Barrett Business Services(US:BBSI)2020-08-08 19:27Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Diluted income per share increased 24% to $1.81 compared to $1.46 in Q2 of 2018 [5] - Gross billings of $1.46 billion grew 6% over the same period [5] - Net revenue of $231 million decreased slightly compared to $231.6 million in Q2 of 2018 [6] - Gross margin increased 14% to $55 million compared to $48 million at Q2 of 2018 [7] - SG&A in the second quarter was $39 million or 2.7% of gross billings compared to $35.6 million or 2.6% in the prior year quarter [8] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - PEO gross billings increased 7% to $1.44 billion compared to the second quarter last year [5] - Staffing revenue decreased 19% to $28 million compared to Q2 of 2018 due to a tight labor market [6] - Same-customer sales were 4% compared to 5.7% in Q2 of 2018 [5] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Gross billings grew by 4% in California versus 13% in all other combined geographies [5] - Southern California experienced the softest growth, with same-customer sales below 4% [33] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company continues to focus on balancing spend against growth while investing in future business [9] - A 20% dividend increase to $1.20 per share annually and a $50 million stock repurchase plan over the next three years were announced [12] - The company aims for gross billings growth of approximately 8% for the next rolling 12-month period [14] Management Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the ability to create shareholder value and noted that business owners are optimistic but face challenges in finding skilled labor [16][18] - The company anticipates continued deceleration in staffing revenue and same-customer sales growth [14] - Management highlighted a strong pipeline and continued investment in infrastructure to support growth [20] Other Important Information - The effective tax rate estimate increased to 22% due to changes in capital allocation strategy and state allocations [9] - Unrestricted cash and investments were $101 million at June 30, 2019, which is $62 million greater than March 31, 2019 [10] Q&A Session Summary Question: What percentage of clients have workers' comp through BBSI? - Approximately 8% of new clients added in the quarter did not have workers' comp attached [23] Question: Has the pricing changed for workers' comp? - Profitability is driven by reduced frictional costs and better alignment with clients, leading to lower claims frequency [26] Question: Can you break down same-store sales results? - Same-customer sales were 4% for the company, with Southern California being the softest market [33] Question: What factors are contributing to lower growth rates in California? - The slowdown is attributed to macroeconomic factors, including tariff conversations affecting logistics and manufacturing [36] Question: How does the company view the workers' comp cycle? - The company believes it is closer to the bottom of the cycle, with rate decreases slowing down [39] Question: What is the rationale behind the $50 million share repurchase? - The strong balance sheet allows for different decisions regarding shareholder value while continuing to invest in growth [44] Question: Will the Chubb renewal be an annual event? - The renewal is not expected to be a multiyear agreement due to the changing profile of the company [51] Question: What is the trend in wage inflation across geographies? - Wage inflation is consistent across geographies, ranging from 2.7% to 3.4% [53]