Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - CoreCivic reported first quarter revenue of $488.6 million, exceeding expectations, with EBITDA of $81 million, both metrics showing meaningful increases from the fourth quarter of 2024 [9][10] - Facility utilization improved to 77% from 75.2% in the prior year quarter [8] - Net income was $0.23 per share and FFO per share was $0.45, both exceeding average analyst estimates by $0.10 per share [35] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue from federal partners, primarily ICE and the U.S. Marshals Service, comprised 48% of total revenue, with ICE revenue increasing by 11% when excluding the Dilley facility [23][24] - Revenue from state partners in the Safety and Community segments increased by 5.2% compared to the prior year quarter, driven by higher per diem rates and occupancy [30][38] - The Community segment's revenue was flat year-over-year, but net operating income increased by 6% [33] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - ICE's national detention population increased from approximately 39,000 to nearly 48,000 individuals during the quarter, with CoreCivic's share rising from about 10,000 to 12,000 detainees [25] - CoreCivic has nine idle facilities with over 13,400 available beds, indicating significant capacity to meet ICE's needs [45] Company Strategy and Development Direction - CoreCivic is focused on reactivating facilities and expanding capacity to meet increasing demand from ICE and state partners, with a capital expenditure increase of $25 million for facility activations [13][59] - The company is exploring additional opportunities for expansion and evaluating potential acquisitions to enhance its service offerings [46] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the operational improvements and the ability to respond to increased demand from government partners [32] - The company anticipates new contracts with ICE following budget reconciliation, which could lead to further activations of idle facilities [44] Other Important Information - CoreCivic's capital allocation strategy has contributed to increases in per share earnings through reductions in interest expense and share repurchases [37][40] - The company plans to spend $60 million to $65 million on maintenance capital expenditures during 2025, unchanged from prior guidance [45] Q&A Session Summary Question: Are there more letter agreements with ICE? - Management confirmed that they are not hiding any agreements and noted the intensity of ICE's need for beds, suggesting more agreements could be forthcoming [54][55] Question: How many more facilities could the additional $25 million CapEx support? - Management indicated that they are leaning forward on almost all idle facilities and that the total CapEx could be higher depending on the facilities activated [58][59] Question: What is the appetite for managing soft-sided facilities? - Management expressed strong interest in managing soft-sided facilities and highlighted their capability to respond quickly to such needs [61][62] Question: What revenues might be generated from increased transportation work for ICE? - Management stated that it is difficult to quantify at this stage but indicated that transportation needs are being analyzed in connection with existing contracts [70][71] Question: Any updates on the community side with BOP? - Management noted that the new BOP director is in the early stages of forming a leadership team, and they expect a push for increased capacity in the private sector for community beds [75][76]