Bluegreen Vacations Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2020

BOCA RATON, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Bluegreen Vacations Corporation (NYSE: BXG) ("Bluegreen" or the “Company") reported today its financial results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2020.

Fourth Quarter 2020 Highlights:

• Net income attributable to shareholders was $7.0 million in the current year fourth quarter compared to $10.6 million in the prior year quarter.
• Earnings Per Share (“EPS”) was $0.10 in the current year fourth quarter, compared to $0.14 in the prior year quarter.
• Adjusted EBITDA attributable to shareholders decreased to $19.8 million in the current year fourth quarter, compared to $30.0 million in the prior year quarter.
• Total revenue increased to $151.2 million in the current year quarter from $144.6 million in the third quarter of 2020, but decreased from the $183.9 million total revenue in the prior year fourth quarter.
• System-wide sales of vacation ownership interests (“VOIs”) increased to $112.2 million in the current year fourth quarter from $104.3 million in the third quarter of 2020, but decreased from $155.5 million in the prior year fourth quarter.
• The current year quarter’s results were adversely affected by the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the pandemic, Bluegreen had temporarily closed all of its VOI sales centers in the last week of March 2020 but by December 31, 2020, the Company:
  • was operating marketing kiosks at 98 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s stores, including 10 new Cabela’s locations;
  • had reactivated the Choice Hotels call transfer program;
  • had reopened all of its resorts (resort occupancy rates for the fourth quarter of 2020 at resorts with sales centers was approximately 71%, compared to 80% in the fourth quarter of 2019);
  • and reopened all but two of its VOI sales centers.
• Average sales volume per guest (“VPG”) increased 8% in the current year quarter compared to the fourth quarter of 2019.
• The Company completed a private offering and sale of approximately $131.0 million of VOI receivable-backed notes in October 2020.

Full Year 2020 Highlights:

• Net income attributable to shareholders was $8.2 million in 2020 compared to $34.9 million in 2019.
• EPS was $0.11 in 2020, compared to $0.47 in 2019.
• Adjusted EBITDA attributable to shareholders decreased to $49.4 million in 2020, compared to $121.8 million in 2019.
• Total revenue decreased to $521.1 million in 2020 from $740.2 million in 2019.
• System-wide sales of VOIs decreased to $367.0 million in 2020 from $619.1 million in 2019.
• Free cash flow increased to $70.8 million in 2020, an increase of 54% from $46.1 million in 2019.

Alan B. Levan, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bluegreen, commented, “We continue to be encouraged by the results of our ongoing focus on safely reopening our resorts and our sales and marketing operations after closing substantially all of these operations in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are very pleased with the pace of the rebound in our fourth quarter system-wide sales of VOIs, which at $112.2 million increased 7.6% from our system-wide sales of $104.3 million in the third quarter of 2020. In addition, our total revenue in the fourth quarter increased 4.6% from the third quarter of 2020. We believe that these were positive developments not only because they were achieved despite the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, but also because the fourth quarter typically is a seasonally lower volume quarter than the third quarter. We believe that our consistent strategy for the past 27 years of having a primarily “drive-to” network of resorts has helped us achieve good levels of occupancy despite the pandemic, achieving a 71% total occupancy rate in the fourth-quarter 2020 at our resorts with sales centers, compared to 80% during the same period last year. Further, the Company posted its second quarter of consecutive profitability post-pandemic, generating $19.8 million in consolidated adjusted EBITDA attributable to shareholders and $7.0 million in net income attributable to shareholders in the fourth quarter. While there continues to be challenges ahead, these results are indicative of what we hope to continue to deliver through the “Bluegreen Renewal” initiative. Launched in fourth quarter of 2019, Bluegreen Renewal is a Company-wide initiative with the goal of revitalizing our sales and revenue growth and better managing our expenses. We believe that these initiatives have helped us navigate the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and believe that this focus on growth and expense management positions us to profitably grow in the future after the impact of the pandemic subsides. However, it goes without saying that this continues to be an unprecedented event in the United States, and it is currently impossible to predict the duration or severity of the pandemic or if and when the economy and our business will return to pre-pandemic levels.”

Mr. Levan continued, “As discussed in more detail in a separate press release, starting in the fourth quarter of 2019 and throughout 2020, we have redesigned and enhanced our sales and marketing infrastructure as part of the Bluegreen Renewal initiative investing in refreshing the physical appearance of our sales centers and marketing materials throughout the Company and our strategy includes pursuing a regional focus with each region led by senior vice presidents, each of whom have over 20 years of timeshare sales and marketing experience. In addition, we relocated our national sales leadership to Knoxville, TN, a central hub to Bluegreen’s sales and marketing footprint, headed by industry-veteran, Dusty Tonkin, as Bluegreen’s Executive Vice President, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer. Most importantly, we believe this strategy has made Bluegreen more agile to take advantage of opportunities for sales and marketing expansion in each region as market conditions allow.”

Mr. Levan concluded, “We are also pleased to report the continuing rebound in our vacation package sales despite the COVID-19 pandemic. We sold over 43,000 vacation packages in the fourth quarter, compared to approximately 55,000 in the fourth quarter of 2019. We’ve recommenced our marketing operations at 98 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s stores, including opening marketing kiosks at 10 new Cabela’s stores, and anticipate operating marketing kiosks in over 120 Bass Pro and Cabela’s store locations by the end of 2021. The Bass Pro/Cabela’s vacation package program now exceeds pre-pandemic volumes in the aggregate, and we look forward to the growth in VOI sales that we hope will follow from the growth in package sales. We also value our relationship with Choice Hotels and the historically successful call-transfer program with Choice. While this program continues to run at volumes commensurate with lower travel due to COVID-19, we believe that volumes of vacation packages sold through this program will return to historical levels as travel recovers.”

Financial Results

(dollars in millions, except per share data)

Adjusted EBITDA was $19.8 million, including $22.5 million generated from the Sales of VOIs and Financing Segment and $16.0 million produced by the Resort Operations and Club Management segment, partially offset by $18.7 million spent on corporate overhead and other expenses. Please see discussion of Segment Results below for further information.

Segment Results

Sales of VOIs and Financing Segment

(dollars in millions, except per guest and per transaction amounts)

System-wide sales of VOIs

System-wide sales of VOIs were $112.2 million during the three months ended December 31, 2020. As discussed above, all of the Company’s VOI sales centers were temporarily closed on March 23, 2020. By the fourth quarter of 2020, the Company reopened all but two of its VOI sales centers and one of those two VOI sales centers was consolidated into another sales center due to local occupancy restrictions. System-wide sales of VOIs depend on the number of guests who attend a timeshare sale presentation, with each such guest counted as a “tour” that the Company can potentially convert into a sale of a VOI. The number of guest tours is driven by the number of existing owner guests the Company has staying at a resort with a sales center and the number of new guest arrivals that agree to attend a sales presentation. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of guests and owners willing to travel decreased significantly, which lowered the number of completed tours. As a result, the sales mix for the fourth quarter of 2020 was heavily weighted toward sales to existing owners at 63% of system-wide sales of VOIs.

Fee-based sales commission revenue

Fee-based sales commission revenue was $25.3 million, approximately 65% of third-party VOI sales during the current fourth year quarter. Third-party VOI sales were 35% of system-wide sales during the quarter, which was lower than is typical. Third-party VOI sales which are more often made at sales centers selling to new prospects were more significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Selling and Marketing Expenses

Selling and marketing expenses were 55% of system-wide sales of VOIs during the current year fourth quarter as compared to 53% during the prior year quarter. As of December 31, 2020, the Company had recommenced marketing operations at 88 Bass Pro and Cabela’s locations and marketing operations commenced at 10 additional Cabela’s stores, for a total of 98 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s stores. These stores sell vacation packages to drive marketing guests to sales offices in the future. In addition, the Company restarted its call transfer marketing program with Choice Hotels, although the volume of packages sold through continue to be adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the fourth quarter of 2020 we sold 43,632 vacation packages, compared to 54,898 vacation packages sold in the fourth quarter of 2019. This decrease reflects lower vacation package sales through the Choice program and other programs that were reduced or terminated, partially offset by an increase of 7% in vacation package sales through the Bass Pro and Cabela’s channel. The active pipeline of frontline vacation packages decreased to 121,915 at December 31, 2020 from 134,619 at September 30, 2020 and 169,294 at December 31, 2019, based on new vacation package sales during the quarter and net of vacation packages used or expired. Historically, approximately 42% of vacation packages resulted in a timeshare tour at one of Company’s resorts with a sales center within twelve months of purchase. In addition to the active pipeline discussed above, the Company also has a pipeline of vacation packages from customers who have already toured but purchased an additional vacation package and over 100,000 vacation packages that were purchased over 12 months prior to December 31, 2020. The Company has several programs in place to attempt to reactivate those vacation packages to promote future travel and in turn potential future VOI sales.

As recently announced, Bluegreen returned as the entitlement sponsor for The Bluegreen Vacations Duel At DAYTONA, a pair of 150-mile qualifying races for the DAYTONA 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Bluegreen believes that this sponsorship and other aspects of its relationship with NASCAR provide Bluegreen’s owners with experiences at NASCAR races that will be a driver of additional upgrade sales as well as to provide the Company an opportunity to introduce its resorts and destinations to NASCAR fans.

Provision for Loan Losses

The provision for loan losses varies based on the amount of financed, non fee-based sales during the period and changes in our estimates of future notes receivable performance for existing and newly originated loans. The provision for loan losses as a percentage of gross sales of VOIs was 18% during the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to 19% during the 2019 quarter. The provision for new loans generated during the fourth quarter of 2020 was 24%, which was consistent with the prior year quarter.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a material adverse impact on unemployment in the United States and economic conditions in general and the impact may continue for some time. The Company believes that the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to have an impact on the collectability of its VOI notes receivable. Accordingly, the Company increased its estimate of defaults for the 2021 year based on its historical experience, forbearance requests received from its customers, and other factors, including, but not limited to, the seasoning of the notes receivable and FICO scores of the customers; however there is no assurance that the allowance for loan losses will prove to be adequate.

The Company continues to monitor and address the activity of so-called third-party timeshare exit firms and aggressively pursue its previously announced “zero tolerance strategy” in an effort to protect Bluegreen’s timeshare owners against the unscrupulous actions of these firms. Some of these firms have increased their activities during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Company will continue to consider appropriate courses of action regarding this industry-wide issue. As previously announced, Bluegreen and the bankruptcy trustee for American Resort Management Group (“ARMG”), one of the so-called timeshare exit firms, ultimately entered into a court-approved settlement in connection with Bluegreen’s suit against ARMG which allowed 100% of Bluegreen’s claims against ARMG in an amount in excess of one million dollars. Bluegreen and the Trustee consider this matter a victory for the timeshare owners. In this regard, Bluegreen has agreed to work with the timeshare owners defrauded by ARMG to take back or process transfers of their timeshare interests. Bluegreen has also agreed to subordinate its claims against ARMG to the claims against ARMG by the timeshare owners, who have sought refunds of the fees paid to ARMG.

Net Carrying Cost of Inventory

Net carrying cost of inventory increased $2.3 million or 45% in the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to the fourth quarter of 2019, primarily due to decreased rentals of developer inventory, decreased sampler stays due to decreased travel associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and increased maintenance fees and developer subsidies associated with our increase in VOI inventory as a result of reduced sales during the period.

General and Administrative Expense

General and Administrative Expense related to the Company’s sales and marketing operations decreased $1.5 million or 15% as compared to the fourth quarter of 2019, primarily due to steps taken by the Company to mitigate costs during this period of reduced sales.

Financing Revenue, net of Financing Expense

Interest income on VOI notes receivable decreased 3.7% to $19.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to the fourth quarter of 2019, primarily reflecting lower notes receivable balances as a result of lower VOI sales due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Interest expense on receivable-backed notes payable decreased 17.7% to $4.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to the fourth quarter of 2019, primarily due to lower outstanding receivable-backed debt balances and a lower weighted-average cost of borrowings due to lower market interest rates.

Resort Operations and Club Management Segment

(dollars in millions)

In the fourth quarter of 2020, resort operations and management club revenue increased by $1.7 million, or 4%, to $43.7 million from $42.0 million in the prior year quarter, due to an increase in cost reimbursement revenue while not impacting segment adjusted EBITDA. Net of cost reimbursement revenue, resort operations and club management revenues decreased 4% as a result of decreases in revenues from our Traveler Plus program, other owner programs, resort retail operations and third-party rental commissions largely, Bluegreen believes, as a result of lower activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, segment adjusted EBITDA increased 7% to $16.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2020 from $14.9 million in the comparable prior year period, driven primarily by lower costs incurred during the fourth quarter of 2020 costs due to steps taken to reduce costs in the first quarter of 2020 and lower Traveler Plus program costs, costs of other owner programs and costs of resort retail operations.

Corporate and Other

Adjusted EBITDA related to Corporate and Other decreased 7% to $(18.7) million in the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to $(20.2) million in the fourth quarter of 2019, primarily due to steps taken in the first quarter of 2020 to reduce costs.

Balance Sheet and Liquidity

As of December 31, 2020, unrestricted cash and cash equivalents totaled $203.7 million. Excluding receivable-backed notes payable, the Company’s net debt-to-EBITDA ratio as of December 31, 2020 was 0.16.

Subject to eligible collateral and the terms of the facilities, the Company had approximately $292.0 million of availability under its receivable-backed purchase and credit facilities, and corporate credit line as of December 31, 2020. During 2020, the Company repaid the $60.0 million previously drawn down in March 2020 under its line-of credit as a precautionary measure to provide the Company liquidity due to COVID-19. Further, in October 2020, the Company completed a private offering and sale of approximately $131.0 million of VOI receivable-backed Notes (the "2020-A Term Securitization"). As a result of the 2020-A Term Securitization, availability under the Company’s receivable-backed purchase and credit facilities and corporate credit line increased $82.1 million as of October 8, 2020, subject to eligible collateral and the terms of the facilities, as applicable. 

Free cash flow, which the Company defines as cash flow from operating activities less capital expenditures, was $70.8 million for 2020, compared to $46.1 million for 2019. The increase in free cash flow was primarily due to a decrease in the settlement payments made to Bass Pro pursuant to the agreement entered into in June 2019. The Company paid Bass Pro a $20.0 million initial settlement payment in June 2019, as compared to a $4.0 million settlement installment payment made to Bass Pro in January 2020. In addition, income tax payments decreased $23.1 million, spending on the acquisition and development of inventory decreased $22.5 million and the purchase of property and equipment decreased $16.8 million during 2020 as compared to 2019. These increases in free cash flow were partially offset by lower cash sales and down payments from customers associated with the closure of VOI sales centers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The Company refers to certain non-GAAP financial measures in this press release, including system-wide sales of VOIs, adjusted EBITDA attributable to shareholders and free cash flow. Please see the supplemental tables and definitions attached herein for additional information and reconciliation of such non-GAAP financial measures.

About Bluegreen Vacations Corporation: Bluegreen Vacations Corporation (NYSE: BXG) is a leading vacation ownership company that markets and sells vacation ownership interests and manages resorts in popular leisure and urban destinations. The Bluegreen Vacation Club is a flexible, points-based, deeded vacation ownership plan with 68 Club and Club Associate Resorts and access to nearly 11,300 other hotels and resorts through partnerships and exchange networks. Bluegreen Vacations also offers a portfolio of comprehensive, fee-based resort management, financial, and sales and marketing services to, or on behalf of, third parties. Bluegreen Vacations Corporation is approximately 93% owned by Bluegreen Vacations Holding Corporation (NYSE: BVH) (OTCQX: BVHBB), a Florida-based holding company. For further information about Bluegreen Vacations Corporation, please visit www.BluegreenVacations.com.

About Bluegreen Vacations Holding Corporation: Bluegreen Vacations Holding Corporation (NYSE: BVH) (OTCQX: BVHBB) (formerly BBX Capital Corporation), is a Florida-based holding company whose sole investment is its approximate 93% ownership interest of Bluegreen Vacations Corporation (NYSE: BXG). For further information, please visit www.BVHcorp.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations of management and can be identified by the use of words such as “believe”, “may”, “could”, “should”, “plans”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “estimates”, “expects”, and other words and phrases of similar impact. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond our control, that may cause actual results or performance to differ from those set forth or implied in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks relating to public health issues, including in particular the COVID-19 pandemic and the effects of the pandemic, including resort closures, travel and business restrictions, volatility in the international and national economy and credit markets, worker absenteeism, quarantines and other health related restrictions; the length and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic and our ability to successfully resume full business operations thereafter; governmental and agency orders, mandates and guidance in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the duration thereof, which is uncertain and will impact our ability to fully utilize resorts and operate sales centers and other marketing activities; the pace of recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic; the risk that resorts and sales operations, including those at Bass Pro and Cabela’s store locations, may be subject to additional closures in the future, particularly in locations where COVID-19 cases have increased; competitive conditions; our liquidity and the availability of capital; our ability to successfully implement our strategic plans and initiatives to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic; risks that default rates may increase and exceed the Company’s expectations, including due to the impact on consumers of the COVID-19 pandemic and if our efforts to address the actions of timeshare exit firms and the increase in default rates associated therewith are not successful; risks related to our indebtedness, including the potential for accelerated maturities and debt covenant violations; the risk of heightened litigation as a result of actions taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our operations and our payment of regular or special dividends in the future, including that we have suspended the payment of regular quarterly cash dividends due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the payment of dividends may not be resumed (or, if resumed, the amounts thereof may not be consistent with historical rates); the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumers, including their income, their level of discretionary spending both during and after the pandemic, and their views towards travel and the vacation ownership industries; the risk that our strategic alliances and arrangements, including our marketing arrangements with Bass Pro and the Choice Hotels program and our relationship with NASCAR and sponsorship of the Duel at Daytona race, may not result in the benefits anticipated, including increased VOI sales and that sales from the Choice Hotels program may not return to pre-pandemic levels; risks associated with the Bluegreen Renewal initiative, including that the initiative and expenses associated therewith, including with respect to sales centers and marketing activities, may not result in increased sales or revenues or otherwise in the benefits anticipated; the risk that the improvement in operating results in the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to the third quarter of 2020 may not be maintained or continue; the risk that vacation package sales may not convert to tours and/or VOI sales at anticipated or historical rates; the risk that our allowance for loan losses may not be adequate and, accordingly, may need to be further increased in the future; our ability to successfully implement our strategic plans and initiatives, generate earnings and long-term growth; and the additional risks and uncertainties described in Bluegreen's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, those described in the “Risk Factors” section of Bluegreen’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, which is expected to be filed on or about March 1, 2021. Bluegreen cautions that the foregoing factors are not exclusive. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement, which speaks only as of the date made. Bluegreen does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to update or supplement any forward-looking statements. In addition, past performance may not be indicative of future results.