Jeff Martin

Jeff Martin inquired about the outlook for payroll taxes in 2026, particularly regarding any potential margin impact, and asked for clarification on the workers' compensation pricing environment and its expected effect on margins throughout 2026. He also asked about anticipated changes in workers' comp claim adjustments compared to previous years.

Answer

CFO Anthony Harris confirmed the front-loading of payroll taxes in Q1, noting modestly higher unemployment tax rates for 2026 but a smaller increase than the prior year, with mechanisms to price these in. President and CEO Gary Kramer explained the workers' comp market inflection, especially in California, with costs no longer decreasing and rates rising. He noted positive, consistent trends in aggregate markup on renewals over the last four months, suggesting potential for the high end of the margin range if trends persist, while maintaining a conservative guide. He also stated that the trend of workers' comp claim adjustments is expected to persist consistently.

Jeff Martin asked about the outlook for payroll taxes and the workers' compensation pricing environment for 2026, including potential margin impacts and the consistency of prior year workers' comp claim adjustments.

Answer

CFO Anthony Harris stated that unemployment tax rates are modestly higher for 2026, leading to typical Q1 front-loading, but these are recaptured through repricing. President and CEO Gary Kramer explained that the workers' compensation market, especially in California, is inflecting with rising rates and decreasing scheduled credits, suggesting potential for higher margins later in the year if positive trends persist, though the company is guiding conservatively. He also expects prior year workers' comp claim adjustments to generally persist.

Jeff Martin of Roth Capital Partners, LLC asked about the profit potential from the new workers' compensation agreement, how technology enhancements are enabling a push into the white-collar market, the performance of the company's health insurance plans, and the drivers behind the raised full-year guidance.

Answer

CFO Anthony Harris explained that the renewed workers' comp agreement offers lower costs and potential for return premiums, creating profit expansion opportunities. CEO Gary Kramer added that new health insurance products and an enhanced tech stack are key to attracting white-collar clients. Kramer also noted that while the health insurance market faces rate increases, BBSI views this as an opportunity. Both executives attributed the raised guidance to strong year-to-date performance in new client additions and retention.

Jeff Martin inquired about the factors behind maintaining guidance despite a strong Q1, the extent to which the new benefits offering is driving new client growth versus upselling existing clients, and whether BBSI is displacing more established PEOs than in the past.

Answer

Executive Gary Kramer responded that while Q1 results and April trends were strong, the company chose to maintain its outlook out of caution due to macroeconomic uncertainty. He noted that the benefits offering has become a significant driver of new business, with the sales mix shifting from 75% existing clients to a 50/50 parity between new and existing clients for the 1/1/25 season. Kramer attributed overall growth to numerous operational improvements and confirmed that while BBSI primarily converts businesses new to the PEO model, it is seeing an increase in takeaways from other PEOs, particularly in new markets.

Jeff Martin asked if recent technology investments were driven by the attraction of larger, white-collar clients, questioned the margin impact from payroll tax rate changes, and inquired about the workers' compensation pricing environment and exposure to California wildfires.

Answer

Executive Gary Kramer confirmed that the multi-year tech investment, including the new applicant tracking system, is a direct response to the needs of larger and more diverse clients. Executive Anthony Harris noted that payroll tax hikes were expected and while there's a pricing lag, they don't anticipate long-term margin degradation. Regarding workers' comp, Kramer stated that while rate decreases are slowing, the market has not yet bottomed. He also mentioned that wildfire impact was minimal, with a potential future tailwind from rebuilding efforts.

Jeff Martin inquired about the competitive landscape, whether the BBSI Benefits offering is helping the company outpace peer growth, future disclosure plans for the benefits product, its long-term accretion potential, and the performance of various lead generation channels.

Answer

CEO Gary Kramer stated that BBSI's blue and gray-collar clients are modestly hiring and that the company is executing well on its sales process, leading to more referral partners and closes. He confirmed the new health benefits product is another 'arrow in our quiver' attracting new clients and referral partners. CFO Anthony Harris added that financial disclosures for the benefits product will be enhanced as it becomes more material and that it is expected to drive meaningful operating leverage and earnings accretion starting in 2025 as it scales.

Jeff Martin asked about the market share gains achieved in Perion's core growth areas (CTV, Digital Out-of-Home, and Retail Media) during 2025, identifying the biggest contributors and the sustainability of this outpaced growth relative to the industry.

Answer

Elad Tzubery, Perion's Chief Financial Officer, highlighted that Q4 growth was significantly driven by CTV (almost 60% year-over-year growth), Digital Out-of-Home (28%), and Retail Media (42%), all of which outpaced the market by double or triple. He attributed this to the strong value proposition Perion provides in these channels, which serves as a 'foot in the door' to gain more spend and budgets, as evidenced by the Q4 results.

Jeff Martin asked about the market share gains achieved in Perion's core growth areas during 2025, the biggest contributors to this outpaced growth relative to the industry, and the sustainability of this trend.

Answer

CFO Elad Tzubery stated that Q4 growth was significantly driven by Perion's growth engines: CTV (almost 60% year-over-year), Digital Out-of-Home (28%), and Retail Media (42%). He emphasized that these verticals consistently outpaced the market by double or triple, attributing this to the strong value proposition Perion offers in these channels. Mr. Tzubery described this as the 'foot in the door' strategy to gain more spend and budgets, as evidenced by the Q4 results.

Jeff Martin requested an 'apples-to-apples' comparison for web revenue, excluding the impact of exited low-margin business, and how web performance aligned with internal expectations. He also asked for an update on the timing and trend of the company's Total Addressable Market (TAM) expansion this year.

Answer

CFO Elad Tzubery stated that web performance was as expected, or even slightly better, after accounting for the significant impact of discontinued low-margin business. CEO Tal Jacobson explained that the Greenbids acquisition expanded TAM to YouTube and Meta, with ongoing integration into more social platforms and DSPs, anticipating further growth from new channels next year.

Jeff Martin asked for an apples-to-apples comparison of web revenue, excluding the impact of exited low-margin businesses, and how web performance trended relative to internal expectations in Q3 2025. He also requested an update on the timing and progress of expanding Perion's Total Addressable Market (TAM).

Answer

CFO Elad Tzubery clarified that web revenue performed slightly better than expected; excluding terminated low-margin businesses, it would have increased by approximately 2% year-over-year instead of declining 11%. CEO Tal Jacobson stated that the Greenbids acquisition expanded Perion's TAM into YouTube and Meta, with ongoing integration into more social platforms and DSPs expected to further increase TAM and drive growth from new channels.

Jeff Martin asked for an update on trends in the Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) business and inquired if the company's geographic expansion was primarily focused on this channel and how significant that expansion might be.

Answer

CEO Tal Jacobson confirmed that recent geographic expansion has been led by DOOH partnerships. He described DOOH as a strategic 'foot in the door' in new markets, which allows the local sales teams to then cross-sell the entire Perion suite of solutions, including Perion Algo. He highlighted the synergies and cross-pollination between DOOH and other channels like CTV, positioning it as a key part of the company's expansion strategy.

Jeff Martin asked for details on the strategy to capitalize on the expanded Total Addressable Market (TAM) created by the Greenbids acquisition, particularly in lower-funnel and walled garden environments.

Answer

CFO Elad Tzubery explained that Greenbids provides new lower-funnel performance capabilities within walled gardens like YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram, which is timely as budgets shift towards performance. CEO Tal Jacobson added that this is a significant strategic move, allowing Perion to enter the performance-based campaign segment and access the larger ad budgets within walled gardens, where the company was not previously strong.

Jeff Martin sought more detail on the Open Web business, asking what internal actions were being taken to drive an inflection and when it might occur in 2025. He also asked about capital allocation, specifically how the acquisition strategy aligns with the new Perion One platform focus.

Answer

CEO Tal Jacobson stated that Perion does not anticipate a significant inflection in its Open Web business in 2025, as the primary focus is on higher-growth solutions like CTV and digital out-of-home. Regarding M&A, he emphasized that the current priority is organic growth and the successful transition to Perion One. Any future acquisition would have to be highly synergistic and integrate directly into the platform as a feature, as the company will not acquire standalone businesses again.

Jeff Martin of ROTH MKM asked about the specific trends impacting traditional display and video advertising and their potential to bottom out. He also questioned the risk of the Yahoo search partnership facing a similar fate as the Microsoft contract.

Answer

CEO Tal Jacobson identified the declining attractiveness of open web inventory as the main trend affecting display and video. He stated Perion is countering this by focusing on premium inventory and omnichannel experiences. Regarding Yahoo, CFO Elad Tzubery stated there are no signals of a similar issue arising and clarified that the search business is not a strategic focus for investment, but rather a source of revenue and EBITDA to be maintained.

Jeff Martin asked about the progress of The Hackett Group's product licensing efforts, particularly since the announcement of all products being licensable. He also sought clarification on the company's shift from quoting on rates to quoting on outcomes, requesting an explanation from a financial model perspective. Furthermore, Martin inquired whether a potential large international channel partner would leverage their own implementation resources or if The Hackett Group would need to staff up additional resources for such collaborations.

Answer

Chairman and CEO Ted Fernandez stated that licensing for version 5 of AI Explorer, which includes ideation explorer and solutioning modules, is expected to commence as the year progresses, following client exposure during consulting engagements. On the shift to outcome-based quoting, Mr. Fernandez clarified that the company evaluates each job, responds to client requirements, and quotes a fee for task completion, emphasizing that platforms are not free and deliver accelerated deployment and greater value. Regarding the international channel partner, Mr. Fernandez indicated that the decision to leverage their engineering capabilities or The Hackett Group's resources would be determined on an engagement-by-engagement basis.

Jeff Martin asked about the progress of licensing the newly available GenAI-enabled platforms, how the shift from quoting on rates to quoting on outcomes impacts the financial model, and whether a large international channel partner would leverage their own implementation resources or require Hackett to staff up.

Answer

Chairman and CEO Ted Fernandez stated that licensing of the GenAI platforms, announced in early January, is expected to commence throughout the year, allowing clients to license ideation and solutioning modules after initial engagement. He clarified that quoting on outcomes involves setting a fee for task completion and deliverables, emphasizing that the platforms are not free but provide accelerated deployment and greater value. For the international channel partner, Mr. Fernandez indicated that the use of implementation resources would be determined on an engagement-by-engagement basis, depending on the partner's capabilities.

Jeff Martin asked for an update on the licensing progress for both ZBrain and AI Explorer, particularly version 4, and the propensity of clients considering version 3 to license version 4. He also sought a breakdown of GS&BT segment trends and insights into the current state of client decision-making.

Answer

Chairman and CEO Ted Fernandez clarified that version 3 licensing efforts were paused to focus on version 4, with expectations to begin licensing AI Explorer late in Q4 or early Q1, and many current opportunities are anticipated to convert to AI Explorer licenses. He added that a portion of AI Explorer-led licenses are expected to incorporate ZBrain. Mr. Fernandez detailed that GS&BT's largest component is strategy and business transformation, with GenAI-related revenues growing, and he expects the segment to drive over 75% of total operating profits by the end of 2026. Regarding decision-making, he noted clients are making 2026 commitments but protecting 2025 spend due to economic volatility and GenAI considerations, though activity for aggressive investment is increasing.

Jeff Martin asked for an update on the licensing progress for ZBrain and AI Explorer, particularly version 4, and the propensity of clients to license version 4 in the coming months.

Answer

Chairman and CEO Ted Fernandez explained that version 3 licensing efforts were paused to focus on version 4 enhancements. He anticipates starting AI Explorer licensing late in Q4 or early Q1, with many current opportunities expected to convert to AI Explorer licenses. He also noted that a portion of AI Explorer-led licenses would likely incorporate ZBrain. Regarding decision-making, Mr. Fernandez observed clients protecting 2025 spend due to economic volatility and GenAI considerations, but sees increasing activity for aggressive investment in digital and GenAI transformation for 2026.

Jeff Martin from Roth Capital Partners, LLC asked for a timeline on when the OneStream practice might stabilize and cease being a headwind to growth. He also requested examples of common GenAI applications clients are engaging for and sought an update on whether client decision-making delays due to market uncertainty were improving.

Answer

Ted Fernandez, Chairman and CEO, stated that the toughest year-over-year comparisons for both the Oracle and OneStream practices are in Q3, and the headwind should be 'meaningfully eliminated' by Q4, providing for a clean comparison. He cited customer service, revenue management, and operational improvements for large GBS organizations as the most common GenAI use cases. Fernandez opined that market uncertainty is now being reflected in Q3 guidance across the industry, but he expects demand to grow as clients better understand GenAI's potential.

Jeff Martin from Roth Capital Partners, LLC asked for a timeline on when the OneStream practice might stabilize, sought examples of common GenAI applications being implemented for clients, and inquired about the current environment for client decision-making on large projects.

Answer

Chairman and CEO Ted Fernandez stated that the toughest year-over-year comparisons for both the Oracle and OneStream practices are in Q3, with the impact expected to be 'meaningfully eliminated' by Q4. He highlighted customer service/attrition and operational improvements in GBS organizations as the two most significant areas for GenAI engagements. Fernandez opined that economic uncertainty is affecting Q3 more than Q2 and expects demand to strengthen as clients better understand GenAI's potential.

Jeff Martin of ROTH Capital Partners inquired about client interactions with the AI XPLR platform, the implementation project pipeline, AI implementation capacity, and the progress of the ZBrain joint venture, including ARR contracts.

Answer

Ted Fernandez, Chairman and CEO, described client interactions with AI XPLR as highly positive due to its unique ability to handle ideation, ROI assessment, and agent identification. He noted significant interest from large channel partners, which could accelerate growth. Fernandez confirmed a 60-70% increase in implementation capacity since the LeewayHertz acquisition, with ongoing hiring. Regarding the ZBrain JV, he stated they are adding licensed clients and expect to finalize the formal agreement within 30 to 45 days.

Jeff Martin asked about the conversion rate of AI XPLR meetings into implementation contracts, the scale and duration of AI projects, and requested quantification of the headwinds from the e-procurement and OneStream practices.

Answer

Chairman and CEO Ted Fernandez noted a significant shift from educating clients to engaging with clients who have budgeted Gen AI initiatives, which is increasing pipeline velocity. He explained that project scopes range from 'fast-start' programs to multi-year licenses. Regarding headwinds, Fernandez stated the slowdown in e-procurement and OneStream was meaningful enough to materially impact the GSBT segment's growth, which would have been 'meaningfully higher' otherwise, attributing the pause to clients assessing new Gen AI technologies.

Jeff Martin of ROTH Capital Partners asked for a comparison of client conversations before and after the LeewayHertz acquisition. He also inquired about the company's plans to scale its GenAI implementation capabilities and requested an update on the market intelligence business, specifically regarding a key hire's non-compete agreement.

Answer

Chairman and CEO Ted Fernandez described post-acquisition client conversations as "significantly different," noting that the company is now more demanding about engaging with C-level IT and AI leaders due to enhanced credibility. He stated that the plan is to "aggressively increase" and aim to "double" GenAI implementation resources quickly. Fernandez also confirmed that the key executive for the market intelligence program was returning to the company that week as their non-compete term had ended.

Jeff Martin asked whether the client-sponsored healthcare plan is a significant strategic initiative or merely a reflection of market trends. He also inquired about the percentage of churn attributed to lower profitability clients and the net hiring assumption embedded in the 2026 guidance for the existing client base.

Answer

Paul Sarvadi, Chairman of the Board and CEO, explained that the client-sponsored healthcare plan is both a strategic initiative to offer the best options and a response to market unfolding, allowing the company to grow with less benefit risk. He noted that the profitability spread between retained and terminated clients was the largest seen in a very long time. Regarding net hiring, he stated that the 2026 guidance incorporates a range around the very low net hiring number observed in the previous year.

Jeff Martin asked about the strategic significance and market unfolding of client-sponsored healthcare plans, the percentage of churn attributed to lower profitability clients, and the net hiring assumption embedded in the 2026 guidance for the existing client base.

Answer

Paul Sarvadi, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, indicated that client-sponsored healthcare plans are both a strategic initiative and a market unfolding, offering flexibility and reduced risk. He noted that the profitability spread between retained and terminated clients was the largest in 15 years. Regarding net hiring, Paul stated that the 2026 guidance incorporates a range around the very low net hiring observed in 2025 due to ongoing labor market issues.

Jeff Martin of Roth Capital Partners, LLC inquired about the timing of the joint marketing efforts for the Workday solution relative to the client onboarding timeline and asked about plans for growing the Business Performance Advisor (BPA) sales force.

Answer

Paul Sarvadi, Chairman & CEO, explained that initiating joint marketing now is strategic because prospective clients are highly receptive to a long-term, scalable solution from Insperity and Workday, making it desirable for them to get into the queue early. Regarding the sales force, Mr. Sarvadi stated that the BPA base will grow nominally, as the company plans to leverage significant gains in sales efficiency to drive worksite employee growth, creating operating leverage on the sales side for the first time.

Jeff Martin questioned the expected client receptivity to the necessary pricing adjustments for healthcare costs and inquired about the potential profitability of the new Workday partnership business relative to Insperity's historical margins.

Answer

Executive James Allison expressed confidence in client receptivity, noting that rising healthcare costs are a broad, industry-wide trend. He emphasized a strategic and selective approach to implementing price changes to minimize attrition. Executive Paul Sarvadi added that while the Workday solution is expected to be a future margin builder, detailed pricing is still under analysis, but it will likely involve higher upfront and ongoing fees reflecting its comprehensive value.

Jeff Martin inquired about the company's sales optimization strategy, asking about its origin and when benefits are expected. He also asked about the timeline for applying learnings from the Workday corporate tenant launch to the development of the exclusive client tenant.

Answer

CEO Paul Sarvadi detailed that the sales optimization strategy involves specializing sales roles for PEO, mid-market, and traditional employment solutions to improve focus and accountability, with positive effects already being seen. Regarding the Workday tenant, he anticipates a full quarter after the April 1st corporate launch will be sufficient to validate key integrations and apply learnings to the client tenant development.

Jeff Martin sought confirmation that the year-end worksite employee (WSE) transition is expected to be favorable, with Q1 WSEs remaining consistent with Q4 levels. He also asked about the expected progression of AI implementation in 2025 and the potential operating leverage it could generate.

Answer

CEO Paul Sarvadi confirmed he expects a favorable year-end, aiming for Q1 paid WSEs to be roughly even with Q4, which would position the company for growth acceleration. He noted the Workday partnership should help with large client retention, a key factor compared to the prior year. Regarding AI, Sarvadi explained that it will significantly enhance efficiency by giving service staff immediate access to accurate, cross-departmental information, creating a positive cultural mindset around operating leverage in 2025.

Jeff Martin asked for details on the performance of the recently acquired RF business and its growth potential, particularly in relation to the Golden Dome project. He also requested an update on the pipeline for large, turnkey contracts and their potential contribution to future growth.

Answer

EVP and CFO Alan Edrick reported the RF business generated approximately $30 million in Q4 and $80 million for the full fiscal year, with growth expected to continue. CEO A. J. Mera added that the Golden Dome project represents a significant opportunity, as OSI's financial strength and government contacts bolster the RF unit's ability to compete. On turnkey projects, Mera stated they are pursuing multiple long-cycle opportunities and are seeing increased customer acceptance of the comprehensive solution model.

Jeff Martin from ROTH Capital Partners inquired about the potential impact of tariffs on each business segment, the drivers behind the significant growth in services revenue, the performance and outlook for the recently acquired RF Solutions business, and the company's cash flow expectations for Q4 and fiscal 2026.

Answer

President & CEO Ajay Mehra stated that no meaningful P&L impact from tariffs is expected in Q4, citing limited exposure in the Security and Opto divisions and mitigation strategies for Healthcare. Executive President & CFO Alan Edrick explained that the strong services revenue growth is due to a larger installed base of security products coming off warranty, creating higher-margin recurring revenue. Ajay Mehra added that the RF Solutions acquisition is performing well with its proven Horizon radar technology, and Alan Edrick confirmed expectations for strong operating cash flow to continue into Q4 and fiscal 2026.

Jeff Martin of ROTH Capital Partners asked for more detail on the acquired surveillance business, an update on the Healthcare division's next-generation platform, and the outlook for expanding the turnkey solutions customer base.

Answer

President and CEO Ajay Mehra elaborated on the acquired business, noting its radar technology has direct applications for border security and that much of its R&D is customer-funded. Regarding Healthcare, he stated the new platform is a focus for '26 and beyond but declined to give a specific timeline for competitive reasons. He confirmed that OSI is actively pursuing several new turnkey opportunities, though he cautioned they have long sales cycles.

Jeff Martin inquired about the timeline for the aviation remote monitoring opportunity, the strategic rationale for the RF acquisition, the company's broader M&A outlook, and the specific EPS impact from revised interest expense assumptions in the new guidance.

Answer

President and CEO Deepak Chopra positioned the aviation remote monitoring service as an intermediate to long-term opportunity, leveraging learnings from the cargo business. He described the RF acquisition as a complementary technology that allows OSI to offer a broader portfolio to the same customer base. He reiterated that OSI remains selective in M&A, with a focus on the Security division. EVP and CFO Alan Edrick estimated that higher interest expense assumptions had a negative impact of approximately $0.05 to $0.10 on the updated EPS guidance.

Jeff Martin requested an update on the Building Infrastructure Group's recovery and the potential impact of reshoring. He also asked about the company's increasing focus on larger contracts and the potential for the BIG Fund to generate recurring revenue.

Answer

CEO Gary Bowman noted a rebound in the Building Infrastructure group, driven by national retailers and a recovery in residential, particularly build-for-rent. He confirmed that as the company expands into markets like transportation and energy, it is naturally bidding on and winning larger projects. CFO Bruce Labovitz affirmed that a prime objective of the BIG Fund is to create recurring revenue by shifting focus from customer CapEx budgets to their ongoing operating and maintenance needs.

Jeff Martin asked about staffing levels relative to the current backlog, plans for technology investments and CapEx, trends within the Building Infrastructure group, and a comparison of project start timing versus the previous year.

Answer

CFO Bruce Labovitz affirmed that the current workforce is stable and sufficient for expected revenue growth, with technology enabling efficiency gains. He noted that while tech investments are increasing, many now fall under OpEx due to SaaS models. Executive Gary Bowman added that the residential market is more robust than last year due to low inventory, while commercial remains strong. Labovitz also mentioned a solid flow of project starts recently, contrasting with some delays seen in the prior year.

Jeff Martin questioned the company's progress on gaining wallet share and earlier involvement in project lifecycles, its strategy for the growing data center market, and requested an update on the natural gas pipeline replacement business.

Answer

CEO Gary Bowman pointed to the Surdex acquisition as a key driver for early project incumbency and mentioned new financial analysis and asset management tools as ways to expand wallet share. On data centers, Bowman stated they are moving beyond site prep to the full design lifecycle and power delivery. He also confirmed the natural gas pipeline replacement market remains very active and is a source of significant recurring revenue. CFO Bruce Labovitz added that end-of-project services help secure incumbency for future project iterations.

Jeff Martin of ROTH MKM inquired about the completion of internal operational changes, the organic growth assumptions embedded in the 2025 guidance, and the company's M&A strategy, specifically regarding the move toward larger acquisitions and the performance of the Surdex deal.

Answer

Executive Gary Bowman confirmed that the internal changes made in Q3 were complete, establishing a "clean slate" for Q4. CFO Bruce Labovitz stated that the 2025 guidance assumes a midpoint of approximately 7% organic growth. Regarding M&A, Gary Bowman explained the strategic shift towards larger deals is to "move the needle" as Bowman grows, and Bruce Labovitz added the goal is to increase the average acquisition revenue size into the double-digits. Both executives affirmed they are pleased with the Surdex acquisition's performance and cross-selling synergies.

Jeff Martin from Roth Capital Partners, LLC inquired about the Foodservice Technology (FST) segment's performance excluding the major QSR client, the potential for adding software to the large QSR deal, and whether recent strength in the Casino and Gaming segment represents a sustainable market share gain.

Answer

CEO John Dillon detailed the progress in the FST segment, attributing it to disciplined execution and a 'land and expand' strategy focused on high-potential clients. He confirmed that discussions are underway to add software components to the large QSR account. Regarding Casino and Gaming, Dillon explained that improved focus, new opportunities in charitable gaming, and strategic partnerships like Casino Track are driving results, and the company aims to continue eroding competitor market share.

Jeff Martin from Roth Capital Partners, LLC inquired about the progress in the Food Service Technology (FST) segment beyond the major QSR client, the potential for adding software components to the large QSR deal, and whether recent strength in the casino and gaming segment represents a sustainable market share gain.

Answer

CEO John Dillon confirmed active dialogue is occurring regarding adding software components for the large QSR client. On FST progress, he detailed that success stems from a disciplined 'land and expand' go-to-market strategy and improved sales execution targeting high-potential clients. For the casino segment, Dillon attributed the strong performance to increased operational intensity, success in the non-casino charitable gaming market, and strategic partnerships, indicating a focused effort to gain share rather than a temporary rebound.

Jeff Martin from ROTH Capital Partners inquired about TransAct's Food Service Technology (FST) business, focusing on pipeline stability, conversion rates, and key end markets. He also asked for an update on the rollout progress with a major QSR client and sought clarity on the expected quarterly cadence of the full-year revenue guidance.

Answer

CEO John Dillon explained that the FST pipeline is seeing strong traction in the 'grab-and-go' and large-scale food service management sectors, with emerging opportunities in healthcare. Dillon noted that while pipeline conversion is a complex process they are actively refining, they signed 6 new clients in Q1. Regarding the major QSR rollout, he stated they are still in the 'early innings' with a new global opportunity. He confirmed that revenue will remain lumpy due to large, irregular orders but expects year-over-year improvement.

Jeff Martin inquired about the composition of FST terminal installations in Q4, asking for a breakdown between the large QSR customer, new logos, and replacements. He also asked about the 2025 outlook for FST and sought an update on the casino and gaming segment's recovery and international market status.

Answer

Executive Steve DeMartino stated that the large QSR customer was a 'decent chunk' but less than half of the terminal placements. Executive John Dillon added that he is encouraged by new business and replacements, and DeMartino confirmed they expect the QSR business to expand in 2025. Regarding casino and gaming, DeMartino noted all domestic OEMs are back to buying, and while a couple of international OEMs are still working through inventory, they are expected to resume purchasing in the latter half of 2025, leading to an overall stronger year.

Jeff Martin from Roth Capital Partners, LLC asked about the company's outlook for fiscal 2026 given sustained economic pressures, the relationship between deferred revenue growth and total revenue growth, and the client adoption rate of AI-powered service delivery.

Answer

CEO Paul Walker stated that for fiscal 2026 planning, they are assuming current economic uncertainties will persist. Both Walker and CFO Jessica Betjemann addressed deferred revenue, explaining that as invoiced subscription amounts, which have been recently flat, begin to grow again, it will drive reported revenue growth. Walker highlighted significant progress in AI, noting their AI Sales Coach is being used in major client wins and that approximately 43% of clients are now using their AI coach, which helps democratize coaching services.

Jeff Martin asked for clarification on whether the $17 million in government revenue was direct or included influenced entities, inquired about project start timeliness, the business's durability in a potential recession, and the confidence level in the Q4 adjusted EBITDA guidance.

Answer

CEO Paul Walker confirmed the $17 million is direct government agency revenue, with a separate $3 million allowance for broader economic headwinds. He stated that new client projects are starting on time with no slowdowns. Regarding a potential recession, he highlighted the durability from multi-year contracts (61% of subscription revenue) and a focus on solutions critical during downturns. CFO Stephen D. Young added that Q4 EBITDA performance depends heavily on services delivery, particularly in Education, and could improve if anticipated disruptions do not materialize.

Jeff Martin asked about the key lessons learned from the 18-month pilot of the new sales model and how the remainder of the $16 million growth investment will be allocated beyond the initial hiring.

Answer

CEO Paul Walker shared several key learnings: the need to focus salespeople on either landing or expanding, the realization that this required different hiring profiles, the need to adjust sales compensation, and the benefit of segmenting the sales force by client size. He added that remaining investments will fund more SDRs, implementation strategists, and marketing focused on lead generation.

Jeff Martin of ROTH Capital Partners asked about the key lessons learned from the 18-month pilot of the new sales model and how the remainder of the $16 million growth investment would be allocated throughout the year.

Answer

CEO Paul Walker shared several lessons: the necessity of focusing salespeople on either landing new logos or expanding existing accounts, which revealed different hiring profiles; the need to adjust sales compensation to better incentivize new logo wins and expansion; and the benefit of segmenting the sales force by client size for greater velocity and specialization. He explained that remaining investments would fund more sales development representatives (SDRs), implementation strategists, and marketing focused on lead generation for both new and existing clients.

Jeff Martin of Roth MKM inquired about the timing of new executive hires and the full implementation of the new sales strategy. He also asked for an assessment of the current environment for client decision-making and expansion.

Answer

CEO Paul Walker confirmed that the new Chief Revenue Officer, Holly Procter, was hired in June and that the new sales organizational structure is already implemented and operational. Walker described the macroeconomic environment as steady for the past 18 months, noting that client demand remains strong for the company's core offerings in leadership, culture, and execution, which are top priorities for CEOs.

Jeff Martin asked about the potential for revenue synergies, the ranking of early opportunities, the risk of regulatory hurdles, and the timeline for realizing both revenue and cost synergies.

Answer

Talman Pizzey (Executive) and Ben Heraud (Executive) detailed significant revenue synergy excitement on both sides, prioritizing cross-selling into existing customer bases and penetrating new end markets (Acuren into infrastructure, NV5 into industrial). Robbie Franklin (Executive) confirmed there is no significant regulatory risk. Pizzey expects material cross-selling within six months, while Franklin noted cost synergies are targeted for realization over the first 24 months.

Asked about the source and ranking of revenue synergies, the timeline for realizing both revenue and cost synergies, and any potential regulatory risks associated with the merger.

Answer

The company stated that both sides are excited about synergies, ranking cross-selling to existing customers and penetrating new end markets (infrastructure for Acuren, industrial for NV5) as the most impactful. They see no significant regulatory risk. Revenue synergies are expected to materialize within the first 6 months, while cost synergies are targeted over the first 24 months, with some immediate opportunities like insourcing subcontracted work.

Jeff Martin of ROTH Capital Partners asked for organic growth expectations for the Infrastructure and Building Technology segments, clarification on how inflation was impacting margins, and an update on the Geospatial cloud software strategy.

Answer

CFO Edward Codispoti and Executive Chairman Dickerson Wright indicated that the Infrastructure and Buildings & Technology segments are expected to grow in the mid-single digits. Codispoti explained that past margin pressure was partly due to fixed-price LNG contracts during peak inflation, while Wright added that administrative cost inflation is harder to pass through. President of Geospatial Kurt Allen reported that cloud-based software revenue doubled in the past year and is being successfully implemented in large government contracts for automated detection.

Jeff Martin asked for commentary on the revised guidance, whether the organic growth targets from the recent Investor Day are still valid, and for details on the financial restatement.

Answer

Chief Financial Officer Edward Codispoti explained the guidance was revised out of an 'abundance of caution' despite a record quarter. Executive Chairman Dickerson Wright added that Q4 seasonality was also a factor. Wright clarified that Investor Day targets are aspirational, while earnings call guidance is more conservative. Codispoti confirmed the 10-Q will provide quarter-by-quarter restatement details and that the company has no concerns about the issue recurring with other clients.

Jeff Martin inquired about the impressive 60% year-over-year growth in new logos, the potential for pent-up client demand post-tariff uncertainty, the status of the technology platform rollout, the full impact timeline for recent expense reductions, and the competitive landscape within the Property Management segment.

Answer

CEO Beth Garvey stated that details on new logo deal sizes would follow, as many were signed late in the quarter. She affirmed a belief in pent-up demand across both segments, with clients currently in a "wait-and-see" mode. Garvey also confirmed the technology platform is fully rolled out and now in a continuous improvement phase. Executive Keith Schroeder clarified that 65-70% of expense reduction benefits were realized in Q1, with the full impact expected in Q2. Garvey described the Property Management competitive environment as stable and noted ongoing progress in securing preferred partner agreements.

Inquired about the impact of client budget shifts towards AI, the timeline to realize the full run-rate of cost savings, the revenue impact from personnel cuts, and the rollout progress of the territory mapping initiative in property management.

Answer

The company is well-positioned for AI demand through its Arroyo acquisition. The full effect of personnel cost savings will be seen in Q1, with commission plan changes reflected in Q2. The personnel cuts were mostly back-office and not significantly revenue-impacting, though some field restructuring caused temporary disruption that has since stabilized. The territory mapping initiative has launched in Houston and Atlanta, is in process in Dallas, and will expand to other markets in June.