Stericycle Posts 19% Rise in Third Quarter Profits

Date: October 23, 2008

Source: Stericycle Inc.

Stericycle, Inc. Reports Results for Third Quarter 2008

Stericycle, Inc. (NASDAQ: SRCL), today reported financial results for the third quarter of 2008.

Revenues for the quarter ended September 30, 2008 were $277.1 million, up 16.8% from $237.3 million in the same quarter last year. Acquisitions less than 12 months old contributed approximately $18.0 million to the growth in revenues for the quarter. Gross profit was $123.0 million, up 15.2% from $106.8 million in the same quarter last year. Gross profit as a percent of revenue was 44.4% versus 45.0% in the third quarter of 2007.

Net income for the third quarter of 2008 was $39.2 million or $0.45 per diluted share compared with net income of $32.9 million or $0.37 per diluted share for the third quarter of 2007.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2008, revenues were $809.7 million, up 18.9% from $681.2 million in the same period last year. Gross profit was $359.8 million, up 17.7% from $305.6 million in the same period last year. Gross profit as a percent of revenues was 44.4% versus 44.9% in the same period in 2007. Earnings per diluted share increased 18.2% to $1.24 from $1.05 per diluted share in the same period last year. Earnings per diluted share for the nine months ended 2008 were negatively impacted by $0.04 per diluted share related to the arbitration settlement recorded in the first quarter of 2008.

Cash flow from operations was $156.3 million for the first nine months of 2008. Cash flow and increased loan balances were used to strengthen our business and funded share repurchases, acquisitions, international investments and capital expenditures.

For more information about Stericycle, please visit our website at www.stericycle.com.

Safe Harbor Statement: Statements in this press release may contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond our control (for example, general economic conditions). Our actual results could differ significantly from the results described in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause such differences include changes in governmental regulation of medical waste collection and treatment and increases in transportation and other operating costs, as well as the other factors described in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. As a result, past financial performance should not be considered a reliable indicator of future performance, and investors should not use historical trends to anticipate future results or trends. We make no commitment to disclose any subsequent revisions to forward-looking statements.

Conference call to be held October 23, 2008 at 4:00 p.m. Central time - Dial 888-511-3669 at least 5 minutes before start time. If you are unable to participate on the call, a replay will be available through November 23rd by dialing 800-642-1687, access code 66107496. To hear a live simulcast of the call over the internet on www.earnings.com, or to access an audio archive of the call, go to the Investors page on Stericycle's website at www.stericycle.com.

                  STERICYCLE, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
          (IN THOUSANDS EXCEPT FOR SHARE AND PER SHARE DATA)


                                           September 30,  December 31,
                                               2008           2007
                                           -------------  ------------
                                            (unaudited)    (audited)
                 ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents                 $        7,043 $      17,108
Short-term investments                             1,205         1,256
Accounts receivable, less allowance for
 doubtful
  accounts of $6,365 in 2008 and $6,157
   in 2007                                       174,871       157,435
Deferred income taxes                             17,694        13,510
Other current assets                              23,028        20,967
                                           -------------  ------------
        Total current assets                     223,841       210,276
Property, plant and equipment, net               208,807       193,039
Other assets:
Goodwill                                       1,105,016     1,033,333
Intangible assets, less accumulated
 amortization of
  $13,942 in 2008 and $12,230 in 2007            163,390       152,689
Other                                             20,574        18,822
                                           -------------  ------------
  Total other assets                           1,288,980     1,204,844
                                           -------------  ------------
       Total assets                       $    1,721,628 $   1,608,159
                                           =============  ============

  LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Current portion of long-term debt         $       34,282 $      22,003
Accounts payable                                  31,597        40,049
Accrued liabilities                               91,424        75,571
Deferred revenues                                 14,136        12,095
                                           -------------  ------------
      Total current liabilities                  171,439       149,718
                                           -------------  ------------
Long-term debt, net of current portion           701,679       613,781
Deferred income taxes                            151,604       125,041
Other liabilities                                  3,417         5,544
Shareholders' equity:
Common stock (par value $0.01 per share,
 120,000,000 shares
   authorized, 85,559,658 issued and
    outstanding in 2008,
   87,410,653 issued and outstanding in
    2007)                                            856           874
Additional paid-in capital                        88,128       197,462
Accumulated other comprehensive income             9,710        30,520
Retained earnings                                594,795       485,219
                                           -------------  ------------
  Total shareholders' equity                     693,489       714,075
                                           -------------  ------------
       Total liabilities and
        shareholders' equity              $    1,721,628 $   1,608,159
                                           =============  ============


                  STERICYCLE, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
             CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
          (IN THOUSANDS EXCEPT FOR SHARE AND PER SHARE DATA)



                                       Three Months Ended
                                         September 30,
                             ---------------------------------------
                                          (unaudited)
                             ---------------------------------------
                                     2008               2007
                                          % of                % of
                                  $        Rev        $        Rev
                              ------------------  ------------------

Revenues                     $   277,098  100.0% $   237,323  100.0%

Cost of revenues                 154,069   55.6%     130,509   55.0%
                              ------------------  ------------------

Gross profit                     123,029   44.4%     106,814   45.0%

Selling, general and
administrative expenses           50,115   18.1%      43,665   18.4%
Amortization                       1,100    0.4%         929    0.4%
                              ------------------  ------------------

Total SG&A expense and
 amortization                     51,215   18.5%      44,594   18.8%
                              ------------------  ------------------

Income from operations before
acquisition integration and
 other expenses                   71,814   25.9%      62,220   26.2%

Gain on sale of assets                 -    0.0%           -    0.0%
Impairment of fixed assets             -    0.0%           -    0.0%
Impairment of permit                   -    0.0%           -    0.0%
Arbitration settlement and
 related costs                        96    0.0%           -    0.0%
Acquisition integration
 expenses                            210    0.1%         360    0.2%
                              ------------------  ------------------

Income from operations            71,508   25.8%      61,860   26.1%

Other income (expense):
   Interest Income                   185    0.1%         307    0.1%
   Interest expense               (8,618)  -3.1%      (8,864)  -3.7%
   Insurance proceeds                  -    0.0%           -    0.0%
   Other expense, net               (611)  -0.2%        (247)  -0.1%
                              ------------------  ------------------

    Total other income
     (expense)                    (9,044)  -3.3%      (8,804)  -3.7%
                              ------------------  ------------------

Income before income taxes        62,464   22.5%      53,056   22.4%

Income tax expense                23,237    8.4%      20,161    8.5%
                              ------------------  ------------------

Net income                   $    39,227   14.2% $    32,895   13.9%
                              ==================  ==================

Earnings per share-diluted   $      0.45         $      0.37
                              ===========         ===========

Weighted average number of
common shares outstanding-
 diluted                      87,864,210          89,794,892
                              ===========         ===========


                                         Nine Months Ended
                                           September 30,
                            ------------------------------------------
                                            (unaudited)
                            ------------------------------------------
                                     2008                 2007
                                           % of                 % of
                                  $         Rev        $         Rev
                              -------------------  -------------------

Revenues                     $   809,668   100.0% $   681,217   100.0%

Cost of revenues                 449,895    55.6%     375,650    55.1%
                              -------------------  -------------------

Gross profit                     359,773    44.4%     305,567    44.9%

Selling, general and
administrative expenses          148,073    18.3%     124,711    18.3%
Amortization                       2,944     0.4%       2,679     0.4%
                              -------------------  -------------------

Total SG&A expense and
 amortization                    151,017    18.7%     127,390    18.7%
                              -------------------  -------------------

Income from operations
 before
acquisition integration and
 other expenses                  208,756    25.8%     178,177    26.2%

Gain on sale of assets                 -     0.0%      (1,898)   -0.3%
Impairment of fixed assets             -     0.0%       1,261     0.2%
Impairment of permit                   -     0.0%         228     0.0%
Arbitration settlement and
 related costs                     5,595     0.7%           -     0.0%
Acquisition integration
 expenses                          1,239     0.2%       1,279     0.2%
                              -------------------  -------------------

Income from operations           201,922    24.9%     177,307    26.0%

Other income (expense):
   Interest Income                   744     0.1%       1,245     0.2%
   Interest expense              (24,885)   -3.1%     (24,840)   -3.6%
   Insurance proceeds                  -     0.0%         500     0.1%
   Other expense, net             (1,572)   -0.2%      (1,030)   -0.2%
                              -------------------  -------------------

    Total other income
     (expense)                   (25,713)   -3.2%     (24,125)   -3.5%
                              -------------------  -------------------

Income before income taxes       176,209    21.8%     153,182    22.5%

Income tax expense                66,633     8.2%      58,902     8.6%
                              -------------------  -------------------

Net income                   $   109,576    13.5% $    94,280    13.8%
                              ===================  ===================

Earnings per share-diluted   $      1.24          $      1.05
                              ===========          ===========

Weighted average number of
common shares outstanding-
 diluted                      88,578,506           90,068,563
                              ===========          ===========


                  STERICYCLE, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
           CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                            (IN THOUSANDS)

                                            For the nine months ended
                                                  September 30,
                                                2008          2007
                                            ------------  ------------
                                            (unaudited)   (unaudited)
Operating Activities:
Net income                                 $    109,576  $     94,280
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net
 cash
  provided by operating activities:
   Gain on sale of assets                             -        (1,898)
   Impairment of fixed assets                         -         1,261
   Impairment of permit intangible                    -           228
   Write-off of note receivable related to
    joint venture                                   798             -
   Stock compensation expense                     8,880         7,855
   Excess tax benefit of stock options
    exercised                                    (6,165)       (3,414)
   Depreciation                                  22,344        19,975
   Amortization                                   2,944         2,679
   Deferred income taxes                         18,729        11,958
Changes in operating assets and
 liabilities, net of
  effect of acquisitions and divestitures:
   Accounts receivable                          (13,976)      (13,931)
   Other assets                                  (3,398)        1,845
   Accounts payable                             (10,205)        6,044
   Accrued liabilities                           24,451          (445)
   Deferred revenues                              2,299         1,706
                                            ------------  ------------

Net cash provided by operating activities       156,277       128,143
                                            ------------  ------------

Investing Activities:
   Payments for acquisitions and
    international
   investments, net of cash acquired            (46,564)      (78,966)
   Proceeds from maturity of short-term
    investments                                      37         1,763
   Proceeds from sale of assets                       -        26,453
   Proceeds from sale of property and
    equipment                                         -             -
   Capital expenditures                         (35,729)      (37,602)
                                            ------------  ------------

Net cash used in investing activities           (82,256)      (88,352)
                                            ------------  ------------

Financing Activities:
   Repayment of long-term debt                   (7,868)      (32,374)
   Net (payments)/proceeds on senior
    credit facility                             (52,184)       68,623
   Proceeds from private placement of
    long-term note                              100,000             -
   Payments of deferred financing costs            (236)            -
   Net payments on capital lease
    obligations                                    (130)          (49)
   Excess tax benefit of stock options
    exercised                                     6,165         3,414
   Purchase/cancellation of treasury stock     (140,306)      (95,174)
   Proceeds from other issuances of common
    stock                                        14,688        11,441
                                            ------------  ------------

Net cash used in financing activities           (79,871)      (44,119)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash          (4,215)       (1,461)
                                            ------------  ------------
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents       (10,065)       (5,789)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of
 period                                          17,108        13,492
                                            ------------  ------------

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $      7,043  $      7,703
                                            ============  ============
Non-cash activities:
Net issuances of notes payable for certain
 acquisitions                              $     58,977  $     54,108
Net issuances of common stock for certain
 acquisitions                                         0           365

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