Management’s Discussion and Analysis

Brink’s Home Security

    Years Ended December 31,   % change
(In millions)   2003 2002 2001   2003 2002
Revenues $ 310.4 282.4 257.6   10 10
Operating Profit
Recurring services(b)   125.9 109.5 100.9   15 9
Investment in new subscribers(b)   (54.7) (48.6) (46.0)   (13) (6)
  $ 71.2 60.9 54.9   17 11
Monthly recurring revenues(c) $ 23.3 21.1 19.2   10 10
Cash Flow Information
Depreciation and amortization(d) $ 47.9 43.9 36.8   9 19
Impairment charges from subscriber disconnects   34.3 32.3 33.8   6 (4)
Amortization of deferred revenue(e)   (25.0) (23.9) (23.9)   5 -
Deferred revenue from new subscribers (current year payments)   (18.4) (17.7) (14.9)   4 19
Deferred revenue from new subscribers (current year reciepts)   28.2 27.1 27.0   4 -
Capital expenditures   (98.0) (86.9) (81.3)   13 7

(a) Reflects operating profit generated from the existing subscriber base including the amortization of deferred revenues.
(b) Primarily marketing and selling expenses, net of the deferral of direct selling expenses (primarily a portion of sales commissions), incurred in the acquisition of new subscribers.
(c) This measure is reconciled below under the caption “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures.”
(d) Includes amortization of deferred subscriber acquisition costs.
(e) Includes amortization of deferred revenue related to active subscriber accounts as well as acceleration of amortization of deferred revenue related to subscriber disconnects.

Overview

Operating profit comprises recurring services minus the cost of the investment in new subscribers. Recurring services reflects the monthly monitoring and service earnings generated from the existing subscriber base, including the amortization of deferred revenues. Impairment charges from subscriber disconnects and depreciation and amortization expenses, including the amortization of previously deferred direct costs from installations, are also charged to recurring services. Recurring services is affected by the size of the subscriber base, the amount of operational costs including depreciation, the level of subscriber disconnect activity and changes in the average monitoring fee per subscriber.

Investment in new subscribers is the net expense (primarily marketing and selling expenses) incurred in adding to the subscriber base every year. The amount of the investment in new subscribers charged to income may be influenced by several factors, including the growth rate of new subscriber installations and the level of costs incurred in attracting new subscribers. As a result, increases in the rate of investment (the addition of new subscribers) may have a negative effect on current segment operating profit but a positive impact on long-term operating profit, cash flow and economic value.

Capital expenditures are primarily the equipment, labor and related overhead costs associated with system installations for new subscribers.

Subscriber Activity

  Years Ended December 31,   % change
(Subscriber data in thousands) 2003 2002 2001   2003 2002
Number of subscribers
Beginning of period 766.7 713.5 675.3      
Installations 121.9 105.8 90.9   15 16
Disconnects (55.1) (52.6) (52.7)   (5) -
End of period 833.5 766.7 713.5   9 7
Average nunber of subscribers 797.5 739.0 693.5   8 7
Annualized disconnect rate(a) 6.9% 7.1% 7.6%      

(a) The disconnect rate is a ratio, the numerator of which is the gross number of customer cancellations during the period and the denominator of which is the average number of customer subscribers for the period. The gross number of customer cancellations is reduced for customers who cancel service at one location but continue service at a new location, customer accounts acquired from dealers that cancel during a specified contractual term that allows the account to be charged back to the dealers, and inactive sites that return to active service during the period.

Installations increased 15% for 2003 and 16% for 2002 as compared to the prior-year periods primarily as a result of growth in traditional as well as newer customer acquisition channels. BHS believes its 2003 and 2002 annualized disconnect rates improved over the respective prior-year periods largely due to the cumulative effect of having improved its subscriber selection and retention processes in recent years and its high quality customer service.

2003

The increase in BHS’s revenues for 2003 versus 2002 was primarily due to an 8% larger average subscriber base, as well as a higher average monitoring rate, higher revenue from home builders and higher service revenues. The slight increase in average monitoring rates is primarily due to new customers initiating service at generally higher monitoring rates than the average rate being paid by existing customers. The above factors also contributed to a 10% increase in monthly recurring revenues as measured at year end.

Operating profit increased 17% in 2003 from 2002 as higher profit from recurring services was partially offset by an increased investment in new subscribers. Higher profit from recurring services was primarily due to increased monitoring revenues from the larger average subscriber base as well as improved service margins, partially offset by higher depreciation and other costs associated with the larger subscriber base. Investment in new subscribers increased 13% on 15% higher installations during 2003 reflecting more effective marketing and installation efforts partially offset by an investment in additional sales infrastructure to support expansion of installation services offered to home builders.

2002

Revenues increased 10% in 2002 primarily due to a 7% larger average subscriber base, as well as higher average monitoring rates, higher revenues from home builders and higher service revenues. These factors also contributed to a 10% increase in monthly recurring revenues as measured at year end.

Operating profit for 2002 increased 11% as higher profit from recurring services was partially offset by an increased investment in new subscribers. Higher profit from recurring services was primarily due to increased monitoring and service revenues resulting from a larger average subscriber base and 4% lower impairment charges reflecting a lower disconnect rate, partially offset by increased depreciation from the larger number of security systems and higher monitoring costs. Investment in new subscribers increased only 6% on 16% higher installations during 2002, reflecting more effective marketing and installation efforts and the use of new distribution channels.

Other

On October 1, 2003, a national “Do Not Call” list was implemented in the United States. Although most of its new subscribers are attracted through other means, a portion of BHS’ new installations are initiated by calls to potential customers. Since there are other ways to initiate a sale, the overall impact that the “Do Not Call” list will have on BHS’ ability to attract new subscribers, or the costs to attract new subscribers, cannot be determined at present.

Police departments in two major western U.S. cities are not required to respond to calls from alarm companies unless an emergency has been visually verified. If more police departments in the future refuse to respond to calls from alarm companies without visual verification, this could have an adverse effect on future results of operations for BHS.

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures - Monthly Recurring Revenues

The purpose of this table is to reconcile monthly recurring revenues, a non-GAAP measure, to its closest GAAP counterpart, BHS’ total revenues.

    Years Ended December 31,
(In millions)   2003 2002 2001
Monthly recurring revenues ("MRR")(a) $ 23.3 21.1 19.2
Amounts excluded from MRR:
Amortization deferred revenue   2.0 2.0 1.8
Other revenues(b)   2.4 1.2 1.6
Revenues on a GAAP basis:
December   27.7 24.3 22.6
January-November   282.7 258.1 235.0
January-December $ 310.4 282.4 257.6

(a) MRR is calculated based on the number of subscribers at period end multiplied by the average fee per subscriber received in the last month of the period for contracted monitoring and maintenance services.
(b) Revenues that are not pursuant to monthly contractual billings.

The Company believes the presentation of MRR is useful to investors because the measure is widely used in the industry to assess the amount of recurring revenues from subscriber fees that a home security business produces.

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