AECOM reports third quarter fiscal 2024 results

Third Quarter Fiscal 2024 Highlights:

  • Reflecting as reported performance from continuing operations, revenue increased 13% to $4.2 billion, operating income increased to $227 million, net income increased to $129 million, and diluted earnings per share increased to $0.95.
  • Net service revenue2 increased by 8% to a record high, driven by growth across all of the Company’s largest end markets and the benefits from continued addressable market expansion.
  • The adjusted EBITDA margin5 increased by 130 basis points to 16.5% and the segment adjusted1 operating margin3 increased by 110 basis points to 16.3%, both of which set quarterly records, reflecting strong execution and the high return on the Company’s organic growth investments.
    • The Company is investing in growth while delivering record quarterly margins.
  • Adjusted1 EBITDA4 increased by 16% and adjusted1 EPS increased by 23%.
  • Total backlog increased and is near an all-time high.
    • The book-to-burn ratio8 in the higher margin Americas segment was 1.1.
    • The Company’s win rate across the enterprise remains at a record high.
    • The pipeline of opportunities reached another new high, and the pipeline of larger $25+ million pursuits with decisions expected in fiscal 2025 is approximately 70% higher compared to this time last year.
    • Long-term demand and funding for investments in global infrastructure, sustainability and resilience, and the energy transition, combined with the Company’s focus on expanding its addressable market and gaining market share, support its long-term annual 5 - 8% net service revenue growth target.

Fiscal 2024 Financial Guidance

  • The Company increased its earnings guidance for fiscal 2024, including its expectation to deliver adjusted1 EBITDA4 of between $1,075 million and $1,105 million and adjusted1 EPS of between $4.45 and $4.55, reflecting 13% and 21% year-over-year growth, respectively.
  • The Company’s fiscal 2024 guidance also includes expectations for:
    • Organic NSR2 growth at the lower end of the 8% to 10% range.
    • A segment adjusted1 operating income margin3 of approximately 15.6%, representing a 90 basis point increase from fiscal 2023.
    • 100%+ free cash flow6 conversion, reflecting the highly cash generative nature of the Company’s Professional Services business.
    • An average fully diluted share count of 136 million, which reflects only shares repurchased to-date, though the Company intends to continue repurchasing stock that would provide a benefit to per share earnings.
    • An adjusted effective tax rate of approximately 25% for the full year.
    • Return on invested capital9 (ROIC) of approximately 20%.
  • See the Regulation G Information tables at the end of this release for a reconciliation of non-GAAP measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures.

Cash Flow, Balance Sheet and Capital Allocation Update

  • Third quarter operating cash flow of $291 million and free cash flow6 of $273 million, contributed to year-to-date free cash flow6 of $434 million, an increase of 32% over the prior year period.
  • The Company’s returns-focused capital allocation policy prioritizes investments in organic growth followed by share repurchases and dividends.
    • Inclusive of $150 million of share repurchases since the end of the fiscal third quarter and the Company’s July dividend payment, the Company has returned $407 million to shareholders this year.
    • The Company has more than $700 million remaining under the current share repurchase authorization.

“Our third quarter performance was highlighted by record revenue and margins, strong cash flow growth, and we increased our earnings guidance for a second time this year, which reflects our competitive advantages,” said Troy Rudd, AECOM’s chief executive officer. “We have built a record pipeline, trends across our markets are strong, and we are energized by the opportunities ahead. As the number one ranked water, environmental engineering, transportation and facilities design firm by ENR, along with our most recent rise to number two in Program Management, the leadership position we’ve built in each of our market sectors is unrivaled. We remain confident in delivering on our near- and long-term financial commitments and will continue to deploy capital to share repurchases to fully realize the value creation opportunity.”

“With record levels of investment across nearly every market in which we operate, clients are turning to AECOM now more than ever to help deliver the largest and most complex projects and programs in the world,” said Lara Poloni, AECOM’s president. “We are increasingly capitalizing on opportunities to expand our addressable market and lead with high-value advisory and consulting services that complement our industry-leading technical expertise. The investments we are making in our technical academies and in leadership development programs are fortifying and expanding this advantage as the employer of choice in our industry.”

“Through our consistent execution, double-digit earnings growth and strong cash flow, we are delivering on the key elements of shareholder value creation,” said Gaurav Kapoor, AECOM’s chief financial and operations officer. “We are executing on our returns-focused capital allocation policy, which is led by share repurchases after investments in high-returning organic growth opportunities. We will not hesitate to continue deploying capital in this manner to maximize shareholder value.”

Business Segments

Americas

Revenue in the third quarter was $3.2 billion. Net service revenue2 was $1.1 billion, an 8% increase from the prior year.

Operating income increased by 11% over the prior year to $207 million. On an adjusted1 basis, operating income increased by 11% to $212 million. The adjusted operating margin on net service revenue increased by 50 basis points to 19.3%. The Company’s profitability reflects the strong returns on investments in business development, leadership development and technical training, as well as productivity enhancing investments in digital initiatives.

International

Revenue in the third quarter was $904 million. Net service revenue2 was $729 million, a 7% increase from the prior year.

Operating income and adjusted1 operating income both increased by 25% to $85 million. The adjusted operating margin on net service revenue increased by 180 basis points over the prior year to 11.7%, which marked a new quarterly high for the International segment. This result reflects the benefits of the Company’s focus on its highest-returning end markets.

Balance Sheet

As of June 30, 2024, AECOM had $1.6 billion of total cash and cash equivalents, $2.5 billion of total debt and $897 million of net debt (total debt less cash and cash equivalents). Net leverage10 was 0.8x.

Tax Rate

The effective tax rate was 23.9% in the third quarter. On an adjusted1 basis, the effective tax rate was 26.9%. The adjusted tax rate was derived by re-computing the quarterly effective tax rate on adjusted net income11. The adjusted tax expense differs from the GAAP tax expense based on the taxability or deductibility and tax rate applied to each of the adjustments.

Conference Call

AECOM is hosting a conference call tomorrow at 8 a.m. Eastern Time, during which management will make a brief presentation focusing on the Company's results, strategy and operating trends, and outlook. Interested parties can listen to the conference call and view accompanying slides via webcast at https://investors.aecom.com. The webcast will be available for replay following the call.

1 Excludes the impact of certain items, such as restructuring costs, amortization of intangible assets, non-core AECOM Capital and other items. See Regulation G Information for a reconciliation of non-GAAP measures to the comparable GAAP measures.

2 Revenue, less pass-through revenue; growth rates are presented on a constant-currency basis.

3 Reflects segment operating performance, excluding AECOM Capital and G&A, and margins are presented on a net service revenue basis.

4 Net income before interest expense, tax expense, depreciation and amortization.

5 Adjusted EBITDA margin includes non-controlling interests in EBITDA and is on a net service revenue basis.

6 Free cash flow is defined as cash flow from operations less capital expenditures, net of proceeds from disposals of property and equipment; free cash flow conversion is defined as free cash flow divided by adjusted net income attributable to AECOM.

7 Backlog represents the total value of work for which AECOM has been selected that is expected to be completed by consolidated subsidiaries and includes the proportionate share of work expected to be performed by unconsolidated joint ventures. Backlog in the construction management business is included on a net service revenue basis. Growth rates are presented on a constant-currency basis.

8 Book-to-burn ratio is defined as the dollar amount of wins divided by revenue recognized during the period, including revenue related to work performed in unconsolidated joint ventures.

9 Return on invested capital, or ROIC, reflects continuing operations and is calculated as the sum of adjusted net income as presented in the Company’s Regulation G Information and adjusted interest expense, net of interest income, divided by average quarterly invested capital as defined as the sum of attributable shareholder’s equity and total debt, less cash and cash equivalents.

10 Net leverage is comprised of EBITDA as defined in the Company’s credit agreement dated October 17, 2014, as amended, and total debt on the Company’s financial statements, net of total cash and cash equivalents.

11 Inclusive of non-controlling interest deduction and adjusted for financing charges in interest expense, the amortization of intangible assets and is based on continuing operations.


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