OREANDA-NEWS. March 05, 2012. CTC Media, Inc. (“CTC Media” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: CTCM), Russia’s leading independent media company, announced its unaudited consolidated financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2011, reported the press-centre of CTC Media.

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
Total operating revenues up 13% year-on-year in US dollar terms and 9% year-on-year in ruble terms for the full year on a comparable basis, to USD 766.4 million

Russian advertising revenues up 17% year-on-year in US dollar terms and up 13% in ruble terms for the full year on a comparable basis

Adjusted OIBDA up 12% year-on-year in US dollar terms to USD 246.7 million, with a comparable-basis adjusted OIBDA margin of 32.2%

Adjusted net income up 5% year-on-year to USD 152.6 million for the full year (2011: USD 145.7 million)

Payment of the third quarter and the fourth quarter cash dividends in the aggregate amount of USD 70 million in Q4, with total dividends in 2011 amounting to USD 130 million

Net cash position of USD 112.6 million at the end of the period

The Board of Directors currently intends to pay aggregate cash dividends of USD 80 million in 2012 and has declared a cash dividend of USD 0.13 per share (or approximately USD 21 million in the aggregate) to be paid on or about March 30 to shareholders of record as of March 15, 2012, with further dividends anticipated in the remaining quarters of 2012

OPERATING HIGHLIGHTS

Combined Russian national inventory almost fully sold-out for Q4 and for the full year

DTV Network relaunched under the “Peretz” brand name and logo in October, with significant changes made to its programming grid and positioning

Year-on-year increases in technical penetration of CTC, Domashny and Peretz networks to 94.7% (2010: 93.7%), 84.9% (2010: 81.6%), and 80.1% (2010: 72.5%), respectively

Establishment of new unified content production company Story First Production in July to merge Costafilm and Soho Media platforms

Acquisition of 14 regional television stations in 12 Russian cities, primarily to expand footprint of Domashny and Peretz networks

Launch of new digital broadcasting complex in Moscow in July

CTC-International channel launched in the Baltics and on Cablevision’s iO TV in North America in October

Channel 31 in Kazakhstan recorded an all-time high average audience share in 2011

CTC Media’s content now available on iPhone, iPad, Android platform devices, LG Smart TV, D-link’s Boxee digital media player, VimpelCom’s IPTV platform Beeline TV, and Facebook and Vkontakte social networks

Launch of Domashniy.ru women’s portal in October

Boris Podolsky, Acting Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, commented: “Advertising budget volumes exceeded pre-crisis levels for the first time in 2011. Our advertising prices increased more than the market due to the attractive profile of the target audiences that our channels deliver. The growth of the TV advertising market did slow down during the second half of the year, which partly reflected the high comps in 2010, while our revenue growth levels were impacted by lower year-on-year audience shares for our flagship CTC channel. The year-on-year growth in our operating costs reflected the investments that we have made in programming, regional stations, and our new media projects, and our absolute profitability was also impacted by a number of non-cash impairment charges.

“The DTV channel has been rebranded and repositioned as Peretz and the network’s ratings have shown early signs of improvement among the revised target audience. Our CIS businesses performed well with Channel 31 in Kazakhstan achieving a record target audience share in 2011, and CTC/TV DIXI becoming the third most watched channel in Moldova. We have also extended the coverage of our CTC-International pay-TV channel into a number of new territories. Our new media projects are progressing according to plan and we are increasingly monetizing this incremental reach. In addition to making our content available on multiple platforms and devices, Videomore has already become the second most visited licensed video portal in Russia with 6 million unique monthly viewers, and we also launched a dedicated Domashny-branded internet portal for women during the Fall.

“We have made a solid start to 2012, with all of our Russian channels increasing their target audience shares compared to the average Q4 levels. Locally produced prime time shows such as ‘Doctor Zaytseva’s Diary’ and ‘The 80s’ have performed very well, especially in the commercially attractive 14-44 demographic, and reflect our focus on high quality and tailor-made content. We will launch new seasons of hit show ‘Boarding School’ and a reworked version of ‘Daddy’s Daughters’ during 2012, as well as a wide range of new formats including original content produced by our Story First in-house production unit.

“Our Russian channels are now approximately 80% sold out for 2012 at higher average prices than last year. We are investing to drive up our ratings and expand our operations, so we do expect our costs to grow faster on a like for like basis than our revenues during the year. At the same time, we expect capital expenditure to remain stable year-on-year. As a result of the investments that we are making, we intend to pay out quarterly dividends in an aggregate of \\$80 million during 2012, the first installment of which will be paid at the end of March. This reflects our philosophy to return surplus free cash flow to shareholders.”

Changes in the Advertising Sales Structure in 2011 and Related Changes in Accounting Treatment
Prior to 2011, advertising on CTC Media’s television channels in Russia was not generally placed directly by advertisers. Video International, one of the largest sales houses in Russia, placed this advertising on an exclusive basis under agency agreements. Advertising placed through Video International historically accounted for substantially all of CTC Media’s advertising revenues. Under this structure, the Company recognized the commissions paid to Video International as a reduction of revenue as opposed to a cost incurred (i.e., the Company reported revenues on a net basis).

Effective from January 1, 2011, the Company terminated its agency agreements with Video International, and implemented a new structure for the sale of advertising on its channels. The Company’s own sales house now serves as the exclusive advertising sales agent for all of its networks in Russia. The Company has also implemented a new model of cooperation with Video International based on the licensing of specialized advertising software by Video International to CTC Media’s internal sales house, together with the provision by Video International of related software maintenance, analytical support and consulting services. CTC Media’s internal sales house is primarily responsible for all of its national and regional advertising sales, with the exception of advertising sales to local clients of its regional stations, which continue to be placed through Video International.

With effect from January 1, 2011 and following the change in the sales structure, CTC Media reports its Russian advertising revenues, excluding regional advertising revenues from local clients, based on the amounts received by CTC Media from advertisers on a gross basis. Compensation payable to Video International for the use of advertising software, related maintenance, analytical support and consulting services is included in selling, general and administrative expenses. Revenues from regional advertising sales to local clients continue to be recorded net of agency commissions payable under the agency agreements with Video International.

This press release presents selected comparable-basis non-GAAP financial measures for the fourth quarter and the full year 2010. CTC Media is presenting this comparable-basis historical financial information in order to assist analysts and investors by facilitating period-to-period comparisons of the Company’s results following the implementation of the Company’s current model of advertising sales. The reconciliation of comparable-basis non-GAAP financial measures to US GAAP financial measures is provided at the end of this press release.

Unaudited comparable-basis, non-GAAP summary financial information for the full year of 2009, the full year of 2010 and each quarter of 2010 is available from the Company’s website at:
http://www.ctcmedia.ru/investors/Financial_Results/comparable_financials.