Financial Conditions and Results of
Operations
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
With the exception of historical information, the matters discussed in
this quarterly Report on Form 10-Q include "forward-looking statements"
within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Securities Act") and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). Forward-looking statements
are statements other than historical information or statements of current
condition. Some forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of
such terms as "expects", "should", "will", "anticipates", "estimates",
"believes," "plans" and words of similar meaning. These forward-looking
statements relate to business plans, programs, trends, results of future
operations, satisfaction of future cash requirements, funding of future
growth, acquisition plans and other matters. In light of the risks and
uncertainties inherent in all such projected matters, the inclusion of
forward-looking statements in this Form 10-Q should not be regarded as a
representation by the Company or any other person that the objectives or
plans of the Company will be achieved or that operating expectations will
be realized. Revenues and results of operations are difficult to forecast
and could differ materially from those projects in forward-looking
statements contained herein, including without limitation statements
regarding the Company's belief of the sufficiency of capital resources and
its ability to compete in the telecommunications industry. Actual results
could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements for,
among others, the following reasons: (a) increased competition from
existing and new competitors using Voice over Internet Protocol ("VoIP")
to provide telecommunications services, (b) the relatively low barriers to
entry for start-up companies using VoIP to provide telecommunications
services, (c) the price-sensitive nature of consumer demand, (d) the
Company's dependence upon favorable pricing from its suppliers to compete
in the telecommunications industry, (e) increased consolidation in the
telecommunication industry, which may result in larger competitors being
able to compete more effectively, (f) the failure to attract or retain key
employees, (g) continuing changes in governmental regulations affecting
the telecommunications industry and the Internet, (h) changing consumer
demand, technological development and industry standards that characterize
the industry, and (i) the "Certain Business Factors" identified in the
Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended October 31, 2000.
In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking
statements included in this Form 10-Q, you should not consider the
inclusion of such information as a representation by the Company or anyone
else that we will achieve our objectives and plans. The Company does not
undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking
statements made in, or incorporated by reference into, this Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q or in any document or statement referring to this
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.
GENERAL
Dial-Thru International Corporation is a facilities-based, global Internet
Protocol (IP) communications company providing connectivity to
international markets experiencing significant demand for IP enabled
services. The Company provides a variety of international
telecommunications services targeted to small and medium sized enterprises
(SME's) that include the transmission of voice and data traffic and the
provision of Web-based and other communications products and services. The
Company utilizes Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) packetized voice
technology (and other compression techniques) to improve both cost and
efficiencies of telecommunication transmission mechanisms, and is
developing a private IP Telephony network.
IP Telephony, or Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), is voice
communication that has been converted into digital packets and is then
addressed, prioritized, and transmitted over any form of broadband
network, utilizing the same technology that makes the Internet possible.
These technologies allow the Company to transport voice communications
with the same high- density compression as networks initially designed for
data transmission, and at the same time utilize a common network for
providing customers with enhanced Web-based products and services.
The Company's primary focus is in niche markets where competition is not
as keen, thereby giving it opportunities for greater profit margin and
market share. These markets include regions of the world where
deregulation of telecommunications services has begun, or is in early
development. The Company also targets smaller markets that have not
attracted large multi- national providers. Africa, Asia, and parts of
South America offer the greatest abundance of these target markets.
Cooperating with overseas carriers and the incumbent operator, usually
government owned telephone companies, gives the Company a high degree of
leverage to engage in co-branding of jointly marketed products, including
IP based enhancements that it has developed, rather than simply basing a
strategy on pricing arbitrage. As a result, the Company is proactively
invited to participate rather than reactively prevented from entering
these new markets.
Unlike many other wholesale VoIP carriers in the market, the Company is
focused on retail telecommunications sales to business customers which
allows the Company to provide a complete package of communication
services, not just wholesale voice traffic. A portfolio of enhanced
offerings provides the Company with the opportunity for higher profit
margins and better customer loyalty, thus making the Company less
susceptible to competitive forces and market churn.
In tandem with overseas partners, the Company is deploying a "book-end"
strategy targeting markets at both ends of international circuits. As an
example, while cooperating with partners to target the SME market in a
selected foreign region, the Company also targets corresponding
expatriates and foreign owned businesses back in the U.S. By providing
these services in cooperation with the carrier that will ultimately
terminate the calls in the caller's "home" country, the Company enjoys
reduced facilities costs, increased economies of scale, lower customer
acquisition costs, and higher customer retention.
Focusing on cooperation in emerging markets also gives the Company added
benefit of being able to develop and exploit labor cost advantages not
found in industrial markets. For example, the Company plans to develop new
and extremely low-cost call center applications that will tie into and
enhance its new Web and VoIP applications. By relying on VoIP and IP,
rather than traditional voice technology, the Company ensures that its
network infrastructure is extremely cost-effective and state-of-the-art.
These are assets that not only help to build the Company's business, but
also make the Company more attractive as a potential partner to overseas
carriers and incumbent telephone companies.
The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the Company's
Form 10-K and the consolidated financial statements for the years ended
October 31, 2000, 1999, and 1998; the Company's Form 10-Q for the quarter
ending January 31, 2000; and the consolidated financial statements and
related notes for the quarter ended January 31, 2001 found elsewhere in
this report.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
REVENUES
Revenues were $891,000 for the quarter ended January 31,2001, compared to
$3,807,000 for the quarter ended January 31, 2000, representing a decrease
of 77% from the prior period. The decrease in revenues for this quarter
compared to the prior year resulted primarily from the Company's change in
business focus away from the prepaid long distance market and toward
providing international communication services for small to medium-size
businesses. Costs associated with the discontinuation of certain
distribution channels have prevented the Company from fully marketing
according to its plans for the redirected business. Now that these costs
have been eliminated and new markets have been opened, the company
anticipates enjoying substantial revenue growth in future periods.
EXPENSES
Costs of revenues were $667,000, or 75% of revenues, for the quarter ended
January 31, 2001, compared to $4,364,000, or 115% of revenues, for the
quarter ended July 31, 2000. By focusing its business on providing
international communication services the Company has been able to
demonstrate the ability to produce positive margins on sales across its
product line.
Settlements with two major carriers over charges in prior periods amounted
to a savings of $1,700,000 to the Company. This is reflected as a credit
to Costs and Expenses on the Consolidated Statements of Operations for the
period.
Sales and marketing costs were $203,000, or 23% of revenues for the
quarter ended January 31, 2001, compared to $508,000, or 13% of revenues,
for the quarter ended January 31, 2000. This represents a 60% decrease in
such costs from the prior period. Sales and marketing costs incurred
during the prior period were primarily associated with the operation of
the distribution channel for the prepaid products. The change in the focus
of the Company's operations has reduced its sales and marketing costs in
absolute terms, as the prepaid calling card business required a large
sales and marketing staff. In the short term, while the Company is opening
a number of new international markets just beginning to produce revenues,
sales and marketing costs as a percentage of revenues have increased. In
the long term, however, when these markets are fully developed, the
Company expects that sales and marketing costs will decline as a
percentage of revenue.
General and administrative costs were $607,000, or 68% of revenue, for the
quarter ended January 31, 2001, compared to $940,000, or 25% of revenue,
for the quarter ended January 31, 2000. However this represents in dollar
terms a 35% decrease from the prior period. The change in the focus of the
Company's business has resulted in an overall drop of its general and
administrative expenses, and the Company anticipates a reduction of these
costs as a percentage of revenue in future periods.
During the quarter ended January 31, 2001, the Company reported net
interest expense of $324,000, compared with a net interest income of
$37,000 for the quarter ended January 31, 2000.
As a result of the foregoing, the Company incurred a net loss from
continuing operations of $734,000, or $0.07 per share, for the quarter
ended January 31, 2001, as compared to a net loss from continuing
operations of $2,083,000, or $0.26 per share, for the quarter ended
January 31, 2000. After adjustments, the Company had a net income of
$641,000, or $0.06 per share, for the quarter ended January 31, 2001.
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
At January 31, 2001, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $92,000,
an increase of $18,000 from the balance at October 31, 2000.
During the three months ended January 31, 2001, net cash used in operating
activities was $256,000, compared to net cash used in operating activities
of $736,000 for the three months ended January 31, 2000.
Cash used in investing activities was $21,000 for the three months ended
January 31, 2001, compared to cash provided by investing activities of
$258,000 for the three months ended January 31, 2000 primarily
attributable to $300,000 from payment on a note receivable.
Cash provided by financing activities for the three months ended January
31, 2001 totaled $295,000, compared to cash used in financing activities
of $89,000 for the three months ended January 31, 2000. The change in cash
provided by financing activities was due primarily to the proceeds of
$300,000 received from a shareholder in the period ending January 31, 2001
versus payment of %54,000 to a shareholder in the same period in the prior
year.
The Company has recently suffered from liquidity and cash flow
constraints. As of January 31, 2001, the Company had a working capital
deficit of $4,042,000, compared to a working capital deficit of $1,528,000
at January 31, 2000. As of January 31, 2001, the Company's current assets
of $1,077,000 include $440,000 of gross trade accounts receivable and an
investment in securities of $446,000.
To address its cash flow needs, the Company consummated a private
placement of $1,000,000 in principal amount of non-interest bearing
convertible notes in February 2000. The notes were payable on the earlier
of one year from the date of issuance or the closing of equity financing
in excess of $5 million. Following the completion of the first quarter,
the notes have become converted into shares of the Company's common stock
at a conversion price of $2.50 per share. The holders of the notes were
also issued warrants to acquire an aggregate of 250,000 shares of the
Company's common stock at an exercise price of one half at $3.00 per share
and one half at $2.75 per share. As a condition of the conversion of the
notes into common stock, the exercise price of these warrants were
repriced to $0.01, and an additional 125,000 warrants were issued with an
exercise price of $3.00.
The Company's growth models for its business are scaleable, but the rate
of growth is dependent on the availability of future financing for capital
resources. The Company plans to commit approximately $1.0 million for
capital investments for fiscal 2001, and plans to finance additional
infrastructure development externally through debt and/or equity offerings
and internally through operations. The Company believes that, with
sufficient capital, it can significantly accelerate its growth plan. At
its current and anticipated level of operations through the next
twelve-month period, management believes that it will have to raise
significant additional funds through outside financing activities. The
Company's failure to obtain such financing could significantly delay the
Company's implementations of its business plan and have a material adverse
effect on its business, financial condition and operating results. |