AMI Results Provide Optimism for Rentrak

In the US, multi-screen audience measurement specialist Rentrak has reported a drop in revenues to $22.4m for the first quarter of fiscal 2012 (2011 first quarter: $24.6m), with a 19% decline in its Home Entertainment segment more than cancelling out good growth in its information division.

Revenues in the company's AMI (Advanced Media and Information) division grew 13% to $9.1m, from $8.0m in the same period last year, and accounted for 40% of the company's consolidated revenues (up from 33% in Q1 2011).

The AMI division comprises TV Essentials (up 21% to $1.7m), Box Office Essentials (up 13% to $5.0m), OnDemand Essentials (up 9% to $2.3m). Home Entertainment revenue fell 19% to $13.4m from $16.6m in the prior year period, due to a drop in customer numbers.

For the company as a whole, operating income from the first quarter of 2012 was $246,000, compared with a $34,000 operating loss for the first quarter of last year. The latter included $412,000 in costs related to the acquisition of EDI and $1.7m in stock-based compensation expense.

Operating expenses for the fiscal 2012 first quarter were down $0.7m to $10.0m. This decrease reflects lower costs associated with a stock-based compensation agreement, offset by costs associated with the expansion of AMI.

CEO Bill Livek states: 'I am proud that our Advanced Media group now accounts for 40% of our revenues, up from 12% about two years ago when I joined the company. During the quarter, new TV stations, networks and ad agencies clients began utilizing our measurement platform, while we successfully built a strong pipeline of new clients by demonstrating the significant benefits of working with Rentrak.'

Web site: www.rentrak.com .