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Houlihan Lokey Reports Second Quarter Fiscal 2020 Financial Results

October 24, 2019 4:15 PM

Second Quarter Fiscal 2020 Revenues of $273 million

Second Quarter Fiscal 2020 Diluted EPS of $0.50

Adjusted Second Quarter Fiscal 2020 Diluted EPS of $0.70

Announces Dividend of $0.31 per Share for Third Quarter Fiscal 2020

LOS ANGELES & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Houlihan Lokey, Inc. (NYSE: HLI) (“Houlihan Lokey” or the “Company”) today reported financial results for its second quarter ended September 30, 2019. For the second quarter ended September 30, 2019, revenues were $273 million compared with $275 million for the second quarter ended September 30, 2018.

Net income was $33 million, or $0.50 per diluted share, for the second quarter ended September 30, 2019, compared with $40 million, or $0.61 per diluted share, for the second quarter ended September 30, 2018. Adjusted net income for the second quarter ended September 30, 2019 was $46 million, or $0.70 per diluted share, compared with $46 million, or $0.70 per diluted share, for the second quarter ended September 30, 2018.

"We are very pleased with our second quarter and first half results. All three product lines have shown growth year-to-date and we enter the second half of our fiscal year with solid momentum across all our businesses. Client confidence and M&A transaction activity remain strong and there are enough pockets of business disruption to maintain strength in our restructuring business. Our positive financial results continue to reflect the benefits of our balanced and diversified business model in today’s uncertain macroeconomic conditions," stated Scott Beiser, Chief Executive Officer of Houlihan Lokey.

Selected Financial Data

(In thousands, except per share data)

U.S. GAAP

Three Months Ended September 30,

Six Months Ended September 30,

2019

2018

2019

2018

Revenues

$

272,810

$

274,992

$

523,159

$

494,994

Operating expenses:

Employee compensation and benefits

174,638

175,321

337,949

314,501

Non-compensation expenses

53,019

43,496

92,280

84,188

Operating income

45,153

56,175

92,930

96,305

Other (income)/expense, net

(1,101

)

(1,007

)

(2,748

)

(2,613

)

Income before provision for income taxes

46,254

57,182

95,678

98,918

Provision for income taxes

13,144

17,063

19,793

29,115

Net income attributable to Houlihan Lokey, Inc.

$

33,110

$

40,119

$

75,885

$

69,803

Diluted earnings per share

$

0.50

$

0.61

$

1.15

$

1.06

Revenues

For the second quarter ended September 30, 2019, Corporate Finance ("CF") revenues increased 7%, Financial Restructuring ("FR") revenues decreased (17)%, and Financial Advisory Services ("FAS") revenues increased 9% when compared with the second quarter ended September 30, 2018.

Expenses

The Company’s employee compensation and benefits, non-compensation expenses, and provision for income taxes during the periods presented and described below are on a GAAP and an adjusted basis.

U.S. GAAP

Adjusted (Non-GAAP) *

Three Months Ended September 30,

(Dollars in thousands)

2019

2018

2019

2018

Expenses:

Employee compensation and benefits

$

174,638

$

175,321

$

165,459

$

169,119

% of Revenues

64.0

%

63.8

%

60.7

%

61.5

%

Non-compensation expenses

$

53,019

$

43,496

$

44,226

$

41,286

% of Revenues

19.4

%

15.8

%

16.2

%

15.0

%

Provision for Income Taxes

$

13,144

$

17,063

$

18,252

$

19,573

% of Pre-Tax Income

28.4

%

29.8

%

28.4

%

29.8

%

* Adjusted figures represent non-GAAP information. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” and the tables at the end of this release for an explanation of the adjustments and reconciliations to the comparable GAAP numbers.

U.S. GAAP

Adjusted (Non-GAAP) *

Six Months Ended September 30,

(Dollars in thousands)

2019

2018

2019

2018

Expenses:

Employee compensation and benefits

$

337,949

$

314,501

$

318,174

$

302,224

% of Revenues

64.6

%

63.5

%

60.8

%

61.1

%

Non-compensation expenses

$

92,280

$

84,188

$

81,519

$

78,232

% of Revenues

17.6

%

17.0

%

15.6

%

15.8

%

Provision for Income Taxes

$

19,793

$

29,115

$

36,129

$

34,254

% of Pre-Tax Income

20.7

%

29.4

%

28.6

%

29.4

%

* Adjusted figures represent non-GAAP information. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” and the tables at the end of this release for an explanation of the adjustments and reconciliations to the comparable GAAP numbers.

Employee compensation and benefits expenses remained relatively flat at $175 million for the second quarter ended September 30, 2019 and the second quarter ended September 30, 2018. Adjusted employee compensation and benefits expenses were $165 million for the second quarter ended September 30, 2019, compared with $169 million for the second quarter ended September 30, 2018. This resulted in an adjusted compensation ratio of 60.7% for the second quarter ended September 30, 2019, versus 61.5% for the second quarter ended September 30, 2018. The decrease in adjusted employee compensation and benefits expenses was primarily a result of a decrease in fee revenues for the quarter when compared with the same quarter last year.

Non-compensation expenses were $53 million for the second quarter ended September 30, 2019, compared with $43 million for the second quarter ended September 30, 2018. The increase in non-compensation expenses was primarily driven by an increase in rent expense and other operating expenses as a result of the one-time write-down of lease assets and fixed assets that are no longer in use in London, among other one-time items associated with the move. In July 2019, we moved all bankers from two separate locations in London into a new London headquarters. Adjusted non-compensation expenses were $44 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2019, compared with $41 million for the second quarter ended September 30, 2018. The increase in adjusted non-compensation expenses was primarily driven by an increase in information technology and communication expenses and adjusted other operating expenses.

The provision for income taxes was $13 million, representing an effective tax rate of 28.4% for the second quarter ended September 30, 2019, compared with $17 million, representing an effective tax rate of 29.8% for the second quarter ended September 30, 2018. The adjusted provision for income taxes was $18 million, representing an adjusted effective tax rate of 28.4% for the second quarter ended September 30, 2019, compared with $20 million, representing an adjusted effective tax rate of 29.8% for the second quarter ended September 30, 2018.

Segment Reporting for the Second Quarter

Corporate Finance

CF revenues increased 7% to $156 million for the second quarter ended September 30, 2019, compared with $146 million for the second quarter ended September 30, 2018. Revenues increased primarily due to an increase in the number of closed transactions. CF closed 69 transactions in the second quarter ended September 30, 2019, versus 62 transactions in the second quarter ended September 30, 2018.

Three Months Ended September 30,

Six Months Ended September 30,

(Dollars in thousands)

2019

2018

2019

2018

Corporate Finance

Revenues

$

155,981

$

146,057

$

289,570

$

278,928

# of MDs

119

106

119

106

# of Closed transactions

69

62

130

131

Financial Restructuring

FR revenues were $77 million for the second quarter ended September 30, 2019, compared with $93 million for the second quarter ended September 30, 2018. Revenues decreased primarily as a result of a decrease in the number of closed transactions and a reduction in the average transaction fee.

Three Months Ended September 30,

Six Months Ended September 30,

(Dollars in thousands)

2019

2018

2019

2018

Financial Restructuring

Revenues

$

77,276

$

92,684

$

156,630

$

143,160

# of MDs

45

45

45

45

# of Closed Transactions

17

20

42

33

Financial Advisory Services

FAS revenues increased 9% to $40 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2019, compared with $36 million for the second quarter ended September 30, 2018. The number of Fee Events increased to 523 in the second quarter ended September 30, 2019, compared with 469 for the second quarter ended September 30, 2018.

Three Months Ended September 30,

Six Months Ended September 30,

(Dollars in thousands)

2019

2018

2019

2018

Financial Advisory Services

Revenues

$

39,553

$

36,251

$

76,959

$

72,906

# of MDs

32

35

32

35

# of Fee Events (1)

523

469

821

771

  1. A Fee Event includes any engagement that involves revenue activity during the measurement period based on a revenue minimum of $1,000.

Balance Sheet and Capital Allocation

The Board of Directors of the Company declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.31 per share of Class A and Class B common stock. The dividend will be payable on December 16, 2019 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on December 5, 2019.

As of September 30, 2019, the Company had $305 million of cash and cash equivalents and investment securities, and $33 million of loans payable and other liabilities.

Investor Conference Call and Webcast

The Company will host a conference call and live webcast at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, October 24, 2019, to discuss its second quarter fiscal 2020 results. The number to call is 1-877-407-4018 (domestic) or 1-201-689-8471 (international). A live webcast will be available in the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website. A replay of the conference call will be available from October 24, 2019 through October 31, 2019, by dialing 1-844-512-2921 (domestic) or 1-412-317-6671 (international) and entering the passcode 13694940#. A replay of the webcast will be archived and available on the Company’s website.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. You can identify these statements by our use of the words “assumes,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “guidance,” “intends,” “plans,” “projects,” and similar expressions that do not relate to historical matters. You should exercise caution in interpreting and relying on forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond the Company’s control and could materially affect actual results, performance, or achievements. For a further description of such factors, you should read the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Adjusted net income, total and on a per share basis, adjusted operating expenses and adjusted provision for income taxes are presented and discussed in this earnings press release and are non-GAAP measures that management believes, when presented together with comparable GAAP measures, are useful to investors in understanding the Company’s operating results. Adjusted net income, adjusted operating expenses and adjusted provision for income taxes remove the significant accounting impact of one-time or non-recurring charges associated with the Company’s one-time/non-recurring matters, as set forth in the tables at the end of this release.

Adjusted net income as calculated by the Company is not necessarily comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies. Additionally, adjusted net income is not a measurement of financial performance or liquidity under GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative to the Company’s financial information determined under GAAP. For a description of the Company’s use of adjusted net income and a reconciliation with net income, as well as a reconciliation of the specific line items in adjusted net income, see the section of this press release titled “Reconciliation of GAAP to Adjusted Financial Information.” Please refer to our financial statements, prepared in accordance with GAAP, for purposes of evaluating our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

About Houlihan Lokey

Houlihan Lokey (NYSE: HLI) is a global investment bank with expertise in mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, financial restructuring, and valuation. The firm serves corporations, institutions, and governments worldwide with offices in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region. Independent advice and intellectual rigor are hallmarks of the firm's commitment to client success across its advisory services. Houlihan Lokey is ranked as the No. 1 M&A advisor for all U.S. transactions in number of transactions, the No. 1 global restructuring advisor in both number of transactions and value, and the No. 1 global M&A fairness opinion advisor in number of transactions over the past 20 years, according to Thomson Reuters. For more information, please visit www.HL.com.

Appendix

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet (Unaudited)
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income (Unaudited)
Reconciliation of GAAP to Adjusted Financial Information (Unaudited)

HOULIHAN LOKEY, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(UNAUDITED)

September 30,

March 31,

(In thousands, except share data and par value)

2019

2019

Assets

Cash and cash equivalents

$

220,248

$

285,746

Restricted cash

372

369

Investment securities

84,822

125,258

Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts

64,814

70,830

Unbilled work in process, net of allowance for doubtful accounts

62,722

71,891

Receivable from affiliates

8,631

Income taxes receivable

3,380

Deferred income taxes

6,539

2,854

Property and equipment, net

40,938

31,034

Operating lease right-of-use asset

131,776

Goodwill and other intangibles, net

797,564

794,604

Other assets

34,725

34,695

Total assets

$

1,447,900

$

1,425,912

Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity

Liabilities:

Accrued salaries and bonuses

$

297,396

$

404,717

Accounts payable and accrued expenses

40,911

55,048

Deferred income

29,709

27,812

Income taxes payable

7,759

Deferred income taxes

3,327

8,058

Loans payable to former shareholders

1,810

2,047

Loan payable to non-affiliate

6,458

6,610

Operating lease liabilities

151,669

Other liabilities

24,756

22,532

Total liabilities

556,036

534,583

Stockholders' equity:

Class A common stock, $0.001 par value. Authorized 1,000,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding 41,817,614 and 38,200,802 shares, respectively

42

38

Class B common stock, $0.001 par value. Authorized 1,000,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding 24,079,076 and 27,197,734 shares, respectively

24

27

Treasury stock, at cost: 252,306 and 0 shares, respectively

(11,219

)

Additional paid-in capital

635,362

645,090

Retained earnings

311,360

276,468

Accumulated other comprehensive (loss)

(43,705

)

(30,294

)

Total stockholders' equity

891,864

891,329

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity

$

1,447,900

$

1,425,912

HOULIHAN LOKEY, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

(UNAUDITED)

Three Months Ended September 30,

Six Months Ended September 30,

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

2019

2018

2019

2018

Revenues

$

272,810

$

274,992

$

523,159

$

494,994

Operating expenses:

Employee compensation and benefits

174,638

175,321

337,949

314,501

Travel, meals, and entertainment

10,200

10,111

19,817

19,697

Rent

14,922

10,437

24,923

18,625

Depreciation and amortization

3,981

3,706

7,944

7,174

Information technology and communications

6,928

4,709

12,252

10,298

Professional fees

5,834

5,784

10,290

12,061

Other operating expenses

11,154

8,749

17,054

16,333

Total operating expenses

227,657

218,817

430,229

398,689

Operating income

45,153

56,175

92,930

96,305

Other (income)/expense, net

(1,101

)

(1,007

)

(2,748

)

(2,613

)

Income before provision for income taxes

46,254

57,182

95,678

98,918

Provision for income taxes

13,144

17,063

19,793

29,115

Net income attributable to Houlihan Lokey, Inc.

$

33,110

$

40,119

$

75,885

$

69,803

Weighted average shares of common stock outstanding:

Basic

62,477,085

62,258,919

62,292,798

62,620,017

Fully diluted

66,086,210

66,045,921

65,851,514

66,099,770

Earnings per share

Basic

$

0.53

$

0.64

$

1.22

$

1.11

Fully diluted

$

0.50

$

0.61

$

1.15

$

1.06

HOULIHAN LOKEY, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO ADJUSTED FINANCIAL INFORMATION

(UNAUDITED)

Three Months Ended September 30,

Six Months Ended September 30,

(In thousands, except per share data)

2019

2018

2019

2018

Revenues

$

272,810

$

274,992

$

523,159

$

494,994

Employee compensation and benefits

Employee compensation and benefits (GAAP)

$

174,638

$

175,321

$

337,949

$

314,501

Less/plus: adjustments (1)

(9,179

)

(6,202

)

(19,775

)

(12,278

)

Employee compensation and benefits (adjusted)

165,459

169,119

318,174

302,224

Non-compensation expenses

Non-compensation expenses (GAAP)

$

53,019

$

43,496

$

92,280

$

84,188

Less/plus: adjustments (2)

(8,793

)

(2,209

)

(10,761

)

(5,955

)

Non-compensation expenses (adjusted)

44,226

41,286

81,519

78,232

Operating income

Operating income (GAAP)

$

45,153

$

56,175

$

92,930

$

96,305

Less/plus: adjustments (3)

17,972

8,411

30,536

18,233

Operating income (adjusted)

63,125

64,586

123,466

114,538

Other (income)/expense, net

Other (income)/expense, net (GAAP)

$

(1,101

)

$

(1,007

)

$

(2,748

)

$

(2,613

)

Less/plus: adjustments (4)

719

Other (income)/expense, net (adjusted)

(1,101

)

(1,007

)

(2,748

)

(1,894

)

Provision for income taxes

Provision for income taxes (GAAP)

$

13,144

$

17,063

$

19,793

$

29,115

Less/plus: adjustments (5)

5,108

2,510

16,336

5,139

Provision for income taxes (adjusted)

18,252

19,573

36,129

34,254

Net income

Net income (GAAP)

$

33,110

$

40,119

$

75,885

$

69,803

Less/plus: adjustments (6)

12,864

5,902

14,200

12,375

Net income (adjusted)

45,974

46,020

90,085

82,178

Diluted adjusted EPS

$

0.70

$

0.70

$

1.37

$

1.24

Note: Figures may not sum due to rounding

  1. Consists of pre-IPO grant vesting, including grants re-awarded following forfeiture, if any ($(5,964) in Q2 FY20 and $(6,202) in Q2 FY19; $(12,076) in YTD Q2 FY20 and $(12,278) in YTD Q2 FY19), and acquisition-related retention pools ($(3,215) in Q2 FY20 and $0 in Q2 FY19; $(7,699) in YTD Q2 FY20 and $0 in YTD Q2 FY19).
  2. Includes costs associated with Houlihan Lokey, Inc.'s secondary offering of stock ($(251) in Q2 FY20 and $0 in Q2 FY19; $(665) in YTD Q2 FY20 and $(498) in YTD Q2 FY19), acquisition related costs ($0 in Q2 FY20 and $0 Q2 FY19; $0 YTD Q2 FY20 and $(1,929) in YTD Q2 FY19), acquisition-related amortization ($(1,712) in Q2 FY20 and $(1,589) in Q2 FY19; $(3,265) YTD Q2 FY20 and $(2,910) YTD Q2 FY19), HL Finance setup costs ($0 in Q2 FY20 and $(619) in Q2 FY19; $0 in YTD Q2 FY20 and $(619) in YTD Q2 FY19), and costs associated with our London office consolidation and move ($(6,831) in Q2 FY20 and $0 in Q2 FY19; $(6,831) YTD Q2 FY20 and $0 YTD Q2 FY19).
  3. Includes adjustments from (1) and (2) above.
  4. Includes the reduction of an earnout liability ($0 in Q2 FY20 and $0 in Q2 FY19; $0 YTD Q2 FY20 and $719 YTD Q2 FY19).
  5. Includes adjustments relating to the tax impact, using the adjusted effective tax rate, of the adjustments described in footnotes 1, 2, and 4 above ($5,108 in Q2 FY20 and $2,510 in Q2 FY19; $8,731 YTD Q2 FY20 and $5,139 YTD Q2 FY19). Additionally, YTD Q2 FY20 includes an adjustment of $7,605 relating to shares vested during the first quarter of the applicable fiscal year.
  6. Consists of the adjustments described above net of the tax impact of described adjustments.

Investor Relations

212.331.8225

[email protected]

or

Public Relations

212.331.8223

[email protected]

Source: Houlihan Lokey, Inc.

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