Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Brookdale Senior Living reported a consolidated RevPAR growth of 4.9% in Q1 2025, driven by an increase in weighted average occupancy [25][32] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q1 2025 was $124 million, representing a 27% increase year-over-year, exceeding internal expectations and analyst consensus [32] - Adjusted free cash flow turned positive at $4 million, a significant improvement from the previous year [32][33] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Same community RevPAR increased by 4.5% year-over-year, with a weighted average occupancy of 80% [28] - Same community expense per occupied unit rose by only 1.6%, indicating effective cost management relative to revenue growth [29] - Operating income margin for same communities expanded by 90 basis points to 29%, the highest in five years [30] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company experienced a 3% increase in move-ins compared to the prior year, significantly above historical averages [25] - The weighted average occupancy increased by 140 basis points to 79.3% in Q1 2025, reflecting positive market dynamics [25] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on improving operational performance, optimizing its real estate portfolio, and reducing leverage to enhance shareholder value [13][19] - A leadership transition is underway, with the board seeking a new CEO to drive operational improvements and strategic vision [9][10] - The company plans to exit 55 leased communities and divest 14 non-core owned communities by year-end 2025, aiming for 75% of its portfolio to be owned [16][18] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the strong start to 2025, raising annual guidance for RevPAR and adjusted EBITDA [24][39] - The company acknowledged macroeconomic uncertainties but remains confident in its strategic plans and operational improvements [95][99] - Management highlighted the importance of maintaining pricing power while balancing occupancy growth [62] Other Important Information - The company has appointed two new independent directors to enhance board expertise and oversight [12] - A focus on enhancing the quality of living environments for residents has led to multiple recognitions, including being named a "most loved workplace" by Newsweek [22] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you elaborate on your pricing strategy? - Management indicated that pricing promotions are being piloted to boost occupancy while maintaining rate discipline [47][49] Question: What is the timeline for the impact of the First Impressions investment initiatives? - Management stated that targeted investments are expected to positively influence occupancy and rates, with budgeting for 2026 to begin later in the year [52][53] Question: How should we think about the seasonality of margins throughout the year? - Management explained that Q1 typically has the highest margins due to fewer workdays, with expected headwinds in Q2 from merit increases and additional workdays [58][60] Question: What initiatives are already contributing to better occupancy results? - Management noted that the SWAT teams and dynamic pricing strategies have been effective in improving occupancy [68][70] Question: What is the board prioritizing in the CEO search? - The board is looking for candidates with operational expertise and strategic vision to propel the company forward [90][91]

Group 1 - Brookdale Senior Living reported a quarterly loss of $0.11 per share, which is an improvement from a loss of $0.13 per share a year ago, aligning with the Zacks Consensus Estimate [1] - The company's revenues for the quarter ended March 2025 were $813.86 million, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.81%, but showing an increase from $782.83 million year-over-year [2] - Over the last four quarters, Brookdale has consistently failed to surpass consensus EPS and revenue estimates [2] Group 2 - Brookdale shares have increased approximately 31.8% since the beginning of the year, contrasting with a decline of 3.9% in the S&P 500 [3] - The company's earnings outlook is crucial for assessing future stock performance, with current consensus EPS estimates at -$0.13 for the coming quarter and -$0.55 for the current fiscal year [4][7] - The Medical - Nursing Homes industry, to which Brookdale belongs, is currently ranked in the top 9% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating a favorable industry outlook [8]

Company Overview - Brookdale operates 647 senior living communities across 41 states[8] - The company has the ability to serve approximately 58,000 residents[6] - 94% of senior living resident fees are private pay[8] - The company has approximately 36,000 caring and dedicated associates[8] Financial Performance and Guidance - First quarter Adjusted EBITDA increased by 27% year-over-year[35] - First quarter Adjusted Free Cash Flow improved by $30 million year-over-year and was positive[35] - The company positively revised its 2025 Adjusted EBITDA guidance to $440 to $450 million[38] - The company expects 2025 Adjusted Free Cash Flow to be $30 to $50 million[38] Occupancy and Revenue - First quarter consolidated weighted average occupancy grew by 140 bps over the prior year[35] - Move-ins increased by 12% and move-outs decreased by 3% compared to historical averages[35] - Returning to pre-pandemic occupancy of 84.5% would drive at least $200 million of incremental revenue[52] - Achieving the historic occupancy high of 89% would drive at least $380 million of incremental revenue[52]

Financial Performance - The financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, will include key performance metrics that reflect the company's operational efficiency[8] - The company is committed to transparency in its financial disclosures, ensuring stakeholders are informed of its performance[9] Occupancy and Market Trends - Brookdale Senior Living Inc. announced its consolidated occupancy for March 2025, with specific figures to be detailed in the press release[8] - The press release dated April 8, 2025, will provide insights into user data and occupancy trends, which are critical for assessing market demand[8] Strategic Outlook - Future outlook and performance guidance will be discussed, indicating the company's strategic direction and expected growth[8] - Market expansion strategies are likely to be outlined, focusing on increasing the company's footprint in key regions[8] - Potential mergers and acquisitions may be explored as part of the company's growth strategy, aiming to enhance market position[8] - Other new strategies will be highlighted, reflecting the company's adaptability to changing market conditions[8] Product and Technology Development - New product and technology developments are anticipated, which may enhance service offerings and operational capabilities[8] Leadership Insights - The executive team, led by CFO Dawn L. Kussow, will provide further insights during the earnings call[14]

Core Insights - Brookdale Senior Living Inc. reported solid first quarter results for 2025, indicating significant momentum in meeting the needs of the aging population and positioning for accelerated growth [3][4][6] - The company raised its annual guidance for RevPAR and Adjusted EBITDA, reflecting an improved outlook for 2025 [14][18] Financial Performance - Resident fees increased to $777.5 million in Q1 2025 from $744.2 million in Q1 2024, a rise of 4.5% [4][9] - Adjusted EBITDA rose to $124.1 million, up 27.2% from $97.6 million in the prior year [4][36] - Net loss for Q1 2025 was $65.0 million, compared to a loss of $29.6 million in Q1 2024, marking a 119.7% increase in loss [4][9] Operational Metrics - Weighted average occupancy improved to 79.3% in Q1 2025 from 77.9% in Q1 2024, an increase of 140 basis points [4][5] - RevPAR increased to $5,090, up 4.9% from $4,854 in the previous year [4][5] - Same community operating income increased by 7.6% year-over-year [6] Liquidity and Cash Flow - Total liquidity as of March 31, 2025, was $306.0 million, down $83.3 million from December 31, 2024, primarily due to cash used for acquisitions [11] - Net cash provided by operating activities improved to $23.4 million from a negative $1.1 million in the prior year [8][10] - Adjusted Free Cash Flow for Q1 2025 was $3.8 million, a significant improvement from a negative $26.3 million in Q1 2024 [8][41] Strategic Transactions - In February 2025, the company acquired 30 previously leased communities for $310.0 million, funded through mortgage debt and cash [12] - The company settled its remaining outstanding prepaid stock purchase contracts in March 2025, delivering over 29 million shares of common stock [13] 2025 Guidance - The company revised its full-year 2025 guidance for RevPAR growth to a range of 5.00% to 5.75% and Adjusted EBITDA to $440 million to $450 million [18]

Core Viewpoint - Brookdale Senior Living Inc. is set to release its first quarter 2025 financial results on May 6, 2025, followed by a conference call on May 7, 2025, to discuss these results [1][2]. Company Overview - Brookdale Senior Living Inc. operates 647 senior living communities across 41 states, serving approximately 58,000 residents as of March 31, 2025 [4]. - The company focuses on enriching the lives of seniors through compassionate care, clinical expertise, and exceptional service, offering independent living, assisted living, memory care, and continuing care retirement communities [4]. - Brookdale aims to create opportunities for wellness, personal growth, and meaningful relationships in environments that feel like home, guided by its core values of passion, courage, partnership, and trust [4].

Market Overview - The three major U.S. indexes, Nasdaq Composite, S&P 500, and Dow Jones Industrial Average, experienced declines of 3.24%, 2.3%, and 3.41% respectively in the holiday-shortened trading week, driven by fears of economic slowdown and rising inflation due to trade tensions between the U.S. and China [1] - Consumer sentiment in April dropped to 50.8, the lowest since June 2022, primarily due to inflation concerns [2] - The core Producer Price Index (PPI) rose by 0.3%, indicating persistent price pressures, while the PPI for final demand decreased by 0.4% in March [2] Federal Reserve Insights - Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell indicated a need for more clarity before making policy adjustments, suggesting a delay in interest rate cuts, with market expectations leaning towards a rate decrease in December [3] - The ongoing trade war and potential inflation increases are expected to negatively impact job creation and business confidence [3] Zacks Performance and Recommendations - Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (BKD) shares increased by 14.7% since being upgraded to Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) on February 20, contrasting with a 14.2% decrease in the S&P 500 [4] - The Bank of East Asia, Limited (BKEAY) also saw a 3.9% return since its upgrade to Zacks Rank 2 on February 20 [5] - A hypothetical portfolio of Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) stocks returned -3.48% in January 2025, compared to -0.60% for the S&P 500 [5] Zacks Model Portfolio Performance - The Zacks Model Portfolio, consisting of Zacks Rank 1 stocks, has outperformed the S&P 500 index by nearly 13 percentage points since 1988, with an annualized average return of +23.9% compared to +11.3% for the S&P 500 [7] - The Zacks Focus List portfolio returned -2.96% in Q1 2025, outperforming the S&P 500's -4.30% decline [12] - The Earnings Certain Admiral Portfolio (ECAP) returned +3.20% in Q1 2025, significantly better than the S&P 500's -4.30% decline [16] Stock Highlights - Pro-Dex, Inc. (PDEX) shares surged by 68.6% since its Zacks Recommendation upgrade to Outperform on March 4 [8] - Coca-Cola Company (KO) returned 17% over the past 12 weeks, while J. M. Smucker Company (SJM) increased by 12.6% during the same period [18] - Primo Brands Corporation (PRMB) rose by 9% year-to-date, outperforming the S&P 500 index's 10.2% decrease [22]

Group 1 - Brookdale Senior Living (BKD) has shown a year-to-date return of approximately 25.5%, outperforming the average loss of 5.4% in the Medical sector [4] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BKD's full-year earnings has increased by 9.8% over the past quarter, indicating improved analyst sentiment and a more positive earnings outlook [3] - Brookdale Senior Living is part of the Medical - Nursing Homes industry, which has an average loss of 0.3% this year, further highlighting BKD's strong performance within its specific industry [5] Group 2 - The Medical sector includes 1003 individual stocks and currently holds a Zacks Sector Rank of 3, indicating its relative performance compared to other sectors [2] - Claritev Corporation (CTEV), another stock in the Medical sector, has returned 37.5% year-to-date, showcasing that there are other outperformers in the sector [4] - The Medical - Nursing Homes industry, which includes only 2 companies, is currently ranked 4 in the Zacks Industry Rank, reflecting its competitive positioning [5][6]

Group 1: CEO Transition and Governance Changes - The Board of Directors of Brookdale Senior Living Inc. has initiated a search for a new Chief Executive Officer to drive operational and financial improvements and enhance shareholder value [2][3] - Lucinda M. Baier has stepped down as President and CEO effective April 13, 2025, and has also resigned from the Board of Directors [2][3] - Mark Fioravanti has been appointed as a new independent director, while Frank M. Bumstead will not stand for reelection at the 2025 Annual Meeting [5][6] Group 2: Interim Leadership and Operational Continuity - Denise W. Warren has been appointed as Interim CEO and will oversee day-to-day operations until a permanent CEO is named [3] - An Office of the CEO has been established, consisting of Ms. Warren, Dawn L. Kussow (CFO), and Chad C. White (General Counsel) to ensure business continuity [3] Group 3: Financial Performance and Outlook - Preliminary results for the first quarter of 2025 indicate that Brookdale's Adjusted EBITDA is expected to exceed both the company's and analysts' consensus expectations, with positive Adjusted Free Cash Flow anticipated [8][9] - The company expects RevPAR to exceed internal expectations, with a return to pre-pandemic occupancy rates projected to deliver approximately $170 million in incremental revenue and $125 million in incremental operating income [9] Group 4: Strategic Focus and Future Growth - The Board believes that Brookdale is well-positioned to deliver sustained returns to shareholders, capitalizing on the aging baby boomer demographic and improving occupancy rates [4][9] - The company aims to leverage its fixed cost model to return to pre-pandemic margins while focusing on profitable occupancy growth and Adjusted EBITDA enhancement [4][9]

Company Overview - Brookdale Senior Living Inc. is the leading operator of senior living communities in the United States, with 647 communities across 41 states, serving approximately 58,000 residents as of March 31, 2025 [1] - The company offers various living options including independent living, assisted living, memory care, and continuing care retirement communities, focusing on empowering seniors to live with dignity and purpose [1] - Brookdale emphasizes its commitment to exceptional service and care, guided by its core values of passion, courage, partnership, and trust [1] Occupancy Performance - In March, the weighted average occupancy increased by 160 basis points year-over-year to 79.5% and grew by 20 basis points sequentially from February, indicating counter-seasonal strength [3] - The month-end occupancy for March improved sequentially to 80.9%, marking the highest month-end occupancy in five years [3] - For the first quarter of 2025, the weighted average occupancy growth accelerated to 140 basis points year-over-year, reaching 79.3% [3] - The first quarter's occupancy performance was significantly better than normal seasonality, with move-in volume exceeding historical averages by 12% and move-out volume being 3% better than historical averages [3]