Stream Global Services, Inc. : Stream Global Services Announces Financial Results for First Quarter Ended March 31, 2012

Stream Global Services, Inc., (NYSE AMEX: SGS), a leading global business process outsource (BPO) service provider specializing in customer relationship management including technical support and sales programs for Fortune 1000 companies, today announced consolidated financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2012.

CEO Commentary

Kathryn Marinello, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Stream, said, "We are very pleased to report a 13% year-over-year increase in Adjusted EBITDA for the first quarter of 2012. Our strategy of improving our core operating metrics and investing in our people has resulted in double-digit growth over the same period in 2011. We remain committed to our strategy to significantly invest in our business - our people and our infrastructure - while delivering returns for our investors."

First Quarter 2012 Financial Highlights

? Revenue for the quarter ended March 31, 2012 was $216 million, an increase of $3 million, or 1%, from the same period in 2011. The increase is principally due to volume and program expansion with existing customers as well as ramping of new customers added in 2011. The company has successfully grown revenue while eliminating programs that did not meet internal targets for profitability. Additionally, the change in foreign exchange rates from the first quarter of 2011 to the first quarter of 2012 lowered revenue by approximately $2 million.

? Gross profit increased approximately $1 million, or 1%, over the prior year first quarter. The Gross Profit percentage was 42% for the first quarter of 2012 versus 43% for the first quarter of 2011 primarily due to agent training for North American business.

? Income From Operations Excluding Severance, Restructuring and Other Charges, net for the quarter ended March 31, 2012 was $11 million versus $7 million for the same period in 2011. This increase reflects higher gross profit earned on the increased revenue and a relative decline in Selling, General and Administrative expenses from 32% of revenue for the first quarter 2011 to 31% of revenue for the first quarter of 2012. This improvement is largely the result of our cost efficiency improvement programs implemented during 2011.

? Adjusted Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization ("Adjusted EBITDA") was $26 million for the first quarter of 2012, an increase of $3 million, or 13%, from the first quarter of 2011. Changes in currency rates did not have a material impact on the quarter's Adjusted EBITDA.

? Net loss was $1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2012 compared to a net loss of $2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2011.

? Cash flow from operating activities for the first quarter 2012 was $21 million, a decrease of $6 million from the prior year first quarter largely due to working capital improvements in 2011 that were non-recurring. Days Sales Outstanding improved from 71 days at March 31, 2011 to 68 days at March 31, 2012.

? Free Cash Flow (operating cash flow less additions to equipment and fixtures and new capital lease financing) for the first quarter of 2012 was inflows of $14 million and for the quarter ended March 31, 2011 was inflows of $21 million. The decrease in free cash flow during the quarter was primarily a result of the non-recurring effect of working capital improvements in 2011 and higher performance-based incentive compensation payments in 2012.

? The company made capital expenditures of approximately $7 million during the three months ended March 31, 2012, composed of approximately $4 million for site expansion to accommodate growth and $3 million to invest in the company's technology infrastructure.

Americas Region

Revenue generated from our Americas region, which includes the United States, Canada, the Philippines, India, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador and China, was $159 million for the three months ended March 31, 2012 compared to $154 million for the same period in 2011.

Gross profit generated by the Americas region was $70 million for both the three months ended March 31, 2012 and March 31, 2011. The gross margin percentage was 44.2% for the three months ended March 31, 2012 and was 45.5% for the same period in 2011.

EMEA Region

Revenue generated from our EMEA region, which includes Europe, the Middle East and Africa, for the three months ended March 31, 2012 was $57 million compared to $58 million for the same period in 2011.

Gross profit generated by the EMEA region for the three months ended March 31, 2012 was $21 million, with a gross margin of 37.4% compared to $20 million with a gross margin percentage of 34.5% for the same period in 2011.

Selling, General and Administrative Expense

Selling, general and administrative expenses, which includes non-agent service center costs, were $66 million or 31% of revenue during the three months ended March 31, 2012 and $69 million or 32% of revenue during the same period in 2011. This percentage decrease is primarily a result of management focus on cost efficiency, including the impact of reductions in our workforce in 2011.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

At March 31, 2012, cash and cash equivalents was $18 million, down from $25 million at December 31, 2011. The balance on the revolving line of credit was $25 million at March 31, 2012 and $45 million at December 31, 2011. At March 31, 2012, the company had in excess of $70 million of availability which could be drawn under its revolving line of credit.

Stream will hold a conference call for investors on April 24, 2012 at 5:30 PM EDT. Investors can participate by calling 1-800-230-1096 or 1-612-332-0107 (for callers outside the US).

About Stream Global Services:

Stream Global Services is a leading global business process outsource (BPO) service provider specializing in customer relationship management services including sales, customer care and technical support for Fortune 1000 companies. Stream is a trusted partner to some of the world's leading technology, computing, telecommunications, retail, entertainment/media, and financial services companies. Stream's service programs are delivered through a set of standardized best practices and sophisticated technologies by a highly skilled multilingual workforce of over 31,000 employees capable of supporting over 35 languages across 49 locations in 22 countries. Stream strives to expand its global presence and service offerings to increase revenue, improve operational efficiencies and drive brand loyalty for its clients. To learn more about the company and its complete service offering, please visit www.stream.com.

Safe Harbor

This press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including forward-looking statements concerning expectations regarding future operating performance and economic and market conditions. The forward looking statements made are neither promises nor guarantees, and are subject to risk and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or indicated, including, without limitation, risks and uncertainties relating to our current operation in, as well as entry into, new markets; changes in general economic and business conditions; fluctuations in foreign currency rates; fluctuations in sales volume, timing and sales cycles; our ability to retain our employees in light of competition for agents; our ability to make payments required under our outstanding indebtedness; delays in obtaining new clients or sales from existing clients; delays or interruptions of service as a result of power loss, fire, natural disasters, security breaches, civil unrest or political upheaval, and other similar events; litigation; intense competition in the marketplace from competitors; future acquisitions, joint ventures or other strategic investments; and our ability to obtain necessary financing in the future plus other risks detailed in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including those discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011.

Stream does not intend, and disclaims any obligation, to update any forward-looking information contained in this release, even if its estimates change.

The required reconciliations and other disclosures for all non-GAAP measures used by the Company are set forth in a schedule attached to this press release and in the Current Report on Form 8-K furnished to the SEC on the date hereof.

Non-GAAP Financial Information

This release contains non-GAAP financial measures. These non-GAAP financial measures, which are used as measures of Stream's performance or liquidity, should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for, measures of Stream's financial performance or liquidity prepared in accordance with GAAP. Non-GAAP financial measures may be defined differently from time to time and may be defined differently than similar terms used by other companies, and accordingly, care should be exercised in understanding how Stream defines non-GAAP financial measures in this release.

Stream's management uses the non-GAAP financial measures in the accompanying schedules to gain an understanding of Stream's comparative operating performance (when comparing such results with previous periods) and future prospects and excludes certain items from its internal financial statements for purposes of its internal budgets and financial goals. These non-GAAP financial measures are used by Stream's management in their financial and operating decision-making because management believes they reflect Stream's ongoing business in a manner that allows meaningful period-to-period comparisons. Stream's management believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information to investors and others in (a) understanding and evaluating Stream's current operating performance and future prospects in the same manner as management does, if they so choose, and (b) in comparing in a consistent manner Stream's current financial results with its past financial results.

All of the foregoing non-GAAP financial measures have limitations. Specifically, the non-GAAP financial measures that exclude certain items do not include all items of income and expense that affect Stream's operations. Further, these non-GAAP financial measures are not prepared in accordance with GAAP, may not be comparable to non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies and do not reflect any benefit that such items may confer on Stream. Management compensates for these limitations by also considering Stream's financial results in accordance with GAAP.

Stream Global Services
Heidi Ulin, 952-698-1057
Executive Assistant
Heidi.Ulin@stream.com