EX-99.1 3 a2115135zex-99_1.htm EXHIBIT 99.1
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EXHIBIT 99.1

    FOR: FIRSTSERVICE CORPORATION
     


 


 


COMPANY CONTACT:



              Jay S. Hennick
              President & CEO
              FirstService Corporation
              (416) 960-9500



              John B. Friedrichsen
              Senior Vice President & CFO
              FirstService Corporation
              (416) 960-9500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


FIRSTSERVICE REPORTS RESULTS FOR ITS FIRST QUARTER

TORONTO, Ontario, July 22, 2003 — FirstService Corporation (Nasdaq: FSRV; TSX: FSV) today announced its results for its first quarter ended June 30, 2003.

Revenues for the quarter were $157.8 million, an increase of 8% over the same period one year ago (all amounts are in US dollars). Earnings before minority interest, income taxes, interest, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA") were $17.1 million relative to $18.5 million in the prior year period. Net earnings for the quarter were $6.5 million versus $7.4 million, while diluted earnings per share were $0.46 versus $0.50 in the prior year period.

Cash flow from operations for the quarter was $12.1 million, 63% higher than the $7.5 million reported last year, primarily due to more efficient working capital usage.

FirstService Corporation is a North American leader in the rapidly growing service sector, providing services to commercial and residential customers in the following four areas: Residential Property Management; Integrated Security Services; Consumer Services; and Business Services, including customer support and fulfilment and business process outsourcing.

SEGMENTED OPERATING RESULTS

The Company's largest segment, Residential Property Management, reported quarterly revenues of $62.1 million, up 9% over the prior year period, of which 5% was attributable to acquisitions completed during the past twelve months. The segment generated EBITDA of $6.6 million, up from the $6.5 million generated during the prior


year period. The segment's margin was slightly lower year-over-year as a result of the previously announced reduction in the Company's restoration activities, which typically carry higher margins than core management activities.

In Consumer Services, first quarter revenues grew to $32.3 million, up 11% versus the same period a year ago, 4% of which was attributable to acquisitions completed during the past twelve months. EBITDA was $6.1 million, up from $6.0 million in the first quarter of last year. The EBITDA margin declined to 18.9% primarily as a result of mix change due to an increase in the proportion of Company-owned revenues in the segment.

Integrated Security Services revenues rose 11% to $30.2 million for the quarter. EBITDA for the quarter, as well as the comparative period, was $2.1 million, while the EBITDA margin was 6.9% versus 7.7% last year. The current quarter's results were impacted by several large high-profile security systems installation projects carrying lower margins.

Revenues in Business Services were $33.1 million, an increase of 2% over the prior year period. EBITDA for the quarter was $3.8 million versus $5.1 million in the same period last year. Revenues and EBITDA were primarily impacted by the previously announced departure of a large client and lower overall fulfilment volumes. Since the start of the year, the Company has secured several new fulfillment contracts to replace the departed client, and these contract wins are expected to positively impact revenues and margins beginning in the second quarter.

On a consolidated basis, Canadian operations accounted for approximately one-third of the quarter's revenues. During the quarter, the Canadian dollar was 11% stronger relative to the US dollar than during the same period a year ago. Had the exchange rate been held constant at the prior year's rate, consolidated revenues would have been $4.8 million lower and EBITDA would have been $0.1 million higher.

OUTLOOK

The Company is reiterating its outlook for the year ending March 31, 2004, initially presented on May 14, 2003, as follows:

 
  Year ending March 31, 2004*
 
  (in millions of US dollars, except per share amounts)

Revenues   $540.0-$560.0
EBITDA   $53.0-$55.0
Diluted EPS   $1.20-$1.30
*
Note: Revenues and earnings from acquisitions completed before March 31, 2004 will be incremental to these amounts.

CONFERENCE CALL

FirstService will be holding a conference call on Tuesday, July 22 at 2:00 pm Eastern Time to discuss results for the first quarter as well as the outlook for fiscal 2004. The call will be simultaneously web cast and can be accessed live or after the call at www.firstservice.com in the "News Release" section.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements included in this release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the following: general economic and business conditions, which will, among other things, impact demand for the Company's services, service industry conditions and capacity; the ability of the Company to implement its business strategy, including the Company's ability to acquire suitable acquisition candidates on acceptable terms and successfully integrate newly acquired businesses with its existing businesses; changes in or the failure to comply with government regulations (especially safety and environmental laws and regulations); and other factors which are described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

-30-



FIRSTSERVICE CORPORATION

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS

(in thousands of US dollars, except per share amounts)
(unaudited)

 
  Three months ended June 30
 
  2003
  2002
Revenues   $ 157,797   $ 146,036

Cost of revenues

 

 

105,625

 

 

96,191
Selling, general and administrative expenses     35,064     31,335
   
 
EBITDA     17,108     18,510
Depreciation and amortization     3,850     3,201
   
 
Operating earnings     13,258     15,309
Interest     2,070     2,349
   
 
      11,188     12,960
Income taxes     3,412     4,277
   
 
      7,776     8,683
Minority interest share of earnings     1,265     1,275
   
 
Net earnings   $ 6,511   $ 7,408
   
 

Net earnings per share:

 

 

 

 

 

 
  Basic   $ 0.46   $ 0.54
  Diluted     0.46     0.50

Weighted average shares outstanding: (in thousands)

 

 

 

 

 

 
  Basic     14,164     13,800
  Diluted     14,270     14,747

Note to the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings

        EBITDA is defined as net earnings before minority interest share of earnings, income taxes, interest, depreciation and amortization. EBITDA excludes income taxes and interest, both of which are charges that require cash settlement. EBITDA is not a recognized measure for financial statement presentation under United States generally accepted accounting principles ("US GAAP"). The most directly comparable US GAAP measure is operating earnings. Operating earnings takes into account depreciation and amortization expenses, while EBITDA does not. Management utilizes EBITDA as a measure to assess the performance of its operations, for employee compensation purposes, and within its debt covenants with its lenders. The Company believes EBITDA is a reasonable measure of operating performance because of the low capital intensity of its service operations. The Company believes EBITDA is a financial metric used by many investors to compare companies, especially in the services industry, on the basis of operating results and the ability to incur and service debt.




SEGMENTED REVENUES AND EBITDA

(in thousands of US dollars)
(unaudited)

Three months ended June 30

  Residential Property Management
  Integrated Security Services
  Consumer Services
  Business Services
  Corporate
  Consolidated
2003                                    
  Revenues   $ 62,121   $ 30,192   $ 32,274   $ 33,120   $ 90   $ 157,797
  EBITDA     6,632     2,073     6,088     3,754     (1,439 )   17,108

2002

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
  Revenues   $ 57,143   $ 27,310   $ 29,067   $ 32,465   $ 51   $ 146,036
  EBITDA     6,495     2,101     6,012     5,089     (1,187 )   18,510


CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(in thousands of US dollars)
(unaudited)

 
  June 30, 2003
  March 31, 2003
Assets            
Cash and cash equivalents   $ 12,248   $ 5,378
Accounts receivable     98,029     85,484
Inventories     13,661     15,095
Prepaids and other current assets     14,416     16,425
   
 
  Current assets     138,354     122,382
Fixed assets     49,363     46,600
Other assets     18,571     14,998
Goodwill and intangibles     198,986     198,149
   
 
  Total assets   $ 405,274   $ 382,129
   
 

Liabilities and shareholders' equity

 

 

 

 

 

 
Accounts payable and other current liabilities   $ 67,009   $ 59,109
Unearned revenues     8,986     8,369
Long term debt — current     3,564     3,030
   
 
  Current liabilities     79,559     70,508
Long term debt less current portion     164,042     161,889
Deferred income taxes     11,453     11,277
Minority interest     15,308     14,032
Shareholders' equity     134,912     124,423
   
 
  Total liabilities and equity   $ 405,274   $ 382,129
   
 
Total debt, excluding swaps   $ 159,295   $ 158,640
   
 
Total debt, net of cash, excluding swaps     147,047     153,262
   
 


CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(in thousands of US dollars)
(unaudited)

 
  Three months ended June 30
 
 
  2003
  2002
 
Operating activities              
Net earnings   $ 6,511   $ 7,408  
Items not affecting cash:              
  Depreciation and amortization     3,850     3,201  
  Deferred income taxes     541     (1,040 )
  Minority interest share of earnings     1,265     1,275  
  Other     155     142  
   
 
 
      12,322     10,986  
Changes in operating assets and liabilities     (206 )   (3,534 )
   
 
 
Net cash provided by operating activities     12,116     7,452  
   
 
 

Investing activities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired         (1,904 )
Purchases of fixed assets, net     (4,756 )   (3,738 )
Other investing activities     (1,679 )   (786 )
   
 
 
Net cash used in investing     (6,435 )   (6,428 )
   
 
 

Financing activities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Net (decrease) increase in long-term debt     (1,051 )   943  
Other financing activities     57     234  
   
 
 
Net cash (used in) provided by financing     (994 )   1,177  
   
 
 
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash     2,183     930  
   
 
 
Increase in cash and cash equivalents during the period     6,870     3,131  
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period     5,378     7,332  
   
 
 
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period   $ 12,248   $ 10,463  
   
 
 



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FIRSTSERVICE REPORTS RESULTS FOR ITS FIRST QUARTER
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS
SEGMENTED REVENUES AND EBITDA
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS