U.S. Physical Therapy fourth quarter net revenues increase 13.8% to $60,678,000

U.S. Physical Therapy, Inc. (NasdaqGS: USPH), a national operator of outpatient physical therapy clinics, today reported results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2011.

Adjusted net income for the year ended December 31, 2011 increased 11.7% to $16.2 million from $14.5 million in 2010. Adjusted net income per diluted share rose to $1.35 from $1.22. The 2011 result was adjusted for a gain of $4.8 million related to a purchase price settlement of an outpatient physical therapy group. Comparatively, the 2010 result was adjusted for a positive adjustment in the income tax provision of $0.8 million and a gain from the sale of a five clinic joint venture of approximately $0.4 million. Reported net income for the year ended December 31, 2011 was $21.0 million, or $1.75 per diluted share, versus $15.6 million, or $1.32 per diluted share, for 2010. See the table on page 8 of this release for a reconciliation of reported net income to adjusted net income.

Adjusted net income for the quarter ended December 31, 2011 increased 2.7% to $3.4 million from $3.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2010. Adjusted net income per diluted share was $0.29 for the 2011 period and $0.28 for the 2010 period. The result for the quarter ended December 31, 2011 was adjusted for the gain of $4.8 million, discussed above, and the result for the 2010 comparable period was adjusted for the positive adjustment, mentioned above, in the income tax provision. Reported net income for the quarter ended December 31, 2011 was $8.2 million, or $0.69 per diluted share, versus $4.2 million, or $0.35 per diluted share, for the 2010 period. See the table on page 8 of this release for a reconciliation of reported net income to adjusted net income.

Year 2011 compared to Year 2010

• Net revenues increased 12.2% from $211,233,000 in 2010 to $237,006,000 in 2011, due to an increase in patient visits of 12.3% from 1,927,000 to 2,164,000, offset by a decrease in average net patient revenue per visit of $1.20 from $105.92 to $104.72. Other revenues included a $2.5 million increase in physician services revenue between the years.
• Total clinic operating costs were $176,357,000, or 74.4% of net revenues, in 2011, as compared to $155,220,000, or 73.5% of net revenues, in 2010. Clinic salaries and related costs were 52.8% of net revenues in 2011 versus 52.5% in 2010. Rent, clinic supplies, contract labor and other costs as a percentage of net revenues were 20.0% in 2011 versus 19.4% in 2010. The provision for doubtful accounts was 1.6% of net revenues in 2011 and 1.5% in 2010.
• Corporate office costs were $24,718,000 in 2011 versus $22,823,000 in 2010. Corporate office costs were reduced to 10.4% of net revenues in 2011 as compared to 10.8% in 2010.
• Operating income increased in 2011 to $35,931,000 from $33,190,000 in 2010.
• In 2011, interest and other income included a pretax gain of $5.4 million related to a purchase price settlement of an outpatient physical therapy group acquired in 2010. As required by accounting standards, this amount was recorded as a gain rather than as a reduction of goodwill. In 2010, other income included a pre-tax gain of $578,000 from the sale of a five clinic joint venture.
• Interest expense increased to $496,000 in 2011 from $236,000 in 2010. The increase is attributable to higher average borrowings in 2011.
• Net income attributable to non-controlling interests was $8,809,000 in 2011 as compared to $9,055,000 in 2010. The reduction is attributable to the Company's increased ownership interest in certain physical therapy partnerships.
• Provision for income taxes as a percentage of income before taxes less net income attributable to non-controlling interests was 34.6% in 2011 and 36.1% in 2010. For the 2011 period, $3.8 million of the $5.4 million gain discussed above was non-taxable. For the 2010 period, the income tax provision included a positive adjustment of $814,000 as a result of the reconciliation process of the historical book income tax provision to the various state and federal returns filed.
• Reported net income attributable to common shareholders in 2011 increased 34.1% to $20,974,000 from $15,645,000 in 2010. Diluted earnings per share increased to $1.75 from $1.32. Included in the 2011 results is a gain of $4.8 million, net of tax effect, or $0.40 per diluted share, related to a purchase price settlement of an outpatient physical therapy group acquired in 2010. Included in the 2010 results was a positive adjustment in the income tax provision of $0.8 million, or $0.07 per diluted share, and a $351,000 after-tax gain or $0.03 in earnings per diluted share from a five clinic joint venture sale. Excluding those items, diluted earnings per share would have been $1.35 in 2011 as compared to $1.22 in 2010.
• Same store revenues for de novo and acquired clinics open for one year or more increased by 1.7%. The average net rate per visit increased slightly while same store visits increased by 1.5%. This was the Company's first annual increase in same store visits since the onset of the recession in 2008. Revenues and visit percentages were adjusted to reflect equivalent days of operations between periods.
• During 2011, the Company opened or acquired 41 clinics and closed 17 clinics, ending the period with 416 clinics.

Fourth Quarter 2011 compared to Fourth Quarter 2010

• Net revenues increased 13.8% from $53,327,000 in the fourth quarter of 2010 to $60,678,000 in the fourth quarter of 2011, due to an increase in patient visits of 16.9% from 478,000 to 559,000, offset by a decrease in average net patient revenues per visit of $2.27 from $107.36 to $105.09.
• Total clinic operating costs were $45,875,000, or 75.6% of net revenues, in the fourth quarter of 2011, as compared to $39,817,000, or 74.7% of net revenues, in the 2010 period. Clinic salaries and related costs were reduced to 52.6% of net revenues in the 2011 period versus 53.4% in the 2010 period. Rent, clinic supplies, contract labor and other costs as a percentage of net revenues were 20.9% of net revenues in the 2011 period versus 19.6% in the 2010 period. The provision for doubtful accounts as a percentage of net revenues was 2.0% for the 2011 period versus 1.5% in the 2010 period.
• Corporate office costs were $7,088,000 in the fourth quarter of 2011 versus $5,709,000 in the 2010 fourth quarter. Corporate office costs increased in the most recent quarter primarily due to higher accrued incentive compensation and an anticipated legal settlement reserve. Corporate office costs were 11.7% of net revenues in the 2011 period versus 10.7% in the 2010 period.
• Operating income for the fourth quarter of 2011 was $7,715,000 compared to $7,801,000 in the 2010 fourth quarter.
• Interest and other income included a pretax gain of $5.4 million related to a purchase price settlement of an outpatient physical therapy group acquired in 2010. As required by accounting standards, this amount was recorded as a gain rather than as a reduction of goodwill.
• Interest expense increased to $165,000 in the fourth quarter of 2011 from $41,000 in the fourth quarter of 2010 due to higher average borrowings in the 2011 fourth quarter.
• Net income attributable to non-controlling interests was reduced from $2,211,000 in the fourth quarter of 2010 to $1,913,000 in the fourth quarter of 2011. The reduction is attributable to the Company's increased ownership interest in certain physical therapy partnerships.
• Provision for income taxes as a percentage of income before taxes less net income attributable to non-controlling interests was 25.7% in the 2011 period and 25.3% for the 2010 period. For the 2011 period, $3.8 million of the $5.4 gain discussed above was non-taxable. For the 2010 period, the income tax provision included a positive adjustment of $814,000 as a result of the reconciliation process of the historical book income tax provision to the various state and federal returns filed.
• Reported net income attributable to common shareholders in the fourth quarter of 2011 was $8,229,000 compared to $4,147,000 in the fourth quarter of 2010. Diluted earnings per share were $0.69 for the 2011 period and $0.35 for the 2010 period. Included in the 2011 results is a gain of $4.8 million, net of tax effect, or $0.40 per diluted share, related to a purchase price settlement of an outpatient physical therapy group acquired in 2010. Excluding this gain, diluted earnings per share for the 2011 period would have been $0.29. Included in the 2010 quarterly result was the positive adjustment in the income tax provision of $0.8 million, or $0.07 per diluted share, which if excluded would have resulted in earnings per share for the 2010 fourth quarter of $0.28.
• Same store revenues for de novo and acquired clinics open for one year or more remained relatively flat. Same store visits increased 3.0% while the average net rate per visit decreased 2.9%. This was the Company's first quarterly increase in same store visits since the third quarter of 2008.
• During the fourth quarter of 2011, the Company opened five start-up de novo clinics and closed nine clinics ending the period with 416 clinics.

Chris Reading, Chief Executive Officer, said, "2011 marked another very good year for U S. Physical Therapy. We finished in strong fashion with solid same store visit growth in the fourth quarter that propelled us into positive same store volume territory for the year. Additionally in the fourth quarter, which is often a seasonally softer quarter, we achieved the highest visit and revenue quarter, as well as the best visit per clinic per day patient volume, of the year. I am proud of our team's focus and drive over these past few years in a very challenging environment. Now that the Medicare physician fee schedule issue has been resolved we look forward to a year of regulatory and pricing stability as we work to execute on our growth plan for the Company."

Adjusted EBITDA for the year ended December 31, 2011 increased 15.3% to $35.2 million from $30.6 million for the 2010 period. See the table on page 8 of this release for a reconciliation of the adjusted EBITDA to net income including noncontrolling interests. Net income including noncontrolling interests for the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010 were $29.8 million and $24.7 million, respectively.

During the fourth quarter of 2011, the Company repurchased 129,630 shares of USPH common stock at an average price per share of $18.39. During 2011, the Company repurchased 254,642 shares of USPH common stock at an average price per share of $18.28.

U.S. Physical Therapy Increases Dividend

The Company announced an increase in its quarterly dividend of 12.5% from $0.08 to $0.09 per share per quarter with the initial quarterly dividend for 2012 to be paid on March 30, 2012 to shareholders of record as of March 15, 2012.

Management Earnings Guidance

U.S. Physical Therapy expects the Company's earnings for the year 2012 to be in the range of $17.1 million to $18.1 million in net income and $1.43 to $1.51 in diluted earnings per share. This guidance range represents projected earnings from existing operations and excludes potential acquisitions. The Company does not intend to provide quarterly earnings guidance. The annual guidance figures will not be updated unless there is a material development that causes management to believe that earnings will be significantly outside the given range.