Financial Summary
Net revenues for the first quarter of 2006 totaled $117.8 million, an increase of 3.6 percent from the $113.7 million reported for the fourth quarter of 2005, and an increase of 9.4 percent from the $107.7 million reported for the first quarter of 2005. Net revenues for the first quarter of 2006 included $1.7 million from a software license agreement.
Broadband and VoIP subscription revenues for the first quarter of 2006 totaled $101.0 million, an increase of 2.8 percent from the $98.3 million reported for the fourth quarter of 2005, and an increase of 10.4 percent from the $91.5 million reported for the first quarter of 2005. Refer to the Selected Financial Data below, including Note 3, for additional information, including a reconciliation of this non-GAAP financial performance measure to the most directly comparable GAAP measure.
Wholesale subscribers for the first quarter of 2006 contributed $81.1 million of net revenues, or 68.9 percent, as compared to $80.1 million, or 70.5 percent, for the fourth quarter of 2005, and $76.3 million, or 70.8 percent, for the first quarter of 2005. Direct subscribers for the first quarter of 2006 contributed $36.7 million of net revenues, or 31.1 percent, as compared to $33.6 million, or 29.5 percent, for the fourth quarter of 2005, and $31.4 million, or 29.2 percent, for the first quarter of 2005.
Business subscribers for the first quarter of 2006 contributed $87.5 million of net revenues, or 74.3 percent, as compared to $82.7 million, or 72.7 percent, for the fourth quarter of 2005, and $77.3 million, or 71.8 percent, for the first quarter of 2005. Consumer subscribers for the first quarter of 2006 contributed $30.3 million of net revenues, or 25.7 percent, as compared to $31.0 million, or 27.3 percent, for the fourth quarter of 2005, and $30.4 million, or 28.2 percent, for the first quarter of 2005.
Loss from operations for the first quarter of 2006 totaled $9.0 million, an improvement of $8.8 million, or 49.4 percent, from the $17.8 million reported for the fourth quarter of 2005, and an improvement of $17.6 million, or 66.2 percent, from the $26.6 million reported for the first quarter of 2005.
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, for the first quarter of 2006 totaled $2.1 million, an improvement of $5.5 million from the $3.4 million EBITDA loss reported for the fourth quarter of 2005, and an improvement of $9.5 million from the $7.4 million EBITDA loss reported for the first quarter of 2005. EBITDA for the first quarter of 2006 includes $1.7 million from a software license agreement, and $0.7 million of employee stock-based compensation expense as a result of Covad's adoption of SFAS 123R effective January 1, 2006. As previously reported, EBITDA loss for the fourth quarter of 2005 included a reduction in network costs of approximately $4.2 million, primarily as a result of a billing settlement reached with Verizon Communications, Inc., which was partially offset by an increase in employee compensation and other operating expenses of approximately $2.5 million, primarily as a result of reductions in workforce during the fourth quarter of 2005. Refer to the Selected Financial Data below, including Note 2, for additional information, including a reconciliation of this non-GAAP financial performance measure to the most directly comparable GAAP measure.
Net loss for the first quarter of 2006 totaled $9.3 million, or $0.03 per share, an improvement of $8.6 million, or 48.0 percent, from the $17.9 million net loss, or $0.07 per share, reported for the fourth quarter of 2005. For the first quarter of 2005, Covad reported net income of $34.4 million, or $0.11 per share. Net income for the first quarter of 2005 included a $54.0 million gain that was deferred when Covad deconsolidated its former subsidiary, BlueStar Communications Group, Inc., in 2001. Also included in net income for the first quarter of 2005 is a $7.2 million net gain from the sale of part of Covad's investment in ACCA Networks Co. Ltd, a Japanese broadband provider. Excluding these gains, net loss for the first quarter of 2005 would have been $26.8 million. Compared to this adjusted number for the first quarter of 2005, net loss for the first quarter of 2006 improved by $17.5 million, or 65.3 percent, from the first quarter of 2005.
Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investment balances, including restricted cash and investments, at the end of the first quarter of 2006 totaled $140.3 million, an increase of $38.3 million when compared to the balance of $102.0 million at the end of the fourth quarter of 2005. As stated above, Covad received $50.0 million as a result of the strategic funding agreement with EarthLink to expand line-powered voice access to eight additional cities. In addition, as a result of the close of the acquisition of NextWeb, Covad paid, on a net basis, approximately $3.2 million as part of the purchase price consideration. Excluding the EarthLink and NextWeb transactions, Covad's cash usage for the first quarter of 2006 was $8.5 million.
On April 13, 2006, Covad redeemed its secured collateralized customer deposit with AT&T for $33.5 million, which was approximately $1.8 million less than the carrying amount of such liability. As a result of the redemption, AT&T has relinquished its related liens on Covad's assets. In conjunction with the redemption of this liability, Covad obtained a two-year senior secured revolving credit facility for up to $50.0 million from Silicon Valley Bank.
"In this quarter we were able to achieve strong financial results and improve our bottom line by growing our base of high value direct customers, monetizing prior investments in our business, and maintaining our focus on operating costs," said Christopher Dunn, Covad chief financial officer. "Milestones such as the NextWeb acquisition, EarthLink investment, redemption of the AT&T collateralized customer deposit, and the recently established credit facility, position us well as we look towards the remainder of 2006 and beyond."