please dial 210-234-8004 (domestic and international) and reference the passcode (EQIX). A presentation to accompany the call as well as the Company’s Non-Financial Metrics tracking sheet, will also be available on the website. 

A replay of the call will be available beginning on Thursday, November 1, 2012, at 7:30 p.m. (ET) through December 1, 2012, by dialing 203-369-3804 (domestic and international) and reference the passcode (2012). In addition, the webcast will be available on the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website over the same time period. No password is required for the replay or the webcast.

About Equinix

Equinix, Inc. (Nasdaq: EQIX), connects more than 4,000 companies directly to their customers and partners inside the world’s most networked data centers. Today, businesses leverage the Equinix interconnection platform in 30 strategic markets across the Americas, EMEA and Asia-Pacific. www.equinix.com.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Equinix provides all information required in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), but it believes that evaluating its ongoing operating results may be difficult if limited to reviewing only GAAP financial measures.  Accordingly, Equinix uses non-GAAP financial measures, such as adjusted EBITDA, cash cost of revenues, cash gross margins, cash operating expenses (also known as cash selling, general and administrative expenses or cash SG&A), adjusted EBITDA margins, free cash flow and adjusted free cash flow to evaluate its operations.  In presenting these non-GAAP financial measures, Equinix excludes certain items that it believes are not good indicators of the Company's current or future operating performance.  These items are depreciation, amortization, accretion of asset retirement obligations and accrued restructuring charges, stock-based compensation, restructuring charges and acquisition costs. Legislative and regulatory requirements encourage use of and emphasis on GAAP financial metrics and require companies to explain why non-GAAP financial metrics are relevant to management and investors.  Equinix excludes these items in order for Equinix's lenders, investors, and industry analysts who review and report on the Company, to better evaluate the Company's operating performance and cash spending levels relative to its industry sector and competitors.

Equinix excludes depreciation expense as these charges primarily relate to the initial construction costs of our IBX centers and do not reflect our current or future cash spending levels to support our business.  Our IBX centers are long-lived assets, and have an economic life greater than 10 years. The construction costs of our IBX centers do not recur and future capital expenditures remain minor relative to our initial investment.  This is a trend we expect to continue.  In addition, depreciation is also based on the estimated useful lives of our IBX centers.  These estimates could vary from actual performance of the asset, are based on historic costs incurred to build out our IBX centers, and are not indicative of current or expected future capital expenditures.  Therefore, Equinix excludes depreciation from its operating results when evaluating its operations.

In addition, in presenting the non-GAAP financial measures, Equinix excludes amortization expense related to certain intangible assets, as it represents a cost that may not recur and is not a good indicator of the Company's current or future operating performance.  Equinix excludes accretion expense, both as it relates to its asset retirement obligations as well as its accrued restructuring charges, as these expenses represent costs which Equinix believes are not meaningful in evaluating the Company's current operations.  Equinix excludes stock-based compensation expense as it primarily represents expense attributed to equity awards that have no current or future cash obligations.  As such, we, and many investors and analysts, exclude this stock-based compensation expense when assessing the cash generating performance of our operations.  Equinix excludes restructuring charges from its non-GAAP financial measures.  The restructuring charges relate to the Company's decision to exit leases for excess space adjacent to several of our IBX centers, which we did not intend to build out, or our decision to reverse such restructuring charges or severance charges related to the Switch and Data acquisition.  Equinix excludes acquisition costs from its non-GAAP financial measures.  The acquisition costs relate to costs the Company incurs in connection with business combinations.  Management believes such items as restructuring charges and acquisition costs are non-core transactions; however, these types of costs will or may occur in future periods.

Our management does not itself, nor does it suggest that investors should, consider such non-GAAP financial measures in isolation from, or as a substitute for, financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP.  However, we have presented such non-GAAP financial measures to provide investors with an additional tool to evaluate our operating results in a manner that focuses on what management believes to be our core, ongoing business operations.  Management believes that the inclusion of these non-GAAP financial measures provides consistency and comparability with past reports and provides a better understanding of the overall performance of the business and its ability to perform in subsequent periods. Equinix believes that if it did not provide such non-GAAP financial information, investors would not have all the necessary data to analyze Equinix effectively.

Investors should note, however, that the non-GAAP financial measures used by Equinix may not be the same non-GAAP financial measures, and may not be calculated in the same manner, as that of other companies.  In addition, whenever Equinix uses such non-GAAP financial measures, it provides a reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to the most closely applicable GAAP financial measure.  Investors are encouraged to review the related GAAP financial measures and the reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measure.

Equinix does not provide forward-looking guidance for certain financial data, such as depreciation, amortization, accretion, stock-based compensation, net income (loss) from operations, cash generated from operating activities and cash used in investing activities, and as a result, is not able to provide a reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP financial measures for forward-looking data.  Equinix intends to calculate the various non-GAAP financial measures in future periods consistent with how they were calculated for the periods presented within this press release.