BrightView (NYSE:BV) Q4 2025 Earnings Call November 20, 2025 08:30 AM ET Speaker1Good day, everyone, and welcome to today's BrightView earnings call. At this time, all participants are in a listen-only mode. Later, you will have the opportunity to ask questions during the question-and-answer session. You may register to ask a question at any time by pressing the star and one on your telephone keypad. You may withdraw yourself from the queue by pressing the star and two. Please note this call may be recorded ...

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]