Good afternoon. My name is Veneta and I will be your conference facilitator today. At this time, I would like to welcome everyone to the Crawford & Company Third Quarter 2015 Earnings Release Conference Call. In conjunction with this call, a supplementary financial presentation is available on our Web site at www.crawfordandcompany.com under the Investor Relations section. All lines have been placed on mute to prevent any background noise. After the speakers’ remarks, there will be a question-and-answer period and instructions will follow at that time. [Operator Instructions] As a reminder ladies and gentlemen, this conference is being recorded today, Monday, November 09, 2015. Now I would like to introduce Allen W. Nelson, Crawford & Company’s General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer.

Thank you, Veneta. Some of the matters to be discussed in this conference call and in the supplementary financial presentation may include forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements may include, but are not limited to statements regarding the funded status of our defined benefit pension plans, our expectations related to future revenues and expenses, expectations regarding the timing, costs and synergies from our recently announced Global Business Services Center, our acquisition of GAB Robins in the United Kingdom, as well as other restructuring activities, our long-term liquidity requirements and our ability to pay dividends in the future. The Company's actual results achieved in future quarters could differ materially from results that maybe implied by certain forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release revisions to any forward-looking statements made in this conference call to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of the call or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. In addition, you are reminded that operating results for any historical period are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for any future period. For a complete discussion regarding factors which could affect the Company’s financial performance, please refer to the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2015 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, particularly the information under the headings, Business, Risk Factors, Legal Proceedings and Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, as well as subsequent Company filings with the SEC. This presentation also includes certain non-GAAP financial measures as defined under SEC rules. As required, a reconciliation is provided for those measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures. I would now like to introduce Mr. Harsha Agadi, Interim President and Chief Executive Officer of Crawford & Company. Harsha, you may begin our conference.

Good afternoon and welcome to our third quarter earnings call. Joining me today are Bruce Swain, our Chief Financial Officer and Allen Nelson, our General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer. After our prepared remarks, we will open the call for your questions. To begin with, I’m very excited to be leading Crawford as the Interim CEO, given the significant opportunity that I clearly see for our employees, company, shareholders and clients. Throughout my carrier, I’ve add several opportunities to work with companies as they have strived to unlock their true potential and achieve improved profitability, growth and ultimately consistent operational experience. At Crawford, I see an even bigger opportunity and I’m very optimistic with what the future holds both from a cost perspective, as well as the potential for sustained revenue growth. Since being named Interim CEO by the Board this past August, I have completed a strategic review of our business segments that have included in depth conversations with our employees, managers, business heads and clients around the world. My goal was to better understand the challenges facing Crawford today, in order to develop a strategy to unlock the true earnings power of the Company over the next year. Through my conversations, I have been struck by not only the resiliency of our employees in the face of a challenging market environment, but also the broad product offering that Crawford currently posses. Our client relationships are strong, the brand is well respected globally and our competitive position continues to improve. The opportunity from my perspective is to refocus our discipline on cost to drive improved profitability and earnings in order to reduce our dependence on severe weather. My team and I strongly believe that the Crawford brand remains powerful, which gives us great optimism that we can achieve our…

Thank you, Harsha. Companywide revenues before reimbursements in the 2015 third quarter were 293.3 million, flat as compared with 293.8 million in the prior year’s third quarter. The Company’s selling, general, and administrative expenses or SG&A totaled 61.7 million, up from 59.3 million in the prior year quarter. As a percentage of revenues, these costs increased to 21% of revenues in the 2015 third quarter from 20.2% of revenues in the prior year quarter. This increase is primarily due to SG&A cost from the acquired GAB Robins organization and increased self insurance cost in the U.S. During the 2015 third quarter, the Company recorded restructuring and special charges of 11.1 million or $0.15 per share. The restructuring charges of 6.1 million were associated with the ongoing implementation of the Global Business Services Center, GAB Robins’ integration and other restructuring activities in the Americas and EMEA/AP. The special charges of 5 million were incurred for certain legal and professional fees and employee separation costs. The Company’s effective tax rate is up sharply this year, due to our overall low level of earnings driven impart by our restructuring cost and special charges during 2015 and net operating losses in certain international operations with lower tax rates or where the losses are unable to be benefitted from a tax perspective. Our net loss attributable to shareholders of Crawford & Company totaled 857,000 in the 2015 third quarter, compared to net income of 10.2 million in the 2014 period. Third quarter 2015 diluted loss per share was $0.01 for CRDA and a loss of $0.03 for CRDB, compared to diluted earnings per share of $0.19 for CRDA and $0.17 for CRDB in the 2014 period. On a non-GAAP basis before restructuring cost and special charges, third quarter 2015 diluted earnings per share were $0.14…

Thank you, Bruce. Crawford remains the preeminent independent claims manager globally with an unparallel competitive position and robust revenue base. Our brand is very resilient, while our profitability has come under pressure due to the challenging market conditions, I believe through the recently initiated restructuring plan that we can achieve our target operating margins on a business segment level returning Crawford to growth and more importantly predictable business results. One final note, before we take questions. As you may have seen and as we have disclosed in our Form 10-Q filed today, we have recently voluntarily self-reported certain potential violations of the FCPA to the SEC and the DOJ, which occurred prior to my tenure as Interim CEO. We are fully cooperating with both the SEC and the DOJ as they review this matter and will continue to cooperate throughout the process. I want to assure all of you that we take our compliance and ethical standards extremely, seriously and hence the self-report. Given the ongoing nature of this process, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further or provide additional detail at this time. As a result, we ask that any questions today be limited to those that relate to our discussed and announced results. Thank you for your understanding of this process. Operator, please open the call to questions.

[Operator Instructions] Your first question comes from the line of Mark Hughes with SunTrust.

The cost savings, when we look at the different segments, how much or can you give us a sense of where we ought to see improvement, which segments are perhaps the most right for these potential savings versus what might be sort of a corporate level, how would you allocate those?

Yes, well most of the corporate segments that we talk about Mark are cost to get allocated to the business unit so.

Okay.

So, we really see the primary beneficiaries of these -- really all of these cost takeouts has been the Americas, EMEA/AP and Broadspire first and foremost. There will also be benefits for the Legal Settlement Administration segment, but I think the first three I’ve mentioned are probably going to be the biggest beneficiaries.

The Americas segment seems to be doing pretty well now in terms of profitability, the outsourcing work you’re doing for the major insurer, will that -- is that a recurring piece of business and so it will be sustained or perhaps grows, I mean if things go as planned in the coming periods or is that once we lap past does it make for a tough comparison?

Yes, I think Mark based on what we can see in our pipeline, it is recurring business and I won’t go into more details than that. You work with the bank, so you know we don’t go through client-level detail. Also what I would say is yes the Americas is doing well and will benefit further from this cost reduction that is across the board.

The Legal Settlement and I think you described more contraction perhaps in that through the end of 2015. How should we think about 2016, you’ve got your underlying business which I assume volumes are -- your backlog has been declining, volumes maybe under a little bit pressure when you take into account the visibility you have got as far as the Deepwater Horizon? How should we think about that business next year, it looks like that’s where the margin pressure and top-line pressure is?

Yes. I think Deepwater Horizon will continue to decline just as predicted and reported and the management there is obviously going through settling cost through a different revenue structure, so that process is ongoing. So I would say that change will continue throughout over the next few quarters, but I don’t think I can say more other than as you would expect, our Legal Settlement Administration continues to be very active in the marketplace bidding on a lot of new work. But there is nothing that I can see on the horizon to the liked of Deepwater Horizon.

I think given kind of the general thought on 2016, I think that the earnings ought to be improved off of the, let’s see underlying run rate in 2015 excluding the one-time items. Is that a fair reading and any way to sharpen that up, it’ll be up a lot, up a little, how should we think about them?

Yes Mark, this is Bruce. Certainly we expect a substantial improvement in ’16 over where we’ll end ’15. So we got a ’15 operating earnings and this is before special charges and alike of being in the low $60 million range, but we’re talking about cost takeouts of mid-40s to $50 million. So while there is always work to do, to make sure we achieve all those, we’re expecting our operatings next year to be north of $100 million.

So which is significant, but driven by the cost reduction or the cost reset if you will.

And we have taken a significant amount of restructuring cost and special charges this year that number will be between $32 million and $37 million. As we look toward ’16, we’ll still have costs that we’ll take as a restructuring charge mainly around the continuing work with the Global Business Service Center in Manila and also a little bit of extra cost related to a last leg of the GAB Robins integration and we see that as being approximately $11 million next year. So, we’re looking at a significant lift from cost takeout helping operating earnings and then the restructuring charge coming down significantly year-over-year.

I think the other thing Mark to notice 2016 will be an interesting year where the dependence on GCG for earnings will not be as much as it might have been in the past. We have an increasing mix if you will, of sustained revenue and sustained earnings coming out of divisions like Broadspire, Contractor Connection and others.

And the operating earnings that is pre-tax or that’s also pre-interest expense?

The operating earnings is pre-interest expense.

Is that an EBITDA number or just an EBIT number?

The operating earnings is an EBIT number.

Okay.

Well most of it is a good number.

[Operator Instructions] Your next question comes from the line of Adam Klauber with William Blair.

A couple of different questions, I wanted to -- it sounds like you will improve roughly 50 million of cost savings next year. Do you expect most of that to the bottom-line or will some of that be reinvested?

Some of it will be reinvested, but majority will go to the bottom-line.

Okay. And then what sort of expect normalized expense growth. Should we think about on your core business, excluding the restructuring costs?

Expense growth just normally we would expect to be in kind of a CTI type of a range. Of course our expenses can be volatile due to spikes and weather-related business and we’re also going to have that. Where we are trying to drive the business is to more predictable sustainable earnings that don’t include the benefits we can see from claims losses from severe weather and we want to take that out of bait and just have that be upside. So as we look at our business, certainly we need to readjust our cost base and become more efficient in what we do and in all aspects of what we do and that’s been the driving force in the restructuring activity that we’ve been taking this year and that have actually accelerated with Harsha coming on the scene as the Interim CEO.

I think in addition to that the culture is clearly moving towards making sure cost and compensation is very aligned to revenue. So we’re going to be much nimbler, much faster, but at no times compromising our standards. So our attention to detail and making sure our cost is in line with revenue is going to be very-very top of mind across all business units going forward.

And as far as the timing of the benefit of cost savings will we see more benefit in the back half than the front half or will it be more evenly distributed?

Yes Adam this is Bruce. So if you look at Slide 16 which is in the earnings presentation. We kind of have four main slides of cost takeout. The corporate overhead cost takeout which is what we’re announcing in this call that has taken place now and through the fourth quarter is targeting $25 million to $28 million and we will see the benefit of that from day one in 2016. So we should see that ratably over course of ’16. Similarly the Americas cost takeout which is of almost $6 million that’s a run out of actions that we’ve already taken in ’15. So we should see that from day one as well. The GBSC savings of about 6 million will have some work to get those done, some of that will be related to the restructuring activities that I talked about that will be a part of the 11 million that we see in ’16 in terms of restructuring charges. I would look at those savings to come in, in the last three quarters of the year and then the GAB Robins integration savings in the back half of the year. The lion share of what we’ve outlined, the administrative cost takeouts coupled with the Americas cost reduction is north of $30 million and that starts on January 1.

And then also on the cost side as you were thinking about it, were you thinking about legal having a down year from this year from a revenue standpoint more equal, I guess what sort of assumptions are you baking in when you think about that business next year?

We’re going to be pretty conservative as we think about that business next year coming off some large projects namely the Deepwater Horizon project, but we also had this large Indian settlement that was a big driver of revenue and growth for us over the past few years. We’re returning back to an era in that business where the performance can be a little lumpy based on the nature of cases and when they are awarded. So we’ll be conservative as we look to that business next year in setting our expectations.

And also our -- as I mentioned earlier our increase that we’re projecting due to cost reductions in our increase in earnings will not be as dependent on the Legal Settlement Administration because cost within our control is what we’re taking action now.

But I guess what I am asking in that which you're giving on some color is that, given that business has materially lower revenues which we knew was coming and also a bit more lumpy. Do you think by ’16 you can get the cost structure in line so that’s a profitable business or do you think that’s a two year process?

No, we see that as a profitable business yes.

I think Adam our mantra here is to move at high speed on all sides. So we will do our best to continue to keep it as a profitable business and the management team there is moving quick to make sure cost is in alignment with revenue.

A different topic, you're having at tough year this year, hopefully things even act well, help next year. Can you see a scenario where the dividend is at risk?

The dividend is examined every quarter which is done obviously through due process by the Board and I think the Board obviously clearly wants to see the capacity on earnings growth. And they will continue to review on a quarterly basis. I can’t comment further than that.

And there is a follow-up question from the line of Mark Hughes with SunTrust.

Was there any consideration of perhaps streamlining the businesses selling off some operation maybe Legal Settlement is that still a possibility?

Here is what I would say is, we’ll continue to look at streamlining and giving greater independence to our operating divisions in how they operate. But opportunities we will look and see as time travels forward and again we have a call it an eclectic Board that is well suited to review and outline those opportunities. But doesn’t matter which division we're in, we're in the claims business. And there is some synergies of clients that they share et cetera, et cetera, but down the road that might be an opportunity, but at this time we're focused on running the business.

The corporate overhead had the savings of 25 to 28 kind of refresh me on what's the sort of base that you're taking those cuts off of?

If you look at our SG&A costs as a company that's the base that we're taking it off of, so that's a $260 million to $280 million number.

So, it's a corporate overhead but you would say that's all SG&A is the kind of the -- in that bucket perhaps?

Absolutely, all SG&A in the four corners of the world.

And your next question is from the line of Joel Salomon with SaLaurMor Capital.

Just a follow-up maybe more specifically on Mark's question, I was recently talking with an activist investor about Crawford, the activist asked me what can be done given this huge disparity in the value between the current market prices in fact that the value of the company is dramatically higher than where the stock is today. And one consideration that we discussed was splitting up the Company given that one can look at the value of the comparables for Broadspire alone and see that on an enterprise value to EBITDA basis that you're essentially getting in Contractor Connection in the AP and even Legal Settlement which we just said is profitable for free, so if an activist did come to the Board with the suggestion to split up the Company, how would the Board respond?

So, here's what I would say, I may -- I've been on the Board now five years so I am a sitting Board Member and the Interim CEO, the focus of the management team is clear to turn the profitability around at the Company and run the Company. I think no Board can say no, other than look at the opportunity and respond accordingly. Having said that, I think when you're running a business that's doing $60 million-$65 million in operating earnings, it needs to grow and it needs to be a much higher margin business before we talk about other ideas or other ways to realize value. So, that's where I would stand and I'm sure anybody can contact the Board and discuss the offer and I'm sure they can reach the Chairman of the Board to have that discussion.

And there are no further questions at this time. I will now like to turn the call back over to Mr. Agadi for closing remarks.

Thank you very much again for participating on this earnings call. I remain extremely optimistic even much more than when I first walked in 75 days ago, the true potential of the Company, the brand and the earnings capacity. I can also tell you that the management team is very energized, very focused and wanting to do the right thing in terms of growing the Company forward again without sacrificing any standards that have been established in the Company. Thank you.