Chris Hill
Analyst · Stifel
Thanks, Larry. Before we review the financial performance for the quarter, the guidance we gave on our last call and past calls specifically excluded the impact of any FX gains or losses and assumed an effective tax rate of 20%. So, accordingly, our discussion today excludes any foreign exchange gain or loss for current and prior periods. Additionally, the financial results for the first quarter of 2024 include a charge of $3.5 million for non-cash stock compensation expense associated with the future vesting of performance shares for certain employees who have reached eligible retirement. We also recorded $2.6 million of costs associated with exiting and consolidating some of our facilities and employee severance. These items have also been excluded from the discussion of our financial results. So, looking at the income statement, revenue was $129.6 million in the first quarter, a slight increase from $128.2 million in the prior quarter and $128.4 million in prior year's first quarter. We would normally experience a seasonal decline in revenue moving from the fourth quarter into the first quarter. However, increased demand in both the U.S. and certain international regions for reservoir rock and fluid analytical programs and completion diagnostic services offset the seasonal decline. Of this revenue, service revenue, which is more international, was $96.5 million for the quarter, up 2% sequentially and up 6% from last year. Demand for our laboratory-based reservoir rock and fluid analytical programs continues to improve and is expected to continue growing globally with stronger growth in certain international regions. Some of the sequential growth in the first quarter is also associated with several large well-completion diagnostic projects, which were completed during the quarter. However, our crude assay services in some international regions continue to be impacted and disrupted due to the ongoing geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East and between Russia and Ukraine. Product sales, which are more equally tied to North America and international activity were $33.1 million for the quarter, flat sequentially, but down 11% from last year. Sequentially, the U.S. land market activity was softer. However, we saw improved market penetration which increased our product sales in this market by 6%. This sequential growth in product sales in the U.S. was offset by a lower volume of bulk product sales to international markets, which can fluctuate from one quarter to another. Moving on to cost of services, ex-items for the quarter, was approximately 77% of service revenue, up from 75% in the prior quarter and a slight improvement from 78% last year. The sequential increase is primarily due to continued disruptions in certain regions caused by these ongoing conflicts and a slightly different mix of services in the first quarter compared to the fourth quarter. Additionally, in February, a fire damaged a portion of 1 building on the campus of our Advanced Technology Center in Aberdeen. Although our insurance programs are reimbursing us for operating costs and the additional costs associated with remediation of the equipment and the facility, the associated insurance is recorded as other income and not reflected in cost of services or revenue. We do not expect any material financial impact from this incident. However, some project revenue will be delayed until the facility is fully operational. For the remainder of 2024, we project service revenue to continue growing with strong incremental margins. Cost of sales, ex-item, in the first quarter was 93% of revenue compared to 91% last quarter. The increase this quarter is a combination of lower international sales and a higher level of product sales to the U.S. market at lower gross margins. Onshore completion activities in the U.S. picked up nicely as we exited the first quarter and we anticipate activity to remain at similar levels for the remainder of the year. As discussed in our last call, we continue to finalize and implement plans to gain efficiencies and improve profitability as we progress through 2024. G&A, ex-items for the quarter, was $8.3 million, a slight decrease from prior quarter which was $8.7 million. For 2024, we expect G&A, ex-items, to be approximately $40 million to $42 million. Depreciation and amortization for the quarter was $3.8 million, flat compared to $3.9 million last quarter. EBIT, ex-items for the quarter, was $14.9 million, relatively flat compared to $15 million last quarter, yielding an EBIT margin of approximately 12%. Year-over-year, EBIT margins are up slightly from 11%. Our operating income for the quarter on a GAAP basis was $8.6 million. Interest expense of $3.4 million decreased from $3.6 million last quarter. The decrease was primarily due to a lower average borrowings on the credit facility. Income tax expense at an effective tax rate of 20% and ex-items was $2.3 million for the quarter. On a GAAP basis, we recorded a tax expense of $3.4 million for the quarter. The effective tax rate will continue to be somewhat sensitive to the geographic mix of earnings across the globe and the impact of items discrete to each quarter. We continue to project the company's effective tax rate to be approximately 20%. Net income, ex-items for the quarter, was $8.9 million, relatively flat from last quarter and a slight increase from $8.8 million in the first quarter of last year. On a GAAP basis, we recorded net income of $3.2 million for the quarter. Earnings per diluted share, ex-items, was $0.19 for the quarter, flat compared to prior quarter and last year. On a GAAP basis, earnings per diluted share was $0.07 for the quarter. Turning to the balance sheet. Receivables were at $115.1 million and increased approximately $5.7 million from the prior quarter. Our DSOs for the first quarter were at 74 days, up slightly from 71 days last quarter. The increase was primarily driven by the timing of billings in the U.S. during the quarter, which started out slow and finished strong. We anticipate that our DSO will improve in future quarters. Inventory at March 31, 2024 was $70.7 million, down approximately $1 million from last quarter end. Inventory turns for the quarter were 1.7, consistent with last quarter. With continued focus and a more predictable and consistent market expected in the U.S., we anticipate inventory turns will gradually improve and inventory levels to decline as we progress through the remainder of 2024. And now, on the liability side of the balance sheet, our long-term debt was $163 million at the end of the first quarter of 2024 and considering cash of $14.9 million, net debt was $148.1 million, which decreased $2.8 million from last quarter. Free cash flow generated during the quarter was primarily used to reduce debt. Our leverage ratio of 1.76 remained unchanged from last quarter. However, we anticipate the leverage ratio will continue to decrease during the remainder of 2024. Our debt is currently comprised of our senior notes at $110 million and $53 million outstanding under our bank credit facility. Our credit facility has a borrowing capacity of $135 million, of which approximately $72 million was still available as of March 31, 2024. The company will continue applying free cash towards reducing debt until the company reaches its target leverage ratio of 1.5x or lower. Looking at cash flow for the first quarter of 2024, cash flow from operating activities was approximately $5.5 million, and after paying $3 million of CapEx for the quarter, our free cash flow for the quarter was $2.5 million. As we indicated in our last call, we expect CapEx to modestly expand in 2024 compared to 2023, and we will continue to manage investment working capital during a period of growth. Additionally, we expect CapEx to remain aligned with activity levels. And for the full year 2024, we expect capital expenditures to be in the range of $14 million to $16 million. Core will continue its strict capital discipline and asset-light business model with capital expenditures primarily targeted at growth opportunities. Core Lab's operational leverage continues to provide the ability to grow revenue and profitability with minimal capital requirements. Capital expenditures have historically ranged from 2.5% to 4% of revenue, even during periods of significant growth. That same level of laboratory infrastructure, intellectual property and leverage exists in the business today. We believe evaluating a company's ability to generate free cash flow and free cash flow yield is an important metric for shareholders when comparing and projecting company's financial results, particularly for those shareholders who utilize discounted cash flow models to assess valuations. I will now turn it over to Gwen for an update on our guidance and outlook.