Jacobs Solutions (US:J)2026-02-03 22:32Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Adjusted EPS grew 15% to $1.53, supported by robust 8% net revenue growth and solid underlying margin performance [4][11] - Gross revenue increased 12% year-over-year, and adjusted net revenue grew by more than 8% [10] - Consolidated backlog was up 21% year-over-year to a record $26.3 billion, with trailing 12-month book-to-bill rising to 1.4x [11][12] - Free cash flow for Q1 was $365 million, with a strong underlying performance despite a favorable cash timing item [15][16] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Life sciences and advanced manufacturing net revenue grew 10% in Q1, driven by strong award activity in data centers and semiconductor sectors [12][13] - Critical infrastructure net revenue increased 8% over Q1 2025, with robust growth in transportation, particularly in rail and aviation [13] - Water and environmental net revenue growth increased sequentially to 4%, driven by high single-digit growth in water [13][14] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - International business grew over 9%, with broad-based growth in Europe, the Middle East, and APAC [23] - The company is seeing a strong demand for integrated consulting and delivery approaches, particularly in critical infrastructure [9] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The acquisition of the remaining stake in PA Consulting is seen as a key accelerant in the strategy to redefine the asset life cycle [4][10] - The company aims to simplify its structure and produce predictable, high-quality earnings over the long term [10] - Focus on leveraging digital consulting, innovation, and AI advisory to enhance service offerings and drive growth [4][10] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the updated guidance, citing strong execution and secular growth tailwinds [20] - The company anticipates continued growth in the life sciences and advanced manufacturing sectors, particularly in the second half of the fiscal year [12][14] - Management noted that the government shutdown did not impact their performance, providing confidence in their revenue range [23][24] Other Important Information - The company announced a 12.5% increase in its quarterly dividend from $0.32 to $0.36 per share [16] - The net leverage ratio currently stands just below 0.8x on LTM adjusted EBITDA, well below the target range of 1.0x-1.5x [16] Q&A Session Summary Question: Outlook considering potential government shutdown - Management indicated that the backlog's burn profile and strong wins in life sciences and advanced manufacturing are key drivers for confidence in guidance [23][24] Question: Environmental services business performance - Management highlighted three factors driving improvement: government contracts, disaster relief work transitioning to state and local levels, and increased private sector demand [25][26][28][29] Question: Backlog growth and project complexity - Management confirmed that the risk profile remains unchanged and that they are utilizing the same risk management strategies as in previous years [78][79] Question: PA Consulting acquisition valuation - Management clarified the accounting and economic ownership differences and emphasized the expected accretive nature of the acquisition [81][84] Question: Project pipeline growth by end markets - Management reported strong pipeline growth across water and environmental, life sciences, and critical infrastructure sectors, with varying growth rates [90]