DENVER, Sept. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Service Nation, the premier contractor membership organization within EverCommerce’s (NASDAQ: EVCM) EverPro division of home and field services, will roll out the red carpet for the 10th annual Service World Expo. The event is the nation's most influential gathering of residential service business leaders, including HVAC, plumbing, electrical and remodeling contractors. Hosted at Caesars Forum & Harrah’s Las Vegas from October 26-30, Service World Expo will bring t ...

Core Insights - Investors should consider adding stocks with strong liquidity to their portfolios, as these stocks are associated with business growth and potential maximum returns [1][2] - Four top-ranked stocks identified for potential investment are Remitly Global, Inc. (RELY), Frontdoor, Inc. (FTDR), Pagaya Technologies Ltd. (PGY), and Willdan Group, Inc. (WLDN) [1][9] Liquidity Measures - Current Ratio: Measures current assets against current liabilities; a ratio below 1 indicates more liabilities than assets, while a range of 1-3 is ideal [4] - Quick Ratio: Indicates ability to pay short-term obligations, with a desirable ratio of more than 1 [5] - Cash Ratio: The most conservative measure, focusing on cash and equivalents relative to current liabilities; a ratio greater than 1 is desirable but may indicate inefficiency [6] Screening Parameters - Asset Utilization: A measure of efficiency, calculated as total sales over the last 12 months divided by the average total assets; companies with a ratio higher than their industry average are considered efficient [7][8] - Growth Score: A proprietary metric added to ensure that liquid and efficient stocks also have solid growth potential [8] Company Highlights - **Remitly Global, Inc. (RELY)**: Specializes in digital financial and remittance services, with revenues of $411.9 million for Q2 2025, up 34% year over year; active customers grew 24% to over 8.5 million [12][10] - **Frontdoor, Inc. (FTDR)**: Parent company of home service plan brands, reported revenues of $617 million for Q2 2025, up 14% year over year; DTC member count increased by 9% [15][14] - **Pagaya Technologies Ltd. (PGY)**: Focuses on AI infrastructure for finance, with total revenues of $326 million for Q2 2025, a 30% increase year over year; annualized run-rate for POS and Auto segments reached $1.2 billion and $2 billion, respectively [17][18] - **Willdan Group, Inc. (WLDN)**: Provides consulting services to government and private sectors, with net revenues expected between $340 million and $350 million for 2025; contract revenues jumped 23% year over year [20][21]

Core Viewpoint - Investors are increasingly seeking growth stocks that demonstrate above-average growth potential, with Frontdoor (FTDR) identified as a promising candidate due to its favorable growth metrics and strong Zacks Rank [1][2]. Group 1: Earnings Growth - Frontdoor has a historical EPS growth rate of 17.1%, with projected EPS growth of 8.8% for the current year, surpassing the industry average of 8.5% [4]. - Double-digit earnings growth is preferred by growth investors as it indicates strong future prospects and potential stock price gains [3]. Group 2: Asset Utilization - Frontdoor's asset utilization ratio (sales-to-total-assets ratio) stands at 1.03, indicating that the company generates $1.03 in sales for every dollar in assets, which is higher than the industry average of 0.82 [5]. Group 3: Sales Growth - The company's sales are projected to grow by 11.9% this year, significantly outpacing the industry average growth of 0.3% [6]. Group 4: Earnings Estimate Revisions - There has been a positive trend in earnings estimate revisions for Frontdoor, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year increasing by 5.3% over the past month [8][7]. Group 5: Overall Assessment - Frontdoor has achieved a Growth Score of A and holds a Zacks Rank 1, indicating it is a potential outperformer and a solid choice for growth investors [10].

Core Insights - Frontdoor (FTDR) is expected to report quarterly earnings of $1.44 per share, reflecting a 13.4% increase year-over-year, with revenues projected at $602.1 million, an 11.1% increase compared to the previous year [1] - The consensus EPS estimate has remained unchanged over the past 30 days, indicating analysts' reassessment of their projections [1][2] - Analysts predict specific revenue metrics for Frontdoor, including $458.90 million from 'Revenue by Customer Channel- Renewals', a 9% year-over-year increase [3] Revenue Projections - 'Revenue by Customer Channel- Other' is expected to reach $47.45 million, indicating a significant year-over-year change of 35.6% [4] - 'Revenue by Customer Channel- Direct-to-consumer (First-Year)' is projected at $55.00 million, reflecting a 10% increase year-over-year [4] - 'Revenue by Customer Channel- Real estate (First-Year)' is anticipated to be $41.40 million, suggesting a 15% year-over-year change [5] Stock Performance - Frontdoor's shares have decreased by 3.1% over the past month, contrasting with a 0.6% increase in the Zacks S&P 500 composite [5] - The company holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), indicating expectations to mirror overall market performance in the near future [5]

Core Insights - Angi is launching an "AI Helper" to enhance the service request experience for homeowners, coinciding with its 30th anniversary, aimed at simplifying connections with service professionals and meeting the demand for smarter home improvement solutions [1][5] Technology Enhancement - The new AI system utilizes advanced large language models (LLMs) and job assessment questions developed with service professionals to create more accurate service requests, allowing homeowners to describe their needs in their own words [2][4] - The AI improves match accuracy by approximately 30% compared to traditional methods, ensuring precise recommendations and quicker quotes from qualified professionals [4] Market Insights - Angi's State of Home Spending report indicates that 45% of homeowners experience stress and anxiety due to a lack of knowledge about repairs, highlighting a significant market need for improved service matching [3] - The company has evolved significantly since its founding in 1995, with key milestones including its IPO in 2011 and strategic mergers, reinforcing its position as a leading home services platform [5][6] Commitment to Innovation - Angi's continuous training of its AI system using historical data and real-world interactions has led to significant improvements in service match accuracy and quality, demonstrating the company's commitment to enhancing user experience [5] - The introduction of the AI-powered feature reflects Angi's dedication to evolving with community needs and streamlining the home improvement process [4]

Core Viewpoint - Frontdoor (FTDR) is experiencing solid improvement in earnings estimates, which is likely to positively impact its stock price momentum [1][2]. Earnings Estimate Revisions - Analysts show growing optimism regarding Frontdoor's earnings prospects, reflected in upward revisions of earnings estimates [2]. - The current quarter's earnings estimate is $1.35 per share, representing a 6.3% increase from the previous year [6]. - Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Frontdoor has increased by 11.09%, with three estimates moving higher and one lower [6]. - For the full year, the expected earnings are $3.29 per share, indicating a 1.79% decrease from the prior year, but there is a positive trend in estimate revisions [7]. Zacks Rank - Frontdoor currently holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), indicating promising estimate revisions and a favorable investment outlook [8]. - The Zacks Rank system has a strong track record, with Zacks 1 Ranked stocks averaging a 25% annual return since 2008 [3]. Stock Performance - Frontdoor shares have increased by 43.1% over the past four weeks, suggesting strong investor confidence in its earnings growth prospects [9].

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The first quarter performance was solid, but revenue dropped significantly due to the implementation of Homeowner Choice, which affected lead volume [7][12] - The company reported a 3357% decline in network service requests and leads, primarily due to the requirement for homeowners to choose their pros [14][15] - Proprietary service request declines have decelerated materially, with proprietary lead declines nearly flat for the quarter [16] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The implementation of Homeowner Choice led to a significant increase in homeowner satisfaction, with the net promoter score improving from negative to positive [9] - The pro win rate increased by 10% after the implementation of Homeowner Choice, indicating better job completion rates [10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted a modest decline in homeowner volume and job size in early April, impacting revenue by 3 to 5 percentage points [27][30] - Approximately two-thirds of the business is non-discretionary, providing a protective buffer against economic downturns [30] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on driving jobs done well as a key to long-term value creation for homeowners, shareholders, and the team [11] - The transition to a Single Pro product is expected to enhance customer experience and drive revenue growth in 2026 [16][53] - The company plans to stabilize its sales headcount and roll out online pro acquisition in the second half of the year, anticipating growth in the number of pros by 2027 [19][88] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged the impact of macroeconomic conditions on consumer spending, particularly in home services, but noted countercyclical dynamics that could benefit the company [27][28] - The company expects to return to revenue growth in 2026, driven by improvements in proprietary channels and revenue per lead [36][42] Other Important Information - The company has reduced fixed expenses and capital expenditures by $100 million compared to 2022, while maintaining staffing levels to support growth [33] - The transition to active pro cohorts allows for better visibility into retention and activation dynamics within the network [22] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you contrast elements of consumer wallet spend against the services landscape? - Management noted that consumers tend to pull back on large discretionary purchases during recessionary environments, focusing instead on necessary maintenance [27][28] Question: How should investors think about the investments being made in product and platform? - Management highlighted that significant investments have been made in customer experience, leading to improved metrics and operating efficiency despite lower revenue [32][34] Question: What gives confidence in revenue trends continuing to improve? - Management pointed to significant improvements in proprietary service requests and leads, along with anticipated growth in revenue per lead [42] Question: How does the strategy change now that the company is independent? - Management stated that the strategy remains unchanged, focusing on improving the homeowner experience and achieving positive unit economics [84] Question: What are the expectations for the self-serve platform for sales? - Management indicated that the self-serve platform could increase pro count and efficiency, leveraging successful models from Europe [88]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The first quarter performance was solid, but revenue dropped significantly due to the implementation of Homeowner Choice, which affected lead volume [6][11] - The company reported a 3357% decline in network service requests and leads, primarily due to the requirement for homeowners to choose their pros [13][14] - Proprietary service request declines have decelerated materially, with proprietary lead declines nearly flat for the quarter [15] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The pro win rate increased by 10% after the implementation of Homeowner Choice, indicating improved job completion rates [9] - The volume of newly acquired pros decreased by 41%, but the value creation on this smaller base is nearly 50% greater than a year ago [16] - The average leads per active pro decreased from 15 to 11, indicating significant capacity in the existing network [17] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Canadian business faced challenges due to an old platform, but has since transitioned to a more profitable model, resulting in a decline in revenue but an increase in profitability [58] - International revenue is impacted by regulatory matters in Europe, including ID checks for new and existing pros, leading to a temporary slowdown [60] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on improving the homeowner experience and driving successful matches between homeowners and pros, which remains unchanged post-independence [80] - The transition to a self-serve platform for pro acquisition is expected to increase efficiency and grow the pro count over time [86] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - The macro environment has led to a modest decline in homeowner volume, but the company anticipates that pros will increasingly rely on their platform for demand [25][26] - The company expects to return to revenue growth in 2026, driven by improvements in proprietary channels and revenue per lead [33] Other Important Information - The company has reduced fixed expenses and CapEx by $100 million compared to 2022, while maintaining staffing levels to support growth [30] - The implementation of AI technology is expected to enhance the customer experience and operational efficiencies [51] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you contrast elements of consumer wallet spend against the services landscape? - Management noted that consumers are prioritizing necessary maintenance over discretionary spending in recessionary environments, impacting homeowner volume [25][26] Question: What are the capital allocation priorities now that the company is independent? - The company plans to buy back shares as appropriate and is focused on core operations while considering strategic acquisitions if they are accretive to shareholders [39][40] Question: What product initiatives are planned to improve the ecosystem? - The company is focused on refining the homeowner experience and has introduced an AI helper to enhance job matching [46][47] Question: Can you provide insight into the international revenue growth challenges? - The Canadian business has transitioned to a more profitable model, but revenue is declining due to the elimination of a high-cost sales force [58][59] Question: How does the company view the pro acquisition strategy moving forward? - The company is concentrating on acquiring higher capacity pros at lower costs and plans to reactivate previously engaged pros [69][70]

Changes to Key Metrics Q1 2025 Primer 1 Change of Metric from Transacting Professionals to Active Pros A key sign of Pro engagement on our platform is Pros making themselves available to be presented to homeowners for particular Service Requests and paying for the corresponding Leads if selected by the homeowner. We've redesigned the metric - Average Monthly Active Pros - to best capture that activity. The current Transacting Professional metric is focused on whether a Pro has generated revenue during the q ...

Core Insights - Angi Inc. reported its first quarter financial results and a letter to shareholders from CEO Jeffrey Kip, which is available on the investor relations section of its website [1] - A conference call to discuss the first quarter results will take place on May 7, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. ET, featuring CEO Jeffrey Kip and CFO Andrew Russakoff [1] Company Overview - Angi Inc. (NASDAQ: ANGI) assists homeowners in completing home projects and supports home service professionals in growing their businesses [3] - Established in 1995, Angi has evolved to provide services that include finding, booking, and hiring skilled professionals, as well as researching costs and discovering project possibilities [3] - The company has helped over 150 million people with home maintenance, repair, renovation, and improvement, while also aiding hundreds of thousands of small local businesses [3]