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Exhibit 99.1

 

Contact:    Hal S. Jones   

For Immediate Release

   (202) 334-6645   

May 6, 2011

THE WASHINGTON POST COMPANY REPORTS

FIRST QUARTER EARNINGS

WASHINGTON – The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO) today reported net income available for common shares of $15.2 million ($1.87 per share) for its first quarter ended April 3, 2011, compared to net income available for common shares of $45.4 million ($4.91 per share) in the first quarter of last year. Net income includes $6.2 million ($0.67 per share) in losses from discontinued operations for the first quarter of 2010. Income from continuing operations available for common shares was $51.6 million ($5.58 per share) for the first quarter of 2010. As a result of the Company’s share repurchases, there were 12% fewer diluted average shares outstanding in 2011.

Results for the first quarter of 2011 included a $30.7 million write-down of a marketable equity security (after-tax impact of $19.8 million, or $2.44 per share).

Revenue for the first quarter of 2011 was $1,063.6 million, down 7% from $1,142.0 million in 2010. The Company reported operating income of $52.0 million in the first quarter of 2011, compared to operating income of $103.1 million in 2010. Revenues were down at the education and television broadcasting divisions, while revenues at the cable television and newspaper publishing divisions were about even with 2010. Operating results declined at all of the Company’s divisions for the quarter, except for a small improvement at the newspaper publishing division.

Kaplan Higher Education (KHE) results declined significantly in the first quarter of 2011, due primarily to lower student enrollments. The Company expects KHE’s operating income to continue to decline very substantially for the remainder of 2011 versus prior year performance, due to lower student enrollment levels. Kaplan is formulating plans that are expected to result in restructuring and other costs that may be material in 2011, but should establish lower cost levels in future periods.

Division Results

Education

Education division revenue totaled $640.6 million for the first quarter of 2011, a 10% decline from revenue of $711.4 million for the first quarter of 2010. Kaplan reported first quarter 2011 operating income of $15.5 million, down from $57.9 million in the first quarter of 2010.

 

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A summary of Kaplan’s first quarter operating results compared to 2010 is as follows:

 

     First Quarter  
(In thousands)    2011     2010     %
Change
 

Revenue

      

Higher education

   $ 390,279      $ 478,751        (18

Test preparation

     73,365        73,815        (1

Kaplan international

     148,687        133,985        11   

Kaplan ventures

     28,967        27,169        7   

Kaplan corporate

     1,117        1,291        (13

Intersegment elimination

     (1,786     (3,629     —     
                  
   $ 640,629      $ 711,382        (10
                  

Operating income (loss)

      

Higher education

   $ 50,483      $ 91,604        (45

Test preparation

     (12,676     (11,770     (8

Kaplan international

     547        4,527        (88

Kaplan ventures

     (5,494     (7,421     26   

Kaplan corporate

     (12,443     (13,190     6   

Kaplan stock compensation

     825        (535     —     

Amortization of intangible assets

     (5,512     (5,276     (4

Intersegment elimination

     (231     9        —     
                  
   $ 15,499      $ 57,948        (73
                  

In the first quarter of 2011, Kaplan made several changes to its operating and reporting structure. Kaplan’s domestic professional training business moved from Test Preparation to Kaplan Higher Education, and Kaplan Continuing Education moved from Kaplan Ventures to Kaplan Higher Education. These businesses were integrated with Kaplan University to become part of the Kaplan University School of Continuing and Professional Education. The comparative division results presented above reflect these changes.

Kaplan Higher Education includes Kaplan’s domestic postsecondary education businesses, made up of fixed-facility colleges and online postsecondary and career programs. KHE also now includes the domestic professional training and other continuing education businesses. In the first quarter of 2011, higher education revenue declined 18% due to a decline in average enrollment. Operating income decreased 45% due to lower revenue and increased regulatory compliance costs, offset by a reduction in advertising costs and other expense reductions associated with lower enrollments.

During the fourth quarter of 2010, KHE implemented a number of marketing and admissions changes to increase student selectivity. These changes will help KHE comply with pending and proposed regulations. In addition, KHE implemented the Kaplan Commitment program, which provides first-time students with a risk-free trial period. Under the Kaplan Commitment program, KHE also monitors academic progress and conducts academic assessments to help determine whether students are likely to be successful in their chosen course of study. Students who withdraw or are subject to academic dismissal during the risk-free trial period do not incur any significant financial obligation. These changes, along with improving economic conditions and falling unemployment, which generally reduces demand, have resulted in a 48% decline in new enrollments versus the prior year. Management estimates that without the Kaplan Commitment, this decline would have been approximately 41%. Management also estimates that revenue for the first quarter of 2011 would have been approximately $13.0 million higher if the Kaplan Commitment had not been implemented. KHE does not recognize tuition revenue for students during the risk-free period.

 

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As a result of these factors, KHE’s operating results declined significantly in the first quarter of 2011. KHE revenues and operating results are expected to continue to be adversely impacted by the move to increase student selectivity, changes in regulations and other business practices, the Kaplan Commitment and overall economic conditions.

A summary of KHE student enrollments, excluding the Kaplan University School of Continuing and Professional Education, at March 31, 2011, and March 31, 2010, is as follows:

 

      Student Enrollments
As of March 31,
     %
Change
 
     2011      2010     

Kaplan University

     61,724         78,758         (22

Kaplan Higher Education Campuses

     30,569         40,535         (25
                    
     92,293         119,293         (23
                    

Kaplan University enrollments included 7,928 and 8,244 campus-based students as of March 31, 2011, and March 31, 2010, respectively.

Kaplan University and Kaplan Higher Education Campuses enrollments at March 31, 2011, and March 31, 2010, by degree and certificate programs, are as follows:

 

     As of March 31,  
     2011     2010  

Certificate

     23.1     26.2

Associate’s

     33.4     34.1

Bachelor’s

     34.2     33.5

Master’s

     9.3     6.2
                
     100     100
                

Test preparation includes Kaplan’s standardized test preparation and tutoring offerings and other businesses. In the first quarter of 2010, the Company discontinued certain offerings of the K12 business; $4.6 million in severance and other closure costs were recorded in the first quarter of 2010 in connection with this plan. In the fourth quarter of 2010, Kaplan Test Preparation began implementing a plan to reorganize its business consistent with the migration of students to Kaplan’s online and hybrid test preparation offerings, reducing the number of leased test preparation centers. In the first quarter of 2011, implementation of the plan continued and $2.3 million in additional costs were incurred. This plan is expected to be largely completed by the end of 2011, and the Company estimates that approximately $10.0 million in additional costs will be incurred.

Test preparation revenue declined 1% in the first quarter of 2011 due to the termination of certain K12 offerings. Revenue at the traditional test preparation programs in 2011 was essentially flat. Strong enrollment increases, particularly in the Pre-College and Nursing programs, were offset by reduced prices for many programs related to increased competition and a shift in demand to lower priced online test preparation offerings.

Test preparation operating results were down in the first quarter due to $2.3 million in 2011 restructuring-related charges and reduced prices at the traditional test preparation programs and higher spending to expand online offerings and innovate various programs, offset by $4.6 million in K12-related closure costs in the first quarter of 2010.

 

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Kaplan International includes professional training and postsecondary education businesses outside the United States, as well as English-language programs. Kaplan International revenue increased 11% in 2011 due to enrollment growth in the pathways and other higher education programs in Singapore. The rise in revenue is also due to increased English-language program revenue and favorable exchange rates in the United Kingdom, Singapore and Australia. Kaplan International operating income declined in the first quarter of 2011 due to up-front spending for admission and occupancy at its Asian and United Kingdom businesses to support expanding operations. In May 2011, Kaplan Australia announced the acquisition of Franklyn Scholar, a leading national provider of work-based vocational training in Australia.

Kaplan Ventures is made up of a number of businesses in various stages of development that are managed separately from the other education businesses. Revenue at Kaplan Ventures increased 7% in the first quarter of 2011. Kaplan Ventures reported an operating loss of $5.5 million in the first quarter of 2011, compared to an operating loss of $7.4 million in the first quarter of 2010, respectively.

Corporate represents unallocated expenses of Kaplan, Inc.’s corporate office and other minor shared activities.

Cable Television

Cable television division revenue increased slightly in the first quarter of 2011 to $190.3 million, from $189.4 million for the first quarter of 2010. The revenue increase in 2011 is due to continued growth of the division’s cable modem and telephone revenues, offset by an increase in promotional discounts.

Cable television division operating income in the first quarter of 2011 decreased to $37.7 million, from $42.5 million in the first quarter of 2010. The division’s operating income declined primarily due to increased programming, technical and sales costs.

At March 31, 2011, Revenue Generating Units (RGUs) were up 5% from the prior year due to growth in high-speed data and telephony subscribers, offset by a decrease in basic and digital subscribers. A summary of RGUs is as follows:

 

Cable Television Division Subscribers

   March 31,
2011
     March 31,
2010
 

Basic

     647,471         667,314   

Digital

     217,714         219,699   

High-speed data

     440,215         405,311   

Telephony

     166,559         113,826   
                 

Total

     1,471,959         1,406,150   
                 

Newspaper Publishing

Newspaper publishing division revenue totaled $155.0 million for the first quarter of 2011, down slightly from revenue of $155.8 million for the first quarter of 2010. Print

 

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advertising revenue at The Washington Post decreased 8% to $63.2 million, from $68.7 million in 2010. The decline is largely due to reductions in retail and classified advertising. Revenue generated by the Company’s newspaper online publishing activities, primarily washingtonpost.com and Slate, increased 8% to $25.7 million for the first quarter of 2011, versus $23.7 million for the first quarter of 2010. Display online advertising revenue grew 9%, and online classified advertising revenue on washingtonpost.com was up 6%.

For the first quarter of 2011, Post daily circulation decreased 2.9% and Post Sunday circulation decreased 3.4%, compared to the first quarter of 2010. Average daily circulation in the first quarter of 2011 totaled 545,900, and average Sunday circulation totaled 753,400.

The newspaper division reported an operating loss of $12.8 million in the first quarter of 2011, compared to an operating loss of $13.8 million in the first quarter of 2010. Operating results improved in the first quarter of 2011 due to a $3.1 million loss recorded on an office lease in the first quarter of 2010, offset by a small increase in overall costs. Newsprint expense was even in the first quarter of 2011 compared to the first quarter of 2010.

Television Broadcasting

Revenue for the broadcast division declined 2% in the first quarter of 2011 to $72.2 million, from $73.5 million in 2010; operating income for the first quarter of 2011 decreased 6% to $19.6 million, from $20.9 million in the first quarter of 2010. The decline in revenue and operating income is due to the absence of $4.7 million in incremental winter Olympics-related advertising at the Company’s NBC affiliates in the first quarter of 2010, and a $1.8 million decrease in political advertising revenue, offset by increases in other categories.

Other Businesses and Corporate Office

Other businesses includes the operating results of Avenue100 Media Solutions and other small businesses. In the first quarter of 2011, revenues declined substantially due to volume declines as a result of changes implemented at Avenue100 Media Solutions to improve lead quality. Operating results decreased due to these revenue declines, along with increased costs at the Company’s digital businesses managed at the corporate office.

Equity in Earnings (Losses) of Affiliates

The Company’s equity in earnings for the first quarter of 2011 was $3.7 million, compared with losses of $8.1 million in the first quarter of 2010. The change is due to improved results at the Company’s Bowater Mersey Paper Company affiliate.

The Company holds a 49% interest in Bowater Mersey Paper Company, a 16.5% interest in Classified Ventures, LLC and interests in several other affiliates.

Other Non-Operating (Expense) Income

The Company recorded other non-operating expense, net, of $24.0 million for the first quarter of 2011, compared to other non-operating expense, net, of $3.3 million for the first quarter of 2010. The 2011 non-operating expense, net, included a $30.7 million write-down of a

 

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marketable equity security (Corinthian Colleges, Inc.), offset by a $3.8 million gain on the sale of a cost method investment and $2.7 million in unrealized foreign currency gains and other items. The 2010 non-operating expense, net, included $3.3 million in unrealized foreign currency losses.

Net Interest Expense

The Company incurred net interest expense of $7.0 million for the first quarter of 2011, compared to $7.3 million for the first quarter of 2010. At April 3, 2011, the Company had $399.8 million in borrowings outstanding, at an average interest rate of 7.2%.

Provision for Income Taxes

The effective tax rate for the first quarter of 2011 was 36.8%, compared to 38.4% for the first quarter of 2010.

Discontinued Operations

On September 30, 2010, the Company completed the sale of Newsweek. Consequently, the Company’s income from continuing operations for the prior year excludes magazine publishing operations, which have been reclassified to discontinued operations, net of tax.

Earnings (Loss) Per Share

The calculation of diluted earnings per share for the first quarter of 2011 was based on 8,119,373 weighted average shares outstanding, compared to 9,240,951 for the first quarter of 2010. In the first quarter of 2011, the Company repurchased 281,754 shares of its Class B common stock at a cost of $121.4 million. At April 3, 2011, there were 7,954,157 shares outstanding.

Forward-Looking Statements

This report contains certain forward-looking statements that are based largely on the Company’s current expectations. Forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and achievements to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. For more information about these forward-looking statements and related risks, please refer to the section titled “Forward-Looking Statements” in Part I of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K.

 

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THE WASHINGTON POST COMPANY

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

(Unaudited)

(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)

 

     First Quarter     %  
     2011     2010     Change  

Operating revenues

   $ 1,063,612      $ 1,142,031        (7

Operating expenses

     (940,887     (970,814     (3

Depreciation

     (63,914     (61,598     4   

Amortization of intangible assets

     (6,808     (6,516     4   
                  

Operating income

     52,003        103,103        (50

Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net

     3,737        (8,109     —     

Interest income

     982        326        —     

Interest expense

     (7,961     (7,579     5   

Other expense, net

     (24,032     (3,321     —     
                  

Income from continuing operations before income taxes

     24,729        84,420        (71

Provision for income taxes

     (9,100     (32,400     (72
                  

Net income from continuing operations

     15,629        52,020        (70

Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax

     —          (6,192     —     
                  

Net income

     15,629        45,828        (66

Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest

     (14     12        —     
                  

Net income attributable to The Washington Post Company

     15,615        45,840        (66

Redeemable preferred stock dividends

     (461     (461     —     
                  

Net income available for The Washington Post Company common stockholders

   $ 15,154      $ 45,379        (67
                  

Amounts attributable to The Washington Post Company common stockholders:

      

Income from continuing operations

   $ 15,154      $ 51,571        (71

Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax

     —          (6,192     —     
                  

Net income

   $ 15,154      $ 45,379        (67
                  

Per share information attributable to The Washington Post Company common stockholders:

      

Basic income per common share from continuing operations

   $ 1.87      $ 5.58        (66

Basic loss per common share from discontinued operations

     —          (0.67     —     
                  

Basic net income per common share

   $ 1.87      $ 4.91        (62
                  

Basic average shares outstanding

     8,045,500        9,174,845     
                  

Diluted income per common share from continuing operations

   $ 1.87      $ 5.58        (66

Diluted loss per common share from discontinued operations

     —          (0.67     —     
                  

Diluted earnings per share

   $ 1.87      $ 4.91        (62
                  

Diluted average shares outstanding

     8,119,373        9,240,951     
                  

 

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THE WASHINGTON POST COMPANY

BUSINESS SEGMENT INFORMATION

(Unaudited)

(In thousands)

 

     First Quarter     %  
     2011     2010     Change  

Operating Revenues:

      

Education

   $ 640,629      $ 711,382        (10

Cable television

     190,280        189,358        0   

Newspaper publishing

     154,997        155,771        0   

Television broadcasting

     72,183        73,482        (2

Other businesses

     6,662        14,134        (53

Corporate office

     —          —          —     

Intersegment elimination

     (1,139     (2,096     46   
                        
   $ 1,063,612      $ 1,142,031        (7
                        

Operating Expenses:

      

Education

   $ 625,130      $ 653,434        (4

Cable television

     152,573        146,822        4   

Newspaper publishing

     167,824        169,523        (1

Television broadcasting

     52,592        52,571        0   

Other businesses

     11,701        14,967        (22

Corporate office

     2,928        3,707        (21

Intersegment elimination

     (1,139     (2,096     46   
                        
   $ 1,011,609      $ 1,038,928        (3
                        

Operating Income (Loss):

      

Education

   $ 15,499      $ 57,948        (73

Cable television

     37,707        42,536        (11

Newspaper publishing

     (12,827     (13,752     7   

Television broadcasting

     19,591        20,911        (6

Other businesses

     (5,039     (833     —     

Corporate office

     (2,928     (3,707     21   
                        
   $ 52,003      $ 103,103        (50
                        

Depreciation:

      

Education

   $ 21,893      $ 18,748        17   

Cable television

     31,786        31,626        1   

Newspaper publishing

     6,900        7,884        (12

Television broadcasting

     3,110        3,137        (1

Other businesses

     81        59        37   

Corporate office

     144        144        —     
                        
   $ 63,914      $ 61,598        4   
                        

Amortization of intangible assets:

      

Education

   $ 5,512      $ 5,276        4   

Cable television

     73        76        (4

Newspaper publishing

     290        282        3   

Television broadcasting

     —          —          —     

Other businesses

     933        882        6   

Corporate office

     —          —          —     
                        
   $ 6,808      $ 6,516        4   
                        

Pension Credit (Expense):

      

Education

   $ (1,552   $ (1,349     15   

Cable television

     (518     (468     11   

Newspaper publishing

     (6,705     (5,560     21   

Television broadcasting

     (646     (262     —     

Other businesses

     (17     (15     13   

Corporate office

     9,297        8,089        15   
                        
   $ (141   $ 435        —     
                        

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