Press Release Details

• Revenue grew to $2.2 billion, a 34% increase from third quarter 2011.
• Adjusted EBITDA increased 39% to $377 million, excluding certain items, the Company's highest-ever quarterly earnings.
• Pretax income increased 36% to $284 million, excluding certain items, and was $260 million on a GAAP basis.
• Diluted earnings per share grew 43% to $1.46 per share, excluding certain items, and GAAP diluted earnings per share were $2.38.
• Company revises its 2012 Adjusted EBITDA estimate to $825 to $840 million, excluding certain items, a year-over-year increase of 35% to 38%.

PARSIPPANY, N.J., Nov. 1, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avis Budget Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:CAR) today reported results for its third quarter ended September 30, 2012. For the quarter, the Company reported revenue of $2.2 billion, a 34% increase compared with the prior-year third quarter. Excluding certain items, Adjusted EBITDA increased 39% to $377 million. The Company reported net income of $171 million and diluted earnings per share of $1.46, excluding certain items. GAAP net income of $280 million was impacted by a $128 million non-cash income tax benefit, debt extinguishment costs and acquisition-related charges. 

As previously announced, the Company completed its acquisition of Avis Europe plc on October 3, 2011. For the quarter ended September 30, 2012, the acquisition of Avis Europe contributed revenue of $526 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $102 million, excluding certain items. Excluding Avis Europe, the Company's revenue grew 1% in the third quarter and Adjusted EBITDA increased 1%, excluding certain items.

"Our third quarter results reflect strong summer volume growth and a significant contribution from the Avis Europe acquisition," said Ronald L. Nelson, Avis Budget Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "While our revised earnings estimates acknowledge the softness in European travel demand, the strategic initiatives we laid out more than a year ago continue to pay dividends, and we are well on our way toward reporting record revenue and earnings for 2012."

Executive Summary

Revenue increased 34% in third quarter 2012 compared to third quarter 2011 primarily due to the acquisition of Avis Europe. Excluding Avis Europe, volume increased 4% and pricing declined 3%. Third quarter Adjusted EBITDA increased 39% to $377 million, excluding certain items, driven by increased revenues.

Business Segment Discussion

The following discussion of third quarter operating results focuses on revenue and Adjusted EBITDA for each of our operating segments. Prior-period results have been revised to reflect the movement of Canadian results from the International segment to the North America segment. Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA are expressed in millions.

North America

(Consisting of the Company's U.S. car rental and Canadian vehicle rental operations)

Revenue increased 2% primarily due to a 4% increase in volume and a 7% increase in ancillary revenues, partially offset by a 3% year-over-year decline in pricing. Adjusted EBITDA increased 7%, primarily due to lower operating and vehicle interest costs, partially offset by a 3% increase in per-unit fleet costs.

International

(Consisting of the Company's international vehicle rental operations)

Revenue increased 302% principally due to the acquisition of Avis Europe. Excluding the acquisition, revenue increased 1% as a result of a 2% increase in volume and increased licensee royalty revenue, partially offset by a 3% decline in reported pricing due primarily to currency effects. Adjusted EBITDA increased $92 million due to a $94 million contribution from our European operations, including $7 million of restructuring costs. Excluding the acquisition, Adjusted EBITDA declined $3 million, entirely as a result of an unfavorable currency impact.

Truck Rental

(Consisting of the Company's U.S. truck rental operations)

Truck rental revenue declined 3% as a 2% increase in pricing was offset by a 5% decline in volume, largely reflecting the wind-down of a relatively low-priced commercial contract.  Adjusted EBITDA decreased $8 million primarily due to lower revenue and higher vehicle maintenance expense incurred to increase the average number of trucks available for rent. 

 Other Items

• Corporate Debt Repayment - In September, the Company utilized available cash to repay $50 million of 7.75% senior notes due 2016.
   
• Term Loan Borrowings - In October, the Company closed an offering of $200 million of term loan borrowings due 2019.  Proceeds from the offering and approximately $40 million of available cash were used to repay approximately $240 million of outstanding term loan borrowings. The interest rate on the new term loan borrowings is nearly two points lower than the interest rate on the debt that was repaid.
   
• Avis Budget EMEA Statistics - Revenue in the Company's Europe, Middle East and Africa operations increased 5% on a constant-currency basis in third quarter 2012 compared to third quarter 2011, and declined 6% on a reported basis. The change in revenue reflects a 9% increase in rental days and a 16% decline in average daily rate. Pricing decreased 6% excluding currency effects and including the impact of the strong growth our Budget brand achieved.
   
• Apex - As previously announced, the Company acquired New Zealand-based Apex Car Rentals in October. The acquisition further expands Avis Budget Group's presence in Australia and New Zealand and positions the Company to participate in the fast-growing deep-value segment of the car rental market there.
   
• Income Tax Benefit - In the third quarter, the Company realized a $128 million non-cash income tax benefit related to the resolution of prior years' tax positions and has excluded this item in calculating net income, excluding certain items, and earnings per share, excluding certain items.
   
• Repositioning of Truck Rental Business -To better position our Truck Rental segment for future success, we are planning to restructure the business over the next several quarters by closing certain rental locations and reducing our rental fleet, which we believe will improve our utilization, lower our cost base and drive better pricing.  We currently anticipate that we will incur restructuring and other costs of approximately $20 million in conjunction with this initiative.

Outlook

• Financial Outlook - The Company expects its full-year 2012 revenue to be approximately $7.3 billion, a 24% increase compared to 2011. The Company expects its 2012 Adjusted EBITDA to be approximately $825 million to $840 million, excluding certain items, an increase of 35% to 38% compared to the prior year.  The narrowing of the Company's estimated EBITDA range reflects recent trends, including difficult economic conditions in Europe, which are impacting travel demand.

North America fleet costs are expected to decline 6% to 8% on a per-unit basis compared to 2011. The Company continues to expect interest expense related to corporate debt to be approximately $265 million. The Company also expects that its 2012 non-vehicle depreciation and amortization expense (excluding the amortization of intangible assets related to the acquisition of Avis Europe) will be approximately $110 million, and that its pretax income will be approximately $450 million to $465 million, excluding certain items.

The Company expects that its effective tax rate in 2012 will be approximately 36% to 38%, excluding certain items, and that its diluted share count will be approximately 121 million. Based on these expectations, the Company estimates that its 2012 diluted earnings per share, excluding certain items, will be approximately $2.35 to $2.45.

• Acquisition Synergies -The Company expects to reach a run-rate of $40 million of annual synergies from the acquisition of Avis Europe by the end of the year.
   
• Performance Excellence Savings - The Company is continuing its efforts to reduce costs and enhance productivity and expects that such initiatives will provide incremental benefits of more than $50 million in 2012.

Investor Conference Call

Avis Budget Group will host a conference call to discuss third quarter results on November 2, 2012, at 8:30 a.m. (ET). Investors may access the call live at ir.avisbudgetgroup.com or by dialing (415) 228-4734 and providing the access code "Avis Budget." Investors are encouraged to dial in approximately 10 minutes prior to the call. A web replay will be available at ir.avisbudgetgroup.com following the call. A telephone replay will be available from 12:00 noon (ET) on November 2 until 8:00 p.m. (ET) on November 16 at (203) 369-3102, access code: "Avis Budget."

About Avis Budget Group, Inc.

Avis Budget Group, Inc. is a leading global provider of vehicle rental services through its Avis and Budget brands, with 10,000 rental locations in approximately 175 countries around the world. Avis Budget Group operates most of its car rental offices in North America, Europe and Australia directly, and operates primarily through licensees in other parts of the world. Avis Budget Group has approximately 29,000 employees and is headquartered in Parsippany, N.J. For more information, visit www.avisbudgetgroup.com.

The Avis Budget Group, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=8891

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Statements preceded by, followed by or that otherwise include the words "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "projects", "estimates", "plans", "may increase", "forecast" and similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as "will", "should", "would", "may" and "could" are based upon then current assumptions and expectations and are generally forward-looking in nature and not historical facts. Any statements that refer to outlook, expectations or other characterizations of future events, circumstances or results, including all statements related to future results, future fleet costs, acquisition synergies and cost-saving initiatives are also forward-looking statements.

Various risks that could cause future results to differ from those expressed by the forward-looking statements included in this press release include, but are not limited to, the Company's ability to promptly and effectively integrate the businesses of Avis Europe and Avis Budget, any change in economic conditions generally, particularly during our peak season or in key market segments, the high level of competition in the vehicle rental industry, a change in our fleet costs as a result of a change in the cost for new vehicles and/or the value of used vehicles, disruption in the supply of new vehicles, disposition of vehicles not covered by manufacturer repurchase programs, the financial condition of the manufacturers that supply our rental vehicles which could impact their ability to perform their obligations under our repurchase and/or guaranteed depreciation arrangements, any reduction in travel demand, including any reduction in airline passenger traffic, any occurrence or threat of terrorism, a significant increase in interest rates or borrowing costs, our ability to obtain financing for our operations, including the funding of our vehicle fleet via the asset-backed securities market, any changes to the cost or supply of fuel, any fluctuations related to the mark-to-market of derivatives which hedge our exposure to exchange rates, interest rates and fuel costs, the Company's ability to meet the financial and other covenants contained in the agreements governing our indebtedness, risks associated with litigation, regulation or governmental or regulatory inquiries or investigations involving the Company, and the Company's ability to accurately estimate its future results and implement its strategy for cost savings and growth. Other unknown or unpredictable factors could also have material adverse effects on Avis Budget Group's performance or achievements. In light of these risks, uncertainties, assumptions and factors, the forward-looking events discussed in this press release may not occur. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date stated, or if no date is stated, as of the date of this press release. Important assumptions and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are specified in Avis Budget Group's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, included under headings such as "Forward-Looking Statements", "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations", its most recently filed Form 10-Q, and in other filings and furnishings made by the Company with the SEC from time to time. Except for the Company's ongoing obligations to disclose material information under the federal securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements, to report events or to report the occurrence of unanticipated events unless required by law.

This release includes certain financial measures such as Adjusted EBITDA, pretax income and diluted earnings per share, which exclude certain items under each measure and are not considered generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") measures as defined under SEC rules. Important information regarding such measures is contained on Table 1 and Table 5 to this release. The Company believes that these non-GAAP measures are useful in measuring the comparable results of the Company period-over-period. The GAAP measures most directly comparable to Adjusted EBITDA, pretax income and diluted earnings per share, excluding certain items under each measure, are net income, pretax income and diluted earnings per share. Because of the forward-looking nature of the Company's forecasted non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA, pretax income and diluted earnings per share, excluding certain items, specific quantifications of the amounts that would be required to reconcile forecasted net income, pretax income and diluted earnings per share are not available. The Company believes that there is a degree of volatility with respect to certain of the Company's GAAP measures which preclude the Company from providing accurate forecasted GAAP to non-GAAP reconciliations. Based on the above, the Company believes that providing estimates of the amounts that would be required to reconcile the range of the non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA, pretax income and diluted earnings per share, excluding certain items, to forecasted net income, pretax income, and diluted earnings per share would imply a degree of precision that would be confusing or misleading to investors for the reasons identified above.

CONTACT: Media Contact:

         John Barrows

         (973) 496-7865

         PR@avisbudget.com

         

         Investor Contact:

         Neal Goldner

         (973) 496-5086

         IR@avisbudget.com