Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) - 2026 Q3 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Gross revenue for the third quarter totaled $2.6 billion, representing a roughly 10% decline year-over-year and a 7% decline on a revenue ex-billable basis [20][21] - Adjusted EBITDA for the third quarter was $285 million, translating to an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 10.9% [23] - Net income for the third quarter was $200 million, a 7% increase year-over-year, while adjusted net income was $215 million, an increase of about 9% from the prior year [24] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The national security portfolio declined about 1% year-over-year, but grew about 4% when adjusting for the impact of the government shutdown [21] - The Civil business experienced a significant decline of about 28% year-over-year, with expectations for stability moving forward [21][51] - Net bookings for the third quarter totaled $888 million, resulting in a quarterly book-to-bill ratio of 0.3x [21] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Funded backlog fell 10% year-over-year, but ended the calendar year with a record year-end backlog of over $38 billion, up about 2% from the prior year [22] - The qualified pipeline for fiscal year 2027 stands at nearly $53 billion, which is 12% higher than the fiscal year 2026 pipeline at the same point last year [22][29] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on three priorities: reducing costs, accelerating the transition to outcome-based contracting and product sales, and concentrating investments on growth vectors like cyber, national security, partnerships, and AI [7][12] - A new partnership with Andreessen Horowitz aims to co-create unique commercial technology for national security and public safety, with Booz Allen committing to deploy up to $400 million in a16z's late-stage venture fund [15] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's operational and strategic trajectory, anticipating continued change in a dynamic environment [16] - The demand for national security technology and expertise remains robust, with optimism about the Civil business beginning to reignite [30] Other Important Information - The company is transitioning to fixed-price and outcome-based models, which are expected to create cost savings for the government and support margin expansion over the medium to long term [10] - The company recognized a $7 million pre-tax gain from the divestiture of DARPA's SETA work, which is excluded from non-GAAP adjusted income [24] Q&A Session Summary Question: End market expectations for FY27 - Management indicated that defense and intelligence are expected to grow, while Civil is anticipated to remain flat, with potential for recovery in the future [34][36] Question: Cost reduction plan - The cost reduction actions were completed during the quarter, with some impact expected in Q4, but the full effect will be felt next fiscal year [44][46] Question: Funded backlog and growth in fiscal 2027 - Management noted that awards are starting to accelerate, with strong funding activity observed in December and January, positioning the company for growth [75][76] Question: Competition from new players - The competitive landscape has evolved, with new commercial competitors emerging, but the company is leveraging unique relationships with tech firms to create opportunities [77][78] Question: Changes in selling to the government - The company has become more agile in its approach, focusing on commercial partnerships and outcome-based solutions to drive growth [54][56]