Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In the second quarter, rental revenue increased by 13.7% and adjusted EBITDA rose by 12.8% to $406 million [32] - The company recorded a net loss in the second quarter, which included $73 million of transaction costs related to the H and E acquisition and a $49 million loss on assets held for sale [32] - On an adjusted basis, net income was $56 million [32] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - GAAP equipment rental revenue was up about 14%, but on a pro forma basis, rental revenue would have been down 2% year over year, primarily due to weakness in the film and TV vertical and a decline in the H and E business [35] - Excluding Cinelese, rental revenue from Herc legacy branches increased by 4%, reflecting strong mega project activity and positive results in both general rental and specialty product lines [35] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Local accounts represented 53% of rental revenue compared to 56% a year ago, while national account demand remains strong [20] - The company is targeting a 60% local and 40% national revenue split, which provides growth and resiliency [21] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The integration of H and E is the primary focus, with plans to pause other M&A initiatives for the time being [16] - The company aims to capitalize on the shift from ownership to rental, particularly in the specialty market, and is planning to repurpose general rental branches into ProSolutions facilities [17] - The company is targeting $350 million in gross revenue synergies over three years from the H and E acquisition [40] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that local markets are under pressure due to interest rate-sensitive commercial construction, while mega project activity remains robust [20] - The company has not experienced cancellations on mega projects, although delays are typical due to design revisions and regulatory reviews [21] - Management expressed confidence in achieving both revenue and cost synergies from the acquisition, with a target of 50% of the $125 million EBITDA run rate by year-end 2025 [40] Other Important Information - The company generated $270 million of free cash flow in the first half of the year, net of transaction costs [37] - The current leverage ratio is 3.8 times, with plans to bring it back into the target range of 2 to 3 times by 2027 [37] Q&A Session Summary Question: Comments on fleet setup and future CapEx - Management indicated that it is early in the integration process and adjustments will be made to right-size the H and E fleet [45] Question: Confidence in overcoming revenue dissynergies - Management noted that while there were initial workforce disruptions, stabilization has occurred since the acquisition [51] Question: Free cash flow guidance clarification - Management provided a baseline for free cash flow generation of 10% to 15% off the revenue base, considering the missing cash flow from H and E [60] Question: Pricing pressures for H and E - Management acknowledged pricing headwinds for H and E but noted that pricing contributed to revenue growth for Herc [63] Question: Cost synergies related to headcount - Management confirmed that a significant portion of the $125 million cost synergies is related to headcount reductions, which have been identified [67] Question: Revenue synergy from cross-selling specialty products - Management expressed optimism about early synergy wins and training for the sales team to enhance specialty product offerings [78]
Herc Holdings(HRI) - 2025 Q2 - Earnings Call Transcript