Bruce Swain
Analyst · Greg Peters with Raymond James
Thank you, Harsha. Companywide revenues before reimbursements in the 2016 first quarter were $277.2 million, down 4% as compared with $287.8 million in the prior year’s first quarter. The Company’s selling, general, and administrative expenses or SG&A totaled $56.8 million, down from $60.4 million in the prior year quarter. As a percentage of revenues, these costs decreased to 20.5% of revenues in the 2016 first quarter from 21% of revenues in the prior year quarter. This decrease is primarily due to lower professional fees and reduced administrative compensation as a result of prior year cost reduction efforts. During the 2016 first quarter, the Company recorded restructuring and special charges of $2.4 million, or $0.03 per share after tax. These charges were associated with the ongoing implementation of the Global Business and Technology Services Centers, GAB Robins integration, and other restructuring activities and operating and administrative areas around the world. Our net income attributable to shareholders of Crawford & Company totaled $8.6 million in the 2016 first quarter, compared to net income of $3 million in the 2015 period. First quarter 2016 diluted earnings per share were $0.16 for CRD.A and $0.14 for CRD.B, compared to diluted earnings per share of $0.06 for CRD.A and $0.04 for CRD.B in the 2015 period. On a non-GAAP basis before restructuring costs and special charges, first quarter 2016 diluted earnings per share was $0.19 for CRD.A and $0.17 for CRD.B, compared to non-GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.07 for CRD.A and $0.05 for CRD.B in the 2015 period. I will now review the first quarter performance of each of our business units, starting with the U.S. Services segment. Revenues from the U.S. Services segment totaled $58.5 million, up 3% over the $56.7 million reported in the last year’s quarter. Operating earnings in our U.S. Services segment were $9.1 million in the 2016 first quarter, or 15% of revenues, more than doubling from operating earnings of $4.2 million, or 7% of revenues in the prior year quarter. Revenues generated by our catastrophe adjusters in the U.S. totaled $14.5 million in the 2016 first quarter, down from $15.5 million in the 2015 quarter. International revenues decreased to $117.5 million from $124 million in the 2015 period, primarily due to a stronger U.S. dollar, which reduced revenues by 9% during the 2016 first quarter. On a constant dollar basis, International segment revenues increased by 4% in the 2016 first quarter. International operating earnings were $7 million during the current quarter, as compared to last year’s first quarter operating earnings of $2.3 million. The operating margin in this segment was 6% in the 2016 period compared with 2% in the 2015 quarter. Broadspire revenues increased to $76.2 million in the 2016 first quarter, up from $69.7 million in the prior year quarter, primarily as a result of increased utilization in our medical management services line and higher average case values in the 2016 period. Operating earnings in Broadspire totaled $8.7 million, or 11% of revenues in the 2016 first quarter, increasing from operating earnings of $3.5 million, or 5% of revenues in the 2015 first quarter. Garden City Group revenues totaled $25 million in the 2016 first quarter, decreasing from $37.4 million in the prior year quarter. This revenue decrease was largely related to lower levels of work on certain large projects, which were continuing to wind down during the 2016 period. Operating earnings totaled $1.5 million in the 2016 first quarter, or 6% of revenues declining from $5 million, or 13% of revenues in the prior year period. The Company’s cash and cash equivalent position at March 31, 2016 totaled $53.6 million, as compared to $76.1 million at the 2015 year-end. Our investment in unbilled and billed receivables has increased by $4.1 million during 2016 period. Pension liabilities decreased by $3.7 million, reflecting cash contributions made in the U.S. and UK during the 2016 first quarter. Our total debt decreased in the 2016 period by $8.1 million. Cash used in operations totaled $5.2 million for the 2016 first quarter, compared to $15.6 million used in the prior year. This improvement was primarily due to improved net income and lower payments for accrued liabilities. Let me now review the reaffirmed and update guidance for 2016. 2016 guidance includes the impact of restructuring cost related to the ongoing implementation of the Global Business and Technology Service Centers and the completion of the GAB Robins integration. In the aggregate, these 2016 charges are expected to total approximately $15.6 million pre-tax or $0.19 in diluted earnings per share after tax. In addition, we are now including guidance for non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA which is being introduced with this earnings release. Our initial 2016 guidance is as follows; consolidated revenues before reimbursements between $1.05 and $1.1 billion, consolidated operating earnings between $80 million and $90 million, consolidated adjusted EBITDA between $120 million and $130 million. Before reflecting the restructuring costs, net income attributable to shareholders of Crawford and Company on a non-GAAP basis between $36 million and $42 million, or $0.67 to $0.77 per CRD.A share, $0.59 to $0.69 diluted earnings per share for CRD.B share. After the restructuring charges, net income attributable to shareholders of Crawford & Company between $24 million and $30 million, or $0.48 to $0.58 per diluted CRD.A share and $0.40 to $0.50 per diluted CRD.B share. With that, I would like to turn the call back to Harsha for concluding remarks.