Earnings Labs

ABM Industries Incorporated (ABM)

Q3 2009 Earnings Call· Thu, Sep 3, 2009

$40.43

+0.80%

Key Takeaways · AI generated
AI summary not yet generated for this transcript. Generation in progress for older transcripts; check back soon, or browse the full transcript below.

Same-Day

-4.01%

1 Week

-2.10%

1 Month

-4.34%

vs S&P

-9.17%

Transcript

Operator

Operator

Good day everyone and welcome to today’s ABM Industries third quarter fiscal year 2009 conference call. Today’s call is being recorded. At this time, I would like to turn the conference over to Mr. Henrik Slipsager. Please go ahead.

Henrik Slipsager

Management

Thank you. I’m Henrik Slipsager, President and CEO of ABM. Joining me today are Jim Lusk, Executive VP and CFO; and Sarah McConnell, Senior VP and General Counsel. On the call today, I’ll provide an overview of the 2009 third quarter which ended July 31. Jim will discuss the details of our financial results and I’ll conclude our prepared remarks with a summary of the company’s operational achievements for the quarter, as well as discuss our outlook for fiscal ‘09. In addition, we’re providing a slide presentation to accompany today’s prepared remarks. You may access the presentation now by going to our website at www.abm.com and under the Investor Relations tab, you’ll see the presentations tab on the left hand side of the page. Today’s presentation will be the first listed. Sarah.

Sarah McConnell

Management

Thank you, Henrik. I will pause for a moment to allow everyone time to access our presentation on ABM website. Will you turn to slide three and four of the presentation. Before we begin, I need to tell you that our presentation today contains predictions, estimates and other forward-looking statements. Our use of the words estimate, expect and similar expressions are intended to identify these statements. These statements represent our current judgment on what the future holds. While we believe them to be reasonable, these statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially. Some of the important factors relating to our business are described in our 2008 Annual Report on Form 10-K/A and in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K that we filed with the SEC. During the course of this presentation, certain financial measures that were not prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP will be presented. A reconciliation of those numbers to GAAP financial measures is available on the company’s website under Investor Relations.

Henrik Slipsager

Management

Thank you, Sarah. Now please turn to slide five and six for a review of our fiscal third quarter highlights. Consistent with the trends we saw in the second quarter of this year, the recession continues to have an impact on our business. However, the actions that we have taken to adjust our infrastructure and expense base, and manage our pricing strategy have turned out to be appropriate and effective, allowing us to achieve the result that we have this quarter. We delivered year-over-year growth of over 18% in adjusted income from continuing operation and 8% in adjusted EBITDA. Our third quarter revenue was down 5.7% from the prior year period, primarily due to the economic environment and the proactive steps we took earlier in the year, to help our customers manage their expenses, and to reduce or eliminate less profitable businesses. On a sequential basis revenues were up slightly and in viewing recent trends, we believe our revenue base has stabilized. Our sales pipeline and sale activity continue to look healthy. While we expect fourth quarter revenue to be essentially flat on a sequential basis, given recent sales we anticipate revenue growth returning as early as the first quarter of fiscal 2010. Despite the top line challenge and overall business climate in the third quarter, our combined division operating profit increased year-over-year, led by growth in operating profit within our Janitorial and Security Divisions, up 10.6% and 30% respectively. We continue to benefit from our proactive management of gross profit margins and aggressive control of cost. Our third quarter performance reflects the action we’ve taken to manage our pricing strategy, expenses, working capital and cash conservation. Our strong strategic framework and our business buys have helped us weather the negative economic cycle. Prior to the downturn until today, we are the leading provider of facility services, which is to the Fortunate 1000 companies. In summary, our business is sound and our financials are solid. Yesterday we announced a quarterly cash dividend of $0.13 per common share, marking our 174th consecutive dividends. We continue to work to best position the company’s towards the drastic current economic environment, while laying the foundation for increased profitability as the economy improves. Now, I’d like to turn the call over to Jim for the financial revenue of our third quarter and nine month results. Jim.

Jim Lusk

Management

Thank you, Henrik. Good morning everyone. Turning to our third quarter fiscal 2009 results on slide seven, revenues for the third quarter decreased 5.7% to $870.6 million, from $923.7 million in the prior year period. As Henrik mentioned, revenues continue to be adversely affected by the weak economic climate. It is important to note however, that 10.4% or $5.5 million of decrease in revenues is due to reduction of expenses incurred on behalf of managed parking facility, which are reimbursed to the company, and have no impact on operating profit. Sequentially, revenues increased 1.7% compared to the second quarter of 2009. In addition to the impact to the economy, our third quarter net income reflects the effects of a $2.2 million after-tax increase in self-insurance reserves, related to prior years, compared to a $4.6 million after-tax reduction in self-insurance reserves related to prior years recorded in the third quarter of 2008. As we have said before, we recorded adjustments to our self-insurance reserves based on the point estimate determined by an independent actuarial announces. Overall our insurance trends are positive. As Henrik noted however, we continue to take proactive steps to mitigate the broader economic pressures. This discipline extends to working capital management and we are pleased with our ability to generate solid cash flow from operations, particularly in light of the recessionary environment. Our strong liquidity position speaks to the strength of our business model and we believe that we are well positioned to emerge a stronger player in the economic recovery cycle. Continuing to focus on slide seven, gross margins for the 2009 third quarter declined to 10.1% from 11.3% in the prior year period. In the fiscal 2009 third quarter we recorded a $3.5 million pre-tax increase in self-insurance reserves, compared to the fiscal 2008 third quarter…

Henrik Slipsager

Management

Thank you, Jim. I will now briefly review the operational results for the third quarter, as well as discuss our fiscal 2009 guidance. Turning to slide ten which shows the third quarter revenues of our operating divisions, while revenues were down approximately 6% on a year-over-year, as noted early on a sequential basis the revenue slightly increased from Q2. This is not the only positive sign we see. Our sales pipeline and sales activity remained solid, and as I said at the beginning of the call, we’ve seen stabilization in both our revenue base and tag work. Recent sales trend, coupled with a stabilized book of business, positions the company for a return to revenue growth as early as the first fiscal quarter of 2010. While it’s premature to speculate on how the U.S. economy will perform going forward, we certainly are encouraged by recent developments. Turning to slide eleven, although revenues were impacted by the economy and the proactive steps we started taking in the fourth quarter of 2008, operating profits for the four divisions benefited from aggressive cost controls and focus on job margins. In particular, our janitorial division achieved a 10.6% increase of $3.4 million. The result in janitorial, reflects on the quality of management we have in place, and in our ability to successfully execute in what is arguably one of the toughest operating environment since the great depression. Moving to slide twelve, in summary we believe that we’re responding to the business environment appropriately. Our third quarter and year-to-date results service as a testament of our efforts to effectively manage the organization through a recessionary period. Despite the pressure on the top line, we were able to deliver growth and adjusted income from continuing operation and adjusted EBITDA; the key measurement of our business through expense management and performance improvement. Our divisional operating profit also increased year-over-year, led by a growth in operating profit with our Janitorial and Security Divisions. Our strong financial position improving the working capital management puts ABM in a solid position to build upon our position as a leading facility service provider in the U.S. Turning to our slide 13, in light of our 2009 year-to-date result, we take into consideration the unanticipated impact of insurance expense related to prior years and a non-cash charge associated with an option rate security. We’re adjusting our guidance for fiscal ‘09 of income from continuing operations per diluted share in the range of $1.05 to $1.15, and reaffirming adjusted income from continued operations per diluted share for the same period in the range of $125 to $135, exclusive of any additional acquisitions. We will remain acutely tuned to the changes in their market environment and will leverage recent sales wins and improvements in the economy to build upon our financial results. At this time, I would like to open the call for questions. Operator.

Operator

Operator

(Operator Instructions) Your first question comes from David Gold - Sidoti & Co. David Gold - Sidoti & Co.: A couple of questions for you, just following up a little bit on Janitorial. We are impressed with the early progress that we’re seeing there and just wanted to go over a couple of things. One, the incremental of the growth that we’re seeing there, would you attribute that to market share; is it an easing at existing clients? Basically where have you been finding the success there? Part two of that, I think Henrik you commented a little bit on tag work. If you can give a little bit more color there on what’s sort of happening there too?

Henrik Slipsager

Management

I would say that the activity in the Janitorial Division as well as the other divisions, I think more reflects returning to a normal world. There are increasing activity at existing clients as well as taking market share or being successful on bid situations. The other thing you talked about yourself, tag work. Tag work, I think I said during the second quarter I think we reached the bottom, and this quarter pretty much confirms what we expected when we had the second quarter, that tag work has stabilized at a lower level than it was in the prior period, but at least it’s stabilized and I think we’re well positioned from a tag work point of view, if in fact the economy comes back. David Gold - Sidoti & Co.: Is that what it takes to get tag work to come back? Is it right now just a function of the economy or is there anything more that we can do to sort of push that along?

Henrik Slipsager

Management

I think the primary push is the economy and people starting to feel comfortable about the future. There were a lot of pretty sizable cutbacks and I hope and believe there will be some openings going forwards, but tag work is primarily a result, especially we’re talking about New York in express, that’s a result of that. Tag work outside the New York, which could be associated with national disasters is pretty flat, nothing has happened. David Gold - Sidoti & Co.: Then my other favorite question and I’m sure you see this coming is sustainability. Basically sustainability of the progress that you’ve made by way of margins as the economy comes back. What sort of color can you have there? How much of it do you think is sustainable, and how much of it is maybe just a function of we have an easier time, say freezing let’s say salaries right now given the environment?

Henrik Slipsager

Management

I think none of the expenses reductions we’ve made are temporary adjustments. I think we’ve been able and successful in making the cost reductions, not based upon a short term situation, but adjusting downwards to prepare ourselves for what I define as a different world today than was it today. So I don’t expect expenses to come back up, because none of the cuts we made is like delaying some expenses. If you notice we continued our IT investment, we haven’t stopped that and in general, none of the expenses are expected to reoccur. David Gold - Sidoti & Co.: Just one minor if I might; on the technology upgrades that I think we’re close to finishing, what type of savings or benefit do you think we might see next year from that?

Henrik Slipsager

Management

I think it’s going to take some time before we see savings and benefits from that. I think next year you’ll see some negative effects on the increased level of depreciation on all the equipment we have bought, but long term, I think if you look into the two or three year period, we should be able to manage our business better and more efficiently and we do have some cost savings associated with it, but it’s not a short term impact, it’s a long term impact.

Operator

Operator

Your next question comes from Michael Gallo - C.L. King.

Michael Gallo - C.L. King

Analyst

The question I have is on the OneSource integration. I was wondering if you can give us an update on where you stand on the $45 million to $50 million in synergies, whether you’re pretty much gotten to the end of that or whether you think there’s still more to go?

Jim Lusk

Management

Basically, we fully achieved all those savings and there maybe minor dollars to go, but pretty much we’ve achieved everything at this point time. So we achieved the goal and it could potentially squeeze out more, but it’s minor.

Michael Gallo - C.L. King

Analyst

This sounds like it’s going forward on a run rate basis. You pretty much have gotten to that $45 million to $50 million target?

Jim Lusk

Management

That’s correct.

Michael Gallo - C.L. King

Analyst

Then second question I have is just on the pricing environment. Obviously it was certainly very competitive over the last six months or so. Have you started to see any stabilization in the pricing environment or is it still everyone just trying to win the jobs that are out there? Thank you.

Jim Lusk

Management

It’s a tough environment, but it’s not only tough for us, it’s tough for everybody, which means we might be on depression in certain of our accounts, but also opens up some opportunities for adding on business from the competition. So I don’t look at the environment as any kind of excuse of not achieving what should be achieved. It’s tough, but it’s tough for everybody. A tough environment also opens up opportunities for hopefully future acquisitions, etc., so tough environments might not necessarily always be bad.

Operator

Operator

Your final question comes from [Justin Hawkey] - Robert W. Baird.

Justin Hawkey - Robert W. Baird

Analyst

I was wondering if you could just speak a little bit more about the guidance range. It just looks like its a little wider than maybe historically what you had going into the fourth quarter, and was hoping maybe you could give us a little more color on what you’re thinking is for the top end versus the low end and what we need to see in 4Q?

Jim Lusk

Management

We have been pretty consistent throughout the year in our guidance and haven’t changed it. I think it’s fair to say that this environment that we’ve been through and should have seen some other companies recover as well. It’s an environment where, I think management is maybe a little more conservative with respect to changing anything in their forecast. So I will just tell you we’re comfortable in maintaining our existing guidance as we said, and still as a matter of fact pretty good if our year can reflect an increase of close to 15% year-over-year, compared to what we’ve been through this year.

Justin Hawkey - Robert W. Baird

Analyst

I was looking at the security margins, they came in a little bit better than what we were looking for. I guess I was curious if there was anything in particular in the quarter that was driving that or it was just solid execution?

Henrik Slipsager

Management

Security, I’m very comfortable with the way they have performed this year. It has been probably the best 18 months and it’s my hope that they will continue this very strong operational performance. There’s no onetime, so anything that drives it, that’s the question. It’s just I think a very solid quarter for security and hopefully it’s going to be a long term improvement of that division.

Justin Hawkey - Robert W. Baird

Analyst

Just one last kind of housekeeping question; with your acquisition of Control Building Services, are you expecting that could be accretive at all in ‘09 or is that not impacting your guidance at all?

Henrik Slipsager

Management

The acquisition we made, it’s accretive, but it’s accretive at a very low level, because it’s a relatively small acquisition.

Operator

Operator

(Operator Instructions) At this time I would like to turn the conference back over to Mr. Henrik Slipsager for any additional remarks.

Henrik Slipsager

Management

It’s Slipsager, but nonetheless I don’t have any additional remarks. I want to thank everybody for listening to our third quarter call and look forward to talk to all of you around Christmas time. Thank you very much.

Operator

Operator

This will conclude today’s conference. Thank you for your participation.