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Star Equity Holdings, Inc. (STRR)

Q1 2018 Earnings Call· Tue, May 1, 2018

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Transcript

Operator

Operator

Greetings, and welcome to the Digirad Corporation First Quarter 2018 Results Conference Call. [Operator Instructions]. As a reminder, this conference is being recorded. I would now like to turn the conference over to your host, Rica Lindsey.

Rica Lindsey

Analyst

Thank you, Dana, and thank you all for joining us this morning. If you didn't receive a copy of our press release and would like one, please contact our office at 858-726-1600 after the call, and we'll be happy to get you one. Also, this call is being broadcast live over the Internet, and may be accessed at Digirad's website via www.digirad.com. Shortly after the call, a replay will also be available on the company's website. I would like to remind everyone that certain statements made during this conference call, including the question and answer period, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the company's revenues, costs and expenses, margin, operations, financial results, acquisitions, and other topics related to Digirad's business strategy and outlook. These forward-looking statements are based on current assumptions and expectations, and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and financial performance to differ materially. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, business and economic conditions, technological change, industry trends, changes in the company's market and competition. More information about the risks and uncertainties is available in the company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on Form 8-K, as well as today's press release. The information discussed on this morning's conference call should be used in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes included in those reports, and speak only as of the date of this call. The company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements. Hosting the call today from Digirad is President, CEO and Interim CFO, Matt Molchan. Matt will discuss the 2018 first quarter financial results, update us on the company's strategy and comment on the company's outlook. A question and answer period will then follow. With that, I'd like to turn the call over to Matt. Good morning, Matt.

Matthew Molchan

Analyst · Walter Schenker from MAZ Partners

Thank you, Rica. Good morning, everyone and thank you all for joining us today for our first quarter 2018 results conference call. In the earnings release today and in my comments, I'll make references to both GAAP results as well as adjusted results. The adjusted results are non-GAAP and do not include nonrecurring charges. I'll also make references to adjusted EBITDA, which is a non-GAAP measure that further excludes depreciation, amortization, interest, taxes and stock-based compensation. Finally, I'll make references to free cash flow, which is a non-GAAP measure, taking operating cash flow and subtracting cash paid for capital expenditures. We believe the presentation of these non-GAAP measures, along with our GAAP financials statements and reconciliations, provide a more thorough analysis of our ongoing financial performance. You can find a reconciliation of our results on a GAAP versus non-GAAP basis in the earnings release. As we mentioned in our press release today, our businesses performed within our expectations in the quarter. Despite some harsh weather conditions in the Midwest and the Northeast have negatively impacted our Mobile route businesses, Diagnostic Services and Mobile Healthcare continue to deliver convenient, effective and efficient Healthcare solutions on an as-needed, when-needed and where-needed basis across the country. Servicing a combined 64,000 patients during the quarter. Also, our Diagnostic Imaging business saw improvement, exceeding revenue for the quarter on a year-over-year basis. As we discussed on recent calls, Philips Healthcare informed us in September that they would be canceling their consolidated agreement with us with an effective date of December 31, 2017, ending our product sales relationship as well as certain components of our services activities, both under our MDSS reportable segment. As we discussed last quarter, we subsequently determined that the value for the company and the shareholders would be to sell the MDSS…

Operator

Operator

[Operator Instructions]. Our first question comes from the line of Larry Haimovitch form HMTC.

Larry Haimovitch

Analyst

So a couple of questions from me. One, as $100 million to $105 million guidance you provide. Can you compare that to what last year would've been when you back out the Philips business that you've sold? I'm trying to get sort of a same store apples-to-apples comparison here.

Matthew Molchan

Analyst · Walter Schenker from MAZ Partners

Yes. We approximately did about what $13 million, $13.4 million from the MDSS revenue last year, approximately, $14 million, approximately.

Larry Haimovitch

Analyst

I didn't realize you sold that much revenue to Philips. I thought it was a smaller amount.

Matthew Molchan

Analyst · Walter Schenker from MAZ Partners

No. Well you got to remember the number I just give you is a combination of our sales activities, which was part of the manufacturers rep, which they canceled as of December 31 and then what we had sold them was the portion of that $14 million that was attributed to our service contract work.

Larry Haimovitch

Analyst

Yes. So what when you back out, what you sold to them, it wasn't $14 million in total, was it?

Matthew Molchan

Analyst · Walter Schenker from MAZ Partners

No. We did not sell them the sales portion, they canceled that as part of the agreement. Yes, so the revenue...

Larry Haimovitch

Analyst

If I can recall, it was about $8 million, was roughly.

Matthew Molchan

Analyst · Walter Schenker from MAZ Partners

Exactly.

Larry Haimovitch

Analyst

So last year's revenue, if we back out $8 million. What's the comparison? It's $100 million to $105 million this year...

Matthew Molchan

Analyst · Walter Schenker from MAZ Partners

You've only got to back out the $14 million. So last year's total revenue was $118 million. Backing out the $14 million.

Larry Haimovitch

Analyst

Okay. So basically, the revenue guidance was roughly flattish a year ago?

Matthew Molchan

Analyst · Walter Schenker from MAZ Partners

That's correct.

Larry Haimovitch

Analyst

And then second on the dividend. I wonder what you could share with us regarding the board's deliberations on it. As you talked about - I think you talked about just on this call roughly $4 million in free cash flow?

Matthew Molchan

Analyst · Walter Schenker from MAZ Partners

$4 million to $5 million.

Larry Haimovitch

Analyst

Yes. $4 million to $5 million. If I, again, I'm not expert in my numbers here but that surprised me as roughly what the dividend is annually? Something in the $4 million to $5 million range?

Matthew Molchan

Analyst · Walter Schenker from MAZ Partners

You're correct.

Larry Haimovitch

Analyst

Not that I'm going to argue for a dividend cut here because obviously that would have effect on the stock but did the board - can you talk to us about what the board thought about with regard to the dividend and a stock buyback? And how to - what was best for the shareholders?

Matthew Molchan

Analyst · Walter Schenker from MAZ Partners

No. I mean we certainly - number one, what is best for the shareholders, we deliberate every quarter capital allocation and we went through all of those items. This quarter was no different. And we determined as a board - that the - at this point, the best use of our capital is to pay out - continue to pay out that dividend and that's what we're doing.

Operator

Operator

Our next question comes from the line of Walter Schenker from MAZ Partners.

Walter Schenker

Analyst · Walter Schenker from MAZ Partners

Just trying to following up on the last question. If one looks at the company, you lack somewhat scale, which is why strategically you're looking for both acquisitions and other avenues for growth. However, you have fairly limited financial resources to make an acquisition of any consequence, since the free cash flow is largely used at least at this point for the dividend, which I applaud as a shareholder. And so I guess the question is two parts, a, how realistic is an acquisition that would be accretive and material? And secondly, is there - what can you do to further cut overhead costs to further enhance profitability in a business that isn't growing at this point with $100 million plus in revenues?

Matthew Molchan

Analyst · Walter Schenker from MAZ Partners

So to your first - the acquisition - obviously, we're opportunistic when it comes to acquisition. Clearly, we - as we look at - as we continue to look for those opportunities, I don't think in this market that getting the type of capital that would be necessary to make those acquisitions would not be - would be possible. However, it is very important, given the factors of the business to really constant as we mention, but really, our immediate focus is to concentrate on operating our three divisions. And that's where we will concentrate on looking for ways to grow those businesses on the top line and looking for ways to manage the bottom line. So certainly, that is our immediate focus right now. Yes, it'd be great if we came across some opportunities and we had the opportunity to go out and try to find ways to raise capital or what not to acquire businesses. But our immediate focus Walter is on continuing to look for ways that we can run this business more profitably and that does include looking at overhead. It does include at looking at everything that supports and run this business. And I can assure you that that is a major focus of our management team at this juncture.

Walter Schenker

Analyst · Walter Schenker from MAZ Partners

And just a follow-up - and again, I understand that the board, who's on the board and I understand the commitment to enhancing shareholder value. If we go through the year and you meet or slightly exceed your targets, which is relatively flat and find you can't do anything material over the next 12 months in an acquisition, at what point does everyone turned around and realized that both decision and say maybe we're just not big enough to be a public company and the alternative is to sell it?

Matthew Molchan

Analyst · Walter Schenker from MAZ Partners

Yes. I mean speculating at this point on these types of things. But obviously, we look at all items but we feel very good and very confident about our operating divisions and their ability to generate cash and we'll continue to run those businesses and work with the hundreds of customers that we have and continue to look for ways to continue to grow the business. But yes we - but as I mentioned earlier with Larry's question, board every quarter, all the time, we get together and we look at ways - what is the best use of the funds that we have? And how can we generate shareholder value for our shareholders and that's obviously one of our main goals.

Operator

Operator

Ladies and gentlemen, we have reached the end of the question-and-answer session. And I'd like to turn the call back to Matt Molchan for closing remarks.

Matthew Molchan

Analyst · Walter Schenker from MAZ Partners

Well, thank you, Dana. As always, we appreciate all our shareholders and your continued feedback and support. We're looking forward to our next update call.

Operator

Operator

This concludes today's conference. You may disconnect your lines at this time. Thank you for your participation.