Chemed(US:CHE)2023-07-28 01:31Financial Data and Key Metrics - VITAS Healthcare's Q2 2023 revenue increased by 7.8% YoY to $321 million, driven by a 6.2% increase in days of care and a 2.7% increase in Medicare reimbursement rates [101] - Roto-Rooter's Q2 2023 revenue declined by 0.2% YoY to $233 million, with residential revenue down 1.1% and commercial revenue up 1.3% [99] - VITAS' adjusted EBITDA margin, excluding Medicare Cap, was 15.7% in Q2 2023, down 101 basis points YoY due to sequestration [102] - Roto-Rooter's adjusted EBITDA margin in Q2 2023 was 28.3%, down 128 basis points YoY [103] Business Line Performance - VITAS' average daily census (ADC) increased by 6.2% YoY to 18,392 patients in Q2 2023, with admissions up 5.9% YoY [82][68] - Roto-Rooter's call volume declined by approximately 13% YoY in Q2 2023, but close rates improved by 230 basis points for call centers and 160 basis points for technicians [85][86] Market Performance - VITAS' nursing home admissions increased by 13.7% YoY, while assisted facility admissions grew by 3.9%, hospital-directed admissions by 4.5%, and home-based patient admissions by 3.8% [68] - Roto-Rooter's residential revenue saw declines in drain cleaning (-8.6%) and plumbing (-2.8%), but growth in excavation (3.8%) and water restoration (2.5%) [99] Strategic Direction and Industry Competition - VITAS is focusing on expanding market share by leveraging scale, as smaller competitors struggle with inflation and reimbursement challenges [6] - Roto-Rooter is enhancing its internet marketing presence to capture more customer attention, despite a decline in overall search activity for plumbing services [65][40] Management Commentary on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expects VITAS to achieve a 17.5% adjusted EBITDA margin by 2024, driven by improved staffing and census growth [5] - Roto-Rooter's guidance assumes continued consumer spending headwinds, with conservative estimates for Q3 and Q4 2023 [50] Other Important Information - VITAS' retention program has added 784 licensed healthcare professionals since July 2022, contributing to an annualized revenue increase of $84 million [94][84] - Roto-Rooter's workforce is at its strongest, with no plans for layoffs despite current call volume challenges [3][41] Q&A Session Summary Question: How does the decline in Roto-Rooter's call volume compare to past consumer cycles? - The decline is unusual, with call volume spikes never seen before, and demand weakness typically does not last beyond 12 months [19][20] Question: What is the outlook for VITAS' growth and margins? - VITAS expects 8.5% to 9.5% revenue growth in 2023, with margins returning to pre-pandemic levels by 2024 [7][5] Question: Are there plans for acquisitions in the hospice industry? - Acquisitions are not off the table, but the company prefers to expand through market competition due to high valuations for small providers [62][46] Question: How is Roto-Rooter addressing cost-cutting amid declining call volumes? - The company is focusing on reengineering costs rather than cutting expenses, with no layoffs planned [74][41]