Jim Groch
Analyst · JP Morgan. Please proceed with your questions
Thank you, Bob. Please turn to slide 5, as you’ve seen in our press release, CBRE’s growth in 2015 was outstanding. Revenue rose 20% to 10.9 billion, fee revenue increased 14% to 7.7 billion, normalized EBITDA rose 21% to 1.4 billion, and adjusted EPS was up 22% to $2.05 a share. Profitability was strong with an 18.3% normalized EBITDA margin on fee revenue in 2015 of approximately 110 basis points from 2014. This performance was achieved in spite of significant headwinds from currency movements. Our three regional service segments achieved a 27% increase in normalized EBITDA with a margin on fee revenue of 16.5%, up 100 basis points for the year. Bob mentioned the strength of our balance sheet, despite investing approximately 1.6 billion in nine acquisitions during the year, we ended 2015 with no outstanding borrowings on our 2.6 billion revolving credit facility, 470 million of available cash and short term investments and net debt of just under 1.6 times normalized EBITDA. Please turn to slide 6, for a look at full year revenue growth by line of business. Our businesses continue to exhibit excellent broad based momentum in 2015. Revenue from contractual sources totaled 6 billion; contractual fee revenue was 2.9 billion, up 29% in local currency or 14% without the contributions from the acquired Global Workplace Solutions business. Leasing surpassed 2.5 billion of global revenue of 11% in local currency. The capital markets business, property sales and mortgage services exceeded 2.1 billion in revenue and achieved 20% growth in local currency. The multi-year shift towards a more stable, recurring business mix continued in 2015. Contractual fee revenue plus leasing which is largely recurring totaled 70%. Please turn to slide 7; where we will shift our attention from the full year to a review of our financial performance in Q4. Revenue and adjusted earnings growth for the quarter was very strong. Fee revenue improved 23% in local currency and 10% without the contribution from the acquired Global Workplace Solutions business. This growth was achieved on top of an exceptionally strong Q4 2014, when revenue increased 28% versus Q4 2013. Normalized EBITDA for the quarter totaled 518 million, a 26% increase from last year’s Q4, or 31% increase in local currency. Our profit margin also improved significantly. At 20.3%, our normalized EBITDA margin on fee revenue increased 130 basis points over prior year Q4. Adjusted earnings per share increased 19% to $0.81 for the quarter. Q4 2015 normalized EBITDA reflects the following adjustments. 26 million of carried interest expense, which we will recognize in future period, when we record, associated revenue. This aligns the timing of expense and revenue recognition. 24 million of integration cost related to the acquisition of Global Workplace Solutions, and 40 million incurred to eliminate cost to enhance margins going forward. Please turn to slide 8, where we will review Q4 results for our three regional services segments all in local currency. Fee revenue increased 17% in the Americas as every business line exhibited growth. In the EMEA fee revenue improved 36% as we saw healthy gains across the region particularly in Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. In Asia Pacific, fee revenue rose 27% with Australia, Greater China and India setting the pace for growth. Absent the contributions from the acquired Global Workplace Solutions business, fee revenue rose 9% in the Americas, 12% in EMEA and 11% in Asia Pacific. Normalized EBITDA increased 9% for the Americas, 45% for EMEA and 24% for Asia Pacific. Q4 normalized EBITDA margin on fee revenue for the three regions combined was 16.3%. Please turn to slide 9 for a review of the performance of our major global lines of business in Q4. All percentage increases are in local currency. For the company as a whole, contractual fee revenue plus leasing, which is largely recurring totaled 73% of fee revenue for the quarter. Occupier outsourcing fee revenue more than doubled with the acquisition of Global Workplace Solutions. Excluding contributions from this acquisition, occupier outsourcing continued to exhibit strong double-digit growth with a 19% increase in fee revenue. Asset services has a strong quarter, fee revenues increased 12% with notable growth in EMEA and the Americas. Investment management also had a strong quarter, revenue rose 22% driven by carried interest on property dispositions, reflecting strong returns generated for fund investors. Our valuations business grew revenue 9%. Leasing revenue rose 8% globally. This was muted by 4% growth in the United States, which reflects a solid performance on top of an exceptionally strong 28% year-over-year increase in the fourth quarter of 2014. Global growth and leasing was paced by a 22% increase in Europe, notably France and the United Kingdom as well as strong contributions from Canada and Mexico. Our Capital markets business remained highly active globally, although growth rate slowed from earlier in the year. Global property sales rose 7% after accounting for the decline in market volumes in the United Kingdom. The global growth rate in Q4 excluding the United Kingdom was 13%. Investor interest in the United Kingdom remained strong with Cap rate stable and rental rates increasing in Q4. But we are seeing capital migrate to Continental Europe, as local economies there strengthened and property yields are higher. In the United States, our sales revenues grew 10% as we once again gained significant market share according to RCA. Commercial mortgage services revenue increased 6%, as expected gains from mortgage servicing rights with the US government sponsored enterprises were flat as the agencies reached the regulatory caps on their lending. However loan originations were higher with banks, conduits and other debt capital sources. Our global loan servicing portfolio totaled a 135 billion at year end. Please turn to slide 10, regarding our occupier outsourcing business, which is reported within the three regional services segment. Even without the benefit of the acquired Global Workplace Solutions business, 2015 was a record year in terms of occupier outsourcing contracts. We brought onboard more new clients and importantly expanded our services scope for more existing clients than ever before. In addition we continue to make meaningful inroads in Europe and Asia, as well as in key verticals like healthcare, datacenters and life sciences. Feedback from our clients has exceeded our expectations and we are on course to materially complete client facing integration activities over the next 60 days. Please turn to slide 11, regarding our global investment management segment. Revenue rose 22% in local currency and normalized EBITDA nearly doubled, fueled by 30 million of carried interest tied to significant returns for our clients on property dispositions. The strong performance of our investment programs relative to industry benchmarks continues to help us attract capital. New equity commitments totaled 7 billion in 2015. In Q4, assets under management grew 3 billion to 89 billion after a 1.1 billion drag from currency movement. For the year, AUM was up 1.9 billion in local currency but down 1.6 billion when converted in to US dollars. Please turn to slide 12, regarding our development services segment. As anticipated development services had a very strong quarter, several large asset sales resulted in EBITDA of nearly 75 million for Q4. Development projects in process totaled 6.7 billion at year-end 2015, up 1.3 billion from 2014. The pipeline inventory totaled 3.6 billion down 0.4 billion as projects converted to in-process. Please turn to slide 13. I will conclude my remarks by reiterating three points that highlight the financial strength of the business. Normalized EBITDA was up 21% for the year and 26% for the quarter. We achieved a margin on fee revenue of 18.3% for the year and our available liquidity exceeds $3 billion. Now please turn to slide 14, as I turn the call back to Bob for closing remarks.