Addus Homecare Corp quarterly report, Q2 FY2017

Addus HomeCare Corporation — Q2 2017 Form 10-Q

Business context and reporting period

Unaudited results cover the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2017, compared with the same periods in 2016. Addus provides in-home personal care services; at quarter-end it served about 34,000 consumers through 110 locations in 24 states. Figures below are in millions unless stated otherwise.

Financial performance and liquidity

MetricQ2 2017Q2 2016Six months 2017Six months 2016
Net service revenue$103.6$100.9$205.2$193.5
Gross margin$28.5 (27.5%)$25.7 (25.5%)$55.8 (27.2%)$50.0 (25.8%)
Operating income$5.9$4.4$12.9$5.0
Net income$2.7$2.6$7.0$2.8
Diluted earnings per share$0.23$0.23$0.60$0.25
  • Q2 revenue increased 2.6%; six-month revenue grew 6.0%. Six-month billable hours rose 4.1%, while revenue per billable hour increased 1.8%.
  • Operating margin improved to 5.7% in Q2 from 4.4%, and to 6.3% for the six months from 2.6%. Six-month operating income and net income comparisons include a $2.1 million gain on the sale of adult day services centers.
  • Interest expense increased to $2.1 million in Q2 and $2.8 million for the six months, primarily reflecting a $1.3 million write-off of old credit-facility issuance costs and higher debt under the replacement facility. The six-month effective tax rate was 32.1%, versus 30.4%.
  • Cash from operations was negative $11.4 million for the six months, versus negative $18.3 million a year earlier. Investing activities provided $0.6 million; financing activities provided $18.6 million. Cash rose to $15.9 million from $8.0 million at year-end.
  • At June 30, total current assets were $157.7 million and current liabilities $47.1 million. Net accounts receivable was $138.0 million, including a $9.1 million allowance; gross receivables were $147.1 million.
  • Reported debt, net of issuance costs, was $44.0 million, including $45.0 million drawn on the new term loan and $1.7 million of capital leases. The company reported $86.5 million available under its revolving facility and compliance with its covenants.

Material changes versus the prior comparable period

  • Gross margin expanded in both the quarter and six-month period, which management attributed mainly to lower direct-service wage, benefit, and travel costs.
  • Q2 general and administrative expense rose 7.1% to $19.0 million, including higher administrative personnel costs, professional fees, and acquisition expenses. For the six months, G&A fell to $37.9 million from $38.6 million, helped by lower restructuring and telephone costs.
  • Provision for doubtful accounts increased 14.2% in Q2 and 29.0% for the six months, partly due to managed-care and acquisition-transition reserves.
  • The company replaced its prior facility on May 8 with a five-year, $250 million facility: $125 million revolver, $45 million term loan, and $80 million delayed-draw term loan. The delayed-draw and incremental term-loan capacity is limited to qualifying acquisitions.
  • Adult day services operations were discontinued and three Illinois centers sold effective March 1; proceeds were about $2.4 million and the recorded pretax gain was $2.1 million.

Outlook, management commentary, and risks

  • Management said cash and available credit should cover working-capital needs for at least the next 12 months. No specific earnings or revenue guidance was provided.
  • Illinois remains a major concentration: it represented 52.7% of Q2 revenue, and the Illinois Department on Aging represented 36.7%. Delayed Illinois payments contributed to $73.8 million of aged receivables from that department and 197 days sales outstanding for that payor. The state enacted a fiscal 2018 budget on July 6; Addus reported receiving $69.4 million in delayed payments through August 4, 2017. Further payment timing and future budgets remain uncertain.
  • Overall DSO rose to 121 days from 104 days at year-end. Continued payment delays could pressure liquidity, increase borrowings, or require other financing.
  • Managed-care organizations increased to 31.3% of Q2 revenue from 24.3% a year earlier. The company sees managed care as a growth opportunity, while government reimbursement rates, program funding, labor costs, and union negotiations remain risks.
  • The company completed its $23.2 million acquisition of Options Home Care in New Mexico on August 1, 2017, after quarter-end. It expects additional restructuring costs, but their timing and amount are not determinable.
  • Pending matters include a False Claims Act/Illinois False Claims Act case, in which the state and federal government had declined to intervene at the reported dates, and an appeal connected to a provider lawsuit over Illinois payments. Management believes pending litigation will not materially affect the business, but outcomes are uncertain.
  • Variable-rate debt exposes the company to rate increases; management estimated a 100-basis-point increase would reduce six-month net income by about $0.2 million. No hedges were in place. The company also expects the new lease-accounting standard to materially affect its balance sheet, though not liquidity.

Important facts for investors to verify

  • Whether Illinois payment collections continued after the reported $69.4 million received through August 4, and the resulting receivables, aging, and DSO.
  • Whether the improved gross margin and billable-hour growth are sustained, and whether higher doubtful-account provisions or administrative costs offset those gains.
  • The effect of the new facility’s variable rates, covenants, borrowing availability, and acquisition-related financing on interest expense and leverage.
  • Options Home Care’s post-acquisition performance and the cash/debt impact of its $23.2 million purchase price.
  • Developments and potential financial exposure in the disclosed legal proceedings, labor negotiations, and remaining restructuring obligations.