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Fluor(FLR) - 2024 Q4 - Earnings Call Transcript
FLRFluor(FLR)2025-02-18 17:28

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Fluor reported revenue of 16.3billionfor2024,markinga5.416.3 billion for 2024, marking a 5.4% increase from 2023 [13] - Net income for the year was 2.1 billion, equating to 12.30perdilutedshare[40]AdjustedEBITDAfortheyearwas12.30 per diluted share [40] - Adjusted EBITDA for the year was 530 million, with segment profit totaling 635million[42]Cashandcashequivalents,alongwithmarketablesecurities,increasedby14635 million [42] - Cash and cash equivalents, along with marketable securities, increased by 14% to 3 billion [44] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Urban Solutions segment reported a profit of 81millionforthequarter,downfrom81 million for the quarter, down from 147 million a year ago, with new awards totaling 1.4billion[20]EnergySolutionsreportedafourthquartersegmentprofitof1.4 billion [20] - Energy Solutions reported a fourth quarter segment profit of 63 million, significantly up from 26millionin2023[28]MissionSolutionsreportedasegmentprofitof26 million in 2023 [28] - Mission Solutions reported a segment profit of 45 million in the fourth quarter, compared to 31millionayearago[36]MarketDataandKeyMetricsChangesTheendingbacklogforUrbanSolutionsgrewby2031 million a year ago [36] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The ending backlog for Urban Solutions grew by 20% to 17.7 billion, while Energy Solutions' backlog decreased to 7.6billionfrom7.6 billion from 9.7 billion a year ago [29][20] - The company noted a healthy book-to-burn ratio of just under 1 for new awards in 2024, with 85% of new awards being reimbursable [14] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is transitioning to a "grow and execute" strategy, focusing on revised growth targets and project delivery [11] - Fluor is tracking opportunities in various sectors, including domestic energy, key minerals production, and AI infrastructure development, which are seen as favorable for its business segments [16] - The company aims to leverage its expertise in power generation to support the growing demand from data centers [80] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the future, citing strong cash flow and a robust capital structure [10] - The company anticipates a significant increase in demand for data centers and related power generation solutions [81] - Management highlighted the importance of maintaining strong relationships with clients and adapting to market demands [19] Other Important Information - The company plans to target an additional 300millioninsharerepurchasesduring2025[46]FluorsinvestmentinNuScalewasdeconsolidated,resultingina300 million in share repurchases during 2025 [46] - Fluor's investment in NuScale was deconsolidated, resulting in a 1.6 billion pretax gain [49] Q&A Session Summary Question: Outlook for 2025 and book-to-bill ratio - Management indicated a book-to-bill ratio significantly above 1 for 2025, with strong opportunities in Urban Solutions and Energy Solutions [66][69] Question: Data center cycle compared to life sciences - Management noted they are in the early phases of the data center cycle, with significant investments expected from major players [74][79] Question: Update on NuScale monetization - Management confirmed ongoing negotiations for monetization, emphasizing the importance of getting the process right for long-term success [87][90] Question: Federal government contracts and spending freezes - Management reassured that critical government contracts, particularly in national security and energy, are expected to continue despite spending freezes [93][96] Question: LNG Canada project cost increases - Management acknowledged additional resources were expended on insulation work but confirmed the project remains on track for first cargo delivery [105][106] Question: Energy Solutions margins and cash flow guidance - Management explained that the guidance reflects a pivot from legacy projects to demand-driven growth, with expectations for improved margins in the latter half of the year [108][111]