Harold Antor

Harold Antor asked about the differing revenue growth performance of Protiviti's U.S. versus international segments, the pricing environment, and the future of Protiviti's pricing model with AI implementation. He also inquired about the confidence in the Admin and Customer Support (ACS) business line rebounding to historical levels, given its current weakness and potential AI risks.

Answer

CEO Keith Waddell explained that Protiviti's international segment is stronger due to a more robust regulatory environment, while the U.S. faces a more benign regulatory landscape and is anniversarying larger projects. He noted strong technology consulting in the U.S. and a competitive pricing environment with the Big Four. Regarding AI, Waddell stated that the industry is exploring outcome-based or unit-based pricing models to reflect value added. For ACS, he expressed confidence in a rebound, clarifying that its weakness was due to specific large projects, and customer service performed better, indicating AI's impact on call centers isn't the primary driver of ACS's current performance.

Harold Antor asked for a discussion on the differing revenue growth performance of Protiviti in the U.S. versus internationally, including comments on pricing. He also inquired about the future of Protiviti's pricing in the AI era and the confidence in the Admin and Customer Support (ACS) business line rebounding to historical levels, given concerns about AI's impact.

Answer

CEO Keith Waddell explained that Protiviti International is stronger due to a more robust regulatory environment for financial institutions, while the U.S. faces a modest headwind from a more benign regulatory landscape and the anniversarying of large projects. He noted strong technology consulting in the U.S., driven by platform modernization. Mr. Waddell stated that the pricing environment remains competitive with the Big Four. For AI-era pricing, he indicated the industry is exploring outcome-based or unit-based models. Regarding ACS, Mr. Waddell expressed confidence in its rebound, clarifying that recent weakness was due to specific large projects, and customer service (including call centers) performed better than the rest of ACS, countering AI impact concerns.

Harold Antor, on behalf of Stephanie Moore from Jefferies, asked about the company's strategy for hiring internal recruiters as business optimism potentially translates into new orders. He also inquired about the candidate perspective, including their willingness to change jobs, demand for remote work, and the resulting impact on bill rate growth.

Answer

Executive M. Waddell stated that while current productivity levels suggest they could grow 20-30% without adding staff, they would likely hire ahead of a sustained recovery. On the candidate side, Waddell noted that caution typically eases as the macro environment improves and suggested there is pent-up turnover, partly due to frustration over return-to-office mandates. He indicated that bill rate growth has been stable in the low-3% range and expects that to continue.

Harold Antor (Jefferies), on behalf of Stephanie Moore, asked for BrightView's views on M&A, current conversation trends, multiples, and the company's capital allocation strategy.

Answer

CEO Dale Asplund indicated that the company's decision to increase its share repurchase authorization from $100 million to $150 million signals a focus on buying back undervalued stock (trading below 7x EBITDA) rather than pursuing M&A. He noted that quality M&A targets are trading at 8x-10x multiples, which is currently too high given BrightView's stock price. While a pipeline exists, particularly for ancillary businesses like tree or aquatics, the priority is opportunistic share repurchases.

Harold Antor inquired about the scale and timing of the sales force ramp-up and asked for details on the fleet investment, including its impact on costs, service levels, and overall capital allocation.

Answer

CEO Dale Asplund stated that while they will add 'significant resources' to the sales force, the timing is dependent on first stabilizing customer retention. CFO Brett Urban highlighted a key fleet initiative: by spring, all 7,500 core mowers will have been replaced, with none being older than 15 months. This creates a 'virtuous cycle' of lower maintenance costs, higher employee satisfaction, and better asset residual values.

Harold Antor, on behalf of Stephanie Moore at Jefferies, asked about the expected cadence of free cash flow throughout fiscal 2025, considering the $51 million timing difference in capital expenditures.

Answer

CFO Brett Urban clarified the timing impact, stating that the reported $145M free cash flow in fiscal 2024 normalizes to ~$95M, while the fiscal 2025 guidance of $40M-$60M normalizes to ~$90M-$110M. He emphasized that this represents a strong ~30% cash flow conversion over three years. President and CEO Dale Asplund added that the company made record investments in its fleet in 2024 and will continue to do so, which is critical to the brand and employee satisfaction.

Harold Antor, on behalf of Stephanie Moore, inquired about the impact of premium pricing in specialized services on organic growth for 2024-2026 and the organic component of the 3%-5% revenue guidance for 2026. He also asked about the most significant growth opportunities, including data centers, Canadian infrastructure expansion, or geospatial, and the company's M&A strategy given its balanced capital allocation view.

Answer

Kristin Schultes, CFO of Acuren, directed to the adjusted gross margin tables for pricing insights and suggested focusing on adjusted EBITDA margin due to transaction noise. Tal Pizzey, CEO, identified the biggest growth opportunity in realizing the potential of the three combined segments by filling white space across the asset lifecycle, particularly in Canada where NV5 has limited presence. Ms. Schultes detailed the capital allocation strategy, emphasizing opportunistic and disciplined bolt-on M&A, with two deals closed in Q3 and nine year-to-date across all three segments, acquired at 4x-6x multiples.

Harold Antor, on behalf of Stephanie Moore, asked about premium pricing in specialized services for Q3 and expectations for 2024-2026, as well as the most significant growth opportunities for the business. He also inquired about the company's capital allocation strategy, specifically regarding M&A targets.

Answer

CFO Kristin Schultes referred to adjusted gross margin in the tables and advised focusing on adjusted EBITDA margin due to acquisition noise. CEO Tal Pizzey highlighted growth opportunities in filling white space across the asset lifecycle, expanding in Canada, and leveraging higher-margin segments like consulting engineering and geospatial. Kristin Schultes discussed opportunistic and disciplined capital allocation, a strong pipeline of bolt-on M&A across all three segments, and the accretive nature of these deals.

Harold Antor, on behalf of Stephanie Moore from Jefferies, requested an update on the elevator and escalator business, including its organic growth rate, cross-selling progress, and integration status. He also inquired about the Specialty Services pipeline and whether its strong 2025 momentum suggests 2026 organic growth could exceed the mid-single-digit target.

Answer

President and CEO Russ Becker reported high single-digit organic growth for the Elevated business, with cross-selling still in early stages but accelerating. He mentioned a recent 'tweener' acquisition operating independently. Regarding Specialty Services, Mr. Becker noted record-high backlog across segments and reiterated a mid-single-digit organic growth expectation for 2026, while remaining opportunistic for accretive projects. EVP and CFO David Jackola added that strong Q4 guidance, including mid to upper single-digit organic revenue growth and significant margin expansion, indicates excellent momentum heading into 2026, with project backlog expected to drive future inspection, service, and monitoring (ISM) growth.

Harold Antor of Jefferies LLC asked whether the company is adjusting its sales force size in response to weaker base volume forecasts, or if it is maintaining or building the team to capture future demand.

Answer

CFO Steven Marks and CEO Scott Staples stated they are not reducing the sales force. Marks noted that lower base volume reflects reduced hiring per client, not a loss of clients. Staples emphasized they are investing in the go-to-market team by combining top talent from both legacy companies and hiring new leadership (CMO, CPTO) to drive future growth, highlighting that the company is still growing year-over-year.

Harold Antor of Jefferies LLC requested an update on the Avendra GPO business, including spend under management and margins, and asked for more details on the company's AI-driven initiatives in supply chain management.

Answer

CEO John Zillmer reported that Avendra's spend under management is now between $21-22 billion and that it continues to be a significant contributor to company profitability. CFO Jim Tarangelo highlighted a new AI tool that automates contract intelligence by reading supplier requests and verifying compliance, boosting efficiency.

Harold Antor, on for Stephen, asked about the M&A outlook for the year, whether it would focus on the GPO space, and if there was a target for total managed spend. He also asked about strategy in micro markets and trends in the sports and entertainment segment.

Answer

CEO John Zillmer stated there is no specific GPO spend target other than to keep growing it, and that M&A is a secondary strategy focused on bolt-ons, not a significant top-line driver. CFO James Tarangelo noted that convenience retail had a strong quarter. Zillmer added that the sports business had a good quarter with significant growth potential in both professional sports and NCAA athletics.

Representing Stephanie Moore, Harold Antor inquired about cross-selling opportunities with Avendra, particularly internationally. He also asked about client receptiveness to the new Hospitality IQ technology platform.

Answer

CEO John Zillmer emphasized the significant organic growth potential with existing Avendra clients both domestically and internationally, which contributed to over $1.2 billion in new spend last year. CFO Jim Tarangelo provided examples of Hospitality IQ's success, such as Culinary Copilot optimizing menus and supply chains, and AI tools aggregating SKUs to improve negotiations with suppliers.

On for Stephanie Moore, Harold Antor of Jefferies asked for an update on the journey to reduce SG&A as a percentage of sales, a goal from Investor Day. He also inquired about any regulatory changes on the horizon, particularly at the state level.

Answer

EVP & CFO Kenneth Krause reiterated that about half of SG&A is selling and marketing, which will continue to be an area of investment, but the other half presents an opportunity that is being targeted by a 'value creation program.' President & CEO Jerry Gahlhoff addressed the regulatory question by stating that the company has a strong technical team that has managed state-level rule changes for years and is often ahead of any new requirements, viewing it as a normal part of business.

Harold Antor inquired about the progress of technology investments like SAP and SmartTruck, and asked for an update on new business wins, particularly in key verticals and by customer size.

Answer

President and CEO Todd Schneider confirmed ongoing tech investments to enhance customer and employee experiences. He highlighted major wins in the healthcare vertical, including a privacy curtain service for a multi-state network and a scrub dispensing program for a 14-hospital network. He noted these wins improved compliance and saved the customers money, and that new business comes from all customer sizes.

Harold Antor, on for Stephanie Moore from Jefferies, inquired about the M&A strategy for 2025, including potential deal size and target segments. He also asked about demand trends in HVAC and other megatrends, and for expectations on 2025 pricing versus internal inflation.

Answer

CEO Jennifer Scanlon stated that UL Solutions is active in M&A conversations across all segments and for any scale that fits its strategy around product safety and megatrends. She highlighted investments in battery labs and a new Global Fire Science Center. CFO Ryan Robinson noted that wage inflation has moderated and was successfully offset by pricing in 2024, with no material headwinds anticipated in 2025.

Harold Ante asked about the M&A strategy, including target segments and valuation frameworks, and requested a performance update on the new labs in Korea and Auburn Hills relative to initial expectations.

Answer

President and CEO Jennifer Scanlon outlined an M&A strategy focused on acquiring unique IP, like TesTneT's hydrogen expertise, to complement their primary focus on organic growth. She confirmed that the new labs in Korea and Auburn Hills are performing as expected, fulfilling the backlog that was established prior to investment, in line with the company's capital deployment philosophy.

Harold Antor, on for Stephanie Moore, asked about the progress of implementing fees for overflowing bins and converting contracts to alternative indices. He also inquired about the company's view on regulatory issues like PFAS and RIN pricing.

Answer

CFO Brian DelGhiaccio reported that 63% of relevant contracts have been moved to alternative indices or favorable fixed rates. CEO Jon Vander Ark stated the company used conservative RIN price assumptions and views PFAS as both a manageable issue and a long-term business opportunity for its ES segment.

Harold Antor, on behalf of Stephanie Moore at Jefferies, asked for details on the expected improvement in Direct Operating Expenses (DOE) in 2025. He also inquired about the competitive landscape and incoming CEO Brian Choi's initial focus.

Answer

CFO Izilda Martins explained that the Q4 2024 increase in DOE was due to non-recurring costs tied to the accelerated fleet rotation and that expenses are expected to return to normalized levels in 2025 due to operational efficiencies. CEO Joseph Ferraro stated that Avis's aggressive fleet refresh, prompted by favorable 2025 model year pricing, provides a competitive advantage through lower costs, better utilization, and an enhanced customer experience. He also emphasized the stability of the leadership transition.

Speaking for Stephanie Moore, Harold Antor asked about the factors contributing to the recent improvement in customer retention and the outlook for this metric for the remainder of the year.

Answer

CEO Kimberly Scott attributed the improved retention to a 'hyper-focused' effort on enhancing the customer experience, including better on-time performance and reduced shortages, coupled with a balanced and thoughtful pricing strategy. She stated that Vestis expects to maintain these retention improvements throughout the fiscal year.

Harold Antor, on for Stephanie Moore, requested an update on the U.K. business, including performance trends, wage inflation, and the number of centers. He also asked about the pricing strategy in the U.K. compared to the U.S.

Answer

CEO Stephen Kramer noted the U.K. showed nice year-over-year improvement, cutting its full-service business loss in half from 2023. Executive commentary confirmed the U.K. is over-represented in the bottom-performing cohort and is a focus of the company's center closure strategy. CFO Elizabeth Boland added that the pricing outlook is a global average, and while U.K. inflation is tapering, labor pressures remain a key factor in setting tuition.