Nutrition 21 Announces Financial Results for Q4 of Fiscal 2009 and Full Year Fiscal 2009

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PURCHASE, N.Y., Oct 15, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- NXXI | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Nutrition 21, Inc. (Nasdaq: NXXI), the developer and marketer of nutritional supplements under the Iceland Health(R), Chromax(R) and Diabetes Essentials(R) brands that help consumers manage blood sugar levels, improve cardiovascular health, enhance memory and reduce chronic joint pain, today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and the full fiscal year ended June 30, 2009.

For the quarter ended June 30, 2009 the company reported total revenues of $5.4 million compared to $11.0 million in the comparable quarter last year. Net loss for the quarter was $20.7 million, or ($0.31) per fully diluted share, compared to a net loss of $0.9 million, or $(0.01) per fully diluted share in the comparable quarter last year. The net loss for the quarter ended June 30, 2009 includes a $17.5 million non-cash impairment charge relating to goodwill and intangible assets that have indefinite lives.

For the year ended June 30, 2009, total revenues were $39.6 million compared to $47.1 million in the year ended June 30, 2008. Net loss for the year ended June 30, 2009, which includes the $17.5 million non-cash impairment charge mentioned above, was $20.8 million, or ($0.31) per fully diluted share, compared to a net loss in the prior year of $16.9 million, or ($0.27) per fully diluted share.

For the year ended June 30, 2009, the company had an operating profit of $0.2 million before the $17.5 million non-cash impairment charge mentioned above, a $13.6 million improvement over an operating loss of $13.4 million for the year ended June 30, 2008. EBITDA (a non-GAAP measure defined as net earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) before the $17.5 million non-cash impairment charge, was $1.3 million for the year ended June 30, 2009, a $12.5 million improvement over negative EBITDA of $11.2 million in the prior year. The primary reasons for this improvement are more target-specific advertising and reduced general and administrative expenses.

The adverse financial results primarily reflect the severe economic downturn and caused the company to breach a financial covenant with its senior lender. The lender waived this breach upon agreement by the company to repay by November 15, 2009 all amounts borrowed from the lender. The company is also negotiating to restructure $2.5 million principal amount of notes plus interest that are past due and are secured by the company's Iceland Health trademark.

The company has signed a non-binding letter of intent for the sale of its retail and direct response businesses to a privately owned company and will announce the terms of the proposed sale if the transaction proceeds and when there is a binding agreement. The company will continue to refocus its main efforts on its profitable ingredients business.

The bid price for the company's common stock has been less than $1 for more than 30 consecutive days and, as a result, Nasdaq Staff notified the company on December 26, 2007 that it does not comply with Listing Rule 5550(a)(2). On October 9, 2009, Nasdaq Staff further notified the company that the period to regain compliance with the Rule expired October 7, 2009, and that unless the company appeals the Staff's determination, trading in the common stock will be suspended on October 20, 2009 and the common stock will be delisted. The company does not plan an appeal and expects that its common stock will be quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board.

About Nutrition 21

Nutrition 21, Inc. (NASDAQ: NXXI - News), headquartered in Purchase, NY, is a nutritional bioscience company and the maker of chromium picolinate-based and omega-3 fish oil-based supplements with health benefits substantiated by clinical research. Nutrition 21 holds more than 30 patents for nutrition products and uses. Nutrition 21's portfolio of health and wellness products include: Iceland Health Chromax, Iceland Health Advanced Memory Formula(TM), Iceland Health Omega-3 Fish Oil, Iceland Health Joint Relief, and Diabetes Essentials(R) The company also manufactures private label supplements and ingredients for third parties. Nutrition 21 distributes its products nationally through more than 30,000 major food, drug and super center stores throughout the United States and internationally. For more information please visit http://www.nutrition21.com.

Safe Harbor Provision

This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements. The words "believe," "expect," "anticipate" and other similar expressions generally identify forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates. These forward-looking statements are based largely on the company's current expectations and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including without limitation: the effect of the expiration of patents; regulatory issues; uncertainty in the outcomes of clinical trials; changes in external market factors; changes in the company's business or growth strategy or an inability to execute its strategy due to changes in its industry or the economy generally; the emergence of new or growing competitors; various other competitive factors; and other risks and uncertainties indicated from time to time in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2009. Actual results could differ materially from the results referred to in the forward-looking statements. In light of these risks and uncertainties, there can be no assurance that the results referred to in the forward-looking statements contained in this press release will in fact occur. Additionally, the company makes no commitment to disclose any revisions to forward-looking statements, or any facts, events or circumstances after the date hereof that may bear upon forward-looking statements.

    Contact:
                Nutrition 21, Inc.            Lytham Partners, LLC
                  Alan Kirschbaum               Joe Diaz
                  (914) 701-4500                (602) 889-9700

                     Financial Tables on Following Pages



                            NUTRITION 21, INC.
                      Consolidated Balance Sheets
                             (in thousands)
                               (unaudited)


                                                         June 30,
    ASSETS                                        2009              2008
    Current assets:
      Cash, cash equivalents                     $1,373            $4,817
      Accounts receivable, net                    2,752             2,922
      Other receivables, net                        516               286
      Inventories, net                            3,878             1,014
      Other current assets                          467             1,483
    Property and equipment, net                      46                69
    Patents, trademarks, and other
     intangibles, net                               766             6,919
    Goodwill and other intangibles with
     indefinite lives                             3,636            15,395
    Other assets                                  1,389             2,981
    Investments                                      --             3,740

    Total Assets                                $14,823           $39,626
    LIABILITIES, AND STOCKHOLDERS'
     EQUITY (DEFICIT)
    Short term borrowings                           $--            $3,000
    Accounts payable                              4,439             4,221
    Accrued expenses                              2,218             2,575
    Deferred income                                 361             1,228
    Other long term debt                          4,457             4,185
    Deferred income taxes                         1,200             2,152

    6% Series I Convertible preferred stock
     subject to mandatory redemption                 --             3,270
    8% Series J Convertible preferred stock
     subject to mandatory redemption             13,218            11,594

    Total Liabilities                            25,893            32,225

    Stockholders' Equity (DEFICIT)              (11,070)            7,401

    Total Liabilities, and Stockholders'
     Equity (DEFICIT)                           $14,823           $39,626





                             NUTRITION 21, INC.
                    Consolidated Statements of Operations
               (In thousands, except share and per share data)
                                (unaudited)

                                    Quarter ended             Year ended
                                       June 30,                 June 30,
                                  2009       2008          2009         2008

    Net sales                    $5,343     $10,906      $39,257      $46,363
    Other revenues                  105         139          348          708

    Total Revenues                5,448      11,045       39,605       47,071

    Costs and Expenses

      Cost of Revenues            3,233       3,415       16,397       17,609

      Advertising & Promotion

      General and
       Administrative        3,8961,141  5,3391,429  17,7073,883  33,4786,197
      Research and
       Development                   98         110          364          954

      Depreciation and
       Amortization                 196         551        1,106        2,259
      Impairment charges         17,539          --       17,539           --
    Operating (loss) profit     (20,655)        201      (17,391)     (13,426)

    Interest income (expense),
     net                         (1,018)     (1,095)      (4,370)      (3,502)

    Loss before income taxes    (21,673)       (894)     (21,761)     (16,928)

    Income taxes (benefit)         (952)          3         (952)          14

    Net loss                   $(20,721)      $(897)    $(20,809)    $(16,942)

    Basic and diluted  loss per
     common share                $(0.31)     $(0.01)      $(0.31)      $(0.27)

    Weighted average number of
     common shares outstanding
     - basic and diluted         71,038      63,151       67,196       61,797

SOURCE Nutrition 21, Inc.

http://www.nutrition21.com/

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