Jacobs Solutions (US:J)2025-08-05 15:02Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Adjusted EPS grew 25% to $1.62, supported by 7% net revenue growth and significant year-over-year margin expansion [4][6] - Adjusted EBITDA increased by more than 13% to $314 million, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 14.1%, an increase of 80 basis points year-over-year [14][15] - Consolidated backlog rose 14% year-over-year to a record $22.7 billion, with a trailing twelve-month book-to-bill ratio of 1.2x [15][22] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Water and Environmental adjusted net revenue grew over 5% in Q3, with expectations for similar growth in Q4 [16] - Life Sciences and Advanced Manufacturing adjusted net revenue also increased approximately 5% in Q3, with anticipated growth in Q4 [16] - Critical Infrastructure adjusted net revenue rose over 6% year-on-year, with Energy and Power being the fastest-growing sector [17] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Strong demand in the water sector, with significant project wins in wastewater treatment and environmental modernization [9][12] - Data centers are becoming the fastest-growing submarket, with increased scope in power and water requirements [10][29] - Growth in transportation and energy sectors in Europe and the Middle East, driven by stabilization in government budgets [55] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to redefine the asset lifecycle, focusing on expanding addressable markets with core clients [8][25] - Continued investment in digital twin technologies and partnerships, such as with NVIDIA, to enhance service offerings [10][30] - The strategy includes leveraging global expertise in capital project execution to meet energy and sustainability goals [12][13] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management feels positive about the operating environment, citing secular growth drivers in various sectors [5][22] - The company expects to build on strong Q3 performance into Q4 and fiscal year 2026, with revenue growth anticipated to exceed fiscal year 2025 [23][24] - Management highlighted the importance of backlog growth and pipeline strength as indicators of future success [25] Other Important Information - Free cash flow for Q3 was $271 million, with significant share repurchases and capital returns to shareholders [20][21] - The company is on track to return over 100% of adjusted free cash flow in fiscal year 2025 [21][22] - The updated outlook for fiscal year 2025 includes adjusted net revenue growth of approximately 5.5% and adjusted EPS in the range of $6 to $6.1 [22] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you expand on the data center submarket growth? - The company is seeing increased scope in data center projects, including power and water requirements, and is expanding its delivery model to full project delivery [29][30] Question: What is the makeup of the backlog and the expected pace of burn? - The backlog is growing in advanced facilities and water sectors, with longer duration projects expected to provide visibility beyond fiscal year 2026 [32][35] Question: How do you assess the impact of new federal policies on business? - The company sees stability in state and local government spending, particularly in transportation and water, as a net positive for business [40][42] Question: What are the expected one-time costs associated with the separation? - One-time restructuring costs are expected to be between $75 million and $95 million, significantly lower than the previous fiscal year [45][46] Question: What is the outlook for fiscal year 2026 growth? - The company expects growth in fiscal year 2026 to exceed that of fiscal year 2025, driven by life sciences, data centers, and water sectors [49][51] Question: How is the environmental sector performing? - The environmental sector experienced a slowdown but is expected to recover as regulatory environments stabilize [97] Question: What is the status of the investment in PA Consulting? - The dialogue with PA Consulting continues positively, with a focus on performance and synergistic value moving forward [100][101]