Ameresco Reports Second Quarter 2015 Financial Results

•     Revenues of $152.5 million, an increase of 7%
•     Gross margin of 20.3%
•     Operating income up 34%
•     Adjusted EBITDA up 9%
•     New awards of $189 million, up 66% to the highest level since Q3 2012

FRAMINGHAM, MA – July 30, 2015 – Ameresco, Inc. (NYSE:AMRC), a leading energy efficiency and renewable energy company, today announced financial results for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2015. The Company has also furnished prepared remarks in conjunction with this press release in a Current Report on Form 8-K. The prepared remarks contain supplemental information, including non-GAAP financial metrics, and have been posted to the “Investor Relations” section of the Company’s website at www.ameresco.com.

“We continue to execute on our plan to accelerate revenue growth and improve profitability,” said George P. Sakellaris, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ameresco.  “Revenue exceeded our target range, gross margin exceeded our near term targets, and we generated $11 million of adjusted EBITDA.  As important, we continued to build the foundation for future growth.  New project awards were $189 million, up 66% from last year and 125% from the first quarter.”

Sakellaris continued, “These outstanding results were due to solid execution in our core project business.  Our U.S. Federal segment again led the way, with high growth and improving profit.  The U.S. Regions segment was also a strong contributor.  In addition, our recurring revenue streams performed well.  Energy revenue from our operating assets rebounded to normal levels after a seasonally low first quarter, and operations and maintenance grew 6%.  At the midpoint of 2015, we are hitting our targets and are optimistic about the quarters ahead.”

Second Quarter 2015 Results

Note: All figures refer to the second quarter of 2015 period unless stated otherwise. All comparisons are to the second quarter of 2014, unless stated otherwise.

Revenues were $152.5 million, an increase of 7%. The Company continued to execute in its core project business, with revenue growth of 12.5% to $101.6 million. That growth was driven by solid performance in the U.S. Federal and U.S. Regions segments, which were up 17% and 19%, respectively.  Recurring operations and maintenance (“O&M”) and renewable energy revenue was approximately 20% of total revenue.  O&M was up 6%, while energy revenue of $14.7 million rebounded from the seasonally low first quarter levels and was up slightly compared to last year.

Operating income was $5.1 million, an increase of 34%. Net income was $2.0 million, a decline of $0.7 million. Net earnings per diluted share were $0.04, compared to $0.06 in the prior-year period. Net income was lower despite the higher operating income due to a higher tax rate as a result of a valuation allowance for losses expected in Canada during 2015.  The Company expects its full year 2015 tax rate to approximate 25%.

Adjusted EBITDA (a non-GAAP financial measure) was $11.3 million, an increase of 9%.

New Awards Strength Solidifies Visibility and Outlook

Ameresco secured $189.0 million in new project awards in the quarter, a 66% higher level of award wins than the year-ago rate and the highest quarterly amount since the third quarter of 2012.  The Company converted $112.5 million of awards to contracted backlog, or approximately 13% of the starting award backlog.  Contracted backlog grew 3% during the quarter to $398.3 million.  Strength in award conversions was offset in part by the strength in revenue recognition, which reflects efficient execution by Ameresco’s implementation teams.

Ameresco continues to focus on developing its portfolio of renewable energy assets, and had a backlog of assets in development of $152.4 million, up 64%.  Total project assets as of June 30, 2015 were $223.8 million, up $9.7 million from the end of Q1 2015.
“Assets in development” represents the potential design/build project value of small-scale renewable energy plants that have been awarded or for which the Company has secured development rights.

FY 2015 Guidance Reaffirmed

Based on second quarter results and new contracts signed during the first half of the year, Ameresco reaffirms its full year 2015 outlook. The Company expects to generate revenue in the range of $610 million to $640 million, adjusted EBITDA in the range of $43 million to $48 million and net income per diluted share to be in the range of $0.16 to $0.24.

The guidance assumptions for the remainder of 2015 are as follows:
•     Project revenues from contracted backlog of approximately $240 million;
•     Project revenues from awarded projects and proposals in the range of $20 million to $40 million;
•     Gross margin in the range of 19-20%;
•     Operating expenses as a percentage of revenue of 16-17%;
•     An effective income tax rate of 25% using the midpoint of our guidance range, which further assumes certain owned solar assets will be placed in service by the end of the year; and
•     Weighted average common shares outstanding of 47 million.

Second Quarter 2015 Results Conference Call and Webcast

The Company will host a conference call today at 8:30 a.m. ET today to discuss results.  Participants may access the earnings conference call by dialing +1 (877) 359-9508 or internationally +1 (224) 357-2393. The passcode is 78064085.  Participants are advised to dial into the call at least ten minutes prior to register.  A live, listen-only webcast of the conference call will also be available over the Internet. Individuals wishing to listen can access the call through the “Investor Relations” section of the Company’s website at www.ameresco.com.  An archived webcast will be available on the Company’s website for one year.

In conjunction with the conference call, the Company will provide management’s prepared remarks in the “Investor Relations” section of the Company’s website, as well as in a Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This press release and the accompanying tables include references to adjusted EBITDA and adjusted cash from operations, which are non-GAAP financial measures. For a description of these non-GAAP financial measures, including the reasons management uses these measures, please see the section following the accompanying tables titled “Exhibit A: Non-GAAP Financial Measures”. For a reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP, please see Other Non-GAAP Disclosures and Non-GAAP Financial Guidance in the accompanying tables.

About Ameresco, Inc.

Founded in 2000, Ameresco, Inc. (NYSE:AMRC) is a leading independent provider of comprehensive services, energy efficiency, infrastructure upgrades, asset sustainability and renewable energy solutions for businesses and organizations throughout North America and Europe. Ameresco’s sustainability services include upgrades to a facility’s energy infrastructure and the development, construction and operation of renewable energy plants. Ameresco has successfully completed energy saving, environmentally responsible projects with Federal, state and local governments, healthcare and educational institutions, housing authorities, and commercial and industrial customers. With its corporate headquarters in Framingham, MA, Ameresco has more than 1,000 employees providing local expertise in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit www.ameresco.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Any statements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects for Ameresco, Inc., including statements about market conditions, pipeline and backlog, as well as estimated future revenues and net income, and other statements containing the words “projects,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “expects,” “will” and similar expressions, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including the timing of, and ability to, enter into contracts for awarded projects on the terms proposed; the timing of work we do on projects where we recognize revenue on a percentage of completion basis, including the ability to perform under recently signed contracts without unusual delay; our ability to place solar assets into service as planned; demand for our energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions; our ability to arrange financing for our projects; changes in federal, state and local government policies and programs related to energy efficiency and renewable energy; the ability of customers to cancel or defer contracts included in our backlog; the effects of our recent acquisitions; seasonality in construction and in demand for our products and services; a customer’s decision to delay our work on, or other risks involved with, a particular project; availability and costs of labor and equipment; the addition of new customers or the loss of existing customers; and other factors discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on March 6, 2015. In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent our views as of the date of this press release. We anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause our views to change. However, while we may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we specifically disclaim any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.

Contact:   

Media Relations

CarolAnn Hibbard, 508.661.2264, [email protected]
Investor Relations

John Granara, 508.661.2215
Gary Dvorchak, CFA, The Blue Shirt Group, 323.240.5796,
[email protected]