On March 1, EchoStar Communications (NASDAQ:DISH) released fourth-quarter earnings for the period ended Dec. 31.

  • Net profit grew by 15.1%, thanks to increases in subscriber counts and revenue per subscriber.
  • EchoStar increased its net number of DISH Network subscribers 8.8% year over year, to 13.1 million.
  • From 2005 to 2006, average monthly revenue per subscriber increased 7.6% to $62.47, while average subscriber acquisition costs inched downward 1% to $686. Lovely combo.
  • Both analysts and Motley Fool CAPS players peg DISH as an outperform by a 2-to-1 margin.

(Figures in millions, except per-share data)

Income Statement Highlights

Q4 2006

Q4 2005

Change

Sales

$2,577.6

$2,199.5

17.2%

Net Profit

$152.6

$132.6

15.1%

EPS

$0.35

$0.28

25.0%



Get back to basics with a look at the income statement.

Margin Checkup

Q4 2006

Q4 2005

Change*

Operating Margin

12.1%

11.5%

0.6

Net Margin

5.9%

6.0%

(0.1)

*Expressed in percentage points.

Margins are the earnings engine. See how they work.

Balance Sheet Highlights

Assets

Q4 2006

Q4 2005

Change

Cash + ST Invest.

$3,032.6

$1,181.4

156.7%

Accounts Rec.

$665.1

$478.4

39.0%

Inventory

$237.5

$221.3

7.3%



Liabilities

Q4 2006

Q4 2005

Change

Accounts Payable

$283.5

$239.8

18.2%

Long-Term Debt

$6,396.6

$6,126.8

4.4%



Learn the ways of the balance sheet.

Cash Flow Highlights

2006

2005

Change

Cash From Ops.

$2,279.2

$1,774.1

28.5%

Capital Expenditures

$1,396.3

$1,506.4

(7.3%)

Free Cash Flow

$882.9

$267.7

229.8%



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