DLH Reports Fiscal 2022 Third Quarter Results

Revenue of $66.4 Million, up 8% Year-over-Year; Earnings $0.34 per share; Operating Margin 10.7%

ATLANTA, Aug. 02, 2022  — DLH Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ: DLHC) (“DLH” or the “Company”), a leading provider of innovative healthcare services and solutions to federal agencies, today announced financial results for its fiscal third quarter ended June 30, 2022.

Highlights

  • Third quarter revenue increased to $66.4 million in fiscal 2022 from $61.6 million in fiscal 2021, reflecting growth of 8% year-over-year
  • Earnings were $4.9 million, or $0.34 per diluted share, for the fiscal 2022 third quarter versus $2.9 million, or $0.21 per diluted share, for the third quarter of fiscal 2021
  • The Company’s term loan was reduced to $28.5 million during the quarter versus $37.5 million at March 31, 2022
  • Contract backlog was $509.7 million as of June 30, 2022 versus $554.7 million at the end of the second quarter

Management Discussion
“I’m very pleased to announce that DLH continued to post strong performance derived from organic growth, margin expansion, and solid bottom line results,” said DLH President and Chief Executive Officer Zach Parker. “Revenue increased 8% year-over-year, while operating margins increased from 8.0% to 10.7%. We also paid down an additional $9 million of debt during the period, strengthening our capacity to pursue strategic acquisitions.

“During the quarter the Company won two key IDIQ contracts, with task orders not yet in our backlog, that position us well for fiscal 2023 and beyond. This includes a contract to provide health-related R&D and support services to the US Department of Defense and an award to assist the NIH’s National Cancer Institute with clinical research and program management expertise, helping in the ongoing fight against cancer. Even with these already in hand, we’re actively bidding on numerous opportunities prior to the end of the government’s fiscal year and remain positive about our growth outlook.”

Results for the Three Months Ended June 30, 2022
Revenue for the third quarter of fiscal 2022 was $66.4 million versus $61.6 million in the prior-year period. The 8% increase year-over-year was due to expanded work across the Company’s existing contracts, which continue to benefit from robust demand for the services provided.

Income from operations was $7.1 million for the quarter versus $4.9 million in the prior-year period and, as a percent of revenue, the Company reported an operating margin of 10.7% in fiscal 2022 versus 8.0% in fiscal 2021. Income from operations increased due to higher revenue, improved program mix and effective management of fringe benefit costs.

Interest expense was $0.5 million in the fiscal third quarter of 2022 versus $0.9 million in the prior-year period, reflecting lower debt outstanding. Income before taxes was $6.6 million this year versus $4.0 million in fiscal 2021, representing 9.9% and 6.5% of revenue, respectively, for each period.

For the three months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively, DLH recorded a $1.7 million and $1.2 million provision for tax expense. The Company reported net income of approximately $4.9 million, or $0.34 per diluted share, for the third quarter of fiscal 2022 versus $2.9 million, or $0.21 per diluted share, for the third quarter of fiscal 2021. As a percent of revenue, net income was 7.3% for the third quarter of fiscal 2022 versus 4.7% for the prior year period.

The third quarter results include final closeout activities related to the short-term FEMA COVID support contracts and the related agreements between DLH and its subcontractors. Reconciliation of estimated pass-through travel and accommodation expenses to the final reimbursable expenses resulted in a reduction to expenses previously accrued and pending payment and a corresponding reduction to revenue. This reduction reflected the value of in-kind expenses furnished by the State in support of the contract.

On a non-GAAP basis, EBITDA for the three months ended June 30, 2022 was approximately $9.0 million versus $7.0 million in the prior-year period, or 13.5% and 11.3% of revenue, respectively. A reconciliation of the Company’s performance for the quarter, less the contribution of the FEMA task orders compared to the prior-year period, is included at the back of this document.

Key Financial Indicators
Fiscal year to date, DLH used $4.8 million in operating cash, reflecting performance of the $22.3 million deferred revenue on the aforementioned FEMA contracts, for which there were advance payments in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021. Excluding the impact of the FEMA contracts DLH would have generated positive operating cash flow fiscal year-to-date. The overall increase in accounts receivable versus the prior-year period reflects normal fluctuations in the timing of customer payments and growth in the overall business volume.

As of June 30, 2022, the Company had cash of $1.1 million and debt outstanding under its credit facility of $28.5 million, versus cash of $24.1 million and debt outstanding of $46.8 million as of September 30, 2021. The Company has satisfied all mandatory principal amortization until maturity and intends to continue to pay down the remaining balance of the term loan.

At June 30, 2022, total backlog was approximately $509.7 million, including funded backlog of approximately $87.4 million, and unfunded backlog of $422.3 million.

Conference Call and Webcast Details
DLH management will discuss third quarter results and provide a general business update, including current competitive conditions and strategies, during a conference call beginning at 10:00 AM Eastern Time tomorrow, August 3, 2022. Interested parties may listen to the conference call by dialing 888-347-5290 or 412-317-5256.   Presentation materials will also be posted on the Investor Relations section of the DLH website prior to the commencement of the conference call.

A digital recording of the conference call will be available for replay two hours after the completion of the call and can be accessed on the DLH Investor Relations website or by dialing 877-344-7529 and entering the conference ID 2605060.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:
This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements relate to future events or DLH`s future financial performance. Any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances or that are not statements of historical fact (including without limitation statements to the effect that the Company or its management “believes”, “expects”, “anticipates”, “plans”, “intends” and similar expressions) should be considered forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or DLH’s actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this release include, among others, statements regarding estimates of future revenues, operating income, earnings and cash flow. These statements reflect our belief and assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. Our actual results may differ materially from such forward-looking statements made in this release due to a variety of factors, including: the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”), including the measures to reduce its spread, and its impact on the economy and demand for our services, are uncertain, cannot be predicted, and may precipitate or exacerbate other risks and uncertainties; the risk that we will not realize the anticipated benefits of   acquisitions; the challenges of managing larger and more widespread operations; contract awards in connection with re-competes for present business and/or competition for new business; compliance with new bank financial and other covenants; changes in client budgetary priorities; government contract procurement (such as bid and award protests, small business set asides, loss of work due to organizational conflicts of interest, etc.) and termination risks; the ability to successfully integrate the operations of acquisitions; the impact of inflation and higher interest rates; and other risks described in our SEC filings. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see “Risk Factors” in the Company’s periodic reports filed with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021, as well as subsequent reports filed thereafter. The forward-looking statements contained herein are not historical facts, but rather are based on current expectations, estimates, assumptions and projections about our industry and business.

Such forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and may become outdated over time. The Company does not assume any responsibility for updating forward-looking statements, except as may be required by law.