FirstService Reports Third Quarter 2024 Results

Strong Growth Across Brands Division Drives Financial Performance


Operating highlights:

  Three months ended Nine months ended 
  September 30 September 30 
  2024 2023 2024 2023 
              
Revenues (millions)$1,396.0 $1,117.1 $3,851.5 $3,255.3 
Adjusted EBITDA (millions) (note 1) 160.0  111.9  375.8  312.4 
Adjusted EPS (note 2) 1.63  1.25  3.66  3.56 
              
GAAP Operating Earnings 125.9  73.6  247.9  196.8 
GAAP EPS 1.34  0.73  2.26  2.10 
              

TORONTO, Oct. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FirstService Corporation (TSX: FSV; NASDAQ: FSV) today reported strong results for its third quarter ended September 30, 2024. All amounts are in US dollars.

Consolidated revenues for the third quarter were $1.40 billion, a 25% increase relative to the same quarter in the prior year. Adjusted EBITDA (note 1) increased 43% to $160.0 million, and Adjusted EPS (note 2) was $1.63, up 30% versus the prior year quarter. During the third quarter, FirstService reported Operating Earnings of $125.9 million, up from $73.6 million in the prior year period. Diluted earnings per share was $1.34 in the quarter, compared to $0.73 for the same quarter a year ago.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, consolidated revenues were $3.85 billion, an 18% increase relative to the comparable prior year period, Adjusted EBITDA was $375.8 million, up 20%, and Adjusted EPS was $3.66, versus $3.56 in the prior year period. FirstService’s Operating Earnings were $247.9 million in the current year period, versus $196.8 million in the prior year. Diluted earnings per share for the nine months year-to-date was $2.26, compared to $2.10 in the prior year period.

“We are very pleased with our third quarter consolidated financial results which exceeded our internal expectations,” said Scott Patterson, Chief Executive Officer of FirstService. “Our strong top and bottom line performance was buoyed by robust and broad-based activity within our restoration operations, and supported by healthy profitability across our other brands. Our continued momentum reinforces our outlook for a strong finish to the year,” he concluded.

About FirstService Corporation

FirstService Corporation is a North American leader in the essential outsourced property services sector, serving its customers through two industry-leading service platforms: FirstService Residential - North America’s largest manager of residential communities; and FirstService Brands - one of North America’s largest providers of essential property services delivered through individually branded company-owned operations and franchise systems.

FirstService generates more than US$4.9 billion in annual revenues and has approximately 30,000 employees across North America. With significant insider ownership and an experienced management team, FirstService has a long-term track record of creating value and superior returns for shareholders. The common shares of FirstService trade on the NASDAQ under the symbol “FSV” and on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol “FSV”, and are included in the S&P/TSX 60 index. More information is available at www.firstservice.com.

Segmented Quarterly Results
FirstService Residential revenues were $559.6 million for the third quarter, up 4% compared to the prior year quarter, including organic growth of 3%. Top-line growth moderated compared to recent quarters due to tempered fees and reduced service scope in the face of budgetary pressures impacting our community association clients in certain markets. Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $58.6 million, versus $56.6 million in the prior year period. Operating Earnings were $49.1 million, versus $49.0 million for the third quarter of last year. The operating margins for the division were relatively in-line with the prior year.

FirstService Brands revenues during the third quarter grew to $836.5 million, up 44% relative to the prior year period. Strong organic revenue growth of 10% was primarily due to robust activity levels at our restoration operations arising from local weather events and large-loss claims across North America. The recent addition of our Roofing Corp of America operations contributed to the balance of growth in the division. Adjusted EBITDA for the third quarter was $105.8 million, up from $60.7 million in the prior year period. Operating Earnings were $87.1 million, versus $33.9 million in the prior year quarter. Adjusted EBITDA margin expansion was driven by operating leverage from the strong top-line restoration growth, as well as improved margins at our home services brands which benefited from both reduced promotional initiatives and realized operating efficiencies. The further increase in the Operating Earnings margin performance resulted from fair value adjustments to contingent upside earn-out structures related to certain recently completed acquisitions.

Corporate costs, as presented in Adjusted EBITDA (note 1), were $4.4 million in the third quarter, relative to $5.3 million in the prior year period. Corporate costs for the quarter were $10.2 million, relative to $9.4 million in the prior year period.

Conference Call
FirstService will be holding a conference call on Thursday, October 24, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss the quarter’s results. This call is being webcast live at the Company’s website at www.firstservice.com. Participants may register for the call here https://register.vevent.com/register/BI4fa84b993e5545c3ad11aa7ddb7c3035 to receive the dial-in number and their unique PIN.

To join the webcast in listen only mode, use this link: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/aecuddsv . It is recommended that you join 10 minutes prior to the event start (although you may register and dial in at any time during the call).

Forward-looking Statements
This press release includes or may include forward-looking statements. Much of this information can be identified by words such as “expect to,” “expected,” “will,” “estimated” or similar expressions suggesting future outcomes or events. FirstService believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements should not be unduly relied upon. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements contemplated in the forward-looking statements. Such factors include: (i) general economic and business conditions, which will, among other things, impact demand for FirstService’s services and the cost of providing services; (ii) the ability of FirstService to implement its business strategy, including FirstService’s ability to acquire suitable acquisition candidates on acceptable terms and successfully integrate newly acquired businesses with its existing businesses; (iii) changes in or the failure to comply with government regulations; and (iv) other factors which are described in FirstService’s annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2023 under the heading “Risk factors” (a copy of which may be obtained at www.sedarplus.ca) and Annual Report on Form 40-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (a copy of which may be obtained at www.sec.gov), and subsequent filings (which factors are adopted herein). Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and are subject to change. All forward-looking statements in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, we do not intend, nor do we undertake any obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release to reflect subsequent information, events, results or circumstances or otherwise.

Summary financial information is provided in this press release. This press release should be read in conjunction with the Company's consolidated financial statements and MD&A to be made available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Notes
1. Reconciliation of net earnings to adjusted EBITDA:

Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net earnings, adjusted to exclude: (i) income tax; (ii) other expense (income); (iii) interest expense, net; (iv) depreciation and amortization; (v) acquisition-related items; and (vi) stock-based compensation expense. We use adjusted EBITDA to evaluate our own operating performance and our ability to service debt, as well as an integral part of our planning and reporting systems. Additionally, we use this measure in conjunction with discounted cash flow models to determine the Company’s overall enterprise valuation and to evaluate acquisition targets. We present adjusted EBITDA as a supplemental measure because we believe such measure is useful to investors as a reasonable indicator of operating performance because of the low capital intensity of the Company’s service operations. We believe this measure is a financial metric used by many investors to compare companies, especially in the services industry. This measure is not a recognized measure of financial performance under GAAP in the United States, and should not be considered as a substitute for operating earnings, net earnings or cash flow from operating activities, as determined in accordance with GAAP. Our method of calculating adjusted EBITDA may differ from other issuers and accordingly, this measure may not be comparable to measures used by other issuers. A reconciliation of net earnings to adjusted EBITDA appears below.

  Three months ended Nine months ended
(in thousands of US$)September 30 September 30
  2024  2023  2024  2023 
             
Net earnings$77,761  $45,858  $137,595  $123,238 
Income tax 26,372   16,447   50,971   44,266 
Other income, net (381)  (702)  (2,376)  (5,215)
Interest expense, net 22,150   11,956   61,707   34,541 
Operating earnings 125,902   73,559   247,897   196,830 
Depreciation and amortization 41,409   33,146   117,441   94,062 
Acquisition-related items (13,036)  1,274   (9,130)  5,032 
Stock-based compensation expense 5,699   3,957   19,626   16,461 
Adjusted EBITDA$159,974  $111,936  $375,834  $312,385 


A reconciliation of segment operating earnings to segment Adjusted EBITDA appears below.
          
(in thousands of US$)         
      
Three months ended, September 30, 2024  FirstService  FirstService   
   Residential  Brands  Corporate(1)
          
Operating earnings (loss) $49,059  $87,064  $(10,221)
Depreciation and amortization  8,871   32,516   22 
Acquisition-related items  660   (13,814)  118 
Stock-based compensation expense  -   -   5,699 
Adjusted EBITDA $58,590  $105,766  $(4,382)
          
          
Three months ended, September 30, 2023  FirstService  FirstService   
   Residential  Brands  Corporate(1)
          
Operating earnings (loss) $49,001  $33,935  $(9,377)
Depreciation and amortization  9,919   23,204   23 
Acquisition-related items  (2,345)  3,553   66 
Stock-based compensation expense  -   -   3,957 
Adjusted EBITDA $56,575  $60,692  $(5,331)
          
          
Nine months ended, September 30, 2024  FirstService  FirstService   
   Residential  Brands  Corporate(1)
          
Operating earnings (loss) $124,824  $160,171  $(37,098)
Depreciation and amortization  27,067   90,306   68 
Acquisition-related items  1,385   (11,685)  1,170 
Stock-based compensation expense  -   -   19,626 
Adjusted EBITDA $153,276  $238,792  $(16,234)
          
          
Nine months ended, September 30, 2023  FirstService  FirstService   
   Residential  Brands  Corporate(1)
          
Operating earnings (loss) $120,908  $105,865  $(29,943)
Depreciation and amortization  24,741   69,252   69 
Acquisition-related items  (1,368)  6,167   233 
Stock-based compensation expense  -   -   16,461 
Adjusted EBITDA $144,281  $181,284  $(13,180)
          
(1) Corporate is not an operating segment, but rather represent corporate overhead expenses not directly attributable to reportable segments and are therefore unallocated within segment operating earnings (loss) and Adjusted EBITDA.
 

2. Reconciliation of net earnings and diluted net earnings per share to adjusted net earnings and adjusted net earnings per share:

Adjusted earnings per share is defined as diluted net earnings per share, adjusted for the effect, after income tax, of: (i) the non-controlling interest redemption increment; (ii) acquisition-related items; (iii) amortization expense related to intangible assets recognized in connection with acquisitions; and (iv) stock-based compensation expense. We believe this measure is useful to investors because it provides a supplemental way to understand the underlying operating performance of the Company and enhances the comparability of operating results from period to period. Adjusted earnings per share is not a recognized measure of financial performance under GAAP, and should not be considered as a substitute for diluted net earnings per share, as determined in accordance with GAAP. Our method of calculating this non-GAAP measure may differ from other issuers and, accordingly, this measure may not be comparable to measures used by other issuers. A reconciliation of net earnings to adjusted net earnings and of diluted net earnings per share to adjusted earnings per share appears below.

  Three months ended Nine months ended
(in thousands of US$)September 30 September 30
  2024  2023  2024  2023 
             
Net earnings$77,761  $45,858  $137,595  $123,238 
Non-controlling interest share of earnings (7,756)  (4,406)  (11,985)  (10,215)
Acquisition-related items (13,036)  1,274   (9,130)  5,032 
Amortization of intangible assets 17,825   14,454   50,065   40,296 
Stock-based compensation expense 5,699   3,957   19,626   16,461 
Income tax on adjustments (6,821)  (4,787)  (20,210)  (14,757)
Non-controlling interest on adjustments 97   (321)  (487)  (852)
Adjusted net earnings$73,769  $56,029  $165,474  $159,203 
             
  Three months ended Nine months ended
(in US$)September 30 September 30
  2024  2023  2024  2023 
             
Diluted net earnings per share$1.34  $0.73  $2.26  $2.10 
Non-controlling interest redemption increment 0.21   0.20   0.52   0.42 
Acquisition-related items (0.28)  0.03   (0.20)  0.11 
Amortization of intangible assets, net of tax 0.27   0.23   0.77   0.66 
Stock-based compensation expense, net of tax 0.09   0.06   0.31   0.27 
Adjusted earnings per share$1.63  $1.25  $3.66  $3.56 
             


FIRSTSERVICE CORPORATION
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings
(in thousands of US dollars, except per share amounts)
     Three months  Nine months
     ended September 30  ended September 30
   2024   2023   2024   2023 
               
Revenues $1,396,041  $1,117,109  $3,851,545  $3,255,288 
               
Cost of revenues  936,573   756,561   2,587,613   2,211,088 
Selling, general and administrative expenses  305,193   252,569   907,724   748,276 
Depreciation  23,584   18,692   67,376   53,766 
Amortization of intangible assets  17,825   14,454   50,065   40,296 
Acquisition-related items (1)  (13,036)  1,274   (9,130)  5,032 
Operating earnings  125,902   73,559   247,897   196,830 
Interest expense, net  22,150   11,956   61,707   34,541 
Other income, net  (381)  (702)  (2,376)  (5,215)
Earnings before income tax  104,133   62,305   188,566   167,504 
Income tax  26,372   16,447   50,971   44,266 
Net earnings  77,761   45,858   137,595   123,238 
Non-controlling interest share of earnings  7,756   4,406   11,985   10,215 
Non-controlling interest redemption increment  9,472   8,801   23,711   18,894 
Net earnings attributable to Company $60,533  $32,651  $101,899  $94,129 
               
Net earnings per common share            
 Basic $1.34  $0.73  $2.27  $2.11 
 Diluted  1.34   0.73   2.26   2.10 
              
               
Adjusted earnings per share (2) $1.63  $1.25  $3.66  $3.56 
               
Weighted average common shares (thousands)            
  Basic  45,047   44,613   44,961   44,529 
  Diluted  45,336   44,853   45,163   44,772 

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings
(1) Acquisition-related items include transaction costs, and contingent acquisition consideration fair value adjustments.
(2) See definition and reconciliation above.


Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets     
(in thousands of US dollars)
      
       
 September 30, 2024 December 31, 2023
       
Assets     
Cash and cash equivalents$217,679 $187,617 
Restricted cash 18,369  19,260 
Accounts receivable 913,451  842,236 
Prepaid and other current assets 373,265  311,889 
 Current assets 1,522,764  1,361,002 
Other non-current assets 28,801  34,418 
Fixed assets 246,314  204,188 
Operating lease right-of-use assets 249,470  218,299 
Goodwill and intangible assets 2,070,215  1,807,836 
 Total assets$4,117,564 $3,625,743 
       
       
Liabilities and shareholders' equity     
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities$522,003 $471,083 
Other current liabilities 224,625  211,661 
Operating lease liabilities - current 52,298  50,898 
Long-term debt - current 41,983  37,132 
 Current liabilities 840,909  770,774 
Long-term debt - non-current 1,252,670  1,144,975 
Operating lease liabilities - non-current 221,328  183,923 
Other liabilities 133,544  115,938 
Deferred income tax 93,567  53,024 
Redeemable non-controlling interests 426,998  332,963 
Shareholders' equity 1,148,548  1,024,146 
 Total liabilities and equity$4,117,564 $3,625,743 
       
       
Supplemental balance sheet information     
Total debt$1,294,653 $1,182,107 
Total debt, net of cash 1,076,974  994,490 
 


Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows       
(in thousands of US dollars)
    Three months ended  Nine months ended
    September 30  September 30
   2024   2023   2024   2023 
              
Cash provided by (used in)            
              
Operating activities            
Net earnings $77,761  $45,858  $137,595  $123,238 
Items not affecting cash:            
 Depreciation and amortization  41,409   33,146   117,441   94,062 
 Deferred income tax  (2,265)  55   (6,814)  (636)
 Stock-based compensation  5,699   3,957   19,626   16,461 
 Other  (12,854)  1,077   (12,397)  (429)
    109,750   84,093   255,451   232,696 
              
Changes in non-cash working capital            
 Accounts receivable  (17,343)  45,576   (19,983)  (76,777)
 Payables and accruals  30,635   (29,489)  7,353   (18,497)
 Other  (46,031)  (16,215)  (43,866)  32,492 
Net cash provided by operating activities  77,011   83,965   198,955   169,914 
              
Investing activities            
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired  (4,016)  (19,366)  (158,665)  (112,816)
Purchases of fixed assets  (26,560)  (23,465)  (80,882)  (67,669)
Other investing activities  3,715   (1,496)  2,715   (240)
Net cash used in investing activities  (26,861)  (44,327)  (236,832)  (180,725)
              
Financing activities            
Increase (decrease) in long-term debt, net  (36,764)  (29,196)  99,964   55,849 
Purchases of non-controlling interests, net  (3,963)  (564)  (25,405)  (4,174)
Dividends paid to common shareholders  (11,253)  (10,033)  (32,551)  (29,013)
Distributions paid to non-controlling interests  (3,267)  (2,450)  (7,737)  (6,922)
Other financing activities  9,787   (3,508)  32,577   13,636 
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities  (45,460)  (45,751)  66,848   29,376 
              
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash  (151)  577   200   (27)
              
Increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash  4,539   (5,536)  29,171   18,538 
              
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period  231,509   183,422   206,877   159,348 
              
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period $236,048  $177,886  $236,048  $177,886 
              


Segmented Results
(in thousands of US dollars)
             
           
  FirstService FirstService    
 Residential Brands Corporate Consolidated
             
Three months ended September 30           
             
2024           
 Revenues$559,585 $836,456 $-  $1,396,041
 Adjusted EBITDA 58,590  105,766  (4,382)  159,974
             
 Operating earnings 49,059  87,064  (10,221)  125,902
             
2023           
 Revenues$537,828 $579,281 $-  $1,117,109
 Adjusted EBITDA 56,575  60,692  (5,331)  111,936
             
 Operating earnings 49,001  33,935  (9,377)  73,559
             
             
           
  FirstService FirstService    
  Residential Brands Corporate Consolidated
             
Nine months ended September 30           
             
2024           
 Revenues$1,613,213 $2,238,332 $-  $3,851,545
 Adjusted EBITDA 153,276  238,792  (16,234)  375,834
             
 Operating earnings 124,824  160,171  (37,098)  247,897
             
2023           
 Revenues$1,500,542 $1,754,746 $-  $3,255,288
 Adjusted EBITDA 144,281  181,284  (13,180)  312,385
             
 Operating earnings 120,908  105,865  (29,943)  196,830
              

COMPANY CONTACTS:

D. Scott Patterson
Chief Executive Officer

Jeremy Rakusin
Chief Financial Officer

(416) 960-9566