Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The first quarter revenue was $2.228 billion, exceeding the high end of the outlook and up $155 million or 7.5% year-over-year [21] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q1 was $712.2 million, up 9.5% year-over-year, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 32%, above the outlook and up 60 basis points year-over-year [28][29] - Adjusted free cash flow for Q1 was $332.1 million, in line with expectations [31] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Core solid waste pricing increased by 6.9%, with total pricing at 6.7%, reflecting a reduction in fuel and material surcharges [22] - Solid waste volumes decreased by 2.8%, with 50 basis points attributable to weather impacts [23][24] - Special waste activity increased by 6%, while construction and demolition (C&D) tons decreased by 6% [25][26] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported that cardboard and renewable energy credits values were down about 20% year-over-year, with prices for OCC averaging $105 per ton and RINs averaging $2.45 [27] - The company has seen no significant impacts from tariffs or geopolitical concerns on solid waste organic growth [12] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on price-led organic growth and acquisition activity, with a strong emphasis on employee retention and safety performance [4][10] - The company is on pace for a busy year in M&A, with annualized revenues from closed acquisitions already over $125 million [17][18] - The company aims to maintain a leverage ratio of 2.3 times debt to EBITDA, positioning itself well for continued acquisition activity [18] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's ability to navigate macroeconomic uncertainties, reiterating the full-year 2025 outlook for revenue, adjusted EBITDA, and adjusted free cash flow [36] - The company has not seen significant changes in trends that would alter the outlook for 2025, despite broader economic uncertainties [36] Other Important Information - The company received a rating upgrade from Moody's to A3, reflecting its strong track record [19] - Employee retention improved for the tenth consecutive quarter, with voluntary turnover down to below 12% [13] Q&A Session Summary Question: Impact of HSR changes on M&A - Management noted that the HSR filing process has become more lengthy and expensive, but 99% of their deals do not require HSR filings, so they do not expect delays in M&A [44][45] Question: Volume decline and weather impact - Management confirmed that the 2.8% volume decline included a 50 basis point impact from weather and that normalized volumes showed sequential improvement [48][50] Question: Landfill tons in April - Management reported that the last four-week average total tons were up 4.5%, with year-to-date tons up exactly 3% [52] Question: Driving factors behind safety improvements - Management attributed record low safety incident rates to cultural changes and improved coaching effectiveness, with technology playing a supportive role [55][56] Question: Changes in RNG landscape - Management indicated no meaningful changes in the RNG landscape, with existing facilities showing stable RIN prices [65][66] Question: Core pricing and retention trends - Management confirmed that core pricing guidance remains unchanged, with better price retention observed year-to-date compared to the previous year [70][72] Question: Q2 margin guidance - Management explained that Q2 margins are expected to face greater headwinds from commodities compared to Q1, leading to a slight decrease in year-over-year margin expansion [85][86] Question: Special waste and C&D volume trends - Management noted that special waste and C&D volumes are cyclical and can be influenced by economic activity, with current trends showing some delays in job starts due to uncertainty [120][121]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue for the first quarter was $599 million, showing a modest increase when adjusting for the unwinding of the BES business and the sale of U.S. Lawns in the prior year [12] - Adjusted EBITDA for the first quarter was $52.1 million, an increase of $5.4 million or 12% year-over-year, with adjusted EBITDA margins expanding by 120 basis points [15][16] - Net leverage at the end of the first quarter was 2.3 times, down from 2.9 times in the prior year period, driven by lower debt levels and improved profitability [17] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - In the maintenance segment, revenue was relatively flat compared to the prior year, but improvements in employee turnover and customer retention were noted [13] - The development business saw a revenue increase of 3.5% due to the ongoing conversion of a high-quality backlog [13] - Adjusted EBITDA in the development segment reached $17.5 million, marking a record for the first quarter, with an adjusted EBITDA margin expansion of 80 basis points [16] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Employee turnover trends improved significantly, contributing to higher customer retention rates [10] - The company is pivoting to a four-day workweek in certain markets, which has been well received by both employees and customers [9] - The company reported that two-thirds of its markets have returned to stable year-over-year ancillary revenue levels, with only two markets facing headwinds [63] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on embracing a unified "One BrightView" culture, prioritizing employees and customers to enhance its position as the employer and service provider of choice [8] - Strategic initiatives are underway to improve employee turnover and customer retention, which are expected to drive sustainable profitable growth [12] - The company plans to leverage its size and scale to differentiate itself from competitors and drive long-term shareholder value [8][20] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in achieving previously provided 2025 financial guidance, anticipating another record EBITDA year [7] - The management team emphasized that they are still in the early stages of transformation, with significant opportunities for improvement and growth ahead [10][12] - Management highlighted the importance of customer retention as a key metric for future growth, indicating that improvements in this area will drive organic growth [30] Other Important Information - The company is hosting an Investor Day on February 19, where more details on its long-term growth strategy will be shared [4][20] - The company has completed a repricing of its $738 million term loan, reducing the interest rate by 50 basis points, resulting in annual cash interest savings of approximately $7.5 million [18] Q&A Session Summary Question: Expectations for maintenance land organic growth this year - Management confirmed that they expect core growth to inflect into positive territory in the second half of the year, with ongoing improvements in employee turnover and customer retention [25][26] Question: Customer retention progress - Management indicated that customer retention is trending positively, with significant room for improvement compared to historical levels [31][32] Question: Future margin lift components - Management discussed various levers for future margin expansion, including procurement initiatives and fleet management improvements [38][39] Question: Labor availability and inflation concerns - Management expressed confidence in their labor force, noting a solid average tenure among frontline employees and ongoing efforts to reduce turnover [53][54] Question: Ancillary revenue trends - Management highlighted a direct correlation between customer retention and ancillary revenue, indicating that happy customers are more likely to engage in discretionary spending [61][62] Question: Development backlog trends - Management reported that the development backlog is up about 6% to 7% year-over-year, indicating strong growth potential [102] Question: Margin expansion guidance - Management reiterated their confidence in maintenance margin expansion, with a target range of 12.6% to 13% for the year [72]