Bright Horizons Family Solutions Reports Financial Results for Third Quarter of 2024

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Bright Horizons Family Solutions® Inc. (NYSE: BFAM), a leading provider of high-quality early education and child care, family care solutions, and workforce education services designed to support working families and client employees across life and career stages, today announced financial results for the third quarter of 2024 and updated financial guidance for 2024.

Third Quarter 2024 Highlights (compared to Third Quarter 2023):

  • Revenue of $719 million (increase of 11%)
  • Income from operations of $89 million (increase of 34%)
  • Net income of $55 million and diluted earnings per common share of $0.94 (increases of 37% and 36%, respectively)

Non-GAAP financial measures

  • Adjusted EBITDA* of $121 million (increase of 20%)
  • Adjusted income from operations* of $89 million (increase of 34%)
  • Adjusted net income* of $65 million and diluted adjusted earnings per common share* of $1.11 (increases of 27% and 26%, respectively)

“I am pleased to report solid financial results for the third quarter,” said Stephen Kramer, Chief Executive Officer. “Total revenue increased 11% with 26% adjusted EPS growth. Enrollment levels continued to expand year-over-year with 9% revenue growth in our Full Service segment, while our Back-Up Care segment delivered another exceptional quarter with stronger-than-expected use driving 18% revenue growth.”

“I am also proud of our employees working and living in the areas hit hard by Hurricanes Helene and Milton,” Kramer continued. “Not only have they been able to support each other through this difficult time, but they have also been able to provide our clients and the families we serve with critical child care services in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina, allowing employers and their employees to provide the services their communities desperately need.”

Third Quarter 2024 Results

Revenue increased by $73.3 million, or 11%, in the third quarter of 2024 from the third quarter of 2023, due to enrollment gains and tuition price increases at our centers, as well as increased utilization of back-up care services.

Income from operations was $89.4 million for the third quarter of 2024 compared to $66.8 million for the third quarter of 2023, an increase of 34%. The increase in income from operations is primarily related to incremental gross profit contributions resulting from higher utilization of services in our back-up care segment, as well as enrollment growth and improving operating leverage in our full service center-based child care segment. These contributions were partially offset by a decrease of approximately $9 million in funding received from pandemic-related government support programs and incremental overhead costs to support expanded service delivery. Net income was $54.9 million for the third quarter of 2024 compared to $40.0 million for the third quarter of 2023, an increase of 37%, due to the increase in income from operations noted above, partially offset by a higher effective tax rate. Diluted earnings per common share was $0.94 for the third quarter of 2024 compared to $0.69 for the third quarter of 2023.

In the third quarter of 2024, adjusted EBITDA* increased by $19.8 million, or 20%, to $121.0 million, and adjusted income from operations* increased by $22.6 million, or 34%, to $89.4 million from the third quarter of 2023, due to increased contributions from both the back-up care segment and full service center-based child care segment. Adjusted net income* increased by $13.8 million, or 27%, to $64.9 million, as a result of the increase in adjusted income from operations and a lower tax rate. Diluted adjusted earnings per common share* was $1.11 for the third quarter of 2024 compared to $0.88 for the third quarter of 2023.

As of September 30, 2024, the Company operated 1,028 early education and child care centers with the capacity to serve approximately 115,000 children.

*Adjusted EBITDA, adjusted income from operations, adjusted net income and diluted adjusted earnings per common share are financial measures that are not calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”), which are commonly referred to as “non-GAAP financial measures.” Adjusted EBITDA represents EBITDA (which is net income, as determined in accordance with GAAP, before interest expense, income tax expense, depreciation, and amortization) adjusted to exclude stock-based compensation expense and non-recurring costs, such as value-added tax expense related to prior periods and at times, other non-recurring costs, such as transaction costs and impairment costs. Adjusted income from operations represents income from operations, as determined in accordance with GAAP, adjusted to exclude non-recurring costs, such as value-added tax expense related to prior periods and at times, other non-recurring costs, such as transaction costs and impairment costs. Adjusted net income represents net income, as determined in accordance with GAAP, adjusted to exclude amortization, stock-based compensation expense, and non-recurring costs, such as value-added tax expense related to prior periods, interest on deferred consideration, and the income tax provision (benefit) thereon, and at times, other non-recurring costs, such as transaction costs and impairment costs. Diluted adjusted earnings per common share is calculated using adjusted net income. These non-GAAP financial measures are more fully described and are reconciled from the respective measures determined under GAAP in “Presentation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” and the attached table “Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. Non-GAAP Reconciliations,” respectively.

Balance Sheet and Liquidity

At September 30, 2024, the Company had $109.9 million of cash and cash equivalents and $389.8 million available for borrowing under our revolving credit facility. In the nine months ended September 30, 2024, we generated $216.8 million of cash from operations, compared to $161.0 million for the same period in 2023, and made net investments totaling $92.7 million, compared to $92.0 million for the same period in the prior year. Additionally, during the nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Company paid deferred and contingent consideration related to acquisitions, including $106.5 million related to its 2022 acquisition of Only About Children, a child care operator in Australia.

2024 Outlook

Based on current trends and expectations, we currently expect fiscal year 2024 revenue to be approximately $2.675 billion and diluted adjusted earnings per common share to be in the range of $3.37 to $3.42. The Company will provide additional information on its outlook during its earnings conference call.

Conference Call

Bright Horizons Family Solutions will host an investor conference call today at 5:00 pm ET to discuss the results for the third quarter of 2024, as well as the Company’s updated business outlook, strategy and operating expectations. Interested parties are invited to listen to the conference call by dialing 1-877-407-9039, or for international callers, 1-201-689-8470, and asking for the Bright Horizons Family Solutions conference call moderated by Chief Executive Officer Stephen Kramer. Replays of the entire call will be available through November 18, 2024 at 1-844-512-2921, or for international callers, at 1-412-317-6671, conference ID #13744697. A link to the audio webcast of the conference call and a copy of this press release are also available through the Investor Relations section of the Company’s web site, www.brighthorizons.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes 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. The Company’s actual results may vary significantly from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements, which can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms “believes,” “expects,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “seeks,” “projects,” “approximately,” “intends,” “plans,” “estimates” or “anticipates,” or, in each case, their negatives or other variations or comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements include all matters that are not historical facts, including statements regarding the Company’s intentions, beliefs or current expectations concerning, among other things, our results of operations, financial condition, liquidity, operating expectations, execution and delivery of our services and solutions, business trends, our future growth opportunities, enrollment levels, back-up care use, long-term growth strategy, estimated effective tax rate, tax expense, our future business and financial performance, and our 2024 financial guidance. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future. The Company believes that these risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, changes in the demand for child care, dependent care and other workplace solutions, including variations in enrollment trends and lower than expected demand from employer sponsor clients as well as variations in workforce demographics and work environments; the constrained labor market for teachers and staff and ability to hire and retain talent, including the impact of increased compensation and labor costs; the availability or lack of government support and impact of government child care benefit programs; our ability to respond to changing client and customer needs; the possibility that acquisitions may disrupt our operations and expose us to additional risk; our ability to pass on our increased costs; our indebtedness and the terms of such indebtedness; our ability to withstand seasonal fluctuations in the demand for our services; our ability to implement our growth strategies successfully; changes in general economic, political, business and financial market conditions, including the impact of inflation and interest rate fluctuations; fluctuations in currency exchange rates; the effects of a cyber-attack, data breach or other security incident on our information technology system or software or those of our third party vendors; changes in tax rates or policies; impacts to our brand or reputation; and other risks and uncertainties more fully described in the “Risk Factors” section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on February 27, 2024, and other factors disclosed from time to time in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the time of this release and we do not undertake to publicly update or revise them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Presentation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In addition to the results provided in accordance with GAAP throughout this press release, the Company has provided certain non-GAAP financial measures that present operating results on a basis adjusted for certain items. The Company uses these non-GAAP financial measures as key performance indicators for the purpose of evaluating performance internally, and in connection with determining incentive compensation for Company management, including executive officers. Adjusted EBITDA is also used in connection with the determination of certain ratio requirements under our credit agreement. We believe that these non-GAAP financial measures provide investors with useful information with respect to our historical operations. These non-GAAP financial measures are not intended to replace, and should not be considered superior to, the presentation of our financial results in accordance with GAAP. The use of the terms adjusted EBITDA, adjusted income from operations, adjusted net income and diluted adjusted earnings per common share may differ from similar measures reported by other companies and may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures.

With respect to our outlook for diluted adjusted earnings per common share, we do not provide the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure or corresponding reconciliation to such GAAP financial measure on a forward-looking basis. We are unable to predict with reasonable certainty and without unreasonable effort certain items such as the timing and amount of net excess income tax benefits, future impairments, transaction costs, and other non-recurring costs, as well as gains or losses from the early retirement of debt and the outcome from legal proceedings. These items are uncertain, depend on various factors outside our management’s control, and could significantly impact, either individually or in the aggregate, our future period earnings per common share as calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP.

For more information regarding adjusted EBITDA, adjusted income from operations, adjusted net income and diluted adjusted earnings per common share, refer to the reconciliation of GAAP financial measures to the non-GAAP financial measures in the attached table “Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. Non-GAAP Reconciliations.”

About Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc.

Bright Horizons® is a leading global provider of high-quality early education and child care, back-up care, and workforce education services. For more than 35 years, we have partnered with employers to support workforces by providing services that help working families and employees thrive personally and professionally. Bright Horizons operates more than 1,000 early education and child care centers in the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Australia and India, and serves more than 1,450 of the world’s leading employers. Bright Horizons’ early education and child care centers, back-up child and elder care, and workforce education programs help employees succeed at each life and career stage. For more information, go to www.brighthorizons.com.

BRIGHT HORIZONS FAMILY SOLUTIONS INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

(In thousands, except share data)

(Unaudited)

Three Months Ended September 30,

2024

%

2023

%

Revenue

$

719,099

100.0

%

$

645,787

100.0

%

Cost of services

537,564

74.8

%

488,142

75.6

%

Gross profit

181,535

25.2

%

157,645

24.4

%

Selling, general and administrative expenses

89,499

12.4

%

83,253

12.9

%

Amortization of intangible assets

2,640

0.4

%

7,568

1.2

%

Income from operations

89,396

12.4

%

66,824

10.3

%

Interest expense — net

(11,613

)

(1.6

)%

(12,222

)

(1.8

)%

Income before income tax

77,783

10.8

%

54,602

8.5

%

Income tax expense

(22,878

)

(3.2

)%

(14,623

)

(2.3

)%

Net income

$

54,905

7.6

%

$

39,979

6.2

%

Earnings per common share:

Common stock — basic

$

0.95

$

0.69

Common stock — diluted

$

0.94

$

0.69

Weighted average common shares outstanding:

Common stock — basic

58,062,009

57,765,332

Common stock — diluted

58,701,618

58,045,137

BRIGHT HORIZONS FAMILY SOLUTIONS INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

(In thousands, except share data)

(Unaudited)

Nine Months Ended September 30,

2024

%

2023

%

Revenue

$

2,011,867

100.0

%

$

1,802,609

100.0

%

Cost of services

1,532,792

76.2

%

1,386,787

76.9

%

Gross profit

479,075

23.8

%

415,822

23.1

%

Selling, general and administrative expenses

264,544

13.1

%

247,923

13.8

%

Amortization of intangible assets

16,139

0.8

%

24,898

1.4

%

Income from operations

198,392

9.9

%

143,001

7.9

%

Interest expense — net

(37,307

)

(1.9

)%

(37,357

)

(2.0

)%

Income before income tax

161,085

8.0

%

105,644

5.9

%

Income tax expense

(50,017

)

(2.5

)%

(36,945

)

(2.1

)%

Net income

$

111,068

5.5

%

$

68,699

3.8

%

Earnings per common share:

Common stock — basic

$

1.92

$

1.19

Common stock — diluted

$

1.90

$

1.18

Weighted average common shares outstanding:

Common stock — basic

57,970,587

57,692,254

Common stock — diluted

58,483,404

57,886,823

BRIGHT HORIZONS FAMILY SOLUTIONS INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(In thousands)

(Unaudited)

September 30, 2024

December 31, 2023

ASSETS

Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents

$

109,933

$

71,568

Accounts receivable — net

231,535

281,710

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

62,548

93,621

Total current assets

404,016

446,899

Fixed assets — net

597,202

579,296

Goodwill

1,827,935

1,786,405

Other intangible assets — net

203,046

216,576

Operating lease right-of-use assets

773,613

774,703

Other assets

109,001

92,265

Total assets

$

3,914,813

$

3,896,144

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

Current liabilities:

Current portion of long-term debt

$

26,000

$

18,500

Accounts payable and accrued expenses

278,659

259,077

Current portion of operating lease liabilities

104,664

100,387

Deferred revenue

222,213

272,891

Other current liabilities

35,358

148,578

Total current liabilities

666,894

799,433

Long-term debt — net

925,653

944,264

Operating lease liabilities

787,095

796,701

Other long-term liabilities

112,733

109,915

Deferred income taxes

23,247

33,155

Total liabilities

2,515,622

2,683,468

Total stockholders’ equity

1,399,191

1,212,676

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

$

3,914,813

$

3,896,144

BRIGHT HORIZONS FAMILY SOLUTIONS INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(In thousands)

(Unaudited)

Nine Months Ended September 30,

2024

2023

CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:

Net income

$

111,068

$

68,699

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

Depreciation and amortization

75,601

82,732

Stock-based compensation expense

24,607

21,154

Deferred income taxes

(6,844

)

(3,688

)

Non-cash interest and other — net

10,464

8,867

Changes in assets and liabilities

1,917

(16,793

)

Net cash provided by operating activities

216,813

160,971

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:

Purchases of fixed assets — net

(65,254

)

(60,225

)

Purchases of debt securities and other investments

(43,049

)

(9,463

)

Proceeds from the maturity of debt securities and sale of other investments

23,908

15,451

Payments and settlements for acquisitions — net of cash acquired

(8,267

)

(37,772

)

Net cash used in investing activities

(92,662

)

(92,009

)

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:

Revolving credit facility — net

(54,600

)

Principal payments of long-term debt

(12,000

)

(12,000

)

Proceeds from issuance of common stock upon exercise of options

24,808

8,764

Taxes paid related to the net share settlement of stock options and restricted stock

(4,758

)

(2,396

)

Payments of deferred and contingent consideration for acquisitions

(103,872

)

(225

)

Net cash used in financing activities

(95,822

)

(60,457

)

Effect of exchange rates on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

1,307

(1,280

)

Net increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

29,636

7,225

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash — beginning of period

89,451

51,894

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash — end of period

$

119,087

$

59,119

BRIGHT HORIZONS FAMILY SOLUTIONS INC.

SEGMENT INFORMATION

(In thousands)

(Unaudited)

Full service

center-based

child care

Back-up care

Educational

advisory services

Total

Three Months Ended September 30, 2024

Revenue

$

486,567

$

201,783

$

30,749

$

719,099

Income from operations

12,465

70,487

6,444

89,396

Adjusted income from operations

12,465

70,487

6,444

89,396

As a percentage of revenue

3

%

35

%

21

%

12

%

Three Months Ended September 30, 2023

Revenue

$

444,747

$

171,423

$

29,617

$

645,787

Income from operations

6,990

52,257

7,577

66,824

Adjusted income from operations

6,990

52,257

7,577

66,824

As a percentage of revenue

2

%

30

%

26

%

10

%

Full service

center-based

child care

Back-up care

Educational

advisory services

Total

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2024

Revenue

$

1,477,284

$

452,945

$

81,638

$

2,011,867

Income from operations

66,553

118,063

13,776

198,392

Adjusted income from operations

66,553

118,063

13,776

198,392

As a percentage of revenue

5

%

26

%

17

%

10

%

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2023

Revenue

$

1,333,469

$

389,391

$

79,749

$

1,802,609

Income from operations

28,493

97,500

17,008

143,001

Adjusted income from operations (1)

30,237

101,796

17,008

149,041

As a percentage of revenue

2

%

26

%

21

%

8

%

(1)

For the nine months ended September 30, 2023, adjusted income from operations represents income from operations excluding value-added-tax expense of $6.0 million related to prior periods, of which $4.3 million was associated with the back-up care segment and $1.7 million was associated with the full service center-based child care segment.

BRIGHT HORIZONS FAMILY SOLUTIONS INC.

NON-GAAP RECONCILIATIONS

(In thousands, except share data)

(Unaudited)

Three Months Ended September 30,

Nine Months Ended September 30,

2024

2023

2024

2023

Net income

$

54,905

$

39,979

$

111,068

$

68,699

Interest expense — net

11,613

12,222

37,307

37,357

Income tax expense

22,878

14,623

50,017

36,945

Depreciation

19,862

18,935

59,462

57,834

Amortization of intangible assets (a)

2,640

7,568

16,139

24,898

EBITDA

111,898

93,327

273,993

225,733

As a percentage of revenue

16

%

14

%

14

%

13

%

Additional adjustments:

Stock-based compensation expense (b)

9,091

7,841

24,607

21,154

Other costs (c)

6,040

Total adjustments

9,091

7,841

24,607

27,194

Adjusted EBITDA

$

120,989

$

101,168

$

298,600

$

252,927

As a percentage of revenue

17

%

16

%

15

%

14

%

Income from operations

$

89,396

$

66,824

$

198,392

$

143,001

Other costs (c)

6,040

Adjusted income from operations

$

89,396

$

66,824

$

198,392

$

149,041

As a percentage of revenue

12

%

10

%

10

%

8

%

Net income

$

54,905

$

39,979

$

111,068

$

68,699

Income tax expense

22,878

14,623

50,017

36,945

Income before income tax

77,783

54,602

161,085

105,644

Amortization of intangible assets (a)

2,640

7,568

16,139

24,898

Stock-based compensation expense (b)

9,091

7,841

24,607

21,154

Other costs (c)

6,040

Interest on deferred consideration (d)

1,487

4,412

Adjusted income before income tax

89,514

71,498

201,831

162,148

Adjusted income tax expense (e)

(24,613

)

(20,377

)

(56,008

)

(45,913

)

Adjusted net income

$

64,901

$

51,121

$

145,823

$

116,235

As a percentage of revenue

9

%

8

%

7

%

6

%

Weighted average common shares outstanding — diluted

58,701,618

58,045,137

58,483,404

57,886,823

Diluted adjusted earnings per common share

$

1.11

$

0.88

$

2.49

$

2.01

(a)

Amortization of intangible assets represents amortization expense, including amortization expense of $0.1 million and $5.0 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively, and of $8.4 million and $15.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively, associated with intangible assets recorded in connection with our going private transaction in May 2008.

(b)

Stock-based compensation expense represents non-cash stock-based compensation expense in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, Compensation-Stock Compensation.

(c)

Other costs in the nine months ended September 30, 2023 consist of value-added tax expense of $6.0 million related to prior periods, of which $4.3 million was associated with the back-up care segment and $1.7 million was associated with the full service center-based child care segment.

(d)

Interest on deferred consideration represents the imputed interest on the deferred consideration issued in connection with the July 1, 2022 acquisition of Only About Children, a child care operator in Australia. The deferred consideration was paid in January 2024.

(e)

Adjusted income tax expense represents income tax expense calculated on adjusted income before income tax at an effective tax rate of approximately 28% and 29% for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively, and at an effective tax rate of approximately 28% for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023. The jurisdictional mix of the expected adjusted income before income tax for the full year will affect the estimated effective tax rate for the year.

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